It is the nature of soul to grow, to heal, and to love. As we enter into the world, we emerge as a tiny child. We are open. We do not have conditions placed on us by our parents or ourselves. We have not closed ourselves off from any possibility. It is though the world lay at our feet. We are a bundle of unconditioned purity.
As we age, conditions are placed on us to direct us along our paths intended to keep us from harm. Even if we manage to stay out of harms way, we move into a state of stimulus-response
reactions toward life. This draws us further and further away from the natural state of pure being we came into the world with as an infant.
How can we return to our natural state of being? How can we call our soul back and gain a sense of spiritual well-being? The following are ways we can return to the wholeness and healing we seek as spiritual beings incarnated into the human race:
1. Do Something Creative.
Creativity engages our heart, our mind, and our imagination. These activities allow us to utilize our whole being. Our attention moves from outer expressions of the world and enters the inner dynamics of living giving rise to our heart and our imagination. When our heart and our imagination are given attention, we enter into the realm of insight. Insight is our ability to see from within just how sacred and magical our lives really are.
In the realm of soul, our humanity becomes sacred. Through creativity we are aware how life flows through us and not from us. The more we identify with these qualities of attention flowing through us, the more we are identifying with qualities residing in us that are whole and healing. It is our natural state.
2. Spend Time With A Child.
Children have a way of drawing our attention away from activities and responsibilities defining us as adults. All a child wants to do in this world is have fun. They seem to never tire of such activities. Children are constantly motivated by play.
As adults, we tend to think of play as wasted time. Adults who lose a sense of play and joy in their lives are in danger of losing self-motivation. The kind of self-motivation I am referring to involves the desire to have fun in life. This can lead to a depressive state lacking creativity, spontaneity, and the heart of a child.
Each of us has the heart of a child within us that never tires. It is the part of us fully participating in and with life. As our imagination and heart begin to guide us over the mind, we are in soul. In soul, our mind is in its proper perspective. This part of us is our inner awareness not bound by the pressures of the world. When we return to soul, the possibility of living whole and healed becomes a reality.
3. Become A Child.
The next time you look into a child's eyes try to feel their heart. Notice the difference and similarities of your heart and their heart. Is there a difference? Is this awareness a long or short distance from where you were as a child?
What happened to that little boy or little girl inside you? Since we cannot retrieve childhood physically, maybe we can from within. Remember your past as a child - the good times and the bad times. As you look at your life through the eyes of a child, recall how active your heart and imagination were. Embrace it. Let this inner vision penetrate your entire awareness. Let go of your adult interpretations of your childhood and view it with innocence and love.
Our true nature is to live in the world without being fully of it. Inside us are endless avenues that can move us toward the experience of joy. When we let go of our tendency to view the world as right or wrong, good or bad, we leave behind dualism and enter into Unity.
This Unity behind all appearances of diversity is a healing state of unconditional love. It is the part of us bringing all life into being, leading us through life, and what will lead us home. It is the force of nature giving us life. It is our soul.
Samuel Oliver, author of, "What the Dying Teach Us: Lessons on Living"
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Developing Intuition
Developing intuition starts by realizing you have it already. If you've ever had a hunch about something, that was intuition. Intuition is just your mind using more than what you are consciously aware of. But can you trust your intuition? How do you improve it?
Developing Intuition In Three Steps
1. Recognize it and encourage it.
2. Study it to make it more trustworthy.
3. Give it good information to work
with.
Gary Kasparov will admit that a computer can calculate chess positions many moves further ahead than he can. Yet he still beats the best computers out there because of his intuitive grasp of the game. His experience allows him to combine analysis with a "sense" of which move is best. Try to find areas in your own life where you intuitively operate.
Of course, intuition is also a warning device. Both my wife and I felt we shoudn't get on that bus in Ecuador. This is no psychic power. Crowded busses are prime locations for pickpockets. A drunk man was bumping into people repeatedly. We didn't consciously pay attention, but these things registered in our minds, warning us. We felt "something isn't right here." When we ignored our intuition, I was robbed.
When I bought a conversion van, I saw them all over. Maybe you've had a similar experience. Looking for and recognizing a thing trains your mind to find more of it. The same process will happen if you watch for your intuition - you'll start to see more of it.
Unfortunately, a strong hunch can be for irrelevant reasons too. If you were hit by a yellow taxi as a child, you might have "intuitive" hunches not to get into yellow taxis for the rest of your life. So even learning to recognize your intuition and encourage it may leave you wondering when to trust it
Study Your Intuition
Start questioning your hunches. If we had asked why we felt bad about that bus, it may have occurred to us, "Oh yeah, crowded busses are a bad idea - we know that." Study your strong feeling about that taxi, and you might say, "Oh, it's just my fear of yellow taxis." Get in the habit of paying attentionto and studying your intuitive feelings.
Where does your intuition work best? If you're always right about your intuitive stock picks, give a little credence to them. On the other hand, if your hunches about people are usually wrong, don't follow them. Just pay attention more, and you'll be developing intuition about your intuition.
Give Your Intution Good Information
Your skill, knowledge and experience determine the potential effectiveness of your intuition. No weak chess player will never intuitively beat that computer, like Kasparov can. Learn enough about a subject, before expecting good hunches about it - or before trusting the hunches. Work in the area you want more intuition in. When enough information is in your mind, it will go to work for you with or without your conscious participation, so feed it well.
Recognize your intuition and you'll have hunches and ideas more often. Study it and you'll learn when to trust it. Give it good information and you'll be repaid with good hunches and ideas. This is the simple formula for developing intuition.
Developing Intuition In Three Steps
1. Recognize it and encourage it.
2. Study it to make it more trustworthy.
3. Give it good information to work
with.
Gary Kasparov will admit that a computer can calculate chess positions many moves further ahead than he can. Yet he still beats the best computers out there because of his intuitive grasp of the game. His experience allows him to combine analysis with a "sense" of which move is best. Try to find areas in your own life where you intuitively operate.
Of course, intuition is also a warning device. Both my wife and I felt we shoudn't get on that bus in Ecuador. This is no psychic power. Crowded busses are prime locations for pickpockets. A drunk man was bumping into people repeatedly. We didn't consciously pay attention, but these things registered in our minds, warning us. We felt "something isn't right here." When we ignored our intuition, I was robbed.
When I bought a conversion van, I saw them all over. Maybe you've had a similar experience. Looking for and recognizing a thing trains your mind to find more of it. The same process will happen if you watch for your intuition - you'll start to see more of it.
Unfortunately, a strong hunch can be for irrelevant reasons too. If you were hit by a yellow taxi as a child, you might have "intuitive" hunches not to get into yellow taxis for the rest of your life. So even learning to recognize your intuition and encourage it may leave you wondering when to trust it
Study Your Intuition
Start questioning your hunches. If we had asked why we felt bad about that bus, it may have occurred to us, "Oh yeah, crowded busses are a bad idea - we know that." Study your strong feeling about that taxi, and you might say, "Oh, it's just my fear of yellow taxis." Get in the habit of paying attentionto and studying your intuitive feelings.
Where does your intuition work best? If you're always right about your intuitive stock picks, give a little credence to them. On the other hand, if your hunches about people are usually wrong, don't follow them. Just pay attention more, and you'll be developing intuition about your intuition.
Give Your Intution Good Information
Your skill, knowledge and experience determine the potential effectiveness of your intuition. No weak chess player will never intuitively beat that computer, like Kasparov can. Learn enough about a subject, before expecting good hunches about it - or before trusting the hunches. Work in the area you want more intuition in. When enough information is in your mind, it will go to work for you with or without your conscious participation, so feed it well.
Recognize your intuition and you'll have hunches and ideas more often. Study it and you'll learn when to trust it. Give it good information and you'll be repaid with good hunches and ideas. This is the simple formula for developing intuition.
What is transpersonal psychology?
Transpersonal psychology is an integration of psychology and spirituality. It includes all realms of being human, including realms that go beyond words and perceptions. It includes the awareness that we are spiritual beings living in physical bodies. When salt and water are mixed the salt is not observable and no longer takes up space but can be tasted as part of the water. Such is the transpersonal experience, which expands beyond the boundaries and limitations of time and space. Transpersonal
psychology recognizes the importance of our individual personalities, but it also includes mystical realms of experience which extend outside the limitations of intellectual understanding and material existence. Transpersonal psychology does not oppose or contradict other models of psychology. The transpersonal orientation is inclusive. It builds and expands upon traditional models for a more holistic realization of the human condition.
Transpersonal psychology is not about religion. Religion involves a belief system within an institutionalized structure, whereas spirituality simply involves experiential awareness of our more than physical existence. According to Teasdale (2001), "The term spirituality refers to an individual's solitary search for and discovery of the absolute or the divine" (p. 10). It is my belief that many of the challenges that our society faces, both globally and as individuals, are the result of feeling separated from the true self, or the Divine. Looking at the interface between psychotherapy and spirit may help to integrate what I believe is true and important in the healing of humans and the evolution towards conscious compassionate living.
When I look at people in our culture I am struck by what appears to be deep discontent and lack of peacefulness. There is an experience of suffering that goes with not living authentically in one's truth. I believe the constant searching to meet needs that never seem to be satisfied has been displaced onto money, social status, and material gains. Viewing psychotherapy from a spiritual perspective may facilitate the fulfillment of inner needs, which have been invalidated in our culture. According to the Gospel of St Thomas, Jesus said, The Kingdom of God is inside you, and it is outside of you. When you come to know yourselves, then you become known, and you will realise that it is you who are the children of the living Father. But if you will not know yourselves, then you will dwell in poverty, and it is you who are that poverty. (in Hanh, 1995, p. xxiii)
I believe that inquiry into our inner world is crucial in order to meet the deep longing we have as humans to be united with the divine, as well as to live fully as humans. When we look inward in transpersonal psychotherapy we are accessing the true self. Traditional Western psychology, informed by psychoanalytic and behavioral approaches, is oriented towards what is perceived to be "wrong" with the client so interventions can be determined and implemented. The transpersonal approach recognizes the value of categorizing and understanding psychological symptoms, however it regards presenting issues as part of a much larger whole. Frances Vaughan (1993) states, "A transpersonal orientation does not invalidate other approaches, any of which may be relevant to different people at different times. It does, however, call for a more expanded context than is usually constructed by conventional approaches" (in Walsh and Vaughan, p. 161). This more inclusive vision emphasizes the growth process. Transpersonal psychology cultivates awareness of inherent wisdom and goodness in humans, which may be unacknowledged or blocked by learned behavioral patterns. Transpersonal therapies help facilitate natural movement towards healing and growth by helping to uncover and remove these blocks. <
Many people deemed successful by the standards of Western culture find themselves deeply dissatisfied and unhappy despite material and social success. Our society reacts negatively to the slightest sign of "unhappiness" or depression, labeling it as something "wrong". This cultural bias invalidates the spiritual seeking that often underlies these symptoms. From the transpersonal perspective, questioning and reflecting on unhappiness and depression may be the beginnings of a more expanded and holistic existence. The search for meaning beyond the material world opens the possibility to live in a new and more deeply satisfying way.
Transpersonal counselling focuses on present moment awareness and how experience is organized with less emphasis on intellectual discussion. There is a difference between directly experiencing something and intellectualizing about it. The transpersonal therapist may incorporate techniques such as journal writing and expressive arts, as well as cognitive behavioral techniques such as guided imagery and relaxation to access deeper meanings and an experiential rather than verbal understanding of the self. Transpersonal counselling focuses on inner development and relationship rather than emphasizing external activities and material concerns.
The transpersonal approach includes all aspects of being human and sees mind, body, and spirit as parts of an integrated whole. Rather than focusing on reducing symptoms, the goal of transpersonal therapy is to detach from identification with roles and behaviors and realize one's true identity. There is less focus on problem solving and more on developing and opening inner resources and the experience of a unique authentic beingness.
[A transpersonal approach] allows a more inclusive vision of possibility in which a person can let go of the past and live more fully in the present. In light of perennial wisdom of spiritual teachings, it affirms the possibility of living in harmony with others and the environment, less driven by fear and greed, and motivated by compassion and a sense of purpose. (Vaughan, 1993, p. 161)
The transpersonal vision recognizes that letting go of the past allows us to live more fully in the present and ultimately facilitates access to deeper levels of wisdom, creativity, and potentiality.
