Monday, September 1, 2008

What To Do When You Are Overqualified

Why should they hire you when they can find a ""junior person"" willing to eat, sleep, and toil at the office for pennies on your journeyman's dollar? It takes more savvy and persistence than ever for experienced professionals to beat the system.

Before crafting a strategy for bursting the job barriers, let's look at what you're up against. Say you're an experienced C++ programmer. Microsoft, which has been moving with little fanfare to a large facility in Bangalore, India, can hire a local, proficient programmer to do the work at the local rate of $10,000 for which they pay Washingtonians $65,000 a year. This is just the beginning.

How bad is it going to get? Forrester Research claims that by 2015, 3.3 million professional jobs will move overseas--permanently. A Brookings Institution report predicts that high-tech centers in Connecticut, Boulder, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, and Massachusetts should expect 17 percent fewer jobs in software engineering and programming before the decade passes. And this is just one sector of the economy.

Overqualified? Hearing the Usual Excuses
If you're changing careers, trying to re-enter the market after ""being downsized,"" or returning to the grind after being self-employed, you're more than likely to hear the following during your phone-screen interview--or at your initial face-to-face meeting if you get that far:

* Why are you willing to settle for less responsibility and less money than you made before?
* How do we know you won't grow bored and quit before we train you or leave just when we begin to depend on you?
* Aren't you really planning to leapfrog from this job once the market improves?
* Don't you think you'll threaten your managers and coworkers with your expertise? We're really looking for a person we can train.
* How could you accept a daily office routine after working in management (or being self employed)?

It's important to see beyond the flimsy veil of the term ""overqualified"" when a prospective employer pitches it your way. It's probably not the reason you're being passed over. It's all about the money. One San Francisco-area professional was recruited by a Seattle company, flown to up north, housed in a four-star hotel, and ferried around in a limousine, only to be openly told that the company planned on hiring a ""junior"" who could be ""easily trained"" to do the work.

Bursting Through the Barriers
Let's face it; now it's war! And when you're in a battle for your livelihood, you need to launch pre-emptive strikes. Discrimination against expertise and due compensation requires that today's experienced job candidate resort to uncommon determination. Here are your marching orders:

1. Contact the Hiring Manager Directly
If you're experienced, you know by now that networking gets you hired more often than a flashy resume. Plus, your resume may blow you out of the water if you haven't downsized your skills and accomplishments to match the position for which you're seemingly overqualified.

Examine your professional contact list and approach those who know and appreciate your skills, recognize the sad present economic realities, and are willing to stand with you in the trenches. Think strategically. Have an accomplice pre-screen the job openings at their firm, send you the roles where you can sell your talents, and then introduce you directly to the hiring manager who will make the critical evaluation.

2. Demonstrate How You'll Save Them Money
Don't talk salary, at least not initially. If ""overqualified"" means you cost too much, a correct, skills-oriented, pre-emptive strike shows your potential employers that they're being pound foolish. Be prepared to show verifiable data how you specifically saved your previous employers money by mentoring co-workers, streamlining processes, or cutting operating costs. Cite your accomplishments--rather than your job titles and bonuses.

Read the job description literally, rather than suspiciously, and develop clear-cut examples of how you'd meet each requirement with enthusiasm, professionalism, and wisdom that only comes from experience.

3. Offer to Work on a Contract-to-Hire Basis
The current economic trend finds companies willing to hire experienced subject-matter experts on a contractual basis. Why? They can pay you to complete the job without having to cover vacation, retirement, or health-care benefits.

But you can make it work for you. Agree to a contract with pay-for-performance points or sign a one- or two-year contract for a role that becomes a permanent job by the end date of your trial period if you meet the metrics (hit sales numbers, increase market share, etc.)

4. Have People You Trust Evaluate Your Resume
Ask professionals in your network to pore over any resume that you've specifically tailored for a job or industry that looks like a stretch. Hiring managers, recruiters, and career counselors can reveal your blind spots. You need to remain nimble and teachable.

Career specialist Carol Vellucci hosts seminars where she advises, ""Where you've been and where you are, have everything and nothing to do with where you will go."" She recommends two or three resume assessments before you mail it off to a prospective employer.

Don't Lose Focus
It's important--despite your current financial pressures--to recognize your worth. You're not begging for a job, and you're not compromising your own standards in providing high-quality work for any employer. When the salary range finally enters the dialogue, be sure to advise the hiring manager than you've investigated the compensation for the role in your region and that you expect market value for your solid contributions.

""Overqualified"" is a tag, a stigma, and your first job is to prove it has nothing to do with you. You're worth more now than ever."

Moral Philosophy: Selflessness And Selfishness

Putting prescriptive morality aside, I contend that the self-interestedness supported by pro-selfishness philosophers does not necessarily conflict with the kindness supported by pro-selflessness philosophers.

The two philosophical viewpoints appear to directly oppose each other, but that appearance stems from the use of divisively confusing terminology.

Firstly, let's look at the use of term selfish. Generally speaking, what most pro-selfishness philosophers call "selfishness," I would just call self-interestedness. To most people, 'selfishness' generally refers to acting upon especially greedy, uncompassionate or narcissistic motivations. In contrast, 'self-interestedness' can simply refer to acting out of one's own interests, including indirect interests. Many people, including myself, argue that all people are inherently self-interested because, by definition, a person desires and values what he or she desires and values. Those desires and values also develop into goals, and the person makes their decisions in an attempt to most fulfill those desires, values, and goals. While everyone is self-interested, the label 'selfish' is usually reserved only for people whose interests are more greedy, uncompassionate or narcissistic than other people's interests.

Now let's look at the use of the term selfless. Generally speaking, what most pro-selflessness philosophers call "selflessness," I would just call kindness or compassion. Using the term 'selflessness' seems to absurdly suggest that an allegedly "selfless" person does not have any desires, values or goals or at least that the person does not try to act out of his or her desires, values or goals at all. But that is probably not what most pro-selflessness philosophers mean. When they call a person "selfless," they probably just mean that the person has compassionate desires, values and goals, in that the person likes to help other people and other people's happiness makes the person happy. In contrast to the misnomer 'selfless,' referring to such people as kind and compassionate more accurately portrays that the people each have kind and compassionate interests which they each act out as opposed to not having interests or not acting out of their interests.

