RaySolution

UNCOVER YOUR DIVINITY - Where to Search for God?

2012-01-30T11:14:00.001-08:00

Man’s search for the Divine and his longing for meaning and oneness have been expressed in both civil as well as spiritual life. In many ways we cannot separate one from the other, even though some people mandate the separation of church and state. Whole cultures have been built around spiritual founders who have influenced all aspects of life.

The general definition for Divinity is the study of religion or the quality of being divine.

“It is in our lives and not our words that our religion must be read.”

~ Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)

Religions

There are many religions and infinite belief systems among the world population. Traditionally, religions were the vehicle for people to gather around to worship God. The meaning of religion is, according to the Webster’s New World Dictionary:

Latin - relegio – reverence for the gods, holiness;

Latin - religare – to bind together or to reconnect.

Most religions have a belief in the divine as a superhuman power to be obeyed and worshiped as the creator and ruler of the universe; or any specific system of belief, worship, or conduct.

Let’s take a look at some of the major religions:

Christianity – is a monotheistic faith formed on the basis of the life and teachings of Jesus. His teachings have been accounted for in the New Testament of the bible. After only 3 years of public ministry, he was able to lay a foundation of spiritual salvation through his sacrifice on the cross.

Judaism – is a teaching which has been handed down through the Old Testament based on the traditions of Abraham and his tribes. Isaac who was one of Abraham’s sons, had a son name Jacob who became the father of the Israelites. Followers of Judaism believe in one God and follow the Ten Commandments.

“We cannot teach people anything; we can only help them to discover it within themselves.”

GalileoGalilei (1564-1642), Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher.

Islam – The belief of Islam is found in the Koran which tells us that there is one God, Allah, and that his prophet is Mohammed who is the founder of their faith. The roots of Islam come from Ishmael who was a son of Abraham.

Confucianism – is a teaching based on the philosophy of Confucius who lived in China during 6^th century before Christ. It includes principles of morality and cultural values.

“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Buddhism – originated with Buddha in India during the 6^th century BC. Buddha taught self-discovery and to overcome suffering (the four noble truth). Buddhists don’t believe in a personal God.

Hinduism - Hindus believe in one creative Force, Brahma, and many smaller deities. Their main belief is reincarnation, which is to carry out karma.

Divinity

In our search of divinity, looking into different religions may not be enough. I like to share a short story which has its origin in a Hindu legend:

There is a Hindu legend about a time when all humans were gods, but they abused that divinity. They so abused it that Brahma, the chief god, decided to take it away from them and hide it where they would never find it again.

Where to hide it, became the big question. The lesser gods were called into council to consider this question: “Where shall we hide humanity’s divinity?” The council said, “We will bury humanity’s divinity deep in the earth,” but Brahma said, “No that will not do; one day they will dig down deep into the earth and will find it.”

Then they said, “We will sink their divinity into the deepest ocean.” Again Brahma replied, “No, not there, for they will learn to dive into the deepest waters, and search the ocean bed and find it.”

Then the lesser gods said, “We will take it to the top of the highest mountain and hide it there.” But again Brahma replied, “No, for eventually humans will climb every high mountain on earth; they will be sure some day to find it and take it up again.”

Then the lesser gods gave up and concluded, “We do not know where to hide it, for it seems there is no place on the earth or in the sea that humans will not eventually reach.” Then Brahma said, “Here is what we will do with humanity’s divinity. “We will hide it deep down in humans themselves; they will never think to look for it there.”

Ever since then, the legend concludes, humans have been going to and fro throughout the earth, climbing, digging, diving, exploring, and searching for something already within themselves. The divinity within humanity is still the best-kept secret of the ages.

I like this story because it shows us that we have what we are looking for already within us. From my understanding the definition of divinity is the capacity to give and receive love. Divinity describes our original true nature and our God-given potential for fulfillment and happiness.

I used to think that life is a journey with the destination of being “perfect.” I understand now that it is in journey itself where we experience life and in the “being-ness” which is the present moment; kind of like “acting as if.” It is in the process of everyday experiences that we realize our DIVINITY. We don’t have to look for it, rather we have to unearth our true original heart and mind by emulating the one God has send during this time.

"Don't aim at success - the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one's dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the byproduct of one's surrender to a person other than oneself."
~ Viktor Frankl (1905-1997)

Religions have provided a framework and community for the practices of loving and serving others. The religions which have emulated God’s principles and practiced a sacrificial life have survived for thousands of years.

The common questions all people are asking:

Who am I?

Why am I here?

How can I be happy?

How can I understand and fulfill my full potential?

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.”

~ Matthew 13:44

In our desire to uncover our divinity we cannot stop until we feel and experience the love of God in everyday life. The power of love video gives you a glimpse of how to discover it:

God is our Heavenly parent, the father and mother who has only our best interest in mind. They created us in their own image, male and female they created us (Gen. 1:26). Throughout history (God’s story), God has been searching for a man and a woman who can represent them here on earth. All of the major faiths have been started by a single man. What we need is the example of parents, the representation of a father and a mother here on earth. Could it be that the predictions of the coming of a Messiah, return of Christ, Avatar, or modern day prophet which the above mentioned religions are waiting for, appear in form of parents, truly representing God’s masculinity and femininity here on earth? That sounds to me like a good reason to start a “NEW Age” and the blueprint for a great family.

For the past 39 years I have been studying and living according to the teaching of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon and his wife Hak Ja Han Moon. In their teaching I have found my own divinity and how to build a wonderful, healthy family.

“Why do we seek justification by faith, justification by works, and justification through attendance? Without being justified you cannot distinguish between good and evil. The evil world and the world of goodness would not be separated. What is the standard of righteousness? It is God. What God believes, how He works and attends is the standard. Why is that so? Satan cannot accuse righteous people who resemble God. If you create an environment in which God's faith, works, and standard of attendance lives through you, then Satan cannot intervene. Even if you are within the satanic realm, if a righteous standard is created that enables you to be with God in such an environment, Satan will withdraw from there.”
~ Rev. Sun Myung Moon sermon from 2-15-1987

Welcome to the Year of the Black Water Dragon

2012-01-23T07:10:00.001-08:00

According to the Chinese Zodiac we just entered into the Year of the Black Water Dragon (January 23, 2012). The Black Water Dragon brings happiness, fertility and success. It is also favorable for the establishment of a family. Historically, Chinese hoped to have children during Dragon years. The Dragon personality is similar to the Lion character, considered to be smart and bold. Although dragons are strong and decisive, they are not manipulative or sly. Dragons don’t compromise and set a high standard for themselves. They enjoy being in command. Sounds to me, we will have a group of excellent leaders in another twenty years or so.

Dragons are the symbols of protection and decorate ancient monuments and buildings.

What’s the meaning of the black water dragon?

The year of the dragon comes every twelve years, but the water dragon only returns every 60 years. There are five elements: earth, fire, metal, water and wood. Each element rules for one lunar year:

· 02/19/1904 to 02/03/1905, ruled by wood

· 02/03/1916 to 01/22/1917, ruled by fire

· 01/23/1928 to 02/09/1929, ruled by earth

· 02/08/1940 to 01/26/1941, ruled by metal

· 01/27/1952 to 02/13/1953, ruled by water

· 02/13/1964 to 02/01/1965, ruled by wood

· 01/31/1976 to 02/17/1977, ruled by fire

· 02/17/1988 to 02/05/1989, ruled by earth

· 02/05/2000 to 01/23/2001, ruled by metal

· 01/23/2012 to 02/09/2013, ruled by water

Purpose of Calendars:

To make sense of their surroundings and seasonal changes people have been using counting systems or epochs. Some followed the moon, some counted the days of the sun; others went by the rainy season or their culture events. That was all good when the cultures and countries were isolated and uneducated.

In our modern times the Gregorian calendar serves as an international standard for civil use. The Gregorian calendar was first adapted by Pope Gregory XIII on February 24, 1582. It took about 400 years until it was world-wide accepted. Even though this calendar has been accepted for commercial purposes most of Asia is still following the lunar calendar.

Adoption of the Christian Calendar

The ChristianCalendar follows mostly the Gregorian calendar. The Gregorian calendar developed out of the Julian calendar where the differences were mainly in the discrepancy of the length of the tropical year (the length of time the sun takes to return to the same position in the cycle of season, as seen from the earth) and their rules for calculating Easter. Another purpose for the Gregorian calendar is that it is ecclesiastical. It regulates the ceremonial cycles of the Catholic and Protestant churches.

Lunarcalendar versus Gregorian calendar

Only history will show which calendar will be more suitable for mankind in the future. 2,000 years ago, a man named Jesus the Christ walked the earth. After his appearance here on earth mankind calculated the ages BC (before Christ) and AC (after Christ), disregarding of which calendar they used. What kind of being was Jesus that he had such an incredible influence on history? Biblical history has recorded parallels which symbolically reach as far back as Adam and Eve. The bible calculates 2,000 years from Adam and Eve to Abraham, who was the father of three main religions today: Christians, Jews and Islamists. There was another 2,000 years from Abraham to Jesus. From Jesus until today is another 2,000 years. Many religions, including the Eastern faiths are waiting for their Messiah, Christ, Mohammed return, Avatar, during the years of eschatology.

One thing for sure, the Second Advent will occur for all people. The Lord will decide which calendars to use and which traditions to follow.

In the light of the Year of the Water Dragon, 2012 is a critical year for humanity. The changes are not just happening on the world stage, with economic upheavals, political unrests, natural disasters, or astronomical realignments. The greater changes are taking place in peoples’ minds. We are entering a spiritual age and everyone will eventually experience the SHIFT and enjoy the new aliveness. The Chinese calendar predicts the spiritual end of “this world.” During the year of the dragon we can discover our true self, explore our true potential and practice our psychic powers. As an astrological cycle, the black water dragon indicates change, but with a measure of calm, sensibility and prudence. The black dragon year began today, January 23, 2012 and will end February 9, 2013.

The water dragon will cool down any potential global crisis and we all can experience true transformation.

Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

2012-01-16T06:22:00.001-08:00

I always loved coconut, especially for the holidays I like to make macaroons. Lately, I also started using coconut milk for cooking and coconut oil for cooking and baking. Then, I started to investigate the health benefits of coconut and was very amazed to discover so many other benefits for coconut oil.

There have been many opinions about coconut oil regarding its “saturated fat” status, mainly that the experts say that it is not good for our diet. Recent studies have proven different; there are diverse kinds of saturated fats. The saturated fats that are not good for our bodies are the trans-fats which are made from hydrogenated oils and the long chain fatty acids (LCFA) like animal fats.

So, what’s so special about coconut oil?

Coconut oil is derived from the fruit of the coco palm (Cocos nucifera). The coconut palm produces fruits for up to 80 years and may live as long as 100 years. In its full production periods, each tree can yield 50-200 fruits per year depending on growing conditions.

The uses of coconuts are far-reaching. Along with being useful as food, the oil is being used in the beauty industry for hair and skin products. As a young plant it is used in gardens and public places as ornaments. After the production period, the palm tree gives its wood for furniture and home decorations. In the recent years, scientists have discovered the healing properties of the coconut and its oil.

Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

• The greatest benefit of coconut oil is that it is rich in medium chain triglycerides (MCT) besides containing many minerals and anti-oxidants. MCT are helpful with weight-loss and the control of high cholesterol. MCT also called medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) produce energy while other dietary fats (long chain fatty acid) produce fat. There is MCT in mother’s milk to nourish and protect the young baby.

