Monday, September 14, 2009

Kundalini Activation - How Self Hypnosis Helps Kundalini Enlightenment

If you ever hope to access the Kundalini energy that lies hidden within your chakras you may need more than a little Kundalini activation help. This power is hidden within you laying dormant until you either find the mental clarity to tap those resources for yourself or experience moments of great need that bring them, unbidden, to the surface. If you seek to make these chakras do your bidding you are going to need to devote some time and energy into learning to control them so that they work in unity and on demand. This is much easier imagined than accomplished.

What is the Kundalini Path?

The Kundalini path is literally the path to enlightenment. Followers of this path believe that there is a living power within each of us. Enlightenment is the ability to unify various chakras within us so that they will work in harmony with one another. The path to enlightenment is a journey in this belief and one that is well rewarded. Kundalini activation help is not the easiest help to find though there are a few excellent resources that will provide insight and guidance.

Unifying the Energy Within

Through conscious effort, it is often difficult to unify forces that are generally opposed or work independently of one another. To do so on a subconscious level is an even greater feat for those who accomplish this. Once you learn to unify the energy within yourself there will be little you set your mind to that you cannot accomplish.

The Kundalini Awakening

Many people experience some degree of let down when their Kundalini first awakens. No matter how often you are told and expect there to be no unity there is still an initial sense of disappointment that follows that initial thrill of excitement. Don't allow yourself to dwell on what didn't happen. Choose to focus on the positive and realize that you managed to wake your Kundalini. This is an accomplishment to celebrate even without control.

Tantric Kundalini Awakenings

Couples will want to explore tantric Kundalini activation help for an amazing experience that defies all others. There are stark differences between Kundalini awakenings that are achieved through yoga and those that are achieved through tantra. If you get nothing else from this, understand that to experience this awakening with a lover is an experience that defies words.

Hypnosis Help With Kundalini Awakenings

Listening to recordings and self hypnosis can help you train your subconscious mind to awaken your Kundalini. If you need Kundalini activation help you will probably find that self hypnosis is an excellent source of assistance not only for the actual activation but also when it comes to gaining control.

Begin an Amazing Journey

Are you ready to leave the shell of yourself behind and find a completely new plain of existence? Are you ready to experience more of everything than you've ever imagined possible? If so, today is the day to seek Kundalini activation help and begin exploring life on an entirely new and exciting level.

J. Seymour is a writer with Self Help Recordings. 'Discover Kundalini Activation' is an excellent recording by Steve G Jones, who offers twenty years of experience through these recordings. To find out more, visit Kundalini Activation Help. A range of other self hypnosis products can be found here - Kundalini Self Help. All of the recordings on Self Help Recordings are backed by an impressive sixty day guarantee, so to find out more simply click on the links.

Spirituality Information - Murder Your Motivation

For ten years i made the same mistake again and again.... I cannot recall a single morning when i got up full of energy and raring to go. There was nothing which motivated me. I used to work for the best companies across the world but they mattered very little deep down within me. I wanted to do something else, something so big and so unique that has never been done before. The biggest mistake i made was I thought that i can achieve all my dreams only if do it full time and quit my job.... I did not have the guts to quit my job and so i just thought and thought about my dream and did nothing else about it ... One fine day however ....

It was Jan 12th 2004. I was doing very well as an employee. Great salaries,top position and it was all looking very good for me from the outside. But my deepest intention of being a full time motivational writer remained only a thought and nothing more.... I can still recall that day . I was so frustrated that i locked myself in a room and screamed to my dreams within" Never again bother me . Get out of my life and let be be the ordinary man i always was.Get lost right now !" I stabbed my dreams a dozen times and murdered it so that it never troubled me again....

By evening of that day i was feeling very light as if a huge responsibility had been taken away from my shoulders. I killed my dreams and now i was free.. I had no pressure. It seemed to me that I was carrying a mountain of dreams for the last seven years without fulfilling any of them. I felt as if it was the best thing to happen to me.. Now watch what happened during the next two weeks...

Jan 13th 2004.... I get up at 4.30 am . I am so happy . I dont know why.... I listen to my favourite music and then I sit for meditation. I head to my workplace after having breakfast..

Jan 14th 2004.... I get up again at 5.00 am and am feeling very calm within. I dont know why....

This continued for two weeks and then on ....

Jan 28th 2004.... Something very strange happened in my morning meditation. It was as if someone entered into me from outside and was not willing to go out..... The experience was very strange....That someone i later realised was my Inspiration, my real goal, my dream, my life and my purpose in this world.That was my real intention and God was kind enough to reveal it to me. From that day on a voice within spoke continuously to me that my real purpose in life is to build centres where Life changing thoughts are preached and that help will come as i gain strength and momentum in my internal world... This experience did not leave from then on... It caught me by the neck and reminded me of my real intention every day.... Slowly but surely i made progress in my internal world. I did not experience any frustration.... Now i had a great dream, and the plans for achieving those dreams were revealed daily to me from a source far greater than me which was genuine. These plans did not come all at a stretch but they came in bits and pieces as was necessary . I was warned from that day on that i will listen to two voices and i should be capable of recognising the force of God...

Within one year i quit my job. I did not try hard to quit my job . My job disappeared all by itself.. I am still far of from reaching my goals but i have a dream and it just does go out not even if i scream or stab it a dozen times. This dream is genuine and rock solid .....

The two most important definitions you have to learn in life are Motivation and Inspiration. Motivation is when you go after a goal,or a dream and set plans to achieve it.... This could be many times frustrating and on most occassions even after you achieve your so called dreams you are not happy. But inspiration is something totally different... In the case of Inspiration the dream gets hold of you instead of you going after the dreams. It works its way inside of you and just does not leave you. You are forced to take action.... Inspiration is genuine and is the force of God ... Motivation is good but is man made...

Don't go after things in circle. Murder your motivation today to allow Inspiration to take over. It could be the best thing that could happen to you.... Motivation is cheap, inspiration is genuine. When you are motivated you have to run after things, when you are inspired things work in your favour. Both good and bad events take you to your dreams... It might take a while for you to experience all this but this knowledge should be nailed at the back of your mind....

There are three basic steps you could take starting today as you proceed to murder your motivation.

Lecturer, entrepreneur and Fortune 500 business consultant, Vish Writer is the author of the Amazon No 1 bestseller, "The Joy of Becoming God" For more information, visit: http://www.spiritual-simplicity.com http://www.vish-writer.com

Sunday, September 13, 2009

What is Feng Shui Design?

What is Feng Shui Design?
The meaning of Feng Shui has become clouded since the 1980s when it was introduced to the West. It was turned into a new age marketing gimmick that falsely promises wealth, health and love using lucky charms and novelty products. If you have been confused about Feng Shui from what you have read in magazines and books, you are right! The phrase Feng Shui is being abused by many and marketed as psychology, positive thinking, intention, spiritualism, belief and superstition. In the professional industry this is known as Mickey Mouse or Mc Feng Shui and really is a simple set of rules to make changes in your home to progress in an area of life. Interpretation is everything with Mc Feng Shui and there are a thousand different people advising DIY Feng Shui tips. Great to have fun with, but miles away from its origins.

Classical Feng Shui
Also known as traditional and authentic Feng Shui. This ancient practice uses the laws of heaven (astronomy) and earth (geography). On a basic level Feng Shui is a tool for natural & urban environment analysis. A classical Feng Shui survey assesses an individual plot and property looking at strengths and weaknesses using different methods and formulae. Practical recommendations can then be made to strengthen and harmonise the property. There are two main classical schools:

Form School (earth/geography)
One of the oldest systems, originally used for placement of burial graves, progressing onto building location for the living. This focuses on finding the best position within the landscape, which is the safest & securest location. So what makes a safe and secure location? Think primitively. Times when men were hunter gathers and women were the home makers. Historically our ancestors positioned their dwellings with basic Form School principles to ensure survival; meaning protection, resources and climate. It is not widely known that the external landscape counts for 60% of a Feng Shui evaluation.

Compass School (heaven/astronomy)
A specialised Chinese compass called the Lo Pan is used to take readings of various positions in the premises. Calculations are used to evaluate the orientation of the plot, building and room location as well as room function and the subtleties of time. Some methods look at the individual and how they relate to the property, whereas some methods focus on the building and contents. The 5 Element Theory (wood, fire, earth, metal, water) is used within Compass School to help balance strong and weak areas.

With both schools of understanding a Feng Shui Consultant can help make the most of your living & working environment, to achieve potential, harmony and balance over the subtleties of time. Classical Feng Shui practitioners will only ever make suggestions and recommendations based on probability. The recommendations made will never provide certainty. We do the best we can with the tools we have.

Subscribe to my free monthly Eco E-zine / newsletter and receive 2 complimentary Eco interior design E-books; a) my most popular articles & a do-it-yourself home energy audit guide. Soon you will be on you way to a greener home and lifestyle.

