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J Finnis - EzineArticles.com Expert Author
Johnny Finnis is the editor of new age spirituality - exploring the idea that this life, this world, is not the totality of our existence. In fact, it might be just one small part of something much bigger, just one tiny step along an infinite journey...
[View J Finnis's Extended Author Bio]
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- The Advantages of Recording Lectures
[Reference-and-Education:Future-Concepts] New technologies make it easy for institutions to routinely record lectures and make these available to students for 24/7 review. What are the advantages of doing this, and what are the implications for the traditional lecture?
- Embrace Change to Fulfill Purpose
[Self-Improvement:Positive-Attitude] Sometimes in life we actively seek change in order to improve our conditions. At other times we reach a state of contentment, and may resist change. But change - both outer and inner - is inevitable. Therefore we should actively embrace change and in so doing, shape it in ways we desire.
- How Spiritual Should I Be?
[Self-Improvement:Spirituality] People engage with the concept of Spirituality in many different ways and degrees of intensity. The question isn't how Spiritual to be, we are pure Spirit, but how to balance our energies between earthly and Spiritual matters for the brief journey of life.
- Tags, Categories Or Both? Getting Found on Web 2.0
[Internet-and-Businesses-Online:SEO] Web 2.0 blogging technology makes it easier than ever for everyone to get published on the Web. However, the sheer volume of content makes it harder than ever for your contributions to be found. Fortunately most blogging software allows postings to be assigned both tags and categories. This article explores what these are and how they should be most effectively used.
- Is the Universe Indifferent?
[Self-Improvement] Some scientists think the universe is indifferent and without significance, but human experience says different. Nevertheless, what happens does at times seem terribly unfair. Here's how to cope with apparent injustice.
- Dogs, Destiny and Free Choice
[Self-Improvement:Motivation] Ever wondered what you have in common with a pet dog being taken for a walk on an extendable leash? The dog has a limited freedom, sometimes greater than others, but the overall pathway is always determined by his master.
- Web Design is Dead! Long Live the Internet Pro
[Internet-and-Businesses-Online:Web-Design] The Internet has revolutionized society, but many Web designers are getting frustrated as it becomes ever-easier for users to create their own Web presence. Don't despair, we have only witnessed the tip of the Internet iceberg. Broaden your horizons, re-brand yourself as an Internet pro, and be ready to take advantage of the huge potential yet to come.
- Crowds - Wise, Mad, Or Both?
[Investing] Illusionist Derren Brown recently started a media frenzy in Britain by apparently "predicting" the lottery numbers on live TV. In an alleged explanation of his feat Brown claimed to have averaged the predictions of 24 people, citing Francis Galton's discovery that the combined estimate of a crowd is often more accurate than any of the individual estimates. While it's unlikely this approach can successfully predict lottery numbers, Brown's trick has introduced a mass audience to the phenomenon explored in James Surowiecki's The Wisdom of Crowds.
- Budgeting Finances - Home Budgeting Help
[Finance:Budgeting] One of life's great mysteries is why even the most capable and intelligent people seem to hit a mental block when it comes to budgeting their personal finances. This simple guide will help you manage your money more effectively.
- I Am That I Am - A Celebration of Individuality
[Self-Improvement:Spirituality] The world is big enough to accommodate us all, so why is there so much grief? Let us begin by practicing universal acceptance of another's right to be what he is, as we cherish and exercise the same right.
- Timing Investment
[Investing] The timing of investment is the bread and butter of traders seeking to cream off a few points difference between buying and selling. But what of investors, looking to buy and hold over the relatively long term? This article considers how investors should decide the timing of investment.
- Past Lives, Present Issues
[Self-Improvement:Spirituality] Have you lived before? And does your previous life/lives explain some of the issues that surround you in your present incarnation. This article presents tips on accessing knowledge from past lives in order to enlighten your current circumstances.
- The Power of Words to Create Or Destroy
[Self-Improvement:Techniques] Language might be considered the major difference between humanity and our fellow beings. Without the power of words, spoken and written, it is highly unlikely we would have achieved a fraction of the progress witnessed today. Words have the power to create or destroy, here's how to use words to help you progress along your life path.
- Tips on Teaching English in Japan
[Reference-and-Education:Languages] The key to successful English teaching in Japan is remembering most Japanese learners have already had 6 years plus of English lessons at school. They are not looking for more of the same. Here's some advice on how to survive and thrive in the various teaching scenarios in which you may find yourself.
- Finding English Teaching Work in Japan
[Reference-and-Education:Languages] So, you've decided to teach English in Japan. Here's a description and comparison of the different work options to help you find the one that's best for you.
- Introduction to Teaching English in Japan
[Reference-and-Education:Languages] There is no better way to get to know a country than by living and working there. By teaching English you become a part of Japanese society, rather than just an observer looking in. Here's how to get started.
- Teaching English in Practice
[Reference-and-Education:Languages] The most common and basic type of ESL is conversation. Students generally want to improve fluency. For many learners conversation classes are a social event.
- Teaching English As a Second Language
[Reference-and-Education:Languages] The world is growing smaller day-by-day. Increasing globalization in the business world combined with the phenomenal growth of the Internet mean demand for a truly international language has never been greater. And that language is English. The demand for English is such that a native speaker could probably finance (or substantially subsidize) a global tour without any kind of training or qualification. Indeed, that is what many people do.
- Studying English Abroad
[Reference-and-Education:Languages] There are now opportunities to learn English just about anywhere in the world, either at an English school or through the Web. However, the fastest and best way to improve your English is still to spend some time in an English speaking country immersed in both language and culture.
