Types of Communications

133. We have said that every effect that reveals in its cause an act of free will, however insignificant the act may be, gives assurance by that of an intelligent cause. Thus a simple movement of a table, answering our thought, or showing an intentional character, may be considered an intelligent manifestation. If the result were limited to that, it would always be something to give proof that there is, in these phenomena, more than a purely material action; but its practical utility would be, for us, null, or at least very restricted; it is quite otherwise when this intelligence acquires a development which permits a regular exchange and connection of thoughts; no longer, then, simple manifestations, but veritable communications. By the means now used, they can be obtained as extended, as explicit, and as rapid as those we maintain with men.

133. We have said that any effect caused by an act of free will proves an intelligent cause, however small the act. Thus, even a simple movement of a table may be considered an intelligent manifestation. It may be considered one if it responds to our thoughts or shows signs of intention. If that were the only result, it would still prove something. It would show that these phenomena involve more than purely material action. But its practical use to us would be nonexistent, or at least very limited. It is quite different when this intelligence develops enough to allow a regular exchange of thoughts and a connection between minds. These are no longer simple manifestations, but true communications. By the methods now used, they can be as extensive, explicit, and rapid as those we have with other people.

If the infinite variety existing among spirits, under the double view of intelligence and morality, has been thoroughly considered, according to the spirit scale (Livre des Esprits, No. 100), the difference that must exist in their communications may be readily conceived; they must reflect the elevation or the lowness of their ideas, their knowledge and their ignorance, their vices and their virtues; in a word, they should no more resemble each other than those of men, from the savage to the most enlightened European. All the shades they present may be grouped in four principal categories, according to their most prominent characteristics; they are, gross, frivolous, serious, or instructive.

If you have carefully considered the infinite variety of spirits, in both intelligence and morality, their communications will naturally differ. The spirit scale describes this variety (Livre des Esprits, No. 100). Their communications must reflect the elevation or lowness of their ideas, their knowledge and ignorance, and their vices and virtues. In short, they should be no more alike than human communications, from those of a savage to those of the most enlightened European. All the variations in these communications can be grouped into four main categories according to their most prominent characteristics: gross, frivolous, serious, or instructive.

134. The gross communications are those given in expressions that shock decency. They can emanate only from spirits of a low state, still soiled with the impurities of matter, and differ in nothing from those that might be given by vicious and gross men. They are repugnant to every person who has the least delicacy of sentiment; for they are according to the character of the spirits—trivial, dirty, obscene, insolent, arrogant, malevolent, and even impious.

134. Gross communications use language that offends decency. They can come only from low spirits, still stained by the impurities of matter. They are no different from what vicious and crude people might say. They offend anyone with even the slightest sensitivity. For, depending on the character of the spirits, they are trivial, dirty, obscene, insulting, arrogant, malicious, and even irreverent toward God.

135. Frivolous communications emanate from light, mocking, mischievous spirits, more roguish than wicked, and who attach no importance to what they say. As there is nothing unseemly about them, they please some persons who are amused with them, and find pleasure in their fruitless conversations, where many words are used to say nothing. These spirits often make sudden witty, sarcastic sallies, and, in the midst of common facetiousness, often say hard truths, which almost always go straight to the mark.

135. Frivolous communications come from lighthearted, mocking, mischievous spirits who are more roguish than wicked. These spirits attach no importance to what they say. Because their communications contain nothing improper, some people enjoy them. These people are amused by the spirits’ pointless conversations, which use many words to say nothing. The spirits often make sudden witty or sarcastic remarks. Amid their ordinary joking, they also often tell hard truths that almost always hit the mark.

These light spirits multiply around us, and seize every occasion to mingle in the communications; truth is the least of their care: this is why they take a roguish pleasure in mystifying those who are weak, and who sometimes presume to believe their word. Persons who take pleasure in such communications naturally give access to light and deceiving spirits; serious spirits remove from them, as, among us, serious men withdraw from the society of the giddy.

These frivolous spirits multiply around us and seize every chance to join in communications. They care little about truth, so they take mischievous pleasure in deceiving weak people who sometimes presume to believe them. People who enjoy such communications naturally give frivolous and deceitful spirits access to them. Serious spirits withdraw from these people, just as serious people among us withdraw from the company of the frivolous.

136. Serious communications are grave as to the subject and the manner in which they are made. Every communication which excludes frivolity and grossness, and which has a useful end, be it even of private interest, is serious, but is not, for all that, always exempt from error. The serious spirits are not always equally enlightened; there are many things of which they are ignorant, and in which they may be deceived in all sincerity: this is why the spirits truly superior constantly recommend us to submit all communications to the scrutiny of reason and the severest logic.

