The Mediumistic Treatment

The mediumistic treatment does not follow only a single rule. It varies according to the nature of the case involved and the specific psychological

condition of the patient. It must always be conducted under medical orientation, but by a doctor who possesses adequate knowledge of the Spiritist Doctrine. Without this prior knowledge, many doctor-mediums had become involved in practices that the spiritist research had already demonstrated as being useless and

therefore unnecessary, serving only to give the rational treatment a superstitious aspect. All mediumistic treatment must be gratuitous, according to Kardec’s orientation, because it ultimately depends on the spiritual assistance provided. Spirits do not charge for their services and they are not in favor of our charging in their behalf. Therefore, it must be carried out in doctrinal institutions, where

doctors work as spiritists who possess medical knowledge as well, excluding the professionalism. The spiritist service is of self-denial; it is the payment that mediums and doctors make to God, through the human suffering they have alleviated, and for the many blessings they receive daily. Those who do not

understand this, permitting themselves to be controlled by greed, will end up fatally overwhelmed and subjugated by the inferior spirits.

The purity of intentions on the part of the mediums and doctors is the only possible guarantee for the effectiveness of the mediumistic treatment. As was stated by Kardec, the lack of attachment to worldly interests is the first condition of interest the Superior Spirits have in our efforts on behalf of our fellow man.

From The book "Obsession" by Jose Herculano Pires -  Translated by Jussara Korngold & Marie Levinson

Chapter 9 - The Problem of Nutrition

Chapter 9 THE PROBLEM OF NUTRITION

Captivated by the sight of the magnificent gardens, I asked Lysias to rest with me for a while on a bench nearby, and he willingly greed. I was filled with a pleasant feeling of peace, watching the graceful sprays of colored

water rising in the air, forming intricate patterns.

“Whoever observes this immense colony of work,” I said thoughtfully, “is led to inquire about all sorts of possible problems. For instance, the problem of supply. There in no Ministry of Economy here, is there?” “That branch of ser ice,” answered Lysias, “used to assume much greater importance here. Then our Governor decided to reduce, as much as

possible, the number of practices which might remind us of purely physical phenomena. Therefore the activities of the Department of Supply were reduced to mere distribution, under the direct control of the Central

Administration. As a matter of fact, this was a very important decision. Our records show that a century ago the Colony underwent great trouble to adapt its inhabitants to the principle of simplicity. Many newcomers to the Astral

City, still imbued with earthly vices, insisted on the most extravagant accommodations, including sumptuous meals and stimulating drinks. Only the Ministry of Divine Union, owing to its inherent characteristics, shunned

such abuses; the others spent their time overburdened with problems of this dort. Our Governor, however, spared no efforts to put an end to the deplorable situation, introducing decisive measures against it the moment he assumed his administrative duties at the Astral City.

“Some of our older missionaries have told me about that time. They say that the Governor’s request two hundred instructors came to us from a very high sphere in order to propagate new theories about respiration and the

absorption of life-giving elements from the atmosphere. Numerous lectures were given on the subject. Many of our own experts were against those innovations on the grounds that, because the Colony serves as a transition

zone, it would be unjust and dangerous to submit newly-arrived spirits to such drastic changes. They believed that such changes could cause serious damage to our patients’ spirit-bodies. But the Governor did not give in.

“For thirty years the lectures, illustrative examples, and technical explanations proceeded without interruption. Various eminent spirits went so far as to formulate public protests against the Governor’s actions. They repeatedly crowded the Ministry of Assistance with patients who declared

themselves victims of the deficient new diet. During such crises, those who were against the change intensified their attack. Yet the Governor never resorted to punishment. Instead, he would summon his critics to the

Government House in a fatherly manner, expounding on the aims and benefits of the new program, emphasizing its superiority as an efficient means of spiritualization. For the most obstinate he would arrange instructive excursions to higher spheres, winning over a great number of them.

After a long pause, I said:

“Please go on, Lysias. How did that edifying struggle end?”

“After twenty one years of persevering efforts on the Governor’s part, the Ministry of Elevation gave in and cut its supplies to the strictly necessary. The Ministry of Elucidation, however, took a long time to follow this good example, owing to the greater number of statistics-minded spirits working there. They were the most obstinate adversaries, still entrenched in their earthly ideas that the ingestion of protein and carbohydrates is

indispensable to the human frame. They insisted on maintaining their ideas here, and every week they sent the Governor lengthy reports, full of warnings and observations, tests and numerical data, supporting their claims. Such impertinence even reached the point of arrogance, yet the Governor’s patience never failed.”

“Having decided not to act alone, he obtained the assistance of the highly evolved entities who guide us through the Ministry of Divine Union,

and together they examined every one of those documents thoroughly. While the scientists multiplied their arguments and the government stalled for time, dangerous disturbances were brewing in the Department of Regeneration, now known as the Ministry of Regeneration. Some of the less developed spirits there were caught up in the spirit of rebellion of those in the Ministry of Elucidation and acted simply deplorably. The atmosphere of unrest divided the Colony, exposing the Astral City to dangerous attacks from inhabitants of the lower zones. Such entities endeavored to invade our

city availing themselves of the breach of services of the Department of Regeneration, where many workers had been carrying on clandestine dealings in order to satisfy their undesirable addictions to food.

“The alarm was given, and though the crisis posed a serious threat to us all, the Governor maintained his usual serenity. He asked the Ministry of Divine Union for a meeting, and, after listening to our highest council, had

the Ministry of Communication temporarily closed. He ordered the dungeons of the Department of Regeneration prepared for the isolation of the more stubborn rebels. He admonished the Ministry of Education, whose

impertinence he had withstood for thirty years, and decreed that any further assistance whatsoever to the lower regions should be suspended until further notice. For the first time in his administration he had the electric weapons in the city walls turned on, so as to emit magnetic darts as a measure of defense. There were neither battles nor attacks on the Colony’s side only resolute defense. For over six months the diet of the Astral City was reduced

to the life-supporting principles in the atmosphere and the electrical, magnetic and solar elements in the water. Thus for the first time the Colony felt the indignation of a kind and just spirit."

