© 2009 Guy de Viron, Chris Ragetly, Jean-Claude Romeuf, Max Masotti, Helen Moore Hopper, Samuel Heine, William S . Sadler Jr.
© 2009 French-speaking Urantia Book Readers Association
¶ Edito: “your UB?”
“Tell me your UB and I will tell you who you are!”
With this joke, I would like to dedicate this Link to our relationship with The Urantia Book. What is the impact of this wonderful present in our daily lives. How do we put it into practice?
And, as a little editorial whim, I suggest a surprise guest who has really edified me recently: Usaim Bolt, the 100 and 200m extraterrestrial!
Here is a top athlete who resolutely puts into practice what he has discovered! And the results were not long in coming. While the records are falling, he remains authentic, that is to say relaxed and smiling. Happy to be “on top”, to be himself.
There is a source of inspiration here for many athletes and other Urantians who want to put into practice something other than pure … theory. The integrity, honesty and personality of this extraordinary athlete make him an undisputed example, a concentrate of savoir vivre that fascinates and excites. All stimulated with a lot of humor and relaxation … Let yourself be convinced by this joy of living!
Of course, this requires some effort and perseverance. Now, Max foresaw this through the story of a butterfly, by redefining happiness for us, by teaching us to sleep when the wind blows. Since this happened at the very moment when the medical profession was deliberating on the current overabundance of caesareans "at all , that is to say for reasons of convenience, I add my little comment as an editor. It is deliberate and I do not want to shock anyone with my words.
Jean-Claude suggests that we look into the beneficial role of the osteoclast and takes us aboard a strange sailboat while Samuel describes the respect and love of Life…With Chris, we will continue to discern the rest of the values of human philosophy. And we will have a moment of sharing to commemorate the memory of Nicole, his precious earthly companion.
Happy reading to all!
Yours faithfully.
Guy from Viron
¶ The President’s ticket
Good morning,
AFLUB must be conjugated in the plural!
Like any association, it only survives if its members regularly relax.
Fortunately, everyone is there to support the other in their efforts.
Our reading groups, with their particularities and their own colours, are the cells of our associative body.
Let’s continue to keep them alive and develop them.
Let’s enjoy meeting each other.
Let us know how to stay awake in our readings and in our discussions.
- what do we want?
- what are we looking for?
- where are we going?
We never look at the same question the same way twice.
So, let us dare to remain curious and amazed by this life full of promise.
So, after this little word tinged with anatomy, I wish everyone a good and warm autumn start.
Dominique Ronfet
¶ The Guest: The Alien Usain Bolt
A long, slender but muscular morphology worked on for a long time + a long work to develop this “strong, but slender” build…
With his 100m in 9"58, Usain Bolt continues to push the boundaries of what is possible, rekindling the eternal debate on the limits of human performance.
And yet, experts say the world’s fastest man has not yet reached his full potential.
Guy from Viron
¶ Remarks IV: Human philosophy and mota (2)
(following)
17. Ambition is dangerous until it is made fully social. You have not truly acquired a virtue until your actions have made you worthy of it.
Having ambition is a quality, as long as it does not bother others and becomes a service to others, that it is social. Virtue, in other words morality, is the reality of a progressive experience to reach ascending levels of cosmic fulfillment, it is to regularly choose good rather than evil, but, the supreme virtue therefore consists in choosing with all our heart to do the will of the Father who is in heaven, and it is at that moment, that we are worthy of being called virtuous.
CMR
¶ Tribute
“On June 30th, Nicole Ragetly left us for the world of mansions. With her husband, Chris, she has been an avid reader of The Urantia Book since 1975. She participated with joy in the last national meeting of the AFLUB at the castle of Chalès in May 2009.”
To our two friends Chris and Nicole
The touching image of death does not present itself to the wise man as an object of terror, nor to the pious man as a last term. It brings the former back to the study of life, and teaches him to profit by it; it presents to the latter a future of happiness, it gives him hope in the midst of his days of sadness. For both, death becomes life.
