Table of Contents Featured Articles 13 Resilience and Intuition Eileen Lichentenstein explains how resilience in body mind and spirit is the key to success
14 Balancing Yin and Yang Finding purpose and balance in your relationship using Yin and Yang
18 Author Spotlight: Cari LaGrange Murphy
19 Book Sneak Peek: Create Change Now By Cari LaGrange Murphy
28 The Universal Law of Abundance In this second part of the series, Elisabeth Fayt gives the pre‐paves to living a life of abundance and spirituality
32 Learn to Love and Honour Your Bills
48 Gambling in Hawaii 49 Visit Maui 49 Why You Should Consider Travel Insurance 51 What to Look For When Choosing a Travel Agent 52 Travel Accessories 53 Flying with Young Ones
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Columns 4 Editor’s Corner 5 Point of You with Lisa Mae Brunson Be the Change You Want to See in Yourself
7 Removing Obstacles By Dr. Jeanine Austin
If you are drowning in a sea of bills, and stress is mounting, John Campbell spells out simple, yet effective ways to love and to honour your bills
8 The Consciousness of Success
42 Special Travel Section: Destination Hawaii
By Stuart Rosen
43 Hawaii Overview 43 Renting Hawaii Homes for Family Vacations 44 A Veritable Buzz Word Bonanza 45 Hawaii Honeymoon Destination Packages 45 Top 10 Reasons to Get Married in Hawaii 46 Ask the Locals – Oahu Hawaii
By Brett Baughman
11 Made from Concentrate
26 Tantra Tip of the Month: The Art of Practicing Presence By Crystal Dawn Morrison
31 Chakra Meditation By Bindi Shah
32 Attract Abundance to Your Front Door By Chriss Barr
34 Love Yourself Fat Even if No One Else Does By Pat Matson
35 Vegetable Gardening in Containers By Shelley Smith
37Green Garlic ‐ The Secrets in the Tart By Amy Doebler 38 Attack of the Computer Virus By Ressa Kinnear
40 Window Treatments By Michelle Viggiano
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13 Shadow to Light Meditation By Aaron Huey
16 Decision Time By Justin Sachs
21 Follow‐up Made Easy By Chanel Ware
23 The Sneezing Season By Primrose Williams
24 Drink to Your Health And Enjoy it By Paul Lizak
ON THE COVER Elisabeth Fayt is a featured speaker in the new movie The Opus, the next step after "The Secret". She has invested close to two decades studying with the Masters of India and global business leaders. A voracious teacher of the Laws of the Universe, she translates the "wisdom of the ages" into powerful workshops on the Law of Attraction... (Photographer Unknown)
Publisher Leyla Hur Editor-in-Chief Leyla Hur Editor@MagnifyYou.com Assistant Editor Lisa Mae Brunson Lisamae@MagnifyYou.com Managing Editor Benjamin Hur Regular Contributors Leyla Hur, Lisa Mae Brunson, Brett Baughman, Chanel Ware, Stuart Rosen, Dr. Jeanine Austin, Paul Lizak, Amy Wilcox Doebler, Chriss Barr, Michelle Viggiano, Shelley Smith, Bindi Shah, Primrose Williams, Crystal Dawn Morris, Justin Sachs, Aaron Huey, Ressa Kinnear, Pat Matson Additional Contributors Alberto Maeses, Komail Noori, Articles Manager, Brandon Inada, Cari LaGrange Murphy, Elisabeth Fayt, Eileen Lichtenstein, Mary Jane Hurley, Johan V. Campbell, Sarah Harrigan, Todd Martin, Tiffany Jordan, Dorothy Yamich, MY Staff Writer, Don Carter, Alex de Mostafe, Peter Greenberg Art Director Bubonic Media Media@MagnifyYou.com Graphic Designer Bubonic Media Advertising Executive Eric Braund Ericb@MagnifyYou.com National Advertising Office Bubonic Media 5024 South Ash Avenue Suite 104 Tempe, AZ 85282 USA 1-888-801-8316 Magnify You Magazine 7904 East Chaparral Road Suite A110-289 Scottsdale, AZ 85250 USA Magnify You is published by Leyla Hur. All editorial material, including editorial comments, opinions, and statements of fact appearing in this publication, represents the views of the respective authors and does not necessarily carry the endorsement of Leyla Hur or its officers. Information in Magnify You is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed. The publication of any advertisements is not to be construed as an endorsement of the product or service offered unless it is specifically stated in the ad that there is such approval or endorsement. Products and Services advertised may not be available at the time of publication. All submitted articles, photos, and artwork (“Submissions”) become the property of the publisher (Leyla Hur). The publisher is under no obligation to return any Submissions. The publisher has the unrestricted right to print all or any portion of submissions, to edit, print, re-print, use, alter, or disregard all or any portion of said materials at its sole discretion, in any medium now or hereafter used by the publisher in connection with its business operations. This includes, but is not limited to magazines, books, calendars, catalogues, merchandise, advertisements, video, television, and Internet applications. The text of any and all photo captions is at the Publisher’s sole discretion, and may be fictitious. All Submissions must be exclusive to the Publisher (unless otherwise negotiated with Publisher) who will provide appropriate credit to the author, photographer, or artist of published works, and will indicate if the same has been excerpted from or materially changed from original content. Other terms of usage may apply if in writing and signed by the submitting party. Send to: Leyla Hur, Publisher at Magnify You Magazine, 7904 East Chaparral Road, Suite A110-289, Scottsdale, AZ 85250 USA. The Publisher is exempt from the record keeping requirements and disclosure statements mandated by 18 U.S. Code Section 2257(a) through (c) and the pertinent Regulations, 28 C.F.R. Ch.1, part 75 since all such materials fall within the definition of exempted material set forth in Section 75.7(a) (1-3) of the pertinent Regulations.
Editor’s Corner – May 2009 Issue
Our inaugural issue launched without a hitch last month, and we’ve received rave reviews. It sure has been an exciting couple of months and I am very proud to bring to you May’s issue, which is jam-packed full of more inspirational, informative, and uplifting articles. This month we cover a palate of issues, from the health benefits of wine, to seasonal allergies, and attracting abundance to your front door utilizing Feng Shui, as well as meditating using the chakras, the best window treatments, and more. We have a few new contributors this month that include Teen Success Expert, Justin Sachs, an internationally known speaker, as well as Aaron Huey, facilitator of the world famous “Predicament” and owner of Fire Mountain Programs. Pat Matson also joins us and teaches us about the importance of self-acceptance. We bring you the second part of Elisabeth Fayt’s “Universal Law of Attraction”, and an excerpt from best-selling Inspirational and Spiritual Author, Founder and CEO of Empowerment Coaching Solutions, and an Empowerment Mentor Worldwide, Cari LaGrange Murphy’s brand new book “Create Change Now”. As always, we welcome your letters and comments. Email them to mail@magnifyyou.com. Until next month, we continue to celebrate your magnificence. Leyla Hur Editor-in-Chief
We’ve all heard the phrase “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” But I suggest bringing the focus a little closer to home. Be the change you wish to see in yourself. Change starts from within, this we all know. But did you know that what we surround ourselves with, the experiences we create, and the people we have in our lives, are a direct reflection of who we are?
state of wishing and desiring for change, which keeps us stagnant. Looking at the big picture can be quite overwhelming at times. However can we end world hunger, wars and terrorism when we think of eradicating these in terms of millions? Isn’t it easier to instead focus on the one person who matters most? That’s right—YOU!
Think about that for a minute. We are not only the food we eat. Indeed, we are the people we love, the jobs we have, the clothes we wear, the attitudes we project, the emotions we feel, and every other nuance that make up our individuality. That’s quite a bit of responsibility on our shoulders if you think about it. The question remains—who do you want to be? And what do you wish to reflect?
“But isn’t that a little selfish?” You may wonder. It is, and that’s exactly why it’s a perfect step.
That’s not to say they were no longer important, or that I did not care about them, but through the course of our lives we have drifted apart for one reason or another, or perhaps my goals and desires are no longer in alignment with theirs. Or the personal decisions they are making no longer agree with what I deem as appropriate for my life journey. There’s nothing wrong in ending friendships, business partnerships, relationships and the like when you realize that they may be doing more ‘harm’ than good. We may feel obligated to continue being friends or to work with certain people, but the only person you are doing a disservice to is yourself.
“What we surround ourselves with are a direct reflection of who we are…”
We all desire change. We desire world peace, and harmonious relationships. But to think of these on a grander scale can sometimes keep us in that grand
Nothing grand has ever come to those who didn’t put themselves first. Today is the day we banish the word ‘Selfish’ from our mouths as something negative. Use the word Self-ish instead to pave the future toward your new and glorious Changed self! I recently realized there were people in my life who no longer served a particular purpose.
Cut the strings. Turn the focus toward meeting people who are going to be beneficial for your personal well being. That can be difficult to do. I’m still working on refining my ‘Cut off approach.’ What if later I realize I made a mistake? Well, certainly we’ll all feel that many points in our lives
but the great thing about making a decision is you can always change it, or even reverse it! That’s the beauty in the grand design of life.
Be the change you wish to see in yourself. Do you desire to lose weight? If so, make an extra effort each day to do something toward that goal, even if it is as simple as eating only half a box of French fries at lunch. Next time, cut that portion in half, and so forth, until you no longer feel the need to gorge on junk food. If you desire to see less world poverty, start by being good to yourself. What can you do to make more money? What can you contribute to your personal finances? Then, pass that advice along to the next person. You are already creating the change you so desire! Do you desire to see less crime, terrorism, and war? Well take a glance in the mirror and recognize what kind of anger, depression or sadness lies within you. What is keeping you in a state of discord? How can you treat someone else better? Are you harboring any grudges toward anyone? If so, seek to eradicate that negative emotion and focus on letting that burden go. Anger is the stimulus energy that spawns crime and terrorism, which create wars. Start with Number One and work your way toward inner and outer peace. Now I’m not saying world hunger will end just because you decide to feed yourself better. But any kind of positive change does begin with you. And that’s a powerful tool to have. I personally desire to see more prosperity among my friends and family. I recognized that by creating more abundance for myself, my family and friends would then be inspired to do the same for themselves. You know that old saying, “monkey see, monkey do?” Well we can restate that as, “human see, human do.” Be an inspiration to yourself, and naturally you will inspire others to follow suit. I’ve got big plans for the summer. I want to look my very absolute best, and I want to feel revitalized and healthy and I want to stimulate my brain cells to be even more creative and pro-active. Not only have I jumped on an Accountability Wagon to create my new and improved self, (I’ll share more about Accountability in next month’s issue) but I am looking forward to the ripple effect my personal results will initiate in others. There’s a new Lisa Mae in town and I can’t wait to Be the change I wish to see in myself! Here’s to the next step toward being our very best! Lisa Mae is a ‘Creative Visionary’ and ‘Painter with Words’, she captivates her readers and fans with her honesty and integrity. She has captivated thousands of hearts all over the world with her written words of inspiration. Lisa Mae is the founder of the Love, Hugs and Inspiration Campaign and author of Rose Colored Glasses. Contact Lisa Mae at lisamae@magnifyyou.com
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would like to remove obstacles in our life we must step in to an expanded and hopeful consciousness to absorb and move beyond our life challenges. A Course in Miracles (ACIM) reminds us that miracles can change physical laws. Miracles, according to ACIM, are shifts in perceptions. Perhaps a representation of Ganesh in our life can help us to remember that shifts in awareness are always possible and available to us. My friend Lauren has a statue of Ganesh is her kitchen behind the sink. Ganesh is always there for her to offer encouragement.
It was about 10 years ago that I was first introduced to the Hindu deity Ganesh. As it turned out, my across the street neighbor in New Jersey came over to apologize for her son who had dented my garage door with a baseball. Although I had lived there for several years, we had never spoken to each other. Within five minutes of speaking,
reminded her that she could date and marry anyone she wanted because she was hot stuff. I had always been interested in Hinduism, which is Amita’s religion, but I often felt confused by the many nuances, social structures and references that comprised this ancient religion. I was very blessed to have Amita
“I noticed a statue of an elephant in Amita’s front garden…” however, we found out that we were both born on the same month on the same date and even in the same year (albeit she in Bangalore, India and myself in Opelika, Alabama). This bit of coincidental information began a wonderful friendship. Lucky for me, I became the frequent beneficiary of Amita’s mouth watering Indian dishes. I was amazed at her garage full of imported aromatic spices, quite a departure from warming up frozen meals in the microwave! Amita and I would be playful and laugh about the intersection of our two cultures. When she told me that her husband was from the highest caste in Indian and her caste was one below, I
to ask questions of and who was in appreciation of my interest. One day I noticed a statue of an elephant in Amita’s front garden. I had seen this representation before, but was unfamiliar with its meaning. The elephant deity Ganesh is the great remover of obstacles. When we are feeling trapped by our circumstances, we might choose to call on Ganesh as a symbol of inspiration. Ganesh is often portrayed as dancing or enjoying day to day life activities. Ganesh reminds us that we won’t be able to move beyond our circumstances if we are weighed down by the heaviness of our day to day burdens. Ganesh’s playful appearance reminds us that if we
ACIM also offers, “There is no order of difficulty in miracles.” While this idea may be challenging for us to get our minds around, I find it to be very empowering. The idea is that if you can shift your mind about anything, for example, forgiving someone who has been unkind to you, it is just as possible (no more difficult) to heal illness, to eradicate poverty, to stop hatred, racism or war. Some people may feel this to be a naïve perspective; however, many will give testament to the validity of this law. Next time find we are feeling trapped by life, perhaps collectively we can look to Ganesh to remind us of our Divine truth. Dr. Jeanine Austin is a doctor of life coaching for women around the world. She is passionate about helping women live a joyful and authentic life. Dr. Jeanine uses cutting edge tools and/or spiritual perspectives which assist her clients in living actualized lives. Contact Dr. Jeanine at drj@magnifyyou.com
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The Consciousness of Success Take a vacation; write a book; renovate the second bedroom; let down your hair and try something new…what do you do? There are so many wonderful things you want to achieve and so little time and money to obtain them. Or is there?
work toward or what problem to overcome. Either way, we are always running to or away from something. But when do we just stop… and live for today? Ah, there’s the key. You are already there!
Chellie Campbell has been a mentor and a dear friend of mine for many years. Chellie is the author of The Wealthy Spirit and a renowned speaker. She taught me a very valuable lesson that I will carry with me all of my days. You see, like many of you, I have always been passionate about life—a big thinker. I am constantly setting goals and working toward them. And like many of you, I face challenges of time and money. “I need more money to finish this project” or “I just want to get ahead, if I could make a little more money.” Does this sound familiar? We all do this. And it seems as though the harder you try, the less time you have and the more work on your plate. Well, I want to share the same secret with you that Chellie shared with me: “There is no there, there!” That’s it! It’s that simple. That one simple statement changed my life.
Once I understood this and integrated my thinking to process this way, the waters parted. I began to focus completely on what I was passionate about doing in my days. I found myself working less and accomplishing more. My stress about finances and bills began to fade away like the morning fog. I was making more money and being twice as creative. So here’s the real truth behind the curtain. It is all about perception and emotion. If you are constantly feeling a sense of struggling; of never getting to where you want to be; if you are always looking ahead and wishing you were there; if what you have doesn’t seem like enough; then your focus isn’t ‘there.’ Gratitude brings us into a state of focus where we can see and appreciate the now. This is the place where we are consciously aware of our gifts and our resources. This is an empowered state. You are ‘there.’
Think about it. When you wake up in the morning you generally do one of two things: decide what goal to
I have identified 7 powerful ways for you to embrace
being ‘there’ and ensure a stable financial future for your family.
6. Conscious Time - This is one of the most difficult areas to control because time is a commodity that is in such short supply. It’s very easy to waste countless hours in front of the TV or surfing the net. If you want to make sure you are using your time wisely, create a time log. List how much time you spend doing certain activities and how much money you make during those times. If you are happy with it, great. If not, change it. Add more of the times where you see the cash flowing like water.
1. Conscious Spending - This process starts with creating - and abiding by - a realistic and attainable budget. I’m not suggesting you should sell your TV and put the kids on the corner with a lemonade stand. What I would suggest, however, is that if you’re clear about exactly where your money goes you’ll have more control over reducing unnecessary, frivolous expenses. Think before you say, “Charge it!” If you don’t really need the blu ray disc of Mamma Mia - don’t buy it! Sooner or later Blockbuster will have it for 49 cents. 2. Conscious Debt Control - In many ways this goes hand in hand with controlling your spending. By keeping your balances low you free up additional funds for possible emergencies. Not only can credit cards charge hefty interest rates, but you will be paying for that pair of shoes you ‘just had to have’ for the next 20 years! 3. Conscious Saving - By getting into the habit of regularly setting money aside for a rainy day, you can systematically build a rainy day fund that you can tap into for unplanned expenses. By having 3-6 months of expenses in an interest earning money market account you have cash available in case of a shortterm need. 4. Conscious Habits - I don’t want to offend anyone here, but it’s very easy to have expensive habits that can reduce the pool of money you have when you need it. It could be $4-$5 cups of coffee, cigarettes, or other substances. Aside from the potential long term impact some habits can have on your health, they can also take money away from your responsibilities creating more stress to meet your obligations. And not to mention adding space and time between you and the things you truly want.
