I was fortunate recently to learn about a book that provides exercises for re-training the muscles to eliminate pain and tension in the body. The name of the book is “Muscular Re-training for Pain-Free Living” by Craig Williamson. Mr Williamson is an occupational therapist who treats patients with persistent pain problems. He uses a method called Somatic Integration.

You can find more information at his web site: www.somaticintegration.com

I highly recommend this book and can personally attest to its effectiveness. You can read some excerpts from the book at amazon.com and you will also see many enthusiastic comments from others who have read this book and experienced benefits by doing the simple exercises.

I have no connection with Mr. Williamson or his company. What I do have is tremendous respect for the work he is doing – and how much it can help anyone with pain and postural misalignment. (and that includes just about everyone on this planet)

Why raise this issue of physical pain and discomfort in a newsletter on spiritual growth?

Because there is a very important link between the health of our physical bodies and our spiritual awareness.

I’ve found that tension is often the enemy of spiritual growth. While it’s true that some pain or even trauma can accelerate spiritual growth, persistent bodily pain will often distract us from our divine essence.

It’s not so easy to focus on gratitude, the beauty of nature or God when your neck and your back are aching. When persistent pain is present, the mind focuses on the pain a good deal of the time – whether you realize it or not.

Your mind then goes to work trying to find ways to alleviate the pain. You may use mental methods or you may get treatment by health professionals. Nothing is wrong with either of these. But they will not cure the underlying problem – they are merely attempts to manage the pain.

To maximize our connection with spirit, we need to have both a relaxed mind AND a relaxed body.

In my own experience, the Biblical verse, “Be still and know that I am God” is most easily felt when mind and body are relaxed. When the mind becomes over-engaged, or the body is in pain, we tend to lose our spiritual connection.

The exercises in Mr. Williamson’s book are very simple and clearly described. If done properly and within your own limits, you should not feel any pain. If you feel pain, you are doing the exercises incorrectly or trying to push yourself beyond the current limits of your body.

Of course, if you have any particular limitations or physical injuries and are concerned about the safety of any exercises in this book, you should consult your doctor before doing any of them.

Here is a description from Mr. Williamson’s web site regarding his method:

“In his clinical practice, Williamson has found that a lack of kinesthetic awareness, or the ability to sense your own body movements accurately, is the most important—and most overlooked—cause of persistent pain. In this book Williamson offers easy-to-follow exercises to increase body awareness, retrain muscle groups, and eliminate pain once and for all.”

This concept of kinesthetic awareness (also called “motor amnesia”) will amaze you when you see how it works within your own body. Your brain has actually become unable to find certain muscles in your body. This can happen, for instance, when you tighten your muscles for many years due to fear and anxiety.

In many of the exercises, Mr. Williamson will ask you to keep certain muscles inactive while moving other muscles – and you may be unable to do it. For instance, he will tell you to keep your back on the ground and make a particular movement – and you will feel that you HAVE to lift your back to do it.

A person who doesn’t hold muscle tension and has reasonably good alignment will be able to do the movement very easily. And so will you after he shows you how to “find” the muscles. It might take you some time to re-learn the movement, but you will feel a distinct difference after you re-activate the muscle and begin to use it properly.

Give yourself the gift of releasing some muscle tension and re-gaining body awareness. Your body will thank you and your spirit will also shine more brightly.
– Jeff Keller
© 2009

This is the final message in this series on Goals. Do I hear applause in the background?

I don’t generally comment on the number of responses I receive from readers on any particular topic. However, I received very few responses relating to Goals – and it surprised me.

After all, this would seem to be a topic that is relevant to almost everyone. Most people, especially those interested in self-development and/or spiritual growth, have strong opinions about goals. Just about everyone I know feels some conflict between material desires and spiritual growth.

Please understand that I am not saying that you “should” have submitted comments. I’m not trying to encourage you to participate – or to feel guilty for not responding on this subject. You don’t owe me an explanation.

I mentioned to the people who DID respond that I had gotten few emails on this topic. Each person was surprised as they thought this was a topic that would generate much interest.

When I invited people in my last message to share their spiritual goals, I received one email. I am not jumping to the conclusion that you don’t have spiritual goals. There is no rule that you need to share them.

In my view, and I’m just speculating, I think the mind tends to close off the discussion of certain aspects of goals. Where the material goals and spiritual growth conflict, the mind would rather change the subject.

Where questions arise as to how much control we actually have over our goals and our lives – or whether goals are even necessary – the mind has little interest in investigating these matters. Inconsistencies are going to be exposed. Easier to sweep it under the rug and continue with our existing beliefs.

One subscriber put it quite well: “Our rational minds want to tie everything up with a bow and make good logical, rational sense of things. Often times, on an issue like goal setting, things are just not rational and logical at all.”

Actually, I’m grateful that so many of you take the time to submit comments in response to my newsletter articles. I know you’re busy. The silence on the topic of goal setting (and its relation to spiritual growth) was so noticeable that I wanted to discuss it.

But now the discussion is over and we can move on!

– Jeff Keller
© 2009

In this issue, I want to discuss the types of goals people set and how they relate to spiritual growth.

I’ve found that if you ask most people about their goals, they will generally talk about material goals. They may identify goals such as these: a nicer car, a bigger house, or lots of money in the bank. It’s generally about getting more stuff. Even if they talk about career goals, or a promotion, part of their motivation is that the achievement of that goal will allow them to make more money and get more stuff.