J. W. von Goethe
Johanna and Max
¶ Prayer: Purify me from idleness
Lord and Master of my life,
That the spirit of idleness, of discouragement,
Of domination and vain words,
Get away from me.
Grant to your servant
The spirit of integrity, humility,
of patience and charity.
Yes, Lord and King,
Let me see my faults
And not to judge my brother,
For You are blessed forever and ever.
O God, cleanse me.
Amen.
Saint Ephrem the Syrian (+373) Orthodox Lenten prayer
The fundamental disease is idleness, laziness. It is that strange apathy, that passivity of our whole being, which always pulls us down rather than up, and which constantly persuades us that no change is possible, nor consequently desirable. It is, in fact, a deeply rooted cynicism which, to every spiritual invitation, answers: “What’s the use?” and thus makes our life a frightening spiritual desert. This laziness is the root of all sin, because it poisons spiritual energy at its very source. The consequence of laziness is discouragement. It is the state of acedia, or disgust, which all the spiritual Fathers regard as the greatest danger to the soul. Acedia is the inability of man to recognize anything good or positive: everything is reduced to negativism and pessimism. It is truly a demonic power within us, for the devil is fundamentally a liar. He lies to man about God and the world; he fills life with darkness and negation. Discouragement is the suicide of the soul, for when man is possessed by it, he is absolutely incapable of seeing the light and of desire. Strange as it may seem, it is precisely laziness and discouragement that fill our lives with the desire for domination. By completely corrupting our attitude toward life, and making it empty and meaningless, they force us to seek compensation in a radically false attitude toward others. If my life is not oriented toward God, does not aim at eternal values, it will inevitably become selfish and self-centered, which means that all other beings will become means to my own satisfaction. If God is not the Lord and Master of my life, then I become my own lord and master, the absolute center of my universe, and I begin to evaluate everything according to my judgments. In this way, the spirit of domination corrupts my relationships with others at their core, I seek to subject them to me. It does not necessarily express itself in the actual need to command or dominate others. It can just as easily turn into indifference, contempt, lack of interest, consideration and respect. It is indeed laziness and discouragement, but this time in their reference to others; which completes spiritual suicide by spiritual murder.
Unknown Christian
¶ Lesson: about the butterfly
The Butterfly Lesson
One day a small hole appeared in a cocoon… A man who happened to be passing by stopped for hours to watch the butterfly as it tried to get out through this small hole. After a long time, it was as if the butterfly had given up and the hole remained just as small. The butterfly had done everything it could and there was nothing else it could do. The man decided to help the butterfly. With a penknife, he opened the cocoon and released the butterfly. It came out immediately, but its body was thin and numb and its wings, poorly developed, barely moved. The man continued to watch, thinking that the butterfly’s wings would open and be able to support the butterfly’s body so that it could take flight. But that was not the case!
The butterfly spent the rest of its existence dragging itself on the ground with its thin body and rickety wings. It could never fly! What man, with his gesture of generosity, had not understood is that the passage through the narrow hole of the cocoon is the effort for the butterfly to be able to transmit the strength of its body to its wings in order to be able to fly. It is the mold through which Life makes it pass in order to grow and develop.
Sometimes effort is exactly what we need in our lives. If we were allowed to live our lives without encountering obstacles, we would be limited. We would not be as strong. We would never be able to fly!
Max Masotti
¶ Warning (editor’s note) Beware of caesareans!
According to a Geneva study, children born by caesarean section between the 34th and 38th week of pregnancy are two to five times more likely to die or experience complications. Caesarean sections can be dangerous for babies because the risks of death or complications are 5.7 times higher compared to a normal birth. The dangers are doubled, even if we do not take into account emergency caesareans. After the 38th week, mortality is the same, regardless of the method of delivery. This is what a study conducted over twenty years at the maternity ward of the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) by Dr. Riccardo Pfister reveals, based on 56,549 births that occurred between 1982 and 2004.