7. Conscious Thinking – Once again, find your state of gratitude. Focus on what you want in your life. Avoid negative people who complain about high gas prices, the swine flu and oil prices in the Middle East. Breathe deep and know that you can achieve anything you put your mind to. You just have to committ to it! These are just a few things you can do to financially empower yourself. Put these into practice today and perfect them. Now you have reached the height of consciousness to success! Brett Baughman is the Author of “Strategies for Success”, he is a renowned speaker and success coach featured in the film I-ology. Brett specializes in transforming clients lives to produce extraordinary results. To learn more, contact Brett at brettb@magnifyyou.com
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5. Conscious Giving - There’s nothing more empowering and fulfilling than giving money away. You want to make a regular habit of giving to charities or organizations you believe in. But it is possible to go overboard by trying to help too much. There is a direct connection between giving and receiving - just make sure you really believe in the organizations you’re giving your money to! And you are balancing your life by receiving what the world brings you.
Take a vacation; write a book; renovate the second bedroom; let down your hair and try something new…what do you do? There are so many wonderful things you want to achieve and so little time and money to obtain them. Or is there? Chellie Campbell has been a mentor and a dear friend of mine for many years. Chellie is the author of The Wealthy Spirit and a renowned speaker. She taught me a very valuable lesson that I will carry with me all of my days. You see, like many of you, I have always been passionate about life—a big thinker. I am constantly setting goals and working toward them. And like many of you, I face challenges of time and money. “I need more money to finish this project” or “I just want to get ahead, if I could make a little more money.” Does this sound familiar?
We all do this. And it seems as though the harder you try, the less time you have and the more work on your plate. Well, I want to share the same secret with you that Chellie shared with me: “There is no there, there!” That’s it! It’s that simple. That one simple statement changed my life. Think about it. When you wake up in the morning you generally do one of two things: decide what goal to work toward or what problem to overcome. Either way, we are always running to or away from something. But when do we just stop… and live for today? Ah, there’s the key. You are already there! Once I understood this and integrated my thinking to process this way, the waters parted. I began to focus completely on
what I was passionate about doing in my days. I found myself working less and accomplishing more. My stress about finances and bills began to fade away like the morning fog. I was making more money and being twice as creative. So here’s the real truth behind the curtain. It is all about perception and emotion. If you are constantly feeling a sense of struggling; of never getting to where you want to be; if you are always looking ahead and wishing you were there; if what you have doesn’t seem like enough; then your focus isn’t ‘there.’ Gratitude brings us into a state of focus where we can see and appreciate the now. This is the place where we are consciously aware of our gifts and our resources. This is an empowered state.
“Acknowledging what you CAN’T do adds value to what you CAN…”
You are ‘there.’ I have identified 7 powerful ways for you to embrace being ‘there’ and ensure a stable financial future for your family.
1. Conscious Spending This process starts with creating - and abiding by - a realistic and attainable budget. I’m not suggesting you should sell your TV and put the kids on the corner with a lemonade stand. What I would suggest, however, is that if you’re clear about exactly where your money goes you’ll have more control over reducing unnecessary, frivolous expenses. Think before you say, “Charge it!” If you don’t really need the blu ray disc of Mamma Mia don’t buy it! Sooner or later Blockbuster will have it for 49 cents. 2. Conscious Debt Control - In many ways this goes hand in hand with controlling your spending. By keeping your balances low you free up additional funds for possible emergencies. Not only can credit cards charge hefty interest rates, but you will be paying for that pair of shoes you ‘just had to have’ for the next 20 years! 3. Conscious Saving - By getting into the habit of regularly setting money aside for a rainy day, you can systematically build a rainy day fund that you can tap into for unplanned expenses. By having 3-6 months of expenses in an interest earning money market account you have cash
available in case of a short-term need. 4. Conscious Habits I don’t want to offend anyone here, but it’s very easy to have expensive habits that can reduce the pool of money you have when you need it. It could be $4-$5 cups of coffee, cigarettes, or other substances. Aside from the potential long term impact some habits can have on your health, they can also take money away from your responsibilities creating more stress to meet your obligations. And not to mention adding space and time between you and the things you truly want. 5. Conscious Giving There’s nothing more empowering and fulfilling than giving money away. You want to make a regular habit of giving to charities or organizations you believe in. But it is possible to go overboard by trying to help too much. There is a direct connection between giving and receiving - just make sure you really believe in the organizations you’re giving your money to! And you are balancing your life by receiving what the world brings you. 6. Conscious Time - This is one of the most difficult areas to control because time is a commodity that is in such short supply. It’s very easy to waste countless hours in front of the TV or surfing the net. If you want to make sure you are using your time wisely, create a time log. List how much time
you spend doing certain activities and how much money you make during those times. If you are happy with it, great. If not, change it. Add more of the times where you see the cash flowing like water. 7. Conscious Thinking Once again, find your state of gratitude. Focus on what you want in your life. Avoid negative people who complain about high gas prices, the swine flu and oil prices in the Middle East. Breathe deep and know that you can achieve anything you put your mind to. You just have to commit to it! These are just a few things you can do to financially empower yourself. Put these into practice today and perfect them. Now you have reached the height of consciousness to success! Brett Baughman is the Author of “Strategies for Success”, he is a renowned speaker and success coach featured in the film I-ology. Brett specializes in transforming clients lives to produce extraordinary results. To learn more, contact Brett at brettb@magnifyyou.com
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Be conscious of your body now. Where are you holding this fear? Without letting go of the thoughts and imaginary scenario you are creating, bring your awareness to the places in your body that are beginning to show signs of stress. Do not relax them yet… intensify them. Shallow your breathing for a moment and create a state of fear that your body cannot ignore. Take a deep breath and hold it. Tense your muscles and bring your meditation to a climax of fear, doubt, violence, pain, or whatever you created for this exercise… Now, with a great audible sigh...infuse and overwhelm the emotions that are welling up inside of you with love. Give your whole loving heart to your meditation without changing what is taking place. Bring love into the worst thing you can imagine. Without changing the experience, open your heart. Without ending the experience, without altering the images, pour love into it. Not judgment or surrender, not release or suffering…only love. If there are people within your meditation, love them all unconditionally. In our workshops, we do not approach enlightenment from a calm, peaceful, happy place. To practice achieving bliss and love from there, you need only further relax into yourself and then beyond. With no distractions, this can prove to be difficult enough.
The question is, can you sit with the most horrible thing in your life and open your heart? If you cannot receive love from it, can you give love to it? Of course you can, so maybe the real question is... Do you?
But life isn’t always like that. Life isn’t distraction or temptation free. In fact, the places that need the most love and light interjected, are often violent, frightening, loud, chaotic, and unreasonable. This is where we begin with our students. If they can achieve a state of grace here, amidst the “higgledy-piggledy” of everyday noise and disruption…achieving it from the state of quietude can be easier. Here is a way to practice loving your demons. Imagine the worst thing you can think of.
In the many stories and legends that surround the Aikido Master Morehei Oeshiba, one was that he challenged his students to attack him whenever and wherever they chose. They could never defeat him. One night, they snuck into his bedroom while he was sleeping and surrounded his bed. They made to attack him but could not move. They were overwhelmed by his serenity. When they related the experience to him in the dojo later, he stated, “That is the essence of the martial arts.”
“Set aside the fear of manifesting something horrible…”
Imagine being torn apart by dogs. Imagine being in a car accident. Don’t try to escape the feelings or intensity of the situations, just kept breathing. Let your imagination go to the dark side for a moment. Set aside the fear of manifesting something horrible and focus entirely on the worst thing, involving you, you can think of. Be graphic in your meditation. Or use an actual experience, embrace your courage for a moment and relive it. See the faces and the space, feel and smell, hear and remember. If you are creating this visualization, be as detailed as possible as you begin to reveal a deep fear to yourself. Be purposeful in your vision.
What situation are you currently in right now that you might be trying to avoid or change because of the discomfort it causes you? How would it FEEL differently if you injected total, unconditional love without the need to control or alter IT. Many times the pain of the experience may be so great that you would not want to revisit it. Separation is a natural egoic reaction to pain. If you are going to separate yourself from IT... then could you love IT from afar? Of course you could. So the question really is... Do you? Where is it impossible to love, to allow yourself to be loved, to give, or to be given to? Can you feel fear and love at the same time? What about hate and love?
Can your experience of oneness and love/light be ALL encompassing?
sets of meditation, relaxation breathing, visualization techniques and “tapping” that all contribute to the individual growth of maintaining optimism and focus. Exercising, eating healthfully and having healthy relationships are naturally fortifying. Most people are not born resilient, but everyone has the capacity to learn how to become this way.
Of course it can. Do not create a limit to when and where you can offer love. When you do, recognize that it is only a reflection of when and where you can believe you can RECEIVE love. Imagine what your relationships would be like, if you can give your whole heart to the things you deplore. Imagine how easy it can be to choose love. Imagine that if you could take your practice of opening the heart at the worst possible moments and experiences, what your life could be like when there is stillness and no distraction. No temptation to choose hate or anger.
and Intuition
You are the only one who can control your attitude. By focusing on what is strong and enduring and seeing your potential, you can take calculated risks and overcome challenges. It takes an open, creative mind free from anxiety to pick up on opportunities. They are out there ready to be accessed by your positive and resilient radar.
Being resilient in body, mind and spirit is key to being happy and successful in all areas of life. Emotionally, it’s the opposite of being “stuck in a rut” and it’s about being positive. Physically, it can translate to strength and flexibility. Spiritually it can indicate faith with the ability to maintain hope in tumultuous times. It’s about staying centered and grounded and making “right” choices.
Being resilient in body, mind and spirit is key to being happy and successful in all areas of life. Emotionally, it’s the opposite of being “stuck in a rut” and it’s about being positive. Physically, it can translate to strength and flexibility. Spiritually it can indicate faith with the ability to maintain hope in tumultuous times. It’s about staying centered and grounded and making “right” choices.
So, you may be asking yourself, how does one maintain emotional-spiritual equilibrium and resiliency when things can be unpredictable and often in crisis mode? It’s not simple, and it takes some work. It’s easy to create positive patterns and habits when life is going smoothly. But it can be quite challenging while being swept away by negative forces. A good mentor/coach is important, and the methods and techniques you will learn from them will create a “spill-over” effect into your personal life. _______________
"At the moment you consciously make a choice, pay attention to how you feel." From The Law of Karma
Resilience
There is a bumper sticker that says, “Choose Love” Each moment in our lives is an opportunity to do this. So the question really is… Do you?
Aaron Huey is an internationally known speaker, one of 5 facilitators of the world famous “Predicament”, owner of Fire Mountain Programs, and one of the creators of the rapidly growing coaching system “Experience the Leap”. An educator for 17 years he is nationally known as a leading empowerment coach for children, teens and families. Contact Aaron at aaronh@magnifyyou.com
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“Being resilient is key to being happy and successful…” _______________
Many people, including myself, have learned how to be more resilient. There are various skill
We all find ourselves at times walking the edge between this and that, yes and no. What to do? Which way to go…. When you make a decision and you have a sense of “relief” you know it’s a right choice. It’s about going downstream, letting go of the paddles and letting the current take you. It’s about riding the waves, not going against the tide. Use your senses to detect signs: Intuitive “hits” come in many forms- from sensory images, physical feelings and auditory and olfactory clues. When you are open to receiving and noticing “signs”, it becomes progressively easier to trust your intuition. The optimal receptive “state” has being “grounded” for a
prerequisite. For instant grounding, connect with nature: take a walk, sit at the ocean meditate, listen to the birds, gaze at a flower. Spring is the perfect season to jumpstart your intuition. Or listen to a guided meditation, which you may listen to on the Moving Meditation Fitness audio program: www.balanceandpower.com/movi ngmeditation.php The following tips may assist you in accessing your intuition and are most effective when practiced on a daily basis:
needs: the mind-body work optimally when well rested, fed and exercised! To recap, it’s important to understand the role intuition plays in making “right” choices, and therefore being/doing your best and resilient. ©April 2009 by Eileen Lichtenstein, MS. Ed., Adv-EFT. www.balanceandpower.com
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Be Quiet: Take time out every day to experience some form of stillness and silence. Calm your mind chatter with deep breathing or meditation. Releasing your need to know, analyze and think will allow intuition to work. Trust and Look for Signs: Be open to seeing signs and symbols and receiving information from all around you, including songs from the radio and street signs. Be Creative, Play!: Creativity and play partner well with intuition, as does getting into the “zone” with cardio exercise. Whenever you “lose track of the time and move into a “flow state” intuitive guidance may be at work. Take Risks and notice your intuitive hits happen! Be Inquisitive: When you ask yourself questions, you open to clarity and insight. The answers lie within us- get out of your own way so that the answers can surface and trust yourself. Write: Writing allows information and insight to come forth from your inner self. Take time to journal-or blog everyday. Connect moments of gratitude, synchronistic events and affirmations through writing. Do something different: Take your mind off your “stuff”: read, go to the movies, be with friends. Self - care: Pay attention to your physical as well as emotional
The famous Swiss psychiatrist, Carl G. Jung, said what we deny, fear or don’t address consciously will visit us as fate. I agree and believe that if we don’t manifest our intentions, we will manifest our fears. Many people believe therapy is about resolving a crisis or healing a traumatic past, and while these are worthy goals indeed, good therapy is also like good feng shui, because it is about exploring and making our noble intentions conscious and meaningful. Balancing Yin and Yang energies in our relationships is imperative. Balance within the context of our feeling afraid that the relationship with our significant lover will end because we fear our mate will find someone else can be tricky to achieve. Sometimes we pull away in a detached manner to the point where only our Yin (feminine) energy remains. For balance to occur "within" the context of that relationship, the significant other may become understandably and notably angrier and wonder, “Where did
my soul mate go?” Now the Yang (masculine) energy arrives! Normally this isn’t done consciously. This action is unconscious and it is out of fear. The first party—for example, we’ll say a woman—fears rejection and detaches. The male party also fears rejection and abandonment but his response is anger. These are psychological realities, yet their origins were fear based, they were unacknowledged and they became manifested. Lillian Too, bestselling author of The Encyclopedia of Feng Shui, discusses the principles of Yin and Yang and how the Chinese view conjugal bliss as a double happiness! Hooray! But there will never be much bliss in a home if the space is filled up with anger (Yang) as in “You never!” (An expression that actually indicates a psychic regression as does the expression, "You always!") If passive resistance (Yin) as in “Oh no, husband, nothing is wrong,” is present, this will also hinder achieving a harmonious balance. ________________________
“Good therapy is also like good Feng Shui…” ________________________ Sometimes one spouse needs to be extraverted and take the lead (Yang) and sometimes one spouse needs to be more introverted and allow the other to lead (Yin). It’s lovely having the opportunity to play both roles in a relationship. One size needn’t fit all in marriage or in searching for a love relationship! Are you feeling angry today? (Yang) Do yourself and your relationship a favor and literally cool off by removing that red sweater and pour yourself a nice glass of cool spring water over crushed ice. Not only will you feel better physically, but in your new physically balanced state, you will connect with yourself emotionally and identify what is actually troubling your spirit, and communicate better with your mate.
“I felt hurt when you came home an hour late and didn’t call. It made me feel disrespected, as though you don’t care anymore.” Psychologically this does make one feel vulnerable, I will agree, but it also assists in providing an opportunity for one to face his or her real truth, and believe me, the truth does indeed set us free. Are you sometimes lacking energy in the romantic department? Where did all the ‘Chi’ go? How can I get sexy back? If that’s the case, it’s time to get physical! So get up on the dance floor, take a walk, lift some weights. Statistics show that people who exercise not only feel more ‘in the mood;’ they feel physically more attractive and the accompanying renewed energy unleashes the tiger in everyone. But don't stop there! Quit filling up on bread and sugar and fill up on fruits and vegetables instead. Oh and don't forget to toss that computer and that TV out of the boudoir. Replace them with a picture of Klimt’s ‘The Kiss’ and a nice photo of you and your mate. Surely you’ll make your own fire element! Sometimes people will sacrifice to save money and economize, but in matters of love, it’s more costly not to implement positive changes. I know a man who, after marrying his second wife, said he would not get a new bed because he didn’t need one. “The one I have is fine for us!” Whoa! Lots of Yang energy in that remark. His second wife, wanting to keep the peace, shrugged her shoulders and said nothing. Lots of Yin here, too, but where’s the balance? Where’s the honesty? Did he learn that kind of rigid control in his family? Did she learn that passive behavior in childhood? How many people are in that bed? Wife #1, wife #2 and husband #1 all in the master suite. This is not good psychology or good feng shui! Yin and Yang energies work together to create a harmonious space in your inner self or your outer space. You can transform your master bedroom into one
that has balance and feels warm, receptive and restful (Yin) and passionate, exciting and on fire (Yang). Think of the exciting balance you are creating as you turn the lights low (Yin) and put a match to those two juicy red candles (Yang) whose flame release an exotic cinnamon scent in your bedroom: nice and spicy. Also, make certain you have balanced rest. Nothing kills a romantic mood better than exhaustion which can quickly lead us down the path to depression and anxiety. So, until we meet again, remember everyone loves Love— it’s universal! And love is best achieved by incorporating healthy balance in your life. If you are fortunate to experience a loving attachment, then cherish and protect it consciously by enhancing its chi, being mindful of your mate’s needs as well as your own, and don’t forget to keep your thoughts, your words and your actions positive. You can do it! Mary Jane Hurley Brant, M.S., is a practicing psychotherapist specializing in grief counseling, Certified Group Psychotherapist, and Certified Simple Abundance Leader in Bryn Mawr, PA. Her book, When Every Day Matters: A Mother's Memoir on Love, Loss and Life, Simple Abundance Press, Oct. 2008 is available at Amazon.com MJ's book website is www.WhenEveryDayMatters.com. Her professional website is www.MJHB.net.
