Order Raimundo Irineu Serra

Céu do Gamarra Church

Frequently Asked Questions

Because of countless repeated questions sent to our e-Mail (oris@santodaime.info), we created this session with frequently asked questions to better attend our visitors. However, we’ll be glad to answer anyone who contact us.

Is Santo Daime a sect or a religion?

In fact, neither one of them. It’s a Doctrine originated from Christianism. Its basis is the same of primitive Christianism wrote by St. Peter, which initial landmark was the Pentecost, an age in which the esoteric focus was greater than the exoteric.

What is the Doctrine based on?

The Holy Family, and the Virgin Holy Mother is Our Master Foundator’s (Raimundo Irineu Serra) great inspiration; Jesus Christ is the model of a trusthful man, and St. Joseph the affectionate father that all of us would like to have.

Is Santo Daime’s beverage a drug?

No, since it doesn’t cause any addiction, nor harmless to the health. By the way, it’s been used as a powerful medicine to any kinds of diseases, mainly used for communities who live along the edges of the Amazon River, where medical resources are almost unaccessible.

Would be Santo Daime’s beverage a hallucinogen?

Neither. This beverage is in the group of enteógenos. Its power to expand our physical and spiritual senses it’s because of the production of natural chemicals (like serotonine) in our organism, similar as an athlete releasing endorphine from his own body.

Do we get “high” drinking Santo Daime’s beverage?

No way. What happens is our conscience about us. We begin to understand our ignorance about our own divine essence, then we learn a new scale of values about the whole world and about the consequences of our attitudes.

Is there any other substance used associated to Santo Daime’s beverage?

Absolutely not, neither legal nor illegal ones.

Is that true that people smoke marijuana together with Santo Daime?

Checking foundation rules of the center of Our Master Raimundo Irineu Serra, we’ll see that he was absolutely against that (and we follow him), concerning to the use of that substance. First, because it doesn’t add anything for us, and second because that substance is forbidden by law, and we have the obligation to be responsible citizens. In addition, we neither agree with alcohol nor tobacco use, because they bring the same harm to the health as illegal drugs do. We always host several addict people, and we have a high level of rehabilitation (about 80%), and this level is not 100% just because anyone’s self-decision is respected by God, and, obviously, for us.

Do we have to pay to drink Santo Daime’s beverage?

It’s free. However, good-will donations are welcome. Always keep clear in your mind that any kind of donation is voluntary, always respecting anyone’s possibility.

How much is Santo Daime’s beverage 1 litre?

Daime’s beverage is priceless, because it’s a gift of God. It just has some cost to be made. Only branch churches for specific ritualistic purposes.

Is Santo Daime’s beverage a tea?

Not really. In fact, it’s a kind of wine, known since ancient time as “The Soul’s Wine”. It takes at about 12 hours to be cooked in several steps. Also, it takes 15 more days to ferment. Asseptic conditions observed are very rigorous, because if there’s any kind of contamination, its flavour will be as vinegar, therefore hard to be drunk.

What is Santo Daime’s beverage made of?

A vine called “Jagube” (Banisteriopsis Caapi), a leaf called Rainha (Psychotriaviridis), water, fire and knowledge.

How can I get Santo Daime’s beverage?

You have to be in touch with one Santo Daime’s Church, then learn everything you can about Santo Daime’s Doctrine, until you deserve it. It’s important to understand that “Santo Daime’s beverage is the vehicle, but Santo Daime’s Doctrine is the road”.

What “Umbanda” (afro-brazilian sect) got to do with the Doctrine

In 1988, some umbandist people joined Santo Daime’s Doctrine, and brought with them their respective religious influences. Godfather Sebastian (Master Irineu’s follower, Doctrine’s Leader and responsible for Doctrine’s expansion) explained that Doctrine has always been in continuous evolution, adding new knowledges, and some Umbanda’s fundamental values, because of its origin worship to “orixas” (african divinity) and their sincretisms, should be forgotten, since they aren’t in the straight direction that Doctrine has for the Holy Mother.