In conclusion, so-called "selfishness" and "selflessness" can actually be compatible because the former can mean 'self-interestedness' and the latter can mean 'kindness.' And self-interestedness is compatible with kindness. In fact, I believe it is in most people's self-interest to help others, not only because others may return the favor, but also because we naturally love each other. We empathize and sympathize with each other. We feel good when we observe others feeling good. We feel bad when we observe others feeling bad. We feel enjoyment and satisfaction by helping other people and by making other people feel happy

Words Are The Roots Of War

Violence Versus War

Humans, like other animals, are by nature violent in their thoughts and actions. We respond instinctively and forcefully to attacks on our bodies, and even to attacks on our imagined "selves" if we have not grown beyond this form of ego identification. Of course, there were always those among us who were the aggressors, trying to take what wasn't theirs, or to harm others for no reason beyond the temporary pleasure, power or profit gained from doing so.

But in the past this resulted only in fighting and killing on a relatively small scale. We were violent, but only on a more personal level. Aggressors and defenders were there, but could barely conceive of large scale killing, and couldn't carry it out. In fact, it's difficult to imagine pre-language humans killing by the hundreds, let alone the thousands or millions. In other words, it is difficult to imagine our non-verbal ancestors going to war, and in fact there is no evidence of this. Why is that?

Language And The Birth Of War

No other species has conflict on the same scale as humans. In other words, animals have no war. This isn't an argument for their superiority, though. They also have no life-improving technologies, and their old, weak and disabled are left to die painfully, and they cannot overcome their basic instincts, even when the resulting actions are plainly self-destructive. But they do not kill whole populations of "enemies."

Certainly war can't be blamed on technology. There were bloody wars when weaponry was limited to simple clubs and swords and knives. Modern technology makes the killing of thousands or millions more practical, but the intention was there as soon as we had one thing: the ability to form and communicate concepts that united us in beliefs about why so many must die. Language may be one of the primary roots of war.

It isn't just that the development of communication through language made large scale conflict possible. This is also true, but it's our particular human way of using language that leads to war. It's our worshiping of words that makes war almost inevitable. We are the hypnotized species, under the spell of our words and the control of those who are most skilled at manipulating them.

Let's start with a simple example. In the past, before language, a tribe would defend its "territory." This is common to many animals, and so it is no surprise that humans share this innate response. Of course this meant violence at times. But what if a tribe of apes or pre-language humans saw from a hilltop or otherwise learned of another tribe in a valley far away, in a place which was not part of their usual hunting and foraging grounds? Unless they were starving, this would elicit no response except perhaps curiosity or a retreat born of fear and uncertainty.

Of course, with the development of language, "our territory" could suddenly be any valley or island or desert anywhere in the world. Whatever the original argument for such a claim, once a piece of land was so labeled, the members of the tribe could be easily aroused to defend it, as though it was actually important to their survival. Seen from outside the group, the words clearly appear as a form of hypnosis that is used to elicit the defensive response.

Even more, phrases by themselves, like "our way of life," could eventually elicit the same protective and violent feelings as the real "territory" upon which our ancestors relied for actual physical survival. Thus, by the manipulation of hypnotic words, over-fed "citizens" (another word for tribal members), could be lead to support the killing of thousands in response to a threat to nothing more than their supply of non-essentials, as though their physical lives were being attacked. Even the words of others can be perceived as an attack that requires killing them.

Note that an animal responds violently if another attacks its actual body or tries to steal its meal or violate its territory. Humans, on the other hand, can also get violent if called a name or told they are lying or just have a belief contradicted. Say "Jack is an idiot," and Jack will feel as though his actual person has been attacked. He has been hypnotized to see his name and his thoughts as his "self,' and so an affront to this imagined identity elicits a violent response.

Obviously, this response is inappropriate to this modern context. Jack is not actually threatened physically, and is in even greater physical danger if he does act out violently (he will go to jail). Unfortunately, his evolutionary response is triggered by mere words, because he has been "programmed" to believe that they are important, both as weapons directed against him and - in the case of his own thoughts - as an essential part of who he actually is. He feels he must defend this language-created "self" as though it is his body.

The same is true on a larger scale. Once we label ourselves by nationality, and others as the "enemy" and then say they're a threat to us, we feel the need to . We will say that we are defending "our country," which is another way to say "tribe." If the question arises as to why it deserves defending - in other words if some of the people notice that they are not a "country" - other hypnotic words are used.

"Our freedom must be defended!" This is a common sentiment at times of war, almost as common as the limiting of freedoms in the name of that war. Obviously this is a hypnotic catch phrase designed to elicit fear and the participation of the tribal members in the ensuing killing of people. The history of enslavement (the draft) and other violations of individual rights in the name of defending "freedom" shows that the goal is often the perpetuation of the powers that be, or at best the freedom of the tribe to continue its ways, whether those are good or bad. It is rarely about survival or freedom in any meaningful sense.

Consider the following: What if the "freedom loving" people of the United States had the opportunity to raise the flag of China over their land in exchange for more freedom? It is almost inconceivable that they would accept that. In fact, history shows that they would hand over their freedoms one after another to the extent that their leaders tell them this is necessary to defeat the "enemy."

In reality it is all about the instinctive defending of the interests of the tribe and its territory. But now, with language, people can be lead to see this in almost any way. For example, once the right words are used, absolutely normal people can feel that the murder of innocent millions is necessary. And by the way, if you think people who do these things are so different from the people around you, your eyes are not open. In a metaphorical but nonetheless real sense, these "monsters" are your brothers, fathers, friends and mothers. The very thought that these killers are a "different" people is the same ugly tribal mentality that leads to the routine murdering of "others."

Why do we have "enemies?" Because for many, having an "interest" in killing another is not a good enough reason to do it. Why do we have "monsters?" Because it is easier for us to than if we saw them as the teachers, bus drivers, cleaning ladies, mail men, fathers and mothers they are. Why is there "collateral damage?" Because killing children is tough to do, even for "good" reasons.

