All is Well

Fact and Truth

2012-04-15T09:31:00.004+05:30

Thought experiments (Gedankenexperimenten) are "facts" in the sense that they have a "real life" correlate in the form of electrochemical activity in the brain. But it is quite obvious that they do not relate to facts "out there". They are not true statements.

But do they lack truth because they do not relate to facts? How are Truth and Fact interrelated?

One answer is that Truth pertains to the possibility that an event will occur. If true – it must occur and if false – it cannot occur. This is a binary world of extreme existential conditions. Must all possible events occur? Of course not. If they do not occur would they still be true? Must a statement have a real life correlate to be true?

Instinctively, the answer is yes. We cannot conceive of a thought divorced from brainwaves. A statement which remains a mere potential seems to exist only in the nether land between truth and falsity. It becomes true only by materializing, by occurring, by matching up with real life. If we could prove that it will never do so, we would have felt justified in classifying it as false. This is the outgrowth of millennia of concrete, Aristotelian logic. Logical statements talk about the world and, therefore, if a statement cannot be shown to relate directly to the world, it is not true.

This approach, however, is the outcome of some underlying assumptions:

First, that the world is finite and also close to its end. To say that something that did not happen cannot be true is to say that it will never happen (i.e., to say that time and space – the world – are finite and are about to end momentarily).

Second, truth and falsity are assumed to be mutually exclusive. Quantum and fuzzy logics have long laid this one to rest. There are real world situations that are both true and not-true. A particle can "be" in two places at the same time. This fuzzy logic is incompatible with our daily experiences but if there is anything that we have learnt from physics in the last seven decades it is that the world is incompatible with our daily experiences.

The third assumption is that the psychic realm is but a subset of the material one. We are membranes with a very particular hole-size. We filter through only well defined types of experiences, are equipped with limited (and evolutionarily biased) senses, programmed in a way which tends to sustain us until we die. We are not neutral, objective observers. Actually, the very concept of observer is disputable – as modern physics, on the one hand and Eastern philosophy, on the other hand, have shown.

Imagine that a mad scientist has succeeded to infuse all the water in the world with a strong hallucinogen. At a given moment, all the people in the world see a huge flying saucer. What can we say about this saucer? Is it true? Is it "real"?

There is little doubt that the saucer does not exist. But who is to say so? If this statement is left unsaid – does it mean that it cannot exist and, therefore, is untrue? In this case (of the illusionary flying saucer), the statement that remains unsaid is a true statement – and the statement that is uttered by millions is patently false.

Still, the argument can be made that the flying saucer did exist – though only in the minds of those who drank the contaminated water. What is this form of existence? In which sense does a hallucination "exist"? The psychophysical problem is that no causal relationship can be established between a thought and its real life correlate, the brainwaves that accompany it. Moreover, this leads to infinite regression. If the brainwaves created the thought – who created them, who made them happen? In other words: who is it (perhaps what is it) that thinks?

The subject is so convoluted that to say that the mental is a mere subset of the material is to speculate

It is, therefore, advisable to separate the ontological from the epistemological. But which is which? Facts are determined epistemologically and statistically by conscious and intelligent observers. Their "existence" rests on a sound epistemological footing. Yet we assume that in the absence of observers facts will continue their existence, will not lose their "factuality", their real life quality which is observer-independent and invariant.

What about truth? Surely, it rests on solid ontological foundations. Something is or is not true in reality and that is it. But then we saw that truth is determined psychically and, therefore, is vulnerable, for instance, to hallucinations. Moreover, the blurring of the lines in Quantum, non-Aristotelian, logics implies one of two: either that true and false are only "in our heads" (epistemological) – or that something is wrong with our interpretation of the world, with our exegetic mechanism (brain). If the latter case is true that the world does contain mutually exclusive true and false values – but the organ which identifies these entities (the brain) has gone awry. The paradox is that the second approach also assumes that at least the perception of true and false values is dependent on the existence of an epistemological detection device.

Can something be true and reality and false in our minds? Of course it can (remember "Rashomon"). Could the reverse be true? Yes, it can. This is what we call optical or sensory illusions. Even solidity is an illusion of our senses – there are no such things as solid objects (remember the physicist's desk which is 99.99999% vacuum with minute granules of matter floating about).

To reconcile these two concepts, we must let go of the old belief (probably vital to our sanity) that we can know the world. We probably cannot and this is the source of our confusion. The world may be inhabited by "true" things and "false" things. It may be true that truth is existence and falsity is non-existence. But we will never know because we are incapable of knowing anything about the world as it is.

We are, however, fully equipped to know about the mental events inside our heads. It is there that the representations of the real world form. We are acquainted with these representations (concepts, images, symbols, language in general) – and mistake them for the world itself. Since we have no way of directly knowing the world (without the intervention of our interpretative mechanisms) we are unable to tell when a certain representation corresponds to an event which is observer-independent and invariant and when it corresponds to nothing of the kind. When we see an image – it could be the result of an interaction with light outside us (objectively "real"), or the result of a dream, a drug induced illusion, fatigue and any other number of brain events not correlated with the real world. These are observer-dependent phenomena and, subject to an agreement between a sufficient number of observers, they are judged to be true or "to have happened" (e.g., religious miracles).

To ask if something is true or not is not a meaningful question unless it relates to our internal world and to our capacity as observers. When we say "true" we mean "exists", or "existed", or "most definitely will exist" (the sun will rise tomorrow). But existence can only be ascertained in our minds. Truth, therefore, is nothing but a state of mind. Existence is determined by observing and comparing the two (the outside and the inside, the real and the mental). This yields a picture of the world which may be closely correlated to reality – and, yet again, may not.

Ways to crank up your Creativity

2012-04-04T22:19:00.001+05:30

Creativity is a quality that we all have buried inside of us, one way or the other. It involves the invention of something new or the re-invention of something already existing to make it useful of interesting.

Some people's creative abilities are closer to the surface and one can easily see the manifestations of them. People say that their creativity is "inborn". For others, expressing creativity takes more time and cultivation. The important thing to note is that we can all be creative. You just have to take steps to extract it from within you. Try the following:

1. Change your perspective.

You might have heard the phrase 'Think outside the box'. You should try looking at the situation from a different point of view. Change your perspective. Consider all factors that are affected by your problem or your concern. Try to breakdown the problem into several elements then shuffle them. Think of what would happen if an idea is replaced. This aspect is important in enhancing creativity because it helps you remove possible fixations that may hinder creativity.

2. Mentally move away from your current location.

Imagine how another person would react if subjected in the same situation. Picture how different situations would continue when dealing with the same problem. Application in different settings can be also be done; and then from there, adapt a solution to the current setting.

3. Let your imagination run wild.

Exercise your imagination. Modification can trigger creativity because you see things in a different light. You can also try to exaggerate or think of the extremes, be it magnification or minimization of something. Thinking of the possible differences between these two situations could produce ideas. This is the ultimate brain exercise.

4. Your comfort spot.

The environment has to be right. You should have somewhere you can focus without being unnecessarily disturbed so you can give a problem your full attention. This should extend to the people you are with. You tend to do better at something when you are with like-minded people. To put it simply, hang out with creative people to help enhance your creative abilities.

Most of the time, people tend to be more creative when they are with people who are doing the same thing. It was also found that if you wish to be more creative, you should try hanging out with creative people.

5. Time, time, time.

You can't rush creativity. Hurrying does not help in the outflow of ideas. Your mind tends to go into a state of slight disarray when you are trying to force things. Studies show that results produced in this state are generally lacking. If you are low on time, then keep a list of activities like this one close to you. Go over each of the activities and exercise each one. Give it time.

6. Get help…communicate your ideas to others.

A different view of the problem could help. Better yet, many different views! Never be shy to ask. Diversity is very helpful in relation with creativity. Organize a brainstorming session. The spontaneous generation of new ideas helps in formulation of more ideas. The products of brainstorming can be the raw material in the construction of the idea.

