Espiritismo
Espiritismo is a family of spiritist traditions that bridge the worlds of the living and the dead, offering healing, guidance, and wisdom through direct communication with the spirits. In its purest form, it follows the philosophies of Allan Kardec, emphasising moral growth, reincarnation, and the development of mediumship through disciplined study and charitable work. Circles gather to pray, sing, and call upon enlightened spirits to bring comfort to the suffering, clarity to the confused, and light to those still wandering in the shadow of the grave.
In the Americas, Espiritismo has taken on new and vibrant forms as it blended with African and Indigenous traditions. Espiritismo Cruzado, or “crossed” Spiritism, is one such expression. Here, the practices of Kardecist philosophy intertwine with the ancestral reverence and ritual work of Afro-Caribbean religions. In Espiritismo Cruzado, mediums do not work only with elevated guides but also with a vast spiritual court that may include African elders, Indigenous healers, seafaring spirits, gypsies, and other powerful entities who bring both healing and protection. The work may involve spirit masses, cleansing ceremonies, offerings, and the use of herbs, candles, and perfumes to attract benevolent forces and repel harmful ones.
Espiritismo Cruzado is a living, adaptive tradition. It is deeply inclusive, allowing the spirits themselves to guide the form the work will take. One gathering may be solemn and prayerful, another filled with drumming, song, and the vivid presence of spirit possession. At its core is the belief that the spirit world is close, compassionate, and ready to act in the lives of those who call upon it with sincerity.
To walk the path of Espiritismo, whether in its classical Kardecist form or in the crossed traditions of the Caribbean and Brazil, is to embrace a life of service to both the living and the dead. It is a path of healing and mutual aid, where every prayer, every song, and every offering becomes a bridge between worlds.
Nearly twenty years ago, Sea El Santísimo became one of the first books in English to offer a clear and heartfelt guide to the path of Espiritismo. Since then, it has travelled across the world, passed from hand to hand, whispered over bóvedas, prayed with during misas, and cherished by thousands of practitioners on six continents. This expanded edition honours that legacy while offering more: deeper teachings, clearer guidance, new prayers, and powerful novenas. Rooted in lived experience and devotion, it speaks to those who are just beginning and to those who have walked with Spirit for many years. Inside you will find practical instruction on how to set up and work a bóveda, how to develop mediumship safely and with discipline, how to recognise and honour your spiritual court, how to pray with strength and sincerity, and how to bring the world of Spirit and the world of the living into deeper alignment. Written with clarity, warmth, and deep respect for tradition, this book is not just a manual. It is a companion for prayer, study, and daily spiritual life. Sea El Santísimo is for those who feel the presence of their spirits and wish to walk with them more closely. For those who have received signs and dreams, but need direction. And for those who know, in their heart, that the world is more than what is seen. The first edition is also still available.
Rooted in Spiritism, shaped by African traditions, and nourished by generations of devotion, Espiritismo Cruzado is a vibrant, evolving spiritual path centred on healing, service, and deep communion with the spirit world. This richly detailed and practical guide opens the doors to a tradition that blends prayer, ritual, and mediumship with heart and discipline. Written by a long-time practitioner, the book offers step-by-step instructions on how to build your bóveda, conduct misas, develop mediumship, and work with your cuadro espiritual; the team of spirits who walk beside you. Inside, you’ll learn to prepare spiritual baths, perform house cleansings, dress candles with intention, use sacred herbs and colognes, and call upon powerful spirits like El Niño Doctor and San Miguel for healing and protection. With chapters on elevation, shadow work, spirit communication, and the consecration of spiritual tools, this book is both a manual and a devotional offering.
SACRED WATERS Spiritual Baths from Umbanda, Quimbanda, & Espiritismo
Rooted in the living practices of Umbanda, Quimbanda, and Espiritismo, Sacred Waters invites readers into the deep relationship between body and spirit, between herb and guide, between silence and prayer. Inside these pages are over one hundred spiritual baths: for cleansing, for love, for justice, for ancestral communion, for power, for grief, and for becoming. Each is offered with reverence, not as superstition, but as memory, carried in the leaves, stirred by the moon, whispered from the dead. Written by a long-time practitioner and medium, this book is both guide and offering. Whether you are new to these traditions or walking their paths with seasoned feet, Sacred Waters will meet you where you are. The rituals here are practical, poetic, and alive, meant to be used, meant to be lived.
Mario dos Ventos
Journey through the Mysteries of the Spirit World
© Mario dos Ventos, 2025. All rights reserved.