"All is the work of the mind in space and time, using thousands of forms, in order to purify and sanctify itself for the Divine Glory". - Andre Luiz (Between Earth and Heaven, Chapter XX, page 128).

Another feature of the perispirit is its capacity to expand, meaning the expansion of the sensitivity area of the perispirit. It is due to this feature that several processes of mediumistic perception happen.

The perispirit, when materialized, can be touched, so it is tangible. Spirits manifest in one of these ways.

The perispirit is eternal, and it connects to the soul. Therefore, it cannot be destroyed. It also has the characteristic of mutability. Zimmermann states, "The perispirit, in the course of the evolutionary process, if it is not susceptible to change in its substance, it is in relation to its structure and form." (Zimmermann, Perispirit, Chapter II, p.55).

Thanks to its properties, it is also a reservoir of memories of the Spirit, possessing plasticity, being able to alter its form, according to the tendencies and will.

The most important thing to know here, regarding the proposed issue, is that the perispirit has variable density according to the evolution of the Spirit. Because it is susceptible to structural transformation, the perispirit can become more or less dense, according to our thoughts / feelings. Thus, when we cultivate negative, malicious ideas of withdrawal, anger, etc., we automatically change the "weight" and density of the perispirit, starting to vibrate in heavier dimensions, where souls of the same pattern are found. By changing our feeling, we move from one vibratory level to another, instantly. The opposite is true: when we vibrate love, we immediately go from one dense dimension to another - higher, pacified, harmonious.

Prayer, Out of Body Experience, and Guiding Spirits

Since we live in a world of trials and atonements, out of necessity and merit, we are always receiving inputsof a lower nature; due to our own psychic / spiritual immaturity, we continue to throw our darts in the world, negatively changing the fluids that involve us, also influencing the environment in which we are inserted.

The point is that our real essence is divine, therefore made of love, peace. In addition, whenever we stray from the path of love, we suffer because we move away from our real, divine, cosmic self. Pain enters this process as a pedagogical tool, capable of making us return to the right path, recognizing the path of good as being the best possible.

Whenever we think and do good things, the sensations are the best possible, only being different in cases of deep addiction to evil. In most cases, when we set the pace, we soon feel a general improvement.

Moreover, in order to be able to improve on this path full of difficulties, Jesus and other sages of Antiquity taught us the value of prayer.

If our thoughts modify the fluids, both positively and negatively, and if these fluids attract other minds, we understand that in order to attract the contest of Good Spirits we need to raise our mental tone.

Prayer carries in itself a script of higher thoughts, for it means believing in the support of our more mature brothers, Faith in God, opening our minds for good suggestions using our own guided will.

Let us remember that Andre Luiz only received the help he needed so much after using the resource of prayer, eight years after his arrival in one of the dense regions of the spiritual world. Even his mother's constant intervention – a Spirit of high moral - and her other friends, was not enough to get him out of his miserable situation. It was necessary for him to make the first movement, in the sense of giving something of himself, altering the perispiritual density itself, in order to be able to open himself to the help that was there from the very beginning.

It recalls the evangelical passage, narrated by the four Evangelists, about when Jesus would have fed a multitude of people before teaching them about the Good News on the outskirts of Bethsaida. According to the Gospels, when Jesus heard that John the Baptist had been killed He left alone for the small village of Fishermen. However, the people followed Him, and being there, Jesus had compassion on them, healing many sick.

At night, many were hungry and the disciples looked for the Master, saying that the people should go away in search of food. However, Jesus asks his friends what food they could offer, to which they replied, "only five loaves and two fish, Lord" Jesus takes them and multiplies them, to the point of being able to feed 4,000 people, with more than ten baskets...

This also occurs regarding the soul. When we seek to improve our mental pattern, we can connect with good spiritual friends and they then multiply our existential possibilities in a positive way, inspiring us on the right path, sustaining us in our pains, relieving our sorrows. It was not for another reason that Jesus also taught us, "To him that hath, more shall be given..."

In question 495 of The Book of Spirits, St. Augustine and St. Louis comment on the action of the Protecting Spirits. They ask us to maintain constant contact with them, improving our mental, psychic, and emotional conditions. Let us look at the final part of his enlightened remarks:

"Do not be afraid to trouble us with your questions; remain, on the contrary, always in touch with us: you will then be stronger and happier. These communications of every man with his familiar Spirit that make mediums out of all men, mediums now ignored, but who will later manifest themselves, flowing like an ocean without limits to revert unbelief and ignorance. Educated men, teach; men of talent, educate your brethren. You do not know that the work you do like this is that of Christ, whom God imposes on you. The reason why God gave you intelligence and knowledge is to share them with your brethren, to help them in their progress, in the path of happiness and eternal bliss"(St. Louis, St. Augustine)

Studying the mentioned work, we learned that the Spirit, while the body sleeps, is free and leaves the body in a process called out of body experience or spiritual unfolding. This is clear in question 401 made by Kardec: "During sleep does the soul rest as the body?" The Spirits answer: "No, the Spirit is never inactive. During sleep, the bonds that bind it to the body loosen and the body does not need the Spirit. Then it moves through space and enters into a more direct relationship with the other Spirits".

