http://www.general-articles.com General Articles from the World Sat, 19 Jun 2010 18:29:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 en http://www.general-articles.com/21304-10-ways-to-bring-meaning-to-your-life.html http://www.general-articles.com/21304-10-ways-to-bring-meaning-to-your-life.html#comments Sat, 22 Nov 2008 12:17:35 +0000 admin 10 Ways to Bring Meaning to Your Life

My life always appears to be so hectic. It’s as if I purposely overload myself with more things than I could possibly ever accomplish. As I’m going to sleep I think about all the things I need to get done And when I’m awake during the day I think about all the things that need to get done. Take a shower, make coffee, eat breakfast, brush my teeth, go to work, etc… It’s almost as if at the end of the day I can truly ask myself, “where did the day go?” Enough of these and I can ask myself the same questions in weeks, months, or even years!

So when I feel like these questions are coming up, I do some brief exercises that help bring me to the present moment and remind myself that I’m living.

1. For 5 minutes: Whatever you are doing, just do it slightly slower. At work we are all given tasks to do. One time per day, for 5 minutes do that task a little bit slower. Do not do the task in slow motion, or take breaks from the task, simply do it a little bit slower.

2. Take 5 minutes at lunch to notice what you’re eating. You can actually do this at an meal, or anytime you eat. You are going to notice what your food looks like, how it smells, feels, and tastes. As you pick up your food, notice the texture of it, is it bumpy, smooth, wet? Notice what you smell. As you take it in your mouth notice how it feels in your mouth, notice the tastes that are coming out of it, how your teeth break it down. As you swallow it, notice it going down your throat. Do the same with the drink.

3. Take 3 minutes to just sit and notice your breath. Sit in a place of your choice, could be behind your desk, or anywhere. Close your eyes. For 3 minutes simply pay attention to your breath. For these 3 minutes your breath gets your undivided attention. If you notice yourself thinking about something, even the thought “why am I doing this stupid exercise”, just notice that your’re thinking that and then gently bring your attention back to your breath.

4. Wash the Dishes. If you’re not used to doing dishes, there will be many benefits to this one. As you begin to wash the dishes, notice the texture of the plate and the warmth of the water on your hands. Inhale and notice if there is any scent. Listen to hear the rush of the water or any other sounds that are happening around you. Not only will you be able to practice being in the moment, but many of your family and friends will be thrilled with you.

5. Take a Bath or Shower. Preferably a bath if you have one, but even with a shower, you can take your moment in the shower or bath to feel the warmth of the water or feel how your body is immersed in the water. How does your skin feel? Do you notice any smells? Is your hair wet. Just be in the moment and notice all your senses….breathe.

6. Make Love Slightly Slower for a few moments. As you are making love to your significant other, take a moment to purposely move slightly slower. As you do this begin to mentally feel over all parts of your body. How your skin feels when touching his/hers, how are you breathing? Are you sweating? Is there a scent in the air. Take a moment and really be there making love.

7. Smell a flower for an extra breath. This one I love. Often times I will be passing by a flower and if I remember to smell it, I take an extra inhalation to really get the full experience of the scent. You will be surprised how much that extra inhalation makes a difference in the experience.

8. Be Silly. I’m serious;). Being silly allows your creative juices to flow and your creative juices is what life is all about. Letting yourself be silly can also be very relaxing and create joyful situations that are full of meaning.

9. Write a letter to someone close to you… telling them how much you appreciate them. This is not a new idea by any stretch yet it is always worth mentioning since it is so meaningful. A letter that that person will always cherish.

10. Remind yourself that you are a miracle. This may be the most important. How they heck did any of us get here? When we break it down to nanotechnology and quantum physics, scientists are stumped to figure out the great mystery of us physically being here and interacting and creating symbols and concepts and communicating.

It’s boggling. That’s why our moments on this earth are so precious and it is a wonderful gift to attempt to cultivate those moments in life that you consider to be sacred.

You get the idea…try it out.