• Coconut is also rich in saturated fatty acids (about 92%) such as lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid which are all MCTs. These MTCs have anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, and anti-viral properties. Since the oil is also absorbed through the skin one can rub it on the affected area. I have been using it on warts and with the help of wart removers, coconut oil helps to heal the skin without scars.

• Coconut oil supports the immune system. By replacing unsaturated vegetable oils with coconut oil we avoid their oxidation process. Many oils like corn or soybean oil oxidate through high heat. Coconut oil can be reheated with no harm to its original structure.

With so many health benefits and a very palatable taste, what do we have to lose? You will also discover that coconut oil will increase the metabolism and support weight loss. It is beneficial for the heart because of the medium chain triglycerides content.

When you go to the grocery store next time, check out the international or health food aisle and look for the jar with the coconuts on it. I bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Money, money, money….

2012-01-09T06:33:00.001-08:00

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to monitor your spending habits, it might be helpful to understand that there are four basic ways to spend money. This analogy was put together by MiltonFriedman (1912-2006) of the Chicago School of Economics.

Christmas shopping puts us in many different situations when we buy gifts. In gifting you probably spent your own money and have to consider price, quality, and purpose. Has your boss ever given you authority to buy gifts for clients or other associates and charge it to the company? Let’s take a look at what money is, how it is spend and the power which comes with money.

“Think what you do when you run in debt; you give to another power over your liberty.”

~ Benjamin Franklin

What is money?

Money is a current medium of exchange in the form of coins and banknotes.

Money is any object or record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts in a given country or socio-economic context.

Money was created as an exchange for real value back-ups. Unfortunately, today we often use money which we don’t have (buy on credit). This has put many individuals in trouble including the government. In the old days when people who ran out of credit, they often put themselves into slavery.

How is money spent?

According to Milton Friedman there are 4 ways to spend money:

1) Spend your own money on yourself.

2) Spend your own money on somebody else.

3) Spend somebody else’s money on yourself.

4) Spend somebody else’s money on somebody else.

Mr. Friedman explains it best in this short video:

Money is an Energy Form

Everything is energy. All forms of energy are bound to the laws of creation. With this in mind, we have to be aware of how we make money, spend money and invest it.

Just making money for our own benefit, not caring where it came from and how it affects others, will not bring us fulfillment in the long run. While energy flow is closely related to the money flow, money itself will not bring us wellness, fulfilling relationships, and other exciting experiences. By circulating money, contributing to social causes and promoting peace, we will enjoy happiness and health ourselves. Considering that money is energy, there must be an abundance of it.

I hope that we can all experience the New Year with many blessings of good fortune.

Practicing the Present Moment with Patience

2012-01-02T09:11:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year 2012 to all my blog friends! The beginning of the New Year is always the time for New Year’s resolutions. We all have good intentions at the start of a new year. Whatever your tradition is, I like to share with you my thoughts for this historical year 2012.

"We need to work together for peace, and balance with the other side. We need to take care of the Earth that feeds and shelters us. We need to put our entire mind and heart into pursuing unity and unity now, to confront the other side and preserve life."
~ Mayan prophecy

There is a prophecy in the Mayan tradition, predicting that on Dec. 21, 2012 will be “the end of world.” They also say that the prophecy is not so much about “the end of the world” as about the end of a World Age, a time of transition from one World Age into another. We also learn that this transition can either be cataclysmic or peaceful depending on the choices we all make.

A few weeks ago I wrote about entering the spiritual age. The Mayans also believe that this transition will bring a shift to the planetary stewardship of women. The feminine spirit will not only heal the planet but also bring a more peaceful situation.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your path.”
~ Proverbs 3:5-6

Most people don’t think of God as a parent with male and female aspects. The parent ship of the creator will play a big part in the paradigm shift for the years to come. The reason our world is so out of balance is that it has been dominated since the beginning of time by too much male energy.

Therefore, my New Year’s resolution is to live in the present moment to experience God as my parent. In prayer we talk to God. That communication should be more than just asking for things for ourselves and others. Have you ever thought that God might also like to hear what you are doing and what you are going to do? Prayer can be a promise and you can even tell God your New Year’s resolutions. Ask God how they feel about your decisions. One thing is for sure, that often our expectations will not appear in the way we think of. That’s where we need patients and humility to accept the path God is guiding us on. This is the time where we need flexibility and where living in the present moment helps. In the here and NOW we can always feel o.k. With this new consciousness we can experience a deeper sense of gratitude and can accept whatever comes next.

"The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness."
~ Abraham Maslow

Feeling overwhelmed?
Here is a link to Carol Tuttle’s blog where she introduces a very simple method of letting go of stress or momentary overload.

The Seven P’s to live in the Presence

Prayer – is talking with God. Meditation is listening to God.

Paradigm change – Repentance has to come first. We can only be renewed by cleaning up first.

Patience – To live in the presence takes a lot of patience. We have to constantly remind ourselves to be in the here and NOW, not regretting yesterday or projecting things into the future. Our mind can easily wonder and it takes discipline and patience to focus on the presence.

Practice Mindfulness - Mindfulness is a skill. Have you ever washed the dishes with mindfulness? It creates a new awareness of the task at hand. With focused intent you feel the warmth of the water, making bubbles with the soap; looking at the patterns of the plate, admiring the sparkle on the glass; or just enjoying the fact that the counter becomes clear after a healthy meal. There are many ways to practice mindfulness by staying in the present moment.

Praise – is a wonderful form of prayer. Tell God what a wonderful world they made. Praise them for your live and give thanks every day. This video by Louie Schwartzberg is an appropriate example.

Promise – God has an ideal image of us. Their purpose for us is to reach perfection, a unity of heart and mind which gives us divinity. (Mt. 5:48 “You must be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.”) By reaffirming that ideal and telling God that we are longing and desiring that ideal, we create a higher vibration which will move us forward in our spiritual growth.

Prophecy – Let’s not forget and disregard ancient prophecies. Our ancestors build the foundation we are standing on today. History has been going through repetitive cycles. We can learn from the mistakes of others and don’t have to repeat what they did wrong. Prophecies are warnings for us to change course and trust in the Lord instead of just depending on our human wisdom.

I don’t believe that 2012 will be an easy year. When we can accept whatever comes with an attitude of gratitude and “lean on the Lord” we can be prepared for the “New World Age.”

If we can accept all the changes as the “birth pains” for the new age and understand that this transition will help us to transform ourselves from self-centeredness to living for the sake of others, it will be a time of great excitement and discovery. As Rev. Sun Myung Moon said, we need a revolution from selfishness to unselfishness.

Hasn’t that been the hope of all mankind since the beginning of time?

The Messiah – The Prince of Peace is Born

2011-12-26T20:35:00.000-08:00

As we celebrated Christmas over the weekend, I have been thinking deeply about the meaning of this bible verse:

"YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALLYOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."

~ Luke 10:27

To me, the words of Jesus represent the true meaning of Christmas. Jesus came to introduce us to his Father, the God of Heaven and Earth, and to teach us the true way of life. Making that vertical relationship with the Father and the horizontal relationship with people here on earth is the most important accomplishment for us humans.

Over the holidays I listened to the glorious music of “Messiah” by Georg Friedrich Händel. Even though Mr. Händel was a prolific composer, this composition became his most famous. Georg Friedrich Händel (1685-1759), was a German born Baroque composer who lived in England during the latter part of his life. In 1742 he cooperated with Charles Jennens (1700-1773) who had assembled text for the Messiah in 1741, mainly from the Old Testament. It is an English text oratorio (large musical composition for concert with choir, orchestra and soloists). Here is a link to a performance of: “For Unto Us a Child is Given”

1) How do we love the Messiah?

I like to focus on the two aspects of the above saying of Jesus. Loving God establishes our faith. It takes our 100% effort to figure out how to manifest the words of Jesus into our everyday life. God being a spirit came to earth in the body of Christ to teach us the way, the truth and the life. He came to cut us off from the blood lineage of Satan (the ruler of this world) and connect us to our true blood lineage with God. By studying and believing in the word we can be reborn through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Through this kind of a lifestyle we can become adapted into the family of God and be reborn.

A week before Christmas I had the opportunity to join a True Family Values seminar with hundreds of clergy and believers in Chicago at the historical Hilton Hotel. These ministers and other guests brought down an amazing spirit and truly showed their faith in their savior.

2) How do we love each other?

Jesus gave us the instructions to love each other as we love ourselves. That means we are to substancialize his words. There are several ways to do this.

a)Take a larger view-point
I was just recently reading an article on how we can all benefit from taking a larger perspective. Like the astronauts who went to the moon, even though they were scientists, they couldn’t help but come back changed people and gaining a higher point-of-view regarding the situation on the planet earth. From out of space they looked upon the earth as one global unit, not structured into countries, religions, cultures, races, etc.

"That the only thing that really matters in life are your relationships to other people."
~ Dr. George E. Vaillant – conductor of the Grant Study Men

b) Adapt social skills for an harmonious life
Have you ever heard of the Grant Study Men? Dr. Vaillant has been conducting studies on human behavior over many years. With the financial support of William Grant, the study charted the lives of 824 men and women for over 60 years. He found seven major factors that predict healthy aging, both physically and psychologically: education, stable marriage, healthy weight, some exercise, not smoking, not abusing alcohol, and "employing mature adaptations." (Vaillant believes social skills and coping methods are crucial in determining overall satisfaction.)

However, his most important finding was revealed in a 2008 interview. He was asked, "What have you learned from the Grant Study men?" Dr. Vaillant's response: True success "is more about us than me."

For me that has been beautifully demonstrated in my favored Christmas movie: “Its’ A Wonderful Life” which you can watch through this link in its full length:

c) Love yourself by forgiving yourself
We have so many demonstrations of a Christly life. I find it hardest to love and to forgive myself. This is our greatest challenge today; to let go of our heavy baggage and believe that we are worthy of the love of God. A friend of mine, Doris Crompton, wrote a beautiful article this Christmas. She is conducting emotional release sessions. Doris has helped many people to let go of unwanted emotions.

Let’s prepare for the New Year by ending unfinished business. The Messiah is here to help us clean our slates and make a new beginning. By loving God and loving men we can receive our Messiah.

Be a good Planter…

2011-12-19T07:53:00.000-08:00

You may wonder why I am talking about planting in the middle of winter. I am not talking about a physical garden at this time. During this Christmas season I find it very appropriate to re-evaluate one’s faith. I recently came across this composition which I believe was originally written for children’s education. In our secular society today it’s not politically correct to talk about one’s faith. Unfortunately, we have thrown out the baby with the bathwater and thrown out virtues, too.

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory.
If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.
If you plant patience, you will reap improvements.
If you plant faith, you will reap miracles.

But...

If you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust.
If you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness.
If you plant pride, you will reap destruction.
If you plant envy, you will reap trouble.
If you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation.
If you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation.
If you plant greed, you will reap loss.
If you plant gossip, you will reap enemies.
If you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles.
If you plant sin, you will reap guilt.

A few weeks ago I wrote about doing things anyway, at the advice of Dr. Kent M. Keith and Mother Teresa.

The above words certainly fall into the same category. Using positive words and statements are very powerful. With a clear vision of what we want for ourselves and for others, we can create a successful life. Our subconscious mind is very impressionable and doesn’t differentiate between positive or negative declarations.

Anytime, we talk about values, it is good to remind ourselves of the consequences of our actions. As we celebrate this Season of Love and the birth of our Savior Jesus let us go beyond doctrines and differences and look at faith in a new way. As we discussed two weeks ago this is the time to open our spiritual senses and let us directly be guided by the spirit of God. Expect the unexpected and be prepared for miracles.

