text:
Photographer's Note
The beautiful nature and many rather quiet winding roads animate many bikers and holiday car drivers ride through the forests and prime landscapes.
Many silent witnesses, small crosses and flowers, testify that some of the bikers never came back home from these unforgettable ride through Black Forest paradise.
Jason commented that Im steering away from the traditional clichés of the Black Forest, yes I am. This was my intention to show some photos from a little bit different Black Forest.
There are many traditional Black Forest photos, showing large trees and other natural wonders on internet.
My Black Forest photos are quite simple; I just like to show you a miscellaneous sides and details from this beautiful place on the planet Earth.
I hope that you still enjoy it. If not, please let me know.
PaulVDV, COSTANTINO, papagolf21, snunney, timecapturer, adramad, adramad, ikeharel, Cricri, No_One, tatadalou, kato, jcpix, Kamilutka, fritzi007 has marked this note useful
Critiques | Translate
PaulVDV (51414) 2014-05-15 18:49
Hello Miro,
Indeed, a very remarkable and unexpected panorama of the Black Forest!
You looked for a good high viewpoint to present this gorgeous green landscape bathing in the sunlight.
The rows of trees scattered across the landscape create a good depth and contribute to the good composition.
The sky with the cloud lines looks magnificent too.
Best regards, Paul
jurek1951 (42198) 2014-05-15 22:05
Hi Miro,
an another fantastic panorama view with beautiful composition and effective POV, great details and colours. Splendid shot,
Good morning dear friend
I love this green landscape and this
fresh and pleasant Nature
I liked this phrase describing the whole
atmosphere many silent witnesses small
crosses and flowers testify that some
of the bikers never came back home
from those unforgettable ride through
Black Forest paradise
a shot that changed my mood today
another fantastic bukolic
panorama view
have a nice time
papagolf21 (149503) 2014-05-15 23:23
Bonjour, Miro,
La version large nous offre une vue panoramique splendide. Félicitations pour cette excellente présentation.
Un vrai plaisir à contempler.
fabbs99 (17179) 2014-05-15 23:23
Hello Miro,
Lovely landscape shot from the German countryside.Nice colors and sharpness.Excellent POV.TFS.
dta (97014) 2014-05-15 23:29
Hello Miro ,
A wonderful panorama of the SchwartzWald countryside in the springtime . Splendid lateral lighht and great sky .
siudzi (34141) 2014-05-15 23:47
Hi Miro,
Lovely landscape post full of charming and well executed Spring lights and colors. The panorama format was a really smart way to compose and present the scene with so many interesting details. Well done! Great work!
Have a nice day!
lousat (126413) 2014-05-16 1:30
Hi Miro,your large views are always beautiful and this is a spectacular example,magnificent capture,the large version is a great work,fine detail everywhere and pastel colors,great work in PP! Have a nice weekend and thanks,Luciano
snunney (130967) 2014-05-16 2:02
Hello Miro,
A splendid panoramic landscape. Beautifully lit and with superb colours; the lush green tones are particularly alluring. Clarity is top class.
timecapturer (49288) 2014-05-16 2:41
Hello Miro
love this! Everything about a trip into the countryside is here in this glorious panorama. Superbly composed and enticing it looks beautiful and oh so appealing. Excellent imagery!
Enjoy your weekend - B.
miumiu (6117) 2014-05-16 3:44
This is a pure German landscape. l like the hills, trees, cloud and the houses.
The colours are perfect!
Very nice photo!
Have a nice day
Sergiom (117241) 2014-05-16 4:39
Bonjour Miro,
J'aime beaucoup le format panoramique de cette composition. Elle invite en beauté à emprunter cette belle route qui conduit à la Forêt Noire. J'aime beaucoup le ciel.
adramad (64826) 2014-05-16 6:31
Hello Miro.
Great composition, highlighting the beauty of this landscape with expansive views, great road in the foreground and those green hills, dotted with trees, a splendid sky, which is the finishing touch to this great work .
A colorful perfect very natural.
A bright image with optimum clarity.
Good job. I love it.
Enjoy a good weekend.
Best wishes.
Fis2 (150544) 2014-05-16 7:02
Witaj Miro!
Wonderful landscape!
Excellent panorama frame and composition.
Superb colors.
Very well done.
Nice afternoon
ikeharel (103255) 2014-05-16 7:21
Hello Miro,
Cropped horizontally to show better view of the rural landscape, fascinating colors and the calm environment.
I could sit and watch for days( not many, I'd get board sometime maybe), the place is cheering-up one's spirit.
Nice taken and in very fine clarity.
Best regards,
Cricri (176) 2014-05-16 10:35
Hello Miro
J'aime comme la lumière de fin de journée illumine et donne de jolies teintes aux paysage, le POV, le format pano, une très belle réalisation
Belle soirée
tatadalou (7459) 2014-05-16 13:03
Hi Miro,
Yes I like ! All this green scenery is so beautiful. there's an amazing light that provides vivid colours. Well done !
No_One (4) 2014-05-16 13:14
Hi Miro
I must admit, the pics you are posting are a surprise to me too, but a beautiful surprise. As you say, there are many pics of trees and forest area, but here, you present new visions of this place, and that is exactly what TE is all about! To see this, I would think this was the rolling fields of England, not the black forest. Always a learning experience here on TE, loving these posts.
All the best
kato (11630) 2014-05-16 13:53
Hi Miro,
You're capturing well this beautiful landsape by a good panoramic view and very excellent tone/clarity, so it's interesting and impressive to see the wide meadow with lush green, some woods arranged well and tasteful spring sky. And, the winding road at left side draws out a good atmosphere.
Kind regards,
Nicou (193806) 2014-05-16 19:00
Avec la route qui perspente quelle belle vue de cette campagne sueprbe iamge et compo quels beaux champs et vue cette ferme au toit rouge au milieu ces bosdquets sueprbe.
Bravo et amitié
jcpix (14030) 2014-05-16 21:01
Hi Miro,
I'm not sure how to describe this scene, other than 'dreamy.' :) Now this is the kind of place I wouldn't mind tossing the map and getting lost for a while...it's absolutely beautiful. I'm so starved of green colors here in the desert, that this really satisfies my senses. Lush, rolling landscape and a wonderful sky to match, this is simplicity defined. Great light also, and without seeing its source is still very integral to this shot. Pleasing from side to side...oh, how I wish I were there now! A great way to end my day with this one. Take good care. Enjoy the weekend.
Friendly wishes,
abmdsudi (85783) 2014-05-18 8:07
Hi Miro
Delightful image of this delicate and peaceful countryside, lovely light, freshness of colours and very good detail and good impression of space of the scene. The frame makes us concentrate onto the main interests; in particular the houses and the country road. Indeed a classic country side well captured, shaded by lovely skyscape. Delicious capture, tfs.
Best regards
PiotrF (49200) 2014-05-20 15:15
Hello Miro,
Lovely panoramic view. A lovely viewpoint you have taken advantage of here to photograph this beautiful landscape.