Persian Recipes

The region that is today Iran has a very long history. Urban settelements have existed in the country since at least 4000 BCE, and of course most people have heard of the Persian empires. The country of Persia, officially changed its name to Iran in 1935 at the direction of then ruler, Reza Shah, but in 1953, Mohammad Reza Shah (the son of Reza Shah) announced that both names, "Iran" and "Persia", were acceptable.

Persian cuisine is known for its subtle and delicate mixtures of spices. You will also find that Persian recipes use many interesting ingredients including apricots, artichokes, eggplant, lemon, lime, oranges, pistachios, spinach, saffron and tarragon.

All Persian meals are traditionally served with tea ("chai"). Tea is in fact drank throughout the day, as well as with breakfast, and before and after both lunch and dinner. You should also look out for the side dishes ("mokhalafat"), containing various accompaniments which are served with Persian meals, as they form an important part of the experience.

Additionally, rice is often eaten with Iranian meals. Although the rice may be prepared in a variety of different ways, the best known is "chelow", in which rice is partially boiled, then drained and finally steamed. This results in a fluffy texture for the rice, with a golden crust at the bottom of the cooking pot.

Popular Persian main dishes include:

* Chelo Kabab - This is probably the most famous of Persian dishes. It is marinated lamb, cooked over a charcoal grill, and served with rice.

* Fesenjan - Fesenjan is a stew made from chicken or duck. It contains walnut and pomegranate, and has a sweet and sour flavor.

* Abgousht - This is vegetable and beef stew.

* Shirin Polo - Shirin Polo is traditionally eaten at Iranian weddings. It is rice with slivered almonds, orange peel and pistachio nuts.

Some mokhalafat side plates may accompany Iranian meals include:

* Naan - Persian unleavened flat bread.

* Panir - A type of cheese that is reminescent of feta.

* Khiyarshur - Pickles.

* Torshi - Relishes.

* Sabzi - Mixed herbs.

Discover more about Persian Recipes at http://www.recipesmaniac.com/cook_persia.php - visit this site for more information, pictures and details of Persian cookbooks.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

The Various Waffles That Waffle Makers Can Bake

Waffles have been around for centuries. If you speak to a person from Holland they will insist that they were the first to create them and that their "stroopwafels" are the precursor to the modern waffle. The evidence shows that they were first made in Gouda during the 18th century. However, there is earlier evidence that the "chiffon waffle" was first made in the Netherlands during the 16th century. To add to the confusion, the Belgium's lay claim to the hundreds of years old Belgian waffle.

However, the debate can be laid to rest. The oldest reference that can be found to waffles is in a 14th century English cook book and they were called "waffres". The British have seemed to have moved away from these types of cakes with the modern British waffle being a savory potato cake.

The modern waffle that everybody knows is the American waffle. The knowledge of baking waffles was passed on to the Americans when pilgrims arrived from the Netherlands in 1620. It took a few hundreds years for the American waffle to become popular but today's it is often eaten for breakfast or as a dessert. They can be made as a sweet or savory dish.

A basic American waffle is made using a waffle maker. The batter is made from flour, eggs, milk, oil and baking powder. You can also add other ingredients to the batter such as nuts, fruit or - in fact - anything that you want.

One of the most important things about baking a waffle is using the correct waffle maker. There are a large range of waffle makers on the market today and choosing the right one can be tricky. But it is important that you choose a waffle maker that will keep the outside crispy while the inside remains soft and fluffy.

The Waffle Makers Guide can provide you with the right information on choosing a waffle maker that will bake the ideal waffle for you. You can find more information on what waffles you can make with this article: Waffle Makers - What Waffles Can You Bake?

Ancient Chinese Secrets For a Lasting Marriage Or Relationship

Are most long married couples unhappy with their relationship? This is the question that has being bugging me for a while. As a Feng Shui consultant, I come across many clients with less than happy marriages. Many times my clients will ask me for a 'secret' cure or recommendation that would miraculously improve their relationship with their spouse.

So, I asked a few of my married friends for their opinion. I chose this select group because they are older - over fifty years old - and have been married for many years. Their answer was quite shocking- to me. Based on their personal experience and those of their friends, they think that 90% of married couples are, in one way or another, unhappy with their relationships.

Granted that they do not live happily ever after, as in the fairy tales, this is still quite sad - if it is indeed true.

Is there a cure? Maybe there is.

In many olden societies, such as the Chinese, where arranged marriages are commonplace, it is a practice to check the horoscope (Ba Zi) of the intended couple for compatibility, before they are allowed to tie the knot.

Does this always work? It increases the chance but it does not work all the time. However through years of observation, they found out that if you combine it with some conditions, you can increase the chances of having a happy and lasting marriage.

While this wisdom is for everyone, it is even more critical for those with a history of unsuccessful marriages or relationships, to take note.

Here are some of the conditions.

In the old days, the husband must always be older than the wife. This is like a tradition. It cannot and should not be broken. However the ancients also observed that for those with unsuccessful marriages or relationships, breaking the tradition - i.e. having an older wife - can strangely be the answer. To the ancient Chinese, the wife is considered older even if she is a day older than the husband. However for better results, a wider age gap is preferred.

The other option for a more successful relationship is for the husband to be much older than the wife. To the ancient Chinese, much older means at least 8 years apart. In practice, 10 or 15 years older is perfectly acceptable or desired.

It would also increase the chances if there is a big disparity in the social and economic standard between the husband and the wife. For example the husband is a highly educated CEO of a large corporation while the wife is a much lesser educated person from a poor family. Can it be the other way around? It is unlikely in the old days because the husband is always the breadwinner. However in this modern times, where many women out-earn their husbands, why not?

This next condition only applies to the woman - at least in the old days. If she cannot be a successful first wife, it does not mean that she cannot be successful being the second or third one. So, being the other women can be an option that leads to success! I am not sure about being the other man though!

What if none of the above works?

The final option is to have a spouse that is of a different race or from a different culture. For example, an Indian and a Chinese or between two Chinese brought up in different places. For example, one brought up in China and in the other in the United States.

These are wisdoms that our forefathers have passed down to us. So, and especially, if you are relationship challenged, give it a try. There is nothing to lose!

Henry Fong Feng Shui Consultant

Feng Shui Absolutely

Friday, September 11, 2009

Oh Boy! It's Time For Beef Jerky

With the low carb fashion that has hit the nation beef jerky is again very popular. One of the main reasons that beef jerky is healthy is the fact that to make the jerky last for so long the fat needs to be neat or the beef will go bad unless a lot of salt and preservatives are added.

Considering that there is much more of the beef than the fat in jerky it makes it very high in protein and without a lot of carbs. This is good news to the legions of people that follow the Atkins diet. Also many people that are conscious about their health prefer marinating and then smoking their own meat because it affords them the knowledge of exactly what they are consuming.

If you are looking for a healthy and suitable snack to take anywhere, this is it. It is especially great for camping as it is compact, gives needed nutrients, tastes great, and does not go bad. Many people that backpack carry beef jerky just for these reasons. It is also light and easy to carry. It is often put in vacuum preserved packaging to pack in the freshness so no matter how long you carry the beef jerky for it stays fresh.

Even though its origins are thought to be from South America during the 1800s, Americans love their beef jerky. The Quechua tribe of Indians made a product similar to beef jerky which they called charki which is where the name jerky came from. They used elk, deer, and buffalo meat and added salt to them before drying it out or placing the meat over the fire. This made for the preservation of meat that was needed when food was not as available for whatever reason.

The Spaniards took to making this popular snack as well when they inhabited parts of South America and then introduced it worldwide. American cowboys and the early pioneers took to it as beef jerky became a stable of their diets on the border. The early explorers of the country would construct smoke huts and then they would cut strips of meat to be smoked, dried, or put over a fire. The real beef jerky came along when the meat was first flavored. By adding spices the meat became better
tasting.

With more people being wary of what they are eating and at the same time looking for low cost healthy foods, beef jerky is seeing something of a rebirth. Its a great snack for adults and kids alike and everyone has to admit that eating a stick of beef jerky is much better for you and better tasting than a high fat treat.

James L. Paleta is a writer for The Food Magazine. The site provides readers with the latest insights and write-ups on all things on food and other resources.

Feng Shui - How to Have Healthy Lighting in Your Home

Proper lighting is one of the Feng Shui cures used for enhancing the chi energy in a space. Light uplifts oppressive energy from low ceilings, transforms the energy in a dark space, elevates the energy in a room, and activates stagnant energy.

Most people spend 90% of their time indoors and, most likely, with poor incandescent or fluorescent lighting. It's great to have natural light shining in, but you need to be aware that windows block some of the wavelengths present in sunshine from reaching your retina and nourishing your brain and body.

Having insufficient lighting in your home is considered bad Feng Shui, and your health and well-being will be impacted. There's compelling research that poor lighting can create depression. This problem grows as the winter months bring shorter and shorter days. Sunlight Starvation affects millions of people and causes the feeling of "Winter Blues." And in more severe cases people develop S.A.D. or "Seasonal Affective Disorder."

There is a solution. Make sure every room in your home is properly lit. Also, change all your bulbs to full spectrum. These powerful light bulbs produce clear, brilliant white light that simulates the exact color of sunlight at noon. There's an overwhelming amount of research showing its positive impact on health, human behavior, learning and longer life. Changing the light bulbs in your home is one of the simplest things you can do to improve your health.

