Archive for September, 2009

PostHeaderIcon Feng Shui Home Tips

Feng shui has been an ancient Chinese practice that has recently became popular even in the Western world. It aims to strike up a certain kind of balance in a certain environment making it more ideal for people to live in. This is the practice of feng shui that has gotten the attention of most people, particularly for use in their homes. Here are some useful feng shui home tips that you can make use of to make your home filled with that positive “chi”.

Your Doorway and Chi

First off, you can start on your doorway. Doors should always remain free and clear of clutter. With this in mind, you should try to remove any slippers or shoes that may be lying around the doorway. In feng shui, it is said that “chi” flows with the wind. With the slippers and shoes at the doorway, the “chi” would bring with it the smell coming from the slippers and shoes into your house and cause sickness.

The “chi” would then go about the home interior trying to find water where it can stay. In the absence of such bodies of water like water fountains and aquariums, the “chi” would easily be dispersed by the wind.

Of Water Tanks and Fountains

In feng shui, water is said to be a repository of the energy called “chi”. That is why it may be good to have one in the home. But positioning is also important. A water fountain or fish tank should be positioned in an area that would attract positive “chi”. But a wrong or unfavorable position would also bring in the opposite.

While good fortune awaits, wrong positioning would also bring in misfortune and bad luck. If you have noticed the latter happening to you after positioning a water fountain of fish tank at a certain area in the home, you may need to shift it to another location.

Chi in the Kitchen

In designing your kitchen at home, make sure that you do not place your refrigerator opposite of your stove. These appliances can stand for fire and water. With the two clashing, it may bring family members to experience frequent disagreements at home. This also goes the same with the stove being opposite with the wash basin or washing machine in your kitchen.

Feng Shui in the Living Room

If you recently have been experiencing considerable pressure at work, your marble table might be a factor that may be causing it, feng shui speaking. You can either try to work your way through the pressure or you can remove the marble table in your home and exchange it for a wooden one.

In the same way color may also affect some things in feng shui. For instance having a red sofa set in your living room may bring about work pressure, problems as well as obstacles.

The color red that signifies fire just doesn’t work well in some areas of the home. These are just some of the feng shui home tips that you can apply to make sure that the flow of “chi” in your home remains on the positive side.

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PostHeaderIcon The Amazing Hubble

In the history of modern astronomy, there is probably no one greater leap forward than the building and launch of the space telescope known as the Hubble. While NASA has had many ups and downs, the launch and continued operation of the Hubble space telescope probably ranks next to the moon landings and the development of the Space Shuttle as one of the greatest space exploration accomplishments of the last hundred years.

An amazing piece of astronomy trivia that few people know is that in truth, only about ten percent of the universe is visible using conventional methods of observation. For that reason, the Hubble really was a huge leap forward. That is for the very simple reason that the Hubble can operate outside of the atmosphere of Earth. Trying to make significant space exploration via telescopes from the terrestrial surface of planet Earth is very difficult. That very thing that keeps us alive, our own Earths atmosphere presents a serious distraction from being able to see deeper and further into space.

The Hubble space telescope was named after the great scientist and visionary Edward Hubble who discovered that the universe was expanding which was explained by what is now known in science as Hubbles Law. To truly get a feel for the amazing accomplishment that was achieved with the launch of the Hubble telescope, spend some time on Nasas web site dedicated to the project at hubble.nasa.gov. There are also a number of sites where you can enjoy some stunning pictures from the Hubble including heritage.stsci.edu/ and www.stsci.edu/ftp/science/hdf/hdf.html.

Its hard to believe how long the Hubble has been orbiting earth and sending back amazing video and pictures of what it is discovering in space. But the Hubble was actually initially launched on April th . It was the culmination of literally decades of research and construction which began in . Expectations were high as the orbiting telescope was put in place and actually began to function as it was designed to do.

All was not always perfect with the telescope and the early pictures were disappointing. After some study NASA discovered that the reason for the early failures was the curvatures of one of the main lenses of the orbiting telescope.

We probably could never have kept this intricate piece of equipment operational as well as we have had we not had the Space Shuttle program to give us a tool to implement repairs and improvements to the Hubble. In a new lens was installed on the Hubble which corrected the problem of picture resolution that was noted in the early operation of the telescope.

