Do Not Allow Others to be in Control of Your Career and Life

Do Not Allow Others to be in Control of Your Career and Life  By Harrison Barnes  Several years ago, I bought a car that formerly belonged to a very heavy smoker.  By the looks of the interior, the car had been exposed to smoke for at least 8 hours a day for over a decade when I finally got it.  My first order of business when I purchased the car was to put in a new stereo.  As I sat in the waiting room of the stereo store, I heard someone scream and then saw all of the guys installing car stereos run over to my new car.  A few moments later I discovered what the commotion was all about.  The car had been exposed to so much cigarette smoke that even the car stereo wires inside the dashboard were covered in thick nicotine goo.  Needless to say, this experience was quite embarrassing and I immediately decided I needed to clean this car as well as possible.  It was a health hazard. For days I tried one remedy after another to attack the cigarette smell and stains on the seats, visors, and other portions of the interior.  In order to save money, I did my best to clean the car myself but it was a futile exercise.  At some point, when nothing seemed to be working, I splashed some industrial "concentrated" bathroom air freshener I had bought deep in the heart of Detroit, all over the cloth surfaces of the car.  For reasons I have never understood, the carpets, interior door panels, and the seats never fully dried from the air cleaner incident.  The interior of the car took on a "sheen" and had a "light slime" touch.  This was not the real problem though. The biggest problem was that I had failed to dilute the air freshener with water as recommended on the bottle (1 part air freshener to 100 parts water). What a mistake.  After at least a week trying to clean my car on my own—and spending countless quarters in self-serve car washes, an excess of $200 on renting a steam cleaner from the grocery store and on exotic car soaps and air fresheners, I finally decided to take the car to a car wash and pay $150 to get the car professionally detailed. I sat watching on a bench while a young guy did all of the work on the car.  He was in his early 20s and had one of those rocker looks.  He had long black hair, was medium height and was extremely thin and pale.  He worked on the car for at least six hours and was extremely detail oriented and a very hard worker.  At the time, I had an asphalt business and was paying people around $20-an hour.  I could not believe the enthusiasm with which he was working.  I thought immediately about hiring him. "How much are you making here?" I asked him. "Oh, I make below minimum wage—but I get paid in cash.  I have a good boss, though, and he has promised me that if I do a good job over the summer here he will give me a raise by winter." "How long have you worked here?" I asked. "Two years," he told me. At the time the minimum wage was around $5.00 an hour.  I was a little taken back.  For as hard as he was working, he clearly deserved more money. "Wow.  I have an asphalt business and I could pay you $20 an hour," I told him.  I then discussed the work. "No, that's a bad idea," he said.  "My boss would be very angry with me—the last thing I would want to do would be to upset him." One of the most significant differences between people in the world is this: Some people feel that they control the events around them and others feel they are controlled by events.  In the case of the guy in the car wash, he clearly did not feel in control over his life—he was giving his life and work to someone who was grossly underpaying him and with little rhyme or reason. About five years later, I went by the car wash during the day and saw he was still detailing cars there.  I'm assuming that he was still afraid of upsetting his boss. An important and crucial decision you need to make for your life is whether you choose to be controlled by events and others—or the other way around.  Nothing is more empowering than deciding you want to be in control.  You control your environment and everything that happens to you.  There are no mysterious forces at work that can ever compete with your desire for a better life or career.  Employers, social circles, and other groups often thrive on the illusion that they—and not you—are in control of your future.  This is something that is necessary for all groups to survive—but it is a complete fallacy.  In reality, you are always in control and have always been in control. I live across the street from at least 2 drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers in Malibu.  