Dancing with the Stars Season 13 Finale! :)

DWTS Finals: Monday, November 21st

I was left spellbound by ALL of their performances this night!
Way to go! ;)

DWTS Results: Tuesday, November 22nd

For those of you who do not have a dvr or tivo like me, I was so stoked to have discovered Hulu uploads DWTS episodes the next day. So we don't have to wait a week to watch a missed DWTS episode on ABC.com.

A BIG CONGRATULATIONS to J.R. Martinez and Karina Smirnoff for winning the DWTS Season 13 mirror ball trophy!!! LOVED all of your performances! :)

ALL of you EARNED your way to be in DWTS top 3 teams: J.R. Martinez and Karina Smirnoff, Ricki Lake and Derek Hough, Rob Kardashian and Cheryl Burke! GREAT job! All of you became STUPENDOUS dancers! ;D

My top 3 favorite DWTS teams have always been Ricki Lake and Derek Hough, J.R. Martinez and Karina Smirnoff, Chynna Phillips and Tony Dovolani. I was bummed when Chynna was voted off. She was already doing so well and had so much potential. But life happens and things don't always turn out the way we want or expect.

I do have to say that Rob Kardashian was a season shocker. He really did give it his all, pushed beyond his comfort zones and improved GREATLY. Kudos to Cheryl Burke for polishing him up so beautifully in more ways than one. I give credit where credit is due. Rob and Cheryl worked hard and DID EARN their way to be in the TOP 3.

One last thing I need to say about the dancers, Ricki Lake and Derek Hough shined brightly consistently ALL season! I really enjoyed watching her transformation unfold. BEAUTIFUL inside and out. She exudes strength, persistence and sensitivity. ♥

This was DWTS BEST season thus far! Thank you for weeks of outstanding, first-class entertainment! It was a wonderful break from this world's nonsense! FUN show to watch. Love you all. ♥

Loyal To The End: Chinese Dog Refuses To Budge From Late Master’s Graveside… Even After A Week Without Food ♥

The Daily Mail UK

Loyal to the end: Chinese dog refuses to budge from late master’s graveside… even after a week without food

written by Staff

Wednesday November 23, 2011

In a tear-jerking display of loyalty, this faithful Chinese dog refuses to leave his late master's graveside even after going seven days without food.

Just like Edinburgh's legendary Greyfriars Bobby, the little Scottish terrier who visited his master's grave every day for 14 years, the faithful yellow dog simply cannot bear to be parted from his friend.

His owner Lao Pan, who died aged 68 earlier this month, lived alone in a little house in the village of Panjiatun with just the dog for company.

After seven days without a meal, concerned villagers begun bringing food and water to the graveside and even plan to build a little kennel for the dog to curl up in at night.

One villager told how he decided to adopt the dog and brought him back home but he immediately escaped and rushed back to be close to his late master.

15 Eunuchs (Hijras) Killed, 36 Injured In Fire At Ceremony In India! :o

I studied the Hidra (Hijra) community and their role in the Indian culture during my senior year at California State University, Los Angeles. Hijra's are very fascinating people and have a very long history in that region of this planet. I really enjoyed learning about them. The funny thing is I probably would have never learned about them so indepthly had I not chosen to transfer schools so I could finish faster. It was because I transferred from California State University, Northridge (CSUN semester system) that I was required to complete three "additional" upper division diversity general education courses "in residence" at Cal State University, Los Angeles (CSULA quarter system) in order earn my baccalaureate.

Believe me, I wasn't thrilled about having to take 3 additional courses so close to the end of my long 10 year higher education journey; 7 years part-time (Los Angeles Valley Jr. College), 3 years full-time (University). But that was the price I had to pay when I chose to transfer and accept the new university guidelines to graduate. On the bright side, we were given several cultural diversity options to choose from. I chose Gender Cultural studies. In the end what appeared to be a kink in my graduation timeline turned out to be a nice diversion from pure business finance economic studies. God works in mysterious ways and always knows what I'll need. ;) Oh and by the way, this was just one topic in one of the three Cultural Study Anthropology courses I had to take. To help you understand Hijra's a bit more, I've taken the following information from wikipedia:

"Hijra: In the culture of South Asia, hijras (Hindi: हिजड़ा, Urdu: ہِجڑا, Bengali: হিজড়া, Kannada: ಹಿಜಡಾ, Telugu: హిజ్ర) or chakka in Kannada, khusra in Punjabi and kojja in Telugu are physiological males who have feminine gender identity, women's clothing and other feminine gender roles. Hijras have a long recorded history in the Indian subcontinent, from the antiquity, as suggested by the Kama Sutra period onwards. This history features a number of well-known roles within subcontinental cultures, part gender-liminal, part spiritual and part survival.

In South Asia, many hijras live in well-defined, organized, all-hijra communities, led by a guru. These communities have sustained themselves over generations by "adopting" young boys who are rejected by, or flee their family of origin. Many work as prostitutes for survival.

The word hijra is Urdu, derived from the Arabic root hjr in its sense of "leaving one's tribe," and has been borrowed into Hindi. The Indian usage has traditionally been translated into English as "eunuch" or "hermaphrodite," where "the irregularity of the male genitalia is central to the definition." However, in general hijras are born with typically male physiology, only a few having been born with male intersex variations. Some Hijras undergo an initiation rite into the hijra community called nirwaan, which refers to the removal of penis, testicles and scrotum.

