World peace is a concept that just about everyone is in favor of. The challenge is: how do we achieve world peace?

Before I address that issue, I think there is another important question to ask: how do we know that world peace is attainable, or that it is part of God’s plan? (if you believe God has a plan)

In other words, perhaps we are not supposed to achieve world peace on this earthly plane. Before you dismiss this as absurd, consider this: the earthly plane is a world of duality, consisting of a number of polar opposites. Thus, we have Up/Down, Dark/Light, Cold/Hot, Good/Evil, Peace/War.

These opposites always seem to be operating on earth. What makes you think that the rules will change and Peace will exist with no opposite to Peace? Part of the richness of human experience is dealing with these opposites. We learn from them; we grow from them. Perhaps it is God’s Will that these opposites remain. How can you know for sure what God has intended?

You might argue that even if God does not intend for us to bring about a state of world peace, God wants us to work toward that goal. That is quite possible.

Let’s assume that world peace is attainable, or at least that we should be working toward it. How do we achieve world peace? As I see it, here are some strategies that WON’T work. We won’t achieve world peace by trying to convince everyone to follow our religion and to give up their current beliefs. We won’t achieve world peace by trying to convince people to adopt the form of government we advocate and to give up the system they prefer.

We won’t achieve world peace through “peace movements” or “peace marches” in which we seek to enlist an army of followers to spread peace. If we gather in one place to pray for peace, or hold hands around the world, what happens when the “event” is over? Peace is over, and we go back to living as we lived before. Even while the “event” is taking place, there are those around the world who are not participating and who don’t believe the participants stand for peace.

These kinds of collective solutions, in which we try to persuade others to join our cause, are doomed to fail. Here’s why: those attempting to “sell” others on world peace are not themselves at peace.

The vast majority of the “peace” advocates are at war with something. They may be angry at their neighbors who make too much noise. They may condemn the gangs in their city, or resent the meddling of their in-laws. There are many areas where they are “at war” with themselves. How can someone filled with hatred or anger ask others to be peaceful? It is the height of hypocrisy. And yet we all do it.

We’re going at this issue backwards, seeking to change things from the outside. There is no need to convince anyone else on earth to be more peaceful. What would work better is an inside-out approach. Thus, the best thing I can do to promote world peace is for me to be more peaceful. No one else has to do anything. My challenge is to BE peace. To BE love. That will affect the world more than anything I can convince others to do.

What’s more is that this strategy, although very challenging, is something we can embrace immediately, and it is guaranteed to have a positive effect on ourselves and on others. I don’t know if it will ever yield world peace, but it helps to move us in that direction.

You’d have to admit that the current strategies for world peace, used for thousands of years, have not worked at all. The world is not at peace, or even close to it. In our hearts, we know it’s not a matter of trying harder, praying more, or begging others to embrace peace. If you want to keep doing those things, I respect your right to do so. Be my guest. My spirit won’t let me go down that path any longer.

We need to be concerned only with ourselves. As Mohandas Gandhi said, “you must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Be peaceful and loving with yourself and with everyone you encounter. That’s the most valuable contribution you can make to world peace.

– Jeff Keller
© 2008

Imagine for a moment that each of us had a file that contained all of the significant events and emotions that we have experienced from the day we were born until today. The file would include stories about people who treated us well and people who mistreated or abused us. It would include details about our parents and siblings — and how they interacted with us as we were growing up.

The file would have details about our experiences at school and our relationships with friends and classmates. Were we confident… or did we feel inferior and “out of place”? All of this information would be in our file.

The file would have all of our successes and all of our “failures.” It would describe all of the embarrassing situations we faced and precisely how we felt while going through these experiences. If a particular event has haunted us for decades, the file would reveal details about that. All of our work experiences would be revealed.

Simply put, this file would reveal how we came to be the person we are today. Because this file also contains a report of our innermost thoughts, the contents of parts of the file would shock even those who know us well. On certain issues, friends or relatives would say, “I never knew that happened to you” or “I never knew you felt that way.” No matter how much we claim to know someone else, we don’t have access to all of their thoughts and feelings.

