The Portal of Healing

Prayer and Synchronicity

2015-08-15T08:43:00.000+01:00

Recently, I was speaking with a friend whose wife had just had surgery.

He told me the folliwng story which stopped me in my tracks. It is about the power of prayer and the healing that can bring:

My wife was about to have surgery, it was a all of a sudden but we knew this could happen. Just a few days before the event, I decided I would think of my mother and ask her for help at this time of need.

Her answer was a message. My mother's family was born in Swansea, Wales. We used to watch TV together when I was a child as you might expect. One of those shows was the now world famous sci-fi TV series Doctor Who. This show is largely made in Wales.

I stayed in a hotel across the road from the hospital. On the first day I walked from the hotel to the hospital to visit, I came upon a car parked in the driveway directly across from the hospital. The number plate of the car read:

1 DR WHO

A smile came across my face and I knew that my mother was watching. This is a true story. That car was there every day my wife was in hospital. On the last day she was there, I saw what I assume was the owner of the vehicle, getting into the car. I stopped and hesitated and thought who could it be? He looked like my grandfather from Wales, short, stocky, typical body type from that part of the world.

In that moment, I decided I could not approach and ask. I do not know why but I felt compelled to keep walking back to the hotel. I turned around to see where the car was going. That was the last time I saw that car. My wife was discharged the next day.

I cannot begin to explain why this happened but it did. My father although not an overtly religious man, always lit two candles every Friday for his parents. I feel sure now, that I will definitely pray more to my parents for I know they are listening.

The Portal of Healing.

Gastric Band Weight Loss Hypnosis CD

2012-05-02T21:40:00.000+01:00

I have had my doubts about listening to a CD and expecting the CD to make any difference to my weight but reading some of the reviews, it is like anything that any person might try i.e. if it works for you than good. So, it is not a drug which I do not like, it is not exercise which is not really possible under most circumstances, it is listening to someone help me believe that I can eat less.

So, what harm can it do? Well, as with most weight loss programs, everyone has to tune the program to their specific need and mode of lifestyle but the message is the same - you HAVE to stick with it and see the course. At 12.99, it is way cheaper than visiting a gym which I personally loathe and if it helps me lose any weight and keep it off, then it is well worth it. The Portal of Healing.

Jewel Quest 6 - The Sapphire Dragon (PC CD)

2012-04-27T21:58:00.000+01:00

Jewel Quest 6 - The Sapphire Dragon (PC CD)

Forgotten In Time: The Ancient Solfeggio Frequencies

2012-04-26T19:04:00.001+01:00

Forgotten In Time: The Ancient Solfeggio Frequencies

"These original sound frequencies were apparently used in Ancient Gregorian Chants, such as the great hymn to St. John the Baptist, along with others that church authorities say were lost centuries ago. The chants and their special tones were believed to impart tremendous spiritual blessings when sung in harmony during religious masses."

The Six Solfeggio Frequencies include:

UT – 396 Hz – Liberating Guilt and Fear
RE – 417 Hz – Undoing Situations and Facilitating Change
MI – 528 Hz – Transformation and Miracles (DNA Repair)
FA – 639 Hz – Connecting/Relationships
SOL – 741 Hz – Awakening Intuition
LA – 852 Hz – Returning to Spiritual Order

Whatever you believe about music, sound, frequency and it's effect on humans, Solfeggio Tones is a very important subject and one that I am just coming to, from a point of a trained musician and composer, sound producer and more. My original training dealt with different tuning methodologies including Werckmeister, Pythagorean and Quarter Comma Mean Tone not to mention the 12 note system developed by composers such as Schoenberg, Berg and Webern.

Why the Solfeggio Tones were lost to us or not taught is a mystery but I would say it is a known fact that the Catholic church as it was then, was quite instrumental in controlling what intervals a Monk or composer could use in their work. This would lead to various tuning systems being used and it was not until J.S. Bach and The Well Tempered Klavier, that a more 'standardised' system of tuning came into being.

