Stepping outside your old limitations and ‘out of the box’ of
suppression, habits, and old family patterns, you open yourself
to a newer, freer form of expression. This form is more
expansive and begins to let people see more of who you really
are. It gives people a glimpse of the real you that’s been
hiding under the compacted energy of fears, restrictions and
limitations. It means you are becoming more visible.

What do I mean by ‘visible’? It means that your inner Light
begins to eek out from the cracks in your old energy/body armor.

“There is a crack, a crack in everything
that’s how the light gets in.”

~ Leonard Cohen

It means you are feeling better about yourself and the joy that
naturally exists deep down in your being is starting to find its
way to the surface in little bits and pieces. And that little
bit of joy and Light can be seen by others.

Have you ever been in a room full of people when someone walks in
the door and everyone stops and stares? You notice how everyone
in the room is drawn to this particular person? What about them
is so fascinating, so appealing? What is it that draws everyone
to them? It’s their natural radiance of inner Light. You’ve
heard the phrase, “Oh, she just has this ‘aura’ about her.”
Simply put- it is about the aura. Your aura is the energy body
that exists around your physical body and emanates up to 2 feet
around you at any given moment. When you are more subdued or
suppressed, your energy body shrinks and is tighter to the body.
When you are open, feeling clear and expanded, it reaches out and
can seem to fill the entire room.

This aura, or subtle energy body is what other’s feel when that
‘popular’ person enters the room. The energy field of the person
is expanded and is radiating Light. Others ‘feel’ it on a
sensory level and are immediately drawn to it like a moth to a
flame. It’s like being a magnet.

When you are radiating your Light and you are ‘visible’, your
inner self is being seen, heard and validated. You can feel very
connected and ‘on’, like someone turned a switch on and light
filled the dark room.

Unfortunately, if you have lived under limitations, depressed
energy, restrictions and emotional pain, being visible may be the
last thing you want to have happen. It may trigger fear of hurt
and feelings of danger.

It can be a radical change from the part of you that has been so
accustomed to hiding. Visibility can trigger feelings of shame,
self consciousness, paranoia and vulnerability. It can feel to
some like they are suddenly under a microscope and everyone is
looking at them. This can be rather uncomfortable and cause a
quick rubber band-like effect of pulling back into your shell and
wanting to hide again.

This back and forth, expanding and contracting can be common for
anyone who has lived with fear. It takes getting used to. Being
visible is not something you can easily turn on and off at will.
It’s something that can be very unconscious to begin with. You
may not even realize when you’re hiding.

One clear signal that you may have gone back into hiding is when
you experience a radical change in your receiving. For example,
you’ve had a period of time where you’ve been really receiving
good things in your life, business is booming, your phone is
ringing with invitations, you’re up for a promotion, etc and
suddenly- out of the blue, everything just stops. It seems like
the river dried up and nothing is flowing. Business dropped off,
the phone stopped ringing, no one is asking for you or looking
for you. It’s like everyone forgot you existed. This can be a
clear signal that you went back into hiding.

It’s as if no one can feel your energy presence because you’ve
pulled your head back into the turtle shell, so to speak, and you
aren’t radiating any more. Your signal isn’t being picked up.
Think about a radio station tower. If something happens to the
tower, the station stops transmitting and no one hears it.
Visibility works the same way. It you pull back into your shell,
no one sees you!

Let’s go back to the example and look at the other side of it-
the period of time when you were really receiving good stuff,
business is booming, you’re successful, the money is flowing in,
the people all want to hang out with you and invite you places…
it’s like everyone wants to be with you. Well, that’s because
you are really visible! You’re getting picked up on the radar,
your signal is being broadcast and your Light is radiating out
like a beacon. You are a beacon of Light- just like a
lighthouse.

Why would you possibly want to go back into hiding after all the
good stuff that’s happening? It’s really not a conscious
decision. It’s when the unconscious part of you gets
uncomfortable, nervous, scared and hesitant. Things are going
really well and you may not have a point of reference for good
things happening in your life experience. It may be
subconsciously- ‘too good’. It may be that you expanded enough
to hit the next emotional layer of old limitation. It could just
be a signal to get your attention so that you release any little
restrictions that may still be in place.

Take a moment and look within yourself. You are radiating? Or
are you hiding? Are you comfortable with your Light? Or are you
going through life feeling like no one can see you or hear you?
Do you feel self conscious when going out in public? Or are you
very comfortable, everyone talks to you and smiles? Think about
it.

© 2005 Jodie Foster

Jodie Foster is an Intuitive Counselor who assists clients to create extraordinary transformations in their daily lives. Her work is uplifting, empowering and success-oriented. You can visit Jodie’s website at http://www.illuminationsnetwork.com for further information and to schedule a private intuitive session. You can also look for weekly updates to her blog at: http://intuitiveinnovations.blogspot.com .

Publisher’s Guidelines: You may freely publish this article online, in email newsletters, or in print so long as the resource box and byline are in tact and all links are active. Author would appreciate a notification, but that is optional.

Are you prepared to make your heart matter? Are you prepared to feel whole, happy and healed of any heartache?

