TELL ME WHY

Passing On

2011-12-28T10:07:00.000+08:00

Look at this photograph. It is a young man with his trishaw beside him. Somewhere further in front of him were two old men sitting beside their trishaws. The old men were talking about the young man: Young man trying to snatch business with them. The two old men were speaking in Hokkien, lamenting about their bad and tough trishaw business.

We were once taught by the government that 2 children are enough. Many families have the same mindset then and a lot of them have 2 children in their families (Family Planning). Studying in government school, I was taught 'this way' -- 2 is enough. When I was pregnant with the third fetus, I went for abortion. Little do I know that I had my soul perished when I did that.

I found back my soul when Jesus came to me. I was given another fetus. This time I had known the truth and I kept the baby. I had my third baby. I baptized him as soon as I was able to go church after confinement. Baptizing my baby means that my baby is a child of God.

Parents always pass the good things to the children. We are passing on our faith, passing on the truth and the power and glory of God as well. In the above photograph, the young man might have inherited the trishaw business from his father. The two old men might not have any children to take over his business. Another possibility is that they have daughters instead of son, or the children do not like the trishaw business. In any case, it is a blessing to have children to take over the business of the parents. Garage Del Parco is a family business too -- father handed down the business to the son and daughter. What a happy and fortunate family. The business deal with buying and selling cars. It has been in business since 1978. Garage Del Parco is an italian website. With experience and professionalism, and always attending to the needs of customers, meeting customer satisfaction, they buy used cars (compro auto usate) and they also have used cars for sale (vendita auto usate)!

Garage del Parco is an italian website. Follow this link to visit the translated website: http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.garagedelparco.com&sl=it&tl=en Efficiency, competence and thoroughness are their trump cards to continue to offer service and assistance. They are safe and guaranteed, worthy of trust. If you want to buy used cars, click here for used cars london or auto usate milano.

Why They Die

2008-07-12T00:23:00.002+08:00

Heroes of Faith
These are the people who had died during the world war. Never had I known that there were words written behind this memorial.

For the first time, I saw behind this memorial, words : They Died That We Might Live. It was getting dark and I could not take the whole picture.

On 5th September 1993 was the Faculty of Science, NUS Convocation. After the ceremony, my brother, my sister-in-law and Richard went to Marina Bay to take photographs. I had taken so many photographs there at Marina Bay. This is all destiny...

I never get to see my maternal grandmother. My mother always said she was so pitiful, and worked so hard because her mother died young and while she was very young also, at the age of 11 (my special number). Her big brother, Thomas Lee, also died very young, in the year 1965, due to an accident, and a curse behind it...

My maternal fourth aunt, I saw her before when I was young, and in photograph. She also died young, in Malaysia (cancer).

The next person who died in this family was my great grandmother. I was not so close to her, but I remembered visiting her in her room. She was bedridden for very long, always lying on bed. She died before my great grandfather, Peter.

My mother said that the spirits are 'lonely' and they come to ask the 'partner' or beloved to join them. After my great grandmother's death, my grandmother was being 'called'. I heard she was the dearest daughter of all. These grandmother of mine was called Maria, the faithful 'servant' of God also, the one whom I remembered always wanted to receive Holy Communion, the Body of Christ....

After Maria, her father was being 'called' this time. My great grandfather, whom was closer to me, but not very close still (but I love him... he was very cute.), died in the year 1990 on January, on the special number 13.

Spirits In The Air
On the day of his funeral, my cousin said he saw a green light rose into the sky. He said he saw "Lao Gong" 老公 'came out' of the body, the body, green light, becoming shorter and shorter rising into the sky. This cousin has special eyes, just like Clara.

Blessings From The Souls
After my great grandfather died, I always accompanied my mother to the grave during All Soul's Day. My mother always taught me to pray for my studies and for my wisdom. At night, before I slept, I would pray to him also, besides to Jesus.

Peter: Head of The Church
My sister always had problems with her skin, and strange scratches on her body. They always seek the medium for answers. I was puzzled.... being a Christian. Anyway, I was curious. I 'participated' as well. One day, when my sister went upstairs at the Boon Lay house to seek one of the medium, I also seek their advice. During that time, I always had dream of my teeth dropping. According to dreams interpretation books, it means the death of dear ones. I was scared. I could not remember what the medium said or asked me to do, but I think she said something like "The angel fish coming soon'. During those days, I also dreamed of my great grandfather's coffin. My mother said that was a good sign, means luck. I bought 4D and I struck lottery, S$1000 if I remembered correctly.

Why We Dream

2008-06-01T11:08:00.001+08:00

God and Jesus, Given me new life

Jesus came ringing my bell on Vesak Day, even before 12mn. On 12 midnight another bell rang and just after 12 midnight another bell rang. On the next morning, at 12 noon, the bell rang again and I opened the door...

I am the sheep that Jesus Saves and He has come to give me light and bread of life.

Let me tell you about my dream last night, just before I woke up. It was a awful night, giddy, fainting spell and tummy upset (nauseous, want to vomit). I came from from watching the show, The Chronicles of Narnia, Prince Caspian. Never even bathe, just had no energy to do so, really terrible, laid on the bed, changed into my 'pyjamas' and slept.

I dreamed of the 'busy-body', 'gossiper', 'match-maker', called in Teochew: zi lao gou (in chinese er lao gu or 二老姑). I saw her sitting in the pool, a pool with stones and waterfall, with a little girl. I never see the little girl before. The girl is a chinese girl, with medium/shoulder length hair. 二老姑 was baby-sitting the girl. Perhaps the girl is another girl who she baby-sit again. That was what I thought. I was standing outside, not in the pool, beside her -- because I saw her and walked towards her.

I could not remember the full dream, but this is the main important one. I do not remember clearly who else is with me, but definitely Ricsson and perhaps Clara was with me because I was trying to keep the children from looking at a 'pervert' scene. It was terrible. I hold the children to face left because on my right and also on the right of 二老姑 were two men, awful men, having anal sex, standing by the pool. They were quite black, not totally black, not Chinese also, and not too thin, but quite big size and muscular. Never see such kind of men before, and first time see them, and their face -- long hair, not short like us civilian men now. Surprisingly, the men were using condom, pink condom. One of the men put on the pink condom and then insert it into the other men, both standing facing the pool.

What a strange dream. This is first time I dream of such dream. And every night I dream of something for so many nights. Every day, I was so drained with dreams. Dreams can 'haunt' me, dreams can 'inform' me, dreams can 'tell me' something, and dreams can 'warn' me and so on. And today, this dream is to tell me message, and I was awoken, inspired, full of energy and no fear of darkness, but MUST INFORM, MUST TELL, MUST SPREAD the news, the good news of JESUS words, that Jesus Is The Head of The Church, Jesus Is The Bread of Life.

Always people said that you think too much in the day and you have dreams in the night. Or that you have psychological problems or some scientific studies as reveal by scientist. There are dreams books and interpretations of dreams from dream books. But I tell you, all the dreams interpretations are never true. They are all not true at all. From my experience, a lot of dreams interpretations are not true at all, and they never come real and they only scare you most of the time.

But this dream of mine, they are all messages sent from the spiritual world. God is the creator of this world, seen and unseen things he made. There are really angels, fairies and things which we cannot see, but they are spirits which helped us. I had so many dreams, and these are some, there were more since childhood, which leave a 'deep impression' on my brain, which are of significance. There were also childhood 'supernatural' encounters that I had thought back, which were all what we cannot see, and they are real 'things' in the air, which I will never forget. It takes time to tell and for me to share this experience now that I know....

Dreams are our way of interaction with the spirit world. God made us and God had spoken. But people failed to believe in God, People are rebellious and People want to act smart, want to win and they create 'unnecessary' things, create 'more' things and 'invent' more things, and 'divert' more things and the truth is slowly diverted, truth become no truth, and facts become no facts, soon 1 + 1 = 11, the plus sign also disappear, because of negligence, because of carelessness or because of lack of knowledge, etc etc, there are so many combination.

People fight against one another, argue, etc etc so as to be number one, want authority, want power, want respect, want people to follow them. Soon there are so many schools of thought and no one know who is speaking the truth. Is it the person who speak the loudest will win?

Communication, use of language, knowledge of words, these are all human invention, and God is the original creator of this earth and everything in this world. Intelligence is a gift of God. Intelligence is the 'input' of information, the 'processing' of information on the human brain. God is the creator of this earth, heaven and the entire universe. He created everything and he already planned everything even before we were born.

Jesus gave His apostles this command:"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations" (Matthew 28:19). My job, my mission is to spread the Kingdom of Christ.

No man can live alone, but we are ONE body, UNITY is strength, and we need to CARE and SHARE. Trust is so difficult in this society because of so many betrayers and unrighteous people. This is only the beginning of my life, a new life, which God had given me, and given to me. Through Jesus Christ, I come to know God and God 'control' my brain.

Why No King and Queen

2008-05-02T09:35:00.001+08:00

Standing at the window, no birds I see. But suddenly, I saw a bird flying, small one in the far. Next, slightly nearer, another bird. Then suddenly, a big crow flew towards NS direction, and then the Peaceful Dove came.... WOW!!!!!!!!!!!

After the peaceful dove came, I quickly went to take camera. It stayed there for so long, even after taking pictures, it stayed there. I pondered.....

After I had my 'reasoning' straightened out, I 'gained' the confidence to declare that I am the King of Kings of the world, new life I had, and new mission I need to do, we all must help one another, the dove flew away immediately. It is work starting. Then I saw the black-naped oriole (my favourite colour, my favourite bird) flying towards the EW direction, towards QiHua Primary School. I am Right, I am correct and here I am starting my job.

Innocent and Naive I am, For I am a Child, Children of God,
I learned about Kings and Queens in school. But I don't understand why there are no Kings and Queens in Singapore. I don't even understand what is Royal families, what is Parliament, what is the real meaning of democratic society and I don't even understand what is the White House, and why there is President and Prime Minister. I did not get to study world history. My brothers and my sister studied world history. I saw their books, and I know it during my childhood days. But I never read them because I cannot understand.

Product of Singapore, Manufactured in Singapore, Pure and Original
However, today, at this moment, I am confident enough to declare that I am the King of Kings now. What is the meaning of the above, I will learn, for that is why I am here. Age is not a problem to anything as long as there is will and determination.

I Survived, Passed Military Training
Today, I am "Given" new life. My 'army' T-shirt I am wearing shows that I am in the 'new age' now. On 30th April 2008, I was on Infantry Training. That day, I was very happy, I posted profusely, have so much to write, so much to say, so inspired and so full of aspiration.....

Jesus Ascension Day
Then that same afternoon, when I was busy with my offline work -- I saw some more miraculous and more 'approval' from God. All the birds are my inspiration, all the trees are my life. If only you can be my heart, and you will know what I really mean, and I mean what I say.

Mediocre, Medium, Middle Man I am, Much More Words I Can Say
Yesterday, Labour Day, But I tell you, it is a Tearful Labour Day, it is a Lark1 Say3 and Seah4 Suay1 Singapore I see. Tell you more in my other post. Too much things to say and too much things to do.

I Die, You Die, Do you want Salvation?
I tell you, God is so powerful. He can make anything, he can do anything. He can control everything in this world -- even the electronic applicances and the batteries!

I am the living-god, the son of man, the saviour of the world....in JESUS' Name
What you did not see, what you seem not to see, can appear right in your eyes in moments. This is the wonder of God, the wonder of Creation, the beauty of the world, the beauty of God's creation. God is ALMIGHTY GOD, GOD IS WONDER..

For you I shed blood, the lamb of God, the black sheep I was, white sheep I am now
Standing at the window, the cool breeze blown onto me, my heart connects with the universe. My heart is what connect me to God, I followed my heart, I am true to my heart, honest to myself and I 'met' God, no lies, no spices added. I 'met' God.

Birds, the wonder of Holy Spirit, accompanying with me
Just as I was 'conversing' with God, the universe, I saw the dove, the Peaceful Dove. It was Victory Won, I survived(on 30th April 2008, Father Terrance wore red and it was a dove on his clothes, and I saw a dove flying and the myna with black feather on its beak, and also a dry grass), and I survive and I am living, and I am alive, and I am given new life, and I am having a new life, because God loves us so much, but most importantly, I want to be a good person, followed God, Follow Jesus and I want to share my love, and I want to save PEOPLE, I want to pay back what I owned to my parents. I want my parents to have good life, to take back what they should rightfully be theirs, justice paid to my mother, my father, my family.

The justice, the impartial ruler of the world, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord
One thing lead to another, and we are in such a deep shits in this world, a world full of shits. And here I am, I am all I am, I am everything now. I am King of the Kings, and I am the Queen of Hearts, but I am now given mission to complete, not a title without purpose. For once, I am living with a mission. I don't want to die anymore, I want to live, live to see, live to tell, and live to learn.

Meaning of these words
Teochew words: Lark1 Say3 and Seah4 Suay1
Lark1 Say3 = embarass
Seah4 Suay1 = disgrace

Why Create Blogs

2008-01-19T23:52:00.000+08:00

Even kids have blogs. Schools provide students with free blogs too.

Years back, to create your homepage was not easy. There are websites such as geocities or fortunecity which can allow you to create your own homepages. But there were much limitations -- for example, existence of pop-up advertisements. Ever since blogging evolved, it has replaced personal homepages. Blogging serve more function and purpose than personal homepages. In addition, they are easier to manage. In recent years, we can see more people create their own blog(s) and today blogging can mean more than just personal homepages.

People have personal homepages to market themselves or their business. Personal homepages serve as a resource for people who want to enlarge their social circle, getting to know more people around the world. Similarly, one can Create Blog for this purpose. A blog is much more versatile. You can write memo, your thoughts, reports, and anything in it. There are dates and time availability so that it can serve as a digital diary or journal too.

Whether you are using your blog for personal purpose or business purposes, the blog is nowadays an easy tool to be used by anybody young and old. Not only can you use your blog as a writing journal, you can make money with your own blogs too. Many students and teenagers are also using blogs as their business tool. These are commonly known as BlogShop, where there are photographs of jeweleries, clothings, fashion accessories and even cakes/pastries for sale. For working people, such as sales people, the blog can also be used as a communication channel between the customers and themselves. As for the elderly or retirees, blogging can be a hobby as well as a part-time money-making tool too.

This is just the basic reasons why people create blogs. For more details about making money on blogs, I had written posts about how to make money on blogs at Money Sick and Money Kingdom, as well as at Helium. I have also write my reasons for blogging at Let Peace Inspire You. If you have not create any blog before, try to create one. Create a Free Blog or personal online journal at Thoughts.com -- you can upload photos, videos, podcasts and also make more friends, chatting in the community forums. Lastly, as the blog creator, you have full control of your blog. You can decide for each blog post if you want it to be public, private, or only viewable by your friends and family.

WHY TEACH

2007-12-30T02:10:00.000+08:00

Why You Join Teaching
You went for the interview, they asked you why you want to teach. Teaching is so stressful, why you want to teach? You give your reasons and you wait for their answers. You are given teaching position later. You might have not taught before. But you joined because of the pay, just like any other profession. You might also join because you really love teaching. Whichever group you are, you know yourself better.

Love Teaching
LOVE children
No Office Politics
Some people join teaching because they are tired of office politics. And now with news that teaching is going to offer higher pay rise, more people are going to squeeze through the door. Pay increment going to be according to your performance. Good and bad. People who care about the monthly sure paycheck would probably need to take teaching seriously. How do they determine the performance of the teachers than? Are parents' feedback going to take into considerations or is it going to be students' academic results again? If the latter is the case, then life is going to be hard. How is the appraisal done? Will the principal be fair in giving appraisal? There are going to be politics. But that is not my concern, but it definitely will affect teaching indirectly and my children in the hands of teachers.

Half-Day Teaching or Short-working day you might think
Money - GOOD MONEY : Metal-Rice Bowl??
STRESS or NO STRESS?
If all is results, teachers would spend more time teaching the "TESTed" subjects. Music, Health Education, Social Studies and Arts are going to be 'neglected'. My children told me, 'always no music' or 'moral education not taught'. Such was the case when I was teaching too. As teachers, there are so many things to teach and how do you compare teachers' performance? Logically, the students' results. There were syllabus to finish, there were so many things to teach, but so little time with the students. Sometimes, the teachers have to 'steal' time from the 'not so important' subjects. Which are the 'not so important' subjects? That would be the non-examinable subjects. But they are essential topics that students must learn too. But what can the teacher do? The teachers have to teach, to handle disciplinary actions, to do duties, to mark books and any other added duties as assigned. Back home, the teacher needs to spend time with family. Single teachers go 'Pak tor'(dating), married teachers attend to families. Many times you need to bring your work back, otherwise you need to stay longer in school to complete your job. You need to prepare for your lessons as well. Nothing is easy if you want to do well in any profession. Do not just join teaching for easy paycheck and pay increment.

As always the case, there are always those who are not sure why they want to join, but they will say 'test the water', 'just try', and so on. But when you say just try , just testing out first, please be serious about the children in your hands.

Why You Don't Believe

2007-12-18T21:32:00.000+08:00

Recently, I had put up my real photographs of myself on my blog, Peacebella.com. I had been using avatars, a picture to depict myself. I had put up my children's photographs and I had wrote about my families. I wrote about all the things which I had experienced in my life, the good and the bad.

A phone call on a fateful day, together with my sudden drop of page rank at my blogs had affected me. To prove that I am not making use of anybody and perhaps to add more credibility to my blogs, I had plucked up enough courage to put up my real photographs. All my photographs was compiled into a video, uploaded to YouTube, with the song November Rain.

Today, I was surprised that even with that, people can hardly believe that I am the owner of all the blogs that I had. The person asked me, "Do they all belong to you?" I was rather insulted. I signed up for the program, after an invitation from one of the staff (so-called staff). I had previously stumbled upon this site, but I did not sign up, for certain reasons. But since it had sent me an email again, I would like to give it a try. Little did I know that this is the kind of email reply I got.

After I had sent my replies to her, she replied,"We didn't expect so many blogs to belong to a blogger."

Do you know that for some months, LaoZharBo had been fooling her fans? At first, I thought she was so smart. I thought she wrote all the blog posts herself. Little did I know that it was all fake. After her real facts was disclosed, I had gone back to her blog a few times, but each time I went there, I had found something 'wrong'. The 'writer' had changed. The style of writing and the 'tone' of speech was different from the usual ones, before the disclosure. It is now more 'commercialized'. Who is the real person who is writing FOR LaoZharBo if she is writing on her behalf? Who is so free to write FOR another person unless the person is very close to her. I unlink to her blogs after this incident.

I do not need to explain much to people who do not believe me. Just now, I discovered something fun. It is The Bubblenator and I wanted to show another of my picture here. That was me at Cameron Highlands in 1994. How I wish I can visit the cool place again. Seeing is believing. The picture that you see above is uploaded from my PC and I get to add a bubble beside me. You can try it yourself. But in this internet world, any photographs can always be edited. Are you convinced that I, Peace Bella, is writing this blog (one of my blogs) now? I will add more pictures of myself to my sites when I have time. Time will tell, and I need not say more.

When you don't believe, evidence is all you need. When evidence is hard to believe also, only time will tell.

Why High Glucose Is Bad

2007-11-21T19:33:00.000+08:00

Why Is High Blood Glucose Bad For You?

Too much glucose in your bloodstream can be toxic to a number of your body's systems and organs. Prolonged high blood glucose levels can damage your blood vessels, your eyes, your nerves, and your kidneys. Although you may feel good after you have eaten a wonderful meal(the result of elevated blood glucose levels), you may also feel drowsy and washed out. A good feeling from high blood glucose levels is only a short-term effect. Do this time after time for year after year, and you will start feeling negative instead of positive effects.

High blood glucose levels can make you feel depressed and helpless. The more depressed and helpless you feel, the more likely you will 'feed' your depression with extra food -- thus making things worse, rather than better. High blood glucose levels eventually will damage the nerves, resulting in a condition called diabetic neuropathy. This condition often affects the feet and legs, resulting in severe pain and discomfort.

High blood glucose levels also affect both the small and large blood vessels. This results in such complications as diabetic retinopathy(loss of visual acuity and, in some persons, complete blindness) and diabetic nephropathy(kidney failure).

High blood glucose levels also result in the development of impotence in diabetic men who have had the disease, without good control, for 10 or more years.

High blood glucose levels interfere with the body's ability to transport cholesterol and lead to the clogging of blood vessels, which then could cause heart disease and stroke. These high blood glucose levels also interfere with blood clotting and thinning.

Last but not least, high blood glucose levels speed up the normal aging process by accelerating such age-related problems as cataract formation and stiffening of the joints and skin.

Importance of Computers

2007-09-15T22:41:00.000+08:00

The phenomenal growth of computers in modern society has been dramatic and spectacular. In virtually any office today, the computer has become an indispensable tool in facilitating communication and work. Computers knowledge are so important that governments around the world have sought to introduce computer classes as one of the core subjects in the education curriculum too. In addition, the use of computers has simplified many previously complex tasks to a mere touch of a few buttons on the keyboard. Despite the overwhelming convenience brought about by the use of computers, there are also inherent dangers in this information revolution. Although knowledge of computers has brought much benefits to modern society, it has also created a new host of problems too.

From a bulky and cumbersome machine, the computer has evolved into a sleek and powerful tool which cannot be ignored in today's society. From schools to workplaces, it has claimed a dominant position because of its many useful functions. Certainly it cannot be doubted that computer knowledge is essential in our world today. Basic computing skills like word processing and statistical calculations have become norms in the criteria of job offers. The presence of internet has revolutionized they way people communicate and interact. Geographical distance has been overcome by the linkage opened up by computer networking or internet social networking. Business transactions, dissemination of information and interpersonal interactions have all been incorporated in the computerization process. Thus, a person who is computer illiterate would find himself swamped by the technological revolution that is occurring.

