Science Horizons

As human beings seeking to achieve our goals, at some point, and possibly many times, we will hit road blocks that make us want to quit. The path to achieve our goals, no matter what they are can be a long and tumultuous ride. However, it can also be one of the most valuable and rewarding experiences of your life. It’s probably safe to assume that if you set a goal that you had a passion or a strong a interest in that goal at some point. Even if you are working towards what you love, you may still feel like tossing in the towel when times get tough. To help you through those tough times, I have provided five tips to help you stay motivated and on your path to success.

1.Break the goal down into baby bite site pieces so you can see your progress quickly.

2.Know when to back away. Many times when you are pushing and pushing and things just don’t seem to budge, you may need to just walk away from what you are doing for a little while. This can be difficult I know, because sometimes you just want to muscle through it. But if you find that you are getting increasingly frustrated and things just aren’t going the way you want, then it is time to take a break. Take a walk, listen to your favorite music, call a positive friend, or go to the gym. You know what things make you feel good so have a few things in mind that you can do when you need to get away from your work.

3.Remember why you started in the first place. Sometimes when we are frustrated and things just aren’t going our way, it’s good to take a deep breath and ask yourself, “Why did I want to do this in the first place?” There was some reason that you chose this path, remembering it can help keep you on it.

4.Throw a temper tantrum. If enough is enough and you are fed up to the gills, throw a fit. Most of us did this when we were kids, and it’s a great way to release that pent up frustration from our minds and our bodies. Get a pillow and beat the poop out of it. If you need to use your voice scream as loud as you can until you feel better (although if you are in a place where others can hear you, and you don’t won’t anyone to come running, I recommend screaming into a pillow). If you have a gym or place that has a punching bag use it. Getting the feeling out of your body can be a great release and open your mind at the same time.

5.Lend a helping hand. Getting out of your negative space and giving assistance to someone else can give you a great high to get you back on track. Think of someone you know that could use a hand at something. Check with a charity or something of the like and volunteer. Helping others helps everyone.

I hope these tips give you the strength and determination to get past those rough patches. Remember tough times happen for everyone, it’s what you do to get through them that says a lot about who you are, and what your made of. One last thing, Robert Schuller said tough times never last, tough people do.

To your success! Visit Sharmen at: www.sharspeaks.com

Sharmen Lane Speaking motivation, Speaking

With a history of over 1,000 years, thangkas are one of the most well-known Tibetan art forms. The influence of Nepalese art is obvious in their early development, and later the ornate style of traditional Chinese paintings became very influential. Used by traveling monks and ordinary people as a tool for communicating with the gods, it is highly admired not only for its practical function but also its unique beauty and craftsmanship. Shoppers in Beijing have a unique opportunity to check out some exquisite thangkas the amazing shops in the city. So get on board with a Beijing China tour!

Thangkas are a type of scroll painting that can be easily rolled up for storage. Most thangkas are either hung on the wall of a house or carried by a monk or traveler when moving around to different places. Because Tibetans are traditionally a nomadic people who are also deeply religious, they need an easy-to-carry item like a thangka to help them communicate with gods on their journeys.

Thangkas often depict prominent figures of Buddhism, like the Buddha, bodhisattvas, and other gods, but sometimes they only show items like the Buddhist Wheel of Life. In the background of most thangkas, scenes from the life of the Buddha or important historical events are shown. People who study these images can learn the teachings of Buddhism and enhance their spiritual experience.

On a thangka, no detail is too small to ignore. Everything, like the color, the clothes, and the positions or postures of the people, contains bits of information that contribute to the profound symbolism of the overall image. For a Buddhist, the teachings of Buddhism can be learned by memorizing these details and imaging the image in their minds.

One of the tasks traveling monks are assigned is teaching Buddhism to the people in the places they travel to. Even today there are monks who go from region to region and use thangkas to spread the teachings of Buddhism. Tibetans monks living in monasteries will display their thangkas to the public on important dates.

Making a thangka is an extremely difficult process. To make one thangka, a trained painter will use a variety of techniques and paints to create pictures on a cotton canvas or a piece of silk. All of the details are to be correctly painted and must conform to a set standard. The standard is very strict because even a small mistake can distort the original meaning of the message. To do this, a painter needs to have excellent painting skills and a deep understanding of both Buddhism and Tibetan culture. One of the characteristics of authentic thangkas is that they use paints made of natural minerals.

