Most of us like to use our minds to figure out things, so let’s use the mind to explore the concept of Awareness.

Our mind tells us that we can’t be the same thing as the object we are aware of. Thus, as you look at your computer, you are aware of the computer.

It is thus safe to say that if you are aware of your computer, you can’t be your computer.

Similarly, if you are aware of your desk right now, you can’t be your desk.

If you see a car on the street and are aware of it, then you can’t be that car.

Are you with me so far?

Ok, now let’s consider your body. Right now, are you aware of your body? Of course, the answer is “Yes;” you’re aware of your body. Even if you didn’t have physical sight, you would be aware of your body.

Well, if you are aware of your body, then you can’t be your body.

Are you aware of your thoughts? Yes.

If you are aware of your thoughts, you can’t be your thoughts.

Are you aware of your emotions, such as happiness or sadness? Yes.

If you are aware of your emotions, you can’t be your emotions.

What then are YOU?

Think about this again. Can you be the thing you are aware of?

I realize this sounds a bit tricky. Yet it certainly seems that there is an Awareness, a non-physical presence, that is aware of your body, as well as your thoughts and emotions.

Some of you might be a step ahead and think that this Awareness or Consciousness is located inside the skull, and is a function of the brain. This has been analyzed by scientists and those who have devoted much of their lives to spirituality, and the majority of these people have come to the conclusion that Awareness is NOT localized in the brain. Feel free to do your own research on this issue.

By the way, even if you believe that Awareness is inside your brain, how do you explain what happens when the body dies? Does Awareness or Consciousness leap out of the brain at the moment of death? While I can accept (and even embrace) the view that Awareness or Spirit is everlasting, it seems awfully difficult to believe that the essence of us is lodged in the brain during life and then is suddenly freed from the brain at death.

Let’s look at this from another angle. If, as quantum physicists tell us, ALL matter is composed of vibrating subatomic particles in 99.9% empty space, that means our brain is composed of vibrating particles in EMPTY space. How can anything be located “inside” empty space?

If you’re confused, welcome to the club. The mind likes to ignore those bits of information that don’t fit neatly into its preconceived beliefs. This inquiry invites you into the unknown, which can be very scary at first.

Our sense of Awareness has another fascinating quality I’d like you to examine. Think of something that worries you and makes you feel very anxious. Get that feeling of fear in the pit of your stomach.

Once you have the feeling in place, just observe the feeling as an impartial observer. Don’t judge it, or try to get rid of it. Allow it to be there. Just observe it as if you are a witness to the feeling.

Are you able to observe the fear as if you are a bystander? You have the ability to do that.

Here’s an interesting conclusion you may reach: the part of you that is observing the fear is NOT afraid. In other words, it appears that a casual observer is the “one” observing “your” fear.

The same thing happens if you are angry – and you just observe your feelings of anger. The entity observing the anger is NOT angry. It seems to be impartial.

What is that part of YOU that is doing this impartial observing? How is it that I can be angry and yet some part of me can watch or observe that feeling, while somehow being “detached” from the anger?

Not an easy thing to figure out right away. Yet, if you are honest with yourself, you will eventually come to the conclusion that there is something in the background, all the time, that seems to be Aware or Conscious of everything going on. When we are caught up in our thoughts and emotions, we aren’t aware of this Awareness. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t there. It is always there.

The concept of Awareness or Consciousness is often discussed in many of the Eastern religions and spiritual traditions, where the principle of non-duality (Oneness) is popular. Those who endorse non-duality believe that your true nature is not a physical body – but Awareness or Consciousness itself – and that all physical matter arises within this field of Awareness.

Even if you think these ideas are far-fetched, I think you’ll find that when examined, there IS some mysterious Awareness that is always in the background. It doesn’t matter what religion you follow; it has nothing to do with religion. This Awareness is present regardless of what you may believe about it, or if you choose to ignore it.

Become aware of this ever-present Awareness and you’ll gain a new perspective about yourself and the world in which you live.

