More and more People are wondering how to retire happy.

Well, simply put, ones happiness is not the same as another’s.

Happiness is a mindset. How you think will determine your attitude.

With the economy the way it is and most people making a living as an employee, people are working later into their potential retirement years.

One thing people are blinded to is that there are statistics that you can find on the Social Security website that states that most people by the age of 65 will be either dead or broke.

With news like that, how can people even begin to think about retiring, let alone retiring happy. 401K’s are gone and so are most pensions. What was a 401K is now a 101B, meaning its lost 50+% of its value do to the downturn in our financial markets.

2% of the population creates 98% of the wealth. Is it that the 2% are lucky? Nope. They just choose to do what the other 98% didn’t know was available or were just to comfortable with their current situation.

Folks, I feel your pain. I am 36 years old and worked in the hotel and restaurant business for over 18 years.

I worked my way up to a general manager position in the hotel industry making what I thought was good money.

About 5 years ago, that all changed when I met a group of entrepreneurs that had retired with multiple six figure incomes in their late 20’s. They owned their lives and had both time and money.

Now that is how to retire happy. Its called residual ongoing income. I got started very part time working in the Network Marketing industry with a very well know company that had been around for 50 years.

I followed a game plan and started making some money, however the attrition rate was horrendous and I knew there was a better way out there. That’s when I found a guy by the name of Mike Dillard.

I watched him go from waiting tables to a seven figure income in less than 5 years. Was he the secret? Nope. He was an internet marketer. I was trying to find people to duplicate my efforts in the public market place. Its tough.

Mike leveraged the internet to have qualified people coming to him as he became an expert in the field of internet marketing.

I bought his system and learned a bunch. Well fast forward a few years. My life changed forever when I found Carbon Copy Pro. Jay Kubasseck created the most powerful online marketing system in the world. A system that anyone could follow if they had a computer and a desire to learn.

Cha-Ching. My life has never been the same since I joined Carbon Copy Pro and now I am living The life of my dreams.

If I told you how much money I was making your wouldn’t believe me. That is how to retire happy. Well, if you have been listening, I just gave you the secret. There is none.

To your success,

Joshua Boxer
Live The Dream Marketing Group

Josh Boxer is recognized as a Top Internet Marketer and works with the top internet marketers in the world. His passion lies in bringing out the best in people and helping them to Live Their Dream.

For FREE information on the most powerful online marketing system and business in the world check out —> http://www.CCProOnAutopilot.com

The ancient Chinese art of energy balancing, feng shui, has attracted the modern Western mind by its variety of applications for life improvement.

Even if it could seem basic, feng shui is pretty difficult to define as it involves complex knowledge of the elements, the environment, the energetic structure of the body as well as of the principles governing the functions of the universe.

Feng means wind and shui is water in Chinese; these two elements, gentle wind and clear water are symbols of fulfillment in terms of health, wealth and fortune.

People speak of “good feng shui” and “bad feng shui” depending on the way the energies are respected and put to work for you.

The basis for feng shui is the complete understanding of nature and the taoist vision, both embracing the idea that everything is full of the life energy or light, called “chi” or “qui” (in Chinese) or “ki” (in Japanese).

The basic factors that could influence a feng shui analysis of a location, person or situation include the five elements and the yin and yang rule. Feng shui is created on the ancient symbols present in I Ching, the ancient Chinese oracle.

These symbols are used in the octagonal grid, the Ba-Gua, that helps you understand or determine the various relations between the feng shui locations in the home or office and the various parts of your life.

Feng shui is common to several different schools, and it involves several levels of learning and understanding, depending on the complexity of the information you have access to and actually get to internalize.

The cures offered by feng shui for life improvement vary from the use of fountains, aquariums and crystals to the energy improvement by means of clocks, colors and mirrors.

Light and colors make an important combination by the power they can bring to a certain location. Most places characterized by “bad feng shui” suffer from lack of light and color.

The interaction of the universal elements is another crucial aspect of feng shui; wood, fire, water, earth and metal can create productive or destructive circles depending on the preponderance they have in one’s space.

Each of the elements has a corresponding color; it is basic feng shui knowledge to know how to complement colors and balance an environment.

The location of the elements in a space is not randomly done as it has to be determined by the octagonal grid, the Ba-Gua.

To learn more about how Feng Shui can improve all aspects of your life including your health, wealth and happiness visit http://www.fantasticfengshui.com

There is a strong connection between the immaterial aspects of man and his physical constitution. The mind and emotions affect the somatic system via the vital body, the etheric body with its energy-centers and channels called in Yoga philosophy, chakra and nadi, respectively. These chakras affect the glandular-system according to its state of vitality. Negative states of mind and emotions obstruct or irregulates the flow of the life-force or prana emanating from the sun and streaming into the chakras. This in turn causes the associated gland of the energy-center to be hyper- or hypo-active which manifests as the malfunctioning of the organs and the impairment of the metabolic processes. This sets the stage for disease to occur in the body. An unbalanced and dis-eased state in the physical constitution are therefore the reflected images of our habitual thoughts and feelings. It is the manifestation of the inner reality of mind and emotions. This is not to say that all illnesses are the result of the play of the mind and feelings–there are, of course, a small percentage of illnesses the result of physical causes.

There are four fundamental principles to consider in metaphysical healing:

1) The preparation of the Healer

2) Determining the cause of inharmony

3) The choice of metaphysical therapy

4) The actual healing and teaching

Concerning the first point, every healer should realize that what really heals is the divine power of the Universal Mind. The healer is merely a channel for the healing energies to flow, or at the very least, a catalyst for the healing power that flows from the patient’s divine principle. Because energy is tainted by the channel in which it flows, it behooves the healer to purify his lower being from all obnoxious material. In the ancient Mystery Schools, for instance, every would-be-healer would undergo purification in the form of prayers, fasting, meditation, and other spiritual exercises. This had a three-fold effect–the elimination of toxins from the physical system; the strengthening, vitalizing, and magnetizing of the aura and nervous system–both subtle and gross; and the alignment of the lower components of the microcosm with the divine principles called “the spiritual triad” by Theosophists. This purification makes it feasible for divine forces of vital life, which is a higher form of prana, to flow through the healer. Once having filled the physical body with a harmonious flow of the vivifying principle, the surplus energy would strengthen and magnetize the aura. In Christian scriptures we read of saints healing with their “shadow.” This shadow is in fact the aura.

Another relevant point connected with the metaphysician’s preparation is the polarization of the consciousness. Energy flows abundantly from and to the chakra in which the consciousness is daily polarized. The expressions of love and compassion, for instance, which are vital attributes for the healer to possess, reveals that the consciousness is polarized in the heart-chakra. Expressions of self-centeredness indicate a polarization within the solar-plexus center. A strong altruistic will shows that the polarization is within the chakras above the heart. What this means technically, where divine pranic healing is concerned, is that the polarization within a lower center would make it difficult for the healer to reach and heal the organs of the patient associated with a higher center because of a difference in the frequency octave. Heart troubles, for instance, which is associated with a poor functioning of the heart-chakra, a healer polarized in the solar-plexus will find it difficult to heal, because the necessary energies required to correct the patient’s problem is unavailable, inspite the belief that plain unqualified divine energy is sufficient enough to do the work. Without the right level of consciousness, divine energy entering into the healer would simply evaporate having found no correspondence in likeness within him/her. The divine energies entering the healer is qualified with whatever psychic center the healer polarizes himself. The healer may seek to overide this with the exercise of the will and may succeed to a certain degree, but without the correct polarization the healing process will not be optimal. It is therefore, important for the healer to evolve and function on a higher consciousness-level. This is of prime importance in the preparatory stage. Polarization on the highest centers makes the divine energy flowing through all of the other chakras equally accessible.

In the second point to be considered are the causes of disharmony within the physical system. As we have seen previously, the various manifestations of ill health have its major, fundamental causes in the immaterial aspects of man. The psyche of man is twofold: conscious and subconscious, and they play their part in determining one’s overall state of health. Negative thoughts and feelings are self-destructive. If held in the mind for too long without being checked, they would manifest in an unbalanced condition in the body. The conscious mind is responsible with what it feeds the subconscious side. What the subconscious receives it transmits internally to the physical body, and externally to the environment. In order to get to the root cause of psychosomatic illnesses, the healer has to determine the cause of the problem in the nature of the feelings and thoughts of the patient. It would be an aid for the healer to realize that no matter what negative feelings are felt, or what negative thoughts are being formed, they all stem from the misidentification of the Self, or from the false ego. People say that they are sick or hurt, whereas the “I,” the”Self,” is pure and whole and not subjected to any suffering, discomfort, or any other mortal complaints. The first step, therefore, would be to educate the patient in this “true perspective,” of emancipating the mind from its ignorance and delusions. The conscious mind of the patient should also be made to realize the unnecessity of thinking and feeling negatively, and of the adverse effects that it creates in the physical organism. Methods of cleansing the subconscious mind from “engrams,” or negative packets of energy-patterns should be taught. This purification is usually done be various spiritual exercises such as certain meditations where divine forces are invoked and directed for cleansing, or by programming the subconscious mind with affirmations. This latter approach was made use of in the ancient Egyptian healing temples. Such affirmations identify the patient with the Divine Self. For instance, in the manual, the Book of the Dead, translated by E.A. Wallis Budge, are found the following affirmations:

“I am the Great One, son of the Great One

“I am the Mighty One, son of the Mighty One

“I am Horus, the son of Ra

“I am the Sekhem (power) of my father Ra . . . ” (1953:677)

The ancient Egyptians represented the aspects and attributes of the Divine Self with various personages and deities. In the above we see how the mortal concept of one’s being is replaced with an immortal, deific one. In the affirmations one is reminded of one’s divinity untainted by any forms of weaknesses or illnesses. Karmic-related illnesses, which at times defies a cure by superficial treatment in the hands of medical practitioners, may be eliminated by the above processes coupled with an understanding of the karmic lesson, repentance and compensation.

The next point for our consideration is in the choice of therapy. It is a fact that for every illness or ailment there is an appropriate cure, or a system of therapy that would return a healthy condition to the physical body. This also includes death, although from our human limited point of view this would hardly be considered as a valid cure. From the above statements we imply that there is no therapeutical system that would heal every single disease known to man. There is, as yet, no Universal Panacea discovered that would cure every affliction of man unless we consider Truth to be a medicine–and a bitter one at that to most people. Holistic healing, therefore, includes various methods that would reach all of the components making the whole being of man, and the healer should determine the appropriate therapy or therapies for each individual case. The methods of alternative healing may be categorized into the following:

1) Esoteric healing

2) Exoteric healing

Esoteric healing, as its name implies, refers to methods that require intense internal preparation on the part of the metaphysician. This preparation as we have already discussed comes in the form of divine attunement with the aid of prayers, meditation, periodic fasting, and a spiritual way of life. Instant transmissions of attunement or power by master-healers to students only opens the way and is not a permanent condition, for one’s mental and emotional state may neutralize what has been transmitted. Living the divine life is a necessity. Once prepared, the healer may make use of the available energies from various sources surrounding his person, and to direct them into the body of the patient. Pranic Healing, Chakra Healing, Divine Healing, Angelic Healing, and Spiritual Mind Healing are some of the methods used in esoteric healing.

Exoteric healing deals more with the methodologies that the average person may utilize regardless of his/her lack of high spiritual attainment and esoteric preparation. These methods include vibrational healing: gem therapy, chromotherapy, audiotherapy, aromatherapy, chi massage, acupressure, herbalology, acupuncture, reflexology, and many countless others. It would be a standard procedure for the healer to make use of a combination of therapies both esoteric and exoteric for the average healing. An effective way of healing is when both the cause and the effect of an unbalanced body, mind, and soul are attended to.

In this last point we will consider the actual healing and teaching of the patient to self-heal. At the very onset of treatment it should be kept in mind that the receptiveness of the patient determines to a large degree the effectiveness of treatment. The healer should also approach the patient with love and compassion, freed from any judgmental and critical attitude. These two approaches serve to create a temporary psychic bond between the healer and the patient. There are times when the cause of the patient’s problem lies undiscovered. A possible solution is the attunement of the healer with both the healer’s and the patient’s Higher Self. The healer should be open to intuitive impressions coming from within that may shed a light on the problematical causes of the diseased condition.

It is inappropriate for the healer to be solely responsible for the healing. Every patient should be given an opportunity to participate in the healing process. Therefore, laws and principles regarding holistic health should be inculcated, and the patient made aware of man’s healing potential. This is preventive medicine at its best. It should not be the healer’s best interest to make the patient dependent upon him or her because of the financial returns. This would reduce the metaphysician’s value in the eyes of God and humanity. Every metaphysician should, therefore, illuminate the understanding of the patient as to the cause and nature of the problem being experienced, and the way out of it. As is often illustrated in popular self-help books, it is much wiser to teach a man to fish rather than to give him fishes for an indefinite period. Soul-growth occurs in one-case, whereas soul-stagnancy occurs in the other.

Scriptures in Ministerial Work

Since metaphysics deals with spiritual truths, with laws and principles of the Universal Mine, it may assume a religious character and take on the coloration of a certain religion when tending those who are religiously inclined or when the situation calls for it. The metaphysician himself should have long transcended sectarian and dogmatic viewpoints; and whenever possible, he should stimulate people to perceive the narrow perspectives and ill-logic of the many dogmas that bind the mind to a mortal outlook and to an unnatural way of life. It is for this very reason that the inner essence of religion should be taught of having an eternal and real value and not of the ever-changing cloak fabricated by the fallibility of unenlightened man. Dogmas perpetuate a false perception of man’s true spiritual estate, binding people to the unreal world of Maya. Religion comes from a Latin word which means “to bind.” Its purpose is to bind man to God; however, as can be seen by recorded history, by the Inquisition, the Crusades, the so-called Holy wars, etc., it has resulted in a contra-effect separating man from Truth and his Maker. The Nazarene Master taught a religion of love, whereas the priesthood transformed it into a religion of fear and damnation. Pertaining to the above, Frater Achad in Melchizedek Truth Principles says that,

“. . . religious systems have caused man of earth to become weak in his understanding of God.” (1988:76)

In fact, religious bigotry have caused man to blaspheme God daily by allowing his adoration of the idols of false ideas and dogmatic notions. That which is subject to change is false and unreal–actually impermanent; only Truth is unchanging and is eternal. Nothing endures in the material worlds save the Truth that brought humankind into being. It is for this reason that there is no religion that will last forever except for their quintessential core of Truth that lies in the foundation of their existence.

Humanity’s spiritual development moves at an awkwardly slow pace. One of the many reasons for man’s lack of spiritual development is his non-desire to truly know God, Nature, and himself. In his spiritual pride, like the Demiurgus of the Gnostics, man disbelieves in the higher intelligences and worlds considering himself to be the highest product of Nature. This materialistic philosophy fully formed in the 19th century still sways the thinking of the minds of “educated man.” The truly educated person, according to our reckoning is a spiritually-enlightened being. He knows things that are of eternal value.

Another stumbling block in humanity’s soul-progress lies in their indolence in the search for Truth, for as they say, it is easier to believe than to know. Most people, for instance, desire cheap salvation or deliverance by imposing their burdens upon another’s shoulders believing that another will save them from their sins, karma, and hell-fire. Unfortunately, or fortunately, the Universe does not function in such a manner. All men must learn to be responsible and participate in their own spiritual salvation or liberation. The effort required to know Truth requires some discipline though, for without such, no soul-advancement may be attained. People should be made aware of this, for they have long been too complacent with themselves. Buddhism, since its inception has known this human psychological trait of laziness and had adopted a method for awakening sluggish, tamasic minds by teaching the principle of the imminence of death–where its implication of the value of time and life-opportunity, and the purpose of life are intensely contemplated upon. This methods can sometime be an eye-opener, and may aid the metaphysician with certain types of temperaments. The populace should be acquainted with truths even if it hurts, eventhough these are not accepted at first. Seeds grow well in the darkness of the ground or in the subconsciousness. We have experienced this many times–we taught certain things to others without them accepting the precepts, even vehemently denying them, but later on only to hear these same individuals teaching to others or even ourselves (!) the very thing that they previously denied–this is the power of Truth and is quiet a marvel.

Spiritual truths are to be found in every religion, although in some so deeply buried that one has to contemplate deep down in the soul for the uncovering of it–most of the time religious dogmas blind one from perceiving them; occasionally, truths are skimmed by because being right in front of one’s eyes they are hardly noticed or given their proper value. Certain mental traits such as prejudice, narrow-mindedness, fear and superstition may likewise prevent a person from realizing truths. One’s mental vessel must be freed from them ere spiritual nourishment may fill one’s cup to the brim. Almost all scriptures have an esoteric side to them. They were mostly written by Initiates for the benefit of all the candidates to the higher wisdom. Therefore, to interpret literally what has to be understood in a spiritual, esoteric sense–and without the proper keys–one merely robs holy scriptures of their intended purpose, and that is the awakening of the spiritual, divine nature lying latent within one’s being. It takes a spiritual-conscious awareness to interpret what was written under spiritual influences. St. Paul in one of his epistles, for instance, declared that the many incidents in Abraham’s life are not to be understood as history, but as allegories pertaining to the development of the human soul. As an example, we may take the incident where Abraham was asked to sacrifice his beloved son. Almost about to execute his task, he was interrupted by the voice of God saying in substance that it was unnecessary to sacrifice his son (in this context it does not matter whether it was Ishmael or Isaac) but in replacement a goat struggling nearby in the bushes was to be offered instead. This tale when taken at its face value is usually interpreted as a teaching of the principles of obedience and surrender to God. What it really signifies is the sacrifice of one’s carnal self (the goat) instead of the spiritual consciousness (the son), which has to be preserved and fostered in one’s awaking awareness. As was said by John the Harbinger,

“He (the spiritual consciousness) must increase, but I (the carnal self) must decrease.” (John 3:30)

Another allegory containing a principle of value is to be found in the gospels. At face value, when read literally, it conveys little of any importance. But when interpreted spiritually, it transmits to us a certain truth of spiritual application. This principle of truth lies in the incident at the Garden of Gethsemane. We are told in the tale that the Master Jesus was in the Garden with his three disciples who were fast asleep. Seeking companionship from his three followers at his hour of distress proved to be a disappointment. The only recourse was to direct his attention to God. Interpreted spiritually, the three disciples represent the physical, emotional, and mental being of man who are dead to Reality, or “fast asleep.” The incarnated soul (the Master Jesus), having discovered the unreliability of his lower self for solace attunes with the divine principle within for inner direction. We can see from this how applicable the truths and principles are–as found in scriptures–in our mundane lives when understood from the esoteric viewpoint.

One should not restrict oneself to the scriptures of one’s religion as the “sole word of God,” for all are essentially derived from a single divine source with the intended purpose of teaching the redemption of a wayward and fallen humanity; and it behooves every metaphysician to peruse the texts of any spiritual manuscript containing divine laws and principles that facilitates the unfoldment and expansion of the consciousness. The Tao Teh Ching, Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, or the Gnostic gospels discovered at Nag Hamadi, for instance, contain pearls of eternal wisdom that the metaphysician will find helpful to adopt in his ministerial work and as a spiritual/occult practitioner. The Christian Bible and even the Quran may be better understood when cross-referenced to the scriptures mentioned above. As we see it, the main theme of every sacred, secret teaching is the divine nature of man. It is appropriate, we believe, to base one’s metaphysical work upon this truth. when delving into the esoteric side of the New Testament, it is helpful to adopt one of the gnostic views that Jesus the Nazarene as depicted in the gospels, was not a historical personage but a representative of the myth of the”undying god,” or of the mystical element within man that seeks to incarnate and be resurrected in the waking consciousness. The spiritual import and value of the gospels are therefore preserved. We should use scriptures as a tool of self-transformation; whether they be history is irrelevant for the spiritual aspirant. Their true value lies in the catalytic nature embodied within the hidden meaning of their texts which improves the nature of man when applied.

Copyright © 2006 Luxamore

Luxamore
Metaphysical teacher, counseler, healer and merchant of occult/magickal items of Indonesia.
http://www.indotalisman.com/
http://www.bezoarmustikapearls.com/

No, I don’t mean heavy duty external exercise like jogging, squash or convoluted muscle building workouts in the gym! We are no longer a hunter-gatherers so there is no need to build excessive muscle tone. There are exceptions to this of course, as indeed there are to everything! What I am talking about is gentle internal activities that improve breathing and increase blood circulation that allow the body to heal itself, which is all it ever does anyway!

The exercises that I am talking about are by no means new. They have been around for a very long time. They first came to light in the medical treatise that was put out by the Yellow Emperor, which is now approximately three thousand years old. The “Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine” takes the form of a discussion between the Yellow Emperor himself and six of his Ministers and runs to 24 volumes. In actuality this treatise is a culmination of all the knowledge the Chinese had accumulated regarding medicine and took its form in circa 250BC. It is the first medical text-book known to man. It was translated into English in 1949 at a time when the West was becoming increasingly interested in Chinese medial practices, notably acupuncture.

The founder of Taoism Lao Tse also mentions these exercises in “Tao Te Ching” which appeared much earlier than the Yellow Emperor’s work, so it seems they had even earlier adherents. My thinking is that if something like exercising one’s way back to health has been around for such a long time it must have value otherwise it would have been long forgotten. He called,
the “Exercises of Revitalisation” the “foremost of therapies”. Today and have found new life in the “Do-In” clubs of Japan where members meet on a weekly or more frequent basis in order to work together and overcome the health problems they all face. In China the exercises are called “Chi-Kung” which translates in guess what, yes you’ve got it, “breathing and energising exercises!

Relatively recently Chinese Doctor Pao Lin published in the Gauolin Research Report a study he conducted using 2,873 supposedly terminal cancer patients. He used Chi-Kung exercises to treat these patients. Over a six month period 12% of the cancer sufferers demonstrated a complete remission of their symptoms, whilst a whopping 47% showed a considerable improvement. The remaining 41% seemed unchanged by their “revitalising exercise”. Still, I think a 59% improvement rate is very significant particularly as this was without recourse to drugs and surgery.

Coming a little closer to home in 1976 American Doctor Cecilia Rosenfeld experimented with the exercises herself. These were taught to her by California practitioner and author of “The Complete System of Self-Healing” Dr. Stephen Change who has studied both Western and Chinese medicine. As a results of her studies she experienced an almost immediate benefit from the exercises she learned from Dr. Chang. In fact she was so impressed she decided to “prescribe” them to her own patients. After only a week 80% showed overall improvement in their health condition. This prompted her to hire eight nurses who were in turn taught the “Revitalising Exercises”. Groups of patients were assigned to individual nurses. Again the results were stunning, with most demonstrating noticeable improvement without any side-effects or pain. The nurses themselves felt hugely empowered by spending their days demonstrating this energy based route to healing.

One nurse described her routine duties like this: “After working eight hours on our feet, we felt as if we were ready to die. But now we have started using the exercises a hundred times a day, we feel as if we are ready to jump through the roof at the end of the day!”

Sounds good doesn’t it? Perhaps you owe it to yourself to discover how “The Tao of Revitalisation” might help you overcome nagging health problems and then move to a much better place in life. Take a look!

Alister Bredee is a freelance author specializing in articles on health related topics. He is also a health care practitioner and trainer. He currently lives in Thailand and can be contacted by e-mail at: alisterbredee@gmail.com. See also his blogspot http://www.healthambit.blogspot.com

There are many types, methods and systems of psychic or extrasensory readings employed by those who have psychic abilities. A professional psychic may have one or more specialized areas of expertise such as Psychometric, Distant Readings, Tarot Reading, Astrology or Horoscope Readings, Numerology, Palm Reading, Past Life Readings, Aura Readings, or any number of other methods. The following article outlines some of the more popular methods of conducting a psychic reading today.

Psychic readings include Face to Face Readings such as In-Person Readings at home, Psychic Party Readings for a group, and the less detailed and shorter Psychic Fair Readings. Distant Readings include Internet Readings, Phone Readings and Mail Readings. In some rare cases a method of psychic sensing known as remote viewing is used.

Distant Readings: Distant Readings are conducted many times without the reader ever meeting or speaking to the client. The client asks questions pertaining to his or her life and a psychic uses intuitive senses to determine a probable outcome or solution to those questions. At times this practice is similar to methods used for remote viewing and healing. This method dispenses with the possibility of the reader picking up on visual or verbal queues evident in face to face or telephone readings. Today, distant psychic readings are often conducted via the internet through email.

Psychometry Readings: Psychometry is a form of post-cognition which enables the psychic reader to receive information about people, events or objects, events that have already occurred, or are occurring by being in close contact with the area or object where the event took place. If you seek psychometric reading in the commercial world, the reader would ask for your favorite and closely worn objects such as wedding rings, glasses, and car keys, etc., for the reading. The belief is that objects which are in close proximity to a person for extended periods of time hold some of that person’s energy, energy which can be detected. This method is often used to try and locate missing persons.

There are also the forms of sensory psychic abilities which include clairaudience, clairsentience, and clairvoyance. Clairaudience is defined as the ability to hear or sense sounds that cannot be perceived by normal means. Clairsentience is another type of extrasensory perception that involves sensing past, present, or future events. Clairvoyance is a synonym for extrasensory perception this definition includes any knowledge or consciousness of an event outside of the classic five senses.

Tarot Readings: Tarot reading is one of the most popular forms of psychic reading in which a traditional deck of 78 cards known as the Tarot is used to predict and interpret relationships, love, careers, etc. The tarot is also used for spiritual, esoteric, psychological, occult and divinatory purposes. Tarot reading tends to have a great deal of variables since each card in the Tarot, as well as the order in which they appear, and their position within the ’spread’ when dealt, have different specific meanings. The meaning of each tarot card is also open to the interpretations of the tarot reader and the same set of cards may have two different meanings to two different readers.

Divination is another type of psychic ability or tool. Divination is the act of making prophesies or predictions through the use of occult methods. Tarot card reading is a form of divination.

Numerology: Numerology is defined as the study of the occult meanings of numbers and their influence on human life. It is essentially a reading of an individual based specifically upon numerical values such as their date of birth, letters in their names, etc. Numerology was once considered part of higher mathematics in the ancient world.

Aura Reading: Aura psychic reading involves the observation and interpretation of auras around physical human bodies. The “aura” is a set of cascading colour outlines emanating from the surface of your body which differs from one person to another in terms of size, shape, intensity, and colour. Aura readers claim to have the ability to see or sense this aura, observe each characteristic and interpret their meaning to the individual.

Jeffry R. Palmer is the well known author of several books dealing with the subjects of metaphysics, paranormal phenomena and psychic development. His articles and columns have been featured in several popular international magazines. His accurate and detailed psychic predictions, including Hurricane Katrina and the Indonesian tsunami have captured the attention of an international audience.

Personal psychic readings by Mr. Palmer are available through the the-psychic-detective.com web site. These psychic readings are kept in strict confidence, cover all aspects of life, are extremely accurate and detailed and are very simple to purchase. Mr. Palmer even offers a 100% money back guarantee to clients if they aren’t completely satisfied with their readings.

the-psychic-detective.com/Psychic-Readings.htm

Well, it looks like Hollywood keeps it continual pot of revenue filled with, guess what, comic book heroes. Batman Begins and The Fantastic Four are about to duke it out on Hollywood and Vine. An age-old comic book company rivalry is yet renewing the heat this year. I guess all of us comic book aficionados always wonder who would win the battle between such and such superheroes.

Well at least in the next few months one way to keep score is to watch the revenues generated between the recently released “Batman Begins” and the soon to be released “Fantastic Four”, which were both childhood fascinations of mine. Not only are there superhero “what ifs” going on here, but which comic book company will stand to gain the most economic substantiation? Batman punches the daily time clock at DC Comics and the Fantastic Four was the brainchild of Stan Lee and crew at Marvel Comics.

And don’t tell me there is a small comic book hero market. Batman Begins claimed the number one spot in gross revenue on its opening weekend. It is going to be very interesting to see what the Fantastic Four does. Hollywood is definitely increasing the thickness of its silver lining these days with comic book hero movies. Batman took in almost $49 million it’s opening weekend. How many mint condition old comic books would you have to sell to make that kind of dough? Are we in the wrong end of the comic book world (ha ha)?

The rivalry between Marvel and DC used to be a major dividing line amongst the tight knit group of comic book collectors. When comic book interest started to decline in the 1970s, this issue became largely irrelevant. But now as video games, online role-playing games and major motion picture productions are spreading across the globe, the classic Marvel-DC conflict is springing back to life.

Superman is coming back to life on the big screen as well as Wonder Woman. Marvel has been riding high off their major successes with the X-men and Spiderman. They are now digging deep into their catalog of characters and are working on screen adaptations of Iron Man, the Submariner, Thor and Silver Surfer, among others. Have we entered a new comic book age that will have to be defined around major motion pictures? Maybe it could be call the “Greenback Age”. Do you have another definition?

And as computer literate as so many are these days, Marvel and DC will have to start developing more online games and virtual universes of all their characters that you and I will be willing to pay a monthly fee to access through our computers and game consoles. Ka-ching, Ka-ching. DC has already announced a deal with Sony Online Entertainment and Marvel is working with Vivendi Universal Games. With the massive successes of the X-Men and Spiderman movies, this has proven that the Marvel characters still have life and relevance in today’s pop culture.

While DC may be playing a bit of catch up, they are quick to point out that they and Warner Bro. have been more successful on the small screen with TV shows like
“Smallville” and several animated cartoon series. And further since their TV and film projects are filmed and aired by the Warner Bro. conglomerate, DC gets to keep more of the profit than Marvel does on their projects.

What do we, the consumer public, get out of all this? Well, for one, we get to see our heroes in a more realistic light than ever before. We can grab that popcorn and maybe an extra drink and watch our comic book heroes and characters come to life in a real world setting, at least for a few hours, and walk out with a little more joy in our hearts. Go out and get immersed in Batman Begins and hold your breath for the Fantastic Four. And besides, this new revelation in Hollywood may just increase the value of our old mint condition comics. We can only wait and see.

Dave Gieber, a former rocket engineer, has decided to take up residency on the Internet. He is the owner and editor of several websites, one of which was built around one of his childhood passions; http://www.comic-book-collection-made-easy.com. You can visit here to keep up to date on the world of comic books and comic book collecting. Feel free to sign up for his comic book ezine at http://www.comic-book-collection-made-easy.com/comic-book-ezine.html

You probably want to know the daily quest locations if you are going to complete them and earn the gold you need. And really, who doesn’t need gold? Whether it’s for an epic mount, an expensive enchant, or some epic gems for your gear, you almost certainly could use a little more ka-ching in your bank account. Daily quests can provide that, and you can keep doing them until you have however much you need.

So where are the daily quests located, anyway? The answer is that they can be found in many different locations throughout Outlands. There’s no central hub where you can find them all, although they do tend to be clumped into various locals. Depending on which quest you are looking for, you’ll have to head to the right area.
 
The single largest concentration of dailies can be found on the Isle of Quel’Danas. They aren’t all in the same building, but the Isle isn’t all the big and there are bunches of quests all stuffed together there. Another area that has many quests is Shattrah. There are multiple different quest givers that can be found within the center of the city. There are also quest givers in Shattrah for PVP quests and some of the profession based quests.
 
There are a few quests in Terokkar Forest, in the southeastern area called Skettis. There are a few in Nagrand, specifically PVP quests centered on Halaa. The Netherwing quests are all found at Netherwing Ledge, which shouldn’t be much of a surprise. Ogri’la is home to many daily quests for a couple of different factions, so that’s another place you’ll want to check.
 
The important things to consider when you are looking for daily quests is how convenient the location is. If you’re already near Blade’s Edge, by all means go work through the Skyguard or Ogri’la quests. On the other hand, if you’re in Shattrah that may not be the best idea. If you want to work through a lot of quests, the Isle is a good place because you don’t have to go far to cover quite a few options. 
 
Keep in mind where you’re headed when you are done though. If your hearth is down and you head to the Isle, you could be in a tight spot when you want to leave. Do things in an order that makes sense, coordinating your location with where you are coming from and where you’re going.

Looking for a daily quest guide? Look no further! DailiesGuide.com has detailed guides to every daily quest, so head over and pick up your daily quest guide.

Why go through Warcraft poor? Learn all the best farming tips and earn gold like a pro! Head to FarmForGold.com for lots more information about gold farming.

Ka Ching! If that is your online cash register ringing, that certainly has a nice ring to it.

But, how do you do that? Consistently.

The first thing you don’t do is to create a Web page to sell a product. Yet, that is what a lot of people do - “Hmm, that sounds like a cool product. Let me sign up to sell THAT.” No, don’t do that…you are almost certainly bound to fail and become frustrated and disillusioned.

So, ‘what works?

Here’s the process I use - pulled together from a lot of “guru” sources that works for me - in this article, I’ll show you a perfect example of this that pays off for me.

Here’s the process for finding a profitable niche:

1. List stuff you know something about or are interested in (passionate helps).
2. Do key word research to create a very tight focus around the areas you are considering. There are a number of free and paid tools to help with this. A wide niche is bad, a very narrow niche is good.
3. Create a comprehensive list of key words and phrases around the desired, narrow niche.
4. Research competitors, ezines, forums and groups to see what kind of issues are appearing for that niche. You want a niche WITH competitors.
5. Your niche needs to show that they are very interested in the topic, have issues and have the ability to buy online using a credit card. While there is a business model for a niche that targets kids without credit cards, this isn’t it.
6. Ask questions in forums and conduct a survey based pay-per-click Google adwords campaign to see if anyone will respond to your survey and to see what they ask you for. I have had very good success with this tactic.
7. Create a test report or quick product or find a suitable affiliate program, then test that. If it looks good and you receive interest/sales, then proceed.
8. Create a sales page.
9. Build a product that meets the benefits described in the sales page.
10. Create a way for the customer to buy it from you.
11. Establish a hosting account.
12. Create as many links to you from other web sites using ezines, free ads, contacting competitors, etc.

Here’s a real life example of this. I live in the Napa Valley in Northern California. It is a premier wine growing region and home to more than 400 wineries. Visitors flock in from all over the world. Many know it is famous for wine and that is why they come here, but many have no clue about which wineries are good, which aren’t so good, which limousine services are good, etc. They are looking for advice on the best places to go, see and experience. So, I researched the niche using the process described above and created a Web site and product called BestNapaValleyWineTours.com. It makes money.

Are there competitors - absolutely. But no one offers the exact same kind of product the same way I do. The information I present is available NO WHERE else on the Internet, but my site. That exclusivity is what makes it desirable.

As you think about what interests you, see if you can use this process and my model to develop your own niche and product stream.

To your success.

Steven Sands - Author, Entrepreneur, Business Consultant
RetireRichActionPlan.com - When you finally decide to take control and make your dreams come true.

You’ve been thinking that your financial life could probably be better, right? Maybe you think, “If I could just stick to a budget everything will be fine…”, or how about “When I get that next raise or promotion, I’ll have enough money to pay off my debts and save some money…” You may even be thinking,“I can do this on my own!”

I hear these comments and more on a regular basis. I usually say, “Great! Can you think of any reasons your financial life isn’t perfect right now?”

It’s really your “little voice” which is prompting you to say all these things! Your little voice has a job to do and that is to protect you from any change because it “knows” that change will be hard or scary or cause more work and it’s just easier to keep things the way they’ve always been. Your current situation is something you already know and even if you don’t like it, you at least know what you already have.

Or maybe you feel it’s all up to you and it’s weak to have other people help you, especially when it comes to money. Besides, you might think, I’ll probably have to pay to get help!

People who challenge these thoughts and hire a financial coach find that their attitudes toward “getting help” changes dramatically within a couple of weeks. You’ll find someone you can tell everything to, literally. Your hopes, fears, dreams, problems - the whole lot and you can even drop the image that your life is perfect, that you know it all and that you can do it yourself.

The first thing you’ll notice is that your coach won’t judge you. You’ll be accepted as you are, even if there is room for improvement. You’ll find someone who will truly hear what you say and support you in your efforts to be an excellent money manager.

You’ll feel your dreams are something to be valued and you’ll encouraged to clarify them and move towards them. You’ll be asked challenging questions, you’ll think bigger, be clearer about the role of money in your life, and you’ll consider other possibilities!

Because coaching is a professional relationship, you’ll be working with someone who isn’t just going to say “yes” to you. You’ll know your coach has your best interests at heart when she challenges you. Your coach can help you see big picture when you get bogged down in the detail or run into difficulties. She’ll open up your thinking so you can see you are capable of more than you see for yourself. You’ll be encouraged to truly be your best, particularly when you are inclined to stop short of doing what’s possible for you.

Your little voice will be very happy to protect you from these wonderful experiences, especially if you’ve never experienced the opportunity to work with someone who is on the same playing field as you, open to brainstorming ideas and continually moving you forward. Your inner voice protects you from growing and being outside your comfort zone. Your little voice tries to stop you doing something, whether through fear or pretending you don’t need to do it. Your little voice is useful when it protects you from danger such as putting your hand in fire.

And, remember your little voice is extremely clever and powerful; after all it’s had a lot of practice! It will keep trying to find a way to stop you. You can be quick to identify your inner critic getting in the way, and it will find another way of stopping you. We’ve become so accustomed to letting our inner self rule our lives that we tend to see it as normal, never questioning whether it’s healthy for us.

This inner critic can kick in when you think about getting the help you need and making changes that will improve your finances. “I don’t need ‘help’; I can do it myself!” you’ll hear it say. Getting financial help may suggest that you aren’t capable, you have something missing, or you are just plain lazy or stupid.

You’ll quickly realize that a coach doesn’t ‘help’ you. A coach sees you as a whole person who is capable of unbelievable things. They don’t hold your hand like a child and they’re normal human beings who aren’t perfect. They act as a sounding board, an objective observer, offer a safe place to learn new information about money and answer questions you’ve never been able to ask anyone else. They see things clearer than you do because they step back and aren’t caught up in your daily routine. You can take more responsibility when encouraged by a coach.

Coaching will give you the opportunity to stop and reflect, gather your thoughts, sort out your priorities and focus for the coming week. The dynamics of two people working together are greater than the sum of the individuals.

What is your little voice stopping you from doing, which could be extremely beneficial for you? Write down what your mind is saying, because seeing it in black and white allows you to see more clearly.