By this time, I assume that the use of Solfeggio Tones in mainstream music, like the old 'harmonic series' did later on, became somewhat irrelevant since most composers, musicians and most importantly, instrument makers had adopted equal temperament as the standard for tuning.

But Solfeggio tones are not just about a tuning system. They are about their impact on the human body and more importantly, the human spirit. I have said it several times in other blog postings - Music is a force that cannot be underestimated and if the use and practice of Solfeggio tones can help some one in some way, then I am all for that and I encourage people to seek out music in their lives and let music enrich their spirit.

The Portal of Healing.

Keeping older drivers on the road

2012-04-25T16:35:00.001+01:00

Keeping older drivers on the road

"But we all have to accept that as we get older our reactions slow down and this often results in people avoiding any potentially challenging driving conditions and losing confidence in their driving skills. The result is that people stop driving before they really need to.
"What we are doing is to look at ways of keeping people driving safely for longer, which in turn boosts independence and keeps us socially connected."

This is vitally important research and we must all do as much as we can to encourage the research and any implementations that are suitable. Getting older should not be a crime and driving is a very important part of our life and how we can stay a little more independent.

The Portal of Healing.

2012-04-21T16:49:00.001+01:00

I need a charger for my old IBM Thinkpad and I found this to my surprise on Amazon. So, I will give this a go for the laptop is still useful for messing around with things and messing things up. If it does not work out, then I am not going to be so bothered about it.

Right now, the laptop is just sitting there and doing nothing. At least this way, if the adapter works, then it will be a result, if not, then someone else can have the pleasure of breaking it for spares.

The Portal of Healing.

Fabrice Muamba - a miracle man

2012-03-21T17:17:00.000+00:00

Having just read this article on how Fabrice Muamba was clinically dead for some 78 minutes and is now alive and making a recovery, I moved to ask the question, how?

How is is possible for a man, albeit a young fit footballer who was playing at full tilt, to have a full on heart attack and not have a heart beat for 78 minutes and not only live, but live to tell the tale?

I am not sure but there is one thing that lady luck bestowed upon Fabrice that day - the skill of at least one very determined expert in cardiology and the skill of those who first attended Fabrice on the pitch. If anyone was in doubt about the power and effectiveness of CPR, heart massage, mouth to mouth resuscitation call it what you will, there can be no doubt that a combination of CPR, drugs and the expertise of the London Chest Hospital truly saved his life.

I am also moved by the spirit of the crowd that day, who collectively began to chant 'Fabrice' from the stands. Maybe it was their power as well which gave Fabrice the will to live. It is a nice thought.

Whatever the case is, if you or anyone you know, has been thinking about doing some form of CPR training and put it off for one reason or another, then here is a good news story where it worked. Let this story be your motivation to get the training, for one day, it will save a life.

The Portal of Healing.

THRIVE DVD (PAL)

2012-02-17T15:56:00.000+00:00

Very important and inspiring documentary. A must see. About the much wider reality of the new period that is coming. It shows that we must change our thinking

The Portal of Healing.

Not Much of an Engineer

2012-01-21T20:49:00.000+00:00

This is a nuce book for those of you into engineers.Sir Stanley Hookers life is recorded from the early beginnings as an aircraft engine designer with Rolls Royce before he moves to Bristols following an argument with the MD Lord Ives.

The Portal of Healing.

Grandstream GXP2000 VoIP Phone

2012-01-12T22:00:00.000+00:00

I recently purchased the Grandstream GXP2000 SIP compatible VoIP Phone and I have to say that overall I am very pleased with my purchase.

I have been using voip/sip software for several years and now that the prices of these phones have come down to more normal levels, I wanted to finally get rid of my land line which was costing far too much and make the switch completely to a very low cost and reliable sip service. I have used Voipcheap for many years and it was with this in mind that I chose this phone.

Firstly, the phone is exactly what one would expect from a high quality phone that comes equipped with high quality audio, in essence, it sounds great. There are no drop outs on my regular broadband service and the phone connects immediately regardless of country or destination.

