Improvement Yourself By Reading Articles http://www.self-improvement-article.com Self improvement effectiveness from useful articles. Tue, 07 Sep 2010 02:07:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 en hourly 1 selfimprovementarticlehttp://feedburner.google.com Ten Suggestions For The Overscheduled Child http://www.self-improvement-article.com/ten-suggestions-for-the-overscheduled-child.html http://www.self-improvement-article.com/ten-suggestions-for-the-overscheduled-child.html#comments Tue, 07 Sep 2010 02:07:30 +0000 Jack Wellte http://localhost/wpready/?p=16179

Ever wonder what happened to the family dinner hour? Or for that matter the family dinner half hour? Monday is Soccer Practice, Tuesday is Piano lesson, Wednesday is Church Activities, Thursday is a Soccer Game, Friday a birthday party  to attend. A number of events will fill up the weekend. Do you feel like a professional scheduler and taxi driver? Are you finding yourself increasingly irritable as you go from one activity to the next? Maybe you and your children are overscheduled.

As a coach and family therapist I see more and more people wanting to find
balance in their lives. In the past few years I have seen a marked increase in children with anxiety and depression. Children are now saying they are ‘stressed out’. I remember one child in particular who just wanted to play a board game with his parents, the only family assignment was to play the board game. The family did not have ‘time’ to play the game.  Children no longer seem to have time to goof off and just be children - goof off time is not on the schedule.

As parents we need to guard our children and ourselves to protect our children’s unscheduled time to be children. Children need time to create their own games and also to learn to entertain themselves. Children often want us to entertain them or the television instead of figuring out how to play by themselves. I would hazard a guess that some of your fondest memories as a child were playing out in the backyard with some friends and really doing nothing in particular. Just laughing, playing, talking or ‘being’.

Ten Suggestions to keep your family from being overscheduled:

1. Each child in the family has one outside activity (i.e. sports, music lessons) besides church activities. (If you have a big family even this may be difficult.)

2. If your child wants to add an activity they may consider giving up the current activity in exchange for the new one.

3. Set family nights on your calendar. Order a pizza and play board games. No one can schedule anything on family night.

4. Help your child learn to say “No” and help set appropriate limits on their activities away from home.

5. Do not say “Yes” to any new activity for yourself or child till you have weighed the costs (i.e. financial, emotional, loss of family time, etc.)

6. Assess your irritability quotient.  Do you find yourself frequently saying, “Hurry up, we are going to be late?” How can you slow down? What can you give up?

7. Resolve to eat dinner together as a family at least 3 - 5 times a week, even if this is sandwiches before you head out to a game or lesson.

8. Schedule “goof-off” time for your family and children. Give your child down time to explore a hobby or play outside.

9. Set priorities for your family. How many hours a week do you want to be together as a family?

10. Take time as a family to enjoy God’s creation away from home. Examples: Go to a park, go for a bike ride, go hiking, etc.


As Christian parents we are modeling for our children how to handle stress and how to balance our time. What lessons are we teaching our children? The Bible tell us in Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God…”  I’m afraid in our hurried society we are teaching children to “Be harried and know that I am God.” We all need down time and time to answer the many beautiful, challenging questions our children have about God and our world. Make the time to slow down and enjoy the gift of your children.

© 2004 Kimberly Chastain
About the Author
Kimberly M. Chastain, MS, LMFT is the Christian Working Mom Coach and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in helping Christian women make the most of their lives. She is the author of the on-line course, “I Can’t Say No” and Pearls of Encouragement for Christian Working Moms, a free e-book. If you suffer from “I Can’t Say ‘No” Syndrome, visit Kimberly’s site today for the details on an exciting email course that’s sure to set you free!

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]]> http://www.self-improvement-article.com/ten-suggestions-for-the-overscheduled-child.html/feed What You Need To Do To Better Your Sense Of Self-Esteem http://www.self-improvement-article.com/what-you-need-to-do-to-better-your-sense-of-selfesteem.html http://www.self-improvement-article.com/what-you-need-to-do-to-better-your-sense-of-selfesteem.html#comments Mon, 06 Sep 2010 20:07:30 +0000 Jack Wellte http://localhost/wpready/?p=16177 Most of the times, regardless of what you try you often find it difficult to raise your level of self –esteem alone. Negative thoughts start to creep into your mind and tend to affect a lot of things about you such as the way you see life and yourself in general. If you’ve reached this stage it may be time to opt for the experts.

