Paulo Cezar Fernandes:

“We are what we do!”

The Brazilian Spiritist researcher talks about the big question,
“What is life?” – a lifelong query for him

	Paulo Cezar Fernandes (photo), a Spiritist since 1995, born brought up in Marília, in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, is a researcher who works as a volunteer and speaker at the Núcleo Amor e Paz (Love and Peace) Spiritist Centre. In this interview he talks about his lifelong investigation into a big question: what is life?
The question you have tried to answer, “What is life?”, is the result of any particular life experience?

Since I was a child I looked for answers for this Spiritual state we call life. However, when I became an adult I had a number of mediumship experiences that led me into investigating the nature of the Intelligent Being, as well as the fact that spiritual communication does exist. I began reading the core works of Spiritism, focusing on its philosophic aspect, especially the Law of Progress and reincarnation. All that enlightened me and enabled me to elaborate a new concept of life. I was particularly touched by the analysis Allan Kardec did in the Introduction of The Gospel According to Spiritism, linking the philosophy of Socrates and Plato on reincarnation. I began my investigations into the hypothesis of reincarnation, which provided a more rational explanation to life, despite its conflicts with my religious upbringing as a Catholic. 

What were the criteria applied for your philosophical investigation? 

I compared the two possible explanations to explain my own existence: either a single existence, sustained by all religions that do not believe in reincarnation, or the approach sustained by Spiritism, Hinduism and Budism. My conclusion was that the Spiritist approach is much more efficient as an explanation. Spiritism helped me by showing a more lively and truthful Jesus. 

What have been the main developments of your investigation? 

By admitting the possibility that I am a Spirit that evolved from the Intelligent Principle created by God, without any knowledge but driven by strong will, it became clear that my life story was built by me. It began with a blind force, which developed until I attained free will and became Spirits, and, therefore, Conscious Intelligences. Once we accept the possibility that we are reincarnated Spirits, most facts of life are interpreted within a more efficient theoretical framework. Our existence also gains a much bigger relevance, as we have an opportunity to meet ourselves to re-balance old relationships and build future ones in a much more efficient and productive manner, following the moral value we have adopted: Jesus Christ. 

How has this knowledge changed your life? 

The knowledge of reincarnation makes us a lot more patient with ourselves and with one another. This is must be the first conclusion of an honest study of Spiritism. The understanding that we are going through an existential path chosen according to the spiritual needs of each one makes it clear that we have full responsibility for our present state: we are what we do! 

Your final thoughts, please. 

In the same was as Socrates, the philosopher, Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) tells us that self-knowledge is the first duty with have towards ourselves. The spirit of Saint Agustin tells us in question 919 of The Spirits’ Book that by looking for Virtue and self-knowledge we will achieve happiness already in this existence. Without full knowledge that we are incarnate Spirits being constantly influenced by the Spirits’ World, no investigation into self-knowledge will bear fruits. Only Spiritism is guaranteed to give us the key to self-knowledge!