Allan Kardec: Founder of Spiritism

In 1983, my husband and I visited the Cimitiere du Pere Lachaise in Paris.  It is a magnificent place, and many famous persons are buried there, amongst them, Jim Morrison of The Doors (Mr. MoJo!), Oscar Wilde, Frederick Chopin, Marcel Proust, Simone Signoret, and the list goes on.
I had read about this fabulous cemetery in Smithsonian Magazine and I determined that I would visit the place one day. The tombs are mostly above ground, and they're works of art.  As you walk the cemetery, traveling beneath the massive trees that shade the alleys, you have the feeling that you're in an enormous outdoor museum.

More than 400 cats live in the cemetery and they're fed daily by old Frenchwomen dressed in black who walk the grounds leaving food for the kitties in various places.

We arrived at Pere Lachaise late one afternoon, and after passing through the cemetery's iron entrance gates, I encountered a very big above-ground tomb that turned out to be the grave of Allan Kardec.  I didn't know then who he was.  The tomb featured a bust of Kardec's head, and it was surrounded by offerings of flowers and candles--a mountain of them!  I thought, who the hell was this?  I pulled out my camera and just as I was about to snap a picture, a very large woman with a baby carriage came running out of nowhere screaming at me, "Interdit!  Interdit!"  I don't speak French, but I got her message loud and clear:  I was not to take a photo of the grave.  Why the hell not?  I didn't take the picture 'cause this mad Frenchwoman scared the shit out of me.  I later found out who Allan Kardec was, and that his followers believe that if you take a photo of his grave you are "stealing" his soul. 

Ha!  Here's a pic of Kardec's tomb... alas,
someone else took it, not me!

As we stood by Kardec's grave and I hurriedly put away my camera, my husband told me to wait until the big Frenchwoman left, and then take the picture, but I didn't do it.  I felt really isolated at that moment--I was in a foreign country where I couldn't understand the language and I just wanted to be home because if a fat woman had accosted me at a cemetery at home, I would of told her where to shove it and what's more, to go fuck herself!  And, so, I didn't take a photo of Kardec's grave, but I never forgot his name.

Christmas 2011 brought me a surprise.  I received, as a gift, The Spirits Book by Allan Kardec.  It was given to me by a very, very special person who happens to have quite similar beliefs to mine regarding Spirits--they're REAL!  I've just started to read the book and once I've finished it, I'll post a review on Goodreads (a damn good book site!).

If you're curious about Kardec, here's good info Allan Kardec - a brief biography.

Peace and Love!