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DIALETIC OF OPPOSITES: SPIRITUALISM VS MATERIALISM

Based on the opinions of Plato and Nietzsche

Renan Lacerda

Materialism is a topic often discussed by Philosophers. Man, who largely depends on his senses in order to make judgements, is often skeptical about the "supernatural". One such example is Friedrich Nietzsche, who has criticized the ideas of the ancient Philosophers, claiming that for centuries they have discussed nothing but "conceptual mummies" (Twilight of the Idols, I: 'Reason in Philosophy,' pg.35) Although Nietzsche’s Philosophy regarding the senses is very down-to-earth, it is also considerably materialistic. In contrast, Plato differs in his opinions regarding this topic. In many of his dialogues, specifically "The Republic", the existence of a Spiritual plane is implied.

In Nietzsche's "Twilight of the Idols," he presents a number of arguments against the ancient Philosophers' comments regarding the senses. He explains that the Philosophers use the senses as the source of blame of why they suffer from "illusions" and "deceptions." These Philosophers claim that morality itself is the ability to escape from the senses. Since history itself was based on the senses, it is thus nothing but "falsehood." As a counter to the arguments against the senses, Nietzsche explains that it is not the senses themselves that are false, but "what we make of their evidence." He also presents four propositions, which deal with this topic and ultimately summarize his Philosophies on the pluralities of existence. The first proposition highlights the core of his ideas: there is absolutely no basis for the belief in an alternate reality (or form of existence). Secondly, he claims that the ‘real’ world is nothing but the conceptional opposite of the ‘apparent’ world: it is a "moral-optical illusion." The third proposition deals with the belief that the ancient Philosophers spoke of another world in order to take revenge on this one. In other words, humans claim that a better life must exist because their present lives are so miserable. Last but not least, Nietzsche claims that dividing ‘real’ and ‘apparent’ is a "symptom of declining life”. Not surprisingly, he also supports ‘appearance’ by claiming that it is but a more real, physical and tangible version of the so-called ‘reality.’

In “Twilight of the Idols,” Nietzsche also discusses reason, and the four branches of science that in his opinion are “not-yet-science”: metaphysics, theology, psychology and epistemology. He spoke of Heraclitus and the Eleatics, who believed that the senses lie because of “plurality and change.” “The unapparent connection,” said Heraclitus, “is more powerful than the apparent one.” This allusion to the apparent and real worlds (which I prefer to call the material and the spiritual worlds) can most definitely be attributed to the falsifying evidence that we receive from our senses, but Nietzsche would undoubtedly disagree. He claimed that the reasoning process, which we utilized in order to come to such a conclusion, is “the cause of the falsification of the evidence of the senses.” Ultimately, he believes that the ‘real’ world is but a lie. Furthermore, he believed that any and all sciences that are based on reason or logic (in other words, any science whose conventions are not based on material and physical evidence) are erroneous. Unfortunately, Nietzsche’s arguments are idealistically absurd: attacking logic and reason brings forth no desirable consequences. Our ability to think abstractly is human nature. If we relied on our senses and nothing else, we would become mere robots, programmed to follow simple commands or carry out mere mechanical actions. Were we not given sentience and intelligence in order to stretch our mind past its limits? How is it that for thousands of years we have constantly moved forward, morally and technologically? It cannot be as a result of our science, for in Neolithic times, our scientific knowledge was exponentially limited (if not non-existent). Attempting to refute reason itself is futile: our minds were not meant to be limited to analyzing matter from only one, narrow perspective. Was it not reason that aided Nietzsche himself in organizing his ideas? In retrospect: metaphysics, theology, psychology and epistemology are the sciences of abstract thought. They are sciences based on mind above matter. They are sciences for thought, not fact. Since our intelligence is limited (and our ideas not perfect), it is obvious that these ‘reasoning’ sciences should have flaws. However, it is indefinitely impractical to denounce these sciences as “abortion” and “not-yet-science.”