Two other repair and upgrade mission have been made to the Hubble since it launched, both of them in to upgrade older equipment and to retrofit the telescope to extend its useful life through . Its pretty amazing to think that this scientific and mechanical marvel has been operating now for ten years without maintenance. We can be assured that plans are in the works for NASA to upgrade or replace parts on the Hubble to extend its useful life even further as that time frame draws closer.

It is hard to imagine the science of astronomy or the natural quest for greater knowledge of our universe without the Hubble. While many times those who would not fund space exploration have tried to cut funding for the Hubble, the operation of this telescope is just too important to astronomers and to the scientific well being of mankind and our planet not to continue to use the Hubble, or its next natural successor. We will always need to have a set of eyes in the sky to watch the universe and discover more of its mysteries.

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PostHeaderIcon The Dos and Dont of Acupuncture

There are things that patients have to be aware of before, during and after surgery. The same goes for those who undergo acupuncture because in order to enhance the value of the treatment, there are some dos and donts that patients have to follow.

First, you should not eat a large meal before or after treatment.

You should also avoid over exercising, engaging in a sexual activity or consume alcoholic beverages hours before and after treatment.

Since the acupuncture session will last from minutes to hours depending on how often you have to go to the clinic, you better fix your schedule so you have time to rest.

Chances are, you were consulting with a doctor prior to your visit to the acupuncturist. If there are any prescription medicines given, dont forget to take them.

You will not feel any improvement after just one or two visits with the acupuncturist. Just the same, you should write this down so you can go back to the acupuncturist on your next visit and tell him or her how you felt during the previous session. Such feedback will let the specialist know what needs to be modified in the future to help you with your problem.

The acupuncturist might give you some herbs to take as part of your treatment. Since you dont know if taking them will have any side effects with the medication you are taking, you should first consult with your doctor if it is safe to consume both.

Women who are pregnant are also advised not to undergo acupuncture treatment. However, they can engage in that once the baby is born.

How well the acupuncture treatment will go depends also on specialist who will be performing it. You have to take into account their years of experience and skill so they are able to make the correct diagnosis, finding the acupoints in the body, the angle at which the needles will be inserted and the techniques they know as there are different types of acupuncture.

This brings us to asking ourselves how to find a skill acupuncturist. For this to work, we have to do ask our doctor if they can refer anyone. It wouldnt hurt to also do some research online. After all, there are about , acupuncturists all across the country so it wont be that hard to find one.

Before you decide to have a session with them, talk to the acupuncturist to know their credentials. This will also give you the opportunity to find out how much do they charge as this can be from $ to more than $ per session.

You can probably ask for the name and contact number of a previous client so you can ask this person how everything went. Remember, if it doesnt work out for you, dont be afraid to find someone else who can do a better job.

The most important thing to do during the session is to relax. If you feel an itch or something, tell the acupuncturist. The same goes if you are nervous or experience a burning sensation so the specialist will take out the needles.

Now that you know the dos and donts of acupuncture, you should ask yourself if this form of treatment is right for you. If conventional medication doesnt work, it wouldnt hurt to see how things turn out.

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PostHeaderIcon Earth, Metal and Fire and Feng Shui?

Good Feng Shui means you have a balance of the five elements that compose the earth. Coversely, it also involves not having these elements overpower each other. Now, how do we really go about that? The basic principle on Feng Shui is heavily anchored on the five elements of the earth. In an ideal system, the five elements complement each other in a form of life cycle. If the environment fosters this positive nature that balances the five elements of the earth, then prosperity and good luck may not be far off.

Ideal System

The ideal system is where water produces wood, wood yields fire, and fire fashions the earth. Then, the earth forms the metal and the metal consequently produces the water. The overbearing and ugly system is when the elements contradict each other: wood burdens earth, fire destroys metal, earth hampers water, or water kills the fire. If you are able to see the visual properties of these elements, you may find that these arrangements prescribed by Feng Shui also make practical sense, even if you do not necessarily dig the concepts and foundations of Feng Shui.

Earth

You dont have to be a geologist to understand good Feng Shui for earth. Earth is generally composed of ceramics and rocks. If you want a happy home, you must have a good dose of rocks and ceramics strategically placed in tune with the other elements that are present in your home. Lacking in earth, you may find yourself filled with instability and resilience that the earth is generally known for.

Metal

Electronic devices can actually have good feng shui as well. They are under the metal category, which not just brings in the technological advancements of this age but also the toughness brought about by metal materials in the different elements of Feng Shui. Make sure that metal is not colliding with fire elements, and this may even hold a practical significance because you wouldnt want any of your electronic devices to catch fire!

