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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

– Jeff Keller
© 2008

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

– Jeff Keller
© 2008

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

– Jeff Keller
© 2008

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

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

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

You can access the presentation by clicking the link below:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

– Jeff Keller
© 2008

When we look at matter on the earthly plane, we can see with our own eyes, and feel with our sense of touch, that this world consists of a variety of solid objects. These solid objects are all around you – things like tables, chairs, computers, and coffee mugs. We could also include your own body in the mix, and all the people you see walking outside.

But wait a minute. Quantum physicists have proven that all of these seemingly solid items are not solid. All of the objects described above, including YOU, consist of subatomic particles or waves in mostly empty space. How much of matter is empty space? More than 99.99%. That’s right. You are more than 99% empty space and you are not solid.

Many of you will say “So what” and want to get on with your day. STOP for a moment to really consider this. What you see as solid objects are not solid at all. Your eyes are deceiving you. And they are deceiving you to such an extent that you can’t come close to perceiving reality with your senses. Can you begin to fathom that your computer, your bed, and the salad you’re about to eat for lunch are made up of energy fields or subatomic particles vibrating in empty space?

Things appear solid to the human eye. Things feel solid to human touch. And it’s all an illusion. Perhaps you thought Star Trek was far out!

Let me confess upfront that I have no expertise in science or physics. And that is putting it mildly. Thus, I can’t explain the details about how atoms or energy fields operate. However, I found a wonderful essay online by Dr. Tom Kerns entitled “Lecture on Quantum Physics.” He simplifies this topic so that a lay person can get a basic understanding of this subject. You can read it at:
http://home.myuw.net/tkerns/MyUWsite/waol-phi-website/lecsite/lec-quanphys.html  

Even if you dislike science or care nothing about the illusion you are living, I think you might enjoy reading this essay by Dr. Kerns.

Why am I even discussing the nature of matter in this newsletter? Because the vast majority of us on the spiritual path claim that we want to know “the truth” about our existence, the nature of God, and our place in this seemingly unexplainable universe.

Yes, I understand that some of you will not appreciate this line of inquiry. Your thinking mind and ego are scared to explore this stuff, fearful that you will be forced to re-think some of your cherished beliefs. I used to feel the same way, until the moment arrived that I wanted the truth more than I wanted to keep living the lies.

We can trust our senses, or start coming to our senses.

The beginning of wisdom on the spiritual path is admitting the limitations of the mind and the senses. Are you willing to begin this investigation? An examination of the nature of matter is a great place to start. Lots of questions will begin to surface, such as:

Why would God create a world where humans are given senses that do not allow them to perceive reality as it is?

Can our soul ever be “inside” the body if the body consists of empty space? How can anything be “inside” empty space?

One thing is clear: this is a very mysterious universe!

I’m not suggesting that science has any final “answers” to offer on God and spirituality. However, science can help to point us in the direction of truth, often by showing us what is NOT true. This, in turn, creates an environment that allows our spirit to reveal more and more of the truth to us — a truth we will never acquire by using only our mind and our senses.

– Jeff Keller
© 2008

If you’re reading this message, there’s a good chance you have some books at home about personal development and spiritual growth. Some of you have lots of these books, and you’re buying new ones all the time.

Do you ever go to your book shelves and browse through books you read 5 or 10 years ago? Do you ever re-read some of these books in their entirety? Re-reading books can bring many surprises.

To begin with, you may find that some passages in your “old” books that didn’t mean much to you years ago now take on more importance. In some instances, you will grasp concepts that went “over your head” the first time you read the book. You might also find that you no longer agree with everything you underlined or highlighted when you initially read the book.

Here’s another fascinating discovery you might make — the phrases you underlined during your initial reading are not the phrases you would underline now. Some key passages escaped your attention years ago, but now you consider them quite valuable.

Why all these surprises from the same book? You make new discoveries because you’re not the same person you were when you read the book 5 or 10 years ago. You see the world differently now. You’ve gained insights from your life experiences and from further reading that you’ve done.

Of course, the same principle applies to any audio programs you own. Listen to them again and you’ll hear things in a new way. You may disagree with some of the things you previously accepted as accurate. It’s likely you will understand the program better than you did when you listened to it years ago. You may not have been ready at that time to absorb certain portions of the message.

