Posted by admin on January 5th, 2009 — Posted in Online New Age
A new twist on a familiar quote - Chances are you’ve heard the term “If it’s to be, it’s up to me!” I happen to like this quote, the only thing about it is the more life experiences I pick up the more I tend to realize that it’s actually only true to a degree.
I can hear it now being repeated from behind thousands of computer keyboards across the Internet, “Who the heck do you think you are to challenge the age old wisdom in that quote?”. Ok, I’ll give you that much 
But bear with me for a second and ponder the quote for just a bit. On the surface it says that we must stand strong and push towards what we want if we wish to see it manifest in our lives (notice the emphasis on having to go it alone). However, upon deeper thinking it kind of leaves a feeling that we are all alone in our efforts, doesn’t it?
Here’s the challenge though…
Think back to any time in your life where you were truly all alone in your efforts. Also you have to remember that when I say truly alone I mean to the point that it was just you and you alone.
This means you can’t count intervention from your friends, preacher, priest, nun, mentor, friends, words of encouragement that might have come from a book or tape (because in reality these are a form of another person sharing their knowledge with us).
You get the idea now I hope. We are never really all alone. No matter how dark and destitute our situation might appear to us I promise you if you will take the time to reach out someone will be there to help you over the bumps!
I should warn you though, help is likely to come from the most unexpected places. However, that’s one of the most amazing things about life isn’t it?
– Here’s to your success, Josh Hinds
About The Author:
Josh Hinds of http://GetMotivation.com specializes in helping people to achieve maximum success and live the life of their dreams. He is also the co-founder of http://AudioMotivation.com - visit now to hear leading motivational speakers and authors share their tips and advice with you.
Comments Off
Posted by admin on January 4th, 2009 — Posted in Online New Age
Everyone’s mind needs a little downtime. We all need time to focus on one task, instead of multi-tasking all day and night. In fact, your mind doesn’t take a complete rest when you sleep. Your mind moves from dream to dream for about two hours per night.
Your mind needs rest and a vacation. Have you ever noticed that when you take a vacation, you come back with fresh ideas, a better attitude, and establish clear priorities? This is due to getting some time to relax and reflect on your life. The time off allows you to think clearly.
Our problem stems from being so busy that we lose touch with our inner self. We fill our time with too many activities to realistically accomplish them. Companies do this to their employees, but we voluntarily do it to ourselves. You have the ability to take control of your own life, and the solution is as simple as daily meditation sessions.
The answers to our problems are within ourselves, but many of us don’t want to look that deep, for fear of what we might learn about ourselves. It is always easier to blame outside forces for our problems. However, closing down outside distractions and listening to our inner voice is natural medicine.
Who knows? You could actually find yourself and your identity. This could lead you to make changes and put ideas into action. All of this progress could happen as a result of you making a “meditation appointment” with yourself. It only takes 20 to 30 minutes a day for a single meditation session.
There has never been a better time to meditate than right now. People have so much “going on,” these days; the only time they stop is when they are sick. The problem is how busy will people be in 20 years from now? Now you see why having downtime is so important.
Information about meditation techniques is widely available in books, DVD’s, and CD’s. You don’t have to join a monastery, and live according to a strict moral code, with multitudes of rules, but you do need the self-discipline to continue a daily practice.
Strangely - self-discipline, alone, will keep the masses away from this ancient practice, which has survived a battery of tests and modern scrutiny. This is amazing when you think about the rewards of self-mastery, contentment, and mindfulness, which result from daily meditation practice.
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
Comments Off
Posted by admin on January 3rd, 2009 — Posted in Online New Age
Have you ever been encountered with a trauma in life and not know how your life would be after it was all said and done? This is a story of my trauma and how I survived and how I am taking an extreme tragedy and turning it into something spectacular.
This is a story of psychological terror brought on by the hands of my mother. I am the second oldest of 16 children and the stories I am about to describe relays what it was like to live under the terror and reign of our mother. The abuse started about 35 years ago in 1970 and who knew there would be 16 direct victims and many other people affected by her manipulations when all was said and done. Hind sight is truly 20/20 and I think if things were handled differently with the 1987 felony child abuse charges in Waukesha County, there wouldn’t be this tale to tell today in 2005.