Using full spectrum lighting will:

  • Enhance your mental awareness, concentration and productivity
  • Improve your mood
  • Help with your visual clarity and color perception
  • Improve your sleep
  • Boost your immune system
  • Give you more energy
  • Reduce eye strain and fatigue

Feng Shui Health and Wellness Specialist, Sheri Ruston, can teach you how to create a supportive environment within your home and within your body to dramatically improve your health, well-being and mindset. Sheri's innovative healing approach combines her wisdom of simple Feng Shui principles along with her health expertise which she learned on her journey of healing her body from a 35 year autoimmune disease. To receive her Free Special Report: "47 Feng Shui Tips That Will Immediately Improve Your Health" and her Free bi-monthly ezine packed with "how to" information, visit her at http://www.fengshuiyourhealth.com

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Attracting Money Into Your Feng Shui Home

I will discuss how to utilize two Feng Shui cures that will help attract more money into your home and, simultaneously, slow down the amount of money that is flowing out of your home.

In order to achieve this goal, we will take a look at two well known Feng Shui symbols: The Feng Shui frog and the Feng Shui turtle. These symbols have to do with Feng Shui wealth and are associated with the Feng Shui money aspect of your living environment.

Frogs symbolize the leaping effect of money coming into your life and, in this case, your home. Ideally, Feng Shui frogs should be placed outside of your home. A Feng Shui home will usually have frogs located somewhere in front of the house or apartment. I like to place 3 frogs on the front lawn, several feet apart.

The most important aspect to placing these powerful Feng Shui cures and Feng Shui symbols is to make sure the frogs are leaping towards the house. The backs of Feng Shui frogs should face the street and the heads of the frogs should face the front of the house. In addition, one of the three frogs should wind up facing the front door. Simply make sure the third frog has its back to the curb and its head is facing your homes' front door. The arrangement of the frogs symbolizes Feng Shui wealth leaping in through the front door and into your home. If we decide to add a water feature to our arrangement of frogs, we will multiply the Feng Shui effect and create a very positive and powerful flow of Chi towards the house.

The Feng Shui symbol of the turtle represents the slow moving energy of wealth leaving the household. Since turtles move slowly and frogs leap fast, the connection is easy to make. I know some of you are probably thinking, "Hmm... Maybe I can use frogs and turtles to get my needs met in other areas of my life, such as a Feng Shui relationship or faster or slower Feng Shui sex?" Well...at least I have you thinking about Feng Shui symbols and how they relate to your everyday life. Unfortunately, these particular symbols work best for attracting and maintaining wealth.

O.K. now that I have you back in focus and on the task at hand, let's discuss how and where to utilize Feng Shui wealth symbol number two: The Turtle.

All turtles should be placed in the rear of the house or apartment. Patios, decks or yards are totally acceptable places for your team of turtles. Try placing three turtles with their backs facing the house. The heads of the turtles should be facing away from the house the eyes should not be looking at the house, deck, patio or yard. Also, if you want to boost the effectiveness of the turtles, paint four small red dots on the back of each turtle. Red is a powerful Feng Shui wealth color.

If you go to a garden shop you will find frogs and turtles that can withstand various weather conditions in your area.

Namaste,

San Dan Yi and The Car Shui Team

Please visit http://www.carshui.com if you would like additional information regarding the ancient art of Feng Shui.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Removing Interior Walls

Here's a word of advice for any contractor, Carpenter, handyman or homeowner that is planning to remove an interior wall from your home or someone else's. Beware of removing interior walls, to eliminate your fears of the house collapsing. Some of the interior walls inside of the house are important structural components of the building.

Some of these walls hold up floors, roofs and other loadbearing sections that could create safety problems within the structure of the house itself. This is an area where an expert with framing skills should be consulted. What is the definition of someone with excellent framing skills? Some one with at least 10 years as a master framing carpenter.

My home building experience consists of three decades for over 30 years of assembling some of the most difficult sections of a home. During these years I have seen damage done to houses from removing structural interior walls. Most of this damage could be repaired with a little structural engineering. Some of the damage could not be repaired and caused other damage to different sections of the house. The damage caused in some cases to the floor and the roof framing had to be completely rebuilt.

I'm not telling you about every single thing I have ran into but you would be surprised if I started to make a list of all the homeowners and professionals in the building industry or home selling and buying business that contacted me to remove a structural component of a building. There have even been a few of these people that told me everything was going to be okay just go ahead and remove the structural building component.

Needless to say I would leave these people very irritated but I'm sure they found someone to do the job. The bad news is I was normally the person they would hire to go back and repair the damaged building after these people were gone and out of business. There have been cases where people have removed an interior walls against my better judgment and over the years of driving by in these homes I personally got to witness the structural damage that was occurring on the outside of the house.

I have no idea what the inside of the house looked like but could only imagine. My advice again when removing interior walls is to hire an experienced contractor or at least get some advice from an experienced framing carpenter. This does not include your basic know it all that has basic construction experience like your father in law, parents, friends, golfing associates or people you work with that tell you not to worry about it, just do it, everything will work out just fine.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more Building and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes and What Does A Shear Wall Do

Wrong With Bible Verse

Happy Children - Create a Happy Child with a Tantrum of Thankfulness

In my research on potty training for our potty training course, I have learned that children respond to the emotions of their parents and care takers. In further research, I have learned that in all relationships, the most important step you can take in creating a successful relationship is to be happy yourself.

All people are attracted to happiness. This trait is most easily observed in children who have not yet learned to suppress their emotions.

The most important gift that you can give your child is your own happiness. When you are happy yourself, you will naturally be more patient, kind and loving toward your child. You dont have to work at it, the love just flows naturally when you are happy.

Too many parents think that once they have children, pursuing their own happiness is selfish and something to feel guilty about. Neglecting your children while pursing your happiness may be something to feel guilty about; however, there are many ways to create your own happiness and provide care for your children at the same time.

Children need love and happiness as part of their nutritional requirements. They cannot grow and develop to their full potential unless they receive adequate love and attention.

Parents who are filled with happiness and who think happy thoughts the majority of the time are in a much better position to provide the nurturing environment that children need to grow and develop. Finding your own happiness is the first step in creating a happy child.

Dr Wayne Dyer suggests in his books that you can choose your emotions. You simply choose to feel angry or choose to feel happy. While I love his writings, I have had trouble practicing that suggestion. What works better for me is to choose thoughts that allow the happy emotions to flow naturally.

For example, when my dog was injured, there was no way I could feel happy about his injury. However, after a great deal of prayer and meditation, I was able to slowly begin to find things about the episode that I could feel better about. By slowly changing my thoughts from sadness and anger to thankfulness and expectation, I was eventually able to feel happy again about my dog.

And just like a child, my dog has responded to my thoughts and emotions. While I was sad, he moped around and looked awful. As my mood improved, he began to get more active and is now again the feisty puppy that I enjoy spending time with.

Because children respond so visibly to your emotions, it is your duty as a parent to be as happy as you can be. Seeking your own happiness is not selfish, but the act of a loving and responsible parent.

Over the years, I have observed many child behavior issues that we very obviously linked to the unhappiness of the parents. Well, it was obvious to everyone except the parents of these children. They kept looking for someone else to blame for their childrens problems. They continued to create more unhappiness for their children and everyone involved.

So, if you notice undesirable behavior in your own children, take a moment to look inside yourself before you start looking for someone else to blame. Are you happy? If not, take steps to address your own emotions before you start to work with your childrens behavior problems.

As an engineer, I was very good at the identify a problem, find a cause, remove the cause, theres your solution kind of problem solving method. But in my work with children, I have found that this method is ineffective.

A better method is to simply identify and express the desired behavior and then encourage it. I call this the creative intention method of problem solving.

We can leave the cause finding to the research scientists. As parents, we just want happy well behaved children.

And the first step in creating happy children is to find happiness ourselves. Creative intention works especially well in finding ways to create more happy thoughts in your life and in the life of your children.

In every situation, there is always something good to be thankful for. Those of us who are accustomed to finding problems that need a solution will need to practice a bit before we can easily and quickly see the good in every situation. You may want to find someone who is naturally optimistic to mentor you.

But with practice we all can learn to think thoughts that will create happy feelings.

One quick exercise that can help is throwing a Tantrum of Thankfulness. We all know that two year olds can express a lot of emotion is a short period of time so let us use that example to create more of what we want and less of what we dont want.

Set a timer for three minutes. During that time think of as many things as you can to be thankful for. Write them down, speak them aloud or just think about them. I like to do opposites: I am thankful for sunshine, I am thankful for rain. Get as animated as possible while doing this exercise. Jump around, sing, yell, do whatever you can to experience the emotion of passionate thankfulness.

Get your children involved in the game. Really listen to what they are thankful for. If they dont understand the concept of thankful just ask what makes them happy. Dont make any judgments, just go with what they say.

I prefer to do this exercise with my dog as my children are older and think I am crazy. My dog just enjoys the company.

