Learn About Falun Dafa

Author : David Snape
I have been practicing an advanced form of qigong for almost 5
years now. The name of this practice is Falun Dafa.Have you ever heard of or seen Tai Chi? Falun Dafa is
similar and yet very different. It is similar in the sense that
is has slow and gentle movements. It is dissimilar in the sense
that it is easy to learn. There are only 5 gentle exercises to
that are so simple and easy to learn that a small child or an
extremely elderly person could still learn and do them.Another major advantage that Falun Dafa has is that it is free to
learn and practice. There are no class fees or ongoing monthly
dues to pay. You can download video instructions from a Falun
Dafa web site or you can learn from an actual volunteer
instructor.The volunteer instructors can be found in almost every major city
around the world. And they won't charge anything to teach you
this wonderful, energizing, health promoting exercise practice. I
know this for a fact because I also serve as a volunteer
instructor in the Kansas City area.So what have I obtained from the practice after 5 years? That's
an easy and exciting question to answer. After just two months of
this practice, a nagging and recurring back pain that I had for
many years went away. I was able to stop getting back treatments
from my chiropractor. That was 5 years ago and I haven't needed
any further treatment since.What is exciting about the above example is that previously I
tried many things to alleviate my back problem. Nothing else
worked!I've always been relatively healthy with only minor health issues
throughout my life. I have met other people that had more severe
health issues that also received total relief from practicing
Falun Dafa.What do the exercises entail? Let's talk about them here.What I'm about to describe is from my own experiences, if you
would like a more accurate description and explanation of the
exercises, please reference a book by Li, Hongzhi, the man who
brought Falun Dafa out to the public. The name of his book is
Falun Gong. You can get a copy of his book for free from the main
Falun Dafa web site, falundafa.org.The first exercise is a gentle one that involves stretching from
head to toe. To perform one cycle of the exercise takes about 3
or 4 minutes. It is done from a standing position with the knees
and hips relaxed, until the gentle upward stretch that
accompanies each of the exercise's movements.When practiced this 3 or 4 minute exercise is usually repeated
three times. In normal circumstances, it takes about 12 minutes
to repeat this exercise a total of three times.The second exercise is a standing stance with 4 positions. Each
position is held for a length of time that can vary depending on
the ability of the practitioner. In the beginning it would be
fine to just hold each position for maybe 1 minute each or even
less, depending on the person's ability and comfort zone.Advanced practitioners might work up to as long as 7 minutes or
more for each position. However, you can gradual improve your
time according to your own wishes and abilities.The third exercise is a gentle exercise where you move your arms
up and down in front of the body. In the first half of this
exercise the hands go in opposite directions. In the second half,
the arms go in the same direction. Each repetition of the
exercise takes about 3 minutes. Generally, when practiced, people will repeat this exercise three times, for a total duration of about 9 minutes.The fourth exercise is similar but different in that the hands
trace a path around the entire body. The path travels along the
front of the body and then up the back of the body. The hands
reach about the level of the mid-back before being brought in
front of the body again. The path is traced for a total of 9
times constituting one repetition of the exercise.The fourth exercise is generally repeated three times when
practiced. When done this way the total time to repeat this
exercise three times is about twelve minutes.The fifth exercise is done sitting down in the cross-legged
position. The leg cross can be simple "Indian" style or slightly
more advanced depending on the ability and comfort zone of the
person practicing.There is a sequence of hand gestures at the beginning and there
are positions to hold. The duration of holding the hand positions
can vary. Once again, how long is determined by the person
practicing. Both how long you hold the hand positions and the
overall duration of the exercise are entirely at the discretion
of the person practicing.In the beginning a person might only practice the fifth exercise
for a few minutes. Advanced users may practice for an hour or
longer. Again, it all depends on the ability and comfort level of
the person practicing.These are very simple explanations of the exercises. For more
detailed and accurate accounts of the exercises read Falun Gong
by Li, Hongzhi. Or alternatively, you can download his
instruction videos from the main Falun Dafa web site mentioned
previously.Mr. Li also has another book called Zhuan Falun, which to my
understanding expounds on the characteristics of the universe:
Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance. I wrote that with the hyphens
to underscore that this is one characteristic and not three
separate ones. Again, that is my understanding about them and
much more profound understandings can be found in the book Zhuan
Falun itself.Because you can practice Falun Dafa with others in a group
setting without being charged any initial or recurring fees, it
seems like the perfect alternative to other exercises that charge
money to participate in. Exercising with a group or alone is fine
and each person may have his or her own preference on that. It's
enjoyable either way.I personally practice it both ways. On the weekends we do have a
group practice here in the Kansas City area and you are welcome
to come join us if you are in the area. Fortunately, many cities
throughout the United States, Canada and around the world have
similar group practices. You don't have to come to Kansas City to
enjoy this wonderful practice.I have one last item of note. It seems that some people can't
stand to see others enjoy something good. And this is no
different. The current person that runs China, Jiang Zemin, is
terribly furious at people who practice Falun Gong for no logical
reason that anyone can come up with. He brutally persecutes those
who practice it in China.If you want to learn more about the persecution of Falun Gong in
China, there is a web site that you can visit, faluninfo.net.
They even offer suggestions to help end the persecution if you
are so inclined.I do hope you get the chance to experience what I have from the
practice. The health of my body and a deep sense of peace and
well being are some of what I have obtained.This article is for information purposes only. The information is
not meant to give advice or attempt to prevent, treat or diagnose
any health problems. If you have or think you might have any type
of health condition, please consult your primary care physician
immediately. Consult him or her before taking up any form of
exercise.Dave Snape is a health, fitness and wellness enthusiast. His website is http://tobeinformed.com
Category : College