Personal Counseling and Therapy:

People who are skilled counselors as well as therapists have been trained by the right people to see their lives in a better light. Talking with someone who doesn’t know you on a personal level can make you see things from an entirely different angle. Real therapists understand how to find out the real issues and identify the root cause of what is really bothering you. People skilled in this field are able to understand your negative attitudes and will give you the required strength to find the positive things about yourself and shed the negativity.

Self Help Seminars/Tapes & Books:

Most people don’t really know that their sense of low self-esteem isn’t as deeply rooted as they think. All they really have to do is understand how to how to seem themselves much more positively. This can easily be achieved by listening to the necessary motivational and improvement tapes and reading books that tell you what exactly is wrong with you and how to deal with it. You can also attend seminars and listen to motivational speakers as well. These people can easily help you deal with moderate self-esteem issues.

Hypnotherapy

This method usually requires the use of words and suggestions to an individual while they are under a state of hypnosis. Certain suggestions which are made during hypnosis can be used to alter the nervous system beneficially and alleviate emotionally related self-esteem problems.

Medical Treatments and Tests

Sometimes people suddenly develop low self-esteem issues for no reason at all and this rarely has anything to do with emotional or mental issues. These issues are usually as a result of certain physical problems that we might not even really be aware of. Some self-esteem problems may result after certain traumatic situations or life changing events like medical amputations. Sometimes it is due to factors due to certain hormone levels or other medically related issues. Prior to starting any treatment for issues that border on self-esteem you should make sure that you get yourself examined to get rid of any causes that may be physically responsible for your situation.

It is clearly evident that real options are available to people who need one form of help or the other in order to regain the necessary level of self-esteem they require. Find a solution that easily works for you so you can feel a whole lot better about yourself and live the life you want to lead.

Darren Williger writes for beemotivated.com BeeMotivated.com, beeyourself.com BeeYourself.com, and singlefather.com SingleFather.com

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]]> http://www.self-improvement-article.com/what-you-need-to-do-to-better-your-sense-of-selfesteem.html/feed Spiritual, Occult & Metaphysical Studies - Here’s How You Can Start on The Right Track http://www.self-improvement-article.com/spiritual-occult-metaphysical-studies-heres-how-you-can-start-on-the-right-track.html http://www.self-improvement-article.com/spiritual-occult-metaphysical-studies-heres-how-you-can-start-on-the-right-track.html#comments Mon, 06 Sep 2010 14:07:30 +0000 Jack Wellte http://localhost/wpready/?p=16175 There are many good “spiritual teachers” and “gurus”
in existence, but in order for someone to be a good
spiritual teacher/guru, he/she must have inherent wisdom,
be relatively free of biases and the tendency to push
students into a dogmatic program of instruction, and have
gone through his/her own extensive explorations leading
to deep understanding of the topic he/she is claiming
expertise.

Contrary to popular perception, the following don’t
automatically make someone a good spiritual teacher:
robes; beads; beards; long gray hair; a family history of
healers or readers; a PhD, M.D., or other advanced traditional
(or non-traditional) degree; charisma; a large following; a
celebrity following.

The following do make someone a good spiritual teacher:
recommendations/testimonials by people you trust;
communicating relevant information clearly and simply;
a method of teaching that persuades students to find their
own answers; a humble disposition; being able to admit
that the teacher is sometimes taught by the student; a
commitment to constantly exploring and testing relevant
theories and discarding those proven to be invalid;
acknowledging that there are seldom “quick-fix” solutions
to life’s most important challenges; and freely referring
the student to another teacher if he/she is unable to provide
the student with what they seek.

All you really need is yourself, a desire to learn, and a
sincere interest in the subjects you’re drawn to. You may
be thinking you need a structured system to teach you
(what you already know on a super-conscious level)
because this is what most of us have been led to believe
from traditional education systems. Not so.

If you are comfortable learning through self-study and
experimentation, having someone point you in the right
direction is a perfect start.

Start by meditating. This will help you to become centered
and to be able to feel what is right for you in the exploration
of your spirituality. You must be disciplined and practice
meditating every day to fully benefit. Set aside time, at least
10 minutes to start, in the morning or evening. Don’t have
time? Turn off the TV and avoid people who aren’t for your
highest good.

