Pheneas
Pheneas was a high spiritual guide or communicating entity who, according to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in his book Pheneas Speaks (The Psychic Press, 1927), became the principal spirit guide of Conan Doyle and his family circle from December 1922 onward.
Conan Doyle treated him as an independent, exalted entity whose mission was connected with the spread of Spiritualism and with a broader religious message. For Conan Doyle personally, Pheneas appeared as guide, teacher, protector, and spiritual brother. For the book's readers, he functions as the principal voice through which Conan Doyle presents a vision of posthumous life, spiritual hierarchy, coming world change, and a religion centred on love, Christ, and communication between the visible and invisible worlds.
First appearance
Pheneas is introduced in the section "The Coming of Pheneas," dated 10 December 1922. Before Pheneas himself spoke, Conan Doyle's mother was represented as identifying him as Conan Doyle's guide: "The name is Pheneas." She described him as "a very, very high soul," "sent especially to work through" Conan Doyle "on the earth plane," and said that he "died thousands of years ago in the East, near Arabia" and "was a leader among men."
Immediately afterward, Pheneas was recorded as speaking directly. His first words to Conan Doyle were fraternal rather than formal: "We are brothers." He also stated that Conan Doyle's wife, Jean Conan Doyle, was "invaluable" to the spirit circle as a medium.
Identity and earthly origin
The text gives only fragmentary biographical details about Pheneas's earthly life. He is said to have lived "thousands of years ago" in the East, near Arabia, and to have been "a leader among men." In a later communication, Pheneas identified himself more specifically: "I am an Arabian," and said that he lived at Ur, before the time of Abraham.
Conan Doyle did not present a conventional historical biography of Pheneas. The entity's identity is therefore defined mainly through his spiritual role, his claimed antiquity, his Eastern or Arabian associations, and his function as a guide.
Role as Conan Doyle's guide
Pheneas is described as Conan Doyle's guide, but not as a guide who had always accompanied him. In a communication dated 8 October 1924, Conan Doyle recorded that Pheneas "had only been my guide since I took up religious work," that he "had been especially sent for this," and that he had "not visited the world for centuries. This was only the second time since his death."
This makes Pheneas's role closely tied to Conan Doyle's spiritualist mission. He is not merely a private comforter, but a directing intelligence connected with Conan Doyle's public advocacy of Spiritualism. Pheneas repeatedly encouraged Conan Doyle to continue his work, travel, speak, and spread the cause. In the first recorded exchange, he told Conan Doyle that his work was "far-reaching" and that the family were all "needed" in the cause.
Relationship with the Conan Doyle family
Although presented as an exalted guide, Pheneas is also shown as intimate and affectionate within the family circle. Conan Doyle's preface says the communications made Pheneas both "a dear brother" and "an august teacher," and that the family would lose "something very precious and essential" if his "bright presence" were withdrawn.
His manner was often protective. He blessed Conan Doyle, Jean Conan Doyle, their children, their home, and the "circle of light" surrounding them. He was also said to have watched over the children and to have taken an interest in their spiritual development.
Method of communication
Pheneas first appeared in the family's automatic or inspired communications. Conan Doyle says that his wife's written mediumship began in 1921, and that on 10 December 1922 Pheneas "came through for the first time." From that point, Pheneas "took chief control," though not to the complete exclusion of other spirits.
In April 1924, the mediumship reportedly changed from writing to semi-trance inspirational speech. Conan Doyle said the medium did not completely lose consciousness, but her control of her body was slight; her eyes remained closed until the influence had passed.
Pheneas was also associated with distinctive physical mannerisms. Conan Doyle said that he could appear suddenly "with altered voice and sweeping Oriental gestures of greeting," though he was "always a high gentleman" and did not intrude when his presence would embarrass the medium.
Spiritual status
Conan Doyle presented Pheneas as a high spirit, but not as omniscient or divine. In the preface, Conan Doyle stressed that even "a high spirit is not omniscient," and that communications should be tested with reason and common sense.
Pheneas is placed within a hierarchy of spiritual beings. Conan Doyle compared such guides to intermediaries between human beings and God, "steps of God leading ever upwards," with Christ above them in the spiritual order.
In one later passage, Pheneas said that high spirits usually touched the earth only through intermediate spirits, but that he was "allowed to touch it direct."
Teachings attributed to Pheneas
Conan Doyle summarized Pheneas's teaching at the end of the book. Pheneas's message shows "intense reverence for the Christ Spirit," understood as focusing divine influence upon the world. Pheneas also warned of great physical and spiritual changes leading to a higher level of human existence.
The teaching attributed to him includes:
- preparation for world changes;
- a more equal distribution of wealth;
- greater simplicity of life;
- increased humanity toward both people and animals;
- abstinence from flesh diet;
- the decline of dogmatic religion, forms, and rituals;
- closer cooperation between the earthly and spirit worlds.
A central theme is the replacement of fear by love. Near the end of the communications, the text says that humanity must receive a "new right understanding of God" as "the great, tender Father of all," and that "Love, not fear, must reign in each heart."
