Charity
Charity is one of the highest principles held in Espiritismo of hope, faith and charity.
They are given prose in Allan Kardec's book of selected prayers and have interaction. They are both masonic and christian principles. They are symbolized by the heart, anchor and cross, as well as the 3 marias ( tres marias) or graces/muses as virtues.
This symbol put together, some use as a symbol of Sanse. The cross is of a man and the world tree, the earth and sun or faith. The heart is central of the sun or solar plexus and heart and light. The anchor is of hope,what keeps us grounded, and has the lunar and watery symbol. As in the tarot card the star, these are guiding principles linked to destiny. The hebrew letter to the star tarot card is translated as"hook", because man or souls are viewed as fishes. Such as in the bible the disciple and fisherman Peter/Simon became the fisher of man and the rock or foundation of the church as the first pope. The spiritual forces always seek towards man just as much as we look for guidance and light. As a seafaring people, they would navigate by the light of the sun and the north pole star. They even had an early navigational device known as the cross staff.
Charity means love of your fellow man like philanthropy, but many people think of it as donation to institutions, and charitable work,
Is there a higher tenet than love?
It is said that God is love.
Charity is also action, of charitable words, not speaking bad of others in gossip and undeservedly.
Of loving and helping each other.
Caridad de Cobre, the Lady of Charity
Many people think that Oshun, syncretized with the saint image of Lady of Charity or the yellow Caridad de Cobre is charity, but this is not so. Oshun is known for love, happiness, sensuality, riches, and luxury as well as foresight.The Saint of Charity is the patron of Cuba, and some use the blue one also or both colors, but that means something different in our lineage. The yellow one can also be used for the Lwa Cachita Tumbo but some use an Indian woman, whereas the blue can be used for La Sirene or Yemaya, but they also use the saint image La Diosa del Mar (goddess of the sea). We understand the saint is not the Mysterio Orisha or Lwa. One of the paths of Oshun is a chieftess, more of a native Caribbean woman. Cachita Tumbo is like Oshun as a river spirit, but many also mistake her for the female Lwa Anaisa Pye, whose name means little yellow or golden flower. She also has a path of a native woman.
The tale of how this saint came to be is very interesting. The men in the boat represent the three races which mixed and became Cuban: European, African and Indian or mixed ethnicity. The men were out harvesting salt, and were caught in a storm off the Caribbean island. Fearing for their lives they began to pray. Then the little statue on a board with the epitaph "Lady of Charity" washed towards them, and they brought it ashore. Thus Charity became linked with Faith, and is a deeper theme explored in the Prayer of the Shipwrecked. And also the Prayer of the lighthouse as the guiding light to both incarnated and disincarnated souls, The lighthouse is a metaphor for our centinela or main spirit guide, to guide us, and usher in other spirits.
In Chief Miguel Sague's book
Canoa or "canoe" he tells of a slightly different version of lore, with more of the native or Taino history. Whether or not this is myth, of visions, or dreams in the telling, the cultural meaning comes through clearly. The statue is a replacement to safely hide the spirits of the land before colonization; of an earth and river creatrix: Atabey and Atabeira. Like the Taino Cemi spirits in stone, this statue mysteriously moves places, and reappears eventually back at the little chapel on top of a copper mine. Cobre in spanish means copper, and as many people lost their lives in the mine, she was looking out for them and guiding them with her light.
Saint Sophia or wisdom is told as their mother, Sophia is "Gods wife" as Wisdom herself the Ama or Asherah. From which we get the word philosophy, or the love of knowledge and study. Some see her as a Magdelene, rumored wife to Jesus. Gnostics hold Sophia as the creator of the world and is a saturnine principle of the number 3 and like Granne Erzulie or Santa Anna mother of Mary and used for the Lwa Anaisa Pye. Each of the Mary's also can be linked to the Lwa of the Erzulie family whose emblem is the heart; as Mary Salome, Mary Jacobe and Mary Magdelene as Ezili Dayila. Salome and Jacobe are also linked to the gypsy commision of guides through Santa Sara and the dance of the 7 veils by Salome in the bible. This also hearkens to Venusian deities whose number is 7 and of love, sexuality and nature, of temple proxies of Aphrodite and Ishtar. The metal of Venus is copper, and she holds the lights of the 7 planets.....as well as the sun/son in the constellation Virgo the Virgin harvest Queen pictured as holding a shaft of wheat or babe.
