During the last six months, we’ve witnessed the amazing collapse of many financial institutions in the U.S. and around the world.

Some banks and brokerage houses once believed to be rock solid have failed, while others have barely managed to stay afloat — and only after receiving billions of dollars (or hundreds of billions of dollars) of government assistance.

The auto industry is teetering. Many insurance companies are on shaky ground. Foreclosures are mounting and businesses are closing or laying off thousands of workers.

What happened to the life we once knew?

All of us have been affected in some way by this financial hurricane. Perhaps you lost a job, or you know people who have lost jobs. Unless you had all of your money under your mattress, you’ve seen the value of your investments plummet.

Are there any lessons you have learned from this financial upheaval? Anything you are doing differently than you did before? How has this affected your spiritual outlook, if at all?

I’d like to open a discussion where everyone can offer their perspective and any insights they have gained from this economic turmoil. I am NOT looking to have a political discussion of what financial policies are best suited to heal the economy. Nor am I looking to discuss who is to blame for this mess.

What I want to know is what lessons you have learned from this challenge and how these events may have affected your spiritual outlook or the way you live life or interact with others.

Personally, this economic turmoil has taught me just how temporary EVERYTHING in life is. I don’t think I will ever look at anything as being “rock solid” any longer. Anything can change, and I mean anything. Recognizing the temporary nature of things hasn’t caused me to be more fearful; it has taught me to surrender and accept life as it unfolds.

I am finding that suffering is not generated by the event itself, but rather in the mind’s insistence that what is happening shouldn’t be happening. We want every loving relationship to be permanent. We want our health to be permanent. We want our bodies to be permanent. We want our bank accounts to be permanent. We want some things to stay as they are, so we can be safe and secure.

Everything in this manifest world is fleeting and impermanent. We can’t hold on to anything, and we are not meant to. That is one of the important lessons I have learned.

I look forward to receiving your emails on the lessons you have learned from this economic turmoil or how it has changed your perspective.

– Jeff Keller
© 2009

I received many comments in response to my article, The Twitter Phenomenon (March 24, 2009).

The vast majority of the comments were “anti-Twitter.” However, several readers reported positive aspects about Twitter. I’m glad that both views were presented. I can’t include all of the comments, but here are excerpts from some of them.

Reader Comments:

I agree with this article. I haven’t heard of Twitter until this message, but it amazes me that people are so self-centered to want to be a part of these groups, Facebook included. These sites tend to bring more stress, suck up your precious time AND cause damage at some point. I am so thankful and blessed that I have done the work a long time ago to become more spiritual and connected to what really matters and to be so happy and balanced in my self, my quietness, etc. It’s not an easy road to get to…but so worthwhile. I think if these people did the work as well, they would find more satisfaction within themselves and their surroundings than any of these sites could ever offer.

* * * *

Oh how I love your article, especially the last line “True connection is found through a quiet mind, not a mind caught up in trivial facts”. My sentiments exactly. Am so glad that there is someone who feels twittering and the likes of it are such busy state of mind.

* * * *
Thanks for excellent post.

Following things happen out of our awareness:
1. Our mind is engaged/active all the time with useless information. We are not thinking creative thoughts.
2. We are stopped at the level of mind, enjoying the feeds and being active in the game. We are not really looking beyond mind.

* * * *

I heard about Twitter this morning on the news. A hospital is using the service to update families on their loved one while in surgery. We have become such an instant society — and cannot wait for anything. I agree with your assessment. We are not allowing time to meditate and seek and trust God to take care of our family and friends while we are away or in surgery or taking a walk, etc.

Jeff’s Reply to this comment:

A strange thought came to me while reading your comment about using Twitter in the hospital to update someone on a family member’s surgery. On one level, it is nice to get such an update. However, I don’t suppose the hospital would post this message in the middle of the operation:

“Complication — patient has stopped breathing”

* * * *

I agree with a lot of what you say about Twitter. I certainly don’t care if someone is eating breakfast or what they had for breakfast. However, I am on Twitter and most of the people I follow have something to offer me in terms of information dealing with web sites, blogging, etc, which is where my interests are.