The mind is fixated on the concept of MORE. The person earning $100,000 per year begins to think: how can I earn $200,000 a year? This becomes the new target. The entrepreneur earning 5 million dollars a year wants to expand and earn 10 million.

Why do we want a bigger house or a certain car? Why must every business keep expanding? Do we really think it is the pure desire of our heart? Do you really believe God is rooting for you to triple your income or buy a Mercedes?

As I see it, we pursue these material goals because others are pursuing them — so we fall in line and go after them as well. It’s a sign of success in most societies, and others will be impressed with us.

What is the purpose of setting goals to acquire much more than you need?

You may say that it is natural for humans to aim high or want things. I’m not convinced by that argument. Certainly, we are driven to meet our basic needs such as food and shelter. We want to experience certain activities and utilize our talents. However, I don’t think there is anything inherent in us that would explain why we want to have much more than we need.

We have been conditioned to believe that accumulation is a good thing and that it is wise to accumulate far more than you’ll need.

(Note: I could be completely wrong about the need for more not being inherent in humans. I’m just sharing my view and if you have a background in science/psychology and can shed some light on this issue, I welcome your insights.)

Your mind can come up with many reasonable arguments as to why you should accumulate and strive for more. You can say that you want to provide the best for yourself and your family – to give them the opportunity to have the best education, the best health care and to have comfortable shelter and surroundings.

How can anyone argue with that?

The problem is that the mind doesn’t seem to be able to do anything in moderation. Its tendency is to push beyond what is reasonable and to crave more and more and more. It is never happy with its level of accumulation and always has its eye out for those who have more.

We have seen in the business environment how the obsession with material goals leads to abuses and unethical conduct. For example, businesses set earnings goals and then feel the need to meet them or exceed them. This, in turn, leads to questionable accounting practices – and in some cases, complete fabrications of earnings figures. Executives realize they may lose their jobs if sales goals are not met.

Salespeople with quotas may sell you products or services that will be most profitable for them and their companies, without regard to what is best for you. Not everyone takes this approach, but I’ll bet that you know exactly what I’m talking about and have experienced it dozens, if not hundreds of times in your life.

Getting back to the person trying only to provide the best for his or her family – what are the consequences of accumulating enough to provide this apparent security? How much time does the working parent have to work and not be with the family? Do both parents HAVE to work to maintain a certain lifestyle? Does the worker ever have to compromise what he or she thinks is right to keep a job that is paying well?

I’m not saying we should all give up material desires; I’ll be the first to admit that possessions can bring comfort and enjoyment.

I’m just inviting you to explore FULLY the implications of these material pursuits and how they relate to your spiritual growth. Who among us can say that we have never worshipped money? The pressure to play this game is very, very strong.

If you were to write an essay titled “What God thinks about my material goals,”what would you write in the essay?

I’ve seen many preachers on TV and on the internet stress the importance of “prosperity” and how “God wants us to be rich.” I’ll let you draw your own conclusions about what God wants.

I’ve also observed that many people will say that they have spiritual goals. Yet, this is often in the context of discussing all of their goals, of which spiritual goals play a part. And in the vast majority of the people I run across, the list of material goals is far more extensive than the list of spiritual goals.

People feel they “should” have spiritual goals, as if they are throwing God a bone so He won’t feel left out. I suppose it also lessens their guilt as they pursue their material goals.

Regarding spiritual goals, I’m not even sure what purpose they would serve. How could I figure out in my mind what God wants me to do?

If I were to surrender to God’s will, what more what I need to do in terms of goals? Any goals I formulate would appear to be MY will, not God’s will. Can’t God show me day by day what to do if I remain open to this guidance? Can’t I trust that whatever I am led to do will take care of all my needs, including my material needs?

Do I need to set a goal to love my neighbor? Do I need to set a goal to have a closer connection with God? Do I need to set a goal to attend services a specific amount of times each week?

I’d be interested in hearing from those who set spiritual goals as to what these goals are — and how they have contributed to your spiritual growth.

Of course, you’re also welcome to address any of the points I’ve raised in this message.

– Jeff Keller
© 2009

Before continuing my own discussion of Goals, I’m going to include some reader comments I received recently on this topic. If you missed Parts 1, 2 and 3 of this series of messages, go to www.YourSpirutalJourney.net  .

Reader Comments:

“When I was 16 years old, I was a sophomore in high school and I had two goals that were independent from each other. One was to become an architect and the other was to join the Navy. Two months after my 16th birthday, I was in a bicycle accident that left me a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the neck down.

Needless to say, my goals of that able-bodied teenager were shattered. Over the next several months I did not have any goals, just the desire to live. That certainly wasn’t the goal but a necessity.

During that time two things began entering my mind. The first was my faith and spirituality, and the second was understanding my future and the direction I was heading. I first had to understand my faith and spirituality in a far different context but at least I had something to base it on. I have a strong spiritual upbringing that was not difficult to rekindle. It wasn’t easy and even today I must pause to consider my thoughts and actions.

The second was far more difficult. Every day was a chore to survive mentally and physically. So as I became aware enough to face this challenge I needed to discover a path to survival. I knew it was going to be a long road. I thought about setting goals such as getting out of the ICU, getting off the respirator, surgeries, rehabilitation and the big one, getting home. This was far too overwhelming so my answer to this was simple. Live! You might think that that answer is too simple. My motto became “one day at a time” and that’s how I survived then and how I live now.