In the face of all the above, it is clear that, considering will, affinity, and harmony issues, we will connect with the Spirits, who share the same pattern as ours. And being partially released - in the average 8 hours of sleep - of the body, we understand that we can improve, maintain or worsen our life, our position in the evolutionary scale, according to what we accomplish in this 1/3 of the time that is granted to us by life with greater spiritual freedom.

This is why it is important to pray before falling asleep. Prayer cannot be automatic, empty, dry and with no high feelings. It needs to come from the most sacred part of our heart, so that we can change our inner and external conditions, allowing us to contact our more mature and wise brothers and move forward with them, and create tools to build in and outside of ourselves the longed Kingdom of God.

Practice of the Gospel in the Home and the mediumship with Jesus – It is undeniable that the energy, the psychic atmosphere of the sacred temples - where prayers are said with a strong faith – is beneficial. To this peculiar energy, pleasant and healing, we also give the name of “egregora” (psychic entity influencing thoughts). It is a fluidic force created from the sum of collective energies (mental, emotional).

At home, it is not different. Friendly Spirits teach us that when we come together in the name of God, independent of the religion professed by the relatives, and our main purpose is the union of souls, with good intentions, then the Good Spirits make a commitment of contact and prayer, forming a special synergy, capable of producing an energy protection, shielding us. Such Spirits also remove from the domestic environment the denser energies accumulated by everyday experiences. Moreover, in the moment of sleep, they continue with us to guide us in the activities of the night.

That is, when we call on these benefactors, in order to join them with emotional forces, through prayer to the Creator, to Jesus, we can more easily promote in ourselves and in the family group a sensitive change in psychic patterns.

We can feel greater relief in our concerns, courage in facing our challenges, patience in our contact with others, and so on.

Of course, this practice only produces results when our will is sincere and the dedication to intimate change is always present.

It is up to the parents and guardians to promote this encounter with the highest spheres of life in order to keep the family group on the safest course towards collective victories.

Let us remember that, whatever our mission is on Earth, it is always tied to self-improvement, undoing us from our egoic littleness, deepening ourselves in our most sacred, divine portion, and at the same time helping our brothers and sisters in this process.

In addition, in this journey, nothing better than to use our mediumship, that is, our capacity for spiritual connection, to contact the forces of Christ. Because, as our dear Master taught us, His energy, His examples and His words are, no doubt, the path, the truth and life. Moreover, it is through this sacred attunement that we can increase our capacities for positive change, be they of an inner, familial, or planetary order.

References:

KARDEC A. The Book of Mediums or Guide for Mediums and Evocative, 49^th French Edition translated by Guillon Ribeiro. 76^th  Edition, Rio de Janeiro: FEB, 2005.

___________. The Gospel According to Spiritism, translation by Guillon Ribeiro, of the 3^rd French Edition, revised, corrected and modified by the author in 1866. 124^th Edition, Rio de Janeiro: FEB, 2004.

__________. The Book of Spirits: principles of the Spiritist Doctrine. Translation by Guillon Ribeiro of the 86^th Edition, Rio de Janeiro: FEB, 2005.

___________The Genesis: the miracles and predictions according to Spiritism, translation of the 5th French Edition by Guillon Ribeiro. 48^th Edition, Rio de Janeiro: FEB, 2005.

MOREIRA-ALMEIDA, A. Exploring the mind-brain relationship: reflections and guidelines - Exploring mind-brain relationship: reflections and guidelines, Rev. Clinical Psychiatrist, volume 40 no.3 Sao Paulo 2013.

XAVIER, F C. Road Map by the Spirit Emmanuel. 7th Edition, Rio de Janeiro, RJ: FEB. 1986.

____________. In the Domains of Mediumship, by the Spirit Andre Luiz. 32th Edition, Rio de Janeiro: FEB, 2005.

____________. Between Earth and Heaven, by the Spirit Andre Luiz, 23th

Edition, Rio de Janeiro: FEB, 2005.

ZIMMERMANN, Z. Perispirit, 1^st Edition, Campinas, SP: CEAK, 2000.