Symbol of Brotherhood

Masonic jewelry is worn as a sign of membership of the brotherhood or passed down as family heirlooms. Here is a guide to this unique and interesting tradition.

The Brotherhood

The Freemasons have the longest history of any organization in the world. The first Grand Lodge was formed in 1717 in London, but there was loose organization and use of terms and symbols centuries before that. Stonemasons were the founding fathers.

Today, it is not necessary to be an actual mason to be a member as the principles of the brotherhood are self-improvement, social works and self-awareness. They were behind the creation of public schools in Europe and America.

In the late 19th century and early 20th century, they also took it upon themselves to make sure orphans, the elderly and widows were taken care of when the system provided no protection for them. There are a lot of conspiracy theories, movies and books surrounding the mystery of the Masons, but there is no real secret to this philanthropic and educated organization.

Types of jewelry

To designate membership in a Masonic lodge, there are a variety of Masonic jewelry pieces that a member can wear. The traditional piece is the signet ring, but there are other options as well. For the man who already owns a Lodge ring, other gift options are cuff links, tie pins, pocket watches and even pendants. These can all bear the same the emblems as the rings.

The Symbols

Symbols in freemasonry are important and they designate the degree of the member, the lodge and what the member wants to say about his membership. The most common symbols are the square and compass which represent the cornerstone of freemasonry.

In the center of these tools is the letter "G", which stands for geometry, a principle of freemasonry, and for God, the original builder. Some other tools of the trade found in Masonic jewelry are the trowel, the plumb level and columns. There are many other symbols to choose from when designing different pieces.

Proper wear

Only members should wear membership jewelry, but there are cases where antique Masonic jewelry is passed down as family heirlooms. As far as how to wear the rings, there are no rules on the proper way. Some men like to wear the emblems facing them but others like to wear them facing out for others to see. Married men typically wear their rings on the right hand ring finger. Some men choose to wear their ring on the pinkie finger. So, really it is all about personal preference and comfort on how to wear the pieces.

How to clean it

In gold or silver, Masonic jewelry can be very simple or quite ornate. The more intricate the design, the dirtier it can get. Gold pieces can be soaked in warm soapy water and scrubbed with a soft brush. If there are enameled or synthetic colored parts, don't soak the piece, but gently scrub with a soft soapy brush. Regularly polish with a soft cloth. For sterling silver pieces, only use cleaners designed for silver cleaning. These products come in wipes, cloths and creams.

There are millions of freemasons across the world and a gift of men's Masonic jewelry is a great way to recognize his contribution to society and to honor his pride and dedication to his brotherhood.

Men's Masonic jewelry can make a great gift and is a way to show your appreciation for a member of the brotherhood. Browse through a beautiful collection of Masonic pieces in solid gold when you visit http://www.gemaffair.com

Christianity Saved Me

I would like you to think about something for a minute, have you ever met somebody who has been saved in a Christian church. There's a good chance you know quite a few people if you live in the United States of America. Over the years I've heard people tell me, "I've Been Saved," it can be a new beginning for some or lead to a life of frustration and pain for others.

If you don't know what being saved is, or have never heard of it, let me give you a brief description of a saved Christian. This would be someone who accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior, it's not that difficult and you really don't have to go to church, this ritual can be performed anywhere.

If you're reading this article and would like to be saved, here's how you do it. Get up out of your chair, run outside the building you're in and start running up and down the streets yelling, I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, 1111 times. Be careful because if you missed this by one number, in either direction, you have to start all over again.

Okay I'm just kidding about the running out of the house, and yelling at the top of your lungs, oh yeah and the 1111 times. Anyway the truth about being saved according to the Christian church, is quite simply saying the words to your self or out loud, "I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior."

That's it, it's really quite simple and your saved.

The problem becomes a little bit later in your life and this could be within a few days or even a few hours, if most people don't see a drastic change in their life, they quit their newly founded Christian religion and go back to their old ways.

I hope you have a pretty good understanding about being saved in the Christian religion and you can do it anytime of the day, at any period of your life. If you're going to die and you been a liar, committed adultery, murdered or raped another person, lived a life of crime, ruined the lives of others or even been part of another religion you're whole life, simply state the words "I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior," and you're instantly a Christian. That's a pretty good deal for anyone.

Oh yeah I forgot to tell you, this simple statement gives you a one way ticket to heaven and spend eternity in one of the grandest most beautiful places you could ever possibly imagine, even though you might not have been, what most people would consider a decent person. Now this is looking pretty good isn't it.

Being saved can provide you with a lot of benefits if you're a believer but I forgot to tell you one very important thing about this whole process. There is no hard evidence and most Christians will tell you that they base their whole life on faith and a book written by a man but inspired by, one unbelievable, supernatural and incredible entity.

I've seen a lot of people live their lives tormented from the decisions they've made throughout their lives. If you choose to believe in Christianity, I would suggest you spend some of your time reading the Bible but most of your time gathering information about other religions also. Don't take someone else's word, that this is the way to eternal salvation. I beg you to at least, find out where the Bible really came from, always question your religion.

Education has freed me, to pursue other ideas and release me from the bondage and fear of organized religion.

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. Check out one of his recommended books, The Four Agreements

Career Goal Setting Tips

You are ready to start your first career or embark on a new one. You haven't really decided what exactly you want to do but you know that it has to be something fulfilling. One of the most important things you can do for your self is to sit down and do some career goal setting.

You are the person who knows better than anyone else about your career goals and it is time to decide what you want for certain.

If you aren't sure what you want to do there are a number of ways for you to find out this information. Here are 7 career goal setting tips to help:

1.Write down everything you like to do -- although most people may find this tedious and wonder what it has to do with career goals, it is one of the most important steps you will take. By writing down what you like and what you don't like you will have a list of traits that would work for you in a job.

2.Take a career test -- many companies have you take a personality profile of some type and it is a good idea. If your company doesn't offer it, you can find several online. It is important to get a test of your personality that also gives you a list of careers that match that personality type.

3.Do research -- do a bit of research on the careers and see which ones match your list of things you like to do. You may find that here are careers you never thought of before that you may be happy doing.

4.Continue personal development -- since the world is constantly changing, start reading in the fields that interest you. Find out the new innovations. You can gain a lot of knowledge by reading or listening to audiotapes on a variety of subjects. Many you can borrow from your public library.