What could your life look like right now if you’d had this kind of help when you were just starting out? What will happen 20 years from now, if you keep listening to your little voice? What are you waiting for?!?!?

Cindy Morus (http://www.mendyourmoney.com/about/) is a Certified Financial Recovery Counselor specializing in showing women and their families how to achieve financial well-being and peace of mind. She is also a Certified Credit Report Reviewer, Certified Divorce Financial Analyst and Certified Retirement Counselor. Contact her at 541-387-2995. She is also the publisher and editor of “Financial Fitness”, an internet gazette dedicated to helping people improve their financial fitness no matter what decisions were made in the past.

Attention Ezine editors/Site owners: Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or website as long as you leave all links in place, do not alter the content and include our resource box as listed above. Thanks.

Recently, I told my Financial Planner that I am going to invest in gold. She advised me against it on the grounds that Gold is at historical high. I went against her advice based on my confidence of one of the feng shui Predictions for Year 2008. That is, 2008 is that it is a year of uncertainty and crisis. One of the fundamentals that props up gold prices is crisis. There will be more crisis rearing its ugly head in 2008, probably in the form of viruses which we have seen it somewhat take shape.

At the same time, while many feng shui masters may not have an idea what “subprime woes” before its insurgence in the 2nd half of 2007, all have been advising their clients and readers to withdraw their investments by July 2007.

Likewise, anyone knowledgeable in feng shui would have made a killing in the Singapore property market in 2007. Many investors expected the property market to slow down when the subprime issues ravaged the stock market. However, property market continue to enjoy a good run even after the ripples of subprime are felt in the stock market after July 2007. Those that are trained in feng shui would have sufficiently utilize this knowledge to make a tidy profit from the property market.

As can be seen from the above examples, feng shui knowledge is very useful towards investments. Feng shui is very useful. It can even help to make a good prediction of who will be the next President of the United States of America.

I am a Fengshui Practitioner in private practice and I specialise in Ba Zi, ZWDS, Flying Star Fengshui, I-Ching and other Chinese Metaphysics tools. My blog site is at: http://fengshuiforward.com and http://fengshuiforward.com/forum

Often when planning the party or special occasion festivities it is easy to overlook the planning of party favors. To avoid the last minute rush to find something – anything – that could pass as a party favor, consider some of the following unique party favor ideas:

A Box of Good Fortune – Regardless of whether you are holding a party for birthday, wedding, engagement or even New Year’s Eve, a Box of Good Fortune is a fun way of saying thank you to your guests. Take a small gift box (about the size for jewelry) and insert “lucky” items. You may wish to include a silk flower, lucky dice, a fortune telling scroll, a palm reading diagram, lucky penny. Tie the box closed with red ribbon and top it with an I-Ching coin and a monogrammed tag.

Luggage Tags - Luggage tags come in all shapes and sizes including golf irons, fishing lures and even Hello Kitty cartoons. Choose one style that fits your theme and write a quick personalized note to slip into the tag where the personal information would normally go making it a truly unique party favor.

Poker Chips - Poker Chips can be ordered with personalized information for a nominal fee making them a great favor after a special birthday party. Consider hosting a 21st birthday bash with a Hold ‘em or Stud Poker theme. Personalized chips would be the perfect unique party favor.

Plantable seed paper favors can also be designed to be unique party favors. Consider making them into a bookmark, a small note card, or even a paper airplane. When the festivities are over, they can be placed into a garden spot and wild flowers will grow offering an additional reminder of the fun of the occasion.

These are only a few suggestions for a possible unique party favor. Don’t forget to check with your on-line party supplier for additional information and suggestions. After all, they are working with people just like you and me every single day and they may have some ideas that neither one of us have thought of yet!

Mrs. Party… Gail Leino is the internet’s leading authority on selecting the best possible party supplies (http://partysupplieshut.com), using proper etiquette, and living a healthy life while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. The Party Supplies Hut has lots of party ideas with hundreds of free coloring sheets, printable games, and free birthday party activities. Over 100 adorable Party Themes (PartyThemeShop.com) to fit your birthday celebration, holiday event, or “just because” parties is at the Party Theme Shop. Party themes include cartoon characters, sports, movie, TV shows, luau, western, holidays, and unique crazy fun theme ideas.

The name Mi-Le Buddha first appeared over 2,000 years ago in India. The Guide to the Gospels of Mi-Le Buddha records how Mi-Le Buddha became enlightened since his coming to the world. Since his first coming to the world and vowing to become a Buddha in the Pure Land, ten cycles of Heaven and Earth have elapsed. In this tenth Cycle, the seed he sowed sprouted and the fruit ripened, and it’s time for him to harvest it. When he reveals his true identity, the world will become a Pure Land.

In the “Red Yang” Period (2,500 years ago) in this Cycle, Sakyamuni Buddha descended to Earth from “Tusati” Heaven and was born in Northern India. Mi-Le Buddha followed him and was born in Southern India. After Sakyamuni Buddha was enlightened, Mi-Le Buddha traveled from Southern India to Northern India to follow Sakyamuni Buddha in Sravasti. When Sakyamuni Buddha initiated Mi-Le Buddha into the monastery, he stated that Maitreya Bodhisattva had already attained Tao and that he would enter Nirvana twelve years later, and then lecture in Tusati Heaven.

Anyone who wanted to be a follower of Mi-Le Buddha must follow the Five Disciplines (not to kill, not to steal, not to be lustful, not to tell lies and not to drink), do the Ten Goodwill Measures (not to have greed, rage, and infatuation, not to sow discord, not to flatter, not to talk in abusive tongue, not to speak recklessly, not to kill, not to steal, and not to be lustful), and chant the name of Mi-Le Buddha. After “fifty-six billion years” the followers would follow Mi-Le Buddha descending to Earth, listen to sermons in the “Long-hua Assemblies,” (‘Long’ implies the True Self. ‘Hua’ implies the life. Long-hua Assemblies means that everyone has his ‘True Self and life’ combines together and meets in Heaven), and become enlightened.

However, Mi-Le Buddha has left traces of his descending in the world many times, but the mortals couldn’t recognize him. In South-North of China, Mi-Le Buddha descended as Fu Da-shi. In Tang Dynasty, he descended as the Monk with Cloth Bag (or the Laughing Buddha). Presently, all statues of Mi-Le Buddha in China are in the form of the Monk with Cloth Bag, which unveils his chest and abdomen. When the Monk with Cloth Bag was about to leave the world, he sat on the east side of the temple and said, “Mi-Le is the real Mi-Le. Mi-Le has innumerous images. His appearance is shown to people constantly, except that people cannot recognize it.” Therefore, the number of “fifty-six billion” is only a symbol.

Both the Bible and Koran prophesy the end of the world and the coming of a world savior. The “Doctrine of the Mean” states “When the Saint descends one hundred generations later, there will be no doubt to the Truth.” One generation is about 30 years and in the teachings of Tao of Heaven, Mi-Le Buddha already came as the 63rd Patriarch and his Heavenly title is “Ching Kong Chu Tzu.” He is the savior of the “White Period” (now) where the world is coming to an end by the destruction of the Last Catastrophe of the Third Period. This destruction will be by the water, fire and killer wind called “Gang Feng.” The Bible describes as The Final Judgement.

My Heavenly Teacher JiGong said, “Man is destroying and killing numerous sentient beings in every aspect. How can such behavior not make God (Lao Mu) in wrath and descend the merciless doom (disasters and catastrophes). After many years, the guilt accumulates and Man becomes ghosts and ghosts become Man. The enmity and resentment from every injustice must be repaid whether one is dead or alive.”

T.A Chew was told in year 1994 that in twelve years time (2006), Maitreya Buddha has a great mission for him to do. Not knowing what the nature of the mission, it is now clear that the mission is to propagate the teachings of Tao of Heaven, because Maitreya Buddha is the Buddha in charge of the Heavenly Court to save righteous souls back to Heaven. Website: http://www.white-sun.com

Not all Mexican Landlords will try what I have said in this article. But you’ve got to be on a hightened alert especially when a landlaord tries to get you to pay for several months advanced rent. Make sure this person is really the actual owner of the property. You can hire bilingual Mexicans to check for you.

Fact of Life #2

A Mexican landlord would rather die than ever return a deposit to a renter. Now, I do not know if that is actually true, but it would seem from those with whom I’ve spoken, Mexicans and Gringos alike, no one, and I mean not one soul, has been able to extract a deposit—ever.

Here is a list of the excuses I have gathered in my interviews with fellow expats and Mexicans who have tried to get their deposits back from Mexican landlords:

· You broke the electricity (how is this even possible?).

· You broke the hot water heater (which was vintage 1940).

· That frying pan of mine looks suspect (the landlord usually provides pots and pans).

· I had to replace the floor (that was installed when the house was built before World War I) and it is your fault.

· You were too noisy and the neighbors complained (huh?).

Something else that takes place constantly and that you have to watch for is the “Gringo Rental price” and the “Mexican Rental Price.”

Just why do Mexicans think they can exploit a Gringo when they see one coming down the pike? Now, is this true of all Mexicans without exception? I do not know since I have not met nor had experiences with “all Mexicans without exception.” But it is
beginning to look like my expat innocence (stupid naïveté) is getting a lesson in what it is “really like” to live in México.

I am a person who can get along with “almost” anyone. I have had the philosophy that someone is innocent until proven guilty. (Oh, my. How naïve is that?). Even if I hear the vilest rumors about someone, I generally regard them as just that—rumors—until that person actually acts out those rumors in my face. In other words, I always give someone the “benefit of the doubt” until he proves to me otherwise.

It is becoming apparent to me there “is” some anti-American sentiment here; only it is subtle and unassuming. I have yet to witness personally, or hear on the news, about any marches as were seen in Argentina the last time Bush was there, in which the locals chanted, “Yankee go home.” However, I do not exclude the possibility of seeing something like that someday in México.

How the anti-American sentiment shows itself here is Americans are seen as stupid, arrogant, imperialistic, and self-serving. (I do not entirely disagree with that evaluation. Witnessing some of the behavior of Americans in this country, I can see where the Mexicans get this idea.) However, this unfortunately seems to work itself out in the attitude “since some Americans are horrid behavioral monstrosities, we Mexicans can take advantage of all of them and exploit them”—and exploit them they do.

It used to be the only Gringos who would come to México were the rich ones. Thus, all of us are still seen in that light. Mexicans, in my experience, see gringo faces and think we are all fabulously wealthy. In fact, they think we throw more money away than a Mexican makes in a lifetime.

Traditionally, it was the “rich American” who would come to México, usually to the country’s west “Gold Coast,” and buy up all the real estate. You can still see this in cities like Puerto Vallarta. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, who lived in Vallarta, were prime examples. These rich Americans would hire the locals as servants. The servants, when they went home after work, would tell family and friends just how Americans lived—like movie stars. They appeared to be, and were in most cases, fabulously wealthy and acted like the spoiled children that they, in most cases, were. Thus the stereotype was set.

The rich, upper class Americans became the local servants’ “PATRONS.” They would often pay their servants the lowest possible wages, but the locals accepted this because the Americans provided for them in other ways. They paid for the Mexican’s family members when they took ill, for the births of their children, baptisms, deaths, and so on. The rich Americans got by with treating the locals badly and paying them poorly because, in the long run, they would provide these extra services that benefited the Mexicans. One rich upper class American could not be outdone by his rich upper-class neighbor so he would keep up the Patron act to conform. Again, Mexicans benefited.

What Mexicans never saw, and had no experience with, was an American “middle class.” It didn’t exist then nor does it now exist in their culture. There was absolutely no concept of an American who wasn’t Elizabeth Taylor/Richard Burton rich. There was no concept of an American who could not, nor would want to, become their Rich American Patron and take care of them and all their family members. There was no idea what an American middle class looked like much less that one existed.

Mexicans with property to sell or rent have been accustomed to rich, upper-class Americans who would breeze into town and show a willingness to pay outrageous prices for everything from housing to food. There developed, therefore, the prices for “The Gringos” and the prices for “The Mexicans.”

My wife and I have seen this over and over again here in Guanajuato. We have experienced this with the landlords here. They see you coming and, suddenly, the local property owners start hearing, “Cha-ching, cha-ching.” Dollar signs start floating before their eyes. The vendors and service providers are the same way. Their culture evolved the idea that anyone from America is so wealthy, he can afford to pay higher prices than Mexicans can pay. They take full advantage of this.

If you are a Mexican trying to rent a house, you will be told one price. If you are an American, be prepared to pay through the nose.

It is, I believe, because Mexicans have no concept of a middle class, a class that is just now beginning to visit, and even expatriate, to México.

Our friends from northeastern America were paying $700.00 a month for their mortgage. They moved to México and a landlord charged them $600.00 a month to rent a studio apartment. But, they
were new to Guanajuato, the landlord knew it, and they were stuck with an overly inflated rental—BECAUSE THEY WERE GRINGOS.

Is this evil exploitation? Maybe. But it is their culture. If they are ever to change, it will have to be on their terms and in their time.

Is there anything you can do about it? Nope. If you cannot cope with it, then expatriating to México is not for you.

Our former landlord rented our former casita, less than 1000 square feet, with two bedrooms, one bath, and service patio with a washer, to us for $500.00 a month. That is OUTRAGEOUS for Central México.

Then, after we moved, she turned around and rented it for $700.00 a month to some other Americans. For Mexicans, the price for this property would have been around $400.00 a month.

Lastly, you have to watch out for landlords who believe you are such a filthy rich American that they have no qualms whatsoever about wiring the outside security lights into your meter and conveniently not tell you.

Doug Bower is a freelance writer and book author. His most recent writing credits include The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Houston Chronicle, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Associated Content, Transitions Abroad, International Living, Escape Artist, and The Front Porch Syndicate.

He is founder of Mexican Living Print & eBooks.

Wherever there’s a Knight, there’s action; movement; activity; drama. It’s better than Xena and Hercules, because it’s happening in your life. It’s your very own, exciting 5-star event.

But not all Knights create the same events.

If the Knight of Cups rides into your Tarot reading (unless he’s tempered by a card suggesting a let-down, such as the 8 of Cups; or a card suggesting caution, like the 7 of Swords), you can expect to be swept off your feet by a sensitive, romantic guy or gal. Go for it!

The Knight of Swords means well, but this guy will bring major chaos into your life. He’ll swoop in, create issues, and ride away - leaving you with a big mess to clean up. Not judging - some people thrive on theatre. And an encounter with the Knight of Swords can be very exciting.

The Knight of Wands, though. Ah, here’s a rescuer. (And if you’re a guy reading this, the rescuer may be part of yourself - or it may be a masculine quality in a woman friend.) The Knight of Wands is optimistic and honest. Gals, if you’ve picked this card after a question about your current guy, relax. He’s not cheating on you. Some Wand Knights are even a bit naive and may get discouraged if they can’t save you immediately, right now.

The Knight of Coins (aka Knight of Pentacles), is an OMG type of guy or gal. And wow is he a workaholic - not to the point of ignoring the rest of his life’s duties, but because his career and his ability to provide for and help others is important to him. Unlike the other Knights, he doesn’t gallop wildly anywhere. He thinks, he plans, and then he goes at his own pre-determined speed.

Don’t forget about archetypes.

When you get a Knight in your reading, he may also indicate

1. a part of yourself with these qualities,

2. an urging to use these parts of yourself to overcome an immediate obstacle,

3. some movement (emotional, mental, or travel-related) that you might want to consider.

These Knights are often pictured as men - but remember, in modern Tarot interpretations, the Knights are not gender-specific.

The Knights, Reversed

If a Knight lands into your reading reversed (upside down), he’s representing the same basic idea, but the outcome is not as sure or perhaps as quick. For instance, The Knight of Coins reversed indicates a need to re-think money plans before making any commitments. The reversed Knight of Swords could mean that the person galloping into your life may not be as potent or impactive as he appears. An upside down Knight of Wands, on the other hand, offers the gift of letting go of a project (or person) that is slowing you down. He reminds us to keep our long-term goals in mind and not get sidetracked. And finally, if you receive a reversed Knight of Cups, he is telling you to approach your activities and relationships with more thought, more planning, and perhaps more maturity.

Suzann has a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications from Northwestern University. She is a writer, and has worked as a professional Tarot reader. She runs the website Psychic Tea Shoppe.

Social networking. Social marketing. Web 2.0.

You may have heard these terms bandied about and wondered what exactly they are and (more importantly) what they mean for your business.

So let’s dig right in and get some answers. First, some definitions.

Social networking is actually a pretty broad term. It basically means any type of relationship-building amongst a group of people with a common interest (business or personal). However, that term has taken on a whole new dimension online, where social networking sites (MySpace, Linked In, Facebook) are popping up faster than you can say “Will you be my friend?”

These Web sites are designed around helping people network and build relationships via online, instead of the more traditional face-to-face networking meetings.

Which leads us to Web 2.0. No, it’s not a technical upgrade of the Web (I can hear all the sighs of relief as people everywhere realize they don’t need to be downloading or learning new software). Rather, it’s a new way to use the technical aspects of the Web to build better relationships with people. So it includes blogging, podcasts, social networking sites, video, webinars, etc.

Actually, what it really is is a shift in mindset. Rather than using these tools because they’re cool new tech gadgets, we’re using them to bring a more human element to the Web.

Now social marketing is used interchangeably as social networking, but that’s actually a misnomer (according to Wikipedia). Social marketing is an old term, which refers to marketing for the good of society or for social causes and has nothing to do with any of this.

So, back to social networking. This is wonderful news for business owners out there because it fits right in with how customers buy. Namely, people buy from people they know, like and trust. So building relationships using Web 2.0 techniques is a fabulous marketing strategy.

And many Web 2.0 techniques are either free or very low cost. All the social networking sites have free accounts (some have paid upgrades, but it’s still low). Podcasting can be free (or you can pay a very low fee to do the recording via the phone). Blogging can be free. You get the picture.

Now there is a downside. The downside is it does take time. So if you’re already feeling overwhelmed and frazzled, yes this could feel like another huge to-do on your list.

Which is why I’m going to tell you right now not to go there. There is help. Virtual assistants (also known as VAs) can assist you with these social networking tasks. Also, some marketing professionals offer social networking packages to do it all for you, so you don’t have to manage it or even learn much about it. In other words, you don’t have to go at it alone!

And you also don’t have to spend hours and hours on these tasks either. Pick ONE thing to do, then spend 1-2 hours a week on it. Once that’s mastered, than add a second task. (Or get it into a system so you can outsource it and then bring on a second task.)

Obviously the more time you (or someone on your team) can devote to social networking, the faster you’ll see results. But I don’t want you to beat yourself up if you don’t have a lot of time to do it or money to outsource. Do what you can and let the rest go.

The other thing to keep in mind is it also takes time to start seeing results. None of these techniques is for immediate results or a quick infusion of cash. These techniques are long-term strategies. They’re very effective, but they’ll take some time.

As for what to start on first, that’s up to you and what appeals to you (and what you think will appeal to your target market) but I’ll give you a quick summary of a couple of the major ones along with pros and cons:

1. Blogging.

Pros — This is a terrific way to build traffic to your site. My blog gets a tremendous amount of traffic and much of that spills over to the rest of my site. Plus, I have a Wordpress blog, so it’s built into my Web site and it comes with RSS and pinging and everything else a good blog should. (Did I mention it was free?)

Cons — You need to do some writing. And it does take time. (Either yours or someone on your team.) You should plan to post at least a couple of times a month — more is better.

2. Podcasting. (Podcasting is like having your own little radio show, except the audio is downloaded into an iPod rather than broadcasted.)

Pros — This is a terrific way to add credibility and build trust with your customers. Audio, especially when listened to on a podcast, is very intimate. You end up building a tighter bond with your customers than through reading alone. Adding audio to Web sites has been shown to increase conversion rates. (I.e. more people will buy when there’s audio involved.)

Cons — Time (you got to make time to do your podcast, and once you start, you need to do it regularly). This is also a bit more technical than blogging — you need to upload it to your site, to podcast directories, etc. Unless technology comes really easy for you, I would suggest finding someone to help you out (at least to get you started). And if you have a really dreadful voice I would think twice about doing a podcast.

3. Video.

Pros — Like audio, adding video to your site is great for increasing conversion rates. It adds a level of intimacy and helps your customers feel like they really know you.

Cons — Technical and time. For audio, all you need is a phone. Video you need a camera, a video editor, etc. Of course, once it’s done, you can use it in a lot of places, but getting it done may feel overwhelming.

4. Social networking sites. This is fast becoming a great way to find customers, form relationships and drive traffic to your site. However, before you dive into this, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, there are some 200 social networking sites out there and I’m sure that number continues to grow. But, MySpace enjoys a whopping 80 percent of that traffic. So it only makes sense that 80 percent of the time you’re devoting to social networking sites should be devoted to MySpace. And don’t think MySpace is just for kids! I’ve only been playing around with it for a couple of weeks and I’ve already made some pretty good connections, plus I’ve noticed a spike in my traffic and sign-ups for my newsletter. My friend Nancy has as great primer on how to use MySpace for business purposes.

The other two social networking sites I’m on are LinkedIn.com and Ryze.com. What I like about those two is they’re more focused on business, plus they don’t take a lot of time (so they fit nicely in the 20 percent of my time for the other sites). MySpace can be a time sucker, so just be aware of that.

Pros — Great for building relationships and appears to be good at driving Web traffic.

Cons — Takes time (Sensing a pattern here?) Also it’s very easy to waste a lot of time on MySpace as well.

My suggestion is to pick one of these techniques to start with, do it for awhile and see what happens. If you start seeing leads and results, stick with it and maybe add another one. If it looks like it’s not worth it (takes too much time and you’re seeing too few results) try another.

Michele PW (Michele Pariza Wacek) owns Creative Concepts and Copywriting LLC, a copywriting, marketing communications and creativity agency. She helps people become more successful at attracting new clients, selling products and services and boosting business. To find out how she can help you take your business to the next level, visit her site http://www.michelepw.com Copyright 2006 Michele Pariza Wacek.

In my previous article, I talked about revealing the Feng shui formula for house selection. The easiest way to do such assessment would be to consider the location of the main door and the corner of a house that is short or truncated like a missing piece of jigsaw puzzle. In Feng shui terminology, we termed the latter a “missing corner”. The main door is the most effective amplifier of any effects brought about by Feng shui formula because it is the most active part of the house with people passing through the main door every day or occupants opening or closing it for others reasons. For this reason, the qualitative aspect of the sector for which the door is located is usually positive. On the other hand, a missing corner indicates quality of the particular sector housing it is attenuated and usually attributed with the negative qualitative aspect of that sector. 

With the above in mind, house hunters can simply remember note the sector of which the main door and missing corner are located and assess the qualities of the house which are likely to be positive or negative. A generalized list of the qualities of each sector of the house is as follows:-
 
East sector’s is associated with legs, liver, eldest son, anger, progress. Hence when it is negative there will be issues on the legs, liver or eldest son occupying the house. When positive, it brings about the ability to progress in life.
 
The Southeast sector is associated with thighs, liver, eldest daughter, academic and sexuality. When this sector is positive, it bring about good academic achievements for its occupants. When this sector shows its negativities, it brings about issues with the eldest daughter, sexuality or thighs.
 
The North sector is associated with kidney, ears, abyss, middle son and intellect. When it is negative, there will be issues with kidney or middle son for the occupants in the house. When it is positive, it bestows its occupants with the ability to think and analyse.
 
The Northeast sector is associated with the youngest son, fingers, spleen and an end. When positive, it brings an end to undesired matters or associations. When negative, the youngest son or the fingers of the occupants may get hurt.
 
The Southwest sector is associated with the mother, romance, stomach and gentleness. When this corner is missing, there will be issues with health of the mother or stomach problems or romances problems for the occupants. When the southwest corner houses the door, it brings about gentleness and caring nature in its occupants. 
 
The Northwest sector is associated with wealth, father, head and lungs. A father living in a house with missing corner in northwest sector is likely to be vulnerable. Or other occupants of this house may suffer from wealth, head and lungs problems.
 
The West sector represents the mouth, the youngest daughter and the young in general. For couples looking to conceive, do avoid a house with missing west corner. It can bring about the gift of the gab when positive and legal issues with slander when negative.
 
The South sector represents beauty, eyes and the middle daughter. If the house has its door in the south sector, its occupants will be endowed with beauty or good eyes. If a house has missing corner in the south sector, the middle daughter will suffer or is seldom at home.
 
I hope readers will find this series of Feng shui tips for house selection useful.

I am a Fengshui Practitioner in private practice and I specialise in Ba Zi, ZWDS, Flying Star Fengshui, I-Ching and other Chinese Metaphysics tools. My blog site is at: http://fengshuiforward.com and http://fengshuiforward.com/forum

“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power. If you realize that you have enough, you are truly rich.” Tao Te Ching

What is strength? The dictionary defines it as

1. The state or quality of being strong

2. Capacity or potential for effective action: a show of strength.

3. Degree of intensity, force, effectiveness, or potency in terms of a particular property, such as degree of concentration, distillation, or saturation; potency, operative effectiveness or potency, Intensity, as of sound or light.

So already we can see from the some of the definitions that knowing what your own strengths are, is a good way to build strength for you and your coaching business. To help you to be more effective in the way that you work. To make things more effective, or what I like - to make things easier. It’s always easier to do something you know you are good at, than something that feels miles out of your comfort zone, right?

And therefore, knowing what your strengths are enables you to focus first on what those strengths are, and try to find ways that work to your strengths - because the decisions you make from there will be stronger, more powerful than working from a place of weakness.

Here are just a few reasons why knowing about your own strengths can be useful to you as a coach:

1. It reminds you what you are great at which helps you build your self confidence & self esteem

2. It can show you new information & be a surprise or revelation for you, which helps with your reflective practice as continuing professional development for yourself

3. It helps you to make connections about why you work a certain way - and then use those connections to either do things differently or boost up the time you are spending working on things you are good at.

4. It can give you information or food for thought about the reason you are getting the results you are

5. It can give you a kick-start to do something different.

6. It can help you find out what you are less strong at & make decisions about what you do with those pieces of work.

Number six can be a great way to find out what kinds of work you can delegate when you can.

For instance, it may be that one of your lowest strengths is numerical work. So for me, I do the basic information for my tax return myself and delegate the rest to an accountant. It doesn’t make me excited looking at numbers apart from the story they tell about profit or loss, and I’d rather be working on things I find fun. Plus, I know the accountant can do a much better job, much faster, than I ever could.

So where can you find out more about discovering your strengths?

https://www.strengthsfinder.com/ is a great resource, and where you can find out more about the book Strengthsfinder 2.0 which is what I personally used, and what I use with my clients now to help them find out what their own strengths are. It also has a great list of other books that relate to strengths & how to use them to be more effective. When you buy the book, you get an access code that you can then complete an online quiz that gives you a list of your strengths and suggestions on how to take action with the information.

How do I use them personally? To define the way I do business, to focus my business on what I am good at, and start with this. I have limited time currently & starting this way enables me to be smarter about the work I do.

Claire Chapman is the coaches coach specializing in working with trainee & newly qualified coaches. Claire focuses on helping coaches to unearth their core strengths, to create space to explore themselves, their coaching & their business, & then to take tangible action to get the right results. Claire works with coaches via telephone for one to one coaching & with the Get Clients Now!(TM) program and other group coaching sessions. Visit the website now to sign up to receive the 30 day e-course “Lessons for Life” what they didn’t teach you at coach training school - and what to do about it. http://www.growasacoach.com

In my previous article about the psychological explanation of human resistance to change, I talked about how people are mentally conditioned against changes and usually back themselves up by falling back on precedent cases. A more extreme form of precedent cases are historical ones. Ask ourselves, do the past always oppose to changes in the future? Without change, how can improvements come about?

Ask yourself whether a man living in contemporary society like you will like a dish that was cooked exactly the same way 1000 years ago? With technological advancements we have high pressure cookers, deep fryers and plenty of other cooking equipments. Why should we still think that a dish that was cooked using wood and the pathetic stove of few hundred years ago is still the best way to process it? Such an insistence to adhere to historical practice betrayed one’s reluctance to innovate and follow up with times. 

In fact a Feng Shui practitioner ought to be lauded for his ability to modify and adapt Feng Shui advices to the modern and local context. Why is this so? The logic is that Feng Shui method evolved from a context was set few hundred years ago in China and houses and social practices have changed significantly since then. Even if Feng Shui methods were only developed in recent years in China, its geo-political and cultural differences with other countries meant that modification and adaptation of the methods must still be made for Feng Shui advice in another country.   
 
For example, few hundred years ago in China, toilets were never housed within the same roof as the living quarters.  But in modern society, toilets are under the same roof as the living quarters are the norm now and differences like this inevitably means that a Feng Shui practitioner that continues to copy methods listed in Feng Shui classics blindly run a great risk of messing up his client’s environment. Feng Shui practitioners should not be mistaken to think that they can continue to practice Feng Shui by following ancient Feng Shui classics to a T.

I am a Feng Shui Enthusiast in private practice and I specialise in Ba Zi or 4 Pillars, Zi Wei Dou Shu or ZWDS, Feng Shui, I-Ching, Qi Men Dun Jia or QMDJ, Chinese Name Analysis and other tools. My blog site is at: http://fengshuiforward.com and http://fengshuiforward.com/forum

What is your appetite like for the Word of God? Do you read the Bible or is the Bible a closed book?

There are truths in the Bible, and light for our lives, and love which we so need in this cruel cold harsh world - which can be found nowhere else. If there is I would like you to point me in that direction.

I have just been reading and writing about the details of what has been called the great second missionary journey. We can read all about it in Acts chapters 16 to 18. The record of what happened is exciting and most moving.

With that second missionary journey completed, this powerful man of God, Paul, rests at his home base of Antioch, but not for long. Soon he is off again, visiting the fellowships of disciples in Asia. Concern and compassion and care for these new believers flow from this man.

He wants only to do one thing - strengthen them - encourage them - and build them up in the faith.

There is a pattern here. Paul always went back to his home church, reporting how he got on, and giving something of what he and the team had experienced - greeting the church - thanking them for their prayers - and all that comes over in the letters he was later to write.

He has this desire - this longing - to visit the people he has led to faith in Jesus Christ - to see how they are doing - and how they are growing. His aim is to help them and look after them, and, he wants to feed them with the Word of God, which will enable them to grow. He wants their knowledge of the Word to become firmer and fuller. It is good that we return to this time and time again. We need to see what built up these young disciples of Jesus Christ.

Paul teaches. He does not seek to impress - nor entertain - nor amuse - nor does he accommodate certain tastes giving people what they might like to hear - and all that comes over so vividly in his letters.

God does not want us to be ignorant of the Scriptures. This is a living Word - a challenging Word - a healing Word - a saving Word - a satisfying Word - and as we feed upon nourishing spiritual food we will become healthy - which in turn will create an appetite for more and more.

There is nothing like the Word of God to enable us to grow and mature in every area of life. If you have not been reading it give it a real try. Try it and see for yourself if you have not been a Bible reader. At the end of one month you will be aware of a tremendous difference. At the end of two months the people around you will be aware of amazing changes in you. This is how we mature spiritually.

Meanwhile, God was working away in another area, preparing another situation for Paul to become involved in, but that must be for another article.

But what is God preparing for you in these present days? Do you know? Are you aware of how and where God would have you serve profitably and prophetically? If you ask Him, He may reveal something of what He has in store for you - but usually it is only one step at a time. Very few of us could cope with more!

Sandy Shaw

Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children’s Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.

He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org entitled “Word from Scotland” on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column.

His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical fitness.

Sandy Shaw
sandyshaw63@yahoo.com

I’ve recently had an interesting (and sobering) experience as I’ve attempted to schedule a “black tie optional” event for 300 people - an experience which led me to think about the experiences we’re delivering to customers, right from the start of our “relationship”.

The phone call starts out friendly enough; there’s even excitement in the salesperson’s voice when he or she hears that my event is for 300 people. But the moment I mention that my local event will require no overnight rooms, an immediate and deadly reaction occurs:

• the person’s voice drops - noticeably
• their excitement and energy evaporate
• I hear, “oh…”

… and now I feel really special, as I’m passed to someone lower on the “food chain” because the person with whom I am speaking is no longer interested in talking to me. After all, my event is only worth $15,000 (that’s right, $15,000!) but has no overnight stay component from which the resort can profit… and the salesperson can collect a higher commission.

What they don’t realize is that I need to plan another event in the near future that will have overnight room needs, as well as food and beverage… and the way I am treated on this first event will determine whom I will even consider for the second.

Here’s what we tend to forget when dealing with customers on a regular basis, all of whom have different levels of knowledge, business and expectations of us - but all of whom are still emotional, “feeling” human beings:

• While this customer’s business may not seem big to you, their event (or whatever) is very important and BIG to them;
• They want to feel excited not only about the business itself, but about giving it to you;
• You never know what future business they may personally be able to give you… or whom they know who could give you future business.

Case in point: One of my real estate coaching clients once asked me, “Sandy, I just got a call from someone who has a $40,000 mobile home to sell. I really don’t want that small a piece of business - should I take it?”

My answer: If you really don’t want that business, refer it to someone and collect a referral commission (no matter how small the commission, you can still get paid for simply making a phone call). However, I asked one more question: “How did this business come to you?”

“It was referred to me by a past client.”

Aha! This changes the equation a bit, for three reasons:

• I must realize that I am not only serving the potential client calling about the mobile home, but the PAST client who remembered and referred me as well.
• If I throw this business away, what message am I sending to both clients (their business is too small for me to handle)?
• You never know who ELSE these clients may know who can give you the kind of business you prefer to handle.

(Obviously, if this business is completely out of my area or realm of expertise, I will better serve both clients by referring it to an expert elsewhere… but I’m talking about a piece of business that I could do well, is in my area and is just a matter of preference for me.)

The upshot is this: My client did take the $40,000 mobile home and sell it. Because she did a great job, that client referred her within months to a new client who had a $400,000 home to sell! Ka-ching!

What inadvertent messages do we send when customers call us with their important business, and we allow our “disappointment” in the value of that business to affect our manner, our tone of voice - even the way we think about and treat that customer?

No matter how you feel about someone’s business:

• Maintain a high interest and energy level when discussing it with them. Even if you’re disappointed, don’t let it show! Ensure their experience with you is completely positive from beginning to end - even if you don’t end up personally working with them;
• If you must say no, explain why. We often assume everyone knows the challenges we face - but they don’t. A brief explanation puts it into perspective and makes the customer feel valued, even when you’re saying no!
• If you refer it out, keep on top of it; don’t just disappear from the picture… keep yourself “top-of-mind” for appropriate future business by staying in touch and letting them know you’re not just “dumping” them on someone else and disappearing;
• Keep in mind that the Lifetime Value of each and every customer is usually worth MUCH MORE than the one piece of business at hand.

If you keep this in mind - and create unforgettably positive, reassuring and respectful experiences for your customers - you won’t have to worry about where your next paycheck will come from… referrals and repeat business will come your way and create a steadily rising business!

Sandy Geroux is a national speaker, trainer and author of It’s My Dream And Who Am I To Stop Me? An award-winning salesperson, she helps others achieve breakthrough performance with her programs on effective risk-taking, goal-setting and achievement, sales and customer service. Visit her on the web at http://www.SandyGeroux.com or e-mail her at sandyg@sandygeroux.com

Asian Herbs

I have found Chinese herb formulations quite effective in treating hemorrhoid symptoms. It is now easy to find these herbs, since there are Chinese herb store in most cities. If not, it is easy to go to the Internet and find what you need.

These herbs usually come in pill form; but you can also get store owners to mix you a formulation of dried herbs by simply telling them what ailment you are trying to treat. Most herbal stores usually have an acupuncturist that can diagnose your problem and prescribe a precise herbal combination.

These Chinese hemorrhoid herbs contain chemicals that are anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, increase blood circulation, and lift Chi. Chi is the life force that powers all body and mind functions.

When checking these Chinese formulations just make sure the manufacturers note that they are low in heavy metals.

FARGELIN

FARGELIN - HUA ZHI LING WAN (hemorrhoid pills) contains the following herbs: San-Qi Ginseng Root, Baikal Skullcap Root, Sophora Flower, Callicarpa Leaf, Amber, Burnet-Bloodwort Root, Pig Gallbladder, Corydalis Root and Stem.

Fargelin promotes **** health and should not be used if you are pregnant.

HUAI JIAO WAN

Another herbal combination is HUAI JIAO WAN. It helps shrinks, reduces pain, and stops hemorrhoid bleeding. It contains the following herbs: Sophora japonica fruit, Sanguisorba officinalis root, Scutellaria baicalensis root, Citrus aurantium fruit-ripe, Ledebouriella divaricata root, Angelica sinensis root.

JING WAN HUNG

A third Chinese herbal hemorrhoid remedy is JING WAN HUNG or Ching Wan Huang (ointment.) It relieves hemorrhoid pain, burning, and itching. It contains the following herbs: Lobelia 27.5%, Myrrh 17.5%, Tang-kuei 12%, Borneol 12%, Sanguisorba 8.5%, Chaenomeles 8.5%, Frankincense 8.5%, Carthamus 8.5%, Pistacia.

You can buy any one of these combination at: http://www.seaofchi.com

Use these herbal combinations for only a week. If you don’t see any improvement, stop using them and see your medical practitioner.

Because there are many manufacturers of these herbal combination there will be variations in the ingredients and quality. Buy only from those companies that guarantee the quality of their product.

For more healing tips and information using natural remedies for hemorrhoids, go to this site now: Asian Herbal

Many people trade stocks on their own through self-directed accounts or they simply set up monthly RRSP contributions with their bank or employer. With your bank or employer, the only decision you make is which product to choose from the basket of options you’re given. Another option is to have a financial planner or full-service broker do the work for you.

Why would you choose to let a financial planner guide your portfolio?

Well, it could be that you just don’t have the time to do your own investing. Many professionals work long weeks and just don’t have the energy to read about the financial markets to see what’s going on. By the time the weekend hits, the only thing on their mind is to relax and recoup until Monday rolls around again.

Investing can also be intimidating, especially if you’re new to the world of investing. There are literally thousands of different stocks and mutual funds to choose from, which can overwhelm even the most seasoned and well-versed of investors.

A knowledgeable financial planner can help make the decisions for you to and help you wade through the potentially treacherous financial waters. They (should) have an extensive knowledge of the markets and various financial products that could possibly fit your needs.

