Allan Kardec-THE Spirit's Book_ The Principles of Spiritist Doctrine (1989)

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THE SPIRITS’ BOOK
consciousness of themselves or of their acts; it is only little by little that their intelligence is
developed."
190. What is the state of the soul at its first incarnation?
"A state analogous to that of infancy, considered in its relation to a human life. Its intelligence
is only beginning to unfold itself; it may be said to he essaying to live."
191. Are the souls of our savages souls in a state of infancy?
"Of relative infancy; but they are souls that have already accomplished a certain amount of
development, for they have passions."
- Passions, then, are a sign of development?
"Of development, yes, but not of perfection. They are a sign of activity, and of the
consciousness of the me; while, on the contrary, in the primitive state of the soul, intelligence
and vitality exist only as germs."
The life of a spirit in his totality goes through successive phases similar to those of a corporeal lifetime. He
passes gradually from the embryonic state to that of infancy, and arrives, through a succession of periods,
at the adult state, which is that of his perfection, with this difference, however, that it Is not subject either
to decrepitude or to decline, like the corporeal life that the life of a spirit, though it has had a beginning,
will have no end ; that he takes what appears from our point of view to be an immense length of time in
passing from the state of spirit-infancy to the attainment of his complete development ; and that he
accomplishes this progression, not in one and the same sphere, but by passing through different worlds.
The life of a spirit is thus composed of a series of corporeal existences, each of which affords him an
opportunity of progress ; as each of his corporeal existences is composed of a series of days, in each of
which he acquires a new increment of experience and of knowledge. But just as in a human lifetime there
are days which bear no fruit, so in the life of a spirit there are corporeal existences which are barren of
profitable result, because he has failed to make a right use of them.
192. Is it possible for us, by leading a perfect life in our present existence, to overleap all the
intervening steps of the ascent, and thus to arrive at the state of pure spirits, without passing
through the intermediate degrees?
"No; for what a man imagines to be perfect is very far from perfection; there are qualities
which are entirely unknown to him, and which he could not now be made to comprehend. He
may be as perfect as it is possible for his terrestrial nature to be; 'but he will still be very far
from the true and absolute perfection. It is just as with the child, who, however precocious he
may he, must necessarily pass through youth to reach adult life; or as the sick man, who must
pass through convalescence before arriving at the complete recovery of his health. And
besides, a spirit must