So, wouldn’t “Umbanda” be profitable to Santo Daime’s Doctrine?

All religions are worthwhile, and “Umbanda” has a great value to our country. My very first experience in search of spiritual path, in my teenage, was in “Umbanda”, and there I had the first answers, so I’ll be always in its debt. For a long time, it was my advisor and psycologist. However, we must understand that each religion has its specific usefulness. Can you imagine someone watching a catholic mass and, instead of taking communion, replaces it by drinking Santo Daime’s beverage? The priest surely wouldn’t agree. Or in a Gospel cult, during pastor’s preach, interrupt that to start singing a Santo Daime’s Doctrine Hymn? Of course pastor wouldn’t agree. Or even in an Umbanda temple, interrupt the cult to suggest a Santo Daime’s dancing or concentration? Neither one of those different religions pastor could not agree on that. In our Doctrine, each one wants to bring things from other religions, as we could add some new values, starting from the pressuposed that our Doctrine wasn’t complete. In this case, we must keep our ritualistic order the same as our Master Imperio tought us, because in that we can find the perfection of our Holy Mother.

What has the Bible got to do with Santo Daime’s Doctrine?

Everything, about reaching their divine principles and practice them. And nothing, about thinking we’ll reach the salvation just being with that book under our arm. The Old Testament is the story of people of God. The New Testament is the story of God. And the Himnariums are the New Age, the bem-aventurança promised by God. The Old Testament is the Time of the Father, the New Testament is the Time of the Son and the Himnariums are the Time of the Mother. That’s the secret of the Holy Trinity: Father, Mother and Son, together for the Holy Ghost. The Holy Family is our Doctrine’s basis. However, we need to make sure we are in “God-Mother Age”.

Is there any cult to entities in Santo Daime’s Doctrine?

To the Power of God, to the Holy Ghost, as our Master tought us. Master sad once that we have to distinguish between world’s religion and God’s religion. In “Apocalipse”, we’ll find God was not satisfied about Nicolaitas’ Cult, which was to the entities. We have to understandthat our cult must be always to the Creator.

What is a Hymnarium?

We can say it’s something like a new Bible, modern, participative, simple and transcendental.

Who was Godfather Sebastian?

Sebastião Mota de Mello, our beloved “Godfather Sebastian”, is like St. John the Baptist of Hearts of Daime, was the most illustrious left by Master Irineu, which faith and determination was capable to turn Santo Daime known in the whole world.

What means the expression “Daime”?

It comes from the verb “Dar” (to give).Vem do verbo dar. “Dai-me amor” (give-me love); “daime-me fé” (give-me fé).

Is “Vegetal Union” the same as Santo Daime?

It’s very different, since beverage making ritual, passing thru Doctrine until rituals. Santo Daime’s focus is fundamentally christian. Also, there is only one entitled “Master”, which is an spiritual being called Juramidam.

What does Juramidam mean ?

“Jura” (also means “vow” in english) is the father’s name, and “Midam” is the sons’ name, our lastname. Fonetics, all by itself, puts spiritual vibratory field in harmony with universe’s most subtle layer, making us feel the presence of the New Christ, the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God. The vow that was made to the promised people. Its very serious to say this name. It’s more than a holy mantra, it’s the name in which we must expect the salvation.

Why Virgin Holy Mother has chosen Master Irineu, a black and northern man who lived in the rainforest?

Because of the strength of his race, because of the needs of redemption of slavery on which it was submitted. For he’s a rubber-tapper, he’s a privileged man for being working on the Queen of the Forest’s Garden. And also for being a northern man, for having the heroic fiber to fight against the greatest material difficulties.

Was Master Irineu a cultured man?

Much more than this: he was a wise and humble man, and had a supreme education.

Was there anybody who got crazy after drinking Santo Daime’s beverage?

There were some cases of crazy people who came to Santo Daime and got healed. Other ones remained the same. However, I’ve never seen or heard about people who got mad for drinking Santo Daime’s beverage. Santo Daime have healed lots of things, though when something is God’s will, there has to be.

