Preconceived ideas
I Lyon, November 1863 – Medium Mr. X…
We have asked you many times to examine the communications that are given to you, submitting them to the crucible of reason, and that you must not take the inspirations that agitate your minds without analysis, under the influence of causes that are sometimes difficult to verify by the incarnate, affected by all sorts of mockery.
Pure ideas that, say, float around (according to Plato’s thoughts) and carried by the Spirits are not always capable of locating themselves alone and isolated onto the minds of your mediums. They frequently find the places occupied by preconceived ideas that are modified by the streams of inspiration, that unconsciously disturb and modify them, that is certain, but sometimes in a very profound way so that the spiritual idea is completely altered.
Inspiration is formed by two elements: thought and the fluidic heat that is supposed to embrace the medium’s soul, providing what you call the verve of composition. If inspiration finds the place occupied by a preconceived idea that the medium cannot or does not wish to separate from then the thought remains without an interpreter and the fluidic warmth is worn out by trying to excite a thought that is not ours. How many times have we come to bring that warmth and the idea to this selfish and passionate world of yours? You neglect the idea that should be acknowledged by your conscience and you use that warmth to the benefit of your own terrestrial passions, sometimes dilapidating God’s benevolence in favor of evil. How accountable will one day be all the defenders of the lost causes!
I would be, no doubt, desirable that the good inspirations could always dominate the preconceived ideas but in that case we would preclude human free-will and people would then escape the responsibility that is theirs. Nonetheless, since we are only the auxiliary advisors of humanity, how many times shouldn’t we congratulate ourselves when our ideas knock on the door of righteous consciences, overcoming preconceived ideas and modifying the conviction of the inspired ones! Make no mistake, however, and rest assured that the bad use of our help may have positive effects. Serious belief establishes a heart to heart connection; simulated conviction may vibrate in sync with passions and have them satisfied but it still carries a particular coldness that leaves a blank in the mind, pointing out to a doubtful origin. Would you like to know where the mediumistic inspiration comes from? The answer is easy: the idea comes from the extra-terrestrial world, directly from the Spirit. As for the fluidic warmth of inspiration, we find and utilize it from you; it is the emanation of the quintessential element of the vital fluid. We sometimes take it from the inspired person herself, when a certain fluidic power (or mediumistic, as you say) is available; we more frequently take it from the environment that surrounds the medium. That is why one can correctly say that sympathy has power.
If you give serious thoughts to that you will find the explanation of many events that may cause surprise at first sight but from which you have a certain intuition. The idea itself would not suffice mankind if the power of expression was not employed. The warmth is to the idea what the perispirit is to the Spirit and what your body is to the soul. Without the body the soul would be powerless to act upon matter; without the warmth the idea would be powerless to touch the hearts.
The conclusion of this communication is that you must never resign to your reason in the examination of the inspirations that you may receive. The more a medium has acquired own ideas the more she is susceptible to preconceived ones; also, the more she must put aside her ideas making room for those that arrive to her and giving her the assurance of a good communication.
Pascal
