Advanced Study Group of Spiritism
http://www.geae.inf.br/
Founded on October 15th 1992
The Spiritist Messenger - Monthly Electronic Report
of the GEAE Group
GEAE 12th year - Number 44 - distributed: November 2003
"Unshakable faith is only that which can face reason face to
face in every Humankind epoch."
Allan Kardec
|
|
"By
far the
most usual way
of handling phenomena so novel that they would make for a serious
rearrangement
of our preconceptions is to ignore them altogether, or to abuse those
who bear
witness to them."
|
Prof. William James
|
Dear Readers,
In this issue we
included a Special Section created so that we could publish a
message that Yvonne Limoges, from the Spiritist Society of Florida and
a
member of this Editorial Board, sent to the United States Spiritist
Council. We are presenting the message in this issue because the theme
is extremely important for Brazilian Spiritists who are moving to the
USA as well as for those who have moved recently. The name of the
message is "The Spiritist Movement within the USA".
Another new section
is called "Upcoming Events". In this section we will try to keep you
informed about lectures and seminars that will be held in English
speaking countries.
Much Peace
The Editors
The Spiritist
Movement Within the USA
Yvonne
Linoges
The Spiritist Society of Florida
(reproduced from a
letter sent to the United States Spiritist Council by the author on
October 25, 2003)
Dear President
Marques and other Members of the Council:
I am
unfortunately unable to attend the USSC meeting, but I felt compelled
to write your Council a letter expressing my humble views and comments
regarding Spiritism in the US.
First, I will
give you a little background about myself so you can understand from my
perspective from wherein I speak. I am a fourth generation American, of
Hispanic, Italian, and French heritage. My first language was American
English and I attended all American schools, some in New York City, but
mostly here in Florida. In St. Petersburg Florida, in my elementary and
middle school years, the only American children in attendance were
generally white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant. I was the only ethnically
diverse person in the school (no Hispanics, no blacks, no other ethnic
groups).
This background
provides me as a Spiritist, with a very unique American perspective,
especially regarding how Americans relate and how they receive
knowledge of the Spiritist Doctrine. Also, keeping in mind, my Father
and I have coordinated a Spiritist Center for over 20 years.
I would like to
submit the following points of views which may be helpful to those in
the Spiritist field regarding the dissemination of the Spiritist
Doctrine in the US:
- the average
American comprehends and reads at approximately an eighth grade level.
- Americans have
been trained and conditioned by the media and the fast-paced society we
live in, to receive "just the facts" in small bite-sized pieces. They
also specifically want to know how the knowledge you are imparting to
them, affects them at a very personal level.
- Average
Americans are not big book readers of difficult books on philosophy or
theology. They prefer "one pagers" explaining one specific issue at a
time.
- Americans who
are searching for something other than what has been force fed to them
by Christian churches, do not want to hear about Bible quotes, or
Biblical references. This reminds them and they associate this with
"New Born Christianity."
- the average
American has different beliefs regarding what indeed, Christianity
actually is, compared to the authentic and true Doctrine of their
churches.
- the type of
American who wants to, and is ready, to assimilate the Spiritist
Doctrine is a more secular person (definitely not into anything related
to the Bible) and they like the Doctrine presented in a more scientific
and secular manner. Biblical references are a turn-off. Bible study has
not touched their souls because their scientific trained minds (prove
it to me!) cannot find relevant meaning, or reason in it, for them on a
personal level.
- The average
American is some what ignorant of the history of the entire
Spiritualist movement in this country. But many who are interested in
Spiritism are aware of current popular mediums (and their books) such
as James Van Praagh, George Anderson, Sylvia Brown, Rosemary Althea,
and John Edward.
Many Spiritists
do not realize that these mediums and their books (as well as other
American authors and books) contain the basics regarding spiritual
truths very similar to Spiritism. God hides His Truth from no one.
- In my humble
personal opinion, it is a mistake to present Spiritism as "Christianity
reborn" or "Renewed Christianity" etc. because of the following:
A - Spiritual Truths are Universal and they existed prior to the birth
of Jesus and the Christian movement. Even Kardec’s The Gospel
According to Spiritism speaks of Socrates and Plato. This does
not negate the fact that the spirit world has consistently stated
Jesus of Nazareth was the most highly moral spirit to have
incarnated on this planet.
B - Spiritism presents Universal Laws which apply to all humankind not
just to anyone from a particular religion. See book entitled A
New Religious America - How A "Christian Country" Has become the
World’s Most Religiously Diverse Nation written by Diana Eck
Professor of Comparative Religion at Harvard University. President
Clinton awarded her the National Humanities Medal for her
work of The Pluralism Project in the investigation of America’s
religious diversity.
C - Spiritism is based on observation and reason. It is this which
should be emphasized. This is an avenue which can apply to all of
modern mankind from any religious
background, whether Muslim, Jew, Hindu, Christian, etc.
-
Americans, in general, are not very interested in learning about past
Spiritist leaders. They want only to
know primarily about the Doctrine itself and how it applies to them
personally.