There are two distinct time periods in this story: the 17 years prior to 1987 and the 18 years after 1987. Unfortunately for all us children involved, the story reads nearly the same with only the children involved changing. You will find parallels in both sections that I still can’t believe today and I was part of the situation from the beginning and a catalyst for this coming to light. What you will see is a very large break in the system but above all, the master manipulation that would rival the greatest minds. By manipulating her children, the social workers, the lawyers, the prosecutors, mom got off with nothing in 1987 when she was facing 18 counts of felony and misdemeanor child abuse charges, $180,000 in fines and 30 years in prison. Her ability to walk away from that without a scar only enabled her psychotic manipulating mind and that allowed mom to abuse again without fear for the next 18 years. It is heartbreaking to know and live with the fact that these actions have been addressed in the past and she ended up inflicting the same thing on my brothers and sisters as soon as the Department of Social Services stepped out of the situation in the late 80’s. You often hear that history repeats itself, but I never would have imagined to be the exact same acts of manipulation, terror and intimidating abuse over such a long period of time.
September 14, 1987 - This is a day that I will never forget, it was the day that I looked into my mothers eyes and saw my own mortality. It was the day that I wanted to give up trying and just pass away to the next world. This day, is engrained in so many of the kids minds that each one that witnessed it can tell you a story of psychological warfare, utter pain, mental anguish, and overall defeat. This day was worse than anything I have faced in 14 years in the military. This day was worse than anything I could imagine, it was the day that my mother tried to kill me and was the day that I saw the devil in her eyes. So much of the last 17 years have built up to this moment and this day was merely the straw that broke the camels back.
This day started like any other day in our house, but it ended being a day that changed our lives forever. After school that day I was walking to my babysitting job which was a couple of miles away. One of the sneaky things I did as a teenager was to switch my clothes and hair when I got to school. Mom always made me wear skirts and two pigtails in my hair up until this day (I think she was reliving her high school years through us) and I snuck a pair of pants to school and a brush. When I got there in the morning after being dropped off I would go to the bathroom and switch out of my skirt and comb out my hair. Ted knew what I was doing but he never said much, he knew the deal. Well I took my skirt along with me when I was walking to the house I was to baby-sit at but I was still wearing my pants. Unbeknownst to me, my mother was following me in the car. She came up to me and found that I was wearing a pair of pants and had my hair down and not in pigtails which was one of her number one rules I wasn’t allowed to do. She shoved me in the car and refused to let me continue to the job and she made me take off my pants in the car and she threw them out the window. To this day I do not remember how Mr. Maloney found out I wasn’t going to be working there anymore, I think I was in too much shock to remember that. She started to beat me in the head, a 17 year old girl, in the car and saying things that I just can’t write down on a piece of paper without cringing. All I could do was cry to myself but knew it would be over soon, until she stopped at the hair cutters. She said that since I cared so much about my hair and that I wouldn’t wear the pigtails that she would have it cut off. She had my father take me in and say “cut it short” and then they left me there to get it cut. I cried in the chair the whole time and told the lady that mom was forcing this. She cried too and said she would try not to cut it too much. My dad came back to pick me up and he immediately looked at my hair and said “your mother is going to be mad”. I tensed because I knew what was coming. I got home and no sooner did I walk into the door that the bug eyes my mother is so famous for came out and she went straight for my hair. She was so mad she ran over to me and started pounding on my head and my back. I screamed in pain and disbelief and this went on for a while. Then she got even more crazy, she made dad get the other two girls down from the room to watch what was about to happen to me. Mom dragged me to the bathroom by my hair holding my face up to the mirror and screaming profanities at me. She took me by the neck with her forearm and strung me up on the wall with my feet dangling. She had freakishly strong grips that you couldn’t get out of and she made the girls watch as she terrorized me. I was screaming, the girls were screaming for her to stop but she wouldn’t. She pushed on my neck and put her face up to mine and simply yelled at me “do you want me to kill you, do you want me to kill you now” and the only words that would come out of my mouth was “yes, yes, yes just kill me now and get it over with”. She dropped me and yelled at the girls to watch what would happen to them if they ever disobeyed her and she took the knife and started chopping off my hair to the scalp. Just chopped and chopped in her fit of rage and beating me to my knees. I drained of life in that very moment. When she was done she sent us all to our black prison cells of our rooms and the girls cried for me that night. I slumped down on the bottom bunk, curled to the fetal position and prayed to God that I wouldn’t wake up.
