What Are Business Ethics

Business ethics are a matter of much debate. Every MBA entrant is taught the meaning of them, and yet many will never follow these guidelines in their real life careers. It has become a vast and complex field, and is the subject of much research. Business ethics encompass a large and significant portion of what it takes to do business today. Under the umbrella of business ethics comes:

The social responsibility that a business is supposed to have towards the community in general, particularly the one in which it operates or has any interests. An example of this would be the Exxon Mobil oil spill. It is the responsibility of a business to protect the interests of the people, animals and environment where it uses resources. Due to improper handling of the issue, it became a public relations nightmare for the company. Exxon has now been ordered to clean up the area which it should have taken care not to damage in the first place. Indifference to business ethics in this case, caused a negative public image for the company and a huge lawsuit.

Issues regarding a companys responsibility towards its shareholders. This is a heavily regulated area but one that requires a lot of government intervention due to certain unethical practices adopted by many companies in the past. The concept of increasing shareholder value is part of the fundamental principles of a company and if business ethics are not brought into play here, the business can collapse due to the pressure exerted by shareholders.

Inter-company dealings and negotiations. Often rivalries in business can turn ugly due to the amount of money and ego riding on them. Hostile takeovers and business espionage are some of the examples of unethical behavior within the business world. If discovered, these deeds can be punishable by law or simply public opinion. To allow for fair play and keeping the best interests of the consumers in mind, the government regulates a great deal of what goes on in company dealings. Microsoft has been the target of much abuse and outrage due to its allegedly monopolistic techniques of doing business. While this has not sunk the IT giant, many say that it may have long term repercussions. The government has also stepped in to make sure that other businesses and consumers are not harmed.

Stakeholder protection. Every business has stakeholders other than its owners the employees, the stockholders and the general public. The business has to ensure that the rights and interests of all of these groups are adequately protected in the course of its operations. The recent outcry about the harassment and bad working conditions of employees in Wal-Mart led to the generation of a lot of negative press about the outsized department store. This gives the competition the lead and rivals take the opportunity to get ahead while the company is busy trying to do some damage control.

Fundamental business practices of a company. Underhanded dealings, the use of substandard products, spreading misinformation about the product, hiring illegal workers at lower than minimum wage, etc. prove that a business is run in an unethical way and that it is not a high quality work place or service provider. For instance, cigarette companies that spent most of the seventies telling people that it was not unhealthy to smoke, though they knew this to be untrue. In a recent judgment, one such company was forced to pay out $28 billion.

William King is the director of Wholesale UK Dropshipping & Wholesalers Trade Suppliers, Wholesale Dropshipping & Dropshippers Directory, Wholesalers Products & Dropshipping Supplies Directory, and UK Wholesalers & Wholesale Dropshippers. He has 18 years of experience in the marketing and trading industries and has been helping retailers and startups with their product sourcing, promotion, marketing and supply chain requirements

Laws Of Attraction In Action

Is Guilt Feeding on Your Conscience, Affecting Your Subconscious Mind Negatively?

Guilt is one of the largest causes of stress in your life. Stop reading this article for a second and think about the people in your lives that often make you feel guilty.

Now did you really stop reading the article and think about the people in your life who make you feel guilty? Okay well if you did this get back to the guilty feelings so many of us have. Guilt goes all the way back to your childhood, your parents, teachers, friends and relatives have gotten to be pretty good at it over the years, often learning from the same group of people when they were children.

Guilt is definitely a big part of our society and can be found almost everywhere you turn. Have you ever turned the television on to notice a commercial about weight loss. A large majority of Americans are overweight and are targets for a guilt creating society.

I was reading a book on writing magazine articles, when they mentioned a fact that I never thought of, most women's magazines run articles on dieting in every issue. Guilt sells magazines.

Do you think weight loss, dieting or nutritional eating habits, sell magazines? If your answer is no, you should check the financial statements of these companies. They know what sells magazines and guilt or fear is one of their best friends. If you answered yes to the question, you won't have to suffer from the guilt of not knowing the answer.

Guilt seems to work on our subconscious mind in negative ways, often producing harmful thoughts that create stressful feelings in our lives. The longer these negative thoughts are held as truths, the harder it's going to be on our self esteem.

If you find yourself around people that make you feel guilty for something you do or don't do on a regular basis, I would suggest finding new people to hang around with. Gathering negative information from people you consider your friends can only create more damage to your conscience.

If you truly and sincerely do not like something about yourself, tell your friends in a nice way, that you would rather talk about your problems in a negative way. If they have constructive and helpful comments, you would love to hear them. Guilt causes stress and stress can lead to death. If you don't believe that, do some research on stress related illnesses.

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

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

The Bible's Power - Christian Beliefs

I mentioned Sean in another one of my articles, the story of a young foster boy that we were taking care of. Sean's father was my ex-wife's uncle, and they were going through some tough times for a while and their three children ended up as wards of the state. We eventually ended up taking the oldest child because he was the hardest one to place and another home. His brother and sister ended up with a family that wanted to adopt them and eventually Sean went to live with them and I believe all three of them were adopted by this family. I don't know this for a fact though.

Sean was a emotionally damaged child. His parents would punish him with some strange and bizarre punishments. They weren't really physical punishments but seemed to leave the emotional scars on him and I often think about where he is and what he is doing.

We watched him for about a year and I learned quite a bit from this young man. He was in the third grade but was still at the first grade level for reading and math. I would spend a couple of hours each night during the week helping him with his schoolwork, I seem to have created some sort of allusion that I would be able to bring him up to the third grade level within a short period of time. Wrong. He must've had learning disabilities and of course I don't think I was that good teacher.

Sean was easy going, polite and extremely obedient. He would do anything to avoid getting in trouble and often blamed others for his mistakes. His punishments must have been more than he could bear before he arrived at our home. I think you're getting the picture about what kind of a child Sean was.

One day I found myself in a dilemma with Sean, I couldn't get him to tell me the truth, even though I knew he was lying. I forget what the problem was but I remember a hollow look in his face. It was almost like he wasn't really there. It was almost like he was just doing time, sitting on the bed, listening to me asking the same question over and over again, "Sean are you lying", but he wasn't even paying attention.

I normally would not punish my children for accidents, and never tolerated lying. I was trying to explain to him that he wasn't going to get in trouble, I just wanted to know the truth. He wasn't budging at all and stuck to his story. I remembered that his mother and father were Catholics and feared the church, almost as much as they loved it.

That's what I came up with my evil plan. I don't know where I come up with these ideas, but every once in a while one pops up in my head and I run with it.

I told Sean that I was going to bring the Holy Bible in, and if he could swear on the Bible that he was telling the truth, I would accept that and this would be the end of our conversation. I couldn't believe my eyes, as he started crying and screaming, frantically and excitedly as a yelled out, I did it, I did it, don't bring the Bible in, I won't do it again.

I couldn't believe that was all it took to get information from him. I have always been a pretty good interrogator and found myself gathering information from those people easily, but this was amazing. His fear of the Holy Bible got me thinking about how powerful this book actually is to some people. I remember when I looked upon this book, pretty much the same as Sean did.

It's just a book, like any other book. It's not made at a holy factory or a secret monastery in the Swiss Alps somewhere, it's made from paper and ink and can be damaged and destroyed like other books. I would be surprised if I threw the Bible into the fire, that it wouldn't burn. I would be even more surprised, if I seen three men standing in the fire, wait a minute that's another story in the Bible.

Is it possible for this book to actually control the lives of people. It seemed to control Sean, I wonder if I, could have actually been driving a nail home that his parents started. Could I have added to his belief, that the Bible is a book from God the creator of everything.