- Contrary to
popular belief, there are Spiritist Groups in the United States, which
have their origins through immigrants from the Caribbean (Puerto Rico
and Cuba mostly) and from Mexico. They may not have websites, etc. but
they exist.
- Finally, let
us remember that Jesus preached mostly to the masses. The majority were
illiterate, poor, needy, and humble.
Thank you for
this opportunity to express my thoughts and feelings. I do so, with the
utmost respect for the Council and its work.
Sincerely and
Respectfully,
Yvonne Limoges
Lectures
Three Lectures in London
|
| Lecturer: |
Marlene Rossi Severino Nobre
|
Free Entrance
November
18th, 2003. From 6:30 to 9:30pm - "The
Multiple Masks of Spirit Attachment."
Location:
Oxford House, Derbyshire Street, Bethnal Green - E2, London, UK
November
19th, 2003. From 6:30 to 9:30pm.
"The
Physiology of the Pineal Gland in the Process of Spiritual Interchange."
Location: Oxford House, Derbyshire Street, Bethnal
Green - E2, London, UK
November
20th, 2003. From 7 to 10pm.
"The
Medical-Spiritist Paradigm & Medicine for the Future."
Location: Wolfson Lecture Theatre, De Crespigny Park,
Denmark Hill - SE5, London, UK
About the Lecturer:
Dr. Marlene
Rossi Severino Nobre (MD) is a gynecologist with specialization in
cancer prevention and the President of the Medical-Spiritist
Association of Brazil.
| Theme: |
Quantum
Physics and Spiritism: How they Overlap |
| Lecturer: |
Alexandre
Fontes da Fonseca |
| Place: |
Spiritist Group of
New York |
Location:
|
Shetler
Studios -
939
Eight Avenue (Between 55th & 56th Street
) -
New York , NY - USA
|
| Date&time: |
November 20th
(Thursday) from 7:15 PM to 8:15 PM
|
Free Entrance
About
the Lecturer:
The lecturer is
a Brazilian physicist with a Ph.D. in Physics by UNICAMP (State
University of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil) and currently he is
in a short-term post-doc position in the Department of Chemistry of
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. He specializes in the
fields of Statics and Dynamics of Filaments, Physics of DNA and
Non-Equilibrium Statistical Mechanics.
Alexandre has
been a spiritist since 1988 and a collaborator for the Allan Kardec
Spiritist Center located in the city of Campinas, São Paulo,
Brazil. His articles have been published in various spiritist
newsletters and magazines such as Revista Internacional de Espiritismo,
Jornal Alavanca, Revista FidelidadEspirita and GEAE – Advanced Study
Group of Spiritism.
| Theme: |
Health
and Spirituality Seminar |
| Lecturer: |
Raul
Teixeira |
| Place: |
University of Maryland
School of Medicine |
Location:
|
685 W Baltimore St – MSTF Auditorium - Baltimore, MD
21201 - USA |
| Date&time: |
November 22nd
(Saturday) from 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM
|
Lecture in Portuguese with
simultaneous translation into English
A registration fee of $10.00 is requested and appreciated to
help cover costs for the event.
For more
information, call (410) 382-5328 or visit our website at www.ssbaltimore.org
About
the Lecturer:
Prof.
Raul Teixeira is one of the greatest names behind the Spiritist Thought
in
the world today. Prof. Teixeira has spoken in more than 35 countries in
Europe,
Asia, Africa and the Americas. In Brazil alone, Prof. Teixeira has
lectured in
close to 1,000 cities, always with a friendly and effective
communication style
that explains the Spiritist Thought with simplicity and clarity.
Professor
of Physics, Raul Teixeira also holds a Ph.D. in Education and has
dedicated his
life to the dissemination of Spiritism. Raul has 21 Spiritist books
published,
and continues to produce many mediumistic works through automatic
writing. In
1998, Prof. Teixeira founded "Remanso Fraterno", a non-profit
organization which provides basic care and education for at-risk youth
and their
parents. Today, more than 650 people benefit from free medical, dental,
and
psychological care provided at "Remanso Fraterno" while receiving both
an educational and moral support with which to improve their lives.
Chaos,
Complexity and the Influence of Spirits on the Phenomena of Nature
Department of
Chemistry, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New
Jersey 08854-8087 USA
Instituto de
Física da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo,
S.P.
(Original
version in Portuguese was first published in Revista Fidelidade
Espírita, 12, 20-26)
Abstract
We analyze the question about the influence of spirits upon the
phenomena of the nature. Despite the confirmation of this influence
from spirits, this subject was not studied deeply by Allan Kardec due
to lack of scientific knowledge. The development of the theories of
chaos and complexity allows us to analyze this question. It is shown
that the influence of spirits upon the phenomena of nature is perfectly
possible and that there is no need of a great amount of animalized
fluid to produce the influence. We show how the knowledge of chaos and
complexity helps us to understand the proposed solution.
KEYWORDS: Chaos; Complexity; Influence of spirits; phenomena of the
atmosphere; physical effects; physical manifestations.