Every day, we make judgments about people without having access to their file. We don’t know the full picture of that person’s life. Yet when that person commits an act we find immoral, illegal or offensive, we are quick to condemn the person. We may even admit that we hate the person for what they have done.

Might we think differently if we could read the entire file on that person’s life? Would we be a little more understanding of what led the individual to act as he or she did?

Over the years, I have seen this quote by Marvin J. Ashton and I want to share it with you:

“If we could look into each other’s hearts and understand the unique challenges each of us face, I think we would treat each other much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care.”

I think there is much wisdom in Mr. Ashton’s words. We have a knee-jerk reaction when we hear about someone who commits a violent crime or who molests a child. We might refer to these people as “barbaric” or “vicious animals.” These harsh words are the words of the ego, which seeks to establish our moral superiority over others. After all, we could never engage in such conduct… unless, perhaps, we had experiences in our background that were similar to the person who committed the unkind act.

It reminds me of the often quote phrase, “There but for the grace of God, go I.”

If you were raised by the criminal’s parents, lived in the same neighborhood as the criminal, went to the same schools as the criminal, and had the very same life experiences as the criminal, what makes you think you wouldn’t act as the criminal acted? You can’t judge the criminal’s actions based on YOUR background.

This message is not limited to violent criminal acts. It applies to any behavior we find offensive.

This doesn’t mean we should approve of or endorse violent or immoral behavior. It doesn’t mean we eliminate prisons. I’m not saying people who commit violent or harmful acts should roam free.

However, condemning others or hating them does not serve us. Reacting that way is a violation of the spirit. Calling it “human nature” doesn’t make it spiritually sound. Virtually all religions tell us to love ourselves and to love others. The Bible states, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Nowhere does it say, “Love others as yourself, but you are free to hate those who commit the following acts: …..”

The principle is unconditional. Our challenge in growing spiritually is to move away from “human nature.” It’s not an easy thing to do, especially if you or a family members have been on the receiving end of an act of violence. If God loves ALL of creation, what gives us the right to hate or condemn?

The next time you are about to condemn another or express your dislike or hatred for another human being, ask yourself: If I read the entire file on this person, and learned everything they experienced since birth, might I feel differently?

As Mr. Ashton suggested, you might treat that person “much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care.”

– Jeff Keller
© 2008

You’re sitting at a table, having a meal with some friends. Bowls of soup are served to everyone at the table. Before tasting the soup, the person next to you reaches for the salt and pepper, and for the next 20 seconds vigorously shakes into the soup more salt and pepper than you would use in a month.

You have a pained look on your face. These thoughts immediately go through your mind: “Why would you put salt and pepper in soup, or on any dish, BEFORE you taste it? How do you know how much to add?” You might also think, “How can someone put so much salt and pepper in their food?”

Of course, the roles could be reversed. You might be the one who loves to put a lot of salt and pepper on your food and the person next to you eats the soup without adding salt or pepper. In that case, you think, “How can she eat this bland soup without putting any seasoning in it?”

When it comes to salt, pepper, onions, garlic, curry or just about any type of seasoning, we tend to see things only one way – OUR way. It’s hard for us to understand how someone could enjoy food when it is not seasoned as we think is appropriate. We cringe when we see someone “overdoing” or “under-doing” the spices.

How we season our food is a matter of preference and personal taste. There is no right or wrong way to use seasonings. Furthermore, the way in which another applies salt and pepper does not affect us in any way. They’re not putting the salt and pepper in YOUR soup. They are putting the spices in their own soup.

Our world is so diverse, and yet it is difficult for us to accept each other’s preferences. Often, when we see people doing things we wouldn’t do, our mind says:

Why aren’t they thinking as I think?

Why aren’t they acting as I would act?

Your mind would often have you believe that your way is superior. Your beliefs and habits are shaped by your genetics and your environment. Each person has different genetics and has grown up in an environment that is different than yours. Why expect everyone to come to the same conclusion?