* * * *

My husband and I were wondering the other day what “Twitter” was. We both do not like all these gadgets and gizmos in today’s world. Many are valuable beyond anything imaginable but I feel we don’t need phones in our ears constantly and/or twittering or texting about what I am doing in the bathroom. Maybe if all that wasted energy and time was harnessed into something positive for someone else, our world would be better for it.

* * * *

I absolutely agree with you on this one. I take it even further, and don’t answer the phone if I don’t feel like talking to someone (Caller ID helps). I just don’t see the point in being available to everyone 24/7 unless there’s a crisis. I need peace and quiet for Yoga and Reiki – in short, I need ‘alone time’ or I’m unable to function.

* * * *

Teens are “Twittering,” as are some adults… but even more adults are “social networking” and “business networking” on Facebook, My Space, Linked In, and others. WHEN do we ever simply “Talk” to a friend or business contact face-to-face? You’ll hear people say, ‘don’t have time!” I had an in-person breakfast meeting with a colleague last Wednesday. She was amazed afterward about how good it felt to “really connect.” YEA! Ya think! We actually talked!

People don’t have time if they are doing all this emailing, texting, and posting. UGH!

I’m with you… this I can resist.

* * * *

You, my friend, were way off on your assessment of Twitter.

It’s a powerful networking, business building and information tool.

I’ve been able to sell books and audios, make new networking connections, keep up with friends, learn all sorts of things, and much more on Twitter.

I can’t explain it but it’s pretty amazing.

* * * *

It is so sad that people are so engrossed in this twitter stuff. What if we get connected with that Great Almighty Creator and learn to go back to nature…smell the scent of flowers and enjoy the colorful butterflies, star gaze and see the beauty of the sky in a quiet cool night…touch your soul, reach out to heavens…the firmament…far far beyond. Drown yourself in the beauty of HIS Creation…yes…maybe this will be a better “twitter.”
“Mauna Brata”…silence is the language of the soul!

* * * *

Beautifully put! As the world melts down in egoic mind madness around us I get told via Facebook that an old work colleague of mine has done a Facebook quiz and determined what her “Stripper Name” should be! This is a woman in her 40’s with small children and I am sure not a huge amount of free time to begin with….certainly less now with Facebook quizzes to be taken. Well…must put my mind at rest on this issue and get away from mental activity about it.

* * * *

What a shame people are resorting to using social networking sites debasing languages and face to face skills.

You can question the reasons for this, such as the latest fad, addiction, loneliness, lack of spirituality and so on.

Have parents become less responsible for coaching and mentoring their children? I’d be interested to read other subscribers opinions. I just think it’s a tragedy such sites are becoming more influential and also reality TV programmes.

* * * *

You are right, there is a lot of nonsensical chatter on twitter, but it is also a really great tool.

When you first join, it doesn’t make any sense. Then when you start searching around for topics that interest you, you find there is a wealth of information and people willing to help with your needs.

For example, I am trying to figure out Wordpress Blogging. I searched Twitter for Wordpress. It brings up a stream talking about Wordpress. I click on someone’s name and read what they have posted. I look at their profile which usually contains their website and a short bio. If it looks like they are having a conversation and information on what I am looking for I ask them a question by using @theirname, which posts it to their profile where everyone that is following them can see it and then I will get replies from people who have information and answers for me. I have met a few very valuable contacts that way, some who have helped me immensely with Wordpress. Most of the business people that are on Twitter are very generous with information and solutions to problems. This directs attention to their websites and products in an indirect way.

I have different interests and have been able to find a variety of people on Twitter to network with: photographers, writers, book publishers, Drudge Report, Michelle Malkin, Christians, social media marketers, bloggers, artists… The world is limitless.

* * * *

AMEN!!!
I couldn’t agree with you more, Jeff.
I’m totally astounded by this nonsense, my mouth open in amazement at the self importance of this ridiculousness.

* * * *

Final Comment from Jeff:

Thanks again to all those who submitted comments. Although I might be wrong, I get the sense that most of the subscribers to this newsletter choose not to use Twitter. This doesn’t make you better or worse than anyone else, it simply shows that your interests lie elsewhere or that you don’t see Twitter as a valuable use of your time.

I can easily see how Twitter could increase your networking contacts, bring you more business or provide helpful resources. What I still can’t understand is the need to include the ridiculous minutiae of day to day activity. I simply don’t see what that adds, yet it is one of the main things Twitter is known for.

