Sometimes it is hard to know what we want out of life. Other times we already know, but just make the wrong choices. We covet what we don't have. We...
Sometimes it is hard to know what we want out of life. Other times we already know, but just make the wrong choices. We covet what we don’t have. We behave in ways we know are detrimental. So, then why do we make life more complicated than it has to be?
If we let this happen to us we have only ourselves to blame. If we put our desires first we can’t always predict what will happen. We have to live with our decisions and not try to make others the culprit.
There are times when we are the victims of our own choices. We spend more than we earn, we choose fattening foods over healthy ones, we cheat instead of staying faithful and we lounge instead of exercise.
Exerting control over yourself can feel surprisingly good if you’ve never done it before. You’ll find that there are ways to feel satisfied without breaking the budget and getting yourself in debt. True happiness comes from within.
When we are unhappy it’s often because we feel inadequate compared to others. We become jealous if we feel someone is better at something we value. However, if we learn to stop comparing ourselves we will realize that our lives can be fulfilling without constant acquisitions.
It’s natural to strive for more and to want what’s new and exciting. Everyone feels that urge to acquire, but not everyone acts on it. Keeping those desires in check will help you focus on more important things.
We don’t have to fall victim to our impulses. You can appreciate material objects without having to own them. The things we want don’t have any control over us. We can control what we do and our perceptions.
Know that true happiness can only be achieved when we accept ourselves for who we are and forgive ourselves for our mistakes. We don’t have to make things more complicated than that.
If you live your life within your means, control your impulses, and appreciate others you will reap the benefits.
Read more of this author’s articles on topics such as and .
Have you ever seen a golden rosary? They are not things you see every day, but they are very beautiful and they can be found if you look around. A rosary is a symbol of your faith, a method of doing penance and even a way of remembering who gave you your faith.
Because of the symbolic character of a rosary, it does not matter at all what it is made from. However, if you like beautiful things, a golden rosary could be a luxury item for you, even though there is more risk of it being stolen.
You certainly would not want to have it stolen of course, but a valuable rosary is a beautiful thing to own, like a golden business card case or an luxurious fountain pen. It is not so much that it demonstrates that you can afford one, it is more that it shows that it is an important item to you. Something of significance. If you like writing, you want a good pen, if you want to give a good impression, you can have a good business card case and if you love God, you can have a good-looking rosary.
However, you do not have to take it to church with you, if you are worried about being flash. You could only use it at home, if that made you feel easier. After all, you are not buying a golden rosary to show off to the world’s populace, just to illustrate your loyalty to yourself. The weight of a golden rosary seems to add gravity to the proceedings, but that might be a private thing.
However, you do not necessarily have to buy a gold rosary for yourself. You might buy one for a child or godchild in order to demonstrate how much you want that they will discover or uphold the faith.
You will have to go to a professional trader who knows about gold rosaries. This is because if the beads are too heavy for the chain, the chain might not last long. The constant moving of the beads could either wear the gold chain thin too swiftly or just break it.
That would be a crying shame, because you might lose one or more of your beads too and the beads on a gold rosary would of necessity be quite classy too. Replacing one or more beads might be difficult or even impossible years down the line.
A gold rosary would almost certainly become a family heirloom and be passed down for generations or even hundreds of years. It would be a great inducement for a young person to consider the important things in life.
Your church could give you pointers about where to buy a gold rosary from someone that really knows what the proportions of the beads to the chain should be. They will also offer you different purities of gold, usually 9, 14 or 18 carat gold and the beads could be anything from glass to pearls.
If you do go in for a gold rosary, get the retailer to attest to the materials used in its manufacture and the various weights so that if you have a problem, you have proof to show the insurance company.
Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with . If you have an interest in gold rings, please go to our website now at
Artisan-crafted spiritual jewelry is a beautiful, unique addition to anyone’s jewelry collection and is an exceptional choice when looking for a meaningful gift for a partner, friend or family member. With beautiful handmade beads, healing stones, natural metals and intentional crafting, inspirational jewelry is visually appealing, as well as spiritually, physically and emotionally healing. is a beautiful way to rejuvenate your spirit, balance energies and adorn yourself with handcrafted pieces imbued with healing energy.