Many of us re-read spiritual texts such as The Bible or The Bhagavad Gita. When we read these books over and over, we inevitably gain a deeper understanding of their meaning. Yet we realize there is no point where we can say, “I’ve figured the whole thing out. There is nothing more for me to learn from this book.” We can always dig deeper in that same well, and it’s likely that we’ll continue to find valuable treasures.

There is nothing wrong with reading new books that catch your attention. I do so all the time. But I highly recommend that you go back to your book shelves to pick up an “old” book. You’ll learn a lot about yourself and how you’re progressing on your spiritual journey.

– Jeff Keller
© 2008

As the years pass, special occasions mean less and less to me. When I refer to special occasions, I’m talking about birthdays, anniversaries and some of the non-religious holidays we celebrate each year.

When my birthday rolls around each year, it doesn’t feel much different than any other day. Sure, it’s nice to receive greeting cards or a gift now and then. I appreciate these acts of kindness. But I no longer want and expect anything — and I wouldn’t feel someone loved me less if they didn’t recognize my birthday.

What I value is how people treat me when it’s not a special occasion. I also evaluate my own behavior on that standard. How do I treat people on “non-special” occasions? Put another way, how do I treat them every moment of every day?

I admit that I have a bias against some of the tangible displays of recognition we offer on special occasions. For instance, when I see someone with a HUGE amount of flowers that she received on her birthday or on Valentine’s Day, these questions come to my mind:

How many years will she continue to receive these kinds of gifts from her friend or spouse?

Does she receive these gifts when it is not her birthday or a holiday?

Go right ahead and call me a cynical New Yorker. I’m just not impressed by grand showings of recognition reserved for “special” days. In my experience, such displays are more for the ego’s satisfaction, as if the bigger gift demonstrates more love. My guess is that these relationships –where lavish gifts are given on special occasions — are not likely to be enduring relationships.

I suppose this is also related to the concept of being “romantic.” If you asked my wife if I am romantic, she would probably smile and then say something like, “He is romantic in his own way, but not in the traditional sense.” (of candlelight dinners, flowers, etc.).

If I were to take any test of being romantic that you find in popular magazines, I would fail miserably. That’s not my thing.

Romantic is not just about doing things on special occasions. It’s the little things we do every day. It can be a smile, our way of listening to another or picking up a particular food that someone else likes when we go shopping. It’s a phone call or e-mail to say “hi” for no reason.

In case you’re wondering, I do send greeting cards to certain people, and my wife and I enjoy going out to dinner to celebrate our anniversary. I’m not against any of that. But my spirit sets a higher standard. The spiritual standard encompasses every moment. It is not confined to a few special days each year. I won’t tell you that I’ve been able to meet that standard, but I’m making a little progress.

Many of us send birthday or anniversary cards each year to relatives. Typically, we realize about a day or two before our relative’s birthday, “It’s his (or her) birthday coming up and I forgot to get a card. I’ll have to run to the store, get a card, and mail it immediately.” In the act of getting the card, we feel rushed and can’t find one that expresses the appropriate sentiment. But at this point, we’ll settle for any card. This has become another item to complete so we can cross it off our “to do” list.

We don’t feel any particular closeness to our relative when we send a card in this manner. It’s a routine exercise in which we feel we HAVE to do something to acknowledge the occasion. We’d establish a deeper connection if we called that relative when it wasn’t his birthday, to simply say “I haven’t talked to you for a while and I just want to hear your voice and find out what you have been up to. I love you.”

We shouldn’t have to look at the calendar to tell us when to care about our family, relatives and friends. We all use the same excuse – that we don’t have enough time to acknowledge people on a regular basis. Perhaps we need to re-evaluate how we spend our time.

When we give from the heart on non-special occasions, that’s when those we care about feel special. It also gives us unlimited opportunities, every day, to experience the exquisite joy of giving.

– Jeff Keller
© 2008

Today’s message was submitted by Kim Peterson, one of the subscribers to this newsletter. Kim is an extremely talented writer and a student of world religion and spirituality.

Character, Not Faith, is What Matters

My husband is an atheist.

