Spiritist Society of Florida, September Newsletter 2021
OUR PLANET, OUR HOME
Written by Yvonne Crespo Limoges
Just as we are caretakers and have responsibilities
for and to ourselves, our families, and society, we
are also responsible for the care of all of humanity
and the planet itself. The one affects many and the
many affects the one. We are all “interconnected”
and this has been vividly made clear to be true as
we have seen and felt (and still do) with the
effects of the global pandemic!
Published 9/21/2021 in The Lancet, a study of
10,000 young people (age 16-25) from 10
different countries revealed 59% of them are
“very or extremely worried” and very anxious
about earth’s climate and frustrated with their
government’s slow response in dealing with it. 1
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has
shown her great frustration in pleading to world
leaders to take swifter action. The world’s young
are understandably worried about their future.
World’s climate scientists have been using their
collective voices to warn world leaders for years.
Recently, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration officially declared, based on
global data, that July 2021 was Earth’s hottest
month on record from global recordings that have
been taken since the year 1880. 2
Other types of leaders are speaking out more
clearly than before. On 9/01/21, Pope Francis of
the Catholic Church, Anglican Archbishop of
Canterbury Justin Welby and Eastern Orthodox
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew who
altogether “minister to more than a billion-and-a-
half Christians” worldwide, issued a joint
statement “calling on people of all faiths to take
action to halt the devastating impacts of climate
change.” 3 The Global Muslim Climate Network
established in 2015 continues with its conferences
and declarations to call for proactive change. 4
Also, on 9/07/2021 more than 200 medical
journals (including The Lancet, The New England
Journal of Medicine and the British Medical
Journal) warned in a joint statement, “the rapidly
warming climate is the ‘greatest threat’ to global
public health.” 5
More and more leaders and concerned people
around the world are reaching the conclusion to
think about humanity’s problems and the planet
itself with a global outlook, and that is some
progress. The powers-that-be need to act with
urgency. We are all citizens of the world, and the
planet is our collective home. We have a moral
and spiritual obligation to care for and protect it.
1 https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3918955
2 https://www.noaa.gov/news/its-official-july-2021-was-earths-
hottest-month-on-record
3 https://www.npr.org/2021/09/10/1035653392/pope-francis-and-
other-christian-leaders-are-calling-for-bold-climate-action
4 https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Nonprofit-
Organization/Global-Muslim-Climate-Network-
1093227517434837/
5https://www.npr.org/2021/09/07/1034670549/climate-change-is-
the-greatest-threat-to-public-health-top-medical-journals-warn
LABOR DAY: WORK REEVALUATED
Written by Yvonne Crespo Limoges
In Kardec’s, The Spirits’ Book, the question in item 674
asks: Is the necessity of labor a law of nature?
The spirits responded: “That labor is a law of nature, and
is proved by the fact that it is a necessity, and that
civilization obliges man to perform a greater amount of
labor, because it increases the sum of his needs and of his
enjoyments.”
Nowadays, we speak of pre-pandemic and post-
pandemic times (and post-vaccines). This Labor
Day month, our work and jobs were/are impacted
dramatically and many things related to them may
never be the same again. Below is NOT an all-
inclusive list of changes mentioned on the news,
newspapers, magazines and journals.
First, so many people devastatingly lost their jobs!
So many have suffered terribly with evictions and
homelessness. Some have yet to have income.
Some have moved in with relatives if possible.
Some fear a return to work due to the virus in
general. For some who could keep theirs, they are
working from home for the first time. The service
industry was decimated and still needs workers.
Hiring signs are everywhere. Many, mostly
women, dropped out of the workforce due to lack
of childcare and/or adult care. People started to
home school their children and some are still
continuing to do so, because now they prefer it or
are fearful of their children contracting the virus.
It's terrible that there is an unequal economic
divide between many people with access to
technology to do work versus those who don’t.
Many took the time to reassess their life (many
Americans were working too many hours) and
work options. Many realized that life isn’t all
about more money, they want to LIVE. Some
went back to school. Some changed careers after
losing their job, and many decided to resign the
job they had (the “Great Resignation”) for various
reasons like: lack of job flexibility, low wages,
job burn-out, poor or no benefits and/or lack of
growth, no skills training or no promotional
opportunities. Some decided to stop working
altogether to spend time with family.
Some decided to retire early and file for Social
Security benefits.
Many employees now feel more able to freely
request flexibility for work/life balance (a tug of
war is going on between some employees and
employers regarding in-office and/or work-at-
home options). Also, some employers increased
wages much needed in several sectors.
Since we are still not completely out of the
pandemic (maybe never completely will be) work
life is not the same (with new health protocols,
telework, etc.) and it remains to be seen how and
what work life will be going forward.
****
Work is necessary for the progress of humanity in
all its aspects. As we have evolved intellectually,
our manner of work and types of jobs have
changed due to society-transforming inventions.
Three industrial revolutions changed how we
work: the Industrial Revolution (steam), the
invention of electricity, and the Technology or
Digital Age. A fourth revolution has been coming
and was first discussed by economics professor
Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of
the World Economic Forum in his 2016 book, The
Fourth Industrial Revolution; he states, that with
this new revolution, “new technologies are fusing
the physical, digital, and biological worlds…”
Currently, we have handheld computers (smart
phones) and social media (Facebook, etc.) which
connect us to almost unlimited information and
people. Ongoing research in artificial intelligence,
robotics, nanotechnology, biotechnology, space
science, genomics, quantum computing altogether
will produce jobs beyond our imagination. May
we be spiritually guided so these will be morally
beneficial for all people and safe for our planet.
