While I don’t usually distribute essays that have been widely distributed on the internet already, I am making an exception today. Even if you have seen this before, I invite you to read each item very carefully — if you truly want to experience inner peace. This essay was written by Saskia Davis in 1984, yet its wisdom is timeless.

– Jeff Keller

THE SYMPTOMS OF INNER PEACE (TM)
by Saskia Davis

Be on the lookout for symptoms of inner peace. The hearts of a great many have already been exposed to inner peace and it is possible that people everywhere could come down with it in epidemic proportions. This could pose a serious threat to what has, up to now, been a fairly stable condition of conflict in the world.

Some signs and symptoms of inner peace:

* A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences.
* An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.
* A loss of interest in judging other people.
* A loss of interest in judging self.
* A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.
* A loss of interest in conflict.
* A loss of the ability to worry. (This is a very serious symptom.)
* Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation.
* Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature.
* Frequent attacks of smiling.
* An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.
* An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollabe urge to extend it.

WARNING:
If you have some or all of the above symptoms, please be advised that your condition of inner peace may be so far advanced as to not be curable. If you are exposed to anyone exhibiting any of these symptoms, remain exposed only at your own risk.

Saskia Davis
(c) 1984

e-mail: sweetamazinggrace@earthlink.net

Phone: 206-364-7762

In the United States, we have developed a new way to deal with those who make a public comment that expresses prejudice against a group of people or a particular gender.

We demand that the person who made the comment be fired.

According to this approach, those who express some form of discrimination no longer have the right to work in the same field. Thus far, we’ve concentrated our finger pointing at those who disseminate information in the public realm, such as radio and TV broadcasters, talk show hosts, and sports announcers. If they say something that is prejudicial, there are a number of people who jump on the bandwagon and agree that they must resign their employment or be fired.

On the surface, this may sound like a wonderful idea. We want to stamp out discrimination and prejudice, so we demonstrate that we will no longer tolerate anyone who says something that insults a particular group or gender. If you say something discriminatory or insulting, you lose your job.

There’s one slight problem with this approach. None of us can meet the standard we’re imposing.

And I’m guessing that if we expanded this “rule” to ALL comments, and not just those stated in public, that I could get YOU fired.

In other words, if I had been secretly recording all of your comments for the last year, I’d have more than enough evidence to have you fired for uttering prejudicial comments about some group.

I don’t know a single person who is totally without prejudice, or who never makes a comment that can be deemed prejudicial. We all do it, and yet we take this “holier than thou” stance and judge others when their statements are made in public or captured on a recording.

No, I’m not suggesting that it’s ok to make prejudicial comments. We should make every effort to develop tolerance and respect for each other. What I’m saying is that firing a person, or forcing him or her to resign, is not a reasonable punishment, given the fact that nobody can meet the standard we’re setting.

Can such remarks ever be cause to fire someone? In my view, the answer is YES. But I’d reserve this extreme punishment for a situation where a person is repeatedly and callously making prejudicial comments. One or two “slips” are not enough as I see it.

What have YOU said about a neighbor, relative, or a co-worker that you would be horrified to have repeated in public? How many times has something come out of your mouth, and after you said it, you were horrified that you could say such a thing? For whatever reason, sometimes we blurt out things without thinking – and that doesn’t make us monsters – and it shouldn’t mean that we forfeit our right to work at our jobs.

Condemn prejudicial comments as often as you want. But let’s stop the hypocrisy of demanding that people lose their jobs. As the Bible says, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”

– Jeff Keller
(c) 2007

After 23 years of marriage, I am a widow at age 43.
I am also a mother of two teenage boys. My husband died last year of pancreatic cancer. With only those three sentences you can imagine that I have had some inner conflict with the concept of God’s Will! I sometimes have questions, but I have learned to just TRUST HIM… not that I am able to do that every minute of every day… but I always come back to that conclusion!

My husband was given a life expectancy of 4 - 9 months. He lived 2 years and 4 months. For me that was a miracle in itself. That gave my boys two years more to spend with their Daddy and to mature some. While it is never easy to lose a parent, I believe that God gave us more time to deal with it.