About the Author

Elisha Goldstein holds an M.A. in Psychology and is a 4th year doctoral student at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto. He is currently exploring how the cultivation of sacred moments in daily life affects well-being and stress. If you would consider participating in this invaluable study, please go to http://sacredmomentstudy.blogspot.com
You can also check out http://mindfulmoments.blogspot.com
]]> http://www.general-articles.com/21304-10-ways-to-bring-meaning-to-your-life.html/feed http://www.general-articles.com/21305-10-ways-to-develop-your-intuition.html http://www.general-articles.com/21305-10-ways-to-develop-your-intuition.html#comments Sat, 22 Nov 2008 12:17:35 +0000 admin Intuition is innate to all of us; it’s hard-wired. To develop this crucial lifeskill and learn how to trust it takes practice. Here are some ways to do that.

1. Suspend disbelief.

2. Be relaxed and not in a hurry.
Nothing grows well when it’s rushed.

3. Don’t try to use willpower or force.

4. Some people’s intuitive ability increases if they ask an inantimate object (a rock, a leaf, whatever)to “give” them the information.
(It takes the pressure off!)

5. Establish a regular place, time and routine for practising accessing your intuition.

6. Start slowly and practice on inconsequential things.

7. You’ll know when it’s your intuition, because you’ll have great clarity and certainty.

8. Intuition is contagious.
Therefore, hang out with people who have strong intuition, value it and use it.

9. Don’t do anything you feel confused or uncomfortable with under the guise of “intuition.” If you’re confused or uncomfortable, it isn’t your intuition.

10. Get an intuition coach or teacher. Feedback is good when you’re learning, it helps you keep the ego-aspects in perspective, and keeps you from overload.


About the Author

Susan Dunn is a personal and professional development coach, speaker, writer, and director of a distance learning school. Email her for FREE ezine.
]]> http://www.general-articles.com/21305-10-ways-to-develop-your-intuition.html/feed http://www.general-articles.com/21306-10-ways-to-use-music-with-eq-during-the-holiday-season.html http://www.general-articles.com/21306-10-ways-to-use-music-with-eq-during-the-holiday-season.html#comments Sat, 22 Nov 2008 12:17:35 +0000 admin This might be a time of year where you’re looking for, oh, some different ways to soothe, level, motivate, energize yourself and otherwise get on top of your cascading emotions. The EQ Foundation Course© ( http://www.webstrategies.cc/EQcourse.htm ) emphasizes the great arts as an adjunct to Emotional Intelligence, though the not-so-great are helpful too. May we suggest?

1. Need to get solidly centered

Like, as the metaphysicians say, when you vision yourself growing a tail and having it grow like an anchor down to the center of the earth kind of centered?

Try anything with a big solid bass, up loud, but make sure the lyrics don’t interfere. The right-brain will dominate and you’ll hear the music first, but your left-brain will still be getting the lyrics. Thus, avoid “Oh Elizabeth” which has the beat, but the lyrics are sad.

OUR SUGGESTION: “I Loved ‘Em Everyone,” by T. G. Sheppard

2. Need to deal with something heavy, such as last year your father died on Christmas Eve and here comes the first anniversary

OUR SUGGESTION: Only classical music will work for this and that’s why we call it classical. For such a deep need, to maintain your grip when something’s rocked the foundation of your world, we recommend, Beethoven’s “Eroica”.

“Eroica” means “heroic” and that you will need to be.

Beethoven lived through the worst thing that can happen to a person. It’s there, in his music. For you.

3. To get lightly level

OUR SUGGESTION: Nothing will probably ever compare to Pachelbel’s “Canon”. After that we give 5 stars to George Winston, particularly “December.” Good masseuses play these tapes. There are no ups and downs and that may be just what you’re aiming at.

Also “What Child is This”

4. To rip the heart out of Christmas, like when you want to just sit down in front of the tree and cry at the beauty and the splendor of it all and get it over with and then eat a pint of Haagen Daz and go to sleep

OUR SUGGESTION: Pavarotti’s Christmas video, Panis Angelicus duet with the little boy, especially if you had a little boy who now has whiskers on his cheeks. Or Placido Domingo with the Vienna Boys Choir. Then you can pull out your heart and put it on the table beside you, right there beside the dish of peppermints, and the cinnamon-scented candle, and you’ll know you had Christmas.

