TO TAKE CARE OF THE BODY AND OF THE SPIRIT

SOURCE: The Gospel according to Spiritism. Chap. XVII: 10 and 11.

SYNTHESES: () Perfection, as Christ said, is only to be found in the practice of unlimited charity, since the duties of charity cover all social positions from the most lowly to the most elevated. The person who lives in isolation will have no means of exercising charity. It is only by being in contact with ones fellow creatures, in painful battle, that we are able to find occasion to practice it. The one who isolates himself therefore is entirely deprived of the most powerful means of perfection. In only having to think of oneself, life becomes that of a selfish person Does spiritual perfection depend on the mortification of the body? In order to resolve this question I will base myself on elementary principles and begin by demonstrating the need to take care of the body, which according to the alternatives of health and sickness, has a very important influence upon the soul, because we must consider it to be a prisoner of the flesh In this case two systems are confronting each other: that of the ascetics who wish to bring down the body, and that of the materialists who wish to diminish the soul It is indispensable that both are looked after. So then, love your soul and also look after your body which is the instrument of the soul Perchance, will you be more perfect if by tormenting your body you do not become less selfish, less prideful and more charitable towards your neighbors? No, perfection is not to be found in this manner, but exclusively in the reformation to which you submit your Spirit. Discipline it, subjugate it and mortify it: this is the way to make it more docile to Gods will, and is the one and only way which leads to perfection CONSIDERATIONS: The spiritist for the force of his study and knowledge knows that we are not as in general one thinks, bodies with souls, but spirits with bodies that makes us give priority to the spirit, but we know that the conditions of the spirit are revealed in the body, a spirit inferior or unhealthy throws to his flesh his problems and it is that way many times it is through pains that the spirit is readjusted to the laws of God. (A Gnese, III: 5 Allans Kardec Book). As we are still in tests and atonements, there is still multiplicity of unhealthy bodies in the world, but according to the world, in other words, all men going to being readjusted to the laws of God, men, start becoming healthier, that is really what is happening as the world regenerates, there are a constant action and reaction; the flesh influences the spirit and the spirit influences the flesh, however, although the flesh influences the spirit it is not the flesh that possesses the spirit, but it is the spirit that possesses the flesh: The bad inclinations, The addictions, The revenges, The bad habits, The envies, The bad habits, The moral or political corruptions. Etc. They are not carnal influences, but conditions of the spirit. Doesn't come water to a man's mouth in the presence of a pleasant meal, unless the spirit gives him that influence. The revengeful hand of a man does not rise, or else because the spirit that possesses it so wants and so on. The flesh is a plaything of the spirit and it is also its home and its utensil or tool and we know that every good master takes care and lubricates his tools, then with this knowledge it is important that we too look after our tool which is our body.

Studied at the Center, Joana dArc, on 03/03/198.

Our body is of such usefulness for our evolution and progress that there is in the beyond as the Spirits of the erraticity say, a queue, so we can say for us to understand the very big number of Spirits desirous of having a rude body, because this rude body, according to their experience, is like a sponge that absorbs the unhealthy fluids of the spirit, it is as a still, in which each reincarnation comes out more purified, yes, there is a need yes, of looking after the body, with knowledge of its value; a day will come in that everyone will know that reality and all doctors will be medical of body and soul, that is, they won't prescribe medicines only for the body, because they will consider that man is not a machine, but a spirit with a body, don't you think it will be like so! And doctors certainly will have in mind the Gospel, as a discipline so that through the spirit may reach the cures of the body and then one will be able to say "mens sana corpurs sana." But as in the world there are spirits of many degrees of graduation, then the influences to the bodies are also in multiplicity, hence as we look around, analyzing the patients and the healthy ones we understand the reality of the world in which we live and we learn to help ourselves mutually and there is much work before us, because that, if we reap what we sow we have to make an effort to sow well, because we inherit from ourselves and it applies well here what Jesus said: According to their works", (Revelation, XX: 12, 13 Matthew, XVI: 27) if we build with faith a better world for us and our fellow creature. Surely that when we are reincarnated, if necessary may be, we will find a better world, but if we leave the world to the rigidity of the fierce grass, we will find the world as we left it with the fierce grass awaiting us to weed it, on that a preacher well wisely said: what is for you to do nobody will do for you." May God inspire us to work on our perfection so that we can be better useful to each other, and looking after our spirits and bodies, let us be also healthy, especially because it will be good, for our children to inherit healthy bodies, and consequently the world will be a healthy and happy world and surely that it will be a blessed regenerating world, where the Spirit as much as the body will be healthy and happy, May the Good Lord so wishes! Well, May God be with us as formerly, today and always.

This study is an extract from my book Invitation to the Spiritism Doctrine