THE SPIRITIST THOUGHT or SPIRITISM What it is • “Spiritism is a science which deals with the nature, origin and destiny of Spirits, as well as their relationship with the corporeal world.” • It is the set of principles, as revealed by the Superior Spirits, contained in Allan Kardec’s works, which constitute the Spiritist Fundamentals: The Spirits’ Book, The Mediums’ Book, The Gospel Explained by Spiritism, Heaven and Hell, and The Genesis. Allan Kardec (Taken from Qu’est-ce que le Spiritisme? - Preambule) Translated from the original French What it reveals • It reveals more profound concepts with respect to God, the Universe, the Human Being, the Spirits and the Laws which govern life itself. • Furthermore, it reveals who we are; where we have come from; where we are going to; what is the objective of our existence; and what are the present and past causes of pain and suffering. What it encompasses • Spiritism contributes to all areas of knowledge, human activities and behavior, offering new perspectives for humankind. • Spiritism is studied, analyzed, and practiced in all the fundamental aspects of life, such as scientific, philosophycal, religious, ethical, moral, educational, and social. Its main principles are: • God is the Supreme Intelligence, first cause of all things. God is eternal, immutable, immaterial, unique, omnipotent, supremely just and good. • The Universe is God’s creation. It encompasses all rational and non-rational beings, both animate and inanimate, material and immaterial. • In addition to the corporeal world inhabited by incarnate Spirits, which are human beings, there exists the spiritual world, inhabited by discarnate Spirits. • There are other inhabited worlds in the Universe, with beings at different degrees of evolution: some less, some egual, and others more evolved than men on Earth (us). • All the Laws of Nature are Divine Laws because God is their author. They cover both the physical and moral laws. • A Human Being is a Spirit incarnated in a material body. • What connects the physical body to the Spirit is a semi-material body named perispirit. • Spirits are the intelligent beings of creation. They constitute the world of the Spirits, which pre-exists and outlives everything. • Spirits are created simple and ignorant. They evolve intellectually and morally, passing from a lower order to a higher one, until they attain perfection, when they will enjoy unalterable bliss. • Spirits preserve their individuality before, during, and after each incarnation. • Spirits reincarnate as many times as is necessary for their spiritual advancement. • Spirits are always progressing. In their multiple physical existences, they may sometimes become stationary but they never regress. The speed of their intellectual and moral progress depends on the efforts they make to attain perfection. • Spirits belong to different orders according to the degree of perfection they have attained: Pure Spirits, who have attained maximum perfection; Good Spirits, whose predominant desire is towards goodness; and Imperfect Spirits, characterized by their ignorance, their tendency towards evil, and by their inferior passions. • The Spirits’ relations with Human Beings are constant and have always existed. The Good Spirits attract us towards goodness, sustain us in life’s trials, and help us bear them with courage and resignation. The Imperfect Spirits induce us towards error. • Jesus is the Guide and Model for all Humankind. The Doctrine He taught and exemplified is the purest expression of God’s Law. • The morality of Christ, as contained in the Gospels, is the guide for the secure progress of all Human Beings. Its practice is the solution for all human problems and the objective to be attained by Humankind. • Human Beings are given free-will to act, but they must answer for the consequences of their actions. • Future life reserves for Human Beings penalties and pleasures according to the respect they do or do not show for God’s laws. • Prayer is an act of adoration for God. It is found in the natural law and is the result of an innate sentiment in every Human Being, just as the idea of the existence of the Creator is innate. • Prayer makes Human Beings better. Whoever prays with confidence grows stronger against evil temptations, and God sends the Good Spirits to assist them. This assistance will never be denied when requested with sincerity. THE SPIRITIST PRACTICE • All Spiritist practice is gratuitous, following the orientation of the moral principle found in the Gospel: “Give for free what you receive for free.” • Spiritism is practiced with simplicity, without any external forms of worship, within the principle that God should be worshipped in spirit and in truth. • Spiritism

6.2.09, Tuesday. This is me. In the car. On the highway. Not driving. Today I experienced my 'Worst Day Ever.' The morning wasn't really too bad at all. I woke up earlier than ususal, around 9, and went to pay a visit to my German friend Karina. We spent a pleasant morning talking and walking, catching up, and going to the mall. While at the mall we stopped at a wish fountain, where you drop a penny in and make a wish. Though usually a complicated endeavour, I wished simply this: "Just let today be a good one." Fuck if that actually worked. After Karina's, I proceeded over to Kentucky to make my haircutting appointment. Got a little lost on the way, but overall good. While there, my I asked my stylist for a short trim. He proceeded to chop my hair into bits, cutting off my beloved wings of flapper hair to expose my naked ears. I now look like a boy. Well, after my terrible haircut appointment I then proceeded to drive back home to Ohio. However, while on E 275, still in Kentucky, my tire blew. I then called my mother, who freaked out (as cannot be blamed) and told me to call Safe Auto. Which I did, and they politely told me they should have a truck there in less than 45 minutes. He did finally arrive, 2 hours later. But inbetween that interval, I sat scorching in the almost 90 degree weather, with no A.C, fanning myself with a piece of paper and reading a book. (thus the rose-red face; my face heats up redder than a fire-hydrant when I am hot.) Inbetween this time, a cop also pulled up behind me, freaking me out to the point of an almost anxiety attack. Fortunately, he said he'd just wait until help arrived (though he had to leave long before it did.) Then my mom and Nana pull up and cry to me about the car, for we have no other at home, and my mom is late for work, and I have to be at work soon as well. Well, after several calls and mile-marking the mechanic came, replaced the burnt rubber with a frail donut, and went on his way. Drove back with Nana following my mom in the car, at a solid 40 m.p.h on the highway. Finally got home, quickly dressed for work, then went to work my standard 5-9:30 shift. Got there, and found out I had to actually stay until 11, since we now had no other car to take me home, and I had to stay my mom's shift. In conclusion, today sucked. ============================= However, none of this is the point of today. My life philosophy is the title for a reason, seeing as I've decided to take it a slightly different route. Today sucked, but only in comparison to the rest of my days. I know that perhaps it was bad for me, but could I imagine what this day must look like to the life of a starving Ethopian farmer? Or a medieval peasant woman? I mean, fuck, I have trial-by-jury! Medieval peasants rarely had any fair trial, and by the time a judge would reach a verdict, the defendant would usually be dead! So sure, my day sucked today, but only in comparison with my other days. In the whole spectrum of things, my day was awesome! And my life is awesome, because it could be so much worse. And even for a median standard, I know I have an absolutley incredible life. I am pretty, I am American, I have a job, I have loving people in my life. I am not going to create my own problems, nor am I going to let a flat tire depress me. How could I possibly be depressed when so many have thrived on so much less, and continue to do so? Who could ever think that because they have a popped tire, or a bad haircut, that the day sucked? Because it didn't. The day was awesome, I lived. I ate. I wore clothing. I walked in the SUN. My life is awesome, no matter what. And today was awesome. Shit sux, but really, it doesn't.