Writing - 3 Golden Rules of Indexing

When you are indexing a document, that is, creating an Index for a document, make sure you observe the following three golden rules for maximum user satisfaction:

1) Limit your Index to a maximum of THREE indented levels. Human mind starts losing track of the nestled groupings once you cross over into the fourth level and beyond. It helps a great deal if every level has its own styling. For example, the first level could be in BOLD letters, the second level in normal PLAIN fonts, and the third in plain ITALIC fonts. Id recommend to use the same font family and not switch to different fonts in between indentation levels.

2) Always start your indexed words with LOWER CASE letters, unless it is an acronym. Lower case letters is easier for the human eye to read. But all acronyms should be in all caps. It is great practice to repeat every acronym also in its open form, starting each word with UPPER CASE letter. For example, repeat ACS 115 also as American Cancer Society 115, but not as "american cancer society 115", etc.

3) Make sure all important phrases are CROSS INDEXED, cross referenced, under their respective letters. For example, repeat space shuttle also as shuttle, space. In this case both are under the letter S. Repeat welfare state as state, welfare under the letters W and S, respectively. Do the extra work if you want your users find what they are looking for easily. Cross-referenced index entries will prevent the users from thinking. And a user that can go through a document, book or manual without thinking is a happy user.

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Ugur Akinci, Ph.D. is a senior writer and web content consultant with 20 years of experience.

Subscribe to his FREE "Weekly Success Update" newsletter today at http://www.writer111.com

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There's Nothing Ghostly About Travel Writing

There's good news if you're a travel writer. Would you like to know what it is?

U.S. News announced their "annual list of 30 best careers" and ghostwriter made the cut. You may be saying to yourself "what does that have to do with me, I'm a travel writer?" It has everything to do with you!

Think about the writing possibilities you could have using your travel writing expertise, emphasis on writing. You could write a guidebook or travel memoir. Being a travel writer could come in handy with these types of projects.

"U.S. News has plowed through hundreds of careers, looking for the jobs with the best outlook in this recessionary economy (and beyond), the highest rates of job satisfaction, the least difficult training necessary, the most prestige, and the highest pay. These careers have staying power: They're smart moves now, and they'll be smart moves for years to come" (visit U.S. News for more information.)

If you would like to write for large and important audiences, then ghostwriting is for you. Not only are you well paid, you have the opportunity to meet some interesting people. Plus, you'll have a flexible schedule and can work from the comfort of your home.

The downside to ghostwriting is seeing your name in print. If you're not an egomaniac this will not be a problem for you. On the other hand, if you receive a hefty paycheck, you may forget about being an egomaniac!

If you can write quickly and powerfully, ghostwriting could be a lucrative profession for you. If you suffer from writer's block all of the time, you may want to reconsider the position. Also, you must be good at interviewing people. Can you get the facts? Are you able to get heart wrenching details? Don't forget that it's your client's voice and not yours that will take center stage. Be prepared to accept some foolish edits and re-writes.

Who can you write for? You could write for celebrities and politicians who have traveled all over the world. Consider writing for websites, family histories, and Aunt Elizabeth's travel memoir about her arrival in New York through Ellis Island.

If you have a knack for history, science, politics, or business, you'll have an edge over other ghostwriters. Complement this with your travel expertise and you'll be on your way to ghostwriting success.

The downside of ghostwriting is your ideas are not being written, and it's not your voice. But, it would be a great experience and look good on your resume.

The keys to being a successful ghostwriter are: writing, reading a lot of good writing, and obtaining feedback on your writing. When obtaining feedback don't forget to ask your target audience what they think. After all, they're the ones who will be buying the book or audio CD!

Consider ghostwriting if you would like to supplement your travel writing. It's a fantastic opportunity to strengthen your writing skills and to make extra cash. You never know who you'll meet and it can lead to many writing opportunities. It's a win-win situation!

Our website is dedicated to aspiring and experienced travel writers. You'll find inspiration, encouragement, and education on everything travel writing

Sign up for our weekly blog recap. If you're about to travel this is a great way to keep up-to-date with the latest in travel writing. Also, check out our forum. If you have a question, login, and with a click of a button you'll have the answer to your question

URL: http://www.Travel-Writers-Exchange.com

The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power by Vernon Howard

Rereading this classic was connecting with an old friend. Many years ago, I wrote out 15 Ways To Gain New Strength from this work, which I taped to my computer stand. When I replaced the book that had disappeared in one of my many moves, I was amazed to see that list as only one small part of the total. The volume itself is a treasure of many of the ideas I have read before but needed to hear again. Perhaps the same is true for you.

I strongly recommend this as a beginning primer into the metaphysical world, and I just as strongly recommend it is as a refresher read. Before I ever thought of the idea of a practical spirituality, Vernon Howard was presenting many of the necessary components.

Howard's words explain his ideas simply and clearly. I quote his words directly for most of this review. He explains:

"Man's task is to awaken to his true identity. The Kingdom of Heaven is within. Spiritual truths are discovered with an entirely new kind of thinking, quite distinct and vastly superior to the mind that buildsbridges and sells merchandise" (86).

Howard suggests the need for a better definition of "success" than a financial one:

"We demand a financial success, or a social gain, because we think it will fulfill us inwardly. It won't. It never will - as we have suspected all along. So-called success provides ego-excitement, but never self-fulfillment. It is just as impossible for an exterior result to provide inner happiness as it is for a new hat to give us a new mind" (145).

Think about this next quote. I believe the idea is relevant to many of us who find ourselves afraid of or intimidated by another:

"Why are we afraid of others? Because we want something from them. The desire can be almost anything -- companionship, approval, sex, security. The mistake is this: Not having found the true self which is free from compulsive desires, we seek gratification from people. This creates fear that we won't get what we want, or anxiety that the other person will makeus pay dearly for it" (151).