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Decision Time!
Thousands of teenagers and young adults are in the decision making process this month as the countdown to the final weeks of
high school begins, and the race for college acceptance letters kick off. But this year isn’t the same as it has been in previous years. Not only is there more competition, there is also less scholarships available and schools are becoming more costly. The gloom and doom of today’s economy has left many schools admitting fewer students who are left fighting for even less scholarship money. The common question on every parent’s mind is, “With the competition growing, how can my kid stand out?” The answer is simple. Many colleges and universities throughout the country are looking for students with leadership abilities. While in previous years, a student’s grades and test scores were the primary determinants in college acceptance, leadership and character, coupled with good grades, are now the qualifications to possess. To truly stand out, a student needs to do three things: 1. Start a club, a community group, or get more involved in the clubs already active on campus. Colleges and universities not only want to accept a student with leadership skills, but they also want someone active in school activities. Examples of clubs to join are a Key Club or an Interact Club. 2. Sign up for a Leadership Training or Certification. Research the International Teen Leadership Institute, Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership, or Anthony Robbins Global Youth Leadership Summit. These are reputable programs that will impress any admission counselor. 3. Get a mentor or a coach (not the teen’s parent or guardian,) who can be a support system when faced with challenges in school, or
life in general. Extensive research shows that having a mentor or coach increases a student’s self-confidence, reduces risk-taking behavior, significantly decreases involvement with drugs, alcohol and sex, and encourages class participation, resulting in good grades. For more tools and resources visit… Motivate Your Teen The other common challenge is how to get a teenager engaged and motivated by the possibility of leadership. Teenagers understand how important school is. They feel the pressures of college scholarships, SATs and other college prep activities throughout their high school experience. Getting involved with leadership is not only an opportunity to let go of some of that stress, but is also a great way to connect with other leaders. In order to commit to these activities, a student must have the ability to focus on their future rather than just the next few days, weeks or months. This is one of the largest challenges parents and educators face. Setting aside tomorrow and the immediate future, and looking down the road to what’s possible makes all the difference in a student who is committed to leadership, and one who is not. This is where a mentor or coach is the most helpful; to assist in guiding the student to discover the possibility leadership holds for them and apply it in their lives.
“Colleges and universities throughout the country are looking for students with leadership abilities…” People commonly ask, “Isn’t mentoring a parent’s job?” Parents are, in general, doing
incredible jobs raising their children. There are some things, however, that teenagers and young adults just don’t want to hear from their parents. A mentor or coach is in the perfect position to be a guiding force when a parent has difficulty reaching their child. Most teen coaches are excellent resources for guiding students to see unlimited possibilities for their future. When it comes down to it, the most important quality for a teenager or young adult to have when filling out college applications is leadership. Now, more than ever, colleges and universities want to have the crème of the crop at their school. They want the students with the grades, the test scores, and most importantly, the students who possess the ability to lead themselves, a group, and a community. It’s decision time! Are you ready? Justin Sachs is a Teen Success Expert and the Bestselling Author of Your Mailbox Is Full. He coaches teenagers throughout the world to success and fulfillment in school and throughout life. Contact Justin: justins@magnifyyou.com
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(Cari LaGrange Murphy | Photographer Unknown)
Author Spotlight: Cari LaGrange Murphy It was an absolute pleasure getting to know Cari LaGrange Murphy, her essence is absolutely addicting, as well she is incredibly fun, upbeat, and motivating. She is a Best-Selling Inspirational and Spiritual Author, Founder and CEO of Empowerment Coaching Solutions, and an Empowerment Mentor Worldwide. When asked what she is dedicated to, she immediately tells us, “spiritual improvement and purposeful living”. She promotes this through inspirational messages of individual empowerment. Cari told MY that she encourages personal responsibility for our choices. This involves not only acknowledging and embracing the power of our thoughts and feelings, but also living courageously by making wise decisions that reflect our truest spiritual desires and dreams. Cari inspires her readers and clients to expand the horizons of their imaginations, unleashing their greatest potential, and creating pathways to unlimited abundance! Cari has published four books in the self-improvement field. She has also penned articles on the issues of personal development, health/fitness, spirituality, family, love, relationships and intimacy. She tells us that she has worked as a freelance writer for greeting card companies and is certified in Reiki I and II. As a poet she has won several awards; she received the Editor’s Choice Award for outstanding achievement in poetry from the International Library of Poetry as well as the International Poet of Merit Award in 1998 and 1999. She has over a decade of experience as a Counselor, Coach, Mentor and Author, and has collected a myriad of credentials and degrees all in the study of human psychology and the effects on human behavior. The sole purpose of her research and work in the different disciplines is to learn all that is
possible on why we do what we do, and what works to achieve personal fulfilment, growth, and spiritual success.
“Acknowledge and embrace the power of our thoughts and feelings…” A native Texan who resides in Houston, Texas; she is definitely a very busy lady who not only juggles a full-time career as a counsellor, coach, mentor, and author; she is a mother and an animal rights advocate, who works with local shelters in the Houston area. Cari explained that she funnels her commitment to serve the world through her presence and her gift of inspirational writing. She believes that many people are seeking answers to the mysteries in life, that people are hearing the calls of their souls and want to get in touch with the deeper aspects of themselves. She told us that she embraces the whole person approach and recognizes the need for mental, emotional, physical and spiritual awareness, balance, and harmony. Her writings inspire and motivate people to do just that: to ask the deepest questions about the meaning of their lives, to face the emotional confusion that inhibits growth, and to finally understand the happiness and personal satisfaction are available to us all. Cari’s latest book is called “Create Change Now, Reflections for Personal Transformation” and will be internationally released on June 2nd, 2009! She has given MY readers a sneak peek with an excerpt from her book which is already being touted to be another best-seller. “Create Change Now, Reflections for Personal Transformation” continues on the following page.
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Book Excerpt “Create Change Now” This month our book excerpt is Cari LaGrange Murphy’s new book “Create Change Now”. M.Y. is giving you a sneak peek at what you can expect when it is released June 2nd. Cari is a best-selling author and award-winning poet, and we know that you will gain a lot from this little snippet.
Day-to-day living can be challenging if you aren’t in conscious control of your thoughts and emotional patterns. It’s not uncommon to find yourself at a spiritual crossroad that requires an examination of your current state of mind, your environment, and your overall lifestyle. You can choose to remain stagnant, or you can choose to expand beyond any limiting patterns that stifle your growth. The easiest way to create powerful and positive changes is through daily attitude adjustments. Small doses of life-altering information can provide the awareness, clarity, and insight required for you to make successful changes. It is the modification of your choices that brings greater success and fulfillment into your life. Daily responsibilities and challenges face us all. You play the primary role in choosing how to respond
to the individuals and events that can test your emotions and spiritual strength. Finding and maintaining balance requires daily attention to your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual choices. You have the option to gain clarity, optimism, and strength if you allow the written messages in this book to stimulate new thoughts and creative ideas for your daily living. The messages have no sequential order. I purposely designed the book in this manner so that you can open it to any page on any given day and find a valuable insight that will remind you of the personal power and passion that you have to create the life you were intended to live. Take the concepts presented and apply them in your day-to-day experience. Allow the potentially life-changing messages to resonate with your heart, mind, and spirit. You can use the information to make a difference in your life by consciously considering your choices, interactions, and attitudes.
creating moment to moment. The past is the past. It is only in the present moment that you have the power to create change. Your life is unfolding with each passing day. It’s up to you to decide whether you want it to unfold with or without conscious awareness and positive intentions. You can begin today. You can use the tools presented to reflect upon your daily choices and create new, better tomorrows for yourself and those around you. Your thoughts today will pave the way for your destiny. Design it with deliberate focus, awareness, and intention. Transform your world into the outward expression of your innermost creative vision. Anything is possible!
Small day-to-day modifications in your outlook and behavior can transform and revolutionize the quality of your life. The commitment to becoming your best coupled with the realization that your overall well-being requires attention and focus is essential for your success. Your awareness and dedication to personal growth is directly proportional to your level of fulfillment in life. This also provides you with the tools necessary for becoming a better parent, spouse, partner, colleague, and friend. This book will fall into the hands of those who are ready to make powerful changes in their lives. It will be by no accident. Therefore, you are in the right place at the right time receiving the information that can transform your life. Take a proactive stance and examine the life that you’re
The difference between surviving and thriving is clearly determined by your level of participation in life. Choose to activate your decisionmaking abilities and move forward into a new world of endless potential. Reclaim awareness and control of your life. No one can determine the direction of your personal life vessel but you. You choose the alleys to explore and the bridges to cross.
Activating Your DecisionMaking Skills
Make your roadmap decisions with care and deliberate intention, and be certain that the twists and turns are handled with strength and confidence.
“In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.”
Bravely forge ahead into your day prepared to consciously choose pathways that will lead to the discovery and manifestation of your dreams.
~ Eleanor Roosevelt
There is a whole world of possibilities awaiting you. It’s up to you to make the decision to explore them with conviction and optimism.
“You are in the right place at the right time…”
unknown can be frightening, but it will undoubtedly be rewarded in a variety of ways.
Today is a new day filled with choices that you’ll have to make. These choices may seem insignificant, and many of them could potentially be made on autopilot if you’re not aware and open to the power that you have to make conscious decisions. So, for the purpose of today and your future, make an effort to be alert and attentive to the decisions that are placed in your path throughout each day. Recognize that you’re not a pawn on the chessboard of life. Every action, word, and reaction that you have opens and closes new doors. Naturally, this affects the doors that you will encounter tomorrow. Make your decisions wisely and deliberately. Embrace new opportunities that arise with courage. Take risks today that will inspire you to feel alive and passionate about your life tomorrow. Your ability to leap forward into the
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Follow Up Made Easy
I am a professional ‘Follow Up Specialist,’ which is to say, I know a lot of people. What is really amazing to me is how many people know me. Many times people ask me “How do you meet so many people?” I tell them meeting so many people does not happen by chance, it happens by design. I am very strategic in my networking efforts, and I have a goal in mind of whom I would like to meet at an event. It is about having a purpose for being there and following up with people to continue the conversation with them. Although some would consider me a professional networker, I consider myself a professional Follow Up Specialist! I would like to share with you one of the strategies I have used to build a large database of business contacts, keep in touch with key individuals in many diverse industries, and have fun at the same time! It is a simple four‐step follow up process. Anyone can implement this strategy right away and immediately begin to build relationships and develop business. So, let’s get started with Following Up! There are a couple of things that you will need to keep in the back of your mind as you meet people, introduce yourself and exchange business cards. With the rise of technology, we have become less informational on our business cards. These days you’ll likely receive a card that has only a name and email address. The first step is to networking is to introduce yourself, exchange business cards, initiate a conversation, and listen for “key” information. On the back of the business card I
write down these “keys” and use them as a reminder during my follow up process.
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“Meeting people does not happen by chance, it happens by design…” _______________________________ Some things I would typically note would be anything that the other person is looking for, or something that they need help with. People are always looking for ideas and advice. Who is the best “webmaster you know” or “the name of a good lawyer.” It can also be a desire they have or something particular they would like to change in their lives. There may be an instance where you don’t have a lot of time to spend with someone to gain much information. In that case, make a note of something about them to help you remember who they are. I might simply note something as simple as “woman in lime green dress” or “guy with red hair” or “lady with the ferocious pink hat.” I also want to make my first contact a memorable one. I use my name to leave a lasting impression. I often tell a little story about my name, Chanel, and how that name has been the source for many amusing anecdotes throughout my life. Some examples include being called “Chanel Number 5” or “Channel 44.” I may express how getting married and changing my name to ‘Chanel Ware’ moved me from the perfume aisle to a clothing line. This process allows me to
plant a memory in their minds and associate my face and name with a story. Your goal is to get as much information as possible. When you are face‐to‐face with the person it would probably be the best time to verify their name, address (very important) and telephone number as well as email address. The second step is to send an email within 12‐24 hours highlighting the conversation. In the email I will reference when and where we met, some details we discussed, or even remind them of a small commitment we may have made. This email is designed to keep my name fresh in their mind and to move any future business we may have together to the next level. The email should be personalized to the previous conversation. A generic email that includes the basic “It was nice meeting you at XYZ event and I look forward to talking with you soon” will be viewed as a boring, standardized email that you send to every person you have met. Following up takes some imagination and creativity, so make sure when you are sending the follow up e‐mail you are referencing something that the end reader can relate too. Usually, the person who follows up with me first is the person I remember the most. The third step is to send them a personalized greeting card. Part of the effectiveness of this process is to follow up with the right people. Not everyone you meet is destined to do business with you. You have to weed out those that will remain “contacts” and work with those who can become potential “business.”
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“How much business are you leaving on the table…” _____________________________ A couple of opportunities to consider while sorting your business cards would be whether or not this person could be a good referral source, or if they could be a part of your support system, or information network. A referral source would be someone that refers you business all day everyday, and you reciprocate by referring business back to them. When someone is in your support system you call on them when you need their help. If you were having an event, you would call the people in your support system and ask them to forward your event information out to the people in their networks. If they fall in your information network, these are people who are experts in their field and could provide you with valuable information on various subject matters. Once I have decided who I will be working with, I send them a greeting card. Personally, I use a simple system called Sendoutcards.
You can send a card from your computer without ever leaving your home or office. These are actual greeting cards that go out in the mail, not e‐cards. The cards are in your handwriting and include your signature. I like it because you can personalize it with your own photos and even send gifts. Once I have sent them a card, by mail, I have done something that almost no one does anymore. I have made myself memorable in a unique way. I have taken a step that so few take. Can you see how that distinguishes me from everyone else? Step four is to make the call. I use this call to schedule an appointment, introduce a service or ask how I might assist them. By the time I actually connect with them I have touched them four times in one week. They have met me, received an email, and received a card and a follow up call. I have set the stage up so that when I call they know who I am, and are willing and ready to hear what I have to say. I am going to let you in on a little secret. It has been said that the number one craving in the world is the need for appreciation. During my call I demonstrate appreciation by asking them how I might be of service. Our lives have become too complicated and busy. Most likely they haven’t had many calls by someone asking if there was something they needed. I often catch people off guard by asking the question “How can I help you?” I’m looking for people that I admire and want to work with; naturally I want to help them. It’s about building relationships. It’s not a technique thing, you’re building strong relationships and that leads to strong business results. This is a simple four‐step follow up process you can begin to implement today. If you are not practicing effective follow up strategies, then the real question is, how much business are you leaving on the table? If you are not using a system, what are you using? And, how is this impacting your bottom line? Follow up is where business is done. People who do not follow up usually do not have a systematic way of following up. This leads to missed opportunities. Using a follow up system that includes Sendoutcards is the best way to be effective and consistent! By following the steps outlined here you stand out from the crowd and establish yourself as the person other people need to know. I live by my motto: “The Fortune is in the Follow up” Chanel Ware, is an expert in training business owners on the keys to financially rewarding relationships. She is a speaker, entrepreneur, certified networker, director for Business Networking International (BNI), and Author of the book, "Strategies for Success". Contact Chanel at chanelw@magnifyyou.com
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Antihistamine medication relieves hay fever symptoms by inhibiting the action of histamine in nasal and eye tissues, but it can also cause drowsiness. Operating machinery or driving, must be avoided until you know how badly you are affected by the medication. Although symptoms can be controlled quite effectively with allergy medication, you can't get rid of an allergy itself. Essential oils can assist with rebalancing the body. Here are some suggestions: Essential Oils As Inhalants: In spring and autumn, millions of people suffer from seasonal allergic hay fever, or rhinitis. Symptoms include, red itchy eyes, runny nose, and nasal irritation, persistent sneezing attacks, scratchy throat, headaches and even serious breathing difficulties. About 15 % of the population of all industrialised countries suffer from this condition. Pollens are the main culprits for allergies. Pollens are tiny reproductive particles released by flowers, mainly in the mornings. The theory is that when proteins from pollen grains are washed off, the smaller pollens, which are air borne, stick to polluted air and are then inhaled. Larger pollens carried by bees from plant to plant, generally have a waxy coating and do not appear to be responsible for causing hay fever. A wide variety of plants, trees, grasses, flowers and ragweed can cause hay fever in sensitive individuals. These vary not only on an individual’s sensitivity, but also on the geographical area in which the plants are found and in the air pollen count. The risk of hay fever symptoms is higher during hot, dry, and windy weather as there is likely an increased air pollen count. The pollen count is usually lower during cool, damp, and rainy days.