Next, go to your local library or metaphysical bookstore and
look for books that appeal to you. Through trial and error
you’ll find what you need. It also helps to read the reviews
for books on the subjects you like on amazon.com. The
good books will be mentioned and recommended, but keep in
mind people can potentially be biased or have an agenda when
writing reviews. Also know that a best-selling book only means
that it is popular, not that it automatically includes complete
truth and wisdom. Trust you intuition above all.

Copyright © 2007 Scott Petullo, Stephen Petullo

Scott Petullo has been professionally employed as an astrologer, numerologist, and certified handwriting analyst since 1997. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Arizona and has been exploring metaphysics since the early 1980’s. Scott is a self-taught astrologer and numerologist, and received his Certified Master Graphologist designation from the Institute of Graphological Science in Dallas, Texas.

mystictwins.com mystictwins.com
scottpetullo.com scottpetullo.com

Stephen Petullo has studied metaphysical concepts since the early 1980s and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Arizona that includes a minor in psychology. He has been doing consultations and intuitive readings professionally since 1997. He is a Reiki master-teacher, past-life regressionist, natural medium and channel, metaphysical consultant and has published a book and 20 audio recordings.

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]]> http://www.self-improvement-article.com/spiritual-occult-metaphysical-studies-heres-how-you-can-start-on-the-right-track.html/feed Work To The Best Of Your Ability http://www.self-improvement-article.com/work-to-the-best-of-your-ability.html http://www.self-improvement-article.com/work-to-the-best-of-your-ability.html#comments Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:07:30 +0000 Jack Wellte http://localhost/wpready/?p=16173 Whatever you do in this life, do it to the best of your ability. Whether you are in school, running for president, playing a game, or working on something, do it in a quality way. Don’t be someone who just does something to get by, or is waiting to clock out. Be at the top of your game, because even if nobody knows, you will know, and the universe will know, and usually someone higher up in your organization is noticing.

If something is challenging for you and you still do it well, the universe will promote you according to your ability. Time and time again, if you are pressing your boundaries and excelling at what you are doing, the universe is going to arrange a super opportunity to be presented to you. Whether you hold onto it, or let it slip through your fingers, is all up to you. If you are a mediocre worker, it is almost certain that you will not be able to perform to the level that is needed; but if all along you have been working to the best of your ability, and pushing your limits, you will quickly acclimate and excel at your new position.

Don’t take a promotion or opportunity for granted. Be like Michael Jordan, who was at the top of his game in basketball, even though he held numerous NBA titles, and MVP status, he was the ball player that spent the longest time on the court practicing his free throws and his lay-ups. He was the first on the court for practice and the last to leave. He has played at the best of his game for a very long time, and yet he didn’t take any of it for granted. He never tired of trying to excel, to challenge himself and his team members. He was always practicing his maneuvers, his passes and his ball handling, and even though he is the best, he is man without arrogance, and maintains himself as a gentleman.

Do not be like Bill Clinton, who became the president of the United States and then had an affair with an intern and afterwards said of it, “I did it because I could.” Every man can cheat on his wife, and every man can be in a position of power and abuse that power. But this is not working to the best of his ability. Bill Clinton is a mediocre person, because since he could abuse his position of power, he did.

Certainly you are learning what is right and wrong. You know that many people who are mediocre can become people of power and prestige, but just because they are there does not mean that they worked to the best of their ability to get there. Work where you are to your highest level of integrity and your talent, because God and the universe see you. When you are working to the highest level for which you are capable, you are like a shining bright star in this dark world. You become a clear example, a delight and inspiration to those that are around you, to your children and your friends, and even globally. You don’t know what door is being opened for you because of your work, your attention, the dedication of your time and energy.

Even if no one notices how you work, or your level of focus, at the end of the day you will know. You can sleep easily knowing that you did it well. If this is the last day on this planet for you or me, we will be satisfied, and we will hear these words from God: “This is my daughter, or my son in whom I am well pleased. Come on home for your party.”

