Customer Reviews

Nosso Lar - An Account of Life in a Spirit Colony in the World of Spiritis

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I couldn't put this book down. Written by a physician AFTER his death, then channeled through Brazil's famous medium Francisco (Chico) Xavier, Nosso Lar shows how much our decisions in this life affect the future of our spirit, which never dies, but continues life in another realm. Physician Andre Luis (he changed his name to protect his family) abused his physical body with substance abuse, which led to an early death from cancer. After death he went to the "umbral," the shadowland between this world and the next, and was tormented for eight years by voices which accused him of suicide. Gradually, he realized that his actions had contributed to his own death, and he repented and asked for help. Then Dr. Luis was taken to a hospital in the spirit world to recover. In spite of many hurtful choices he made, Dr. Luis also treated some poor patients for free, and their prayers for him helped his spirit. Anyone who is curious about the nature of the afterlife will be fascinated by this first-hand account from someone in the next world, reaching out to those of us still in this dimension to realize how much impact our actions have on our soul and what we can do to be better prepared for the time when we move on!

Barbara Stone, PhD, author of
Invisible Roots: How Healing Past Life Trauma Can Liberate Your Present, awarded the Best Book of the Year in 2008 by Book News USA in the category of Health: General

The very best book I have found on the afterlife - this is how it is. I have given copies of this book to countless people and will continue to do so. For years my favourite Book was Seven Steps to Eternity by Stehen Turoff - Nosso Lar is better but both are worth reading.
Review by Jeanette Wilson TV Medium on the Dare to Believe series shown on SKY REAL LIVES (UK) and TV3 in New Zealand

When Allan Kardec published The Spirit's book, The Medium's book, and other works, in 19th century France, he provided meticulous and accurate detail about several aspects of life, both in the physical and the spirit worlds. But he never got into much detail about what life would actually be like after "death", apart from explaining that spirits have very close relationships with us, both for good or ill. Nosso Lar was the first book to provide detail about the everyday life in the spirit world, with amazing clarity, and a moving story of recovery and redemption. After several decades, it is still one of the most important works in spiritist literature. A must read for anyone interested in discovering what the afterlife reserves for us, without the childish threats of an "eternal hell" or "eternal (and excrutiatingly uneventful) heaven".

After reading Kardec's "Spirits Book" and finding, to my discomfort as a practicing Catholic, that there was a great deal in it that seemed to resonate with me, I decided to test the waters further by reading Noso Lar's account of post-corporeal existence in a higher realm, beyond the Earthly plain. This book is very well done, describing Spiritism's tenets well in context. That is why I rated it so highly. Has it made me a believer? No. After reading and contemplation, I find this book and Spiritist theology have substantial holes.

Superficially, Spiritism looks quite good, and even realistic, as a representation of what an afterlife would be like.

I suppose my main gripe is the lack of mercy and grace in the Spiritist philosophy. Earning your keep and working for your development is all well and good, but I have known too many people who are utter disasters who will fall through the cracks in the umbral, or Noso Lar, as surely as they have in life. I also have known even more people who are great at "parroting the party line" from 9 to 5 and appearing to be solid citizens, who then conduct the rest of their lives full of all kinds of nastiness. The Spiritist system rewards confidence and energy that makes people "be cool" and able to work productively, and is largely negligent of a person's inner quality. The Spiritist system is just one more way to judge people by outer appearances.

There are two points to the system that trouble my sense of justice, and also, perhaps to my discredit, inspire my unwillingness to submit to authority. In reverse order, the oppressing and innumerable heirarchies presented are of questionable authority as much as any such heirarchy in human life; there are entities in control simply because they got there first and know how to play the game, and they may have even set the rules of the game up in their own favor (just like in life) and I just can't accept such "bosses" at face value. And finally, Spiritism is all about expiation and proving yourself, which sounds fair and character-building, but the sins being expiated may not be one's own. You see, Spiritism espouses the concept of karma, and is subservient to it.

I just can't seem to put credibility in a karmic system, because karma is like a beam of light in a vaccuum. It shines out from a source (it has energy and particle properties), it moves across space, it is reflected, it is refracted, it is diffused, it is added to, it is bent, it is focused -- all with intention or by accident...and ultimately it hits individuals as it will. Karma has far less intelligence than you imagine, and is analagous to sin in its capacity to taint its surroundings, or alternatively to unjustifiably elevate. ("The rains fall and the sun shines on the just and unjust alike.") I understand "true believers" will strongly disagree with me, but if you look at seminal writings on karma, you will find my description is accurate, and it is only in the last bunch of centuries that Eastern thinkers have tried to put a Madison Avenue spin on karma as a useful means of human development. That gaping hole in the value of karma blows the Spiritist system out of the water.

There are numerous specific examples from both Noso Lar and The Spirits Book I can cite in support of my thesis of the imperfection of the Spiritist system to illustrate any of the aforesaid, but it would be best if you read the book yourself and draw your own conclusions.

While I understand that there are some people for whom this system works, and there are some elements of it that I enjoy reading and find useful, I promise it will not work for everybody.

This book was a good read, and I found it provocative for introspection, but I'm better off just continuing to be a nice guy to the best of my ability, and getting to my church every week to listen and pray, than giving much credibilty to this book's system as a map of my afterlife. We are all curious about the afterlife, and will find out the truth in time. Don't hurry it! We are alive to live.

In closing, I recommend this book as a good read for the spiritually curious, but I suggest you take it with a grain of salt.

This book was recommended to me on my first visit to see John of God at the Casa de Dom Inacio in Abadiania, Brazil. It was "written" psychographically, as the Brazilian say, and what we in English would call by "automatic writing." The great Brazilian medium, Chico Xavier, wrote the book in trance through the spirit, Andre Luis. It is the story of his death and waking up in the spiritual realms.

Although it might seem a bit dated historically, and the translation is a bit flowery, it is a critical work to read if one is at all interested by the Brazilian Spiritist tradition. The experience of Andre Luis after he dies and the realms he visits is eye-opening and thought-provoking.

If you are thinking of visiting the Casa de Dom Inacio and John of God or you have already been there, I encourage you to read this book. It will give you insights into what goes on at the Casa, a beginning of an understanding or philosophy of Spiritism, and probably radically change your perspective on life and death and the afterlife.

Not only is this book revealing or eye-opening, it transforms one's view of life after death. Clearly, the story rings true and full of wisdom teachings that brings help to the soul and to one's understanding. It is a great gift to know how we evolve after leaving the world and that our deepest goals need not end here. We go on toward true soul fulfillment.

Hi, This is a 'must-have' book if you want to experience what it's like to waken up 'dead' and finding yourself in the Spirit-World.

This is the actual account of a medical-doctor from Rio de Janeiro -- André Luiz,-- who, after dying found out what it was like when he had committed Indirect or Unconscious-Suicide, having contracted cancer through excesses and vices during his earthly life. (Incorrect diet, rich foods, alcohol, smoking and sensuality)

He becomes so impressed with what he finds in contrast to what is known or taught on Earth,... that he dedicated his time in the Spiritual to learning these differences and reporting them via his penmanship of 16 books, psycho-graphed by the medium Chico Xavier.

The book reveals many aspects unknown to man and previously unverified from the scriptures,... and containing many scientific and spiritual surprises.

If you think the book is a good production,... the film is even better.
( See trailer here: [YouTube] )

Both are more natural and flowing in the original Portuguese,... Regardless, the film uses the book as a close basis for the main aspects it has to relay,... even though there are some important scenes omitted.

Don't be scared --- be prepared !!! -- BUY BOTH !!!!

Steve Mac