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| Laughing Fool, J. Cornelisz van Oostsanen (circa 1500). Source: Wikipedia. |
(...) A wrong-doing, misguided spirit feels hostile towards anyone who can see into its inner nature. When it meets such a person for the first time, it unconsciouly anticipates that person's disapproaval. Its aversion then changes into hatred or jealously and inspires it with a desire to do that person harm. A good spirit, on the other hand, feels discomfort and the need to keep a certain distance, knowing it will be met with contempt because of the difference in feelings and attitudes. But strong in its own superiority, it will neither hate nor feel jealously towards the other. It will feel compassion for the person. (A. Kardec, "The Spirits Book" [1], answer to Question 391.)
Translation from the original post in Portuguese: A razão das antipatias que sofremos na Terra. Link (2024): https://eradoespirito.blogspot.com/2020/08/a-razao-das-antipatias-que-sofremos-na.html
Spiritist knowledge encompasses more than only the study of spiritist manifestations or the mechanisms that connect the spirit and the perispirit. This study, which is still in its early stages, allows us to objectively grasp a variety of effects, both positive and negative, that we encounter throughout our lives.
This knowledge is founded on the new vision that revelation provides, particularly of the true reason for human life. True, modern psychology provides processes and makes recommendations on how we should behave mentally in our daily lives. However, the revelation of the Spirits provides additional components that allow us to absorb these recommendations more sensibly. Every psychological treatment is evidently rational in the sense that it aims to improve life and restore happiness and calm. However, any and all new teachings that contribute to this goal should be similarly encouraged. Knowing your reason for existing and your ultimate goal is the most important life lesson you can learn.
The causes of the sympathies, but mainly, antipathies that we face in life are well described in Chapter VII of the 2nd Part of "The Spirits' Book". Still inspired by the difficulties of the "Return of the Spirit to Bodily Life" (Chapter VII), an entire section is dedicated to "earthly sympathy and antipathy." It is vital to note that there is nothing intrinsically bad or good about two Spirits feeling, say, reciprocal hostility. This is extremely evident in the response to Question 390:
Spirits do not necessarily have bad natures because they are not well attuned. The antipathy may spring from a dissimilarity in their way of thinking. But as the spirits evolve, these differences fade away; and aversions disappear.
As a result of this independence, antipathy does not originate initially in the spirit of lower nature: "It may begin simultaneously on the part of both" states the beginning of question 391, the second part of which we can read at the beginning of this post. Although the antipathy is mutual, it produces various responses in each Spirit.
In the lower spirit, it exacerbates pre-existing feelings of envy, wrath, and the "desire to do evil". As a result, even though the feeling is reciprocal, the lowest part almost always takes the lead in regrettable behavior, persecution, insult, or slander, acts that, if not restrained, are the root cause of many crimes that we see every day in many newspapers.
"My mother doesn't like me" or dislikes in the family.
A superficial reading of the issue we study here could lead us to believe that the spirits were merely referring to 'fortuitous' antipathies we meet in our lives, such as difficulties between friends or at work. However, the hardest lesson for incarnated spirits is having to endure hostility within their own family. Because, as a result of the spirits' teaching, a mother, father, or children have no intrinsic or genetic responsibility to love each other if they are unsympathetic spirits.
Many may be shocked by these conclusions, but the sense of revolt is, in fact, a result of cultural preconceptions and what is considered 'normal', rather than the hidden reality of the greater life that is well demonstrated in specific cases. In fact, the rules of affinity between spirits and their past lives explain many of the conflicts that occur among families. Many people ask why, but the explanation is well given. We emphasize that such spirits can be antipathetic toward each other but not necessarily wicked.
However, it makes no difference what color, culture, familial ties, or education a person has if they engage in acts such as racism, bullying, systematic persecution for useless reasons, and so on. They will always be proof of their spirits' inferior nature, which will be corrected in the future. On the other hand, it is far preferable for parents and children to adhere to the values of respect and fairness despite their personal animosities.
It is also incorrect to believe that our animosity for someone close or distant in our family is exclusively based on past lives. This is frequently claimed among Spiritists, but a close reading of the part we reviewed here in [1] yields this logical conclusion, which also applies to affinities:
Two spirits who have affinity may naturally gravitate toe each other, without prior acquaintance as incarnate beings. (Question 387)
Once mutual distaste is acknowledged, each person must strive to prevent disagreements and build a culture of mutual respect. This occurs more naturally among people whose spirits are more developed morally. When antipathy is identified, aversion against the circumstance arises, as does a desire to flee or distance from the other. According to the spirits, this is entirely natural, and the situation fits under the category of "vicissitudes" of life, which are tests that spirits must go through to better control their emotions and develop their personalities.
There is no specific question in "The Spirits' Book" about what occurs when two Spirits achieve equal levels of enlightenment but are antipathetic. However, the response is clearly a logical consequence of the stated premises. Furthermore, the answer to Question 390 states that truly great spirits do not preserve antipathies since they are no longer influenced by inferior passions. Thus, when they grow up spiritually, "antipathy will cease to exist." This is not to say that they do not have antipathies while on a mission on Earth. In fact, this is what happens most of the time since their nature is so distinct from their surroundings.
Antipathies among the less developed spirits
However, there is still the extremely difficult challenge of dealing with the hostility that develops between spirits of lower nature. As long as reason does not intervene and persuade both parties that maintaining the necessary distance is in their best interests, the relationship almost always descends into a downward spiral of feelings, beginning with the abusive practice of unjustified persecution, which can lead to crimes, some of which are hideous. They instigate each other since they can't figure out what's causing the animosity. They thus accumulate debts that can only be repaid in later lives, usually always in even more severe circumstances. Many people who share common lives around these spirits suffer greatly or develop into actual adversarial groups or avowed foes.
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| Detail of "Christ carrying the cross" by Hieronymus Bosch (1490). |
Unable to understand the source of the concealed antipathy - whether due to a lack of natural affinity or shared acknowledgment of causes in the past - the escalation of evil that fuels spirits' antipathies can only be counterbalanced by forgiveness of offenses. This is the most difficult lesson that spirits still attached to evil must learn: forgive the faults and failings of those who show themselves as opponents.
It's probable to imagine that they'll keep fighting until they reach the stage of discernment. Personal interests bind them together in the crucible of frivolous feelings. They are unable to forgive, so they punish their opponents. By doing so they reap disappointments and sorrow for an extended amount of time while experiencing brief happiness that fires their sensations at the time even more. There is no turning back until the anguish caused by this corrodes all courage to do evil and gives birth to light in the soul. Repentance precedes forgiveness since the spirit gradually realizes that the old method of acting does not satisfy it anymore. The spirit's inner being becomes a vast field of regeneration. Here and there, however, it will still encounter its antipathies, from which, now redeemed, it will try to evade in peace.
This will continue until the spirit is totally changed in its psychological structure and becomes so morally solid that nothing can upset it. Then it will have attained true salvation.
Societies, like spirits, evolve by recognizing the source of evil and systematically rejecting it. But that's a topic for a future post.
Reference
[1] A. Kardec. The Spirit's Book. Citations in this texts follow the published version by: Allan Kardec Educational Society. (1996). ISBN 0-9649907-0-9
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