Remember that in brainstorming, 4 rules are followed for it to be successful:
- There should be no criticisms. Criticism hinders the free flow of ideas. This can be postponed until the session has ended.
- Combining and/or modifying ideas are encouraged.
- Quantity is preferred over quality in brainstorming.
- Weird or strange ideas are encouraged.

These are just some ideas to get your creative juices going. They can be adapted to suit each individual. A large amount of it is down to you. How inventive can you be? How open are you? Remove the boundaries from your mind and you will find your creativity will increase.

ow To Unleash All Your Leadership Potential

2012-04-04T20:48:00.002+05:30

There is a steady flow of information in the form of books, articles, white papers and training all in the context of [ "what is leadership" or "how to develop a leader"]?. In this issue, I will avoid those two questions and write about two others that I believe might be on the minds of a lot you readers and they are:

Why does better leadership make a difference? and

How does better leadership achieve those differences?

Leadership is a highly unique form of human behavior that requires the integration of character, knowledge and experience. So what can you do if you step up and unleash your leadership potential? Change the world.

Your journey to unleashing your leadership potential begins with a great understanding of self. Discover your personality traits and how they relate to leadership. When we know ourselves, we can maximize our positive traits, and become aware of our weaker areas, which help us to achieve our leadership potential. Once you understand and know yourself, next you must hone your communication skills. These are not limited to your public speaking skills either. This includes your writing style and your body language. Your ability to communicate effectively enhances your ability to improve interpersonal relationships. Another important skill is to learn how to learn. Examine different teaching methods and learning styles to identify how you and those you may lead learn best. This skill will greatly enhance your ability to make decisions and give clear instructions.

An Exceptional Leader is one that recognizes the value of harnessing the skills and abilities of team members and leads them toward greater efficiency and effectiveness.

...And so leader is not a title and leadership is not something you are born into. Leadership is something you develop.

This is what Dr. Ken Blanchard, in his book "The Heart of A Leader" had to say about good leaders; "If you want to know why your people are not performing well, step up to the mirror and take a peek."

Innovation Is A State Of Mind

2012-04-01T20:32:00.000+05:30

You probably know the myth of innovation as a sudden flash of insight that comes from nowhere. We read about that "aha" moment, or that light bulb turning on in the mind of some inventor or innovator, and this is true to an extent. Einstein really did get flashes of insight while shaving in the morning. However, he was of course working on the particular problems he had insight into, and he didn't suddenly have ideas for new kitchen gadgets or movie plots.

Einsteins innovations, in other words, no matter how "sudden" the original ideas were, came from past and present mental work. It is like a singer who works at his craft for ten years and then becomes an "overnight success." Innovative people only have "sudden" new ideas because they have habitually worked and thought in certain ways for some time. If you want to become an innovative thinker, then, why not start cultivating those mental habits?

Mental Habits Lead To Innovation

Problems can be opportunities. "Problem" may have a negative connotations, such as being a hassle or stressful, but any problem can lead to an innovation that improves our lives. Not knowing the time lead to clocks small enough to put on our wrists. Nasty diseases lead to sanitary sewer systems. Start looking for opportunity in every problem. Even a mundane problem like not having enough storage space could lead to a new innovation. You may just build a plywood floor in the attic, but you could invent a new type of outdoor storage unit.

Innovation begins with understanding the key elements. Metal, wood or glass are not key elements of a door to an innovator. A way to get in, a way to keep others out - these are key elements. Begin with these, and soon you're imagining new ways to make a door. You could design a door that is opened by your voice (nice when your hands are full), or one that shuts and locks itself when anyone else approaches. Think of the key elements in things.

Attitude helps innovation. The creative problem-solving technique of concept-combination involves combining two ideas to see what new idea or product results. The crucial point is that you assume there will be a useful new idea. Starting with that assumption, your mind will work overtime to produce something. A shoe and a CD have nothing to do with each other, but it took just a minute to imagine a CD player with headphones that only plays the music correctly if a jogger maintains his ideal pace. When you assume there is something there you'll often find something.

Playfulness helps innovation. A playful mind is a creative mind, and while high IQ doesn't correlate with creativity, put it together with playfulness, and you have an Einstein. Remember, he imagined himself riding on a beam of light in order to arrive at his theory of relativity. Why not start playing with ideas and things, in your mind and in your surroundings. Innovation should be fun.

Positive Thinking and Your Creative Mind - 7 Steps to Success

2012-03-31T20:25:00.002+05:30

You have a bright idea hidden somewhere in the back of your mind that you just can't wait to test out. The question is, do you really want to bring it out into the light? What could motivate you to churn your creative, inspiring juices to their utmost flavor?

Did you know that it always helps to set a time limit to your personal goals? Set yourself up so you can accomplish the most tasks in record time. For example, mowing the lawn in an hour before the big game on TV. A correct and positive attitude in whatever you do will make things easier, and even enjoyable.

It's simple. If you begin to allow yourself a bit of positive thinking then you will begin to realize things that you never thought possible. Thinking big is indeed the Indian Way and that what made our country prosperous. You can follow other great Indians who tapped into their creative mind and began to thing big..

Discover some tips to make it through your first week of possibility thinking even if you're just sitting in your favorite couch. Your mind is constantly at work for you. Tap into it's great resource while doing everyday activities.

1. Act. You must take passionate action towards living your life by design. Talk is cheap. Action = deposits in the bank of a passionately authentic future. My mother (probably quoting someone else) always said, "Action speaks louder than words". Without action, passion is void.

Dreams become reality when you simply start by tinkering with your mind, then with your hands. And if the idea weakens or falters you can always go back to it later until you finish it. Thomas Edison and his Dream Team had to go back to the idea of a light bulb and recalculate it over 1,000 times before the first working light bulb begin to light the world.

2. Love. Commit to yourself. Then commit to those you love to powerfully create a life you can love. Instead of reacting, commit to creating from your heart and soul, out of love rather than fear. The American Dream will always be there, but a dream will still be a dream without motion. Be amazed as the transformation begins.

3. Live. Embrace moments and opportunities. Recognize and embrace the thought that each moment is perfect regardless of its outcome. Every time you hit on something that may appear too extreme why not give it a shot anyway. See if it will work. You may be surprised with the results. If you are not then decide to use that moment to learn from it and make the appropriate shift. Learning and growing from mistakes and failures is a part of living.

4. Be grateful. Dwell completely in a place of gratitude. Learn to utilize what you have in your hands and make use of it in the most constructive way. Necessity is the mother of invention. Have you ever been stuck without something you needed and had to make do with something else? How grateful were you that you had the means to solve your situation? Slipping into neediness will become less of a habit when you repeatedly shift towards gratitude and away from poverty consciousness.

5. Be Passionate. Use a Passion Formula of Recognize/Reevaluate/Restore in place of the Shoulda/Woulda/Coulda whirlwind. The former is based on increased knowledge and abundance while the latter focuses on scarcity and lack. As you face people or tasks that may seem harder than scaling the summit of the Himalayas, allow yourself to realize that the task is just as important as giving out orders to your subordinates. You would rather be richly passionate!

6. Laugh. Keep humor at the forefront of thought, laughing at and with yourself whenever possible. You may find yourself quite entertaining when you loosen up! I have yet to see a comedian ever go hungry even though his jokes are as 'old as great-grandma'. Life has too much to offer to allow yourself to mope around in self pity. Humor is very attractive, very passionate: life-giving.

7. Discover Your Purpose. Believe that you are the architect of your destiny. Realizing how you wish to be remembered when you pass from this life is a truly driving force. Your purpose for being can be a seemingly simple as being a great parent to as elaborate as discovering miraculous cures.

When you have a strong purpose no one can take your passionate future from you except for you! Truly, as long as there's still breath in your body, there is no end to how much you can accomplish in a lifetime. Discovering and following your purpose will enable you to enjoy your work. Celebrate in the discovery that acting on your creative mind's thoughts is fulfilling your purpose. Watch everything flow into place with perfect, passionate precision.

Activate your positive thinking. Stretch your imagination. Think bigger than you feel comfortable. Act on your thoughts. The number one tip here is action. You want to start practicing these steps.

