“The true Spiritist is recognized for his moral transformation and for his efforts to tame his evil inclinations”.¹

 
The need for study:

In addition to the incentives and warnings listed above, there is an emphasis on the need for constant study and learning. Our memory is fragile and we know less than we think.

In the mentioned work, Herminio C. Miranda repeatedly warns us about how much we should study, and on page 356, he is emphatic:

"(...) the study is an imperative and absolute necessity".

We gathered other guidelines on the same sense:

“In addition to the immediate duty to moralize (...) the sensitive must be aware of the Spiritist postulates”. ²

“The practice of mediumship (...) requires continuous study”. ²

However, it is not easy to convince some mediums of mediumistic meetings to be regular and study. It is an almost impossible task. And I believe that this is common in the Spiritist environment. To insist on it is like to flog a dead horse!

They do not consult good works, nor are they aware of studies - supported by research - that are offered to them.

The errors they make and the opinions they express clearly demonstrate this lack of interest.

“It is noted that the number of obsessed people who are cured today, is much smaller than in the beginning. The reason for this is because Spiritism in many hearts has had the effect of a social gathering, of a club in which the person will participate with a certain anointing, but, leaving there everything comes to an end, and he is no longer interested, and goes on living a normal profane life; it is the social, common man, and for this reason, the Spirits who observe us do not believe our words. (...) nor do they take into account words that are not supported by good deeds”.³

And this is an old problem:

“Nobody studies, and when they do, it is with their heads in the clouds, without paying attention to what they are really studying.” ⁴ - Year: 1961.

The author quotes Leon Denis⁵:

“Most men say they love the study and object that they lack the time to dedicate themselves to it. However, many of them devote whole nights to games, to idle conversations.

It is also replicated that books are expensive and, in the meantime, more money is spent on futile and tasteless pleasures than would be necessary to form a rich collection of works.

And, in addition, studying Nature, the most effective, the most comforting of all, costs nothing.” (After death, fifth part - Chapter LIII)

And in another book⁶:

 “The practice of Spiritism is difficult and thorny, requiring a lot of study and observation, a lot of experience from all of us”. Year: 1966

"Disobsession sessions are not easy to carry out and we need a lot of experience, study and knowledge to be effective". Year: 1976

Pedro Camilo, organizer of the mentioned book:

"What are missing, at that time as at present, are people willing to meet the requirements to which it refers: study, selflessness, dedication, resignation and assumption of responsibility".

 “(...) the medium, who does not feel strong enough to persevere in the Spiritist teaching, must abstain; because, if the light that illuminates him does not profit, he will be less forgivable than any other and will have to atone for his blindness”.⁷

In conclusion:

Increasingly raising the quality of the work developed in mediumistic meetings - extremely important for suffering Entities and a rich source of learning for all of us - is everyone's duty.

Although there is resistance to study, attendance and commitment to the noble task, it is up to us to indicate works and studies that favor our evolution.

Trials, over the centuries, will convince us, without exception, to take the committed word seriously!

What we do not do for love, in the opportunities that life offers us, we will learn, with great difficulty, in the multiple reincarnations!

We must respond to the invitations of the Spirit of Truth:

“Spiritists, love each other, this is the first teaching; instruct yourselves, this is the second one”.

“(...) instruct yourselves in the precious Doctrine that dissipates the error of upheavals and teaches you the sublime objective of human trial”. ⁸ [The bold letters are written by the writer]

References:

1. KARDEC, Allan. The Gospel According to Spiritism. Translated by Evandro Noleto Bezerra. 2^nd ed. 1^st print. Brasilia: FEB, 2013. Chapter 17, item 4, p. 229.

2. PROJECT MANOEL PHILOMENO DE MIRANDA. Quality in the Mediumistic Practice. 12^th ed. Salvador: LEAL, 2000, pages 25 and 45.

3. PROJECT MANOEL PHILOMENO DE MIRANDA. Quality in the Mediumistic Practice. 12^th ed. Salvador: LEAL, 2000, p. 90.

4. FRANCO, Divaldo and SAID, Cezar Braga. Yvonne’s Letters – The friendship between Divaldo Franco and Yvonne do A. Pereira. 1^st ed. Salvador: LEAL, 2016, p. 52.

5. FRANCO, Divaldo and SAID, Cezar Braga. Yvonne’s Letters – The Friendship between Divaldo Franco and Yvonne do A. Pereira. 1^st ed. Salvador: LEAL, 2016, p. 133.

6. FIGUEIREDO NETO, Pedro Camilo. Yvonne Pereira: among letters and memories. 1^st ed. Salvador: Editora Mente Aberta, 2016, pages 110, 126 and 127.

7. KARDEC, Allan. The Book of Mediums. Translated by Evandro Noleto Bezerra. 2^nd ed. 1^st print. Brasilia: FEB, 2013. Chap. XXXI, item XIII, p.395.

8. KARDEC, Allan. The Gospel According to Spiritism. Translated by Evandro Noleto Bezerra. 2^nd ed. 1^st. print. Brasilia: FEB, 2013. Chapter VI, it. 5 and 6, pages 101/2.