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The length of confusion
after death is variable
1. At the moment of
death, everything
appears confused. The
soul takes some time to
recover its self-
consciousness, for it is
as though stunned, and
in a state similar to
that of a man waking out
of a deep sleep, and
trying to understand his
own situation. It
gradually regains
clearness of thought and
the memory of the past
in proportion to the
weakening of the
influence of the
material envelope from
which it has just freed
itself, and the clearing
away of the sort of fog
that obscured its
consciousness.
2. The duration of the
state of confusion that
follows death varies
greatly in different
cases. It may be only of
a few hours, and it may
be of several months, or
even years. Those with
whom it lasts the least
are they who, during the
earthly life, have
identified themselves
most closely with their
future state, because
they are soonest able to
understand their pew
situation.
3. The process of the
separation of the soul
from the body is slow
and lengthy, according
to the temper, moral
character and spiritual
acquisitions of each
being.
There are no two
disincarnating alike.
Each person awakes or
takes time in confusion,
according to their
personality.
4. In this sense,
religious behavior plays
a large role. Those who
are attached to
materialistic ideas,
hibernate, not rare, as
to escape from reality,
in an unconscious block
of long time which
haunts them in the shape
of nightmares they
cannot get rid of.
Many watch their own
decomposition
5. Having accepted the
idea of nothing, they
get tired in agony,
without relief, in cold
regions where they were
dragged to because of
their mental state, when
they don’t follow,
shocked, the
decomposition of their
own body, as they try to
recover its movements,
unsuccessfully.
6. Those who cultivate
hollow religions, which
promise Heaven through
opportunism, are
surprised with a reality
quite different from
what they expected.
7. Those who believed in
nonsense are victims of
horrible hallucinations
that they suffer
indefinitely.
8. Those that have
committed suicide
discover that death does
not exist.
9. Those that destroyed
other lives, experience
the afflictions they
inflicted, indefinitely,
and feel the crimes they
committed.
Confusion is the normal
state in the instant of
death
10. The mental confusion
accompanies the
separation of the soul
from the body. At the
moment when this
separation is taking
place, the soul is
seized with a sort of
torpor that paralyzes
its faculties, and at
least to a certain
extent, neutralizes its
sensations.
11. The state of
confusion may therefore
be considered as the
normal condition of the
soul at the moment of
death; its duration
differs in different
cases and may vary from
a few hours to many
years.
12. The moment when the
body heaves the last
sigh is, consequently,
not the most painful,
because in general, the
soul is then in a state
of unconsciousness. In
cases of violent death,
the conditions under
which the process of
separation is effected
are not necessarily the
same, in such a case,
the disengagement begins
to be effected after
death has occurred, and
as in other cases, it
cannot be effected
immediately. The Spirit
unexpectedly seized upon
death, is, as it were,
stunned by the
suddenness of the event;
but, as he feels and
thinks, he supposes
himself to be still
living the earthly life,
and he retains this
illusion until he has
come to understand his
real position.
13. The various states
of the spirit at the
moment of death may be
summed up as follows:
The more slowly a
spirit’s disengagement
is effected, the more
severely does he suffer;
the rapidity with which
his disengagement is
effected is in
proportion to the degree
of his moral
advancement: for the
spirit whose soul is
already dematerialized,
whose conscience is
pure, death is but a
momentary sleep, void of
suffering, and the
awakening from which is
unspeakably delightful.
Answer Key
1. What sensations does
the soul experience
because of the death?
A.: At the moment of
death, everything
appears confused. The
soul takes some time to
recover its self-
consciousness, for it is
as though stunned, and
in a state similar to
that of a man waking out
of a deep sleep, and
trying to understand his
own situation. It
gradually regains
clearness of thought and
the memory of the past
in proportion to the
weakening of the
influence of the
material envelope from
which it has just freed
itself, and the clearing
away of the sort of fog
that obscured its
consciousness.
2. Do all spirits
experience, in the same
degree and for the same
length of time, the
confusion which follows
the separation of the
soul from the body?
A.: Yes. The duration of
the state of confusion
that follows death
varies greatly in
different cases. It may
be only of a few hours,
and it may be of several
months, or even years.
Those with whom it lasts
the least are they who,
during the earthly life,
have identified
themselves most closely
with their future state,
because they are soonest
able to understand their
pew situation.
3. Does knowledge of
Spiritism exercise any
influence on the
duration of this state
of confusion?
A.: It exercises a very
considerable influence
on that duration,
because it enables the
spirit to understand
beforehand the new
situation in which it is
about to find itself;
but the practice of
rectitude during the
earthly life, and a
clear conscience, are
the conditions which
conduce most powerfully
to shorten it.
4. What is the situation
of people who cultivated
hollow religions, which
promise Heaven through
opportunism?
A.: These people are
surprised with a reality
quite different from
what they expected.
5. In short, how to
define the state of the
Spirit because of death?
A.: The various states
of the spirit at the
moment of death may be
summed up as follows:
The more slowly a
spirit’s disengagement
is effected, the more
severely does he suffer;
the rapidity with which
his disengagement is
effected is in
proportion to the degree
of his moral
advancement: for the
spirit whose soul is
already dematerialized,
whose conscience is
pure, death is but a
momentary sleep, void of
suffering, and the
awakening from which is
unspeakably delightful.