Since the late 20th century, some hijra activists and Western non-government organizations (NGOs) have been lobbying for official recognition of the hijra as a kind of "third sex" or "third gender," as neither man nor woman." [source: wikipedia]

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Yahoo news

15 eunuchs killed in fire at ceremony in India

written by Muneeza Naqvi

Monday November 21, 2011

NEW DELHI (AP) — It was to be a rare moment of camaraderie and celebration for India's marginalized eunuchs. Thousands had traveled to New Delhi to participate in a ceremony to honor deceased friends and to pray for the health of all children.

Then a fire erupted in a huge makeshift tent Sunday night. Panic broke out and 15 eunuchs were killed and 36 others were injured, fire officials said.

The fire was likely caused by an electrical short, fire officials and witnesses said.

Acrid smoke hung in the air Monday and small groups of eunuchs were allowed to enter the cordoned-off area to salvage what was left of their belongings. Hundreds of others gathered outside to gather news of their friends and console each other.

The term eunuch, or hijra, is used in India to describe transvestites, transsexuals and others who identify themselves as neither male nor female but as a member of a third gender. Some have had their male genitalia removed. They traditionally survive by begging, dancing at weddings or blessing newborn babies and are frequently subjected to discrimination.

While the community is often mocked, their prayers and good wishes are considered powerful by most Indians.

India's eunuch population is estimated at about 700,000.

Most eunuchs are shunned by their birth families and live together in communal houses led by a guru or master.

The tent was packed Sunday and the fire caused people to run in panic, said Babli, who like many eunuchs uses just one name.

"The older hijras got hurt in the running and panic," Babli said.

Officials are investigating the cause of the fire.

Me-OUT! Famed NYC's Algonquin Hotel Cat Evicted From Lobby To Comply With City Rules! :o

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

MSNBC news

Me-OUT! Famed hotel cat evicted from lobby

written by Scott Stump

Wednesday November 23, 2011

For nearly 80 years, a cat has roamed free in the lobby of New York City’s famed Algonquin hotel, but now, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has made finding the friendly feline into a bit of a scavenger hunt.

The Algonquin has confined Matilda III, the latest in a line of lobby cats dating back to 1932, primarily to the arrival area and behind the reception desk thanks to a pre-emptive move to prevent crossing the DOH.

Restaurants have been getting tagged with hefty fine and reduced health ratings for minor violations, so the Algonquin made the move to avoid running afoul of the New York City Health Code. In a statement to TODAY.com, a rep for the DOH said: "According to the New York City Health Code, live animals are not allowed in food service establishments (except for edible fish, shellfish, or crustacean) unless a patron needs a service dog."

“We certainly respect the Department of Health and their mission to protect the public,’’ Algonquin general manager Gary Budge told TODAY.com. “They make it clear that animals are not to be in food-service areas, so rather than be in a situation that could’ve been a conflict, we have restricted (Matilda) to the arrival area, the reception desk, and her favorite haunt, which has always been the coat room.’’

Next year will mark the 80th anniversary of cats roaming the Algonquin's lobby. In 1932, then-owner Frank Case welcomed a stray searching for food and shelter and a tradition was born. Guests have been asking about the absence of Matilda III, who gets regular mail and makes headlines any time her collar has been stolen. She even has a section on the hotel’s website titled “The Algonquin Cat.’’

“People miss seeing Matilda moving around the lobby,’’ Budge said. “They miss that part of the connection they’ve previously enjoyed. But this is the right thing to do. As we know, everything changes.’’

In nearly 80 years, Budge said neither Matilda nor her predecessors have ever attacked a guest or been abused by visitors. Hotel staff are often asked by guests to point out Matilda’s various hiding spots.

The Algonquin received 20 violation points in a preliminary inspection on Nov. 10, worth a B Grade if they are not fixed by the time of the DOH’s follow-up visit, according to a report in The New York Post, which originally reported the story.

None of those violations involved the cat. The Algonquin will undergo a four-month, $15 million renovation starting in January.

While Matilda may be harder for guests to spot, she is always within sight of an Algonquin employee to make sure that the DOH doesn’t come calling with fines and ratings downgrades.

“She is closer to a watchable eye from the team that works here, and they happen to like that,’’ Budge said.

6 Tips to Writing a Successful Life Plan

6 Tips to Writing a Successful Life Plan

written by Gary Polsky

[source: Pick the Brain: Grow Yourself]

Most of us who have been in the world of business know that a well-thought out business plan is the key to running a successful business. And yet, few of us take time to create a written life plan; a plan that details our vision for our life and what steps we are going to take to get there. We call this Apex Lifestyle Design.

Just like in business, if you want to live a fulfilling life that exceeds all your wildest dreams, writing a life plan is the first step to success.

1. Knowing Yourself: With vision and self-knowledge, it’s kind of the chicken and the egg thing. You must know yourself in order to discover your vision, but your vision could shape who you are. In any case, to write a detailed plan of how you will achieve your vision, you must know who you are – your strengths and your weaknesses, your core values and beliefs. Ask yourself hard-hitting questions that reveal your true nature like “Do I have a sense of purpose? If so, what is it?” or “When I am the happiest or feel most at peace?” These types of questions will help you determine what you truly want from life. For a list of thought-provoking questions visit Apex Lifestyle Design by Gary-Polsky.