Think about this: It is unfortunate that so many people still do not use a computer because it appears too complicated to begin using. Or maybe they just keep putting it off till a more convenient time. These are just a couple of limitations one can set up for themselves. Limitations and failure to act on ideas and opportunities leave many as a dim bulb in a dark corner.

Alert! You are not doomed to darkness. You are interested in living a life of purpose and love. The wonderful, creative idea in you is about to be released. You are interested in doing this because you are reading this article. Fortunately if you truly desire something, the will to attain it will open your creative mind to find a way.

Now you need only to begin to act on your desire to create. Act now! Make your path to creativity and follow your purpose. Take your first step today with a positive attitude.

Reiki as an Alternative Healing Process

2012-03-31T14:37:00.000+05:30

Maybe you are not familiar with Reiki, don't worry, you are not alone.

To start with, Reiki is associated with natural holistic healing or a healing where pharmaceutical drugs and medical surgeries are just an alternative in case the system of holistic healing fails.

Reiki is an early form of energy healing in which a participant serves as a channel for Universal Life Force. The Reiki participant opens himself/herself as a channel for an energy that comes from a higher source to aid healing or correct a person's aura. This is believed to be beneficial for the body, mind, and soul or the Indian system called chakra.

Reiki got its principle from the thought that the universe has an energy that gives form, structure, and health. This force is also called Chi by the Chinese martial artists. It is said to be capable of healing anything because its energy comes from the basic fundamental levels of reality.

It also teaches that the energy flows are affected by the thoughts of a Reiki practitioner. For instance, if he/she thinks of negative things, this will manifest diseases and unfortunate events. If he/she thinks the other way around, good health and fortune will come. These are facilitated to help the patients believe whatever positive thoughts they have in their minds.

To have an idea of how the healing process is conducted, here is an example: usually, the healer performs some hand rituals and eventually places it over a sick person. Then he will perform some massage from mid hair, and he will make some scooping actions like he is smoothing a bedspread. This movement is intent to correct the person's aura. There are other Reiki masters that just place their hands directly to the patient and keeping it there as long as necessary.

They are also capable of healing from a distance, or also called Reiki remote healing. The healer will just ask for an object that will represent the ill person and they will treat that said object just like he is treating the person. They are also capable of healing and blessing objects such as cars and computers.

Reiki is definitely a different healing process compared with others. It is up to you if you will believe in their methods.

Common Aromatherapy Uses

2012-03-31T14:14:00.001+05:30

Aromatherapy as used today originated in Europe and has been practiced there since the early 1900s. Practitioners of aromatherapy believe that every oil has a vibration or note, which can be used for different therapeutic applications.

Aromatherapy can be used to relax and soothe the mind and body, to energize or even to arouse. Aromatherapy derived from the use of essential oils to solicit specific emotions. Essential oils have been used for thousands of years for their health supporting properties. The powerful aromas of essential oils affect your moods and feelings through your sense of smell.

By selecting a particular scent, you can encourage a state of relaxation, romance, healing or comfort. Essential oils can be used in Aromatherapy, to scent potpourri, lotions, cosmetics, perfumes, food flavorings and medicinally.

Additionally oils can be used in creating sachets, potpourri, reviving potpourri, and for light bulb scenting. Essential oils can also be used via the bath, diffusion, massage, or compress. Each individual person, fabric, or material may react differently to a particular suggested use.

Essential oils can be mixed in a cream essential oil combinations are applied directly to the skin for beauty care or treatment of sores or irritations. By using different essential oils, you can control the nature of those benefits.

A unique property of plants is that many contain natural fragrance or perfume-like scents known as essential oils. Essential oils come from plants while fragrance oils are artificially created and often contain synthetic chemicals.

Essential oils are taken from a plant's flowers, leaves, stalks, bark, rind, or roots. The yield of essential oil differs with individual plant species-ranging in most cases from about 0.2 to 2.0%. That's why literally tons of plant material are required for just a few hundred pounds of oil.

In some cases different organs of a single plant may contain essential oils of different chemical composition. In the end, even the smallest bottle of essential oil can create a lot of powerful solution. It is important to note that the benefits of aromatherapy do depend on the unique nature of each person's response to an aromatic stimulus

The Psychology Of Stacking

2012-03-31T14:10:00.000+05:30

Your desk may reveal more to your co-workers and boss than you may think. In fact, a recent survey conducted on behalf of a desktop solutions line suggests there are three distinct organizational types in the typical office-"pilers," "filers" and "tossers." Chances are, the person who has heaps of piles on the desk sits next to you, the obsessive filer sits across from you and the person who throws everything away is down the hall.

"The fact that you can never find anything on a co-worker's desk when you need it seems to suggest that everyone has their own system of organization," said Sharon Mann, organizational expert and president of the 100,000-member I Hate Filing Club. "This recent study supports this belief as it divides workers into three organizational types: pilers, filers and tossers. With pilers comprising the largest segment of the workforce, developing PileSmart-a line catering directly to pilers' needs-was simply the right solution."

According to Mann, your organizational style may actually reveal intimate details about your character. So, how do you stack up?

• Popular Pilers, the most common workplace personality (48 percent), may seem disorganized but have the ability to locate items quickly amongst their mountainous stacks. They are also more likely to own a dog and belong to the Democratic Party. Contrary to popular belief, professionals (including lawyers, doctors and accountants) are more than three times more likely to pile important papers on their desk than to file them away.

• Faithful Filers, at the opposite end of the spectrum, comprise more than one-third of the workforce and are known for appearing ultraorganized. Although they seem calm and collected, filers can sometimes act fussy and anxious. Filers are more likely to be uptight and most likely to identify with the Republican Party. For companionship, filers tend to flock toward birds.

• Tart Tossers, the risk takers of the bunch, making up 14 percent of the work world, throw away anything that adds clutter to their work area-even the important stuff. Free-spirited tossers are frequently unregistered voters. Additionally, they are more likely to own a cat, possibly because of their low-maintenance attitude.

"Whether a piler, filer or tosser, everyone can benefit from proper organization," added Mann. "The key to boosting organization in the long run is to set realistic goals, such as keeping 50 percent of your desk clear at all times. Also, choose smarter organizational solutions, such as those in the PileSmart product family, which allow users to 'pile smarter' without altering their organizational style."

How to Experience a Lucid Dream

2012-03-29T19:29:00.001+05:30

Lucid dreaming means dreaming while you know that you are dreaming. The term was coined by Frederik van Eeden who used the word "lucid" in the sense of mental clarity. With practice nearly anyone can experience lucid dreams.

Lucidity is not the same as dream control. It is possible to be lucid and have little control over the dream. However, becoming lucid in a dream is likely to increase your ability to deliberately influence the events within the dream. With practice you may extend the amount of control that you have over dream events. Many lucid dreamers choose to do something permitted only by the extraordinary freedom of the dream state, such as flying.

Some people have objections to lucid dreams. They say that it is un-natural and could be harmful to the psyche. In my opinion this is not true at all. Perhaps if all of our dreams were lucid and controlled there may be some harm, but with our lucid dreams spread out among many "normal" dreams we have plenty of time for non-lucid dreaming.

While we are in a dream our mind accepts what we see and feel as reality. We often find ourselves in very unusual circumstances when compared to our waking life. You could be living in a different house or driving a different car. The sky could be green and the river yellow. In most cases we accept these things as being true. Why doesn't the mind "think" 'Hey! I don't have this vehicle' or 'This isn't where I live!' or even 'Hey! I know the sky isn't supposed to be that color!'

This is what I call incongruities. Things in our dreams that are not "normal". We must wonder, and many have, why our mind so readily accepts anything we experience within our dreams as being real. We know there are no monsters. We know the proper colors for things. We know our home and our daily life. While we are dreaming we often forget these things and we believe what we see in the dream.

Just knowing this and thinking about it can actually help you on your way to a lucid dream experience. An incongruity is one of the triggers to lucid dreaming. A trigger is that which inspires or begins lucidity.