Language is one of the roots of war because language can make us see things that are not there. No country is our enemy. Yes, there are those that would harm us, and many who are mislead to follow them. No entire population has ever set out to harm another, though. That is an artifice of words. The word "enemy" is meant to hypnotize, as are many words used by the leaders of the world. If we see the enemy, we see only the need to kill. If we see the humans who are largely like us, we look for other options.

Now, you may think this an argument against war. There are good arguments against it, but this isn't one of them. This is about honestly looking at the wonderful invention we call language, and how dangerous it can be as well. When we do not see and use words as the tools they are, we become tools used by them, or by those who manipulate them. And perhaps, just perhaps, if we were to lose a bit of our reverence for the words, and wake up, we might find that most, or maybe even all wars are unnecessary. There might be a better way, out beyond the usual verbal "logic" of why we must kill people.

The Power of Regular Dream Translation

I received a message from a very charming girl, who was very interested in dream interpretation and sent me many dreams.

Then I started receiving messages with her dreams daily.

At a certain point, I told her that she should try to translate her dreams by herself after reading my e-book, because this is the important point: she has to learn how to translate her dreams alone thanks to the knowledge she has acquired in the e-book.

Of course, my summer offer is for everyone and for all kinds of dreams. People send me their dreams because they are depressed, because they are in love, because they see nightmares, because they lost someone... for various reasons.

This dreamer started sending me her dreams because she seriously cares about this matter and I'm glad I have found such good student!

She learned about my summer offer, and she thought that it would be very good to send me all her dreams for translation.

I told her that she had to work by herself however, and try to translate her dreams alone, instead of sending them to me every time and receive a ready translation.

My ready translations are mainly for people that have serious problems and are not able to learn how to translate their dreams alone, but she, who was only curious about the meaning of her dreams, should care about learning how to do it by herself without a doubt.

Since then, her progress has been tremendous!

What I want to tell you is that there is a very big difference between caring for the meaning of your dreams only for a while, because you saw a strange dream or because you are sad, and then abandon this occupation, from the serious study of the meaning of your dreams.

Besides that, I want to emphasize that when you look for the meaning of your dreams yourself and you discover this meaning alone, you learn much more than when someone else gives you a ready translation.

The difference is so big, that there is no comparison.

You have to translate many dreams in order to see the result of the unconscious' psychotherapy! One or two dreams are not enough for anything!

There are times when a single dream is so full of archetypes and information that it helps you as if you had seen a thousand dreams with many lessons, but usually, we need a series of dreams in order to understand what is happening with the dreamer and how he or she can overcome their problems.

Be serious and write down your dreams regularly! You'll see by yourself how much you'll learn and how much you'll be helped!

And try to learn the dream language, so that you'll have this knowledge for life and will be able to translate your dreams alone, because this way, your progress will be extraordinary!

Good students are rewarded with health, wisdom and happiness in a very short period of time, while those that don't take dream translation seriously and don't make any effort to really learn the dream language, are like explorers that sleep over a treasure but never dig the ground in order to finally receive its benefits!

Prevent Depression and Craziness through the scientific method of Dream Interpretation discovered by Carl Jung and simplified by Christina Sponias, a writer who continued Jung's research in the unknown region of the human psychic sphere.

Creation Theories

Creation is one topic that has been well studied for many centuries. Not just one viewpoint on creation has been devised but so many that it would take pages to outline their individual approaches. Looking back into history in the times where gods were formed in the stars, to present day theories of god creating life through spiritual ideology and also to extend to a more physical approach of life being created materially through an evolutionary approach, from cells to formation of all life on earth from one core form. Each theory has its own viewpoint and approach that looks at life to suit its own goals and objectives. When we look at creation there is one thing that is undeniable and that is that we really do not have it wrapped up around our little finger, on how to pinpoint an exact time and place when creation was formed. We follow belief structures with full understanding that we are but the creation and not the all knowing of why it exists.

Each theory has its own logical approach, looking at creation from its own creative and subjective methodology, with the essence of each theory focusing on the human body and how the earth is formed. Some theories also extend to the mind and seek truth in romantic and poetic stories that relate to love, light and just generally being happy and content with the overall position that we are all placed within. Except for a lot of scientific approaches each organized creation theory stems mostly from a story form approach, each showing a line of creation that is formed by an ideal of the human mind.

I suppose the real question to ask when viewing all the individual approaches of creation: what was the original intention of this viewpoint? Whether that be to acknowledge that there is an omnipresent being that created us from a place far more divine than anything that we could even comprehend, or that we are merely formed but of matter that changes as the years go by. Each method of viewing creation definitely has its own beauty and individual creative approach, none without a fault in trying to find the reason for existence.

All theories stand on their own podium of strong opinion and purpose, not one with limit to reach a desire to understand and justify its approach. The only downfall that could be noted is when each theory comes into contact with one another. It is then that the podiums start to crumble. Instead of finding undeniable links between each approach, we choose to debate each limited ideal until the end of time, even after we find that such passion can lead to fighting and viewing creation from the opposite viewpoint to which we seek. How can such things be overcome? Will we ever find an agreeable approach that does not have to hinge on an individuals creative potential.

One thing that is seen when viewing many of the approaches of finding reason in creation is that our focus is as time goes by limiting itself to ideals of human social acceptance. Many things are forced to the wayside if they do not fit into a group acceptance instead of being seen subjectively and in its own beauty and form. Rules and guidelines are setup so stringent that the makers also feel themselves forced into a cage of redemption, leading to their own individual undoing. They wish to hold to their beliefs so strong without questioning their original purpose, but only to enforce without first contemplation and solution. Their ideal becomes then their purpose and when they are under attack they seize up and protect themselves with shields of rigid viewpoint to push away new concepts and approaches.

Sometimes also these new concepts and approaches have also their own basis of crumbling podiums. They too are looking for ways to build themselves up to achieve understanding, and a strong undeniable truth, that they hope will be still standing at the end of the day after all the work that has have done to try and convince others of their purpose.