Why Chocolate Melts In Your Mouth, Not In Your Hand

Author : News Canada

(NC)?Ever wonder why those delicious little chocolates hardly ever melt in your hand? Pop them in your mouth, and they transform into soft, gooey liquid. Here's the secret?The way chocolate is manufactured has changed considerably. Originally, chocolate was made with cocoa butter, derived from cocoa beans. Cocoa butter naturally melts at the temperature in your mouth: 37?C. This is about as hot as a tropical jungle! Over time, the price of cocoa butter escalated, and its supply became somewhat unstable. As a result, chocolate manufacturers turned to cocoa butter alternatives like those derived from coconut oil, palm oil, and shea oil ? which comes from the Shea-Karite tree, native to tropical Africa.However, these butters don't possess the same melting point as cocoa butter. A precise science, called "hydrogenation", is required to alter them. Hydrogenation is the process of inserting hydrogen gas into hot oil, at scalding temperatures between 120?C and 210?C. Upon completion, the substitute butters have new solidifying and melting points.Hydrogen is a versatile element that appears as a gas, liquid or solid. Estimated to make up more than 75% of all mass, it is the most abundant element in the universe. Discovered in 1766 by Henry Cavendish, hydrogen is even found in the stars. This element is the secret behind your chocolate's melting properties.However, research now indicates that hydrogenated oils produce "trans fats" that interfere with cellular function and prevent our bodies from acquiring essential fatty acids that are important for our health. Consuming hydrogenated oils can lead to obesity, clogged arteries and other diseases.But hydrogen isn't all bad. It can be combined with other molecules to produce plastics, and is used to polish glass. An unlimited, renewable resource, hydrogen is also an environmentally friendly energy alternative. It holds the promise of solving air pollution problems, reducing Canada's dependence on foreign oil, and eliminating oil spills.Air Liquide, the global leader in industrial gases, explores hydrogen's energy uses. The company is partnering with automobile manufacturers to develop hydrogen-powered cars that emit clean water rather than harmful pollutants. Other benefits of hydrogen cars are: no mechanical parts (such as a transmission), no need for lubricating oils, and easier maintenance. It is estimated that hydrogen cars won't hit the road for another decade, although the world's first hydrogen bus has already conducted field tests in Germany.- News Canada News Canada provides a wide selection of current, ready-to-use copyright free news stories and ideas for Television, Print, Radio, and the Web. News Canada is a niche service in public relations, offering access to print, radio, television, and now the Internet media, with ready-to-use, editorial "fill" items. Monitoring and analysis are two more of our primary services. The service supplies access to the national media for marketers in the private, the public, and the not-for-profit sectors. Your corporate and product news, consumer tips and information are packaged in a variety of ready-to-use formats and are made available to every Canadian media organization including weekly and daily newspapers, cable and commercial television stations, radio stations, as well as the Web sites Canadians visit most often. Visit News Canada and learn more about the NC services.

