How Singing Bowls Are Used in Tibetan Buddhism

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Mani Wheels (Prayer Wheels) In Tibetan Buddhism

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Is Jesus For Real?

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Discipline is the God Part of Us

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Discipline means to do something daily, like for instance diet, exercise, meditation, writing, practicing the playing of an instrument, musical or otherwise, painting (art), etc. It doesn't mean to think about it or talk about it, though these can be useful activities; it means to work it. As a famous artist once said, "waiting for inspiration is for amateurs; I just get busy". Such repetitive dedication applied to the expression of self is what creates anything of value, like a fit body or much better paintings. This is how learning new things - more accurately described as discovering - takes place, by daily disciplined dedication. There is no other way, no matter how much we may wish for life to make it easy for us.

Thus new meaning, insightful awareness or painting originality, etc. occurs only through the disciplined repetition of useful doing. In effect discipline is the part of us creating new structure to the matrix of our character - otherwise known as new habits or skills. Discipline means to persist in an effort no matter what the obstacles, including physical or emotional pain, as well as the needs of those we love. Love is a valuable entity in which to invest. Yet it's not the only deeply important part of our life. What we do with ourselves is equally significant. Indeed obstacles, whether they are other people or our own fears and limitations, are perceived to be there precisely in order for us to work through them to a new level of fitness, skill or acumen, no matter how long it takes, no matter how frustrating it is or how disappointed in our self we become in the process of doing it.

Love should never be a reason not to learn, no matter what our lover insists. It's too easily the excuse for doing nothing of significance in life. To a disciplined person negative feelings evoked in the process of learning is never a reason to stop doing it. Discipline means to dialogue with our feelings - to converse with them. They exist precisely to make us aware of the obstacles already put there - probably unconsciously - obstruction built into our habits, not on purpose, but in order to serve some other need, most often the needs of those holding their lives together only with love, without any investment in personal discipline and the evolution of individual talents that it facilitates.

That's what God is, a creature who makes new things - like the universe. Yet we have always regarded our creations as so utterly inferior to God's that we don't speak about them in the same breath or mind-space. Yet why do we look with such disdain upon our own efforts? Human perversity is not the result of bad people - that ubiquitous expression of our species' guilt; it's the outcome of bad structure, whether that be personal, cultural or national. And that can be changed... if we have the courage, determination and discipline.

My additional works can be seen at this website: http://donfenn.com

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Spring Equinox and Ancient Places

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The Spring Equinox, or Alban Eiler, occurs this year March 20, 2010, at precisely 1:32 P.M. EDT.

Time honored opinion is that this is the time of year when Druids and other pagan/wiccan/ neopagans celebrate the return of spring. The night and day share equal time as well as the influences of the sun/moon. This is one of those between times especially sacred to Druids. When something is between two places or states of being is the most fortuitous times to consider the balance in your life and shift energies, to create transformation.

In ancient Ireland there are sacred places more directly associated with Alban Eiler than even Stonehenge, Cairn T and Knowth to name a couple. They are dated to 5000 to 6000 years old, and both align to permit the sun to shine directly on a stone on the morning of the equinoxes. You will notice the eight spoked wheels on the stone inside Cairn T (Links provided at bottom of article) if you take time to view that monument in County Meath, Ireland.

There is also unbelievably half a world away in Sedona, AZ, USA, a similar stone (Links provided at bottom of article) that also marks the arrival of spring. Keep in mind the completely different cultures of the Hopi and Pre-Celtic Ireland, and look at the similarities between the two cultures stonework. The equinox is also marked on monuments at The Maiden tower in Baku, Azerbaijan, the Mayan pyramid El Kukucan (Chichen Nitsa) and even at the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, which dates back an additional 4000-6000 years (!) according to researchers Graham Hancock and Robert Bauval.

