A work that is still up-to-date, What is Spiritism? is useful for adherents of the Spiritist Doctrine as well as for those who want to understand the nature of Spiritism and its fundamental points. Kardec’s logic and common sense are obvious in this book as he confounds Spiritism’s detractors while answering the questions of those who believe in and aspire to a superior life. The book is divided into three chapters. The first is composed of dialogues between Kardec and a critic, a skeptic and a priest, providing answers to those who do not understand the basic principles of Spiritism. It also presents appropriate refutations to its opponents. The second chapter presents practical and experimental aspects of the science and is a kind of summary of The Mediums’ Book. The third chapter is a short synthesis of The Spirits’ Book, with solutions to psychological, moral and philosophical problems according to the Spiritist Doctrine. In addition, the book is prefaced with an abridged version of Henri Sausse’s biography of Allan Kardec.

Wanting to popularize Spiritism and make spreading it easier and quicker, but without prejudicing the basic works of the Spiritist Doctrine, Allan Kardec wrote a number of booklets and distributed them throughout France at prices that were affordable for anyone who might be interested. Some of them had several printings and were highly successful. They continued to be republished even after the Codifier’s discarnation. This is one of those booklets. It is hoped that Spiritist readers will find that this unpretentious work enriches their knowledge of the Spiritist Doctrine.

Reflexive Religion examines the rise of alternative spiritualities of the self in contemporary Brazil. Combining late modern theory and multi-site ethnographies of the New Age, it explains how religion is being transformed under globalization, reflexivity and individualism processes.

Especially of interest to those involved with healing and healthcare: The first book to describe contemporary spiritual healing centers in Brazil including a psychiatric hospital where spiritual healers collaborate with conventionally trained healthcare professionals. There are more than 12,000 of these centers in Brazil; 20-40 million Brazilians use this resource for spiritual growth, healing, and to maintain wellness. These Centers welcome people of all religions and cultures, offering effective forms of healing as a free service. The introduction to the philosophy of Spiritism is presented in a clear, easy to understand manner. The description of the methods for healing used over more than 150 years demonstrate that Brazil has developed an effective model of integrative health care. The author spent half of each year, 2001-2012, in Brazil studying these centers and hospitals. She is a psychologist, teacher, prolific author and pioneer in the area of healing and spiritual awakening. She suggests that importing components of Brazil's Spiritist Centers could help us improve our ailing healthcare system.

"A work that is still up-to-date, What is Spiritism? is useful for adherents of the Spiritist Doctrine as well as for those who want to understand the nature of Spiritism and its fundamental points. Kardec's logic and common sense are obvious in this book as he confounds Spiritism's detractors while answering the questions of those who believe in and aspire to a superior life. The book is divided into three chapters. The first is composed of dialogues between Kardec and a critic, a skeptic and a priest, providing answers to those who do not understand the basic principles of Spiritism. It also presents appropriate refutations to its opponents. The second chapter presents practical and experimental aspects of the science and is a kind of summary of The Mediums' Book. The third chapter is a short synthesis of The Spirits' Book, with solutions to psychological, moral and philosophical problems according to the Spiritist Doctrine. In addition, the book is prefaced with an abridged version of Henri Sausse's biography of Allan Kardec."--

Latin America is undergoing a period of intense religious transformation and upheaval. This book analyzes some of the more important new discoveries about religious movements in the region. It examines important shifts such as the expansion and politicization of Protestantism, the ongoing transformation of the Catholic church, the growth of Afro-Brazilian religions, and the genuine pluralization of faith.

Bringing together scholars from different disciplines and geographies, the Brill Handbook of Spiritualism and Channeling presents modern spirit possession in a variety of contexts. Weaving together the interrelated movements of Spiritualism along with its specific Franco and Latin American currents, articles explore the nineteenth-century beginnings of séances and trance mediumship. Channelling, an heir to Spiritualism begun in the 1970s and still flourishing today, is brought into direct conversation with its predecessors with a view to showing both continuity and disjuncture as the products of new cultural and religious needs. The Brill Handbook marks the first extensive collection on these two interrelated movements and examines themes such as gender, race, performance, and technology in each instance.