Writing or Psychographic Mediums

178. Of all the means of communication, manual writing is the most simple, the most convenient, and the most complete. It is to that all efforts should tend, for it permits us to establish with the spirits as continuous and regular relations as among ourselves. We should cling to it the more, because it is that by which the spirits best reveal their nature, and the degree of their perfection or inferiority. By the ease with which they express themselves, they let us know their secret thoughts, and allow us, at the same time, to judge and appreciate them at their value. The faculty of writing, for a medium, is especially the one that is most susceptible of development by exercise.

178. Of all the ways to communicate, writing by hand is the simplest, most convenient, and most complete. All efforts should aim toward it. It allows us to establish relations with spirits that are as continuous and regular as those among ourselves. We should pursue writing all the more because it best reveals the spirits’ nature and their degree of perfection or inferiority. Because they can express themselves easily, they reveal their secret thoughts. This also allows us to judge and appreciate them according to their true worth. Of a medium’s abilities, writing is especially likely to improve with practice.

179. If certain effects produced in the movements of the table, of the basket, or of the planchette that writes, be examined, an action exercised directly by the spirit on these objects cannot be doubted.

179. If we examine certain effects in the movements of the table, basket, or writing planchette, we cannot doubt that the spirit acts directly on these objects.

The basket is, at times, shaken with so much violence, that it escapes from the hands of the medium; sometimes, even, it is directed toward certain persons in the circle, to strike them; at other times, its movements testify an affectionate sentiment.

At times, the basket shakes so violently that it slips from the medium’s hands. Sometimes it is even directed toward certain people in the circle to strike them. At other times, its movements express affection.

The same thing occurs when the pencil is in the hand; often it is thrown forcibly to a distance, or the hand, like the basket, is convulsively shaken, and strikes the table with anger even when the medium is perfectly calm, and astonished not to be master of himself. Let us observe, in passing, that these effects always denote the presence of imperfect spirits; those really superior are constantly calm, dignified, and benevolent; if they are not listened to properly, they retire, and others take their place. Thus the spirit can express his thought directly, either by the movement of an object in the hand of the medium, or by his action on the hand itself.

The same thing happens when the medium holds the pencil. Often the pencil is thrown forcefully some distance away. Or the hand, like the basket, shakes convulsively and strikes the table in anger. This happens even when the medium is perfectly calm and surprised to have lost control of himself. Let us note in passing that these effects always indicate the presence of imperfect spirits. Truly superior spirits are always calm, dignified, and benevolent. If they are not listened to properly, they leave, and others take their place. Thus, the spirit can express his thoughts directly by moving an object in the medium’s hand. He can also do so by acting on the hand itself.

When the spirit acts directly on the hand, he gives to it an impulse completely independent of the will. It goes on without interruption, and in spite of the medium, as long as the spirit has anything to say, and stops when he has finished.

When the spirit acts directly on the hand, he moves it completely independently of the medium’s will. The hand keeps moving without interruption, despite the medium, as long as the spirit has something to say. It stops when he has finished.

What characterizes the phenomenon in this case is, that the medium has no consciousness of what he writes; absolute unconsciousness constitutes passive or mechanical mediums. This faculty is precious, as it can leave no doubt of its independence of the thought of him who writes.

What characterizes this phenomenon is that the medium is unaware of what he writes. This complete lack of awareness defines passive or mechanical mediums. This ability is valuable because it leaves no doubt that the writing is independent of the writer's thoughts.

180. The transmission of thought takes place by the intervention of the medium's spirit, or, rather, of his soul; for by this name we designate the incarnated spirit. The foreign spirit, in this case, does not act on the hand to make it write; he does not hold it, does not guide it; he acts on the soul with which he is identified. The soul, under this impulse, directs the hand, and the hand directs the pencil.

180. Thought is transmitted through the medium's spirit, or rather, through his soul. By soul, we mean a spirit living in a body. In this case, the other spirit does not make the hand write. He does not hold or guide it. He acts on the soul with which he is united. Under this influence, the soul directs the hand, and the hand directs the pencil.

Let us remark here one important thing to know; it is, that the foreign spirit is not substituted for the soul, for he cannot displace it: he controls it at his will, he impresses his will upon it. The part of the soul is not absolutely a passive one; it receives the thought of the foreign spirit, and transmits it. In this case the medium is conscious what he writes, though it is not his own thought; this is what is called intuitive medium.