These rehabilitation centers are nothing more than ocean view houses staffed with a cook, a few therapists who come and go, someone who sits in the house watching television overnight for $12/hour in case there are any problems, cleaning staff, and some fitness equipment.  Yoga instructors and personal trainers also stop by on a daily basis.  I found out recently that these centers charge between $50,000 and $75,000 a month for people to visit them and receive treatment.  Most people are urged to stay more than one month. I agree that substance abuse is a serious problem and needs to be treated—but I have heard from my own massage therapist (who works there) and at least a few others that these organizations thrive on making many people feel that they lack control over their own lives—the organization steps in and profits by people's belief that they lack control.  For example, at one center, months after many people leave, they are encouraged to spend tens of thousands of dollars a month to have someone live with them and watch them 24 hours a day. Many people when they start looking for a job, feel at the mercy of employers and as if employers are in control.  This thought process is based on a self esteem issue that I feel gives employers more control over their future than they deserve.  I have known people who have sat around for years waiting for a job to appear and rarely applying to jobs.  This makes no sense.  If you need a job, you need to realize that no one is more in control of finding you a job than you are. You can apply to jobs in different states (or countries).  You can strengthen your resume every spare second you get.  You can apply to jobs above your skill level—and below your skill level.  You can work the phones and call people.  You can resubmit your resume for jobs again and again.  You can network every chance you get.  You can work on your fitness so you look better for interviews. All that any of these suggestions above represent is you taking control.  I could fill over 1,000 pages of one-line suggestions of how you can take control.  You need to take control and not the other way around. Believing that others are in control of our lives may permeate every area of our life.   Take healthcare for example.  There are chiropractors, acupuncturists, herbalists, medical doctors, osteopaths, and many, many more.  All of these people function and make their living, in part, by fostering the idea that we lack control. Over a decade ago, I used to chew tobacco. One day during a physical my doctor suggested I quit.  He prescribed some nicotine gum and then made me come back every 30 days for a consultation and to get a new prescription.  I did this for six months and then one day I said to myself: "This is stupid.  All I need to do is stop—there is no reason to pay this guy $90 a month and buy this stupid gum.  All I need to do is stop.  I am in control." I stopped in one day and it was painless. If you ever go see a chiropractor, they will generally recommend a course of treatment for years—even in cases where you no longer need it.  Dentists recommend a cleaning every six months.  Many doctors will operate on your heart instead of spending time with you lecturing you about healthy living (where this might be more effective).  I know someone who had had at least 5 open-heart surgeries and whose doctor has never recommended any change in their diet. Many lawyers are the same way.  They foster a belief that we lack control over the outcomes and results we get—and they thrive on this.  If you do not take control, your career and life will always fit into someone else's plan for you.  Which is better-someone else's plan, or your own?  You need to realize that the second you take control and decide what you are going to do for yourself, everything will change—and it will change in an instant. In most offices and workplaces, the impression is given to the staff that their future is at the mercy of supervisors, management, and others. To some extent this is true; however, it is never completely true.  Do you even know how marketable you are? If you are not that marketable, do you know what you need to do to take control of your career and to be more marketable? You need to understand that it is the best interest of people "in power" to foster the illusion for you that they are in control and not you.  You need to assume control over your career and life. Related posts: Upgrade Your Career and Life by Finding Work to Be Done How to Count in Your Career and Life Ferraris Crashing Into Poles and the Importance of Focus in Your Life and Career

