Childhood and Adolescence
the return of the spirit to a physical body
1. What is the purpose of the childhood period for the reincarnating soul?
This period is of utmost importance for the reincarnating spirit, because it allows for the adaptation and further development of the moral-intellectual values that lie dormant in it. While the spirit gains control of its cellular equipment, the recollections and impressions he or she brought from the spirit world will gradually fade away, so that the new existence may succeed within new levels of discernment and wisdom. The childhood period, from a psychological standpoint, is the most efficient time for the formation of character, personality and apprenticeship of the reincarnating being. This happens because the information received during this phase allow for much reflection, while also laying the groundwork for building the wisdom which will benefit the rest of existence.
2. Is it true that up to age 7 the spirit sort of lives in both realms, the spiritual and material?
According to Prof. Nat Hamendra Banerjee, the great Indian parapsychologist who conducted extensive research on children with previous lives' memories, "reincarnation continues normally until this phase." The Spiritist Doctrine tells us that at the time of birth, the reincarnation process is concluded. However, we observe that the spirit, through its perispirit, gradually takes hold of its brain and cells of the circulatory system, permeating it in order to gain control of the physical body for its evolvement needs. It is due to this process that some children's previous lives' memories may not lie entirely dormant in the brain, thus causing many of them to "live" somehow in both spheres of life.
3. Spiritually speaking why is it so difficult to deal with the youth during the adolescence years?
In this phase of organic turbulence, with the development of the sexual organs, the hormones overtake the character and personality of the adolescent, demanding a lot of patience and dedication on the part of educators, so that they can safely guide them. In light of these impulses, until then nonexistent, changes in behavior occur, leading the family to live new and odd experiences. Nonetheless, it’s all part of the being’s development in relation to its future, as it also relates to the constructions of its past.
4. Why does the youth during adolescence usually have a hard time in understanding themselves?
From a psychological analysis, the loss of the mythological biblical paradise -the innocence, because of the awakening of the sexual functions -awakens requirements up to that point unknown, especially nowadays, when there is a strong persuasion to eroticism, violence, and aggressiveness, which are internal forces of the hormones that prior to that did not affect the individual. Adolescence is a very delicate phase that requires special care from the parents, relatives and educators, as well as moral examples that can properly guide the teenager in the usage of its energy. Once the more aggressive phase is over, when the spirit personality’s characteristics are in place, a gradual calmness of the teenager’s conduct begins to take over.
5. When can we say that the spirit is fully integrated in its new reincarnation?
There is no fixed date because it varies from one individual to another. However, from 7 years of age on we can consider the spirit perfectly identified with the body with which it will acquire a fuller control through life's experiences.
6. In your opinion what is the role of Spiritist Education as it pertains to this new existential paradigm, of immortality?
Spiritist education is of fundamental importance, since it prepares the human being to its immortality; it not only deals with the fleeting values of this existence, but also addresses the deeper and inner contents of the spiritual being. Currently, Spiritist education is the greatest antidote to materialism and cruelty, as emphasized by Allan Kardec, in a comment to question 685. He states: "...This element is education, not intellectual education, but moral education; not moral education through books, but that which consists in the art of forming character; that which creates habits, because education is the sum of acquired habits …” Finally, in the same item, he concludes by saying: "... Disorder and lack of foresight are two sores that only a sound education can heal." (The Spirits' Book, Allan Kardec, 1st -ISC edition) align="center" >
7. What final words would you like to say to today's youth? And to their parents?
To parents, I would say that education is not restricted to a short period corresponding to childhood and youth, but that it is a wonderful process to be applied throughout all phases of existence. We are always learning, therefore, being educated. Parents should be vigilant and caring with their children that always are in need of them, especially of their love, understanding and kindness. To the young people, I would like to mention a statement of the Argentine thinker, Jose Ingenieros, when he affirms that young is anyone who is not ashamed of its past. This is to say that youth isn’t just a biological phase, but also an inner state of moral dignity, of personal and social responsibility that allows the individual without a shameful past to always maintain its liveliness. Nevertheless, the youth are the hope of the future, and should not be compromised in the present, in a way that its existence may be filled with a joy of living, free of addictions, folly, or lack of prudence, because the green years ripe and become old rather fast once they are gone...
They should live each day with enthusiasm, building their inner peace and developing the ethical feelings in a way that they may never regret being committed to duty and dignity.
Salvador, Jan 28th 2009.
-Mr. Franco gave this interview to www.spiritisteducation.net
Translated by Jussara Korngold and Fred Gouveia