Category : General Food and Drink

Property Taxes, Home Insurance and Your Standard of Living

Author : Mark Kanty

How do Property Taxes and Insurance affect your standard of living? It always amazes me how people look only at the price of a product and neglect to consider the true cost of ownership. For most a car purchase is based solely on emotion and the sticker price. They never bother to check on insurance rates, cost of repairs and maintance. In Real Estate there can be an even greater impact. One which can determine whether you live like a pauper or a king. On Sun, Apr. 15, 2007 MARTHA BRANNIGAN reported in the Miami Herald, South Florida Homeowners Feel the Tax Imbalance. She writes, "Claus and her husband, Brad Wagshul, a federal law clerk, bought their 1,473-square-foot house for $215,000 in 2000. Their tax bill was $3,482 last year. But right next door, Erin Kobetz and Joshua Diem, who bought a slightly smaller three-bedroom, two-bath home on an identical lot in 2004, were taxed $6,323 -- 82 percent higher.Among the largely comparable homes along Southwest 63rd Place, property taxes last year ranged from $2,278 to $9,432. Some neighbors -- such as those with second homes and rental properties -- aren't eligible for the precious 3 percent cap on tax increases, and they are paying the most of all.A block away live Ximena and Kurt Prelle, who bought their home at 8215 SW 63rd Pl. in 2003 for $280,000, before the hot run-up in prices that boosted some homes in the neighborhood above the half-million-dollar mark. But you can't tell their good fortune from their property taxes. The Prelles, who are from Peru, are in the United States on work visas and haven't yet obtained permanent U.S. residency. That means they aren't eligible for the homestead exemption or Save Our Homes cap. So every year, their taxes have soared along with the rising property values. The Prelles forked over $8,550 for 2006 property taxes on their three-bedroom, two-bathroom house, which was assessed at $412,134.In Panama I have had people see home prices as an 'incredable bargain' or 'too pricey' based on where they are from. Some have even said, "I can buy a place in Florida for that!" Well, yes maybe you can but have you considered the true cost of ownership and how that affects your lifestyle?In his Blog, developer Sam Taliaferro writes, "This weekend I had a visitor from Florida who shared with me that his insurance on his home in Boca Raton is over $7000 a year. On top of that the taxes have been increasing each year to where it is over $8000 for an under 2000 square foot home. When you compare Panama (And Valle Escondido specifically) where the insurance on a 2500 square foot home is about $450 and the property taxes are zero for the next 20 years, you can see why Panama has become so popular. You can actually live very comfortably here in a master planned community with great amenities just on the $1200 a month you save on these two expenses." (Sam Taliferro is an American expat many consider the pioneer who put Panama on the map with his first class development, Valle Escondido in the mountain town of Boquete.)What would an extra $1,200 a month mean to your standard of lving? Cheap Quality Health Care, Low, Low Insurance Rates, NO Property Taxes on new construction PLUS Fresh Produce, Groceries; Entertainment and Dining Out at about Half the cost of comparable American fare and you can see why Panama has become the number one retirement spot for the baby boomers! Are you seriously considering the purchase of a vacation, investment or retirement property? Discover the beautiful Republic of Panama with Mark Kanty! Follow the journey as he reveals the Best Places to Eat, Stay, Live and Invest and More at http://www.LearnAboutPanama.com

Category : General Lifestyle: Retirement

Those Mountains in the Back - Identifying Your Old Family Photos

Author : Joe Bott

I read an article recently about the quantity of family photos
we accumulate in our lifetime. I think it said somewhere around
1,200 in any given household, the majority of which are
unmarked. I can believe thatâ€"the unmarked part especially.

