In fact, much of what exists in life is ignored, especially in relation to what can still happen to human beings in their evolutionary process.

However, something is widely known in the Spiritist movement: destructive criticism, the result of little or almost no doctrinal reflection in the face of studies considered classic or philosophical and even evangelical.

Some elements can be identified for better understanding at the time of the doctrinal studies and for the reason we will comment on two of them, always remembering that they are personal reflections and, therefore, they only concern the smallness of the one who develops them.

Reincarnation, for example.

It is common and curious to investigate the possible reincarnations of a Spirit. The Spirits themselves brought this information and it was published from the classic times of Kardec, to the present, to stick only to cases published in the Spiritist environment.

However, a Spirit, writer or speaker, to mention or state that it is or not the reincarnation of someone does not mean that this reincarnation is a fact, a revelation. This is obvious, but it should be said.

To learn more about research on reincarnation, we invite the reader to know the work of Hernani Guimaraes Andrade, Gabriel Delanne, Ernesto Bozzano, Dr. Hemendra Nath Banerjee and Hermínio C Miranda's experiments with past life regression (PVR). PVR is not a Spiritist practice, although researchers who use such procedures find interesting results with material for deep reflections on reincarnating.

Reincarnations of famous people are invariably surrounded by passionate comments that lose their reason when they fail to value the famous' work. This is what can be seen about the reincarnations of Chico Xavier. It became a wrestling ring.

Chico Xavier was the greatest medium that existed in terms of mediumistic production. Perhaps this is the only common ground about him, although detractors do not feel comfortable in accepting such comments because in order to assign a (“higher”) measure, it is necessary to compare it with other works and the error begins here. Each work has its importance, both those who criticize and those who defend. Each mediumship is a unique source of production and development for the reincarnating being. They are all wrong when it becomes a platform for personal speeches and flagrant distortions. Everyone gets it right when they learn from Chico Xavier's experiences.

The mind does not distinguish what is real and what is the result of thought itself. Therefore, people bring back memories of dialogues with Chico Xavier that did not exist, and people close to him did the same and the imbroglio only grows. It is a situation without effective continuity solution for those who want to value the legacy of this brilliant worker for Christ.

Analyze the possibilities, the psychological symmetries (style, temperament, etc.); see if there is any document, testimony, among other elements to be studied together, for a more in-depth work on the possibilities of being the reincarnation of someone “famous”. The “oral history” to be validated requires a series of care, as well as the way to record it.

Herminio C Miranda (HCM) carried out studies in biographies of personalities throughout history (besides experiments in mediumistic meetings). For example, he raised the possibility that Luther was the reincarnation of Paul of Tarsus (“The Marks of the Christ”, FEB, two volumes). Is it possible? Are there arguments for this? In the same style, the author wrote three more works, "The Seven Lives of Fenelon", "Guerrillas of Intolerance" and "The Lords of the World". (Methodology) to make the inferences in all the works. It is noteworthy and worth the study of these works to better understand the importance of knowing reincarnation before simply saying that a being was so-and-so in other lives.

Could he have been wrong? Yes. However, at least he was conscientious and daring to put his thoughts on paper for others to judge. Still on HCM, "they say" that it is the reincarnation of "Barnabas" at the time of the Apostles, as well as the German scholar, Luther's right-hand man, "Philipp Melanchthon". Will anyone be able to use the HCM method to prove your own reincarnations? They are hypotheses!

However, it is not a topic to be treated in a simple way, but in-depth dedication. Knowledge about reincarnation has serious moral implications, which can present and even clarify tendencies, potentials of the Spirit and problems to be worked on in the present life based on self-knowledge. It should not be treated simply as "so and so was that guy".

A writer or speaker who is convinced in his speeches about reincarnation should be viewed with more caution as it can be rhetorical (rhetorical means “eloquent argumentation.” In context, it means consistency in arguments with erroneous premises).

The soul mate is another example.

As widely said, this theory did not arise in Spiritism, but it appears in one of the most publicized books by the Spirit Emmanuel, a psychographics by Chico Xavier ("O Consolador", FEB).

We rarely use quotes from Emmanuel or get into polemics about Chico Xavier. There is nothing to add about the brilliant work of Emmanuel and the masterful psychographics of Chico Xavier. Although there are differences of opinion, their work is stupendous.