5. Want something Christmassy but light

OUR SUGGESTION: Harp music is good for this, like for baking cookies to. It doesn’t pull the emotions. It’s close to the lyre, the instrument the Greek god Orpheus played to soothe the savage beasts, and to win a favor from Hades, the god to whom there is no altar (death), the god with whom there is no bargaining.

Completely upbeat, light and fun is “A Reggae Christmas,” ( http:/ inyurl.com/y6sp ) by Various Artists, and yes, my friend, “sensei” does rhyme with “pear tree.” Listen to it on the way in to work. That’s girl’s laughter will carry you through your day - The Ras Family, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” and June Lodge’s “Joy to the World” will put joy in YOUR world.

6. Need to get some physical work done, sick of Christmas, got the kids around

GP RECOMMENDATION: (1) “Great Balls of Fire,” Jerry Lee Lewis. How could you possibly be “mindful” with that going on? It’s great fun. It will clear the air. (2) “Don’t Worry Be Happy,” by Marley.

7. The out-laws are coming, I mean the IN-laws, and you, exhausted, crabby and high on sugar as you are, must clean the house and you aren’t exactly in the MOOD for a Christmas Carol, if you know what I mean

OUR G SUGGESTION: If you haven’t cleaned house with your two preschoolers marching along behind you to a John Philip Sousa march, you haven’t lived. Give the little one a paper hat and get out his toy drum. Ok, quit laughing and taking pictures and get back to work, you!

OUR PG SUGGESTION: Got older kids you need to get working with you? Call it “the main event,” and put on the Jock Jams, “Let’s Get Ready to Rumble,” http:/ inyurl.com/y6tw .

OUR X RATED SUGGESTION: You and your partner put “Cotton Eyed Joe” on — I mean the Texas version – and invent your own lyrics appropos to the, um, challenges of the moment. (This is popular at office holiday parties with adjusted lyrics as well!) And DO the Cotton Eye Joe as you push that vacuum around. Here’s how: http://www.partydirectory.com/guide/cotton.htm .

OUR X-17 RATED SUGGESTION: The Pogues, “A New York Fairytale.” The boys in the NYPD were singing Galway Bay … (a little venting).

8. Need to be inspired and also to get in touch with the spiritual side of Christmas

OUR SUGGESTION: Handel’s “Messiah, Hallelujah Chorus,” of course. Just the chorus, unless you’re an aficianado and can afford to tire yourself out.

Remember, if you will, that when you hear “The Hallelujah Chorus,” you are to stand up.

Do this. Right there at home in your living room. It will do something for you.

Great Christmas Carols like “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain”

9. Now, or any time you’re beginning to feel just slightly resentful of all your “blessings”

OUR SUGGESTION: “Lord, What Did I Ever Do,” by the Oak Ridge Boys is great for attitude adjustment.

10. For the peace that passeth all understanding

OUR SUGGESTION: Stille Naq, Noite de Paz, Noche de Paz, Sainte Nuit, Cicha Noc, Glade Jul, Stille Nacht, Po La`i E, or, as many of us know it, Silent Night, the lullaby that’s been translated into every language on earth, composed by the greatest unsung duo in musical history, Mohr (lyrics) and Gruber (melody).

We also recommend “Ave Maria.”

Let them still your heart and bring you peace.
About the Author

(c)Susan Dunn, The EQ Coach, www.webstrategies.cc. May we help you write and launch your eBook? Writing, editing, pdf formatting, print-on-demand, ISBN, website, sales letter, press releases, book reviews, everything you need to have it up and
running in 6-8 weeks. Mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc for FREE eZine. Put “checklist” for subject line.
]]> http://www.general-articles.com/21306-10-ways-to-use-music-with-eq-during-the-holiday-season.html/feed http://www.general-articles.com/21307-10-ways-your-dreams-can-enhance-your-life.html http://www.general-articles.com/21307-10-ways-your-dreams-can-enhance-your-life.html#comments Sat, 22 Nov 2008 12:17:35 +0000 admin The ultimate purpose of dreaming is to provide you with daily guidance in your Life Journey … to help you find the best way to solve problems and open your eyes to new opportunities so that you can be happy and feel complete. In fact, dreams most often relate to your circumstances of the past 24 to 48 hours and can assist you in the immediate future.