How many times a month do we drink Santo Daime’s beverage?

Most of months, two times. Some months, four times. This is not a rule, because there’s a recess month, and in time of making the beverage, more is drinked.

Does Santo Daime ‘s beverage have any toxicity?

None. Its toxicity is less than maracuja juice’s.

Are there many Santo Daime’s churches?

In all brazilian states and all continents of the planet.

Actually, how many people drink Santo Daime’s beverage?

Summarizing all spiritual doctrines which uses that beverage, about 100,000 people.

For which reason must I drink Santo Daime’s beverage?

To bring up our self-consiousness, either the good or the bad side, trying to right ourselves and bring up a new paradigma, in which we’ll know our spiritual vocation, so far hidden in our divine memory.

Are there any differences among Santo Daime churches?

Absolutely. Nevertheless the principles are the same, the commander of each church always prints something personal, based on his own knowledge, experience, age, etc. In addition, we must always keep in thought that each region’s culture, as well as their members’ profile, also influences in this process.

When did you know Santo Daime’s Doctrine?

In 1985, in Rio de Janeiro, with Godfathers Mário Rogério and Corrente, unapartable friends of Godfather Sebastian, which I have met in 1986, and became his disciple. I got from his own hands 85 liters of Santo Daime’s beverage to found the Third Church out of North Region, which became the first in the State of Minas Gerais.

Is it true that Santo Daime’s Doctrine promotes “brainwashing”?

Believing on that is being unaware of its own human nature, which always fights for its independence, freedom and autonomy. Daime releases human being form pre-concepts and bad concepts, which lead humankind to unhappiness.

What’s the greatest Santo Daime’s enemy?

The ignorance.

Why most of Santo Daime churches are far from big cities or in the middle of forests?

Because the breath to the mankind comes from the Nature. It could be conscious or not, but we were originated in the Nature. So, it’s important we always come back to Her to always keep in thought our origins.

Could Santo Daime’s beverage be called Ayahuasca?

They’re chemically very close, but their way of preparing make them a little different. Ayahuasca has their roots in Inca Culture, and Santo Daime’s beverage has their roots in Christianism. We could say they’re brothers, as all of us are.

What kind of labors are there in Santo Daime’s Doctrine?

Sung and danced Hymnarium labors, settled and quiet concentration labors, and healing and exorcism labors, in which people stay settled and singing specific Hymns for each situation.

What is a “Superior Spiritual Grade”?

It occurs when our will is the same as God’s.

Do you consider the Doctrine as perfect?

Absolutely, because if we follow its path, we’ll reach the perfection, and that’s because Doctrine foundaments teach us a continuous correction of our thoughts, feelings and attitudes. This way, we’ll find out our real similarity with God

If it’s true Doctrine is perfect, why some conflicts between brothers are perceived?

Because people confuse “Doctrine” and “Brotherhood”. Doctrine is the highest of superior conscience, and in the brotherhood each one has his own level of understanding. This generates small conflicts sometimes. The more brotherhood goes reaching the necessary conscience of the Doctrine, the more those conflicts are extinguished. Master teaches us that; to be genuine brothers, we must neither gossip nor argue.

For those who’s in the Doctrine’s path, what can be understood as “relationship”?

I’ll say the four main relationships. The first one is that between our Ego and our Superior I. It’s our internal dialog between the Christ and the disciple, which becomes unique in a certain moment. The second one is the relationship between us and our close friends. They are our true mirrors, revealing who we are through their reaction for our attitudes. The third one is the relationship between us and circunstancial people. And the forth one is the relationship between us and all people around the world. We don’t know them, however we find them. We must be aware about that, because we usually feel free to treat people unkindly, forgetting that God is inside everyone, knowing or not them other.

How do we realize and build up our conscience?

