Hundreds of thousands of young people have tried to become the 'next American Idol.' They have come from all walks of life, from all 50 states, and from all levels of singing ability - or little singing ability - if you know what I mean.

However they all have the same dream - stardom! And the same antagonist - Simon Cowl. Despite what you think of the show, the contestants, or the judges, it is entertainment Hollywood style.

Randy Jackson prides himself in being the chief dog. Paula Abdul is maternal and compassionate. And Simon Cowl invariably offends everyone, including his fellow judges, with his caustic feedback.

Each week the contestants are judged by Randy, Paula, and Simon, and millions of people who text or call in their votes. Each contestant is pushed through a media circus filled with sarcasm and praise, and occasionally helpful feedback from the judges.

American Idol is great entertainment, but it is also the perfect metaphor for a great truth walk. Each week the contestants are judged on three key performance factors: they've got to pick the right song, use good vocals, and be themselves so they can demonstrate their uniqueness.

Those same three factors metaphorically define our truth walk. The quality of our truth walk depends on how well we accomplish all three. And how well we do all three determines whether our truth walk is on track or on idle - IDLE.

Walking the spiritual path on practical feet requires what could be termed spiritual orthopedics. If we want to move confidently and energetically toward the kind of life we want to live, we must make sure our thoughts and actions are congruent with the spiritual principles we have learned.

It doesn't matter if we walk on bare feet or shoed feet, big feet or small feet, white feet or brown feet, Democratic feet or Republican feet, tired feet or energetic feet. Each step is a tithe toward our spiritual growth - or toward our stagnation if we stand idlely by failing to put truth principles into action.

I encourage you to select the right song, use good vocals, and be yourself so you can be the best you can be.

I am always Bil-ing and re-Bil-ing myself. My wife, Cher, is always Cher-ing and re-Cher-ing herself. We are always potting and repotting ourselves. Otherwise, we might go stale and become the next American idle - IDLE.

Each consecutive moment of me finds me me-ing myself. I am an infinite me as well as a finite me, a me that is growing, expanding, deepening. A me that is determined to become more like the Christed me.

I invite you to become more like your Christ Self, too. Strive every day to:

* select the right song - see everything from your Christ perspective * use good vocals -use powerful affirmations and positive words, and * be yourself so that each of your me's is the best me you can be

Have you heard people say, "I'm trying to be more spiritual, but life keeps getting in the way?"

Dan Millman has an interesting perspective on that which is, as Simon Cowl would say, "Spot on!" Millman says in his book, No Ordinary Moments: "Someone once said to me, 'I'd love to live like a peaceful warrior and do more spiritual practices, but with a family to support, and a fulltime job, I just don't have the time.'"

Millman maintains that his family and job - his relationship with his wife, the responsibilities of children, and the pressures of his profession - are his spiritual practice."

The truth is, our spiritual walks are never on idle. We may believe we're going nowhere spiritually, but everything we do has spiritual implications.

"Let God be God in you," says Meister Eckhart.

In his delightfully written book, Buddha is as Buddha Does, Lama Surya Das, who has been called the American Lama, has this to say:

"The Dalai Lama taught me that the spiritual jewel that brings us all we need and seek is the unselfish heart and compassionate mind. These are what Buddhists call indispensable highest intentions, which come from the good heart, our best self, our innermost Buddha-being."

You can use those same words to define your innermost Christ Self. And you can express your innermost Christ Self best when you:

* pick the right song using your Christ perspective * use the right vocals by claiming your oneness with Spirit, and * be your true self, your divine self, in this earthly dimension called human beingness

Moving from American idle (IDLE) to Amer-I CAN DO ALL THINGS FROM A SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVE is the kind of command performance which will lead to your enlightenment.