Plato's Philosophy regarding real and apparent differs greatly from that of Nietzsche's (especially considering he was one of the first Philosophers to speak of the differences between reality and appearance). This can be seen in Plato's "Allegory of the Cave," in which humanity is symbolized as beings trapped in a cave, unable to see any persons or objects placed outside, with the exception of their shadows, which are projected by the fire. These projections are undoubtedly Plato's version of appearances, and it can be ascertained that the cave is a symbolic reference of the senses (which keeps the beings inside unable to see the outside) and the sources of the shadows is reality.

A key issue between these two Philosophies is also the aspect of death. Plato constantly refers to a real world, a world that is unlike the world of appearances we live in. He also explains that upon first entering this brave new world, we will be temporarily disoriented, no doubt as a result of discovering that our previous beliefs and experiences were but appearances. However, in order to reach this world (or in other words, to leave the cave), we must free ourselves from our current state: a state in which we are at the mercy of our senses. This is undoubtedly an implication that death is the only freedom from the world of appearances. In "Twilight of the Idols," Nietzsche briefly discusses this idea, saying that Philosophers "kill... they stuff... they become a mortal danger to everything that they worship." It can be inferred from this statement that Nietzsche is highly critical of this ancient Philosophical obsession with death.

In order to account for these Philosophical differences and come to conclusions of our own, we must first understand and embrace the concepts of fact and belief through logic: both are essential elements of humanity. Nietzsche raises some very interesting points, and at first glance they seem to be the most seductive. He claims that since we have no proof of an alternate "reality," (which is undoubtedly an allusion of the afterlife, as can be as determined from the aforementioned paragraph) why should we acknowledge its existence? However, to say that anything that human orthodox science is unable to explain (or account for) is false is not any different from saying that as a race, we have already reached perfection, and therefore we are fully capable of understanding anything and everything about the world we live in: it is illogical and downright stupid. It is equally illogical to claim that death is the annihilation of the soul. Human Arts and Sciences are themselves a testament: it is illogical to state that our ability to create, our tastes and predilections, and ultimately our individualities have resulted from dust and gases of space. After all, this is like stating that we were created from probability, from chance, or from mere mathematical coincidence. After all, probability is but a concept: physically it means nothing! An important scientific axiom that we apply to all theories and discoveries is that "there is no effect without a cause." Therefore, scientifically speaking, we could not have been created from nothingness, and we definitely cannot end as nothingness.

The existence of an afterlife and the immortality of the soul (preceding death), whose existence Nietzsche would undoubtedly disbelieve, are discussed in Plato’s dialogue in “The Republic.” One of Plato’s core ideas is the presence of good and evil. It was believed that anything which evil consumes, it destroys. However, in opposition, Plato claimed that the soul couldn’t be destroyed by these vices: if this exterior evil indeed caused the destruction of the soul, would it not be true that each and every one of us would have already been destroyed? “The soul which cannot be destroyed by an evil, whether inherent or external, must exist for ever, and if existing for ever, must be immortal…”

My own Philosophy regarding this matter is quite similar to that of Plato’s, but with various key differences regarding the concepts of good and evil (resulting from Nietzsche’s arch-enemy: reason). First and foremost, since “there is no effect without a cause,” reason dictates that God must exist. Secondly, God, who is the first cause of all things and beings alike, must be perfect and infallible, and therefore must only be attributed with positive qualities. Therefore, given that everything originated from God, he could not have created evil, for it would not be in the definition of a perfect and infallible being to create something that is of a negative nature. Evil, then, must not exist. It is merely a definition that describes the absence of goodness. Furthermore, destruction is also a human concept that has a much different meaning in a Spiritual perspective. God does not destroy. Death itself, which we often assume to be the destruction of our bodies and our soul, is anything but. It is merely a change: a step from the ‘apparent’ (material) into the ‘real’ (spiritual). Plato undoubtedly recognized this, and in turn drew a conclusion that the soul itself is never annihilated, even upon death.