Love Your Cup of Joe…

2011-12-12T07:00:00.001-08:00

During this Christmas season you may have a stronger need for a cup of joe. You may either feel tired from all the partying (?) or stressed out from the preparations of it all. Or you may just love your cup of coffee every morning like me.

Where did the name come from?

Cup of joe is a purely American expression. It was supposedly given to honor Josephus Daniels, who didn’t want his sailors to drink alcohol on board of the ships; he banned it completely in 1914. He encouraged the men to drink coffee instead. Mr. Daniels was later appointed Secretary of the Navy during WWI.

"The morning cup of coffee has an exhilaration about it which the cheering influence of the afternoon or evening cup of tea cannot be expected to reproduce."

~ Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., "Over the Teacups," 1891

Health Benefits

Studies show that we may be benefitting from coffee in more ways than just the energy-boosting caffeine in coffee -- we might also be reaping its cancer-preventing and depression-lowering effects, just to name a couple.

Caffeine stimulates brain functions, especially in the right hemisphere which helps language, both spoken and understanding. Tad Brunye, a senior cognitive scientist at the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering Center in Natick, Massassuchets, explains that it doesn’t have to be a lot to get the desired result.

Some people believed that tea had more health benefits than coffee. Suzie Cohen, R.PH. points out, that coffee-drinkers may be at lower risk for liver and colon cancer, type 2diabetes, and Parkinson's disease. It’s a proven fact that both tea and coffee contain antioxidants which are necessary to fight free radicals in the body.

Donald Hensrud, M.D. from the famous Mayo Clinic suggests that like everything else, coffee consumption should be moderate. The same news comes from a study at Harvard University.

"Over second and third cups flow matters of high finance, high state, common gossip and low comedy. [Coffee] is a social binder, a warmer of tongues, a soberer of minds, a stimulant of wit, a foiler of sleep if you want it so. From roadside mugs to the classic demi-tasse, it is the perfect democrat."

~ Author Unknown

History of Coffee

Coffee’shistory had its roots in spiritual practices. Muslims in Yemen made a form of wine from the coffee bean which was consumed during religious ceremonies. A possible origin of the name is from a region in modern day Ethiopia, called the kingdom of kaffa where coffee plants were cultivated. Apparently, the benefits of the plant were discovered by accident. Some stories say that shepherds chewed on the berries and found them bitter. They experimented with it by boiling and roasting the beans and eventually enjoyed the energizing brewed drink.

We still can agree today that the properties of coffee drive away fatigue and lethargy and bring to the body a certain lightness and vigor.

The coffee culture in our days is including more than just the black drink. It is in all the additions where we often find the “dangers” if not extra calories.

Anyway, moderation is the game. I surely enjoy my cup of coffee every morning and next time I will thank Captain Joe for another name for it.

Entering the Spiritual Age

2011-12-05T05:07:00.001-08:00

I believe we all can agree that the world is in a mess. No matter which way we turn, things and situations aren’t working properly. We are facing today unprecedented circumstances in the economy, ecology, politics, poverty and social issues, health, discrimination and human trafficking, terrorism, weather and natural disaster, etc. No matter what I am going to list here, most people get overwhelmed by just thinking of a small section of these global issues. One thing is for sure we are all affected and not just by local concerns.

“The problems that exist in the world today cannot be solved by the level of thinking that created them."

~ Albert Einstein (1879-1955) – German American Physicist

As Albert Einstein so rightfully put it, history has been made by focusing on physical problems, wars over territory and materials based on greed, power, and ignorance regarding our true human nature.

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) Indian reformer for independence

1) You can only change yourself

If you have not learned that lesson yet, you can avoid a lot of frustration by not trying to change others. This is the best time to heal yourself and your past, to let go of unwanted emotions and memories. Once you are healed you can heal others or at least assist them in their healing journey. We have to stop the blame game and not criticize and judge each other. Hurt people hurt people. Once we can break that cycle, true change can take place on the individual level.

"We're not human beings having a spiritual experience. We're spiritual beings having a human experience."

~ Dr. Waye Dyer (1940-) American author and spiritual teacher

2) The spiritual age gives equal opportunity to all

History was dominated by men who are task-oriented, authoritarian, and domineering. The time has come for women to come forward and share their female qualities in communication, cooperation and consistency. Neither of these qualities are better; they need to complement each other. Now is the time where women can shine and contribute their leadership qualities. By integrating the male and female energies and giving both sexes an equal chance, we will see true changes taking place.

3) Is December 21, 2012 going to be the end of the world?

According to different prophesies like the Mayan calendar at the end of next year great changes will take place. Just like Y2K or other predictions, I don’t believe the earth will end. That’s one promise we have from the bible:

“Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.”

~ Ecclesiastes 1:4

We will experience great transformation though. It is up to each one of us how we are going to react to these changes. The important thing is that we connect to our source of life, God, our creator. Everything else depends on our attitude. Do we want to be victims to our circumstances and become depressed, shrink and withdraw or do we want to be become our true authentic self and become the victor? We need a revolution from selfishness to unselfishness. True Peace can only come through peace of mind.

St. John of the Cross spoke of the “Dark Night of the Soul.” It looks like we have to go through the dark night first before we can enjoy the dawn of the New Spiritual Age.

How Babies are made by God

2011-11-28T06:36:00.001-08:00

I have been waiting for the arrival of our grandchildren for a while. Now both of our children are expecting, my daughter in January and my daughter-in-law in May of next year.

Guess what, I am more aware of babies and see baby stuff everywhere. My daughter sent me the link to this amazing video about the process of conception and the wonderful orchestration of the development until the birth. I am in awe as to how God’s creation works so precisely and orderly.

Here is the link to the video:

http://www.ted.com/talks/alexander_tsiaras_conception_to_birth_visualized.html#.TtMM11bdRHQ.facebook

I hope you can enjoy this presentation as much as I did. The miracle of life is and always will be a phenomenon because of the slim chance for the sperm and the egg to meet.

As for now my grandchildren are only in my imagination but I know for sure that God has great expectations for this new generation. Our children and grandchildren are our hope that what we did here on earth will not be in vain but rather is a stepping stone for a better future. That’s something to be grateful for.

Appreciations for the Lives of Heroes

2011-11-21T07:33:00.000-08:00

During this Thanksgiving week we want to give thanks for the many blessings our lives. In this country we have many more things to be grateful for than any other place in the world.

I want to take this occasion to appreciate the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and some other brave Germans who participated in the resistance movement against Hitler and the savage activities of the Third Reich.

I have often wondered why there was nobody who could see through all of the atrocities under Hitler and why nobody did anything against it. I can’t remember to have studied any of this part of history during my schooling.

I discovered that there were quite a few organized activities going on (along with private individuals): some by ordinary citizens like the students of the White Rose group and others like some Christians under the guidance of pastor Bonhoeffer. There was also the group within the military which was brought to our attention a few years ago in the movie Valyrie with Tom Cruise.

The White Rose was organized by a group of students, Hans and Sophie Scholl, and their professor, Kurt Huber, and others from the University in Munich which only lasted for a few months; all of them were executed in February of 1943. The core group printed leaflets, and with the help of other students they were able to distribute them through many other universities all over Europe.

A few years ago, I watched the movie Valkyrie and learned about the brave action of Claus von Stauffenberg who attempted to kill Hitler. He was part of a conspiracy organized by righteous officers and people in political offices. On July 20th,1944, Mr. Von Stauffenberg had placed an attaché with a bomb in it which was to kill Hitler. Unfortunately, the assassination attempt failed which resulted in the killing of almost 5,000 people who were connected to this cope d’état.

“We have been silent witnesses of evil deeds…

Will our inward power of resistance be strong enough to find our way back?”
~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

During the same year the Valkyrie was filmed, a German producer filmed Agent of Grace,
which was aired on public television here in the states. Bonhoeffer was part of a group of German clergy who were opposed to the indifference of the church as well as the persecution of the Jews. He joined the political resistance to Hitler which led to his imprisonment in 1943 and his eventual execution on April 9, 1945, just a few weeks before Hitler committed suicide and WWII ended.

“The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children.”

~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Why is the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) so remarkable? Mr. Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran theologian who was educated at various universities throughout Europe as well as at the Union Theological Seminary in New York. It was there that he gained a deep love for the African-American spirituals. His most influential writing is a book The Cost of Discipleship in which he expresses his firm belief in the need for a reinterpretation of Christianity for our modern world. He made an important contribution to ecumenism which attempts to create a unified church and the efforts of world peace. Even while in prison, with the help of some friends, he wrote letters which were posthumously edited and published as Papers from Prison.

“Action springs not from thought, but from readiness for responsibility.”

~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Through study and deep prayer I am gaining a deep appreciation for my German heritage. For more than 60 years that pride was not there within the German population. History was looked upon with shame and guilt and nobody knew what to do with it. The Church in Germany is like a sleeping giant with all its beautiful buildings which are showcases of incredible architecture, amazing paintings and sculptures, but no spirit. That’s why the church needs to become aware and remember pastors like Dietrich Bonhoeffer because he had found that spirit in the church in Harlem, and at the UnionTheological Seminary in New York in 1930. His insistent dedication in the service to Christ and his continuous loyalty to the members of his church took him back to Germany where he taught relentlessly in small congregations, first hidden from the Nazis, but later discovered and closed down. Bonhoeffer, together Martin Niemoeller founded the Confessing Church which opposed Hitler and the Third Reich with their anti-Christian and anti-Jewish stands. Bonhoeffer singly recognized deeply the problem of his time.

During this Thanksgiving week I am grateful for men like him and others who truly walk their talk. As one autobiographer, Eric Metaxas said recently: “We need examples of leadership like him today.” If we truly want to make an impact and change this country, we need more than promising words. I can trust any person who is willing to give their life just like Jesus did.

Don’t these people appear to be rebels?

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.’
~ Edmund Burke (1729-1797)

Gettysburg Address

2011-11-14T06:59:00.001-08:00

Gettysburg Address – November 19^th, 1863

I believe it is appropriate for this November week to give reverence to an event which took place long ago. At times it is more important to focus on a vision and on ideals than the reality especially when the reality looks bleak and discouraging. With the media speaking of depression and recession we have to find something empowering to look at.

The Gettysburg Address moves us deeply with its powerful words, reminding us that we are all created equal, living under ONE GOD. We have a responsibility to honor our ancestors and those who lived and died before us to carry on their hopes and dreams; and bring them into fruition. Mr. Lincoln had a foresight beyond his time that’s why he is remembered and often quoted. Here is his most important speech:

Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation: conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war.

We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow (sanctify) this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

~ Abraham Lincoln, (1809-1865) 16^th American President

Historians have concluded that this speech had even greater significance than the war itself. It is such a short speech but so very engaging; reminiscing of those soldiers who gave their lives but also reminding us of our duty to this nation.

I am Voting!

2011-11-07T09:14:00.001-08:00

At the end of 1999, I was sworn in as an American citizen. It was a very moving ceremony where more than 200 others along with their families and friends participated. At the very end of the 20^th century, right after Christmas, a long, worn-out application which I had put in 2 years before, was finally accepted. During the ceremony all that worry was forgotten and I welcomed my citizen certificate with great pride. That following year I was able to travel to Europe with my new American passport.