On the downside, for those that are not very technical, the configuration can be a little confusing but the settings provided by Voipcheap did work from day one - the problem I had was some people found me to be 'offline' and that is a setting issue in the Grandstream software. To be precise, the setting for 'publish presence' has to be on and the setting to 'send keep alive' must be on. This last setting is the most important for what it does is send a small packet of data every 20 seconds to the server to ensure consistent connectivity.

After I had worked out that little gremlin, the phone has worked perfectly and I have been able to make and receive calls for free and very cheaply using the Voipcheap service. There are others of similar quality that provide a good service. I have been able to call home using a free sip account on Voipcheap, without restriction or limitation or even any money on the account and enjoy high quality calls all day.

I can highly recommend this product.

The Portal of Healing.

A bargain Android smartphone

2011-12-31T00:21:00.003+00:00

Vodafone Smart
Leather flip case with 6 screen protectors

I have just come across this nice bargain for a smartphone. Sure, it is smaller than the HTC Wildfire but that is actually part of the attraction. It is the perfect size for travelling, has all the features you might expect and more and is a very good price.

The phone, which is also known as a T Mobile Rapport, Orange Stockholm amd it's generic name is Huwaei UA 180, comes shipped with charger, headset, Android 2.2 Froyo, all the most popular apps for social media and one very nice feature, the ability to dictate using voice recognition software all your emails and texts!

Straight out of the box, everything worked, popped in an 8 gig micro SD card and the camera and video are very good for the price. I like my Wildfire but this nifty phone is a very good entry for those looking to get into the android market at a reasonable price.

The Portal of Healing.

Down goes Frazier!

2011-11-10T18:21:00.003+00:00

Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier! Those almost immortal words, spoken by Howard Cosell, at the fight between Joe Frazier and George Foreman. How those words have managed to survive the years along with the legendary status that goes with the life of Joe Frazier and have characterised his life, is something to behold and something to mourn.

I mourn the passing of this man, a fighter, a warrior, a man who for me knew no fear. I wish also to celebrate his life, for his life and the lives of his opponents Ali and Foreman, gave meaning to my life at that time. When my father switched on the TV to watch what is now known as the 'Thriller in Manila", we had no idea what was to come. Who could have?

What we and many others around the world witnessed that night, were two men who were prepared to die rather than be beaten. For several rounds, Joe Frazier hurt Ali - literally. But what we did not know, was that Joe Frazier was already partially blind in his left eye from a training accident in 1964. Then his right eye started to close and essentially his was a sitting duck. A sitting duck for his skilled and deadly opponent Ali. Ali mercilessly pounded the head of Frazier until it was swollen and grotesque.

At the end of round 14 came the unthinkable, the realisation that if he were allowed to go out for the 15th and final round, Joe Frazier could really get hurt. His trainer, Eddie Futch, would not allow that to happen. So Joe Frazier was retired from the fight for his own protection. The irony of it all was that Ali was prepared to quit as well and not come out for the 15th round. This fight would define Ali in so many ways but most importantly, the damage that Frazier inflicted upon Ali that night would in my opinion and the opinion of many others, seriously affect the health of Ali in later years.

Ali is often quoted as saying that the fight was like "the closest he ever felt to death". It is without doubt one of the greatest fights I have had the honour to witness and for me clearly defined who Joe Frazier was - one of the greatest heavyweight boxers from that era.

Sadly, society has not valued the contribution that Joe Frazier made to boxing or our lives and for someone with that much courage and charisma, to spend the last years of his life living in one room above his gym, with a can of beans for dinner, is a sad commentary on the society in which we live now and then. Perhaps it was meant to be that the poor boy from South Carolina was meant to return to his roots as a poor man? His passing is a sharp reminder that however good you are, you are only as good as your next fight, whatever that may be.

The Portal of Healing.

Fluid Extraction Suction Syphon Pump 6 Litre Extractor

2011-09-18T20:25:00.001+01:00

I have seen and used some tools over the years, but this one is simply a must buy. It is quite simple - a device that allows you to suck fluids out of your car namely oil and transmission. I used this tool to change the oil on my car.