Today like every other day
We wake up empty and scared.
Don't open the door of your study
And begin reading.
Take down a musical instrument.
Let the beauty we love be what we do.
There are hundreds of ways to kneel
And kiss the earth.
psychology recognizes the importance of our individual personalities, but it also includes mystical realms of experience which extend outside the limitations of intellectual understanding and material existence. Transpersonal psychology does not oppose or contradict other models of psychology. The transpersonal orientation is inclusive. It builds and expands upon traditional models for a more holistic realization of the human condition.
Transpersonal psychology is not about religion. Religion involves a belief system within an institutionalized structure, whereas spirituality simply involves experiential awareness of our more than physical existence. According to Teasdale (2001), "The term spirituality refers to an individual's solitary search for and discovery of the absolute or the divine" (p. 10). It is my belief that many of the challenges that our society faces, both globally and as individuals, are the result of feeling separated from the true self, or the Divine. Looking at the interface between psychotherapy and spirit may help to integrate what I believe is true and important in the healing of humans and the evolution towards conscious compassionate living.
When I look at people in our culture I am struck by what appears to be deep discontent and lack of peacefulness. There is an experience of suffering that goes with not living authentically in one's truth. I believe the constant searching to meet needs that never seem to be satisfied has been displaced onto money, social status, and material gains. Viewing psychotherapy from a spiritual perspective may facilitate the fulfillment of inner needs, which have been invalidated in our culture. According to the Gospel of St Thomas, Jesus said, The Kingdom of God is inside you, and it is outside of you. When you come to know yourselves, then you become known, and you will realise that it is you who are the children of the living Father. But if you will not know yourselves, then you will dwell in poverty, and it is you who are that poverty. (in Hanh, 1995, p. xxiii)
I believe that inquiry into our inner world is crucial in order to meet the deep longing we have as humans to be united with the divine, as well as to live fully as humans. When we look inward in transpersonal psychotherapy we are accessing the true self. Traditional Western psychology, informed by psychoanalytic and behavioral approaches, is oriented towards what is perceived to be "wrong" with the client so interventions can be determined and implemented. The transpersonal approach recognizes the value of categorizing and understanding psychological symptoms, however it regards presenting issues as part of a much larger whole. Frances Vaughan (1993) states, "A transpersonal orientation does not invalidate other approaches, any of which may be relevant to different people at different times. It does, however, call for a more expanded context than is usually constructed by conventional approaches" (in Walsh and Vaughan, p. 161). This more inclusive vision emphasizes the growth process. Transpersonal psychology cultivates awareness of inherent wisdom and goodness in humans, which may be unacknowledged or blocked by learned behavioral patterns. Transpersonal therapies help facilitate natural movement towards healing and growth by helping to uncover and remove these blocks. <
Many people deemed successful by the standards of Western culture find themselves deeply dissatisfied and unhappy despite material and social success. Our society reacts negatively to the slightest sign of "unhappiness" or depression, labeling it as something "wrong". This cultural bias invalidates the spiritual seeking that often underlies these symptoms. From the transpersonal perspective, questioning and reflecting on unhappiness and depression may be the beginnings of a more expanded and holistic existence. The search for meaning beyond the material world opens the possibility to live in a new and more deeply satisfying way.
Transpersonal counselling focuses on present moment awareness and how experience is organized with less emphasis on intellectual discussion. There is a difference between directly experiencing something and intellectualizing about it. The transpersonal therapist may incorporate techniques such as journal writing and expressive arts, as well as cognitive behavioral techniques such as guided imagery and relaxation to access deeper meanings and an experiential rather than verbal understanding of the self. Transpersonal counselling focuses on inner development and relationship rather than emphasizing external activities and material concerns.
The transpersonal approach includes all aspects of being human and sees mind, body, and spirit as parts of an integrated whole. Rather than focusing on reducing symptoms, the goal of transpersonal therapy is to detach from identification with roles and behaviors and realize one's true identity. There is less focus on problem solving and more on developing and opening inner resources and the experience of a unique authentic beingness.
[A transpersonal approach] allows a more inclusive vision of possibility in which a person can let go of the past and live more fully in the present. In light of perennial wisdom of spiritual teachings, it affirms the possibility of living in harmony with others and the environment, less driven by fear and greed, and motivated by compassion and a sense of purpose. (Vaughan, 1993, p. 161)
The transpersonal vision recognizes that letting go of the past allows us to live more fully in the present and ultimately facilitates access to deeper levels of wisdom, creativity, and potentiality.
Today like every other day
We wake up empty and scared.
Don't open the door of your study
And begin reading.
Take down a musical instrument.
Let the beauty we love be what we do.
There are hundreds of ways to kneel
And kiss the earth.
Challenged by your relationships? Good!
Why are our relationships such a challenge?
By their very nature, relationships always push us toward duality, toward the opposites. They take us into both the light of our souls and the darkness of our subconscious. They force us to look at the light and experience the shadows.
If we deny the light of either ourselves or the other person, we relate to each other in conflict. If we deny the shadows of either ourselves or the other, we relate in illusion. Only by accepting both do we truly face reality and experience harmony.
Relationships also challenge us to accept the unknown of both ourselves and the other,
and this is never easy. Meeting this challenge must be founded on trust. You need to trust that the other will get whatever they need from you. You also need to trust that you will get whatever you need from them.
The key word is NEED, not desire. We are not in relationships to have our desires fulfilled. It is up to us to fulfill our own desires and stop demanding that they be fulfilled by others. For example, if you have the desire to be loved, you must not demand it from someone else. You fulfill your need for love by expressing it, and no one can prevent you from doing that.
We usually create difficulties in our relationships when we let our desires get in the way of the needs. When we don't get our desires met – and that includes things like getting our way, getting what we want, getting love and attention, being made to feel important, being shown respect and honour, and so on – we usually get angry, sad, resentful or revengeful. When that happens we need to stop and ask ourselves what we really need, and then give it to ourselves rather than demanding it from others. <
It's not always easy to know what we need. While we are conscious of our desires, our needs are usually related to what we are unconscious of. That's why intimacy is an important aspect of all relationships. Intimacy exposes the unconscious and teaches us trust. Intimacy helps us to recognize needs and awakens the love to respond to those needs. It especially empowers us to meet our own needs. Intimacy says: you are acceptable and lovable just as you are.
It helps to remember that soul is the underlying guide of all relationships. We always get what we need in our relationships because the soul always responds to need. If we don't recognize this, the problem lies only in our lack of awareness and understanding.
All of our relationships have the potential of showing us who we are as souls, and asking us to relate as souls to the other. That's why our relationship challenges are such powerful forces for personal growth!
By their very nature, relationships always push us toward duality, toward the opposites. They take us into both the light of our souls and the darkness of our subconscious. They force us to look at the light and experience the shadows.
If we deny the light of either ourselves or the other person, we relate to each other in conflict. If we deny the shadows of either ourselves or the other, we relate in illusion. Only by accepting both do we truly face reality and experience harmony.
Relationships also challenge us to accept the unknown of both ourselves and the other,
and this is never easy. Meeting this challenge must be founded on trust. You need to trust that the other will get whatever they need from you. You also need to trust that you will get whatever you need from them.
The key word is NEED, not desire. We are not in relationships to have our desires fulfilled. It is up to us to fulfill our own desires and stop demanding that they be fulfilled by others. For example, if you have the desire to be loved, you must not demand it from someone else. You fulfill your need for love by expressing it, and no one can prevent you from doing that.
We usually create difficulties in our relationships when we let our desires get in the way of the needs. When we don't get our desires met – and that includes things like getting our way, getting what we want, getting love and attention, being made to feel important, being shown respect and honour, and so on – we usually get angry, sad, resentful or revengeful. When that happens we need to stop and ask ourselves what we really need, and then give it to ourselves rather than demanding it from others. <
It's not always easy to know what we need. While we are conscious of our desires, our needs are usually related to what we are unconscious of. That's why intimacy is an important aspect of all relationships. Intimacy exposes the unconscious and teaches us trust. Intimacy helps us to recognize needs and awakens the love to respond to those needs. It especially empowers us to meet our own needs. Intimacy says: you are acceptable and lovable just as you are.
It helps to remember that soul is the underlying guide of all relationships. We always get what we need in our relationships because the soul always responds to need. If we don't recognize this, the problem lies only in our lack of awareness and understanding.
All of our relationships have the potential of showing us who we are as souls, and asking us to relate as souls to the other. That's why our relationship challenges are such powerful forces for personal growth!
Debunking Psychics
Have you ever been curious about your future? Have you ever called a phone psychic to get some answers?
If you wonder how "psychics" work, read on. This article is for you.
Most "psychics" are plain scammers. They use cold reading to make calculated guess about the sitters. Cold reading is an interactive psychological technique which extracts information from a person through verbal and non verbal cues. More often than not, psychics utilize known psychology techniques that can apply to almost anyone. An example would be claiming the sitter is cursed and he or she could lift that curse for a fee, because most people visit a psychic when they are down and depressed, "being cursed" is a quick, convenient reason to blame. Paying the fee to lift the curse would be the quickest
solution to their complicated life problems.
There seems to be several common factors in psychic readings. The psychic usually:
+Skillfully extracts information from non verbal cues such as breathing patterns, voice, dress, skin color, and body language.
+ Makes statements that seem to give information when they are actually out to fish for it. E.g. Prompts feedback from sitters by saying "I see a man in uniform, why would that be?"
+Feeds back to the subject what the latter wants to hear
+Makes general "Barnum statements" such as "You are worrisome on the outside but insecure on the inside."
The sitter of the reading is the key to a 'successful' reading. The sitter's willingness to connect vague 'clues' came up by the psychic will often decide how successful the reading is. Many sitters who try to contact their deceased loved ones are very motivated in the first place, and will take the psychic's message as a sign that he or she have made contact with the other side. That is why psychics subtly encourage cooperation before and during the reading. Once the psychic gains the trusts of the sitter, the latter usually actively supply information and clarifications.<
Although facial expressions and body languages could mean differently to people from different cultural backgrounds, many psychologists believe that certain facial and body expressions are universal to the mankind.
How to tell dominance: People who dominates have a tenancy to stand up with an erected body, speaks slowly and rarely, and look people in their eyes for an extended period of time. Because of
the demonstrated link between testosterone and aggression, people with square jaws ( testosterone induced feature) are thought as more domineering and aggressive.
How to tell submissiveness: Submissive people touches themselves a lot when they are confronted with a difficult situation. This is because human have an inborn mechanism acquired very early on in life to link physical touching with comfort and safety.
If you wonder how "psychics" work, read on. This article is for you.
Most "psychics" are plain scammers. They use cold reading to make calculated guess about the sitters. Cold reading is an interactive psychological technique which extracts information from a person through verbal and non verbal cues. More often than not, psychics utilize known psychology techniques that can apply to almost anyone. An example would be claiming the sitter is cursed and he or she could lift that curse for a fee, because most people visit a psychic when they are down and depressed, "being cursed" is a quick, convenient reason to blame. Paying the fee to lift the curse would be the quickest
solution to their complicated life problems.
There seems to be several common factors in psychic readings. The psychic usually:
+Skillfully extracts information from non verbal cues such as breathing patterns, voice, dress, skin color, and body language.
+ Makes statements that seem to give information when they are actually out to fish for it. E.g. Prompts feedback from sitters by saying "I see a man in uniform, why would that be?"
+Feeds back to the subject what the latter wants to hear
+Makes general "Barnum statements" such as "You are worrisome on the outside but insecure on the inside."
The sitter of the reading is the key to a 'successful' reading. The sitter's willingness to connect vague 'clues' came up by the psychic will often decide how successful the reading is. Many sitters who try to contact their deceased loved ones are very motivated in the first place, and will take the psychic's message as a sign that he or she have made contact with the other side. That is why psychics subtly encourage cooperation before and during the reading. Once the psychic gains the trusts of the sitter, the latter usually actively supply information and clarifications.<
Although facial expressions and body languages could mean differently to people from different cultural backgrounds, many psychologists believe that certain facial and body expressions are universal to the mankind.