I
- Introduction
In issue 45 of the chapter XV of “Genesis”, Allan Kardec transcribed an
event from the Gospel called as “The Calmed down Storm”[1]. In this
event Jesus and his disciples were sailing from a margin of a lake to
the other when strong winds suddenly appeared. The disciples became
scared and asked the Master for help. Jesus, according to the Gospel,
talked to the winds and to the waves in the lake making them calm down.
As He always did, He took advantage of the moment and talked about the
value of faith. Kardec, in issue 46 of the above reference and Cairbar
Schutel[2] commented the event. Kardec said that we do not know
“the secrets of Nature in order to say if there are, or not, hidden
intelligences controlling the action of the elements”. Cairbar Schutel
goes further asserting that all seismic and atmospheric phenomena are
driven by intelligent beings responsible by the manifestations of the
Nature.”(our translation)[2]. Both quotations state the possibility of
the action of spirits on the phenomenon of a storm but, as we shall
see, there is no explanation in the spiritist literature about how it
could happened.
The set of all phenomena known to the human being, from an apple
falling on the ground to the most beautiful bright of a star in the
Universe; from the nuclear fusion events occurring inside the Sun to
all of our lives, must remind us that the rules and mechanisms of all
these phenomena belong to Natural Law having therefore a divine origin.
Throughout history the human being tried to understand Natural Law
through the observation and study of all natural phenomena. In 1687 a
leap forward was taken in the study of these phenomena. Galileu and,
more formally, Isaac Newton started a new age in the way of making.
Science. They developed the mathematical way of describing the
mechanical phenomena of Nature.
In this paper, we shall present a possible explanation of how the
spirits can produce an influence in the large phenomena of Nature like
a big storm. We base our proposal in the developed scientific concepts
of the Theory of Chaos and Complexity.
It is known that the atmospheric phenomena are chaotic and complex[3].
A system is said to be chaotic[4] when it is too much sensitive to
small perturbations1. Consider, for example,
a billiard game with various balls. If the player makes a small error
in the direction of the kicked out ball, the final result, that is the
movement of all other balls, will be completely different from the
player’s planned movement and not only a little different from that, as
one could think of. This kind of dynamics, sensitive to the initial
conditions is called chaotic. As a consequence, we lose, effectively,
the power of foreseeing what is going to happen after the player’s
action if he or she has no total certainty of the direction the ball
will take.
A system is said to be complex [5] when its behavior is rich in
unexpected and varied possibilities even if its structure is not
complicated. The life is one of the best examples of complexity. The
characteristics of the one of the simplest forms of life, an amoeba,
for example, exhibit unexpected and varied qualities. Despite the great
velocity in processing data, our best computers are less complex than
the brain of a worm[6].
If we consider the gases that compose the atmosphere formed by lots of
small particles, we can imagine that they are colliding with one
another as in the billiard game. Therefore, it is natural to see that
the atmosphere can present chaotic and complex behavior. Stephen
Hawking, in his recent book[6], exposed this fact in a poetic form:
“The hitting of the wings of a butterfly can produce rain in the
Central Park in New York”. As he explains, it is not the hitting of the
wings that, simply, will cause rain, but this small perturbation can
influence others that can change the time evolution of the atmosphere
elsewhere. That is why the weather is so difficult to forecast and
makes us to consult the news about the weather every single week2.
Figure 1:
Strange Attractor obtained solving the differential equations of the
Lorenz’s model. x, y and z represent physical variables as temperature,
pressure and velocity of the particles.
In order to make forecasts Meteorology uses theoretical tools to
calculate the behavior of weather from a set of measured data. Edward
N. Lorenz proposed the first theoretical model [7] for the dynamics of
the atmosphere known as the Lorenz’s Model. Figure 1 shows an example
of the so-called the strange attractor that is a solution of the
Lorenz’s equations, obtained with his model.
Lorenz also showed [8] that there is a limit for the forecast of
weather around 2 weeks. We emphasize that there is a limit for the
human power of solving the problem of forecasting. It will be important
when we analyze the capacity of the superior spirits in making better
calculations and forecasts.
This paper is organized as follows. In section II we shall expose all
information found in Allan Kardec’s books about the influence of the
spirits in the phenomena of nature. We shall remember some basic ideas
behind the phenomena of physical effects, since the influence on the
phenomena of nature belongs to this class. In section III we shall show
that this influence is perfectly possible and requires a small quantity
of animalised fluid. Finally, in section IV we shall present the main
conclusions.
II - What Spiritism says
Besides the citations in “Genesis” and in Cairbar Schutel’s book about
the issues from 536 to 540 of the “Spirits’ Book” [9], there exists a
small mention in the Revista Espírita of September of 1859 [10],
whose title is “The storms”. This last reference does not add anything
to the contents present in the “Spirits’ Book”. Let us rewrite some of
these issues marking what we think important to our discussion. The
first issue is number 536-a:
“536-a Have these phenomena (of Nature) always some reference to
mankind ?
- They have sometimes a direct reference to man; but they have often no
other object than the re-establishment of the equilibrium and harmony
of the physical forces of nature.”
