February 17, 2003

From the Inside Out
THE EVER- PRESENT NOW

THE PRESENT IS ALWAYS 'NOW'.....

Now is always a good time to put the mistakes, regrets and problems of the past behind us. Now is the time to evaluate the disparities between our present and past and choose what is best for both. Now is the time to take care of any conflicts between our thoughts and feelings. Now is the time to put an end to the powers of hate and to replace it with the power of love. Now is the time to unite our logic and emotions and decide what is best for both. Now is the time to accept reality and the uncertainty of the future. Now is the time to give birth to new and better ideas for ourselves and for all. Now is the time for the solutions of Pure Love.

The ever-present now is continually offering new opportunities to heal and grow. As we verbalize and visualize during our prayer meditation sessions, the now is always turning the present into the past. Scientists have recently determined that the human brain takes an average of three seconds to process and transfer information from reality to memory, in other words, to change the present to the past.

Each new moment gives us another chance to reevaluate our present and past, giving us an opportunity to make new choices and decisions as to what we want to do with our lives. With each beat of our heart and every breath we take we have the ability to choose how we want to direct our physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual energies. Every new moment offers a possibility to open a crack in the door that brings forth the power of the universe.

Clearing our perceptions of the past is an important step as we reassess the quality of our personal relationships. By far, the most powerful memories revolve around our relationships with other people, particularly our parents, spouses and other family members. With this partner we work on understanding and developing these relationships. We should assess all of our relationships, not only the relatives we inherited but also any other long-standing personal and professional relationships.

All relationships should be seen in the light of each person's personal growth. Because our lives are so heavily influenced by these relationships, we need to evaluate periodically how they are helping or hindering. We need to learn how to cleanse ourselves and grow past the painful relationships and augment the beneficial ones so that we can continue to develop our potential.

The memories of the past can have a profound effect on our decision-making. Most events are remembered for a reason. These lessons can be both helpful and harmful. Happy memories can be the treasures of a lifetime. But if one dwells in the past, this may mean that they are more comfortable with what their life was as opposed to what it is now. However, many of us also have traumatic memories filled with negative emotions.

Often these memories are buried deep within the mind. They become the "wounded child" that most of us carry around to a greater or lesser degree. These memories can be difficult to verbalize or even remember clearly which hinders our ability to release their negativity.

Problems may arise when these internal wounds cause negative reactions to similar situations in the present, trapping us in rigid behavior that repeats past responses inappropriately. All memories shape our lives and influence our choices, experiences and goals. If we do not make peace with past traumas, they will continue to affect us and hinder our personal growth.

This second stage of personal growth is where we liberate the "happy child" within us. Almost everyone has some fond memories from their childhood when they were happy, playful, loving and trusting. This was before the inevitable wounding that occurs during adolescence and adulthood.

It was a time before we became hardened by life. It was a time that was filled with innocence, wonder, generosity and discovery. Our creative, artistic and spiritual abilities still come from reclaiming these passions of our youth.

~Robert C. Felix
Partners Within

Yes You Can!
LOOK & FEEL YOUNGER

EXPERTS ON aging agree— there are positive steps you can take to make your “golden years” healthier and more enjoyable. And, they might just add as much as a decade or more to your life ... So read on, and act now!

PHASE OUT DESTRUCTIVE HABITS— The single best thing you can do for your health and longevity is quit smoking. Smoking has been indicted for a laundry list of ills from heart disease to lung disorders, all of which can foil your longevity plans. Drink only in moderation. Alcohol infuses every cell, damaging genes and inflaming your liver. A glass of wine a day for women and maybe two for men, but no more, may be mildly beneficial. Get your Zzzz’s. Your body needs down time to repair cells and rest your heart. And your mind needs dreaming to stay sane.

CREATE A DIET AND SUPPLEMENT REGIMEN RIGHT FOR YOU— Find a doctor who specializes in geriatrics or anti-aging. Barbara M. Morris, author of “Boomers Can Really Put Old on Hold”, recommends an anti-aging doctor. But according to Dr. Marc R. Blackman, chief of the laboratory of clinical investigation of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (part of the National Institutes of Health), a geriatrician would be more mainstream and recommend fewer unproven treatments.