Scientific explanation: these premature babies have almost twice as many respiratory problems. Dr. Michel Berner also mentions “adaptation disorders” in the very first minutes of life. The conclusion of the head of the Department of Neonatology and Intensive Care of Pediatrics at HUG is clear: “The cesarean section must be performed for good reasons.” A warning to women who would choose such an intervention for comfort.
For several years, in fact, these operations have been on the rise. According to the Swiss Federation of Midwives, they increased from 22% to 32% of births between 1997 and 2007. Is this a sufficient call for caution? “The publication of this study and its media coverage should be enough to raise awareness.”
Kalina Angelova
¶ The pen: The osteoclast
I cannot do without the osteoclast. I know this from experience. Every time the bone suffers trauma, the osteoclasts, which are small cells, are mobilized to the bruised area. Their purpose is to digest the bone part that has become useless. This destruction, permitted by Shiva, brings in a multitude of young cells that secrete new bone. In this case and certainly in most cases, regeneration is necessarily subsequent to the destruction.
I know this from experience. The other day, a friend, fortunately she was one!, came to see me so that I could load an implant that I had fitted three months earlier. I was sure of my case. A simple thing and I had not made any technical errors. Everything should have worked like clockwork! “What medication have you taken since then?” “Nothing important, just something to strengthen the bones, my doctor prescribed it for me”. I checked the Vidal: substance based on bisphosphonates, molecules that inhibit osteoclasts. I understood immediately! I understood that my implant had had little chance of integrating into the bone, because the osteoclasts had been unable to play their role of activating osteosynthesis.
Jean-Claude Romeuf
¶ Live your life
Live your life
I asked for strength
And Life gave me difficulties to strengthen me.
I asked for wisdom
And Life gave me problems to solve.
I asked for prosperity
And Life gave me a brain and muscles to work with.
I asked to be able to fly
And Life gave me obstacles to overcome.
I asked for love
And Life has given me the opportunity to help others.
I asked for favors,
And Life gave me potential.
I didn’t receive anything I asked for
But I got everything I needed.
Live your life without fear, face all obstacles and see that you can overcome them.
Max Masotti
¶ The pen: Happiness
According to the dictionary, happiness is a state of perfect inner satisfaction. Defining happiness is not easy. Is it about “small, everyday joys” or a sustainable state of mind?
And I believe that true happiness is found in the way we live. I believe that true happiness is based on our self-love, on the love of the people we truly love. I believe that true happiness is based on the way we look at life, on the way we are able to approach a problem knowing that it is not only bad but that there is something to be learned from it. That is part of our experience. I also believe that happiness is based on belief, on what we believe, on the purpose that we give to life, to our life, on our ability to seek God, on our faith.
Max Masotti
¶ Question: Does UB make you…???
¶ Meditation: Serenity
There is a state of mind that will surely help us to receive the answer to our prayers. Whatever problem we may have, however great our need, however urgent, pressing, or desperate the situation may appear, serenity will be an immediate help to us. Serenity is the quiet, calm listening to the voice of God, to the exclusion of all others. Serenity is not a static, inactive state of mind. It is a state of peace of mind based on absolute faith in God, in the God within us.
Right action inevitably follows serenity, for serenity lifts us above fear, uncertainty, and human limitations. Serenity is that state of mind in which we hear the “still small voice,” the state in which unwavering faith draws God’s good to us, gives us its manifestation.
Helen Moore Hopper
¶ The pen: Love and respect for life
Hello to all, friends, readers, students of the Urantia Book and to all those who are livingly devoted to God. I wanted to make this little sharing to express to what extent the nature of the surrounding environment which includes the mineral, the vegetable and the animal is of capital importance for the survival of the human.