Here is an example of this from one of my own lucid dreams:

I was driving a blue Ford Bronco down a dirt road. I think it was a late 70's model. There was a young boy in the passenger seat. I was giving him a ride because his motorcycle had run out of gas. The bike was in the back. Suddenly I realized it. I did not own a blue Bronco! In the dream I slammed on the breaks and held my hands up. "I don't own a Ford bronco!" I said, "I am dreaming!" from that point on I was lucid.

A recurring dream or nightmare can also be used as a trigger. If you have a recurring dream make a conscious effort to realize that you are dreaming the next time you are in that situation. If the dream involves a certain person or place try to think as you go to sleep, "The next time I see that house I will know that I am dreaming". Since the dream is recurring it wont be long before you see that house, person, etc. This may take several attempts. Don't be discouraged if it doesn't work the very first time.

Another technique that works for a lot of people is asking yourself "Am I dreaming?" and leaving notes for yourself. Several times a day ask yourself the question aloud. Also write the question on a note and put it on the refrigerator. Put the same message in other places where you will see them throughout the day. Many people will find them self asking that question or seeing the question written on a note while they are actually dreaming. This will trigger a lucid dream.

My first lucid dream, that is the first one I had when I was trying to achieve lucidity, was triggered by a flying dream.

Try to go to sleep in the same place and around the same time as much as possible. It is best to sleep with silence as music or other sounds can affect your dreaming. If you do choose to listen to music while you are going to sleep choose soft and soothing music, preferably without vocals. Use the same music each time. Before you go to sleep concentrate on a trigger. My first time I said, "tonight I will fly", aloud several times and I concentrated on it. The second night I had a flying dream but I did not become lucid. On the fourth night I had another flying dream and at that time I became lucid. I was then able to fly to wherever I wanted to!

The trigger or combination of triggers that you use will depend upon you. If you have a common dream theme this is a great trigger. Just concentrate on the next time that you see or experience that you will be dreaming. Think of it as often as you can while you are awake.

Lucid dreamers often comment to themselves in dreams. You may say aloud, "This is a dream! I know that I am dreaming."

Make a list of questions that you have about dreams. Read the list often and look over it several times and concentrate on it before you go to bed.

Can you read text in a dream? Can you add numbers in a dream? These were some questions I had on my list at one time. I had read in a dream book that it was not possible to read text or to calculate numbers in a dream, but I didn't believe it. I eventually found myself lucid in an office. I walked over to a calendar on the wall and I read the text describing a New England farm house. I turned to another man there and said, "You see? You can read text in a dream!" I turned back to the calendar to read again and found that the words had completely changed. That amazed me and I commented to the other man about it. Next I walked over to a desk and found a calculator. I added and subtracted numbers and came up with correct answers. Yes, you can read text and perform mathematics in a dream. I proved it to myself beyond any doubt and with more confidence than I ever could have by reading anything about dreams.

Keep a Dream Journal

Keeping a dream journal is one of the most effective tools to achieving lucid dreams. Try to write down your dreams as soon after you wake up as you can. Don't just write a narrative of what took place in the dream. Record your thoughts and emotions felt. This will help you later on as you develop your dreaming research. Be sure to note all major elements, such as people, places, animals, etc.

Keeping a dream journal will also help you a great deal in understanding your non-lucid dreams. As you continue to write in your journal and re-read your previous entries you will begin to see parallels with your dreams and your life. Gradually you will be able to recognize what the symbols in your dreams are really saying to you.

Once lucid in a dream, people can often choose their actions and exert some deliberate control over the dream content. This ability has been utilized in the laboratory to study lucid dreaming and dream psychophysiology. For example, proof that lucid dreams occur in REM sleep was achieved by having subjects give a prearranged distinct signal with deliberate eye movements to mark the points in time when they realized they were dreaming. The dreamers' reports of the eye movements they had made in the dreams corresponded exactly to their physical eye movements as recorded by means of electro-oculograms on a polygraph record. Reports from experiments conducted using eye movement signaling in lucid dreams can be found in the literature (Dane, 1984; Fenwick et al., 1984; Hearne, 1978; LaBerge, Nagel, Dement & Zarcone, 1981; Ogilvie, Hunt, Kushniruk, & Newman, 1983).

What Are The Benefits of Lucid Dreaming?

The scientific study of dreaming and REM sleep

A variety of psychological and recreational applications.

Lucid dreaming can be a powerful tool for overcoming nightmares

In therapy, lucid dreams appear to be promising for providing personal insight, assisting with integration, and as a safe environment for experimentation with new behaviors (LaBerge & Rheingold, 1990).

Many lay people are attracted to lucid dreaming because it offers an outlet for fantasy, an opportunity for adventure unfettered by the laws of physics or society, and free of risk. As such, lucid dreaming is for many a source of creative and inspiring recreation. Anecdotes indicate that lucid dreams are helpful for artistic creativity, problem-solving, and practicing skills for waking life (LaBerge & Rheingold, 1990).

Dreams hold the most vivid mental images attainable by most people. Lucid dreaming is probably the best method for achieving the benefits such as enhancing physical performance, learning, remembering and facilitating healing.

A Brief History of Hypnosis

2012-03-13T14:17:00.002+05:30

Evidence of hypnotic-like phenomena appears in many ancient cultures. The writer of Genesis seems familiar with the anaesthetic power of hypnosis when he reports that God put Adam "into a deep sleep" to take his rib to form Eve. Other ancient records suggest hypnosis was used by the oracle at Delphi and in rites in ancient Egypt (Hughes and Rothovius, 1996). The modern history of hypnosis begins in the late 1700s, when a French physician, Anton Mesmer, revived an interest in hypnosis.

1734-1815 Franz Anton Mesmer was born in Vienna. Mesmer is considered the father of hypnosis. He is remembered for the term mesmerism which described a process of inducing trance through a series of passes he made with his hands and/or magnets over people. He worked with a person's animal magnetism (psychic and electromagnetic energies). The medical community eventually discredited him despite his considerable success treating a variety of ailments. His successes offended the medical establishment of the time, who arranged for an official French government investigating committee. This committee included Benjamin Franklin, then the American ambassador to France, and Joseph Guillotine, a French physician who introduced a never-fail device for physically separating the mind from the rest of the body.

1795-1860 James Braid, an English physician, originally opposed to mesmerism (as it had become known) who subsequently became interested. He said that cures were not due to animal magnetism however, they were due to suggestion. He developed the eye fixation technique (also known as Braidism) of inducing relaxation and called it hypnosis (after Hypnos, the Greek god of sleep) as he thought the phenomena was a form of sleep. Later, realising his error, he tried to change the name to monoeidism (meaning influence of a single idea)however, the original name stuck. 1825-1893 Jean Marie Charcot a French neurologist,disagreed with the Nancy School of Hypnotism and contended that hypnosis was simply a manifestation of hysteria. There was bitter rivalry between Charcot and the Nancy group (Liebault and Bernheim). He revived Mesmer's theory of Animal Magnetism and identified the three stages of trance; lethargy, catalepsy and somnambulism.

1845-1947 Pierre Janet was a French neurologist and psychologist who was initially opposed to the use of hypnosis until he discovered its relaxing effects and promotion of healing. Janet was one of the few people who continued to show an interest in hypnosis during the psychoanalytical rage.

1849-1936 Ivan Petrovich Pavlov - Russian psychologist who actually was more focused on the study of the digestive process. He is known primarily for his development of the concept of the conditioned reflex (or Stimulus Response Theory). In his classic experiment, he trained hungry dogs to salivate at the sound of a bell, which was previously associated with the sight of food. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology in 1904 for his work on digestive secretions. Though he had nothing to do with hypnosis, his Stimulus Response Theory is a cornerstone in linking and anchoring behaviours, particularly in NLP.

1857-1926 Emile Coue, a physician who formulated the Laws of Suggestion. He is also known for encouraging his patients to say to themselves 20-30 times a night before going to sleep; "Everyday in every way, I am getting better and better." He also discovered that delivering positive suggestions when prescribing medication proved to be a more effective cure than prescribing medications alone. He eventually abandoned the concept of hypnosis in favour of just using suggestion, feeling hypnosis and the hypnotic state impaired the efficiency of the suggestion.