The Crisis was fiver the government had won. The Ministry of Elucidation itself admitted its error and lent a hand in it is said that during

the festivities the Governor was moved to tears, declaring that the general, good understanding of his fellow citizens was the dearest reward to his heart. The Department of Regeneration was promoted to Ministry, and the city returned to its usual routine.

Since that time only the Ministries of Regeneration and Assistance are allowed greater supplies of nutritive substances, owing to the low spirituality of many of their patients. In all other Ministries the diet is limited to the essentials, according to the rules of the strictest sobriety. Nowadays everyone agrees that the Governor’s apparently arbitrary imposition was a most valuable measure towards our assent. Our contact with material things was reduced, giving rise to a greater spirituality.”

Lysias fell into silence, while I pondered deeply over the great lesson I’d just receive.

From the book The Astral City "Nosso Lar" - Chapter 9 - The Problem of Nutrition

Diversity of Human Races

52. What is the cause of the physical and moral differences that distinguish the various races

of men upon the earth?

"Climate, modes of life, and social habits. The same differences would be produced in the

case of two children of the same mother, if brought up far from one another, and surrounded by different influences and conditions; for the children thus diversely brought up would present no moral resemblance to each other."

53. Did the human race come into existence on various points of the globe?

"Yes, and at various epochs; and this is one of the causes of the diversity of human races. The

people of the primitive periods, being dispersed abroad in different climates, and forming

alliances with those of other countries than their own, gave rise perpetually to new types of

humanity."

- Do these differences constitute distinct species?

"Certainly not. All of them constitute but a single family. Do the differences between the

varieties of the same fruit prevent their all belonging to the same species."

54. If the human species do not all proceed from the same progenitor, should they, on that

account, cease to regard one another as brothers?

"All men are brothers in virtue of their common relation to the Creator, because they are

animated by the same spirit, and tend towards the same goal. The human mind is always

prone to attach too literal a meaning to statements which are necessarily imperfect and

incomplete."

From The Spirit's Book - Chapter III - Creation - Diversity of Human Races - Ed Federação Espírita Brasileira FEB

Explanations by the Master

In the middle of an uplifting conversation in the pleasant confines of Peter’s home in Capernaum, Sarah, the wife of Benjamin (who raised goats), had been listening to the Master’s remarks. With a look of fascination in light of the new revelations, she asked:

“The notion of the Kingdom of God in our lives is truly sublime; but how can I begin to experience it? We have listened to you

preaching on the lakeshore, and we know that the Good News recommends love and forgiveness above all else … I would love to be

faithful to such principles, but I feel stuck in the old rules. I can’t forgive those who have injured me, and since I can’t fathom a life in which we trade our advantages for the sake of others, I’m attached to my things and am jealous of everything I own.”

Sarah made her confession honestly in spite of the frustrated smile of someone who has met with almost insurmountable obstacles.

“In order to forgive,” remarked Peter, “goodwill is crucial.”

“With faith in our Heavenly Father,” offered Simon’s wife, “we can surmount the hardest obstacles.”

Everyone present had a look of longing expectation, wondering what the Lord would have to say. After a long silence, he asked:

“Sarah, what is the fundamental business of your family?”

“Raising goats,” she replied curiously.

“How do you keep their milk untainted and pure for home use?”

“Lord, more than anything else, we have to very carefully wash the container that is going to hold it. If there is any dirt in the jar, all the

milk will soon go sour and will be useless for the slightest purpose.”

Jesus smiled and explained:

“Thus is the heavenly revelation within the human heart. If we do not purify the container of the soul, our understanding, no matter how great it is, gets mixed in with our inner dirt and goes sour, reducing the proportion of the assets we would otherwise collect. In fact, Moses and the prophets were priceless bearers of divine messages, but the descendants of the Chosen People did not purify the living receptacle of their spirits enough in order to receive them. That is why our contemporaries are righteous and unrighteous, believing and disbelieving, good and evil at the same time. The pure milk of higher enlightenment enters their hearts as new nourishment, but there it gets mixed in with the rust of their old selfishness. Of the renewing work of the soul, only the vinegar of incomprehension remains, thereby delaying the effective work of the Kingdom of God.”

The small gathering in Peter’s home was truly impressed by this simple yet sublime lesson, and no one said a word. The Master, however, got up humbly and discreetly, stroked Sarah’s hair and concluded kindly:

“The dew on a white lily is a heavenly diamond, but in the dust of the road it becomes a muddy droplet. Remember this simple and clear

truth of nature.”

From The book "Jesus In The Home" psychographed by Francisco Cândido Xavier - By The spirit Neio Lucio

Chapter 8 - Administrative Organization

Chapter 8 - Administrative Organization

For the first time after some weeks under intense treatment I ventured out in Lysias’ company. The sight of the streets impressed me. The wide avenues, bordered with shady streets, which stretched out before us, were filled with pure air and an atmosphere of profound spiritual tranquility. Yet I saw no signs of inactivity or idleness anywhere. Instead, the city streets were crowded. I watched as the crowds passed by me. Some seemed absorbed in thought, while others smiled cordially as they passed. Lysias, seeing my surprise, quickly began to explain.