Let us note one important point here. The foreign spirit does not replace the soul, because it cannot displace the soul. Instead, it controls the soul at will and imposes its will on it. The soul’s role is not entirely passive. It receives the foreign spirit’s thought and transmits it. In this case, the medium is aware of what they write, though the thought is not their own. This is called an intuitive medium.

If this be so, it may be said, nothing proves that it is any more the thought of a foreign spirit than of the medium. The distinction is, in fact, sometimes quite difficult to make, but it may happen that this will be of little consequence. The suggested thought can always be recognized, in that it is never preconceived; it is born as it is written, and often is contrary to the idea previously formed; it may even be beyond the knowledge and capacity of the medium.

If this is true, one might say that nothing proves the thought comes from another spirit rather than the medium. The distinction is sometimes quite difficult to make, but it may not matter much. A suggested thought can always be recognized because it is never formed beforehand. It arises as it is written and often contradicts an idea formed earlier. It may even be beyond the medium's knowledge and ability.

The part of the mechanical medium is that of a machine, the intuitive medium acts as an interpreter. In fact, to transmit the thought, he should understand it; appropriate it in some sort, in order to translate it faithfully; yet this thought is not his—it but passes through his brain. Such is exactly the part of the intuitive medium.

The mechanical medium acts like a machine, while the intuitive medium acts as an interpreter. To convey a thought faithfully, the intuitive medium must understand it and make it his own in some way. Yet the thought is not his. It only passes through his brain. This is exactly the role of the intuitive medium.

181. In the purely mechanical medium, the movement of the hand is independent of the will; in the intuitive medium, the movement is voluntary and optional.

181. In a purely mechanical medium, the hand moves independently of the medium's will. In an intuitive medium, the hand moves voluntarily and by choice.

The semi-mechanical medium partakes of both natures; he feels an impulse given to his hand in spite of himself, but, at the same time, has a consciousness of the words as rapidly as they are formed. With the first, the thought follows the act of writing; with the second, it precedes it; with the third, it accompanies it. These last mediums are the most numerous.

The semi-mechanical medium shares both natures. The medium feels an impulse moving their hand against their will, but is also aware of the words as they form. With the first, thought follows the act of writing. With the second, it comes before writing. With the third, it accompanies writing. The third type of medium is the most common.

182. Every person who, whether in the normal state or in a state of ecstasy, receives, by the thought, communications foreign to his preconceived ideas, may be ranked in the category of inspired mediums; which is, as may be seen, a variety of intuitive mediumship, with this difference, that the intervention of an occult power is still less apparent; for, with the inspired, it is more difficult to distinguish between the thought proper and that which is suggested. What peculiarly characterizes this is its spontaneity. Inspiration comes to us from spirits who influence us for good or evil, but it is more especially from those who wish us well, and whose advice we too often wrongly avoid following. It applies to every circumstance in life, in the resolutions we make; as far as this goes, we might say every one in the world is a medium, for there is no person who has not his spirit protectors and familiars, who make every effort to suggest salutary thoughts to their wards.

182. Anyone who receives thoughts outside their preconceived ideas may be called an inspired medium. This applies whether they are in a normal state or in a state of ecstasy. Inspired mediumship is a form of intuitive mediumship. The difference is that the influence of a hidden power is even less apparent. For inspired mediums, it is harder to distinguish their own thoughts from those suggested to them. The defining feature of inspiration is its spontaneity. Inspiration comes from spirits who influence us for good or evil. But it comes especially from those who wish us well, whose advice we too often wrongly choose not to follow. It applies to every circumstance of life and to the decisions we make. In this respect, we might say that everyone in the world is a medium. For everyone has spirit protectors and familiar spirits who do all they can to suggest helpful thoughts to those in their care.

If every one were thoroughly convinced of this truth, there would be more frequent recourse to the guardian angel in moments when one knows not what to say or do. Let us, then, invoke him with fervor and confidence in cases of necessity, and we shall be more often astonished by the ideas that will come as by enchantment, whether we may have something to decide or something to compose. If no idea comes, it is because it is necessary for us to wait.

If everyone were fully convinced of this truth, people would turn to their guardian angel more often when they did not know what to say or do. So let us call on him with fervor and confidence when we need help. We will then be more often surprised by ideas that come as if by magic, whether we need to make a decision or compose something. If no idea comes, it is because we need to wait.

