HEALTHY LIVING RESULTS

Meditation has been around for around two thousand years, it’s been a way of life for mankind. In fact every religion that is practiced by men uses some sort of meditation as a way of achieving a higher form of spiritual consciousness.

From its initial use by religious priests, the practice of meditation has also been gradually employed by ordinary people as they too discovered its various benefits.

If you are not really aware of what meditation is, basically you intensely focus on sounds, objects, ideas, a breathing rhythm, actions or even movements to be able to allow your perception to intensify, you will cut down on your stress levels, enhance relaxation, and gain personal and spiritual growth.

When meditation was first out it originally was only practiced along with some sort of religious traditions to build your spiritual belief higher, but now it is used by several people to help relieve different stresses and pains.

In fact with more understanding of what meditation can do, Western medical practitioners have started to use this more because it’s a better way for one to cope with health issues, it’s also been believed to help alleviate some physical ailments. They have made it part of the regular practice of traditional medical treatment.

It is very interesting that medical clinics and even hospitals are starting to offer the practice of meditation as a method for several of their patients to improve their health. In fact meditation has begun to be used as a method of treatment of some diseases. Also it’s being used as a way of improving overall quality of life for people who are suffering with chronic, debilitating or even incurable illnesses.

Current health care application of meditation focuses on three particular approaches: transcendental meditation, relaxation response meditation and mindfulness meditation (also referred to as mindfulness-based stress reduction).

Meditation centers on the seven major chakras, which correspond to the body’s major endocrine glands, the power and of course the environment of the universe.

If you would practice meditation for at least 30 minutes a day it will contribute to your balanced and harmonious interdependent functions of the major chakras with one another.

As energy continually flows from the root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye and crown chakras during meditation the entire body’s biological, emotional and spiritual aspects are equally nourished and balanced and in the process physical, emotional and spiritual toxins are cleansed.

With chakra meditation you will need to have deep concentration, and because of this uninterrupted flow of energy your body will also have a major boost to the chakras and the corresponding endocrine counterparts.

A neat way to look at it is a turbocharger for your body, or even a catalytic converter that will gather outside energy and harness it and channel it out to the different parts of the body and the chakras.

And since your chakras are such a huge part of your body’s physical and metaphysical makeup, with fine tuning of these items our daily lives are affected either directly or indirectly, emotionally, physically, intellectually, and even spiritually.

As previously mentioned, there are various ways to practice chakra meditation; regardless of the methods employed the initial and basic steps are almost all the same; to achieve concentration and allowing the state of focus to spread throughout the whole body.

You will not notice an immediate change from practicing chakra meditation, but more of a gradually change that will slowly take over your thoughts to give you a more positive outlook on life. Meditation is believed to help a person live a better life and be happier both physically and emotionally.

The most notable effect of chakra meditation is that a person’s ability to concentrate and awareness are greatly enhanced even only after a week. Imagine if you are performing chakra meditation for years!

Also other noted benefits of chakra meditation are heightened creativity, better resourcefulness because of better perception. Also another proven benefit of chakra meditation is people tend to sleep much better and deeper, thus they will awake more refreshed in the morning, and overall health will also benefit by getting deeper sleep.

If you practice daily chakra meditations you will also notice a great reduction in the level of stress in all areas of your life. Because you will have better control over your emotions and better patience

It has been proven that overall health and well being are improved when a person practices meditation. You can even help to lower your blood pressure, and this will reduce the chances of heart attacks and strokes in a person. Also meditation will help to reduce stress in a person who is suffering from a chronic health condition; this will allow the person to feel less pain from their problems.

Even if you only practice meditation for half an hour daily you will be surprised on how much it will help to reduce your stress, improve your health, and just in general make your days better, and more productive.

Anne-Marie-Laureaut writes for the popular chakra-balance.com site. To learn how knowledge of chakra meditation will improve your whole life and to get nearly thirty Free chakra meditation healing and balance mp3 audios visit here.

The majority of travelers that journey to Iceland each year do so to experience its unique, diverse natural beauty that is unlike anything you will find on gay vacations in other countries. From volcanoes and Europe’s largest glacier, to the Northern Lights and the sparsely populated island of Grimsey on the Arctic Circle, Iceland offers unmatched opportunities to experience the outdoors in a whole new way. Kayaking, hiking, rafting, ice climbing, bird watching, whale watching and ocean fishing are all popular activities throughout the country and are ideal for inclusion in adventurous gay tours.

Visitors who prefer an urban vacation will also find just what they are searching for in Iceland, especially in the capital city, Reykjavik, which is where individual travelers and folks traveling with gay tours will find a variety of historical and cultural attractions, dining and shopping, a beautiful waterfront, museums and an exciting nightlife.