They can also save you time, as they make all the decisions for you … again, based on your needs or risk profile. While you’re at work, they should be scouring the markets and finding products. Depending on what relationship you have, they may also ask your opinion on what investment they choose, and you still have the final say.

So, for peace of mind and convenience, a financial planner can help you achieve your financial goals, even if you don’t have any financial knowledge … but at what cost?

There are essentially two ways a financial planner gets paid - either by commission, or the might receive a flat rate from the client, in the form of a yearly fee.

As far as full-service brokers or financial planners go, they receive commission based on all the investment purchases and sales you make. Not only that, they can receive additional commissions - these commissions are called ‘trailer commissions’ - that are paid long after you’ve made the initial purchase of the investment vehicle and as long as you hold it.

But there may be question nagging at you: is there a potential conflict of interest, when a financial planner is paid by an investment company but is supposed to be representing your interests?

While I have no problem people making money off me - everyone has a right to earn a living and you have to pay for service - it is a cause for concern for me. How can someone be truly ‘objective’, if large commissions are dangled in front of them?

The answer is, you have to make sure you’re dealing with someone who truly has your best interests at heart. I’m not saying that financial planners are out to rip you off - most, are in fact, honest and hard working - but make sure you do your homework and continually monitor the performance of your portfolio and the purchases that are made on your behalf.

A friend of mine recently dumped his financial planner because he sensed that this guy wasn’t putting in a great deal of effort. As a matter of fact, he wasn’t even ready for their meetings - he would frequently ‘run the numbers’ during the meeting and ask silly questions that should have been answered beforehand.

So, what lesson can be learned?

Check your statements and ask questions - why was a particular investment purchased? Was it purchased because it matched your requirements or was the commission paid out very appealing…?

While there are certain laws that are there to protect you, you need to constantly monitor and make sure you’re getting the level of service you’d expect, regardless of the size of your portfolio.

Even though a financial planner can save you time and will do much of the work - the responsibility still rests with one person - YOU.

My name is Thomas Strumpski and I am a p/t business owner, accountant and aspiring singer! Please feel free to check out my blog on personal finance and development at: http://www.thestrump.com

Keeping A Hexagram Journal

I keep a I Ching hexagram journal. That way, I can record my readings, the change lines, and special notes or insights, etc. This is a good practice; the I Ching has a cumulative effect over time. The more I use it, the more insight I tend to get. And the revelations tend to build on one another, like the bricks that build up a house.

Keeping a journal allows me to go back and review my readings over the last year. In doing so, I get to see patterns, not only in my questioning, but in my thoughts and feelings surrounding the issues I faced during the year. I Ching journaling also enables me to detect recurring themes in the oracle’s answers. In addition, I tend to internalize the wisdom of the book more when I write my readings down.

Review of 2007 Readings

After reviewing the hexagrams I received in 2007, I noticed quite a dramatic shift from 2006. In 2006, my predominant hexagrams were numbers 21 and 45: REFORM and ASSEMBLING. This corresponds well with the tenor of 2006. In 2006 I was facing literally a life or death health situation. To know how to “move with the tao” in that situation required a wholesale REFORM of old attitudes, beliefs and behaviors. I literally had to disassemble and re-ASSEMBLE virtually all of my former spiritual and moral education in order to survive the storms of 2006. Thankfully, I was able to find the help and strength from spiritual friends who carried me through.

Last year, in 2007, the situation was different. The prevalent tenor of last year was #28 CRITICAL MASS. To be sure, there were “a profusion of elements all struggling to take form” in the Self, both spiritually and materially. The air was definitely “full of multifarious factors all demanding due attention.” Pivotal decisions had to be made, after 2006’s health struggles, about basic life issues: job, living arrangements, family, friends.

DETERIORATION (#23) and ADVERSITY (#47) were also recurring motifs in 2007. Though deterioration often connotes something negative, last year’s deterioration was unmistakably positive, as old self-defeating, life-denying habits of thought and conduct were summarily eliminated, one by one. What deteriorated was the old life that no longer worked; what supplanted the old life was a new life that is better than I could have hoped for.

This reminds me of the words of Jesus:

“If anyone is in Christ, the old has passed away. Behold, all things are made anew.”

2007: A Year of Enormous Change

The I Ching - not to mention the tao, for that matter - is all about change, and how to move with change. It teaches us how to stop resisting change. It educates us on the meaning of the specific changes in our lives. It alerts us to threatening change coming in the near future. And it affirms us when we successfully manage the changes of the past.

So, it is apropos that 2007 was a year of immense change; the tao would have it no other way. Much of that change involved #23 DETERIORATION.

Of course, whenever there is deterioration, there is always ADVERSITY. Change is never easy. Hence, number 47. I experienced great adversity last year, but I’m all the better for it. And I’m looking forward, with eyes of faith, to the wonderful things in store in 2008.

Gandalf the Grey has now become Gandalf the White (Lord of the Rings). That is a perfect metaphor for the changes I experienced in 2007.

Gnosis Arts I Ching Counseling Services

I grew up in the Midwest (Wisconsin) where hard work is not just valued but revered.

Taking care of yourself is not.

Of all the lessons I’ve had to learn in my business (and trust me there have been many) this is probably one of the hardest for me, and one I have to make a point of remembering.

Maybe this sounds familiar — you work and work until something happens and you stop for awhile. Maybe you get sick. Maybe you get over tired. Maybe a personal emergency happens (and be honest — it probably happened because you were neglecting your personal life to begin with) and you have to drop everything to deal with it.

Whatever it is, outside circumstances force you to take a break. You’re not taking a break for YOU.

Everyone is different, but for me I would battle feelings of guilt when I would take some time off. I should be working. There’s a to-do list sitting on my desk I should be going through. But the reality is your business is like your house. There is ALWAYS something you could be doing, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you should (or have to) be doing it.

If any of this is sounding familiar, read on. I’m going to share 3 reasons why you need to take regular breaks and be good to yourself.

1. There’s only one “you.” As an entrepreneur, your energy level is intimately tied to the success of your business. If you are constantly sick or have no energy, how on earth can you grow your business? And, for that matter, when you aren’t feeling well, do you really think you’re giving your clients the best service you could be? For the sake of your business and your clients, you owe it to yourself to take time off so you can be the best you can be during work times.

2. Get more done faster. Which scenario sounds better for your business — you wake at 7 am, exhausted and stressed, because you haven’t gotten enough sleep having gone to bed at midnight (and not falling asleep until 2 am) trying to finish “one last thing?” Or you wake at 7 am (or maybe 6 am) refreshed and energized for your work day, because you knocked off work at 5 pm, took some time off for yourself or your family, and was asleep by 10 pm?

I think you know the answer.

Yes, it can be very seductive to try and get “one more thing” done before you turn in for the night. But the reality is, you need your sleep. And you need time to unwind and get away from the computer before trying to fall asleep, or you aren’t going to sleep well.

Then, what ends up happening? You wake up dragging. So you’re not working as fast or as efficient as you could be. And you don’t finish everything you need to during a normal work day. So you try and catch up at night — and then you ***** up your sleep for another night.

It’s a vicious cycle. But if you can flip that, start getting a good night’s sleep each night, you’ll find that you have more energy during the day, you’ll get more done, and you don’t have to stay up late to finish those last to-do items.

This one can be tough to reverse. Be good to yourself. You might have to reorganize your schedule or to-do list for a week or two, so you have less to do during the day and can actually knock off at a reasonable time each night until you get yourself on a regular schedule.

3. Projects expand to fit the amount of time allowed to them. I never took physics but if this isn’t a physics law, it should be. As a freelancer, I experienced this all the time. During my slow periods, I still found myself working nearly the same amount as during my busy periods.

If I had 1 hour of work to do, and all day to do it, somehow it would take me all day to do it. If I had 6 hours of work to do and 4 hours to do it, I might not get everything done, but I would definitely zip through most of my to-do list.

It’s like when you’re about to go on vacation. There’s always this list of stuff you want to get done. You might not get everything done, but you’re probably more efficient the week before your vacation then the month prior.

Now if you start valuing taking time off for yourself, for instance maybe one day you decide you’re knocking off at 2 to go to a movie or take a nap or go to your kid’s soccer game, you’ll probably discover you get more done that day then you do on the days where you have a huge amount of open time available and no set “end” to your day.

The end result of all of this? You’ll end up working less hours overall, but during those hours you do work, you’ll probably be more efficient, productive, and happy (and you’ll also see your business grow more effortlessly and your clients will also be more satisfied).

Michele PW (Michele Pariza Wacek) is your Ka-Ching! marketing strategist and owns Creative Concepts and Copywriting LLC, a copywriting and marketing agency. She helps entrepreneurs become more successful at attracting more clients, selling more products and services and boosting their business. To find out how she can help you take your business to the next level, visit her site at http://www.MichelePW.com

Copyright 2008 Michele Pariza Wacek.

What is a Miracle?

Dear Miraculous Ones,

The question for today is: What is a Miracle to you?

Further more:

How does one experience Miracles?

Where do Miracles come from?

How can we get some, or Not?

Can we see Miracles?

Are they for sale?

What color is a Miracle?

Some silly and not so silly questions!

The answers all lie within you and I and all of us, for we are the creators that manifest as Miracles. Our thoughts create Miracles. Miracles are wishes focused carefully. Miracles can be quite simple in fact. Sudden amazing occurrences are defined at times as Miracles.

What Miracles have you experienced in your life recently or ever? If you were to know, which I am sure you do, how did you create these Miracles? Taking these few minutes to ponder on these words, will activate your creative mind even further allowing more of your creative self to reveal itself.

Miracles are so wonderful. They give us such Joy all around. We believe in them as something so extra ordinary. They make us feel so good like we are loved and someone actually cares for us. Well, the truth of it all is, the Universe loves us and our Universal Consciousness which co-creates with this Universe creates all of the Miracles in our lives.

So, what does all of this tell us? Let us watch our thoughts carefully and create all the Miracles we want in our lives. One golden rule, and that is we must all be in a state of allowance.

So, today and everyday let us allow ourselves to be a source of Miracles in our lives and in others.”With our thoughts, all Miracles are possible
May the love and light of God and the Universe surround and Protect you, your loved ones and the planet earth.

Peace for all, Love is all, Joy to all, Wellness for all, Miracles are us and many many Blessings.

With Gratitude,

Michelle Morovaty

With God All Things Are Possible

ABOUT MICHELLE
Michelle Morovaty is an Intuitive Spiritual Teacher and Healer. She has healed herself from many challenges including Lupus CNS, a car accident and divorce. She uses her intuition and universal guidance to assist people through the healing process.

For more about Michelle see http://www.spiritualityinsideandout.com and for her healing guided meditation CD’s see http://www.insidenow.com

As I have mentioned previously, ( I am sure, many times) I work on line as a psychic, and have for several years. I ‘gave up’ working in the corporate world because I felt it was more important to help people than to balance a corporation’s general ledger for stock holders.

After the fall of Ms. Cleo (which, I am proud to say, I had a lot to do with) I started working for the two biggest companies on line which had psychics. One, I quit almost immediately, the other I will not be associated with past this month. I am giving up my chosen ‘profession’ because of the antics of these companies. I thought Ms. Cleo was a scam, I know these companies are. No one, who has any moral standards would stay and work for them.

By this time someone is asking - so why did you stay so long. The answer is simple - aside for financial reasons, I wanted to help people find their true path in life. I rejected all callers who asked when will they find their soul mate, etc. I thought, incorrectly, with the way this world is going that people would want to know how to help fix it, and find their true life path. Apparently I was wrong. Instead people are turning inward and asking instead - so how will all this affect me and how do I get what I want.

The more people are confused, the more they are turning to the use of spells, candles, curses, etc to achieve what they think they want in life. These things do not work. All they do is cost a lot of money to the sucker who is paying for them. I was told point blank - from Higher Powers - the use of spells, etc, goes against the Laws of Heaven. Anyone who uses them is turning to the Dark side. When I look at the so-called psychics on these sites, all I see are ‘experts’ claiming the use of such things will help prospective callers.

One of these sites has the ability to go to any caller’s computer and see what is on there. This was dangerous because some military people called on military computers. I understand the military found out about this and stopped this practice. The other of these sites is ‘owned’ by the Carlyle Corp. When I learned this, I quit them immediately.

When I told a friend I was quitting, I was asked - so what will you do now? I have no idea. I will continue to write and try to help people through my writings, but other than that - I do not know. I am not worried about it though. The Higher Powers have always taken care of me, and there is no reason to think they will not continue to do so.

People have asked me - so how do the Higher Powers tell you things. First of all - let me explain this - I have what is called true sight. This means, if someone starts telling me something - a picture develops in my mind and I can fill in the details they have not mentioned. As the picture unfolds,
I see what happens past the point they stop talking and see to conclusion of the ‘picture’. When
I was younger, I was very surprised everyone was not able to do this. This is just one of the abilities
I have.

Many years ago, on December 31st, I had voices literally screaming in my mind not to go out new years eve. I did not. A friend came over to spend new years with me so I would not be alone. He borrowed my car to drive a mile and a half to pick up some other friends who were also staying
home. He never made it. He lived through the wreck, but my car was totaled. The engine wound
up in the back seat. If I had been in the car, it would have been fatal for me.

Those are just two ways the Higher Powers communicate with me. The third, is over the computer. Whether the reader believes this or not, doesn’t matter, but I have copies of conversations from Higher Powers where they have told me what they want the world to know.

I have incorporated their words into everything I have written in the spirituality category. Most, not all, of these conversations occur when I am ‘chatting’ with Rhiannon Waits. Someone might say she is telling me these things. The difference is - she has no memory of these conversations and her screen is blank where my screen has the entire conversation. I print them out. After printing them, some have disappeared even though I have ‘saved’ them. In some instances, things I have written have been altered, adjusted or added to, such as Message Through the Grace of God and the Seven Essences. This title, by the way, I did not give. I called it My Vision. When I went back into my documents to proofread, it had changed.

I know the Dark One does not want me to ‘get the word out’. I know Lucifer likes the way things are going on this planet. Anyone who is trying to stay positive and live by the Laws are finding obstacles
in their way. This is Lucifer’s doing. He trying to get as many people as possible to give up and turn
to him. As the Higher Powers said - he is putting trip wires in the way of people who are going to the Light.

I am mentioning this so people will understand why things might be happening in their lives which are absolutely no fault of theirs. If they understand this, and absolutely reject the Dark one, they will find things will become much better for them.

I will try to get the government to set up some sort of guidelines for this psychic industry. As I mentioned, anyone can claim to be a psychic. There are absolutely no rules that govern this industry.
This is a free for all - literally - as most psychics do not even claim their earnings as there are no 1099’s sent at the end of the year.

I will continue to do psychic work - on my own site only. I will continue to try and help people find the Light and their true path. I will continue to write what the Higher Powers want the world to know.
I will continue to try and get their Message out. Everything else, as the expression goes - is in God’s Hands.

Athena Louise

http://www.athenalouise.com

Psychics, Psychos and Positive will soon be available. My next one, the Path to Spirituality is almost completed.

Henry Chester wrote, “Enthusiasm is the greatest asset in the world. It beats money, power and influence.”

Edward Appleton said, “I rate enthusiasm even above professional skill.”

And Mary Kay Ash went so far as to state, “A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm will go farther than a great idea that inspires no one.”

The overall feeling from most of the quotations I discovered that refer to “enthusiasm” were that it breeds success and happiness. It is also the behavior most suggested in sales training. So, as I posed the question in the title, “Why do so few people have it and/or enjoy the benefits of enthusiasm?”

You may be thinking that I am just encountering the wrong people in the wrong situations. After all, there are lots of enthusiastic people. I wish there were. In my fitness classes, I do have a handful of enthusiastic students. They move, they sing, they yell and they smile. And yet I notice the majority act like they are just “putting up with it.”

Way back in the early 80s I was working as the manager of a textile design studio. There was a terrific young salesman named John who was enthusiastic about the fabrics and life in general. He and I put together a program for interior designers that consisted of him showing the new line of prints and my showing slides and explaining all about how those prints were created. The designers loved it, but the company VP thought that John and I were going overboard with our enthusiasm and halted our program.

And, then there is fake enthusiasm - worse than no enthusiasm. Bo Bennett agrees, “Faked enthusiasm is worse than bad acting - it is bad acting with the intent to deceive.” I think that this shows up often in sales. I feel that it is almost impossible to sell a product that one isn’t enthusiastic about.

In a past life I became involved with and sold a rather pricey goal setting program. It was my first foray into audio self-improvement. I loved it and was going gang busters, until a potential client asked me why he should pay close to $300 for my product when he could get a similar program from Nightingale Conant for only $70. I checked it out. My sales of the pricey program plummeted and I ended up selling Nightingale Conant tapes. I had lost my original enthusiasm.

It’s time to share some of the great quotations I found, and, if they don’t encourage you to work on your enthusiasm, I don’t know what will:

Dale Carnegie stated, “Flaming enthusiasm, backed up by horse sense and persistence, is the quality that most frequently makes for success.”

Was I Ching correct when he wrote, “He who possesses the source of enthusiasm will achieve great things. Doubt not. You will gather friends around you as a hair clasp gathers the hair.”

The strong and never, never give up statesman, Winston Churchill said, “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”

While Samuel Taylor Coleridge believed, “Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm.”

And Benjamin Disraeli wrote, “Every production of genius must be the production of enthusiasm.”

All I know is that I love my life and live every day and every moment with enthusiasm. It may not be for everyone, but why not try it? It is much more FUN that way!

Chris King is an entrepreneur, professional speaker, storyteller, writer, website creator / designer, free agent, and fitness instructor. Sign up for her eclectic E-newsletter, Portfolio Potpourri, at http://www.freelanceliving.com You will find her information-packed E-book How to Leave Your Audiences Begging for MORE! at http://www.OutrageouslyPowerfulPresenter.com and her business website at http://www.CreativeKeys.biz

He felt the familiar dislocation as he drifted away from his physical form and came to rest beside the bed that contained his and his wife’s sleeping bodies. Looking down at them briefly, he felt both a part of them and as if he was a detached onlooker. This phenomenon had begun during a serious childhood illness and continued to occur in the present day. He became aware of the same conditions that had accompanied it in the past. The darkness was suffused with a vibrant blue aura as he hovered slightly above the floor.

The sense of well being and energy that permeated him was in no way related to the physical state of existence. Although he presently appeared to have a tangible body, this was probably a superfluous effect, as his thoughts were free and completely removed from bodily considerations. He experienced a profound lucidity that belied the possibility that this was a dream… Any further observations came to an abrupt halt, as just then, the doorbell rang.

He fleetingly acknowledged that this was unlikely in the early hours but he could not prevent his own immediate movement towards the head of the stairs. In passing, he noticed that his feet were not actually touching the steps as he descended the staircase and made to unlock the front door. It was far too late to heed the inner voice that startled him with its urgent imperative not to open the door.

Conclusions surfaced during the seconds that it had taken for him to commit to this inadvisable action.

The door that he was opening did not relate to this house but was instead one step removed from material reality. His instant reaction had left no pause between thought and deed and the fact that he’d taken his normal route through the house was attributable to habit rather than necessity.

Dread filled him as he swung the door back and absorbed the nightmare scene facing him. He retreated while realizing that he was not seeing the true face of the threat but, instead, a representation based upon his own expectations. Nevertheless, the danger was real and he had invited it into his home.

His mind raced as he decided that he must protect the souls in the bedroom above. He urgently backtracked up the stairs while facing the mélange of creatures that poured through the doorway. Positioning himself at the foot of the bed, between the couple and the approaching evil, he knew that only moments remained to ward off the impending harm. The horde crowded into the room and panic wracked him as he desperately searched for a way to fend off this impending peril.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a sense of calm and enlightenment infused him. Knowledge of what had to be done and a sheer confidence settled in where apprehension had previously existed.

Hesitation disappeared as he stared directly at the obscene and malevolent beings that pressed forward. Once prepared, he issued a command that left no room for negotiation…and quite simply ordered them to go!

His adversary seethed with anger but he knew now that they could only wreak havoc if he allowed them to…They fed off fear but could do no physical harm unless he first granted them permission.

With this knowledge he was also aware that what confronted him could never deny him providing he believed in himself and the greater powers that gave him existence.

Once again he commanded the evil to be gone and once more the throng endeavoured to intimidate him but their rebuttal was weaker now. Unwaveringly, he pressed them for a third time and the mass bridled but withdrew in spite of itself, vanishing into a void, leaving his home serene once more.

He relished the tranquillity for a moment before gradually turning to view the sleeping couple.

At that moment he heard a voice that conveyed a message of gentle pride as it congratulated him. “Well done” was all it said but, with that, a wave of warmth and love overcame him. He could not remember feeling such sheer contentment before and, uncharacteristically on these occasions, he was happy to return to his body. Drifting towards his inert form as it lay on the bed he let the restoration process take place.

There was a brief period of adjustment as the two forms began to merge, then finally they were one again. He opened his eyes and lay there for a while basking in the afterglow and then at last, with a smile on his face, he dropped off to sleep.

The sense of well being was still with him the following morning. He was making small talk with his wife when she happened to mention that she’d had a bad dream last night. She had dreamt that their doorbell had rung and, in her dream, they were both suddenly in danger…

Footnote:

For those of you that have experienced this phenomenon or something like it, perhaps you feel as I do that it cannot be easily dismissed. There are increasing reports of near-death experiences that bring with them a wealth of detail. The implication being that the Out of Body state may be more than simple fantasy. My own experiences over the years have provided substantial evidence both for myself and for those closest to me. The Tao Buddhists refer to our earthly existence as MAYA or Illusion, believing that we are in some way curtained off from true reality. One is given to wonder then what we would see, if we could pull aside the curtain?

Professional Numerologist and Astrologer, Peter Dobrovic offers personal consultations and professionally written reports based on over twenty years experience of practising Numerology. Peter, uses the three systems of Numerology, I Ching and the Chinese Horoscope to provide readings for his hundreds of satisified clients across the UK. You can visit his site at http://www.pdnumerology.com

He who stands on tiptoes

doesn’t stand firm.

He who rushes ahead

doesn’t go far.

He who tries to shine

dims his own light.

He who defines himself

can’t know who he really is.

He who has power over others

can’t empower himself.

He who clings to his work

will create nothing that endures.

Lao-tzu the author of the Tao Te Ching or The Way was born in China over 2500 years ago. His name is translated as the “Ancient Boy,” and he wrote one book that describes the art of living. It is a lesson in doing without doing; releasing myself into the deed itself so nothing becomes everything; like an athlete who enters a state of body awareness where the right stroke or the right movement happens by itself effortless. Without any interference of my conscious will I enter a state of non-effort, where the game plays the game or the poem writes the poem and the dancer and the dance are blended in unity. This is the way of the Tao.

By surrendering my thoughts of fear, anger, judgments and separation I learn to be compassionate and grateful. I feel the harmony that nature expresses and I become one with it. The more I let go of what I think I love, the more present love becomes and I begin to live my truth. I move from duality into a reality of love where all things have a message for me. There is no sin or evil to resist for it becomes a state of opaqueness, a state of self-absorption, which is in disharmony with the universal process. In the reality of love I clear my dirty windows of thought so that the light of wholeness shines in its splendor. My compassion becomes a tool for healing and I use it on myself in order to give it to others.

Lao-tzu understood that softness not rigidity was the tool needed to live in my changing world. Blending with the elements I am no longer a subject or an object; I am a whole part of the whole of nothing, which is the essence of everything. Traveling on my journey of remembering I can stand firmly on the ground and walk slowly in the pure light of awareness. I am able to empower myself and unite with my fellow travelers. I can work but enjoy the playfulness of the deed and be at peace with myself. Control is a self-help tool I use to calm my old friend the ego. Gratitude and giving are the tools that bring me joy and forgiveness. Abundance surrounds me and I sit in a seat of All There is, with all that I am.

The Ancient Boy is within me. Doing without doing is not only the expression of love; it is love itself. My energy is connected to the source of all energy and I am both the fuel and the flame. Changing constantly I expand and grow into a grander version of who I am; a spirit having a human experience. I float in the stream of consciousness that carries me through eternity and I become what I have always been; an expression of All There Is.

Howard (Hal) Thomas Manogue, was born in Philadelphia, and is a forerunner to the Indigo children, a now age term for misfit with an intuitive nature, a desire to know his truth with a gift of giving and sharing. Hal retired from the shoe industry after 35 years of sole searching, and discovered his real soul.

He enjoys art, music, philosophy, psychology, nature and people.

His poems have been published by: Mystic Pop Magazine, Children Of The New Earth Magazine, New Age Tribune, Seasons Of The Soul Newsletters, Lightship News and Writers In The Sky Newsletters. His essays can be found on Hal’s Blog and Website: http://halmanogue.blogspot.com/

http://www.shortsleeves.net

He lives in Franklin Tennessee.

Hal’s new book Short Sleeves Insights: Live A Ordinary Life In An Non-Ordinary Way will be in print in April. Visit any bookstore or Hal’s website to get a copy. Hal’s third Collection Of poetry: Short Sleeves A Book For Friends will also be in print in April.

The brain trust over at Google has come up with a little wacky, off-the-wall idea about Internet ads. Make them less annoying.

No, that’s it. That’s the whole plan. Seems like someone should have thought of that one a little earlier.

But bloggers can cash in with Google’s AdSense network. Instead of posting blinking lights, cheap animation and a bobbing and bouncing monkey (or the paper football, although I totally rock at that one) Google matches vertical or horizontal blocks of text with the content of the web page. The ads don’t blink or jump around. Instead, they match or relate to the topic at hand, so the reader isn’t seized with the immediate need to get it off the screen…right now…no matter what it costs.

Traffic goes up, income goes up. Making money on the Internet – it may be the World Wide Web’s Holy Grail. Still, despite the simplicity, there are several steps savvy bloggers can take to give AdSense added oomph.

Here are some other almost obvious tips:

• Don’t make it boring. Boring equals bad. More importantly, boring drives readers away in two clicks. No one wants to read for three days straight why organizing your closet via season, not color, makes sense. Try to keep content fresh and continually updated. The more often people check in to see what else is going on in your world, the more often you hear cha-ching. Wash-rinse-repeat a few times, and you have created a loyal and happy reader.

• Make it easy to read. People cannot read blue text on a black screen! Keeping the layout simple and clean is the easiest way not to ***** anything up. A general rule calls for placing an advertisement “above the fold,” or in place on the first portion of the screen before any scrolling is required.

• Think about ad placement. Don’t try to squish a horizontal advertisement into a vertical one. Google provides plenty of ad options from including a link to placing an ad in the middle of some text so no need exists to use the wrong ad. If you don’t know what size to make an idea, going too wide will look the best.

• Listen to your readers. Most of them are not to hesitant to give an honest opinion of a new advertisement type or content or anything else for that matter. If moving all your ads to the bottom of a rambling ode to your dead parakeet causes income to crash, then, well, maybe you shouldn’t do that. Consider making small, gradual changes and watching your traffic numbers.

• Remember why you started blogging. Bloggers blog for fun, for release, for a creative jolt and any other number of reasons. But, usually, not because the idea of sitting at the computer makes them think of a dentists’ drill. If it stops being fun for you, your readers will likely realize it. And who wants to be around that guy? If you find your self in a slump, give yourself permission to take a day or two off. Then, think about why you do this and what you want out of it. Plus, it’s totally an addiction, so after a day or two you will be itching to get back.

Just because it took surfers years to almost literally rising up in arms against pop ad is no reason your blog can’t start earning money now. Follow these tips and let Google’s AdSense do most of the work.

Michelle is a bona fide professional blogger. If you’re aiming for six figure online profits then you NEED her fun advice! Read her Make money online column and start profiting right away.

Research indicates that tea may work against heart attacks, stroke, and thrombosis. Tea contributes to this in several ways. It does so in a general way through its role as gentle stimulant to the heart and circulatory system. Secondly, it appears to keep the blood vessel walls soft. Thirdly, there is evidence that the phenols in tea inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive tract, which could help decrease the cholesterol in the bloodstream. Fourthly, it may decrease the blood’s tendency to form thrombi, or unwanted clots. Often several of these functions operate together against stroke or heart attack. Strokes and thrombosis often occur because the blood vessels have lost their elasticity. Rutin, found in green tea, has long been prescribed to keep these walls soft.

Green tea has turned out to be a double-barrelled threat to tooth decay because of the natural polyphenols (tannin) and the fluoride it contains. Polyphenols tend to reduce the formation of plaque, while fluoride strengthens tooth enamel so that it can resist decay.

Considerable research is being carried out on the role of tea drinking in preventing cancer. Out of 25 papers related to health presented at the Hangzhou Symposium, seven reported on research on cancer and tumors. Green tea seems to get the best results, with Lung Ching Preferred. Stomach cancer, the number one cause of death in Japan, is at its lowest rate in Shizuoka prefecture along the coast southwest of Tokyo. One explanation is that Shizuoka is a tea-growing district and its inhabitants drink large amounts of green tea.

Researchers believe that green tea has an effect against cancer because it inhibits the formation or action of cancer-causing substances. Green tea may block the action of nitrosamines which can cause cancer, said Dr. Han Chi, and associate professor at the Institute of Nutrition and Food Hygiene under the Chinese Academy of Preventative Medicine. In a test of 145 types of tea, she and her colleagues rated green tea highest, with a blocking rate of 90 percent. Brick, Jasmine, oolong, and black tea followed in that order.

In China it is widely stated that green tea is a source of vitamin C. Since this vitamin is destroyed by heat and tea is made in hot water, this statement seems somewhat contradictory. However, recent tests in China have found that heat destruction of vitamin C does occur, but not in tea. Something in tea, as yet undetermined, apparently helps stabilize vitamin C.
The amount of vitamin C contained in green tea varies greatly depending on growing conditions, the age of the leaves at picking, and how long they have been stored. According to Chinese calculations, typical green tea made with three grams of dry leaves to a cup should yield about six milligrams of vitamin C in three infusions in water at 158 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit (70 to 100 degrees centigrade). Eighty-five percent of the vitamin C is released in one five minute infusion at 176 degrees Fahrenheit (80 degrees centigrade). Tea also contains vitamins B1, B2, K and bioflavonoids plus niacin, folic acid, and manganese, but in such small amounts as to be negligible.

Another way tea may help fight cancer is through preventing cell mutation. The antioxidant actions of the polyphenols in green tea inhibit mutation of the DNA in healthy cells, which can cause them to become cancer cells. In rats injected with a cancer-causing substance and fed green tea, cancer did not develop, but it did in the control group without tea.

An antioxidant made from green tea applied to the skin significantly inhibited growth of induced skin cancer in mice. In similar tests in Fujian province, green tea markedly decreased the incidence of Lung cancer in rats. It seems to be the epigallo catechin gallate (EGCC) that reduces the occurence of aberrant DNA replication in epithelial cells.

Some researchers claim tea acts as a mild germicide in the digestive tract to help prevent food poisoning and diseases like cholera, typhoid, and dysentery. “The antibacterial effects of tea have been well documented in Chinese scientific literature,” writes Dr. Albert Y. Leung in Chinese Herbal Remedies. “Green teas have stronger effects than black teas. They are effective against any types of bacteria, including those that cause dysentery, diphtheria, and cholera… in treating bacillary dysentery, amoebic dysentery, acute gastroenteritis (inflammation of stomach and intestine), and enteritis (inflammation of the intestine).”

When pregnant or nursing only small amounts of green tea should be used, it may also interfere with the action of MAO inhibitors and blood thinning medication. Also the consumption of green tea may interfere with the absorption of medicines. This article is intended to be for information about the nutritional benefits of green tea only and should not be regarded as medical advice in its own right. You should seek the assistance of a qualified physician if you require medical advice on any condition mentioned in this article.

Want to experience the benefits of green tea for yourself? Visit In Nature Green Teas which offers top quality Chinese teas (and herbs) for sale securely online.

Hinduism is more than an outer religion of certain rituals and formalities. Hinduism is in fact a way of life; a spiritual code. This spiritual code or Dharma is at the heart of Hinduism and governs the moral and spiritual practices of its believers. Through the practise of Yoga proscribed in Hindu scripture adherents can seek to attain union with God. As Sri Chinmoy writes:

“Know Thyself.” This is what Hinduism stands for. This is the quintessence of Hinduism”

As well as stressing the need for self-discovery, another notable feature of Hinduism is its tolerance. This is tolerance of other religions, other cultures and other spiritual paths. Inevitably certain fanatics have ignored this aspect, but the heart of Hinduism is notable for its inclusivity and oneness. “Unity in Diversity” is its goal. Hinduism as a religion is perhaps unique in not stressing the need for conversion. The Great Rishis and Saints offer the sublime truth that many are the paths to the goal. Sri Chinmoy states:

“ True Hinduism abjures all that divides and separates. Hinduism gives due importance to all the spiritual figures of the world. It recognises a great harmony in their teachings.”

As well as embracing the spiritual wisdom of other cultures, there is also great diversity within Hinduism itself. The different branches of Hinduism will appeal to people of different temperaments. For example in bhakti yoga the seeker meditates and concentrates on his chosen deity (Be it Sri Krishna or Maha Kali), feeling they are approaching God through the personal aspect of God. Another path of Hinduism, primarily the philosophy of Vedanta, stresses the Impersonal aspect of God and leads the adherent to see beyond the realm of matter or “maya”. Another confusion to outsiders is the multiplicity of Gods and Goddesses within Hinduism, but the Hindu scriptures teach these are but the various aspects and manifestations of the One Supreme God who embodies both the finite and infinite and at the same time transcends both. Hinduism happily embraces these diverse paths.

Hinduism is an adaptable religion it stems from the great Vedic Sages who wrote down the eternal truths of their meditations. Over the course of the centuries Hinduism has picked up new ideas, methods and has adapted to different cultures. However at the heart of Hinduism remains man’s essential quest for union with the Absolute Supreme. Sometimes the outer body of Hinduism appears to veer away from this truth. But Saints and sages throughout the ages have sought to reinvigorate Hinduism with the timeless and eternal message that Hinduism stands for.

R. Sedgewick is a spiritual seeker and writes on spiritual topics. He contributes to a site about Sri Chinmoy

The subtle energies of the body, Polarity Therapy,

Tantra and cultivating sexual energy

Empirical science has yet to prove the existence of the subtle anatomies. Yet the mystical traditions have articulated them for millennium. The Sepherot of the Kaballistic Tree of Life, the meridians of the Chinese acupuncture system and the chakras of the Ayurvedic system are examples. They all convey the knowledge of a subtle energy which they assert is the link between the spiritual realms and life as we know it. Each uses their unique language and concepts to describe the precipitation of the mind of God into energy and into physical manifestation. The Chinese call this energy ‘chi’, ‘ki’ by the Japanese and ‘prana’ by the Hindus. The Kahunas of Hawaii call it ‘mana’; Christ called it ‘light’.

The system of Ayurvedic medicine has evolved over the past 5,000 years. It is based on the Hindu scriptural Veda’s, which are the world’s oldest documented spiritual writings. Ayurveda offers a highly specific description of the subtle anatomy. It recognizes five sheaths, or layers of energy through the body. They are described from the most dense to the most subtle. The first and outer most layer is the bones, muscle and skin. The next, more, subtle sheath is respiration. Next in subtlety is the sheath of cognition, associated with the nervous system and the thinking mind. Next is the sheath of discretion, which relates to our moral choices and their consequences. Most subtle of all is the chakra system; the interface between the cosmic vibrations of creation and the grosser anatomical systems of the physical body.

Chakra, from the Sanskrit, means ‘wheel of spinning light.’ The ancients taught there are seven chakras in the body. They are located just in front of and along the spinal column. These generators and reservoirs of energy are also areas of consciousness. The first five chakras are associated with an element of nature (earth, water, fire, air, or ether) and with one of the senses (smell, taste, sight, touch and hearing). All of the chakras are associated with a tonal quality, a numerical and alphabetical value, and a color. When the chakras are in tune the body, mind and spirit experience harmony. Charles and Caroline Muir offer an analogy:

Consider the chakras as the strings of a guitar. Each string vibrates at a different frequency and gives off a different note. Over time the strings may resonate sharp or flat, and they require tuning. When they are in tune, the sound the guitar produces is harmonious. Similarly, when the chakras are in tune, one achieves harmony.

The Base chakra is found at the coccyx bone at the tip of the spine. It resonates with the earth element, the adrenal glands of the endocrine system and the sense of smell. It rules the organs of structure such as bones, muscles, and connective tissues as well as elimination. There is a correlation between the earth element and our need for structure and safety in the world.

The second chakra is found at the sacrum. It resonates with the water element, the reproductive glands and the sense of taste. It rules the fluids of the body such as blood, lymph, sexual secretions and tears. It correlates to sexuality and all creative energies. There is an interesting link between the sense of taste and sexuality in this chakra. Mantak Chia, in his book Taoist Secrets of Love, states:

Many people confuse the hunger for food and *** as being similar biological desires that are both necessary for survival. Clearly they are connected, as many people feeling sexual frustration turn to food for gratification. An imbalance in ching (sex) energy ranks as a major cause of obesity—when you are sexually frustrated, food is the easiest substitute.

The third chakra is found at the solar plexus. It resonates with the fire element, the Isle’s of Langerhan (which produce insulin in the pancreas) and the sense of sight. It rules the organs of digestion and metabolism. This chakra correlates to the assertion of and the abuse of power.

The fourth chakra is found at the heart. This is the center for the Air element, the thymus gland and the sense of touch. The heart chakra rules respiration and immunity. With the arms it addresses how we bring the world to us and how we share ourselves with the world. It correlates to a sense of altruistic love in the world.

The fifth chakra is found at the throat. It rules the Ether element, the thyroid and para-thyroid glands, the organs of speech and the sense of hearing. The throat chakra correlates to “speaking one’s truth” and to taking action based on that truth.

The last two chakras transcend the denser elements and senses. These are the subtlest energetic harmonics.

The sixth chakra, often called the 3rd eye, is found between the eye brows. It relates to the 6th sense of psychic and paranormal experience. It is associated with the pituitary gland of the endocrine system and is the source of spiritual vision.