Whenever you find unhappy thoughts creeping in, just throw a tantrum of thankfulness. If it is not appropriate to throw a tantrum right there like waiting in line at the post office - just remember the last tantrum you threw. Experience the happiness in your mind and smile.

The greatest gift you can ever give to anyone is that of your own happiness. Guard it with all your might and seek new ways to create happiness everyday.

Teach your children how to be happy. Create a happy world for all of us one happy child at a time.

Mike Strawbridge is the owner of Straw Solutions Performance Improvement Consulting and is dedicated to creating happy business owners and happy employees.

http://www.mikestrawbridge.com

Mike is also a contributing writer for the Potty Training Site http://www.pottytrainingsite.com

Monday, September 7, 2009

Is Money a Big Part of Organized Religion?

Where do you think most modern day religious organizations would be without money? Is money really a big part of modern day organized religion or is that something in the past. Why do certain scriptures require their believers to donate a portion of their earnings?

Does this money improve the lives of religious believers? I'm asking these questions because most people won't. Most people don't even no where the money they earn is going. If you donate money to a religious organization and they choose to hire someone to install stained glass windows throughout the sanctuary, is this really going to help the congregation. Is this a want or a need?

When does a religious group become too powerful for its own good. Do you think the Catholic religion, which at the time of me writing this article, is the largest organized religion in the world, by itself, is very powerful or driven by finances. This organization has seeked wealth and power for centuries, creating an establishment that has its hands in everything all over the world.

Is it fair to have religious leaders living a life of luxury, while some of their followers suffer and go without food or shelter. Should some of this money go towards the aid of others who choose not to believe in the religious culture of their patrons?

Why do some people give money to their religious organization, even though they can barely survive. Are these people driven to contribute money because someone makes them feel guilty? Some of these people give money and time, even at the expense of their own family. It's just not fair, when I see people who are barely scraping by but give faithfully to an organization that promises them a better life after they die.

Your rewards for living a good life on Earth will be received after you die and are allowed to enter the kingdom of heaven. Does anyone have any proof of this? If you choose to base your life entirely on faith instead of seeking knowledge and wisdom, or even questioning your religious doctrine, you're not doing yourself any favors.

Money plays a big part in organized religion and honestly does a lot of good throughout the world. Christianity has had a large impact on the United States of America but only time will tell if it was a good thing or not.

If you have extra money and desire to give it to a religious organization of your choice, feel free, but if you're giving 10% of the money you've earned and really can't afford to, I wish you would take the time to research what your church actually spends it's money on. If your church is building another church in Mexico but you don't have enough money for food, clothes or other necessities, I would suggest that you let other people donate their extra money instead.

It might not be mentioned anywhere in your religion, but I'm sure your God or the ultimate Almighty power of the universe you believe in, does not want anyone to suffer or go without, because your religious organization chooses to make you feel guilty if you do not contribute a certain amount of money, for whatever reasons they can possibly come up with.

If everyone that believes in this interpretation has the keys to the kingdom of heaven, wouldn't Jesus be suggesting a life kind of like Mother Teresa but without any money. She wouldn't be allowed to ask any wealthy people for money, let alone use it if she acquired it somehow.

Have you ever ask yourself is there any Hope in Religion .

Would it be safe to a sound that by asking for money from a wealthy person would mean I would not be going to happen. Does it say anything in the Bible about using money from a wealthy person for great earthly deeds and you get to go to heaven but he does not. If this is starting to sound a little confusing, welcome to my world. There are very few people that follow organized religion, that even ask these questions, let alone seek the answers and find the truth and keeping an open mind to future information that possibly could change the old answer that they accepted as a truth but now realize, the possibility that the old information could be wrong.

If you were a religious leader and could not answer some of the major questions that you yourself had, would you continue living a life of confusion or seek relentlessly to find the answers until you are satisfied. Knowing that if you were satisfied with the answers to your questions and now your religious beliefs have changed considerably, would you retire or quit working with the religious organization you were involved with.

This is one of the biggest obstacles for most people that seem to get comfortable in their religious environments. If the interpretations of a you Bible verses are incorrect and can be proven, either scientifically or through translation errors, does this mean that there are more verses in the Bible that could be incorrect or misleading.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a video library filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Another Crappy Rule In The Bible

Chakra Meditation - Help For Chakra Visualizations

Chakra meditation can help you remove stress and anxiety while replacing them with positive energy. There are seven Chakras that can be opened while you meditate. These are useful elements in yoga, new age and Buddhist spirituality exercises.

What are Chakras?

Chakra meditation requires you to use chakras in order to meditate to your fullest potential. There are seven of these elements to consider as you develop a new way to relax and open your mind to your spirituality. Each of these elements has organs, emotions and colors that can be used for your visualization techniques.

Crown and Root

The crown is linked to the nervous system and the brain. This realm is important in connecting to your higher self. Your visualization color in this area is purple and the energy is targeted towards the top of the head. When you open the crown, you relieve yourself of isolated feelings and headaches.

The root connects your energy to stability and self-sufficiency. This charka needs to be in balance with your crown because it provides a link from the self to the material world.

The visualization color of the root is red and the visualization in your body involves the adrenal glands, spine and circulatory system. When you open the root, you relieve bodily aches and tiredness.

Solar Plexus and Umbilical

The solar plexus relates to your confidence and esteem. Chakra meditation in this realm visualizes the color yellow and it affects the liver, stomach, kidneys, spleen, gall bladder and diaphragm. When you open the solar plexus you improve confidence, make better decisions and abdominal conditions.

The umbilical connects to sexuality. The visualization color is orange and this realm is located at the belly button. This chakras involves hormonal and emotional balance. When you open this realm you address hormonal imbalances and extreme shifts of emotion.

Throat and Heart

Chakra meditation includes the throat image that involves self-expression and individual growth. When this realm is closed, so are you. You can overcome shyness by opening the throat in your visualization. The color of this element is sky blue and it involves the neck, thyroid and throat area of the body.

The heart is love with no conditions. The visualization color is green and it is located in the middle of the chest. Emotional elements include trust, empathy and tolerance. Closing the heart can cause problems in the heart, lungs and the upper part of the back.

Third Eye

The third eye in charka meditation involves your intuitive nature and creativity. Opening the third eye can enhance your ability to foresee events and it helps you take other perspectives. The visualization color is indigo and the third eye is positioned on your forehead. Closing the third eye can lead to infection and allergic reactions.

Opening your various elements takes considerable concentration and meditative fortitude. Chakra meditation can open the world to you if you open your elements to your self.

J. Seymour is a writer with Self Help Recordings. 'Chakra Meditation' is an excellent recording by Duncan McColl, based on his decades of experience in powerful and classical clinical therapy. To find out more, visit Chakra Meditation. A range of other self hypnosis products can be found here - Meditation Self Help. All of the recordings on Self Help Recordings are backed by an impressive sixty day guarantee, so to find out more simply click on the links.

Installing a 32 Inch Back Door

In some older houses you will find a 30 inch back door. Have you ever tried to move a refrigerator or some large furniture through a 30 inch door? Keep in mind most bedroom doors are 30 inches wide and are in 36 inch hallways. 30 inch doors and bedrooms make it tough to move some furniture in too.

Let's start with the price difference between a 30 inch door and a 32 inch door. The cost difference is usually going to be around $20. If you are building a hundred homes this could become quite an additional expense. So we can understand why the home builder installed a 30 inch door in the back of our home.

He got the extra money in his pocket, you got a headache.

Here's the big problem. If you ever want to install a larger door you will need to replace the structural door framing. Now this is where you could run into a little bit of an expense. Changing the framing for a wider door could become quite costly. It could actually cost over $1000 in some cases.

Now if the homebuilder would have originally installed a 32 inch door in your house it might have ran him as high as an additional $45. How can this be? I will give you the first clue. There is a good chance the homebuilder will not be moving into any of these houses. If for some strange instance he did move into the house, he would learn the same lesson whenever he needed to move a large item into the house.

I'm a contactor and learned this lesson in a long time ago.

If you are building a new home you might even want to consider installing a 36 inch back door. This door will give you plenty of room when it comes to moving large items in or out of your house. The cost difference between a 36 inch door and a 32 inch door is usually around $20 also.

When building a new home most people don't give very much thought about their interior or exterior doors. Here's a simple chart I made to help with some basic door decisions.

Bathroom Doors Should Be 28 Inches Wide Minimum.
Bedroom Doors Should Be 30 Inches Wide Minimum.
Front Doors Should Be At Least 36 Inches Wide
Back Doors and Garage Doors Should Be At Least 32 Inches Wide

If you are a professional football or basketball player don't use these numbers above.

If you have large sliding glass doors or French doors throughout your home and can use them to move large items into the house you can install whatever size doors you choose that are comfortable to walk through.

Give some thought when installing a new door on your next project and keep some of the above tips in mind..

If you are designing a home give some thought to the stairways and hallways in the home as well.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more Building and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes and Bay Window Ideas

Will All Men Ever Hate Jesus

Love Addiction, Approval Addiction

In my experience as a counselor for 40 years, I have found that love addiction and approval addiction are far more prevalent than any other substance or process addictions. We live in a love-addicted, approval-addicted society.