It is even celebrated in Judaic-Christian traditions as Easter, and in Mesapotamia, women were obliged to serve as priestess in fertility rites at the the temple of Ishtar/Inanna at least once before they could marry. Regardless of which culture you are looking at, they all seemed to recognize this as a special time of year, probably a time to begin planting.

Modern Druids, Wiccan, and other pagan traditions revere this time of year for pretty much the same reason, a time to plant seeds of growth for the spirit or to influence new projects. In Wicca we celebrate Eostre/ Ostara the Goddess of the Morning and Evening Star, fertility, and Spring, to whom hares and birds were sacred. Altars may be covered in pastels or green cloth (growth), and a blessing of new projects or even actual seeds is appropriate. Whatever your personal traditions are, take time to celebrate in some way. Lets face it, the entire ancient world couldn't have had it all wrong, could they?

Storm is an entrepeneur/writer/mystic, and basically a complicatedly simplistic man. He lives in the Ozarks of southwest Missouri and has for 37 years. He is a grandfather, father, Wicca Priest, and traveler with over two decades of journeying into alternative spiritual paths. This article, with pictures, was originally published in the spring edition of http://www.shamansrune.com/ezine.htm, where you will find lots of interesting stuff. The stones mentioned in this article are available at:

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Do Not Be Afraid, Christian - A Story Giving Perspective

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Are you a Christian who struggles with anxiety and fear? Here's a story that gives a perspective that apparently God thought we needed to hear.

Imagine yourself in these people's position! King Saul was with an army of two thousand foot soldiers, and his son Jonathan commanded an army of a thousand. Trouble was brewing, so Saul summoned more men from all Israel. Then a Philistine army of six thousand charioteers (two per chariot) and foot soldiers "as numerous as the sand on the seashore" marched forth and camped not far from Saul and Jonathan. Saul and the Philistines were enemies. A battle was inevitable.

How would you feel with those odds? The Israelite soldiers in Saul's army hid, escaped, and deserted until about six hundred were left. But it got worse. The Philistines had previously exercised ancient "weapons control" on the Israelites, so at that point, not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had "a sword or spear" (1 Samuel 13:22)--only Saul and Jonathan had swords. Even if there were only six thousand Philistine foot soldiers, there would have been twenty armed Philistines for every unarmed Israelite soldier. No wonder "all the

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Oneness - When is One More Than Two?

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Duality has two parts that are either opposed to each other, or complement each other. We all have experienced duality in one way or another throughout our lives and know about things such as polarity, positive and negative, yin and yang, male and female. We have heard how important it is to have balance in our lives and have heard about moderation in all things. It has been the nature of humanity to be dualistic, having opposing views and beliefs about everything under the sun.

Oneness is the quality of being unique and united, joining together to be one as opposed to many. The realization that we have more in common than we have differences has become commonplace all over the world and is occurring with greater frequency than has ever happened before. This shift has come to many who have awakened to the realization that their hearts are more than the beating organ in their chest cavity. People are becoming consciously aware of the divine energy that is becoming increasingly abundant, especially as we get closer to the year 2012.

Individuality or being separate from others used to be very important, but more and more people are coming to realize that there is more to this existence than being unique and different. Our differences and self interests do not and cannot define who and what we are, but rather it is by finding out our similarities that we can begin to unite as one. The blending together of our collective similarities create the conscious realization that we are indeed more precious and powerful, united as one, than we are when we are two.

And so it is that one plus one is not two, but is indeed one, and it is this experience of oneness that humankind has longed for and searched for, for millennia. This shift in consciousness is happening all over the world because the fact remains that we all are one, and are just now able to comprehend this truth. How then does the individual become consciously aware of the oneness that they are and the oneness that we are?

The journey into oneness only requires that we look within our heart and observe. When we quiet the mind we will soon be able to tune into our higher self. Close your eyes and observe your thoughts, and as you do, ask yourself, who or what is producing these thoughts and where do they come from. Who is it that is observing these thoughts? You are not your mind, or the thoughts that it generates. You are not your emotions or the feelings that they generate. You are the observer, the real you, the one that can experience the divinity of oneness.