“We are now in the district of the Ministry of Assistance. Everything you see here, all of the buildings and houses, are either institutions where the activities of our jurisdiction are carried out or home for our working staff and

instructors. In the Ministry, patients are assisted, prayers are heard and sorted, earthly reincarnations planned and rescue groups promoted on behalf of those inhabiting the lower spirit zones or suffering on Earth. Here all problems related to human suffering are examined and solutions studied.” “So there is a Ministry of Assistance in the Astral City?” I asked.

“And why not? All of our activities here are controlled by an organization which is constantly improving under the efficient supervision of those watching over our destinies. During our collective prayers, didn’t you notice our Governor, surrounded by his seventy-two assistants? They are the Ministers of the Astral City. The colony, whose purpose is essentially work and accomplishment, is divided into six Ministries, each under the direction of twelve Ministers. The six Ministers are named: Regeneration, Assistance, Communication, Elucidation, Elevation, and Divine Union. The first four connect us with the Earth; the other two link us to the higher spheres. So you see our spiritual city is really a transition zone. The coarsest, most material activities are carried out by the Ministry of Regeneration. The most sublime is the Ministry of Divine Union. Clarence, our friendly instructor, is one of the Ministers of Assistance.”

I never imagined the possibility of finding such a complete organization after the death of the physical body.”

“Yes”, Lysias continued, “the evil of illusion is very dense in the spheres of the flesh. The average man is unaware that all manifestations of order around him proceed from higher planes. Just as Nature becomes a garden when tended by man, so the mind, dull in primitive creatures, is transformed into a creative force when inspired by consciousness functioning in higher spheres. Every useful organization on the material plane has its first roots in higher spiritual worlds.” “But those the Astral City have a history like the great cities of Earth?”

“Certainly. All of the planes near the Earth possess their own specific nature and unique history. The Astral City is an old settlement, founded by a group of distinguished Portuguese pioneers who, after passing on, settled in

the spirits planes over Brazil in the sixteenth century. According to the annals of our Colony, these settlers at first encountered tremendous and exhausting difficulties here. There are obstacles in the invisible zones close to

the Earth, just as there are on the Earth itself. Enormous areas with undeveloped potential here are comparable to the great tracts of forbidden terrain on Earth.”

“The pioneers’ work was indeed hard and discouraging, even for the stronger spirits. The area where delicate vibrations and majestic buildings now abound was also peopled with other more primitive inhabitants whose

architecture reflected their elementary minds and who filled the atmosphere with their undeveloped thoughts. Still the founders did not lose heart. They proceeded with their efforts, following the example of the Old World settlers

on the physical plane. Only they substituted persevering work, brotherly solidarity and spiritual love for violence, war and slavery.”

By this time we had reached a large, artistically designed square, filled with beautiful gardens. In its center stood a magnificent palace crowned with majestic and lofty towers whose tips reached so high they disappeared from

sight.

“Here, where the Government House now stands, the settlers placed the cornerstone of the Colony.”

Pointing to the palace, he went on:

“This square is the converging point of the six Ministries I told you about. They start at the Government House and stretch out in a triangular shape. Our devoted Governor lives here. A staff of three thousand individuals

assist him in his administrative duties. He is the most earnest and untiring worker in the Colony. The Ministers travel at times to other spheres to renew their energies and acquire new knowledge, and we, too, have our habitual

amusements. Only the Governor has no leisure time whatsoever. While he insists that we take periodic vacations to rest, he himself works ceaselessly, sacrificing even his sleeping hours. It seems he finds his reward in neverending service. I have been here for forty years, and except for the collective prayers, I have never seen the Governor at any public entertainment. Yet the radiation of his powerful mind reaches every branch of activity and his fatherly assistance involves everybody and everything here.”

After a long pause, the friendly attendant continued:

“Only a short time ago, we celebrated the one hundred fourteenth anniversary of his magnanimous administration.”

Lysias went on walking in reverent silence, while I, keeping pace with him, gazed in awe at the marvelous steeples which seemed to pierce the skies.

From the book The Astral City "Nosso Lar" - Chapter VIII - Administrative Organization

Peopling of Earth. Adam

50. Did the human race begin with one man only?

"No; he whom you call Adam was neither the first nor the only man who peopled the earth."

51. Is it possible to know at what period Adam lived?

"About the period which you assign to him; that is to say, about 4000 years before Christ."

The man of whom, under the name of Adam, tradition has preserved the memory, was one of those who, In some one of the countries of the globe. survived one of the great cataclysms which at various epochs have changed Its surface, and who became the founder of one of the races that people the earth at the present day. The laws of nature render it impossible that the amount of progress which we know to have been accomplished by the human race of our planet long before the time of Christ could have been accomplished so rapidly as must have been the case If it had only been In existence upon the globe since the period assigned as the date of Adam. The opinion most consonant with reason is that which regards the story of Adam as a myth, or as an allegory personifying the earliest ages of the world.

From The Spirit's Book - Chapter III - Creation - Peopling of Earth. Adam - Ed Federação Espírita Brasileira FEB

The Oracular Mediumship

The Ifa Orunmila Oracle

The oracles acles dominate the entire civilized horizon. They practically constitute the center of guidance for all urban and rural life, both political and religious. But what are the oracles? Their definition is not very easy, which shows the transitory nature of these religious institutions. The old forms of relationships mediumistic are in transition to new you forms, and for this very reason they present, in the its oracular constitution, with evidently syncretic, reasons for different interpretations, making its definition difficult relative.

The oracle is sometimes the Divinity itself, other times the response given to inquiries, the sanctuary or temple, the medium who attends to the seekers, or the location of the consultations: a sacred grove, a mysterious cave, a miraculous spring. The word is used to designate all these things, one at a time, or all together. Because the popular mindset does not yet know how to distinguish the mysterious force. what age, nor its means of action. The Divinity can speak for itself, as it can be embodied in the sanctuary, in the temple, in the tripod, in the oracle, or in the elements of nature.

