Otherworld Episode 135: The Spiritist Pt. 1
Sep 15, 2025
Cecilia Otero, a filmmaker from Los Angeles with Cuban and Chilean roots, shares her family's intriguing relationship with spiritism. She recounts her migration story and the profound impact of her cousin's life-threatening accident on their spiritual beliefs. The conversation dives into personal losses and how ancestral connections provide comfort during crises. Cecilia also reflects on her father's revolutionary past and the pivotal role it plays in her artistic journey, blending spirit communication with her filmmaking passion.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
What Cuban Spiritism Is
- Spiritism is a codified 19th-century system from Allan Kardec that mixes with local traditions in Cuba.
- It frames souls as immortal and allows medium communication without replacing other religions.
Spiritism's Cultural And Political Roots
- Spiritism in Cuba blended with local culture and politics when it arrived from France.
- Cecilia notes spiritism linked to revolutionary and independent ideas historically in Cuba.
Great-Grandmother's Gift And Sacrifice
- Cecilia's great-grandmother had a visible gift and founded ties to a spiritist center called Monte Oscuro.
- She foresaw her husband's death, asked for the gift to block to avoid pain, and partly stopped practicing.