Are you looking for more calm satisfying experience with you daily life?
Do you get frustrated with yourself at the end of the day because you've gotten stressed, unfocused or agitated?
Are you tired of getting over emotional and worn out.
Whether you are experiencing one or all of these feelings here are my 5 best tips on reducing the unwanted feelings so that you will feel calm and satisfied with yourself each day.
1. Catch yourself when you exhibit a feeling of behavior that you don't like and change it.At first you may not notice the feeling until after you have gone through it, that's fine.
Think about how you would rather have felt.
Think about how you would rather have handled yourself. Decide how you want to do it next time.
As you continue with this process each day you will find that you will notice more easily what you are doing throughout the day.
You will begin to catch yourself earlier and earlier as you do this.
Eventually, you will be seeing yourself while you are doing it, then stop yourself.
At some point you will be able to notice before you even begin to feel and react in the undesirable way.
Here is where you will actually begin to change the way you react to the situations in your life and change your behavior.
2. Stay centered all day by refocusing throughout the day.Develop the habit of paying attention to your mindset as the day goes on.
Several times a day, step away from what you are doing to get re-centered.
Sit down close your eyes and take several long slow deep breaths while imagining the tension washing slowly out of your body.
Notice your breathing getting slower and calmer.
Just think about your breath.
Try to keep from thinking about anything in particular.
It's ok to not be actively thinking for a while!
3. Watch out for your expectations.You are setting yourself up for failure, upset and frustration when you set too many standards as to how you think things should be.
Think about what leads you to getting upset?
Why does it upset you?
Notice that you decide how many things should be, based on your own outlook and desire.
The things others do that are not to your liking, even the things you do that don't match your expectations.
Ask yourself, really how important is it that they be exactly that way
Ask, who am I to insist that they are that way?
Does it matter that much?
Is it worth getting myself worked up about?
Choose which expectations are really important for you to hold on to and which ones are not.
Holding on to many expectations just complicates your life, with constant judgment.
Simplify your life and reduce the stress!
4. Delegate.This applies to your personal life as well as at work.
Most of us think of delegating as a workplace skill, but it can apply personally as well.
We are all very busy these days with our activities and duties.
Trying to fit it all in and get it all accomplished can lead to tension.
For various reasons, many of us have developed the habit of thinking we must do it all ourselves.
Take a look at your situation.
Think about it, really, how important is it that everything must be done perfectly to your standards?
Are you sure there are not other people who can assist you. Are the other people in your life pulling their weight?
Many times we get into habitual ruts that don't need to be as they are.
Look at what has been, with the eye of reducing the pressure on yourself.
5. Accept other people as one.As you think of yourself as different and separate from the rest of mankind, you unknowingly create thinking and behavior that separates you from others.
This kind of separate thinking leads us to think we are superior to others which leads to judgment then selfish thinking and behavior.
We are then having an internal battle with others, which brings on fear, competition and comparison, ending in frustration and anxiety.
Look to discovering how to see yourself as one with all of mankind, not as separate.
Focus on what we have in common rather that the relatively small uniqueness.
Author BioJohn Halderman is a writer, speaker and trainer, dedicated to helping people with getting real results with their personal development efforts. He supports strategies, methods, tools and information that actually bridge the gap between information and effective results. Go to www.activepersonaldevelopment.com for free information and newsletter.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Couple caught on video having sex in Toronto subway
As reported by the Toronto Sun
When the young man and young woman began making love on a southbound University line coach around 2:30 p.m. Sunday, a disgusted passenger pressed the yellow emergency strip.
After the train's guard finished putting the brakes to their tryst, the apparently drunken pair moved onto the Spadina station platform and continued the horizontal shuffle on the tile floor — with the man's naked bottom and her naked legs caught on video by a passerby.
There are funny stories, sad stories, exciting stories, mysterious stories, and then there is just plain old dumb. The story, mentioned above, clearly falls into the dumb category. Good grief, I've heard of the Mile High Club, escapades in the back row of a nearly empty movie theatre, back seat mumbas, and the like, but 2pm-on Christmas-on the subway?? C'mon, world. Fun is fun, but this speaks to our new careless sexual natures. Contain your nasty fantasies to your bedroom, at 1 am or in the shower, like some of us. LOL... How many children to you think saw those two love birds do the Cupid's Shuttle on the subway (at 2pm). Does anyone really care about the kids, or do we just like to pretend?
In the U.S., I blame the apparent Hugh Hefner-like mentality of the F.C.C. Have you noticed the boarder-line R-rated TV commercials that seem to aire during family TV time (such as Football games). I'm not a prude...Trust me, but I really don't like explaining erectile dysfunction to my nieces and nephews, or stumbling to answer my little girl's questions regarding KY jelly. Can't a man just watch the Family Guy in peace? Ooops, bad example.
This is truly having an affect on the world. We are creating a world of over-sexed, callous, narcissistic hypocrites. And then, as Americans, we seem to have the nerve to push our dastardly way of life onto other regions. Are the Muslims sooo wrong for pointing out where America can morally improve? I saw a twelve year old girl the other day, in a restaurant. She was with her mom and was wearing make-up, high heels, and had an Iphone attached to her nose. I must've been the only person to find this odd because no one seemed to notice. I guess it's all too common place nowadays. High-heels??? Really?? C'mon, mom. Take a second to stop blaming your Ex for all your problems and teach these little girls how to be young ladies.... I'm just saying.
I'm not trying to fix the world or anything. What I'm saying isn't any sort attempt at altruism. I'm just saying, it would be nice to experience kindness and decency whenever I step out in public or watch public television. But, where do we start?
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Facebook Can Lead to Your Doom!!!
By: LA Williams
People, I implore you to not use Facebook as your personal conduit, connecting your egotistical, narcissist, bubble of an existence with the outside world. The old scripture says that "what is done in the dark will come to the light." Today, facebook inhabitors are idiotically turning the light onto their own sins and are shocked at the repercussions they incur. I'm not saying hide your sins. One should acknowledge and deal with their sins accordingly. However, sites like Facebook records your deeds and will force you to deal with these issues publicly and embarassingly.
People, I implore you to not use Facebook as your personal conduit, connecting your egotistical, narcissist, bubble of an existence with the outside world. The old scripture says that "what is done in the dark will come to the light." Today, facebook inhabitors are idiotically turning the light onto their own sins and are shocked at the repercussions they incur. I'm not saying hide your sins. One should acknowledge and deal with their sins accordingly. However, sites like Facebook records your deeds and will force you to deal with these issues publicly and embarassingly.