To be honest, the price of an oil change has become for me, too expensive. It is about 30 pounds at Kwik Fit in the UK and on average around $50 dollars in North America. For some, this is a lot of money and of all the things on a car that need to be done, changing the oil is one of the most important.

A lot of damage, wear and tear and increased emissions along with reduced petrol economy are some of the results of not changing the oil regularly. It is generally accepted that an oil change should be carried out about every six months for the life of the car. Even with the improved durability and effectiveness of modern day, synthetic oils, oil degrades and does so quickly. It will soon become contaminated with the engine deposits that will be given off over time.

This suction pump is going to make life a whole lot easier and cheaper. So, I followed the very simple instructions, stuck the thin tube down the dipstick until it could go no further, pumped about eight times and there it goes! The pump created a vacuum which sucked the oil out of the engine without any further input from me. This I like very much. It took about ten minutes and I changed the oil when the car was cold although it was about 25 degrees Celsius at the time, so quite warm.

Towards the end, I pumped a few more times just to make sure it had got all the oil it could out. I did not change the oil filter but this had been done three months before. Changing the filter is optional but I do recommend that the oil filter is changed about once a year. That was it. I chatted with my friend while it was doing it's thing and we could have even had a cup of tea!

I had worked out how much the unit holds, what my car needs for a change without oil filter and it had sucked out almost exactly that amount. So, I knew I had to refill to that amount. I checked the dipstick a couple of times and it was perfect. Lastly, I cleaned the unit by putting the tubes in a bowl of soapy water and pumping that out and that worked very well. I disposed of the old oil and waste water in an old can and took it to recycling.

The advantage of changing the oil this way are many but for starters, it is much safer, no jacking up of the car and having to wrestle with the oil nut and no mess when the oil pours out. Also, when I take my car for an oil change, they DO NOT use synthetic oil but conventional oil which is nowhere near as good. I was able to purchase Castrol fully synthetic oil about half the cost of an oil change at the garage which is about 25 pounds.

So, it is a no brainer that you will recoup your money and save money after two or three oil changes and you will be using the oil that YOU want and need to use, when you want and where. The unit is light and compact and can be carried around so you could share it with your family and friends, all they have to do is supply the oil!

The Portal of Healing.

Jollop Recipe

2011-09-06T18:51:00.001+01:00

Well, it's been a busy summer, hence the prolonged absence. In that time, I have been garnishing some recipe ideas for healthy cooking and eating. This is very important to me and many others. One cannot trust in any way most of what can be bought in a shop that passes for food.

So, it is with that in mind, I have increased my efforts to make as much of the food that I eat from fresh ingredients, bought from locally produced outlets where possible and if it is reduced in price, that is good too. For instance, on a recent trip to the local grocery store/supermarket, I happened upon a glut of tomatoes, reduced in price, waiting for someone like me to snap them up! That I did for I was reliably informed that tomatoes can be frozen. Yes, that's correct, they can be frozen for use later in cooking or pickling as we shall be doing in this recipe. So, look out for vegetable or fruit that you can freeze which is reduced. Now, I have some 100 tomatoes and my friend is now called 'the mad tomato woman' for she cannot stop buying them! So, without further ado, the recipe.

This jollop, which is a slang term used to describe a concoction, a mix, a blend of ingredients, is something that has become a major ingredient itself in my cooking. Essentially, one can eat it as a pickle, like a dip or use as I do as the flavouring and base for other recipes which will follow. So here it is:

Jollop (Fresh Pickle)

Chopped onions, garlic, tomatoes, peppers, cucumber
Teaspoon each of thyme, oregano/marjoram, coriander, dill, basil, sage
A little salt and pepper or paprika

Put your favourite ingredients from the above in a clean jam-jar
Top up with cider vinegar and extra-virgin olive-oil - I suggest mixing the cider vinegar and extra virgin olive oil 50/50 in another bottle which will make it easier to dispense and that mix works fine for me

Shake well and leave for a few hours before eating (You can put all ingredients in a chopper first if you want) Can be eaten fresh or used as a cooking flavouring.