Travelers on gay vacations to Iceland will not want to miss the bird watching opportunities and natural beauty of Grimsey, a small island just 25 miles offshore. Sandvik, Grimsey’s only town, has a population of just 150 and is Iceland’s northernmost settlement. The island is home to numerous bird colonies and is well known for the steep cliffs found along its shores, which have long been a draw for sightseers partaking in gay travel to Iceland. Visitors with a keen eye may also spot polar bears onshore or just offshore on ice drifts coming from Greenland.

While on Grimsey, participants on gay tours, as well as solo voyagers, will not want to miss the opportunity to get their certificate showing they crossed the Arctic Circle. Iceland’s other outdoor attractions include the glaciers that cover more than 10% of the land, particularly Vatnajokull, Europe’s largest glacier and a popular location for ice climbing.

There are also numerous waterfalls and awe-inspiring cliffs throughout the country, offering a wide variety of hiking, outdoor adventure and picture-taking opportunities. Visitors will not want to miss Videy Island, a small island just moments from the shore where travelers will find various sculptural art pieces and Iceland’s oldest stone building.

The time of year chosen for gay vacations to Iceland is an important factor in determining which of the country’s natural phenomena you will experience during your trip: the Polar Nights, Midnight Sun or Northern Lights.

But, regardless of when you choose to plan your gay travel to Iceland, gay travel are not complete without a dip in the world-famous Blue Lagoon, just 45 minutes outside of Reykjavik, where visitors will find a pool of fluorescent blue, geothermal seawater enclosed by black lava rocks.

Howie Holben wrote this commentary about gay tours to Iceland help. He is the the force behind Spirit Journeys, a gay men holidays firm. Spirit Journeys presents spiritual gay travels all over the world.

The thought of being able to order anything you want from the universe and actually getting it, is something more and more people are thinking about. Quite understandable really when one considers the sharp increase in the amount of publicity cosmic ordering has enjoyed recently.

It seems that everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon now that so many celebrities are vouching for it. The question remains though, what are your chances of success as an average person?

The fact of the matter is it can work for everyone. However, if you have tried and not had any success then you should look deeper. The chances are you were subconsciously preventing yourself from obtaining the things you desire.

Everyone has the right and the opportunity to use the cosmic ordering service. The system brings whatever you desire. Some may say, I didn’t desire to be ill, to be penniless or unhappy and they are right.

In order to understand this, we need to grasp the fact that the universe only understands positives. If for example, you say you have no desire to be ill; this is interpreted as negative, as you have directed the focus on bad health.

You should aim to seek desires from a more positive aspect so, instead of what you don’t want, rather desire what you do want. For example, you could say, I’m so healthy it’s of little wonder that I never get ill.

Perhaps you have failed here as well and if so, you’re not alone. Many people who attempt this, tend to affirm how they are at present, instead of how they could be with a little help from the universe. When you make affirmations, think to the future and how perfect it can be, rather than dwell on the imperfect present moment.

Life brings to us the belief systems of others. The kids in the third grade that teased you because you were fat, skinny, had glasses or didn’t wear the best clothes changed the belief that you have for yourself.

Right from birth, children are continuously taught just how wrong it is to want too much, or even how wrong it is to get too much. The fact is though, if this was a perfect world, our parents would have taught us that we do in fact deserve everything we want, without having to make huge sacrifices.

Of course, it would be wrong to think you can simply take from others, but on the other hand, it is absolutely correct to believe you can have anything you want. After all, there is enough to go around.

If you look around yourself, be happy for those who have more than you because really, it further strengthens the argument that there is enough wealth for all. Don’t begrudge others, because in so doing, you’ll only be reinforcing your own negative thoughts, once again directing focus to the negative rather than the positive.

The human brain can move a quark, the smallest particle we know of, simply by sending out waves of energy. This is not theory, but rather a fact which has been proven by modern science. Positive thinking releases positive energy and positive energy, gets positive results.

Changing the way we think and the way in which we have been schooled to believe, is by no means easy but it can be done. Admittedly, in order to tackle this immense task, you’ll need all the tools you can find.

There are numerous tools but two which always spring to mind, are self-hypnosis and subliminal suggestion. Both these powerful tools avoid interference from the logical processes of our brain and instead, they go to work on our subconscious minds, the area in which our beliefs are embedded.

You need to believe that the cosmic ordering service can and does work, and you need to believe that as a human being, you can control your future and determine your own happy destiny.