It does not surprise me our hearts are not whole (the root meaning of the word “heal”). We are taught throughout our unbalanced educational system to avoid our feeling centre. We avoid our true “knowing” in favour of the development of the rational mind.

We make the rational mind the font of all knowledge and we bury any real emotional understanding of our true selves. We prize what is partial over what is holistic. We accept the “ratio” as being more than the whole. Then we wonder why our life`s number doesn`t add up.

Healing your heart is to become whole.

It is to become a balanced human being. It is to leave the world of “forever doing and never enough” to return to simpler ways. This does not mean you have to change your material circumstances. It will mean in all likelihood a change of attitude. It will mean in all likelihood “a change of heart.”

We forget we are “feeling beings.”

We have become “doers with emotions.” Many of our emotions are blocked or out of control. Our feelings are no longer “free flowing.” They have become judgements frozen in our bodies. We are like icebergs with enough “bad feelings” lying below the surface of consciousness to sink the greatest relationship.

One great sorrow is we lose the best relationship available.

This is the feeling acceptance of ourselves as we are “warts and all.” Healing your heart does not mean you become a “good person.” Healing your heart does not mean you become a “nice person.” It more likely means you become “an allowing person.” You start by giving up judgement. You start to feel your feelings as they are without labels attached.

You allow yourself to “be more” and “do less.”

Much of our working, in my opinion, is a rational for avoiding “who we are.” Many of us are working extremely hard at “self-improvement” and “self development.” Much of us work as a way of avoiding the need “to go home.” This is the avoidance of the return to our “home place.” Our true home is where our hearts lie.

Your heart is your emotional centre.

Most of us are blocked at this feeling centre to some degree. Many of us are blocked to a major degree. We would prefer to feel diseased rather than at ease with allowing our hearts full expression. Rather than feel our heartache and our heartbreak we avoid it. Rather than allow it flow we block it and in doing so we repeat the pain.

Healing your heart is painful.

It is like the thawing of a frost bitten finger. You want to avoid the pain at any cost. However, avoiding your hearts pain also blocks the finer feelings of love and compassion. These are the feelings that will heal you and give your heart peace.

Journeying deeply into your heart is the story of the hero/ine. This is the story of “becoming whole.” It is a journey of the holy.

It is facing the dragons of doubt, despair, anger, hatred and guilt to name only a few. We all have them. They are roaming our emotional terrain. We have them caged. We defend ourselves against these “bad feelings.”

We do not like ourselves for having them.

We convince ourselves we can never be lovable for having such a Pandora’s box full of dross. We hope never to allow these secrets the light of day. We never get to realise the deeper understanding that “the gold is in the darkness.”

Healing your heart begins now.

Healing begins in every new moment. Healing begins by being aware of your mind and how you think. It begins with a commitment to “knowing” what you think. It works toward cessation of this so-called “thinking” so cherished as being rational. Healing works to giving you a sense of “peace of mind.” It works toward knowing the voice of the “trickster.” This is the voice that says you are not good enough. This is the inner voice most of us listen to each and every day

Your heart needs to be heard.

It is your real teacher. It is to be trusted and known. Its voice is more refined than the voice of the “trickster.” Our hearts voice knows our purpose. We have to be willing to go beyond all those gates of locked and loaded emotion. We are the prisoners of our own unprocessed feeling energy.

We can medicate against it and we do. This is the real “growth industry.” This way we can avoid feeling our pain but the cost will be heart damage. Eros will not be able to enter your heart. Arrows of passion will not pierce you. You will be alive but you will avoid living your life. As advised by a great Chinese Proverb, “the singing bird will not come.” There will be no song heard in your heart.

Healing your heart is the ultimate act of courage.

It is to live in this world with a heart open and free. It is to allow love and compassion to flow through you as an expression of your life force. This is who you really are. Your heart knows this when it is allowed to be whole. Your intellect cannot know this, as it cannot be more than a part. It cannot know the feeling of the “holy.”

In healing your heart you are not alone.

There is much healing energy in this world of apparent chaos. We have to be humble enough to ask to be given it. This is a first step alone the road of the heroic. Remember you are always enough. This is an experience you can know as a feeling moment to moment. Make a fullness of heart your focus. You “are worth it.”

Blessings upon you now and forever. Remember that the Blessing is already here and you are it.

Tony Cuckson is an Anam Cara. This Celtic term means “Soul Friend.” He specializes in providing insight for the spiritual journey, Blessings for YOU, words of wisdom and finding inner peace. Visitors to Irish Blessings Matter website and Tony’s Blog get the opportunity to develop a purpose driven life through articles, newsletters and other programs.

Get your free report called “7 ways to it’s a wonderful life” at http://www.irishblessingsmatter.com/, or go to Tony`s Blog at http://www.irishblessingsmatter.info/
where you will find links to information related to spiritual parenting, spiritual coaching and spirit in business.

Deferring income

Shifting taxable income from the current to the next tax year is useful only if you expect your next year’s income to be equal or less than your current year’s one.

• Waiting for a bonus? Keep waiting. Applies only to Cash-Basis-Tax-Payers. See if you can receive it in January of next year. Doing so will exclude the bonus from this year W2 / 1099 (and taxable income) and reduce your taxes for this year.