What if creation itself was not in the individuals desire to create purpose for themselves? We all seek answers that we hope is the only truth standing from viewing each individual standpoint. The only other thing that we can really know to be truth is also that we will inevitably die one day out of the body to which we are formed. These two truths are all that we have to hold us up. They are our right and left foot, the only thing that we can be certain of. We all seek answers at some point in our life, but what are we really asking for?

One thing is for sure, individually we are not really seeking an answer for why creation is formed, but really an answer to what is our purpose as humans. We want to know what we are to be doing and what we are to be achieving. Every person has the desire within them to want to know why they should even exist in the first place, but not to only acknowledge the beauty of the creation itself but to know why we endure all that we experience. What if creation had no real foundational purpose, would we then want to know the truth?

The foundational elements of creation really would not in all essence have the same goals as the creation itself. These elements have a place outside the human physical world. They are not the creation but the creator. When people base ideas on creation they know that the foundation elements are this ‘creator’ and draw in on human ideals in order to form their formational model. It makes perfect sense to see creation this way. Seeing as we as humans only know so far the basis of this world alone and what we see with our eyes around us. The only thing that could be seen as lacking is that we cannot see beyond such limited concepts. We base all on our own self focus and think that we are but the center of all, but is this so?

If we were to draw on all creation theory and look at creation for its foundation rather than its purpose how would it then be viewed? It would for sure have a basis far outside this singular limited world that we now know and isolate ourselves within. Would creation not be far reaching beyond even human reasoning and incorporate all possibility?

One thing is for sure, the elements that created us, are not us, but the foundational embodiments to which we are made from. It would be very logical to see creation in such a way. Such a viewpoint would never change in its approach, because the ‘created’ is always a product from the ‘creator’. This would have to be a simple foundation fact. If this were to be so then how would we ascertain what this creator is and how creation is formed?

If we take a known example from our world of an event that takes place, we know for sure with our logical minds that the effect follows after a causal event. When certain things happen within our world we understand then that it makes a change in the environment around us. It is thus then from the effect that the cause can be understood. Would we not then know the creator from understanding the components of the created? If we can ascertain what takes place then it is only logic to see that we can ascertain also why it takes place. There is always a reason, if there is an event taking place. This is another undeniable fact and one that will never change.

That would then reason that creation can be known, we are the effect from a cause, and we can learn why it all happened, whether or not it makes reason to why we exist. It is all just in understanding the practical nature of creation, to seeing that it is far more than just a story being told. It is even far more than a rule that makes us conform within society. It is far more than even popularity. There is a core truth, that when it is found, it will hold tall and be understood by all in its core essence no matter how it is creatively relayed to others. In the core essence all belief has a foundation. When this core essence is known then nothing is right or wrong and all belief can be utilized to its full creative potential.

The Meaning Of Life, The Big Picture

This is of course my opinion based on my own common sense.

There have been hundreds of billions of humans on earth. There have been trillions of trillions of life forms on earth. There have been hundreds of trillions of trillions of microscopic life forms on earth. Did each one of these life forms spring up independently out of the sea of creation all at different and random times? Are all these life forms independent of all other life forms with no connection to each other? Common sense tells me that it is illogical that so much life all sprang into this world from different sources of life, from a different place of origin, having no connection to each other or the same life force.

In the beginning there was God, we are told. Regardless of where that phrase originated from, it makes sense to me. There was something in the beginning, there had to be. Whatever this thing was, we can call God. Who knows exactly what this God was, in what form it was in, but at least I can understand that whatever it was, it was. It was everything and the only thing. Everything else came from this beginning, this God, this life force.

As this God began to expand, to create, physical worlds were born among a probable unknown countless worlds at that. God created the physical world but had no way to engage with it, personally. So physical life forms were created, life forms inhabited by parts of God, parts that were born by a division of God its self. These spirits, or souls are extensions of God, a micro part of the macro world.

When these spirits, life forms and creatures enter into the physical bodies of these physical creations, all memory of the source is temporarily forgotten. At least now it is by humans; partly due to society and its teachings, partly due to the DNA inheritance of parents and grandparents etc. While this memory is forgotten it is not inaccessible if one applies himself to the memory.

God wishes to expand its self, here on earth and all the other worlds which it created, which by extension we help to create. Each life, each generation grows, albeit just a little. We come down here in physical form to be on the leading edge of creation, for God. In the timescale of forever, one lifetime is not even a nanosecond in the scale of forever.

When we have finished our lifetime we return home where we can explore the things we learned here on earth from the contrast that only exists here. Our time here fills us with new desires and interests that can only be born from the contrast here.

On the other side, which is our natural home, we do not have contrast there, only what is; God. And God does not separate or divide as the human nature has us doing. On the other side there is no Hot and Cold, no Hunger or strife. There only IS.
The contrast that we live here for the brief moment of one lifetime fills us with renewal as we return home, to explore new horizons. Eventually we want to come back again to the leading edge of creation to participate again in this wonderful world of contrast, and we do.

Eventually, this process will bring heaven on earth as expansion continues to bring the same principles of heaven to earth. It is just a process that we all willingly and eagerly participate in. I guess the moral of the story is that we are to learn how to create here on earth as we do when we are back in heaven?

Your Phobia Spells

Acrophobia: (Fear Of High Places)
Repressed feelings of taking your own life have resulted in this particular form of phobia.

Aerophobia: (Fear Of Flying)
What happens if the pilot does not know what to do in an emergency? What happens if the emergency door doesn't open? Strangely, it is not the fear of being in the air that affects you, it is actually your fear of not being in command which leaves you feeling powerless.

Agoraphobia:(Fear Of Going Outdoors)
Because all of your life you have been taught to be successful, somehow you feel the reverse. The precautionary measure that you take by not mingling outside, assures you of not losing, for the time being anyway.

Arachnophobia: (Fear Of Spiders)
Overwhelmingly affecting women, psychoanalysts interpret the long legs as mother, as a castrating and preying demon. Others say the spider is seen as possessing bisexual genitalia, therefore casting doubt concerning one's ual identity.

Claustrophobia: (Fear Of Enclosed Places)
Therapists believe that at a young age, the claustrophobic was forced to stay either in his room or indoors, rendering him helpless, for which he still has not recovered.