If you would like to call it a goal, that’s fine. You might say it’s all encompassing. It is and I will explain how it satisfies me. Being a quadriplegic I could certainly anticipate, strategize and hope my life would go according to plan, but that hasn’t always been the case so what I have done is just live.

Sure, I have created a plan. After coming home from the hospital I planned to graduate high school and I did. I planned to attend college. Well, I didn’t attend but I did it online. I planned on practicing law — as it turned out I’m not.

I had no idea whether I would ever get married. I am. I had no idea whether I would own a home. I do. These were never goals that I set. If you truly wanted me to offer you what my goals are, they are these: be true to myself, live a happy life, understand my wrongdoings and believe in my faith.”

* * * *

“I couldn’t let this one go. You make many contentious points, some of which I tend to agree with. You are right when you say that there is always some unknown in our universe, or indeed the physical universe. Plato said that knowledge is divine and, to my mind, this indicates that some things we will never know.

You point out many people achieve success without goals. I don’t know of anyone who achieved success without some kind of focus. Most people I know set goals and regard them as a destination. It gives them something to focus on. If you look at Tiger Woods, for example, you see an individual who has extraordinary focus. Whether he was born with it or not is not important. It was his focus and the hard work he has put in over many years that enabled him to achieve at the level he has.

Any being has, as a fundamental purpose, to survive. It is how you view survival that has a bearing. If having three square meals a day and a roof over your head is your idea of survival you would be right. But if you want a higher level of survival then you must have a direction. Goals tend to provide that.

I use goals as tools to focus in the direction I wish to go. This gives me a real sense of purpose, and life without purpose is, to my mind, no life at all.

So, perhaps goals used as a tool to give focus and purpose, are supportive. I do not believe we are on this planet just to drift. If you look at the contributors to civilization all down through history, it is the individuals with purpose who have given us what is great about the world. Wastrels, talented or not, who make no distribution are as stones hitting a pond. They make a minor splash then disappear, and the pond is as if they had never existed.

The great unknown in the universe is PURPOSE and whatever device people use to gain purpose is fine with me. We eventually must all come to the realization that we are, we simply are. Whether we want to do something to promote survival beyond our own narrow confines is a decision each of us must make.”

* * * *

“Have you ever made an intention to do something and then set about doing it? During this exercise you realize that you have gone about it in the totally wrong manner but the result has been right. HINDSIGHT?

What I’m trying to say is so long as your goals are set for the right reasons, that intention is PURE, achievement or success is purely the choice of the creator. He alone has the power to make us achieve our goals.”

* * * *

“I believe it is possible to set goals with faith. Just because we set goals does not mean that we have to have fear or turmoil. As a stay at home mom I have to say goals are important to me. They don’t define my life but they provide structure to my loose world. I am blessed to have so much time to ponder the universe and all its glory, however goals help keep me from floating away.

I like to feel purposeful in my life. I think one of the societal issues we see a lot of today is the lack of purpose in people’s lives. I think people can set goals without purpose, a.k.a. stuff. I believe we need to, by design, have purpose for our life with the knowledge that through that the details will take care of themselves. Not that we aren’t responsible for ourselves but that in adding value to the universe the universe will provide. I think it is not so much contradiction in words as in interpretation.

You know I have played the goal setting game. I have written out my financial wishes in present tense. I have written out promotion titles on specific dates. I have seen some come true and let others go. I have evolved through this process. I have to say I don’t worry much about those things anymore. There are still things I would like to have and accomplish, I’m just not as attached to them.

Also I know those things are going to change. There really isn’t anything I need to have that I don’t have. We always have enough even when we are sure we won’t. We always make it through and get by. Perversely the less I strive for the new car, the wood floors, the clothes and what ever else chooses to float through my mind, the more financial freedom and abundance we seem to have.

Goals can give direction. Joy comes from achieving goals congruent with purpose. I love to be used for the purpose of excellence. I strive only to do the best I can with what I have been blessed with. To give to the world as much as I can at this moment and weep with joy over all the world has shared with me.

I wish to not take for granted the painful lessons or ever turn a blind eye to the tiniest of joys. I pray to meet my fellow man on the street with a smile and the courage to truly see him. I hope to never forget the strength a simple touch can give and never to be afraid to reach out and share that contact. I glory in the beauty in all that is; even in the places it is hardest to see. There are no mistakes, so if I fall off course it is only to learn a lesson I needed to learn.

Goals are a game we play to define time. Goals help us define our worth. In the end they are as much an illusion as separation, but I believe through goal setting we start to define our purpose and can ultimately break down the false definitions of ourselves. They are just a tool.”

* * * *

I will continue my discussion of Goals in the next issue.

– Jeff Keller

In the next few issues of the newsletter, I’ll be offering some of my thoughts on setting goals and how they relate to our spiritual growth.

The most important discovery I have made over the years on this subject is that most people (and I include myself in this category) go through life approaching this issue from a set of conditioned beliefs that bear little resemblance to reality. Even those who claim to have achieved great success through goal setting tend to overlook the contradictions that are readily apparent when one is willing to investigate the mind and how things are manifesting in this world.