Oracles are sought by everyone: kings and sages, warriors and merchants, men and women of the people. In this, they all agree, because they all recognize and respect the presence of a supernatural force in these sacred places. The "law of worship," which Kardec discusses, reaches the oracles in a form. in synthesis, bringing together the achievements made throughout its evolution in the horizons previous ones. Present and intermingled are the successive forms of the development of law, which we find in the tribal and agricultural horizons. The "animistic conception of primitive mediumship", the worship of ancestors, the deification for the cohesion and organization of societies, are also evident. These mental achievements have allowed humans to transcend the basic elements of nature worship and develop complex systems of belief and governance. 

The evolution from tribal societies to advanced civilizations showcases the human ability to create structured communities with ethical and legal frameworks, which serve as the binding force for these diverse elements. by individualization, they shape the agglutinated elements, thus giving a complex structure to the mediumistic communication process.

The natural phenomenon of mediumistic exchange becomes artificial. The process of rationalization, on the other hand, requires the development of cosmogonies. Oracles are not, therefore, simplistic forms of religious worship or mere places for mediumistic consultation. Their structure, often quite complex, is based on a conception of the world. The vague nature of this conception corresponds to the very syncretic nature of the oracular institution. The mediumistic phenomenon appears in it as a mystery. 

Nothing explains it, nor can it be explained, nor should one dare to do so. The tribal taboo imposes itself more vigorously and more broadly now. developed in a rational form, which is the conception of the sacred. Humanity finds itself, at this stage, like an adolescent, who reworks within themselves the dreams, fears, and hopes stemming from the initial perceptions of the external world.

The childhood phase of psychic undifferentiation, collectively experienced in the tribal horizon still exerts its influence over the oracular cosmogonies. It is curious to note that there is no what we would call mediumistic individualization in the oracles. Although there is a medium, sometimes called an oracle, sometimes a pythoness, and although there is a communicating entity, the messages are given through impersonal processes. 

Sometimes, it is the murmur of the source that responds to the consultant; at other times, it is the rustling of the forest or the mysterious sounds of a cave; and when the medium responds directly, their response mimics the murmurs confusions of nature. In all cases, the answer depends on the interpretation priestly. Therefore, there is a body of priests that collectively responds to oracle consultations. The exceptions represent cases of advancement in the process. evolutionary, in the sense of individualization.

Oracular mediumship is, therefore, a form of transition to the individual worship of Spirits, guides and which in turn will require mediumistic individualization, already defined in typical cases, such as the Witch of Endor, mentioned in the Holy Bible.

The History of Religions shows us that the worship of ancestors was initially collective, with the spirits of the dead considered as a group and worshiped as such, as in the case of the Roman parentum and manes. 

The individualization of this practice It progresses slowly, evolving human collectives, like developing children, from "psychic undifferentiation" to the higher stages of rationalization. Oracles represent, on the civilized horizon, this moment of transition.

Translation and reviewed by Márcio Varela

In Portuguese https://lardobompastor.blogspot.com/2025/02/mediunismo-oracular.html

(Original source in Portuguese O Espírito E O Tempo - J Herculano Pires)

In Affective Matters

You must always be very careful when dealing with other people's emotional problems, as often, others don't even consider what we might think.

Adult Spirits know that while living on Earth, no one can, in good conscience, draw the line between normality and abnormality in matters of deep affection.

Preachers of strict morality, in matters of love, rarely don't fall into the situations they condemn.

Every person who harms another in the commitments of feelings is fatally damaging themselves.

Respect the connections and separations between the people in your world without strangeness or censure, for you don't know

the reasons and processes behind them.

In essence, your soul's needs are pretty different from those of others.

When it comes to the sufferings of love, only God knows where lies fall and victory.

Never play with the feelings of others.

Don't take on emotional commitments if you cannot, or won't sustain them.

Love, in your existence, will be what you make of it.

You will receive in return everything you give to others, according to the law that governs our destinies.

In the face of love's mistakes, if you've never made a mistake out of emotion, imagination, intention, or action, throw the first stone, as Jesus recommends.

(From Collection of Mediumistic Messages - Francisco C. Xavier - Several Spirits)

Chapter 7 - Lysias Explains

Chapter 7 - Lysias Explains

Lysias came daily for my treatment and Clarence continued to visit me regularly. I began to feel at ease as I endeavored to adapt myself to my new situation. I noticed, though, that I would quickly relapse any time I began to

dwell on my problems. The anguish, the fear of the unknown, and the discomfort of maladjustment would all return. Yet, in spite of everything, I felt a certain inner stability. I derived great pleasure from leaning out of my window and gazing at the vast horizon. I was impressed by the difference between my surroundings here and on Earth. Nearly everything seemed to be an improved copy of

Earth: the colors were more harmoniously blended, and the very substance of things to be more delicate. The ground was carpeted with greenery and I could see large trees, rich orchards and delightful gardens everywhere. A

range of hills with light-crowned summits stood beyond the plain on which the Astral City was situated, and graceful buildings appeared at regular intervals a short distance away. These buildings, of various styles, had one thing in common: a profusion of flowers at their entrances. I noticed some charming little bungalows among them, surrounded by colorful roses springing up from among the ivy that covered the walls in contrasting colors.

Birds with brilliant plumage flew about, alighting in groups from time to time on the tall, bright white steeples that reached for the sky. As I continued to watch curiously from my window, I was surprised to find some domestic

animals among the trees some distance away. During these periods of deep musing, my mind was filled with countless speculations. Considering that I found myself on an astral plane, I could not understand the similarity of

things here to those on Earth. Lysias, my obliging and constant companion, was always ready to explain:

“Death of the physical body does not take man instantly to miraculous spheres. Every evolutionary process progresses trough graduation. There are countless planes for discarnate Spirits, just as there are many wondrous regions for those still in flesh. All souls, feelings, forms and things are governed by the principles of natural evolution and hierarchy.”

