As 2007 comes to an end, I want to share with you some of my thoughts and feelings about this newsletter - and where it is headed in 2008. I have now been publishing the newsletter for two months, and it has been a fascinating, rewarding adventure.

First of all, I want to thank those who subscribed to “Your Spiritual Journey.” The response to the newsletter has been overwhelmingly positive, beyond what I could have imagined. It is an honor to share these messages with you twice a week. I am grateful for the comments and insights you send to me by email. Thank you for taking the time to tell me about the twists and turns on your spiritual journey, the insights you have gained, and the faith you have developed.

As you have seen already, it is not my aim to promote any one religion or spiritual belief system in this newsletter. I have come to believe that there isn’t one path to God. Each of us must find God in our own way. Some will find God within a religion - and some will find their spiritual connection outside of organized religion. I honor all paths.

Here are some comments submitted by a subscriber in the United
Kingdom: “I appreciate your direction - a universal spirituality which includes everyone - that is music to my ears. Some spiritual messages can exclude some groups of people who are seen as “different” or “ungodly” and those kinds of messages tend to close my ears, whereas the spirit of all are welcome here, and that is wonderful.” I think this subscriber summed it up beautifully.

Note: Please don’t misconstrue the term “universal spirituality.” I am not attempting to get everyone to agree on some common religion or spiritual practice (and the subscriber was not suggesting this). I want you to follow the path or religion that strengthens your own connection with God.

I embrace all religions and find much truth in them. I respect that some subscribers believe there is only one way to God. I also understand that some of the things that are published in the newsletter may offend people (those within a religion or outside of religion).

While it is not my intention to offend anyone, I will not alter the newsletter to try to please everyone (which would be impossible anyway). I am delivering the messages from my heart, with love and respect for all. If you ever feel that these messages are not serving you on your spiritual journey, I would expect you to unsubscribe from the list - and I will not be insulted.

In 2008, I will continue to present some essays from outside contributors. I think it is important that you occasionally hear from someone other than me. In addition, I plan to present some essays from subscribers or other contributors who share their experiences within a particular religion. Let’s learn from the way each of us chooses to exercise his or her faith.

I am looking for essays in the area of 500 - 1,000 words in which you describe your positive experiences within a particular religion or spiritual discipline. I am also seeking essays in which you describe interesting aspects of your own spiritual journey, whether it is within an organized religion or outside of any organized religion.

If you would like to submit an essay detailing your positive experiences within a particular religion or describing your spiritual journey, please send me an e-mail BEFORE you write the essay, letting me know you are interested in submitting something. We can discuss some of the guidelines at that time. There is no guarantee that any essay submitted will be published in the newsletter. If your essay is accepted for publication and you prefer that your name not be used to protect your privacy, that is fine.

Finally, you’ve probably noticed that it is my nature to question a lot of things. You can expect that to continue. I will challenge some beliefs and practices, inviting you to do your own investigation. I challenge my own beliefs all the time. As the years go by, I realize how little I know about this mysterious universe.

While some seek certainty, I have come to accept uncertainty. Paradoxically, in challenging some of my own cherished beliefs and embracing uncertainty, I have developed a stronger spiritual connection. Perhaps your experience has been different - and that you have found faith through certainty. In the end, I know that only you have your answers. Trust your own heart.

Thank you for your incredible support of this newsletter. May your spiritual connection continue to grow in 2008.

With much love and gratitude,

Jeff Keller

P.S. We’ll also share some laughs in 2008. We tend to take ourselves way too seriously!

Today’s message was contributed by Dr. Michelle Casto. Michelle is a talented coach, author and speaker. She has identified some very important questions that we can ask ourselves as 2007 draws to a close.

Top 11 Self-Reflection Questions for Years End

Michelle L. Casto, Ph.D.

