The Center for Spiritual Enlightenment

What is Spiritualism?

Brief History
Modern Spiritualism began in Hydesville, New York March 31, 1848.  Two sisters in the Fox family heard unexplainable knocking sounds in their house.  Over time the girls developed a communication code with the spirit. First with “Yes” and “No” raps, and then with raps identifying letters of the alphabet. Using the rapping code spirit told them he had been murdered and was buried in the cellar of their home. This communication was proof of life after death. News of their communication with the spirit world travelled quickly. Within months the two girls were national celebrities and spiritualist activity exploded in the United States. The Fox sisters were invited to a number of public forums to demonstrate their mediumistic abilities to skeptical audiences.  Their gifts, and those of other legitimate psychics and mediums, spurred public interest in Spiritualism. Interest continued into the early 1900s. Spiritual awareness renews itself in turbulent times as people search for answers.

NSAC Definitions:

Infinite Intelligence pervades and controls the universe, is without shape or form and is impersonal, omnipresent and omnipotent.

Spiritualism is the Science, Philosophy and Religion of continuous life, based upon the demonstrated fact of communication, by means of mediumship, with those in the Spirit World.

Spiritualism is a Science because it investigates, analyzes and classifies facts and manifestations demonstrated from the spirit side of life.

Spiritualism is a Philosophy because it studies the Laws of Nature both on the seen and unseen sides of life and bases its conclusions upon present observed facts. It accepts statements of observed facts of past ages and conclusions drawn therefrom, when sustained by reason and results of observed facts of the present day.

Spiritualism is a Religion because it strives to understand and to comply with the Physical, Mental and Spiritual Laws of Nature, which are the laws of God.

A Spiritualist is one who believes, as the basis of his or her religion, in the communication between this and the Spirit World by means of mediumship, and who endeavors to mold his or her character and conduct in accordance with the highest teachings derived from such communication.

A Medium is one whose organism is sensitive to vibrations from the Spirit World and through whose instrumentality, intelligences in that world are able to convey messages and produce the phenomena of Spiritualism.

A Spiritualist Healer is one who, either through one's own inherent powers or through mediumship, is able to impart vital curative force to pathologic conditions.

The Phenomena of Spiritualism consists of Prophecy, Clairvoyance, Clairaudience, Gift of Tongues, Laying on of Hands, Healing, Visions, Writings and Paintings, Voice, Materialization, Photography, Psychometry and any other manifestations proving the continuity of life as demonstrated through the physical and spiritual senses and faculties of humanity.

Spiritual Healing is a talent possessed by certain mediums that is exercised by the direction of excarnate beings for the relief, cure and healing of both mental and physical diseases of humankind.

Click here to visit the National Spiritualist Association of Churches (NSAC) website.