Return from Physical Life to Spirit Life

149. What becomes of the soul at the moment of death?

149. What happens to the soul at the moment of death?

"It becomes again a spirit; that is to say, it returns into the world of spirits, which it had quitted for a short time."

"It becomes a spirit again. In other words, it returns to the spirit world, which it had left for a short time."

150. Does the soul, after death, preserve its individuality?

150. Does the soul keep its individuality after death?

"Yes, it never loses its individuality. What would the soul be if it did not preserve it?"

"Yes, it never loses its individuality. What would the soul be if it lost its individuality?"

—How does the soul preserve the consciousness of its individuality, since it no longer has its material body?

How does the soul remain aware of its individuality when it no longer has a physical body?

"It still has a fluid peculiar to itself, which it draws from the atmosphere of its planet, and which represents the appearance of its last incarnation—its perispirit"

"It still has its own fluid, which it draws from its planet's atmosphere. This fluid takes the form of its last incarnation. It is its perispirit".

—Does the soul take nothing of this life away with it?

Does the soul take anything from this life with it?

"Nothing but the remembrance of that life and the desire to go to a better world. This remembrance is full of sweetness or of bitterness according to the use it has made of the earthly life it has quitted. The more advanced is the degree of its purification, the more clearly does it perceive the futility of all that it has left behind it upon the earth."

"Nothing but the memory of that life and the desire to go to a better world. This memory is sweet or bitter, depending on how it used the earthly life it has left behind. The more purified it is, the more clearly it sees the futility of all it has left behind on earth."

151. What is to be thought of the opinion that the soul after death returns to the universal whole?

151. What should we think of the belief that the soul returns to the universal whole after death?

"Does not the mass of spirits, considered in its totality, constitute a whole? Does it not constitute a world?

"Don't all spirits together form a whole? Don't they form a world?

When you are in an assembly you form an integral part of that assembly, and yet you still retain your individuality."

When you are in a group, you are an essential part of it, but you still retain your individuality."

152. What proof can we have of the individuality of the soul after death?

152. What proof do we have that the soul remains individual after death?

"Is not this proof furnished by the communications which you obtain? If you were not blind, you would see; if you were not deaf, you would hear; for you are often spoken to by a voice which reveals to you the existence of a being exterior to yourself."

"Don't the communications you receive provide this proof? If you were not blind, you would see. If you were not deaf, you would hear. For you are often spoken to by a voice that reveals the existence of a being outside yourself."

Those who think that the soul returns after death into the universal whole are in error if they imagine that it loses its individuality, like a drop of water that falls into the ocean; they are right if they mean by the universal whole the totality of incorporeal beings, of which each soul or spirit is an element.

Some believe that the soul returns to the universal whole after death. They are wrong if they think it loses its individuality, like a drop of water falling into the ocean. But they are right if by the universal whole they mean all beings without bodies, including each soul or spirit.

If souls were blended together into a mass, they would possess only the qualities common to the totality of the mass; there would be nothing to distinguish them from one another, and they would have no special, intellectual, or moral qualities of their own. But the communications we obtain from spirits give abundant evidence of the possession by each spirit of the consciousness of the me, and of a distinct will, personal to itself; the infinite diversity of characteristics of all kinds presented by them is at once the consequence and the evidence of their distinctive personal individuality. If, after death, there were nothing but what is called the "Great Whole," absorbing all individualities, this whole would be uniform in its characteristics; and, in that case, all the communications received from the invisible world would be identical. But as among the denizens of that other world we meet with some who are good and some who are bad, some who are learned and some who are ignorant, some who are happy and some who are unhappy, and as they present us with every shade of character, some being frivolous and others serious, &c, it is evident that they are different individualities, perfectly distinct from one another. This individuality becomes still more evident when they are able to prove their identity by unmistakable tokens, by personal details relating to their terrestrial life, and susceptible of being verified; and it cannot be a matter of doubt when they manifest themselves to our sight under the form of apparitions. The individuality of the soul has been taught theoretically as an article of faith; spiritism renders it patent, as an evident, and, so to say, a material fact.