What does it mean to be love/approval addicted? Below is a checklist for you to see if you are addicted to love and/or approval. Believing any of these may indicate love or approval addiction.

I believe that:

* My happiness and wellbeing are depended upon getting love from another person.

* My adequacy, lovability, and feelings of self-worth and self-esteem come from others liking me and approving of me.

* Others disapproval or rejection mean that Im not good enough.

* I cant make myself happy.

* I cant make myself as happy as someone else can.

* My best feelings come from outside myself, from how other people or a particular other person sees me and treats me.

* Others are responsible for my feelings. Therefore, if someone cares about me, he or she will never do anything that hurts or upsets me.

* I cant be alone. I feel like Ill die if Im alone.

* When Im hurt or upset, its someone elses fault.

* Its up to other people to make me feel good about myself by approving of me.

* Im not responsible for my feelings. Other people make me feel happy, sad, angry, frustrated, shut down, or depressed. When Im angry, someone makes me feel that way and is responsible for fixing my feelings.

* Im not responsible for my behavior. Other people make me yell, act crazy, get sick, laugh, cry, get violent, leave, or fail.

* Others are selfish if they do what they want instead of what I want or need.

* If Im not connected to someone, I will die.

* I cant handle my pain, especially the pain of disapproval, rejection, abandonment, the pain of being shut out - the pain of isolation and loneliness.

Living as a love or approval addict is a very hard way to live. You have to constantly make sure you say the right thing, do the right, and look right in order to get the needed love and approval. Your feelings are on a roller coaster from feeling the wonderful feelings that come from getting your love or approval fix to feeling the despair that comes when your supply the source of your love and approval - shuts down, gets angry or judgmental, or goes away.

THE UNDERLYING CAUSE OF LOVE AND APPROVAL ADDICTION

Love and approval addiction is rooted in self-abandonment. Imagine the feeling part of you as a child your inner child. When you are love or approval addicted, you have handed your inner child away for adoption. Instead of learning to take responsibility for your own happiness by loving and approving of yourself, you have handed your inner child away to others for love and approval making others responsible for your feelings. This inner self-abandonment will always cause the deep pain of low self-worth, making you dependent upon others for your sense of worth.

The sad thing about all of this is that love is the most abundant thing in the universe. We live in a sea of love it is always within us and all around us. It is our Source. When you learn to open to Spirit/God/Source, you become filled with love, with peace, with joy. The empty place within that yearns to be filled becomes so filled with love that it overflows to others. You find yourself desiring to give love rather than always trying to get it.

As long as you make others your Source, you will not find the love, peace and joy that you seek. By learning and practicing the Inner Bonding process that we teach, you can learn to fill yourself with love and heal your love and approval addictions.

Margaret Paul, Ph.D. is the best-selling author and co-author of eight books, including "Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By You?" and Healing Your Aloneness. She is the co-creator of the powerful Inner Bonding healing process. Learn Inner Bonding now! Visit her web site for a FREE Inner Bonding course: http://www.innerbonding.com or email her at margaret@innerbonding.com. Phone sessions available.

What Does a GFI Do? - Electrical Problems

In your bathroom you should have a GFI electrical outlet. Most new homes or newly remodeled homes require you to have GFI electrical outlets in the kitchen. Most older kitchens do not have GFI electrical outlets. GFI stands for ground fault circuit interrupter.

Why not call it a GFCI instead of a GFI electrical outlet? Well it is called a GFCI in some instances. GFI is short and is the most common name used by most electricians and builders for this type of outlet.

GFI 's come in 15 amp and 20 amperage outlets. GFI outlets must be wired properly. Make sure you're using the proper wire size when hooking up the GFI outlet.

How do I know which size wire to use? This all depends on how far away you are running it from the electrical panel. There are charts you can use to figure this out. If you are not running the electrical wire more than 80 feet from the electrical panel you can use 12 gauge electrical wires for a 20 amp GFI. This is a general rule of thumb for most electrical house wiring.

If you're going to be using a 15 amp GFI and you are going to be less than 80 feet away from the electrical panel you can use 14 gauge electrical wires. Again this is just a general rule of thumb for most electrical house wiring.

A GFI is a light duty electrical plug used in bathrooms, kitchens and the exterior of your house. The sole purpose of the GFI is to shut the breaker off faster if there is any moisture or light load problems.

Let's say for instance you have your hair dryer plugged into the GFI outlet. The hair dryer somehow falls into the sink while it is on or plugged in. The GFI outlet will instantly shut off because of the sensitivity of the breaker inside of the plug it self.

The GFI plug has a test button and a reset button on it. If you are continually resetting the GFI you will wear it out eventually. I have had GFI plugs after resetting the button about 10 times break and no longer able to use them.

The GFI electrical plug is a great idea and if you don't have them in your bathroom or outside of your home it would be a great idea to have an electrician install them for you.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more Home Building Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

San Diego Termite Damage

When Do We Get To Meet God

The Origin of the Master Key System by Charles F Haanel

I received an email from a reader named Derek L. in which he wrote -

Thanks for your great posts/blog. It's refreshing to see someone telling the truth and not selling more snake oil.

I do have a question...

I'm intrigued by the lineage of thoughts relating to this subject. Since you have a lot of exposure to this material I'm wondering if you have any ideas about where Haanel got his original concepts?

I am often asked that question because there is a lot of mystery surrounding Haanel and his perennial work, The Master Key System. Was he a part of a Masonic conspiracy? Did he receive his knowledge through arcane means? Someone even theorized about some Russian wizard of sorts who shared his knowledge with Haanel.

The history is quite interesting, but more blase than some of the stories would lead you to believe. The Master Key System must be looked at within the context of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. The New Thought philosophy was in full swing with many books and magazines publishing the new beliefs for a seemingly ravenous audience. Based on Christian Science as espoused by Mary Baker Eddy, the Christian Scientists and many New Thought-ers held firmly to the belief about what Jesus Christ said about the powers available to each and every person.

Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. (John 14:11-13)

Thus, with enough faith and belief, one could perform miracles as Christ did. Even a cursory reading of The Master Key System would reveal to someone that this was something in which Haanel believed deeply. That being said, the monotheistic ideas that Haanel espouses is more than likely derived from his participation in Freemasonry - while the Masons do not define their God, their only prerequisite is a belief in one God. It is then through this God that miracles and extreme human potential can occur.

Before going further into this, it is worth pointing out that there were at least two other publications that emphasize the words "The Master Key" prior to the Twentieth Century. The actual phrase has been used since the 17th Century by the Freemasons and for a publication in the 18th century - Hiram, or the Master Key to the Door of Freemasonry, published in 1760. Another use of the phrase can be found in Madame Helena Blavatsky's famous (or should that be infamous) 600-page Isis Unveiled, with its sub-title A Master-Key to the Mysteries of Ancient and Modern Science and Theology, published in 1877. One shouldn't underestimate the popularity and influence of Blavatsky and those who followed her teachings - the Theosophists.

In the Twentieth Century, two authors released books with "Master Key" in the title. The first comes from L. Frank Baum, the author of The Wizard of Oz fame, and is an early science fiction novel. It was called The Master Key and subtitled An Electrical Fairy Tale. It told of the adventures Rob and the Demon of Electricity. This was published in 1901.

Another book came out at around the same time Haanel was working on his correspondence school. Its advertisement showed a book and a man reading a book inside an hour glass. The advertisement read:

The Master Key ~ Reveals Things You Never Thought Possible. The Hour Glass of Success. You Will Never get Another Book Like "The Master key".

It was written by L. W. de Laurence and published by The de Laurence Company of Chicago, Illinois, USA, in 1914. To quote a few lines from it will show obvious similarities with Haanel's The Master Key System.

"THE MASTER KEY is divided into Six parts: contains Thirty-seven full Chapters embracing Thirty-five Lessons of graduated difficulty covering Forty individual numbered Exercises in which the fundamental principles of Concentration and Mental Discipline are fully explained."

L. W. de Laurence, whose full name was Lauron William de Laurence, was an American author, publisher, and owner of a supply mail order house in Chicago. He has been accused of plagiarism and the illegal publication of various occult works. The number of publications by this man seems to be considerable.

De Laurence was active at the same time as Haanel and was in fact only two years younger than him. De Laurence, who was born in 1868 and died in 1936, had connections with AMORC. It is unclear whether there was any connection between the two authors.

This then brings us to the main influence of Charles F. Haanel's: the New Thought Movement.

When you read Haanel's The Master Key System, it isn't long before he starts to use terms that can be cross-referenced. To be fair to Haanel, many quotes he uses have nothing to do with the New Thought Movement. He was a man of his time and a well-read one. He used references from eminent people of the 19th Century and talks about the inventions of that time and the early years of the 20th Century. Other quotes come from the Bible but all are rather enigmatic and symbolic which could point to being influenced by New Thought writers, the Christian Scientists, the Freemasons, or the Rosicrucians. There are several hints of a possible knowledge of Hinduism, but it is unclear of Haanel's exact knowledge of that subject as references like Pranic Energy or Pranic Ether may be from the Rosicrucian teachings or possibly, and more likely, Theosophy.

