By: Geraldo Goulart

“Sane minds’ people usually eat reasonably for their life maintenance, but unwise people ingest unnecessary substances to death’s profit.” (André Luiz em “O Espírito da Verdade”, p. 134, 3rd. edition, FEB)

People who have been in touch for some time with Spirit’s Doctrine may be surprised with the treatment of a subject on which there is consensus and for spiritualists there is no doubt. We are concerned, however, with those who are now coming to the paths trodden by many already and cannot understand very well why spiritualists should not smoke.

Most of us who follow the Doctrine today, just starting from so many different experiences, many are – we believe – former smokers. Thus we understand the effort of our will which is to be developed by those who wish to persevere in spiritual work that we recently embraced, and still keep with some nostalgia the taste of the “harmless” cigarette, pressed by a yearning generated by an abstinence not yet consciously understood.

Depending on their point of view, it is likely that large numbers of Brothers come to learn something about spirit’s strength centers after a year studying. Religions, as a rule, do not have scientific and religious connotations to its followers. They always base their sermons – the ministers – in moral behavior patterns for with this philosophy (which is valid!), curtailing the spread of harmful habits in who that may hear them.

In Spirit Doctrine, despite the moral-philosophical approach, the treatment of this subject presents us with another connotation: smoking harms us significantly; the spiritual manifestation because it dampens spiritual sensitivity. But how can a material substance, the tobacco, which is directed to the physical body, harm the spiritual body? Let’s see it. “The perispirit is a complete fluidic organism, under whose constant influx is modeled and kept the physical body. Its importance is considerable in Embryology and Anatomy, as also in Physiology and Pathology. It is connected part by part, cell by cell, molecule by molecule, to the material structure; everything that goes in one, immediately affects to the other. The perispirit’s functional balance can be disturbed by immaterial agents, fluidic, of the same nature, so that, and this disturbance, affecting the physical body, makes it also sick.” So, “There is a spirit pathology, as there is a spiritualist biology …” (1)

Each one of us, incarnated, is a spirit that has other bodies: dense body, perispiritual body, mental body, etc. These bodies are interconnected by communication channels known as “strength centers” that are located in corresponding regions in the physical body, the nerve plexus, which are the meeting points of the nervous systems of the human body, where they form true connections. The essence of everything we eat for the maintenance of the physical body is added to the blood that, in the bloodstream, will bathe the plexes where, through the communication channels pass to the Spirit the manifested energy that was added on it. “From these secondary centers interwoven into psychosoma, and consequently in the physical body, through plexiform networks … ” – we highlighted – ” the gastric center being responsible for the digestion and absorption of dense or less dense foods, that anyway, represent concentrated fluidic penetrating our organization …” (2)

The cigarette besides the chemical residue which is released to the saliva and thence to the stomach – and hence to the bloodstream – contains chemical components which, when burned, volatilize up, passing very easily to the other dimension, which is where the Spirit vibrates. These substances affect the cellular constitution of the spiritual body manifestation, degrading the natural protection that exists against the outside energies that can affect us the Spirit’s balance and harmony.

Who wishes to study the vital centers and strength centers of the spiritual body, will learn that such aggression, caused by the gradual use of alcohol, tobacco, toxic and other alkaloids, results in disastrous effects, and besides know that with such attitudes only makes worse their situation after death. Thus, the “restful sleep” – that comes after death for every people – may be more extended; the “disconnection of the perispiritual ties” of the Spirit in the physical body may also be more painful; and other problems may appear in aggravated form.

While reincarnated, physical life presents the Spirit a much reduced vibration pattern than normal, just to promote its connection with the dense body. What distinguishes the mediumship potential of creatures is their ability to perceive the highest vibrational level from those without physical bodies; vibrations such that, higher and more purified, is the entity, the greater its content and its manifestation.

The cigarette is an absorber of sensitivity, its usage, only harming the work of those who propose to work on the interchange between the two planes through the mediumship action, since for such an enterprise well-developed sensitivity is one of the primary requirements. And those that do not want to leave the tobacco habit may, of course, participate in mediumistic tasks, but not all of them can achieve due to the serious constraints that make their bodies sick. So:

• by the evil that leads to the detriment of the physical body;
• by moral dependence that submits the person;
• by the aches and pains now unknown, but that will be proved “post mortem”;
• by the discomfort to non-smokers (which label smokers rightly of “poorly educated”);
• by the gradual deterioration of psychic faculties of the person and,
• for the full liberty and balance in its attitudes,

 

hope that each one trace in their accessional objectives, the limits that must be respected for their own good. So, one can better understand the André Luis (Spirit) quote: “…but unwise people ingest unnecessary substances to death’s profit.”

And even being aware that the doctrine nothing forbids, because before elucidates, explains, will say to himself: – IT’S BETTER NOT TO SMOKE!

References:

1. Homeopatia e Espiritismo, Lauro S. Thiago – 1ª. edição FEB
2. Evolução em dois Mundos, André Luiz (Espírito), cap. II, 6ª. edição FEB (psicografado por F C Xavier e Waldo Vieira)
3. Os, Chakras, C.W. Leadbeter, Editora O Pensamento
4. Entre a Terra e o Céu, André Luiz, Editora FEB
5. Passes e Radiações, Edgard Armond, Editora Aliança

6) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakra

(This article was originally published in June 1982 in REFORMADOR, monthly magazine published by FEDERAÇÃO ESPÍRITA BRASILEIRA – FEB under the title “É Poibido Fumar”)