“Nature does not give man any rights. It only gives him life and a world in which to live it. Nature does not even grant him the right to remain alive, as one can realize by imagining what would probably happen if an unarmed man met face to face with a hungry tiger in a virgin forest. The primary gift that society gives to men is security.” (UB 70:9.1) I would add to this passage that it is true that the primary gift that society gives to men is security, but that nevertheless this cannot be done without respect for nature and its laws. Let us not forget that we are totally dependent on it. Hence this quote from J.M. Frères: “Yesterday, we did not want to share the riches of this earth, tomorrow, we risk having to share the misery of the world that man has engendered by his greed and selfishness.”
Samuel Heine
¶ People 09
¶ Meditation
I give from the bottom of my heart and I imbue the atmosphere around me with love.
My personality and preferences are reflected in my peaceful and comfortable environment.
It is important to me to create an inviting and serene atmosphere, no matter the setting, by letting the love in my heart permeate the very space around me. By inviting God’s love within me to express itself in all that I say and do, I create an atmosphere of love that accepts and blesses all. Where all else seems to have failed, love finds a way to overcome differences and promote right relationships. By giving from my heart at home, at work, and in my community, I permeate the atmosphere with love.
Spiritually centered, I live a life of peace and harmony.
Desiring to live in peace and harmony with my family, friends, and neighbors, I focus on the eternal goodness of God. Centered in God and giving my full attention to the incredible power of God’s love, I cannot hold on to any grudges or negative thoughts about those around me.
I do not allow myself to be caught up in circumstances that could cause me to lose sight of my source of goodness and love. God is everywhere around me and within me, and God’s presence leaves no room for anything but love, peace, and harmony. Remaining spiritually centered, I live a life of peace and harmony.
My heart overflows with gratitude for the gift of God’s grace.
Every child of God is enveloped in divine love and encouraged to progress on the path of life. God’s grace is always with me. Without having to think or act to obtain it, I receive God’s grace.
I receive love and goodwill. God’s goodness sustains me each day. When faced with a seeming challenge, I stop and remember that God loves me unconditionally. And I know what it is to be continually blessed by divine love. My heart overflows with gratitude for the gift of God’s grace. I am thankful for the continual blessings that enrich our lives. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”
The Daily Word
¶ Commentary: Rodan’s Fascicles
Translation by Nicole and Chris Ragetly of a cassette recording made by Bill Sadler to a study group.
Rodan taught for a week. The midwayers wrote up his discourse and condensed it into a booklet. They took the cream of Greek philosophy and immortalized it in this book. It is one of my favorite booklets. It is the booklet that discusses the human art of living, in contrast to the mere animal impulse to live.
“The local universe is the starting place for those personalities who are farthest from God, and who can therefore experience the greatest degree of spiritual ascent in the universe, can achieve the maximum of experiential participation in the cocreation of themselves. These same local universes likewise provide the greatest possible depth of experience for the descending personalities, who thereby achieve something which is to them just as meaningful as the Paradise ascent is to an evolving creature.” (UB 116:4.11)
CMR
¶ History: The Sailboat
His ship was called Edentia. To sail around the world, that was Him’s last dream. To sail from east to west and look for an island surrounded by cliffs. “It is on an island surrounded by cliffs that you will find a bird,” the young blonde girl dressed in white had told him one day. “This bird is yours and thanks to it, you will be able to fly. You must go looking for it. Before you really discover it, you will first have to climb seven cliffs.” Him had not understood the meaning of these words, but he had the feeling that the difficulty would be as great as picking up a star that had fallen into the sea. However, he knew that the young girl was not lying.
I will always remember the hospital room in which Him lay dying and the disturbing events of which I was the only witness. In general, people delight in phenomena that they call supernatural and which are most of the time, manifestations of their overflowing imagination. I have no particular taste for this kind of thing. However, that day, it seems to me that I was lucky to have had a strange conversation with one of these invisible personalities, without being able to qualify it as “supernatural” or “paranormal”. I thought a little later that what Him had experienced on that last day, happened quite naturally to each of us on the eve of death, but in a way that was not necessarily identical. I must say that at the time, I had the impression of talking with my friend as usual and not with a being who had emerged from the beyond.