THIS MESSAGE AND ITS ATTACHMENTS ARE CONFIDENTIAL AND MAY BE PROTECTED BY ATTORNEY/CLIENT PRIVILEGE. IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS EMAIL IN ERROR PLEASE NOTIFY THE SENDER IMMEDIATELY AND DELETE AND DESTROY THE MESSAGE AND ITS ATTACHMENTS. If you were an intended recipient as a client, co-counsel or retained consultant, you should maintain the e-mail's contents in strict confidence. Tyler M. Moore, PLC. Thanks. 

Nothing more than this moment

"One can appreciate & celebrate each moment - there's nothing more sacred. There's nothing more vast or absolute. In fact, there's nothing more!"

 

~Pema Chödrön

JESUS' DEATH must read!

60 seconds with God... For the next 60 seconds, set aside whatever you're doing and take this opportunity! Let's see if Satan can stop this.   THE (SCIENTIFIC) DEATH OF JESUS   At the age of 33, Jesus was condemned to the death penalty.   At the time crucifixion was the "worst" death. Only the worst criminals condemned to be crucified. Yet it was even more dreadful for Jesus, unlike other criminals condemned to death by crucifixion, Jesus was to be nailed to the cross by His hands and feet.   Each nail was 6 to 8 inches long.   The nails were driven into His wrist. Not into His palms as is commonly portrayed. There's a tendon in the wrist that extends to the shoulder. The Roman guards knew that when the nails were being hammered into the wrist, that tendon would tear and break, forcing Jesus to use His back muscles to support himself so that He could breathe.   Both of His feet were nailed together. Thus He was forced to support Himself on the single nail that impaled His feet to the cross. Jesus could not support himself with His legs because of the pain, so He was forced to alternate between arching His back then using his legs just to continue to breathe. Imagine the struggle, the pain, the suffering, the courage.   Jesus endured this reality for over 3 hours.   Yes, over 3 hours! Can you imagine this kind of suffering? A few minutes before He died, Jesus stopped bleeding. He was simply pouring water from his wounds.   From common images, we see wounds to His hands and feet and even the spear wound to His side... But do we realize His wounds were actually made in his body. A hammer driving large nails through the wrist, the feet overlapped and an even large nail hammered through the arches, then a Roman guard piercing His side with a spear. But before the nails and the spear, Jesus was whipped and beaten. The whipping was so severe that it tore the flesh from His body. The beating so horrific that His face was torn and his beard ripped from His face. The crown of thorns cut deeply into His scalp. Most men would not have survived this torture.   He had no more blood to bleed out, only water poured from His wounds. The human adult body contains about 3.5 liters (just less than a gallon) of blood.   Jesus poured all 3.5 liters of his blood; He had three nails hammered into His members; a crown of thorns on His head and, beyond that, a Roman soldier who stabbed a spear into His chest.   All these without mentioning the humiliation He passed after carrying His own cross for almost 2 kilometers, while the crowd spat in his face and threw stones (the cross was almost 30 kg of weight, only for its higher part, where His hands were nailed).   Jesus had to endure this experience, so that you can have free access to God.   So that your sins could be "washed" away. All of them, with no exception! Don't ignore this situation.   JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR YOU!   For you, who now read this e-mail. Do not believe that He only died for others (those who go to church or for pastors, bishops, etc).   He died for you! It is easy to pass jokes and false witness statements by e-mail, but when it comes to God, sometimes you feel ashamed to forward to others because you are worried of what they may think about you.   Accept the reality, the truth that JESUS IS THE ONLY SALVATION FOR THE WORLD.   God has plans for you, show all your friends what He experienced to save you. Now think about this! May God bless your life! 60 seconds with God...   For the next 60 seconds, set aside what you're doing and take this opportunity! Let's see if Satan can stop this.   All you have to do is:   1.  Simply pray for the person who sent this message to you:   2. Then, send this message to 10 people... More if you wish.   3. 10 people will pray for you and you will make that many people pray to God for other people.   4. Take a moment to appreciate the power of God in your life, for doing what pleases Him.   If you are not ashamed to do this, please, follow Jesus' instructions. He said (Matthew 10:32 & 33): "Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before My Father in heaven; but whosoever denies Me before others, I also will deny before My Father in heaven."   If you believe, send this message... But send it only if you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.   Yes, I love God. He is my source of life and my Savior. He keeps me alive day and night.   Without Him, I am nothing, but with Him "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13.

Careful planning

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

"Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run; hurry and scurry puts you further behind"
(Proverbs 21:5, The Message)

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

It's amazing how taking a few minutes at the start of each day to plan and set your thoughts in the right direction can help you get ahead and empower you to accomplish so much more.

But too often, people get so caught up in the activity of life that they tend to just "go with the flow" instead. Of course, I'm not saying we shouldn't be flexible, but when it comes to your life, you should be the one setting the flow. Of course, unexpected things happen. Our days won't always go according to plan, but if you'll take time each day to set your heart and mind in the right direction, you'll be equipped for whatever comes your way!