- Choosing an English School
[Reference-and-Education:Languages] By joining an English school and taking formal lessons you will get the opportunity to benefit from the advice of a native speaker and to communicate in English with others. You will have the opportunity to practice different skills and receive valuable feedback on your performance. There are now more English schools than ever before. This article gives some advice on finding the right one for you.
- Tips to Improve Your English
[Reference-and-Education:Languages] English is the world's international language. This article presents a number of useful tips to help non-native speakers improve every aspect of their English communication.
- Heal Self to Fulfill Purpose
[Self-Improvement:Empowerment] Stop feeling bad about taking care of yourself and sometimes place your own interests ahead of others. Pursue the pleasures that are yours by right, and in so doing give yourself the strength to help others to your full potential.
- Poetry, Music and Spirituality
[Self-Improvement:Spirituality] Poetry and music serve no practical purpose towards our survival as individuals or as a species. Despite this, both occupy a huge role in our lives.
- Does Power Corrupt?
[Self-Improvement:Spirituality] British politics has recently been rocked by a scandal over the abuse of expense payments by Members of Parliament. It's a scandal that may prematurely see Prime Minister Gordon Brown leaving office. Particularly disappointing is the sheer number involved. But is it the corrupt that seek power, or does power corrupt the initially well-intentioned? This article presents a Spiritual interpretation.
- Is E-Learning Right For Me?
[Reference-and-Education:Online-Education] With the ongoing recession many people are considering furthering their education, either to enhance their chances of keeping their current work, or to better position themselves for finding new work. The external commitments of many rules out returning to full-time study, but distance learning and e-learning are increasingly common options. This article examines the pros and cons of this form of education and helps you find the option most suited to your needs.
- Winning the Lottery
[Self-Improvement:Inspirational] Just imagine for a moment you won a lottery with an incredible prize of eighty-six thousand a day, every day, for life... The only condition being that you had to spend the prize each day, you couldn't carry anything over. Would that be a blessing? Or a challenge?
- Know Your Limits, Maximize Your Effectiveness
[Self-Improvement:Techniques] Life is challenging, offering many more potentialities and temptations than any one of us could begin to explore in a thousand lifetimes, never mind the one we have in the here and now. Its journey follows a rocky road of inescapable obstacles that must be addressed to progress further. But how do we begin to find some order from the seemingly infinite complexity? The process begins with the recognition of personal boundaries of influence. We are each born into specific conditions, and these conditions dictate the area(s) and degree to which we can make our mark on the world around us.
- Hidden Layers of Reality
[Self-Improvement:Spirituality] Who are we? What is this reality that we're part of? Why are we here at all? These questions lie at the depths of our being, and their answers - should we ever find them - would dictate the very purpose of our existence. As a species we have evolved from single-celled organisms into beings that can travel in space, probe the very building blocks of our bodily nature and the universe we inhabit, and create works of art capable of moving us to the core. And yet for all our tremendous mastery of knowledge there appears to be a boundary that we cannot penetrate...
- How to Conduct a Financial Review
[Finance:Personal-Finance] What is a Financial Review? A financial review is an attempt to bring your financial arrangements in line with your personal circumstances and objectives, and external conditions. A financial review consists of the following steps: On the basis of your present circumstances and objectives, and prevailing economic conditions, sketch out the optimal configuration of your finances.
- Relationships and Spirituality
[Relationships] Our relationships with others provide many of the most satisfying - and frustrating - moments of the human experience. This article examines why relationships are so important and offers guidelines to building more fulfilling relationships.
- Why Can't I Be Happy?
[Self-Improvement:Happiness] Happiness isn't a place, time or certain configuration of external circumstances. It isn't a destination reached after a long and arduous journey. Happiness is a state whose potential is always there, here and now included, but one which too often we fail to realize. This article examines why, in the hope that more people may be happy more often.
- Financial Crisis - Who Pays?
[News-and-Society:Pure-Opinion] Recession is nothing new. By their very nature financial markets, and whole economies, move in cycles. Highs turn to lows and then back to highs again, and there isn't usually an easily pinpointable reason.
- Darwin, Evolution & Spirituality
[News-and-Society:Religion] In 2009, the bi-centenary of Darwin's birth, we examine the success, limitations and implications of his theory of evolution by natural selection. In particular, the interface between evolution and Spirituality is considered.
- The Importance of Saying No
[Self-Improvement:Techniques] One of the hardest words in the language to say is "no". But why should these two letters be so difficult to utter? This article demonstrates that it's OK and right to sometimes say no, describing how to refuse the unreasonable without feeling bad about it.
- What is a VLE?
[Reference-and-Education:Online-Education] The (synonymous) terms "Virtual Learning Environment" (VLE), Learning Platform, Learning Management System (LMS) and Learning Content Management System (LCMS) are frequently used in education and training, but what do they mean? A VLE is an integrated set of computer software tools to support learning. This article describes the features provided by these systems.
- Serendipity - The Fortunate Accident
[Self-Improvement:Techniques] How organized are you? Does your life run like clockwork, adhering rigidly to some pre-determined optimal schedule? Or is it relatively chaotic, following whim rather than plan? The former is usually considered more virtuous, but there may be advantages in allowing a little randomness into your lifestyle.
- The Miracle of the Seed
[Self-Improvement:Inspirational] Inside every tiny seed, perfectly encoded, is a detailed blueprint of the adult plant. At the time of the big bang, some 14 billion years ago so the scientists say, the entire universe was contained within a single, infinitesimally small, point. And, like the seed, that tiny point held the master plan of everything we experience and witness, and the very much more that escapes our attention. Yet within these miracles of both micro- and macrocosm the unfoldment of reality is but loosely pre-determined. Therein lies the secret of destiny and free will.