“536-b We fully admit that the will of God must be the primal cause of
these phenomena, as of everything else; but, as we know that the
spirits exercise an action upon the matter, and that they are the
agents of the divine will, we ask whether some among them do not exert
an influence upon the elements, to rouse, calm or direct them.
- It is evident that they must do so; it could not be otherwise. God
does not exercise a direct action upon matter; He has His devoted
agents at every step of the ladder of worlds.”
“537-a May there, in the same way, be spirits inhabiting the interior
of the earth and presiding over the development of geological phenomena
?
- Those spirits do not positively inhabit the earth, but they preside
over and direct its developments according to their various
attributions. You will some day have the explanation of all these
phenomena, and you will then understand them better.”(our marks).
“538 Do the spirits who preside over the phenomena of nature form a
special category in the spirit-world; are they beings apart, spirits
who have been incarnated like us?
- They are spirits who will be incarnated, or who have been so.”
“538-a Do those spirits belong to the higher or lower degrees of the
spirit-hierarchy ?
- That is according as their post is more or less material or
intelligent; some command, others execute; those who discharge material
functions are always of an inferior order, among spirits as among men.”
“539 In the production of certain phenomena, of storms, for example, is
it a single spirit that acts, or a mass of spirits ?
- A mass of spirits; or, rather, innumerable masses of spirits."
“540 Do the spirits who exert an action over the phenomena of nature
act with knowledge and intention, in virtue of freewill, or from an
instinctive and unreasoning impulse ?
- Some act in the one way, others in the other. (…) (about the inferior
spirits) They begin by executing the orders of their superiors;
subsequently, when their intelligence is more developed, they command
in their turn, and direct the processes of the material world; (…)."
These issues are the basis of our discussion.Let us organize the main
ideas in the following statements:
1. The spirits are God’s agents for the action in
accordance to divine wills.
2. There are agents in all degrees of the evolutionary
scale. There are some who command and make the decisions and others who
execute the action upon the elements. The spirits that command have the
capacity of calculating and forecasting the consequences of each action
that the other agents do.
3. A great amount of spirits meets together in order to
execute the task.
Before going to the next section, where we shall explain how the
spirits can control the phenomena of nature, let us remember the
important basic principles of Spiritism that are necessary for a
physical effect to occur. From chapter IV of the second part of “The
Mediun’s Book” [11], we got the following statements:
* A spirit can only move a solid object if he or she
combines a portion of the universal fluid with the fluid that is
detached from an appropriated medium.
* A spirit can act and use the animalised fluid from
mediums that are not aware that they are donating the fluids.
* A spirit can act upon solid, liquid or gaseous
matter.
With all these principles we can analyze the influence of spirits upon
the phenomena of nature being aware that these phenomena are chaotic
and complex.
III - Influence of the spirits upon
phenomena of nature
As we saw in the previous section, the superior spirits taught that
spirits, in general, are God’s agents for the actions upon the nature.
We also saw that superior spirits (the commanders) and the others (the
executers) work together for the compliance of divine tasks. In this
section we shall show that in front of a large-scale phenomenon as, for
example, a storm, it is not necessary that the action by the spirits
takes place in every single part of the space where the storm occurs.
We shall estimate the order of magnitude of the volume occupied by a
storm on a relatively small city. We shall do this in order to see the
unfeasibility of the action upon all space. After that, we shall
discuss, with the help of the actual scientific knowledge, a proposal
about how the spirits could really influence a storm acting in a much
smaller region of the space where the storm is happening.
Let us consider a city whose area is 100km2 (we can imagine
a square area with side of 10km long). Let us consider also a set of
clouds in a height3 of 5km. If we multiply
the area by the height we can have the estimation of the space volume
for this storm: 100 x 5 = 500km3. One cubic meter (1m3)
is the same as the volume of 1000 litres. The unit of cubic kilometer
(1km3) is equivalent to a volume of 1.000.000.000 of cubic
meters (1 billion m3).
These are 1000 billions or 1 trillion of litres of volume for each km3
of space. Imagine that a spirit wishes to make an influence upon a
litre of water or air in such a way to produce a given movement. One
litre of everything is a significant volume of space when we think in a
phenomenon like that. Let us suppose that one medium is enough to
supply the spirits with animalised fluid. Imagine, now, that in order
to produce even a very small action upon a storm we need to make the
action in a volume of more than 1 trillion of litres of a mixture of
air, steam and liquid water. How many mediums are necessary to do this
task? Imagine, also, that several storms are occurring in several
places around the world at the same time. If it was not enough, imagine
that to make a storm go to another course it is also necessary to act
upon the neighbor areas because they can have different temperatures
and pressures that can prevent the storm from taking another direction.
Figure 2 gives a good idea of the magnitude of a storm compared
with the size of our buildings.
Figure 2:
Storm getting close to a city. Compare the size of the set formed by
clouds and rain with the size of the buildings.
