Breno Ortiz Tavares Costa: 

“The Spiritist Teachings are a safe lighthouse that guides us”

The Spiritist researcher from the Brazilian state of São Paulo talks about his book on depression and the results its readers have achieved in tackling one of the main illnesses of our times

 

	Breno Ortiz Tavares Costa (photo), a Federal Judge, was born in a Spiritist family in the city of Marília, where he still lives. He published a few months ago a book entitled Depressão – O que fazer? (Depression – What to do about it?). In this interview he talks about the book and the positive feedback he has been getting from readers:
When and how did you have the inspiration to write about depression?

I was inspired by the Spiritual Benefactors to write the book, during the moments of prayer. I was often inspired to write self-help messages, focusing on the problem of depression. Eventually, I came into strong pressure to go beyond the messages and produce a practical guide to help people who suffer from depression. Also, in my work as a volunteer at the Spiritist Centre Núcleo Espírita Amor e Paz in my hometown I was often asked to provide guidance to people who were depressed. The advice I always gave was based on the texts I was writing and the results were amazing. 

Where did you look for the references used in the book? 

I was inspired mainly by the books of the Spirit, André Luiz. His collection of books on the life in the Spirit World contains valuable information about the other dimension of life. It also teaches us how to carry out our inner reform. In each of the books André Luiz brings us new information, which, once processed and properly analysed, play an important role in our pathway towards Spiritual development. 

How did you include the books of Allan Kardec – the codification of Spiritism – and the Gospel of Jesus in your work? 

Spiritism came to teach us that the Spirit progresses once it changes its mental habits. That leads us towards inner reform. Also, Spiritism explains the message contained in the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a rational manner, enabling us to change our mental vibrations. We are what we think and the type of thoughts we have determines in which sea of vibrations we will sail. The Spiritist Teachings are a safe lighthouse that guides us through that. 

What has been the public’s reaction to your book? 

The feedback has been very positive. It is a light and practical book, which makes it easy for everyone to grasp the message it conveys. There is no big secret in the book, but it shows us how to take the principles of Spiritism into our daily lives, paving the way for a good life quality. If you put into practice the 10 steps described in the book, it is impossible for you not to feel a considerable improvement in your life. Once we learn how to adjust to the light form of energy we realise it is very powerful. After all, the light pushes the darkness away. 

Is there any particular case you would like to share with our readers? 

Yes. Someone came to me to buy my book and said she was suffering from severe depression. After a while, she came back to me saying she had not felt any improvement. Chatting with her, I realised she had only put into practice 5 of the 10 practical steps recommended in the book. I told her of the importance of following the 10 steps, as each one of them has strong roots in the core works of Spiritism and the lessons of André Luiz. All of them are very important in the fight against depression. A few weeks later I found out that she was getting positive results and had even bought another copy of the book to give as a gift to another friend. I must highlight the fact that I do not earn a penny from the sales of the books. All the money goes to an NGO, Semear Marília. The main message I have for those who buy the book is that Spiritism lights up our daily lives and sets the right conditions for the battle against depression. Every single person who adopted the 10 steps overcame depression or at least felt a marked improvement in their lives. 

How do you feel about the success of the book? 

I feel good that I have been able to help so many people overcome what many people describe as the illness of this century. I expected to be able to help others, but I did not expect to help so many people in such a short period of time. My feeling, hence, is of joy and gratitude to the Spiritual Benefactors for giving me the opportunity of being useful to so many people. 

Tell us about the blog you have and the research you are carrying out at the moment. 

The site I manage is www.avidanomundoespiritual.com.br, which is accessed by about 1,000 people every day. It has messages dictated to me by the Spirits, messages of great Spiritual Benefactors such as Emmanuel and André Luiz, as well as articles, videos, courses etc. 

Is there anything else you would like to add? 

I would just like to thank you for the opportunity of publicizing my book, which is aimed solely at helping other people.