- What is a Learning Technologist?
[Business:Career-Advice] Recently the situations vacant column has seen the appearance of ads for "learning technologist" and "educational technologist". What is the role of these people, and might this be the opportunity for you?
- Timing the Markets
[Investing] With stock markets battered by the credit crunch and resulting recession many investors are trying to gauge the best time to re-enter the market and/or boost exiting positions. But is it really possible to determine the bottom before it becomes history?
- The Road to Happiness
[Self-Improvement:Happiness] Why are we born into this world of many problems, that also offers many potential pleasures? Is it merely to collect as many fleeting moments of happiness as we can amass during our equally fleeting lifetime?
- Life's Inherent Uncertainty
[Self-Improvement:Inspirational] Life is inherently unpredictable. We can, and instinctively do, project forwards to obtain some kind of expected outcome, but because the journey of life consists of numerous branching points the actuality is often far from the expectation.
- Know Your Goals, Know Yourself
[Finance:Personal-Finance] We all have goals - stated or subconscious - and identifying these is the first step in financial (and life) planning. We all have numerous, sometimes competing, goals. It's quite likely you've never actually formally identified your goals; so taking time to analyze what's driving you can be a valuable exercise.
- Recession and Spirituality
[Self-Improvement:Spirituality] There is no doubt the global financial crisis will make 2009 a hard year for many. Yet, despite all this, perhaps the downturn may cause us to reflect on more meaningful matters such as the true purpose of our life in the material world.
- Stop Rewriting History
[Self-Improvement:Techniques] As human beings (or rather Spiritual beings dressed in human clothes) we have a tendency to analyze ad nauseam. In many respects this is advantageous, but our analysis isn't always as logical/rational as we might imagine. This article provides tips on how we may analyze more objectively and thus learn as beneficially as possible for this life and beyond.
- The Bright Side of Recession
[Finance:Personal-Finance] Every time we switch on the TV/radio/Internet it seems we're greeted by yet more gloomy talk of how bad the economic crisis is/will become. Sure, 2009 seems set to be a tough year for most, but even recession has its silver lining. Here are several reasons to be optimistic about the year ahead.
- Is Your Motivation to Or From?
[Self-Improvement:Motivation] People are motivated by many things, but most motivations fall into two broad categories. These are the desire to move to something desirable, or to escape from something undesirable. And whether we're motivated to or from is determined at least as much by our particular character as the circumstances we experience. This article explains how to recognize our particular motivation and make the best of it.
- Quieting the Mind
[Self-Improvement:Techniques] The mind is the interface between body and soul, ie between the worlds of Spirit and earth. But the noisier is the mind the harder it is for us to hear the inner voice, ie our connection with Spirit. This article provides tips on how to quieten the mind and thus draw closer to our spiritual essence.
- Staying Employed Through the Recession
[Business:Careers-Employment] Regardless of whether you are an employee or have your own business the coming year is set to be challenging. This article offers advice and suggests strategies to keep you employed throughout the recession.
- Is Your New Year One of Hope Or Fear?
[Self-Improvement:Inspirational] As we contemplate the New Year many of us find ourselves reflecting on what lies ahead. It's also time to look back on the year just past, gaining satisfaction from our achievements and trying to make sense, and learn from, the things we didn't get completely right.
- Zero Interest - What Now?
[Finance:Loans] The Federal Reserve has slashed its key interest rate from 1% to a range between zero and 0.25% in an attempt to stem recession. Will this latest measure work, and what are the implications for you and me?
- Making the Most of a Psychic Reading
[Reference-and-Education:Psychic] More and more people are consultying psychics, but what can we expect from a psychic reading and how can we ensure we get the best from a paid reading? This article explains the role of psychics and outlines what can and can't / shouldn't be expected from a reading.
- What is Being Spiritual?
[Self-Improvement:Spirituality] There's a lot of interest these days in Spirituality, and a lot of time, effort, and dollars are spent in the attempt to be Spiritual. But what does Spiritual really mean, and what behaviors will actually make you more Spiritual?
- Scientists and the Paranormal
[Reference-and-Education:Paranormal] Plenty of people report paranormal experiences, but when those accounts come from prominent members of the scientific community might they be even more significant? Scientists are trained to be objective, and those that reach the top of their profession have had their objectivity endorsed by their peers.
- Experiences of the Paranormal
[Reference-and-Education:Paranormal] Whenever I bring up the topic of the paranormal in a small group I invariably find someone who's had some kind of strange experience. Taken together, these accounts provide overwhelming evidence for the existence of a reality beyond that perceived by our senses. I've had a few such incidents myself, some of which I recount here.
- Does Santa Exist?
[Home-and-Family:Holidays] When I was a kid I'd go to bed full of excitement on Christmas Eve. I'd wake up the following morning to find a pile of toys and other gifts where none had been the previous night. The magic, I was told, was all down to some kindly old guy who lived at the north pole and every year would ride his reindeer-driven sleigh across the skies delivering his presents to all the kids around the world who'd behaved well enough to deserve them.
- Falling Interest Rates - Advice For Savers
[Finance:Personal-Finance] Falling interest rates might be good news for borrowers but they are disastrous for savers, particularly those such as seniors who rely on interest as a significant part of their income. This article offers advice on how to mitigate the effects of low rates of return on savings.