Cut saturated fat and up omega-3 fats. It’s gospel by now: eat less or no red meat; lose the cake and ice cream; consume more complex carbs, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables; and get plenty of fatty fish. The healthy fats in salmon, mackerel, and sardines help keep oxygen free-radical molecules from damaging your cells. Consider moderating your total food intake. Studies in rats show that a 30 percent calorie restriction means longer life (no, it doesn’t just seem longer!). Blackman also cites studies in rhesus monkeys showing a gain in years from a reduction in food. Obviously, losing excess pounds means less strain on your system.

Be careful when tweaking your hormones. As for estrogen and progesterone replacement, it’s been in all the papers. The combo therapy may increase, rather than cut, the risk of cancer and heart disease. Many natural alternatives to these substances exist — your own situation should dictate your decision, but always consult your doctor.

Most of us suffer from “overconsumption malnutrition” — too much of the wrong things, Morris says. She takes a fistful of vitamins and minerals each morning. Even the cautious American Medical Association recently endorsed taking a daily multivitamin. In addition to the effective antioxidant vitamin C, Morris says CoQ10, vitamin E, alpha lipoic acid (another antioxidant), and perhaps some of those “mental acuity” mixtures in the health-food store should be in your medicine cabinet. Again, your doctor can help you fashion routine.

EXERCISE YOUR BODY, IMAGINATION, AND OPTIONS— Reprogram your vision of old age. A study at Yale recently showed that those with a positive view of growing older lived seven years longer than those who griped about it. Morris works with young people and “they forget things all the time and never refer to ‘having to a junior moment.’”

Kick guilt out of your life! Laura Berman Fortgang, author of “Living Your Best Life”, says: “Be future-minded. Guilt and regrets are part of the past. Evolving and changing is how we stay young.” Don’t be afraid to make a big change. “Don’t say you’re too old,” she says. “Sometimes earlier decisions need to be changed.” Morris also half-jokingly advises that people never retire. “Retirement is a contagious, debilitating disease.” Take some time off for a vacation and smell the roses, she advises. But don’t get so intoxicated by the roses that you don’t come back and do something useful. “Those roses could turn into daisies,” she says, “as in pushing up daisies.”

~S. Lawrence, Web MD
MSNBC.com

Photo: Cayenne Vegetable Market

LINKS
THAT SHINE

"PARTNERS WITHIN"

Offering ten partnerships between our human and higher powers. These partnerships use prayer to guide our behavior and thoughts, and meditation to nurture our feelings and beliefs. As we bring our human and higher powers together for the benefit of ourselves and others, we begin a journey to the Highest Source of Pure Love; ultimately allowing us to touch the face of God.
www.PartnersWithin.org

Fascinating Facts
STARTING WITH CELERY ...

Celery Secret: Don't pass up celery if you have high blood pressure. Eating about four stalks a day has been shown to reduce stress hormones that contribute to high blood pressure. Leave on the leaves as they contain a lot of potassium, vitamin C, and calcium. Even celery seeds are nutritious and can be added to soups, stews, casseroles, etc. You can eat celery raw or cooked, since the vegetable is sturdy and maintains most of its nutrients after cooking. Use raw celery as a dipper, chop it up in fresh salads, or just stuff it with peanut butter or light cream cheese.

Mess prevention in the kitchen: When you spray cooking oil on dishes and pans, the excess spray goes all over your counter top. To avoid this, FabulousFoods.com says spray the dish inside your dishwasher. This way, excess spray goes inside your dishwasher and will be washed away with when you wash the next load of dirty dishes.

Stick To Your Schedule: Whether you take a multivitamin or herbal remedy, if the item is something you need daily, make sure you take it at the same time every day. Studies have found that some people do better taking their vitamins in the morning while others have more success in the evening. Whatever time of day you take it, make sure you follow that schedule. Make it a routine. For example, taking a multivitamin every morning after brushing your teeth. You can keep your vitamins on a counter in the bathroom where they won't be forgotten. Just stick to your schedule, because your vitamins and supplements will work more effectively that way.

Hospital Flowers & Gifts: When a friend or family member is in the hospital, you can send them gifts or flowers by directly calling the hospital gift shop itself. Not only will you save money on the items and pay no delivery charges, but plants or flowers will be fresh and at the patient's bedside almost immediately.

