Spiritism is one of the most widespread spiritual doctrines in Brazil and also one of the most confused. In daily life, many people call any practice involving spirits "spiritism": Umbanda, Candomblé, mesa branca, all in the same basket. But spiritism, in the proper sense of the word, is one thing: the doctrine codified in France by Allan Kardec starting in 1857.
In this guide, you will understand what spiritism is, who Allan Kardec was, and what are the five works that organize the doctrine. Then it covers what spiritists believe and, an important point for those from Afro-Brazilian religions, why spiritism, Umbanda, and Candomblé are not the same thing.
What is spiritism
Spiritism is a doctrine systematized in France, in the mid-19th century, by the educator Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail, who signed the work under the pseudonym Allan Kardec. Its founding milestone is the publication of The Spirits' Book, on April 18, 1857.
More than a religion in the common sense, spiritism presents itself with a triple aspect: it is at the same time science, philosophy, and religion. As science, it studies the nature and origin of Spirits and the communication between the material and spiritual worlds. As philosophy, it reflects on the meaning of life, free will, and the destiny of the being. As religion, it proposes a morality based on the Gospel of Jesus and the practice of charity.
That is why it is common for Spiritists themselves to say that Spiritism "is not just a religion, it is a way of seeing the world." In Brazil, the doctrine found fertile ground: the country is today the largest Spiritist center on the planet in number of followers.
Origin: France, 19th century | Codifier: Allan Kardec (H. L. D. Rivail) | Initial milestone: The Spirits' Book (1857) | Triple aspect: science, philosophy and religion | Greater law: charity | Space of practice: Spiritist center
Who was Allan Kardec
Allan Kardec is the spiritual name of Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail, a French pedagogue born in Lyon on October 3, 1804 and deceased in Paris on March 31, 1869. A respected educator, a disciple of the Pestalozzi pedagogical method, he adopted the pseudonym precisely to separate his work with the new doctrine from his works as a professor.
Kardec did not consider himself a prophet or the "founder" of a revealed faith. His role was that of a codifier: faced with the phenomena of the "spirit tables" that intrigued Europe, he applied a method of observation, gathered and organized the answers obtained in mediumistic communications and submitted everything to the sieve of reason. From there comes the phrase that summarizes his spirit of work:
"Spiritism is, at the same time, a science of observation and a philosophical doctrine." Allan Kardec
This methodical, and not revealed, origin is one of the marks that distinguishes Spiritism from other spiritual traditions.
The five works of the codification
The Spiritist doctrine is organized in five books published by Kardec between 1857 and 1868, known as the Codification or the Spiritist Pentateuch. Each one deals with an aspect of the doctrine:
| # | Work | Year | Central theme |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Spirits' Book | 1857 | The principles of the doctrine, in more than a thousand questions and answers |
| 2 | The Mediums Book | 1861 | Mediumship and communication with the Spirits |
| 3 | The Gospel According to Spiritism | 1864 | Christian morality in the light of the doctrine |
| 4 | Heaven and Hell | 1865 | Divine justice and life after death |
| 5 | Genesis | 1868 | Creation, "miracles" and the laws of nature |
The starting work is The Spirits Book, structured in 1,019 questions that range from the primary causes of the universe to moral laws and "hopes and consolations." It is in this book that the foundations which all other works develop are found, in the form of question and answer.
What Spiritists believe
The pillars of Spiritism can be summarized in some principles that already appear in The Spirits Book:
- Existence of God a Supreme Intelligence, the first cause of all things.
- Immortality of the soul the Spirit survives the death of the physical body, which is only a temporary wrapping.
- Reincarnation the Spirit is reborn in new existences to evolve morally and intellectually.
- Communicability of the Spirits the disembodied can communicate with the living through mediumship.
- Plurality of inhabited worlds life and evolution happen in countless worlds.
The reincarnation is understood as a mechanism of justice and learning: each existence is an opportunity for progress, governed by the law of cause and effect. Between one life and another, the Spirit remains in the spiritual plane, in the state that Kardec called erraticity.
As for mediumship, it is the faculty of serving as an intermediary between the Spirits and the incarnate. For the doctrine, everyone has mediumship to some degree, even if not everyone needs to develop it. The best known forms are psychography (writing) and psychophony (speaking). It is important to emphasize: in Spiritism, mediumistic communication is sober and does not involve clothing, dancing, or spirit incorporation of deities, which is quite different from what is seen in Afro-Brazilian religions.
Above all these principles, there is one that the doctrine places as the highest law:
“Outside of charity there is no salvation.”
Charity, the love for one's neighbor translated into concrete action, is the practical axis of Spiritism, and everything else is subordinate to it.
What Spiritism does not have
A good part of the confusion about the theme disappears when one observes what Spiritism does not possess. Unlike most religions, the Spiritist center is a sober environment, and the practice dispenses with a series of elements:
- There are no external rituals with material offerings, fumigations, or musical instruments.
- There are no worship altars, statues, or candles as objects of worship.
- There is no priesthood or clergy the work is voluntary, and the doctrine preaches that all spiritual guidance must be free: “give freely what you have received freely”.
- There is no initiatory hierarchy or initiation ceremonies.
- Orixás are not worshipped nor deities of nature.
