“Cast your gaze forward; The more you elevate yourself through thought, above material life, the less things on Earth will hurt you.” (Allan Kardec, The Gospel According to Spiritism, chapter XII).

With the advent of the Spiritist Doctrine, the existence of the spiritual world was unmistakably revealed to us. Thus, the narrow vision that we once had about life and the objective of our stay on Earth gave way to the unlimited and infinite horizon of the extraphysical dimension, and, therefore, we understand that our existence on the physical plane consists of a stage, in which we must undertake the greatest possible effort to improve ourselves intellect-morally and advance a few steps on the path of evolution.

Regarding the consequences arising from this spiritualist view of life and the belief in the existence of the spiritual world, Kardec expressed himself as follows:¹

Revealing to us the existence of the invisible world that surrounds us and in the midst of which we live without suspecting it, he makes us know, through the example of those who lived, the conditions of our future happiness or misfortune; explains the cause of our sufferings on Earth and the way to alleviate them.[...] Man, convinced of the greatness and importance of his future existence, which is eternal, compares it with the uncertainty of earthly life, which is so short, and rises by thought above petty human considerations. Knowing the cause and objective of his miseries, he bears them with patience and resignation, because he knows that they are the means of arriving at a better state. (we emphasize).

In view of what we highlighted above, it is inferred that we are never outside the spiritual world, even though we are incarnated. The discarnate Spirits, these indeed, are found outside the physical world, although they interact mentally with us incessantly. Furthermore, we must remember that the extraphysical dimension is that of causes, where everything originates, and the material or physical dimension is that of effects. In this way, let us try to identify ourselves, from now on, with our world of origin, so as not to go through a process of spiritual re-education in the Beyond, in the face of our mistaken concepts about the world of Spirits. To achieve this, it is not necessary for us to be endowed with the faculty of clairvoyance or double vision. That's not what we're talking about. This identification with the spiritual world consists of the firm and unshakable conviction of our condition as spiritual beings and of basing our daily lives in accordance with this understanding, as belief in this reality cannot and should not be a simple fact; our hearts need to be touched and this knowledge changes our way of thinking, acting, and feeling. This results in the imposition of practicing Jesus' teachings, since the Gospel is the path that will lead us to future happiness.

Let us emphasize that the difficulty of identification with the spiritual world on the part of us, incarnated Spirits, is natural, as well as the adaptation of those recently freed from the physical body to the new reality, as can be concluded from what the Spirit Cairbar Schutel emphasizes, in the work Voltei, by Brother Jacob:²

Schutel commented on the surprises of the first days of the discarnate man, in extracorporeal life, claiming that the decades spent in the carnal body imprint habits that, effectively, start to constitute a “second nature” for individuality.

It is important to remember that the fact that we – spiritists – are endowed with spiritual knowledge does not make us immune to the difficulties mentioned above, given that, in order to overcome them, moral transformation for the better is essential, otherwise, even if we are in Spiritism, Spiritism will not be in us. Let us now look at some characters that constitute the elevated Spirit – the one that identifies, already in corporeal life, with the spiritual world:³

918. Are there signs indicating that humans have achieved the progress that will raise them in the spirit hierarchy?

- The elevation of incarnate spirits is demonstrated by the compliance of all their actions in the physical life with God’s law, and by their understanding of spiritual life. (we emphasize).

To understand spiritual life in advance is to fully identify with it. It is living with the awareness that, at any moment, we can return to our world of origin, where we will come across our own creations.

Kardec’s Testimony

As stated elsewhere, identification with the spiritual world is the prerogative of good men. And it is exactly this identification that helps great missionaries in carrying out their tasks, providing them with the faith to face with stoicism all the hardships and vicissitudes inherent to the stage in the body of flesh. Regarding his personal experience – somewhat bitter – mentions the Codifier:⁴

I was the target of the hatred of intransigent enemies, of slander, of envy and jealousy; infamous libels were published against me; my best instructions have been tampered with; I was betrayed by those I trusted most and paid with ingratitude by those I served.

The Paris Society was a constant focus of intrigue woven by those who claimed to be on my side and who, embracing me from the front, stabbed me in the back. They said that my sectarians were paid with the money I got from Spiritism. I no longer had rest and often bowed under the weight of work; I compromised my health and risked my life.

[...] If I said that good compensates for evil, I would not be telling the truth; because good – I'm talking about moral satisfactions – overcame evil, with no possible comparison. When a disappointment, a setback came to me, I would elevate myself, in thoughts, above humanity, I would place myself, in anticipation, in the region of the Spirits, and from that culminating point, where I discovered many reasons, the miseries of life passed by me without hit me. I got so used to it that the bad guys never bothered me. (we emphasize).

Indeed, the Superior Spirits who incarnate on Earth to drive progress should not wait for human understanding! If the latter comes, it is always from a few more lucid and moralized people. As noted above, Kardec did not deviate from the rule; he was slandered, misunderstood, betrayed by his contemporaries, because, as a very elevated spirit, he was advanced for the time in which he lived. However, because he was fully identified with Real Life, he courageously and resignedly faced all the unpleasantness and disappointments that befell him.