Every one of us gets lazy sometimes and just wants to take it easy for a while, but consistently we have to strive to work to our utmost talent, energy and dedication. If you are working to the best of your ability, don’t belittle what you are doing, don’t pressure yourself to be perfect. Recognize that you are doing your very best. Remember you still have to live this life with balance. Your family, your relationships, your work, your school, and special events all need balance. You need to maintain your balance too. Deep within you will know if you are working to the best of your ability or not. You will know if you need to make adjustments in your attitude, your work ethics, your behavior, etc. If you are working to the highest level of your ability, then let the negative thoughts go. If you did the best you could for someone or something, and it doesn’t work out, don’t put all the burden on yourself. H/she has responsible for his/her life just as you have for yours. Just remind yourself, “I did the best that I could,” and then move on. Be yourself, and be incredibly kind to yourself and others.

Yoga Kat–aka Katheryn Hoban is a yoga teacher and Reiki Master Teacher with twelve years experience. She teaches children’s yoga ages 3-6, and Adults privately in NJ. She is the author of the book -Masters of Consciousness—A Guide Book for the Cosmic Traveler. She has created a children’s affirmation CD (ages 3-6) and an affirmation CD for adults. Yoga Kat is available for speaking or writing and can be reached at or 201 970-9340 thecircleofpeace.com thecircleofpeace.com and sign up for our newsletter and
See me reading from my book on youtube youtube.com/watch?v=MDd_JyIActw youtube.com/watch?v=MDd_JyIActw

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]]> http://www.self-improvement-article.com/work-to-the-best-of-your-ability.html/feed From Contentious To Content http://www.self-improvement-article.com/from-contentious-to-content.html http://www.self-improvement-article.com/from-contentious-to-content.html#comments Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:07:30 +0000 Jack Wellte http://localhost/wpready/?p=16171 “[Love] keeps no records of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:5b NIV).

When we love we feel wonderful. Remember when you were “in love?” I do. It was such a creative and growing time. Then I got married and started keeping records. Bad!

In a booklet I wrote, Why Stay Married, I suggested ten commandments for keeping one’s union intact:

1. List your spouse’s good points only.

2. List your own negative contributions to the marriage.

3. Read God’s word together, if at all possible. If your spouse will not join you in daily devotionals, then read and pray privately. Daily reading: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.

4. Use your creative imagination to see yourself as loving your spouse. The moment a bad thought or image enters, pray to the Holy Spirit. And get busy!

5. Don’t have the last word. Let God’s Word be the last word–to yourself. If need be, write a rational and caring note during those times when you can’t verbally communicate.

6. Forgive, as God has already forgiven us all.

7. Give thanks often to God for this person, and then give thanks to the person.

8. Don’t discuss marital problems with “sympathetic” friends who you know thought the marriage to be a big mistake anyway. This can be the death knell.

9. Be grateful for this set of circumstances and see in this situation the opportunity for spiritual growth.

10. Make the first move, with whatever words are necessary. You can simply say, “I’m sorry,” or “Please forgive me.” Sometimes it works!

In the booklet I write about the IOU’s–the records of wrongs–we accumulate and stuff in a drawer and pull out during our stress times. Instead of keeping track of our spouse’s IOU’s, we might try putting our own into the empty space: IOU for taking on the responsibility of a family; IOU for loving me enough to overlook my moods; IOU for letting me pursue my hobbies without question; IOU for absorbing financial burdens; IOU for being willing to stay home alone when I go on trips; IOU for being kind enough to leave me alone when I need that aloneness. Remember, love is taking the ious out of contentious and finally being content!

Believe me, the longer we love, the longer we live.

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]]> http://www.self-improvement-article.com/from-contentious-to-content.html/feed Caste Out http://www.self-improvement-article.com/caste-out.html http://www.self-improvement-article.com/caste-out.html#comments Sun, 05 Sep 2010 20:07:30 +0000 Jack Wellte http://localhost/wpready/?p=16169 Direct Answers - Column for the week of September 29, 2003

I am a 28-year-old Indian lady. I am in love with a 30-year-old Indian guy for the last four years. We share many interests in common and get along well. We are both Ph.D. students.

The problem is the different communities to which we belong. We have a very complex social system and are allowed to marry only the person who belongs to our own community (caste). He belongs to a higher community than mine.

My boyfriend feels he would never be able to convince his parents for the marriage, nor has he attempted this. He strongly believes he would not be happy if he hurts his parents, so two years ago he asked me to stop contacting him. It was very painful for me, but at the same time I realized I cannot force him into a relationship.