Though computers have so much usefulness, several problems have arisen too. One of the most disturbing aspects of computerization is the fact that with increased dependence on the computer, people's personal lives become much more easily encroached upon. The recent spate of movies which depict how a person's personal records can become easily tampered with using a computer is something which is worrying. The invasion of our private lives through access by computers is a danger that demonstrates the flip side of computerization. Another problem is the rise of computer crimes utilizing the expertise of 'hackers'. In addition, some people have also raised the concern that computers can immerse individuals into a fantasy world and make them lose touch of reality. The obsession some children have with computer games is a manifestation of this worry.

Even though the computer knowledge is essential in today's world, it can also carry with it many dangers which must be fully recognized. Only then can we make use of the knowledge we have instead of abusing it or letting it run wild by itself.

Why Study Mathematics?

2007-08-03T11:20:00.000+08:00

The word "mathematics" (Greek: μαθηματικά or mathēmatiká) comes from the Greek μάθημα (máthēma), which means learning, study, science, and additionally came to have the narrower and more technical meaning "mathematical study", even in Classical times. Its adjective is μαθηματικός (mathēmatikós), related to learning, or studious, which likewise further came to mean mathematical. In particular, μαθηματικὴ τέχνη (mathēmatikḗ tékhnē), in Latin ars mathematica, meant the mathematical art. Mathematics (colloquially, maths or math), is the study of knowledge based on concepts such as quantity, structure, space, change and so on. Some practitioners of Mathematics maintain that mathematics is the science of pattern, that mathematicians seek out patterns whether found in numbers, space, science, computers, imaginary abstractions, or elsewhere. Through the use of abstraction and logical reasoning, mathematics evolved from counting, calculation, measurement, and the systematic study of the shapes and motions of physical objects.

Maths is an interesting subject being taught in School to children as young as the nursery children. Everyday, we need to use the concept of Maths for our daily lives. In the shop, the shop assistant needs arithmetic. For business people, reading of weighing scales and the calculation of money all need the hawker and the business people to know Maths. Without Maths, these people would have problem with money transaction and they would not know how to calculate profits and loss.

Maths is thus essential in our everyday lives. Maths affects everything we do in our everyday lives. It forms forms the basis for many other subjects. In the lower Primary level, Maths is taught as a basic subject and it is being made a compulsory subject since no one can survive without the knowledge of knowing Maths in this world. As one goes higher level in studies, Maths are offered as a more diverisified subjects. There are Mathematics subjects like E. Maths, A. Maths, Maths syllabus C, Maths syllabus D, Further Maths, and so on.

Maths involve the study of algebra, geometry, trigonometry, logarithms, calculus and so on. This is another beauty of Maths -- Maths is the language of the universe. To explain verbally why 'the square on the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle equals the sum of the squares on the other two sides, this would require a long and tedious paragraph. However, with mathematical symbols, information can be easily expressed and compressed in just a few equations and formulas.

As students advanced to higher levels in their studies, Maths is also part of the determining factor when acquiring the studies of specific courses or subjects offered in the schools of study. For example, to be illegible to study Medicines, Economics, Psychology in the college or university, it is essential that students study Mathematics.

Maths is an interesting and fun subject. Mathematics involve the use of symbols. There are concepts and formulas to be applied to various types of questions. The study of mathematics enable students to develop logical thinking, problem solving skills and statistical analysis as well. For these reasons, Maths is a useful subject. It is essential to our daily living.

When students graduated from their studies, get ready to enter the workforce, the study of maths would indirectly affects their choice of career. Maths leads to a variety of fulfilling careers such as accounting, financial bankers, engineering, research workers, doctors and many more.
It is found that people who study Maths have a higher chances of employment and they can have a potential to earn more money as well.

Not only does the study of Maths can have effect on the choice of subjects later on in the student's life, and ultimately determine the career path of the students' life, the study of Mathematics have useful applications for the students. The study of basic mathematical formulas and concepts are always useful when students pursue additional studies later on in their mid-career life. The knowledge of Maths also allow these people to use their mathematical concepts and formulas to apply on their daily life's circumstances. For example, the plotting of graph, calculation of the P/E ratio and so on when these people need to go for share investment in their life.

Knowing the concepts of Maths also means that people have a better 'control' of their life where money is concerned. People would know how to do their own balance sheet, calculate their savings and expenditure and to estimate their retirement income. All in all, I would say that there is only benefits when you study Maths. For students who dislike Maths, they just need to put in more effort, ask around for help or even seek Online Tutoring. Maths is all about understanding its concepts and the application of it. Practice and practice and more practice would make you improve your Mathematics.

Why Attend Schools

2007-05-27T22:12:00.000+08:00

Before you can drive any vehicles, you need to learn about road safety, the vehicles operation and so on. The school is a place for you to master such skills.

The school is a place of learning and gaining knowing. It is a conducive place of education for students. Children as young as three years old can be sent to schools, the childcare centre or the playgroup classes. Different types of schools are catered to different age groups of students. There are various types of schools for children. These are kindergarten, Primary Schools, Secondary Schools, Tertiary Schools or Institution, Universities or Colleges. Other types of schools include special schools for the blind, deaf, handicapped and so on.

The schools provide a place for students to gain their basic education, knowledge essential for life. Examples of such subjects are English, Mother Tongue, Maths and Science. At higher level, children can choose to study subjects which they have interest in. By studying subjects which they like or taking up certain special subjects in schools, students are preparing themselves for future job placement.

In schools, academic subjects are taught. Students want to get their certification and the necessary paper qualification so that they can have better job offer upon graduation. They can get higher salary if their qualification is better.

All students will enter the workforce upon completion of their education in schools. Education does not necessary ends when you finish your final year of studies in schools, or universities or colleges. During the working years, some people may find that they would want a change in career. People who wants to have a change in career line need to study other courses, attend night classes, or part-time courses. While working, some companies provide training courses to upgrade their staff's knowledge and skills too. Other workers can take up training courses on their own if they want a better job placement for their future too.

Why attend training schools? Training schools such as NAHETS, the National Association of Heavy Equipment Training Schools trains and certifies equipment and crane operators throughout the U.S. Attending training schools allow the students be trained into qualified heavy equipment operators such as Scrapper Roller, Loader, Dump Truck, bulldozer, excavator, rough terrain forklift, skid steer, crane, motor grader and backhoe. These are special machines which like driving a car or lorry, need practicals and studies as well. Attending training schools or obtaining extra certificates, or skills always have added advantage to the employers. These people will also have better job opportunities.

People attend schools to gain knowledge and skills which might be useful in their future jobs or might be applicable to their daily life. In attending schools, we know more friends and we are better individuals in able to learn to make decisions, learn to be responsible people and be disciplined and persevere for what we want to succeed in life. Life is a process of learning. No one is too old to learn anything. Education is a continual process. That is why training schools are here to offer assistance!

New Year Celebration

2007-02-21T22:33:00.000+08:00

Why do we celebrate the 'New Year'?
The reasons why we celebrate 'New Year' and some other traditions is because they are 'passed down' from our ancestors. They are the traditions and cultures of different group of people. While there are slight deviations of some celebration styles and customs from various people, most traditions are roughly the same when it comes to the celebration of 'New Year'.

Celebration of 'New Year' can be on the 1st of January every year and on the Eve as well, to countdown. For the Chinese, there are the Chinese New Year Celebration as well. As mention, celebrations of this day can be passed down from ancestors; and of course, the main reasons people celebrate New Year is to 'start anew'. Most people like to have new things. I suppose that is human nature for most people. People are excited about new things and they yearn and look forward to new things. This concept will thus apply to 'New Year'. With New Year, there is an 'excuse' to start your life anew if your previous year was not a good year. If your previous year was a good one, then you would hope this brand New Year would bring you even more prosperity and luck.

After a whole year of hardwork, New Year is an excuse of 'rest' and fun for some people. It is a rare occasion of the year for people -- friends and families to get together to have their family bondage and feeling of warmth and love. It is a time to put down all our work for some time, to rest and relax and to have fun and enjoyment on this rare occasion of the year again (after 365days).

At home, the old year is busy with work and goals to meet. There might be junks and mess around. Old furnitures, old clothings and so on, to be cleared and to welcome the new year with new goals and new resolutions.

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Why Interns

2006-12-13T15:50:00.000+08:00

The best time to seek work in an internship abroad and to prepare for an international career is while you are a student or soon after graduation. You may be considering an overseas work experience for many reasons: an adventure, a chance to gain in-depth knowledge of another culture and of yourself, an inexpensive way to improve foreign language proficiency, or as preparation for an international career. -- William Nolting

Who are Interns?
An intern is one who works in a temporary position with an emphasis on education rather than merely employment, making it similar in some respects to an apprenticeship. Interns are usually college or university students or other young adults. They can also be adults later in life seeking skills for a new career. Thus interns may averagely be around 20 - 22 years old.

Why Hire Interns?
Through internships, employers can find talented students to assist with necessary and important tasks. An internship is mutually beneficial. While employers provide the learning experience, students offer the necessary office, project, or department support. The cost to employers is minimal yet the rewards for the students are numerous. Interns provide employers with trained recruits already familiar with the corporate culture.

The reasons why employers are recruiting interns can be listed below:
1. Cost Reduction
Since interns are not permanent employees there is less cost and commitment involved in having them as a temporary part of your team. Most of them are paid on a hourly basis and some being unpaid! This is an inexpensive way to find motivated employees.

2. Evaluation Period
Working with a recent or soon-to-be graduate on a non-permanent basis is a great way to evaluate the performance of potential future recruits. Previewing ensures a better match. The employers are able to observe the interns as prospective employees. Sometimes internships also allows interns to have a hands-on experience on the job. After trying out for sometime, they can be sure whether they like the job a not. In fact, many companies consider internships to be a 10-week "interview".

3. Current and Up-To-Date knowledge
Interns bring up-to-date training and skills to their assigned projects as well as to your team as a whole.

4. Great Learners
Interns have great attitudes. Interns bring with them new perspectives and ideas. Student interns are wonderful additions to a team because of their desire to learn as much as possible and willingness to perform a variety of tasks. As they are young, they learn fast and have better memory too.

5. Special Projects
There are a lot of interns available. Sometimes company needs to carry out pilot project and need the use of majority of people. Interns are useful in such cases where they are hardworking and it is inexpensive. It gives the company a chance to get special projects done.

6. Good Reputation
Hiring interns would indirectly increase the company's reputation on campus and in the community.

Remuneration
Paid vs. Unpaid Interns: Employers may choose to offer interns a salary or stipend, or they may offer internships on an unpaid basis. An issue to consider in deciding about salary is supply and demand. In certain fields, students are often willing to volunteer their time to gain experience: entertainment, social service.

Paid internships are most common in the medical, science, engineering, business (especially accounting and finance), technology and advertising fields. Internship positions are available from businesses, government departments, nonprofit groups and organizations.

What Interns Gain from an Internship

Internships may be part-time or full-time; typically they are part-time during the University year and full-time in the summer, and they typically last 6-12 weeks, but can be shorter or longer. Interns can :

Gain professional work experience.

Gain more skills and abilities.

Have broader professional network.

Have a better chance of eventual full-time job search. They will learn how to network, write cover letters and a resume, and interview effectively.

Decide if they are interested in or compatible with a certain major or career field.

Many employers and agencies work with student interns to fulfill social and civic responsibility. They find gratification in providing students with important opportunities for intellectual, moral, ethical, career, and leadership development. Employers realize the immeasurable value an internship can provide for students.

There are literally hundreds of opportunities for internships abroad. Intern Town is an UK based website that communicates between companies and interns. The website is fairly new but one can find interns all over the world and for companies worldwide to advert their internships.

Why Learn English

2006-11-23T11:12:00.000+08:00

English is a Common Language. It is a common language used to convey thoughts, ideas and feelings across the world.

In Asia, there are many different languages and many different dialects. This is also true of many parts of other countries where people use many different languages and dialects. Therefore it is important to have a common language for all people so that communication is possible between different races of people.

For example, when you are in a foreign country(such as when you go on overseas trip or go for holiday tour to other countries), many times you are unable to speak a word of the native language there. You will sense a complete feeling of isolation and of being 'cut off' from everybody there. However, if you know English and the people also know English, then you will not feel so 'lost'. With English as a common language, you are able to converse with the native people in other countries, making communication possible and easier.

Apart from Chinese, more people in the world speak English than any other language. It is spoken in the most of North American continent, in Australia, New Zealand and Britain as well as in many other countries. In fact about 300 million people have Englislh as their national language. If it is used as the common language of the world, communication between the various countries would be easier.

English, too, is already a language commonly used by Asians nowadays. This is due to the fact that English speaking people had colonised and had been living there for over a century and doign so, they brought their language with them. Enlgish is now taught in Asian schools and today, many Asians have far better command of English than their European counterparts have of Asian languages.

The language of the twentieth century world is the language of science and technology. Often new words must be added to the language to keep up with modern inventions and developments. The list in the last ten years is endless. "Television", "Telestar","Penicillin" are just a few which illustrate new words for new inventions in many different spheres. Malay is composite language. In other words, it is composed of many different parts. It is, therefore, capable of assimilating new words to cover modern needs.

Nearly a billion of people speak Chinese, but the Chinese language is not used as a common language because chinese is composed of a series of 'characters' and symbols. It is very difficult for 'ordinary' foreigners to learn it. Therefore although Chinese is spoken by so many millions of people, it is not as suitable as a common language as English.

English is necessary at all levels of people, to be able to communicate thoughts, words, and ideas. Hence, learning English is important. To be able to do well in your studies and excel in the workforce, you need English too. With English, you are able to converse with people across the world, you are able to communicate with people on the internet (such as via messengers). English has bring us so much convenience in such a sense.

L earning English is a life long process, especially there are so many words! As it is so important, there are many websites for people to learn English, both for children and adults. Anyone can learn English at any age. For English Courses in London visit this website(London Engish course), start learning English now.

History Of English Language
English is an Anglo-Frisian language brought to southeastern Great Britain in the 5th century AD and earlier by Germanic settlers and Germanic auxiliary troops from various parts of northwest Germany (Saxons, Angles) as well as Jutland (Jutes).

The extent of Germanic immigration to Britain during Roman supremacy there is unknown, but substantial, as Germanic auxiliary troops were continually recruited outside and settled within the borders of the Empire, Britain being no exception to this rule. Thus, the Germanic roots of English in Britain may go back to the 2nd Century A.D. or even earlier.

The original Old English language was subsequently influenced by two successive waves of invasion. The first was by speakers of languages in the Scandinavian branch of the Germanic family, who colonised parts of the British Isles in the eighth and ninth centuries. The second wave was of the Normans in the eleventh century, who spoke Norman French (an oïl language closely related to Modern French).

While modern scholarship considers most of the story to be legendary and politically motivated, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle reported that around the year 449, Vortigern, a legendary king of the Brythons, invited the Angles to help him against the Picts (of modern-day Scotland). In return, the Angles were granted lands in the southeast and far north of England. Further aid was sought, and in response came Saxons, Angles, and Jutes. The Chronicle talks of a subsequent influx of settlers who eventually established seven kingdoms.

These Germanic invaders dominated the original Celtic-speaking inhabitants, whose languages survived in areas not under Germanic domination: Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall, and Ireland. The dialects spoken by the invaders dominated almost all of what is now called England and formed what is today called the Old English language, which resembled some coastal dialects in what are now northwest Germany and the Netherlands (i.e. Frisia). Later, it was influenced by the related North Germanic language Old Norse, spoken by the Vikings who settled mainly in the north and the east coast down to London, the area known as the Danelaw.

Then came the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. For about 300 years following, the Norman kings and the high nobility spoke only Anglo-Norman, which was very close to Old French. A large number of Norman words found their way into Old English, leaving a parallel vocabulary that persists into modern times. The Norman influence strongly affected the evolution of the language over the following centuries, resulting in what is now referred to as Middle English.

During the 15th century, Middle English was transformed by the Great Vowel Shift, the spread of a standardised London-based dialect in government and administration, and the standardising effect of printing. Modern English can be traced back to around the time of William Shakespeare.

Why University Education

2006-11-22T22:11:00.000+08:00

Importance Of University Education For Women
The university education as compared to the general education in the secondary school stands as a class apart. Whereas the aim of the secondary school education is to give a general knowledge to all, the university education, as a rule, helps specialization in various faculties. Besides this, there is the life which is lived by the alumni which goes to improve the character and outlook of life of the student.

University education can no more be the preserve of men. Women have understood the need for higher education and nowadays we can see a lot of women studying engineering, law and medicines.

There are many influences working in favour of women seeking higher education. First and foremost is the political awakening. In all coutnries, women have been enfranchised and so women are entering politics in large numbers. We see more women Prime Ministers today. So politics gave incentive to the impetus for women seeking higher education.

Further, old customs and traditions that kept women bound to their kitchen and thought that sewing and stitching was their occupations were broken. Mingling with young men in the colleges was no more a hindrance or an anathema in women seeking higher education. Women have begun to seek career and marriage was no more the be-all and end-all of their lives. To be successful in a career, naturally higher education was sought after. Further the values of higher education for women has began to get recognition.

The university education for women has its own values as it renders them useful citizens, helpful wives and mothers and very often useful neighbours and sometimes good social worker. Since women are equal to men according to any modern constitution, they, who from the major bulk of the electorate member in almost any country, they are more than menfolk, cannot only exercise their franchise wisely and independently but, if it comes to it, as mentioned before, can also occupy seats of importance. The university education can fit them for it.

Being a graduate wife and mother is an asset to the family. They may lighten the burden of the husband by taking off his shoulders some jobs which require intellectuality. They may give him good company and make it more pleasant because of their studies and scholarship. They can share with him all the fine things which are brought by literary works. Children are the ones that gain really; for an educated mother looks after the education of her children ably. Even in the matter of running the household she will be found more rational than the uneducated matron.

Yet there is another value which is derived from the possibility offered to them for entering a career if they so choose. In times of need, in unfortunate cases of decretion by the husband, the woman if she has had the advantage of university education can, more often not, stand on her own legs.

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Construction Of Horoscope

2006-11-21T12:53:00.000+08:00

To manually create a horoscope an astrologer first has to ascertain the exact time (adjusting for any daylight savings time or war time in use) and place of the subject's birth or the initiation of an event. This is then translated into Greenwich Mean Time at that same instant, which in turn is translated into the sidereal time at Greenwich.

The astrologer will then consult a set of tables called an ephemeris which lists for a particular year, date and sidereal GMT time, the location of all the planets, the Sun and Moon with respect to the northern hemisphere vernal equinox or the fixed stars (depending on which astrological system is being used).

The astrologer then uses the time difference between GMT and local time at the place of birth to show where planets would be visible above the horizon at the time and place in question. Planets hidden from view beneath the earth are also shown in the horoscope.

Finally a table of houses is used to divide the horoscope into 12 divisions around the circle of the ecliptic starting from the eastern horizon where objects are just rising into view. These are called the houses and numerous systems of calculating these divisions exist.

Concepts
In order to understand and visualize the geometry of the construction of a horoscope, one must be familiar with a number of concepts.

The techniques described here belong to Western astrology.

The native refers to the time and place of the event being charted, and considered to be at the centre of the celestial sphere. This term is a general one that includes not only birth times, but any event for which a horoscope would be drawn.

The celestial sphere is a sphere of arbitrary radius upon which the items appearing on the horoscope are projected without regard to their distance from the native.

The plane of the equator is the plane of the earth's equator projected into space.

The plane of the ecliptic is defined by the orbits of the earth and the sun. For practical purposes the plane of the equator and the plane of the ecliptic maintain a constant inclination to each other of approximately 23.5°.

The plane of the horizon is centred on the native, and is tangential to the earth at that point. In a sphere whose radius is infinitely large this plane may be treated as nearly equivalent to the parallel plane with its centre at the earth's center. This greatly simplifies understanding the geometry of the horoscope.

The axis of the plane of the horizon has end points above, the zenith, and below, the nadir.

The zodiac refers to the 18° wide band on the celestial sphere containing the signs. It is centered on the ecliptic, and its width is sufficient to allow for the fact that the orbits of the moon and all other planets are not parallel to the plane of the ecliptic.

The medium coeli or midheaven is the point on the ecliptic that is furthest above the plane of the horizon; its opposite point is known as the imum coeli. For events occurring where the planes of the ecliptic and the horizon coincide the limiting position for these points is at 90° from the ascendant.

The ascendant is the eastern point where the ecliptic and horizon intersect. Its opposite point in the west is the descendant. In creating a horoscope the ascendant is traditionally placed as the left-hand side point of the chart. During the course of a day, because of the earth's rotation, the entire circle of the ecliptic will pass through the ascendant and will be advanced by about 1°. This provides us with the term rising sign, which is the sign of the zodiac that was rising in the east at the time.

The sun sign is the sign of the zodiac in which the sun is located for the native. This is the single astrological fact most familiar to people. If an event occurs at sunrise the ascendant and sun sign will be the same; other rising signs can then be estimated at approximately two hour intervals from there.

The houses are a series of twelve divisions of the plane of the ecliptic. Astrologers have devised many systems of calculating these house divisions. In the case of the equal house system the ecliptic is divided into twelve equal houses of 30° each. The first house begins at the ascendant and the others are numbered counterclockwise from that point. The first six are therefore below the horizon, and the other six are above. The positions of these houses remains fixed relative to the native. The signs and planets all move through the twelve houses during the course of a day, and the planets move through the signs over the course of months or years.

An aspect is the relative angle between two heavenly bodies. The more exact the aspect is, the more important it is said to be. The difference between the exact aspect and the actual aspect is called the orb.

Most Western Astrologers use the tropical zodiac in which the astrological year begins with the vernal equinox, when the sun crosses the celestial equator and enters the zodiac sign of Aries. Astrologers in India and some Western astrologers use the more ancient sidereal zodiac. Many students confuse the difference between sidereal constellations and tropical zodiac signs. Because of a "wobble" in the earth's axis of rotation over a period of about 26,000 years the point at which the vernal equinox advances in the sky rate is 0 deg, 0 min, 50.23 secs a year. Precession of the equinox is roughly 5 minutes of a degree every 6 years. Sidereal astrologers use zodiac signs that roughly align with the constellations. Tropical astrologers use zodiac signs that align with the vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere and so the signs relate to the seasons and not the stars.