After quieting the mind and waking up to who and what you are, you can begin to distinguish between the thoughts that your mind produces and the inspiration you receive from your higher self. Ask to know your purpose, ask to know the divinity of oneness, ask to be more aware of your higher self and ask to experience the oneness that we are.

This shift is creating a new type of human; we are evolving and the changes that are taking place on this planet and in ourselves are truly amazing. That will be discussed in another article at another time and possibly another place. Stay tuned to oneness frequency for more great changes and possibilities.

James Bryan

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Guardian Angels - Past and Present

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A long-held belief is that a guardian angel is assigned to a particular person for protection and guidance, working specifically on their behalf. Belief in these angels can be traced far back in history. The hierarchy of angels was developed in the Christian church in the 5th century and has undergone many refinements since then.

Belief in guardian angels was common in ancient Greece, and even mentioned by Plato in his writings. References to them also appeared in early Zoroastrianism and Judaism. However, the Old and New Testament have become the major sources of information.

In the Old Testament, Psalm 91 states: "For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." In the New Testament book of Matthew 18:10, Jesus says, referring to the children, "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." The Christian St. Jerome wrote: ".....how great the dignity of the soul, since each one has from his birth an angel commissioned to guard it."

Christian mystics and Catholic saints have reported their interactions with their guardian angels. In other religions, the personal angel is often matched with a personal demon. In Islam, the belief is that two angels reside on the shoulders of humans, recording their deeds, good and bad. Guardian angels have also been referenced in literature, especially in medieval and Renaissance times, when morality plays were popular.

Modern spirituality also supports a belief in angels and specifically the guardian angel. Many stories have appeared, especially from children, of their seeing or being saved by their angel. In many cases, the adult does not witness the appearance of the angel but witnesses the child being saved from a threatening accident.

Belief varies as to whether individuals can contact their personal guardian angel. Many do believe, however, that God and his angels are present in our lives and through prayer and meditation, you can call upon your guardian angel for assistance and protection.

Rose Greenwood is a freelance writer specializing in spirituality and natural health. For more information about St. Thomas More and other ascended masters see http://www.theheartscenter.org. To purchase books, CD's, DVD's, art, and more, please visit http://store.heartscenter.org.

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Universal Law Number One - Perception Goes No Further Than How One Sees Self

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I am going to illustrate through your own perception how all reality is subjective and personal in nature. For as many different sentient beings residing on this planet, there are among that number an equal amount of perceived realities.

The causal affectations of one's mind and its views are what dictate how the mind perceives its surroundings accordingly. If the mind is busy then the world around it is busy. Like ripples on a pond, thoughts shimmer, splash and radiate thusly distorting what is actually being reflected. By that same token a still mind reflects only what is there and makes no effort to distort what is being felt and witnessed.

For instance, an angry person will be all too quick to be able to point out another angry person and what is more, if the anger of the perceiver is deeply rooted at a subconscious level, the anger perceived, more often than not, is not recognized as their own.

The mind is only a mirror. The reflective surface of a still pond on a moonlit night. Mind sees a tree it reflects a tree. Bird, bird. Happiness, happiness, etc..

The cultural composites comprising the perceiver's mind and how it looks at things also point directly to the source of their perceived reality. Themselves. It is very difficult for a very troubled person to recognize an awakened person simply because they do not recognize that awakened nature within themselves. They might in fact find the awakened person to be ineffectual, arrogant, condescending, or utterly loathesome with pretentiousness without realizing that those are the qualities within themselves judging the perceived awakened person. The awakened one is merely a mirror. The non-realized one is a rippled pond with a latent tendency toward inward stillness. The awakened one sees the other as is, witnessing and observing the true nature of within with no more thought than just observing it. That is the true task of mind.