We live in separate towns now. Until two months ago we had absolutely no contact, then he started contacting me. I know from his letters he is frustrated and lonely. Even though I stopped communicating with him, I love him with all my heart and cannot think of life with another man.

I answered his letters, which are mostly about academics, and never asked him why he broke up with me. I haven’t discussed my future with him nor he with me. Things look so uncertain I am confused. Should I continue with him or not?

Reeta

Reeta, there are many reasons why people feel they are better than other people. A religious person might say we are full of pride, and our pride makes us want to feel superior. A scientist might say we are primates and primates arrange themselves in dominance hierarchies. But the reasons for social differences don’t matter.

What matters is that you are revisiting a round of pain this man caused you two years ago. You are a bright, educated woman worthy of a man’s love. Though you may care for him and he may care for you, he is letting something other than love make his choices.

He is not offering you marriage or apologizing for cutting you out of his life two years ago. He is wheedling his way back into your life in the same wheedling way he left it. He is coming back because he is lonesome, not because he is ready to defend you as the woman he loves.

When a person cannot swim, it doesn’t mean they can jump in the water two years later unless something has changed. You need to tell him that.

If he hasn’t changed, you are indulging yourself in something which can only cause you pain. If you give him a shoulder to cry on, all you are likely to get is a wet shoulder.

Wayne & Tamara

The Open Road

My name is June, and I have a friend, Mary. Mary is 45 and very overweight. We ride our Harleys together all the time. Mary wears her shirts tied up in a big knot, and her huge tummy sticks out. It is very, very unattractive and very embarrassing to me.

I watch people stare, I hear their comments, and I hate it. I’m five feet tall, petite, and I don’t even wear my clothes like that. How can I talk to her without hurting her feelings?

June

June, perhaps the essence of riding a Harley is freeing yourself from scripts of conduct and norms of behavior. We all long to be free of a closed caste system where everyone knows our place. We long to express our uncensored individual self. That is what Mary gets out of riding her Harley.

You can’t tell her what you feel without hurting her feelings. But letting go of the feeling that you are responsible for another’s actions will give you the feeling of freedom Mary feels as she rides her motorcycle.

Wayne & Tamara

About The Author

Authors and columnists Wayne and Tamara Mitchell can be reached at WayneAndTamara.com” target=”_new www.WayneAndTamara.com.

Send letters to: Direct Answers, PO Box 964, Springfield, MO 65801 or email: mailto:DirectAnswers@WayneAndTamara.com DirectAnswers@WayneAndTamara.com.

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]]> http://www.self-improvement-article.com/caste-out.html/feed Characteristics: Creative Types VS Clods! http://www.self-improvement-article.com/characteristics-creative-types-vs-clods.html http://www.self-improvement-article.com/characteristics-creative-types-vs-clods.html#comments Sun, 05 Sep 2010 14:07:30 +0000 Jack Wellte http://localhost/wpready/?p=16167 Here are some odds & ends I have observed in creative-expert-genius types:

Direction of Motivation: creatives move toward what they want in all areas of their life while the clods move away from what they don’t want.

Time Orientation: creatives look forward to completion. Clods look backward at how they have been unable to do it and assume future is also failure.

Memory Management: creatives look toward constructed imagery combining the new with the old to create. Clods rely almost exclusively on eidetic imagery of the past for repeat type solutions.

Time Distortion: creatives get in a groove and time goes zip. Clods drag out time for almost any project.

Perceptual Positions: creatives use a 1-2-3 way of processing info where 1 represents self, 2 is other and 3 is observer. They move in/out of these various frames of reference to gather info not available to any single position. Clods are rarely aware of anything but position 1, limiting themselves to only one frame of reference for everything!

Perceptual roles of dreamer-critic-realist. Creatives remain in dreamer mode for decades and use the critic role to make dream better and the realist mode as final preparation for making dream come true. Clods kill dream almost immediately by allowing the critic/realist into the show before dream develops enough to have a life of it’s own.

Exaggerated sense of worth/potential. Creatives believe they are more capable than their peers or family think. Clods accept limiting beliefs of those around them as accurate.

