CAN SPIRITS LEARN?

There is a concept in the general practice of Espiritismo where we say a person needs to learn how to train their spirits. I say general practice because Espiritismo is a singular tradition but it has several branches from its original Kardecian European branch to the Caribbean Sazones in Puerto Rico, Cuba and Brazil – to name only a few places! The idea of training a spirit can be offensive to some, to the point that they clutch their pearls over it. Most of us who see this know the majority of this clutching comes from a religious mindset. Meaning whether we are church-going Christians or not, we still hold an understanding of spirits as something to worship and be in awe of because that’s what we were taught in the Christian churches and families we grew up in. I know I had a lot of talk about God being an angry, vengeful God growing up!

Being religious is not necessarily a bad thing. But when it is applied in a blanket and uncritical fashion to our lives and especially our spiritual development, we run into problems. As just one example, espiritismo also has the understanding that the spirits who walk with a person all serve a different purpose and have a different mission. Some spirits are what we call working spirits. This means there is NO worship, not even devotion with them. That spirit literally does not need it, nor is it the point of them walking with us and us with them. They are the kind of spirit we go to for a specific issue, work on that issue, thank them (and maybe give a thanks-offering) and keep it moving. But I know from my own experience and journey that because of the religious mindset I was indoctrinated with as a boy, when I first started in this practice, I felt uncomfortable and at times guilty. How can I ask a spirit to do something for me for free?

But here’s the thing. Nothing is ever free or without cost or payment. When a spirit like a working spirit assist you, the “payment” is that they are bringing more light and spiritual progress to themselves. In the guidance, the warnings, the teaching of workings, there is an exchange of energy both ways that facilitates blessings coming into your life and upliftment and elevation to that spirit.

I digress a little. When we train a spirit it is often at the beginning of our journey with them. They may have been with us for a long time, but we still need to get to know each other. We need to understand their personality, how they feel when they come to us, how they communicate, and how they work with and for us. But sometimes there’s also little issues with the spirit themselves. Some spirits who are closer to our reality, by virtue of this closeness, can sometimes revert to old behaviors from their mortal life. An espiritista is trained to know what behaviors are and are not okay from a spirit. Everything in espiritismo is about energy and vibration. So if a spirit is cussing up a storm when it gives advice, it means there is a thread of wonky energy that can invite misfortunes. That a spiritist does not want. So we then work with that spirit and YES we will correct them when they start dropping f-bombs too much. We have to let them know what is and is not okay, and have the expectation that they will fall in line with that. The traditional prayers we use in that practice also reinforces this. Every prayer in some way states that we are trying with the spirits to maintain a positive orientation with love, forgiveness and mercy. For a spirit to in some way not reflect this is not okay. So we train them.

I am writing about this, in addition to teaching about it, because I know way too many people who do spirit-work and allow their spirits to run amuck. The proof is always in the pudding for me, so if an untrained spirit is able to garner consistent, positive results, then you’re good. But it has been my experience that they will not. Like a negative entity, it will get some things right, and even come through for you a few times, but it will not be consistent. The fruit the spirit bears is what will tell you if all is well. The answer to the question of if spirit can learn is a resounding YES. Everything that has a spirit is learning, including us. Everything naturally in creation is growing and evolving, so why would it be any different with the spirit world? So, don’t be hesitant or afraid to train your spirits. The religious mindset has its place, but when it comes to spirits, it needs to stay in its lane.