What is Jesus doing?

 By Valdir Aguilera

It has been more than two millennia since Jesus last came to earth. Narratives of his passage are full of mistakes, legends and lies. You already knew this, you can tell me, what I want to know is what he is doing now. That is what this article will tell you.

It will be very instructive, as we will see, to know first what he did before his last coming.

School-worlds exist for spirits to promote their paramount task of evolving to ever higher levels. They start in the most deprived conditions of resources, such as their attributes and faculties, and gradually develop and improve them. Jesus also went through these situations. For example, there was a time when he didn't even know how to use his reasoning well. Or did he never go through this, because he is a privileged spirit?

Not at all, for Universal Intelligence there are no protections or preferences of any kind. All spirits have to face the same problems and know how to take advantage of the lessons that a school-world offers.

It was then by Jesus' own efforts that he reached the high spiritual levels in which he is now. Many spirits have gone through the same experiences that Jesus went through. And others, like ourselves, are still following similar paths.

Does it mean, could you ask, one day will I be Jesus? No way, every particle of the Universal Intelligence is unique. There is only one Jesus; has not existed and will never exist another like him. What will happen is that all of us will reach, whatever the cost, the level where Jesus is now.

If there is much to learn and improve here on Earth, there is much more to be learned in the vast upper space where there is a wider field to achieve greater evolution. This is what Jesus is doing, and he is diaphanizing more and more his fluidic body.

Wishing well to life

By José Rodrigues da Silva

Fundamentally important to earthly civilization is the school that is concerned with the integral education of man, teaching him not simply to live, but to wish well to life. Wishing well to life leads the individual to remain in his position of honor, never turning away from the struggle to achieve the most admirable results. Highly aware of his responsibility, he doesn't allow the disturbances of the physical world to overwhelm his spirit, and the latter, then, is always full of strength to face the multiple difficult situations, so common in today's world. Any perturbation alters the quintessential of life, deeply disfavoring the success of a work, and only a basic resistance on the part of the bewildered individual can lead him back to normal situations.

Men and women have not come into the earthly world to distill thoughts at odds with the determinations of the natural laws of the Universe; nor to practice actions that convert life into a tragedy harmful to themselves, their fellow men, or a social group. Whoever harbors in the spirit the disastrous enemies of human happiness suffers from some kind of psychic imbalance and, although he may resort to many subterfuges, he will make disappear in his person the prominent strength, found only in characters of perfect psychic capacity; it is in perfect psychic balance that man sets a goal, traces it out and executes it always full of enthusiasm and joy, in the hope of reaching the capital importance of his passage through this planet.

The purpose of spiritual education is to lead man to appreciate his passage (through this world). Christian Rationalism, the spiritual philosophy disseminated in Christian Rationalist houses, does nothing but work intensely to see energetic, original and fruitful men and women in this world, in all the activities of earthly life. We can already see that Christian Rationalism, today with branches and correspondents spread throughout various cities of Brazil and abroad, is a school established on planet Earth with the sublime mission of transmitting to human beings the conditions indispensable to the complete interlacing of each one of us, among the laborers of progress, above all because they know how to combine the integrity of character with the capacity to produce or to accomplish.

What does it matter difficult moments to the human being if he is really a lover of work, if he is always with his mind turned to the good quality of his accomplishments, dispensing to the individual work all the effort required by the most varied circumstances, without taking into account any idea of sacrifice? To wish well to life is to bathe oneself in the practical and objective lessons of the authentic art of living, which by the way is the most difficult of the arts, and only through a deep analysis within oneself can one understand that the incarnation of the spirit has as its main objective the improvement of oneself. With this improvement it reinforces its moral values, eventually reaching the extraordinary condition of being good as much as possible, whatever the circumstances it faces.

If many pass through life but do not really live, this occurs because of a lack of substantial knowledge, such as that disseminated by Christian Rationalism, a spiritual philosophy which considers very frivolous the fact that a person feels life only in its mortal and transitory aspects; it is in these aspects of life that the negligent move away from the very high purpose of their passage through this school-world, where the incarnated is never spared from facing the hardest experiences until reaching the faithful understanding that they are all indispensable to the gradual development of each individual. Undeniably, these experiences prepare the spirit to make good use of every opportunity to raise the character to the highest possible level.

In codifying Christian Rationalism, Luiz de Mattos stated, with all the strength of expression, that no one can escape from seeking, in the expressive fulfillment of his individual work, the satisfaction of living. If he expressed himself that way, to wish well to life is not to waste time, it is not to discard opportunities to distinguish oneself in the cultivation of everything that is useful and pleasant in the broadest sense of life. When well aware of his own strengths, man is not frightened at any time, even when he finds himself surrounded by the most tremendous adversities, because, above all, he has learned to make immediate use of all his moral attributes, a fact that makes him increasingly capable of turning the most unfavorable situations into favorable ones.

Politeness preserves love

By Olga Brandão

If it is fair to blame difficult children or teenagers for their lack of effort and self-control, it will be honest to share the responsibilities, although without saying that they have not found someone who can captivate them, understand them and guide them.

To guide, more than a function, is a duty. The child brings an irreplaceable purpose and needs help to conquer and develop it. Education is an arduous task (...). What counts in life is not just culture, but spiritual progress revealed through qualities, feelings, attitudes and habits.

Everything that is acquired in this world comes through intuition. But good intentions depend on an certain environment (people and things) where there is agreement, mutual understanding, order and tranquility. Parents who understand each other, enough to appreciate and cherish each other, provide their children with free development. The child and adolescent need an environment that favors the satisfaction of their interests and values.

Although parents feel love for their children, there is not always mutual friendliness and kindness, because psychological factors are part of living together. The call to such factors is the solution to such a difficult problem: to make the child or adolescent a truly human being.

Love is nourished with kindness and affection. If there are children who can do without it, with no excessive harm because they are more evolved, it should not be forgotten that the call to their sensitivity is the only way to educate. But using sensitivity does not mean abandoning authority.

If you look closely, you will always find an affective imbalance in the difficult child. Reciprocal aggressive attitude of parents (violence, anger, revenge, stubbornness) provokes the child to repeat the mistake.

Becoming affectional in order to understand one's children is not a demonstration of weakness, but a conquest of ascendancy and esteem. The less aggressive and depressive the way parents and relatives act, the less belligerent will be the child's or adolescent's way of acting. It is good for parents to understand that their reciprocal disagreements disturb the development of their children, who, later, perhaps will not be able to understand the reason for their weaknesses and flaws so harmful to material and moral progress.

There is nothing more contradictory than looking at the effect of individual flaws without researching the cause. To judge the children responsible for all the failures is a mistake. What is innate in a child, is related to what the outside influences made of him/her. However balanced the child may be, he or she will not be able to grow, progress and be harmoniously transformed in an environment, where there is no harmony. The child's aggressiveness may be enclosed in psychological needs, in character reactions or in his/her authentic personality, but education has no other purpose than to prevent and cure the error.

The preventive principle consists in countering the child or adolescent from becoming difficult or more difficult than it is, providing mutual understanding, appealing to their sensitivity in order for them to feel appreciated. If the results are not very satisfactory, the only way is to expand the environment, making it more accessible and invigorating.

An invigorating environment means neither material comfort nor the satisfaction of all wishes: hard tests harden the character and fine tune the sensibility. An invigorating climate is what provides experiences that awaken acceptance of order and discipline for a better life, which instills the notion of rights and duties and promotes effort as a helpful agent. 

There is no lack of opportunities in the family to educate for the responsibility in obtaining autonomy, to fight aggressiveness, for the cultivation of politeness, for the preservation of love.

Paternal examples speak louder

By Humberto Rodrigues

Many people who study spirituality do not understand why they need to have patience with those who think differently, even if they experience the same problems, as is common in the family environment.

Human beings have their own personality. Each one has their own evolutionary background; they have brought from previous existences of the spirit, tendencies that need to be modified for the better. Parents who are unaware of this spiritual reality are almost always intolerant of their children. Even giving them equal education, they do not understand why they think and act differently from each other.

The way to educate children must be adequate to each one's personality. However, paternal examples always speak louder. Even if sooner or later they go through difficulties because they do not follow what their parents have guided them, the model lessons they have received from them will be etched in their minds. The consciousness will charge them with this knowledge, indicating the correct path to follow.

Therefore, we advise them to be understanding with relatives who do not think in the same way. It is part of life on this school-planet, where no one is the same. One can find someone who thinks alike or acts similarly, but equality of conduct does not exist.

It is necessary to have understanding with people who have heterogeneous mindsets. To do this, to a very great degree one must study spirituality, starting by studying oneself, to discover flaws and weaknesses, because no one is perfect in this world. Many like to put their finger on their neighbor's wound, but they forget their own or do not want them to be touched by others.

Before criticizing or recriminating someone, look inside yourself, make a general study of your personality. Certainly, the understanding of other human beings will be different, because there will be a more tolerant critical view. Therefore, we are always proposing to get yourself enlightened. Our insistence may seem dull, but it is the pure reality of life. To study spirituality is to look at people with greater understanding, with good will, to try to see them always better, even if it is through elevated thoughts and not just words, because good thinking has a great influence on human behavior.

Therefore, get along with each other, so that you can understand and tolerate your fellow human beings.

Do you know what the inferior astral is?

Do you know what the inferior astral is?