When the boys have expressed questions, I have tried to make them see things differently by telling them to be thankful for the two years they had because he could have been killed instantly in a car wreck. I have tried to adopt a more positive outlook in all areas of my life because life is too short to dwell on the negative.

As for God’s Will, I do believe that He provides, protects, and loves us so much that He knows what is truly BEST for us… even if there are some “not so pleasant” events in our lives. Our small minds can’t wrap around the “BIG” picture of all the ways our lives are a witness to others,
especially while we are going through the storm.

During my husband’s illness there were literally hundreds (maybe thousands) of people praying for us. Those people who “watched” our lives during those 2 years and 4 months learned from the events and we learned much as well. There were MANY lessons. We were actually able to “feel” the prayers on our behalf. It was incredible. People watched how we dealt with the situation and admired our strength. They told us so.

My attitude was not always the best. I learned how stress and fear can make you physically ill. I was very concerned about paying bills and raising two teenage boys alone! But I felt I had to be the strong one for everyone else. I learned that we really are NOT in control of anything. God is in control of EVERYTHING! I learned to rely on Him more and to LISTEN to Him more — not just pray TO Him.

I can’t even tell you how my husband dealt with facing death at the age of 43 and having to find a way to say goodbye to his boys. They were his reason for living. Maybe that is what kept him fighting for that long? (He was 45 when he died.)

I now believe that death is not the end but only a door… a door leading to an eternity with our God who loves us so much. I also believe there are worse things than dying… not that I am in any hurry to experience death… but I am not afraid of it anymore.

Life may not be great all the time, but I believe there are SO MANY things to be thankful for that I don’t want to spend my limited time on this Earth complaining about what is not “right”. Besides, my version of “right” could be very wrong anyway!

One last note… it was a great comfort to me when a friend told me that it is perfectly normal to have emotional highs and lows during and after our family’s crisis. I would sometimes feel anger, sadness, relief,guilt, fear, anxiety, depression and sometimes all of them at once! God is there during all of those feelings. I learned He is ALWAYS there,we just have to quit trying to do it all ourselves and depend on Him.

When my husband was dying I didn’t know if he heard me but I told him that we would be alright and to just “LET GO”. I have had to take that advice myself many times… sometimes daily! I now have a better understanding of the phrase “Let go, and let God.”

Lisa

Note: From time to time, this newsletter will include comments submitted by others, who are willing to share experiences and insights from their own spiritual journeys. Today’s message is from Lisa, one of our subscribers. Lisa originally sent her comments in response to the message about God’s Will (November 9, 2007) but she explained that her comments touched on other issues as well.

In these segments, we reserve the right to change the name of the Contributor to protect the person’s privacy. In addition, the views expressed are those of the Contributor, which may or may not coincide with the views of the publisher of this newsletter.

Did you ever notice how much attention we give to those we consider “attractive” – how we treat them differently than others? So many of our decisions are based on physical appearance. Here is just one example.

Assume you get on a crowded bus that has four seats across each row — two on each side of the aisle. As you walk down the aisle, you notice there are two empty seats on the bus – one on the left side and one on the right side.

On the left side, the person sitting next to an empty seat is someone you consider to be extremely attractive. You wouldn’t be surprised if you found out this person was a model.

On the right side the person sitting next to an empty seat is someone you consider far less attractive. Some people might even refer to this person as “ugly.”

Which seat would you choose to sit in – the one next to the attractive person or the one next to the less attractive person?

 I’d guess that more than 95% of individuals facing this choice would take the seat next to the attractive person. It seems that we are conditioned from a young age to prefer to be in the company of “attractive” people.

Of course, in any society, “attractive” is simply a standard that most people have agreed upon. There is no objective standard of beauty.

In he 1960s, there was a television show called “The Twilight Zone.” Each 30 minute show had a bizarre plot and an unexpected ending. The show was very entertaining and often conveyed a moral lesson. In one show, there is a woman with bandages on her face who is in the hospital to have plastic surgery to try to correct her ugliness. You never see the woman’s face throughout the show and you never see the faces of the doctors and nurses in the hospital. You only see the backs of their heads.