Pictures of your life, as it unfolds are nice, but I find it a bit over-zealous for some Facebookers to have the need to post hundreds of random pictures of themselves in the bathroom mirror...mostly for some sort of public acknowledgement. Get over yourself already... "You look good, Girl... How many times do you need us to tell you that?"
Remember, Facebook records everything. I have a friend who's been with his girlfriend for five years. Through the years, she's always presented herself as the loyal, hardworking, honorable type. The only annoying thing about her is that she tends to pass slight judgements against other people's minor indecretions. But, it was ok because she was the everything she claimed to be--honest, faithful, and eyes for only him. Well, her home computer went down a couple of months ago and recently, my friend decided to try to repair the computer himself. He was, surprisingly, successful. The computer rebooted, with all the bells and whistles. Proud of his accomplishment [guys love to play the role of hero for their girls], he pulled up tabs for her email account file and facebook account file. With pride in his voice, he joyously bellowed through the house for her to come to the computer room. As she entered, he proudly told to look at what he had accomplished for her. "Now, you can handle all your billing and computer needs, baby," he said with a smile. He asked for her email ID and password assuming she probably had hundreds of email messages needing to be addressed. Without hesitation, she gave it to him and the email account appeared. ...Smile. Moving onto the Facebook tab, he asked her for the same info, assuming she may have things and people to catch up with. After an awkward pause, she blurted out for him to just delete the page. "Why would you want to do that," he asked? "Cause Facebook only causes trouble," she replied. "Just delete the damn page," she insisted. At this point, he began to assume his angel might have something to hide. His heart rate tripled, as he insisted she have the account pulled up. Prevailing in this measure, first thing he noticed on her page were the unchecked messages. Clicking the message icon, one message stood like the purverbial red thumb. The last statement from some guy was, "..I'm sitting here whacking my meat." OMG!!! My friend nervously, slightly shouted, "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!!!" His girlfriend quitely replied that she didn't know what that was. My friend clicked onto the full message. The message went something like this:
Guy J: so, r u going to be my girl or what?
My friend's girl: Gosh, can't we EVER just have a normal conversation. I don't know yet. Let's wait and see.
Guy J: I'll leave you alone.
My friend's girl: No, wait. I didn't say that. So, what are you doing?
Guy J: sitting here whacking my meat.
My friend, nearly in tears, asked his girl how she could do such a thing. Flipping the script, she yelled that she didn't feel like dealing with this and that he shouldn't read more into this than what is there.
Now, I'm not going to go into their insuing argument because my point is clear. Facebook records one's dastardly deeds. If not on the up-and-up, late night chats and imaginative photos can be the doom to Facebook users and their love ones. Use Facebook wisely.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Report: Rams Ready To Part Ways With Spagnuolo, McDaniels After The Season
by Ryan Van Bibber on Dec 19, 2011 3:53 PM CST
SB*NATION.NEWSLETTER
At 2-11 with each loss blurring together with the last one, the odds do not favor Steve Spagnuolo keeping his job as head coach of the St. Louis Rams. A report from the San Diego Union Tribune in November noted that team owner Stan Kroenke was already planning make changes at head coach and general manager. Today, Jason LaCanfora of the NFL Network noted something similar, saying on the air that sources told him the Rams plan to "blow things up" after the season ends.
Whether you blame the injuries, the personnel decisions, or the weather, it's pretty tough to stand by what the Rams have done this season.
Lots more after the jump...
There's no shortage of head scratching decisions with this team. Bernie Miklasz noted this morning the coaching staff's stubborn refusal to adapt the game for Sam Bradford similar to what they did with Kellen Clemens and A.J. Feeley. Not hiring a quarterbacks coach looked like a poor decision at the time because of the lockout and a new system. The defense is playing better, after 12 games, but it's notable that last year's group of outside linebackers made for a better unit than this year's group.
Other teams have handled similar injury situations, the Seattle Seahawks for instance, with aplomb. Add in the anecdotal stuff you hear about the coaching staff - e.g. Mike Karney's interview in which he noted Spags barely talks to the players during halftime, telling considering how poorly the team plays after the half - and it's pretty tough sell to keep the coach.
Finally, whether Spagnuolo's a good guy or not, it would be pretty tough to try and sell season tickets, much less get a new stadium, by bringing the same bunch back to lead the team in 2012.
Opinions aside, this is the second high profile report claiming that the Rams will make coaching changes ahead of the 2012 season.
LaCanfora's news does conflict with a report from Adam Schefter over the weekend that the Rams would like to keep McDaniels. With the changes coming in Kansas City, there's plenty of talk that McDaniels could be brought in as the offensive coordinator, where he'd be working for Scott Pioli and with Kyle Orton and Matt Cassel.
As for Spagnuolo, he could probably have his pick of defensive coordinator jobs. Many still believe he could go back to Philly, where Andy Reid once saw him as the eventual successor to Jim Johnson.
For the Rams, it's yet another coaching change, and it's more important than ever that they get it right this time.
SB*NATION.NEWSLETTER
At 2-11 with each loss blurring together with the last one, the odds do not favor Steve Spagnuolo keeping his job as head coach of the St. Louis Rams. A report from the San Diego Union Tribune in November noted that team owner Stan Kroenke was already planning make changes at head coach and general manager. Today, Jason LaCanfora of the NFL Network noted something similar, saying on the air that sources told him the Rams plan to "blow things up" after the season ends.
Whether you blame the injuries, the personnel decisions, or the weather, it's pretty tough to stand by what the Rams have done this season.
Lots more after the jump...
There's no shortage of head scratching decisions with this team. Bernie Miklasz noted this morning the coaching staff's stubborn refusal to adapt the game for Sam Bradford similar to what they did with Kellen Clemens and A.J. Feeley. Not hiring a quarterbacks coach looked like a poor decision at the time because of the lockout and a new system. The defense is playing better, after 12 games, but it's notable that last year's group of outside linebackers made for a better unit than this year's group.
Other teams have handled similar injury situations, the Seattle Seahawks for instance, with aplomb. Add in the anecdotal stuff you hear about the coaching staff - e.g. Mike Karney's interview in which he noted Spags barely talks to the players during halftime, telling considering how poorly the team plays after the half - and it's pretty tough sell to keep the coach.
Finally, whether Spagnuolo's a good guy or not, it would be pretty tough to try and sell season tickets, much less get a new stadium, by bringing the same bunch back to lead the team in 2012.
Opinions aside, this is the second high profile report claiming that the Rams will make coaching changes ahead of the 2012 season.
LaCanfora's news does conflict with a report from Adam Schefter over the weekend that the Rams would like to keep McDaniels. With the changes coming in Kansas City, there's plenty of talk that McDaniels could be brought in as the offensive coordinator, where he'd be working for Scott Pioli and with Kyle Orton and Matt Cassel.