Only the fact that I had stayed under treatment for so many weeks without a single visit from someone I had known on Earth worried me

somewhat. Surely I was not the only one in my circle of friends and relatives to be struggling with the enigma of death. My parents had departed before me, as had various friends. Why, then, had none of them come to see me

during my recovery, to bring a little cheer to my aching heart? I would have been satisfied with even a few moments of consolation. One day, when I could no longer silence my doubts, I asked my attendant: “Tell me, dear Lysias, is it

possible to meet those who left the Earth before us?”

“Why, do you imagine yourself forgotten?”

“Yes, in fact, I do. Why has no one come to see me? On Earth I always relied implicitly on my mother’s devotion. Yet to this day I have heard

nothing from her, or from my father, who died three years before me.”

“Well, you are mistaken about your mother. She has been helping you night and day since the crisis you passed through before you arrived here. She doubled he assistance when you fell ill for the last time. You aren’t aware

yet, are you, that your stay in the lower spheres lasted over eight years? In all that time she never lost hope, and often came to the Astral City to intercede on your behalf. She enlisted the services of Clarence, who began visiting you frequently until the moment when you, the conceited earthly doctor, remembered that you were also a child of God. Do you see now?”

I felt my eyes well with tears. I had not known that I had been away from the Earth for so long. I wanted to speak, to find out about those unperceived efforts, but my vocal cords seemed numb. My heart was too full to allow me to speak.

“On the day you prayed with all your heart,” continued Lysias, “when you realized that everything in the Universe belongs to our Almighty Father, even your tears were different. As you know, rain can at times be creative, at other times destructive. The Lord doesn’t wait for our prayers to love us. Yet,

just as a dirty mirror cannot reflect the light, it is indispensable for us to cleanse ourselves and build a receptive attitude in order to understand His unfinite goodness. Thus, it is not the Father who needs our penance, it is we

who need it for the inestimable service it renders us. Do you see? Clarence, in

answer to your devoted mother’s pleas, had no trouble finding you it was you who took so long to find Clarence. I was told that when your mother heard you had broken through the shadows into the light, she wept for joy.”

“And where is my mother now?” I cried at last.

 “If possible, I should like to see and embrace her, to fall on my knees at her feet.”

“She doesn’t live in the Astral City,” he informed me, “she inhabits higher spheres where she works, not exclusively for you, but for the good of many.”

Noting my disappointment, he added:

“She is sure to come and see you. When one earnestly wishes for something, it is already half obtained. Here we have your own example. For years you wandered at random, a prey to fear, distress and disillusionment. Yet as soon as you felt the necessity for divine assistance you expanded the range of your mental vibrations and obtained vision and help.”

Encouraged by the explanation I had just received, I exclaimed resolutely:

“Then I wished it with all my heart, and she shall come.”

Lysias smiled knowingly, and as he took his leave he added this friendly advice:

“Right, but keep in mind that all deserving petitions should contain three basic prerequisites: an active will, persevering work, and merit. In other words, one must first wish, then work towards that wish, and finally be

deserving of what he requested.”

He departed smiling, while I fell into deep meditation, wondering how such a vast program could have been expressed in so few.

From the book The Astral City "Nosso Lar" - Chapter VII - Lysias Explains

Production of Living Beings

43. When did the earth begin to be peopled?

"In the beginning all was chaos; the elements were mixed up in a state of confusion. Gradually those elements settled into their proper places, and then appeared the orders of

living beings appropriate to the successive e states of the globe."

44. Whence came the living beings that appeared upon the earth?

"The germs of these were contained in the earth itself, awaiting the favourable moment for their development. The organic principles came together on the cessation of the force which

held them asunder, and those principles formed the germs of all the living beings that have

peopled the earth. Those germs remained latent and inert, like the chrysalis and the seed of

plants, until the arrival of the proper moment for the vivification of each species. The beings

of each species then came together and multiplied."

45. Where were the organic elements before the formation of the earth?

"They existed, so to say in the fluidic state, in space, in the midst of the spirits, or in other

planets, awaiting the creation of the earth in order to begin a new existence on a new globe."

Chemistry shows us the molecules of inorganic bodies uniting to produce crystals of regular forms that are invariable for each species, as soon as those molecules find themselves in the conditions necessary to their combination. The slightest disturbance of those conditions suffices to prevent the union of the material elements, or. at least, to prevent the regular arrangement of the latter Which constitutes the crystal. Why should not the same action take place among the organic elements? we preserve for years

the seeds of plants and of animals, which are only vivified at a certain temperature and under certain conditions: grains of wheat have been seen to germinate after the lapse of centuries. The is. then, in seeds a latent principle of Vitality, which only awaits the concourse of favourable circumstances to develop itself. May not that which takes place under our eyes every day have also taken place at the origin of the globe? Does this view of the formation of living beings brought forth out of chaos by the action of the forces of nature itself detract in any way from the glory of God? So far from doing this, the view of creation thus presented to us is more consonant than any other with our sense of the vastness of His power exerting its sway over all the worlds of infinity through the action of universal laws. This theory, it is true, does not solve the problem of the origin of the vital elements, but nature has mysteries which it is as yet impossible for us to explain.

46. Do any living beings come into existence spontaneously at the present day?

"Yes; but the primal germs of these already existed in a latent state. You are constantly

witnesses of this phenomenon. Do not the tissues of the human body and of animals contain the germs of a multitude of parasites, that only await for their development the occurrence of the putrid fermentation necessary to their life? Each of you contains a slumbering world of microscopic beings in process of creation."