By Valdir Aguilera

Those who study the Christian Rationalist philosophy know what the inferior astral is. Do they really know? Perhaps they do. Even so, there are some aspects that may be unknown to them. Shall we review this subject?

When we talk about inferior astral it is common to come to the mind evil spirits that provoke discord, bring disharmony, interfere in people's lives and cause damage to both physical and psychic health. Yes, inferior astral is that, and much more. We need to extend this concept.

To begin to broaden our knowledge on this subject, let us take into account that inferior astral has existed on Earth for millions of years, even before there were human beings here. What do you mean, would it be spirits of animals? You may ask. And we answer with another question: since when animals have spirits? Let's remember that the force that acts in the various realms of nature only passes to the category of spirit when it begins to animate the body of a human being. However, leaving aside this detail, your doubt makes sense as we will see.

The inferior astral exists even before any manifestation of life here. To be able to understand this statement it is necessary to keep in mind that the transformations that occur in the Universe now, have always occurred before and will continue to occur in the future.

Currently there are millions of galaxies, and many others in formation. Each one of them contains millions of stars (suns), many already with their own planetary systems. The solar system is one of them, contained in the galaxy called the Milky Way.

While a solar system was forming there were no living conditions on any of its planets. All of them, however, already had their own fluidic atmosphere. You might hastily conclude that in an atmosphere there would already be conditions for life. We must point out that we do not speak of a gaseous atmosphere like ours, we speak of a "fluidic" atmosphere. What is the difference? you may ask. Let's answer.

Every planet is surrounded by fluidic matter that defines vibrational fields of various categories. These fields penetrate the planet and extend into space far beyond its physical dimensions. In fact, the aura is one of the effects caused by these fields. The Sun itself is enveloped by fields like these, and has its aura. But this is another matter.

This being said, we come to the end of our positions making it clear that the inferior astral is part of that fluidic atmosphere that surrounds the Earth. In other words, inferior astral means vibrational fields formed by fluidic matter of various categories. 

In the nomenclature of Christian Rationalist philosophy, inferior astral is also the group of spirits that wander through these vibrational fields.

In the glossary of the PRC14 (Practice of Christian Rationalism, 14th Edition) will be the following:

Inferior astral: a reference indicating the still dense vibrational fields that surround the Earth's fluidic atmosphere.

Spirits of the inferior astral: are spirits that wander through the Earth's fluidic atmosphere in a state of psychic disturbance.

What to do before being born?

What to do before being born?

By Valdir Aguilera

Nothing wrong with the title of this article. Maybe you thought it should be "What to do after you are born". No, it wasn't a press error. That's the title and let's answer the question.

If you know the Christian Rationalist philosophy, you probably already know what you will do when the time comes. Even so, we believe there are some details you would like to know now. Let's go.

But before, it is important to clarify that the spirit is not born, nor does it die. It is eternal and is at some level of natural evolution. Therefore, by "born" we must understand it is as a new endeavor of the spirit on a physical body, in a school-world. 

Next, let us summarize part of what happens after the death of a human being.  [1] Now, if the subject is "being born," why talk about dying?, you can ask, and we will answer that it is to be able to understand part of what happens before being reborn. Let's continue.

On the way back to its internship world, after the death of the physical body, the fluidic body of the spirit gradually eliminates fluidic matter of various categories with which it was impregnated. This matter belongs to the fluidic atmosphere of the school-planet Earth. And this is where it stays.

Free from these various materials, which now serve no purpose, and already in its internship world, the spirit is in a position to become aware of its situation on the evolutionary scale. It soon realizes what it has to do, because its previous experiences are recorded in its fluidic body. After analyzing its current state and deciding to animate a physical body, it begins to take action.

Initially, it tries to formulate a plan. This new project may contain part or all of the previously outlined. In this process of reprogramming it relies on the assistance of the spirits of the Superior Astral. Once defined, it waits for an opportunity that is favorable, for then, with determination, to project itself in the densest dimensions that involve the planet.

In its return, its fluidic body gradually absorbs fluidic matter from the various vibrational fields of the planet. These materials are necessary and adequate to achieve the purposes of the spirit. Some of them are from the same previous vibrational fields, for they were not well used in previous incursions. It would not need to know and doesn't know which ones to choose. This is because the program previously defined has already adequately magnetized its fluidic body, making the selection and addition automatic and defined by the corresponding evolutionary laws.

With his fluidic body thus prepared, it begins to accompany the formation of the new physical body by connecting to it gradually, always under the control of the evolutionary laws.

Thus, what the spirit needs to do before being born is basically to evaluate its previous existences, decide to return to its school world and define a plan for the new life. The rest of the process happens naturally, without the need for its own intervention. 

[1] What we should do after we die, Valdir Aguilera, A Razão (Brazilian newspaper), April 2020, p. 18. 

Say yes to life

By Saulo Machado

When difficult moments come, don't be discouraged; invigorate yourself. Understand that the path to fullness depends only on you. Remember your history, the happy moments and the conquests you achieved by struggling hard to reach them, and you emerged victorious even when you doubted yourself.

Don't forget that certain circumstances experienced today precede this physical life, due to past moments, and that this existence is the reflection of previous comings to this school-world, in which, by the thoughts and actions practiced, you couldn't have done better in face of those experiences, because they have already passed, they are in the past, although they are engraved in your fluidic body.

Always say "yes" to life. Be optimistic, of moral conviction and enthusiastic, so that your thoughts are focused on positivity and in harmony with the forces of good. Seek happiness in yourself, not in something external, friendships, material goods, being in love, are part of life, but they will not bring you satisfaction if you are not happy with yourself, with being who you are, with being unique and singular in the whole Cosmos.

Remember continuously that you never had to inferiorize or vilify your brothers and sisters in essence to feel better or to rejoice in a stupid self-appreciation, which, although highly revered these days, never contributes anything to spiritual evolution. 

Be impartial. Do not carry remorse and resentment. Never lose hope and do not stop loving your neighbor. Understand that the outrages and insults suffered were the result of the ignorance of others, of human beings who come from the same origin and who made a mistake with you because they were unaware of transcendental life, and yet, they are still lights and emanations of the Universal Intelligence. 

Seek to overcome yourself every day. Don't be in a hurry, sometimes one step each day is better than ten steps taken at once, because sooner or later you may lose the rhythm of the journey. Say "no" to self-centeredness. Faced with the exaltation of your ego, meditate, and be aware that what is yours will be conquered, with no need to corrupt yourself to have a constructive and happy life.

Finally, believe in yourself and never stop practicing the teachings of Christian Rationalist philosophy.

Vibrations in the light of spirituality

 By Henrique de Almeida

Let's approach the topic of vibrations in the light of the teachings of Christian Rationalist philosophy. Therefore, from the beginning, we can formulate these questions on the subject: What are vibrations? How do vibrations interact with fluidic matter? How do our vibrations interact with the Superior Spirits?

The first question asked was: What are vibrations? In the words of Humberto Rodrigues, thoughts are immaterial and "propagate through the fluidic matter that surrounds the planet and are recorded" in it. There are two types of vibrations: by waves and by forms. Spiritual vibrations in waves resemble the propagation of sound and light in space. Spiritual vibrations in forms contain geometric images and busts, just as the Superior Astral is represented during spiritualistic meetings, as shown in the book "Incorporeal Life" (Life Outside Matter).

How do these types of vibrations occur? According to the way thoughts are conceived. For example, a painter, before making his painting, imagines and idealizes the work in his mind, thinking every detail in images. We, when we see people in the street arguing, irradiate for that situation to end, vibrations in waves. 

No matter what kind of vibrations are, all, without exception, are retained in the fluidic atmosphere of the Earth and form vibratory fields that resemble the clouds we see in the sky. 

But what is, after all, this fluidic matter? Fluidic matter is the intermediate matter between the spirit and the dense matter (human body). The spirit is immaterial; fluidic matter is subtle matter (we cannot grab it) and dense matter is thicker (we can hold it). We see dense matter. It is the human bodies, the atoms and the objects. We do not see fluidic matter except mediums (with visual mediumnship). Because it is subtle, it retains thoughts; dense matter does not, for it is more materialized. 

The clouds of vibrations present in the fluidic atmosphere of the Earth vary in tone. The nuances of colors, darker or lighter, represent sets of negative or positive thoughts, emitted by incarnated and disincarnated spirits, both in the past and the present. When a person thinks, he or she connects to these fluidic clouds. If he thinks good or evil, he connects to the light or dark clouds present in the fluidic atmosphere of the Earth. Since the universal law of attraction is natural and immutable, and everyone is subject to it, these thoughts invariably return to their origin with equal or greater intensity.

Let us now imagine this situation: let us suppose that we are gathered together thinking only the good and without any concern, as occurs in the public and private meetings of Christian Rationalist houses, for the purpose of connecting with the Superior Astral to help enlighten humanity. These thoughts issued by people, all together, connect with each other. When all thoughts come together, a source of light is formed, the vibratory fields, which go beyond the fluidic atmosphere of the Earth and reach higher space, are recognized by the Superior Spirits. 

When such particles of the Universal Intelligence (Superior Spirits) come into contact with these vibratory fields of white light, they harmonize with their fluids, and then manage to enter this school world, cleansing the dark fluidic clouds, and thus begin to intuit people to practice good, get hold of disincarnated spirits and direct them to their respective internship worlds. 

