Spiritism Explained: The Doctrine of Spirit Communication

The human fascination with what lies beyond the veil of physical life is as old as consciousness itself. This curiosity has given rise to countless practices, from ancient ancestor worship to modern-day paranormal investigations. In the popular imagination, the idea of communicating with spirits often conjures images of darkened rooms, flickering candles, and mysterious table-tipping séances. These activities, broadly categorized under Spiritualism, have long focused on providing tangible proof of survival after death.

But what if the most influential and structured system of spirit communication was never about spectacle, but about moral philosophy? In the mid-19th century, the French educator Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail, under the pseudonym Allan Kardec, undertook a monumental task. He meticulously compiled and organized thousands of communications received from spirits through various mediums. The result was not a guide to fortune-telling but a comprehensive doctrine he named Spiritism, codified in five fundamental books, beginning with The Spirits’ Book.

This doctrine reframes spirit communication entirely. It is not an end in itself, but a method for understanding our place in the universe, the nature of our soul, and the path to our own moral improvement. This article will unpack the core tenets of Kardecist Spiritism, exploring why concepts like reincarnation and charity are central, how it differs from other spiritual practices, and how it approaches mediumship as a sacred responsibility rather than a source of profit or entertainment.

To navigate this profound subject, this guide is structured to build your understanding progressively. We will explore the foundational principles, practical applications, and key distinctions that define Spiritism as a science, a philosophy, and a moral code.

Why Reincarnation is Central to the Spiritist Doctrine?

Reincarnation is not merely a belief within Spiritism; it is the fundamental mechanism that gives the entire doctrine its meaning and purpose. It provides the logical framework for understanding justice, inequality, and human progress. For Spiritism, a single life is insufficient for the soul to achieve the perfection to which it is destined. Each life is seen as a new classroom, offering unique lessons and opportunities to repair past mistakes and develop new virtues.

The spirits themselves clarified this principle, as codified by Allan Kardec. He explains this divine law as a path of continuous growth. As Kardec wrote, the ultimate destiny of all is progress:

All Spirits are destined to attain perfection by passing through the different degrees of the spirit-hierarchy. This amelioration is effected by incarnation, which is imposed on some of them as an expiation, and on others as a mission.

– Allan Kardec, Allan Kardec SD – San Diego Spiritist Center

This journey through multiple existences explains the vast differences in human conditions. Suffering is not a punishment from an arbitrary God, but a consequence of past actions (an expiation) or a chosen trial to accelerate learning (a mission). This perspective transforms our view of hardship, turning it from a source of despair into a meaningful catalyst for spiritual evolution. Brazil, with its large Spiritist population, has deeply integrated this concept into its culture, with an estimated 3.8 million self-declared Spiritists and over 30 million sympathizers who view life through this lens of continuous progress.

This visual metaphor of a winding path through misty mountains aptly represents the soul’s journey. Each incarnation is a step upward, moving from the valleys of ignorance and moral debt toward the peaks of wisdom and love. The path is long and sometimes arduous, but it is one of hope, as it guarantees that every soul has infinite chances to learn, grow, and ultimately reach a state of purity and happiness.

How to Conduct a “Gospel at Home” Meeting?

The “Gospel at Home” (Evangelho no Lar) is one of the most important and accessible practices in Spiritism. It is not a séance or a mediumistic session but a weekly meeting of the family or household members for study, prayer, and spiritual harmonization. Its primary purpose is to invite elevated spiritual benefactors into the home, creating an atmosphere of peace and protection while fostering the moral education of its participants.

This practice is rooted in the teaching of Jesus: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” For Spiritists, this means that a sincere and disciplined gathering for study and prayer creates a powerful beacon of light that attracts good spirits and repels negative influences. The focus is on studying the moral teachings of Jesus as explained in The Gospel According to Spiritism, applying its lessons to daily life.

Conducting a Gospel at Home meeting is simple and follows a structured format designed to elevate the thoughts and feelings of all present. It is a moment of connection with the higher spiritual plane, strengthening the family and the home itself against spiritual disturbances.

Kardecist Spiritism or Anglo-Saxon Spiritualism: What Distinguishes Them?

To the uninitiated, the terms Spiritism and Spiritualism may seem interchangeable. However, Allan Kardec himself insisted on the distinction, coining the word “Spiritism” precisely to avoid confusion. As he stated in the introduction to The Spirits’ Book, clarity of language is essential:

To designate new things, new terms are needed. This is required by the clarity of language in order to avoid the confusion inherent in the variety of meanings of the same words.