5.Develop a networking plan - there are people within and without a company that can be instrumental in helping you with your career plans. If you aren't sure how to talk to people, start by just talking to them about who they are and what they do. This will lead to other conversations.

6.Find a mentor in the field -- when you are currently in a field you like or you have chosen a couple, it's a good idea to find a mentor in the field who has been their longer. They can give you career goal setting tips that will help you move forward.

7.Think large and small -- what types of things can you do to pursue your goals right now? If you have to go to school or find a job in the field, you may be able to do smaller things that will lead to the larger goal.

Career goal setting tips are helpful as you pursue the job of your choice. Make the best out of this time.

Sharon Alexander - Claim That Job
For more information on how to manage your career successfully, and to get a free job hunting report, visit Claim That Job at http://www.claimthatjob.com

Trust Matters Now More Than Ever

Given the state of the world political stage and the perception that highly important business people are often crooks, it's easy to make the assumption that simple things like integrity and ethics are nice to have but not essential to everyday life. Actually, nothing could be further from the truth - and truth still matters as much, if not more, than it ever has. In fact, it's crucial to building and maintaining trust which, in turn, is perhaps one of the most underrated business tools at our disposal.

Stephen Covey, son of the driving force behind the Habits of Highly Effective People books, is convinced that we are in the middle of a trust paradox. The lower our current levels of trust become, the more we see its importance. No where is this more apparent than in the business world where we can actually measure the results on both sides of the trust equation.

The old adage that says time is money perfectly applies when we look at our present situation vis--vis trust. We see how expensive and time consuming most business has become. Consider how much longer it takes to fly from one destination to another since we've lost trust in the ability of the airlines to protect us. Think too about how financial negotiations have gotten bogged down where we've become suspicious that the people we're bargaining with are untrustworthy.

Conversely, we see how things move ahead when the opposite is true. With trust the speed of doing business changes exponentially. For example, when someone well respected -- like Warren Buffet -- is in the room, the level of confidence rises dramatically, the process of negotiating a deal is streamlined and significantly less time is spent creating transparency and building a slew of safeguards to insure that no one is taking advantage of the other.

Furthermore, once we come to see how indispensable a business variable trust can be, we want it for ourselves as well for others. The important thing is to understand that being trustworthy is a learnable skill that requires the adoption of positive habits that can be practiced on a regular basis.

As Stephen Covey has pointed out, there are several key aspects to this process of garnering trust. In addition to being honest and ethical, we need to be competent, to show up when we say we will and do what we've promised to do. By combining strength of character with such competence we can begin to reap the benefits that come with being trustworthy.

Check out Raymond Aaron's Wealth Creator Source...access over 90 powerful interviews with business experts and thought leaders (like Stephen Covey) from across the globe...go to http://www.WealthCreatorSource.com

Well-known international speaker Raymond Aaron is author of seven books and a New York Times bestselling author of "Chicken Soup for the Parents Soul" His latest book, hot off the press, is "Double Your Income Doing What You Love".

6 Step Guide to R-E-A-L Change

More than three weeks into 2009 you have ambitiously begun to tackle resolutions to bring forward in your life changes to enhance your quality of living, health, relationships, and many other areas. Unfortunately, at this point you might also be feeling the beginnings of your resistance to sticking to your resolutions and asking yourself why discipline and will power seems to elude you. Research and surveys indicate that there is a 75% failure rate in first attempts at resolutions. Personally, I don't make resolutions. I, also encourage others not to. Resolutions often set people up for failure. This article outlines a guide for R.E.A.L. (realistic, empowering, aligned, likely) Change that will more effectively support you in achieving your desired goals

My personal experience and experience working with others has consistently shown that there is a failure to accept that creating change does not happen overnight. Rather, change is a process with many components that includes resistance. The best way to manage resistance is to accept that it may very well be inevitable, and plan for it.

In George Leonard's book Mastery, he brilliantly defines homeostasis, specifically, in regards to human beings and the change process. The dictionary defines homeostasis as the tendency for a system (particularly of higher animals) to maintain stability and a state of psychological equilibrium obtained when tension or a drive has been reduced or eliminated. What does this have to do with your new year's resolutions? A lot! What this means is that your physical and psychological system fights to maintain what it perceives as normal or balanced; hence, comfortable. However, in order to really change and grow you have to move beyond your comfort zone. And yes, sometimes moving beyond your comfort zone to create desired change includes sweat and tears.

There are times when I walk into the gym and there is a loud voice in my head yelling, "Oh God, do we have to workout today?!? Can't we just go home, get back in front of the computer and keep writing?" At times it seems it would be so much easier to turn around and leave than actually get through my workout, and on occasion, I have turned around and walked out. However, I also know that this is exactly the resistance that needs to be managed. I know that if I can move beyond that voice, put on my workout clothes, get on the floor and start lifting weights that the voice goes away, my energy goes up, and I am grateful I didn't leave. Also, in order to achieve the results I want from my workouts I have to push my muscles beyond their comfort zone and perceived normalcy. And you know what? It hurts! Sometimes I just don't want to keep pushing. But again, I know that it is moving beyond homeostasis; stretching beyond my comfort zone, that supports my growth on all levels. In addition, the gym is one vivid example of how consistency and discipline in the face of seeming discomfort helps produce results.

Below I've outlined a plan for you that will support you in creating R.E.A.L. Change:

1. Set Goals and Intentions, NOT resolutions

Setting goals and intentions is a more complex process than simply stating a resolution. This includes mapping the big picture and breaking your larger goal into R.E.A.L. actions. R.E.A.L. actions are realistic, empowering, aligned with your overall goal, and likely to be done. For instance, if you're beginning a new workout routine (ideally with a trainer) and have barely set foot in a gym for the past 6 months you're not going to immediately start bench pressing 200 pounds. Rather, you break the goal of 200 pounds into R.E.A.L. actions. This might include starting with 90 pounds, stretching yourself beyond your comfort zone and continuing to work your way up in weight until you eventually reach your desired target of bench pressing 200 pounds.

2. BYOB

BYOB means bust your outdated beliefs. If your goal is to attract a new relationship and you have unconsciously held onto an old negative belief that "Men are unavailable, and uninterested in commitment," this could sabotage your success. Enlist the necessary support to uncover and update the unconscious negative patterns and beliefs that are getting in the way of you achieving your desired results.