A typical Spiritism center looks more like a study and assistance room than a temple: chairs, books, lectures, Gospel study sessions, and fraternal assistance, with the application of the passe (energy transmission) as a practice of help. It is this sobriety that gives Spiritism its own face.
Spiritism, Umbanda, and Candomblé: the differences
Here we reach the point that generates the most confusion. In Brazil, “spiritism” became a popular label for everything involving spirits, and it is not rare to hear someone call an Umbanda gira a “spiritist session.” From the point of view of the religions themselves, however, spiritism, umbanda, and candomblé are three distinct traditions, each with its own origin, foundation, and liturgy.
| Criteria | Spiritism (Kardecism) | Umbanda | Candomblé |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | France, 19th century | Brazil, 20th century | African-rooted, reorganized in Brazil |
| Milestone | Kardec's Codification (1857) | Attributed to 1908, with Zélio de Moraes | Ancestral tradition, without a single founder |
| What it worships | God; Spirits in evolution; Jesus as a moral guide | Orixás and spirit guides (caboclos, pretos-velhos, exus, pombagiras) | Orixás, voduns or inquices, according to the nation |
| Base | The 5 books of Kardec (written text) | Oral tradition; Afro, Catholic, and Kardecist heritage | Oral tradition, transmitted in initiation |
| Practices | Study, spiritual pass, mediumistic sessions, spiritual charity | Giras with chants, spirit incorporation, offerings | Xirê, atabaques, offerings (ebó), initiation |
| Location | Spiritist Center | Terreiro or tent | Terreiro, ilê or roça |
The proximity between umbanda and Spiritism has a historical reason: born at the beginning of the 20th century, umbanda engaged in dialogue with Kardecism and incorporated part of its mediumistic language. This explains the confusion but does not justify it. Umbanda has its own theology and practice, with orixás (orishas), spirit guides, and offerings that Spiritism does not have. And candomblé, of African origin, is even more distinct: it worships the orixás organized by nations (ketu, jeje, angola), with an entire ritual structure that has nothing Kardecist about it.
It is worth saying clearly: none of these religions is "superior" or more "evolved" than the other. Treating umbanda or candomblé as "popular Spiritism" or "backward" is reproducing an old prejudice. They are complete, legitimate, and different spiritual paths, and respecting each one in its specificity is the beginning of any serious conversation about the subject.
Frequently asked questions
Is Spiritism a religion?
It depends on the perspective. The doctrine defines itself by a triple aspect: science, philosophy, and religion, and not all Spiritists see themselves as "religious" in the traditional sense. In censuses, however, Spiritism appears as a religion, and its moral dimension, founded on the Gospel of Jesus and on charity, is a central part of the doctrine.
Who was the founder of Spiritism?
Spiritism was codified by Allan Kardec, a pseudonym of the French educator Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail (1804-1869). He did not consider himself the founder of a revealed faith, but rather the organizer (codifier) of a doctrine obtained by observing mediumistic phenomena starting from 1857.
What is the difference between a Spiritist and a spiritualist?
The distinction is from Kardec himself: spiritualist is anyone who believes in something beyond matter, in a soul. Spiritist is someone who believes, specifically, in relations with Spirits according to the codified doctrine. In other words: every spiritist is a spiritualist, but not every spiritualist is a spiritist.
Does Spiritism believe in reincarnation?
Yes. Reincarnation is one of the pillars of the doctrine. According to it, the Spirit is reborn in new existences to evolve morally and intellectually, learning from experiences and repairing past mistakes, governed by the law of cause and effect, towards perfection.
Are Spiritism, Umbanda, and Candomblé the same thing?
No. Spiritism is the Kardecist doctrine, of European origin, without rituals, orixás, or clergy. Umbanda and Candomblé are Afro-Brazilian religions, with orixás, spirit guides, chants, and offerings. They are three distinct traditions, which sometimes cross in history, but have their own foundations.
Where to find items for your spiritual journey
The Joia Mística Laroyê is a shop of faith, tradition, and axé, dedicated mainly to Afro-Brazilian religions but also welcoming those who walk between traditions and seek, with respect, to know what each one has of its own. In our shop you find:
- White candles for moments of prayer, seclusion, and harmonization
- Incense and burners to clean and balance the environment of study and prayer
- Statues and framed pictures for your space of faith
- Herbs and baths for care and energetic renewal
- Decks and tarots for those seeking self-knowledge
Visit our physical store in Extrema, Minas Gerais or order via WhatsApp with delivery to all of Brazil. In case of doubt about the correct use of each item, talk to us we provide guidance, not just sales.
To go deeper, it is worth reading the entries about Spiritism and about Allan Kardec on Wikipedia, the list of basic works of spiritism and the institutional material from USE União das Sociedades Espíritas do Estado de São Paulo. If you are from the Afro religions and want to better understand what distinguishes each path, start with what is candomblé, by the difference between umbanda and candomblé and by who are the spirit guides of umbanda.
References
- Wikipedia: entry about Spiritism
- Wikipedia: entry about Allan Kardec
- Wikipedia: list of basic works of spiritism
- USE União das Sociedades Espíritas do Estado de São Paulo: institutional material about spiritism
