Rocking the Foundation of Christianity

Whatever you build a house, you start with the foundation, if you're writing a book, it might be an outline for the table of contacts, but when were talking about Christianity, rarely do any Christians ever research the origins or how Christianity began.

Most Christians assume that Jesus was the one who started Christianity, however, he was Jewish and there is a good chance that he never even thought about starting a new religion. I know, Jesus is God and he knows everything and he knew that he was going to start Christianity. Okay, but what if.

That might not be entirely true. We don't have any proof that Jesus was actually a superior god like being. We can speculate or assume all that we want to, however there is very little evidence to support, that Jesus did anything that the writers of the New Testament, suggested he had done.

I would like to challenge most Christians, to do a little research and quite possibly start rocking the foundation of Christianity. It's much more important to understand Christianity than to call yourself a Christian. Will a little bit of research help or hurt you, as you study Christianity.

You can start by looking at the origins of the Bible, the Council of Nicaea, the Emperor Constantine, the missing years of Jesus in the early Roman Catholic Church.

To understand anything, you must understand its origins. Take some time out of your busy life, to start studying the foundation of Christianity.

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

Greg is currently working on a Christian Article Library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.
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Properly Exercising Faith - People Who Represent Christianity

It's your responsibility as a Christian to properly exercise your faith and to express your opinions as such. If you don't know something for a fact, you are obligated to seek and gather more information about these so-called facts.

With this said, if you hear a Bible verse quoted to you by someone and you don't necessarily understand 100% of what they are saying or you think that they might be twisting around the Scripture, it's your obligation to find out, the truth and nothing but the truth.

Let me give you an example of how to properly exercise your faith. An atheist walks up to you and asks you why you believe in God, you reply," Because it says so in the Bible." Wrong.., wrong answer. Because it says so in the Bible, isn't what I would consider a good answer. It's what I would consider to be a controlled Christian answer, simple but untrue.

The minute that you start referring to things in the Bible and you don't really understand what it is that you're talking about, you're not doing Christianity any favors. The minute that you listen to another person quote out of the Bible and start repeating, what it is that they were saying, without clearly understanding the truth, you're simply spreading rumors.

Think about this, the next time that you tell someone something that you heard, just because you hear something three times, doesn't make it a fact. I would like to tell you a little secret, so pay attention, simply because someone within your religious community, who others look up to, say something that sounds believable, don't start spreading rumors, find out for yourself, if it's actually true.

Christian Bible Problems

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

Understanding the Bible

Does Anyone Have a Direct Line to God?

I have heard Catholics tell me that the pope has a direct line to God. I don't really know if that's true, but if he does, or anyone else does, I would like to ask them to do me a favor.

I would like them to ask God a few questions, these questions aren't going to be difficult, and we could even make them in yes or no formats, but these answers need to be asked and only God can provide us with the answers.

The first question that I would like to ask God, would be about starvation, why are there so many starving people all over the world? Are we or are we not supposed to be fruitful and multiply? Is overpopulation creating more problems in the world today, than it might have 2000 years ago?

These questions above, could be a little difficult to answer, but they shouldn't be too difficult for someone like God. I believe that God can handle a few tough questions and if the Pope or anyone else has direct communication with God, I would like to suggest something to them, quit wasting your time on frivolous things and start asking God the serious questions, that every one is really interested in.

It doesn't make a lot of sense, to pray and worship to somebody who realistically won't answer or deliver the things that we are requiring. I realize that most religious people are told, that God only answers some prayers or that God isn't ready to answer your prayers yet.

Anyway, if gods not going to answer all of our prayers, couldn't he at least answer some of our questions.

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:
Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended authors, Don Miguel Ruiz

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

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Embrace the Idea About Learning - Shouldn't You Be Studying the Bible Regularly?

Most Christians own at least one Bible, but the idea of studying it on a regular basis, is normally considered a difficult task for those to perform. If you really want to call yourself a Christian, shouldn't you at least understand, a few things in the Bible?

Maybe something about Adam and Eve, Noah's Ark, or what about that guy, what's his name, I think he died for our sins and wasn't he the son of God, what was his name... You might think I'm kidding, but very few Christians, know very little about the Bible.

How do we get Christians to embrace the idea that studying the Bible could benefit them or change their views entirely about their religion? I've always had problems with those who consider themselves practicing Christians, while trying to convert others to Christianity with a limited knowledge about the religion itself.

If you go to church every Sunday, there's a good chance that you will have to touch the holy book of scriptures, at least once. You might even pick it up and turn some of the pages while listening to the sermon. Is this the only time during the week that you will pick up the Bible? And does this bother you?

What about those who read the Bible regularly and don't take the time to interpret it literally. Read the Bible, word for word in order to get a simple understanding of each Bible verse. Don't try to read anything into it or look for hidden messages.

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to answer simple questions or understand what your church leaders are talking about? When they mention Paul or Isaiah, are you thinking about your cousin and his friend? Spend a little more time learning about your religion and you will reap the rewards that education has to offer.

There Are Plenty of Problems with the Bible and If You Need More Help, Click on This Link Understanding the Bible

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

Click Here If You're a Positive Christian Person.

What Parents of Teens Need to Know

The words we speak have power, and unfortunately, they can not be taken back!

Think for a moment! Do negative words that were spoken to you in your formative years keep reverberating in your mind today, affecting how you live and behave? Research has shown that even the words spoken while being in our mother's womb are inexplicitly imbedded in our minds, setting us up for ongoing rejection or acceptance throughout our lives. As adults we are the sum total of all we have heard and experienced since conception.

Words we speak are like seeds of a flower that are planted in the soft, warm spring soil; they wait for the moment to germinate. Given the right environmental conditions, we anticipate the growth of a gorgeous array of summer flowers. So are the words that we speak to our children; they ultimately produce in their tender hearts fruit of one kind or another depending on whether they were positive or negative.

A heart is like a field of fertile soil waiting in anticipation for seeds of affirmation to be planted which will sprout into a useful and productive life. And if we speak loving and affirming words into the fertile soil of a child's heart, they will grow up healthily and happily.

I liken a newborn baby to a closed rose, bringing a life of pleasant fragrance and lasting beauty to the world. As the baby grows into an inquisitive toddler, its nature is to trust the parents, opening like a rose in anticipation of the love it needs. However, when the love and affirmation is nor forthcoming, the soul of the child will become wounded, and like a young rose it will prematurely close in an act of preservation. Children are resilient and will continue to seek what they desperately want - love and affection. Being eager to recover, they will begin again to trust their parents, but if the ongoing series of dysfunctional behavior continues, they will again feel the sting of rejection. Finally, after many attempts to reach out for loving arms has been rejected, this child like a rose closes; and unless this hurt is healed somewhere along the line, the child will withdraw into a closed shell. The world, sadly, will never enjoy the unique fragrance of this perfectly formed "rose" because the emotions were crushed too often by dysfunctional parents.

Do any of the above comments bring back memories of your own childhood trauma, or memories of how you yourself may not have adequately met your child's needs? Take heart, for all is not lost. There are those who have experienced the joy of restoration, and, yes, I also have experienced this. If your child has developed wounded emotions from the damage done by a negative home atmosphere, it will take some fine tuning, if not major redesign, to begin the healing process. Begin by changing some of your thoughts, beliefs, actions, and words that affect your children. Then be ready to listen attentively, quick to apologize, ready to forgive, and love unconditionally.