Self talk [inner dialogue]. Creatives talk in a powerful confident manner about the thrills & delights of getting it done while the clods talk to themselves in self defeating and deprecating ways about why they can’t.

VAK’s: creatives visualize in large, color, 3-D the future with a fantastic sound track and how wonderful it feels to be doing it. Clods see tiny b/w pix with screechy voices and soundtrack and feel discouraged.

Beliefs of elite performers:

1. Everything happens for a reason/purpose and it serves us.

2. No such thing as failure just results or feedback for next step. Or the only failure is in quitting.

3. Take responsibility for where you are and who you are.

4. People are our greatest resources. We need each other. The interdependent paradigm.

5. Use everything now. You don’t need to wait til you know everything. Get help for details.

6. Work is play. Our vocation is a vacation. Do what you love.

7. It’s not what happens to you that matters but what you do about it.

8. Persistence…keep on keeping on

Clods believe none of the above, frequently challenging the list as not applicable to them.

The Success Formula of high performers:

1. Decide what you want.

2. Take Action. Do something…NOW!

3. Notice what works, do more of that. Notice what doesn’t, do something else.

4. Repeat above as long as necessary.

Clods do none of the formula or give up quickly.

Michael Dimas is a performance consultant, workshop leader, speaker, coach who will teach you how to empower your body, mind and spirit. He can be reached on the web at michaeldimas.com michaeldimas.com

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]]> http://www.self-improvement-article.com/characteristics-creative-types-vs-clods.html/feed The Life Of The Buddha http://www.self-improvement-article.com/the-life-of-the-buddha.html http://www.self-improvement-article.com/the-life-of-the-buddha.html#comments Sun, 05 Sep 2010 08:07:30 +0000 Jack Wellte http://localhost/wpready/?p=16165 The figure who is loved and revered today as the Buddha began life as a young prince called Siddartha Gautama around the sixth century BC. As a young child he showed great interest in the spiritual life, but his father, anxious that his young son succeed him to the throne, decided to surround him with a life of total luxury and conceal any religious influences from him. All forms of suffering, whether it be sickness or old age or death, was concealed from the young prince so that he had no knowledge of them. He married and had a son, and lived until the age of 29 in luxury in the three palaces provided for him.

However one night out of curiosity, he left the palace to go exploring with his charioteer and best friend, Channa. He saw a man coughing and asked what was the matter, as he had never seen this before. Channa explained that the man was sick and it was something that happened us all from time to time. Next he saw an grey haired lady walking with great difficulty, he also was amazed as he had never seen such a thing before, and he expressed gladness that he would never look like that. ‘We all end up like that someday, my lord’, the charioteer said. The two walked further and came across a crowd of people weeping over a body. The young prince did not understand why this body was not moving and commanded him to get up. ‘That man is dead, my lord’, the charioteer said. The young Siddhartha did not understand what this meant, and Channa had to explain to him that the human body is a frail and transient thing, and that we all have to die sometime. At seeing all this suffering, Siddartha grew very despondent and full of despair. but then they came across a yogi sitting under a tree. The charioteer explained he was meditating, trying to release himself from this cycle of birth and death. At the sight of this the young Siddartha resolved to also meditate until he had obtained liberation for himself and all sentient beings.

He travelled from place to place visiting various teachers, and finally he went into the forest and came across five sages meditating. At first they would not accept him because of his royal background, but they relented and soon he was outshining them in meditation and became the leader of the little group. At first he lived a very austere life, accepting no food, and he soon became very thin indeed. However one day he could hear a boat sailing down the river. There was two musicians on the same boat, and the more experienced one was telling the other one, that is the strings on his lute were tuned too loose, the sound would be wrong, but if they were tuned too tight they would break. It was then that Siddartha realised the same was true of the spiritual life - that one must live life according to the ‘middle path’, not going to extremes either of luxury or asceticism. He then resumed eating and before long his body regained its normal strength. Seeing this, the five sages decided that Siddartha had left the path of Truth and left him in disgust.

Siddartha then sat down at the base of a tree and resolved not to get up until he had attained enlightenment. After 49 straight days of meditation, the evening came where he attained his enlightenment. Through the strength of his concentration, he broke the final snares of fear and attachment to worldly pleasures and attained the supreme blissful state. He could see the cycle of rebirth, and saw all of his past lives leading up to this one. It was on this night that Siddartha became the Buddha, or the enlightened one.