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

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

Penney Peirce

Religious Views Based on Hoping

I was told by an advertising executive one day that all of your advertisements need to deliver some sort of hope for the people you're trying to persuade into buying your products. Funny, if you think about it, I got some and great advice about life from someone in the advertisement business.

Most people are looking for hope, in everything they do. Most of our daily activities revolve around hope and this gives our lives some sort of direction. If you believe in an almighty being and creator of the universe, often you will try to please him, ....or her, ....or it, in hopes of entering the kingdom of heaven or the promised land after you die.

Often our fears will increase our levels of hoping, the fear of doing something against your religion can often inspire you to become a more spiritual person, a good and moral person. Fear of making the wrong choices will inspire us to make better, moral choices, all for the sake of acquiring a ticket to Heaven or Nirvana. You're hoping, your good deeds on earth will earn you a place in heaven.

Most people are afraid of dying and leaving this world, for good. They don't know where they're going and that seems to scare most people. If we can offer someone a little hope, that they are going to a much better place than here, we can often ease the pain and suffering associated with death. I have to admit, most religions of the world promise another world, after we're done with this one.

If you're living a honest and moral life with the hopes of living a bountiful life in heaven, could you be wrong. What if you're seeking Hope in the wrong religion? If you're a Christian and the Hindus are right and you're wrong, do you get to enter there eternal kingdom.

Think about this question, I'm about to ask you. What if spend your whole life studying your religion and it's wrong? There is no heaven and when you die, that's the end of your existence

Have you ever wondered why you believe in your religion and someone in another country or even a couple of miles away believes in something entirely different.

Don't get mad at me or yourself, simply think about the question for a while, this question has transformed my life and put me on a wonderful spiritual path of learning.

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

If you want to read something funny and get your daily laugh in, you need to read this, it's funny Using Religion Responsibility. It's based on overindulgence

Are You a Spiritually Balanced Person?

Spiritualism is the ability of a person to know beyond the senses. The world can be understood as the combination of the matter and spirit. While the matter is visible and known to the senses, the spirit that is the cause of the matter is not known to the senses. The knowledge of the spirit is obtained by the observation of the matter.

Spirit is all pervasive in the world as all objects are derived from this spirit. The spirit is, therefore, also known as God, Paramatma (Universal Soul), Supreme etc. All branches of knowledge are an attempt of the man to understand this spirit. Einstein expressed this desire of the spiritual person in the following words,

"I just want to know the thoughts of God. The rest are details."

Spiritualism, contrary to the common perception, is not other-worldly as it is very much related to this world. It is an attempt to discover the ultimate reality which is hidden behind the material beings. When Newton saw an apple falling from tree, he did not focus his thoughts on the apple but on the force that is driving the apple to the ground. Then he found that the same force works between every material object of the universe. He called it gravity. Yet no one has ever seen the gravitational waves or understood the reason why such forces emerge from the matter. Yet this knowledge has been extremely valuable for the mankind.

Spirituality too is nothing but an attempt of the man to discover the unseen and unknown force that drives every reality of this world. The only requirement to become spiritual is to change the focus from the "form" to the "formless" as Osho said,

We should drop our obsession with form so that the formless can enter. The moment the manifest leaves our mind, the unmanifest enters."

Many thousands years back, Upanishads, explained spiritualism as the highest knowledge of the world in the following words (Mundaka, I, i, 6)

By this knowledge, the wise realize everywhere that which can not be perceived and grasped, which is without source, features, eyes and ears, which has neither hands nor feet, which is eternal, multiformed, all pervasive, extremely subtle and undimishing, and which is the source of all.

If the knowledge of the spirit can not be acquired by the mind and senses then, how one can get it. The answer is that the spiritual knowledge can be obtained only by the spark of the spirit that is present in every living creature, which we know as soul. Thus the source of spiritual knowledge is the soul which alone is capable of understanding the knowledge of the spirit. It is for this reason that the spiritual knowledge is also called self-realization as it emerges from within and not from outside.

Four Means of Spiritualism

The goal of spiritualism is to know the spirit, the all pervasive reality of the universe. It was found that such knowledge is possible only when the person transforms himself to a spiritual person and moves in the path of divinity or salvation. This is also known as yoga or union of Self with the God or Divine.

Bhagwat Gita provides for four paths of salvation viz. Gyanayoga (knowledge of Supreme), Karmayoga (Selfless Action), Bhaktiyoga (Faith) and Dhyanayoga (self-realization).

Since all branches of knowledge are nothing but the branches of the same tree, hence all the four paths are common in other branches of knowledge like science which describes these four steps as hypothesis, experimentation, analysis and theory.

However, people often follow the simplest path and stick to only one path instead of balancing the four methods of union. However, these people feel disappointed and disillusioned soon as they fail to evolve spiritually.

Only a person who strikes proper balance in all four types of spiritualism attaints the spiritual evolution.

1. Knowledge: Understanding Scriptures

The truth of spiritualism is hidden in the scriptures. Yet it is not the words of the scriptures that carry the essence of the knowledge but the spirit of the scriptures that can be realized only by the soul. Scriptures requires highest level of imagination and thoughts. The meanings of the texts of Bible are not comprehensible like science. For example, read this texts from Bible

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. John 6:35 (KJV)

Scriptures are like poems which mix reality with imagination and symbolism. The proper understanding of scriptures requires deep knowledge of life and man. Try understanding this para of Bible

Jesus said to her, `I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?'" (John 11:24-26)

Yet man with repeated effort and deep desire can grasp the truth of the scriptures just like a person after repeatedly seeing movies of different kinds or after reading fictions develop the ability to understand the truth after filtering the fiction or symbolism.

2. Selfless Action: Verification of Knowledge

Once a person has developed some understanding of the scriptures, the next step is to ensure that what he understood is correct. It has to be tested and verified just like a theory in science has to be verified by experiments. Roger Bacon (1214?-1294?) English philosopher, scientist said,

The strongest arguments prove nothing so long as the conclusions are not verified by experience. Experimental science is the queen of sciences and the goal of all speculation.

It is for this reason that Gita has given highest place to Karma amongst all paths of salvation as without action, the knowledge can never be verified. Further, like scientists, the person has to keep himself away in participating the experiments and work merely as an observer. Thus the requirement is selfless karma. Only when the experiment is done without selfish motive, the results are accurately known.

If the laws of the scriptures are properly understood, then the result of an action would result into the goal as predicted in the scriptures. If the results does not match than either the theory is wrong or the experiment is wrong.

3. Faith: Believe in Scriptures

If the theory is correct and the experiment has been performed rightly, the results of the action are same irrespective of the observer and the person. In this regard, there is no difference between a scientist and a spiritual person. Thus the results prove the theory that causes the development of faith in the theories of the scriptures.

Faith is the first achievement of the spiritually awakened person. He experiments not on others but on him, hence there are no chances of errors or manipulation. Can anyone doubt the truth of an incident which he has witnessed by his own eyes? Hence the faith is automatically generated. Repeated success of the experiment deepens the faith of the theory and his capability to understand the scriptures and the nature of the spirit.

Faith is highly valued in all religions. Bible elaborate the importance of faith in the following words

He (Jesus) told them, "Because of your lack of faith. I tell you with certainty, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.

Yet faith can never be forced as it is impossible to influence the soul. No one can lie to himself or fool himself. Faith or belief comes only when a person is really convinced about the truth or accuracy of the principles. Yet once the faith is achieved, nothing remains unachievable.

4. Self-Realization: The Power of Concentration

It takes considerable time before a person has developed the correct understanding of the scriptures and able to distinguish the truth from the symbolism. In the beginning, large deviations are found in the theory and the results of the action. However with concentration, one can realize the fault and get the right knowledge and right experimentation.