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“Once an allergy is triggered, it doesn't take much to set it off…”
The best-known essential oils for dealing with hay fever are German and Roman Chamomile. Both have antihistaminic properties. (If the allergy is caused by ragweed, avoid using either of these oils as they come from the same family.) Roman chamomile is very soothing to itchy, irritated and sensitive sinuses and is highly effective when included as part of a blend. Its anti-allergenic properties are highly beneficial to counteract the effects of pollen. Try this simple blend below and inhale several times a day. Make the blend in a dark amber bottle with a screw top. You can then put 1 or 2 drops in a tissue and inhale frequently. Or put 4 to 5 drops in a portable inhaler.
___________________________________ You will need: Experts believe we all have a level of pollen toleration, which varies from person to person. While some may suffer as soon as the smallest amount of contact with pollen is established, others only reach for their tissues when pollen levels are very high. Once an allergy is triggered, it doesn't take much to set it off again. Hay fever causes the immune system to produce antibodies and release histamine. Histamine is present in all cells of the body. Unfortunately, histamine irritates all of the upper respiratory passages, (the nose, sinus, throat and eyes), making them susceptible to swelling and produce typical hay fever symptoms. The good news is that the release of histamine means the body is paying attention to foreign substances that it thinks are attacking the body. The immune system goes into hyper-mode and begins to counterattack to rid the body of foreign particles. Unfortunately, it is not always good news when the body goes into counterattack mode, as this can weaken the body’s natural defences. If and when a ‘real’ invader attacks, the body’s reserves may be too depleted to put up a strong fight.
4 drops of EITHER Roman Chamomile, or German Chamomile or Helichrysum 3 drops lemon EO 3 drops lavender EO If you have nasal congestion add 1 drop of peppermint essential oil to the mix. Hay Fever Relief Synergy: A synergy is a blend of essential oils. It may be more effective in relieving hay fever symptoms than any single essential oil. When the pollen count is high, you can use a soothing blend to relieve sinus irritation.
You will need: 2 drops Eucalyptus Radiata EO 2 drops Lemon EO 3 drops Roman Chamomile EO This synergy blend can be used in 1 of the following 3 ways: Put 2 or 3 drops on a tissue, carry it around and inhale regularly. Put 6 – 8 drops in an aromatherapy vaporiser. Fill the bowl with warm water and light a tea candle under it. The heat will evaporate the water and the oils into the atmosphere for a few hours while the candle burns. This is quite effective to use in your home or on your desk in the office. Add 2- 4 drops of the allergy relief synergy to a large bowl of steaming hot water, put a towel over your head to capture the steam. Close your eyes and inhale for 5- 8 minutes or until you no longer smell the oil. Repeat, if necessary, every 3- 4 hours. This inhalation relieves inflammation and sinus congestion and helps you to breath easier. *None of the above recipes are a substitute for medical treatment. You should always have a full discussion with your medical practitioner. Primrose Williams has studied Aromatherapy and Reflexology in Hong Kong since 1993 and holds a number of certifications. She has a deep interest in both subjects and has given personal consultations by way of holistic advice and customized aromatic blends. To learn more about Aromatherapy, Reflexology, and Reiki, contact Primrose at primrose@magnifyyou.com
Nothing connects the life cycle better than the world of wine. A creation of nature’s bounty rewards us with human synergies, which reach our bodies through our soul. Traditionally wine has always been able to bring together the essences of unforgettable moments. Enjoy the health benefits of wine. Researchers credit flavonoids, the special compound found in wine, to be a beneficial element in maintaining your health. Flavonoids have strong antioxidant properties and appear to neutralize cell-damaging free radicals, a by-product of metabolism. These antioxidants may protect against chronic illnesses like heart disease and other forms of cancer. A single, tiny grape may hold more than 1,000 different flavonoids, and even more beneficial ingredients. For those advocating the health benefits of wine, the theory of the “French Paradox” in the 1990’s was a popular argument in favor of the popular cultural drink. For centuries, the French had maintained diets of rich, fatty foods, including the use of cheese and cream. Despite the fact their cuisine appeared unhealthy at first, the French remained a healthy population overall, with heart disease and cardiovascular problems at a minimum.
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“Researchers credit flavonoids to be a beneficial element in maintaining health…” _________________________________________ Wine was discovered to be the key factor in the balance of the French lifestyle. Since the “French Paradox”, studies have poured out in support of the health benefits of wine. Notable studies include findings which show improved lung function from the antioxidants in white wine. Other studies have seen healthier blood vessels in the elderly, a reduction in ulcer-causing bacteria, cancer cells killed by protein in red grape skins, decreased ovarian cancer risk, evidence of stronger bones, and a lower risk of heart attacks for men with high blood pressure. As wine is made from fermented fruit juice, the health benefits related to wine are similar in fruit-based wines compared to traditional styles of grapebased wines. Fruit wines (wines made from fruit other than grapes) carry comparable amounts, or in some cases, more antioxidants than grape wines. Two particular elements found in wines can attest to the benefits of healthy wine consumption. The first is tannin, an element that sensitive wine
drinkers may be familiar with, as despite the benefits it provides, it may also cause migraine headaches or other related symptoms for some. Tannin is beneficial, and helps to fight cardiovascular disease. Tannin is found in the skin of grape but is not present in all fruits, a factor that allows consumers to enjoy a glass or two of fruit wine as an alternative wine choice. A second key element found in wine is reversatol. According to studies published by the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture on the levels of reversatol in over 1000 wines, Canadian wines had 2-3 times the concentration of reversatol than wines from other prominent wine-producing regions. Reversatol is a compound also found primarily in the grape skins, and is known to minimize the risk of certain cancers. Like any healthy lifestyle, the key to enjoying the benefits of wine is moderate intake and balance. Moderation can be classed as a glass of wine or two per day. Red wines will typically contain a higher concentration of tannin and reversatol due to a greater integration of the grape skins in the vinification process. It is important to always remember that over consumption of wine can lead to negative effects, despite the health benefits it can offer. As William Shakespeare once so poetically declared, “Good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used.”
regions, such as France, Germany, Italy and newly established regions of Austria, Oregon and the Finger Lakes. Cool climate wines are fascinating in that they are so versatile, and can pair wonderfully with food or simply enjoyed on their own. These wines offer a subtle body but are often rich with diverse fruit flavors and overall complexity. Ultimately, wines are objective and will always offer several differences according to region, vintage, and winemaking style. The first wine I must recommend is one from our own estate family vineyards: Legends Estates Winery 100% VQA Sémillon. This white wine delights the senses with aromas of kiwi, fresh herbs and grapefruit. A racy, crisp wine with loads of citrus fruit, melon and apple flavors lingering on the palate. The acidity creates a long lasting finish, making this wine ideal for the patio or on any sunny day. Sémillon is traditionally used as a blending wine with other whites such as Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, and grows in wine regions of France and Australia. Blending Sémillon will generally improve the mid-palate of fruit and introduce flavors of melon or tangerine into a wine. However, the vines we planted along the edge of Lake Ontario provided such beautiful fruit; this wine was just too good to blend! So we released Ontario’s first and only 100% straight varietal Sémillon table wine. The refreshing nuances of our Sémillon make for a delicious paring with fish or chicken dishes served in white cream sauces. For lighter fare, a fresh garden salad or a selection of cheeses and nuts will do the trick. The acidity of the wine helps to cut the weight of cream sauces, while integrating fresh fruit flavors and subtle spices to lift and invigorate the palate. My personal favorites would be a chilled glass of Sémillon with a creamy chicken Alfredo or tuna steaks in a lemon cream sauce. Bon appétit! Suggestions for wine and food pairings are a great place to start, but always try to have fun and experiment on your own as well. For the wines suggested in this section please visit thecuvee.com for purchases delivered right to your doorstep. Cheers! Paul Lizak is the President of award-winning, third generation Legends Estates Winery. His passions include wine, world travel, great food, and more wine! His experience as a professional speaker, columnist and brand director for Red Diamond Wave and other global companies allow Paul to bring new insights and unique qualities to the many facets of business. Contact Paul at paull@magnifyyou.com
When the first issue launched, readers wanted to know if it was possible to incorporate specific wine selections and food pairings into our monthly wine features. Of course it is! It is possible to do anything we choose if we just put our mind to it. As a Canadian vintner and winery owner, I wanted to focus my wine selections on the wines of Canada. Our wines from Canada flourish in cool climate viniculture like those of old world wine
Tantra Tip of the Month:
The Art of Practicing Presence Stop, just for a moment, be still. Dip your toe into the pool of Emptiness. Let fresh eyes see what is no longer hidden. What is Presence? Practicing ‘Presence’ is an important aspect of Tantra. Presence arises when your essential nature –‘Awareness,’ awakens to itself. Awareness is beyond space and time, beyond life and death. It is omnipresentthere is no place where it is not. It is the formless dimension from which all things arise. When you are present, you let go of past and future. You surrender to the moment. There is no resistance to what is. Being Present is not only about being aware of what is happening on the level of form, it is being aware of the very space in which all forms come and go.
Most people have experienced moments when they recognized Presence, even if they referred to that state of being by another name. Have you ever had the experience of watching a sunset? The world became still and all thoughts disappeared as you sat in awe of the beauty unfolding before you. Or perhaps you have had the experience of running a race, skiing, or riding your bike and suddenly you entered “The Zone” where you were one with everything, and your movements were effortless. Or when looking into the eyes of a newborn baby or your beloved, have you ever felt yourself melting until all sense of separation dissolved and you experienced Oneness? In all these situations, Presence emerged as you became liberated from identification with the thinking mind and surrendered into the direct experience of ‘The Now.’
For most people, Presence is something that is rare and fleeting. They believe themselves to be the constant barrage of thoughts that is the thinking mind, instead of know themselves to be the spacious Awareness in which these thoughts appear. The mind is constantly creating a story—
judging, evaluating, and labeling as it fixates on a remembered past or an imagined future. The cost of these unreal distractions is steep. You end up missing out on the only thing that is truly real—Life itself, the Present Moment. “How do I awaken from this delusional dream of identification with mind into the brilliant clarity of Present-Moment Awareness?” I’m glad that you asked…True Meditation
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“True Meditation is based on the understanding that Presence is your natural state…” ___________________ Many forms of meditation involve controlling the mind, trying to force it to be quiet. If you have ever tried to meditate, you may have experienced the mind resisting this agenda of control. Adyashanti, a self-realized master, observed during 15 years of Zen meditation that he, too, was often at war with his mind. When he recognized the futility of battling with the mind, he developed a powerful new approach he calls ‘True Meditation.’ True Meditation is based on the understanding that Presence is your natural state. In essence, you are spacious Awareness itself, resisting nothing and accepting everything—thoughts, emotions, sense perceptions, events, etc. In True Meditation, this open receptivity is honored as you accept everything going on around you and within you exactly as it is in this moment. You do not reject anything that arises because the mind has a different idea around what meditation “should” look or feel like. Nor do you utilize any technique to create some kind of preconceived meditative state— “No manipulation” as Adyashanti sometimes refers to. By aligning with essential nature through this unconditional acceptance of what
is, spiritual wakefulness is arrived upon naturally. Another aspect of True Meditation is meditative selfinquiry. Meditative self-inquiry is the introduction of a powerful spiritual question that resonates within you in such a way as to “point” to the Truth that you are. It is not a question that serves to stimulate the mind into further thought toward a final answer, but instead draws the attention into realms beyond thought, where the mind is bypassed and you, as Pure Consciousness, behold Ultimate Truth. A powerful question to begin with is, “What am I?” or “Who is the meditator?” If you would like to learn more about Adyashanti’s approach to self-realization, you can read his book entitled True Meditation, published by Sounds True. The link to his website is http://www.adyashanti.org/. 3 Steps to Practicing Presence First, notice when you are caught in a mind-stream of incessant thoughts, and creating a story around past and future, losing touch with what is real—the Present Moment. Second, allow a relaxed, unconditional acceptance of what is, both internally and externally, in this moment. Third, use self-inquiry to deepen the emerging Presence. Possible inquiries include, “What am I?”,
“What never changes?”, “Who are what tells me I am not free?” Presence is our true nature. Yet today, most people live lost in the mind’s story of a separate “Me” defined by past and future—both of which are unreal and existing only in the head. Formal practices of meditation can be very helpful in shifting from identification with the mind into present-moment awareness. As you glimpse the reality of your True Self as not being separate from the world “out there” in your meditation sessions, you will notice this awareness spilling over into life ‘off of the cushion’ as well. You will begin to realize that the world of form—physical forms, thought forms, energy forms, emotional forms, is ultimately an elaborate dream being dreamt by the eternal One Consciousness that you are. Suddenly, the world loses the scary, heavy quality it had when it was understood to be an absolute reality. It is all a dream, and you are the Divine Dreamer. Sweet Dreams! Crystal Dawn Morris, the founder of ‘Tantra for Awakening’, is a Certified Sky Dancing Tantra Teacher. Her classes, workshops and private coaching sessions give people practical tools for ecstatic living. For more information, contact Crystal at crystalm@magnifyyou.com
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(Elisabeth Fayt | Photographer Unknown)
The Universal Law of Abundance In the final part of this (2 part) series, Author and International speaker Elisabeth Fayt gives us the Pre-paves and teaches us how to live in an abundant Universe utilizing these Pre-paves.
Here are Pre-paves to attract financial abundance: • •
All of my needs are met, now and always. Everything I need comes to me easily and quickly.
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I am abundant. Abundance is mine.
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I receive abundance from unexpected sources!
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The more I receive, the more I have to give.
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I am financially free.
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I share my abundance with others.
When you pre-pave positive thoughts, the Universe begins immediately to create what you have asked for. Your continuous thoughts create the feeling and your continuous feeling sustains your creation. What do you want your dominant thought about money to be going forward? Feel that now. Feel the feeling of being financially free. How does it look~how does it feel~how are you interacting with others~what words are you saying~what are others saying around you? What does your life look like now with financial abundance? Now let’s create an abundance of Love. If you want to attract love, you must feel as though you already have it, in order to attract it. The feeling must come first! Our past conditioning has kept us stuck in old ways of thinking. Our upbringing created fears. Our own love disappointments created negative expectations. We’ve given out mixed messages as well “I want love in my life~I’m tired of being alone.” Thoughts like this have cancelled out your creation! If you want to go in the direction of creating an abundance of love, you must change your thoughts to ones that support your new goal.
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What has been your dominant thought on love up until now, or even just in the last six months? That your life is abundant in love, or has love been a bit of a struggle? Whatever your dominant thought has been, you have created this scenario in your life. You must feel loved in order to attract it. Whether you are single and looking for love, or in a relationship and desiring a deeper love, let’s consider this. If I told you for certain that within one year from now you would be totally in love and fulfilled in the area of love. If I told you that you would have the most wonderful partner and you would be fulfilled in every way, how would you feel? Relieved? At Peace? That is the feeling you must have NOW in order to attract this kind of love. Use these pre-paves to bring a lasting abundance of love into your life. Smile and relax as you think and say these phrases, knowing that the Universe is already creating love for you. • I have an abundance of love in my life. •
I now attract love that is pure, respectful and loyal.
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I easily give and receive love.
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It is natural for me to love and be loved.
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I love being in love.
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I am a loving being.
When you pre-pave positive thoughts, the Universe begins immediately to create what you have asked for. Your thoughts create the feeling~your feeling sustains the creation. What do you want your dominant thought about love to be? Feel the feeling of being in love. How does it look~how does it feel~how are you interacting with others~what are you saying~what are others saying around you? What does your life look like, with an abundance of love in it?
“When you pre-pave positive thoughts, the Universe begins immediately to create what you have asked for…” _______________
Now, let’s create abundance in our personal & spiritual life. Think of someone in your life, either a close family member or someone more distant like a colleague at work. Choose someone now. What would you say is this person’s dominant character? What are they like? If you had to sum it up on one word, one phrase, a
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I spend time each day in silence.
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I connect deeply with myself and others.
Put the focus on yourself now for a moment. How would you describe yourself? What is your dominant character—that characteristic you feel is your dominant quality? How would you best describe yourself? Describe yourself in one word, one phrase, a sentence or two.
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I am connected to all.
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I am One with the Universe.
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I am living on Purpose.
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I am becoming the person I want to be.
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I am the person I want to be.