When it comes to Twitter, I will remain on the sidelines. Too much mind stuff for me.

– Jeff Keller

No matter what I read or where I go, the subject of Twitter keeps popping up. Twitter is a social networking website. It has been defined as “a social messaging utility for staying connected in real-time.”

For those who never heard of Twitter, here is a very basic explanation provided by Twitter: “a service that lets you keep in touch with people through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to the simple question, What are you doing?.”

Thus Twitter allows people to continually update their friends on what they are doing at any moment of the day. For example, you can tell everyone in your network such things as:

“I am going to the bathroom now”
“I am eating eggs for breakfast”
“I am wondering what to watch on TV tonight”

As a result, your friends or colleagues know what you are doing throughout the day – and you also know what they are doing. How incredibly valuable to have such a wonderful service available to us!

Yes, I’m being sarcastic, but this Twitter stuff simply makes no sense to me. We haven’t developed enough of a “ME” culture, so we have to announce to the world every step we take all day and every thought we think.

Personally, I don’t want to know every item on a person’s schedule for the day. I don’t care what my friends or colleagues are having for breakfast. And I certainly don’t want to read every thought that runs through their minds. I have enough wild thoughts in my own mind.

I admit that I never joined Twitter and have no first-hand knowledge of this “service.” I do know that any human being, myself included, is very likely to become obsessively addicted to something like this in very short order. The mind loves continuous, frenzied activity.

Of course, once we hear that our friends are using Twitter, we may feel the pressure to join in on this lunacy. This is an easy one for me to resist.

It’s not surprising that young people are in love with Twitter. They also love to send text messages via the cell phone all day, every day. Many adults do the same thing.

All of this repetitive mind activity comes at the cost of our spiritual growth. Twitter says it is all about “connecting” with people. How ridiculous. By learning that you are going to the bathroom or putting on your shoes, am I connecting with you? Even if I learn that you like a particular kind of music, does this constitute some special connection between us?

We live in a world that likes to define us by what we do, what we prefer or who we know. These kinds of details DO have their place in our lives. Sharing our experiences and preferences is an essential part of being human. However, when we turn this into a minute-by-minute or hour-by- hour commentary on everything happening to us – and we become overly interested in everything happening to our friends – I just don’t see the benefit to be gained from this game.

I’m not saying that Twitter will destroy the world. Not at all. Feel free to use it if it excites you, or if you feel it keeps you connected.

Twitter is a game that feeds the active mind. And if you feed the active mind, you will be taken further and further away from your true nature or spiritual essence.

True connection is found through a quiet mind, not a mind caught up in trivial facts.

– Jeff Keller
© 2009

For some reason these days, I see even more beauty in imperfection than in what society or the media portrays as perfection (or near perfection). Maybe it’s a result of getting older.

I realize that using the word “perfection” can be confusing here. Perfection is nothing more than what a consensus in society declares to be the visual ideal. Throughout this message, what I’m referring to are people and things that look “different” than what is perceived to be the ideal, or most beautiful, look.

In high school, I recall that the lion’s share of the attention was given to those people who were deemed the most physically attractive or who had the most outgoing personalities. There were countless bright, kind people who were virtually ignored because their body type was not seen as beautiful or they were shy.

Like most guys, I can appreciate the attractiveness of models when I see them on TV or in magazines. But I have to admit it doesn’t do the same thing for me as it once did. I can now see and appreciate the exquisite beauty in a person who most consider to be “average.”

Often, it is the “imperfect” quality that makes a person more beautiful. Distinctive is beautiful. I think just about everyone has observed a person with a nose that is slightly different than what we consider perfect – and yet we found that person (and his or her nose) to be very attractive.

We can find beauty in the way a person walks, even if the person doesn’t have perfect posture or an elegant gait. Even wrinkles are natural and beautiful – far more attractive to me than faces pulled tight through plastic surgery.

Natural is beautiful, although natural is often seen as “imperfect.”

I admit that I don’t see everyone as equally beautiful. I’m not there yet and may never get there. But my range is expanding more and more all the time. There is so much beauty in each person, and we overlook it because of our rigid notion of what is attractive.

This discussion isn’t limited to our observations about people. We may have rigid notions of what a beautiful house looks like, or what a beautiful floor looks like, or what a beautiful dog looks like.