At the end of the segment, the doctor announces that he is going to remove the bandages from the woman’s face to see if her looks have been improved. As he removes the bandages, he shrieks in horror that the operation didn’t work — and that the woman is still ugly. For the first time, you see the woman’s face and she is beautiful (as Western society describes beauty). You then see the faces of the doctor and the nurses – and they have wrinkled skin and turned up noses (like a pig) — and would be considered hideously ugly by anyone.

This TV show was a powerful reminder of how we treat people differently based on their appearance – and that beauty standards are man-made and woman-made.

The spiritual journey invites us to look beyond physical appearance and to stop judging people based on the consensus of society as to what is attractive – and what is ugly. This journey invites us to make different choices. We can ask ourselves: What really matters – the outer appearance or the inner beauty?

Most of us have had the experience of initially being drawn to an attractive person. However, after meeting the person and speaking to him or her for a few minutes, you may find that the personality of this person is not very appealing, or the attitude of the person is very negative. All of a sudden, you no longer find this individual to be so attractive.

Conversely, how many times have you met someone you initially thought had “average” looks. The person was dynamic, had a wonderful attitude and was fascinating to talk with. You sensed the kindness in that person’s heart. After a while, you begin to see that person as more physically attractive!

I’m not saying that we should always ignore our instincts as to what is attractive. Certainly when choosing a spouse, we may be drawn to certain people we find attractive – and not to others. Yet I recall an instance when I was in graduate school in the 1970s. A group of us were having lunch, and a woman in our class (in her late 30s) was discussing her boyfriend. When someone asked about his looks, she replied, “Looks are not important to me. It is what’s inside the person that matters.”

Most of the people in the group could not understand how she could say this. But I’ve come to understand the spiritual maturity of her words. She was able to look beyond appearance to the core of the other person. Physical appearance changes and fades over time. Character, integrity, and kindness endure.

Let’s examine how we can apply this message in our daily lives. To begin with, we can stop making choices purely based on someone’s looks. When we have a choice to sit down next to someone at a meeting or on the bus, we can make the effort to sit next to the person who doesn’t appear to be the physical beauty, as society defines it. At work, we can talk with those who may not be considered the most physically attractive.

This isn’t limited to encounters with the opposite sex. I am referring to any situation where you feel someone is not “attractive.” Your judgment could relate to the person’s hairstyle, skin blemishes, weight, clothing choices or a host of other factors. Can you look beyond these?

Regardless of your religion or your spiritual beliefs, I’m guessing that virtually all of us can agree on one thing. The Creator who created the person we call attractive is the same Creator who created the person we call less attractive. Do you think the Creator makes a distinction between the value of these two people based on their physical attributes? We know the answer to this question in our heart. The challenge is for us to begin living according to what our heart is telling us.

Have I completely overcome this tendency to treat people differently based on looks? No, but I’m working on it. Will you?

Don’t go too far – we don’t want the attractive people to ever feel ignored.

– Jeff Keller
© 2007

I’ve noticed that many people are intrigued by the concept of fortune telling. On numerous occasions, my friends have excitedly told me about their experiences with psychics. The typical conversation goes as follows: “I went to this psychic and you won’t believe what she told me. She knew things about my past and also told me some things that would be happening to me in the future.” Of course, my friend would urge me to take advantage of the psychic’s services, so I, too, could learn about my future.

I’ve never had much interest in fortune tellers and psychics. I’m willing to concede that some people have psychic talents that exceed the normal range of intuition. But that’s a far cry from predicting the future with any accuracy. Here are some of the reasons why I’m wary of fortune tellers.

First of all, most of them are fakes and have little or no psychic ability at all. It’s a way for them to make money. Call me cynical but that is the way I see it. If these fortune tellers really could see the future with clarity, they’d be buying lottery tickets or betting on sports events.

Secondly, most psychics only tell people “good news” or what we would consider “neutral” news. I don’t know anyone who went to a psychic and was told, “You are going to die in a terrible accident later this year” or “You’re going to have excruciating pain in your back that makes every day miserable.” Who wants to hear something like that? Worse yet, you’d be paying to learn that tragedy or pain is around the corner. That’s not the kind of news that makes clients happy – or leads to referrals. Since the psychic tends to limit the report to only good news, I know I wouldn’t be getting the full picture.