• Postpone interest income - Transfer money market account balance (savings), to a Certificate of Deposit. Make sure that the CD pays interest only at maturity. Interest income generated by the CD will be taxable only when the CD matures, so you will still get interest income only it will be taxed next year.

• Selling gaining stocks - Sell gaining stocks (current market price is higher than your original cost) after January 1st of next year. There are two exceptions:

1. Exception that Price will decrease - sell now.

2. Own loosing stocks that can offset the gains.

• Converting regular income to long-term capital gain - In general, gains from selling stocks you hold for 12 months or more, are subject to a 15% long-term capital gain while gains from selling stocks you hold less than 12 months are taxed subject to your highest tax bracket.

Accelerate expenses

Cash-Basis-Tax-Payer will benefit from paying next year expenses before the end-of-the-year. Those expenses which will be paid anyways will be deductible this year if paid before December 31.

• Donation - if you are planning to donate cash or property, do it before December 31.

• Property taxes - pay next year real estate tax before the end of the year.

• State taxes - pay your state taxes on your capital gains and business income.

• Medical expenses - do so only if your overall medical expenses are over 7.5% of your Adjusted Gross Income, otherwise it is not deductible.

• Employee’s unreimbursed expenses - only if they are over 2% of your Adjusted Gross Income otherwise it is not deductible.

Maximize tax credits

• College / high education tuition - Paying tuition for you or a dependant? make the payment before the end of the year and benefit from a credit (note that the credit has very strict income threshold which causes you to loose the credit)
• Childcare credit - for two working parents (or students), you can get up to $480 per child. If you have flex plan to cover it - spend your unused “Flex” balance.

Retirement Planning

There are several retirement plans that allow self employed and micro business owners to make contributions and achieve both:

1. Tax deductions to offset self employment or business income
2. Financial planning for the future

(SEP) IRA

———

A simplified employee pension (SEP) IRA allows an employer to make contributions toward his or her own (if self-employed) or employees’ retirement. Employers can contribute a maximum of 25% of an employee’s eligible compensation or $42,000, whichever is less.

Self-employed’s contribution is based on the net profit from the business (self employment income and not the gross income).

Per IRS regulations employers must include all eligible employees who are at least age 21 and have been with a company for 3 years out of the immediately preceding 5 years.

For calendar year corporations with a March 15, 2006 tax filing deadline, SEP-IRA contributions must be made by the employer by the due date of the company’s income tax return, including extensions.

The contributions are deductible for tax year 2005 as if the contributions had actually been contributed within tax year 2005.

Sole proprietors have until April 15, 2006, or to their extension deadline, to make their SEP-IRA contribution if they want a 2005 tax deduction.

Solo 401(k)

———–

Established by the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, Solo 401(k) plan provides a great tax break to micro business owners. In addition to the possibility to shelter from taxes a large portion of income, some Solo 401(k) plans offer a loan feature for cash-strapped small business owners.

Eligibility for a Solo 401(k) plan is limited to those with a small business and no employees, or only a spouse as an employee. This includes independent contractors with earned income, freelancers, sole proprietors, partnerships, Limited Liability Companies (LLC) or “S” corporations.

The key benefits of the Solo 401K plan include:

• High limits on contributions: elective salary deferrals and employer contributions allows sole proprietors to contribute up to $42,000 ($45,000 if age 50 or older) in tax year 2004, based on salary deferral plus profit sharing (see below).

• Contributions are fully-tax deductible and are based on compensation or earned income.

• Assets can be rolled from other plans or IRA’s to a Solo 401K. There is no limit on roll-overs.

• The account holder can take a loan that is tax-free and penalty free from the Solo 401K, if allowed by the plan, up to the lesser of 50% or $50,000 of the account balance.
The contribution limits depend on how the business is established. Overall, the total of deferred salary and profit sharing that can be put in one of these accounts in one year is limited to $40,000:

• For businesses that are not incorporated, the salary deferral and the profit-sharing contributions are based on net earned income. The maximum contribution limit is calculated based on salary (max deferral of $12,000) and profit sharing up to the current max contribution. Contributions are not subject to federal income tax, but remain subject to self-employment taxes (SECA). The owner receives a tax deduction for both salary deferral and employer contributions on IRS Form 1040 at filing time.

• For corporations, the maximum elective salary deferral amount for 2003 is 100% of pay up to $12,000 ($14,000 if age 50 or older). The maximum employer contribution (profit sharing) is 25% of pay, and is based on the W-2 income. It is not subject to federal income tax or Social Security (FICA) taxes. The salary deferral contributions are withheld from your pay and are excluded from federal income tax but are subject to FICA. The business receives a tax deduction for both salary deferral and employer contributions.

Keogh plan

———

A Keogh plan is a tax-deferred retirement savings plan for self-employed. In general self-employed individual may contribute a maximum of $30,000 to a Keogh plan each year, and deduct that amount from taxable income.

Profit Sharing Keogh

——————–
Annual contributions are limited to 15% of compensation, but can be changed to as low as 0% for any year.

Money Purchase Keogh

——————–
Annual contributions are limited to 25% of compensation but can be as low as 1%, but once the contribution percentage has been set, it cannot be changed for the life of the plan.

