Photography of thoughtThe phenomenon of photography of thought binding to that of fluidic creations, described in our book Genesis, in the chapter of fluids, we reproduce the passage of that chapter where this subject is treated, for more clarity, and we complete it by new observations.
The spiritual fluids, that constitute one of the states of the universal cosmic fluid are, properly saying, the atmosphere of the spiritual beings; it is the element from which they draw the materials on which they operate; it is the environment where special phenomena occur, perceptible to the sight and to the hearing of the Spirit, and that escape the corporeal senses only impressed by tangible matter, where this light particular to the spiritual world is formed, different of ordinary light in its cause and its effects; it is, finally, the vehicle of thought as air is the vehicle of sound.
The Spirits act on the spiritual fluids, not by manipulating them as men does with gases, but with the aid of their thought and will. Thought and will are to the Spirits what the hand is to man. Through thought, they impart such or such direction to these fluids; they agglomerate, combine or disperse them; they form combinations having a specific appearance, shape, color; they change their properties as a chemist change those of gases or other bodies, by combining them according to certain laws; it is the great workshop or laboratory of the spiritual life.
Sometimes these transformations are the result of intention; often they are the product of unconscious thought; it suffices for the Spirit to think of one thing for this thing to happen, just as it suffices to modulate an aria so that this aria resonates in the atmosphere.
That is how, for example, a Spirit presents itself to the sight of an incarnate, endowed with psychic vision, with the appearances that he had during his life, at the time when he was known, although he would have had several incarnations since. He presents himself with the outfit, the external signs - diseases, scars, amputated limbs, etc. - that he had then; a decapitated person will present himself headless. This is not to say that he kept such appearances; certainly not; for, as a Spirit, he is neither lame, nor disabled, nor one-eyed, nor beheaded, but since his mind refers to the time when he was like that, his perispirit instantly takes on that appearance, that he leaves it behind instantaneously, as soon his thought stops acting. If therefore he was black one and another time white, he will present himself as a black or as a white, depending on which of these two incarnations he will be referred to, and to which his thoughts will refer.
By a similar effect, the thought of the Spirit fluidically creates the objects which he used to employ: a greedy will handle gold; a soldier will have his weapons and his uniform; a smoker, his pipe; a plowman, his plow, and his oxen; an old woman her distaff. These fluidic objects are as real to the Spirit who is fluidic itself, as they were material for the living man; but, for the very reason that they are created by thought, their existence is as ephemeral as thought.
Since the fluids are the vehicle of thought, they bring us thought as air brings us sound. We can therefore say, in all truth, that these fluids have waves and rays of thoughts, that cross over without being confused, just as there are waves and sound rays in the air.
As it can be seen, it is a whole new order of facts that take place outside the tangible world, that constitute, if one can put it that way, the special physics, and chemistry of the invisible world. But since, during incarnation, the spiritual principle is united with the material principle, it follows that certain phenomena of the spiritual world occur jointly with those of the material world and are inexplicable to anyone who does not know their laws. Knowledge of these laws is, therefore, as useful to the incarnate as to the discarnate, since it is only through that knowledge that one can explain certain facts of the material life.
By creating fluidic images, thought is reflected in the perispiritual envelope as in a mirror, or even as these images of terrestrial objects that are reflected in vapors of air; it takes a body there and photographs it, in a way. If a man, for example, has the thought of killing another, however impassive his material body may be, his fluidic body is put into action by his thought, in which all the nuances are reproduced; he fluidically executes the gesture, the action he intends to accomplish; his thought creates the image of the victim, and the whole scene is pictured, as in a painting, like it is in his mind.
That is how the most secret movements of the soul are reflected in the fluidic envelope; that a soul, incarnate or discarnate, can read another soul as in a book, and see what is not perceptible by the eyes of the body. The eyes of the body see the interior impressions that are reflected on the features of the face: anger, joy, sadness; but the soul sees in the features of the soul the thoughts that are not expressed in the outside.
However, according to the intention, the clairvoyant may well foresee the realization of the act that will follow it, but he cannot determine the moment when it will be accomplished, nor specify the details, nor even affirm that it will be accomplished, because subsequent circumstances may modify the arranged plans and change the outcomes. He cannot see what is not yet in the mind; what he sees is the current or usual concern of the individual, his desires, his projects, his good or bad intentions; hence the errors in the forecasts of certain seers, when an event is subordinated to the free will of a man; they can only foresee the probability from the thought they see, but not affirm that it will take place in such and such a way, and at such a time. The more or less accuracy in the predictions depends, moreover, on the extent and clarity of the psychic vision; in certain individuals, Spirits or incarnate, it is diffuse or limited to a point, while in others it is clear, and embraces all the thoughts and wills that must contribute to the realization of a fact; but above all, there is always the superior will that, in its wisdom, can allow or prevent a revelation; in the latter case, an impenetrable veil is thrown over the most insightful psychic sight. (See Genesis, Chapter on Foresight).
The theory of fluidic creations, and consequently of the photography of thought, is a conquest of modern Spiritism, and can henceforth be considered acquired, in principle, except for the applications of detail that are the result of observation. This phenomenon is undoubtedly the source of fantastic visions and must play a big role in some dreams.
We believe that one can find there the explanation of mediumship by the glass of water. (See the previous article). Considering that the object that we see cannot be in the glass, the water must act as a mirror that reflects the image created by the thought of the Spirit. This image can be the reproduction of a real thing, just as it can be that of a fictional creation. The glass of water is, in all cases, only a means of reproducing it, but it is not the only one, as the diversity of the processes employed by some clairvoyants proves it; this may be better for some organisms.