The Crown Chakra is found at the top of the head and it relates to the pineal gland. This is the seat of mystical experience. It is the place where the mind releases all boundaries and concepts and experiences life in its full unity.
There are a number of energy therapy systems such as Reiki and Therapeutic Touch. In my own journey I have found Polarity Therapy to be the most effective way to effect the chakra energy system. Polarity Therapy is the life’s work and teachings of Dr. Randolph Stone. Dr. Stone was a doctor of osteopathy, a doctor of naturopathy and a chiropractor. He would treat clients for symptoms and then notice that they returned with the same chronic pains and illnesses. As well trained as he was he felt he was missing something. His curiosity led him to study mystical healing modalities across the world. Richard Gordon describes Dr. Stone’s search:

In China and France he studied acupuncture and herbology. In the orient, he learned reflexology and other eastern massage techniques. In the course of his work, he stumbled across the ancient Spagyric art of healing as taught by the great Doctor Paracelsus von Hohenheim, who had studied in Arabia. This provided Dr. Stone with essential knowledge of subtle electromagnetic fields of the body. Over the course of sixty years, Dr. Stone integrated this wealth of knowledge into a system he named Polarity Therapy.

Dr. Stone realized that successful healing must take place on the energetic fields as well as the physical level. That’s why chronic pain and illness often return when treatments just address the physical symptoms. Polarity utilizes gentle touch, rocking and deep pressure point work to release blocked energy in the energy fields. Dr. Robert K. Hall, MD teaches it this way: the work calls forth the spirit found at the very core of an individual. The essence of that core is Love. To experience true healing all the trauma and fear that is layered over that core of love must come out. That’s what we at the Lomi School call ‘working through the body.’ Many therapeutic models do their work ‘on’ a body, or something you ‘do’ to people. Working through the body calls forth the very essence of spirit.

Cultivating sexual energy

The Eastern traditions recognize that sexual energy can be a potent source of spiritual energy. The Kaballist’s have their ‘Sex Magic,’ the Taoists have their ****** rituals and the East Indians and Tibetans have Tantra. Tantra is the art and science of cultivating sexual energy and directing it to spiritual transformation. Deepak Chopra says,

“Tantra is the closest you can get to magic or alchemy or transmutation. Tantric rituals are basically spiritual disciplines that allow you to trap and transform power. When properly understood, tantra is one of the most dynamic and consistent paths to enlightenment. Of course, sexuality is a component of it. Tantra acknowledges that sexual energy is the most powerful energy in the universe because it is the creative energy in the universe.”

I think exploring the concepts and practices of ****** rituals are important for westerners. We have a deep sexual wounding from our Judeo-Christian heritage. Our sexual natures were first denied when Adam and Eve “saw their nakedness” as they were evicted from the Garden of Eden. The teaching of original sin is a body centered, sexual one. ****** rituals teach us to hold our bodies as sacred. To experience sexual energy as the cosmic creative gift that it is.

A primary key in Tantra is an ability to be present with your partner; to focus with eye-contact, to match the rhythms of the breath, or meditate together. Tantra also teaches the importance of mastering the ******. Women have four levels of orgasm: the clitoral orgasm, the vaginal orgasm, multiple ******* and the amrita, or divine nectar. Men are taught to master ejaculation. Rather than lose their sexual energy out through the ***** the orgasmic energy is directed up the chakras. Thus men become capable of multiple *******.

Tantric rituals are most effective in committed long-term relationships. The defenses and barriers of our personality are healed in the safety, intensity and intimacy of our primary relationships. My friend Sean Michael used to say, “Intimacy means In-To-Me- See.” Keith Hennessy defines intimacy as, “An un-armed encounter between two individuals.” Both of these describe the expression of a self without the armor of defenses, a vulnerability of just being with another person. Commitment is needed to create the container that allows all the personality defenses to present themselves. Safety and vulnerability come as those defenses are consciously healed. Mastering ****** energy has two primary results. As the art of love making it creates ecstatic satisfaction. It also generates intense energy for healing on all levels of body, mind and spirit.

As a teacher and a professional body-worker, I think it wise to add: a spiritual and body-centered transformation can be a personal journey and/or work with a teacher or professional. The practices that involve a teacher, a therapist or facilitator are not to be used for cultivating sexual energy. Healthy, consensual *** is defined as *** between two individuals who share an equal balance of power. This excludes professional relationships such as Doctor/Psychotherapist and patients, Lawyer/Massage therapist and clients, or teachers and students. *** between a client and professional is abusive. ****** rituals invoke powerful energetic experiences. Utilized unconsciously they negatively effect relationships and spiritual evolution.

Alan Davidson is the co-author of Healing the Heart of the World with Prince Charles, Carolyn Myss, John Gray, and Neal Donald Walsch. Alan, a Registered Massage Therapist since 1988, is the owner and director of Essential Touch Therapies in Houston, Texas. He has a B.S. from University of Houston, Downtown, with an emphasis on psychology, sociology, philosophy, and religion. Alan is fascinated with the intersection of bodywork, psychology, ritual, and spiritual practice. Having taught massage, meditation, yoga, and human transformation since 1990 he is currently on the teaching staff at NiaMoves Studio. Alan wholeheartedly believes, “Life is for the fun of it!” You can reach Alan at http://www.throughyourbody.com

As Winter is slowly giving way to Spring, it is easy to look around at all the new beginnings. Slowly, little plants are beginning to poke their heads out of the ground, and trees are blossoming into pretty shades of new pink, white, and lavender.

Spring is a wonderful time of the year to think about knitting. What it means to be knitting. Why I knit, and why I love it so much. What about knitting, is so fulfilling to me.

I think anyone who knits and loves to knit, will tell you they love to knit for a variety of reasons. At their core, those reasons all hold the same essence. Passion. Another word for it would be fulfillment. There is something beyond money, beyond fame, beyond ego, that has us knitting.

That something I like to call “the tao of knitting.”

Like the Bible, the Tao Te Ching is a spiritual guide; one that has been around for centuries. It inspires, teaches, assists with the rigors of daily life, and provides examples of how best to find peace within ourselves, for each other, and for the world in which we live.

Whether we be learning from the Tao Te Ching or learning how to knit, purl, and yarn-over, the lessons are very much the same. A few examples would be:

– building self-esteem and self-acceptance. Knitting is a great way to formulate self-esteem. In today’s harried, rushed world in which we all live, finding substance in the things we do is often a difficult endeavor. Too often we are left wondering if our talents are needed, and even if we have talents at all! By learning to knit, there is no doubt that when finished with our projects, that we always have something to show for our efforts; the trappings of our “yarn life” are always useful.

– bringing greater joy and creativity to daily life. Why, when you knit, it is practically a given, that those simple rhythms, those quiet needle clicks, and back-and-forth cadences of creating row upon row of our patterns, help to create endorphins in our brains; those key receptors which produce a calming effect in our lives. This is documented behavior. But, we knitters could have told you that.

– understand life as a series of changes and challenges. For life is transformation. It is always evolving into something else, something more, not less; yet, we have to see that for ourselves. Not a day goes by where we can say, joy is mixed with sadness, serenity is suffused with conflict, ease blends with difficulty. When we knit, oftentimes there are challenges to patterns, stitch work which may be initially foreign to anything which we’ve tried before, even words and phrases new to us, which make the going slow, indeed. Perserverance prevails, and when we stick to our resolve, we come away with knitted creations that are sublime; just this side of heaven, and truly our masterpieces.

So many of life’s little lessons are learned along the way, when we knit. Patience, self-awareness, growing in harmony with ourselves and other knitters we meet along the way, welcoming challenges as good things, allowing even the mistakes to have a place in our lives.

Follow your heart to all things knitted. It is the road which leads you to life.

Alice Seidel works as a freelance writer. She is the author of dozens of articles, a full-length book on knitting, and is the Author and Publisher of “Knit Stitch & Whimsy”, a monthly knitting newsletter. For details, visit ==> http://www.theknitstitch.com

Online distant psychic readings may be more accurate, reliable and genuine than face to face or telephone psychic readings. Distant psychic readings are usually conducted today via email and sometimes by traditional mail service. Distant psychic readings are conducted usually without the psychic reader ever meeting or speaking to the client. The client asks questions pertaining to his or her life and a psychic uses intuitive senses to determine a probable outcome or solution to those questions. Many times this practice is similar to methods used for remote viewing and distant healing. This method dispenses with the possibility of the reader picking up on visual or verbal clues evident in face to face or telephone readings.

Face to face and telephone psychic readings, as mentioned, run the risk of the reader tuning into visual and verbal clues offered by the client. These types of readings are often referred to as Cold Readings, or coaching and fishing for information used by many con artists and people posing as genuine psychics. It is my personal belief that the majority of today’s alleged psychics practice various forms of cold reading techniques. Genuine psychics do exist but they are few and far between. Perhaps less than five percent of all practicing psychics today exhibit actual intuitive abilities; the remaining will rely on showman tactics rather than psychic skills to conduct their readings. The truth is that many alleged psychics do little more than tell clients exactly what they want to hear.

Not all psychics who conduct in person or telephone psychic readings are disingenuous. However, I would advise anyone interested in receiving a psychic reading to seek out readers with a proven track record in providing distant readings. Psychics with knowledge and experience in areas of remote viewing, distant healing and other extra sensory skills which do not require a client’s input and feedback may also be considered preferable to those without such knowledge and skills. I would also caution those interested in psychic readings to avoid psychics who rely heavily on gimmicks and charisma alone to attract a clientele.

Jeffry R. Palmer is the author of several books dealing with the subjects of metaphysics and paranormal phenomena. His articles and columns have been featured in several popular international magazines. And his amazingly accurate and detailed psychic predictions have captured the attention of an international audience.

Personal psychic readings by Mr. Palmer are available through the http://the-psychic-detective.com web site. These psychic readings are kept in strict confidence, cover all aspects of life, are extremely accurate and detailed and are very simple to purchase. Mr. Palmer also offers a 100% money back guarantee to clients if they aren’t completely satisfied with their readings.

http://the-psychic-detective.com/Psychic-Readings.htm

The one-sentence soul secret of prevention of sickness is: Prevent sicknesses of the soul first; then prevention of all sicknesses will follow.

How did I discover this secret? You might find my story very interesting. As a medical intuitive, over my whole life’s practice, whenever I could see a dark shadow in someone’s organ or part of the body, I would ask the person, “Do you feel anything wrong with your body?” Many times, they told me what they were suffering from. It always matched what I saw.

In 2008 I was teaching a weekend workshop in Germany for about two hundred people. I talked about soul healing. I walked down the center aisle of the lecture hall, stopped suddenly, and pointed to a man sitting on the aisle. I asked him to stand up. I didn’t know his name. I had never met him before but I saw a big dark shadow at the top of his chest. I told everybody, “This man has a blockage in this area,” and I pointed to the top of his chest. He immediately reported, “This is amazing. How did he know I have a blockage here? Since childhood, I have had challenges in my lungs. They have bothered me for many, many years. I even had an operation on my chest.”

I offered this man a Divine Soul Operation to clear the dark shadow. A surgeon uses a scalpel to operate. A Soul Operation is not a medical service. It uses divine light to open the body spiritually and remove blockages. The Divine offers the Soul Operation. I am just a vehicle. I also offered the man a Divine Soul Transplant of Divine Lungs, which means that the Divine replaces the original souls of the lungs with new divine souls of lungs. After receiving the Soul Operation and the Soul Transplant, the man instantly felt a release and opening in his chest. He was very moved and touched.

This story shares the wisdom that I saw a dark shadow in the man’s lungs, which corresponded with discomfort he had in that area for his whole life. Sometimes when I see a dark shadow in a specific part of someone’s body and I ask that person if he or she has any problem there, the person may not feel any sickness or discomfort in that area at all. That was something that I was very curious about for many years. Finally, when I saw this situation again, I did soul communication. I asked the soul of the organ, “What does this dark shadow mean?” The answer was, “The soul of the organ is sick.” I had this “aha” moment a few years ago. Afterward I was able to observe many other cases. They all confirmed this major secret. Now is the time to share this major secret for prevention of sickness. This one-sentence secret is:

Before any system, any organ, any cell, any DNA or RNA becomes sick, the soul of the system, organ, cell, DNA or RNA becomes sick.

Soul sickness is indicated precisely by changes in the color of the soul. The normal color of the soul is gold. When the color changes to gray or dark, the soul is sick. For example, I saw a dark shadow in the liver area for a person. This person felt no discomfort at all in his liver area. A medical examination indicated that his liver function was completely normal. In conventional medicine, this is absolutely correct: his liver was normal. However, with the teaching of this chapter, you now know that his liver was not normal because the soul of his liver was already abnormal.

The soul of the liver is the boss of the mind and body of the liver. If the soul of the liver is sick, it will influence the energy flow of the liver. The energy flow of the liver will be blocked. Then sickness of the liver will occur. There are many kinds of sicknesses of the liver according to conventional modern medicine but, as Soul Mind Body Medicine teaches, they are all due to energetic and spiritual blockages. For soul healing, it does not matter what kind of sickness of the liver you have. Focus on healing the soul of the liver first; then healing of the mind and body of the liver will follow.

Dr. Sha was trained as a Western medical doctor and a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine. He is a grandmaster of many ancient disciplines, including tai chi, qi gong, feng shui, and the I Ching. He is the NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of Power Healing, Soul Mind Body Medicine, Soul Communication, Soul Wisdom and his new book The Power of the Soul. Visit http://www.drsha.com.

Its a no brainier that college students need extra money. Going to class, taking notes and studying for tests is what you are spending the big bucks on but there is more to the college experience than these things. It will take extra money and being a wise spender to enjoy the things out of the classroom. Below are some suggestions that will give some ideas on how to have the funds to enjoy the college life and still have time for your studies.

If you have not thought about using the internet to make some extra money, it is time to start. The internet can provide the extra Ka Ching you need. You may not get rich as a student on the internet but you can always have money in you pocket. Who knows it may lead to great income down the road. I personally know a man who graduated from one of the finest universities in the U.S. and got rich on the internet in a area not related to his degree. There is little money or lots of money to be made in cyberspace. It is up to you and you alone.

You will need to sell something or help others sell something. You can do it by creating a simple website or websites and selling you own products and help others sell their products to affiliates programs and advertising programs such as Google adsense. Don’t buy adwords unless you have deep pockets and you probably don’t or you would not be reading this page. Ebay is a great way to pickup some quick cash. Find something to buy very cheap and sell it a reasonable price for the customer.

Some things will bring in way more than you expect, especially if it is vintage tee shirt of some band or star. Check out the good wills, yard sales, etc. They are still out there and owner does not know what they have. They just want it out of their house. When you find something like this and you will if you seek diligently, SHOUT because you are fixing to make some money. These finds are little treasures. It is not hard to get setup on ebay if you are not already. I just play around with it and sell 12 to 16 thousand dollars per year. It is not all profit but it is all money and the money left over feels good in my pocket.

Keep your eyes peeled for junk, curbside, awaiting trash pickup. When Ma tells Pa to clean out his junk from her house that is money in your pocket. Pa doesn’t care, he just wants Ma happy and Ma is not happy with junk in her house.

For more information on how to make money in college and college funding sources visit: http://mcdonoughinfo.com/

Ba Zi literally means 8 character. The 8 characters refers to the 4 Heavenly Stems and 4 Earthly Branches of our birth time. The year, day, month and time of our birth can be converted using the Chinese Solar calendar into 4 Heavenly Stems and 4 Earthly Branches each.

Fundamentals of Ba Zi consist of:

• Yin and Yang (sometimes referred to as polarity)

• 5 elements (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth)

• 10 Heavenly Stems

• 12 Earthly Branches

• 24 Solar Periods

• 12 Qi phases

• 10 Gods

• Shen Sha (Deities & Gods or others termed Stars)

• Imagery

Ba Zi can be divided into 4 pillars (Year, Month, Day & Hour) and each pillar consist of 1 Heavenly Stem and 1 Earthly Branch. Traditionally the chart is written from right to left, starting with the Year Pillar on the right.
Further to the imagery part, this is a list of Heavenly Stem and their image.

Jia - Trees

Yi - Flowers; shrubs

Bing - Sun

Ding - Fire

Wu - Mountains, stones

Ji - Soil

Geng - Axe

Xin - Scissors/Jewellery

Ren - Sea

Gui - Clouds; dew

It is useful during analysis to link the image back to chart

The earthly branches and their corresponding zodiac sign (which laymen are more familiar with) as as below:

Zi/Rat

Chou/Ox

Yin/Tiger

Mao/Rabbit

Chen/Dragon

Si/Snake

Wu/Horse

Wei/Sheep

Shen/Monkey

You/Rooster

Xu/Dog

Hai/Pig

All the branches have some form of relationship or inclination among themselves. The commonly used combinations are:

3 Combinations (San He)

Shen+Zi+Chen (Monkey+Rat+Dragon) ==>Water Frame

Hai+Mao+Wei (Pig+Rabbit+Ram)==>Wood Frame

Yin+Wu+Xu (Tiger+Horse+Dog) ==>Fire Frame

Si+You+Chou (Snake+Rooster+Ox)==>Metal Frame

3 Union (San Hui)

Hai+Zi+Chou (Pig+Rat+Ox) ==>Winter / Water Frame

Yin+Mao+Chen (Tiger+Rabbit+Dragon)==>Spring / Wood Frame

Si+Wu+Wei (Snake+Horse+Ram)==>Summer / Fire Frame

Shen+You+Xu (Monkey+Rooster+Dog)==>Autumn / Metal Frame

6 Combinations (Liu He)

Zi+Chou (Rat+Ox)==>Earth Frame

Yin+Hai (Tiger+Pig)==>Wood Frame

Mao+Xu (Rabbit+Dog)==>Fire Frame

Chen+You (Dragon+Rooster)==>Metal Frame

Si+Shen (Snake+Monkey)==>Water Frame

Wu+Wei (Horse+Ram)==>Fire Frame

I am a Fengshui Practitioner in private practice and I specialise in Ba Zi, ZWDS, Flying Star Fengshui, I-Ching and other Chinese Metaphysics tools. My blog site is at: http://fengshuiforward.com and http://fengshuiforward.com/forum

Back when I was in college, I belonged to one of those professional associations for the video industry. (I was a student member.) The monthly newsletter had a column called “Writer’s Block.” Although called Writer’s Block, no one ever wrote about this mysterious and debilitating condition. So, finally, one day I decided to tackle the subject.

I don’t remember much about the article except it seemed to be about eating chocolate, taking walks and not doing much writing (it was supposed to be tongue in cheek). I don’t think it turned out as successful as I had hoped.

Anyway, my point is this — while I still eat lots of chocolate and take lots of walks, I’ve also been forced to wrestle with that particular nightmare many a time. And in those wrestling matches, I’ve learned a few moves that might help you in your own struggles.

First, I’ve come to view writer’s block as a friend more than an enemy. Okay, maybe friend is too strong. An ally. (Okay, maybe he’s a really mean ally, but an ally all the same.)

Writer’s block isn’t about the writing. Writer’s block isn’t telling you you can’t write or you’ll never write again or you’ll never have another idea again. Writer’s block is telling you something else is wrong, and you need to deal with that something before you can get down to the business of writing.

Now, when I say writer’s block, what I’m talking about is the inability to write. You have no idea where to start, no idea where the project is going, or maybe you have no ideas at all. That’s true writer’s block, not to be confused with writer’s procrastination. Writer’s procrastination is when you know what you want to be writing (or should be writing) yet you’ve somehow lost the ability to sit in a chair and type. Oh, but you can still check e-mail. And surf the Web. And lots of other tasks that have nothing to do with the writing project you should be doing. But try and start that project — you’ll just fall right off that chair.

I’ve had more than my share of encounters with that particular fellow as well, and I’m planning to share tips on beating writer’s procrastination in future issues. (Trust me, you need to beat writer’s procrastination. He is the enemy and he’s evil.)

But writer’s block is different. Writer’s block says there’s a problem. Writer’s block says you haven’t researched this project enough or you haven’t thought this through enough or you’re missing crucial information. Maybe your approach is all wrong. Maybe you should be writing a Web site and not a brochure for your business. Maybe you’re trying to force a book-sized idea into an article-sized container and it just doesn’t fit.

If your ideas have suddenly dried up, maybe writer’s block is telling you to take it easy. You’ve been working too hard — you need to take time and recharge your creative batteries. Or maybe you haven’t dealt with some old hurt or anger and you need to take some time and deal with that block.

Writer’s block also might be telling you the project is all wrong for you. (Although be careful with the last one — writer’s procrastination is a wonderful mimic and he might be trying to slip something past you.)

When I’m stuck, the first thing I do is get away from the computer. I take a walk, jump in the shower (I get a lot of great ideas in the shower) or eat some chocolate. (Some things never change.) I think about the project. I review my notes. I analyze what I’m doing. And I ask myself questions. Do I have all the information I need? Should I do more research? Is my approach right? Have I thought this project through enough?

Sometimes I can spot the problem in a few minutes. Sometimes it takes a few days. But always, without fail, I’ve discovered writer’s block was right. There WAS a serious problem with the project. A fatal flaw in the foundation — a weakness in the structure. Eventually, it would have collapsed.

And by stepping in, your writer’s block stopped that from happening.

Creativity Exercises — Make friends with writer’s block

I realize this might be a scary exercise for some of you, especially if you’re in the throes of writer’s block (and I’ve been there — I know how terrifying it is) but that’s all the more reason to do this.

Now, when I say make friends with your writer’s block, I’m not talking about inviting it to move in and existing in a permanent blocked state. What I’m talking about is a way to put writer’s block in its rightful place — where it uses its talents to help and not harm you.

Take a few moments and thank your writer’s block. Thank it for all the times it blocked you. Tell it you know it was trying to help you and you appreciate it.

Whatever you do, DON’T fear your writer’s block. You give it too much power if you fear it. Power corrupts. You don’t want to corrupt your writer’s block, you want it to do its job — helping you craft the best writing pieces you can.

If you’re in the middle of a bad case of writer’s block, try asking your writer’s block what the problem is. Why won’t it let you start that project or what happened to your ideas? Do it as a journaling exercise or a meditation. You may be amazed at what it tells you.

Michele Pariza Wacek owns Creative Concepts and Copywriting, a writing, marketing and creativity agency. She offers two free e-newsletters that help subscribers combine their creativity with hard-hitting marketing and copywriting principles to become more successful at attracting new clients, selling products and services and boosting business. She can be reached at http://www.writingusa.com

The secret to making more money than you can stand is to provide solutions that people will always need. Don’t just focus on selling products or services - sell solutions and you’ll never be broke again for the rest of your life.

In over 7 years of research and testing I’ve discovered the two simple secrets to making more money than you can stand. If you’ll follow this simple road map you’ll experience more profits than you ever imagined possible. I only ask that after the money starts rolling in you write and tell me of your experience. That’s it! Now here are the two simple secrets. If you have a product or service and you want to convince someone to buy …

1. Highlight Time Savings!

Choose a product or service that saves people time. The reason we buy the latest cell phone, instant soup, or microwave oven is they save us time. Right?

Think about it, can you ever recall buying a product or service because it wasted your time? No way! Yes, most of the products and services we buy we purchased because it saved us time in some way.

Think back to the last three products or services you purchased and chances are you bought them because they saved you time directly or indirectly. For example, you bought that cheeseburger and fries instead of cooking it yourself because it saved you time. You bought groceries at the supermarket instead of taking the time to grow them yourself. And you buy clothes because it saves you time from having to sew them.

Yes, it’s hard to believe just a few generations ago most people grew their own food and made their own clothes. So, anything you can do to help your customers save time by using your product or service is sure to strike a positive cord in them.

Let me tell you a secret. This time-saving solution is so powerful I’ve bought an inferior product at a higher price. Why? Because at the time it would have cost me too much time to try to find another similar product. We’ve all been in that position, where you have so much to do - but so little time. Right?

Always be sure to stress a time-saving element to your customers. Because saving time is the one thing most people are willing to trade their money for. Why? Because there’s only so much of it available. 24 hours each day and no more. The product or service is only secondary to sales. When you think about it time-savings is what people are buying, directly or indirectly.

Yes, every time we spend our money we’re looking to save time. It takes most people time to earn their money, so the things we always see as a valuable trade-off for our money is anything that saves us time. Money and profits are attracted to people who help save people’s time.

2. Highlight Irritation Elimination!

Let’s face it, no one likes irritations. We avoid it, we delay it, and we even try to ignore anything that causes it. We’ll even pay thousands of dollars to people who will help us eliminate it from our lives.

A big part of making more money than you can stand is working to remove little irritations your customers have, through your product or service. What small irritation do your customers see or experience in your business, product, or service? Do you know? Do you care? Have you asked them lately?

A good practice is to secretly shop or do business with your competitors. Now please don’t drop your coffee on the floor or shout me down, hear me out first. Secretly shopping at your competitors can be one of the cheapest and most effective market research tools you can use.

While you’re shopping at your competitors you should be taking note of any little irritations you experience. The irritations you find in your competitors can be areas you can improve on or remove from your own business, product or service. Not all businesses can remove every irritation. Some just comes with the territory.

So, the next best idea is to give little extras to offset the irritations your customers must put up with. For example, magazines, television, soothing music, a snack machine, or kids play area can also help if your business requires customers to wait.

If you have to ship your product to your customer - give them something to download online while the product is on its way.

Conclusion

If you take the time to take action on these two simple principles you’ll find more ideas and solutions coming to you. You’ll discover in good times and in lean times these two principles will be in great demand from your customers.

The business or business person who pays attention to them will be the one customers will pay attention to as well. The businesses who ignore these two principles will find more customers ignoring them too. Which will you be?

Roy Primm has written hundreds of articles showing thousands how to make money in undiscovered niches. Discover more revealing secrets in free report at http://booklocker.com/books/1015.html

“Oh come on, Glen,” Thomas sounded excited. “Share with me more ways to improve psychic ability now, please.”

“Well…alright,” I replied.

I walked over to my shelf and picked up an amethyst.

“Here…..this is your energy source from Nature.”

“This?” Thomas stared at the purple stone with scepticism.

“Yes, this crystal is the one. Come, sit down and let me explain…”

If you read Part I of this article-how to improve your psychic ability, you will remember the intimate relationship between the third eye chakra (located between the eye brows) and your psychic ability.

Focus your attention and energy from the crystal on this chakra.

There is no crystal that measure up to this task more than amethyst.

Amethyst is an extremely powerful and protective stone with a high spiritual vibration. The pure vibrating energy of this purple stone sets you in tune with the spiritual energy of The Universe. This energy unlocks your gateway to the realms of clairvoyance and elevates your psychic power at the same time.

Also known as the ultimate psychic stimulator, this crystal is the perfect companion on your inner journey to the psychic realm.

To stimulate your third eye chakra, lie comfortably and place an amethyst thumb stone between your brows for about 20 minutes everyday. Let the pure vibrating energy of the amethyst invoke the divination in you.

Just remember to cleanse, charge and program the crystal after every session.

“Any other methods?” Thomas asked once more.

I nodded.

“In part three of the article, I will reveal how to improve your psychic ability using your body energy.”

“Part three? Oh, not again,” disgruntled Thomas.

Let Glen Lim gives you an exclusive report, The Secrets to Develop and Supercharge Your Psychic Ability-free!

In the report, he reveals proven techniques and strategies you can use to develop and strengthen your latent divine power, including a “push buttons” technique. You will be excited to know that all you need is 60 minutes to feel the differences. Claim your copy in the exclusive collection of http://www.crystalsbay.net

Glen Lim specializes in harnesses the energy of Nature, especially crystals and inner self to improve different aspect of life.

Join him at http://www.crystalsbay.net as he reveals the insider’s secrets to health, wealth, love, success and happiness using the powerful forces of Nature.

We have entered quite a unique time in humanity’s history.

The roller coaster ride of the stock market is enough to cause anyone stress and anxiety.
Compound that with the ever present threat of terrorism and war, the uncertainty of the United States’ presidential election and the collapse of the world’s financial markets and it’s easy to see why fear is running rampant right now.

Many Spiritualists say that all this earmarks the beginning of the Golden Age of humanity. This will be a time when peace and love is the norm and all of our thoughts and desires manifest with ease and joy. It will be as if each of us is living in our own personal, tranquil oasis with all that we need to thrive readily available.

I personally choose to believe in this upcoming Golden Age because it will be incredibly wonderful. But I’ve realized that I don’t have to wait for the Golden Age to fully arrive. I can create my own personal Golden Age through clarity and confidence in my ability as a Divine Creator.

Clarity activates the Law of Attraction in magnetizing people, situations and resources that are in alignment with your personal wishes and desires. Are you crystal clear and unwavering about what you want to experience or do you allow yourself to become distracted by the negative press and other’s fears?

Are you confident that you have the innate ability to be, do or have whatever you desire? Do you know for certain that it is your birthright?

During this unique time in history it is all too easy to feel and act from fear. One solution is to create an easily accessible environment where you feel safe and supported. In this environment you will know that you have access to all the resources that allow you to not only survive but to thrive.

This can be as simple as setting up a weekly scheduled time to talk with a friend or your coach and celebrate your wins. You can create a mini-oasis in part of you home with all the things that help you feel empowered and peaceful. Or you can listen to a guided meditation designed to connect you with your innate resources and help you to easily create clarity and confidence.

Do whatever you can to feel good as often as you can. When you feel good you are thriving and you actually help raise the vibration of the entire planet. This gives you the incredible opportunity to be a part of the solution rather than compounding the fear. Be the awesome, Divine creator that you know you are and help humanity take one step closer to the Golden Age.

Becky Kimes is a master energy worker and life coach who helps people expand into the possiblities of their lives. Visit http://www.thrivingonpurposenow.com/TOPNoasis.htm and receive her free guided meditation: Your Oasis Admist All the Chaos

There are few things more satisfying on a chilly winter’s day than a warming soup served in a chunky bowl. And what is it about drinking tea from delicate china that makes us sit up that little bit straighter? Every day we use tableware to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, but we rarely consider the huge effect it can have on our enjoyment of the food or drink we’re about to consume. Modern lifestyles have had an influence on the way we eat, and we’re much more casual diners than our grandparents or even our parents were. The slow but steady demise of the dining room has also played a major part in the way we serve our meals, with families and friends more likely to gather round the table in an open-plan kitchen than make time for a formal feast. ‘Social norms have relaxed so much,’ says Australian chef Bill Granger. ‘It’s ironic that in sophisticated urban environments, we’re dining more like French peasants did 300 years ago.’

Fashionable foods

Trends in tableware are influenced by fashionable foods and the way in which we eat them. ‘Restaurants and their menus have a huge bearing on what people buy,’ says Dik Delaney, head of design at Royal Doulton. ‘Often food lovers are keen to see how chefs use tableware before taking the ideas home and recreating them’. Gone are the days when ‘proper’ dining meant dusting off granny’s best china and serving up on a full dinner set. Now we’re more likely to take our cue from a local gastropub and enjoy hearty British recipes from rustic earthenware, or an Asian pick ‘n’ mix banquet from glossy lacquered bowls. Think of jewel-like nigiri or seaweed-wrapped California rolls served on a round dish - somehow not right? Graphic foods like these look best lined up in regimented rows on square plates. ‘They’re still the only appropriate shape on which to serve sushi,’ says chef Bill Granger.

Plain and simple

Tables of chic eateries everywhere have increased the popularity of simple white serving ware in our kitchens (think back - it really wasn’t so long ago that a matching set of patterned plates was everyone’s table staple at home). A favourite with the majority of chefs and restaurants, a plain white plate can provide a ‘frame’ for food, transforming even the most basic beans on toast into a culinary delight, while still proving the perfect foil for more adventurous dinner party dishes. As a result, chefs are increasingly being asked to collaborate with tableware companies when they’re developing new products - take Jamie Oliver’s collection for Royal Worcester and the new Gordon Ramsay range by Royal Doulton. For the latter, a design team visited the TV star’s restaurants to study how both chefs and customers used their plates. The resulting tableware is both glamorous and functional.

The new essentials

‘We don’t need complete dinner services any more,’ says Wedgwood design and creative consultant Francesca Amfitheatrof. ‘Attitudes have changed and we can be adventurous with a less formal mix-and-match approach.’ Instead, it’s all about customising your crockery, so compile your ultimate wish list before investing in some good-quality basics. Space and storage limitations make today’s kitchen essentials work harder and, as a result, you’re more likely to need flexible items and dishes that can double up. Don’t waste your funds on cups and saucers just because tradition dictates if you know you won’t use them. On the other hand, if you’re a coffee lover, proper espresso cups will be a good investment if they make your morning shot that much more enjoyable. Above all, it’s essential to think about your particular needs and cooking style when choosing crockery.

• Large dinner plates will give food room to breathe. According to John Lewis, the size of tableware has increased over the last few years, and many plates are now 30cm whereas the standard is 27cm. Also think about pieces that can work for starters, sides and desserts.

• The experts agree that multifunctional, medium-sized bowls are an essential. A favourite with foodies everywhere, they can be used to serve anything from soups and salads to pasta and puddings, with deep versions being ideal for casual eating when food is balanced on laps.

•’Go for some supersized serving dishes so that everyone can tuck in,’ suggests Thomasina Miers, Masterchef winner 2005 and author of Cook (Collins, £16.99). ‘Bountiful plates and bowls are becoming an absolute must for people cooking at home’. Choose porcelain serveware that can go straight from oven to tabletop.

Share and share alike

The popularity of foods from around the world means meals are far less likely to be brought ready-plated to the table, as in many countries the act of sharing with your fellow diners is integral to a meal. Instead large platters and bowls allow everyone to help themselves, a trend that translates well into contemporary social settings. ‘Sharing is key in Chinese and oriental cooking, so I usually make an array of small dishes that allow guests to sample a little of everything,’ says Ching-He Huang, author of China Modern (Kyle Cathie, £14.99). ‘It’s a lot less formal, especially when you have groups of friends that are new to each other.

Colour and texture

‘The classic white plate is the white T-shirt of the tabletop world,’ says Donna Hay, Livingetc’s contributing food editor. Donna suggests thinking of your tabletop in the same way you think of fashion. ‘Adding colour or texture is easy to do with dipping bowls, platters and other smaller items. Just as with fashion, these are those inexpensive accessory purchases that are easy to part with after the trend has passed’. Another way to introduce personality is by mixing basics with well-loved, vintage hand-me-downs or flea-market finds. ‘We’re definitely getting more eclectic,’ says Bill Granger. ‘I used to have cupboards full of white plates, but now colour and pattern are creeping back in. I have plates that don’t match for the first time in years.’ This works equally well in reverse if you’ve inherited a traditional dinner service, as by interspersing homely items, you can create a much friendlier atmosphere. Alternatively, Caroline Clifton-Mogg, author of China and Glass (Jacqui Small, £25), suggests going for different textures and tones of white to create a more varied look. ‘Buy dishes that include white in the design, but add one or two new colours or a motif in a different hue.’

Care and cleaning

• The majority of modern tableware is now dishwasher safe. New plates usually have glazing over the decoration, so the pattern will not fade.

• Older or hand-painted items won’t have a protective glaze, so will fade over time even through hand washing. You can tell if an item is not glazed by feeling for a slightly raised pattern. If in doubt, wash by hand.

• Check manufacturers’ instructions to see whether items are suitable for the microwave, oven or freezer. Any gilded pieces will not be safe in a microwave.

Expert essentials - what the pros can’t live without

• ‘Definitely big oval platters. They’re great for piling up food to look generous without being messy.’ - Bill Granger, chef and restaurateur.

• ‘A large pasta bowl that can be used for warming soups in the winter and creative salads in the summer - ideal for alfresco entertaining.’ -Stuart Cullen, Villeroy & Boch.

• ‘A large, wooden, beautiful salad bowl - mine is my grandmother’s, along with her beautiful salad spoon and fork.’ - Thomasina Miers, Masterchef winner 2005.

• ‘My lacquered wooden sushi trays and my oriental ceramic plates and bowls I bought from an oriental store in north London.’ - Ching-He Huang, author and presenter of Ching’s Kitchen.

You can find more information on dining room tableware and dining room ideas at house to home, helping you create a look you’ll love

What exactly is fast cash? Getting cash extremely quickly would be the best explanation. Is it really possible to get fast cash? It really depends on how much debt you really want or what lengths you are prepared to go to achieve some fast cash.

Be Wary of Cash Advances

Obviously, there are numerous Cash Advance places that will give you cash advance in a jiffy. Be prepared to pay significantly down the track to use these facilities. You want to be very careful if you are considering using these types of facilities. The interest charged on money owed can be significant and sometimes once you get into a rut of relying on these products you cannot get out easily.

What Are Some Better Ways to Get Fast Cash?

So what are some better ways to get some fast cash? You could work smart for it. Set up some passive income streams and let them work for you. Think this is too much work? Well really - it will be difficult to find fast cash without working either hard or smart. So the first step is to use your head.

Be on the Look Out for Opportunities

The best thing you can always do is be on the look out for opportunities. If you wander around with no interest about making some good quick money - then chances are you will miss the good opportunities that arise.

Take Action When You Spot a Good Opportunity

If you are constantly on the look out for good opportunities, then you will recognize a good opportunity and be able to take action quickly. An example of this is knowing how much certain items are worth. You could spot a bargain at a department store that is on special and sell it on eBay for a significant profit if you snap it up.

So having the background information in your head or the ability to find it quickly is an advantage.

Some ideas for Fast Cash

There are plenty of ways to make some fast cash. Really - the best way though and easiest way is to buy something cheap and sell it for a profit. If you keep a look out you will spot bargains.

You should factor other things into your cost price though like time you spent looking for an item or the cost of fuel in your car to pick it up.

If you are on the look out for more easy fast cash ideas then have a look here;

http://www.weekendeasycash.com/fastcash/FastCash.htm

If you want to make some fast cash from AdSense then have a look here;

http://www.fastcashsteps.com

Doubtful that you can make money from scratch?! Who says you can’t?!

Who says only internet marketing gurus and experts can make money online?!

No way… Even teenagers can earn cash online. It’s our generation… We own the freshest trends… Technology runs in our blood… So, why not dominate the internet?! I’m sure every one of us would want to earn some extra cash. So read on and learn! This article is mostly for teenagers. But hey?! Who said grown ups can benefit on this. If teens can make quick cash with these steps, what more can grown ups do?