Our spiritual growth comes when we learn to accept that others have different preferences, and we honor those preferences. There is no universal religion that everyone will agree to practice. There is no universal political viewpoint that all will accept. There is no one way of raising children that all cultures will agree upon. Marriage customs will vary from culture to culture.

Getting people to agree on these issues is like trying to get everyone to use the same amount of salt and pepper on their food. It’s not going to happen.

The diversity in this world is beautiful and we can open our hearts to it. Within our own country and in our relations with people in other countries, we need to continually remind ourselves that it’s perfectly acceptable for people to have preferences. If the other person is not harming us, why can’t we just smile and get on with life?

The next time you’re tempted to judge or criticize the way other people think or act, realize that in most cases, they’re just using a different amount of salt or pepper than you would use. Allow them to have their preferences, and there is no need to even consider what YOU would do.

– Jeff Keller
© 2008

Note: From time to time, this newsletter presents perspectives from different religions and spiritual practices. This message was submitted by Neren, one of our subscribers in South Africa. In my view, it is important that we learn and understand the views and insights of people from all religions around the world. I welcome submissions from people of all religions.

– Jeff Keller

Neren’s Spiritual Journey

For the past 20 years, I am affiliated with ISKCON – The International Society for Krishna Consciousness. According to the ISKCON web site, “ISKCON’S primary mission is to encourage all members of human society to devote at least some portion of their time and energies to the process of hearing and chanting about God. In this way, they will gradually come to realize that all living beings are spirit souls, eternally related to the Supreme Lord in service and in love.”

This has been my spiritual journey thus far and it has brought so much tranquility and peace of mind. ISKCON focuses on “bhakti yoga” or pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord who we worship as Lord Sri Krishna. The primary method of worship in the initial stages are the chanting of the holy names of God (which is also emphasized in all religions), this in turn gives rise to understanding that God does indeed have a name, form, qualities and pastimes. By us trying to rekindle that lost relationship gives us an opportunity to enter in the spiritual world and join in the activities with the Lord.

Many people are of the opinion or have been taught that God is our order supplier - “God give me this, that and the other;” however we are mainly concerned with how we can establish a better relationship with the Lord without asking for anything material in return. The Lord knows our heart’s desire and will provide accordingly. Like a bird for example, his food is being supplied in some form or the other!

As part of our Daily practices :
• One serious on the path of spiritual life will rise around 4:00 am as this is the best time for spiritual practices.
• We encourage all people to devote some portion of their time to the chanting the names of the Lord at least 2 of 24 hours in a day.
• What do we chant – hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare, hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
• What does this literally mean – we ask that the Lord continuously bless us in devotional service and that we can engage in His service.

We also ask that the people abstain from :

 Meat eating
 Gambling
 Illicit sex
 Intoxication

On the positive side :
• One learns MERCY & COMPASSION for all living entities.
• One learns about being TRUTHFUL
• One learns about PURITY, cleanliness of body, mind and spirit
• No intoxication - leads to AUSTERITY

I am happy and proud to admit that intellectually I have realized that these are bad habits. If I feel pain when pinched, imagine the pain being experienced by someone else. So anyone using logic and intelligence will understand these basic principles and this is what determines a human being from an animal. We as human beings have the intelligence to rationalize between right and wrong. I am glad to have given up on all or most bad habits and that I don’t hurt or kill other living entities at least not intentionally! Being a vegetarian is great and has altered my way of thinking for the better.

Should you have further questions or comments please visit www.ISKCONinSA.co.za  to get a broader perspective on the philosophy.

Wishing you the best in your spiritual life,

Neren

Are there any people who you regard as helpful spiritual teachers? Perhaps it is a member of the clergy, or an author who writes books on spiritual issues. It could be a co-worker, neighbor or member of your family. Some of us would say that our spiritual teachers have been children facing a terminal illness or people who have overcome personal tragedies.

