Witness to the Search for the Treasure: the Creation of the UDV

| July 22, 2024

The Blog Team

Today we celebrate 63 years of the União do Vegetal, a religious society that takes communion of Hoasca Tea, which is the union of two plants: Mariri (the Banisteriopsis caapi vine) and Chacrona (the Psychotria viridis plant). Originally created by King Solomon, it was forgotten for many years, and then was re-introduced to humanity on July 22, 1961, by rubber tapper José Gabriel da Costa, Mestre Gabriel, founder of this Work.

Mestre Gabriel chose July 22, 1961 to declare the creation of the União do Vegetal during a Session of the Vegetal, in Seringal Sunta, located in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest, in Bolivian territory, on the border with the State of Acre, restoring its original principles: valuing of the family, as well as the moral, intellectual and spiritual development of the human being, guided by Christian-Reincarnationist principles.

Today, in addition to Brazil, the UDV is present in more than 10 countries and includes over 23,000 members. In addition to its spiritual work, the UDV has also worked with society-at-large on behalf of beneficent acts and the environment, proving its purpose of doing good for humanity.

As part of his heroic saga until re-encountering the Vegetal, José Gabriel da Costa lived in the forest on four different occasions with his wife and children, who were born during his comings and goings between Porto Velho (RO) and the forest.

Getúlio (1948) and Jair Gabriel da Costa (1950), Pequenina and José Gabriel’s two oldest children, are some of the living witnesses of the journey that led to the creation of the União do Vegetal. On that date, the couple already had four other children that had been born: Jandira (1954); Maria, who died during early childhood; Carmiro (1957) and Abomir (1961).

For this special occasion, the UDV Blog presents some observations from the oldest son: Getúlio Gabriel da Costa, a gentleman who grew up amidst the hard work of the rubber plantations and, who from the very early age of 14, took on some of the responsibilities for supporting his family. Despite having little formal education, he participated in important moments such as the creation of the União do Vegetal and other significant moments in the life of Mestre Gabriel.

The following text was extracted from an interview given to the Department of Memory and Communication in celebration of the 60 years of the União do Vegetal, when Getúlio, Jair, Jandira and Carmiro – Mestre Gabriel and Mestre Pequenina’s living children, were reunited with other people in Seringal Sunta in June of 2021.

Getúlio Gabriel’s Experiences*

From my earliest memory of him, he would speak about this treasure. That he needed to find the treasure. In the rubber-tapping region called Fortaleza, where Jandira was born, which was half an hour from the trading post, he was already talking about the treasure. Later, it was revealed to be the União do Vegetal.

My feelings about being here in Sunta, it reminds me of the time when we were still living here. I would cut the rubber trees at night because I preferred… The bees didn’t bother me, it was more tranquil, and more latex would flow out from the rubber trees. I would walk around the entire forest and never saw anything. I would hear the jaguars growling and I heard it said that there were many snakes, but I never encountered anything.

On July 22, 1961, we began the Preparo early. The place where we harvested the Mariri was very close to home, it took five minutes to get there. I helped to prepare the Vegetal, but I didn’t drink it. I went to cut the rubber trees at night. When he opened the Session, I said, “Dad, I’m going into the forest.” And he said, “May God accompany you; may He bless you and accompany you. You are guarded.” That’s all he said: “You can go because you are guarded by God.” I got up and went to harvest the latex.

The União do Vegetal is very important because it is a sacred light that has been brought to the Earth. At that time there was at most ten people, and today there is a multitude. Like the music by Roberto Carlos says, it’s a multitude. And I am very grateful that he left this legacy here for everyone, for having conducted it and for me being able to know where it came from and what it is.

Colaboradores:

Luisa Torreão Sá Lasserre, member of the Body of Counsel of Núcleo Apuí (Salvador/BA – 4th Region) and Adjunct Director of the Department of Memory and Communication of the General Directorate (DMC-DG).

Flávia Ilíada, member of the Body of Counsel of Núcleo Rei Hoasqueiro (Brasília/DF – 8th Region) and Vice Director of External Communication of the Department of Memory and Communication for the General Directorate (DMC-DG).

Yuugi Makiuchi, member of the Cadre of Mestres of Núcleo Luz do Oriente (Brasília/DF – 8th Region) and researcher for the General Directorate of the Beneficent Spiritist Center União do Vegetal.

Lucas Dantas, member of the Instructive Body of Núcleo Linha de Tucunacá (Itaitinga/CE – 11th Region)..–

*Testimonies extracted from interviews held in Seringal Sunta, during the filming of the 60^th Anniversary film, by the DMC-DG from the 2021-2024 triennium.