Spiritualism

What Is Spiritualism?

Spiritualism combines Christianity, philosophy, medium-ship, psychic work and science. Spiritualists believe that heaven is right here on earth; that in fact there are seven levels of heaven, all over-lapping each other, vibrating at different levels which makes them intangible and invisible to each other, including the living world in which we reside.

Spiritualists believe in reincarnation, and that each lifetime is meant to bring new lessons and one step closer to God. The deceased do not need to reincarnate immediately; in fact, most do not. Spiritual progression is possible both through the spiritual realms and the living, so a person who passes on may choose to wait until they have all their family around them and spend many many years in a heavenly plane before choosing to reincarnate again.

Spiritualists believe that spirits can communicate with the living through medium-ship, and that this is proof of life after death. Spiritualists believe that the psychic gifts are God-given, and are therefore meant to be used; and actively promote psychic development and medium-ship.

Spiritualists believe that all religious doctrines lead to the one God, and that there are many paths to enlightenment. Spiritualists believe that God does not care what he is called or in what method he is worshipped; it is what is in a person's heart that is important, and counts towards spiritual progression; what a person does in their lifetime, their good works and deeds and who they loved, that is the true test when one passes over.

Because spiritualists believe in freedom and that there are many paths to God, even churches within the religion can have different practices. However, spiritualist churches do agree on seven main principles:

1. The Fatherhood of God.

2. The Brotherhood of man.

3. The communion of spirits and the ministry of angels.

4.The continuous existence of the human soul.

5. Personal responsibility.

6 Compensation and retribution hereafter for all the good and evil deeds done on earth.

7. Eternal progress open to every human soul.

What Is The History Of Spiritualism?

Spiritualism was founded by a Swedish man named Emanuel Swedenborg in 1744. He was a skilled medium and claimed to communicate with the spirit world. He wrote many books about his spiritual experiences, claiming that these were channelled to him via spirits and angels. He was also a psychic and studied dreams; he believed that dreams could predict the future. As well as writing books, he also demonstrated his abilities to Queen Louisa Ulrica of Sweden by communicating with the spirit of her dead brother. Swedenborg also helped people to recover things that deceased relatives had left them.

The concept that spirits could be contacted via medium-ship and communicated with to comfort and help people was established by Swedenborg, as was the concept of progression of the human soul by living in integrity and not doing evil to others, combining these ideas with Christianity. These concepts set the scene for modern spiritualism as it is known today.

Modern spiritualism began with the Fox sisters Catherine and Margaretta. In March 1848 these girls were living in New York in a house that was rumoured to be haunted. The girls devised a communication system with the spirits, using a certain number of raps to answer yes or no to questions and specific letters in the alphabet. This became known to the public and hundres flocked to see the Fox sisters communicate with the spirit, reportedly a man who murdered by the previous owners of the house.

More spirits began to communicate with the girls, and the two went on tour to promote spiritualism. As popularity caught on, other people began to practice medium-ship. The first Spiritualist church was founded in 1853 and within two years Spiritualism had over two million followers.

Spiritual Vibration

Spiritualists believe that every single thing including humans and even thoughts and emotions in the universe is energy based; This energy vibrates, and the more spiritual (closer to God) something or someone is, the higher the vibration; the less spiritual (more negative) something or someone is, the slower it vibrates. God, of course, has the highest vibration of all. When a very high spiritual vibration occurs (in the case of angels, or deceased people) they aren't dense enough to be perceived in our world, simply because our world, our reality, is too dense for them. However that doesn't make them any less real or less there. With the help of medium-ship, angels and spirits can be contacted; its a matter of the medium adjusting her own perceptions and vibrations to be able to communicate.

The psychic gifts which we all have operate at a higher vibrational level, or frequency, than our normal senses. This is why they aren't always able to be used and some effort is required to use them. Getting closer to God raises a person's natural vibrational level; this can be done through all manner of things such as meditating or praying; and this in turn will open up a person's psychic gifts. This is what psychic development entails; raising one's personal vibration.

Like attracts like; whatever vibrational rate we are at is what we attract into our life. This is why, if someone suddenly develops an interest in spirituality, they will suddenly find themselves surrounded by like minded people. It is because they have literally drawn those people into their lives by changing their own "frequency". Likewise, this is why we just don't gel with some people. Its simply because they aren't on our wavelength - literally, in the mind of the spiritualist!

Spiritual Healing

Spiritualists strongly believe in spiritual healing. Healing takes place in many different ways, but the concepts are based on the concept of vibrational energy as outlined above. A spiritual healer may use a laying on of hands technique, sending love, positive thoughts and faith through her hands and into a person's body. This could be through Reiki or any way she likes; its not how the healing happens but the loving intent behind it that is the point. Spiritual healers often perform distance healing too, sending healing through psychic channels to a person. Some healers work with the aura, or with chakras. There are many ways to perform spiritual healing and no rules apply!

Spiritualists firmly believe in the miraculous power of prayer and especially collective prayer, as this gives much more energy. So, if a person requires healing, and asks for healing at a spiritualist church, the church will ask members to collectively pray for healing for that person, sending an outpouring of loving concern and faith in God to heal.

Further Learning

Dreamers Online firmly believes that when studying spiritual topics and the esoteric, you can never have too much information. We urge you to read as many books and information on the topic as possible if you are interested in Spiritualism. Most of all, let it be fun and enjoy yourself!

Spiritualism Links

http://spiritualism.org.au/index.html

http://www.spiritualism.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritualism

http://www.spiritualism.org.uk/

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