It leads us to see the unfeasibility of the influence from the spirits
upon all space. Even a great mass of spirits cannot act precisely upon
the storm. However, if we take in account that the dynamics of the
storm is chaotic and complex we can see a light in the end of the
tunnel. We already know that a chaotic dynamics means that the system
is sensitive to small perturbation in some of its parts. If we could
calculate precisely the effect of a given perturbation or a set
of sequential perturbations in small regions of the space we
could control the temporal evolution of the phenomenon to a desired
result. We saw that superior spirits command the influence upon these
phenomena. The principle number 2 (section II) tells us that superior
spirits are capable of making these calculations and deciding the best
action. In the Introduction we commented on the limits of human
knowledge. We believe that it is perfectly possible to the superior
spirits to perform much more precise calculations and forecasts for
every perturbation executed by the other spirits. Therefore, it could
be enough to act in a portion of the space less than 1% of the total
volume. Although we cannot estimate what this size is (we must remember
that our scientific knowledge cannot do that), we can say with all
certainty that it is not necessary to act upon all space occupied by
the storm. So, it is not necessary a great amount of animalised fluid
in order to make this influence. Finally, it means that the influence
of the spirits upon the phenomena of nature is perfectly feasible.
IV - Conclusion
In the paper of reference [3], Dr. Ross N. Hoffman says that he thinks
it is possible, in a close future, to control these large phenomena of
nature. He uses the same theories of chaos and complexity to base his
affirmations. If a scientist, representing a scientific opinion,
believes that it is possible, it is correct to say that this knowledge
is well developed in the spiritual world.
As we saw, the union of the intellectual advance of the superior
spirits with the chaotic nature of the phenomena of nature permits one
to understand how spirits could influence these phenomena without the
necessity of consuming lots of animalised fluid. This proposal is in
accordance to what the spirits answered in the issue number 537-a,
about the explanation and understanding of that influence.
There is one point left for us to comment on. It is about the number of
spirits needed to produce the influence upon the phenomenon (point
number 3 of section II). That point says that there is the need for a
large number of spirits to perform the task. Although, as we showed, it
is not necessary to act upon all regions of the space where a storm is
occurring it does not mean that this influence is something simple and
that only one spirit is enough to do the task. As it is described in
chapter 10 of “Missionários da Luz” [13], a physical effect like
the materialization of a throat requires the presence of a great number
of spirits.
Therefore, the complexity of the phenomena of nature also requires a
large amount of spirits to provide the correct action upon them.
Finally, we remember that this work presents one way by which the
spirits could influence the phenomena of nature. We do not intent that
this is the only solution for this problem.
*
1 The word “perturbation” means a
small influence that generates a small changing in a given system.
2 And even so we fell surprised with
the variations of the behavior of the atmosphere!
3 Clouds of storms have a base at 2 or 3km of
altitude and its top can reach the maximum height of 20km[12]. In our
estimations we chose the value of 5km, but if we consider the superior
limit of 20km, the problem of the unfeasibility of the influence of the
spirits upon nature becomes more evident.
Acknowledgements
The author is pleased to thank Mrs. Floriza S. A. Chagas, Dr. Alexandre
C. Gonçalves, Dra. Hebe M. L. de Souza, Sr. Henri Barreto, Dr.
Zalmino Zimmermann and Prof. Dr. Silvio S. Chibeni by critical reading
of this compuscript and by valuable suggestions. The author would like
to specially thank Mr. Antonio Leite for the incentive to produce a
translation of the original paper from Portuguese and Mr. Renato Costa
for a great review of this translation.
References
[1] A. Kardec, A Gênese, Editora IDE, (1992).
[2] C. Schutel, Parábolas e Ensinos de Jesus, Editora CASA
EDITORA O CLARIM, 12a Edição, (1987).
[3] R. N. Hoffman, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 83,
p.241, (2002).
[4] E. Ott, Chaos in Dynamical Systems, Cambridge University Press,
(1993).
[5] Y. Bar–Yam, Dynamics of Complex Systems, Perseus Books, (1997).
[6] S. Hawking, O Universo Numa Casca de Nóz, Editora Mandarim,
2a Edição, (2002).
[7] E. N. Lorenz, Journal of Atmospheric Science, 20, p.130, (1963).
[8] E. N. Lorenz, Tellus, 34, p.505, (1982).
[9] A. Kardec, The Spirits’ Book, Editora FEB, 6a Edição,
(1996).
[10] A. Kardec, Revista Espírita, 8, p.276, (1859).
[11] A. Kardec, The Mediuns’s Book, Editora FEB, 1a
Edição, (1986).
[12] M. M. F. Saba, Física na Escola, 2, p.19, (2001).
[13] A. Luiz, Psicografia de F. C. Xavier, Missionários da Luz,
Editora FEB, 26a Edição, (1995).
Anderson, through Francisco
Cândido Xavier
(message received
on July 6, 1965, New Your City, New York, USA, reproduced from the
Chapter 34 of the book Entre Irmãos de Outras Terras / Among
Brothers of Other Lands. Rio de Janeiro: FEB, 1994)
*
What are we doing about
the Gospel?
The disciple must search his conscience. Let us look out for our
thoughts. We must be honest with ourselves. Sometimes, we are inclined
either to work without confidence or to confide without working. What
kind of friends of Jesus are we? By some means or other do we really
want to co-operate with Jesus in His job? Let us do it now, just now.