Energy healing is one of the world’s oldest forms of medicine and has been practiced for thousands of years throughout the world. Long before the invention of instruments with the ability to measure the vibrational energies of healing stones, ancient healers and societies were intrinsically aware of their capacity to heal and used a wide array of stones in their everyday lives and practices. Seekers of healing were often provided with a necklace, amulet, bracelet or other piece of spiritual healing jewelry with a specific combination of metals, stones and natural elements to help them overcome spiritual, emotional or physical ailments or blocks.
The subtle energies and healing qualities of each stone vary and are associated with different aspects of healing or parts of the body. Most commonly, healing stones in are placed in each piece to specifically assist in opening particular chakras or to calm or strengthen energies as needed in regards to the wearer’s particular healing needs. The practice of using spiritual healing jewelry has been carried forward to present times through generations of traditional healers and giving metaphysical jewelry to a loved one in need of healing, or simply to show that you care about their well-being, is becoming increasingly popular.
Aside from giving handcrafted spiritual healing jewelry as a gift and using it in healing practices, purchasing pieces for yourself and wearing them in your daily life is a powerful means of centering, working on personal growth, balancing and focusing energies, and investing in your own emotional and spiritual healing process. Selecting a piece of metaphysical jewelry that you are drawn to is a particularly empowering experience that focuses your intentions and puts forth your desire to open yourself to the healing energies offered by each beautiful stone. Whether you are in search of physical healing for a specific ailment, inner peace and centering, of the ability to more fully express yourself, inspirational jewelry crafted with healing stones will give off subtle energies to assist you in achieving your goals and enhancing your overall health and well-being.
Spiritual healing jewelry is a becoming, convenient way to ensure you are surrounded by the subtle healing energies of stones, metals and other natural elements throughout the day and is a lovely adornment that can swathe you in the centering energies of black tourmaline, or bring you the good fortune of aventurine, the awareness and thought amplification of lapis lazuli, the courage and confidence encouraged by tiger eye, the wisdom brought by sodalite or the protection offered by agate.
One of the intriguing aspects of selecting the spiritual healing jewelry that is just right for your or to give as a gift is that there are simply no wrong decisions. You will find that you are naturally drawn to the piece of spiritual jewelry appropriate to the situation, needed healing or intention, ensuring that the metaphysical jewelry you choose will be the perfect piece for you or your loved one.
Discussion about penned by Christopher Caramelli. Christopher’s metaphysical jewelry is available at SpiritWear on Spirit Journeys’ website. Learn more about his at Spirit Journeys site.
Many of us have traveled extensively but have at the end of our travels come away feeling less than satisfied which is why it makes sense to find out a little bit more about how spiritual travel can provide that feeling of fulfillment. If you have had your fill of cathedrals from the Gothic era and the sight of another Madonna does not uplift your spirits then you need to find an alternative solution which can take the form of traveling to find spiritual solace.
travel is more than a catch phrase meant to make you seek some far off destination. As a matter of fact, traveling for spiritual reasons is not new because from the very earliest times in our history people have made pilgrimages. Traveling for religious purposes is not a new concept and as far back as in the early 16th century Spanish nationals (Jesuits) used to travel to places such as Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina to build missions where natives would be educated in the Christian religion.
Today, however if you want to travel to find spiritual awakening there are as many different options available to you can imagine and these options provide you with a chance to visit places other than the Vatican and Yucatan and Egypt. If you wish to enjoy solitary spiritual upliftment then it pays to take in a few idyllic places such as Buddhist monasteries that are mostly situated in Asia with a few also located in the USA and in Europe.
For the real Buddhist spiritual travel experience you ought to consider making Bodhgaya (located in Bihar in India). This is the very place where the revered Lord Buddha sat and obtained enlightenment beneath a huge Bodhi tree. Today, this place has seen a huge Mahabodi Temple complex being constructed here and which is inhabited by Buddhist monks from every part of the world.
This place is exceptional as it provides utmost serenity and it is truly very peaceful. You will come across monks from every corner of the world who too sits beneath a gigantic carved statue of Lord Buddha and who read from the Holy Scriptures and indulge in serious contemplation.
The best way to fly into Bodhgaya is to take a flight from Kolkata to Gaya airport. However, if you want to fly in from the rest of India you will need to deplane at Patna airport that is almost a hundred kilometers away from there. A train journey is the more relaxed and cheaper mode of transport and all it requires is to get off at Gaya from where Bodhgaya is not far away.