Coue's Laws of Suggestion

The Law of Concentrated Attention

" Whenever attention is concentrated on an idea over and over again, it spontaneously tends to realise itself"

The Law of Reverse Action

"The harder one tries to do something, the less chance one has of success"

The Law of Dominant Effect

"A stronger emotion tends to replace a weaker one"

1856-1939 Sigmund Freud travelled to Nancy and studied with Liebault and Bernheim, and then did additional study with Charcot. Freud did not incorporate hypnosis in his therapeutic work however because he felt he could not hypnotise patients to a sufficient depth, felt that the cures were temporary, and that hynosis stripped patients of their defences. Freud was considered a poor hypnotist given his paternal manner. However, his clients often went into trance and he often, unknowingly, performed non-verbal inductions when he would place his hand on his patient's head to signify the Doctor dominant, patient submissive roles. Because of his early dismissal of hypnosis in favour of psychoanalysis, hypnosis was almost totally ignored.

1875-1961 Carl Jung, a student and colleague of Freud's, rejected Freud's psychoanalytical approach and developed his own interests. He developed the concept of the collective unconscious and archetypes. Though he did not actively use hypnosis, he encouraged his patients to use active imagination to change old memories. He often used the concept of the inner guide, in the healing work. He believed that the inner mind could be accessed through tools like the I Ching and astrology. He was rejected by the conservative medical community as a mystic. However, many of his ideas and theories are actively embraced by healers to this day.

1932-1974 Milton Erickson, a psychologist and psychiatrist pioneered the art of indirect suggestion in hypnosis. He is considered to be the father of modern hypnosis. His methods bypassed the conscious mind through the use of both verbal and nonverbal pacing techniques including metaphor, confusion, and many others. He was a colourful character and has immensely influenced the practice of contemporary hypnotherapy, and its official acceptance by the AMA. His work, combined with the work of Satir and Perls, was the basis for Bandler and Grinder's Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP).

Money From Blogs Starting Now!

2012-03-11T22:58:00.000+05:30

A weblog (or simply blog) is a website that 'publishes' or features articles (which are called 'blog posts', 'posts', or 'entries'), written by an individual or a group that make use of any or a combination of the following:

· Straight texts
· Photographs or images (photoblog)
· Video (videoblog)
· Audio files (audioblog)
· Hyperlinks

Usually presented and arranged in reverse chronological order, blogs are essentially used for the following purposes:

· Online journal or a web diary
· Content managament system
· Online publishing platform

A typical blog has the following components:

· Post date -the date and time of the blog entry

· Category - the category that the blog belongs to

· Title - the title of the blog

· Main body - the main content of the blog

· RSS and trackback - links the blog back from other sites

· Comments - commentaries that are added by readers

· Permalinks - the URL of the full article

· Other optional items - calendar, archives, blogrolls, and add-ons or plug-ins

A blog can also have a footer, usually found at the bottom of the blog, that shows the post date, the author, the category, and the 'stats' (the nubmer of comments or trackbacks).

There are numerous types of blogs. Some of them are the following:

1. Political blog - on news, politics, activism, and other issue based blogs (such as campaigning).

2. Personal blog - also known as online diary that may include an individual's day-to-day experience, complaints, poems, and illicit thoughts, and communications between friends.

3. Topical blog - with focus either on a particular niche (function or position) that is usually technical in nature or a local information.

4. Health blog - on specific health issues. Medical blog is a major category of health blog that features medical news from health care professionals and/or actual patient cases.

5. Literary blog - also known as litblog.

6. Travel blog - with focus on a traveler's stories on a particular journey.

7. Research blog - on academic issues such as research notes.

8. Legal blog - on law (technical areas) and legal affairs; also known as 'blawgs'.

9. Media blog - focus on falsehoods or inconsistencies in mass media; usually exclusive for a newspaper or a television network.

10. Religious blog - on religious topics

11. Educational blog - on educational applications, usually written by students and teachers.

12. Collaborative or collective blog - a specific topic written by a group of people.

13. Directory blog - contains a collection of numerous web sites.

14. Business blog - used by entrepreneurs and corporate employees to promote their businesses or talk about their work

15. Personification blog - focus on non-human being or objects (such as dogs).

16. Spam blogs - used for promoting affiliated websites; also known as 'splogs'.

Blogging is typically done on a regular (almost daily) basis. The term "blogging" refers to the act of authoring, maintaining, or adding an article to an existing blog, while the term "blogger" refers to a person or a group who keeps a blog.

Today, more than 3 million blogs can be found in the Internet. This figure is continuously growing, as the availability of various blog software, tools, and other applications make it easier for just about anyone to update or maintain the blog (even those with little or no technical background). Because of this trend, bloggers can now be categorized into 4 main types:

· Personal bloggers - people who focus on a diary or on any topic that an individual feels strongly about.

· Business bloggers - people who focus on promoting products and services.

· Organizational bloggers - people who focus on internal or external communication in an organization or a community.

· Professional bloggers - people who are hired or paid to do blogging.

Problogging (professional blogging) refers to blogging for a profit. Probloggers (professional bloggers) are people who make money from blogging (as an individual blog publisher or a hired blogger).

Below are just some of the many money-making opportunities for probloggers:

· Advertising programs
· RSS advertising
· Sponsorship
· Affiliate Programs
· Digital assets
· Blog network writing gigs
· Business blog writing gigs
· Non blogging writing gigs
· Donations
· Flipping blogs
· Merchandising
· Consulting and speaking

The following are a few things that you need to consider if you want to be successful in problogging:

1. Be patient. Problogging requires a lot of time and effort, not to mention a long-term vision.

2. Know your audience. Targeting a specific audience or group is a key to building a readership.

3. Be an 'expert'. Focus on a specific niche topic and strive to be the "go-to" blogger on that topic.

4. Diversify. Experiment with various add and affiliate programs that enable you to make money online (aside from blogging).

5. Do not bore your readers. Focus on the layout. White spaces, line spacings, and bigger fonts make a blog welcoming to read.

Certainly, it is possible to earn money from blogs. One just needs to take risks, the passion, and the right attitude in order to be a successful problogger.

Work From Home And Take Action!

2012-03-11T17:48:00.000+05:30

When you work from home, it is very likely that you are self employed and more likely an entrepreneur. If you are working a job from home this article will not have the importance or impact that it will for the entrepreneur. If you are an entrepreneur that wants to work from home, then I would hope that you've done a bit of homework (pardon the play on words). In your homework, you hopefully sat down and thought about what you would like to accomplish as an entrepreneur. If you haven't done that, then please go to some of my previous articles that are searchable by my name.

So you have sat down and written out what your goals are for your work from home business. Great! You have gotten off on the right foot. Let's also assume that as an entrepreneur you are fairly ambitious. You have set a goal or destination that is unexplored territory for you. I think that's excellent – why set a goal or try and get excited about something you've already done? Let's head for uncharted territory.

Now guess what. Your goal or destination lies in the realm of the unknown – at least to you. Now it is going to require that you use thinking other than the thinking that got you to where you are now, to move forward and attain your goals. Einstein said "the current set of problems we face will not be solved by the same level of thinking that got us there". Neither will you get to where you want to be with the same level of thinking and effort that you have done before.

So to reach your goal you must do at least these two things. You must seek out thoughts that are different than the ones you've had before and you must take actions you have never taken before. To get those thoughts, you must somehow mastermind with people that are either at the point where you want to be, or at least they are much closer to it than you are. Find other people that work from home and have had great success with it. Maybe they are in the company you work with, or if you truly work alone, then get books and tapes from people who have done it. Maybe even get some coaching from someone who has had success working from home.

Once you realize the mindset and thoughts that are necessary to get to your destination, you must take action. Guess what the outcome will be if you fail to take any action because of fear in your life? You guessed it – failure. So you must take action to reach your goals.

Here is a great guideline for decision making: First, will the action I am considering move me in the direction of my goals? Second, will the action I'm about to take cause harm or violate the rights of anyone? If the answers are yes and no respectively, then you MUST take the action – and do so IMMEDIATELY! This is the method of operation of successful people that I know personally who work from home. To get to your goals more quickly, take more action. If you have fear, take more action. What is the alternative? Think about it.