I'm horrible when it comes to jotting a note on the back of my
photos. "My photos" refer to the ones that were taken by me or a
living member of my family. I even have photos undeveloped from
the 1980s, but I intend to get them developed "sometime real
soonâ€"as soon I get a chance."

It's the same story with my hobby photo collection, which
contains tens of thousands of photos. Most of the photos are of
note-less, name-less faces. If it weren't for the photographers'
marks, they would be of nameless, placeless faces. I refer to
these nameless, placeless photos as "incredibly lost."

I wonder why many of our ancestors didn't put names on their
photos. Was it laziness? I originally blamed sloth, but then I
changed my mind. If you look on the back of c1900 onward
vacation snapshots, you can find notes like: "This is Uncle John
next to Harvey Johnson's Boat," "Those mountains behind me are
the High Sierras" and "That's an Esso station were we stopped to
fill'er up on our way to Lake Henry." It takes a lot more time
to jot down "where" and "what" notes than it does to jot down a
"John Hancock," and most vacation photos have something written
on them. Yes, I've concluded that it was not laziness.

After thinking for a while, it hit me. Why would we even bother
to write our names on the back? We all know who we are, so
there's no need to jot down a name when we already know what
that name is. Besides, if people we don't know look at the
photo, why would they even care to know who's in the photo?
Unless, of course, they're curious about that gas station, in
which case they could turn the photo over to find out that it
was somewhere on the road to Lake Henry.

So here they sit: all these photos from the 1800s and early
1900s with no clues as to who most of these people are.
Personally, I want to know who they are, as I'm sure many of you
do, too. Unfortunately, some people discard their nameless
photos. Fortunately, some people find them.

Even more fortunately, the Internet has opened a big, big door.
Now we can scan those found unknown "genealogy orphans" onto our
computers, post them onto DeadFred.com and increase the chances
that someone will help fill in the blanks. It happens every day
now. Who would have thought?

Anyway, I'm going to get those 1980s undeveloped film rolls
developed real soon and share them with you. I might need some
help identifying a few of the people in them.

Category : Spirituality

Flowers Speak Too

Author : Andrew Bermam

It is traditional and stylish to say it with flowers. You can send flowers to say welcome; I am sorry; I love you; and many more. Beautifully arranged and fragrant flowers can brighten up a persons day. World over, flowers have been in use since ancient times to decorate palaces and homes, in rituals, during spring dances, as a part of weddings, and more.Flowers are not selected randomly, over the years they have developed meanings. For example, the acacia means concealed love, chaste love or beauty; the aster symbolizes both love and daintiness; a pink carnation means says I will never forget you; while the yellow says rejection or disappointment; the tulip says you have sunshine in your smile.Then of course there are birthday flowers. Those born in February have the primrose and violet as birth flowers; while the larkspur and water lily are birth flowers for those born in July; and the holly, narcissus, and poinsettia are flowers for birthdays in December. Birth signs too have specific flowers: for Arians who are passionate and adventurous the flowers are red roses, tulips, and amaryllis while for Scorpios the flowers are hibiscus, peony, and amaranthus among others.The colors of flowers have meaning and speak a language that is their own and there are scientific as well as traditional interpretations.Traditionally: Red flowers signify romance. Yellow flowers friendship. White flowers reverence. Peach flowers thanks. Pink flowers appreciation. Orange flowers flames of desire. Purple flowers mean love at first sight.Scientifically speaking, colors are known to affect the mind and soul. So, a color can spread joy, relieve tensions, energize a person, or sooth. In fact, flowers are known to have healing properties too: Black lends power, confidence, and self esteem. Blue is calming to the mind and soul. The color is known to lower blood pressure and relieve hypertension. Red sets the pulse racing and is known to induce passions. Green is nurturing and relaxes the mind and body. Violet induces calm and peace. Pink soothes and is like a salve, cool and calm. Yellow is energetic and spreads sunshine.All over the world, there are many traditions and beliefs and poems as well as stories that glorify the beauty and uniqueness of flowers. Some kinds of flowers have a special place in coronations, rituals, and celebrations. Flowers have always blessed life on earth and will always be there for you to gift and say I care. The language of flowers is not set, rigid, or universal. They have different meanings and connotations in different parts of the world. Flowers can help you express thoughts, feelings, and emotions, they do the needful when words are difficult to say. Andrew Bermam is a freelance writer for Send Flowers , the premier website to find all kind of services to Send Flowers online like flower arrangements, cheap flower send, roses, bouquets, plants, fresh flowers delivery and more. He also freelances for Submit Free Press Release site.