As for Spagnuolo, he could probably have his pick of defensive coordinator jobs. Many still believe he could go back to Philly, where Andy Reid once saw him as the eventual successor to Jim Johnson.
For the Rams, it's yet another coaching change, and it's more important than ever that they get it right this time.
Our friendless society!!!
Here's an important question to answer: right now, if you really needed some help, how many friends do you have that you could call who you know would immediately be there for you?
Still thinking?
This is not good!
You were not made to go it alone.
God created us for relationships with others.
Have you ever realized that four of the Ten Commandments deal with our relationship to God while the remaining six deal with our relationship to each other. All 10 are about relationships.
The most important relationship is a personal relationship with our heavenly Father through His Son Jesus Christ . But we are also supposed to be connected to others.
"Bowling Alone "is the title of a popular book from a few years ago that talked about how we in the United States have become a nation of loners.
This is not good. Doctors tell us that loneliness is a major health problem. A Boston Globe story on the issue reported recently that people who are socially isolated like this but otherwise healthy are twice as likely to die as those who have friends. A similar study fund that isolated men are up to 25% more likely to die of all causes at any age versus non -isolated men. The odds for women are 33%.
George Callup's organization says Americans are among the loneliest people on earth, with more than a third saying they fell isolated and alone.
But George Gallup tells us something else, something he personally discovered that he says is "profoundly good news." Let me quote him:
"I want to report to you now on a trend that may be contributing to a transformation of America. You will not read about this trend in our daily newspapers or on television, yet it is a powerful undercurrent in our society that, I believe, gives us cause for encouragement about the future! This trend could be described as a sociological and spiritual phenomenon: Americans on a massive scale are rediscovering each other, and coming together regularly in small nourishing support groups, many with a spiritual dimension."
The news Gallup discovered is so profound that he has now basically retired from his survey company's day-to-day leadership and has devoted the remaining part of his life to the development and encouragement of small groups. George Gallup, in case you didn't know, is a devout Christian.
Small groups are all about relationships. And that's something that Jesus teaches in the Bible that we are to develop and nurture.
Jesus said our love for each other is to be our witness to the world.
There is nothing intimidating about a Christian small group. They're a lot like families. Think of them as a group of friends who meet regularly to support and encourage one another and to grow in knowledge of the Lord through Bible study, prayer and application.
For most, application means reaching out and helping others, beyond their immediate circule of friends. Many groups have regular outreach projects during the year. There is no shortage of needs. Working at a food pantry, babysitting for single Moms, mentoring school kids and visiting the sick in hospitals are just a few ideas.
Interpersonal relationships bring balance to life. And the best such relationships are when we make connect with others in a basic Christian community.
That's the small group.
If you were to count them all up, the New Testament has over 50 references to how Christians are to be connected in friendship and fellowship. Bible scholars call them the "one another" passages. For example, we're commanded to "love one another", to "pray for one another" and to "build up one another".
It's clear from the Bible that God wants us to be in regular, close fellowship with each other. But such relationships are often the first to be sacrificed to our busy schedules.
This doesn't make sense. For relationships, not wealth or prestige or the accumulation of material things, are what matters most in life.
Now listen. That is just plain wrong. That is sinful. And I say this on the authority of the Bible.
In Matthew 22:36-40. "Jesus said, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart...soul...and mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments.' "
That's called the Great Commandment.
In Matthew 28:19-20. "Jesus said, 'Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.' "
That's called the Great Commission.
Both of those commandments emphasize relationships.
Here's the bottom line: You cannot be the mature believer God intend unless you get involved with people. You will stagnate. It is unbiblical not to be connected with others. Pastor Rick Warren in big Purpose Driven Life Book said it this way: "If you are too busy to be connected you are too busy."
Clearly, we must make friends a priority if we are going to be obedient to God.
This isn't just an idea. It's a command from jesus, who says we are to join together with others and be friends, loving and praying and supporing one another.
What are you waiting for? Join or start a small group today.
Author BioThe author is the publisher of the Online Christian Shopper (www.onlinechristianshopper.com), a shopping site specializing in Christian T-Shirts and Christian jewelry. He also writes the Share Your Testimony evangelism Website (www.sharetestimony.com).
Still thinking?
This is not good!
You were not made to go it alone.
God created us for relationships with others.
Have you ever realized that four of the Ten Commandments deal with our relationship to God while the remaining six deal with our relationship to each other. All 10 are about relationships.
The most important relationship is a personal relationship with our heavenly Father through His Son Jesus Christ . But we are also supposed to be connected to others.
"Bowling Alone "is the title of a popular book from a few years ago that talked about how we in the United States have become a nation of loners.
This is not good. Doctors tell us that loneliness is a major health problem. A Boston Globe story on the issue reported recently that people who are socially isolated like this but otherwise healthy are twice as likely to die as those who have friends. A similar study fund that isolated men are up to 25% more likely to die of all causes at any age versus non -isolated men. The odds for women are 33%.
George Callup's organization says Americans are among the loneliest people on earth, with more than a third saying they fell isolated and alone.
But George Gallup tells us something else, something he personally discovered that he says is "profoundly good news." Let me quote him:
"I want to report to you now on a trend that may be contributing to a transformation of America. You will not read about this trend in our daily newspapers or on television, yet it is a powerful undercurrent in our society that, I believe, gives us cause for encouragement about the future! This trend could be described as a sociological and spiritual phenomenon: Americans on a massive scale are rediscovering each other, and coming together regularly in small nourishing support groups, many with a spiritual dimension."
The news Gallup discovered is so profound that he has now basically retired from his survey company's day-to-day leadership and has devoted the remaining part of his life to the development and encouragement of small groups. George Gallup, in case you didn't know, is a devout Christian.
Small groups are all about relationships. And that's something that Jesus teaches in the Bible that we are to develop and nurture.
Jesus said our love for each other is to be our witness to the world.
There is nothing intimidating about a Christian small group. They're a lot like families. Think of them as a group of friends who meet regularly to support and encourage one another and to grow in knowledge of the Lord through Bible study, prayer and application.
For most, application means reaching out and helping others, beyond their immediate circule of friends. Many groups have regular outreach projects during the year. There is no shortage of needs. Working at a food pantry, babysitting for single Moms, mentoring school kids and visiting the sick in hospitals are just a few ideas.
Interpersonal relationships bring balance to life. And the best such relationships are when we make connect with others in a basic Christian community.
That's the small group.
If you were to count them all up, the New Testament has over 50 references to how Christians are to be connected in friendship and fellowship. Bible scholars call them the "one another" passages. For example, we're commanded to "love one another", to "pray for one another" and to "build up one another".
