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

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ALLAN KARDEC
"Very few deaths are altogether instantaneous. In most cases, the spirit whose body has just
been mortally struck is not aware of it for the moment; it is when he begins to come to
himself that his spirit can be seen moving beside his corpse. This appears so natural, that the
sight of the dead body does not produce any disagreeable effect. All the life of the individual
being concentrated in his spirit, the latter alone attracts the attention of the spirits about him.
It is with him that they converse, to him that orders are given."
Pacts With Spirits.
549. Is there any truth in the idea that pacts can be entered into with evil spirits?
"No; there is. no pact, but there is sympathy, between an evil nature and evil spirits. For
example; you wish to torment your neighbour, but you know not how to set about it; and you
therefore call to your help some of the inferior spirits, who, like yourself, only desire to do
evil, and who, in return for the help they give you in carrying out your wicked designs, expect
you to help them with theirs. But it does not follow that your neighbour will not be able to get
rid of such a conspiracy by an opposing conjuration and the action of his will. He who desires
to do an evil deed calls evil spirits to his assistance by that mere desire; and he is then obliged
to serve them as they have served him, for they, on their side, have need of his help in the evil
they desire to do. What you call a pact consists simply in this reciprocity of assistance in
evil."
The subjection to evil spirits, in which a man sometimes finds himself, proceeds from his abandoning
himself to the evil thoughts suggested by them, and not from any sort of stipulations between them and
him. The idea of a pact, in the sense commonly attached to that word, is a figurative representation of the
sympathy which exists between a bad man and malicious spirits.
550. What is the meaning of the fantastic legends of persons selling their soul to Satan in
order to obtain from him certain favours?
"All fables contain a teaching and a moral; your mistake is in taking them literally. The one
you refer to is an allegory that may be thus explained -He who calls evil spirits to his aid, in
order to obtain from them the gifts of fortune or any other favour, rebels against Providence.
He draws back from the mission he has received, and from the trials he was to have under-