Moral conflicts

I think we should avoid talking about negative things as much as possible because I believe that words are powerful. But I feel that it's important to talk about feelings if they are bugging us, and feelings can be negative. This week passed by and I felt that it has been difficult for me. I have been in the middle of moral conflicts. I have been asking myself questions that I still haven't found the answers to.

I asked myself if being useful also means doing things that are not exactly in accordance to what you believe in, but that might help someone somehow at the end. Or is it more important to follow whatever you believe in (no matter what!) and not do anything that it's not in accordance to your personal beliefs? Very conflicting.

If something is good, it doesn't matter if it's not exactly how you believe in as long as it can truly help people, but how are we supposed to be sure that we are actually helping anyone? Do people in general even care if there are better ways to do things or they just don't want to change things because it might hurt their personal pride?

I want to do things to be useful, but at the same time, I don't know if I should do things that I don't truly believe in. Won't it feel wrong in my guts to do something in a way that it's not the one that I believe to be the best for me? Institutions and people work in the way that they believe is the right way for them and it might not be bad, but it might not be the best for you personally. But if you don't join them in their effort, even when it's not exactly what you would have chosen for yourself as the best way, will you be useful to anyone at all at the end?

Many times, changes don't happen because of hurt pride and stubbornness...why do people in general and institutions in general tend to think that what they do or what they achieve don't have space for improvement? Sometimes, we don't see certain things that others do and, when they present us with their views, they might actually add something positive, it does not mean any personal attack or any other obscure reason. It doesn't mean that the person or institution was not good enough either, just because the changes were applied. Nothing and nobody is perfect! But the fact that a person or an institution decide to not improve because they fear they might be seen differently (being judged by others as not good enough), or whatever other reason, it's just too sad. Positive changes should always be implemented, even if we would prefer otherwise, because the general well being of people shouldn't be based on personal preferences, but should be based on the true best for everybody in general...obviously the change itself should only be implemented if it's truly better! Institutions, many times, say that they are open to changes, but it seems to be limited to whom they will affect and how. Why is that? 

Sometimes I feel that everything is about competition in this world, but not the good type. The type that wants all the best for yourself and the not so good rest to everybody else... 

I also don't understand the reason why people get so focused in what someone seems to be and not what someone really is...food for thought!

Well, I read this message from the spirit Emmanuel and I think it has everything to do with this post and I apply this message to myself first, to try to see which parts of it can be applied to me as a person (for personal improvement purposes!). I believe everybody can see themselves in every message if they think carefully about their attitudes...it's a good exercise...

Peace! 

Mrs. P

TO KNOW AS HE OUGHT TO KNOW

"The person who thinks he knows something really doesn't  know  as  he ought to know" - Paul (I Corinthians 8:2)

Civilization has always sought to know excessively but had never known what is suitable to know.

Therefore, even now,  the  airplane  bombards,  the  radio  broadcasts messages of falsehood and death, the fuel feeds  the  machinery of aggression.

In the same way, individually, the person only cogitates to  know, and forgets that it is highly recommended to know suitably.

In our activities related to the Gospels, full attention  is  required in order to successfully perform the tasks appointed to us.

Some students of the Gospels  keep  the  revelation  of  the Heavens to impose it to their neighbours, they imagine to  possess  the gift of humbleness for the  sake of  annoying  people, they declare themselves patients and upset their listeners,  they  call  themselves believers and disperse someone else's faith, they  exhibit  titles  of goodness and forget their private little tasks.

These friends in particular are those who sought to know  but  not  as they ought to.

Those who really  devise  situations  spiritually  also  help  without offense, they become themselves better with no injury to others,  they teach with no perturbation. They know as it is suitable  to  know  and have learned to become useful. They use both  silence  and  words,  they locate the evil and the good, they identify  light  and  darkness  and distribute Christ's gifts. They are much informed about the Source  of Eternal Wisdom and are attached to it like the  perfect  lamp  to  the power supply. Failure and triumph on  the  transitory  plane  of  life hardly change their energies.

These have managed to know as they  should  and  use  their  knowledge conveniently.

