163- Upon leaving the body, is the soul immediately conscious of itself?
“Immediately is not the right word; it remains in a state of confusion for some time.”
164- Do all spirits experience the confusion that follows the separation of the soul and body to the same degree and for the same amount of time?
“No, it depends on how evolved they are. Those who are already purified are almost immediately self-aware because of their detachment from matter during corporeal life. However, carnal individuals with impure consciences retain the impression of matter much longer.”
165- Does an understanding of Spiritism have any influence on the shorter or longer duration of this confusion?
“It has a very considerable influence because the spirit understood what its situation would be beforehand. The practice of good and purity of conscience exerts the most influence, however.”
At the moment of death, everything appears confused at first. The soul needs some time to recognize itself; it feels dazed, like someone waking out of a deep sleep, who tries to understand the situation. The lucidity of its ideas and the memory of its past return as the influence of the matter from which it has just freed itself is extinguished and the sort of fog that had obscured its thoughts is dissipated.
The duration of the state of confusion following death varies greatly: it may last a few hours, several months or even years. The ones who experience it for the least amount of time are those who have identified themselves with their future state during life because they immediately understand their position.
This confusion presents particular aspects, depending on the character of the individual and especially depending on the type of death involved. In violent deaths: suicide, capital punishment, accident, stroke, mortal wounds, etc., the spirit is surprised and astonished; it does not believe itself to be dead. It stubbornly persists in asserting that it has not died. Moreover, it sees its body lying there and knows who it belongs to, but does not understand that it is now separate. It seeks out loved ones and speaks to them, but cannot understand why they cannot hear it. This illusion lasts until its separation is complete, and only then does it realize its situation and understand that it is no longer part of the world of the living. This phenomenon is easy to explain. Surprised by its unforeseen death, the spirit is stunned by the sudden change that has taken place. It still believes that death is synonymous with destruction and annihilation, and since it continues to think, see and hear, it does not consider itself to be dead. This illusion is strengthened by the fact that it finds itself in a body similar to the one it just left, and it has not yet ascertained its ethereal nature. Instead, it presumes that it is solid and compact like the other, and it is astonished when it is pointed out that this body is not tangible. It is a phenomenon similar to that of some inexperienced somnambulists who do not believe that they are asleep.
They believe that sleep is synonymous with the suspension of the faculties, and since they can see and think freely, they do not perceive that they are sleeping. Even in cases where death has not occurred unexpectedly, some spirits display this peculiarity. However, it is more generalized among those who had not thought of dying despite having been ill. This leads to the curious spectacle of spirits who attend their own funeral as though it were someone else’s, and who speak of it as though it in no way concerns them – until they suddenly comprehend the truth.
There is nothing painful about the state of confusion following death for moral individuals; they are calm and their perceptions are those of a peaceful awakening. However, for those whose conscience is not pure, it is full of anxiety and anguish.
In cases of collective death, it has been observed that all those who have perished at the same time do not always see one another immediately. In the confusion following death, each spirit goes its own way or concerns itself only with those in whom it takes an interest.
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