MAY NEWSLETTER 2024 THE CREATOR The Supreme Intelligence, the Creator is First Cause of all things; for something cannot have come from nothing. The Creator is not completely knowable by us at our current level of spiritual, moral, and intellectual development. Spirit communications throughout the centuries have provided some attributes of what we can understand: The Creator’s Supreme Will is All Powerful and Supremely Justly and Good. The Creator is Eternal, Unique, and Totally Perfect. The Creator Knows All things: past, present, and future, and from the smallest to the greatest of things. The Creator’s works can be seen in the harmonious order, complexity, sublimity and beauty of Creation. The Power and Wisdom of the Creator is manifested in Creation and in the Universal Laws that govern LIFE (material, moral, spiritual). In addition, the Supreme Intelligence continues to exert influence upon all planes of existence. It would be illogical to assume that the Creator would cease to be active. The Creator created the spirit world, the material world, and the universal fluid (this last permeates and acts as an intermediary between the two worlds). The Creator created spirits (souls) - the intelligent principles of the Cosmos: They were created in a state of simplicity and 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 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. THE CREATOR IS LOVE The Omnipotent Creator provides 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 spiritual and moral progression and evolution. Purifying ourselves of all materiality, advancing in knowledge AND in our capacity to love and to practice it, in its purest form is how we eventually reach comprehension and nearness to the Creator. (Summary of information compiled by Y. Limoges from The Spirits' Book, Chapter I) NOTE: Theories of anthropomorphism, pantheism and panpsychism are NOT compatible with all of the above. WE ARE NOT GODS 2 Spiritist Society of Florida, May Newsletter 2024 Inspirationally received by Julie L Harper Some people believe that each person is God-like or divine! They base this upon the fact that we can create. Some say that we co-create with God. However, the Creator, First Cause, eternal and total perfection, created the Cosmos which includes us. We, all humans (spirits) are imperfect. How can anyone compare themselves as being equal or co-equal?   Surely all people hold the spark of love within their hearts and have an idea of right from wrong. Yes, we have free will to create, but we prove our imperfection through the many acts of moral mistakes. Human flaws cause wrongful choices.  Earth is a place designated for personal and collective growth; trials and tribulations are appointed to encourage correction. We are ever developing spirits.  And, no human being (or spirit) exists without the need and sole responsibility for their personal betterment.   However, we can try at the very least for now, to emulate one who was sent on a Divine mission by the Creator, which is to strive to model the traits of Jesus, an already superior spirit, in order to progress and one day exist in easier conditions. The world could be a better place if we would all aspire to gain the virtues of at least this spirit, who was so superior that some people thought he was a god.  Yet, Jesus always spoke of – God as the Father, and that we all are His children. Glory be to God!  THE CREATOR “The intelligence of God is revealed in its works, as is that of a painter in his picture, but the works of God are no more God Himself than the picture is the artist who conceived and painted it.” Allan Kardec YOU HAVE INFINITY BEFORE YOU Spirit communication received by Yvonne C. Limoges Your scientists have shown you pictures from their telescopes that give a very small glimpse into the immensity that is the universe, for it goes on and on… Think of a barrier, and what would be behind it? Such is INFINITY! Your minds cannot fully comprehend it. Your soul should be viewed the same… Created and developing, learning, and passing through various stages…in all aspects of intellectual, spiritual, and moral levels. Looking only at your present lifetime situation is to block out the infinite lives you will have in your future, and to forget those myriads of ones you have already had in your long, distant past. You have lived more than a thousand, upon thousands of lives, and the one you are in now, is but a blink in the eye of eternity! Yes, your actions/non-actions in the present affect your future life and lives. However, do not become despondent that this life is so full of sorrow and pain, or you have not fulfilled an intimate ambition, or that your situation is tragic or sad. You already have had many times fame and power; been wealthy and destitute; different genders, and of different social classes; and, had many occupations, etc. You have experienced much!! Only a portion of who YOU are is revealed in this life; what you needed and what you chose. For there is knowledge you have, now withheld from you in this material life (so you may learn and develop in other areas). When you return to the spirit world, all in good time, your spirit retrieves its memory full of past lives, experiences and knowledge from ages past! Therefore, put your life’s woes and material pleasures into perspective. Try to be tranquil, a good person and learn your life lessons. Use what resources you have to better yourself and to help others, as you are able. When one knows the soul lives an eternity, one can try to be more at ease in the present life. Be grateful; enjoy the blessings and joys you have. Support the trials and tests you yourself have chosen because they are of such short duration when compared to the spiritual horizon of the infinity before you! INFLUENCE OF LOWER LEVEL SPIRITS 3 Spiritist Society of Florida, May Newsletter 2024 Written by Fermín Hernández Hernández As we understand more and more, our daily actions are conditioned by various factors, both material and spiritual. Not only can we be influenced by what reaches us through the material senses, but we are also exposed to the influences of the spiritual plane. Because? Very simply, human beings share space with all those beings that vibrate in the same condition as us. We are not alone; we are surrounded by countless aspects that, although we do not see them, we can be influenced without even realizing it. Just as we are creators and transmitters of thoughts and feelings, which become actions, we are also receivers of thoughts and feelings that can be similarly transmuted into actions. This does not mean that we are puppets for those beings who are no longer here, who have already left for the spiritual world; but it does mean that we can attract by affinity all those who have not yet found their place, who feel attracted to a large extent by the material plane and do not want to march towards the spiritual plane that corresponds to them by evolution, to continue progressing. This is where the amount of control and degree of spiritual