For those who are planning to travel from the rest of India the closest airport is Patna which is also the capital of Bihar and which is 87 miles from the town of Bodhgaya. You can also choose to travel by train which will mean getting off at Gaya that is close to Bodhgaya and which means traveling at leisure and for considerably less cost.
For those of you who wish to enjoy special then a trip to Bodhgaya is certainly a good option and the best time to visit here is after September and before the summer months begin. The best time to come here is however between November and the month of February while months between June and September are the worst times which is when the monsoons hit this part of the world.
Info post originated by Howie Holben. Spirit Journeys suggests and is a place for singles.
For most people, the best are a way to take time away from the stresses of daily life. Vacations also allow us to do and see things we wouldn’t normally experience. But, many people want even more from their vacations and travel experiences.
Instead of just erasing your surface stress and providing random memories, what if there were a way to bring balance and harmony to your entire being, from soul stirring activities to spiritual peace through meditation? If all this sounds great to you, then pack your bags for a spiritual travel experience you’re not likely to forget: a wondrous journey to the magical land of Peru, specifically, The Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.
Peru’s Sacred Valley is in the heart of the Andes Mountains. The surrounding villages are known for their Inca ruins and the mystical powers these places are reported to contain. In the Sacred Valley you can truly find peace, serenity and a chance to reflect. An experience you will remember.
The Kamaquen Retreat Center is a great place to stay while visiting the Sacred Valley. It is known for bringing those that stay there closer to the Andean culture and spirit. The center’s goal is to help you on your journey to self discovery.
No spiritual journey to the area would be complete without ascending the mountain to submerse yourself in the wonders of Machu Picchu. The epitome of spiritual energy, Machu Picchu offers soul stirring views, the kind that leave you breathless just by witnessing them. It also boasts magnificent and awe inspiring architecture that lies in complete balance with the sacred geography of the region by encapsulating mountain views in the windows and doors of the village as well as using intricate stone work that mirrors the surrounding mountain landscape.
There many places on the grounds of Machu Picchu that are perfect just to sit and meditate. It is easy to become one with Machu Picchu and to absorb it’s spiritual energy. Many people have had life changing revelations just being at Machu Picchu. can change your life.
Commentary about Peru created by Howie Holben. Spirit Journeys presents ideas and has a .
You have an amazing Power attached to your thoughts. Think about this. POWER connected to your THOUGHTS. Rephrase: Energy connected to your thinking. Now that you have heard this, do you instinctively concern yourself about the thoughts that endlessly run through your mind? And what about that little “babbling voice” that lives somewhere back there and drives thousands of people to see their therapists every week. When you search for it – it says:”Voice? Voice? What voice? I don’t hear any voice?” THAT’S THE VOICE. You think that voice doesn’t drive people nuts. Guess how much money is spent on mental health every year in the US? The real reason behind the psychotherapy – inability to control one’s inner babbling chatterbox. The goal here is for you to ThinkRight.
It’s important to take a look at your own self image. Your self image is the result of your own thinking. If you want to change you must admit the need to change and then move on. The THINKRIGHT program by Dr. Jay Polmar, will cause the changed needed in your own self image.
Without your personal involvement and personal direction – FATE wins, and life sucks. Can you be responsible enough to get totally involved with your life? When you get totally involved, you get everything you want in life.
Without personal involvement and personal direction in life – FATE wins, and life sucks. Are you willing to get totally involved with your life? When you get totally involved, you get what you want in life and it’s a quality life. Fear of changing is a big restriction for so many people. Those people don’t realize that to change means to grow – and to evolve into being a higher form of being. Will you say that to yourself: “I must change, I will change, and I am changing”?
Give yourself the opportunities to change yourself. If you want to be a winner in the game of life you have to listen to your insights and intuition. These aren’t the only ways to achieve, but they are the easiest. Winners listen to their inner voice of wisdom and not the babbling voice of fear. Those who cannot hear the voice because of their uncontrolled babbling idiot voice running endless negative thought programs, drift aimlessly through life in a sea of fear and doubt. Don’t be lost drifting in that sea of fear; learn how to THINKRIGHT and find yourself a true winner in life.