A cusp is the boundary between two signs or houses. For some the cusp includes a small portion of the two signs or houses under consideration.

Construction
The chart thus begins with a framework of 12 houses. Upon this the signs of the zodiac are superimposed. In the equal house system the cusp between any two houses will fall at the same degree for each of the signs. Thus, for a native whose ascendant is at 12° of Leo, the second house will begin at 12° of Virgo, the third at 12° Libra, and so on. In house systems that take into consideration the effects of the angle of intersection between the planes of the horizon and the ecliptic, the calculations are more complicated. For these calculations it is essential to know the latitude of the event. Tables are available for these calculations, but they are now commonly calculated by computer. Most astrology computer programs allow the user to choose from a variety of house systems. The most commonly used is the Placidus house system, though most research astrologers find that the Koch domification system gets best results.

Ascendant
Longitude is necessary in order to determine the position of the Ascendant because horoscopes use local time. Due to time zones, adjustments are made for the difference in one's actual longitude and the longitude of the nominal meridian associated with clock time.
These are the astrological glyphs as most commonly used in Western Astrology

Placements
Having established the relative positions of the signs in the houses, the astrologer positions the sun, moon, and planets at their rightful celestial longitudes. Some astrologers also take note of minor planetary bodies, fixed stars, asteroids (for example, Chiron) and other mathematically calculated points and angles such as the vertex, equatorial ascendant, etc. Many astrologers also use what are commonly referred to as Arabic parts (or Greek Lots), the most common of which is the Part of Fortune (Pars Fortuna).

Aspects
To complete the horoscope the astrologer will consider the aspects or relative angles between pairs of planets. Certain aspects are considered more important than others. Those generally recognized by the astrological community are Conjunction (0°), Opposition (180°), Square (90°), Trine (120°), Sextile (60°), Semi-Square (45°), Sesqisquare (135°), and Quincunx (150°). Understandably these aspects are more significant when they are exact, but they are considered to function within an orb of influence, the size of which varies according to the importance of each aspect. Thus conjunctions are believed to operate with a larger orb than sextiles. Most modern astrologers use an orb of 8° or less for aspects involving the Sun, Moon, and Jupiter and smaller orbs for the other points. Some astrologers, such as practitioners of Cosmobiology, and Uranian astrology, use minor aspects (15°, 22.5°, 67.5°, 72°, 75°, 105°, 112.5°, 157.5°, 165°) with much narrower orbs.

To read more

Horoscope

2006-11-20T12:22:00.000+08:00

In astrology, a horoscope is a chart or diagram representing the positions of the planets, other celestial bodies, and sensitive angles at the time of any event, such as a person's birth. The term horoscope is derived from Greek words meaning, "a look at the hours" [horoskopos, pl. horoskopoi,or "marker(s) of the hour."] Other commonly used names for the horoscope in English include horoscope chart, natal chart, natus, birth chart, astrological chart, astro-chart, celestial map, sky-map, nativity, star-chart, cosmogram, Vitasphere, soulprint, radical chart, radix or simply chart, among others. It is used as a method of divination about events relating to the point in time it represents. These may be significant times in a person's life, or any other events on Earth such as storms or earthquakes.

A horoscope is the picture of the planets during the birth of any person which differs from people to people, due to the continuous movement of the planets. Your astrological chart, or horoscope , is drawn from calculations based upon the date, time, and place of your birth. Every element of the horoscope (which, if it’s like most Western horoscopes, will be drawn on a circular wheel) is expressed symbolically. Each symbol in the chart represents a celestial body, sign, house, or aspect.

An astrologer studies your chart and analyzes the patterns and factors which describe your personality and needs. In a sense, an astrologer "reads" the information contained in your chart.

For the preparation of a horoscope we need astronomical data, which provides us the exact positions of the planets on their respective orbit of movement during the date and time of birth of a person, which is different for everybody. From the place of birth of a person, we can find out the geographical latitude and longitude and also can calculate their differences from the celestial (Topocentric) latitude and longitude.

The mathematical processes involved in formulating horoscopes have been translated into computer programs, which most professional astrologers currently rely upon. Still, a certified professional astrologer needs to know how to complete these calculations. You can obtain an accurate computation of your astrological chart through a professional astrologer, a public library with a chart calculation program on its computer, or an astrological computer service.

Your horoscope is a map of the heavens at the time of your birth, and is usually drawn as an Earth-centered (or, geocentric) map showing the planetary positions as viewed from your place of birth. Some astrologers also draw Sun-centered (or, heliocentric) maps. The geocentric premise, however, is that since you were born upon the Earth, and the focus is on you, an Earth-centered map will be most relevant to your life.

The 360-degree circle upon which this chart is drawn represents you as a whole person. Envision a line dissecting the circle into top and bottom halves: that line represents the horizon at the time and place you were born. The planets, Sun, and Moon are drawn around the circle. Those bodies falling above the line were above the horizon when you were born; those below the line were below the horizon at your birth.

An accurate judgement of a horoscope is the most important job and is the main objective of studying astrology. In reality, we all are a single product from the manufacturing unit of God himself. Like every individual, each and every country also has its respective horoscope, which comes under the jurisdiction of mundane astrology that predict the time of prosperity as well as deterioration of any country in the world.

The future forecasts on the Web or in newspapers are often referred to as a "horoscope". A real horoscope is a MAP of Space-Time - an "image of the hour" as its Greek root words imply. It is a chart of where the Sun and Moon and Planets are located in Space and in relation to each other, and to a particular place on Earth, at a particular instant in Time.

Why Read

2006-11-19T16:58:00.000+08:00

To be 'literate' means to be able to read and write correctly, and it is an essential of civilized life, being the bias of almost all intellectual occupation. Reading is therefore, one of the first things children learn to do in school, and perhaps even before schooldays, at their parents' knee. To begin with, they probably don't enjoy reading very much, because, like everythign else worth doing, it demands study and hard work.

In most countries, there is one predominating language and according to whether education is free and compulsory or not, the rate of literacy varies. Printing opened the door to reading. The privilege of being taught to read was accorded to very few and these had a tremendous advantage over the illiterate masses.

Why is reading important? It is almost impossible to get a job of any kind -- except mere labouring in the fields or road-sweeping in the towns -- if the person cannot read. Modern industry, commerce and the armed forces, demand the ability to read and write and it need hardly be said that reading is indispensable in the higher grades of employment.

One of the best ways to acquire knowledge is through wide, varied reading. Reading is indispensable to a full understanding of the world we live in. Newspapers and magazines keep us abreast of the world and national events and in touch with current thought. Without it, we would be ignorant and isolated. None of us should be ignorant of what is going on around us today.

Communication with our friends by letter is another factor which enriches life, and again this would be impossible without reading. Even the use of the telephone required the ability to read letters, while that of paying the telephone bill involves reading figures!

The attainment of most skills is greatly helped if we can read. Almost every sport, game and occupation have manuals of instruction written about them. And this is just an example of a hundred other items which go to make up a civilized life and which depend on the ability to read.

But the most important reason for reading fluently and well is the world of books. Text books, novels, biographies, magazines, the scriptures of the world religions; all these help us to understand the world of the past, interpret the present, and plant for the future. It is, of course, possible to 'overdo' reading, and become 'bookish' preferring the world of the written word to the realities of living experience, but this is the failure of relatively few.

Wide reading increases our outlook on life. It gives us an insight into people's lives in foreign lands. We may not be able to visit these places personally. However, if you can't get the best, then get the second best and read about them. Perhaps the reason why we are so lustful and snobbish is that we do not know what is happening to the vast, illiterate starving majority of mankind. Reading about them may make us content with what we have.

Most people find instruction, interest, happiness and a release from loneliness in reading. They enjoy collecting their own personal libraries, and using the public libraries. Book sellers and publishers gain a livelihood from the world's insatiable demand for books, and fine art dealers from those who seek books which are rare or finely produced. Without the ability to read, the life of man would be immeasurably poorer.

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World Birthday Traditions

2006-11-17T18:09:00.000+08:00

Rosa's Birthday By Berc

There are numerous traditions surrounding birthdays. Family history, culture, language and economic status are all details that affect the way a person observes the anniversary of their birth. Two of the most significant factors throughout history, however, have been geographic location and spiritual beliefs. The following customs have been divided according to these two categories.

Africa
In many African cultures, the day a child is born is not observed as a special day. Instead, when African children reach a certain age, they are initiated into the community. This allows them to learn about the laws of their culture and participate in ancient rituals. Coming-of-age initiations are commonly done in groups rather than with individual children.

Each year, Asante people in Ghana celebrate "krada" (meaning "Soul Day") on the day of the week that they were born. This observance involves a cleansing ritual intended to purify the inner soul. On a person's krada, he or she wakes up early and washes using a special leaf soaked overnight in water. An afternoon feast with family and friends is held in the person?s honor, and the celebrant usually dresses in clothing with a white background.

Latin America
In several Latino cultures, a girl's 15th birthday, called a "Quinceanera", marks her passage into adulthood. This celebration often includes a religious ceremony at church, in which the young lady recognizes her heritage and her spiritual journey. Many Quinceaneras include a candle-lighting ceremony, where a young woman illuminates her parents' candles using the flame of her own candle. In turn, her parents light the candles of their parents, and so on. In some Latin American countries, a young woman changes her shoes from flats to heels during the ceremony.

Mexican birthday celebrations feature piñatas filled with candy and small toys. At birthday parties, children take turns hitting the piñata, a hollow figure shaped like an animal, flower, automobile, or other object that is suspended from the ceiling. While blindfolded, kids hit the piñata with a stick until it breaks open. When the treasures rain down on the floor, everyone scrambles to collect them. People believe that the child who breaks open the piñata will have good luck.

Children in Argentina receive pulls on the earlobe for their birthday. Traditionally, they get one pull for each year of their life.

Middle East
Egyptian birthday parties are filled with dancing and singing when a child turns one year old. Flowers and fruit are used to decorate the party as symbols of life and growth.

In Saudi Arabia, people do not observe birthdays due to spiritual beliefs. Religious holidays and weddings, however, are occasions for great celebration.

At an Israeli child's birthday party, he or she sits in a special chair decorated with fresh flowers and greens. To celebrate the child's age, family and friends gather around the chair, lifting and raising it once for each year of life - plus one more for good luck!
Asia

When Japanese children turn 7, 5, or 3, it is thought to be especially lucky. They are allowed to participate in the upcoming Shichi-go-san (meaning "Seven-Five-Three") Festival, celebrated annually on November 15. During this festival, children and their families visit a shrine or other place of worship, give thanks for good health, and ask to be blessed with continued well-being in the future. Afterwards, a family will often throw a party and bestow gifts upon the child. For this occasion, girls and boys always dress in their finest clothes, which may be traditional kimonos or western-style clothing.

In China, people believe that tigers protect children. Family members bring newborns special food and present them with gifts of clothing or toys decorated with tigers. When a Chinese girl or boy turns one year old, a variety of objects and toys are placed on the floor around the child. According to ancient beliefs, the object that the child chooses is a symbol foreshadowing the profession he or she will pursue in life.

In Hong Kong and some other Chinese communities, special noodles are served for lunch in honor of the birthday child. The noodles are extra-long to symbolize a long life.

Filipino families display blinking colored lights to show that someone is having a birthday at their home. The whole family usually goes to church together to thank God, and a celebration with close family and friends may follow.

In Korea, "Paegil" (the 100th day after a child's birth) is a day of feasting for the child's family. Similarly, on a Korean child?s first birthday, a party called a "Tol" or "Dol" is held. Family and friends gather to enjoy food together and offer the one-year-old gifts of money.

Europe
In Germany, a children's birthday celebration is called a Geburtstagsparty. Historians attribute Germans with the first birthday parties for kids.

People in Holland hang birthday calendars to remind them of the birth dates of all their family and friends. Adults often bring a birthday cake to work to share with co-workers on their special day.

Instead of cake, Russian children are presented with pies, inscribed with a special birthday message.

"Birthday bumps" are given to Irish children in honor of their birthday. While held upside down, the birthday celebrant is gently bumped on the floor one time for every year of age - plus one extra "bump" for good luck!

Sending birthday cards is a custom that began in England about 100 years ago. Today, millions of cards are sent around the world each year to wish family and friends a happy birthday.

Another old tradition still practiced by some English people is to make a birthday cake with symbolic objects baked inside. In medieval times, objects such as coins and thimbles were mixed into the batter. People believed that the person who got the coin would be wealthy, while the unlucky finder of the thimble would never marry. Today, small figures, fake coins and small candies are more common. Guests are warned ahead of time as well, so no one injures their teeth or swallows a tiny treasure.

Danish people fly the country's flag outside their home to signify that someone in the family is having a birthday. And while the birthday child is asleep, gifts are placed around the bed, so presents will be the first thing in view when the child awakes.

Norwegian children dance in front of their class with a friend while the rest of the students sing a happy birthday song. Norway's national flag is also displayed outside the home of a birthday person. When important people have birthdays, the streets in Norway are decorated with flags.

Like Danish and Norwegian people, Swedes like to use their national flag to decorate on birthdays and special occasions. Swedish children are often served breakfast in bed. Birthday cakes in Sweden are similar to pound cakes and are decorated with marzipan.

United States of America
Throughout history, Native American tribes have placed significance on milestones in a child's development rather than the day he or she was born. The day children take a first step is cause for just as much rejoicing as when they get married or become parents.

The majority of American children, however, celebrate birthdays with a cake topped with lighted candles. Most families use the candles to represent how old a person is turning, (i.e., one candle for a one-year-old, etc.). When the cake is set before the guest of honor, he or she is supposed to make a wish (without telling anyone what it is) and blow out the candles. If all the candles go out with one breath, it's believed that the wish will come true!

Mother's Birthday By Frederick Morgan

Some children receive birthday "spankings", which were originally based on superstition, but are now more a birthday prank or joke. Hundreds of years ago, spankings were given for each year of the birthday child's life. Beyond that number, a child received another spanking to grow on, one to live on, one to eat on, one to be happy on, and yet another spanking to get married on. At one time, it was considered back luck if the birthday celebrant was not spanked because it was believed to "soften up the body for the tomb". Historians are unsure if the practice of swatting the birthday girl or boy was treated as a joke, as people view it today.

Singing "Happy Birthday to You" has also been a long-standing tradition on birthdays as well. It was written by two American sisters in 1893, and has been translated into several languages around the world.

Special birthdays

2006-11-16T19:38:00.000+08:00

Before humans had a way of keeping time, no one paid much attention to the anniversary of important events, such as birthdays. Only when ancient peoples began taking notice of the moon's cycles, did they pay attention to the changing seasons and the pattern that repeated itself over and over. Eventually, the first calendars were formulated in order to mark time changes and other special days. From this tracking system came the ability to celebrate birthdays and other significant anniversaries the same day each year.

Notable birthdays can include:

When the most significant digit changes, for example one's 1st, 10th, 30th, 50th, or 100th birthdays, as well as significant years such as the 18th and 21st.

One's golden birthday, also called a champagne birthday, is the day when the age one turns the same as the day in the month they were born. (e.g. someone turning 20 on 20th September celebrates their golden birthday).

In most legal systems, one becomes a legal adult on a particular birthday, and at different ages gain different rights and responsibilities — voting, certain drug use (e.g. alcohol, tobacco), eligibility for military draft or voluntary enlistment, driving etc.

Most cultures have one or more coming of age birthdays:

Jewish boys have a bar mitzvah on or around their 13th birthday. Jewish girls observe a bat mitzvah on or around their 12th birthday, or sometimes on or around their 13th birthday in Reform and Conservative Judaism.
In some Christian traditions, generally Catholic and Anglican, Confirmation is the ritual by which a young person becomes an official member of the Church. This sometimes includes the bestowal of a 'Confirmation name,' generally the name of a saint, which is often worn as a second middle name. Confirmation also bestows the Holy Spirit upon the confirmand, and in some churches is received concurrent with baptism or first communion.
In Latin America the quinceañera celebration traditionally marks a girl's 15th birthday.
Some girls in the United States have "sweet sixteen" birthday parties.

The birthdays of historically significant people, like Jesus Christ, the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, or the father of the fatherland, are often commemorated by an official holiday, some saints are remembered by a liturgical feast (sometimes on a presumed birthday). By analogy, the Latin term Dies natalis 'birthday' is applied to the anniversary of an institution (such as a university).

In many Asian countries the 14th birthday is celebrated as the day one becomes a man, or a woman, in society.

Did You Know

The most common birthday in the USA is October 5, whereas the least common birthday is May 22.
The birthday paradox states that given a group of 23 (or more) randomly chosen people, the probability is more than 50% that at least two of them will have the same birthday. For 60 or more people, the probability is greater than 99%, although it cannot actually be 100% unless there are at least 366 people.[1] This is not a paradox in the sense of leading to a logical contradiction; it is described as a paradox because mathematical truth contradicts naive intuition: most people estimate that the chance is much lower than 50%. Calculating this probability (and related ones) is the birthday problem.

Happy Birthday to You, the four-line ditty was written as a classroom greeting in 1893 by two Louisville teachers, Mildred J. Hill, an authority on Negro spirituals, and Dr. Patty Smith Hill, professor emeritus of education at Columbia University.

The melody of the song Happy Birthday to You was composed by Mildred J. Hill, a schoolteacher born in Louisville, KY, on June 27, 1859. The song was first published in 1893, with the lyrics written by her sister, Patty Smith Hill, as "Good Morning To All."

Happy Birthday to You was copyrighted in 1935 and renewed in 1963. The song was apparently written in 1893, but first copyrighted in 1935 after a lawsuit (reported in the New York Times of August 15, 1934, p.19 col. 6)

In 1988, Birch Tree Group, Ltd. sold the rights of the song to Warner Communications (along with all other assets) for an estimated $25 million (considerably more than a song). (reported in Time, Jan 2, 1989 v133 n1 p88(1)

In the 80s, the song Happy Birthday to You was believed to generate about $1 million in royalties annually. With Auld Lang Syne and For He's a Jolly Good Fellow, it is among the three most popular songs in the English language. (reported in Time, Jan 2, 1989 v133 n1 p88(1)

Happy Birthday to You continues to bring in approximately 2 million dollars in licensing revenue each year, at least as of 1996 accounting, according to Warner Chappell and a Forbes magazine article.

History Of Birthday

2006-11-15T19:37:00.000+08:00

A birthday is the date on which a person is born, marking the day a life outside the womb begins. It is customary in many cultures to celebrate the anniversary of one's birthday, for example by having a birthday party with family and/or friends. Gifts are often given to the person celebrating the birthday. It is also customary to treat people specially on their birthday, either generally acceding to their wishes, or subjecting them to a rite of transition.

History of celebration of birthdays in the West
It is thought that the large-scale celebration of birthdays in Europe began with the cult of Mithras, which originated in Persia but was spread by soldiers throughout the Roman Empire. Before this, such celebrations were not common; and, hence, practices from other contexts such as the Saturnalia were adapted for birthdays. Because many Roman soldiers took up Mithraism, it had a wide distribution and influence throughout the empire until it was supplanted by Christianity.

Birthday celebrations were rare during the Middle Ages but saw a resurgence with the advent of the Reformation. During this period, they were seen as a good way to transfer customs from the saint's days to other dates not linked to the newly repudiated veneration of saints.

Even today, the celebration of birthdays is not universal in the West; in addition to those people preferring name day celebrations, Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate either, considering them to be pagan festivals along with Christmas and Easter. Many adults loathe celebrating it as it reminds them that they are getting progressively older.

In most English-speaking countries it is traditional to sing the song Happy Birthday to You to the honored person celebrating his birthday. The Happy Birthday Song melody is thought to be the most frequently sung melody in the world. Similar songs exist in other languages such as "Lang zal hij/zij leven" (and several others) in Dutch, "Zum Geburtstag Viel Glück" in German, "Cumpleaños Feliz" in Spanish, "Sto lat" in Polish and "Tanti Auguri a te" in italian. This happens traditionally at a birthday party while someone brings a birthday cake into the (often darkened) room.

The birthday cake is traditionally highly decorated, and typically covered with lit candles when presented; the number of candles often equals the age of the person. The person whose birthday it is makes a silent wish and then blows out the candles; if done in one breath, the wish is supposed to come true, but only if the person keeps the wish to himself (or herself). It is also common for the "birthday boy" or "birthday girl" to cut the initial piece of the cake like as a newlywed couple might with a wedding cake.

*Birthday cakes have been a tradition dating back as far as the Middle Ages when the English would conceal symbolic items such as gold coins, rings and thimbles inside their cakes. Each item was associated with a prediction. For example, a person finding a gold coin in a birthday cake would supposedly become wealthy where a person discovering a thimble would never marry.

Typical birthday party decorations include balloons, streamers, and confetti.

For special birthdays and for when the number of candles might be considered impractical or a fire hazard, special candles might be substituted for the many individual candles. These candles are in the shape of a numeral; for example, on the fifth birthday there may be one candle on the cake in the shape of the numeral 5, and on the fiftieth birthday there may be two candles on the cake, one in the shape of the numeral 5 followed by the other in the shape of the numeral 0.

* A birthday is considered a special day for the person, and so the person will often get special treatment from friends and family. This is especially true for children who cannot wait for their own special day. In addition to parties, people often get gifts on their birthday.

* Birthday parties for children often include fun games which are relevant to the local culture.

* There are also traditions of surprise parties.

* Not all traditions are equally generous. In certain circles the birthday boy or girl is expected to treat their party guests, this varies depending on the local culture and may involve party gifts or a nice gesture. In some cultures the birthday that means reaching the legal age limit for drinking alcohol it may be celebrated with a party with free or abundant alcoholic drinks.

* Another tradition enjoyed by girls that was popularized in the 1950s and 60s: receiving a special corsage (or several) that was decorated with candy or another inexpensive item that corresponded to age. The items were priced within reach of the peer group, and all were light enough so they could fasten easily to curly ribbons and be worn throughout the school day without problem.