– Jeff Keller
© 2008

To love another person is to see the face of God.
- Victor Hugo

God enters by a private door into every individual.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

There is nothing that wastes the body like worry, and one who has any faith in God should be ashamed to worry about anything whatsoever.
- Mohandas Gandhi

Our prayers should be for blessings in general, for God knows what is good for us.
- Socrates

Things change when you give your life to serving God, and that can be scary.
- Michael W. Smith

To be full of things is to be empty of God. To be empty of things is to be full of God.
- Meister Eckhart

God is the universal substance in existing things. He comprises all things. He is the fountain of all being. In Him exists everything that is.
- Lucius Annaeus Seneca

If God had wanted me otherwise, he would have created me otherwise.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The knowledge of God is very far from the love of Him.
Blaise Pascal

When the solution is simple, God is answering.
- Albert Einstein

It is the heart which perceives God and not the reason. That is what faith is; God perceived by the heart, not by the reason.
- Blaise Pascal

I invite you to try an experiment today. It’s very simple and won’t take up any of your time. Here’s all you have to do: see God in every person who crosses your path today.

Make believe every person you see has a large name tag that says “God” on his or her chest. If it is inconsistent with your religious beliefs to see any human as God, make believe the name tag says “Created by God.”

In this experiment, there are no exceptions. When you see your spouse or your child, you are seeing God. As you pass strangers on the street, look at each as if you are looking at God.

If you’re in a crowded public area and some loudmouth is using a cell phone, just look at that person knowing you are seeing God, or a creation of God. You know what you would say or think about that person if you weren’t doing this experiment. But what would you say if you were seeing God in that person? Would you mumble profanities or criticize the person for being an inconsiderate jerk?

As you walk through your offices at work, see the name tag clearly on each person and know that you are seeing God as each person passes. How loving and caring would you be if you could see God in every person? The moment you focus on God, your mind tends to stop. The judgment stops, and all you recognize is love.

You’ll be able to look past the labels you have assigned to these people – Caucasian, African-American, pretty, ugly, fat, thin, sloppy, neat, generous, selfish, etc.; you may notice some of these characteristics, but they won’t be important to you. You will see through them to the divinity within.

With your new focus, your heart is joined with each person and you feel connection, not separation. You have no interest in criticizing. You are full of compassion. You project the love that is in you and that love is reflected back to you.

This really isn’t an unusual experiment or a stretch of the truth. Many religions and spiritual traditions believe that everything IS God, that the life force or energy we refer to as God appears as every bit of matter in the universe.

Even if you believe that you are somehow separate from God, you probably believe that you are created by God, in the image of God. Thus, there is an element of the Divine in every human being.

I’ll be the first to admit that this experiment can present some difficult challenges. While you may be able to see God in your child or in a stranger on the street, you might have considerable resistance to seeing God in those whose behavior you find cruel or immoral – such as those who have committed murder, rape, or have molested a child.

I don’t have an easy answer for you; each person must come to his or her own conclusions. However, something tells me we are called to see God in every person, to see beyond behavior to the divine love that connects all of us.

See God in every person who crosses your path today. You’ll have a day unlike any you’ve ever experienced. Maybe you’ll want to continue the experiment beyond one day. The only “entity” that will raise an objection is your MIND, which is conditioned to see differences and to judge others.

If you’re ready to get a glimpse of your true nature, and your capacity for love and joy, begin this experiment immediately.

Mohandas Gandhi said it beautifully: “If you don’t find God in the next person you meet, it is a waste of time looking for him further.”

– Jeff Keller
(c) 2008

Today’s message was contributed by Jack Stem, one of the subscribers to this newsletter. I have so much respect for Jack’s courage, his honesty, and the work he is doing to help those who are struggling with substance abuse and addiction.

– Jeff Keller

An Angel from God

Contributed by Jack Stem

I am a recovering addict. This incident occurred at the hospital where I practiced anesthesia. I was a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist at the time and was at the absolute bottom of my bottom in my disease.

As the majority of recovering addicts will tell you, our self image is that we are the lowest form of life on the planet because of the things we are doing as a result of our dependence on a chemical or chemicals. In order to maintain a sense of normalcy, just to make it through the day without going into withdrawal, it was necessary to steal drugs from the hospital.

As my disease grew stronger and I sank further into the dark pit of despair, it became clear to me that my death was the only way out of this entire mess. My mere existence was becoming more and more painful for the people I loved most in my life, and the embarrassment and shame I would bring them when I was finally caught would be the final blow, and I didn’t want that to happen. So one morning, when I had a break in my scheduled cases, I had decided I would commit suicide. I mixed 2 powerful drugs together to make sure I accomplished my goal.

As I made my way to the stall in the locker room where I would shoot up my concoction, an obstetrical resident came storming into the locker room ranting and raving about some difficulty he had just encountered. He was pacing back and forth, his lab coat flowing behind him like the wings of a large bird flapping furiously.