Paired Keogh

————
Combines profit sharing and money purchase plans. Annual contributions limited to 25% but can be as low as 3%. The part contributed to the money purchase part is fixed for the life of the plan, but the amount contributed to the profit sharing part (still subject to the 15% limit) can change every year.

Taxes are due when the individual begins withdrawing funds from the plan. Participants in Keogh plans are subject to the same restrictions on distribution as IRAs, namely distributions cannot be made without a penalty before age 59 1/2, and distributions must begin before age 70 1/2.

Setting up a Keogh plan is significantly more involved then establishing an IRA or SEP-IRA.

Tax USA Inc.

————

Tax USA, Inc. is a complete tax, accounting and financial management firm specializes in small businesses, corporations and high income individuals. Tax USA Inc.’s mission is to exceed clients’ expectation by providing superb tax, accounting & financial Management services. We offer our clients tax, accounting and bookkeeping services, CFO Outsourcing, Budget Review and Business Plans, Cash Flow Management, Payroll Services and Entities’ Incorporation.

Our Clients

We focus on small and mid size businesses, non-profit organization and high income individuals. Client list comprised of corporations, non-profit organizations and high-tech employees. Our corporate clients operate in various industries:

- Security

- Information Technology

- Internet

- Retail

- Manufacturing

- Transportation

- Real Estate

- Project Management

- Business Development

I have to thank my son’s bump on the head for some of my conviction about the benefit of Bach flower remedies. Jon was about a year old and had hit his head quite badly. The bump was swelling before my eyes, and I decided to try out the Bach rescue cream that I’d recently purchased. The bump was partly in his hair and partly on his forehead. I carefully put the cream on - it was difficult to get the cream close to the skin where his hair was. The next day the bruise on his forehead had gone completely, but the bruise in his hair was still there, although it was not as bad as I had expected it to be. This amazed me and made me determined to learn about these amazing remedies.

I bought and studied the little booklet that explained all about them - as a very busy mum I was happy to have something that wasn’t too big to read! I was also happy that the remedies weren’t drugs and could be used safely with even tiny babies. There are 38 different flower remedies for various psychological states, and I instantly could see how I could use them for myself, my family and my friends: larch is for someone who lacks self confidence, aspen is for generalised fears, impatiens for impatience, heather for those who want to be the centre of attention all the time, and scleranthus for the undecided.

The remedies were developed by Dr Edward Bach -pronounced ‘Batch’ - who lived in England from 1886-1936. He was trained as a doctor and worked as a pathologist and bacteriologist, but he felt that medicine was not getting to the root of the problem. He learnt about homeopathy, and developed various important homeopathic remedies, but he was still not satisfied, and this led him to develop the Bach flower remedies.

The remedies are based on flowering plants and trees, and are designed to correct inappropriate psychological states. This doesn’t mean that they’re not suitable for physical problems, because Bach believed that there was “a factor above the physical plane which in the ordinary course of life protects or renders susceptible any particular individual with regard to disease, of whatever nature it may be.” From Heal Thyself by Edward Bach. In other words, if you are dissatisfied or distressed, you are more likely to catch a cold or become chronically ill.

Bach found the remedies through intuition: sometimes he would hold a flower in his hand and experience in his body and mind what the remedy was capable of, and sometimes he experienced deep negative emotions and would go out into the countryside searching until he found the flower that would turn off these feelings. Bach also found that if he floated the flowers in a glass bowl containing spring water in the sunshine, this healing property of the flower passed into the water. For some plants that flowered early in the year, such as holly, Bach boiled the flowers and stems to overcome the problem of the lack of sunshine.

The remedies are normally taken in one of two ways:

• Putting two drops of the chosen remedy in a glass of water and sipping it frequently

• Putting two drops of several remedies in a bottle with water and/or brandy and taking 4 drops 4 times a day

There is one combination that Dr Bach found he used a lot, and he called this ‘rescue remedy’. This is a mixture of 5 of the 38 flower remedies (cherry plum, clematis, impatiens, rock rose and star of Bethlehem). It can be used for any emergency or stressful event. This is really helpful after a fall, or an argument, before visiting the dentist or taking an examination. The normal way of taking it is to put 4 drops in a glass of water and then to take small, frequent sips. You can also take it straight from the bottle in a real emergency. Many nurses I meet swear by it, and secretly and unofficially recommend it to their patients.

Rescue cream contains the same 5 remedies as the rescue remedy drops, but with the addition of crab apple and is useful for cuts and bruises, and for babies who fall and bang their heads!

The remedies are made using brandy, and this may be a problem for some people. An alternative way to take them is by dabbing them on the wrist, behind the ears and at the temples - this way the benefit of the remedies may be felt without imbibing alcohol.

The remedies do not interfere with any drugs, and can be taken with good effect by the terminally ill. Babies and pets seem to benefit often apparently instantly and miraculously, and many adults can tell you of amazing results for themselves and their children.

Jane Thurnell-Read is a writer and researcher on health, stress, alternative medicine, and happiness. Visit her web site http://www.healthandgoodness.com for tips and information on how to live a happier, healthier life no matter how busy you are.

Science-of-Learning

Is learning a ’science’ or an ‘art’ - if it’s a science it can be analyzed and replicated. An ‘art’ is much harder - personality plays a large role in communicating effectively with executives, professionals and students.

There are three authentic ‘geniuses’ in teaching - Epicurus (341-270 B.C.E.),who is credited with pointing us toward sensual pleasures and luxury. He actually taught that humans are born to pursue pleasure and avoid pain.

Second, is Abraham Maslow, who offered the Hierarchy-of-Values, and the Four Stages of Learning - and helped changed psychology from Behaviorism (no feelings or emotions), to Humanism. More later.

Third, is Roger W. Sperry, who spent thirty-years of his career discovering the evidence that we have two cranial independent brains. He received the Nobel Prize for his Split-Brain research while at California Institute of Technology.

Professor Maslow Said

The most difficult aspect of speed reading is getting students to believe they are capable of Tripling their reading speed - and practicing and rehearsing to create
a neuroconnection and neuropathway in their brains. Once they have physically practiced for fifteen-minutes daily, between 21 to 42 days, using a RasterMaster to underline the sentences, they begin to acquire a habit - and speed reading becomes natural and an automatic skill.

Every athletic team - football, baseball, soccer etc. must practice daily to hone their skills and gain team feedback. To triple your reading speed - with excellent comprehension - you have to rehearse your strategies and techniques.

It applies to physical skills and absolutely is a requirement for your cognitive gifts and talents. Griping does not change the need for practice - until it becomes a
habit.

The Four Stages of Skill

First, ‘Unconscious Incompetence’ - some call it ’subconscious’ or ‘non-conscious’,
but we are referring to not using logic-reason-ordered thinking.

This is the ‘worse’ of the four - because we don’t even know that we are ignorant of how to perform the skill. We don’t have the information to realize we are ‘out-of-the-loop. Imagine functioning today without computers and the Internet - and not even being aware how you make them function.

Second, Conscious Incompetence - we know that computers and the Internet exist and are valuable - but personally have no idea how to turn-on the damned thing.
Every time we pass the computer - we want to run out of the room - it makes us
anxious and stressed because we know we are not competitive in the 21st century.

Add this - it is outside of our ‘comfort-zone’, and when we attempt to discover the
secrets of the computer - we screw it up. It is frustrating and annoying.

Third, Conscious Competence - we can do the darn-thing, but it requires all our Intention-Attention and Concentration. We are thinking our way through the process, and it feels unnatural and foreign.

Fourth, Unconscious Competence - it is a habit - we are operating on auto-pilot, we are operating holistically without having to tell ourselves what to do step-by-step.
Ever see a professional secretary operate the keyboard, handle a telephone call, and
order lunch for the staff simultaneously? Remember when you first learned to surf-the web, and all the errors you made? I couldn’t even ‘point-and-click’, or find ‘edit’, to hit Select-All and Copy. Now your brains and hand fly through the commands.

We forget the tension, frustration and lack of control in learning to ride-a-bike,
drive-a-car, or way-back - walking upright.

Strategies to Learn Anything

OK - there are four stages of learning - here’s how I remember them.

a) University of Iowa (Unconscious-Incompetence) -
b) CIA - Conscious Incompetence,
c) Carbon-Copy - Conscious Competence,
d) University of California - (Unconscious Competence).

What strategies help our brain shift-gears from #1 to #4?

The first step to moving between learning stages is to send orders (commands)to our brain. The three most powerful senses to communicate back-and-forth to our brain are: Vision - Hearing and Kinesthetic (tactile - touch).

Stay with me - if you write or word-process a Target-Affirmation (order), to your brain - using new programming - it grabs attention. When you write or type you hear the words in your mind, see the sentences with your Primary Visual Cortex, and by using your fingertips - use your tactile - sense of touch. Simultanously firing all three primary-senses reinforces your new programming.

Example for Speed Reading:

“Everyday in every way,

I give myself permission

to triple my reading speed,

and get better-and-better.”

Write or type these four sentences eight (8) times daily, for
21 days, and it becomes implanted as a brain-command. Write or type with feeling and emotion - to make it stick.

Act as-if, think as-if, and feel as-if you already have
the object of your burning-desire. Give it a Duchenne-Smile, laugh and feel great
about it. Expectations and your emotions rule!

Permission

Why do you have to give yourself permission to do something new-and-different?

Humans operate 99% on habit and experience - it creates our ‘comfort-zone’.

Everything else is seen by our brain as invading our comfort-zone and rejected.

Only by creating a new habit - running on auto-pilot - will we be happy and comfortable in accepting newsness-and-change into our lives.

How to Speed-Up Your Learning Stages

Whatever you see in your mind’s eye is immediately transmitted to both your left-
and right-hemispheres (brains). Mental imagery occurs ’spontaneously’ based on our neurocircuitry (see stream-of-consciousness) - or by using our Volition (choose, will), to insert it in our visual-cortex. Some believe imagery begins in the precuneus
area of our brain.

Whatever appears as a mental-image is treated by the brain as reality. The original work was done at Harvard by Professor Stephen Kosslyn, and has been replicated
over the following thirty-years. When we practice creating mental-movies of the goals we desire - they are treated as Target-Affirmations by our brain. It is a computer-command and must be implemented. Think of our mind as the software, and the brain as the hardware.

When we are writing or typing our dailyTarget-Affirmation as an exercise, simultaneously imagine and create a simple mental-picture of what you want to occur. The picture can be simple - but the greater the detail - the more effective.

An example for Speed reading is seeing your pacer underlining the words
down the page, or your pen ‘underlining’ the sentences. See the pacer -moving and
leaving a trace. Some students mentally-visualize the Z-for-Zorro down the page or
the Backward ‘S’ strategy - to shift your brain from incompetence to unconscious-competence, competence on auto-pilot.

Sperry’s Split-Brain Theory

Since 1981 when Dr. Sperry won the Nobel to date, the general public has accepted
the concept of specialization and localization of our brain - faster than the scientific
community.

We live and operate in a left-brained society - based on language, deductive and inductive thinking, reason and order. It has created skyscrapers and dams, wealth and a growing economy. We behave linearly and serially (one job-at-a-time), and
have been taught to distrust emotion - and our right-brain.

Our right-hemisphere is generally non-verbal, but is very skillful in pattern-recognition, visual-spatial skills, intuition, and operates as a parallel-processor,
(multi-tasking).

The two brains which can operate independently of each other - share knowledge
through the corpus-callosum, and the anterior and hippocampal commissures.
Our left is dominant 95% of the time while we are awake. When we sleep our left
brain releases its dominance and merely supervises. Our cognitive skills work
at their optimal-level when both brains are mutually involved.

Speed Reading is a psycho-motor skill - combining left-brain language skills,
with a right-brain dominance for pattern recognition, imagination and creativity.

EndPage

To obtain your burning-desires from cognitive-skills to new or improved relationships, together with wealth and success - you might consider using
modified Target-Affirmations and Mental-Visualizations. They work if you
practice and rehearse using ‘persistence-and-determination’.

Even those of us with inborn natural gifts and talents - born-to-play the piano - require massive practice and rehearsal to develop and maintain our acute optimal level.

We are not advocating ditching our left-brain skills - merely admitting to the game
our right-brain talents to release our personal brilliance.

We have received emails and telephone calls from graduates worldwide indicating
Speed Reading is the tip of the iceberg in producing positive-personal-growth.

The secrets of acquiring wealth and happiness begin with giving yourself permission
to enlarge your comfort-zone. The next step is practice and rehearsal of the
specific strategies that produce your burning-desires.

It appears that executives, professionals and school-students are capable of producing their own promotions, wealth-creation, and personal-relationships
far beyond the mere tripling of their reading speed, and doubling their memory.

Go for it today.

See ya.
copyright © 2005
H. Bernard Wechsler
www.speedlearning.org
hbw@speedlearning.org

Author of #1 book on Speed Learning, published by Barron’s
Educational, partner of Evelyn Wood, the creator of speed reading,
graduating 2 million, including the White House staff of four
U.S. Presidents.
http://www.speedlearning.org
hbw@speedlearning.org

The city is teeming with the best of the best of everything - you’ll find incredible bars, amazing clubbing and eateries that’ll keep you coming back for more every time. London is far and wide considered to be one of the “gay” centres in the world and is home to the biggest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GBLT) community in Europe.

When you think about the annual ‘Soho Pride’, ‘Pride London’ & the London Gay and Lesbian Film Festival - and seemingly some of the most breathtaking gay club nights you will find on the planet - there is always something to captivate you year round.

Many of the choicest bars found right in the heart of London can be found in the acclaimed gay area of Soho. Soho is wonderful because everywhere is in walking distance, it’s awake all night and you’ll constantly find something open to keep you entertained until sunrise. ‘Profile’, a brilliant small bar off Old Compton Street (known as London’s ‘Gay’ road), is renowned for its amazing cocktails and surroundings. There is also ‘Friendly Society’ which is as friendly as its name alludes to, their drinks were slightly dear but it is sure to be an awesome adventure - there is a tremendous bunch of people and the Disk Jockeys are just excellent.

More celebrated bars are Green Carnation, Bar Code, Freedom, The Edge, G-A-Y Bar, Village, Ku Bar, Candy Bar, The Yard and the more traditional Compton’s and Admiral Duncan, to mention just a few.

Some of the choicest venues are also the most famous ones. People can’t possibly have their night out in the city if they are visiting without going to G-A-Y, often described as the exemplary camp Mecca. Sensational sounds, excellent folk and low cost drinks, - the hotspot for every gay in London to scout out! You also have Heaven, situated right off the Strand. This is a bit more expensive but has an amazing atmosphere and has enough rooms to cater to every taste in melodies. There’s lots of info about London in Time Out.

Additional places include Soho Revue Bar & Shadow Lounge. The up and coming arena for more serious clubbers is a tiny bit farther out in Vauxhall. A lot of wonderful late night / early hours nights & bars include Area, Crash, Barcode Vauxhall and Fire coupled with special nights at Club Coliseum and the famed Vauxhall Tavern.

For additional information on the clubs to go and visit the website of Time Out. We will help you to stay informed of everything that is going on in our capital’s Gay & Lesbian scene in 2007. Pick Time Out up every 7 days and you will have the most current all embracing info and impartial reviews and news at your disposal.

No two applicants have the same reason for studying abroad. A
global perspective and cross-cultural competence are crucial for
success in today’s world. Studying abroad will enrich your life
in many ways. In the present age, no person can afford to deny
that the demand for people, who are globally mobile, has become
a norm. Studying in a foreign university makes an individual
competitive, independent and responsible. Living in a foreign
environment gaining international exposure makes one adaptive to
different cultures and enables him to survive the pressures of a
competitive world.

Studying abroad is a rewarding, life-transforming experience
that complements any academic program! Nevertheless, there are
many issues you need to consider in deciding whether study
abroad is right for you:

What is the school’s focus? How is the curriculum organized? Are
the courses separate or integrated? What are the student
responsibilities? How are students promoted from one level to
another? What are the hours of study? How many hours a week is
the program? How much does it cost? What are the fees and what
is included in these charges? Are there extra fees for
insurance, books, and social activities? What is the location of
the program? Does the school have strict policies regarding
attendance, homework, and tests? There is a saying in America:
You get what you pay for.” But high tuition does not always
guarantee an excellent program”. Studying abroad may be that
crucial moment in your education that will change your life.
Nothing will be quite the same after you have studied abroad.
This is the absolute best time in your life to study abroad.
You’ll never get a better opportunity than right now.

Academic and professional programs and social activities on
campuses contribute to the all-round development of the
students. For example, cuisine, music, cinema and other customs
are commonly shared with others during the semester or academic
year. This sharing imparts an adaptive and progressive
constitution to the students. Broaden your intellectual horizons
and deepen your knowledge and understanding of international,
political and economic issues You’ll learn about YOURSELF,
become more independent and develop cross-cultural skills.
Building your resume (employers value international experience
in today’s globalized economy) Immersing yourself in different
culture and learning more about your host and home country
Meeting lots of interesting and resourceful people You’ll meet
some great new FRIENDS! See places you’ve only dreamed about!
Learn about yourself, be independent Test your abilities to
adapt and learn Enhance your career and prepare you for
leadership in your country or anywhere in the world. It’s one
thing to read about the culture of another country, but another
entirely to experience it yourself.

Ask yourself: How have I handled complex and new situations in
the past? Am I willing to try new things - everything from foods
to social situations? Am I comfortable making my own decisions?
Why the idea appeals to you? Do you want to learn another
language? Do I like to take risks?

If you’re considering some type of marketing plan involving candle sales consider the following:

1. The Candle industry is growing; more so because of our society’s stressful lives and everyone’s quest for relief.

2. Candles are used in 7 out of 10 U.S. households. The majority of consumers also burn candles between 1-3 times per week, with half of these consumers burning 1-2 candles at a time.

3. Candle industry research findings indicate that the most important factor affecting candle sales is Fragrance, with Color and Shape taking a distant second, in the consumer selection of a candle for the home.

4. Overall candle sales are growing faster than the United States economy as a whole. The past few years have seen remarkable growth and strength in the candle industry as a whole.

5. The U.S. market is typically separated into seasonal business at roughly 35%, and Non-seasonal 65% of the annual market.

6. Consumers say they typically burn candles for just under 3 hours. 9 out of 10 candle users say they use candles to make a room feel comfortable and cozy.

7. Candle users say they most frequently burn candles in the living room (42%), by the kitchen (18%), and the bedroom (13%).

8. Candle purchasers view candles as an appropriate gift for the holidays (76%), house-warming gifts (74%), a hostess/dinner party gift (66%) a thank you gift (61%), adult birthday gift (58%).

9. US retail sales of candles are estimated at approximately $2 billion annually, excluding the sales of candle accessories.

10. There are more than 350 commercial, religious and institutional manufacturers of candles in the United States, as well as scores of small craft producers for local, non-commercial use.

11. Candles are sold principally in three types of retail outlets: department stores, specialty shops, and mass merchants, including drug store chains, supermarkets, and discount stores.

12. Candle manufacturers’ surveys show that 96% of all candles purchased are bought by women. Two thirds of candle purchasers say they use candles once a week or more often. Women are more frequent users than men, and younger people tend to use candles more often than older adults.

Original information available at http://www.susquehannacandle.com/factsgeneral.aspx

Susquehanna Candle, L.L.C. is a leading designer, manufacturer and wholesaler of superior quality scented candles in the US Market.

Visit our Web site at http://www.susquehannacandle.com

A team does as well as you and the team think they can.

This idea is known as “the self-fulfilling prophecy”. When you believe the team will perform well, in some strange, magical way they do. And similarly, when you believe they won’t perform well, they don’t.

There is enough experimental data to suggest that the self-fulfilling prophecy is true. One unusual experiment in 1911 concerned a very clever horse called Hans. This horse had the reputation for being able to add, multiply, subtract, and divide by tapping out the answer with its hooves. The extraordinary thing was that it could do this without its trainer being present. It only needed someone to put the questions.

On investigation, it was found that when the questioner knew the answer, he or she transmitted various very subtle body language clues to Hans such as the raising of an eyebrow or the dilation of the nostrils. Hans simply picked up on these clues and continued tapping until he arrived at the required answer. The questioner expected a response and Hans obliged.

