English
Foreword to the Reader
Without wanting to hurt delicate susceptibilities in any way, we must emphasize the basic idea that a variety of venerable institutions coexist within the cultural-spiritual environment of contemporary humanity that very sincerely believe they know the secret path. Nonetheless, they do not know it.
Allow me the freedom of stating with great solemnity that we do not want to utter any destructive criticism. We are making an emphasis, and it is clear that this is not a crime.
Obviously, and because of a very simple and profound respect towards our fellowmen, we will never proclaim ourselves against any mystical institution.
My Childhood
It is not irrelevant to solemnly testify that I was born with enormous spiritual longings. To deny this would be an absurdity...
Even though some will look at this as unusual and incredible, the concrete fact is that there are those in the world who can completely remember the totality of their existence, even the event of their own birth. I want to affirm that I am one of those who can do so.
Following all the well-known processes of birth, very clean and beautifully dressed, I was gently placed on the maternal bed close to my mother...
Religion
Being raised with good manners, I needlessly and frankly confess that I was educated according to the official religion of my town.
To be mischievous with somebody in the garret during a liturgical service always seemed abominable to me...
Since my childhood, I had a sense of veneration and respect. Never did I want to shrug my shoulders while in full public worship. Never did I like to exclude myself from my sacred duties, neither laugh, nor mock holy things.
Spiritualism
I was still a boy of twelve springs when I, as someone who was eagerly investigating the mysteries of beyond, diligently proposed to inquire, inspect, investigate, the disquieting field of Spiritualism.
Then, with the constancy of a clergyman in a cell, I studied innumerable metaphysical books. It is not irrelevant to cite that some of those authors included Luis Zea Uribe, Camille Flammarion, Kardec, Leon Denis, Caesar Lombroso, etc.
Certainly, the first book from a series by Kardek looked very interesting to me, but I had to read it three times with the indisputable longing of integrally understanding it.
Theosophy
I do not want to boast at all about very delicate and multiple philosophical and metaphysical themes, but I frankly confess with full sincerity that even though I had not yet arrived to the sixteenth spring of my present existence, nonetheless, I was already engulfed within many subject matters of substantial content.
With infinite longings, I proposed myself to analyze in detail and in the light of modern science the problems of the spirit.
The experiments of the English physicist William Crookes, illustrious member of the British Royal Society, prominent discoverer of matter in the radiant state and of thallium, became extremely fascinating to me.
Page 1 of 6