– Allan Kardec, Introduction to The Spirits’ Book

The core difference lies not in the phenomena, but in the purpose and philosophy behind them. Anglo-Saxon Spiritualism, which emerged with the Fox sisters in 1848, was primarily focused on proving the survival of the soul after death through physical manifestations like table-tipping, raps, and later, ectoplasm. Its goal was often consolation and empirical evidence.

Kardecist Spiritism, codified from 1857 onwards, uses spirit communication as a tool for the moral and intellectual education of humanity. It is a complete philosophical system with scientific, philosophical, and religious aspects. It seeks to understand the “why” behind existence, guided by the principles of reincarnation and karma. The following table highlights the fundamental distinctions.

Spiritism vs. Spiritualism: Key Differences

Aspect	Kardecist Spiritism	Anglo-Saxon Spiritualism
Core Belief	Reincarnation and spiritual evolution	Communication with deceased, often without reincarnation
Purpose	Moral and intellectual education of humanity	Proof of survival and personal comfort
Methodology	Intelligent communication (psychography, psychophony)	Physical phenomena (table-tipping, ectoplasm)
Role of Medium	Humble, anonymous intermediary	Often performer or star medium
Founder/Codifier	Allan Kardec (1857)	Fox Sisters and various practitioners (1848)

In essence, while Spiritualism asks, “Are you there?”, Spiritism asks, “Who are you, and what can you teach us to become better beings?” This shifts the focus from the phenomenon itself to the quality and moral content of the communication, making Spiritism a doctrine of responsibility and self-improvement.

The Error of Communicating Without Moral Intent

In Spiritism, the act of communicating with the spiritual world is considered a serious responsibility, not a form of entertainment or a tool for satisfying idle curiosity. The motive behind the communication is paramount, as it determines the nature of the spirits that will be attracted. Frivolous intentions, such as seeking future predictions, prying into others’ lives, or simply treating it as a game, invariably attract spirits of a similar, inferior moral and intellectual standing.

These less-evolved spirits may be playful, deceitful, or malicious, leading to misinformation, mystification, and in more severe cases, a dangerous process known as obsession. This occurs when a persistent, inferior spirit exerts undue influence over an individual, potentially compromising their free will and mental well-being. Therefore, every spiritist practice is grounded in a firm moral compass, with the objectives of charity, learning, and self-improvement.

The need for a serious, purposeful approach has been recognized even by academic observers of psychical phenomena. This moral framework protects both the medium and the participants from the significant psychological and spiritual pitfalls of aimless communication.

Ultimately, Spiritism teaches that the spiritual world is a reflection of our own. By elevating our intentions and focusing on love and wisdom, we create a resonant field that attracts spirits who can genuinely help us on our path of amelioration.

How to Use Mediumship for Charity Rather Than Profit?

One of the most uncompromising principles of Kardecist Spiritism is that mediumship must be practiced with absolute disinterestedness. It is a God-given faculty for the purpose of charity, and as such, it should never be a source of profit or personal gain. This principle, “Give for free what you have received for free,” is a direct application of Jesus’s teachings and serves as a crucial line of demarcation between genuine Spiritist practice and commercialized fortune-telling or paid mediumship.

Any individual or center that charges money for mediumistic services, healings, or consultations is, by definition, operating outside the ethical framework of Spiritism. The reason is twofold. First, it commercializes a sacred gift, which can attract spirits interested in material gain rather than altruism. Second, it compromises the medium, who may feel pressured to “perform” or produce phenomena to satisfy a paying client, opening the door to fraud (animism, or the medium’s own subconscious) or mystification by deceitful spirits.

True Spiritist centers are non-profit organizations supported by voluntary donations, and all their work—from study groups to mediumistic sessions and healing—is offered entirely free of charge. This ensures the integrity and moral purity of the work. As researcher Emma Bragdon observed in her study of Spiritist healing centers:

All Spiritist treatments are provided free of charge. There are millions of Spiritists who go about the work of reforma intima, channeling, healing, praying, and doing charity work—without commercialization, self-serving promotion, or flamboyant display.

– Emma Bragdon, Spiritist healing centers in Brazil

Charity in this context is broad. It includes consoling the afflicted with messages from loved ones, providing guidance to both incarnate and discarnate (suffering) spirits, offering spiritual healing (passes), and engaging in social assistance programs. The medium acts as a humble intermediary, an instrument of the goodness of the spiritual world, never as a proprietor of a service to be sold.

Why Ectoplasm is Rarely Seen in Modern Seances?

Ectoplasm, a substance said to emanate from a physical effects medium to allow spirits to materialize, was a hallmark of early Spiritualism. Sensational accounts and photographs of this phenomenon captivated the public in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. However, in modern Kardecist Spiritism, such manifestations are exceedingly rare and are not actively sought. The reason for this lies in a deliberate historical and philosophical shift in focus from physical phenomena to intelligent communication.