September 15, 1987 - the day I left home and never looked back - After falling asleep in my locked black room in an endless pit of sorrow and despair, the time came to go to cleaning. I was to continue on like nothing had happened. My dad called into my room to get up and get into the car to go to work. I hadn’t seen my hair myself yet because I had no access to mirrors after the assault. I felt my head not sure if what happened was a dream or if it really happened. I cried, I just kept crying. She took the one thing from me that I adored, my long beautiful hair. I looked like a boy and to this day I can’t bear to have short hair because of the memories associated with it. I sat in the car with my head on the window feeling lifeless and I had no ounce of hope. I was done, I was finished, I wanted out of my life. I continued on with cleaning, just working through my silent tears unable to look at my father who allowed this to happen to me. How could he let this happen to his daughter? After cleaning my mother made me wear a wedding type dress to high school with my tattered hair. So there I was, 17 years old, tattered hair in a fancy dress, most assuredly used to distract from my head. She slapped me a few more times when she saw the tears on my face and cut my hair so more, to even it out she said. I just stood there, emotionless, feeling dead to the world. I got dropped off in front of school, tears in my eyes as I was stared at walking through the halls. I walked to my homeroom and then walked right past it. I didn’t know where I was going but I wasn’t going to class like this. I hid in the sixth floor bathroom staring at my hair, I crawled under the sink in the fetal position and just started to cry. People came in and asked me what was wrong, all I could say to them was, “go get Meg - I only want Meg”. Someone listened, someone got her. To this day I don’t know what I told her. I blocked so much of what happened. Someone gave me a bandana to put on my head and she took me to the chapel in the basement. She stayed with me all day - she is my hero, she saved me. She brought in Father Reiney and I told them everything. I was hungry and pulled out my lunch and was eating my spaghetti sandwich that was packed for me, Meg and I shared a laugh on that one. After I told the Father about everything he brought in a Nun and they told me what my options were. I had to find shelter for that night, somewhere where I would be safe, before I even got to say a word Meg said she would take me home with her that night. I was so scared at what was about to unfold before the both of us. We ended up getting on the bus to get to her house in Wauwatosa and she and I were embarking on our first adventure. She laughed at me on the bus because as we left Pius and traveled through the town I remarked, “oh my gosh, the street signs are blue”. I never knew that the street name signs were any color other than green. We never left our little area in New Berlin. That night Meg and her mom welcomed me with open arms but the peace did not last too long. My mother found out that I was at Meg’s house and she camped out in her front yard and started yelling at the top of her lungs. The police were called and I sat upstairs crying and in complete terror that she would take me back home. Meg and her mom did everything they possibly could to console me and they said that they knew someone down the street and that they were going to get me there. Poor Jane, Meg’s sister, was left to endure mom’s psychotic ranting and raving on the front lawn. They just got a small taste of the life I was living everyday. I was snuck out the back door and we ran down the street like we were really in hiding from the enemy. We ended up at that other house where I made a very important phone call. I hadn’t talked to my dad’s family in probably a decade when I called Uncle Butch and Aunt Judi in tears. I told them who I was and that I ran away from home could I stay there for the night. I can’t remember what else I talked about but I ended up at their house where mom would never suspect my whereabouts. From what I was told my mother stayed on Meg’s front yard for most of the night. I can’t remember reintroducing myself to my relatives but looking back, I am so grateful that they opened that door for me. They have been suedo parents to me for the last 18 years and I just am in awe at their selfless acts of kindness that night. As the next day started there would be no school for me. I got up and had breakfast like a normal person. I sat at the table and served myself a meal, something that I had not done in 17 years. Aunt Judi and Uncle Butch listened as I poured out my life story at the breakfast table and they told me some of the things that I never knew about my extended family. Later that day, Father Reiney came to get me. They worked through the night for an option that would save me. This was the only option I had and ironically enough, mom’s escapades from the night before at Meg’s house were enough to get a restraining order. Fr. Reiney told me that they would take me to a home for runaways called Pathfinders in Milwaukee and they would protect me for two weeks. I started to cry. I just started to cry and couldn’t stop. I think I said yes I would go and off we went. Fr. Reiney drove me there where I told them about the story of everything that happened in my home and then they gave me another blow. They said that they could only let me stay at Pathfinders if my parents gave permission. My world sank again, how could I escape? She would never give permission, I would be found out, I would be in the most trouble I have ever been in and I don’t know what would happen. I told this to them, I told them every word that she would say to make me out to be the liar and the evil one. Word for word I described how the conversation would play out, I even shocked myself at the level of detail I provided. They called her on speaker phone, and word nearly for word it played out exactly how I explained. Somehow, someway those administrators convinced her to let me stay. I was still in my dress, she demanded it back. She demanded the clothes on my back, I borrowed some of theirs that were donated and they handed the dress over the next day. I don’t remember where I slept that night, I don’t remember much of anything except that was the first time in 13 years I hadn’t had to get up to go to cleaning.