There are several words and phrases that may be of interest:

  • "The Great Architect of the Universe"
  • "Secret Place of the Most High"
  • "Universal Mind"
  • the "I"
  • "The Law of Attraction"

The "Great Architect of the Universe" is a phrase often used to represent God or Supreme Being by Christians, Freemasons, and Rosicrucians. It may go back to the Middle Ages or beyond. Thomas Aquinas used a similar phrase but with "Grand" instead of "Great".

"Secret Place of the Most High" can be found in the Bible in Psalm 91:1 -

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

The "Universal Mind" would seem to come from Friedrich Von Schelling and was expanded on by Georg W. F. Hegel. Ralph Waldo Emerson also made use of this term.

The concept of the "I" also seems to have its origins in the works of early German philosophers. It would seem that "I" was the first principle of Johann Gottlieb Fichte's Wissenschaftslehre - "Doctrine of Science".

The phrase that is on the tip of the tongues of many today is "The Law of Attraction". Like the other terms used by Haanel, this was probably not of his own inventing. It seems to have come to light first in the works of William Walker Atkinson (1862 - 1932) and particularly in Thought Vibration or The Law of Attraction in the Thought World published by The New Thought Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, USA, 1906. Though the phrase itself is much older, its meaning became somewhat different with Atkinson and Haanel.

The Law of Attraction also appears in the syllabus of the S.R.I.A. - The Society of Rosicrucians. However, it is not known how old this syllabus is and it is likely that it is quite modern. The S.R.I.A. was formed in 1909 with the idea of teaching to the general public rather than Masons as with previous Rosicrucian groups. Some other aspects of the S.R.I.A. syllabus bears similarities to Haanel's works. However, it may be that both this syllabus and Haanel's ideas are from an older source - or a just coincidence. It is unknown which came first.

Ultimately it may be possible to trace the idea of the Law of Attraction back to certain phrases that were put into the mouth of Jesus Christ in the New Testament of the Bible.

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8, King James Version)

Another book that cannot be ignored was published in 1908 and was called The Kybalion: Hermetic Philosophy by Three Initiates and published by The Yogi Publication Society, Masonic Temple, Chicago, Illinois, USA. It cannot be ignored that this book may have played a part in the development of Haanel's The Master Key System. It certainly wasn't a collection of lessons and exercises, but the wording throughout this book is remarkably similar to Hannel's publications. At one point the phrase "Mental Chemistry" is used. And though there is nothing in the title remotely similar to Haanel's work, the phrase "Master Key" is used in the Introduction and several times in the body of the book. The Kybalion also delves into the power of thought.

...(T)he Hermetic Philosophy is the only Master-Key which will open all the doors of Occult teachings.... One of the old Hermetic Masters wrote, long ages ago: 'He who grasps the truth of the Mental Nature of the Universe is well advanced on the Path to mastery.' These words are as true today as at the time first written. Without this Master-Key, Mastery is impossible, and the student knocks in vain at the many doors of the Temple.... The Principles of Truth are Seven; he who knows these, understandingly, possesses the Magic Key before whose touch all the Doors of the Temple fly open.

It is believed that The Kybalion is not some ancient document but was written by William W. Atkinson and the other "Initiates" have been guessed at as Paul Foster Houses and Mabel Collins. Atkinson was certainly active in the years leading up to the publication of The Master Key System and it is hard to believe that Haanel would not have known of either the man or his works. Master Key Arcana includes short pieces from the writings of several members of the New Thought Movement, including William W. Atkinson, James Allen, Florence Scovel Shinn, Henry Drummond and Phineas P. Quimby.

Whether Haanel was influenced by Atkinson, or any other members of this Movement, though, is another thing all together and it is difficult to be sure what his sources were.

Much of Haanel's life is a mystery. Not many records were kept or preserved and the lack of many living descendants who knew him add to us not knowing much about him. C. W. Evans-Gunther researched and examined Haanel's life as much as possible. His thorough biography can be found at www.haanel.com.

Researching Haanel's influences and their play on his works is somewhat easier. As was noted at the beginning of this article, when the times in which Haanel lived are examined, you can see the influences and how Haanel used those influences to shape his thoughts and his works.

In the time period in which Haanel lived, the self-help/personal development movement (although not called by those terms) was quite large and actually very similar to today's scene. As the saying goes, the times may have changed but things remain the same. By some counts, Haanel was a somewhat important player, although he never had the infamy of Blavatsky or a few others of the time.

It was all of these elements (at least) that came together in Haanel's mind to form one of the greatest books about personal development.

[Please note: This article was researched by C.W. Evans-Gunther. He is also responsible for writing the majority of it. Additional information was added by me. I am also responsible for additional editing and any mistakes that one might find. More information can be found at www.haanel.com.]

Anthony R. Michalski/Master Key Coaching

http://www.masterkeycoaching.com

Finding Homes Using the Internet - Home Shopping

You can simply type the words real estate or homebuying into any search engine on the World Wide Web and you will come up with hundreds, maybe even thousands of websites that are extremely helpful and full of great information. Like the one you're on right now.

Finding homes with the internet, combined with a skilled real estate salesperson, provides you with the most effective technology available today. Most websites start out, having you select a state you would like to search in and then, select a city, with your price range.

By answering their questions, this narrows the search down to all of the homes available in the area. The internet has made home shopping very simple. Considering what you had to go through in the 1970s. You found a realtor or by looking in the yellow pages, sometimes you found a good realtor and if you are lucky, maybe you would find you a good home.

Most of the time, the first homes you would look at, were owned by the real estate professional you were working with.

There are however a couple of problems with using the internet to find your dream home. Some of the verbage used and photographs taken can create a wonderful illusion of a tropical paradise but the reality, it's a regular home in a decent neighborhood.

Some of these photos are taken by skilled photographers who take advantage of every angle and tend to give an illusion of grander. When you actually start driving around and looking at these homes, only then will you get a reality check, of what the home actually looks like. You'll get used to it.

After you've looked at a few of your future dream homes, you will get a better idea of what I'm talking about with these wonderful pictures and the extraordinary home descriptions like "Beautiful Three Bedroom House with an Ocean View." When reality it's a two-bedroom house with an extra closet for the third bedroom and the ocean is 45 miles away, but you can see it on a clear day if you actually climb to the top of the largest tree on the property.

Take your time when searching for your dream home and don't let any one push you into making a decision if you're not ready. If you find your real estate professional a little too aggressive or pushy, get out of your contract, if you've signed one and find another, more helpful real estate salesperson to help you with your home purchase.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a home buyers guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Find other real estate tips and great advice, from another one of the Internet's best website creators.

Another Crappy Rule In The Bible

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Weight Loss Motivation - The 7 Pillars of Self-Belief

It is not hard to understand why so many of us find it hard to believe that we are special, unique and very much loved. In a culture where there are little or no positive affirmations for people with weight and size issues it can be hard to muster the self-belief we need to lose weight permanently.

In fact, our whole lives may have revolved around the absorption of messages that we are 'Not Good Enough', so much so that self-belief can be completely smothered. These are the messages that destroy the motivation of self-belief - you are not 'good enough' if...

You are over a certain weight or size;

Not on a diet and losing weight;

You regularly eat food consider a 'sin' or 'bad'

The great thing is that we can turn this around and see our motivation for permanent weight loss soar, though the development of our own motivational self-belief. All it takes is an understanding and actions to live by the 7 Pillars of Self-Belief...

1. Stop believing that you're 'Not Good Enough'. The fact is you generate and hold on to your own negative beliefs, so the great news is you can also turn them around!

2. Accept 'What is' i.e., "I am overweight" and add a codicil "And I am gradually discovering the weight I was born to be" The more you fight 'What is' the more your stress rises and your comfort eating increases.

3. Start identifying your negative beliefs and replace them with positive ones i.e., "I am fat and ugly" can be replaced with "I am a wonderful and lovable person." You don't have to fully believe it at first. Just keep telling yourself the positive.

4. Start noticing the positive messages that come your way that tell you how good other people think you are. Start believing them!

5. Look into your eyes, in a mirror, at least once a day and tell yourself how beautiful you are. Even if you don't believe it to begin with, you will see the truth in it eventually.

6. Visualise yourself as a slim trim you. Make it picture clear in your mind and focus on it several times a day.

7. Tell yourself, on waking and before you go to sleep, just how wonderful you are and how much you are loved by yourself and others. Believe that you deserve all this love and more. Feel its glow and the happiness it makes you feel inside.

The more you work on your self-belief, through loving thoughts and actions, the more your motivation rises. By taking the focus off food and onto self- love, the remarkable happens - you stop your struggle with food and fear and begin a love affair with yourself and life.