1. What worked in my life this past year? What did not work?

2. What brought me happiness/disappointment?

3. Where was I successful?

4. What were my greatest challenges/lessons?

5. What am I most proud of? What do I most regret?

6. What attitudes and actions will I take with me into the new year?
     Which ones do I want to keep in this year?

7. What limiting beliefs did I shift? What negative emotions did I shift?

8. When did I follow my intuition?

9. How did I grow, improve, and expand myself?

10. How much love did I share?

11. What do I want my intention to be for 2008?

Michelle L. Casto, Ph.D.
© 2007

Dr. Michelle helps you come up with bright ideas for your life, shine your bright light to the world, and graduate from a “default”
life to your divine life, the one you were born to live. You can visit her web site at http://www.smartlifechanges.com/academy.htm   .

e-mail: michelle@smartlifechanges.com

It’s the time of year when we engage in our holiday traditions. We get together with our families. We may exchange gifts. We often pray or attend houses of worship. Of course, traditions are not just limited to holidays. No matter what religion we were raised in, or now practice, we follow certain rituals or traditions.

If you look up the word “tradition” in the dictionary, you’ll find definitions such as these: “a mode of thought or behavior followed by people continuously from generation to generation;”
“an inherited pattern of thought or action.” When I speak about spirituality in this message, I am referring to our connection with God — our ability on a daily basis to sense the presence of God in our lives and to see the divinity in all creation.

In many ways, traditions enhance our spirituality. For example, getting together during a holiday allows us to spend precious time with our families and friends; we know that without these traditional gatherings, we wouldn’t make the time to get together as often. Other things would get in the way. But tradition compels us to honor that time together. Most of us have warm feelings when we think back on the traditions we followed growing up, many of which we still practice.

Tradition, however, is not enough to fulfill our desire to know our spiritual essence. For some of us, our religious beliefs and practices stem only from tradition, and we have not experienced any feeling of connectedness with God. In other words, we followed the “inherited thoughts and actions” we were told to follow, but they didn’t bring us a meaningful relationship with God. We were simply going through the motions. Perhaps we still do these things and we still feel a void.

I know a number of people in the Jewish faith who since childhood have attended religious services two days each year during the “High Holy Days” which takes place at the time of the Jewish New Year. On one of these days, Yom Kippur (the solemn Day of Atonement), they also fast. They do not pray or attend worship services at any other time during the year.

If I were to ask them why they follow these traditions two days each year, they would say “because that is the way I was raised, that is what I’ve always done.” Many would also admit that they follow the traditions (two days of services and a fast) because they fear God’s punishment if they did not follow these traditions. Granted, there are some who would say they really feel a spiritual connection by following these practices, but not many people fall in that category.

Of course, we could apply this example to all faiths. Some people attend religious services on a weekly basis or say certain prayers each day because that is what their parents taught them to do - or because they feel they have to set a good example for their own children. As I mentioned earlier, and this applies to virtually every religion, there are those who follow traditions simply out of fear that God will punish them if they don’t repeat certain words or follow certain rituals.

In many instances, despite following these traditions, we don’t feel any spiritual connection. We don’t feel close to God. We don’t see the divine in everything around us. We experience our traditions and religious beliefs only at the level of the mind - but they don’t touch the heart. Spirituality touches the heart. It is that heartfelt connection that we yearn for.

Don’t misunderstand me. There is absolutely nothing wrong with passing along your religious or spiritual views to your children. There is nothing wrong with following the traditions you grew up with, if you feel better doing that. However, unless you feel a direct connection with God in your heart, you’re not experiencing the fulfillment that lies at your spiritual core.

What traditions are helping you to reach that spiritual core?

What traditions are hindering you from reaching that spiritual core?

What traditions are virtually meaningless to you, yet you keep following them?

Traditions serve a vital role in our religious and spiritual development. But let’s not forget that traditions, by themselves, are not a substitute for a genuine spiritual connection. If we can’t feel the presence of God in our lives, of what use are our traditions? We can have both - traditions AND spirituality. It’s a powerful combination and we shouldn’t settle for anything less.

– Jeff Keller
© 2007

If you’ve been reading books and articles on self-development and spirituality over the years, I’m guessing you’ve heard this principle many times: your world is a mirror reflection of you.

