© 2025 Olga López
© 2025 Urantia Association of Spain
Bulletin of the Urantia Association of Spain
Luz y Vida — May 2025
¶ In this issue
- Editorial – May 2025 – Mr. José Sánchez Santamaría
- Works – our recommendations of the month
- History and teachings: Chronicle of the life of Jesus
- The Urantia Book for Children Guide: Jesus Talks with James
- Inspired by The Urantia Book
- New Study Aid by Hara Davis: Sincere Prayer and True Worship
- Sailing Through Life: The Peace of Wild Things
- Recommended audio
- Ideas taken from the Circle of Trust: kindness (II)
- Urantian Talks
- UBIS “In Focus” presentations
- About the Luz y Vida newsletter
¶ Editorial – May 2025 — Mr. José Sánchez Santamaría
WAKE UP
Once again, welcome to this “Urantian” space for reflection, learning, sharing, and personal development that the “Luz y Vida” Newsletter aims to be. What’s more, in this issue, we encourage you to participate in the 21st National Urantia Book Readers’ Meeting, taking place in Zamora this May. And with a very thought-provoking topic of spiritual development… We’ll leave it there…
We propose a brief pause in your daily routine, a cordial invitation to stop and calm your mind and body. Are you up for it and continue reading?
A beggar stood by the side of a road for over thirty years. One day, a stranger passed by.
“A handout?” the beggar murmured, mechanically extending his cap.
“I have nothing to give you,” said the stranger, who then asked. “What are you sitting on?”
“Nothing,” the beggar replied. “Just an old box. I’ve been sitting on it since I don’t know how long.”
“Have you ever looked inside?” the stranger asked.
“No,” said the beggar. “Why? There’s nothing inside.”
“Well, take a look”, insisted the stranger.
The beggar managed to open the lid. With infinite surprise, disbelief, and joy, he saw that the box was full of gold.The Power of Now (E. Tolle)
¶ Works – Our Recommendations of the Month
A Letter to Astronomers and Astrophysicists (author unknown) (also on the association website)
In this extensive and very interesting work, translated by Jan Herca, the author addresses different aspects of the cosmology of The Urantia Book and compares it with what astronomy has discovered so far: the location of the seven superuniverses, the distribution of the different types of space (penetrated and unpenetrated), the shape of the superuniverse of Orvonton, the levels of outer space, and much more.
The Sun and Its Destiny (Jan Herca) (also on the association website)
As an introduction to this interesting and enjoyable work, what better than to recover here the introductory words of its author:
“The scientist in all of us is inevitably plagued by a question: Will the Sun continue to be this invaluable source of energy in the ages to come? Will it one day run out of fuel and die, becoming a sad white dwarf? What will happen then to the future civilization living in our solar system? Will it have to migrate to other suns? What is the fate of the Sun, and therefore, our fate?”
“The Urantia Book already provided very elaborate answers to these intriguing questions back in 1935, when it was written. And the wealth of information that fills its pages anticipated in many ways what science at that time was capable of theorizing, and even predated today’s knowledge. In this report, we’ll review some of the most surprising information the book offers about the Sun, to contrast it with what current science has been able to determine.”
The Government of a Neighboring Planet: The Possible Utopia (Olga López)
Document 72 is a source of many useful ideas for developing healthy societies that allow for the growth of its members at all levels. In this work, the author analyzes each of the aspects as they have developed on the neighboring planet the revelators speak of, under the premise that many of these improvements could be implemented as long as there is the will to do so. The government of a neighboring planet does not describe a society of light and life, but rather a possible utopia from which we can learn much.
The World of the Cross (Carmelo Martínez)
In this work, the author addresses the interesting exercise of locating the places where the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth occurred as they are today, based on the clues offered by the revelators in The Urantia Book.
¶ History and Teachings: Chronicle of the Life of Jesus
JOURNALISTIC ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF JESUS ACCORDING TO THE URANTIA BOOK
We present the next installment of the chronicles of Jesus’ life, which this time contains what the revelators tell us in Document 166 (The Last Visit to Northern Perea). Within the PDF, you’ll find a button to access the text of the paper from the Urantia Foundation website.
¶ The Urantia Book for Children Guide: Jesus Talks with James
We continue reviewing the secondary work A Child’s Guide to The Urantia Book by Mary Livingston. This is the next chapter, which deals with the moment when Jesus delegated to James the responsibility of caring for his mother and siblings, and which begins like this:
«Jesus had an important conversation with James. It was a private conversation. Jesus told James that he was getting ready to leave home. Jesus gave James the caravan storehouse. He appointed James as the manager of the family’s money. From then on, Jesus no longer had to contribute money to the family.»
