As our Spirits evolve, do we continue to reincarnate every time here on Earth?  Could there be life out there in other places of the universe? If so, what would it be like in comparison to life on Earth?

The Spirits have answered these questions in telling us about the progress of planets and the evolutionary path of the inhabited worlds of God's creation.  

As you have read, according the Law of Progress, living beings progress morally and ethically, through the process of evolution and by means of reincarnation.  This law, however applies not only to living beings, but to all of creation, including the planets on which those beings live.  The planets' evolution is one of material progress and coincides with the evolutionary level of their inhabitants. The progress occurs very gradually,  such that from one generation to the next, the small steps of advancement go unnoticed; yet over time, each planet makes its way along the inevitable evolutionary path.

As this change occurs slowly, there is an abundance of intermediate states between the less developed and advanced worlds; therefore,  it would be impossible to derive an absolute classification of every orb in the cosmos.  However, based on the Spirits' teachings, we identify 5 general groups, according to their dominant characteristics. In order of evolutionary progress, they are  (Note: the following comprises/ is based on  excerpts taken from "The Gospel Explained by Spiritism", Ch3) :

1) Primitive and Unadvanced Worlds-  It is in these worlds where the earliest incarnations of the human spirit takes place. The inhabitants, at a rudimentary stage, have human form but no physical beauty. They act on instincts, which are not tempered by notions of social grace, goodwill, or even fairness, but rather brute force. They live their lives gathering food.  Even in these worlds, some beings are more advanced than others, through their intuition (held deep within all living beings), and they help prepare the rest for the ascent to a more complete life. The Spirits assure us that these people aren't degraded beings but children who are growing.

2) Worlds of Trials and Purifications (The present stage of our planet Earth) - The innate qualities of the inhabitants reflects previous lives and some progress achieved, yet the number of vices also shows a great deal of moral imperfection, and wrong-doing still predominates. In these worlds, hard work and trying experiences that serve as instruments of education and as means of reparation, allow these beings to advance their progress of purification.  The range of evolutionary stages of these individuals is wide. Likewise, the variety of such planets is infinite. However, they all have one thing in common, which is that they serve as places of exile for Spirits struggling to adjust themselves to the Divine Law.

3) Worlds of Regeneration- These are worlds where Spirits, who are still in assignments of purification can replenish their energies.   Also called realms of renewal, these are transitional worlds that are intermediate places between worlds of expiation and bliss, where wounded souls find a place of calm and experience the dawning of happiness.  They are free from unbridled passions, excessive pride, envy, and hate, displaying instead the seal of love. Fairness presides over social relations, and everyone recognizes the Supreme Being.  They must still undergo trials, although these don't bring the typical anguish found on inferior worlds, and are more analogous to the recuperation period that follows a serious illness.  Less absorbed by material concerns, they have a greater comprehension of future joy that is attained by Spirits who show themselves worthy.

4) Blissful Worlds- In these worlds, the good far outweighs the bad.  The inhabitants have a material body, but a more refined beauty. Their bodies do not have the Earthly materiality, are not subject to the same needs, sicknesses, or wearing out, and allow for easy and rapid movement.  Their senses are far more developed. Without worry and anguish, they live longer than on Earth, and death is seen as a happy transformation.  There are no wars, and only moral and intellectual superiority determines social rank and authority, which is respected.  Rather than trying to rise above one another, these individuals strive to rise above the self, to reach perfection.   In these realms, all the higher feelings of human nature are exalted and refined.  Hate, jealousy, and envy are unknown, while love is the common bond, and all help one another, so that no one suffers from want.

5) Celestial or Divine Orbs- These worlds are inhabited by purified Spirits, where goodness prevails uncontested. There, Spirits revel in an everlasting light, an undying beauty, and a permanent state of inner calmness. They enjoy an uninterrupted joy.

If the blissful and celestial worlds sound too good to be true, know that they are accessible to all of us.  The beings that live in those worlds are not privileged. They too, have undergone the evolutionary process that we now find ourselves under, and through their own hard work and tears, they overcame all the difficulties to victoriously earn their right to join their brothers and sisters in a rank of such merit. We too, will one day do the same. Whether it is sooner or later depends on us as individuals.  Starting at the same point, we're all given the same rights and opportunities.  

As Spirits progress morally and intellectually, they will reincarnate on planets appropriate to their evolutionary level.  Spirits who chose to persist in disobedience and exert no effort toward self-improvement will not progress to more advanced worlds.  In fact, if their behavior is severe enough and consistently causes great distress to the social order of their present planet, they may even be forced to reincarnate in a more inferior world, to live among less evolved spirits, where they must then work to help the latter advance in order to earn the right to return to the higher planetary stage they'd once reached. Conversely, when a Spirit's advancement surpasses that of the world in which they live, they will be rewarded with the right to pass on to a more evolved one.  

One final note:  We'd also like to point out the existence of Transitional Worlds (as discussed in "The Spirits' Book, Ch X).  These are places that serve as resting places for free spirits, in the discarnate state and between incarnations.  These worlds are graduated according to the needs of Spirits who go to them.  Such Spirits must have no material wants or needs, as these planets' surfaces are barren (materially speaking), yet rather they find in these places, conditions that will help them to restore their energies, instruction, and possible permission to enter higher regions.  The role of such places in the cosmos is only temporary, and in fact, the Spirits tell us that during its formation, the Earth already served in this category.

Kardec, Allan. "In My Father's House Are Many Mansions." The Gospel  Explained By The Spiritist Doctrine.  Trans. Allan Kardec Educational Society (translated from 3rd edition in French). Philadelphia, PA. Allan Kardec Educational Society. 2000. 39-46.

Kardec, Allan. "Spirit Life." The Spirits' Book.  Trans. Allan Kardec Educational Society (translated from 3rd edition in French). Philadelphia, PA. Allan Kardec Educational Society. 2000. 97-98.