Meaning
June 22, 2008
Meaning
by: John Penberthy
Meaning. It seems that people are seeking it more these days than ever before. We’ve all tried settling for less but somehow its lack just leaves us empty. Oh, most of us are good at pretending, many for lifetimes. But sooner or later the desire for meaning inevitably begins to pester us..
In the midst of a lucrative but numbing career.
After too many years in a secure but comatose marriage.
Following a traumatic but eye-opening personal tragedy.
At first it’s but a whisper. We can’t quite understand what it’s saying so we ignore it, attributing it to this “phase” we’re going through. Still, we sense that something is wrong, something is missing.
Gradually the whisper grows into a clear, unmistakable voice. “Time for a change,” it nudges.
“Oh no, not now,” we protest. “Okay, maybe my life isn’t that fulfilling, but at least it’s comfortable.”
Which is, of course, exactly the problem. Too much comfort makes God uncomfortable. Just look around.
Still we fight it, afraid of the implications, the unknown. But the volume continues to increase. “TIME FOR A CHANGE,” it blares as we awaken each morning.
Anam Cara - Life as a Box of Paints
June 21, 2008
Lonely Song
"a box of paints - lament for my da"
It has been a wonderful morning full of feelings. Feelings arise and feelings go. First there is delight. Then there is sorrow. Then again there is delight. I sit playing guitar in the early morning sunshine and the mail arrives. In the mail is a gift from a friend. On opening this mail I find new delight. I have been sent a magazine and on the back is a love poem.
I treat each of these feelings as a simple movement of energy without judgement.
It is I imagine how children experience the world before they learn to label their feelings. This is the time before they learn to add the labels "good" and "bad" to the free flow of their energy. Whereupon feelings become emotions and emotions become blocked.
I am drawn to lamenting. This word "lamenting" is the root meaning of the phrase "to care." Anyone who cares deeply is by nature a lamenter. I sing songs of lamenting and am often moved to tears. Lamenting is an experience I love. I think in my home country of Ireland it is an experience many are drawn to via our history.
Words That Inspire - UNIQUE
June 20, 2008
Words That Inspire - UNIQUE
by: Julie Cohen
WORDS THAT INSPIRE
A monthly quick shot to motivate you, in less than 45 seconds, from Julie Cohen Coaching
What makes you UNIQUE?
Dictionary*says:
Being the only one, producing only one result, very rare or uncommon
What it REALLY means:
The combination of your talents, interests, ideas and quirks that makes you stand out in your world. Your expression of your values, preferences and beliefs. Your strengths put into action.
Why it MATTERS?
Your UNIQUE nature enhances problem solving, creative endeavors, stalled projects and personal challenges. Instead of trying to fit in and not be noticed, magnifying your UNIQUEness allows you to express yourself while providing variety and greater perspective to a solution.
UNIQUE quotation:
“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is UNIQUE. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost.” Martha Graham
Questions that INSPIRE:
Making Healthy Lifestyle Changes that Last - A New Look at New Years Resolutions
June 19, 2008
Would you run out of fingers, and maybe even toes, if you used them to count your tries at adopting a healthy lifestyle? Many of us would. The reason? Often it’s that we need to change how we try to make changes. How we make the journey, not whether we always reach our exact goals, determines our success. And how we make the journey is really about our ability to support ourselves along the way, instead of falling back into judgmental and self-defeating ways of thinking and doing.
If you’re thinking about making another run at a healthy lifestyle, consider these steps along the way.
Get real
Whether we’re trying to start eating healthier or become more physically active, the first step is to be clear about our goals…and clear whether they are something we can achieve. For example, if you currently walk once a week, and you begin to strive for five, what’s the chance you’ll get there regularly? Immediately trying to fit four extra workouts into your busy week may leave you struggling. Instead, think about an initial goal of walking twice a week. Small increases –’baby steps’ — build on success. As you feel good about your ability to do one extra walk, you’ll see your motivation ratchet up for another, ’til you reach that higher goal.
The Top Ten Secrets For Great Sex!
June 18, 2008
Clearly there are no rules, only what lovers have known since Antony and Cleopatra: “Pay attention, be kind, and be loving”. But the following Top Ten List might be a useful reminder! Enjoy!
1. Guys: Great sex starts in the kitchen! Wash the dishes, take out the trash, give her a break, let her know she’s appreciated. Romance and exhaustion do not mix — think about it! (Besides, standing there, side by side, washing and drying those dishes, hands could get to roamin’ and motors could get to tickin’ …the most amazing things do happen!)
2. Gals: Tell that old fool just exactly what you’ve been waiting for! Most males are notoriously poor mind readers, they just don’t “get it”. So tell him! “A little softer” or “let me show you” goes much further than, “How come you never know what I want?”
3. Guys: Take time! Sex is about fun, relaxation, laughter and love — this is not a competition or a 50-yard dash to the finish line! Start slow, let it build, then finish strong. A glass of wine, maybe some music, a backrub, even a few minutes of silence can shift the mood and make things verrrry interesting!!