Nietzsche’s views on the existence of God are predictable: the “stupendous concept [of] ‘God’… The last, thinnest, emptiest is placed as the first, as cause in itself, as ens realissimum.” I assume Nietzsche’s claims that the concept of the existence of God is the “emptiest” because as humans, we have such limited knowledge of His existence. Why should this be surprising, considering our scientific knowledge is so limited and pathetic from a cosmical perspective? Why is that so? Isn’t it obvious? Our senses! Yet our dear friend Nietzsche would be quick to disagree, since he believed that our senses are perfect, and that it is ‘reason’ which corrupts it. Imagine a world in which the ‘highest concept,’ was so simple that any child would be able to comprehend its essence: we would be our own dying Gods, and the universe would be a valueless space of matter. Life itself would be valueless! The causa sui would be the empty spaces of the universe: what a sad, shallow universe this would be!

Nietzsche’s Philosophy regarding ‘reason’ is further explained in page 38 of the “Twilight of the Idols.” He discusses the tendency of various Philosophers of claiming that “We must once have dwelt in a higher world!” Nietzsche claims that the case is exactly the opposite: we were once in a lower world and gradually made our way up. I believe the opposite holds truth. We were in fact at one point in a higher world, and we will return again and again. Jesus and his disciples had preached (and many thereafter had accepted) the concept of reincarnation, but in approximately 533A.D., the 2^nd Council of Constantinople declared Reincarnation a heresy, and forever removed the doctrine from the Church. Many say that Constantine feared that if his citizens knew that they were to have more chances at life, they would refuse to be law-abiding citizens. The concept of Reincarnation makes perfect sense, and I believe that without it, the existence of God is questionable. For example, if a newborn baby dies upon birth, it would not make any sense that he would go to Hell nor Heaven (of course, reason dictates that Hell or eternal damnation must not exist, otherwise God would be unfair, but for this instance, let us supposed that Hell is a symbolic representation of a temporary lower zone which the Spirit will find himself upon death if that Spirit has caused pain upon others during his earthly trials), for he has done neither good nor evil. However, what about a man who has died at the age of 80, and has overcome many of life’s trials but also failed at twice that number: shall he suffer at the burning pits of Hell while the baby, who has done absolutely nothing, receive a free pass to the gates of Heaven? If such is the case, then we are truly living In Nietzsche’s world.

In conclusion, Nietzsche’s Philosophy, highly critical of conventional Philosophers, is based on the concept that all we can see and all we can touch is all that exists: the senses are supreme. It is an Atheist doctrine whose only purpose is to denounce God and reason. Fortunately, much like Communism, Nietzsche’s ideas do not function since they go against human nature: reason is all that keeps us from being animals. Plato’s Philosophy, on the other hand, true to the concept of God, makes use of reason in order to go beyond the senses, past materialism into spiritualism. Thankfully Nietzsche passed away before he was able to write his next Philosophical refutation: one that would undoubtedly attempt to denounce common sense.

Notes:

1. “The Dialectic of Opposites: Materialism vs. Spiritualism” was originally written as an essay for a college-level Philosophy class, and was titled “Philosophical Comparison: Plato and Nietzsche.”

2. Renan Lacerda is a 17-year-old Senior High School student and he has attended Spiritist Doctrine studies through youth programs since the age of 5.

INDELIBLE RECORDS OF THE SOUL'S EVOLUTION

Science Helps us to Understand Evolution

Renato Costa

Article originally published by Casa Editora O Clarim in the April 2003 issue of Revista Internacional do Espiritismo

The American neurologist Paul MacLean has theorized that our brain mirrors its evolution throughout the ages.

MacLean believes that our skull contains not one but three brains, each of them being the record of a different stage of our evolution. He calls his paradigm “The Triune Brain”.

According to him, the three brains operate like interconnected biological computers, each with its own special intelligence, its own subjectivity, its own sense of time and space and its own memory. Each of the three brains is connected to the other two but operates as an individual brain with its own capacity.

