José Lázaro Boberg: 

“The universe conspires
in our favour”

The well-known Spiritist writer and researcher talks in this interview about his book Peça e Receba (Ask and You Will Be Given)
 

	In his book Peça e Receba (Ask and You Will Be Given), our interviewee this week, José Lázaro Boberg, discusses the idea that the universe conspires in our favour. Boberg was born in a Spiritist family in Jacarezinho, in the southern Brazilian state of Paraná. He still lives in the town, where  he works as  a  volunteer in two Spiritist
Centres and as a public speaker. He is the author of 15 books.  Why did you choose this title for your book, Peça e Receba, or Ask and you will be given?

That is a universal truth. But our immaturity leads us very often to “leave it in the hands of God,” with us remaining in a dolce far niente. However, each one of us should build our own spiritual portfolio through our own effort. When Jesus recommends (Matthew 7:7) that we pray and ask, he was not talking about an individual God, but about men. What he is proposing, in fact, is the proper use of the laws of the mind. People have misunderstood that and taken it as an Aladdin lamp, with God giving you anything you ask for. But this is about mental power and persevering in our goals. If we do that, our thoughts will build our destiny. The Book of Proverbs 23:7, in the Old Testament, says: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he”. When we really aim to achieve something, it is not enough to ask for it in our minds. We need to work towards achieving it. It is not about repeating mechanically something without any emotional power. We should pay attention to the words of Jesus when he warned us not to make use of vain repetitions. 

And how does that fit in the Divine Laws? 

We live under the Laws of the Universe and we need to adapt to them in order to progress. Nothing will happen without our free will. We all have equal access to an endless power and we are all guide by the same laws. It is what is known as law of attraction. All that happens in life is the result of images created by the mind, by people. We have the power to attract whatever we think about. 

Can we, through our efforts and prayer, achieve what we aim for? 

Oração is Portuguese for prayer. It can be understood as orar (to pray) + ação (action). Prayers are projects that we put into our minds with the aim of realising them. It is like a seed that we keep under our custody for future germination. We have the power to create something good as well as bad. Faith is important and we can understand it as “positive thought”. We must understand, however, that the Natural Laws, the Laws of God, do not change in order to fit in particular cases. Prayers, in this context, provide the hope and comfort to know that our goals will be achieved if we persist. But each one of us will only receive from the Universe according to our capacity and what we have done. That is what Jesus taught us. 

Why does the same logics apply for good and evil? 

Many ask why God allow bad things to happen in the world. Well, everything is allowed because human beings do what they want, they have free will, and spread wars in the same way they spread good deeds. And God allows man’s will to be realised. The Supreme Intelligence of the Universe acts within the Law. The fire can be used either to cook and to forge the iron or to destroy a forest. But once our conscience awakens, we get the burden of responsibility. And that is why the Spiritual Benefactors have told us in the codification of Spiritism that people only become unhappy when they move away from the Natural Laws. 

How can we educate and direct our thoughts the right way? 

In evolution, everything is conquered, not is given for free. We need to work hard on it and persist. The materialisation of our wishes is linked to our will. We need to foster good thoughts, being constantly aware of the Law of Action and Reaction. Let us try to keep positive thoughts and we will be promoting our health and happiness. 

One of the chapters in your book is entitled “The effect of religion on health”. Tell us a bit more about that. 

Scientific studies have proven that religious faith is a healing factor, as they help people act with confidence and in a balanced manner. That helps traditional medicine achieve its aims. In the book, I say that more than 90% of doctors understand that spiritual factors are an important part of our health. 

In another chapter, you say that positive thinking does work… 

When the bible says that your heart will be shaped by the way you think, it means that your thoughts will become the expression of your life. The mind is the basis of all life. When I say in the book that prayer can change your life, I highlight the importance of cultivating good thoughts. The universe can conspire in our favour or against you. The choice is yours! The Laws of Universe are in a dormant state within our conscience. In order to get in harmony with the Laws of the Universe we need to train ourselves to think positive all the time. This is not a vain, empty promise. It is a new attitude towards life, to transform our mental routines into healthy ones. 

Would you like to highlight any of the personal stories you tell in the book? 

The main aim of this book is to highlight the importance of thought in our lives, showing that true prayer is the expression of our mental creations. We should not stick to the habit of repeating formulaic prayers. We should create our own prayers. As Allan Kardec said, “the format is worth nothing, thought is everything”. I hope that this book can help readers dig deep into their thoughts and put into practice what Jesus proposed: “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith”. (Matthew 21:22)