Download the full chapter in PDF format
¶ Other books on spiritual growth
Joshua, the boy from Nazareth (Geri Johnson)
A boy grew up in Nazareth at the beginning of the first century AD, and his beliefs impacted the world one day. Much has been learned about the man this child, Jesus of Nazareth, became, though his childhood remains largely unknown and a source of great curiosity and much conjecture. He was raised in the same culture and traditions as other people of his time; so, what led this young man to share God’s love with humanity?
Joshua, the Boy from Nazareth is a compelling blend of fact and fiction that offers a groundbreaking and plausible glimpse into what might have been, an account heavily inspired by the fourth part of The Urantia Book.
Enlace para adquirir el libro en Amazon
¶ New Study Aid by Hara Davis: Sincere Prayer and True Worship
Sincere Prayer and Worship, a new Study Aid by Hara Davis, is now available in Spanish. Davis has spent many years summarizing and condensing the teachings of The Urantia Book, grouped according to different themes.
In the author’s words: “[Prayer and worship] are both vital, but while prayer focuses on personal connection, worship emphasizes reverence and devotion. In this study aid, we’ll examine the differences and how to achieve a balanced life. We’ll reflect on their origins in history and the evolution of religion. We’ll examine how prayer functions as a personal experience and what prayer meant to Jesus. We’ll study his teachings on prayer and the forms of prayer he suggested to his apostles.”
Enlace para adquirir Oración sincera y adoración verdadera (Amazon)
¶ Sailing Through Life: The Peace of Wild Things
When fear of the world grows within me and I wake in the night at the slightest sound, worried about what will become of my life and the lives of my children, I go and lie down where the white-headed duck rests in its beauty on the water and the grey heron feeds.
I enter the peace of wild things that do not test their lives with the anticipation of pain. I enter the presence of still water.
And I feel the blind stars above my head, waiting with their light. For a moment, I rest in the grace of the world, and I am free.
(Wendell Berry)
¶ Recommended audio
The Seven Heavens (Urantia Files podcast)
In this episode of the Urantia Files podcast, Jael González discusses the morontia worlds of our Satania system, the “seven heavens” mentioned in the past. Contrary to traditional belief, heaven is not in another dimension, but in our own. We ascend from heaven to heaven until we reach the seventh, the step prior to our arrival on Jerusem, the headquarters world of Satania. The journey through these heavens is accompanied by corresponding spiritual progress, for the entire universe is an immense school.
Link to the episode: https://www.ivoox.com/siete-cielos-audios-mp3_rf_111111423_1.html
¶ Ideas taken from the Circle of Trust group: kindness (II)
[Fifth installment of the ideas that emerged from the Circle of Trust conversations supported by the Urantia Association of Spain. We believe these reflections can be useful to others and spark new thinking, while respecting the privacy and anonymity of the circle members.]
17th Circle of Trust Meeting, November 29, 2024
The meeting addressed the topic of kindness and responsibility, exploring whether kindness is innate or acquired, and how to manage negative thoughts.
The group discusses whether kindness is inherent to human personality, with divided opinions. Some argue that kindness is not innate and depends on genetic inheritance and life experiences, while others believe that kindness is intrinsic to personality.
Participants shared personal experiences and reflections on ethics, morality, and caring for others, highlighting the importance of education and life experiences in developing character. The group concluded that personal evolution involves recognizing and learning from mistakes and agreed to discuss the topic of suffering at future meetings.
- The topic of kindness and responsibility is introduced, asking these questions: Are we always kind to everyone? Do we have bad thoughts? Do they define us? Do we create them? Are we bad because of them? Are there degrees of goodness?
- A member of the group responds that he doesn’t consider himself good, that he isn’t always good, especially with his family, and that he also has bad thoughts, but he tries to be aware of them and rectify them. These mistakes and thoughts come from the unconscious. He doubts whether there are different degrees of goodness.
- Another member says that we are not good, that only God is good. He also claims to have bad thoughts and that we must be aware of and reflect on our thoughts and emotions, emphasizing the importance of analyzing the motives behind them and not identifying with them. Breathing and meditation serve as tools to manage them. He believes there are degrees of goodness. He shares a personal experience from when he lived in London and helped two unknown Brazilian women, offering them accommodation and helping them find work.