Now, the quantities above are for one jar of jollop. I had so many tomatoes, that I ended up with several jars of the stuff! But that is just fine, for whenever I want to flavour something else quickly, all I have to do is chuck some of the jollop in the pan before! So, once you have made a batch, it will keep very well in the fridge and be there, which means you do not have to spend time chopping garlic and onions and all the other nice things every time you need to cook. Simple!
The Portal of Healing.

DiabetesCare.Net - Insomnia Linked to High Insulin Resistance in Diabetics

2011-05-19T15:13:00.001+01:00

DiabetesCare.Net - Insomnia Linked to High Insulin Resistance in Diabetics

"In the largest study of its kind to establish a link between sleep and diabetes, researchers found that people with diabetes who sleep poorly have higher insulin resistance, and a harder time controlling the disease."

Please watch the video above which helps to explain insulin resistance.

The Portal of Healing.

INOSITOL - BENEFITS, SUPPLEMENTS, INFORMATION, ARTICLES, LINKS, NEWS, ADVICE

2011-04-22T03:53:00.001+01:00

INOSITOL -BENEFITS, SUPPLEMENTS, INFORMATION, ARTICLES, LINKS, NEWS, ADVICE

"Inositol is part of the vitamin B complex. It promotes healthy brain development and function, and works closely with choline to move fats out of the heart and liver."

I have just discovered this supplement. It is produced naturally by the body but a lack of inositol can lead to some very serious and nasty health conditions. Some symptoms of inositol deficiency are arteriosclerosis, constipation, hair loss, high cholesterol, irritability, mood swings, and skin eruptions.

Most significantly, it has also been said to have a calming effect on the nervous system, and is being studied as a possible treatment for depression, panic attacks, and even Alzheimer’s disease.

It is with this in mind i.e. the benefits for the nervous system, depression, anxiety and mental health that I am going to try it out and see how it goes. I will let you know.

The Portal of Healing.

What makes fructose fattening? Some answers found in the brain

2011-03-11T18:00:00.003+00:00

What makes fructose fattening? Some answers found in the brain

"The dietary concerns of too much fructose are well documented. High-fructose corn syrup has become the sweetener most commonly added to processed foods. Many dietary experts believe this increase directly correlates to the nation's growing obesity epidemic. Now, new research at Oregon Health & Science University demonstrates that the brain -- which serves as a master control for body weight -- reacts differently to fructose compared with another common sweetener, glucose."

To put it simply, processed sugars are not good for you. For far too long, the food industry has kept quiet about the use and infusion into processed foods of all kinds of High Fructose Corn Syrup. Try to avoid eating any kind of food that has artificial sweeteners of any kind and preferably stay away from high sugary foods such as cakes, sweets and biscuits especially if your blood sugar is prone to fluctuation.

This advice applies to anyone even if you think you are not diabetic there are many people who are pre-diabetic and those of us that think we can get away with eating food saturated in processed sugar need to think again.

The Portal of Healing.

Panasonic KX-TG8523EB DECT Trio Digital Cordless Phone

2011-02-09T23:22:00.002+00:00

"I surrender!" That is what she said. Oh, alright, I won't tease you all any more, this is what she really said:

"OK, I surrender - 3rd phone playing up now - cut me off after 5 minutes
chat or so.

Have read loads of reviews - this one does texts, 40 minutes answer phone,
Caller ID, which lets you block particular callers and also numbers
beginning 09, 07 etc. as well as identify answer phone messages so you can
listen to ones from specific people, and also you can set a night-time
setting (you set the hours required) so no-one gets through on a
particular handset - e.g. bedroom - except people you specify."

So, here it is. Ready for you to order. It looks like from now on I am going to find it very hard to get hold of her on the phone as I think she is going to be deep in thought reading the manual!

The Portal of Healing.

