Today, science is regarded almost as a god. Everything now must be in conformity with the discovered laws of science. This is understandable because of the great advances in scientific technology during these last 200 years. These days, we take many things for granted. But many things which are common place today and which are known to everyone today were not common nor were they known just two centuries ago. 

Then, the electric light was not yet in existence, nor was electricity as we know it easily available. Today, this is unthinkable. There were no such things as gas-fueled motor vehicles. So sorry, but you just have to go on foot. Radio and TV were unheard of. Although, of course, rumor mongering or just plain old gossiping was already the favorite pastime. 

There were no airplanes, submarines and air pollution. The telephone and the telegraph were not yet in use. If at all, they sent out pigeons. And if anyone living during those days of ignorance even hinted at such preposterous concepts and novelties, he would very definitely have been regarded as a fool and a dreamer. But now we know better. We now know that the fools — Galileo, Magellan, Edison and the Wright brothers — were right all along, and that all the rest were the ones who were really foolish. 

Still, much the same situation prevails today. Because of these most recent and, admittedly, great scientific findings and influences, the materialists, also called scientists, now tend to think that the material and physical laws are all there is to know, and they are inclined to dismiss the spiritual aspects of life as unimportant and without basis in fact. 

The Limits of Science

However, science is, itself, very limited and thoroughly deficient. The whole of the physical sciences constitutes only a small portion of the whole of creation. Material science accepts only what the five physical senses can perceive and those that can be perceived by its puny scientific instruments. Its studies, therefore, are confined and limited to the purely physical. However, there is far more to life than what we can see and touch. But since material science rejects these non-physical realities, therefore, its findings leave much to be desired. 

We should never deny the existence and the reality of something simply because we cannot as yet understand it. Instead, we should always be open to all possible explanations. We should never close our eyes to the more spiritual aspects of life, because they are the things that, precisely, lie at the root of everything that is. And, if we are to move forward in our development, they are what we must strive to become more aware of. 

Spiritualism — Perceivings of a Different World

At about 1850, many events took place that jolted many materialistic minds from their self-imposed ignorance. Truly, as Christ told us long ago, "Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe." At that time, in most of Europe and America, there came an awakening of sorts and people begun to question their limited and confused, although, supposedly scientific conception of life and death and their exclusive regard for the material side of life to the exclusion of the spiritual. 

The sensation of the day was the phenomena of Spiritualism. Where before, a lot of people thought that life ends at death, now, all of a sudden, some "foolish" mediums and quacks were claiming that they were in communication with the spirits of the departed — Uneducated simpletons, no doubt. 

There were a lot of shaking and quaking going on even when there was no earthquake. Tables were rapping their Morse code-like messages. One for yes and two for no. Trumpets were flying all over every place and heralding messages from beyond the grave. Glasses and other UFOs were jumping all over ouija boards at the touch of your fingertips. People, images and things were appearing and disappearing. It was, at the very least, very entertaining after you get over your initial fright. But at the time, very few were able to appreciate the deeper implications. And of course, a lot of this nonsense were subsequently proven to be false. However, despite all the fakery and the sustained ghostbusting activities of non-believers, the phenomena, as well as their advocates, have persisted and, in fact, the movement has grown. 

Much later, in the Philippines, as in Brazil, the phenomena of faith healing and psychic surgery became famous or notorious, depending. And it is mostly for this reason that many have become interested in these studies. However, all these phenomena are only the tip of the iceberg, because there is so very much more that is simply waiting for you to discover. 

Spiritism - Guidance by the Spirits of Truth

A short time after Modern Spiritualism became widespread, Spiritism came to prominence. The more intelligent among the people had gotten over the initial shock or curiosity brought about by the increasing incidence of Spiritualist phenomena and were more inclined to their study with a view to their proper harnessing. In answer to this need, a special team of highly evolved Spirit teachers composed of John the Evangelist and others, who were apparently still very much alive, undertook the work of introducing new and advanced spiritual concepts, which were to serve as the underlying bases for the phenomena. 