10th birthday - lollipops
11th birthday - gum drops
12th birthday - tootsie rolls
13th birthday - bubble gum
14th birthday - dog biscuits
15th birthday - life savers
16th birthday - sugar cubes
17th birthday - lemon drops
18th birthday - fake key of a car

Graduate School

2006-11-14T13:41:00.000+08:00

Life Study By Anthony Crickmay

Graduate school is challenging. The academic standards are much higher than for undergraduate work, critical thinking is key. The emphasis is not only on understanding your chosen field, but on developing it further, especially at the Ph.D. level.

There are many reasons why people decide to go to graduate school. One of the best reasons for attending graduate school is earning a degree that will allow you to work in certain fields which require specialized training. The pursuit of graduate study is often driven by a love of knowledge for its own sake and wanting to delve into a specialization. The ability to keep pace with current developments in the labor market as new jobs are created is also a great reason to consider graduate education. Some other reasons are increasing their income and career advancement, changes in interests, and continuing education needs, even fear of graduation and some people just enjoy school.

Many people who decide to go to graduate school do so after working for a while. Sometimes the upper levels of their field may be closed to people without an advanced degree or they may feel that their career options are limited by their skills. Those who want to teach in a junior college or university need an advanced degree. If you want to do research, you need an advanced degree. Others may feel that their interests and skills have changed over the years and no longer apply to their undergraduate education. If you want to appeal to a broader employer base and increase your earning potential an advanced degree can help.

In graduate school, there is a presumption that you have made a well-informed and focused choice about what you are now studying. Not having a clear career direction or following the dreams or expectations of others, can be signals of the need for thorough self –assessment. If you are uncertain about your career or educational goals, you may want to speak with a career counselor.

Once you’ve decided that you want to go to graduate school and have chosen an area of study, you need to decide if you are going to get your master’s degree or your Ph.D. If you need to work while getting your graduate degree you should chose the less demanding of the two, the master’s degree. The master’s degree requires that you take courses (usually 33 to 45 units), take an exam, and produce a thesis or project. For the most part, a master’s degree can be completed in about a year if you go full time or two years if you go part time.

A Ph.D. requires much more discipline and dedication and for that reason it is not recommended that you work during this time. The degree requires that you take courses through out the first year or two then complete a master’s thesis or exam. The next year or so will be spent on research. Research is done to find an answer to a question not already answered.

In summary, besides knowledge, we go college so as to acquire skills which we can use for the rest of our life. No matter what career you choose, college will enable you to:

* Expand your knowledge and skills
* Express your thoughts clearly in speech and in writing
* Grasp abstract concepts and theories
* Increase your understanding of the world and your community

The world is changing rapidly. More and more jobs require education beyond high school. A College graduate can have more jobs to choose from as compared to those who do not have a good education or qualification. A person who goes to college usually earns more than a person who doesn't.

There are good arguments for both going to graduate school right away, and after a few years of work. If you go directly into grad school after graduating or receiving, you already have the momentum and discipline that school requires and you may have fewer obligations such as children or finances. The down side to going directly into grad school however, the bill. It can be difficult to pay off the debt you build up when financing your education.

Should you choose to work first, your outlook on education and what’s important to you may change over time. You may be able to save money for school or your employer might reimburse your expenses as part of a benefits package. You also have the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience in real world situations. The down side to going directly into the work force is that you may have many more obligations, such as children, and the expense for school may not rest solely on your shoulders.

Meaning Of Aura Colours

2006-10-25T19:50:00.000+08:00

Our Aura surrounds the entire body, but the interpretation of colors below relates to the Aura around the head only. When you learn to see Aura well, you can verify it for yourself, by concentrating on certain thoughts while watching your Aura, or telling people what their thoughts are when you see their Auras.

Usually, people have one or two dominating colors (strong points) in their Aura. These colors (or their Auric pairs) will be most likely their favorite colors. In addition to dominant colors, the Aura reflects thoughts, feelings and desires, which appear like "flashes", "clouds" or "flames", usually further away from the head. For example a flash of orange in the Aura indicates a thought or desire to exercise power and control. Orange as a dominant color is a sign of power and general ability to control people. Quickly changing "flashes" indicate quickly changing thoughts.

Meaning of Clean Colors of the Aura
(colors of the rainbow, bright, shiny, monochromatic colors):

Purple: indicates spiritual thoughts. Purple is never a strong point in the Aura. It appears only as temporary "clouds" and "flames", indicating truly spiritual thoughts.

Blue: Balanced existence, sustaining life, eased nerve system, transmitting forces and energy. People with blue strong point in their Aura are relaxed, balanced and feel ready to live in a cave and survive. They are born survivors. Blue thought is a thought about relaxing the nerve system to achieve the balance of the mind or a thought about surviving. Electric blue can override any other color in the Aura, when the person is receiving and/or transmitting information in a telepathic communication.

Turquoise: indicates dynamic quality of being, highly energized personality, capable of projection, influencing other people. People with turquoise strong point in their Aura can do many things simultaneously and are good organizers. They feel bored when forced to concentrate on one thing. People love bosses with turquoise Auras, because such bosses explain their goals and influence their team rather than demand executing their commands. Turquoise thought is a thought about organizing and influencing others.

Green: restful, modifying energy, natural healing ability. All natural healers should have it. People with a green strong point in their Auras are natural healers. The stronger the green Aura, the better the healer. They also love gardening and usually have a "green hand" - anything grows for them. Being in a presence of a person with a strong and green Aura is a very peaceful and restful experience. Green thought indicates a restful state and healing.

Yellow: joy, freedom, non-attachment, freeing or releasing vital forces. People who glow yellow are full of inner joy, very generous and not attached to anything. Yellow halo around the head: high spiritual development. A signature of a spiritual teacher. Do not accept spiritual teachings from anyone who does not have such a yellow halo. Buddha and Christ had yellow halos extending to their arms. Today it is rare on Earth to find a person with a halo larger than 1 inch. Yellow halo appears as a result of a highly active brow chakra (which can be seen glowing with violet by many people at my workshops). Highly spiritual people stimulate the brow chakra continuously for many years, because they always have intensive spiritual thoughts in their minds. When this chakra is observed when highly active, a yellow (Auric pair) halo appears around it, surrounding the entire head. Yellow thought indicates a moment of joy and contentment.

Orange: uplifting and absorbing. Inspiring. A sign of power. Ability and/or desire to control people. When orange becomes a strong point, it usually contributes to a yellow halo, which then becomes gold, indicating not only a spiritual teacher, but a powerful spiritual teacher, someone capable of demonstrating his/her unique abilities. Orange thought is a thought about exercising power or a desire to control people.

Red: materialistic thoughts, thoughts about the physical body. Predominantly red Aura indicates materialistically oriented person.

Pink (=purple+red): love (in a spiritual sense). To obtain a clean pink, you need to mix the purple (the highest frequency we perceive) with red (the lowest frequency). Pink Aura indicates that the person achieved a perfect balance between spiritual awareness and the material existence. The most advanced people have not only a yellow halo around the head (a permanent strong point in the Aura) but also a large pink Aura extending further away. The pink color in the Aura is quite rare on Earth and appears only as a temporary thought, never as a strong point in the Aura.

Meaning of Dirty colors: (colors appearing darker than background more like a smoke than a glow)

Brown: unsettling, distracting, materialistic, negating spirituality.

Gray: dark thoughts, depressing thoughts, unclear intentions, presence of a dark side of personality.

Sulfur (color of a mustard): pain or lack of ease, anger

White: serious disease, artificial stimulation (drugs).

Why does the white color in the Aura indicate problems? White color is like a noise, rather than a set of harmonious tones (monochromatic colors). It is impossible to "tune" the noise to an orchestra playing harmonious music, hence the white Aura indicates a lack of harmony in the body and mind.

Nature, which we are a part of, is harmonious. This harmony comes in discrete vibration "tones" or harmonics, partially described by the modern quantum physics.
Several hours before the death, the Aura becomes white, and greatly increases in intensity. For this reason in most cultures "death" is depicted in WHITE (not black), because in the past, people could actually see a white Aura before death. It seems that our ancestors knew much more than we are prepared to admit.

How To See Aura

2006-10-24T15:51:00.000+08:00

How to see Aura: developing auric sight
In an effort to see the Aura we need to:

Increase the sensitivity of our eyes AND
Extend the range of perceived vibration beyond the visible light.

It seems that we can accomplish the above by:

Using and training our peripheral vision
Increasing exposure
Enhance visual sensation processing in the brain - enhance the communication between left and right hemispheres of the brain

The gift of being able to see aura directly or in peripheral vision with the naked eye, is somewhat of a gift of the spirit and psychic abilities. Those that do see aura not only look in a certain way to view the aura, but at the same time they are psychically attuned to be able to see it with the aid of the spiritual sixth senses or psychic abilities.

To actually see the aura or the energy field that is produced and resonates, not only around all living things of spirit but also around all things of matter, as all matter gives off atomic energies that can also be viewed psychically and seen to have an energy field, such as, a stone which is non life and has an aura or a tree which is spiritual life and has both atomic electromagnetic and spiritual energies present within its energy field. One may find it best to have the subject indoors against a fairly plane and light background as aura is often harder to see in bright daylight. The distance at which one looks at the object to see the aura most easily does seem to vary. With people it is not quite so hard and at close proximity, within a few feet is most preferable, but aura can often be seen on people at 20 or 30 feet distance.

The best place to look to view the human aura is just over the top of the head coming down to the shoulders, the looker should look to see the aura over the top of the head whilst at the same time taking their eyes out of focus to see it, this is what immensely helps when trying to see aura, it is within the blurred vision that we pick up the energies and colours of the aura. When looking it is often best to look through the aura whilst trying to find how much to take the eyes out of focus either in front or behind the aura.

Aura can be seen around all living things such as a blade of grass or a tree or a fish or pet cat or dog etc. So they all have aura and the aura is given off from living things partly by the material but mostly from the spirit. None life also has an energy field that is given off, crystals are always quite good to practise on and often energy fields may be seen around furniture such as a wooden chair which becomes non life when the spirit departs soon after it is cut down and the aura that can be seen is the material atomic energy that is given off by all matter.

When the aura is viewed it can be seen in a variety of ways, what we all wish to be able to see is a number of energy fields and possibly bands of colour such as seen in the rainbow, surrounding the subject we are looking at, however although aura can often the be seen as bands of colours one blending into the next the aura is often not seen to be as uniform as what a rainbow might be and a number of colours maybe viewed some blending into each other and in some cases vivid spots that show up in a non uniform manner within the aura. This means that there may be blue and pink for instance around the head, but to one side only there could be a bold spot of any colour. So the aura may not be seen as typically as what the uniform rainbow might be and can end up being seen as a multitude of varying colours and formations with some irregular patterns or just simply as a milky white and this can quite often be seen as a double to one side that surrounds a person or even furniture.

Those who often begin to develop the gift and ability of seeing aura actually often begin by seeing a milky white glow around people and other objects and can be quite a strange experience even sometimes disorienting, when one start seeing what almost looks like a milky coloured double of everything, including life and non life. This experience of seeing milky white aura surrounding everything is not uncommon to those who are sometimes developing psychic and spiritual awareness and it can often happen when we are in a more spiritual mode or state of mind, especially after a spiritual experience or meditation as well as when we are resting daydreaming or going to or waking up from sleep. Aura can also sometimes be seen as clear energy without colour, surrounding both life and non life, on a person it is usually best seen coming off the top of the head about 2 to 6 inches, this energy swirls and looks almost identical to heat haze that can be seen coming off a road on a very hot day.

Apart from being able to see the auric field with the naked eye it is also possible as many developed mediums and psychics do, to see or sense the aura without seeing the aura with the naked eye, this is achieved by using the psychic powers and senses to feel and perceive the aura, the psychic then forms an impression of the aura and colours within their mind or minds eye, this method is used to great success and is just as accurate as direct viewing of the aura.

Feeling the Aura
Most people that have not seen or felt the aura are quite surprised how easily it can be felt when it is attempted. Firstly to feel the aura, find yourself a volunteer and sit them down on a chair where you can stand behind them. Next allow yourself to attune to your own spiritual abilities to sense their aura by touch and then hold your hands about two feet directly over the top of their head, close your eyes and slowly allow your hands to move down toward the top of their head until you find contact with their aura, this in most cases will be between 2 to 6 inches off the top of their head.

You will know when you have found the aura when you can feel either a tingling sensation on your hands or you may feel a warmth or coolness when you make contact with the aura, the other thing you may feel is a wind like sensation on the hands, this is caused by the motion of the aura its self. When you find the aura over the top of the head keep your hands so they are just in contact with it then slowly see if you can follow it off the top of the head down the side of the head and over the shoulders. If you find success, try to find others who will allow you to feel their aura, as at times the aura of others can produce different effects and feelings.

Looking At Your Own Aura
It can be quite difficult to see your own separate auric layers until you are very practised. However, almost everyone can see the predominant aura and learn to strengthen it for everyday encounters. Look in the mirror, either in soft sunlight or with a candle or soft lighting behind you. Close your eyes and let the picture of the rainbow emerge around your head (the easiest place to see it). Now open your eyes and see what colours are left. That is your predominant aura at present.

Try this at regular intervals; after a quarrel; after making love; after a success at work or home; and when you are sad, tired and sleepy. Note down the colours. Try this for two or three weeks to get a representative pattern.

If you keep an aura diary in your Book of Shadows, you may find that certain situations evoke the same auric pattern, perhaps before visiting a difficult relation or even going along to an activity you feel you ought to enjoy but don't any more.

If you always present the same auric colour or colours, regardless of the situation or person, then you may need to become more adaptable. Equally, if you have no predominant auric pattern, you may be influenced too much by people and situations.

Strengthening Your Aura
The easiest method of strengthening your aura is to use crystals. However you can use any dense block of colour, although those from natural living sources - like the sun, flowers and trees - will work fastest and can boost low energy levels. Gold, silver, orange, yellow and white are potent restorers of auric vibrance. Blue of purple can help before healing or psychic work and pink or lilac can create harmony and tranquility over knotted auric sections. If you tend to make heavy emotional demands use a rich vibrant green to give you emotional strength.

Hold the crystal, or focus on the flower, and in your mind's eye see the colour rising up and flowing around your outline, permeating every pore, until your whole body vibrates with the brilliant colour. Now let the colour rise so it forms a halo around your head. If you look in the mirror you may see the auric glow of the input colour around your head or a faint white radiance.

Facts About Chakra And Aura

2006-10-23T19:12:00.000+08:00

The Human Aura is a colorful magnetic energy field that surrounds the body and extends several feet out from it. The majority of people have a difficult time seeing it with the naked eye.

Have you ever walked into a house or a room and felt a chill run down your spine and an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of your stomach? What you're sensing is the inherit energy in that room and the energy in other individuals' auras. We are always surrounded by energy coming from everything, including plants, man-made materials, animals, angels and other human beings.

The more we work on our spiritual connection, our intuition and being in the moment, the more awareness we will have to sense these energies. There are many healers and spiritual leaders that can see and sense the human aura.

The human aura is made up of several energy vortexes that are spinning clockwise drawing in and propelling energy out into the world. These energy centers are called chakra. Each chakra has a different color, emotion and symbolism associated with it. Likewise, they also each correspond with the surrounding tissue, organs and cells in that particular area of the body.

Our aura is the outward representation of what is occurring in our physical and spiritual bodies. The word chakra comes from the Sanskrit cakram, which means "wheel." Chakras are supposedly the anchors of our spirit, kind of like the ancient "houses of the soul".

There are seven major centers of energy and several minor ones in the hands and feet. They are said to spin like vortexes and emanate color. Some systems of belief say you are aligned when your chakras all spin clockwise, and some say they should all spin like wheels of a gear system, in alternating directions. We cannot "prove" that chakras exist, and in general the Western world is not very accepting of them. They are intuitive, like color meaning, and reside in the plane of the spiritual as well as the physical. It should not surprise you that something so intuitive to the psyche and soul be so elusive to the intellect. Nonetheless, modern aura imaging tools can detect the presence of these energy vortexes and translate their frequencies into color and direction of spin.

The aura reflects moods, personality and traits, emotions, general well-being, spiritual abilities and evolution and is made up of several layers or bodies reflecting and relating to different chakra and aspects of our spiritual and material life and nature.

Our first Chakra/Root: Is bright red. It symbolizes strength and personal will power. It is located just below our belly button. It points downward towards the earthand it allows us to draw energy up from the earth.

Second Chakra/: Is bright orange. This is where our emotional body resides (our innermost feelings), which is located in the stomach area just above the belly button.

Third Chakra/Solar Plexis: Is yellow and it is located just under our rib cage. It is connected to our intellect and is where our life's purpose rests. In the center of the chest, is the fourth chakra.

Forth Chakra/Heart: Bright green and it is symbolic of the love we give out and of the love we take in. It is also the primary color used in healing. Next, we have the throatchakra.

Fifth Chakra/Throat: The color blue and it symbolizes our ability tospeak our truth out to the world.

Sixth Chakra/Third Eye: Located on the forehead, just above the eyes. It is lavender in color and it is the center of our intuition and our creative thought.

Seventh Chakra/Crown: Located on top of the head and it points up into the sky. Another name for it is the crown chakra. This is our connection to Spirit, higher thoughts, angels and guides. When our crown chakra is open, we have a deep inner sense of peace and a connection to all of life and to God.

Constantly Changing: Everyone's aura looks different. Auras are constantly changing according to our thoughts, the people we encounter, our surroundings, and our physical bodies. You can balance your own chakras simply by imagining each one and focusing on the color it's supposed to be. You can add extra intention by touching each center as you imagine and breath in the color.

One’s aura reveal a person's true nature. The aura can vary from one person to the next and different colours in the aura can represent a persons attributes depending on, moods, emotions, physical and mental states of well-being or any disharmonies or illnesses that may be present, as well as the individuals level of spirituality and progression, together with general spiritual abilities and their general nature and personality are all reflected and can be seen and picked up through the aura.

It is believed that there are seven main bodies that are reflected in layers through the aura although this does vary a little depending on the belief systems one follows. Each of these bodies is thought to be connected and correspond to one of the spirits seven main chakra energy centres, which produce the auric layers. These seven main aura bodies are known as the, Etheric Aura; Emotional Aura; Mental Aura; Astral Aura; Etheric Template Aura; Celestial Aura; Ketheric Template Aura.

We are charged. We suck in energy and emanate it. Our auras and chakras have such distinct and interesting shapes because of our bioelectric field. Our auras are shaped. We shape them.

Aura colors are light. Moreover, they are the lights we emanate above the visible spectrum, not reflect in the visible. In the visible spectrum we all reflect only black to albino white, not including the modern color of hair dyes. These colors are our pigments. Black skin contains the pigments of red, blue, green, etc. but black light is the total absence of color. White skin has little or no pigmentation. White light is the marriage of all the colors, a harmony of variation, it is red, blue, green and magenta. Remember what a prism does. It splits white light into the colors of the rainbow.

We usually see colors as pigment, while our aura’s colors are made of light. That red apple isn’t really red. It is, it absorbs, every color of light except red. It is the nature of the apple’s skin to bounce off any wavelengths of light in the range of 625 nanometers. If we could mix the red apple with the green grass, we’d end up with the color brown. But if we mix red and green light, we get yellow. It’s easy to get frustrated here, thinking the whole world has gone backwards, but it’s really very intuitive. Beings and energies of light transcend, while beings and energies of the physical descend or stagnate.

Our emotions are energetic. They are of energy. We reflect in energy what we reflect in us. Sometimes it’s visible or audible. For example, when I’m angry I whine and move away from the person making me angry. None of us always expresses our energies out loud, though. We haven’t since we were babies. Sometimes that energy is held inside to be expressed other ways. It never goes away until we release it. It’s still there in our bodies somewhere. We’re actively thinking about it. It’s expressed in the tightness in the throat, or in the spasms of the hand. But the aura camera can capture it all.

Importance Of Aura

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The Aura is the electromagnetic field, the psychic field of energy surrounding all beings, human or otherwise. Its size can vary from a few inches to many feet in all directions. It is associated with the health of the physical body, and all the organs impact the strength and the size of the aura. It includes and is impacted by all the elements, and its colors vary and change depending upon the mental, emotional and physical states.

Ever stand around listening to the radio? Did you ever notice that if you move around the radio, you can affect the quality of your reception? Auras are still around, only now they can react with our environment. In today’s digital age with radios and cellular phones, it is more important than ever to be aware of one’s aura.

Many people are aware of a spiritual energy field around our bodies that makes us feel uncomfortable if someone intrudes mentally or physically on what is currently called, in psychological terms, our 'personal space'. This energy field is our aura.

Colors and intensity of the aura, especially around and above the head have VERY special meanings. Watching someone's aura you can actually see the other person's thoughts before you hear them expressed verbally. If they do not agree with what this person is saying, you effectively see a lie every time. No one can lie in front of you undetected. We cannot fake the Aura. It shows our True Nature and intentions for everyone to see.

Also, aura is our spiritual signature. When you see a person with a bright, clean aura, you can be sure that such person is good and spiritually advanced, even if he/she is modest and not aware of it. When you see a person with a gray or dark aura, you may be almost sure, that such person has unclear intentions, regardless how impressive, eloquent, educated, "good looking" or "well dressed" he/she seems to appear.

It is especially important to check the aura of any religious leader, "spiritual teacher", "master" or a "guru". Such a person should have a clearly defined yellow-golden halo around the head. If he/she does not have it, you are much better on your own. By reading Aura it seems possible to diagnose malfunctions in the body (diseases) long before physical symptoms become evident. By consciously controlling your Aura you can actually heal yourself.

However, healing of the physical body is nothing in comparison to what seeing and reading auras can do for our consciousness, spiritual development and our awareness of Nature.
The aura has several levels that are not clearly defined or agreed upon. There are many conflicting theories. Many people believe in the existence of a spirit body within us, upon which the physical body is imposed. When we die or travel astrally this spirit body, linked to the physical body by a silver cord, separates, and when the silver cord is severed, then we are said to die. Some see the etheric or sprit body as a silvery essence and others see it as a direct double, a doppelganger. This may be the form people see as living ghosts.