Gina Daad writes for the popular cosmicorderinginfo.com website. Discover how easy it really is to be successful at cosmic ordering Service when you visit this site. Change your life forever with a huge collection of cosmic ordering binaural beats, hypnosis and affirmations Audios.

South Africa was a gay tours place long before it became the first country in the world with a constitution outlawing discrimination based on sexual orientation and the fifth country to legalize same-sex marriage. With the fall of apartheid and these two historic gay rights events, the allure of South Africa has increased substantially among both straight and gay travelers. From the glorious beaches of the Western Cape to the fast-paced excitement of Gauteng, South Africa is the gay-friendliest country on the continent and is an ideal location for a gay vacation.

Gay vacations to South Africa often include stops or entire stays in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Pretoria where gay and lesbian travelers will find an array of gay-centered and gay-friendly events, activities and establishments. There are a wide variety of establishments that cater specifically to gay men, including guest houses exclusively for gay men, Camp David in Pretoria, which is a private all-male nude bar, and the bathhouses ” called steam baths or steam saunas ” in Cape Town. As in many areas, gay culture in South Africa centers primarily around activities and establishments for gay men; however, lesbians and families also have many opportunities for fun-filled gay vacations in this culturally- and historically-rich country, including gay-friendly tours organized by companies dedicated to working with the gay and lesbian community.

Gay travelers interested in designing a gay tour around pride celebrations and gay events may want to plan their trip for September, which is South Africa’s gay pride month and offers a full calendar with multiple gay pride events, as well as the Out in Africa South African Gay & Lesbian Film Festival in both Johannesburg and Cape Town, which draws over 16,000 attendees from around the world. Those visiting in December will have the opportunity to experience Cape Towns Mother City Queer Project annual costume party, which draws more than 10,000 visitors. Gay men who enjoy a beach lifestyle will also want to check out Clifton’s Third Beach and Sandy Bay nudist beach, which are very popular spots among gay men in Cape Town. There is also a gay area in Cape Towns Green Point where travelers will find a selection of gay-owned and gay-friendly eateries and establishments, as well as local gay publications like Outright and Exit, which list events and goings on in the area.

Dining options during gay vacations are plentiful with many choices that include options like the gay-owned Lola’s vegetarian caf in Cape Town, dining in an old farmhouse on a 21-acre farm at the Bellgables Country Restaurant in Johannesburg, or fine dining at gay-friendly Emily’s, an award winning Cape Town eatery offering South African cuisine, as well as a beer bar and wine bar.

To ensure a great gay travel experience in South Africa, enlist the assistance of a professional travel agency when planning your trip. Travel agents that regularly organize gay trips to South Africa will have up-to-date information about the best places to stay, eat and play, as well as safety tips for exploring in areas that may not be as accepting.

Exposition written by Howie Holben regarding South Africa and gay travel tours. Spirit Journeys can help with your next gay trip.

Traveling for many is a way of unwinding and recharging their batteries but often at the end of one’s travel there is still a feeling of not feeling satisfied which is when it pays to consider spiritual travel as a means of finding fulfillment. Sometimes, all the Gothic cathedrals in the world and all the lovely Madonna portraits are not enough to lift up your spirits and so it pays to consider traveling to a place where you can find spiritual awakening.

Gay spirituality travel is more than a catch phrase meant to make you seek some far off destination. As a matter of fact, traveling for spiritual reasons is not new because from the very earliest times in our history people have made pilgrimages. Traveling for religious purposes is not a new concept and as far back as in the early 16th century Spanish nationals (Jesuits) used to travel to places such as Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina to build missions where natives would be educated in the Christian religion.

In these modern times, traveling for spiritual reasons has become more popular and there are numerous options to choose from that include going to places other than Yucatan, the Vatican and also Egypt. The best way to lift up your spirits is to travel to places where the surroundings are idyllic and a good example is a Buddhist monastery which is mainly found in Asia though some are also located in Europe and in the United States.

For the real Buddhist spiritual travel experience you ought to consider making Bodhgaya (located in Bihar in India). This is the very place where the revered Lord Buddha sat and obtained enlightenment beneath a huge Bodhi tree. Today, this place has seen a huge Mahabodi Temple complex being constructed here and which is inhabited by Buddhist monks from every part of the world.

This place is exceptional as it provides utmost serenity and it is truly very peaceful. You will come across monks from every corner of the world who too sits beneath a gigantic carved statue of Lord Buddha and who read from the Holy Scriptures and indulge in serious contemplation.

Bodhgaya is really the true home of different Buddhist monasteries that in turn are maintained by some Buddhist monks that have come here from their respective countries. For those people that wish to fly to Bodhgaya there is the close-by airport of Gaya that is just seven miles from here. However, flights arrive here infrequently and whatever flights that do land here are those that are coming from Kolkata.

