DID YOU KNOW?: THE PRACTICE OF ESPIRITISMO
You have all heard me speak and teach pretty openly on practices connected to espiritismo, or Spiritism, that I can teach before it gets into the aspects you need a teacher/mentor for. But I wanted to write a bit more about the background so you might also understand a huge part of my spirituality and why I say many of the things I say.
I believe that spiritism originated in France. It began with an academic pseudonymously named Allan Kardec. He was not super religious, nor did he initially believe in the occult. I think he was invited to attend a séance, and when messages came through for him, they roped him into this fledgling tradition. Soon after that, he encountered what is known as the Good Spirits. They told him that his life mission was to teach and expand the practice of Spiritism to the known world and, in that way, combat the encroaching darkness of the Opposing Forces. They also warned him that those Forces would do everything possible to stop the spread of the Light, disrupting humanity’s ability to progress and evolve as a race. And that if he accomplished this, Spiritism would spread all over the world.
You can argue that Kardec accomplished just this. The practice had modest success across Europe. Then, as Europeans either traveled, immigrated, or were kicked out of their mother countries and into the so-called New World, the practice DID go global. The Caribbean, Mexico, and other parts of Latin America quickly grasped it. In these places, Spiritism also connected to the various indigenous and African cultures and practices and took on a different flavor altogether, almost to the point that you would not recognize espiritismo from European Spiritism. But they are related.
When espiritismo was adopted by non-white people, it underwent a fascinating transformation. It became more earthy, less formal, and less scientific in approach. It stressed experience, the passing of spirits, and the development of spiritual sight. This adaptability is a testament to the resilience and evolution of espiritismo, inspiring us to embrace change and growth in our own spiritual journeys.
Spiritism adapted once more when it hit American soil. When it came here, it became what’s called Spiritualism. Also, because America has always had a race problem (which European Spiritism also had), racism caused there to be two different sects. Numerous Black Spiritualist churches combined elements of Protestant, Catholic, and Spiritist ways. The white churches were much the same, but they tended to see non-white spirits as lower in intelligence and power. Spiritualism is mainly where the concept of candle color came into American magic. Before this, our ancestors used oil lamps and beeswax candles (and preferred lamps). This is why you have heard me say that color magic is cool but unnecessary. It’s not “native” to Hoodoo.
Espiritismo is so important to me because, besides my Christianity (my oldest practice from my childhood), it is the part of my spirituality that ties them all together. It is what has taught me over and over again that the divisions religions and human beings make are primarily artificial and self-serving some group, somewhere. It is the practice that moved me away, the older I get, from an anthropomorphic understanding of God, toward one of God as Light and Intelligence Who stands above all concepts of religion, but is accessible to any and everyone. It is the practice that makes all the isms we persist in holding onto as utter nonsense, because any of us have spirits from any place, time or culture. It is the tradition that helped me accept the possibility of reincarnation NOT as a sideways Hell like Hindus and Buddhists tend to articulate but as merciful opportunities to grow and learn and evolve ourselves over lifetimes.
It is ALSO the practice that the more I do it, the more I experience the Divine in every spiritual place I go. One of my mentors said that an espiritista who is earnest in practice can walk into any spiritual space or place of worship and feel that Presence. I have experienced this personally. Espiritismo leaves me open and helps to hold back any tendencies I have in myself of absolutes and black-and-white thinking that limits me. Few spiritualities can do this because most of them out here are concerned with declaring what is Truth. But espiritismo leads to beautiful places when not limited by our prejudices.
As you navigate your spiritual journey, I encourage you to explore practices that resonate with you, much like espiritismo has resonated with me. May the heart of life always reveal itself to you as something good.