How to tell dominance: People who dominates have a tenancy to stand up with an erected body, speaks slowly and rarely, and look people in their eyes for an extended period of time. Because of
the demonstrated link between testosterone and aggression, people with square jaws ( testosterone induced feature) are thought as more domineering and aggressive.
How to tell submissiveness: Submissive people touches themselves a lot when they are confronted with a difficult situation. This is because human have an inborn mechanism acquired very early on in life to link physical touching with comfort and safety.
Are Friends Happy Being With You?
We all have different style of talking, laughing, smiling, responding and communicating. Some of us are a comfort for others. We enjoy being with some people and we don't enjoy some people. What is the difference between these persons? Why one persons presence enlivens the gathering an other person dulls it? What are the qualities needed to make one self socially popular?
Smile -The very first quality is smile. When we see some body smiling, we feel pleased. And if the smile is without any malice it is more enchanting. Keep smiling. Keep your problems with yourself and keep your face smiling.
Listening - when we don't speak but only listen, people love us. All of us have our own problems and need somebody to listen to us. Become a good listener. Ask open
ended question such as - and after that? Why? And so on. That will encourage the speaker to pour out all to you.
Have something funny to say - There is enough pain in the world. Bring in some laughter. Have a collection of jokes and make your friends laugh. The more they laugh, the more they will enjoy your company.
Appreciate - have a word of appreciation for everyone. You can appreciate some body clothes, or shoes or what ever. Appreciate. Make friends feel good.
To be friendly and to be charming is not an art. It can be easily developed by all of us. The only need is to pay less attention to our self and more to others. Make friends happy and they will love your presence. Make your presence the life of any gathering. Success is yours.
Smile -The very first quality is smile. When we see some body smiling, we feel pleased. And if the smile is without any malice it is more enchanting. Keep smiling. Keep your problems with yourself and keep your face smiling.
Listening - when we don't speak but only listen, people love us. All of us have our own problems and need somebody to listen to us. Become a good listener. Ask open
ended question such as - and after that? Why? And so on. That will encourage the speaker to pour out all to you.
Have something funny to say - There is enough pain in the world. Bring in some laughter. Have a collection of jokes and make your friends laugh. The more they laugh, the more they will enjoy your company.
Appreciate - have a word of appreciation for everyone. You can appreciate some body clothes, or shoes or what ever. Appreciate. Make friends feel good.
To be friendly and to be charming is not an art. It can be easily developed by all of us. The only need is to pay less attention to our self and more to others. Make friends happy and they will love your presence. Make your presence the life of any gathering. Success is yours.
Three Things You Can Do Now To Reduce Stress
Are any of these scenes familiar?
...The kids woke up late again this morning. By the time you get them to school and fight rush hour traffic, you'll be 20 minutes late for the meeting you're supposed to lead...
...When you were first hired, you felt lucky to get your customer service job. But now you wonder if it's worth it. The phones ring constantly and you hear nothing but complaints. Last week, you called in sick just to get a break...
...It's almost time for your presentation. Top management is here
and your supervisor is counting on you to make her look good. You were up all night finishing the Powerpoint. You wonder if you've anticipated all the possible questions...
Stress is a permanent feature of our lives, but it really seems to ramp up at work. More than two-thirds of American workers report that workplace stress is a problem.
This means we're all spending way too much time in "fight or flight" mode. And it's taking a toll on our bodies through weakened immune systems, high blood pressure, and heart disease. These conditions shorten our lives and lower the quality of what's left.
There are lots of strategies for managing stress, but when stress blindsides us with no time to prepare, we don't need strategy. We need quick, practical steps we can take NOW that work fast and can be done anywhere. When stress launches it's next surprise attack, try one of these: breathe deeply, visualize mentally, relax progressively.
Breathe Deeply
Breathing deeply could be the single most effective way to stay calm. Everyone breathes, but a lot of us breathe the wrong way--shallow, fast, and high in the chest. This kind of breathing is restrictive, it increases our anxious feelings, and it fuels our body's negative stress reactions.
Slow, deep breathing triggers a relaxation response, calming the body and focusing the mind. It increases the amount of oxygen in our blood, raising our performance potential.
Are you breathing the right way? To find out, try this: put one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen just below your rib cage. Now breathe. Which hand moves? If it's the hand on your chest, your breathing is too shallow.
The trick is to make the hand on your abdomen move. Inhale deeply while you slowly count to five. Try to get your abdomen to expand instead of your chest. If you have trouble making it happen, try it lying on your back. With a little practice and patience, you'll be able to shift into a deep breathing pattern automatically.
Once you learn the technique of deep breathing, you can do it anytime-in the middle of rush hour traffic, right before you handle the next irate customer, even in the middle of your big presentation
Visualize Mentally
There are two kinds of visualization techniques. The first one involves building a mental image of a place that's relaxing for you. It may be a remembered place that triggers relaxed, contented feelings, or it may be imaginary. The basic idea is to give your mind something to focus on besides the stress.
Once you have visualized your restful scene, you should spend about 10 minutes attempting to imagine it as fully as possible. Inventory your senses. What do you see? How does it smell? Do you hear anything? What do you feel? What can you taste? Then slowly allow yourself to return to the real world around you. Effective visualization will take some practice.
Professional musicians and Olympic athletes practice a different form of visualization: a mental rehearsal of what's about to happen. Instead of visualizing a relaxing scene, mentally rehearse the situation that's causing your stress. Visualize the meeting you're about to walk into and rehearse what happens. Imagine yourself successfully completing tasks that give you trouble. Visualize feeling calm and in control. This type of mental rehearsal can help you actually attain these feelings when the situation becomes reality.
Relax Progressively
Breathing deeply and visualizing mentally both involve your mind convincing your body to relax. Progressive muscle relaxation works the other way, with your body reporting to your mind that all is well.
Progressive relaxation works by tensing and relaxing muscles throughout your body, one group at a time. Try this: starting at your feet and working your way up to your head, contract and loosen each muscle group one after the other. Become aware of each muscle, tense it, hold the tension for a count of five, then slowly relax it. As the muscles in your body relax, your mind will become calmer and more focused.
The more you practice, the more sensitive your muscles will become to levels of tension and relaxation. The goal is to reach the point where you can relax your body on demand without having to go through the entire cycle. If you can do that, then stress doesn't stand a chance.
Be aware of the situations that cause you negative stress. If you can see them coming sooner, it may give you extra time to breathe deeply, visualize mentally, and relax progressively. Not only will these fast and easy techniques help you in the moment of stress, using them regularly may help lessen the long term effects of stress on your life and health.
...The kids woke up late again this morning. By the time you get them to school and fight rush hour traffic, you'll be 20 minutes late for the meeting you're supposed to lead...
...When you were first hired, you felt lucky to get your customer service job. But now you wonder if it's worth it. The phones ring constantly and you hear nothing but complaints. Last week, you called in sick just to get a break...
...It's almost time for your presentation. Top management is here
and your supervisor is counting on you to make her look good. You were up all night finishing the Powerpoint. You wonder if you've anticipated all the possible questions...
Stress is a permanent feature of our lives, but it really seems to ramp up at work. More than two-thirds of American workers report that workplace stress is a problem.
This means we're all spending way too much time in "fight or flight" mode. And it's taking a toll on our bodies through weakened immune systems, high blood pressure, and heart disease. These conditions shorten our lives and lower the quality of what's left.
There are lots of strategies for managing stress, but when stress blindsides us with no time to prepare, we don't need strategy. We need quick, practical steps we can take NOW that work fast and can be done anywhere. When stress launches it's next surprise attack, try one of these: breathe deeply, visualize mentally, relax progressively.
Breathe Deeply
Breathing deeply could be the single most effective way to stay calm. Everyone breathes, but a lot of us breathe the wrong way--shallow, fast, and high in the chest. This kind of breathing is restrictive, it increases our anxious feelings, and it fuels our body's negative stress reactions.
Slow, deep breathing triggers a relaxation response, calming the body and focusing the mind. It increases the amount of oxygen in our blood, raising our performance potential.
Are you breathing the right way? To find out, try this: put one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen just below your rib cage. Now breathe. Which hand moves? If it's the hand on your chest, your breathing is too shallow.
The trick is to make the hand on your abdomen move. Inhale deeply while you slowly count to five. Try to get your abdomen to expand instead of your chest. If you have trouble making it happen, try it lying on your back. With a little practice and patience, you'll be able to shift into a deep breathing pattern automatically.
Once you learn the technique of deep breathing, you can do it anytime-in the middle of rush hour traffic, right before you handle the next irate customer, even in the middle of your big presentation
Visualize Mentally
There are two kinds of visualization techniques. The first one involves building a mental image of a place that's relaxing for you. It may be a remembered place that triggers relaxed, contented feelings, or it may be imaginary. The basic idea is to give your mind something to focus on besides the stress.
Once you have visualized your restful scene, you should spend about 10 minutes attempting to imagine it as fully as possible. Inventory your senses. What do you see? How does it smell? Do you hear anything? What do you feel? What can you taste? Then slowly allow yourself to return to the real world around you. Effective visualization will take some practice.
Professional musicians and Olympic athletes practice a different form of visualization: a mental rehearsal of what's about to happen. Instead of visualizing a relaxing scene, mentally rehearse the situation that's causing your stress. Visualize the meeting you're about to walk into and rehearse what happens. Imagine yourself successfully completing tasks that give you trouble. Visualize feeling calm and in control. This type of mental rehearsal can help you actually attain these feelings when the situation becomes reality.
Relax Progressively
Breathing deeply and visualizing mentally both involve your mind convincing your body to relax. Progressive muscle relaxation works the other way, with your body reporting to your mind that all is well.
Progressive relaxation works by tensing and relaxing muscles throughout your body, one group at a time. Try this: starting at your feet and working your way up to your head, contract and loosen each muscle group one after the other. Become aware of each muscle, tense it, hold the tension for a count of five, then slowly relax it. As the muscles in your body relax, your mind will become calmer and more focused.
The more you practice, the more sensitive your muscles will become to levels of tension and relaxation. The goal is to reach the point where you can relax your body on demand without having to go through the entire cycle. If you can do that, then stress doesn't stand a chance.
Be aware of the situations that cause you negative stress. If you can see them coming sooner, it may give you extra time to breathe deeply, visualize mentally, and relax progressively. Not only will these fast and easy techniques help you in the moment of stress, using them regularly may help lessen the long term effects of stress on your life and health.
Creative Imagination
Creative imagination is more than just active imagination. To be able to actively imagine things, to see and hear things in one's mind, is an important ability. It doesn't have to involve much creativity, though, does it? Daydreaming, for example, is a process of imagination. It can consist of an elaborate fantasy world, but one full of all the things that many people think about.
Creative imagination, then, has to include the ability not just to imagine things, but to imagine original things. It is seeing things that others don't see, and coming up with new ideas. So how do you cultivate this?
Creative Imagination 101
First, exercise your basic imagination. It can be as simple as thinking in pictures more, or
listening to music in your mind. Play little "movies" in your mind, until you can watch them on command. This is a simple process, but for those of us that can't easily do it naturally, it can take a lot of practice. Fortunately, it is not an unpleasant activity.
The second part of developing your creative imagination is to get more creative in your thinking and imagining. Start by paying attention to your creativity. Our subconscious minds give us more of what we pay attention to. Ignore creative aspects of your life, and you're telling your subconscious they are unimportant. On the other hand, if you note when you're creative, your subconscious mind will start feeding you more creative ideas.
Different surroundings can also encourage your creativity. Want more creativity in your love life? Hike up a mountain with your partner. Do you write? Try sitting on a roof to write. Want new ideas for your business? Take a notebook to the park and sit by the duck pond. A change of environment can get your thinking out of it's ruts.
You can play games that exercise your creative imagination. One such game uses a technique called "concept combination." Alone or with other players, you combine random concepts or things in new ways, to see who has the best idea. A thermometer and a billboard, for example, could generate an idea for a sign that checks the weather and adjusts the message accordingly ("Come in out of the heat for a cold beverage," or "Come in out of the rain and warm up with our gourmet coffee.").
Don't Wait For Creative Imagination
Creative inspiration certainly can strike at any time, but it strikes more often when there is work instead of waiting. So if you want to come up with creative inventions, start mentally redesigning everything you see. Imagine a better bicycle, a faster mail service, or a better chair. Continue this for three weeks, and it will become a habit.
