Angélica da Costa Maia: 

“Things improve when individuals improve”

Our fellow Spiritist from Brazil’s Minas Gerais state says that
there is no point in trying to improve organisations if
people’s minds do not improve
 

	Angélica da Costa Maia (photo) was born into a Spiritist family in the city of Belo Horizonte, capital of Minas Gerais state, and lives in the city of Lavras. She is a volunteer worker at the Spiritist Centre Augusto Silva: a humble, honest worker, loyal to the cause of Jesus Christ:  We live in a huge society of planets. How do
we establish our identity in that society?

I think we should not attempt to establish our identity with anything on the physical world, apart from the task that the Higher World has assigned to us. After all, we are not from here and we do not stay here for long. If we try to establish a strong link with the material world we will inevitably have to overcome a number of illusions and will face setbacks on our pathway towards spiritual development.  

How can men follow the principles of Jesus in today’s world as the media constantly pushes us the other way? 

Christians must make a concerted effort to keep their thoughts and, consequently, vibrations in tune with their sincere wishes. The media reflects the thoughts of humankind, which needs to go through a process of thorough renewal. 

Conflict or dialogue: what is the best alternative? 

The conflict we are going through at the various levels of human relationships these days (with ourselves, with other people, with nature) are a reflection of the law of polarity that prevails in the Cosmos. But it is calling now for a harmony between the opposing sides, in every sense of the word. We ca no longer linger on polarities such as right or wrong, useful or useless, licit or illicit etc. Conflict between antagonistic forces has been granted to us by God as an opportunity for development and to gain experience, reaching eventually higher worlds. That is why we must see conflict as something positive. Before we get there, we keep imposing our own temporary moral values and developing a culture of antagonistic forces (good and evil, qualities and vices, defects and virtues). All that stops us from understanding the true Divine Force as a single aspect which appears in all different shapes and forms, according to the level of development of the receiver. 

Could you elaborate a bit further? 

It is a complex subject, but I would try to sum it up this way: the energy of the “saint” is the same as that of the “sinner”. What is different is the direction. Is it not that that Paul, Peter and Mary Magdalene did? The inner dialogue with their spiritual nature, with the Internal Christian Force, made them change the direction of their energy and show themselves as Children of the Light. And that is what we need to do too! 

Modern society has so many differences among its members. What is the best way to live an enriching confrontation? 

The differences are in the source of wisdom and they should not be a reason for disagreements. If we only related to equals, we would have no incentive to change our vibration patter. On the contrary, we would have many reasons to remain as we are. And that is not good, as reaching maturity is not reaching an end point, but being permanently on the way towards progress. 

Is that why we must carry on co-existing and sharing experiences in a Christian manner? 

Yes. The more we deal with different vibrations the more we will learn the science of universal fraternity and of achieving eternal values. The best way is to keep our positive points, without getting carried way by the prevailing thoughts of others.  

In your view, are you going through a phase of transition on the planet or have we already reached a new dawn of the World of Regeneration? 

Humankind is going through a period of transition, but many individuals can already breath the new fresh air of the World of Regeneration on earth. It all depends on the level of conscience of each one. But the most important is to understand that the fifth kingdom is coming: the spiritual kingdom. 

What is the best way of dealing with the challenge of being a Spiritist in modern societies? 

Spiritism in today’s world is about living the Gospel and, consequently, changing our aims in life to something higher and subtler.  

In the matter of violence against minorities, what is your view on the role of government and the authorities? 

Things improve when individuals improve. There is no other way. There is no point fighting to improve our organisations, as they would not exist without the minds that make them what they are. If we do not change our mindset – all of us  all – our best efforts in favour of certain causes, organisations etc. will simply fail. Let us remember the example of Paul of Tarsus who told us not to conform to this world, but to transform it through the renovation of our mind.

Thank you very much. And please share with us your final thoughts. 

I thank you for your generosity and for the opportunity of taking part in this work to disseminate Spiritism. I pray to God to keep us together on the pathway to enlightenment, as our effort will be happier if we have the support of fellow Christians. And the risks of failure will be reduced. Let us be, thus, one single heart, together with Jesus!