Because "Only the pure in heart will be able to see God," they chose a morally upright Frenchman with strong scientific leanings to help them in this work. Through various mediums, the Spirit teachers proceeded to transmit to this man their messages and teachings. Subsequently, these messages were compiled and the principles contained therein were incorporated into a book aptly titled ‘The Spirits’ Book.’ 

In order to further demonstrate the distinct character of these New Teachings, the Frenchman was instructed to write under the penname of Allan Kardec. ‘The Spirits’ Book’ later became the basic reference and guidebook of all Spiritists or simply put, those persons, like us, who choose to pursue further spiritual studies under the guidance of these higher Spirit entities. However, ‘The Spirits’ Book’ is just the beginning, only the ABC as it were, and, subsequently, other and more advanced teachings continue to be provided through various mediums and Spiritualist or Spiritist study centers in many parts of the world. 

Biblical Bases

Since ages past, many predictions have foretold of a coming Age of Enlightenment. Christ, himself, referred to this Age when he told us, "Today, I speak to you in parable, but the time is coming when I will be speaking to you plainly." And again he said 2,000 years ago, "Oh, there is so much more I want to tell you, but you cannot understand it now. Albeit, when the Spirits of Truth and Holiness come, they will guide you to all the Truth." 

True to his word, the Spirits of Truth are here with us, today. Today, the mysteries of the Universe are slowly being unfolded in our midst. Now all things are being made plain. For this is the beginning of a New Era in the life of our planet. And, today, the answer to every question is being made available. 

The Spirits of Truth or what the Christians have come to know as the Holy Spirit are literally what their name suggests. They are spirit beings who are already holy. They are just like you and me, but, unlike us, they are already very highly evolved and enlightened beings. They have gone far ahead of any man still here on the Earth plane of existence. They had lived just like any human in times past. They had experienced all that we have yet to experience. They have completed their own Earthly education. Thus, they are the best qualified to guide us towards all that we seek to learn. 

It is only a matter of increasing one’s sensitivity in order to perceive vibrations beyond the range of normal human perception. And as we become more open to such higher influences, the more we can become aware of these greater realities. 

Spiritism is premised on the reality of life after death. To those who can believe in the separate existence of the spirit entity apart from the physical body, it should not be too difficult to consider that communication with such a spirit-consciousness must be possible. But the Spiritists have gone further than mere theorizing. On the basis of their own personal experiences, they are able to attest categorically and very definitely that such a possibility is a reality and that such an experience, being equally available to everyone, is not as rare as many would suppose. 

These are the bases of Spiritism in the Philippines. While the object of Spiritualism and Channeling in the West, which form Phase 1, so to speak, of the New Age Movement, is merely to provide proofs of survival, it is given to Spiritism, the next forward step, to provide for the introduction and the dissemination of the explanations and New Teachings of the New Age. 

Basic Teachings

Through the guidance of these Spirits of Truth, the old truths are made plain and the New Teachings are advanced for our consideration. The most important principles are the following: 

1. The existence of God
   
   God may be defined as Infinite Intelligence. Imperfect as we are and still greatly influenced by matter, we are unable to completely understand the true exact nature of God. Finite minds cannot comprehend the infinite. In addition, our vocabulary is so poor that we are unable to more satisfactorily define God. While we may attribute to God certain very desirable and positive characteristics, we should never feel that God is confined to such attributes. To do so would be to limit God, Who is unlimited. However, we will be able to know and comprehend God more fully just as soon as we become totally freed from Earthly influences and approach the righteousness that is God according to His ethical teachings. 

 
2. The existence of the Spirit
   
   God created us spirit beings in His image. However, at our creation, we were created perfect seeds, innocent and ignorant, but endowed with every potentiality to grow and develop to full maturity or perfection through our own exertions. 

 
3. The reality of the Spirit World
   
   There are other dimensions of being, other worlds apart from the physical worlds and the Earth in which we live at the moment. There are "many mansions" in the Kingdom of God. We leave these more spiritual worlds temporarily when we are born to Earth, and we return to them at physical death. And there, we will live for all eternity as soon as we prove ourselves worthy. 