To get the best out of your visit to Bodhgaya you need to plan your travel during the months November until February. You should also avoid coming here during June up till September which is when the rains lash Bodhgaya and make it hard to do any contemplation.

For those of you who wish to enjoy special gay retreats then a trip to Bodhgaya is certainly a good option and the best time to visit here is after September and before the summer months begin. The best time to come here is however between November and the month of February while months between June and September are the worst times which is when the monsoons hit this part of the world.

Proposals for gay travel penned by Howie Holben. Spirit Journeys provides a gay retreats to remember and a gay adventure travel experience of a lifetime.

Story of Tithing

The origins of tithing can be traced to the Bible, still it is customary among many non-Christians as well as Christians to do some kind of tithing today.

The word tithe has Christian connotations, referring to the contribution of a tenth of one’s income for charitable purposes to Church as a kind of Church giving. Anyway, the idea is a part of most world religions. In Islam the word used for this is ‘Zakat.’ In the Indian religion of Sikhism, there is a rule of keeping apart one-tenth of one’s income for spiritual purposes and it is called ‘Dasvandh.’ The practice has been initiated by the tenth religious head Guru Gobind Singh. According to the Indian scriptures of the Upanisads and the Bhagavadgita, the ‘perfect alms’ are that which is offered with a sense of obligation in a correct place and at a correct time to a deserving person from whom the giver does not expect anything in return.

The origin of the word tithe can be traced to the Hebrew work ‘asair’ which also means to give one-tenth of a thing, generally an individual’s income. Today, tithes, or tithing, is a cash payment and is voluntary in nature. Nevertheless, in certain European countries there is still the provision for enforcing tithing by allowing the church to make it mandatory.

Denmark is a case where the Church of Denmark members have to pay a church tax, which is different in different municipalities. It is commonly about 1% of a person’s taxable income. The situation is similar in Finland where members of state churches have to pay a tax which can be anything between 1% and 2.25% of income and these taxes form a part of the common national taxation system.

Anyway the custom of regular tithes was not instituted until after Exodus. Tithes were popular all across the Near East in olden days, as well as in later Lydia, Carthage and Arabia.

The Hebrew custom of giving tithes finds mention in the Bible, starting with the gift from Abraham to Melchizedek, the Canaanite king and priest (Genesis–:20). Tithing was also common in former Lydia, Carthage and Arabia. The practice of tithing was espoused by the early Christian church, and was discussed in councils at Tours in 567 and at Macon in 585. Formal recognition to these was given under Pope Adrian I in 787.

The practice of tithes in some Christian churches is contentious for the reason that it is putting into operation an Old Testament idea to a New Testament establishment (the Church). No proof is available in the New Testament that tithing can be applied to Christians. Actually, it was mandatory only for Jews living in the promised land to pay the tithe even according to the Old Testament, as it was in practice a form of income tax that was necessary to help not only the government of the then Israel, but also the shrines and the priestly class.

Current day Tithing

In spite of its origins in the Bible and olden day Christianity, nowadays it is a perfect way to give every time you get something. Giving EVERY time you get things is such a perfectly beautiful form of giving as it allows the giver to feel in fullness something indescribably powerful - more on that afterwards.

Let us return to history. That section of the Bible that Christians refer to with regard to tithing is Malachi 3:10. Lots of Christians tithe to their church as they feel that they are under obligation to do so according to the Bible. And many Churches then as well as now insist that their members contribute to the church to help it carry on its activities. In spirit though, if the giving is not done out of free will and with a happy intention, it does not accomplish its proper benefit - if in fact you want to create a proper benefit by the gift.

Disagreements about Tithing

Tithing has often been a controversial subject.The question of should a Christian pay tithe is often raised in many Christian circles.

An article has been published in Wall Street Journal about tithing under the title ‘The Backlash Against Tithing’, in which the writer Suzanne Sataline says, ‘As Churches push donations, congregants balk; ‘that’s not the way God works’.’

Unfortunately, the mix of ideology, desire to control, and a limited perspective, can often create a Jekyll and Hyde result - the simple purity of giving being lost in the mist and confusion of theology. Despite the controversy, tithing is still a totally and amazingly powerful action that anyone can do to turn their lives around to face a more abundant direction.

For those who wish to understand a Christian perspective in tithing there is no limit of materials to read. For those who want to understand the reason WHY tithing is so powerful read on.

Why is Tithing so powerful?

This is indeed a very compelling question because if you just blindly carry on something without any idea of what it indicates, you could be proceeding in the wrong direction.