3. Schedule Time

Perhaps you have decided that you want to release some undesired weight this year, which includes a workout routine. It does not serve you to arbitrarily throw a specific number of workouts onto your calendar. I see people do this all the time. They say, "I plan to get to the gym 5 times a week." Actually, they don't really plan anything, which sets themselves up for failure. When they do finally pull out the calendar and take a realistic look at how much time they really have, they find that they can only get to the gym 3 times per week. This is a critical element for success as it informs the goal. For instance, knowing that they can only get to the gym three times a week instead of six informs how long it will take to realistically drop the weight.

4. Implement Support Systems

Who said you have to do it alone? I strongly encourage you to enlist the support of a friend, coach, partner, etc. who you fully inform about your intention. Ask this person to help hold you accountable by checking in with you regularly. Invite them to specifically ask what you have accomplished and what your plans for future action are during the check-in. A support system can also include non-people support. For instance, meditating or keeping a journal can be very supportive tools to help get you through the challenging moments on your path to success.

5. Plan for resistance

It is quite likely that you will hit some bumps along the way. Life happens, and as previously illustrated, we have a natural inclination to maintain comfort and normalcy. However, if you know this ahead of time you can plan to manage it. Simply being aware that this is a likely phenomenon will support you in moving through it when it shows up. I even encourage you to ask yourself what some of your typical resistance patterns are (i.e. procrastination, distractions, over committing to things that will pull your attention) and set up resources to manage yourself. I now have two computers. One of them is strictly for work and I have made an agreement with myself that when I am on the "work" computer I will not engage in frivolous online surfing that encourages distraction and procrastination.

6. Celebrate Milestones

I know for me it easy to get into the mindset of always feeling like I must do more and constantly do what appears to take me closer to success. However, sometimes moving closer towards success means taking a break and acknowledging yourself for what you have accomplished. It is easy to overlook current accomplishments when we have not yet reached the goal. However, it is the little accomplishments along the way that are the true success. The goal in and of itself is just a destination. So acknowledge yourself, set up times for personal celebration and doing what you love. For me, something as simple as going to the theater can be a celebration. I love the theater. Going to the theater is a gift to me and so when I have theater tickets I am even more driven to achieve little successes. This way going to the theater is truly a gift and a way for me to acknowledge myself for what I have accomplished.

You can create change for yourself! But it doesn't happen overnight, and it doesn't occur in a vacuum. It occurs amidst the sometimes chaotic glory of our every day existence. Therefore, it is critical to intentionally set yourself up for success by implementing support systems, plans, and celebration. In addition, be good to yourself, particularly when the change you are striving for gets uncomfortable. And remember, embracing what is unfamiliar or uncomfortable can indeed result in some of your greatest breakthroughs to having the life you desire.

Jason Mannino, MA, is a Life/Career Coach, and writer. He is deeply committed to empowering people to courageous action that propels them into living lives that are inspired, balanced, and fulfilling personally and professionally.

Jason has a decade of experience in Corporate and Executive Recruiting, consulting for the Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros., TV Guide, Ascent Media, Universal Music, and University of Southern California. He is well equipped to strategically support people in their career growth and transitions as many are currently experiencing. As the recent founder of Los Angeles based A.C.T.ion Centered Transformation he helps clients transform their lives and careers through one-on-one coaching and his seminars: The Call to Self Discovery, The Call to A.C.T.ion, The Mating Call, and Beautiful Mind, Beautiful Body

Jason is featured every Friday in the Living section of Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jason-mannino and is a contributing author in the new Thank God I book series, which has reached #1 on amazon.com. He is an active member of International Federation of Coaches and International Association of Coaches and participates on the LA Leadership Council of Out & Equal SoCal. Jason holds a BA from Rutgers University in Psychology and is completing his MA in Spiritual Psychology at University of Santa Monica, Spring '09.

You can learn more about Jason and A.C.T.ion Centered Transformation by going to http://www.jmannino.com

The Ultimate Guide to Mental Toughness by Daniel Teitelbaum

The book "The Ultimate Guide To Mental Toughness" by Daniel Teitelbaum was not what I expected. Being a former military sniper, I think of mental toughness as the grit and determination to succeed at your mission, no matter what. I think of mental toughness more as discipline and focus to get things done. However, if you read the subtitle, you get a better indication of what this book is about. It states, "How to raise your motivation, focus, and confidence like pushing a button." This is a book on increasing your motivation to achieve goals by using triggers.

If you have read books by Tony Robbins such as "Awaken the Giant Within," or have listened to any of the multiple audio programs Tony Robbins has put out, you may know about triggers already. Tony uses them, and they are a common part of NLP which Tony studied and uses in his teachings. (I personally really like Tony Robbins and have learned much from him, including some on triggering.)

"The Ultimate Guide To Mental Toughness" goes much further into the area of triggers. Teitelbaum's book may be the most complete and user friendly book on triggering techniques out there. He explains why they work in a simple manner, and does not get too bogged down with the why. I felt he gave enough information on why they work, and then spent the rest of the book teaching the triggers and encouraging the reader to actually go through the exercises and develop personal triggers that the reader can use to motivate themselves and keep their energy level high while pursuing and achieving goals. The author uses different ways to emphasize points and motivate the reader to actually perform the exercises and develop personal triggers. It is through actually doing the visualizations and other exercises that you will find out how powerful these techniques can be. The more emotion you put into them, the more realistic and precise your visualizations, and the more intense focus you use, the more these triggers will change your state to positive emotions and "trick" your body into being more energetic and productive.

Many people will not actually use these triggers. In fact, some will say it is a bunch of nonsense. That's okay. Others will find that these triggers help them stay in a positive state, which enables them to do more and thus achieve more. Some of the triggers will work for some people better than others. One good thing about this book is there are many different triggers to chose from. After experimenting with them, a person can choose to use the ones that work the best for their situation and personality.

I still don't know if I'd call this book "mental toughness." That term still means something different to me. However, if you want to learn triggering and visualization techniques to keep your motivation and focus high in order to pursue dreams and goals more effectively, this book is a great resource to learn those skills.