What criteria do you use in evaluating an effective spiritual teacher? This is a very personal matter and will vary from person to person. I am not suggesting that any human being is to be worshipped, since in my view, no human can fully understand the nature of God.

On your spiritual journey, you may find that learning from other humans is of limited value – and that study of Scripture or other spiritual texts are more useful. You may find that all you need is to pray and listen to God’s answers. There is no right or wrong way, and I respect whatever works for you.

When I refer to spiritual “teachers” in my life, I am not referring to formal teaching sessions that I receive on a regular basis. Some of these teachers have been authors, most of whom I have never personally met. Some have been strangers that crossed my path. Some are friends who would not even be aware of the spiritual lessons they have taught me.

Here are the traits that I look for in a spiritual teacher:

1. Peace of mind/Lack of fear. I am drawn to people who are at peace, and who can maintain that peace, no matter what is going on in their own lives, or in the world around them. If we believe God walks with us, provides for us, and promises us eternal life, there is no reason to worry. And yet 99.9% of the people on this earth, myself included, are worrying. If a person appears to have this “peace that passes all understanding,” then I know I can learn from this individual.

2. Loves themselves and others unconditionally. Virtually every religion and spiritual tradition expresses this principle. Trying to find someone who lives it is not easy!

3. No judgment or criticism. This is related to the concept of unconditional love. If you love people unconditionally, you will not have any need to criticize them or judge them. When I find people who are not judgmental, I always learn a lot by listening to them, carefully observing their behavior, and finding out how they developed this trait.

4. Acceptance of reality AS IT IS and not insisting that things “should” be different. It is very difficult to grow spiritually when you are at war with reality and insisting that God should be running the universe differently. This doesn’t mean you can’t take steps to improve conditions in the world. It means you surrender to God’s Will and realize you can never see the big picture as God sees it.

Well, that’s my list. I need a lot of work in all these areas. But whenever I find someone exhibiting one or more of these characteristics, I know I’ve met someone who can help me grow spiritually. I recognize that no spiritual teacher can do my spiritual “work” for me. They can only point the way and offer some encouragement. I am very grateful for the guidance I have received over the years.

No one religion or spiritual tradition has a “monopoly” on these traits. I have come across people from organized religions – and outside organized religion – who live according to these principles.

What do YOU look for in a spiritual teacher? What teachers have helped you on your spiritual journey?

– Jeff Keller
© 2008

About 10 years ago, I wrote an article on the virtues of consistency and the evils of inconsistency. I made some valuable points in that article, but if I were to re-write it now, I would not be so harsh in my evaluation of “inconsistency.”

In this message, I am not referring to consistency and inconsistency as they apply to the completion of physical tasks. We want consistency when it comes to a brain surgeon operating on us. We want consistency when we entrust our packages to a courier service to make an overnight delivery.

I’ll be addressing inconsistency in these two contexts:

1. Changing your mind, such as on a political, social or spiritual issue.

2. Allowing for individual assessments of situations, as opposed to following a uniform rule. (such as the penalty to be given to two people who break the same law)

Yes, inconsistency has its place in our lives. It is not the villain we make it out to be. Most of us fight our inconsistent thoughts and beliefs, as if they should be avoided at all costs. The mind looks for consistency. It feels safe following the set of “rules” it has previously followed. We often think we are showing weakness if we are inconsistent.

Consider your political beliefs or your beliefs on any subject (such as prison systems, the environment, world peace, or feeding the hungry). Have your beliefs changed at all in the last 20, 30 or 40 years? If they changed, you haven’t been consistent in this area. One time you believed one way. Now you believe another way. So what? That’s a good thing, not a bad thing. In all likelihood, your life experiences have shaped your beliefs over time. Five days from now, your beliefs may change again.

For a moment, let’s examine your thoughts and philosophy as they relate to raising children. Would you say that your approach now is exactly the same as it was when your first child was born? Perhaps you do have the same views, but there’s an excellent chance you learned something over the years that caused you to alter your original viewpoint. Your approach now would be inconsistent with your earlier approach.