A fair number of people have spent time nudging him in the direction of spirituality. He’s been offered the Bible and the Book of Mormon, and been invited to more than a few religious events.

I personally have a long-held fascination with all matters spiritual, and though I can see the beauty in many of the world’s religions, I call myself a Buddhist. Like others in his life, I have shared with him endless information about the lives and events that shaped religious history (never with the intent of persuading him toward any particular doctrine, mind you). Still, after 15 years together, he has never joined me in meditation or prayer, and he greeted me with a blank stare as I recounted for him my visit to the Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibit last year.

Overall, he has been kind and accommodating when it comes to my spiritual explorations. He’s done the reading, asked the relevant questions, and discussed it all at length with me and with several others.

He wasn’t overjoyed when I came home one day and announced that I had enrolled in the Religious Studies Program at Arizona State, but he didn’t argue the matter with me either. Nevertheless, his point of view has never been swayed. The idea of a Higher Power simply is not rational to him.

So, what kind of a man is he, this non-believer? Good. Fair. Kind. Forgiving. Loyal to everyone he has ever loved. He is even-tempered, rational, and unemotional. (I am all emotion and gut instinct with rollercoaster responses, so I find these traits at once admirable and infuriating.)

He is a good father, husband, and friend. He is occasionally stubborn and sometimes even selfish. In short, he is human. He possesses all of the values, morals, and characteristics called for by the world’s religions, with a little human failing sprinkled in.

He simply doesn’t believe in or require a faith-based doctrine to mandate his actions or his treatment of others. He doesn’t need the threat of eternal damnation or the promise of eternal life to direct his responses.

His goodness lies within, an innate part of his being. Some might argue that this is proof in and of itself that a Greater Power guides him. But he wouldn’t buy that argument. And in the end, it wouldn’t make him a better man than he is already.

Kim Peterson lives in the Kansas City area with her husband and their two sons. She teaches yoga and meditation and occasionally writes articles for the ‘Faith’ section of the Kansas City Star.

(c) 2008

People of the same religion tend to stick together. They often worship together on a regular basis. They may send their children to schools where most, if not all, follow the same religion.

Many youngsters and adults form a majority of their close friendships with people of their own religion. To be sure, there are some exceptions where people freely mix with those who practice different religions. But let’s concentrate for now on those situations where we tend to associate with those of the same religion.

By the way, I’ve noticed that even those outside of organized religion tend to stick together. Atheists spend time with other atheists. People who consider themselves spiritual, but unaffiliated with any religion, tend to associate with others who share the same beliefs.

Whether we call it “fellowship” or associating with like-minded individuals, there are many positives that come from sticking together. We have a support network that can help us to maintain a strong spiritual connection, even in difficult times. We’re around people who understand us and share our views about God. This can be quite comforting and meaningful.

Sticking together is also viewed as an important strategy for raising children. Parents are often afraid that their children will not follow the family’s religion if the children are given wide leeway to associate with youngsters of different religions. In addition, parents may be worried that their children will marry someone from another religion.

Yet there’s another side to sticking together and spending the majority of our time with those who share our religion or our spiritual orientation. We spend little or no time with those who don’t share our beliefs. A significant portion of the world (and perhaps a significant portion of our community) does not share our belief. How are we to understand others — and live harmoniously with them — if we close them out of our lives? Doesn’t sticking together and forming “our own club” lead to isolation and to misunderstanding?

Perhaps you take the view that you should only associate with those who share your religion. This may sound reasonable but if you were drowning in the ocean and someone at the shore screamed out, “Do you need help?” I don’t think your next comment would be “What religion are you?”

You’d want the person to help you immediately, regardless of that person’s religion. In other words, religion would not matter to you in that situation. Furthermore, if that person saved your life, or the life of your child, you might have a different view of that person’s religion. You would probably want to learn more about that person and his or her family. You’d feel a close bond with that individual. Would you deny that somehow God had a role in bringing this person with a different religion into your life?

What’s the answer? How much fellowship is a good thing, and is there a point where it causes us to be isolated from others who don’t share our view? How much should we learn about other religions? How much contact, if any, should we have with people of different faiths?

How do we honor and embrace people of all faiths and spiritual orientations while not “weakening” our own faith?

– Jeff Keller
© 2008