Are you willing to put aside your conditioned beliefs and take a fresh look at this subject of goals? If you say you’re ready to take an unbiased look, be ruthless in your investigation. Make no assumptions that can’t be proven.

I have found that spiritual growth demands that we be willing to admit that there are some things we just don’t know. We must want the truth more than we want to hold onto our familiar beliefs.

Let’s start by examining whether people need goals to achieve success (however you define success). Is goal setting a pre-requisite to success?

Some people would say that goal setting is essential for success — that people without specific plans and strategies will wander aimlessly and fail.

How then do we explain that many people achieve great success without setting goals? I’ve seen interviews with former U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright, model Cindy Crawford, actor Antonio Banderas and many others. Each of them stated that they didn’t set any goals. They seized the opportunities as they developed. No planning. No expectation of achieving a specific result or earning a pre-determined amount of money.

Many others have attained success without setting specific goals.

On the other hand, I’ve read and listened to interviews with many athletes, celebrities, business executives and entrepreneurs who have said that goal setting was a key element in their achievements.

If some who succeed set goals, and others who succeed don’t set goals, how can we say that goal setting is essential? At the very least, it doesn’t seem to be a “one size fits all” concept.

Is goal setting required to find a spouse? Do we need to make a list and visualize the qualities we want in a mate? Aren’t there many people with satisfying marriages who haven’t used any visualization or goal techniques to find a spouse?

There’s another question that remains unanswered:

With regard to the goal setters, did the fact that these people set goals CAUSE their success?

We have no way of knowing that. Many successful goal setters are not successful in achieving certain goals. I don’t know anyone who claims to have achieved 100% of their goals. Why does their process fail for some goals….and succeed with other goals?

The mind tends to avoid questions like this, which may call into question many conditioned beliefs.

Oprah Winfrey provides an interesting example. Oprah has developed a vision that has allowed her to establish a billion dollar media empire – talk shows, magazines, etc. Most people would say she has accomplished some phenomenal goals and I would agree.

Why is it that she can’t control her own weight, despite setting goals to achieve that objective?

What seems easier to you – controlling one’s weight or creating and maintaining a billion dollar media conglomerate? As I see it, the weight control is the “easier” goal. Why does Oprah have trouble achieving that goal? Does she appear to be weak-minded to you? Not to me.

Your mind may come up with many justifications to explain the Oprah weight issue or why some successful people don’t achieve certain goals. But do you really have any definitive answers to those issues?

It is quite an oversimplification to say that all we need to do to achieve anything we want is to set a goal, visualize it and take action. We may succeed, and then again, we may not.

Ten thousand people may set a goal to become President or Prime Minister of their country. These 10,000 people may have great confidence in themselves. They may be hard workers and very persistent. How many will succeed in attaining this goal?

How will we explain the 1% who might achieve this goal as compared with the 99% who won’t? Equally important, how will we explain those who become President or Prime Minister despite the fact that they never set this as a goal?

Isn’t it fair to say that some things appear to happen spontaneously in life, despite our efforts to control circumstances and outcomes?

What things are happening spontaneously (or outside your control) and what events are unfolding because you set a particular goal? These are tricky questions because most of us have had experiences where we set a goal, had strong belief, and we achieved our desired outcome. This convinces us that goal setting is effective.

However, we ignore those instances when the process doesn’t bring us our desires.

We all know people who were unexpectedly fired from their job and then started their own business. Many achieved great success, and they will admit that if they hadn’t been fired, they would never have started the business.

For these individuals, the successful business was not the result of a pre-determined goal. It was the result of circumstances beyond their control. How did these people succeed without setting goals?

Of course, you might argue that those who started a business under these circumstances then set goals for the business – and that’s why the business succeeded.

Ok, so they didn’t need to set a goal to start the business – that happened spontaneously — but they needed a specific plan to grow the business?

Any conclusions we claim to draw here are nothing but guesses. Your mind may have strong opinions but they are merely opinions and you can’t prove with any degree of certainty why you believe as you do.

Let’s turn our attention for a moment to health goals. Do those who set goals of being healthy always have good health? Certainly not. You can set a health goal, visualize vibrant health, exercise and eat plenty of vegetables and tofu….and drop dead of a heart attack in your 40s. Why don’t health goals work even when we feel we have sufficient belief in our goals?

Interestingly, if we set health goals and are feeling healthy, we will immediately claim that the goals are what are “causing” our health. But what about the person who does the same things we do, thinks as we do, and gets cancer or heart disease?

You may say their genetics are influencing their health and that their conditioning or beliefs are playing a role. Quite true, but aren’t genetics and conditioning playing a vital role in every goal set by every person?

Your mind has to overlook a lot of facts and make up a lot of things to convince you that goal setting is required… and that goal setting is the cause of any success that is achieved.

I’m not trying to get anyone to stop setting goals. If they work for you, keep doing it. I’d still question whether your goal setting is the cause of your success. There are many unanswered questions.

Let’s also take a look at the principle that everything happens for a reason. I’ve always found this to be the case. Even when a goal or desire is derailed, there seems to be a benefit or lesson to be learned. We get re-directed for a reason, often to something better than the original plan.

If you believe in goal setting, how do you reconcile your belief in the value of goal setting with the principle that everything happens for a reason? You are setting one goal – and you may be re-directed to something entirely different. What use is the original goal? Your plans are “stopped” or an obstacle is placed in your path.