The proof that the idea that comes unexpectedly is one foreign to us, is, that if it had been in us we should always have been master of it, and there would be no reason it could not have manifested itself at will. He who is not blind has only to open his eyes to see when he pleases; so, the same, he who has ideas of his own always has them at his disposal; if they do not come at will, it is because he is obliged to draw them from other sources.

An idea that comes unexpectedly must come from outside us. If it were already in us, we would always have control over it. There would be no reason we could not bring it to mind at will. A person who is not blind need only open their eyes to see whenever they please. In the same way, people who have ideas of their own always have them at their disposal. If their ideas do not come at will, it is because they must draw them from other sources.

In this category may also be classed persons who, without being endowed with an extraordinary intelligence, and without leaving the normal state, have flashes of intellectual lucidity which gives them temporarily an unaccustomed facility of conception and elocution, and, in some cases, a presentiment of the future. In these moments, justly called, of inspiration, ideas abound, are continuous, carry us along, as it were of themselves, by an involuntary and almost feverish impulse; it seems to us that a superior intelligence comes to our aid, and that our mind is relieved of a load.

This category may also include people who have flashes of intellectual clarity, though they have no extraordinary intelligence and remain in a normal state. These flashes temporarily give them an unusual ease in forming and expressing ideas. In some cases, they also have a sense of what will happen in the future. During these moments, rightly called moments of inspiration, ideas flow abundantly and continuously. They seem to carry us along by an involuntary and almost feverish impulse. It seems that a higher intelligence comes to our aid and that our mind is relieved of a burden.

183. Men of genius of all kinds—artists, scientists, men of letters—are doubtless advanced spirits, capable by themselves of understanding and conceiving great things; but it is precisely because they are considered capable that the spirits who desire the accomplishment of certain work suggest to them the necessary ideas; and thus they are most frequently mediums without knowing it. Yet they have a vague intuition of a foreign assistance; for he who appeals to inspiration makes but an invocation; if he did not hope to be heard, why should he so often cry, "Aid me, my good genius!"

183. People of genius in every field, including artists, scientists, and writers, are undoubtedly advanced spirits. They can understand and conceive great things on their own. But it is precisely because they are considered capable that spirits who want certain work accomplished suggest the necessary ideas to them. So they are most often mediums without knowing it. Yet they have a vague sense of help from an outside source. For a person who appeals to inspiration is making an invocation. If they did not hope to be heard, why would they so often cry, "Help me, my good genius!"

The following answers confirm this assertion:—

The following answers confirm this claim:

"What is the primary cause of inspiration?"

"What is the main cause of inspiration?"

"Spirits who communicate by the thought."

"Spirits who communicate through thought."

"Has not inspiration the revelation of great things for its object?"

“Isn't the purpose of inspiration to reveal great things?”

"No; it often has relation to the most ordinary occurrences of life. For example, you wish to go somewhere: a secret voice tells you not to do so, for there is danger for you; or it tells you to do a thing you had not thought of; that is inspiration. There are very few persons who have not been more or less inspired at certain moments."

"No; it often relates to the most ordinary events of life. For example, you want to go somewhere. A secret voice tells you not to go because there is danger for you. Or it tells you to do something you had not thought of doing. That is inspiration. Very few people have not been inspired to some degree at certain moments."

"An author, a painter, a musician, for instance, could they, in moments of inspiration, be considered mediums?"

"Could an author, painter, or musician, for example, be considered a medium in moments of inspiration?"

"Yes, for in these moments the soul is freer and more withdrawn from matter; it recovers a portion of its faculties as spirit, and more easily receives the communications of other spirits who inspire it."

"Yes, because in these moments the soul is freer and less tied to matter. It regains some of its abilities as a spirit and more easily receives messages from other spirits who inspire it."

184. Presentiment is a vague intuition of future things. Some persons have this faculty more or less developed; they may owe it to a kind of double sight, which permits them to foresee the consequences of present things and the thread of events; but often, also, it proceeds from occult communications, and, in this case, to those thus endowed may be given this name of presentiment mediums, which is a variety of inspired mediums.

184. Presentiment is a vague intuition about future events. Some people have this ability to a greater or lesser degree. It may come from a kind of double sight that lets them foresee the consequences of present events and how events will unfold. But it often comes from occult communications. In that case, those with this ability may be called presentiment mediums, a variety of inspired mediums.