Emmanuel

A diploma is not enough

It's interesting when you read several books about the same subject and find out that they complement each other rather than contradict each other. I was reading a chapter called "Blessed are the poor in spirit" from the book Gospel according to Spiritism today and it made me remember the book The Astral City. I already mentioned both books previously in my posts. In my last post, I talked a bit about The Astral City, but there is a specific part of chapter 14 of this book that I remembered when reading chapter 7 of the Gospel according to Spiritism. If you haven't read any of these books, they're Spiritist books and I can explain why one made me think of the other. 

In Astral City, Andre Luiz (the author) is a doctor who had no religious beliefs before the death of his body and was completely unprepared for the spiritual life. When he got to the other side and saw how things work there, he started to realise how certain things are important there and not here, at the same time that some things are important here but not there. His diploma in Medicine didn't mean so much in the spiritual world and what really mattered was his spiritual values and his morals. He wasn't prepared morally to be a doctor in this place he was living in, in the spiritual world. The Governor of the Astral City says something on these lines to Andre Luiz in the book:"For us here, a degree is a mere identification card. The person who receives such a card is given the opportunity to study and cooperate with the Lord in His Divine work on the planet. This principle is applicable to all earthly activities, regardless of their nature or class conventions..." (From the book The Astral City, chapter 14, page 67). He said that to Andre Luiz when he offered to work in the Astral City, because Andre was thinking about practicing Medicine there straight away. 

The Governor also said: "You, my brother, were granted a medical card, and consequently were admitted into the temple of Medicine. However, your line of conduct does not justify my endorsing your present wish. How could I appoint you to treat spirit patients when on Earth you insisted on limiting your professional observations to the physical body?... As you are already aware, a doctor cannot draw the line at diagnosis and terminologies, he must go deeper and scrutinize the innermost recesses of the soul. On Earth, many of your colleagues become true slaves to academic convencionalism because of their professional life. Very few succeed in crossing prejudices. The rare exceptions are scoffed at by society and looked down upon by their colleagues." (From the book The Astral City, chapter 14, page 67). 

The Governor of the Astral City also told him that, even though Andre Luiz didn't attend poor patients who couldn't afford treatment with the intention of really helping them, while on Earth, he attended around 6.000 patients for free. Maybe he did it not caring about them as much as he should have, but from 6.000 people, 15 continuously prayed for him and that counted in his favour in the spiritual world.  From 6.000 people, who were helped by him, only 15 prayed for him!!! So it got me thinking how sad it must be to be in the other side and not receive prayers from people who you love or that you helped, when you need the most, because they might think that you're gone for good and there is no life after death...or they simply think that prayers are a waste of time! How sad is to think that prayers don't matter and how sad it is to not be remembered after the death of our body...It would sadden me to not receive prayers, I think... If you have someone that you love and this person already passed away, try to always pray for them because they will benefit a lot from your prayers. If you don't believe in God, at least remember the ones who went to the other side with love, and they will still feel your love, even if you don't believe they will. Love doesn't die anywhere and it can always benefit the object of our love wherever they are... If anything, please pray for me after I'm gone from this side of life ;)

Then we can see that the Governor explained to Andre Luiz the reason why only having a diploma and knowledge isn't enough in the spiritual world and why he wasn't ready to be a doctor there. It does not mean that we shouldn't study while on Earth or shouldn't acquire scientific knowledge, not at all! It means that only knowledge will not give you everything you need, as many people believe... We value diplomas, titles and scientific knowledge a lot, but fail to acquire spiritual knowledge, faith and morals, which always stay in second plan. 

This is exactly what chapter 7 of the Gospel according to Spiritism talks about. It basically explains what Jesus meant when he said: "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew, 5: 3). It means that Jesus referred to the poor in spirit as being people that are humble; it doesn't have anything to do with people who lack intelligence. We see so many people that feel that they are better than other people because they have the knowledge and a diploma, but forget that they don't need only knowledge to be a good person. Many brilliant minds used their intelligence to do evil. People need to be humble and we need to believe in something greater than ourselves to learn to be truly humble. A person is not humble only because they are not proud or arrogant. A person is truly humble when they can admit that someone is superior to them, either morally or intellectually. Unfortunately, most of people that have the knowledge, do not have the humbleness to admit that there is a God who created all things and who is a Superior being to us...  