I am voting tomorrow because that is the whole reason I surrendered my German citizenship so that I can play my part here where I live. Since one can only vote as a legal citizen, I decided to apply for citizenship after I had lived in the United States for more than 25 years. It was a tough decision because now I had to choose if I wanted be German or American. In life, we often have to make decisions. To make good choices we need to inform ourselves about the issues at hand and weigh the pros and the cons. We don’t have to know all the ins and outs about the voting process to voice our opinion, just like we don’t have to know about mechanics to drive a car. Since my Green-card only allowed me work in this country, I chose to apply to become a citizen based on my husband being American.

“Look at the word responsibility – “response-ability” – the ability to choose your response. Highly proactive people recognize that responsibility. They do not blame circumstances, conditions, or conditioning for their behavior. Their behavior is a product of their own conscious choice, based on values, rather than a product of their conditions, based on feeling.”

~ Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Habit 1 Be Pro Active

What does it take to vote?

Only citizens of the United States of America are allowed to vote. The history of voting has gone through a long process from only white males who were property owners to all citizens 18 years and older being eligible. The first step is to register in your local state. Even citizens who live abroad, or are unable to go to the voting booths can register and vote by absentee ballots.

While I was waiting for my citizen application I had to study a simple curriculum about citizenship. Normally, kids learn that during their school years. I also had to answer some questions about why I wanted to become a citizen. I was taught the definition of democracy where voting constitutes our freedom. In learning how to vote, we are giving a voice through which we can offer our opinion about how the country should be run.

“Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed.”

~ Thomas Jefferson (1742-1826, 3^rd President) – author of the Declaration of Independence

Why do we vote?

It reaffirms our convictions as citizens. It encourages our civil responsibility to make a difference with the issues at hand. It gives us a choice among candidates who wish to become government leaders. It is up to each voter to locate available information through newspapers, media or internet about each candidate and/or issue in order to make an informed decision on what to vote for. The ability to vote exists as one of the most cherished Constitutional Rights. By avoiding to vote we give away our right to influence the government overall. Our right to vote has proven to be difficult to achieve for all races and genders throughout history. Fortunately, today, every citizen over 18 years of age has the right to vote in any election and, therefore, should exercise their vote.

“… government of the people, by the people and for the people.”

~ Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865, 16^th American President) Gettysburg Address, ~ November 19, 1863

As Abraham Lincoln expressed, voting shouldn’t be an obligation. We give the politicians power through our collective consent. That gives us a social satisfaction and in fact, an emotional boost of influence. Every vote counts.

History of Voting Rights

1776 only landowners can vote (white men over 21)

1856 all white men over 21 can vote

1865 by the 13^th Amendment of the Constitution slavery is outlawed in the U.S.

1870 by the 15^th Amendment of the Constitution African-Americans were allowed to vote

1920 by the 19^th Amendment women were allowed to vote

1962 Native Americans are allowed to vote in all states

1963/4 voting rights as civil rights

1971 voting age lowered to 18

November is a special months: starting with Election Day, then Veterans Day where we remember those who fought for our rights to vote, and finally finishing with Thanksgiving Day where we share in gratitude all of our blessings in a great feast. All of these days remind us of our civic responsibilities and privileges. I have never regretted that I became an American citizen because to this day I believe in the goodness of this country and the principles it was founded on. Sometimes we just have to stand back and remind ourselves of our blessings.

We are living at a time of great transformation which some say we left the age of information and are now entering into the transformation age. What are we transforming? We are transforming ourselves into responsible human beings who are willing to stand up for their rights and become more pro-active. Everyone has the same rights; only with the power of our own mind can we exercise that freedom.

Dr. Martin Luther - Rebel and Reformer

2011-10-31T07:17:00.001-07:00

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther, a German monk, nailed 95 theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenburg, Thuringia. In this proclamation, he denounced the sale of indulgences as ungodly and challenged the catholic clergy to review the path of salvation. Luther could not agree with Johann Tetzel, a Dominican priest, who sold these papers promising the people salvation. Luther was opposed to the ideas of the church that one could buy their salvation.

Even though the theses were originally written in Latin, they spread fast, first among scholars, and just one year later, after they had been translated into German, the message spread quickly. That was mainly the result of the printing press where pamphlet could be multiplied and distributed among all people. Therefore, we could call this distribution the first social media. When the time is right for an event or a message, the ideas can spread very fast.

You can resist an invading army; you cannot resist an idea whose time has come.”

~ Victor Hugo (1802-1885), French Romantic Writer

Where before, the people came to the priests for confession, they now had only to buy a piece of paper and were promised salvation. Martin Luther had other disagreements with the pope’s authority and referred again and again to the scriptures of the bible. Even though he created a big controversy with the church, his message traveled like a wild fire all throughout Europe. As a monk, Luther had studied the bible extensively and believed and taught that salvation is a gift of God’s grace. He taught that man’s salvation was given by faith and trust in God and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. This action started the Protestant Reformation.

By 1521, he was declared an out-law and was threatened to be killed. On the way to the prison, he was kidnapped by friends who send him to the Wartburg instead. This is where he studied the scriptures more deeply and decided to translate the words of the bible into German, so that all could read the words of God by themselves.

In the meantime, the Reformation which was initiated by Martin Luther spread throughout Europe. Priests and scholars such as John Calvin in France, John Wycliffe, an English scholar, Ulrich Zwingli in Switzerland, Jan Huss, a priest, in Czechoslovakia found a common agreement against the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the church, as well as the authority of the pope. It split the Christian church and established the Lutheran denomination as well as the Roman Catholic Church.

"Unless I am convinced by proofs from Scriptures or by plain and clear reasons and arguments, I can and will not retract, for it is neither safe nor wise to do anything against conscience. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen."

~ Martin Luther

Who was Martin Luther?

He was born on November 10^th, 1483 and died on February 18, 1546. His parents were common peasants, but his father had great ambitions for his son. Therefore, he was educated in the Latin language as well as the regular curriculum. After his parents acquired a business of their own and could afford to send their son to the university, he went to Erfurt to study law.

It is said that he had a conversion experience during a violent thunderstorm on July 17, 1505 where he committed himself to serve God and entered thereafter in the Order of the Hermits of St. Augustine in Erfurt. Understandably, his father was angry but Luther stood by his decision and dedicated himself to the monastic lifestyle. In 1507 he went back to the university in Erfurt and later on (in 1512) got his doctorate in theology from the university in Wittenberg. With his new understanding and personal relationship with God he put together the 95 theses and on October 31, 1517 proclaimed them by nailing the letter on the door of the Wittenberg castle.

Part of Martin Luther’s disagreement with the pope was that priests were not allowed to marry. There were some nuns who had studied Luther’s proclamation and wanted to leave their convent because of it. Luther helped them escape and even find each of them a new livelihood. For one of them, Katherina von Bora, he couldn’t find either a husband or a home. He decided to marry her himself. They started a family in 1525 and had 6 children and raised many other orphans. Their family setup became an example for Christian living at that time. Martin called his wife lovinglt 'Lord Katie.' She was successfully running his household by being very resourceful. She worked a garden, raised cattle and chickens and even brewed beer.

Katherina also studied the scriptures and was very supportive to her husband’s cause. That’s why in 1534 the New Testament of the first German bible was published. Dr. Luther worked on the Old Testament until his death in 1546.

Martin Luther had a very strong faith in God; that motivated him to use strong language against evil and unrighteousness. He supposedly said: "Let the Devil kiss my ass... . " The content of his 95 theses was very much opposed by the Catholic church; it was a direct attack against their leadership and the direction of the church.

Because of his legal situation, Martin Luther’s life was very seclusive. He was teaching and writing during his later years. He also composed the song “Ein’ Festburg is unser Gott (a Mighty Fortress is Our God)” which is based on the 46^th psalm.

His “table talks” are a reflection of his home life and his relationship to his wife.

"There is no bond on earth so sweet nor any separation so bitter, as that which occurs in a good marriage."
~ Martin Luther

Dr. Luther said one day to Katie (playfully): You make me do what you want; you have full sovereignty here, and I give you, with all my heart, the full command in household matters, reserving my rights in other points. No good ever came from female domination. God created Adam master and lord of living creatures, but Eve spoiled it all when she persuaded him to set himself above God’s will. ‘Tis you women, with your tricks and cunning, that lead men into error.

- The greatest blessing that God can confer on man is the possession of a good and pious wife with whom he may live in peace and tranquility; to whom he can confide his whole possessions, even his life and welfare, and who bears him children. Katie, thou hast a pious man who loves thee for a husband; thou art a very empress, thanks be to God!

Martinstag in Nordhausen

I grew up in Nordhausen at the southern edge of the Harz Mountains. Every year on November 10, we would celebrate Martinstag with a parade of lanterns and music. This is to celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther. Legend has it that Mr. Luther came to town to visit his friend Justus Jonas. They met at the university in Erfurt and Jonas became a strong supporter of Luther. While Luther was exiled at the Wartburg, he was continuously spreading the message of the reformation. On one of the visits, Jonas’ family provided a big feast to celebrate Martin’s birthday.

Luther family wood carving by Eugen Richter

My family celebrated Martinstag by preparing a big dinner with roasted goose, red cabbage, dumplings, and other goodies. In the center of the table we would burn three candles which depicted Martin Luther, his wife Katharina, and one with a picture of a goose. This tradition is held to this day in my hometown, Nordhausen.

When my family left East-Germany in June of 1961, we were not able to bring the wood carving of Martin Luther’s family with us. He is pictured here playing the lute (4-string instrument) while his wife and children sang. In the background is Phillipp Melanchthon http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philipp_Melanchthon who was also a strong supporter of the Luther's. I cherish the memories we had in the apartment where the carving was hanging. I wish I would know more about the woodcarver Eugen Richter. I heard that my grandparents had commissioned him, to create Luther’s family as well as some other carvings. At least I have a photograph of the work.

Mental Fitness

2011-10-24T10:29:00.000-07:00

We hear a lot about fitness these days, mostly relating to physical fitness. From weight training to jogging and walking, there is a whole array available. Still, according to statistics, Americans are more unhealthy and physical unfit than ever. I believe that the reason is that we are too much focusing on the external, physical parts of our lifestyles. Here, I want to focus more on the internal aspect of fitness, fitness of the mind. The mind is not just the brain. The mind has three aspects: intellect, emotion and will. Mental (inner) fitness has to include all three areas – the brain (thinking), the heart (feeling) and (good) action.

Intellectual Fitness

In regards to the brain we are concerned about our memory, the ability to make good choices, keep focus and concentration, and improve reasoning and cognitive skills.

Some people are hung up on their IQ. So, how do we keep our brain flexible and alert?

* Play games like puzzles, Sudoku, Trivial Pursuit, Jeopardy, etc.

* Read – Reading inspires the imagination, memory and is just plain fun.

* Learn a new skill. Learn a new language, play a different sport, learn public speaking.

* Telling stories. Reflect on your life and share stories that will help with your memory.

* Be curious. Explore a new way to work, be adventurous, eat new foods, listen to different genres of music, etc.

Emotional Fitness

Emotions are feelings we feel in response to someone or something. The basic emotions are: acceptance, anger, anticipation, disgust, fear, joy, love, sadness, and surprise. There are five basic aspects to emotional fitness:

* Awareness – accept your feelings and appreciate yourselves. Being grateful for what is. Keep a balance of all aspects of mental fitness and center them on a higher purpose.

* Behaviour (self regulation) – Practice patience and trusting in the process of life. Practice good habits. Keep a sense of humour in your live. Taking yourself too serious can be dangerous.

* Motivation – keep hope alive through a religious practice; make reasonable goals and fulfil them. Work hard and then let go of the goal.

* Empathy – practice kindness and put yourself in other people’s shoes. Sometimes a smile and a friendly word is all that’s needed.