Today I encourage you, make plans to start your day right and set your thoughts in the right direction. Put God first place. Let Him guide you and order your steps. Even if it's just five minutes a day, make spending time with Him a habit. Plan your day with Him because careful planning is the way to get ahead.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, right now, I dedicate my days to You. I choose to put You first place in everything that I do. Give me the strength to make wise choices and teach me to listen to Your voice always. I bless You and honor You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

 

2012 Toolkit from www.timeofthesixthsun.com (LL)

From: Outgoing/Gary Sycalik <Outgoing_2008@ibsail.com>
To: Outgoing/Gary Sycalik <Outgoing_2008@ibsail.com>
Cc:
Sent: Monday, February 7, 2011 5:48 AM
Subject: 2012 Toolkit from www.timeofthesixthsun.com (LL)

… fyi…..

 

By sending this email to you, I am not inferring that the information below is correct, however something very significant is happening in, and on, our world…. a far reaching transition of some kind, and it seems, to me, appropriate to align with it in some way.  Perhaps the information below might be helpful as a tool to think-feel about it.  I offer it to you in the spirit of independent exploration.  Somewhere, someone has information relevant to current changes occurring in our solar system and on our planet.  Perhaps, you have found it, or will find it!

 

Walk in blessings,

 

Gary

 

http://www.timeofthesixthsun.com/index.php/6th-sun-guide/2012-toolkit

 

2012 TOOLKIT

SYMPTOMS & REMEDIES

 

We have now entered a highly volatile period, full of both potential and hazards.
The Earth's magnetic field is changing it's configuration.

 

There is a breach in the magnetosphere which surrounds the Earth, protecting it from solar winds.
This is a naturally occurring cycle but the magnitude of this opening is huge, and is allowing and will continue
to allow large volumes of plasma from the sun to enter our atmosphere.  This will increase magnetic storms, disruptions of telecommunications and the bio-electric circuitry such as the human nervous systems.
The increased charging of the magnetosphere will increase over the next few years.

 

Our subtle energy bodies or etheric body, known by the ancient Egyptians as the KA body,
is highly sensitive to and affected by solar plasma. This increase in solar plasma
also increases the vibatory rate of the KA body which is wonderful if one is consciously on the path of ascension,
but for others it can lead to disturbances and dissolution.  

This list of symptoms and remedies  are to help those of us challenged by the symptoms of the ascension transition.

 

(Ascension in this sense means the upwards movement  in our conscioiusness. As we ascend, both our perspective
and perception is radically altered as we begin to see through the maya or illusion of this world, which is created
through the dance of subatomic particles into a configuration of matter.  Through the ascension process
we realize that we are the creator of our experience, which we call "the world."  In this way, we have transcended the world,
while still being a part of it, for you see through the  lens of perception that life is a movie that you are projecting.)

 

Symptoms of ascension may include:

 

Apathy
Duvet days take on a whole new meaning. The body system is probably rebooting and needs to rest and recoup.
Trust that the body knows best .

Ungrounded
As we step out of the old 'denser' us, a feeling of being unconnectedness and of observing ourselves from the outside can ensue.
This can be accompanied by an overwhelming feeling of wanting to go home, to return to the source.

Dizziness
Dizziness, loss of balance, back and neck pain, ringing in the ears, "gritty" eyes and blurred vision are all common.

Headaches
Cranial pressure can lead to a feeling of being squeezed, compressed and boxed in. 
A result of trying to squeeze 5D into 3D.

Sensitivity
Heightened sensitivity to one's environment like crowds, noise and smells overstimulates the senses.

Crying
Crying about everything and anything.  Often nothing to do with us personally but is a clearing of the lower realms.
Emotional rollercoaster of ups and downs is a release as we make space for the new energy.

Fatigue
As the body loses it's density, it goes through periods of restructuring resulting in intense fatigue at times.

