El Blog del Centro Virtual de Estudios Espiritistas y Afines

OCTOBER NEWSLETTER 2013

INCIVILITY   

                     Written by Yvonne Limoges

According to Merriam Webster’s on-line Dictionary the definition of “incivility” is:

-        A rude or impolite attitude or behavior: lack of civility

-        A rude or impolite act

A national survey in July 2013 by the Global public relations firm Weber Shandwick www.webershandwick.com  and public affairs firm Powell Tate issued its fourth annual poll on Civility in America: A Nationwide Survey.

It “found that 71 percent believe civility has declined in recent years and 54 percent expect the decline to continue” and that “rude behavior is becoming the "new normal."” More information can be found at: http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20130730-909609.html .

The survey found that people believed that the internet and social media are the main causes.

 Maybe when people are texting or emailing, they feel more comfortable saying things to people they normally would not say to them in person.

Then there is the situation when people write something rude or hateful and others are emboldened to do it as well, and as they say, it goes “viral,” sent everywhere in cyberspace; information that may or may not even be true.

Also, ever been out to eat with someone and all they do is check their phone, or respond to every call and email?

Also, people are taking pictures of everyone and everything! It is good to have a camera around to document some events, but not always. So watch out what you do, someone could be taking a picture of you! “Big Brother” is here; and it is mostly us!

Mankind continues to develop new technology, but we must decide how to use it appropriately.

In the survey, people also believe more civility is needed at the workplace, schools, and within organizations. They find they are dealing with people who are now more ill-mannered and have a lack of respect for others in all these social spheres. Maybe part of this is because we have allowed our lives to become too stressful and too fast paced.

People stated their government leaders should set better examples of civility as well.

We all should to stop and think of the actual repercussions of our words and actions and truly decide if what we are about to do will be hurtful to others. We need to respect one another more.

In any case, the best advice is: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.”

SPIRITISM

-        Editorial from Spain

Spiritism was a word created by Allan Kardec to designate a new spiritualist doctrine; sharing with other trends the idea of ​​God, reincarnation, the existence of spirits, the immortality of the soul, particularized in this knowledge, the possibility of evocation and dialogue with disembodied spirits and prioritizes the moral significance of the Divine Laws governing evolution.

Spiritism is thus a Moral Philosophical Doctrine - with a Scientific basis, so no dogmas, but of principles which are based on what it was structured and built.

It is necessary to be conscious of the responsibility and commitment we have for evolution in our present existence for the opportunity to excel, to learn, to gain experience, to redirect and channel energies, to compensate for the past, and be thankful for this possibility of life and progress, despite the setbacks, moral and material trials and pain we must go through.

Because that's when we are strengthened, where we, as spirits, become wiser, stronger, more humble, more unified, supportive, and we consciously work within the great harmonious plan of Creation.

(Article taken from the May/August issue of the Bulletin called Progresso – “Progress” – written by the International Association for the Progress of Spiritism www.progresoespiritismo.org in Spain and translated by Yvonne Limoges.)                                                   

FAITH

                   Written by Narciso Trevilatto

Despite the burden that we still have, attached to material matter and the negative influences of our selfishness, we will slowly awaken to more spiritual values and increase our faith...

HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

              Written by Yvonne Limoges

SONIA SOTOMAYER - first Hispanic and third woman on the U.S. Supreme Court.

I recently read her book My Beloved World and found it very inspirational. A story where a person comes from humble beginnings but rises above it to reach a goal she always wanted since she was a little girl - to become a judge.

Her family came from Puerto Rico. She was born in 1954 in New York City, graduated with honors from Princeton and from Yale Law School. She was a District attorney, worked as a private attorney, was a District judge and then as a U.S. Appeals Court judge, before being nominated as an Associate Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

What was extremely interesting to me was about her Grandmother, who apparently was a medium, conducted spirit sessions and knew Spiritism. Sotomayer states when her Grandmother was 12 years old in Puerto Rico, the parish priest would have her “heal” people with spiritual problems. However, her Mother became Catholic and was opposed to her daughter being involved in her Grandmother’s beliefs.

When Justice Sotomayer was just age 9, her father died. During his wake, she fell asleep while her relatives were apparently quarrelling about his death. Suddenly, she said in a different sounding voice similar to a deceased relative, one word in Spanish, “Conformate” (meaning “accept it” – the father’s death). She further writes that nothing like that has ever happened to her again.  

            Some historical background…Spiritism spread from France to Spain (and other countries), and then to its colonies, of which Puerto Rico was one. And, to this day numerous Spiritist centers and organizations still continue to exist there.                           

PHYSICAL ADDICTIONS & OBSESSIONS

(Smoking, abuse of drinking and drugs, over-eating, and other harmful habits, etc.)

    Inspirationally received by Yvonne Limoges

Material life can be enjoyed in many ways but mankind always seems to find the ones that are
the most destructive to their mind, body, and soul.

Yes, you may enjoy what life in the material world has to offer but not in a way that harms you or others. This is not the proper way to use the physical body lent to you in this existence.