Presence stills the ripples. Knowledge creates them. Thinking agitates the still waters and distorts the perceived reality by not remaining present with nowness and beingness in the fore. Rippled thoughts, rippled reality with each ripple representing a stance or conditioned view making perception askew.

If one is stressed then one will perceive predominantly stressful things. A like thing always begets a like thing.

Polish the mind with presence. Wipe it clean by not seeking to know anything or attain anything as one cannot become what one already is and one cannot attain what one already has. Keep it still by reflecting without judgment what is actually all around or in you. That is your task. That is what and who you are. Presence reflecting creation. Source experiencing its Self.

An awakened mind always recognizes another awakened mind and further more it can even recognize the latent awakened nature within a turbulent mind because it does not perceive it as other than.

Awareness is both a sword and a light simultaneously slicing through egoic machinations while shining away the shadows leaving only a clear path to walk on and BE in.

Make your mind as a still pond and then you will only reflect the beauty that is and what YOU ARE.

Cheers and Grace

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How Developing Your Faith Can Get What You Want in Business and in Life

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How you may ask is Faith connected to getting what you want from business and life? As Napoleon Hill states in Think and Grow Rich, "faith is the eternal elixir which gives, life, power, and action to the impulse of thought". The best part is that we can condition ourselves and our minds to achieve almost anything. While this may seem unreasonable to some, the reality is that we are to a great extent, who we think we are. Personal goals, financial goals, they are all within reach if we have faith and believe.

Almost every winner in life has at one time imagined themselves crossing the line first, winning the sales contest, being their own boss, or starting their own business. In short they have seen themselves in the position before it has happened. They have believed they can achieve what they want and found a way to bring it about. They have faith in themselves!

Autosuggestion can be a powerful tool in developing faith. Faith is the voice in your head that says"yes I can" when the going gets rough. Continuing to reaffirm your idea or goal through the spoken word helps to increase your belief that you can accomplish what you desire. When you continue to remind your subconscious mind of what it is that you want to accomplish soon you will begin to find ways to make these things happen. Others will say you are lucky but luck is nothing more than opportunity and preparedness meeting.

Negative thoughts have the same effect as positive ones so be careful about your thought patterns. Are you often complaining about things at the office or at home? Do you hang around and listen to the moaners and groaners or do you seek out positive minded people and discuss solutions instead of problems? Do you want to know "what can be good about this" when faced with a difficult situation?

Self Confidence is an ingredient lacking in many people because they are too worried about what others think and have little faith in their own abilities. You can increase you own confidence by taking certain steps each day designed to bring you closer to your goals. At first this may seem hard but remember that a journey of 1000 miles starts with just one step.

What you think you will become. Concentrate for 30 minutes daily in thought about the person you want to be till you have a clear mental picture. Using the principle of autosuggestion demand of yourself the development of self confidence. Make sure you have a written statement clearly defining your goal. Never stop until you have accomplished it.

Serve others by making sure every transaction benefits all those it affects. This will attract others to serve you because you will in turn serve them. They will believe in you and you will believe in yourself, increasing your faith in your abilities to accomplish your goals. As someone once said "life's battles don't always go to the stronger or faster man, but soon or late the one who wins is the man who thinks he can".

In business and in life use of these principles can lead to a more rewarding career and a happier life. In my own situation during the current financial crises some negative thoughts began to creep in and test my beliefs about what I wanted to accomplish. I could have complained about the loss of income and how it affected my future plans but instead I made a choice to make lemon aide with the lemons and aligned myself with some positive thinking people. The future for me and my business has never looked better. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is up to you.

J Scott Seaman invites you to learn more about how he has diversified his income sources and introduce you to some members of his support team at GuideToMoreIncome
His goal is to pass along what he's learned throiugh trial and error and hopefully prevent others from making the same mistakes he did. Scott is a husband and special needs father and lives in the Boston area

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