Life, God or Spirit is not honoring your initial goal. You are facing a wall. Who puts up this wall? What good is goal setting if some power or force can prevent the goal from being achieved? When are YOUR wishes allowed to proceed…and when are they blocked?

Can your mind answer any of these questions with any degree of authority?

There’s a lot more to discuss about goal setting, but that’s enough for now. I’ll pick up the discussion in the next issue.

– Jeff Keller
© 2009

If you did not read Part 1 of this message, you can find it at www.YourSpiritualJourney.net  (published on September 8, 2009).

Here are some of the reader comments I received:

* * * *

Reader Comments:

Everyone needs goals, or targets, to give them the impetus to achieve in life-without them we would drift along.

I do find that if I enTRUST my goals to God they are achieved, eventually, in God’s time.
I was very sick back in 2004 and had a goal to recover fully. This was my goal, but in order to achieve that goal I joined a company and became a distributor, giving me the reason to get out of bed in the morning and the exercise, at my own pace, that I required to strengthen my body, increase my immune system, thus setting me on the path to recovery. This means was provided by God in the form of an advert in my local newspaper which I “happened” to see because the paper landed on the mat backup, not front up. I heard a voice telling me to check the ads out-and there it was.

If I had not joined this company, but simply waited for the Lord to achieve my goal I’d probably be dead by now. As it was the means was provided and I embraced that means. We set a goal for 5 years for my recovery (my doctor said 7 years), and I recovered in 4 1/2 years. My GOAL was to be healthy. God provided the means, I took the action.

* * * *

“The older I become, the more I see I need to accept life’s being paradoxical.”

* * * *

“I’ll just keep this brief about goals. In my mid-40’s now, my goal every morning is what can I do to be a better person in all areas of my life — personal, spiritual, family, work, contributions to the needy, etc. I strive to be the best I can be in that day, moment…and know tomorrow is another chance to do something different, more. It works for me…and there’s nothing material about it.”

* * * *

“I have to say, Jeff, that I struggle with some of the same conflicts.
I have a very hard time “letting go and letting God”. I always have to have my hand in it. I feel that sometimes if I don’t have my own goals set in my mind I am just floating around waiting for things to happen, knowing that God will always take care of me but, not really having “a plan”. I have a hard time hearing God when he speaks to me. Therefore, it is important for me to set goals and know that they will be achieved not in my time but in God’s time, but again that he will always take care of me and do what is right for me.”

* * * *

“It’s one of my goals to go to bed earlier but even though I feel it’s an important goal, I have so many other goals that can’t be reached if I meet my goal of getting to bed earlier. It’s my greatest goal to reach peace within my mind. To achieve this goal, I’ll have many more to reach first: Remembering that there are only two real types of communication - one of expressing love and one of calling for love. Remembering this will help to reach another goal: Stop reacting (judging), start forgiving.

Live a life of joy remembering that joy is the most infallible sign of the presence of God. Now after having stating these goals which require no time, I’ll mention that those goals that cause me to get to bed late are daily goals, like repairing fences, feeding animals, cleaning the house, doing laundry, paying bills.”

* * * *

One of our subscribers wrote in to discuss the Bible passage I referred to in the second paragraph of my message: “without vision, the people perish.” I found his discussion to be very useful and want to share it with you. It demonstrates quite clearly, in my view, how this Bible passage has been mis-used by myself and others. This verse really has nothing to do with humans setting their own goals to achieve something in the future.

Subscriber’s Comment:
I wanted to take a look at the verse you quoted in the second paragraph. When verses are taken out of context, or when we read a different translation of the words, the whole verse (quote) takes on a different meaning.
Tony Morgan provides the following (source at the bottom). Notice how the words (translated) change the meaning (focus) of the passage. Whether you agree or not, Tony provides an interesting insight into the passage, and its various meanings.
It is interesting to note that all who have quoted the King James Version’s rendering of Proverbs 29:18, which reads “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” This is strange in that some ministers would never preach from the King James, nor would they recommend it for study or devotional reading. So why would they quote from this old translation? The answer becomes clear when we examine other translations:
NIV - Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint
NLT - When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild
CEV - Without guidance from God law and order disappear
NKJV - Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint
HCSB - Without revelation people run wild
ESV - Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint
AMP - Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish
The New King James and some of the other translations footnote the alternate translation of “revelation,” saying that it can also mean “prophetic vision.”
Clearly the meaning of these contemporary translations is vastly different than the meaning that has been assigned to the King James’ rendering. The Hebrew word that is causing all the trouble is chazon which refers specifically to a prophetic vision. This is not vision in the sense of “a picture of the future that produces passion” and only a small amount of research into the text shows this to be true. Strong suggests the following meanings:
a) vision (in ecstatic state)
b) vision (in night)
c) vision, oracle, prophecy (divine communication)
d) vision (as title of book of prophecy)
None of these can be used to support the type of vision these authors are suggesting. Furthermore, “perish” does not mean “die” but rather “cast off restraint.” The meaning of the verse is clear - Where there is no prophetic vision or revelation from God the people cast off restraint, no longer faithfully interpreting God’s Word and His Laws.
We should also note that most who quote this verse have never completed the verse in context. The King James renders the rest of the verse as follows: “but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” The ESV says “but blessed is he who keeps the law.” The word “but” contrasts something from the first clause and the second. Obviously, what is being contrasted is those who cast off restraint when there is no revelation from God with those who keep the Law regardless. This verse warns against turning from the revelations of God and promises blessing to those who honor Him.
Conclusion
It is possible that a brief, careless reading of one translation of the Bible could lead to confusion as to this verse’s meaning. But for anyone who rightly handles the Word of God, paying attention to the sense of the text and to the meaning of the specific words used in context, the meaning of this verse is obvious.