We are sinners. Christ knows our weakness. By the light of His love,
Jesus removes our fears and troubles. For our own sake we must listen
to Him. The disciple of the Gospel becomes one with his Master. Each of
us can in his own heart be a shrine within himself illumined in His
divine truth. Sometimes, we cannot remove circumstances and temptations
under which our task should be done, but Jesus can do it.
Why seek to take out the strength of our Savior from within us? The
subject brings back to our memory the words of Paul: "Your life is hid
with Christ in God".
Many times we have suffered defeats. Christ offers us the strength to
be a new kind of person. We should be patient in all tribulations.
Faith is the result of daily trust. We are in the fellowship of Christ,
going from darkness to light.
*
"Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." -- Paul
(Romans, 12-21)
Joan of Arc - A Superior Spirit
Received
inspirationally by Yvonne Limoges
The
Spiritist Society of Florida
Those who would presume to have very superior spirits
communicating at their Spiritists Centers, at their beck and call or,
on a very frequent basis, beware! Do not become the dupe of those false
spirits who may be intelligent, but are frauds and will try to flatter
you with words that seem so full of wisdom, but are truly empty.
Superior spirits communicate with mortals rarely, and when they do, it
is generally brief and to the point.
There is a spirit, who we believe to be morally superior,
who has visited our Center, who identifies herself as Joan of Arc. This
spirit has communicated, on and off, at our spirit sessions, throughout
the many years.
Could the spirit communication we have been receiving be a
proxy spirit (one who is sent in her place)? Yes, maybe. But, maybe
not. Very superior spirits have the moral and spiritual elevation to
appear at several places at once. Such is their power! Could she be a
fraud? Let’s consider her communications. Then, you judge!
When Joan of Arc comes to us, those mediums who can sense
her, are immediately overwhelmed with powerful emotion and come to
tears. We can feel her spiritual potency!
She generally presents herself to the mediums who see her,
standing boldly in full shining body armor, holding firm a standard and
flag, flying in the breeze. This banner, she now tells us, is a symbol
which represents Spiritism and its advancement on this planet. She
states that this is what she fights to reveal to mankind now. She
speaks briefly. Her words are always clear, full of pureness, and
extremely inspirational.
She tells us to continue our work in the field of Spiritism
and for us to carry our "own banners" high and in a manner
"sacred and pure." At times, the mediums see that she has enlarged the
banner that she holds, wrapping it around all present, in a symbolic
gesture of blessing us. All present, feel spiritually fortified and
emotionally moved. How wonderful we feel! We believe it is her, or at
the very least, a superior spirit sent in her place, for a good and
honest purpose.
How magnificent these rare visits by these types of spirits,
so full of love and pureness, from Up High! How low we are, morally and
spiritually, from their greatness!
Thank you, God Our Supreme Father, for allowing these
morally high beings, to come down to their spiritually younger brothers
and sisters on this planet, who are still suffering with their human
frailties! How much we need their encouragement, to pull us out of the
depths of miseries of our own making, in order for us to strive harder
to reach morally high, and to know that there exists a better place,
one we can aspire to, and one day reach!
THE ASTRAL CITY
A STORY OF A DOCTOR'S ODYSSEY IN THE
SPIRIT WORLD
By
Andre Luiz, through Francisco C. Xavier
(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
35 AN UNEXPECTED MEETING
We were busy putting away the patrolling equipment and seeing to the
animals, when I heard a friendly voice beside me:
"Hello, André. Fancy meeting you here! What a pleasant surprise."
I turned around and was surprised to recognize the Samaritan – he was a
former acquaintance of ours on Earth. Yes, it was old Silveira, whom my
father, the inflexible businessman, had reduced to utter ruin. I felt
acutely embarrassed. I wanted to acknowledge his greeting, to respond
to his friendly approach, but my memories made me speechless. In this
new environment, where countenances faithfully reflect ones true
feelings, pretending was out of the question. Finally, Silveira himself
noticed my discomfort and came to my help, saying:
"I didn't know you had come here. I had no idea I'd meet you here in
the Astral City."
After this spontaneous kindness I was able to shake his hand and murmur
a few words of thanks. I wanted to offer an explanation for our past
attitudes but couldn't find the right words. I truly wished to
apologize for my father's actions, which had forced him into disastrous
insolvency. Standing there, it all came back into my mind. It was like
seeing a film. I could hear his wife's tearful voice, trying to explain
her husband's plight – he had been ill for a long time and, to make
matters worse, two of their children had also fallen sick. Their
expenses had risen, and medical attention cost so much money. I
remember how the poor thing wept, begging for a respite. She spoke
humbly, gazing pitifully at my mother as if attempting to find some
sympathy and help in another woman. I remember how earnestly my mother
pleaded with my father to forget the documents he had signed, to
refrain from any legal action. Father, accustomed to successful
transactions on a large scale, could not understand the retailer's
difficulties and was adamant. He declared that, although he was sorry
about his client's bad luck and would help him in different ways, there
was nothing he could do but carry out the legal proceedings. He
explained that he could not think of breaking the long established
regulations of his firm. All he had to offer his wife in consolation
was the thought that some of his other clients were in an even worse
position.
