Jorge Hessen

A carrum navalis where flesh is worthless

Carnival is a term derived from a Roman and Egyptian festivity in honor of the God Saturn, when allegorically horse cars paraded with men and women. They were carrum navalis, hence the origin of the word "Carnival". There are those who interpret the word considering the first syllables of the words: carne nada vale, meaning flesh/meat is worthless. As a popular party, it could be an alleged “cultural” event, were not the excesses committed in the name of "joy". When you want to achieve this "happiness" by unruly pleasure and excesses of all kinds, the result is an inner dissatisfaction, and emptiness caused by moral and spiritual imbalance.

Were it not for the excesses, Carnival, as a festival of socio-racial content, could become a relatively tolerable event; obviously not to admit this would be intransigence. However, the reminder of Andre Luiz to the Spiritists becomes urgent: "move away from deplorable parties, such as CARNIVAL, including those that are known for the excesses of greed, dissoluteness or spectacular outward manifestations, since true joy walks hand in hand with temperance". (1) (In italics).

It is the time when the human Spirit usually externalizes what is kept deep inside, what he has of more primitive. Historically we have observed that Carnival’s excitement carries in itself the burden of barbarism and primitivism that still reigns between us (the embodied) marked by the violent passions of pleasure. Due to this it is called “folia”, which comes from the French "folie", meaning craziness or extravagance. 

The consequences of Carnival’s excesses

It “was once a day dedicated to celebrate the warriors, celebrating victories; it was collective reverence for the god Dionysus, in classical Greece, when the party was called Bacchanalia; in the old Rome of the Caesars, it was strongly marked by the pagan aspect and was called Saturnalia and, on these occasions, a human being was sacrificed". (2)

In our troubled days, we know that "(…) Out of ten couples who go together to enjoy Carnival, at least seven end the night fighting (jealous fits and so on); and from these ten couples, afterwards, commit adultery, in an average of 3 women to 3 men (for example); and from these ten people (men and women, in this case) during Carnival at least seven submit themselves to things that normally they would not do, such as excessive intake of alcohol, drugs, etc. It is also said that all this is caused by the ecstasy reached during the Great Festivity, when the feeling of freedom, and equality, as well as orgies and depravation, added the abuse of alcohol, cause people to behave outside their normal (…)". (3)

The Spirit Emmanuel warns: "Along with the masked and false happiness, pass the lepers, the blind, and the abandoned children, the afflicted and suffering mothers (…). While there are miserable people begging, full of needs and hungry, there are too bulky donations to decorate the halls”. (4)

When we let ourselves be taken by excesses of all kinds, the evil influences become stronger and cause sad cases of all types of violence. In this scenario, the Spirits, who obsess, “influence during this Carnival period the unwary, who let themselves be swept by passions of Momo, guiding them to excesses they afterwards regret, and which are common to this festivity and the Spirits themselves give in to this false happiness and material pleasures, satisfying themselves with the evil and impure vibration of those who are enjoying Carnival, and to which they cling to”. (5) 

It is worth closing the Spiritist Center during Carnival?

So, besides the company of the incarnate, we have with us an innumerable legion of invisible beings, receiving from them good and bad influences depending on the tuning range we find ourselves in. The tendencies that lead each one of us to a behavioral disorder, and the correspondent impotence or apathy to overcome them, are the magnet that attracts the unbalanced Spirits, who cause the human being to disregard and belittle his own dignity. This would not occur if we lived in a firm commitment to control and educate our instincts that turn us into animals. Therefore, Emmanuel confirms the admonition: "It is sad to see that in the present time, when the new knowledge applauds the human mind, providing it with the wonderful key to its high purposes, unveiling the beauty and the sacred goals of life, there still are excesses of this nature [CARNIVAL] between the societies that flaunt their titles of civilization". (6)

Another question: is it valid to close Spiritist Centers during Carnival, or even change the Spiritist meetings procedures?

There are some Spiritist Centers that close during Carnival holidays by no reasonable grounds. Let us think about this: if a person has an immediate need of fraternal assistance, or urgent Spiritual resources in a case of obsession, would it be fair and loving to let her wait to be seen to after Carnival, since all this occurred during the holiday? We recall that Jesus healed on Saturdays, even if this was not usual at that time. This is why He said: Why cannot I cure on Saturdays, if my Father is a non-stop worker?” (7) 

What does Carnival add to our Spirit?

Those who enjoy Carnival claim that it releases stress, freeing energies. However, during Carnival we do not see that aggressive rates and neuroses diminish. What we see is a real sum of urban violence and family unhappiness. The statistics record as consequences of the "Kingdom of Momo" for example, a higher number of unwanted pregnancies and the consequent increase of abortions, car accidents, increased crime, rapes, suicides, increased use of various narcotic substances and alcohol, as well as the emergence of new addicts, the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (including AIDS) and moral ulcers, marking deeply, some unsuspecting and shortsighted souls.

The three days of folie can turn into three centuries of painful repairs. It is worthwhile to give this a thought. What does Carnival add to our Spirit? Joy? Is it fun, or culture? Does this period make us better men or women? Does it build up our Spirit? Many Spiritists naively believe that participating of Carnival Festivity, in a celebration so much of the Brazilians liking, does not harm to our physio-psychic-spiritual integrity. However, behind the apparent transient joy and happiness, it proves to be the true Spiritual backwardness in which we still live, by the explosion of the “animal” in us, which still lives deep inside each one of us. It is important to remind you that there are many other forms of entertainment, recreation or entertainment available to contemporary man, some real means of wholesome joy and enhancement (individual and collective) for our choice. 

The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak

Therefore, we do not see another way except the one of “sincere abstention of Carnival Festivity”, the control of feelings and instincts, channeling the energies, employing the Carnival holiday time to make an inner trip and become aware of oneself, the engagement with family, learning through books and good movies, or by attending Spiritist meetings, educational, and cultural events, or even merely resting, since our daily life requires more and more of us, of our physio-psychic-spiritual structure to face the struggle for survival.

In short, if Carnival is a threat to social welfare, we Spiritists have a lot to do with it, because one of the primary tasks of our Doctrine is to fight to preserve the worthiest values of our Society, without violating, of course, the individual’s sovereign right to his free will, however, not forgetting that during Carnival there are always (spiritual) obsessions as a result of our lack of vigilance and moral deviations.

We can only guarantee the victory of the Spirit over matter, if we strengthen our Faith, renewing ourselves mentally, doing good in as in the evangelical code, proposed by Jesus Christ, and not forgetting the divine Master's advice: "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation: the Spirit indeed is ready, but the flesh is weak'' (8).

References:

(1) Vieira, Waldo. Spiritist Conduct, dictated by the Spirit Andre Luiz, Rio de Janeiro: FEB, 2001 chapter37 "Before The Social Formulas"

(2) Article published in the Spiritist Vision Magazine - March 2000

(3) Sao Jose Carlos Augusto. Carnival: A Great Party... Of deceptions! , Article published in the Reform Magazine/ FEB February, 1983

(4) Xavier, Francisco Candido. About Carnival, message dictated by the Spirit Emmanuel, source:

Reform Magazine, FEB Publication, February, 1987

(5) Pereira, Yvonne A. Trespassing the Invisible, Rio de Janeiro: Chapter V, FEB’S issue, 1998

(6) idem

(7) John 5:17.

(8) Mt 26:41.