Loss of Apetite
As one's body adjusts to a new higher state of being, one may lose the desire for food.
Clean air and pure water are more desirable.

Weight Gain
Difficult to lose weight gain, Low Blood Sugar attacks and a craving for protein are all symptoms of this time.
A huge amount of fuel is required for this stage of ascension.

Insanity
During spiritual emergences, this can often become an emergency as one opens to several dimensions simultaneously.
The usual filters that keep us in the third density can open, leaving us vulnerable.  

Depression
Living in a higher state may leave one feeling out of alignment with one's outer world
which can feel both frightening and depressing.

Aches & Pains
Due to the body purifying and releasing blocked three dimensional energy as you enter higher vibrational fields.

 

Insomnia
Inability to sleep especially between the hours of 2am – 4am are signs of the body realigning itself.

Loss of Memory
At a loss for words?  Short term memory loss is not uncommon either as one travels between the dimensions. 
No longer time to dwell in the past, being present is the way of the  'now age'.

Seeing Things
That which resides beyond the veil of illusion is making itself visible to us now as we raise our vibration.
As one dares to step into the void, see what becomes visible.

Difficult Relationships
As we start to disconnect from the denser energy fields, one can develop an intolerance to l
those that dwell in the lower vibrational fields.

Stress / Anxiety
Heart palpitations, difficulty breathing, panic attacks and feelings of hysteria can be the result of the ego letting go of itself
and the loss of old behaviour patterns.  Can feel like a part of you is dying…and you'd be right…it is.

Dreams
Erratic and often violent dreams persist as many lifetimes are released.
Prolific dreaming is not uncommon in this time as one cleanses and releases on an unconscious level.

Night Sweats
Hot flushes can occur as one's body burns off denser energies.

Deep Sleep
Periods of  falling asleep at strange times in the day should not be alarming. 
The body is acclimatising itself as it integrates the transition.

Expansiveness
As one's frequency increases, a feeling of space and expansion prevails.
This is one of the more pleasant symptoms of a raised vibrational field.

 

Now here are some practical tips from the world's wisdom keepers of how we can raise
our personal vibration in order to help with' transition symptoms' :

MEDITATION
TM focused meditation has had amazing results in affecting the reality of the world around us.
15-30 minutes meditation practise a day can help one to slow down and centre oneself.  It is also very energising for the body.
This will help to raise the frequency of  one's mind, body & spirit.

VIPASSANA
This is an extended period spent in silent meditation when one can undergo the process of seeing what lies beyond the silence.

WORDS & THOUGHTS
Non violent communication (NVC) is an opportunity to communicate with our fellow man with greater compassion and clarity. 
We create what we think and as we commit our thoughts and words into the ether, we give them life.   Be careful what you ask for…
A positive attitude in both word and deed will most definitely raise one's vibrational field.

THE BREATH
To find a practise where one focuses on the simplicity of the rise and fall of the  breath can also be extremely beneficial.
Inhale into the belly and then exhale. This is known as 'babies breath'.

SINGING
A wonderful way to uplift the spirit and one of the fastest ways to bring joy into the body.
A fast track way to raise the Wei Chi  meridian  which directly affects the health of the heart. 
Chanting mantras enable one to connect to the divine and create transformation in one's life. 
For example, chanting "I am a joyful manifestation of divine consciousness" can directly affect our vibrational field.

SACRED SOUND
We are all vibration.
Listening to or chanting solfeggio frequencies for example can have profound effects in one's life. 
These frequencies were found in the Book of Numbers in the Bible and were sung by the Gregorian Monks to call in the divine.
One of these frequencies is 528Hz,  also used by today's biophysicists for DNA cell repair.  It is also known as the frequency of LOVE.  

DANCING
Dance is medicine for the soul and an expression of our true self. An opportunity to unwind and release the stresses held in the body.
Get in touch with one's inner passion and connect deeply with the divine consciousness that guides us.

