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

361
THE SPIRITS’ BOOK
by weighing all his actions in the scales of God's law, and especially of the law of justice,
love, and charity, that he can decide whether they are good or bad, and can thus approve or
disapprove of them. It cannot, therefore, be wrong in him to recognise the fact that he has
triumphed over his evil tendencies, and to rejoice in having done so, provided he does not
make this recognition a subject of vanity, for, in that case, he would be giving way to a
tendency as reprehensible as any of those over which he has triumph." (919.)
The Passions.
907. As our passions have their roots in nature, are they evil in themselves?
"No; it is only their excess that is evil, for excess implies a perversion of the will. But the
principle of all his passions has been given to man for his good, and they may all spur him on
to the accomplishment of great things. It is only their abuse that does harm."
908. How can we define the limit at which the passions cease to be good or bad?
"The passions are like a horse that is useful when under control, but dangerous when it
obtains the mastery. A passion becomes pernicious the moment when you cease to govern it,
and when it causes an injury to yourselves or to others."
The passions are levers that Increase man's powers tenfold, and aid him in the accomplishment of the
designs of Providence but if, instead of ruling them, he allows himself to be ruled by them, he falls into
every sort of excess, and the same force which, held well in hand, would have been useful to him, falls
upon and crushes him.
All the passions have their source in a natural sentiment or a natural want. They are therefore not evil in
themselves, since they constitute one of the providentially-appointed conditions of our existence. what is
usually meant by "passion" is the exaggeration of a need or a sentiment.
But this exaggeration Is the excessive action of a motive-power, and not the power Itself; it is this
excessive action which becomes an evil, and leads to evil consequences of every kind.
Every passion that brings man nearer to the nature of the animals takes him further from the spiritual
nature.
Every sentiment that raises man above the nature of the animals is evidence of the predominance of his
spiritual nature over his animal nature and brings him nearer to perfection.
909. Would a man's own efforts always suffice to enable him to vanquish his evil tendencies?
"Yes, very slight ones are often all that is needed; it is the will that is wanting. Alas! how few
of you make any serious efforts to vanquish those tendencies!"