On one level, this makes sense to us and is consistent with spiritual texts. The Bible tells us that “as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” and “as within, so without.” The law of sowing and reaping also appears to confirm this notion that what we think - and what we do - is returned to us. What we give out comes back to us.

It’s not that difficult to grasp this idea when it comes to our own thoughts and actions. If we think positive, we tend to create positive results. If we are consumed with hatred, we tend to attract hatred. Thus, the outer world we live in is generated from our inner world. This may not be a precise science where we can predict outcomes with regularity, but we can understand how we may be setting the pattern in motion.

However, there is one area where this concept is very difficult to accept - and that is when we look at conduct of others that we find extremely annoying. We are then certain that this couldn’t be a mirror reflection of ourselves. I, too, struggled with this concept for many years.

The breakthrough for me was reading the book Loving What Is by Byron Katie. She takes you through a variety of simple exercises which she refers to as “The Work.” After reading this book, I saw the principle very clearly.

As an example, I always got very annoyed when someone lied to me. It didn’t happen often, but when it did, I would get angry. I consider myself to be very honest in dealing with others, so I couldn’t understand how this could be a mirror reflection of anything inside me. After all, I don’t lie to others.

In this book, Byron Katie points out that the mirror reflection is not always something that you are doing to others. It is often an activity you are doing to YOURSELF. Thus, in my example, I was observing the following:

“I don’t like when someone lies.”

This observation was a mirror reflection of: “I don’t like when I lie to MYSELF.” (and I had to admit there was truth in that statement). There were instances where I was not doing some of the things I wanted to do in my business. My heart said one thing, but I wasn’t following the advice. In essence, I was lying to myself.

Over the years, many readers of my newsletters have written to me, citing this example: they say that they don’t like when someone criticizes or puts down another person. They find this to be cruel - and they are certain they don’t engage in this behavior. In this example, “I don’t like when people criticize others” - perhaps it is a mirror reflection of the following:

“I don’t like when I criticize myself.”

Is there any truth in that statement? Most people will admit that there IS truth in that statement. Thus, you may not criticize others, but you are constantly criticizing yourself.

My point is that the mirror reflection can be a little subtle, but if you want to find it, you will. In some instances, you ARE engaging in the same conduct you identify in others. For example, you dislike when people are critical, but you, too, are critical of others. In other cases, it is a reflection of conduct you are doing to yourself, but not to others (such as criticizing yourself).

The mirror reflections include what you consider positive behavior and negative behavior. The world serves as your mirror and will reflect back to you all the feelings, judgments or thoughts you project. So, if you see love and joy all around you, that reflects what is inside of you.

Byron Katie has two web sites that I think you might find
interesting:  http://www.thework.com  and http://www.byronkatie.com . Each website has videos where she does “The Work” with many people and shows them how their world is a mirror reflection of their beliefs and judgments. She also shows them how to release some of the thoughts that are causing them to suffer.

Be open to the idea that your world is a mirror reflection of you. Do your own investigation. What you learn will be of tremendous value to you on your spiritual journey.

– Jeff Keller
© 2007

We’re hearing messages all the time, even when no other person is speaking. I’m referring to our inner voice. Much of what we hear is the chatter of the mind and ego, which is often critical, letting us know of our deficiencies and the deficiencies of others.

Occasionally, we hear another voice - the voice of the inner spirit, God, or intuition. This voice comes from a higher consciousness. How do we distinguish between the mental chatter of the mind and the voice of the spirit? Here are a few guidelines that I have found to be helpful:

1. The voice of the spirit is clear. You won’t have to guess the meaning of the message that comes from the spirit. It is straightforward and to the point. About six months ago, I received this message loud and clear: “You will stop writing the personal growth newsletter that you have been writing.” I must confess the message was a bit frightening at first. This voice was telling me to stop writing articles that I had been writing for more than 17 years. Why would I do that? But the message to “stop” was crystal clear - and that is why I stopped writing that newsletter. I then received a clear message to launch a new newsletter, Your Spiritual Journey.