If more people who regularly tithed knew exactly why tithing works when it is done in the spirit of pure giving, then it would probably unleash a greater desire to give even more. And for those that give irregularly, it could inspire them to give first every time they received.

To see the actual ‘why’ of how proper gifting gives rise to more we have to learn something about Quantum Physics and Quantum Mechanics. The rules that govern these disciplines are unlike those in our physical or Newtonian world.

The film ‘What the Bleep’ explains the quantum world through examples that can be understood by the layman. The link below explains things about how matter turns into waves and acts like fluids when viewed through a quantum physics lens: http://video.yahoo.com/watch/1349535/4653525.

The movie paints the picture of a startling world visible from a quantum space. When a line of electrons is fired through a plate with a cut in it onto a wall - predictably, it would hit the wall straight across the cut in a single line.

If you repeat the experiment but this time using an energy wave that behaves very much like a water wave would do you get a predictable result. As the wave hits the plate it bounces off the place but where the slit exists some of the wave goes through the slit. On the other side of the slit the wave opens out in an arc fashion forming a new wave just like the old experiments you would have done at science school with waves patterns. As the wave hits the wall it hits with the most intensity in the middle right opposite the slit then hits with less intensity all along the wall. This is similar to the line the electrons make.

If one more cut is made in the plate and a wave sent through, the result would again be foreseeable - two lesser waves would emerge through the cuts and when these come into contact with each other, they would stop being separate and would give rise to an interference pattern. Many small waves would then strike against the wall opposite producing a stripped effect. All these are normal behavioural patterns as far as wave energy is concerned and so fully expected.

Now this is where the quantum experiment gets interesting. With the two slits in place if electrons were fired at the plate we would expect to see two lines to be created on the wall. But guess what - instead a stripped affect appears - an interference pattern is created! This is totally unexpected. Somehow the matter had changed into a wave. You would think that electrons were bouncing off each other creating a wave; so then if you fired the electrons one at a time and then see what happens. The result is the same! This can only happen if the electrons leave as a single particle, splits into a wave of potentials when it hits the plate, passes through both splits and then interferes with itself on the other side of the plate. This is simply amazing - matter behaving like a wave - or solid behaving like a liquid. Maybe the world is different to what we think it is after all!

Though the world that we live in appears to be hard and solid, it is perhaps possible that in reality we are living in a place that has more properties of a fluid - liquid energy or persistent movement of a fluid, which reacts more like the fluids in our material world. According to the rules of physics, similar fluids have a tendency to congregate, while those with dissimilar properties tend to diverge and remain separate. A typical example of this is oil and water. Chromatography explains how a single substance can break up into its individual components in clear bands the way groups of people break up into smaller ones with common interests, potencies or aims.

The secret of it all is that when we give we feel delighted and know utmost joy. As a donor we get the best of gifts, which is the gift of contentment. Often we think that it is the one who gets a gift that gets the thing and thus overlook the fact that the giver is the real getter. If anybody is in doubt about this equation, then look at yourself with kids around and observe how intently you feel when you give to them and how much you enjoy irrespective of how they respond.

When we understand that we are first giving to ourselves when we give and that we do this because we want to feel joy then we have a key. This key unlocks the door of understanding to giving. And when we give repeatedly the momentum builds up just like a wave getting bigger and bigger the more we add to it with our giving.

The truth that we feel happy when we gift things alters our power equation fully - we feel good and in that moment we are lovelier to others. Have you ever known a vendor on the street peddling things that we do not want like tissues, which you usually do not buy, but one day you buy and the motive for doing it is just to see that vendor happy and relieved? A similar situation could be seen in relations to buskers playing music at a street corner.

Someone who is joyful exudes a natural attraction that draws others in and in doing so draws in better life experiences. It is simple. They attract to them those who are either wanting to experience that feeling or those who already experience it.

So just like water and oil, givers and non-givers gather in separate areas. And the best place to receive something is in a place where givers hang out! But of course you can only stay in the giving group while you give! Givers love to give to those who give.

We may be able to look at quantum physics for resolving things, but these are very much in front of us all the time. Alike attracts alike - right. See what is going on all over the world. Lions like to be with lions, students like to be with students, women prefer the company of women, guys like other guys, ‘poor’ people prefer to be with ‘poor’ people and ‘rich’ people like to form groups with ‘rich’ people. And yes - givers like to make friends with givers.

So if you every give from guilt then it will have the reverse effect for you - you will attract others feeling guilty and guilt-feeling people are not usually that joyful and happy. Guilt is a short step away from anger emotionally; so people giving from guilt often make the jump in that direction. Where as joy is almost at the top of the ladder of human emotions - and the jump from there is just to love - which we are all looking for.