- Roger's Christmas
[Arts-and-Entertainment] Roger loves Christmas. Every year Roger and his Mummy and Daddy go to Nanny's house in Fern Bay on Christmas Eve for a big Christmas party. This year Mummy, Daddy and Roger got to Nanny's just as it was getting dark.
- Max and the Christmas Ghost
[Arts-and-Entertainment] Hello. My name's Max, and I'm the caretaker in the old library. I'd like to tell you about something strange that happened to me a few years ago at Christmas.
- To Yourself Be True
[Self-Improvement:Techniques] Are you true to yourself? Do you know your true self? The road to self knowledge begins with absolute honesty within oneself.
- Survive the Recession
[Finance:Personal-Finance] The current financial crisis seems set to continue into the foreseeable future. Whether you're a saver, investor or home owner here are some valuable tips on surviving the recession.
- Survive the Real Estate Slump
[Real-Estate] Whether you're looking to buy, sell or invest the current real estate market is hugely challenging. Whatever your interest this article offers advice.
- Candles of Love
[Self-Improvement:Spirituality] Candles are often used as a metaphor for love, perhaps that's why churches of so many kinds use candles in their ceremonies. We each carry a candle (love) within us, but it's no use unless we allow it to shine outwards.
- Up Time, Down Time
[Self-Improvement:Time-Management] Time is precious, but that doesn't mean every second has to be productive. Allowing time to re-charge is necessary to ensure your active time is used to its full potential.
- Beware the Door Knockers
[Finance:Personal-Finance] Home ownership attracts all kinds of unsolicited sales people offering unnecessary services. Just say no to avoid paying too much for something you don't want or need.
- Avoid Negativity - Switch Off the News
[Self-Improvement:Positive-Attitude] An alien that landed on Earth and turned on the TV news could be forgiven for jumping straight back into his UFO and going home. Our news paints a grim picture. But is it a true reflection of the human condition?
- Top 10 Money Mistakes
[Finance:Personal-Finance] A lot of people lose a lot of money by repeating a few basic mistakes. We've tried to identify the main culprits here, including: financial ignorance, inertia, failing to follow the fundamental financial formula, lack of planning, mental accounting, the sunk cost fallacy... By recognizing those you make, you can begin to avoid them.
- A World Without Borders
[Self-Improvement:Spirituality] For all its flaws the currently prevailing system of nationhood and government has been remarkably successful. But will it become redundant as we become sufficiently Spiritually advanced as a species? And are the signs of a borderless world already apparent in the Internet revolution?
- Government, Politics and Spirituality
[Self-Improvement:Spirituality] All life emanates from the single source (God, Spirit...). On taking physical form we become distant from that unity and adopt a distinct individuality. The purpose of physical incarnation is to experience that disconnection from source and those things that can only be experienced through interaction with other incarnate entities. As such the knowledge of our origin is hidden.
- How to Be Rich (If You Really Want To)
[Finance:Wealth-Building] Many people say they want to be rich, and even act like they want to be rich - though somewhat half-heartedly. Their "problem" (if you can call it that) is that wealth consciousness isn't their main driver. They works for money, but once they've satisfied their basic needs they prefer to divert their remaining energies to other interests. If being rich is still high on your priorities, here's how to do it.
- What Does Rich Mean?
[Self-Improvement:Success] Sufficiency means having food, shelter and clothing. Being rich can be defined as having considerably more than enough, both now and indefinitely into the future, without dependency on work or chance. But humans generally need more than the material basics of food in their belly, a roof overhead, and a shirt on their back. They need to give and receive love, companionship, and a degree of fulfillment/purpose. Being rich is all these things. But can we all be rich?
- Abundance Meditation
[Health-and-Fitness:Meditation] Meditation has long been an integral part of Eastern mysticism with the discipline enjoying growing popularity in the West as more people discover its benefits on both mind and body. Meditation can take a variety of forms but essentially involves withdrawing attention from the physical senses while trying to quieten the chattering noise of consciousness. There has been much interest of late in the subject of abundance, indeed the self-help shelves are chock full of titles on the topic.
- The Conflict Within
[Self-Improvement:Techniques] The human psyche is complex and we all house numerous, and often conflicting, traits under the umbrella of a single individual. Our weaker characteristics are omnipresent and continually seek to express themselves. Although most times their dominant counterparts win the day, occasionally the shadow self takes control. This is not a problem, but an opportunity for Spiritual growth.
- Is Condo Living For You?
[Real-Estate:Condominiums] The term condominium (condo) relates to a type of property ownership in which individuals own units in a larger complex as well as jointly owning, and being responsible for, the complex itself. Should you go for a condo, or purchase a house outright? The pros and cons of each option are explained in this article.
- Types of Dream
[Self-Improvement:Techniques] There are three distinct types of dream - clearance dreams, guidance dreams and predictive dreams. This article describes each type and how they may be recognized.
- Your Comfort Zone - Prison Or Haven?
[Self-Improvement:Techniques] Your comfort zone is that set of circumstances and tasks in which you feel completely at ease, ie you are able to operate with little need of conscious thought or will. Essentially you are on autopilot and your mind can continue in its preferred state of slumber. Your comfort zone provides a safe haven from life's stresses and strains, but to find true fulfillment you must sometimes extend beyond its bounds.
- What Would You Do?
[Self-Improvement:Techniques] Most times we go through life on autopilot, our only choices being whether to drink coffee or juice. But occasionally "significant" moments occur, points at which our choice has a major impact on our lives and the universe...
- Coping With Uncertainty
[Self-Improvement:Techniques] Most times life seems pretty predictable. However, this is an illusion. At its smallest level nature is fundamentally uncertain, and this uncertainty is inherent in the macro level too. This article offers some advice on coping with the unavoidable unexpected.