The spiritualist system initiated when Luiz de Mattos standardized the discipline of Christian Rationalism in order to avoid inconsistencies and to provide the necessary security to attract evolved spirits, occurs in Christian Rationalist houses in order to do the fluidic cleansing of the Earth and promote spiritual progress in a safe and correct way, always based on thoughts or elevated vibrations of the selfless supporters of this Philosophy.

Follow what your conscience tells you

 By Maria Cottas

Human beings are on Earth to make their material progress and their spiritual evolution, in the expectation of achieving the happiness that everyone wants to have. Nobody wants to be unhappy, nobody is in this world to be a student who failed the existential course of this true school of life. Success on solid, correct, objective and real foundations is intimately linked to the thought irradiated with elevation and the willpower directed towards the practice of good in daily life.

When they enter the age of the use of reason, people of common sense should try to follow the path that the conscience dictates to them to be right, because all have intelligence as the basis of reasoning. When they put into action the attributes and spiritual faculties of which they are bearers, they will certainly give adequate direction to the evolutionary route traced out in the astral plane. They will be able to verify and correct the course to be taken on the physical plane, reaching the end of existence with the same sensation of physical and spiritual well-being that the arrival to a safe harbor provides.

The World Headquarters of Christian Rationalism publishes enlightening spiritualist books. Therefore, we recommend all people, including those who frequent Christian Rationalist houses worldwide, to read the guiding content of these literary works. As a philosophy of life that is Christian Rationalism, their learning will certainly help them to live wisely, being understanding and tolerant of their fellow human beings when they recognize that in this world there are no human perfections, because its inhabitants have virtues and flaws.

Therefore, it is important that human beings understand each other, apologize to each other for possible wrongdoings. It is necessary that they seek to improve their capacity for mutual understanding and tolerance forever, that they correct what the conscience accuses as wrong, for it is everyone's duty to recognize their faults and eliminate them from their personality. In this is the greatness of a well done spiritual evolution.

People who have the opportunity to attend public meetings held in Christian Rationalist houses should take advantage of the guidance they receive from the Superior Forces, because it is life advice given with the aim of seeing them happy as they fulfill their duties with satisfaction and commitment.

The spirit is life, it is intelligence, it is creative and fulfilling power, says Christian Rationalism. Therefore, the human being, as an evolving spirit on Earth, has to know what he wants and make an effort to achieve his purpose on this physical plane, because that is what he planned in the internship world in the astral plane. Fighting for his ideal, overpower the difficulties that may arise and overcoming the sacrifices that result from them are proofs of physical vigor and spiritual growth, which only enhance the evolutionary path.

How great and beautiful will be the day when we observe all homes solidly constituted and organized according to Christian Rationalist principles! It is in well formed homes that emerge citizens of good character, forged in the improvement of spiritual attributes. They will certainly integrate a more just and supportive society.

Sleep and Insomnia

By João Baptista Cottas, M.D.

Sleep is the partial cessation of mental and physical activities. It is a period of rest during which the energies consumed in daily activity are restored. For Christian Rationalists, sleep is the means by which the spirit recovers from the psychic life spent. It is by diminishing the psychic functions and abolishing the voluntary movements of the physical body that the spirit disconnects itself from it, even though it is attached by fluidic, invisible cords, as stated by the spiritualist and scientist Dr. Pinheiro Guedes. In this disconnection or detachment, it ascends to its world of Superior Astral light, receiving effluviations, new strengths and energies for the daily life struggle.

Sleep and physical nourishment are indispensable to the organism. For perfect health, it is necessary to sleep well and provide the body with healthy food.

A good night's sleep, free of unpleasant dreams, provides physical well-being and contributes to the elimination of toxins that have accumulated in the body during the day.

The disposition of the spirit that we take with us when we go to bed has a considerable influence on the quality and duration of sleep. The last scenes, actions or facts of the day and especially at night, are recorded in such a way in our spirit that they can cause disturbances to sleep, giving rise to dreams, which are nothing more than ideas and images presented to the spirit while the body remains asleep.

Have you ever observed how harmful certain television programs are to children at dinner time, making them irritable and disobedient?

Have you evaluated the disturbance and nervousness that cause certain police programs, sudden deaths, murders, fights, in the minds of children and adults, just before they go to bed?

Before bed, we should all read a good book, an interesting one, even entertaining, or listen to good music.

While sleep restores our energies, calms us down and rejuvenates, insomnia disturbs, makes the individual irritable, nervous and moody.

A bad night's sleep, full of nightmares, unpleasant dreams, causes the individual pain in the body and indisposition to work.

The annoyances, the worries should never accompany us to bed, because they can really disturb our sleep, arousing the nervous system and causing insomnia.

Every agitated, nervous person who leads an irregular and restless life is subject to insomnia, and the less sleep the more irritable he or she will become, to the point of reaching madness, psychic imbalance, due to the wear and tear of his or her animistic life.

There is insomnia provoked by mental conditions; by worries of abnormal character; at the beginning of acute infectious diseases; by meningitis, brain tumors, cerebral syphilis, etc. In these cases, insomnia should be treated in specialized clinics.

We also have the elderly insomnia, proper of their age. In old age one sleeps little. A sleep of three to four hours satisfies.

Let us avoid, then, at bedtime, emotions, annoyances, let us leave the problems for the next day, let us listen to some music or delight ourselves with a good book, and then there will be no insomnia or unpleasant dreams.

Positivity - The value of positive attitudes

 By Caruso Samel

Positivity is the set of knowledge inherent in the field of Positive Psychology studies. The English word "mindset", known and used by psychologists, is already incorporated in the Portuguese language. Positivity is, therefore, a style, a tendency, a perspective of life that consists of concentrating on everything that is good and practicing good in the conduct of our lives. In this theme we will deal with the basics of this, identifying some of the innumerable benefits that this type of attitude provides us, and we will mention some of the techniques used to get the best out of this salutary practice.

After all, what is a positive attitude? A good definition is given to us by Remez Sasson on his website www.successconsciousness.com/: "Positive thinking is a mental and emotional attitude that focuses on the positive side of life and expects positive results". Another broader definition comes from Kendra Cherry, in her book "Very Well Mind": "Positive thinking really means addressing life's challenges with a positive perspective. It does not necessarily mean avoiding or ignoring the bad things; rather, it also involves making the most of potentially bad situations, trying to see the best in other people, and seeing yourself and your abilities in a positive light".

From the definitions quoted above we can reach the conclusion of what is a positive mentality, defining it as the tendency to focus your thoughts on the positive side of your attitudes and actions, to expect positive results from them and to face challenges with a positive perspective. This means that to have a positive mentality is to continuously make positive thinking a habit and make the best use of any situation you find yourself in.

It is clear that the list is much longer. More spiritually evolved people know how to extend and use the values incorporated into their positive mentality very naturally. To have a positive mentality is to advance in their degree of spirituality, to grow in their evolution. The benefits are enormous. It is not only about living a "good life", but also about "living lovingly" with all those around us.

With the mental focus of our living directed towards positivity, obtaining these benefits is a function of the highest thoughts and spiritual attributes that we can cultivate. The only effort to make is to convince ourselves that it is worthwhile to act in this direction, integrating these values as a real fulfillment of our high spiritual duties.

We must not ignore that negativities and nonsense, even odd behaviors are everywhere. Those who live in society know very well that life is not always rosy. But we have the power of choice - our free will to select what best fits our evolution, not losing sight of the fact that spiritual growth is always within our reach and only depends on our own will. We must stay alert and not lose control of these difficult situations under any circumstances so that we don't submit to the misfortunes of the world.

On the other hand, we reaffirm that we must not, under any circumstances, submit to these dangers, threats and vicissitudes. This is an essential and vital attitude for us to overcome negative thoughts and emotions, expanding and building new resources, polishing the attributes we possess and strengthening our will power.

We all know that in the world of schooling in which we live, it is not easy to be happy, but it is not impossible. At the slightest carelessness, we find negativity everywhere. Therefore, it is not enough to avoid evil; it is necessary to practice good. We must try to maintain this line of action, educating and strengthening our will and doing the best we can, always, all the time. Let's always cultivate positive emotions. With the focus on this perspective and effort, we will always win. We will certainly know how to deal with these vicissitudes.

Physical pain and the moral pain

By Heloisa Ferreira da Costa

Much is said about physical pain, the diseases of the material body, but what shakes the spirit most is moral pain, sadness, anguish and betrayal.

Those who judge do it based on themselves - this is a great truth. Often the human being misjudges his fellow man, because he judges him of a character similar to his own, and the reality is quite another. As for the human being, he suffers because he allows himself to be deceived by melodious words, by decisions which, once taken, last less than 24 hours! The honest, resolute person who always knows what he wants and where he is going, is astonished before these unstable people who, when they lose something they used to possess, do everything to get it back but soon after change their mind, despise and abandon the object of their esteem as quickly as they change a piece of clothing.

The affected person waits, observes, fights against their feelings, but sometimes succumbs, loses their emotional control and explodes. Moral pain produces a certain change of vibrations in the spirit, the conditions that are likely to retain or attract the related bad fluids are trasnformed.

