THROUGH LOVE OR THROUGH PAIN

REASONS AND MOTIVATIONS TO BECOME A MEDIUM OF UMBANDA

Abstract

This article presents the reasons and motivations to become a medium of Umbanda. The article comes from empirical research conducted with four umbandas temples in the city of Belo Horizonte (MG). The data collected was made using twenty interviews and the participant observation of ninety rituals. We interviewed twelve developing mediums and eight clergymen, for a total of sixteen hours and twelve minutes of interviews. The reasons presented by the research subjects for becoming a medium of Umbanda points to the enchantment with the religion, to the experience of mystical phenomena, to the fact that their family was umbandist, to the emotional bond with umbandist people and to the healing of diseases and solution of other problems with the support of Umbanda. The motivations presented point to the possibility to develop and become a better human being, and to the possibility to receive help to everyday issues.