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Rita de Cássia
Foelker:
“The Spiritist
philosophy is
the basis of my
understanding
of
life”
The writer and
editorial
coordinator of
the magazine
Leitura Espírita
talks about her
work in the
Spiritist
Movement in
Brazil
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A Spiritist
since the age of
17, Rita Foelker,
from the city of
Jundiaí, in São
Paulo state, has
published more
than 50 books.
She has a
Masters degree
in Philosophy
and is also a
writer and
journalist. Rita
Foelker is the
editorial
coordinator of
Spiritist
magazine
Leitura Espírita.
Her books
include children
literature. Some
have been
written
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through her mediumship,
but not all of
them. Her
answers to our
questions in
this interview
reveal her love
and dedication
to Spiritism: |
Which of your
books has marked
you the most?
Why?
There are a
number of books
that I see as
special ones, by
the issues they
deal with it and
by the reaction
of the readers.
When I
considered
writing a book,
I have always
aimed at adding
important
thoughts and
reflections on
education, the
family,
Spiritist or
spiritual
issues. But if I
have to choose
one book, I
would pick
“Pensamentos que
Resolvem”
(Thoughts that
Work), written
by the Spirit,
Calunga. This
was the first
book written by
this Spiritual
friend of mine.
It was a mark in
my life: it was
the beginning of
a mediumship
partnership that
has changed the
way I see life.
What aspect of
your work in
Spiritist
education you
would like to
highlight?
Education in its
wider sense
includes all
that we do. It
is not only
about teaching,
but it is about
what we do as we
try to improve,
to develop
spiritually. It
is about the
contribution we
give to the
community where
we live. In 2002
we began a
project, called
Spiritist
Philosophy for
Children, based
on that idea of
reflective
education,
strongly
associated with
the development
of
self-knowledge
and the freedom
of thought.
Have you always
been linked to
the idea of
Spiritist
education and
how to deal with
our emotions?
I have worked
with groups of
children, young
people and
parents in
Spiritist
Centres. But I
am now more
focused on
organising
workshops about
education in the
light of the
Spiritist
Teachings, which
means, educating
our emotions:
the search for
self-knowledge
and internal
balance. And
even the work I
do now at the
magazine, of
disseminating
Spiritist
principles, is
education in the
wider meaning of
the world. I
believe it is
all connected.
How about your
activity as a
Spiritist
speaker, giving
talks?
It is a hugely
important part
of my work. I
have been
developing it
for more than 15
years,
travelling
across Brazil
and abroad. It
has put me in
contact with so
many people who
are interested
in Spiritism. I
try to balance
the demands of
my private life,
my professional
life, my work as
a writer to the
talks about
issues that I
consider to be
of relevance and
research on:
education,
emotional
education,
mediumship,
living according
to the
principles of
Spiritism, etc.
How did you
begin your work
with the
magazine,
Leitura Espírita?
Tell us a
bit more about
this
publication.
The magazine was
founded as part
of the project
of creation of
the Lachâtre
Institute. It
was a monthly
journal until
its 14th
issue, in
July-August
2013, when it
became a
magazine. We
have kept the
same enthusiasm
in the
dissemination of
the principles
of Spiritism,
keeping the
publication’s
high quality and
the same style
and issues. We
publish 5,000
issues and the
magazine goes
out every two
months. We have
readers from all
parts of Brazil.
What is your
assessment of
the Spiritist
Movement now, as
it faces new
challenges,
including the
development of
new technologies
and even the
process of
maturation of
humankind?
I notice there
is a growing
interest and
demand for
Spiritism, with
more
publications,
with new films
and blockbusters
that take a
Spiritist
approach. The
number of
publishing
houses is
growing too. It
looks like
issues like
reincarnation,
spiritual life
and mediumship
are being
accepted by a
greater number
of people,
including non-Spiritists.
That shows that
the core
principles of
Spiritism are
the natural laws
of the universe.
However, I have
not seen a big
effort among
Spiritists in
Brazil in order
to understand
what the real
message of Allan
Kardec was, or
to put it into
practice. There
is a cult of
personalities,
which is
detrimental to
the goals of
Spiritism, and
many non-Spiritist
concepts have
been accepted by
many, which has
distorted in
many ways the
original
proposal.
Is there
anything
special, any
particular
experience that
you would like
to share with
us?
I have begun
recently to
interact with
many people
through social
media, and that
has been very
successful. That
is a means, a
media that
allows us to
meet people with
ideas akin to
ours. We can
share ideas in a
more responsive
and interactive
manner, join
groups of people
interested in
specific issues
and build
relationships
with many nice
and intelligent
people.
Your final
thoughts,
please…
I really
appreciated the
invitation to
talks about
these issues
that are the
core of
everything I do.
The Spiritist
philosophy is
the basis of my
understanding of
life. Talking
about Spiritism
is being able to
share the
importance it
has in my
existence.
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