* Relationship skills – The most important aspect of emotional fitness are relationships. All relationships start in the family. It is the school of love and the training ground for emotional wellbeing. Practice giving and receiving and forgiveness and life will become more pleasant.

Willpower Fitness:

What is willpower? It is the discipline to control yourself. It is the inner power to make good decisions and carry them out. It gives you the strength and conviction to take action and perform tasks and plans, despite inner resistance, discomfort, laziness or other difficulties. It puts you in charge of yourself and leads you to self-mastery.

The action part of mental fitness is creating a balance between the intellectual and the emotional. It takes us into the physical part of life.

* Good nutrition; eating a healthy, balanced diet it crucial.

* Physical exercise and athletic abilities

* Start out with being willing to make better choices

* Helps to exercise self-discipline

* Have a clear focus

* Choose fun things; enjoy your task, and it will be easier to stick to it.

* Use repetition to strengthen your willpower muscles.

* Helps to prevent procrastination

* Prevents negative habits and avoids addictions

* Helps to forgo immediate gratifications and pleasures for the sake of bigger goals.

What it comes down to is this: Take care of you; take control of your life; take care of your mind. It helps to practice gratitude and keeping a balance between the brain, the heart and the action.

What we are really looking for is the unity of these different functions of the mind. The real power lies in the synchronicity which can only come when we center ourselves on the heart. Once we achieve that in our mind, we can translate it into our body, and from there it can transform all aspects of life: the family, society, nation, and the world.

That’s what practicing mental fitness is all about.

Do You Sudoku?

2011-10-17T18:40:00.000-07:00

I have always loved numbers; and MATH was my favorite subject in school. A few years ago, a friend introduced me to Sudoku puzzles. I have been solving some here and there, but recently, I developed more interest in this past time. Do you think I am hooked?

What is Sudoku?

Sudoku is a number puzzle. Numbers from 1-9 are placed into a grid of 9x9 squares so that each number only appears one time in each row. Additionally, each 3x3 grid also allows each number to appear once. The challenge is that each given puzzle shows only a certain random amount of numbers. There are three levels of difficulty where the more difficult puzzle has less numbers to start with. The creator of the puzzle provides only a partially completed grid, which allows only one solution.

There are no special math skills required to solve the puzzle. Only logic and persistence, if nothing else, you can spend hours with this intellectual entertainment. Like everything else, practice brings better and faster results.

Some people like Jean-Paul Delahaye, call Sudoku a science.

“Solving a Sudoku puzzle requires no math, not even arithmetic. Even so, the game poses a number of intriguing mathematical problems.”

~ JEAN-PAUL DELAHAYE , French mathematician, born 1952.

History of Sudoku

There are several stories of the history of Sudoku. It is an American invention but has a Japanese name. The word Sudoku means "single number" in Japanese. It seems to be developed based on the tradition of magic squares which first appeared in China during the 7^th century BC. From there the information traveled through India and the Arabic world.

In modern times, during the 18^th century, a Swiss mathematician named Leonard Euler, put together number puzzles and transformed magic squares into Latin squares.

The prototype of modern Sudoku was the puzzle “Number Place” created by Howard Garns. In 1979, Garns was an American architect who had retired from the Daggett architecture firm in Indianapolis.

A retired Hong Kong judge, Wayne Gould, was a fanatic Sudoku fan. At the end of 2004, he developed a computer program which generates Sudoku puzzles of all different difficulty levels for which he didn’t asked any money. The rest is history; you find them now in every newspaper, magazine and online. There are even championships and international competitions.

Benefits of Sudoku

Sudoku has truly become an intercultural game. It is the puzzle for everybody, old and young, men, women and children of all educational ranks. It is a solitary game, and can be played on paper, online or just about anywhere.

* It helps with critical thinking and develops logic.

* It helps to develop patience because sometimes the solution is not as obvious.

* It helps with focus and organization; and also challenges creativity, if you want to develop faster and easier solutions.

* Some researchers believe that it can slow the progression of brain disorder conditions such as Alzheimer's.

* It helps to develop both parts of the brain; the left side supports the logic, and the right side helps with the creative juices.

* It is called "the Rubik's cube of the 21st century" and is the "fastest growing puzzle in the world".

Have you played Sudoku today?

My favorite sites for FREE Sudoku puzzles:

http://www.economist.com/node/3992476 down load for print and online.

http://www.sudokushark.com/sudoku.php online

The Paradoxical Commandments

2011-10-10T07:36:00.001-07:00

You may have heard of the poem “Anyway:” It is traditionally contributed to Mother Teresa, (1910-1997) the Roman Catholic nun who lived and served the poor in India.

Mother Teresa's Anyway Poem

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

[Reportedly inscribed on the wall of Mother Teresa's children's home in Calcutta, and attributed to her. However, an article in the New York Times has since reported (March 8, 2002) that the original version of this poem was written by Kent M. Keith.]

When I went to a bookstore recently, I found a book called “TheParadoxical Commandments” by Dr. Kent M. Keith. I learned that he originally composed the poem back in 1960’s as a Harvard student. When he learned later that Mother Teresa had posted the poem in the Calcutta children’s home, he was naturally very surprised and felt honored that a woman of her stature paid attention to his poem. That’s when he wrote the book “Anyway – The Paradoxical Commandments.”

Here is Dr. Kent Keith’s version of Anyway:

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.

By reading up on Dr. Keith, I also learned that he is the CEO of the GreenleafCenter. The Greenleaf Center is the training group for Servant Leadership about which I wrote about in my last blog. Isn’t that a coincidence?

For those who love Mother Teresa; she did write her own poem about LIFE:

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.

Life is beauty, admire it.

Life is bliss, taste it.

Life is a dream, realize it.

Life is a challenge, meet it.

Life is a duty, complete it.

Life is a game, play it.

Life is costly, care for it.

Life is wealth, keep it.

Life is love, enjoy it.

Life is mystery, know it.

Life is a promise, fulfill it.

Life is sorrow, overcome it.

Life is a song, sing it.

Life is a struggle, accept it.

Life is tragedy, confront it.

Life is an adventure, dare it.

Life is luck, make it.

Life is too precious, do not destroy it.

Life is life, fight for it.

Life certainly takes many different turns. It is our challenge to surrender to the journey and to accept rewards as a special blessing. Rather than looking for the reward we want to do good for goodness sakes. It is wonderful that we have examples of leadership like that of Mother Teresa and Dr. Kent M. Keith.

The Servant - book review

2011-10-03T07:38:00.001-07:00

The Servant is an easy read because it introduces important principles by telling a story. We meet with Simeon, the teacher, whose name was Len Hoffman in the business world. Then there are:

John Daily, businessman from Michigan; Lee, Pastor from Wisconsin; Greg, a drill sergeant from the U.S. Army; Theresa, a Hispanic public school principal; Chris, an African-American woman’s basketball coach from Michigan State University; and Kim, a head nurse from the Providence Hospital Birthing Center. They all meet at a Benedictine Monastery in Western Michigan to learn about the internal aspects of leadership.

In their daily meetings they discuss and come up with a leadership model which is sometimes called: Servant Leadership.

Rather than just dealing with management issues, the group compares spiritual virtues of love and service to the traditional format of management. Each of the participants contributes to the model:

Love and Leadership

Patience -- showing self-control

Kindness -- giving attention, appreciation and encouragement

Humility -- being authentic without pretence or arrogance

Respectfulness -- treating others as important people

Selflessness -- meeting the needs of others

Forgiveness -- giving up resentment when wronged

Honesty -- being free from deception

Commitment -- sticking to your choices

Their conclusion is that service and sacrifice is a worth-while result where one sets aside their own wants and needs and seeks the greatest good for others.

"What we think or what we believe is, in the end, of little consequence. The only thing of consequence is what we do.”

~ John Ruskin – English writer

In the process of one week all six participant work together with their teacher to put together a leadership model based on service and love. They discover that leadership is not based on power, rather an authority which is built on love, relationships, sacrifice and service. Simeon, the teacher draws from his many life experiences as business and family man, challenges the others beyond religious beliefs with principles which we all can apply in our daily lives. Servant leadership is deeply rooted in all religious faiths. Therefore, it is unifying and touches the lives of each person present in the seminar. But it also challenges the reader that change can only come from changing ourselves. We learn that the Golden Rule applies to all of us and that love is not a noun (making us feel fuzzy inside) but a verb. Love means doing for others.

"It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions…The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature."

~ Robert K. Greenleaf, creator of the lifestyle of Servant Leadership

Mr. Greenleaf doesn’t consider servant leadership a concept or a principle. It is an inner standard of living which requires a spiritual understanding of identity, mission, vision and environment.

Another important fact is that nobody is born a leader or with certain talents for leadership. Leadership is based on choices which allow us to adapt skills. Most of these skills don’t come easily, they have to be earned based on discipline and sacrifice.

None-the-less, there are companies who use the servant leadership model as their management style.

Servant leadership doesn’t need a position, it can be practiced anywhere where there are people. We can build a culture of heart where people are willingly serving each other. Doesn’t that sound like the Kingdom of Heaven?

Expect Great Things

2011-09-26T06:09:00.001-07:00

That sounds like a commercial slogan. But it originated first from an English minister William Carey in 1792.

I chose this topic based on my Sunday experiences. It started with a sermon I listened to in the morning. Joel Osteen talked about “UnprecedentedFavors.” He painted a marvelous picture of all the great things God has in store for us – by longing for them and expecting them to happen in faith.

“An intense anticipation itself transforms possibility into reality; our desires being often but precursors of the things which we are capable of performing.”

~ Samuel Smiles, (Scottish author, 1812-1904)

Guess what our Sunday service was about? Rev.In Jin Moon elaborated further on the topic by creating an awareness of the root of our existence, recognizing our divinity. She challenged us to avoid negative expectations by staying away from doubt, worry and self-pity.

“Then there are expectations. The mind makes models of what it thinks will happen, which colors its perceptions of what is actually happening. If you give people a hand cream and tell them it will reduce pain, you are building a set of expectations. People really feel their pain diminish, even if the cream is just a lotion. People who are given a prescription they are told costs $2.50 a pill experience much more pain relief than those given what they are told is a 10-cent pill (even though all pills are placebos. As Jonah Lehrer write: 'Their predictions became self-fulfilling prophecies.'"

~ David Brooks, Canadian born journalist

That was too good to be true to have two sermons on the same day. So I did my own research on the topic and learned that expectation is an actual force – The law of expectation activates that force. The Law of Expectations tells us that whatever one expects, with confidence, becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. When one expects with self-assurance that good things will happen, they usually will. If, on the other hand, one expects a negative outcome to a situation, then the outcome will usually be negative.

What else can we do to reinforce positive expectations?

The Tao of Positive Expectations states: Positive expectation begets positive experience.

“Tao” means the Way of Nature, or the Way of the Universe - the way things work. Taoism originated in China and is the base for the teachings of Confucius and Zen Buddhism.

“Be realistic, expect a miracle.”

~ Rajneesh , Hindu teacher, 1931-1990

In the Western world positive expectation is known as the Pygmalion Effect. The Pygmalion Effect is a form of self-fulfilling prophecy. It refers to the phenomenon in which the greater the expectation placed upon people, often children or students and employees, the better they perform.

It is based on experiences of educators where teachers were told, that a class of students were especially selected based on their IQ. The teachers had a wonderful experience with the students. At the end of the school year they learned that the students were just average. The expectation of the teachers created the above average performance of the students.