Depending on the materials used and the way it was made, thangkas can be divided into two main categories: “Bris-Tang” and “Go-Tang.”

“Bris-Tang”: “Bris-Tang” refers to thangkas that are painted. There are five specific types in this category: Multi-Colored, Gold Background, Vermilion Background, Black Background, and Block Printing “Bris-Tang.”

“Go-Tang”: “Go-Tang” thangkas are thangkas that are embroidered or made of silk. There are also five specific types in this category: Embroidery, Applique, Glued Applique, Hand-Woven, and Block Printing “Go-Tang.”

Colors on thangkas are not randomly used. Different colors represent different themes or different characters. Red is used for life stories of the Buddha. Black is the theme color for depicting gods whose main duty is subjugating evils. Blue is used to convey a sense of joy. Green is used to show activity. And white represents calm and compassion.

In the amazing local shops of Beijing, there are authentic thangkas made by master painters from Tibet. When you are in the city, be sure to check out these exquisite products. If you are not familiar with the local business, it’s best to find a tour guide in Beijing to help you shop.

Andy Lao Religious asia, beijing, Buddhist, china, embroidery, handicraft, painting, Religious, Shopping, thangkas, tibet, tour

As someone moves they will use their body and this is understood as their body language – non-verbal communication. But, it is also used with verbal language and communication too. This process expresses our emotions, conveys our attitudes, demonstrates our personality traits and will support our overall meaning without communicating this verbally. Every individual will use this to communicate with other people.

In any culture there are different non-verbal behaviors which are used, such as the thumbs up to indicate “way to go” or “good job”. And, you will find that the six primary emotions of happiness, surprise, sadness, fear, anger, and disgust will be common throughout all of the different cultures. These six come from our own instincts and cannot be taught to us, because they naturally appear when we communicate with others. When having a conversation other individuals you will have an expression that will come from your subconscious. Because it comes from your subconscious, others will be able to tell a great deal about you.

Fear is a natural human emotion and serves a purpose related to our safety and security. But let us imagine a person who has witnessed a serious auto mobile accident, but rather than running to the aid of the injured; they run franticly in the opposite direction. This frantic running away is body expression that certainly infers some kind of fear. Specifically what that fears might be we cannot know without talking to the person. But it is obvious that the fear has nothing to do with immediate safety. Through this example you should be able to see how we can read another’s personality through the lens of his body language.

There is one experiment that you could try at home – see how much information people give you about themselves through their body communication. When you are talking with someone, you should observe their body language as they talk. After a couple of minute’s observation, close your eyes and continually listen to them. You will not be able to see their hands moving, facial expressions, or other bodily movements. You will, however, notice how much information is not available to you because your eyes are closed. This process becomes difficult to read and understand without actually seeing the person’s body expression accompanying them speaking.

One concrete way to learn how to read someone’s body language is to observe them and get to know how they act. You should remember that all individuals have six common types of instinctual body language. But, these do vary in degree of expression. There are non-verbal communications which will also be common among certain cultures, societies and families. Due to this, two different people can have very similar behaviors which will be expressed through similar types of body language. If you know your own body language, then you will find it easier to read similar ones in others, and therefore will provide you with an insight into another people’s personalities.

As you learn your own body language try to relate those behaviors to your subconscious thinking. Try to regulate or over analyze your subconscious thought though. The only goal here is to match those thoughts with the body language you use to express those thoughts. This not about judging yourself, but it’s about learning to read your body language so you can read the body language of others. You can use this information to improve your understanding of the many different interactions you will become involved with.

Once you recognize some of your own body language movements and what they mean, you will be able to begin to read other people with more accuracy. When you are having a conversation with someone, you will be able to identify different things such as mixed messages. These mixed messages will be identified when an individual says one thing, yet their body communications something else.

You can find that a good way to test your understanding is to see when someone lies to you. They may tell you, “I didn’t do it!”, but the tone of voice, the way they look away, and then are slightly nervous will indicate they have something to hide and all things just don’t add up. You will recognize a specific conflict between verbal and body language, which will signal possible deception on their part. When you receive mixed messages like these, you can be almost certain they will be related to insincerity and mean they have something to hide from you.

