Chi Chi Rodriguez

"After all these years, it's still embarrassing for me to play on the American golf tour. Like the time I asked my caddie for a sand wedge and he came back ten minutes later with a ham on rye." ~ Chi Chi Rodriguez

from lotsofjokes.com
image www.chichi.org/

Understanding Change

"Understanding doesn't produce change. Change produces understanding."
~ Dr. Richard Bandler

Click here to hear Dr Bandler explain NLP

image from Facebook/arthur.partridge

‘Animal Crackers’ - Betsy Otter Thompson

Betsy Otter Thompson very kindly responded to my asking for a blog post by sending me an article called “Animal Crackers”. 

This is the first time that this article has been published outside of her own website!

 

An author of six books from a background in radio stations, acting, television and motion pictures, who in addition to writing The Mirror Theory, the first book in her trilogy on the life of Jesus,  has written four other books, published and distributed through her own company, Ascension Publishing.

 

 

 

her books were the answer to her prayers

Although these books are currently out of print, Betsy hopes to eventually reprint.

• LOVEPARENT: How To Be The Parent You Hope To Be (1991)
• LOVEHUMAN: How To Be Who You Love (1992)
• YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK: Make Your Thoughts Delicious (1993)
• The WHAT HAPPENS IF I...Book: How To Make Action/Reaction Work For You Instead Of Against You (1996)
• THE MIRROR THEORY: The Way to Inner Peace, Resolution and Transformation (2005)
• WALKING THROUGH ILLUSION: Jesus Speaks of the People who Shared his Journey (2010)
     

Betsy's work has always gravitated toward the media. A native Philadelphian with a B.F.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, Betsy worked as an account executive for WFIL radio in Philadelphia, and from there went to radio stations WPEN and WFLN. After that, she became a commercial print model and acted in television commercials in New York and Philadelphia. For seventeen years, she worked in Los Angeles at the motion picture and television company Castle Rock Entertainment as the Assistant to the Chairman and CEO. In August '99, she followed her boss to Warner Bros. as he took a new position there as President and COO, and became his Executive Assistant. She is now writing full time. Betsy's writing began unexpectedly while going through an especially difficult time in her life. She believes that her books were the answer to her prayers.

Animal Crackers

When I was a child, Nabisco had a product called Animal Crackers. And for all I know, they still do. I loved how these cookies tasted and looked. I loved the packaging, too; the box alone was worthy of being a gift by itself. Each animal had characteristics that stirred my imagination and, as I reached into the box that looked like a circus trailer, I never knew what creative image my fingers would select. To me, it didn’t matter if the cookies were broken or chipped; I was hooked on the total package.

I believe that, as humans, we are equally diverse and appealing. So if we delight in the uniqueness of lions, tigers, and elephants, why can’t we enjoy the uniqueness of each other? Aren’t we individual in colour, shape, and sound like the animals are unique? And don’t we live in habitats that suit our personal growth? No one says to an elephant, why aren’t you more like a possum; and no one says to a rhinoceros, why don’t you sound like a bird? Why can’t we take the same delight in our different characteristics?

The animals have hearts that beat, bodies that function, and brains that react to stimuli. We do, too. When animals are attacked, they do what they must to survive. Why are we surprised when humans do the same?

The world is shrinking. Intercontinental communications, transportation systems, and escalating populations are making isolation impossible. How can harmony exist if we can’t accept each other? Throughout history, lasting peace has never come from making others wrong, calling religions evil, or shifting the blame. Why do we still think it will? How can peace be lived in the big picture of Earth if it isn’t lived in the small picture of each and every experience?

When my life is less than the peaceful world I seek, I ask myself the following: Am I living peacefully or hatefully? Am I taking responsibility or am I blaming? Am I looking for the best in others or the worst? Am I tolerant or am I bigoted? That’s where I find my answers for living the peace I lack.

Animals come wrapped in a package that suits their purpose here on Earth. Why wouldn’t we come packaged for the purposes we have here?

I believe that healing begins with me; not with this or that leader, or this or that country. I believe that leaders reflect the acting out of the masses in whatever country they rule. I also believe that, as we love and accept each other for exactly who we are, our leaders will mirror that oneness.