Raising teens in a fast-paced world can be a challenge. Children of all ages do not need "things" as much as they need our time and affection. Research shows that the average mother only spends three minutes a day really communicating with her child. The average dad? Forty-nine seconds, according to Martin Brokenleg, a professor of native American studies at Augusta University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

You may be asking, "What can I do now that my child is in the turbulent teen years and emotionally moving away from the family home?" First of all, listen to them in an unjudjemental manner. At times overlook their outbursts and let them vent, as long as profanity is a no, no.. This is the time when they will distance themselves emotionally from you, but this is not a negative thing. Just think that of this does not happen, they may still be living with you when they are thirty!

Finally, I encourage you to give up on the fast lane and instead, give your teen some of your undivided attention and unconditional love.

Audrey Pihulyk is Nurse Audrey, the "stress specialist", who brings you stress relief through her speaking, writing and entertaining. She uses her years of experience as a practical nurse and professional speaker to help you "flush out" negative stress, replacing it with a healthy "infusion" of proven strategies and thought provoking ideas to help you mobilize stress for creative purposes. Her audiences say the she is "real", what you see is what you get! When it comes to stress and balancing your life - Nurse Audrey has been there and done that!

I have three children of my own and realize the challenges you as parents are facing. Help is on the way with my CD: Slow Parenting In A Fast Paced World which can be found at: http://www.nurseaudrey.com/resources.html While you are there, check out my latest Blogs for ideas on how to balance your life more effectively.

John Adams

What's so Important about Learning - Zig Ziglar Video

Zig Ziglar explains how the learned will inherit the earth.

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

Create Your Day
Religious Education And Fear

What You Expect is What You Get

Your expectations define your reality. What you expect is what you get. It's simple, yet powerful and profound all at the same time. The question is, "Do you expect the best possible outcome for yourself and others?" If you do expect that good things will happen, they usually do. Not all of the time, but in general, when you expect to succeed, you will. When you expect to win you're more likely to do so. When you expect to live a happy and satisfying life, it happens. Conversely, when you expect to fail, be miserable, confused, conflicted or stressed .... you are.

It's not fate or karma at work here. It is the basic fact that your attitude, your mental disposition, and general outlook attract similar behaviors and reactions in those around you. Positive people are surrounded by positive influences. They have a support system of positive people who rally behind them when things don't go as planned. Negative people only receive more negativity and doubt when they are faced with adversity or challenge.

The expectations that you present to the world about yourself, and the people around you, will usually manifest. Just the way our expectations of others influence how we deal with them, they also influence how other people respond to us.

If you've ever worked with a person who is primarily negative you will know what I'm talking about. A negative workplace is the least productive, least satisfying, and least motivating environment to be in. Negativity is like a black hole that even the brightest light can't escape from. Once you get caught up in negativity, it is almost impossible to break free. To avoid this trap you can work on developing positive expectations about yourself and others.

This does not mean you can choose any expectation and expect it to come true. Aside from having a positive and expecting attitude, your expectations must meet two other criteria before they can help you become the person you want to be. They must be realistic and true to your self.

Unrealistic expectations are just as damaging as negative ones. When you never achieve success you begin to doubt yourself. All your positive energy is swiftly transformed to negativity. This brings you right back to where you don't want to be.

If your expectations are not true to the person you are or to person you want to become, you won't commit to making them a reality. All too often people try to live up to the expectations of others, such as a parent, a manager, a significant other, a teacher or another authority figure. Make sure your expectations are congruent with who you really are. That is the only way you will realize long term success, and the only way your expectations will continue to remain positive.

"High achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation." (Charles F. Kettering)

- Commit yourself to setting positive and realistic expectations about all the things you truly want and deserve. Write an affirmation statement that asserts your expectation of a positive outcome.

- Make sure your affirmations are aligned with the beliefs you hold about yourself and others.

- Take the necessary action steps to make your self-affirmations a reality.

- Develop confidence and take responsibility for your own life.

- Remind yourself constantly that you get what you expect.

- Create a powerful visual message or anchor that you can refer to when you feel negativity creep in.

- Work everyday at bringing to you the resources you need to make your expectations a reality.

You will find both power and happiness when you begin to set your own standards and expectations based on what is true for you. You are what you believe, and you become what you expect. Expect the best, and only the best, from life, from others, and from yourself!

Dieter Pauwels is an international certified life coach, business coach, speaker and author, facilitating personal and organizational transformation.

He works with individuals and teams to better identify and achieve their business and life goals. He works out of his base in St. Louis MO. His coaching clients are located in the US and Europe.

http://www.dieterpauwels.com

http://lifecoaching.dieterpauwels.com

Thomas Keating

The Meaning of Soul Video

What is soul, is it someone dancing around to some great music or is it something inside of us, find out what two people think about the word soul.

Question Your Religion

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

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

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

Lou Holtz
Small Things Lead To Change

Christmas - The Birth of the Christ Consciousness Within

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2008 Merry C. Battles

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

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

http://merrybattles.com/

http://walkingthespiritualpath.com/

Albert Hofmann

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

Living With What If In Your Life
Problems With School Bullies

Changing the Focus of Halloween for Christians

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Learning Meditation Or Watching

Can It Actually Prove That God Does Exist

Advice To Jealous Partners
We Know More About What We Dont

Lighting Your Path From Within

You might have heard the expression, 2009 is your year to shine. Please, let that be true every year! Yet there is truth in that statement. The Universal energies are revved up at the moment to help bring your evolution to new heights. This is a highly charged time to help you create the life of your dreams, and more importantly, fulfill your higher purpose. As you radiate your inner light, you act as a beacon of hope and inspiration for others, and truly make the world a more beautiful place.
2009 is a Universal year of 11. (We derive this by adding the numbers 2+0+0+9=11). 11 an extremely powerful number; in numerology, it is considered a master number. As the name implies, master numbers require skill and dexterity as they present great challenges and subsequently, immense rewards.

It is evident what many of the challenges are at the moment; we are all aware of the crumbling global economy and the energy crisis that threatens our standard of living. And yet, these crises initiate an immense opportunity for us to change our collective future in ways that galvanize our innate healing and creative powers.

Every crisis, whether personal or universal, is a message from our soul to seek a new restorative path. Our current global economic collapse reveals a necessity for us to build healthier more efficient businesses based on the principles of integrity and service. Our pending energy deficit is a directive for us all, at long last, to end the cycle of depleting and polluting our earth's resources in favor of harnessing the unlimited power of nature in a clean and regenerative way. There can never truly be a shortage of energy; it is all around us. As long as the sun is shining, the winds are blowing, and the waters are flowing, we have an unlimited supply of vital life-giving energy. You too have an unlimited supply of infinite creative Source energy that you can tap into at any time to invigorate your life.

We are fortunate now to experience the powerful vibration of 11. The highly charged 11 is considered the number of intuition and illumination. In fact, the word LIGHT reduces to the number 11. The 11 vibration emphasizes the need for you to rely on your inner light, to align yourself with Spirit to find your true calling, and illuminate your path from within. Should you choose to place your faith in the external material world for your security, you might experience confusion or fear. However, if you choose to listen to that voice inside of yourself that believes in the goodness within and around you, and trust your unique calling, you will always find your way.

You might hear people refer to 11 as being a number of the number of wishes. Perhaps you have an awareness that seeing 11:11 signifies something magical. Your thoughts are indeed more potent during this mystical alignment. The shape of the 1 is like an antenna, creating a conduit between you and the Divine. In the Tree of Life, the number 1 is at the top of the tree, at our crown where we receive our inspiration, as well at the bottom of the tree, where the divine becomes manifest into being. 1 is the Alpha and the Omega. The sacred geometry of the number 1 allows you to receive inspiration from Spirit and materialize those visions into reality very quickly. It is electric!