If you’re learning and growing as a person, I’d expect you to change some of your beliefs, to be inconsistent over time. I confess that I’ve changed many of my beliefs over the years, and I plan to keep doing so. Life isn’t that easy to figure out, and I have a lot to learn. It would make no sense to strive for consistency, so I try to remain open and not get locked into any positions.

In certain instances, we feel that consistency must be maintained, without exception. Love and honesty are two examples that quickly come to mind. Can we ever justify being inconsistent in these areas?

We’ll start with love. If you were being attacked by a madman with a club, would you extend loving thoughts to the attacker and let him continue to pound you? Or would you defend yourself and hit him back? No matter how loving you claim to be, I’m guessing you would use force and harm the madman if that was necessary to stop the attack.

Here’s another example. Many of us would say that all forms of life are sacred. If a mosquito landed on your arm and was about to bite you, would you swat or kill the mosquito? Crushing the mosquito doesn’t seem like a loving act, but you know that is what most people would do in that circumstance.

Let’s move on to honesty. Is it important to always be honest, or is it acceptable, under certain circumstances, to be dishonest? Assume a father and his 10 year old son are in a terrible car accident. The father was immediately killed and the son is in critical condition, his life hanging by a thread. You are a nurse in the hospital emergency room. Although the boy is groggy, he looks up at you and says, “Is my dad ok?”

The doctor next to you whispers in your ear, “Tell him his dad is ok, because he can’t handle the news right now in his condition.” Would you insist on being honest in this situation… or would you lie to the boy? Isn’t lying the loving choice in this example?

Life is not black and white. We can’t be consistent all the time, as situations will arise where our heart tells us to be inconsistent. There are times we know that being inconsistent is the right thing for us to do.

It is the mind that demands consistency of beliefs and practices. The spirit honors consistency but realizes that consistency is not always the wisest approach. Don’t get me wrong. I love consistency. I like to interact with people who are consistently loving, consistently honest, consistently dependable. I want our legal system to be relatively consistent.

Yet I know inconsistency has its virtues. I expect people to change their minds on certain issues as they learn and expand their life experience. I believe that rules, while valuable, can’t fit every situation – and that bending the rules sometimes makes sense. Justice is often served when we are willing to be inconsistent.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said that consistency is for “small minds.” I agree. I’ve found that our spirit is capable of making the right decision in each moment. It doesn’t have to look back and see what we did the last four times a similar situation arose.

Let your mind scream all it wants about the “need” for consistency. Feel free to change your mind. Feel free to be inconsistent and exercise some discretion when you think the situation calls for it. Your heart knows when to break the rules, or when to shift beliefs. Your heart knows that it’s ok to be inconsistent.

– Jeff Keller
© 2008

When we visit someone who just experienced a death in the family, or who is facing a serious health challenge, we’re tempted to say, “I know how you feel.” I, too, used to say that many years ago. Then I realized how ridiculous that statement is.

We don’t know how someone else feels. In most cases, we haven’t gone through exactly what they’re going through. Do we know how it feels to have your child die – if we never experienced the death of our own child? Do we know how it feels to be told you have a life-threatening cancer if we haven’t faced this same challenge ourselves?

In addition, even if we have some personal experience that is similar to that of the other person, we still don’t know exactly how that person is feeling. People who are told they have cancer may react in a variety of ways. One person will be terrified. Another person may be angry. Yet another may be at peace and feel it is God’s will. Everyone has a unique background and a unique personality. We can never really know how someone else feels.

My father died in 2000 and my mother had died in 1993. I was quite surprised at the feelings I had when my father passed away, and I no longer had any living parents. He was 86 and his death was not unexpected. However, I was swept up with emotion now that both of my parents were dead. Perhaps I felt like an “orphan” now that I was “on my own.” I’m not sure what causes this feeling but it’s something I hadn’t expected, and had never experienced before. The feeling passed after several months.

Many people who had lost one parent (but still had a living parent) would tell me that they knew how I felt. I was sure that they didn’t. They couldn’t even begin to feel it until they no longer had any living parents.