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I am living the life I want to live.
sentence or two, how would you describe them? Would you describe them as fun-loving or serious~focused or scattered~thoughtful or selfabsorbed? What would you say their dominant characteristic is?
“Our past conditioning has kept us stuck…” ______________ This is what is meant by dominant thought. Whenever you look at an area of life with the desire to make a change, always look to your dominant thought. Ask yourself, what has been my dominant thought in this area? So what has been your dominant thought about your personal & spiritual fulfillment? Has it been that you are living on purpose? Or has it been that you are sleep-walking through life reacting to chaos as it happens? Whatever your dominant thought has been, you have been creating this in your life. There is no coincidence to the life you have led up until now. Do you want peace? Do you want spiritual fulfillment? Do you want to live on purpose? If you want to change your current situation, do not focus on the current situation, focus on what could be, what will be. Do not worry about the how. Focus on the thought, then work that thought. You can talk yourself in and out of abundance in any area. It is not a fleeting thought that does it. It is your continuous inner and outer dialogue that matters. The string of continuous thoughts creates your dominant thought. And your dominant thought creates the feeling. So what qualities do you want to possess? You must feel that you already possess them. If you did not describe yourself now as already having these qualities, then you are not in a state of receptivity to attract them! Who you are is the vision you have of yourself. Who you are is what you think of yourself. You can be anything you wish to be. Practice these pre-paves to attract personal & spiritual fulfillment. •
I am a calm and peaceful being.
•
My true nature is peace.
What do you want your dominant thought about yourself to be? What do you want your dominant thought about your life to be? Feel the feeling of being the person you have always wanted to be. Feel the feeling of living the life you have always wanted to live. How does it look~how does it feel~how are you interacting with others~what are you saying~what are others saying around you? What does your life look like now, living on purpose? In order to have all-round abundance, it means to be balanced—to be abundant financially, to be abundant in love and to have abundance of peace & purpose. Pre-pave now that you will go forward in these three areas, positively pre-paving the life you want. With this new level of abundance, you will be able to share and give so much more to others. The more you give, the more you receive. The more you receive, the more you have to give. We live in an abundant Universe. Everything we want and need is readily available to us, when we are open to give and receive.
Elisabeth Fayt is a featured speaker in the new movie The Opus, the next step after "The Secret". She has invested close to two decades studying with the Masters of India and global business leaders. A voracious teacher of the Laws of the Universe, she translates the "wisdom of the ages" into powerful workshops on the Law of Attraction... For an audio version of this article, set to beautifully-composed original music score, visit the on-line store at www.elisabethfayt.com to order your own copy of this 2-CD set (The Universal Law of Abundance) also available as a digital download. The above article is CD-1 only. CD-2 is even more detailed and covers the intricate Law of Giving & Receiving to attract Abundance. Listen to the 60second sample clip available on the on-line store.
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and a lack of energy. Chakras are also used on an emotional level and meditating on the root chakra is good for reducing selfishness, fear, poor motivation and a lack of assertiveness.
The art of meditation is a vast subject and there are many different ways to meditate with the various methods having differing outcomes for the mind and body. One of the most effective ways of meditation is Chakra Meditation. This type or process of meditation can be used to heal the mind and body of ailments or things which need to be changed. The word chakra has its root in the ancient language of Sanskrit and literally means ‘wheel’ or ‘vortex.’ The seven chakras are located in the subtle energy body and are seen as the energy center of life. They are not physical points per se, but in order to activate them we meditate on a physical area allocated to each chakra. Each chakra is associated with a specific color and picture and there are numerous benefits for the mind and body attributed to each one. The lowest chakra is the Root or base chakra. In Sanskrit its name is Muladhara which translates to ‘root lotus’. The root chakra is at the base of the spine. The color associated with this chakra is red and its lotus picture has four petals. On a physical level, meditating on this chakra is good for alleviating pain in the legs, hips and feet. It is beneficial for poor circulation
The next chakra is the Sacral chakra; its Sanskrit name of Swadhistana translates to ‘one’s dwelling place’. This chakra is located at the lower abdomen and the color which relates to this chakra is orange. The picture of the sacral chakra would consist of a lotus with six petals. On a physical level meditating on this chakra is good for lower back pain, sciatica, constipation and menstrual concerns. It can also assist in problems with fertility. On an emotional plane, it can help with repressed feelings, when there is an overdependence on others and when there is a fear of sensuality. The third chakra is the Solar Plexus with its Sanskrit name of Manipura translating to ‘site of gems’. The location we identify with this chakra in order to meditate is the navel. The color connected to the solar plexus is yellow and the lotus illustration has ten petals. Due to the location of the chakra, meditating on this one can be good for problems with the digestion system and assists with optimal immune system function. On an emotional level, it can help with fear and the inability to make decisions. The Heart chakra is located at the center of the chest and has the color green associated to it. The Sanskrit name of Anahata translates to ‘source of unbroken sound’ and the lotus interpretation features twelve petals. Meditating on the heart chakra helps the body develop a relaxed stance, resulting in an inner ease with the world and reduces the stress levels on the heart and lungs. It is most beneficial however on an emotional level and aids the harmonious interaction between our inner world and the world external to
us. This chakra can help us to accept ourselves and others and maintain the balance between our needs and the needs of others around us. The Throat chakra or Vishuddha translates to the ‘center of nectar’. It is located at the center of the throat and we meditate on this chakra with the color blue; the lotus visualisation is with sixteen petals. Meditating on the chakra physically can alleviate sore throats, stiff necks, tension in the shoulders and headaches. On the emotional plane it serves to increase the ability to express ourselves clearly and to listen to others. The chakra at the eyebrow centre is called the Brow Chakra. The Sanskrit name of Ajna means ‘command center’. The color is violet and the lotus picture has just two petals.
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“Meditation does not have to be too long…” ___________________ Meditating on this chakra can aid in healing physical problems with the eyes. On an emotional level it helps with the confusion caused by the inability to ‘see’ and distinguish the ‘important things’ from the ‘insignificant ones.’ The last chakra is the Crown Chakra at the top of the head. Its Sanskrit name of Sahasrara translates to ‘thousand-petalled lotus’ which is also the lotus depiction. The color to meditate on is white. On the physical level the crown chakra is good for co-ordination, assisting with difficulties such as poor balance and clumsiness. On an emotional level, finding yourself at the ‘right place at the right time’ and experiencing synchronicity and ‘lucky coincidences’ with a positive outcome are signs that the crown chakra is functioning well. When chakra meditation is practiced, the whole body can
reap the rewards as ailments decrease and emotions are balanced. The meditation does not have to be too long on each chakra, especially at the beginning stage, but just having an awareness of each physical location and knowing the color associated with each one can be incredibly valuable.
Attract Abundance to Your Front Door
I mention the colors and pictures associated with the chakras but there are also other characteristics by which the chakras are represented with, such as particular sounds and senses, which will be explored in future articles. Enjoy your meditation practice! I would love to hear your comments on chakras or comments in general. Bindi Shah is an inspirational life coach who runs meditation courses and workshops from Saltdean, England. She created the ‘Live The Life You Dream Of…’ programme which combines her background in Ayurveda, Life Coaching, and Meditation to help people achieve their dreams and desires while enhancing their physical and emotional well-being. Contact Bindi at bindis@magnifyyou.com
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Feng Shui is becoming more and more popular, particularly since it is about the easiest way to “green” up the front of your home or office structure. The front of your building is called the Face of Chi (pronounced chee). You can attract more Sheng chi (positive energy) by putting your home or office buildings’ best face forward. The Face of Chi is made up of: • • • •
The mouth, which is represented by the front door The tongue, which is represented by the walkway up to the front door The eyes, which are represented by the windows The skin, which is represented by the exterior walls of the home
Giving your building a facelift elevates the chi coming in and helps create a positive flow of energy from the outside of your property into the building. In this article, we’ll talk about how to enhance the Mouth of Chi. The front door to your building is called the Mouth of Chi. This is where the energy enters. It is also where friends, tenants, vendors, suppliers and potential clients enter, too. When looking at your front door, notice whether the paint is peeling, or if there are any marks on the door, such as nicks or chips in the paint or finish. If needed, add a new coat of paint or varnish and repair any cracks or damage to the front door. Next, check the hardware on the door. Is the doorknob rusted? Do the hinges stick? Does it need to be polished or replaced? The hardware should be shiny and attractive and in good working order. If there are glass panels in the door, make sure they are spotless. Wash away any cobwebs or dirt. If any of the panels are cracked or broken replace them. Broken windows represent negative chi and this negative energy is coming in through your front door. The landing area or front porch in front of the door is also important. Sweep it clean to clear away any dirt and cobwebs if that’s all it needs, but pressure clean the landing area if there are stains or trapped debris. Place a black or charcoal colored welcome mat at the front door. If you have a water feature at your front door, such as a pond or fountain, place a
red or brown doormat instead. Make sure it is big enough to enhance the front door (or doors if you have a double door entry). A tiny mat that looks out of place in the entry won’t do. Your welcome mat should be solid (no holes) so that chi can flow into your front door without getting stuck. The pathway up to your front door is called the tongue of chi. A straight pathway, such as the one below, brings Sha chi (or negative energy) to the front door (similar to a poison arrow). Sheng chi (or positive energy), likes to meander and flow like a winding river. A meandering pathway to the front door is ideal. Since it’s not practical to replace the pathway we’ll do the next best thing.
remove dirt, dust, lime scale and cobwebs. They should sparkle and shine to let in as much light as possible. The skin on the face of chi is represented by the exterior walls. If the paint is peeling, faded, or marked by iron rings from the sprinkler system then take the time to repaint your home or hire someone to do it for you. Fill any holes and repair any cracks in the walls too. If you don’t need to repaint, then take time to pressure clean or hose down the exterior walls of your home. Cobwebs, dirt, and insect nests tend to build up around the eaves of the home and around gutters. A good spray with cleaner and a hose will remove these for you, creating a welcoming and attractive appeal.
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“Feng Shui… is about the easiest way to “green” up the front of your home or office…” ________________ Place terra cotta pots filled with red, yellow or bright orange flowers along the pathway at staggered intervals. Place the first pot where the pathway to the house begins on either the left or right side. The next one will go on the opposite side of the pathway about 3’ to 4’ further ahead. Continue this staggering of pots until you get to the front step or porch. Then, on each side of the doormat, place a pot of red, yellow or orange flowers. If this crowds the front door then place these pots on either side of the front step or entryway to the porch instead. Pressure clean or sweep the pathway to your home to remove any dirt and create an appealing walkway up to the door. Be sure to remove any dead plants along the pathway and trim back any overgrown bushes, trees or other plants. The windows on the home represent the eyes of chi and draw energy into the home. Windows should be washed to
All of these changes will help attract the right kind of energy into your home and office so that you can attract more of what you want in life and in your business! Chriss Barr is a Feng Shui and Dowsing Expert as well as the author of 4 Easy Ways to Ignite Your Love Life and Fatten Up Your Wallet. You can contact Chriss to learn more about Feng Shui and Dowsing at chrissb@magnifyyou.com
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and that the universe selects certain unlucky individuals and visits all these bills on them. I can just imagine it now; the “Universal Council of Bad Karma” is in sitting and is reviewing the life lines of the populace. "Ah! Exclaims one, look at Joe; a miserable fellow if ever there was one. Complains about everything, especially his debts; let's send him some more shall we?" And poor old Joe opens his mail and finds yet another bill to pay. I don't think that it happens that way and I am sure that you don't either. I am sure that, just as you know where babies come from (and it isn't the stork), you know where bills come from. You made them! Now there is a saying that "When you look at something the thing you look at changes." What rubbish! The thing that you look at doesn't change. You change. You change because of how you feel about what you are looking at. When you understand this you will realise the power you posses to change your life. All you have to do is to change the way that you look at things. When you change the way that you look at them, the way that you feel about them changes and when you change the way you feel you change your life. Let's see what we can do about these bills. First step is to list all your bills. Then take each bill in turn and evaluate it:Identify where it came from. Remember what you did to get it. What promises did you make?
Learn to Love and Honour your Bills People often complain about all the bills that they have to pay, that I am starting to think that the Law of Attraction people are right
What did you get when you created it? What do you get to keep when you honour it? You must realise that you made an agreement with the supplier/seller and they trusted you enough to let you have the
goods. Now you must be trustworthy and honour your commitment. The bill/account is merely a reminder of the promise that you made and the product or service that you received.
How to Love Yourself Fat Even If Nobody Else Does
If you remember what you purchased and get to keep, then you will see the bill as proof of an acquisition rather than as an imposition; then you will feel differently about it. Be aware that credit cards make it easy for you to buy now and pay later. If you do not like bills then be very careful about your buying habits. When you open an account, or incur debt, you are making a certain current commitment on an uncertain future income. As a general rule you should never open any accounts in "today" mode, always open accounts in "tomorrow" mode.
_____________ “The thing that you look at doesn't change. You change.” _____________ "Today" mode says "I want it and I want it now and I can get it by selling my future and signing this agreement.” Today mode is not rational, is undisciplined and will get you into a lot of trouble tomorrow. "Tomorrow" mode says "I want it" but asks "Do I really need it?" and reasons "Since I can't afford to pay with cash, am I prepared, and able, to make, and keep, a commitment to the seller?" Tomorrow mode is rational and disciplined and will keep you out of a lot of trouble. Before making any buying decision always check the effect the monthly repayment will have on your budget. Do not guess. If you don't know, don't buy until you do. Never blame the seller for selling it to you. Always acknowledge that it was your choice to buy. Always do whatever you can to protect your reputation and the seller's trust in you. These are your bills. You made them. You asked for them. Now you must honour them. Remember what you bought and what you get to keep. And especially remember that they are a sign that someone trusted you enough to take a chance on you and trusts you will respect that trust. So Love and Honour your bills. Appreciate them and change the way that you feel about them and see how your life improves. Based in Nigel South Africa, Johan V Campbell "the Corporate Healer" travels across the country delivering empowering and motivating presentations, seminars and workshops. Johan offers Corporate and Personal development coaching, counselling, training and consulting.To learn more about Johan, visit his website www.motivate.co.za
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I’ve been overweight since I was in High School, but there has never been one moment in my life when I didn’t think I was fat. I moved from fat to obese after I had my children. I’m a different kind of fat woman. I carry myself well. I choose stylish clothing. I don’t think I’m less than anyone else just because I’m overweight. I don’t enter into a crowd of strangers with a shrinking feeling. I know who I am. I don’t come across as ‘less-than’ in any area of my life and I’ve had to work hard within myself to get here. It’s just been in the last few years that I realized that writing the ‘be-all, end-all, do-all’ diet book was not the end goal in my life because that was not my area of expertise. What was my area of expertise? I know how to love myself large. I know how to accomplish selfacceptance and self-love. My mind went “Boinnnng!” when I made this discovery, and it has been a source of life-changing results. I decided that what I needed to do as a pay-it-forward was to share with the obese community how to accomplish self-acceptance and self-love who they are. This became my retirement goal. I decided to write the story of my life and how I learned to love and accept myself. My book lives at www.theworldofwithin.com and I hope you’ll enjoy the story of a lifetime. I share this out loud story with you so that you could see how I got where I am today and how it might be possible for you to love yourself this much too.
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“I’m strong and flexible and at age 67, I take zero medications…” __________________ Obesity has been my main catalyst in life. It is the reason I became a seeker of truth. I wanted to find a way to heal this condition permanently. I tried everything I could think of to create a cure. Not one thing I tried provided a permanent healing. Medicine didn’t help; psychology didn’t help; religion didn’t help and then I discovered the self-help movement and from that jumping-off point, I discovered metaphysics.
That word ‘metaphysics’ is really scary to some people. It shouldn’t be. It is defined as the philosophical study of Being. Studying Being was a natural for me. I’ve always sought Truth. I had given religion a try thinking I would find It there. I’d even become a nun. But I never had my questions answered satisfactorily. In metaphysics, I found some very satisfying answers, answers that allowed me to settle within myself and love what I found there.
Pat Matson uses the education she’s received, the experiences she’s enjoyed, the lessons Life has taught her along with a deep-seated sense of spirituality, and a passion to share her understanding to help women who struggle with bodily issues. To contact Pat and find out more about your own World of Within and to achieve self-love and self-acceptance through Pat’s tips and resources, email patm@magnifyyou.com
ground, or soil contaminated by weed killing chemicals or nematodes, which make it difficult to grow vegetables in your yard.
I love to share with – well, okay, anyone who will listen – that there is a way that each of us can gain this understanding and learn to love herself as I have. I think in order to do this you have to ask yourself a lot of questions and find the most honest answers inside of you so that you can make steady progress. Is what I’m now doing in my life making me feel good about myself? What else do I know to do at this time that might improve my self-esteem? Am I willing to do that? If no, why not? If this won’t work for me, what will? You can never ask yourself too many questions. Your questions and the answers you conjure up can lead you into the Promised Land. I wish you great success.