Can you see the beauty in the wall that has some paint peeling off? Can you see the beauty in the wood floor that has some scratches on it?

This isn’t to say that we should allow everything to wear out and crumble. The freshly painted wall or the unblemished wood floor are also beautiful in their own way.

I invite you to expand your notion of what you think is beautiful. In particular, when you see something or someone you initially judge as not being attractive, be open to the possibility of what IS attractive or beautiful about that person or object.

The mind likes to divide people and things into categories, such as attractive or unattractive. See things with your heart, which does not attempt to divide. People and things don’t need to change to become beautiful. They are beautiful right now, just as they are, however imperfect they may appear at first glance.

– Jeff Keller
© 2009

Here are some comments from readers in response to the message titled “Intuition” (Part 1), dated March 13, 2009.

Subscriber Comments:

I am more aware of my intuition than when I was in my teens or twenties. I think when you get older, like now that I am in my thirties, I tend to be more introspective, less distracted by external stimuli, so I tend to make decisions based on my feeling. But my mind always try to kick in most of the time and rationalize my decisions. Now I am paying attention to my feelings, and trusting my decisions based on what feels right rather than what makes logical sense. I just want to do things that make me feel happy, and usually that works out well if I follow my intuition.

* * * *

I’ve always been intuitive …knowing what others didn’t seem to know.

But, you’re right, depending on my need to see a certain situation occur in a certain way…my intuition may be off.

i find that if I get a quick body-centered knowing that doesn’t even feel like I’ve thought it…that’s usually more accurate.

* * * *

I agree with you on that the intuitive guidance is accessed when the mind is quiet. The less active your body and mind, the more sensitive you are to natural and spiritual matters. We all would like to be right in following our feelings but sometimes our feelings get misinterpreted. I believe the more you practice following your intuitive guidance the better you recognize what’s accurate and what’s a fragment of your imagination.

* * * *

My experience with intuition is that a strong message comes into my mind that I have learned not to ignore. A while back I had to choose between two homes to lease. One was beautiful and large and new. The other was small and plain and old. Everything pointed to the large spacious house as being the best deal. The strong message I kept hearing was to choose the small, plain, old one. I did and as it turns out, I met and fell in love with my next door neighbor. The large spacious house also got leased, but ended up in foreclosure a few months later.

* * * *

Quite unfortunately, I think my intuition is, well, buried. Every time I have a big decision and want to know what my gut thinks, it tells me the opposite of what I think it would say (if that makes any sense!). When I was thinking about starting my own business, I would think about it while falling asleep. Then I would concentrate on my gut. My gut told me I was scared to death, it was impossible, and waves of fear would come over me.
But I did it anyway as I was overqualified for much and under qualified for everything else in the job market. That was 3 years ago. The business has been good enough - so far - knock on wood. Therefore, I thought my desire for action may have been my intuition…which I can say also isn’t very dependable. Sometimes my desire for action gets me into a lot of trouble.

All in all, I guess I’m still trying to connect with my intuition. Perhaps not what everyone wants to hear, but the truth nonetheless.

* * * *

I know our intuition is our messages from God but our Ego will always find a way to obstruct the Spirit’s messages. I agree with you we need to empty our mind and stop thinking to receive the Lord’s guidance. Praying/Meditation to our Lord is always the best way to find out what he wants us to do. I feel it is always best to humble/empty oneself of all our pride, self importance or any other worldly identity so we can clearly hear the guidance from our senior Spiritual partner.

* * * *

During trying times…there is this great whisperer that tells you to do something or act in some “unnatural” way but when you respond positively to this “call” …an inner call…intuition…after some time…you realized your intuition worked. It saved you or it provided you some relief.

This is basic to mothers. And if not tapped by the individual to stay for long…it begins to dwindle or its capacity to influence or manifests.

I believe all people have this “intuition,” but it is more pronounced on people with “spiritual” practice… a deeper relationship with the Almighty Creator. Whatever name, you call HIM.. People whose purpose in life and directions are much clearer have “intuitions” at work and are more reliable. Insofar as the individual is concern, the more she relies on her intuition…the sharper it becomes. And later, it is part of her existence.

No need for cell phones or high technology to be able to communicate what you wish to tell or communicate. Or whom you want to meet. They will just knock at your door because you developed the “intuition” naturally thru a purpose-driven life and “spirit” filled life.