2. The voice of the spirit is not always logical. The mind or ego likes to weigh options and encourages you to make a list of pros and cons before you make a decision. On the surface, this makes sense. If you are going to make a decision on a course of action, shouldn’t it be logical? The only problem is that the logical solution often fails to bring you the success or satisfaction you hoped for. Your thinking mind is guessing - it does not have access to the realm of the divine, where logic is not a concern. You’ll come to know the voice of the spirit when you hear a message that surprises you. It might make you very uncomfortable. Your first reaction is “This is not practical.” It may not be, but you’ll find that the advice is in your best interests in the long run. As for the short term, you might be in for a very bumpy ride!

3. The voice of the spirit is consistent. The urging from the spirit does not change from one day to another. The message you get this week will probably be the same one you’ll get next week. On the other hand, the mind is constantly analyzing and re-assessing your next moves. One day you’ll get a sense to go forward with Plan A. The next day, your mind will tell you that perhaps Plan B would work better. You may not like the message you’re getting from the spirit, but that message tends to be consistent.

4. The voice of the spirit speaks about NOW. Your thinking mind is only concerned with the past and future - and never with the present moment. The spirit functions in the NOW, the only time that exists. The guiding of the spirit may include advice that influences your future, but the message concentrates on what you can do now. Often, the steps you can take down the road are not revealed to you in advance. You must trust that the message will be conveyed to you when the moment is right. When you’re trying to figure out the message from your mind or ego, you’ll find yourself plotting things out well ahead of time. Some of these plans might work out well, but some will backfire. Your thinking mind does not know how things will ultimately work out. The voice of the spirit seems to have access to the bigger picture, where all outcomes are known.

5. The voice of the spirit is not concerned with fame and fortune. The mind places tremendous value on money and recognition. The spirit is not concerned with amassing wealth and has no need to be famous or gain anyone’s approval. Try telling your mind that money and recognition are not important — and watch what comes up! You may acquire what the world considers fame and fortune by following the spirit, but there is no guarantee. In the end, the spirit knows what is best for you, while the mind will steer you down the path of wealth and recognition. Please don’t misunderstand what I am saying here. There is nothing spiritual about being in poverty. There is nothing wrong with acquiring and enjoying material items. However, you will find that the voice of the spirit does not obsess about these issues, since possessions and fame are not the keys to peace and well-being.

I’m not saying that you have to listen for the voice of the spirit for guidance on every decision you make. Whether you wear brown socks or black socks today is not likely to make a difference in your life. In addition, this isn’t about struggling to hear the voice of the spirit. The more you struggle, the more mental chatter you produce, and you block the voice of the spirit. The voice of the spirit will often come in unannounced, without fanfare. The key is to recognize it and to have the courage to listen to it, and feel it. Resist the urge to let the thinking mind and ego take over, with its practical solutions.

You may not be ready to follow the voice of the spirit right now, for a variety of reasons. There is nothing wrong with that. Just remain open and when the time is right, you will follow that voice. You may find that the voice of the spirit knew all along what was best for you - and you will be more likely to trust that voice the next time you hear it.

– Jeff Keller
(c)2007

Note: Today’s message was contributed by my dear friend Jon Gordon, who is a speaker, author, and an inspiration to all who cross his path.

– Jeff Keller

12/11/2007

No Fear in the New Year

Contributed by Jon Gordon

Seven years ago I looked out into the Atlantic Ocean on New Years Day with fear in my heart and uncertainty in my life. I had been fired from a “dot.com” company two weeks earlier with only two weeks of severance, no insurance for my two young children and only two months of savings in the bank.
My wife and I had just invested every dollar we had and even took out a second loan on our home and $20,000 on a credit card to open what would be the first Moe’s Southwest Grill in Florida.

The restaurant was set to open January 13th and we had no earthly idea how we would pay our bills since I planned on keeping my salary and job while my managers built the restaurant business. Now, it was New Years Day and I had no job, no salary and a restaurant opening that at worst would fail miserably or at best take months to be profitable.