The double 1s in the number 11 create something even more profound. Look closely at the shape of number 11; the double columns of the creative 1 energy represent the pillars of the soul - a portal into a higher realm. Should you have the courage to walk through those pillars into the unknown, amazing opportunities await you!

So how do you do this? How do you face the unknown without fear? One thing to remember is that you came into the world with an intention. Not one person on this planet can offer your unique brand of humor, wisdom, creativity, kindness, healing or love. If you chose to incarnate at this time it is because you had something you wanted to learn and contribute. Any gift inside of you was given to you by the same infinitely powerful Creative forces that will help you bring these gifts into being. If you were given a dream, you were also given the tools, power, strength, and support to fulfill your heart's desire. All of the forces in the Universe will help you manifest your purpose.

The genius of your creation resides inside you like a seed that is planted deep within the earth. A seed innately knows the correctness of its purpose while it unabashedly reaches towards the sun. It needs only careful tending to reveal its true magnificence. Your spirit is like a flower that needs proper nourishment to grow and thrive. Just like a flower, when you express yourself in all of your beauty, all who experience you will bask in the joy of your being.

You might want to reflect on what seeds you are cultivating in your life right now. Are you nourishing seeds of joy, hope, serenity, love, and compassion? Are you honoring your spirit by living passionately and expressing your truth? Or are you focusing on what is not working in your life now and what you are afraid of?

Your passions will inevitably lead you to your purpose, and joy will guide you towards your calling. You know you are on the correct course when you are passionately engaging in your journey, flowing with the natural rhythm of your life. During these moments all of your cells will wake up and say "Yes! This is it! Keep going! It is like being on a highway and seeing signs towards your desired destination. Spiritual energy is light. It actually feels light. When you feel joy within you, you radiate a positive loving energy and those around you cannot help but feel better in your presence. And truly, your ultimate calling is to be joyful and share that joy with others.

Consequently, when you feel heaviness, confusion, or fear, that's your body's way of telling you that you are not in alignment with Spirit. Material concerns, while very real, can often distract you from your soul's truth. Feelings of worry, regret, comparison, can all seem very rational and logical, yet can take you out of your awareness of the now. The energy of the future is being created by the energy that you are cultivating in the moment. So while you are engaging in worry about your future, or regrets of the past, you are merely perpetuating a continuous cycle of worry. Rather, a series of simple and beautiful present moments will create a future of joy and serenity.

Now is a potent time to ask yourself - what do I really want to do with my life? If I wasn't afraid of the consequences, or what people thought of me, or who I would be disappointing, what would I really do? Instead of asking your head for the answers, ask the wisdom of your heart. Take a moment to put your fears aside, relax with a deep breath, sink into the infinite lightness of your being, and ask your heart, what do I really want right now?

The answer could be something very simple. Perhaps you would like to have more time to yourself, garden, dance, or do yoga, or something more pronounced like starting your own business or moving to another part of the world. Anything that nourishes your spirit and feeds your soul will lead you towards your destiny. When you nurture your gifts, bringing them life, energy, and power, you are tending the growth of the great miracle of creation that is YOU.

I remind you in these tumultuous times, as the winds of change blow in your direction, that you need not be afraid of the dark. You have all that you need for your spiritual journey within you; your passions to energize you, your imagination to inspire you, and your intuition to guide you towards your destiny. You will inevitably meet other courageous dreamers along the way, who dare not dim their brilliance. Together, you will illuminate the path for many brave souls to shine brightly like stars in the sky, and the whole world will celebrate in a glorious festival of lights.

Kari Samuels is an Intuitive Counselor with an international clientele. She helps guide others towards the realm of inspiration, self-awareness, and divine living. She utilizes a variety of modalities for a holistic vision of our spiritual journey including numerology, tarot, astrology, and transpersonal psychology. It is her joy to help others manifest their greatest potential. Visit her website at http://www.karisamuels.com

Susan Jeffers

The Genius Project - God's Mistake Or Yours?

If you've been reading my last few articles then you know about the Genius Project which was conducted by my good friend Mr. Jay Niblick. You'll also recall that your ability to achieve 5th Level of performance (Genius Level) you must rely on your natural talents and be authentic to yourself. This post addresses the thought processes on how geniuses view themselves and their abilities.

Here's another way to look at it. To assume that you - at your very core - need to fix yourself requires the presupposition that you must be broken, and that implies that God screwed up. I mean feel free to substitute whatever spiritual belief you have, but it likely doesn't change the concept. Think about it. If you believe that at your very core that the way you were made is insufficient to achieve success, then you have to admit that you view yourself as flawed, or at best incomplete. Now I'm not talking here about developing new acquired talents, rather a belief that "I need fixing". Acquiring new knowledge and experience is great. That's a prerequisite for anyone's success and something all 5th level performers (Geniuses) constantly do by the way. But when you attempt to fix who you are instead of fixing how you are, then you must first think who you are is insufficient. And if you think that then you can't avoid the question, "Who screwed up?"

If you need to fix anything, it is the way you apply you - not you!

In reality it's not what you are at your very core that needs work, but how you apply yourself that needs fixing. God created you for a purpose and you have a completely unique and incredibly powerful set of natural talents for that purpose, so it's not what raw materials you have to work with that you should be concerned with - because the geniuses we studied aren't. What you should be focused on is how you apply those raw materials.

Geniuses understand this. They don't view their set of talents as flawed; rather any flaws they see come in how they apply those talents. Because of this radically different perspective on themselves, when they focus on correcting flaws, those flaws are in their application of themselves, not themselves. In other words, they achieve tremendous leaps in performance by adjusting their environment (what they do or how they do it) not themselves. They don't change their talents; they change how those talents are applied.

Give yourself up to your inner genius and allow that which is you - as you were created - to do what it does best. Remember, regardless of whatever higher power you believe in, if you believe that such a higher power is infinitely more powerful and knowing then you, you have to ask yourself, "did that power know what it was doing when it created me?"

If you answer yes, then you can't blame your God for making you incorrectly? If you still agree with me then any mistakes in your life are not, cannot be, in you, but in the application of you. In other words, God made you, but you decide what to do with yourself. If a problem exists it's not with the thing God created, but how you apply it.

I say all of this because there is a huge difference between thinking you are broken and realizing that you are just not well aligned. The former is a race car with a blown engine that must be completely rebuilt (broken). The latter is a perfectly good Ferrari trying to race in an off-road rally (not well aligned).

Success in not about developing talent - it's about aligning it.

Mr. Timothy A. McGinty is the published co-author of the highly regarded Wake Up... Live the Life You Love series. This series is a collaborative effort with such inspirational leaders as Tony Robbins, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Brian Tracey, Steven E, and Lee Beard.

Mr. McGinty is also the author of "Your Blissful Life", a book which takes the reader by the hand and walks them through a process for defining their "Blissful Life" and the action plan for achieving it.

Imagine Yourself... is an organization focused on enabling clients "breakthrough" in achieving their success. Mr. McGinty has helped many organizations and individuals discover their passion, define the life balance they seek, develop strategies for achieving that balance, and held them accountable for reaching their goals. His clients have been so successful that Mr. McGinty is known as "The Breakthrough Guy"

Imagine Yourself...
13477 Prospect Rd. Suite 204
Strongsville, Ohio 44149
Telephone: 440-236-6519
Web: http://www.timothymcginty.com
E-mail: tim@timothymcginty.com

Walt Disney

Can It Actually Prove That God Does Exist

Spiritual Journaling
Eye Of The Needle Christian Stor

The Religious Background of Unicorn Tapestries

The unicorn has been a mythical symbol since ancient times. Some of the earliest depictions of the unicorn are from ancient China and featured a creature resembling a large horse with a single horn protruding from its forehead. The writings and drawings of many ancient cultures throughout Asia and Europe included unicorns and eventually they evolved into religious symbols.