We think we’re connecting with the person by blurting out “I know how you feel.” I recognize that when we make this statement, we’re trying to be kind and to comfort the other person. Our intentions are pure. What we really want to say is “I care about you,” “I love you,” and “I’m here to offer my support to you.”

I suppose what the other person really needs is our loving presence, and not our clever words. Silence is awkward for many of us, especially when we are with someone who is going through a tough time, and we feel powerless to help them. We’re also afraid to say the wrong thing.

Furthermore, this isn’t the time to show off our spiritual knowledge. At the funeral, I don’t think the grieving person is comforted when we offer our insights such as “everything happens for a reason,” or “God’s will be done.”

In these moments, I think words fail us for a reason. Words are a mind to mind mode of communication. If we’re looking to connect at the level of spirit, perhaps all we need to do is let our love show itself, through being together in silence, or with a gentle touch or hug. If words seem appropriate, a simple statement such as “I’m sorry” or “I love you” is probably all that is needed.

Conversation may eventually follow, but we don’t have to figure it out in advance or force it. If we listen with our hearts, we will be led to communicate with the other person in a way that comforts him or her, and nurtures our spirit as well.

– Jeff Keller
© 2008

Today’s message was contributed by Roger, one of the subscribers to this newsletter. Over the years, I have benefited from Roger’s insights, his open-mindedness and his deep compassion. He walks his talk and I am pleased to share his message with you.

– Jeff Keller

Over the years, I have accumulated ten thoughts that guide me in a practical way for day-to-day living. The sources of these steps include the Bible, reading books written by talented authors, and simply living life. Here are those ten thoughts that guide me spiritually on a daily basis.

1. Without vision, the people perish.

2. The choice is ours. We all have choices to make. If our choices take us closer to our vision, they are wise choices. If they take us further away from our vision, they are foolish.

3. Most times, the best use of our time is preventing crises.

4. Spend our time and energy on things we can control. In the things we can’t control, exercise faith.

5. When looking for the best scenario, always strive for a win-win situation.

6. Always try to understand another person’s perspective before sharing our perspective. See both sides.

7. Look for the good in others. Their strengths help fill in the gaps of our own shortcomings.

8. Treat others as they want to be treated.

9. Always continue to develop our minds through continued learning.

10. Things are never as good as they seem or as bad as they seem. Keep moving forward.

Best regards,

Roger

This is the last message in this series, in which I’ve been examining the extent of our free will. You can read Parts 1 and 2 by going to www.YourSpiritualJourney.net  .

In Part 2, I invited you to do an exercise where you attempted to keep your mind free of any thoughts for three minutes. If you did the exercise, how many thoughts did You have during this three minute period? If you had 10 thoughts or less, You have a very quiet mind. People who can attain that level of mental calmness are generally those who have practiced meditation, yoga, or martial arts for years.

It is not unusual for people to have 50 or more thoughts during the three minute period. Each thought can pass in a split second, so it’s possible that you might not have recorded every thought that arose. Don’t be concerned about the number of thoughts you had. In case you’re wondering, when I did this exercise a few weeks ago, I had 20 thoughts.

The important lesson to learn from this exercise is that while you’re trying to keep your mind blank, thoughts are literally flooding your mind. Something outside of You is putting these thoughts in your mind. Your free will has been “defeated.” While doing this exercise, You were not in control of your thinking.

Furthermore, most people find that among the string of thoughts they experience, some are bizarre and quite shocking. For instance, you think about a person at work, and then, in an instant, your mind shifts to an experience you had in grade school, or to a person you haven’t seen in 20 years. How powerful is Your free will and control when thoughts are being “switched” on You from moment to moment?

Let me be fair in presenting the other side. For more than 20 years, I’ve written about the power of a positive attitude and a positive belief system. My life changed dramatically for the better when I changed my attitude. Millions of people have improved their lives by developing a more positive attitude. There is no question that a negative attitude leads to negative results. We might then conclude that we have the free will to change our attitude at any time. I’ve stated that many times.