Arizona Assisted Living Homes — The Alternative to High Priced Senior Care
June 18, 2008
The cost of skilled nursing care is slowly rising. Currently, the average cost of care in Arizona ranges from $3,500 to $4,500 per month. Skilled nursing facilities are great for seniors who require skilled nursing care by medical professionals such as registered nurses or physicians. However, is skilled nursing care appropriate for those who only require assistance with their activities of daily living (ADLs) such as bathing, dressing and going to the bathroom? Is it realistic for someone to pay $3,000 to $6,000 a month for skilled nursing care when their only requirement is assistance with their ADLs? Believe it or not, there are many seniors who do not require skilled nursing care and remain in nursing homes due to their lack of knowledge of the options available to them. There are affordable alternatives to nursing home care. When a senior requires long term care without 24 hour medical supervision, the preferred alternative is Assisted Living Homes.
The Facts About Anabolic Steroids
June 17, 2008
Anyone involved in the world of bodybuilding, and competitive sport generally, will understand the pressures that go with striving to achieve optimal performance. Sometimes athletes feel they cannot reach their peak without artificially enhancing their powers of recovery from intensive training. One way to speed up this process is through the use of anabolic steroids. In this article we’ll examine what anabolic steroids actually do. In a second article we’ll focus on the dangers associated with steroid use.
The main active ingredient in steroids is testosterone which is well known as the major male hormone. Testosterone affects the body in two ways, either as an anabolic or an androgenic influence. The anabolic action helps build body tissue by increasing lean muscle mass and bone density. The androgenic actions are those that affect secondary sex characteristics in men.
In recent years research has provided some interesting information in relation to testosterone:
1. It affects muscle size through muscle fiber hypertrophy with an increase in the cross-sectional area of muscle fiber.
2. It takes a dose of at least 300 milligrams of testosterone to raise the body’s level above normal.
3. It acts directly on the muscle itself.
What Was Albert Einstein Thinking?
June 16, 2008
What Was Albert Einstein Thinking?
by: Vickie Milazzo RN, MSN, JD
Albert Einstein once said, “You can’t solve a problem with the same mind that created it.”
To solve a problem you’ve obviously helped to create, you need to start with a new and fresh mind. For example, a woman thinks, “If I can change my job, my life will be better.” Possibly. But life doesn’t usually work that way. That woman is likely doing and thinking the same thoughts as always. Nothing new or fresh gets in. If you want to effect a change, get outside yourself and look at the situation with fresh eyes. See how you might assess your problem using a different mindset.
Try these six ways to think with a different mind—and nudge your genius into action:
1. Break patterns. You find yourself walking or driving home only to jolt alert and wonder how you got there. The road is so familiar you followed it automatically. The same thing happens in your mind.
Your mind’s neural pathways are like roads connecting bits of information. You learn something by connecting the bits. Then you do it over and over until following that pathway becomes automatic, which enables you to effectively give a speech or swing a golf club.
Are You Flushing Your Money Down The Toilet…Literally?
June 15, 2008
Many of you are probably aware that The American Medical Association has officially declared that all adults should be taking food supplements. Taking a multivitamin/mineral and an antioxidant every day is now doctor-recommended.
Like most people, you probably buy your multi-vitamin from your local drug store or GNC. You’ve looked at the label to see what’s in those little pills and, assuming it passes the test, you purchase it.
What if you knew that the money you were spending on vitamins was literally being flushed down the toilet? Would you continue to spend your hard-earned cash on something that was doing absolutely nothing for you?
Millions of Americans are trying to lead healthier lives by taking vitamin and mineral supplements. The problem is that MOST vitamin supplements have less than a 20% absorption rate. The remaining 80% is going down the toilet?that is why you don’t FEEL any different when you take your vitamins.
In Salt Lake City, for instance, over 150 gallons of undigested vitamin and mineral pills show up in their filters every month. In Tacoma, Washington 25,000 pounds of undigested vitamin and mineral pills (some with their brand names still legible) are pulled out of the sewers every 6 weeks!
Anam Cara - Watching The River Flow
June 14, 2008
I love rivers. I have for many years lived away from rivers. Yet, when I ever felt unhappy or uninspired I would seek out a pathway along the nearest river to my home.
I have returned home to Ireland following many happy years in England. I am blessed now to live close to the River Shannon near to the first village on the Shannon. This is the village called “Dowra.” In Irish the name is an Damhraith, which translates either as “the black stream” or “the stream of the oxen.”
I live near the source of the Shannon. This is called "Shannon Pot". This place marks the beginning of the longest river in the British Isles. This is a place where the beauty of the land and myth come together. This is a deep place not just symbolized by the deep, dark peaty waters of the pool.
The Shannon Pot is a place of placidity. It reminds me of how I am to move in the world. It reminds me to go placidly amidst this noise and haste of 21st Century living. It reminds me to deepen my connection to this extraordinary flow of energy we call “life.”