“When we expect certain behaviors of others, we are likely to act in ways that make the expected behavior more likely to occur.”

~ (Rosenthal and Babad, 1985)

From all these teachings we can conclude that it is necessary to have a positive state of mind. Positive thinking creates positive emotions and positive emotions create constructive habits. They are supported by positive self-talk. To round it all up: it is most important to be grateful. Gratitude is the base for everything when you expect miracles. That is not much to ask, is it?

Do You Want to Save Some Money on Laundry Soap?

2011-09-19T06:49:00.000-07:00

When we visited Minnesota this summer, one of our friends told me: I am making my own laundry soap and I save a lot of money. She told me the basic ingredients but I didn’t write them down. Then I remembered that I had watched a TV program where a big family also made their own soap.

To say the least, I was interested. I looked up different recipes on the internet and made my own soap:

Recipe for 64 loads of home-made laundry soap:

1 cup grated soap (you can use any left-over bar soap and grate it on the kitchen grater), or 1/3 bar Fels Naptha utility soap

½ washing soda (from Arm and Hammer; NOT baking soda)

½ cup borax powder

2-gallon bucket

Heat 6 cups of water and melt 1 cup grated soap until well dissolved. Add ½ cup washing soda and ½ cup borax, stir to resolve. Remove from heat. Pour 4 cups of hot water into the 2 gallon bucket. Add soap mixture and stir. Add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir (makes a total of 32 cups or 2 gallons liquid).

Let soap sit for about 24 hours to make it gel. Put detergent into covered containers like mason jars or empty detergent bottle. Use ½ cup per load.

Here is a step by step approach in pictures from the Family Homestead.

Your laundry will be clean and have a fresh smell, without any fragrance. For white clothes to be whiter, you can add ¼ - ½ tsp. of bluing liquid.

By drying your clothes with dryer balls, you can avoid any softener additions since the balls take away static cling. I bought mine for less than $5.00 at Bed, Bath and Beyond.

As for the cost of the laundry soap:

1 box of washing Soda (55oz.) $3.09
1 box of Borax Bleach (76oz.) $4.19
1 bottle of Mrs. Stewarts Bluing liquid (8oz.) $2.69
soap left-over $0.03
total $10

For 10 dollars I have soap for 64 loads of laundry plus the many more mixtures I will concoct in the future. According to the Family Homestead website it costs about 1 penny per load compared to 15 cents of the average bought detergent.

How’s that for saving money?

Are You Practicing the Worry Habit?

2011-09-12T07:02:00.001-07:00

Did you know that worry is a habit? Worry is a form of thinking that can be stressful if taken to extremes. Key features of worry are that it is repetitive and non-productive.

Myth about worry:

* Worrying is caring

* Worrying is being open to many possibilities

* Worrying is being involved in the outcome

* Worrying helps in solving the problem

* Worrying keeps us in control

* Worrying is being responsible

We could continue the list. To me the worrier feels helpless. When we feel put in a corner we often don’t see any way out. Last year I wrote a blog on comparing a predicament to a problem. http://raysolution.blogspot.com/2010/05/predicament-or-problem.html

What it come down to is this: How much can I live in the present moment? As Dr. Wayne Dyer describes it:

“Worry is a technique we created to fill the moments of our life.”

I recently read a book: How to StopWorrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie.

If I had any doubts before that worrying is fruitless this book convinced me completely. Based on countless peoples’ testimonies, Mr. Carnegie formulated rules which applied to everyday living, that can one can “cure” oneself of the worry habit. I am amazed how many people worry themselves sick. This sickness cannot be cured by taking any pills (even though it may cover up temporary symptoms). From housewives to business tycoons, he accounts for people’s experiences on how to expel the worry habit for good.

He sums up his advice in 3 points:

* Ask yourself what could possibly be the worst outcome?

* Accept that problem mentally.

* Concentrate on the difficulty and see how you can improve on your crisis which you already accepted mentally (Face the situation and act on it).

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

~ Reinhold Niebuhr

Another writer who gives great advice on how to get rid of the worry habit is Dr. Wayne Dyer.

Dr. Wayne W. Dyer says worry is a technique you created to fill the moments of your life. Get his 5 suggestions for eliminating worry from your life.

What is worry? Dr. Dyer defines it this way: Worry is the act of becoming immobilized in the present moment as a result of things that are going, or are not going, to happen in the future.

The key words here are "present moment." Worry, then, is a technique you have created in order to use up the "now" moments of your life, rather than choosing to use these precious, present moments living a fully functioning, happy life.

Everything that has ever happened to you did not happen in the past—it happened in the present moment. And everything that will ever happen to you will not occur in the future—it will take place in the "now" as well. So every moment you elect to spend in worry is your way of using up your "nows" by not being fully present in your life.
Your worry list can be long indeed: your health, your family, the economy, your security, your job, etc. All of it is a means for you to occupy your mind here and now as an excuse to avoid living. A worrier sits around and thinks about things and remains inactive, while a doer refuses to occupy the precious, present moments of his/her life and sets aside futile mental activity.

1. Begin to view all of your present moments as times to live, rather than to obsess about the future. When you catch yourself worrying, ask yourself, "What am I avoiding now by using up this moment with worry?" Then begin to take action on what you are avoiding.

2. Recognize the preposterousness of worry. Ask yourself over and over, "Is there anything that will change as a result of my worrying about it?" For example: Will my worrying affect the stock market? Will my worrying affect the weather? Will my worrying affect whether or not my child has an accident?

3. Give yourself shorter and shorter periods of "worry time." Designate 10 minutes in the morning to worry—and when that time period is up refuse to worry until your afternoon worry segment.

4. Make a worry list of everything you worried about yesterday or last year, and then see if your worrying did anything to affect the outcome.

5. Keep in mind the most useful advice I can give you for eliminating worry from your life; I learned it a long time ago from a teacher I had in India:

It makes no sense to worry about the things you have no control over, because if you have no control over them, it makes no sense to worry about them. And also, it makes no sense to worry about the things you do have control over, because if you have control over them, it makes no sense to worry about them. And there goes everything that it is possible to worry about. Either you have control or you don't, and worry is just a waste of your precious, present moments.

Dr. Wayne W. Dyer is an internationally renowned author and speaker in the field of self-development. He's the author of more than 30 books, including the New York Times best-seller Excuses Begone! How to Change Lifelong, Self-Defeating Thinking Habits.

From Oprah’s website: http://www.oprah.com/spirit/How-to-Eliminate-Worry-From-Your-Life-Wayne-Dyer/2#ixzz1XNP0hmxJ

"Inch by inch, life's a cinch;
yard by yard life is hard;
mile by mile, life's a trial."

Another very interesting observation was made by Tim LaHaye in his book The Battle for the Mind. Mr. LaHaye points out that in today’s multi-media, open society we are constantly bombarded with pictures of tragedy, war, catastrophe, health crisis, pornography, and many other negative images. The mind feeds on these images and can build up a reality in our mind which is emotionally and intellectually stimulating. That is very overwhelming, especially for a worry mind.

On our long journey of life we encounter many choices; worrying is one of these options we are given freely. Once we learn more about the power of the mind, and we understand that the mind has three different functions which are: intellect, emotion and will we can make better use of it. From there we can conclude that we can fill our life with worry, fear and anxiety or we can choose happy thoughts, joyful images and loving feelings.

If we can fill our mind moment by moment with positive stuff we can live a more constructive life.

The End of Summer

2011-09-05T08:24:00.000-07:00

Traditionally, this weekend with Labor Day on Monday, is considered by many Americans, the end of summer. Three months passed by since Memorial Day with many sweltering days of over 90 degrees. Are we not to welcome the cooler season?

This weekend was a perfect example of the end of summer, with Sunday still hot and humid but when we woke up this morning, it was in the 60s, cool and breezy.

Here in Cincinnati we celebrate the end of summer with the Labor Day fireworks. It has been a tradition since 37 years.

As I get older I try to enjoy each day for what it brings. Being grateful for all external circumstances helps me to stay in the present moment. That’s so contrary to our commercial driven society where fashion and cultural events are always months ahead.

It is important to understand that our external conditions are depending on our internal state of mind. We are all living under the same inner laws or universal truth. Often what we assume is a random event is a reflection of internal struggles, helping us to see more clearly what we have to “let go.” I have been reading “The Secret of Letting Go” by Guy Finley. He makes a clear distinction between our true identity and all the stuff which is not part of our true self. It is like taking off layers of rags and dirt to find the diamond within. Guy Finley encourages us to look inside and discover our authentic self.

Here is a link to how Hale Dwoskin of the Sedona Method suggests us to respond to difficult circumstances: don't suppress your responses.

Why not have a bond fire in your own back yard? The kids spend the latter afternoon, burning all the broken branches and some logs and enjoyed the outdoors.

What is your tradition of celebrating the end of summer?

I am Not My Physical Body

2011-08-29T18:10:00.000-07:00

I am not my physical body, ... I am not my physical body, ... I am not... I repeated these words constantly in my mind when I received a second total hip replacement this past Monday. It turned out to be the best preparation I could make. Everything went smoothly, and I am recovering now at home.

Since several years now I have been dealing with osteo-arthritis. I first noticed that I had a weakness in my right hip joint. I often had to drag my leg, lifting it into the car or bed. I fought with all my heart and was looking for alternative approaches to prevent surgery. After I outgrew all of my and others resources, I agreed on having surgery on the right hip. In the meantime, the left hip also became bone-on-bone.

For most of my life my body has been very healthy and I didn’t have many problems. I always believed that I am responsible for my health and well-being. That’s why I studied about health, nutrition, and other alternative approaches to care for the body. That was also the reason for my disappointment when I started to have all these joint problems. I am aware that there underlying emotional reasons when we encounter physical troubles. Then I came across the Emotion Code by Dr. Bradley Nelson. I was able to release tons of emotional baggage, many of them related to finding my true identity. It helped me enough to recover very well from the first surgery. Since the left hip was also very worn out, I decided to have it replaced as well. It took the support of my family and friends and a very skilled surgeon to get me through it all.

But the best help came from above, from my heavenly father, who gave me the courage and faith to understand that I am not my physical body. If you were to see all the metal in my hips (the x-ray machine reveals it all) I am not that structurally support skeleton, I am still me. I am a spiritual being, who is living temporarily in this physical world, learning to be responsible for myself and my lineage. I had to learn to forgive myself for my internal behavior and many wrong habits. I had to learn not to identify myself with my feelings or thoughts, and to experience the NOW as my only state of being.

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today? Today is a gift. That’s why we call it the present.”
~ Eleanor Roosevelt

I am on my way of recovery, again. Isn’t it wonderful, how many times we can make a new beginning in life?

Exploring Human Potential

2011-08-22T06:15:00.000-07:00

I have heard from different sources that man only uses about 5% of his full potential. Hank Wesselman, Ph.D. says in his “The Journey to the Sacred Garden” that man is primed to experience the full expression of the human potential. If we are destined to reach our 100% capabilities what is holding us back?

Man has struggled throughout human history to overcome ignorance. Knowledge comes in different forms: intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and mental. Some scientists believe that man has advanced more in the last 100 years than in the past. We humans have always been creative, seen in the ancient cultures like the Egyptian and Greek architecture, and European art such as music, paintings and literature. The Western World has been engaged in many discoveries, exploration, and inventions.

Let’s explore some of the aspects of raising the human potential:

*The Flynn Effect

The Flynn effect is a theory based on observations that IQ (intelligence quotient) has changed over time. This effect crosses cultures and has been scored by James R. Flynn over several generations. It is remarkable how young people are more intelligent today and quickly understand new ideas and concepts. This is most obvious in regards to electronics and other gadgets. James Flynn is a political scientist from New Zealand. He is not the only one but has the support of other psychologists and academicians.