Here are ten ways your dreams can enhance your life.

1. Dreams tell you what’s really going on in your life
Dreams give you big, audacious, unmistakable clues as to what’s wrong in your life, what’s really going on. You may be grappling with the same problem over and over and never seem to find the solution. You’ll be astounded when you discover what your dreams can tell you about what’s really going on in your life.

2. Dreams tell you stuff you DON’T already know
Dreams usually bring up issues and information that are not in your waking thoughts. Your dreams will give you fresh information, gob-smacking “aha!” moments and open your eyes to new insights, possibilities and opportunities!

Your dreams put you in direct contact and communication with your all-knowing, powerful inner self and allow you to see your magical inner world with your dream eyes. Your incredible dream visions and symbols give you the inside track on your inner secret world … some of which you’re not aware of in your waking moments.

3. Dreams prioritize your problems
Your dream world is like a great big problem-sorting-out, prioritization machine. Your sub-conscious knows exactly which problem is more important and should get your attention first to make the most profound difference in your life right away. So when you get a message in your dreams relating to a specific problem, you know what to concentrate on first, where you’ll get the biggest return on your time and energy investment.

4. Dreams tell you what makes you tick
You can find out all about yourself in your dreams … it’s like having the best personal therapist or life coach in the world at your beck and call 24*7. How do your beliefs and values affect your daily life? How do your emotions and fears trip you up? Why is your relationship failing? Why can’t you earn more money?

You’ll discover some amazing, life-changing things about yourself in your dreams. Find out about your “real” self – what makes you tick. Your dream world doesn’t lie … it just brings the important things you need to know about yourself to your attention so you can be happier, healthier and wealthier.

5. Dreams uncover your flair and your flaws
Your dream journey is all about respecting your own sacredness and internal divinity, about self-understanding and acceptance … not self improvement. You’re already perfect right now; you are already enough, you already have everything you need to realize your intended destiny. The only variable is how you choose to get there. And your dreams can guide you.

Do you have a hidden talent that you’re not using? You may have a string of strengths that could be used together to achieve exactly what you want in life. Are you persisting with a flawed approach to something? What are your weaknesses, the chinks in your armour? Ours is a world of duality … light and dark, joy and sorrow, strength and weakness … power and fragility. Do you know how to best use your unique flair and how to bolster your flaws to achieve your personal goals? The good news is that the answers are in your dreams.

6. Dreams give you clear direction
Dreams present you with options and choices … point out the opportunities and potential obstacles … give you a chance to re-evaluate the direction you are taking with a particular issue and alter your course for a smoother ride. Your dreams are of full of symbolism relating to DIRECTION … look out for symbols like:
- Up or down
- Left or right
- Forwards or backwards
- Exits and entrances
- Ascending or descending
- Open or closed
- Light or dark
- Crossroads, forks in the road
- Bridges
- Stairways and ladders

When you evaluate these direction finders within the context of your dream you’ll find some crystal clear messages and solutions.

7. Dreams are a dialogue, a two-way conversation
Dreams are a dialogue between your inner self and your waking self … your sub-conscious and your conscious self. And it’s a two-way street. You receive messages and answers and you can ask for guidance and assistance in solving problems that you have right now. You can create your own Dream Meditation to explore a different aspect of yourself or issue you may be dealing with right now that you’re looking for guidance on.

8. Dreams are great problem solvers
Would you like to know if one of your dreams is providing you with a crystal clear solution? I had a dream recently which clearly showed me that taking on a certain work project would be disastrous. So I didn’t. I discovered later that the work was not quite what it seemed and that I would have been pretty miserable had I taken it on.

You’ll find that your dreams can provide you with amazing solutions to your current life situations and problems too.

9. Dreams remind you of important issues in your life
When you are avoiding something important … or putting it off … or are really stuck with something in your life … your dreams are just itching to show you a possible answer or a better way. Your dreams will hassle and harass you by sending recurring messages or you’ll have dreams with a recurring theme until you take notice. It’s like having your own personal Alert System.