This verse says nothing of the importance of having a church that is led by vision or a visionary. Ironically, this verse should underscore the importance of honoring God’s revelation, and warn those who would water it down by sloppy or deliberate misuse.

SOURCE: Tony Morgan, pastor of Granger Community Church in South Bend, Indiana.

* * * *

In the next issue, I will offer some of my own views about Goals. Thanks to all those who submitted comments on this topic.

– Jeff Keller

If you have any interest in self-development materials (or previously had an interest), you’ve been exposed to the concept of setting goals. Goals, we are taught, are necessary for achievement. They provide direction and give us a laser like focus to reach our objectives.

The Bible teaches that “without vision, the people perish.” However, the Bible also tells us not to be concerned or worry about tomorrow, as in the example of the lilies of the field (Matthew 6:28). In my view, the Bible has some conflicting advice about planning ahead vs. living in the moment and trusting God to take care of our needs.

There are those who have completely surrendered their life to Christ or God and have found their needs fully met. How do they survive without goals or vision? You may say that God or Christ fills them with the goals to pursue or the vision to have. I would agree, but the goals coming from this source are very different than the goals formulated by the mind.

Goals formulated by the mind tend to involve material objects, such as: I want a better car. I want more money. I want better relationships. Such goals may also involve spiritual matters – such as a closer connection with God or more peace. Yet when the mind is involved, you can be sure that achievements and accumulations are high up on the list of desires.

Nothing is wrong with that. Each person has their own path and that path often evolves. Furthermore, there are many people who have experienced much success and satisfaction using goal setting methods.

I’m interested in hearing YOUR opinion about having goals. Has your view about goal setting changed over time? For those on the spiritual journey, the perspective about goal setting often shifts.

Do you still set goals in certain areas of your life? Has your approach to goal setting changed? Do you have what you would call spiritual goals – and how do they relate to your goals in the material aspects of life? (career, money, relationships, etc.)

Can one lead a satisfying life without having any specific goals?

I welcome your comments on this issue and would like to include some of them in an upcoming issue of the newsletter. I will also share some of my views on goals at that time.

– Jeff Keller
© 2009

When we dream at night, we experience some type of fantasy world.  Most of us, however, assume that the waking state is unquestionably “reality.”

I used to think that way, but no longer.  I’m willing to admit I don’t know the exact nature of this waking state.

Can we really make such a clear distinction between the dream state and the waking state?  Is one state any more real than the other?  Who or what is in control of each state?

Only your mind thinks it has answers to these questions.  Let’s investigate some of these questions and see what we find.  We’ll start with the dreaming state.

Who or what controls the content of your dreams?  There are some who experience lucid dreaming, the ability to observe and control dreams during sleep.

Most people (including myself) have not experienced lucid dreaming.  In other words, we don’t feel we are in control of our dreams.  The content of dreams appears to arise spontaneously.  Some of the dream content may relate to things in our lives – existing relationships, career situations and the like.

Yet other dream content is completely unpredictable.  We may meet people who are deceased or find ourselves in a crowd of people we don’t know.  We may fight monsters in a cave.  The story lines are sometimes very bizarre.

What we DO experience is that the dreams seem very real while we are in the dream state.  We see people and other objects vividly.  We can hear sounds, taste food, or feel emotions.  If we have a frightening dream, we may wake up in a sweat; thus our body is reacting to the dream images.

Of course, our eyes were closed the whole time and our head was on the pillow.  If someone watched us all night in that room, he could verify that there were no sounds, no food and no monsters or caves – just a person sleeping on a bed.

Think about this.  Your mind is capable of experiencing all of its senses in the dream state.  You’re moving, feeling, tasting, touching, smelling and hearing while lying in bed with your eyes closed.

How are you able to see with your eyes closed?  Don’t we believe we need our eyes open to see?

How are you able to taste food with your mouth closed – and with no “real” food present?  Don’t we believe we need to open our mouth and insert actual food in order to taste food?

Here’s another fascinating aspect of the dream state. During our dream, the concepts of time and space are also playing tricks with us.  We may dream that we are flying on a plane to another continent.  We can have the sense that we were on the plane for ten hours or more.

Yet we know (upon awakening) that we never boarded a plane, never traveled any distance at all, and that ten hours did not expire.  Time and space were experienced solely through the mind.  The images that arose were not reality.

We’re not even approaching the issue of who is the script writer for these dreams.  If you think that you (the human being) are doing it, I challenge you to predict in advance precisely what you’re going to dream about tonight.  Tomorrow morning, you’ll see if you were right.

There are many unknown mysteries operating here – far beyond the ability of the mind to determine.

Let’s take a look now at the waking state.  You experience time and space.  You see, touch, feel, taste, smell and hear. 

This seems a lot like the dream state!

The major difference in the waking state is that your eyes are open and you aren’t lying down. You APPEAR to have a lot more control over your movements and decisions in the waking state.  Yet you can’t be sure of the extent of your control, even in the waking state.

