Simulated ObsessionsThis communication was given to us about a lady who was supposed to come to ask for advice about an obsession, and about which we thought it to be necessary to first seek the advice of the Spirits.
“Pity for those who suffer must not exclude prudence, and it might be reckless to establish relationships with all those that come your way, affected by a real or feigned obsession. It is yet another test through which Spiritism will have to pass, and that will serve it to get rid of all those who, by their nature, would hinder its path. Spiritists have been mocked and ridiculed; they wanted to scare away those who were attracted to you by curiosity, by placing you under satanic patronage. None of that succeed; before surrendering, they want to launch one last battalion that, like all the others, will work to your advantage. No longer able to accuse you of contributing to the increase of insanity, they will send you real obsessions, before whom they hope you will fail, and simulated obsessions that it would be naturally impossible for you to cure from an imaginary illness. All that will not slow down your progress, but on condition that you act with caution, and advise those who deal with the treatment of obsessions to consult their guides, not only on the nature of the disease, but on the reality of the obsessions that they may have to fight. This is important, and I take the idea that has been suggested to you to seek advice in advance, to recommend that you always do so in the future. As for this lady, she is sincere and she is really suffering, but there is nothing to be done for her now, except to urge her to ask, through prayer, for calm and resignation to courageously support her ordeal. It is not instructions from the Spirits that she needs; it would even be prudent to keep her away from any idea of correspondence with them, and to urge her to rely entirely on the care of official medicine.
Dr. Demeure.”
Observation: It is not only against simulated obsessions that it is prudent to be on guard, but against requests for communications of all sorts, evocations, health advice, etc., that could be traps set for good faith, and that could be used by malevolence. It is therefore advisable to accede to such requests only with full knowledge of the facts, and regarding known or duly recommended persons. Opponents of Spiritism regret the developments that it takes, contrary to their forecasts, and they spy on or provoke occasions to catch it, either by accusing or by deriding it. In such a case, it is better to err on the side of caution than by carelessness.
Allan Kardec.