10. Dreams give you the edge
You can be totally “in the know” with regard to any circumstance in your life right now. Is somebody around you not being totally honest or giving you the true picture? What is really going on? What outcomes could you expect and what opportunities and obstacles are there ahead of you? If you really take the time to write your dreams down and interpret them you’ll have the edge over others who don’t have this powerful information. And you’ll be able to better navigate your journey and solve your problems to give you the best possible outcome.

About the Author

Diane de Villiers is author of the Dream Journey Guide – a step-by-step, teach-yourself dream interpretation e-course. You can learn to make sense of your dreams yourself in minutes with the Dream Journey Guide. For more information and a FREE Preview copy of the guide go to: www.secrets-of-dream-interpretation.com
]]> http://www.general-articles.com/21307-10-ways-your-dreams-can-enhance-your-life.html/feed http://www.general-articles.com/21308-1080p-hdtv-sets-have-started-to-emerge-should-you-opt-for-o.html http://www.general-articles.com/21308-1080p-hdtv-sets-have-started-to-emerge-should-you-opt-for-o.html#comments Sat, 22 Nov 2008 12:17:35 +0000 admin 1080p HDTV sets are capable of spectacular results, but they cost substantially more. 1080p HDTV – also referred to as ultra-HDTV - represents the latest in a series of HDTV video formats. With a variety of formats to choose from, things for the HDTV buyer may start to get confusing.

In this article, we discuss the differences between 720p, 1080i, and 1080p, in order to help you get a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each.

It is all an issue of Image Resolution

There are currently three different HDTV formats: 720p, 1080i, and 1080p; all three are designated as HD-Digital TV standards by the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), which adopted these formats.

The main difference between these three HDTV formats is one of image resolution.

The 720p is on the lower-end of the scale with an image resolution of 1280 pixels by 720 lines. The other two formats both support 1920 pixels by 1080 lines.
In other words, both support the same image resolution but there is a significant difference in the way the 1080i (interlaced) and the 1080p (progressive) formats build up the image.

Surely, image resolution in fixed-pixel displays is a very HOT topic with many HDTV buyers. For many, the obvious choice is to opt for the latest 1080p HDTV - also referred to as ultra-HD or full-HD by some manufacturers …but there is a price to pay to get the latest in HDTV technology.

On the other hand, the way the 1080i and the 720p formats build up the image may render the lower resolution 720p format more suitable to display certain image content.

In other words, do not simply jump to conclusions as to which HD format is best. As we will see in this article, each of these different HDTV formats has got its strengths and weaknesses.

1080i: Up to a few years ago, this was considered as the reference standard in HDTV. Nearly all first-generation HDTVs were rear-projection sets that supported this standard.

This format boasts a picture resolution of 1920 pixels by 1080 horizontal lines that are painted on the screen in two interlaced halves (hence the ‘i’ in the ‘1080i’ format) - by first painting all 540 even-numbered lines on the screen (also referred to as the even-field), and then proceed with the painting of the odd-numbered lines (odd-field). These two fields together form a single frame of 1080 lines.

In the process, the screen is painted 60 times per second (50 times in a PAL signal) - each time painting only half of the lines per frame, with the entire screen being painted in two passes 30 times every second.

Because of the way the interlaced process paints the screen, all picture information contained in adjacent odd and even lines in an interlaced image is 1/60th of a second out-of-synch with the next or previous line. This in itself will impact on the type of image content that is best displayed on an interlaced display.

720p and 1080p HDTV: In contrast, in progressive-scan formats - 480p (EDTV), 720p and 1080p HDTV displays - all scanning lines in a single frame are displayed sequentially in a single pass.

In the process, a progressive scan video format writes one full frame of video information every 1/60 of a second as against the 1/30th of second required for an interlaced format.

The Bottom Line

The 1080i format is more widely supported by manufacturers and broadcasters; broadcasters however would normally broadcast only in either 720p or 1080i but not both. This should not be much of an issue in that any HDTV set you buy should be able to display pictures in any HDTV format by up-converting or down-converting to its native format, i.e. the one in which it’s designed to produce a picture.

From a pixel-count perspective, the 1080i supports better spatial resolution than a 720p HDTV display. In fact, while a 1080i supports a total pixel count of 2.07 million pixels, a 720p display supports only 0.92 million pixels. This means that if you want to display a 1080i signal on a 720p screen, you will lose 55.6% of pixels information.