Howard provides many other ideas, but I particularly like this one:

"Try the following experiment for the next thirty minutes: Let life happen the way it wants, with no resistance and no objection. Go about as if you need not think about anything. Your first surprise will be that your usual duties go on very nicely as before. Secondly, you will catch a grand glimpse of the effortlessly flowing of Tao. You do not carry; you are carried" (133).

Then we might try this same experiment for the rest of our lives. Vernon Howard's ideas can help us do that.

Howard, Vernon. The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power. N.Y: Parker Publishing Company, 1967.

Cheryl A. Chatfield, Ph. D. is a writer, teacher and inspirational speaker. Visit http://NottInstitute.org to request a complimentary 10-page booklet discussing the Top Seven Books for 2009 To Guide Your Spiritual Quest, one of which is discussed above. Her nonprofit organization, The Nottingham Institute, promotes materials for an everyday, or practical, spirituality for those who don't find answers in organized religions. Two of her books include Do It Yourself Guide to Spirituality: Seven Simple Steps and The Lost Principles, a novel.

Simple Words Create Powerful Beliefs

Freelance Writing Is A Rewarding Career

Freelance writing was once considered to be tiresome and demanding. But the advent of the Internet, providing virtually every information and services one can imagine, has made freelance writing somewhat simpler and less cumbersome. The demand for such jobs has increased manifold, and so has the number of freelance writers. However, only the well informed and dedicated writers can keep themselves afloat in this field.

A little bit time spent surfing the net or visiting libraries or bookstalls, a little bit wracking of the brain, a little bit creativity and imagination and a huge bit of dedication are the prerequisites for success here. The rewards are much more alluring than the demands of the job. Freelance writing has caught up with the times and more and more people are exploring its realms.

Monetary benefits accrued can reach phenomenal levels, depending upon the quality and quantity of works completed. A satisfied clientele is the biggest reward, which in turn, can result in a spurt in incomes achieved.

Freelance writing can be instrumental in intellectual growth of the writer too. Information gathered in the course of writing betters his knowledge levels too. As it is mostly a work-from-home endeavor, the amount of quality time available for spending with other members of the family increases manifold. He gets a golden opportunity to balance his professional life with personal life.

However, to achieve the desired success levels, the writer needs to be thoroughly professional and well versed in the content on which he is writing. Upgrading knowledge levels time to time and going through customer feedback with an open mind can do wonders to the career of a fledgling writer trying to make a living through freelance writing.

If you want to know more about Freelance Writing Jobs then feel free to visit http://www.uniquearticle.net

What Do You Do When You Are a Writer and Witness History

What do you do when you are a writer and observe a historical event unfold and you know the truth? Should you write the truth and burst the lies of the present period so that those in future periods can know the reality of the era, or should you promote the lie in hopes that somehow this might change the world?

It has always been my contention that political correctness is other than reality and thus, is a dangerous marker from which to judge and make decisions. Once we forgo the reality of human nature and the primate politics of humankind, we deny ourselves decisions that will be free from the laws of unintended consequence.

As a retired Franchisor Founder, I've made a little bit of history in my esoteric Industry sub-sector niche and as I've both participated and observed history over the last four decades. Now as a writer in early retirement I write about present and know that my record will live on.

It pains me to know that others who have mastered the power of the pen are so ethically challenged and confused, and purport falsehoods of our time while covering the truth with their wordsmith ways. Today, we have a new President of the United States, and we are to celebrate how diversity has overcome glass ceilings and barriers.

What a great day for America indeed, yes, but only in name. You see, there is a reality behind this election of the first Black President, a story that is known, but goes untold. Is it fair to history and to truth to sugar coat now? If we do, as others have in the past, are we any better than they, have we learned nothing?

Is all history a lie, just like the present? If we sweep truth under our carpet and modify the textbooks of the next generation to suit - where is the integrity in that? If we really want to do something great in our time, there is no need to pretend or fake it. We can make a difference without fakery, propped up propaganda, and pretending in the present period.

Is our whole civilization and society going to live a lie to themselves - is this what America has become? We are better than this. There is nothing wrong with having an African American President, that indeed is commendable, proof if you will of our strength and vision, but allowing so in a manner that is far beyond the span of rules we have set for ourselves is a disgrace.

We are to blame, we have traded our promise for a myth, and into the gates of hypocrisy we do march.

Lance Winslow - Lance Winslow's Bio. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/.

Technical Writing - What to Do During Economic Downturns

We are in the midst of an economic downturn as these lines are written. Things are not peachy for a lot of people right now, including writers. For technical writers, location is important in times like these. For those who do not live in hi-tech metropolitan areas, well-paying jobs might not be that easy to come.

So what should a technical writer do in-between jobs? Such temporary downtimes can actually be an excellent opportunity to work on basic skill sets and build up one's portfolio.

For example, if you're a beginner level tech writer I recommend you practice your indexing and TOC skills and write a great 20-page "User Guide" about a software you're already using. If you do not have MS Office, download Open Office for free and write a sample guide about how to use the basic functions of Open Office. That way, when you go to a job interview in the future you'd have something to show as a proof of your tech writing skills.

You can also offer volunteer documentation work for your church or synagogue or house of worship, a membership club, or a sports or social organization that you belong to. Perhaps it might be the local chapter of your party, if you are into politics? Today you can start writing their Policy and Procedure handbook, handling their office correspondence, or writing a press release for them and doing other kinds of low-tech writing assignments. And tomorrow? You never know.... if and when they need a full-time writer or have the budget to pay for part-time assignments, you would be the first one they would naturally consider thanks to your earlier volunteer work. It's important to keep networking and keep in touch with such contacts.

If you are an experienced technical writer you can brush up on some advanced-level skills like learning XML, structured authoring and DITA. Enrolling in a graduate degree or certification program is another option to make the best of such temporary bumps on your career path.