- Investing Psychology - Does Wealth Begin in the Mind?
[Investing:Stocks] Traditionally the study of economics and finance is based on the assumption that people always behave rationally. In reality people often behave irrationally, i.e. not in their own quantifiably best interests. Behavioral finance, the combination of psychology and financial theory, is now a growing academic discipline. This article reviews some of its key features and suggests why they should be important to every investor.
- How Active Should You Be?
[Investing:Stocks] How active should you be in re-arranging your investment portfolio? For an ideal investor in an ideal world, the simple answer is as little as possible. But this assumes, of course, you always make the right decisions and that life is completely stable. In reality things change, in the economy at large as well as in your personal circumstances. Are you an investor, or a trader? These operators adopt very different strategies and it's important to know which you are. This article is aimed at the investor. The message is - don't be a trader by the back door.
- Indexing is King - But What Index?
[Investing:Stocks] There is widespread agreement that index (tracker) funds produce superior returns to the average actively managed fund. But once you've seen the light on indexing the vital question becomes which index(es) to follow? Should you follow a narrow index eg the Dow Jones Industrial Average, or a broader one such as the S&P 500? Should you limit yourself to your domestic market, or allocate a proportion of your funds to overseas markets? Should you stick to the major economies or get some exposure to the higher risks and potential rewards of emerging markets?
- Stop Waiting - It's Here!
[Self-Improvement:Happiness] Many people spend their lives waiting to graduate school, find a new job, get a raise or promotion, start their own business, buy their own home, for the kids to fly the nest, retirement... They wrongly believe that when that time comes they can be happy. Your life is happening now, start making the most of it.
- How to Stop Feeling Bad
[Health-and-Fitness:Depression] There are many triggers for stress, depression, and anxiety. This article describes a number of techniques of how to stop feeling bad.
- E-Learning II - The Promise
[Reference-and-Education:Online-Education] Alongside the Internet, e-learning has experienced massive growth in recent years. Unfortunately, not all e-learning is good. This article outlines the benefits of this mode of education, providing a guide for potential students and a blueprint for instructors and developers.
- E-Learning I - The Threat
[Reference-and-Education:Online-Education] The growth of the Internet has seen a proliferation of education by e-learning. However educators and students alike should beware that e-learning is not a panacea, and unless used appropriately may deliver an inferior learning experience.
- How's Your Event Horizon?
[Self-Improvement:Stress-Management] In physics an event horizon is the boundary around a black hole, beyond which events cannot affect an outside observer. In human terms it's the whole range of things past and future that affect us in any way in the moment of now. It's no coincidence that the same word - present - is synonymous with both 'now' and 'gift'. The moment of now is truly a gift not only to be cherished but also utilized to its full potential. Stress in the modern world is running at epidemic proportions. Taking tighter control over our event horizon borders could alleviate much of this stress.
- When Life Seems Too Much
[Self-Improvement:Stress-Management] Isn't life wonderful? Like a County Fair with so many attractions and activities all vying for - and demanding - your attention. So much to see, so much to do. The trouble is, you're only human. That means you're limited, with only so much time and energy to give. It can be overwhelming. And that's why stress and its close relatives depression and anxiety are running at epidemic proportions in the modern world. So, what can we do about it? How can we meet infinite demands with a finite supply?
- Is Success Financial?
[Self-Improvement:Success] People look at the wealthy and say: "isn't s/he successful". These guys have reached the pinnacle of their chosen careers and no-doubt enjoy the trappings of material luxury. Again people look at the homeless, poor etc and feel sympathy, may even despise them. Whatever, they seem to occupy a position diametrically opposite to "success". But do they? What is the REAL reason for our earthly existence? Is it material wealth, or something much deeper?
- Self-Hypnosis For Psychic Development
[Self-Improvement:NLP-Hypnosis] This hypnosis begins with the assumption we all, as Spiritual beings temporarily clothed in human flesh, start out as psychic, in varying degrees. Over time this ability diminishes, or rather is conditioned out of us by the pressures of materialistic society. The aim of the following is to use self-hypnosis to re-awaken our innate psychism by re-programming the subconscious. For a consistent and lasting effect the procedure will need repeating a number of times.
- Spiritualism and Evidence of Survival
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Losing a loved one can be the hardest of life's experiences. But evidence from Spiritualism and beyond suggests the death of the physical body may not be the end of the road, but a mere transition.
- The Beast in Me
[Self-Improvement:Spirituality] As humans we seem to be selfish beings, always seeking our own pleasure and comfort. But in essence we are pure Spirit, part of the great oneness. How can we balance these two opposing aspects of self?
- Coping With Bereavement - A Spiritual Approach
[Self-Improvement:Grief-Loss] Divorce, redundancy, changing job, moving home etc are usually cited among the major causes of stress, but surely the most stressful thing we experience is bereavement. Our relationships with others are what really define our identity and place in the world, and when we realize that one who's been close will no longer be around in this lifetime the impact can be devastating. There's no easy way forward but this article might serve to light the way.
- Is Trading Dumb?
[Investing:Day-Trading] Wall Street traders are among the highest earners. The Internet has made trading easily available to the small player. But is it really a sure-fire road to wealth?
- Employment Vs Your Own Business
[Business:Careers-Employment] The question of whether its better to be employed or to run your own business has probably occurred to most of us at some time or another. In fact both paths have advantages and disadvantages. Here are some pointers on how to decide what's best for you.