- Another member reflects on kindness and responsibility, especially in relation to caring for his elderly mother, recognizing that there are degrees of kindness and that he sometimes finds it difficult to be as good as he would like. He believes there are degrees of kindness that we achieve with spiritual evolution. He believes we must always be attentive to our thoughts, identifying voluntary (free choice) from involuntary (unconscious) thoughts, and that we should not identify with the latter because they are generated by the unconscious and are based on maladaptive or traumatic learning from the past. He recounts an experience in Switzerland where there are stores where there is no assistant, and when you pick up the product, you leave the money. He explains how the Spanish mentality would be to not pay for the product and even to take the money with you. He recounts a TV report in which respondents are asked what they would do if they found themselves with a wallet full of money and an ID card. Would they return the money? And if the person is rich, would they do the same? It tells how people justify their kindness despite not always returning the money.
- Another member identifies with the previous testimony (the topic of caring for the mother) and says that in general we are not kind and that at times he has felt that… “for bad, he.”
- Another testimony states that he isn’t always kind or kind to everyone; he realizes and analyzes the reasons. He says that spontaneous negative thoughts come from his ego, and he doesn’t dwell on them; he shares them and asks for help. Furthermore, he doesn’t identify with them; they don’t define him as a person. He recounts an experience that shaped him as a child, which translates into one thought: “If I get angry, I’m bad.” He states that, since he couldn’t feel anger, the emotion transformed into sadness, and that anger is sometimes “fuel” for certain things, and that he has been deprived of it. He also empathizes with the issue of caring for mothers.
- Another member of the group believes that we “tend” toward goodness, but that there are situations that deviate from this, such as traffic. He differentiates between error and planning evil: he says that we tend to do things that are not good because of learning or education, and that bad thoughts are the result of bad experiences. He gives the example of the wrestler, who still has “reflexes” even in old age. Regarding the degree of goodness, he says that what exists is a gradient of evil.
- Another member asserts that goodness comes with the gift of personality from the Father. We are spontaneously good, although some people don’t activate this gift. Bad thoughts are connected to one another and to the unconscious, and produce a disharmonious charge. He says that what must be done is to transmute bad thoughts, and that there are several ways. His particular one is a prayer: “Father, help me change this thought that is not mine.” He asserts, like almost all the members of the group, that there are degrees of goodness, intrinsically connected to morality.
¶ Urantian Talks
The Urantia Association of Spain organizes and sponsors so-called “Urantian Talks,” Zoom sessions in which a presenter offers a keynote topic, followed by a moderated discussion in which attendees can participate.
If you missed the Urantian talk on April 25th (Quantum Physics and Unreality, by Javier Martínez), here is the link
https://youtu.be/G_mHHbMXcj8?si=xIV2NqUrBi94iJdz
¶ UBIS “In Focus” Presentations
The Urantia Book International School (UBIS) offers a series of “In Focus” webinars related to topics from The Urantia Book or the reading community.
In Spanish, sessions last between 60 and 90 minutes and are held on the first Sunday of the month at 6 p.m. (Madrid, Paris, and Rome time). The presenter gives an introductory presentation on the topic, followed by an opportunity for attendees to participate in a discussion.
This is the next planned presentation:
Title: The Soul and Immortality
Day: Sunday, June 1
Time: 18:00 hours CEST
The Urantia Book offers a unique perspective on the existence and destiny of the soul. According to its teachings, the soul is an intermediate reality between the material and the spiritual, active, growing, and united with divinity. It is the passport to immortality, as reproductive cells are to the human body, so is the soul to the morontia being: without a soul, there is no morontia.
Host: Eduardo Altuzarra
Eduardo, a 74-year-old Spaniard and retired railroad worker, is a grateful husband, father, and grandfather. More than 30 years ago, he discovered The Urantia Book, an experience that profoundly transformed his life. Since then, his constant reading has guided him as a daily source of spiritual wisdom.
Consider this book a transcendental revelation that elevates the soul, connects with divinity, and awakens the eternal purpose of being. Inspired by its teachings, invite others to open their hearts to this transformative light.
Link to the Zoom room:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85425073050?pwd=U0TcTrqa4S6Zq5OAnhQ2dvQbGEhpfc.1
Meeting ID: 854 2507 3050
Password: 010625
¶ About the Luz y Vida newsletter
Luz y Vida is the newsletter of the Urantia Association of Spain. From 2005 to 2016, it was published in PDF format and distributed by mail and email to the association’s reader list. However, it is currently distributed in newsletter format, based on HTML content.
If you would like to receive the newsletter in your email, contact the association to be added to the recipient list.
All work and news from readers and study groups are welcome, so if you’d like to share any secondary work, writing, outline, image, etc., you can send it to the association and we will publish it after evaluating its suitability. Likewise, the Communications Committee of the Board of Directors of the Urantia Association of Spain reserves the right to edit it to ensure it meets minimum standards for spelling.
¶ References
- Index of Spanish Association “Luz y Vida” articles
- Article of the Magazine «Luz y Vida Online»
- Index of the Revista “Luz y Vida Online”