Valerian: This flowering plant has been widely used in folk medicine as a sedative. It is promoted by natural remedies stores as a sleep aid and has been proven in clinical studies to improve both sleep quality and the time required to get to sleep. For someone who has trouble sleeping, 150-300 milligrams of valerian is recommended forty-five minutes to an hour before bedtime. Other factors which can help with sleeplessness include getting at least 20 minutes of exercise each day, going to bed and getting up at regular times every day, and not laying on your bed while watching TV, eating, or reading.

Puffy No More: Waking up to puffy skin and bags under your eyes can be discouraging. Gravity is to blame for letting fluids build up around our eyes at night, where during the day they leak out. Fear not, however, as the solutions are simple. Make a cold compress of cotton pads soaked in green tea, or even just ice water. If your face is puffy, try a washcloth soaked in green tea or water. Drink plenty of water to re-hydrate yourself. Also on the market are cooling eyes gels and compresses for puffy-eyed mornings.

~Yahoo Health.com

Laughing It Off
LOST IN TRANSLATION

Cracking an international market is a goal of most growing corporations. It shouldn't be that hard, yet even the big multi-nationals run into trouble because of language and cultural differences. For example ...

The name Coca-Cola in China
was first rendered as Ke-kou-ke-la. Unfortunately, the Coke company
did not discover until after thousands of signs had been printed that the phrase means "bite the wax tadpole". Coke then researched 40,000 Chinese characters and found a close phonetic equivalent, "ko-kou-ko-le," which can be loosely translated as "happiness in the mouth."

In Taiwan, the translation of the Pepsi slogan
"Come alive with the Pepsi Generation" came out as
"Pepsi will bring your ancestors back from the dead."

Also in Chinese, the Kentucky Fried Chicken
slogan "finger-lickin' good" came out as "eat your fingers off."

The American slogan for Salem cigarettes,
"Salem - Feeling Free," got translated in the Japanese market
into "When smoking Salem, you feel so refreshed that your
mind seems to be free and empty."

When General Motors introduced the Chevy Nova
in South America, it was apparently unaware that "no va" means
"it won't go." After the company figured out why it wasn't selling any
cars, it renamed the car in its Spanish markets to the Caribe.

When Parker Pen marketed a ballpoint pen in Mexico,
its ads were supposed to say "It won't leak in your pocket and
embarrass you." However, the company's mistakenly thought the
Spanish word "embarazar" meant embarrass. Instead the ads said
that "It won't leak in your pocket and make you pregnant."

An American t-shirt maker in Miami
printed shirts for the Spanish market which promoted the Pope's
visit. Instead of the desired "I Saw the Pope" in Spanish, the
shirts proclaimed "I Saw the Potato."

In Italy, a campaign for Schweppes Tonic Water
translated the name into Schweppes Toilet Water.

Japan's second-largest tourist agency
was mystified when it entered English-speaking markets and
began receiving requests for unusual "suggestive" tours. Upon
finding out why, the owners of Kinki Nippon Tourist Company
changed its name.

~Top-Greetings.com

Untangling the Web

WHAT A SITE!

Best Parks for Your Pooch ...
Here's a pile of information
about the best dog spots in each state.
They fetch the important things
you need to know about..
Dog Parks

COMPUTER-EASE

Ways to Scroll in Explorer 6:
First of all, you can press the Page Up and Page Down keys. You can press the Spacebar to scroll down and Shift + Spacebar to scroll up. You can use the Up and Down arrows in your keyboard's number pad, and you can also right-click in the scroll bar and choose from one of the options offered in the resulting pop-up menu.

Look at THAT!
BIG BOY BRUCE

 
Photo: REUTERS
To learn more click: Oranda

A giant goldfish named "Bruce" ...
also known as a Red Oranda, which currently measures 15.7 inches, is held at a fish farm in Dongguan, China. "Bruce" has clinched a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's longest goldfish. These fish are believed to have originated in China, where records dating back to 300 A.D. contain references to them. The Chinese in particular prize the brightly-colored fish as a symbol of wealth and abundance. Goldfish breeding later spread to Japan around 1500, and then to Britain, Portugal, France and the Netherlands in the 18th century with the flourish of world trade. ~REUTERS

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we can change ourselves from the inside out and improve our relationships, our community and our planet."
Editor . Chelle Thompson ~~~ Associate Editor . Geri Merrill
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