“The greatest discovery of the 19th century was not in the realm of the physical sciences, but the power of the subconscious mind touched by faith. Any individual can tap into an eternal reservoir of power that will enable them to overcome any problem that may arise. All weaknesses can be overcome, bodily healing, financial independence, spiritual awakening, and prosperity beyond your wildest dreams. This is the superstructure of happiness.”
~ William James, Harvard Psychologist, the Father of American Psychology

*Emotional Intelligence

Daniel Goleman tells us that emotional intelligence is a different kind of intelligence. It is the ability to identify, use, understand, and manage our emotions in a positive and constructive way. He calls this intelligence “heart smart,” not just “head smart.” He encourages us to learn EQ (emotional intelligence) and develop it throughout our lives. Learning EQ helps deal with stress, accept emotions, develop relationships, communicate better, have fun with humor, and overcome conflict with confidence.

Mr. Goleman describes five necessary emotional skills which everybody can learn:

* Emotional intelligence (EQ) skill 1: The ability to quickly reduce stress.
* Emotional intelligence (EQ) skill 2: The ability to recognize and manage your emotions.
* Emotional intelligence (EQ) skill 3: The ability to connect with others using nonverbal communication.
* Emotional intelligence (EQ) skill 4: The ability to use humor and play to deal with challenges.
* Emotional intelligence (EQ) skill 5: The ability to resolve conflicts positively and with confidence.

*Common Sense

Common sense is often underestimated. It is the combination of both intellectual and emotional intelligence. Mostly it is based on our own experiences.

As the saying goes: “Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.”

Aristotle thought that the common sense is an actual power of inner sensation, as opposed to the five physical senses. Considering that we not only have these 5 physical senses of hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, and touching, but those same senses are present in the spiritual realm, he was way ahead of his time. Only man owns this dual characteristic of internal and external.

*Intuition

Intuition is the capacity to gain knowledge without reasoning. Contrary to animals which are driven by instinct, man can learn to look inside (the word intuition come from the Latin word for intueri which mean look inside) and discover the super-national or subconscious which connects us to the higher source, God. The HumanPotential Movement (HPM) has made use of this discovery. HPM has developed in the 1960s, following the ideas that all people have extraordinary potential.

"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."
~ Albert Einstein, German-born scientist (1879-1955)

Already in 1943, Abraham Maslow wrote about the Hierarchy of Human Needs. Once our basic needs are fulfilled, man is destined to advance into the higher realms, seeking his full potential. In order to do this, man needs to be free, free to pursue happiness.

Therefore, Mr. Flynn’s study is valuable. Man has grown in intelligence and wisdom because he is destined to achieve his highest potential.

We are living now in an extraordinary time of human history where we can take part of this personal transformation. Intellectual intelligence and emotional intelligence, left-brain thinking and right-brain feeling, internal and external have to become one. But humans can’t figure this out by themselves. We need the guidance and inspiration of the higher source which is God, our heavenly parent. He is the author of knowledge, wisdom, intelligence, emotions, and most of all love. Only love can truly transform us. This has been the missing link throughout human history. We need the love of our heavenly parent to nurture us and raise our human consciousness.

Traveling Through the American Heartland

2011-08-15T07:28:00.000-07:00

It has become a yearly tradition to travel to grandpa’s house in Minnesota. The Midwest region of the United States of America is known as the “American Heartland.” The Heartland’s primary role for the rest of the country is manufacturing and farming. We saw mostly farming since we avoid driving through the big cities.

This past weekend we got our reliable Venture van ready to make the 1,000 mile trek. Starting in Cincinnati, Ohio, we drove west on I-74 through Indiana, then Illinois, Wisconsin, and arriving in Minnesota a day later.

How do you bring excitement to a trip which consists of bathroom stops, lunch breaks and one sleep-over? We know the route very well, and met with only a few constructions and detours. When we were driving through the cornfields of Illinois I couldn’t help but think of the farmers which provide our food and fill our grocery stores. I got into a deep state of gratitude for their tireless labor and dedication. They are certainly not on the job 9-5, five days a week. Especially, during the summer and during harvest season, they work deep into the night and bring in the crops.

Maybe we should start a campaign with green ribbons for their service for the country. Most people, shopping in the cities’ grocery stores have no thoughts of were their food is coming from. The life on the farm is a life of sacrifice and often of uncertainty, because the harvest depends on so many factors. One of them being the weather, the other the general market prices, and last but not least the economy. But there are so many rewards for farm life. The greatest being, at least from my perspective, that it is a family business. In fact, the reason that in the past farmers had lots of children was that they had more hands to do the farm work.

From the website America’s Heartland I learned some interesting facts about corn:

Corn or maize is a grain and not a vegetable. It is grown around the world as one of the most widely used food staples. It is processed into oil, corn syrup, corn starch, and flour. Its other important use is as animal feed and can also be transformed into industrial products such as ethanol and polyactic acid (PLA). The USA is the largest corn producer in the world, farming about 50% of the world’s harvest.

Here are some fun facts about corn:
* There are about 800 kernels in 16 rows on each ear of corn.

* The corncob (ear) is actually part of the corn plant's flower.

* The main ingredient in most dry pet food is corn.

Sweet corn, feed corn, and pop corn require different seeds. Today, farmers have developed many hybrid forms which give bigger and better yields. Unfortunately, some people are allergic to corn.

Through working together as a family, the parents can teach their children hands-on values. The unity of a family can produce not only a “great crop” but also healthy relationships. It is in the family that children learn to love, the give, and to be selfless. So the heartland is truly the breading-ground for American values.

Deep in my thoughts, the landscape changed, and we arrived at the tourist country of the Wisconsin Dells. Exit after exit big bill boards enticed us to visit the water slides and boat rides. All of this amusement is also provided for family fun. This time we only had one thing in mind, getting to grandpa’s home.

The best thing for us: our daughter and her husband came from Germany, and we traveled together as a family. That was entertainment enough and exciting news for us: we are going to be grandparents. Wherever we went to visit, grandpa came along, sharing lunches (dinners) and dinners (suppers) with the rest of the extended family. We had a lot of fun and laughed out loud, isn’t that relaxing?

Socialism Does Not Work

2011-08-08T07:27:00.000-07:00

It’s been 50 years since my family left East-Germany. I am reminded again of this event, since the date of the building of the Berlin Wall and the stronger reinforcement of the demarcation line between East- and West-Germany is nearing its 50^th anniversary this coming August 13, 2011. Any country which has to build a wall or fences around themselves to keep their people in, does not work because it doesn’t give its citizen freedom. Actually, the government of East-Germany claimed at that time, that they had to build the wall to keep the anti-socialists OUT. How is that for logic?

What is socialism? According to Wikipedia, socialism is an economic system in which the means of production are publicly or commonly owned and controlled cooperatively, or a political philosophy advocating such a system. Webster’s New World Dictionary explains it as “any of various theories or systems of the ownership and operation of the means of production and distribution by society or the community rather than private individuals, with all members of the society sharing in the work and the products.” These very words explain why socialism does not work because it is based on a theory which leaves out the most important factor of human nature. Humans were created by God as their parent to live a spiritual live here on earth inquiring character and experience relationships of love. Socialism as proposed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels never allowed a belief in a creator, a loving God who has a plan and purpose for his children.

Years ago, before the fall of communism, Reverend Sun Myung Moon played a major role in the downfall of communism.

His Critique and Counterproposal to Communism was the very background of President Ronald Reagan’s declaration: “Mr. Gorbachev tear down this wall.”

"Now it doesn't require expropriation or confiscation of private property or business to impose socialism on a people. What does it mean whether you hold the deed or the title to your business or property if the government holds the power of life and death over that business or property? Our natural, unalienable rights are now considered to be a dispensation of government, and freedom has never been so fragile, so close to slipping from our grasp as it is at this moment."
~ Ronald Reagan

I am not a politician, I don’t even like politics. One thing I don’t understand is that the Soviet Union has been dissolved and many other communist countries in Europe. Why on earth people are still proclaiming socialism as a form of government, I don’t have a clue. As Milton Friedman acknowledged, socialism is a force. Mr. Friedman was awarded the Nobel Prize Economics in 1976.

Mr. Friedman wrote in 1989:
"What is socialism? In its purest form, socialism is government ownership and control of the means of production. Ownership of anything implies the right to the income produced by that thing."

All means of production in the United States – people, land, machines, buildings, etc. – produce our national income. Spending by government currently amounts to about 45% of national income. By that test, government owns 45% of the means of production that produce the national income. The U.S. is now 45% socialist.
Source: The Clever Dude

The problem with socialism is that you eventually will run out of other people’s money.
~ Milton Friedman (American Economist, July 31, 1912 – November 16, 2006

Don’t we learn from history? Why are we giving awards and acknowledge great thinkers for their innovative thoughts and suggestions but don’t apply them in real life? Now more than ever, we need people to step up in leadership with real experience and a vision of what is good and true for human kind. Let’s put the blame game behind and support those leaders who have results to prove their leadership to reform our economy, our education, and our government. I support those leaders who are humble enough to admit that we need the help from the almighty God.

National Day for Prayer and Fasting - August 6, 2011

2011-08-01T11:31:00.001-07:00

Our country has a long history of national days for prayer and fasting. Ever since the First Continental Congress gathered in 1775, our leaders have come together to seek the guidance of our heavenly father. At the draft of the Constitution, Benjamin Franklin declared, “The longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: that God governs in the affairs of men.”

When a country is in trouble, the first thing to do is to ask for God’s guidance. During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed, “It behooves us … to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray to the God that made us.” Again, during WWII, President Franklin D. Roosevelt led the nation in prayer, “As we rise each new day and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.”

It doesn’t matter who is calling for the day of prayer and fasting, as long as we are praying together. In this political correct time, nobody is allowed to step on anybody’s toes, which often leads to in-actions. I support Governor Rick Perry of Texas and the American Family Association for initiating the National Day of Prayer and Fasting on August 6, 2011. Even though, I want be able to travel to Texas, I will participate at home in the ritual.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
~ Edmund Burke, English statesman and author

Here is the link where you can register, if you want to participate:

http://theresponseusa.com.

Even if you cannot travel to Texas, you can participate at home.

Governor Rick Perry declared the date a “day of prayer and fasting for our nation’s challenges.” He goes on saying, “America is in crisis. We have been besieged by financial debt terrorism, and a multitude of natural disasters.” The governor personally invited all other 49 governors to participate in the day.

Obviously, there will be opposition for that event. Anytime righteous people stand up there will be disagreement. But this is a free country, so let the fight begin. I don't think the issues are division between church and state. This is the time where good and evil is separating like oil and water.

Proclamation Appointing a National Fast Day
Washington, D.C.
March 30, 1863

A Proclamation.

Whereas, the Senate of the United States, devoutly recognizing the Supreme Authority and just Government of Almighty God, in all the affairs of men and of nations, has, by a resolution, requested the President to designate and set apart a day for National prayer and humiliation.

Signed: Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States of America

This video has been added 2 days after the event on August 8, 2011:

Everybody Can Learn

2011-07-25T07:53:00.000-07:00

There are different learning styles. Some people learn better through hearing (auditory), some through seeing (visual), and others like to experience things first hand. There are also different ways to communicate like it is expressed in the Johari window. A Johari window is a cognitive psychological tool created by Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham in 1955 in the United States, used to help people better understand their interpersonal communication and relationships. It is used primarily in self-help groups and corporate settings as a learning exercise.

