Dear Folks -

I spent the first part of this "life talk" clarifying the stance I take as a spiritual teacher. I see my teaching as highly traditional which, paradoxically, makes it highly radical. The goal in spiritual work is to be open and honest. The goal of spiritual work is to make us human.

After amplifying of this stance I use a parable of Jesus that has likely inspired as much art and symbolism in the Christian tradition as any Jesus told - the parable of the shepherd who left ninety-nine sheep in search of one who had gotten lost. Like most of the parables Jesus told, this one - when heard correctly - is both offensive and challenging.

The full text I used for this talk is below. There is more content on the audio version.

Much love,

Bill Kerley

Click here to Download Introductory Material:  Why the Parables.pdf

Click here to Download Text 20100704.pdf

Click here to Download Presentation Slides 7:4:10 - Seeing the Audible.pdf

Click here to Download audio 20100704.mp3

Dear Folks -

I based the "life talk" I gave this week on my recent experience of having had open heart surgery. I'm not meaning to be self-centered but, rather, centered in the Self. I can think of few events that so redefine one's self-understanding and sense of identity than such an event.

The question I have raised for myself is this: when death does come for any of us, how can we live so that we don't end up having been merely visitors on this planet? I contend that there is a huge difference between the trust some people have in "magical nonsense" and the truly miraculous. One of the ways I illustrated this was by doing a magic trick which doesn't translate to a written text. Perhaps by listening to the audio, one might get a sense of it.

Much love,

Bill Kerley

Click here to Download Text 20100627.pdf

Click here to Download Presentation Slides 6:27:10_-_Life_Interrupted.pdf

Click here to Download Audio 20100627.mp3

Dear Folks -

At the end of Ordinary Life this past week I announced that I will going into the hospital this Wednesday for quadruple bypass surgery. This is a very unexpected event for me. I am lucky in that my doctor, while seeking to treat my allergy induced asthma, discovered that I have coronary artery disease.

There is no history of heart disease in my family, I eat a healthy diet and get some sort of exercise seven days a week; this includes racquetball for over an hour four days a week. My cholesterol has always been low as has my blood pressure.

Consequently when the doctor, after doing a heart catheterization, discovered that one of my arteries was 100% blocked and the other three 90% blocked, I was stunned.

I will likely be away from teaching for a month. During my absence able people will give outstanding presentations. Please support them.

Keep Sherry and me in your thoughts and prayers.

Because I am in good health otherwise I am anticipating a full recovery.

The talk I gave this past week - Finders Keepers - was written while dealing with the anxiety and frustration of one medical test after another, each with more disappointing results than the one before or than anticipated.

There is buried treasure both in our world and in ourselves that requires we open our eyes and be receptive. Then, we can do what is required to "own" this treasure.

One of the things I acknowledge in this talk, and not for the first time, is that I do my teaching to contribute to my own growth and healing. That others derive some benefit from my work is icing on the cake for me. I'm glad you are on this journey with me.

Much love,

Bill Kerley

Click here to Download introductory material:  Why the Parables.pdf

Click here to Download text 20100509.pdf

Click here to Download Presentation Slides for Finders_Keepers.pdf

Click here to Download audio 20100509.mp3

Dear Folks -

A great deal of religion and spiritual in the Western world has been contaminated with notions of "greatness" and/or "success" as defined by Western culture. Real religion is about neither of these. Real religion is about hope and love.

Jesus told a parable about a tiny grain of mustard seed that was planted and grew into a bush that gave shelter to the birds. In this Ordinary Life talk I contend that this is likely the most misunderstood and misinterpreted parable of Jesus. What, in essence, the parable really says is that the values Jesus planted are more like a pesky weed that does have some medicinal value. I amplify on this thesis in the talk that follows. I also tell the true story of Ishi who decided to live his life reacting to things more out of curiosity than fear.

This is a summary of the talk I gave in Ordinary Life this week. The full text, audio, and presentation slides follow.

Much love,

Bill Kerley

Click here to Download Introductory Material:  Why the Parables.pdf

Click here to Download text 20100502.pdf

Click here to Download audio 20100502.mp3