The impact of Spiritism on someone’s life

Marcos Venícios Nunes Siqueira (photo) is a clinical psychologist in his home city of Ouro Fino, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. He is a volunteer worker at the CEAP (Centro Espírita Antônio de Pádua) and Cairbar Schutel Spiritist Centre, where he coordinates the study groups. He also volunteers as a psychologist in three other organisations in the city. In the following interview, he speaks about his work in the Spiritist Movement:

What is the meaning of Spiritism in your personal life?

Spiritism is my life philosophy, as it has led me to find convictions rather than empty beliefs. I am now a believer and I know why I believe in God. Spiritism is about living experiences that can transform your life. And to be part of the Spiritist Movement means not only knowing a school of thought, but to live transformative experiences daily. 

How did you find Spiritism and when did it become something important in your life?

That was 27 years ago, when I was still a teenager. I come from a Christian/Judaic family on my mother’s side and a Christian Catholic background on my father’s side. One of my grandfather's brothers, José Nogueira de Sá, was a pioneer of Spiritism in my hometown. He was one of the founders of CEAP in 1912 and he certainly had an impact on me, through his life example and his charity work. My first contact with Spiritism was through the book Nosso Lar - Our Home. But I could say that my first meaningful contact happened when I was about 25. I lived in São Paulo, where I spent 18 years of my life, and I was finishing my university degree. I went to an event at the São Paulo Spiritist Federation and was taken to the Cairbar Schutel room, where I heard a 15-minute talk about chapter 6 of The Gospel According Spiritism: Christ the Consoler, Item 5, the Advent of the Spirit of Truth. That brief talk had such an impact on my soul that it drove me to tears, to the point that I queued up and watched the same lecture several times, as it was repeated every 15 minutes with the aim of reaching different audiences. In my heart, I said: “Jesus, you have kept your promise.” It all made sense to me as I was going through a difficult time in that period of my life and I felt completely desolate in the world. From then on I began reading all that I could by Allan Kardec and later all the books by Cairbar Schutel and the other books of Spiritist literature. And I can say that Cairbar was my master. He opened my mind so I was able to understand the Teachings of the incomparable Master Jesus. Those who replace Jesus with spiritual guides of this world are making a terrible mistake. As for the importance of Spiritism, I can say that I was lost and I found myself. I had studied all the classical and modern philosophical schools and not one of them had provided a true meaning to my life. 

What can you tell us about the Spiritist Movement?

The Spiritist Movement is putting the Spiritist Teachings into practice and they are based on a triade: ethics, philosophy and science. That tripod leads us to continuously seek the truth, which sheds light and develops our sense of love and bioethics as eternal beings that we are. The Spiritist Movement, in my opinion, is based on fraternity, which will only be possible as the different Spiritist Groups work together. And to achieve that we must follow the first guideline set up by the Brazilian Spiritist Federation: All acts carried out in the name of Spiritism must be in accordance with the codification of Allan Kardec. What is this guideline about? It is the essence of Spiritist philosophy. This guideline is very precise and the history of the Spiritist Movement has shown, repeatedly, that when we abandon the guidance of Allan Kardec in our practice, the outcome is disastrous, however well intentioned we may be. It is difficult indeed to be a Spiritist, as we look at the truth in the face. But if we follow that first guideline of the Brazilian Spiritist Federation we will be less likely to make a mistake the next time. 

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Paul, the Apostle, said that death would be conquered. And it was conquered when we learned about future life, as before there was a hiatus between physical and spiritual life after the death of the physical body. Spiritism has solved that problem by probing into the metaphysical world through mediumship and it has managed to establish a link between the two dimensions of existence. With that we have discovered that we are inter-existential beings. Spiritism is, therefore, the voice of immortality and we need to announce that with the power of a trumpet. Life doesn’t end, never. It triumphs in the Spiritual World and, as Cairbar Schutel said, death is the process of transferring our immortal being into our Spiritual Home. 

Please leave us with your final thoughts.

Spiritism has taken Jesus out of the dogmatic box where he’s been kept by religion and has brought him into our daily lives. Jesus is simple and simplicity is the seal of truth. Simplex sigillum veri. Jesus, the sublime psychotherapeut par excellence, invites us to embrace love. When I understood that I was merely a tool of God to spread kindness to my brothers and sisters, I began loving more and without expecting anything in return. After all, I had already been granted the opportunity of loving. May the peace of God, the peace of Christ and inner peace settle in your hearts.