The Three Levels Of The Aura:

1. The Etheric Aura from the spirit or astral body, is usually seen a few inches from the physical body, and follows its outline. The innermost aura reflects the state of health or dis-ease of the physical body. The colours of this aura are like a merging rainbow and parallel on both sides of your body, beginning in normal healthy circumstances as red beneath your feet and merging as they rise up the body through yellow and orange.

2. The Emotional Aura forms an oval beyond the etheric aura, rather than following the outline of the body, and is generally perceived as green. The emotional aura surrounds the whole body and head in an unbroken ellipse.

We are creatures of feeling and it is increasingly recognised by medical science that our emotions not only help to trigger bodily illness but can also help to activate our immune system to fight disease. A clear green aura indicates that a person is in tune with his or her own feelings and is receptive to the emotions of others. A Full green suggests that the person may be overwhelmed by the emotional demands of others. Yellow-green may imply that jealousy or resentment are clouding the natural emotional flow and there may again be dark patches around the heart or in other areas. These often indicated the bodily area where a person is feeling physical pain or knots of tension in muscles were emotional pain has penetrated the etheric layers. Breaks here or dark patches can also indicate hurt and unresolved guilt.

3. The Aura Of The Mind And Body is usually regarded as the outer layer of the aura. Like the emotional aura, it forms an oval rather than following the outline of the body. In some people this aura is rigidly bound; in others it instantly melts and gives access to the emotions and to influences from other people's minds and the cosmos. When this layer is fluid a person may be very telepathic and clairvoyant.

This is the area of the mind and is coloured blue, merging into purple as it rises higher in the body. In very spiritual people white, silver or gold can be detected above the head, as in medieval paintings of saints. In contrast, a murky grey, brown or black above the head suggests that logic is clouded by depression and a feeling of being overwhelmed by life's cares.

Clear auric colours indicate that thought processes are in harmony with the rest of the body and the outside world. As with the other layers, there may be areas of darkness or breaks where flecks of colour from the other layers have penetrated. For example, it may be dull red if thoughts are being clouded by physical discomfort or anger. If green clouds this outer aura, emotions may be colouring thought processes unduly.

Healer's outer auras are often pure purple or brilliant blue, merging with white or golden rays from the cosmos, as are those of evolved psychics who are concerned with using their gifts to help others.

Facts About Chinese Lanterns

2006-10-02T00:22:00.000+08:00

China's paper lanterns are more than just decorations. Since 250 B.C. they have silently spoken of births, deaths, social status and approaching danger. For instance, special red lanterns are used for weddings and white lanterns for funerals. Children in China also make lanterns at school and hang riddles on them. Today they have their place as honored guests at ceremonies and festivals.

Originating as far back as 250 B.C., the basic Chinese lantern has remained unchanged in design. The sleeve or frame that surrounds the candle is assembled from pliable bamboo, sturdy redwood or inexpensive wire. To soften the harsh light of a naked flame, thin or oiled paper, gauze or silk fabric covers the frame to create the familiar flattering, soft glow. In contrast to the simplicity of the standard spherical lantern, the zouma deng lantern was designed during the Song dynasty (960-1279), an era of innovation that included developments in type printing, gunpowder and paper currency. The zouma deng resembles a miniature pavilion with upturned eaves. An inner wire shaft is fitted with paper vanes, and the heat current generated from the flame rotates the shaft, setting a paper cutout in a charming merry-go-round motion, hence the name, since zouma deng means "roundabout."

The placement and color of lanterns serve as a vital communication link in these tremendously communal residential areas. Since red connotes vitality and energy at its maximal state, a red lantern placed outside a doorway tells of a birth or marriage. A blue lantern, representing declining energy or sickness, indicates there is illness in the household. And white signifies energy eliminated or death, so a white sash draped across the top of the doorway, flanked by two white lanterns announces that the family is in mourning.

Simple lanterns are used in everyday life in China: to light the way home at night and to hang on boats or outside shops and homes. More elaborate lanterns are made for two major holidays in China: Lantern Festival and Mid-autumn Festival. The lanterns for Mid-autumn Festival, or Moon Festival, come in fanciful shapes such as animals, fruits, and flowers. The lanterns for Lantern Festival often depicting historic or patriotic scenes painted on silk Many have riddles on them, and part of the festivities is guessing the riddles and writing poetry.

The Chinese have celebrated Lantern Festival since the Han Dynasty (206 BC-221 AD). Like all Chinese festivals, Lantern Festival follows an agricultural cycle. Just as the Chinese New Year comes during the winter, when farmers are unable to work in the fields, Lantern Festival marks the conclusion of the Chinese New Year season when farmers begin preparing for spring planting. The festival marks the return of light and spring. Some Chinese refer to the festival as Shang Yuan and Xiao Nian, the minor new year.

Lanterns are exhibited in markets throughout the Chinese New Year season which lasts for about two weeks. On the 15th day of the Chinese new year, people all over the country make lanterns from wood, bamboo, silk, and rice paper and carry them through the streets for the Lantern Festival, which marks the conclusion of the Chinese New Year season. After processing through the streets, participants assemble in a public square to present and share their lanterns. Later they wait for the long paper and silk dragon to come out of hibernation. The dragon is popular during the New Year’s festivities because it symbolizes good fortune.

Lantern Festivals

Lantern Festival is also popularly referred to as Chinese Valentine’s Day. Falling on the 15th day of the first month of the Lunar Year, the Lantern Festival takes place under a full moon, and marks the end of Chinese New Year festivities. The Lantern Festival dates back to shrouded legends of the Han Dynasty over 2000 years ago.

Legend of the Lantern Festival's Origin
In one such legend, the Jade Emperor in Heaven was so angered at a town for killing his favorite goose, that he decided to destroy it with a storm of fire. However, a good-hearted fairy heard of this act of vengeance, and warned the people of the town to light lanterns throughout the town on the appointed day. The townsfolk did as they were told, and from the Heavens, it looked as if the village was ablaze. Satisfied that his goose had already been avenged, the Jade Emperor decided not to destroy the town. From that day on, people celebrated the anniversary of their deliverance by carried lanterns of different shapes and colors through the streets on the first full moon of the year, providing a spectacular backdrop for lion dances, dragon dances, and fireworks.

The Modern Lantern Festival
While the Lantern Festival has changed very little over the last two millennia, technological advances have made the celebration moreand more complex and visually stimulating. Indeed, the festival as celebrated in some places (such as Taipei, Taiwan) can put even the most garish American Christmas decorations to shame. They often sport unique displays of light that leave the viewer in awe.

Master craftsman will construct multicolored paper lanterns in the likeness of butterflies, dragons, birds, dragonflies, and many other animals; these accentuate the more common, red, spherical lanterns. Brilliantly-lit floats and mechanically driven light displays draw the attention of the young and old alike. Sometimes, entire streets are blocked off, with lanterns mounted above and to the sides, creating a hallway of lamps. Some cities in North China even make lanterns from blocks of ice! And just as in days gone by, the billion-watt background sets the scene for dragon and lion dances, parades, and other festivities.

Yuan Xiao and Tang Yuan
Yuan Xiao and Tang Yuan are balls of glutinous rice, sometimes rolled around a filling of sesame, peanuts, vegetable, or meat. Tang Yuan are often cooked in red-bean or other kinds of soup. The round shape symbolizes wholeness and unity.

Learn About Mooncake Festival

2006-10-01T23:30:00.000+08:00

Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Festival takes place on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar. Chinese people believe that on that day, the moon is the biggest, roundest and brightest. And the term round implies family reunion in Chinese. So the Moon Festival is a festival for members of a family to get together wherever it is possible. Sons and daughters will bring their family members back to their parents' house, typically having dinner together, for a reunion.

The festival dates back to the Tang dynasty 618 A.D. As with many Chinese celebrations, there are ancient legends associated with the festival.

What To Do
Before the moon festival, we have to give gifts to our relatives. ( You are required to give gifts to your relatives in most of the major Chinese festivals, like Chinese New Year, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival ) You have to give at least one box of moon cakes to your relatives (per family). If you have lots of brothers, sisters, uncles, in-laws and relatives, it will add up a lot. Also, the more egg yolk the more presentable as a gift and the more expensive it is. Besides mooncake, you can/should even give other food items like Chinese preserved meat sausages and season fruit like star fruit. Pocket money for the senior relatives to buy something they like if they are very close to you.

If you have children, you have to buy them paper moon lanterns.

On the 14 of lunar August, one day before the moon festival evening, we call this evening the "Moon Welcoming". The moon has almost reached it's roundest and fullest shape. You may start to walk about on the streets with your lantern.

On the 15 of lunar August, the moon festival, the moon is in the best shape this night. Families will get together to have dinner for a reunion. Problem arise if you are married. Which parents should the couple have dinner with on this night? Maybe it depends whether the husband or wife is more subservient or easy-going.

You can either stay at home sitting by the balcony or you can go on to the streets with your lanterns. It's also an excuse for children to play with candles. "Wax-boiling" in an empty moon-cake tin is one favourite activity though it leaves a big mess on the street and the beach!

On the 16 of lunar August, the day after moon festival, people still go on the street or beaches to admire the moon. We called it "Moon chasing".

After the festival,

the cleaning crew have to clean the streets and beaches.
Moon cakes are much cheaper now and one may start their new moon-cake installment
go on diet if you have put on too much weight after eating all those moon cakes!

MoonCakes
During the festival everybody buys, gives, eats and finally gets tired of moon cakes.

There is this story about the moon-cake. During the Yuan dynasty (A.D. 1280-1368) China was ruled by the Mongolian people. Leaders from the preceding Sung dynasty (A.D. 960-1280) were unhappy at submitting to the foreign rule, and set how to coordinate the rebellion without being discovered. The leaders of the rebellion, knowing that the Moon Festival was drawing near, ordered the making of special cakes. Backed into each moon caked was a message with the outline of the attack. On the night of the Moon Festival, the rebels successfully attached and overthrew the government.

Today, moon cakes are eaten to commemorate this legend and was called the Moon Cake. For generations, moon cakes have been made with sweet fillings of nuts, mashed red beans, lotus-seed paste or Chinese dates, wrapped in a pastry. Sometimes a cooked egg yolk can be found in the middle of the rich tasting dessert. People compare moon cakes to the plum pudding and fruit cakes which are served in the English holiday seasons. Nowadays, there are hundreds varieties of moon cakes on sale a month before the arrival of Moon Festival.

Different Celebrated Forms
For thousands of years, the Chinese people have related the vicissitudes of life to changes of the moon as it waxes and wanes; joy and sorrow, parting and reunion. Because the full moon is round and symbolizes reunion, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also known as the festival of reunion. All family members try to get together on this special day. Those who can not return home watch the bright moonlight and feel deep longing for their loved ones.

Today,festivities centered about the Mid-Autumn Festival are more varied. After a family reunion dinner, many people like to go out to attend special perfomances in parks or on public squares.

People in different parts of China have different ways to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. In Guangzhou in South China, a huge lantern show is a big attraction for local citizens. Thousands of differently shaped lanterns are lit, forming a fantastic contrast with the bright moonlight.

In East Chia's Zhejiang Province, watching the flood tide of the Qian-tang River during the Mid-Autumn Festival is not only a must for local peple, but also an attraction for those from other parts of the country. The ebb and flow of tides coincide with the waxing and waning of the moon as it exerts a strong gravitational pull. In mid autumn, the sun, earth and moon send out strong gravitational forces upon the seas. The outh of the Qiantang River is shaped lik a bugle. So the flood tide which forms at the narrow mouth is particularly impressive. Spectators crowd on the river bank,watching the roaring waves. At its peak, the tide rises as high as three and a half meters.

Stories of the Mid-Autumn Festival

2006-09-30T21:48:00.000+08:00

Hou Yi and Chang'e While Westerners may talk about the "man in the moon", the Chinese talk about the "woman on the moon". The story of Chang E, and her flight to the moon, is familiar to every Chinese, and a favourite subject of poets. Unlike many lunar deities in other cultures who personify the moon, Chang'e only lives on the moon.

Tradition places Hou Yi and Chang'e around 2170 BC, in the reign of the legendary Emperor Yao, shortly after that of Huang Di. There are so many variations of the Chang'e legend that one can become overwhelmed and utterly confused. However, most legends about Chang'e in Chinese mythology involve some variation of the following elements: Hou Yi, the Archer; Chang'e, the mythical Moon Goddess of Immortality; an emperor, either benevolent or malevolent; an elixir of life; and the Moon.

Hou Yi, the archer
There are at least four variations to this story where Hou Yi was an archer.

Version 1: Hou Yi was himself an immortal, while Chang'e was a beautiful young girl, working in the Jade Emperor's (Emperor of Heaven) Palace as the attendant to the Queen Mother of the West (wife of the Jade Emperor), before her marriage. One day, Yi aroused the jealousy of the other immortals, who then slandered him before the Jade Emperor. Yi and his wife, Chang'e, were subsequently banished from heaven, and forced to live by hunting on earth. He became a famous archer. Now at this time, there were 10 suns that took turns to circle the earth — one every 10 days.

One day, all 10 of the suns circled together, causing the earth to scorch. Emperor Yao, the Emperor of China, commanded Yi to kill all but one of the suns. Upon the completion of his task, the Emperor rewarded Yi with a pill, the elixir of life, and advised him: "Make no haste to swallow this pill, but first prepare yourself with prayer and fasting for a year". Yi took the pill home and hid it under a rafter, while he began healing his spirit. In the midst of this, Yi was summoned again by the emperor. While he was gone, Chang'e noticed a white beam of light beckoning from the rafter and discovered the pill, which she swallowed. Immediately, she found that she could fly. Just at that moment, Yi returned home, and realizing what had happened, began to reprimand her.

Chang'e flew out the window into the sky. With bow in hand, Yi sped after her, and the pursuit continued halfway across the heavens. Finally, Yi had to return to the Earth because of the force of the wind. Chang'e reached the moon, and breathless, she coughed. Part of the pill fell out from her mouth. Now, the hare was already on the moon, and Chang'e commanded the animal to make a pill from it, so that she could return to earth to her husband. As of today, the hare is still pounding.

As for Yi, he built himself a palace in the sun as "Yang" (the male principle), while Chang'e is "Yin" (the female principle). Once a year, on the 15th day of the full moon, Yi visits his wife. That is why the moon is full and beautiful on that night. This description appears in written form in two Western Han dynasty (206 BCE-24 CE) collections; Shanhaijing (Classic of the Mountains and Seas, a book of travels and tales), and Huainanzi (scientific, historical and philosophical articles, named for the Prince of Huai).

Version 2: Another version, very similar to the above story, had it that the Emperor of Heaven, moved by the people’s suffering caused by the 10 scorching suns, sent the archer, Prince Hou Yi, from heaven to help Emperor Yao bring order. Hou Yi, with his wife, Chang'e, descended to earth, carrying a red bow and white arrows given him by the Emperor of Heaven.

Version 3: The earth once had ten suns circling over it, each taking turn to illuminate the earth. One day, however, all ten suns appeared together, scorching the earth with their heat. Hou Yi, a strong and tyrannical archer, saved the earth by shooting down nine of the suns. He eventually became King, but grew to become a despot. One day, Yi stole the elixir of life from a goddess. However, his beautiful wife, Chang'e, drank it in order to save the people from the her husband’s tyrannical rule. After drinking it, she found herself floating, and flew to the moon. Yi loved his divinely beautiful wife so much, he did not shoot down the moon.

Version 4: Another version, however, had it that Chang'e and Hou Yi were immortals living in heaven. One day, the ten sons of the Jade Emperor transformed into ten suns, causing the earth to scorch. Having failed to order his sons to stop ruining the earth, the Jade Emperor summoned Yi for help. Yi, using his legendary archery skills, shot down nine of the sons, but spared one son to be the sun. The Jade Emperor was obviously displeased with Yi’s solution to save the earth. As punishment, he banished Yi and Chang'e to live as mere mortals on earth.

Seeing that Chang'e felt extremely miserable over her loss of immortality, Yi decided to journey on a long, perilous quest to find the pill of immortality so that the couple could be immortals again. At the end of his quest, he met the Queen Mother of the West, who agreed to give him the pill, but warned him that each person would only need half a pill to regain immortality. Yi brought the pill home and stored it in a case. He warned Chang'e not to open the case, and then left home for a while.

Like Pandora in Greek mythology, Chang'e became curious. She opened up the case and found the pill, just as Yi was returning home. Nervous that Yi would catch her, discovering the contents of the case, she accidentally swallowed the entire pill, and started to float into the sky because of the overdose. Although Yi wanted to shoot her in order to prevent her from floating further, he could not bear to aim the arrow at her. Chang'e kept on floating until she landed on the moon. While she became lonely on the moon without her husband, she did have company. A jade rabbit, who manufactured elixirs, also lived on the moon.

Hou Yi, the builder
Hou Yi, a famous builder who built a beautiful jade palace for the Goddess of the Western Heaven (also called the Royal Mother). In appreciation, she gave Yi a special pill that contained the magic elixir of immortality. But with it, came the condition and warning that he may not use the pill until he had accomplished certain self-purification. His wife, Chang'e, was a beautiful but inquisitive woman. One day, she discovered the pill, and without telling her husband, swallowed it. The Goddess was very angry, and as a punishment, banished Chang'e to the moon where, according to the legend, she can be seen at her most beautiful, on the night of the bright harvest moon.

Hou Yi and the sorcerer-chieftain
Chang'e was a village girl who married Hou Yi. Pang Meng, the sorcerer-chieftain, seeing his position threatened, tricked Yi into believing that Chang'e had been unfaithful. Still deeply in love with his wife, Yi fed her the elixir of immortality, and banishes her to the moon. He realized his error, and died gazing at her image in the sky.

Chang'e and the cruel emperor
Many years after she was already the moon goddess, Chang'e looked down upon Earth, and saw that a terribly cruel and tyrannical emperor sat on the throne. To help the people, she allowed herself to be reborn into the mortal world. The other members of her mortal family were either killed or enslaved by the emperor, but Chang'e managed to escape to the countryside.

Meanwhile, the emperor was aging, and obsessed with discovering the elixir of life. He had people all over the land brought to him, and demanded of them to find the elixir of life; nobody knew, of course, but the emperor would not accept ignorance for an answer, and executed all those who could not give him a satisfactory reply. In the countryside, Chang'e met the Goddess of Compassion, Guan Yin, who proceeded to give Chang'e, a small elixir. Chang'e brought the elixir to the emperor, but the suspicious emperor, worrying that it was poison, demanded that Chang'e tasted it first. She did, and showing no ill-effects, the emperor then took the elixir, but promptly died. Chang'e also left the mortal world as the effects of the elixir had only been delayed in her case. Instead of dying, however, she ascended to the moon to retake her place as the moon goddess.

The Hare - Jade Rabbit
According to tradition, the Jade Rabbit pounds medicine, together with the lady, Chang'e, for the gods. Others say that the Jade Rabbit is a shape, assumed by Chang'e herself. You may find that the dark areas to the top of the full moon may be construed as the figure of a rabbit. The animal's ears point to the upper right, while at the left are two large circular areas, representing its head and body. In this legend, three fairy sages transformed themselves into pitiful old men, and begged for food from a fox, a monkey, and a hare. The fox and the monkey both had food to give to the old men, but the hare, empty-handed, jumped into a blazing fire to offer his own flesh instead. The sages were very thankful for the meat and ate it but the sages were so touched by the hare's sacrifice and act of kindness that they let him live in the Moon Palace, where he became the "Jade Rabbit".

Overthrow of Mongol rule
The Mid-Autumn Festival also commemorates an uprising in China against the Mongol rulers of the Yuan Dynasty (1280–1368) in the early 14th century. As group gatherings were banned, it was impossible to make plans for a rebellion. Noting that the Mongols did not eat mooncakes, Liu Bowen (劉伯溫) of Zhejiang Province, advisor to a Chinese rebel leader Zhu Yuanzhang, came up with the idea of timing the rebellion to coincide with the Mid-Autumn Festival. He sought permission to distribute thousands of moon cakes to the Chinese residents in the city to bless the longevity of the Mongol emperor. Inside each cake, however, was inserted a piece of paper with the message: "Kill the Tatars on the 15th day of the Eighth Moon" (八月十五殺韃子). On the night of the Moon Festival, the rebels successfully attacked and overthrew the government. What followed was the establishment of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), under the rebel leader Zhu Yuanzhang. Henceforth, the Mid-Autumn Festival was celebrated with moon cakes on a national level.

Vietnamese version
The Vietnamese version of the holiday recounts the legend of Thằng Cuội, whose banyan trees was uprooted after his wife accidentally urinated on it and took him with it to the moon. Every year, on the mid-autumn festival, children light lanterns to show Cuội the way to Earth.

Origin Of Mid-Autumn Festival

2006-09-29T21:48:00.000+08:00

Chinese people love festivals and there are many festivities. Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most popular ones.

The joyous Mid-Autumn Festival, the third and last festival for the living, was celebrated on the fifteenth day of the eighth moon, around the time of the autumn equinox. Many referred to it simply as the "Fifteenth of the Eighth Moon". In the Western calendar, the day of the festival usually occurred sometime between the second week of September and the second week of October.

This day was also considered a harvest festival since fruits, vegetables and grain had been harvested by this time and food was abundant. With delinquent accounts settled prior to the festival , it was a time for relaxation and celebration. Food offerings were placed on an altar set up in the courtyard. Apples, pears, peaches, grapes, pomegranates , melons, oranges and pomelos might be seen. Special foods for the festival included moon cakes, cooked taro, edible snails from the taro patches or rice paddies cooked with sweet basil, and water caltrope, a type of water chestnut resembling black buffalo horns. Some people insisted that cooked taro be included because at the time of creation, taro was the first food discovered at night in the moonlight. Of all these foods, it could not be omitted from the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The round moon cakes, measuring about three inches in diameter and one and a half inches in thickness, resembled Western fruitcakes in taste and consistency. These cakes were made with melon seeds, lotus seeds, almonds, minced meats, bean paste, orange peels and lard. A golden yolk from a salted duck egg was placed at the center of each cake, and the golden brown crust was decorated with symbols of the festival. Traditionally, thirteen moon cakes were piled in a pyramid to symbolize the thirteen moons of a "complete year," that is, twelve moons plus one intercalary moon. The custom of worshipping the moon (called Xi yue in Chinese) for both the Han and minority nationalities, can be traced as far back as the ancient Xia, and Shang Dynasties (2000 BCE-1066 BCE). In the Zhou Dynasty (1066 BCE-221 BCE), the people celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival to worship the moon. The practice became very prevalent in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) that people enjoyed and worshipped the full moon. In the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), however, people started making round moon cakes, as gifts to their relatives in expression of their best wishes of family reunion. At night, they came out to watch the full moon to celebrate the festival. Since the Ming (1368-1644), and Qing Dynasties (1644-1911), the custom of Mid-Autumn Festival celebration has become unprecedentedly popular.