2. Vision: If you don’t know where you want to go, it’s almost impossible to get there. Apex Lifestyle Designers grab vision by the horns. They reflect on what they feel passionate about, how they can change the world, and then they create a far-reaching vision statement. This vision is the core philosophy of what you want to accomplish, on where you see yourself in one year, five years, ten years. It’s making a decision up front on how you see your life unfolding.

3. Outlook: Outlook is how you see things. Do you see an obstacle as something standing in the way from you getting what you want or as a challenge that invigorates you? It’s kind of a glass half-full vs. glass half-empty mentality. A good life plan will recognize that there will be challenges along the way and lay out a plan to meet them with enthusiasm like a good crossword puzzle.

4. Goals: Just like in a business plan you have to set goals to achieve the things you want from life; monthly goals, weekly goals, daily goals. But unlike in business, these goals should encompass all areas of your life – mind, body and soul. Apex Lifestyle Designers pursue their vision with a fiery sense of urgency, but they also set goals that keep balance in their lives. They know that in order to perform at maximum velocity they must have periods of rest to rejuvenate the spirit. So, when you write your goals, think in terms of what you will do to pursue your passionate abstraction, your vision, and what you will do to tend to your health, both physical and mental.

5. Collaboration: True Apex Lifestyle Designers know that reaching a purpose-driven vision of their life can’t be done alone. You need to make connections within the world around you. Leaders have the ability to inspire great things from those around them and part of a good life plan will include who you want to spend your time with and how you will inspire them. For each element of your plan, you will need to attract a certain person, or group of people; we call these specialty muses. These muses can help you take your vision to the next level.

6. Evaluation: A great life plan, just like a great business plan, will have built-in evaluation processes. How will you know if you are on the right track to fulfilling your vision, if you don’t take time to stop and reflect on what you have accomplished? Celebrate the successes along the way and make sure that you are always driving towards that ultimate vision of your life.

Utilizing these elements be sure to take time to write a plan for your life. Only when it is written out will you be on your way to living life the way you always dreamed it.

Your Dimension Of Greatness!

Your Dimension Of Greatness

An Inspirational Poem

written by Author Unknown

No one can know the potential,

Of a life that is committed to win;

With courage - the challenge it faces,

To achieve great success in the end!

So, explore the Dimension of Greatness,

And believe that the world CAN be won;

By a mind that is fully committed,

KNOWING the task can be done!

Your world has no place for the skeptic,

No room for the DOUBTER to stand;

To weaken your firm resolution

That you CAN EXCEL in this land!

We must have VISION TO SEE our potential,

And FAITH TO BELIEVE that we can;

Then COURAGE TO ACT with conviction,

To become what GOD MEANT us to be!

So, possess the strength and the courage,

To conquer WHATEVER you choose;

It's the person WHO NEVER GETS STARTED,

That is destined FOREVER to lose!

Radical Thinking: What You Can Learn From the Timeless Philosophy of Socrates! GREAT SYNOPSIS!

Radical Thinking: What You Can Learn From the Timeless Philosophy of Socrates

written by Tejvan Pettinger

[source: Pick the Brain: Grow Yourself!]

During his lifetime Socrates wrote nothing down. Yet his wisdom has formed the bedrock of western philosophy. Socrates was viewed as a great teacher. But he did not claim to be a teacher. In fact, he frequently said ‘all I know is that I know nothing’. By all accounts Socrates was both poor and ugly. Yet in a society that placed tremendous value on beauty and wealth, people of all classes were magnetically drawn to his teachings and enigmatic personality.As he wrote nothing down, there is some dispute about what Socrates actually said. But, from the writings of Plato and others, we can gain a few glimpses into the character and ideals of this ancient sage and unique philosopher.

The Socratic Dialogue

Perhaps the most arresting feature of Socrates’ legacy is his unique method of teaching and arriving at the truth. Socrates didn’t claim the truth is this or the truth is that. He sought to question students in a way that would lead them to arrive at the truth themselves. Socrates frequently claimed to know nothing. Yet, if Socrates knew nothing, why were people so eager to hear him talk? The reason was that Socrates was able to make people reconsider their own ingrained ideas; Socrates had a way of making people think for themselves and consider truth from different angles.This method of conversation incurred the ire of some people; they were not happy that Socrates was able to show the limitations of their thinking. Yet, the genius of the Socratic method was that he never had to directly tell people their inadequacies; they came to realise it themselves.

Independence of Thought

One of Socrates most admired traits was that he did not follow popular opinion. He questioned every orthodox belief and decided independently if it was worth pursuing. Socrates looked at issues from both perspectives; he did not allow himself to be tied down by religious, political, or social conventions.This independence of thought and mind was particularly powerful given the forces of conformity predominant in Greek society. The importance he placed on independence of thought can be seen by his response to his trial and death. Socrates had numerous opportunities to flee; however, he didn’t wish to flee — he felt that escape would weaken his philosophic independence.Socrates was also non dogmatic; he had friends with both Oligarchs and Democrats. At the same time, he had enemies in both parties; Socrates would never moderate his words to curry favour with others.