It is necessary to be very careful, as in this world we live with all kinds of spirits from the most different evolutionary classes, and deception is normal. How many are so well disguised in pleasant looks, but hide within the greatest villainies? The spirit has no size, it is a spark of light, whose intensity of brilliance has no relation with its temporary corporeal instrument, and the attributes it possesses are not measured by the dimensions of the physical body, but by its capacity to accomplish.

The student of life outside matter (incorporeal life) is not free from encountering adverse situations and bad people, but must always be alert to help himself. When he falls victim to these conditions he must find the strength to withdraw, to irradiate (to the Superior Astral) at the proper time in order to receive superior intuitions (from the Superior Astral) and, provided he has a relative knowledge of what life is about, needs to perceive the associations existing between physical body and spirit, and have a rational idea of how spiritual evolution works. There is no doubt that he will have the means to spare himself great sufferings, by not feeding fools or frivolous habits that may result in moral harm to himself. 

On the conduct of life, at the first sign that something is not going well, the right thing to do is to stop, examine everything, re-examine, realize what is wrong, put the reasoning into action, removing the error to start all over again. Thus, the facts must be faced realistically in order to achieve happiness without escaping the reality of things.

When one is morally wounded, the spirit becomes sensitive, shaken. In these moments, reading and inner care are essential, some will need psychological help, but within Christian Rationalism everything is found without the need to share the pain with other incarnated human beings. The spirits of light, who supervise everything, follow without interfering directly, but with intuitions of solace, reinvigorating and healing day by day, and that is the only way to find a cure for these wounds of the soul, which later, when evaluated in retrospect, will have been very useful for personal development.

Disillusions are part of life, to get out of a certain situation of sadness and depression there is no Superior Force that, alone, rescues the individual. He himself must seek to help himself, recognizing his weaknesses and remembering that all that belongs to matter here will remain. So, why get bothered so much because you prejudged someone with innocent eyes?

Worse than being naive is to carry within oneself the power to hurt others, the evil practiced consciously or unconsciously will return to the inducing agent with much greater intensity. Between hurting and being hurt, the second option is easier to repair; difficult is to get rid of the acquired spiritual debt when you hit someone in his honor. 

Within spirituality is contained all the wisdom to go through life's storms without losing the direction preestablished on the astral plane. Whining about why something didn't go as planned doesn't get you anywhere, whoever lives stuck in the past never reaches the future!

Do you love your neighbor?

By Valdir Aguilera

We have all heard that we must love our neighbor as ourselves. How many take this precept seriously? Among those who take it seriously, how many really understand what it means? And if they do, do they know how to proceed? We believe that many are in the position of the last question. This article is dedicated to them. Are you included in this group?

Before continuing with the topic, it is advisable to know what love is. This reminds us of Cupid, one of the gods of Greco-Roman mythology. Flying around the world, armed with a bow and quiver provided with abundant arrows, he searches for targets for his accurate arrows. Love is the impact caused by his arrows. One day Cupid ended up hitting himself. But that's another story. He's also known as Eros. The irresistible feeling, awakened in the one the Cupid arrow struck was the love between man and woman, the love-passion. That's not the love we're interested in.

I get it, you might say, it's the maternal love that's going to be covered. Not either, although it is an important matter. Let's dwell on brotherly love. Now I understand, you will correct yourself, it's about love between brothers. That's right, but not only among siblings who have the same parents, but among all our brothers and sisters in essence. Brothers in essence? What does that mean? Let's explain, based on the Christian rationalist teachings.

Every spirit is an individualized particle emanating from the Great Focus. Therefore, in figurative language, the Great Focus is the father of us all. We are all, therefore, fundamentally brothers, brothers in essence. Consequently, brotherhood should be a universal feeling, but it is not what we see. Instead of fraternity, what is most commonly seen is hatred; instead of sympathy, one sees contempt; and indifference instead of compassion. 

Take a test by examining your own feelings. Do you feel love for your neighbor? If the answer is 'not always,' it is a sign that you are lacking something, spiritually speaking; there is a duty that is not being fulfilled.

It is not easy to love your neighbor without distinction, you will say. We fully agree. So what should I do? You will ask next. There are several paths we can take, we will answer and suggest some.

If this feeling for our neighbor is not spontaneously present to us, we can cultivate it by making use of our free will and reason. First of all, it is necessary to convince ourselves that loving our neighbour is a duty, a moral obligation. Once this obligation is admitted, we will be ready to continue. Are you ready? Yes? Then let's go.

The suggestions we will make represent spiritual practices. They are not in order of importance, or any other. They are simply a (far from complete) list of precepts that we can, and should, observe routinely.

- Do not speak ill of anyone. It's very easy to point out and comment on the faults and failings of others, especially when they are not there to defend themselves.

- Have patience in the most diverse situations, such as those in which someone's behavior irritates us. Sometimes the irritation is momentary. Anyway, it causes a distancing, when the ideal situation would be an approximation. 

- Forgive with the awareness that nobody is perfect. We are all, without exception, here working to eliminate our imperfections. 

- To help others in difficulties. Without humiliating, let alone expecting compensation, otherwise the help would be an investment in disguise.

Leading our lives according to these precepts will help us to recognize and feel that we are all fellow travelers. It will also help us to lead our lives by judging less and loving more. After all, and you already know it very well, we are here to improve ourselves and enrich our moral standing.

Thought: friend or foe?

By Valdir Aguilera

Have you asked yourself the question in the title of this article? If so, what was your answer? Our answer is this: it depends. It depends?  Depends on what? You can ask. To answer your question and that of the title, we need to know how the thought is produced, what its qualities are and what effects it can produce. Let's go.

Thought is not a product of the brain, like the bile that is secreted by the liver to help the digestion of what we eat. A disincarnated spirit obviously doesn't have a liver. For this simple reason it no longer processes bile. It doesn't have a brain either, yet it keeps thinking. So thinking is not a product of the brain. So what is its origin and how is it produced? 

"Thought is a vibration of the spirit", teaches us Christian Rationalism. It has, therefore, its origin in the spirit and is produced by its vibration. Every vibration emits waves, which propagate in all directions in the medium in which it occurred. To understand this phenomenon, imagine a basin with water. Dipping a pole into it and making it vibrate, waves are noticed which start from the point where the pole touches the water and expand in all directions.

With thought being also a vibration, it could not be different. It produces waves. In what medium do these waves propagate? In the infinite ocean of fluidic matter, where we are all submerged. Having clarified this point, let us return to the question formulated in the title of this article.

First of all, it must be clear that a friendly thought does not mean that we have a friendship with it. It makes no sense, does it not? The question must be understood in the sense of discovering how our thoughts can benefit or harm us.

Thoughts have a quality that has not yet been baptized by researchers. That quality has to do with the feeling that animated the author of the thought at the moment it was issued. This feeling is impregnated in the waves that the thought provokes that travel through space.

Another detail, which will help us answer the question, has to do with the law of affinity (also known as the law of attraction and repulsion). Simply put, this law says that the like attract and the dissimilar repel each other. Applied to thoughts, we learn that thoughts of the same quality attract and of opposite qualities repel.

That said, let us go to the last ingredient we need to get the answer we are looking for. 

Christian Rationalism teaches us that a thought remains linked to its source while the feeling that generated it persists.

There, we already have enough elements to find an answer with certainty.

We have seen that in thinking, we impregnate our thought with a feeling, possibly the cause of it. If it is of optimism, of joy, of the search for knowledge or of any positive nature, then, by the law of attraction we connect ourselves with similar thoughts, of beautiful colors, beneficial thoughts that go around. One important detail is that they will contribute to strengthen that initial feeling of ours. In other words, positive, luminous thoughts are our friends, they do us good.

On the other hand, a thought of defeat, malice, hatred, revenge, envy, dark, sick, negative will attract others of the same quality, intensifying our initial feeling. These are our enemies, they harm us spiritually and physically.

A final comment that will enrich our understanding of thought and its effects. One person, by wishing evil to another, by mentalizing it, emits a thought that goes straight to its destination, like a projectile. If the target person is not feeding similar thoughts at that moment, the thought immediately returns to the one who issued it, by the law of action and reaction, causing the effect of the original intention. Popular wisdom had already noticed this phenomenon. Hence the true saying "the spell turns against the sorcerer".

In the face of all this that has been exposed, watch your thoughts and feelings and make your choice: a friend or an enemy?

What do the Superior Forces do?

By Valdir Aguilera

Do you know what the Superior Forces do? They take hold of spirits who remain in the fluidic atmosphere of the earth and intuit human beings for their spiritual benefit, you could answer. That is true, but only that? We keep asking. Certainly not. We will sink into this subject, even if not deeply, but enough to broaden our horizon of spiritual knowledge a little more.

Let us start by recapitulating what the Superior Forces are. They are spirits, like us. Like us? You may ask with amazement. Yes, but with one important difference. While we're still struggling here (on Earth), those (spirits) are already developing their projects and carrying out their work on (spiritual) planes higher than ours. Hence the adjective "superior." I see, you would say, they are superior spirits. Wrong, we will correct. There are no superior or inferior spirits, better or worse. They all have the same value and importance. They are only working at different astral levels, with other responsibilities, but all, without exception, aiming to evolve and perfect their attributes. Having clarified this point, let us return to our initial question: What do the Superior Forces do? 