Coitophobia: (Fear Of ual )
Recent studies have concluded that many children, male and female alike, have manifested a fear of the opposite , being caused by having been ually abused as a child, and more often than not from a close family member. A feeling of helplessness became associated in the child's character, which he unfortunately associates with ual relations.

Gasmophobia: (Fear Of Marriage)
The two basic causes underlying this fear is that while growing up your own parents were constantly battling with each other, whether physically or emotionally and the fact that you are tied down to one partner for the rest of your life. Although an immature approach, many analysts suggest that fear itself has its roots in immaturity.

Graphophobia: (Fear Of Writing)
You fear that by signing on the dotted line you may be held accountable. This being caused as a young child (in school) by someone mocking what you had written, and that turned into the phobia.

Harpaxophobia: (Fear Of Robbers)
It is understandable that in this day and age, when the crime rate has soared, that one is concerned. Nevertheless, when this turns into a phobia, this is more than just mere concern. This is brought about by a general fear of being assaulted, because your personality does not allow any infringement on your being whatsoever.

Homophobia: (Fear Of Homosexuals)
Men who have anxieties concerning latent homosexual tendencies, suffer from this phobia, sometimes even acting violently against them, to suppress admitting the truth.

Hydrophobia: (Fear Of Water)
Because at some point in your life you were in some body of water, when you felt helpless, perhaps near , which resulted in this fear.

Necrophobia: (Fear Of )
This has been brought about by someone who was very dear to you and when that person died, you actually felt abandoned by that person, and to this day you suffer because of this.

Oneirophobia: (Fear Of Dreams)
In order to dream you lose a certain degree of consciousness, which is something that you are not prepared to do. Therefore you are awake when you should be sleeping, and because you are so fatigued, you are fit to be tied. Then out of sheer exhaustion, you fall into a deep sleep, albeit short and see horror movies, which makes your phobia even worse, because you know that by falling asleep, you'll have these horrible dreams.

Osphresiophobia: (Fear Of Body Odors)
This sufferer, having been religiously convinced that the body is full of vice, hence, is dirty, associates sin with smell and fears he himself as the sinner.

Pyrophobia: (Fear Of Fire)
Either you or someone in your memory was engulfed in flames and the emotional scars remain.

Child Psychology - Babyhood

Characteristics of babyhood: (From 2 weeks to 2 years)

i) Babyhood is the true foundation age. At this time, many behavior patterns, attitudes and emotional expressions are established. It is a critical period in setting the pattern for personal and emotional adjustments.

ii) Babyhood is an age of rapid growth and development. Babies grow rapidly both physically and psychologically. Changes are rapid in appearance (height and weight) and capacities. The limbs develop in better proportion to the large head. Intellectual growth and change are parallel to physical growth and change.

iii) Ability grows to recognize and respond to people and objects in the environment. The baby is able to understand many things and communicate its needs and wants.

iv) The babyhood is an age of decreasing dependency. The baby begins to do things to itself. With decrease of dependency, a rebellion against being treated as baby. A protest takes protest comes in the form of angry outbursts and crying when independence is denied.

v) It is an age of high individuality which can be realized in appearance and in patterns of behavior.

vi) Babyhood is the beginning of Creativity, role and socialization for adjustment in future life.

vii) Babyhood is a hazardous period. The physical hazards are illness, s, disabilities and . Psychological hazards are disinterests and negative attitudes

Emotional behavior in babyhood:

i) At birth, the emotions appear in simple and undifferentiated forms. In babyhood, the emotions are differentiated and they are aroused by a number of stimuli. There are two distinct types of emotions.

ii) There is much difference with the behavior of adolescents and s and often from those of older children.

iii) Emotions are more easily conditioned during babyhood than at latter stage. This is due to the reason that the intellectual abilities of babies are limited. They respond easily and quickly to stimuli. Anyhow there is hesitation to respond in some cases.

Development in socialization:

Early social experiences play a nt role in determining the baby's future social relationships and patterns of behavior towards others. Since the baby's life is centered around home, it is here that the foundations for later behavior and attitudes are laid. There is no evidence that people are social or antisocial by inheritance but on their social experience gained during babyhood. Also, making a change in the pattern of behavior that has become habitual is never easy. Nor is there any guaranty that the change will be complete. That is why good social foundations are so important during the babyhood years.

At birth, infants are not gregarious in nature in the sense that there is no difference to them who attend to their physical needs. During the first year of the babyhood, babies are in a state of equilibrium which makes them friendly, easy to handle and pleasant to be with. Around the middle of second year, the equilibrium is tilted making the baby fussy, non cooperative, and difficult to handle. However, equilibrium is restored so that the babies begin to exhibit again pleasant and social behavior.

Beary Special Miracles Continue To Happen

I also know that when you have a dream, a deep in your heart dream, nothing can stop you from achieving it as long as you can dream it, believe it and take action toward it.

Here’s how the story goes.

I have a secret that I’m going to share with you. I am a fifty-six year old woman and I love teddy bears. Big ones, small ones, fat ones, skinny ones, long hair, short hair, mohair, bears with hats, bears with jackets, or just plain furry ones, I love them all.

Many years ago when I was a young woman going through a rough time in my life, I spotted a teddy bear while out shopping. I had to have it. On an impulse I bought the bear (which I really could not afford) and took it home with me. Every time I looked at my teddy bear, he made me smile and feel better. It was during this time that I tucked a dream in the back of my heart. My dream was to someday open my own shop filled with nothing but teddy bears.

After several years in the workplace and raising two sons on my own, I finally met my knight in shining armor. We were both ready to simplify our lives and since we both loved the country, some extensive searching enlightened us to a small town nestled in the mountains of Southern Oregon. Even though the time was not quite right, I knew that somehow I was moving closer to my dream. Indeed, this was the perfect place for a teddy bear shop.

Years later, after my husband retired, we were left with a small office building on the main street of our little town. The little dream tucked away in the back of my heart for all those years grew wings and soared. A new sign was painted for the building and “Just Bears & Stuff” became a reality.