Ambiguity of conduct

According to what we have said elsewhere, the spiritual world is the world of causes. Within this perspective, it is necessary for the personality (incarnated Spirit) to deeply know its individuality (Spirit), so that the so-called ambiguity of conduct does not occur, which consists of the individual appearing to have a healthy conduct towards earthly society and, on the contrary, in demonstrating various imbalances on the spiritual plane. It turns out that life on Earth imposes certain limits on the reincarnated Spirit, such as, for example, the need to work and fulfill duties, which prevents, in a certain way, the complete manifestation of their will⁵. This results in the imposition of personal analysis of behavior, in order to elucidate their real desires, because what constitutes interest for the personality is not always relevant to individuality - which in spiritual life, where things are defined, appears as it is, without imitating absolutely anything.

Along these lines, we transcribe the wise words of Benefactor Emmanuel⁶: “If you want to know who you are, observe what you think, when you are without anyone; and if you want to know the place that awaits you after death, examine what you do with yourself in your free time.” (we emphasize). By getting in touch with our inner reality, through meditation and prayer, we will learn to listen to the voice of our own conscience, where God's law is written; Furthermore, we will receive safe guidance from Spiritual Friends, strengthening us in the unique fight against ourselves.

Concern about death

To overcome concerns about death, it is essential to face it in its true sense, that is, to create the most accurate idea of it possible so that spiritual life prevails over material life. So, we highlight Allan Kardec's words on the subject at hand:⁷

By clinging to the outside, man only sees the life of the body, when the real life is that of the soul. The body, being deprived of life, feels that everything is lost, and he despairs. If, instead of concentrating his thoughts on the outer garments, he directed them to the true source of life, to the soul, a real being that survives everything, he would regret the body less, the source of so much misery and pain. But for this he needs a strength that the Spirit only acquires as it matures.

Concern about death is linked to insufficient notions about future life. Therefore, the more it connects with the need to live, the more the fear of the destruction of the body and the end of everything increases. It is thus provoked by the soul's secret desire for survival, still veiled by uncertainty.

Worry weakens as certainty develops and disappears completely when it becomes firm.   

Therefore, the more we identify with the spiritual world, the easier it will be for us to understand death in its real meaning and liberating character, enabling us to resign – which consists of the acquiescence of the heart – in the face of the challenges and trials of the human experience, taking advantage of suffering as a process of rebalancing with the law of spiritual causality, loving, forgiving and serving in the meridian light of the Gospel of Jesus and the Kardecian Codification.

Let us, therefore, deepen our knowledge of ourselves, so that, as incarnated spirits, we can be aware of what our individuality really is, identifying ourselves from now on with spiritual life, the normal life of all of us.

References:

KARDEC, Allan. Obras póstumas; revisão, introdução e notas de J. Herculano Pires; tradução de João Teixeira de Paula. 14. ed. São Paulo: LAKE, 2007. (Not Available in English)         

KARDEC, Allan. O céu e o inferno, ou, A justiça divina segundo o espiritismo; edição inteiramente revista segundo o original francês por João Teixeira de Paula e J. Herculano Pires, introdução de J. Herculano Pires. 13. ed. São Paulo: LAKE, 2011.

KARDEC, Allan. O livro dos espíritos: filosofia espiritualista; tradução de J. Herculano Pires, revista e anotada pelo tradutor para esclarecimento e atualização dos problemas do texto. 67. ed. São Paulo: LAKE, 2010. (Not Available in English)         

KARDEC, Allan. O espiritismo na sua expressão mais simples e outros opúsculos de Kardec; tradução de Evandro Noleto Bezerra. 2. ed. 1.ª reimp. Rio de Janeiro: FEB, 2010. (Spiritism in its Simplest Expression)

XAVIER, Francisco Cândido. Justiça divina: estudos e dissertações em torno da substância religiosa de O céu e o inferno, de Allan Kardec; [ditado pelo Espírito Emmanuel]. 13. ed. 2.ª reimp. Rio de Janeiro:  FEB, 2010. (Not Available in English)        

XAVIER, Francisco Cândido. Voltei; [ditado pelo Espírito Irmão Jacob]. 28. ed. 4.ª reimp. Rio de Janeiro: FEB, 2010. (Not Available in English)         

Endnotes:

1 Spiritism in its Simplest Expression by Kardec, chapter. History of Spiritism.

2 Voltei, cap. 13, p. 111. (Not Available in English)

3 Question 918 – The Spirits’ Book.

4 Obras póstumas. A minha iniciação no Espiritismo, p.231. (Not Available in English)

5 A referida conclusão surgiu a partir de análise da Questão 965 de O Livro dos Espíritos. Eis a aludida questão da obra susodita: “965.Têm alguma coisa de material as penas e gozos da alma depois da morte? “Não podem ser materiais, di-lo o bom-senso, pois que a alma não é matéria. Nada têm de carnal essas penas e esses gozos; entretanto, são mil vezes mais vivos do que os que experimentais na Terra, porque o Espírito, uma vez liberto, é mais impressionável. Então, já a materia não lhe embota as sensações.” (237 a 257). KARDEC. Allan. O livro dos espíritos: filosofia espiritualista. Trad. Guillon Ribeiro. 93. ed. 1. imp. (Edição Histórica). Brasília: FEB, 2013.

6 Justiça divina. Lugar depois da morte, p. 117 (Not Available in English)

7 Heaven and Hell. Page 26, Item 9.