Through our four basic functions: Instinc, Emotion, Sense and Intuition. Instinct is living, the maintenance and preservation of life. Emotion makes us feel this magnitude and awakes the love we need to understand, reaching, this way, the Sense. With that, we understand that logic doesn’t satisfy us, and stimulates our intuition, pushing us to have the necessary perception about God’s existance in all people and all things.

How can a Daimist be sure he’s evoluting?

Observing his spiritual, emotional and material in a single syncronism. The spiritual one is the thirst of life. Comprehension between everything’s and nothing’s transitionality, as a single nature. He has the detachment about time and space. It’s the end of search, because he’s the finding himself. It’s the answer with no needing to be answered. The emotional one is the soul, the intermediary between material and spiritual. It’s the feeling that links creation to transformation. It’s the thirst of telepathy, the language of enchanted and enlightened people. “I feel, therefore I exist”. Before we think we must feel, because there is the thirst of thougth. The material is the plan of realization, and that’s the reason why we’re incarnated. It’s the expansion field of spiritual frontiers. It’s the fuel that feeds the conquer of Divine Virtues. Their tools are: time, space and matter. Through this trilogy, we achieve the works which purposes are love, equality and everyone’s well-being. It’s important to understand that, in this plan, which we are the principle, never the aim. As our Emperor Master says, “those who don’t prepare their ground, will become vagrant spirit”.

Why are there long time Doctrine brothers that haven’t reached enough evolution?

Because they didn’t studied and practiced, and because of that they failed. In compensation, I know some brothers who joined the Doctrine a few time ago, in a well-advanced evolution level.

What is a “fardado” (the person who wears the proper outfit / uniform of the Doctrine)?

It’s equal to one of the 7 Sacrements, that is the Ordenation. When a “seeker” wears a the proper outfit, therefore he accepts to serve his/her similar in this spiritual way.

How can we be sure that a “fardado” carries his obligation well?

Those who never accomplishes with wrong things, and, at the same time, never judge. THey attend regulary to their obligations, and serve whoever with love and humility. Laziness and fanatism cannot dominate them. They’re sweet like piggeons and have cunning like snakes. They always follow the path of normality and make them darling in other seeker’s heart.

What is the most frequent defect in “seekers”?

The selfishness. Moreover all of us were born with a big dose of selfishness, we were educated to improve that defect. And when a human being only loves himself, he / she always feels victim of everyone, therefore having a big pity on themselves. Everything is enough to make him / her take offense, and obliges everybody to treat him in highly kind. Most of people have heard about number 666 (the number of the Beast of Apocalypse. However, 666 is also the number of the Angel. While the beast has 666 of love for himself, the Angel has 600 of love to God, 60 to his similar and 6 for himself. That’s the difference between the sun and the black hole.

What make people being unbalanced, on the point of being called “rodadas”?

Exaggeration, extremely and radicalism.

Is it necessary to be vegetarian to follow the Doctrine?

I’ve never seen anybody reaching spiritual ilumination eating, but I know who made it fasting. We all eat just for living, and not the opposite. All diet must attend each one’s individual needs, therefore cannot be a rule, or else we could spend lots of our precious time on that.

What is the Original Sin?

Is the judgement of creatures by the Creator. It’s the Chaos. Only God is able to judge, because He is One and we are all just pieces, with no knowledge of all things. In addition, we’re always alternating from the good to the evil, and vice-versa. Also, it’s important that we understand that God comes before the beginning and after the end. Since we can understand this, then how can we judge?

What are harmful influences?

Harmful influences are those who act in the flesh and in our beliefs. Those who act in the flesh are called “Capital Sins”, and those who act in our beliefs are the atheist philosofies, materialist sciences and the increasing of divinities which make us lose the focus in our unique God.

What is the End of the Times?

God creates, preserves and then transforms into something He thinks it’s better. There are better times that will come, suffered times for those who aren’t materially, psychologically and spiritually prepared. It’s a necessary cyclic change, and it has been occurred several times.

Who suffer more with those changes?

The intolerant, the urbanoid and the alienated ones.