Alain Burrese, J.D. is a mediator/attorney with Bennett Law Office P.C. and an author/speaker through his own company Burrese Enterprises Inc. He teaches people to live with the warrior's edge through his writing and speaking on a variety of topics focusing on the business areas of negotiation and success principles as well as self-defense and safety topics. He is the author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks, several instructional dvds, and numerous articles. You can find out more about Alain Burrese at his websites http://www.burrese.com and http://bennettlawofficepc.com

Accepting Second Best In Life

Are you a person who accepts second best in life? Is winning silver good enough for you? Are you content to be a follower rather than a leader? A couple of years ago I would have answered yes to all of these questions but I have since seen the light. I now strive to be number one in every aspect of my life, I am happy to work hard to achieve my goals and to listen to the advice that I am being given. In this article I will write about how I learnt to have this new found positive attitude.

As a teenager and into my early twenties I basically drifted through life, it was as if I could not be bothered. I have to admit that I was a slightly depressive person during this period of my life, this was mainly because I had a stammering/stuttering problem with my speech. I seemed to be in an almost continual rut, always blaming the stutter for my lack of progress in life.

This was all to change when a new guy started at the office where I worked. His name was Jim and he was very bright and bubbly. Jim had a positive outlook on life and was seemingly very confident. I, at that point, was the opposite.

Over the next few months I began to spend a lot more time with Jim and was quite shocked when he asked me:

"Why are you so unhappy Steve? You always seem to be quite down, is there anything I can help you with?

Even though I did have a lack of self-esteem and was perhaps not always the brightest of personalites, I was not expecting to be asked this type of question.

Jim did prove to be a massive help to me, he made me understand that we only have one life, one shot at making a name for ourselves and that positive people tend to be the most happy and successful people.

Stephen Hill runs The How To Stop Stammering Centre, he has a number of websites including:

stuttering information

dvd replication

eradicate depression

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

Law of Attraction Self-Help - How to Create Powerful Visualizations

Have you heard of people who've changed their lives completely for the better using Law of Attraction self help? You can do this too, when you learn how to create powerful visualizations.

Start by deciding how you want your life to change.

1. Make Three Wishes

Once we reach adulthood, we stop using our imaginations. Can you remember the games you played as a child, and how much fun they were? When you use Law of Attraction self help, your aim is to get back to this happy, carefree state of mind.

Pretend you're in a fairy tale, and your fairy godmother has asked you to make three wishes - these wishes will all come true.

Write down your three wishes. Writing them down ensures that you remember what they are. Date the piece of paper, and put it somewhere safe.

2. Create Scenarios for Your Wishes

Next, create some scenarios for your wishes. A scenario is just an imaginative scene - a visualization. For example, let's say that one of your wishes was for a house with an ocean view, which is yours, and completely paid for.

Imagine the house on a huge movie screen, at least 30 feet long. See the house as clearly as you can. Move from room to room. See the garden. Then step into the scene, and enjoy your house.

Create at least one scenario for each of your three wishes.

3. How Do You Feel?

Your emotions power your visualization. Step back into your visualizations, and now take special note of how you feel. Are you happy? Excited? Relaxed? Remember how you felt in each visualization.

4. Day-Dreaming Each Morning and Evening

Next, spend a few minutes with your visualizations every morning, and evening - before you get out of bed in the morning, and just before you fall asleep are great times.

5. Releasing and Allowing

Keep enjoying your morning and evening visualizations, but release any attachment to how they will manifest. Let them go in your mind. They're your creations, and the universe will bring them to you - it's inevitable - but the "how" of manifestation isn't up to you.

Before you know it, the Law of Attraction self help will bring your three wishes to you. Here's the best part: you can make as many wishes as you please, so make three more.

Are you ready to change your life and use the law of attraction to create what you want? Start with Julia Denham's law of attraction reviews, and then visit her law of attraction blog at http://loa-prosperity.com/

Four Reasons Why We Procrastinate

The biggest obstacle to success and fulfillment for most people seems to be procrastination. Likewise, a major component of effective time management is avoiding procrastination.

Avoiding procrastination is also crucial if we hope to realize our dreams. This must be a conscious effort, because procrastination is so easy to engage in, yet so difficult to overcome. We must keep our goals in mind and maintain our desire to reach those goals, so that the temptation to put off our responsibilities until later does not eclipse our desire to succeed.

There are many reasons why we procrastinate - and we all do it. Procrastination, though, means sure death to reaching your goals.

1. Fear of Failure.
Many people put off doing things because they are afraid of failing. If they only speak of their hopes and dreams, but make no firm effort towards achieving their goal, they cannot fail. If, however, people take action towards reaching their goals yet fail to realize them, they fear they will be seen by others as failures.

Even if a goal is not reached, the act of trying is reward in itself. Great learning is derived from experience, which can only be attained through action. Also, most people recognize a valiant effort and applaud it regardless of the outcome. The act of trying is an act of bravery. The act of avoidance is paramount to cowardice. Do not fall into the trap of using fear as a reason to procrastinate.

2. Feeling Overwhelmed.
Many times we look at a goal and feel that there is too much that needs to be done in order to accomplish it. The sense of being overwhelmed paralyzes us, preventing us from taking even the first step towards achieving our goal.

For every goal you have in life, break it down into individual parts. Determine what actions each individual part needs in order to be successful. If looking at the big picture makes you feel overwhelmed, look at the tiny steps along the way instead. Tackle them one by one, without worrying about the next one. Forge ahead with each individual victory, and before you know it you will have found success.

3. Human Nature.
We naturally tend to avoid that which causes us hardship or pain, and gravitate towards that which is easy or gives us pleasure. In order to avoid procrastination due to the unappealing or difficult nature of a task, commit to complete the most unpleasant jobs first. Dive in with a can-do attitude, and realize that the sooner you start and the harder you work, the sooner it will be over. Tackling the most difficult responsibilities first paves the way for smoother sailing down the road.

4. Perspective.
If we view a task as being difficult, then that is exactly what it will be for us. Rather than dreading a given assignment, view it as an opportunity to excel. If you are being asked to complete a research assignment, view it as the chance to gain new knowledge and expand your mental boundaries. By diving into a project with enthusiasm, deriving it wherever it can be found, you can turn a chore into pleasure. Try changing your perspective and see if it helps fan the flames of enthusiasm.

There has been much talk throughout history about the destructive nature of procrastination. One of the best ways to view it is that we do not know what fate tomorrow will bring us, so we are best off experiencing everything we can today.