Category : General Lifestyle

Where has the Human in HR Gone?

Author : Kevin Dwyer

7

Cold and Flu Season Are Almost Here!

Author : Brenda Hoffman
Cold and flu season are almost here! These truly are the most common illnesses in humans because of how easily they can be spread (both through the air and through touch). Now is the time to strengthen your immune system (the shield that protects your body from germs, bacteria and viruses ) so that you are able to protect yourself. This is important because if you have a weak immune system, you're more vulnerable to getting sick. This doesn't mean that you'll never catch a cold, but when you have a strong immune system you'll be better able to fight off any illness, that you do get, faster. So, here are several things that you can do to make sure that your immune system stays healthy and becomes strong.The first thing that you need to do is take care of your nutrition. There is truth in the old saying: "garbage in, garbage out." If you have bad eating habits, you'll have poor nutrition, which means that your body won't get the appropriate vitamins that it needs in order to stay strong. This doesn't mean that you can't have an occassional cheeseburger or ice cream cone, but moderation is the key. Even when you do eat healthily, you will still need to take nutritional supplements (ie vitamins, minerals and immune boosters) in order to help fill in the blanks.You're also going to need to exercise properly in order to build yourself a strong immune system. Now this doesn't mean that you need to go out and join a gym or hire a personal trainer. What it does mean is that you should take nice long walks, regular bike rides, get up and do some housework or gardening. It's simply a matter of not being sedintary... Get up and move!Of course there are also some things which you should avoid. For instance, excessive stress (especially emotional stress) and smoking can really compromise and weaken your immune system. Studies have shown that cigarette smoke can irritate the airways and increase susceptibility to colds and other infections. Even exposure to passive smoke can make you (or your children) more vulnerable to colds.You should also be certain to wash your hands often and always avoid touching your face, especially the nose, mouth, and eye areas. This is especially true if you've been around someone with a cold or if you've been touching surfaces in a public area. Frequent hand washing can destroy viruses that you have acquired from touching surfaces used by other people. Of course, carrying hand sanitizer with you will also help.You're not going to be able to do these things overnight either. It's going to take work, time, effort, and concentration on your part. It is something that we must continuously strive for throughout our entire lives. I urge you to go ahead and get started today! However, if you still do get a cold or the flu there are some things that you can do to help keep the rest of your family from getting sick.Use disposable cups so that your children won't accidentally drink after someone else. Keep the rest of your household surfaces clean too. Viruses especially love hiding in your door knobs, drawer pulls, keyboards, light switches, telephones, remote controls, countertops, and sinks. These surfaces should frequently be disinfected. Your child's toys should also be frequently washed whenever he/she is ill. It is also highly recommended that you use paper towels in the kitchen and bathroom for hand washing since germs can live for up to several hours on cloth towels. An alternative is to have separate towels for each family member and provide a clean one for guests. If you choose to use paper towels, they should be immediately thrown away after use, as should tissues. (Used tissues are sources of virus that can contaminate any surface where they are left.)Reverend Brenda Hoffman, is ordained by the Universal Life Church, and has been delivering holistic health and wellness advice for over 7 years since receiving a BA in psychology. As a home-based professional and mother of 1, she operates a holistic wellness network. She invites you over to http://www.yourhealthyfamilyhome.com/ to learn how to improve you and your family's health.
Category : College