Betsy Otter Thompson
7800 Linden Road
Wyndmoor, PA 19308
USA

http://www.betsythompson.com
http://www.betsyotterthompson.blogspot.com
http://www.twitter.com/betsyothompson
http://youtube.com/betsyotterthompson
http://www.facebook.com/people/Betsy-Otter-Thompson/1026372698

Scotland the Brave

"The people who gave us golf and called it a game are the same people who gave us bag pipes and called it music." ~ Unknown

from lotsofjokes.com
image rusticgirls.com

Wise Science

Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life.

Immanuel Kant German philosopher (1724 - 1804)

from http://www.quotationspage.com image from Wikipedia

7 Must Read Success Lessons from Dale Carnegie

This article comes from dumblittleman.com.

Needless to say I have read “How to Win Friends & Influence People”. It is an highly innovative book, considering it was published in 1937 and it has sold over 15 million copies!

Dale Carnegie was a famous lecturer and writer as well as the developer of very popular courses in self-improvement, salesmanship, corporate training, interpersonal skills, and public speaking.
Dale wrote the first book I ever read (that I wasn’t required to read). The book was titled “How to Win Friends & Influence People.” I read the book when I was about 11 years old; this book was an incredible bestseller, and an amazing read.
Although born in poverty on a farm in Missouri, Dale Carnegie managed to become quite successful.
Dale authored popular books such as “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living,” and “Lincoln the Unknown,” as well as several other books.

change other people’s behaviour towards you by
changing your reaction towards them

One of my favourite principles that he taught was that it’s possible to change other people’s behaviour towards you by changing your reaction towards them. Give that some deep thought , apply it, and it alone can change your life. But there's more to consider.
With that, let’s look at seven success lessons from Dale Carnegie.

7 Must Read Success Lessons from Dale Carnegie

Inaction Breeds Fear

• "Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”

Get busy today! If you have a good idea, put it to the test. Inaction breeds further inaction, and action breeds further action. One thing is sure: if you’re going to succeed, you’re going to have to take massive action, so get busy today!

Make Good Use of Your Time

• "Instead of worrying about what people say of you; why not spend time trying to accomplish something they will admire.”

Spending time thinking about how people perceive you is a vast waste of valuable time. Concentrate your time in making a difference, and people will surely admire you.

Failure is the Stepping Stone to Success

• “Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.”

Often those with the greatest defeats also have the greatest victories. You must use discouragement and failure as tools to move you from the pit to the palace.

We Determine Our Happiness

• "Happiness doesn't depend on any external conditions; it is governed by our mental attitude.”

Happiness is a decision; it is not based on what’s going on around us. It’s based solely on what’s going on inside of us. Our happiness is based on the thoughts that we choose to give our attention to; the thoughts that we choose to harbour. Dale Carnegie said, “It isn't what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about.”

Remember That Everything You Do Sends a Message

• "There are four ways, and only four ways, in which we have contact with the world. We are evaluated and classified by these four contacts: what we do, how we look, what we say, and how we say it.”

Everything you do sends a message. The way you dress sends a message, the way you comb your hair sends a message.
Determine the message you want to send to the world, and then package yourself to ensure that message is being sent. Send a message of success and the world will receive it.

Do What You Enjoy

• "People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.”

If you want to succeed, don’t do it for the money. Money is not a sufficient enough motivation to pull you over the many hurdles that are requisite for you to achieve success. If you want to succeed, spend your time doing what you enjoy. This way, when you succeed, you will enjoy your success.

Take a Chance

• "The man who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare.”

You have to take chances! You have to sometimes risk being embarrassed or risk failure in order to succeed.
Success requires everything that you are; you have to put it all out there. Dare to be different, dare to succeed. Carnegie said, “We all have possibilities we don't know about. We can do things we don't even dream we can do.” But if you never dare, you will never know your potential.

Thank you for reading and be sure to pass this article along!

Written on 8/2/2010 by Mr. Self Development who is a motivational author that offers a practical guide to success and wealth; support him by visiting his blog at mrselfdevelopment.com or by subscribing to his feed.
Photo Credit: Life

A Drunk Nose

A nose walks into a bar and asks for a drink.

The bartender says, “Sorry, I can't serve you, you're off your face!”

from free-funny-jokes.com
Image geekologie.com

Good Luck?