March 23, 2004 - The day the kids were taken away… again!! - Another day in the history of our family that is difficult to forget. I received a call out of the blue from my sister saying the four kids whom I had never met or known before were taken away from mom. Jeffery had turned them in for abuse. My jaw dropped down to the ground in disbelief but more of relief. I immediately went to Annie’s house and walked in and found the kids sleeping in the living room. I walked in and said “Hi, I am your sister Jennifer, boy I am glad to meet you guys!” Annie gave me a run down of what had happened. Much like myself at the very same age, Jeffery had enough. He knew that I was emancipated and made a legal adult at 17 and went to his guidance counselor to see how he could do the very same thing. From there, the police were involved and they took the four children from school and Annie took emergency custody of them. I spent that entire first day, just sitting with my brothers and sister that I never knew and just talked. I found out who they were and allowed them to meet me and know that I would be there for them. Over the course of the next few days, I became the permanent home for Nick and Jeffery. Charlie was diabetic and I could not care for him so he went to a foster home and Amber stayed with Annie. As you might imagine, these weeks became utter nightmares being brought to life all over again. Nick and Jeffery were thrown into a home with a sister they never met and I suddenly was responsible for four kids as a single parent. My rules were strict and as the emotions played out, Nick shut down on me. He left my custody after a few short weeks and went to live with Ted for a few months before moving to a permanent foster home only a mile away from my house. Amber became too much for Annie and her five children so she came to live with me and through a barrage of emotional rollercoaster’s and a stint at Elizabeth’s house, Amber went to a loving foster home, also just a couple of miles from my house. Jeffery had a few rough spots but now lives in his own apartment after graduating High School and loves it. As of today, the kids spend a lot of time at my house to give the foster parents a break and they are thriving beyond belief. We are hoping mom is held accountable for years to come so these last three can be given the best chance possible to succeed.
27 July 2005 - Mom gets hard time - she is in prison tonight! - Judge Dreyfuss was incredible, he not only allowed every child to make their victim impact statements, but said that it was critical as to the character of Linda Stephens and her propensity to abuse again and to take advantage of her children. Each child got up there and gave their statement; each child described how they are affected today because of what mom has put us through. Each child spun their tale of manipulation, abuse and control that mom exuded over them and how they are affected today. Mom sat their stone faced without caring just staring ahead with her jaw clenched.
Then the judge said his piece and then he sentenced mom. He admonished her for her 35 years of manipulation and stated that she was brilliant in her schemes and manipulations. He stated that prison can either be a punishment or to protect society. Judge Dreyfuss stated that he didn’t feel she was threatening society but the threat she posed to her own children were too great to not recognize. Judge Dreyfuss sentenced her to 3 years in prison with no possibility of getting out early and then 8 years of extended supervision and probation. During those 8 years she would have to get a fulltime job (which she has never had) and pay back the people she has stolen from. She will not be allowed to have a credit/debit card, credit/debit card numbers, a computer, internet access or checking accounts due to the extent of her fraud and financial crimes. The Judge stated that she was to have no contact with the minor children ever via any means until they reach the age of 18 (the youngest now is 13). She was instructed to have absolutely no contact with the adult children in any fashion or form unless they wanted that contact and requested it and on their terms. This is so important to all of us who want nothing to do with her. Today was our closure.
Jennifer has lived a truly extraordinary life. As a child, she endured the horrors of child abuse, which included physical torture, mental cruelty, and near starvation. Upon Jennifer’s escape in 1987, her family was identified as one of the most severe child abuse cases in Wisconsin’s history. At age 17, Jennifer’s teachers risked their careers to notify the authorities and saved her life from certain death. Upon Jennifer’s escape, she was made a ward of the court and placed in foster care until she became what would be her lifelong quest for higher education and she enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1991. As a young adult Jennifer was determined to better herself–no matter what mountain or land mine laid in her path and is currently a Major in the United States Army and continues to be an extreme advocate for social services, foster care, law enforcement, and prosecutors. In her off duty time, Jennifer offers programs for corporate groups, human services, Child Abuse Prevention Fund in Milwaukee, youth-at-risk, and continues to mentor for women’s achievement potential.
Jennifer Stephens can be reached via email at WisconsinVision@aol.com or www.jenniferstephens.org
Comments Off
Posted by admin on January 3rd, 2009 — Posted in Online New Age
Scrying, the art of gaining telepathic information by gazing into crystals, began thousands of years ago. Ancient civilizations revered crystals, believing they had magical powers. The people thought that the gods would deliver mystical wisdom to the meditator through the stones. Battles, travel, healing, diets, and even decisions about the ruling of kingdoms were often planned according to wisdom imparted to scryers from their stones. Today the art of scrying is still widely practiced, but has lost a bit of it’s mystery as we have gained knowledge of the reactions between energy and crystals.
We now know that crystals vibrate with their own frequencies. They also absorb frequencies they are exposed to and can actually store this input within them. The stone has the capability to amplify these vibrations as well. Scientists actually use crystals to slow the speed of light, and many are used in communication devices. Because of their capacity to store energy information much as your brain does, crystals are also being used in the construction of a new type of computer. It is the capacity of the crystal to play back stored information in the form of energy for your brain to pick up and decipher that gives the crystal its “magical” power. When you pick up a crystal which is on a frequency level that is compatible with your own, you gain access to this stored information. The compatability of frequencies is the reason that you will find some crystals will work for you and others will not.