If you are interested to read more about technical writing as a career and how it can help you earn a steady living, visit http://www.learntechnicalwriting.com. You might be pleasantly surprised with what you'll find out. Join the thousands who are already helped and inspired by this information provided by a Fortune 500 Senior Technical Writer. Visit today and claim your free report "How Much Do Technical Writers Make?"

Dr. Ugur Akinci is a Fortune 500 Sr. Technical Communicator http://www.technicalcommunicationcenter.com/

Before You Write

A writer writes, by definition. We often imagine that professional writers sit down and simply write, with beautiful strings of elegantly crafted words simply streaming onto the page or screen with an inhuman grace. Such a mental image couldnt be further from the truth. The reality of it is that writing is real work, a labor of care and love and obsession, with anything remotely graceful coming only after hour (if not days) of painstaking, plodding work. Even for most professionals, the art of writing is one filled with multiple drafts, numerous revisions and countless edits. Despite all of this, a few simple steps can reduce the time lost to labor and increase the speed with which completed articles go out the door.

The keys to efficient writing arent necessarily used when youre actually writing the article or polishing it for publication; instead, efficient writing begins before the writing even starts. The two keys to more efficient writing are planning and preparation. While such words may cause the artistic free spirit to balk, these two elements will often mean the difference between an extra week of writing the same article, or a fat paycheck for an article thats in under the deadline. The steps are simple, and just need to be followed.

Selecting a Topic Before you can write effective non-fiction, you must select a topic. Without a topic, you dont even have a direction in which to go. Very often, when a non-fiction writer speaks of writers block, that writer is really speaking about a lack of topic. Once a topic is chosen, fleshing it out is more a matter of cold logic than anything else.

Clarifying the Topic Once you have a topic, you have a broad, general direction to go in. While this may be enough to get you going, its rarely enough to base an article on. Often, our topics may be either too broad, encompassing too much information, losing any potential impact, or it may be too narrow, not leaving enough room for development. Ask yourself the following questions, with example answers given describing the article you're reading now:

- What is the general topic? (writing)

- What differentiates it from the rest of that topic (the pre-writing process)

- Who is my audience? (writers, mostly experienced amateurs, non-professionals)

- What is the purpose? (instruct writers on pre-writing)

- What does my audience need to know? (Details regarding the steps of the pre-writing process)

- What questions are there about the topic and the needed information?

Doing the Research Once you have clarified what your topic is, youll now have the beginnings of your information gathering. Continue asking yourself questions, looking at your topic from as many ways as possible. Looking at this list of questions, identify potential sources of information that you can turn to for answers. These may be individual experts, reference books, websites, and many more. As you answer the questions, look for additional questions that the audience wouldnt even know to ask, but still should know. As your information accumulates, you may find that some questions become unimportant, or unnecessary; other questions, like the original topic, may be either too broad or too narrow. Continue to research and revise until you are satisfied that every base has been covered.

Thinking and Planning Looking now at your clarified topic, your refined list of questions and the information youve accumulated through expert research, its time to think about your article. Bearing in mind both the intended audience for this article and the purpose, how might this information meet those needs? How should it be presented for maximum effect? How can this raw information be shaped into a marketable work of art? Now is the time to ponder these questions, and to find answers.

Making a List Finally, with all your prior work completed, make a list of the points that must be covered in your article. Sequence this list in the most effective manner you can so that it wont confuse readers or misrepresent your topic. List the points again, this time in sequence. Ta-da! You now have a step by step blue print for your article, with all of the necessary information laid out for you. Without a single visit from your muse or even one case of artistic distemper, youve built the majority of a great article, and youve done it quickly, and effectively.

Brian Westover is a freelance writer. In addition to writing articles for publication in standard print venues (such as magazines and newspapers), he is also a skilled copywriter, offering a variety of services to anyone who needs great online content, polished business writing in a professional format and editing and coaching to improve your own writing. In addition to his professional site, Brian also runs WriterSpot, a website dedicated to finding and organizing online resources for either the beginning writer or experienced writing professional.

Using Active Imagination to Access Psychic Knowledge

Active Imagination is a process related to automatic writing that is used by Jungian psychologists. Although automatic writing is done while in a trance, active imagination writing is done while conscious and aware. It is a gestalt type of dialog, where the writer poses a question of some other being, part of the psyche, the past or future self, or even fictional characters. Then the other answers through the subconscious to the imagination.

As the mental dialog takes place, the writer records both sides, skipping a line for each change of speaker or marking the alternating paragraphs. Active imagination writing can be done with any writing tool. Computers are especially nice in that the writer can change the font to italic or bold for one of the speakers with a keystroke (CTRL+ i for italics, CTRL + b for bold.) and the results are legible, if the typing is accurate. Pen and paper, however, may allow for more flow of energy directly from unconscious to paper, particularly for people who do not touch type quickly.

First an appropriate time should be chosen when one has at least half an hour with no interruptions, and no TV or telephone. Take the phone off the hook. Soft music that does not have lyrics, jazz, classical or new age music (not instrumental versions of pop songs) can be played if there is distracting background noise or if the silence is uncomfortable. Songs with lyrics distract from the focus on listening to the inner dialog.

Then the writer grounds and centers, clearing the mind of mundane concerns other than the issue at hand. The issue is written at the top of the paper, and it is a good idea to write the date as well for future reference. The writer writes an invitation to the other to come and dialog about the topic, then sits in silence, waiting for the other to speak up.

As a fiction writer, I have used this process to dialog with my characters, to see what the story looks like from their perspective, especially if I was stuck writing a scene. The "voice" I "hear" as the character speaks in my imagination is much different from my own mental voice. What the characters have to say sometimes surprises me very much, and they are sometimes angry that I have written the plot in a certain way. This is what authors mean when they say that their imaginary characters go off in their own directions.