Mid-Autumn Festival

2006-09-28T21:48:00.000+08:00

The Mid-Autumn Festival (Traditional Chinese: 中秋節, Simplified Chinese: 中秋节; pinyin: Zhōngqiūjié; Korean: Ch'usǒk or Chuseok 추석/秋夕; Vietnamese Tết Trung Thu; also known as the Moon Festival, Mooncake Festival, or the August Moon Festival. In Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia, it may be referred to as the Lantern Festival, similar in name to a different festival which falls on the fifteenth day of the Chinese New Year) is a popular Chinese celebration of abundance and togetherness, dating back over 3,000 years to China's Zhou Dynasty.

The Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar (usually around mid- or late-September in the Gregorian Calendar), a date that parallels the Autumn Equinox of the solar calendar. At this time, the moon is at its fullest and brightest, marking an ideal time to celebrate the abundance of the summer's harvest. The traditional food of this festival is the moon cake, of which there are many different varieties.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the two most important holidays in the Chinese calendar (the other being the Chinese Lunar New Year), and is a legal holiday in several countries. Farmers celebrate the end of the summer harvesting season on this date. Traditionally, on this day, Chinese family members and friends will gather to admire the bright mid-autumn harvest moon, and eat moon cakes and pomeloes together. It is also common to have barbecues outside under the moon, and to put pomelo rinds on one's head. Brightly lit lanterns are often carried around by children. Together with the celebration, there appear some special customs in different parts of the country, such as burning incense, planting sweet-olive trees, lighting lanterns on towers, and fire dragon dances. Shops selling mooncakes, before the festival, often display pictures of Chang'e, floating to the moon.

Legend
Legend says that during King Yao's rule, ten suns appeared in the sky. Because the heat from these suns endangered crops, wildlife and the very existence of people, King Yao asked a famous archer to shoot down nine of the ten suns.

After shooting the extra suns down, archer Houyi asked for the hand of the Emperor's beautiful daughter, Chang E, as a reward.

Houyi took good care of Chang E but she remained indifferent to him, always considering herself the most beautiful woman in the world.

Meanwhile, the king was worried the extra suns would appear again and cause a new disaster so he gave Houyi a pill that was said to ensure immortality. But Chang E learned of this pill and decided she could make better use of it herself.

So she swallowed the pill and immediately started floating into the air. She soon reached the moon, where she remains, transformed into a toad as punishment.

Leaving poor Houyi to see only the shadow of his vain wife and only when the moon is full.

Tradition The Mid-Autumn Festival, or Moon Festival, is an occasion for family reunion. It is marked with moon gazing, fireworks displays and eating moon cakes.

In remembrance of Chang E who was exiled to the moon for eternity, Chinese eat moon cakes -- special sweet cakes made in the shape of the moon.

Lanterns Paper lanterns are a prominent feature of the celebrations, being hung around the area where the feasting takes place. The larger lanterns are very elaborate being decorated with pictures of various deities and characters associated with the moon whilst children carry smaller lanterns suspended from sticks during the celebrations.

MoonCakes
Probably the most recognizable feature of the festival is the boxes of moon cakes on sale in the months prior to the festival. They are in boxes of four and may be round or square in shape and are usually stamped with a deity associated with the festival. The cakes are made from a flaky pastry in which many varieties of fillings can be found. The most usual was sugared beans, ground sesame or lotus and the yoke of a preserved duck egg; but there are many other fillings and nowadays it is even possible to buy moon cakes filled with ice cream.

Why It Didn't Last

2006-07-26T14:43:00.000+08:00

She married him because he was such a 'strong man'
She divorced him because he was such a 'dominating male'

He married her because she was so 'fragile and cute'
He divorced her because she was so 'weak and helpless'

She married him because 'he is a good provider'
She divorced him because 'all he thinks about is business'

He married her because 'she reminds me of my mother'
He divorced her because 'she's getting more like her mother everyday'

She married him because he was 'happy and romantic'
She divorced him because he was 'shiftless and fun-loving'

He married her because she was 'steady and sensible'
She divorced her because she was 'boring and dull'

She married him because he was 'the life of the party'
She divorced him because 'he's a party boy'

Did You Know
In 2001 the most frequent fact on which divorce was granted to a woman in England and Wales was the unreasonable behaviour of her husband, while for a man, it was separation for two years with consent.

Never marry a man who hates his mother, because he'll end up hating you.

To get divorced because love has died is like selling your car because it's run out of petrol.

Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?

2006-07-02T00:53:00.000+08:00

Did you ever see something go wrong around you and suddenly burst out, "How on Earth did I create that?"

Really, how can bad things happen, even to the sweetest, kindest, most spiritual people on the planet? Where's the fairness in that?

The root of the question lies partly in the fact that we live in a state of polarity consciousness. This is a point of view where life is seen as a contrast between opposing forces, and that events are either good or bad. Good or bad is a judgment issue. Judgment belongs in third-density, physical consciousness. Yes, in physical consciousness, bad things do exist, and they appear that way because they're designed to.

Life is like a stage, or a movie set where scripts are acted out for the experience that they will bring. The 'props' upon the stage of life consist of good ones and bad ones because we are here to experience duality consciousness. But, when you rise above judgment to a higher vista of consciousness, you begin to view the arrival of an unpleasant occurrence in your life as the challenge that it was intended to be.

Challenges are designed, at a soul level, to give rise to change. Change then opens the door to the opportunity for transformation, and transformation is our main purpose in life.

Your soul thinks very much in terms of service to others, so your purpose in life is to transform, not only yourself, but all of humanity to a higher level of consciousness. As a member of the group mind of humanity on Earth, everything that you do is reflected within the whole. Many challenges are undertaken, more for the transformation that they will bring to others, than for the change they will bring to you.

Transformation itself ? the natural progress of the spirit - can be effortless. But when a blockage to that transformation exists, pain may be the price necessary to dissolve that blockage. People often take on pain in their lives, not because they need to transform themselves, but because their souls see that society needs to work through certain major issues and they volunteer to be a part of that transformation.

In some people's lives, challenges come thick and fast. In others, they do not, at least for that lifetime. When a person completes a particularly challenging lifetime, they may follow it up with a quiet, pleasant and restful incarnation, one where nothing outstanding happens at all.

Challenges are the tools of transformation

Without that tension in life, nothing moves, nothing progresses. Huge issues are worked through by millions of people at a time. Take any issue - equality of the sexes, equality of race, control issues, abuse, violence, equal access for the handicapped - and there are millions of people working through each issue at any one time in history.

Sometimes people make obvious progress in helping shift the paradigm. Sometimes they pass away before their time, a seeming victim of the old reality, having made no apparent progress. However, whatever they do in their lives, the experience of just being alive in their situation is added to the massive paradigm shift in consciousness which is occurring at that time. No effort is wasted. No one fails. Everyone contributes to the experiences which follow each challenge.

What about the December 2004 Indonesian tsunami, the largest natural disaster in recorded history? What exactly did more than 170,000 souls join together to achieve? Did they soften the psyche of a world fixated upon terrorism and war? At a conscious level, we don't know exactly why they agreed to such a monumental sacrifice. At their all-knowing soul level, however, they did plan to be a part of this massive event, because that is how life works.

Souls do not experience accidents, they create realities

When you reach the deepest level of sleep at night, you move into your fully-aware, soul consciousness. When you reach this level of consciousness you may then join with your extended soul family and with all of the other soul families on this planet to plan, quite literally, what tomorrow will bring. Even if the focus of your attention does not reach this inner level on a particular night, your soul level of consciousness is still fully aware and functional in its own right. You then, as part of the whole of humanity, create that tomorrow. To your conscious mind the next day, some of these plans may even appear as surprises and wake-up calls as they unfold before your daily, waking consciousness.

It is not by chance that, when your time comes to leave your physical body and pass on to the spirit world, your guides will be there to meet you. Your guides, along with friends and relatives who have passed on before you, will meet you at the exact moment of your passing. They will be there because, as the event draws near, they know exactly when to expect you. This is because souls do not experience accidents, they create realities.

Not all challenges in life are a part of massive societal shifts. A challenge may just as easily be personal. Something that is, perhaps, chosen as a tool to break up a long-standing blockage within a person's psyche. It is almost surreal to hear a cancer survivor reflect on their new-found health and say, "Cancer was the best thing that ever happened to me." What they mean is that the challenge transformed them by releasing old blockages which were cheating them of a fuller life.

We may never know all of the reasons why bad events happen. What we do know is that, in a world which habitually contrasts light and dark, the events which appear bad can often be the greatest opportunities for transformation within ourselves, for those around us and for humanity as a whole.

Who is to say that, at a soul level, we didn't volunteer to carry a heavy load purely for the love of others? Certainly the most spiritual people can, and do, carry the heaviest loads, and they do so in such a way that their service fills the world with the light of their love.

Owen Waters is an international spiritual teacher who has presented his insights into the New Awareness to hundreds of thousands of seekers. In 1963, he encountered his first spiritual awakening and began a lifelong search for spiritual answers. Over 40 years of study and research followed, along with the development of his spiritual vision. Today, as Editor and cofounder of Infinite Being, he promotes a philosophy of spiritual empowerment through inner connection to a conscious univererse.

Language Of Dreams

2006-06-21T15:50:00.000+08:00

Dreams take us not into ourselves,but out of ourselves. -Richard Jones

Dreams hold us in fascination. It's an experience that takes us to another realm of existence. We try to make sense of it upon waking, that is if we can remember the dream.It's not just you and I who marvel at the series of images and events.

Scientists, researchers and psychologists have their own questions: when do dreams occur? What is the purpose of dreaming? Parapsychologists believe that dreams serve as channels for psychic communication.

Dreams transport us into a world that defies logic, transcends time, space and physical barriers. Our dreams are our own stories, a series of stories that are real in the dream world. We mingle with our long departed loved ones ,alive and very much part of our lives; celebrating with us, struggling with us, talking to us, touching us. We meet long forgotten friends or acquaintances. We meet strangers.

We move in and out from one scene to another. We travel to places we can only fantasize about .We wake up shaking with fear froma nughtmare.In dreams, we meet faces, we confront danger, we enjoy a celebration, we experience success or failure, we have adventures. We wake up puzzled and at times confused.

NATURE OF DREAMS
Sleep is essential to dreaming. This is not about lucid or active dreaming, or induced altered states to trigger dreams.Nor is it about monitored dream states in a laboratory setting. This is about the ordinary dreaming state we all experience. Dreams that visit us in our sleep, our experience , our adventures that can go from the bizarre, to the sublime , to the ridiculous and to disconnected events.

Sleep is a time to step back from the real world, from the anxieties, from the confusion, from the passions, from the logical part of us, from reality. In sleep, we drift into a world that is spontaneous, into a realm that requires no logic, no analysis, no express cerebral activity. In our dreams, we do not have to exercise judgment nor be judged.

Does the soul travel during sleep? What kind of world awaits us when we go to sleep and enter the dreams state? Are dreams inspired by God, by some beings, by spirits from our past? Are we visited by evil or tramp spirits that are believed to roam the world? Was the dream an extension of that movie we watched?

How can our spirit or soul mingle within a world totally different from our conscious world? Strong emotions find their way into our dreams. So do our innermost fears and insecurities. What about shadows? Some events in our lives cast a long shadow. Our deepest secrets may reveal themselves in another context in our dreams.

Freud and Jung were famous for their exploration of dreams.They had different approach to dreaming. Freud stated that dreams do not reflect reality,it is as varied as thoughts in the waking state. He had a regressive approach to dreams.

Jung believed that the dream psyche passes a wealth of contents and living forms equal to or greater than the conscious mind. He took the progressive approach. Jung spent years exploring his own dreams, thus providing useful information on the correlation of symbols to dreams.

There is an increasing interest in dream interpretation and working with dreams. There is a connection between our dreams and our regular lives in the regular world. Could we stop and make some relevance of our dreams and our reality? Dreams provide access to our inner world. This makes it worthwhile to explore and try to understand our dreams, and perhaps find a connecting bridge to our reality, discover those hidden creative talents.

Dreams may have a message to help us confront our demons, our deepest pain , or remind us of forgotten joys. Dreams can also be precognitive, that is, it may warn the dreamer of the potential of unpleasant events. Dreams may at times reflect suppressed or unexpressed emotions and passions. It can highlight sexual tensions.

A closer look at dreams may be helpful to our spiritual development. Some of the experiences in dreams convey wisdom, happiness and beauty, as well as pain and sorrow Dream interpretation requires patience and perseverance. A dream journal is a helpful tool and for future reference.

ELEMENTS OF DREAM INTERPRETATION
In his book : Let Your Body Interpret your Dream, Eugene Gendlin has these pointers as a guide to dream interpretation:

Experience and experiment the dream. Focus. It is not about trying to intellectualize the dream, but to experience the dream and to feel it. Listen to the stirrings within, be open to change, be forward moving.

Associations: Feeling- what did you feel in the dream,what in your life feels like it? Yesterday- what did you do yesterday? What preoccupied you?

Drama, place:What was the main place in the dream? Have you ever been in a place like that? How did it feel?

Story :Summarize the story-plot of the dream.What in your life is like that? Summarize the events of the dream in two or three steps.

Character:Who was the most important character.Were there unknown persons.Who do these people remind you of?

Working with characters:What part of you is that in the dream.What feelings arise when you consider a particular character.What adjectives can describe that person, be that person,imagine yourself to be a particular character.How would you feel and act ?Can the dream continue? Vividly visualize the end of any importantscene. Watch and wait for any changes in images and feelings.

Decoding techniques:Symbols - think of symbols; what was that thing, what is it used for? Did you dream of a house? What shapes and colors can you remember? Were there animals?

Body analogy :Was there any object in your dream that can be an analogy for the body?

Conterfactuals:What situation in the dream is specifically different from the actual situation? Why would the dream make these changes?

Developmental Dimensions: Childhood -what childhood memories are related to your dream. Personal growth- how are you trying to develop? Are you feeling stuck in a rut lately? Sexuality - could the dream be about your current feelings or actions towards your sexuality

Spirituality- what creative or spiritual potentials might the dream reflect?

It is believed that Gendlin's use of the body association in dream work has some precedent in the Gestalt method. He took it a step further with the bodily sense and awareness.

As strange as our dreams are at times, dreams are real to us in the dream state. It is present and vivid , yet difficult to remember when we wake up. We are puzzled about having been in another world in our sleep. The intensity of the relationships and events which we actively take part in are forgotten.

Dream becomes a forgotten language.

Bonnie Moss writes about spirituality, tools available to all to walk the path. She is the Executive Secretary of Tarot Canada International, as well as a regular contributor of articles to the newletter,Future Endeavours. She is a tarot consultant and also does dream interpretations.

Falling Dreams

2006-06-21T02:26:00.000+08:00

"I'm Falling"

Falling dreams are another theme that is quite common in the world of dreams. Contrary to a popular myth, you will not actually die if you do not wake up before your hit the ground during a fall.

As with most common dream themes, falling is an indication of insecurities, instabilities, and anxieties. You are feeling overwhelmed and out of control in some situation in your waking life. This may reflect the way you feel in your relationship or in your work environment. You have lost your foothold and can not hang on or keep up with the hustle and bustle of daily life. When you fall, there is nothing that you can hold on to. You more or less are forced toward this downward motion without any control. This lost of control may parallel a waking situation in your life.

Falling dreams also often reflect a sense of failure or inferiority in some circumstance or situation. It may be the fear of failing in your job/school, loss of status, or failure in love. You feel shameful and lack a sense of pride. You are unable to keep up with the status quo or that you don't measure up.

According to Freudian theory, dreams of falling indicate that you are contemplating giving into a sexual urge or impulse. You maybe lacking indiscretion.

Falling dreams typically occur during the first stage of sleep. Dreams in this stage are often accompanied by muscle spasms of the arms, legs, and the whole body. These sudden contractions, also known as myclonic jerks. Sometimes when we have these falling dreams, we feel our whole body jerk or twitch and we awaken from this jerk. It is thought that this jerking action is part of an arousal mechanism that allows the sleeper to awaken and become quickly alert and responsive to possible threats in the environment.

According to biblical interpretations, dreams about falling have a negative overtone and suggest that man is acting and walking according to his own way of thinking and not those of the Lord.

Teeth Dreams

2006-06-20T02:16:00.000+08:00

"My Teeth Are Falling"

Dreams that your teeth are falling out are the most common dreams we here at Dream Moods receive. Common dream scenarios include having your teeth crumbling in your hands or your teeth falling out one by one with just a light tap. Such dreams are not only horrifying and shocking, but often leaves the dreamer with a lasting image of the dream. So what does it mean?

One theory is that dreams about your teeth reflect your anxiety about your appearance and how others perceive you. Sadly, we live in a world where good looks are valued highly and your teeth play an important role in conveying that image. Teeth are used in the game of flirtations, whether it be a dazzling and gleaming smile or affectionate necking. These dreams may stem from a fear of your sexual impotence or the consequences of getting old. Teeth are an important feature of our attractiveness and presentation to others. Everybody worries about how they appear to others. Caring about our appearance is natural and healthy.

Another rationalization for these falling teeth dream may be rooted in your fear of being embarrassed or making a fool of yourself in some specific situation. These dreams are an over-exaggeration of your worries and anxiety.

Teeth are used to bite, tear, chew and gnaw. In this regard, teeth represent power. And the loss of teeth in your dream may be from a sense of powerlessness. Are you lacking power in some current situation? Perhaps you are having difficulties expressing yourself or getting your point across. You feel frustrated when your voice is not being heard. You may be experiencing feelings of inferiority and a lack of self-confidence in some situation or relationship in your life. This dream is an indication that you need to be more assertive and believe in the value of your own opinion.

In the latest research, it has been shown that women in menopause have frequent dreams about teeth. This may be related to getting older and/or feeling unattractive and less feminine.

Traditionally, it was thought that dreaming that you did not have teeth, represent malnutrition which may be applicable to some dreamers.

Other Perspectives

A scriptural interpretation for bad or falling teeth indicate that you are putting your faith, trust, and beliefs in what man thinks rather than in the word of God. The bible says that God speaks once, yea twice in a dream or a vision in order to hide pride from us, to keep us back from the pit, to open our ears (spiritually) and to instruct and correct us.

In the Greek culture, when you dream about loose, rotten, or missing teeth, it indicates that a family member or close friend is very sick or even near death.

According to the Chinese, there is a saying that your teeth will fall out if your are telling lies.

It has also been said that if you dream of your teeth falling out, then it symbolizes money. This is based on the old tooth fairy story. If you lose a tooth and leave it under the pillow, a tooth fairy would bring you money.

The Sleep Cycle

2006-06-19T02:11:00.000+08:00

One sleep cycle comprises of four stages and last for about 90-120 minutes. There are some texts that list five stages in the sleep cycle. Some consider the first five-ten minutes when you are falling asleep as a stage in the sleep cycle. We feel this is more of a transitional phase. In addition, while the other stages of sleep repeat themselves throughout the night, this phase of sleep does not. For this reason, we have excluded it as part of the sleep cycle.

Dreams can occur in any of the four stages of sleep but the most vivid and memorable dreams occur in the last stage of sleep (also commonly referred to as REM sleep). The sleep cycle repeats itself about an average of four to five times per night, but may repeat as many as seven times. Thus, you can see how a person has several different dreams in one night. Most people, however, only remember dreams that occur closer toward the morning when they are about to wake up. But just because you can't remember those dreams does not mean that they never happened. Some people swear on the fact that they simply do not dream when in reality, they just don't remember their dreams.

The Stages Of Sleep

The stages in the sleep cycle are organized by the changes in specific brain activity.

Stage 1: You are entering into light sleep. This stage is characterized by Non-rapid eye movements (NREM), muscle relaxation, lowered body temperature and slowed heart rate. The body is preparing to enter into deep sleep.

Stage 2: Also characterized by NREM, this stage is characterized by a further drop in body temperature and relaxation of the muscles. The body's immune system goes to work on repairing the day's damage, the endocrine glands secrete grown hormone and blood is sent to the muscles to be reconditioned. In this stage, you are completely asleep.

Stage 3: Still in the NREM stage, this is a deeper sleep still. Your metabolic levels are extremely slow.

Stage 4: In this stage of sleep, your eyes move back and forth erratically. Referred to as REM sleep or delta sleep, this stage occurs at about 90-100 minutes after the onset of sleep. Your blood pressure rises, heart rate speeds up, respiration becomes erratic and brain activity increases. Your involuntary muscles also become paralyzed. This stage is the most restorative part of sleep. Your mind is being revitalized and emotions is being fine tuned. The majority of your dreaming occurs in this stage.

These stages repeat themselves throughout a night's sleep.

Nightmares

2006-06-18T02:07:00.000+08:00

We all have had nightmares at various parts in our lives. They are quite normal. But what is exactly a nightmare and why do we have them?

Nightmares are a subcategory of dreams. The distinction of a nightmare is its frightening and/or emotional content. You tend to wake up in fear in the midst of a nightmare. Because of its frightening nature, you tend to remember your nightmares and the vivid details. They have a bigger impact upon your waking mind and its images stay with you throughout the day.

One reason for nightmares may be a way of our unconscious to get our attention about a situation or problem that you have been avoiding. It is time to take notice and confront a problem or situation. Nightmares serve an important purpose in showing you what is troubling you from within you deeper levels. Discussing, analyzing, and understanding your nightmares can lead to a solution for some problem, internal conflict or personal difficulty.