Interest in the Welfare of Others

Socrates spent most of his time wandering the streets of Athens, talking with people interested in discovering more about life. Socrates was a great teacher, because ironically he didn’t have an agenda to teach. He was not interested in imparting a certain dogma or attracting followers. He wanted people to think for themselves and consider the real nature of life and truth. As Socrates said to one student.”If you take my advice, you will give but little thought to Socrates but much more to the truth.” Socrates was not just a great talker, but also a great listener. It is this balance which set him apart from ordinary teachers who want only to lecture others.

Fear Not Death

"The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our ways I to die, and you to live. Which is better God only knows” - Socrates. The authorities felt threatened by the popularity and independent nature of Socrates and sought to have him silenced. The result was a travesty of justice; however, Socrates was able to meet his death with an enviable equanimity. Not only did Socrates maintain a philosophic calm, he also bore little anger or ill feeling to his judges who had unjustly tried him. He magnanimously said: ”I am not angry with my accusers, or my condemners; they have done me no harm, although neither of them meant to do me any good; and for this I may gently blame them.” It is easy for a philosopher to talk about the unreality of death, but the real test is how we respond when faced with it ourselves. The equanimity of Socrates suggests he lived the ideals he spoke of.

Self Control

Socrates once visited a palm reader. The palm reader looked at his hands and said to him: “so many undivine qualities you have: anger, pride, lust.”. His followers were furious — how could she say this about the great saint, Socrates? Socrates replied, “Wait, let us see whether she has anything else to say.” The palm reader continued, “Yes, he has these qualities, but, he also has them under his complete control.” Like all people, Socrates had negative emotions and qualities but he was able to prevent them from controlling him.

Tolerance of Others

Socrates married Xanthippe, who was renowned for her irritating behaviour and quick temper. Socrates didn’t get upset about his wife’s negative qualities. Instead he saw it as an opportunity to develop tolerance, patience and humility. Socrates even made a joke of it saying, “As I intended to associate with all kinds of people, I thought nothing they could do would disturb me, once I had accustomed myself to bear the disposition of Xanthippe.”

Outer Appearances Do Not Matter

It is said even by his admirers that Socrates was ugly. Reports suggest he was short, fat, and had a big nose. Yet, despite his unflattering looks, many eagerly sought his company for his wisdom, counsel and inspirational views on life. Despite an ugly outer countenance people saw in Socrates an inner beauty. As the aristocratic military genius Alcibiades said of Socrates “His nature is so beautiful, golden, divine. ”Socrates paid little attention to outer form. This doesn’t mean he could not appreciate beauty; however, as a true philosopher, it was his duty to see beyond the outer form.

Know Thyself

It is said that Socrates once visited the oracle of Delphi, where he was told the most important task in his life was to know his real self. To know the real self is perhaps the ultimate goal of philosophy. If we don’t know who we are, how can we solve the mysteries of life and help other people? For Socrates knowing thyself was more than a mere intellectual quest. It was an idea that shaped his life and inner attitude. He was never satisfied with accepting outer appearances and conventional wisdom, but always strove for a deeper understanding of his real Self. Above all, Socrates taught us not accept our existing thoughts as true. Step back and reevaluate the truth and veracity of your opinions and beliefs. Seek to know your real self and seek truth. It is a lofty philosophy, but one that has retained an enduring appeal and fascination through the ages.

The Single Most Important Mindset Shift You Will Ever Make! GREAT Inspirational Piece... Enjoy! :)

The Single Most Important Mindset Shift You Will Ever Make

written by Stephenie Zamora, GalTime Contributor

[source: Positively Positive]

Are you feeling unhappy and unfulfilled with your life, work or relationships? Are you looking to live a healthier, more active and energetic life? Whatever it is you’re looking to create or change, you’ve probably spent a lot of time seeking out the right self-help guru, affordable program or perfect book. I know from experience that there’s a lot of self-help out there to choose from and you’ll likely spend a ton of time and money searching for the perfect solution.

But I’ve got some awesome news for you…

Despite the various packaging and marketing, all personal development boils down to one simple concept: Personal responsibility.

Personal responsibility is about taking 100% responsibility for everything that manifests in your life. Your successes, your failures, the way others treat you, your health, your happiness, your finances, etc.

But I want to make one thing very clear, it’s not about blame.

Personal responsibility is all about empowering yourself to create the life, success and happiness that you so desire. It’s about becoming solutions-focused and working with others to make the world a better place. It’s a beautiful, simple and often-overlooked principle that absolutely everyone can utilize.

Whether you’re unhappy in your relationship, with your job, your finances, or maybe your whole life seems off-balance and out of sorts… you are 100% responsible for everything that’s shown up in your life. This can be a tough pill to swallow, I know. Believe me I know!

It wasn’t very long ago that I was absolutely miserable in my own life. Working at a job that left me feeling drained, in a relationship that didn’t make me happy and living a life that didn’t light me up. In situations like this, it’s usually easier to blame outside circumstances than to look at yourself. The boyfriend who doesn’t treat you right, the job with the bad boss, the pressures of our peers or the economy.

But if you can take a step back in every situation and ask yourself, “What did I do to allow this to happen?” you will be pleasantly surprised at what you discover.