 
4. Brotherhood and oneness of all creation
   
   At this Earthly stage of our development, most humans are just beginning to curb their selfishness and selfish interests in favor of the common good. We are only now considering our planet as a single spaceship or boat in the vast sea of space. We are only now learning not to rock the boat lest we sink the ship and drown all of us, together. But, eventually, gradually, we will come to learn that all are one. 

 
5. Reincarnation
   
   In order to further develop spiritually, we spirit beings repeatedly come to Earth and other physical worlds by motivating physical bodies which will enable us to undergo all the necessary experiences that afford learning until such time that we are able to arrive at a certain prescribed standard of spiritual perfection. 

 
6. The Law of Karma
   
   This is the Law of Harmony that provides for the restoration of balance to all things. This is also the law of cause and effect and sowing and reaping. Relative to ethical matters, the law was not intended to punish offenders as much as to teach us right from wrong and good and evil. 

 
7. Infinite progression of the Spirit entity
   
   No one will be committed to suffer forever in hell. All who are not yet fully developed or perfected will continue to be given every opportunity to improve himself in the Lower Worlds. This process continues until we are able to attain to the perfection that God intended. We are destined to come live with Him in His Kingdom after we have completed our Earthly studies. 

 
8. Personal responsibility and salvation through individual effort
   
   Having been given free will, we alone have the right to decide regarding personal matters. "We are the captain of our soul, the master of our fate." We only need to learn the divine laws and their consequences and abide by them in order to ensure for ourselves the kind of life we desire. It follows that God won’t and Jesus cannot save us because this is in direct contravention of His divine will. Instead, Jesus having shown us the Way, we now need to save ourselves through our own personal efforts. 

 
9. Mediumship as a means of communication with the Spirit World
   
   By developing our higher faculties, we are able to break through the barriers between this world and the Higher Worlds thereby obtaining undeniable proofs and further divine instruction.

 
10. Love and service as the Way
    
    Emphasis is given to righteousness, which is love in action, and active service to our fellowmen as the Way to obtain release from the necessity of further incarnations and the attainment of eternal life in the Spirit World, the World of Reality.

The Path to Enlightenment

To many people, it is becoming more and more evident that there is so very much more that we need to learn. And many people are now beginning to realize that these truths can now be found and understanding can be had. We should no longer be content with only the little that we now know. Instead, we should strive and seek for greater understanding in all things. God does not desire that we remain in ignorance. Because He loves us, He wants us to learn more of Him and more about ourselves, as well. And now, today, is the time to do this with the help of His Spirits of Truth. 

In any field of knowledge, we learn only as we study. A student desiring to become a medical doctor must have qualified himself first before he may even be allowed to enter medical school. In the Philippines, he must have gone through six or seven years of grade schooling, four years of intermediate (high) school and he must have graduated from a 4-year preparatory collegiate course. After having been accepted to medical school, he continues to study at least four more years, undergoes a 2-year internship training program and finally, he must pass the Medical Board Examinations. Twenty years of preparatory study all in all. All these requirements must be complied with before he may be allowed to practice medicine. Then, before he can become really proficient, he must have to practice for quite a number of years more. In short, the really good doctor didn’t acquire his skills in a day nor was he able to gain his knowledge and expertise so easily. 

But the whole field of medical science is, actually, a very limited field of knowledge compared to the "all truth" that the Spirits of Truth teach. And yet some people expect to learn everything in just a few weeks or months of study. But we must be realistic, because this simply cannot be. Learning, if it is to be effective and lasting, can come only gradually. 

Many of you will be demanding for all sorts of proofs. And you should — because if you do not, then we would consider you to be foolish and gullible. Know now that we, too, questioned all these propositions and we are enjoined even now to continue to do the same with all new ideas and concepts. We are to accept only those teachings that are reasonable and can be proven in the light of our own personal experiences, and to reject all that are not.

Nevertheless, all that anyone really needs can be made available to him, provided he is willing to work persistently and hard until those needs are met. However, for so long as anyone insists, much like the materialist scientist, in confining his investigations only to physical considerations, he will never be able to find the proofs he seeks. Besides, there is a prerequisite to the receipt of this knowledge. Christ exhorted us, "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and then all things will simply be added on to you." And again he also told us, "If you adhere to my teachings, you will be my disciples, indeed, and you shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free."