Américo Canhoto: 

“Health in our country reflects exactly our education in all senses – not good or bad;
just what we deserve” 
 

O Consolador: Have you visited Portugal? 

I went to Portugal in September, 2007 because of the Spiritist Forum in the city of Leiria, invited by Mrs. Isabel Saraiva, a tireless worker of the Spiritist Doctrine in Portugal. 

O Consolador: How has been the Spiritist movement over there? 

The influence of Catholicism is present; people over there still cover Spiritist books. But, people like Dona Isabel have changed a lot the panorama not only in Portugal but in the rest of Europe, where the Spiritist movement is practically non-existent. Spiritism is more and more active in the country. The influence and active participation of FEB, in terms of exchange; it was decisive to keep the movement inside the doctrinal paradigms. Even not being as active as in Brazil, the Portuguese Spiritist movement exports; it is very active in the making of Spiritist communities in Europe and Africa. 

O Consolador: When did you have your first contact with Spiritism? 

Even not being aware of it, I have always been Spiritist. I started having interest when, after suffering a stroke at age 33 (this topic is conducive to talking), I received from a patient a book by André Luiz psychographed by Chico Xavier, entitled “Action and Reaction”. I read it over and over; then I looked to study the books starting by “Nosso Lar”. I was invited by a friend to know the Spiritist Center where he belonged to. I accepted, got to know it and stayed, and soon I became a worker in this Center for 18 years. The Doctrine was one of the many things that I made a fool of myself when it comes to criticize what we do not know. The other one was Homeopathy, which I was so critical about, I read about it, studied and I keep doing this until today. Anxious, I thought Spiritist were people that spoke a lot and acted a little; serious spiritual mistake, the same one that made me leave the Catholic Church, my strong religious berth. After reading all books by André Luiz and Emmanuel, I started studying the Basic Works; then, I fell in love! 

O Consolador: Have you ever managed a Spiritist Center? 

I do not have this profile; and the program of life has collaborated since childhood to create and soon pass it on. In this case, as soon as I got engaged in Spiritism I was forced to live in the country (6 hours traveling – from Mondays to Wednesdays in São Bernardo do Campo and Thursdays through Sundays in São José do Rio Preto). Of course I could not take on any management position. As a task coordinator to keep people active, I feel comfortable. Currently my condition of manager, if we can call it this way, happens at the group “Mãos estendidas” (outstretched hands). 

O Consolador: What institutions have you participated and what kind of experience did you get? 

At the Group of Spiritist Studies Dr. Eduardo Montero from São Bernardo do Campo during fifteen years I participated in several activities: student, pass-giver, lecturer, interviewer, coordinator of the third year of mediumistic development, support work of the spiritual medical staff as a homeopathic doctor, as well as aid to kids at Sister Maria Dolores Day Care. In São José do Rio Preto I took part in the foundation of the Brother Geronimo Spiritist Center: kitchen assistant, lecturer, pass-giver, evangelization, medical care. At the Francisco de Assis Spiritist Center as a lecturer. At the OBA Day Care, of the Basilica Nossa Senhora Aparecida, from São José do Rio Preto, helping kids as a homeopathic doctor. Currently, at the group “Mãos Estendidas” in São Bernardo do Campo I live the experience of a task director focused on people with anxiety problems, stress, depression and panic.

The myriad of tasks in several Spiritist Centers provided a more expanded view of the problems and possible solutions for both needy people as well as the problems involving workers and directors in SC. We try to put observations in articles, lectures and books. 

O Consolador: You develop an extensive work in the Spiritist literature. How many published books do you have?  

Our first book: “Health or disease: matter of choice” was created upon the necessity to offer information to patients that looked to get informed about health, disease and heal that we offered in the office. It took four years of work and the journalist (who had no profit with it) David Garret, editor at Oficina Editorial, turned it into a book. His advice was very important. From this time on I turned writing into a pleasure and there were times that I worked on five books at the same time. From all this mayhem we came out with this project: “Educate for a new world” sponsored by INTEL, published by Editora Ativa of SJRP, and that was the pilot for the project, which sooner did not materialize. I keep on writing; there was this invitation by EBM in Santo André and the topic “The inner reform starts in the crib”. On behalf of Petit we rewrote “Health or disease: matter of choice” that had the name “Health or disease: it’s your choice”, later the book “Getting to the Spiritist Center”, based on the fifteen years of work in interviews plus the experience in offices. Then we had “Who loves, cares”, which main focus is the act of eating as a pedagogical resource. “Little mistakes: big problems” – explores the basis of traditional education: fear, lies, bribe, blackmail and their negative effects in the spiritual evolution and formation of social problems.

There are seven published books, one in the making and many others written, in which we use some parts for articles, and that in proper time can be edited. Of course the publishers who we worked with (and became great friends) depend on the readers to come up with new books and topics. If you liked, say it.  