47. Was the human species among the organic elements contained in the terrestrial globe?

"Yes; and it made its appearance at the time appointed by the Creator. Hence the statement

that man was 'formed out of the dust of the ground.'"

48. Can we ascertain the epoch of tile appearance of man and of the other living beings on the earth?

"No; all your calculations are chimerical."

49. If the germs of the human race were among the organic elements of the globe, why are

human beings not produced spontaneously at the present day, as they were at the time of its

origin?

"The first beginning of things is hidden from us nevertheless, it may be asserted that the earliest progenitors of the human race, when once brought into existence, absorbed in themselves the elements necessary to their formation in order to transmit those elements according to the laws of reproduction. The same may be said in regard to all the different species of living beings."

From The Spirit's Book - Chapter III - Creation - Production of Living Beings - Ed Federação Espírita Brasileira FEB

Freud and Kardec

Many psychologists and psychiatrists accuse Spiritism of invading their scientific domains in the cases of mental and psychic disturbances. Being unaware of the Spiritist Doctrine and its history, they do not realize that exactly the contrary is occurring. They affirm that obsession is a decurrent disturbance of endogenous imbalances, that is to say, of the proper psychic-mental structures of the patient in relation with ambient factors. They attribute almost everything to the constitution of the patient, the organic and particularly cerebral or emotional disturbances. The subconscious is generally the source of all the psychic riots. They understand that spiritists confuse the imaginary ghosts generated by pathological manifestations of the patient with genuine ghosts of the oldest magical and religious superstitions of Humanity. They believe Spiritism to be a process of return to the world of superstition.

Freud was only one year old when Kardec raised the problem of the subconscious in scientific terms, in his research on spiritist phenomena, today scientifically called as paranormal. Kardec went deeper into the subject than did Freud, reaching the problem of the individual and collective archetypes that only Adler and Jung would research later. In researching the problem of animism in the

mediumistic manifestations and of psychic infiltrations in real manifestations, Kardec duly accentuated the importance of the manifestations of the subconscious in the individual and in collective behavior. Freud faced the question of the dreams in the limits of his doctrine. Kardec, in twelve years, had already achieved intensive research of experimental psychology (the absolute pioneer in this field) in the Paris Society of Spiritist Study. Today, the parapsychological research, carried out in the most renowned universities throughout the world, proves the correctness

of Kardec.

We give this historical information solely so that the victims of obsessions and their relatives responsible for them are not carried away by fatal deceits in difficult cases of obsession. The Spiritist Science is not opposed to the Material

Sciences in any field, but rather, it tries to assist them with the necessary complementation of their research and through proper accomplishments. It is easy to verify the truth of this information by consulting the work of Kardec, including the documentations on obsessions and disobsessions in his works published in the collection of the “Revue Spirite” (Spiritist Magazine), today entirely translated and published in our language

From The book "Obsession" by Jose Herculano Pires -  Translated by Jussara Korngold & Marie Levinson

The Spiritist Center

As our understanding of mediumship activities develop, we realize that the work of disobsession requires the proper ambiance in the Spiritist Center. So the work may be performed in safety.

In order to understand that, we must bear in mind that while many of those who fall sick are

able to recover at home, there are others who need the hospital environment for their recovery.

If at home we have empirical agents working in benefit of the sick, in a hospital we find a

whole collection of medical equipment, which have been selected for prompt assistance.

In the Spiritist Center the discarnate instructors have access to advanced resources from the

Spiritual Plane, for the assistance of both the obsessed and the obsessor. For this reason, if at all possible, it is within the respectable walls of this school of living faith that the ministry of

disobsession should take place.

It is also important to point out that, those who have committed themselves to this project

should not without endangerment, become involved with other mediumistic activities, either before or after the task to which they have already committed themselves, for the benefit of the suffering discarnates.

(From the book Disobsession - Preparation for a Counseling Meeting - By the spirit Andre Luiz - Francisco C Xavier and Waldo Vieira)

Formation of Worlds

The universe comprises the infinity of worlds, both of those we see and those we do not see all animate and inanimate beings all the stars that revolve in space, and all fluids with which space is filled.

37. Has the universe been created, or has it existed from all eternity, like God?

"Assuredly the universe cannot have made itself; and if it had existed from all eternity, like

God, it could not be the work of God."

Reason tells us that the universe cannot have made itself, and that, as it could not be the work of chance, it must be the work of God.

38. How did God create the universe?

"To borrow a well-known expression, by His will. Nothing can give a better idea of the action

of that all-powerful will than those grand words of Genesis, "God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light."

39. Can 'we know how worlds are formed?

"All that can be said on this subject, within the limits of your comprehension, is this: Worlds

are formed by the condensation of the matter disseminated in space."

40. Are comets, as is now supposed, a commencement of condensation of the primitive matter-worlds in course of formation?

Yes but it is absurd to believe in the influence attributed to them. I mean, the influence which

is commonly attributed to them; for all the heavenly bodies have their share of influence in

the production of certain physical phenomena."

41. Is it possible for a completely formed world to disappear, and for the matter of which it is

composed to be again disseminated in space?

From The Spirit's Book - Chapter III - Creation - Formation of Worlds - Ed Federação Espírita Brasileira FEB

Spiritual Elevation

Spirit Albino Teixeira

The spiritual elevation does not incorporate into our lives for any of the reasons like these:

For prosperity;

For death;

For glory;

For obscurity;

For intellectual culture;

For the incipience;

For human authority;

For the condition of subordination;

For the adjustment to life considered normal;

For the psychological issues that one carries;

For the friends;

For the opponents;

For the support of praise;

Not even for the disregard of offense.

The intimate elevation depends solely on our

personal reaction, when accepting and using all of this for the cause of good.