balance that we have achieved plays a fundamental part. The spirits, once free of their material envelope, remain the same as they were on earth… The spirits that have acquired a degree of evolution immediately understand the purpose of coming to earth, and once their earthly existence is completed, they acknowledge when they have to leave the terrestrial sphere, to go to their new spiritual home… Each one, according to his or her merits and the degree of perfection acquired, goes to one plane or another, to which it corresponds. But those who are highly materialized, full of selfishness and other moral imperfections, remain drawn to the earth, to the places where they feel more or less comfortable due to their material tastes and appetites, vices and social tendencies. Apart from this, they look for "like-minded" people whom they can easily dominate, to use them by their influence, through their feelings and thoughts. Those who are smokers will look for those who like that habit, because in part they find a minimum of satisfaction in what smokers emanate. This is the case with those who like alcohol, or any other vice or habit. The point is not to feel alone, to seek out those who are incarnated, to continue clinging to the material plane and continue their vices and material passions. Likewise, there are those who look for any way to harm all those with whom they do not sympathize, and what is worse, they seek to quench their thirst for hatred and revenge with those who they consider have caused them some harm, of any kind, or who they believe that harmed them in their life on earth, or towards those they have felt envious of, or those they consider their enemies, etc. The fact is, all these very slightly evolved spirits [ignorant] in the moral aspect, have not acquired the capacity to understand and forgive, so take justice into their own hands… To understand this type of situation and relationship that can be established between incarnated [humans] and [spirits] disincarnated, we must know that there is a universal law - the law of vibration, or law of affinity or attraction, which is what governs all these phenomena that we are experiencing; it has logic and wisdom, like everything created by God. We cannot escape this law, neither the incarnated nor the disincarnated. Just as on earth we associate and meet with others with the same preferences and hobbies, the same thing happens in space [spirit world], each one is in the place that corresponds to their degree of evolution… This is due in many cases to the great difficulty many people have, who have fallen into some vices and earthly passions, and to be able to free themselves and rehabilitate themselves, since they have to fight on the one hand against that weakness and illness that they have contracted, and at the same time, with those hidden enemies [spirits] that with all their strength stimulate with their mental power to not give up said habits, preventing any reasoning and the listening to the good advice that is received from family, friends and even the doctors themselves… In some [very serious and stubborn] cases, well- coordinated spiritual work for an obsession may be necessary, carried out by those groups [best done with mediums trained in this work] that have the necessary preparation and strength. 4 Spiritist Society of Florida, May Newsletter 2024 Being free consists of breaking many chains. We cannot be free if we are tied to countless vices, passions, bad habits and moral imperfections, starting with selfishness and materialism… [including such feelings of continuing negativity, apathy, resentment, jealousy, envy, hostility, etc., etc.] Precisely, many people who lack self-control and an awareness of the repercussions of their actions, take advantage of the right to freedom to do what they want, whenever they want, as they say…without realizing that they are NOT free at all, but slaves to themselves and prisoners of their own consciousness and irresponsibility. [they will eventually suffer the consequences of their behavior] That is why we have to pay close attention, be alert to the thoughts and feelings that we harbor inside us, and those that we in turn receive. We are like antennas, emitting and receiving, and unfortunately, the spirits that are in our common space, many that are intelligent, play with the advantage that we do not see them, and if we are weak and do not have firm intentions of wanting progress, and work towards our moral improvement, we can be easy prey for them. On the other hand, if we know how to reject them [by generating good thoughts and good moral conduct], and using our willpower, they will eventually get tired and look for others with whom they are more "in tune" with. When we allow spirits of a lower level to exploit our defects, we abandon ourselves, we forget the life plan with which we have come to earth with. We waste opportunities as important as being able to set our own goals and have countless positive experiences. Let's attract the help of morally higher spirits, so that they inspire us, strengthen us and infect us with their desire to love and to progress. We have two options, which one do we choose? (Excerpts from 06/24/15 article, translated into English by Yvonne C. Limoges) from the Spiritual Studies Group Villena Association in Alicante, Spain. www.amorpazycaridad.com) STAY THE COURSE Spirit communication received by Yvonne Crespo Limoges We are all eternal souls on a journey through the cosmos; and although chaos may seem to be all about us, what truly matters is our own moral and spiritual progress in the midst of it. This is determined by how we act and react to all of life circumstances; whether for good or not, whether we learn lessons or not, whether we make efforts towards goodness or not. Try not to let mundane or selfish things distract, confuse or obstruct your path forward. Try hard to stay the course… always keeping in mind the true purpose of material life – moral progress – in all its aspects and use it as a guideline for your conduct. What is most important is always enlarging our feelings of caring, compassion and love. How much we can unconditionally love, reveals our core level of morality. Our capacity for ever- increasing our love and acting on it, is what morally and spiritually progresses us. Keep your courage, your spirit guides are with you and through knowledge and love, head towards the Divine Light! EARTHLY DUTIES – Our world is full of suffering, but the trials and tests scrub away the impurities from our very souls. When we return to the spirit world, we will see how much lighter we are from the many burdens we have carried, and how less sorrowful we feel, if we carried them successfully. Let’s make our amends, fulfill our duties and missions! May our spirit guides be ever by our sides! Y. L. ***************************************** Edited by Yvonne Crespo Limoges, Director Email: ylimoges@aol.com Society of Florida (est. 1982) 5042 22 Avenue North St. Petersburg, Florida 33710 Website: www.spiritistsocietyfl.com