The oldest of the three brains is situated in the core layer. The most recent is the outermost layer. The intermediate is the middle layer.

The oldest of the three is the reptilian, primitive or archipallium brain, which MacLean also calls the “R-complex”. It corresponds to the brain stem (midbrain, pons and medulla) and the cerebellum. It is responsible for the self-preservation processes, like respiration, heart beating and sleep, as well as for the unchangeable rituals of approaching, attacking, flight and mating. None of those processes require conscious control but they are essential to the animal’s life as can be shown by the fact that the reptilian brain never stops working not even during deep sleep. The reptilian brain never changes and never learns from experience. It is almost identical to the brain of present day reptiles, having been present in the reptiles that preceded the first mammals about 240 million years ago. The reptilian brain responds to the mechanical, purely instinctive behavior.

Most mammals share with us the paleomammalian (old mammalian) brain, which corresponds to the limbic system, the middle part of the brain. MacLean believes that it appeared after the reptilian brain and was added to it at about 60 million years ago. Primitive mammals had a brain that was basically the reptilian brain plus the limbic system. The paleomammalian brain contains the hypothalamus, the thalamus, the hippocampus and the amygdala, which are considered responsible for emotions and emotional instincts like behaviors associated to feeding, competition and sex. Such emotions are important to the survival of the animal and its species. The paleomammalian brain is able to learn since it keeps memories of emotions that result from experiences where the animal felt pleasure or pain with more or less intensity. The paleomammalian brain is responsible for the emotional behavior.

The cerebrum, neocortex, cortex or neopalium is the main brain of the primates, which were among the latest mammals to appear. It represents about five-sixths of the human brain, having evolved along the last million years. MacLean calls it the neomammalian (new mammal) brain. All mammals have neocortex but it is particularly important only in primates and cetaceans. The neomammalian brain is responsible for the noblest cognitive functions, like language and reasoning. The neocortex corresponds to the rational behavior.

As we have seen, all three brains act together to produce the behavior of the mammals and of man in particular, which, according to circumstances, can be predominately mechanical, emotional or rational.

In order to better understand to what extent MacLean’s theory says about the soul’s evolution, we must have in mind the organizing function of the perispirit (subtle body). This subtle body we have, which, added to the soul, from which it never moves apart, form the Spirit, functions as a wonderful transpersonal memory keeping record of all the events lived by the being in its innumerous physical lives and of the effects of those events according to the Law of Causality.

Being so, if we find a reptilian brain in the physical brain that means that there is a reptilian subtle brain in the perispirit serving as its model. Furthermore, that reptilian subtle brain present in the perispirit is the indelible record of the soul’s history.

Following this line of thought we could ask, if one is to accept the hypothesis of man’s evolution coming from a lower realm species, why shouldn’t the record of other species previous to a reptile be present in the human brain. The answer to that question can be found, to our view, in the thesis presented by André Luiz and developed by Jorge Andréa, according to which individuality is defined when the first cells of the pineal gland start to show up in an animal.

Many fish, all reptiles, birds and mammals that live today have a pineal gland. Such however may have not been true 240 million years ago in the Mezozoic Era, when scientists believe reptiles originated the first mammals. The Tuatara is a small reptile living nowadays in some islands north of New Zealand, which has a third eye linked to its primitive pineal gland. The Tuatara is a living fossil belonging to a family that existed during the Mezozoic Era, making it possible for us to infer, if we use the thesis proposed by Jorge Andréa, that the reptiles from which mammals originated had a pineal gland about as primitive as it has. Furthermore, it allows us to conclude that no species in the evolution history of those reptiles before they became reptiles had a pineal gland at all.

Before the pineal gland was present in the animal, as Jorge Andréa explains, the soul-group-of-the-species dominated over the incipient individual vortexes. So, it is natural that events previous to the moment the individuality was established had to be recorded in the organizing model of the soul-group of the species from which the individuality would originate. This explains why there is no record of them in the present triune brain.