- How To Read A Financial Statement
[Investing:Stocks] This article introduces the key concepts of accounting for investors. Its intention is to better enable investors to understand and interpret the financial statements of businesses they might invest in. Accounts provide a (hopefully) objective analysis of the state and performance of a business. Accounts of listed companies must be prepared according to both the law and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Because companies can legitimately adopt different accounting methods it is not always possible to directly compare the accounts of one company with another.
- The Credit Crunch And You
[Finance:Personal-Finance] Unless you've been on another planet for the past six months you've probably heard of the credit crunch. But what is the credit crunch, how did it originate, what are its effects, and what does it mean to you?
- Real Estate Slump Isn't All Bad
[Real-Estate] There's been much ado about the current problems in the real estate market with foreclosures rocketing and prices dropping like a stone. But the situation isn't all doom and gloom. Here's why...
- Money Isn't Evil
[Finance:Wealth-Building] Why do so many find it hard to acquire and accumulate wealth? Might it be because they have been brought up to believe the pursuit of money is somehow sinful?
- Is it Better to Buy or Rent?
[Real-Estate:Buying] The question of whether to rent or buy might sound like something of a no-brainer, but are there any circumstances in which renting is preferable to owning? Let's begin with a brief reminder of the benefits of ownership. Although paying a mortgage can initially be more expensive than renting, over time it becomes relatively cheaper as wages and prices in general rise but repayments stay more or less constant (they can fluctuate with interest rates but can go down as well as up).
- Forgive For Good
[Self-Improvement:Techniques] Carrying a grudge is self-destructive. At best it prevents you applying your energies fully to areas in which they are most likely to bear fruit. At worst it can land you in deep trouble. To forgive, or let go, is to free yourself from the chains of the past so you can move into the future without baggage.
- Overcoming Guilt and Regret
[Self-Improvement:Positive-Attitude] Too often we are dogged by the dark clouds of guilt and regret. Regret is the feeling of wishing we'd done (or not done) something in the past different than what we actually did. Guilt is feeling bad with, or even disliking ourselves, over some past act or omission. What is done is done and never can be undone. Given that, stop worrying about it. You're only wasting precious energy that ought to be channeled into now.
- The Tools of Prophecy
[Reference-and-Education:Psychic] There seems to be two kinds of precognition, voluntary and involuntary. Sometimes visions of the future, premonitions, just burst into our consciousness without invitation. There are however various ways in which we can try to willfully gain knowledge of things to come.
- Telling the Future
[Reference-and-Education:Psychic] From time immemorial humankind has tried to gain advance knowledge of things to come. We often consult psychics hoping for a glimpse of tomorrow. But does the future really exist, and if so how can we know what it has in store?
- The Introvert Personality
[Self-Improvement:Self-Esteem] Introverts focus their attention towards the inner, mental world rather than external, physical "reality". Though forming a significant minority of about 25%, introverts are often undervalued by Western society. If you're an introvert, here's how to make the best of your very special gift.
- The Meaning of Colors
[Self-Improvement:Spirituality] Color is one of the most beautiful and also one of the most under-appreciated aspects of the physical realm. Color surrounds us, in both the natural and man-made environments, but how often do we notice the numerous subtleties in the myriad shades? Color both reflects and influences our passing moods and innate character. Spiritually, color can impart both information - as in aura colors, and energy - as in healing.
- Prayer, Affirmation, Hypnosis and Visualization
[Self-Improvement:Affirmations] What are prayer, affirmation, visualization and hypnosis? What do they have in common? And most important how can they each help you be the very best you can?
- The Power of Thought
[Self-Improvement:Techniques] Thoughts are powerful things. Every one of man's achievements, from the greatest to the most insignificant, began with thought. As did every human atrocity. Thoughts are a mind process. And mind is the interface between our transient earthly existence and our eternal Spiritual essence.
- Hearing the Voice Within
[Self-Improvement:Techniques] Learning to hear one's inner guide (or little voice within) isn't so much acquiring a new skill as rediscovering a very old one. As Spiritual beings we are naturally intuitive, naturally perceptive of those signals coming from the non-physical realms. But both as individuals, and as a species, the ability has been neglected, devalued, even ridiculed.
- The Little Voice Within
[Self-Improvement:Techniques] This inner guidance system is known as many things: going with your gut, the little voice within, instinct, intuition etc. What it means is defying logic, reason, and analysis, the laws of probability etc to do something that seems absurd or irrational just because it feels right.
- Reasons to be Cheerful
[Self-Improvement:Positive-Attitude] Ever feel you spend most of you time and energy facing problems? Does life seem nothing more than an incessant stream of difficulties? If so, take heart that you are not alone.
- Preventing Identity Fraud
[Legal:Identity-Theft] Horror stories abound of people having their identities stolen and suddenly find themselves with huge debts they knew nothing about. It is true that ever more complex financial systems, and in particular the proliferation of online transactions, increase the potential for identity fraud. But by taking a few simple common-sense precautions you can minimize the chances of becoming a victim.
- Market Turmoil and the Small Investor
[Investing] The financial markets have begun 2008 in turbulent fashion, with huge falls being followed by recoveries of almost the same magnitude. The turmoil is being blamed on US sub-prime mortgage losses (ie greedy banks getting their fingers burned) and the subsequent fear the US is heading for recession. What is the small investor to make of all this?
- Is Playing the Lottery Worthwhile?
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Casino-Gambling] State/National lotteries have been described as taxes on fools. Most involve trying to pick a subset of numbers from a much larger master set with ludicrously long odds against success. Week upon week we try, week upon week we fail; yet we keep coming back for more. Why, and is it really worth it?