Jean-Claude Romeuf
¶ Indian Prayer: Ojibiva
O Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds
and whose breath gives life to all things, listen to me.
I come to you as one of your many children;
I am weak…I am small…I need your wisdom and your strength.
Let me walk in beauty,
and make my eyes always see the red and purple sunsets.
Make my hands respect the things you have created, and make my ears keen so that they may hear your voice.
Make me wise, so that I may understand what you have taught my people and the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and every rock.
I ask you for strength and wisdom, not to be superior to my brothers, but to be able to fight my greatest enemy, myself.
Make me always ready to stand before you with clean hands and a straight gaze.
So when my life fades like a sunset, my spirit can come to you without shame.
from “Indian Words” — Wisdom Notebooks
Michel Piquemal
¶ Kindness
Kindness is the difference between passion and thoughtfulness.
Kindness is tenderness.
Kindness is love.
It may be superior to love.
Kindness is benevolence.
Kindness says, “I want you to be happy.”
Randolph Ray
¶ Story: When the wind blows at night.
I know how to sleep when the wind blows at night!
A farmer, very dissatisfied with the work done by one of his servants, went to the fair to look for a replacement. There he met a young man, a little awkward and simple-looking.
- So, young man, the farmer said to him, what is your name? - Jean, sir.
- And what do you do for a living? - I work as a farmhand.
- What are your skills? - With all due respect, sir, I know how to sleep when the wind blows at night.
- Excuse me? - Yes, I know how to sleep when the wind blows at night.
- Well, young man, replied the farmer, that is hardly an answer. Most of my people do that very well.
Max Masotti
¶ The study wheel 4:8- the method
The following suggestions should not be considered restrictive or rules, but rather are given as a starting point. They should not limit or prevent you from using your imagination and creativity when conducting a study group. Successful groups have used other techniques, and these suggestions, by themselves, will not guarantee the success of your group. Your group will find methods of study and fellowship that work for its members, and that is okay. There are as many ways to conduct a study session as there are groups. While the host may have to make initial decisions about how to conduct the study, the method and manner in which the meeting is conducted should be a group decision. Each of the presentations given below allows for some participation by each member of the group. The more people participate, the more they will enjoy the group because they will gain a sense of belonging to a group and will value it more. The facilitator should read and review the materials in advance and prepare questions that will prompt reflective thinking and discussion. Be prepared to lead discussions with questions. Preparing study and discussion materials in advance can be productive and allows the study time to run smoothly. The group or selected group members may also want to help prepare for the meetings and this is encouraged… The facilitator should combine a friendly demeanor with a concentration technique. The meeting should be enjoyable to generate new and stimulating ideas and to strengthen bonds between people.
Everyone wants to feel important, and being included in the functions of the meeting will let them know that they are valued members of the group. Participation will better prepare each one to one day lead his or her own study group and will encourage attendance. In general, study groups that focus their attention on the study of The Urantia Book remain more open to new readers. Just as different people have different needs, study groups can be different to meet the needs of the individuals in the group. It may even be desirable to have multiple groups in your area that function differently to meet those needs.
The most informal of study groups is one that allows for free discussion of topics and consideration of how The Urantia Book relates to them. A topic may be determined in advance so that members come prepared to discuss a given subject, or the discussion may be allowed to evolve as thoughts and interests develop during a particular meeting. The host or facilitator will probably have to make more effort to keep such a group focused on The Urantia Book and away from politics, economics, or other areas of discussion.
Probably the most common method of study is the sequential reading group. The group works through The Urantia Book from cover to cover, usually reading one paper per meeting. Members may take turns reading a page or section. One person may read the whole thing, or tapes or CDs may be used. Be sure to leave frequent breaks for questions and discussion. New groups may find it easier to select the least difficult papers, or groups of papers, and simply read them.