So when you start giving you are two steps away from love - pretty amazing to think that isn’t it. Especially seeing most people are desperately seeking love. Now we know the answer is simple - go get giving! And of course giving money is just a small part of giving - giving in general will create a space of joy for us, no matter how ’small’.

There is also a psychological aspect to giving regularly. Even though at first this aspect doesn’t seem connected to the emotion of joy - in the end it directly connects us to the feeling of joy.

When we gift a thing - especially a thing which is definitely not in surplus in our lives, we are sending a strong message to ourselves that life is reliable. When we have accomplished the act of giving and afterwards see that act in retrospect we understand that we can form a perfect relationship with that reliability. The opposite of reliability is fright. A group of frightened people are unlikely to be happy and delighted and so will not be able to attract any one. On the contrary, a group of reliable people would be contented and so would be quite appealing to those who are seeking such enriching experiences. At the end of the day, when reliability gets transformed into delight and again we find ourselves very close to that which we yearn most - love.

The sum and substance of what has been ignored for years is fully in front of us for anyone to bond with in finely. For Christmas my son got a good amount of money. I queried him as to what he planned to do with all that money. He replied that he wanted to set aside almost whole of it. Then I enquired how much of it he would like to give to someone. It was something that he had not even taken into account until I introduced the idea. What would be the result if upon receiving anything our first consideration was to give away part of it - do you think we would know delight in abundance?

Transaction based charity - or transaction based generosity

This takes us to the force of transactional giving. Many enterprises give when they have enough of money to give. When they do not have much they do not prefer to give. So their possible levels of joy fluctuate depending upon market variations - they do not have any restraint. But whoever gives EVERY time they get something is in charge and has their relationship with perfect joy forever.

Transactional giving rather than single payments is connected with the ups and downs of profit so it is an easy way of giving. The rule is that whenever you get something you give proportionately - easy. If you have a bad season you might give, but less depending on sales. And when business is better one can give more.

One of the major secrets of transaction based enterprise is that you can partake in the joy of giving so perfectly with all concerned - clients/society - staff - and enterprise. In this scenario customers understand that when they buy something they are also giving though it does not cost them anything other than choosing and shopping with you they feel power of the giving - that is why the traditional CSR - Corporate Social Responsibility, gets transformed into Customer Social Responsibility, with the customer responding perfectly to giving just by appreciating you and have that extra cause, though an elusive one, for preferring to do the shopping with you.

Your staff also get to share in the joy of giving because every time they are personally involved in creating a sale, they know directly they have helped give something to someone in need. This experience is powerful within a team because it can be used in so many ways such as team motivation and staff incentives.

Any venture, even a completely new one with no profit margin, can manage Buy1GIVE1 transaction-based giving - there are no problems in every sense to be part of it and everything is controlled by the business. The payment amount per deal begins from as low as one cent and rises to any large amount the person can decide with every business left to choose their own type of gifting and providing to sustain on the basis of their business type and success. There is simply no justification not to give in this manner when the advantages that ensue from giving are so many. Enterprises that are presently giving to a cause can easily change over very promptly and effortlessly to Buy1GIVE1 transaction-based giving while still helping the same cause giving additional substantial benefits to the venture.

When the game is over business -based giving is a present day form of tithing that is practical and possible for anyone, at any place. Now that we realise that it is not about the actual money that we give such as a tenth of the income, but only the fact that we are gifting it that makes the change. When we enter the fraternity of donors we move into a special and fortunate world that only those who give to others are allowed to enter. And unless you start giving today itself, you just may not start doing it and might never will till you start. So begin today.

‘We’re not here to gift in order ‘to take.’ We want more to be able to give more.

Discover more about how Buy1GIVE1 (BOGO) can transform your business using Cause Marketing.

Christianity is at a crossroad and the Christian community is at risk of losing its power to fight back. But we’ve been at crossroads several times through the two millennia we’ve been around.

Why are we at risk of losing this power to fight back? Well, people are more prone to question the authenticity of the bible and the relevance of the Christian faith than they had in the past.

The last few years have seen a plethora of information mainly in books and movies that have attacked the Christian faith. These attacks are designed to debase the Christian God that we serve as divine and the ruler of everything and replace it with the accepted view of today.

They tend to attack the bible, the main source of the Christian faith, by writing scholarly works that point out the incorrectness of the gospels. They argue that the gospels were written long after the crucifixion and therefore legends would have already developed by the time they were written.

Popular books and movies also attack everything the bible and the Christian faith stand for. They find new ways to point out why long held scholarly beliefs in passages in the bible are not to be interpreted in the traditional fashion but must be reinterpreted in a new light.