This is not the case with 1080p HDTV which supports the same spatial resolution as 1080i, but with the added benefit that all 1080 scanning lines are displayed in a single pass, 60 times per second.

In other words, 1080p HDTV combines the superior resolution of the 1080i format with the progressive-scan smoothness of 720p HDTV.

Because of the two passes per frame in a 1080i signal, a 1080i HDTV display is capable of producing a sharper picture only when the image is frozen or barely moving.

Progressive-scan 720p and 1080p HDTV displays introduce fewer motion artifacts, such as jagged diagonal lines and movement in fine detail, into the picture, leading to a video image that looks smoother and that stays sharper during motion than an interlaced one.

This means that a 720p display - with its substantially lower picture resolution, need not necessarily be worse than a 1080i one. Theoretically, a 720p display should be capable of a better flicker-free picture when it comes to fast moving action movie scenes and sports.

In comparison to the other two HDTV formats, 1080p HDTV has the best of both worlds - it has the spatial resolution of a 1080i signal and the smooth stable image of a progressive scan format.

It is worth mentioning here that interlaced formats aren’t really an option in fixed-pixel displays (DLP and LCD rear-projection as well as plasma and LCD flat-panel). This also explains why display manufacturers are shifting away from the 1080i and instead moving directly from 720p to 1080p HDTV.

And What about 1080p HDTV Sets?

Surely, 1080p HDTV represents the latest developments in HD Television technology. A few of these sets have already started to hit the market.

Among the latest HDTV models released this year, one can find the much awaited Samsung’s 2005 line-up of DLP 1080p HDTVs.

Not surprisingly, these sets do not come cheap. There is a premium one has to pay to get the latest and best in the HDTV world. As a minimum, expect to pay at least $1,000 to $2,000 more to jump from a 720p to a 1080p HDTV display. But when you are spending some $3,000 plus for a HDTV set, it is only human that you will be ready to fork out another one or two thousand dollars to get the best of breed.

Should you opt for a 1080p HDTV Set, and are these sets worth the extra expense?

Well, there is no straight answer here. It all depends on what are your requirements, yet there are a few facts you should know before making any decision:
Surely, these sets are capable of producing spectacular results with ultra sharp images. But whether you will be able to see the difference in image quality between a 720p display and a 1080i signal displayed on a 1080p HDTV display depends on your TV viewing distance and screen size, more than on the screen native resolution. (It is not the scope of this article to discuss the TV viewing distance but more info in this respect is available at our site at http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com/Tv-viewing-distance.html)
In reality, it would be very difficult to detect any difference in image detail between 720p and 1080i/p HDTV material on the smaller sets from 10-feet away. Sit closer and feed your 1080p HDTV set with a good quality HD source, and you will start to see the difference. Further more, with most of today’s HD broadcasts, you’ll be hard pressed to see a difference in picture quality when you compare the image on current 720p sets versus the latest 1080p HDTV models. Surely, if you are thinking of going really big, then the extra image resolution would make the difference. But keep in mind that at present, true 1080p HDTV material is almost non-existent. What’s more, none of the major networks has announced 1080p broadcasts. If and when such high-def formats as ‘Blu-ray’ or ‘HD-DVD’ take off, the equation may change. But it will probably be at least a few years from now before this stuff become truly within reach of many household budgets.
Finally, most 1080p HDTV sets presently available on the market do not offer a 1080p connection. Though the HDMI standard does support 1080p HDTV, yet the majority of today’s 1080p HDTV sets do not offer a 1080p connection on their HDMI port.

To a certain extent, this is explained by the lack of true 1080p HDTV gear with which these sets can interconnect. In fact, what 1080p sets do is to up-convert 1080i material to 1080p HDTV to combine the benefits of a superior resolution of the 1080i format with the image smoothness and motion sharpness of progressive-scanning.

(c) 2004/2005 http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com. All rights reserved.

This article is an excerpt from a series of guides appearing under the Rear Projection TV Reviews section of the site.

About the Author

Andrew Ghigo – editor & publisher of http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com - a comprehensive home theater guide to home theater systems, product reviews and home theater design.
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