Of course, creative imagination goes beyond solving specific problems or inventing things. Truly creative minds are always coming up with the questions too, not just the solutions. If you want to be more creative all the time, focus on three things:
1. Changing your perspective. A child might think that working just to not work (to retire) is silly. Thinking from that perspective might give you ideas for how to make money doing things you enjoy. Seeing the world as a bear sees it might give a painter imaginative new ideas. Looking at things from a customer's perspective is a sure way to find creative improvements for a business. See everything from several perspectives.
2. Challenging your assumptions. What if restaurants didn't have employees? Visitors pay a machine as they enter, feed themselves at a buffet, and everything is as automated as possible, so one owner-operator could run a large restaurant alone. Challenge all your assumptions for practice. Do you really have to pay rent? Do swimming pools need water? Can exercise be a bad thing?
3. Let your ideas run wild. Does a flying bed seem silly? It could lead to the concept of a helium mattress. When you get off it in the morning, it floats out of the way, up to the ceiling. Perfect for small apartments. Don't stifle your creativity. Relax, and let ideas come. You can always discard them later.
For these techniques to be a habitual part of your thinking, use them regularly. Since it takes several weeks to develop a habit, remind yourself to use them each day. Jot a few of your favorite techniques on a card and carry it with you. Look it over throughout the day and apply the techniques to anything. Soon, you'll have a more creative imagination.
Creative imagination, then, has to include the ability not just to imagine things, but to imagine original things. It is seeing things that others don't see, and coming up with new ideas. So how do you cultivate this?
Creative Imagination 101
First, exercise your basic imagination. It can be as simple as thinking in pictures more, or
listening to music in your mind. Play little "movies" in your mind, until you can watch them on command. This is a simple process, but for those of us that can't easily do it naturally, it can take a lot of practice. Fortunately, it is not an unpleasant activity.
The second part of developing your creative imagination is to get more creative in your thinking and imagining. Start by paying attention to your creativity. Our subconscious minds give us more of what we pay attention to. Ignore creative aspects of your life, and you're telling your subconscious they are unimportant. On the other hand, if you note when you're creative, your subconscious mind will start feeding you more creative ideas.
Different surroundings can also encourage your creativity. Want more creativity in your love life? Hike up a mountain with your partner. Do you write? Try sitting on a roof to write. Want new ideas for your business? Take a notebook to the park and sit by the duck pond. A change of environment can get your thinking out of it's ruts.
You can play games that exercise your creative imagination. One such game uses a technique called "concept combination." Alone or with other players, you combine random concepts or things in new ways, to see who has the best idea. A thermometer and a billboard, for example, could generate an idea for a sign that checks the weather and adjusts the message accordingly ("Come in out of the heat for a cold beverage," or "Come in out of the rain and warm up with our gourmet coffee.").
Don't Wait For Creative Imagination
Creative inspiration certainly can strike at any time, but it strikes more often when there is work instead of waiting. So if you want to come up with creative inventions, start mentally redesigning everything you see. Imagine a better bicycle, a faster mail service, or a better chair. Continue this for three weeks, and it will become a habit.
Of course, creative imagination goes beyond solving specific problems or inventing things. Truly creative minds are always coming up with the questions too, not just the solutions. If you want to be more creative all the time, focus on three things:
1. Changing your perspective. A child might think that working just to not work (to retire) is silly. Thinking from that perspective might give you ideas for how to make money doing things you enjoy. Seeing the world as a bear sees it might give a painter imaginative new ideas. Looking at things from a customer's perspective is a sure way to find creative improvements for a business. See everything from several perspectives.
2. Challenging your assumptions. What if restaurants didn't have employees? Visitors pay a machine as they enter, feed themselves at a buffet, and everything is as automated as possible, so one owner-operator could run a large restaurant alone. Challenge all your assumptions for practice. Do you really have to pay rent? Do swimming pools need water? Can exercise be a bad thing?
3. Let your ideas run wild. Does a flying bed seem silly? It could lead to the concept of a helium mattress. When you get off it in the morning, it floats out of the way, up to the ceiling. Perfect for small apartments. Don't stifle your creativity. Relax, and let ideas come. You can always discard them later.
For these techniques to be a habitual part of your thinking, use them regularly. Since it takes several weeks to develop a habit, remind yourself to use them each day. Jot a few of your favorite techniques on a card and carry it with you. Look it over throughout the day and apply the techniques to anything. Soon, you'll have a more creative imagination.
Combat Stress - 7 Practical Methods
A stress-free lifestyle could very well do wonders in eliminating depression.
Here are 7 practical methods to combat stress:
1. Express Amusement And Be Happy.
Laugh hard and loud. If you don't have a sense of humor, find someone else who has. Laughter releases endorphins (happy chemicals) from the body, and it helps boost your immune system.
2. Take Control Over Your Time and Schedule.
You'll be much more able to deal with stress if
you have a good handle on your job, relationships, and other activities. When you are in control, you are more inclined to stay focused and calm. Plan your time wisely.
Remember to leave room for unexpected events – both negative and positive. Be adaptable in rearranging your agenda. Get up 15 minutes early in the morning. Allow an extra 15 minutes to get to all appointments.
Avoid procrastinating on important or urgent tasks. Whatever needs doing, do it immediately. Do the unpleasant tasks early, so that you won't have to worry about them for the rest of the day. Keep an appointment or record book. Don't just rely on your memory.
Do your tasks one thing at a time at a time. Focus your attention on the present moment, whether it's the person talking to you or the job at hand. This helps you to avoid making errors - which lead to more tension and anxiety. Be patient in waiting. Anxiety caused by impatience can rise up your blood pressure.
Say "no" to requests that you cannot accomplish. Delegate trivial tasks. You must remember that you don't have to do it all yourself. Crack a job into separate tasks and assign them to people with the suitable skills.
3. Work Out
Strive and get some habitual exercise such as brisk walking, swimming or whatever appeals to you. Play a sport you're interested in. Aerobic exercises can considerably reduce the stress factor. Work out also improves sleep and gives you time to think and focus on other things. It also promotes the release of natural soothing chemicals in your body. Do not result to excessive exercise, however, as this may have an adverse effect and might cause more depression.
4. Search Out For A Support Group.
You'll be able to manage stress much better if you have other people helping and supporting you. Did you know that married people and people who are outgoing (always meeting with friends), have considerably low levels of stress in their lives?
Choose positive friends who are not worriers. Friends who continually put you down or talk gloomily about life will increase your anxiety. Invite a good friend to help you talk out a problem and get it off your chest. A long-distance call to an old pal can be great therapy.
Pardon others instead of holding grudges. Slow down your standards – for yourself and others. Don't expect too much. Perfectionism is not the means to happiness. Become more flexible and adaptable to your environment. Communicate clearly with your co-workers and boss. Ask questions. Repeat instructions that you are given. Clarifying directions at the start of a project can save lots of time later rectifying out misunderstandings. Be honest in your dealings with others. Lying and cheating leads to stress.
5. Take Breaths Deeply and Slowly.
Calm down your muscles, escalating your stomach and chest. Exhale slowly. Do it again several times. Follow your breath as it flows in and out. Do not try to have power over it. This is a good way to relax in the midst of any activity. This practice allows you to find a breathing pattern that is natural and relaxing to you.
Make use of this yoga technique: Inhale slowly, counting to eight. Exhale through your mouth, even more slowly, counting to sixteen. Make a sighing sound as you exhale, and feel tension dissolve. Do it again 10 times.
6. Consume Healthy Foods at the Appropriate Time.
Never skip meals, especially breakfast. Get time out to eat heartily no matter how busy you are. Take nutritious snacks to the office, or even the shopping mall. A nutritionally balanced diet is essential to your health and lifestyle. For example, researchers have found that even small deficiencies of thiamin, a B-complex vitamin, can cause anxiety symptoms. Pantothenic acid, another B-complex vitamin, is critical during times of stress. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and large amounts of sweets, which can worsen symptoms of stress.
7. Live Optimistically.
Count your blessings, particularly when everything seems to go wrong. Believe that many other people are living in worse conditions than you are. Don't exaggerate the complexity of your problems. Every problem has a solution. All you need to do is find that solution. Learn to be happy and to enjoy life's blessings. Live one day at a time.
Here are 7 practical methods to combat stress:
1. Express Amusement And Be Happy.
Laugh hard and loud. If you don't have a sense of humor, find someone else who has. Laughter releases endorphins (happy chemicals) from the body, and it helps boost your immune system.
2. Take Control Over Your Time and Schedule.
You'll be much more able to deal with stress if
you have a good handle on your job, relationships, and other activities. When you are in control, you are more inclined to stay focused and calm. Plan your time wisely.
Remember to leave room for unexpected events – both negative and positive. Be adaptable in rearranging your agenda. Get up 15 minutes early in the morning. Allow an extra 15 minutes to get to all appointments.
Avoid procrastinating on important or urgent tasks. Whatever needs doing, do it immediately. Do the unpleasant tasks early, so that you won't have to worry about them for the rest of the day. Keep an appointment or record book. Don't just rely on your memory.
Do your tasks one thing at a time at a time. Focus your attention on the present moment, whether it's the person talking to you or the job at hand. This helps you to avoid making errors - which lead to more tension and anxiety. Be patient in waiting. Anxiety caused by impatience can rise up your blood pressure.
Say "no" to requests that you cannot accomplish. Delegate trivial tasks. You must remember that you don't have to do it all yourself. Crack a job into separate tasks and assign them to people with the suitable skills.
3. Work Out
Strive and get some habitual exercise such as brisk walking, swimming or whatever appeals to you. Play a sport you're interested in. Aerobic exercises can considerably reduce the stress factor. Work out also improves sleep and gives you time to think and focus on other things. It also promotes the release of natural soothing chemicals in your body. Do not result to excessive exercise, however, as this may have an adverse effect and might cause more depression.
4. Search Out For A Support Group.
You'll be able to manage stress much better if you have other people helping and supporting you. Did you know that married people and people who are outgoing (always meeting with friends), have considerably low levels of stress in their lives?
Choose positive friends who are not worriers. Friends who continually put you down or talk gloomily about life will increase your anxiety. Invite a good friend to help you talk out a problem and get it off your chest. A long-distance call to an old pal can be great therapy.
Pardon others instead of holding grudges. Slow down your standards – for yourself and others. Don't expect too much. Perfectionism is not the means to happiness. Become more flexible and adaptable to your environment. Communicate clearly with your co-workers and boss. Ask questions. Repeat instructions that you are given. Clarifying directions at the start of a project can save lots of time later rectifying out misunderstandings. Be honest in your dealings with others. Lying and cheating leads to stress.
5. Take Breaths Deeply and Slowly.
Calm down your muscles, escalating your stomach and chest. Exhale slowly. Do it again several times. Follow your breath as it flows in and out. Do not try to have power over it. This is a good way to relax in the midst of any activity. This practice allows you to find a breathing pattern that is natural and relaxing to you.
Make use of this yoga technique: Inhale slowly, counting to eight. Exhale through your mouth, even more slowly, counting to sixteen. Make a sighing sound as you exhale, and feel tension dissolve. Do it again 10 times.
6. Consume Healthy Foods at the Appropriate Time.
Never skip meals, especially breakfast. Get time out to eat heartily no matter how busy you are. Take nutritious snacks to the office, or even the shopping mall. A nutritionally balanced diet is essential to your health and lifestyle. For example, researchers have found that even small deficiencies of thiamin, a B-complex vitamin, can cause anxiety symptoms. Pantothenic acid, another B-complex vitamin, is critical during times of stress. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and large amounts of sweets, which can worsen symptoms of stress.
7. Live Optimistically.
Count your blessings, particularly when everything seems to go wrong. Believe that many other people are living in worse conditions than you are. Don't exaggerate the complexity of your problems. Every problem has a solution. All you need to do is find that solution. Learn to be happy and to enjoy life's blessings. Live one day at a time.
Is Christian Meditation a way to speak to God?
Christian meditation is a way of communicating with God. Christians can use this meditation to clear their minds of the busy thoughts of the day and concentrate solely on worshipping God and learning the truths of the Bible.