The world is in crisis, and we’re all responsible. Personally, we need a way out, a way to win, to get out of this chaos. Thinkright, , and
has been long sought and hard fought. Let’s face it, a large percentage of us grew up in churches that condemned us. It is completely common to go through a strong questioning period where spiritual answers seem out of reach and you end up looking for some sort of confirmation. The problem is that there is no actual confirmation, but the journey is still well worth it.
In many cases, whether we were ready or not, our spiritual quests started in our youth. Not all of us completely grasped why condemnation of the gay population bothered us so much. Some of us understood all too well.
As time went on many of us started searching outside the church for answers. Social justice and a strong desire to move our community into the light became more of our church than the buildings with pastors and priests.
There are all kinds of ways that one may try to find spiritual answers. When gay spirituality was first even mentioned, there was no such thing as an open and affirming church. Instead, there were a few select individuals who saw the plight of our spiritual journey and went out of their way to reach out to the community. Some turn toward that effort and others still turn away, looking for validation in the eyes of their childhood church.
If your family is particularly religious it can be difficult to reconcile your emotional and spiritual ideas. Your emotional side remembers the prayers, the “treatments, ” and the casting out while your spiritual ideas look further inside. There is no admission from the religious affiliations that cast you aside, and there is no confirmation from their view that you are just fine the way you are. That’s for you to find out. Many would say that’s for you to feel.
You do not have to go to an organized church or even claim a religion in order to mark your spiritual journey. You are able to move through your questions and find your own answers whether it be through actual religious study or it becomes more of a silent quest along the beach. However you go about looking for your spiritual self you are simply not alone. The truth is that the GLBT community has been hit rather hard when it comes to spiritual acceptance, which is why it is important to understand what you want from your journey.
When you find that spiritual beliefs and religious beliefs don’t actually stem from the same place, your spiritual journeys become lighter and more involved. We have sat in classrooms or listened to our parents as they taught us religion. We feel spirituality. We bring it forth from a place inside that is often fleeting for those of us who resist the idea. Embracing those moments brings your spirituality straight to the surface.
In today’s world your spiritual existence comes from within. You can join churches and other religious organizations that are accepting and welcoming. But until you find that is more about finding that spark within you, the journey can become too hard. Learning to take the journey from within makes it all worthwhile.
When the global financial market is in turmoil the first thing most people think of doing is holding onto things and cutting expenditure. And they automatically assume (because the newspapers tell them) that everyone is acting that way.
However, each and every person ISN’T doing so. There are sections of the society which prosper, come what may. Those, who feel surprised about this odd equation, can find the clue for it in a most obvious place where they might have missed it. It might be worthwhile to analyse it together.
When a ‘down’ current comes, no matter what it is, the most effective solution is to rise above it. When we go with the down current we sink with the tide and have to wait, suffocating, until the tide changes.
The reality is that when we learn how to be in control and in our power, we can stay above everything that is happening no matter what happens around us. Let’s take a look at how.
‘Go-getters’ or ‘Go-contributors’
Imagine a scenario where we want to have more – better profits, a higher salary, more leave, better liberty, and wider chances.
When we want something, the first thing we tend to do is to go and get it. So, we call ourselves ‘Go-getters’. And being a ‘go-getter’ is, let’s face it, a sign of leadership, activism and an early-adopter mindset. This is of course one of the keys to the success formulae we often read about. But there is a problem. It turns out that when we use this ’strategy’, there are some unexpected (but quite predictable) consequences.
The gist of the matter is that after ‘getting’ and ‘possessing’ it we tend to ‘get rid of’ it. We might actually jettison it or might become apathetic to the whole idea.
And when we are tired of one thing we concentrate on getting something new. And these fresh cravings never end. The more we go in search of newer things, the wider the chain of desire that makes us continuously yearn for things. It simply becomes an addiction!
So what if we turned our ‘desire to get’ into a desire to provide?
Most of you are aware that the act of providing gives a sense of fulfillment. This ensues from gratefulness and not from panic or avarice. A person can go on providing more and receive more and know full satisfaction in the voyage of life.
Our abundant and providing attitude creates abundant and providing clients and team mates while our cost awareness and ‘getting approach’ would draw towards us only similar clients and team mates. And those are the type of people we would not like to be friends with!
