Bond between Body and Spirit
One of our lady friends, Mrs. Schutz, perfectly attached to this world,
who does not seem to be willing to leave it soon, was evoked in her
sleep, giving us more than once proof of perspicacity while in that state.
One day, or better, one evening, after a long conversation, she said: “I am
fatigued. I need some rest. I am going to sleep. My body needs that.”
I then responded: “Your body can rest. I do not wish to cause you any
harm by talking to you. It is your spirit that is here, not your body. You
could then entertain my questions without hurting your body.”
She replied: “You are wrong. My spirit separates a little bit from my
body, but it is like a captive balloon, tied by ropes. When the balloon
suffers the bumps of the turbulent winds, the pole feels the effects trans-
mitted by the ties. My body represents the pole to my spirit, with the
difference that it experiences sensations unknown to the pole and such
sensations significantly fatigue the brain. That is why my body requires
some rest, as does my spirit.”
According to the lady’s own declaration, she had never thought of
that explanation before, which showed perfectly well the existing relation-
ships between the body and the spirit, whilst the latter enjoys partial free-
dom. We knew well that the absolute separation only happens after death
and even some time later. However, that connection had never been so
clearly and impressively described to us. Thus, we congratulate that lady
who, even in her sleep, has demonstrated to bear such a lively spirit. For
us, however, it was not more than an ingenious comparison. The image
has lately taken the proportions of reality.
While visiting us Mr. R..., a former resident minister of the USA,
together with the King of Naples, a knowledgeable man in matters of
Spiritism, asked if we had already observed any distinction between the
spirit of a living person and that of a deceased one, as it relates to the phe-
nomena of the apparitions. In short, when a spirit appears spontaneously,
be in the vigil state or during the sleep, if we have any means of recogniz-
ing if the person is dead or alive. Learning that we had no means other
than asking the spirit, he then said that he knew a clairvoyant medium
in England endowed by a great faculty, who says that every time a spirit
of a living person shows up to him, he notices a shiny trail, starting at the
chest of the apparition, traveling through space and not blocked by any
material obstacle, terminating at the body. It is a kind of umbilical cord
that unites the momentarily separated parts of the living being. He had
never seen such a thing when there was no corporeal life. That is how he
recognizes when the spirit is of a dead or living person.
The comparison made by Mrs. Schutz came to mind, thus we took it
as a confirmation of the fact that we have just reported. However, we will
make an observation with that regard.
It is a known fact that the separation, at the time of death, is not
sudden. The perispirit detaches gradually while the perturbation stands,
keeping some affinity with the body. Couldn’t that be the case that the
bond observed by the medium, described above, was present at the very
moment of death, or a few moments later, as it frequently happens? In that
case the presence of the cord would not be an indication that the person
is alive.
Mr. R... could not tell us if the medium had made such an observa-
tion. In any case it is not less important, shinning a new light onto what
we can call the physiology of the spirits.
