Introduction
The Decree of Mestre Irineu
Center of Mental Irridiation “Divine Light”
Decree of Service for the year 1970.
The president of the Center of Mental Irridiation “Divine Light”, Mr Raimundo Irineu Serra, using his legal rights decrees:
General Staff: The members of this house are definitely required to its reverence and peace, thus making sincerity and respect rule towards his fellow man. It cannot be denied that, in any career, art or profession you choose in life, you will only reach the culmination if you give yourself to it, body and soul. This is the rule that is exercised by the Divine Science.
All parents must create a center of peace and harmony within their own home; husband and wife must treat each other with dignity and respect, including the petals of this love, in the firmer purpose of the future and of happiness. All parents must be an exemplary teacher for their children, within their own home, they must never say words that could harm the child’s concept; teach their children what the rights of a Brazilian citizen are; treat your neighbor well, from the most senior to the most humble, teach what religious rights and duties are, that they must respect God above all things, pray every day to ward off evils, illnesses, difficulties, etc.
Within the general staff there cannot be intrigues nor hatred, nor even the slightest disagreement. Everyone who drinks this Holy Beverage should seek not only to behold beauties and splendors but also to correct their flaws, thus working towards perfecting your own personalities in order to enter into this battalion and to follow in this line. If you act accordingly, you will be able to say “I am a brother”. Within this equality everyone will have the same rights, and in the case of sickness a committee will be expressly designated for the benefit of the brother in need.
On the days of Works: Everyone who comes in search of physical, moral and spiritual aid must always bring with them a healthy mind, full of hope, imploring the infinite and eternal Spirit of Goodness and the Sovereign Virgin Mother Creator, for your desires to be realized according to what your merits.
To begin our meditation: After the distribution of the Daime, everyone should go to your assigned places, with the exception of the women who have children, who must first wrap their children up. Continuing our meditation, when the interval time arrives, when the first call is made, everyone must get into formation, both the masculine and feminine battalions, as everyone has the same duty. The truth is that the Center is free, but whoever takes charge of something should carry it out. No one is free of responsibility, and whoever has responsibilities always has a duty to fulfill.
The discipline goal cannot be learned from books, it all depends on our own selves. Only experience brings us fulfillment. The power of the Divine existence also shows us the contact of our individual evolution on the earthly plane in relation to the superior plane. Furthermore, it is given to us to know that in our minds there are superior and inferior attractions. This elementary Knowledge leads us to a complete change of all our values, our habits and mutual understanding, in relation to the examinations of our own conscience.
There are in our mind a set of superior and inferior attractions, this attraction, put into practice daily will bring a development capable of producing the most altruistic results, depending on our conscience, if we do good, good will lead us and if we do evil , of course, we can only be defeated. If we do this we will be marching towards the path of perfection and in search of new achievements.
It will be thus declared that, from now on, the brother or sister who, due by virtue of misunderstanding does not faithfully comply with the above mentioned duties, resolving to go down contrary paths. For the first offense will be called to a council, for the second offense will be suspended for thirty days, and if it continues will be permanently removed.
Signed,
Raimundo Irineu Serra (President)
Short form of the Decree
This version is not directly authored by Mestre Irineu. It has some sections removed and altered, and has been widely circulated in international Santo Daime churches.
Decree of service for the year 1970:
The President of the Center of the Radiation of the Divine Light of the Mind, Mr. Raimundo Irineu Serra, exercising his legal rights, decrees:
1. General Staff: You as the members of this house are definitely required to uphold its reverence and peace, thus making sincerity and respect the rule towards your fellow men. Within the General Staff, there can be neither intrigue, nor hatred, nor even the slightest disagreement; all of you who drink this Holy Beverage should seek not only to behold beauties and splendors, but also to correct your flaws, thus working towards perfecting your own personalities in order to enter into this battalion and follow in this line. If you act accordingly, you will be able to say “I am a brother”.
Within this equality. all of you will have the same right; in the case of sickness, a committee will be expressly designated for the benefit of the brother in need.
2. On the days of Works: All of you who come seeking physical, moral or spiritual aid should always bring a healthy mind that is full of hope and implore the Infinite Eternal Spirit of Goodness and the Sovereign Virgin Mother Creator, for your desires to be realized according to what you deserve.
3. To begin our meditation: After the service of Daime, all of you should go to your assigned places, with the exception of the ladies who have children; these ladies should, first, give loving care to their children.
4. Continuing our meditation: When the interval is over, when the first call is made, all of you should get into formation, both the masculine and the feminine battalions, because all have the same duty and whoever has a duty … The truth is that the center is free and open, but whoever takes charge of something, should carry it out. No one is free of responsibility, and whoever has responsibilities always has a duty to fulfill.