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Inner reform can be
defined as the constant
effort that the Spirit
makes to evolve morally.
On the earthly plane,
where evil certainly
predominates over good,
this effort comprises an
inexorable behavior,
since all beings are
divinely destined for
happiness, only
attainable with the
total absence of
imperfections.
Allan Kardec defined
this effort well, on
several occasions. Let
us look at two, the
first of which can be
considered the “golden
law” of inner reform:
1st - A
true Spiritist is
recognized by his moral
transformation and by
the efforts he employs
to tame his evil
inclinations. (The
Gospel according to
Spiritism,
chap. XVII, n° 4).
2nd - Make
an effort to be good, to
become better if you are
already good, to purify
yourself of your
imperfections, in a
word, to elevate
yourself morally as much
as possible. (Posthumous
Works, 1st Part,
Item VII, No. 58).
God contemplated the
Spirit that enters the
realm of reason with
three tools that will
accompany him into
eternity: intelligence
(continuous), conscience
and free will.
At first “simple and
ignorant”, the Spirit
will have at its
disposal all the means
to evolve. Apparently,
the majority soon let
themselves be
contaminated by the
deceptive attractions of
the least effort and
immediate pleasures.
When the deviations
accumulate, in the
endless stream of
reincarnations, Emmanuel1 tells
us that, our
millenary paths become
stoned. Then,
only life's educational
processes can fix it. (It
is worth remembering
that in pedagogical
terms, pain is always
the best teacher...).
As conscience is not
silent, the Spirit will
only find peace when it
smooths out all the
accumulated edges. It
follows from this that
inner reform results in
relief from the anguish
or pain, while inner
peace will be
established. Such is the
inner reform.
Inner reform can awaken
voluntarily, or under
the guise of pain. In
both cases, the Spirit
no longer accepts to
continue doing the same
things.
He recognizes that he must or needs to
change his attitudes.
Then, intelligence,
consciously, makes the will come
into action, with
behavioral change in the
following environments:
a. at first,
predominantly, at home,
with the family;
b. in the
profession, before
bosses, colleagues,
subordinates;
c. finally, in
your social environment
– with neighbors,
friends, acquaintances.
An ancient Chinese
saying reminds us that
“The journey of a
hundred miles begins
with a single step”.
Above, we have already
heard Emmanuel tell us
(and we believe it to be
true) that in the long
string of our
reincarnations we
sediment millenary
misconducts.
That said, one way to
carry out inner reform,
among many possible
ones, could be, for
example:
a – Identify what is and
what is not a deviation
b – Recognize that you
practice them
c – Identify situations
in which this occurs
d – Choose one virtue,
at a time, to be
dynamized, in
counterfeit to the
deviation that we are
used to tread more often
e – Work on this
“election” and only hold
another one when the
previous one succeeds.
Thus, implant a
pre-established mental
program for instant use
and action, based on:
- Think before you act
or speak
- Ask: how would Jesus
act? And then, act/speak
as close to the answer
as possible...
- Over-effort in
carrying out this
program.
Along with the sincere
decision to change —
morally and spiritually
—, we suggest an easy
and practical way to
start a work of inner
and spiritual
transformation, which
will be to attend public
lectures at a Spiritist
Center. Currently,
watching "lives" exposed
by dedicated Spiritist
speakers, over the
internet, in lectures
implemented at various
times and days on
several TVs, thanks to
the recent pandemic
(Covid 19).
If possible, the first
suggestion (to attend
study meetings and
Spiritist doctrinal
lectures in person at a
Spiritist Center that
has this activity) will
always be of greater
benefit, due to the sum
and exchange of
reflections among the
participants, provided
that all are imbued with
the same intention.
Experience has already
shown that face-to-face
association with people
with the same intention
of change, through
intimate reform, is
recommended, always
listening to the
experience of those
responsible for the
Spiritist Center.
These are basic
suggestions.
Note: Spiritist Centers
generally have
responsible, fraternal,
dedicated people who
study Spiritism, who can
clarify doubts.
In fact, inner reform
does not have a set time
to be installed in the
Spirit and does not
depend exclusively on a
“manual” or “course” to
happen. Obviously, in
all religions, there are
premises that indicate
how the adept can
achieve happiness and
none of them dispenses
with individual effort.
But, sooner or later,
even outside religions,
all spirits will tend to
correct procedures,
change negative
tendencies and thus
achieve a happy life.
We Spiritists are not
contemplating “our
sardines”, but in fact,
we recognize that the
Doctrine of the Spirits
always tends to provide
safe guidance for a
program of inner reform,
based on the lessons of
Master Jesus, codified
by Allan Kardec,
especially in The
Gospel according to
Spiritism.
That is because
Spiritism, in our view,
is the only religion
that opens the curtain
of our existence (past,
present and future).
With logic, above all
based on the Divine Law
of Justice, that of
action and reaction, it
gives us parameters for
understanding our today,
as being the result of
our yesterday,
while projecting tomorrow,
as being exactly the
result of today.
Jesus recommended us
(and how!) to love God
and neighbor (Luke
10:27). So, let us
reason: our integrity
has nuances that obey
the conservation
instinct, in the
physical part, but
self-love is not always
a good adviser, since,
as a rule, it
contemplates
selfishness, which
anesthetizes tolerance,
solidarity and
fraternity.
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