The process of deep thinking or concentration is often called the self-realization in religion as this knowledge is realized from within. In Gita, it is called Dhyanayoga or self realization which is the pinnacle of spiritualism. Self-realization has been given the highest place in all religions. In the Gita Lord Krishna says

I shall fully explain to you the Self-knowledge together with Self-realization after knowing that nothing more remains to be known in this world.

Francis Marie Arouet de Voltaire (1694-1778) French writer, philosopher explained the power of thinking in the following words,

No problem can stand the assault of sustained thinking.

A Balanced Approach to Spiritualism

Every person who intends to know the spirit or God has to balance all four paths as no single path can lead to spiritualism. Mere bookish knowledge of the scriptures can make a person philosopher but not spiritual. Knowledge without knowing is like cloths which are worn externally and can be changed anytime. This knowledge does not transform the person as he does not really know the spirit. He could only know the body of the spirit and not the True knowledge of Spirit just like none can understand a person merely from his photograph.

Similarly all selfless actions do not provide any benefit to man. First of all, without knowledge it is impossible to do any action as every action originates from a motive or desire. Action without proper knowledge may cause more harm to the person instead of giving any benefit to him.

The blind devotion or faith in the words of the scriptures is the most fetal error a man can commit in the name of religion. Such people are called fanatics or fundamentalists as they instead of knowing their scriptures know only the words. Thus they take body as the whole truth can commit unpardonable crimes in the name of God.

Finally, mere concentration does not yield to anything. It is virtually impossible to see the unseen and understand the formless without having some basic knowledge of the scriptures. Even the most awakened persons started from the scriptures before, they could develop their new understanding of the spirit. Self-realization does not come in vacuum but its feet lies firmly on the existing base of spirituality and religion. Yet the understanding and knowledge arising out of self-realization is fresh like a new born child, as it is designed from a purpose to help solve a real-life problem.

When a person combines all the four means of spiritualism, he is able to move to the higher and higher orbit of spiritualism and attain divinity, the goal of spiritualism and religion.

Dr. Awdhesh K Singh is an Engineer by education and philosopher by passion. He holds his PhD degree in the area of E-Governance.

He has published several papers in International Journals and Conferences on the subject of E-governance and the application of Artificial Intelligence tools like Fuzzy Logic (FL) and Expert Systems (ES) for E-governance.

He has keen interest in the study and application of Religion, Spirtuality and Philosophies for solving the real-life problems of the modern world.

Many of his articles are published on the website of Aatmic Science Forum and Science of Soul.

His can be contacted on the email aksinghirs [a] yahoo.com

50 Secrets of Blissful Relationships

Bookstores have been full to bursting point with self-help books for relationships for years, thousands more marriage counselors seem to be setting up shop every year and of course the internet is also cluttered by a million pages about how to have a perfect relationship or marriage. So how does 50 Secrets of Blissful Relationships by Oprah expert Michel Webb differ from the crowd?

Let's have a look and see:

Firstly, it is good to see that this guide is based on real life examples rather that hypothetical scenarios where the author has complete control of the events in his own mind. Michel Webb actually provides real life examples from his own life to illustrate the points and solutions he makes with a warts and all approach which is refreshing.

Secondly, Michel Webb practices what he preaches and claims to have never had a fight with his wife Athena in 15 years which is remarkable. If you doubt this which I did at first you have to read exactly how he achieved this because it is riveting stuff that comes from real experiences and practice. After reading the book I can now see how this amazing 15 year streak can definitely be possible.

Thirdly, the book itself is simply set out with about one tip per day and just continues like this until the end of the book. Just about every tip had me shaking my head in agreement, as it gave me real-life solutions and several of those "a-ha" moments of profound understanding.

Thirdly, the book is well set out which is an undervalued thing when people are reviewing books. While the content is absolutely vital poor layout and poor written communication skills can turn any book no matter how good in advice into a confused clutter. Michael Webb takes a simple approach you can use in a couple of ways by having one tip a day for the whole book. You can read it one tip at a time one day at a time or you can read it through in a single sitting but the division of advice works well by not overloading the reader and still giving great advice and many a "a-hah!" moment when a p-particular tidbit leaps out at you and strikes a chord of new understanding of relationships.

There are however a few niggles with the book that we found. It is a bit TOO formulaic in its approach which might be a side effect of their layout system. They always have a story or unrelated example, followed by how that information ties into relationships and the topic at hand.

However, if this become annoying or you are impatient to get through a long winded story you can skip down to about halfway down the section to find the point he is trying to make without going through every tiny detail.

Also, instead of the tip titles providing a clear "how to solve X problem" or a clear topic description, it simply has a phrase that ties together with the information. Now while this is no big deal, it would have been nice to be able to skim the book to exactly the advice I wanted. Although if you read the information on the sales page, you can work out what information belongs where in the book. So it's not too bad.

Another small issue is that the titles to each section do not give you a clear idea of what problem this tip and story associated with it is suppose to solve. There is a phrase that ties in with the information which you can hazard a guess from but no "This section solves or covers this problem". This makes it hard to skim for the exact solution you may be looking for but it is not too bad as you can guess from the title often.

It is definitely a better book for those who want to read from cover to cover as this seems to be it's design philosophy, but those that want to skip around will also not be left cold either.

All in all, this is one of the best relationship books I've ever seen and it definitely deserves a read, especially if you have serious problems in your relationship.

So, after all this is taken into consideration 50 Secrets of Blissful Relationships deserve a read if you are interested in making your relationship better especially if you are having some serious issues that need to be sorted as this could turn things around for you quickly.

For more book reviews and links on how to create a happy and successful marriage click below to find out more!

http://www.loveiscomplicated.info/marriage/relationship-tips-secrets/

Applying Programming to Life

I never knew I would be doing so much programming professionally. I grew up wanting to be an artist. Drawing was my thing; I drew a lot and loved doing it. I loved Disney cartoons and comic book superheroes. I didn't care about the great European painters. My parents would always say that artists didn't make any money and that I'd starve to death as an artist. I was way too young to care much about money so that didn't mean anything to me.

Life progressed and I basically fell into programming. I only learned how to code to make games--I also only drew because I wanted to make comic books and cartoons. I don't really do much programming outside of work these days and drawing has fell completely off the radar. I'm mostly engaged in politics, economics, money, and business now. But, I have been programming for a good many years professionally and on my own and there are a few incredible parallels to life that I've discovered.

You Don't Need to Know How

This is the single most important idea from programming that applies to life. You don't need to know how you'll get something done, you just need to believe you can do it. Very often when I am making a game, I have no idea how I am going to implement a feature. Either because I've never done it before or I've never heard of or seen anyone else do it. The latter is highly unlikely as I don't really do cutting edge stuff. The former is quite common. I consider this part of my job rather exciting--some people would have heart attacks. I'm not a veteran at making games and I never went to school for games or programming--my degree is in Marketing but, I can code.

In all the programming I've done, be it for a game or an application, there has been no feature that I've not been able to implement. It has very little to do with how good I am--I don't think I'm that good. Once you believe you can, your mind has this incredible power to find the means to get it done. I strongly believe that this is also true in life. Don't worry about how you'll reach a goal and absolutely don't think that you cannot. Just believe you can and as if by magic, you'll find a way to do it. There are a multitude of things in life that I've managed to accomplish without knowing how. I mean, I'm making games for a living. It had been a dream of mine to do that and like most dreams, it seemed far-off and almost impossible. I didn't know how I was going to do it and I didn't question it--after all, I was just a kid. I set the objective, believed it would come to be, and set forth towards it.

I know that this blind faith is ludicrous to some people. There isn't any other way for me to explain it. I know it works since I use it all the time. Of course, it doesn't mean things will all happen smoothly with no bumps along the way. To compare it to programming again, I'm often stuck for hours or days trying to figure out how to do something. It gets frustrating and almost impossible but, I keep at it trying different ways and thinking differently and then I find the answer. Always.