It is hard to explain or capture in words what the reality is on the subject matter of “intuition.” But it is good to send the message that if you travel lightly in this planet…no emotional loads or bondage, not so much attachment to material things or people…this “intuition” is awakened.

The only attachment you must have is the attachment to please that GREAT CREATOR. G O D. Generator, Operator and Destroyer. Generates all the love, operates all the entities in this planet and destroys all negativities in man!
Let go…let GOD!

* * * *
Interesting topic! I have noticed that over the years that when my intuition kicks in it has just “spoken to me” — period. I wasn’t trying to “be still. It is interesting to me because all the books and gurus say you have to be quiet or meditate for an answer or in order to be open to hear insights . If I want to clear my mind or relax my mind , then for me really loud music is one thing (and there are more ) that puts me in a great meditative place, far more than being still. And I have noticed the distinct difference between intuition and my thinking mind regarding something I want or wish to be true.

I could be doing anything, just going about my normal activities, and the intuition or gut feeling just came to me. MY experience has been that trying to be still, trying to meditate or “trying” anything does the opposite. And I think sometimes people will dismiss what is natural for them because they are told they are doing it wrong.

* * * *

Everyone has experienced insights that can be referred to as intuition. You have a hunch or a feeling about something and it appears to be coming from a source other than your thinking mind and its rational processes.

Some dictionary definitions of intuition include: “instinctive knowing;” “an impression that something might be the case;” “the direct knowing or learning of something without the conscious use of reasoning.”

Intuition seems to have a mysterious, “out of this world” nature – that somehow we have tapped into information beyond our human thinking. We may have these intuitive feelings about very mundane matters – such as whether we feel our favorite sports team will win or whether a particular person we just met is honest.

Of course, we may also have intuitive feelings about major decisions in our lives – such as moving to a different city or country, or making a career transition. We hear a whisper or get a gut feeling that we should follow the information that is being communicated to us.

As I see it, the biggest challenge is determining when we are truly receiving intuitive guidance as opposed to receiving the thoughts generated by our rational thinking mind. This distinction is of vital importance since the intuitive guidance is extremely reliable and beneficial, whereas the thinking mind’s data is often flawed and doesn’t always serve us.

I’m finding that the intuitive guidance is accessed when the mind is quiet. Then we tap into information the mind can’t discover through its rational processes. In other words, we must get the mind out of the way for intuition to flourish. Perhaps your experience is different.

The thinking mind loves to masquerade as your intuition, to convince you that it is delivering “special” knowledge. For example, you have a feeling that your soccer team will win the match – and your team wins. You say immediately afterward, “I KNEW my team would win today. I just had a feeling about it.”

In my experience, this is rarely your intuition at work. It’s your ego claiming to have special powers. What we often overlook is how many times we have feelings that DON’T turn out to be accurate.

In other words, there are dozens of times we feel our team will win – and our team loses. We have a hunch we will get the promotion – and we don’t get it. We think it’s going to rain tomorrow and it doesn’t.

Of course, when our “guess” is right, we want credit for knowing something in advance. When our guess is wrong, the mind quickly dismisses the subject and moves on…until the next time when we are right and we can say, “I knew it!”

Consider how YOUR intuition operates. Most importantly, be ruthlessly honest with yourself about when your “intuition” doesn’t come true. How can you tell when something is coming from your thinking mind… and when you are directly accessing something beyond the mind?

Is your mind quiet when the intuition is felt…or do you feel you are able to receive the intuition when the mind is engaged in thinking?

What have you learned about how intuition works in your life?

Let’s open a discussion on this topic of Intuition. Feel free to share your comments and insights so that we can learn from each other.

In my view, learning to improve our recognition of intuitive guidance is a vital element in our spiritual growth. It helps us to hear the voice of the spirit and to receive direction that the thinking mind and its conditioning can’t provide.

If I publish any of your comments, your name and email address will not be included. Thus, your privacy will be maintained.

– Jeff Keller
© 2009

In this message, I’ll discuss what I refer to as “Conditional Friendships.” These are friendships we maintain because of some benefit that we derive from them. When the benefit is no longer there, we often allow these friendships to “expire.”

This happens most often in the context of our business relationships, but is not limited to that context. It can also happen with our relationships in the community, and even in our relationships with those in our congregation or place of worship.