Because our seasons change so drastically, there is an advantage to be able to move plants into sheltered places when winter frost or summer heat pose a threat.
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If you rent or temporarily sublet, you can take your garden with you when you move.
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I discovered that because I was thinking, I must be mind itself, because it’s only mind that can think. I learned that life is a science and that it has a set of laws that govern it. I learned that by becoming skillful at using and applying those laws, I could improve my own health, wealth and happiness. Although I am still obese, I have none of the so-called illnesses linked with obesity. My blood pressure is 111 / 70. I do not have diabetes. I have no high blood pressure. I’m strong and flexible and at age 67, I take zero medications. These are substantial claims and I’m proud of myself for being able to make them.
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What can be grown in containers?
Vegetable Gardening in Containers There’s no excuse not to grow your own garden! You don’t need a big backyard to enjoy the benefits of fresh herbs and vegetables. There is another option. In addition to being fun, there are several reasons for growing vegetables in containers: •
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Space for a large garden may not be available if you live in an apartment, a townhouse, or a mobile home. You may want to grow only a few favorite vegetables.
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By growing vegetables in containers you can protect the plants from gophers, squirrels and rabbits.
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You can get an early start on the summer season by growing in black containers in a warm sunny place.
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You may have heavy deposits of caliche in the
Any vegetable can be grown in containers, especially those which grow rapidly. Dwarf varieties grow quickly and thrive well in containers. The more suitable plants are those that fruit over a period of time, such as tomatoes, eggplant, pepper, melons, and leafy plants like leaf lettuce, Swiss chard, green onions, and herbs that are harvested by picking the outer leaves. The plants continue to grow as you pick your harvest every week. Some vegetables can be grown together in one container. For example: onions, lettuce, corn and tomatoes of all varieties, grow well together. What kind of containers can be used? You can grow vegetables in a variety of containers. There are many types of containers to fit every budget. You can even recycle common household products. Expensive clay pots, drainpipes on end, recycled trash cans, buckets, cans, boxes, plastic bags, half whiskey barrels, Styrofoam chests, bushel baskets, and steel drums are just a few examples. The containers must have drainage holes punched into them to be free of toxic residues.
The larger containers, such as half whiskey barrels, act as permanent gardens for several plants since they hold a good moisture reserve.
western exposure should be avoided. Also areas exposed to the wind.
Small containers for single plants should not be less than three gallons in capacity, otherwise extreme temperatures will cause the roots to burn and they will need frequent watering. Hanging baskets may be used in cooler climates, but will require daily watering in warmer environments.
Leafy vegetables require heavy feeding. However, fruiting vegetables grow a lot of dark green foliage and produce poorly if there is an excess of nitrogen. Follow directions on all fertilizer applications for recommended usage. Remember, good drainage is important.
How do I grow the plants?
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“You don’t need a big backyard to enjoy the benefits of fresh herbs and vegetables…” ______________ How do I create a container garden?
salesman and bought several bunches. It was quickly disappearing, so I reached over and grabbed two bunches, not really knowing what a treasure I had discovered.
ENJOY YOUR FRESH HARVEST!
Shelley Smith is a Horticulturist and Landscape Designer with well over 30 year’s experience. She owns a Landscape Design Company based in Gilbert, Arizona. Contact Shelley with your gardening questions at shelleys@magnifyyou.com
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Use a prepared, lightweight mix such as indoor plant mix or potting soil that drains well. A homemade substitute made up of equal parts sharp coarse sand, soil and compost or peat moss will be cheaper. A slow-release balanced fertilizer, such as Osmocote 14-14-14, should be well mixed in at the rate of two ounces to each cubic foot of soil mix. Some gardeners add a little composted steer manure to give the mix some life. Don’t add more than 10% of the volume, otherwise tender roots might be burned. Plant the right variety of vegetable in the right season. Seeds may be sown directly in the container, but many gardeners prefer to plant young plants that have been raised in small peat pots, purchased from a nursery. Visit your local garden center nursery for varieties that do best for your climate. Where do I place the containers? Vegetable plants like sunshine but not a lot of heat. When the summer gets too hot, the container can be moved to a shady place. Generally, a
Green Garlic
– The Secret’s In the Tart! I’m sure that when you read ‘Green Garlic’ you were wondering, “What other color does garlic come in?” Well, there is black garlic, but that is a topic for another day. What I am referring to is young garlic which is harvested before the cloves have matured. Green Garlic resembles a scallion, with a deep green stalk and a pale white and light purple bulb. You can usually find this delicious treat at farmer’s markets in the spring. Recently, I was wandering through the stands my local farmers market and noticed several ladies handling a leekgreen onion looking vegetable and smelling it. It must have smelled good because each of them immediately pounced on the
I paid for them and then smelled the bunch as I was putting them into my basket. It had a delicious garlicky smell, but it did not have the strong garlic smell or regular garlic cloves. This was a sweet, ‘you had to be there to appreciate the delicious aroma’ kind of smell. It made my senses go absolutely wild! I mentioned to the farmer, “Isn’t it too early for garlic?” She shook her head no and said,” Come early next week because it disappears quickly.” I now had this strange vegetable in my hands and no clue how to use it. After Googling this unknown vegetable, I was able to piece together more information regarding my treasure, which I now discovered was Green Garlic. The flavor of green garlic is still garlicky, but it features a milder taste with a less bitter bite. When cooked, the green garlic sweetens, lending a distinct new layer of depth to a dish. The whole plant, including the leaves, can be used. Some use green garlic instead of mature garlic or scallions for a different flavor. It can be used raw or cooked in a broad assortment of cuisines. When you pick out the garlic look for sturdy crisp stalks which do not appear wilted. Green garlic can be stored in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days before being used. It will not cure like regular garlic, so make sure to use it within that time period.
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“I now had this strange vegetable in my hands and no clue how to use it.” _____________ Now I had a clue about my green garlic but another question loomed, “What can I put it into?” I love garlic and most of my dishes carry this tasty treat. The first
thing I did was chop up the whole thing, greens included and I put the green part of the garlic in a salad and mixed the white part into lemon vinaigrette. Delicious!
Add cream. Reduce heat to low and let cook 5 to 7 minutes to blend flavors and reduce liquid. Take off flame and stir in pepper. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Then I chopped another one and mixed it with halved brussel sprouts, some duck fat, and salt and pepper. I roasted the sprouts in the oven, tightly covered. When I took off the lid, everything was deliciously caramelized & tender.
Place mixture in tart shell and spread evenly. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake until bubbly and golden, about 35 minutes.
Chicken stock was next on the list, so in went a bunch of the coarsely chopped green tops. The garlic added a rich flavor to the stock. I also made Green Garlic and Leek Risotto, which has became a crowd favorite! I added green garlic to several different dishes and was never disappointed. I wanted to showcase the flavor of the green garlic, so the following Saturday I bought four bunches of the green garlic, a sweet fresh onion and a leek. I finely chopped up all the vegetables to make a savory tart. I caramelized the veggies and added a dash of cream and then layered the mixture into a tart shell with a bit of cheese. Green garlic was the first taste on the palate and then the leek and the onion rounded it out. An exciting success!
Let sit 5 to 10 minutes before cutting. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature. Makes 1 9-inch tart Amy Wilcox Doebler is the owner of Mia Cucina, a unique facility that will house & lease 5 health department approved kitchens, opening in the San Fernando Valley in 2009. Originally inspired by her mother’s great cooking skills and her father’s passion for food, she has over 10 years of professional experience as a personal chef, recipe developer, writer, and teacher. Contact Amy at amywd@magnifyyou.com
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On a side note, I am working on a flakey duck fat crust, but have not mastered the recipe yet. When I do, I will share it with you to use with this recipe. For now, use your favorite savory tart crust recipe. Green garlic comes in many different sizes, so use your best judgment when choosing your produce. Green Garlic, Leek, Spring Onion Tart Ingredients: 12 small green garlic or 6 medium 1 medium leeks 1 large fresh spring onion 2 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste 1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tart crust, rolled out and placed in a 9-inch tart pan (see notes above) 3/4 cup freshly shredded cheese – gruyere or parmesan or a mixture Instructions: Preheat oven to 375. Clean the green garlic, leek, remove root end and dark green leaves, halve lengthwise, and cut into thin slices. Peel the onion, cut in half and thinly slice. Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and heat until butter starts to brown. Lower heat and add the onions and sprinkle with salt. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes. Add the leeks & green garlic to the pan. Cook about another 15 to 20 minutes until the mixture is very tender and caramelized.
Attack of the Computer Viruses! Many times I am asked where computer viruses come from, and my answer is always the same: “Satan”. Now, this is my personal disclaimer. I have a warped sense of humor. I say bizarre things. I don’t actually mean most of them, but in my logic, who in their right mind would want to sabotage a perfectly good computer? Only Satan. It is hard for me to grasp sometimes that there are evil people out in the world who want to completely break my computer, but I am here to tell you, it’s true.
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“You don’t have to pay an arm and a leg…” _______________________
From my research, I’ve learned that most people who create viruses crave the attention, and knowing their evil software is out causing havoc in the world. It’s almost like a serial killer, who slays mechanical things, not humans. Their method is similar to those who create those cute chain mails, which feature cutesy sayings and precious animal faces, and with the directive you must forward the email to at least ten people or something horrible will happen to you. I wonder if they’re in cahoots with the virus creators! There is no logical reason why hackers and the like create computer viruses. But there is a way to protect our computers. By taking a few simple preventative measures, we can combat Satan and his little crew of virus creators. Always have virus software installed in your computer. If you don’t know if you already have one, find someone who knows something about computers and ask them to take a look. If you don’t know anyone, look in your yellow pages and find a computer repair shop and have them check it out. Unless you want to end up with more software or services than you need, I’d recommend avoiding the big computer stores, as they tend to charge more. You can download your software for free. You don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for good virus software. I personally use AVG Free Virus protection. You don’t need fancy virus software that has a bunch of spam killers, firewalls, or pop up blockers. Microsoft has done a great job of providing most of these things. (I use a PC and do not know anything about the Mac operating systems.) I do believe in being well rounded in my knowledge of all things computer related, so I am in the process of increasing my knowledge on Mac.
“File,” “Components,” “Tools,” History,” and “Help” button. You’ll find the ‘Help’ button at the far right corner. Open that baby up and learn how to use your virus software. I realize that I might be suggesting more than the average person can handle. But I have faith in you! Don’t let the computer scare you. I hear that all the time in my profession. Trust me, you have more power and intelligence than the computer. They aren’t that sophisticated yet. They won’t power up in the night and wreak havoc in your kitchen. You have the control. You can shut that computer down anytime you want. You are the boss. The important thing to know is viruses can be combated. The trick is to educate yourself thoroughly and take preventative measures. Don’t be scared. Fear is the mind killer. Be strong and say to yourself, “I can unplug you computer at any time and there is nothing you can do about it!” Gain some confidence and let the good times roll. In future articles we’ll explore how to further maintain your computers, and learn how to avoid being scammed by other con artists, and share software knowledge. I would love to answer any questions you might have. Have fun computing! Ressa Kinnear is a self taught PC Technician. In her determination to crash and then reload as many computers as needed, she learned all she could about what makes computers work. Contact Ressa with your computer-related questions at ressak@magnifyyou.com
Utilize virus scans. If you do suspect you have a virus, there are several free online virus scans that can help you determine whether your computer has a virus or not. I use Trend Micro Housecall as well as, BitDefender Online Scanner. These programs have free cleaning tools that will notify you on the types of viruses your computer may have and the number of files affected. The trick is to let these scans run until they are completely done. This requires patience on your part. I realize, most people have no patience when it comes to computers, but if you gain a little patience, you can learn so much and enjoy a better computing experience. Make sure your updates are turned on and schedule them often. Open your virus software and make sure updates are turned on and scans are set to run every day. I usually set these to run at night. If you have trouble scheduling updates, use the ‘help’ button. The toolbar, located at the top of most virus software screens, features a
(480) 205-8696 / (480) 614-1659
and trade have largely been part of what influences the look of basically everything in the design world. Napoleon’s troops made the campaign style popular globally, and it’s still in favor by many today. The roll up flap openings in his regal tent and those of his high official’s, were in many ways the pre-cursor to one of my favorite window coverings – The Roman Shade. I love Roman Shades in their various styles on their own, with drapery panels, with trim applied, banded in another color, and unbanded. I also like them flat, gathered, shaped— you name it. I can always find a window where a Roman shade will add flair to a room. The following is an interview with whom I believe makes the most beautiful Roman Shades, Michael Crum of MC Roman Shades. He opened his workshop in northern California and had a showroom in the to-the-trade Design Center in San Francisco. I love his craftsmanship and his attention to detail. The detail on the back of the shades is as beautiful as the front!
(The Continental Roman Shade)
Window Treatments How to Navigate the Maze (Part One)
Window treatments or its earliest predecessors have been around forever. Well, at least since the first person put up a barrier to an opening in a cave dwelling. Perhaps it was a large stone, or an animal hide or a huge branch depending on the terrain. I will have to watch a Flinstones re-run and check what all the rage was. The history of window treatments does officially date back to the Persian Empire and Ancient Egypt. The Venetian Blind is attributed to the Persians and was brought via trade to Venice and then on to France. The first window shutter ever noted was during the Roman Empire. It was chronicled to have been a large carved hinged stone that was fashioned so it could open and close. In ancient Egypt, reeds were tied together to shade the windows from the hot sun. Something similar was also fashioned in Asia with bamboo. In the Middle East, mashrabiya, a pierced wood panel with puzzle-like pieces created a covering for windows. Mashrabiya was first used to cover jars of water to keep them cool in the desert heat. The word translates to that in Arabic. Architectural styles, furniture design and the decorative arts have long been designed and re-designed due to political influences and economics. Political alliances, marriages between monarchs from various countries,
MV: Did you always want to be involved in the design field? MC: I always wanted to have an antique shop as I have an affinity for Victorian Renaissance furniture as well as others. But the opportunity arose to learn this skill and then I decided to open a workshop. That was back in 1982.
MV: I understand that you designed the “Milano” yourself. It is one of your original designs, was it for a particular project or to fill a gap that you came up with it?
Cloud MV: What styles of shades are the most popular with your customers? MC: In the North East, the Balloon, Austrian, Georgian, and Cloud styles are most popular. In the South, I would say the same is true. It is mainly due to the traditional architecture that is prevalent in these parts of the country. MV: What styles are most requested in the other parts of the country? MC: In Florida, it is more contemporary as well as casual and the Flat Roman and the Classic Roman are the most requested. On the West Coast, the Roman Bar, the Soft Roman, the Cloud and some other balloon shades are requested in large rooms with large high windows. In the Southwest, it very often the Flat Roman and the Classic Roman.
MC: Yes, a house in Pacific Heights needed a combination of traditional but with a contemporary aspect to it. Something gracious but not stuffy or visually heavy. It is a cross between an Austrian Shade and a Classic Roman.
Capri MV: How are your shades different from other workrooms?
MV: Oh, now which styles did she choose? MC: She chose the Mini Grill which is comprised of several small folds and the fabric was very thin. She also chose the Milano style for floor to ceiling 12’ wide windows.
MC: Very easy and on my website www.mcromanshades.com there is an illustrated guide that shows you exactly where and how to measure the windows. When I ship out my orders I also include an illustrated guide on how to install them.
MC: They are entirely custom and truly hand made. We do not use any kits, no pre-made tapes, or pre-made components. They are manufactured entirely in the old world manner. Continental MV: I know you ship nationally; do you accept international orders as well? MC: We ship globally and have shipped orders all over the world. Milano MV: What features are important in a shade?
Austrian
MC: Yes, we proudly offer a canvas shade for $12.00 a square foot including the fabric, thermal lining, everything is included. The canvas is from Kravet, it comes in five (5) colors – white, cream, natural, ivory, and black. The styles for this special are the Classic Roman and the Flat Roman. It is truly a wonderful value. MV: How difficult is it to measure the windows?
MV: What was the most challenging Shade order you have ever received? MC: Imelda Marco’s house. We did all three of her residences.
MV: Do you have any specials?
MC: Choosing the right style to fit the spirit of the home, your taste and your lifestyle is most important. In terms of what we put into the shade, all orders are custom, all materials can be specified, the lining can be specified, the types of rings on the back can be specified in pewter, brass, clear plastic, and white plastic, as well as the cording. However, for the southwest, I do not recommend plastic rings.
Well, there you have it, an expert discussing his craft! Michelle Viggiano, is an entrepreneur juggling three diverse companies spanning the luxury goods arena to the environmental services sector, an ongoing voyage of discovery is a daily passage. Michelle has been an interior designer for 28 years and has practiced in Los Angeles, as well as internationally. Upon moving to Arizona ten years ago, a faux finishing studio and Four Winds Healthy Home, a plant based carpet and air duct cleaning company, have been added to create an unusual yet copacetic triad. | Contact Michelle: michellev@magnifyyou.com
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Kauai including traveling to the "Gran Canyon", taking a boat trip to Napili, and cruising up the Waialua River. Kauai does not have the best beaches or snorkeling sites, but is much more lay back and beautiful than some of the other islands.