Taking spirits out of the fluidic atmosphere of Earth and intuit humans beings is part of the work they do here, in this temporary world of ours. There is much more, they are doing work at other levels, as we have said. For example, they direct spirits that among us work in a fluidic body to carry out various tasks. Among these we can mention the work that is carried out in Christian Rationalist houses where they help in the formation of fluidic currents. These spirits also help in other tasks which the Superior Forces cannot carry out directly because of the dense fluidic atmosphere of the Earth which makes their presence difficult or even impossible.

To all this we must add that they guide spirits who, in their internship spiritual worlds, plan their next incarnation. You may think that the Superior Forces order spirits about to reincarnate on what they must do. Not at all. They just guide them. Each spirit has its own free will to accept it or not. What helps is that the spirit about to reincarnate does not suffer the disturbances of the earth's environment, and thus be able to reason and make decisions with clarity.

Are these the duties of the Superior Forces? Yes, and there is more.

The Universe is maintained and governed by natural laws. If there are laws, they must be obeyed. Who enforces them? It is the Universal Intelligence through its spiritual particles, each one working in its area of competence. Area of competence? What is that? You can ask. Let's try to clarify this point.

Christian Rationalism teaches us that all Forces are in the process of evolution, always acting on Matter. Each one of them follows a path that is its own, which leads it to a purpose determined by the Universal Intelligence. A path of its own? Yes, that's right, a specific path. To evolve in the kingdoms of nature does not mean that the Force must act in all species of plants, animals or in all areas of human activity. In his work "The Origin of Species" [1], Charles Darwin revealed part of this evolutionary process. Let us continue to clarify this subject about a path of its own.

When a part of the Great Focus is individualized and begins its long journey, it has already been assigned, by the Universal Intelligence itself, a defined task with specific functions in the dynamics of the Universe. In the condition of spirit, passing through multiple reincarnations, it will follow its own path that will lead it to its function in the Whole. For example, perfecting attributes related to the biological area, it (spirit) will become (as a person) a biologist, doctor or other specialist in the area. This "specialization" - which was programmed by the Universal Intelligence, as we said - does not admit deviations from the path. Evading his "vocation" for one reason or another - parental influence, for example -, can only be detrimental to the spirit. Sooner or later, the spirit will resume its journey, in the right direction.

Another example: the arts can be the "inclination" of a spirit as a human being, if that is the case, it was idealized by the Universal Intelligence. 

What is being said here, we repeat, is that a Force does not need to act in all the species of the kingdoms of nature, nor to exercise all the professions or activities existing in human society. Each spirit has its role to play here and in the rich complexity of the phenomena that occur in the Universe. A role defined by the Universal Intelligence.

In short, laws exist and need to be fulfilled. No law is enforced by itself, neither on Earth nor in other planes. The Universal Intelligence enforces them by means of the particles that emanated and individualized from it. Each one of them has specific functions to be carried out in the countless astral planes.

The Superior Forces have much to do, do you agree?

[1] Available in Portuguese in the "Library" of the website www.valdiraguilera.net

There are other school-worlds besides Earth. Did you know that?

By Valdir Aguilera

School-worlds or worlds of schooling are concepts covered in the Christian rationalist philosophy. Do you know what these worlds are? Do you really know? Let's start at the beginning, as it should be.

The Universe is composed of Force and Matter. The Force is in constant and imperious evolution. Only after passing through the mineral, plant and animal kingdoms does the Force have the necessary attributes to act in a human body. From then on, it is called Spirit and ceases to be part of the physical world and now belongs to the spiritual worlds. A spirit does not, therefore, belong to the planet Earth, but to the spiritual world appropriate to its degree of evolution.

The evolution of the spirit takes place in school-worlds. It is in these school-worlds that spirits find opportunities to promote the exchange of intellectual, moral and spiritual knowledge among themselves.

We already knew that. Christian Rationalism has been teaching us that for a long time. Is there anything to be added? Yes, let's see.

There are qualities, predominantly of the intellect that cannot be acquired on Earth. Since evolution is a mandatory condition, it is fair to infer that worlds of schooling are not just the school-worlds of the physical plane. 

It should be noted that although the book Christian Rationalism does not explicitly mention, it seems wise to us to conclude that there are also worlds of schooling in Space. It is in those worlds that the Spirits of the Superior Astral evolve developing quite complex tasks of an unimaginable order. An important difference with respect to the school world Earth is that in those superior worlds of schooling there are neither the intrinsic disturbances of the school world Earth, nor the need for a physical body.

The above mentioned book, in the chapter Space, teaches us that the worlds of schooling are of the same nature as our planet. In our understanding, identical nature does not mean that they are worlds of the physical plane, such as the school world Earth, but rather, worlds where the spirit carries out activities commensurate with its degree of evolution. Did it get complicated? Let's illustrate the idea with a familiar situation.

We know that a university is a school of the same nature as an elementary school, that is to say, in one and the other, appropriate teachings are given to the students who attend them. However, there are differences between these schools, although they are both of the same nature. One of the differences is the degree of knowledge of the pupils who attend them. Another difference is what the students learn from them.

So are the school-worlds. Spirits leave their internship (spiritual) worlds to continue their improvement in worlds which offer them what they need. Spirits from the dense, opaque and intermediate internship-worlds leave for physical worlds, such as Earth, where they begin to animate a physical body. Spirits from the diaphanous worlds and of pure light no longer need a physical body to continue their gradual journey in search of further evolution.

Our conclusions will always be more comprehensive and richer if we do not limit ourselves to reasoning based on our experience and knowledge obtained in a physical world. That is, it will be much more productive to reason from a universal, rather than an earthly perspective. In other words, our reasoning should be based on, that is, they should take into account the spirit in its own nature and not on its temporary condition as incarnated. It is a tendency, even understandable, to develop our analyses from the perspective of incarnations and reincarnations. However, they are only temporary stages of the long evolutionary trajectory to be traveled.

Let us remember: we are all students, but this school is not our home.

Why are there mediums?

By Valdir Aguilera

Are mediums useful to humanity? Why do they exist? Do they receive any training before incarnating? Three questions we find interesting. Let's get to them. Let's start with another question: What is a medium?

In spiritualist circles, a medium is a person who can mediate between disincarnated and incarnated spirits. By having this faculty, he serves as a connection with the spiritual world, thus enabling a spirit to manifest itself in the physical world. But a medium may have the capacity to do more than merely intermediate communications. He may be serving a purpose or a goal, as we shall see.

This faculty is given the generic name of mediumnship. Why generic? Because, in general, each medium has a "speciality," for there are different types of mediumnship. The most common ones are explained in the book "Christian Rationalism". [1] Even though mediumship is an important subject, we will not deal with it in this article. We refer the interested party to the book just mentioned.

In its constant and inevitable journey towards spirituality, every (reincarnated) spirit is faced with various situations. All of them necessary for the improvement of their psychic faculties. Not only does it encounter diverse situations, but it also creates, with its attitudes and some peculiar activities, opportunities for the improvement of others. Unique activities? What do you mean by peculiar activities? Let's just mention one as an example.

Science advances thanks to the work of men and women who observe nature and try to explain, by means of theories they elaborate, the phenomena that occur in it. Although often incomplete, these theories throw some light on natural laws. There are some phenomena that occur even without human intervention. For example, gravitation. Other phenomena need special situations to be created to provoke some specific type of phenomenon. The chemical reactions caused in laboratories are examples.

The phenomena are there to be observed, or provoked, but... But what? Let us explain: there are phenomena that do not occur naturally. As an example we can cite levitation, which consists of people or objects raised and moved in space without the help of forces already known to science, contrary to the law of gravity. For this reason, it does not even occur to researchers to try to provoke them in the laboratory. Without being revealed, these phenomena would not offer the opportunity to be studied, to the detriment of science and, therefore, to humanity.

How to fill this gap? With mediums, for example. Throughout time, and with special mention of the nineteenth century, mediums have produced remarkable phenomena which do not usually occur in nature. Many of these phenomena are discussed in the literature. Among the many researchers who have devoted themselves to studying them, we cite William Crookes and Ernesto Bozzano. [2][3]

Before incarnating, a spirit is not trained to be a medium, but is prepared by more evolved spirits. A medium of physical phenomena, such as levitation, for example, is not capable of provoking the phenomenon by himself. He is only an instrument used by disincarnated spirits. Imagine a guitar. It is incapable, by itself, of producing a sound without being manipulated by someone.

Besides being useful to humanity in the form we have mentioned, a medium can be useful only to himself. How so? Well, let's see.

The evolution of a spirit is made with many, many comings to Earth. Some of those comings (reincarnations) can result in failure, causing much pain to the spirit. When failures occur very frequently and continuously, the spirit decides to reincarnate with the mediumistic faculty manifested. In these conditions he knows that at all times it will be in contact with the spiritual life alerting him to this reality. Thus the chance of losing another incarnation diminishes.

Anything left to say? Yes, there is. The decision to be a medium can be made by a spirit after it has incarnated. At some point in his (physical) life he may decide, for example, to develop his mediumship in order to work in collaboration with the Superior Forces in their activities in a Christian rationalist house. It is a respectable, altruistic decision, and of great value.

[1] "Christian Rationalism" Available in Portuguese as Racionalismo Cristão, 45th edition, chapter 10, edited by the World Headquarters of Christian Rationalism, Rio de Janeiro, 2015.