It's clear from the Bible that God wants us to be in regular, close fellowship with each other. But such relationships are often the first to be sacrificed to our busy schedules.
This doesn't make sense. For relationships, not wealth or prestige or the accumulation of material things, are what matters most in life.
Now listen. That is just plain wrong. That is sinful. And I say this on the authority of the Bible.
In Matthew 22:36-40. "Jesus said, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart...soul...and mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments.' "
That's called the Great Commandment.
In Matthew 28:19-20. "Jesus said, 'Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.' "
That's called the Great Commission.
Both of those commandments emphasize relationships.
Here's the bottom line: You cannot be the mature believer God intend unless you get involved with people. You will stagnate. It is unbiblical not to be connected with others. Pastor Rick Warren in big Purpose Driven Life Book said it this way: "If you are too busy to be connected you are too busy."
Clearly, we must make friends a priority if we are going to be obedient to God.
This isn't just an idea. It's a command from jesus, who says we are to join together with others and be friends, loving and praying and supporing one another.
What are you waiting for? Join or start a small group today.
Author BioThe author is the publisher of the Online Christian Shopper (www.onlinechristianshopper.com), a shopping site specializing in Christian T-Shirts and Christian jewelry. He also writes the Share Your Testimony evangelism Website (www.sharetestimony.com).
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Spiritual Secrets of Concentration
For most of the time, we are barely conscious of what we are about, because there are so many projects, memories, words and images chasing each other rapidly through our brains, overlapping and interlacing in a totally free and chaotic manner.
There are not many people who can decide to devote their attention exclusively to something if only for an hour, and then keep their thoughts on track without getting confused or distracted.
There's right! We disperse and dissipate our mental energy all the time. Sometimes it's possible to concentrate hard in the heat of the moment perhaps when influenced by a powerful emotions or an urgent necessity. But even then, you are sumitting to the situation rather than controlling it.
This is not the deliberate, calm and active kind of concentration Maria Duval wants to discuss with you here - the kind that opens the doors to success and achievement.
In this world, there are students who in two hours flat can produce works that their comrades would find it difficult to accomplish in four hours.
There are people who when presented with a problem to solve, give it about fifteen minutes' thought and them come up with the answer.
There are attorneys or lawyers who only start to study their case files an hour before attending a hearing.
There are surgeons who examine their patient for only ten minutes before carrying out an operation. And who are capable, during the course of this operation, of modifying their technique each time a new factor comes to light.
The truth is that these people perform well because they know how to focus their mind, quickly and effectively. How do they manage to do this?? That's what Maria Duval is about to explain briefly.
Concentration is the power to focus all your psychic forces on a single point at a time, without allowing yourself to be distracted by any events or situations going on around you, says Maria Duval.
If you get a magnifying glass and allow the sunlight to shine through it, the light will be focused to such a point that it can burn many objects and burst into flames. Likewise, if you concentrate on a single issue as hard as you can, without getting distracted, you will experience a flash of enlightment. So using this technique, problems that creep into your mind can be solved after a few minutes of concentration.
Concentration is the faculty that makes people great. If you want to be successful, to do something worthwhile and reach the highest rungs of the social ladder, Maria Duval says it is important that you must learn to channel your attention, your thoughts, your feelings, your desires and your will by focusing them to a single point like the sun's rays.
Individuals who become high-flyers in absolutely any field of human activity, are people who are capable of concentrating their minds. Let Maria Duval explain the two main aspects of concentration, so that we can better understand the mechanisms involved:
- There is one type of concentration that involves regular practise sessions, performed using specific places, times and body postures, and possibly accompanied by certain breathing techniques;
- The other type is brought to bear on life itself, as it happens, with its obvious repetition, but with all its variations and surprises as well.
Author BioArthur Regis is a freelance spiritualist. He practises the spiritual laws based on the teachings of psychic Maria Duval. His blog can be found at Maria Duval's Talisman.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Does God Exist?
By: Margriet Struik
"I don't believe in God. I believe in something, just not in God".
When questioned about their belief in God, a lot people seem to have a very narrow view of what God is supposed to be, inextricably linked to organised religion. When they cannot reconcile that narrow view with their own belief system they state that they do not believe in God and therefore have no relationship with the divine. That relationship may still be desired, as it could bring security, unconditional love, support at times of need and a sense of belonging, but it would constitute a lie to oneself and can therefore not be maintained. Many who claim they are non-believers however, are still left with the feeling that there is something bigger than ourselves, something they would like to connect to at some level, just not within the traditional context of organised religion.
As I see it, there are many ways to approach the concept of God and organised religion is just one of them.
Organised religion generally poses the personal God, usually male, an omnipotent (all powerful) being who rules the world and who, by allowing human beings the freedom of choice, also allows the existence of His Antagonist, the Devil. This God wants His subjects to come to Him of their own free will, but when they don't, they will spend eternity in the flames of Hell. There is only one life and it must be lived by God's rules. Within Christianity, there are ways of purging sins, through confession and true repentance, in which case an officially assigned representative of God can grant you forgiveness and cleanse your soul. If you can not get access to such a representative of God before you die, tough luck, you die and go to Hell whether you are repentant or not. Up until very recently, the Catholic church did not allow stillborn babies into heaven, they had to stay in 'Limbo' for eternity because they were not baptised before death. ('Limbo' is a place just outside Heaven, away from Hell but also away from the presence of God.)
I personally believe that this is a very limited view of God. This God is not omnipotent; there seem to be enormous shortcomings to his power if he is incapable to grant forgiveness to a repenting soul, without an intervening human representative (e.g. priest) acting on his behalf. This God is not omnipresent (present everywhere at the same time) either: he is absent in Limbo, absent in Hell for eternity and absent until access has been granted through baptism, again performed by an officially assigned human representative. Choice is relative, here: 'you do as I say, or you will burn in Hell for eternity'. After death, this God refuses shelter to anyone who has not abided by his rules; the concept of forgiveness is pretty short lived. Access to heaven is, up to a certain point, simply luck of the draw. It is not granted on the basis of your contribution to the world as a caring, loving, non-judgemental human being, who is never afraid of helping out other people, and making right and just decisions, rather than ones driven by personal gain. This may play a part, but not the most important one. Access to heaven is gained mainly by baptism, worship on Sunday, by praying and reading your bible, by telling God you think he's great, you love him and can't live without him. So if you happen to be born in a place that has never heard of this God; if you die alone; if you cannot get access to one of those representatives before you die, who can grant forgiveness for your sins and cleanse your soul; if you die angry with God because you have been hurt and abused, you are not allowed to be with God. You go to Hell.