Recurring Dreams

2006-06-17T02:03:00.000+08:00

Most dreams contain messages that serve to teach us something about ourselves. Unfortunately many a times we forget what we dream about as we go about our daily routine. With recurring dreams, the message may be so important and/or powerful that it just will not go away. The frequent repetition of such dreams forces you to pay attention and confront the dream. The dream is trying desperately to tell you something. Such dreams are often nightmarish or frightening in their content, which also helps you to take notice and pay attention to them.

Recurring dreams are quite common and are often triggered by a certain life situation or a problem that keeps coming back again and again. These dreams may recur daily, once a week, or once a month, but whatever the frequency, there is little variation in the dream content itself. It usually points to a personal weakness, fear, or your inability to cope with something in your life - past or present.

The repetitive patterns in your dream can reveal some of the most valuable information on yourself. It may point to a conflict, situation or matter in your waking life that remains unresolved or unsettled. Or some urgent underlying message in your unconscious is demanding to be understood.

Following are some tips in overcoming your recurring dreams.

1. In understanding your recurring dream, you must be willing to accept some sort of change or undergo a transformation.

2. You must be willing to look within yourself and confront whatever you may find no matter how difficult it my be.

3. You must be able to look at the dream from an objective point of view. Try to get pass the emotional and reactive elements of the dream and get down to the symbolic images. Many times dreams are masked by elements that are disturbing preventing you to delve any deeper. This is a defense mechanism that your unconscious may be putting up.

4. Be patient. Do not get discourage if these dreams still recur even after you thought you have come to understand them.

5. Learn to accept yourself truly and fully.

Often times, once you discover what your recurring dream is trying to tell you, these dreams will change or altogether disappear.

Lucid Dreams

2006-06-16T01:58:00.000+08:00

Lucid dreams give us the ability to control our own dreams and steer them toward the direction we want. In the lucid state, we are more willing to confront threats and as a result, become more self confident. When we achieve lucidity, we can use it as a tool to improve our sports game, to rehearse a speech, to fulfill our fantasies, or to solve a problem in our waking life. In fact, some athletes utilize their lucid dreams to practice their tennis serve, golf stroke or bat swing. Even in our day to day life, we can use lucid dreams to ask the boss for a raise, prepare for a first date, overcome phobias, get over writer's block, etc. The application of lucid dreams is limited only to your imagination. Lucid dreams can help us visualize and rehearse the event in our minds before it actually occurs.

Because brain activity during the dream state is the same as during a real life event, what you "learn" or "practice" in your lucid dream state can be seen as training and preparation for the real thing in the waking world. Our neuronal patterns are already being conditioned.

At least half of all adults have had at least one lucid dream in their lifetime. Many have reported having lucid dreams without even trying. Often flying is associated with lucid dreams. However with practice, lucid dreaming can be learned and can be achieved at your will.

Daydreaming

2006-06-15T01:55:00.000+08:00

Daydreaming is often disregarded and a neglected aspect of dream study. Not a lot of emphasis seem to be placed on our daydreams. They are often overlooked as fleeting and wandering thoughts. However, the meanings to your nightly dream symbols are also applicable to your daydreams. The content in our daydreams are helpful in the understanding of your true feelings and help in fulfilling your goals.

Daydreaming occurs when you are semi-awake and it is the spontaneous imagining or recalling of various images or

experiences in the past or future. You more or less, let your imagination run away from you. When you daydream, your are accessing your right brain. The right brain is the creative and feminine side of your personality.

Daydreams are often viewed as light-hearted in nature and are no more than silly fantasies or wishful thinking. Actually, the worrying of things can be classified as a form of daydreaming. When you worry, you are visualizing an unwanted or negative outcome to a situation. By repeating these negative images in your mind, you are more likely to make them happen. Next time you start worrying, try to think of a positive outcome.

Just as your worrisome daydreams can unwittingly come true via repetition in your mind, you can use it as a tool to your advantage and make positive events happen. You can utilize daydreams as a technique to visualize what you want and hope to happen. It is said that many athletes. musicians and business leaders utilize daydreams to envision success. They anticipate or imagine landing the perfect jump, closing a deal, or making that hit single. Tiger Woods, for one, has said to use daydreams to improve his golf game. You too can utilize daydreams for something as simple as studying for and acing the next test or for landing that job.

Positive daydreaming is healthy. It serves as a temporary escape from the demands of reality. It is also a good way to release pent up frustrations without physically acting them out. All to often you worry about your job, your family, finances, a relationship, etc. It is a way to leave the world behind and ponder about what could've been or should've been. It relieves stress, improves attitude, fosters creativity and refresh the mind, body, and spirit.

Types Of Dreams

2006-06-14T01:54:00.000+08:00

1. Daydreams
Studies show that we all have the tendency to daydream an average of 70-120 minutes a day. Day dreaming is classified as a level of consciousness between sleep and wakefulness. It occurs during our waking hours when we let our imagination carry us away. As our minds begin to wander and our level of awareness decreases, we lose ourselves in our imagined scenario and fantasy.

2. Lucid Dreams
Lucid dreams occurs when you realize you are dreaming. "Wait a second. This is only a dream!" Most dreamers wake themselves up once they realize that they are only dreaming. Other dreamers have cultivated the skill to remain in the lucid state of dreaming. They become an active participant in their own dreams, making decisions in their dreams and influencing the dream's outcome without awakening.

3. Nightmares
A nightmare is a disturbing dream that causes the dreamer to wake up feeling anxious and frightened. Nightmares may be a response to real life trauma and situations. These type of nightmares fall under a special category called Post-traumatic Stress Nightmare (PSN). Nightmares may also occur because we have ignored or refused to accept a particular life situation. Research shows that most people who have regular nightmares have had a family history of psychiatric problems, bad drug experiences, people who have contemplated suicide, and/or rocky relationships. Nightmares are an indication of a fear that needs to be acknowledged and confronted. It is a way for our subconscious to make up take notice. "Pay attention!"

4. Recurring Dreams
Recurring dreams repeat themselves with little variation in story or theme. These dreams may be positive, but most often they are nightmarish in content. Dreams may recur because a conflict depicted in the dream remains unresolved or ignored. Once you have found a resolution to the problem, your recurring dreams will cease.

5. Healing Dreams
Healing dreams serve as messages for the dreamer in regards to their health. Many dream experts believe that dreams can help us avoid potential health problems and help us to heal when we are ill. Our bodies are able to communicate to us through our dreams to "tell" us that something is not quite right with our bodies even before any physical symptoms show up. Dreams of this nature may be telling the dreamer that he/she needs to go to the dentist or doctor.

6. Prophetic Dreams
Prophetic dreams, also referred to as precognitive or pyschic dreams, are dreams that seemingly foretell the future. One rational theory to explain this phenomenon is that our dreaming mind is able to piece together bits of information and observation that we normally overlook or that we do not seriously consider. In other words, our unconscious mind knows what is coming before we consciously piece together the same information

7. Signal Dreams
Signal dreams help you how to solve problems or make decisions in your waking life.

8. Epic Dreams
Epic dreams (or Great dreams) are so huge, so compelling, and so vivid that you cannot ignore them. The details of such dreams remain with you for years, as if your dreamt it last night. These dreams possess much beauty and contain many archetypal symbology. When you wake up from such a dream, you feel that you have discovered something profound or amazing about yourself or about the world. It feels like a life-changing experience.

History Of Dreams

2006-06-13T01:27:00.000+08:00

Dream interpretations date back to 3000-4000 B.C. where they were documented on clay tablets. For as long as we have been able to communicate our dreams, we have been fascinated with them and strive to understand them..

People in primal societies were unable to distinguish between the dream world and reality. They not only saw the dream world as an extension of reality, but that the dream realm was a more powerful world.

Back in the Greek and Roman era, dreams were often seen in a religious context and messages from the gods. Temples, called Asclepieions were built around the power of dreams. It was believed that sick people who slept in these temples would be sent cures through their dreams.

In Egypt, priests also acted as dream interpreters. The Egyptians recorded their dreams in hieroglyphics. People with particular vivid and significant dreams were believed to be blessed and were considered special. People who had the power to interpret dreams were looked up to and seen as divinely gifted. In the bible, there are over seven hundred mentions of dreams. Tracing back to these ancient cultures, people had always had an inclination to interpret dreams

Dreams were also seen as prophetic and an omen from outside spirits. People often looked to their dreams for signs of warning and advice from a deity, from the dead or even the works of a demon. Sometimes they look to their dreams for what to do or what course of action to take. Dreams often dictated the actions of political and military leaders. In fact, in the Green and Roman era, dream interpreters even accompanied military leaders into battle to help. Some interpreters aided the medicine men in a diagnosis. Dreams offered a vital clue for healers in finding what was wrong with the dreamer.

Dreaming can be seen as an actual place that your spirit and soul leaves every night to go and visit. The Chinese believed that the soul leaves the body to go into this world. However, if they should be suddenly awakened, their soul may fail to return to the body. For this reason, some Chinese today, are wary of alarm clocks. Some Native American tribes and Mexican civilizations share this same notion of a distinct dream dimension. They believed that their ancestors lived in their dreams and take on non-human forms like plants. They see that dreams as a way of visiting and having contact with their ancestors. Dreams also helped to point their mission or role in life.

During the Middle Ages, dreams were seen as evil and its images were temptations from the devil. In the vulnerable sleep state, the devil was believed to fill the mind of humans with poisonous thoughts. He did his dirty work though dreams attempting to mislead humans down a wrong path.

In the early 19th century, dreams were dismissed as stemming from anxiety, a household noise or even indigestion. Hence there was really no meaning to it. Later on in the 19th century, Sigmund Freud revived the importance of dreams and its significance and need for interpretation. He revolutionized the study of dreams.

What Are Dreams

2006-06-12T01:14:00.000+08:00

Dreams is defined in Webster's Dictionary as a "sequence of sensations, images, thoughts, etc., passing through a sleeping person's mind" . Dreams have been a topic of study dating back to 4000 B.C. One may say that dreams have been around as long as the first civilization came to be and are just a normal part of human existence.

In our dreams, we can go anywhere, we can be anybody, and we can do anything. When we dream, we are like passengers on a moving train, unable to control our actions and choose surroundings. We let our mind take over.

Sometimes, dreams can be understood in the the context of repressed thoughts. Dreaming serves as an outlet for those thoughts and impulses we repress during the day. When we go to sleep at night and slip into our dream state, we feel liberated and behave and act in a manner that we do not allow ourselves in our waking life.

Visions and ideas can come from your dreams. Authors, screenwriters and poets turn to their dreams for stories. Artists and musicians explore dreams for their inspiration. Dreams can help us find solutions to our daily problems and see things from a different perspective.

Facts About Dreams

2006-06-11T00:50:00.000+08:00

1. One third of our lives is spent sleeping.

2. In your lifetime, you would've spent about 6 years of it dreaming. That is more than 2,100 days spent in a different world.

3. Dreams have been here as long as mankind. Back in the Roman Era, striking and significant dreams were submitted to the Senate for analysis and interpretation.

4. Everybody dreams. EVERYBODY! Simply because you do not remember your dream does not mean that you did not dream.

5. Dreams are indispensable. A lack of dream activity can mean protein deficiency or a personality disorder.

6. We dream on average of one or two hours every night. And we often even have 4-7 dreams in one night.

7. Blind people do dream. Whether visual images will appear in their dream depends on whether they where blind at birth or became blind later in life. But vision is not the only sense that constitutes a dream. Sounds, tactility, and smell become hypersensitive for the blind and their dreams are based on these senses.

8. Five minutes after the end of the dream, half the content is forgotten. After ten minutes, 90% is lost.

9. The word dream stems from the Middle English word, dreme which means "joy" and "music".

10. Men tend to dream more about other men, while women dream equally about men and women.

11. Studies have shown that our brain waves are more active when we are dreaming than when we are awake.

12. Dreamers who are awakened right after REM sleep, are able to recall their dreams more vividly than those who slept through the night until morning.

13. Physiologically speaking, researchers found that during dreaming REM sleep, males experience erections and females experience increased vaginal blood flow - no matter what the content of the dream. In fact, "wet dreams" may not necessarily coincide with overtly sexual dream content.

14. People who are giving up smoking have longer and more intense dreams.

15. Toddlers do not dream about themselves. They do not appear in their own dreams until the age of 3 or 4.

16. If you are snoring, then you cannot be dreaming.

17. Nightmares are common in children, typically beginning at around age 3 and occurring up to age 7-8.

18. In a poll, 67% of Americans have experienced Deja Vu in their dreams, occurring more often in females than males.

Puppies For Sale

2006-06-09T22:35:00.000+08:00

A store owner was tacking a sign above his door that read "Puppies For Sale." Signs like that have a way of attracting small children and sure enough, a little boy appeared under the store owner's sign.

"How much are you going to sell the puppies for?" he asked.

The store owner replied, "Anywhere from $30 to $50."

The little boy reached in his pocket and pulled out some change. "I have $2.37," he said. "Can I please look at them?"

The store smiled and whistled and out of the kennel came Lady, who ran down the aisle of his store followed by five teeny, tiny balls of fur. One puppy was lagging considerably behind. Immediately the little boy singled out the lagging, limping puppy and said, "What's wrong with that little dog?"

The store owner explained that the veterinarian had examined the little puppy and had discovered it didn't have a hip socket. It would always limp. It would always be lame.

The little boy became excited. "That is the little puppy that I want to buy."

The store owner said, "No, you don't want to buy that little dog. If you really want him, I'll just give him to you."

The little boy got quite upset. He looked straight into the store owner's eyes, pointing his finger, and said, "I don't want you to give him to me. That little dog is worth every bit as much as all the other dogs and I'll pay full price. In fact, I'll give you $2.37 now, and 50 cents a month until I have him paid for."

The store owner countered, "You really don't want to buy this little dog. He is never going to be able to run and jump and play with you like the other puppies."

To this, the little boy reached down and rolled up his pant leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled left leg supported by a big metal brace. He looked up at the store owner and softly replied, "Well, I don't run so well myself, and the little puppy will need someone who understands!"

A Clever Dog

2006-06-08T22:26:00.000+08:00

A butcher watching over his shop is really surprised when he saw a dog coming inside the shop. He shoos him away. But later, the dog is back again.

So, he goes over to the dog and notices he has a note in his mouth. He takes the note and it reads "Can I have 12 sausages and a leg of lamb, please. The dog has money in his mouth, as well."

The butcher looks inside and there is a ten dollar Note there. So he takes the money and puts the sausages and lamb in a bag, placing it in the dog's mouth. The butcher is so impressed, and since it's about closing time, he decides to shut up shop and follow the dog.

So off he goes. The dog is walking down the street when he comes To a level crossing.

The dog puts down the bag, jumps up and presses the button. Then he waits patiently, bag in mouth, for the lights to turn. They do, and he walks across the road, with the butcher following him all the way.

The dog then comes to a bus stop, and starts looking at the timetable.

The butcher is in awe at this stage. The dog checks out the times, and then sits on one of the seats provided. Along comes a bus. The dog walks around to the front, looks at the number, and goes back to his seat.

Another bus comes. Again the dog goes and looks at the number, notices it's the right bus, and climbs on. The butcher, by now, open-mouthed, follows him onto the bus.

The bus travels through the town and out into the suburbs, the dog Looking at the scenery. Eventually he gets up, and moves to the front of the bus. He stands on 2 back paws and pushes the button to stop the bus. Then he gets off, his groceries still in his mouth.

Well, dog and butcher are walking along the road, and then the dog turns into a house. He walks up the path, and drops the groceries on the step.

Then he walks back down the path, takes a big run, and throws himself against the door. He goes back down the path, runs up to the door and again, it throws himself against it. There's no answer at the house, so the dog goes back down the path, jumps up on a narrow wall, and walks along the perimeter of the garden. He gets to the window, and beats his head against it several times, walks back, jumps off, and waits at the door.

The butcher watches as a big guy opens the door, and starts abusing the dog, kicking him and punching him, and swearing at him.

The butcher runs up, and stops the guy. "What in heaven's name are You doing? The dog is a genius. He could be on TV, for the life of me!" to which the guy responds, "You call this clever? This is the second time this week that this stupid dog's forgotten his key."

Reflection:
People will never be satisfied with what they've got.

When it comes to the work place, Employers do not know how to appreciate their people who have served them loyally through the years. I've seen companies lose good people for the simple fact their leaders failed to show appreciation. Employers with big egos enjoy the fact that they have more power and authority than others. They show, in the way they give orders and directions, that they think they are superior. They get a kick out of displaying this superiority. People who do this are fools, and everyone but them knows it. They are never satisfied because they could not be satisfied even if their people perform well.

Happy and productive people are always those who are "others-centered" rather than "self- centered." The greatest idea of leadership is not someone who throws his weight around. Rather, he is a servant. As Bible would say, "He who wish to be a leader should first be a servant."

His joy is derived from delivering a job that others benefit from his contribution. Aim for service and success will follow.

The Bishop's Gift

2006-06-07T23:11:00.000+08:00

Once a church had fallen upon hard times. Only five members were left: the pastor and four others, all over 60 years old.

In the mountains near the church there lived a retired Bishop. It occurred to the pastor to ask the Bishop if he could offer any advice that might save the church. The pastor and the Bishop spoke at length, but when asked for advice, the Bishop simply responded by saying, "I have no advice to give. The only thing I can tell you is that the Messiah is one of you."

The pastor, returning to the church, told the church members what the Bishop had said. In the months that followed, the old church members pondered the words of the Bishop. "The Messiah is one of us?" they each asked themselves. As they thought about this possibility, they all began to treat each other with extraordinary respect on the off chance that that one among them might be the Messiah. And on the off, off chance that each member himself might be the Messiah, they also began to treat themselves with extraordinary care.

As time went by, people visiting the church noticed the aura of respect and gentle kindness that surrounded the five old members of the small church. Hardly knowing why, more people began to come back to the church. They began to bring their friends, and their friends brought more friends. Within a few years, the small church had once again become a thriving church, thanks to the Bishop's gift.

The Bridge

2006-06-06T23:21:00.000+08:00

There was once a bridge which spanned a large river. During most of the day the bridge sat with its length running up and down the river paralleled with the banks, allowing ships to pass through freely on both sides of the bridge. But at certain times each day, a train would come along and the bridge would be turned sideways across the river, allowing a train to cross it.

A switchman sat in a small shack on one side of the river where he operated the controls to turn the bridge and lock it into place as the train crossed. One evening as the switchman was waiting for the last train of the day to come, he looked off into the distance through the dimming twilight and caught sight of the trainlights. He stepped to the control and waited until the train was within a prescribed distance when he was to turn the bridge. He turned the bridge into position, but, to his horror, he found the locking control did not work. If the bridge was not securely in position it would wobble back and forth at the ends when the train came onto it, causing the train to jump the track and go crashing into the river. This would be a passenger train with many people aboard.

He left the bridge turned across the river, and hurried across the bridge to the other side of the river where there was a lever switch he could hold to operate the lock manually. He would have to hold the lever back firmly as the train crossed. He could hear the rumble of the train now, and he took hold of the lever and leaned backward to apply his weight to it, locking the bridge. He kept applying the pressure to keep the mechanism locked. Many lives depended on this man's strength.

Then, coming across the bridge from the direction of his control shack, he heard a sound that made his blood run cold. "Daddy, where are you?" His four-year-old son was crossing the bridge to look for him. His first impulse was to cry out to the child, "Run! Run!" But the train was too close; the tiny legs would never make it across the bridge in time. The man almost left his lever to run and snatch up his son and carry him to safety.

But he realized that he could not get back to the lever. Either the people on the train or his little son must die. He took a moment to make his decision. The train sped safely and swiftly on its way, and no one aboard was even aware of the tiny broken body thrown mercilessly into the river by the onrushing train. Nor were they aware of the pitiful figure of the sobbing man, still clinging tightly to the locking lever long after the train had passed.

They did not see him walking home more slowly than he had ever walked: to tell his wife how their son had brutally died.

Now if you comprehend the emotions which went this man's heart, you can begin to understand the feelings of our Father in Heaven when He sacrificed His Son to bridge the gap between us and eternal life. Can there be any wonder that He caused the earth to tremble and the skies to darken when His Son died? How does He feel when we speed along through life without giving a thought to what was done for us through Jesus Christ?

The Ass And The Mule

2006-06-05T23:45:00.000+08:00

A Muleteer set forth on a journey, driving before him an Ass and a Mule, both well laden.

The Ass, as long as he traveled along the plain, carried his load with ease, but when he began to ascend the steep path of the mountain, felt his load to be more than he could bear. He entreated his companion to relieve him of a small portion, that he might carry home the rest; but the Mule paid no attention to the request.

The Ass shortly afterwards fell down dead under his burden. Not knowing what else to do in so wild a region, the Muleteer placed upon the Mule the load carried by the Ass in addition to his own, and at the top of all placed the hide of the Ass, after he had skinned him.

The Mule, groaning beneath his heavy burden, said to himself, "I am treated according to my deserts. If I had only been willing to assist the Ass a little in his need, I should not now be bearing, together with his burden, himself as well."

The Acorn Planter

2006-06-04T23:53:00.000+08:00

In the 1930s a young traveller was exploring the French Alps. He came upon a vast stretch of barren land. It was desolate. It was forbidding. It was ugly. It was the kind of place you hurry away from.

Then, suddenly, the young traveller stopped dead in his tracks. In the middle of this vast wasteland was a bent-over old man. On his back was a sack of acorns. In his hand was a four-foot length of iron pipe.

The man was using the iron pole to punch holes in the ground. Then from the sack he would take an acorn and put it in the hole. Later the old man told the traveller, "I've planted over 100,000 acorns. Perhaps only a tenth of them will grow." The old man's wive and son had died, and this was how he chose to spend his final years. "I want to do something useful," he said.

Twenty-five years later the now-not-as-young traveler returned to the same desolate area. What he saw amazed him. He could not believe his own eyes. The land was covered with a beautiful forest two miles wide and five miles long. Birds were singing, animals were playing, and wild flowers perfumed the air.