Contemporary attackers of the Christian faith are determining the way in which the public view the Christian faith. Their success is due in large part to the public being pre-exposed to Darwinism and other ideas that explain away the need for the Christian faith.

Modern scholars are discouraging Christians particularly those who are educated. The goal is to debase the Christian God to irrelevance and finally claim victory over this long religious odyssey.

The school environment has always been our home court where we could influence what our kids learn. Now they are being forced to accept Darwinism over creationism through curriculums that have been specifically designed to demote Christianity.

Until Christians worldwide begin to fight collectively we will reach a point where we lose the battle. It is time to wake up and fight the good fight for it is a battle we cannot afford to lose.

Samuel Brown writes about christianity on the Internet. His website the christian, christianity and christians is chock full of information on christianity. Visit to learn more.

Italy is a land of art, history, architecture, romance and Vespas. Italys exceptional scenery, rich history and deeply entrenched culture have made this enticing country a popular destination for both straight and gay travel, as well as a popular setting for books, movies and plays. Singles, couples, families and groups of friends flock to Italy throughout the year for the fashion, the food and some of the most famous art and architecture in the world. Whether your ideal gay travel holiday includes meandering narrow, ancient roads in Rome or Venice, languid drives through the countryside searching for lesser known historical sites and visiting wineries, wiling away an afternoon in a museum in Florence or experiencing Milans enticing nightlife, Italy is an ideal destination for gay vacations.

Folks looking for gay travel experiences in Italy will find the largest selection of gay clubs and bars in Milan and Rome; however, Florence, Venice, Bologna, Geneva and Padua, as well as other cities and towns frequented by tourists, also have gay-friendly and gay-owned bars and businesses that provide a welcoming environment for visitors on an Italian gay vacation. Travelers will find gay-friendly and gay-owned hotels throughout the country, including Tuscanys gay-owned La Quircia Rosa and Villa le Masse, and gay-friendly Hotel Porta Rossa, which is only a short stroll from the Galleria dellAccademia, which houses Michelangelos David and is the one of the oldest hotels in Italy.

There is a large gay and lesbian presence in each of Italys larger urban areas providing many options for your gay vacation to Italy, particularly Rome, Florence, Bologna and Milan, with Milan being generally accepted as the most gay-friendly Italian City and among the most popular destinations for gay vacations. Gay pride events take place throughout the country and there are a few large gay and lesbian film festivals, including the Turin International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, the Festival del Cinema Gay Lesbico e della Cultura Queer in Milan and the Florence Queer Festival.

If one the goals for your gay travel experience in Italy is to experience as much of the history, art and culture as possible during your stay, tours are an absolute necessity. Participating in organized gay vacations or working with a travel agency to schedule tours for your private travel group will help you make the most out of your time in Italy.

Whether you go to Italy for the food, the art, the wine, the history or the legends, there is bound to be a tour related to your interests and this really is the best way to take in all that Italy has to offer. Another tip for utilizing your time in Italy well is to book museum reservations ahead of time whenever possible. Italy is well-known for its remarkable museums and this will save you from standing in some very long lines.

Howie Holben, the author of this article about gay travel adventures to Italy has traveled fro many years. His organzation, Spirit Journeys, operates spiritually oriented gay holidays and retreats all over the the world. Learn more about Howie, his work and Spirit Journeys at www.spiritjourneys.com.

What the Universal Law of Attraction says is that the things that come into our life are a result of our thoughts being focused on them so we can attract good or bad things.

Usually we do not plan to attract things into our life. Our daily thoughts are focused on the issues we are dealing with and we are trying to work through the problems we have. When we focus on our problems and that is where are thoughts are always at we are likely to attract more of the same into our lives.

It’s like your mind is a magnet and you can’t help but attract things, good and bad things. Magnets also do not try to draw metals to them, it just happens. We are always attracting things into our lives even if we are totally unaware that it is happening. This is even true when we are sleeping. The things we attract are those that we are focused on. If you focus on the things you do not have than you will have more experiences of NOT having those things. If you focus on the things you love instead than those things will be attracted into your life.

Your mind is a very powerful thing and when you use it to focus on the things you want in your life you have the power to draw these good things into your life.

For example, if you want to change something in your life, if you want to become more attractive, confident or creative, if you want to attract love or wealth into your life- download and use Subliminal Flash software. It imprints positive affirmations in your subconscious mind. Subliminal Flash users are like walking magnets, they attract prosperity and success.

Have you heard the old Proverb from the bible that says “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he”? The unique thing about this proverb is how the refer to thinking with the heart when we are used to thinking with our minds. If you think with your heart you send out signals to the Universe and the Universe will respond to your thoughts and desires.