Another irony of procrastination is that so many of us complain about not having enough time, yet spend so much time sitting idly, dreading the work that awaits us. If we just dug our hands in and got started, there likely would be more time found in the day, and we would accomplish a great deal more.

If you find you are having difficulty achieving your goals, take a look at the steps you must take to achieve success and ask yourself if you have fallen into the dark pit of procrastination. Examine what your own reasons for procrastinating are, then vow to yourself that you will not let it kill off your hopes and dreams.

Lifestyle Mentor, Personal Coach, Author, Educator, and Entrepreneur, David B. Bohl is the creator of Slow Down FAST. To learn more about this step-by-step strategy for Living YOUR Life YOUR way, and to sign up for his 9 FREE Tips for Finding Happiness in a Fast-Paced World, free teleseminars, free Special Report, free bi-monthly ezine and more, go to: http://www.SlowDownFAST.com

Goal Setting For Changing Times

Have you noticed that you've experienced much change over the past year, months, weeks, and even days? Your situation may have changed due to the challenges presented by these changing times, and you may ask yourself if you have achieved your goals of the past year. How do we go about starting our goal-setting activity with all of this change happening around us?

The following seven goal-setting steps will help you successfully implement your goal-setting and achieve your dreams in the future in these changing times:

1. Successful Goal Setting Requires Thinking About Your Goals

You are told how to think and what to think about each and every day. From when we get up in the morning until we go to sleep at night, television, radio, personal computer, family, friends, managers, and colleagues tell us how to think, feel, and act.

Invest time fifteen minutes to an hour to think. Turn off all the external distractions, go to a quiet place (home, park, etc.), and think about your goals and how you want to accomplish them. Think about how you will feel when accomplishing them.

Your goal-setting thinking session should also include how you will benefit from these changing times. What special skills do you have or need to acquire to take advantage of these changing times?

2. Successful Goal Setting Requires Writing Your Goals

Nothing happens in goal setting unless you write your goals and put these goals on paper. Put a pen to paper and you are ahead of all ninety-five percent of other people because they do not write down their goals and then wonder why they are unhappy in their business, their career, and their life. Take the time to write down your goals. It doesn't need to be perfect the first time; successful goal setting is an ongoing process that will change as you accomplish your goals.

3. Successful Goal Setting Requires Shorter Time Periods

Break the length for your goals into shortened time periods. This allows you adjust as needed in changing times. For example, break your goals into twenty-year, ten-year, five-year, one-year, six-month, monthly, weekly, and daily increments. This will allow you to gauge whether you are on course to accomplishing your goals, or whether you need to make adjustments to get back on track.

4. Successful Goal Setting Requires Flexible Goals

You need to be flexible when goal setting more than ever in the past. As the world changes, planning for these changes is essential. An opportunity that is there today might not be there tomorrow. What are you going to do with shifting opportunities? When setting goals, successful people have a Plan A, Plan B, and even a Plan C for these changing times. Take time to think about what changes might happen in your business, your career, and your life and develop plans to overcome these obstacles.

5. Successful Goal Setting Requires Passion

Do your goals make you excited? If they do not, you are not setting goals high enough. Set your goals so that you are excited about accomplishing them. When you are excited about your goals, you create positive energy, and the energy creates passion. With this passion, you will find ways to remove any barriers to your success.

6. Successful Goal Setting Requires Embracing Technology

Many times in our workshops, we run across students for whom technology is a barrier to their success. Their jobs or industries have changed so that being proficient in technology is a requirement. Yet, these students resist learning the new technologies required for their success.

Include a section on what technologies you will learn in your goal setting so that you are successful. Overcome your fear and challenge yourself through these goals to learn how to master new technologies.

7. Successful Goal Setting Requires Balance

In these changing times, you are asked to do more with less. Whether in your business, your career, your community, or your family, you have ever increasing requests for your time and talents. Unless you include balance in your goal setting, someone else will create unbalance in your life which leads to stress and possibly illness.

Take back control of your life with successful goal setting. Make sure you set goals in the following areas:

* Family

* Health

* Education

* Technology

* Spiritual

* Career

* Community

* Business (if needed)

I am sure you can think of some others; however, these form the foundation of your goal-setting activities. Master these areas to be successful in achieving more in less time while staying in control.

Don't delay! Take the time to put think about what you want and deserve, then put a pen to paper. Invest in yourself and the seven goal-setting techniques discussed in this article and you will be successful in these changing times.

Ed Sykes is a highly sought after leadership, motivation, stress management, customer service, and team building expert, success coach, professional speaker, and author of Jumpstart Your Greatness. You can e-mail him at mailto:esykes@thesykesgrp.com, or call him at (757) 427-7032. Go to his web site,

http://www.thesykesgrp.com, and signup for the free success newsletter, OnPoint.

Positive Thinking For People Who Can't Think Positively

Have you tried all the positive thinking techniques but found that they just don't work? If so I'd recommend using one of the meridian energy techniques such as EFT or Chinosis.

Those allow you to focus on the reality of the situation - however good or bad it is - and use some simple techniques to change the way you feel about it.

I have to admit that I was very skeptical when I first came across them. The basic principle of focusing on something bad went against all my training as a hypnotherapist. I'd always been taught to focus on the positive. So, if someone wanted to be more confident I would help them to imagine being confident - acting confidently, their voice steady and confident and feeling relaxed about the whole situation.

In EFT though I was asking them to use phrases such as "Even though I feel really embarrassed when a stranger talks to me and I know I'm going to go bright red I deeply and completely accept myself". Then they were expected to repeat the statement. By all rights it shouldn't work. But I rapidly changed my mind as I noticed the changes in my clients' attitudes. They started off in a negative state of mind but soon changed into a more positive one and the statements changed from negative to positive.

Chinosis is different in that it doesn't need words so it's really good for those emotions where you can't express them, when you don't really know all the ins and outs of your feelings. Instead, you simply focus on a feeling and let that adapt itself into a more positive one.

I'm now a huge fan of meridian energy techniques and teach them to virtually all my clients. I can't completely explain how they work but I suggest treating them the same way that I treat electricity. I don't really know how it works but as long as I can turn the light on and see when it gets dark I don't really care. I know how to use it for my benefit and that's all I'm interested in.

You can find out more about EFT at www.emofree.com and more about Chinosis at www.chinosis.com.