Water

Zen fountains and the like form the water aspect of Feng Shui. Just ensure that water complements your metal. Overpowering your home with electronic appliances may actually appeal to the gadget junkie but not to the Feng Shui aficionado. Aside from the fact that water balances metal, you may also find that it has visual appeal if a person finds a Zen fountain in the midst of a sea of gadgets in the home which may be cool in function but not in appearance.

Fire

Candles and fireplaces are good examples of fire elements in Feng Shui. It may appear weird to put a fountain beside a fireplace for it contradicts that purpose, but many a movie had background sets with a fireplace and wooden furniture that is well ideal for a night of romance. Too much fire can actually drown the environment, so be very careful when lighting your environment. In business settings, it may also be advisable to tame down the effects of fire in the office. But it can be more unleashed in the personal setting, especially in romantic ones.

Wood

Wood is abundant in many places. Wooden furniture remain to be vintage to the Feng Shui expert. And this does not have to be only in the form of wooden furniture. Just by cultivating a garden in your home, you will be able to bring in a lot of wood that can help you balance the different elements.

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PostHeaderIcon Who Was Edgar Cayse?

The most extensive information on the Akashic records
arguably comes from Edgar Cayce a Psychic (-)
who would simply fall asleep or go into a trance to
access information from the records. And could access
them as easily as reading a book.

As I move along this path of light I gradually become
conscious of various levels upon which there is
movement.

Upon the first levels there are vague, horrible
shapes, grotesque forms such as one sees in
nightmares.

Passing on, there begin to appear on either side,
misshapen forms of human beings with some part of the
body magnified.

Again there is change and I become conscious of
gray-hooded forms moving downward. Gradually, these
become lighter in color.

Then the direction changes and these forms move upward
and the color of the robes grows rapidly lighter.

Next, there begin to appear on either side vague
outlines of houses, walls, trees, etc., but everything
is motionless.

As I pass on, there is more light and movement in what
appear to be normal cities and towns.

With the growth of movement I become conscious of
sounds, at first indistinct rumblings, then music,
laughter, and singing of birds.

There is more and more light, the colors become very
beautiful, and there is the sound of wonderful music.

The houses are left behind, ahead there is only a
blending of sound and color.

Quite suddenly I come upon a hall of records.

It is a hall without walls, without ceiling, but I am
conscious of seeing an old man who hands me a large
book, a record of the individual for whom I seek
information.

Reading – Report File
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PostHeaderIcon The Soothing Effects of Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an ancient form of Chinese medicine that has been practiced for thousands of years. Commonly used to treat bodily pains, acupuncture actually has a wide range of uses that range from addictions, to injuries, to disease prevention. If you are thinking about trying acupuncture, the following will give you a better idea of its many benefits.

Pain
Acupuncture is most commonly known to treat bodily pains such as muscular pains and arthritis. There are many types of arthritis, and each have a different acupuncture procedure. However, the healing effects may vary from person to person. Acupuncture for arthritis usually takes several sessions and takes a lot of cooperation your therapist for best results.

Other pain related ailments that can be cured by acupuncture are severe headaches and migraines, acute backaches, shoulder and neck aches, leg pains, trapped nerves, muscle related injuries, after surgery, carpal tunnel syndrome, sports injuries, menstrual pains, tooth aches, abdominal pains, and rheumatic pains.

Depression
Acupuncture is widely recommended for symptoms of depression and anxiety such as irritability, insomnia, loss of appetite, loss of interest in social activity and suicidal tendencies. Acupuncture is thought to relieve stress and improve flow of energy that may be causing the depressive symptoms. Improvement in symptoms can be seen as early as the first session. Experts have found acupuncture to be a beneficial complement to other forms of depression therapy such as psychological counseling, and healthier than chemical alternatives such as anti-depressants.

Insomnia
Acupuncture has become a popular alternative to common remedies such as sleeping pills. It works at the nerve levels, relaxing and soothing your senses. Acupuncture is thought to be a safer route for insomnia because it brings back your natural sleeping cycle through natural means and not through chemicals, which can turn into an addiction. Using acupuncture for insomnia usually starts working after the very first session. The treatment is usually stretched out for a period of time, until your body returns to its natural sleeping cycle.

