OUR THEORY OF ACTION

We work on increasing exposure, access, and engagement with Spiritism in English.

THE SPIRITIST INSTITUTE'S THEORY OF ACTION

Spiritism is a dynamic body of knowledge that studies the origin, nature, and evolution of spirits, as well as their relationship to the physical world. Because it combines a scientific approach with a philosophical mindset to arrive at practical day-to-day spiritual advice, we believe Spiritism can enormously contribute to one’s life and the world in general.

As a new body of knowledge, however, Spiritism is still widely unknown in many parts of the world. While it enjoys significant recognition in countries of Portuguese, French, and Spanish language, English-speaking geographies remain largely unaware of its profound and noble ideals. The Spiritist Institute seeks to change that.

Guiding Framework

Our theory of action is a simple one: before one can practice Spiritism, it is first necessary to know what it is. After, one needs access to Spiritist resources to grow one’s understanding of it and its benefits. It is only after having a basic understanding of Spiritism that one can then choose to engage with it and bring its teachings into one’s life.

Put another way, without exposure, access, and engagement there can be no actual practice of Spiritism. Once an individual practices Spiritism, we hope it may ripple through their life in deeply comforting and positive ways. That is our ultimate goal.

Diagram with four phases of the Spiritist Institute's theory of action
The Spiritist Institute Theory of Action

 

To affect change, The Spiritist Institute focuses on the 3 first phases: Exposure, Access, and Engagement. We believe the fourth phase, Practice, is an individual one; it is up to each one of us to make our own choices and decide how we must live our lives. Because a key tenant of Spiritism is the belief that all human beings are endowed with free will, we respect everyone’s choice as to whether to practice Spiritism – or anything else. Thus, all of The Spiritist Institute’s efforts align with one or more of these 3 initial areas: Exposure, Access, and Engagement. 

Affinity, Not Geography: To further action in these three areas, The Spiritist Institute will focus on a strategy driven by language affinity and not geography. We do not focus on a specific country or location. Instead, we will support efforts to advance Spiritism in English wherever they may occur, whether in English-speaking countries or not.

Resource Maximization: Finally, we will attempt to avoid duplicative efforts. To deploy our resources more efficiently, we will focus on areas of need that are not already served by other organizations and efforts. We may also invest in sharing existing quality resources produced by others that align with our objectives and goals.