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

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ALLAN KARDEC
sensibility of the organism, the life seeming to retire from the body in order to concentrate
itself in the spirit. Have you not observed that, when the spirit is intensely occupied with any
matter, the body neither feels, nor sees, nor hears ?
The excitement of fanaticism and enthusiasm often offer, on the part of persons subjected to a violent
death, examples of a calmness and coolness that could hardly triumph over excruciating pain unless the
sensibility of the patient were neutralised by a sort of moral anaesthesia. We know that. in the heat of
battle, a severe wound Is often received without being perceived; whilst, under ordinary circumstances, a
mere scratch is felt acutely.
Since the production of these phenomena is due, in part, to the action of physical causes, in part to that of
Spirits, it may be asked how it can have been possible for the civil authorities, in certain cases, to put a
stop to them? The reason of this Is, however, very simple. The action of spirits, in these cases, Is only
secondary they do nothing more than take advantage of a natural tendency. The public authorities did
not suppress this tendency, but the cause which kept up and stimulated it, thus reducing it from a state of
activity to one of latency and they were right in so doing, because the matter was giving rise to abuses and
scandal. Such intervention, nevertheless, is powerless in cases where the action of spirits is direct and
spontaneous.
Affection of Certain Spirits for Certain Persons.
484. Do spirits affectionately prefer certain persons?
"Good spirits sympathise with all men who are good, or susceptible of amelioration; inferior
spirits, with men who are bad, or who may become such. The attachment, in both cases, is a
consequence of the similarity of sentiment."
485. Is the affection of certain spirits for certain persons exclusively one of sentiment?
"True affection has nothing of carnality; but, when a spirit attaches himself to a living person,
it is not always through affection only; for there may also be in that attachment a
reminiscence of human passions."
486. Do spirits take an interest in our misfortunes and our prosperity? Those who wish us
well, are they grieved by the ills we undergo during life?
"Good spirits do you all the good they can, and rejoice with you in all your joys. They mourn
over your afflictions when you do not bear them with resignation, because in that case
affliction produces no beneficial result, for you are like the sick man who rejects the
disagreeable draught that would cure him."
487. What is the kind of ills that causes most grief to our spirit-friends? Is it cur physical
sufferings, or our moral imperfections?