You’re going to discover that you chose to be with the wrong person, you neglected to set your boundaries, you ate too many fatty foods and you spent far too much money on lattes. You didn’t work hard enough to earn that promotion, you weren’t hanging out with the right people and you completely forgot to mail that check.

And you know what? This is all FABULOUS news! You should be excited about what you discover! Once you’re aware of what you’ve done to allow situations that cause you discontent or frustration, you can make the necessary changes in your life to produce better results!

This is the most important mindset shift you will ever make and I guarantee you will begin to see instant results when you choose to take your life into your own hands!

Action Step ›› Whenever something goes wrong in your life or you find yourself in an unhappy situation, make it a habit to ask yourself, “What did I do to allow this to happen?” Make note of what you discover and brainstorm ways you can make changes that will bring more positive and desired results.

Life Is Like A Cup of Coffee... ♥

HAPPY SUNDAY everybody!!! :) I hope this beautiful message lifts your spirit today! LOVE YOU! ♥

"We are here to add what we can to life,

not to get what we can from life."

~ by William Osler

I have typed a transcript of this message below for my international readers who need to translate.

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A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups porcelain, plastic, glass, cystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite. He told his guests to help themselves to the coffee. After everybody had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said:

If you noticed all the nice looking expensive cups have been taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive, and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup. But you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each other's cups to see who had the best one. Now consider this... LIFE is the coffee; the jobs, the money, the positions in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain LIFE and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change, the quality of life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee. Savor the coffee, NOT the cups! The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the BEST of everything.

♥ Live simply ♥ Speak kindly ♥ Care deeply ♥
♥ Love generously ♥

HAPPY SUNDAY Everyone! I've Shared 5 Quotes That Have Inspirational Messages For Your Spirit, Heart And Mind. Love You All! ♥

Big (1988) Movie Trailer

YAAAY!!! I'm so excited. After much searching, over 500 channels, pay per view movie selection and premium on-demand channels I FINALLY came across something I'm actually interested in watching, the movie "BIG" starring Tom Hanks. It just started right now at 11pm on FOX movie channel (FMC). I never get tired of watching this FUN lighthearted movie!

I am a HAPPY camper right now. Okay time to go relax and enjoy the movie. Catch you all later. Have a great night okay! This is just what the doctor (my spiritual guardian) ordered FUN and LAUGHTER! :D

The Only Revolution... ♥

I'd like to share one of my role models whom I greatly admire. He was an EXTRAordinary human being with a beautiful heart, spirit and mind! To sum up his words: You have to love and respect yourself first before you can love and respect others. Not a selfish love. But a genuine love and concern for the wellbeing of others that will be translated in your desire for wanting the very BEST for others. When you have achieved inner love, respect, peace and freedom, you want others to feel the same. I would also like to point out that when an individual has achieved this they are able to recognize swindlers/con-artist and instinctively want to protect the general public from dishonest and irrational persons causing them harm without asking for anything in return just out of the GOODNESS of their heart. The individual that has achieved this inner revolution is what transforms society and leadership with a positive impact/result.

"To serve is beautiful, but only if it is done with joy and a whole heart and a free mind." ~ by Pearl Buck

Jiddu Krishnamurti

Excerpt from "The First and Last Freedom", p.183

"To bring about peace in the world, to stop all wars, there must be a revolution in the individual, in you and me.

Economic revolution without this inward revolution is meaningless, for hunger is the result of the maladjustment of economic conditions produced by our psychological states - greed, envy, ill will and possessiveness. To put an end to sorrow, to hunger, to war, there must be a psychological revolution and few of us are willing to face that. We will discuss peace, plan legislation, create new leagues, the United Nations and so on and on; but we will not win peace because we will not give up our position, our authority, our money, our properties, our stupid lives.

To rely on others is utterly futile; others cannot bring us peace. No leader is going to give us peace, no government, no army, no country. What will bring peace is inward transformation which will lead to outward action.

Inward transformation is not isolation, is not a withdrawal from outward action. On the contrary, there can be right action only when there is right thinking and there is no right thinking when there is no self-knowledge. Without knowing yourself, there is no peace."

The REBEL ~ I Say "Occupy Your Mind" ~ "Occupy Your Creativity" ~ "Occupy Your Dreams" ~ "Occupy Your Spirit" ~ "Occupy Your Self"

How many of you can claim this Truth as your own? I can and this is why, "The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust... the horn of my salvation, and my high tower." [Psalms 18:2]

"Leaders are like eagles.

They don't flock.

You find them one at at time."

~ Author Unknown (Quote I live by.)

The Zen Manifesto: Freedom from Oneself, Chapter 9

[Source: Osho International]

People are afraid, very much afraid of those who know themselves. They have a certain power, a certain aura and a certain magnetism, a charisma that can take out alive, young people from the traditional imprisonment....

The enlightened man cannot be enslaved - that is the difficulty - and he cannot be imprisoned.... Every genius who has known something of the inner is bound to be a little difficult to be absorbed; he is going to be an upsetting force. The masses don't want to be disturbed, even though they may be in misery; they are in misery, but they are accustomed to the misery. And anybody who is not miserable looks like a stranger.

