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NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER 2021
BLESSED – Jesus’ Teachings
Written by Paqui Silvestre
In the East, a Great Teacher walked who taught the need for change in people, where they hastened to meet him, seeking harmony…
Jesus was a before and an after, since he spread teachings by the use of example, humility and charity, in addition to the fact that, wherever he preached, he left with his words a trail of light that made people in need of love change. People ran to meet him to hear his words of hope. He was a gift that filled the soul; his serene voice reached the hearts of souls in need of change…
He encouraged us to treat others as we would like to be treated; to love and forgive those who hurt us if we want to be forgiven; to do good without ostentation; and to judge ourselves before judging others.
Humility and Charity is what Jesus recommends.
And, pride and selfishness are what he does not stop fighting.
However, Jesus does not limit himself to recommending charity, but clearly and explicitly places it as the absolute condition for future happiness.
(Excerpt from article dated 02/24/21, Association of Villena Group Spiritual Studies, Alicante, Spain; Trans. by Yvonne Limoges)
THE WHEEL OF TIME – Book & Streaming
Written by Yvonne Crespo Limoges
A new streaming series started on Amazon Prime called The Wheel of Time.
It is based on a series of 15 books (written over a 20-year period and each is at least 700 pages long). First published in 1990, they were written by Robert Jordan (after he died, the last 3 books were written by Brandon Sanderson). The series is considered one of the best and most popular Fantasy series (especially with young readers) of its time with “90 million sold worldwide”![1] Many more may read them now since the series is on. The books contain a fusion of East and West religious and spiritual concepts within a magical fantasy world of mythologies that the author created. Interestingly, its most important concept is -REINCARNATION.
In the new streaming series, I watched the first 4 episodes, reincarnation is a fact of life and discussed matter-of-factly among the characters.
Spiritual truths and moral ideas are given to mankind by way of intermediaries (generally mediums) who provide information, at different times and different places to communicate a message in a language and manner people can most clearly understand for mankind to progress. New ideas can be contemplated on and little-by-little become more familiar.
All writers are inspirational mediums of a sort, and when the time has come for an idea to be introduced into society for its progress, it comes forth.
GRATITUDE
Written by Antonio Lledó Flor
Gratitude is the permanent expression that we should maintain every day of our life…Gratitude for the life that has been given to us.
Gratitude to those whom we came to earth with, gratitude to those who preceded us and those who begot us. Gratitude for our health and our disease. Gratitude for the world and nature. Gratitude for our trials and atonements. For the setbacks of life, for the difficulties, for the afflictions; and above all for the blessings, for the gifts received, for the talents with which we have been adorned, for the intelligence with which we have been endowed, for the qualities that we incorporate, by the strengths that adorn our character, etc. …
Someone will argue; Why show gratitude in the face of pain or suffering? Because understanding the laws that govern the evolutionary process of the human being, it is easily understood that suffering is not arbitrary, nobody suffers anything that they do not deserve or do not need; except when we inflict pain on ourselves in an act of useless irresponsibility…Frequently, the causes of suffering are debts of a criminal past that we have to settle with the law of divine justice…
Sometimes pain is the reason for a test a spirit itself requests before incarnating to strengthen itself in the face of adversity; to grow spiritually. In these cases, it is a necessity that is due to the lack of certain attributes; and the brave spirit, which understands this, commits itself to such a test in order to advance and conquer those new strengths that will open the door to happiness tomorrow…
When we are aware of the importance of the transcendence of human life, we have to begin by appreciating the opportunity to live it, experience it, enjoy it or suffer it. Chance is ignorance regarding the laws that govern the causes and origin of life and of the human being. There is no randomness, and neither is there of chance…
Friends, family, people around us, etc. should also be objects of gratitude…if we pay attention, they can help us to improve and grow spiritually, sometimes with their disturbing attitudes that put us to the test, and we must know how to interpret this to turn them into tools to support the growth of our internal strengths. How many times does a difficult family relationship become a test of strength, self-sacrifice and resignation?
As long as we know how to interpret the role that each of us occupy, what is our commitment, and the best way to act before the divine laws regarding relationships with our relatives on earth, we can take advantage of the experience to progress internally.
Sometimes humbly accepting difficult relationships, afflictive trials with our loved ones, being an example of resignation, comfort, hope, always supporting…because we understand that they are not only necessary for our progress and spiritual development, but also for those who, together with us, have come to experience and live these situations.
On other occasions, it will happen just the opposite, accepting and thanking the help they give us; a helping hand that upholds us in the face of despair, the love selflessly given who love us and who suffer for us, before our spiritual blindness and self-destructive tendencies, before our ignorance about life and its transcendence.
Life offers us so much that we only have to “pay attention to the miracle of living,” experiencing, loving and suffering, constantly relating to each other, and learning.
(Article dated 09/02/15, Association of Villena Group Spiritual Studies, Alicante, Spain; Trans. by Y. Limoges)
At this time of Thanksgiving let us be grateful for the blessings we have in our lives! - Y.L.
NEW PEW RESEARCH CENTER POLL
Compiled and written by Yvonne C. Limoges
Pew Research Center issued a report dated 11/23/21 on a Survey where U.S. adults (6,485 responded) were asked, what they thought caused suffering and other questions. They could respond however they wanted. Some findings:
Causes of suffering: “Americans largely blame random chance – along with people’s own actions and the way society is structured – for human suffering, while relatively few believers blame God or voice doubts about the existence of God for this reason.”
Other causes: “More than half of U.S. adults (61%) think that suffering exists ‘to provide an opportunity for people to come out stronger.’ And, “two-thirds of Americans (68%) say that ‘everything in life happens for a reason.’”