Life in this context is not a process of growing: it is a cruel and unfair test, with most people in this world seriously disadvantaged, or even incapable of passing, through circumstances beyond their control.
Organised religions are frameworks, encompassing theological theories about the nature of the divine, usually represented as absolute truths, and rules about approaching and incorporating the divine into one's life, usually predicting dire consequences if these rules are not adhered to. The most important thing to understand about organised religions is that they have to keep their institutions alive and as such it is within their best interest to stipulate worship through their facilities, using their people. The need to be needed in order to survive must prevail, because otherwise, they will cease to exist. That is why giving money to religious institutions, in collects or as gifts, is considered a divine duty, why one can only receive true salvation through the institutions and why members are ordered to keep coming back, every morning in the past, and now, as most congregations are waning, at least once a week. Institutions, at their best, do wonderful things. Through them, wonderful people help other people in wonderful ways. But they remain organisations whose belief structures and divine rules are coloured by a need to survive.
I believe that the problem many people seem to have with the concept of God could be due to a failure of organised religions to move with the times, theologically. Many individual representatives of the churches do not subscribe to the idea of hell as they used to, nor to the idea of God as a vengeful, punishing force. Many even acknowledge the possibility of a relationship with God outside the confounds of church and traditional worship, but in essence, the churches still put forward an imposing patriarchal society in all aspects of religious life: a personal male God, benevolent father, head of the household, prescribing a framework of morals and lifestyle rules and restrictions as well as regular worship within religious institutions. The feminine is still entirely absent from the divine. Mary has never been granted divinity; she may be the 'mother of God' but she is still considered human. The archangels are male; Jesus is male. Nobody in this divine family has ever had sex because sex, although quite necessary for the survival of the human race (we can not all achieve 'immaculate conceptions'), is still dirty and, at the heart of it, sinful. At the heart of most religious life is still worship, rather than love for one another in day to day life. Why would God care so much about being worshipped and thanked all the time? Does he have such a big ego?
Monotheism is the existence of a single omnipresent, omniscient (all knowing), omnipotent deity, or God. It is claimed that Christianity is monotheistic, but there are some problems with this claim. In practice we do not see an omnipotent and omnipresent God, as discussed earlier in this article. His omniscience is questionable also. Firstly, his perspective is limited by his sex: he is male and therefore lacks female perspective. (Although in the Old Testament this view of God as solely male is contradicted, e.g. Gen 5.1-2: ... When God created man, he made them in the likeness of God. Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created.) Secondly, there are many occasions in the Old Testament where God asks questions in order to get answers, e.g Job 1.7 (To Satan:) "Whence have you come?" (God does not know where Satan came from) or: Gen 18.26: And the Lord said, "If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake." (God does not know how many righteous people live in Sodom). But even if we are to take the bible as written by fallible people, rather than God himself, it is still hard to sustain the notion that this God is truly monotheistic.
So why is this an issue at all? Well, it is an issue because there is an inherent contradiction in organised religion. We are told on the one hand that this God is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient, but on the other hand, the entire frameworks prescribed to us by organised religions tell us that he is none of these things. The theology limits God's power, God's understanding, God's knowledge, God's reach. The fact is, that many people who claim they 'don't believe in God but believe in something' believe in God as something much more than that.
True monotheism, which Christianity claims to be but is not, encompasses a God that is truly omniscient, neither male nor female, and at the same time, both; a God that is truly omnipotent, who controls all and yet nothing because the world would run this way because there is no other way; a God that is omnipresent, who is all things and yet, nothing, because the very nature of being is already finite. This God is past, present and future, and all at the same time because this God is time and beyond time. This God is so all encompassing that we cannot escape it, no matter how 'bad' we are or how much we deny its existence. To deny this God would be to deny ourselves. This God does not need or demand worship, nor praise or prayer, because this God has no ego. Rather, we are the ones that need prayer, in order to connect back with what is true. Connecting to this God would mean connecting with what needs to be, to embrace life. Hell is merely an illusion, a state of denial, an absence, rather than an active force of being. Hell does not truly exists because God is omnipresent and therefore a place without God can not exist.
So in answer to the main question: does God exist, we might say this: the concept of God as an all-encompassing thing, or life itself in all shapes and forms, embraces any view of the world around us. There is no limit to what you can believe or disbelieve. We know so little and we are so little, in this world. One might say that angels and ghosts and fairies do not exist, because there is no 'real' proof. There is even less proof that they don't exist. One might say that reincarnation is just an inability to accept that when we're dead, that's it, we're really not that important. On the other hand, not believing it might just be an excuse not to learn what we need to learn, because if we don't, we will have to in the next life. The existential doubt of the existence of God has always struck me as slightly odd. The sun rises every day, doesn't it? You are breathing, aren't you? Do you deny the existence of the universe, just because we can not measure it, just because we do not understand?
So what about that relationship with God? How can you connect to all these things at the same time, and why would you bother if you don't believe in the grey man on the cloud?
Well, the answer is simple. You don't have a relationship with God for God, that would be ridiculous. You have a relationship with God or 'the divine' for you, in order to find a moment of peace and tranquillity and in order to feel connected and in control in a very demanding, stressful world. Addressing God in those brief moments does not automatically mean you believe God is a man on a cloud. You could pray, you could talk to God when no one can hear you, write a letter to God, do yoga, meditate, take some quiet time of contemplation. You won't be lying to yourself. You can have your theological cake and eat it. And at its best, maybe that is what organised religion manages to offer to some of us: an almostm tangible relationship with something that is ultimately beyond definition.
Author BioMargriet Struik is a regular writer for www.lettertogod.net. Visit Letter to God to leave a Letter to your God, add to the Dream Book, view self help Articles or submit your own articles. helper@lettertogod.net
"I don't believe in God. I believe in something, just not in God".
When questioned about their belief in God, a lot people seem to have a very narrow view of what God is supposed to be, inextricably linked to organised religion. When they cannot reconcile that narrow view with their own belief system they state that they do not believe in God and therefore have no relationship with the divine. That relationship may still be desired, as it could bring security, unconditional love, support at times of need and a sense of belonging, but it would constitute a lie to oneself and can therefore not be maintained. Many who claim they are non-believers however, are still left with the feeling that there is something bigger than ourselves, something they would like to connect to at some level, just not within the traditional context of organised religion.
As I see it, there are many ways to approach the concept of God and organised religion is just one of them.