As we have seen, the model proposed by MacLean is rather elegant and useful, serving to explain, in a clear and didactic way, how human evolution occurred, from the most primitive instincts of an autonomous life to the use of mind’s noblest functions, reason and consciousness, passing by the intermediate stage of learning in order to adapt to the environment. Another interesting characteristic of MacLean’s model is that it allows us to imagine the appearance of new layers in our brain, as we further climb the steps that lead us to perfection.

When we reach the next stage, as occurred at previous transitions, the brain we now call neomammalian no longer will be responsible for mind’s noblest functions. Such noble functions, which will certainly no longer be the same that we call “noble” nowadays, will be processed in the new layers that will appear.

That view seems compatible with the fact that highly evolved Spirits are incapable of doing bad deeds. Maybe the fact that they only do good deeds only reflects what has come to be an instinctive behavior.

Unfortunately Science never bothered to examine the brain of saints, dedicating only to study the brains of important politicians, artists or scientists. Would examining the brain of Saint Theresa D’Avilla, the Mahatma Ghandi or Chico Xavier have revealed the existence of a tetraune brain? Would it have revealed a triune brain having 7 and not 6 layers in its neocortex? Those are questions whose answers we still ignore.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

ANDRÉA DOS SANTOS, Jorge. Impulsos Criativos da Evolução (Evolution’s Creative Drives). Rio de Janeiro: Societo Lorenz, 1995.

DO AMARAL, Júlio Rocha, MD, and MARTINS E OLIVEIRA, Jorge MD, PhD.   Limbic System: The Center of Emotions. January 2003.
URL: http://www.epub.org.br/cm/n05/mente/limbic_i.htm.

MILLER, Richard Alan. The Biological Function of the Third Eye. February 2003.
URL:  http://www.bleehoney.org/ThirdEye.htm.

SCARUFFI, Piero. Book review of Paul MacLean’s The Triune Brain in Evolution. January 2003.
URL: http://www.thymos.com/mind/maclean.html.

Triune Brain Theory: Three Brains in One. February 2003.
URL: http://www.mareshbrainsatwork.com/B2B/index.htm.

Tuatara – The World’s Most Unique Reptile. February 2003.
URL: http://www.bigjude.com/Tuatara.html.

XAVIER, Francisco Cândido, and VIEIRA, Waldo. Evolução e Cérebro. In: Evolução em Dois Mundos (Evolution and the Brain. In Evolution in two Worlds). Dictated by Spirit André Luiz. Rio de Janeiro: FEB, 1993.

ZIMERMANN, Zalmino. Perispírito (Perispirit). Campinas: CEAK, 2000.

 

SPIRITIST CENTERS

News from the Spiritist Group Love and Light

received from Elza d'Agosto

We would like to communicate to the Spiritist Community that in the Spiritist Group Love and Light in Newark, New Jersey, United States, we have three news items that we would like to submit for possible inclusion in your bulletins:

1) Example of Integration and Brotherhood: Our English Study Group is integrated in a house that functions primarily in Portuguese. The size of the group is approximately 8 to 12 persons. The English Department as we call ourselves takes turns in participating in the Brazilian Doctrinal Meetings by saying the opening prayer and reading the inspirational theme for the night which is done in English. The books they use are "Child of God" by Joanna de Ângelis and "Christian Agenda" by André Luiz. Most of them also help the house financially as contributing members, since February 2003 when the center moved from Fairview to Newak.

2)  Passes (Laying-on-of-hands): Mrs. Bernadine Trubilla has become the first American to administer passes at the center. She works in the healing room side by side with the Brazilian mediums. They administer passes to approximately 250 persons per night. Since June 2003.

3)   Mediumistic Training - Seven members of the English Department have began studying the second sight in English, soon to become a full fledged Mediumistic Meeting. Since June 2003.

SPIRIT WORLD

(Translated from the 25th Portuguese edition entitled "Nosso Lar". First Portuguese edition published in 1944 by Federação Espírita Brasileira, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.)