Wonderful light and natural colours, perfect exposure, fine composition and exquisite details and sharpness
Kamilutka (8107) 2014-05-22 5:55
Hello Miro,
what a beautiful view and so lovely presented in panorama format. The colors are rich and vivid and make this picture very eye catching. Very good light management and attention to details in composition all the elements into stunning wholeness.
I enjoy perfect clarity as well as great sharpness.
Thanks for sharing
Best wishes
npecanhuk (79329) 2014-05-24 17:44
Hello Miro!
Very pleasant-looking and beautiful landscape!
Very attractive and inviting picture too!
Slim horizontal * panoramical format, colors, light, sharpness, chosen pov and composition really pleased me!
It really deserved a larger version!
TFS - congrats,
jmdias (98268) 2014-05-25 3:56
interesting these pastures and little areas with forest and even some houses. beautiful details with the road well shown. a beautiful moment well caught by you. TFS.
mkamionka (56819) 2014-06-10 1:52
Hi Miro,
beautiful landscape photo indeed. I like the well saturated colors. The processing enhanced the colors and details but you did not exaggerate keeping it natural. Nice light with long shades. And the road adds another nice motif.
Very well seen and captured,
fritzi007 (14698) 2014-12-01 11:16
Hallo Miro,
wunderschönes Foto aus dem Frühling, es gefällt mir sehr, gratuliere!
Wir haben leider wenig Kontakt zu ihnen, ich will den Kontakt auffrischen, ich glaube im französischen; , auch meine Mutter hat 3 Jahre in der Schweiz gelebt (mit ihren Schwestern)
Viele Grüße
Photo Information
- Copyright: Miro Susta (mirosu) (16313)
- Genre: Places
- Medium: Color
- Date Taken: 2014-04-22
- Categories: Nature
- Camera: Nikon D600, Nikkor AF-S 24-85 mm f/3.5-4.5 G, circular polarizer
- Exposure: f/11, 1/50 seconds
- Details: Tripod: Yes
- More Photo Info: view
- Photo Version: Original Version
- Date Submitted: 2014-05-15 18:38


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There are many aspects of being a dad, including having the responsibility of teaching your youngsters how to play sports, ride bikes and be goofy. However, another job dads seem to love is being the grill master.
Grilling seems to be a classic hobby for fathers, and having a barbecue for dad this June 17 maybe a great way to say thanks for all he does. Father's Day is a time for families to be with each other and if the weather is nice, it may be a great idea to hang out in nature. Surprise dad with the idea by firing up the grill while he's indoors – the smell is sure to entice him to venture outside. Make sure to have his favorite grilling fixings on hand including steak tips, vegetables and good old fashioned burgers.
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Friday, June 29, 2007
Souled On Samples Part VIII
"Shaft's Mama"----Charlie Whitehead
(Sampled on "Move Somethin" by Reflection Eternal---Talib Kweli & DJ Hi-Tek)
Dig deeper...
"I Want To Be In the Land of Milk and Honey"---Vicki Anderson
(Sampled on "Live At the Barbeque" by Main Source ft. Nas)
Dig deeper...
"Alfomega"---Caetano Veloso
(Sampled on "Charlie Brown" by Ghostface Killah; produced by MF Doom)
Dig deeper...
"What Can You Bring Me?"---Charles Wright
(Sampled on "Rock Rock Y'all" by A Tribe Called Quest and "Punks Jump Up to Get Beat Down" by Brand Nubian)
Dig deeper...
"I'm Not To Blame"---Bobby Byrd
(Sampled on "You Don't Know" by Jay-Z)
Dig deeper...
"Colonial Mentality"---Fela Kuti
(Sampled on "Whatcha Gon' Do" by Missy Elliott ft. Timbaland)
Dig deeper...
"All Your Goodies Are Gone"----Parliament
(Sampled on "Follow Me" by Buckshot, "Everybody Get Up" by Salt-N-Pepa, "Afraid of the Flavor" by Poison Clan, "Born Gangsta" by Boss)
Dig deeper...
"Too Blind To See"---Dorothy Moore
(Sampled on "Purple Haze" by The Diplomats)
Dig deeper...
"The Madness Subsides" (aka "Sekoilu Seestyy")---Pekka Pohjola
(Sampled on "Midnight in a Perfect World" by DJ Shadow)
Dig deeper...
Supplemental Materials:
The exceptional video for "Midnight in a Perfect World":
Bonus mp3s:
"Charlie Brown"---Ghostface Killah
I've read differing accounts as to why, but this track was an early leak from Fishscale that never actually made it onto the final version of the LP. Most sources agree that the omission was due to sample clearance issues, but the rest of the story remains somewhat of a mystery to me. This is a full version of the track, just in case ya ain't heard...
"All Your Goodies Are Gone (The Loser's Seat)" Instrumental version---The Parliaments
George Clinton fanatics probably already know this, but he was in a doo-wop quintet called The Parliaments prior to his legendary work with Parliament/Funkadelic. This is a funky little instrumental take on the original version of "All Your Goodies Are Gone", released on the Revilot label in 1967. The later rendition with Parliament was released in 1974, on the Up For The Down Stroke LP. If anyone's interested in the original vocal version, give me a holler via e-mail.
Please use the links after each track to "dig deeper" into the history and/or discography of each original artist, and as always, show your support by actually buying the records.
Word From Your Moms:
DJ Shadow describes the Tao of crate diggin':
12 comments:
- Jack B. said...
this is why you the boss.
- TCakez said...
I have been lurking for awhile and I tell you...this is a fantastic informative blog.
Pat yourself on the back you do a great job informing the people about the music.
- @slushygutter said...
daaaaaamn, youre killing em with this one Scholar, dropping the knowledge. Never heard the Charles Wright original, but the way Brand Nub flipped it on "Punks..." is crazy. That was and still is a fave of mine.
you are best! more like this. damn, i saw so later your awesome blog.
i hope you gonna do like this more!
yeah, it'd be cool to get that paliaments song with vocals. what's your email?
- Scholar said...
Satch---The underboss...maybe.
Seen---Thanks for the feedback. Let's hope that record exec types will also see my mission as being primarily altruistic ;)
commish---There's my favorite T-shirt...Anyway, I hope that Charles Wright joint will motivate you to check out more of his discography. He's released some amazing stuff, and the first record of his I bought was only 25 cents at a thrift store. Worth every penny, times a million...
Anon 1---Much gratitude for coming through---I'll definitely try to maintain (and maybe even supercede) the quality.
Anon 2---Sorry---I forget that a lot of readers don't know that my e-mail is on my profile. You can reach me at firstname.lastname@example.com
- Lily Kane said...
Another nice one scholar! This time i have a question rather than just praise and worship though-- I thought Black Milk used the Dells' version of "All Your Goodies Are Gone" for "Applause," no?
However I have not been able to find a copy of the Dells version...
- Scholar said...