The dream state and the waking state have more similarities than differences.

Many of the Eastern religions and spiritual traditions describe the waking state as the dream or play of the Divine.  According to this view, the manifest world is dreamed into existence by God or spirit.

Your mind will likely reject this as science fiction or pure fantasy.

However does it make any sense to believe what the limited mind tells you about the dream state and the waking state?  

Whatever this waking state IS, it’s a mystery.  The dream state is also a mystery.

Why even discuss an issue like this?  Some may feel it is not practical.  Others, myself included, have a desire to explore the nature of our being and the nature of reality.  When we question the mind’s fairy tales and get quiet, spirit can then reveal to us some insights about the miracle of our being.

I welcome your thoughts on this issue of the dream state vs. the waking state.  I’d like to know your perspective and what you have discovered.

– Jeff Keller

© 2009

How do we find the deep spiritual connection that we yearn for? How can we begin to understand what God is, or how we relate to God? What is the relationship between our human existence and our spiritual essence?

These are tough questions – at least they are tough for me to figure out. In the last few years, one thing has become very clear to me:

The answers to these questions are not to be found in the mind.

Some of you will resonate with that statement. I also know that many of you will disagree or find this discussion to be of no practical value. You may think, “If I don’t use my mind, what would I use?” That is NOT a silly question.

We’ve all been taught to figure out things with our thinking mind. Want to learn a subject in school? Use your mind. You want to plan for your career or business? Use your mind. You want to write an article? Use your mind. Want to plan for dinner tonight? Use your mind.

The mind is an amazing instrument, and it helps us do many things.

Yet my discovery is that the mind is woefully inadequate to explain God and the nature of our existence. The mind can’t even come close to figuring out who we are, or who God is. These answers are beyond the thinking mind.

As I see it, mind has been created by THAT which the mind is now seeking. The mind seeks to understand a power greater than mind. Ultimately, the mind will fail in its mission – although it will offer a lot of adventures and seeming insights along the way.

Many people interested in spirituality will argue that spiritual texts, belief systems and discernment – all mind tools – will help us to understand God and develop a relationship with God. For some, that is all they need to be perfectly content with their spiritual growth.

Not me. I’ve found that my mind has offered very feeble explanations for the vast mystery of God and spirit. Spiritual texts and spiritual leaders can be helpful, but they can’t explain what appears to be beyond human comprehension.

Let’s look at the mind for a moment to see some of its limitations. Can the mind really understand something that has no beginning and no end? Can the mind understand that which is not tangible? How would the mind describe God or spirit?

These questions are beyond the ability of the mind. Why would I trust my mind to be the guide on this spiritual journey?

Furthermore, many scientists claim that time and space do not exist – that they can’t be proven, other than as a construct of the mind. How would the mind go about determining if time and space exist? The mind can’t fathom such a possibility.

If you think this sounds too much like a science fiction movie, let’s consider something more basic. What is MIND? Can your mind tell you precisely what is this thing we refer to as “mind?” Can someone show you a mind? The thoughts that are coming from the mind – what are they are where are they located?

I haven’t got a clue. Do you?

The mind will have you believe that this is a very logical, and for the most part, understandable world. It likes to keep you focused on superficial judgments and opinions – and on material objects. On its own, the mind will not raise difficult spiritual questions, since to raise them, is to put a dent in the mind’s credibility. The mind is a trickster that diverts your attention from its limitations.

The mind can be used to show the limitations of the mind, as we are now exploring. This is one of the most valuable things the mind can do for us.

In the last few years, the most important spiritual growth I have experienced is when the mind is quiet. This doesn’t require complete silence or a lack of activity. In most societies, the mind has been trained to be overly active – to crave stimulation and thrive on judgment and analysis. The mind CAN be tamed and learn a different way, where beliefs and judgments decrease and a sense of peace and unity increase.

I’m not saying we will get definitive answers on our spiritual questions if we quiet the mental activity – but we will gain some insights into the nature of our being and how to interact with others. At least that is what I am finding.

I want to open a discussion on this topic. Think about how the mind has served you in your spiritual growth – and how it has limited you. As the years have passed, do you have a different idea of the importance of using your mind to connect with your spirituality?

– Jeff Keller
© 2009

P.S. I realize that some may differ on the definition of “Mind.” Mind can refer to thinking, intellect, and reasoning; some definitions of mind also include emotions or feelings. I didn’t think we needed a rigid definition of something that can’t be figured out anyway!

I received many insightful comments in response to my last message, Let’s Be Honest About Our Judgments, published on August 11, 2009.

Many of you wrote about the valuable aspects that some judgments play in our lives. This is right on target, and an important clarification. I didn’t mention that aspect of judgments in my initial message. I’m glad to see you are reading these messages carefully!

I also enjoyed reading many of the experiences you shared regarding how this issue has been working in your lives right now. In addition, I found one subscriber’s comments particularly helpful — regarding the Biblical phrase “Judge not” and how this phrase is taken out of context and misunderstood.

Equally important, so many of you were ruthlessly honest about your judgments. I respect and admire your honesty.

Here are excerpts from some of the comments that were submitted.