The problem lies more in the fact that we are more likely to give up on our own life objectives than on finding a solution at work. Think about it, I'm sure you have managed to solve a seemingly impossible problem at work by simply believing you can or because there was no other alternative; your boss wanted it done. We don't have a boss to make sure we reach our life objectives and so it is easy to put it on hold or just give up on it. So remember: you don't need to know how, you just need to know you can.

It Can't All Be Perfect

There are times when I spend way too much time trying to write super efficient code when the brute force method works just as good and takes much less time to write. Granted, computer programs today seem to be written more and more poorly. My web browsers--FireFox and Internet Explorer-- are always crashing! New applications run slower on newer computers than their old counterparts on older computers. There is a nice middle ground between writing super lightweight efficient code and slow resource-hogging code. The key is to know where the middle ground is.

I have no magical formula to find it. A lot of it has to do with experience and intuition. In life, we don't always need perfection but, at the same time, we can't always have everything half-assed. Just from being alive, we have learned what is and isn't important in our lives. For those things that we care about, we should try to be as perfect as we can. They are important and so they deserve the extra attention. Just as we only have so much computing power to use, there is only so much time in a day. Pick and choose what is important and focus on those or we'll never get anything done.

Think By Not Thinking

Every so often, there are bugs--defects in a program--that are impossibly stubborn. I'll look over the code as carefully as I can several times and everything looks fine. I test and debug to try and locate the source of the problem and I can't find it. These problems will drive you insane, especially when you finally solve it later and find out that it was something ridiculously silly. How do these problems usually get solved? I do it by not thinking about them. As illogical as that sounds, it is probably the best way to find the answer. You just forget about it, go do something else, and all of sudden the solution will come to you. I assume my subconscious mind goes to work on it once I stop consciously thinking about it. The subconscious has the incredible ability to see details we miss.

If it is one thing we have too much of in life, it's problems. Problems from A to Z and it never seems to end. Sometimes they are small and sometimes they are not so small. Some people take small problems and make them big problems. The size of the problem is in the eye of the beholder. I take all problems and make them small problems. That way, I don't worry about them. Often, I have a problem that I don't have a good solution for so I put it aside for a while. I don't spend every waking moment focused on it. I'm aware it is there and I let my subconscious take care of it. These are generally non-urgent problems but, even the urgent ones might be best solved by making them small problems and letting your subconscious find the answer--it can work pretty fast too.

So how do we make problems seem small? Actually, we are just putting them into perspective. I read this in Whatever You Think Think The Opposite, by Paul Arden, and in one part it describes a son telling his father that he had a problem so his father asks if someone was trying to kill him. He says "no" and his father says, "Then, you don't have a problem." That is how I look at it. If no one is trying to kill me and no one is going to die, the problem isn't that big of a deal. Don't spend all your energy trying to find a solution to all your problems, you'll just go crazy from over-worrying. Relax, give it to your subconscious, and you'll be fine.

To wrap it up: you don't need to know how, you just need to know you can do accomplish things, everything can't be perfect so we should choose the important things to focus on, and our subconscious can handle a lot of our problems better than we can. Who knew such universal ideas could be found in programming?

Tommy Leung
http://www.supertommy.com

Philosophy in a Nutshell - Freedom Versus Determinism

Two of the most important and most noble purposes of philosophy are to promote intellectual independence and to awaken the thirst for wisdom. Put simply, philosophy aims to get individuals to think, hopefully to ponder deeply about more fundamental issues than those which occupy most of our everyday lives. A brief examination of the issue of freedom versus determinism helps to define the scope of philosophy and related controversies.

Theories concerned with the issue of freedom versus determinism seek to discover the cause of human behavior. Are human actions predictable in a scientific manner? In other words, are there laws of nature, though complex and largely unknown, which would tell us exactly what a person will do in a given situation and which completely rule out any other possibility? This view, known as determinism, has been bolstered since the sixteenth century by the scientific principle of universal causation: every event has a cause and predictions of results can be made with total accuracy.

Hard determinism further holds that moral responsibility is incompatible with universal causation. Soft determinism argues that some behavior is free of compulsion so that people can be held morally responsible. Libertarians maintain that human beings do possess freedom of action. Otherwise, libertarians claim, human deliberation is an illusion. This, they assert, would be absurd. Furthermore, libertarians believe that exact laws of human behavior will always be elusive. Human behavior will therefore remain unpredictable and uncontrollable. In addition to this, a society perfected through application of science to produce specific human behaviors would be morally unacceptable.

This process of questioning the very foundations of life takes a certain amount of courage and psychological fortitude. Independence of thought is critical for a free society, and philosophy aims to spur us on to deep thought about the things that matter in life.

Kathleen Karlsen, MA is a professional artist, a freelance writer and marketing consultant residing in Bozeman, Montana. Karlsen offers classes and workshops on symbolism, sacred art, healing art and the psychology of design. To learn more about color symbolism, visit http://www.livingartsoriginals.com/infocolorsymbolism.htm

For information about the meaning of flowers, please visit http://www.livingartsoriginals.com/infoflowermeaning.htm

Eldon Taylor

Christmas - The Birth of the Christ Consciousness Within

The Christ is not just one person. The Christ is an "office" or "position" we ALL attain to. The word Christ means, "the anointed one." Jesus came to show us the way to be a vessel for the Love of God to manifest.

When the Christ Spirit entered Jesus he had perfected His soul in many lifetimes to be a worthy temple for Love incarnate. Edgar Cayce said that Jesus was Adam. In the "fall" was the promise of full redemption.

The Christ Consciousness is part of the Trinity, known by different names in many religions. The Father is the Will and Power of God, the Son or Daughter, the Christ, is the Love of God, and Holy Spirit Mother is the Thought, Wisdom, Understanding, Truth, Faith and Wisdom of God Goddess.

Where did the concept of the Christ come to mean just one person? Was it a matter of control?

The Christ of our time was Jesus. In every age the Christ Spirit enters an advanced soul to bring higher learning to the people of that time. Moses, Abraham, Buddha, Krishna, and Mohammed, have all come to teach their people a more advanced connection to the Great Spirit. There is always a great teacher who comes to show us the way and the great possibilities of us as Human/Divine beings.

The biggest secret is that God is within each one of us, and also in every atom of space and in every form we see.

This Christmas, let us pray to truly forgive anyone who we may be angry with, including forgiving self. Let the power of Love heal all wounds.

Enjoy Christmas and observe the 12 Holy Days December 26-January 6, as a dedication to the 12 months ahead. Let this devotion bring you ever closer to the possibility of the Christ of Love being born within.

Let this sacred season bring us joy, peace and healing of all conditions. Let the Christ Consciousness of Love be born within each one of us so that we may usher in the 1,000 years of peace!

2008 Merry C. Battles

Merry C. Battles has worked in the healing arts since 1977. She has practiced the art of massage, Jin Shin Jyutsu (an ancient form of Japanese Acupressure), CranioSacral Therapy, Reiki, and foot reflexology. Merry is the author and illustrator of Christmas Meditations on the Twelve Holy Days December 26-January 6 Merry's book is a compilation of her 26 year meditation journey with the twelve holy days. Her book can be used all year as we travel through each sign of the Zodiac.

Merry has been a student of the ancient mysteries for as many years. Her greatest joy in life, along with her grandchildren, is to learn about the spiritual. This is reflected in all of her work.

http://merrybattles.com/

http://walkingthespiritualpath.com/

Don Miguel Ruiz

Weight Loss Spells For Those Interested in Witchcraft and Magick

Weight loss spells are becoming more and more popular. Both female and male witches alike often cast weight loss spells with hopes of obtaining their "dream bodies." A weight loss spell falls into the same category of "beauty spells" and "glamor spells." But do they really work?