Chrissie Webber is a published author and weight management motivation coach. Through her online company http://www.lifeshapers.co.uk/ she offers support, motivation and re-parenting to the 95% - 97% of dieters who are still struggling to find the weight they were born to be. Her web site and blog http://www.chrissiewebber.co.uk/ offer motivation 'Keys' that help children, parents and adults discover a life without guilt, shame and self-loathing. To learn/relearn the skills of 'Conscious Eating' and how to live in harmony with food and nature become an online member today: http://www.lifeshapers.co.uk/

Finding Homes Using the Internet - Home Shopping

You can simply type the words real estate or homebuying into any search engine on the World Wide Web and you will come up with hundreds, maybe even thousands of websites that are extremely helpful and full of great information. Like the one you're on right now.

Finding homes with the internet, combined with a skilled real estate salesperson, provides you with the most effective technology available today. Most websites start out, having you select a state you would like to search in and then, select a city, with your price range.

By answering their questions, this narrows the search down to all of the homes available in the area. The internet has made home shopping very simple. Considering what you had to go through in the 1970s. You found a realtor or by looking in the yellow pages, sometimes you found a good realtor and if you are lucky, maybe you would find you a good home.

Most of the time, the first homes you would look at, were owned by the real estate professional you were working with.

There are however a couple of problems with using the internet to find your dream home. Some of the verbage used and photographs taken can create a wonderful illusion of a tropical paradise but the reality, it's a regular home in a decent neighborhood.

Some of these photos are taken by skilled photographers who take advantage of every angle and tend to give an illusion of grander. When you actually start driving around and looking at these homes, only then will you get a reality check, of what the home actually looks like. You'll get used to it.

After you've looked at a few of your future dream homes, you will get a better idea of what I'm talking about with these wonderful pictures and the extraordinary home descriptions like "Beautiful Three Bedroom House with an Ocean View." When reality it's a two-bedroom house with an extra closet for the third bedroom and the ocean is 45 miles away, but you can see it on a clear day if you actually climb to the top of the largest tree on the property.

Take your time when searching for your dream home and don't let any one push you into making a decision if you're not ready. If you find your real estate professional a little too aggressive or pushy, get out of your contract, if you've signed one and find another, more helpful real estate salesperson to help you with your home purchase.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a home buyers guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Find other real estate tips and great advice, from another one of the Internet's best website creators.

What Happens To Nonbelieving

How to Permanently Release the Pain of Disappointment and Rejection From Your Past

Old hurts associated with memories of past disappointments have many negative consequences on a person's life. In short they severely constrict the potential of that individual ever achieving a state of joy and fulfillment.

When one experiences a disappointing or hurtful event, be it in one's relational, work or financial life, the memory of that event gets stored in that person's mind/body, i.e. their unconscious mind, along with the associated feelings of emotional pain. These memories, if you reflect on any of them, serve to continually deplete your Life Force Energy. What is the consequence of that to you?

Well for one it is killing you! After all when one's Life Force Energy is completely drained from their Physical Body are they not therefore technically dead?

While you are still alive however, and you have such memories inside you, they "are" killing you and this is associated with many of the following experiences:

Feeling unmotivated to be in life, weak, vulnerable, sad, anxious, depressed, ill, lacking self confidence, lacking self esteem, lacking self worth, unable to trust one's self or others, like hiding or running away from life and so on. All of this equates to you being in a depleted Life Force Energy state.

You see all of one's strength, confidence, self esteem, self worth, resilience, health, courage, happiness, joy, and love for life and so on are inherent qualities of your Life Force Energy. Hence if you are being depleted of it by negative disappointing memories that you carry inside you then you are in a compromised or handicapped state. How does it feel like to "live" (that's a joke) in such a state?

Nick Arrizza MD, a former Psychiatrist and Medical Doctor is an International Life, Executive, Organizational Tele-Coach, Author, Keynote Speaker, Trainer and Facilitator who lives in Toronto, Canada. He is also on Faculty at Akamai University in Hawaii. He is the CEO and Founder of Arrizza Performance Coaching Inc. and the developer of the powerful Mind Resonance Process (MRP).

A 1 hour free introductory MRP telephone consultation is available upon request by visiting my web site or emailing me at the address below. (You will be asked to cover your own long distance telephone charges)

Email: drnick@telecoaching4u.com

Finding Homes Using the Internet - Home Shopping

You can simply type the words real estate or homebuying into any search engine on the World Wide Web and you will come up with hundreds, maybe even thousands of websites that are extremely helpful and full of great information. Like the one you're on right now.

Finding homes with the internet, combined with a skilled real estate salesperson, provides you with the most effective technology available today. Most websites start out, having you select a state you would like to search in and then, select a city, with your price range.

By answering their questions, this narrows the search down to all of the homes available in the area. The internet has made home shopping very simple. Considering what you had to go through in the 1970s. You found a realtor or by looking in the yellow pages, sometimes you found a good realtor and if you are lucky, maybe you would find you a good home.

Most of the time, the first homes you would look at, were owned by the real estate professional you were working with.

There are however a couple of problems with using the internet to find your dream home. Some of the verbage used and photographs taken can create a wonderful illusion of a tropical paradise but the reality, it's a regular home in a decent neighborhood.

Some of these photos are taken by skilled photographers who take advantage of every angle and tend to give an illusion of grander. When you actually start driving around and looking at these homes, only then will you get a reality check, of what the home actually looks like. You'll get used to it.

After you've looked at a few of your future dream homes, you will get a better idea of what I'm talking about with these wonderful pictures and the extraordinary home descriptions like "Beautiful Three Bedroom House with an Ocean View." When reality it's a two-bedroom house with an extra closet for the third bedroom and the ocean is 45 miles away, but you can see it on a clear day if you actually climb to the top of the largest tree on the property.

Take your time when searching for your dream home and don't let any one push you into making a decision if you're not ready. If you find your real estate professional a little too aggressive or pushy, get out of your contract, if you've signed one and find another, more helpful real estate salesperson to help you with your home purchase.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a home buyers guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Find other real estate tips and great advice, from another one of the Internet's best website creators.

Another Crappy Rule In The Bible

The Truth About Gossip

Connecting with others is one of the most rewarding things about college. The times sitting around the dorm rooms swapping stories are some of the most memorable times for me.

As any woman knows, the gift of gab is KEY to your success if you want to survive dorm life. The chat sessions that we held in the dorm at all hours in the morning were some of the most fun and interesting times in college. We would order pizza and pig out while talking about who had lost or gained weight, and all of the interesting things that had gone on in our life, like our past romances or who we were dating at the time, or what good looking guy was our next ambition. But, often, when one of the regulars werent there, wed start gabbing about them, and what awful thing they had done this week. Since I was usually there during the sessions, it never occurred to me that I would be the subject of such talk. It just never crossed my mind. After all, I was so well liked, or so I thought!

After a run one day I came out of the shower to hear my name mentioned by one of my suite mates. To my horror, it wasn't just my suite mates, but my roommate and a whole room full of girls from the hall. As I stood in the bathroom listening to the talk and laughter in the room next to me, I quietly steamed. I heard about how often my boyfriend would let the phone ring 1000 times, how messy I was, how I was too loud and so on and so on. I couldnt believe that these were the same girls with whom I had confided my entire existence. I was in SHOCK that I was the subject of so many peoples disgust! They had been so nice to me in person, and now this?

I had no other choice than to confront them, head on. So, with my towel around my hair, and one around my dripping wet body, I quietly walked in the room during their lets talk about Mary gossip hour. The gasps of horror filled the room and now it was THEIR time to be shocked. And rather than yell and scream, I simply said: You know, Im really sorry that I have offended all of you like I have. And it is hard to believe that I had to sit here and hear all of the things that I have done wrong. But do you all realize that yesterday, Anne, you were talking about Kathryn? And Kathryn, the other day, you were talking bad about Lynn? And Lynn, you were dissing Elaine? And Elaine you were in disgust with Liz? So cant you see, all of us are sitting here right now, talking bad about ME, because Im the one that wasnt the room? But, if one of you left, that YOUR name would quickly be smeared all over the place? Is this how we want to be? Is this how we want to treat one another?

No one said a thing, but the words lingered stiffly in the air as everyone looked uncomfortably around the room. I quietly left as everyone was left with their own embarrassment of being exposed.

After that, things changed for me. Any time a gossip session started creeping up into the conversation, I remembered the time when I had been talked about so horribly. I remembered how bad I felt finding out that my friends were really disgusted with me and rather than tell me to my face, they opted to talk to others about it. I learned that I would always find people who were different from me, and it didnt matter that I understood what they did or not, that they were entitled to think and to act like they wanted to. I learned that even with our best friends, that we would sometimes disagree. I learned how important that loyalty was and what a great quality it was to develop. I learned that others would respect an individual who chose NOT to gossip and chose to stand apart from the people who do. And I learned, that I wanted to be that kind of person.

That day of gossip changed my life. I cant say that Im perfect now, but I do try to remember those lessons that I learned that day. I realize that I cant change or control anyone else, but I am in control of how I conduct myself. I also now have living proof that the words my mom told me so long ago were ones that I would want to live by: if you cant say anything nice, then dont say anything at all.