Chapter 29 - FRANCIS' VISION 

While Narcisa, was busy comforting the afflicted patient, I was called to a city communications device, similar to a telephone. It was Laura, asking for news. I realized that I had forgotten to tell her about my decision to remain in the Chambers for night duty. I apologized and informed her of the situation. Even over the wire I could sense her joy at the news. At the end of our short conversation she said:

"That's wonderful, my child! Love your work and fill your heart with the joy of useful. Only in this way can we bring about our everlasting edification. Now, just one more word. Remember, too, that this house is also yours."

These words encouraged me and brought me joy. Returning to the chambers, I found Narcisa struggling heroically to calm a young man who seemed to be suffering from a serious mental disorder. I tried to help her. The poor boy, staring out into space, cried out in agony:

"Help me, for God's sake! I'm frightened, frightened…"

With a panic-stricken look on his face, he went on:

"Sister Narcisa, 'he' is coming… the monster! I can feel the worms again! Here 'he' is, right there! Save me from 'him'. Send 'him' away!"

Calm down, Francis," answered the devoted nurse, "you will be free of him and will be left in peace, but it depends on your own efforts. Just pretend that your mind is a sponge, soaked in vinegar. You must wring out the sour substance. I will help you to do this, but the hardest part you must do yourself."

At Narcisa's tender, encouraging words, the patient became calm and showed himself willing to cooperate. But in a few minutes he turned ghastly pale again, and began to cry out:

"But sister, listen to me! 'He" won't go away. 'He' is back again to torment me! Look! Look!"

"Yes, Francis, I can see him," she agreed patiently, "but it is essential for you to help me drive him away."

"Oh, what a diabolical ghost!" He exclaimed, weeping like a child and inspiring my compassion.

"Put your trust in Jesus and forget the monster." She advised in a soothing voice, "And now, let me apply a magnetic pass, and the ghost will go away."

She gave him a magnetic treatment, filling him with invigorating, comforting fluids. He thanked her, looking greatly relieved. After the treatment was over he spoke again:

"Now I feel much better."

After kneading his pillows and making him comfortable, Narcisa asked an attendant to bring him a glass of magnetized water. Her example was edifying – her goodwill was contagious. Perceiving my earnest wish to learn, she seemed willing to initiate me in the sublime secrets of service.

"To whom was he referring?" I asked, greatly impressed, "Is he, perhaps, pursued by some shadow, invisible to my eyes?"

"Oh, no." She replied, "He meant his own corpse."

"You don't say so." I replied, take aback.

"The poor boy entered the spirit sphere after an accident due only to his own carelessness. He was excessively attached to his physical body, and for days he wouldn't leave his grave, refusing to conform to his new state. So deep were his delusions that he spent a long time desperately trying to raise his stiff body. He was terrified at the idea of facing the unknown, and utterly unable to muster even the slightest detachment from his physical sensations. Aid from higher spheres was of no avail he had closed his mental zone against all thoughts of eternal life. At last, the worms made him experience such atrocious pain that the unfortunate creature ran away from his tomb horrified, only to begin a dismal wandering in the darker regions of the Lower Zone. However, those who had been his parents on Earth enjoy considerable credit over here, and through their intercession he was rescued by the Samaritans who brought him, almost by force, to our Colony. His condition is so serious that he won't be able to leave the Chambers of Rectification for a long while. The friend who had been his physical father is now engaged in a difficult mission far from the Astral City."

"Does he come to see the patient?"

"Yes, he has already come twice, and each time I was deeply moved by his silent grief. The boy's mental disorder is so great that he didn't even recognized his generous and devoted father. He kept crying pitifully, under painful delusions. His father, who had come to visit him accompanied by Minister Padua of Communication, showed emotional fortitude while in the presence of the Minister to whom he owed his unfortunate son's hospitalization. They spent some time commenting on the spiritual condition of the newcomer. But when Minister Padua was called away unexpectedly, apologizing to me for his human gesture, he knelt by his son's bed, taking the boy's hands into his own, holding them tightly as if to transmit some invigorating vital fluids, kissed the boy's forehead, and wept. I couldn't keep back my tears, so I felt the room. I don't know what happened, but I noticed that from that day, Francis has been steadily improving. His condition of total insanity has been reduced to occasional crises, which are gradually diminishing."

