Childhood

We present in this issue the topic #85 from the Systematized Study of the Spiritist Doctrine, that is being presented weekly, according to the programme elaborated by the Brazilian Spiritist Federation (FEB), structured in 6 modules and 147 topics.

If the reader uses this program for a study group, we suggest that questions proposed be discussed freely before the reading of the text that follows. If you would like to study alone, we ask you to try to answer the questions at first and only then read the text that follows. The answer key can be found at the end of the lesson. 

Questions

1. What is, according to Spiritism, the usefulness of the period called as childhood?

2. What advantages does childhood provide to the Spirit that returns to the corporeal life?

3. During childhood, is the incarnate more or less accessible to the impressions he receives?

4. How does Emmanuel, as he compares life as a journey, define childhood?

5. What did Jesus teach us about the state of purity and simplicity common to children? 

Text

Childhood is an adaptation stage necessary to the reincarnate

1. The soul of a kid may be more developed than the one of an adult; however, his intelligence – during childhood– is not fully developed because of his physical organism. 

2. The state of perturbation that a Spirit goes through as it incarnates ceases little by little and completely fades away when the organs are developed. 

3. Childhood is an adaptation stage necessary to the reincarnate. Existent in different worlds, it is, though, less extensive in more advanced planets.  

4. Just left from the Spirit-world, where it enjoyed more freedom and had more resources, the Spirit sees itself, during this stage, in difficulties to fully express its thoughts and sensations. 

During childhood the Spirit is more accessible to advice 

5. In this stage of life, in which the Spirit sees its freedom limited, childhood is a demonstration of God’s mercy, which provides two advantages: 

•          The Spirit earns indispensable time in order to get prepared for future and difficult tasks in this new corporeal existence. 

•          In this stage, covered with simplicity and innocence common to every child, it arouses in parents a lot of empathy, interest and good will, which will ease its tasks in the world. 

6. We have learned that, as it develops, the child will show, in the upcoming years, the tendencies and moral defects inherent to its spiritual development, but it will be able to be sharply modified by the influence received from the crib, parents and people in general. 

7. Reincarnating under the starting form of a child, the Spirit is more accessible to advice, coming from parents and people assigned to this task, whose importance is emphasized by Emmanuel in the chapter CLI of his book “Way, Truth and Life”:  “Youth can be compared to a hopeful exit of a boat for an important trip. Childhood was the preparation, the age, the arrival at the harbor”. “Every stage requires the lessons of experienced sailors, so that the journey may end successfully.” 

The purity and simplicity of a child is our aim 

8. As a child, the Spirit temporarily wears the clothes of innocence, a fact which attests the kindness and wisdom of God, since its apparent innocence and fragility arouses the care and empathy of adults around, easing the process of re-education. 

9. Such state of purity and simplicity is so important that the Master himself highlighted it in a well-known passage in which he declared: “Verily I say unto you, except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven”. 

10. The coldest person should remember that one day he was a kid, innocent and pure, and that he should have kept on cultivating such virtues, because without them, as Jesus taught, we wouldn’t get to enter in Heaven. 

Answer Key

1. What is, according to Spiritism, the usefulness of the period called as childhood?

A.: Childhood is an adaptation stage necessary to the reincarnate. Existent in different worlds, it is, though, less extensive in more advanced planets. Existent in different worlds, it is, though, less extensive in more advanced planets.  

2. What advantages does childhood provide to the Spirit that returns to the corporeal life?

A.: In this stage of life, in which the Spirit sees its freedom limited, childhood is a demonstration of God’s mercy, which provides two advantages: 1st The Spirit earns indispensable time in order to get prepared for future and difficult tasks in this new corporeal existence. 2nd In this stage, covered with simplicity and innocence common to every child, it arouses in parents a lot of empathy, interest and good will, which will ease its tasks in the world. 

3. During childhood, is the incarnate more or less accessible to the impressions he receives?

A.: Reincarnating under the starting form of a child, the Spirit is more accessible to advice, coming from parents and people assigned to this task. 

4. How does Emmanuel, as he compares life as a journey, define childhood?

A.: Youth can be compared to a hopeful exit of a boat for an important trip. Childhood was the preparation.  

5. What did Jesus teach us about the state of purity and simplicity common to children?

A.: Such state of purity and simplicity is so important that the Master himself highlighted it in a well-known passage in which he declared: “Verily I say unto you, except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven”. 

Bibliography: 

The Spirits’ Book, by Allan Kardec, items 115-A, 183, 379 - 385. 

The Gospel According to Spiritism, by Allan Kardec, chapter VIII, items 1 - 4.

Mark, 10:14.

Matthew, 18:2-3.

Way, Truth and Life by Emmanuel, pyschographed by Chico Xavier, chap. CLI.

The Spirit of Truth, by various Spirits, psychography by Chico Xavier and Waldo Vieira, pp. 136 - 137.