What Is TAROT ASTROLOGY?

Tarot astrology is the system through which a reading of the cards in a tarot deck help you through troubled times by offering a reflection on your past, present, and future. Tarot is closely associated with astrology as each card relates to a planet, element, or astrological sign.

"Wands01". Via Wikipedia.

Tarot cards are used for divination, often known as fortune telling. But, many psychologists have used them as well, feeling that the cards often make patients delve into how they feel about themselves. This is done through the subconscious. For example, let’s say you know work is not going well, but you do not allow yourself to think about it. Getting a tarot card reading that shows you need to change occupations is not really telling your future so much as it is making you face what is really going on in your life.

A tarot card deck consists of 78 cards that fall into two distinctive parts. The first part is called the Major Arcana. This part of the deck has 22 cards, 21 suitless cards referred to as trumps and one card called The Fool. It is believed that these cards represent different stages of life that we go through. Many are recognizable such as the Magician (associated with the planet Mercury), the Lovers (associated with the astrological sign Gemini), and the Death card (associated with Scorpio).

The other 56 cards are in the Minor Arcana. Arcana is taken from the Latin word “akanum,” meaning secret. The Minor Arcana is divided into four suits, just like regular playing cards. The four suits are the Cups, the Wands, the Swords, and the Pentacles. Each of these cards represents a certain element of the Earth and is associated with certain astrological signs. The Cups represent water and are associated most closely with Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. The Cups stand for emotions, spirituality, and the unconsciousness. The Wands represent fire and are associated with Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. The Wands stand for action, creativeness, and personal growth. The Swords represent air and are associated with Libra, Gemini, and Aquarius. The Swords stand for the mind, intelligence, and knowledge. The final suit, the Pentacles, represents earth itself and is associated with Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn. The Pentacles stand for the physique, bodily experiences, and practicality. In addition to the four suits, there are also Court cards including the King, Queen, Prince, and Princess for each suit.

The Minor Arcana cards provide more details to the Major Arcana cards. The Major Arcana gives an individual direction and information about their personal life and emotional and mental state. The Minor Arcana cards offer additional guidance in areas such as relationships, activities, failures, and successes. The Major Arcana cards are seen as more spiritual while the Minor Arcana cards are seen as material.

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Over the years, the interpretation of the cards has evolved. Modern decks of tarot cards are much more expressive that then earlier version, due in part to the pictures being more closely associated with their meaning. Tarot readers prize their cards and often will not let others touch them as they are viewed as sacred tools of their trade. Many card sets are often viewed as works of art because of the detailed pictures on each one.

Finding a psychic for a tarot reading is easy. If you are looking to visit a psychic in person, check in your local Yellow Pages under Psychic. If you live in a remote area or are leery of visiting a psychic in person, you can also get tarot card readings online. If you use your favorite Internet search engine to search on “free tarot reading,” you will find many sites appear. If you are leery that free readings might not be as accurate as paid reading, you can also find online psychics who will charge to do a reading. Some psychics will base their charges on how many questions you wish to ask about the reading while some will just charge a flat fee for so many minutes.

Whether you get a tarot card reading online or in person, there are several things you should keep in mind. The tarot card reading should not scare you, but rather give you a better understanding of yourself. They will help you with not only what your future holds, but also what is presently going on in your life. You should leave the reading with a positive attitude and feel enlightened.

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Tips to Clean Your Home With ESSENTIAL OILS

Have you ever noticed that ALL your commercial cleaning products list "warning" or "caution" labels on the bottles? Obviously, those labels are put there for a very good reason. The bottles DO contain poison and can cause adverse symptoms if inhaled or touched. Yikes!

Supermarket shelves (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Here's where we can shift to a new concept of cleaning, without worry of chemicals, fumes, or synthetics harming our bodies. Essential oils are the best-kept secret for cleaning and purifying your environment.

Amazingly, essential oils are just as powerful as conventional cleaners.

It's very simple and a lot less expensive when you use essential oils instead of store-bought regular cleaners. The essential oils in this article anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-microbial. And the best part is they are 100% safe and even good for you! Conventional cleaners can't say that.

Using the highest quality therapeutic grade essential oils (such as young Living's) is of utmost importance. Poor quality oils are not effective in killing germs, nor are they safe to use in the ways I describe in this article.

Here are a few ways to achieve a healthy, clean home using essential oils.

Floors:

If you mop your floors

(tile, wood, laminate, marble) - replace your floor cleaner and use a bucket of water with 10-20 drops of Lemon and/or Lavender essential oils. Research has shown that lemon and lavender essential oils kill many strains of bacteria. And it's completely safe to inhale and walk upon!

If you steam or Roomba your floors

(tile, wood, laminate, marble) - walk through the house and drop a few drops of Lemon and/or Lavender essential oils in various places. Especially by the front door, garbage can area, bathrooms, and kitchen. As you steam the floor, the essential oils will be dispersed by the steamer or roomba, killing bacteria, mold, and viruses in the process.

If you vacuum your floors

- put 5 drops of Lemon and/or Lavender essential oil on a tissue and vacuum it up. This will kill the germs that get sucked up in your vacuum and also diffuse the oils into your home leaving it smelling wonderful!

Air Purifiers:

To have a clean air environment, get rid of that air freshener that's plugged into your wall! Its fragrance is definitely not of therapeutic value. Use a few drops of Thieves or Purification essential oil blends on a cotton ball and place it in your AC vent. Both of these blends were formulated to kill airborne bacteria, viruses, mold, and fungus. They also neutralize smoke and pet odors.

Or better yet, get yourself a cold air diffuser and diffuse either of these essential oils every day.

Hand Wash:

To make a chemical free, germ-killing hand wash, use up the remainder of your foaming hand wash and save the bottle. Now, fill it 1/8th full with Dr. Bronner's liquid castile soap (or organic dishwashing soap.) Fill the rest with spring water. Add 10 drops of Thieves essential oil. Shake well and use at the kitchen and bathroom sinks.

Hand Disinfectant:

Loose your Purell and get a bottle of Lemon essential oil. Rub 1 drop of Lemon essential oil into hands after using public restrooms. Lemon essential oil kills germs while uplifting your mood as well. What a bonus!

See how just a few changes in your cleaning routine can easily replace a bunch of chemical cleaning products in your home? I suggest starting slowly by eliminating one cleaning product per week and incorporating an essential oil in its place. Soon you will be truly "greener" than anyone else you know and probably a bit healthier, too!

© Christa McCourt

By Christa McCourt - Article Source: EzineArticles

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Great Philosophers - Georg Wilhelm Friedrich HEGEL (1770 - 1831)

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HOME ENERGY Generation Systems

Creating Home Energy Generation Systems

When you are tired of paying for your high home energy bill month after month and would like see some changes and feel some savings, then, there is a right thing to do: invest on one or more home energy generation systems.

The home energy generation system is the solution if you want to cut those bills down and utilize alternative energy around you just waiting to be tapped anytime. The home energy generation system provides you with the best way to get the maximum financial freedom on home energy. Sure, you have to invest first but it is all worth every penny. You can spare yourself from the present cost of home energy and the future increases that may occur. And most of all, investing on the home energy generation system will definitely help the environment for it only uses a harmless and clean source of energy.

Photo by tswind

Among all types of alternative energy that can be used, wind energy and solar energy are the most common.

Wind energy

Wind is very abundant in many parts of the country, thus, many households can capitalize on the use of wind as a source of home energy. It is also said the future’s main source of energy would be the air. As the cost energy production through fuel and oil grows increasingly high for the last years, the clean, safe and free air would be the better choice for the future.

As a main source of power for your home, it provides the financial freedom on the use of energy sourced from the expensive oil. However, wind speed varies on a daily basis. One day, the wind will blow strong. The next day, the wind may not be able to keep your turbine spin. And even on the breeziest places in America, you can never tell when will be the next strong wind blow occurs. This is one disadvantage of using wind power but wind patterns do exist. It is said that summer brings less wind while the winter brings a strong gust of wind.

If you are planning to install wind turbines on your home, make sure that the local zoning allows wind turbine. You must also ensure that there is a good source of wind on most days. A wide and open space, at least 1 acre, would be ideal for wind turbines. And, if you are paying more than $150 on the monthly electric bill, then it may be a good option for you.

There are 5 main components of wind power.

The rotor is the set of rotating blades designed to capture air. The rotation brings power to the generator.

The turbine or the generation is the one attached to the rotor. It stores energy that the house will use.

The tail is located opposite of the rotor. It tracks the direction of the wind.

The tower raises the turbine, rotor, and tail up to the air to receive the most amount of wind possible.

The governor is the mechanism that controls the production of energy. This is like the transformer you can see on electric posts.

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Solar power

Houses that are built under the sun will compensate on the free solar energy.

There are 6 main advantages of installing solar panels on your roof.

1. Solar panels are lightweight, safe and most of all, easy to install. These are essential in order to place them above your roof.

2. The roof is also susceptible to UV exposure. The solar panel eliminates this. Your roof will also be protected from the weather.

3. Solar panel contributes to keeping your house well insulated. They provide extra covering and enable you to save as much as 30% on heating expenses.

4. Drilling holes in your roof is very risky. The interlocking solar panels eliminate this risk.

5. Solar panel design is perfect on any roof type and size. In other words, you can get the perfect solar panel no matter what the size and shape of your roof is.

6. Solar panels are installed without requiring you to modify your roof. It will adapt instantly.

Solar power will tremendously help you cut down the cost of your electric bill. If you think you are in for this investment and if you think your location is most suited to have this, then the choice is fully yours.

Cleansing Liver - HERBAL TEAS Recharge Your Body

Herbal tea (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When spring comes it is time for a liver cleanse.  This is a good time to rejuvenate the liver for the coming year of work.  One good way to cleanse the liver is to use herbal teas. 

 They are easy to use and they provide a powerful punch to reawaken the liver.

Here is a herbal formulation for the liver provided by Brigitte Mars (herbalist in Colorado) called "Puri-Tea" which consist of:

· Peppermint, red clover, fennel, licorice

· cleavers, dandelion, oregon grape root, burdock root

· butternut bark, chickweed, parsley root, nettles.

Another liver herbal tea is:

· Fennel Seed (1 part), Fenugreek (1 part)

· Flax Seed (1 part), Licorice Root (1/4 part)

· Burdock (1/4 part), Peppermint (1 part).

Here's another herbal combination that is good for detoxifying and cleansing the liver:

· Yellow Dock root, Dandelion root, Licorice root

· Red sage, Sarsaparilla, Hyssop 

· Pau de Arco, Milk Thistle Seed, Parsley leaf. 

Here's something else you can do for you liver.  Buy an extract of Milk Thistle Seed. Then when you make the liver tea's list here, add 2-3 full droppers of the Milk Thistle Seed extract to the tea.

Here are the effects of some of the herbs listed above.

· fennel seed - white cell formation, acid/alkaline balancing 

· peppermint - body cleanser and toner 

· red clover - blood purifier 

· licorice - adrenal stimulation 

· cleavers - anti-infection 

· dandelion - cleansing and strengthening 

· oregon grape root - cleansing, building 

· burdock root - purifying 

· nettles - rich in minerals 

· chickweed - 

· fenugreek - helps to eliminate toxins and mucus 

· yellow dock root - cleansing, white cell formation 

· pau de arco - cleansing, white cell formation 

· milk thistle seed - cleansing, building 

You can make these teas yourself or look for a ready made one at a health food store. What I do is buy a 1/2 or 1 oz of each herb. Then I mix one full tablespoon of each herb into a mason jar. Shake it up and its ready to go.

Preparing the tea

Boil 1 1/4 cup of distilled water in a glass container. Add 1 heaping tablespoon of herbal mixture. Let tea sit for 10-15 minutes. Strain and drink when it cools down a little.

Drink one cup of tea before breakfast and one before dinner for about 1-2 months.

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CELTIC Motherhood Symbol

In Celtic tradition matrilineal or ancestry was surprisingly passed down through the mother’s line and not through the father. In light of this, the most important male in the family would be considered the oldest kin or relative of the mother, perhaps an uncle rather than a grandfather as there may not have existed a lineage to her through a grandfather. Any important bloodline in this culture would have come through the Celtic mother and this tie to the mother was so tight that her sister’s children would have been considered siblings to her own children instead of cousins.

Celtic motherhood demanded the utmost reverence and admiration and in fact, rape was considered a crime of the absolute highest severity. Rape was not pardonable and the punishment meted out was very serious and afforded absolutely no leniency.

The land was owned communally and wealth was dependent on the size of their cattle herds. Women were considered equal to men and were allowed to own their own property, choose their own husbands and go to war. In fact, Celtic women were allowed to divorce and gain their husband's property if he was unable to perform his marital duties.

With this in mind, the Celts had their own form of child-rearing, they left it to someone else to do and many of their offspring were in fact raised by foster parents.

Celtic traditions and Mother Goddesses

Celtic traditions can be traced as far back as 3,000 years and today many people are becoming more and more attracted to them. Celtic traditions are steeped and grounded in harmony with nature and the environment, something many New Age advocates practice today and it is with thanks to these ecologically aware people who are in tune with nature that the ancient Celtic traditions are being shared and kept alive. In fact, the only way traditions can die or be forgotten is if people cease to honor and practice them.

The Mother Goddess is a common feature in Celtic religion and many dedications remain on record that shows Celtic mothers either as a single entity or in groups of three often holding a cornucopia of fruit. Women were also depicted as full breasted figures who were nursing infants.

Mother Goddesses were used as symbols of creativity, birth, fertility, and nurturing, sexual union or even sovereignty while at other times they can be seen depicting punishment. Their children can also be seen as either helpful to the community or dangerous and the circumstances of their birth may have lead to curses or hardship.

However, while many mother goddesses fulfill roles in the symbolism of the Celts, they aren’t limited to motherhood only. Quite often tales about them mention their having had children in passing only, so motherhood cannot be seen as being a central facet of their identity. In Celtic symbolism, Mother Goddesses were also Goddesses of warfare, healing, and crafts.

Celtic Motherhood Symbols

One of the well-known symbols is the Celtic knot motherhood which has the appearance of two hearts one of which is lower than the other and both hearts are intertwined into one unbroken knot. If children were added to the symbol they were represented by dots, one per child which were placed anywhere either inside or outside the motherhood symbol.

Another Celtic Motherhood symbol is the Triple Mother Goddess symbol also known in ancient Britain as “Matres Domesticae”. This symbol does not depict one goddess but three feminine forces combined to make the mother goddess symbol. Three was a number that held mystical significance for the Celts as they believed that the trinity of these figures held powerful magic.

This Celtic Triple Mother Goddess shows the trinity holding symbols from the harvest or from the hunt, in a more tame state; this is a figure of a good harvest and health. The Triple Mother Goddess symbol also symbolizes the three stages of life, representing crone, mother and maiden and their coming together signified the power of unity.

The triple Mother Goddess symbol is considered to be a significant Celtic symbol of motherhood as the Celts believed that the mother goddess is the highest symbol of the child-mother relationship.

About the Author: Tim Lazaro - Tim Lazaro is a Celtic Symbols enthusiast. -  Articles Source: EzineMark.com Celtic Motherhood Symbol

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SOLAR HOME ENERGY: What is it for?

Solar energy—this term basically does not cause a stirring in the mind as the explanation that comes at hand is indeed too simple. Everyone knows what is meant by solar energy, and that is, the energy that comes from the sun. In its most basic sense, solar energy and other solar home equipment are nonetheless environment-friendly and not risky at all. But then you need not become one fine environmentalist first before you will be able to come across with whatever advantageous benefit solar home energy has. 

Flipped version of MIT Solar One House
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Why is the solar home energy said to be environment-friendly? What are its general benefits? Practically speaking, when solar home energy is used, the electrical bills tremendously go down as compared to the other type of home energy available for all people. Why would you pay for such expensive bills when all you need to do is to employ solar home energy? 

Another major advantage of the solar home energy is the absence of the very complicated and dangerous wiring. Solar energy lights in the garden path or any other solar energy-powered items used in your home are ready to be installed less the wiring to be dealt with. In reality, these solar light bulbs are equipped with darkness sensors so they need not be turned on to give off the light and they need not be turned off as well when they are no longer needed. 

As a sort of simple explanation, the solar light bulbs will simply have to be purchased, taken out of the boxes, installed, and then presto! You just have to situate them where you want them to be and never worry about them ever again.

A List of the Benefits of Solar home Energy

Why is the solar home energy equally beneficial? Why is it more recommended for use? Here are some of its benefits which are truly worth the attention to be graced by anyone:

Solar home energy is environmentally friendly. As mentioned a while ago, solar home energy will not harm the environmental features. It is specifically clean and renewable as well. More so, it does not cause pollution just like what the rest of the traditional electrical forms do.

Solar home energy systems need the least maintenance. They are not fuel-powered so no need to buy the refills. 

Solar home energy makes you save a lot of money. The energy that is derived from the sun can be accessed for free as you make use of solar lights, solar panels, and the likes. The federal government most of the time gives out financial incentives. You don’t get affected by the rise of the fuel rates since you are using solar home energy.

Making use of the solar home energy makes you entirely independent from the foreign and centralized energy sources. Power outages will not likely affect you in any manner.

Most of the solar energy items are very easy to install thus lessening the complicated work of the wiring systems. 

Some Common Disadvantages of the Solar Home Energy

Of course, the disadvantages will not be taken aside. Here are some of the most common disadvantages of the solar home energy:

The employment of a solar home energy can be expensive at first. But as time passes by, it becomes a light to the pocket.

The strength of the solar home energy will relatively depend on the location of your home in relation with its facing to the sun. Also, the area of your home is another point to consider. You will need large areas to install the solar panels.

The Various Solar Energy Items

There are lots of solar energy devices that you may opt to buy. Included are the solar flashlights, solar heaters, car ventilators, solar video cameras, solar radios, solar pool purifier, solar mosquito inhibitor, solar lighting, and solar fountain pumps.

What You Must Do

Back in the earlier years, solar energy powered devices were very costly that very few homeowners made use of the solar home energy. But these days, small volumes of solar energy devices are put up for sale, therefore, making it affordable for all. If you don’t have enough money to fund these items you can always start small. 

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RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS Treated with Alternative Medicine

If you have rheumatoid arthritis you may have often thought about seeking an alternative health practitioner, but have not known how to approach the matter. You may be considering alternative medicine now for your arthritis because you have been treated unsuccessfully for years by conventional medicine.

Rheumatic Arthritis - Photo  by    handarmdoc (cc)

Having been treated for rheumatoid arthritis over a lengthy period your condition may be rather advanced, that is not to say that alternative medicine would be unable to treat it, but rather the treatment would be slow and steady in order to avoid any aggravation of your arthritis.

Unfortunately, patients often expect fast results from their chosen alternative practitioner, however, this will most certainly not be the case, for years of taking prescription drugs will have more than likely left you in a debilitated condition.Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with prescription drugs fails to treat the cause of your disease, it only treats symptoms, this results in suppression, and you spend the rest of your life with intermittent flare-ups and exacerbations of your disease with no cure ever in sight.

Rheumatoid arthritis is considered to be an auto-immune disease, with an unknown cause. This diagnosis rather absolves you of all responsibility for your disease, having received your diagnosis you then proceed unquestioningly to commence a regime of potent drugs for your rheumatoid arthritis without doing any research on the disease yourself.

Have you ever asked why your immune system has decided to attack you, rather than protect you? If you gave this some serious thought you might decide to make some lifestyle changes in order to help your immune system regain its innate intelligence. You may ask what lifestyle changes you might have to make in order to regain your health. Basically, there really is only one change, and that is your diet. The answer is simple, eat fresh organic fruits and vegetables, eliminate fast foods, highly processed foods, aspartame, MSG, saturated fats, refined carbohydrates, cigarettes, alcohol, diet sodas, and all other sodas.

If you would prefer to keep your rheumatoid arthritis, your junk diet and prescription drugs then that’s your choice and you will undoubtedly pay for your choice with lifelong sickness. However, if you make the effort to change your diet you will reap the benefits, and you will be richly rewarded with vibrant health.

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About Guru - The Liberator

Life is a mystery. The cosmos is a mystery. What are its boundaries? If it is an expanding universe, where does it expand to? What is beyond it. Some of the stars are millions of light years away from us. What an unimaginable distance! What is there in the cosmos? Who made it? When did it form? What was there, before it was formed?

Who are we? Am I a body with a name? Then how do some people have good luck and some bad? Why do some children get cancer at a very young age and some people with all the bad habits live a healthy life for a long time? What are we destined to do on this earth? Where did we come from and where shall we go?

Photo by Wonderlane

Why there is so much misery in the world? Why do we love some people and hate some? What is that, which will satisfy us? What is the objective of human life? There are so many questions in our minds. Every religion has its own theory and its own explanation. In India, it is considered that The Guru is the only one who can answer all these questions.

Who is Guru? According to Indian scriptures, Guru is God in a human body. He comes on this earth to liberate followers. A Guru is not to be confused with people who write well or speak well about Indian mythology and philosophy. They might be called as learned persons or good speakers or good writers of books. But none of them is The Guru.

The west is getting attracted to Hinduism. Many branches of Hinduism including Yoga are becoming very popular in the west. Many people travel from India to the west to lecture upon Hinduism and scriptures of India, and many people call them as Gurus. That is a wrong use of word Guru. Guru is very mysterious.

How to know that someone is Guru? After coming in contact with Guru, you must feel a change that is life-altering. The change is not something like – I feel good, or I feel peaceful. But Guru brings about changes that can never be explained by you to others. If anytime, you come across Guru, you will know by these changes and then over a period of time, The Guru will reveal his/her identity to you. That depends on his/her wish.

No one should take every saint in India as Guru. There are very few in the world. According to Indian scriptures, only if you have collected a lot of good karma, do you get Guru. I can only make one statement. The experience of the power of Guru is very different than anything else. And in the beginning, the experience may be very painful rather than pleasant. But the end is pure bliss.

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Great Philosophers - PLATO (about 428 - 347 BC)

Great Philosophers - PLATO (about 428 - 347 BC)

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Traveling Alternative Roads: Other Options for HEALTH CARE

Health insurance can be expensive if you are not lucky enough to have it provided by your employer. Even shopping around for the best quotes may not be within your budget. Luckily there are alternatives to health insurance that you can take advantage of so that you and your family will be safe even if an emergency situation comes up. You can apply for the prescription discount card program, which is a low monthly cost and works at most of the of corporation drug stores that we all use. There are also programs that give you health care but are not considered “health insurance”.

Photo by Internet Archive Book Images

The prescription discount card is great for anyone who has regular prescriptions that need to be filled over a long period of time. The cost of prescriptions without insurance is high and always rising. If you cannot afford health insurance, there is no way that buying these full priced prescriptions will come without difficulty. You can enroll in a discount card program on the Internet or you can call around to try and find one locally. The reported savings for each person is estimated to be at least 50%, and some programs will enroll you for under $5 a month.

Health care programs are another popular alternative to expensive health insurance. BeniCard, for example, is a highly acclaimed health care program, and for a small monthly fee, you can have your immediate family covered. You will not be turned down because there is no limit to who is eligible, even if you have a pre-existing condition. It is not health insurance, but you will be able to save money on doctor visits, vision and hearing care, dental services, and prescription drugs. This is just one of the programs that can help you if you cannot get health insurance due to expense or because you have been turned down due to an illness.

No one should go without health care of some sort. Prescriptions are extremely costly without insurance, and if you or someone in your family has an emergency health situation, you could be left with a large debt for years. Insurance companies are hesitant to accept anyone with a pre-existing illness because it will definitely cost them plenty of money. For anyone who has been turned down for health insurance or simply cannot afford to pay a deductible, health care programs and prescription discounts are a low-cost alternative that could save you money.

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The Emerald BUDDHA

The Emerald Buddha is a figurine of a sitting Budha, that is the is the palladium of the Kingdom of Thailand. The Buddha is made of green jade, surprisingly not of emerald, clothed in gold is approximately 45 cm tall. The Buddha is kept in the Chapel of the Emerald Buddha, which is located on the grounds of the Grand Palace in Bangkok.

Photo: Wikimedia

Legend tells that that the Emerald Buddha was created in Pataliputra, India, which is now the city of Patna in 43 BCE by Nagasena. Other great historians believe that it belongs to the Chiang Saen Style of the 15th century. The legend says that it remained in Pataliputra for 300 hundred years until it was taken to Sri Lanka to save it from a civil war. It was then in 457, that King Anuruth of Burma sent out orders to Ceylon to ask for the Emerald Budha and Buddhist scriptures. These actions took place by the king, to try and support Buddhism in his country. This request was granted, however, the ship that was bringing the Buddha to Burma became lost in a storm and ended up in Cambodia. The Buddha made its way through several hands after that: Ayutthaya, Kamphaeng Phet, Lao and finally Chiang Rai. It was finally in Chiang Rai that the ruler of the city hid it.

It wasn't until 1434 that sources indicate the resurfacing of the statue in Northern Thailand. There is one story about the discovery: "lightning struck a pagoda in a temple in Chiang Rai, after which something became visible under the stucco. The Emerald Buddha was dug out and the people thought the figurine was made from emerald, hence its current name."

Although the Buddha is just a simple jade statue, it is dressed in garments that are made of fine gold. The Buddha's clothing is changed by the King of Thailand, to celebrate the changing of seasons. This occurs three times a year:  1st Waning of Lunar Month 4, 8 and 12

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ALOE VERA and Cancer

Bud of aloe vera flowers
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As I earlier said that nature always has a cure for the diseases it creates. And one such recently discovered natural cure of cancer is found in Aloe Vera. Aloe Vera is plant grown in the African countries and is known for centuries to counter a million diseases including cancer.

You have 200 different types of cell in your body, which usually all life, grow and multiply in harmony. For example, you always have just the right number of liver cells and white blood cells because there are many different signals that control how much and how often your cells divide. If any of these signals are faulty or missing, a cell may start to grow and multiply too much - the beginning of cancer. This can happen in almost any type of cell, anywhere in your body. That's why there are many types of cancer like breast cancer, cervix cancer, etc, each word refers to the place where the uncontrolled growth has taken place.

We don't need to discuss cancer here, as most of you reading this article are already suffering or have a kin who is suffering from cancer. What we need to discuss is the natural cure for cancer that is Aloe Vera and how it can cure cancer.

It is clear from research conducted throughout the world over the past thirty years that Aloe vera and, in particular, certain specific substances in the plant - have very dramatic and impressive anti-cancer effects. Aloe Vera has been demonstrated to enhance the immune system's response to cancer, promote the growth of new and healthy cells, and reduce the overall viral load within the body thereby revitalizing the body in its fight against cancer.

Research has shown that Aloe vera use can double the number of both "killer" and "helper" T-cells within three weeks and at the same time reduce the P-24 core antigen - the overall indicator of viral load in the body. Interferon and interleukin production is stimulated, attacking cancer and viruses in the body. Lectins and emodines are two anti-tumor chemicals in Aloe vera which, along with an increase in the tumor necrosis factor brought about by Aloe vera, begin to destroy malignant cancer tumors.

So..less tumors mean less cancer. It said that the body is always fighting with cancer tumors, but these are miniatures and have no effect on the body. This means that everyone around suffers from mild cancer. But it is only when these cells multiply uncontrollably its called cancer.

You can consume Aloe Vera as a juice extracted from the leaf of the plant, but the recommended method is to take in aloe vera supplements. You can consider taking Aloe Vera supplements.

By Vishal K Singh - Article Directory: EzineArticles

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Related articles

• Absolute Beginner's Guide To Growing Your Own Aloe Vera(thesleuthjournal.com)

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• 6 House Plants That Can Dramatically Improve Your Health(ecowatch.com)

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BARBIE DOLLS – Where Did They Come From?

Dear Santa, Please can I have a Barbie doll for Christmas?

Photo: Pixabay

Barbie dolls have probably been on Christmas wish lists for several generations of girls. In fact, Barbie has become a household name for many years. Who created the first concept of the Barbie doll?

The story started with the birth of Ruth Mosko in Denver Colorado in 1916. Ruth married Elliot Handler in 1938. Elliot Handler and his business partner Harold ‘Matt” Matson formed the company Mattel. The name was created by a combination of their names ‘Matt-Ell”. Mattel originally manufactured picture frames, but after making dolls furniture from scraps decided to focus on toy manufacturing for which Mattel is now famous.

Ruth Handler noticed that her young daughter Barbara was more interested in playing with adult dolls, then the baby dolls that were available at that time. While traveling in Europe she saw a German doll called ‘Lilli’ which she bought for her daughter. The original ‘Lilli’ doll was not a children’s toy, but a joke style gift for men.

Mattel bought the marketing rights for ‘Lilli’. They changed the doll’s name to Barbie, named after Ruth’s daughter Barbara. Barbie was first released for sale in the United States in 1959 and became a hot seller. Barbie’s boyfriend ‘Ken’ was introduced in 1960. Ken was named after Ruth’s son Kenneth.

The Barbie doll was first displayed at the New York International American Toy Fair on March 9, 1959. This date became Barbie’s official birthday.There is now a fictional biography of the life of ‘Barbie’ with additional family and friends created and sold as separate dolls.

By Barbara White

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ACUPUNCTURE for Pain Relief

Acupuncture doll.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It's amazing the number of people who live with pain on a regular basis.  For some people, the pain is something that they simply live with but it does not alter their life necessarily.  For others, the pain gets quite intense and they have to live around the pain instead of simply incorporating it into their lifestyle.  One thing that almost all pain has in common, however, is an imbalance that exists in our body.  If we were to bring our body back into line with where it should be, most of the pain that we feel would stop happening.

Although there are many different ways for people to deal with pain that range from prescription medications to therapeutic exercise, one way that is often overlooked is acupuncture.  The fact is, acupuncture is able to help with pain in a lot of different ways and to help individuals to get over pain or to be able to reduce it so that it is easily manageable.  How is acupuncture able to do this?  It does this by bringing our body back into balance with where it should be.

Acupuncture has been practiced for thousands of years in Asia and is now becoming very popular in the Western world.  It is based on the principle that we all have an energy which is referred to as Chi.  It is a balanced energy that exists in between two extremes, the negative and positive.  If all things in our body or balanced, according to these theories, then we can enjoy good health.  Acupuncture is a way of manipulating the energy that flows through our body and brings us back into a balanced state.

What kind of pain can be controlled by acupuncture?  People actually visit acupuncturists for a wide variety of pain that includes lower back pain, headaches, arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome.  It is also very common for people to visit the doctor before and after surgery for additional pain management.  So not only is acupuncture good for the relief of pain, it also may help with the prevention of pain as well.

As acupuncture continues to grow a popularity and additional testing helps to prove what it can do for us, more people will use these treatments in order to deal with their ill health.  By bringing us back into a balanced state naturally, acupuncture is able to allow us to heal from the inside out.

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Discovering Dragon Reiki

When it comes to spiritual healing, Dragon Reiki is considered as one of the most popular forms there is. This is because many people who have tried it believe that this kind of Reiki is very effective and powerful in terms of calming the person's emotional upheavals that cause great stress. 

Unlike the traditional Reiki-which is practiced only to bring the feeling of serenity and peacefulness in a person-dragon Reiki is preferred by more and more people especially those who are suffering from terminal illnesses. This is because many patients believe that because of the powerful life energy force that is awakened in during a session, it gives the patient more will and optimism to live and get well.

Dragon - Photo   by   Fresco Umbiatore (cc)

Because of the effectivity of dragon in healing people who suffer from major illnesses, this has been practiced in many medical institutions just like clinics and hospitals. In fact, more and more hospitals are offering dragon Reiki as a part of the overall treatment process because the doctors themselves believe that this fuels the hope and positivism of the patient. 

Just like the traditional practice of Reiki, dragon Reiki was discovered and originated in Japan. But, in order to veer away from the confines of the traditional practice, various Reiki masters opted to conduct further studies away from its origin country to make it more versatile, effective, and powerful.

These Reiki masters traveled all parts of the world and search for practices and concepts that can improve the dragon Reiki healing. One of the countries where Reiki masters stayed for a long time in studying this art of healing is China. 

Being a country-where various traditional and alternative healing were existent-Reiki masters discovered that people in this country could help them in improving this art of healing. The country is also advantageous for Reiki masters because the Chinese tradition believed that an effective spiritual healing could be derived from the sanctity of the dragon.

Believing that that 'dragon" can be a strong link in healing a person's spirit because of its innate connection with nature, any people in China adopted the concept of the healing process.

True enough, more and more Chinese people were into dragon Reiki as a healing form and spread the word to the rest of the country. In a matter of years, dragon Reiki became one of the most opted and popular forms of spiritual healing in all parts of the country. 

Healing through dragon Reiki 

Since it has stemmed from the traditional Reiki, which uses the person's innate life energy force, dragon Reiki also makes use of this invisible force-only, it focuses on the person's balanced spirituality. Dragon Reiki masters say that a person can be healed through this form of healing if they can develop the ability to bring forth their emotional and physical life forces. 

To be able to be healed, people must have a proper balance of spirituality to be able to awaken the positivism in them. When a person achieves this balance in spirit, he/she can live life to its fullest extent-stress free and content. 

What sets dragon Reiki from the other types is that it aims to heal not only the person's body and emotions but also nurtures his or her spirituality-opening newer and larger horizons for change and growth.

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Using HERBS to Relieve Hemorrhoids - Aloe Vera, Bilberry and Butcher"s Broom

To relieve hemorrhoids first look for ways to get your bowels moving easier and more frequently so they produce softer stools. I have suggested ways, in other articles, to do this by changing your diet.

Any straining and puffing you do to push hard or even soft stools out during a bowel movement will aggravate your hemorrhoids and can lead to bleeding and pain.

Photo by rabiem22 (cc)

When completing a bowel movement, make sure you are using the softest tissue available so that when you clean yourself you don’t scrape or aggravate your hemorrhoids. You can also use a pre-moisten tissue. Just make sure that the tissue you use is not colored or scented because these chemical additives can aggravate your hemorrhoids. You may have to take a shower a couple times a day to keep your rectum area clean.

Here are three natural remedies that you can use to aid in eliminating your hemorrhoids.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera gel is an astringent that helps to heal open wounds. It is useful in hemorrhoids by applying the gel directly onto your anus. The best type of gel for this is directly from the aloe plant. If you don’t have one, then 100% organic whole leaf aloe gel is second best. You can get this organic aloe at a health food or nutrition store.

If you have a fresh plant, wash a leaf thoroughly with distilled water. Peel it on one side, bend it with the peeled side outward, and slip it into your anus. This will provide you with pain relief and reduce your hemorrhoid bleeding. Just trim down the leaf so it slides into your anus easily.

Aloe Vera juice, that you drink, is also good for hemorrhoids. It helps to soften your stools and to activate peristaltic action. If you like aloe juice, then drink around 1/2 a cup of Aloe Vera juice three time a day.

You can add 1/4 or 1/3 part aloe juice to a cup of apple juice to make the taste easier to handle. To make this aloe-apple juice more effective, add 10 drops of barberry extract.

Barberry is an astringent for blood vessel congestion along the colon and rectum. It will improve blood circulation; it stimulates the immune system to resist disease, and will tone body tissues. It also is capable of stopping bleeding hemorrhoids.

Photo by Eskling (cc)

Bilberry

Bilberry’s active ingredients are flavanoids. Bilberry contains chemical called “anthocyanosides.” This fruit like herb has been used in Europe for a long time. In clinical studies, it has shown to be effective in treating weak capillaries by strengthening their walls.

Buy the 25% standardized formula and take 100 mg three times a day of bilberry. Bilberry will give you hemorrhoid relief.

Photo by gailhampshire (cc)

Butcher’s Broom

Butcher’s broom, an evergreen bush, has a history of being used for varicose veins and hemorrhoids. As an extract, it contains “ruscogenins”, which can narrow blood vessels and decrease their inflammation and swelling. It strengthens and tones veins and capillary walls. Take 100 mg of butcher’s broom three times a day. Use the type that has 9-11% ruscogenins.

Now you can use either of the three herbal remedies for hemorrhoid relief. If one is not working to good, try the other. Once you have gotten the hemorrhoid relief that you want stop using the herbal remedy.

Article Directory: EzineArticles

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The Whole Truth About ACNE Medication

Acne vulgaris (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Most people will suffer from acne at some point in their life. Everyone's skin condition and chemistry are different so there can be no set remedy to prevent or clear existing acne. The good news is that it can be treatable. People make the mistake of letting it run its course, thinking they will outgrow it. Sometimes that is just not good enough. 

With so many acne medications available over-the-counter or by prescription, it can be frustrating finding one that works. But something out there will work for you if you just keep trying. If you find that you are getting nowhere with your acne, try finding something more specific to your skin type.

Common over-the-counter (OTC) acne medications available are Stri-dex, Clearasil, Oxy, Neutrogena On-the-Spot, Cetaphil, and Persa-Gel 10. These can be found in most drug and grocery stores. The prices may vary ($4-$14) but price does not necessarily mean it will work the best on your acne. There is also a variety in the form of the medication, such as gels, lotions, creams, and medicated pads. The form of the acne medication does not usually affect how well it treats your skin. Do not be discouraged if a product that you try makes your acne worse. Sometimes we must take a step back to make progress. Make a note of the ingredients in what you used and, in the future, only use medicines that do not contain any or much of this. You should always read the labels before purchasing a product. You wouldn't order a dish at a restaurant if you didn't know what was in it, would you? If your skin is oily, then you may choose to purchase something that is especially for treating oily skin.

If your skin is too sensitive for OTC acne medications that you have tried, then perhaps you should consult a Dermatologist. Some forms of acne can not be treated without a prescription. The doctor may prescribe an oral antibiotic instead of a topical acne medication for severe cases. These are commonly used to decrease inflammation that can contribute to acne. 

Topical prescription acne medication for severe cases of acne usually contains retinoids. Retinoids prevent blackheads and whiteheads, while un-clogging your pores. The downside to this is that you could have increased sensitivity to the sun or develop an irritation. It is possible for fine lines and wrinkles to be reduced with this treatment, which is a bonus advantage to having younger and healthier looking skin.

In addition to typical acne medication options, there are some home remedies include treating with Hydrogen Peroxide, toothpaste, or diluted alcohol. If you experiment with these, you may end up with a cheap solution to your acne. Peroxide could speed up the healing process of existing acne. It kills germs to drastically reduce inflammation. Toothpaste can be applied lightly on spots that appear before the actual acne has formed. Usually, this is left on overnight and washed off in the morning. It dries up excess oils that can contribute to the formation of acne. Pure alcohol should never be applied to the skin. However, if you dilute it half with water to gently wash your face, you can dry up excess oils without completely drying out your skin.

Acne is a common problem and getting treated is nothing to be ashamed of. No one should have to live with the embarrassment of acne. There is an effective method out there for you, as long as you are willing to take the time to find it.

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