If souls were blended into a single mass, they would have only the qualities shared by the whole mass. Nothing would distinguish them from one another. They would have no intellectual or moral qualities of their own. But the communications we receive from spirits give abundant evidence that each spirit is conscious of its own self and has a distinct will of its own. The infinite variety of characteristics they display is both a consequence and proof of their distinct personal individuality. If, after death, there were nothing but what is called the "Great Whole," absorbing all individual souls, this whole would have uniform characteristics. In that case, all communications received from the invisible world would be identical. But among the inhabitants of that other world, we find some who are good and some who are bad. Some are learned and some are ignorant. Some are happy and some are unhappy. They display every shade of character, with some frivolous, others serious, and so on. Clearly, they are separate individuals, entirely distinct from one another. Their individuality becomes even clearer when they can prove their identity through unmistakable signs and verifiable details about their lives on earth. It cannot be doubted when they appear visibly to us as apparitions. The individuality of the soul has been taught in theory as an article of faith. Spiritism makes it clear as an evident and, so to speak, material fact.

153. In what sense should we understand eternal life?

153. What does eternal life mean?

"It is the life of the spirit that is eternal; that of the body is transitory and fleeting. When the body dies, the soul re-enters the eternal life."

"The life of the spirit is eternal. The life of the body is brief and temporary. When the body dies, the soul returns to eternal life."

—Would it not be more correct to apply the term eternal life to the life of the purified spirits; of those who, having attained to the degree of relative perfection, have no longer to undergo the discipline of suffering?

Would it not be more accurate to use the term eternal life for the life of purified spirits? These are spirits who have reached relative perfection and no longer need to undergo the discipline of suffering.

"The life of that degree might rather be termed eternal happiness; but this is a question of words. You may call things as you please, provided you are agreed among yourselves as to your meaning."

"Life at that level might better be called eternal happiness. But this is a question of words. You may call things whatever you like, as long as you agree among yourselves about what you mean."

154. Is the separation of the soul from the body a painful process?

154. Is it painful for the soul to separate from the body?

"No; the body often suffers more during life than at the moment of death, when the soul is usually unconscious of what is occurring to the body. The sensations experienced at the moment of death are often a source of enjoyment for the spirit, who recognises them as putting an end to the term of his exile."

"No. The body often suffers more during life than at the moment of death. At death, the soul is usually unaware of what is happening to the body. The sensations felt at the moment of death are often a source of enjoyment for the spirit, who recognizes them as a sign that his exile is ending."

In cases of natural death, where dissolution occurs as a consequence of the exhaustion of the bodily organs through age, man passes out of life without perceiving that he is doing so. It is like the flame of a lamp that goes out for want of aliment.

In natural death, the body’s organs wear out with age, and the person dies without realizing it. It is like the flame of a lamp going out because it has run out of fuel.

155. How is the separation of soul and body effected?

155. How do the soul and body separate?

"The bonds which retained the soul being broken, it disengages itself from the body."

"The bonds that held the soul are broken, and it separates from the body."

—Is this separation effected instantaneously, and by means of an abrupt transition? Is there any distinctly marked line of demarcation between life and death?

Does this separation happen instantly, through an abrupt transition? Is there a clear dividing line between life and death?

"No; the soul disengages itself gradually. It does not escape at once from the body, like a bird whose cage is suddenly opened. The two states touch and run into each other; and the spirit extricates himself, little by little, from his fleshly bonds, which are loosed, but not broken"

"No. The soul frees itself gradually. It does not escape the body all at once, like a bird whose cage is suddenly opened. The two states meet and blend into each other. The spirit frees himself little by little from his physical bonds, which are loosened, but not broken."

During life, a spirit is held to the body by his semi-material envelope, or perispirit. Death is the destruction of the body only, but not of this second envelope, which separates itself from the body when the play of organic life ceases in the latter. Observation shows us that the separation of the perispirit from the body is not suddenly completed at the moment of death, but is only effected gradually, and more or less slowly in different individuals. In some cases it is effected so quickly that the perispirit is entirely separated from the body within a few hours of the death of the latter; but, in other cases, and especially in the case of those whose life has been grossly material and sensual, this deliverance is much less rapid, and sometimes takes days, weeks, and even months, for its accomplishment. This delay does not imply the slightest persistence of vitality in the body, nor any possibility of its return to life, but is simply the result of a certain affinity between the body and the spirit; which affinity is always more or less tenacious in proportion to the preponderance of materiality in the affections of the spirit during his earthly life. It is, in fact, only rational to suppose that the more closely a spirit has identified himself with matter, the greater will be his difficulty in separating himself from his material body; while, on the contrary, intellectual and moral activity, and habitual elevation of thought, effect a commencement of this separation even during the life of the body, and therefore, when death occurs, the separation is almost instantaneous. The study of a great number of individuals after their death has shown that the affinity which, in some cases, continues to exist between the soul and the body is sometimes extremely painful; for it causes the spirit to perceive all the horror of the decomposition of the latter. This experience is exceptional, and peculiar to certain kinds of life and to certain kinds of death. It sometimes occurs in the case of those who have committed suicide.