By the middle ages, the unicorn was considered both a religious and secular symbol by most of Christian Europe. The unicorn represented chastity, holiness, and purity, and was even used as a symbol for Christ. Because of the unicorn's important symbolism, it was often featured in tapestries and other art of the period. There are even references to unicorns in the bible, although some historians question their inclusion in the Bible because of translations issues. References to unicorns can be seen in Deuteronomy 33:17, Psalm 22:21, 29:6 and 92:10; Numbers 23:22 and 24:8; and Isaiah 34:7. These passages do not infer that the references to unicorns are fictitious or that unicorns are not in fact real animals.

There are many examples of medieval art and tapestries that feature unicorns and once they were accepted as a religious symbol they became very popular subjects. Unicorns represented purity and the myth perpetuated by their holy meaning was that only a virgin could tame a unicorn. Tapestries were common among the aristocracy in the Middle ages and were used as decoration as well as insulation for windows and openings. The most common tapestry designs were biblical allegories including unicorns. One of the most famous sets of tapestries are the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries, Created in France in the late 1400's.

The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries are perhaps the most famous examples of unicorns in art in the entire world. They were not discovered until late in the 1800's by Proper Merimee in a castle in Boussac France. They were damaged but were later restored and then put on display in the Cluny Museum in France in a room specially designed to house them. The novelist Georges Sands was responsible for making them so popular and included them in her writings.

It is not known who designed and wove the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries, but historians do know who they were created for. The coat of arms on the tapestries belongs to the Le Viste family and the tapestries were probably created for this family in the late 1400's. Like other tapestries and art depicting unicorns, the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries are said to represent the human senses with the subject of the tapestries a virginal maiden and a unicorn. Five of the six tapestries represent the five senses, hearing, tough, taste, feeling, and sight. The sixth tapestry is one that carries some debate as some say it represent love, other think it stands for the "6th sense" while other think it represents understanding or empathy. Unicorns have long been a part of art and folk lore, and are still symbols of holiness and purity today.

http://www.touchoftapestry.com/servlet/StoreFront

Writing Or Evil Influence

Lighting Your Path From Within

You might have heard the expression, 2009 is your year to shine. Please, let that be true every year! Yet there is truth in that statement. The Universal energies are revved up at the moment to help bring your evolution to new heights. This is a highly charged time to help you create the life of your dreams, and more importantly, fulfill your higher purpose. As you radiate your inner light, you act as a beacon of hope and inspiration for others, and truly make the world a more beautiful place.
2009 is a Universal year of 11. (We derive this by adding the numbers 2+0+0+9=11). 11 an extremely powerful number; in numerology, it is considered a master number. As the name implies, master numbers require skill and dexterity as they present great challenges and subsequently, immense rewards.

It is evident what many of the challenges are at the moment; we are all aware of the crumbling global economy and the energy crisis that threatens our standard of living. And yet, these crises initiate an immense opportunity for us to change our collective future in ways that galvanize our innate healing and creative powers.

Every crisis, whether personal or universal, is a message from our soul to seek a new restorative path. Our current global economic collapse reveals a necessity for us to build healthier more efficient businesses based on the principles of integrity and service. Our pending energy deficit is a directive for us all, at long last, to end the cycle of depleting and polluting our earth's resources in favor of harnessing the unlimited power of nature in a clean and regenerative way. There can never truly be a shortage of energy; it is all around us. As long as the sun is shining, the winds are blowing, and the waters are flowing, we have an unlimited supply of vital life-giving energy. You too have an unlimited supply of infinite creative Source energy that you can tap into at any time to invigorate your life.

We are fortunate now to experience the powerful vibration of 11. The highly charged 11 is considered the number of intuition and illumination. In fact, the word LIGHT reduces to the number 11. The 11 vibration emphasizes the need for you to rely on your inner light, to align yourself with Spirit to find your true calling, and illuminate your path from within. Should you choose to place your faith in the external material world for your security, you might experience confusion or fear. However, if you choose to listen to that voice inside of yourself that believes in the goodness within and around you, and trust your unique calling, you will always find your way.

You might hear people refer to 11 as being a number of the number of wishes. Perhaps you have an awareness that seeing 11:11 signifies something magical. Your thoughts are indeed more potent during this mystical alignment. The shape of the 1 is like an antenna, creating a conduit between you and the Divine. In the Tree of Life, the number 1 is at the top of the tree, at our crown where we receive our inspiration, as well at the bottom of the tree, where the divine becomes manifest into being. 1 is the Alpha and the Omega. The sacred geometry of the number 1 allows you to receive inspiration from Spirit and materialize those visions into reality very quickly. It is electric!

The double 1s in the number 11 create something even more profound. Look closely at the shape of number 11; the double columns of the creative 1 energy represent the pillars of the soul - a portal into a higher realm. Should you have the courage to walk through those pillars into the unknown, amazing opportunities await you!

So how do you do this? How do you face the unknown without fear? One thing to remember is that you came into the world with an intention. Not one person on this planet can offer your unique brand of humor, wisdom, creativity, kindness, healing or love. If you chose to incarnate at this time it is because you had something you wanted to learn and contribute. Any gift inside of you was given to you by the same infinitely powerful Creative forces that will help you bring these gifts into being. If you were given a dream, you were also given the tools, power, strength, and support to fulfill your heart's desire. All of the forces in the Universe will help you manifest your purpose.

The genius of your creation resides inside you like a seed that is planted deep within the earth. A seed innately knows the correctness of its purpose while it unabashedly reaches towards the sun. It needs only careful tending to reveal its true magnificence. Your spirit is like a flower that needs proper nourishment to grow and thrive. Just like a flower, when you express yourself in all of your beauty, all who experience you will bask in the joy of your being.

You might want to reflect on what seeds you are cultivating in your life right now. Are you nourishing seeds of joy, hope, serenity, love, and compassion? Are you honoring your spirit by living passionately and expressing your truth? Or are you focusing on what is not working in your life now and what you are afraid of?

Your passions will inevitably lead you to your purpose, and joy will guide you towards your calling. You know you are on the correct course when you are passionately engaging in your journey, flowing with the natural rhythm of your life. During these moments all of your cells will wake up and say "Yes! This is it! Keep going! It is like being on a highway and seeing signs towards your desired destination. Spiritual energy is light. It actually feels light. When you feel joy within you, you radiate a positive loving energy and those around you cannot help but feel better in your presence. And truly, your ultimate calling is to be joyful and share that joy with others.

Consequently, when you feel heaviness, confusion, or fear, that's your body's way of telling you that you are not in alignment with Spirit. Material concerns, while very real, can often distract you from your soul's truth. Feelings of worry, regret, comparison, can all seem very rational and logical, yet can take you out of your awareness of the now. The energy of the future is being created by the energy that you are cultivating in the moment. So while you are engaging in worry about your future, or regrets of the past, you are merely perpetuating a continuous cycle of worry. Rather, a series of simple and beautiful present moments will create a future of joy and serenity.

Now is a potent time to ask yourself - what do I really want to do with my life? If I wasn't afraid of the consequences, or what people thought of me, or who I would be disappointing, what would I really do? Instead of asking your head for the answers, ask the wisdom of your heart. Take a moment to put your fears aside, relax with a deep breath, sink into the infinite lightness of your being, and ask your heart, what do I really want right now?

The answer could be something very simple. Perhaps you would like to have more time to yourself, garden, dance, or do yoga, or something more pronounced like starting your own business or moving to another part of the world. Anything that nourishes your spirit and feeds your soul will lead you towards your destiny. When you nurture your gifts, bringing them life, energy, and power, you are tending the growth of the great miracle of creation that is YOU.