He was between me and the stall where I planned to fix my problem once and for all, effectively preventing me from entering my chosen death chamber. This went on for about ten to 15 minutes or so. Suddenly he stopped, apologized for being so “unprofessional” and dumping his anger and frustration on a stranger. He shook my hand, thanked me for listening (I couldn’t tell you a single word he had said!) and left the locker room.

In the short period of time he spent in my life, he had given me the opportunity to change my mind about committing suicide.

When I talked with several people about this obstetrical resident with the shock of red hair and temperament to match, no one knew who I was talking about. No one fit the description I gave of the young doctor. I bumped into the chief resident later that day and described his resident with the flaming mane and fiery attitude, and he told me there were no obstetrical residents in the program with red hair…male or female!

There is no doubt in my mind this “man” was an angel sent by God to prevent me from killing the father of two beautiful daughters, and the son of wonderful parents. Even though I have struggled over the 18 years since that incident, I wouldn’t trade a single moment of my life in that time.

Yes, I eventually lost my profession after two relapses and a felony conviction five years later. But I have discovered life isn’t about how much money I have, or what my station is in a chosen profession. It’s about relationships…with those I meet on this journey, and with Jesus Christ.

I still get chills when I share this incident with others. I can smell the locker room and see the red hair and white lab coat as though it just happened. I shudder to think about one of the most wonderful days I would have missed if the angel hadn’t intervened, my oldest daughter’s wedding. As we walked down that aisle, she said to me, “Daddy, I’m glad you’re here with me today.”

– Jack Stem
© 2008

Jack Stem speaks about addiction and recovery to health care professionals, churches and schools, and is the Chairman of the peer assistance committee for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists in Ohio. Jack helps others who are struggling with substance abuse and addiction, including family, friends and colleagues. (http://www.jackstem.com)  In addition, Jack is an extremely talented portrait artist. You can view samples of his work at http://www.jackstem.com/painless-portraits.htm

My guess is that you’ve experienced the following: you go into someone’s office (we’ll call that person “John”) and you notice that on the wall, John has numerous pictures of himself standing next to famous people. In some of the photos, he is standing next to a well known politician. In others, he is shaking hands with an athlete, actor or a business leader.

You might see the same thing when you visit internet web sites. If John owns a web site, he may post a bunch of pictures online where he is standing next to politicians or to people who are well known in the field of John’s expertise.

Be honest with me. Are you impressed when you see these photos?

This is not a rhetorical question. You may be impressed that John is in the company of the “movers and shakers” in society. He appears to be part of the “in crowd.” Some people are indeed impressed, or else John would not display the photos.

As for me, I am not impressed. I can’t understand why being in a photo with a public figure means anything. Does it mean that if I do business with John, I will get a better product or better service? Does it mean John is an expert in his field? Does it mean John is a person of character and integrity?

As most of you know from personal experience, the famous person pictured with John usually has no meaningful relationship with John. They were at some event together and the famous person agreed to have a picture taken with many people at the event. Furthermore, even if the well known person knows John very well, so what?

The photo only tells me that John stood next to this individual when the camera was pointed at both of them.

I know very well what John is intending to convey by proudly displaying these photos. He is saying that if he associates with well known people, he is a “somebody.” His own ego is boosted by having famous people next to him, and he figures he can impress others with the company he keeps.

This is not an attack against people who are proud of these photos. Those like John are not hurting anyone by putting these photos on the wall or posting them on internet sites. I admit that sometimes I will judge people who display such photos; however, to the extent that I judge them, all I am demonstrating is my own ego, as if I am somehow superior by not engaging in such conduct.

From the perspective of our spiritual development, these photos make no sense. By displaying only photos of famous people, John seems to be implying that all people are NOT equal. John isn’t displaying photos where he is standing next to a neighbor, a co-worker, his spouse, or his daughter’s teacher. Why not? Are these people any less worthy or valuable than the well known people?

By the way, if any of the public figures in John’s photos commits some crime or immoral act, we know John will quickly remove that person’s photo from the wall or the web site. After all, you don’t want to be seen with someone who would commit such acts.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying an event and taking a picture with a well known person as a remembrance of the event – just as you may want to take a picture with your friends or relatives while you’re at a party or other gathering.

However, when you’re displaying the photo to prove you’re a somebody, you’re letting your ego run the show. You’re attempting to use things outside of yourself to demonstrate your value, to borrow someone else’s fame to establish your own.