During life, a spirit is attached to the body by his semi-material envelope, or perispirit. Death destroys only the body, not this second envelope. The perispirit separates from the body when the body's organic life ends. Observation shows that the perispirit does not separate completely from the body at the moment of death. The separation happens gradually, at different speeds in different people. In some cases, it happens so quickly that the perispirit is completely separated within a few hours of death. In others, especially when a person's life has been grossly material and sensual, this release is much slower. It sometimes takes days, weeks, or even months to complete. This delay does not mean that any life remains in the body or that it could return to life. It simply results from an affinity between the body and the spirit. This affinity is always more or less persistent according to how strongly material concerns dominated the spirit's affections during earthly life. It is reasonable to suppose that the more closely a spirit has identified with matter, the harder it will be for him to separate from his material body. On the other hand, intellectual and moral activity and a habit of elevated thought begin this separation during life. Therefore, when death occurs, the separation is almost instantaneous. The study of many people after death has shown that the affinity between soul and body can continue. In some cases, it is extremely painful because it causes the spirit to experience all the horror of the body's decomposition. This experience is exceptional and occurs only with certain kinds of life and certain kinds of death. It sometimes occurs in those who have committed suicide.

156. Can the definitive separation of the soul and body take place before the complete cessation of organic life?

156. Can the soul separate permanently from the body before all bodily functions have stopped?

"It sometimes happens that the soul has quitted the body before the last agony comes on, so that the latter is only the closing act of merely organic life. The dying man has no longer any consciousness of himself, and nevertheless there still remains in him a faint breathing of vitality. The body is a machine that is kept in movement by the heart. It continues to live as long as the heart causes the blood to circulate in the veins, and has no need of the soul to do that."

"Sometimes the soul has left the body before the final agony begins. In that case, the agony is only the final act of the body's organic life. The dying man is no longer aware of himself, but a faint breath of life remains in him. The body is a machine kept moving by the heart. It continues to live as long as the heart circulates blood through the veins. The heart does not need the soul to do this."

157. Does the soul sometimes, at the moment of death, experience an aspiration or an ecstasy that gives it a foreglimpse of the world into which it is about to return?

157. At the moment of death, does the soul sometimes experience a longing or ecstasy that gives it a glimpse of the world it is about to return to?

"The soul often feels the loosening of the bonds that attach it to the body, and does its utmost to hasten and complete the work of separation. Already partially freed from matter, it beholds the future unrolled before it, and enjoys, in anticipation, the spirit-state upon which it is about to re-enter."

"The soul often feels the bonds connecting it to the body loosen, and does all it can to hasten and complete the separation. Already partly free from matter, it sees the future unfold before it. It enjoys a foretaste of the spirit-state it is about to enter again."

158. Do the transformations of the caterpillar—which, first of all, crawls upon the ground, and then shuts itself up in its chrysalis in seeming death, to be reborn therefrom into a new and brilliant existence—give us anything like a true idea of the relation between our terrestrial life, the tomb, and our new existence beyond the latter?

158. A caterpillar first crawls on the ground, then encloses itself in a chrysalis, seemingly dead. From there, it is reborn into a new and brilliant existence. Does this transformation give us a true idea of the relationship between our earthly life, the grave, and our new existence beyond it?

"An idea on a very small scale. The image is good; but, nevertheless, it would not do to accept it literally, as you so often do in regard to such images."

"An idea on a very small scale. The image is good, but you should not take it literally, as you so often do with such images."

159. What sensation is experienced by the soul at the moment when it recovers its consciousness in the world of spirits?

159. What does the soul feel when it regains consciousness in the world of spirits?

"That depends on circumstances. He who has done evil from the love of evil is overwhelmed with shame for his wrong-doing. With the righteous it is very different. His soul seems to be eased of a heavy load, for it does not dread the most searching glance."

"That depends on the circumstances. Someone who has done evil because they love evil is overwhelmed with shame for what they did. For a righteous person, it is very different. Their soul seems relieved of a heavy burden because it does not fear even the closest scrutiny."

160. Does the spirit find himself at once in company with those whom he knew upon the earth, and who died before him?

160. Does the spirit immediately join those he knew on earth who died before him?

"Yes; and more or less promptly according to the degree of his affection for them and of theirs for him. They often come to meet him on his return to the spirit-world, and help to free him from the bonds of matter. Others whom he formerly knew, but whom he had lost sight of during his sojourn on the earth, also come to meet him. He sees those who are in erraticity, and he goes to visit those who are still incarnated."