Lily---I sincerely wish that I could confirm that for you one way or another, but the 2 or 3 Dells albums im my collection don't have that track, and "Applause" is one of the few hip-hop joints on the list that I haven't ever heard. I'm most familiar w/ the song's usage on "Follow Me" and "Afraid of the Flavor".
Anyway, I've come across this often with identifying original songs---there are a lot of miscited references, especially when it's regarding a song w/ more than one version. I always check a minimum of two sources, because even great sources like the almighty breaks.com has some erroneous information. Guess that might not have been thorough enough this time.
I'm gonna defer to your knowledge on this one Lils and edit that out of the list. Let me know if you find the Dells song in the meantime---I'd genuinely like to hear it, but I'm not a big enough fan of their stuff to go on a crazed mission to find it or anything.
Thanks for the info., and no hard feelings about the praise thing...Jesus doesn't want anyone else to be perfect anyway, right? ;)
- Flash Hardcore said...
Damn - that Caetano Veloso LP (so so def) hasn't been reissued in the states for a minute. I want to cop it, but do I want to cop it enough to get it imported from Brazil? Probably, I guess. Anyway, good lookin' on sample sources for tracks that didn't even make the album. Deep, son.
- Lily Kane said...
Man, fuck the breaks! We should start our own sampling database that's accurate and more expansive. And by we, I mean you and Palms Out. =)
I'll definitely stay on the lookout and send you that Dells song if I find it...
hey scholar, i know this is a breaks site...
but i was just wondering if you'd heard of the cool kids and jay electronica?
some of the best shit out there right now.
- Scholar said...
Kerry---Thanks for dropping some comments lately. It makes my "job" here so much more enjoyable when I hear from my readers. Sorry you aren't getting your work done, though---just make sure you're still getting paid.
Lily---I would actually love to do an online sample reference guide. The Breaks is great, but it doesn't get updated often enough. Maybe we should quit our jobs and pursue this whole thing instead ;)
Cheddar---I've heard of both, but can't claim much familiarity beyond that. I'll check them out on the strength of your recommendation, though. It's not so much that this is a breaks site-that's more of a means to the end of getting people to listen to some classic records that are getting a little dusty. I actually listen to a wide range of music, but it sometimes takes me a while to catch on to new stuff because I'm so souled on diggin' for vintage material that contemporary stuff often eludes me. Thanks for the suggestion.


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Proper 29B
This page is part of the Lectionary series within the Living with Jesus Now project.
- Job 38:1-7, (34-41) and (or Isaiah 53:4-12 & Psalm 91:9-16
- Hebrews 5:1-10
- Mark 10:35-45
First Reading: God replies to Job
This week's excerpt from Job takes us into the long-awaited divine response to Job's complaint. The speech extends from 38:1 to 42:6, with Job having almost nothing to say in response to God:
- 38:1-40:2 First divine speech
- 40:3-5 Job's first response
- 40:6-41:34 Second divine speech
- 42:1-6 Job's second response
Job 38 is a fine example of the natural sciences in the late first millennium BCE. We are given a catalogue of cosmic processes and phenomena that were understood as signs of God's unparalleled power over creation, and all creatures. This is not to be taken as a timeless benchmark for human knowledge of the natural world, but as a conscious drawing on the best current information for theology. The challenge for the contemporary theologian is to make similar use of our own best knowledge, rather than to fight yesterday's battles in defence of empty castles.
The divine speech begins with a theophany: God answers out of a whirlwind. This is reminiscent of other biblical theophanies:
- Exod 3 (Moses at the burning bush)
- Exod 19 (giving of the Law at Sinai)
- 1 Kings 19 (Elijah at the cave)
- 2 Kings 2 (ascension of Elijah)
- Ezek 1 (chariot vision)
- Psalm 83, 97, 104, etc
- Isa 29:6
- Jer 23:19
Nahum 1:3-6 may reflect a similar tradition to what we find in Job 38:
The LORD is slow to anger but great in power, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. 1:4 He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, and he dries up all the rivers; Bashan and Carmel wither, and the bloom of Lebanon fades. 1:5 The mountains quake before him, and the hills melt; the earth heaves before him, the world and all who live in it. 1:6 Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and by him the rocks are broken in pieces.
The divine speech does not directly address Job's complaint. His troubles are never explained. It seems sufficient for the author that the clearer vision of God's reality makes everything else fall into place. The awesome reality of God glimpsed in the splendor of the cosmos does not resolve human questions of meaning and justice. However, a vision (or even a glimpse) of the sacred Other may frame those questions with a sense of our own vulnerable and yet essential place in the web of life. That may suffice to allow us to continue living faithfully even if we never cease to wrestle for both meaning and justice.
Suffering Servant
The RC and ECUSA lectionaries both draw on Isaiah 53 with its famous description of the suffering servant of Yahweh. This theme will link well with both the reading from Hebrews (a son who learns obedience through suffering) and Mark (can you drink my cup or undergo my baptism?).
Isaiah 53 is one of a series of "songs" in the second half of the book that seem to describe the community of ancient Israel as a suffering servant, destined for great things and with a mission to illuminate the nations with the light of the sacred Torah.
There is some debate about the number and exact delineation of these servant songs, but the following passages seem to work with the theme of "servant" as a way to explore the meaning of Israel's existence:
- Isa 41:8-16
- Isa 42:1-9
- Isa 49:1-6
- 50:4-11
- 52:13-53:12
- 61:1-4
The four passages underlined are those usually recognized as the Servant Songs of Isaiah.
Early Christians understood these texts are prophecies of Jesus. While it is not certain that Jesus himself drew on these texts to understand his mission, it is clear that his followers did so. The passage used this week seems closely connected to the Jewish tradition of the innocent victim that shaped the early telling of the passion narrative.
After many centuries, they continue to evoke the ideal of a non-violent mission to share the divine Torah with all humanity.
Second Reading: A high priest in the order of Melchizedek
The RCL moves to the distinctive representation of Jesus as a priest in Hebrews 5.
There is no historical basis for the way that this author has re-imagined Jesus in terms that were familiar and significant to himself and his community. Only in Luke's infancy traditions do we get the slightest hint that Jesus was connected with priestly circles, and then only by inference since his supposed cousin, John the Baptist, was the son of a priest. The twin birth narratives of John and Jesus that we find in Luke 1-2 are clearly the creation of the author and do not provide any reliable information about the social status of Jesus' family.
The priestly Jesus of Hebrews is just as much a creative fiction as the well-connected Jesus of Luke-Acts. In Hebrews, Jesus is not simply a priest, but a High Priest; and not merely a human High Priest, but a divine figure in the "order of Melchizedek."