Public Speaking - The Key Is In The Body Language. The 8 Stages To A Successful Presentation

2012-03-11T13:43:00.001+05:30

Most people have a fear of speaking to a large group. This is a totally normal apprehension. People may visualise the audience laughing at them, or shouting out. This is an extremely rare occurrence, unless you are a politician.

Most people listening to you are aware of the pressures you are under and would never change places with you.

These guidelines will help you to overcome your fears.

1. Know your subject. Read through your presentation beforehand. Read around the subject, so that you are confident that you know more than your audience, even after you have spoken. If you know your subject then you will come across in an interesting way and keep the attention of your audience.

2. Expect to do well. Your expectations are obvious in your body language. If your audience sees that you expect to do badly, you will do badly. Expectation is vital.

3. Look at your audience. Eye contact is vital if you are to judge their understanding so that you can change the pace of your delivery if necessary.

4. Use notes. You should never, never read your speech from a sheet.

5. Slow your speech down. This makes you appear more confident and enables your audience to take it in more easily. If you are talking slower, it is easier for your audience to maintain their attention, and momentary lapses in their concentration mean that they miss less.

6. Vary the tone and level of your voice. This maintains interest. You should speak clearly and project your voice, rather than shouting. Talking quietly in key segments means that your listeners will need to actively listen to those parts of your presentation.

7. Avoid excessive body movements and gestures. Hand gestures can be used for emphasis only.

8. Keep your hands and thumbs visible. Holding your hands out, with the thumbs uppermost is a very powerful dominance gesture. Watch politicians speaking, they all use this gesture.

9. Rejoice in the endorphin high that you will feel when it goes well.

NASA Crushes 2012 Mayan Apocalypse Claims

2012-03-11T13:37:00.002+05:30

Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have put out a new video to address false claims about the "Mayan apocalypse," a non-event that some people believe will bring the world to an end on Dec. 21.
In the video, which was posted online Wednesday (Mar. 7), Don Yeomans, head of the Near-Earth Objects Program Office at NASA/JPL, explains away many of the most frequently cited doomsday scenarios.

Addressing the belief that the calendar used by the ancient Mayan civilization comes to a sudden end in December 2012, and that this will coincide with a cataclysmic, world-ending event, Yeomans said: "Their calendar does not end on December 21, 2012; it's just the end of the cycle and the beginning of a new one. It's just like on December 31, our calendar comes to an end, but a new calendar begins on January 1."
Yeomans also attempted to allay fears regarding potential causes of a Mayan apocalypse, including Nibiru, an imaginary planet that some people think is swinging in from the outer solar system just in time to collide with Earth in December. "This enormous planet is supposed to be coming toward Earth, but if it were, we would have seen it long ago. And if it were invisible somehow, we would have seen the [gravitational] effects of this planet on neighboring planets. Thousands of astronomers who scan the sky on a daily basis have not seen this," he said.

He added that there is zero possibility of a NASA cover-up. "Can you imagine thousands of astronomers who observe the skies on a daily basis keeping the same secret from the public for several years?"

As for solar flares, Yeomans explained that these do exist — in fact, two massive solar flares erupted just days ago, sending bursts of solar radiation into space — but they are part of the sun's normal 11-year cycle. Radiation from solar flares can damage orbiting satellites, but Earth's magnetosphere shields its inhabitants from the blasts, and the flares are not a health concern.
"Then we have planetary alignments," Yeomans said. Some doomsayers believe the other planets and the sun will align with the Earth in December and cause catastrophic tidal effects. "Well, first of all, there are no planetary alignments in December of 2012, and even if there were, there are no tidal effects on the Earth as a result. The only two bodies in the solar system that can affect the Earth's tides are the moon, which is very close, and the sun, which is massive and also fairly close. But the other planets have a negligible effect on the Earth."
(Incidentally, it is perfectly normal for the sun and moon to align, bolstering each other's gravitational pulls on Earth and generating higher-than-normal ocean tides. This happens twice each month.)
Addressing the claim that Earth's axes are going to shift on Dec. 21, 2012, he said: "The rotation axis can't shift because the orbit of the moon around the Earth stabilizes it and doesn't allow it to shift." He noted that the magnetic field does shift every half-million years or so, but "there's no evidence it's going to happen in December, and even if it were to be shifting, it takes thousands of years to do so. And even if it did shift, it's not going to cause a problem on the Earth apart from the fact that we're going to have to recalibrate our compasses." [What If Earth's Magnetic Poles Flip?]
Invoking the astronomer Carl Sagan's famous maxim, he said: "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Since the beginning of time there have been literally hundreds of thousands of predictions for the end of the world, and we're still here."

Blog Software For All Your Blogging Needs

2012-03-11T13:16:00.000+05:30

Are you ready to find the solutions you have been searching for?

Right now anyone who has a writing talent or is aspiring to be a author has written a blog in the net. There are blog softwares that are simple and easy to use and a technically minded and challenged individuals can effortlessly obtain a blog online.

For a few people , blogs are their projects of every day life, as they chat about their daily episodes as well as pay tribute to friends and family. In addition, blogs assume a deep meaning written to compose and collect political statements, support a product, supply information on research, and also offer tutorials. Any subject that are of your interests, you can be sure that some person has written a blog regarding it.

Blogs are now being 'penned' by musicians, politicians, sports personalities, novelists, newscasters as well as other known figures. It is this blog fever that has raised controversy. The fact that anyone can write and in regard to any subject matter under the sun, complaints about certain write-ups are an issue. In a lot of blogs, names are often mentioned; do keep in mind that although you are allowed to write anything that interests you in a blog, you have to be very cautious and take in a lot of responsibility. Do not make any statements which can become doubtful; or else, be very prepared.

Why a blog?
1. For personal acquaintances, relationships and hobby. A person can create a blog about his daily activities, what's going on with his life as his way of informing his family and friends the things that goes on in his life. Similarly, one may also create a blog just so he can express what he feels about himself, or about a certain subject that is of interest to him.

2. Topical. Many blogs are committed to a precise topic, lets say computer hardware or politics. These are often read like magazines.

3. For marketing. Corporations are too, into blogging; if well written and implemented, this kind of blog can be a powerful tool for business communications, forming enthusiasm and anticipation regarding their products and services offered, or utilised as tool within the company, keeping employees up-to-date about company issues and news.

Why someone else's software?

A lot of Web designers and creators will scoff at the belief and idea of utilizing the software of someone else. This is can be true especially when each software greatly differs from the individual requirements that a client may have. Yet on the other hand, when it refers to a Weblog software, there is no reason for concern in the use of a package that is pre-written, as most packages were developed after years of study; not just knocked together during a couple of days

In addition, one may study its feature set. For a developer, it may take a lot of time and effort to write and compose from, nothing at all, every individual feature in the Weblog software packages of today. For most people, a blog is there for the main reason that chooses to publish or make known your literature and texts on the Web, so you would like to spend your time more on writing than coding.

Hosted Services

If one wishes to start broadcasting on the Web, yet does not have web hosting, one can consider looking into a hosted service, which includes blogger, TypePad, Live Journal, and more.

These services are operated or handled for an individual, so there is no need to concern one about technical upkeep of one's Weblog; instead, one can concentrate on his blog's appearance and content. In just minutes, after signing for an account, one can readily start his own blog. Many such services are offered free, such as blogger. TypePad charges a minimal amount for monthly service fee.

Self-Hosted

When one has Web hosting on hand, or is eager to buy hosting, in which one feesl that the advantage will prevail over the problems of keeping up your own blog connection and installation, then you may want to take into account a package that is self-hosted, which includes Movable Type, Textpattern and WordPress.

Other hosting companies did construct the process of installation easier, permitting installation with just a click from a control panel that is browser-based. It is important that you check with a hosting company so you can view if this function is offered. Similar to hosted services, some self hosted packages are made available either for free or for a certain fee which is dependent on the type of package that you choose as well as the basis why you are using it.