What is the importance of the religions?

There’s no need of religion to love God over all things, and to love our similar as ourselves. However, human being thinks it’s necessary to defend ideas and fight for them, he finds religions.

What is illusion?

Is the concept prison of the materialism.

What is sin?

It’s not realize God, and if realizing not interacting.

Who do you think we are?

We are the sum of all facts that reflect our acts.

How sex could be seen in the Doctrine?

It generates life and flesh, and potentializes spirituality during its abstinence. Between a couple, it generates union and pleasure. It’s just necessary knowledge to know when it’s each one and order them. In any one of those situations, it must be ruled for true love.

Which are the fundamental things God gave us?

First of all, LIFE, and second TIME, because from time we dedicate to everything we love, like family, our similar, our labor and, most of all, to the devotion of God.

What is unchangeable in life?

The essential.

What is death?

Using Master’s words, “I compare death equal to be born”.

Why God allows demon’s existance?

Because they are also servants, just doing the Quality Check in real sons of Divine Light. Once evil is transcended, they have no influence at all.

What is Karma?

It’s the name oriental people gave to “Divine Scale”, which weights our acts.

Why worst conflicts are the religious ones?

Because it’s where lacks sensibility understands that it would only make sense to the understanding and well-being of everyone, and not to the detriment of a small group self-named ellected, where the main purpose is political and material.

Is it necessary be single, spinster and isolated to be enlightened?

There was a time, for historical contingences. At that time, everything was dangerous, pilgrimages happened all the time, therefore it was almost impossible getting married and raising a family. Times have changed, and get enlightened inside a family demands wisdom, determination and lots of love. Heads of family who make it deserve a great distinction, for demonstrating that, moreover taking care of themselves, they also can take care of their spouse and children.

Is there any difference between single and married Daimists?

This is not really a rule, but normally married people are more mature, centered and have their female side resolved.

Why Doctrine’s leader is Our Lady of Conception?

Because we are currently in the Age of the Mother. It all began with the Age of the Father, God of Abraham, Moses and Salomon. After that, came the Age of the Son, Jesus Christ. Now is the Age of the Mother, completing the Holy Family, the Trinity, made unique by th Holy Ghost.

What’s the best attitude to revere Our Lady of Conception?

Recognizing, valuing and supporting female labor. She is in all women, and male recognition brings, more and more, Our Divine Mother to our side. Every woman is our mother, sister and daughter. Everytime we look at the Moon, we always must be thankful for that blessed silver-plated light, that lights our lives with love, simplicity and beauty.

Which books could help us to understand the Doctrine?

Doctrine is enough itself for understanding. However, a good Bible knowledge is basis for all things, and Bhagavad-Gitã gives us a broad about spiritualism as it is in Orient. There are lots of important books, but those two have the more fundamental contents.

Why did God show in Rain Forest?

Because the future of the mankind depends on that forest. It’s the greatest center of energy of the planet. Near the forest is the mountain, the sea and the desert.

What is the crucial question of contemporary man’s search?

For being too much conceptual, he / she frequently preaches that he / she can’t be, which makes one dishonest for himself, and still demands one similar being that is supposed as correct, becoming perverse. Everybody consider themselves as good, however it’s just a self-image, and everybody forgets that goodness is attitude. It can be active or passive, because true love has two sides. As Sister Teresa of Calcuta began to take care of poor sick people in India and dedicated to them, it was just an attitude, and not an imagination or concept. Because of her attitudes we consider her as saint and enlightened, therefore concept was just the reflection of her attitude. Imagination has become stronger than reality, and its evidence is we couldn’t realize the world as it is, but as we are.

Do you think “God is a mankind’s need” or do you think “mankind is a God’s need”?