(Source Marked Hands - Francisco Cândido Xavier - Diverse spirits)

Chapter 6 - Precious Advice

Chapter VI - Precious Advice

The following day, after the evening prayer, Clarence came to see me accompanied by my attendant. Radiating kindness, he asked affectionately:

“How are you? A little better, I hope?”

Like any patient on Earth who suddenly finds himself the center of attention, I was moved to self-pity. Reverting to my old habit of abusing

brotherly love, I began to complain:

“I do feel a little better, but I am still suffering a great deal. I hurt below my stomach and I feel a strange sense of anguish in my heart. My cross

has been heavy, my friends; I never knew I could withstand so much suffering. Now that I can think clearly again, I feel sure that these trials have sapped all of my remaining strength.”

Clarence listened attentively, not showing the least sign of impatience.

He even seemed interested, and his attitude encouraged me to continue.

Not only that, my moral sufferings are really indescribable! Now that the outside storm has subsided thanks to the assistance I have received here I’ve had to face a storm within my soul. What has become of my wife and

children? I wonder whether my eldest child, my only son, has followed the plans I made for him. And what about my dear daughters? And my wife, who was sure she would die of loneliness if we were ever parted, what of my wonderful wife? I can still feel her tears from my last moments on Earth.

“I can’t say how long I’ve been living this nightmarish separation my continuous suffering has robbed me of all sense of time. Where is my poor wife? Weeping besides cold ashes? Or at the gates of death herself? What bitter sorrow! What a terrible fate for a man devoted to his family! Very few have gone through as much as I, I’m sure. Why, even on Earth I suffered years of vicissitudes, bitter disappointments and infirmities, and was granted only a few hours of happiness in return. Then I was subjected to painful physical death, followed by unceasing torture in spirit, and a never-ending succession of miseries and tears! Is there no meaning of attaining peace? As much as I may wish to adopt an optimistic attitude, I can’t help feeling heavy-hearted and full of grief. What an unfortunate fate, generous

benefactor.”

By that time my feelings of self-pity had reached such proportions thatI my words gave way to tears. Clarence, however, rose calmly and asked

simply:

“My dear friend, do you really seek your spiritual cure?”

I nodded in assent and he went on: “Then learn not to speak so much of yourself and your sufferings. Self-pity is a symptom of mental illness, which is time consuming and difficult to cure. It is imperative that you create new

trains of thought and control your words. The only way to spiritual balance is to open your heart to de Divine Light. If you consider the necessary effort to be an oppressive burden or see the struggle for redemption as an imposition, it is a sure sign of spiritual blindness. The more you dwell on your own

painful experiences, the more you bind yourself to them. You can be sure that the same Father whom shelters and watches over you will also care for your loved ones on Earth. We should certainly regard the family as a sacred

institution, but always keep in mind that it is just a small branch of the Universal Family under the loving guidance of one Divine Father. You can count on us to resolve your present problems and sketch plans for your future, but neither you nor we have the time to waste on your complaints. We in this colony accept the hardest toil as a welcome opportunity for ascent, remembering while we plod along, weighted down with debts, that Providence is unsurpassing in its love. If you, too, wish to stay with us you must learn to think properly.”

Meanwhile my tears had dried. His words had brought me back to my senses. I was ashamed of my own weakness and I adopted a different attitude. “While in the flesh,” continued Clarence, “didn’t you compete for lucrative positions, knowing their advantages? Didn’t you appreciate the legitimate means of increasing the welfare of your loved ones? Weren’t you

engaged in obtaining just fees in the interest of adding to the comfort and stability of your family? Here the program is the same; only the details differ. On Earth conventionalities and monetary gains are the ruling forces, whereas here we aim at constructive work with lasting benefits to the immortal spirit. We look on suffering as a means to enrich the soul, and on

each suffering as a step towards our divine goal. Can you see the difference? Weak souls resist service and remain inactive, venting their complaints to all. Strong ones, though, accept the task given them as constructive steps on the

path towards perfection. Mind you, no one will blame you for missing your earthly family or would ever think of extinguishing your source of sublime feelings. Nevertheless, you must remember that tears of despair help nothing. If you really love your Earthly family and wish to be useful to them, you must first accept your present condition cheerfully.”

A long pause ensued. Clarence’s advice has changed the current of my thoughts and I began to ponder on his wisdom. While I was still immersed in deep reflection, my benefactor, like a father who forgets the waywardness of

his child and recommences a lesson with the same serenity, asked again with a bright smile:

“Well, how are you now? A little better?

Pleased and comforted to feel I was forgiven, like a little boy anxious to learn, I replied:

“I am better now, to better understand the Divine Will.”

From the book The Astral City "Nosso Lar" - Chapter VI - Precious Advice

Perception and identification of fluids

SUMMARY: The Universe that we cannot normally per- ceive. Fluids and their primary source. Automatic fluid absorption. Exteriorization and fluid perception. Psychic atmosphere of the human being. Identification and analysis of fluids.

Fluids and their primary source - We live in a Universe made up of particles, rays and waves, which we cannot normally perceive. Matter itself consists of small portions called atoms, which are so small that they cannot be seen even with the best apparatus. However, we are aware that the compact matter - as we know it and that forms objects, such as tables, chairs, books, and so on is formed from the gathering of these invisible little particles.

They are not immobile, on the contrary; it is the intense speed that animates them that makes them apparently in many places, giving continuity to the matter. The blades of a fan, when off, give us an idea of what it is like,

since we can pass our fingers between them, through the empty spaces, but if the fan is turned on, we cannot do this.

We are submerged in a world of subtle, refined matter, invisible but real, and which has as its first source a substance which we call universal cosmic fluid, which gives rise to all known and unknown material forms as well as to all the forms of energy in the different degrees in which it manifests itself.