The traveler stood there recalling the desolation that once was; a beautiful oak forest stood there now - all because someone cared.

When You Feel No Hope

2006-06-04T01:47:00.000+08:00

In your times of deep despair,
Do you feel there is no hope?
As the darkness closes in on you,
Do you feel you cannot cope ?

As you struggle on through every trial,
Do you say "When will it end"?
As you cry yourself to sleep at night,
Do you wish you had a friend?

When your body's racked with aches and pains,
Do you feel you are alone?
When you think about the future,
Do you fear the great unknown?

There is someone who really cares,
And He hears your every cry.
His arms are reaching out to you,
And on Him you can rely.

When things close in around you,
He sees your fear and doubt -
He wants to hold you in His arms,
And He will never cast you out.

As you stumble through the darkness,
He will be your guiding light.
He wants to wipe away your tears,
For you are precious in His sight.

Reach out right now to Jesus,
And let Him take complete control -
He'll take that heavy burden,
And He'll touch and make you whole.

He's reaching out His arms to you,
And He wants to be your friend.
Let Him take you in His loving arms,
For His love will never end.

A mother's love - real history

2006-05-19T01:11:00.000+08:00

In olden times there ruled a great and powerful king, whose name was Solomon. All the land of Israel was under his sway, and there was no one so rich or so honoured on the face of the earth.

Upon succeeding to the throne, Solomon had been filled with awe at the mightiness of the task before him, and in the humility of his heart, prayed for the wisdom to govern justly.
“For,” he said, “I am but a little child, and how should I discern between right and wrong?
His wish was granted and, above and beyond his wealth and honour, Solomon was famed for his wisdom.

One day two women came before the King. They carried with them a little baby, which was set down on the floor, at the foot of Solomon’s throne.
“O my lord,” said one of the women, “five days ago I gave birth to a child. This woman and I live in the same house, and three days later she also gave birth, but that same night her child died, and at midnight she arose and, while I was sleeping, took my son away from me, and laid her dead child in its place. When I awoke in the morning I thought at first that my son was dead, until I realised that it was not my child.”
“No,” interrupted the second woman, “she lies, my lord, she lies! The living child is mine and the dead is hers!”
“No,” cried the first woman, wildly. “No, the dead child is yours, and the living child is mine.”
King Solomon raised his hand for silence.
“One of you says ‘my child lives and yours is dead ’, and the other says ‘your child is dead and my child lives’, there is a simple way to resolve the matter. Bring me a sword.”
A sword was brought, and the assembly waited to see how the King would proceed.
“Very well,” he said, “cut the child in two, and give half to one mother, and half to the other.”
The first woman turned pale.
“O my lord,” she said in a faltering voice. “Pray, give her the child. I beg you, do not kill it.”
But the other woman’s face remained hard.
“Let it be neither mine nor yours,” she said, “divide it as the King has ordained.”
Then Solomon arose, and pointed to the first woman.
“The child belongs to her, ” he said. “Give her the child, and do not kill it. She is its mother.”
Word of this judgement spread throughout Israel, and people marvelled at the wisdom of the King.

Are you Jesus?

2006-05-17T21:01:00.000+08:00

A group of salesmen went to a sales convention. All had promised their wives they would arrive at time for dinner Friday night. However, the convention ended a little late, and they came tardy to the airport. They all came in with their tickets and portfolios, running through the ails. Suddenly, and unintentionally, one of the salesmen stumbled on a table that had an apple basket.

The apples went flying everywhere. Without stopping, nor turning back, the salesmen continued running, and barely were able to get on the plane. All but one. This one stopped, took a deep breath, and experienced a feeling of compassion for the owner of the apple booth. He said to his friends that continue without him and asked one of them that when he arrived call his wife and explain to her that he was coming in a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal and found all the apples thrown on the floor.

His surprise was great, when realizing that the owner of the booth was a blind girl. He found her crying, with big tears running down her cheeks. She groped on the floor, trying, in vain, to collect the apples, while the multitude passed by, vertiginous, non stopping, without caring for her misfortune. The man knelt down with her, he gathered the apples, put them in the basket and helped her to setup her booth again. While he did it, he realized that many apples had been beaten and they were bruised. He took them out of the basket and put them in another basket.

When he finished, he pulled out his purse and told the girl,"Please, take these one hundred pesos for the damaged we did to you. Are you OK?". She, crying, nodded positively. He continued telling her: "I hope I have not ruined your day." As the salesman was going away, the girl cried loud at him, "Sir..." He stopped and turned around to see those blind eyes. She continued: "Are you Jesus...?"

He stopped abruptly and swirled several times, before heading to board another flight, with that question burning and vibrating in his soul, "Are you Jesus?"

And to you, have people mistaken you for Jesus? Because that is our destiny, isn't it? To resemble ourselves so much to Jesus that people cannot see the difference. To look so much like Jesus, as we live in a world that is blind to His Love, His Life and His Grace. If we say we know Jesus, we should live and act as he would. To know him is much more that to cite the Gospels and to go to church. It is, really, to live His word each day. You are the apple of His eyes, even though you have been bruised by the falls. He left all and gathered you and me in Calvary; He paid for our spoilt fruit. Let's start to live as though we were worthy of the price He paid!

We Can Only Bring Love In the Heart

2006-05-16T15:01:00.000+08:00

In one of the schoolrooms of a school there were several children. One of them asked,"Teacher, what is love?"

The teacher felt that the little one deserved an answer that would be up to the intelligent question she had formulated. Since they were already in recess time, she asked her students that they went around the school patio and brought with them what more awaken in them the feeling of love.

The children rushed out and, when returned, the teacher told them,"I want each one of you to show me what you bring with you."

The first student answered,"I brought this flower, isn't it pretty?"

When his turn came, the second student said," I brought this butterfly. See the color of her wings; I am going to place it in my collection."

The third student added," I brought this little pigeon that fell from the nest."

And so on the little ones, one by one, were placing on the table what they had picked up from the patio.

After finished the exposition, the teacher noticed that one of the girls had brought nothing, and remained quite all the time. She was feeling ashamed because she had not brought anything. The teacher turned to her and asked her," Very well, and you? Have you gotten anything?"

The little one, timidly, answered," Excuse me, teacher. I saw a flower and felt its perfume; I thought to pull it up but preferred to leave it so it would give off its aroma for more time. I saw the butterfly, soft, colorful, but it looked so happy that I did not have the courage to imprison it. I also saw the little fallen pigeon among the leaves, but ... when climbing the tree, I noticed the sad look of his mother and preferred to return it to the nest. Therefore, teacher, I bring with me the flower perfume, the sensation of freedom of the butterfly and the gratitude I observed in the eyes of the birdie's mother. How can I show you what I brought?"

The teacher thanked the student and gave her the highest grade, considering that she had been the only one who was able to perceive that we "can only bring love in the heart."

The Out-of-Tune Violin

2006-05-16T08:38:00.000+08:00

This story is about a man that reflected defeat by his way of dressing, and total mediocrity, by his way of acting.

It happened in Paris, in a centric street although secondary. This man, dirty and smelly, played an old violin. Before him and on the floor he placed his beret, with the hope that the passers-by had pity of his condition and threw some coins to take home.

The poor man tried to bring forth a melody, but it was impossible to identify it at all due to the out of tune of the instrument, and the unpleasant and boring way he played that violin.

A famous concert performer, who along with his wife and some friends was coming out of a nearby theater, passed in front of the musical beggar. All wrinkled the face to hear those so discordant sounds. And could not help but laugh heartedly.

The wife asked the concert performer to play something. The man took a look at the few coins inside the beret, and decided to do something.

He requested the violin. And the musical beggar lent it with certain reticence.

At first the concert performer did was to tune its strings. And then, vigorously and with great mastery he drew a fascinating melody from the old instrument. His friends started to applaud and the passers-by started to gather around to see the improvised spectacle.

After listening to the music, people of the nearby main street came too and soon there was a small multitude listening in rapture to the strange concert. The beret got full not only of coins, but of many bills of all denominations, while the maestro played melody after melody, with so much joy.

The musical beggar was even happier to see what was going on, and did not cease to jump up and down in joy and proudly reaping to all, "That is my violin!!, That is my violin!!". Which is, of course, rigorously true.

In life we all have "a violin". It is our knowledge, our abilities and our attitudes. And we have the absolute freedom to play "that violin" as we please.

It was said to us that God concede upon us free will, say, the faculty to decide what we will do with our life. And this, of course, is both a marvelous right, as well as, a formidable responsibility.

Some, by laziness, not even tune that violin. They do not perceive that in the present world you have to prepare yourself, learn, develop abilities and constantly improve attitudes if we want to perform a good concert.

They want a beret full of money, and what they deliver is a discordant melody that nobody likes. That is the people who do their job in the form, "here it goes..." Who think in terms of "it costs me...", and that believe that humanity has an obligation to pay for their bad performance, covering all their needs. It is the people that think only of their rights, but feel no obligation to own them.

Truth, as harsh as it may seem to us, is otherwise. You and I, and any other person, have to learn sooner or later, that the best places are for those that not only tune well that violin, but who learn over time to play it with mastery too. That is why we are willing to do well in our daily job, whatever it may be. And to always aspire to prepare ourselves to be able to accomplish other things we would like.

History is full of examples of people that even with initial difficulties became good concert performers with their violins (their lives). And also, unfortunately, it registers cases of many others, that having great opportunities, decided with that violin, to become music beggars.

The truth is that God bestowed upon us "free will". You can do something great with your life, or make of it a misery. That is your personal decision.

And to add something more to the story, I want to bring good news. If someone, for diverse reasons, be whatever they may be, is no longer able to tune his or her own "violin", I can assure you that likewise that famous violinist tuned the beggar's violin, God is in the best disposition to tune and play harmonious melodies of your life. He is as close to you as the word that comes out of your mouth, but in the depth of your heart, expressing your need, and desire to change.

God loves you and wishes the best for you.

Mother's Day Special Poem

2006-05-14T23:58:00.000+08:00

A Mother's Day Thought

Today is Mother’s Day
To honor you in a special way.
I thank you for all your love...
For all that you do and say.

I thank you for the warm hugs.
For cleaning my wounded knees.
I love you for always being there.
For being so easy to love & please.

I thank you for the many years
you worked to keep me fed.
I think about the unnecessary tears
that I caused you to shed.

I thank you for being a great chef.
Oh those pies you made for me.
I thank you for being the chauffeur
that took me places I wanted to be.

Oh those times you fixed my jeans
when I tore them on the playground.
It was so wonderful just to know...
Momma was always around.

Oh, Momma, look how time has passed us by.
I now have children of my own.
It’s just that today is YOUR day for me.
It doesn't change just because I'm grown!

I wish all Mothers A very Happy Mother's Day.

The Value Of Woman

2006-05-13T15:08:00.000+08:00

In the beginning of the world when God decided to create woman, He found that He had exhausted all the solid materials in man and did not have more with which to dispose. Before this dilemma and after a deep meditation, He did this:

He took the roundedness of the Moon,
The soft curves of the waves,
The tender adhesion of the climbing plant,
The trembling movement of the leaves,
The svelteness of the palm tree,
The delicate shade of the flowers,
The loving look of the deer,
The happiness of the sun and the tear drops of clouds,
The inconsistency of the wind and the fidelity of the dog,
The shyness of the turtledove and the vanity of the peacock,
The softness of the swan feather and the hardness of diamond,
The sweetness of the dove and the cruelness of the tiger,
The heat of fire and the coldness of snow.
He mixed so unequal ingredients, formed the woman and gave her to man.

After a week, man came and said,"Lord, the creature You gave me makes me unhappy, she wants all my attention, never leaves me alone, she chats incessantly, she cries without a reason, it looks like she enjoys making me suffer and I come here to return her because I can no longer live with her!!!"

"Well," answered God and took the woman back.

A week passed, man came back and said, "Lord, I find myself so lonely since I returned the creature You did for me, she sang and played at my side, she looked with tenderness and her sight was as a caress, she laughed and her laughter was music, she was beautiful to see and soft to touch. She took care of me and protected me when I needed it, she gave me sweetness, tenderness, comprehension and love without conditions, please, God, give her back to me, because I cannot live without her!!!"

"I see," said God, "now you value her qualities, that makes me happy very much. Of course, you can have her back, she was created for you, but do not forget to take care of her, love her, respect her and protect her, because if you do not do so, you run the risk of staying without her again... "

The Last Supper

2006-05-13T14:51:00.000+08:00

Leonardo da Vinci is best remembered as the painter of the Mona Lisa (1503-1506) and The Last Supper (1495). But he's almost equally famous for his astonishing multiplicity of talents: he dabbled in architecture, sculpture, engineering, geology, hydraulics and the military arts, all with success, and in his spare time doodled parachutes and flying machines that resembled inventions of the 19th and 20th centuries. He made detailed drawings of human anatomy which are still highly regarded today. Leonardo also was quirky enough to write notebook entries in mirror (backwards) script, a trick which kept many of his observations from being widely known until decades after his death.

Birth Name:	Leonardo da Vinci
Birthdate:	4/15/1452

The Story of "The Last Supper"
by Leonardo Da Vinci

There is an anecdote of the great painter, sculptor and inventor, Leonardo Da Vinci, about his painting "The Last Supper", one of his works presently most copied and sold.

It took 20 years to make it due to the fact that he was very strict at choosing people who would pose as models. He had problems to initiate the painting because did not find a model to represent Jesus, who should reflect in his face purity, nobility and the most beautiful feelings. He also should posses an extraordinary virile beauty. At last he found a young man with these characteristics, he was the first he painted. Then he was finding the eleven apostles, whom he painted together, leaving Judas Iscariote pending, since he did not find the adequate model. This should be a person of mature age and showing in his face the marks of treason and avarice. Thus the painting was unfinished for a long time, until they told him of a terrible criminal they had jailed. He went to see him, and he was exactly the Judas he wanted for finishing his work, for what he asked the mayor if he would allow the defendant to pose for him. The mayor, knowing the fame of the master Da Vinci, gladly accepted and the accused was taken to the painter's studio, guarded by 2 guards and chained.

During all the time that the defendant posed he did not show any emotion for being selected as model, showing himself too quiet and distant. At the end, Da Vinci, satisfied with the result, called the accused and showed him the work; when the accused saw it, extremely impressed, fell on his knees, crying.

Da Vinci, surprised, asked him the reason of his attitude, to what the prisoner answered,
"Master Da Vinci, don't you remember me by chance?"

Da Vinci observing him fixedly answered, "No, never before I have seen you."

Crying and asking forgiveness to God, the accused told him, "Master, I was that youth who 19 years ago you chose to represent Jesus in this same painting."

The moral of this story is that no matter how much physical beauty you posses, it is the inner beauty what in time finally comes out to shine on us and thusly inevitably is marked in our face.

Honour Your Parents

2006-05-12T14:26:00.000+08:00

Once upon a time an old man had lost his wife and lived by himself. He had worked so hard as a tailor all his life, but misfortunes had left him in bankruptcy, and now he was so old that was unable to work.

His hands trembled so much that he could not thread a needle, and his vision had turn too cloudy to do a straight seam. He had three male children, but the three of them had grown up and had married, and were so busy with their own lives that only had time to get dinner with their father once a week.

The old man was weaker and weaker, and his children visited him less and less.
"They do not want to be with me now," he said to himself. "because they're afraid that I become a burden to them."

He passed a night without sleeping thinking what would be of him and finally he devised a plan. The next morning he went to see his friend the carpenter and asked him to fabricate a big coffer. Then he went to see his friend, the locksmith and asked him to give him an old bolt and lock. Finally he went to see his friend the glassmaker, and asked him for all the fragments of broken glass he had.

The old man took the coffer home and filled it to the brim with broken glass, he locked it up and put it underneath the kitchen table. When his children went to dine with him, they touched it with their feet.

"What is in that coffer?" they asked looking under the table.

"Oh, nothing," answered the old man, "only some little things I have saved."

His children pushed it and saw that it was too heavy. They kicked it and heard a clinking.

"It must be full with the gold he saved along his years ." they whispered.

They deliberated and understood they should guard the treasure. They decided to take turns to live with the old man, and thus they could take care of him too. The first week the younger son moved into the father's home, and took care and cooked for him. The following week he was replaced by the second son, and the next week came the oldest one. Thus they continued for a time.

Finally the old father got sick and died.

The sons made for him a nice funeral, because they knew that a fortune was awaiting under the kitchen's table, and they could afford a big expense with the old man. When the ceremony ended, they looked around the house until they found the key and opened the coffer. Of course, they found it full of broken glass.

"What a wicked trick! " exclaimed the oldest son. "What a cruelty towards his children!"

"But, what could he do? " asked sadly the second son. "Let's be frank. Were not for the coffer, we could have neglected him until the end of his days."

"I am ashamed of myself ." wept the younger son. "We forced our father to lower himself to deceitfulness, because we did not observe the commandment he taught us when we were little. But the oldest son tipped over the coffer to be sure that there were not any object of value hidden among the glass. He scattered the glass on the floor until he emptied the coffer."

The three brothers looked silently inside, where they read an inscription that the father had left for them at the bottom:

"Honor thy father and thy mother."

The Four Wives

2006-05-10T20:40:00.000+08:00

There was a rich merchant who had 4 wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best.

He also loved the 3rd wife very much. He's very proud of her and always wanted to show off her to his friends. However, the merchant is always in great fear that she might run away with some other men.

He too, loved his 2nd wife. She is a very considerate person, always patient and in fact is the merchant's confidante. Whenever the merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his 2nd wife and she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times.

Now, the merchant's 1st wife is a very loyal partner and has made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her.

One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told himself, "Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I'll be alone. How lonely I'll be!"

Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I loved you most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?"

"No way!" replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word.

The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant's heart. The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you so much for all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?"

"No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is so good over here! I'm going to remarry when you die!" The merchant's heart sank and turned cold.

He then asked the 2nd wife, "I always turned to you for help and you've always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?"

"I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!" replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only send you to your grave." The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devastated.

Then a voice called out : "I'll leave with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go." The merchant looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the merchant said, "I should have taken much better care of you while I could have !"

Actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives

a. The 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die.

b. Our 3rd wife ? Our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others.

c. The 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had been there for us when we're alive, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

d. The 1st wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of material, wealth and sensual pleasure.

Guess what? It is actually the only thing that follows us wherever we go. Perhaps it's a good idea to cultivate and strengthen it now rather than to wait until we're on our deathbed to lament.

The Story of Mother's Day

2006-05-09T15:17:00.000+08:00

According to Christian legend, carnations sprang from Mary's tears while she was walking to Calvary. It is the official flower of Mother's Day. Click here to learn more about Carnations.

Mother's day has evolved in many countries in different ways. This is because mother's day has different origins in different countries and hence occurs on different days in the year.

The earliest Mother's Day celebrations can be traced back to the spring celebrations of ancient Greece in honor of Rhea, the Mother of the Gods. During the 1600's, England celebrated a day called "Mothering Sunday".

During this time many of the England's poor worked as servants for the wealthy. As most jobs were located far from their homes, the servants would live at the houses of their employers. On 'Mothering Sunday' the servants would have the day off and were encouraged to return home and spend the day with their mothers. A special cake, called the 'mothering cake', was often brought along to provide a festive touch.

As Christianity spread throughout Europe the celebration changed to honor the "Mother Church" - the spiritual power that gave them life and protected them from harm. Over time the church festival blended with the Mothering Sunday celebration . People began honoring their mothers as well as the church.

In the United States Mother's Day was first suggested in 1872 by Julia Ward Howe (who wrote the words to the Battle hymn of the Republic) as a day dedicated to peace. Ms. Howe would hold organized Mother's Day meetings in Boston, Mass ever year.

In 1907 Ana Jarvis, from Philadelphia, began a campaign to establish a national Mother's Day. Ms. Jarvis persuaded her mother's church in Grafton, West Virginia to celebrate Mother's Day on the second anniversary of her mother's death, the 2nd Sunday of May. By the next year Mother's Day was also celebrated in Philadelphia.

Ms. Jarvis and her supporters began to write to ministers, businessman, and politicians in their quest to establish a national Mother's Day. It was successful as by 1911 Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state. President Woodrow Wilson, in 1914, made the official announcement proclaiming Mother's Day as a national holiday that was to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May.

While many countries of the world celebrate their own Mother's Day at different times throughout the year, there are some countries such as Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium which also celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May.

I Said a Mother's Prayer for You

I said a Mother's Day prayer for you

to thank the Lord above
for blessing me with a lifetime
of your tenderhearted love.

I thanked God for the caring
you've shown me through the years,
for the closeness we've enjoyed
in time of laughter and of tears.

And so, I thank you from the heart
for all you've done for me
and I bless the Lord for giving me
the best mother there could be!

A MOTHER'S LOVE

2006-05-09T01:08:00.000+08:00

A little girl came up to his mother in the kitchen one evening while she was fixing supper, and handed her a piece of paper that he had been writing on. After her Mom dried her hands on an apron, she read it, and this is what it said:

For cutting the grass: $5.00

For cleaning up my room this week: $1.00

For going to the store for you: $0.50

Baby-sitting my kid brother while you went shopping: $0.25

Taking out the garbage: $1.00

For getting a good report card: $5.00

For cleaning up and raking the yard: $2.00

Total owed: $14.75

Well, her mother looked at her standing there, and the girl could see the memories flashing through her mind. She picked up the pen, turned over the paper she'd written on, and this is what she wrote:

For the nine months I carried you while you were growing inside me:
No Charge

For all the nights that I've sat up with you, doctored and prayed for you:
No Charge

For all the trying times, and all the tears that you've caused through the years:
No Charge

For all the nights that were filled with dread, and for the worries I knew were ahead:
No Charge

For the toys, food, clothes, and even wiping your nose:
No Charge

Son, when you add it up, the cost of my love is: No Charge.

When the girl finished reading what her mother had written, there were big tears in her eyes, and she looked straight at her mother and said, "Mom, I sure do love you." And then she took the pen and in great big letters she wrote: "PAID IN FULL".