I remind you in these tumultuous times, as the winds of change blow in your direction, that you need not be afraid of the dark. You have all that you need for your spiritual journey within you; your passions to energize you, your imagination to inspire you, and your intuition to guide you towards your destiny. You will inevitably meet other courageous dreamers along the way, who dare not dim their brilliance. Together, you will illuminate the path for many brave souls to shine brightly like stars in the sky, and the whole world will celebrate in a glorious festival of lights.

Kari Samuels is an Intuitive Counselor with an international clientele. She helps guide others towards the realm of inspiration, self-awareness, and divine living. She utilizes a variety of modalities for a holistic vision of our spiritual journey including numerology, tarot, astrology, and transpersonal psychology. It is her joy to help others manifest their greatest potential. Visit her website at http://www.karisamuels.com

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The Times They Are Changing

We live in a very interesting time in world history. The evolution of getting to this point has never been so dynamic. Even though all the events that have taken place prior to this point in time have great significance, and the fact that it is what brought us here, our current world environment has been propelled into the 21st century with lightening speed. The advancement of technology in communications, information, and the internet has created the instant information age. And with that our conscious minds have become more inter connected with the world than ever before.

What is interesting is that this phenomenon is the staging ground for all of us to become more enlightened. We are, and always have been connected to the entire universe. We all have roots in the universe because consciousness affects our physical world, which includes all living things right down to the individual cells. Our minds have a great influence on our health and well being and on how we view the world. Our existence in the universe is born of a sense of participation and kinship with all others and all matter. The basic oneness of the universe is the central characteristic of the mystical experience, but is also one of the most important revelations of modern physics, (i.e. quantum physics). But I don't want to talk about quantum theory; I want to talk about the human connectedness, and what I detect as a shift in the thinking of more and more people.

Because of the information age, a fast paced lifestyle, what's in it for me attitude, and a win at all cost mentality, too many people began losing sight of the connection we all have with each other and the universe. The ideal of we are all in this together was fading, and taking responsibility for the common good of all, had begun to disappear. Over the last decade, an exponential amount of negative actions and the pursuits of an ideology of egotism have brought us to this juncture. But there is hope because I see the beginning of a change in the minds of many people.

Now, more than ever people are placing an increased importance on relationships. Taking stock of what really matters, like family, friends, and community. There is a new awareness that we are all connected to the universe, and that human consciousness and the physical world are intertwined. The realization is that there is a profound interaction that exists between conscious mental activity and the physical world itself.

We cannot separate our own existence from that of the outside world. We are not only associated with the earth that we inhabit, but with the furthest reaches of the cosmos. We affect all of those about us, so events such as caring, loving, and confiding exert profound consequences on the universe.

Following the Laws of Attraction, the universe gives us what we want if follow our dreams and our passions, but it also takes away if we lose sight of that connection that exists between us all. I believe that there is a change in the winds of time because there is the beginning of an understanding of this relationship. Maybe, just maybe it could be the start of the new Age of Enlightenment.

http://www.enerchilivingspaces.com/

Owner : EnerChi Living Spaces & Gallery. We are a unique Home & Garden decor store. Specializing in Feng Shui design and consultation. We offer one-of-a-kind gifts and personalized ideas for decorating your home, garden and office. We offer workshops in Feng Shui decorating, meditation, journal writing, and manifesting your dreams. We support our local artists and musicians with shows and vignettes. Our merchandise is selected from all over the world with an emphasis on Asian Western design. The store exhibits a unique blend of products in a tranquil peaceful setting. We have just launched a home staging service for our local market. We have just completed an expansion to over 2,000 square ft. and our new website has launched. http://www.enerchilivingspaces.com

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Philosophy in a Nutshell - Freedom Versus Determinism

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

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

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

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

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

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

World's Worst Mass-Murderers - Religious Extremism Or Enlightened Secularism?

History - Written in Blood

The history of the world has been written in blood, until recently by dominating religions, intolerant of other faiths or beliefs: from dark-age pogroms, to early Islam's rampages, to the Crusades, to conquest of the New World, to the Inquisition, and to Stalin and Hitler and genocidal Holocaust. Throughout this gory litany, peace-seeking philosophers, war-weary, have dreamed periodically of a world without conflict. Other than the cultures and countries which worshipped the glory of mortal combat, e.g. the rulers and elite citizenry of ancient Rome, Sparta and more recently Prussia, most philosophers, and certainly at-risk commoners throughout history have dreamed of quiet lives without conflict or violence, safe from both external and internal attacks upon their freedoms and persons, hoping only to be permitted to enjoy their families and accomplishments in peace - and to die in bed at a respectable age.

Early on, wars were fought and peoples murdered to spread religion, coercive conversions forcing acceptance of the God of a dominant power. Dismayed at the carnage, rational humankind philosophized that no true divinity could tolerate, much less demand, such unwarranted cruelty - hence they must all be false - hence an anti-religion philosophy of rule-by-rationality should-be superior. Mankind began searching out a workable approach to peaceful governance - coexistence among peoples of differing faiths and philosophies - without bloodshed. By an "either-or" argument, if God and Religion seemed to be more cause than solution, perhaps durable peace could be achieved between nations - if "faith" would be discarded and replaced with "reason".

Such daring thinking was envisioned, then espoused - the concept of "enlightened" rule was developed - a peaceful society, governed by fairness in rules of conduct and justice; it was embarked upon and grew, with democratized liberation of countries from prior religious domination. Such optimistic and exciting "Enlightenment" theories took root, conceptually non-tyrannical authority being envisaged - neither rule by royal-lineage nor by divinity figures, instead leaders to be selected from the populace by majority choice, government by rational, impartial laws and justice, replacing religious dogmatism. The theory was implemented with confidence, preamble efforts beginning in (1776 in the US - excluded hereinafter, and) 1794 with the French Revolution. The ringing phrase "Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite" became the slogan of hope in France .

This expectation of a better approach was, however, short-lived, lasting but two years - ending with a parade of citizens, deemed unworthy of life, escorted to the guillotine - and a flood of blood. Subsequently, perhaps inevitably, the pendulum of non-religions or "enlightened" governance went into "overswing" - the world experiencing (perhaps) the ultimate in authoritarian rule based upon the moral compass of mere men - dictatorships - Communism and Nazi-ism!

Extremism of religious ideology and bigotry in living memory as well as recorded history, cannot be denied. Millions of lives have been taken by hatred as frenzied zealots of one religion held power over others - oft-times given a no-win choice, forced conversion or the sword. Even greater extremism is evident today, the virulence being obvious in the venue selection - where civilians, especially children gather - bloodied body-parts of innocents are shown in lurid photos and described in every newspaper - blown-up in buses, restaurants, marketplaces, houses of worship. Human intolerance of faiths other than their own, especially during outbreaks of mob psychology - particularly when exhorting a divine "commandment" to kill "the infidel" - are spurred on by inflammatory and instantaneous distribution of world news. Such bloodshed is even more commonplace today than in the past. So what is the carnage scorecard?

Undoubtedly hundreds of thousands of helpless human beings have been killed by the excesses of religion in recorded history, inflamed zealots, dark-age pogroms, genocides leading to the Holocaust, and present-day Islamo-terrorists. However, in contrast, when the supreme decision authority for life and death has been placed in human ethical standards of morality and justification, the pursuit of ever-greater powers and conquests are apparently irresistible. Rationalizations and cold assessments of benefits and advantages seem to easily overwhelm restraint - leading to carnage and ferocity - greatly exceeding even inflamed religious bigotry. Instead of the envisaged tolerance and fraternity, the end result of political experiments in "enlightened" human authority has been both unanticipated and uninhibited, the untethering of the worst instincts of human beings.