I am copying part of chapter 7 from the book "Gospel according to Spiritism" below for you to see how much this chapter complements chapter 14 of the book "The Astral City". If you haven't read The Astral City, try to keep in mind what the Governor said to Andre Luiz as per above and think about it: 

"WHAT SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD BY THE WORDS 'POOR IN SPIRIT'
 

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew, 5: 3). 

2. Sceptics have mocked this maxim, as they have mocked many other things they do not understand. By 'the poor in spirit' Jesus did not mean those devoid of intelligence, but the humble, in as much as He said that the Kingdom of Heaven would be for them and not for the prideful.
 

Men of knowledge and imagination, so called by public conviction, generally hold such high opinions of themselves and their superiority that they consider everything divine as being undeserving of their consideration. By concentrating all their attention upon themselves, they are then unable to lift up their eyes to God. This tendency to believe they are superior to everything else very frequently leads them to deny anything which might be above them, even Divinity itself, for fear it might belittle them. Or if they condescend to admit its existence, they then contest one of its most beautiful attributes, that of providential action over things of this world, because they think they alone are sufficient to govern. Taking the intelligence they possess as a measure for universal intelligence, and judging themselves able to understand everything, they are unable to believe in the viability of that which they do not know. They consider their judgement to be law.
 

If they do not admit the existence of the invisible world and of a superhuman power, it is not because it is beyond their capability, but because their pride makes them revolt against the idea of something above which they are unable to place themselves and which would bring them down from the pedestal upon which they like to contemplate. Hence they only have scorn for everything that does not belong to the visible and tangible world. They attribute to themselves such imagination and learning that they cannot believe in things which, according to their way of thinking, are only good for simple people, taking for poor in spirit all who take such matters seriously. 

However, say what they like, they will inevitably be drawn into this invisible world they scoff at, together with everyone else. It is there that their eyes will be opened, so making them realise their errors. Nevertheless, God being just, He cannot receive those who have denied His majesty in the same manner as those who submitted to His laws with humility, nor can He give them equal share.
By saying that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to the poor in spirit, Jesus teaches that no one will be admitted without simplicity of heart and humility of spirit; that the ignorant person who possesses these qualities will be preferred to the wise person who believes more in himself than in God. In all circumstances Jesus put humility into the category of virtues that bring Man near to God and pride into the category of vices that keep Man away from God. The reason for this is clear, for to be humble is an act of submission to God, whereas pride is a revolt against Him. For Man then, there is far greater value for his future happiness by being poor in spirit, as the world would understand it, and rich in moral qualities." (From the book Gospel according to Spiritism, chapter 7, page 139). 


It makes sense to me to think that life continues and there are also other lives to be lived through reincarnations, otherwise, I don't personally see the fairness in God. I do not believe that people go to hell or heaven after death, as our hell or our heaven is already inside us, depending on who we choose to be. I believe that the spiritual world is made of responsibilities, duties and work, even more than on Earth, but the currency there is not money. The currency is love, good morals, good heart, charity, wisdom, knowledge and God (not necessarily in this order!). I also think that every good deed counts in our favour, when we do them for the right reasons. We need to see beyond the material side of things to really prepare ourselves to the real life which is the spiritual life. Think about that! :) 
I will also leave you with a link to a very interesting article about a Professor who seems to not be afraid of being scoffed at or looked down upon by his colleagues. I respect him for that!  


Professor dares to discuss life after death in his classes


Take care! 


