Diógenes Dassan
Feijó:
“It is essential
to read and
prepare before
joining any
mediumship
group”
The young
Spiritist leader
talks about how
he found the
Teachings and
highlights the
importance of
studying and
preparing for Spiritists who
are wiling to
help others
 |
Diógenes Dassan
Feijó (photo),
an Information
Technology (IT)
expert, is the
Vice-President
of the Bezerra
de Menezes
Spiritist
Association, in
his hometown of
São José do Rio
Pardo, in the
Brazilian state
of São Paulo. He
became a
Spiritist only
two years ago
and, in this
interview,
shares with us
his experiences
and the
development of
the
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|
Spiritist
Movement in the
city.
How and when did
you become a
Spiritist?
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I have had
contact with
Spiritism since
I was a
teenager,
through my
father and other
relatives. My
sister has
always had very
clear mediumship
and always, from
a very early
age, told us
what she could
see and hear.
That has always
raised my
interest. I grew
up as a Catholic
but could not
find the answers
in my religion
to the big
questions,
especially to
matters
concerning
death. After
paying a few
visits to
Spiritist Groups
in my hometown I
made the
decision of
studying the
principles of
Spiritism. About
a year and a
half ago I began
a course at the
Bezerra de
Menezes
Spiritist
Association.
And why did you
choose this
particular
Spiritist
Centre?
I had been to
Bezerra de
Menezes a few
times before
with my mother,
for public
talks. In one of
them, one of the
directors said
they were
beginning a
course for
beginners in
Spiritism. I
decided to study
and to join the
course and was
very welcome
there. I have
made new friends
and felt at home
at Bezerra de
Menezes, which
was founded in
1988 and does a
lot of good work
for the
community.
How many
Spiritist
Centres are
there in the
city? Tell us
more about the
Spiritist
Movement in São
José do Rio
Pardo.
There are 10
Spiritist
Centres and
several family
groups. The
Spiritist
Movement in the
city is focused
mainly on
Spiritual
assistance,
healing, studies
and lectures or
talks. We need
to do more work
gathering all
Groups, helping
each Group
overcome their
difficulties and
reaching a wider
public. As our
mentor, Bezerra
de Menezes,
said: “Together
we will be a
union. Separated
from one
another, we will
be simply points
of view”.
Which aspect of
Spiritism speaks
the most to
you?
For me it is its
comforting
aspect and its
rationality in
its approach to
a wide range of
issues. The more
I study
Spiritism, the
more it makes
sense to me.
What is your
assessment of
the Spiritist
Movement now,
especially in
Brazil?
With the new
media,
especially the
Internet, the
Spiritist
Movement has
finally the
opportunity to
grow stronger.
There is a lot
of material out
there, available
to the public in
many different
ways, but I feel
we lack support
from the bigger
Groups to
smaller units,
with ideas,
experience
sharing etc. It
would be
essential to
encourage a
fraternal union
among the
different
Groups.
You are very
enthusiastic
about the
dissemination of
Spiritism. What
really gets you
going?
Spiritism came
to me, from an
early age,
thanks to the
effort of many
people, which
saw the
Teachings as
essential to our
development.
They lifted a
veil, bringing
light on what
was previously
seen as
supernatural.
That is why I
also feel the
need to
disseminate the
Teachings, to do
my bit, studying
more and more in
order to give
something back,
after having
received so
much.
Is there
anything you
would like to
mention or
highlight?
Something
remarkable
happened when I
was very young,
10 years’ old.
My mother took
me to a
mediumship
meeting at the
house of an aunt
of mine. Until
then I had no
knowledge
whatsoever of
Spiritism.
During the
meeting I heard
voices, taps,
moans and I was
very scared,
even traumatised
for a while. But
eventually I
decided to face
it and study the
phenomena. That
is why I
strongly
recommend lots
of reading and
preparing before
people attend to
any mediumship
meetings in
Spiritist
Centres. We must
understand what
goes and, how we
can help and how
we may be helped
in the process.
