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You’ve probably heard the statistics and maybe turn the TV off more, yet what are you really doing to counteract all he non-supportive and negative programming you’re exposed to every day?

Experts agree on average you’re hit with 25,000 advertising messages a day, from TV and movie commercials to product placement to e-mails to bilboards to radio spots to popups and web site ads to T-shirts and caps people wear to direct mail to newspaper ads to display ads on buses and park benches to even ad wraps on cars…. we’re awash in ads. Whew that’s a mouthful, yet it only scratches the surface, as you know.

That would be OK if all these messages were just telling you what’s available and if it’s something you want, you can buy it or get more information on it. Except these advertisers know how busy you are and in many cases don’t care about or respect you, they just want the almighty dollar - so they compete for your attention by scaring you, or worse, doing everything they can to make you feel inadequate the way you are.

(If you have any doubt about what I’m saying, critically watch TV for 20 or 30 minutes and don’t so much pay attention to what they say, watch in particular the visual message they’re subliminally spreading…. “If you’re not as beautiful and thin and sexy and stunning as this model who altered her body to look like this, there’s something wrong with you and you need to take these pills, apply this ointment, use this potion, get this treatment and have this surgery for people to like you.”)

That’s not really much of an exaggeration, although it goes much deeper than that, because the media itself competes harshly to get you in front of the screen to watch those ads (they do call it TV programming for a reason, you know). And they get you glued to the sets by doing everything they can to shock you, scare you, alarm you, make you think you’re unknowingly doing something harmful or in imminent danger, or that the food you’re eating is unsafe, your neighbor is unsafe, your car is unsafe… in other words, taking away your security and quite literally programming you with scarcity/fear/lack.

All these things of course have profound negative consequences, for example one study revealed that 90 percent of women surveyed admitted having issues with low self-esteem, and I bet if men were surveyed too, the numbers would be similar.

All this negative programming - I call it ‘radiation’ - going into people, it can only have harmful effects. And if you look at the average person, he or she is under a lot of stress, pretty much exhausted, not eating well, fairly unfulfilled and generally unhappy.

That’s not how anyone’s supposed to live. In fact, each of us are meant to be happy, confident, secure, loving and loved, in good health, at peace and in balance, and fulfilled. And we’re meant to have as much money, job-satisfaction, free time and all the finer things that we desire.

All that you want you are meant to have. And in fact it’s your responsibility and obligation to have it, because our strong desires come from deep within us for the sole purpose of being expressed and reflected in our lives.

So let me ask you again, what are you consciously doing to counteract the 25,000 non-supportive and even destructive messages you’re being bombarded with each day?

This is obviously an important question because this is your life we’re talking about here, and if you’re not right now as happy, successful, wealthy and fulfilled as you’d like to be, then this negative programming has taken its toll on you and has at least up until now limited, blocked or prevented you from having the life you’re meant to have.

I strongly suggest that you do what it takes - beginning right now - to change that.

First of all, turn off the TV. You’ll be far better off not being “caught up in the drama” that only brings you down and causes you to have more anxiety and fear.

Second of all, look at the advertising critically. For example next time you’re buying groceries and see all the 102 pound cover women (they’re not really girls, although society calls them that, as an even more subtle aspect of this programming) - ask yourself when’s the last time you really saw anyone who looked like that. Is it realistic to hold that as the ideal, if it’s something unattainable? Would it really make sense for you to invest your self-image in that ideal, or would it make more sense for you to love yourself the way you are and love your partner the way he or she is, too, and focusing instead of on the superficial things, on the qualities about yourself and your partner that truly matter?

Ask yourself questions continuously about the things you’re feeding your mind with - does this truly support my goals, wants, desires and needs, or would I be better off shifting my focus on something which would better serve me?

And then keep in mind that it’s really just a numbers game. Last night I was almost shocked when I did the calculation - did you realized that over the course of just one year, the 25,000 negative messages a day adds up to 9,125,000. How many have you been unconsciously exposed to over the last 10 years? 20 years? Your whole life?

So even beyond minimizing and critically examining the messages you’re consciously aware of, I also believe you need to directly counteract the non-supportive programming with your own positive, empowering programming.

For example, I’m using my computer most of the day, and I have a Custom Subliminal Software feeding my mind with positive messages once a second, or 60 times a minute, which comes out to 3,600 times an hour. Knowing you’ve already unknowingly ingested 9,125,000 negative, disempowering messages over just the last year, you get the sense of how powerful it would be to counteract that, for example by using your favorite subliminal software. By flashing an empowering message once a second for 10 hours a day, that 36,000 messages a day adds up to 13,140,000 messages over the course of a year - far more than offsetting the negative programming.

And if you eliminate two-thirds of the negative stuff, you can only imagine how much more successful, happy - positive - and fulfilled you’ll be as a result.

Keep that in mind, as you’re creating a better life for yourself!

Dan Klatt, “Think and Grow Rich Guy”, just released “The Subliminal Master Key” System at http://KeySubliminal.com - Custom Subliminal Software, 2 audios, reports, Creating *The Best* Affirmations for *YOU* Workshop. Also see “The Carnegie Secret Wealth Package” at http://TheCarnegieSecret.com

When you avail yourself of the creative force of the universe, you can solve any problem, step out of any dilemma, and resolve any conflict. The creative force is invincible. It can easily cut through any Gordian knot. What is infuriating and baffling to the mind, it considers child’s play.

They are many levels this creative force works on. It can be an insight that arises from the depths of consciousness in the middle of the night. It can be a law of attraction practice such as visualization, affirmation, or creating a vision board that results in serendipidity or synchronicity. It can be a heart-felt prayer.

Ultimately, this creative force is consciousness itself, also known as super consciousness, quantum consciousness, the Self, the Atman, or God.

When we call upon this creative force, we realize the presence of an unsullied and pure consciousness within us that is omnipotent. It has not been affected in the least by all the peregrinations of your life. It is undismayed by the consistency of your errors. It stands ever willing to help you. It is the epitome of love and consideration. Your limitations are not its limitations. Your imaging of what is possible are not its shortcomings.

In any situation you find yourself in, it is possible to avail yourself of this force. Once you do, you have to let go of how your solution will manifest. Clinging to an outcome, clinging to your imagined sense of control, will prevent it from acting as surely as a dam wall can hold back the mighty power of a huge lake. The solution, when it comes, is always a surprise, and, ironically, it shows up in a very natural and easy way.

The creative force of the universe is the spiritual power within and around us. How we address it is a matter of personal preference. Our mentations about it are not important.
What is important is that we ask for what we want rather than suppress it.

Therefore, choosing to align with the creative force is also choosing to align with the spiritual path.

Those who align with the spiritual part are of four types:

Those who are ill in mind or body. They have tried all the conventional cures and nothing works. If they ask, they will receive.

Those who have a social problem. They are in the wrong relationship, keeping company with those who bring out their worst, or they are unable to earn enough money to meet all their needs. The spiritual path works well for those seeking to improve the quality of their lives.

Those who understand that the spiritual path is of supreme value. They seek deeper understanding of their own real nature and seek to be in tune with the highest level of consciousness. Those who seek, will find.

Finally, there are those who have discovered that they are more than their personalities, and more than their minds and bodies. They are in a state of awareness of their real nature as unlimited consciousness. They do not seek the spiritual path, or ask anything more of life. They epitomize spiritual wisdom. Spirit is their reality.

If you visualize and affirm, you will manifest what you desire. If you pray, your prayers will be answered. However you address the creative force of the universe, it will respond to you. However you comprehend the creative force of the universe, it will reveal itself more to you. When you open yourself up to it, it will guide you; it will be your friend, your ally, your protector, and your supporter. All you have to do is ask and be open to receive and everything in your life will fall perfectly into place.

Saleem Rana would love to share his inspiring ideas with you. Hunting everywhere for a life worth living? Discover the life of your dreams. His book, Never Ever Give Up is offered at no cost to stimulate your success. http://www.theempoweredsoul.com/enter.html

Is it possible to consciously choose to create a more satisfying life experience?

This seems like an innocent enough question that can be answered in the affirmative.
But it is actually a trick question. The reason why most people have only a few satisfying life experiences is because they are almost completely unconscious. They are operating on automatic, on subconscious programs that run quietly in the background, dictating their every move, pulling on their emotional strings, selecting their perceptions, and organizing their experiences around past hurts, fears, and insecurities.

Ironically, they think that they are conscious. Acting out in a crazy, self- and other-destructive way is not conscious. And it is only because of acting out on our drives that we are unconscious. Someone who is conscious does not let their drives dictate their thoughts, feelings, and actions. Instead, they choose the best possible options available to them based on what they currently know. A casual survey of people around you will quickly reveal that impulsive actions are the norm. Rationality takes a back seat to innate tendencies and urges.

The way to become conscious is to become aware.

Awareness is stepping back and looking at everything for the first time. It is pulling the subjective ego state out of the equation and making an attempt to see what is the way that it is.

Awareness is not simple. It is not something that you naturally snap into. And this is why spiritual disciplines like yoga, focusing on your breath, meditation, mindfulness, and so on exist and have the power to change your life for the better. The natural state for human beings is to be hypnotized by the onslaught of conditioning that began since birth.

Thus, the natural state for human beings is to be unnatural. It is to perceive through the lens of bias. It is to hear selectively. It is to act impulsively, regardless of consequences. It is to defend the ego from all possible threats while at the same time pretending to make a show of being open-minded, rational, and even objective.

Another way of describing this phenomenon is to say that the neocortex is used much less often than the mammalian or reptilian portions of the human brain. Yet it is only the highly-developed and functional neocortex which will inform our actions to choose the best possible experiences. The emotional brain and the instinctive brain take over the show.

Thus, if we desire to have more satisfying life experiences, we have to be present to the moment. This means that we have to be aware. We have to be cognizant of the environment. And we have to recognize our own subconscious programs trying to bubble up to the surface to take over our experience.

If you are aware enough, the past does not have to equal the future. You can, in fact, choose your ideal future and find ways to reach it. However, because most people are
not aware enough that the future happens to be a constant repetition of past patterns.
The weight of past experiences, because it is unexamined and therefore unconscious, has a stronger pull on them.

The way to create awareness is to take on the practice of some psychological or spiritual discipline which will train you to think in an original and creative way. Those who choose not to examine the past are condemned to repeat it.

Cultivating awareness is not easy, but there is nothing more worthwhile. The culmination of supreme awareness is enlightenment, the uncanny ability to be in a stream of constantly unfolding satisfying experiences.

Ultimately, it is a spiritual experience to be in charge of your own mind and direct it away from unconscious acting out to conscious deliberation. The culmination of this discipline is awareness. And the gift of awareness is connection with your own divine nature.

Saleem Rana would love to share his inspiring ideas with you. Hunting everywhere for a life worth living? Discover the life of your dreams. His book, Never Ever Give Up is offered at no cost to stimulate your success. http://www.theempoweredsoul.com/enter.html

Tarot cards date back to 1390 in France and a tarot deck has 78 cards. There are 22 cards in the major arcana and 56 cards in the minor arcana. The minor arcana consists of four suits which are the pentacles, wands, cups and swords. There are various spreads and many ways of reading the cards. Each tarot reader is slightly different. Some use their psychic abilities when doing a reading and others merely look at the cards and let the thoughts and imagery flow. The cards can usually convey their messages well.

Many readers do not use a signifier but others prefer to. It is a matter of personal choice and you might prefer to try reading both with and without, to see which method suits you the best.

A tarot Card signifier, also known as a significator, is one card chosen from the pack to represent the querent (person you are reading for). A signifier is almost always a court card (king, queen, knight or page) and represents the temperament, age and coloring of the person the reading is for.

Kings and queens are usually people over 36 who are, or have been, married. Knights are younger and Pages can represent children of either gender.

Another way of choosing a signifier is to match only the physical characteristics of the querent so, for example, the King of Pentacles could represent an older, dark-haired male. You could match the personality too. The Queen of Swords perhaps could represent an older female who is stubborn and has strong beliefs. Different readers use differing systems. Some use only physical characteristics, some only age and hair color and some have their own systems altogether. The tarot is a very personal thing so whatever card a tarot reader chooses to be your signifier, that is their choice and will produce the best reading from them. There is a lot of intuition involved in selecting signifiers. Sometimes one just feels right even if it has the wrong color of hair or is in the wrong age bracket. You should always go with hunches when it comes to reading the cards.

The good thing about using a signifier is that it guarantees the reading will be only about the person asking for it, as you focus on the signifier whilst performing the tarot reading. However, it does take one card from the tarot pack, which might otherwise have been in a key position with a message. For example, if in a reading you get the Page of Wands in a spread, that card can mean that there is a creative restlessness within the querent and it is time to begin a project. If you are using the Page of Wands as a signifier, that card will not be able to appear in the spread. Other cards can convey similar messages but that is one thing to bear in mind (unless you use a second tarot deck for the signifier cards).

There are reasons for and against the use of a signifier and it does very much depend on the reader and what he or she is comfortable with. Being comfortable and happy with the manner of the reading usually ensures the best results.

For more information concerning all aspects of Tarot cards visit http://www.all-tarot-cards.com offers.

One reason for introducing the principles of Feng Shui into the home is to bring luck to all who live there, so knowing how to get that luck is an important part of the process. It is also a lot of fun, and can make for some interesting decor that is sure to become conversation pieces when friends and family visit.

Many animals are considered lucky in Chinese culture, so consider them helpers around the house, bringing luck and financial success. Once you know where the major kuas areas related to money, love, career and suchlike are located in your home, you can add lucky animals to bring success and wealth.

1) Dragons bring good fortune and power, unless you were born under the sign of the Dog, which is the opposite of Dragon. Also bringing power and luck are Fu Dogs, which usually come in pairs and these should go on either side of a doorway, so they offer protection, too.

2) The whimsical Three-Legged Toad brings wealth and they are usually shown sitting next to stacks of gold coins so place one in a Wealth gua to bring money. If you are hoping to bring more happiness into your home, decorate with Bats. Two bats bring double happiness, so double up!

3) Cranes attract wisdom and long life, while Fish are extra lucky and they attract money and all sorts of success, and represent perseverance (after all, they swim upstream!)

4) For the best luck and prosperity, decorate with an elephant, especially one with its trunk raised. The elephant represents intelligence, strength and kindness. For that extra luck, get a statue that holds an ear of corn, which represents abundance.

5) One fine ritual for attracting luck to the home is to use a Dilbu bell to call Buddha and the other deities. The bell is balanced to harmonically create certain tones that call the outer world, usually done by rubbing it with a wooden stick. A Dorje is a representation of a lightning bolt which should be held in the right hand, symbolizing the masculine yang power, while the bell is held in the left hand, to represent the feminine power of profound wisdom. When both are used in a ceremony along with ritual prayer, they form a force of purity.

6) Many Chinese people swear by special wish boxes made of porcelain, clay or some other earth-based material. Place a wish, written on a piece of paper, inside the box, which has a mirror on the inside of the lid. Make a prayer or do a ritual to amplify the power of your wish, and then seal the box. Many wish boxes have Lucky Cats painted on the lid, shown with their paws raised to accept the good luck.

7) Another special luck ritual is done with three Chinese coins, the type with holes in the center. The coins are tied together with a red ribbon. The color red is a very lucky color. To attract good fortune and money, luck, place the three Chinese coins in a red envelope and carry with you in your pocket or handbag. If you are hoping for luck in business, tape the envelope under your desk or computer, or attach it to your cash register. This ritual brings money luck, and you should see results in no time!

The New Year is a time of transition, and many people find that it isa good time to use a luck ritual for the year ahead. Almost every culture has luck rituals for the New Year, in fact, including the Chinese.

Feng shui rituals include cleaning the home thoroughly to remove all dust and debris from the old year and getting them out of the home. Get rid of all the dust bunnies in corners and bits of debris under the couch. Old debts should be paid off whenever possible, to start the new year with a clean slate.

The beginning of any new year is also a great time to bring new objects into the home, such as appliances, linens, furniture, curtains and even clothes. You should do everything in your power to start the new year with a home that is free of old energy. But on New Year Day, do not sweep your floor as this would mean sweeping your new luck away! In many homes, brooms are hidden on the first day of the year, and no one should be allowed to sweep the floor!

Some other new year luck rituals are to bring mandarin oranges to friends and family when you visit (and you should receive oranges from them in return). Some families even have a New Year Eve reunion dinner so that the entire family can see out the old year together and, on Chinese New Year, the famous lion dance ritual is performed to bless homes and businesses with powerful energy. If you are opening a new business, it is always a good idea to bring in a lion dancing troupe on an auspicious day to kick start your new business!

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One of the more interesting accessories for a feng shui enthusiast to include in their home is the wealth vase, a vase filled with personal items that are precious to the owner, which is said to attract luck.

To make your own luck vase, find a beautiful and, preferably, valuable vase to hold your precious items. The vase can be made of earth elements or metal, although earth vases are more effective.

Earth vases can be made from porcelain, crystal or clay, while metal element vases can be made of copper, brass, silver, or gold.

If you are designing your vase to serve as an interesting decorative item, crystal will allow you to see the items inside the vase, but any of the above materials will do if you cannot afford a solid gold vase.

The best shape for a wealth vase is one with a wide opening that narrows to a more slender neck and then widens to a squat, sturdy body. This way, wealth energy can flow easily into the vase and then settle in the broader bottom of the vase, where it will remain and gather more wealth for years to come. The vase can be any size that you like. It must have a cover of some sort, preferably a matching lid of the same material.

To assemble your wealth vase, begin with the right attitude. Know that you are assembling your vase to bring prosperity to your family for many years to come. This is not a get-rich-quick spell, it is purely a wish for your entire family to accumulate wealth for a long time, and a desire for no member of your family to ever be poor. If you make your wealth vase with the right attitude, you are sending a signal to the universe to manifest your wishes for you! This method of making the wealth vase is very powerful.

The most essential ingredients should go into your vase first is the soil, food and then the symbols of prosperity. The soil should be placed in the bottom first, and if possible, it should be the soil from the garden of a wealthy person. This is especially lucky if you have received the soil as a gift. You want the good chi of a wealthy home in the bottom of the vase.

Next, add three, six or nine Chinese coins tied with red string. Then fill half of the vase with seven types of semi-precious stones, like amethyst, citrine, clear quartz, topaz, tiger’s eye, malachite, coral, lapis lazuli, sodalite, cornelian, jade, pearl, jasper, aquamarine, crystal, rose quartz, or turquoise.

The essential items for your wealth vase are:

a) A figure if a Wealth God (can be any Wealth God you feel an affinity with)

b) Five Gem Globes to signify wealth from all directions

c) Assorted crystal chips to signify wealth from the earth

d) Gold bars - contemporary symbols of wealth

e) Gold ingot - ancient symbols of wealth

f) Faux diamonds to signify the most precious treasures

g) Wish-fulfilling jewels to make all your aspirations manifest

h) 3 brass coins tied with red/gold string for current wealth

i) 9 emperor coins for wealth under all circumstances

j) Semi-precious stones for accumulation of assets

k) A lock coin to safeguard your wealth

l) I-ching coins to pacify all obstacles

m) Six smooth crystal balls for harmony in the family

n) 5 types of food to signify abundance

o) A Ru Yi to signify power and management of the household

Whatever you use to fill your vase, it should fill completely to the top. If there is still a gap at the top, fill it the rest if the way with semi-precious stones.

If you have used an earth element vase, place it in the southwest or northeast corner of your home. If you used a metal vase, place it in the west or northwest corner.

When your vase is finished you must close it and cover it with five colored cotton cloth (to signify the five elements) and tie it tight with five strings of five colors. It should be kept somewhere away from where others can see it, and never facing the front door, as this will drain the wealth luck from the vase. The best place to store your wealth vase is the inside of your cupboard in your own bedroom.

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The well known concept of yin and yang originated in Chinese metaphysics, and represents two opposing but complimentary forces, something that is found throughout all of nature.

Yin is often symbolized as water or earth, and is considered the receptive, feminine force.

Yang is symbolized by fire or wind, and is the creative, masculine opposite of Yin.

While opposites, they are not absolutes, thus nothing can exist without each, and neither is superior to the other, and you must find the right balance of yin and yang in your own life

There are many methods of guided meditations that can help you to find this balance. Through regular guided meditation, you can find that state of serene oneness that is the result of a good balance between yin and yang.

The following meditation can be recorded by you or a friend, and you can listen to it as a tool to help your meditation.

Take a breath and relax, becoming as comfortable as possible. Your clothes should be loose and comfortable, and all your muscles loose.

Take a deep breath. Close your eyes.

Listen to the sounds as they come to you, sounds such as the traffic, birds, voices out on the street. Do not focus on them, just let them be part of the world.

Listen to the sounds within your body. Your breathing, in and out, the beating of your heart.

Listen to all of those sounds, and turn them into a picture inside your mind. Visualize them as one joined sound, like the sound of the ocean. Imagine yourself floating in this ocean of being, and as you breathe, allow yourself to sink further into it with each breath.

Take a breath, and hold it. Slowly exhale, and allow yourself to travel deeper into your own being, deeper than your identity, deeper than your connections to the material world. Take a moment and feel centered and complete.

Realize that you have everything you need. Health, serenity, and love. In fact, you have enough love for yourself, your friends and your family. Send your love out to them now, knowing that they will feel it as you emanate love into the universe.

Examine all the good things that you have and choose one to hold on to. Take what you need most, such as peace of mind, unconditional love, physical health, or more patience and understanding. Do not be worried about choosing the wrong thing, because you can come back here any time and get anything else you desire. You may have whatever your hart is willing to receive.

Breathe in deeply, and take that good from the pure energy within you. It is now part of you, linked to who you are in the very depth of your soul. Even after you leave, you will stay connected to this place.

Visualize a golden thread that comes from your very center, and which will keep you tied to this always. The golden thread is what brought you here, and it will guide you back whenever you want.

Breathe deeply again, and as you slowly exhale, allow yourself to rise back to the physical world. Go slowly. Take a moment to regain awareness of your body, your arms, your shoulders, your legs and feet. Listen to the sounds of your breathing, and then the sounds outside of your body. Come back to the world.

When you are ready, open your eyes.

You can adapt this meditation any way you like, or write one of your own. Remember that the happy, balanced, serene place you visited remains within you, and you may return there whenever you like. If you can do this grounding meditation for balance daily, you will find the happiness, freedom and joy that you have so often seek in life!

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