Andrea Cândido dos Reis (photo), a Spirtist since 2015, was born in Santa Rosa do Vitebro and lives in Ribeirão Preto, in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. She is a dentist, a university lecturer and researcher. She is also a volunteer worker at the União Fraterna Spiritist Centre, where she is a public speaker and is involved in several other activities.

When did you develop your interest for the impact spirituality has on human health?

I have worked in the health system for more than 23 years. During this time, I have always been interested in the different factors involved in the healing process within my area of expertise, which is prosthetics and surgery. I have also focused on the links between results obtained in the healing and cicatrisation process and the emotional and psychological balance of people who undergo treatment. I also tried to observe if they were undergoing spiritual treatment or spiritual healing.

How are those aspects linked?

I believe that process begins from the state of emotional and psychological balance we have. Or, as Spiritism defines it, the imbalance comes from the astral body, or perispirit, and eventually becomes an “illness.” That situation feeds on itself. The person who suffers the physical consequences of a particular illness ends up producing new emotional and psychological imbalances, and his or her condition eventually deteriorates.

Is stress, depression and anxiety linked to the level of spiritual development we reach?

The World Health Organisation defines spirituality as a collection of emotions and beliefs from individuals who accept that there is more to life that we can perceive or understand. That leads people into a search for the meaning of life, not necessarily from the perspective of a religious belief or practice. The WHO also says that spirituality must be taken into account on any assessment or treatment to promote health at all ages. So, the stronger the connection people have with spirituality, the stronger their control will be over stress, depression and anxiety.

Is there a blueprint or guideline to reach spirituality?

I believe there is a unique, individual and non-transferrable guideline. Each human being is unique. We have our own experiences, feelings and needs in order to develop as spirts. Each one of us has the freedom to develop their own pathway in order to reach higher spirituality. Knowledge is obviously an important facilitator and, these days, information is available in many ways. There are many techniques that enable human beings to find their balance with nature and to understand that there is a higher power, which moves life forward. Spirituality can be defined as the normal state of human beings when reach a proper balance. It is a state of equilibrium, peace and hope.

How does this effort change our environment, be it in our families or at work?

This effort to reach spirituality changes absolutely everything, as all the difficult problems with face concerning self-doubt, stress and anxiety expand if our thoughts remain in the wrong vibration. When we do that, we remain disconnected to divine nature, which is marked by peace, harmony and equilibrium. Our efforts to keep our good vibrations and thoughts will, therefore, have a positive impact on the atmosphere around us.

Can we also help forge a positive atmosphere around us that will benefit othe people too?

We are indeed capable of creating a spiritual atmosphere around us that may have either a positive or a negative impact on other people. The books written by the medium, Chico Xavier, show that our thoughts are so important to determine the quality of our vibrations as the bed is for the river. The spiritual companions we keep around us influence us according to our thoughts. They will generate positive or negative results, with a real impact on the atmosphere around us and also on the people we connect with.

What can we do in order to re-programme our spiritual connections?

I think the advice Emmanuel gave to Chico Xavier is particularly relevant in this case: “Discipline, discipline and discipline.” That is what we need in order to keep our positive thoughts and faith. And let me remind you also what he saidÇ “Even though no one can go back in time and forge a new beginning, we can all start again and forge a new ending.”

What would you like to highlight from your extensive research on these issues?

What really strikes me is the impact that spiritual messages have on patients. Those messages are in fact information about the natural laws and the laws of love, which surround patients with a positive vibration. Once they realise the power those messages have and allow the process to proceed, they are able to cure themselves. This healing force can vibrate for a long time and is only weakened by a change in the patient’s level of vibration. I would like to stress that love and healing are part of the laws of nature, which tend to push individuals back to a state of balance.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I would like to thank all of those who work so hard every week for the publication of this magazine. I would like to pay a special tribute to Chico Xavier, who has left us a legacy of so much intellectual, operational, scientific and comforting value. He has left us a real treaty on health and spirituality.