"Yes, and sooner or later depending on how much he and they care for each other. They often come to meet him when he returns to the spirit world and help free him from the bonds of matter. Others he once knew, but lost touch with during his time on earth, also come to meet him. He sees those who are in erraticity and visits those who are still incarnated."

161. In cases of violent or accidental death, when the organs have not been weakened by age or by sickness, does the separation of the soul take place simultaneously with the cessation of organic life?

161. In a violent or accidental death, the organs have not been weakened by age or illness. In such cases, does the soul separate from the body at the same moment that the body’s life ends?

"It does so usually; and, at any rate, the interval between them, in all such cases, is very brief."

"It usually does. In any case, the time between them is very short in all such cases."

162. After decapitation, for instance, does a man retain consciousness for a longer or shorter time?

162. After decapitation, for example, does a man remain conscious for some time?

"He frequently does so for a few minutes, until the organic life of the body is completely extinct; but, on the other hand, the fear of death often causes a man to lose consciousness before the moment of execution."

"He often does so for a few minutes, until all life in the body has ended. But fear of death often causes a man to lose consciousness before his execution."

The question here proposed refers simply to the consciousness which the victim may have of himself as a man, through the intermediary of his bodily organs, and not as a spirit. If he have not lost this consciousness before execution, he may retain it for a few moments afterwards; but this persistence of consciousness can only be of very short duration, and must necessarily cease with the cessation of the organic life of the brain. The cessation of the human consciousness, however, by no means implies the complete separation of the perispirit from the body. On the contrary, in all cases in which death has resulted from violence, and not from a gradual extinction of the vital forces, the bonds which unite the body to the perispirit are more tenacious, and the separation is effected more slowly.

The question here concerns only the victim's awareness of himself as a man through his bodily organs, not as a spirit. If he has not lost this awareness before execution, he may retain it for a few moments afterward. But it can last only a very short time and must end when the brain's biological life ends. The end of human consciousness, however, does not mean that the perispirit has completely separated from the body. On the contrary, in all cases where death has resulted from violence rather than a gradual fading of vital forces, the bonds between the body and the perispirit are stronger. Separation therefore takes place more slowly.

163. Does the soul, on quitting the body, find itself at once in possession of its self-consciousness?

163. When the soul leaves the body, is it immediately aware of itself?

"Not at once. It is for a time in a state of confusion which obscures all its perceptions."

"Not right away. For a time, it is confused, and this clouds all its perceptions."

164. Do all spirits experience, in the same degree and for the same length of time, the confusion which follows the separation of the soul from the body?

164. Do all spirits experience the same degree of confusion for the same length of time after the soul separates from the body?

"No; this depends entirely on their degree of elevation. He who has already accomplished a certain amount of purification recovers his consciousness almost immediately, because he had already freed himself from the thraldom of materiality during his bodily life; whereas the carnally-minded man, he whose conscience is not clear, retains the impression of matter for a much longer time."

"No. This depends entirely on their degree of spiritual elevation. Someone who has already achieved some purification regains consciousness almost immediately. This is because they had already freed themselves from the hold of material things during their bodily life. But a person focused on bodily desires, whose conscience is not clear, remains affected by matter much longer."

165. Does a knowledge of spiritism exercise any influence on the duration of this state of confusion?

165. Does knowledge of spiritism affect how long this state of confusion lasts?

"It exercises a very considerable influence on that duration, because it enables the spirit to understand beforehand the new situation in which it is about to find itself; but the practice of rectitude during the earthly life, and a clear conscience, are the conditions which conduce most powerfully to shorten it."

"It has a considerable effect on how long that period lasts. This is because it helps the spirit understand its coming situation in advance. But living rightly on earth and having a clear conscience do the most to shorten that period."

At the moment of death, everything appears confused. The soul takes some time to recover its self-consciousness, for it is as though stunned, and in a state similar to that of a man waking out of a deep sleep, and trying to understand his own situation. It gradually regains clearness of thought and the memory of the past in proportion to the weakening of the influence of the material envelope from which it has just freed itself, and the clearing away of the sort of fog that obscured its consciousness.

At the moment of death, everything seems confused. The soul takes some time to recover its awareness of itself. It is as if stunned, like someone waking from a deep sleep and trying to understand their situation. The soul gradually regains clear thought and memories of the past. This happens as the influence of the material body it has just left grows weaker, and the fog that clouded its consciousness clears.