Now, 15 years later, I know that my instincts were right. I’m glad that I listened to my heart. I don’t have one outstanding miracle to share?I have hundreds. Every person that walks through the door of my special little shop can feel it…that special “teddy bear feeling.” Whether or not our customers have come to purchase a bear or just come to visit, we know that they will leave with smiles on their faces; teddy bears just make you feel good. Most every person that purchases a bear has a story. Our bears go to people who need comfort in times of illness or loss. Our bears go to people for joyful occasions or milestones in their lives.

Sometimes people, young or old, will make a purchase just because they need a teddy bear to get them through a bad day. These people are among my favorites because, in them, I see myself all those years ago when that first teddy bear came home with me and whispered in my ear, telling me that my dream for the future could come true. I’m glad that I listene - that fuzzy bear was right!

- This story first appeared in the book Workplace Miracles.

The Adventures Of Penny Pincher: Penny Pincher Helps Patricia With Her Gardening

Penny Pincher adores Patricia and he wants to help her at least once in the garden. Though he had never done a bit of gardening in his life, he was certain that he would be a good gardener. After all, the gardening-stuff did not look that difficult. Plus his friend Max, the dog, was there to help him.

So, he started devising a plan. One day when Patricia has gone to the market to do her shopping, Penny Pincher convinced Max to take him out to the garden. He wanted to surprise Patricia. Max thought it was a brilliant idea.

Emily Babbit thought otherwise. “I don’t think you should go out. Patricia will get angry if you get all dirty and muddy. She will have to clean you and you know how difficult a task that is.”

However, Penny Pincher was not in a mood to listen. He just wanted to try his hand in gardening and he wanted to see the look of awe and wonder on Patricia’s face when she returned.

Once outside, Penny Pincher realized that the garden was quite large. He got Max to put him on old dried tree stump from where he started surveying the garden.

“So, Max, where should I start?”

“Why not start from the veggie garden and then work your way to the flowering plants?” suggested Max while wagging his tail and trying hard not to get distracted by the colorful butterflies and squirrels prancing about the lawn.

“Good idea, my four-legged canine friend,” said Penny Pincher.

Penny Pincher took his plastic shovel and walked towards the vegetable patch. He dug and dug and dug. He then stood back and admired his handywork. Just then the neighbor hearing Penny Pincher shoveling walked over to see what all the noise was. She knew that Patricia had gone out and came over to check. Immediately Penny Pincher pretended to be an ordinary stuffed bear and leaned against the trellis as if he might have been forgotten there. The neighbor on seeing Max and Penny Pincher smiled to herself and returned to her home. Little did she know what this little miraculous stuffed bear was up to?

“Now, Max let’s head to the flowers. But you will have to push the wheelbarrow because I am not tall enough.”

Woof, woof replied Max in affirmative.

Max gently laid Penny Pincher on the wheelbarrow and started pushing him. The wheelbarrow already contained some plants and Penny Pincher decided to tell Max where to lay each flowering plant. Max followed his orders to the T.

Finally Penny Pincher was getting tired. “I think I need to rest a little bit, Max. Is it possible for you to put me on the hammock?”

“Of course, my furry friend. Anything for you,” replied a panting Max. The sun was hot and he too wanted to rest a while and maybe then catch a quick drink and chase the butterflies around the garden.

Before long both Penny Pincher and Max fell off to sleep. They lost track of time and only got up when they heard Patricia asking Max what Penny Pincher was doing outside.

“Bad dog! I’ve told you a number of times that Penny Pincher is a very special bear and he is not a toy. The next time I see you playing with Penny Pincher, it is off to the kennel in the garden. Do you understand me?” said an upset Patricia.

Max slinked off with his tail between his legs and Patricia carried Penny Pincher back home. Just then her eyes fell on the vegetable spot and the wheelbarrow.

“Now, I’m being silly,” she said to herself. “Penny Pincher is just a stuffed bear and there is no way he could have done, could he?” She looked at Penny Pincher and she thought she saw a glitter in his beautiful black eyes.

Shaking her head, she carried Penny Pincher back to his room.

“I know you are special and somehow I think you can talk and walk,” she said to her favorite stuffed bear as she laid him gently on the shelf. “I wonder whether it was you who did all the gardening. If it were, I thank you,” kissing him gently on his forehead.

Penny Pincher was tired but happy. He was glad that Patricia liked his gardening. He decided to apologize to Max later for getting him into trouble. For now all he wanted to do was sleep.

The Conscious vs The Non-Conscious Brain

Are you trying to get out of the rut you are in financially? Perhaps you're trying yet another diet to lose that stubborn 20-30 lbs. that will not budge. Or maybe you are wondering why your personal relationship keeps falling into the same pattern. You've tried everything to change, but nothing seems to 'stick'. You might see results for a few weeks, even months, but it won't be long before you discover yourself back at the place you started. The problem is, you are relying on your will, and that simply will not bring lasting results.

You see, when you are using your willpower to make a change in your life, you are relying on the conscious part of your brain to maintain control. What scientists have discovered in the last decade or so is that the underlying part of the brain, or the nonconscious brain, accounts for over 96% of what we actually do. Your conscious brain exerts creative control, but your nonconscious brain is where the long-term results come from. Below is a comparison between the conscious and the nonconscious brain.

- The conscious brain makes up about 17 percent of total brain mass and controls just 2 to 4 percent of actual perceptions and behavior. The nonconscious brain makes up about 83 percent of total brain mass and controls 96 to 98 percent of perceptions and behavior.

- Conscious impulses travel at speeds of 120 to 140 MPH, while nonconscious impulses travel at more than 100,000 MPH!

- The conscious brain processes about 2,000 bits of information per second, while the nonconscious brain processes about 400,000,000,000 bit of information per second. Yes, you read that right: Four Hundred Billion.

- The conscious brain is volitional, meaning it is controlled by conscious will, it sets goals and judges the results. The nonconscious brain is servile, meaning it sets no goals of its own. It executes the goals it is provided with. It doesn't judge the merits of results, only whether they match the given goals.

- The conscious brain perceives past and future, and the nonconscious brain has no concept of time. Everything is happening now as far as it is concerned.

- The conscious brain has a very short term memory span, about 20 seconds for most people. The nonconscious brain remembers everything it experiences, forever.

