The thought above is by our guest this week, José Airton Salazar Parra (photo), who lives in his hometown of Promissão, in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. He is a biologist, with a Master’s degree in Ecology and Natural Resources, and he works in education. He is also a volunteer worker at the Lar da Esperança Spiritist Centre. He has recently taken part in an event in Promissão that focused on the search for peace, as he explains in the following interview:

During the recent Education and Peace event, you provided valuable contribution to those seeking peace. How well are we doing in our efforts to achieve that?

In the work of Allan Kardec, it becomes clear that we all share a common destiny. That allows us safely to say that peace will become one day a crucial part of our personal universe. But in order to reach peace, we need to go through a very unique process. Each person has their own time. I believe, therefore, that we are all marching forward towards that goal.

What, do you think, has been the contribution of Spiritism in the process of human development, which includes so many clashes and different perspectives, especially cultural influences?

Spiritism has come as a light to illuminate the ideas previously proposed by Jesus. As we get a clearer perspective on how love and understanding help us break the shackles of imperfection, we become more capable of living in peace. Peace is not possible in an environment where selfishness rules. Selfishness is, as explained in the works of Allan Kardec, the cause of all suffering.

Is there anything in particular that you would like to highlight is these links between education and peace?

It is important to say that the family provides the ideal environment to build the foundations of equilibrium and good moral values. Once the foundations are set on firm ground, the walls will be erected without cracks. We can’t do away with the precious moments that we spend in family, including all those conversations and exchange of ideas. It is important for each family to make a safe transition between the different styles of the old and the new generation. That will enable us to understand the changes coming though while safeguarding the basic values that have established peace in our society. If you provide firm and consistent guidance based on good, positive values and good deeds, if you teach young people to share and socialise, they will become more resilient adults (something we have less and less of). We will be forming more understanding adults, who are empathetic to the suffering of others (an essential principle of love), who are able to live in peace and to promote peace. When it comes to education, nothing can replace the family.

As a Spiritist, what is your assessment of the challenges, victories and defeats of humankind in our time?

We live on a planet that provides a vast array of possibilities. We are all pupils in this big school of life. To move forward or to fail, being forced to rewrite an essay, are both normal and expected facts of life. The technological evolution we are experiencing invites us to aim for higher levels. But the prevailing feeling of selfishness drags us down, for now, so we remain on the shore. That prevents us from sailing away towards the open ocean to discover new and more spectacular destinations. We will take however much time we need to adjust ourselves along two ascending standards: the intellectual one and the moral one. Paraphrasing the character of a famous cartoon, I would say: “continue swimming, continue swimming.”

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I would like to shed light on one of the many lessons taught and experienced by Jesus: the story of Mary of Magdalene. It touches in a special manner one of the main virtues required to achieve peace: to be ready to forgive and to avoid judging others. Jesus invites us to drop to the ground the stones that we insist on keeping in our hands. A heart that remains filled with outbursts of hatred and is overcome by feelings of violence is like an arid field, still not ready to receive the seeds of peace. The saying, “Know thyself,” is, in this context, more relevant than ever. It is very difficult to conquer peace if someone lacks the humility to acknowledge their weak points, which need to be addressed and reformed.

Your final thoughts, please.

We are all Spirits living a material experience, with the clear purpose of growing and progressing. As we live our lives, however, we start dwelling on imaginary needs, which do very little, if anything, to help us on our journey. Some of them become heavy burdens, which disturb our journey and keep us away from peace. We so often succumb in a sea of “anxieties” and get tangled up in endless demands, which leave us with a constant feeling of underachievement. We should consider again the Master’s invitation to look at the lilies on the field and the birds in the sky. Let’s be grateful and value, here and now, what will really bring us peace. In sum, let’s simplify our life so we are able to admire it in all its greatness and plenitude.