The heart is where your power really is because that is the part of your body that can communicate with the Universe. The heart is magnetic and draws to it what it wants and focuses on.

It is like we are a radio and we are changing the station frequently. When we leave the radio, or our heart, on a specific station, that is the signals that go out into the Universe.

To get less of the things you do not want in your life, you need to be on the correct frequency so your signals to the Universe are about things you DO want.

The Art of Deliberate Attraction can be broken down into three items:

1. Understanding and really knowing what it is you want in your life. 2. Tuning your heart and mind together so they send out the right signals to the Universe. 3. Being open to receiving the things you ask for.

Many of us miss the chance to use the contrasts in our lives to fine tune our thoughts and desires and focus more on the things we truly desire. You should pay attention the the contrasts in your life and use what you learn to refine your focus. It is not easy because we are used to talking about and thinking about the things we are unhappy with in our life not focusing on the good.

Being open to receiving the things you ask for is sometimes the hardest part of all. We often miss opportunities to get the things we want because we do not believe in ourselves or in the power of the Universe. We hang on to negative thoughts and emotions.

The thing we all need to do is to open our hearts and minds and believe in the power of the Universal Law of Attraction.

More often than not people will identify themselves by their body. With labels of tall, short, thin, muscular, curvy, healthy, and unhealthy and the like, there are actually very few who are able to step outside of these ‘traditional’ definitions we have adopted so readily. Our flesh holds a blessed vehicle for us to carry with us our personal joys and troubles, our victories and our challenges.

Why not take supreme and ultimate care of the wonderful vehicle your body actually is, instead of defining it, allowing that definition of tall or short, thin or curvy, to completely rule how you ultimately decide to treat your body?

We are going to use a common metaphor to relate to the human body. We will use a car as an example. They both happen to be vehicles which can last quite a long time if properly looked after and cared for. It makes no matter what style or model your car is, as long as it gets you from point A to point B. The same will apply to your body, as long as you take care of it.

How Do You Treat Your Car And How Do You Treat Your Body?

Often our cars receive better treatment than we do our very own bodies. From premium gas (no matter how much more expensive it is) to the scheduled cleaning on a regular basis, our automobiles are living the good life so to speak. Meanwhile, we are filling our bodies with junk food lacking in nutritional value, as well as not taking the time or money for basic care for our body and soul.

When our body gives us nudges such as pings and knocks and other loud, unavoidable signals when something is required, we tend to ignore it. However, the slightest sniffle or shimmy coming from underneath the hood of the car sends us immediately to our mechanic for diagnosis and treatment.

You might be thinking ‘but it’s dangerous to ignore these sounds from your car.” This is true, squeaking brakes or a grinding noise from the rear axel could cause an accident. However, the sounds and signals your body gives you are just as dangerous. We’ve all heard the horror stories about a friend or family member who ignored the signs and then it was too late.

Instead of continuing to follow this path, appreciate whatever shape, form and situation your body is in. It has taken you where you have needed to go, and so far hasn’t let you down. Embrace your healthy whole body as of right now, because while you are much more than your body itself, you just can’t exist and experience life without it.

Some Questions to Consider:

Your car will be unable to run or take you where you want to go without putting in the right grade of fuel. Are you running on empty? Using the best fuel? If you’re not, begin today to make small changes. Drink more water, replace empty calories with nutrients. Feed your body well and it’ll take you far.

Are you paying attention to the check engine light blinking on your dashboard? We’re talking about self care here, are you setting time aside for yourself, getting regular checkups, and striving for some kind of balance. You don’t have to schedule a weekly massage or a thousand dollar spa spending spree, if you can of course go for it. However, you can take a walk, take a candle lit bubble bath, spend time playing board games with your friends and family - there are a lot of ways to step back and enjoy your life, find balance, and take care of the signals your body is sending you.

It makes sense to take care of yourself in all the ways that you know how and are able to. You can wait until your car breaks down to get it repaired or you can choose regular maintenance, following up right away when you notice a rattle, a chug in the engine, wiper blades that don’t clear the windshield, any malfunction.

Finally, when the tread gets thin on your tires, you replace them right? What about when your tread gets thin? We all need to take time to evaluate our lives, where we are and where we’re going. Our needs change over time and if we ignore these changing needs we ignore who we are - not a good thing for our health or our happiness.

The next time you’re at the gas pumps or washing the car, take a step back and remember if it wasn’t for the divine vehicle you take residence in - your own body, you wouldn’t be able to do any of these things. Make sure you take care of it; it’s the only one you’ll ever get.