Origins, foundations and practice
What is Apometria
Apometria is a system of spiritual practices and care developed in Brazil, starting in the 1960s, by the physician Dr. José Lacerda de Azevedo. It emerged within a specific context: clinical and spiritual work conducted in mediumistic care environments, especially at the Spiritist Hospital of Porto Alegre.
Origin and historical development
The systematization of Apometria happened gradually. Dr. Lacerda observed, over years of clinical and spiritual work, phenomena associated with expanded states of consciousness, such as extra-physical perceptions, mediumistic manifestations and unfoldings. He organized these observations into a structured method, with operational rules and care protocols.
His main influence was Hypnometry, a technique developed by Dr. Luiz Rodrigues in the early 20th century. Lacerda expanded that method by incorporating rhythmic mental commands, organization of mediumistic teams and standardized procedures of spiritual assistance. His books, especially Energia e Espírito and Espírito Matéria: Novos Horizontes, are the founding references of the practice.
Apometria positions itself as an independent practice within the spiritualist field. It is not part of Allan Kardec's spiritist codification, although it dialogues with it. It has its own language, specific operational structure and a community of practitioners spread across Brazil and beyond.
The meaning of the name
The term is generally interpreted from the Greek apo (beyond, separation) and metron (measure), indicating the idea of measuring beyond, or going beyond the physical. This notion reflects the central proposal of the method: to act on subtle levels of human experience that would not be accessible through conventional approaches.
The seven spiritual bodies
Within the apometric vision, the human being is understood as a structure composed of multiple levels of existence. We are not just a physical body, but an integrated system:
Physical Body: the biological vehicle, the only one manifest in dense matter.
Etheric Double: the energetic matrix that sustains the physical form.
Astral Body: seat of emotions, desires and sensations.
Lower Mental: concrete thought, cognition, reasoning tied to personality.
Higher Mental: abstract reasoning, creativity, synthesis.
Buddhic Body: the timeless perispirit, where karmic record resides.
Atmic Body: divine essence, cosmic consciousness, immutable center.
The practice proposes that imbalances may occur at any of these levels, and care must be integrated, not focused solely on the physical or psychological aspect.
The 13 Apometric Laws
The entire practice is structured around thirteen operational laws that describe how to act on the different levels of existence. The first seven are energetic foundations: Unfolding, Re-coupling, Action at a Distance, Force Fields, Revitalization, Conduction and Rescuing Spirits.
The next six deal with time, space and karmic influence: Tuning Adjustment, Displacement, Space-Time Dissociation, Telluric Action, Time Shock and Influence of Past Spirits.
Together, these laws make Apometria reproducible: not improvisation or inspiration, but a coherent set of principles guiding each technique applied in session.
How an apometric session works
Apometric sessions are almost always held in groups. The typical organization involves a principal operator who conducts the process, supporting mediums who incorporate and perceive, and a spiritual team that conducts the work from the other side, according to the method's view.
Standardized sequences of verbal or mental commands, rhythmic and synchronized, structure the session. Each session follows a clear logic: unfolding, diagnosis, treatment and return re-coupling. Discipline, focus and coherence are central requirements.
The Golden Rule
Without a solid ethical foundation, no apometric technique sustains itself. Dr. Lacerda was emphatic on this point: love, humility, anonymous service, non-judgment and conscious responsibility are the foundations of the practice.
Apometria misused, whether out of ego, vanity, or the desire to dominate, wounds the operator before anyone else. That is why serious training never separates technique from the evangelical foundation that justifies it.
Curiosities about Apometria
Hospital origin
Apometria did not arise in a temple or religious center, but in a setting of spiritual hospital practice. This explains its more methodological and structured language.
Not a closed doctrine
There is no single sacred book or official codification. The practice evolved through accounts, schools and protocols shared between groups.
Strong presence in Brazil
Although little known globally, Apometria has a relatively strong presence in Brazil, especially in independent spiritualist centers.
Its own technical vocabulary
Terms like desdobramento (unfolding), acoplamento (re-coupling), dialimetria, eteriatria, pneumiatria and apometric commands do not exist outside this context.
Diversity of lineages
Several lineages exist today. Some are closer to spiritism, others follow more general spiritualist paths, and others still hold quite distinct interpretations. There is no single authority.
Important note
Apometria is a practice of spiritual and interpretive nature. There is no scientific validation of its mechanisms or effects as medical or psychological therapy. Its use falls within the field of spiritual practices and belief, varying according to each group's tradition.
Want to learn the practice?
Sophia Lux's Apometria course leads you from theoretical foundations to applied techniques, based on Dr. Lacerda's work and the living apometric tradition.
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