Ruth Peacher Speaking body language, Business, Communication, Speaking

Partnership Seminar Being Held in San Francisco on May 15-17, 2009

On one side are millions of people who are struggling to make ends meet, start a business, pay their bills, and living a life of frustration.

On the other side are corporations, organizations, and non profits who who are looking for individuals to partner with.

In the middle is a man on a mission.

Brendon Burchard, author of Life’s Golden Ticket, is the number 1 expert on partnership. He’s dedicated his life to helping people achieve their goals by finding big name partners to assist them. He started from scratch, broke, confused and near bankruptcy.

His message has been sponsored by leading organizations such as Wal-Mart, Coca-Cola, Toyota, US Bank, Wachovia, Sony Pictures, Morgan Stanley, Kiwanis, YMCA, and Junior Achievement.

The Partnership Seminar will be held in San Francisco, California, from May 15th-17th, 2009.

Burchard says,” Most entrepreneurs and authors never make it because they try to do everything themselves. They spend years building theirs lists, they spend years trying to figure out how to reach their audience, they spend years trying to raise money, they spend years trying to build their business but there is a faster way.”

Here’s what you’ll learn at Partnership Seminar:

How to win BIG-DOLLAR sponsorships from dozens of Fortune 1000 companies for your book, seminar, or cause

Why nonprofit and corporate partnerships are the most effective marketing strategy for building your brand and business

How to position yourself so that nonprofits and major corporations will spend thousands of dollars on promoting YOU to their members, customers and communities

How to identify “perfect-fit” nonprofit and corporate partnerships and how to write the perfect partnership proposal to stand out and win the deal fast

What you must do to win partnerships and sponsorships and the four things you must never say to a potential partner

How to leverage your partnerships to quadruple your client base, sponsorships, product sales, press appearances, and event attendees

How to build extraordinary wealth and give back to your community through your partnerships and sponsorships

The cost is $3,495. To register visit www.partnershipseminar.com

Brendon Burchard Speaking Business, Speaking

With the alarming rate of illiteracy in the U.S. today, it’s imperative that parents introduce children to books at an early age. It should be a fact that children and books go together like two (happy) peas in a pod. We can make that happen. A love of reading encourages an inquisitive mind, critical thinking skills, helps develop a sense of humor, increases a desire for knowledge and moral values. Books can help a child learn empathy and compassion for others.

Children’s story books form the perfect introduction between children and books. Those nap time and bed time stories with toddlers form the basis of many a happy memory, which lasts into adulthood. Who would have thought that you’d remember Mom or Dad reading ‘The Wizard of Oz’, ‘The Tale of Peter Rabbit’ or ‘Lord of the Rings’, decades later? Yet, probably each of us does have such memories, fond recollections of time spent reading and imagining, before we ever learned to read.

Illustrations provide the bridge to the words of the story. Preschoolers are fascinated by the pictures which visually tell the story, from page to page. Children and books thus become the best of friends. Soon, your child becomes curious to find out how to read the words themselves. You can encourage this process subtly, occasionally linking a word on the page to the portion of the illustration that pertains to a word or idea. For example, tonight’s bedtime story is ‘Alligay Saves the Stars’. The story has numerous references to this cute little flying Alligator, trying to retrieve his boomerang from the starry sky. Look, aren’t the stars beautiful? You want to see which word means star? The answer will likely be Yes! Look at that big smile on Alligay’s face! Here’s where the word smile is. Yep, a great big smile!

Before long, your toddler will begin to understand that the words you read relate to real objects and ideas. Words then become almost like magic. Surely, your child has, at some time or another, begged for …just one more story, please! If it’s at all possible, try to never refuse these requests. This is how children and books become fast friends. When the time comes and they’re ready to learn their ABCs, you’ll have an eager pupil who now understands the power he or she has within their grasp.

Starting an early relationship between children and books does form a bond that lasts a lifetime. Frequent story reading sessions and trips to the library becomes an enjoyable past time and habit. As kids get older, they have a desire to expand their knowledge through reading. By the time they’re in third or fourth grade, you may find them choosing a book from the library in an area that’s of special interest to them. A book on frogs or astronomy. The point is, you’ve guided them to a point where they actively pursue knowledge through reading.