Good luck is another name for tenacity of purpose ~ Tony Galliano
Chief Innovation Officer at  Dreams for Kids
US registered Children’s Charity
http://dreamsforkids.org/

Author of “60 Second Strategist: How to Take Decisive Action Today While Planning for Tomorrow”

image from Linked In

There is No Such Thing As Failure

As I said in my earlier post Success and Failure:  One of the presuppositions of NLP is that:  ‘There is no such thing as failure – only feedback’.
In the following article, taken from articlesbase.com, Richard Macalintal talks of his experiences.
 Richard is motivational and success blogger who aims to help people thru blogging. He is a computer engineer by profession, internet savvy, online marketer and web developer.
"Sharing Passion. Helping People One Blog at a Time."

There is No Such Thing As Failure

There is no such thing as failure, there are only results. If it's not the one you desire, change your course of action and try again. Then you'll produce another result.
I have to thank Anthony Robbins for these very nice words of inspiration. He clearly stated this on his book "Unlimited power", which I am highly suggesting you all to grab a copy and read.
Oftentimes, most of us dwell on the failures that we often have in our life. Whether it's life related, work related, relationship or other things. As a result, it sends too much message to our brain and thinks ourselves as a failure. The effect of this thinking could be well devastated for some. For some, it could lower the much needed self confidence.

"I have not failed a thousand times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those thousand ways will not work” ~ Thomas Edison

Thomas Edison, the inventor of light bulb, was approached by a reporter during his time and was asked this question. "How does it feel to have failed a thousand times?" The great inventor responded, "I have not failed a thousand times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those thousand ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work." Several thousand more of these successes followed, but Edison finally found the one that would work, and invented the light bulb.
In my blogging career, I've acquired several blog sites and domains. I've made a couple of investments ranging from few bucks to few hundred bucks. On the initial stage where I purchased these sites, my emotions are high and my expectations are way above the ceiling that I could make this blog site a top one. Along the way, I didn't get what I wanted, and ending up abandoning those blog sites which I previously thought would give me a big shot in the online community. I didn't consider those experiences as failures. I charge it to experience and learning that will fuel me to blog more. If I dwell and focus on it negatively, I shouldn't have this blog right now.

 

"Failure is an imaginary thing”

Failure is an imaginary thing; it's just the outcome of everything and anything we do. It is an attitude that most of us are having, especially when times that we get different results from what we expected.
Let's condition our mind and think of it positively. There may be another way to do it successfully. It doesn't matter how many times we do this cycle, as long as we obtained the kind of results that we want.
Keep on focusing that we only need one chance to make it all work. It's just in our mind, there's no such thing as failure.
Retrieved from "http://www.articlesbase.com/coaching-articles/there-is-no-such-thing-as-failure-2907628.html"
(ArticlesBase SC #2907628)

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/coaching-articles/there-is-no-such-thing-as-failure-2907628.html#ixzz0vFefOGkj
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

Animal Crackers

A mother and her young son returned from the grocery store and began putting away the groceries. The boy opened the box of animal crackers and spread them all over the table.
"What are you doing?" his mother asked.
"The box says you can't eat them if the seal is broken," the boy explained. "I'm looking for the seal."

Courtesy of riddlesandjokes.com
image pollsb.com

On 30th August I am privileged to publish an article by Betsy Otter Thompson entitled “Animal Crackers”.
Please don’t miss it!

Talking to God

~

“Why is it that when we talk to God we’re said to be praying, but when God talks to us we’re schizophrenic?” ~

Lily Tomlin ~ US actress & comedienne

Can you Improve your Reading or Spelling?

The following article was written especially for me, by my good friend Ian Dyer.

He will tell you, in his own words, but he is an NLP Practitioner who has suffered (past tense) from Dyslexia. If you want to improve your Reading and Spelling, for whatever reason, you must read this article.

I feel very privileged that he agreed to share his story on my blog and his article, shows, yet again, the magic of Neuro Linguistic Programming!

“So tell me, what if it was not true that you would never amount to much?”

“For the people reading this who has, or has a member of the family that find spelling or reading hard, my hope is that my story will give people new options and renewed hope for the future”

Can you Improve your Reading or Spelling?

Change will mean different things to people. For me change has meant a growing trust in my own ideas and feelings.

About 16 years ago when I was working as a manual worker for the local council, I had a conversation with a manager he asked me if I was interested in a supervisor’s position. I said “NO WAY” he asked me why, as he felt I would be a good supervisor, so I explained my education, I had attended special school, and I struggled in main stream School. This was due to the fact I could not spell.