Infertility
Studies show that acupuncture is a beneficial form of complementary therapy for women who are having undergoing treatments for fertility problem. Acupuncture is believed to relieve the anxiety of women undergoing fertility treatment. Also, acupuncture’s success in aiding fertility is more pronounced in in-vitro fertilization. In addition, the rate of miscarriages has been found to be lower for women who do acupuncture.

Others
The following are other ailments that acupuncture has been known to remedy:

Menopausal problems such as hot flushes, infertility, and premenstrual tension.

Bladder or bowel problems, difficulty or pain in urination, and urinary infections.

Digestive disorders including nausea, indigestion, heartburn, and diarrhea.

Respiratory problems such as rhinitis, hay fever, prickly heat, rashes and ulcers, eczema, and some types of dermatitis and psoriasis.

Conditions of the eyes and mouth such as cataracts, dry eyes, conjunctivitis, retinitis and toothache, and post extraction pains.

Heat problems such as poor circulation, stroke recovery, and hypertension.

Addictions such as smoking, drinking, or other harder drugs.

If you as suffering from any of the ailments mentioned above, acupuncture may just be the remedy for you. Acupuncture is harmless, and is known to promote health and a sense of well-being. It is a healthy, chemical-free alternative to traditional forms of medical treatment.

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PostHeaderIcon Feng Shui In The Kitchen

The kitchen is the most important area of your home.
It is responsible for nourishing your entire family
and keeping everyone happy and healthy. In feng shui,
the kitchen is a symbol of wealth and abundance also.

The optimal place for your kitchen is the center of
your home. If the kitchen is located near the front or
back door, the positive energy can escape.

Food gives us all of our energy and enables us to
remain healthy. To keep this food energy positive and
healing, the food has to be cooked in an organized
kitchen that maintains a good balance of Chi. By
having a well balanced and energized kitchen, the cook
becomes more energized and the entire family benefits.

The best tips for the kitchen are pretty basic and
should go hand in hand with the rest of your home very
easily. Lighting is an important part of feng shui and
in the kitchen, there should be an abundance of
natural light if available and if not, full spectrum
lighting is recommended. The air should flow nicely
and the kitchen should give off a very welcoming
energy.

A great way to add positive energy to your kitchen is
by using plants and flowers. When placed on your
kitchen table, they are not only beautiful to look at
but increase the positive energy level greatly. You
should use plants and flowers that are yellowish in
color because in feng shui, yellow is a great
digestive aid.

Like the rest of the house, clutter should be kept as
minimal as possible. Since this is the very heart of
the home, keep it as happy and warm as possible.
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PostHeaderIcon Astronomy or Astrology?

Have you ever finally just gave in to the temptation and read your horoscope in the newspaper on Sunday morning? Sure, we all have. For most of us, its a curiosity, an amusement to see what they say our day will be like based on the sign of the zodiac that we were born under. Sometimes we forget that this little diversion is actually part of an ancient science called astrology that has had a powerful effect on many cultures dating back to centuries before Christ.

That is not to say that astrology is a dead art today. It is easy to find astrology advocates in every town, advertising in the newspaper and on television trying to convince us that they can tell our fortune, our future and help cure our ills by exploring the mysteries of astrology.

When you are a lover of astronomy, the confusion between astronomy and astrology by those who dont really understand the differences can get pretty aggravating. And in early civilizations, the two disciplines were not separate. Astrology was just the religious side of the science of astronomy. So what changed?

The most significant shift that set in motion the separation of the two lines of thought began in the first century when Ptolemy wrote the very first book on astronomy called the Tetrabiblos. In it, he began to suggest that astronomy should be considered a separate science from astrology. It was quite a revolutionary book because it also was the first scientific document to suggest that the earth was not the center of the universe and that astronomy should be focused strictly on the observation and recording of events in the cosmos.

Over the next years, we have come a long way. Not only has science and religion completely gone their separate ways since Ptolemy but the science of astronomy makes tremendous strides every year that are so phenomenal, Ptolemy would be truly astounded.

Probably the biggest point of diversion between a student of astrology and astronomy is the belief that the position of the stars has meaning over the events on our lives. Of course, we do know that the weather and tides and other important aspects of our lives are affected by the stars, planets and heavenly bodies, particularly the moon. But these things are happening because of completely explainable scientific laws in motion, not because of mystical forces at work.

What can we, as devotees of astronomy conclude about the close relationship between astrology and astronomy? Well, for sure we want to be able to explain to anyone who is confused by the similarity in the words what the differences are. We do not want to see the two approaches to the stars and planets to become confused again. But we should do all we can do keep that distinction clear without becoming skeptical or demeaning towards those who may still hold to the teachings of astrology.