Being that emotions and thoughts have also their own frequencies, “bad” vibrations can be stored just as easily as “good” vibrations. In other words, you can pick up a crystal that will have negative reactions. These negative vibrations can become so amplified that a stone can actually become known to be cursed. This is the case with some very famous gemstones. (See the article about the cursed black diamond in the Station 1 Connector newsletter for an example of cursed gemstones:
http://www.rockhoundstation1.com/newsletter.html - December, 2005 issue. Archives are at the bottom of page if you are reading this after December). The main rule here is that if you have bad feelings from a crystal, or bad things happen to you while in contact with a crystal, it is best to avoid the stone completely. Something is not right with the frequency or stored energy in the stone. So how do you find the right one?
Choosing the right stone may be a bit easier than you may think it would be. You may have a particular crystal in mind when you begin your search for the right one. While browsing for that crystal, it is likely that another one may catch and hold your attention or your eye. When you continue your search, you will find that you are continually being drawn back to that crystal. You may be so strongly attracted to a crystal that it seems to be actually calling to you. That is the crystal you will want to choose. It attracts you because it’s frequencies and information storage are right for you.
Before using a crystal for scrying purposes, you will want to clean the stone to erase any interfering frequencies from the surface. This can be done in a few different ways. Most people soak the crystal in a water and sea salt solution for 24 hours before use. Some bury the stone in natural fiber cloth such as silk or linen. After cleansing, the stone may be left in sun or moonlight for a while to “charge” it much as you would recharge a battery. This process is claimed to amplify the stone’s energies quite effectively.
Once you have the stone prepared for scrying, place it against a background that aid visual contact with the stone. A plain white background can be effective for this for most crystals. Now notice any patterns you may see in the stone. Clear your mind as you watch the stone and patterns within it. Don’t bother adapting a frozen stare, just watch it naturally. Soon you will see images or patterns evolving in the stone. You won’t be thinking these things - you will physically see them. Once you see the patterns or images, ideas will come to you about them. Pay attention to these ideas, but let them flow freely. What is happening is that the stone is releasing stored energy to you, or converting energy it is receiving from you into ideas.
By using the stone’s stored and active energy flows you can learn about events from the past or about connections you have to events in the universe that might go unrealized without the amplification of the energies by your crystal. You will be able to see the effects of your energies on the stone as many crystals will start to change visually with continued use, and develop cloudy spots or change of color. These changes in no way should be viewed as spoiling the stone. They are just natures way of showing us that the crystal’s power to amplify, store, convert, and distribute energy are quite physical processes and have much less to do with magic than our ancestors realized.
©2005 Sally Taylor: Sal is an avid gem and treasure hunter, explorer, writer, and is the owner of http://www.rockhoundstation1.com
Comments Off
Posted by admin on January 2nd, 2009 — Posted in Online New Age
“You ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him” (2 Corinthians 2:7).
Sorrow can make one look through a dark glass when he or she is swallowed up in anguish. One struggling with somber thoughts is unable to “behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18). This particular passage deals with a backslider, but this wise advice to realize and reassure our love for a troubled one is true for any who need mercy and solace and restoration to the family or community. We all need reaffirmation at times.
Love is encouragement: “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24). It is possible to look beyond what people are and have done, and love them for what they can be. Love then becomes redemptive and rejuvenating. It is said that Michelangelo found a piece of rough marble that had been cast aside as useless. He was told that no good thing could come from it, but Michelangelo said, “It is not useless. Send it to my studio. There is an angel imprisoned within it, and I must set it free.” We can help release the distressed caught in the hard marble of life through showing them God’s forgiveness and love.
Jesus went about freeing angels from within seemingly useless or sinful human beings finally released by His love: Zacchaeus the tax collector, Mary Magdalene, Saul to become Paul, the thief on the cross, the woman of Samaria — and us! Jesus sees what we can be and He treats us accordingly. And He asks that we do the same for others: treat them as they can be, through His transforming grace and our love for them in Christ’s name.
Comments Off
Posted by admin on January 1st, 2009 — Posted in Online New Age
The word of God in Mark 11:25 says “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” That is powerful. That means if you still can not stand the girl in the third grade that colored on your pretty picture, you have to forgive her so your sins may be forgiven. The word says if you hold anything against anyone you must forgive - including things you hold against yourself!
It is hard to extend the gift of forgiveness to others if we have withheld the same courtesy from ourselves. We all have a past. Some of us have more sins than others, but it all equates to sin - sin against the Father and sin against ourselves. We build prisons of chains of our making, based on sin and iniquity. In return, sometimes the Father has to subject us to bitter labor and distress so that we cry out to the only one who can break our chains and give us relief.
