Local organizations are usually called Spiritist centres or Spiritist societies. The Federations, such as the Brazilian Spiritist Federation or the Spanish Spiritist Federation, develop activities aimed at the union of the Spiritist Institutions and the unification of the Spiritist Movement in the country they are established. They are responsible for Spiritism on a national level. They also organise seminars, courses and meetings for spiritist workers all over their countries. By joining together, the Spiritist Groups, Centers, or Societies constitute the Federations and Entities of Unification of the Spiritist Movement at local, regional, state, or national level. The Federations and Entities of Unification of the Spiritist Movement at the national level constitute in turn the Entity of Unification of the Spiritist Movement at the international level: the International Spiritist Council.
The Spiritist Movement is the cluster of activities whose objective is the study, dissemination, and practice of the Spiritist Doctrine, as contained in the basic works of Allan Kardec, placing it within the reach and at the service of all Humanity. The activities which compose the Spiritist Movement are carried out by individuals, jointly or on their own, and by Spiritist Institutions.