Weight loss spells don't just magically work in the sense that they *poof!* make the witch thinner, but they can help the witch become more motivated to work out and to eat healthier. In order to lose weight, healthy eating and working out are always the most important things to do. But neither can be done if the witch has no willpower. Thankfully, a weight loss spell can help with that.

If you're interested in witchcraft and weight loss, here is a spell you can try:

Every Friday night for a month, light some white and pink candles (or red if you're a male witch or mage. I won't make you light pink ones.) Drink at least one full cup of water before, during, and after the spell. Have some jasmine incense burning as well, if you're not allergic to it. During the spell, while drinking the water, look in front of a full length mirror and visualize yourself shrinking and becoming thinner. Try imagining that you actually FEEL yourself getting thinner. Spend a few minutes doing this while saying this mantra:

"Extra weight go away, Venus be with me this day. Give me the strength, give me the power. I shall lose weight starting this hour."

Say this over and over again while visualizing yourself getting thinner.

After the weight loss spell is over, snuff the candles out and then set them in a private place until the next Friday. You may resume where you left off every Friday night until you begin noticing differences in your eating habits. Don't forget to thank Venus often.

If you are interested in a weight loss spell or any other type of spell, this is a great site to visit: http://www.AvonleeStarkeeper.com At this site you will find tips on love spells, money spells, luck spells, justice spells, REIKI, psychic readings, and more!

David Hawkins

Hinduism, Buddhism and the Devil

No sect of Hinduism personifies the powers of evil in one figure corresponding to Satan, or the Ahriman of Persia. In proportion as a nation thinks pantheistically it is disinclined to regard the world as being mainly a contest between good and evil. It is true there are innumerable demons and innumerable good spirits who withstand them. But just as there is no finality in the exploits of Rma and Krishna, so Rvana and other monsters do not attain to the dignity of the Devil. In a sense the destructive forces are evil, but when they destroy the world at the end of a Kalpa the result is not the triumph of evil. It is simply winter after autumn, leading to spring and another summer.

Buddhism having a stronger ethical bias than Hinduism was more conscious of the existence of a Tempter, or a power that makes men sin. This power is personified, but somewhat indistinctly, as Mra, originally and etymologically a god of death. He is commonly called Mra the Evil One, which corresponds to the Mrityuh ppm of the Vedas, but as a personality he seems to have developed entirely within the Buddhist circle and to be unknown to general Indian mythology.

In the thought of the Pitakas the connection between death and desire is clear. The great evils and great characteristics of the world are that everything in it decays and dies and that existence depends on desire. Therefore the ruler of the world may be represented as the god of desire and death. Buddha and his saints struggle with evil and overcome it by overcoming desire and this triumphant struggle is regarded as a duel with Mra, who is driven off and defeated.

Even in his most mythological aspects, Mra is not a deity of Hell. He presides over desire and temptation, not over judgment and punishment. This is the function of Yama, the god of the dead, and one of the Brahmanic deities who have migrated to the Far East. He has been adopted by Buddhism, though no explanation is given of his status. But he is introduced as a vague but effective figure-and yet hardly more than a metaphor-whenever it is desired to personify the inflexible powers that summon the living to the other world and there make them undergo, with awful accuracy, the retribution due for their deeds.

In a remarkable passage called Death's Messengers, it is related that when a sinner dies he is led before King Yama who asks him if he never saw the three messengers of the gods sent as warnings to mortals, namely an old man, a sick man and a corpse. The sinner under judgment admits that he saw but did not reflect and Yama sentences him to punishment, until suffering commensurate to his sins has been inflicted.

To learn more about Buddhist teachings and beliefs, you might be interested in my FREE E-EBOOK "Buddhism for the Non-Buddhist Layman"

You will also find many free articles about Buddhist teachings, beliefs and practices in my site:

• Buddhism Through Buddhist Eyes

How to Avoid Conflict With Friends and Family, Or Anyone

Genesis 13:8. Abraham in Bible provides a great example of how to avoid conflict when dealing with friends and family. In Genesis 13 Abram and Lot had left Egypt and they had settled between Bethel and Hai. After a while, strife developed between Abram's herdsmen and Lot's herdsmen because there was not enough land to support both herds of cattle. When Abram became aware of the strife, he immediately addressed this issue with Lot to avoid anymore conflict (Genesis 13:8, "And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.").

In Genesis 13:9 Abram tells Lot "Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left." The manner that Abram presented his plan and the plan itself stopped strife immediately and avoided strife in the future. The steps Abram used to avoid conflict with Lot can be used by anyone to avoid conflict with friends, family, or anyone.

Conflict Avoidance Steps.

1. Identify A Reasonable Solution to Resolve the Dispute. In the dispute between Abram and Lot, Abram identified that the close proximity of the herds was creating strife. They needed to spread out the herds.

2. Have One of the Disputing Parties Identify Fair Options That Would Be Satisfactory to Both Parties. Here Abram identified two choices (one goes to the left, the other one goes to the right) that he thought would be fair options for both Lot and himself.

3. Let the Other Party Choose Which Option. In the case of the dispute between Abram and Lot, Abram let Lot choose between the two options (one goes to the left, the other one goes to the right).

This is a wonderful way to avoid conflict: have one party divide the object of contention into two satisfactory options, and then let the other party choose which option.

GENESIS 13 BIBLE SCRIPTURE Genesis 13:8, "And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren."

Randall McClure Sr. is author and publisher of http://www.access-jesus.com

Access-Jesus.com helps people learn about, love, and promote Jesus.

Benjamin Franklin

Bible Scriptures Mirror Prosperity On You

James 1:22-25 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. KJV

This Bible scripture shows us that bible scriptures are mirrors we need to be looking into every day and then we will see ourselves in this new life in Christ Jesus. We look differently in these Bible scripture mirrors then sometimes circumstances in our lives; because they reflect a whole new realm, the Kingdom of God, we are living in or should live in and out of as Christians.

Bible scripture prosperity manifests in our lives as we continue to look, not forgetting what Bible scriptures show us. That continual observing of the reflection of Bible scriptures will bring the revelation to our minds and then comes manifestation for all others to see. That is the power of the Word of God. First we have revelation and then we have manifestation. That is why the importance of meditation of Bible scriptures day and night as Joshua 1:8 tells us.

Joshua 1:8 This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success. AMP

So lets get started on looking into some Bible scriptures that will show us in the prosperity of God.

3 John 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. KJV

Did you notice Father God wished above all things that we prosper first of all? This is speaking of financial prosperity. Father still wishes that you prospered above all things today.

2 Corinthians 8:9 For you are becoming progressively acquainted with and recognizing more strongly and clearly the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (His kindness, His gracious generosity, His undeserved favor and spiritual blessing), [in] that though He was [so very] rich, yet for your sakes He became [so very] poor, in order that by His poverty you might become enriched (abundantly supplied). AMP

This scripture is all about financial matters and not spiritual matters. Looking into this Bible scripture, we see Jesus became so very poor coming to this earth from a lavish Heaven so that we could financially become enriched abundantly supplied. So keep looking into this mirror and see yourself becoming enriched abundantly supplied then at the time when Jesus left Heaven for your prosperity.

2 Corinthians 9:6-11 [Remember] this: he who sows sparingly and grudgingly will also reap sparingly and grudgingly, and he who sows generously [that blessings may come to someone] will also reap generously and with blessings. 7 Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, "prompt to do it") giver [whose heart is in his giving]. 8 And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation].
9 As it is written, He [the benevolent person] scatters abroad; He gives to the poor; His deeds of justice and goodness and kindness and benevolence will go on and endure forever! 10 And [God] Who provides seed for the sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your [resources for] sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness [which manifests itself in active goodness, kindness, and charity]. 11 Thus you will be enriched in all things and in every way, so that you can be generous, and [your generosity as it is] administered by us will bring forth thanksgiving to God. AMP

This is how the Kingdom of God operates, seed time and harvest. This allows the abundance of Gods grace to cause us to experience every favor and earthly blessing, possess enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance to continue to be a giver. Do you see yourself in the mirror of this Bible scripture? If not, then keep looking.

