How did you come
up with the idea
of producing the
guidebook?
I was re-reading
the book
Memórias de um
Suicida
(Memories of a
Suicide), which
was dictated by
the Spirit,
Camilo Botelho
Cândido to the
medium, Yvonne
do Amaral
Pereira, and in
particular
Chapter VI
(Communion with
the Higher
Spheres), and I
was struck by
the effort the
rescue teams in
the Spirit World
have to carry
out in cases of
violent death,
especially
suicides. It
occurred to me
that we,
incarnate
spirits, must
help them in
that process,
because we have
a type of energy
that is
exclusive to was
when we are
incarnated in
the matter. I
thought that if
suicide was a
major concern
when the book
was published,
in the middle of
the 20th
Century, let
alone now, when
more than 1
million people
take their lives
around the world
every year. It
is clear that
all Spiritists
must be alerted
and call upon to
help on that
huge effort,
especially as
our planet goes
through this
transition
period, leaving
the phase of
Trials and
Tribulations and
ascending to a
phase of
Regeneration.
Tell us about
the foundation
of GAES, the
Support Group
for Suffering
Spirits.
Shortly after I
had the insights
I have just
described, I
discussed these
ideas with a
group of friends
who take part
with me in a
mediunship
group. We
decided to
create GAES as
our work group
and we suggested
that any other
Spiritist Centre
that decides to
work on the area
take on the same
name, GAES. We
follow very
closely the work
of three
eponymous
groups. The idea
is to spread
across the
planet small
light beams that
will help those
already working
in the Spirit
World to prevent
suicide and help
those who take
their lives and
who go through
so much
suffering on the
astral circles
closer to
earth’s
surface.
What would you
like to say
about the effort
to prevent
suicide?
Firstly, that
this is an issue
that must be
talked about
publicly. We
must get rid of
the fear and
taboo associated
with suicide.
The CVV support
group is a
reference in
Brazil in that
area. Its work,
which began more
than 50 years
ago, must be
publicised.
Information is
the first step
in prevention.
Let’s remember
what happened
with breast
cancer, which
was something we
did not talk
about 20 years
ago. When we
began having
mass awareness
campaigns in
Brazil and
across the
world, things
changed. The
same can be done
with suicide. It
is not a
disease, but 90%
of people who
commit suicide
are going
through some
mental
disturbance. In
most cases, they
are suffering
from depression.
That is why the
World Health
Organisation
says suicide is
a matter of
public health,
which can be
prevented.
What aspect from
your experience
helping Spirits
who committed
suicide strikes
you the most?
The emotional
suffering they
were going
through before
taking their
lives is now
added to the
torments caused
by not
understanding
the state they
are in. They
took their lives
but they are
still alive.
They get
profoundly
disturbed,
anesthetised and
became oblivious
even to the
presence of the
Spiritual
Benefactors who
come to help
them. And I have
learned that it
is not only
those Spirits
who committed
suicide who need
to be rescued,
but also all of
those who go
through a
sudden, violent
death, in
accidents,
catastrophes,
homicides, wars
and other
conflicts. There
are millions of
souls in
despair, going
through pain and
suffering.
What does you
32-page
guidebook say?
It explains the
problem of
suicide in
Brazil and the
world. It talks
openly about the
issue, in an
attempt to break
taboos. It
explains what we
can do for those
who have already
committed
suicide and
offers guidance
on how to
organise support
groups for
spiritual help.
It has extracts
from Memories of
a Suicide and it
ends with
reference and
recommendations
for further
reading. The
guidebooks are
now being handed
out for free. We
have already
published 15,000
copies. It takes
only 20 minutes
to read booklet.
It can also be
downloaded free
of charge from
our Facebook
group, https://www.facebook.com/apoio.gaes/.
For further
information,
please contact
us via email,
apoio.gaes@gmail.com.
What else would
you like to
add?
There is a
movement called
Yellow
September. That
is the month
dedicated to the
prevention of
suicide. I would
like to invite
Spiritist Groups
and Centres to
join that
movement, to
decorate their
rooms with
yellow balloons
and lights, to
dress in yellow
to help raise
awareness to the
problem of
suicide. How
about a seminar
in September
gathering all
the GAES groups?
We must bear in
mind that
suicide is a
worldwide
problem. Only in
India, there are
260,000 cases
per year. And we
have all the
violent deaths
across the
world. That is
why there is so
much suffering
in the astral
spheres closer
to the planet.
Millions of
spirits lie in
those regions,
in suffering.
And we must not
forget the role
Brazil has to
play in this
matter, as it
has the highest
number in the
world of
prepared and
properly trained
mediums. Brazil
is the Heart of
the World and
the Gospel’s
Nation. It seems
me that dealing
with the problem
of suicide is
one of Brazil’s
tasks.