WATER
If you can access water from a pure fresh spring, well or bore hole…and always be watchful of who you meet at the well.
That would be the best source of water but there are many fine filters around which will help to clean
and revitalise the water too.   Storing your water in and drinking from blue glass, restructures the water.
Sing into the water. Place it into a crystal bowl each morning and sound the bowl.  Bless it.  Put notes of intention beneath it. 
Speak your prayers to it.  Do your puja with it.
And then drink it…..and feel it nourish and nurture you.  That is the greatest blessing.

DIET
An alkaline, live and organic diet would be your best bet.  In fact to eat bio-dynamically would be the optimum. 
This is where the crops have been blessed in a process that connects heaven and earth,  and where seeds have been reaped
and sown by the moon and the stars.  You can also be assured in this way too that your food has not been interfered with or refined in
any way. Do not microwave your food. Eat as little refined foods as possible. Avoid as much processed/dead foods possible and above all.
Bless your food.

UTENSILS
Whether this is to till the earth or to place in your mouth, it is always best to use wood or ceramic utensils. 
Cutting through the ground with a big steel blade has a very different effect on the soil than using a copper blade.
The ultimate is to eat with silver cutlery.  Being born with a silver spoon in your mouth means a lot more than just being
born rich.  It means that you used to have less risk of infection or  a virus as silver is a natural anti-biotic.

HOUSING
By building sustainably with eco materials, you minimise the risk of poisoning your body with unwanted toxins.
Minimise the use of plastic and metals and asbestos in your home. Avoid glues and all chemical products if possible.
Use organic paints. Try to avoid sleeping in a 'sprung' mattress and choose instead either a futon or memory foam.
Solar panels, Underfloor heating panels, good insulation and wind/water power are all a plus.
If your home is based on sacred geometry, this is the optimum for raising your frequency.

CLOTHING
Natural fibres are the best like Hemp, Silk and Cotton. 
Sew prayers or blessings into your clothing labels.

JEWELLERY
Avoid wearing metal jewellery if possible as this can interfere with your  flow of energy around the body.
Crystals are the optimum jewellery to wear as these enhance your electromagnetic field and raise your vibration .

MOBILE PHONES
Mobile phones, Bluetooth, WiFi and computers should really be kept to a minimum, especially in the areas where you sleep.
These items can cause cancer and alter our DNA.  Try to wear a  personal EMPower plate or a similar device to protect yourself
and your home from these potentially harmful radiation.   Don't choose to live anywhere near a phone mast or aerial if you can
possibly help it. Don't use your mobile for more than a minute of so and keep away from your head and body.

CLEANSING & PURIFYING
Shower or bathe daily.  Himalayan salts are great to draw out the toxins from the body and to replace salt lost whilst
sweating. Taking a shower will release the stress from the body, literally washing it away. Adding essential oils
in the water can boost the immune system, increase the body's vitality. Avoid applying chemicals directly to the scalp
for obvious reasons.   Conserve water when you can and when brushing your teeth, avoid toothpaste with fluoride in it
as this is a major (not a minor), a major tranquiliser.  

HEALING
If you are suffering with a degenerative dis-ease, only confide in those around you who have total belief
that you have the power to heal yourself.  Do not surround yourself with those that are in fear
or those who are cynical as it will be less likely to help your recovery.
Be discerning in whom you seek help from.
Listen to your intuition and know
that only YOU can heal YOU.

MASSAGE / THERAPY
It is good to get regular healthy touch. 
If you can't afford it.  Exchange it.

COMMUNITY
Surround yourself with like-minded souls.  Find a community which supports co-creative ideas about living. 
There are more and more transition towns or towns in transition which means that they care about keeping the towns'
carbon footprint to a minimum.  Car share where possible and ride a bike – it's  good exercise too.
Share seeds.  Share ideas.  Share your dreams.

FRIENDS
Again, only surround yourself with positive and supportive individuals. Choose good role models.  Aspire to be like them. 
Find a great mentor and have a councellor so that you don't bore your friends. Do good deeds.  Be kind.  Help others.
Treat others as you would want them to treat you.