Over 100 Million Killed

Totaling the score can only be done in round numbers, but despotic rulers have caused over 100 million people being killed - by Communism and Nazi-ism within this past century: China, Soviet Union, North Korea, Cambodia, Africa, Afghanistan, and Nazi Europe. These human beings were killed, not in battle or by faith-based hatreds ("if your god is not my god, then you must die"), but from an ideology that denied "faith" itself ("There is no god, only man is the judge of right and wrong!"). With "political correctness" holding sway, it is religion itself that is targeted.

The history of humankind is a history of killing, not for food as in the animal kingdom, but to increase power, dominance of peoples and for land-mass acquisition. Today, of the world religions, all but one seem to have grown beyond desires to kill or compel conversions of other faiths, only the Muslim religion seems to still justify the sacrifice of not only their own lives but also those of their own children, in order to deny others a desired worship of their own gods.

Clearly, man's warlike nature is not curbed by devotion to a divinity. But the record shows that governance and morality considerations - which if not restrained by considerations superior to human authority - seems to lead to rationalizations for abuses with much more extreme end-results. Human nature, absent the moral and ethical compass of religion and with authority without limitation, seems to the inevitable justification of the ultimate in extremism, rationalizing away impediments to increasing authority and acquisition - mass murder without conscience.

Aaron Kolom qualifies as a "rocket scientist" with over 50 years aerospace engineering: Stress Analyst to Chief of Structural Sciences on numerous military aircraft, to Corp. Director Structures and Materials, Asst. Chief Engineer Space Shuttle Program through first three flights (awarded NASA Public Service Medal), Rockwell International Corp.; Program Manager Concorde SST, VP Engineering TRE Corp.; Aerospace Consultant.

Aaron L. Kolom - from Brainwashed* and Miracles**
* The Perceived Mind-Set of the Secular Elite re Darwin Evolutionism!
** To Believe in Them - Have Faith - In Science and Logic!

Visit website at http://www.brainwashedandmiracles.com to learn a bit about Science vs the Bible, from conflict to confirmation.

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The Jewish Menorah - A History

The menorah is a seven branched candelabra which has come to represent the Jewish People and Israel. Its origins directly derive from the Torah and its symbolism has proven to be long lasting.

Early coins and pottery containing images of the menorah and dating back to biblical times have been recovered from archaeological sites.

The first menorah was originally made for the tabernacle and later placed in the first and second temples. The Torah records how the great artist, Bezalel, fashioned the menorah in accordance to detailed Divine instructions. These instructions are recorded in Exodus 25:31-40, see excerpt below:

"31 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made, even its base, and its shaft; its cups, its knops, and its flowers, shall be of one piece with it. 32 And there shall be six branches going out of the sides thereof: three branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the candle-stick out of the other side thereof..."

Listed below are some of the facets of the menorah:

- (as stated above) it was hewn out of a single block of pure gold

- it weighed approximately 150 pounds and just under 5 ft in height

- it had seven branches; a middle branch and three branches extending from each side

- according to Maimonides and Rashi, the side-branches extended from the middle branch in a diagonal line, not in a semi-circular arc as most drawings depict

- extra pure olive oil was used in the cups - gently pressed, not crushed and just the first emerging drops were considered pure enough

- it was positioned beside the southern wall of the temple, opposite the 'shulchan', the table which held the twelve show-breads.

The daily maintenance and lighting of the menorah was a task allocated to the Kohanim (priests). Interestingly, although only the Kohanim were permitted to prepare the menorah, there were no restrictions as to who could light it.

It is written that one branch of the menorah miraculously stayed alight continuously. Synagogues today have a 'ner tamid' (everlasting light) situated opposite the ark, which contains the Torah scrolls. This reminds us of the significance of the menorah during temple times. In addition many synagogues also display a menorah, or an artistic impression of one, in painted decorations or on stained glass windows.

After the fall of the Second Temple, Jewish historian Flavius Josephus recorded that the menorah was taken to Rome and carried along during the triumphant homecoming parade. A depiction of this event is preserved on the Arch of Titus that still stands today in Rome.

During the Jewish festival of Chanukah a menorah is lit on each of the eight nights. This menorah differs from the temple's menorah in that it has nine branches instead of seven.

The location of the original menorah is unknown today but the symbolism lives on; the national emblem of the State of Israel is a menorah, flanked by two olive branches.

The author of this article researched the origins of the menorah during the development of a range of Judaic themed homeware. http://www.judaicamosaica.com

Physical and the Non-Physical Consciousness

The junction point between different states of consciousness; i.e. waking and sleeping is a good time to notice this experience.

As your mind and body start to settle down to rest. You become aware of the more subtle nature of the body, mind and aura. For me this experience is one of first scanning my body and my feelings and becoming aware of my deeper connection.

If I become aware of any discomfort in the body, I take my attention into that region and consciously breathe, relaxing the physical body and clearing the mind of any associated thoughts.

As you continue with this process, you may become aware of a third level of awareness; a field of energy that both surrounds and permeates the mind and the body. I say field, as it is a kind of electromagnetic field of energy, similar to magnetism.

This field of energy is the aura, the energy field of the body, it has consciousness too and you may notice your awareness passing from the physical body to the non-physical aura as you settle down to sleep.

Sometimes I experience this like clouds of white light washing over the body and passing through the body. As you take your awareness from your physical body and step over and become aware on your feelings as being within the clouds of white mist of the aura. You notice a freeing of your awareness an expansion and raising slightly of ones vibration.

The human body is such a wonderful thing as we can experience it on many levels and see the connections into may different aspects or dimensions of its nature.

As we become aware of this non-physical connection to our higher Self we may also become aware of its nature. We could invite in our guides and angels to come around us. We could take a few minutes just appreciating the work they do for us.

We could start to ask them for guidance or plan what we would like to do or experience tomorrow. This is a magical time, as we start to drift off into sleep, and if you witness your sleep, you may even have the experience of your spiritual awareness going out of body and astral travelling through the Universe.

This is all apart of your higher Self, the clouds of white light that you feel, is your spiritual connection into the non-physical world. This non-physical, although it is not localised like your body, is still as much apart of who you are as the physical nature of your body, in fact I would say is more your true nature.

So next time you are going to sleep, just in an innocent way, stay a little more aware of your feelings and experiences and consciously enjoy being aware of the many aspects of who and what you are.

Message channelled by George Lockett (C) Copyright 2006, All Rights Reserved.

* New book * "A Journey into the Self -- the multi-dimensional nature of being human": HealerGeorge Web Site and New Book

Description: What is this book going to do for YOU? For those who are seeking a complete energetic makeover, as you read it you will feel a stirring and awakening in the depths of your heart. For those who have questions about Shifts in Consciousness, Energy Balancing and Healing within the body, you will find clear answers.

Read HealerGeorges Blog: Curezone Blog or ask at question at: Ask HealerGeorge

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The Similarities and Differences of Pilates and Yoga

You can barely turn on the TV nowadays without hearing about Pilates or Yoga. When you take up a magazine, you are bound to find articles about these two exercise methods and it seems like everyone is doing either one or the other. What is all of the excitement about? Why are these techniques so special? What are the differences and similarities between Pilates and Yoga?