He realised that his love for humanity meant he had to spread this light to whoever would accept it, and so he left the tree and went back into the world. Attracted by his serene and radiant bearing, people came to learn from him, including the five sages who derided him for leaving the ascetic life. His wife and child also joined him as his students. Wherever he went the Buddha taught that all suffering stemmed from desire and an unclear way of seeing things, and taught the means to escape the human web of craving and suffering through meditation and right action. He advocated an approach to spirituality which avoided metaphysical trappings and appealed directly to human experience.

The Buddha is still remembered today for his compassion for all living creatures. His cousin Devadatta, who had nursed a grievance against him since childhood, tried many times to kill him, yet in the end the Buddha’s forgiveness prevailed. The notorious brigand Angulimal also tried to kill him, and ended up becoming his student. The Buddha attracted people from all classes and walks of life, and established a thriving spiritual community, or Sangha, to keep the light of the teachings alive.

Until he was eighty years old, the Buddha traveled the length and breath of the land, inspiring everyone he met to lead a more spiritual life. One day he became very ill after eating some food. However, even as he lay dying, he was still giving advice to his dearest student, Ananda, telling him to not blame the blacksmith that gave him the food, and to not grieve for him as all things are impermanent. The Buddha then entered Parinirvana, the final deathless state.

Resources:

[1] srichinmoylibrary.com/siddhartha-becomes-buddha” target=”_blank Siddartha becomes the Buddha, by Sri Chinmoy

[2] Buddhism resources at writespirit.net” target=”_blank writespirit.net

The author, Shane Magee, practices meditation and is a contributor to the spiritual poetry site poetseers.org poetseers.org

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]]> http://www.self-improvement-article.com/the-life-of-the-buddha.html/feed Life Rewards Action http://www.self-improvement-article.com/life-rewards-action.html http://www.self-improvement-article.com/life-rewards-action.html#comments Sun, 05 Sep 2010 02:07:30 +0000 Jack Wellte http://localhost/wpready/?p=16163 Thinking is good, yes it is. I strongly encourage thinking. In fact,
thinking plays a terrific role in success. It helps you strategize. It helps
you get motivated. It tunes you into success. I am all for thinking and I do
it regularly!

That being said, just thinking, no matter how good of a thinker you are,
will never catapult you to success. The difference between the thinker who
succeeds and the thinker who doesn’t is that the thinker who succeeds also
ACTS!

Life does not reward thinking. Life rewards action. Let me clarify: Life
rewards thoughtful action.

Think first, by all means… But then ACT!

Do you want to gain wealth? The save your money - ACT!

Do you want to lose weight? Then hit the treadmill - ACT!

Do you want a new job? Then quit your current one - ACT!

Do you want to write a book? Then begin to write - ACT!

Do you want a new friend? Then introduce yourself - ACT!

Anything you want to accomplish will only be done by bold and decisive
action.

Wishing won’t bring it about. Neither will dreaming. Nor will hoping.

Nope, you must ACT.

What is it you want from life? Tell me. Be specific. Be clear.

Think about
it. Strategize. Roll it around inside that noggin of yours. Got it? Good.

Now what? What will you DO to turn that non-physical electrical impulse we
call a thought into a physical reality?
There is only one thing: ACTION.

Will you succeed? Will you achieve your dreams? Will you live the life that
you want? Only you can make that decision because only you can decide
whether or not you will act.

My friends, life rewards action. Your actions do not need to be perfect.
They just need to be. And then they get rewarded with success.

With
achievement.

Accomplishment.

You have the power within you to lead YOUR life as you see it.

There is only
one question you must answer for yourself:
Will I act?

Because Life Rewards Action.

About The Author:

Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as the President of
Made for Success, a company helping individuals and organizations turn
their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and
achieve their dreams.

To see Chris “live” at the upcoming Jim Rohn Weekend Event as he speaks on
the subject of Secrets of Influence go to
Chris-Widener.InspiresYOU.com/ Chris-Widener.InspiresYOU.com/ or call 800-929-0434.