I recalled mother's helpless sympathy as Silveira's wife tearfully took
her leave, and how father, indifferent to the suffering before him,
scolded her severely and forbade her to interfere in business matters
in the future. Thus, there was nothing left for the poor family but to
face utter financial ruin. I could still see the Silveira's piano being
carried away to satisfy the implacable creditor's claims.
Humbled and penniless, Silveira moved with his wife and children to a
small town, where they had probably led a life of hard work and
poverty. I never again heard mention of the family.
I was anxious to apologize, but did not know what to say. I had, at
that time, encouraged father in his merciless attitude towards the
Silveira and had considered mother too sentimental in her views. Being
still very young, I was dominated by feelings of selfishness and
vanity. Impervious to the needs and suffering of others, I was
unyielding in my attitude in spite of my mother's wise exhortations.
These memories flashed throughout my mind with incredible speed. In one
short moment I had crossed the shadows of the past. I could hardly
disguise my embarrassment. Silveira smiled, and called me back into
reality:
"Have you already visited the 'old man'?"
The question, so filled with spontaneous caring, only increased my
confusion. I answered that, although anxious to do so, I had not yet
had the chance. Silveira sensed my constraint and prepared to leave. He
patted me affectionately on the back and went on his way. Disconcerted,
I went to Narcisa and told her of our unexpected meeting and the
circumstances of our parting on Earth. I anxiously awaited her advice.
After listening carefully, she replied:
"Don't be surprised at meeting old acquaintances here. Some time ago I
found myself in a similar situation. I have already had the
satisfaction of meeting most of the people here whom I had offended on
Earth. I realize now that it's a great blessing granted us by the Lord,
so that we may have new opportunities to take up friendships which have
been interrupted, repairing the broken spirit links between us. Did you
avail yourself of the chance offered you?"
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Did you ask Silveira to forgive you? Remember, it's satisfying to be
able to recognize our own faults. You have, by now, acquired enough
understanding to be your own judge. You have acknowledged yourself as
the offender. Don't miss the opportunity to gain a friend. Go to
Silveira, my dear, and speak to him frankly. He is a busy person, and
you may not get another chance soon."
As I hesitated, she added:
"Don't be afraid. Whenever we follow our head and heart in the practice
of good, Jesus grants us the help necessary to succeed. The
accomplishment of worthy actions, whatever they may be, constitutes a
privilege to the soul. Keep the Master's Gospel in mind and go seek the
treasure of reconciliation."
I no longer hesitated, but ran after Silveira, opening my heart to him
and begging him to forgive both me and my father for our past errors.
"You see," I explained earnestly, "we were both blind to everything but
self interest. Whenever money and vanity go together, few avoid taking
the wrong path."
Silveira, greatly touched, cut me short.
"Listen, André, is anybody exempt from fault? Do you imagine
that I led a blameless life? Besides, your father was a real teacher to
me. My children and I are indebted to him for his valuable lessons in
individual effort. Would we have made any spiritual progress, were it
not for this firm defense of his rights? Over here, we renew all our
old concepts of life and realize that our supposed enemies are really
our benefactors. Don't brood over these sad memories. Let's look ahead
to infinite life and work with the Lord."
Noticing my moist eyes, he patted me on the back in a fatherly way, and
added:
"Don't waste your time over this. I hope I'll soon have the pleasure of
accompanying you in visiting your father."
I shook his hand in silence, feeling a new joy in my soul. It seemed
that a dark little corner of my heart had been suddenly flooded with a
divine light… forever.
Chapter 36 THE DREAM
Work went on without interruption. Many sick patients needed urgent
care, and other perturbed entities required devoted attention. By
evening I had mastered the technique of magnetic passes, which I
applied to many of the patients. Tobias returned to the Chambers in the
morning, and more through generosity than any merit of mine, he
encouraged me through his words of praise:
"Well done, André!" He exclaimed. "I'm going to mention you
specifically to Minister Genesius, so you may receive your hour-bonuses
in double for your first efforts."
As I was about to express my thanks, I was surprised to see Laura and
Lysias coming towards us. After affectionate greetings, Laura said to
me with a smile:
"We simply had to come to tell you personally how happy we all are. I
followed you in spirit the entire night, and your first steps on the
road of brotherly cooperation are a great joy to our family. I had the
pleasure of giving the good news to Minister Clarence, who sends you
his best wishes."
We talked for a while, and they asked to hear my impressions. I was
happy to oblige. Although Laura and Lysias invited me to return home
with them to rest, Tobias had offered me a room in the Chambers, where
I could retire without delay. I felt an urgent need to sleep.
Unbeknownst to me, the greatest joy of the day was still to come.
Alone in the spacious and comfortable room where Narcisa had made me a
bed, I offered up a prayer to the Lord of all Creation, thanking him
for the joy of having been useful. Then the "blessed fatigue" of those
who have fulfilled their duties left me no time for further musings.