Yoga aims to unite the body, mind, and spirit. The person who aspires to do Yoga views that the body and mind are one. They believe that if the body is given the right tools and is taken to the proper environment then the body can find harmony and will be able to heal itself. Yoga is considered to be therapeutic. You will have a heightened awareness of your body's alignment, posture, and patterns of movement. Yoga tends to make your body more flexible and it will help you to relax even if you are in the middle of a stress stricken environment. Therefore, one of the most important reasons as to why people start practicing Yoga is that they want to feel more energetic, be more happy, feel more fit and be at peace.

One performs Yoga mainly in a group setting on a special Yoga mat with the help of a Yoga instructor. You use your body's own weight for resistance. You must also focus a great deal of your attention to the flow from one posture into that of another. Yoga styles are varied and there is not one style that is considered to be better than another. These styles also vary in their emphasis, and the style you choose is a matter of personal preference.

Pilates also seeks to reach many of the same goals as does Yoga by way of a series of movements that are very controlled. The major difference between Pilates and Yoga is that while doing Pilates exercises not only makes use of a mat, but it also incorporates work on different Pilates machines. The main thrust of the Pilates exercises is to improve posture, strengthen the abdominal muscles, improve balance, lengthen and stabilize the spine and improve overall strength. Pilates will tend to give you a leaner, longer, dancer-like line.

A Whole Body Workout

Unlike a variety of other training programs, Pilates makes an effort to work the whole body and places its emphasis on precision, control, and concentration in both the body as well as the mind. There is no attempt made at doing many repetitions at a time in a rapid, haphazard fashion. Instead, the focus is placed on quality and not the amount of reps you do. The "powerhouse" that consists of the lower back, abdominal muscles and the buttocks are at the center of all movement and this allows the rest of your body to move fluidly and freely. When one focuses on core stabilization, it makes the student stronger from the inside out.

This is critical for the advancement of the Pilates student. Pilates is low impact by nature and, therefore, it is ideal for the prevention of injury and for rehabilitation. Pilates has six guiding principles - concentration, centering, flow, control, breathing and precision. These principles train the body to move more efficiently while placing minimal impact on the body. With Pilates, there is a definite balance between flexibility and strength that creates a vigorous, symmetrical and health workout for all of the different muscle groups, which will result in a more balanced, leaner, and stronger body.

There are a range of DVD's on sale at http://www.pilatesorstretchforbackpain.com which have been recommended by a leading British Osteopath/Physiotherapist

Please visit my blog at http://www.stretchorpilatesforbackpain.com

The author, Steven Giles is a 55 year old former accountant who has been suffering from back pain for several years and has found that Pilates provides relief from this. He lives in Greater Manchester in the North-West of England

Putting Up With Organized Religion

Let me explain where I'm coming from in my writing. Organized religion worked good 200 or maybe 500 years ago, but I really don't see a need for it today. We fight wars over religion and even kill people that speak out against organized religion. Religions and governments all over the world control people through fear and pleasure.

I'm tired of people fighting and killing all over the world in the name of some religion. I once heard an Iranian man, through a translator, on our local news say, "if he dies in the name of Allah, he gets to go to heaven." I don't know if I want to be signed up for that program but obviously he believes in it enough and is willing to die for what he believes in, right or wrong. Some people view this man is evil while others view him as a hero, how do you think you would do this person?

What the Romans did to people 2000 years ago is what I would consider a very bad. Was the devil actually providing an evil influence for Roman leaders back then. I've never heard anyone mention that but they did kill Jesus of Nazareth and he seemed like a pretty good person.

If Jesus would have kept his mouth shut, he could have lived to a ripe old age. He chose not to, because he believed in his cause. Some Jews believe that he was under the influence of evil, that's hard to imagine. He believed that some of the ideas and teaching of the Romans and Jews were wrong and he was going to make them better. These leaders were afraid of change and decided to eliminate what they view as they evil problem.

I started writing to influence and educate people in a positive way. I really don't want to upset religious followers, but I would like them to understand, a little more about their religion. What causes people to kill others in the name of their god? Is that evil or an evil influence from other religion's of the world.

I would imagine most of these people choose to accept words from their religious leaders as facts and will never question their faith. If religious followers could understand other religions, maybe they wouldn't persecute them or try to convert them into their own beliefs.

My influence will affect others and will provoke them to think, always question your religion and when they start thinking, this is when I've made a positive influence in a constructive way. If someone starts to think about their religion and it gives them stronger feelings and deeper beliefs, maybe they can answer some of my questions, instead of avoiding them with spiritual scripture or faith.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, The Power of Myth. If you've ever wondered, where religion has evolved from. Check this book out.

God's Specific Sign Of The End Of The Age

The Gospel has been making inroads world-wide for many centuries. It is at its all-time greatest expansion today. The Gospel is on every continent and in every country. But there are cultural groups, some say several hundred, living in those countries that have not a word of Scripture in their native language. Do those groups all qualify as "nations" in the Bible sense? Will Jesus wait until every man, woman, and child has had a chance to hear a word of Scripture in his own language? Is that the requirement? Then what of the millions who have already died without hearing that Word?

Or was Jesus' statement about the Gospel being preached in all the world (Matthew 24) before the end would come, general on purpose, adding only one more backdrop for the condition of the world when He is about to come? It is true that the world will not end until the Gospel has gone around the world, but that process has taken many hundreds of years, and may take many more. It cannot be a "sign", for no one knows exactly when it is fulfilled. In fact, is it fulfilled now?

In the verse following this "gospel" sign, 15, is a statement that is so specific that it far overshadows all that has been said so far. I believe it is the answer the disciples were seeking. It is backed up by Scripture and followed up by an action scenario that leads quickly to the end of the world!

Let me make that last point again. It will change forever your idea about the end times. If you are able to grasp what I am sharing here, you will be able to lay aside human opinions that have for so long governed Matthew 24. The point is this: There is absolutely no textual need for any break between verse 15 and verse 31. That is, the "sign" mentioned in verse 15 kicks off a series of events that leads in a relatively short time to the very revelation of Jesus Christ in the clouds. This is one understanding you will not receive in most other discussions of this passage available today. It sweeps away theories. It frees itself from historical speculation. It ties itself directly to passages in Daniel and Revelation and leads God's people to see that One Spirit spoke to all. The message is awesome, even frightening at times, but not confused.

Do you see it? A signal is given, panic ensues, worldwide trouble follows this, so bad that the time period is shortened by God Himself, more false prophets appear, Jesus comes! Those who see the beginning of this series of events will most likely see its end (Matthew 24:34). Otherwise it could not be considered a sign. If the "abomination" took place in the first century but I live in the twenty-first, why should I think it was signaling anything?

Granted, in A.D. 70, armies did encircle Jerusalem, and the Roman conquerors destroyed almost (but only almost) everything standing. And the Temple was defiled by Caesar's general Titus ( atype of abomination). And those in the vicinity panicked and ran (hence, "desolation"), not necessarily because Jesus had told them to (for the unsaved Jewish community had long since written Jesus off) but because that's what you do when you are met with such a forceful attack. Yes, Jews were protected in neighboring Edom, at Petra, etc. But the rest of chapter 24 did not happen. Jesus did not return to Earth! And the instructions given to us remain intact: "Let him that reads understand." I think no one was reading about this catastrophe in A.D. 70. But we read. And more and more, we understand. This event has not yet occurred, though the Jews of the first century had a very real dress rehearsal.

I realize that what I am proposing will set interpretation of predictive prophecy study back many years, but that's a great idea. Let's set it back, in fact, to the days when it was first spoken, and read for ourselves what Jesus said! For He said that after the abomination of desolation takes place, He will come. Good enough for me. Once one knows what that phrase means, he has a grasp of when Jesus will come.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

The Deity of Jesus Christ - From Kings to Job

From the book of II Kings to Job are several entries that when coupled with a New Testament statement prove that Jesus is Divine.