I thought of all this as I prepared to jump into the icy cold water-to take a symbolic plunge that this would be the year of NO FEAR. Regardless of the circumstances I was facing, this would be the year where I would trust and go for it. This would be the year I would be bold in actions and faith and humble in spirit. No longer could I do it alone. Now I needed a miracle and I would, as the saying goes, take actions as if my future depended on me and pray like it depended on God.

By jumping into the ocean I was declaring to God, myself, the world and my family that no longer will I allow fear to cut off the flow of abundant and positive energy in my life.
No longer will I allow fear to paralyze me. No longer will I allow my past negative programming to broadcast over my airwaves. I would choose to believe that everything happens for a reason and have faith that somehow it would all work out. Instead of fear I would trust.

Years later, I jumped into the ocean again. It has become my ritual- to remind myself to follow my passion, live life to the fullest and to stay one step ahead of the fear that hovers around me. And as I walk out of the water, I feel refreshed, energized, and grateful.

So this year I invite you to jump into the ocean of abundance with me. Perhaps not in the ocean but in the depths of your mind. This jump doesn’t necessarily require water but rather a leap of faith in your belief system and a shift in your mindset. The antidote to fear is trust and it is only a thought away.

No one is going to push you over the chasm of struggle to the life that you want. God will nudge you but you must take the leap. You must make this jump in your mind and then with your actions. You must make this jump with trust, determination and faith. After all, they don’t call it a leap of fear. They call it a “leap of faith” for a reason.

You will always feel fear. Everyone will. But the simple rule to remember is that your trust must be bigger than your fear. The bigger your trust the smaller your fear becomes. And the more you trust the more you become a conduit for miracles. A consulting job presents itself out the blue and you can now pay the mortgage, a check comes in the mail, the right person shows up, opportunities present themselves, somehow, some way you are carried and given the chance to do the work you were born to do.

We truly only have one life to live. We only have one chance. We only have one moment at a time to create the life we were born to live. All you have to do is jump in with all that you are and all that you wish to become.

Sending Positive Energy Your Way,

Jon Gordon
(c)2007

For more positive energy visit Jon at http://www.JonGordon.com

You board a crowded airplane and make your way to your seat. You sit down and the man seated next to you says, “I’m so glad I booked this flight a long time ago or I might not have gotten a seat.”

To which you reply, “Yes, that’s for sure.”

Then, he adds, “I booked it through an internet travel site and I got a fabulous deal.”

At this point, you’re thinking, “What kind of fabulous deal did HE get?” You paid $325 for your round trip ticket and felt that you got a pretty good deal. You know it would be rude to ask the man what he paid. But you also know that you won’t be able to sleep for the next week until you know exactly what he paid for his ticket.

So you say, “If you don’t mind my asking, how much did you pay for your ticket?” He then proudly announces that he paid $275 for his ticket. And, of course, he adds, “What did you pay?”

You feel like he just stuck a knife in your chest. Sheepishly you mumble “$325.” That smile on his face makes you feel even worse.

Your day has turned sour in an instant. You woke up feeling great and excited about your trip. Now, all you can think about is that you got “ripped off” because you paid $50 more than this gentleman. You’re tempted to go up and down the aisle asking others what they paid, hoping you can find someone who paid $350. That might make you feel a bit better. But of course, that would be childish. So you continue to stew about how you “overpaid” for your ticket.

Let’s look at another example. You get a raise of 8% at work. You consider that a very substantial raise. In fact, you’re delighted… until you hear that someone else in your department got 10%. Once you hear that, you are fuming. And when you get home that day, instead of celebrating your raise with your spouse and family, you’re talking about the injustice of getting an 8% raise when your co-worker (who is obviously less qualified) got 10%.

Comparisons cause us more aggravation than we’d like to admit. They can poison our whole day and in some cases the frustration they generate can linger many months or even years.

What can we do about it? Give up the comparisons.

In our airplane example, we could be happy that the other person got a good deal. We can also appreciate that we paid a reasonable price for our ticket – even if it wasn’t the lowest price. We can be grateful that we had the money to take this trip in the first place. In addition, we could write down the name of the travel web site and see if we could save money in the future by purchasing a ticket there.