This manager was not about to give up easily and said to me “I think it would help you if you saw a coach”. I agreed to see one, I did not know it at that time but this was going to be the start of a big life change.

For the people reading this who has, or has a member of the family that find spelling or reading hard, my hope is that my story will give people new options and renewed hope for the future.

For those who have a statement of special educational needs or been tested for dyslexia, I will tell you that my test for the condition of dyslexia resulted in a score of 18 out of 20. Scale twenty in dyslexia being the worse type, so what chance was there for me to be a supervisor in the workforce, or so I thought.

At my first meeting with my coach we spent time building rapport. I was given new and different ways to look at things, especially the way I felt about my spelling issue and how it was affecting me and holding me back from achieving in my life.

I started to notice that my beliefs about my spelling and reading was limiting me, my coach encouraged me to take ownership for the changes I wanted to see. This was a significant fact, this label of dyslexia had been or so I thought was helpful, as it gave me a reason to my failure to spell, what I had missed was the fact that it was also limiting me to improve myself. Sometimes it is easier if you have a good reason to fail.

“NOW” that was a thought, what if that English teacher was wrong, what would happen if I let go of her saying that I would never amount to much, my coach suggested it was time to re-frame my thoughts, he asked me ,“do you still believe in the tooth fairy”? So tell me, what if it was not true that you would never amount to much?

Now this was interesting, what if it was not true, by re-framing my thinking to a new perspective, I found that I could change my negative thoughts to positive ones when I was prepared to see things differently.

“Whether You Think You Can or Can't, You're Right”

“I had spent too many years thinking I can’t”

Henry Ford said, “Whether You Think You Can or Can't, You're Right
This was the case for me; I had spent too many years thinking I can’t.

I discussed with my coach the resources that I had used to get to this point of my life and he showed me how I could access the ones that would help me, for example calmness, to help me when I needed it most. This gave me the keys to controlling my thoughts by quickly changing a negative state into a positive one; wow this was as good as being given a magic wand.

No more fear of being asked to write on the black board, White board or post a post-it note idea on the wall, just a few of the things that scared the hell out of me within the education system. I will not talk about school spelling tests and how they had affected me in the past. All these things my coach showed me great ways of dealing with my feelings about them. Oh how I wished I’d learnt this when I was at school especially how to learn to spell using visualisation

As I attended the coaching sessions I found myself being able to let go of negative feelings as opposed to dwelling on it for weeks afterwards. Over the years I have dropped a lot of anxiety both with the feeling attached to my spellings and in my relationships with others I have become more relaxed and open. By becoming aware of my feelings, my ability to respond appropriately in awkward situations by communicating in the right way became easy.

At the end of my sessions with my coach, he said to me “Ian I think you should consider attending a course for NLP, this is what I have been using with you and some of the technique’s you have just taken and your making them work for you, in fact I have some tapes from a course that I attended that you can have if you would like them. I must say I did not listen to those tapes until many years later, and when I did I began to realise the power that had been given to me by my coach, this was NLP.

“this led me to my first letters after my name and the feeling that anything was possible”

I applied to the Open University with the view to study for a recognised qualification in management and after a number of talks with them they agreed to take me on and they gave me a support package to enable me to study. I must say they were a great support to me; this led me to my first letters after my name and the feeling that anything was possible.

Things at work went from strength to strength and over the last 16 years I have been a Supervisor, a Department Manager and now Head of all Services, managing a large workforce, all of this possible because of a manager who sent me to see a coach 16 years ago.

Early in 2007 I remembered those NLP tapes and went out to buy a tape recorder to listen to them. As I listened I soon realised the skills that my coach had given me telling me that one day I may wish to work with others with the same spelling issues. I went out and brought lots of books and CD’s/DVD’s on NLP and began to study.

In 2009 I booked myself on a course to become a practitioner of NLP this was great the course made all the material that I had been reading come to life, and I thank Steve and Tina my trainers for giving me the tools and the friends I made on that course, they have become a great resource of knowledge and help to me. This year 2010 I am working toward obtaining Master Practitioner.

I now know that in just a few hours that when the student is ready, and knows the outcome they are looking for in their future, NLP can change the whole way they look at life, I for one know how it changed my feeling for study and I am looking forward to hearing many success stories from people who I will meet with in the future.

For the people reading this that do not have the condition of dyslexia, please except any grammar or spelling mistakes, thank you.

I love that mass e-mail of 2005 that sparked a number of conversations; believe it or not you can read it if the first and last letters of a word are correct:

“I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg the phaonmneal pweor of the human mnid J Amzanig huh? Yaeh and yuo awlyas thought slpeling was ipmorantt”

Ian Dyer

 

*NLP stands for Neuro-Linguistic Programming, a name that encompasses the three most influential components involved in producing human experience: neurology, language and programming. The neurological system regulates how our bodies function, language determines how we interface and communicate with other people and our programming determines the kinds of models of the world we create. Neuro-Linguistic Programming describes the fundamental dynamics between mind (neuro) and language (linguistic) and how their interplay affects our body and behaviour (programming).

Boredom

“When I get real bored, I like to drive downtown and get a great parking spot, then sit in my car and count how many people ask me if I'm leaving” ~ Steven Wright

http://www.ahajokes.com/

Be Who You Are

 

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind”

Dr. Seuss US author & illustrator (1904 - 1991)

 

taken from Dr. Seuss www.quotationspage.com
image mattoneal.com

Goose Bumps, Laughter and Butterflies

Following from “When is the last time you had a good laugh?” on 15th August http://wp.me/pOj1e-eP, this article is taken from the University of California. Irvine web site at http://uci.edu/ and looks at those other things like Goose Bumps and Grey Hair.

Goose bumps, laughter and butterflies

Family medicine chair Dr. Kathryn Larsen examines some quirky features of the human body ~ Michelle S. Kim / University Communications

 
Is laughter itself good medicine or is it the positive attitude of naturally happy people that enhances health? Research into the chicken-and-egg conundrum of giggling is ongoing.

The human body is as mysterious as it is magnificent. For every essential function like thought or a heartbeat, the body exhibits quirky behaviours that seem to defy explanation. Like goose bumps. Or hiccups. Or peals of laughter. Dr. Kathryn Larsen, the Gerald B. Sinykin, M.D., Endowed Chair in Family Medicine, relies on her encyclopaedic knowledge of the human body to treat patients and to teach UC Irvine medical students about disease and illness. Here, she talks about some of those quirks.

Related Links

• Department of Family Medicine
• Dr. Kathryn Larsen

Q. What causes goose bumps?
A. Goose bumps (the medical term is cutis anserina) can develop involuntarily with exposure to cold or an emotion such as fear. Goose bumps start with a reflex in the tiny muscles at the base of each hair that contract with a stimulus to pull the hairs into an erect position (called piloerection). Goose bumps, which have no known benefit in humans, are often most noticeable on the forearms. Piloerection can also be seen in some types of epilepsy and brain tumours and in withdrawal from heroin and other illicit drugs.

Q. Why is laughter considered the best medicine?
A. Research is ongoing regarding the potential health benefits of laughter. We do not know if the act of laughter itself is beneficial, or more the sense of humour and positive attitude behind it. When we laugh, we increase our pulse rate and blood pressure, and the effects may be similar to exercise. Researchers have estimated that laughing for 10 to 15 minutes burns 50 calories. Other studies suggest laughter improves blood flow, immune responses and blood sugar levels.

Q. What causes butterflies in the stomach?
A. This fluttery physical sensation related to nervousness or anxiety often occurs in the early stages of romantic relationships. Some theorize that butterflies are caused by the release of adrenaline, which sends blood away from the stomach and causes it to slow functioning. This, in turn, may create the lack of appetite also seen early in romances. Others speculate that endorphins may affect chemical reactions that result in the butterfly sensations.

Q. Why does hair gray?
A. There are two types of pigment or melanin that cause colour in hair: eumelanin (dark brown or black) and pheomelanin (reddish yellow). Genes generally control this amount of melanin, and gray hair simply has less of it. On average, 50 percent of Caucasians, for example, are gray by age 50. It is not known how each hair loses pigment. The melanocytes, cells which produce the melanin, may be present but not active or may decrease in number.

Q. What causes a hiccup?
A. Hiccups are uncontrolled contractions of the diaphragm. The complete answer about their cause is not known. Common triggers for hiccups that last less than 48 hours include overeating, drinking carbonated beverages or imbibing too much alcohol. Sudden temperature changes and emotional stress also may play a role. Hiccups lasting more than 48 hours usually are due to nerve damage or irritation of the vagus or phrenic nerves; to problems affecting the central nervous system, such as stroke, tumours, and multiple sclerosis; or to alcoholism and barbiturate use.