I have also worked with goddess energy, specifically with the Sumerian goddess of the Underworld, Ereshkigal. She was adamant in her advice to me, and I have taken it to heart. Goddesses of death do not suffer fools, but they are also the keepers of the wealth that comes from the earth: food, metals, gemstones. It is is well to listen.

Other people have used this technique to dialog with elements of dreams to understand the meanings and implications. Fritz Perls' Gestalt Therapy used the dialog with dreams technique by having the dreamer speak aloud to an empty chair first as the dreamer, and then as the dream element, be it a person, animal or object. Active Imagination is much less strenuous, but also effective.

Addressing one's past self at an earlier age can help clarify the issues from that time, as the now self can reassure the past self. The same is true of dialog with the future self. If one addresses the self one wishes to become, that self can advise what changes are needed now to make that future happen. Just getting the future self's description of life can make it much easier to visualize and manifest.

Spirit writing, or addressing a person now dead, or even one not yet born, is also possible. The key to successful active imagination is to clear the mind and listen, to record the thoughts that arise. A session should probably not last more than half an hour. If the invitation to dialog is not followed by an answer within five minutes, it is best to start again later on. For most people, if they are not open to the answers within five minutes, more work is probably needed for centering.

As in any conversation with a relative stranger, be respectful and polite. Treat this activity as a relationship, and it will work like a relationship. If you are rude or demanding, the other may treat you without respect or refuse to dialog with you.

Some would argue that you are just talking to yourself, that you are making it all up. My answer is that we are all connected, not just those of us alive at the moment, but all those who have ever lived, and who ever will live, both on this plane of existence and elsewhere. Being willing to listen to another's perspective, opening a channel to someone not present is a form of psychic knowing, of being aware of the energies beyond the physical.

Want to be your own fairy godmother? Read Wishes Can Come True by Charlotte Babb for stories and tips on how you can leave the old stories behind and manifest what you want in your life.

Book Review For "Tales of Beedle the Bard"

Discover Harry Potter's wizarding world's unique fairy tales in "The Tales of Beedle the Bard." Filled with wizarding fables that invoke "Grimm's Fairy Tales," these five short stories carry messages of hope, morality, and virtue. Rowling expands Harry Potter's universe by sharing these magical fairy tales in a writing style that's easy to read and appeals not only to children, but adults as well.

The most compelling story is that of the three brothers. They encounter death as they cross a bridge. Death gives them each a gift - the elder wand, a stone that brings back the dead, and the cloak of invisibility. It is this story which is referenced in book seven of the Harry Potter series and it gives Voldemort's driving desire to possess these objects perspective, as Voldemort was trying to find a way to cheat death.

The other stories are just as interesting. In "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot," a self-serving wizard refuses to share the hopping pot with the townsfolk. His refusal to help others leads the hopping pot to drive him crazy until he does. In Dumbledore's footnotes, Rowling cleverly ties in legends of our own history and talks about how the wizarding community and humans came to have separate societies.

"The Fountain of Fair Fortune" rebuilds trust between muggles and the magical. Three witches and a knight go on a quest and discover what they were looking for was more in their hearts than in their magic.

"The Warlock's Hairy Heart," tells what happens when a magician gives up his humanity by removing his heart. Its probably the most gory of the fairy tales - but its also one that captures the essence of the Grimm stories.

"Babbity Rabbitty and her Crackling Stump," is one of the first stories in Harry Potter's universe that deals with Animagi - those wizards and witches who can change into animals. In it, an arrogant king wants to be the only one who can do magic in the kingdom. A sly charlatan who can't do magic, fools the king into becoming the Grand Sorcerer. When the king puts the charlatan on the spot, he turns to Babbitty, an old witch, to help him fool the king.

All the stories have folksy, fairytale appeal. They read like we would expect a fairytale to. The use of magic in the story makes little difference to the moral of the story being told.

The book complements Rowling's Harry Potter series well. The writing is easy to understand. The stories are well paced. Rowling makes her characters appealing with little emotional touches reminiscent of the Harry Potter series. Overall, "The Tales of Beedle the Bard," is a book all will enjoy.

"The Tales of Beedle The Bard"
Written by: JK Rowling
Scholastic, Inc.
ISBN: 978-0-545-12828-5
$12.99
5 Stars

StephB is an author who can be found at http://sgcardin.tripod.com.

In her spare time she likes to read many books and a variety of different genres. StephB is an author at http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Creative Writing.

Are You Smarter Than a Buddha?

I am waiting for a new show to appear titled 'Are you smarter than a Buddha?' Or 'Are you smarter than an enlightened Master?'

There seems to be an enormous amount of debate going on at the moment in regards to what makes someone 'Spiritual' or 'Enlightened'. I can imagine turning the page of a glossy magazine and finding a quiz one day.

How to tell if you are Enlightened
1. You are faced with a body of water such as an ocean do you
a) Jump in and drown
b) Hire a boat or
c) Walk on water

2. The postal service delivers your Christmas present from Grandma and it has been damaged beyond repair do you
a) Proceed to strangle the postal worker
b) Apologize profusely for Grandmas inability to wrap a present properly or
c) Forgive the postal worker for his sins

If you answered C to both questions go to the sliding scale of spiritualism on your left and move the arrow to 10. Congratulations you are an enlightened being.

I am afraid I cannot be very spiritual because I would probably answer A to both questions.

This goes to show just how ridiculous it is to try and pin the tail on the enlightened beings.

Knowledge seems to be a criteria for being spiritual the more books you read the more courses you participate in the more you fill your ego mind up with concepts laws secrets the more you will be held in an enlightened light.

I wonder though who is on this exclusive selection committee....whose measuring stick are we using? Is the Christian more spiritual than the Zen Master is the Catholic more privy to secrets of the universe than the Pagan?