II Kings 3:14 and 19:31, our God is called the Lord of hosts. David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, they all call Yahweh the Lord of hosts, or the Lord of armies. But in Revelation 19:11-14 we catch a glimpse of another "Lord of Hosts," or, that is, the same One, in a different context: "I saw ...a white horse, and he that sat upon him...doth make war...And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses..." Commander Jesus. God.

I Chronicles 16:33, judge.David is singing again. Part of the song goes, "...He cometh to judge the earth." The concept of a coming judgment by the coming Judge is fulfilled quite handily in the Christ of God, as says again Peter to Cornelius, (Acts 10:42) "It is [Jesus] which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick [living] and dead." Paul agrees, later in Acts (17:31), speaking to the religionists on Mars' Hill: "He [God] hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained." So God is the Judge. But He judges through Christ. And Christ becomes the Judge without God ceasing to be the Judge. Oh my, we're in over our head. This calls for faith. The revelation simply remains that Jesus is God.

II Chronicles 7:14 forgiver of sins. The Lord appears to Solomon by night and reveals to him in that classic passgae, 7:14, that if certain conditions are met, He will forgive their sins. Now who can forgive sins, but God? That's what some Israelites wanted to know when Jesus said to a man sick from palsy, "Son, thy sins be forgiven thee." A good question still. No one can forgive sins, but God, for it is against God, and God only, as David said in Psalm 51, that we sin. I can tell you that what you did against me is forgiven, but the sin remains on the books in Heaven until it is covered by the blood of God's Son.

Ezra 5:11-12, God of Heaven. Reference is made in Ezra 5:11,12 to one called the "God of heaven." Everyone knows God is in Heaven. Now struggle with this one, from the lips of Jesus: (John 3:13) "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven."Even while He was here, the true residence of the One we call the "Nazarene," was heaven. The place where GOD lives.

Nehemiah 9:5, exalted Name. What a time of praise and rejoicing the returning Israelites were having! We extract only this piece of information for our use now: (9:5) "...blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise." David said, "O Lord our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth!" (Psalm 8:1) Joel adds on that "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered." The name. Students of the Word surely know where I'm heading now. It's the masterful work of Paul to the Philippians: (2:9-10) "Wherefore God hath highly exalted Him (Jesus) and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow..." An exalted name! An excellent name! The name of Jesus! Can Joel find an echo in the New Testament? You're way ahead of me: Romans 10:9-13: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart...thou shalt be saved [delivered]...for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." The saving name, too! The name of the Lord:JESUS!

Nehemiah 9:26, sender of prophets. Nehemiah mentions the prophets sent by Yahweh, the God of Israel. We know that all the prophets were sent of God, right? Consider Matthew 23:34 in this light. Jesus is speaking to the religiously deceived Jews of His generation: "Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes..." Has Son suddenly usurped Father's job? Oh no. Father and Word have been working in this way forever. What God does, Jesus does...

Job 19:26, God incarnate. "Incarnate" sounds so theologically correct. And it should. But Job had it like it is. (19:26) "In my FLESH I shall see God." Now, in order for Job to see God in Job's flesh, God will have to have flesh too! But no! Even Jesus said, John 4:24, "God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth." How could God be flesh? Incarnate, OK, but not flesh! Doesn't sound quite right, but the mystery of all mysteries is just that: "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." John 1:14. The Word became flesh. And John says that the Word (Jesus) was God (John 1:1)!

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. I have created over 200 blogs and the site features a live news feed, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosen together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. I love to write Scriptural works. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond.

Psychology - Resistance to Change

It is a known fact that all people have an inertia against or resistance towards change. In the study of psychology, there have been many reasons put forward for such resistance to change.The single most important consideration would be the risk of change is greater than the risk of staying put.This is because while current practices have been tried and simulated on historical cases, a new practice requires one to venture into uncharted territories as there are no models for the new practice.Even if we are not concerned about the probability of success, any criticisms of current practices are likely more muted than those levied on new practices because the former have precedent cases to fall back on.

Emotionally, people also feel connected to the older people who are identified with the current and past practices.That is often the case when we see people quoting ancient Feng Shui classics to cite the relevance of their existing Geomancy practice.Another manifestation of this comes from people who quotes renowned but demised Feng Shui greats or claims to belong to lineage of these Feng Shui greats.

As much as people will loathe to admit, their inertia to change has also been subconsciously driven by their fear of lack of competence to change.Who would not want to be the pilot of a new and successful venture? But to go for the new venture and then expose one's own incompetence is more embarrassing than staying status quo.To follow someone who took the lead to a change also means he downgraded to the status of follower, so he will naturally want to stay as an opponent to the change rather than be a follower to the change.It is also emotionally unappealing to forsake something they have a higher chance of success because they are familiar with it for something they have a lower chance of succeeding because it requires them to venture into uncharted territory.

What is the relevance of Psychology to Feng Shui? While Psychology may not be part of Geomancy, it remains very relevant to this practice because Feng Shui clients typically look to their Feng Shui Master for solution to a myriad of problems some of which requires counselling and motivation. In any case, Feng Shui practitioners themselves should scrutinize themselves for the penchance to resist change because society has evolved such that the context behind this ancient art may have become irrelevant.

I am a Feng Shui Enthusiast in private practice and I specialise in Ba Zi or 4 Pillars, Zi Wei Dou Shu or ZWDS, Feng Shui, I-Ching, Qi Men Dun Jia or QMDJ, Chinese Name Analysis and other tools. My blog site is at: http://fengshuiforward.com and http://fengshuiforward.com/forum

Religion Articles

What Is a Wheat Berry?

Wheat is one of the oldest and most important crops in the world. Second only to rice, it is the main staple for much of the world. Wheat kernels have been used since the beginning of time, and they have been seen in instances of ancient art, and language. For many people it is used every single day of their lives, often whether they realize it or not.

A wheat kernel is a seed produced by the wheat plant. A wheat kernel is often called a wheat berry by nutritionists and health nuts. The kernel is the simplistic form of wheat, and comes in a variety of colors. Most commonly red and white in color, and rated as soft or hard kernels.

Wheat kernels can last for years if they are stored in a cool, dry place. This makes it one of the more sustainable crops, if treated correctly.

Wheat berries are much more elaborate than they look, and are made up of several parts that give them the nutrients, and flavor our bodies need. Wheat kernels have vitamins A, which helps with our vision, immune systems, and skin; Vitamin B, which reduces cancers, helps with our immune system, and promotes cell growth, and Vitamin E. Pretty impressive, isn't it?

The outside of the wheat kernel is the bran, and if you've ever had bathroom issues, you've probably been recommended bran cereals to provide fiber. Wheat germ is the "life" of the wheat kernel, and the main particle that allows wheat to sprout. The endosperm is a word that you may recall from middle school biology, and that's the last part key factor in the makings of a wheat kernel; the endosperm is the part of the wheat berry that contains all the starch.

When you take the time to think about it, it's really amazing what one kernel is made up of. Like the snow flake, no wheat kernel is the same. There are over fifteen thousand varieties of wheat that are grown in the United States, and they are all based around harvest times, colors, and what they can be used for. When many of us think about wheat, a loaf of bread is probably what pops into our minds, but what about pastries, pasta, oatmeal, and flour? These all originate from a different type of wheat, grown at a different time!

Whole wheat is something almost everyone needs more of in their diet. Dr. Grandma's sells nutritious whole wheat mixes and wheat berries (aka: wheat kernels). To learn more about whole wheat foods and to find some great wheat berry recipes visit DoctorGrandmas.com.

Meditating On Religious Scriptur