Aglaê Pinheiro Silveira (photo) is a psychologist, born in a Spiritist family in the city of São Paulo. She works with the Mãos Unidas Spiritist Society, in São Paulo, where they run a special course for parents on Saturdays. O Consolador: What do you like the most about the Spiritist Doctrine?  The power to clarify and console, dealing with the main existential question of humankind.  O Consolador: Tell us about the task of writing summaries for the books of the Image Project.

This project is very important. On a personal level, it allows me to study regularly and in depth some of the key works of the Doctrine – mainly the books by the spirit, André Luiz, written in trance by Chico Xavier. The more I study, the more I fall in love with those books. The books of André Luiz are like an encyclopaedia, providing information on so many fields of knowledge. I also admire the Image Project, which has benefited so many people.

O Consolador: How do you see the development of the Image Project? 

The Project has as its main purpose to provide information to the public. I think it will reach in the future a much bigger audience, it will reach the media, it will be on TV and even the cinema. I think it has an important role to play even for those who already know the Spiritist Doctrine, as it has a friendly and engaging approach. 

O Consolador: What is your experience with mediunity? 

From a very early age, I began seeing spirits and also feeling their presence, through intuition. These capacities have only become more evident, and, praise the Lord, I´ve had the opportunity to offer help and assistance in many areas.

O Consolador: Tell us about the group you run with the parents, your Saturday meetings. 

The group is now in its eleventh year at the Spiritist Centre where I work. It´s a beautiful work that really speaks to my heart. Both parents and children are more and more active and enthusiastic. We have a number of activities aimed at encouraging union within the family, under the light of Spiritist Doctrine. The families as well as those working in with children in the Spiritist Centre benefit from the assistance of our spiritual benefactors every Saturday. 

O Consolador: What are the main challenges faced by parents at the moment?

The big challenge is finding a way of guiding and educating their children. The old educational models don´t work with the new generation. The lack of an educational model leads to uncertainty by the parents and insecurity for everyone. I think the various Spiritist Centres should make that a priority, to help the parents in the crucial task of educating, of bring up the new generations, preparing them for the new phase in our planet as a world of Regeneration.  

O Consolador: How can the Spiritist Doctrine play a more active role in helping the parents? 

First of all, by supporting, listening, providing guidance in an atmosphere of harmony and love. Parents have had enough of feeling guilty for not knowing exactly how to deal with their children. Most of them are well intentioned, but, as I said, they lack a proper educational model for our days. In the old days, the guidance on education from our grandparents could also be applied by our parents to their children. That is no longer the case. Even children of different ages, with a gap of five years between them, refuse to accept the guidance offered to their siblings. Many parents despair and that is where I think the Spiritist Doctrine can play an important part, by reassuring the parents. 

O Consolador: How is your work with the families? 

We take into account the latest studies from the fields of Psychology and Education, as well as the Spiritist Doctrine. Our teachers, who work with young people, study the different stages of development of the children, so they can adapt the contents of their lessons to the various age groups. The parents receive the same information about the stages of development and try to work alongside the teachers in order to encourage the moral development of the children at a very young age. This is a crucial period, when the spirit will receive the principles that will guide him or her throughout this incarnation.

O Consolador: Give us an example of how you would structure a lesson for children. 

Let´s imagine we have a group of 4 to 6-year-olds. We teach the principles of reincarnation in a simple way, without any ostensive principles of the Doctrine. We say that a drop of water, “born” in a water puddle, once it begins to rain, makes its journey to a river and the sea. With the heat of the sun, it evaporates and reaches a cloud in the sky, returning to the Earth later as rain. The parents are taught the same lesson, so that they know exactly what is being taught. There is an open debate about the contents, the method, and all sides benefit.

O Consolador: Do you have any special moments from so many years of contacts with parents and children, something you´d like to share with us? 

At the end of 2009, we developed a project called “This is Our Song”. Each family member was asked to choose its favourite song. The family then met at home to pick one song, the one they thought that best represented the whole family. The songs were then put on a CD and handed out, with a leaflet with the lyrics, at an end of the year ceremony. We had them a slide show, with a bit of each song being played in the room as the photo of the family appeared on a screen. 

O Consolador: Anything else to add? 

Yes, the reaction was great. The children were singing along. And later when I asked one of the children why they had picked that particular song, she told me, proud: “My parents met each other listening to that song.” Everyone was so happy when the ceremony came to an end, from the families to all of those who took part in the project, recording the songs on the CD etc. We could notice later better integration within the families. 

O Consolador: Your final words, please… 

I´m very happy and proud to be able to share my experience with other people. I have been working with families within Spiritism for more than 30 years, with much enthusiasm and constant joy. The good results achieved in those 30 years are an extra incentive. I thank Jesus for the opportunity to share my experience with others, who may feel encouraged to open their own Family Support groups once they read this article.