What I am learning is just how widespread these conditional friendships are – and how we tend to deny their true nature. I’m not suggesting that we should feel guilty for establishing and maintaining these conditional friendships – only that we should face up to them and see them as they are – a barter arrangement of some kind.

Let me offer some examples. If you are doing business with someone, you may begin to feel very close with that person. You share stories about your families. You talk about hobbies or other interests. You begin to see each other as friends, perhaps close friends. You feel sure that this person will be your friend for many, many years to come.

And yet, once the business relationship is severed for some reason – the friendship often comes to an end. You no longer speak to that person. The close connection you felt you had with this person is gone.

What happened?

The friendship, at some level, was built upon what you could get from each other. The benefit is often money, but need not be limited to that. Another benefit we may get from friendships is prestige. We often want to be friends with prominent people because it strokes our ego. If they lose their prominence, we no longer want to be associated with them.

During some business relationships or other conditional relationships you may find that you contributed your time or money to a charity that was important to your friend. You felt good about supporting a worthy cause. Once the business connection ends, you may stop supporting that charity. Why?

Because your motive in supporting the charity was to please your friend. Now, I’m not saying you didn’t get some benefit by supporting a good cause. But it wasn’t enough for you to continue, and that should tell you something. I admit that I’ve done the same thing, and yet at the time I didn’t recognize I was supporting the charity for what I was getting from it.

Over the last 20 years, I had many opportunities to work with clients who hired me for speaking engagements. In the months planning and preparing for the event, I would have extensive discussions with the meeting planner working in the client organization. I developed what I often thought were close friendships – friendships that were sure to go beyond the event.

The event would go very well and the meeting planner would express his or her appreciation. The client was delighted. I was delighted. I looked forward to the continuing friendship.

Boy, was I wrong. Again and again.

Once the event was over, the relationship was over. It was difficult to get a response to a phone call or an email. Simply put, the person had moved on to the next project. Yes, I’ve done the same thing.

Sure, there are exceptions, and I have maintained some wonderful friendships with clients over the years. But I never cease to be amazed at how “friendships” can evaporate when the business relationship is no longer active.

You may say that people in the business world are busy and don’t have the time to maintain friendships. They must focus on the next project of interest to their organization. This may be true. I’m just pointing out the nature of these conditional relationships.

Finally, let’s consider some of the recent investment scandals that have rocked the financial world. Most notable is the 50 billion dollar fraud perpetrated by Bernard Madoff. His actions have wiped out people’s life savings and have left charities with no funds to operate.

One day before the disclosure of Mr. Madoff’s fraud, he had MANY friends. Many people considered themselves to be in an elite group because they had an opportunity to invest with him. They gained prestige and money (or so they thought) by investing in his fund.

Once the fraud was disclosed, he had no friends. Those claiming to be his friend for decades now “disowned” him because of his lies and the damage he left in his path.

I’m not for a moment condoning the fraud perpetrated by Mr. Madoff. The devastation he caused is beyond comprehension. Yet, I do find it interesting that a man with so many friends now has none that are willing to speak up for him and support him in any way. Since the announcement of this fraud, I haven’t seen a single person step forward to say a kind word about Mr. Madoff.

Every person who felt they were a friend of Mr. Madoff had entered into a conditional friendship with him. When the money was gone, the friendship was gone. I recognize that Mr Madoff perpetrated decades of lies. Can we maintain friendships with those who lie to us? How do our religions and spiritual traditions challenge us to act in these instances?

Somehow, we usually find a way to continue to love family members who may lie to us or cause us to lose money. That is because our love for them is unconditional.

Look at the many relationships in your life, aside from family relationships. If you’re honest I think you will find that some of them, especially in the business context, are conditional relationships. You are getting something out of the friendship, and if the benefits are withdrawn, the friendship will end.

This is not a crime. Yet I feel our spirit invites us to face the truth about the nature of our friendships. By looking at this issue head-on, I learned some things about myself. Perhaps you can benefit by seeing how this applies to your life.

I welcome your comments on this topic. If I receive a significant number of responses, I will publish some of them on Friday, March 6. Otherwise, the next issue of this newsletter is scheduled to be sent out on Friday, March 13.

– Jeff Keller
© 2009