Eden Ernesto da Silva Lemos (photo), from the Brazilian city of Natal, is a History teacher, with a PhD in Education. He is the president of Spiritist Federation of the State of Rio Grande do Norte (FERN) and is a volunteer worker at Associação Espírita Trabalhadores da Última Hora Spiritist Centre in Natal. In this interview, he speaks about the relevance of the book Diálogo com as Sombras (Dialogue with the Shadows), which was published in the 1970s by the late writer, Hermínio C. Miranda. 

How was your first contact with Spiritism?

It was in Gospel in the Home with my maternal grandmother, Minervina, when I was 9 years old. 

Which aspect of Spiritism - Philosophy, Science and Religion - strikes you the most?

All of them. I was always passionate about human knowledge in its broad sense. I love philosophy, science and religion, in the way Spiritism defines it. In my own life, I have moved across different areas of knowledge until finally doing a degree in History. 

Where did your ideal of promoting the study of the book Diálogos com as Sombras, by Hermínio C. Miranda, come from? 

I was always particularly interested in the information gathered by Allan Kardec through his dialogue with the Spirits. And I always held in high account the studies and books by Hermínio C. Miranda. He was always a reference to me, from my days as a young Spiritist. So when mediumship erupted in my life, the two main references, which helped me so much, were The Spirits’ Book (the classic Allan Kardec book) and Dialogue with the Shadows. 

What in particular is so special about this book?

It’s how well Hermínio managed to organise such a vast and intense amount of knowledge on the theoretical and the practical sides of mediumship in a Spiritist Centre. He managed to present it in a clear manner and he used the routine of mediumship meetings to illustrate an issue that is so profound. 

From a teacher’s perspective, which aspects of the book need to be highlighted?

As someone who works with education, what I would like to highlight is not only the quality of the theoretical material, from a Spiritist perspective, but most of all, how well Hermínio used the information from the daily practices of a mediumship group. He introduces essential principles of Spiritism as well as the recommended practices in mediumship groups and the behaviour and attitudes that those who attend Spiritist meetings should follow in their daily lives. 

From all the cases mentioned in the book, which one has made the biggest impression on you? Why? 

It’s difficult to pick one. But I could mention one that comes to my mind now. It’s in the chapter “Magos e Feiticeiros” (Magicians and Wizards), when a Spiritist introduces himself as a magician and manages to exert total control over another Spirit. That demonstrates his mental control over the other one, who is imprisoned in what appears to be a “magic circle.” According to Hermínio, he was probably trying to intimidate the members of the mediumship group who were at work there. Why did that particular case make such a big impression on me? Because it shows clearly to what extent our beliefs can either imprison or liberate us. 

What lessons have you learned from Hermínio’s work and life in Spiritism?

Firstly, never forget or neglect the core works of Spiritism, written by Allan Kardec. Also, the importance of living according to the ethical and moral principles taught by Spiritism. That is in the third chapter of the book, entitled “O Campo de Trabalho” (Working Field). 

What do you think is the most remarkable lesson among the studies and reflections contained in the book?

It makes it clear that we need to treat our mediumship meetings as an opportunity to study mediumship in all its many aspects. As Hermínio did, we should keep organised records of our meetings so we can expand that further into studies of mediumship according to Spiritism. 

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Whenever I can, I take the opportunity to thank Hermínio Correia de Miranda for the beautiful work that he has bequeathed to us, based on his long experience with mediumship.