Mary Gardner, The Charisma Coach! is an Executive Communications Consultant and Trainer. She works with, coaches and trains individuals, sales teams, executives, and celebrities. She owned and operated one of the first coaching institutions on the east coast, CCI, in NYC, Philly and NJ. Mary has appeared on ABCs 20/20 and has self published a book on public speaking. Mary is married to Sway and is mommy to Jeremy 5, and lives in Orlando, FL.

Contact: http://www.marygardner.com

Home Improvement Tip - Fixing a Squeaky Floor

Question: I have a floor that every single time I step on it I get the most annoying sound. I don't know what it does to me or why it bothers me so much. My kitchen floor squeaks and actually moves up and down if you are standing on it. The whole floor moves. How do I stop it from moving and squeaking. Help Me Greg!

Answer: It sounds like you have a broken floor joist. You are going to have to go under your house. If you have a basement this will be a little easier to fix. It is my guess that you don't have a basement or you would have seen the broken floor joist by now.

Have someone stand on the floor in the spot that squeaks and have them move up and down while you are under the house. Don't have them jump up and down while you are under the house. This could cause more damage to the structural framing of the floor. Once you are in the right position under the floor you can have them start moving slowly. What you are looking for is one of the floor joist that are moving.

If you see one of them moving. Look to see where the damage is. Is it a split, crack, wood rot or a big knot in the wood that has loosened up and fell out. Once you find the damaged floor joist you can now think about repairing it.

If you don't see any floor joist moving. Have the person on top start moving a little bit more and you can even have them jump on it a few times until you see something out of place. If you still don't see any broken floor joist. Start looking at the sub-floor, this will be plywood of some form, 1 x 6 or 2 x 6 materials.

What you are looking for is movement of any kind. Is there a separation or movement between the sub-floor and the floor joist. If you still can't find the problem maybe it is time to call in a professional.

The main thing you are going to be looking for is movement of any kind.

Most squeaky floors are caused from the sub-floor rubbing up and down on a nail. If you have carpeting and you have a squeaky floor you can do your best to locate a floor joist and screw right through your carpeting into the floor joist.

For more help on fixing squeaky floors visit http://gregvan.com/wood_repair.htm

Thanks for the great question. I hope it helps.

Greg Vanden Berge has been in the home building and remodeling business for over 30 years. With this knowledge he has created a few websites that provide useful information for home owners as well as contractors. His main goal is to educate professionals in the home related businesses, dealing with problems that can easily be avoided with just a little bit of information.

His website http://gregvan.com provides all kinds of answers to remodeling and new house building issues that could create major damage as well as possible damage to your pocket book.

Visit us now for Home Improvement Tips

If I Hate My Brother

Saturday, September 5, 2009

The Most Asked Question in the Universe

I am sure that you have heard it said absolutely too many times: If you want to create the life of your dreams, you have to believe to receive!

Is it really all about having FAITH? Is it really about positive thinking? Is it really that simple?

For a very long time, I felt I was doing all the things I was supposed to be doing to create the marvelous life that I envisioned.

  • I had positive thoughts.
  • I created vision boards.
  • I mediated and prayed.

I truly believed in my heart that my life would be as beautiful and as bountiful as my dreams. I had tremendous faith, but despite all the input, there was no output ... Well, at least not my desired positive output. In fact, my life seemed to get worse.

I started to ponder some serious questions:


  • Was all of my work to create the life of my dreams done in vain?

  • Can we really create our own reality?

  • Is all of this "Law of Attraction" stuff a hoax?


I am sure many of you can relate to this feeling. The most asked question in the Universe seems to be:

"What am I doing wrong?" I pondered this question for awhile.

I learned a very important lesson in my journey to bliss:

No matter how accomplished a pianist, and no matter how perfectly the piano keys are struck, if the piano is out of tune, the results CAN NOT be magnificent ... The instrument used to express the genius must be in tune!

What does all of this mean?

You may have brilliantly created a marvelous life in your mind. You may have unwavering faith that it will manifest for you one day. You may even believe you have done all the perfect things to manifest this masterpiece, but if your body, mind and soul (the instruments used to create and to experience the life of your dreams) is out of balance, your magnificence CAN NOT be expressed.

Many of us have gone for years (or maybe even decades) living lives that were definitely not the lives we would have created purposefully. Nevertheless, our life thus far is what we created, good or bad.

Why?

Because of the state of our mind, body and soul during the creation process!

  • Many have bad memories they are holding onto which keeps them from creating the life of their dreams.
  • Many have unhealthy and unenergetic bodies which inhibit them from completing the tasks necessary to create the life of their dreams.
  • Many spend their lives doing things they deem necessary instead of things they love which leaves their souls hungry.

With all of this, many people just can't seem to figure out why their life is not exactly the way they dreamed it would be.

Hmmm!

I raise my hand very high and admit to once being a member of this popular club!

The most important lesson I learned from my experience from rising from below sea level to extreme heights (from drowning to soaring) is that before I start working on my masterpiece , I have to make sure my instruments are in tune! When my body, mind and soul are in balance, my expression is perfection.

Balance is essential.

Choose to energize your mind, body and soul with the positives! YOUR LIFE really can be as beautiful and as bountiful as YOU create it to be! Self Empowerment is the Key!

Karen E. Smith is the author of Energy Diet, a self empowerment eBook. She is also a book reviewer for AnimatedBookReviews.com, a book review web site featuring reviews of empowerment books that motivate, inspire and educate.

Please visit The Energy Diet Book Web site to learn how you can empower your life:

http://www.energydietbook.com

AND

Please visit The Animated Book Reviews web site for some empowering books:
http://www.animatedbookreviews.com

Is Money a Big Part of Organized Religion?

Where do you think most modern day religious organizations would be without money? Is money really a big part of modern day organized religion or is that something in the past. Why do certain scriptures require their believers to donate a portion of their earnings?

Does this money improve the lives of religious believers? I'm asking these questions because most people won't. Most people don't even no where the money they earn is going. If you donate money to a religious organization and they choose to hire someone to install stained glass windows throughout the sanctuary, is this really going to help the congregation. Is this a want or a need?

When does a religious group become too powerful for its own good. Do you think the Catholic religion, which at the time of me writing this article, is the largest organized religion in the world, by itself, is very powerful or driven by finances. This organization has seeked wealth and power for centuries, creating an establishment that has its hands in everything all over the world.

Is it fair to have religious leaders living a life of luxury, while some of their followers suffer and go without food or shelter. Should some of this money go towards the aid of others who choose not to believe in the religious culture of their patrons?

Why do some people give money to their religious organization, even though they can barely survive. Are these people driven to contribute money because someone makes them feel guilty? Some of these people give money and time, even at the expense of their own family. It's just not fair, when I see people who are barely scraping by but give faithfully to an organization that promises them a better life after they die.

Your rewards for living a good life on Earth will be received after you die and are allowed to enter the kingdom of heaven. Does anyone have any proof of this? If you choose to base your life entirely on faith instead of seeking knowledge and wisdom, or even questioning your religious doctrine, you're not doing yourself any favors.

Money plays a big part in organized religion and honestly does a lot of good throughout the world. Christianity has had a large impact on the United States of America but only time will tell if it was a good thing or not.

If you have extra money and desire to give it to a religious organization of your choice, feel free, but if you're giving 10% of the money you've earned and really can't afford to, I wish you would take the time to research what your church actually spends it's money on. If your church is building another church in Mexico but you don't have enough money for food, clothes or other necessities, I would suggest that you let other people donate their extra money instead.

It might not be mentioned anywhere in your religion, but I'm sure your God or the ultimate Almighty power of the universe you believe in, does not want anyone to suffer or go without, because your religious organization chooses to make you feel guilty if you do not contribute a certain amount of money, for whatever reasons they can possibly come up with.

If everyone that believes in this interpretation has the keys to the kingdom of heaven, wouldn't Jesus be suggesting a life kind of like Mother Teresa but without any money. She wouldn't be allowed to ask any wealthy people for money, let alone use it if she acquired it somehow.

Have you ever ask yourself is there any Hope in Religion .

Would it be safe to a sound that by asking for money from a wealthy person would mean I would not be going to happen. Does it say anything in the Bible about using money from a wealthy person for great earthly deeds and you get to go to heaven but he does not. If this is starting to sound a little confusing, welcome to my world. There are very few people that follow organized religion, that even ask these questions, let alone seek the answers and find the truth and keeping an open mind to future information that possibly could change the old answer that they accepted as a truth but now realize, the possibility that the old information could be wrong.

If you were a religious leader and could not answer some of the major questions that you yourself had, would you continue living a life of confusion or seek relentlessly to find the answers until you are satisfied. Knowing that if you were satisfied with the answers to your questions and now your religious beliefs have changed considerably, would you retire or quit working with the religious organization you were involved with.

This is one of the biggest obstacles for most people that seem to get comfortable in their religious environments. If the interpretations of a you Bible verses are incorrect and can be proven, either scientifically or through translation errors, does this mean that there are more verses in the Bible that could be incorrect or misleading.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a video library filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Another Crappy Rule In The Bible