Healing Herbs for Rashes and Skin Irritations

2012-03-11T12:55:00.000+05:30

There have been literally hundreds of enquiries this month for herbs to cure skin rashes and irritations, so I thought I'd take a moment to share some of my favorite skin treatments.

First, let me remind you that the best overall skin care product you can use is olive oil. Weather you suffer from dry or itchy skin, or just wish to improve the appearance and texture of your skin, you would be hard pressed to do better than pure, extra virgin olive oil. This can be applied straight from the bottle, and can be used on any part of the skin including the face.

The curative properties of Olive Oil, both internal and external are nothing short of miraculous and I would like to share with you a recent experience that serves as a reminder to me how some of the most common elements surrounding us often remain overlooked.

My neighbor and I happen to share the same birthday. She is a widow whose children and grandchildren often come to visit. As our birthdays approached, I made her up a bottle of my favorite after-bath oil (made primarily with olive oil) as a gift. Unfortunately for my neighbor, I ran into her daughter first, who had suffered a severe exposure to Poison Ivy. In all honestly, it was undoubtedly the worst case of poison ivy I had ever seen. Her legs were almost completely covered in an angry, purple rash. In a number of areas, the rash was crusting and developing a greenish tinge. The itching was so intense that even after two weeks she was still on sleep medication as well as the prescription strength antihistamines and ointments

I gave the oil to her and sincerely hoped it would help to alleviate her suffering. I'm pleased to report that five days later, my neighbor called, overjoyed. Not only had the oil relieved the itching, but also the crusty, green scabs were gone and the huge purple blotches had begun to fade.

The oil I mentioned is extremely simple to prepare and is an excellent curative for virtually any skin irritation including eczema and psoriasis.

After-Bath Oil:

Please remember that while a lesser grade of olive oil can be used for everyday purposes, if you are attempting to treat a serious skin condition, the extra virgin is made from the first press of the olive and retains the most important curative properties that you are searching for.

· 3 parts extra virgin olive oil
· 1 part sweet almond oil
· 1 part apricot kernel oil

Blend the oils together, and if desired, add several drops of your favorite essential oil for fragrance. This can be applied to the skin at any time. For all-over skin conditioning, apply the oil immediately after your bath or shower, then pat dry.
A special note for women who shave their legs: This oil treatment will completely eliminate any itching or dry flaking skin after shaving. It is simply the best after-bath oil you will ever try.

2012-03-11T12:38:00.000+05:30

What is alternative medicine?

This is a term used to describe the different forms of medicine other than conventional methods. Alternative medicine includes a wide variety of medical practices including non-European (non-Western) medical practices and will include some new approaches to medicine. There is also a term called complementary medicine. This is a combination of conventional medicine coupled with alternative medicine. With increasing research and new findings in medicine there is a universal rise in the Western nations of alternative medicine. In the Eastern part of the world, namely the Orient, some forms of alternative medicine has been practiced for many centuries. Part of this trend in the West may be due to the growth of medical education among people and the increased amount of travel to different regions. More literature is now available on this subject and medical societies specializing in different forms of alternative medicine are available.
Some of the most common forms of alternate medicine are:

Acupuncture
Homeopathy
Naturopathic
Osteopathy

Acupuncture: this is an ancient art which had its origins in the Orient. It involves manipulating and inserting needles into special points in the body. It is thought to restore health and create well-being. There are several forms of acupuncture which are taught worldwide. This is one of the most famous forms of alternative medicine.

Homeopathy: is a form of medicine that tries to stimulate the body's immune system in order to promote healing. The practice of Homeopathy endeavors to bring the entire body back into homeostasis, or balance.
Naturopathic medicine: Is a practice that is designed to stimulate the body's own healing system. This system utilizes multiple forms of alternative medicine. It can also be referred to as Natural therapy, and can include dietary supplements, exercise and different foods.

Osteopathy: Was originally a form of alternative medicine based on manipulation of the joints. It is still used for chronic back pain. It is often used with other forms of medicine. When treating illness and serious diseases it is important to consult your physician before taking any decisions. Many doctors will endorse some sort of alternative medicine coupled with conventional medicine, especially if conventional medicine is not proving very effective for a chronic condition. Despite the lack of credibilty given it by MD.s, some alternative medicine can work surprisingly well. It will all depend on your particular illness and your own body's functionality whether alternative medicine will work well for you.

The Habit of Identity

2012-03-09T08:25:00.000+05:30

In a famous experiment, students were asked to take a lemon home and to get used to it. Three days later, they were able to single out "their" lemon from a pile of rather similar ones. They seemed to have bonded. Is this the true meaning of love, bonding, coupling? Do we simply get used to other human beings, pets, or objects? Habit forming in humans is reflexive. We change ourselves and our environment in order to attain maximum comfort and well being. It is the effort that goes into these adaptive processes that forms a habit. The habit is intended to prevent us from constant experimenting and risk taking. The greater our well being, the better we function and the longer we survive. Actually, when we get used to something or to someone - we get used to ourselves. In the object of the habit we see a part of our history, all the time and effort we had put into it. It is an encapsulated version of our acts, intentions, emotions and reactions. It is a mirror reflecting that part in us which formed the habit in the first place. Hence, the feeling of comfort: we really feel comfortable with our own selves through the agency of our habitual objects. Because of this, we tend to confuse habits with identity. When asked WHO they are, most people resort to communicating their habits. They describe their work, their loved ones, their pets, their hobbies, or their material possessions. Yet, surely, all of these do not constitute identity! Removing them does not change it. They are habits and they make people comfortable and relaxed. But they are not part of one's identity in the truest, deepest sense. Still, it is this simple mechanism of deception that binds people together. A mother feels that her offspring are part of her identity because she is so used to them that her well being depends on their existence and availability. Thus, any threat to her children is perceived by her as a threat to her own Self. Her reaction is, therefore, strong and enduring and can be recurrently elicited. The truth, of course, is that her children ARE a part of her identity in a superficial manner. Removing them will make her a different person, but only in the shallow, phenomenological sense of the word. Her deep-set, true identity will not change as a result. Children do die at times and the mother does go on living, essentially unchanged. But what is this kernel of identity that I am referring to? This immutable entity which is who we are and what we are and which, ostensibly, is not influenced by the death of our loved ones? What can resist the breakdown of habits that die hard? It is our personality. This elusive, loosely interconnected, interacting, pattern of reactions to our changing environment. Like the Brain, it is difficult to define or to capture. Like the Soul, many believe that it does not exist, that it is a fictitious convention. Yet, we know that we do have a personality. We feel it, we experience it. It sometimes encourages us to do things - at other times, it prevents us from doing them. It can be supple or rigid, benign or malignant, open or closed. Its power lies in its looseness. It is able to combine, recombine and permute in hundreds of unforeseeable ways. It metamorphoses and the constancy of these changes is what gives us a sense of identity. Actually, when the personality is rigid to the point of being unable to change in reaction to shifting circumstances - we say that it is disordered. One has a personality disorder when one's habits substitute for one's identity. Such a person identifies himself with his environment, taking behavioural, emotional, and cognitive cues exclusively from it. His inner world is, so to speak, vacated, his True Self merely an apparition. Such a person is incapable of loving and of living. He is incapable of loving because to love another one must first love oneself. And, in the absence of a Self that is impossible. And, in the long-term, he is incapable of living because life is a struggle towards multiple goals, a striving, a drive at something. In other words: life is change. He who cannot change, cannot live.