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]]> http://www.self-improvement-article.com/life-rewards-action.html/feed Why Must I Be Saved? http://www.self-improvement-article.com/why-must-i-be-saved.html http://www.self-improvement-article.com/why-must-i-be-saved.html#comments Sat, 04 Sep 2010 20:07:30 +0000 Jack Wellte http://localhost/wpready/?p=16161 There are many that ask, “Why must I be Saved? I never asked to be born, and I shouldn’t be made to make any kind of decision. Its not right to hold me accountable for something I didn’t ask for.” Did you ever think what you were, or where you were, before you were born?

Did you ever think about being born or who your parents were to be? Or did you think that all that you are and all that you see, in this life, were all pre-established or just coincidence? There is nothing in this life, on this earth, nor in this universe, that was ever created by mistake.

Romans 9:20-21; “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?”
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? We had no choice into being born or not, we were created by God for God and His Good pleasure.

Just as the wood, steel, brick and concrete, that we use to form and shape into things that we desire, knowing that these elements can not object to what they are to be, we also are formed and shaped and created to please a Higher being, God.

Some mistaken the meaning of Pro 16:4, sense God cannot create evil, nor sin, or cause any man to sin, The meaning is simple, God created man and man became evil by free will, and the day of the wicked was created by God for the evil men to be punished.

Pro 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
For himself - Better, The Lord has done everything for its own end; and this includes the appointment of an “evil day” for “the wicked” who deserve it.

Brns.

“for its answer,” or “purpose,” that is, according to God’s plan; the wicked are for the day of evil (Psa_49:5; Jer_17:18); sinning and suffering answer to each other, are indissolubly united. jfb

Why must You be Saved? The answer is simple. You were born into sin and from sin you must be, Redeemed, Reconciled, and Reestablished, into what is acceptable to God. God formed you into a being that He desired to exist. He made you a people unto Himself, only after the Jews rejected Christ.

Rom 9:25-26; As he saith also in Osee(Hosea), I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. God established you into a vine(Christ) and grafted you into it, grafting out the old, and grafting the new.

But we must remember that we boast not of the grafting, because we are a wild branch.
And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

Barnes makes a thought provoking statement here; The doctrine which he had established, he proceeds now to confirm by quotations from the writings of Jews, that he might remove every objection. The doctrine was,

(1) That God intended to call his people from the Gentiles as well as the Jews.

(2) that he was bound by no promise and no principle of obligation to bestow salvation on all the Jews.

(3) that, therefore, it was right for him to reject any or all of the Jews, if he chose, and cut them off from their privileges as a people and from salvation.

In point (2) of what Barnes states, (that he was bound by no promise and no principle of obligation to bestow salvation on all the Jews.) we also must admit that not only the Jews but also of the Gentiles, God has no written obligation to save all even tho the Bible states, That It is the Will of God that no man should perish but all should come into repentance.

In Osee - This is the Greek form of writing the Hebrew word Hosea. It means in the book of Hosea, as “in David” means in the book of David, or by David, Heb_4:7.

The passage is found in Hos_2:23. This quotation is not made according to the letter, but the sense of the prophet is preserved. The meaning is the same in Hosea and in this place, that God would bring those into a covenant relation to himself, who were before deemed outcasts and strangers.

Thus, he supports his main position that God would choose his people from among the Gentiles as well as the Jews, or would exercise toward both his right as a sovereign, bestowing or withholding his blessings as he pleases.

The God of Heaven has the right to make us as He pleases and also to Choose whom He wills. Mat 22:14 For many(A multitude; a great number of individuals; the people.) are called, but few are chosen.

You are in the multitude of mankind and have a chance to accept or reject, God and His word. The word “few”, is speaking not of, 144,000 as many believe, but rather a difference between the number saved and those that will remain lost. A percentage of the total world population. “A number that no man can number.”

We must look at the key words of John 15:16; Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

The Bible is full of Reward and Punishment, and so shall it be at the Judgment Day. Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

So then, Why must You be Saved?

1.You were pre-ordained and pre-established before the foundation of the world. 2.The God of Heaven had the right to make us as He pleases.

3. That It is the Will of God that no man should perish but all should come into repentance.

4. You were born into sin and from sin you must be, Redeemed, Reconciled, and Reestablished, into what is acceptable to God.
ars.

Temple of Spirit & Truth Ministries
A.R. Smith Ministries
ourchurch.com/member/a/arsmithsermons/ ourchurch.com/member/a/arsmithsermons/

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