Mystifications and
Animism
We present in this issue
the topic #110 from the
Systematized Study of
the Spiritist Doctrine,
that is being presented
weekly, according to the
programme elaborated by
the Brazilian Spiritist
Federation (FEB),
structured in 6 modules
and 147 topics.
If the reader uses this
program for a study
group, we suggest that
questions proposed be
discussed freely before
the reading of the text
that follows. If you
would like to study
alone, we ask you to try
to answer the questions
at first and only then
read the text that
follows. The answer key
can be found at the end
of the lesson.
Questions
1. What is
mystification?
2. Is it possible to
avoid mystifications in
Spiritism?
3. What is animism?
4. Can we say that
animism can be a
subconscious
mystification?
5. What should the
Director of medium’s
meetings do if animism
is present in his group?
Text
Mystification can be
provoked by incarnated
spirits and
disincarnated spirits
1. To mystify means
to perplex (a person) by
playing upon the
person's credulity;
bewilder purposely.
Whoever is medium needs
to be careful about this
matter. The
mystification can be
provoked by incarnated
or disincarnated
spirits. In both cases
the medium needs to be
careful to not let
himself/herself to be
tricked.
2. The mystifications
are, according to
Kardec, the most
unpleasant thing in
Spiritism. Mystification
can be avoided easily:
it’s necessary to ask
from Spiritism only what
it can give. Knowing
that the goal of
Spiritism is moral
improvement, rarely we
will be tricked if we
stick with the same
goal. After all, there
aren’t two ways of
understanding the true
moral matters.
3. If we keep in mind
that the evolved spirits
are always guiding us
and teaching us, we will
learn to reject any idea
of material advantages
or immoral actions. We
will know that these
ideas cannot be given by
evolved spirits who want
our moral improvement
and progress.
4. Bad spirits like to
interfere in our life to
cause disturbance and
influence us to make
mistakes through
intrigues,
mystifications and lies.
Sometimes these bad
spirits trick us beyond
imagination. The way
they use to mystify
others would be curious
if there weren’t
unpleasant consequences
for the mystifications
and they didn’t disturb
many people.
In the animism, the
cause is the medium
himself/herself
5. One of the most
frequent ways that bad
spirits use to trick the
mediums is the one which
tests the individual’s
greed. For example, the
revelation of treasures,
unexpected heritage or
other ways to obtain
money. It should be
taken as suspicious some
exact dates given and
every exact indication
of anything related to
material interests.
6. It’s necessary to not
follow instructions
given by spirits when
the reasons behind them
are not very rational.
It’s also important to
not be fooled by the
names these spirits give
to pretend they are
someone else when the
instructions themselves
don’t make good sense.
It’s very important to
be suspicious of amazing
theories and
instructions that don’t
focus on the moral side
only of the
communication. These are
the ways to avoid
mystification in
Spiritism.
7. Differently from
mystification, which is
a trick, a false
information given by
other spirits, animism
is the medium’s soul
itself acting.
Therefore, it’s not a
medium phenomena, it is
an animism phenomena.
Animism come from the
word “anima” which means
soul.
8. Our mind being stuck
in certain thoughts can
be a reason, in the
future, for animism. The
same way that our
thoughts being stuck in
the past can create
animism phenomena in the
present.
We cannot confuse
mystification with
animism
9. Many times, what
appears to be a medium
phenomena, with all the
appearances of a
spiritual communication,
is only the medium’s own
experiences from another
life. The medium can
revive situations from
his/her past life which
is kept in his
subconscious. This can
be trigged by the
magnetic contact between
the medium and spirits
who were part of his/her
past experience.
10. We cannot confuse
mystification with
animism. In the first
one, we have the lie; in
the second one we have
the unbalanced psychic.
Could we say that
animism is a unconscious
mystification? Answering
this question, the
instructor Aulus teach
us: “ Many people
committed to the
Spiritism are using the
possibility of animism
as an obstacle with no
real reason. This is
making them lose great
opportunities to be
useful. Therefore, we
shouldn’t consider
unconscious
mystification or
subconscious
mystification to name
the phenomena.” (Nos
Domínios da Mediunidade,
de André Luiz, cap. 22,
p. 212.)
11. The person who is
vulnerable to animism,
according to Aulus, is
“mentally disturbed
needing our attention
and support until he/she
overcomes this
difficulty. To help the
medium find his/hers
peace, it is not enough
to give complicated
diagnosis and technical
definitions only. It’s
necessary to give also
moral assistance.” (Nos
Domínios da Mediunidade,
de André Luiz, p.213).
12. In the animism
phenomena, the medium
express himself/herself
as a spirit was really
communicating.
Therefore, the medium
should be treated with
the same attention that
the spirits are treated
in the medium’s
meetings. The medium
vulnerable to animism is
a untrained worker who
can be taught and become
useful if the Director
of the medium’s group
knows how to understand
and deal with the
situation. If the medium
vulnerable to animism is
not helped, he/she can
be victims of obsession
and that is why we have
to give this subject our
full attention.
Answer
Key
1. What is
mystification?
To
mystify means
to perplex (a person) by
playing upon the
person's credulity;
bewilder purposely.
Whoever is medium needs
to be careful about this
matter. The
mystification can be
provoked by incarnated
or disincarnated
spirits.
The mystifications are,
according to Kardec, the
most unpleasant thing in
Spiritism.
2. Is it possible to
avoid mystifications in
Spiritism?
Mystification can be
avoided easily: it’s
necessary to ask from
Spiritism only what it
can give. Knowing that
the goal of Spiritism is
moral improvement,
rarely we will be
tricked if we stick with
the same goal. After
all, there aren’t two
ways of understanding
the true moral matters.
3. What is animism?
Animism is the medium’s
soul itself acting.
Therefore, it’s not a
medium phenomena, it is
an animism phenomena.
Animism come from the
word “anima” which means
soul.
4. Can we say that
animism can be a
subconscious
mystification?
No. Answering this
question, the instructor
Aulus teach us: “Many
people committed to the
Spiritism are using the
possibility of animism
as an obstacle with no
real reason. This is
making them lose great
opportunities to be
useful. Therefore, we
shouldn’t consider
unconscious
mystification or
subconscious
mystification to name
the phenomena.”
5. What should the
Director of medium’s
meetings do if animism
is present in his
group?
In the animism
phenomena, the medium
express himself/herself
as a spirit was really
communicating.
Therefore, the medium
should be treated with
the same attention that
the spirits are treated
in the medium’s
meetings. The medium
vulnerable to animism is
a untrained worker who
can be taught and become
useful if the Director
of the medium’s group
knows how to understand
and deal with the
situation. If the medium
vulnerable to animism is
not helped, he/she can
be victims of obsession
and that is why we have
to give this subject our
full attention.
Bibliography: