Wednesday, October 11, 2017

WING CHUN - Chinese Martial Art

Wing Chun performer #2
Wing Chun performer - Photo   by    matthewwu88  (cc)
Brief History:
Wing Chun (also known as Wing Tsun, Ving Chun or Ving Tsun) is one of the most popular types of Chinese martial arts. Though it’s basically an unarmed combat technique, Wing Chun may include weapons as part of its course. The origin of Wing Chun can be traced back to China, but the real history of its creation has long been a topic of much debate. The most credible suggestion regarding the origin of Wing Chun dates back to 1700 AD in the Henan Shaolin Monastery.

When the Qing forces raided and ravaged the Southern Shaolin temple, a nun named Ng Mui fled to the distant Daliang Mountains, the only survivor. Ng Mui already had knowledge of Kung Fu in the Shaolin temple, which she assimilated with a new form she had learned while observing a battle between a snake and a crane. She taught this new combat style to her adopted daughter whom she named Yimm Wing Chun. The new system was refined and then passed on from generation to generation, and was eventually named Wing Chun, after Yimm.

The modernization of Wing Chun started in Hong Kong during the 1950s under a Grandmaster called Yip Man. The discipline began to gain real popularity in Asia and the West when actor Bruce Lee became one of the most famous Wing Chun practitioners.

The Concept of Wing Chun:
Wing Chun is based on three basic principles - Practicality, Efficiency, and Economy of Movement.

1. Practicality: Techniques such as Palm-up Hand (tan sau), Wing Arm (bong sau), Slapping Hand (pak sau) are designed to maim the most sensitive or vulnerable parts of the opponent’s body such as throat, groin, eyes and lower torso. Many movements and techniques in Wing Chun are often meant to be fatal.

2. Efficiency: Wing Chun does not use force against force, in order to gain the most efficient manipulation of the body's energy. It believes in accurately timed and appropriately positioned little movements, and counter-attack is based on the opponent’s own force. This concept is also called Contact Reflexes.



3. The economy of Movement: This is a linear concept in which movements are based on an imaginary pole running vertically through the center of the body. The Center Line spreads out from this Mother Line, and since most of the vital points of the body are located along the Center Line, many offensive and defensive movements are based on this line. The Central Line, on the other hand, is the shortest path between the fighters where most of the combat exchanges take place.

Wing Chun Forms:
There are three basic forms in Wing Chun:

1. Empty Hand Form: This form has three more sub-forms - Siu Nim Tao - the foundation of the art, Chum Kiu - focus on advanced footwork and entry techniques, and Biu Jee - extreme short-range or long-range techniques, low kicks and sweeps, and emergency techniques.

2. Weapon Forms: The Dragon Pole and Butterfly Swords are the two forms of weapons incorporated in Wing Chun, categorized under advanced training.

3. Wooden Dummy or the Muk Yan Jong Form: A dummy made from several wooden posts represents a human opponent. The contraption is used to perfect angle, position, and footwork.




Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Are The FOODS We Eat, Always Safe?



Reference Webster's New World College Dictionary: 
Food: 1. any substance taken into and assimilated by a plant or animal to keep it alive and enable it to grow and repair tissue; nourishment; nutriment. 
2. Anything that nourishes or stimulates; whatever helps something to keep active, grow, etc.

But does it enable to grow and repair tissue, or give proper nourishment and stimulants to our mind and body? There was a time when this question could be answered with an astounding yes. But this certainly isn't true anymore!

As a good example, in 1880 it was evident in the general population, that there were around 2.8 cases per 100,000 people who were diabetics. Then this rose to around 29.7 cases per 100,000 people in 1949. But then, in that same year, 1949, the manner in which they started keeping statistics was changed, to where the 29.7 cases were now 16.4 cases per 100,000 people. The consequence coming out of this change was to obscure what was actually the incredible rise in diabetic cases over this same period. Of course, during that time period there was no distinction between Type I, and Type II diabetes it was known simply as diabetes.

Today, Type II diabetes alone has affected around 10 to 20% of the population; this is up from a low 0.0028% in the 1880's. The cause for this seems to be connected directly to the re-engineering of our once natural food supply. It appears that certain essential nutrients have been removed from our foods for the sole purpose of extending its shelf life. But the problem grew even more intensive and dangerous. If we look to the same 100 year period, as we see the diabetes epidemic increase, we must also take note to what occurred within the food industry. As we do this, we have to notice the many coincidences that exist between the almost complete corruption of our food supply and our massive disease epidemic.

As one looks back on the efforts being made to substitute artificial food as the real thing, we will find that it goes back to the time of Napoleon. It has always been the enormous profits as being the motivation factor that is possible with artificial food. It was a Frenchman named Hippolyte Mege-Mouries that invented what is now known as Margarine. He did this in order to win a contest that was sponsored by Napoleon III for the invention of a palatable table fat. We patented his invention in England in 1869. Based on today's standards, this Margarine was barely edible. It wasn't until 1874 when Margarine was first introduced to us in America. It wasn't too palatable, for it consisted of such things as Hog Fat, Gelatin, Fat, Bleach, Mashed Potatoes, Gypsum, and Casein.

It was in 1899 when David Wesson established a vacuum and high-temperature process for deodorizing cottonseed oil. It was the next year when he marketed "Wesson" oil. It took him over ten years to fully develop his hydrogenation process. Then in 1903, William Norman patented the hydrogenation process. This process was used to prevent unsaturated fatty acids from becoming rancid, by turning them into saturated fats.

It was then around 1911 that the artificial fat business actually began to take off. These artificial fats did not spoil and turn rancid as un-refrigerated natural products do. It was also this same year that Crisco came upon the food scene. Even the Jewish community accepted Crisco because it was considered to be "Kosher".





But, it wasn't until the time of WWII that Margarine finally became popular in America, even though it was taking up around 40% of the market, since the 1920's. Formerly prior to WWII, there had been restrictive laws against Margarine which were repealed, and then Margarine became the dietary staple, as was motherhood and apple pie. And soon after this, it was followed by Crisco and artificial lard. It was also during this same period that refined oils made great inroads into the marketplace and became attractive to the consumer. It was these refined oils that actually made the manufacturer look great to the housewives of that time. It seems that no one ever noticed that even the insects would not eat of these oils when any was spilled.

But by this time, it was very evident that these artificial oils and other product were here to stay. No one ever seemed to take note or gave any thought to the long-term consequences on the health of the nation that came with these cheap artificial foods. The whole period that started in the 1930s up until the present, was increasingly proliferated by a market-driven science, one that was out to change consumer food habits. The complete idea was to wean the consumers away from the animal fat and cold pressed vegetable fat and seeds that had worked and was healthy for generations, and entice them to the newly refined oils. Saturated fat was declared to be bad by salespeople posing as scientists, and as well, by the real scientists that were prostituting their trade.

The American Eskimo, whose diet formally consisted of about 60% animal fat, remained healthy without any signs of diabetes for several generations. But, after they became wealthy from their pipeline revenue, they adopted the typical American diet of artificial foods. Then within one generation, they had degenerated health-wise, to the same health status that was then considered normal in America.



As scientific studies increased, several misleading studies came out regarding artificial fats, and the oil companies asserted the value of "polyunsaturated" or "monounsaturated" oils to one's health. There is no law that says they must tell you the truth, that these are real "transfats"; so they will not tell you, that a "polyunsaturated transfat" and a "monounsaturated" transfat, are poisonous. A polyunsaturated Cis, or natural fat, is a desirable and necessary part of a healthy diet. So now you know!

So, due to all of this, it becomes more evident that the health trend will continue to worsen, and more and more people will continue on the path of becoming Type II diabetics. That is, without some kind of dietary change, such as the living food program.


Monday, October 9, 2017

It Pays to be Prepared - DIABETES

English: an early insulin pen ("Painless ...
An early insulin pen ("Painless diabetes syringe")
from the swedish manufacturer Helinos (Getinge Skärhamn)
 (Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)
Having diabetes can change to live of person entirely. From the way one chooses the foods that he will eat to the way he lives his daily life, everything will change. For someone who doesn’t know much about diabetes, there are a lot of webs sites, magazines, and books that can help you understand better of the nature of diabetes.

The greatest problem for diabetics is not being able to access medication when emergency situations occur. That is why it is important to always have an emergency kit at hand. To keep the medicines from expiring, use them from time to time and replace them with new refills. The emergency kit can include cold medications, antacids, cough syrup, test strips and insulin with syringes if you use one and blood glucose monitoring supplies. If you will purchase over the counter medicines, make sure to read the label before using it. If there is a warning that diabetic people should consult their doctor before using the product, then do so. If you have these emergency kits at home, try to also have it at work or at school.

It is also essential to include in the emergency kit your medical history, prescription medications and emergency contacts. To keep them from getting wet, keep them in a waterproof bags. If you are using insulin keep extra syringes, glucagons emergency kit and urine ketone strips. A glucagon emergency kit consists of a syringe filled with a liquid which must be mixed with a powder. This kit is only used in case of a Severe Hypoglycemic Emergency. Try also to keep the insulin in a cool place as much as possible to keep it from being damaged.



For people who got caught in the Katrina and Rita hurricane disaster, being prepared made the difference between life and death. And for people with diabetes, being prepared is important to their own personal safety and health. Hence, the best thing a diabetic person can do to prevent any problem with diabetes is to live a healthy lifestyle. It is important to eat healthy foods and have a regular exercise to keep blood pressures at normal and reduce the risk of heart disease and other serious conditions. And most importantly, have emergency kits close at hand at all times.




Sunday, October 8, 2017

Great Philosophers - René DESCARTES (1596 - 1650)


René Descartes (31.3.1596 - 11.2.1659) - Picture: Wikimedia (Frans Hals)



Saturday, October 7, 2017

How to Make Your Own ALOE VERA Moisturizer

Aloe has been known in the cosmetic industry as an effective treatment for acne and dry flaky skin. It contains healing and soothing properties to help heal sunburned skin no wonder a lot of sunscreens use aloe as one of the active ingredients. Making your own aloe vera moisturizer at home is very easy and you don't have to worry about harsh chemicals that can cause allergic reactions to your skin. If you want a simple moisturizer, you can mix one part of raw aloe vera gel to one part of mineral or distilled water. Heat this mixture in a double boiler until it forms into a cream. This is great for dry, sore or sunburned skin. You can apply it on your elbows, knees or any rough skin in your body.



An aloe vera moisturizer is also great when used as an anti-aging cream. We all know how expensive anti-aging products are and most of them do not really work. We get carried away by advertisements and we just end up throwing away our hard-earned money and being disappointed. To make your own at home, you need:

- 1 tbsp. Aloe Vera gel

- 1 tbsp. beeswax

- 2 tbsp. lanolin

- 2 tbsp. rose water

- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

- 2 to 3 drops of essential oil (lavender, orange, lemon or rose)

Combine the lanolin and beeswax together, melt them in the microwave for about 30 to 40 seconds. Mix the olive oil and aloe vera gel in a large bowl using a wire whisk. The aloe will help hydrate the skin, it also contains plumping agents to keep the skin looking young. With regular use, your wrinkles will be less visible. Combine the two mixtures together with the use of a rubber spatula. Beat until you get a very smooth consistency. Add the rose water and the essential oil. Keep beating until the aloe vera moisturizer is thick and creamy.

Pour the mixture into a clean jar that you can tightly seal. You can use and store the moisturizer for up to 4 weeks. Use it every morning and night after cleansing and toning your face.




Friday, October 6, 2017

Sit Back and RELAX: Using a Massage for Healing

The Thai massage is primarily based on an acup...
The Thai massage is primarily based on an acupressure system of
Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine with an added touch of yoga.
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)
The growth in medicine and technology has also made significant growth in possibilities to stay in good health.  There are medications for sleeping and staying awake, relaxing and gaining energy, headaches and an imbalance of systems.  All of these medications begin to pump various things into your system that your body then is forced to react to, sometimes not so naturally.  

If you want to take a different approach to your healing, why not try a more natural remedy?  Chinese medicine understands how the body can be naturally healed and has developed a variety of methods to help bring this into place.  One of the popular methods used is traditional healing massages.  Not only will this help you to heal by clearing up blocks that may be making you ill, but it will also help you to relax in the process.  


The Chinese traditional healing massage was developed over 2500 years ago in the Orient.  Through this development was an understanding of how the human touch, combined with specific pressure points could help to stop disorders.  Each of these touches would stimulate specific areas of the body that was not in tune with the natural flow of energy.  This would then allow one to begin there own healing process.  

Not only did massages begin to develop various reactions to touch, but they also began to develop into focus points for healing.  For example, many of the traditional massages for healing will be focused on the abdominal area in order to help balance out internal organs.  Other parts of the message will focus on the tissues and muscles that may not be receiving the proper nutrients or flow of energy.  

The idea of Chinese medicine is one that moves beyond the prescription pills and into a method of complete relaxation.  By doing this, one is able to find an alternative method to begin healing and developing a holistic approach to health.  The various massages that have been developed through Chinese medicine are a great way for you to stop taking the extra medications, and instead, sit back and relax.  


Thursday, October 5, 2017

Honoring Now & Then, Traditional NATIVE AMERICAN WEDDING VOWS


Native Americans enjoy a strong and rich cultural heritage that still permeates many parts of their everyday lives, and particularly of those special moments.  Many young Native Americans want a ceremony that not only keeps with modern traditions and celebrations, but that also includes a connection to their heritage, to make their wedding a cultural event that honors both the present celebration and the past.

There are many online resources to find some traditional, or “modern traditional” blessings and vows that are individual to a tribe.  Soon to be newlyweds who are Native American could talk to a local tribal council, or other resources to find something suitable.  There are websites with long lists of ceremonies that do not seem to be solely for one group.  Two of the most beautiful Native blessings are the Apache and the Cherokee, an example of each which follows:

Apache Blessing

“Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be a shelter for the other. Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other. Now there will be no loneliness, for each of you will be a companion to the other. Now you are two persons, but there is only one life before you. May beauty surround you both in the journey ahead and through all the years, May happiness be your companion and your days together be good and long upon the earth.”

Cherokee Blessing

God in heaven above please protect the ones we love.
We honor all you created as we pledge our hearts and lives together.
We honor mother-earth - and ask for our marriage to be abundant and grow stronger through the seasons;
We honor fire - and ask that our union be warm and glowing with love in our hearts;
We honor wind - and ask we sail through life safe and calm as in our father's arms;
We honor water - to clean and soothe our relationship - that it may never thirst for love;
With all the forces of the universe you created, we pray for harmony and true happiness as we forever grow young together.
Amen.

These are only two of many examples of what is available, and this is not just limited to Native Americans.  There are Medieval ceremonies, old Celtic or Celtic Christian ceremonies.  As more and more people become interested in their backgrounds, the demand for these traditional vows increase and add a beauty, elegance, and tradition to the ceremony that all can admire.



Wednesday, October 4, 2017

BHAKTI YOGA – The Science Of Devotion

Mariko Bhakti Hirakawa
Photo : Ramnath Bhat
Bhakti means devotion to the Almighty. Bhakti yoga deals with devotion to God and achieving the union with Him. This is the easiest of all yoga types. This branch of yoga teaches the relation between the devotee and the divine. It does not involve any technical or complicated procedures. There is no need of any intellectual capacity to master this yoga. It has appealed to the common man because it gives him a feeling security and develops a kind of reliance and dependence on the object of his devotion.

Bhakti yoga assumes that there is a higher power that has created the universe and is all-powerful. This power has the capacity to confer grace and mercy on him and thus protecting him from all the harms and evils. The devotee or bhakta is expected to make himself fit for receiving this divine grace. For this, he has to practice devotion and virtue. His ultimate goal should be to unite with this divine power and rest eternally in happiness and peace. The devotee surrenders all his motives and acts to the Divine Power. He renounces all responsibilities towards the good or bad consequences of all his actions and ascribes it to the will of the Supreme.



Devotion and faith play a vital role in this branch of yoga. The devotee or bhakta is supposed to be highly religious, should adopt a friendly stance towards all the other living beings including animals, read religious texts, concentrate on the symbol of the Divine, think and wish well for others etc. The beauty of this yoga lies in its simplicity. This has made it one of the most appealing of all the yoga types. Following this yoga develops the peace of mind in an individual. A peaceful individual will always think happy and prosperous thoughts and will thus lead a happy life.


Tuesday, October 3, 2017

ESSENTIAL OILS -The Eucalyptus Family of Healing Oils

Lavender Distillery
Lavender Distillery - Photo  by     markhillary
There are over 700 varieties of the eucalyptus tree with over 500 producing a type of essential oil. They form 75% of the flora of Australia and have naturalized themselves to many other countries. Some are medicinal oils, some industrial oils and some are used in perfumery. Each oil will have different constituents, different properties, and uses. The oil comes not from the bark of the tree but from its leaves. Eucalyptus is definitely an oil that should be in everyone's medicine cabinet. All of the eucalyptus oils are in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae).

The Australian Aborigines used eucalyptus in the treatment of all kinds of fever, including malaria. There are so many different varieties, each having a unique chemistry and therefore different healing qualities. For instance, Eucalyptus globulus known as blue gum tree is especially good for infections of the respiratory tract but also for treatment of rheumatism, arthritis, and wounds. E.globulus is great for purifying air and the trees produce ozone. Its chemistry shows its high in oxides, specifically 1,8 Cineole. Of all the medicinal grade eucalyptus oils.

E.globulus is the most widely known and used. Eucalyptus citriodora is lemony in fragrance and is more cooling in action than the E.globulus. Its key constituent is citronellal, an aldehyde. This variety of eucalyptus is better to use when mucus secretions are yellow indicating infection and heat in the body. It's also a great insect repellant especially helpful against cockroaches and silverfish. One important point about E.citriodora is that it is mild and thought to be best for children because of its lemony fresh smell.

Here's another great eucalyptus-E.Dives, also known as Peppermint Eucalyptus. It has a menthol fragrance and its key constituent is piperitone, a ketone. This eucalyptus has great mucolytic properties and is used for infections especially sinus, ear, kidney and for vaginitis. E.Dives is the strongest of the medicinal eucalyptus oils and therefore best used topically. Eucalyptus polybractea is also called Blue Mallee and like E.globulus, it is high in 1,8 cineole. It is a very antimicrobial and an expectorant oil yet gentler in action than some of the others.



The final eucalyptus we should all be aware of is Eucalyptus radiata. It too is high in 1,8 cineole. E. radiata is very antibacterial, antiviral and an expectorant oil that is great not only for respiratory conditions but is especially good for sinus infections. It is by far the gentlest and most effective of the eucalyptus oils since is it so low in aldehydes which distinguishes it from E. globulus and E. dives.
Want to learn more about the healing properties of the various eucalyptus oils as well as other essential oils? Consider becoming a certified aromatherapist. Educational courses in healing energy and aromatherapy can help you understand how essential oils heal the body/mind/spirit.



Monday, October 2, 2017

Adventures with HYPNOSIS RELAXATION

In 1949, I had a real problem with a dental phobia. Four dentists had turned me down as a patient. I had two abscessed teeth and a mouthful of other cavities. My dental phobia was so bad that it had forced me to go to a hospital some years earlier in order to have three abscessed teeth removed while I was unconscious.

Hypnose
“Behavioural” experiments under hypnosis at the Budapest clinic of the Department of Mental Health and Pathology. (a) Hypnotic suggestion of praying. (b) Hypnotic suggestion of suicide. (c) Hypnotic suggestion of swearing an oath. (d) Hypnosis produced by the tuning-fork. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I went to a dental convention where I found the recommended dentist who did hypnosis. He couldn’t work on my teeth, but he said he thought he could help me. So, at the lunch break, I went to his room with several other dentists, and he hypnotized me with a “standard” induction technique. Then, he taught me a psychological trick of relaxation. If I raised my left hand whenever I felt my right hand becoming a fist, indicating tension, the dentist would stop, and I would relax my right hand, and lower my left hand.) I didn’t believe it would work, but I made an appointment with the last dentist who had turned me down and had recommended hypnosis.

For the first few minutes, I kept raising my left hand, and he stopped immediately. After that, I didn’t need to raise my left hand much at all, and he worked fast.

He pulled the two bad teeth and drilled and filled a dozen more in one single hour and a half session. I had Novocain for the bad ones and didn’t need it for the others. Both the dentist and I were amazed at this, and he asked if I were really twins

To me, a 22-year-old engineering student, this was a genuine “miracle”, and I started to learn all I could about this miracle cure. I read everything I could find, from the 1700’s literature about Mesmer, Coue, etc, up to Erickson, Barber, etc.

I became an electronic engineer and pursued this as my major career, but my avocation continued to be hypnosis, and by extension, psychology. (Much of behavioral psychology is similar to hypnosis). I used it professionally, taught it in a major university to doctors, and continued to learn about it. I performed some “shows”, and considered a career as a stage hypnotist, but was more interested in using it for helping people, as it had helped me.

In 1979, I left electronic engineering and turned to psychology. I went back and obtained a Doctorate in Psychology based on my education, life experience, and my doctoral dissertation. I became a successful Behaviorist Psychologist for years in private practice in Florida. I gradually converted to an Orthomolecular practice when I found that these types of therapies worked better than any “talk therapy”, although talk therapy is sometimes used as well.




Hypnotic Relaxation

During this many year of study, and later career as a psychologist, I realized that what that original dentist who hypnotized me had actually done. With hypnosis, he had simply given me a “new” conscious tool of relaxation. Using this simple tool, I could actually change something in my unconscious called a “phobia”. It wasn’t really a miracle, though I had thought so at the time. Adding this knowledge to my knowledge of Pavlovian “conditioning responses”, I came up with what I called the Bate Relaxation Technique.

This is very simple, yet it can be very powerful – much more powerful than most realize because of its simplicity. It starts with a general hypnotic induction technique of relaxing the body muscles, starting with the toes and going up to the scalp and face. Then, in a state of muscle relaxation, ask the subject to visualize a very beautiful relaxing scene he/she is in. Describe the scene. Ask them to concentrate on how beautiful and very relaxing it is.

Then, ask the subject to memorize the feelings of relaxation and concentration they are feeling at that time. Have them put these feelings into their memory like a photograph. Then, give them a post-hypnotic suggestion that they can now recall those feeling anytime they simply count to three. End the session, and have the subject stand up, take a deep breath and simply count to three.

It’s simply amazing how the shoulders often slump 2-3 inches or some other muscles that the subject usually tenses from stress relax. I describe the “strange” feeling as sort of a “blah” feeling. (As subjects stand up from the session, their “normal” pattern of muscle stress takes effect, and the “instant” relaxation is definitely experienced.)

I then tell the subject that they now have the pattern, but it up to them to use it often, several times a day, even if not needed, for the next week or so. This will set this pattern into their unconscious as a “conditioned response”. (Remember Pavlov’s dog?) Now, they have the same tool I got from the original dentist, but it is much more enhanced and valuable. It instantly relieves the stress of any kind.

Driving a car a long distance is very stressful. My wife and I recently drove over 20 hours straight thru, with me driving about 14 of those hours. At 78 years old, that’s not “usual”. The secret – we both simply count to three every so often and are able to relax behind the wheel. Muscle tension is very tiring, and few are able to relax this muscle tension behind the wheel.

This relaxation technique is very useful in many ways in helping to solve psychological problems of phobias, compulsions, and even some serious physical problems. I was able to solve dozens of Asthma problems in all persons between 7 and 15 years old and was often successful with older persons as well. (Kids in this age range are very suggestible; some adults are too cynical.)

The system is simple but effective. First, teach the relaxation. Then, have the patient emulate a really bad asthma attack. “Come on, get really bad, your throat is closing more and more.” It’s getting worse and worse.” When the patient really starts to become in distress, say, “Now, count to three”. As he gets to three, he relaxes, and says, “Now, it’s gone, and you are in control”.

Many years ago, I did this routine on the 14-year-old son of lifelong friends. When I was visiting them a few years ago, I walked into the store of the son, and he recognized me immediately. I was surprised as it had been over 20 years since he had seen me. He said, “Do you think I could ever forget the man who cured my Asthma?”

It was another great day for my ego.

There’s nothing magical or even mysterious about it. All you are doing is teaching a new “trick” to the unconscious mind. This “trick” of instant relaxation is learned as a conditioned response by repetition and use. It becomes a tool for the conscious mind to use in all types of situations to reduce stress. As everybody knows, stress ages us diminishes the immune system and helps to kill us.

The various forms of yoga and other meditation techniques are similar, yet different. They relieve the stress of course but are of little use in immediate stressful situations. This relaxation is immediate.

This also can be used for self-hypnosis, positive statements, and visualizations.

I also used it for patients that wanted to stop smoking as a “substitute” for that instant craving that comes to an addicted smoker.

One idea makes a lot of people “afraid” of hypnosis. The idea that another person has “control” over them, and can make them do literally anything. Every experiment ever conducted has shown that this is simply not true. Hypnosis cannot force a person to do anything that is against his/her moral code. The unconscious mind is very protective and is what we are working with either with hypnosis or subliminal training.

There is some possibility of “indirect” misuse of hypnosis. I once witnessed a hypnotist demonstrating this. He had a very attractive woman who was very hypnotizable (instantly into somnambulism by snapping his fingers). He hypnotized her and told her to take off her clothes. She awoke instantly and was embarrassed, but had no conscious memory of why.

He then hypnotized her again, and this time, told her that she was at home in her bathroom with the door closed, and she was going to take a bath. She calmly started to take off her clothes. He stopped her before she got too far, but she was obviously going to completely strip.

It was interesting how he stopped her. He told her that someone had come into her home, and was near the bathroom door. She said, “Don’t come in. I’m not dressed”.

He then had her get dressed and woke her. She had no memory of the incident.

When I was a young man, I had a girlfriend who I had sex with once or twice. And she had been hypnotized several times as well. One night I wanted sex, but she didn’t. I used the cue that hypnotized her but to no avail. She refused, even hypnotized. So, the idea that someone can make you do something you do not want to do is false. I can testify to that personally. Our unconscious mind is very protective of us in all ways, even though some ways may be wrong.

Of course, if you work with either hypnosis or subliminal training, or virtually any type of serious psychology you have to be aware of the unconscious mind, as that entity is always what you are trying to influence.

Hypnotic Age Regression

This is a very useful tool for a psychologist, or, for that matter, any doctor of any stripe. Under even “light” hypnosis, it can be used to “pull” details from the life of the patient that he/she has forgotten consciously. (The unconscious memory has everything in it.)

There are several “tricks of the trade” involved. After my Relaxation Technique, I used a “deepening” technique that went something like this, “Now, I want you to imagine and visualize yourself going down an escalator as I count to ten. One, imagine yourself stepping on and feeling the steps from under your feet. Two, as you move down, relax even more. Three, as you go down further, concentrate more and more. Four, and as you relax more, you can concentrate more. Five, this positive circle of concentration and relaxation continues as you move down.”

Continue with similar repetitions thru nine, and then, “Ten, step off the escalator into a room. This room is yours alone. It is only in your mind, and no one else can ever get into it. You can make it anything you want. In this room, you can do anything or visualize anything that will help you to be a better person. In this room, you can remember anything you want.”

Next, I would start the questioning. For example, a man came to me to try to find a lost valuable diamond engagement ring. He and his fiancé had broken up, and she had returned the ring to him. He remembered taking the ring, but when he got home, he couldn’t find it at all. I did the above technique and then started.

I said. “I want to you to go back in time to the moment when she handed you the ring. Where were you and she at that time?”

He replied, “We were in her living room.”

“Alright, see yourself taking the ring. What did you do with it?”

He said, “I’m putting it into my small watch pocket of my jeans.”

“OK, now you are leaving her. What happened next?”

“I’m getting into my car, and driving home”

“Good, what happens next?”

“I’m going into my bedroom, and changing clothes.”

“Why?”

“I have to go to a baseball presentation dinner.”

“OK, what did you do with your jeans?”

“Oh NO! I had put them in the washer!”

That was the story. He went home and found the ring stuck in the washer. (The usual story of such is that it gets caught in the “U” drain under a sink.) This illustrates the value of “age regression” as a memory aid.

Of course, it’s also useful to uncover the beginnings of phobias and compulsions. A woman came to me with a cat phobia and asthma. I did the usual as above, and with a couple of other useful techniques found the problem. One “trick” is to say, “OK, now you are going back in time. It is your 15th birthday. You are awake in that morning. Do you have asthma?”

She replied, “yes.” (She had earlier said on intake questioning that her asthma had started very early. I start well past that so as to get the patient used to go back.)

“Ok, now you are ten years old, just waking up on your birthday. Do you have asthma now?” Same answer.

“OK, you are now five years old, on your birthday. Do you have asthma now?” Same answer

I worked back thru 4 and 3 and 2, 1, and started back in months. I got to the ninth month, and she didn’t have asthma. Still, she had no memory of anything that was related. So, I went to her tenth month, and went backward, day to day with the same question. I got to the day when she did have asthma. Now I asked her, “What happened to you during the last day that caused you to have asthma? I am going to count to three, and when I get to three, you will remember everything. One, you’re starting to remember. Two, memory is coming back. Three, you now remember everything.”



She then related, “I was lying on my back in a crib, and the cat jumped into the crib and lay across my mouth. I couldn’t breathe, or call out, and I was scared. I don’t know what happened, but I think I hit the cat, and she went on me.”

It was two birds with one stone. Cat phobia, and asthma caused at that point. Asthma is often a “protective” device used to keep oxygen in the body. Most can easily breathe in but have real problems breathing out. This was her case.

Then, we get to the really interesting part. Age regression to past lives. As an agnostic, I don’t really know if the many stories I have heard from many persons are true, or something from the universal mind or what?

Probably the single most impressive story is the man who came to me with two lifelong phobias that he had had since earliest memory. He was deathly afraid of fire and water. He thought that these phobias might be from past lives, and asked me to try to find out.

He was easily hypnotizable, and with little urging went back thru birth to the previous life. He had been a circus clown and been burned to death in a circus fire. It was then simple to go back to a previous life to that. It seems that he had stolen a horse, and was caught. The vigilantes didn’t have a tree, so they hanged him from a bridge. The rope broke, and he drowned. Of course, it took much more time to go thru, and some suggestions from me. He was cured according to a phone call a week later.

I’ve had several such interesting cases. Another was fascinating to me. Under hypnosis, a man kept saying, “All I can see is a bird”. I kept after him about this bird for 10 or more minutes, but he couldn’t see much more than this bird. Finally, he said, “It’s a black bird, and it’s on my shield”.

I pressed him harder about his shield and did he have a sword and a horse. He suddenly screamed, “There’s blood all around me, and all over me and my horse. I’m killing people all around with my sword, and they’re trying to kill me! ”

I questioned him closely, and it became evident that the date was 1066 at the battle of Hastings as the Normans conquered England.

Is the story true? I cannot say with any certainty, but it was impressive.

When I gave seminars and talks on hypnosis, I usually finished with doing my Relaxation Technique, and my deepening. Then, I would say, “In your room, sitting comfortably, I want you to let your mind go out of your body. Let it go out into space, and as you see earth behind you as that familiar blue and white marble, see space as almost velvety, with stars and planets being very clear and steady. It’s really beautiful out here in space. Now, you are coming to a white cloud that is getting bigger and bigger, and you are now entering it. On the other side, there is another blue marble world. As you approach, it looks like Earth, but as you get really close, you see no huge cities, but beautiful parks and lovely buildings that seem to be a part of the landscape. As you come to it, and walk about, you notice that the people are all friendly, and the animals are all friendly, and the gardens and parks all around are simply the loveliest you have ever seen. You are filled with the same sort of happiness that it seems everybody there has. You are at peace with yourself and that place.”

“Now, it’s time to leave, and we are going back into space again. Ahead of us is that same white cloud, and this time, as we enter it, we make a left turn, and we are now going back in time. The year is 1700 on Earth, and as we come back to Earth in that time, we are going to each go into a body in that time and place. I want you to look at your feet, and your clothes, and your surroundings, and have a sense of who you are in that body. Now, it’s time to return. We are leaving this time and place, and going back thru that white cloud, and back to that blue marble of earth, and back to that comfortable seat, and into your own body again. As I count to three backward, you are going to awaken, not drowsy or sleepy or affected by my voice at all, and you will remember everything you experienced.”

Then, I count, “Three, two, one, awake fully awake. Now, how many persons really experienced that beautiful planet?”

About a third or more really did visualize it clearly. (A few were somewhat angry with me for not leaving them longer!) Then I asked, “Now, how many persons experienced themselves in 1700?” Surprisingly, about one-third had very good and clear visualizations. One woman was indignant “I had bare feet and scratched legs, and I was a serving woman”. She had a very high opinion of herself in this life obviously. Needless to say, these stories were very interesting and varied. One woman impressed me with, “I was in a dark place waiting to be born.”

Of course, such stories do not prove anything. They could be products of imagination, or simply scraps of something from the unconscious or universal mind. However, or whatever they are, taken in bulk from honest persons with no known vested interest, they do prove something beyond our conscious knowledge.

An “Impossible” Story

Here’s a true story that is unbelievable to many people. In reading about hypnosis, I came across an article where a professional hypnotist had claimed that he had been able to increase a woman’s breast size using hypnosis. I dismissed that claim until in 1978; I read an article by Dr. Ted X. Barber in the Journal of Clinical Hypnosis about hypnotic phenomena. This article discussed many different hypnotic phenomena, including several experiments at several different colleges that had all done a similar experiment. As I recall (at this much later date), each college used 8-12 women, all of whom were somewhat flat chested, and all wanted larger breasts.

All were carefully measured, above and below the actual breasts, and across them at the nipples. Once a week for 12 weeks, they were hypnotized as a group and told to visualize things like, “See yourself in a mirror naked with larger breasts. Admire your larger breasts. See how good they look, and how good you feel with them. Now, see yourself dressed in a very becoming dress, and how well it looks on you with your new breasts. It increases your self-confidence as well. “

These comments were repeated several times. As I recall, the average for all of the various experiments was that 80% actually increased their breast size, and the average increase was 2.1 inches.

Let’s take another deeper look at this. The average success rate for losing weight by hypnosis is considered to be less than 65%. In other less reported breast size experiments, DECREASING breast size in women with overly large breasts, the success rate was negligible.

In addition, this suggestion is specific – add body cells to a certain part of the body only! We have no knowledge if actual mammary cells were added, or only fat cells, but still!!!

I’ve won two bets from other psychologists that this story was published in a reputable scientific journal. I made a hypnosis tape specifically for “breast enlargement”, and heard for a few of the women who purchased it that it did indeed work for them. Unfortunately, few people report either success or failure.

Why doesn’t hypnosis work better on the “lesser task” of losing weight, or losing breast weight? The explanation is difficult, but in my experience, the social “advantage” to women of large breasts inhibits the unconscious from losing this “advantage”. Some women are “punishing” their selves (or their husbands) by being fat. (Sort of “love me for me, not for my body”). Motives of the unconscious mind are often murky and difficult for our conscious minds to understand. The computer analogy of “garbage in – garbage out” applies here.




Harmful Unconscious Ideas

The unconscious mind can be a force for good or bad. It apparently doesn’t discriminate – again like a computer. If a virus gets in, it can distort many other programs in different ways.

Let’s examine a very illustrative case. A woman brought in her 8-year-old boy for hypnosis for bedwetting. I did the usual direct suggestion and told her to keep him off all milk products for at least a week.

Two days later, she and her son were back. No success. This time, I did age regression hypnosis. He went back (with a little urging) to when he was 4. He was in bed almost asleep when he heard someone trying to get in his window. He was so scared that he wet himself, and cried out. The burglar (real or imagined) left. The unconscious “logic” to this boy – urination protects from intruders in the night. It wasn’t difficult to remove this logic (computer virus), and his mother said that he hadn’t wet again a few months later.

The great master of hypnotic therapy, Milton Erickson, once had an almost comic situation that he solved in a unique way. It seems that a recently married couple came to him because each was a bed wetter. On their honeymoon, the bed was wet each morning, and each thought the other was very thoughtful in not mentioning it. After a few days, they each confessed and came to Erickson.

He made them agree to do exactly what he said and then told them to kneel on the bed when they were ready for sleep and each had to urinate, and then sleep in it. They came back several days later, and they had kept their word. He then told them, “Since you did as I told you, tonight you can go to bed normally without the urination, and come back tomorrow”. The next day, they said the bed was dry in the morning, so he “allowed” them another dry night. Then another, and then he declared them “cured”.

These two stories illustrate the immense power of the unconscious for both good and bad. One of the major jobs of the unconscious mind is to “protect” the physical body (home of the unconscious mind) from harm. If a threat is perceived whether real or imaginary, it goes into action, even if the action may be harmful to itself.



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Sunday, October 1, 2017

Great Philosophers - John LOCKE (1632 - 1704)


Great Philosophers - John LOCKE (1632 - 1704] - Picture: Wikimedia




Saturday, September 30, 2017

Problems and Solutions for CANDLE MAKING

wick of a candle Ελληνικά: φιτίλι κεριού
Wick of a candle  Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Making candles can be great fun. It is very exciting to decide what type of candle to make and get your supplies. However, some individuals quickly become disappointed and frustrated with the process and give up. There are some common problems that beginners experience with candle making. Most of them have quick and easy solutions. It is recommended that all beginners start with the basic candle making process. This gives you the opportunity to learn the basics, then you can move on to making the types of candles you really want to.

One secret to making great candles is to use quality products. In general, candle making supplies are inexpensive. If the wax you purchase is of poor quality, then it is never going to make quality candles. Heating the wax to the proper temperature is very important. The temperature will change depending on the type of candle you are making with it. If the wax isn’t hot enough it won’t form correctly. Likewise, wax that is too hot will lose luster and won’t be as sturdy once it cools.

Have you ever made a beautiful candle, but when you lit it the room filled with smoke rather than the fragrance of the candle? This problem has to do with your wick, it is too long. Simply cut them shorter for future candles. You can snip the tips of the candles you have already created and this should remedy the situation.

Some candles burn and smell great, but they look ugly after a few uses with a crater in the middle of the candle while the edges of the candle jar haven’t even been touched. This is the result of a wick that isn’t wide enough. It isn’t much you can do for candles you have already made except melt the wax in them and start over. You can purchase a wider wick or braid three together to get a good thickness. The wider the candle jar, the wider you need your wick to be for the candle to burn evenly.

Cooling candles is an area of trouble for many beginners. Don’t rush the cooling process or you will damage the hardness of the candle. Forcing the candle to cool will also result in bubbles forming in the top and middle of the candle. While it won’t be a physical defect, the melting wax will go into these bubbles when you have the candle lit resulting in the wick going out. Candles should be allowed to cool in an area where they won’t be moved until completely cool. The area needs to be flat and out of direct sunlight. You will also want to make sure there aren’t any heating or cooling vents in the cooling area.



If you notice that your cooled candle isn’t as appealing as you’d like because the wax pulled away from the glass jar in some areas, try heating your jars in the microwave for a minute or two right before you fill them. This will help the wax adhere to it correctly with a very smooth look all the way around the jar.

It is important to remember that candle making involves some basic concepts. It will take a few tries to complete the steps properly, but give it some time. You will have to experiment to find the methods that work best in your work environment to make the candles you want.




Friday, September 29, 2017

What’s At The Heart Of DIVINATION

Tarot cards, Oracle Cards, Runes, Crystal Healing, Divination Techniques
 Photo by emerald_sa
Divination is also referred to as fortune telling. Divination uses aspects of the supernatural to predict the future or give insight. There are many different forms of divination. Divination usually involves a ritual or other formal routine. This could involve the lighting of candles, chanting of incantations or burning of incense is a way to connect with the other side, which could be those who have passed away, spirits or holy beings.

Divination is a highly criticized practice. There are many people who believe that divination cannot be proven as real. They believe that since divination usually involves one person connecting with the other side that the person is simply scamming or faking the connection. Many skeptics believe that divination is merely tapping into the sub-conscious mind and not communicating with the other side at all. Still others believe that there is no connection at all and the person doing the divination is just saying whatever they believe people want to hear. Despite numerous attempts to prove critics wrong, there is still skeptics out there who will never believe in the supernatural abilities of those who practice divination.

Some of the more popular and best known forms of divination include the following:

Astrology- Using the positions of the planets, sun and moon in correspondence with time, date, location and the Zodiac to give insight into one’s life and future.

Tarot- The use of a 78 card deck that is laid out into spreads or patterns then read to look into one’s situation.

Palmistry- Reading the lines on ones hand to interpret their life path.

Rune Casting- The use of runes that are cast upon the ground or a cloth to tell a persons situation.

Channeling- Connecting with the other side, spirits, and delivering their messages.

Psychic/Intuition- Connecting with a spirit or other celestial being to deliver messages, can be used with other forms of divination.




Divination may be something that a person is born able to do. For others it is something to be learned. It is widely thought that every person has the ability to tap into the supernatural. It just takes time for some to learn how to do it.

Divination has been used for centuries. It is often looked at as evil or as something that is only done by those who do not believe in God. This is not true. Many religious activities often include divination style practices. Anything that brings a connection between a person and a celestial being, be it God, a Saint, an angel, is a form of divination.

Most divination is done in a proper setting. The area used for divination is only used for that purpose. Nothing else is done in that area. Many times there are alters or other things to honor the spirits that may be present. It is done in a manner that shows respect to those beings that are coming to help or send messages. For people that practice divination it is a very serious ritual.


Divination is something that requires great patience and dedication. It may take a person a long time in order to connect to a spirit and when they do it can tae even longer to understand the messages they may be sending. It is a process that should be done with the knowledge of how to do it properly. Many times people expect to see amazing things, like lights flickering, the person performing the divination to fall into a trance or something else spectacular. This is usually not how it happens, though. It is usually a rather peaceful process that happens almost naturally.



Marissa Valentin is owner and webmaster of a top rated free psychic reading resource website . She has been a psychic advisor for 34 years and has the natural gifts of clairvoyance and clairaudience as well as an amazing empathic abilty.

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