Are you a teen getting really into being online? Well if you are, then perhaps you are starting to think of ways on how to get your hands on the cold hard cash. Here are 5 ways for teens to make money online easily, and doing the things you already love to do:

- Making MySpace or Friendster Layouts

Do you love MySpace or Friendster? Most teenagers love using new layouts everyday. Well if you are good with HTML/CSS then perhaps you can start making some layouts for your friends and charging a dollar or two to customize it to their liking. They can also just use profile editors to customize some layouts and then offer them on a small site which they can get for free and sell them there. Making money off of MySpace or Friendster is something easy, and if you would apply your talents and find out how, you will surely love this idea and will have online profits in no time.

- Finding Cute Graphics

Do you know a lot about computer graphics? Well if you do, then you can make money at home seriously just by finding these graphics online. Find 200 that you like, and then offer those graphics (giving credit to the creators/owners of course) on a small website for your friends to use. The way in which they can make money doing this is by adding a couple of ads around the page. These ads will bring in cash every month as long as there’s traffic on a daily basis. Your can even create your own ads, or sell ad space.

- Writing A Blog

Do you want to write and want people to know what you right? Well if you think I’m talking about you, then you should definitely get a free blog, fill it up with ads, sell ad space themselves, and tell them to start writing or adding anything they’d like to that. Make money blogging is very effective nowadays. Blogs are the craze right now, and if his/her friends will tell their friends about his/her blog, he/she is sure to start making the big bucks like that. Do you find awesome funny or entertaining videos on YouTube all the time? Then add those videos in your blogs to give it a more spice. Videos + Blogs = $$$.

- Pay To Post Site

Have you ever heard of Gather.com or MyLot.com? Do you know how to earn money on the web with these two? Well if you haven’t, then you should know that these two sites will pay their users to chat with cash or with gift cards to very popular stores. These sites are very credible and it’s very easy to join.

- Typing Service

Do you type more than 50 words per minute? If so, consider making some fliers and posting them around campus, and any college campuses near by. People are always looking for someone who can type fast when they’re in a hurry and need to finish typing essays or research papers for class. They can charge by the hour or per word, or per page. This is sure to bring in money, no matter what. Even businesses are looking for typists all the time. You can make money fast free with typing service, and the beauty of it, is that it’s very free. You don’t even need an internet connection for it.

Writer’s Haven

If you really have the creative juices to produce a good write up, articles etc. Every internet marketer needs a very good writer. So, writers are really in demand. There are sites that pay will you for content. Some compute their business profitability and share their revenue with writers.

There are the ways that you can make money online. Just one more advice and then you’ll off to your dollars!! Before you start, you need to believe that you can make money from scratch. That even if you are not an internet marketing expert, you can still bite a part on the lucrative internet business. Every cash money millionaires also start from scratch. So, don’t be afraid that you are just a beginner. Instead, treat it as a challenge and go the extra mile!! Let’s all make money!

Make money from scratch is a website that will help you make huge profit using the power of the internet. Whether you are interested in just making money, or is really in need, make money from scratch is the first choice by some of the savviest and most successful gurus on the net if you are looking for a place to start.

Writing this Annual Cures Newsletter each year has become a labor of love, growing out of my own desire to know what to do, how to do it, and how best to assist my students and clients. Each year I compare several reports provided by other practitioners around the world. Some are quite basic and others are wonderfully rich in history and in the metaphysical underpinnings that give meaning to why we do, what we do.

All master practitioners emphasize that first and foremost a home or office must have good feng shui. Just doing Annual Cures will do little to help if the home or office is a feng shui disaster.

There are a lot of variables to consider, primarily your innate constitution for handling health stressors, your karma with money that enable you to handle what could be financially challenging times, your relationship harmony based on how well you have resolved your relationship issues, and so forth. Good feng shui won’t make some one of low IQ a genius, but good feng shui will increase every student’s ability proportionate to their capability.

Predictions can be made to what will generally effect the populace at large, but what kind of a year you will have is unique to you and can be examined based on your birth information. This is something I have been doing for 35 years with Western Astrology. Others trained in Vedic Astrology, Four Pillars of Destiny, and other systems of analysis can also describe your future trends. As all systems are glimpses into the holographic whole, the guidance and insights should be similar in accordance to the skill of the reader.

When I do Future Forecasts, I think of it as similar to a Road Map indicating road conditions. If there is a ‘bumpy’ stretch ahead, it is best to slow down to avoid ‘bottoming out’ and putting a hole in our gas tank; or when conditions are favorable, we can put ‘petal to the metal’ and zoom effortless and undeterred along our merry way. The concept is: forewarned is forearmed - to go with the flow as co-creator of your destiny, instead of bouncing along totally unaware and out of control.

Solar and Lunar Calendars

Countries in the Orient use two calendars. The Lunar Calendar is used for ceremonial purposes and determining the Animal Sign of the year. It is this Lunar New Year which you are all familiar with from placemats at your favorite Chinese restaurant. This calendar begins on the second New Moon after the Winter Solstice, which this year falls on January 26 And then there is the Solar Calendar.

It is the Solar Calendar which is used in Xuan Kong (Time-Space) Feng Shui, commonly referred to as Flying Star (Fe Xing) Feng Shui, that determines the important feng shui adjustments that are needed as the earth’s magnetic field shifts at the beginning of each Spring.

The Chinese Solar New Year begins in the Orient on Feb. 3 or 4. It is this day that is considered the beginning of Spring as it is about mid-point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox.

2009 - Year of the Yin Earth Cow
How Now, Brown Cow

Some call it the Year of the Ox, but technically, as this is a “yin” year, Cow is a more appropriate designation. Either way, the Ox or Cow is the sign of prosperity through fortitude and hard work. It is also the sign of the born leader, being quite dependable and possessing an innate ability to achieve great things. As one might guess, such people are dependable, calm, and modest. Like their animal namesake, the Ox is unswervingly patient, tireless in their work, and capable of enduring any amount of hardship without complaint. They engage all the trials of the whole world and seek solutions for them. These people are extremely intelligent, speak little and, when necessary, are articulate and eloquent.

Sound familiar? That’s right, Barack Obama is an Ox. He was born in 1961, the Year of the Metal Ox. As the second animal sign in the Chinese 12-sign system, Oxen are diligent, stoic, and hard working - an abundant harvest reflects one’s conscientious effort.

Of course not all Animal Signs are compatible with the Ox, especially those born in Goat, Dragon, and Dog years. Individuals born during these years are especially advised, and everyone in general, to wear an amulet featuring a Pi Yao charm on a necklace, key chain, or hanging from your rearview mirror. Though you can get specific Animal Sign charms for your particular year, a Pi Yao is the best way to go, as Pi Yaos are loyal and will sacrifice themselves to protect the well-being of their owner.

Xuan Kong Feng Shui - 2009
Annual Number 9

There are many approaches to feng shui. The first and most important is evaluation of the Landforms and Chi Flow to, through, and around a place. This, in fact, is the subject of my book, Choose the Best House for You: The Feng Shui Checklist.

Many of you are familiar with the Bagua as a method of ‘mapping’ the home or office by designating certain areas as being a focal point for Abundance, Relationship, Career, and so forth - what is often referred to as the Eight Aspirations. In this system we place various items that symbolize these aspirations.

A more traditional approach uses a compass to determine the magnetic field of a location as seen in cycles of 20-Year Periods. There are nine periods equalling 180 years. Since Feb. 5, 2004, we are now in Period 8.

Within each of these 20-Year Periods, each year is also governed by an energetic pattern referred to as the Annual Number. The Annual Number for 2009 is 9. The #9 determines how the other numbers, representing various Elemental types of energy, or Qi, ‘fly’ according to the energetic sequence described by the Lo Shu Magic Square (above). It is these numbers, representing the Five Elements - Wu Xing that determines which areas of the house may or may not be enjoying good fortune.

Maintaining Balance

Consider if you were to weigh something on a balance scale with one side being heavier than the other. You add a little counterbalance to one side or another and eventually bring the scale to equilibrium. Or like a shower faucet, if the water flow is too hot, add a little cold until it is just right.

Now comes the Annual Elementals with some bringing positive, and others bringing negative, influences. In some cases the balance is unaffected, and in some the balance is tilted radically askew. It is this need to maintain equilibrium that dictates which remedies to apply to rebalance the negative tilt, and which enhancers should be considered to maximize the auspicious potentials.

By analyzing where these energies fall, using the Creative, Reductive, or Controlling Cycles according to Five-Element Theory, we can neutralize the negative energies and enhance the positive ones. Below is a description of what to do.

NOTE: As feng shui was developed by the Chinese over thousands of year, many of the solutions have Asian themes. However, you may substitute other items that you feel will achieve the same results.

It should also be understood that as feng shui has traveled from China to many new locales, different practitioners have developed differing methodologies to achieve harmonious results. Having learned their methods in some isolation from other practitioners, some feng shui experts may sound authoritarian about ‘how it should be done.’

Consequently, we in the west have a wonderful opportunity to hear what all teachers have to say, and to choose what we experience as working best for us. Try to be flexible during your learning process, do what resonates with your sensibilities, and do not follow any one method blindly. Most important, observe the results and modify accordingly.

Empower Your Cures and Enhancements

I am sure many of you reading this are already quite evolved in your own spiritual cultivation and maturity, and are quite capable to bless and energize your cures and enhancements by either placing on your home alter, or by doing the Three Secret Reinforcements of mantra, mudra, and visualization.

You can also energize each item by holding the item in the palm of one hand with the palm of your dominant hand over the item. Tune in, recite a prayer or blessing to program the item to fulfill its purpose. Or, as they say, to Anchor your Intention. Wait until you feel the item enliven with the transference of Qi, then respectfully place the item in the appropriate location.

Cleanse or Dispose of Old Cures

Before the beginning of the Solar New Year on Feb. 4, cleanse all cures, such as Wu Lus (gourds), Pi Yaos (dragon-headed four-leggeds), Wind Chimes, and many of the money cures used the previous year. There are some practitioners who suggest all cures used the previous year should be disposed of, while others feel this is a bit extreme. Almost all practitioners agree, however, that it is best to completely dispose of Bagua Mirrors and Salt Water Cures (described below) as they are full of negative energy.

Some authorities suggest previous year cures should be cleansed by leaving them exposed to the Full Moon over night, others place them in direct sunlight for at least four hours. Some say you should sprinkle the previous year’s cures with Sea Salt and then rinse off. Clean according to your tradition.

Installing Cures

Once items are cleansed, they should be put in their new positions by Feb. 4. Some people put their cures into place before Feb. 4, but anytime during the year is better than not at all. Once cures are in place, it is said that it takes about a month for them to absorb any negative energy being generated by the negative numbers and to enjoy the benefits of the enhancements put into place to enhance the positive numbers.

But whatever you do, don’t worry if your bed, front door, or office are in those areas considered “afflicted” this year. By placing your feng shui cures and enhancements in the right Sectors, you will bring balance to your home or office, so you can continue to enjoy good health, great prosperity, and relationship harmony.

However, if after the Annual Cures are in place, you begin to experience difficulties regarding finances, health, relationships, or any other area of life, remove, readjust, or add additional cures according to the suggested placement, and then observe again. Flying Star cures for the house are done once. Annual Cures are for short term results and might need adjusting.

Note: Consulting with a professional feng shui practitioner may be beneficial to evaluate the outside Landforms and the Flying Star number combinations which were in effect when the home or business was built.

Work With Your Floor Plan and Use an Accurate Compass
As you read through the following recommendations, it may be easier to do so with an accurate floor plan of you home or office in front of you. You can divide the floor plan using the traditional 9-Box Grid method or the 8-Spoked Wheel method preferred by many Hong Kong masters. Whether using the Grid or Pie method, mark each sector with the appropriate compass direction, and then fill in the recommendations.

If you do not own a traditional lou pan (feng shui compass), any good compass will do that has ALL 360º clearly indicated. (Avoid compasses with degrees in 2º or 5º increments, or that just have the letters of the directions.

The illustration above uses the 8-Spoked Wheel method and is an example you might want to follow. This will assist you in making your shopping list. Then, when you gather your remedies, you will have a clear reminder as to where the cures and enhancers should be placed.

Note: Cures listed are suggested choices. Use one or more. If you use one with no apparent result, add another. Cures can be put in the appropriate compass direction of the house, and or in the corresponding corner of any room, especially in one’s office.

Feng Shui Cures and Enhancements for 2009
First, we will look at the inauspicious Stars which require cures to neutralize their potentially negative influences and which, if possible, you do not want to disturb with activity. If you can use another room, it is advised. If you need to use any of these areas, don’t worry! Just be sure to put the suggested cures into place and observe results, making appropriate adjustments as needed.

K’un - 2 Black Earth in the West
“Star of Illness”

The first difficult number (Element) that needs reducing is the 2 Black Earth which this year is found West sector of the house. The #2 makes this an area of potential illness (especially stomach ailments), and misfortune in 2009. So take extra care to neutralize the #2’s potentially malicious influence.

As with 5 Yellow mentioned next, it is best if you do not have to use this area of the home. If you do have to use this area, be sure to use the cures listed below to neutralize their negative influences. If you are among the few lucky ones with a bathroom, utility room, or lesser used room in the West, do not be concerned - no cure is needed.

Wu Wang - 5 Yellow Earth in North
“Star of Misfortune”

With Annual Star 9 in the Center this year, 5 Yellow (Wu Wang), considered malicious as it is not associated with a gender or trigram, will fly to the North. If possible, do not use any room in the North. As Fire feeds Earth, if you have a fireplace in the North, it is advisable to avoid using it during 2009. If there is a bed or desk in this sector of the home or room, consider if you can move the bed or desk to a better sector. Though a bathroom, utility room, or an infrequently used guest room in the North mitigates the 5 Yellow’s detrimental nature, placing cures are still recommended.

The following cures are recommended to protect prosperity, relationships and health: A 6-Tube Wind Chime is placed wherever the 5 Yellow is found, as ‘moving’ Metal reduces the negative effects of the 5 Yellow Earth. You can also place a brass Five Element Pagoda in this area filled with earth taken from near the home or office to lock the negative Earth energy up. Also place round objects.

Other additional cures also recommended for controlling the negative influences of both 5 Yellow Earth and 2 Black Earth are as follows:

Cures for 2 Black and 5 Yellow:

• In both the West and in the North, 6-Coins tied together with a red cord can be used to weaken #2 and #5 and to protect wealth, especially if this is the front door. A Solid Brass Ingot, Brass Dragons, or a metal statue of Kuan Kung, a Wealth God, can also be placed in either West or North to protect prosperity.
• If the #2 or #5 is in a bedroom, a small heavy Brass Wu Lu can also be placed next to the bed. The Wu Lu is nicknamed ‘the Giver of Life.’
• Many practitioners feel the Salt Water Cure is the most effective cure for #2 and #5. Some practitioners use an open bucket while others suggest a 12 to 16 oz. urn with a perforated covering. Which ever you choose, fill it 2/3 with rock salt and place 6 copper coins and a silver coin (optional) on top (real copper and silver, not alloys). Then fill the urn with water. If you use a cover, either gauze or plastic wrap, secure it with rubber band or twine, and then poke holes in the cover large enough to allow the urn or bucket to breathe, and yet not evaporate too rapidly. At the end of the year this cure, urn, salt, coins and water should be disposed of by placing the old materials in a sack and dumping them in the trash. New materials should always be obtained for the current year’s use. Remember, one Salt Water Cure in the West and North.
• If the front door is in either the East or North, a Bagua Mirror should be hung outside above the door to deflect the incoming Sha (killing) Qi. Other objects of metal, especially round in shape or metallic colors, should be placed inside near the front door. Oil the hinges and avoid slamming the door.
• As the Fire Element enhances Earth, avoid using bright lights, red colors, burning candles, or playing loud music. If there are already red colors in this area, you can leave them, but add more Metal images or objects to maintain balance.
• If you do have to work outside the home in either the West or North, hang a 6-Tube Wind Chime between that area and the house. If you are working on a larger area that includes the West or North, do not be concern as long as the West or North is not the focal point.
• Use Metal Singing Bowls or Tibetan Tingsha (cymbals) once in awhile to disperse the negative energy of the #2 and #5.

Zhen - 3 Jade Wood in the NE
“Star of Arguments”

Though the #3 is not a timely number, it is said to be usable in Period 8. Even so, it is still wise to be cautious as #3 is not inherently a fortunate energy and can bring short tempers, arguments, legal problems, divorce, and so forth. As with any negative influence, minimize use of this area and postpone remodeling.

Avoid metal wind chimes, metal ornaments, or placing any additional objects made of metal in this area as Metal “attacks” Wood. Avoid adding water or watery colors or symbols, as Water nourishes Wood. In fact, it is advisable to remove water features that may have been placed there in previous years.

It is best to reduced #3 Wood Element using the Fire Element. So burn candles, use bright lights, hang a lead-glass Crystal Sphere, place interior design accessories that are red, like Red Tassels, lamps with red lamp shades, a red piece of paper, or objects that are triangle shaped. A Red Kuan Yin, representing peace and compassion, or a Red Laughing (Ho Tai) Buddha can be used to transform the negative Qi of 3 Jade Wood.

You can also put your 12-Coin Ball tied with a Red Ribbon in the NE to guard against financial lost. If the NE is the direction of your front door, hang a new Bagua Mirror over the door to deflect any negative incoming energy. What makes the NE even more challenging, is that it is also the direction of Tai Sui.

Grand Duke Jupiter (Tai Sui) in NE

Unfortunately, the #7 shares the NE with Tai Sui, remember never to face the Grand Duke or disturb this area with remodeling, or even hammering a nail into a wall to hang a picture.

Avoid all out door digging. If you need to mow a lawn or do some construction that includes the NE, begin the project or activity to the left or right of the NE sector.

If your desk faces this direction, you may want to consider shifting it slightly to avoid the 15º occupied by the Grand Duke, which this year is 22.5º to 37.5º. Best of all is to sit with your back to the Grand Duke, and use this energy to support you in all your endeavors.

Do not put wind chimes, a fan, or any appliances that make noise in this sector this year, which can be difficult if this is your kitchen or TV viewing room. If that is the case, try to position yourself with the Grand Duke behind you and be sure to a Pi Yao (mythical animal with a dragon-head, horse body, with one or two horns, little wings, and hooves, or any fierce looking animal such as a rhinoceros) in the SW sector of the house or a room facing the NE for protection. Perhaps carry a Pi Yao Charm in your pocket, or some other Protection Amulet in accordance to your spiritual belief.

Some authorities recommend a pair of Pi Yao be used in order to adequately control Tai Sui. Whether one or two Pi Yao, plain or bejeweled, pay attention the first few weeks to see if they are truly protecting you, especially financially.

Dui - 7 Red Metal in East
“Star of Robbery”

The #7 is declining in influence and has now become a negative influence representing violence and robbery. And this year 7 Metal conflicts with Wood East.

If the 7 Star is in the kitchen, there needs to be caution against fires. So check smoke alarms and home fire extinguishers. If you have an office in the East consider moving it, or be extra careful to double check all legal agreements.

If the front door is in the East, be sure locks and security systems are working properly. You may want to put a new Bagua Mirror over the door. If your front door mat is red, you may want to replace it with one that is blue or other dark color. If you have a wind chime, it might be a good idea to remove it until Feb 4, 2010.

To avoid Metal 7 danger Do Not adding things made of Metal or Earth, as Earth nourishes the Metal energy of #7. Blue and dark colored accessories, along with a bowl of clean still water with six coins or “lucky bamboo” can be a calming influence to #7. Some people place a Blue Rhinoceros figurine in the area of #7.

Three Killings (San Sha) in the East

Unfortunately, this year the #7 Star shares the East with the Three Killings, which can add to this sector’s difficulties. However, the Three Killings should not be a problem if the proper remedies are put into place. Most of all, avoid sitting with your back to the East, and remember Do Not face the 15º of the Grand Duke in the NE (22.5º to 37.5º).

To protect yourself, place three Qi-Lin (Chinese Unicorns) or Pi Yao (often sold in pairs) facing East. To avoid financial lose Do Not begin construction or digging in this direction.

Next, we will look at this year’s fortunate Stars which you want to activate in order to tap their potentially positive influences.

K’an - 1 White Water in NW
“Star of Relationship”

This year the position of #1 Star is situated in the NW of the home. As the NW is related to Metal, Water Star 1 is nourished bringing opportunities for promotion and a boost for prosperity.

To hold onto the money that comes in some authorities recommend a Bejeweled Dragon-headed Tortoise. Actually, any money enhancers should do the job: such as the 12-Coin Ball with a red tassel, a Solid Brass Ingot, and anything else made of solid metal, such as a Seven-Tier Pagoda, or a Gold Arowana Fish figurine as the Metal nourishes Water.

As Water is the friend of 1 White Water, installing a Water Fountain or aquarium (moving water) in the NW sector will also boost prosperity and professional good fortune. Do Not, however, put a water feature with a water pump in the bedroom if the bedroom is in the NW of the house.

A Brass Wu Lou or other metal or round objects beside the bed will be beneficial. Blue dark colored, or heavily patterned interior design touches are encouraged to stimulate the Water Element. Avoid adding Fire Element colors or shapes.

Xun - 4 Green Wood in South
“Star of Intelligence, or Romance”

Wood 4 combines well with Fire South which brings new opportunities for career improvement or travel, if the front door of the house or an office is situated in this sector. Caution though, to feed the Wood and not the Fire.

Still water is an especially good way to attract prosperity, but the water must be kept clean water, whether in a vase with fresh flowers, or with four “lucky bamboo” in the bowl. An office in the South is especially auspicious for writers and other creative professions. If the #4 is in the bedroom use relationship images like Mandarin Ducks, which mate for life.

Do Not use water scenes in the bedroom, as some say this can lead to infidelity. If the #4 is in the bedroom, a wood Kuan Yin, Mandarin Ducks, or Dragon and Phoenix will add romance and stability to relationships.

Avoid adding objects that are white or metallic tone in color, made of metal, or are round or semi-circular in shape as Metal attacks Wood. Avoid the color red, triangle shapes, or burning candles as Fire reduces Wood. Either remove these items, or add additional dark, watery colors, and amorphous shapes to nourish 4 Green Wood whichever room in the house #4 is visiting.

Placing a Crystal Globe on a desk favors travel, a Seven-Tier Pagoda, an Abacus, and or a Calligraphy Pen Set is excellent to benefit academic achievement as well as the creative professions. A Gem Tree with Red Stones can also be used to harmonize 4 Wood with South Fire.

Qian - 6 White Metal in SW
“Star of Heaven”

The sector with #6 is usually considered to be excellent wealth and career success, especially this year as the SW Earth feeds the Metal Element of #6.

However, caution is also needed this year as the SW is also the location of Sui Po, the Year Breaker. Though you can strengthen the #6 with things made of metal such as a Dragon-headed Turtle with a coin in its mouth, metal Dragons, or other metallic wealth images, be careful not to activate the negative influences of Sui Po, the Year Breaker, by renovating, digging, or disturbing this area in any way.

You can also energize #6 with a lead-glass Crystal Sphere, or real Quartz Sphere or natural and unshaped. One or six Hollow Gold Ingots can be placed in the SW to enhance #6 (light weight, non-metallic, and gold color), or a non-metallic Gold Buddha.

Do not burn candles, and avoid adding anything with the color of red or that is triangular shaped, as the Fire Element destroys Metal.

If the SW is a bedroom, tone down #6 Metal with blue colored items, images of relationship harmony such as depictions of a Dragon and Phoenix

Gen - 8 White Earth in SE
“Star of Wealth”

The #8 is most fortunate as it is the Reigning Star for the next 15 years. This will bring great good fortune and career recognition, especially if your front door or office is located in this direction. If your front door is in the SE and you typically enter the house through a different door, place an energizer in this sector, such as a Water Fountain, kinetic sculpture, or chiming clock. And keep the entrance way clean and clutter free.

However, with #8 Earth in conflict with Wood SE, it is recommended to use more than one cure to insure financial well being and harmonious relationships such as a Wood Wu Lu tied with a red ribbon. As Fire makes Earth and triggers the good fortune in Star #8. Other items utilizing the red color can be used to burn up the Wood Element of the SE, while activating the #8 Earth, such as a Cinnabar Egg or a Red Laughing (Ho Tai) Buddha with hands over his head, holding an ingot, or sitting on a pile of ingots can all be used effectively. Coin Swords, 8-Coins on a red string with a tassel, and so forth will stimulate the 8 White Earth to bring financial good fortune. Use one or more.

Traditionally, a prosperity symbols like a red Wealth God, 3-Legged Toad or Dragon-headed Tortoise with a coin in its mouth is placed in the sector occupied by the Wealth Star 8, or placed in the SE end of an office. Using Eight Mansion Feng Shui, you can also place any prosperity symbol in the Sheng Ch’i direction of your Life Gua (see my Master Formula Study Guide #1).

Consider reposition your desk to a SE sector of the home or office and placing important financial documents in this sector, along with such wealth energizers as a real Quartz Crystal Sphere, Wealth Vase, Treasure Ship, or semi-precious stones, such as a Citrine Gem Tree.

However, the very best wealth energizer is activity. Open windows and let fresh air in. Most important of all, every time you walk through a door or room in this area, think: ka ching! If the SE is not a frequently used room, you can energize the SE sector of your office with something that moves, whether an aquarium, CD player, or an oscillating fan.

If your bedroom is in the SE, romance images such as a Dragon and Phoenix figurine, two Rose Quartz Hearts, or a pair of Mandarin Ducks will be beneficial for attracting a relationship and for maintaining relationship harmony.

Avoid using items made of metal (other than metal coins), as the Metal Element drains the Earth aspect of Wealth Star 8.

Li - 9 Purple Fire in the Center
“Star of Future Prosperity”

The 9 Purple Star is the “rising star” of Period 8 and represents the future prosperity and success of your business or career. It is also referred to as the Multiplying Star as it makes more of whatever it comes in contact with.

This year the Fire Element #9 is in harmony both with the Period Star 8 Earth and the double Earth of Yin Earth Ox, and will bring great good fortune to many homes and businesses.

The Center of the house is also a good area for study or for a bedroom. If a bedroom, placing a Wood Kuan Yin statue here will enhances relationship harmony. It is also recommended to place healthy green plants, fresh flowers, or any other symbols of yin-yang harmony to empower relationships, as Wood nourishes Fire.

For prosperity use red or purple objects such as an amethyst geod, nine amethyst crystals, or an Amethyst Gem Tree. A Scroll with Nine Fish, or nine dragons all strengthen #9’s good fortune while protecting it from negative Monthly Stars.

Avoid using items made of earth, square shape, or earth tones as the Earth Element weakens Fire and, possibly, the good luck of the Star of Future Prosperity.

Elliot jay Tanzer has provided astrological services since 1973. He is the author of Choose the Best House for You: The Feng Shui Checklist, Evaluating Astro*Carto*Graphy Maps: Finding the Best Places to Live & Travel - Your Step-by-Step Guide, and Exercises for the Spiritual Body - Meditation and Metaphysics and Their Practical Applications. He has been a featured speaker at many astrology, feng shui conferences, whole life expos, and metaphysical societies.

If you would like to learn how to do a Flying Star analysis, my Tutorial for Using the Master Formula Study Guides, along with my three laminated Study Guides, will explain each formula needed, and how to interpret the results.

Though the traditional 9-Box Grid is used my many feng shui practitioners, some Masters feel that as a compass determines direction as eight pieces of pie, it is more accurate to determining the position of Flying Star cures and enhancements using the Pie-Method. To make this easy to do, I have designed a perforated See-thru 8-Spoked Wheel Template for plotting the eight compass directions accurately onto any floor plan.

An illustrated version of this article can be download at: http://www.luckycat.com Many of the suggested cures and enhancements can also be purchased at this site.

For information about Astrology and Astro*Carto*Graphy Map Readings, Feng Shui consultations, mentoring, or to purchase books or feng shui products, call me at: (310) 281-6798, or at my Web site: http://www.Astrolog2009.com. All astrology and feng shui consultations whether in person, via Skype, or by phone are recorded.

This is the first article of a three-part series. I decided to try
something a little different and illustrate the marketing
challenges of a small business. I’m using one of my clients,
PrescottWeddings.com (you can read more about PWC,
including a testimonial from the owner of PWC, on my Web
site, http://www.writingusa.com)

PWC is an online resource guide for couples planning their
weddings. Along with a ton of information for brides and
grooms, the site includes a resource guide where local
businesses can advertise their products and services.

We launched PWC in November 2001. Like many start-up
businesses, PWC didn’t have much money for marketing.
Yet we had two major challenges (three counting the limited
budget):

1. PWC had to attract two kinds of target markets to the site
– advertisers and couples — essentially at the same time.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, we had to appeal to each
group even though one was dependent on the other —
advertisers wanted brides and grooms logging onto the
site, and brides and grooms wanted a complete resource
center.

2. Several bridal print publications had come and gone in
Prescott — and had burned their advertisers while racing out
of town. Businesses were understandably hesitant about
sinking their money into another bridal venture.

Armed with those challenges, we went to work. Now, just
over two years later, PWC enjoys well over 40,000 hits a
month and has increased its advertising base by over
600%. On top of that, PWC is well on its way to establishing
a reliable brand in not just Prescott but throughout Yavapai
County.

So how did we do it? A great Web site with great content (but
more on that in a later article) plus three main marketing
strategies:
1) Using print to drive traffic online
2) Thinking small
3) Frequency, frequency, frequency

I’ll cover number two and three in the next two articles. Today
we’ll talk about number one: Using print to drive traffic
online.

The cornerstone of PWC’s marketing program has been
print advertising, more specifically monthly advertising in the
local newspaper. Print advertising is an excellent choice for
many businesses — from small to large. In fact, it’s not
uncommon for small and medium-sized businesses to
build their advertising program around print.

The strength of print advertising is its flexibility. Print
publications come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They
can appeal to a broad readership or a narrow one. They can
be published every day or once a year. This variety gives you
a lot of flexibility in fitting print advertising into your
campaigns.

You can also track print to a certain extent (coupons in
newspapers for example). Print is physical, allowing your
customers to carry something around with them.

However, print’s weakness is also its strength. It’s a visual
medium only, so it requires more effort and interaction from
your audience to make an impact (they need to stop and
read it).

In the case of PWC, we chose monthly advertising in the
local paper as the foundation of our marketing program. We
decided upon the local newspaper because it has the
broadest reach. Prescott isn’t big enough to have its own
evening television news, so the newspaper is the best
vehicle for local news.

If you live in a big city, the local newspaper may not be
practical because of cost. In that case, you may want to try a
niche newspaper or magazine, like a business or lifestyle
journal, or maybe a regionalized newspaper. In Phoenix for
instance, the Arizona Republic is the main newspaper, but
all the cities around Phoenix, like Scottsdale and Tempe,
also have their own papers.

Because PWC is a Web site, there’s an assumption we
should be using only online methods to advertise. Online
methods are good, and PWC does use them, but they only
take you so far. Print is a part of the “real world” — something
you can touch and pick up, not virtual like a Web site. Print
has also been around a lot longer, and carries more trust
with it. We found by using print, some of that trust and “real
world” essence rubbed off, making PWC seem less
anonymous and more like a “bricks and mortar” business
(a business with a store front).

Also, since we were trying to drive local traffic to the site, it
made sense to advertise locally rather than attracting
people from all over the world. But even with our local
advertising, we still have a substantial number of visitors
from around the state, including Phoenix and Tucson, as
well as all over the globe.

The point of our marketing program was to advertise
regularly so we could both build the PWC brand and drive
traffic to the Web site. Yet it was essential to keep our costs
down. So we leveraged our monthly newspaper advertising
to stretch our marketing dollar as far as we could. More on
that and how we “thought small” in Part 2.

Michele Pariza Wacek owns Creative Concepts and Copywriting, a writing, marketing and creativity agency. She offers two free e-newsletters that help subscribers combine their creativity with hard-hitting marketing and copywriting principles to become more successful at attracting new clients, selling products and services and boosting business. She can be reached at http://www.writingusa.co m

The use of mini-sites has become the mainstream for most internet marketers. Some people claim mini-sites to be “trendy”, while others know they are here to stay.

Their use is not just a fad, mini-sites out perform every other type of website in the history of the internet as long as they are used wisely.

Here are 10 critical reasons why we see them in use everywhere we surf:

1) They can be created quickly! Any marketer will tell you, if you don’t know already, time is of the utmost importance when selling any product. The quicker a sales letter, order page, and product gets in front of buyers, the faster you make profits.

2) They can be generated easily! Why waste precious time and effort struggling to create a massive informational site to sell a product? Think about it. A person can have a mini-site up and running in a matter of a couple of hours. Wow, less frustration and stress to make solid profits! What a concept!

3) Mini-sites are cost effective! Everyone wants to save a buck these days, especially with the way our economy is going. The price of gasoline and oil alone is causing inflated rates for just about everything we buy.

Why pay the extra $300-a couple of thousand dollars to have a webmaster or designer create one for you when you can build your own free?

That’s right! There is free software on the net like Mozzila for instance that you can download and use to generate mini-sites.

FYI, in most cases you can generate a site and have it up and making profits, subscribers or driving traffic to one of your other sites, before a professional can place you on his or her schedule.

4) Mini-sites have a primary focus! They focus on one objective — usually to call a person to act — to subscribe to a newsletter, click an order button, or click a link on a site referring them to a product.

The more narrow the focus the less confused visitors will be. I know from experience and from hearing other marketers say, it is easier to keep the visitors attention and call them to act when we only give one choice at a time.

Remember, there is great wisdom in this statement when you generate any website.

5) You can test headlines and sub-headers faster! If the sites can be built quicker and easier, don’t you believe they can be tested faster to see what works and doesn’t work? It sounds like a big “cha-ching” to me!

6) Mini-sites can be tested for search engine optimization quickly too! You don’t have as many pages to go through— the fewer pages you create, the more time saved so you can do other things like write articles or create another site you can sell products or link to.

As long as your sales letter and so forth has good content, Meta tags, descriptions, and keywords your site can be optimize more efficiently and get better rankings.

7) You can generate many for different purposes! Mini-sites are so easy and quick to create that I use them as a means to make different streams of profits and lists over and over again.

Here is an example: I may have 2 or 3 for the sole purpose of gaining subscribers to different newsletters describing the use of the products I’m selling, while I have 5 or 6 others that promote affiliate products or my own.

I interlink them with each other and with other high-traffic sites making them more attractive to search engines.

If you are tired of wasting time, energy, or money on your websites and want to make profits or get subscribers faster, try spending a one time fee on a good program that shows you step-by-step how to set up and use mini-sites. It will be the best return investment you can make.

Look at it this way, it can be like having your own energized bunny where you can create, and create, and create some more to serve whatever purpose you have in mind and not spend another dime paying other people to do it for you.

© All rights reserved.

Article may be freely distributed in its entirety! Absolutely no selling or altering content including the links provided.

Attention ezine owners: You can pick up an already formatted copy of the article via email at minisitearticle@profitbyminisites.com.

Mary Murtha graduated with a BLS and M. Div degree majoring in biblical study, theology, and ethics. She also started her online business 6 years ago and just published a new “mini-site” that helps people start and succeed with their online business by using mini-sites. If you want to learn more about mini-sites, sign up for my newsletter and get a free mini-site report and 2 free marketing ebooks at this site: http://www.profitbyminisites.com

Mahjong is a traditional Chinese game that involves skill, intelligence, and a little bit of luck. Mahjong means “the game of a hundred intelligences” in Chinese and it lives up to that meaning. It’s traditionally a gambling game and it has gone by many different names in the past. Ma Chiao, Mo Tsiah, Ma Cheuk, Ma Jong, Ma Chiang, Ma Chong, Man Chu, Mah Diao, Pung Chow, Mah Chong, Ching Chong, Mah Cheuk, Ma Chiang, Kong Chow, Mah Deuck, Lung Chan, Mah Lowe, Pe Ling, Baak Ling.

There are many different versions of the game, but it is generally played by Chinese, Japanese, and American styles. There are tournaments held all over the world. There is even a World Championship for the game.

Mahjong normally is played by 4 players, but you can play with 2-5 players. You can choose to play with mahjong cards or tiles, but tiles are commonly used. There are 136-152 tiles that are used when playing.

The point of the game is to make a set of four defined groups of tiles. The first player to complete the sets is the winner. All tiles have a value on them and that is how scoring is based. Many people enjoy the game of mahjong. You can also play it on your computer at home.

http://funandgamessite.com is a fun and games information portal founded by Jakob Culver.

To find out more information about this topic and more visit the website:

http://funandgamessite.com

A reading is a great way to not only discover things about you, but to acknowledge what you already know and perhaps haven’t put into words. I have had many readings in my lifetime, and I always take something valuable from the experience. What better way to spend your time and energy than getting to know yourself!

• Astrology Reading: I have had astrology readings and have had charts created for me, and they are always fascinating. The wonder of astrology these days is that there is so much in the Western and Chinese varieties: natal, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, relationship, compatibility, love, career, pets, etc. And each of these readings can assist us. Recognizing oneself in the signs, planets, houses and aspects is a great feeling. For example, one thing about me is that I avoid housework at all costs. When my natal astrology chart was done, it said that I have almost no earth and “have trouble with everyday tasks.” While this information hasn’t made cleaning any less difficult, it has helped me to understand myself and feel better about this part of my personality. What a gift!

• Face Reading: Several years ago, one of my friends read my face. She not only examined and measured different aspects of my face, but my head. These bumps, spaces, curves and other unique parts have meaning! Face Reading encompasses the reading of expressions and physiognomy, the determination of a person’s traits by aspects of their face and its structure. My friend had studied personology, which was developed by a judge, and she had been a successful jury selector. Long story short, I experienced a very cool reading that taught me things that other readings hadn’t, like the fact that my rounded forehead was an indication of original thought and creativity. At the time, I was a graphics designer, which fit this trait perfectly.

• Numerology Reading: Numerology is a wonderful science that I’ve read about and I’ve also received personalized numerology reports, which were very detailed and interesting. One number that is determined in these readings is the Life Path number, which is based on the date of birth and is much like the external energy of a person’s life. The energy of the person and who they are within these external happenings is indicated by the full name at birth. Forecasts can also be made from the numbers, and from the relationship between those numbers and the current date and name. My personal experience was that reading the prepared reports was eye-opening and complex in a good way, like I would be able to continue reading the reports and gain new insight each time.

