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Guaraci de Lima
Silveira (photo)
was born in the
Brazilian state
of Minas Gerais,
in the town of
Oliveira Fortes.
He moved to one
of the state’s
main cities,
Juiz de For a,
in 1966. He has
been a Spiritist
since his
childhood.
Thanks to the
support and
education
received at the
Spiritist Centre
“Casa do Caminho”
he has been able
to develop his
mediumship and
study the
Doctrine in a
systematic
manner. Guaraci
is an active
member of the
Spiritist
Movement in the
city. He is also
a member of the
Associação
Espírita Paz e
Amor, a
Spiritist Centre
where he gives
healing and puts
his mediumship
to the service
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of the
community. He is
also a Spirist
speaker and the
author a
published book
of poems and a
collection of
short stories,
both written
through his
mediumship. He
has also written
some 200 plays –
three of which
have been
published. His
answers to our
questions in
this interview
provide us much
needed guidance
on many relevant
issues. |
How did you
begin to write
short stories?
I began writing
them when I was
young. I used to
read them out at
literary
meetings. What I
realised at the
time is that I
enjoyed writing
them. One of
those early
short stories
was titled A
Felicidade
Exited
(Happiness does
exist). It
was well
received at the
time. Later the
theatre came
into my life and
I stopped
writing short
stories. But
eventually I had
the idea of
adapting them to
the theatre. One
of them,
Estranha Caixa
(Odd Box)
was awarded at a
Theatre Festival
here in Juiz de
Fora. Meanwhile,
I was adapting
the other
stories and
setting up the
plays, performed
at local
Spiritist
Centres. I have
more than 120
short stories
written more
recently,
waiting to be
published. They
will become
seven books. The
first of them
has actually
been published:
Destinos,
Marcas e
Respostas –
Contos
Inspiradores
para Elevar a
Alma (Destinies,
Marks and
Answers –
Inspiring Short
Stories to Lift
the Soul).
Another short
story from that
book,
Suarrina,
has also been
taken to the
stage.
Where do you get
your
inspiration?
I just open the
computer and let
it happen. I
don’t prepare
anything, I just
feel the
emotions and the
story just comes
up. I can hear
entire sentences
that I then type
in. That’s how
it has been
lately. My
spiritual
mentors
generally tell
me what type of
story will be
written. I’ve
just written 18
short stories
that will be
published in the
book Tocados
por Ele (Touched
by Him). It
depicts 18
moments in the
lives of
anonymous people
who had some
sort of contact
with Our Master
Jesus during his
incarnation on
Earth. I receive
the proper
preparation to
deal with the
emotions
involved, as the
stories are
really moving.
What has been
the most
interesting
experience from
all your years
in the Spiritist
Movement?
There have been
a number of
interesting
situations. Just
before making my
commitment to
working for
Spiritism, I had
written a letter
to the great
medium, Chico
Xavier. I asked
him to guide me
on how to deal
with my
mediumship.
Chico Xavier
never replied –
at least not
formally. Six
days later, a
man I’d never
met took me to a
Spiritist Centre
that welcomed
me. In the first
day of our open
meeting, I sat
on a chair and
asked to myself,
mentally:
“Jesus, who are
you?” The
meeting began
straight away
and the lady who
was chairing the
meeting, Dona
Isabel, said in
her opening
line: “Jesus is
that brother who
rolls up his
sleeves when he
sees we are in
trouble and help
us walk.” I
realised the
answer was meant
for me. I would
finally be able
to share my life
with the Master
in a more direct
way. Something I
admire in the
Spiritist
Doctrine is its
empiricism and
the opportunity
to understand
more about it as
we study human
behaviour from
all the stages
of human
existence on the
planet.
After decades of
work in the
Spiritism
Movement, how
much do you
think the
Doctrine has
become part of
people’s lives
and thoughts?
I see a mixed
picture. The
Doctrine is very
rich, but few
people want to
dive into this
ocean of light.
Most people
prefer to stay
on the shores.
That reminds me
of Emmanuel,
Chico Xavier’s
spiritual
mentor, who
said: “To begin
with, enthusiasm
is enough, but
more is needed
if one wishes to
go forward.” I
believe,
however, that as
the years go by
humankind will
become
increasingly
aware of
Spiritism, this
wonderful
treasure that
Jesus allowed us
to receive.