Organised religion generally poses the personal God, usually male, an omnipotent (all powerful) being who rules the world and who, by allowing human beings the freedom of choice, also allows the existence of His Antagonist, the Devil. This God wants His subjects to come to Him of their own free will, but when they don't, they will spend eternity in the flames of Hell. There is only one life and it must be lived by God's rules. Within Christianity, there are ways of purging sins, through confession and true repentance, in which case an officially assigned representative of God can grant you forgiveness and cleanse your soul. If you can not get access to such a representative of God before you die, tough luck, you die and go to Hell whether you are repentant or not. Up until very recently, the Catholic church did not allow stillborn babies into heaven, they had to stay in 'Limbo' for eternity because they were not baptised before death. ('Limbo' is a place just outside Heaven, away from Hell but also away from the presence of God.)
I personally believe that this is a very limited view of God. This God is not omnipotent; there seem to be enormous shortcomings to his power if he is incapable to grant forgiveness to a repenting soul, without an intervening human representative (e.g. priest) acting on his behalf. This God is not omnipresent (present everywhere at the same time) either: he is absent in Limbo, absent in Hell for eternity and absent until access has been granted through baptism, again performed by an officially assigned human representative. Choice is relative, here: 'you do as I say, or you will burn in Hell for eternity'. After death, this God refuses shelter to anyone who has not abided by his rules; the concept of forgiveness is pretty short lived. Access to heaven is, up to a certain point, simply luck of the draw. It is not granted on the basis of your contribution to the world as a caring, loving, non-judgemental human being, who is never afraid of helping out other people, and making right and just decisions, rather than ones driven by personal gain. This may play a part, but not the most important one. Access to heaven is gained mainly by baptism, worship on Sunday, by praying and reading your bible, by telling God you think he's great, you love him and can't live without him. So if you happen to be born in a place that has never heard of this God; if you die alone; if you cannot get access to one of those representatives before you die, who can grant forgiveness for your sins and cleanse your soul; if you die angry with God because you have been hurt and abused, you are not allowed to be with God. You go to Hell.
Life in this context is not a process of growing: it is a cruel and unfair test, with most people in this world seriously disadvantaged, or even incapable of passing, through circumstances beyond their control.
Organised religions are frameworks, encompassing theological theories about the nature of the divine, usually represented as absolute truths, and rules about approaching and incorporating the divine into one's life, usually predicting dire consequences if these rules are not adhered to. The most important thing to understand about organised religions is that they have to keep their institutions alive and as such it is within their best interest to stipulate worship through their facilities, using their people. The need to be needed in order to survive must prevail, because otherwise, they will cease to exist. That is why giving money to religious institutions, in collects or as gifts, is considered a divine duty, why one can only receive true salvation through the institutions and why members are ordered to keep coming back, every morning in the past, and now, as most congregations are waning, at least once a week. Institutions, at their best, do wonderful things. Through them, wonderful people help other people in wonderful ways. But they remain organisations whose belief structures and divine rules are coloured by a need to survive.
I believe that the problem many people seem to have with the concept of God could be due to a failure of organised religions to move with the times, theologically. Many individual representatives of the churches do not subscribe to the idea of hell as they used to, nor to the idea of God as a vengeful, punishing force. Many even acknowledge the possibility of a relationship with God outside the confounds of church and traditional worship, but in essence, the churches still put forward an imposing patriarchal society in all aspects of religious life: a personal male God, benevolent father, head of the household, prescribing a framework of morals and lifestyle rules and restrictions as well as regular worship within religious institutions. The feminine is still entirely absent from the divine. Mary has never been granted divinity; she may be the 'mother of God' but she is still considered human. The archangels are male; Jesus is male. Nobody in this divine family has ever had sex because sex, although quite necessary for the survival of the human race (we can not all achieve 'immaculate conceptions'), is still dirty and, at the heart of it, sinful. At the heart of most religious life is still worship, rather than love for one another in day to day life. Why would God care so much about being worshipped and thanked all the time? Does he have such a big ego?
Monotheism is the existence of a single omnipresent, omniscient (all knowing), omnipotent deity, or God. It is claimed that Christianity is monotheistic, but there are some problems with this claim. In practice we do not see an omnipotent and omnipresent God, as discussed earlier in this article. His omniscience is questionable also. Firstly, his perspective is limited by his sex: he is male and therefore lacks female perspective. (Although in the Old Testament this view of God as solely male is contradicted, e.g. Gen 5.1-2: ... When God created man, he made them in the likeness of God. Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created.) Secondly, there are many occasions in the Old Testament where God asks questions in order to get answers, e.g Job 1.7 (To Satan:) "Whence have you come?" (God does not know where Satan came from) or: Gen 18.26: And the Lord said, "If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake." (God does not know how many righteous people live in Sodom). But even if we are to take the bible as written by fallible people, rather than God himself, it is still hard to sustain the notion that this God is truly monotheistic.
So why is this an issue at all? Well, it is an issue because there is an inherent contradiction in organised religion. We are told on the one hand that this God is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient, but on the other hand, the entire frameworks prescribed to us by organised religions tell us that he is none of these things. The theology limits God's power, God's understanding, God's knowledge, God's reach. The fact is, that many people who claim they 'don't believe in God but believe in something' believe in God as something much more than that.
True monotheism, which Christianity claims to be but is not, encompasses a God that is truly omniscient, neither male nor female, and at the same time, both; a God that is truly omnipotent, who controls all and yet nothing because the world would run this way because there is no other way; a God that is omnipresent, who is all things and yet, nothing, because the very nature of being is already finite. This God is past, present and future, and all at the same time because this God is time and beyond time. This God is so all encompassing that we cannot escape it, no matter how 'bad' we are or how much we deny its existence. To deny this God would be to deny ourselves. This God does not need or demand worship, nor praise or prayer, because this God has no ego. Rather, we are the ones that need prayer, in order to connect back with what is true. Connecting to this God would mean connecting with what needs to be, to embrace life. Hell is merely an illusion, a state of denial, an absence, rather than an active force of being. Hell does not truly exists because God is omnipresent and therefore a place without God can not exist.
So in answer to the main question: does God exist, we might say this: the concept of God as an all-encompassing thing, or life itself in all shapes and forms, embraces any view of the world around us. There is no limit to what you can believe or disbelieve. We know so little and we are so little, in this world. One might say that angels and ghosts and fairies do not exist, because there is no 'real' proof. There is even less proof that they don't exist. One might say that reincarnation is just an inability to accept that when we're dead, that's it, we're really not that important. On the other hand, not believing it might just be an excuse not to learn what we need to learn, because if we don't, we will have to in the next life. The existential doubt of the existence of God has always struck me as slightly odd. The sun rises every day, doesn't it? You are breathing, aren't you? Do you deny the existence of the universe, just because we can not measure it, just because we do not understand?
So what about that relationship with God? How can you connect to all these things at the same time, and why would you bother if you don't believe in the grey man on the cloud?
Well, the answer is simple. You don't have a relationship with God for God, that would be ridiculous. You have a relationship with God or 'the divine' for you, in order to find a moment of peace and tranquillity and in order to feel connected and in control in a very demanding, stressful world. Addressing God in those brief moments does not automatically mean you believe God is a man on a cloud. You could pray, you could talk to God when no one can hear you, write a letter to God, do yoga, meditate, take some quiet time of contemplation. You won't be lying to yourself. You can have your theological cake and eat it. And at its best, maybe that is what organised religion manages to offer to some of us: an almostm tangible relationship with something that is ultimately beyond definition.
Author BioMargriet Struik is a regular writer for www.lettertogod.net. Visit Letter to God to leave a Letter to your God, add to the Dream Book, view self help Articles or submit your own articles. helper@lettertogod.net
Friday, December 16, 2011
Reality Show Mania...Tired Yet?
By: LA Williams
Now that we've moved well into our second decade of reality television, I suppose (perhaps) I should get use to the fact that they are here to stay.
What (exactly) is our enormous fascination with these oversexed, narcissists? Is it the glamorous lives they pretend to have? Or, the unfettered manner in which they brazenly hurt others? Do we secretly wish our lives to be as exciting and drama-filled as the Real Housewives of where-ever? And, why can we not get enough of Jersey Shore or Celebrity Apprentice?
Well, I think the answer is quit simple. The reason we love these "tell and show it like it is shows" is they are a latent, passive-aggressive, sub-conscience response to the flowering, everything is perfect images that corporate America inundates us with, while convincing us to spend money we do not have on products we do not need. I know that was a run-on sentence, but I don't care....this is reality, remember? So, follow me on this one, please. If I have to see one more car commercial where the 20's something wife, buys the 20's something husband a NEW CAR for Christmas, I'm going to puke. I mean, c'mon! Who the heck has that kind of money sitting around, at the oh-so mature age of 28? Or, what about the middle-class couple that decides to have a sit-down dinner at McDonald's....pleeeassee..that's drive-thru all the way. The true McDonald's, sit-down people are the over-stressed, slightly over-weight moms with two too many kids on her hands.
What about the movies? Every "romantic comedy" portray these people whom possess all the money they'll ever need, and the only problem they have is that they have failed to realize their one true love, all along, is their best friend (of the opposite sex). Or the dramas, whereby the couple lives in this upscale, middle-income home, while the woman is a stay-at-home mom, and the husband is an account executive. C'mon, man!!! "How the hell do they afford that lifestyle on an account exec's salary?"
Do you see where I'm coming from? Do you see it? Corporate America works hard to make us long for certain (mostly unattainable) lifestyles. This leads to a multitude of personal finance problems that I'll save for another discussion. But, more to this point, leaves us secretly desiring more raunchy images (i.e. reality television). I mean, let's face it...it's not like the libraries are flooding with patrons. Thanks, Ben Franklin, but No thanks, says the American public...lol.
Until, we decide that maybe these cell phone (robots) aren't that important and decide that dinner (for the family) is at six o'clock sharp, our society will continue to spiral into this weird false reality of butterfly days and dragon nights.
Now that we've moved well into our second decade of reality television, I suppose (perhaps) I should get use to the fact that they are here to stay.
What (exactly) is our enormous fascination with these oversexed, narcissists? Is it the glamorous lives they pretend to have? Or, the unfettered manner in which they brazenly hurt others? Do we secretly wish our lives to be as exciting and drama-filled as the Real Housewives of where-ever? And, why can we not get enough of Jersey Shore or Celebrity Apprentice?
Well, I think the answer is quit simple. The reason we love these "tell and show it like it is shows" is they are a latent, passive-aggressive, sub-conscience response to the flowering, everything is perfect images that corporate America inundates us with, while convincing us to spend money we do not have on products we do not need. I know that was a run-on sentence, but I don't care....this is reality, remember? So, follow me on this one, please. If I have to see one more car commercial where the 20's something wife, buys the 20's something husband a NEW CAR for Christmas, I'm going to puke. I mean, c'mon! Who the heck has that kind of money sitting around, at the oh-so mature age of 28? Or, what about the middle-class couple that decides to have a sit-down dinner at McDonald's....pleeeassee..that's drive-thru all the way. The true McDonald's, sit-down people are the over-stressed, slightly over-weight moms with two too many kids on her hands.
What about the movies? Every "romantic comedy" portray these people whom possess all the money they'll ever need, and the only problem they have is that they have failed to realize their one true love, all along, is their best friend (of the opposite sex). Or the dramas, whereby the couple lives in this upscale, middle-income home, while the woman is a stay-at-home mom, and the husband is an account executive. C'mon, man!!! "How the hell do they afford that lifestyle on an account exec's salary?"
Do you see where I'm coming from? Do you see it? Corporate America works hard to make us long for certain (mostly unattainable) lifestyles. This leads to a multitude of personal finance problems that I'll save for another discussion. But, more to this point, leaves us secretly desiring more raunchy images (i.e. reality television). I mean, let's face it...it's not like the libraries are flooding with patrons. Thanks, Ben Franklin, but No thanks, says the American public...lol.
Until, we decide that maybe these cell phone (robots) aren't that important and decide that dinner (for the family) is at six o'clock sharp, our society will continue to spiral into this weird false reality of butterfly days and dragon nights.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Is Charles, the Prince of Wales, fit to be king?
By: Reed Oxman 
Charles Philip Arthur George Windsor was named at his birth on the 14th of November 1948. Charles, the eldest child and son of Queen Elizabeth II of England, Great Britain, Wales, and all Territories, is the current heir to the British throne. Born to Elizabeth and Prince Philip (Philip Mountbatten of the royal family of Greece) in 1948, a year after the young royals wedding, and four years before Elizabeth became Queen with the unfortunate death of her father, the reigning King of England.
Charles was ordained Prince of Wales in 1958, serving as a pilot and commander in the Royal Navy from 1971-76. In 1981 he married Lady Diana Spencer. Diana, known as the "Peoples' Princess", died in 1997 in a high-speed car chase in Paris, France. Prior to Diana's death, Diana was named Princess of Wales and became a royal in her own right. Diana was soon stripped of Her Royal Highness title when the royal couple separated in 1992. They divorced in 1996. The royal union did produce an heir and "a spare", Prince William (Born in 1982) and Prince Henry (also called Harry, Born in 1984).
After Diana's death, Charles officially acknowledged having had a lengthy clandestine affair/relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles. Their relationship continued throughout his entire royal marriage to Diana Spencer. Charles and Camilla met in the early 1970s, becoming friends, and later romantic partners. Due to the pressure to marry a woman who could bear him heirs, Charles married Diana, while Camilla (or Dog face as she was affectionately known) married Army Captain Andrew Parker Bowles in 1973.