"How touching this is." I exclaimed, deeply impressed, "But how can his corpse pursue him?"

"Francis' visions," she explained, "are nothing but hallucinations. Many spirits suffer from them after physical death. Those who are excessively attached to their material body, who make it the center of their existence, living only through it and for it, cannot abandon their corpses when called to the real life. They do not accept the idea of spirituality, and struggle desperately to retain their physical bodies. In time, however, voracious worms drive them away. Then, horrified, they fall to the opposite extreme. The sight of their own corpse, a strong creation of their own minds, torments them to the innermost recesses of their souls. They live in crisis for more or less lengthy periods of time and many suffer acutely until the ghost-corpse they have created totally disintegrates."

Noting how deeply affected I was, Narcisa continued:

"Thanks to our Heavenly Father, I have learned a great deal in these years of service. How profound the spiritual slumber of most of our incarnate brothers is! Still, we mustn't worry to the point of letting it hurt us. The chrysalis adheres to inert matter, but the butterfly will rise from it in easy flight. The seed is almost imperceptible, although it is to become the giant oak. The withered flower returns to the earth, but its perfume abides in the air. All embryonic life appears to sleep. We must never forget these lessons."

Chapter 30 - INHERITANCE AND EUTHANASIA

I had not yet recovered from my astonishment when Salustius came up to Narcisa and said:

"Our sister Pauline wishes to see her father in Pavilion Five. Before complying I thought I had better consult with you, as the patient is still experiencing a deep crisis."

In her usual gentle manner, she replied:

"Show her in at once. Pauline is devoting all her leisure time to the delicate task of reconciling the different members of her family, so she has Veneranda's permission to see her father whenever necessary."

The messenger left hastily, and Narcisa informed me:

"You'll see what a devoted daughter she is."

Less than one minute later we saw Pauline coming towards us. She was slim and lovely, reflecting angelical beauty, dressed in a light tunic of luminous silk. Her eyes reflected deep concern. The nurse introduced us politely. Probably feeling I could be trusted, she inquired anxiously:

"How is father, my friend?"

"A little better," Narcisa answered, "but still considerably unbalanced."

"It's a pity." Pauline continued. "Neither he nor the others will give up the mental attitude in which they obstinately persist. Always the same hate, the same lack of understanding."

Narcisa invited us to follow her, and in a few moments we were standing by the bedside of what looked like a disagreeable old man. With his bitter, scowling look, disheveled hair, deep wrinkles and retracted lips, he inspired more pity than sympathy. However, I endeavored to control my inferior vibrations and to see in this unfortunate sufferer only a spirit brother. My feelings of repulsion disappeared and my mind felt clearer. I applied the lesson to myself how had I arrived at the Ministry of Assistance? How repelling my own appearance must have been, with utter desperation written all over my face. When we consider other people's misfortune in the light of our own imperfections, there is always room for brotherly love in our heart. The old patient had no words of affection for his daughter, who greeted him tenderly. He looked like a caged beast as he frowned at her, eyes glowering with harshness and rebellion.

"Are you feeling better, father?" asked Pauline with loving respect.

"Oh! No!" The patient bellowed, "I can't forget the villain. I have no peace of mind. I can still see him by my bedside administering deadly poison!"

"Please, father, do try to forget all that." She earnestly entreated, "Remember that Edelbert entered our home as a son, sent by God."

"My son? Never!" shouted the unfortunate old man, "He is a loathsome criminal, unworthy of pardon. He is the devil's own son, that's what he is."