Centuries ago, monks began practicing Christian meditation by reading over verses in the Bible and then thinking about the truths in these verses. Often, they would say
the verses to God as a prayer. In this way, the monks learned to speak to God in prayer, and learned how to tell God their own thoughts and concerns. By meditating on Bible verses and praying to God, the monks trained their minds to always think about God. They called this "contemplation", and it helped them to have a close, loving relationship with God.
By following this method of communicating with God, the monks created what is called the "ladder of prayer". The rungs of the ladder included reading Bible verses, thinking about the truths in the verses, praying to God, and learning to think about God always.
In the 1900s, two types of Christian meditation were used. Using a mantra, or word that is repeated to help the Christian focus on God, was one type of meditation. An example of a mantra would be the word Maranatha, which is an Aramaic word for "come, Lord". Christians would also use what is called a Centering Prayer, which uses a sacred word or words to bring the Christian into God's presence. These two types of Christian meditation helped the people using them to take their focus off their own problems and to turn to God to hear what He had to say to them.
A woman named St. Theresa of Avila created five steps to help Christians focus on God when praying. These five steps are known as the five R's.
- The first R is Ready: this is the step in which the Christian realizes that he/she is in the presence of God. To be ready to continue in prayer, the Christian thanks God for the many blessings He gives, and confesses any sins.
- The second R is Read, and includes reading prayers, spiritual books, and the Bible.
- The third R is Reflect. In this step, the Christian focuses on what he/she has just read in order to come closer to God.
- The fourth R is Respond. It is at this step that the Christian speaks with God in an open and honest way about what he/she has been reading and thinking about. It is the most important step, as this is when God can share His wisdom and thoughts with the Christian.
- The fifth and final R is Resolve. This is when the Christian thanks God for what he/she has learned, and closes the time of prayer.
These different types of Christian meditation can all be useful in helping Christians to meet with God, come close to Him, and learn His truths. Christian meditation does not save a person from their sins; it is a tool that can be used by people who are already saved to build a stronger relationship with God.
Centuries ago, monks began practicing Christian meditation by reading over verses in the Bible and then thinking about the truths in these verses. Often, they would say
the verses to God as a prayer. In this way, the monks learned to speak to God in prayer, and learned how to tell God their own thoughts and concerns. By meditating on Bible verses and praying to God, the monks trained their minds to always think about God. They called this "contemplation", and it helped them to have a close, loving relationship with God.
By following this method of communicating with God, the monks created what is called the "ladder of prayer". The rungs of the ladder included reading Bible verses, thinking about the truths in the verses, praying to God, and learning to think about God always.
In the 1900s, two types of Christian meditation were used. Using a mantra, or word that is repeated to help the Christian focus on God, was one type of meditation. An example of a mantra would be the word Maranatha, which is an Aramaic word for "come, Lord". Christians would also use what is called a Centering Prayer, which uses a sacred word or words to bring the Christian into God's presence. These two types of Christian meditation helped the people using them to take their focus off their own problems and to turn to God to hear what He had to say to them.
A woman named St. Theresa of Avila created five steps to help Christians focus on God when praying. These five steps are known as the five R's.
- The first R is Ready: this is the step in which the Christian realizes that he/she is in the presence of God. To be ready to continue in prayer, the Christian thanks God for the many blessings He gives, and confesses any sins.
- The second R is Read, and includes reading prayers, spiritual books, and the Bible.
- The third R is Reflect. In this step, the Christian focuses on what he/she has just read in order to come closer to God.
- The fourth R is Respond. It is at this step that the Christian speaks with God in an open and honest way about what he/she has been reading and thinking about. It is the most important step, as this is when God can share His wisdom and thoughts with the Christian.
- The fifth and final R is Resolve. This is when the Christian thanks God for what he/she has learned, and closes the time of prayer.
These different types of Christian meditation can all be useful in helping Christians to meet with God, come close to Him, and learn His truths. Christian meditation does not save a person from their sins; it is a tool that can be used by people who are already saved to build a stronger relationship with God.
Proactive Acne Treatment: The Best Solution To Your Acne Problem
The tackling of acne eruptions on the skin can be given a thorough cleanup by using a vigorous proactive approach to its control and medication. The proactive acne treatment is
a combination therapy that studies all aspects of the acne problem in order to search out a viable solution.
The first step of proactive treatment in acne relies on the premise that the skin blemish is healed before further steps to check its reappearance are taken in hand. The start point of skin healing in the proactive approach is to examine the ways in which the skin can be cleaned, with the help of an effective skin cleanser.
The ideal cleanser to effect a healing of skin blemished by acne is one that will help exfoliate the skin and expose the dead skin cells. The exfoliated skin can then be treated with benzoyl peroxide as that will kill the bacteria causing acne to appear on the skin surface. The benzoyl will also be in a position to penetrate the skin pores as the cleanser has exfoliated the skin sufficiently. This action will not only heal the blemishes but also attack the bacteria, providing a curing and preventive action in one go.
With the immediate problem taken in hand the next stage of the three-way proactive approach to control acne is to choose an ideal skin toner. When shopping for the right product one should look for a skin toner that is alcohol free and is a water based toner. This kind of skin toner will help remove dead skin cells and unplug clogged pores, allowing the skin to remain healthy and acne free. It will also help in the removal of excess oil that usually forms on skins prone to acne eruptions. The application of such a skin tone on a regular basis will thus help balance the skin tone and maintain a skin that is acne free and free of oil imbalance and clogged pores.
In the final stages, when the healing effect is well on the course and the skin is limping back to its original health, steps have to be taken to assist the process and recover lost ground. In such state a repairing lotion must be applied regularly on the skin. The skin at this stage is acne free but the scars of blackheads and whiteheads are just skin deep. So the users are advised to apply oil-free repairing lotion that will heal blackheads and whiteheads, while making the skin glow and acne blemishes, a thing of the past.
a combination therapy that studies all aspects of the acne problem in order to search out a viable solution.
The first step of proactive treatment in acne relies on the premise that the skin blemish is healed before further steps to check its reappearance are taken in hand. The start point of skin healing in the proactive approach is to examine the ways in which the skin can be cleaned, with the help of an effective skin cleanser.
The ideal cleanser to effect a healing of skin blemished by acne is one that will help exfoliate the skin and expose the dead skin cells. The exfoliated skin can then be treated with benzoyl peroxide as that will kill the bacteria causing acne to appear on the skin surface. The benzoyl will also be in a position to penetrate the skin pores as the cleanser has exfoliated the skin sufficiently. This action will not only heal the blemishes but also attack the bacteria, providing a curing and preventive action in one go.
With the immediate problem taken in hand the next stage of the three-way proactive approach to control acne is to choose an ideal skin toner. When shopping for the right product one should look for a skin toner that is alcohol free and is a water based toner. This kind of skin toner will help remove dead skin cells and unplug clogged pores, allowing the skin to remain healthy and acne free. It will also help in the removal of excess oil that usually forms on skins prone to acne eruptions. The application of such a skin tone on a regular basis will thus help balance the skin tone and maintain a skin that is acne free and free of oil imbalance and clogged pores.
In the final stages, when the healing effect is well on the course and the skin is limping back to its original health, steps have to be taken to assist the process and recover lost ground. In such state a repairing lotion must be applied regularly on the skin. The skin at this stage is acne free but the scars of blackheads and whiteheads are just skin deep. So the users are advised to apply oil-free repairing lotion that will heal blackheads and whiteheads, while making the skin glow and acne blemishes, a thing of the past.
Mineral Makeup (info you should know)
Mineral makeup is made from all natural minerals that come from the earth. Most of them are a combination of serecite, mica, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are natural sun blocking agents and are used in almost every bulk store bough
t sun block or lotion you can buy. Most minerals are also water proof so the hold of mineral makeup is usually all day with little or no touch up needed.
The minerals used in the makeup are very finely milled into a powder that is micro-fine and will blend well into the skin and look very natural. An outstanding range of colors in the minerals make it possible for mineral makeup manufacturers to offer a vast array of colors. A virtual rainbow has been made from blush, eye shadows, lipsticks, and foundation in hundreds of shades. It's easy to buy two or three different foundation shades and blend them for a custom color of your own because minerals blend very easily together.
Because our cosmetic grade minerals are so finely milled they won't clog your pores, and if some of them do happen to get into the blood stream, don't worry, after all they're all natural and they are completely safe for the body. Many doctors and dermatologists have proclaimed mineral makeup as the skin care makeup because it is so healthy for the skin and does not aggravate acne and it covers blemishes, acne, large pores, and scars very effectively.
If you're interested in a safe and natural alternative to chemical, oil and preservative laden makeup, minerals may be something for you to look in to.
You can find more information on Mineral Makeup at http://www.cmhessentials.com. Get the facts, ingredients, benefits as well as the makeup.
t sun block or lotion you can buy. Most minerals are also water proof so the hold of mineral makeup is usually all day with little or no touch up needed.
The minerals used in the makeup are very finely milled into a powder that is micro-fine and will blend well into the skin and look very natural. An outstanding range of colors in the minerals make it possible for mineral makeup manufacturers to offer a vast array of colors. A virtual rainbow has been made from blush, eye shadows, lipsticks, and foundation in hundreds of shades. It's easy to buy two or three different foundation shades and blend them for a custom color of your own because minerals blend very easily together.
Because our cosmetic grade minerals are so finely milled they won't clog your pores, and if some of them do happen to get into the blood stream, don't worry, after all they're all natural and they are completely safe for the body. Many doctors and dermatologists have proclaimed mineral makeup as the skin care makeup because it is so healthy for the skin and does not aggravate acne and it covers blemishes, acne, large pores, and scars very effectively.
If you're interested in a safe and natural alternative to chemical, oil and preservative laden makeup, minerals may be something for you to look in to.
You can find more information on Mineral Makeup at http://www.cmhessentials.com. Get the facts, ingredients, benefits as well as the makeup.
Dating Advice For Men - Essential Guide
When it comes to dating, it's not just the women who worry about, will he like me, will we get on, what shall I wear etc etc. In actual fact, most man go through all the above fears just like women do. It would be nice if we could read just one book or article
and know everything we need to know about women, relationships and dating. Unfortunately it doesn't work that way.
The best dating advice often seems to come from people who have been in the same situations as ourselves and have gained some comforting wisdom that we can relate to.
When dating, the thing we should always remember is that advice is simply what someone else thinks might assist you. The person giving this advice may not necessarily have any idea of your true state of mind of your particular circumstances, therefore it is always important to take note of what advice you have been given, others opinions are valuable, as it may help you to form your own opinion on what's right for you.
Below are some helpful hints and advice, some may suit you and others may not. Remember these hints are not set in stone, you may want to adjust some to suit your own personal goals.
1. The worst thing you could do when going on a date is to turn up unshaven and looking dirty. You would be appalled if she turned up in the same state. It may be fickle but unfortunately it's true appearances count for a lot.
2. Whatever you do, don't turn up late, you will definitely give her the wrong impression. Not only will she think you've stood her up, she will also think you're unreliable.
3. Be a gentleman, open the door for her, pull out her chair in the restaurant. Women like to feel special, treat her like a lady and you'll do well.
4. Compliment her. A woman loves to be complimented, even if she doesn't show it. Don't go overboard though, but let her feel you are attracted to her.
5. Ask questions and genuinely listen to her answers. After all you are going on a date to get to know her. There is nothing more that a woman likes than when someone is interested in what they have to say.
6. Prepare yourself for the date. Think about what it is you would like to find out about her. Also think about what she might ask you. The last thing you want is for the conversation to dry up half way into the date.
7. It is advisable that you dont bring up adult matters or sex toys for example on at least the first 3 dates. In the long run this can only do you good and she will certainly be more interested in you if you hold back.
8. When it comes to paying the bill, offer to pay. If she insists on paying, then offer to go halves and split the bill.
9. What about the goodnight kiss? Some women prefer not to kiss after a first date, while others will be disappointed if you don't. Judge the situation for yourself, her body language will give you a good idea of what's right.
10. When leaving, only ask for her number or tell her you will call if you really mean it. In the long run this will be best for both of you. If you do like her and are interested, then don't be afraid to let her know.
and know everything we need to know about women, relationships and dating. Unfortunately it doesn't work that way.
The best dating advice often seems to come from people who have been in the same situations as ourselves and have gained some comforting wisdom that we can relate to.