These are saint images which preserved original peoples knowledge.
Who is Charity?
So who is charity actually?
It is a very celestial divine spirit or power, very close to God.
This principle or force is personified, but so elevated they never come into physical mediumship.
The light of love or mercy guides spirits towards us to "hacer caridad" do charity or intervene in our human problems and suffering. These words are found often in evoking guides and the dead of a spirit court " to come to the earth and do charity". For example a song to a congo translates as "congo, little congo, congo of truth, I call you to the earth to make charity".
Also to the Lwa "gracias misercordia" means thank you for the mercy. Because they show us help and a kindness, we need to have gratitude, and to give charity to receive the blessings of the spirits.
Many higher spirits such as saints, like you to give to a charity in gratitude as an offering of thanks. For example if St Jude helped you, a donation to St Jude's Children's hospital is common. Also in first world nations, we are somewhat removed from the conditions in the very countries and areas that our traditions may come from that we enter such as Haiti, Cuba and Africa and their people.
If we take or receive than we must give back. We are one, one love.
Charity in Espiritismo
Clarity is synonymous with Light in this tradition, the ability to see truth and clairvoyance. When we think of light we think of the color white or yellow. Light "helps" spirits to see or "gives" lights the way. One misa canto or song lyrics are as translated "a great clarity.... the cloak of Mama Charity.....you light" to guide the dead towards us,
and then goes into singing of the dancing of Cachita, dance dance Cachita la Caridad.
In the name of charity, most centros of Espiritsmo try to have public misa once a month. By charity it is not actually "free" as attendees are expected to bring needed materials such as food, flowers, novena candles, cigar, rum, a small donation if possible to do the work. The energy, work, and time expended by the mediums are donated, along with any additional materials. Private misa are of charge.
Some budding espiritist said, " I don't get anything out of it" by doing the monthly charity. HA! delayed gratification. Get it right, its not about spells and commanding the dead to do your bidding.You cannot do Espiritismo without Charity. True, alot of energy is expended and it is not appreciated by other people at times the effort required. It may take several days to recover, even by the participants at times.
We are doing a service to the community. As priests we are to serve, not always be self serving. On the other hand some people do not want to exchange and only take. This upsets the order and balance of things, it is not good to put oneself at a debt. Euro mediums are more mentalists in modern times it seems, and say it is not to charge for their gifts, because they are God given and do not want to misuse it. And when money is involved this is a possibility.
This is true of being God given, however we use more materials in our folk spiritism. Physical mediumship is very draining, especially in the beginning, or you have not been brought up this way to exercise and expand the energy body over time.
What people do not purchase, they often take for granted, or in increase not listen. However our spirits will tell us when to do charity as far as spiritual work, or take on a couple of cases per month. Charity starts at home in the community, and also cannot be expected over the internet. In the old days, and still to this day to some extent barter is accepted, in the form of food, livestock, rum, cigars etc.
The charity given is also to the spirits, in our offerings and in our elevation work of light and progress in our sessions. Also to the elevation work and crossing over or rescue mediumship of earthbound or purgatorial spirits. Noted is the concept of water in African traditions, of the ocean of the dead, the congo kalunga. The cemetary is known as the small sea or little kalunga.
We venerate and give offerings to our Lwa, and is known as "sevis" Lwa, Ginen or serving the Lwa aka Voodoo. Many people do not know what Vodou is and think they are spirits to do our bidding or spells. Remember we are their horses, they "own" our heads as the master or "met tet" and guardian angel. We have access but we do not own them. We serve. And as priests we are the conduits of these higher forces.
Charity also can be done on our terms. "Beggars cannot be choosers" is an old saying. Rules are also still rules, and are there for safety. If we turn someone away from misa, especially for repeatedly not following requirements, or due to the safety needed, that is the head medium and godparents perogative and needs to be respected. We are the ones who have the responsibility and wisdom.
Spirits also have to get in line, and play by our rules, or we run the risk of spiritual problems.
Some need tough love. But we always attempt to help and educate them first.
Sancista Siete Encruzhiladas
By a side note, many stores such as grocery chains (in the USA) allow you to link a charity to your store loyalty card so check their websites. Also if you shop through Amazon smile link in your same account it will donate to your linked charity. Just by shopping I donated around $400 last year this way alone. It would have been more but I sometimes shop through ebates to save money when applicable online.
Please do this it takes little effort at no cost to you.