The enlightened man is the greatest stranger in the world; he does not seem to belong to anybody. No organization confines him, no community, no society, no nation.

The powerful and authoritative figure in this card is clearly the master of his own destiny. On his shoulder is an emblem of the sun, and the torch he holds in his right hand symbolizes the light of his own hard-won truth.

Whether he is wealthy or poor, the Rebel is really an emperor because he has broken the chains of society's repressive conditioning and opinions. He has formed himself by embracing all the colors of the rainbow, emerging from the dark and formless roots of his unconscious past and growing wings to fly into the sky. His very way of being is rebellious - not because he is fighting against anybody or anything, but because he has discovered his own true nature and is determined to live in accordance with it. The eagle is his spirit animal, a messenger between earth and sky.

The Rebel challenges us to be courageous enough to take responsibility for who we are and to live our Truth.

The Consciousness Revolution Part 4 of 4

The Consciousness Revolution

[source: Steve Pavlina]

The lightworker council

How will our future earth continue to evolve? There are some who suggest we’re headed in the direction of a one-world government. British author David Icke purports this would be the ultimate in “Big Brother” tyranny and must be opposed at all costs. But such a system depends on the level of consciousness of its leaders. If a one-world government is run by tyrannical people, the system will be oppressive in the extreme. But if it’s run by highly conscious people, it would be one step closer to paradise.

I’m hugely optimistic about this ongoing consciousness revolution, since I think it means that in the years ahead, we’ll see emerging leaders who are truly dedicated to serving the greater good, people who have mastered the courage-compassion balance. I often have visions that our future world will eventually be lead by a council of highly conscious individuals — a lightworker council if you will. This option isn’t practical today because such people don’t have enough public support, and the current systems are geared to keep them out of leadership roles. It will, however, become practical once enough of us recognize that an expansion of our consciousness is the only thing that can save us in the long run. We need leaders who speak only the truth, inspiring us by example to do the same, and we need to become the kind of global society that willingly puts highly conscious people in positions of genuine authority.

Ultimately I think the consciousness revolution will succeed. Once a critical mass of people awaken and accept "personal responsibility" for the future of this planet, the status quo of low-awareness living will be history.

The Consciousness Revolution Part 3 of 4

The Consciousness Revolution

[source: Steve Pavlina]

Mass awakenings

I suspect these increasingly frequent awakenings could be a kind of evolutionary response to what’s been happening on earth. I’m not referring to Darwinian biological evolution here, so don’t get hung up on the choice of words. Rather I’m suggesting there’s a collective consciousness which is generating these mass awakenings as a reaction to the current state of our physical reality. Thanks to our technological advancements, human beings have become extremely powerful in recent decades, but many would agree our wisdom lags behind our power, creating an unstable situation.

The level of consciousness that produced today’s nuclear weapons, political divisions, environmental consequences, and other global challenges is no longer a proper custodian as we move forward. Many of us do not trust the world leaders we have in place today, and I think the reason is that most of them haven’t reached the level of consciousness required to do what’s truly necessary. No matter how much our leaders talk, deep down we know that the necessary solutions require more courage and compassion than they’re able to muster. We really want to believe they’ll succeed, but our intuition is blaring at us, “Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!”

I don’t blame our leaders for this situation. I honestly think they’re doing the best they can. I think our corporate leaders are in the same boat. The real problem is that there are still too many people living in fear, and this creates a global consciousness of fear that runs afoul of our best intentions. For example, democracy is a great system, and I certainly wouldn’t want to live under a dictatorship, but a democracy is only as good as the level of consciousness of its constituents. Fear-based people elect fear-based leaders.

As more and more people awaken, however, I think we’re going to see some real changes in the types of people we’re willing to put in charge. I’ve never even registered to vote because in my adult lifetime, I’ve never been inspired by any of the political candidates who have a serious chance of winning. But as soon as I recognize a highly conscious person on the ballot who I genuinely believe will serve the greater good of the entire planet, I’ll be first in line at the ballot box. And I don’t think I’ll be alone.

The reason consciousness is such a powerful factor is that it empowers people to circumvent systems that get in the way of serving the greater good. For example, consciousness empowers you to run a business where generating a profit is NOT the highest priority, even though the market economy is geared to reward you for putting profit first. Many of our existing systems need to be refactored in light of their long-term consequences, but that refactoring must be done at a higher level of consciousness than that which originally spawned those systems. This challenge must ultimately fall on the shoulders of the lightworkers. When enough people awaken, the old systems will no longer be needed, but it will take a while to transition to better systems.

The Consciousness Revolution Part 2 of 4

The Consciousness Revolution

[source: Steve Pavlina]

Finding your tribe

When you realize there’s a lot more to life than work, family, entertainment, and retirement, you aren’t automatically given all the answers. God doesn’t show up at your doorstep and say, “Hey, Terry. I heard you just reached a new level of awareness. Gratz! By the way, here’s the login and password for consciousness level 2. You can use them to download your new life manual, and be sure to read up on your new purpose in chapter 1.” It would be nice if it worked that way, but unless you’re St. Paul, you’re out of luck. You’ll just have to muddle through and figure out your purpose on your own.