NATURE
Raise your vibration by being in nature regularly.  Get your hands into the earth.  Grow your own food or herbs
if you lack the space.  Breathe in good fresh air in wooded areas where there are good amounts of oxygen levels.
Take time to reconnect with Mother Nature.  Love her.  Love God.  Love ourselves.
Remember:  She is our  Mother and she is our teacher.     
Feel her vibration…and then feel it within you….rising higher and higher and higher

ATTITUDE
Live in truth and honesty  - about all things.
Be positive.  Always think the best of people.  Drop the judgements.
Above all – Love All.

 

 

 

 

I THINK THIS GUY HAS IT ALL COVERED

From: Linda Smith <lsmith01@tds.net>

I THINK THIS GUY HAS IT ALL COVERED. I COULDN'T SPOT ANYTHING HE LEFT OUT. Amen to this, I can't think of a thing I'd change about this statement!       I am a White, Conservative, Tax-Paying, American Veteran, Gun Owning Biker. I am a Master leather worker. I work hard and long hours with my hands to earn a living. I believe in God and the freedom of religion, but I don't push it on others. I ride Harley Davidson Motorcycles, and drive American-made cars, and I believe in American products and buy them whenever I can. I believe the money I make belongs to me and not some liberal governmental functionary, Democratic or Republican, that wants to share it with others who don't work! I'm in touch with my feelings and I like it that way! I think owning a gun doesn't make you a killer; it makes you a smart American. I think being a minority does not make you noble or victimized, and does not entitle you to anything. Get over it! I believe that if you are selling me a Big Mac or any other item, you should do it in English. I believe there should be no other language option. I believe everyone has a right to pray to his or her God when and where they want to.      My heroes are Malcolm Forbes, Bill Gates, Ronald Regan, John Wayne, Babe Ruth, Roy Rogers, and Willie G. Davidson, who makes the awesome Harley Davidson Motorcycles. I don't hate the rich. I don't pity the poor. I know wrestling is fake and I don't waste my time watching or arguing about it. I've never owned a slave, nor was I a slave. I haven't burned any witches or been persecuted by the Turks, and neither have you! I believe if you don't like the way things are here, go back to where you came from and change your own country! This is AMERICA ...We like it the way it is and more so the way it was ...so stop trying to change it to look like Russia or China , or some other socialist country! If you were born here and don't like it... you are free to move to any Socialist country that will have you.  (And take Barack Hussein Obama and his group with you.)   Massachusetts started the ball rolling.  Keep it going. I believe it is time to really clean house, starting with the White House, the seat of our biggest problems. I want to know which church is it, exactly, where the Reverend Jesse Jackson preaches, where he gets his money, and why he is always part of the problem and not the solution? Can I get an AMEN on that one? I also think the cops have the right to pull you over if you're breaking the law, regardless of what color you are, but not just because you happen to ride a bike. And, no, I don't mind having my face shown on my driver's license. I think it's good... And I'm proud that 'God' is written on my money.. I think if you are too stupid to know how a ballot works, I don't want you deciding who should be running the most powerful nation in the world for the next four years. I dislike those people standing in the intersections trying to sell me stuff or trying to guilt me into making 'donations' to their cause....  Get a job and do your part to support yourself and your family! I believe that it doesn't take a village to raise a child, it takes two parents.... I believe 'illegal' is illegal no matter what the lawyers think! I believe the American flag should be the only one allowed in AMERICA ! If this makes me a BAD American, then yes, I'm a BAD American. If you are a BAD American too, please forward this to everyone you know.... We want our country back!    My Country..... I hope this offends all illegal aliens. My great, great, great, great grandfather watched and bled as his friends died in the Revolution & the War of 1812.  My great, great, great grandfather watched as his friends died in the Mexican American War.  My great, great grandfather watched as his friends & brothers died in the Civil War.  My great grandfather watched as his friends died in the Spanish-American War. My grandfather watched as his friends died in WW I. My father watched as his friends died in WW II. I watched as my friends died in   Vietnam , Panama & Desert Storm. My son watched & bled as his friends died in Afghanistan and Iraq . None of them died for the Mexican Flag. Everyone died for the American flag. Texas high school students raised a Mexican flag on a school flag pole, other students took it down. Guess who was expelled...the students who took it down. California    high school students were sent home on Cinco de Mayo, because they wore T-shirts with the American flag printed on them. Enough is enough This message needs to be viewed by every American; and every American needs to stand up for America . We've bent over to appease the America-haters long enough. I'm taking a stand. I'm standing up because the hundreds of thousands who died fighting in wars for this country, and for the American flag. If you agree, stand up with me. If you disagree, please let me know.  I will gladly remove you from my e-mail list. And shame on anyone who tries to make this a racist message. AMERICANS, stop giving away Your RIGHTS ! Let me make this clear! THIS IS MY COUNTRY ! This statement DOES NOT mean I'm against immigration ! YOU ARE WELCOME HERE, IN MY COUNTRY, welcome to come legally: 1. Get  a sponsor ! 2. Learn the LANGUAGE, as immigrants have in the past ! 3. Live by OUR rules ! 4. Get a job ! 5. Pay YOUR Taxes ! 6. No Social Security until you have earned it and Paid for it ! 7. NOW find a place to lay your head ! If you don't want to forward this for fear of offending someone, then YOU'RE  PART OF THE PROBLEM ! We've gone so far the other way . . .  bent over backwards not to offend anyone. Only AMERICANS seems to care when American Citizens are being offended ! WAKE UP America ! ! ! Made in the U S A &  PROUD OF IT!!!!!