Reincarnation: “One-third of all U.S. adults say they believe in reincarnation, the idea that people will be reborn again and again in this world. Unlike the pattern on many religious beliefs – including belief in heaven and hell – younger adults (under age 50) are more likely than their elders to report holding this belief. Black and Hispanic adults also are more likely than White adults to say they believe in reincarnation.”
Paranormal Experiences: “About seven-in-ten Americans say it is possible to feel ‘the presence of someone who has died,’ while roughly half say that living people can be helped by those who have passed (51%) or communicate with them in some way (47%). When asked about their personal experiences with the deceased, 44% of U.S. adults say that they have felt the presence of someone who has died, while smaller shares say that they have received help from (20%) or communicated with (14%) someone who has died.”
Survey Reference: https://www.pewforum.org/2021/11/23/few-americans-blame-god-or-say-faith-has-been-shaken-amid-pandemic-other-tragedies/
COMMENTARY:
The spirit teachings accepted by Spiritism provide for a Creator, All Love and of Perfect Justice, that established immutable material laws and spiritual laws that govern the Cosmos.
Also, that we are spirits living a human experience and continue to do so through many material existences so our soul can progress. Material life is a school through which we purify ourselves by challenges/experiences. We are architects of our own destiny by choices we made prior to incarnating in accepting the various types of trials and tests we would undergo, as well as through the choices we make once we are incarnated in the material world. So, the majority of suffering is due to our own choices with a just cause, but the door to redemption is always open through reincarnation.
In addition, while in the material world we are, more or less, sensitive to the spirit world that interpenetrates the material world. Spirit influence on material existence is one of the forces of nature; whether through the wise advice by our spirit protectors and departed loved ones, or by ideas transmitted by troublesome spirits appealing to our lower instincts. We still choose which we listen to and/or act upon. People who are more sensitive, called mediums, have more direct contact with spirits and the spirit world.
In my opinion, the Pew Survey responses reflect similarity to Spiritist concepts (spirit teachings). It found humans and society were at fault [through their choices] for suffering, not God. Many, view “suffering” basically as a good thing, that provides an opportunity for growth and that there was [I’m assuming] a good reason for that. A Third of people who believe in reincarnation did not say why, but maybe the process provided reasons for suffering not found in the present life, or as an opportunity to make amends or the idea of doing things differently in future life sounds appealing.
As for the results of so-called paranormal experiences, I believe people feel they can more freely express what is really a universal and natural experience without too much stigma nowadays.
To Spiritists, these ideas are a universal spiritual reality and innate within our souls (many people have an intuition of these ideas as real but many lack a full comprehension of how it all works).
Yet, as we all evolve in morality and intellect, comprehension of spiritual realities will become more widespread, affecting very differently how Society will live in the material world and how it will view life in general.
INDULGENCE ARISES FROM LOVE
Written by Gloria Quel
In the Lord’s Prayer, we find this request:
“Forgive our offenses, just as we forgive those who offend us.”
That is the message that Jesus left us, a message of love and forgiveness, an attitude that helps us lead a life where the practice of charity is fundamental.
Let us remember that our positive or negative actions will have a similar effect, whether it is in the present incarnation as in future incarnations, since we reap what we sow, because the Law of Divine Justice works for everyone without exception…
It is forgiveness that helps us overcome problems; it prevents us, for example, from unhealthy feelings settling in our hearts, which can complicate our existence if we do not learn to turn the page.
One of the dimensions of forgiveness is indulgence. It is generous and kind, taking care to be tolerant of the negative actions of others…It is a virtue that attracts calmness and serenity, since it arises out of love. Indulgence has a double aspect, one that we direct towards ourselves, and another that is directed towards others; and both are just as important.
The first would be indulgence towards ourselves. How many times do we carry the regret of a wrongful act, the result of which has been suffering, due to harm or pain to our neighbor? Furthermore, if it turns out that the harm inflicted has been to a person within our closest circle, the weight of our conscience is even deeper.
This state of imbalance prevents us from progressing; for we carry a burden that can paralyze us. That is why it is good to know how to forgive ourselves, and the regret we feel serves as a lever that prompts us to do/be better with good will, making it possible to change our negative behavior…
The second would be indulgence towards others. Let us remember that one of the most important functions of forgiveness is forgetfulness, without which the wound does not heal; and another is to help [returning goodness for any wrong we did], because for that help to be whole and fair-minded, we have to be clean of the smallest strands of resentment that our minds and hearts may harbor.
Above all, we must not forget that we all have committed faults that harmed others, and must be repaired. We are on the path of regenerating spiritually, but we still make many mistakes…
We are living in an age where criticism and censorship are public…let us begin to ignore these attitudes that do so much damage and let us try to know how to value the good, the noble, the positive that exists in our neighbor…
Let us put ourselves in the shoes of others, and value and understand their circumstances…
Whoever forgives, frees himself from [negative] ties, since he knows no regrets or bad feelings, obtaining peace of mind and spirit.
One way to help those who offend us, is to ask God for kindness and mercy for them. As well as asking forgiveness for us every time we make a mistake, accepting our guilt and not justifying our actions.
Let us not fall into the selfishness of blaming others for our mistakes or the circumstances that surround us, an attitude that would greatly harm us in our walk on the path that leads us to spiritual transformation.
(Excerpt of article dated 04/16/18, Association of Villena Group Spiritual Studies, Alicante, Spain; translated by Yvonne Limoges)
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This is our last newsletter until January 2022.
Fraternal love and peace to all, and best wishes in the New Year! God bless!
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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