Sharon Stiles uses hypnotherapy, CBT, NLP, EFT and Chinosis to help people reduce stress and anxiety and increase positivity and motivation in their personal and work lives. Her online seminar "Stress Less" at http://www.sharonstiles.co.uk/stressless gives practical and mental techniques to help reduce stress. She also offer individual sessions in Bristol, UK and by webcam.

Happiness & Personal Growth

You are a woman on a path of self-reflection, self-awareness and expansion. One of the things that can be really frustrating is knowing that you have a lot of personal work to do, but you are not sure where to start.

Just like trying to choose the perfect shampoo and conditioner for your hair type and budget, trying to find just the right guide for your personal growth journey can be overwhelming.

There are TOO MANY choices. You spend way too much time standing in front of the shelves. Time you could be spending doing something personal and expansive.

Here are 4 essential insights to keep in mind as you walk your personal inner journey.

1. Keep it Simple

* How many self-help books do you own?
* Have you read them all?
* Do you feel pressured to buy each new 'best-seller'?

The most basic tenet speaks for itself. Keep it Simple. You don't need to own every self-improvement book on the market. Choose one that really resonates with you and allow yourself the luxury of giving it your full attention.

2. Keep it about you

Instead of rushing out to buy the next best seller, tell yourself that you already have enough. You have all the wisdom you need today; it is waiting for you when you turn your focus within.

Clean out your bookshelf. Let go of the pressure all those unread volumes quietly exert. Give them as gifts to your friends and let them go or just acknowledge that they look great on the shelf, but you don't need to read them all.

Get your journal out. Spend your time focusing on you. Reflect on what is going on inside for you. Get to know who you are at your center.

*What is your reading other people's stuff to writing your own stuff ratio?

3. Keep it Positive

This statement doesn't mean that you can't work through your issues, pain, and unresolved places. It does mean to do so with a mind and heart-set of growth, resolution, healing and possibility.

Wallowing around in your emotional muck just for the sake of it, is counterproductive your growth.

Decide that from this day forward, your inner work will focus on your strengths, hopes, growth, possibilities and potentiality. Decide that nothing is more important than feeling good. Your personal energy will lighten.

* Look back at your old journals.
* What was the overall tone?
* Are the pages full of self-criticism or were you kind and loving to yourself?

4. Progress not perfection

There are no rules on this journey. You will never get it finished and you will never get it perfect, so let go of all that. Just keep moving forward. Do something each and every day that take you to a deeper and more loving understanding of the beautiful woman you are.

The path to enlightenment does not require a lot of external resources. You might be surprised to learn how well equipped you are to travel simply and lightly. This personal adventure will reward you with gifts and surprises aplenty.

Wishing you Peace & Abundance... Joyce Lee "Your Life Empowerment Coach"

2008 joyceleelifecoach.com

Are you ready for more opportunities to explore and reflect? Go to http://joyceleelifecoach.com/prompts.html for your special gift of "20 Profound and Provocative Journal Prompts" designed to help you focus on your life with a spirit of peace.

Joyce Lee is a certified Life Empowerment Coach, Personal Growth Facilitator and Law of Attraction Practitioner, specializes in helping women understand the Law of Attraction and deliberately creating the life they really want.

Relationship Self Help - No Pity Here

Until you are willing to realize relationship self help then there is no pity here. It's easy to run around and ask others for help. The thing is have you really sat down and taken a long hard look as to why you are in this mess in the first place. All too often people are quick to blame everything that happens on their ex. Well I think it takes two to tangle for the most part so have a look at where you went wrong in the relationship.

I have a strong desire to brush people off when they ask for advice if they haven't gone through the stage of relationship self help. That doesn't mean you have to find all the answers. It just means you need to understand where you went wrong and be able to make a commitment to changing. Once you have done then it may be time to start working on getting your ex back.

Once you have gone through the relationship self help stage then it may be time to ask for some help on changing things. If you truly believe you want to be a different person and you truly believe you have what it takes then it's time to go for it. You need to be able to understand the direction you are going and the direction you want to be going. You need to understand that all errors can't be fixed over night and lastly you need to understand that it just may be too late to get your ex back.

However with the right attitude and relationship self help you at least stand a chance of straightening things out. So before you even think about getting your ex back make sure you know why you are doing it and make sure it is for all the right reasons. Always be prepared for the worst in case you don't get the results you want. At this point it may be time to move on with your life and at least learn from your mistakes.

I have no certificates on my walls, I have no degrees from anywhere. What I do have is a lifetime of experiences to help others with their relationship issues.

I think life skills are more important than any others out there. So yes I would say I am very qualified to give advice on your relationship topics. Visiting my site is a must if you are looking at how to get back an ex.

Also I have built my site around a place where people can help others with stories, articles and questions and answers.

I look forward to seeing you at Get Back An Ex

Mindfulness Meditation - A Path To Happiness

Meditation has been found to have a positive influence on the body, mind, and spirit. Successful management of chronic pain, decrease in blood pressure, and reduction in stress hormones are a few of the physiological benefits of meditative practices. Meditation is also known to produce a variety of psychological benefits, including reduction of anxiety, enhanced sense of well-being, increased awareness of emotions, and a greater sense of self-actualization. Spiritual bliss and enlightenment are among the spiritual benefits of meditation.

Recently scientists have looked at the effect of mindfulness meditation (one type of awareness meditation) on the brain and neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity refers to the brains ability to develop and change - essentially rewire itself - in response to training and/or experience. Richard Davidson, PhD at the University of Wisconsin has conducted research that indicates that meditation increases neuronal firings in the left frontal cortex of the brain the same area associated with positive feelings and happiness. Studies involving very experienced meditators (Buddhist monks) have shown that these brain changes may be long lasting. In other words, mindfulness meditation may increase your level of happiness and the more you practice the happier you will be.

Rather than disregarding any distracting thoughts, those practicing mindfulness meditation simply observe their thoughts without judgment. The goal of this form of meditation is to increase awareness in the present moment. If you want to give this type of meditation a try, I suggest beginning with a mindful walking practice. This simply means that while you are walking, you keep your awareness on the experience of walking. Stay in the present moment and be aware of what your body feels like as you walk. Notice the sensations as you put one foot in front of the other. Notice the sights, sounds, and smells around you. Simply keep your awareness on your experience in the moment.