The initial wave of physical manifestations, like table-tipping and raps, served a specific purpose: to call humanity’s attention to the existence of the spiritual world. It was a loud, undeniable “knock on the door.” However, once that door was opened, Spiritism taught that it was time to move beyond the spectacle and engage in meaningful conversation. The goal shifted from proving survival to understanding the laws that govern spiritual life.

Allan Kardec himself was instrumental in guiding this transition, prioritizing the content and morality of spirit messages over the impressiveness of physical displays.

Today, Spiritism holds that while physical phenomena are possible, they require specific conditions and types of mediums that are less common. The doctrine focuses on developing more subtle and useful forms of mediumship, such as psychophony (clairaudience) and psychography (automatic writing), which are better suited for conveying complex ideas and moral guidance.

How to Clear Karmic Debt Through Service and Forgiveness?

In the Spiritist doctrine, karma, or the Law of Cause and Effect, is not a system of cosmic punishment but a natural law of action and reaction. Every thought, feeling, and action generates a corresponding consequence that returns to its originator. “Karmic debt,” therefore, refers to the negative consequences accrued from past mistakes, whether in this life or previous ones. Clearing this debt is not about performing mystical rituals, but about a profound inner transformation known as reforma íntima (intimate reform).

The path to clearing this debt has two main avenues: resignation before trials and active good deeds. Resignation is the patient and understanding acceptance of the difficult situations we face, recognizing them as the just and necessary consequences of our past. Active good, however, is the most effective way to accelerate our progress. This is accomplished through charity, service, and forgiveness.

Service to others is the cornerstone of spiritual progress. By dedicating ourselves to alleviating the suffering of others, we generate positive merits that counteract past debts. This is why Spiritist communities place such a high value on social and charitable work. This commitment to active good has a tangible impact, as demonstrated by the high educational attainment within the Spiritist community, with a 98.6% literacy rate among Brazilian Spiritists, who maintain countless charitable institutions. As one analysis notes:

Karma reflects the moral implications of one’s actions and is central to spiritist beliefs around reincarnation and spiritual evolution. Understanding karma encourages followers to act with intention, embracing the moral consequences of their choices.

– Archives of Social Sciences of Religions, Spiritism in Brazil: Beliefs, Practices, and Cultural Impact

Forgiveness is the other essential tool. Holding onto resentment and anger binds us to those who have wronged us, perpetuating a cycle of negative energy. By forgiving others—and ourselves—we break these chains and liberate our souls to move forward. Forgiveness is not condoning a harmful act; it is choosing to release the emotional debt associated with it, thus clearing our own spiritual path.

Identifying Mediumship Manifestations: Raps, Cold Spots, and More

Mediumship (or mediunity) is the faculty that allows some individuals to serve as intermediaries between the physical and spiritual worlds. It can manifest in a vast number of ways, from subtle intuitions to more dramatic physical effects. Spiritism classifies these phenomena to better understand their mechanisms and purpose. However, the doctrine always stresses that the phenomenon itself is less important than the moral quality and intelligence of the spirit producing it.

Manifestations are broadly divided into two categories: physical effects and intelligent communications. – Physical Effects: These are phenomena that impact the material world. They include raps and tiptology (coded knocks), movement of objects, the sensation of cold spots (caused by the spirit drawing ambient energy), and, in rare cases, materializations. These are typically produced by less-evolved spirits or are used as an initial “calling card” to get attention. – Intelligent Communications: These are the focus of Spiritism as they convey thought. They include psychography (automatic writing), psychophony (a spirit speaking through the medium’s vocal cords), clairvoyance (seeing spirits), and clairaudience (hearing spirits).

Modern science has even begun to investigate these states. For instance, a 2012 study on mediums performing psychography found that experienced practitioners showed decreased activity in cognitive brain areas like the frontal lobes, yet produced writing that was more complex than their normal-state writing. This suggests an unusual neurophysiological state that defies simple explanation.

Regardless of the type of manifestation, the crucial task for a Spiritist study group is to discern the identity and intention of the communicating spirit. This is done by analyzing the content of the message for its logic, wisdom, and moral elevation. A message that is frivolous, prideful, or contradicts established moral truths is immediately identified as coming from an inferior spirit and is treated with caution and charity.

To truly understand Spiritism, the next step is not to seek phenomena, but to engage in study and charitable action. Begin by exploring the codified works of Allan Kardec and, if possible, find a local study group dedicated to moral and intellectual growth through this profound doctrine.