Galatians 3:13-14,29 Christ purchased our freedom [redeeming us] from the curse (doom) of the Law [and its condemnation] by [Himself] becoming a curse for us, for it is written [in the Scriptures], Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (is crucified); 14 To the end that through [their receiving] Christ Jesus, the blessing [promised] to Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, so that we through faith might [all] receive [the realization of] the promise of the [Holy] Spirit. 29 And if you belong to Christ [are in Him Who is Abraham's Seed], then you are Abraham's offspring and [spiritual] heirs according to promise. AMP

July 4th of every year the United States of America celebrates its independence from her mother nation. As Christians, we need to continue to look into this mirror of Galatians 3:13 and others that reflect back to us our independence from the law and from the curse of the law because of Jesus fulfilling that law of Moses and taking the curse of the law for our independence.

It might be good for you to go back and look at Deuteronomy 28 where the blessing that came by keeping the law and the curse coming from not doing the law are listed. Dont pay any attention to the curse other than to give thanks to Jesus for fulfilling all of this Law of Moses so that you could experience through Him the blessings. Then your time, meditating on the blessing and see a reflection of yourself walking and living in the blessing. It will come upon you and over take you is the promise. I like to be overtaken by the blessing, dont you?

Now that we are in Christ Jesus, Bible scriptures will reflect back to us being in the blessing of Abraham. We have the spiritual blessing of Jesus Christ and we have the financial blessing of Abraham.

This last Bible scripture mirrors us in prosperity provided for by Heavens blessings.

Ephesians 1:3 May blessing (praise, laudation, and eulogy) be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual (given by the Holy Spirit) blessing in the heavenly realm! AMP

We must not be waiting on our financial prosperity any more. Every spiritual blessing contains your material blessing. All material things came out of spiritual substance. The spiritual blessing of your new birth was waiting on you just to receive it. Your financial blessing is waiting on you to see yourself in it and take it.

Lets make this confession looking into the mirror of these Bible scriptures of prosperity:

I see from these Bible scriptures, I am blessed because I have the blessing of God and the blessing of Abraham, my Father of faith. I have received the spiritual blessings by Jesus and I have received financial blessings by Abraham. I will continue to look into these Bible scriptures, my mirror, reflecting back to me who I am in Christ Jesus, and I will not forget what I see. As a result of this I will be blessed in all I do.

My Father God wishes above every thing else in the earth that I prosper in my finances. My mind is prospering as I continue to look into the mirror of Bible prosperity scriptures. I therefore identify with Jesus sacrifice, leaving lavish Heaven and becoming so very poor so that I now am abundantly supplied in my finances. This is just part of my salvation that Jesus provided for me.

I will continue to remember the operation of the Kingdom of Gods financial increase comes by my generous giving. I do not give out of law but my giving will be as a result of a hearts desire, being prompt, joyous and cheerful. Then I am expecting the results of the Kingdom of Gods guarantee of my Fathers grace and favor bringing earthly blessings to me in abundance. Then in all circumstances, I am assured I will be prospering so that I do not have to get any kind of aid or support, no kind of debt; but I am giving continually out of my abundance to every good work and needs of others. Then Father God provides more seed for me to sow and I get greater harvests. In the process Father provides my every need, and I continue to be generous and this brings thanksgiving to my Father.

Christ Jesus has purchased my freedom from the curse of the Law of Moses by fulfilling the law for me. In this liberty I am experiencing the blessing of Abraham. I also receive the manifestation of financial blessings that come from every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm through Christ Jesus.

These Bible scriptures bring liberty to me in my finances so I continue looking into them, seeing and experiencing the reality of them in my life.

Janie Baer has just produced a CD called Gods Spoken Word and her new website http://www.godswordalive.com offers products to help Christians use Bible scriptures in every day living, finding the secret power of gods word and help find the unconditional love of Father God. Janie also has a blog, http://www.godswordalive.com/blog

Abraham Lincoln

Take the Job Then Do it Right

If you have an older home there's a good chance you have one by six diagonal floor sheeting and some of the knots have fallen out by now. Some of these large knots can create safety hazards for your home. Performing major remodels or whole house renovations on older homes you can run into quite a few problems with these kinds of wood floors.

One of the first things I do is remove the carpeting and padding. This exposes the floor sheeting for further examination. By the time I am done with all the plumbing and electrical repairs underneath the subfloor it seems that some of the 1 x 6 has been damaged. Your first thought of course is just to replace the 1 x 6 that is damaged and be done with it.

This is one way to approach the problem, another is to repair the 1 x 6 that was damaged and install half inch plywood over the existing floor sheeting. Please make sure the floor is level and has no humps or dips in it before you start installing the new plywood over the existing floor sheeting.

I ran into a problem like this on one job where the contractor was in a hurry to finish the flooring and chose to go right over the existing floor that was out of level. The bad part about this is when the homeowner chose to go with expensive wood flooring throughout his home. When you walked in to the front of his house you felt like you were going out to a small wheelchair ramp for about 10 feet and then of course it felt like you were going down for another 6 feet.

In order to repair this properly it would've taken the other contractor about 24 hours to repair the floor. In this case the homeowner would have been glad to pay for the repair after the fact. Sometimes when contractors mention a potential problem down the road and how much it will cost to repair that problem, most homeowners cannot see the value in the contractor's opinion at that time.

I felt sorry for the homeowner because this was not what he wanted and he was upset with the contractor but the job was done. This is my warning to any contractor, handyman or home repair specialists. When installing a new plywood floor over an existing floor to strengthen it up, use some common sense and repair the floor correctly or don't do the job at all.

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

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes in Home Remodeling

Scott%20peck

Developing Wealth Building Habits

If you want to be successful, you need mentors or in other words find people that have succeeded. These people can include the ultra rich like Bill Gates or Warren Buffett, but don't forget about the people around you that have created good wealth building habits.

Some of the people have great advice and will need to be listened to very intently, while others need to be put on a list and never spoken to again. If you're going to be developing wealth building habits, you're going to need some advice from wealthy people. Let me make myself clear, when I'm talking about developing wealth building habits, I'm not talking about spiritual, knowledge, Biblical or religious wealth. I'm talking about making money, as much money as you desire or feel you need.

Wealth building habits start with you. Ask yourself this question "how bad do I want or desire wealth?" Really, really, really bad or are you the kind of person that would like to be rich, but that's as far as it goes. Developing any of these habits does not include sleeping in until 11 o'clock in the morning and then complaining the rest of the day about your finances.

Bill Gates used to work 16 hours a day. How many days a week did he do that? These are the questions you're going to find the answers to. If you're interested in making $50 million, you need to find someone who can teach you, how to make $50 million.

It won't be necessary to contact Warren Buffett but I would advise you to gather as much information about him as possible. Wealth building habits start with learning about wealthy people. If they get up at four o'clock in the morning and read the newspaper until six o'clock, then exercise for 30 minutes and start working at seven o'clock, you need to start doing this also. Developing good wealth building habits over time are what most successful businessman and women have been doing for years. Study their habits and start changing yours.

If you do something every day, it will usually become a habit within 30 days.

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

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

Wayne Dyer

Finding Something You Don't Like About Yourself - Creating Habits

Finding something you don't like about yourself is usually very easy for most people. Most of the time you don't even have to ask your family or friends because you have heard them complain about the same thing for years. How many times have you heard someone mention, I need to lose weight?