At the core, each of us is pure magnificence, whole, and connected to the Divine — and we don’t need anyone standing next to us to prove it.

– Jeff Keller
© 2008

Most religions believe in the concept that what we send out into the world in the form of thoughts and actions will be returned to us. Thus if we love and respect others, we will be loved and respected. If we hate others or do violence to them, we will be on the receiving end of hatred and violence.

The Bible says, “As you sow, so shall you reap.” It has also been stated as, “What goes around comes around.” Many Eastern religions and philosophies believe in karma, a moral law of cause and effect.

I think most people who have any interest in religion or spirituality believe that our thoughts and actions have consequences. Thus, they believe in the principle of sowing and reaping. I often like to think of it as throwing the boomerang in life. You send your actions and thoughts into the world, and they come back to you at some later date. You are treated as you have treated others.

I’ll be the first to admit that this principle is not as simple as it first appears. We’ve all read stories about parents who seem to be kind, ethical people – and yet several of their children die in tragic accidents or from unexpected diseases. What could the parents possibly have done to deserve such a fate? Some explain this by referring to consequences from “past lives.” I do not pass judgment on the issue of past lives, but I’ve never found it helpful to consider the issue from that angle.

What seems easier to accept, and what I have seen in my own life, is how the principle operates when we view the recurring patterns in our lives – the events or experiences that happen over and over again. Those recurring patterns do not appear to happen “by accident” – and whether or not we can prove it – at least we have the sense that the principle of sowing and reaping is operating.

It’s relatively easy to accept the concept when we look at the positive things flowing into our lives. When we receive love and appreciation, we can see that we are being treated this way because we extended love and appreciation to others. We believe that our business success is the result of seeds we have planted, of diligent efforts we have made.

I’ve noticed that we tend to disregard the principle of sowing and reaping when we are on the receiving end of negative treatment. Thus, nations go to war with each other and neither will admit their “responsibility” for the violence. If sowing and reaping is operating, then nations on the receiving end of violence somehow have perpetrated acts of violence. As they say, “live by the sword, die by the sword.”

Yet you don’t often hear this kind of responsibility. You hear things like, “They started it. We are just responding to their violence.”

The same is true of individuals. We may complain about the lack of love in our lives or the fact that we are encountering much judgment and criticism. If this is happening, isn’t it because of something we have sowed? If we find love or friendship lacking in our lives, wouldn’t that mean that we are somehow withholding love and friendship from others?

I suppose the ego wants to take credit for the positive things and to deny responsibility for the negative things that show up in our lives.

Take a moment and consider the experiences that are showing up in your life right now. Can you see how you might be contributing to the positive AND to what you label as negative? Something tells me that if the principle of sowing and reaping is valid, it must be working at both ends, contributing both to what we like and what we don’t like.

– Jeff Keller
© 2008

Note: This message is not intended to be a thorough examination of the principle of sowing and reaping or karma. It examines only a very limited aspect of these concepts.

I was listening to a CD distributed by the National Speakers Association that contained a short interview with Charlie “Tremendous” Jones. Charlie has been a speaker and author in the area of personal and professional development for more than 50 years. He has touched millions of people with his inspirational messages and his abundant kindness.

Charlie is also the founder of Executive Books. You can learn more about Charlie at www.executivebooks.com/cjones  .

The interviewer asked Charlie what he had learned over the years. Instead of detailing what he had learned, Charlie spoke about the importance of unlearning. He said that after many years of learning, we come to a place of unlearning.

Charlie pointed out that during our learning phase, we learn to be bigger, to get more, and to be more popular. At some point, he said, that gets “old” – and then we start unlearning, so we can become simple and real. The mark of greatness, he said, is a childlike spirit.

Charlie’s words spoke directly to my heart. About a year ago, I came to a point where I knew that I needed to start unlearning. Learning had produced many wonderful things in my life, and for them I am grateful. Yet my spirit was not at rest, and an inner voice prodded me to start the process of unlearning.

That’s why I question so many things now. I know that much of what I previously learned is not true. I know that some of the priorities I established were not feeding my spirit. They fed my ego and helped me to gain the approval of others. But I wasn’t able to convince myself that all was well.

Where are you right now? Are you in the learning phase or the unlearning phase? In my experience, unlearning can open some interesting new doors and reveal precious new insights.