 

 

 

8 of the Tao Te Ching

'Morning' Tyler,

And, here are three versions of number 8 of the Tao Te Ching for your contemplation.  …..some say, why is not a useful question!

Photos taken on White Clay Creek Preserve (Delaware); 2010 Autumn.

May you walk in blessings,

Gary

 

Ned Ludd Translation of #8.
A good person is like water.
Water benefits all things, and does not compete with them.
It dwells in the lowly places that all disdain, thereby coming close to Tao.
For a home, the sage prefers the earth.
In thoughts the sage prefers what is simple;
in companions, kindness;
in words, sincerity;
in government, peace;
in business, ability;
in actions, timeliness.
Always preferring what does not lead to strife,
Thus the sage is without reproach.

Octavian Sarbatoare Translation of # 8.
The virtue is like the water,
That gradually infiltrates all.
Similarly the virtue is very subtle
Because resides on the Way (Tao).

He who searches for own place will find it.
The feelings make a deep heart.
Friendship brings good relationships with others.
The honest speech creates trust.
He who is a leader will follow the rules first.
In business fairness is essential.
The time will clarify things.
Thus the virtue (Te) acts without contradictions.

 

John Louis Albert Trottier of #8

The highest form of

goodness is like water.

Water knows how to

benefit all things

without contention.

It flows to places

others disdain.

It comes near the Tao (the Laws of the Universe).

In choosing your dwelling,

know how to keep the ground.

In cultivating your mind,

know how to dive

in the hidden depths.

In dealing with others,

know how to be

gentle and kind.

Speak within

trust.

In governing,

know how to

maintain order.

In transacting business,

know how to

be efficient.

In making a move,

know how to

choose the right moment.

If you

do not contend,

none contend

against you.

 

Tea as an aid to meditation

 In addition, the monks used tea every day as an aid to meditation. It was drunk as a beverage, but from the Buddhist point of view there was more to it than the physical refreshment they received. As an elixir of sobriety and wakeful tranquility, tea was also a means of spiritual refreshment and the ritual of preparing and partaking of it was an occasion for spiritual conviviality, a way to go beyond this world and enter a realm apart. Thus taking tea gradually evolved into a spiritual practice in its own right and became a Way. Lu Yu became the first secular priest of this Way of Tea.