• Psychic Reading: I have more personal experience and education regarding psychic readings than with any other type. My numerous readings have been varied, most in person and some by phone, and include aura, past life, couple, family, rose, music, female, chakra and others. Some psychic readings have simply been asking a question of one or more readers and getting answers. Others have been focused on a particular aspect of me, such as being female. In the female readings I’ve received, the reader clairvoyantly looked at me as a spirit at that moment, and how much I wanted children, how much I owned my body, the lies I’ve been programmed with about being female, past lives when I was female and so on. More than once I discovered that the way I had been feeling, a strange something I just couldn’t shake off, was not even my energy! And many times the reader was trained in psychic healing as well, and could help me let go of the energy and begin assisting me with the accompanying issue. The female and other type psychic readings I’ve received have given so much validation to me and my journey as a spiritual being. I highly recommend them.

• Tarot Reading: There was one point in my life when I got many tarot readings. Now I usually get the ones using three cards, but then I went to a reader who did the larger spreads. I believe she used the Rider-Waite deck, but there are many decks to choose from. These readings were always encouraging and invigorating, filled with possibilities of what I could create in my life, and I enjoyed them. I have used the Inner Child deck for myself, which is fun. I believe that with tarot, as in all readings, it is interpretation that counts.

Those are the types of readings I am familiar with and know are available. There are, of course, other forms of divination such as the I Ching and Runes. Many people think that a reading all comes down to the reader, but we as “readees” are not without responsibility. Still, that’s for another article. Human beings know when they need some assistance and guidance, and I believe that getting a reading is one of the most helpful and enlightening experiences we can have. And let’s not forget the fact that they’re entertaining!


For astrology information and forecasts, or to receive a psychic reading, check out http://www.astrology-and-you.com

A recent article published in The Chronicle of Higher Education about teaching meditation in college has created a great deal of buzz. Several media folks contacted me for my opinion, and they were surprised by my response.

I am sure there are plenty of meditation teachers who are grinning on their cushions at the notion of meditation being offered at universities for academic college credit.

Not me. I think it is a misguided idea–and I’d like to suggest a much better one.

It’s not that I don’t wholeheartedly believe that meditation is a powerful way to reduce stress, increase concentration, and develop greater awareness and compassion. It’s not that I don’t agree that college students could benefit from meditation–especially during those stressful finals weeks.

But making meditation an academic college course perpetuates a dangerous notion: that meditation is for highly intelligent, educated people only. ANYONE can benefit from meditation, and the more elite we make it appear, the more people will assume that they are somehow not the “right kind of person” to meditate.

Is a college professor the “right kind of person” to teach meditation? While there are certainly those who have studied meditation personally and professionally, they are not necessarily the ones who can teach it as a valuable wellness tool instead of a Religion or Philosophy course.

As much as I believe in the power of meditation, I’m not sure that paying $4000 (the going rate for one class at a private university in the U.S.) for a one-semester academic course in sitting-and-breathing is an appropriate addition to the curriculum.

Credit for sitting and breathing. Cha-ching! The universities find a new income stream.

Sure, I’m biased. After all, I have four teenage daughters, two of whom are taking college classes, so I tend to be rather mindful of the bang-for-buck quotient.

I’m also wary of turning the practice of nonjudgmental awareness into yet another adult task to be evaluated, another achievement to enable us to get ahead in a competitive world. Judging one’s ability to be nonjudgmental seems counterproductive.

The alternative–offering pass/fail grades only–is equally problematic. A pass/fail class that consists of mostly sitting and breathing would be a shoo-in for the no-brainer credit award. We don’t need to create more elitism around meditation, but neither do we want it to become the leading bonehead course on campus.

I believe meditation should be offered on every college campus–but make it an activity credit, like yoga or tai chi, instead of an academic credit. Or better yet, offer it at no charge in every student union building as a helpful skill for stress reduction.

Jon Kabat-Zinn, widely regarded as the maestro of meditation-as-medicine, has developed an outstanding program–Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction–which is being taught in communities all over North America. We need much more of that–in workplaces, clinics, hospitals, fitness clubs, retirement communities, HeadStart programs and drug rehabilitation centers.

Yes, we need to bring meditation to the masses. But the most critical element is this: we must open the world of mindfulness to include activities OTHER than meditation.

Those who are most dedicated to the practice and promotion of meditation tend to be Buddhists, whether they are teaching in a temple or a prestigious university. The irony is that if those who are most committed to creating a peaceful world could release their attachment to meditation, they would be far more likely to spread the message of mindfulness to the masses.

It’s time to bring meditation down—WAY down.

In fact, we’d do well to shift gears entirely. Instead of focusing on teaching meditation in college, we should jump into playing with mindfulness in kindergarten.

We know that there are certain skills that are learned more quickly and easily by young children than adults–music, foreign languages, sharing–and I propose that mindfulness is one of them.

After all, five-year-olds are much more likely to stay fully present–that’s what kids DO! And we want them to view it as an awe-inspiring way to see the world around them with greater awareness and wonder.

Kindergarteners learn by playing, so there’s no need to force any particular sitting position or limit oneself to traditional props. In fact, if five-year-olds were encouraged to play with the idea of paying attention, I guarantee that they would be far more creative about it than any 18-year-old.

We don’t need gongs in the kindergarten classroom–a kazoo would work just as well. We don’t need to incorporate cushions, esoteric language, or religion of any kind.

What we do need are creative teachers who recognize the value of having students who are able to focus calmly in order to play well with others, listen, and learn.

Step away from the idea of meditation as an academic area of study, and jump into the notion that playing with preschoolers is a far more effective and enjoyable way to make mindfulness a lifelong practice.

Maya Talisman Frost has taught thousands of people how to pay attention. Her playful, powerful eyes-wide-open approach to mindfulness has been featured in over 100 publications around the world. She has been meditating for 30 years. To read her free special report, “The Dirty Little Secret About Meditation” visit her website at http://www.Real-WorldMindfulness.com

Where there is a Chinese community, there will be a lion dance at official events such as parades, weddings, grand openings. The uninitiated may think it strange to have a noisy lion dance as part of the entertainment. Actually there is more to it than mere entertainment. Traditionally a lion dance troupe is invited to bring in good luck at an auspicious event.

From the standpoint of the martial arts school, putting up a lion dance promises good income for the school. Moreover, it is an opportunity for the school to showcase its top trainees. The next time you watch a lion dance live or on TV, savour each move and leap. Take in the heart-thumping drumbeats and clanging cymbals as well.

Normally, two ‘lions’ are present in each performance, although more or just one may participate. The lion costume consists of a lion’s head made of colourful papers over a bamboo frame. Some bits of furry materials enhances its look. It has a mouth that opens and closes, eyes that blink, and ears that wiggle. A multi-coloured silk cloth seven to ten feet long forms the body or tail.

Animating the creature is the job of two males-one manipulates the head and the other the body. The fancy footwork, arm thrusts, changes in height and speed, all shows the lion in different moods: happy, angry, sad, contented, cautious, excited, curious, and tentative.

The lion moves in sync to deafening beats from one single large drum. Gongs and cymbals accompany in supporting roles. When the lion’s head is raised, fast music is played. The lion moves to the beat and stops when the music stops. Key movements, such as those leading up to stunts require music with special significance. These beats have ritualistic meaning for attracting good luck and dispelling evil.

The lion dance at Chinese New Year always includes a head of lettuce with a red packet (envelop) for luck tied to it. The lettuce is planted several feet high from an upper floor window for the head dancer to pluck. This part of the dance is called Choi Ching, which literally means “pick the greens”. To reach a high hanging choi ching, the dancer stack on the shoulder of another.

The lettuce represents a medicine that had once saved a village from a deadly plague. This is why the lion spits out or returns the lettuce instead of swallowing it. Inside the small red packet is a gift for the martial arts school. It ranges from a few hundred dollars to thousands from big corporations.

Lion dancing is the ultimate workout for martial arts students. It strengthens the body, improves rhythm and invokes creativity. The dance (literally means ‘manipulation’) requires strong stances and powerful waist movements to animate the lion. Traditionally, lion dance is a way for martial arts schools to show off their pugilistic skills in a competitive but non-combative manner. Good teams excite the crowd and attract new students sign ups.

So the next time you watch a lion dance, think of it as an invitation to join the martial arts school.

For information on martial arts skills, visit my blog at http://horsestance.blogspot.com

“I am talented, so are you!” - many of us may have come across such or similar slogans of Motivational Speaker or their Learning Technologies Companies. We often get inundated with such TV commercials or media advertisements extolling the wonders of how motivational speakers can inspire one to reach new heights in one’s personal achievements. Motivational theories come in many forms, the most widely marketed of which would be one that encompasses Neuro-Linguistic Programming (or better known as “NLP”) studies. NLP essentially is an advancement in psychotherapy which essentially studies behavioral suppositions of the subconscious human minds and leverages on such behavioral inclinations to motivate one to achieve new heights. Judging by the quantum of revenue this industry has been churning out regularly, it is safe to say there are many consumers who are sufficiently convinced about the efficacies of motivational theories and practices. I have to say I take my hats off to these motivational speakers for their ability to make motivational teaching such a commercial success.

It is not surprising that motivational theory workshops have such a strong appeal to the men in the street. Motivational practices actually pander to the human need to feel they are in control of their own achievements. It is emotionally appealing for each individual to think that they can better their own outcomes even though there is no guarantee on the betterment of outcomes. In essence, when the buying process becomes an emotive one, logic gets thrown out of the window and the likelihood of the commercial success of the product in question becomes higher.

Lest I be mistaken for being an opponent of motivational theories and practices, let me confess that I do believe in the efficacy of motivational theories and practices. This is the result of my experience of being an amateur sportsman and avid sports fan which allows me to come across many situations of mental conditioning or mental strength proving to be the difference between winners and losers. As a result, I definitely subscribe to the idea that professional motivation can bring out the improved performances in many fields including sports.

While mental conditioning can be achieved through NLP or motivational theory practices, I am sorry to disappoint many motivational theory believers to share that mental strength is mostly a gift of nature rather than a product of nurture. That is to say, while practicing motivational theories can help one to better his outcome somewhat, it is not expected to improve his results overwhelmingly if he does not possess certain types of inborn talents.

One of the most important yet underrated strategies in life is to maximize what one already possesses. A lot of people attempt to chase after what they do not have; hoping that motivational theory practices can extend their potential significantly. What they fail to realize that motivational theory practices are subjected to the same laws of finiteness that humans beings of this universe are subjected to. That is to say, while adopting motivational theory practices or NLP may allow one to extend his potential somewhat, the saturation point of one’s potential is near. Continuous practice of motivational theory or NLP will not yield marked improvement in one’s potential or outcome beyond the saturation point.

How then, can we best tap on the potentials of NLP and motivational theories and practices? I believe we should prioritize identifying our own potentials first before embarking on the journey of stretching our own potentials with the tools of NLP and motivational theories. In my next article, I will touch on the tools for effective identification of our own potentials.

I am a Fengshui Practitioner in private practice and I specialise in Ba Zi, ZWDS, Flying Star Fengshui, I-Ching and other Chinese Metaphysics tools. My blog site is at: http://fengshuiforward.com and http://fengshuiforward.com/forum

Trading Reliability, Simplicity and Effectiveness For Skimmer Profits

Tom Barthel’s article, “Pulling the Envelope,” in the May 2007 issue of Water Garden News, has got me going. In it he said, “Technological innovations for skimmers and filter-fall products have leveled off recently. On the rise, instead, are units that use creative features and meet the customer’s need for low maintenance, durable products sold at competitive prices.”

He is confirming the truth about what I have been preaching for over ten years. The true reason that sales of liner skimmers and fall-filters have leveled off is because their poor performance is coming back to “bite” the skimmer scammers in the bottom line! These skimmers are designed for making profits, not filtering ponds.

The so-called pond experts operate like the pharmaceutical industry. They advise consumers on the so-called benefits of the very products they produce and sell, in this case skimmers. Drug companies sell products which generally mask the actual symptoms of a disease and in the process mess up the body’s balance even more. This creates yet a new need for another drug to mask yet another symptom.

If the skimmer’s engineering and design is not effective in providing the proper filtration of water, it will not only require regular cleaning, but will demand another “drug” or band-aid. Hence, yet another innovation sweeps the planet, and this engineering marvel is designed to solve yet another water garden ailment. Some of the “drugs” used to treat ineffective filters are what I call the “flim-flam filter falls,” the “bio-balls filter falls,” the “ooh-la-la cha-ching cha-ching filter falls”.

These are some of the sales pitches you might hear from the purveyors of miracle potions for your ailing water garden: “Oh you poor thing, your pond is turning green, your water has body odor. ( the fish are exhibiting an evolutional behavior, by trying to leave the water and live on land.) Here, we just happen to have something for those two symptom. It’s called ‘Green Be Gone’, only $32 a pint and we recommend you buy a gallon. Then, add three bottles of our ‘fish safe’ (we’re not sure about the turtles) and plant-safe, ‘Stink Be Gone.’ So that your fish will go back in the water where they belong, we recommend our very own private label, ‘Home Sweet Home pH Up.’ And if that does not work, for another $39 per pint, try our ‘Home Sweet Home pH Down.’

Oh, and I have some bad news for you. My technician just got back from your house call and discovered that your leaky pond is from a big fat rat that chewed a hole in it. Sorry, our warranty does not cover that, only factory defects.”

This is why the liner pond experts recommend covering the bottom of your pond and the catch basin of your pondless waterfall with rocks. It is to give you added surface area for the nitrifying bacteria to grow which is not provided by the cheaply produced, expensive to buy, state-of-the-art, Berkeley-designed, MIT-engineered, Rubber Maid approved, maintenance-laden, grotesque profit-making, scum-sucking skimmers and fall-flushing plastic wonder devices!

I don’t claim to be political, but I do claim to be correct. Why? Because “a man with experience is not at the mercy of a man with an argument.” After building more than 1,900 concrete ponds and waterfalls over 26 years with no cracks or leaks, my experience speaks for itself. I have always wondered why I have no competition in the area of professional concrete ponds and waterfalls. The answer is simple: everyone is using liners. Why? Because they are cheaper? No! It’s because the liner industry has spent millions in advertising that they are cheaper.

They never mention all the negative aspects of liner construction, such as rodents, tree roots, sharp objects, the weight of the rocks, etc., that can puncture holes and cause leaks. Let’s compare the cost differences in construction and long-term maintenance of both concrete and liner ponds.

Let’s look at the facts, rather than water garden hype, liner industry tent revival terminology, and biased opinions from the liner messiah’s disciples, the tinker-toy skimmer and filter salesmen. To be fair with my comparison, I’m not going to use the pond liner “messiah’ Aquasacape as my example, even though everyone knows they are truly the “Microsoft” of the liner industry.

I’m going to use someone who claims to be the best in the industry. Proof of this fact is that he suggests you google “Pondless” and you will find him at the top of the first page. He also states’ “My skimmers, filters and pumps are the best in the entire water garden industry.” His statements are now in the public domain since they can be found on his website.

So let’s use Russell Water Gardens for our comparisons between two ponds: one built with a rubber liner and the other constructed professionally with concrete, rebar and highly efficient, quality equipment.

I. Pond 12’ x 14’ x 4.5’ deep (no rocks)

Russell Water Garden’s equipment and materials pricing:

1. 25’ x 27’ liner (required for a pond 12’ x 14’ x 4.5’) $675

2. 25’ x 27’ underlayment material $675

3. Hydro Centrimax HC-050 4,500 gph, 6.5 amp,

2 yr. warranty (Russell’s own pump) $650

4. Hydroclean “Piper” skimmer (Russell’s own) $560

5. Dolphin Hydro Vortex filter (Russell’s own) $830

6. 100 ft. 2” flex PVC pipe $260

7. 80-watt UV light $764

8. 10 20-watt underwater lights $600

TOTAL (with everything still in the box) $ 5,014

II. Professional Concrete Pond

Pricing of materials available to contractors and/or homeowners, including labor:

1. 5 yards concrete (3500-7000 psi) with stealth fiber $525

2. 426 sq. ft. rebar (8-10” on center @ $2 per sq. ft.

including materials & labor $852

3. Concrete pumper – 5 yards (ranges from $175-200) $200

4. Concrete labor (3 men @ $35/hr. x 3 hrs) $225

5. 3 bags Thoroseal plus labor $150

6. Sequence pump (#5800SEQ23 w/leaf basket;

5800 gph, 3.1 amps, 3 yr. warranty) $423

7. Aqua Ultraviolet Ultima II 4000 filter $855

8. 100 ft. of 2” flex PVC piping $143

9. Emperor Aquatics 80-watt UV light with wiper $629

10. Skimmer (professional concrete/gunite pond,

with low water valve waterway Renegade) $ 87

11. 10 20-watt underwater lights – Alpine $240

TOTAL cost of Material and Labor (project completed) $ 4,329

So far, I have shown a difference between the costs of two types of ponds, except for the important fact that labor is not included in the first example and it is included in the second. Now for some information on construction methods and pumps.

1. Construction Method

Liner: These manufacturers only provide warranty against factory defect, not from heavy sharp rocks, gnawing mice, rats, ground squirrels, gophers, chipmunks, groundhogs, tree roots, sharp objects, animal claws such as raccoons, dogs, etc. Concrete (3500 – 7000 psi rebar with stealth fiber): When constructed professionally, concrete ponds and waterfalls can carry a lifetime warranty, something that no liner can do.

2. Pumps:

Most liner ponds use sump pumps, which use 50 to 60% more energy than a high-efficiency centrifugal pump, and which carry an inferior warranty. In the previous comparison, the Sequence pump costs 35% less than Russell’s, and it pumps 25% more water per hour for 1/3 less the energy and with 1/3 longer warranty than Russell’s pump. In six years, if you had to replace Russell’s pump every two years (the length of the warranty), the cost of the pumps plus electricity would be: $1,950 (3 pumps) + $4,853 (energy cost using it 24 hrs. a day, 7 days a week for 6 years) = $6,803. On the other hand, with the Sequence 5800SEQ23 pump, there is a 3-year warranty; over 6 years the pump cost would be $846 (2 pumps) + $2,314 (energy cost @ 24 hrs./day, 7 days a week, 6 yrs.) = $3,160.

So the total cost of energy for the Hydro Centrimax pump plus the warranty replacement cost over six years is a whopping $3,643 more than that of the Sequence pump!

NOTE: Russell’s website publishes the following statement: “You will find that Hydro CentrimaxTM pumps are the best value of any centrifugal pump on the market today.”

Russell also boasts about his skimmer being the best. Twenty dollars worth of plastic that he sells for $560 – let’s see if they really are the best.

Here are his instructions for cleaning his “HydroClean Pond Skimmer:

1. “Lift the lid off the skimmer and take out the skimmer net at the front.”

2. “Shake the skimmer net to get rid of any debris.” [Try not to get any on you.]

3. “If there is any algae on the skimmer net, hose it off as needed.”

4. “Replace the skimmer net in front of the skimmer unit.”

5. “Behind the net there is a brush rack, a bar with large brushes hanging from it. Pick up the brush

rack and shake it to get the debris off.” [Be sure not to splatter any of the pond scum, fish waste,

worms and parasites on yourself.]

6. “Replace the brush rack in the skimmer behind the skimmer net.” [Be sure to wash your hands very

thoroughly when you are finished.]

7. “Failure to clean the skimmer can lead to slow water flow and place stress on the pump. It can even

cause the pump to overheat and burn out. Check the skimmer often to see if it needs maintenance.”

Now, let’s compare Russell’s $560 maintenance-intensive, messy skimmer with the Waterways Renegade professional concrete pond skimmer at only $87.

Here are the maintenance instructions:

“Lift the lid, remove the basket, dump debris, replace basket, close lid. No need to check skimmer often. If the basket gets full, the pump will not be affected, even if the water level in the pond drops below the skimmer opening. This skimmer has a special float valve system that by-passes the skimmer in the event of neglect or low water level.”

Russell’s biofilter is very similar to his skimmer in design. While it is basically a molded tub, Russell claims his “Hydro Vortex” filter supports a higher number of fish than other brands of biological filters. Even though, there are several manufacturers of biological filters that can easily out-perform this simple elementary and cheap design. It is the same as comparing an economy car to a high performance luxury model.

Only in this case, you are comparing an economy filter with a state-of-the-art, high performance, engineered, no maintenance (a simple turn of a handle to clean it) filter for only $25 more.

Bottom line I repeat: “A man with experience is not at the mercy of a man with an argument.”
The pond I described is my pond.

I have the Sequence pump, Aqua Ultraviolet filter and UV light, anti-vortex drains, professional skimmer, and four times more fish than the so-called experts say I should have. My pond is crystal clear, my fish are healthy, and I have not lost one of them to disease in the four years I’ve had them. The only chemical that

I have ever recommended to any of my 1,900+ clients in their professionally constructed concrete pond is rock salt, which controls the algae and aids in the slime coat of the fish.

For more free information on all aspects of water gardening, go to www.watergardenauthority.com and click “articles.”

Douglas C. Hoover; CEO of Aquamedia Corp, Master Waterfall Builder, architect, engineer, freelance writer, author, designer & builder of well over 1,900 waterfall and ponds in CA (26 years).

Author of “Waterfall and Pond Construction Manual” and developer of the “Water Feature Digital Design Library 4.0″ Free downloads, no sign in- http://www.askdoughoover.com

Happy are people who have dreams AND are willing to pay the price to make those dreams come true.

Our Supreme Being, whoever that is to you, has given you a wonderful gift. The gift is the choice of free will. Every day we have the ability to influence our own lives. A positive mental state, all by itself, helps create positive momentum in your life. The same is true of negative thinking. Our perception of the world is our reality. Identical events are viewed differently by two people. One person will see an opportunity for accomplishment, while the other will see an insurmountable obstacle. Both of them are right about what they see. We want you to see an opportunity for accomplishment.

Fitness is empowerment. Starting an exercise program begins a new journey in your life. It is an important journey and it will be life-changing. Several weeks into your fitness program your body will begin to feel and look different. You will like the change. You feel better about yourself. Fitness means you are capable and willing to accomplish your goals. That sense of empowerment begins to invade other areas of your life. If you can change your body, you can change your life. Suddenly, your life is a series of events where you have power. You are no longer a passenger on the airplane of life, powerless to control where the airplane lands. Fitness teaches you to become the PILOT! You decide where the where the airplane goes (most of the time.) Life is a series of journeys.

I am a Personal Trainer. I improve lives through fitness. When I work with a new client, I ask the client to identify their fitness goals. Every person, each client, will tell me about their goals and ask if we believe they are achievable. To that person, achieving those goals seems almost impossible. Almost to a person, each client has serious doubt about the likelihood of success. They cannot envision success. Success seems insurmountable. Each person knows where they are right now and they consider the goals we’ve just discussed to be an unattainable fairyland, far off in the distance and impossible to reach. Viewed through the eyes of the client, the goal is unachievable. The goal is too far away to reach.

My perspective is significantly different:
The client cannot envision going from A to Z. We know that our journey definitely includes starting at A and arriving at Z but I only want us to initially go from A to B. The client, sometimes with some prodding, agrees that going from A to B is a doable task. Success breeds self-confidence and improved self-esteem. When we arrive at B, we congratulate ourselves for the successful effort and look to our next goal: C. We’ve made some progress, since we started at A and are now at B, but we are still have a long way to Z. We refocus. Now we want to get to C. We do. More success means more confidence. The way I describe the progress to new clients is that our journey will be like being in a car and going from zero MPH to 100 MPH, while our acceleration is barely noticeable. The client at some point notices that we are working our way rapidly through our alphabet of goals. Z comes into view. It all started with our journey from A to B.

Every journey begins with a single step. It requires a conscious decision and effort. Most people do not realize that they have the power to take that first step. In the Tao Teh Ching (chapter 63), an ancient Chinese text, it states that a wise man can accomplish the most complex task in the world because he works diligently toward mastering the small tasks. The complex tasks are made up of a series of small tasks. Mastering the small tasks, doing our best at the simplest of things, allows us to conquer the seemingly unconquerable. The most complex of tasks is only a chain of small tasks, each one manageable if tackled one at a time. The same idea holds true on our journey to becoming fit. We take one single step at a time.

Studies have shown that exercise has many of the same benefits of prescription anti-depressant medications. Interestingly, these studies have shown two consistent results. First, the more depressed the person is before beginning exercise, the more the exercise will reduce the depression. A person with mild depression will not receive as much benefit from exercise as a person with more significant depression. Secondly, the more exercise performed, the greater the relief of symptoms of depression. Exercise has no negative side effects. A combination of medication, therapy, and exercise is the best way to combat depression. Exercise has an important part in most treatment plans. It costs little and has no negative side effects. Exercise makes us feel better and also helps us live longer.

Fitness improves our lives in many ways. Fitness improves every relationship in your life. Frustrations of everyday life become more bearable, in some cases the frustrations disappear altogether. Stresses don’t seem so important. Exercise reduces anxiety and makes stress more manageable. The example I use is that each person is like a rock. Everyday stresses are like small pebbles thrown at the rock. The pebbles cause chips and tiny cracks in the rock. A full day of being hit with those small pebbles being thrown at us results in frustration and stress. Exercise helps buff away those chips and cracks, relieving stress, returning the rock to its original condition. By relieving stress, exercise improves our mood. When we are in a good mood we tend to treat those around us better. Spouses, children, friends, and co-workers will notice (and like) the improvement in our day-to-day attitude.

Exercise improves and lengthens our lives. Exercise has been shown to increase our positive feelings and help tone down some of our negative thoughts. General fitness, long known to be good for our bodies, is also good for our minds. The definition of fitness has also undergone a significant change. Working out at a gym, either on an exercise machine or with free weights, is only a part of the definition. Fitness or exercise has different meanings for different people. Exercise can be brisk walking or jogging. It can be playing tennis or another sport. It can be yard work. The important part is that whatever the activity, your heart rate needs to be elevated substantially above your resting heart rate.

Exercise and fitness in general share some benefits, while the particular type of exercise will have specific advantages of its’ own. Cardiovascular exercise is known to lower our resting heart rate and resting blood pressure, among other things. Strength training, or lifting weights, will increase bone density and strengthen our tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. Playing a sport like tennis or racquetball will improve balance and agility. One of the amazing things about exercise is that a program can be designed to meet the specific needs of any individual. Some people are interested in losing fat. Other people need to increase balance. I had a client a few years ago that sustained a brain injury. We helped him relearn motor skills and increase his agility. We all have different needs and wants, and exercise has the answer for each one of us. Fitness will improve the life, both mentally and physically, of anyone who makes the effort to exercise.

Life is a series of journeys. We get to choose most of the paths. Become a person who is willing to make your dreams come true!

Cliff Wiese has been active in fitness, sports, and sport psychology since 1981. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, as well as a Sports Performance Coach. He works with a varied international clientele, ranging from world-class athletes to pre and post rehabilitation patients to Special Olympians. A speaker and writer in high demand, Cliff can be reached by email at cwiese@lycos.com or by telephone in the USA at 979-229-6276. Cliff attended Schreiner University on athletic and leadership scholarship and has done graduate studies at the University of Oklahoma. He is active in Special Olympics as a Powerlifting Coach and is a volunteer grant writer for a number of charities, primarily organizations involving at-risk children. Cliff is also personally active in sport and has won championships in five different sports. He is currently finishing his first book, aimed at creating and sustaining successful and life-long workout routines for non-exercisers.

This can’t really be emphasized enough - use generic drugs as often as you can, unless of course your doctor has insisted on no substitutions. And even then, ask about that. You see, doctors don’t really give much thought to the price of your drugs unless you point blank ask them.

This isn’t to say they aren’t getting better at understanding that their choices for drugs for patients does ultimately cost someone some significant bucks if they aren’t prudent in their prescribing.

The bottom line here is that health care administrators, government agencies, and insurance companies etc. are starting to put limits on the dollars for drugs prescribed. If you stop to think about that, it only makes sense because costs are spiraling right out of control. Think billions of dollars in deficit for the US health care system.

This is an interesting area actually as drug companies are smart and market directly to consumers. Their main goal is to convince them they need the “newest” drug on the market because it’s better. Don’t believe that for one minute. Often the newest drug these days is a remake of the old one that worked just fine thanks a bunch.

The only reason drug companies oppose generic drug manufacturers is because they will lose market share and profits will **** like a vacuum. There is nothing wrong with generic drugs. They’re the same drug as the original patented one, perhaps formulated slightly differently. E.g. the coating may not be gelatin

Don’t be ****** in by the lure of a newer, better, more effective drug. If the old one is tried, tested and true, then why not use it? One thing is for sure; it’s a darn sight cheaper than the patented new drugs.

Yes it’s true - even when it comes to prescribing drugs the ka-ching is the driving force behind managing expenses. Learn to manage your own personal health care budget by asking for generic drugs at the pharmacy or better yet, ask your doctor to give you a script for the generic version of the drug you need.

Richard Cantu is with Texas Health and Life, a Texas health insurance and Texas life insurance agency in Texas. To learn more, visit http://www.texashealthandlife.com

September signals back to school for most of the children in the U.S.A. What will us moms do with all our free time? LOL

Whether your kids are in preschool a couple times a week, 1/2 day kindergarten, or are full-time in grades 1-12, you now have some time to yourself without children or at least less children. Use that time wisely because a new school year can mean a new start for moms also.

Make a List
Start by writing a list of everything you want to accomplish during your lifetime. Do you dream of going back to school for a degree, start your own business, or simply work on craft projects you’ve been putting off. Maybe your goal is to finish reading a book or perhaps write one of your own. Do you want to learn a new skill like photography, computer programming, knitting, gardening, or scrapbooking? It’s completely up to you!

Break out your calendar
Set aside time each week to work toward your goal, just like you would for a doctor’s appointment or meeting with your child’s principal. By taking small consistent steps toward your goals you will build momentum and ultimately reach your goal quicker than you thought possible. Consistency is key!

Don’t Make Excuses
If you dream is to take courses toward your degree consider distance learning through online courses. These allow you to do the coursework when it’s convenient for you (during naps, bedtime, etc.)

If you want to learn a new skill check out some books from your local library or try a correspondence course. Many offer affordable monthly payment plans and it doesn’t matter where you live.If you plan to return to the workforce once your kids are in school full-time; practice your skills and keep up on the trends in your chosen field. Perhaps you want to train for a new career. There are other options to taking college courses. Try reading and learning the skills from books, videos, online, etc.

With your little ones in school now is your chance. Schedule some time, even if it’s only 10 minutes, to work toward the life of your dreams. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” — Tao Te Ching

Kimberly Shavatt is a wife, stay-at-home mother of 3 and owner/editor of http://www.HelpingMomsAtHome.com Find lots of helpful hints and tips to help you save time, save money and save your sanity.

Tea, the wonderful beverage we indulge in when we want to relax, wake up, cure a tummy ache, soothe an upset child and infuse our systems with anti oxidants has enjoyed a rich, colorful and diverse history - a very, very long history that began more than 5,000 years ago in China. Legend has that an early emperor, Shen Nung was also a highly skilled ruler and a rather creative scientist. He was far ahead of his time in many respects, including insisting that all drinking water be boiled for hygienic purposes. The legend goes that he was traveling to far away region one summer day and he and his court stopped rest. The obedient servants began to boil the water, per the emperor’s ruling. As they boiled the water, however, some dried leaves from a bush that was nearby fell into the water. As the water boiled with the leaves, a brown liquid began to infuse the water. The Emperor, ever the scientist, was intrigued with the new, brown liquid and drank some. He found the new drink to be quite refreshing, thus tea was born. It should be noted that though this is largely regarded as a myth, many mythologists find that the story is so practical that it likely is very closely related to actual events.

The Asian Inspiration
Tea was a very popular beverage throughout China and every single aspect of their society embraced it and drew it into their culture. The first book written on tea, the Ch’a Ching, was written by Lu Yu in 800 A.D. His work on tea and how it is used in various cultures propelled him to a state that was almost a sainthood in his own lifetime. In fact, the form of tea service that he portrayed in his book, that showed strong ties in Zen Buddhism, is what the Zen Buddhist missionaries later introduced to Japan.

Buddhist priest, Yeisei, brought the very first tea seeds to Japan. He had witnessed the valuable role that the tea in China had played in enhancing religious mediation. Yeisei is know as the “Father of Tea” in Japan because of his introduction of tea to the Japanese culture which quickly elevated tea to an art form. The Japanese Tea Ceremony, a complex yet beautiful art that requires years of training and practice. From there, tea houses were created and tea gained in popularity as the original Zen roots were eventually lost.

Europe Finds Tea
When tea was all the rage in Japan and China, news of this new sensation began to trickle back to Europe. Traders and caravan leaders mentioned it, but no one seemed to know how to serve it or even what it looked like. A Portuguese Jesuit Father Jasper de Cruz was the first European to experience tea personally and write about it in 1560. As Portugal had begun trading with China, they began shipping tea to Lisbon where Dutch ships would transport the tea to France, Holland and the Baltic countries.

Tea soon became high fashion in Hague, the Dutch capital. This was mainly due to the exorbitant price of more than $100 per pound. This meant the wealthy could enjoy it - and the poor could not. Eventually, as the amount of tea that was imported increased, the price began to drop, making it more available to a wider variety of people, including apothecaries. It wasn’t until 1680 that there is any mention of adding milk to tea. Tea was popular in France for about fifty years, until wine, chocolate and exotic coffees captured the French imagination and preference.

Tea Arrives in America
As the Dutch actively traded throughout the Western world, 1650 saw Peter Stuyvesant bring the first tea to colonists in the Dutch settlement called New Amsterdam which later became known as New York. Tea had found its way to America and America was hooked. In fact, when the English acquired the colony they found that that one small settlement was consuming more tea at the time that the entire country of England.

England gets a Taste
Great Britain was the first to venture into the Chinese trade and it was due to this that tea finally reached England sometime between 1652 and 1654. Its popularity skyrocketed. Nobility nodded in approval as they consumed the beverage and the future of tea in England was secured. As tea mania swept over England, all classes enjoyed its refreshment. Soon, the English Afternoon Tea was born.

By 1670 English colonists residing in Boston became aware of tea. By 1720 tea was a trade staple between the Colony and the Mother country. The colonial particularly enjoyed tea. Tea trade became centered in Boston, New York and Philadelphia, which, incidentally, were the future centers of the American rebellion. Tea was very heavily taxed, so smugglers would get contraband tea to the colonies from other ports. The John Company who held the monopoly on tea distribution in the area was quite disgruntled as they saw their profits plummeting. They put pressure on Parliament to take action and put an end to the activities. Then it happened.

The American Revolution and Tea
England had recently completed the French and Indian War and, in England’s viewpoint, it was meant to free the colony from French influence and give trade more stabilization. Parliament decided, then, that the brunt of the cost should go to the colony since it was for them. Suddenly, there were taxes for everything from newspapers to tavern licenses, marriage licenses and docking papers. When the colonists rebelled, Parliament levied even more, heavier taxes, including the 1767 tea tax. The colonists rebelled and purchases imported tea openly and freely. The John Company was still slipping in profits.

When things finally came to a head, the famous Boston Tea Party was born. The men of Boston dressed as Indians and threw hundreds of pounds of tea into the harbor. The Port of Boston retaliated by closing and royal troops moved in to occupy the city. The colonial leaders met and declared revolution. Thus, a free nation was born.

Tea a Timeless Tradition
Today tea is even more popular than ever. Americans enjoy their tea iced, hot, in leaves, in bags, there are a wide variety of types and flavors available and one can access all they want by simply walking into the local market and picking out what they want. Additionally, tea has recently been proven to have health benefits as well as stress relieving properties. So, the beverage that has its origins in ancient China, moved around the world, started a revolution and freed a nation is one of the most popular drinks worldwide today.

Nicholas Hurd is the developer of The Tea Information Source. You’ll find anything you want to know about tea at this site. copyright 2007 Nicholas Hurd all rights reserved

Many young executives like to ask for career success tips. I usually start by saying career success does not come in a day. Yet, day-in day-out I see young people entering the working life pushing themselves as if they will make CEO in a year. They have a tendency to compare their progress with their contemporaries. You should not and must not compare your career success to your contemporaries.

If you ask me, what is career success? Frankly, I don’t have the answer. But, I can give you a career success tip that works for me. However, ultimately only you can answer “what is career success?” because only you can seek. No one can do it for you. It is to be defined by your own values and principles in life. You would have to define what is career success for yourself. It means different things for different people. And it is your career goals.

The first step is to ask yourself “What is career success?”. It is not a question you should mull over daily. You will have to spend time thinking about this. The answer will not come easy. Ask yourself that question, and then let it float in your mind for however long it takes - never force the answer.

Remind yourself this - if your career is a marathon, then it includes the preparation for the race - the warm ups, the stretches, the strength exercises, the stamina building, the constant practice runs. Constant effort is what will eventually get a positive response. And that response is success.

My biggest fear looking at many young first job executives is that a lot of them embark on this marathon and end up hurting themselves. They hurt themselves because instead of warming up and stretching, they sprint. Eventually they end up injured, taking months and years to recuperate.

This is an important career success tip. Your career like many things in life cannot be rushed. You succeed by not rushing nor lazing off. Your career success comes to you when you do not rush yourself through it. But this also means you do not laze off. When you rush you start to be careless. You forget the basic important steps in the race for your career success. If you sprint through at this early phase, you risk overdoing it. On the other hand, if you laze off – you won’t put in the appropriate effort needed for success. For success to happen, you need to be moderate in your pursuit. That would be career success tip for you. There is a saying:

Hurrying makes things too tight, Slacking off lets things get too loose, By not hurrying and not slacking off, We can succeed at what we do.

In this race, you are your own competitor. To end this career success tip, I leave you with this thought from Dao De Ching:

He who knows other men is discerning, he who knows himself is intelligent. He who overcomes other is strong; he who overcomes himself is mighty. He who is satisfied with his lot is rich. He who goes on acting with energy has a firm will. He who does not fail in the requirements of his position, continues long. He who dies and yet does not perish, has longevity.

Long Yun Siang or Long, as he is popularly known runs http://career-success-for-newbies.com with his wife Dorena as their way of paying it forward. Their website – based on their real life experiences - provides tips, tools and advise for newbies pursuing career success. Download a FREE copy of their mini eBook titled “Career Success Recipe for Newbies” at the website now.