Once the chains have been broken, we enter in the realm of healing and deliverance. There is no reason to constantly hold on to a link or two from the broken chains. There is no reason to constantly remember the past that God has already freed you from. We must be the first partakers of forgiveness to truly be able to reap the blessings forgiveness allows - a freeing of the soul from bitterness, anger, jealousy, and defeat. There is joy in forgiving.
It may be a hard task I am asking of you, but God has already sent His son to bear the weight of our sins and by His stripes we are healed. Your past could be an abortion… It could be theft… It could be abuse… It could be prostitution… It could be murder… Your past can include so much more. I praise God right now for not leaving us or forsaking the covenant He made with us. He will make everything alright if you let Him. Take time today to reconcile with your past and move on to forgiving yourself. It will bless your life.
Sharonda Diggs is the founder of http://www.writefaith.com and loves to convey God’s word through creative inspirational writing. Write Faith is a combination of articles, poetry, music and book reviews, and so much more. Come and fellowship at Write Faith and allow God to inspire you to be all you are supposed to be.
Comments Off
Posted by admin on December 31st, 2008 — Posted in Online New Age
Maybe you’ve heard this one:
“What does it profit a man to have gained the whole world, and to have lost his soul?” - Jesus Christ
Inspirational quotes and sayings from the present day or centuries past, can inspire and instruct us. This is true regardless of the religious or spiritual tradition they come from. Nor do religious or spiritully-oriented individuals have a monopoly on useful words. Quotes that strike at the truth of the matter can come from scoundrels, saints, and ordinary people.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excelence, then, is not an act, but a habit” - Aristotle
“Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old. Seek what they sought.” - Basho
Why Read Inspirational Quotes?
Philosophies and arguments often use logic in an attempt to “capture” truth in a net of words to build systems of knowledge, or to satify egos. Logic is important, but when mis-used it leads to confusion. Inspirational sayings cut through the fog and point at the truth, so you can see it for yourself.
Imagine a choice: do what you love and possibly fail, or wait a few more years. Now, outside of mathematics, virtually all reasoning is tainted with rationalization, so you can support whatever you decide with “logical arguments,” right? No wonder we’re often confused and demotivated! How can we trust our own reasoning, if it just finds a logical construct for whichever fear or other feeling is strongest!
Then you read an inspirational quote:
“You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.” - Wayne Gretzky
Can you see how this hockey metaphor might touch you precisely because it isn’t a logical argument? It just points at a truth you can see for yourself: You can’t get what you want without “taking that shot.” Seeing the truth is far more motivating than arguing it. That’s the value of reading inspirational quotes.
Steve Gillman writes on many self help topics including boosting brainpower, losing weight, meditation, habits of mind, creative problem solving, learning gratitude, generating luck and anything related to self improvement. You’ll find more at http://www.SelfImprovementNow.com
Comments Off
Posted by admin on December 28th, 2008 — Posted in Online New Age
“It`s life Jim but not as we know it.”
-Spock
In Corrogue there is a starry, starry night.
This evening the night sky is so very clear and full of stars. The Milky Way is clearly visible. There is a sense of wonder at the beauty of it all.
When I used to watch television I loved the program created by Gene Rodenberry named “Star Trek.” Each week the crew of the Starship Enterprise were encouraged, “to go where no man (or woman) has gone before.”
The crew of the Starship Enterprise had many adventures. Often the ships logical First Officer Spock would be asked by the captain James T Kirk what he thought about a particular life form they happened to encounter. Spock would often reply, “It’s life Jim but not as we know it.”
This is a wonderful description of the miracle that each of us is.
We are life flowing eternally but we do not know it. We do not, in that sense, know who we really are and the vastness of the beauty that we are. We are encouraged to look ever outward and forget the real beauty of our being. This is where heaven truly lies.
The energy that is life is the energy of love.
This is an unconditional timeless flow that manifests in form from the formless. From this emptiness all is created. This is the wonderful paradox of this experience we call life. Everything happens out of “no-thing.” We are each a most wondrous “nobody special.” We each are the compliment of the Beloved. We live a life of paradox whereby everything is created from “no-thing.”
Do not be like the logical First Officer Spock. Do not try to make logical sense out of this paradox. You can know this only by feeling it to be true. The difficulty, however, is that to know and feel this truth you have to disappear. You have to become life but not as you know it. You have to become the dance of the Divine. You become the play of the Beloved.
When you know life as essence there is only the knowing.