There are three passages in Hebrews that develop this link to Melchizedek:
In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek … [Heb 5:7-10]
This "King Melchizedek of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him"; and to him Abraham apportioned "one-tenth of everything." His name, in the first place, means "king of righteousness"; next he is also king of Salem, that is, "king of peace." Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever … [Heb 7:1-3]
It is even more obvious when another priest arises, resembling Melchizedek, one who has become a priest, not through a legal requirement concerning physical descent, but through the power of an indestructible life. For it is attested of him, "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek." [Heb 7:15-17]
The origins of this line of thought are to be found in Genesis 14 and Psalm 110:
And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. He blessed him and said, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!" And Abram gave give one tenth of everything. [Gen 14:18–20]
The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind,
"You are a priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedek." [Ps 110:4]
This rudimentary tradition was elaborated in Jewish texts as diverse as the Qumran scrolls and Philo of Alexandria, extracts from which are available here: Melchizedek.
Gospel: Status in the kingdom
The Gospel reading from Mark continues the "master class" in discipleship that is found in Mark 8:31-10:52.
In this case, the disciples are portrayed as still failing to understand the character of Jesus and their own parts in the Kingdom. Their inability to see beyond opportunities for personal benefit serves as a teaching moment for the narrator.
Jesus has come with a destiny. He must drink the cup prepared for him, just as others will in their turn. And he must undergo the baptism that is reserved for him and for those who are his disciples.
The cup symbol will recur in the Last Supper (Mark 14:23-25) and in the solitary prayer vigil in Gethsemane (Mark 14:36). The symbol of Jesus' baptism (now understood in a metaphorical sense, rather than as an allusion to his baptism by John the Baptist) is less familiar, but presented Mark's readers with the challenge to remain faithful to their suffering master as they went through their own personal and communal baptisms of suffering.
Mark then presents a classic text on servant leadership, with repeated use of the term "deacon" --
whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant [diakonos],
and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave [doulos] of all.and to give his life a ransom for many.
For the Son of Man came not to be served [diakonethenai] but to serve [diakonesai],
One of the recent signs of new life in the churches has been the recovery and revival of the diaconate as a distinctive and significant ministry. Despite the pious imagination of Hebrews, Jesus was not a priest. He is not even described in the NT as a bishop [episcopos], although he is called a shepherd. Is it possible that the authentic and distinctive Christian ministry role, is neither bishop nor priest, but deacon? This is a role without pretensions to status or power, being defined by its role in preparing for the meal of the gathered community. In the "kingdom of nobodies" that constitutes the empire of God, what better model for leadership?
Jesus Database
Liturgies and Prayers
For liturgies and sermons each week, shaped by a progressive theology, check Rex Hunt's web site
Other recommended sites include:
Music Suggestions
See David MacGregor's Together to Celebrate site for recommendations from a variety of contemporary genre.


text:
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before & after: two kitchen renovations
It's always a treat to see complete kitchen makeovers, the kind where everything gets gutted and the "after" is a total surprise. Luckily, we have two of those today, so get ready for some fun reveals. Julie's new kitchen is dreamy in so many ways. I particularly love the tile, but the floating shelving, modern island with barstools and warm wood with white aren't too shabby, either. Amazing transformation, Julie! — Kate
Time: 3 months
Cost: $15,000 (including all new appliances)
Basic Steps: Our kitchen (as you can see) was a complete gut. What took the most time was figuring out the layout. We didn't want a traditionally arranged kitchen and really wanted a horizontal upper. We downloaded the Ikea kitchen planner (which I would very much recommend to anyone designing a new kitchen) and went over every possibility to make it work. My dad built the countertops, which are just white laminate, and my husband did the rest. I really wanted quartz, but it just wasn't in the budget. To make the laminate a bit more fun, we had my dad build them with a two-inch reveal to chunk them up a bit.
We started with the cabinets and the floor and went from there. I had visions of an all-white kitchen but decided to go with the warm lower cabinets that matched the colour of my husband's coffee — you can imagine why. I really wanted a playful backsplash with impact, so we decided on the glass tile, which we got from a friend at $7.00 a square foot! I think I mentioned previously that my husband learned how to do the tiling online. Again, big money saver!
Advice I would give to anyone tackling the same type of project is plan, plan plan! It's the hardest part. Another thing I would say is to keep on top of your budget. It's so easy for it to get out of hand with spending when it comes to a kitchen, but we really wanted function over fancy. What you don't see in the photos is that the island is loaded with drawers, and the only doors are under the sink. That combined with the slide-out pantry made for fabulous storage. I am relieved to say that we wouldn't change a thing! — Julie
Have a Before & After you'd like to share? Shoot me an email with your images right here! (Low res, under 500k per image, please.)
CLICK HERE to see Allison's kitchen renovation after the jump!
Our second kitchen makeover is from Allison, whose clean new kitchen features a lot of smart decisions like Julie's above: floating shelving, tile backsplash, minimalist appliances and plenty of fresh, bright white. The retro-style light fixture is a nice touch, and the larger subway-style tiles add a nice, clean look to the backsplash. Nice work, Allison!
Time: It took about 4 months to finish the physical remodeling, but I've spent about 7 months accessorizing and organizing.
Cost: $10,000
Basic Steps: In the brainstorming phase, I bookmarked at least 100 kitchens. Then I flushed out similar characteristics in those rooms —white, clean, vintage & industrial hints, etc. — and eliminated features that I might grow tired of quickly. I also considered what elements would complement the rest of our home. I modeled several versions of our kitchen on paper and, after much debate, settled on one that we both liked.
I would advise only demo-ing necessary portions of the kitchen and trying to maintain some function through the process. We deconstructed every aspect of the kitchen from the start and then realized that it wasn't completely necessary. A little more planning on our part would've easily shaved a month off of the physical remodeling portion and saved our sanity a little. — Allison


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I have written this post because I want to share with all of you the workout that I am recommending the most lately. It is designed for beginners who want to start working out at home with the minimum equipment necessary, although it is very similar to the one I would recommend to someone who starts going to the gym but with some exercise modifications.
The problem with most home workouts
To maximise success in creating a new habit it should be as simple and feasible as possible but not more. In our case, which is creating the habit of training and strengthening our bodies, we don't want to sacrifice results, balance or health for convenience or comfort. This implies we are going to train the full body in order to avoid imbalances, including the back, which means we will have to incorporate an upper body pull into the routine. I am specifically talking about this because most home workouts are done without any equipment and almost always fail to include pulling exercises, which creates muscle imbalances.
This problem can be easily solved by buying an adjustable dumbbell for one arm dumbbell rows or a suspension trainer that can be secured to the door in order to perform australian pull ups (APU). Note that though this may be good enough to start training, in this last case you will only be able to progress to a point since the door limits how much you can move your feet forward, which is the main way to progress in APU besides switching to one arm APU. When possible, what I recommend is finding a place to hang the suspension trainer, preferably gymnastic rings, near your place if not at home. Read this post to get some ideas about where to hang your suspension trainer or rings from.
Now that we have already solved this issue, let's start talking about creating the habit to work out and the actual routine you'll be doing.