Meditation, journaling, and other introspective practices can definitely help, and there are some articles on this site that can help you clarify your purpose here and here. But what I didn’t mention in those articles is that it’s immensely helpful to seek out people who’ve already gone through this transition and ask them for guidance. That isn’t always easy, but the best place to begin is by putting out the intention for such a person to come into your life, thereby activating the law of attraction. It isn’t necessary to establish a coaching relationship; all you really need is a person you can model to keep reminding yourself that your transition to a practical, purpose-centered life is in fact possible because someone else has already done it.

As you experience such a transition, you’ll probably find yourself naturally drawn to spend more time with others who are very conscious and aware. Some of your old relationships may weaken because they’ll no longer be compatible with you. You may feel sad about that at first, but do your best to let go with love when you sense it’s the best choice for everyone. Don’t remain fearfully attached to relationships that no longer serve you, since you’ll be robbing yourself and others of the new relationships that await you.

Over time you’ll be able to attract and build a support group of like-minded people. It’s a lot easier to live a purpose-centered life when you’re surrounded by friends doing the same thing. When you first awaken and try talking about your experiences to your friends, they may just poke fun at you or think you’re weird. This may lead you to doubt yourself. But I’ll tell you there are people who don’t consider this weird at all. They’d welcome you with open arms and would be delighted to discuss your experiences openly, intelligently, and compassionately. The more you embrace your new level of consciousness, the more you’ll attract such people to you.

In some ways the community of lightworkers is almost like a secret society. These people often blend into the background, but when they sense someone in the process of waking up, they come out of the woodwork to greet that person. It’s like there’s this underground purpose-centered club, and whenever someone shows signs of being a potential member, the existing members all step forward to introduce themselves. But usually you have to make the first move to let them know you’re awake. Some of my friends call that “outing yourself.” For example, if you start a blog and begin writing about topics like purpose, consciousness, and higher awareness, you’ve outed yourself. If you tell everyone you know about your new blog, many people will make fun of you, but a few people will think, “Ah… s/he’s one of us,” and they’ll privately contact you to reveal their own long-term interest in these topics. Life can take an amazing turn when one of these contacts is someone you already knew but never suspected was of a like mind.

The Consciousness Revolution Part 1 of 4

The Consciousness Revolution

[source: Steve Pavlina]

Lately I’ve been thinking we may be on the verge of some kind of mass awakening. It seems that more and more of us are experiencing an expansion of consciousness followed by a radical shift in our priorities. Maybe I’m just meeting more people like this due to the nature of my work, but I strongly suspect something’s happening behind the scenes.

The awakening process

One day you’re tooling along, working your normal job, living your normal life, and everything seems OK. But something happens that triggers a sudden expansion of your awareness, and for that brief moment of perfect clarity, you know what it’s like to be fully awake. You’re struck by the terrifying realization that your life has gotten way off course, and that you’re really meant to be doing something entirely different. You notice the various problems of the world, and you get the strong impression that you’re supposed to do something about these problems personally. But as you look around, you can’t help but notice that no one else sees what you see, at least not with the same degree of responsibility, so you don’t know what else to do except go back to sleep and hope everything will be OK. And maybe you do manage to go back to sleep for a while, but it’s really too late because you no longer find fulfillment in your old life no matter how hard you try. The whole experience may even lead to post-awakening depression. Unfortunately, you don’t yet know how to find fulfillment in your new level of consciousness. So you do your best to quietly cooperate with the status quo while being stuck with the awareness that something is definitely not right. The more you resist your new level of awareness, the more it haunts you.

This experience of awakening has been happening to people for a long time, but what’s different now is that when you have such an experience, you’re more likely to find someone who’s already been through it without having to retreat to a monastery. You no longer have to go it alone. That makes a huge difference because you can save years of trial and error by finding someone who can show you the ropes of your newfound sentience.

One of the things Erin and I love most about our work is that we encounter many people who are in the midst of these amazing transitions. Some are excited, some depressed, and some downright scared, but it’s not hard to recognize such people because they communicate as people who are awake. They know they can no longer go back to their old lives because all they see there is a hollow shell, a life without meaning or purpose, but they haven’t yet found their footing in their new purpose-centered lives. Many of these people stumble upon our web sites at just the right time, and they often tell us the most important thing they gain from reading our sites is to realize they aren’t alone. Erin and I are lucky to be going through this expansion process together, and we recognize what a tremendous challenge it is for those who are going it alone.

While Erin and I don’t claim to be the penultimate of conscious living, we have been able to solve some of the practical problems people encounter on this path. For starters we’ve found a sustainable way to stay focused on our purpose while generating plenty of income, so we can do this full-time without needing outside jobs. Secondly, we’ve centered our own marriage and family around our purpose, so we minimize work-relationship conflicts. And thirdly, we’ve been building a support network of like-minded people who encourage and inspire us. This was by no means easy, but it makes purpose-centered living very practical and functional under real-world conditions. Erin and I know what a difficult challenge this transition process can be. We had to undergo a lot of upheaval in our lives to make this work, including significant career changes for both of us, but the results have been well worth the effort. I think our greatest success as a couple is that we’ve found a practical, sustainable, enjoyable way to devote our lives to helping people. There are plenty of obstacles that make such a life difficult or impractical for most people, but one by one those obstacles can be overcome.