Creative capitalism
Most ventures are today aware of the inspiring role of capitalism. They are ever ready to contribute more through many avenues. The idea has strongly impacted the business world as they realise how giving is central to business interests. A typical example is Bill Gates, who expounded the philosophy of ‘Creative Capitalism’ in July 2008 in a TIME magazine article.
He opined that the idea of providing for others could become a crucial factor in encouraging people to buy one product rather than another.
What he’s actually saying is that when a company links its business to giving in some way, that company and its products become more attractive to customers. It takes us way, way above what’s been called ‘the sea of sameness’.
Creative Capitalism is about rising above what we reluctantly settle for to reach what we truly aspire to. When we can capitalise on our ideas and imagination in a way that benefits and nurtures the wider community and network; we stop wasting our resources, efforts and talents in trying to temporarily win. We start creating the real win for ourselves and for the sustainability of our global economy.
The attraction of effective giving
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the phrase that’s often used to describe giving back at a corporate level. It’s becoming almost a required part of corporate business practice. Yet when it’s done out of a sense of obligation or with the intent to just make ourselves look good, people eventually get what it is. It still is a temporary strategy.
Individuals and enterprises that ‘contribute’, appeal to everyone. Their fervour and conviction about what they do are acknowledged by the people with whom they build up relationships. This acknowledgement is in addition to the official public relations campaign of the establishment.
What would be the result if part of the amount that is meant for marketing is diverted towards charity?
Giving gives rise to something greater than what we actually are. It has the power to inspire. And true inspiration is possible only when it echoes on the people whom we want to enthuse. And we are enthused only when we put our heart and soul into the procedure. It is simply not sufficient to listen to the interesting tales. One has to become part and parcel of the whole process. Everyone has this inclination to make one’s own input – to one’s immediate relatives, friends, and to the society at large.
Transaction-based giving causes it to happen on its own
The ability to give just got so much easier too, thanks to an initiative (some would say a ‘movement’) called Buy1GIVE1 (Buy One Give One). Buy1GIVE1 is the home of transaction-based giving. Transaction-based giving changes everything. Let’s use some imagination to see why.
For example, imagine if every time you had a cup of coffee at your favourite cafe, a child in Africa automatically got access to pure, clean water for one day?
Imagine if every time you subscribed to a magazine you love, a tree got planted automatically just because you bought the magazine? Or every time you dine out, you fed a child in need? Automatically again.
Or let’s say you’re being coached in your business. How interesting would it be to know that a child was educated for one month as a direct result (and by the way, all it cost the coaching company to do that was 60 cents per day).
Where a motivational speaker at a conference is connected with a charity, part of his income might go to helping kids who have speech problems due to facial defects. It will be a matter of great satisfaction for the participants at the conference to know that their very participation is helping a deserving cause.
Imagine the perfect scenario where transaction-based giving can be applied in one’s own special manner to correspond with the available products and services to include every member of the group and customers. It is possible.
The economy where all benefits
Business ventures, on a global basis, have already internalized the efficacy of this transaction-based giving. A case in point is TESCO, one of the foremost supermarket chains of UK. The company’s programme ensures that a Kenyan child gets a school uniform when someone buys a pair of school trousers from them.
Volvic is a Mineral Water Company that launched its scheme of transaction-based giving program last year. They help the cause of making wells in Africa. They call the scheme Buy1 GIVE 10 as it helps in generating a flow of 10 litres of water in the well, by every single litre of water they sell.
Middle level and comparatively small enterprises are now in the forefront in widening this global giving phenomenon through Creative Capitalism. Buy1GIVE1 (www.b1g1.com), a Singapore-based Social Enterprise came up with an effective strategy which has turned this transaction-based giving into a movement that anyone who wants can participate in.
Buy1GIVE1 is the home of the most impactful transaction-based giving in the world because it connects any business of any size to any cause in the world. It’s creating a global community of business givers and for SME`s, Buy1GIVE1 connects businesses, their customers AND charities in a way that hasn’t been done before. And it all happens automatically.