Disregarding these personal approaches we go through a process which many educators are familiar with which is called the “Conscious Competence Learning Cycle (CCLC).

The stages of learning have first been developed by Noel Burch in the 1970s while he was designing a new workbook for Teacher Effective Training (TET). Some people believe that it is originated by Abraham Maslow.

I found it fascinating because I have been thinking a lot how to access the subconscious mind and how we can break barriers of resistance. The CCLC is useful to know about when we want to learn a new skill or change a habit.

We all are aware how difficult it is to overcome ignorance and resistance. Sigmund Freud first introduced us to the idea of an unconscious mind. This discovery helped educators to put together this model for learning:

Stage 1 - Unconscious Incompetence

“We don’t know what we don’t know.”

At this stage we are in a state of blissful ignorance. We have a complete lack of knowledge and skills in the subject in question. On top of this, we are unaware of our lack of skills, and our confidence will therefore exceed our abilities.

--> There is a crucial point when we come out of the unconscious realm – we face a lot of resistance from the ego. The first step to break this resistance is to accept and be aware of this ignorance. We need a lot of encouragement and support from others. We also need to be humble because we need the help of others who are more experienced. At this point we don’t want to listen to our mind, rather follow your heart.

Stage 2 – Conscious Incompetence

"We know that we don't know."

At this stage we find that there are skills we need to learn, and it may come as a shock to find that there are others who are far more competent than we are.

As we realize this, our confidence drops, and we go through an uncomfortable period as we learn these new skills.

With persistence and repetition we will enter the next stage.

Stage 3 – Conscious Competence

"We know that we know."

At this stage we are acquire the new skills and knowledge. We put our learning into practice and we gain confidence in carrying out the tasks or jobs involved.

We are still concentrating on the performance of these activities, but as we gain more practice and experience, the exercising of these skills becomes increasingly automatic.

Stage 4 – Unconscious Competence

"We don't know that we know – everything becomes so easy."

At this stage our new skills are now habits, and we perform the task and exercise our skills without conscious effort – we are functioning “on-auto-pilot” and thus with ease. We are now at the peak of our confidence and ability and the new skill become our second nature.

The benefit of knowing these four stages is that it can help us in all areas of learning: new skills, new habits, and any changes we need to make in life.

“There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknows – the ones we don’t know we don’t know.”

~ Donald Rumsfeld, former United States Secretary of Defense

Let me give you an example:

*1 – When I first came to this country, I didn’t know any English besides: Hallo, thank you, come on and a few other words. I thought all Americans were chewing gum and I couldn’t understand because people were talking too fast. I tried to repeat what people were saying, only to be laughed at many times.

*2 – I determined to only speak English, no matter what, even to the point that I didn’t speak at all. I was afraid to make mistakes, and was hesitant to express myself.

*3 – At this stage I was reading from billboards, newspapers, and made simple sentences just like kids. Nothing complicated yet, just repeating what I heard others say.

*4 – Then, one night I started dreaming in English. From then on, I could speak more freely, and felt comfortable to have small conversations. It took about 4-6 months but I basically learned English during that time.

Now I feel more comfortable to speak in English. When I talk to my family, or write letters, I have to sometimes use a dictionary.

This is just one example how we can learn new skills, change habits, or just plainly expand ourselves. When we go from unconscious incompetence to unconscious competence, knowing these steps, we can pace ourselves better and stay on course, rather than listen to the internal critical voice and get discouraged.

National Parents' Day 2011

2011-07-18T18:38:00.001-07:00

National Parents' Day is celebrated in the United States on the 4^th Sunday of July each year. It is a special day to honor our parents and to celebrate the family structure and family values. The role of the parents is crucial for the health and wellbeing of the children as well as the society.

Parents’ Day was first established in 1994 when then President Bill Clinton signed a congressional resolution recognizing, uplifting, and supporting the role of parents in the rearing of children.

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.”
~ 5th Commandment (Exodus 20:12)

The first 4 commandments are describing our relationship with God. 5-10 commandment deals with our relationship among men. It is no wonder that our relationship with our parents is addressed first. They are the source of our life.

“The family is the corner stone of our society. More than any other force it shapes the attitude, the hopes, the ambitions, and the values of the child. And when the family collapses it is the children that are usually damaged. When it happens on a massive scale the community itself is crippled. So, unless we work to strengthen the family, to create conditions under which most parents will stay together, all the rest — schools, playgrounds, and public assistance, and private concern — will never be enough.” ~
President Lyndon Johnson, 36^th President of the United States

Parents are the role models for the children. It took a father and a mother to create a child, and it is no secret of what kind of effect parents have on their children. Parents give their genes to their children, but more so, their childrearing will have influence for the rest of their lives. It is not what the parents say and teach but rather how they conduct themselves in every day live. The family is a natural institution for everyone involved to learn the important lessons of life. With that the family is the school of love and the source of lineage. Without the perpetuation of lineage there will be no continuation of mankind.

Reverend Sun Myung Moon, the founder of the unification church, calls the family the school of love. God is our original parent. Within the family we experience all different types of love: parental love, conjugal love (between husband and wife), children’s love and the love of brothers and sisters. By learning these types of love, we can manifest all the different relationships and are prepared for life in the society, job market, and to be good citizens.

Let’s celebrate Parents’ Day this year by honoring our parents and most of all, our heavenly parent, God.

The Mystery of the Meager Raspberry Harvest

2011-07-11T03:50:00.001-07:00

Some years ago I brought home three raspberry plants from our relatives in Minnesota. They are spring bearing plants. Over the years they multiplied and I have 2 twelve feet rows now. I take good care of my raspberry plants, fertilize them in the spring with alfalfa meal, cut out the spend canes (they are usually brown and woody), and loosen up the soil. For the past years, during June and early July, I had a bumper crop of filling up tray after tray for many days, enough to make delicious jam, freeze some for Jello and eat some with my breakfast cereal.

This year, after making all the same preparations, I harvested for the most part, maybe 10 berries on some days. What happened?
We had a lot of rain during the spring season here in South West Ohio. Could that be the problem? Then I heard a report on TV about the disappearing honey bees. I do all my gardening with organic fertilizer (I read that organic farms are not plagued with honeybees disappearing).

It seems that honeybees have been disappearing nationwide. That maybe o.k. for my amateur garden project, but what about the fields of farmers who are providing our food supply? I did some research on that and found that it is a dilemma which may threaten our food supplies in general.

Honeybees and other insects are important not just for the sweet honey but for pollination of all the fruits trees, bushes and vegetables.

Even scientists are puzzled by this phenomena. The discussion goes from global warming, increased usage of pesticides, cell phone usage (increase of electrical disturbances), to general collapsing of bee colonies.

For those of us living in cities and suburbs the disappearance of honeybees maybe good news, especially for parents of children worrying about getting stung by a bee. But it is a real concern for the farmers who supply our foods.

From the vanishing bees website:

Have you ever thought about what bees do for us? By flying from flower to flower they gather nectar and pollen. One bee only produces very little honey in her lifetime. That’s why they live in colonies, their power is in the numbers. The greater importance than producing the sweet honey is their function of pollination. By flying form plant to plant they are touching the stamen and the pistil and pollination takes place. For plants which are not self-pollinating, this is crucial for producing fruits and therefore new life.

I am crossing my fingers that next year I will have a better harvest. I saw some bees buzzing over the cleome flowers which always self-seed themselves. That gives me hope for the next season.

Happy Independence Day 2011

2011-07-04T04:38:00.000-07:00

Today in the history of our country:

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-declares-independence

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Have a happy and safe 4th of July!

Following the Path of Least Resistance #2 – Core Values and Principles of Life

2011-06-27T06:54:00.001-07:00

This is the second part of Following the Path of Least Resistance:

http://raysolution.blogspot.com/2011/06/following-path-of-least-resistance.html

Core Values

Focusing on these core values helps us to make better choices. Without finding these core values we cannot live in accordance to our highest spiritual truth. Core values allow us to align ourselves with our internal truth, with God and the universe. They also help us to find our purpose in life.

Choose 3-5 values which are important to you. List them in accordance to what is most important to you.

Here are some examples:

Adventure, Balance, Confidence, Control, Creativity, Discipline, Education, Faith, Family, Financial, Security, Friends, Freedom, Fulfillment, Forgiveness, Fun, God, Growth, Happiness, Health, Hope, Honesty, Humor, Independence, Integrity, Kindness, Knowledge, Marriage, Peace of mind, Power, Progress, Reason, Security, Self-reliance, Service, Spirituality, Strength, Success, Truth, Wisdom, etc.

“There is no higher religion than human service. To Work for the common good is the highest creed.”

~ Albert Schweitzer

For myself I chose peace of mind, connection to God, marriage, and service. I am working on being more passionate. I realize that these choices are a lifetime endeavor and may unfold differently than I expect. As long as I concentrate on these values and allow the creative process to recreate me I will be a better person day after day.

“Miracles happen, not in opposition to Nature, but in opposition to what we 'know' of nature."

~ St. Augustine

Principles of Life
I am referring here to universal principles which govern every aspect of our existence which I have learned through the teachings of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon who wrote the “Divine Principle” received by him through revelations from God and Jesus and high spiritual world. These spiritual principles are operating in the same precise, predictable and unchanging way as physical laws.

Spiritual principles make no distinctions, judgments or determinations based on age, color, creed, education, gender, geographical location, religious preferences, or social status.

* There is only one God, the parent and creator of all things (law of oneness)

* God exists as a duality of male and female, internal and external, yin and yang (law of duality).

* Everything in the universe consists of energy. Energy can be transformed into different substances like gas, liquid, solid or consciousness and becomes multiplied through give and receive action.

* Principle of growth – all creation has to go through a growth process to reach maturity or completion. Every growth process goes through formation (germination), growth and completion.

* Man has free will – contrary to the animal world which only has instinct, man also has intuition. Some people call it the 6^th sense but we know now that there are 5 more senses, the spiritual senses, corresponding to the 5 physical senses.

* God is pure consciousness, energy, and love. Man became disconnected from God and his love at the “Fall of Man.” Throughout history, God has been working with men to restore that relationship through religion and spiritual teachers.

* History – is “his story” (God’s story to reconnect to men). God has been working through the different religion.

Here are some other links to websites which are listening Universal Laws in a different frame work:

http://www.abundance-and-happiness.com/universal-laws.html Meet Enlightened Journey Enterprises Founder Chuck Danes

http://www.scribd.com/doc/13593683/All-Universal-Laws-and-Principles Niall Nicholson

http://5principlesoflife.com Newt Gingrich – Five Principles of Life

http://www.carmenharra.com/press//11Principles_PR.pdf Carmen Harra, Spiritual medium and psychic – Eleven Principles

http://billgothard.com/teaching/basicprinciples Bill Gothard - Seven Basic Life Principles

http://jungle-hut.blogspot.com/2009/08/ten-life-principles.html 10 Life Principles by Jungle Hut

http://www.christianbook.com/life-principles-study-growing-knowledge-understanding/charles-stanley/9781418531089/pd/531080 30 Life Principles by Charles Stanley

http://www.ourultimatereality.com/the-seven-universal-principles.html AdrianCooper

….and many others

Spiritual growth and personal development is the main focus of this blog. Spiritual growth entails similar aspects like physical growth – we need food and water (word of God or principles), air and sun light (love), and good deeds (vitality elements).

Let core values and life principles guide us to achieve that spiritual growth.