The Five Cs of Trust

Character

Competence

Confidence

Credibility

Congruence

The Five Points of Presence

Charisma

Enthusiasm

Optimism

Empathy

Vision

Why do you suppose that the first major category deals with trust? The ability to gain and keep trust is a vital factor in being able to influence your team. Research has shown, time and time again, that trust is always a contributing factor in the ability to influence others. When a person trusts you, that trust alone can cause them to accept you. On the flip side, if your team doesn’t trust you, all the evidence, reasoning, facts or figures in the world won’t get them to budge. Character is the foundation of trust.

I also believe that the teaching of Phillips Brooks, a nineteenth-century clergyman, offers profound wisdom on the nature of character: “Character is made in the small moments in our lives.” Stop and think a moment about those individuals in your life whom you respect most deeply. While you may be able to recall a few momentous occasions, it is likely that it is these people’s quiet example that has most impressed you. It is their very nature and spirit, even when they are not “on stage,” that has garnered your respect.

Competence is your knowledge and ability in a particular subject area and comes from life-long learning and experience. We consider others to be competent when we see them continually learning and advancing their training and education, being successful in what they do or having a strong track record with the various people they have worked with. Obviously, competency is a crucial element to trust. If your team is to trust you, they have to feel like you know what you’re doing. Confidence is also a major factor in gaining trust and influence. You can probably think of a time when it was very apparent that someone you were relying on was not very confident in her/his abilities. In turn, her/his lack of confidence made you feel uneasy. You must exude confidence or else your team will feel like it’s a case of “the blind leading the blind.” They will not trust in you or your abilities; therefore, you will have very little influence over them.

The next attribute under the trust umbrella is credibility. Gerry Spence, perhaps the most famous trail lawyer of all time, explained the importance of credibility the best: “One can stand as the greatest orator the world has known, possess the quickest mind, employ the cleverest psychology and have mastered all the technical devices of argument, but if one is not credible, one might just as well preach to the pelicans.” To boost your credibility with your team, find out who your team knows and respects. See if you can get their mentor’s endorsement, either in person or in writing, to back up your credibility. If you are a known expert in your field, be sure to communicate that you have studied the subject, researched it and met with its other experts. Also, be prepared to drop the names of people your team will recognize. Another way to boost your credibility is to always present yourself in a calm, organized and authoritative manner. Being overly emotional or flustered throws your credibility out the window.

The last building block of trust is congruence. Congruence means that your words and actions always match. You are not one who is known to say one thing and then do another. Agreement and harmony in your verbal and nonverbal messages increase trust, and hence your ability to influence. When congruence is lacking, red flags go up in your team members’ minds. You can probably think of a manager you’ve known whose words you always had to take with a grain of salt. Such an individual is not the type of person you are likely to be influenced by.

Now that we’ve revealed the Five Cs of Trust, let’s take a moment to examine the Five Points of Presence. Presence is the ability to influence and empower others. Your presence energizes and inspires other individuals. They are compelled to follow you because of the vision you offer. Charisma heads the list of attributes under the Five Points of Presence and is a big part of motivating others.

People who are charismatic often hold us in awe. Their energy prods us, motivates us and inspires us. They fulfill our need to have heroes. We feel better for having met them, seen them, listened to them and interacted with them. Charisma is closely related to enthusiasm. If you are passionate about what you do, your enthusiasm will carry over into your interactions with your team. It is quite possibly passion and enthusiasm that most powerfully recruit the hearts and minds of those around you. Others are more likely to jump on board if they can see your conviction. Enthusiasm is a great moving force that we should seek to permeate into all we do. It is the drive that keeps our motivation up until the goal is reached. Emerson said, “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” Another great thinker, especially in the area of personal development, Norman Vincent Peale, said, “When one gets enthusiastic, the entire personality lights up. The mind becomes sharper, more intuitive; the entire life force and creative ability are enhanced. Such a person is motivated and will certainly make an impact.”

Another key factor is optimism. Optimism is more than a positive mental attitude. It is not just thinking about positive things and then hoping they will come true. True optimism is a frame of reference that governs how you lead. Optimists don’t just hope for but they actually expect success and goodness. Even when there are setbacks, they are able to quickly bounce back. If you can inspire optimism in your team members, they will be grateful for your positive influence and the difference it makes not only in the workplace, but also in their personal lives. Nobody wants to be around a moody, angry or pessimistic manager. Your optimism will attract others and be contagious. Once your optimism spreads, your team will begin working together with a lot of positive energy.

Now, let’s spend some time on attitude. Remember the old adage “Success in life is 85 percent attitude and 15 percent aptitude”? Harvard University actually conducted a study wherein it was determined that “success” (income, status, prestige, etc.) had significantly more to do with attitude than ability. In fact, attitude appeared to contribute more to lifetime earnings than even a person’s level of education. Your attitude reflects what’s going on inside of you and is a strong indicator of what will actually play out on the surface. That’s why, when it comes to teambuilding, an optimistic attitude starts with you. Optimism is something you can control, and you can’t expect your team to develop it if you don’t have it yourself.

Empathy is another major part of being an effective leader. When someone feels your empathy, they will be more open to your influence. The world is full of people who are trying to make us do things for their reasons. It is refreshing to find someone who will take the time to pause and seek to understand. As a leader, once you know whom you are dealing with, what s/he is thinking and why s/he is thinking such things, you will be better able to empathize.

Zig Ziglar points out that this kind of focus on others actually helps us meet our own needs: “The best way to get what you want out of life is to help others get what they want.” When you’re trying to work on being more empathetic, you must remember the universal needs of all men and women: approval, attention, praise, encouragement, understanding and acceptance. We can learn a lot about empathy from the ancient classic Tao-te-Ching by Lao-tzu. It states: “Evolved leaders win the trust and support of the people through their complete identification with them. The interests of people are naturally promoted because they become the interests of the leader as well.”

Vision is the final attribute of the Five Points of Presence. Influential leaders have a clearly defined vision, which in turn serves as a powerful tool in helping others see the big picture. Most people will embrace their leader’s vision if they know exactly where they fit into it and what they have to do to achieve it. Vision should pull the team together and generate energy, passion and a willingness to work hard. Creating a sound vision begins with focusing on our destination. In other words, you must know where you are going. If you hope to achieve outstanding results, give your team clear direction. Stephen Covey said, “To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you’re going so that you better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.” Lastly, when you plan and execute your vision, don’t be afraid to dream big. Walt Disney once said,

Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency.

Think of the incredible legacy that has been enjoyed by millions and that will continue to touch generations of people because of this one man’s vision. It all started with one man, whose enthusiasm had a ripple effect on all those he worked with. Walt Disney’s mark will forever be emblazoned upon the world.

Kurt W. Mortensen is one of America’s leading authorities on persuasion, motivation and influence. Kurt spent 15 years researching personal development and motivational psychology and is currently a professor on the university level. He offers his speaking, training, and consulting programs nationwide, helping thousands achieve unprecedented success in business and personal endeavors. Kurt is author of Maximum Influence a bestseller and is endorsed by Stephen R. Covey, Brian Tracy, Robert Allen, and Mark Victor Hansen. Go to http://www.prewealth.com/iq to find out where you rank in your ability to persuade or email askkurt@persuasioninsitute.com.

House Energy Correction is the concept of controlling the 8 Directional Energies; 7 Chakras and 7 Energy Bodies of the People; Boosting and Balancing the 5 Elements of the Lands & Buildings. Simply stated, it is the Total Energy Rectification of Horoscopes of the Family Members and Business Partners; Vaastu and Fengshui Energy Correction for their Lands & Buildings. Read the revealing FAQs about unique Crystal Energy Fields based on the Ancient Siddha Programming Techniques for Karma Correction. This is the first of a series of 3 parts of FAQs.

Question 1 : What exactly is “Energy Correction” ?

Human beings, like all objects, receive different levels of energies from the 8 different directions. When all the 8 directional energies are positive enough, they get positive results. When the energy levels dip below a limit, they suffer. For example, if a person receives high positive energy from his North, he will be financially well off. But if he also receives negative energy from his South East, he will never be able to enjoy it. The blue print of the energy levels of a person at his birth time is what you could call as his Birth Horoscope.

These 8 energy streams control the 7 Chakras and 7 Energy Bodies of the person, which in turn control every thing else in his life. The quality (positive or negative) of the energy and the quantum (percentage) of the energy that a person receives is his Karma or Destiny. The concept of correcting the 8 Directional Energies and tuning the 7 Chakras & Energy Bodies of a person so that he stays within a 100% positive energy belt all his life-time is called Personal Energy Correction.

Question 2 : Can you explain more about these Energy Beams from the 8 Directions ?

Energy (or Prana or Chi) is pure and on it’s own, is always balanced positive. It is the basic power brick on which the Cosmos is built upon. However, depending upon the Karma of the Person, Land and Building, it/he receives energy either as positive or negative. Then the percentage of the positive or negative energy that it/he receives culminates in positive or negative events of it’s/his life. Unlike Land and Building, the Person moves. Where the Person moves, his Karma follows. So do the Energy Beams that he receives from the 8 Directions. It does not matter what direction he is moving or facing, it does not matter whether he is in India or America, he keeps receiving the same Energy Beams with the same Quality (Positive or Negative) and Quantity (Percentage), until the change is destined or brought about.

Question 3 : You spoke of Horoscope & Karma. Are you saying that both can be rectified ?

Yes ofcourse. All the Planetary Energies are received by a person through the 8 Directional Energies only. By filtering or/and transforming them, you pacify the planets, remove the effects of problems like female curses, planetary & pithru doshas, etc. In other words, you rectify the Birth Horoscope itself. In fact, there is a more sophisticated process with which I undertake Karma Correction itself. This process minimises the bad karma to such an extent that one simply doesn’t feel it’s impact at all.

Question 4 : So then what is “House Energy Correction” ?

House Energy Correction is a two fold process. In the first fold, Personal Energy Correction (including Horoscope Rectification) for all the residing family members is done. In the second fold, the Five Elements of the Land and the House are fully balanced. In other words, the Karma of the Lands, Home and the People living there are integrated, cleansed, tuned and balanced. That is called House Energy Correction.

Sub-Question : What are the controlling Five Elements of Nature ?

The controlling Five Elements of Nature are also known as the Pancha Pranas or the Pancha Bhoodhas : Earth (Bhoomi), Water (Jala), Fire (Agni), Air (Metal, Vaayu), and Ether (Wood, Sky, Spirit, Space, Aakash).

Question 5 : Once corrected, how long do these positive effects last ?

In my process, once corrected, the energies stay corrected. That is because I use Crystals as my Energy Tools. Unlike any other remedies, Crystals last for hundreds of years. Plus the Crystal Programming Techniques that I use are extremely powerful, time-tested and bestowed by the Ancient Ones or the Sacred Siddhas. That is why I say the positive effects will atleast last for 3 generations. The Energy Corrections that I undertake are done through custom built Crystal Energy Fields.

Question 6 : Can you eloborate more on these Crystal Energy Fields ?

The Crystal Energy Fields are created by numerous Crystals arranged in a special formation, after being programmed and energised for executing specific tasks for specified people. The quality, colour, nature and shape of the Crystals needed for House Energy Correction depends on the Karma of the Family. Some of the crystal energy shapes that I use for Energy Correction are Maha Meru, Stupa, Vajra, Viswa Vajra, Rahu or Vajra Phurba, etc. I also use exclusive crystal shapes like Maha Meru with Viswa Vajra, Ashta Vajra Stupa and Ashta Vajra Maha Sakthi Chakra.

Question 7 : How do you determine the type and number of Crystals that are needed for a particular family or business ?

By Clairvoyance or Sookshma Drishti, I scan the energy levels of the People, Lands & the Buildings. Without it you cannot practice Energy Correction. I also use certain Divining Tools like Tarot Decks, Runes & I-Ching Coins, if and when needed.

Question 8 : Are there many models of Crystal Energy Fields ?

Yes, there are very many models. Some are very sophisticated and more powerful than others. Some are for specific tasks like bringing together estranged couple, concieving a child or solving psychic problems or breaking black magic. Some of them are dedicated for Business Energy Correction. There are certain models for only handling factory related problems like production and labour problems, litigations, etc. I also build exclusive CEFs for the NewAge Kabbalah Numerology which I practice. The kabbalistic numeric vibrations of the tuned name are transmitted 24/7 through CEF, to achieve and retain results.

The FAQs will be continued in Part II.

Janarrdhana Guptha is an Energy Consultant, Fengshui & Vaastu Researcher, Crystal Master & Clairvoyant Karma Reader. His speciality is permanent Karma Energy Correction through custom-built Crystal Energy Fields. His E-Mail : crystalvaastu@yahoo.com. His websites :http://www.crystal-vaastu.com/home.htm & http://www.newage-kabbalah-numerology.com

Taoist Philosophy
To
understand the purpose of the form it is important to understand its basis and
roots.The origins of Tai Chi go back over 5,000 years and are based
in Taoist philosophy developed and refined by the great Taoist thinkers such
as, Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu.The core concept of Taoism
and Taoist philosophy is that everything in the universe is subject to change
and when dealing with this change we should act not to fight it but work with
it and avoid conflict.The core Of Taoism is that action should always
be effortless and come from spontaneous creativity, but this should not require
mental or physical effort.According to Taoist philosophy change is constant
but, by understanding change and acting in accordance with the laws that govern
it, we can work effortlessly to achieve our aims.Taoism is about working
within the laws of change, not struggling to oppose them, this is seen as futile
and a waste of energy.In Tai Chi this manifests itself in that a posture
will always be difficult and a struggle, unless there is union of mind and body,
to make the move an effortless interaction.Yin and Yang
Another
concept in Chinese philosophy related to change is yin and yang.These
two opposing, yet complimentary forces are constantly at work in the universe
and in our lives.Yin and yang are the basis of change but they also
come together in harmony to create a balanced whole.The simplest example
of this is breathing. We breathe in and we breathe out - an opposing action
that comes together to create balance and harmony. Change and harmony, is the
basis of yin and yang and of Tai Chi.The principles of yin and yang
are reflected in the form the sequence of movements that make up the Tai Chi
discipline.The form is actually a sequence of movements that flow continuously
representing both change and harmony. A movement begins, grows completes
and empties then another begins until the sequence is completed.The
Tai Chi Philosophy
The aim of the Tai Chi form is to create streams of
energy to flow through the body.In the philosophy of Tai Chi, it is
said Chi (life energy) follows the mind; each posture and movement creates a
different energy flow, which, has a beneficial overall affect on overall well-being.Tai
Chi stimulates circulation, aligns the skeleton and joints correctly, stimulates
the organs of the body and helps digestion.It increases muscle tone,
strength, improves balance and co ordination and improves breathing.Tai
Chi does not just provide physical benefits; by raising energy levels, it also
affects the mind and the spirit.Tai Chi focuses thought, so that mind
and body energy works together as one.Tai Chi reflects both Taoism in
terms of effortless interaction and yin and yang in terms of reconciling two
opposing forces, to create harmony and equilibrium. This combination is the
very essence of the Tai Chi philosophy.

Re Vitalise offer a warm welcome to both novice and experienced pupils. In addition to offering, regular Tai Chi tuition there are several weekend breaks available. To learn more about our services go to:
http://www.re-vitalise.co.uk

Building wealth is easy once you get a cash machine. What is a cash machine? Well it’s not some magical machine, its something every one of us can build.

A cash machine is a business that you start or buy that generates income for you. The easiest way to get this cash machine is to build a business around skills you already have.

Don’t worry if what your skills are exactly what you love doing, because you need to focus on getting your business up and running quickly.

For example if you are an accountant, see if you can get some independent jobs on the side, either at night or on the weekend. Actively try to solicit work as an accountant and if you have extra work give it to a friend and charge them a finder’s fee.

Even if you don’t love being an accountant, by doing what you already know you can build a cash machine faster.

If you don’t want to build a cash machine you can buy one. This could most likely come from franchises. There are dozens, even hundreds of franchises you can buy for under $1,000.

Start today to get at least one cash machine up and running within the next three months. Then take that cash and keep reinvesting it into other assets, this is the best wealth building plan.

A lot of people get caught up in the details of trying to come up with a detailed business plan, but don’t get caught up in the little details, start right now. Building wealth requires large bold steps, start today.

Fierce Personal Finance

Sun Tzu’s “Art of War” is considered to provide the most profound lessons for leadership, and victory in East or the West. Today its principles are applied to business all over the world. This classic body of work came from life and death scenarios, which evolved from empire, trade and political struggles. Obviously today’s corporate world does not induce anywhere near as strong a mechanism for change, or success, as the consequences of failure in business are far less than warfare. Nonetheless, the trickle down lessons from the “Art of War” are definitely applicable to any organized effort, project or business. Although Chinese in origin, the “Art of War” and lessons from Zen were adopted by Japanese groups such as the Samurai and Corporate Japan for clarity of mind, decision making and strategy.

Past and Present: Modern Asia is now very different from its past. The question is: how much do today’s managers in an environment like Japan apply these principles? In short, the answer is that some components of the “Art of War” are easily spotted broadly across Japanese business culture and other attributes of the text are rare. Looking at specific companies, or managers, one will sometimes see avid followers of the principles of the “Art of War”, and sometimes very little application at all. The roots of almost any good strategic plan can be found in the text the “Art of War” so it’s implementation is also present in Western business (even if it not derived by someone who directly studied the text).

Alliances: Using alliances is a key strategic component of the “Art of War”. This translates to partnering in the business world. Business partnering models and strategies based on the “Art of War” are outlined in detail in a downloadable video series by Applied Zen (www.AppliedZen.com). This article will not go into the details of such strategies but rather relate to their presence in Japanese business today and make comparisons to Western business. The importance of partnering and relationships is apparent to anyone who has done business in Japan. While these may not always portrait the efficiency of Sun Tzu’s “Art of War” strategies, partnering in Japan has permeated almost every aspect of Japanese business to an extreme. Over the years it has evolved to a degree of “middle men” involvement not seen in the West. The benefits, and hindrances, of such a system are often discussed by those doing business in Japan. Strategic partnering if carried out correctly should optimize sales, marketing, reduce operational requirements and create synergies that a company who approaches end point sales cannot. From Sun Tzu’s teachings such partnering strategies should also be put into product development (both the item itself and the marketing of it) as a process – not an after thought once the product is finished. Again, broadly speaking, Japan is rich with examples of this type of implementation.

Leadership and Decisions: The “Art of War” offers many lessons on leadership and people management. After all, if you can create a situation where people are willing to follow you into battle and die, there must be valuable motivation and leadership practices in place. Nowadays in Japan, one can see good examples of team co-operation and communication, and yet also some very bad examples. For example, Japan is a group-oriented society and usually makes decisions on that basis. Therefore, typically more staff are consulted and informed about decisions and ideas while they are in the making. However, this draws out the decision process. In comparison, Western companies often have decisions made only by upper management and then the ruling is put into the company as policy. In this Western approach, it is common for staff to learn about the policy only after it is announced. (the net result is often a long time before staff “buy-in” and policy becomes practice). The interesting thing about these two different approaches is that the time spent from contemplating a new idea to company implementation is very similar in both cultures, despite the generally faster decision making that occurs in the West. When one considers staff compliance and conflict avoidance, the Japanese way is better in that more staff are involved in the communication before policy is induced.

Communication: On the other side of staff communication, the Japanese environment does not encourage pro-activity like Western organizations. In fact, to suggest radical alternatives is often considered “rocking the boat” and is not a good career move inside Japanese businesses. In comparison the “Art of War” clearly identifies the need for taking calculated risks to gain intelligence as well as potentially gain ground. In the 1990’s Stephen Covey’s name became famous through the publication of the “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”. As many know the “7 habits” are not a group of new concepts but age old approaches to success. They are simply represented in a way that can be clearly applied to modern day personal and corporate development. The same precepts are taught in a number of ancient development and achievement, arts such as: Zen (which is not a religion, but a path for self discovery and growth), the “Art of War” by Sun Tzu, and the Tao de Ching (the “book of change”). Covey’s first “habit” is pro-activity. This is based on recognizing, just as Sun Tzu did, that not taking some calculated short-term risks due to fear of action, is the sure way to long-term failure. In contrast Japanese business behavior is generally very risk adverse. On the flip side, Sun Tsu’s “Art of War” stresses the importance of defense and conservative advancement. It is the balancing of risk and conservative defense that must be strategically planned to ensure victory.

Synergize: The “Art of War” by Sun Tzu, is often superficially viewed as an aggressive approach to victory. However, it is essentially a master text on “Conflict Management” and “Win-Win” scenarios. Again the modern day programs such as Covey’s “7 habits” possess such precepts (“Win-Win”, habit 4 of Stephen Covey and “Synergize”, habit 6). Japanese models of partnering and distribution encompass these ideas.

S.W.O.T: Zen, the “Art of War”, and the book of change (Tao de Ching) are all about self-analysis and understanding. They allow one to understand yourself and your organization’s: strengths and weaknesses, and therefore how to synergize with others to achieve positive outcomes. These things have a direct correlation to Western company S.W.O.T review (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats). A better understanding of how one can approach self and competitior analysis from an “Art of War” business perspective can be found at www.AppliedZen.com. Generally, in comparing the authors dealings with Japanese workers and companies, to many Western organizations, it seems that Japan places more attention on understanding one’s own, and competitor’s, position before acting. Again this relates to setting out a strategic path before embarking on a journey rather than exploring options as you go. Again reflecting on Japanese actions with regard to modern Western corporate trainers, Stephen Covey has said, “begin with the end in mind”(Habit 2 of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People).

Training: Continuing to train employee skills and undergo development both in-house and outside a company is essential. As the ancient samurai saying says: “Continually sharpen the sword or it will go blunt!” Generally the Japanese are quite good about providing thorough in-house training for tasks and sales. However, compared to many Western companies, outside training to create new ideas is rare. On the flip side, many Western companies (particularly smaller ones) are often a bit light with regards to in-house development.

Embracing Change: All the above methods (old and new) are about changing base behavior, beliefs and approaches. These are core values, and are far more important than putting band-aids on problems, or approaching things with simply a behavior change. In regard to the ancient philosophies, they of course must be interpreted, and applied, using case studies in a context that matches the modern corporate world. Japan today is a very different place than preached by its ancient philosophical ideals. Japanese businesses and employees are generally not as good as the West at embracing, or coping with change – one of the few things in life which is inevitable. All people and cultures struggle with change and it is openness to it is the subject of the classic Chinese text “Tao de Ching”.

Etiquette: Many people at first glance take the strategic approaches of the “Art of War” to be aggressive. As outlined above Sun Tzu’s work is quite the opposite - avoiding conflict and aggression is in fact the thesis. Etiquette and humanity is absolutely built into all issues, and one obvious connection is the value of partners, networking and not creating enemies. In Japan, the depth of etiquette is very extreme which again provides a similar link to the “Art of War” which has evolved over time.

This article only touches the surface of a few of Sun Tzu’s strategies and lessons. It also eludes to some Japanese behavior in a generalized fashion (in any culture there are always exceptions). The study of Japanese corporate behavior relative to such Asian arts such as Zen and the “Art of War” is a fascinating area of study with lessons that can be applied to doing better business in the Asian environment, or in the West.

About the author:

Jason Armstrong, Ph.D., has worked at CEO levels in Japan, the USA, & Australia. He has also consulted for large multi-national companies in Japan and has specialized in the “Art of War” for more than 20 years. His merging of Asian strategy and the business world was further developed by living with a Japanese budo master. In the last 6 years he has consulted with Japanese companies such as Mitsubishi Pharmaceutical and been General Manager of a US company in Tokyo. Today he runs http://www.AppliedZen.com.au, which conducts workshops in the USA Australia and Japan.

Game is a very peculiar side of the human life that has its own laws, which do not fit into the framework of traditional logic. Here reigns His Majesty Chance and everything is relative: the weak can defeat the strong, the cunning can make a fool of himself, the poor can become rich, and vice versa.

Gamble opens up new possibilities of the personality, which are often not displayed in ordinary life. Almost everybody wants to get rich at once, without any efforts. Game gives a hope for this, but luck is destiny of the chosen ones.

Origins of the game.
Game and gamble has followed the humanity since its first steps. A grain of gamble is evident almost in everything, starting from hunting in the primitive society and up to major financial deals in the 21st century. Elements of game are inherent to many competitions and entertainments, which our forefathers arranged. For example, it is evident in competitions in strength and deftness, which were later transformed into famous tournaments. Later on the first gambling games appeared. They were based on the element of chance, trying one’s destiny.

The historians believe that the very first game was casting various stones, shells, animals’ bones – these objects were the prototypes of the dice. Documental evidence of the first games is stored in the British Museum. Among this evidence are dice, made by an unknown Egyptian craftsman from the elephant’s tusk (16th century B.C.) and a board for playing draughts, also called checkers which belonged to the queen Hatchepsut (1600 B.C.).

Historical evidence attests that all ancient civilizations played dice. Astragalus,i.e. fetlocks of the animals, were mostly used as dice. The word “astragalus” also referred to tetrahedral bricks with indentations, which more resembled modern dice - hexahedral bricks with somewhat rounded corners, in which the opposite facets, when added up, always amount to seven.

In the old days the people played odd and even, cast dice in the circle or threw them, trying to hit certain openings. Dice were also widely used for fortune-telling. It is also interesting that the players treated dice with nearly reverent trepidation, as if the dice were alive: the players talked to them, whispered charms and tried to persuade them to bring victory.

Since their emergence dice almost at once became one of the most venturesome gambling games. The players placed everything in their bet: money, things, dwelling and even freedom (ancient Germans who lost in dice humbly became slaves). At the same time there appeared various lawful bans on this seemingly harmless game. For instance, in the 3rd century B.C. the first known in history law against gambling games was adopted. It was called Lex aleatoria (alea means a die).

In Ancient Greece there was a legend that the Olympic gods divided the “spheres of influence” by casting lots (Zeus got the Olympus, Poseidon received the ocean, and Hades came to rule the underworld). The laws of Ancient Rome formally forbade gambling games, but there was no specific punishment for violation of the ban. The only “penalty” for the players was the right of the defeated player to reclaim everything he lost, if he though that he was wrongly or unfairly defeated. Officially the games were allowed only once a year, during the Saturnalia (annual festivities in honour of the god Saturn).

Throughout the years the significance of the game increased. There appeared new game contrivances, for example cards. Some researchers argue that the first playing-cards appeared in China. In the Chinese dictionary, Ching-tsze-tung (1678), mentions that cards were created in 1120 (according to the Christian chronology), and in 1132 they were already widely used. Cards at those times were long and narrow plates with numbers from 1 to 14 on them. Four suits symbolized four seasons, and the number of cards (52) corresponded to the number of weeks in the year.

The prototype of the modern deck of cards is the Tarot cards. The first documentary witness that we know of refers to 1254, when Saint Louis issued an edict that forbade card game within France under the fear of punishment with a whip.

Other researchers call Egypt the homeland of cards. The Tarot deck was used for fortune-telling. It had 78 sheets – arkana (22 seniors and 56 juniors). The pictures on the senior arkans correspond to golden tables, which are preserved in the dungeon of the god Tote in Egypt. Their names are as follows: 1. Fool; 2. Magician; 3. Priestess; 4. Hostess; 5. Host; 6. High priest; 7. Lovers; 8. Chariot; 9. Power; 10. Hermit; 11. The wheel of fortune; 12. Justice; 13. The hanged man; 14. Death; 15. Abstinence; 16. Devil; 17. Tower; 18. Star; 19. Moon; 20. Sun; 21. Court; 22. Peace.

It is considered that cards reached Europe in the 10-11th century, during the crusades to the Near East. Other argue that the majority of card games were born in France, which is called the homeland of European cards. The first factory-made deck of Tarot cards included 56 cards of four suits (swords, wands, money and cups). Besides there were 22 trump-cards with numbers from 1 to 21. Every card had a name of its own: the emperor, the empress, the nun, the conjurer, the fool etc. Thus, the deck incorporated 97 cards. Gradually it was substituted by new cards, which more closely resembled the modern ones.

It is surprising that the symbols of suits and the suits themselves did not change since 15th century. In the Middle Ages card games were very popular among various strata of population, ranging from a king’s court to the common people. By the way, in those times cards were not only a means to beguile the time, but also a symbol of the society structure: hearts embodied the priests, diamonds meant the bourgeoisie, spades represented officers and aristocracy, clubs referred to the peasants.

Modern card games (poker, blackjack) arose in the U.S. in the second half of the 19th century. It is difficult to name them all. There are card games for adults and children, games for training logic and wit – and there are games just to beguile the time. The more mature is the individual, the more complex are the games he plays. Having become financially independent, he lets loose his gamble: makes bets, plays in the lotteries, makes bets on the totalizator and finally funds himself in the very temple of game, the casino. Here the individual totally submits to the game, which sharpens his feelings and emotions and makes him forget everything, but the green cloth and roulette wheel. The thirst for such feelings lures again and again those people, who have at least once been in the casino. Meanwhile, the skeptics say: “If you want to win in the casino, buy one of those”.

Arthur Prudent is the developer of Casino bonus codes web site covering gambling news, features reviews on Casinos, Poker rooms, bingos, Sports Betting bonuses promotions and more. Casinos History of gambling in brief

Any psychic could legitimately claim to be a Love Fortune Teller, although they would not use that specific term, as fortune telling covers every aspect of a persons life. Nevertheless, the vast majority of questions asked of a fortune teller concern love and relationships, which is not really suprising as most people base their happiness on their love life.

There are many psychics who claim to be love or relationship experts, although this is generally based on their experience of giving psychic readings on matters of the heart, as opposed to formal counselling qualifications. If you have been giving love advice to people for many years, you are bound to gain some insight into the human condition. As such, you could claim to be a Love Fortune Teller.

In the 20 years that I have been using my psychic abilities to help people, its invariably a person’s love life that features predominately in a reading. Often people will ask me for a reading on something else, totally unrelated to their love life, but l can tell straight away that its a love problem that is uppermost in their minds. The Tarot cards never lie, and will show this quite clearly. Often, they just want to see what shows up regarding their love life, even though their questions are not about this issue.

Its possible to do a reading specifically on love, and how it features in a person’s life. But for the best results, I feel an overall general reading shows up much more about that person and what specific influences are causing unhappiness in their life. Once you see this, you can then do a more detailed reading about the problem to find the answers they are looking for.

A Love Fortune Teller can use a variety of aids, such as the crystal ball, stones, I Ching, Palm Reading, etc, but the Tarot Cards are without doubt the foremost (IMHO) when it comes to fortune telling. They offer so many possibilities for happiness in a person’s life, and always provide the answers to the problems we all experience. Furthermore, you can go into a detailed analysis about a particular area that is causing unhappiness and will always gain insight and inspiration. But more importantly, the Tarot provides hope for the future, which is something we all need in our lives. Bear this in mind, the next time you seek the services of a Love Fortune teller.

About the Author
The Tarot cards are a powerful medium for examining your life, past, present and future. l have been using them on a daily basis for over 20 years. To see how the Tarot Cards can help you in your daily life, or for a Live Tarot Reading by Phone, visit us at http://www.ancientarcana.com

The ascended masters once walked the earth the same as we do. They had lifetimes in which they perfected various soul and character qualities. A study of specific lifetimes of the masters helps us to understand what is required for true self-mastery. One of the more well-known lifetimes of the ascended master Lord Lanto is that of The Duke of Chou of China.

The Duke of Chou (twelfth century B.C.) is regarded as one of the greatest statesmen in Chinese history. Also known as the Yellow Emperor, he is considered to be the architect of the Chou dynasty and the true founder of the Confucian tradition. Confucius looked to the Duke for his model and believed it was his mission to reestablish the principles and culture of the early Chou era, considered to be a golden age.

The Duke of Chou was a legendary figure whose life is surrounded in the mists of ancient history, though accounts of his personal life and achievements do remain. The Duke of Chou is credited with the writing of the I Ching and with the founding a new form of classical Chinese music. Some historians also credit him with the founding of traditional Chinese medicine. In addition, he was instrumental in the invention of the calendar and forms of martial arts that are beneficial for health as well as self-defense. His wife, Luo Zu, is said to have taught the Chinese to weave silk from the cocoon of domesticated silkworms.

The Duke of Chou is said to have lived to be 100 years old. Of his 25 children, 14 were boys. All of the noble families of the first three dynasties of China are reputed to have been descendants of these sons. When the Duke’s long life was over, he arranged his affairs with his ministers and prepared for his journey to heaven. Some Chinese believed that he flew to the heavens on the back of a dragon and became an immortal.

As an ascended master, the Duke of Chou is known as Lord Lanto, the chohan or lord of the second ray of God’s wisdom. Lord Lanto is the sponsor of all forms of education and those who seek both wisdom and knowledge.

Carol Wells has been involved in teaching spiritual principles and writing about them for twenty years. In 2005, she joined The Hearts Center Community, a newly-formed and prolific ascended master activity, offering daily and timely messages from the ascended masters to meet the needs of society today. Learn more about The Hearts Center at http://www.theheartscenter.org

For three years, Carol has been a part of the editing staff of their HeartStreams™, messages from saints and sages of Eastern and Western religious philosophies delivered through the messenger David C. Lewis. Carol also supervises the community’s web content writing teams. Publications by The Hearts Center and other spiritual organizations can be found at http://store.heartscenter.org

Tired of having the same ordinary parties year after year? Bored with overused party games like charades? Looking to add some extra spice to this year’s holiday party? Why not try psychic entertainment!

Move away from the mundane with this exciting new form of party entertainment. Metaphysical entertainment can take a variety of forms, including tarot readings, palm readings, fortune tellings, crystal ball readings, I-Ching readings, psychic readings, and more. Many of these ancient arts stem from fascinating traditions and mythologies that can shed meaning on the confusion of the modern world. You can select one or more of these captivating services for your event and an experienced practitioner or practitioners will be on hand to provide partygoers with an unforgettable psychic experience. Unlike clichéd performers such as jugglers and magicians, psychic entertainers bring something fresh and electrifying to the table. Your guests will be fascinated: After all, how many people have ever had their palm read or their fortune told!

This emerging genre of entertainment is becoming more and more popular in the United States. With a number of local and national metaphysical entertainers available, you’re sure to be able to find one with a specialty perfect for your party. Another option is to contact a psychic association or brokerage team such as The Gathering Promotions of Albany, New York. These groups work with a number of qualified metaphysical entertainers so they’re essentially a one-stop shop for all of your psychic entertainment needs. You’ll be able to contact a wide variety of metaphysical practitioners so you can find just the right one for your special event.

Your guests are sure to love the tarot readings or fortune tellings. These experiences are fun for the subject regardless of whether they believe in metaphysical and psychic powers. Whether the readings end up being solely for entertainment or if they bring the subject deeper understanding of a problem or impending choice, your guests will certainly never forget your party!

Psychic entertainment is also perfect for special occasions like birthday parties or baby showers, conventions or large group meetings, charity balls, and more. Think outside the box and bring metaphysical entertainment to your next gathering.

Matt Gallo is the Internet Marketing Manager for Prospect Genius, a leading provider of online local advertising.

There are few things in life that are more stressful than the loss of a job. You may think that the loss of your steady paycheck puts financial freedom that much further off, but nothing can be further from the truth.

Being laid of from your regular job can provide you with a golden opportunity to explore how passive income can mean you will never need or want another job. Instead of putting your considerable time, effort and talent into being just another wage slave, use your savvy and skill to put yourself on the road to financial freedom through the awesome power of passive income.

With passive income, you will not have to rely on your boss to tell you how much you will earn. Your passive income earning potential is only limited by the expertise and knowledge of you and your marketing team. The right marketing plan will make all the difference in the world. Harnessing the power of proven marketing strategies, and duplicating those proven strategies in your own business, can turn that trickle of passive income into a virtual flood.

If you are ready to take the bull by the horns and use your time and energy to gain this knowledge, financial freedom may be closer than you ever imagined. Unlike the income you generate as a cog in some giant machine, passive income can be generated 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Instead of your boss and your company telling you what you are worth, passive income allows you to have unlimited earning potential.

Financial freedom means many things to many people. To some, financial freedom means having the time and money to do what you want to do instead of what you want to do. To others, financial freedom means you will be able to use your assets to help those you care about. When you have financial freedom, you can help those you love and give back to the world. The financial freedom you generate through passive income will help you gain the quality of life you have always wanted.

Stefanus Wahyudi has started his financial freedom journey since his college years. Now, he is encouraging many to do the same: start early! For more information about his business, you can access his system at: http://www.RetireYounger.com

“I don’t have the time to exercise!”

“I am busy! How can I spend 10 or 15 minutes to just sit there, closing my eyes and meditate?”

“I don’t have the room to do this!”

“I can’t stretch like that!”

“At that specific time, I’m not available!”

Do all the above sound familiar to most people who want to stay healthier but could not do so due to a number of reasons? The list can go on endless…

“How nice if I can get to do something easily – at anytime and anywhere, and stay healthy!”

Yes – now you can!

Huh? How?

By just changing the way you breathe, that’s all!

“Kidding me???”

No, I’m serious!

Most of us, in fact 98% of North Americans do not breathe correctly. Friends, co-workers, students, clients and vendors I came to know around me do not breathe correctly. Some of my friends I keep contact with through the Internet know how to breathe correctly but do not do so.

There are two reasons why they do not do so. First, they do not know the correct breathing methods. Secondly, they know but do not know how to learn and practice so that it becomes a habit. I would like to share in this article on how to solve these two reasons so that you too can breathe your way to healthier life and well-being, easily at anytime and anywhere.

First of all, let me explain what are not the correct breathing methods then only move on to the correct method. Most people breathe using the chest or the upper diaphragm. Worst still if they breathe through the mouth. Breathing in this way will result in shorter, shallower and coarser breath.

Shorter, shallower and coarser breath does not allow the air to go in deep enough to oxidize the cells in the lungs. This of course results in lesser oxygen intake into the blood systems. Breathing through the mouth will let unwanted elements in the air to go into our blood systems. Mouth breathing is one of the reasons that cause you to snore in your sleep.

Even if you are tired or gasping for air after strenuous sports or activities, try to breathe through the nose, except when you are swimming.

The correct breathing pattern is long, deep and in smaller flows. Long breath allows more time for the lung cells to be oxidize and send more oxygen into the blood system. This increase the metabolism rate, and increase blood circulation throughout your mind and body.