Mrs. P

The Astral City

Last week, I volunteered to be part of a book stand in the Mind Body Spirit Festival. Great experience! There were many religions, philosophies and beliefs in the same room co-existing peacefully in the same Festival. I haven't seen any exhibitor trying to convince any other exhibitor of their ideas or beliefs (although I heard it happened!). People were friendly and respectful to each other in their fair as far as I could see, and that made me feel good. The amount of British people that participated in this fair surprised me! For some reason, I tend to think that British people are not too interested in the spiritual side of things, but I guess I am wrong and it's good to be wrong about this ;) There were people from other countries as well exhibiting, and the fair, in general, was just great. A British lady came to our book stand speaking amazing Portuguese and I was very impressed!!! There was also another British lady that came to shout at us that we were not Christians because we believe in reincarnation and mediumship!! I guess that it's not surprising, but that didn't impress me at all! :P It's kind of funny to think that people really believe that they can tell you who you believe in, or who you do not, who can be called Christians and who cannot! I believe some people went to this fair with the sole purpose of disrespecting whoever doesn't think like them (is it really the example that Christians are supposed to give?), unfortunately, but I suppose they are minority. There was also a Tai Chi Chuan presentation that I loved! I've never seen such a beautiful presentation by a Master in Tai Chi! Everything was very spiritual and I felt home :)

Many times I referred to Spiritism as my religion, but it's not the correct definition of it. "Spiritism is a science which deals with the nature, origin and destiny of Spirits, as well as their relationship with the corporeal world." Allan Kardec (Taken from Qu'est-ce que le Spiritisme? - Préambule). I said many times that Spiritism is my religion because it's the philosophy that I believe in and connects me to God, but it has to be studied as a Scientific subject to be understood in depth. The principles in Spiritism were based in observations and researches made by Allan Kardec. In this fair, we had books to sell that were part of the Codification and books written by automatic writing by mediums such as Chico Xavier, for example. This book stand was to sell books that would help BUSS and spread the word about Spiritism for those who had the interest to stop by our stand. One of the books we had there in our book stand was The Astral City. I love this book and I feel that it's a great book to give us an idea of life in the spiritual world. I said some posts ago that I would talk about this book one day here, and I think that this day has come :)

This is the first book of a series by the spirit Andre Luiz who used to be a doctor on Earth and writes about his spiritual experiences after the death of his body. Some people like the book, but don't believe the story is real, some people think it's too heavy and don't want to face the possibility of this book being a real story. I guess we will all find out the truth after we pass away, but wouldn't it be advisable to give it a thought before going through this experience ourselves? 

This book makes me cry every time I read it and makes me think a lot too! It makes me think about things like: Am I wasting my time worrying about things that don't hold real value? Am I doing enough for the good of others? Am I being faithful to the spiritual values that I hold inside me in my everyday actions? Probably not, but at least I am thinking about them and this is the first step to achieve these things. We should all be grateful that we have news from the other side alerting us to the spiritual life, instead of wasting our time being so skeptical because, whether we like it or not, agree with it or not, believe in it or not, we will all die one day and live to the eternal life. Thinking about spiritual life is not being morbid, it's dealing with a certain future (the only certainty we have in life is knowing that death is inevitable). Don't we all plan our future when we are sixteen years old, thinking about which profession to choose and which kind of life to carry? We don't know what the future will bring us, but we all think about it anyway.

You can read The Astral City on this website for free  O Consolador- The Astral City

Remember that this is a real story and it could happen with any of us, although each of us is different and have different paths to walk and different baggage. It doesn't mean that you will go through the same struggles that the author of this book went through, but it will give you an idea of how many things we do that are acceptable by society, but these things can get us into trouble in the other side of life. This book can make you feel uncomfortable, let's say, from time to time, because it will tell you things that you possibly would rather not hear (some people might have difficulties facing the truth) and it might make you feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities we hold while incarnated (usually we don't pay too much attention to spiritual responsibilities at all). But it will also give you hope and give you an opportunity to ponder about what is really important in life and what is not. It will make you see that the time for changing behaviours and habits for better is now and that's why this book is so dear to my heart... 

My friend, if you're reading this, take a minute of your life to think seriously about what you seek in life and if it is really worth seeking. I will end this post with a dialogue from the film Contact that I love.

Drumlin: "Helen, I know that you must think this is all really unfair, maybe this is an understatement. What you don't know is that I agree. I wish the world was a place where fair was the bottom line, where your idealism and your dreams were rewarded, not taken advantage of. Unfortunately, we don't live in that world."

Helen: "Funny, huh? I've always believed that the world is what we make of it".

Peace! 

Mrs. P