Fluids are nothing more than energetic forms of this fundamental substance which our perispirit automatically absorbs from the environment, transforms them according to the vibrational pattern of the Spirit in which it is

found and radiates them around itself, forming a real psychic mat, or mental breath.

This capital substance is subject to the impulsion of the mind of the Spirit, whether incarnate or disembodied, and thought and emotions give it a certain structure, more or

less dense, according to the greater or lesser purity or harmony with which they are issued. The higher the thoughts and emotions are, the more harmonic, pleasant, brighter and healthier will the fluids be. The lower they are the more unpleasant, darker and thicker they will be.

Externalization and fluid perception - We are constantly irradiating what we really are, and impregnating with this particular fluid the environment, and everything that surrounds us, thus influencing the people who accept

and assimilate this energy nuance. By controlling the strength of our thoughts, we can radiate a greater quantity of fluids, and of a higher quality, which we metabolize

with our mind. This is why it is so important to always maintain a state of mental elevation.

As seen, we are wrapped in a fluidic atmosphere that we automatically absorb and metabolize, giving particular characteristics to these fluids. This is how each one of us lives in our own psychic atmosphere, receiving in the exact proportion of what we have sown.

We must know, however, that we do not live isolated and therefore react to one another. One law governs this mechanism: the alike are attracted and the opposites repelled. We also know that in the mediumistic phenomenon, during the trance, there is a more or less marked exteriorization of the perispirit of the medium, and in these circumstances the perceptions that were prevented from working fully are awakened due to the greater vibration determined by the influence of the physical organism on the soul.

Thus, the medium’s perception becomes more accurate, and he feels in his body a sensation of greater vibration, and is then able, by the association of the fluid currents with which he comes into contact, to know their intention, to feel their "specific weight", which will be greater if the fluids are more unpleasant and heavy.

The fluids that surround a person mix with those of the spiritual environment formed by the fluids of all those that are present, as well as by the fluids of the present Spirits too. This is how the fluidic environment of the place is

formed and it can be perfectly perceived by the medium, because his senses are sharper.

Identification and analysis of fluids – By practicing, the medium will learn how to differentiate the various types of Spirits according to their specific fluids.

In general, we know that Good Spirits radiate light, pleasant, soft, calm, and harmonic fluids.

The medium has a sense of general well-being and spiritual euphoria, and can then enter the mental area of influence of the Spirit, perceive its ideas, intentions and feelings. The Evil Spirits radiate heavy, unpleasant, strong, violent, and inharmonious fluids.

The medium has a feeling of general illness, anxiety, restlessness, nervousness, heavy head, drooping eyelids, frequent yawning, and shivers. 

The medium in development, after the stages of concentration and prayer, will stay passive, his body and mind relaxed, seeking to perceive the local psychic environment and the eventual approach of some entity, analyzing the effects of that influence, associating with it or rejecting it.

(Original source: 20 Lessons on

Mediumship - Astolfo Olegário de Oliveira Filho - Translation: Eleni Frangatos P. Moreira) 

The School for Souls

The members of Simon Peter’s household were gathered around Christ, listening to his gentle and persuasive voice as he commented on

the sacred texts.

When the Divine Word ended his beautiful lesson, Peter’s mother-in-law was troubled and asked:

“Lord, what is our life in the home supposed to be, after all?”

Jesus gazed at her questioningly, implying that he wanted her to explain herself more fully. She elaborated:

“We begin the endeavor amongst flowers, only to find ourselves gathering a bunch of thorns later on. At first, there is the promise of peace and understanding; however, stones and troubles soon appear.”

Seeing that the Galilean woman was on the verge of tears, Jesus responded quickly:

“The home is a school for souls; the temple where divine wisdom gradually enables us to understand humankind more fully.”

He smiled and asked:

“What do you do first with lentils before serving them at mealtime?”

The woman responded hesitantly:

“Well, of course, Lord, I have to put them on the stove and cook them long enough. Then, I have to season them in order to make them taste good.”

“And would you, perchance, serve raw dough at the table?”

“Of course not,” responded the humble old woman. In order to make it edible, I would have to bake it in the oven. Otherwise…”

The Divine Friend then considered:

“In heaven, too, there is a festive banquet, where our sentiments must serve the Father’s glory. Most of the time, the home is a holy cauldron or the preparatory oven. What may seem to us like affliction or suffering in the home is actually a resource for the spirit. The soul that is awakened to the Lord’s Will receives the most enlightening blessings from its renewing struggles, because only by living with others in the home, by studying aspirations and inclinations unlike our own, and by observing the defects of others and putting up with them, can we learn to overcome our own imperfections. Haven’t you ever noticed how quickly a person’s life passes by? The life of the body is much like that of a flower. In the morning it emits a fragrance; at night it withers … The home is a brief course on the fraternity we will enjoy in the life eternal. The suffering and natural conflicts within its walls are lessons.”

Simon’s mother-in-law listened carefully to all this and then remarked:

“But Lord, there are persons who struggle and suffer, but they never learn.”

Christ rested his very lucid eyes on her and asked again:

“What do you do with the hard lentils that do not yield to the action of the heat?”

“Ah! Of course, I toss them into the garbage because they might hurt the mouth of the careless yet trusting person at the table.”

“The same thing happens to the soul who rebels against the spiritually constructive lessons of the home,” finished the Master. “The struggles of everyday life keep the soul stirred up to its benefit; however, when death arrives on the scene – that great selector of spirits as provisions for the storehouses of Our Father – souls who did not yield to the sanctifying heat, who kept themselves in the same hardened state as when they were first led to the blessed oven of the body, will be tossed out, and for an indeterminate time, they will be like fertilizer in the detritus of nature.”

From The book "Jesus In The Home" psychographed by Francisco Cândido Xavier - By The spirit Neio Lucio