However, I must now admit (after investigating further) that there’s no way to prove that we are exercising our free will when we think positive thoughts – or negative thoughts. In other words, You can’t be sure if You are doing it – or if You are somehow programmed or destined to think in a certain way. Therefore, I know that my attitude changed – but I don’t know if “I” was the one who initiated the change. How can I know this is not something that God controls? Perhaps my attitude changed when God decided it would change – and that I had no say in the matter.

Your mind and ego will tell you that of course You are choosing your attitude with your free will. The ego wants to feel important and powerful. But as I see it, You have no way of proving that You made the choice – and I’ve already identified a number of instances where You don’t have any control over your thoughts or your environment. It’s clear You are not running the whole show. What is not clear is what part of the show, if any, You ARE controlling.

When we question the extent of our free will, we are walking down a dark alley. We open up issues like personal responsibility. Are criminals always responsible for their actions? Does your lazy friend or relative have any choice but to be lazy? In most instances, the ego won’t even let you consider these things. The investigation might lead the ego to be diminished or annihilated, and the ego has no desire to shrink or lose its apparent power.

Here’s another interesting point to consider. Most people who like to read materials on self-development and spiritual growth believe in these two principles:

1. Everything happens for a reason.

2. Every adversity has the seed of an equal or greater benefit. (Napoleon Hill)

Do You believe in these principles? Well, if you do, let’s examine how they fit into the notion of You exercising free will and having control over your life. I’m sure there have been many times in your life when you wanted to achieve something. You were positive and took action. Yet, you didn’t achieve what you wanted. As a result, you were disappointed. However, at some point later on, you realized why the disappointing result happened – that it served a purpose to re-direct you to something better, or to teach you a valuable lesson.

In the end, you were thankful that you “failed” initially. When you look at the adversities in your life, you see the same thing. Lessons learned, re-directions and opportunities that serve you in the long run. The “bad” thing turned into a “good” thing.

For these principles to operate, Your free will has to be thwarted. You set out in one direction to achieve a result but your path was blocked for some reason. Who blocked your path? Who thwarted Your free will? Apparently God has the ability to “over-ride” Your free will. When are You allowed to “do your own thing” – and when does God step in to take control? Free will is not the simple matter the ego would have you believe.

Although the ego craves control, religions and spiritual traditions emphasize the value of giving up control. Many religions advocate surrender of our free will to God. No doubt you have heard the principle, “Not My will but Thy will be done.” As you know, many people find peace and spiritual connection by surrendering to God, or to Jesus. They surrendered after conceding that their own free will got them into trouble. Their lives improved when they stopped trying to figure out what to do and instead invited God to take over. Surrendering to God was the key to their liberation.

The following quote is attributed to the Buddha: “Events happen, deeds are done, but there is no individual doer thereof.” According to this view, which is adopted by many Eastern spiritual traditions and followers of non-duality (Oneness) worldwide, we don’t have any free will. All is controlled by God.

There is one final point regarding religion and free will. Most religions believe that God is omniscient, or All-Knowing. Thus, God knows exactly what choices You will make. If all your choices are known in advance, do You really have free will?

Well, that’s the end of our exploration of free will for now. I’ve raised a lot of questions, but I’m not able to give you any definitive answers. What then is the use of this investigation? I’ve found that part of our spiritual journey involves looking for the truth. The beliefs we’ve been fed for many years about free will are simply not true. They don’t survive investigation when they are tested. We can either keep our heads in the sand or we can be open to the truth.

– Jeff Keller
© 2008

If you didn’t have a chance to read Part 1 of this series on the subject of free will, you can read it at www.YourSpiritualJourney.net  .

In this message, I want to continue our investigation of free will by focusing on our thoughts. If you’re a devoted follower of self-development principles (as I am), you’ve probably heard a thousand times that we control our thoughts. At first glance, this principle makes a lot of sense, and we adopt the belief that we have considerable free will to think the thoughts we choose to think.