136. Serious communications are serious in both subject and manner. A communication is serious if it avoids frivolity and vulgarity and serves a useful purpose, even a private one. But serious communications are not always free from error. Serious spirits are not all equally enlightened. There are many things they do not know, and they may be sincerely mistaken about them. This is why truly superior spirits constantly recommend that we examine all communications with reason and the strictest logic.

It is, then, necessary to distinguish the true-serious from the false-serious communications, and it is not always easy; for even under cover of the gravity of the language certain spirits, presumptuous or false scientists, seek to give prevalence to the falsest ideas and the most absurd systems; and to obtain greater credit and importance, they do not hesitate to use the most respectable and even the most venerated names. That is one of the greatest dangers in the practical science; we shall return to it later, with all the developments so important a subject requires; at the same time we shall show the means of providing against the danger of false communications.

We must therefore distinguish truly serious communications from falsely serious ones. This is not always easy. Some presumptuous spirits, or spirits who falsely claim to be scientists, use serious language to promote the most false ideas and absurd theories. To gain greater trust and importance, they do not hesitate to use the most respectable and even the most revered names. This is one of the greatest dangers in the practical science. We will return to it later and discuss it as fully as such an important subject requires. We will also show how to guard against the danger of false communications.

137. Instructive communications are the serious, which have for their principal object instruction of some kind given by the spirits on the sciences, morals, or philosophy, &c. They are more or less profound according to the degree of elevation and dematerialization of the spirit. To draw a real advantage from these communications, they must be regular, and followed up with perseverance. Serious spirits attach themselves to those who desire to be instructed, and they second them, while they leave to light spirits the care of amusing those who see in these manifestations only a passing distraction. It is only by the regularity and frequency of the communications that we can appreciate the moral and intellectual value of the spirits with whom we converse, and the degree of confidence they merit. If experience is necessary to judge men, it is still more so to judge spirits.

137. Instructive communications are serious communications whose main purpose is instruction from spirits on science, morals, philosophy, and other subjects. Their depth varies with the spirit's degree of elevation and dematerialization. To gain real benefit from these communications, we must receive them regularly and pursue them with perseverance. Serious spirits attach themselves to those who want to learn and help them. They leave light spirits to amuse those who see these manifestations only as a passing distraction. Only through regular and frequent communication can we judge the moral and intellectual value of the spirits we speak with. Only then can we judge how much we can trust them. If experience is necessary to judge people, it is even more necessary to judge spirits.

In giving to these communications the qualification of instructive, we suppose them true; for a thing not true would not be instructive, were it said in the most imposing language. We cannot, then, rank in this category certain teachings which have naught serious but the form, often bombastic and emphatic, by the aid of which the spirits, more presumptuous than learned, who dictate them, hope to create delusion; but these spirits, being unable to supply the groundwork lacking in them, cannot long sustain their part; they soon betray their weak side; for few of their communications have a sequel, or can be pressed to their extreme limits.

When we call these communications instructive, we assume they are true. Something that is not true cannot be instructive, even if expressed in the most impressive language. We cannot, then, include teachings whose only serious feature is their form. This form is often pompous and emphatic. The spirits who dictate these teachings are more presumptuous than learned, and they hope their impressive language will deceive people. But these spirits cannot provide the substance they lack, so they cannot keep up the act for long. They soon reveal their weaknesses. Few of their communications have a continuation or can withstand being examined to their furthest implications.

138. The means of communicating are very varied. The spirits, acting on our organs and on our senses, can manifest themselves to the sight as apparitions, to the touch by tangible impressions, hidden or visible, to the hearing by sounds, to the smelling by odors, without known cause. This last method of manifestation, though very real, is, without contradiction, the most uncertain, from the numerous causes that may lead to error; so we will stop here. What we ought to examine with care are the various means of obtaining communications; that is to say, an exchange, regular and followed by thoughts. These means are, rappings, talking, and writing. We shall develop them in special chapters.

138. There are many ways to communicate. Spirits can act on our organs and senses to make themselves known. They can appear to sight as apparitions, or to touch through tangible impressions, whether hidden or visible. They can also make themselves heard through sounds, or smelled through odors with no known cause. This last method of manifestation, though very real, is unquestionably the most uncertain. Many causes can lead to error, so we will go no further into it here. What we should examine carefully are the various ways of receiving communications. By communications, we mean a regular and sustained exchange of thoughts. These methods are rapping, speaking, and writing. We will discuss them in separate chapters.