When dating, the thing we should always remember is that advice is simply what someone else thinks might assist you. The person giving this advice may not necessarily have any idea of your true state of mind of your particular circumstances, therefore it is always important to take note of what advice you have been given, others opinions are valuable, as it may help you to form your own opinion on what's right for you.
Below are some helpful hints and advice, some may suit you and others may not. Remember these hints are not set in stone, you may want to adjust some to suit your own personal goals.
1. The worst thing you could do when going on a date is to turn up unshaven and looking dirty. You would be appalled if she turned up in the same state. It may be fickle but unfortunately it's true appearances count for a lot.
2. Whatever you do, don't turn up late, you will definitely give her the wrong impression. Not only will she think you've stood her up, she will also think you're unreliable.
3. Be a gentleman, open the door for her, pull out her chair in the restaurant. Women like to feel special, treat her like a lady and you'll do well.
4. Compliment her. A woman loves to be complimented, even if she doesn't show it. Don't go overboard though, but let her feel you are attracted to her.
5. Ask questions and genuinely listen to her answers. After all you are going on a date to get to know her. There is nothing more that a woman likes than when someone is interested in what they have to say.
6. Prepare yourself for the date. Think about what it is you would like to find out about her. Also think about what she might ask you. The last thing you want is for the conversation to dry up half way into the date.
7. It is advisable that you dont bring up adult matters or sex toys for example on at least the first 3 dates. In the long run this can only do you good and she will certainly be more interested in you if you hold back.
8. When it comes to paying the bill, offer to pay. If she insists on paying, then offer to go halves and split the bill.
9. What about the goodnight kiss? Some women prefer not to kiss after a first date, while others will be disappointed if you don't. Judge the situation for yourself, her body language will give you a good idea of what's right.
10. When leaving, only ask for her number or tell her you will call if you really mean it. In the long run this will be best for both of you. If you do like her and are interested, then don't be afraid to let her know.
A Guide To General Female Health
A number of novels and stories of the early 18th and 19th centuries often portray women as mad and irrational beings, thus, espousing the creation of mad women literature. But,
modern medicine dispels this "mad" attribute. By establishing that women's hormones are more sensitive and susceptible to change than that of men, more attention is given to female health. Menstruation, menopause, PMS, and perimenopause - these are all part and parcel of general health topics related to women. Aside from that similarity of being part of female health, these phenomena are due to one thing: hormonal changes. Hormones are fickle, they change with the slightest variation in diets or physical activity. Sometimes even emotional upheavals are enough to make women's hormones go haywire. Researchers on female health come up with studies on the relationship of female psycho-emotional well-being and their physical health. More often than not, hormones are the established links between this relationship.
Hormonal imbalances are the usual culprits for a number of health disorders in women. Although some of the symptoms are associated with other illnesses, their root remains to be unbalanced hormones. As varied as general health topics are, they range from physical manifestations to psychological and emotional troubles. Physical manifestations of hormonal imbalances include fatigue, weakness, weight gain, weight loss, digestive problems, hot flashes, and joint pain. Other symptoms are more pronounced and less insidious like hair loss and dry skin. Unfortunately, with the demands of career and family life, women often ignore these symptoms as merely due to excess work and overall tiredness. Some attempt to cure their symptoms with remedies and rest that do not work. Hormonal imbalances need medical attention and hormonal supplements to be treated properly. Otherwise, symptoms grow worse with heart palpitations, increased nausea, urinary dysfunction, breast pain, and vaginal dryness. Extreme cases even include changes in menstrual periods with the affected person either suffering from extended periods and bleeding or have total absence of periods.<
If the symptoms and conditions above are bad enough, they are just the hormonal imbalances' physical aspect. Usually cropping up as manifestations of other psychological disorders, the psycho-emotional aspect of these imbalances are often disruptive. There are documented cases wherein afflicted persons confess of being unable to function at their normal level because of the symptoms. Some of the minor symptoms include cravings and mood swings. However, if the symptoms do not receive treatment, they progress to worse conditions like lack of sexual desire, depression, insomnia, and unclear reasoning. It's no wonder that general health topics and concerns about women often include well-being exercises.
But, these imbalances are not permanent afflictions. With proper diet, exercise, supplements, and counseling, women are able to get their hormones back on track. However, early detection is a key factor in treating hormonal imbalances. It is therefore important not to dismiss the symptoms as just belonging to general health topics or issues. Hormonal imbalances are not just topics -- they are real, and they happen to more women everyday.
modern medicine dispels this "mad" attribute. By establishing that women's hormones are more sensitive and susceptible to change than that of men, more attention is given to female health. Menstruation, menopause, PMS, and perimenopause - these are all part and parcel of general health topics related to women. Aside from that similarity of being part of female health, these phenomena are due to one thing: hormonal changes. Hormones are fickle, they change with the slightest variation in diets or physical activity. Sometimes even emotional upheavals are enough to make women's hormones go haywire. Researchers on female health come up with studies on the relationship of female psycho-emotional well-being and their physical health. More often than not, hormones are the established links between this relationship.
Hormonal imbalances are the usual culprits for a number of health disorders in women. Although some of the symptoms are associated with other illnesses, their root remains to be unbalanced hormones. As varied as general health topics are, they range from physical manifestations to psychological and emotional troubles. Physical manifestations of hormonal imbalances include fatigue, weakness, weight gain, weight loss, digestive problems, hot flashes, and joint pain. Other symptoms are more pronounced and less insidious like hair loss and dry skin. Unfortunately, with the demands of career and family life, women often ignore these symptoms as merely due to excess work and overall tiredness. Some attempt to cure their symptoms with remedies and rest that do not work. Hormonal imbalances need medical attention and hormonal supplements to be treated properly. Otherwise, symptoms grow worse with heart palpitations, increased nausea, urinary dysfunction, breast pain, and vaginal dryness. Extreme cases even include changes in menstrual periods with the affected person either suffering from extended periods and bleeding or have total absence of periods.<
If the symptoms and conditions above are bad enough, they are just the hormonal imbalances' physical aspect. Usually cropping up as manifestations of other psychological disorders, the psycho-emotional aspect of these imbalances are often disruptive. There are documented cases wherein afflicted persons confess of being unable to function at their normal level because of the symptoms. Some of the minor symptoms include cravings and mood swings. However, if the symptoms do not receive treatment, they progress to worse conditions like lack of sexual desire, depression, insomnia, and unclear reasoning. It's no wonder that general health topics and concerns about women often include well-being exercises.
But, these imbalances are not permanent afflictions. With proper diet, exercise, supplements, and counseling, women are able to get their hormones back on track. However, early detection is a key factor in treating hormonal imbalances. It is therefore important not to dismiss the symptoms as just belonging to general health topics or issues. Hormonal imbalances are not just topics -- they are real, and they happen to more women everyday.
Trusting Your Inner Guidance
When we begin to feel lost or confused about various aspects of our lives, our first instinct is to search for direction. We feel sure that the answers
we need are out there somewhere, and finding them will help us to know the right way to turn.
While seeking advice and guidance from others can be helpful at times, it is not always the best way to help ourselves. Rather than relying on someone else to tell us our truth, we can instead choose to look within and find the answers inside ourselves. Each of us has been given the gift of an inner advisor that will never steer us wrong.
This inner advisor is not pushy, however. He or she will not speak up unless we ask for help. When we finally open our hearts and minds to hear what our inner advisor has to say, the wisdom will begin to flow freely and our lives will begin to change for the better.
So, how do we tap this wealth of wisdom? Is there a request form we need to fill out somewhere? No, it's even easier than that, thank goodness. Following are tips to help you connect with your inner guidance and use it to create your best life:
1) Create a Harmonious Forum - our inner guidance flourishes in peaceful, quiet surroundings. If you've got a lot of noise and chaos around you, you won't be able to tap in and hear the wisdom waiting for you. Try to find a quiet place that you can relax in. You can also surround yourself with beauty by bringing in some fresh flowers, scented candles or incense, or even some soothing artwork. Whatever will help put you in a calm, peaceful mood.
2) Turn Within - if you're not a regular meditator, this can be tricky at first. You might wonder what the heck you're supposed to be turning "toward," or focusing on. The answer is simple: nothing. Focus on nothing. Simply close your eyes and turn your attention inward, to the silence within you. Random thoughts will probably keep popping in, but gently push them back out and return your attention to the silence.
3) Listen for Wisdom - if you've got a specific situation you're struggling with, this would be a good time to think about it. Try to do so without judgment, and without trying to come to any conclusions. Just ponder the issue and practice acceptance for what it is at this moment. Then ask yourself, "What would be the best course of action for me at this time?" Consider the possibilities before you, and think about how each one makes you feel. Most often, you will notice a difference between something that feels right, and something that feels wrong.
4) Let the Solution Materialize - if you don't recieve any insights initially, put the issue aside for awhile. By going through this process, you've already tapped into your inner guidance and asked for help. Even if the answer doesn't appear immediately, it will eventually. And in my experience, it doesn't take long! Just make an effort to stay open to the answer when it arrives. It will usually arrive in a flash of inspiration or insight that makes you say, "Ah ha!" Or perhaps it will be more along the lines of a subtle gut feeling, where you just know that one particular course of action "feels" right.
5) Act from the Heart - once you know what you need to do, act with confidence. Don't let worries or fears hold you back. Believe that your inner guidance knows what's best for you, and move forward with courage. Remember that there are truly no right or wrong paths in life, only experiences that we can learn from. By at least examining your options and considering which path is right for you at this time, you are making a wiser decision than you would otherwise.
At all times, strive to be your own master. There is nothing wrong with seeking knowledge and insight from others, but you aren't bound to mindlessly follow where they lead, either. You have the ability to find your own way and decide what's best for you. In your quest for knowledge, you will come across information that feels right to you, and information that doesn't seem to make sense. Use discernment and understand that there are many truths. You just have to find yours.
we need are out there somewhere, and finding them will help us to know the right way to turn.
While seeking advice and guidance from others can be helpful at times, it is not always the best way to help ourselves. Rather than relying on someone else to tell us our truth, we can instead choose to look within and find the answers inside ourselves. Each of us has been given the gift of an inner advisor that will never steer us wrong.
This inner advisor is not pushy, however. He or she will not speak up unless we ask for help. When we finally open our hearts and minds to hear what our inner advisor has to say, the wisdom will begin to flow freely and our lives will begin to change for the better.
So, how do we tap this wealth of wisdom? Is there a request form we need to fill out somewhere? No, it's even easier than that, thank goodness. Following are tips to help you connect with your inner guidance and use it to create your best life:
1) Create a Harmonious Forum - our inner guidance flourishes in peaceful, quiet surroundings. If you've got a lot of noise and chaos around you, you won't be able to tap in and hear the wisdom waiting for you. Try to find a quiet place that you can relax in. You can also surround yourself with beauty by bringing in some fresh flowers, scented candles or incense, or even some soothing artwork. Whatever will help put you in a calm, peaceful mood.
2) Turn Within - if you're not a regular meditator, this can be tricky at first. You might wonder what the heck you're supposed to be turning "toward," or focusing on. The answer is simple: nothing. Focus on nothing. Simply close your eyes and turn your attention inward, to the silence within you. Random thoughts will probably keep popping in, but gently push them back out and return your attention to the silence.
3) Listen for Wisdom - if you've got a specific situation you're struggling with, this would be a good time to think about it. Try to do so without judgment, and without trying to come to any conclusions. Just ponder the issue and practice acceptance for what it is at this moment. Then ask yourself, "What would be the best course of action for me at this time?" Consider the possibilities before you, and think about how each one makes you feel. Most often, you will notice a difference between something that feels right, and something that feels wrong.
4) Let the Solution Materialize - if you don't recieve any insights initially, put the issue aside for awhile. By going through this process, you've already tapped into your inner guidance and asked for help. Even if the answer doesn't appear immediately, it will eventually. And in my experience, it doesn't take long! Just make an effort to stay open to the answer when it arrives. It will usually arrive in a flash of inspiration or insight that makes you say, "Ah ha!" Or perhaps it will be more along the lines of a subtle gut feeling, where you just know that one particular course of action "feels" right.
5) Act from the Heart - once you know what you need to do, act with confidence. Don't let worries or fears hold you back. Believe that your inner guidance knows what's best for you, and move forward with courage. Remember that there are truly no right or wrong paths in life, only experiences that we can learn from. By at least examining your options and considering which path is right for you at this time, you are making a wiser decision than you would otherwise.
