WORKING THE SPIRIT: A BRANCH OF MY FOUNDATION
I often speak on these reflections of the parts of my practice that serve as crossroads, tying together the parts of who I am spiritually to make a coherent and consistent way of doing the Hoodoo I do. One of those is the practice of espiritismo, or what is known in English as Spiritism. Spiritism has its primary root in European spirituality, coming forth during a period where there seemed to be few options spiritually other than the overarching presence of Catholicism. Kardec, whose name is a pseudonym for Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail, himself was a French Catholic. The period of his manifesting the practice of Spiritism occurred in the mid-19th century. For those unaware, that means this spiritual practice was developing during the period of American Slavery and global colonialism.
I cannot do Kardec’s life and work justice here, but suffice it to say that the Good Spirits, as we call them in Spiritism, made it known to him that he had been given the option of engaging in a divine mission of bringing a quasi-scientific method of spirit-work to the world. It was one he was promised would spread worldwide, which it eventually did (another post for another time!). Central to ALL forms of Spiritism is the foundational idea that our work with spirits is, first and foremost, to ennoble and elevate them. When we do this work, we elevate ourselves, for we are spirit. This elevation process is the chief means the Opposing Forces are thwarted. The manifestation of the Opposing Forces is both supernatural and within the machinations of the seen world. But when we earnestly do the work of Spiritism, it brings a Light to our world that the Darkness Without Light cannot undo.
How is this practice a crossroads piece of what I do, you ask? Well, because espiritismo is the most open of things I do. The tradition, especially its Caribbean variants, incorporates all kinds of spirits into each practitioner’s spiritual court: Congos and other Africans, Asian spirits, Roma spirits, angels, animal spirits, and much more. Racism and other isms make no sense to us, mainly because you are whoever you are from, wherever you are, but you can have spirit guides from anywhere and at any time. All the identity politics and power dynamics we use to control and oppress each other do not exist in that spirit world. So, practicing this spirituality gives you a perspective unlike what we see in our daily walk.
As I told someone dear to me recently, I also practice espiritismo because it reminds me that, as much as I work for and serve other people, I also need to uplift myself and the spirits who do so much of the heavy lifting with me. Yes, a spiritist may be trained to do practical magic at their Table, but we should always be setting time aside where we sit, meditate, pray, or sing. We need to connect and take in the Light to give us strength for the journey in a world that feels more broken by the day. That time sitting is not a passive thing either. There is a download occurring. A deepening and cementing of relationships. An impartation of knowledge and visions, much like the Prophet Joel’s words: “I will pour out my Spirit on all people; your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.”
This is the character of Spiritism. Its doctrines and praxis deeply inform my approach to spirit work and how I teach this in my courses. We get into some of this, as well, in the Working the Spirit class that starts Monday. My hope for all reading this is that your Good Spirits continue to guide you in the way you should go. As they do, I promise you will have some of the most extraordinary adventures you will ever know!