A good analogy for the relationship between the conscious and nonconscious mind is a thermostat in your home. The thermostat represents your nonconscious mind, and you walking around your home represents the conscious mind. Assume your thermostat is set to 80 degrees. You come home from work and realize it's kind of warm in your house. So, you open the doors and windows to cool the place down. This works for a few minutes, until the thermostat registers a dip in the temperature, and the furnace kicks in to bring the temperature back up.

Realizing that didn't work, you open up your refrigerator to cool your house off. Again, you manage to bring the temperature down a bit in your kitchen, but the thermostat soon registers the change and the furnace kicks in again. No matter what you do, the thermostat, which controls the temperature for the entire house, has a lot more control over the situation than you do. Unless, of course, you walk over and re-set the thermostat itself to a more comfortable 70 degrees.

If you're thinking no one would be foolish enough to try to cool their house down this way when they could simply adjust the thermostat, this is exactly what people are doing everyday in their lives when they are trying to use their force of will to override what their nonconscious brain is set to. As you can see from the statistics above, this is a futile effort. The nonconscious brain trumps the conscious brain easily when it comes to achieving results.

For example, if your nonconscious brain is programmed to believe you are always in debt, then no matter what actions take place to change that in the short term, your nonconscious brain will work 24/7/365 to bring you back to that reality. Does your willpower work that consistently? Of course not. This is why many lottery winners end up bankrupt within a few years of winning their jackpot. they view themselves as poor, so that's what the nonconscious brain makes happen. So, if you win the lottery, take the annual payments. You may blow the first few annual payments, but you'll eventually view yourself as a wealthy person, and be much more likely to hold on to that wealth in the latter years.

If you want to change something significant in your life, whether it be money, health or relationships, you have to learn how to re-program your nonconscious mind, or your thermostat. You have to instill new beliefs, so that the nonconscious mind guides you to that new homeostasis. This process will be covered in an upcoming article.

Lane Romero-Reiss is an InterNetwork Marketing Consultant, helping network marketers build their prospect lists while getting into cash flow quickly. Lane utilizes step-by-step video tutorials and explanations that will provide value to even the most seasoned network marketers, but are simple enough that beginners will be able to follow along. He can show you how to fully monetize your lists by offering tremendous value through a guided training program.

Large Sized Woman

Mother went to college for only two years because her father made her attend the then-named Georgia State College for Women instead of the University of Georgia where she had set her heart upon attending. Even without a university degree my mother became an exceptionally well read, incisively intelligent, and gifted woman. She could have been a professional writer but preferred to help her untalented children write their papers for one class or another, or the “I Speak for Democracy Contest.”

My mother was witty and well-informed on many subjects; she could carry on spirited and entertaining conversations with men who enjoyed rank at work, or sometimes those who were known in one field or another the world over.

No one who ever knew her spoke of how fat she allowed herself to become. “Pleasingly plump” or “roly-poly” didn’t fit – she knew she was fat and spent a lifetime on the diet of the day – lo/no carbs diets, fad diets, junk diets, stupid diets, and never succeeded in being slim and fetching. Mother tried to be disciplined but red meats, cake and pastries, and ice cream took their toll.

Her dieting did not succeed until she suffered in Paris the first of many assorted heart attacks, myocardial infarctions, cardiac arrests – whatever her doctors in France or back in the U.S. wanted to call them. She got better for a while at the American Hospital in Paris after the first massive assault, returned to the U.S. to visit me in Dallas-Fort Worth, where I was then living, then went back to France where she promptly had another heart attack that eclipsed the first in severity. She waged a forlorn struggle year after year for twelve interminable years to stay well. Her food intake became increasingly spare but occasionally she allowed herself an indulgence of one kind or another; she deserved whatever little pleasure she was served. She was no longer a large-sized woman but rather a gaunt one who could no longer manage to be a lovely life-of-the party.

Her many friends called to come by for a visit. She had to receive them in bed. Often, the more sensitive among them, male and female, told me they had wept upon leaving. They commented that her wonderful mind, still capable of radiant, insightful conversation seemed to come alive upon being able to discuss an article in the Washington Post, or the recent book by the Australian author, or a new restaurant she had tried for lunch one day when she felt up to going out for a while. Or, more to the point, when someone called to invite her to lunch since she was no longer capable of driving herself.

Every year her coronary heart disease took its toll on her reserves of strength. Even perfunctory regular visits to her physician required him to talk to her about further weight loss and to keep close tabs on her pressure. She was always being asked if she drank (at best she sipped a glass of wine at parties and at home abstained completely) or if she was diabetic.

When finally illness reduced her to the proverbial shell of her former self, her skin had no tone on her bones even though she could take some pride that her double chin and stomach fat were gone. But she had paid an enormous price for every ounce she had lost.

There was no doubt that being overweight, if not obese, ran in the family. Her mother – my grandmother – was a big woman at five feet eleven inches but she was never fat. Her father on the other hand was quite overweight. In fact, before I was born, he went to his doctor’s office one day for a regular checkup. The doctor said, “Walter, you’ve really got to lose weight in order to get your pressure under control.” Walter agreed and dropped of a coronary thrombosis without another word.

As she reached her forties, Mother was increasingly inclined to avoid moving a muscle, preferring instead to let my stepfather or someone else bring her whatever refreshment she might want. Consequently, she tired easily, sweated too much, and breathed heavily performing the simplest of tasks. She avoided taking the stairs or doing any kind of exercise. The thought of walking or engaging in an exercise program was very disagreeable for her.

In the fifties of the last century, until recently in fact, being fat was instantly diagnosed by just about everyone as a consequence of overeating. Losing weight relied on the fat person recognizing the need not to eat so much. Today, we know that the large-sized lady or man may or may not have an eating problem and need not wait around to be overtaken by the ravages of diabetes, obesity, thyroid problems, high pressure, and the -dealing cruelty of coronary heart disease.

I can only hope that many overweight people will recognize and act upon the need to get into an effective comprehensive program that will address their problems before they are told they suffer from much more than a few extra pounds.

Leader, Accepts Responsibility!

Is there any leader who is not willing to accept responsibilities? I guess there is no one because it is an attitude a leader should possess.