FACING CHANGE
Inspirationally received by S.P.
Everyone faces change during their lifetime. But
there are times when we cannot accept the change
we are dealing with. Whether it’s physical or
personal or whatever, change happens for a
reason.
Here’s one example: friendships. When one or the
other must go to different schools or move to a
different state/country, there are many ways to
stay connected with each other and still be friends
while living their own lives. Not all friendships
last forever, but for some of them, the strength of
their bond can make it inseparable. And, if
planned, the friends can come together again
anytime in the space between.
Change is a part of LIFE that is constantly in
action, no matter where you go or what you say. If
there is a change you are having trouble dealing
with, don’t always think of it as a bad thing. Some
changes are good, especially if it can make a hard
situation better. Some people think certain
changes makes their lives more miserable, but not
everybody believes that.
At times, change can be more of an opportunity to
move forward and make a positive difference,
rather than staying in the past and trying to redo
what has already been done. Having faith in what
a good change can bring is a powerful thing
because there is always meaning behind it.
So, may those struggling with change and more,
be blessed with the light to see through the
darkness of their judgmental opinions and
negative ways.
Let the good spirits guide the unfortunate and
misunderstood towards understanding, and help
others see change in a more beneficial way.
SPIRIT TEACHINGS – PRAYER
Spirit communication received by
William Stainton Moses (11/05/1839-09/05/1892)
“You know not in your cold earth
atmosphere, so chilling, so repellent to spirit life,
how the magnetic rapport between your spirit and
the guides who wait to bear its petition upwards is
fostered by frequent prayer. It is though the bond
were tightened by frequent use; as though the
intimacy ripened by mutual association. You
would pray more did you know how rich a
spiritual blessing prayer brings…
“Frequently it is the unspoken petition
which is not granted that is the cause of richest
blessing to the praying soul. The very cry, of the
burdened spirit shot forth into the void, - a cry
wrung out by bitter sorrow - is an unknown relief.
The spirit is lightened, though the prayer is not
granted in the terms of the petition. You know not
why: but could you see, as we see, the [spirit]
guardians laboring to pour into the sorrow-laden
soul the balm of sympathy and consolation, you
would know whence comes that strange peace
which steals over the spirit, and assures it of a
sympathizing and consoling God. The prayer has
done its work, for it has drawn down an angel
friend [spirit protector]; and the bursting heart
crushed with its load of care and sorrow is
comforted by angel sympathy.
“This is the magnetic sympathy which we
can shed around those whom we are in close
communion, [it] is one of the blessed effects
which can be wrought by the cry of a human soul
reaching upward to its God…It is the soul that
lives in frequent communion with us that we are
best able to come nigh… To the spiritual soul
come, in richest measure, spiritual gifts…”
+ Imperator
(A teaching on prayer in a communication by a superior
spirit called Imperator from the book Spirit Teachings, on
pages102-103, received by the famous Oxford-educated
British medium who was an active Spiritualist in England)
THE CREATOR
First Cause and Creator of all things
What we call the Supreme Intelligence, the
Creator, or God is not completely knowable by us
at our current level of spiritual, moral and
intellectual development, but the superior spirits
have taught us the following:
The Creator’s Supreme Will is All Powerful.
The Creator is Eternal, Unique, Totally Perfect,
and All Love.
The Creator Knows All things: past, present, and
future, and from the smallest to the greatest of
things.
The Creator is Supremely Just and Good.
The Creator’s Works can be seen in the
harmonious order and beauty of Creation.
The Power and Wisdom of the Creator is
manifested in Creation.
The Supreme Intelligence created Universal Laws
to govern the Cosmos.
Nothing occurs unless it is permitted by the
Supreme Intelligence; for the Supreme Will
continues to exert influence upon all planes of
existence
The Creator created the spirit world, the material
world, and the universal fluid [this last one
permeates and acts as an intermediary between the
two]
The Creator created spirits (or souls) that are the
intelligent principles of the Cosmos. The superior
spirits state: “They were created in a state of
simplicity, ignorance, and with freewill so as to
receive the merit of their own deeds. They were
given a mission, with a view to enlighten
themselves and gradually arrive at relative
perfection by gaining knowledge of the truth that
would bring them closer to knowing the Creator.
This relative perfection is a condition of eternal
happiness for them. All spirits eventually come to
this state.”
(Information from Kardec’s The Spirits Book – First &
Second Book, Chapter I)
Note: Purifying ourselves of all materiality and
practicing unconditional LOVE in its purest form is
how we eventually reach closer to comprehension of
the Creator. It can be said that the Omnipotent Creator
demonstrates Unconditional Love, Beneficence, and
Solicitude towards us that can be seen and expressed,
through and from, the morally superior spirit
messengers, who are sent to assist, protect, inspire, and
communicate with us to further our intellectual,
spiritual and moral progression. - Y.L.
PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO SUFFER
Dear God of infinite goodness, please soften the
bitterness of those who suffer. Good Spirits, we
beseech you to help sustain them in their
afflictions.
If it is not in their interest to be spared this
suffering, make them understand that it is
necessary for their progress.
Give them confidence in God and the future,
which will make them less bitter. Also give them
strength so that they do not give themselves up to
despair. Conduct our thoughts to them so that
these may help them to maintain their courage.
AMEN
**************************************
Edited by Yvonne Crespo Limoges, Director
E-mail: ylimoges@aol.com
Spiritist Society of Florida (est. 1982)
5042 22 Avenue North
St. Petersburg, Florida 33710
Website: www.spiritistsocietyfl.com
