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Aloísio Carlos
da Silva
(photo), a
university
lecturer with a
Master degree in
Education, has
been a Spiritist
from birth. He
was born in the
city of Muriaé,
in Minas Gerais,
bu lives in the
seaside city of
Gurapari, in the
state of
Espírito Santo,
where he is the
president and
founder of the
local Society of
Spiritist
Studies. He is
the author of
many books,
including
academic works.
He agreed to
talk to us about
the subject of
forgiveness and
his newly
published book,
A Terapêutica
do Perdão:
How did you
become a
Spiritist?
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I was first take
to a Spiritist
Centre when I
six-months old.
I became a
passionate
disseminator of
the Doctrine of
the Immortals in
1989, after a
serious crisis
of obsession
(spirit
attachment). I
came out of the
crisis convinced
that I had made
a commitment to
Spiritism before
reincarnating.
In July 1989 I
began making
speeches and
giving lectures
across the
country. In the
year 2000, I had
done more than
1,000 such
speeches and
lectures.
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Why did you
choose the theme
of forgiveness
for your book?
I believe that
in the current
stage of our
spiritual
development, the
main aim of our
reincarnation is
to forgive
others and us.
Our families on
Earth are formed
following a
careful plan
from the
Spiritual World,
based exactly on
the principle of
forgiveness.
Resentment and
guilt have
managed to
immobilise us
through entire
existences.
Overcoming those
feelings eases
our path towards
the light. The
word forgiving
in Portuguese,
perdão,
comes from
Latin,
perdonare: per
meaning
intensity and
donare
meaning giving,
donating.
Donating with
intensity is
what it means,
giving to those
who don’t wish
you well, to
wish well those
who persecute us
and slender us.
That is the
teaching of
Jesus.
Where did the
idea of writing
the book come
from?
It came from a
personal matter
involving the
Spiritist
Movement. The
pain and
disappointment
was so great at
the time. I
talked to
Divaldo Franco,
the medium, who
reminded me that
we all went
through similar
experiences,
starting with
Jesus. In the
Spiritist
Movement, he
mentioned Dr
Bezerra de
Menezes, Chico
Xavier and
others. But I
went through a
painful and very
tough
experience, a
baptism of fire
for those who
are determined
to disseminate
the Gospel
according to
Spiritism.
In the following
chapters, you
mention several
similar cases.
Tell us about
that.
The personal
stories of other
people came up
to my mind, and
I began writing
about them.
Later, I began
mentioning them
in my speeches
and lectures
around the
country.
And what is the
reaction from
the audience?
People empathise
because we are
all, in a way,
very similar.
Some, once they
become aware
that I am a
Spiritist
speaker, come to
me and feel
comfortable to
share their
personal
stories.
How do you
define the links
between
forgiveness,
unbalances,
illnesses and
health?
As I mention in
some of the
chapters, there
is a direct and
immediate link.
Resentment and
guilt bring
about immediate
health problems,
that include
diarrhoea, back
pain,
depression,
anxiety, nervous
problems in
general, early
ageing. They
also lead to the
formation of
diseases such as
cancer, heart
conditions,
breathing
problems etc.
Some of those
illnesses will
follow us beyond
the grave and
will be part of
our next
reincarnation.
What is the
biggest gain for
those who
forgive? And
why?
People feel
liberated,
initially, and
later gain peace
and they achieve
the true joy of
living. It is
like taking
200kg off your
back.
What has been
the impact of
that debate?
It’s been very
big. During the
lectures and
speeches, many
people cry as I
invite them to
go into an
immersion, to
look inside
them. They
discover the
internal “God”
they are and
find out that
forgiving is
possible,
provided they
have the right
tool. The first
edition of the
book sold out
very quickly and
that is the main
reason. People
have recommended
it to their
friends and
relatives.
Tell us a story
that has a
special meaning
to you.
A young
Spiritist left a
book on a table
on his parents’
home. Some time
later, the
father, who was
jealous, was
planning to
throw petrol on
the wife and set
her on fire. As
he waited for
his wife to
arrive from work
and to put into
practice his
plan, he picked
up the book and
began reading.
He of course
gave up the
tragic idea. It
was the father
who told me the
story, in tears.
He is now a
regular at a
Spiritist Centre
and is part of
the team that
feeds soup to
the poor in his
town.
How do we do to
truly forgive?
How can we
achieve that?
First, we must
understand and
accept that
whatever happens
to us is meant
to do us good.
Second, we must
realise that we
are never the
victims. If
something
apparently
negative
happened to us,
we know that at
least we have
atoned. We
should also
learn not to
take things so
personally.
Those who hurt
us have in them
lots of internal
conflicts. That
is why they have
done what
they’ve done,
not because they
dislike us
particularly.
Once you
understand that,
you must really
long to forgive
and to seek
help. To read
Spiritist books
is one way, to
look for
assistance in
Spiritist
Centres,
another. And
also the daily
prayer, which is
very important.
Anything else
you would like
to add?
I have three
passions that
keep me going:
my family
(parents, wife
and my five
children),
Spiritism and
the third is my
job as professor
of Philosophy. I
host a weekly
programme –
www.radioespiritia.net.br
-- which goes on
air on
Thursdays, at
20h00, and is
repeated on
Saturday, at the
same time. In
the programme, I
answer to
questions from
our listeners.
Note:
The book
mentioned is
available to buy
from its
publishers,
Solidum Editora,
phone number
0800 770 2200.