Public Speaking Dilemma: What To Do When You Don't Have Enough Time

2012-03-09T07:19:00.000+05:30

Do you have a standard hour-length presentation, but your host can only spare a half hour? Are you in the middle of a presentation when you realize that, due to a late start or abundant questions, you are running out of time? No matter what your topic, always be flexible and ready to cut short your session (or ready to lengthen, as the case may be). Here are some ways to make sure your presentation always fits the time slot. Pointer #1: Use a timed outline When you create your presentation outline, include time estimates next to each section (I like to add mine in red to make them easier to spot on the page). A brief, one-page bulleted outline (or two pages double-sided) will be easier to time than a long, rambling novel written in paragraphs. Practice your presentation and jot down time estimates as you go (two minutes for opening, five minutes for section I, seven minutes for section II, etc.) When you get to the end, add up all the time and determine whether you should add to or subtract from any sections to make it all fit into the allotted time slot. If you have to edit severely to fit into a different time frame and your presentation will be adversely affected, you might want to develop separate self-contained presentations for short, medium and long time slots. (If you are a PowerPoint user, see the book "Beyond Bullet Points" for instruction on creating a PowerPoint that serves different timing needs.) Pointer #2: Shift information depending on its priority If you notice that you are running out of time while in the middle of a presentation, you may have to shift some of your content around. If you have important points at the end of the presentation, now is the time to bring them forward. As soon as you notice the time crunch, start changing the order of your sections. When creating and practicing your presentation, it's always a good idea to think ahead about how you would handle this situation. The layout of your bulleted outline should make it easy to see which sections to leave out, move up or move down. If you have to leave out something that you feel is important, gather business cards from the audience and offer to e-mail them additional content. Pointer #3: Supplement with handouts There's usually some information that we want to share, but that we don't necessarily want to include in our live presentation. You might have some relevant articles to supplement your workshop, or you might have charts and graphs that you didn't have time for or the technology to project. Use handouts wisely. If the material does not need to be reviewed during your presentation, then leave handouts at the back of the room for the audience to pick up on the way out. If you choose to put them on seats before you begin, be aware that your audience may spend half the time reading and not listening to you. Your handouts should always include your contact information and a link to your website, if you have one. Make sure all resources and references are clear and easy to read; use graphics if appropriate and leave a lot of white space on the page. Don't overload handouts with text; make them concise and relevant to your presentation. Otherwise, they will end up in the recycling bin! Follow these suggestions, and you will always be prepared, no matter how much (or little) time you have.

Mukesh Ambani the world's richest Indian yet again

2012-03-08T20:33:00.000+05:30

Business tycoon Mukesh Ambani has retained his title of being the world's richest Indian despite an erosion of USD 4.7 billion in his wealth in the past year as he beat 47 billionaires from India in Forbes magazine's annual list of the world's richest people.

India's top ten richest billionaires included Savitri Jindal & family (world rank 80), Sunil Mittal & family (113), Kumar Birla (116) Anil Ambani (118) Dilip Shanghvi (124) Shashi & Ravi Ruia (133) and Kushal Pal Singh (153). The world list has also has nine of Indian-origin living in countries like Indonesia, Ireland, Thailand, UK and the US, taking the total number of billionaires hailing from India to 57. India's 48 billionaires have a total networth of a whopping USD 194.6 billion. The list has only two women billionaires from India, both matriarchs of big corporate houses. Jindal group's Savitri Jindal is ranked 80 in the rich list with a networth of USD 10.9 billion. Chair of the media group Bennett Coleman Indu Jain, 75, is ranked 578th in the Forbes list with a networth of USD 2.2 billion. The 54-year-old Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Industries, with a networth of USD 22.3 billion is ranked 19 in the global rich list. "Mukesh Ambani is the world's richest Indian, despite losing USD 4.7 billion in the past year," Forbes said. ArcelorMittal Chairman Lakshmi Mittal comes at the 21st position with a USD 20.7 billion networth. Forbes said Mittal lost USD 10.4 billion in the past year, more than anyone else in the world and dropped out of the top 10 rankings for the first time since 2004. Mittal had ranked sixth in last year's list when his networth was USD 31.1 billion. Wipro boss Azim Premji is the third richest Indian in the list. With a networth of USD 15.9 billion, 66-year-old Premji is ranked 41 on the Forbes list. With an USD 8.1 billion networth, Bharti Enterprises chairman Sunil Mittal is ranked 113. Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group chairman Anil Ambani comes in at the 118th position in the list, his networth of USD 7.8 billion, only about a third of that of his wealthier elder brother. "Despite patch up with brother Mukesh that included a much photographed reunion in their late father's hometown, Anil Ambani continues on a losing streak, down one billion dollars in past year and down USD 34.2 billion from his 2008 peak," Forbes said. Other billionaires from India include real estate major DLF chief KP Singh (USD 6.4 billion), IT company HCL's Shiv Nadar (USD five billion), healthcare tycoons Malvinder and Shivinder Singh (USD 3.5 billion), Godrej group chairman Adi Godrej (USD 2.4 billion), Chairman of the Bajaj group conglomerate Rahul Bajaj (USD 1.8 billion) and Infosys co-founder NR Narayan Murthy and his family (USD 1.7 billion). Investment bigwig Rakesh Jhunjhunwala occupies the 1075th rank with USD 1.1 billion of networth. Tied for the 1153th rank is liqour baron Vijay Mallya and Spice group chief Bhupinder Kumar Modi with networths of a billion dollars each. Also in the list is construction tycoon Pallonji Mistry, an Irish citizen, who with a networth of USD 9.7 billion is ranked 96th. Mistry's younger son Cyrus has been anointed successor to Tata group chief Ratan Tata when he retires in December. Incidentally, like last year, Tata is not on the rich list this year.

2012-03-08T16:30:00.000+05:30

Best Opportunity online

59th National Film Awards

2012-03-08T15:09:00.000+05:30

Winners of the prestigious 59th National Film Awards have been announced by chairpersons of the jury today in New Delhi. The award ceremony will be held on May 3.

For feature films the names of the award winners were declared by Rohini Hattangady, who was the chairperson of the Feature Films Jury (Central Panel).

Ramesh Sharma, the chairperson of the Non-Feature films jury and Vijaya Mulay, who chaired the jury on the Best Writing on Cinema announced the names of other award winners.

List of Winners:

Best Actress:                 Vidya Balan, The Dirty Picture
Best Actor:                    Girish Kulkarni for Deool (Marathi)
Best Hindi Film:             I AM
Best Choreography:    Bosco-Caeser for Senorita from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Best Special Effects:    RA.One
Best Make Up:            Vijram Gaekwad for The Dirty Picture and Bal Gandharva
Best Costume Designer: Niharika Khan for The Dirty Picture and Neeta Lulla for Bal Gandharva
Best Children's Film: Chillar Party
Best Child Artistes: Partho Gupte for Stanley Ka Dabba, and for Chillar Party: Irfan Khan, Sanath Menon, Rohan Grover, Naman Jain, Aarav Khanna, Vishesh Tiwari, Chinmai Chandranshuh, Vedant Desai and Divji Handa
Best Supporting Actor: Appu Kutty for Azhagar Samiyin Kuthirai (Tamil)
Best Supporting Actress: Leishangthem Tonthoingambi Devi for Phijigee Mani (Manipuri)
Best Feature Film: Deool and Byari
Best Director: Gurvinder Singh for Anhe Ghorey Da Daan
Best Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya for I AM
Best Screenplay (Original): Vikas Behl & Manish Tiwari for Chillar Party
Best Screenplay (Adapted): Avinash Deshpande Nigdi for Shala (Marathi)
Special Jury Mention: Anjan Dutta for Ranjana Ami Aar Ashbo Na
Best Editing: Praveen KL for Aranyaa Kandam
Best Male Playback: Anand Bhate for Bal Gandharva
Best Female Playback Singer: Roopa Ganguly for Abosheyshey (Bengali)
Best Bengali Film: Ranjana Ami Aar Ashbo Na
Best Marathi Film: Shaala
Best Dialogue: Deool
Best Audiography: Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Best Production Design: Naukadubi
Best Music Direction: Neel Dutt for Ranjana Ami Ar Ashbo Na (Bengali)
Best Background Score: Mayookh Bhaumik for Laptop (Bengali)
Best Dogri Film: Dille Ch Vasya Koi
Best Kannada Film: Kurmavatara
Best Malayalam Film: Indian Rupee
Best Manipuri Film: Phijigee Mani
Best Tamil Film: Vaagai Sooda Va
Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director: Aaranyakandam (Tamil), Directed by Kumararaja Thiagarajan
Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Azhagarsamiyin Kuthirai (Tamil)