At all times, strive to be your own master. There is nothing wrong with seeking knowledge and insight from others, but you aren't bound to mindlessly follow where they lead, either. You have the ability to find your own way and decide what's best for you. In your quest for knowledge, you will come across information that feels right to you, and information that doesn't seem to make sense. Use discernment and understand that there are many truths. You just have to find yours.
Four Cognitive Skills for Successful Learning
The word "cognition" is defined as "the act of knowing" or "knowledge." Cognitive skills therefore refer to those skills that make it possible for us to know.
It should be noted that there is nothing that any human
being knows, or can do, that he has not learned. This of course excludes natural body functions, such as breathing, as well as the reflexes, for example the involuntary closing of the eye when an object approaches it. But apart from that a human being knows nothing, or cannot do anything, that he has not learned. Therefore, all cognitive skills must be TAUGHT, of which the following cognitive skills are the most important:
CONCENTRATION
Paying attention must be distinguished from concentration. Paying attention is a body function, and therefore does not need to be taught. However, paying attention as such is a function that is quite useless for the act of learning, because it is only a fleeting occurrence. Attention usually shifts very quickly from one object or one thing to the next. The child must first be taught to focus his attention on something and to keep his attention focused on this something for some length of time. When a person focuses his attention for any length of time, we refer to it as concentration.
Concentration rests on two legs. First, it is an act of will and cannot take place automatically. Second, it is also a cognitive skill, and therefore has to be taught.
Although learning disability specialists acknowledge that "the ability to concentrate and attend to a task for a prolonged period of time is essential for the student to receive necessary information and complete certain academic activities," it seems that the ability to concentrate is regarded as a "fafrotsky" -- a word coined by Ivan T. Sanderson, and standing for "things that FAll FROm The SKY." Concentration must be taught, after which one's proficiency can be constantly improved by regular and sustained practice.
PERCEPTION
The terms "processing" and "perception" are often used interchangeably.
Before one can learn anything, perception must take place, i.e. one has to become aware of it through one of the senses. Usually one has to hear or see it. Subsequently one has to interpret whatever one has seen or heard. In essence then, perception means interpretation. Of course, lack of experience may cause a person to misinterpret what he has seen or heard. In other words, perception represents our apprehension of a present situation in terms of our past experiences, or, as stated by the philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804): "We see things not as they are but as we are."
The following situation will illustrate how perception correlates with previous experience:
Suppose a person parked his car and walks away from it while continuing to look back at it. As he goes further and further away from his car, it will appear to him as if his car is gradually getting smaller and smaller. In such a situation none of us, however, would gasp in horror and cry out, "My car is shrinking!" Although the sensory perception is that the car is shrinking rapidly, we do not interpret that the car is changing size. Through past experiences we have learned that objects do not grow or shrink as we walk toward or away from them. You have learned that their actual size remains constant, despite the illusion. Even when one is five blocks away from one's car and it seems no larger than one's fingernail, one would interpret it as that it is still one's car and that it hasn't actually changed size. This learned perception is known as size constancy.
Pygmies, however, who live deep in the rain forests of tropical Africa, are not often exposed to wide vistas and distant horizons, and therefore do not have sufficient opportunities to learn size constancy. One Pygmy, removed from his usual environment, was convinced he was seeing a swarm of insects when he was actually looking at a herd of buffalo at a great distance. When driven toward the animals he was frightened to see the insects "grow" into buffalo and was sure that some form of witchcraft had been at work.
A person needs to INTERPRET sensory phenomena, and this can only be done on the basis of past experience of the same, similar or related phenomena. Perceptual ability, therefore, heavily depends upon the amount of perceptual practice and experience that the subject has already enjoyed. This implies that perception is a cognitive skill that can be improved tremendously through judicious practice and experience.
MEMORY
A variety of memory problems are evidenced in the learning disabled. Some major categories of memory functions wherein these problems lie are:
Receptive memory: This refers to the ability to note the physical features of a given stimulus to be able to recognize it at a later time. The child who has receptive processing difficulties invariably fails to recognize visual or auditory stimuli such as the shapes or sounds associated with the letters of the alphabet, the number system, etc.
Sequential memory: This refers to the ability to recall stimuli in their order of observation or presentation. Many dyslexics have poor visual sequential memory. Naturally this will affect their ability to read and spell correctly. After all, every word consists of letters in a specific sequence. In order to read one has to perceive the letters in sequence, and also remember what word is represented by that sequence of letters. By simply changing the sequence of the letters in "name" it can become "mean" or "amen". Some also have poor auditory sequential memory, and therefore may be unable to repeat longer words orally without getting the syllables in the wrong order, for example words like "preliminary" and "statistical".
Rote memory: This refers to the ability to learn certain information as a habit pattern. The child who has problems in this area is unable to recall with ease those responses which should have been automatic, such as the alphabet, the number system, multiplication tables, spelling rules, grammatical rules, etc.
Short-term memory: Short-term memory lasts from a few seconds to a minute; the exact amount of time may vary somewhat. When you are trying to recall a telephone number that was heard a few seconds earlier, the name of a person who has just been introduced, or the substance of the remarks just made by a teacher in class, you are calling on short-term memory. You need this kind of memory to retain ideas and thoughts when writing a letter, since you must be able to keep the last sentence in mind as you compose the next. You also need this kind of memory when you work on problems. Suppose a problem required that we first add two numbers together (step 1: add 15 + 27) and next divide the sum (step 2: divide sum by 2). If we did this problem in our heads, we would need to retain the result of step 1 (42) momentarily, while we apply the next step (divide by 2). Some space in our short-term memory is necessary to retain the results of step 1.
Long-term memory: This refers to the ability to retrieve information of things learned in the past.
Until the learning disabled develop adequate skills in recalling information, they will continue to face each learning situation as though it is a new one. No real progress can be attained by either the child or the teacher when the same ground has to be covered over and over because the child has forgotten. It would appear that the most critical need that the learning disabled have is to be helped to develop an effective processing system for remembering, because without it their performance will always remain at a level much below what their capabilities indicate.
Strangely, though, while memory is universally considered a prerequisite skill to successful learning, attempts to delineate its process in the learning disabled are few, and fewer still are methods to systematically improve it.
LOGICAL THINKING
In his book "Brain Building" Dr. Karl Albrecht states that logical thinking is not a magical process or a matter of genetic endowment, but a learned mental process. It is the process in which one uses reasoning consistently to come to a conclusion. Problems or situations that involve logical thinking call for structure, for relationships between facts, and for chains of reasoning that "make sense."
The basis of all logical thinking is sequential thought, says Dr. Albrecht. This process involves taking the important ideas, facts, and conclusions involved in a problem and arranging them in a chain-like progression that takes on a meaning in and of itself. To think logically is to think in steps.
Logical thinking is also an important foundational skill of math. "Learning mathematics is a highly sequential process," says Dr. Albrecht. "If you don't grasp a certain concept, fact, or procedure, you can never hope to grasp others that come later, which depend upon it. For example, to understand fractions you must first understand division. To understand simple equations in algebra requires that you understand fractions. Solving 'word problems' depends on knowing how to set up and manipulate equations, and so on."
It has been proven that specific training in logical thinking processes can make people "smarter." Logical thinking allows a child to reject quick and easy answers, such as "I don't know," or "this is too difficult," by empowering him to delve deeper into his thinking processes and understand better the methods used to arrive at a solution.
It should be noted that there is nothing that any human
being knows, or can do, that he has not learned. This of course excludes natural body functions, such as breathing, as well as the reflexes, for example the involuntary closing of the eye when an object approaches it. But apart from that a human being knows nothing, or cannot do anything, that he has not learned. Therefore, all cognitive skills must be TAUGHT, of which the following cognitive skills are the most important:
CONCENTRATION
Paying attention must be distinguished from concentration. Paying attention is a body function, and therefore does not need to be taught. However, paying attention as such is a function that is quite useless for the act of learning, because it is only a fleeting occurrence. Attention usually shifts very quickly from one object or one thing to the next. The child must first be taught to focus his attention on something and to keep his attention focused on this something for some length of time. When a person focuses his attention for any length of time, we refer to it as concentration.
Concentration rests on two legs. First, it is an act of will and cannot take place automatically. Second, it is also a cognitive skill, and therefore has to be taught.
Although learning disability specialists acknowledge that "the ability to concentrate and attend to a task for a prolonged period of time is essential for the student to receive necessary information and complete certain academic activities," it seems that the ability to concentrate is regarded as a "fafrotsky" -- a word coined by Ivan T. Sanderson, and standing for "things that FAll FROm The SKY." Concentration must be taught, after which one's proficiency can be constantly improved by regular and sustained practice.
PERCEPTION
The terms "processing" and "perception" are often used interchangeably.
Before one can learn anything, perception must take place, i.e. one has to become aware of it through one of the senses. Usually one has to hear or see it. Subsequently one has to interpret whatever one has seen or heard. In essence then, perception means interpretation. Of course, lack of experience may cause a person to misinterpret what he has seen or heard. In other words, perception represents our apprehension of a present situation in terms of our past experiences, or, as stated by the philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804): "We see things not as they are but as we are."
The following situation will illustrate how perception correlates with previous experience:
Suppose a person parked his car and walks away from it while continuing to look back at it. As he goes further and further away from his car, it will appear to him as if his car is gradually getting smaller and smaller. In such a situation none of us, however, would gasp in horror and cry out, "My car is shrinking!" Although the sensory perception is that the car is shrinking rapidly, we do not interpret that the car is changing size. Through past experiences we have learned that objects do not grow or shrink as we walk toward or away from them. You have learned that their actual size remains constant, despite the illusion. Even when one is five blocks away from one's car and it seems no larger than one's fingernail, one would interpret it as that it is still one's car and that it hasn't actually changed size. This learned perception is known as size constancy.
Pygmies, however, who live deep in the rain forests of tropical Africa, are not often exposed to wide vistas and distant horizons, and therefore do not have sufficient opportunities to learn size constancy. One Pygmy, removed from his usual environment, was convinced he was seeing a swarm of insects when he was actually looking at a herd of buffalo at a great distance. When driven toward the animals he was frightened to see the insects "grow" into buffalo and was sure that some form of witchcraft had been at work.
A person needs to INTERPRET sensory phenomena, and this can only be done on the basis of past experience of the same, similar or related phenomena. Perceptual ability, therefore, heavily depends upon the amount of perceptual practice and experience that the subject has already enjoyed. This implies that perception is a cognitive skill that can be improved tremendously through judicious practice and experience.
MEMORY
A variety of memory problems are evidenced in the learning disabled. Some major categories of memory functions wherein these problems lie are:
Receptive memory: This refers to the ability to note the physical features of a given stimulus to be able to recognize it at a later time. The child who has receptive processing difficulties invariably fails to recognize visual or auditory stimuli such as the shapes or sounds associated with the letters of the alphabet, the number system, etc.
Sequential memory: This refers to the ability to recall stimuli in their order of observation or presentation. Many dyslexics have poor visual sequential memory. Naturally this will affect their ability to read and spell correctly. After all, every word consists of letters in a specific sequence. In order to read one has to perceive the letters in sequence, and also remember what word is represented by that sequence of letters. By simply changing the sequence of the letters in "name" it can become "mean" or "amen". Some also have poor auditory sequential memory, and therefore may be unable to repeat longer words orally without getting the syllables in the wrong order, for example words like "preliminary" and "statistical".
Rote memory: This refers to the ability to learn certain information as a habit pattern. The child who has problems in this area is unable to recall with ease those responses which should have been automatic, such as the alphabet, the number system, multiplication tables, spelling rules, grammatical rules, etc.
Short-term memory: Short-term memory lasts from a few seconds to a minute; the exact amount of time may vary somewhat. When you are trying to recall a telephone number that was heard a few seconds earlier, the name of a person who has just been introduced, or the substance of the remarks just made by a teacher in class, you are calling on short-term memory. You need this kind of memory to retain ideas and thoughts when writing a letter, since you must be able to keep the last sentence in mind as you compose the next. You also need this kind of memory when you work on problems. Suppose a problem required that we first add two numbers together (step 1: add 15 + 27) and next divide the sum (step 2: divide sum by 2). If we did this problem in our heads, we would need to retain the result of step 1 (42) momentarily, while we apply the next step (divide by 2). Some space in our short-term memory is necessary to retain the results of step 1.