There is no one who is different from the knowing. There is unity. You and the knowing are one. There is non-separateness. There is a whole and holy experience. This is not resisted. It is not judged but simply allowed to flow moment to moment. When listening to music there is only the listening. When looking at a sunset there is only looking. There is no interpretation or comparison of this sunset with another. There is only the wonder of the moment. The observed and the observer are one.
Much of our time is spent on making a living and losing our lives in the process.
We compromise our birthright of joy in living a role that gives us some imagined degree of security and value. We fear we might become “nobody special.” We fear that “our” life might not measure up. “Our life” in the end might not have any meaning. So we create any sort of meaning rather than “our life” have no meaning at all.
In this age of celebrity and the fame we want to at least have some sense that we have achieved. We want to be seen as somebody special. We want to be someone who’s life is important in some little or even large way.
In this way we lose our life.
This is what Christ meant when he said, “He that would save his life shall lose it. ” He wasn’t advising you that if your life was in anyway threatened that you should simply allow yourself to die. He meant that the lack of faith in the unknown leads us to create an illusion of separateness. The ego creates a life separate from the “real life.” It creates life but not life as we know it. The real life is that spoken about by the mystics of all traditions and cultures.
Knowing who you are is the “real life.” It is eternal life. It is the great instruction. If you move through “your” life without knowing who you are then you will have missed. This knowing who you are is a heart felt timeless experience of love. It is wisdom. It is the deepest Blessing available.
When you seek you will find. What you find is the seeker is an illusion. You find that the “homeplace” of the heart is a place of oneness, wholeness, non-sperateness and joy. You are a holy being of light. This light is the unconditional eternal energy of Love. When you know that you are this then you know the Blessing is already here.
“God is love” and you have never and can never be separate from this unity. You are made in the image of the Beloved. You are a living paradox of knowing that everything is eternally being born out of no-thing.
The rational First Officer Spock of the Starship Enterprise will tell you that he cannot comprehend this. This is akin to asking the rational mind to turn somersaults. The rational mind thinks in opposites. It is only the heart that can embrace paradox. Only the heart can feel comfortable that black is white and not white at the same time.
The heart knows what the head cannot. The head rationalises which means it can only ever know in part (the word “part” is the root of the word “ratio.”) The heart embraces wholeness and the holy. This is wisdom.
In gazing at the emptiness of the night sky I experience wonder. This simple looking allows me to go where few men (or women) have gone before. In the vastness of this nothing ness there is fullness beyond belief. This fullness is the experience of unconditional love for all eternity. Knowing who you are is knowing you are this. This is the real discovery.
This is the real life but not life as the ego will ever know it.
© 2005 Tony Cuckson
Tony Cuckson is an Anam Cara. This Celtic term means “Soul Friend.” He specializes in providing insight for the spiritual journey, Irish Blessings, words of wisdom and finding inner peace. Visitors to Irish Blessings Matter website and Tony’s Blog get the opportunity to develop a purpose driven life through articles, newsletters and other programs. Get your free report called “7 ways to it’s a wonderful life” at http://www.irishblessingsmatter.com or visit Tony’s Blog at http://www.irishblessingsmatter.info for the best resources on spiritual growth, spiritual cinema, spiritual parenting, spiritual coaching and spirit in business.
Comments Off
Posted by admin on December 25th, 2008 — Posted in Online New Age
Astrology is a science, which, together with the knowledge gained in astronomy, observes and records how celestial bodies and zodiacal influences affect life on our planet. Generally it is related to the effects upon humans, but also takes into account mineral life, vegetable life and animal life. The influences from the planets and beyond form complex patterns, much like weather conditions, and also indicate calm or turbulent atmospheres-but these are beyond the visible range of influence.
The science is based upon the fact that at any particular point in time, a chart may be drawn up which records and focuses upon all the different incoming influences and energies upon the particular life concerned, and in this case, we consider an individual person. These vibrations which could be seen to correspond to different instruments in an orchestra, establish a co-operative and harmonious invisible climate to which that individual life has opportunity to respond, or, in the case of clashing energies, adverse conditions which the individual must learn to deal with.
All energy, although invisible, is a power. The sun’s light we can see and its power we can feel as we can to a lesser degree, the moon’s energy. But that of the other planets, although it exists, is not obvious to the average person. However, since early history, we have acknowledged their subtle power and even named them as gods named in our days of the week.
Regarding the influence of the other far galaxies and celestial energies, we must rely upon what the science of Astrology gives us as a basis to understand how human beings react to them. There is no better place to start our observations, but with ourselves, at the moment of our birth.
At that very moment, there were astronomically calculated positions of the sun, moon and all the planets. The other planets were in particular location according to the system which designates different areas of the sky and to which have been given names of the zodiacal signs. And according to the hour of your birth, there was one of these twelve signs rising above the horizon. This is placed in your Astrological Chart as your Rising Sign and it is just as important as your well known Sun sign which we determine by the day and the month of birth. In the middle of all these influences we take our first breath by which we assert the beginning of our life.