I believe most of you know what deep breathing is about, and I’m sure some of you have done this. Felt better each time you did deep breathing? Of course, you did. I will explain this from the Chinese point of view why deep breathing is good.

In meditation practice, martial arts or qigong practice, one of the requirements to make these practices effective is to “Sink the Qi into the Dantian”. Qi here means vital energy, and in the same time – air. Dantian is the acupuncture point (acu-point) at 1-2 inches below the navel which gathers the vital energy Qi for our body.

Sinking the Qi into the Dantian – can be achieved through long and deep breathing. With more vital energy coming into your body, your energy level will increase, and you will have a healthier and clearer energy body.

Breathing should be done in smaller flows. This will result in a calm and relaxed disposition and composure.

How to achieve all this?

The secret to long and deep breathing, with smaller flows is to breath with your abdomen or lower diaphragm. This is called Abdominal Breathing.

Abdominal Breathing is the key areas taught by most instructors, whether they are Tai Chi Chuan instructors, martial arts shifu, Qigong master, Yoga guru or meditation masters. From my experience in energy healing – my master emphasizes on abdominal breathing during healing session and energy meditation!

Unfortunately, some people took abdominal breathing lightly. Sad to say, some don’t even bother to learn and practice. Understandably, they have been breathing using the chest over the past… what, 10 years, 20 years 30 years? It has become their habit. So, if you want to change your breathing pattern overnight and make it a habit, you need to put in the effort to do so.

This comes to the second reason as to why people do not breathe correctly despite of knowing the technique.

First of all, I came to know that most instructor tell their students about abdominal breathing. Some showed them how to do it. But the students have to consciously doing it, and in the same time focus on the movements, motions, postures, steps etc and etc and soon before that, their forgot about their abdominal breathing!

Most of them focus on the form, not on the essence! I have a Tai Chi friend from New Zealand who shared with me that his friends do Tai Chi, but do not feel Tai Chi. Breathing forms the essential parts of the practice and for you to understand and ‘feel’ the flow of Tai Chi.

Secondly, I came to know friends who tried to practice abdominal breathing, and they got confused and breathless – don’t know which is which: the chest or the abdomen! They gave up instantly.

Thirdly, I myself took almost 2 years of conscious and constant practice to make it a habit! Now, I’m doing it unconsciously – as a habit! Thus, to consciously doing it is easy. To make it a habit takes time and effort. That’s why most give up after that!

So, how to make it a habit?

Based on Tai Chi Chuan’s healing and breathing system, plus my 23 years of experience in various meditation forms, martial arts and Tai Chi Chuan, I derived a 5-Step Systems which I call as Tai Chi Breathing to help my friends to ‘habitualize’ abdominal breathing. The 5-Steps are:

• Step 1: Connect the channels with the tongue touching the upper palate.
• Step 2: Abdominal breathing by using the lower abdomen.
• Step 3: Use the nose to breathe, with the mouth tightly closed
• Step 4: Breathe deeply, with long, slow and with tiny flows of inhaling and exhaling.
• Step 5: Maintain the slow and constant breathing rhythm.

These 5 steps each consists its background and reasons, and I designed many exercises and practices for each of the steps specifically for you to master each of the steps, towards making it your breathing habit.

These steps look easy, but they require exercises and constant practice in order to make it a habit. I have friends e-mailing to me saying that how these steps helped them to keep focus and conscious effort to make abdominal breathing a habit in their life. One of them told me that he stopped smoking because of this!

Where can you get these exercises and practices. Go to my website under my name or author profile to find out more.

Till then, I wish you with great health, great joy and happiness. And may you breathe your way to a better life!

May the Energy of Tai Chi be with you!

***** Copyright (C), 2005 C. Guan Soo *****

You are free to distribute or publish this article provided you do not change any of the content, and/or delete my name and URL from the article. Thank you!

Written by,
C. Guan Soo
Tai Chi Chuan Practitioner


C. Guan Soo is a Tai Chi Chuan practitioner who has 23 years experience in various meditation forms, martial arts, healing, charka healing and meditation as well. He is a keen learner of eastern philosophies including I-Ching, Daoism, Buddhism, Veda’s and Jainism. You can find more details about the breathing techniques on his website: http://www.TaichiBreathing.com

In my previous article, we talk about the dangers of using Feng Shui to improving one’s life without considering the destiny of this person that is brought about by his time of birth and that destiny is a zero-sum game.

How important then are Ba Zi (4 Pillars) and Zi Wei Dou Shu (ZWDS) towards the execution of Feng Shui? Is it enough to know entry level Chinese Astrology to the extent enough for him to know this client will have health problem and his Feng Shui is tuned to avoiding health problems? If this Geomancer knows only entry level 4 Pillars and ZWDS, it is safe to say he does not know how much allowance he have in the rest of the aspects of life (wealth, career, romance, marriage, children) to re-allocate amongst in this zero-sum destiny game. The result? Either death, bankruptcy, lose job, divorce if this practitioner is aggressive in his Feng Shui approach. Otherwise, a life of mediocrity for the client if this practitioner is conservative in his approach. Neither of which bodes well for a paying customer.

Is it sufficient then for a Geomancer to be well-skilled in either Ba Zi or Zi Wei Dou Shu? From an ethical stand point, I would say no again because a Feng Shui practitioner’s work could result in dire consequences like death or **** for a client whose destiny is skewed towards such possibility. This is not an exaggeration because I have indeed come across cases of Feng Shui audit exacerbating death or **** because these practitioners do not know Zi Wei Dou Shu. What Fengshui setup these practitioners have to amplify wealth unwittingly brought about other undesirable outcomes.

The next time you intend to engage a Feng Shui consultant, do check if he also knows Ba Zi and more importantly Zi Wei Dou Shu. Ask whether his methods include Zi Wei Dou Shu inspired methods.

I am a Fengshui Practitioner in private practice and I specialise in Ba Zi, Zi Wei Dou Shu ZWDS, Feng Shui, I-Ching, Qi Men Dun Jia QMDJ and other Chinese Metaphysics tools. My blog site is at: http://fengshuiforward.com and http://fengshuiforward.com/forum

Where is your financial thermostat set? Is it set way up high for wealth and abundance or way down low for “Not Enough?” Is it set for striving or thriving? The answer is easy. Just look at your life. Your thoughts and beliefs about money are reflected in precise detail in your environment. What is your environment telling you? Whether you live a life of wealth, poverty, or somewhere in between, it’s all determined by where your financial thermostat is set.

Your financial thermostat is so hard-wired that, whether you experience a major setback or a huge windfall, ultimately you will find yourself back where you started. That’s why lottery winners are so often broke again in two years. If your financial thermostat is set for “Poverty,” any wealth that comes to you will be a memory before you know it. On the other hand, if your financial thermostat is set for “Midas Touch,” you will move through any financial reversals and regain (or exceed) your high level of prosperity with ease and grace. Think Donald Trump. Even though at one point he was more than $2 Billion in debt, his financial thermostat is set for “Billionaire!” and he’s back on top with an estimated net worth of $5 Billion.

As children, we were taught how to think about money. We were taught how much or how little we can have and how difficult or easy money is to come by. Some of us were taught to think of rich people as greedy and to believe that having money is bad or not spiritual. Although your financial thermostat was set in childhood by others, the good news is that it’s YOUR thermostat now and you can reset it for any level of prosperity you desire.

Let’s start with a little quiz:

• Do you experience more scarcity and lack or wealth and abundance?
• Do you believe you can have what you truly desire or do you settle for what you think you can afford?
• Are you a good money manager or does money “slip through your fingers?”
• Do you work hard for your money or do you let your money work hard for you?
• Does it seem that, no matter how much money comes in, there’s never enough?

How’d you do? Did you notice any “stinking thinking” around money? If so, it’s a good time to reset your financial thermostat. Here are five ways to raise your thermostat and become a vibrational match for ever-flowing abundance:

(1) Replace old, tired, limiting beliefs with fresh, empowering beliefs, such as:

• This is a Universe of Abundance and I freely and joyously tap into that Abundance.
• I know I can be and do and have whatever I desire.
• I am an excellent money manager.
• My money works hard and I work smart.
• I am so happy and grateful now that I know there’s always enough.

(2)Write a new script for your financial life. Cast yourself in the leading role as a hero, as a winner, as a huge success, and write a new story of wealth and riches. Not only is this a fun exercise, it’s also a powerful way to raise the setting on your financial thermostat.

(3)Keep an Abundance Journal and record every penny that comes to you. When you receive income in any form, write it down, appreciate it and declare with joy “I am a money magnet!”

(4)Commit to your financial success. Stay focused on the level of prosperity you desire, take inspired action and hang in there until you see the evidence (Ka-Ching!) that your financial thermostat has been reset for “Big Bucks!”

(5)Associate with positive, successful people. Birds of a feather flock together, right? Reading books, attending seminars, and spending time with like-minded people who encourage you to believe in your success and teach you how to think like a rich person are great ways to raise your financial thermostat.

So what do you think? Are you ready to release any poverty consciousness you picked up along the way? Are you willing to consciously choose thoughts and actions that contribute to abundance and success? As you raise your financial thermostat to allow in more money, you are at the same time raising your overall vibration to allow in more love, more joy, more health, more confidence, more peace of mind, and more fun adventures of all kinds. It’s a package deal. Take a moment now to imagine and savor how fantastic you will feel and how magnificent your life will become as you reset your financial thermostat to “Sky High!”

Kate Corbin is a Law of Attraction Life Coach and the creator of Gold Star Coaching. Both her coaching practice and her books - Dining at the Cosmic Café: How to Be and Do and Have Whatever You Desire as well as Think and Grow Thin with the Law of Attraction - http://www.goldstarcoaching.com/ebook.html are designed to empower you to truly live the life of your dreams. To contact Coach Kate, check out her books, and subscribe to her free ezine, Magical Musings, visit http://www.goldstarcoaching.com/

“The Secret” is a movie, book and cottage industry that teaches the Law of Attraction which states that our thoughts and expectations have the power to attract to us what we focus upon. It’s common sense that if you truly expect to graduate from school, you will study hard, persevere through obstacles and therefore, be more likely to graduate than someone who doubts they will ever succeed. Of course, our positive expectations influence our own behavior and determination.

It’s quite a different question whether I can attract external events that are beyond my direct control into my experience simply because I expect or focus on them. There is a great debate about the “Law of Attraction” teachings of (the channeled teacher) Abraham-Hicks, and the teachers in “The Secret”: 1) Does positive intention influence objective life events? 2) Must one include constructive actions to further those positive intentions?

As a practicing psychologist, I always encouraged a process that culminated in setting goals, thinking positively, and most definitely,in taking ongoing action steps (of a suitable size) in the direction of one’s goals. As a child I had been told that “the Lord helps those who help themselves” and that seemed to apply to psychology too; clients who were motivated to take action to get what they wanted seemed to get more out of therapy.

However, my personal experience had challenged this: in 1979 a friend sent me an audio tape with a long passage from some book she was recommending without mentioning the author in advance. She did that because I had refused to read the Seth books that Jane Roberts was channeling from the invisible realms. I was then completing a double Ph.D. in psychology and social work and the concept of channeling a discarnate being seemed far too weird to even consider. After hearing a long passage on audio tape which I found to be profound and deeply insightful, and which felt true to me, my friend mentioned she was reading it from one of the Seth books! My prejudices had been outsmarted once again.

Always willing to listen to the truth wherever I found it, I purchased my first Seth book (of the many I would read), put it on my night table and ignored it for at least a month; until it awoke me with a loud bang in the middle of the night! I still have no idea how it “leaped?” or “fell” to the floor but the experience sure got my attention and I started reading it the next day.

I was genuinely intrigued by the concept (now popular but then, unheard of), that: We create our own reality. When I came to the section in the Seth books about manifesting objects in the outer world merely by focusing attention and making a request, my scientific mind had great reservations. Of course, I had heard: “Ask and ye shall receive,” but I was definitely not convinced. Since I was in training to be a research scientist I decided to test the concept.

As a graduate student, what I most needed was money so requesting that money appear in my life simply as a result of my requesting it, would give the Seth concept a stringent test (which I fully expected to fail!) and be to my benefit if it succeeded. I took an afternoon nap while making a request and focusing on money coming to me. As I dropped down into sleep (in the hypnogogic stage), my mind involuntarily thought, maybe one could attract money simply by requesting or expecting it, but shouldn’t one create some sort of vehicle to invite it? Perhaps I should run a small ad in the paper or put up a sign with something for sale or ask for donations for some worthy project. The last thought I heard before sleep was “I can’t just expect to find the money lying the gutter.”

I was awakened about an hour later by the ringing of my phone. My friend John was calling to apologetically tell me that he finally had the $20 he had borrowed from me several months earlier and was ready to drop it by if I was going to be home. I agreed and as I hung up the phone I remembered the money-attraction experiment I was engaged in and realized that this could possibly be related, when the phone startled me by ringing while my hand was still on it. Ed was calling to say he wanted to buy one of my books that I had told him was for sale and we agreed on a price on the phone. When I hung up I sat on my bed feeling amazed at how immediately two small sums of money had just appeared in my life.

A few minutes later I heard the unmistakable roar of John’s noisy Chevy pulling up in front of my second story apartment. As I glanced out at his car I got the shock of my life and ran wildly down the stairs and across the street. He assumed I was running over to greet him, but right in front of his bumper I bent down to pick from among the golden Ann Arbor leaves, yes, right there in the gutter, a one dollar bill. This third and smallest sum was by far the most convincing evidence of all. I have never forgotten that first experiment in manifesting with the power of thought–alone–using the Law of Attraction.

After I completed my doctorates at the University of Michigan, I studied for many years with psychics and shamans and mystics where I learned more about how truly powerful our thoughts and expectations can be. I am now amused by my former attachment to seeing only the visible side of the reality coin and how playfully–and undeniably–my first “experiment” jolted me into a larger world view.

Now I agree with the Abraham-Hicks channeled suggestion about how very important it can be to monitor the thoughts we entertain due to their attraction power: “You are picky about the car you drive. You are picky about what you wear. You’re picky about what you put in your mouth. We want you to be pickier about what you think.”

Get the free 8 part email class “Discover Your Dreams: A Beginners Guide to Dream Interpretation”.

DreamTalk is a low-cost dreamwork email group and TeleDream is a weekly telephone dream group which Dr Masa, Debbie Hart and Dr Marjorie Miles co-moderate. Work on your dreams and help others too.

Ron Masa, Ph.D. wrote columns on dreams while in private practice for 25 years. He and Debbie Hart co-lead University of Yourself.com: “Helping You Hear the Guide Inside.”

One definition of creativity states that creative people look at
the same thing everyone else does, yet they see something
no one else does.

But even creative people (which includes all of you, of
course) can run into roadblocks every now and then.
Sometimes it’s not possible to see something different.
Sometimes you’ve just been staring at a problem for so long
it’s now impossible to look at it in any other way.

So what do you do in these situations?

Why not try changing your perspective?

Consider this: A friend of mind who does needlepoint has a
design that’s mostly black. Rather than simply stitching the
design on white canvas with black thread, she’s using a
black canvas and is stitching the negative aspects of the
design instead of the positive.

She changed the way she viewed the problem. And now she
has a really cool-looking needlepoint design that’s different
from most other ones out there.

Or what about this: An art teacher has her students turn a
photograph or object upside down and paint what they see
– not a picture but an arrangement of shapes.

By changing your perspective, you’re changing what you
see. And when you change what you see, you’re more likely
to create something completely different.

But — I can hear you all saying right now — that’s art. That
won’t help me with my business problem.

Okay, so here’s another story from the book “Thinkertoys” by
Michael Michalko. Back in the 1950s, experts proclaimed the
ocean freighter industry was dying. Costs were skyrocketing
and delivery times kept getting pushed back later and later.

Executives at the shipping companies kept focusing on
ways to cut costs while ships were sailing. They developed
ships that went faster and needed fewer crew members to
run.

It didn’t work. Costs continued to spiral out of control and it
still took too long to get the merchandise shipped.

Then one day, a consultant changed the perspective. Rather
than ask the question: ” In what ways might we make ships
more economical while at sea?” executives asked: “In what
ways can we reduce costs?”

Ta-da!

Ships are big money-sucking machines when they aren’t at
sea actually doing their job — shipping merchandise. And
when aren’t they working? When they’re sitting in port being
loaded and unloaded.

So, the industry came up with way to preload merchandise
on land. Now a ship comes in, the container carrying the
cargo rolls off, a new container already loaded with cargo
rolls on, and the ship heads back to sea.

That one innovation saved an entire industry. And it
happened because shipping executives changed the way
they viewed their problem.

Creativity Exercise — Change your perspective

So, how can you change your perspective and solve your
business/marketing problems?

Try what the shipping industry did and change the question.

Instead of looking at a narrow part of the problem (”In what
ways can we make ships more economical while at sea?”)
broaden the question (”In what ways can we reduce costs in
general?”)

Here’s another example.

Maybe your question is “how can I land more clients?” What
if you started broadening the question like so:

How can I land more clients?

How can I grow my business?

How can I make more money from my business?

How can I make more money period?

How can I be happier in my life? (I know, I know, money
doesn’t buy happiness. But it’s certainly nice to have.)

Maybe one of those questions is a better place to look for a
solution. Because maybe one of those questions is the
“real” question you want to solve, but since you never took a
step back to look at the big picture, you’ve never discovered
the right question to ask.

And if you don’t ask the right question, your muse will never
give you an answer that actually solves your problem.

Michele Pariza Wacek is the author of “Got Ideas? Unleash Your Creativity and Make More Money.” She offers two free e-zines that help subscribers combine their creativity with hard-hitting marketing and copywriting principles to become more successful at attracting new clients, selling products and services and boosting business. She can be reached at TheArtistSoul.com

My definition of listening is, “Loving someone with your ears.”

This brings to mind a common scripture quoted at many wedding ceremonies:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

THEREFORE: If listening is loving, and if loving is patient…

Listening = Patience

Here are four practices to help your grow patient ears:

1. Have faith in the process.  Natalie, my yoga instructor, constantly reminds her students to be patient and with and have faith in themselves during class.  “Remember, you have sixty seconds to execute this posture,” she’ll say, “So take your time. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.  Have faith and trust that your body will be there.” 

Similarly, in your listening practice, you need to believe that the speaker’s intention will eventually show up.  Even when they’re tap-dancing around the real issues.  Even when they’re taking too long to get to the point.  Sure, you don’t have all day to sit there in silence, but sometimes you can only probe so much. 

NOW HEAR THIS: Faith means, “finally allowing it to happen.”

2. Leading others to lead themselves. Marjorie, a writer I once coached, came to me with a challenge about discipline.  Because of her hectic schedule, she was unable to squeeze in regular blocks of time to complete her project.  Eventually, after asking a few questions about her daily schedule, it occurred to me that her problem wasn’t about discipline; it was about time management. 

Now, the old, impatient me would have flat-out TOLD her that.  But part of being a patient listener - as I’ve learned from countless screw-ups of my own - is leading the other person to lead herself.  In the words of the Tao Te Ching, “A good leader takes the people to the finish and makes them say, ‘We did it on our own.’” 

NOW HEAR THIS: Listen a little and they’ll give you their problem; listen a LOT and they’ll give you their solution.

3. Don’t immediately come to a conclusion.  Listening impatience is kind of like stress: everybody manifests it differently.  For example, some people tap their pen, others incessantly shake their left leg, while others whip out their Crackberry and start text messaging their boyfriend. 

For me, listening impatience has a tendency to manifest in my arm.  That is, I ALWAYS have to be the first one in the discussion to ask a question.  Sometimes even before the speaker finishes asking, “Do we have any questions?”

“Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy! I have a question!  Me! Me! Me! Pick me!  Oh MAN what a great question I’m going to ask!  Right here! Right here!”

I know.  I’m working on it.  And I’ve been this way since I was four years old, so it may take a while. 

Anyway, uncontrollable arm ticks aside, here’s the secret to remember: You don’t (always) have to IMMEDIATELY come to a conclusion.  Whether you’re practicing patience at a staff meeting, in a seminar or during a meeting with your boss, don’t be so quick to impose your own answers.  Just pause.  Listen first.

NOW HEAR THIS: Decide if your thought is a reaction or a response.

4. Mobilize people’s inner resources. As The Listener, few things are more beautiful than watching someone realize a truth on their OWN.  In The Sacred Art of Listening, author Kay Lindahl writes, “If we’re still like water in a pond, the other person can see his reflection in it.”

That’s your job.  To practice attentive silence.  To let people see, find, say, do, know, learn and discover on their own.  Resist the need to take over while respecting the speaker’s speed of self-discovery.  No pushing.  No forcing. Gentle nudging. Facilitating a natural process, you enable and nurture the speaker’s rhythm and guide him to make the best choices.

NOW HEAR THIS: When someone is listened to, she can more easily clarify her thoughts and feelings

Now that we’ve identified four key practices to enhance your listening patience, let’s conclude with an affirmation.  I suggest you print it out, post it in a visible location and read it daily as reminder of your role as The Listener:

THE PATIENT LISTENER’S CREED

When I pause, I listen to the silences.
When I pause, I respect which questions want to be asked next.

When I speak, it’s only to improve on the silence.
When I speak, it’s to make a difference and contribute to the conversation.

When I engage, I make it easy for others to talk.
When I engage, I grant others adequate space to talk.

When I comment, I choose NOT to inject too much of myself.
When I comment, I choose to contribute to, not disrupt the conversation.
When I comment, I choose to be helpful and not intrude upon the speaker.

I am a Patient Listener, and I know how to love people with my ears.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

Are you patient enough in your listening?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…

For the list called, “27 Reasons People Aren’t Listening to You,” send an email to me, and I’ll send you the list for free!

© 2007 All Rights Reserved.
Scott Ginsberg, aka “The Nametag Guy,” is an author, speaker, award-winning blogger and entrepreneur. As the creator of NametagTV.com, he teaches people how to GET noticed, GET remembered and GET business. To rent Scott’s brain, call 314/256-1800 or email scott@hellomynameisscott.com.

When you look inside yourself to discover what your problems might be like from the inside out, you might pay attention to the way your body feels. You notice thoughts that arise. You watch patterns of breathing. You see if any previous experiences wish to present themselves to you. You remain as present in the moment with this experience as you possibly can. You explore whatever you’re experiencing in your deep inner mind. You may find tightness in your chest or a pain somewhere. You may find that your breathing is shallow or that a thought springs up out of the blue. You may find tears coming or anger rising to the surface. Whatever it is, you just pay attention. It’s about becoming centered and creating a bridge to awareness.

Let’s say you had a fear of driving across bridges. You might describe it like this, “My heart is beating fast, and my hands are moist. My throat is choked up, and my feet feel as if they’re rising up off the ground. My mouth is dry, and I feel as if I’d like to go under the covers instead of drive across that bridge.”

You might ask for more details: “I fear that my car will go over the side of that bridge if I lose control. I fear losing control because I’ve had these symptoms before, and they were debilitating.”
You continue to observe: “My father comes to mind. He practically came unglued when he was teaching me to drive. His terror was infectious.”

And then you ask yourself, “Is there anything else here I need to know?” You look even more deeply, and you perceive within yourself a tiny child who feels all alone. Where is everyone? No one is there.

Watching Your Mind and Body

It can be detailed as in the example above. It can also be brief. It is about coming to know what you’re creating on whatever level inside your being. It may involve old pictures and feelings and thoughts of times past; it may be entirely focused on the moment.

The ancient and wise Lao Tzu said in the Tao Te Ching, his book of poetic verses:

In standing back

from your own mind

you begin to understand all things

One of the things he is talking about here is the art of being the witness, of standing back and observing your own experience. You gain perspective as you allow yourself to feel and experience whatever you perceive is there.

You allow your own inner mind to reveal a brilliant database of material that has its own rhyme and reason, its own logic. With this attitude of deep interest, you can see what’s taking place in this subterranean inner world. You ask yourself the leading questions, and much is revealed. Here are some of the possible questions:

• What’s happening here?

• Who is there?

• What am I feeling, seeing, hearing, knowing?

• Is there anything else I need to know?

• Tell me more.

• Does this remind me of any previous experience, and do I need to know what it might be?

• Where do I feel this in my body?

• How am I picturing this or representing it in my mind?

• Is there a particular part of me that is in need of healing?

• Tell me more.


You can approach this with your intuitive and spiritual powers, or you can be primarily scientific and pragmatic. Your experiences might come as symbols. You might experience an empty warehouse in which you’re alone and there’s no furniture. This may be symbolic of the alienation you feel. Or you might experience a great light that is a foreshadowing of the illumination you’re preparing to experience in greater fullness.

Eventually you become adept at standing back and viewing your own mind, seeing from the state of witness consciousness, and you begin to understand all things.

Want to learn more about life transformation, spiritual growth, and healing? You can download our 100 page free ebook, Extraordinary Healing at http://www.thewisemind.com - You can also subscribe to our wonderful free monthly newsletter, “The Transformation News.” Marilyn Gordon is a board certified hypnotherapist, teacher, speaker, healer, school director, and author with over thirty years of experience. Her latest book is The Wise Mind: The Brilliant Key to Life Transformation and Healing.Read more about hypnotherapy at http://www.hypnotherapycenter.com

You should take a self-made rich person to lunch whenever you can and you should always pay. Why? Read on and all will be revealed.

Let’s take a look at the first part first. Why should you take a self-made rich person to lunch?

The self-made rich don’t get there by accident. They weren’t broke up until one day when they went to their mailbox they found that someone had left them a check for a few million dollars. The self-made rich got rich because of what they know, how they think, what they do and how they do it.

Do you think that if you knew what they know, thought like they thought, and did the things that they do, in the same way that they do them, that you too may become rich? I think that you would find that indeed you would become rich by following that formula.

But why take them to lunch (or dinner)?

The self-made rich have learned that their time is very valuable. You may be able to buy some of their consulting time but it won’t come cheap. For example, my standard consulting rate is $2,000 per hour and I know people, far richer than me, who charge $20,000 for an hour, or more, for their time.

But even the rich have to eat sometime. If you can be fortunate enough to find a time when they are eating, and it is not a business lunch, then you may be able to share that time over a meal and learn a tremendous amount without paying the huge consulting fee.

Also, when that rich person is having lunch he is probably more relaxed and open to conversation.

What do you think a self-made rich person likes to talk about? You will probably find that his two favorite topics of conversation are himself and the things that he is doing to make money. The self-made rich get that way by following their passion and learning how to leverage that passion so that it provides them with a large amount of money.

If, after a brief rapport period, you ask him a question about himself or his passion then you will probably get a flow of incredibly valuable information, which you should write down. Don’t be afraid to ask clarifying questions. Asking clarifying questions is a good listening skill and it shows that you are interested in what the speaker is talking about.

Okay. Why should you pay for lunch? After all, that rich person can afford to pay much more easily than you can.

In order to become rich you have to develop rich thinking. Expecting a person who has just given you a fortune’s worth of free information to then pay for his own lunch is definitely poverty thinking. With an attitude like that you will never become rich.

Rich people know how to give and how to receive, and above all they know how and when to show appreciation and gratitude. By developing those same qualities in yourself you will open your mind to the style of thinking that will allow you to also become rich.

You may be thinking “but what if I can’t afford to buy lunch?” All the more reason why you need to develop rich thinking or you’ll continually find that you can’t afford to buy lunch.

Poor people tend to have a hand out mentality. They expect the government and the rich to pay the bills and they always have their hand out for something for nothing. Something for nothing is 100% poverty thinking.

The rich understand the law of reciprocity. That law states that you reap what you sow. You have to give in order to receive. Most rich people are getting rich by giving valuable solutions or happiness to a large number of people.

For example Bill Gates, through his company Microsoft, has given hundreds of millions of people the opportunity to use a computer without the need to understand how to program a computer. In return for helping so many people, he has made an enormous amount of money. It’s the law of reciprocity in action.

The average person has helped virtually no-one and in fact expects others to help them whenever they need help. As a result they are broke.

I suggest that you read this article a second time and think about what is being said. Then, if the message is sinking in, think how you could take a self-made rich person to lunch or dinner and pickup the tab.

YOU can be successful in all areas of your life! Acclaimed Author & Success Coach, James Delrojo will show you how to turn your life around in just 30 days and unlock the flood gates of success. You Deserve Success!

Go to http://www.SuccessIn30days.com

One of the most fundamental aspect of any growth or spiritual path is the trust in one’s own perception. There is no question it is an incomplete perception; so long as you have a body, you will not see even a minuscule fraction of the totality of the universe, or that of your Self. But it is still your perception. It is your link to your soul. It is the basis for all growth, for if you rely on someone else’s eyes and intuition, you are not living your own life, discovering your own Truth, but are being a guinea pig for other’s experiments with Truth. As J. Krishnamurthi said,

“All authority of any kind, especially in the field of thought and understanding, is the most destructive, evil thing. Leaders destroy the followers and followers destroy the leaders. You have to be your own teacher and your own disciple. You have to question everything that man has accepted as valuable, as necessary.”

Living and speaking from your own perception can be very challenging. At the same time, it is also compassionate. One of my teachers, the channeled entity Michael, described a compassionate supporting person as “This person can be counted on to tell you the truth about you in any situation.”. Being someone who speaks their perceptions fully can cause worldly problems if used indiscriminately, but within the context of close relationships generates trust and love. When someone is being exactly who they are, Love exists. Love is. Living and speaking your perceptions is another way of being who you are. Being who you are brings awareness to the Truth that you are nothing but Love.

Unfortunately, even in progressive groups, there can easily be an environment where only “positive perceptions” are shared. This can be a definite improvement over a environment of venting and flaming at each other, but it still is not the full truth of who we are. Paradoxically, if everyone is restricted in what they can say, then over time people don’t feel supported and safety issues can come up strongly. When it’s considered not compassionate to speak true perceptions then a very strange dynamic occurs and dysfunction starts. Compassion will always start from truth.

However, simply announcing this intention this does not mean it will happen. If there is no openness to intimacy, then bare honesty may provoke strong defenses; awareness of this is compassionate in itself. It is good to ask what is necessary to create relationships, an environment, or even a deeper level of community where true perceptions can be displayed openly. I call this “Higher Communication”. This is where the interrelationships are about sharing who you are, completely and in complete wholeness. I hope insight into these helps bring true communication in this holiday season. Each of these are needed by all parties involved in the interaction:

1. Self awareness: Being conscious enough to know feelings and dynamics as they are happening.
2. Expressive ability: Enough interconnection exists between the emotional and intellectual centers of the body that all of the issues involved can be communicated in words or via other forms of expression.
3. Translation ability. This is an added level of expressive ability. As we know from NLP and other systems, people interpret and communicate their world in different ways. The ability to bridge communication distances by flexibility of words or modalities helps greatly when connecting.
4. A dynamic of equality, where there are no power plays going on. Social positions and roles are dropped. Within a dynamic of power plays, there is a struggle to hold to a position of power, which I call a “magnetic center” and deep communication usually gets blocked in this struggle.
5. Trust. This is an extension of equality; the relationship has developed to the point that it is unquestionably known that everyone’s wellbeing is linked. You are on the same side. Your happiness is quite literally their happiness. Any power dynamic immediately removes this.
6. Fears have been calmed. If someone is arrogant - which is the same thing as being influenced by a great fear of vulnerability - then the openness of intimacy tends to be blocked whenever the fear has not been calmed. Similarly, someone with a fear of change (e.g., stubbornness), will also tend to stonewall if they feel pressured rather than head towards true communication. Other fears act similarly. Note that all fears are nothing more than blocks in perception. And because communication is an extension of perception, fears block communication and communion.

Note that fears do not need to disappear. They simply need to be calmed. And more often than not, a gentle listening to is all that fears need in order to be calmed.

1. Love of Self. Without a connection to an unconditional acceptance of the larger Self, which connects us to All That Is, there will be limitations on the interplay between people. You cannot communicate intricacies about something you have contempt for - you can only denigrate it, which is to say offer reasons for not looking at it. With Love of Self, all communication is tinged with it, and the depth of interaction increases exponentially. It is said that Buddha’s smile conveyed such detail about the nature of the universe that this was enough for some monks to reach higher understanding.

When any of these are not present - or when there is simply no listening - then of course it’s wise to let it be and not push for deeper communication. Respect for other’s choices is in itself compassionate. Love simply allows what is, and a true compassionate acceptance of blocks without resentment opens many doors in and of itself.

Rules in any group or community, such as “before judging, get it from the horses mouth” that do not incorporate an understanding of the processes above can easily be used as a subtle way of saying “do not trust your own perception”. When there is a denial of perception going on, such as those of any blocks listed above, this is a subtle form of brainwashing. I do not use that term lightly. “brainwashing” I would define as actions taken to cause distrust of one’s own perceptions, intuitive knowingness, and connection to Self. This is our most valued treasure - our selves. This is why trusting one’s own perception is fundamental; without this, we disown our Self.

Any time you may hear a response like “don’t trust your perception, ask me” then power plays and fears are in operation. There are no exceptions to this, and it is applicable to everyone, no matter how “wise”. Everyone’s perceptions are inclusive and build on each other’s; we only know a small part of ourselves, and others’ perceptions add greatly to our own. This is not saying asking others for verification isn’t a good thing; it is very important to get feedback to tune perceptions or reevaluate them. This is the benefit of positive doubt; if there is a blind trust of one’s own intuition, then this can be used to wall one’s self in an ivory tower. You can trust your own perceptions while having a vast space open to expand them through others’. With Higher Communication, there is no conflict; we are always enriched by the sharing of our selves with each other. Within higher communication, other’s perception is literally your own. True intimacy appears Oneness is experienced.

Again, trusting your own perception is an absolutely fundamental cornerstone of all growth. You start from where you are now.

Matthew is the resident writer at http://www.loving-awareness.org He is a teacher, writer, coach, and sometimes activist living in Vancouver, BC, Canada. He is a founding member of the federal Work Less Party of Canada.


He is a world traveler, having been to most of the continents on the Earth. He considers himself as a basically simple person who tries to look into the framework of life. Sort of like the Tao Te Ching if you added some interpretive dancing & clowning to it. Playfulness is his modus operandi, and he’s learning how to relax, have fun, and be perceptive, and be balanced at the same time.


Matthew is totally with the Dalai Lama when he says “my religion is love” - he strives to practicing loving-kindness towards everyone, including George Bush. Really, he needs it. Yes, Matthew even hugs Republicans! But then, he doesn’t perceive ‘evil’ as such anyway, seeing the universe as being a tremendously loving place, without slipping into being naive. To contact Matthew please email him at Matthew@loving-awareness.org

Missing credit payments may not seem like a major concern, however, if you are in the business of making money, this is one incident that spells ka-ching! From balance transfers to late payment fees and everything in between; credit card companies generate millions of revenue every year from this kind of finance charges. And to our disadvantage, we rarely receive an immediate heads up from the billing authorities. Heck, it could even take a week before we hear from the credit card company about the delayed payment or worse it could be reported only on the next billing cycle. Surprise, surprise, you have an obligation to settle a fee amounting to $35 due to late payment.

Attached to delayed payments are penalty fees. But this is not the only scenario that may occur. It may be followed by an increase in your interest rate and a decrease in your credit score. Further damage may be done to your credit standing when the said delay reaches one of the three credit bureaus. In addition to this, the card holder may not be aware but he may be covered by the universal default clause. Under this provision, a perfectly fine loan goes into default when you incur a delay on another distinct obligation. An example is having two credit cards, Card X and Card Y. The first card, Card X, is subject to universal default. If you ever incur a late payment with Card Y, Card X will automatically be on default as well. And usually default is equated to an increase in interest rates.

Now you have to deal with two credit cards with interest rates shooting upward. One must realize that there are a lot of loopholes in the agreement that allows a financial institution to legally increase the interest due to late payment. Reading the fine print in the terms and conditions suddenly becomes a necessity, huh?

Though this late payment and interest boost can be questioned or appealed. If you incur delay knowing that you settled the debt before the due date, don’t hesitate to contact your service provider and demand an explanation. This usually happens when payment was done through snail mail. It is advised that it be sent 10 days prior the due date to give ample time for delivery and processing.

However, this does not mean that an online payment is a ticket to no more delayed payment. Because like the terms and conditions, online payments also have guidelines that need to be followed to recognize any action performed. If it is posted that online payments are accepted only up to a specific time of the day like 6 in the evening, make certain that you settle everything before the clock strikes 6. Another issue is that you can still get smacked with a late fee even if you’ve configured a monthly payment scheme.

Let’s assume that the minimum amount due is $80. You arranged that $100 be withdrawn from your checking account monthly. Unfortunately, you purchased one too many items the following month escalating the minimum to $135. Presto! Another late payment fee. To prevent this from happening, routine check and review must be made at least once a month to make sure that the minimum amount be settled.

On the bright side, the computation of the credit score doesn’t treat each and every delayed payment as one and the same. An isolated incident of a 30 or even 60 day payment delay will prove its impact on your credit score in the months when it was incurred. But after a year or so, its effect will slowly diminish. But to default on quite a few payments for one or two billing cycle is a no-no.

Bottom line: Settle all your debts on time to avoid any hassle or any unwanted charges.

Stephen Lee is the author for aboutcreditcards.info that is geared toward helping people choose and compare credit card offerings You can view more articles about credit cards by visiting here

Remember in college, those droning professors that put your class to sleep? Then there were the rare few who challenged you, kept you interested, excited, and enthusiastic about subjects that you might not even have wanted to know about. Similarly, a press release should never be a boring, sleep inducing, yawner that puts the media and other audiences to snoring. If your dog is napping, wake up and smell the puppy chow.

Present your business to the media and your target audiences online, offline, borderline and over the line, with a funny heartfelt message that is newsworthy and reap the beneficial results.

Consider:

How can you communicate about your business in 400 words or less?

After reading what you wrote, would you hit the snooze alarm?

Is your story something others will wag their tongues about?

Business owners can tell their story to the media, so that journalists wake up and pay attention, and customers run do not walk to their website to buy their products and/or services.

How about this Pup-Lick Relations tip from my dog Cici. “Consider telling your business tale with animal media spokespersons or animal stories.

“Know why Geico has a Gecko in their TV commercials? What about Tony the Tiger, Morris the cat, Taco Bell’s Chihuahua or Smokey the Bear. During the Super Bowl, the average price for a 30-second spot was $2.5 million. In these ads, many companies portrayed furry animals to convey their messa