When other thoughts come into your mind (and they most definitely will come) simply observe them and let them go without judging them. This is a key to mindfulness - rather than getting caught up in these thoughts or berating yourself for having distracting thoughts, it is important to be an impartial observer of the thoughts flowing through your mind. Remember observe the thoughts and let them go.

As you gain experience with this type of meditation, you will gain the understanding that your true essence - your essential spirit - is not the contents of your mind, but rather the observer of the contents. This awareness will help you detach from intense emotions and allow them to flow freely and easily. When practiced on a regular basis, mindfulness becomes a way of life and a path toward greater happiness, peace, and joy.

Kirsten Harrell, Psy.D. is a psychologist, consultant, life coach, inspirational speaker, and entrepreneur. Dr. Harrell has combined her expertise in positive psychology, energy psychology, stress management, and mind-body therapies, to provide cutting edge services to individuals and businesses for over 15 years. In addition, she is a leading authority on the use of positive thinking to create health, happiness, and success. Dr. Harrell has taught graduate level courses at the University of Dayton and Wright State University. She is the President and co-founder of Popular Inspirations, Ltd. http://www.ipopin.com and co-creator of ipopins (the one minute affirmations).

A Few Incomplete Sentences That Need Revision

1. "If you build it, they will come."

ORIGINATOR: Kevin Costner, Field of Dreams.

WHY IT'S INCOMPLETE: because just building it is not enough. You've got to get people talking about it.

A BETTER VERSION: "If you build it consistently, remarkably and with unique value ... they MIGHT come."

REMEMBER: doing business without marketing is like winking in the dark.

2. "Positive thinking equals success."

ORIGINATORS: The Bible, Normal Vincent Peale and James Allen

WHY IT'S INCOMPLETE: because just thinking about is not enough. You've got to work your ass off too!

A BETTER VERSION: "Positive thinking PLUS positive doing equals success."

REMEMBER: ideas are free, but execution is priceless.

3. "Think and grow rich?"

ORIGINATOR: Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich.

WHY IT'S INCOMPLETE: thinking without action is self-delusion.

A BETTER VERSION: "Think and ACT ... and grow rich."

REMEMBER: action is eloquence.

4. "What's in a name?"

ORIGINATOR: Shakespeare, Romeo & Juliet.

WHY IT'S INCOMPLETE: because you have more than just your name. You have your name PLUS what people say after it.

A BETTER VERSION: "What in AND after a name?"

REMEMBER: if you don't make a name for yourself, someone will make one for you.

5. "Ask and you shall receive."

ORIGINATOR: The Bible.

WHY IT'S INCOMPLETE: the world isn't an order form. Asking only gets you so far.

A BETTER VERSION: "Ask and ACT ... and you shall receive."

REMEMBER: never underestimate the power of working your ass off.

LET ME ASK YA THIS...

Are you brainwashed by the wrong statements?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS...

For the list called, "153 Quotations to Inspire Your Success," send an email to me, and I'll send you the list for free!

2007 All Rights Reserved.

Scott Ginsberg, aka "The Nametag Guy," is an author, speaker, award-winning blogger and entrepreneur. As the creator of NametagTV.com, he teaches people how to GET noticed, GET remembered and GET business. To rent Scott's brain, call 314/256-1800 or email scott@hellomynameisscott.com

People Styles at Work - Making Bad Relationships Good and Good Relationships Better

For sometime I have been wanting to work on and learn more about how I can improve relationships I have with others whom I work with whether it is at a job, a business, family or friends. I have come to learn that at sometime I will work with everyone I am surrounded by and come in contact with often. I have also learned that I will not always get along with others. However, I have wanted to learn how to handle these type of situations without getting too emotional and learning to let go when necessary.

As a college student of Liberal Studies, I took the Leadership Skills class last semester. One of my requirements was to review a book related to working with others. I chose People Styles at Work: Making Bad Relationships Good and Good Relationships Better By: Robert Bolton and Dorothy Grover Bolton.

Of course, the first chapter discusses why we have people problems. We think, decide, use time and handle emotions differently. Not everyone is exactly the same. With this book though you learn how to change your attitude and learn to work with others in a more positive way. This is the only way that you can achieve success and happiness. You learn how to predict things whether the are turning out to be positive or negative. This is so you are able to handle the situation and continue on with your work.

A little more into the book you learn about what kind of person you are. Not only that you also learn to look in the mirror and see how others view you. This may sound scary at first, but learning from my own experience it is actually very informative. It teaches you on a deep level by placing yourself in another persons shoes.

Further on into the book and one of my favorite sections is The Key to Productive Relationships. I have been taught for the last two years extensively to learn to look at the good in everyone. That has been one of the most difficult things to do until the last six months. Especially in the workplace to have to look at the good in everyone who surrounds you can be very challenging. But I also learned that by learning to look for the good you can build a better and stronger relationship with others which makes the workplace more productive.

I have personally had to do some serious work on learning how to withhold my opinions and personal views of things. This has been hard, but I have learned a very valuable lesson. I have learned that it is better to listen more than it is to talk because I can learn more.

Then there is the four steps to better relationships: Identify, Plan, Implement and Evaluate. You learn how to relate to the other person and help them out. You learn to self discipline yourself with this process.

One chapter I have had to do some serious work on is Chapter 11. I am currently molding myself into being a better listener and helper. I do have to work on being patient with others and being forgiving to a certain extent when it comes to commitments. I am a stickler about being on time and communicating when I am going to be late or cannot make it to an event or appointment. One very important thing I have learned about myself is I have to become more spontaneous. I have often heard from people I work with or have worked with that they like spontaneity. They like for others to be able to start on things and get them done on their own without someone having to supervise them constantly. I know this to be very true and so I have been working on this myself.

Besides working on my own personal flaws I have learned too that I have to be flexible with others. I cannot expect others around me to be perfect or understanding. But it all comes back to me. I have to work on myself and change my ways. I cannot change others. I do have to become much more tolerant and understanding. I have to be willing to be open especially to learning and experiencing new ideas.

Chapter 13 reinforces how you can maintain good relationships. Do Unto Others as you would yourself is the Golden Rule. This has been instilled in me as well as my own children. Respect, Fairness and Honesty are what everyone wants and how they want to be treated.

These are also my biggest sticklers that I do sometimes allow to bother me although I shouldn't.
I am a huge person on respect. I can be hard on others when I feel they are being disrespectful. I feel respect goes to the absolute core of all relationships. Anytime there is a lack of respect the relationship begins to crumble. It is twice as hard to rebuild respect when it has been broken.

