Santo Daime in Spain - Legalize Now

Wednesday, April 12, 2000

My dear brothers and sisters,

Well, by now we are already well ahead in the process of legalization. It has been very hard for everyone, specially for all those siblings from Madrid who, for some days, have been deprived of their freedom. Also very hard for our Brazilian siblings who, we can't forget, are still in prison. Painful also for all the ones responsible for centers whose names were on the lists confiscated by the police and not knowing if they would be coming after us. Thank God, now that this enormous scare is over, everything's falling back into place as the lawyer Rafael Burgos told us. Now the authorities already know that we exist and it is time to make a good presentation of ourselves... we have between six months and one year before the trial. Now the Spanish Federation makes real sense and the starting point and high-priority objective will be to obtain the legalization of the Santo Daime Churches in Spain and to defend the right to use our Sacrament.

From my point of view, the press wrote atrocities simply because they don´t know us. They have taken advantage of the sensationalism, but this can be stopped if we are able to make the facts reach the media. We have to make available information on what our Doctrine is, its history, its Sacrament, the kindness of Ayahuasca in spiritual environments, the projects in Mapiá, the legalization in Brazil, testimonies by all of us and other followers, antecedents of the Native American Church and Peyote, etc. Now it's up to us to prepare quality information, written and on videotape on what we are, here and all around the world. It's also important to contact other NGOs related to the Amazon and millennial cultures, Amnesty International, Greenpeace, and also with institutions, journalists, writers or politicians who could influence or support religious freedom and the enteogenous plants as Nature's spiritual legacy to all of mankind.

In these days of so much tension, I also found out that there are a lot of people who support us, people who are ashamed of the police company and the intransigence of authorities who first accuse and only later ask for proof of innocence. People who are scandalized by this ignorant system which, without knowledge of a topic, uses forms of repression that remind us of the methods of the Inquisition.

In my opinion, we have very good reasons to continue in the battle, in this battle of love that, ahead of time, we have won and all we know it. We also know that, if this is what is coming to us, it is because we are prepared to deal with it successfully. Of course it won't be easy, it is never easy to defend the rights of minorities, but it is worth a try.

It is important that we don't have fear. Fear is in the mind and we must control it to have positive thoughts and to project favorable results in the future. The mind is very powerful and now more than ever we must take care to create positive actions and results which will be pleasant fo all of us. The worst about fear is that it paralyzes and if we stop, we panic. Action, discreet, intelligent, firm and professional action, will show the authorities and society that we are not the sectarian lunatics and drug addicts they accuse us of being

Dear brothers, let us "charge our batteries" and defend our beautiful Doctrine since it is the most important human right. We this stage must pass and we will succeed in our efforts.

This is my point of view and I would like you to send me yours in order to begin with concrete actions. In addition, as we are already doing daily, let us pray, let us sing and let us request to all the Divine Beings and our Protectors to guide us, illuminate and protect us in this Mission they want us to live. Although now we are without the Santo Daime, we already have it engraved in all our being and HE will guide us.

Cheer up, siblings, they no longer watch over us, now we can begin the battle. We have at least six months to get ready before the trial.

I am in contact with Murilo and the whole Santo Daime organization in Brazil, and there they are supporting us, moving all the contacts of social and legal influence. We are not alone!

I wait for your news. Receive an affectionate hug. Freedom to Santo Daime!