Long-term memory: This refers to the ability to retrieve information of things learned in the past.
Until the learning disabled develop adequate skills in recalling information, they will continue to face each learning situation as though it is a new one. No real progress can be attained by either the child or the teacher when the same ground has to be covered over and over because the child has forgotten. It would appear that the most critical need that the learning disabled have is to be helped to develop an effective processing system for remembering, because without it their performance will always remain at a level much below what their capabilities indicate.
Strangely, though, while memory is universally considered a prerequisite skill to successful learning, attempts to delineate its process in the learning disabled are few, and fewer still are methods to systematically improve it.
LOGICAL THINKING
In his book "Brain Building" Dr. Karl Albrecht states that logical thinking is not a magical process or a matter of genetic endowment, but a learned mental process. It is the process in which one uses reasoning consistently to come to a conclusion. Problems or situations that involve logical thinking call for structure, for relationships between facts, and for chains of reasoning that "make sense."
The basis of all logical thinking is sequential thought, says Dr. Albrecht. This process involves taking the important ideas, facts, and conclusions involved in a problem and arranging them in a chain-like progression that takes on a meaning in and of itself. To think logically is to think in steps.
Logical thinking is also an important foundational skill of math. "Learning mathematics is a highly sequential process," says Dr. Albrecht. "If you don't grasp a certain concept, fact, or procedure, you can never hope to grasp others that come later, which depend upon it. For example, to understand fractions you must first understand division. To understand simple equations in algebra requires that you understand fractions. Solving 'word problems' depends on knowing how to set up and manipulate equations, and so on."
It has been proven that specific training in logical thinking processes can make people "smarter." Logical thinking allows a child to reject quick and easy answers, such as "I don't know," or "this is too difficult," by empowering him to delve deeper into his thinking processes and understand better the methods used to arrive at a solution.
Green Tea: Natures Miracle Heath Drink
"Camellia Sinensis" or Green Tea is rich in Catechins, which are antioxidants. The best variety is said to originate from tea farms in China
, especially those protected from pesticides. It is best to drink pure green tea without preservatives or other artificial flavors.
Teas have been found to have powerful effects on levels of cholesterol in the blood stream and on your health in general. Green tea in particular can also help in battling cancer. In Japan, it was discovered that drinking 10 or more cups of green tea daily delays the onset of cancer by some nine years among women and about three years in men.
Another source of good green tea is the high-grade tea sold at Japanese Tea Online. These are delicious teas and contain large amounts of polyphenols and flavoniods (catechins which are also immune system boosters), and natural vitamins and minerals. Catechins destroy free radicals. Green tea also has carotenoids, chlorophyll, polysaccharides natural vitamins C and E, manganese, potassium, and zinc, all essential to your health. Pure green tea is said to be 100 times more effective than vitamin C from other sources, and 25 times better than vitamin E from other sources.
You may find green tea mixed with other medicinal herbs in leading drug stores, but rarely can you find pure green tea sold alone. Green tea is usually sold in tea bags, but modern processing has made possible its liquefied form in bottles, and also its powdered form in sachet packages, without damaging its health and healing benefits.<
Green tea and other natural food supplements carry micronutrients that feed your immune system and strengthen your body cells. When the immune system becomes stronger, tissue and cell repair is enhanced in a way that the body retains the ability to heal itself; thus, ailments and even serious diseases are healed. It is not the food supplement itself that heals, but the empowered immune system.
A Japanese monk, Eisai, wrote in 1211 AD that (green) tea is a miraculous medicine for the maintenance of health. "Tea has the extraordinary power to prolong life. Anywhere a person cultivates tea, long life will follow."
Eisai further wrote that tea in general was known as an elixir that created the "immortal" mountain dwellers.
In the 16th century, European explorers were said to have found that tea, especially green tea, was used to treat fever, headache, joint pains, and stomachaches and some other health ailments.Green tea, according to modern nutritionists and herbal medicine experts, can help prevent high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, heart ailments, skin diseases, and lung ailments. It actually delays the aging process. It eliminates distress by refreshing your mind and body.
, especially those protected from pesticides. It is best to drink pure green tea without preservatives or other artificial flavors.
Teas have been found to have powerful effects on levels of cholesterol in the blood stream and on your health in general. Green tea in particular can also help in battling cancer. In Japan, it was discovered that drinking 10 or more cups of green tea daily delays the onset of cancer by some nine years among women and about three years in men.
Another source of good green tea is the high-grade tea sold at Japanese Tea Online. These are delicious teas and contain large amounts of polyphenols and flavoniods (catechins which are also immune system boosters), and natural vitamins and minerals. Catechins destroy free radicals. Green tea also has carotenoids, chlorophyll, polysaccharides natural vitamins C and E, manganese, potassium, and zinc, all essential to your health. Pure green tea is said to be 100 times more effective than vitamin C from other sources, and 25 times better than vitamin E from other sources.
You may find green tea mixed with other medicinal herbs in leading drug stores, but rarely can you find pure green tea sold alone. Green tea is usually sold in tea bags, but modern processing has made possible its liquefied form in bottles, and also its powdered form in sachet packages, without damaging its health and healing benefits.<
Green tea and other natural food supplements carry micronutrients that feed your immune system and strengthen your body cells. When the immune system becomes stronger, tissue and cell repair is enhanced in a way that the body retains the ability to heal itself; thus, ailments and even serious diseases are healed. It is not the food supplement itself that heals, but the empowered immune system.
A Japanese monk, Eisai, wrote in 1211 AD that (green) tea is a miraculous medicine for the maintenance of health. "Tea has the extraordinary power to prolong life. Anywhere a person cultivates tea, long life will follow."
Eisai further wrote that tea in general was known as an elixir that created the "immortal" mountain dwellers.
In the 16th century, European explorers were said to have found that tea, especially green tea, was used to treat fever, headache, joint pains, and stomachaches and some other health ailments.Green tea, according to modern nutritionists and herbal medicine experts, can help prevent high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, heart ailments, skin diseases, and lung ailments. It actually delays the aging process. It eliminates distress by refreshing your mind and body.
Military Psychology: The Latest Developments
Aside from the billions of dollars spent on military hardware like planes, submarines, aircraft carriers and state of the art missiles, militaries and armed forces of the United States of America has also relied on military psychology to further boost its war time efforts to finish of battles
and gather intelligence.
This form of war strategy is very effective and applied to captured prisoners of war but the sad thing is that military psychological techniques and strategies usually is accompanied by torture. It is a part of the three elements needed to break down a POW's conviction, Psychology, Torture and Interrogation.
This has been very much in use in the Vietnam war. Where in captured communist rebels would be subjected to psychological strategies to find out the location of their bunkers and camps. Unfortunately, the rebels had the same idea. Captured American soldiers would tell horrid tales of torture and humiliation in the hands of their interrogators psychologically breaking them down bit by bit.
As weapons have been technologically developed, using laser targeting, satellite guidance and unmanned surveillance systems, military psychology has also developed their methods and strategies. As each country has made their armed forces stronger, so much more so for the United States Army.
United States is on one of its biggest wars right now, the "War on Terrorism." One of the defenses used by the American armed forces and security is military psychology. Advances in different forms have been developed and utilized to catch and prevent terrorism to happen again.
The September 11 attack alone can be considered as a psychological strategy done by terrorists instilling fear and panic in the hearts of American people. These are propagandas used to weaken and divide the Americans and on a psychological plane, it has somewhat made its point. Not only did it kill thousands of Americans it has also made them think about their vulnerability.
US securities have done their own homework. This includes profiling the enemy. Many psychological studies have been done on face recognition. Once perfected, this is a big help in surveillance and prevention of infiltration. This researches has drawn heavily from psychological knowledge of the military psychology track.
Military psychology has also developed various techniques and strategies in how to muddle a persons mind during interrogation making them confused and disoriented. This includes placing bags over the heads of the interrogated. They are made to raise their hands and spread their legs for a long period of time. Other techniques used lately would be, noise bombardment, sleep deprivation, food deprivation and being brainwashed and mentally tortured.
Another latest development in military psychology is their statistical prediction of behavior. Given many names already, this development probe through huge amounts of data on a suspected person in order to 'predict possible terrorists by following a lifetime of seemingly innocent movements through electronic paper trails, for example; academic transcripts, prescription drugs, telephone calls, driving licenses, airline tickets, mortgage payments, parking permits, banking accounts and records, emails, website visits and credit card purchases. Through this, the military would like to prove if a person is a threat to national security. Many feel though that this is an invasion of their privacy.
Military psychology is an important aspect of the military. It can help end wars faster and with less loss of life on both sides. As more and more technological and psychological advances has been develop, this may result to more peace and tranquility.
Military psycholo9gy though has been very controversial ever since it was used. But it is not the United States alone that uses military psychology. Armed forces from all over the world has seen its potential and has made studies and researches on how to make it more effective.
While we may never really know everything that is being done in camps. The latest developments in military psychology are surely being used to gain a foothold over the enemies. These are strategies not shown to everybody to have the advantage. The race for military supremacy through technology is not just about having the biggest guns and the best planes and tanks, its also about using mans greatest weapon, the mind. And sometimes, the mind can be used against itself.
and gather intelligence.
This form of war strategy is very effective and applied to captured prisoners of war but the sad thing is that military psychological techniques and strategies usually is accompanied by torture. It is a part of the three elements needed to break down a POW's conviction, Psychology, Torture and Interrogation.
This has been very much in use in the Vietnam war. Where in captured communist rebels would be subjected to psychological strategies to find out the location of their bunkers and camps. Unfortunately, the rebels had the same idea. Captured American soldiers would tell horrid tales of torture and humiliation in the hands of their interrogators psychologically breaking them down bit by bit.
As weapons have been technologically developed, using laser targeting, satellite guidance and unmanned surveillance systems, military psychology has also developed their methods and strategies. As each country has made their armed forces stronger, so much more so for the United States Army.
United States is on one of its biggest wars right now, the "War on Terrorism." One of the defenses used by the American armed forces and security is military psychology. Advances in different forms have been developed and utilized to catch and prevent terrorism to happen again.
The September 11 attack alone can be considered as a psychological strategy done by terrorists instilling fear and panic in the hearts of American people. These are propagandas used to weaken and divide the Americans and on a psychological plane, it has somewhat made its point. Not only did it kill thousands of Americans it has also made them think about their vulnerability.
US securities have done their own homework. This includes profiling the enemy. Many psychological studies have been done on face recognition. Once perfected, this is a big help in surveillance and prevention of infiltration. This researches has drawn heavily from psychological knowledge of the military psychology track.
Military psychology has also developed various techniques and strategies in how to muddle a persons mind during interrogation making them confused and disoriented. This includes placing bags over the heads of the interrogated. They are made to raise their hands and spread their legs for a long period of time. Other techniques used lately would be, noise bombardment, sleep deprivation, food deprivation and being brainwashed and mentally tortured.
Another latest development in military psychology is their statistical prediction of behavior. Given many names already, this development probe through huge amounts of data on a suspected person in order to 'predict possible terrorists by following a lifetime of seemingly innocent movements through electronic paper trails, for example; academic transcripts, prescription drugs, telephone calls, driving licenses, airline tickets, mortgage payments, parking permits, banking accounts and records, emails, website visits and credit card purchases. Through this, the military would like to prove if a person is a threat to national security. Many feel though that this is an invasion of their privacy.
Military psychology is an important aspect of the military. It can help end wars faster and with less loss of life on both sides. As more and more technological and psychological advances has been develop, this may result to more peace and tranquility.
Military psycholo9gy though has been very controversial ever since it was used. But it is not the United States alone that uses military psychology. Armed forces from all over the world has seen its potential and has made studies and researches on how to make it more effective.
While we may never really know everything that is being done in camps. The latest developments in military psychology are surely being used to gain a foothold over the enemies. These are strategies not shown to everybody to have the advantage. The race for military supremacy through technology is not just about having the biggest guns and the best planes and tanks, its also about using mans greatest weapon, the mind. And sometimes, the mind can be used against itself.
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