Another common method is the topical reading group, in which a topic is chosen at the end of a meeting for the next meeting. Members study the topic before the next meeting. Many people prefer a mixture of the sequential reading method with the occasional topical reading meeting.
The read-and-react method involves everyone in the discussion. Even the shy are sure to have a chance to speak. With this method, which corresponds to the discussion period in the other methods, each person around the table speaks in turn instead of having a discussion that happens by chance. It is a good method for conducting a study group where people do not know each other or when they are hesitant to speak or when one member tends to dominate the discussion.
In a formal focus group, the facilitator presents a question to group members who then seek specific answers to the question. Questions may be posed by the facilitator or by someone in the group.
A study group can be done like a conference. One person stands up and presents information on the topic or reads a booklet, then leads a discussion on the presentation. A meeting can have one or more ‘lectures’ and the lecture can be given by one or more people. This is a more controlled form of meeting, but it greatly helps members develop a technique for presenting topics at conferences and to other organizations.
Quote study is a method in which the facilitator reads quotes from The Urantia Book and the group discusses these quotes.
In the question and answer method, everyone is invited to come to the meeting with a question that the group then discusses. It is worth searching for answers, but one does not want to spend the entire meeting turning pages. Having a concordance of The Urantia Book or a computer that allows searching online or from a CD is also helpful.
A theatrical reenactment of events from the book can bring the teachings alive for many people. We once reenacted the Last Supper with everyone playing a role while reading the story from The Urantia Book. It was a very memorable and moving group event for all.
Everyone also enjoys presentations in the form of videos or slides. The presenter can give a presentation in video form, followed by a group discussion.
Silent reading and meditation on a given excerpt or theme followed by discussion is yet another method, but it is probably not as interactive as the other methods.
Of course, any form of crafts or other materials can be added to any of these methods. This can range from quiz games such as single or multiple choice questions, sentence completion, crossword puzzles, or anything artistic or hands-on that the group might enjoy. Groups may also wish to sing or close the session with a group prayer.
Here’s what might be an example of a type of meeting:
The host will ask for silence and introduce the meeting leader. The meeting may begin with a prayer for group guidance or with a moment of silence (if desired) for everyone to focus their attention. The leader begins by briefly introducing the topic. He or she then reads the introduction to the booklet chosen for study and then asks someone to read the first section. The person reading should stop at the end of each section or paragraph and ask for discussion.
All of the above methods are variations on reading a section aloud and discussing it. It is important that the text to be studied be read aloud to the group. Do not try to save time in the meeting by asking everyone to read ahead so that the meeting can be a discussion only. There is real value in deep reflective thought and discussion of the text being studied. The reading will introduce the ideas and concepts contained in The Urantia Book, but the group discussion will broaden each person’s understanding and how to apply them.
AUI Publication
¶ Brother Dominique’s Little Corner
What if we talked about friendship?
The secret garden that everyone agrees to share.
This learning of brotherhood.
Did you know that it is Rodan who speaks about it best in the Fascicles?
Dominique Ronfet
¶ Imprint
Le Lien Urantien is the journal of the French-speaking Association of Readers of the Urantia Book, a member of the UAI, the Urantia Association International.
| Head office | rue du Temple 1, F-13012 Marseille, +33 (0)4 91 27 13 20 |
| afflu@urantia.fr | |
| Site | www.urantia.fr/afflu.htm |
| Publication Director | Dominique Ronfet, d.ronfet@noos.fr |
| Editor in Chief | Guy de Viron, guydeviron@bluewin.ch |
| Reading Committee | Jean Royer, Chris Ragetly |
| Subscription | €20 per year (quarterly publication 4 issues) |
| Legal deposit | December 1997 — ISSN 1285-1116 |
| Print run | 125 copies © 1955 URANTIA Foundation |
All rights reserved. Materials from The Urantia Book are used with permission. Any artistic depictions, interpretations, opinions or conclusions implied or stated are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of URANTIA Foundation or its affiliates.