[2] "Facts and Mysteries of Spiritism", William Crookes (available in Portuguese as "Fatos espíritas" at the library of valdiraguilera.net)

[3] "Transport Phenomena", Ernesto Bozzano, (available in Portuguese as "Fenômenos de transporte" at the library of valdiraguilera.net) 

What should we do after we die

By Valdir Aguilera

Doesn't Christian Rationalism teach us that death does not exist? Therefore, what sense does it make to know what to do after dying? These are legitimate questions that need to be answered. Let's go.

First of all, it must be clear that the death that does not exist is that of the spirit. This one never dies, it's eternal. This is the death that Christian Rationalism refers to. So, who's going to die? We can ask.

Not "who" is going to die, but "what." It's not the spirit, we've seen. What's going to die is the physical body. And its death is natural, inevitable, and occurs due to illness, accident or natural wear and tear, among other causes.

When the physical body dies, the spirit detaches from it, we can say without exaggeration that the physical body is a temporary prison of the spirit.

After this clarification, since we are a spirit, we need to know what to do after we have detached ourselves from our dead body. What does Christian Rationalism tell us about this matter? It says that we should return to our internship-world (spiritual world). However, do we know the way? No, we do not know the way. So, what to do?

Let's go by parts

When the physical body dies, the spirit is in some emotional state. It was calmly waiting for the outcome (in bed, for example); it was irritated; it was disturbed. In the last two cases, it may even happen that the spirit is not aware of the disconnection (with the physical body) and continues to wander around with its fluidic body, obsessing itself even more and others who attach themselves to it by thought or affinity. Sooner or later, spirits in these conditions will be rescued by the fluidic nets organized by the Superior Astral.

On the other hand, in the case of an awaited disconnection (physical death) in a calm environment, the spirit counts on the assistance of the superior astral and is taken to its internship-world (spiritual world). The spirit does not need to look for what to do, because it is not even sure what to do.

It is interesting to note that the transfer to the internship spiritual world is not immediate. It is a gradual process, with some stages where changes occur in the fluidic body. What are these changes? The fluidic body needs to get rid of dense matter that are attached to it. These are classes of matter associated with the feelings and emotions of its (the spirit) passage through here. That matter belongs to various planes of the Earth's fluidic atmosphere and must remain there, hence the process is gradual. The spirit cannot reach its internship world with that matter impregnated in its fluidic body. With this cleansing the spirit will have the necessary lucidity to be able to well evaluate the result of its last incarnation and plan its future.

This being said, instead of wanting to know what to do after leaving the physical body, it is more important and useful to know what to do before. And this is taught by the spiritualistic principles advocated by Christian Rationalism. In so doing, our disincarnation will have the assistance of the superior astral and we will be gently led into our internship spiritual world.

Be proactive and productive

By Luiz de Mattos

Everything comes in its own time. However, no one should wait to gain anything without working to get it, as indolence is prejudicial to the evolution of the spirit. It is desirable to wait for better days, but it is fundamental to work for these days to come sooner. Waiting for something without doing anything is not acceptable. The individual who is spiritually enlightened must be proactive and productive. Such a person knows how to act. One must know how to control one’s own life, not giving in to idleness.

The spirits incarnate in order to make their own evolutive progress. Man, therefore, is born already knowing that he will find struggles and duties on this school-planet, which he planned in his spiritual world in order to advance. Indolence is a harmful evil to human beings and the cause of much unhappiness. It is a mistake to think that one can cruise through life or live in a bed of roses without being productive.

Those individuals who are in this world without being useful are considered unfortunate, as they are always unhappy. They believe that they are envied, have been persecuted, or have utterly failed. Usually, they think that humanity is ungrateful, but they grasp unhappiness with their own hands. Weakened-willed and placing little importance on their responsibilities, they cannot see themselves as the ones who have caused their own grief. Unleashing their frustrations, they blame others for all that is happening in their lives. They believe that their lives are not good, that they have no luck, and that the world is made only of difficulties. So they present a series of lamentations to cover their failures, to justify their mistakes, and to disguise the apathy in their souls.

Happy are those people who have the will power to succeed, those who work in order to feel accomplished. The ones who do nothing always envy the ones who have earned something, even though the latter worked hard to earn it, putting effort into becoming what they are. In general, unfortunate people are jealous of individuals who succeed and claim that their bad deals are due to external causes, and never due to their own indolence.

Know how to work and how to be productive. The individual whose method does not include parsimony cannot dispatch problems the way they should be dispatched, cannot win, and cannot become what they might otherwise be. It is necessary that one take pleasure in work, making the most of it, rather than concurring with failure. Working is good; it enlightens the spirit. To make good use of time is a necessity, and those who do not will become disturbed. This is why there are so many individuals who are mentally distressed. If they were useful to themselves and to their communities, they would not be suffering the consequences of indolence, and even contracting infirmities because of their own sluggishness. As their thoughts are impregnated with illness, they ensure their own unhappiness.

Therefore, learn to use time wisely, with balance, and you will feel accomplished and happy. Daily life can be complicated at times and only the stronger-willed can win. Always remember this and do not fear anything.

The Laws of Cause and Effect

By Humberto Rodrigues

Many questions regarding spiritual life arise from a lack of knowledge about what spirituality is. Most individuals are bound exclusively to a material view of earthly life, and so they suffer great struggles. They do not understand the situations they go through and revolt against themselves. They become irritated with their counterparts under any pretext, judging themselves wronged by the very divinities they are connected to, begging for protection. As the attendees of Christian Rationalism’s public meetings acquire knowledge, they begin to have a different perception of their realities.

The situations we live out are the consequence of the evolutive laws of cause and effect, to which we all are subjected and which produce variable outcomes according to the use of each individual’s free will. Thus, nothing happens by chance, everything has a reason to be. If one practices good deeds, one will have spiritual well being in return. The same is true of malice: evil actions will bring ill being to the spirit.

There are many ways to conduct life as the conditions of the laws of cause and effect proceed; likewise, there are many ways to contract, or not, spiritual debts during our earthly existence. Correcting the faults we have committed also can be done in many ways, within the same existence or in other future incarnations of the spirit. Some work incessantly for the evolution of humanity, finding cures to diseases or making technological advancements, while others dedicate themselves to Culture, and so forth. Thus, spiritual evolution happens in many human circumstances.

Have good thoughts, use your free will towards the practice of the Good, and assist your counterparts, not judging anyone. As you acquire knowledge studying Christian Rationalism, you will have a very different view of the earthly life and understand better the whys of certain situations. The causes that motivate our setbacks are locked in the subconscious, and the difficulties they present should be faced as a necessary practice for spiritual development.

The aim of the Earth school-planet is to make its inhabitants, at each incarnation of the spirit, have a better life than they did in their prior existence, eliminating faults that still exist within the fluidic body. Therefore, make good use of your thoughts before each action; for any individual, minding these thoughts is necessary to fulfilling duties with valor and courage. This is the way that everyone should adopt who wishes to grow in evolution – deepen your spiritual studies in order to improve yourself.

Individual growth in this school-world

By Humberto Rodrigues

On the planet corresponding to its own degree of spirituality and assisted by Superior Forces, the spirit plans its next incarnation, knowing that it will have to face many battles in this school-planet in order to evolve. Even knowing about these crusades, many incarnate because, in light of their level of evolution, only in this world of the scholarly can the individual grow.

The individual has registered in his or her subconscious all the plans made while on the planet that corresponded to the particular class of its earthly existence. One cannot have a detailed perception of their plans, but we can be intuitively guided toward our goals by the Superior Forces, as long as we conduct our lives with lucid thought, righteous action, valor, and courage, without despair in the face of our struggles.

The dense fluidic atmosphere that envelops the Earth, stores countless numbers of disturbed spirits. Even though the Superior Astral, supported by enlightened individuals within Christian Rationalism houses, carry out the physic cleansing of the planet, the harmful influences of the obsessed spirits over the incarnated individuals let inferior thoughts and sentiments lead them, causing them to deviate, sometimes momentarily, from the plans made on their corresponding spiritual planets, which were imprinted in their subconscious minds.

Therefore, we affirm repeatedly that spiritual enlightenment is essential so that individuals can convince themselves that they are composed by the binomial Intelligent Principle and Matter and become aware that they have spiritual attributes to be improved upon, such as intelligence and reasoning, to analyze what they hear and read, arriving at their own conclusions. A well-developed will power makes one able to resist the vices and the mere instinctual impulses, gaining control over themselves in order to control their emotions and longings since the spirit does not incarnate for material conquering but to battle for its own evolution.

It is fundamental to have discipline in life, to exercise one’s thoughts toward the practice of the Good, because every thought, being a vibration of the spirit, has an unknown potential. Evil thoughts attract negative influences that interfere in the righteous use of free will, causing difficulty with making decisions. Those who have virtuous thoughts have good intuitions, as they have spiritual assistance.

Hence, practice the strengthening of Thought, exercising the free will faculty towards the Good. Incarnation is a wonderful opportunity to evolve, as there are interactions among many different people with different levels of spirituality. Enjoy the exchange of experiences, learn from them, and open your minds while avoiding pre-conceited ideas and eliminating prejudice. All in life is learning, experience, and the search for understanding.

Therefore, do not dwindle among difficulties since the spirit has setbacks in order to evolve. Do not feel as if you are a victim and do not attach yourself to sentimentalisms, almost always exacerbated and improper. Everything happens for a reason and occurs in life in a determined moment according to the use of the free will. Spiritual enlightenment eases this understanding, helping us to face facts naturally and with resignation so that we can have mild difficulties in life.