AFL-CIO, SEIU Teaming Up With Occupy Wall Street Protesters for Day of Action Thursday November 17th! GREAT More Violence, Chaos and DESTRUCTION!

The Hill

Labor unions, Occupy Wall Street plan ‘day of action’ urging lawmakers to invest

written by Kevin Bogardus

Saturday November 12, 2011

Unions and Occupy Wall Street protesters will be joining forces next week for a “day of action” to pressure lawmakers on jobs.

The AFL-CIO, the Service Employees International Union and the Laborers’ International Union of North America will partner with Occupy Wall Street for “We are the 99 percent” rallies on Thursday. Liberal groups like MoveOn.org and the American Dream Movement plan to participate.

Many of the events, union officials said, will be focused on urging lawmakers to pass more federal funding for infrastructure.

Bill Samuel, the AFL-CIO's director of government affairs, said labor has been frustrated by Republican-led filibusters in the Senate to block the parts of President Obama’s jobs bill that would increase infrastructure spending.

"It is an effort to focus public attention on repairing bridges and help with the jobs crisis. The Congress seems to be unable to do either at the moment with Republicans blocking these measures," Samuel said.

A $60 billion infrastructure bill based on President Obama’s jobs proposal failed in a Senate vote earlier this month. The spending would have been funded by a 0.7 surtax on millionaires.

Despite support from both business groups and labor, Congress has failed to move on significant new infrastructure funding this year. Various components of President Obama's American Jobs Act would increase infrastructure spending, likely creating thousands of construction jobs for union members.

Samuel said he hopes the infrastructure provisions will be brought up in the Senate again before the end of the year.

“I think the Democratic strategy is to remain focused on the job crisis in all of its manifestations, including infrastructure. We hope that they do come back to it,” Samuel said.

MoveOn is urging activists to show what’s at stake in the infrastructure debate by holding rallies at sites in need of repair. The group links to a list of structurally deficient bridges to choose from.

“To highlight the very places that can put America back to work, events at crumbling bridges and understaffed schools are encouraged,” MoveOn says on its website. “Other sites in your community that show a failed economy for the 99% are also good places to hold an event.”

Others will be working with Occupy protesters to bring attention to their disputes with corporations.

The Communications Workers of America (CWA), the nation’s largest telecom union, is coordinating two marches with Occupy protesters to coincide with the day of action. Both are tied to the battle over union contract negotiations with Verizon.

One march will have union members and protesters leave Albany and head to New York. The other will begin at a Verizon call center in Maryland and finish at McPherson Square in Washington, one of the encampments of the Occupy protesters across the country.

Candice Johnson, a spokeswoman for the CWA, said labor and the Occupy Wall Street Movement have found common cause together.

“We have got a lot of support from them and vice versa to bring light to corporate greed,” Johnson said. “The 99 percent, which is us, is picking up the tab for Verizon so we're trying to show that as much as possible.”

BE FOREWARNED: OWS Day of Direct Action Thursday November 17th! Yeah Sure Non-Violent! Get Ready Folks For A Day Of Chaos, Violence And Destruction!

The OWS movement is DESTRUCTIVE not constructive!

NEWSFLASH: OWS Zuccotti Park Protester Nkrumah Tinsley Arrested After Threatening To Burn Down City! Urged Molotov Coctail Strike On Macy’s!

NY Daily news

Zuccotti Park protester Nkrumah Tinsley arrested after threatening the burn down city; Urges Molotov coctail strike on Macy’s

written by Joe Kemp and Rocco Parascandola

Wednesday November 16, 2011 this evening!

A protester was arrested in Zuccotti Park Wednesday after he threatened to fire bomb the city — and his rant went viral on YouTube, police said.

Nkrumah Tinsley, 29, was busted after cops saw a video of him claiming he would torch the city during Thursday’s mass protest posted online, police said.

“On the 17th (of Nov.), we’re going to burn New York City to the f---ing ground,” an angry Tinsley told a crowd of demonstrators in the video posted on Tuesday.

“In a few days, you’re going to see what a Molotov coctail can do to Macy’s.”

When officers from the NYPD’s intelligence division saw the video, they immediately began working on trying to identify the raging man, police said.

“We didn’t want him out there [Thursday\]. We wanted him in our custody,” said Paul Browne, top spokesman for the NYPD. “He was specific as to date, location and method for the fire bombing ...maybe it was just a rant, but we didn’t want to take that chance.”

Cops later identified Tinsley at Zuccotti Park Wednesday and collared him about 5 p.m., police said. He was charged with making terroristic threats.

Wednesday night, many Occupied Wall Street demonstrators said they would never support Tinsley’s methods.

“[Tuesday\], a guy was handing out flyers to make Molotov coctails,” said Storm Shimp, 18, of Lancaster, Pa. “A group of us went up to him and said, ‘We don’t want that here — no one is going to take that from you.’”

“He’s absolutely speaking for himself,” said Jorden Eck, 20, a protester from upstate Binghamton. “It goes against the ideals of our movement.”

It’s not the first time Tinsley has been busted since the Occupied Wall Street movement started in Sept.

In October, Tinsley was arrested on Barclay St. for punching a cop in the face and kicking him on the ground during a protest. He was charged with felony assault for the attack and later released without bail.

He’s being held Wednesday night in the 7th precinct.