Within a few minutes I felt a sensation of lightness throughout my
body. I had the impression of being carried away in a small boat,
sailing towards unknown regions. Where was I being taken? It was
impossible to tell. A silent man sat beside me at the helm. I felt like
a child, unable to describe the wonders before me. Ecstatic at the
magnificence of the scenery, I let myself be carried along without a
word. The little craft seemed to be sailing rapidly, and at the same
time gradually ascending. After a short time I found myself in a
marvelous harbor, and heard a voice calling me lovingly from the pier.
"André, André…." I could tell that voice from a thousand
others. Overwhelmed with joy, I disembarked with childlike zeal, and a
moment later I was in my mother's arms. She led me to a beautiful
forest, where flowers seemed to retain light, offering a permanent
feast of perfume and color. Luminous golden carpets stretched out under
the rustling foliage of the great trees. I felt an ineffable sensation
of peace and happiness, different from the dream states I had
experienced on Earth. I was well aware that I had left my heavier body
in my room in the Chambers of Rectification, and was conscious of being
in higher sphere. My notions of time and space were accurate, and I
felt the wealth of emotions I was experiencing grow more and more
intense. After inspiring me with words of appreciation, my mother
explained:
"I prayed fervently to Jesus that I might be granted the sublime
satisfaction of your visit on your first day of useful service. As you
already know, my son, work is a divine tonic for the heart. Many of our
companions, on leaving the Earth, linger unproductively, awaiting
miracles that never occur, their fine possibilities reduced to
expressions of parasitism. Some plead discouragement from loneliness,
others declare themselves maladjusted to the way in which they were
called to serve the Lord. It is indispensable, André, to convert
every opportunity in life into a reason to remember and serve God. Just
as in the lower spheres the bowl of soup given to the hungry, the balm
offered to the leper, and the gesture of sympathy towards one stricken
by adversity, are sublime deeds forever remembered in the House of the
Father. Here a look of understanding cast to the sinner, the promise of
the Gospel brought to those in despair, and hope imparted to the
afflicted are blessings of spiritual work which also weigh greatly in
our favor."
I had never before seen my mother's face so beautiful. Her eyes seemed
to shine with a spiritual radiance and her tender hands transmitted
invigorating fluids and an indescribable sensation of bliss to me.
"Jesus' Gospel, André," she continued, "teaches us that there is
greater joy in giving than in receiving. For out own happiness, let's
learn to put this principle into practice in our daily efforts. Always
give, my child, but above all never forget to give of yourself, in
constructive tolerance, brotherly love and divine understanding.
External charity is only a lesson, and a means to lead us to the more
difficult practice of charity from within. Jesus gave more of Himself
to redeem mankind than all the Earth's millionaires congregated in the
fulfillment of material charity, however sublime their efforts may have
been. Don't be ashamed to offer aid to our sickly brothers or
clear the minds of the disturbed entities that come to the Chambers of
Rectification, where I spiritually followed your work last night.
"Work, my child, doing all the good you can. In all our spirit
colonies, as on Earth, live restless souls anxious for novelty and
distraction. As often as possible, try to avoid those amusements and
devote yourself to useful service. Just as I, insignificant as I am,
can see in spirit your efforts in the Astral City, while following your
father's suffering in the Lower Zone, God sees and accompanies us all,
from the most evolved messenger to the lowest beings in the scale of
Creation."
My mother paused briefly, and I tried in vain to speak. Although tears
of emotion had rendered me speechless, she understood my feelings.
Looking at me with deep affection, she went on:
"In most spirit colonies, services are remunerated with the hour-bonus
which unites two essential factors. The bonus represents the
possibility of receiving something from our brothers and co-workers, or
of recompensing someone sharing our efforts. However, the determination
of the hour's value, just as on Earth, belongs exclusively to God.
Because of our fallibility as evolving beings, errors may occur in
awarding hour-bonuses. The real computation of the spirit hour is a
private question between the worker and the Divine Forces of Creation.
That's why our experimental activities on the road to progress,
starting at the physical sphere, undergo continuous, daily
modifications. The administrator to whom the Lord has granted the
opportunity of cooperating in the Divine Plan of Life, experiment with
tables, registers, and remuneration. He grants them this opportunity
just as He grants His creatures the temporary privilege of being
fathers or mothers on Earth or in other worlds, and all sincere
administrators do their utmost to carry out the tasks assigned them to
the best of their abilities.
"Every Father, conscious of his responsibilities, is full of devoted
love; God also, my child is a careful Administrator and most loving
Father. He never forgets any of His children and reserves His right to
a direct understanding with His workers about real merit of the use of
their time. All outward reward affects the personality undergoing the
test, but the value of time concerns the eternal personality, the one
that will always be present in our circles of life, on its upward march
towards the Glory of God. This is why the Most High gives wisdom to
those who spend time learning and a longer life and greater joy to
those who know how to forget themselves in serving others."
Mother became silent. As I dried my eyes, she put her arms around me.
Like a boy who falls asleep after a lesson, I lost consciousness of
everything until I awoke in my room near the Chambers of Rectification
with an invigorating sense of joy.
Next chapters: 37 & 38.