Instead of simply accepting the idea that we control our thoughts, I invite you to investigate this principle anew, and with an open mind. You may come to the same conclusion you reached before you read this message. That’s fine. At least you can say that you made a thorough investigation and considered all of the evidence.

Are you ready? Let’s examine our thoughts and the extent of our control over them. I’m going to ask you to do an exercise. Please have a piece of paper and pen nearby. It’s an exercise that I have read in numerous books and articles – and I found it very revealing when I actually did the exercise.

Turn away from your computer. Sit comfortably, take a few breaths and relax. I want you to clear your mind. You may find it easier to close your eyes, but feel free to keep them open if you wish. Just feel the breath coming in and going out. Let your mind empty to the extent possible.

When you feel very relaxed, sit for three minutes and don’t try to think about anything. You can glance at a clock every now and then to know when the three minutes have expired. Keep your mind “blank” to the extent you are able. During these three minutes, note the thoughts that come up in your mind. Each time a thought comes up, put a mark on the piece of paper. If your eyes had been closed, just open them, put a mark on the paper, and close your eyes again. You don’t have to describe the thought – just put a mark on the paper for each thought that arises.

When the three minutes have expired, count the number of marks on your piece of paper. How many thoughts did you have during those three minutes when you weren’t trying to think about anything? Don’t be concerned with the number – it could be 3, 30 or 100.

Are you surprised by the number of thoughts you had in this three minute period? Are you surprised by the particular thoughts that arose? Were all of the thoughts inter-related and part of a similar pattern — such as thoughts of various family members? Perhaps some of the thoughts were completely unrelated – such as a thought of a family member, quickly followed by something radically different. (such as a person you haven’t seen in years or what you plan to eat for dinner)

I’m not going to offer any comments about how to interpret this exercise until the next message. I don’t want to influence you by suggesting there are certain results you should expect. Begin to do your own analysis about what happened when you attempted to keep your mind free of any thoughts.

We can also learn about our thoughts if we investigate what happens when we dream during sleep. How much control do You have over the thoughts and images that arise while you’re asleep and dreaming? You know that images and thoughts are arising. Yet, You are not selecting them. Who controls these? Who or what is putting them into Your awareness?

People often refer to these thoughts and images as coming from the “subconscious” mind. No matter what name we use to identify the source of these images, they aren’t coming from any conscious thoughts You are controlling. Some other force appears to be putting these images into Your mind.

As we know, these images and thoughts can relate to something we’re facing in our lives right now – or they can be very bizarre and involve people we don’t know or those we haven’t seen for many years. We can have dreams that involve people who are deceased. Some of the plots are wild, to say the least.

Who provides the content of these stories? Who selects the cast members that will appear in our dreams? If thoughts and images can appear without Your effort while you’re asleep, what makes You think they can’t be supplied to You, without Your “permission,” while you’re awake?

In addition, while we’re awake, we’ve all had the experience of having an unrelated thought pop into our mind. For example, you’re at your desk at work doing some paperwork and all of a sudden you think about something else. You think of what you’re going to do later that day, or a person comes to mind. This new subject just appeared, without any effort on Your part. It seemed to interrupt the current thought. Who put this new subject into Your mind?

No matter how you slice it, I think you have to acknowledge that You don’t control all of Your thoughts. We could argue all day about how much control You have, but the idea that You control all of your thoughts seems to be contradicted by our everyday experiences. We’ve just gone through a series of thoughts You don’t control.

That being said, there is at least the illusion that we are controlling many of our thoughts. I’ll be discussing that issue in the next message, where we’ll also take a look at how certain religions and spiritual traditions have approached this issue.

You might find it helpful to re-read Part 1 of this message. If you read these messages without trying to defend your previously held beliefs, you’ll open to a deeper spiritual connection. This path can be uncomfortable or scary at first, but your efforts will be rewarded.

And, if you think this entire inquiry is a bunch of nonsense and not worthy of your time, that’s fine, too. I don’t think I have much control over which choice You make!

– Jeff Keller
© 2008