What is the allure of fortune telling? Why do people get excited to “learn” about their future, especially the good things on the horizon?

I think it comes down to this: life is uncertain and humans hate uncertainty. We are worried that our future will not be happy. We want desperately to know that good things are coming. So, we’ll pay someone to tell us some good news about our future! Then we can breathe a little easier.

Life is full of uncertainty. There is no guarantee that we’ll be alive tomorrow. As we move along on our spiritual journey, we learn to accept uncertainty as part of life. We realize that we can’t control all our circumstances.

Yet there is some power or force that is much bigger than us that is running things and this power (God or Source) is always with us and ready to offer comfort, peace and guidance. By establishing our connection with THAT power, we gain the strength and poise to handle whatever the future may bring.

– Jeff Keller
(c) 2007

If you’ve lived on this Earth for even a few years, one thing becomes clear: not everyone will agree with your beliefs - and that includes your religious or spiritual beliefs. I’ve been at many meetings and conferences where people will listen to a speaker or lecturer at the event and get very annoyed because they believe the speaker has “insulted” their religion.

(Note: In this message, I am only referring to those instances where someone makes verbal statements challenging a particular religion or practice but does not make any threats or attempt to incite violence in any way.)

Why do we sometimes get “bent out of shape” when someone questions the validity or truth of our religion or our spiritual beliefs? Who or what are we protecting when we criticize others (and judge others) who express an opinion that we believe is at odds with our religion?

Surely, God (or the Source, or Spirit) does not need our protection. Do you really believe God can be insulted by the words of a human being? I can’t imagine God saying, “How dare that person question me - what nerve!” Unless you believe that God is a man with a long white beard sitting on a throne in the sky, I don’t think you believe that God needs us to defend his honor.

Now, let’s turn our attention to the individual who feels insulted when his religion is attacked or questioned. Does this make any sense to you? Why be concerned with what someone else thinks?

If you’re insulted, perhaps your faith isn’t as rock solid as you claim. When someone says something that angers or annoys you regarding your faith, it’s usually because it brings out a doubt that is within YOU. If you have a strong connection with God or Spirit, nothing can get in the way of that. No words from another human being can disturb that.

Personally, I believe the spiritual path is always about you and your realization of God as you perceive God to be. No one else has to think or believe as you do. When you put your attention on what others think or say, you are taking a detour on your own spiritual journey and getting further away from your divine connection. We simply don’t control the spiritual paths of others, and when our hearts are filled with love and peace, there is no room for insult.

– Jeff Keller
(c) 2007

I’ve noticed that most people with strong religious or spiritual beliefs speak often about God’s Will. They will tell you that they believe in this concept. I’ve also noticed that they believe in it the most when the tragic or unfortunate event is NOT happening to them or their own loved ones.

Thus, they hear about a tragic event or murder that happened to someone else — and say “It must be God’s Will.” But when the illness or death happens to someone in their own family, they seem to lose faith in the concept of God’s Will. They are overcome with feelings of grief and anger — and may go so far as to deny God’s existence.

Of course, none of us (myself included) can know how we would react if a horrible tragedy affected us or our family. The depth of our faith is revealed when we are faced with a shocking event.

This concept of God’s Will is not only relevant when tragedy strikes. We can also examine the application of God’s Will in our everyday lives. For instance, when you’re thinking about whether to move to another location, or take a different job, you may have a sense (through your intuition, a feeling, or a voice that you hear) that God is urging you to make a certain choice.

I’ve always felt that those “whispers” or urgings were God’s way of expressing his Will to me. I’ve never regretted following that voice, although I must confess the road has not always been smooth. Perhaps that was God’s Will.

Here’s another interesting point about God’s Will. Where does prayer fit in? There appears to be a contradiction here. What if it is God’s Will that someone die of an illness – and we are praying for God to save the life of this person? In essence, aren’t we praying for something that is against God’s Will?

I find it difficult to pray for a specific result these days. It’s as if I am telling God how to run things! I prefer to leave the results in God’s hands. I may pray for someone (and their family members) to have strength to accept God’s Will, but I see no reason to ask God to do anything according to MY wishes. I’m not saying everyone should approach it this way, but that is my way of looking at it.