Who gets to decide the criteria for being Spiritual or having reached enlightenment? I want to be on that committee!!!! I am sorry your application for enlightened being has been rejected on the grounds your humanity is always showing. I am sorry we are full up with enlightened beings at the moment please come back later someone is bound to slip up and have their membership terminated.

I like to think I am living my life to the best of my ability that I am walking my talk speaking my truth and honoring the right of others to do the same. Am I enlightened? Probably not.

Am I spiritual well that would depend on whose ruler you were using to measure me. Sometimes I wonder if there was a contest on the back of the Cereal Box I didn't see.... Win an eternity of heavenly joy simply fill out the forms stating in 200 words or less why you are a Spiritual or Enlightened being.

I suppose I shall muddle along the best I can a mere mortal full of human imperfections and contradictions walking the pathway of life, trying not to bump into the pedestals of those enlightened beings I meet along the way.

Okay I confess I am being cynical and sarcastic probably not traits one would find in a Spiritual person you would think. However I get tired of a Spiritual movement that gets more exclusive by the minute instead of widening its doors its saying you have to be.....

Well "I am" and so is everyone else on the planet and having knowledge or doing something a certain way others don't doesn't make me anything but a person doing something different. Two roads diverged in the forest and someone stuck a sign on one saying this way to enlightenment.

Robin Newman Psychic/Medium
Creating futures changing lives
http://www.robinjpsychic.com

Peace And Religion

Animism - The Most Ancient Form Of All Religions

The term animism is derived from animus which means mind or soul. Animism is concerned with the belief in spiritual beings. It is often extended to include the belief that supernatural beings, souls or spirits have endowed with reason and intellect and indeed free will both inanimate objects as well as animate life forms. Put simply, the belief is that everything is alive, everything is conscious; everything has a soul or spirit.

The belief that all things have a spirit or soul is as old as human existence. The notion that mankind is the only vessel worthy of containing a spirit or soul is a relatively recent by-product of a monotheistic world view. In many cultures the shaman or tribal elder is the spokesperson for the spirit world. The shamanistic view of spiritual embodiment includes not only human beings but plants, animals, ancestors and forces of nature.

Animism has been described as the most ancient form of all religions. Others do not view animism as a religious belief. They argue that Animism is in the first instance an explanation of phenomena rather than an attitude of mind toward the cause of them, a philosophy rather than a religion. The term may, however, be conveniently used to describe a form of religion in which people endeavour to set up relations between themselves and the unseen powers, conceived as spirits

The British anthropologist Sir Edward B. Tylor introduced the concept of animism in the late 19th century. Tylor thought of animism as the earliest stage in the evolution of religious belief. He suggested that the interpretation of dreams and trances and the observation of death led primitive societies to conceive of the soul or spirit, and that these spiritual conceptions were then projected onto the natural world. Although he developed no fixed evolutionary sequence or timeline, Tylor postulated that a belief in animism led to the definition of more generalized deities and, ultimately, to the worship of a single god.

It is difficult if not impossible to separate animistic beliefs from modern day religious practices. Almost every religious practice contains animistic elements. The use of wine to represent the blood of Christ in Catholic religious services is one example. Animistic beliefs are also apparent in shamanism, Daoism, Buddhism, Shinto, Islam, Hinduism,. Asian Christianity and their numerous combinations. Animistic themes have also permeated popular culture and literature. From Thomas the Tank Engine to Excalibur, Kermit the frog to artificial intelligence.

The belief that the earth itself is a living entity is an animistic viewpoint. This idea has been popularized by the Gaia theory which maintains that the planet is a living organism and that the living matter of planet Earth functions like a single life form, of which human beings are but one small part of the larger ecosystem. Perhaps the ancient beliefs represented by animism can have further influence on scientific inquiry.

Jeffry R. Palmer is the well known author of several books dealing with the subjects of metaphysics, paranormal phenomena and psychic development. His articles and columns have been featured in several popular international magazines. His accurate and detailed psychic predictions, including Hurricane Katrina and the Indonesian tsunami have captured the attention of an international audience.

Personal psychic readings by Mr. Palmer are available through the the-psychic-detective.com web site. These psychic readings are kept in strict confidence, cover all aspects of life, are extremely accurate and detailed and are very simple to purchase. Mr. Palmer even offers a 100% money back guarantee to clients if they aren't completely satisfied with their readings.

Psychic Readings

Don Miguel Ruiz

Spiritual Meaning of Numbers - Numbers in the Bible

References to numbers in the Bible begin almost immediately in the Book of Genesis in passages that tell the story of the seven days of Creation. Thus, numbers play an integral role in spiritual writing. The Spiritual meaning of numbers in reference to time, for example, may be literal or symbolism. For instance, God, a supernatural spirit, all-powerful, created the universe in seven days. Or, perhaps, seven days was merely a symbol to facilitate the weaker human's understanding of time. One day in Creation could have been a symbolic reference to one phase, one millennium or ten thousand years. It's impossible to know for certain how long Supernatural Design actually took place. In faith, we accept that which is beyond our human understanding as applied by God.

The Spiritual meaning of numbers play a very important role in helping the faithful to understand supernatural intent. Most religions of the world use chronological time to set standards for religious traditions, rituals and special feast days. But, religious peoples also accept numbers as spiritual signs. The 10 Commandments in the Old Testament stand out as a singular code of behavior for basic human behavior as well as human rights. Numbers in the New Testament play an extremely important role for many Christians who calculate the days of Advent and Lent, the numbers of hours of the Crucifixion and the number of days before Resurrection and Ascension occurred. Catholics, for example, pray a 5-decade rosary and pray before 14 Stations of the Cross.