How much aware
you are of
spiritual
support while
you are
writing?
I throw myself
at the arms of
the writers in
the Spiritual
World. We have
enjoyed a full,
rich coexistence
since I was a
child and I
began seeing
them. Aged six,
I began speaking
to discarnate
spirits. Now
they are next to
me dictating the
text while I
write. I don’t
do automatic
writing; all the
information goes
through my mind,
where it is
processed. It
flows
naturally.
How do you think
your short
stories will
help people
understand the
meaning of life
and all the
important
connections and
actions behind
it?
Small strokes on
the big canvas
often enrich the
whole picture
and catch your
eye, touching
the feelings of
those who are
able to
appreciate it.
That’s how I see
the short
stories. Brief
moments of
immersion into
something that
happened,
stories; they
can help people
understand the
whole picture
due to their
intensity. Short
stories take the
facts directly
from the sender
to the receiver.
The brain
apprehends a
short story in
an easier
manner, and more
detailed
conclusions can
be drawn by the
reader. It works
in the opposite
way as novels.
They are both
very beautiful
literary
formats. Short
stories take the
message to the
person’s door.
Novels knock on
the door, go in
and even stay
for a drink, for
a glass of fresh
juice.
How did the
theatre come
into your life?
I began writing
plays at the age
of eight, in
1958. I have
always been
passionate about
drama. I have
written dozens
of Spiritist
plays,
children’s
plays, and
corporate plays.
They have been
staged across
the country. I
am now engaged
in directing
educational
plays. I am the
founder of
ART-VIDA –
Educational
Theatre Group.
Some 400 private
and public
institutions
have already
hired us. And
with great
satisfaction I
saw my name
mentioned in a
recent book
about the
history of the
theatre in Juiz
de Fora in
connection with
the first
Spiritist
theatre group of
the city. That
was really
gratifying.
Let’s talk about
lectures and
public speeches.
What reaction
have you got
from the
public?
If there are no
interruptions or
distractions,
people really
manage to focus
on the
information we
provide. But
unfortunately
people still get
distracted
easily. They
follow whoever
comes in or out
of the room with
their eyes. And
bear in mind
that our talks
are not long.
But many come to
me at the end to
ask further
questions. It is
an important
job, enriching
for both those
who listen and
for the
speaker.
What is your
advice to those
who attend open
meetings in
Spiritist
Centres? What do
they need to do
in order to make
the most of the
occasion?
They must
concentrate
fully on what is
being said. The
speaker prepares
his talk and has
a particular
aim, to
highlight some
particular
point. Could you
believe I’ve
already heard
Spiritist Centre
directors saying
that open
meetings, public
talks are
unnecessary?
What a pity!
Whenever I am
not speaking, I
am down there
listening, every
day of the week,
and every single
day I learn
something new.
What I could add
is that
audiences need
to be quieter
and listen more
carefully. That
is the only way
they will be
able to take
that knowledge
to their
day-to-day
problems in the
future, outside
the Spiritist
Centre.
What else would
you like to
add?
That it is
simply wonderful
to be
reincarnated. It
is a glorious
experience to be
an incarnate,
studying the
Spiritist
Doctrine.
Without it, life
gets smaller and
our power to
understand the
world, a great
deal more
limited. I would
like to tell
everyone how
much good
Spiritism has
done to my life.
It made me a
conscious being,
someone who
understands the
need to
Christianise. To
be a Spiritist
is to move away
from the
Christian label
and to begin
working in a
conscious and
harmonic way.
That is how it
should be. I
must express my
deep gratitude
to Allan Kardec,
Chico Xavier,
Divaldo Franco
and so many
others, as well
as the spiritual
benefactors who
work constantly
to help us
achieve
intellectual and
spiritual
progress.
Your final
words, please.
They are words
of gratitude,
especially for
this opportunity
to reach your
readers. May
Jesus give his
blessings to all
your readers.
And I will ask
all the readers
to research,
study,
challenge, ask
questions, come
up with ideas
and suggestions.
Spiritism is the
light that
becomes brighter
as we go deeper,
unlike the dark
tunnels that get
darker and
darker as we
carry on with
our preconceived
ideas and
outdated, arcane
ideas and
actions.
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