* * * *

Reader Comments:

“Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, just not their own set of facts.
As you have said, judgment comes from our programming (or is it innate?), and
programming results in preconceived notions (opinions), from which we judge.
As you’ve heard, “Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes
from bad judgment.” The Bottom line: judgment is here to stay, and there’s not
much we can do about it. That’s my judgment, and I’m sticking to it!”

* * * *

“The commonly held popular view against judging is, I think, woefully spiritually shallow. Incorrectly based on Matthew 7:1-2, the context of that chapter shows that Jesus is against hypocritical judging, not judging in general. In fact, in John 7:24 Jesus says, “Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.” There are a number of passages about having discernment, and Paul commends the Philippians for having just that in 1:10. How could one be wise without it?

The popular view merely throws the baby out with the bathwater, something very easy to do for the spiritually immature.”

* * * *

“In regard to your thoughts on judgment.

All your examples were negative.

What about the judgments:

What a cute baby.
He is a really nice person.
This car runs great.
My car mechanic really knows what he is doing.
This is the best food I’ve ever eaten.
They are the best parents I’ve ever seen.

Judgments are not by definition a bad thing and can be a warning that could be a life saver.

That person is a child molester. You might not want to let that person baby sit your child.
That person has bad manners. You might not want to invite him to the Ritz for dinner.
That person is a bad parent. You might not want to have them adopt a baby.”

* * * *

“I wanted to share regarding the topic of judgments.

I worked for one day as a receptionist at what I thought would be a fun place to work — based on the image this business portrayed. However, on my first day there, I saw the owner conduct herself in a manner that I felt very uncomfortable with. I was challenged because it was a place I really wanted to work at. What do I do? I was rationalizing - such as, “she’s under a lot of stress.” Did I judge? Yes. However, I knew in my gut feeling the behavior I witnessed was not right.

The very next day I returned and told her I could not return to the job. I only gave her one example of the behavior I saw that did not feel good. It was enough. She understood. So, yes I judged. But it was out of a need to protect myself and stay true to my integrity. However, I do care about a person. So, in this example, I helped her to find someone to fill the position I quickly left.”

* * * *

“Your instant judgment about an ominous situation can save your life. In this respect, this kind of judgment does not ask the question if it is honest and/or right or wrong. Another example of an instant judgment is whether you are a democrat or republican, white or black, young or old, male or female, etc. This is where the, right or wrong, and being honest about your judgment, takes on a personal basis/bias for the outcome of your judgment.

I have to wonder if judgment is either black or white with no room for any grey area? Unfortunately, I have this either/or, black or white, attitude about many things in life. However, I do not think I am alone in this respect. It is this attitude that I need to work on.”

* * * *

“This is a topic of profound interest to me. One other thought with regard to processing our own judgments is to acknowledge the judgment, then present yourself with an alternate view (either aloud or in our own mind - depending on whether judgment was spoken or thought). For example: When someone cuts you off in traffic you might have the thought, “What a jerk”. You then lead yourself to the thought, “She must have somewhere really important to be.”

I think we often forget that thoughts and feelings are not reality. Sometimes a reality check (or alternate possible reality check) helps us move through the tension of judgment.”

* * * *

“I was walking through our local town just this afternoon and found myself thinking “why is it all these obese people are stuffing their faces with junk food” then I realise I am judging and try to say “Bless them they are doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing at this moment.”

Interestingly there is a topic in the National media over here regarding two youngish parents who were unbelievably cruel to their two year old son and in the end he died unnecessarily as the social workers were aware of the situation. Weird though it sounds I found it easy to bless all concerned and send forgiveness to them all (mentally) while listening to my best friend who is ever so upset about it all. I found it interesting that I can be detached about that and yet judge something as trivial as people eating on the street!

Yes it is very easy to type the words out but putting it all in practice is a different thing all together!”

* * * *

“Judge not, lest ye be judged.” As you clearly stated in your article, it is only human to judge others. That judgment sometimes brings out the most evil of humanity, such as prejudice, yet if we oppress our judgmental feelings disaster can await us. For example, an overprotective father might see their daughter dating someone who “appears” to be of questionable character. What does that father do? Let the daughter get into the car with this individual or does he say “no way!” If he lets her go, is he a bad parent? If he says “no way”, is he being overprotective because he does not like what he “sees”? I see this form of behavior every day.

I work with individuals with a variety of disabilities. Every day, people look at them and judge them for what they “see.” I am judged every day by people do not know me. I’ve been in a wheelchair for 25 years. I can’t move my arms or my legs. I use chin control to drive my wheelchair, something that appears unusual to most people. Many times I get the question “what happened?” But the question is stated in a quiet and sympathetic tone. After telling them that I was in a bicycle accident at the age of 15, I usually get the response “Aw, I’m sorry to hear that.” But when I eventually get around to telling them that “I’m married, I’m an attorney” I get a sudden “WOW.” Now, this does not bother me. Is that person wrong? I think it is normal.
There will never be a right answer but when that “judgmental attitude” turns to prejudice, you’re no longer judging — you have already pre-judged and that is wrong. It is good to know when you’re being judgmental but always ask yourself why, because it is definite that for some reason or maybe no reason at all, you too will be judged.”

* * * *

“I judge, I have quit feeling guilty about it. I don’t do it to be mean, it’s my thoughts.”

* * * *

Thanks to all those who offered their insights. I enjoyed reading your comments and I learned a lot from them.

– Jeff Keller
© 2009