In similar vein, an experiment was carried out at a British school into the performance of a new intake of pupils. At the start of the year, the pupils were each given a rating, ranging from “excellent prospect” to “unlikely to do well”. These were totally arbitrary ratings and did not reflect how well the pupils had previously performed. Nevertheless, these ratings were given to the teachers. At the end of the year, the experimenters compared the pupils’ performance with the ratings. Despite their real abilities, there was an astonishingly high correlation between performance and ratings. It seems that people perform as well as we expect them to.

The self-fulfilling prophecy is also known as the Pygmalion Effect. This comes from a story by Ovid about Pygmalion, a sculptor and prince of Cyprus, who created an ivory statue of his ideal woman. The result which he called Galatea was so beautiful that he immediately fell in love with it. He begged the goddess Aphrodite to breath life into the statue and make her his own. Aphrodite granted Pygmalion his wish, the statue came to life and the couple married and lived happily ever after.

The story was also the basis of George Bernard Shaw’s play “Pygmalion”, later turned into the musical “My Fair Lady”. In Shaw’s play, Professor Henry Higgins claims he can take a Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, and turn her into a duchess. But, as Eliza herself points out to Higgins’ friend Pickering, it isn’t what she learns or does that determines whether she will become a duchess, but how she’s treated.

“You see, really and truly, apart from the things anyone can pick up (the dressing and the proper way of speaking and so on), the difference between a lady and a flower girl is not how she behaves but how she’s treated. I shall always be a flower girl to Professor Higgins, because he always treats me as a flower girl, and always will, but I know I can be a lady to you because you always treat me as a lady, and always will.”

The implication of the Pygmalion effect for leaders and managers is massive. It means that the performance of your team depends less on them than it does on you. The performance you get from people is no more or less than what you expect: which means you must always expect the best. As Goethe said, “Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can and should be and he will become as he can and should be.”

© Eric Garner, ManageTrainLearn.com

For instant solutions to all your management training needs, visit www.managetrainlearn.com and download your FREE personal copies of our training software. And while you’re there, make sure you try out our prize quiz, get your surprise bonus gift, and subscribe to our newsletter. Go and get the ManageTrainLearn experience now!

Reviewed by Beverly Pechin for Reader Views (1/06)
“Life of the Eagle”
By Richard Evans
Arche Books Publishing (2004)

Not being a big history buff, I wasn’t sure what the outcome would be reading a book based on history. I was in for a big surprise. Richard Evans presents his character and the events of the book in a way that not only do you not realize you’re “learning about history as you read” you fall into the history and become a part of it. I think anyone and everyone from school age kids to the senior generation would enjoy this book.

While “Life of the Eagle” is a book of history, it is more about a story. It tells of history in the making from a viewpoint that no other historical book could come close to. I don’t mean to focus so much on the ‘history’ part… it’s not a text book filled with facts… but it is a wonderfully presented historical fiction. My guess is that the fiction aspect is what is able to keep the storyline interesting. Placing the main character in various times and situations that later become a part of history seemed second nature. As a home school mom to 2 middle school aged children, I knew I had found a new must read for them. One that not only would keep them interested but sneak in some facts and history lessons that they would have no clue they were getting! I’d recommend the book to anyone and everyone, from those that don’t really typically enjoy fiction to those who love it, from those who are avid history buffs to those that would normally fall asleep within the first 2 minutes of a history lecture. It somehow brings us all together to enjoy the story!

The author has an amazing way of bringing the characters to life and showing the trials and tribulations of the times without making you feel like you’re back in school listening to a boring history lesson. The fiction part seems to keep one interested, while the accurate telling of historical events makes it even more enjoyable and intriguing.

“Life of the Eagle” is about a man who has a “gift”. His gift allows him to seemingly live forever and experience the world as no average man has been able to. The author takes you through times of love, war, fear, laughter, and more. The reader is allowed inside the world of history from an entirely different perspective. You feel as though you are a part of the main character’s world, seeing it from his eyes. The time span he covers is unbelievable… and yet as you know time passes… you feel as though you are like the character and never growing older! Starting in the 1700’s and going through present times you experience things that nobody else has experienced, simply through the life and times of this wonderful man. You become a part of the war against Britain, you share moments of triumph as the times of the Gold Rush pass by, love and hatred so deep you can feel it in your own gut. It’s all so very real as you read about it, almost becoming a part of history yourself.

The book was hard to put down and I was actually disappointed when it ended!!! I wanted, no, needed, more!!! I wanted to open another book that continued on with his story! It was truly one of the best books I’ve read lately and that’s a pretty big set of shoes to fill since I read some of the most famous authors of all time, ranging from Koontz to Bronte! I was very pleasantly surprised by the author’s ability to keep your attention and yet present his story in a way that you wanted more and more. Impressive writing, impressive presentation, and even more impressive that this man somehow made me not only enjoy a history lesson… but LOVE it! Kudos to you Mr. Evans!!! I look forward to more books from you, but just remember you have created a pretty tough path to follow! Excellent job!

Beverley Pechin is a book reviewer for Reader Views.
http://www.readerviews.com