Pauline, eyes brimming with tears, spoke persuasively:

"Father, let us learn from Jesus to love one another. On Earth our family experiences are the means of teaching us real spiritual love. We must bear in mind that there is only one Father who is truly eternal, God. But the Lord of Life grants us the blessed opportunity of fatherhood and motherhood on Earth so that we may learn perfect brotherly love. They are the temples of sublime union, a preparation for universal solidarity. We have to struggle and suffer a great deal before acquiring the title of brother in the real sense of the word. The whole Creation is but one family under the loving care of only one Father."

Hearing his daughter's sweet voice, the patient broke into convulsive weeping.

"Father, forgive Edelbert! Try to see in him not only the reckless son but the brother badly in need of enlightenment. I have just come from our earthly home, where I observed serious disturbances. From your sick bed here you are constantly projecting poisonous fluids of bitterness and incomprehension to them. They, in turn, are doing the same to you. Thought, as subtle waves, never misses its target, however distant it may be. The exchange of hate and suspicion causes ruin and suffering to the soul. Broken down by continual sorrow, mother was unable to resist the atmosphere at home, and was taken to a mental hospital a few days ago. Amalia and Cacilda have brought a lawsuit against Edelbert and Agenor because of serious disagreements about the large fortune you amassed on the physical plane. A sad situation indeed, but one which might gradually improve, were it not for your vigorous mind steeped in plans of revenge. Here, in the spirit sphere, I find you distressed. On Earth, mother is insane and your children greatly disturbed, hating one another bitterly. Amidst all those unbalanced minds, a fortune in banknotes. What is the use of all that money, if it doesn't buy one moment's happiness?"

"But I left my family ample means." Retorted the unhappy old man, "I was anxious for their welfare."

Pauline continued, interrupting him:

"In the question of transitory riches, we don't always know what is the best thing to do. If you had assured your family's future by maintaining and atmosphere of moral tranquility in your home, and prepared your children to earn an honest living, your efforts might have been a great help. Sometimes, father, we accumulate money through pride and ambition. We are anxious to live above others, and while centering our attention on the external aspects of life we forget the more important, lasting side. Few are those who see to acquire worthwhile knowledge, and the precious qualities of tolerance, humility and understanding. Instead, we insist on bending others to our will, neglecting the tasks assigned to us by our Father and altogether forgetting to cultivate our spirits. No one is born on the planet merely to hoard money in safes and banks. Of course, during our sojourn we may, as faithful stewards who know how to manage wisely what is entrusted to them, claim our legitimate share. But it is impossible to be our Father's faithful stewards if we are greedy and overbearing."

"It was that false understanding of divine stewardship that ruined our home. I tried in vain to render spiritual help to the family, while you and mother sacrificed yourselves to increase your worldly goods. Amalia and Cacilda, disdaining any useful work, trifled away precious time, finally marrying idlers like themselves, who only married them for their money. Agenor, influenced by his worthless companions, wasted all opportunities of serious study. Edelbert graduated as physician, but was indifferent to the profession. He approached its noble activities only rarely, and even then only out of sheer curiosity. Spoiled by easily obtained money, and with minds fixed on the coming inheritance, they all ruined their fine spiritual possibilities."

The patient, terror-stricken, cried out:

"Cursed Edelbert! Criminal and ungrateful son! He murdered me pitilessly when I still needed to review the terms of my will. Malicious felon!"

"Please father, don't say that. Have mercy on your son. Forgive and forget."

But he went on cursing and swearing. Pauline was about to resume when Narcisa gave her a warning glance and called Salustius to help the patient, by this time aroused to a dangerous condition of emotional excitement. Pauline became silent, trying hard to keep back her tears. She continued by the bedside, stroking her father's forehead with a gentle hand.

Painfully impressed by the scene I had just witnessed, I followed Narcisa and Pauline out of the ward. The two friends talked for some time, and then Pauline took her leave with kind words of thanks. Her eyes showed sadness and worry. When we were again alone, Narcisa remarked: