My greyhound, Willow, had full-blown, severe separation anxiety. I tried various things, but no one “trick” worked, and I regret the wasted time and pain to my pup while I puttered around. I got the help of a behaviorist, got a comprehensive program to combat this problem, and we finally have it under control. Here’s what worked for us:

* Clomipramine. It does not have an immediate, dramatic effect — it works subtly, over time, usually starting a month or so after the dog starts taking it. He may need to take it only during the re-training, or for a long time; your vet or a behaviorist would be able to help you decide if and when to decrease it. I don’t give meds lightly — I am generally a believer in natural remedies, but things like Valerian, Bach’s Rescue Remedy, St. John’s Wort and other OTC remedies, (yes, I tried each!) don’t seem to be effective for full-out SA.

* Crating — Willow endangered herself and my house without it. A dog that is desperate to get to you may rip splintery pieces out of doorframes and windowsills, and may even try to jump through a closed window. If you can do without, great, but consider it if you need it — no guilt!

* Here’s the biggy — a full, gradual desensitization program, during which the dog is never left alone long enough to become even mildly upset, until you’ve licked the problem. This is very difficult for most folks, I know — I am a teacher, and made it a summer-long project. But it was the only thing that worked. If you can do it alone, or with help from family or hired dog-sitters, it really is worth it.

At each stage, you should never let the dog develop any stress. Signs of stress are: ignoring favorite treats, panting, whining, barking, digging and biting at barriers, drippy nose, and even just sitting up watching you, rather than lying down, fully relaxed. If the dog cannot be left alone without stress for 30 seconds, then don’t leave him alone for 30 seconds.

Throughout this process, you should be cheery and calm, never over-comforting or punishing the dog, not showing your own distress at a setback or nervousness about leaving the dog.

o First, if you are using a crate or small area, and he has any anxiety about this area, make it a joyous place, where he gets special treats and toys — start giving him the kind of treat-puzzle that you’re going to use for departures (see below). Hang out near it, pet him, etc. Start with the door open, then try closing it briefly. If he shows no stress, close it for longer periods (but still only seconds, building up unevenly to minutes, etc.), while he’s working on a treat. Watch for full relaxation in the crate before proceeding to the next step. This could take a day or weeks

o Second, do many repetitions of any “departure cues,” without going anywhere. For most folks, it’s stuff like picking up keys, putting on a coat, etc. If he has already learned what signs mean you are going out, he needs to have these signs become meaningless again. Depending on how savvy he’s gotten about your departure preparation, this could be one evening’s work, or many days. Mix the signals — weird combinations (like wearing a winter scarf and jingling your keys while sitting in an easy chair reading) may knock out the logic of what goes with what. I added the “going out” smells — makeup, perfume — on days when I was staying in. Do these things with him out of, and then in, the crate.

o Third, when he shows no negative reaction to your departure cues or the crate, crate him, give him fabulous treats that require work to get into, and do very short departures. I cannot stress strongly enough that you are building a structure here — if the base isn’t firm, it will topple. You may get to this step in a few days, or in weeks.

Willow gets Kong toys filled with raw ground meat, ground veggies, and crushed dehydrated-fish-treat (very stinky!), frozen; I put something soft at the top (peanut butter or a piece of banana) to make sure she starts on them before I go. I’ve taken to freezing the mixture in lumps that are the right size to put in the Kong, on a cookie sheet, then bagging them for future use. Make sure he’s started eating before you go out (refusal to eat is a hallmark of SA, and, if he hasn’t started eating before you go, he won’t start after). If there is anything else that changes when you leave the house, try to eliminate it .

Videotape if you can (another advantage to a crate is the ability to set up a camera that shows everything that happened while you were gone), and/or look for signs of stress when you come back — shedding, dandruff, anything chewed or destroyed, terrible breath from panting and not drinking water (it’s a very distinctive smell — once you know it, you won’t confuse it with anything else), etc. If there are any signs of stress, go back a few steps in the process.

Gradually increase the length of departures, but not in perfectly neat increments. You are trying to make a powerful, lasting impression that you USUALLY come right back, and that he is fine when you’re gone. Neatly increasing the length runs the risk of proving that it will get predictably worse and worse! Here’s a sample pattern of departures to start: out and RIGHT back in, 10 seconds, out-in, 20 seconds, out-in, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, out-in, one minute, 10 seconds, 2 minutes, out-in, 20 seconds, 3 minutes, out-in, 4 minutes, out-in, 1 minute, out-in, 5 minutes, etc. But don’t do anything except out-in if he shows any signs of stress. I did 8-15 short departures on most days with Willow, and a few “saturation days” of 30-50 very short departures. Take the treat away most of the times you come in, so he begins to associate being alone with the fabulous treat (this may seem to contradict the advice about not having predictable departure cues, but, at this point, the dog should be convinced that being alone, briefly, is OK, and can even be pleasant). If you drive a car, some of the short departures should include your starting the car, then turning it off and coming right back in. When you’re up to 5 minutes or so, some should include your driving around the block.

Once you are up to 10 minutes, you may increase departures by larger increments, but only do one or two at the length of the dog’s longest tolerance each day, still mixed with a lot of very short ones. I went through a couple of weeks where I ran 2-3 errands every day, as I worked up from 15 minutes to 2 hours, in 5-15 minute increments, with a bunch of short departures in between. Once you are up to 2 hours, increase in half-hour, then hour increments, until you are up to the length of time you generally need. But always add a few very short departures at the beginning and end of each day’s session, still including some that are just out-ins and 10-30 seconds. And don’t forget, this is not in addition to leaving the dog for a normal day — he can never be left alone longer than the longest current departure.

If he shows any stress, drop back to square one (you will be able to build up more quickly, but you need to check each “level” first). Once they’ve started adjusting to being alone, getting through the first hour or so seems to be the key for SA dogs, so that’s how long the treats should last. Willow used to get 2-4 of her special Kongsicles; I just counted it as part of her regular diet. Now she’s happy with just one. She doesn’t get any breakfast on days when I stay home, which has made having me home less desirable to her. Now she dances with joy when I’m ready to go out, and leads me to the freezer to get her Kong. Believe me, we still have a wonderful bond, just a healthier one!

Thunder phobia is common in dogs with SA — on stormy days at the beginning of this process, I didn’t even try short departures. A storm, siren or hubbub outside of the house still gave Willow a few bad days at first, and sometimes a mild setback for a few weeks, but she’s never gone back to full-blown, panicky SA.

* Physical tiredness helps a lot — give him as much exercise as possible before going out.

* Make his day smoother, rather than having peaks and valleys of emotion. Ignore him for 10-15 minutes before leaving, and after coming home. When I came home during the time they were crated, Willow and her canine housemate, Music, needed to stay lying down, no whining, before they were let out, and nobody got petted if they were leaping around after they got out. I found a few things to do in the house before opening the crates, and then again before taking them outside. This is incredibly hard, totally against my loving nature (and my sympathy for any creature who needs to pee!), but it really helps. I gradually worked up to my sentimental, playful, loving self after I’d been home for a while. Willow no longer needs to be crated, but she and Music know to stay upstairs and be calm until I come up to them. I still get a joyous greeting, but not a desperate one.

* Do other training besides the desensitization — positive, operative conditioning training (clicker work, for example) is good. Trainers say it builds the dog’s confidence, as well as the sense that you’re a competent leader (so, when you act casual about leaving, the dog knows it must be safe). Train a down-stay, and gradually increase the amount of time — up to 5 minutes with you in another room, if possible. It reinforces the idea that being away from you is OK. Our behaviorist also has us doing NILIF — nothing in life is free. Willow needs to respond to a cue (sit, down, etc.) before getting fed, getting a toy she wants, getting her leash on for a walk, etc. Not a big hardship — since I’ve used positive training, it’s all a game to her.

* A variety of humans — if the dog doesn’t have contact with a lot of other people, try to increase this. The idea that a lot of humans are wonderful sometimes makes them less dependent on the Beloved One. If other folks can walk him, feed him, dog-sit, whatever, that may help.

Some people leave TV, radio and/or lights on. If it’s something you’ve done when you’re out, he now associates it with being alone, so there’s not much point in wasting the electricity! If you have a radio on most of the time when you’re home, it might be worth it, since it’s associated with your being home. It can also mask some noise from outdoors that may be upsetting.

Jammy Hokins writes for http://www.anxietyremedies.info where you can find out more about cheap hotels and other topics.

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Posted: March 31st, 2008 under .
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Wooden furniture care helps to keep the furniture looking as good as possible for as long as possible. Sanding may help to keep wooden floorboards looking clean and new so it is certainly worth considering.

Getting wooden flooring in a house can bring so many different benefits, with the most visible benefit obviously being that it can look great in any room.

Many people decide to have either wooden floor boards or wooden laminate flooring in their homes. It could be that you have just got rid of your carpets after many years and realised that the floorboards are not too bad and with a bit of careful restoration they could be used for the room in the house. A lot of people didn’t think that the floor boards they had would look good but by cleaning them up and preparing them, you can either leave them like they are or you can treat them and even paint them.

Sanding Down Wooden Flooring

If you want to keep the floor boards in your house as part of the new look and they are in a bad condition, one thing that you need to do is to sand them down. It can be extremely hard work but by doing this it helps to smooth them down and it can even make them look better too.

The very thought of sanding the floor down can put people off, but it is better than spending lots of money on a contractor doing it for you. If you do not want to do it by hand then you can buy electronic sanders to help you with the task in hand. Whatever method you decide to use, at the end of it you should have nice flat and smooth looking wooden floor boards.

Wooden furniture care is always important and if you have just bought new floor boards or laminate then you will need to take care of them in order to keep them looking good for as long as possible. However something that you should take note of is the state of the floor boards beforehand. Sanding them first may not be a good idea, especially if they are seriously cracked and if they have too many splinters sticking out. If the floor boards are ok to be sanded then you can carry on with the task ahead.

If you are using a manual sander for the first time then make sure that you read the instructions beforehand and take the necessary health and safety precautions too.

Wood furniture care comes in many different forms whether it is looking after pre existing furniture or even new furniture. If you have new wooden furniture, clean it regularly and use the right products for it to avoid causing any damage in the long run.

Adam Peters enjoys writing about decorating styles for http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com . A focused website that offers articles on decorating styles, read more here: http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com/magazine/wood-furniture-care.html .

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Remodeling Salt Lake

Posted: March 29th, 2008 under .
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We’re well into a new year now and if you haven’t noticed, America’s financial state is changing dramatically — not just for people like you and me, but for the banks that keep our money in one piece. What is the number one thing, according to financial advisers, that should be done to protect ourselves RIGHT NOW? It’s reducing debt, and this year it’s more important than ever.

There are many different approaches to reducing your debt immediately. There are the usual suspects: debt consolidation, debt snowballs, intense yard sales, etc. But the best techniques aren’t obvious, and if you have any amount of debt at all, you should do your research or else you may do more harm than good.

Too many people jump right into something like a debt consolidation program not really knowing what it is, just because they think it’s going to be a savior. Debt relief is personal, just like how everybody’s debt situation is different. You can’t expect to beat the credit card companies’ systems the same way a million other people do. It doesn’t work for them, it didn’t work for me, and unfortunately it won’t likely work for you.

I never would have imagined some of the ways there are to reduce debt. After all, it’s not like the credit card companies want to help us. As long as we owe, they’re happy.

When you have the right plan, it’s a cinch to reduce debt. There’s no reason you can’t free yourself of bills when I was able to escape them myself. I’ve helped my whole family — and this was from teenagers nieces to my parents — reduce their debt the same way I solved my own. There are shortcuts, technicalities, loopholes — all legal, it’s just that you have to know what they are. As much as I wish it were just common sense or being a good citizen, that stuff doesn’t pay the bills, so to speak.

I can’t give details here, but if what I’m saying applies to you, hop over to The Way Out of Debt and take a look. You’ll be glad you did.

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kevin trudeau

Posted: March 28th, 2008 under .
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Esotericism

There is more to Truth and Reality than what elementary minds would want to pursue and consider. It often seems more comfortable to sit in the dark where we see nothing than to face the blinding light. Is the blindness the same in both cases? The former is blissful ignorance, the latter an initial shock–but one that eventually offers solace to the soul. It is the courageous individual that seeks Truth no matter how painful or shocking it may be. In this paper we do not pretend to represent Truth, we simply give directions to it. Because there are those that seek Truth, humankind may be categorized into two distinct groups:

1) “The Many,” the believers, those who are devoted and satisfied with the dogmas of their creed and resistant to any teachings that contradicts and upsets their beliefs and faith, including the higher revelations of the Paraclete, or the Holy Spirit.

2) “The Few,” the seekers, those who are jaded with irrational faiths and creeds that do not satisfy the intellect nor the growing conscience of the inner self, and who seek spiritual knowledge and experience to fill the empty heart of spiritual yearning. St. Martin, the co-founder of Martinism, calls this second group, “Men of Desire.”

Realizing this division within humankind ever since the spring of existence, the higher intelligences that oversees the evolution of man instituted religions with dual sections that catered to the two types of men. It has been acknowledged by the spiritual guardians, the “Minor Spirits” of Martinism that the masses of man are as yet too puerile to participate in their own salvation and the unfoldment of their divinity. Only the few had the capacity of doing so. Religion, therefore, has its mysteries, an esoteric side to its nature, established for the nurture and nourishment of those few who were qualified to receive the higher teachings that would stimulate the awakening and unfoldment of their divine consciousness, their seed potential of Christhood, or Buddhahood, and establish them firmly on the path of discipleship, that they may become initiates of the Holy Spirit.

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory.” (1Co:2:7)

Religion, to be of value, should reach the hearts of men standing at various grades of the evolutionary ladder, as depicted in the symbolism of Jacob’s dream. Its doctrines and precepts should include both elementary and advanced teachings of Cosmic laws that would assist man in fulfilling the ancient threefold injunction: “Know thyself, know thyself as God, and know they enemy.” Teachings suitable for the few are called “esoteric.” St. Paul called such manna “meat,” in contradistinction to the “milk” suitable for the many–or the “babes”–those whose soul-experience, personal evolution, and consciousness are still on the elementary level. Origen, one of the early Fathers of Christianity, taught that only when the members of the church’s congregation ceased to do evil would the esoteric side, or secret mysteries be revealed. Sinners were told not to sin, but notwithstanding the simplicity of this precept, the early Christian following found it difficult to put this teachings into practice, and sincere seekers, as a result, became scarce. Gradually, the portal of the “strait and narrow gate” was closed and withdrawn from the Christian institution and its existence forgotten by lay members and priesthood alike. The “keys” to the Kingdom of Heaven were no longer in the hands of the Apostle Peter’s successors–the very nature of these “keys” are unknown to most religious representatives of God, even more so to the lay follower. The latter is unconscious of its existence.

Nowadays, blind leaders mislead their equally blind followers with a salvation based on a false interpretation of the scriptures. But this condition has actually always existed in the past in the temples of religious instruction. The Master Jesus was very vocal regarding these mis-leaders of the Spiritual Law.

Religion in its original intent, was meant to convey to the minds and hearts of man at a certain point of his mental and spiritual development the Secret Wisdom of the Ages. Humankind is expected to be responsible for their own salvation and freedom from the bondage of matter. Since man is evolving and progressing toward the Light, revelation would need to be continuous to satisfy man’s constant inquiry, growing awareness and comprehension of the Nature of Being, the ontology of his Soul. Resistance to further revelations of the “Comforter,” is an act of fanaticism and causes the evolutionary impulse of the resisting one to stall and prolong the sleep of consciousness in the tomb of matter. It was the opposition of gnosis, the Ancient Wisdom, and progressive revelation that caused the esoteric side of religions, particularly Christianity, to withdraw formally from the outer, exoteric work and form themselves into secret societies and Orders, preserving the secret teachings in their archives. It is the esoteric side of religion that infuses life into the institution as a whole. Religion without the mystical aspect, becomes a farce, a sham, and a fertile field for corruption. Dogmas and foundationless beliefs and faiths simply insult human intelligence, and the rebellion of the human soul struggling for enlightenment occurs as a natural result.

Prophets and sages, exponents of gnosis, founded religions and societies with the intention of leading the masses several steps forward in their ascension towards the Light. They even gave hints of an advanced method that would accelerate the spiritual development of those who would tread such a path. The Master Jesus offered the “strait and narrow gate.” Jeremiah acting as Omneity’s scribe and mouth-piece, suggested that humankind “. . . ask for the ancient paths. (Jer 6:16)” Many stories to be found in the scriptures are representative of manuals of practical spiritual techniques of development. For instance we have, Jacob’s Ladder; Elijah’s mount experience; the various stages of Moses’ encounters with Divinity; the Merkabah or sky-chariot of Ezekiel; Jesus’s 40-day fast on the Mount with Satan; the events in Jesus’s life, etc.

Many of the precepts, rites, tenets, and principles of Christianity originated from old religions and Mystery Schools. This fact may be discerned should a study of comparative religions be undertaken. For instance, the doctrine of heaven and hell, the last judgment, the mediation of the Logos on behalf of humanity’s salvation, and the Eucharist–all have their counterpart in the cult of Mithras, Zoroastrianism and the Essenes. It is also in the field of probability that the illumined minds of the founders of religion were enlightened with the same illumination of the Spirit concerning Cosmic laws of the universe that directs every spark of God. This would account for the many similarities between various religions. Truth is eternal and immutable, as it is One. The manner Truth is conveyed may vary from culture to culture, from age to age, but its essential nature is forever the same. Founders of religions were, and are, extraordinary beings from the perspective of an unenlightened humanity. However, each and every enlightened-one teach of the possibility of man attaining the very same state of divine godhood by unfolding his spiritual potential and emulating the great ones who incarnate to show the Way, to Moksha, to Freedom.

Part of the Ancient Wisdom or the gnosis of the Bodhisattvas, were recorded in ancient scriptures such as the Avesta, the Vedas, the Tao Teh Ching, the Book of Dzan, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and many other books considered apocryphal. Certain aspects of the Ancient Wisdom was conveyed orally from Master to chela, such as the Qabalah of Judaism, for instance.

Esoteric Christianity, as a practical collective-stream corresponding to bhakti, raja, jnana, kundalini, laya, and karma yoga, is the gnosis taught by Master Jesus to an inner circle of students. Its precepts and doctrines are based on the Ancient Wisdom. Jesus, however, revealed more advanced aspects of the gnosis for the disciples of the new dispensation, the Piscean and the Aquarian Age. And yet, even to his most foremost disciples he declared that there were higher teachings which they were not as yet qualified to receive:

“I have many things to say to you, but ye cannot bear them now.” (John 16:12)

Here Jesus hints at the continuity of revelation, and the promise that higher teachings shall be given at the appropriate time. We may well ask, “are the present votaries of Christianity receiving these teachings in this present age?” Is the nature of these teachings known?

There was a traditional belief in the early days of the Church’s inception that Jesus remained with his disciples for a considerable period after his ascension, for the purpose of instructing them further on the gnosis. A gnostic work titled “Pistis Sophia” declares that Jesus was with his disciples for eleven years after the resurrection. St. Iraneus, bishop of Lyons, concurred with this belief, even though he attacked most, if not all, of the other gnostic ideas. In his book “Against Heresies,” he wrote that the Apostles themselves testified that Jesus lived to an old age. In connection with this, one wonders at the report of Jesus’ grave being in Srinagar, India, as pointed out by local natives living in the area.

According to a modern school of Esoteric Christianity, the gnosis transmitted from Initiator to candidate were divided into two parts:

1) The Purifying Mysteries–for the sinner who wishes to be cleansed of karmic tendencies and stains.

2) The Illuminating Mysteries–for those who wish to probe and comprehend reality and Maya; the microcosm and the macrocosm, etc.

Initiators of the spiritual gnosis are the mythic Peters that guards the pearly gates of Heaven. They hold the keys of illumination, knowledge and the principles that would assist the candidate to enter Heaven, the Kingdom of God within his consciousness–exactly where Jesus pointed out where it would be–within oneself and not in the afterlife or in some physical location on earth. His parables are enough to convince one of this.

The existence of esoteric teachings within early Christianity were mentioned by certain Church Fathers such as Origen, Clement of Alexandria and Ignatius. They praised the mystical teachings highly and would have proclaimed them from rooftops had it not been for the opposition of the dull minds of worldly men, some of whom were appareled in priests’ habit. This in fact was done by Origen, and he was anathemized centuries later by the Emperor Justinius who presided over the Fifth Ecumenical Council in 553 AD. Many of Origen’s works were put to the flames. We had previously mentioned how the gnosis was withdrawn from public awareness. The various church councils convened throughout the centuries, later supplanted the gnosis with impious creeds and dogmas which no longer reflected the original teachings of Jesus.

Among students of esotericism there are those who consider Joseph of Arimathea to have been the guardian of the esoteric church of Christianity, just as “Peter” was considered to be the leader of the temporal church. The esoteric church was called the “Secret Church of the Holy Grail.” As the story goes, Joseph, a secret disciple of Jesus, journeyed to Glastonbury, England, taking along with him certain relics said to be filled with divine virtue. Among these relics was the grail, the chalice used by Jesus during the “Last Supper;” and the spear that wounded him while he was hanging on the cross. Because of corruption within the church in subsequent years, the Grail disappeared from the physical plane. The Order of the Knights of the Round Table was established by King Arthur and Merlin for the quest of the Grail. In truth, the search probably occurred within the Soul, for the Grail, from one point of view, symbolizes a spiritual principle in man’s being. It is said that only the pure may see God. Sir Galahad, the young Knight who found the Grail, according to one version of the Grail legend, represented the purified nature of man. Only in such a purified state is it possible for man to “see” God–and live–to live, but no longer as an ordinary mortal, for the lower aspects of his being would have “perished” in God’s consuming, transmuting flame.

Gnosticism

The Order of the Grail was not the only branch of Esoteric Christianity. Gnostics claim that they too, were bequeathed the secret teachings of Jesus, with a “Doctrine of the Heart,” transmitted to them via lesser known apostles such as Thomas and Mark. In the mind of Gnostics, Peter always represented the exoteric side of Christianity. Some Gnostics affirm that Simon Magus was the founder of Gnosticism. Nothing much is known about this mysterious personality except that in Acts in the New Testament he clashed with Peter in a psychic battle and was vanquished. Many believe that this story was fabricated by the priests of exoteric Christianity to discredit Gnosticism as a whole.

Gnosis, from which the word Gnosticism is derived, comes from the Greek word “Gnostikos,” which means one who has knowledge. It is defined by Bishop John Bricaud in his book Esoteric Christian Doctrine as,

“The supreme religious science, that is the true knowledge of the three worlds, divine, spiritual, material, as well as their relationships.”

Gnosticism presents to students secret methods of inquiry and entry into the soul’s inner depth. Beliefs and mere faith were not advocated in the teachings of the Gnostic Masters.

St. Iraneus, as mentioned earlier, attacked Gnostics for their mystical notions. He declared their spiritual literary works, their gospels, as being full of blasphemy. It is easy to discern why Iraneus was opposed to their doctrines. Gnosticism offered seekers direct access to Omneity, and this very condition undermined the position of the priesthood as the supposed intermediaries, as the only so-called valid way for seekers to approach God. Gnostics on their side, opposed the three-fold system established within orthodox Christianity: doctrine, ritual, and the church hierarchy. The ancient Gnostics were individuals who sought knowledge and wisdom, pragmatically, through personal experience. From their standpoint, the doctrines taught by Jesus were more important than the man himself. The historical reality of Jesus was not a matter of any great import. The mystical and mythical Christ were their sole concern, their only guides and ideal. The laws of God, our relation to Truth and Reality–to Gnostics were more important than the personality of the exponent of those revelations. To them, the second coming of Christ takes place mystically, within the consciousness of one’s being. Basilides, Valentinus, Marcus, and Marcion were some of the eminent Gnostics that shaped Gnostic thought.

Gnosticism, like many other cults and societies, ended in many schisms, caused by differences in the interpretation of Truth. Absolute Truth is inapprehendable by human intellect. Relative truths have this strange characteristic of presenting various facets of Absolute Truth that from one perspective appear true, from another appear false, and yet from another, makes no difference at all.

In 1945, in Egypt, at Nag Hamaddi, certain gnostic manuscripts were discovered, among which was the Gospel of Thomas. This work consists of a collection of sayings of Jesus, and is regarded by some scholars as the primary source of Jesus’ sayings to be found in the four canonical gospels. We will discuss briefly some of the sayings to be found in the Gospel.

“Blessed is the lion which a man eats so that the lion becomes a man. But cursed is the man whom a lion eats so that the man becomes a lion.” (Gospel of Thomas Saying No.7)

The meaning of this saying is similar to saying No.116:

“Cursed is the flesh that depends on the soul, and cursed is the soul that depends on the flesh!” (Ibid. Saying No.116)

The carnal self, or the bestial nature within man is often portrayed as a lion. Alchemical writers of the past made use of this symbolism profusely. To consume a lion is the process of transmuting and sublimating man’s lower impulses. This is in accord with the evolutionary urge which is prompted by the higher impulses of man’s spiritual nature. Conversely, to allow animal instincts to rule and tyrannize the higher aspects of our being is to figuratively, be consumed by the lion by allowing its persona to be superimposed upon our Real Self. This in a sense is worshipping an idol, a false god, that misleads man’s senses and consciousness within the labyrinth of Maya. Man should identify himself with his Atma, his spiritual nature, and not conclude that his lower principles with their desires are his Reality. Attachment to the flesh results in suffering and sorrow, and man is cursed by such conditions that binds his soul to the wheel of birth and rebirth, as graciously pointed out to us by Gautama, the Buddha. This divine messenger of God gave us the eight-fold path as a way of escape from the turmoil within the soul. The Christ gave us the prime commandment to love, which if lived and applied within our thoughts and feelings, would yoke the Fragment to the Whole.

“Blessed is the man who has laboured; he has found life!” (Ibid. Saying No.63)

Man’s objective consciousness is in a state of death–spiritual death. He moves, and thinks within God’s being like a zombie. Blind to spiritual realities and verities, and to his divine potential, man relies excessively upon an irreligious science and an unscientific religion that dulls as well as stimulate his mind and emotions with an artificial, mechanized living that degrades the soul. Life is Reality, and those who seek the greater life must labour in the vineyard of the soul to awaken the consciousness of the Kingdom of God. All that is temporal, transient, is unreal. Nothing in this three-dimensional world is Real in the absolute sense of the word, for everything is in a state of fluctuation, of becoming. The Real does not change. The dependency on conditions, relations, and objects in this unreal world for one’s mental and emotional well-being and security eventually upsets the equilibrium of body, mind, and soul, and results in inharmony, in sickness, and in suffering. Illness is an absence of the bountiful force of Life. God is Life, and Life in the physical vehicle of man is to be found in the blood. The denial of God’s existence within and without us is to deny the very foundation of our existence, the very life-force within our being. According to one school of thought, disintegration occurs on a spiritual level to all the principles or components comprising man should this denial be a constant state incarnation after incarnation. The closest proximity that such an unfortunate being could get to the life-essence, hence God, to survive spiritually, is by blood-shed. This explains the acts of depravity of those who indulge in blood-sacrifices, vampirism, and murder.

Matter provides a great challenge to the Ego. It offers resistance to its etherealization, the accomplishment and mastery of which awards man with the unfoldment of his Christhood. No other being can accomplish this for us by proxy. We precipitated this condition for ourselves by our demand of free-will in the higher states of existence. It is the mission and prerogative of man to save his soul and thus acquire a greater life, a greater consciousness, a greater state of being, and to secure for himself a permanent place in the Kingdom of God as a pillar of perfection.

“He who is near me is near the fire, and he who is far from me is far from the kingdom.” (Ibid. Saying No.86)

The fire referred to here is the spark of God within man’s heart. This spark is the divine aspect of man entombed within matter. It corresponds to the sun in the solar system and is the source of life within the body. Hindu mystics describe this flame as a divine being meditating in the heart of the anahata chakra. They call this divine spark “Dahara,” which means “minuscule,” with “overtones of radiance.” (Encyclopedic Dictionary of Yoga, by Georg Feuerstein)

Copyright © 2006 Luxamore

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Posted: March 27th, 2008 under .
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Online small business marketing can get expensive. Most people starting an online business may quickly find your savings and credit cards maxed. That is, unless you know how to market your online business with affordable strategies.

There are many ways to market your small online business with the cheap or free methods of marketing before spending a lot of money on a system that will not work for you.

Traffic exchanges are one strategy to market your business free of charge. Many new small online businesses advertise through traffic exchanges and gain tons of free traffic. These however are not targeted unique visitors to your site.

Forums are online communities that focus on specific niches. There are forums (or discussion groups) on just about any topic you can think of. Most forums do not allow commercial solicitations. The focus is on exchanging information. Be prepared to add useful comments to the discussion and follow the posted rules. You may be allowed to attach a signature to your comments. Put your website in the signature to attract the search engine spiders and send visitors to your site. Develop a reputation as an expert on your topic and give free advice when possible to build credibility. Be careful not to go into forums only to advertise your site. This is considered spam. It could get you banned from the forum.

Forums also get you back-links to your site through your signature on your posts. Forums are one of the most affordable marketing strategies for your small online business. It gets you back-links, targeted visitors, and builds credibility for you as an expert.

Writing articles and publishing them to directories and ezines, is the best marketing strategy of all. Writing a keyword rich unique article can do more for your business than anything else, in my opinion. Writing an article is free and the more you write the better you get. You can’t buy your way to top rankings on search engines but one truly great article can place you at the top and get you more traffic than you can imagine. Be sure to write about what you know and stay on topic of your web site.

Keep your money in your wallet. For affordable marketing strategies, start using two or all three of these methods and you will be creating a solid marketing foundation for your small online business.

Denise Nuttall owns “Online Turnkey Business Opportunities and Ideas” where you can find everything you’ll ever need for Affordable Marketing Strategies for Small Online Business at: http://djnuttall-enterprises.com

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Posted: March 26th, 2008 under .
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In this article I am going to explain step by step how it is possible to make real money using online auction websites like Ebay, Ebid, Yahoo Auctions etc…

You will be making good money in no time if you just follow these simple steps

The first thing you should consider is what product to sell(sounds obvious does`nt it) but you will be amazed at how many people are selling things that make very little profit or do not sell at all.

To do your research go to Ebay and have a look at the completed listings of the product you are thinking of selling and you can see how many are selling, how much the price changes and also what is not selling.

One of the main differences to whether your item sells or not is the listing you write to describe your item, you need to be able to put some real passion in the description and make the prospect buyer feel as though he is missing out if he/she leaves the auction.Also if you include a picture(good quality) that will make a big difference and always go for the option to make your listing have a little picture shown in the listings.

Simple steps like this will explode the sales you make with your products.

However I have been trading on Ebay for three years and I have found the best products that sell are info products.

They are easy to create and require no room to keep and best of all people will pay good money to learn about something you know about.

I guess you are thinking “I would`nt know where to start!” but believe me it is easier then you think, the reason being is you have a wealth of knowledge under your fingertips on almost every subject in the world!

You can use the internet to research a product and then write a few chapters down and create an ebook in a few days.

I will be writing another article about the steps you have to go through to research the info in another article, but if you really can`t get started or have`nt got the time you can check out my Bio for my website and more info on an ebook and a listing that sells like hotcakes!

In the meantime I wish you all the best, follow the above advice and you will be working from home in no time!

Hi My Name is Chris Jones I currently work from home and make my money through Ebay and Affiliate marketing and a whole host of other techniques.

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Posted: March 25th, 2008 under .
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Why visit Canada’s Yukon Territory?

Here are five reasons to start you thinking.

1) The land itself…

With unparalleled scenery the Yukon not only inspires the musicians, writers and artists who make their homes here but you our visitor. Whether you plan on hiking the historic Chilkoot Trail in the footsteps of the Klondike Gold Rush Stampeders, camping out in Kluane National Park next to glaciers older than the Pyramids or just taking it easy and admiring the view from well-nigh anywhere, you will feel the power of the land as the serenity sinks into your soul.

2) A Yukon river will get you there…

Not just the majestic Yukon River itself but also the historic Klondike, the Snake, Big Salmon and Tatshenshini rivers. Whether you enjoy kayaking just around the next bend or taking canoe trips from Whitehorse to Dawson following the Yukon River Quest the rivers in the Yukon accommodate both the novice and experienced paddler. So if you want to experience the rush of whitewater or just get away from everything and everyone, a wide variety of yukon river adventures await to carry you away to every part of this vast wilderness.

3) Wildlife…

This is not an empty land, humans may not have much impact on the huge expanse of wilderness but there are many other animals who call the Yukon home. From grizzly bears to ground squirrels, from Dall sheep you need a spotting scope to see to dragonflies hovering over fireweed, the Yukon has a magnificent menagerie of mammals, birds, fish and invertebrates. With six caribou to every person and 50,000 moose, not to mention our beguiling wolves, crafty ravens and seldom seen wolverines, the Yukon truly is your wildlife wonderland.

4) The Yukon has a surprisingly long and colorful history…

From the time of the last ice age people have lived here under the northern lights. Yukon’s fourteen First Nations will share with you their culture and history stretching back centuries. For more recent history visit Dawson City, once the hub of the Last Great Gold Rush. A town where boardwalks, a gambling casino and dancing girls whisk you back to the days when gold was discovered in the Klondike.

5) Your adventure awaits here…

Whether your dream is to ride a dogsled as the Aurora Borealis swirls overhead or take an outfitters floatplane to cabins on lakes hundreds of miles from the nearest road. Map out your dream holiday and drive through some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet. You can do it in the Yukon.

————————————————————

Not one but many experiences of a lifetime await you. But be forewarned, one visit is never enough….

Ken Searcy has lived in the Yukon for 10 years and has traveled thoughout the Yukon and Alaska. Get everything you need to plan your wilderness adventure: books, maps, travel and river guides. Visit: http://www.yukonbooks.com.

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Posted: March 24th, 2008 under .
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A reverse mortgage is a loan secured by a house, but unlike a conventional mortgage that decreases over time, a reverse mortgage increases over time.

Reverse mortgages are designed for older homeowners who have a house with equity, and they want to unlock that equity and turn it into cash so they can use it for other purposes, like home repair or to pay off other debts.

With a reverse mortgage the homeowner borrows money, but does not have to repay it as long as they live in their house, so it can be used as a form of debt consolidation.

Each month interest is added to the principal amount of the loan, and when the homeowner moves, they either repay the loan, or the house is sold and the proceeds go to the reverse mortgage lender.

While a reverse mortgage may be a good idea for some people, here are five reasons a reverse mortgage may not be a good idea for debt consolidation loan purposes:

First, reverse mortgages are much more expensive than traditional mortgages, so a traditional mortgage may be a better method of debt consolidation.

Second, reverse mortgages are a form of debt; many older people want to avoid debt, particularly as they get older, so repaying debt may be a better option than debt consolidation.

Third, reverse mortgages must be paid off upon the death of the homeowner, or if the borrower has not lived in the home for 12 months. This could be an issue if the borrower is placed in a nursing home and then recovers, only to find the home sold.

Fourth, while regular Social Security and Medicare benefits are not effected, other programs such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) may be affected.

Finally, there are significant up front costs, so reverse mortgage are generally only a good idea for people who intend to live in their homes for at least five years

In general, reverse mortgages have advantages and disadvantages, and proper research is required before determining if a reverse mortgage makes sense for you. A good source for reverse mortgage information is http://www.debt-consolidation-loans-information.com/reverse-mortgage-debt-consolidation.htm and more information on debt consolidation can be found at http://www.debt-consolidation-loans-information.com

Bernard Johnson has many years experience advising people on debt consolidation loans. This article may be reprinted. Visit http://www.debt-consolidation-loans-information.com for information about debt consolidation loans and visit http://www.debt-consolidation-loans-information.com/reverse-mortgage-debt-consolidation.htm for information about a reverse mortgage

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Posted: March 20th, 2008 under .
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The game that began as a nobleman’s sport has evolved into a barroom staple. But make no mistake the game of billiards, and each of its offspring, still retains that noble spirit.

While proper billiards is rarely found in average clubs, a number of game variations have become popular with the pub and club set. One of the most popular tournament-style billiards games is “eight ball”. In eight ball billiards, one set of numbered balls is split between two players. One players shoots for balls 1-7 (also called “solids” or “low balls”) and the other plays balls 9-15 (”stripes” or “high balls”). The first player to pocket all of his or her balls, and then legally pocket the eight (black) ball, is declared the winner.

Eight ball is an easy game with very few regulations. There are however, a few rules to keep in mind:

* When calling shots in this eight ball billiards, it is not necessary to indicate the pocket and ball when the shot is clear. If attempting a bank or combination shot however, you must declare your intention before proceeding to shoot.

* If the ball you are shooting jumps off the table, the shot is considered foul. At this time you can choose to accept the table and take a shot, or shoot again with the cue ball placed behind the head string.

* On your turn, your shot is only legal if it hits a group of your own billiard balls and either pocket a numbered ball, or cause a numbered ball or the cue ball to end up in a pocket. This does not apply to shots declared “open”, or to break shots.

* After a break shot, if no ball was pocketed and no group of balls determined, the table is still considered to be open. In other words, if a player breaks and sunk neither stripes nor solids, the table remains open.

* A game may be acknowledged as a stalemate when six turns (three for each player) are taken consecutively and the next shot will result in the loss of the game. At this point, the game is re-racked, and the original breaker takes the break shot again.

Consult an official rulebook for a more concise description of all the rules to eight ball. To play a successful game you must be willing to learn and follow the rules, and retain the noble spirit of billiards.

Jennifer Brown writes for several Internet magazines, including http://cheap-recreation.com and http://lyroz.com.

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Posted: March 19th, 2008 under .
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There are many Internet web server error messages. One such is the 404 error message. This error is a result of some problem with the Web server and not your terminal/computer. If you encounter a 404 error message, then the cause might be that the server is not able to locate the file that has been requested. It might be the case that the file that is sought has been moved to some other location or has been deleted. This causes a 404 error message to appear on you terminal screen.

Generally, when sending messages or requesting files using HTTP you get response from the server and each of this response has a numeric code associated with it. Here is a great technical site http://www.techiehut.com. Also this code has message in English that appears as the message along with the number. This message for a 404 error message will be “Not Found”. The usual scenario is that with a 404 error message a short HTML document which has the numeric code with the associated string is included. But not all the web browsers have this kind of facility. Some browsers are more user friendly in that they even have a humorous 404 error messages!

A 404 error will also occur and get displayed if the file that is requested is spelt wrong. Always see to it that you type in the correct spelling. Even if you have spelt it correct and you get a 404 error message, then possibly the file has been shifted or deleted altogether. One another alternative is to remove the information between each backlash. Try this until you land up with the required file. In many cases this helps to reach the information you need.

Microsoft Outlook Web Access has various kinds of 404 error messages. They can be “File Not Found”, “Not Found”, “Object not Found”, “Page cannot be found ” and a few others.

The possible causes for this error message to appear are DNS name resolution, proxy server configuration, exchange virtual directory configuration, Uniform Resource Locator (URL) creation, problem with URL Scan component of IIS(Internet Information Server) lockdown tool and/or the wrong port allocation on the OWA Web site.

Always keep in mind that there is way to find the page you require. A 404 error message just indicates that the wrong instructions have been given to the server to locate that page, similar to you being on the wrong route to reach a city. You just have to correct the route!

Ron writes for in his spare time: http://www.spideywebinfo.com

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Posted: March 18th, 2008 under .
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