The influences which existed at the time of our birth however, are very strong and affect our personality, our basic temperament, early family life, and determine a great deal of our instinctive attitudes in thought and feeling, beyond those that develop through our environment. However, regarding human life it must be understood that each person by their free will, can react positively or negatively in any situation as we do under changing weather conditions. These initial influences will pervade much of our life as we live to capitalize on our good fortune and learn to cope with the difficulties in our circumstances.
Although a professionally drawn up horoscope is seen as a set pattern, it should be understood to have certain flexibility. It is like a blueprint which the individual by use of free will, modify, utilize or alter the inherent tendencies and pattern of his life.
Any experienced astrologer will confirm however, that the fundamental ingredients in the make up of a personality will not change quickly or easily. This allows certain confidence in analysing character and in predicting future circumstances.
Astrological science can be applied in many ways - including personal health, psychology, relationships, analysing national conditions or in matters regarding world trends and events. Once the principles are known there is opportunity to apply the knowledge in the avenue of your personal interest in consultation with a professional astrologer.
To quote Astrologer Dayne Rudhyar: “The young people…hope to find in astrology not only answers to poignant personal problems, but even more, some sort of inner security. Many of them…refusing to participate in a culture increasingly dominated by a de-humanized and de-natured approach to knowledge, long to discover their place and function in a more-than-human, universal or cosmic order.”
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Astrology
Comments Off
Posted by admin on December 21st, 2008 — Posted in Online New Age
Have you ever wondered which Angel governs your sign? And did you know that all Angels are not exlusively deriven from Heaven? With regards to your personality, each of these entities play a role in your individuality.
{Rf. from “A Dictionary of Angels” by Gustav Davidson}
The Angel, Machidiel, (meaning “fullness of God”), governs the month of March and is also the ruler of Aries.
Asmodel, the Angel of April, rules the Zodiacal sign of Taurus. He is widely known as the “demon of punishment.”
May’s Angel, Ambriel governs Gemini and is the chief officer of the 12th hour of night. On an Oriental, Hebrew charm, Ambriel’s name is inscribed to ward off evil.
Then we have Muriel, the Angel of June and the ruler of Cancer. Muriel is interesting in that not only is he the chief officer of the 3rd hour of the day but if “invoked” from the South is believed to procure a magic carpet.
The Angel of July, Verchiel, ruler of Leo. Not only is Verchiel one of the rulers of the order of powers, but he also governs the Sun.
Hamaliel, Angel of August, a ruler of Virgo is also one of the rulers of the “orders of virtue.”
Libra’s ruler, Uriel, (translating “Fire of God”), governor of September, is also known as the Archangel of salvation and is renowned globally from the infamous painting - Dryden’s “The State of Innocence,” depicted descending from heaven in a chariot drawn by white horses. He is also likened to divine vengeance and Justice ~ thus the “scales of Libra.”
Barbiel, ruler of Scorpio and the Angel of October is one of the 28 angels of the 28 mansions of the Moon. Barbiel also serves as one of the seven Electors in the underworld.
The Angel of November and ruler of Sagittarius is Adnachiel. He and Phaleg-referred to as the “Warlord,” alternate as ruling Angels of the Order of Angels.
Haniel, Angel of December and ruler of Capricorn meaning “Glory or grace of God,” is known as the chief of innocents. He is invoked as an amulet against evil.
Aquarian ruler, Gabriel (”God is my strength”) and Angel of January is one of the two highest-ranking angels in Judaeo-Christian and Mohammedan religion. He stands for annunciation, resurrection, mercy, vengeance, death and revelation. He presides over Paradise and is the ruling prince of the 1st Heaven. He is also said to sit on the left-hand side of God and known as the spirit of truth. Gabriel was the Angel who inspired Joan of Arc to go the succor of the King of France.
Barchiel, the Angel of February and the ruler of Pisces, (”Lightening of God”) is one of the 7 archangels, and is also known to be the ruler of Jupiter
It is evident, Astrologically speaking, the Zodiac closely mirrors the Heaven that we know and the Angels therein. So, the words, “It is written in the Stars” truly exhibits our predestination of life and all that lies within. How we use our knowledge, experience and Angelical Governors of the Zodiac is up to us.
© A Fine Line between Heaven, Hell and Astrology - Angelic Governors of the Zodiac
All Rights Reserved
by C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot
C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot is the Public Relations’ Director &
Writer for Holistic Junction — Your source of information for Holistic Practitioners, Massage Therapy Schools, Healing Arts Schools, Alternative Health Education, Insightful Literature and so much more!!
Comments Off
