Spiritualism refers to a school or thought that rejects materialism but emphasizes the existence a higher spiritual reality. It covers all forms of spiritual belief from ancient to modern. It is a form metaphysics. However, it differs from other schools of thought in several important ways.
Modern Spiritualism
Modern Spiritualism, a type of religion, is based on the inner journey. It is based on the idea of the ultimate reality, and envisions a life dedicated to discovering one's true nature. It is considered pro-social.
Table-turning
Table-turning is a popular part of modern Spiritualism. It dates back to the middle of the 19th century. It is believed that the Rochester rappings from 1848 inspired this practice. These rappings sparked an interest in electrobiology and animal magneticism. As the popularity of table-turning spread, scientists began investigating whether the movement was due to animal magnetism, spirit communication, or unconscious muscle action.
Seances
Many people are skeptical about seances and spiritualism. Skeptics say that the phenomenon does not exist and that seances could be fraudulent. While it is possible to channel spirits and experience them in many cases, there are certain limitations. You cannot use any individual images.
Materialization
Materialization is the process by which spirits enter a human body to accomplish some purpose. This could happen naturally, during a haunting, at the command of mediums, or even in concert with another person. These phenomena are often suspicious, and there have been cases where mediums have faked them. The materialization of flowers, for example, was frequently attributed to a medium during the nineteenth century.
Millerism
The abolitionist movement seeks to free slaves, destroy traditional marriage and sexual relationships, and reject Bible authority. They also want to end political deference, and preserve private property.
Mormonism
Spiritualism and Mormonism share some common beliefs. Both believe that Jesus Christ the Lord will return to Earth and establish a kingdom of God. They also claim that the Bible is their source of revelations. Spiritualists as well as Mormons believe in twelve apostles living in heaven.
British National Association of Spiritualists
In the early nineteenth century, the pioneers of Spiritualism in Britain decided to establish a national body to represent the Spiritualist faith. They held a number of National Conferences to establish a National Federation of Spiritualist Churches but the meetings were unsuccessful. The idea of establishing a national Spiritualist Union was published in Two Worlds in late 1889. A meeting of Spiritualists was held in Manchester.