It’s important to have emotional control

By Antonio Cottas

Human beings have battles to face their entire lives, have work to be done that brings worries, and to a certain point these are justifiable concerns as they are a part of living. However, we should know that everything in excess is detrimental. One may suffer by anticipation, bringing anxiety into problems that are not real, that are far from even happening, and that do not occur. So, it is important to have emotional control, to not suffer a psychic draining that weakens our physical and mental health.

On Earth, this grand and beautiful planet, many individuals crisscross their paths daily without knowing each other entirely. Enemies from past existences may now become friends or are even dear relatives. The transcendent understanding assists us to sculpt our souls on this school planet through forgetting past existences while incarnated.

Christian Rationalism teaches liveliness during the meetings at our spiritual houses and in our published books, and how individuals should sociably relate to each other and cultivate friendship, striving to be pleasant and also avoiding conviviality when there is no affinity of temperaments.

Nature makes no leaps. Therefore, one should not do anything in haste. It is important that one analyze everything carefully in other to have assorted conclusions. The spiritualized person walks confidently, having self-confidence and leaving behind non-worthy things. The ones who visit a Christian Rationalist house with the desire to learn what spirituality is will truly benefit. Just as they are invigorated, they begin to have self-assurance, not dreading anything, because from fear and uncertainty comes negative thoughts that lead to psychic dysfunction.

High thoughts create a fluidic barrier around the individual that emits them, hindering malicious spirits from the inferior astral to practice their malice. On the contrary, one who is mentally weak and does not know how to think in an elevated way, will see obstacles everywhere and will only observe flaws in their counterparts. The inferior astral easily manipulates this person, especially the young who depend on him or her since they do not have conditions to defend themselves.

Attend our public meetings frequently in order to change for the better your way of living by applying Christian Rationalism’s principles and disciplines that strengthen our souls, enabling us to act with wisdom and conviction, heightening our thoughts at the right moments.

Know yourself

By Valdir Aguilera

Most likely you know the phrase that gives this article its title. It is also likely that you have seen or heard comments about what it is referring to, and you have your own opinion about it. Even so, perhaps there is something you have missed and it requires further analysis. That's what we're going to do.

First of all, it should be clear that it is not known who the author of the sentence was. Some mention Thales of Miletus, Pythagoras, Heraclitus and even Socrates among several others. It was written (in Greek) in the entrance courtyard of the Temple of Apollo, where the Oracle of Delphi was located. The author was probably none of those remarkable philosophers. It certainly was not Socrates. Why do we believe this? Let us consult Plato.

In Plato's Fedro, Socrates says: "I have not yet, as the Delphic inscription recommends, been able to know myself", it being clear that he saw the phrase "Know thyself" in Delphi. [1]

For the students of Christian Rationalism, knowing oneself means being aware that one is Force and Matter. In other words, we understand each one of us is a dual being composed of a spirit and a body. Not the physical body, but the fluidic one. The physical body belongs to the Earth and remains here after its death, while the fluidic body belongs to the spirit and follows it through eternity. The Christian rationalist knows that he is not his physical body.

Is that what it means 'know yourself'? Yes, but it's only part of the story. There's more to it. Let's see.

As important, or even more important, as knowing yourself as Force and Matter is to be conscious of being in an endless process, to be better, to learn more, to evolve. This learning requires, among other things, to constantly watch over our feelings.

What do feelings have to do with our subject? Everything to do with it, because they are important factors that directly influence our thoughts and guide our actions. Consequently, guide our life.

However, how many pay attention to their own feelings? Not many, and often they do not even notice them. Take, for example, a jealous person. What kind of thoughts is he subject to as a result of this feeling? No righteous thoughts, surely. And it turns out that this person may not realize that he is jealous, he does not know himself.  

Other equally negative feelings can go unnoticed. Many of them you can imagine yourself, like selfishness for example. As a result, the gradual process of evolution is undermined, and this has a price, it generates a debt to be paid.

It follows that in addition to knowing that you are a spirit with a fluidic body, knowing yourself requires being aware of your feelings and, you may add, your emotions. And we cannot forget our habits. Do we spend our lives criticizing others and looking for their flaws? 

In conclusion, to know ourselves, in its broadest sense, it is necessary to make a daily analysis of our behavior, feelings and habits. A good time for this healthy practice is a few minutes before bedtime.

So, do you know yourself?

References

[1] Fedro ou da Beleza, Guimarães Editora, Lisboa 2000, p. 16 (Book in Portuguese)

Prepare yourself for what is coming

By Luiz de Mattos

Many occurrences unfold in the world so that people can awaken. There are many individuals who are asleep, not acknowledging the reality that surrounds them or that happens to them. When these persons awaken to spirituality, they are frightened to face a world that they did not know existed – they regret the life they used to live and lament the time they wasted.

Due to the exacerbated materialism that plagues our lives, people easily stumble in difficulties that delay their spiritual evolution on this planet. Therefore, it is necessary to extend spiritual wisdom to humanity in a way that invites individuals to become more interested in spiritual values than material ones. For human beings, the physical body is a manifestation of the spirit. It is the spirit that gives richness and beauty; it is the spirit that gives life.

It is time to free ourselves from materialism and to follow spiritual principles. It is essential to face life without engaging our existence in malice. It is important that we analyze the past, think of the future, and spiritually prepare ourselves for what is coming, good or bad.

If there is no preparation to tackle the social, economical, cultural, and religious changes coming in the future, humanity will suffer a lot longer than necessary from a delay in spiritual understanding and we will be disappointed with what we encounter going forward.

The ones who are tired of the lives they are living, of the inertia they find themselves in, of the little importance they give to the serious aspects of their own existence, should awaken for spirituality and begin to journey through life on a different path. Since the majority of people do not understand each other or the purposes of their existence, we insist that it is necessary to be prepared for anything.

Therefore, it is essential that people with little direction, going through errant paths, awaken and grow, leaving behind selfishness and arrogance. Become spiritual and dependable, free to follow your own convictions. Be conscious that you are an Intelligent Principle expressed as Matter so that you can be happier. This is what we wish for you.

The meaning of life and universal laws

By Humberto Rodrigues

Many individuals ask themselves, “What is the broad meaning of life? Who are we and why do we live in this context? What is God relative to the universal space? Why are there so many different individuals with diverse tempers in the same family if they were raised the same way?” These are reflections of a transcendent nature and questions of universal philosophical inquiry.

Christian Rationalism is a philosophy that originated from the answers to these questions derived from Luiz de Mattos’ spiritual self-questioning. Integrating conclusions that responded to the spirit of our noticeable humanist need to answer these questions in his last incarnation in this world, its principles approach such metaphysical concepts with answers derived from mediumnity research and reflections on many philosophers’ studies of the human condition. Our purpose is to bring Christian Rationalism to light in order to benefit humanity.

The essential book of this philosophy called Christian Rationalism has answers to philosophical inquires such as who the individual is (Intelligent Principle and Matter), what constitutes the Great Focus (God), what the influences of evolutionary laws are in the whole universe, and so on. As soon as the individual begins to find answers to their questions, they awaken to the spirituality that Christian Rationalism encloses in its clarifying contents, in which reason prevails and (vague) belief is undone.

Christian Rationalist houses are spiritual schools at which attendees of the public meetings arrive with many questions and leave with the answers they receive from our president or his assistants. The teachings are clear and understandable. However, the various subjects available in the essential book (Christian Rationalism) will benefit attentive students who wish to put into deeper practice their knowledge.

It is fundamental to understand the existence of the evolutive laws, such as the Law of Reincarnation, the Law of Cause and Effect, and the Law of Attraction, which are the three most important ones. These are natural and immutable laws to which the Whole is subjected. It is also important to comprehend that the spirit has faculties and attributes such as free will and willpower. When associated with high thoughts, which are vibrations of the spirit, individuals will attract the Superior Forces and gain strength from them to practice the Good.

It is due to the Law Of Attraction that individuals harmonize with sentiments and thoughts similar to theirs, such as sympathy, tolerance, fairness, goodwill, and love towards our counterparts.

Christian Rationalism provides answers to the question of what life is in the physical world and the astral world, and offers explanations for the whys of everything that each individual faces in his or her life on Earth. This philosophy brings spiritual truth through its principles and its soul-strengthening discipline, which accompanies the spirit in its continuous and eternal evolutionary path and can be put into practice by everyone in their earthly existence.

It is truly beautiful to observe individuals spiritually attracted to truth and enlightened! It is wonderful to understand that we are responsible for our own actions – just as we improve our understanding, we become ever more responsible! Life, for ourselves and for those around us, becomes easier if we act this way. Christian Rationalist philosophy is implemented on Earth in a perennial way for the purpose of assisting the human family to follow the evolutive spiritual path with perseverance, conquering the happiness they deserve, which is the purpose of all beings on our planet.

The solutions to our problems come from us

by Antonio Cottas

The great majority of people, who do not have an understanding of spirituality, do not see life as a vast school. In a traditional school, there are many subjects to be studied, such as maths, biology, languages, and so forth, and many questions to be answered in each lesson.

As the individual begins to understand spirituality, he or she commences to understand the immense classroom that Life is and the innumerous personal lessons to be learned each at a time.