You can enroll yourself as a citizen of this marvel of universal giving by simply getting a Buy1GIVE1 `VISA` directly from the Buy1GIVE1 site at www.b1g1.com. And if you are an entrepreneur, you can become a B1G1 Business through making an online application and choosing the requirement for which you would like to donate and your product or service through which you would prefer to do it to initiate the giving. Buy1GIVE1 forwards the whole of the donation to their international Worthy Cause Partners (with more than 528 projects to choose) making the giving entirely satisfactory.
Are you aware?
* One half of the world’s population -which is about three billion people-does not have a daily income of even two dollars.
* Even in the 21st century, which is the age of the internet, there are about a billion people who have never put a pen to a paper.
* UNICEF has reported that more than 30,000 children die every day due to abject poverty, which makes it 20 child a minute and 210,000 a week.
* Just 12% of the people worldwide utilize 85% of the water available for human consumption. And this 12% does not belong to any of the underdeveloped countries.
* About a billion people have no access to minimum health care facilities.
* Every year about 63,000 square miles of rainforests get decimated.
* Medical practice providing healthcare (www.primanora.com)
* Phone card to human interaction (www.ultimatecomms.com)
* Mind Expansion to curing (www.meditate.com.au)
* Weight loss to kids’ meals (www.bodychain.com)
* Blind installation to lighting up schools (www.blindscouture.com.au)
* Socks for protecting feet from frostbite (www.socksforhappypeople.com)
* Coaching to train social entrepreneurs (www.b1g1forcoaches.com)
* And to get a complete picture, just go to www.b1g1.com.
Unearthing what we are looking for-Nature’s eternal secret
So let’s come back to where we started-economic turmoil and getting what we want. What we all really want is actually very simple. You can sum it up with ‘C’ words – connection, collaboration and community.
When we can pool resources and not segregate and when we can divine a proper way to augment what everyone has got and not cut down from what each has got, we understand that there is a veritable cornucopia of sources to be had in the world. And when we bond, not just with our physical persona, but with our intrinsic selves, we discern something completely fascinating -that we’re all ONE. Then we comprehend how uncomplicated it is to form a universal community from something as ordinary as giving.
And the truth is there in all its glory in nature.
In nature, bees and butterflies pollinate flowers and create sustainable flower gardens for many generations to thrive on. It’s been in front of us all along!
Failures are said to be stepping stones to success. In the same way we can turn setbacks into advantages. In reality we should be thankful for the current situation that is helping us to move ahead.
And when a person chooses to donate now itself, in spite of the financial crisis, he will feel more contended. And with this contentment he will find a hope that is rekindled anew, which will ring a bell on how the ebb and flow of things can change. Today’s charity might be that which will reverse the flow.
Find out more about how Buy1GIVE1 () can transform your business using .
There seems to be the conception that travel (whatever that means to you) is “work”. Nobody wants to work on a vacation. That’s why we take a vacation in the first place, to get “away from it all” for awhile, to escape. We seem to frame the concepts of spiritual and personal growth with thoughts like: “I need to do this” or “I should do that” because “it would be good for me”. With those ideas as a background, it’s no wonder that so many of us think of spiritual and personal growth as “work”. When we’re on a vacation, we want to leave all the “need to’s” and “should’s” of daily life behind us, for at least a short time.
My experience is that spiritual gay travel is a joy. You meet people with the same mindset and really can connect with them. This level of connection really adds to the enjoyment of being on vacation. The chance to have an honest, heart to heart conversation with someone brings adds tremendously to my vacation experience and I come to value these conversations very much.
We have also learned that being “spiritual” means we must act solemn. We seem to think that play is anti-spiritual. The truth is just the opposite. Laughter brings a real connection to spirit and connection that is more profound than you can imagine
When we connect spiritually with others and the world, our vacation is greatly enhanced. Conscious awareness of our surroundings makes a gay vacation more exciting and we can get more out of our travel experience. We become very aware of everything we experience while travelling and as such, we are more fulfilled.
Children are a great example. The world is their playground and everything is a wonder. Joy is found in everything for a child because it is all new and everything is to be played with. To see as though you were a child is a great gift.
Finally, there is the experience of being awestruck. While spiritual traveling, we may be deeply touched by something; a sunrise or perhaps a smile. Although an intense experience, being awestruck is not a solemn experience. It just holds a deep meaning for the individual.
Essay penned by Howie Holben. Spirit Journeys provides a way to meet at .