HAWAII OVERVIEW Perhaps no other vacation destination has as many choices as Hawaii. Consisting of a chain of islands most people tend to let the travel agent select their destination. Unless you have made repeated trips to Hawaii, you may be missing the ideal site for your vacation. I have provided this short guide to the islands, based on my many trips to all of the islands. Hopefully it will help you select the right place for your next visit. The Hawaiian Islands were all formed by the same underwater volcano and the further north you go the older the islands. The commercialization of Hawaii is also different on each island. Some islands have large cities while some have scattered condos and hotels. OAHU: Until a few years ago, all visitors flew into Honolulu airport and venturing to any other island required another short flight. Today, major airlines fly into Oahu, Kauai, Maui, and the big island of Hawaii. Oahu is dominated by Waikiki beach and the city of Honolulu. The oldest hotels in Hawaii are on Waikiki beach. It is a crowded beach adjacent to a very large metropolitan city. Traffic is even a problem. Highlights include Pearl Harbor, the Punchbowl crater, Sealife Park, and the Cultural Center. There are much better destinations than Oahu. I avoid Oahu on all of my trips to Hawaii. KAUAI: The garden island is beautiful and less hectic. The southern part of the island includes resorts and golf courses. The east side is scattered hotels and small cities while the west side is the breathtaking Napili coast. There is much to do on
This is the place to relax for those A - type personalities. There are not as many activities or diversions except for some golf courses on the north shore and an animal reserve in the middle. If you want a place to learn how to relax, this is it.
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“Molokai has some of the most beautiful scenery in all of Hawaii…” _______________ MAUI: Called the "Best" of Hawaii, has the most to offer including snorkeling, the Halelukela crater, Lahina city, shopping, golfing, etc. It is separated into East and West Maui which are two separate craters. From Maui, you can see Lanai (about a 40 minute boat ride), and Molokai about 10 miles to the north. The Kaanapali Beach area is the oldest part of the island and contains a string of hotels. In the past 15 years, the Wailua Beach area has developed into a high-end part of the island with expensive hotels and exquisite golf courses. The scenery is beautiful, and the activities are extensive. Most people should include Maui in their trip plans. HAWAII: The big island is made up of two large 15,000 foot volcanoes and boasts the only active volcano in the islands. It is very diversified and includes cattle ranches, live volcanoes, lust tropical jungles, and dry coast lines with fine beaches. It would take you a whole day to drive around the island. To the east is Hilo, with its lush tropical gardens. To the west is Kona, the dry coast with fine hotels and golfing. Between Hilo and Kona are the Volcano National Park and its active Kilauea Volcano. Hawaii is less traveled than Oahu or Maui and a good destination for a family that likes to take in some excursions while still having fun in the ocean. MOLOKAI: Still relatively undeveloped, Molokai has some of the most beautiful scenery in all of Hawaii. The east coast consists of 6,000 foot cliffs but is accessible only from air or sea.
In summary, there is something for everyone in Hawaii. Oahu is the most developed and unless you love people and like shopping in metropolitan centers, you can find more relaxing places in Hawaii. Maui is a must. Its rich whaling history, fine restaurants, myriad of water activities and diversity of landscapes make it worth the visit. Kauai and Hawaii are special islands for the discriminating visitor. There are things to do with much less commercialism. Select Kauai to relax or play golf, and Hawaii to explore lava tubes and jungles. If you are looking for a retreat, look to Molokai with its limited amenities forcing you to sit by the pool sipping your Blue Hawaii. Patrick Fargo is the author of various articles and books on management, software and the internet. He has a manuscript for a book titled, "Management Evolution: Why Companies are Failing" completed and is looking for a publisher. One of his passions is Hawaii. He has made over 10 trips to the islands and has provided advice to many of his friends. Visit his site to see some of his articles and other "works of art" at www.patrickfargo.com. Article Source: http://www.articlewarehouse.com
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Renting Hawaii Homes for a Family Vacation Renting Hawaii homes for vacation is a practice that is gaining more popularity with Hawaii vacationists and tourists. If you and your family are planning to vacation in Hawaii, then the most practical
way to do so is to rent a place of your own. Renting a Hawaii home is an option that vacationists are starting to choose over hotel or inn stays. Here are a few suggestions why renting a home in Hawaii can spell the perfect vacation for you. 1. Renting a home in Hawaii provides you the privacy that you need. Renting a home in any of the Hawaii districts can mean privacy for you and your family. Most people who take vacations do so in the hopes of getting away from the usual buzz of their daily lives. We go on vacations to spend quality and quiet time with our loved ones or our families. At most times, we do not get the privacy we want if we book into hotels or inns because most of them also cater to many other families and vacationists. If you want some quiet and quality time spent, then have your privacy fully in one of the Hawaii homes for lease. 2. Renting a home in Hawaii for your vacation provides you all the amenities that you seek for. In a hotel, you get to use great facilities as well. However, if you are very particular about the amenities and facilities that you can have at your own time and with privacy, then a Hawaii home of your choice can answer more to your needs. One of the best things that we can have in a vacation is to be in a perfectly beautiful and amazing place while having the comforts of our own home. You can have all that if you rent a Hawaii home instead of booking into a hotel.
east, and west. Instead, they use the words “mauka,” “makai,” “ewa,” and “Diamond Head.” What do they mean?
vacation can provide you with much more options. You can actually choose the specific locations where you want to stay; thus, provide the perfect vacation spot for you and your family based on your preference. If you want a secluded beach area, then you can choose a home for rent in the area. If you want a hot spot with a great night life, then you can also choose a home for rent near it.
“Mauka” means “towards the mountains” or “inland,” and “makai” means “towards the ocean.” “Diamond Head” means “towards Diamond Head,” a prominent landmark on the island of Oahu, and “ewa” means “towards Ewa Beach,” an area located in West Oahu. How are they used?
4. Renting Hawaii homes over hotels and inns can spell more affordability.
In everyday conversation, the word “mauka” is roughly equivalent to “north.” Let’s say you and your family are staying in a hotel one block away from Waikiki Beach. Your hotel room, then, is one block mauka of Waikiki Beach. (Incidentally, the first syllable “mau” is pronounced like the English word “cow” and sounds very similar to the first half of the word “mountain” which is a handy way to remember the word’s meaning.)
If you and your family are planning to vacation in Hawaii for some time, then renting out a Hawaii home in one of the best locations can still be cheaper than paying the nightly rate for a hotel. This would spell true for longer stays because most rental places offer huge discounts the longer you stay. Imagine being able to save more money the more you have a grander vacation. Imagine saving money and not being cramped up in small hotel rooms.
Rather than “south” or “southern,” locals generally use the word “makai,” as in, “The Duke Kahanamoku Statue is located on the makai side of Kalakaua Ave” or, in other words, the side of the street closest to the ocean.
Hawaii Homes information available by simply visiting and searching Hawaii Homes and Hawaii Real Estate MLS Listings.
Generally, the word “ewa” corresponds to “west.” For example, Pearl Harbor is located ewa of Waikiki, or you might hear one of the workers at your hotel say, “The entrance to the hotel parking structure is on the ewa end of the building.”
Article Source: http://www.articlewarehouse.com
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A Veritable BuzzWords Bonanza –
Four Words Mauka, Makai, Ewa, and Diamond Head!
“Diamond Head,” the opposite of “ewa,” roughly equates to “east” in everyday terms. For instance, setting out from Waikiki one heads “Diamond Head” to get to Hanauma Bay.
3. When renting Hawaii homes, you get to experience the best of what the location offers.
And There You Have It - Until next time,
Most hotels are located in tourist spots. Of course, most of them are located in places that answer to the usual need of the tourist of vacationist. However, renting a Hawaii home for your family
When visiting the main island of Oahu, observant travelers may notice that when locals give directions to one another they seldom use cardinal directions like north, south,
The Friendly Folks At BuzzHawaii.com Wish You Well! Brandon Inada is author of articles on Oahu Activities. Article Source: http://www.ezarticles.info
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can lift a burden and take charge of the details - at no extra cost.
After all, you really don't want to be hassled with keeping track of friends and relatives coming in for the wedding from 10 different cities on 10 different itineraries, where they are staying, whether they're going to another island after the wedding, or any other of the many unique situations and changes in plans that will always arise. A travel company can customize every itinerary and deal with any and all variations, so you can pay attention to your big day - and your Hawaii honeymoon.
Hawaii Honeymoon Vacation Packages: Romantic Destinations for Romantic Events Hawaii's honeymoon vacation packages attract more couples to the Islands than any other romantic destination in the world. And it's easy to see why - what other slice of paradise is so accessible, and so affordable, especially to visitors from the continental U.S.? Hosting Hawaii honeymoon vacations is a major industry in the Aloha State, and now there's a new addition to the profitable equation: wedding parties. According to travel companies that frequently book Hawaii honeymoon and romance packages to the Islands, there has been a noticeable increase in destination weddings - many that involve large parties - in the past four or five years.
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“Hawaii honeymoon vacations is a major industry in the Aloha State…” _______________ ''Familymoons,'' as they're called by some, are popular for a number of reasons: the families of the bride and groom can share in the memories of the wedding celebration, and combine it with a vacation of their own - with a choice of five Hawaiian Islands to escape to afterwards for their own Hawaii ''honeymoon.'' Anyone who has been on the planning end of a wedding knows of the pitfalls it can present (remember Steve Martin's angst in ''Father of the Bride''?), and that's where travel companies
In doing some personal research on the subject of ''familymoons,'' I found the Honi Honi Romance Package at the luxurious Fairmont Kea Lani Maui. This Hawaii honeymoon vacation package offers plenty of opportunity for romance - and includes accommodations in a suite or villa, a welcome honeymoon gift, one in-suite breakfast for two, one tandem massage at the Spa Kea Lani, a gourmet picnic for two including a Road to Hana CD and island map, a poolside cabana dinner for two, a sunset cruise, and a flower petal turndown service on the last night of your stay. From personal experience, I can say it is marvelous. If your Hawaiian wedding is a small affair, you should have no problem making the appropriate arrangements (e.g. planning personal itineraries, taking care of airline seat assignments, hotel room requests, etc.) online. But as groups become larger, so do the complications. So if your wedding is going to be a large event, be sure to find a travel company that specializes in event and/or wedding travel and leave the arrangements to the experts. Don Carter is a freelance travel writer who, in his spare time, acts as a consultant for travel companies that create and sell vacation packages, giving them tips on improving their client offerings and rating the hotels and sites featured in the packages. He also contributes to several travel guides. Carter's most recent personal vacation was a Hawaii honeymoon vacation package he booked through Pleasant
Holidays. Newly married, he is ready to get back to the business of writing about travel and helping people make the most of their precious time off. Article Source: http://www.articlewarehouse.com
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Top 10 Reasons to Get Married In Hawaii
There's no doubt, your wedding is your treasured day to remember. So many plans, so much to prepare, and you want everything to be just perfect. So why don't we turn your special day into a completely magical memory by having your wedding in your own Hawaiian Paradise. While the ceremonies are beautiful, so many people hold their wedding near to where they live. While you might think it should be easier to coordinate everything if it's nearby, in truth you'll spend so much of your prewedding days and weeks not only in preparation, but also having the joy and stress with your regular daily routine. This should be a time to be stress free and have no other thoughts but your dream filled day in mind. Clear the clutter of routine, and enjoy the preparations while living stress free in exotic bliss. You have a chance to not only break away from the mundane, but to also create your loving future while living the dream.
You want your loved ones to enjoy your wedding as the special day it is, but how memorable will it be a couple of weeks after it's done? Think of weddings you've been to - it was nice on the day, but did you really give it much thought days later. Now imagine if, as a guest, you had been whisked away to a romantic island to spend the days as a truly memorable event. If you have family flying in from out of town, why not go just a little further and have everyone enjoy something special to take their stress away from daily life. Give a little vacation to all of your loved ones. Allow them to relax and focus on the joy you're sharing with them. It's easy to forget a local wedding, but they'll never forget that beautiful day in paradise.
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“Hawaiian weddings are easier…” _______________ Preparations for your wedding are so much easier when you choose to have hold it in Hawaii. The stress is taken away because all the local services know exactly what is needed, and can bring your whole day together with little notice. Weddings are a specialty, and the Hawaiian people are proud to make your joyous dream a reality to be forever cherished. You may expect a wedding in Hawaii to cost far more than a less distant occasion, but you actually save thousands in expenses. Decorations alone can often pay for the wedding in savings alone. You couldn't ask for a more beautiful backdrop than a cool cascading waterfall, or gentle waves on a tropical beach - Nature is your most breathtaking decoration, and it will surround you with beauty. The State of Hawaii now requires a permit for beach weddings with a nominal fee.
Since there is no waiting to get married, you simply apply for your marriage license, and can be married immediately, you don't even need to take a blood test. The bride and groom simply appear together in person before an agent to apply for a marriage license - and the cost is only $60US.
Hawaiians. Beauty not only fills the landscapes all around, but also in the proud hearts of the locals.
Hawaiian weddings are legal and binding in all 50 states. Additionally, most other countries in the civilized world recognize and accept Hawaiian weddings. There are no U.S. citizenship requirements, and you do not have to be a resident of Hawaii.
Plan your wedding in Hawaii on the white sand beach across from Pukalani Falls. Visit Rev./Capt. Howie Welfeld online at Hawaii Weddings.com for all the details including a Hawaii wedding photographer to capture your spiritual and unique wedding. Article Source: http://www.articlewarehouse.com
The blood relationship between the prospective bride and groom cannot be closer than first cousins. Same-sex marriage is not legal in Hawaii; however they do acknowledge Domestic Partnerships. It is called Reciprocal Beneficiary Relationships. Hawaii is still an often chosen location for samesex couples, and many cherish their beautiful "Commitment Ceremony" certificates from same sex Hawaiian weddings. Since you're planning to be married in Hawaii, you're already at your honeymoon vacation spot. There are no long airport waits for flights after your marriage ceremony. Immediately from your "I Do's", you're at your paradise destination. Beware of sales pitches offering "Traditional Hawaiian Wedding Ceremonies", such as "Circle of Roses" where a circle of roses is laid around the couple during their Hawaii wedding vows -Roses were only recently introduced to Hawaii. The real essence of a true Hawaiian wedding is the celebration of two people sharing hearts and love, and their sacred vows they made to each other. Hawaiian weddings are a sacred act. There is a good reason Hawaii is often considered a true paradise. Peace and tranquillity are the lifestyle and choice amongst
Hawaii is most definitely proud and flattered to have been chosen to share in your most treasured day.
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Ask The Locals:
Oahu, Hawaii The historic, newly renovated, Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Waikiki’s famous pink landmark (hence its nickname the Pink Palace ) first opened in 1928, and over the decades it has hosted presidents, royalty, celebrities, and other members of the jet-setting elite. While on the island of Oahu, there are a few must-do activities for visitors, no matter how touristy. And yes, that includes a traditional luau complete with roasted pigs, fire dancers and a hula performance. You’ll also want to check out a torch-lighting ceremony with hula dancers. And for an amazing view of the famous Hawaiian sunsets, get off the beach and into the water on a dinner cruise. Several ships are docked at Aloha Tower and Kewalo Basin including the Ali I Kai, the world’s largest Polynesian catamaran. Once the sun has set, enjoy a hula dance.
But we wanted to look beyond hula and checked in with a crew of locals including Hawaii native Lianne Thompson, associate editor of Modern Luxury Hawaii magazine, surf legend Hawaiian Mike Goodrich, local historian Bill Souza and more to find out some of their top picks for island activities. In the hula department, a great time to visit Honolulu is for the annual World Invitational Hula Festival. Every November, this unique World Invitational Hula Festival invites people from all over the world to experience and celebrate Hawaiian culture through performance of the hula.
usually always a social gathering to be found. The basic limitations are that money should never change hands, and all games have to be played for enjoyment only.
into one-of-a-kind dresses and tops in modern silhouettes. For more than two decades as travel correspondent for ABC s Good Morning America and most recently Travel Editor for NBC s Today show, Peter Greenberg continues to be America s most recognized, honored and respected travel expert. For more information visit petergreenberg.com. Article Source: http://www.articlewarehouse.com
When you consider the vast potential that there would be for casino gambling in Hawaii, you would consider that these laws would be outmoded in the 21st century and there is a strong push amongst the million and one quarter population of Hawaii to legalize gambling on the islands, especially when almost 60% of the state’s total income comes from tourism.