The duration of the state of confusion that follows death varies greatly in different cases. It may be only of a few hours, and it may be of several months, or even years. Those with whom it lasts the least are they who, during the earthly life, have identified themselves most closely with their future state, because they are soonest able to understand their new situation.

The period of confusion after death varies greatly from person to person. It may last only a few hours, several months, or even years. It lasts the shortest time for those who, during their earthly lives, identified most closely with their future state. This is because they are quickest to understand their new situation.

This state of confusion assumes special aspects according to characterial peculiarities, and also according to different modes of death. In all cases of violent or sudden death, by suicide, by capital punishment, accident, apoplexy, &c, the spirit is surprised, astounded, and does not believe himself to be dead. He obstinately persists in asserting the contrary; and, nevertheless, he sees the body he has quitted as something apart from himself; he knows that body to be his own, and he cannot make out how it should be separated from him. He goes about among the persons with whom he is united by the ties of affection, speaks to them, and cannot conceive why they do not hear him. This sort of illusion lasts until the entire separation of the perispirit from the earthly body, for it is only when this is accomplished that the spirit begins to understand his situation, and becomes aware that he no longer forms part of the world of human beings. Death having come upon him by surprise, the spirit is stunned by the suddenness of the change that has taken place in him. For him, death is still synonymous with destruction, annihilation; and as he thinks, sees, hears, it seems to him that he cannot be dead. And this illusion is still further strengthened by his seeing himself with a body similar in form to the one he has quitted; for he does not at first perceive its ethereal nature, but supposes it to be solid and compact like the other; and when his attention has been called to this point, he is astonished at finding that it is not palpable. This phenomenon is analogous to that which occurs in the case of somnambulists, who, when thrown for the first time into the magnetic sleep, cannot believe that they are not awake. Sleep, according to their idea of it, is synonymous with suspension of the perceptive faculties; and as they think freely, and see, they appear to themselves not to be asleep. Some spirits present this peculiarity, even in cases where death has not supervened unexpectedly; but it more frequently occurs in the case of those who, although they may have been ill, had no expectation of death. The curious spectacle is then presented of a spirit attending his own funeral as though it were that of some one else, and speaking of it as of something which in no way concerns him, until the moment when at length he comprehends the true state of the case.

This state of confusion takes different forms depending on the person's character and the manner of death. In all cases of violent or sudden death, whether by suicide, execution, accident, stroke, or some other cause, the spirit is surprised and stunned. He does not believe he is dead and stubbornly insists that he is not. Yet he sees the body he has left as something separate from himself. He knows it is his own body, but he cannot understand how it can be separate from him. He moves among the people he loves and speaks to them. He cannot understand why they do not hear him. This illusion lasts until the perispirit has completely separated from the earthly body. Only then does the spirit begin to understand his situation and realize that he no longer belongs to the human world. Because death took him by surprise, the spirit is stunned by the sudden change in him. To him, death still means destruction and annihilation. Since he can think, see, and hear, it seems impossible that he is dead. This illusion is strengthened because he sees himself with a body shaped like the one he has left. At first, he does not notice its ethereal nature. He assumes that it is solid and substantial, like his former body. When his attention is drawn to the difference, he is astonished to find that it cannot be touched. This phenomenon is like what happens to sleepwalkers who are put into a magnetic sleep for the first time. They cannot believe they are not awake. In their view, sleep means that the senses stop working. Since they can think freely and see, they do not seem to themselves to be asleep. Some spirits experience this even when death has not come unexpectedly. But it happens more often to those who did not expect to die, although they may have been ill. This gives rise to the curious sight of a spirit attending his own funeral as though it were someone else's. He speaks of it as something that does not concern him. At last, he comes to understand the true situation.

In the mental confusion which follows death, there is nothing painful for him who has lived an upright life. He is calm, and his perceptions are those of a peaceful awaking out of sleep. But for him whose conscience is not clean, it is full of anxiety and anguish that become more and more poignant in proportion as he recovers consciousness.

The mental confusion that follows death is not painful for someone who has lived an upright life. He is calm, and the experience is like waking peacefully from sleep. But for someone whose conscience is not clear, the confusion is full of anxiety and anguish. These feelings grow more intense as he regains consciousness.

In cases of collective death, in which many persons have perished together in the same catastrophe, it has been observed that they do not always see one another immediately afterwards. In the state of confusion which follows death, each spirit goes his own way, or concerns himself only with those in whom he takes an interest.

When many people die together in the same catastrophe, they do not always see one another immediately afterward. This has been observed in cases of collective death. In the confusion that follows death, each spirit goes its own way or focuses only on those it cares about.