- College Fees - Are They Worth It?
[Reference-and-Education:College-University] One of the most common and demanding goals in personal financial planning is to accumulate enough money for putting the kids through college. While I don't doubt the value of education I strongly recommend serious consideration of whether a full-time college degree or diploma for your offspring is necessarily the best use of the time and money involved.
- How to Create Wealth
[Finance:Wealth-Building] Creating wealth begins with learning to adopt the right thoughts and habits. Before you can create wealth you have to start thinking wealthy, and that begins with day-to-day money management.
- Asset Allocation - Your Most Important Investing Decision
[Investing] Two known facts about financial markets are 1) They're unpredictable - the movements of markets has been likened to a drunkard's attempts to find his way home (random walk theory), and 2) They're volatile - in The (Mis)Behavior of Markets Benoit Mandelbrot suggests markets are much more volatile than generally acknowledged by standard financial theories. The corollary of all this is that 1) Mutual funds generally don't beat the market (in fact they generally underperform it after fees), and 2) The best safeguard against volatility is diversification, with the ultimate diversification being the purchase of index funds ...
- Money and Marriage
[Relationships:Marriage] Fact 1 - around 40% of marriages in the US end in divorce. Fact 2 - The biggest cause of divorce is... money! Here's how to prevent money wrecking your relationship.
- Judge Not
[Self-Improvement:Spirituality] "Judge not lest you be judged" said Lord Jesus, along with, "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone." These two admonitions are among the most quoted but least heeded of the great Master's teachings. We inhabit a culture of blame. When something goes wrong, as it inevitably does in this flawed realm, we immediately seek the villain / culprit / scapegoat to demonize. As though by framing another we somehow absolve ourselves from any responsibility.
- Synchronicity - The Roots of Coincidence
[Reference-and-Education:Paranormal] Coincidence is where two or more unrelated things seem to occur in close enough proximity to suggest some relationship between them. Eg you dream of a school friend you haven't heard from for years only to get a reunion invitation from that same person next day. We all experience coincidences. And quite often they send a little shiver down our spine as though signaling some greater hidden force is at work.
- Don't Worry, Be Happy
[Self-Improvement:Stress-Management] The thing about worrying is that no good ever comes of it. Worry dissipates your energies, diverting them from more constructive use. As we've got better at curing physical illness so it seems mental illnesses such as stress, depression, anxiety (essentially all aliases for worry) have expanded to fill the gap. And of course these conditions adversely affect physical health.
- Does Evil Exist?
[Self-Improvement:Spirituality] Though we all have our own concepts of good and bad, right and wrong, when we think objectively the concept of morality is a slippery one, if it any concrete existence at all. Just look at how laws, organized society's embodiment of morality, differ from culture to culture and even over (a short) time within the same culture.
- Why Are You So Irrational?
[Self-Improvement:Self-Esteem] How many times have you heard that, or even said it to others, in times of disagreement? Or its close relative, "Why can't you just be normal"? But what is rational or normal? We might assume it's the most reasonable behavior, attitude, action etc that would be chosen by a computer - or even Star Trek's Mr. Spock - given all available information about the situation. But it isn't that simple. Sure, computers can make decisions given a set of inputs - however, they only base their decisions upon the program their running. Switch the program and the decision comes out different!
- Why Life Sucks
[Self-Improvement:Positive-Attitude] Why does life suck? This is a question many of us ask at some time or another. Actually life doesn't really suck, but it can certainly feel that way sometimes. Wouldn't it be great if everything ran smooth all the time, from the moment we wake up to the moment we go to bed? Wouldn't it be great to land our dream job, doing what we love and large paycheck to boot? Wouldn't it be great if all our relationships ran smoothly, if our partner understood and respected our innermost feelings?
- Realtor vs. FSBO
[Real-Estate:Selling] Traditionally the only way to reliably sell a house was by using realtor / real estate agent. However, the rise of the Internet is changing the situation somewhat...
- Real Estate Investing - How and Why?
[Real-Estate:Investing] For many, owning their own home will be the limit of their real estate portfolio. As probably their largest asset, that's fine. But property can provide excellent opportunities for further investment.
- Keep Emotion Out of Finance
[Finance:Personal-Finance] Your worst financial enemy isn't "the economy", the taxman, or the dubious salesman. It's yourself, or to be precise - your emotions. In particular, the emotions of fear and greed.
- Picking Stocks - the Crucial Numbers
[Investing] Picking stocks can seem a bit like choosing your lottery numbers, so many choices and no guarantee of success. At least with stocks there is ample information to make your choice easier, so much so it can be hard knowing where to start! Stock picking is not an exact science, but each stock has some crucial numbers that can shed some light on the process.
- Financial Advisors and How to Choose Them
[Finance:Personal-Finance] There is certainly no shortage of people willing to tell you what to do with your money, financial advice is one of the growth professions of the new millennium, though its reputation often fails to inspire confidence. This article helps you make the most of the mass of advice available.
- Buying Real Estate in England
[Real-Estate:Buying] Please note that different systems of real estate transaction apply in different parts of Great Britain. This article applies specifically to England and Wales. A different system operates in Scotland.
- Buying Real Estate in Canada
[Real-Estate:Buying] Canada is probably the most beautiful country in the world and frequently nears the top of the UN quality of life tables (Human Development Index). Aside from that, Canada is a major destination for immigrants.
- Find Your Life's True Vocation
[Business:Careers-Employment] Do you have a job, career, or vocation? Do you work for love, money, or both? What is meant by vocation and how can we find ours? Why is it worth the effort?