The Bible, a Testament to the Inspired Word of God, includes numbered passages as well as numbered chapters. In the Old Testament, a closer review of Deuteronomy Verses 1-4, tells of the Israelites, punished by God, wandering 40 years in the desert for refusing to enter the Promised Land. With respectful deference to God's choice of 40 years, the faithful may wonder: "Why 40 years? Why not 5 years or 10 years?". Perhaps, the answer lies in the life span of humans of the day. 40 years was considered a full generation. A full generation, perhaps, to recompense lack of obedience to God. Only a supernatural spiritual being, all-knowing and all-powerful really knows the answer. The spiritual meaning of the number "40" becomes clearer.

The New Testament, the Book of Revelation in which is described the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse, various visions of the Book's author, John, of Armageddon and Second Coming of the Messiah. It's a Book of 7 cycles of events wherein the number "7" appears often, as well as the frequently misinterpreted number "666". Religious scholars believe the number "666" actually was a numerical reference to Emperor Nero, whose name in Hebrew equals 666. Numbers in the Book of Revelation have been interpreted to calculate the precise year of Armageddon. The Writing of the Book of Revelation is believed to be the work of John the Apostle while on Patmos.

The spiritual meaning of numbers take on special significance when accepted literally and without misinterpretation.

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

To learn more about Spiritual Meaning of Numbers, please visit Spirituality Today for current articles and discussions.

Game Of Life And How To Play

The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power by Vernon Howard

Rereading this classic was connecting with an old friend. Many years ago, I wrote out 15 Ways To Gain New Strength from this work, which I taped to my computer stand. When I replaced the book that had disappeared in one of my many moves, I was amazed to see that list as only one small part of the total. The volume itself is a treasure of many of the ideas I have read before but needed to hear again. Perhaps the same is true for you.

I strongly recommend this as a beginning primer into the metaphysical world, and I just as strongly recommend it is as a refresher read. Before I ever thought of the idea of a practical spirituality, Vernon Howard was presenting many of the necessary components.

Howard's words explain his ideas simply and clearly. I quote his words directly for most of this review. He explains:

"Man's task is to awaken to his true identity. The Kingdom of Heaven is within. Spiritual truths are discovered with an entirely new kind of thinking, quite distinct and vastly superior to the mind that buildsbridges and sells merchandise" (86).

Howard suggests the need for a better definition of "success" than a financial one:

"We demand a financial success, or a social gain, because we think it will fulfill us inwardly. It won't. It never will - as we have suspected all along. So-called success provides ego-excitement, but never self-fulfillment. It is just as impossible for an exterior result to provide inner happiness as it is for a new hat to give us a new mind" (145).

Think about this next quote. I believe the idea is relevant to many of us who find ourselves afraid of or intimidated by another:

"Why are we afraid of others? Because we want something from them. The desire can be almost anything -- companionship, approval, sex, security. The mistake is this: Not having found the true self which is free from compulsive desires, we seek gratification from people. This creates fear that we won't get what we want, or anxiety that the other person will makeus pay dearly for it" (151).

Howard provides many other ideas, but I particularly like this one:

"Try the following experiment for the next thirty minutes: Let life happen the way it wants, with no resistance and no objection. Go about as if you need not think about anything. Your first surprise will be that your usual duties go on very nicely as before. Secondly, you will catch a grand glimpse of the effortlessly flowing of Tao. You do not carry; you are carried" (133).

Then we might try this same experiment for the rest of our lives. Vernon Howard's ideas can help us do that.

Howard, Vernon. The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power. N.Y: Parker Publishing Company, 1967.

Cheryl A. Chatfield, Ph. D. is a writer, teacher and inspirational speaker. Visit http://NottInstitute.org to request a complimentary 10-page booklet discussing the Top Seven Books for 2009 To Guide Your Spiritual Quest, one of which is discussed above. Her nonprofit organization, The Nottingham Institute, promotes materials for an everyday, or practical, spirituality for those who don't find answers in organized religions. Two of her books include Do It Yourself Guide to Spirituality: Seven Simple Steps and The Lost Principles, a novel.

Bhagavad Gita

Article Submission Guidelines Help You Get Mass Distribution

Article submission companies have a list of clear, standard guidelines. These guidelines apply across the board with all article submission companies. And apply to any article, submitted by any author, for publication. The guidelines are designed to provide authentic, clean, non-promotional articles that can be read by anyone and efficiently tracked by search engines.

As you begin to use article writing to promote your website, you will want to do everything in your power to get your articles published. Your article may have great content and the perfect searchable keyword title, but if you don't observe submission guidelines, don't expect to be published.

And, if you don't follow the rules, there's no gray area - your article simply won't get published. Here's a quick reference checklist of the standard guidelines that are mandatory for article submissions.

* You cannot submit articles that are self serving or promotional.
* No use of any type of pornography, computer hacking tips, racial intolerance comments, promotion of violence, insulting or abusive comments or profanity.
* Always construct your articles to be original, informative and helpful.
* Specific special characters are not allowed in articles.
* No HTML coding is allowed, except in the author block.
* Avoid excessive hard breaks and tables.

You cannot submit articles that are self serving or promotional. Articles are about writing pieces that are informative, not fashioned as an advertisement for your business. Save your promotions for your more traditional marketing campaigns.

Self-promotional items include advertising of any kind. Pieces considered to be self serving are promotional copy, sales letters and press releases. Your writing goal is to provide helpful content for your readers and establish yourself as an expert, not market your business.

Article submissions companies strictly prohibit the use of any type of pornography, computer hacking tips, racial intolerance comments, promotion of violence, insulting or abusive comments and profanity. If you have to question if your content is suitable for all readers, it isn't.

All articles need be rated G - for General Audiences. There should be no problem with your 10-year-old niece reading your article. It's your responsibility to make sure your article does not contain content that could be offensive or inappropriate in any way.

Always construct your articles to be original, informative and helpful. Your articles have to be original. It's your goal to provide articles to establish your own expertise with your readers, not a copy of someone else's knowledge. Never take another author's previously published article and attach your name as author.