Here's a list of things people don't like about themselves. If you're one of those people that has a hard time finding something wrong with yourself, you could always ask one of your friends for some suggestions. I'm sure they would like that.

1. The need to lose weight. This of course is one of the worst problems with Americans. Most people need to lose weight and let's not forget there are some people that need to gain weight.

2. The need to stop gambling. As more Indian reservations are allowed to build gambling casinos and of course as the Internet gambling gets larger, I've noticed some people with gambling problems.

3. The need to stop drinking alcohol. The abuse of alcohol has been going on for many years. These people have an excuse for why they drink and most of the time it doesn't make sense.

4. The need to stop smoking. This could be one of the most difficult things I've ever seen my friends and family deal with.

5. The need to stop excessive behaviors. For example, gossiping, cruelty, bullying, lying, cheating, stealing, partying etc. You get the idea.

6. Don't forget the dreaded shopaholic. Most shopaholic's seem to have large credit card debt and can't seem to stop this vicious circle of buying and owing money to their creditors.

7. Working long hours or the workaholic. Sometimes this is a necessity but I would suggest that you change your lifestyle if possible. Reevaluate your reasons for working so hard.

8. Religious fundamentalists. People that spend too much time at their place of worship and soon find themselves feeling guilty if they're not doing something spiritual.

9. The need to be on time. This would include people that have problems giving themselves enough time to get ready for work or school.

10. The need to stop doing drugs. I thought by now, approaching my 50s, that drugs would no longer be a problem in the United States, but it is. It's one of the most damaging things people can do to their lives.

There are plenty of things that people would like to stop doing or start doing. If you're a smoker and you seem to shop excessively near the casinos, I would advise you to start with something small and work your way up to the big stuff.

What are you going to change today about your life? Make a list of things that you're not happy with about your life and start making the changes today that you need to create the life you deserve and desire.

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

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

Mind And Body

How Does a Spiritual Solution Help You to Attract What You Want in Your Life?

Opportunity is the key to success.When you take the opportunity as it arises, you are able to move through with passion and determination to succeed.Being aware of your intuition enables you to know how to take the action.That intuition is connected with your superconscious.Your superconscious is that area of the mind that links with the universal energy and knowledge.

Intuition provides you with the ability to know things without knowing why, and to have access to information without logically knowing where it came from.Have you have the experience where the phone rings and you know who it is before they even say or before you see the number?It is through this intuition that the spirit world communicates so you can get the how and the answers to attract to yourself what you desire.

A soldier in World War I, was in the trenches with is mates.He had a nagging feeling to go up about 50 feet along the trench.He did not know why but followed his instinctive feeling.When he was there he got shot in the arm or shoulder and was taken off to the hospital.While he was in hospital, the rest of his group was wiped out. He was the only one to survive.Had he ignored the intuition he was feeling he may not have lived much longer.

Trusting your intuition and acting means that some being in the spirit world is helping you to be safe.It could be a guardian angel protecting you, an archangel protecting you, or even a guide knowing what was going to happen persuading you to take control of your destiny and live.Without the spirit world that soldier would probably have been dead with his mates.

Spiritual solutions provide you with answer that can change your life for good.Sometimes these are small changes, but more often than not they can be life changing.By listening to the spiritual solution and asking for what you want, the power and resources are there to make things happen that would be nearly impossible for just you.As you think positively on what you want then a positive solution will occur.

David Donahoo is an Angel Intuitive, Master Practitioner in NLP and Clinical Hypnotherapist. He teaches how to access to the resources available in the Spirit World so you can gain help in achieving what you want in your life.

Register for a free Teleseminar on "Creating Your Spiritual Solution using the FEAST Method" by visiting: http://www.empoweringspirit.com.au/unseen

David has other programs for you to Learn to Awaken your Inner Light to Gain Mental, Emotional, Spiritual and Behavioural Freedom.

To find more about gaining empowering behaviours, register for David's monthly ezine and a free hypnotic download at: http://www.theeyesofhorus.com.au/downloadsqueezepage.html

Iyanla Vanzant

Spiritual Healing

Spiritual healing is the oldest type of healing known to humanity. There has always been some form of spiritual healing available in all tribes and societies: our own Druid tradition of healing and spirituality, the North American Medicine man, the wise men and women who occupied a special place in every tribe, helping to heal the sick through the power of the spirit, and to guide the tribe in times of crises, and in matters of life and death. Due to many people's disillusionment with traditional religions there has been a huge upsurge in interest in the whole area of spirituality in recent years.

Spirituality in its broadest sense concerns the exploration, the awareness and the integration of spirit with our other physical, mental and emotional sides to create balance, harmony, wholeness and meaning in our lives. Spirit is that part of ourselves which is eternal and unique to each individual. Yet spiritually we are connected to all other life forms in a transpersonal way, each being a vital part of the whole. People who wish to explore their personal spirituality need not have any specific beliefs, as the spiritual experience can be viewed humanistically - as the link between all earth-life, between the whole of nature, animals and human beings.

What is Spiritual healing?

Spiritual healing is the channelling of healing energies through the healer to the patient. It re-energies and relaxes patients to enable their own natural resources to deal with illness or injury in the best possible way. By directing energy, usually through the hands, the healer seeks to supplement the depleted energy of the recipient, releasing the body's own healing abilities to deal with the problem in the most effective way for that individual. The healer asks for healing to be channelled from Spirit, God, the highest level of light. Unlike faith healing, it is not required that the patient have faith in the healer or in the healing process in order for healing to take place.

Benefits of Spiritual healing

Spiritual healing can be beneficial for anyone who feels that they lack harmony of body, mind or spirit. It can be given for any illness, stress or injury. There are no conditions placed on the type of healing which the patient may require: the Spirit of the patient gets exactly the kind of healing it needs to distribute to the mind or body it occupies. Healing always takes place in the manner in which it is needed. It can be helpful in a wide range of physical and psychological conditions, sometimes to a remarkable degree: the medically diagnosed nature of the illness appears to be irrelevant to the outcome, and case histories range from the relieving of everyday stresses and strains to the recovery of people who had been previously medically diagnosed as being terminally ill. In all these cases spiritual healing seems to have made a vital contribution to the patient's recovery.

Spiritual healing has no side effects and is complimentary to any other therapy. It is completely non-intrusive as there is no touch used by the healer. The healer's hands are raised about a foot from the patient's body while the patient is sitting comfortably during the channelling of healing.

Absent Healing

Any person who asks for spiritual healing will receive it. If the healing is requested by one person for another, then the healing chain is set in motion between the person who requested it, the person who it is requested for and Spirit. The person does not have to attend for Spiritual healing in this instance. Each person's name who requires healing is written in a special book, kept specifically for this purpose. Periodically the healer can read each new name entered in the book and ask Spirit to grant this person spiritual healing. Each person is kept on the absent healing list for one month. Whatever healing is required then takes place. There have been many recorded cases of miraculous healing taking place using absent healing, even when the recipient of spiritual healing was not aware that healing had been requested for him/her.

What does Spiritual healing feel like for the recipient?

Many people say that they experience some of the following sensations during spiritual healing: heat, cold, tingly feelings, the feeling of being really taken care of, a feeling of expansion and a new awareness of their spiritual being. Sometimes the recipient doesn't feel anything in particular, just a sense of deep relaxation and peace. It is recommended that a person attend for spiritual healing at least three times, with approximately one week between each session, to maximise the benefits of spiritual healing. I can still vividly remember my own first experience of spiritual healing, some six years ago. One of my friends had recommended that I try it but I was quite sceptical and needed a lot of persuading to try it. I remember sitting in the healing chair in the Irish Spiritual Centre, feeling this amazing feeling of love and expansion, as though I was literally radiating a brilliant beautiful energy. Spiritual healing is still my own favourite form of healing when I feel in need of a real boost of energy: six years later I'm still at the centre, but now working as a Spiritual healer.