Charlie Bennett Speaking Books, books on the web, child books, Children, childrens books, new books, online books, Speaking, Writing

I grew up in a pretty progressive family. We always valued literature above almost everything else. My parents really believed in the redemptive value of a good book, and they did all they could to pass this belief on to me. I knew that there were such things as banned books, but I never was really exposed to censorship when I was a kid.

My best friend had a very different upbringing. He was dealing with banned censored books from the time he was five. His parents were very religious, and were not really open to anything that advanced a different viewpoint than the one they held dear. He was not allowed to read a lot of books in his own house. His school was even worse. They were sort of a backwards district, and had recently run into a stalemate over the issue of evolution.

As such, the book Inherit the Wind about the Scopes monkey trial was banned from the school and municipal libraries. When he tried to do a book report on that play, he actually received a failing grade on his assignment. His teacher insisted that it was not appropriate for the class, and would not budge from that position.

Talking to him has really made me see the importance of learning about banned books. Although you can not get books banned in a whole district, a censorious school board can get them taken off of the curriculum and out of school libraries. This can result in a whole generation of kids not being able to read this or that classic. Not only does this deprive the students of a great work of fiction, but it also deprives them of the ideas contained in that work of fiction. Banned books are controversial for a reason: they contain ideas or language that some people do not find pleasant or agreeable. Being able to debate the merits of these ideas is how people grow up into intelligent, clear-thinking adults.

Of course, not all banned books are deep. Sometimes, book banning takes place because of simple superstition or prejudice. For example, the Harry Potter books are often targeted by fundamentalists who allege that they encourage witchcraft and satanism. The fact that these books simply provide a good escape for younger readers escapes the attention of censors, who generally are not the most imaginative people in the first place. Still, whether written by Mark Twain or J K Rowling, every banned book deserves to be read.

Charlie Reese Speaking banned books, Book Marketing, book writing, Books, great books, online books, Speaking, write, write books, Writing

Every new parent feels reassured by guidance from the experts and other parents. Baby Talk Magazine is like a friend to its readers, entertaining and informing them each month. It’s the oldest magazine of its kind in the US and was first published in 1935. It’s always been a free magazine and its target readership is the new mom. Approximately 5.5 million people read it every month, obtaining one through subscription or at a baby item retailer, maternity boutique or in an Obstetrics and Gynecology hospital unit, where it is available across the US. It is also distributed at Babies ‘R’ Us.

The magazine has three sister publications with Baby Talk Mom-to-Be, Baby Talk First Months and Parenting. The Parenting magazine web site reproduces some of the articles that appear in Baby Talk Magazine.

One of the regular columns in Baby Talk Magazine is written by Heidi Murkoff, an expert on parenting who has made many television appearances and is the author of a book series, the first volume being What to Expect When You’re Expecting. There are competitions with prizes, reviews of baby products and consumer reports and features on medical matters and child development. Advice and ideas from labor through to baby’s first year are covered. Every aspect of looking after a baby is considered. Readers’ letters share their ideas and experiences. Some new moms are anxious about the transition to eating solid food and there are features on finger food and giving healthy snacks.

Lists are another helpful guide in the Baby Talk Magazine. The list of baby names shows what is popular each year. It’s important for young moms to keep fit. Being a mom is hard work however, and some motivation may be needed. The magazine’s web site has Workout Lists, which suggests the best iTunes to get the muscles moving. These fall into three categories; Walking, Running or the Elliptical Machine, and High Intensity Workouts.

The popular children’s show, Sesame Street collaborated with the magazine through its product division, Sesame Beginnings, to produce an activities page. Sesame Beginnings has a line in books, crafts, and toys. Child development experts at the Sesame Workshop have contributed activities, illustrations and rhymes to the magazine’s regular Snuggle Time page.

In 2005, the magazine won the ASME National Magazine Award (American Society of Magazine Editors) for the Personal Service category. This was awarded because of Baby Talk’s article on breastfeeding.

The magazine is the host for the ‘World’s Biggest Playgroup’, which was started in 2005. This is an annual event that moves to different locations in America, bringing new moms and their babies together for a fun, social day out with live entertainment, raffles, giveaway goods, and music classes. There is even valet parking for strollers! The event has taken place in New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Charlie Reese Speaking article writing, baby, baby talk magazine, baby writing, magazine, magazine special, magazines, Speaking, Writing