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“Gambling in a social environment is legal…”
“This secluded beach town is a favorite among locals…”
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_______________ Another can’t-miss cultural experience is the Aloha Festivals, which is Hawaii’s oldest and largest state wide celebration featuring food, music, hula performances, ukulele contests, and live entertainment. It was originally created in 1946 to mimic the Makahiki celebration season (Hawaiian New Year), which honored the Hawaiian god Lono. Most visitors are attracted to Waikiki Beach, but Lianne Thompson grew up going to Kailua. In fact, this secluded beach town located about 15 miles northeast of Honolulu is such a favorite among locals that they’d probably prefer to keep it a secret. Drive up the coast from Kailua toward the North Shore for a real treat: Hawaiian shrimp trucks! They’re the Hawaiian version of taco trucks. Don’t get stuck buying aloha shirts or dancing hula girl dolls. Instead, you can pick up items that combine Hawaii’s ancient traditions with fashion-forward trends: The family-run Muumuu Heaven is an island favourite, where vintage muumuus are deconstructed and refashioned
Gambling in Hawaii
Situated on a volcanic island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Hawaii is actually an archipelago made up from hundreds of small islands spaced out over nearly 2,500 kilometers. It is nearly 3,750 kilometers south of the North American Continent and is one of the only two states that are not part of that block. Hawaii became a part of the United States in 1959 and one of the few states that does not allow public wagering in any form. This does not mean that you will not find gambling in Hawaii, it means that any form of gambling for money you will not find there. Gambling in a social environment is actually legal and like most of the World, Texas Hold’em poker has become increasingly popular with the local population, both male and female alike. Bingo is also a great favorite in the Hawaiian Islands and despite the fairly stringent rules regarding the extent of its legality, there is
To set the ball rolling for gambling in Hawaii, the hopes are that cruise ships that already arrive at the islands will be allowed to open the doors of their on board casinos to either the locals or visiting tourists. The hope is that if this first tentative step is successful, then the local legislators will see the vast potential to bring income to the islands and further increase their tourist industry traffic. This they can do by building casinos in the existing hotels or open luxurious casino resorts. There is sure to be no shortage of experienced casino operators who will be ready to invest in establishing Hawaii’s gambling industry. In the meantime, the Hawaiians always have the opportunity of playing their favorite table games and slots online, as well as taking part in one of the many Texas hold’em poker tournaments taking place around the clock. Probably better than the real thing some say, and at least you can play in the comfort and security of your own Hawaiian home, whenever you want. Sarah Harrigan is a professional casino player and reviewer. Article Source: http://www.articlewarehouse.com
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will be a memorable component of your trip.
Visit Maui! For your next vacation, wouldn't the sunshine in Maui feel great? Maui is one of six islands that makes up Hawaii and is divided into two islands: East Maui and West Maui. The largest natural structure in east Maui is a volcano 10,000 feet in expanse named Haleakala or the House of the Sun. The volcano is still a forbidding presence on the island because rather than extinct it is just dormant. The last time it erupted was in 1790. When you look at the view from the top of the volcano, and see the moonscape of Haleakala Crater you will be amazed at the sight. In a visit to East Maui you will find lush tropical vegetation and waterfalls so beautiful they will take your breath away. The town of Hana is located right on the edge of the island and is a number one spot for people who feel somewhat like a daredevil. Curving around the North Shore on Hana Highway you will observe the shoreline which is completely impassable.
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“Maui is one of six islands… and is divided into two islands…”
The oldest volcano in Maui is their mountains located in West Maui. All that remains of a oncehuge volcano are these mountains. The rains have washed the mountains of the volcano until it has many valleys and ridges that encircle the west side of the island. Known as "The Valley Isle" due to it's mountains, West Maui gets around 500 inches of rain per year. The waterfalls are the awesome outcome of all this rainfall. It is one of the most beautiful places that you will ever experience that has not been changed. Molokai is only 9 miles from Maui and this would be another fine destination for your trip. From the moment you step foot into Molokai, the change in culture will become quite evident. One of Hawaii's best kept secrets, this area is relaxed and laid back, its atmosphere and beauty drawing you right into its peacefulness. An additional aspect of your helicopter trip may include the northeastern coast which is known as a fairly unvisited area. The tallest sea cliffs are thousands of feet hoovering way over the beaches. One area is totally inaccessible to anyone. For the best possible vantage, you must fly over with a helicopter. The majority of the people who live in Molokai have never seen this area themselves. This is a genuinely amazing region and you won't want to miss the experience of sightseeing in this part of Hawaii. The region including East and West Maui, Hana and Molokai are truly worth the investment of time to discover authentic Hawaii.
_______________ The only way to see the beauty of the North Shore is to take a helicopter ride. Meandering along to the north shore, the sea cliffs, the lonely beaches and more splendid waterfalls than you could imagine are visible from the air. The helicopter journey that will bring you to observe the sights
Article Source: http://www.articlewarehouse.com
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Why You Should Consider Travel Insurance
It's a brave or foolhardy traveler who doesn't ensure that they have adequate insurance in place. Find out what you need to cover and why. People that travel are often vulnerable to some of the negative events and instances that could occur during their time away from home. Travel insurance is intended to help protect regular or single event travelers from the potentially expensive costs that could results from these situations. Travel insurance protects several items. One of the important items of protection is healthcare. Travelers who are injured or sick on the road often face more expensive healthcare costs as many insurance plans do not cover costs that come up away from home, especially with international travel. Travel insurance plans often cover up to 10 million British Pounds in medical costs. Another feature of travel insurance is baggage coverage. Lost bags are a common nightmare for some travelers. Many rely on airlines to carefully transport valued items from departure to arrival location. Additionally, some people use expensive bags and do not want to face damage. Coverage is typically up to 1,500 British Pounds or so for lost baggage. Another protected component of travel insurance is for cancellation. Travelers that rely on transportation to conduct business, or that have invested in a vacation, might want financial
protection in the event their flight is cancelled. Costs for travel insurance vary, but plans are usually customized to fit the needs of the traveler. Some travelers buy protection for single trips, such as a holiday away, or an important international business trip. Other people travel regularly and would benefit from the cost savings of buying insurance on an annual basis. There are also tailored products that cover more specific trip elements, including sports protection, backpacking, families, and senior citizens.
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“Travel insurance protects several items…” ______________ Consumers can easily explore the travel insurance plans and benefits that are most useful in their circumstances given the widespread independent broker opportunities online. It is easy to compare insurance plans, get costs, and see quote details through internet sites. Obviously, the ideal scenario is that traveling is a hassle-free and efficient experience full of great memories or business successes. However, given all of the elements that could product problems, it is better to be safe than sorry. Many businesses must use travel insurance to avoid expenses that could be very damaging to the longevity of the business. The low cost of basic travel insurance plans makes it silly for regular travelers not to use it. Great plans can often be found for just a few British Pounds per week. Nicholas Hunt writes for a travel insurance guide site, on worldwide travel insurance policies. Article Source: http://www.articlewarehouse.com
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What to Look for When Choosing a Travel Agent
If you decide to work with a travel agent in planning your next vacation, you can generally expect to enjoy your trip more because of the great perks and knowledgeable service experienced agents can give you, you may even be able to save some money as well. A travel agent who is experienced and knowledgeable about the industry in which they work knows how to get the best out of your destination. Whether it’s by finding cheap flights, comfortable but inexpensive hotels, or locating those hard-to-find tickets for exclusive events, your travel agent will work for you. So if you do decide to work with an agent, it definitely pays to find the best. But how can you spot a good agent? Here are some tips and things to look for that will help you identify a good travel agent. Ask family and friends for recommendations This should always be your first step when choosing a travel agent. Ask people you can trust for their opinions, they’re more reliable than reviews and testimonials you might read on the internet. You don’t have to base your results on their opinion, but asking for recommendations might give you a head start in locating an agent. Check out the agency before talking to an agent
A good agent might very well be working at an inferior agency, so look around when you visit each one. Look for an agency that is a member of the American Society of Travel Agents (which means it has been operating for three or more years under its current ownership) and is accredited to several airlines. Look for an agent with experience in the industry There’s nothing wrong with choosing a knowledgeable, enthusiastic, young agent who is relatively new to the industry, but if you really want the very best travel agent choose someone who has been at their job for at least a few years.
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“Test your agent’s knowledge by asking the right questions…” ______________ Time in the industry isn’t the only important factor. You may also consider the number of clients the agent has worked with and their general volume of work. Some agents might have spent twenty years in the industry, but have a relatively low volume of work. Others might book dozens of trips every year, and may have much more extensive industry knowledge. When you’re checking out your prospective travel agent’s experience, look at the number of trips they’ve booked as well as the number of years they’ve been working in the industry. Find an agent with experience in booking trips to your destination If you’re planning on a trip to an exotic or obscure location, finding a travel agent with experience in booking trips to that specific area can be particularly important. Any travel agent can book you a trip to pretty much anywhere, but what do they know about the destination itself? If you’re planning a trip to go rock-climbing in the Swiss Alps, a travel agent who has only booked trips in the
United States won’t be able to help you plan your trip as well as someone who has experience with European destinations. Test your agent’s knowledge by asking the right questions You don’t have to book your trip with the first travel agent you find, so don’t fall into the trap of visiting an agent for information and leaving with your trip booked. It’s your money that’s paying for the trip, so you have every right to keep searching until you find the right agent for you, the agent that makes you feel comfortable.
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“Test your agent’s knowledge by asking the right questions…” ______________ Take the opportunity to find out more about the agent as well as your destination. For example, you can ask them about their industry experience, commission rate, what they know about your destination, and whether they have traveled to your destination.
has specific knowledge about your destination.
What is a non-slip security wallet and how does it work?
Don’t expect your agent to know the answers to everything you ask, but at the very least they should be willing to find out the answer to any question you may ask.
One accessory you should consider purchasing is the nonslip security travel wallet. It's about the size as a regular wallet but has non-slip rubber on one side which catches on the inside of your pocket if it accidentally slips out of your pocket, or if a thief attempts to pick your pocket. Always put your wallet in a front pocket. Never carry your wallet in your back pocket. Professional thieves call it "the sucker pocket".
Take note of the questions that the agent asks you. They should be asking questions that show they’re interested in what your needs and desires are for the trip, rather than seeming more interested in simply selling you a package deal that might not be right for you.
You can convert your wallet into a non-slip one by putting a few wide rubber bands around it. Another solution that will help with the pickpocket problem is a chain-equipped travel wallet which you can attach to your belt.
Tiffany Jordan is a freelance writer who focuses on the travel industry and vacation tips, often discussing a particular aspect of the travel industry such as working with travel agents. Article Source: http://www.articlewarehouse.com
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Possible questions to ask include: • What’s the best time to travel to your destination? When are the peak and off-peak seasons? • What travel documents will you need when traveling to your destination? Is there anything else you need to travel, such as vaccinations? • Does the agent offer travel insurance with the trips they book? Will you get a refund if your trip is cancelled? • Can they suggest some ways in which you can reduce the costs associated with your trip? • What activities can they recommend at your destination? If you really want to work with a good travel agent, it’s important to find someone who knows about the location in which you are traveling, someone who has actually been there. Asking questions like these will help you determine whether your agent
Travel Accessories
To Make Your Vacation Easier, More Comfortable, And Safer
If you would like to find out about some of the travel accessories that are available to make your trip more comfortable, easier, and safer, here are some great products. These items should be available at any luggage and travel accessories stores. What are compression bags and can they save a lot of space when you pack your luggage? If you use plastic space saving compression bags when packing your clothes, you can save up to 80% more space in your luggage. They can be used over and over again for years of easy packing.
The secret waist wallet is a wallet which can compliment a non-slip travel wallet. It fits under your shirt or blouse, but it's still easily accessible. It is not a good idea to lift up your shirt or blouse to open this wallet in public as you can never be sure who is watching, like a possible pickpocket, or robber. It's best to open it discretely where no one can see what you’re doing, like in a public washroom stall.
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“Plastic compression bags can save up to 80% more space in your luggage…” ______________ A leather money belt that has a concealed, zippered pocket on the inner side of it is an excellent security travel product. You can hide paper money, small, foldable documents, or a key in the secure, zippered pocket. Elastic security socks have a concealed, zippered type pocket on the inside of each one of a pair of these socks. These socks would be difficult for a pickpocket to access. Another unique accessory is an RFID blocking passport holder. This radio frequency identification passport holder protects your
passport and other documents that can be electronically compromised by data-stealing hackers. A combination and key accessible combo luggage lock makes it possible for the custom's officials to unlock your checked luggage for inspection with a special skeleton key, then lock your luggage up again. You can then dial the combination and you can open your luggage. This can save you a lot of time and money replacing regular locks that custom's agents would normally have to break to gain entry to inspect your luggage. Another real plus with these combo locks is that you do not have any keys to worry about losing or replacing. You can carry a personal, battery-operated security alarm that emits a loud, shrill pitched sound that may help ward off a mugger or robber. Another product that is less expensive and will produce the same effect is a referee's whistle, which you can hide under your shirt or blouse, attached to a string and hung around your neck. Battery-operated hotel room intruder alarms are excellent hotel room safety devices. One kind of alarm hangs on the room's door knob. Any movement of the door or door knob will set off the alarm. Another one is the doorstop type which you push under the hotel room door's bottom edge. If someone tries to open the door, the alarm will sound. Women travelers can buy an innovative security purse that has a steel cable sewn in the strap. This will foil a thief who makes an attempt to cut through the strap and run away with their purse. Easy to inflate, easy to carry, the pocket pillow measures approximately 6" x 4" x 1". It inflates to about 19" x 15", and makes a comfortable pillow when you need to rest your head or sleep. You should always make sure that you protect your eyes when on vacation in sunny climates by
wearing sunglasses that carry both a UVA as well as a UVB certified protection label.
Flying with Young Ones
The handy little book light clamps on to the edge of your book which enables you to read in dim light or total darkness. It also will allow you to read in the dark and not disturb your sleeping travel companion. If you are backpacking you should consider wearing a steelmesh equipped backpack. These great backpacks have a security steel mesh sewn into the bottom and sides, the most vulnerable places where a thief could slash it with a knife. When this happens, everything tumbles out, and the thief and his accomplices grab anything of valuable and run away in different directions. Keep in mind that you will probably have to use adaptor plugs and converters if you are traveling to certain countries. One large travel accessories store, Magellan's, has an awardwinning catalogue that has everything for travelers from adaptor and connector plugs to secret security wallets. You can order a catalogue online, at Magellans.com Tilley Endurables is a legendary manufacturer of sun-protective travel clothing and accessories. They created the world-famous Tilley Hat and specialize in making stylish, comfortable, and practical outdoor hats and travel clothing. Most of the fabrics that they use in manufacturing their hats and clothing carry a certified UPF 50 rating label, which is the highest rating for sun protection available. You can order their sun-protective clothing and accessories catalogue on their website, at Tilleys.com. Dorothy Yamich has a passion for travel. She has lived and traveled extensively throughout Europe as well as traveled in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. She is a travel consultant and specializes in luxury cruises as well as vacation packages. Article Source: http://www.articlewarehouse.com
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For many parent’s one of their greatest nightmares is taking a long aeroplane trip with a child. It is certainly many a passenger’s nightmare of sitting next to a fidgeting, bored, and frustrated child. It is very hard to get a child to sit still and quiet for several hours. One of the best ways to help combat having “the annoying, screaming kid” on your next flight is to keep him or her busy and interested. If this sounds like an impossible task, it is not, especially in today’s travel age where there are so many electronic devices to help out. Here are some tips to help your child become the perfect airline travelling companion, not just for you, but for fellow-passengers. - Pack plenty of books and games; for older children, handheld electronic games (remember to take along extra batteries!) - Bring along colouring books and crayons. - Carry a CD player with your child's favourite music and/or a portable DVD player with their favourite movies (these could keep children occupied throughout a long journey). -If you are okay with your child using your laptop, upload some interactive games for them to play prior to leaving (and make sure you allow your child to play these
games a few times previous to the trip to familiarize them with it). You may like to help them create a scrapbook of their trip, and the plane journey could be a part of the beginning (and end) of the project.
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“Long plane trips with young ones don’t need to be feared…” ______________ If you have a digital camera, remember to bring the USB cable and upload the photos you have taken in the airport, leaving home, etc., to the laptop so that they can use them. -Long before getting on the plane, sit down and put yourself in your child’s shoes. This should be relatively easy as you are observing him or her daily. What
sorts of games do they like to play? How do they play them? Make a little book filled with game ideas that you can play together with your child. Children often feel a strong need for reassurance while flying high above the ground, and so they may be more needy of your attention. To avoid frustration and tantrums, create/make up games which you can do together. Such things as creating stories while looking out the window and looking down at the billowing clouds. Try to see how many shapes can be seen in the clouds. Have your child help you create stories from the different cloud formations. Other games like “I-Spy” is another favourite of children, and on a crowded plane, there are lots of things to “spy”.
-Bring snacks especially since airlines are now charging for meals and they are not so “kid friendly” -Bring your child’s favourite stuffed toy, and make sure you bring their favourite blanket, and a small pillow so that they can get comfortable enough to have a nap -Bring some gum or something healthy that your child can chew and suck on during take-off and landings to help reduce painful ears. Long plane trips with young ones don’t need to be feared. When you apply some (or all) of the suggestions above, such trips can be something that you, and your whole family, can truly enjoy.
By M.Y. Staff Writer
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