Fairness is a challenging one for me. I prefer to place everyone on the table of equality but that seems to be nearly impossible. Anytime something negative happens we are all guilty of focusing on just that, the negative aspects. In fact, we are supposed to look at the good, the positives in order to be fair. For example, I am a single mom with my business team there is only one other single person involved. There have been times a few of the teammates have attempted to schedule things that involve couples working together. Our team is to be based on teamwork. I feel that this is not teamwork that this is a team working within the team excluding a part of the team so in essence it is not team work.

Honesty I know is something we all have issues with. Even a white lie is really just a lie. We tend to do things and try to cover them up just so we don't cause problems or want to be reprimanded. I have had to deal with friends who I work with whom have decided to rather than speak the truth cover their own rumps rather than face getting jumped all over. This is frustrating to me although I can in some respects, understand why they would do things. I am working on where is the boundary line when it comes to honesty? What am I willing to walk away from and what am I willing to stand up for?

This book has been a great tool for me helping to improve my social skills on a personal and professional level. I am always looking to improve myself especially my attitude. I know that what I say and do affects everyone around me such as my family, friends and co workers.

One of my primary goals has been to be a positive, optimistic and motivational person. I want to attract people towards me instead of them running away. You learn how to positively work with others which is a very important issue when it comes to working. But this book has also caused me to stop and look at myself first and foremost before focusing on other people whom I have no control over in order to change. It does cause you to pause your thinking, look at yourself in the mirror to be able to clearly see what has to be worked on for improvement.

Jennifer Bryan

http://www.empowering-solutions.net - http://www.jenniferbryan.com

A Lily-of-the-Valley Affirmation to See the Goodness Where it May Seem to Be Hiding

Every flower uplifts, and each variety of flower offers its own, unique take on loving, uplifting energy -- perfect to turbo-charge an affirmation.

The energy of the Lily-of-the-Valley (convallaria majalis) is a pure dance of joy, delighting in the beauty of everything in the world around us. But this shining light can be a bit hidden, like the light under the bushel. It represents the light in all of us that we do not allow to shine fully -- and the light in others that may not be evident at first glance.

Sometimes this light may not even seem to exist in ourselves or others, but it always does. Always. Sometimes we have to be more persistent in our desire to see this light than others.

Thus, the Lily-of-the-Valley is a great flower to think about in relation to people or situations in your life that might not seems so wonderful on the surface -- where their goodness may seem to be hiding from you.

You can picture a Lily-of-the-Valley superimposed over any person who seems to be difficult in your life. Allow yourself to see the light and goodness shining out of each of the little bells as a part of that person. The light is there, always. It is just a matter of adjusting our eyes/our thinking to see it.

And, when we do that extra work, to see the beautiful light and goodness that IS in ourselves and others, we feel the joy of their cheerful dance.

A Lily-of-the-Valley Affirmation:
I always see the goodness in myself and others, and even if it takes a little effort -- it is worth it.

Katherine C. H. E. is a Flower Energy Consultant and Flower Meditation Coach. She helps empower her clients to take charge of their own well-being to empower themselves - with flowers - to live the BEST LIFE POSSIBLE.

Check out her website http://www.KatherineCHE.com for meditation audio (including some free downloads and meditations designed specifically to help to uplift in different ways). For more information, go to her website: http://www.KatherineCHE.com

Copyright, All Rights Reserved, Katherine C. H. E.

Paulo Coelho

You Shouldn't Believe Everything In The Bible - Spare The Rod

What The Bleep Do You Know
Spiritual Benefits

Changing the Focus of Halloween for Christians

Some Christians avoid mention of Halloween. Some celebrate it anyway. Now, one company may change the way Christians view Halloween forever.

They have come up with a way to use Halloween as an opportunity. They have a Memory Cross card to hand out to trick-or-treaters with your Halloween candy.

What is a Memory Cross card? It is a four panel interactive card that is designed in an origami style. It unfolds to display selected bible verses. They target kids ages 4-13 and use colorful graphics to hold the both children and adults attention.

The original intention of a Memory Cross cards was for creator, Pastor Andy Lambert, to use in his sermons to tell bible stories. However, now there is yet another use. Because people love to play with these cards and flip them around, they easily learn Gods Word. These are great evangelism tools. Even the shy kids will want to pass them out to their family and friends.

Now for Halloween, they have a product that is designed to fold like the originals, but presents the gospel message. It starts out and says FREE CANDYWhat could be better than that? and then goes on to share the gospel. It is colorful. It has a photo of candy corn on the front and makes kids want to take a look inside.

Soinstead of just handing out candy this year, Christians can bring the hope of the gospel into the homes of every child who knocks on their door!

Sheryl Frey is a Christian dedicated to helping others find great Christian products like Memory Cross to share their faith. She also organizes the Memory Cross Kids challenge. For more information please see http://www.memorycrosskidschallenge.com

Who is Eckhart Tolle?

A truly enlightened spiritual teacher or just good writer and collector?

Even Oprah Winfrey is delighted about his books. She don't just read his books, but also advertise them loudly. A man from Germany has become a spiritual teacher for thousands of people all around the world. But what has he done so special? His books "The Power of Now" and "A New Earth" are best sellers. But if his books are selling so well, does it mean that indeed they bring men towards the light?

We can ask a question - why do his books are so popular? In this time, when human race observe the weaknesses and worthlessness of so popular values - money and power, people are seeking for something else. Different men for ages have been searching the answers on spiritual questions. And actually Eckhart Tolle does not write something new. As he admits, he has combined the best from different teachings. He is quoting such great teachers as Jesus, Mohamed, Buda and many others. And books of their teachings unfortunately stand in lower shelf.

But he really has done very significant thing. He writes in language, which is clear for people and which is audible in the noise of our days. People have become too lazy, they do not have enough free time, or just they do not have enough knowledge to understand the words of prophets. And Eckhart Tolle is like translator, who is doing his job well. But it is for people to decide, what they should adore - The Eckhart Tolle or knowledge and information he gives.

I definitely suggest You to read his two books - "The Power of Now" and "A New Earth", because they really putting together whole picture. But do not forget, that benefit comes from knowledge only then, when we use it in action. Knowledge without action is worthless. So, ACT!

http://findyourmaster.blogspot.com/