Maurício Moura:

“Young people want action and emotion. You will not find young people who accept everything that they are told listen to it quietly”
 

Maurício Moura (picture), is our weeks’ interviewee. He was born and still lives in Bauru (São Paulo, Brazil). He is en entrepreneur and an University Professor who has been working in several institutions throughout the region. He a spiritist speaker who has been travelling through the northwest of the state talking about the spiritist message with clarity and objectivity. His work is more connected to Spiritist Education for Children, in which he coordinates a project called Girassol. This is maintained by the Spiritist   Centre  Centro  Espírita  Amor e

Caridade, and is explained in detail here below.

O Consolador: How did you get to know Spiritism?

Entre meu primeiro contato, como conheci e o início na doutrina, posso apresentar três situações diferentes e interessantes, em que cada uma merece uma história à parte.

My first contact with Spiritism was through reading the book Ave Cristo in the seventies, when I was a boy. I also got to know it through a few friends and especially through my wife Cristina who is also spiritist. Therefore, I only started to follow the Doctrine in 1997 after going to a lecture of a speaker I admired.

O Consolador: you have mentioned the book Ave Cristo (Chico Xavier, by the spirit of Emmanuael). Can you please tell us which spiritist books you appreciate the most?

I prefer the basic series of books from Allan Kardec, as well as the monthly periodical, the Revue Spirite. In this magazine he would relate his experiments which lead to the compilation of his work. I do love romances, though. The books I like the most are Heaven and Hell and Paul and Stephen.

O Consolador: You are coordinating the Spiritist Education for Children from the project Girassol. This is maintained by the Spiritist Centre Centro Espírita Amor e Caridade de Bauru. How many children are registered at this institution?

We have around 80 registered students. They range from 4 to 20 years old, and participate on Spiritist Education classes every Sunday. Unfortunately, due to lack of volunteers, we can’t increase this number.

O Consolador: Can you please tell us a bit about the activities developed every Sunday by the project Girassol?

The material studied basically involves the The Spirits' Book, and The Gospel According to Spiritism. The activities are developed in accordance with the group age. For example, between 4 to 7 years old, they are focused on contact and physical perception. Some of the activities developed are painting and playing with dough. From 8 to 10 years old, we focus on abstract perception. Music, theatre, story telling and painting are used within the classes. From 11 to 14 years old, who are considered pre-teenagers, we work strongly in physical activities and team perception. The youth group develops a study about the Spiritist Doctrine and how to apply this on their everyday life and within their community. The youth group participates throughout the other activities. They are also given the responsibility for helping in the educational process, which is very important.

O Consolador: We know the number of volunteers is quite small. How do you deal with this reality?

We have an active team working with us, whose core colleagues have been doing the job for around 10 years. This gives us a good base in terms of quality and continuity. Therefore, our team has been bigger previously. Today we have to limit the number of children due to lack of volunteers. We need more people for this activity; therefore, it’s not easy. In one side the volunteer does not come frequently. On the other, we can not avoid the minimum level required for this activity. We take about one year to form a new member for the Spiritist Education department. That’s why we are constantly looking for new volunteers. Unfortunately, a lot of colleagues who come to the spiritist centres are just attending; not wanting to work for the good cause.

O Consolador: What are the biggest challenges faced in terms of transmitting Spiritist knowledge to the most deprived neighbourhoods of Bauru?

The biggest challenge is for the one who educates; not for the student. The doctrine is easily comprehended if lived and practiced; not just preached. If the Educational group lives the Spiritist Doctrine and experience it, all actions will be aiming the good cause and captured by anyone who comes in contact with it. That’s why there is a need for a firm objective and real spiritist conduct.

O Consolador: Have you noticed difference in the behaviour of children who started to participate in the Spiritist Educational project? Would you be able to give us an example?

Yes, for sure! There are lots of stories to be told. Some of the stories involve people who left crime and comprehended the process involving orphans. We should not relate them in detail but, but I can assure you the biggest differences in behaviour have come from me. The spiritist education process is quite complex, and identifies cleary those who are effecctively being educated: the entire group, the children and the volunteers.

O Consolador: How is the Spiritist knowledge of young people who are part of the Spiritist Education department? Are they interest in reading and studying the base of the Doctrine?

It depends on each person. It’s not possible to establish a pattern of behaviour. I believe the level of knowledge and interest depends on the challenges each individual goes through and their commitment with themselves in searching the real truth. Generally speaking, the youth we working with have understand the basic principles of the Doctrine. Therefore, not all of them are able to argue about them. We do have students who study and debate. Rarely these are the ones who bring us great lessons. In regards to your question, I ask you: What have we being doing to awaken the interest of young people on the Doctrine?

O Consolador: What would you suggest for the spiritist movement get closer to young people and help them get to know Spiritism?

Young people want action and emotion. You will not find young people who accept everything that they are told listen to it quietly.  We should not doubt that the planet is a copy of the spiritual world. These youth are at the spiritist centre for work. They search for action and emotion. I believe those of us who are leading them need to get careful and with an open heart to accept the way they are. We should not say the youth is lost. No, it is saved! We need to strongly believe on this.

O Consolador: You are a University Professor and your profession is intimately connected to education. What does this add in terms of the activities you have in regards of the Spiritist Doctrine?

The teaching methodology and dicdatics are great tools I use in the spiritist centre. Most of the activities I get involved with are focused on the spiritist studies. Therefore, the spiritist doctrine adds much more to my activities as a University Teacher.

O Consolador: Can you please give us your final words?

Educate yourself. Teach by example. Believe the world is getting better everyday. Let’s be responsible in our roles of co-authors of the divine.