A Leader is someone who takes action when no one else can or wants to. A mistake people make is they view a person a Leader if he or she has a title. The truth is, any one can be a leader, anyone can lead even if they do not have a titles.

Leadership is an essential attitude to have. It is an attitude which always takes action, takes full control of every situation when no one can or will.

I guess when you were an student you experienced being part of a group project on your past years of living. What was your role then? Were you a support member? A contributor? Or the person who led the group in taking courses of actions?

Leaders seem to step up to the mark when the need arises. Sometimes you might be surprised who becomes the leader in a certain situation.

Have you heard about John Adams? In March 5, 1770, a conflict occurred between a group of Bostonian's and British soldiers and led to the Boston Massacre because 5 colonist were killed. There was no one who was willing to stand in court to act against the British soldiers. Three lawyers declined the offer because of fear. John Adams believed that the soldiers need to face fair trial so he did act as their lawyer and stood up when no one else is willing.

He was a true leader! He was willing to accept responsibilities even when it was difficult and no one else wanted to do it.

Responsibility is the ability to respond no matter what the situation is - are you ready to respond?

Question: Who Are You?

Most names today come from the Hebrew, German, Latin, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh languages but, to get to the truth on the meaning of your name, you must go back to the first languages of mankind: Hebrew and Aramaic (Chaldee).

Ancient historical records show, that individuals only had one name and that was their first name. Use of a “surname” or last name started in Western countries about 1000 years ago. It is generally agreed that surnames developed from one of 4 ways: locations names, kinship or “son of” names, occupational names and nicknames. Last names really developed because of commerce. As the population grew, it became more difficult for commerce to know who owed money to whom. If James was to actually pay John, then it became important to know which James owed which John. So last names, or descriptive names, indicating which James or John, began.

The Hebrew language reveals just how important one’s name is. The word name in Hebrew means: mark with which anyone is marked, reputation, and “the internal essence”. Looking further, the word “mark” carries the meanings: a characteristic or essential attribute, a distinctive trait. “Reputation” refers to “the character attributed to a person”. Finally, “internal essence” means “the true, inward nature” or, your “being”. Putting all these words together, a person’s name reveals their characteristics as a person, their true inward being and the type of character that they have. Their name is representative of their very being.

Names of people in the scriptures had more meaning to them than personal names have for us today. For instance, the name “Dan” means “judge” and the meaning is further reiterated in Genesis 49:16 where it reads, “Dan will provide his people with justice”. The name foretold what Dan and the tribe would later do. Some names represented heartache and struggle. In Genesis 30 verse 8, Rachel said, “With great struggling I have struggled with my sister and I have won”. So she called his name Naphtali, that is, My Struggle. A name was everything and it had to be chosen wisely. Sometimes, names had to be changed because it predicted a disastrous future for the individual. Remember Rachel? Going through a hard labor and just as her life was leaving her, she named her son Ben-Oni which meant “Son of my Sorrow”. Had this name been kept, her son would have caused sorrow or brought sorrow to anyone and everyone all the days of his life. Knowing this, Jacob changed his son’s name to Benjamin, which meant “Son of My Right Hand”; a term, that means “son of power” or, “son of strength”. As it turned out, Benjamin ended up becoming Jacob’s most loved son.

Your name is your mark. Your name is your character. Your name is your very being.
Who ARE you? What will you become? Your name… your name. It’s ALL in your NAME!

Bible clearly states that God is the Creator of the universe and the book aims to reveal God’s purpose. The Bible is definitely the true word of the G

Bible clearly states that God is the Creator of the universe and the book aims to reveal God’s purpose. The Bible is definitely the true word of the God and is known the eternal source of happiness and peace. It actually aims to answer some of the intriguing questions about mankind and the mysteries of the universe.

It strives to answer some of the essential questions about the meaning and purpose of the existence of mankind along with the eternal conflict between right and wrong. According to Paul in the Old Testament “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God”. It is said that all the words were written under Divine guidance. Both Paul and Peter actually make a claim about the Divine authority in writing the Bible. According to them the Bible shows complete harmony in teaching the mankind about life’s little joys and sorrows. Although the writers belong to the different time period and are known for their different experiences, social position, yet all the writings are known to form one united Bible.

The Bible is an important source for mankind to gather knowledge about the human existence. The books enlightens one on how God has planned the path of salvation which will guide the humans to the path of the right instead of wrong. It also focuses on the removal of sin and evil from the face of the Earth. It is Jesus who is responsible for all the salvation. The old and New Testaments talk about Jesus as the sole savoir of mankind whose main aim was to show the humans the path of truth. The bible also stresses on certain facts about the future and how the humans should prepare themselves for all those times in future. The Bible has a collection of books and is mainly divided into two sections. It is known that the books of the Old Testament were composed before the time of Christ, while the books of the New Testament were mainly written after the arrival of Christ. There are 66 books in the Bible.

The 66 books in the Bible were written by 40 different authors over a time of 1,500 years. The books were written in different countries like Egypt, Italy, Israel and Babylon. The consistent theme of the Bible remains the same—it deals with God’s purpose which is worked out by men and the whole thing is documented in Genesis. The books in the Old Testament are divided into four sections like The Books of the Moses which is also known as the first book of the Genesis and talks about the beginning starting with the first men on Earth. The others follow and they are known as Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and the Deuteronomy.

All the books narrate how God called Abraham and liberated him and his descendants from Egypt and how the new land Israel was formed. Next in line are the Historical Books and These, from the Book of Joshua to the Book of Esther record the history of the Israelites. Then there are Poetic Books and the Song of the Songs was written in poetic form. These books contain important teachings and they elaborate the ways of God and the duties and the feelings of the humans.

The Books of the Prophets is also part of the Old Testament of the Bible. The New Testament on the other hand is known for the Gospel Records where there are four separate accounts of Christ’s life which were written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and each of them tell the Gospel in their own way. The Book Called “The Acts of the Apostles” is an important part of the New Testament. This is written by Like and narrates the events which happened after Jesus Christ’s resurrection.

People who want to know more about the Bible can visit the site bibletruth.org.au. This will help an individual to have a clear understanding of the divine book.
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