What are your thoughts about the concept of God’s Will? Take a moment today to examine what it means to you. You might find that your views (including your view about whether any of this is of interest to you at all) help to show you where you are on your spiritual journey.

– Jeff Keller
(c) 2007

When I was a teenager in the late 1960s and growing up in New York, I can remember so vividly what all the parents in our neighborhood told their kids whenever the youngsters asked if they could participate in an activity that the parents deemed unsafe or inappropriate given the child’s age. Here’s how the dialogue typically unfolded:

Teenager: “Mom, a lot of people in my class are going for an overnight trip in a few weeks. Can I go with them?”

Mom: (after finding out all the details about the trip): “No, you can’t go. I don’t think you are ready for that yet – and there isn’t enough supervision.”

Teenager: “But Billy, Ron and Jake are going – their parents gave them permission to go.”

Mom: “If Billy, Ron and Jake jumped off a bridge, would you jump too?”

Of course, Mom’s point was this: just because other people do something doesn’t mean it’s a wise thing to do. Mom was going to make her own assessment and not blindly follow what other kids or their parents were doing.

How does this relate to your spiritual journey?

Spiritually, many people are jumping off bridges. They are playing the game of “follow the follower” – and the activities they are engaging in are draining their spirits.

Let me offer a few examples. I’ll start with the obsession about money and consumption. The holiday season revolves around money. Peace and love are nice ideas, but who has time for that? The meaning behind the holidays themselves is virtually lost. Everyone focuses on shopping. Businesses want to maximize profits. Kids are taught to worship the newest toys. We’re jumping off the bridge, conforming to what others are doing. And we lack the guts to “break the chain” and say “I’m not going to follow that. I’m going to set a different example for my family.”

As I see it, you can “deprive” your child of some material possessions – or you can deprive them of their spiritual development. You’re choosing one or the other, whether you realize it or not.

I’m not recommending that you renounce all material possessions. Money is as “spiritual” as anything else. There are many wonderful ways to use money and I see nothing wrong with having the comforts life can offer. But money seems to be the highest priority these days. We’re at the point where we allow businesses in the U.S and around the world to pollute the rivers and the environment so these companies can make more and more money – and we (as consumers) can save a few cents on the cost of an item.

Speaking of possessions, think of the stuff we stockpile in our homes and apartments. Do we really need all of it? Does it “free” your spirit – or drain your spirit — every time you look at all the clutter you’ve accumulated?

Here’s another example — the complexity of our lives. As a teenager, I remember doing my homework after school and then going outside to play sports with my friends. It was quite simple. Now, kids in the U.S. have several structured activities every day. Their calendars rival those of busy executives. And their parents have to drive them from one place to another so the children can follow this hectic schedule! The kids never learn how to just BE – or to play without any agenda. They are trained to expect activities all the time. Of course, this also takes a tremendous toll on the parents, who are stressed out and overextended. But very few parents are willing to stop jumping off this bridge.

The argument parents offer is that they don’t want their children to miss out on any opportunities. They don’t want them to be at a disadvantage since other kids are engaging in these activities. These parents are choosing to play according to “rules” set by others. Perhaps the child WILL get into a “better” college or earn more money in the long run by becoming a busy person from the age of three – but at what cost to the child’s spiritual development?

I could go on and on citing examples, but there is no need. I have no doubt you could come up with a dozen more ways we’re jumping off bridges and getting away from our divine connection.

The more important question is: what bridges will you STOP jumping off? I admit that I still jump off some of these bridges, but I’m doing it less and less… and it feels better and better. My spirit thanks me each time I don’t jump.

I’m not suggesting that you go on a crusade to convince others to be more “spiritual” and to change their behavior. This message is addressed to one and only one potential bridge jumper – YOU.

When you refuse to jump off bridges that everyone else is jumping off, be prepared for people to ridicule you or tell you that you are not being “realistic” in today’s world. No need to argue with them. Just smile and know that each bridge you refuse to jump off brings you closer to the peace and lasting satisfaction that bridge jumping can never bring.

– Jeff Keller
(c) 2007