It is important to remember that what is part of a persons religious life has a level of sacred belief to the one holding it. And it is not respectful to scoff at such things. If for no other reason than out of respect for the ancient origins of astronomy, we should give courtesy who still are exploring whether astrology has any validity for them.

If we can treat each discipline with respect but maintain the separation that must exist between astrology and astronomy, there is no reason both approaches to our admiration of the galaxies cannot coexist in peace and harmony. And for our purposes as astronomers, that harmony will allow us plenty of freedom to enjoy our quest for knowledge for many more centuries to come. And who knows, you might still like to read the horoscope on Sunday morning every so often.

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PostHeaderIcon Harmonizing with Feng shui

Perhaps one of the oldest forms of geomancy in the world is Feng shui which originated from China more than years ago. This ancient practice is literally translated as wind and water and is based on the belief that life can be greatly improved with the help of Qi or energy flow. This Qi can be produced by achieving balance or harmony through the use of the laws of heaven, which pertains to the study of astronomy and earth, which is associated with the study of geography.

The purpose of the application of this practice is to locate that Qi or that vital energy in your surroundings by creating balance and harmony around you. Here are some Feng shui theories that can give you a better grasp of this concept of balance and energy.

The Power of Qi

Qi is everywhere and the key is to find it. This energy is a result of interactions in the environment like the yin and yang and the five elements of water, fire, earth, metal and wood. This theory believes that the way you arrange your surroundings and position certain objects around you can affect your energy levels. It also believes that these energy levels can even influence your health, wealth, relationships and even luck. By properly organizing your environment, qi can flow through the space freely and can create a positive effect to those who live in the area.

The Union of the Yin & Yang

The yin and the yang are two opposing forces or energies that work together creating a unity of opposites. The yin is characterized as the passive energy that is associated with the characteristics of water, cold, peace and tenderness while the yang is described as the active energy like those from heat, fire, excitement and speed. In other words if yin is matter, yang is energy and neither of them can exist without the other. The key to understanding this practice is to achieving a proper balance of yin and yang in our environment.

Balance through Bagua

The bagua is a popular Feng shui instrument that is shaped like an octagon and is divided into the eight cardinal directions of North, South, East, West, North East, North West, South East and South West. The theory of the bagua is that each of these directions corresponds to a part of our life. For instance, the North portion of the bagua pertains to ones career while the south pertains to the fame or reputation of a person. The other categories of the bagua are family, children, prosperity, relationships, wisdom, and travel.

The theory of the bagua also believes that each of the eight directions pertain to a part of our life and in order to activate the energy or improve a certain part of our life is to find the direction it corresponds to and make the qi flow into that space positively.

Finding the Harmony

Understanding and appreciating the art of Feng shui is accepting that there is an existing relationship between you and your environment. The theories of this practice present information on how a person can achieve balance and harmony with the environment which can have a great impact in particular areas of a persons life.

Although each person has their own potentials in the area of health, wealth, relationships and luck, what this practice really teaches is how to enhance these areas for practitioners to make the most out of their lives.

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PostHeaderIcon Specific Accounts of Akashic Records

There are many people who claim to have had
experiences with Akashic Records. C.W. Leadbeater was
one of the best known.

He was a renowned clairvoyant who conducted research
into the akashic records, which he states he inspected
at the Theosophical Society headquarters in Adyar,
India during the summer of .

C.W. Leadbeater recorded his findings in his book
“Man: How, Whence, and Whither?” This book also
records the history of Atlantis and other
civilizations as well as a future society of Earth in
the twenty-seventh century.

Another such famous believer who has his own specific
accounts of the Akashic Records is Edgar Cayce. He
stated that each person is held to account after life.

They are eventually confronted with their personal
Akashic Record of what they have or have not done
karmacilly in life.

The Akashic Records are comparable to the biblical
Book of Life” in which the consulted is judged to see
whether they are admitted into heaven or not.

Ervin Laszlo wrote a book called “Science and the
Akashic Field and the Reenactment of the Cosmos”.

This book brings the latest science of the A-Field and
the function as the source of everything flowing in
and out via the vacuum field.

This field is also known as Zero Point Energy and he
equates this to the Akasha, or cosmic mind, universal
consciousness and the field that unifies everything.

The authors of these books all claim to have visited
the Akashic Records themselves and write from their
own experience.
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