After Diana's death in 1997, Parker-Bowles became recognized as Charles steady companion and partner. Buckingham Palace advisors held many a meeting concerning Parker Bowles eventual role should it become a fact to deal with if, unfortunately, Charles would become king. Amid much public chatter concerning the propriety of their relationship, or the lack of it, the two were married in a civil ceremony in London on the 9th of April 2005. Their non-religious union was blessed the same day in a ceremony at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, attended by only the royal family, relatives, and very close friends from both the groom's and brides families.
Queen Elizabeth II gave Parker-Bowles the HRH Title of Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall. Why an obscure place like Cornwall? Well, One of Charles's many titles is the Duke of Cornwall. Under no circumstances, according to British Law, will Camilla ever become Queen Camilla. Such a concern has materialized when Charles, the Prince of Wales and the current Heir to the British Throne, married Camilla, the once mistress and now wife of Charles.
When you poll the British Citizens on the original Question: Should Charles become King, if Elizabeth II were to step down or, God forbid, suddenly pass away. The various answers that you could potentially hear are as numerous as the number of British Citizens that were polled. Now, having a better understand of the Royal Life of Charles Philip Arthur George Windsor, what might be your opinion if asked?
Author BioReed Oxman, the author of the above, is also creator and owner of the best place to purchase your needed Travel accessories electronics. Born and raised in California, he attended UC Berkeley Undergraduate, UC Los Angeles Medical School of Medicine and became Board Certified in Emergency Medicine and Pain Management.
Is Martial Arts Street Effective??
Is Martial Arts Street Effctive?
By: Norm Bettencourt
The topic of how effective traditional martial arts is in today's world as a way of protecting oneself is still a very sensitive issue to a lot of martial artists. What is even more sensitive is the issue of how realistic and street effective is the newer styles that have come out since UFC/PRIDE have come into the picture. I am a Registered Black Belt & have nothing against the martial arts and have also studied styles such as Pankration. I know that the techniques I have learned in the dojo should stay in the dojo because they will only work there, that also goes with styles such as the "modern day or reality based systems" they are for sport only.
I work as a bouncer/bodyguard & also teach tactical self defense. Many of my students are black belts or have trained under reality based systems & have learned the hard way that what they learned in the ring or dojo is not street effective. Their common question is why didn't their system work? Part of the reason is that if a rule or law is applied to a system it will subconsciously hinder you when your adrenaline takes over in combat. There are no rules in the streets your mind should not have to sensor or think can I do this to beat this person? We respond exactly the same way that we train.
There is no time to switch gears from sport to tactical. If you are training and your coach or sensei says can't hit their or no contact to the eyes your mind will remember that and store it for future reference. Your self defense system should take into account your environment as well. Can you kick your attacker in the small space your in? Can you balance yourself while performing a technique on the icy sidewalk? If you grapple with him what if he has friends coming around, what do you do then? Street fighting or tactical self-defense should be in the simplest form of fighting. You don't have time to play a chess game, like you would see in a UFC match. Time is not on your side in a street confrontation nor are rules or morals. What we can learn from the UFC or mixed martial arts events when it comes to reality fighting is if it has rules of what not to do, do those things in a street fight because its got to be effective.
Norm Bettencourt is the creator of TACT Self Defense which specializes in combat management tactics for mind, body & spirit.
Visit: "http://www.tactselfdefense.com/%22%3ETact Self Defense
By: Norm Bettencourt
The topic of how effective traditional martial arts is in today's world as a way of protecting oneself is still a very sensitive issue to a lot of martial artists. What is even more sensitive is the issue of how realistic and street effective is the newer styles that have come out since UFC/PRIDE have come into the picture. I am a Registered Black Belt & have nothing against the martial arts and have also studied styles such as Pankration. I know that the techniques I have learned in the dojo should stay in the dojo because they will only work there, that also goes with styles such as the "modern day or reality based systems" they are for sport only.
I work as a bouncer/bodyguard & also teach tactical self defense. Many of my students are black belts or have trained under reality based systems & have learned the hard way that what they learned in the ring or dojo is not street effective. Their common question is why didn't their system work? Part of the reason is that if a rule or law is applied to a system it will subconsciously hinder you when your adrenaline takes over in combat. There are no rules in the streets your mind should not have to sensor or think can I do this to beat this person? We respond exactly the same way that we train.
There is no time to switch gears from sport to tactical. If you are training and your coach or sensei says can't hit their or no contact to the eyes your mind will remember that and store it for future reference. Your self defense system should take into account your environment as well. Can you kick your attacker in the small space your in? Can you balance yourself while performing a technique on the icy sidewalk? If you grapple with him what if he has friends coming around, what do you do then? Street fighting or tactical self-defense should be in the simplest form of fighting. You don't have time to play a chess game, like you would see in a UFC match. Time is not on your side in a street confrontation nor are rules or morals. What we can learn from the UFC or mixed martial arts events when it comes to reality fighting is if it has rules of what not to do, do those things in a street fight because its got to be effective.
Norm Bettencourt is the creator of TACT Self Defense which specializes in combat management tactics for mind, body & spirit.
Visit: "http://www.tactselfdefense.com/%22%3ETact Self Defense
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Gingrich: Poor kids don't work, only get cash illegally
Listening to Mr. Gingrich makes me sad. Don't you love whenever "rich-people" give ridiculous advice to the poor and make it seem like if only the "poor" would get off their lazy asses, they could earn wealth tomorrow? Oooh, if life were that simple......
Fact of the matter is there seems to be some covert-systematic methodology to maintaining the status-quo, whereby rich people get richer, and poor people must kill each other for scraps. Or, is it just me? Not to preach to the crowd, but why are corporations reporting record earnings, while unemployment lingers between 9-10%? Is that the President's fault? I don't think so.... He can't hire people to work for Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola, CitiBank, or any other wealthy corporation.
Mr. Gingrich seems to be very opinionated when it comes to putting 9 and 10 year old children to work, as janitors (and for a public entity)... I think he forgot that school janitors are paid by tax payer dollars, and the last time I checked, the republicans were working steadfast to decrease the budgets for education.... Remember? Remember how they labeled the Department of Education as discretionary spending? So, where is this extra funding for children's salaries going to come from, Mr. Gingrich? I guess it's ok to pay that poor kid to clean a toilet at school, but not ok for his/her school to have the latest technology or something that exponentiates is education?!
Let's get real, in America. Or, is it too late? If this country were to meet a fate similar to the Great Roman Empire, it won't be as a result of outside, perceived-terrorism.... It will be through a steady rot from the inside-out.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
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