Charlie summed it up this way: “Learning makes you big and smart. Unlearning makes you simple and real.”

I’m with Charlie. I’ll take simple and real. Simple and real might not seem exciting to some. It might seem to be a passive way to live your life. You might even feel it would hinder your success. In fact, it’s just the opposite.

We yearn to be simple and real – to get rid of the heavy burden of the masks we all wear and the games we play to obtain the acceptance of others. If anything, the “simple and real” approach will bring us more success, although in the unlearning phase our definition of success is likely to be different than it was in the learning phase.

When you embrace unlearning, you’re going to learn some new things – and those things are likely to make your spirit sing.

– Jeff Keller
© 2008

I want to share with you a fascinating video about one woman’s unique experience in which she got a new perspective about her senses and her connection to something beyond herself. This presentation was given in early 2008 by Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, a brain scientist. Although she discusses the brain, this is not just a technical science lecture, as you will soon find out.

The presentation is about 18 minutes, so arrange to view it when you have the time to do so.

By directing you to this presentation, I am not attempting to persuade you to take any position regarding the experiences described by Dr. Taylor. She is presenting her experience and her interpretation. What you make of it is up to you.

You can access the presentation by clicking the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyyjU8fzEYU  

In Part 1 of this message, I discussed some of the limitations of our human senses. I admit that I may have been a bit harsh in dwelling on the areas where our perceptions are deceiving us. To be fair, I want to acknowledge and celebrate the positive aspects of our senses and the way they serve us on this earth.

Our senses allow us to experience so much pleasure during our human existence. What a miracle to see the Grand Canyon, the smile of a child, the oceans, and the trees and flowers. The delight in tasting our favorite foods, or to feel the touch of another person – these are miracles we often take for granted.

Our senses not only provide us with enjoyment; they warn us of impending danger and perform many useful functions.

However, what the senses and the mind can’t do is decipher the truth about God and our relationship to God.

Often, we try to figure out God with our minds. We think about what God wants us to do in our lives. We think about why the world is as it is, with all the suffering and the poverty. So many things don’t make sense to our rational minds. Yet we keep searching for answers. We may listen to sermons or read books. We may read newsletters or articles about spiritual growth. These resources can be helpful, but they never seem to answer all our questions. The mind is eventually befuddled and reaches a dead end.

We have to face this fact sooner or later: the mind is not capable of knowing God. Here’s why. The human mind is limited. For example, the human mind can’t understand the concept of something that has no beginning and no end. Do you have any reference point for that? Is there anything that has ever shown up in your life that has had no beginning and no end?

All religions seem to agree that God is infinite. God has always been. Nothing else created God. In addition, God will always be. There is no time when God will end or cease to be.

I know the human mind has accomplished some miraculous things. We can launch a rocket to the moon and do all sorts of other impressive feats. But that doesn’t mean the human mind can get a handle on God. Simply put, God is playing by different rules than the mind can grasp.

If the mind and the senses either deceive us or are incapable of understanding God, what can we do to establish a deeper connection with the God? Here are some things I’ve found helpful, and they may or may not resonate with you.

First and foremost, quiet the mind. As long as the mind is chattering, we are caught in the trap of focusing on the past or the future. The mind is never in the present. It is always a split second off. Thus, when you see the sun, it takes a moment for your mind to say, “There is the sun.” The mind’s “translation” is never in the present. I am learning that God is found in the Aliveness of the Present Moment. The stresses of modern society continually pull us out of the present moment, and we have to make significant changes if we want to counteract these pressures.

God’s silence speaks volumes and gives us a glimpse into our true nature; in addition, as the mind and ego are diminished, we open the channels of communication where God can speak and impart messages and insights to us. This “mechanism” works differently in each person, yet it is the quiet mind that invites God to communicate.

I’ve also found it imperative to embrace uncertainty. Many people are looking for certainty on the spiritual path. They are looking for a set of beliefs they can hold onto that will provide peace, joy and security. I was not able to find a deep spiritual connection by following any religion or belief system. My inner voice told me to surrender to God and to trust whatever came up. That approach is working for me. I have not found certainty, but I have found a deeper relationship with God. I recognize that your path might be quite different.

No doubt, this is a mysterious universe – and the mind will never figure it out. The senses will always be deceived as quantum physics has clearly demonstrated. Yet I have faith in a loving God that has everything in hand. I like the way Ralph Waldo Emerson put it: “All that I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.”

– Jeff Keller
© 2008