Extract from Irish Guide to Complementary and Alternative Therapies by Lucy Costigan, published by Wolfhound Press, 1997

http://www.lucycostigan.com/lucycostigan/

Lucy Costigans career has been quite eclectic. She has worked as a magazine editor, a technical writer, a counsellor and spiritual healer, and a programmes facilitator. Lucy holds Masters Degrees in Equality Studies (UCD, Ireland), and in Research (NCI, Ireland). From an early age Lucy has been on a quest to discover the ultimate meaning of life.

Lucy's books have been reviewed on RTE (Ireland's National Television and Radio stations), on BBC radio, and in various international publications. RTEs popular Sunday Show dedicated a full-length program to her book Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace (Columba Press, 1998). Lucys books include: Irish Guide to Complementary and Alternative Therapies (Wolfhound Press) Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace (Columba Press) Winter Solstice: A Novel (iUniverse) Social Awareness in Counselling (iUniverse) What is the Meaning of Your Life (iUniverse) Course in Consciousness (iUniverse) Women and Healing (iUniverse) The Transformation of Yvette (iUniverse).

Lucy lives in her native town of Wexford, Ireland.

Kathlyn Hendricks

Abundance and Prosperity Begin Here - Part VI

Are you spiritually awake? Maybe. Maybe not. Let's see...

What is spiritual awakening, exactly? You get a flash of light and suddenly, you can levitate, or walk through walls, or predict someone else's future, or speak in tongues?

You may believe that those who are "spiritually awake" are somehow very different, set apart from the rest of the mundane world, superior in some mystical, galactic way. God or Buddha or Krishna or Yahweh now holds them in special favor, in a brighter light. Their everyday world has changed to continual bliss, no more troubles, no more pain. They're already in heaven. It's just a matter of sending in the change of address card.

This may come as a surprise, even a disappointment, but people who are spiritually awakened know that the journey has just begun. When the spiritual eyes and the spiritual mind open, the one who is waking up realizes that, to this point, little progress has actually been made. It's back to square one. The beginning. Kindergarten. Now the real work starts.

Almost immediately, the demons strike. "I want what I want when I want it. And I don't beg anyone's pardon." The ego rears its frightened head again in ways you never thought possible. Everything that you think is the right way, the spiritual way, the holy way, becomes the ego's target. Who do you think you are? There's no real spirituality in you. You're the one who thinks only of herself, the one who thinks helping others is a sign of weakness. You're the one who hides the truth of himself from the rest of the world. How can you possibly be spiritual? You're such a liar...and a hypocrite. Oh, yeah. The spiritual walk is a piece of cake. Well, guess again.

Your demons will do everything to bring you back into conformity with the old ways, the safe roads, the familiar paths-even the ones that continue to bring suffering into your life. They've become habits that the ego is reluctant to release. The spiritual path, the awakened path, is a path you must choose daily.

The great spiritual teachers of every generation remind us to "keep your eye on the Light for it shines only through the darkness and the darkness is always close at hand." It is where we still live. We do the same work, interact with the same people. We continue to chop wood and carry water, as the saying goes. Awakening then, is not about leaving the world, but recognizing it as our home and as our responsibility. This is where the work is. This is where awakening takes place-within the mundane, within the daily plodding, within the ongoing connections with each other.

The spiritual path is the path we've been traveling all along. Only now, we see it for what it really is: The Teacher. The Mentor. The Master. Awakening then, is finding yourself right back where you started, only this time with a reminding appreciative bump on your spiritual head that says, "Pick yourself up, join the hubbub. You've arrived."

In this moment, peer into your own heart. Are you willing to start from the beginning each day and let everything and everyone be your teacher? Can you see your daily experience as the gift it really is? Look closely. Look deeply. The answer is there, ready for you to find it. There is no longer any need to fear the darkness for it is only through the darkness-the pride-that the light can shine.

Richard Matthews is an ordained New Thought minister and currently serves a friendly, open-hearted, and joy-filled Unity congregation in a beautiful suburb of Portland, Oregon. He has been actively and happily ministering since 1993. His articles on abundance, prosperity, spiritual growth and inner guidance have appeared online, in newsletters, and local newspapers. He is a singer/composer/musician, specializing in spiritually uplifting music of the heart and soul, and has performed in venues throughout Oregon and southern Washington State. He is also a professional business speaker and executive coach. "My purpose is to help you become your best so you can share your best with the world." Connect directly with Richard at RichardSpeaks@Minister.com

Julia Cameron

Essential Oils - Healing Broken Bones is Not That Hard With the Right Healing Oils

Recently I slipped on ice and broke my arm. Luckily the bones were not displaced-a simple fracture of the head of the radius bone as shown on x-ray. What is significant is that the pain was greatly lessened by applying certain essential oils that are anti-inflammatory and pain relieving. Can essential oils help the healing process? In my case, absolutely! When bones are fractured, there may be swelling, internal bleeding into the area, nerve and even tendon damage. Applying ice and in my case splinting my arm to immobilize it greatly decreased the pain. Here are the essential oils that I used to get back full use of my arm in half the time someone of my age would take.

Helichrysum italicum also called Everlasting, was the first oil I used for pain and swelling. This is an outstanding oil that has several great medical properties. It is known as an anticoagulant, anesthetic, antispasmodic, antiviral, a liver protectant, detoxifier and stimulant, chelates chemicals and toxins, and helps to regenerate nerves.

Next I applied lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) for its anti-inflammatory action and its ability to regenerate connective tissues and ligaments. Lemongrass also dilates blood vessels, improves circulation, and promotes lymph flow. Lemongrass can be a little warm to the skin because of its high aldehyde content, so the third oil I chose was high in monoterpenes which served to quench the warmth.

Idaho balsam fir (Abies balsamae) is 98% monoterpenes making it an outstanding anti-inflammatory oil. It also has anticoagulant properties and is known as a great oil for arthritis/rheumatism, lumbago and sciatica. Plus the smell of balsam fir is that of Christmas trees-very refreshing and an improvement over the heavy lemongrass fragrance and "weed" smell of helichrysum.

The fourth oil I used was a blend called Trauma Life. It is a blend of valerian, lavender, frankincense, sandalwood, rose, helichrysum, spruce, geranium, davana and citrus hystrix. This particular blend helps to release buried emotional trauma from, in my case, the accident, but it also helps release emotional trauma from the death of loved ones, assault or abuse. It combats stress and uproots traumas that cause insomnia, anger, restlessness, and a weakened immune response. The valerian component of this oil certainly helped me to rest better since getting my arm in a comfortable position was a bit of a feat.

Many other essential oils have been found to be helpful in bone healing including wintergreen, peppermint, spruce, pine, ginger and vetiver. The key is finding out which oils are going to be most helpful for you. I found a formula that worked for me.

Want to know more about how essential oils help with bones and with healing? I'd like you to claim a free instant access to a Special Report on Five Biblical Oils when you subscribe to my free short ezine newsletter on energy healing and aromatherapy at http://www.ISHAhealing.com Look for the subscriber box on the left-hand side of the page. this free report is a gret introduction to the power of essential oils and how they can heal.

The Institute of Spiritual Healing and Aromatherapy teaches classes throughout the United States on both aromatherapy and energy (spiritual) healing. I'd like to invite you to explore our educational offerings.

From Linda L. Smith, Director of the Institute of Spiritual Healing & Aromatherapy, a national program in Christian healing.

Mind And Body

White Believe in Religion

Beleiving and religion has become part of our lives, when will we start thinking on our own, instead of beleiving that someone else can control our destiny if we live a certain way.