If we try hard to understand Buddha and Jesus Christ, we’ll get the answer. Buddha was a man who had the supreme need of real understanding of sense of life. His devotion on that search resulted in finding God inside himself. Whoever finds God inside himself, becomes God, because God is always supreme. Jesus Christ is God Himself incarnated as a man. His endless love and compassion for the human kind became a need to come to help us. Nobody ever could pay what he did. The world did not accept that onipotent God could become a man and simply living as one of us. All paths are. wide open, and it’s up to all of us walk in, because God is everything and it’s all the same He goes from Earth to Heaven or form Heaven to Earth, It’s always important we have God in our hearts.

And how about Socrates, the “Father of Philosophy”?

I would say Socrates went through almost half of Buddha’s path. He couldn’t go further on because God is not to be understood only with mind. Buddha used mind, heart and, also, all his visceral strengths to transcend his 40 days fast. With that, he could control all instintive gravity and trespassed the physical plan toward spiritual plan. Socrates’ conclusios were that the only thing he knew was he did not know anything. This is a very important step, but it’s necessary to invoke and practice at least one principle to set up a path. Socrates reached the highest level someone could reach using only his own thoughts. Buddha practiced compassion and the straight path which would release human being from suffering through disattachment. Wisdom has no value without a practical sense. When apostle Paul went to Greece bringing Good News to Jesus Christ, he found a strong unfavorable line of argument, being on the point of having to appeal to an unknown God, represented in one statue of that culture. It was the only way he found to reach the true God. And, getting deeper, we’ll find that rationalism is the ferment about what Jesus advised to be careful about, because it serves to two different lords.

What’s the difference between Philosophy and Doctrine?

Philosophy treats way of thinking structure, its order, concept, logic and purpose. From that point on, it is stablished all esoteric and exoteric processes and good judgement about all related things. Therefore, moral is born, which is the basis of justice and a parameter between right and wrong. Doctrine covers moreover philosophy, practice of principles, their results, feelings, self-consiousness and intuition study. We can say Doctrine is nothing more than a conection with life, acceptance about what we were, conscience about what we are and hope about what we’ll be.

What do we have to conquer to have a good path in the Doctrine?

The firmness. Having this, we’ll always preserve love and all good things provide by God.

I heard the best initiation is in the forest; is that true?

The forest is glorious, but we must be aware that the real initialization happens inside us. That’s because the Nature is strong enabling out inner contact. The mountain and the sea are also important for our external initial stimulus.

I notice that some people that live for religion, abuse and forget their family, friends, people in general, and still feel misunderstood because they evaluate themselves more than anyone esle. What is it that?

It’s a kind of madness which has its origin in selfishness. In fact, they can’t see their similar. The God of those people is only projected on their proper ego. As we feel God inside us, the first thing we realize is God inside anyone else. Those who truly love God, absolutely love their similar.

Which is the most important thing to be aroused inside us by the Doctrine?

People like complex formulas of initiation, but the only fundamental thing is love, and all other remaining things are added later.

What’s the difference between Moses’ Ten Commandments, Jesus Christ’s Two Commandments and Master Irineu’s Hymnarium?

The 10 Commandments were for people that needed laws. The Two Commandments were for people that knew the laws, but not the love. Master Irineu’s Hymnarium is designed for the ones that know love and need to experience it. In fact, Master thought us a simple way about how practicing love. Using his own words, “Love that comes from those who cares is the health and the well-being”. Love has several demonstrations, and the greatest of them all is charity.

What is the difference between Xamanism and the Doctrine?

Xamanism cults powers of the Nature. It reveres God in several forms, as well as sun, moon, stars, animals, plants, minerals, etc. Through that, it achieves a reasonable self-consciousness and healing. In the Doctrine, the cult is not specifically to powers of the Nature, but straight to God Himself, incarnated in Jesus Christ. Doctrine teaches us that everyone who’s Son of God can rule these powers, because there’s nothing that couldn’t be God. Who truly worships God receives naturally those powers as a gift. As an example, Master Irineu never self-proclaimed as a Xaman, but a son of God who perfectly ruled all those powers with skill.

Order Raimundo Irineu Serra
Céu do Gamarra Church
Baependi - MG
All Rights Reserveds®2004