- Risk and Reward
[Investing] The reward of an investment is what you make on it and come from either capital appreciation, income, or both. Instinctively we think of risk as being the chance the investment will fail. More accurately risk describes the volatility of a particular investment, ie the degree to which its value fluctuates. This article gives advice on finding the right balance for you.
- Your Mortgage Is Your Friend
[Real-Estate:Mortgage-Refinance] Without mortgages few of us would ever be able to own the roof above our ahead. But beyond that obvious truth mortgage debt, being secured on a tangible asset, is usually much cheaper than other forms of personal debt such as loans, overdrafts and of course the dreaded credit card. But the most powerful, and often overlooked, advantage of mortgages is the gearing effect that magnifies the benefits of rising real estate prices.
- Value VS Growth Investing
[Investing:Stocks] Two of the most common investment strategies are growth investing and value investing. Value investing is concerned with trying to find good quality stocks (and other assets) that are at the time cheaply priced. By contrast, growth investing is concerned with finding which of today's acorns will become tomorrow's oaks. These are small stocks that you believe will get big.
- Investment VS Trading
[Investing] Investment and trading both involve the purchase of assets in the hope that they will appreciate in value. However, there are significant differences in these contrasting approaches with the prime differentiator being the time frame involved.
- Fundamental VS Technical Analysis
[Investing] There are two main ways of picking stocks (or any kind of investment). Fundamental analysis is concerned with looking at the economic fundamentals affecting the particular stock (etc). Technical analysis is concerned with (don't laugh) trying to guess future price movements by looking at historic price charts.
- Don't Get Caught In The Debt Trap
[Finance:Debt-Relief] Recently it was reported that over 30,000 people became insolvent in England and Wales during the first three months of 2007 - a new record. Levels of consumer debt also represent a problem in the U.S. The root of the trouble is that financial institutions are making it too easy for people to spend beyond their means. We are bombarded with offers of loans, overdrafts, credit cards, store cards.
- Comparison Sites - And Why You Should Use Them
[Finance:Personal-Finance] Price comparison sites were an inevitable development in the evolution of Internet business. Essentially these sites are simply computer programs that collect your details once and submit them to multiple sites to find you the best deal - be it on insurance, consumer goods, utilities and just about everything else. Price comparison sites are great and I unreservedly recommend them Here's a couple of tips...
- Inertia - The Enemy Of Your Pocket
[Finance:Personal-Finance] Inertia costs the consumer a small fortune and lines the pockets of service providers. Be a wise buyer, it’s easier than you think and may lead to significant savings.
- Why Managed Funds are Bad for Your Wealth
[Investing] We are bombarded with advertisements for managed fund (mutual fund) investments. They implore us to entrust our hard earned cash to them with the promise that their expert managers will reward us with above average returns. But is this really so?
- Predestination, Free Will, or Both?
[Self-Improvement:Motivation] Are we victims of inescapable fate, or do we really have the power to create our own destiny?
- How to Make Good Decisions
[Self-Improvement:Success] For many, making a decision is one of the hardest challenges presented by life. It need not be. The very fact we are faced with decisions emphasizes our very special gift of free will. Without free will we would be mere automata, biological machines going through the motions. Consciousness without meaning or purpose.
- It's Only a Game
[Self-Improvement:Positive-Attitude] The World Cup sees teams from around the world meeting in friendly competition to try to lift soccer's biggest prize. It sees many more, billions in fact, of fans around the globe tuning in to cheer their favorite teams and players. But the World Cup is a microcosm of life and offers Spiritual as well as sporting lessons a plenty.
- Thinking Out of the Box
[Self-Improvement:Creativity] Thinking out of the box is the mode of thought that dares to challenge conventional wisdom. This article explains how to develop this faculty and why it is a valuable asset.
- Efficient Markets or Random Walk
[Investing] Are financial markets perfectly efficient? Or do they follow a random walk? Either way has interesting implications for how you invest your money.
- Good Karma, Bad Karma
[Self-Improvement:Spirituality] Karma is one of the West's best known Eastern Mystical concepts but Western understanding is sometimes inaccurate. Karma is not about punishment but simply describes the impassive process of cause and effect. This article presents advice on understanding and working with your particular karma.
- Do What Thou Wilt
[Self-Improvement:Inspirational] English occultist Aleister Crowley wrote "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law" in his classic The Book of The Law forcibly dictated to him by the discarnate higher intelligence called Aiwaz. But what is really meant by Crowley's Edict?
- After Life?
[Self-Improvement:Spirituality] The question of what happens after death has always fascinated man. This article considers some of the many theories that have been developed through religion and philosophy.
- Fate, Destiny, Kismet
[Self-Improvement:Spirituality] Fate, Destiny, and Kismet all relate the idea that what happens to us in this lifetime is fixed, predetermined, inescapable. Instead of being robots we actually have free will, though it is limited by external circumstance.
- You Are Beautiful
[Self-Improvement:Positive-Attitude] You are beautiful is a positive affirmation of the wonder of human experience.
- Spirit Guides
[Self-Improvement:Spirituality] We all have one or more Spirit guides. These are Spirit entities that have a special concern for our well-being, and, to an extent, watch over us. But who are these guides, and how can we invite them to come closer?
- Unconditional Love
[Relationships:Love] Love is all around, at least in word if not in deed. But what is love, and especially what is unconditional love? Perhaps an ideal out of reach, but one which we should all begin to progress towards.
- How to Meditate
[Health-and-Fitness:Meditation] Meditation doesn't have to be something practised by cross-legged yogis. This article shows we can all benefit from regular meditation and gives practical tips on getting started.
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