O Consolador: Tell us a bit about your book “Who loves, cares!” 

We are bound for happiness and perfection in each moment of our evolution. Every instant, life provides us with the necessary lessons. Among them is the main focus of the book: the act of eating. Since our birth to the day that we die we eat a lot and many times – this makes diet into one of the most interesting pedagogical resources for the evolution of our Spirit and also for collective progress. At first sight can look like a book aimed for those who have small kids; but it is, in fact, for the permanent spiritual education of everybody. How can we educate kids if we do not educate adults? Education and instruction are inter-related, but different as we said in the book: Educate for a new world.

In our next existence we will be kids again – our spiritual baggage is never lost. If more aware today, easier will it be to defend better against addictions in a next reincarnation. In the book we selected some aspects about diet to know ourselves – about the physical body – inner reform – citizenship – spiritual evolution...

If someone says: your eating habits have influenced a lot your current struggles in your personal and professional life – we will say that this person is crazy -however the book says so. Everything that looks isolated is, in fact, integrated. We recommend the reading to those who wish to improve the knowledge about themselves to exercise the inner reform simply and efficiently – besides, for those who have kids it is the opportunity to review concepts and recycle paradigms. For the professionals of education who besides offering content like to participate in the moral education of kids, the book can offer ideas to adapt topics in several subjects of the curriculum. Good reading. 

O Consolador: What was the influence of the Spiritist knowledge in the performance of your professional activity as a family doctor? 

It is impossible to separate the content of the Doctrine from real life. My job has been aimed for health. I believe that disease is a lack of education in its true sense and that the definite cure will come from a hard work of self-knowledge and active transformation. These days I got a gift with a sentence by Dr. Shellyana, a spiritual mentor of ours: “Health or disease depends on the degree of conscience”.

I try to participate in my patients’ lives as an external observer able to alleviate sufferings and show ways. But I confess I have made some mistakes, even with good intentions (just like parents and kids): I have spoken too much; showed ways people were not prepared for.

It can sound amazing – but, to prove myself (I am too rational sometimes – quite boring) that the principles of Spiritism, not labels or paradigms, are the reality, most of my loyal patients are Protestant of diverse churches. Some of them became valuable workers in the Spiritist Center.

It is worth it to tell this story. When I first entered into Homeopathy, I set up a scheme of anamnesis (medical history of patients) with the following question: religion. At first sight I did not understand it very well, but I do not know why I kept this question. Today, knowing the religion of the patient is a powerful tool to define the approach and necessary orientation, besides the resources of cure, because obsession is the cause of disease that happens the most.  

O Consolador: Have you ever felt the influence of spirituality as you said the diagnosis of a patient? Are there any curious facts? 

Always. When I do not pray enough, I don’t prepare or value my hunches the results are not the same. You take on a lot of responsibility when you decide to work as a health professional...

Thare are many cases. I’ll tell one of them. There was this lady who suffered for two years from dizziness and nauseas (what made her angry). She had gone to several doctor (she told me some names too) looking for the solution. After all examination with negative results, she was sent to a psychiatrist who prescribed a medicine that cured this in twenty minutes. As soon as I got her sheet I felt something weird; when she came in the room the “mirror effect” made me impatient with her presence. As she was telling me these stories the sensations were growing stronger and soon the diagnosis was clear in my mind: the disease was impatience. Later, in the process, I followed the medical procedures, prescribed the treatment and felt a strong necessity to give the precise diagnosis: - When you try being more tolerant and patient these symptoms will disappear. I confess that I should have reserved this medicine: inner reform, for another opportunity. Another mistake? I still don’t know.

What is needed to say: not always, we will have someone on the other side telling us what to do; our spiritual childhood is in agony: those who have eyes need to see – those who have ears, need to hear. Every doctor has the patients he needs – every patient has the doctor he deserves... 

O Consolador: You used to welcome patients indicated by the Spirit Eduardo Montero. How did this happen? 

Dr. Eduardo Montero is today a disincarnating Spirit, worker of the team of Dr. Bezerra de Menezes – a friend of mine from many Eras who helped me find the way I need to be in this existence through the mediumship of incarnated friends sending through them patients. 

O Consolador: As a doctor and Spiritist, how do you rate health in our country? 

Health in our country reflects exactly our education in all senses – not good or bad; just what we deserve. Those who want something better: get better yourself... 

O Consolador: What can you make of the discussion about abortion? 

Abortion is a crime against evolution. As all crimes, there are more and less serious details, but it is still a crime for the progress of the Spirit. Our excuses to practice it will never change the Law. Unwanted pregnancy is like a disease: lack of education that won’t be corrected with jail or death penalty. People, death is an illusion! 

O Consolador: Your final words. 

For you readers: if you don’t know what to do, love your fellows. The most efficient treatment I found for my diseases: tasks and more tasks. Wasting time and opportunities is a crime that will cost us much anguish, depression, panic and stress.