Therefore, it is necessary to make use of reasoning with tranquility and willpower with intensity to resolve each problem as it appears, one by one, with valor and courage, understanding that setbacks exist for us to overcome, to teach us life’s lessons, and not to run away from.

As many individuals are unaware of spiritual true reality, many might think they are not the ones to blame for the problems that surface or not the ones responsible for the difficulties they have caused for others.

From the moment people study themselves following Christian Rationalism’s philosophy, they strengthen their souls with these spiritual principles and discipline and they begin reasoning about every difficult situation that they have been through, having in mind that their problems will be resolved by themselves and not by divine entities.

The attendees of the public meetings at Christian Rationalism’s houses should not believe that they have arrived at a place where their individual dramas will be resolved by superior entities and that everything will be all right when they come back to their homes. This is not the way that problems are solved. It is essential that one bring spiritual understanding to life in order to attract the Superior Astral and their beneficial fluids. In order to overcome setbacks, the Superior Forces’ intuitions should be put in practice with optimism.

Therefore it is important for people to be mindful of spiritual reality. Do not harbor illusions with vain promises, thinking that divine entities will solve our life’s problems. It is crucial to have self-confidence, understanding that the solution comes from us as long as we have good thoughts, rational reasoning, and willpower.

Good thoughts and actions attract the Good

By Humberto Rodrigues

The way that individuals vibrate their own thoughts and demonstrate their own sentiments reflects their level of spiritual development. The spiritual baggage of each individual is revealed in his or her actions. Hence, everyday thoughts and sentiments lead to success or to failure in life.

The one who has righteous thoughts attracts the Good and, in general, practices Good deeds. The one who has evil thoughts attracts evil. As a person emits damaging thoughts towards oneself or others, he or she will be feeding the negative currents that crisscross Earth’s fluidic atmosphere and begin to be influenced by these deleterious forces that they attract to themselves.

It is understood that Earth is a school-planet in which individuals of heterogeneous spirituality interact. Therefore, we should not look back or to the side but look forward, passing straight through human malice, because there is a lot of work to do intimately on our own selves such as (amending negative) tendencies of our character, to improve our attributes in order to grow spiritually, conquering happiness as a result of the fulfillment of our duties.

The one who practices evil will not have peace of mind since the spirit incarnates with one’s individual disposition to practice the Good in order to evolve. When individuals distance themselves from the objectives planned in their astral worlds, they contract spiritual debts, which are deviations of conduct to be eliminated from the fluidic body at any cost — even if our negative actions bring delusive material gains — because the real gains are the spiritual ones conquered in our path of progressive evolution.

Study spirituality; study the evolutionary laws, such as the laws of attraction and cause and effect, in order to shape your own lucid, reasoned conclusions. Face setbacks naturally; do not overthink your difficult moments nor give too much importance to your obstacles, as they are all part of life. Do not live with exaggerated sentimentalism, as it will not lead down to any useful path. Face life’s realities with optimism, courage, and valor. We are all spiritual, intelligent principles, not just physical bodies. As long as we have discipline in our lives, putting our will power into action, we all have the capacity to respond appropriately to life’s hindrances and get up from the knockdowns of life’s difficulties.

Therefore, do not dread anything, as fears are vibrations attracting disincarnated spirits stagnated on Earth’s fluidic atmosphere, which will influence you negatively. React against the stumbles of life, make good use of your free will, have your thoughts and your will power aimed towards the practice of the Good.

Practice psychic cleansing daily in your homes and this practice will keep away harmful influences and attract good intuitions, fulfilling your existence, which is always moving forward.

Every individual has a role to fulfill

by Luiz de Mattos

The aim of Christian Rationalism is to awaken individuals to spirituality and, in this way, to free them from the thought of malice, which induces psychic and physical disorders. Our philosophy recommends that everyone reason about their actions and observe their surroundings in such a way that they can justifiably progress.

In life’s daily battles, every individual has a role to fulfill. It’s a shame, though, that not everyone knows how play his or her part. Having love for one’s work is a spiritual duty, but there are many individuals who work as a matter of necessity and not for the duty of being productive or doing something useful in this world.

For too many people, work is merely a mandatory task required to pay their bills and to accomplish their own needs only. Once they have their very basic essentials satisfied, they do nothing. One of the evils of humanity is work disaffection and the dreadful fear of assuming responsibilities.

There are many individuals who do not want to make a sacrifice: they are indolent; they look for the easiest part of the work in the hope of not overworking their bodies. But they are misled. Acting this way, they are deceiving their spirits and delaying their spiritual evolution. Sometimes, it is necessary to speak this truth a little harshly so that these inattentive individuals can awaken. Too much courtesy will not allow them to grasp this life’s reality.

Everyone can find, within Christian Rationalist philosophy, the necessary enlightenment one needs to conquer their spiritual evolution and their material progress. In spiritual awakening, one will notice their mistakes and will head towards a new path. Those who study Christian Rationalism will find within our principles something new that serves them as guidance in life.

Nothing in this world is easy: there is a great deal of bitterness and suffering. However, men and women have the duty to endure and to surpass setbacks with dignity and integrity and without fearing anything. A good fighter has no fears, faces life with strength and determination, ending up victorious.

When the time comes for humanity to become spiritually enlightened, when human beings learn to value their own individual personalities, they will discover intimately their superior traits and begin to live with tranquility. One’s ideal is conquered with valor and courage, but cowardliness is natural for those who do not have an ideal in life. Hence, genuine Christian Rationalists are courageous spiritualists.

Yes, it is possible to predict the future

By Valdir Aguilera

Since humanity started gathering historical information about human societies, one can notice the interest and desire to know about future life and what to expect from it. Will the dreams come true? Will expectations be fulfilled? Is something terrible about to happen? Questions for which they sought answers.

In this regard the Greeks stood out. Moved by the eagerness to get answers to those questions, and others of the same kind, they sought to know the future in various ways, being specific religious rituals the most common. In order to fulfill this desire, pythonesses and their oracles emerged, that is, their answers to the questions that were asked of them. The oracle was also the name of the place, considered sacred, where the pythonesses praticed their craft. The most famous is the Oracle of Delphi, located in the city of the same name, which no longer exists.

Another way to satisfy this hunger to know the future was to look for the answers in the stars or in fortune telling cards. As a result then came the horoscopes and the tarot. We also have the reading of the hands (palmistry), the interpretation of the coffee grinds at the bottom of the cup (cafeomancy) and other means that the fertile human imagination was able to create. All are still in vogue. The clientele is still large and faithful. But let us put these practices aside and turn our attention to people known as clairvoyants.

Is it possible that clairvoyants foresee the future? The answer is 'yes'! And the question of free will? Doesn't a person determine his or her own future? Or is there a destiny already mapped out? Let us examine those doubts in parts.

Clairvoyants are not the only ones who can predict the future. Let's imagine a situation where someone drops a glass. Anyone can predict what will happen to it. What it cannot be said is that when the glass was made it was already destined to fall and crash. If this happened, as in our example, it was because someone got careless and a law of nature was triggered, the Law of Gravity.

Even so, this "destiny" may not come true and our glass may not shatter, because someone could have caught it when it was still in the air. The glass was saved thanks to the intervention of a person's will, perhaps the same one who dropped it.

In a more interesting situation let us imagine a person at the top of a building from where he can see the intersection of two streets. In one of them he can see a car quickly approaching the intersection. He also sees a second car on the other street approaching the same point. He can foresee the future, a collision. What he cannot say, because it is an untruth, is that the two drivers were destined to suffer that car accident.

What, then, is fate? Fate must be interpreted as the plan that the spirit projected before reincarnating in order to advance his evolution. Nothing beyond that. He may or may not succeed in carrying out that plan. It will depend on how he conducts his life. One example that can clarify this subject is that of a person who decides to undertake a course. He enrolls in the course with the intention of finishing it and getting a diploma. Will he finish the course as planned? We know the answer, don't we?

Let us now turn our attention to clairvoyants. If one of them, sought by a client, foresees an event that involves the customer, if he is not making it up he will be receiving intuitions from spirits that see the course that the client has given and continues to give to his life and the resulting consequences. Even so, the future foreseen by the clairvoyant may not come true. The client may consider the prediction as an alert and reshape his life. This is where the question of free will comes in.

The important point to note is that all events, without exception, are governed by universal laws. One of the best known is the Law of Cause and Effect. This law teaches us that there isn't a single effect that does not have a cause behind it. Therefore, our future is determined by our own actions, past and present. Nothing is written in the stars, or anywhere else.

The Law of Attraction is another law that plays an important role in a person's future. An example of the action of this law is the so-called self-fulfilling prophecy. What's that supposed to be? Let us clarify it with a simple example. Let us imagine that a clairvoyant, mystifying, tells his client that a terrible illness is about to manifest itself. It was a malicious invention, but the customer, not realizing the cruelty, is so impressed that he starts thinking about illnesses day and night and ends up being affected by a disease that normally would not occur. What the clairvoyant said resulted in a self-fulfilling prophecy.

We quote two laws responsible for events in a person's life: the Law of Cause and Effect, and the Law of Attraction, both well known to researchers of the Christian rationalist philosophy. If there are others, and it is possible that there are, they are not yet known. However, those two are already enough to be remembered and seriously considered in our daily life.