Likewise do not take excerpts or pieces of others' articles, unless you are prepared to note the original author and use it as a direct quote. But why would you want use another author's material, giving them credit, if your goal is to establish your own expertise?

All article submission companies will run a thorough Internet check to see if your article has been published before. If you use someone else's material, it will be certain rejection.

There are also a number of special characters that are not allowed in articles. Special characters typically do not translate well into web based documents. Some characters can convert to unreadable fonts or symbols that distract your reader or worse, change or confuse your content.

You are not allowed to use curly quotation marks, but rather use straight quotes. You can change the way your Microsoft Word program types quotes by going into your Tools Toolbar.

1. On the Tools menu, click AutoCorrect, and then click the AutoFormat As You Type tab.
2. Under Replace as you type, select or clear the "Straight quotes" with "smart quotes" check box.

You cannot use a long dash, but rather use a single short dash. The pound sign and the ampersand sign are also prohibited, along with other special characters.

HTML coding is not allowed.
You are not allowed to use any HTML coding in your article. You can however include HTML in your author block with your keywords and call to action.

And finally, article submission companies look for excessive hard line breaks and tabs. Excessive hard line breaks are defined as a manual return or tab. Your text and paragraphs should flow with minimal manual returns. The exception to this guideline is poetry that requires shorter lines of text.

If you chose to not abide by these simple guidelines, don't expect to get published. Keep your content clean, informative, original and flowing for your best chances of publication.

Join Bob Sommers at the Recognized Expert article marketing forum and participate in our lively article marketing discussion. Learn how to write marketing copy from Saint Louis marketing writers and professional writers from around the world

Article Marketing - Powerful Tips to Make Article Marketing Easy

Not many people know that the concept of article marketing came into being with the conception of the Internet. Analysts have discovered that the most effective technique to lure in interested users to a particular website is by first presenting an article to this reader. A plethora of content-related websites have now pooled together to launch a highly effective marketing campaign where each website hosts an article linked to another content-connected site. This article acts as an advertisement enticing users to the related website for more information. Statistics show that this marketing strategy instantaneously multiplies your website hit counter.

There are several ways of propagating your article through the network of content-connected websites. Your budget and the available time frame are the decisive factors since article marketing can be made available for a cost-effective amount or for absolutely nothing at all! There are two options for you to explore, namely Ezine directories and the paid services. In the case of the Ezine directory, although your article will be hosted on specific web pages, it is not copy protected as anyone may reuse your article. This is by far the most popular option since a single article can infiltrate countless websites within a short period of time. This automatically boosts your website backlinks. EzineArticles.com and GoArticles.com are two of the most important Ezine directories. However, paid distributors such as ArticleMarketer.com and Isnare.com save you the time and energy of going through the tedious process of sending each article to the directories. These software packages or paid services deliver results as soon as they take control of the circulation aspect.

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Time Management - Priorities and Analyzing

The way you think you spend your time and the way you actually spend your time are rarely the same. Don't guess, make sure you know.

Ask yourself often "Will what I am doing, or about to do, help me achieve my goals ?. Once your time is spent, it can not be recovered.

Ask others to tell you how you waste your time or how you might use your time more effectively. They see things about you that you will never see.

Ask questions to help analyze your time i.e.:

- How much time was spent on high priority items?
- What were the biggest time wasters?

In other hand pick your priorities very carefully.

The 80 - 20 rules is : Eighty percent of the value is in 20 percent of the items, and 2- percent of the value is in 80 percent of the items. For example, 80 percent of the problems probably comes from 20 percent of the issues.

Learn to distinguish between Important and Urgent. The highest payoffs and greatest opportunities are usually important but not urgent.

Most of us have learned to respond to urgent activities but not necessarily to important activities. Don't let urgent things always take precedence over important things.

Try making a "not-to-do" list as well as a "to-do" list. This will remind you not to waste time on unimportant activities.

Don't constantly switch your priorities just because people make loud demands. Be very careful about which squeaky wheels get greased.

If you have any of the following common priority habits, change your way immediately, i.e.:

- Responding to demands of others before your own demands
- Waiting until the deadline approaches to get started
- Doing interesting job before uninteresting jobs
- Doing things that provide immediate closure
- Doing small jobs before large jobs

Ask your self :

- What is the most important things I must to do tomorrow?
- Do your best to start with that task.

For more information go to http://timemanagement-onlinecourse.blogspot.com

Look Out For Gossip Time Thieves!

If every workplace in North America (and my guess would be the other continents, as well) became gossip-free zones, I am positive that productivity would go up by at least 25% overall. In some environments, it might go up by 50% or even more. And, the theft of time caused by this lack of productivity would be essentially eliminated. So, how can you avoid gossip and help your organization be a gossip-free zone? Here are some ideas to consider:

1. Know what gossip is. A few definitions include: "Rumor or talk of a personal, sensational, or intimate nature" (American Heritage Dictionary); "Idle, often sensational and groundless talk about others" (Houghton Mifflin Thesaurus). Hmmmm. Neither one of those sound like this is something you want to be engaged in. And it certainly doesn't make anyone more productive.
2. Keep a count for 2 days of the number of times you engage in gossip, either because you instigated it or because someone else did and you listened. Then ask yourself if you are increasing your productivity (or anyone else's) through this behavior.
3. Once you have a number of times that you engage in gossip, then work to shave that number down for each two-day period in the future, until you are down to 0 times.
4. Make a pact with yourself to stop gossiping. When I was a teenager, one of my best friend's parents would say, "ZONK!" anytime either one of us would say anything that wasn't nice about someone else. As teenagers, this was just mortifying, because Mr. and Mrs. Riley felt free to do this when we were out in public, not just at my friend Donna's house! However, I can still hear her parents' voices whenever I say something negative about another person. (And let's just say it's been a few years since I was a teenager and leave it at that!)
5. Keep a count for 2 days of the number of times you overhear others gossiping. Ask yourself whether they are increasing their productivity by doing so.
6. Come up with a way to gracefully and respectfully tell others that regardless of your behavior in the past, you are making a new choice about gossiping. That is, you are choosing not to be part of it. This is a tough step, but is necessary to change the behaviors and culture within an organization. Be bold and assertive--and professional. It is the professional (and productive) thing to do.
7. Remember that gossip can ruin business relationships, whether you're the one gossiping or if you're the one being gossiped about. It's just nasty business.
8. Ask yourself if the people you know who are gossipers are well respected. Does gossiping add to or detract from your self respect and others' respect? You know the answer.
9. Remind yourself that gossip hurts (and never helps). Anytime anyone (including you) starts to pass along a salacious tidbit (or something more minor), ask who is helped or who is hurt by this talk. Adjust the conversation accordingly.
10. Calculate how much time you spend in gossiping behavior. If you are like other professionals in today's world, you're always looking for a few extra minutes in the day - and here they are! Just by getting rid of the gossip time thief, you can regain 5, 10, 30 or more minutes EVERY day. Multiply this by the number of people in your organization who are spending time gossiping. Think of the increase in overall productivity if you eliminated this time thief.

"There is so much good in the worst of us, and so much bad in the best of us, that it ill behooves any of us to find fault with the rest of us." - James Truslow Adams.

Time thieves are part of modern life (sad by true). You have the power to prevent this pilfering of your productivity. Join others around the world who increase their peaceful, predictable productivity by receiving Meggin's weekly emails as well as her teleseminars on topics such as "Antioxidants for Toxic Work Environments" (and toxic work environments certainly include gossip).

**Top Ten Productivity Tips - http://www.TopTenProductivityTips.com

**Keys to Keeping Chaos at Bay - http://www.KeepingChaosatBay.com

(c) 2008 by Meggin McIntosh, Ph.D., "The Ph.D. of Productivity"(tm)

Through her company, Emphasis on Excellence, Inc., Meggin McIntosh changes what people know, feel, dream, and do via seminars, workshops, writing, coaching, and consulting.

Article Writing Tips - 2 Simple and Easy Tips For Cranking Out Magnetic Articles

If you want to write articles online, you need to look for a few good article writing tips that will help you. The tips should encompass not only how you need to structure the article but should also include tips and suggestions on how you can make the article more interesting to your reader.

One of the article writing tips that you will want to follow is to have a compelling title. The title of the article is the first thing that will catch the eye of the reader. You want to be sure that it lures the reader into reading your article. You can come up with the title of the article after you have written the piece of before, it does not matter. What does matter is that it draws attention.

The title is important, but the article body is the meat of the article and should fulfill the promise made in the title. When you are looking for article writing tips, much will center on the body of the article. You will want to keep it moving forward without using unnecessary words and phrases and illustrating the point or promise that you made in your title. A good article will have an introduction, a middle and an end that sums up the points you made.

When looking for article writing tips, look for those that teach you how to write compelling titles as well as how to create content that will hold the reader's interest till the reader reaches the end where the resource box awaits.

Fabian Tan is a well-known Internet Marketing expert and the author of the popular 59-page Report:

"Murder Your Job: How To Build Cash Sucking Autopilot Businesses In 30 Days Or Less!"

Head over to http://www.MurderYourJob.com to get your FREE copy now!

Also, quickly download his FREE "Explosive Traffic System" report that shows you how to generate 10,000+ unique visitors per month at no cost! => http://www.ExplosiveTrafficSystem.com

Thinking About Your Life

What do I do when I get down and out. Well that use to happen to me often and I seemed to suffer with some minor depression. It would seem like time would stand still. I would look at the clock and notice the time. Let's say 2:23 in the afternoon. I would look back to see what time it was about fifteen minutes latter and it would be 2:26. Wow what in the heck is going on with this clock.

I just couldn't believe it seemed like the day would never end. I would just sit there and think about all the stuff going on in my life, good and bad of course. This seemed to last until I was in my early twenties. I just didn't want to feel like this any more. I made a Conscious design not to get depressed period. I never wanted to feel like that again.

I read a book on ESP and in the book it described visualizing a rose as you went to sleep. I started doing this every night and while I was doing the exercise it seemed to make me feel relaxed in a way I never had felt before. The reason for the exercise was to teach you to visualize something peaceful. This in turn would put you in a peaceful state of mind.

Then a thought came into my noggin. What if when ever I start to feel bad or seem to be going into a sort of depressive state of mind I change my thoughts. It worked... I would start to visualize something else that made me feel comfortable and give me a peaceful feeling. Man was I surprised with my results.

Keep in mind I didn't think of this all on my own but I did put the pieces of the puzzle I needed to together that I needed to change my life. It seemed like I could use this form of self control in different parts of my life. If I was at work and someone made me mad.... Well this didn't work all the time... I still got mad. Let's pick something else OK.

I would worry about something on the job that wasn't going right. Then I would get irritated over something else that wasn't even related to what I was worrying about. Why did I take it out on the other person when what I was really mad about was something else. We do this all the time in our lives. We seem to get mad, get even or give up. Why do we do this and what can we do to stop it.

My main point to all of this is we can change our thinking and change our lives. We can learn new things to change our thinking. We don't need to give up hope that we will always be like this. Change the things you don't like about yourself. Do it today. If you need some help there is a great book that will help you change your life for the better.

You can find it at http://www.live.spiritualideas.com This book has a lot of tools to create the change in your life you want to have a more full filling life.

Most people give up just when they're about to achieve success. They quit on the one yard line. They give up at the last minute of the game one foot from a winning touchdown. Ross Perot.

Start Living Your Dreams Today and Create a Wonderful Life For Yourself And Your Family. Greg Vanden Berge is one of the best inspirations on the planet. You will be hearing a lot about this guy in the future. You can count on it.