The harm inflicted affects your perispirit (your spiritual body) and delays its spiritual, intellectual and moral progression, which is the true purpose of material life. Moderation in all things is the key to living your life on this planet but some things are better not utilized at all.

Illicit drugs of all sorts, abuse of the passions, and gratuitous harm inflicted upon your physical body for perceived pleasure only brings out your animal natures and keeps you from spiritualizing yourself.

These actions also attract droves of spirits who revel in encouraging you into further abuse, and eventually, if you continue, towards your own self-destruction, for these spirits can no longer satisfy their wants from the spirit world and use you as their instruments in trying to do so (in reality to no avail). This lack of true fulfillment on their part further pushes them into incessantly prodding those in the material world to obsessively pursue all sorts of vices and passions.

Those in the material world become entrapped, not only by the drugs and/or other addictions and passions they feel they need to make themselves happy, but become as puppets under the control of these types of spirits in the spirit world as well.

These harmful so-called pleasures are illusions in the search for true happiness inherent in all
spirits, but these kinds of desires become a destructive addiction and obsession that can never truly satisfy your inner souls.

 One becomes involved in a harmful cycle that can be very, very difficult to break, although your spirit protectors try very hard to help you.

Mankind has freewill and God Helps those who help themselves. Great effort and prayer are
needed for those entangled within the webs of these very material and physical addictions that
are really deceptions for true fun, enjoyment, and happiness. You must realize that drugs, the abuse of the passions, and gratuitous harm to the physical body causes health problems now, as you grow older, and is like a slow form of suicide. This affects your soul tremendously! You need to detach yourself from such devastating wants, desires, and behaviors.

Find the fun you seek and those momentary joys in life in those things that do not cause you harm or, suffer the terrible consequences. Destructive behaviors affect you in such a way that they
keep you from fulfilling your debts, duties, and the missions you had previously planned to accomplish in the material world. If you do not fulfill them, you will have wasted your material lifetime, and you may return to the spirit world as one of those spirits yourself, who are tortured by their material and physical wants which can never be satisfied!

True happiness can only come through fulfilling ones’ obligations, performing good deeds, and
having a clear conscience that creates an inner spiritual solace, and, in those special times and
events that are of rather short duration in a person’s life on your earth, because it is a planet
of tests and atonements. When you have raised yourselves enough overall, both spiritually and morally, you will transform this planet into a much better world where your soul will find
such happiness inconceivable to you now!

OUR FAMILIES

          Inspirationally received by Alysia Pape

We hear people giving advice about family issues that say, “...no one can choose their family.”As Spiritists we know better, we chose what family we are born into. Sometimes we know who we will marry, the children we will have and we pick most of the troubles we have in our lives. The obstacles we pick when we are disincarnated are because we remember all the wrongs we have done in our past lives and then want to clean up as much as possible [upon return to material life].

However, when we are born and start to grow up and have family issues or obstacles like cancer, diabetes, lupus, or any other number of diseases; we forget we picked them all. We forget why we picked them, and what horrible things we may be atoning for.

The holidays are coming and if you find yourself having some family issues, remember you just might have picked to be with the ones you are fighting with, or vice versa. So, try to make an effort to forgive and forget, make up and make some good memories. You will feel better not being at odds with your family, they are there to support you and you them.

Sometimes there a few souls in the family that seem to make things turn out bad, but maybe someone else needs to show them the way, and that may be the reason they are there, to learn. You might have volunteered to help them out; there could be many reasons families fight. Leaving things unresolved only makes more problems and everyone that is involved stalls their progression.

If you do not progress this time around, you might end up in the same family the next time. I'm not sure how everyone would take that, but I know I wouldn't mind spending another time around with my family. 

HAVE STRONG FAITH IN GOD

                    Written by Yvonne Limoges

In life, we all have tribulations, tests and pain (physical/emotional) in one form or another.        We are imperfect and therefore our life is as well.

Try not to become frantic, angry or desperate.

What we have to do is to calm ourselves, pray to God and our spirit protectors for guidance, think reasonably about each situation, and do or not do…whatever we believe to be right in our hearts.

The Creator is All Love and Mercy. The Divine Laws are perfect. Therefore, after we have done the above, we then need to have very strong faith leaving the rest of our situation…in God’s Most Capable Hands!    

A PRAYER TO THE GOOD SPIRITS

Dear God, allow the good Spirits who accompany me, to help me when I am in difficulty and uphold me when I falter. Lord, may they inspire me with faith, hope and charity; may they be a point of support, an inspiration and a testimony of Your mercy.

In short, may I always encounter in them the strength that I lack for the tests of life, the strength to resist all evil suggestions, the faith that saves and the love that consoles. - AMEN

 

(A prayer from Chapter 28 in Kardec’s The Gospel According to Spiritism and translated from the French by Janet Duncan.)

 

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Edited by Yvonne Crespo Limoges, Director

E-mail: ylimoges@aol.com

 

Spiritist Society of Florida

5042 22 Avenue North,

St. Petersburg, Florida 33710

Website: www.spiritistsocietyfl.com