It’s silly to set up a game where your happiness depends on what other people are doing. There will always be some who have more than you and some who have less than you. Some days you hit the jackpot. Some days the other person hits the jackpot.

I invite you to give up the comparisons.

By the way, how does your Spirit feel when you compare yourself to others? I’m guessing that you don’t feel good about yourself, or anyone else, when you’re comparing. You know you feel lousy when you’re on the losing end of the comparison.

Even when you think you are the one getting the better deal, something inside you knows that the satisfaction you feel is ego-based and not the warm glow from your Spirit. It’s as if you’re rooting against others, so you can say “I win, you lose.” This leads to separation, not connection.

So the next time someone pays less than you did, or gets the office with the window, remember to smile and say, “Good for you!”

And mean it.

– Jeff Keller
(c) 2007

If we truly have faith in God, why are we still so afraid? Shouldn’t our faith in God “cancel” our fears?

I’ve come to this conclusion: if we have a solid spiritual foundation, there is nothing to be afraid of. And yet I still have fears and I’m guessing most of you have fears, too. This is one area where virtually all religions and spiritual disciplines seem to agree.

The Bible contains numerous passages that speak about fear. The well-known 23rd Psalm includes this language: “though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for Thou art with me;…”

In Matthew 6:24-34, Jesus says, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on.” Jesus then goes on to explain that the birds are not concerned about being fed - God takes care of them. Jesus adds, “And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life?”

Vernon Howard, who wrote about spirituality and the Mystic Path, repeatedly stressed that when we awaken to the True Self, there is no need to worry about anything.

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, who lived in India and was one of the most highly regarded teachers of Advaita (non-duality) said that “the moment you know your real being, you are afraid of nothing.”

Our religions and spiritual traditions assure us there is nothing to worry about. Why then do we live in fear so much of the time?

The False Self or Ego is the culprit. There are numerous definitions of ego and we don’t have the time, nor do I have the expertise to discuss all of them. Some of these definitions include: “the self especially as distinct from the world and other selves;” and “an inflated feeling of pride in your superiority to others.”

This ego or False Self (as I am referring to it) is constantly thinking and judging - and is concerned with our place in the world and how we stack up in relation to others. The ego stakes out our territory and then tries to “protect” us from losing what we have gained (our possessions, the approval of others, etc.).

The ego convinces us that we need to wear masks, that our authentic self will not be enough to protect us in the world. The ego is always on guard and we feel the stress and the fear.

This False Self is nothing more than a bunch of distorted thoughts, a product of our conditioning; yet it tends to rule our lives. Furthermore, the ego fears annihilation; it never wants its identity to die, either psychologically or physically. Your ego is simply terrified of the thought that “ME” can come to an end.

Most importantly, the ego keeps us out of the present moment, where there is no fear. The ego will punish you with regrets of the past and have you constantly worrying about the future. It never lets you rest in the NOW, where you can find peace. The present moment is your portal to the Divine and the ego distracts you from being in the now.

In the end, the ego is a phantom, a collection of thoughts that we give our energy to. The ego separates us from others and from God.

It’s a spiritual tug-o-war between Fear and Spirit. As you give more attention to the ego, your divine connection is weakened. Fear increases. As you let go of the ego, the divine connection blossoms. Fear decreases.

Thus, if you want to eliminate some of these fears you’re experiencing, I invite you to look at the role the ego or False Self plays in your life. Do not accept my definitions or my analysis. Do your own investigation.

If you earnestly desire to be rid of your fears, or to significantly diminish their hold over you, then you will be attracted to the people and/or resources that will show the way. This could take the form of professional counseling or therapy, a book, spiritual text, seminar, or people who just happen to cross your path.

One word of caution: if you decide to challenge this “entity” called the False Self or Ego, your fears will likely intensify before they subside. The ego will fight you at the outset because its survival is at risk. If you persist, you’ll feel as if you are losing your identity. This can be very scary.

You ARE losing your identity - your false identity. As that false identity fades away, you can recognize your true identity - your eternal Divine Self. Only then will fear begin to yield to faith.

– Jeff Keller
(c)2007