Electric current moves magnetic vortices: With the help of neutrons, physicists discover new ways to save data

2010-12-28T22:06:00.003+00:00

Electric current moves magnetic vortices: With the help of neutrons, physicists discover new ways to save data

"One of the requirements to keep trends in computer technology on track -- to be ever faster, smaller, and more energy-efficient -- is faster writing and processing of data. In the Dec. 17 issue of the journal Science, physicists at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM) and the Universitaet zu Koeln report results that could point the way to a solution. TUM physicists set a lattice of magnetic vortices in a material in motion using electric current almost a million times weaker than in earlier studies."

The Portal of Healing.

Guidelines Blood Sugar Levels: Normal, Pre-diabetes, Diabetes

2010-11-18T18:08:00.005+00:00

Guidelines Blood Sugar Levels: Normal, Pre-diabetes, Diabetes

"The Diabetes Prevention Study shows that losing 5-7 % of your weight, exercising for 1/2 hr per day and following a healthy diet can reduce your risk of getting diabetes by up to 58%!."

This website http://www.diabetes-blood-sugar-solutions.com/guidelinesbloodsugarlevels.html is packed full of very useful information. If you have the slightest doubt about your blood sugar level, get it checked or got to your local pharmacy and pick up a kit which will allow you to check it yourself. If you are marginal for Diabetes or Pre Diabetes, do what it says above i.e. lose some weight, take regular exercise and follow a healthy diet.

The consequences of not doing anything are far too disturbing to discuss but I can assure you from experience of other with diabetes, it is a slow, painful death.

The Portal of Healing.

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir - 'Lux Aurumque'

2010-11-11T00:31:00.001+00:00

There is not much to say except that it is beautiful and required viewing. Get involved in this project if you can and visit the youtube page for details.

The Portal of Healing.

FDA Decides to Curb Avandia But Is It Enough?

2010-10-31T18:04:00.001+00:00

The problem I have with the FDA ruling is that it does not go far enough and has created a discrepancy i.e. in Europe it has now been banned. Why the discrepancy on such a dangerous drug like Avandia? Why has the FDA only restricted access to it? We probably know the answer but we won't go there right now.

More importantly, it stresses the need for all of us to be extremely careful with our diet and exercise. It's the same old advice given out year after year and not just by this blogger - eat a sensible diet, watch your sugar and salt intake especially the processed kind and take exercise. These are just a few of the suggestions that could be made to just about any person if they wished to avoid or decrease the risk of contracting diabetes.

Be healthy and be happy.

The Portal of Healing.

Cinnamon Helps Control Blood Sugar

2010-10-31T17:56:00.001+00:00

Such a simple idea. Add some to your tea or your home cooking such as biscuits and cake. All we need now is a nice pot of tea!

The Portal of Healing.

Statins and CoQ10 Deficiency

2010-10-31T17:50:00.001+00:00

"CoQ10 is arguably our most important essential nutrient. Its role in energy production is to make possible the transfer of electrons from one protein complex to another (within the inner membrane of the mitochondria) to its ultimate recipient, ATP."

I have been taking Q10 for a few years now and have found it really helps in my energy levels. Q10 is not a magic pill that will suddenly give you energy you never had, it does what it is supposed to do - allow the transfer of energy that you take in, to the body more efficiently. Those over 50 especially those on medication like Lipitor should be on Q10 as well.

Even for those of you not on medication, Q10 is a very valuable supplement that will help you in your day to day life, taken regularly.

The Portal of Healing.

Too much glucosamine can cause the death of pancreatic cells, increase diabetes risk, researchers find

2010-10-31T17:43:00.001+00:00

"High doses or prolonged use of glucosamine causes the death of pancreatic cells and could increase the risk of developing diabetes, according to a team of researchers at Université Laval's Faculty of Pharmacy."

I know glucosamine is recommended especially for those with aches and pains in their joints but it pays to be careful when taking these alternative supplements. Always consult your doctor especially if you are already on medication and never exceed the stated dose. If in doubt, ask.

The Portal of Healing.