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|25 Gram
|1 , peeled and chopped
|2 , scraped and coarsley grated
|50 Gram , cleaned and chopped
|500 Gram
|Brown stock/Water and 1/2 beef stock cube
|300 Milliliter (Hot)
|To Taste
|Freshly ground black pepper
|To Taste
|Old potatoes
|750 Gram , peeled and quartered, if large
|25 Gram
|1 Teaspoon
|Corn flour
|10 Milliliter (for thickening)
1) Arrange the ingredients.
2) In a cooker, melt the lard or margarine.
3) Fry the onion until it begins to soften, add the carrots and mushrooms and cook for a few more minutes.
4) Carefully lift the vegetables out of the cooker and drain well.
5) Brown the minced beef in the hot lard or margarine and then carefully dram the excess lard or margarine from the cooker.
6) to the cooker, add the hot stock or water and stock cube, and stir well to remove any residues from the base of the cooker.
7) Add salt, pepper and the vegetables to the beef.
8) Cover the beef with the trivet.
9) Place the lightly salted potatoes in a separator (if this is perforated line first with a piece of aluminium foil or greaseproof paper).
10) Stand the separator on the trivet.
11) Place lid to close the cookerr, bring to high pressure on a medium heat and cook for 6 minutes.
12) Reduce the pressure quickly.
13) Lift out the potatoes, transfer to a basin and mash with butter, salt, pepper and a little milk until they are smooth and creamy.
14) Return the open cooker to the heat and add the cornflour blended with a little water.
15) Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.
16) Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
17) Transfer the meat to a 1.2 litre/2 pint flameproof dish.
18) Top with the mashed potato, marking a pattern on the top with a fork.
19) Brown under a hot grill.
20) Serve the cottage pie with a green vegetable.
Serving size Complete recipe
Calories 2409Calories from Fat 1124
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 126 g193.8%
Saturated Fat 46 g230%
Trans Fat 0 g
Sodium 2504 mg104.33%
Total Carbohydrates 199 g66.3%
Dietary Fiber 23 g92%
Sugars 23 g
Protein 128 g256%
Vitamin A % Vitamin C %
Calcium % Iron %
*Based on a 2000 Calorie diet


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There are 2 other file types using
the WXS file extension!
.wxs - Easy Cross stitch design
.wxs - WiX source data
Software that open wxs file
WXS file extension - Code::Blocks XML file
What is wxs file? How to open wxs files?
File type specification:
Code::Blocks is a free C++ IDE built to meet the most demanding needs of its users.
The default software associated to open wxs file:
Company or developer:
The Code::Blocks Team
Code::Blocks is a free multi-platform C/C++ integrated development environment. It is designed to be very extensible and fully configurable.
List of recommended software applications associated to the .wxs file extension
Recommended software programs are sorted by OS platform (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android etc.)
and possible program actions that can be done with the file: like open wxs file, edit wxs file, convert wxs file, view wxs file, play wxs file etc. (if exist software for corresponding action in File-Extensions.org's database).
Unspecified and all other actions for computer programs working with wxs file - Code::Blocks XML file
Click on the software link for more information about Code::Blocks. Code::Blocks uses wxs file type for its internal purposes and/or also by different way than common edit or open file actions (eg. to install/execute/support an application itself, to store application or user data, configure program etc.).


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11th Hour Consulting
Located in Saskatchewan, serving clients throughout Canada and internationally
Here are a few ways to get in touch:
Phone: 306 529 1381
Or, send a message using the contact form below. We look forward to getting your questions, comments, and feedback.
Thank you for your interest!
1. Click on the contact form to make changes to the settings.
2. It's very important to enter your email address so that you'll receive messages sent through the contact form.
This blog was inspired by a conversation I had with a friend yesterday. A conversation that started out about daycare options soon became one about our hopes and fears for our kids, which became a larger conversation about how deeply we appreciate the pain and fear our very existence must have brought our mothers.
How do we become more well in our professional and personal lives? Does taking control and making purposeful choices make a difference? Is that always possible?
My mother taught me the importance of good communication early on. One of her most-used phrases during my childhood was, "talking to you and your sister is like talking to a brick wall!"
The season is indulgent, and so is this blog.
Workplace culture is an abstract concept. It becomes actualized through thoughtful policy creation and management.


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Blog Archives
The Disconnection of the Body in Society
Mankind in the modern era has always struggled with our own body. Modern consciousness has had a dominant myth that we must control the body at all costs. The ego processes of the mind, aided by religion, have become opposed through fear of the animalistic nature of the human body, its impulses and desires.
The unconscious mental part of man has become identified with the body not just as a truth, but also as a grouped fear of our uncontrollable aspects of humanity, and both have been seen as repositories of dark forces and what must be hidden and disowned.
Both religion and the scientific age of man have attacked these parts of ourself as "that which is not to be spoken or named", a bit like Voldermort in Harry Potter. The main religions as well as the atheist religion of science, have both agreed that the valued aspect of our human condition lies in the higher realms of spirit, mind, and rational thought.
Science and religion then fall out between themselves over the existence of spirit in man, and so we are left regardless with a culture and set of sciences and religions that promote the myth of the body/mind split. As with most myths the average person takes on such realities without reflection and investigation and so we find a modern evolution occurring in Western society where the body, and our unconscious natures, are treated in degrading ways, or denied and minimised.
We now live in a society where the rational left front brain logic and its attachment to the individual ego dominates people's reality. Many people have as a result developed an unhealthy relationship to their body. This can manifest in one of two main ways with each being an extreme form of disconnection to one's own relationship to the body.
The first form of disconnection from the body is the neglect or abuse of the body via poor diet, lack of exercise, addictions, lack of grooming and cleanliness, and defacing the body via excessive piercings, tattooing and cosmetic surgery. Many people live their lives in their heads and basically ignore their bodies and just clothe their bodies against scrutiny and the external elements. They have no relationship with their bodies, and find no pleasure with or in their bodies.
Such people often attempt to numb out or medicate their bodily impulses via addictions such as drugs, alcohol, food and internet based distractions such as gaming, social media, and videos. Some people actually hate and attack their bodies via self harm, and other unconscious forms of mutilation which include piercings, tattoos, and allowing others to abuse and debase their bodies.
Some sexualise and sell their bodies for money such as in the pornography and sex for money industries. Shame is a dominant theme of such people who identify with the self hatred and low self esteem that runs them.
At the other end of the scale the rejection of the body and the self is shown through perfectionism and its related forms of narcissism. Such people reject their own humanity and instead create a false self both in the mind and the body. In this context the body is not acknowledged but instead used to support and create a false and idealised image outward to the world. The body in its humanity is rejected and instead punished by extreme compulsive exercise, and mutilated by cosmetic surgery.
Such a body is normally camouflaged by dressing in glamour and power dresses and garments, augmented by perfect makeup, and time spent in salons whose business is to "perfect" your appearance. The body becomes just another object to be used to create a grandiose and perfect illusion that implies power, success and some stereotyped version of beauty.
Such people have pride as a dominant theme as pride allows them to override the deeper and repressed felt sense of shame, self hatred and low self esteem that runs the first group of bodily disconnected people. In this way they are still part of the first group but instead of collapsing into the shame, they instead rise above the shame and become more-than-human. The first group identifies with being less-than-human which relates to their feelings of shame.
The narcissists cannot bear to feel their shame and so cut-off all feelings so as not to feel the shame. You cannot cut-off just one type of feeling. When you shutdown to any one type of feeling you actually shutdown to all your feelings. Narcissists are people without feelings.
The perfectionists do feel their shame and have a lot of inner feelings. Their strategy is to cover them up with a false self of perfectionism that projects confidence, assuredness and achievement to the outside world. Their inner world is full of anxiety, torment and self doubt coupled with the base level of shame.
In all these ways both types of the bodily disconnecting people are also disconnected from the wider "body of humanity". This is a spiritual dilemma as when you reject your humanity and fail to love yourself you are doomed to become alone and out of step with the interconnectedness of the universe. Disconnection in the "herd instinct" in the human brain promotes unease mentally or at the bodily level dis-ease which becomes medical disease.
All therapy paths and all spiritual paths that are healthy are about healing the less-than-human and the more-than-human extremes or polarities of human existence, and finding grace and holiness in our essential humble place of our humanity.
There are many transformation gurus, self proclaimed healers, "churches", gurus, and groups who seek out those who are both "less than human" and those who are "more than human", and exploit them towards the "more than human" extreme form of being and spirituality. In this age of Narcissism these "false prophets" are everywhere and have gained traction with their deceptive messages and often New Age pseudo-science dogmas, and blended spiritualities.
Likewise there are religions, individuals, groups and "churches" which shame their audiences into believing they are not OK in their humanity, and that only by giving one's power to that person, group, or church will the person be saved. This is just as exploitative and deceptive as the grandiose narcissist.
The great spiritual teachers of East and West taught an essential truth of basically a Middle Path or finding one's God connection within one's own body which then is a temple of worship and humble grace. In this way the great spiritual teachers emphasised that the true church or body of God is not bricks and mortar but the indwelling spirit or the body of the person who carries that connection to one's God.
Our healing path in the West is to find our way back to an authentic relationship with our bodies that has a spiritual realisation that sacredness of the body is an essential truth in all parts of our being. The body and mind are one and can only notionally be separated. Holiness is about being whole and not divided or split, or about rejecting any part of ourself as being wrong, bad or shameful.
"Ugly" Children's Beauty Pageants
It was announced over the weekend in the media that Melbourne and Perth would be hosting kiddie beauty pageants involving pre-school and above children. In this pageant competition the little girls are groomed, dressed and "dolled up" in adult themes that betray their innocence as children. There is judging and prizes. Unfortunately this trend is but one further manifestation of the increasing sexualisation and earlier loss of childhood in our children.
It is an accepted psychological truth that a person's early years, if they are good, sustain a person throughout their life, just as a bad childhood damages them. Nothing is more vulnerable than childhood and childhood has never been more under threat. The trend in our society is that the experiences which nourish and help shape children into their adult lives are now being compressed into an ever dwindling window of time, and where childhood is being devalued so much that many parents seem increasingly restless to get their children's childhood over as quickly as possible.
Psychiatrists define sexualisation of children as the imposition of adult models of sexuality on children and adolescents, and categorically state it creates psychological harm to children. They note the implied or explicit linking of self-worth with popularity in terms of sexual attractiveness, with a negative impact on self-esteem.
Parents, mass media marketing, peer pressure, single parent and double income family systems, are all propelling our children into premature adolescence as if innocence, magical thinking, wonder and make-believe are detrimental and should be replaced with "the realites of life" as soon as is possible.
Studies of children have confirmed that many children feel pressure to grow up too quickly and to dress, act and behave as "mini-adults", often to impress parents, or have parents impress friends by parading them out like Barbie dolls or spunky, cool little dudes.
The planned children's beauty pageant can be interpreted as part of an emerging narcissistic, dysfunctional form of raising children that is damaging and abusive to the children who undergo such experiences. A child is not able to comprehend the damage to itself that such involvement will create, and will be a willing participant from a place of wanting to please the parents, and from a place of not being able to have a mature mind that could give consent to what it is being asked to do. A parent placing a child in such a role or situation, is in my opinion abusing the child, and abandoning their responsibilities to parent the child towards a psychologically healthy adulthood.
Social commentators now refer to the emergence of a "raunch culture" which pressures girls to have sex early and against their will. Studies of Generation Y by respected researchers such as La Trobe University Sociologist Anastasia Powell reveal trends of sexualized imagery in media, music and popular culture taking its toll on the young.
Boys and men are encouraged by the same imagery to adopt aggressive roles in sex with women, to degrade and objectify them. A 2008 Australian Latrobe University investigation of 3000 year 10 and year 12 school age students from across 100 public and private schools, found that 38 per cent of female respondents having had unwanted sex, from a total pool of 40 per cent who replied they have had sex at all. Also over 30 per cent had not used a condom, over 30 per cent have had oral sex with more than 3 partners in the last year.
Television and media are now directly shaping children's reality through children's and teenage shows, where marketing of products is included along with portrayal of the key characters as mini-adults, who role model for children how they should dress, act, think, behave and speak. Think of such shows as Hannah Montana and the Bratz girl dolls franchise and programmes. The degree of sexualisation of the dolls and the actresses is disturbing yet we face a time when Hollywood, business and Media distributors are largely acting under self regulation which translates to permissive and sexualized themes being a valid option for children's products to express.
Sexualised products appearing on the market for children include padded bras, G-Strings, high heel shoes, pole-dancing kits, babies T-shirts with sexualized messages. The children are often too young to understand the sexualized nature of the product, and often it is a sexualized or narcissistic parent wanting attention for themselves, who creates a "show pony" effect on their children, and effectively use the children to prop up their own low self esteem or narcissistic ego supplies.
Retailers of such products defy challenge of their "right" to market such products, saying it is just "fun" or not to be taken seriously. They dismiss the notion that such merchandise creates a normalization of a sexualized image in children, yet admit they have no psychological training or evidence to back-up or make such statements.
In effect it is a lack of accountability to the consumer as regulations are geared to more tangible and physical safety and other guidelines, and only public outcry is having a change of heart on behalf of exposed, named and shamed retailers who sell such products. Marketing is always pushing the boundaries and ethics appears to be a missing element of the thinking of many of those who sell and promote products and experiences to the wider public. Shareholders and profits appear to be the main concern of many retailers.
The attack on childhood is never more constant, and pushing the boundaries, or chasing new childhood markets, than ever before. Society is increasingly buying into this trend with a new generation of businesses now springing up to cater for children to go to Day Spas, Limousines and $1000 dresses to the teenage school balls, fashion parades, and adult theme experiences recreated for children as young as 5 years old and older.
Young teen women are presented with such sexualized adult role models as Britney Spears, Lady GaGa, Rihanna, Beyonce and Madonna from which to align their emerging sense of selves. Under peer pressure they are forced to conform to obtain acceptance from boys who also adopt the same sexualized expectations of girls from these same women role models.
At the same time these young women also attract attention from older men who are able to exploit their innocence, intimidate them with their more assured and confident natures, which can drive a young girl into the arms of a predator, and without the girl knowing how, or being able to give any real consent.
Parents are increasingly abandoning their own responsibilities to be effective guides and role models for children, and instead without question, abandoning their children in front of televisions, computer screens and other media where the new role models are questionable, unaccountable, and frighteningly absorbed into the unconscious of any exposed child. We as a society are increasingly abandoning our responsibility to our children about how to be children, we are increasingly asking our children to act like adults, but we then do not later teach them how to live, behave and be adults.
Childhood is the only safe psychological foundation and process for children to experience if they are to become secure and healthy adults. The old saying that the person who grows up too soon spends the rest of their life as a child is full of wisdom. Parents cannot afford to adopt a victim stance and say it is all too hard or not their fault. Parents have the main responsibility in taking an active role in providing a measured and balanced view of the children's self-worth, self-image, and the creation of healthy self-esteem where they can critically challenge the sexualized messages streaming through society.
Parents need to start from early childhood in this regard, filtering content they expose their children to, and constantly creating appropriate images and messages for their children. In particular, fathers are crucial in shaping their daughters emerging sexuality via their messages and support. A parent who exposes their child to a childhood beauty pageant where the child is dressed in adult and sexualized attire, is judged by peers and adults, and there is a win-lose outcome, is being negligent, and may be using the child to live out their own unmet fantasies or unachieved goals in life.
I can only hope that Australians take a leadership role in challenging this planned series of pageants. We owe our children by rejecting the assault on the innocence of their childhood years via the objectification and sexualisation that such pageants portray.
The Need for Ethics in our Lives
One could say that spirituality is the belief in a supernatural entity or consciousness, and then codifies a set of ethics based on values such as compassion, love, integrity, and selfless service.
Spirituality addresses issues of the relationship between oneself and the godhead whereas ethics is a code that describes principles, intentions and conduct between oneself and other humans. We see ethics being expressed in context such as business ethics, medical ethics, and personal ethics.
Ethics are often centred around values and value systems such as truth, integrity, freedom, service, rights, responsibilities, and sacrifice of the personal good for the common good. This implies both boundaries and constraints for the individual who would align to, and be governed by such an ethical code.
We each need both a personal code of ethics plus a knowledge of the code of ethics that applies when we join a group or community or organisation. These will not always be in alignment and indeed part of our joining a group will be based on how different our ethics and values are from those of any group or organisation or community we are considering joining.
Psychological studies have shown that people with a personal code of ethics and values are consistently happier, healthier and rate their life as having meaning and purpose, than those people who lack such internal frameworks within themself. Organisations are also considered to have healthier cultures when a solid ethical base is lived out within its workforce.
In the context of groups such as businesses or organisations, ethics are a universal consideration and binding principle that every person in that group must fall under for that ethical structure to work and more importantly, to be seen to work.
In recent times we have seen a glaring example of how FIFA, the global soccer organisation has been the subject of wide ranging allegations of behaviour that corrupt the principles of ethics and ethical conduct. By its conduct FIFA has undermined its own integrity and reputation in the minds of billions of people.
FIFA has rendered its ethical codes impotent either by making their ethical code only subject to some employees, and in another setting to have the compromised leaders sit in judgement of themselves and their own once challenged with allegations of unethical conduct.
FIFA is awash with ongoing allegations and corruption and "bought" votes and "bought" World Cup hosting by member countries. FIFA is a large organisation that deals with large amounts of money. FIFA earned at least 1.6 billion dollars in sponsorship fees alone between 2006 and 2010 which makes transparency a key need for such a body which awards lucrative soccer events based on a voting process.
Australia reportedly just spent nearly $50 million in a failed attempt to win the right to host the 2022 World Cup which was won by little known Qatar. Australia only got 1 vote and was embarrassingly bundled out in the first round of voting despite lobbying "proving" it should have been a finalist. A wave of allegations has since emerged regarding the corruption in the bidding process of vote buying, delegate corruption, and rigging of processes.
For example it has emerged via a leaked email that Qatar considered bailing out the debt-ridden Argentine football league to win support for its controversial bid to win the 2022 World Cup. They targeted Julio Grondona, the powerful FIFA Vice-President, who hails from Argentina, and who influences and votes in the 24 executive group who awards the World Cup. His own football league is embarrassingly broke and owes their tax authorities nearly 79 million dollars, plus has multi-milllion dollar requests from member clubs who need new uniforms, equipment and funding.
The strategy would have been to bail out the debt and gain Qatar influence and returned favours. Interestingly FIFA's Secretary-General was caught out releasing an email saying Qatar had "bought the World Cup". Grondona who has the nickname "The Godfather", admitted he voted for the Qatar 2022 bid for the World Cup.
FIFA surprisingly do have an ethics committee, which European press allege Sepp Blatter is part of. This committee saw it just and right to suspend both Mr Jack Warner and Mr Mohammed Bin Hammam, who were election competitors of Sepp Blatter. However it has been silent in the face of calls from member governments and professional football bodies such as the English FA to suspend Sepp Blatter for his own alleged misconduct, as well as poor leadership and governance of FIFA, and to suspend the election process for a new FIFA leader.
The FIFA president Sepp Blatter has just defied his critics by ramming through an election process which saw his challengers sidelined by corruption charges, and he reinstated despite having overseen FIFA when the alleged corrupt previous decade of paid off FIFA officials, paid for votes, and money and gift trails being uncovered to key voting delegates occurred.
Once the election process was completed then the "Family" as Sepp Blatter referred to as being the member nations of FIFA, then turned on the "Whistle Blower" member, British FA. This mirrors the actions of a cult where members turn on and abuse any "unfaithful" member who would challenge the leader and the group belief system. The act of attacking the Whistleblower then binds the rest of the group closer to the leader and the belief system out of fear as they then want to further prove their loyalty lest they are the next scapegoat. This then binds them to a culture of favour and return favour that they learn cannot be challenged.
In the last 2 election processes the Sepp Blatter election sell for his campaign was that he would "clean up" the FIFA world body. This claim for a new era of "zero tolerance" has so far appeared to be directed against critics rather than corruption. His claims appear hollow given recent and consistent allegations surfacing that refuse to go away. International anti-corruption body, Transparency International, had called for the election process to be suspended whilst the serious corruption charges were investigated. They noted the conflicts of interest in the way governance at FIFA had been seen to occur. The election occurred anyway.
Ethical principles and altruism developed as people in groups and communities learnt and recognised that they must care for each other if the group or community was to grow and prosper. Unfortunately they also learnt that certain members had only a concern for their own selfish gain at the expense to the other members of the group and community, and any healthy group needs ethics and rules to bring accountability, restraint, and consequences to those who would act for self interest when that hurts the wider group or community interest.
FIFA has shown a blatant disregard for the concerns of its own members, its sponsors, and governments and football bodies around the world. This approach may preserve the immediate hierarchy from scrutiny, but it will create cynicism and distrust that will invariably last for years. The key lesson here is that transparency and abiding by an ethical code of conduct will prevent a crisis of confidence arising where the truth is a casualty to the politics of being right.
Most people will now sneer at world soccer and the mention of FIFA. FIFA has kicked an own goal but is blind to this reality. Stay well everyone.
The Light and the Shadow
The recent headlines about the death of Osama Bin Laden has become a rallying point for the debate on right versus wrong, the Light versus the Dark, and who owns the truth. The nature of religion is defined both by the shadow and the light, to articulate behaviours around the person who would choose the path of light, and so by definition proscribing a path that leads everyone else to some form of hell.
You and I do not need to consciously choose either path. Those who with zeal adopt any such religion will soon identify themselves and their followers as being "in the light" and everyone else as condemned and being on a path to hell of some sort. In this place the righteous mind soon forms with a sense of being special and often rigid in their views.
The problem is always with such identification that the person adopts a closed mind and becomes inflexible and not open to new ideas. Their world is viewed only through the lens of the religious and ethical ideas of that belief system and invariably they fall on the side of right, and everyone else is viewed with suspicion of being on the side of wrong, or at least as being ignorant.
Eastern thought has traditionally viewed these twin forces of good and evil as an interdependent yin-yang principle that recognises that both natures flow into each other, and wisely should not be viewed in isolation. Such thought realises that each extreme contains the other in an eternal embrace and it is wrong to isolate and judge either as right or wrong. The great Mythologist Joseph Campbell states "anyone unable to understand a god sees a devil".
It is from this place that many reasonable people see through the hypocrisy of those who claim to stand only "in the light". Reasonable people notice that righteous people often invoke shadow based condemnations of disbelievers with rules and justifications such as kill them, persecute them, oppress them, and subjugate them.
The righteous fail to see how they act out their shadows under the guise of a spiritual mask of self-justification and attempts to fight evil. The real evil is invariably bound up in their own natures that they refuse to see, and by disowning any such idea, then project such shadow or evil onto others, and persecute others as the wrong or evil one's.
Advanced spirituality of all traditions sees the dual nature of man as an inner struggle that we all must face and deal with internally within ourselves. The spiritually young or ignorant make it an outward facing obsession and struggle with everyone else. The wisdom about good and evil is a personal struggle that we must face which the mystical Sufi poet Rumi notes in his writings "If thou hast not seen the devil, look at thine own self".
Even today we see New Age spirituality hiding behind "the light" and refusing to acknowledge and address the shadow self that we all possess. New Age practitioners try to emulate a spiritual form of the Monopoly game via transcendent practices and wisdoms which give them a "Go straight to Spiritual Go and bypass Jail (The Shadow) and collect Enlightenment ($200 in Monopoly game terms). This is just another form of shadow rejection and avoidance that does not work. We cannot rid ourselves of our duality, but we can embrace and integrate it into a whole inner state, that which denotes the spiritual term "holy".
When people and society divorce their shadow then we will see such religious conflict and personification of good and evil played out in our leaders. The Osama versus Obama is but one more example of how this principle is playing out in the world.
Mankind arranges itself in many ways around the theme of light and dark, from art, literature, to our laws and social groupings and associations.
What is the concept and purpose of Grounding ?
One of Buddha's famous quotations is "The foot feels the foot when it feels the ground." What he was referring to was Grounding, which is the sensation of one's connection with the ground. Such wisdoms as being "down to earth" or "having your feet on the ground" or "standing on your own two feet" indicate when you are fully in touch with reality through contact and the environment. Grounding helps you get into the present moment, connect with the here and now, moving you out of your mind and more into your body, enabling you to be earth-bound and more human. It allows you to connect deeply with other people, permit more intimacy and accelerate healing.
Grounding creates a flow of energy in the body, feeling fully embodied, so that your feet and legs, hands and eyes have more sensory-motor awareness, energised and relaxed. True grounding not only includes the entire physical body but also the emotional, mental, intentional, energetic and spiritual components of your life. Grounding helps you the support to stabilize and provide emotional containment when feeling stressed, overwhelmed or shocked. The main purpose of Grounding is to deepen the breath and establish a strong connection with the earth, through your body.
There are various grounding methods, some which are active and passive. Streaming can be defined as when the energy system is moving up and down freely, flowing openly vertically and horizontally, similar to the principle of the Double Helix Spiral.
One active method involves breathing and shaking. The breathing out is done through the mouth to avoid hyperventilation and also keeps the person in his body. There are two types of grounding. Primary grounding consists of 7 stages: Holding, Supporting, Nourishing, Containing, Limiting, Sustaining, Protecting, which map the stages of development of the child. Primary grounding is done mostly with the client on his back, which represents the child energy. The next phase executed is called Secondary grounding, and is done in the vertical standing position, which represents the adult energy. Most of the secondary grounding exercises involve vigorous movement of hands and arms, deep breathing through the nose and mouth, moving the body up and down, breathing in on upward movement, and out on downward movement, while pushing the hands toward the earth. Secondary grounding strongly focuses on the root/base chakra grounding. The chakras in the feet and hands open up strongly. Only when a person is grounded, is he safe enough to enable the heart to open up to healing.
Welcome to our Blog on IBMP – Integrative Body Mind Psychotherapy
Hello everyone. IBMP – Integrative Body Mind Psychotherapy is excited to have arrived in the world of blogging. IBMP are constantly researching and reviewing new information and applying analysis and commentary on the trends and issues of the day as they relate to our human condition and bodymind reality.
IBMP is not tied proprietary to any one school of thought. We seek to understand and highlight the holism of our human nature and to uncover the links between the body and mind that our materialism and reductionism linked mainstream sciences are still unfortunately using as conscious or unconscious assumptions in the way that psychological and medical information is presented to the public.
IBMP respects all contributors to the understanding of our human condition without needing to agree with them all of the time. We will seek to contribute to debate, comment and analysis of the topical issues within media and society that we take an interest in or which we concern ourselves with as a bodymind psychotherapy tradition.
The bodymind is a fascinating topic that we all can relate to as everyone. We will also post summaries of new articles that we have written which you can access on our websites. IBMP has its origins in modalities such as Reichian Therapy, Bioenergetics and Core Energetics.
The bodymind has also come to prominence in business and corporate life. The areas of Emotional Intelligence, the "energy" of brands and business, leadership, "toxic" organisations, culture, motivation and excellence are all key words that have links to our bodymind realities in the context of business.
We will post some relevant blogs on a regular basis that concern such issues and commentaries about the excesses of our business and sporting leaders when they "act out" or highlight behaviours and attitudes which require some soul searching.
Welcome aboard and we hope you find relevance, perspective, humour and insight from our blogs.