Stunning, but not without criticism. They appear from comparisons.

Some, to attribute angelic superiority to the Spirit Emmanuel, say that he was “a Friendly Spirit” of The Gospel According to Spiritism. Now, opening a parenthesis, it would be important for the Spiritist movement to respect the anonymity of a Spirit when it manifests itself, except when the Spirit itself authorizes the disclosure, as happened with the "blue Spirit" of the meetings of Leon Denis, who was identified as “Joan of Arc”, according to Gaston Luce.

The struggle to identify whom the Spirit Andre Luiz was is similarly unproductive: if the spiritual author used the pseudonym, he had reasons to do so. However, no, some insist in a childish way that Andre Luiz was “Carlos Chagas”, others, like Luciano dos Anjos, were “sure” of being “Faustino Esposel”.

Closing the parenthesis to return to the “soul mate”. The Spiritist Doctrine is clear, through the responses of the Superior Spirits to Allan Kardec, regarding the non-existence of twin souls. Therefore, it can be deduced that Emmanuel “was wrong”. This is perhaps the simplest and easiest answer used by Emmanuel's detractors.

However, at the end of O Consolador, Emmanuel responds, in a solemn and serious tone, with some guidelines that are worth reflecting on.

A reflection concerns the “mediumistic filtering”. We can give rise to the answer being more a proof of the medium's value, than necessarily attributed to the Spirit.

Those who know the fraternal and loving profile of Chico Xavier, averse to lies, can say that he took this responsibility upon himself. This is one point: the medium assumed the fact of having “interpreted” the Spirit's thought in that way. An experienced medium, who is fallible, but whose work is impeccable, preferred to resolve this situation, as if the spiritual author was guiding. It is reasonable, possible and we would not rule it out.

Another point is the spiritual author has already exposed the medium before with cases that, said by Chico Xavier himself, were presented in the form of a lesson. Such as saying, “having two eyes is a privilege”, which could give rise to interpretations of that the Spirit “took the body away”, as if he were a “mundane”, something I think is unlikely.

Yet another possible point of analysis may arise. The “soul mate” theme may be one more of those that the Federation saw fit to “adjust”. Thus, to be more “coherent” with the current thinking, than anything else, as it did with “Brazil, heart of the world, homeland of the gospel”, voluntary or involuntary changes (not known) in chapters, titles of works, evangelical quotes and others, as can be read on the internet.

With this reflection, do you mean that I should “support” the soul mate thesis and Emmanuel's “error”? Not at all. It is clear in Allan Kardec's work that there is no such thing as a soul mate. So, does it mean that I should crucify the Federation that may have been right in this case, despite everything it has already done, as stated on internet? No way.

What you need is to reflect on what is important. Emmanuel's answer when asked about the veracity of a soul mate, points to the complexity of the topic. He "suggests a wider meditation on the trends of the century in the chapter on divorce and pansexualism that the less constructive Science has been throwing in the minds. Even because, with the expression twin souls, we do not want to say ‘eternal halves', and no one, strictly speaking, can rely on the statement to give up on venerable commitments assumed in the redemptive school of the world ...”. Neither crucify Emmanuel nor waste time on the mistakes of the federation: understand the essence of the study.

Therefore, to know Spiritism is to dedicate yourself to what matters: the possibility of promoting the moral transformation that is sought, not to be better than anyone else, but to be happy to have such an important work on this journey to illuminate our journey.

I see many scholars mastering Kardec's works from “A to Z”, true professors. However, on a day-to-day basis, it is people with emotional and spiritual challenges who flagrantly demonstrate that doctrinal knowledge still exists in the field of theory.

Can this change? Without a doubt, by the way, it needs to change! We need to be the first to benefit from doctrinal knowledge, without selfishness, but with the certainty that by applying it to ourselves, we will contribute to changing what we do not like in doctrinal dissemination and in life in general.

Editor's Note:

As it has already been said on other occasions, articles by our collaborators, such as this one placed for reflection by our readers, do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the direction of this magazine. About soulmates, we invite the reader to read what we published in editions 11 and 72 of our magazine, texts that can be accessed by clicking on the links edição 11 and edição 72, respectively.