Q. Why do we sometimes see spots?
A. These small specks in our visual field are called floaters. They are very small clumps of cells inside the vitreous, which is the jelly-like fluid inside the eye. When we see floaters, we are actually seeing the shadows of floaters cast on the retina (which is at the back of the eye and is light-sensitive). Most floaters are benign. Numerous floaters or those accompanied by flashes of light may be an indication of more serious retina or eye problems, and a doctor should be contacted immediately.

— Tom Vasich, University Communications

You know you are addicted to coffee if ...

You may know from my regular appearances at Starbucks, I am partial to the odd mug of Coffee.
This is extracted from http://www.101funjokes.com/ which may explain some stuff:

You know you are addicted to coffee if ...

• You have to watch videos in fast-forward.
• The only time you're standing still is during an earthquake.
• Your eyes stay open when you sneeze.
• You don't sweat, you percolate.
• People get dizzy just watching you.
• You haven't blinked since the last lunar eclipse.

image from http://www.beijingboyce.com/

Fairy Tales

 "Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children that dragons can be killed."

~ G.K. Chesterton

Image Wikipedia

When’s the last time you had a good laugh?

 
Drawing from the wisdom of native and ancient spiritual traditions, Keith Varnum shares his 30 years of practical success as an author, personal coach, acupuncturist, filmmaker, radio host, restaurateur, vision quest guide and international seminar leader with “The Dream Workshops”.
Keith helps people get the love, money, and health they want with his F-r-e-e Prosperity Ezine, F-r-e-e Abundance Tape and F-r-e-e Coaching at http://www.TheDream.com

This article is from http://www.articlesbase.com/ written by Keith Varnum

The Power of Laughter

When’s the last time you had a good laugh? Take a moment to relive the good feelings that come with real laughter.

We pay money to laugh. At the movies and a comedy clubs. We stay up to catch the jokes on late night talk shows. We delight in finding something funny in our lives to laugh at. When we laugh, we get pleasure. What a joy! What a blessing!

Certainly there are times when life presents major challenges when we need to act clearly, but behaving responsibly and efficiently doesn’t preclude humour and light-heartedness. In fact, a flexible, fluid, upbeat approach and attitude is crucial to being effective and creative in our lives.

Laughter, play, spontaneity and improvisation are integral aspects of being human, healthy, happy—and successful. Tribal peoples laugh, sing, chant, drum, dance and act out stories as basic ways to relate socially, to make individual and collective decisions, and to achieve their goals in daily life.

Inspiration and breakthrough are often born from the spirit of playfulness and exuberance. A spontaneous wink, a funny smile, a comic gesture can facilitate change and harmony in the most blocked situation. Through conscious merriment our spirit can emerge and work its magic.

Take a Tip from the Kid In You

Preschool children laugh an average of 400 times a day. The typical adult only laughs 17 times per day. Perhaps it’s time to return to the power of living life through the wonderment of childlike adventure, innocence, light heartedness, humour and irreverence.

Ancient Roots

Throughout history, spiritual traditions in China, Japan and India have revered the sacred strength of laughter. Lao-Tzu is always pictured smiling. Samurai are always laughing. “Laughter Yoga” was a practice of the ancient rishis of India over 5,000 years ago. Dr. Madan Kataria of Mumbai India started a “Laugher Yoga Club” a few years ago, and now there are thousands of laughter yoga clubs across the world. The club members get together just to enjoy a deep chuckle—and reap the many benefits of mirth.

Hawaiian Secret of Laughter

The ancient Hawaiians assert there are two chemical reactions within the human body that can accomplish Reconnection with Source Oneness. The first is the "sacred tear” beneath our sadness and hopelessness. Beneath that tear lies the second chemical reaction, said to be more powerful than all the healing agents known to humankind. It comes "out of the blue" with the power of a jackhammer, shattering the seriousness of the entire human estate. A power instantly freeing and balancing to all the body's chemistry. This is the power of laughter. When it comes in this manner, it comes through the "na'au" (gut level) and will pierce the hopelessness of any situation or attitude. It is not a power to be taken lightly, for the ancient Hawaiians say it holds the chemistry of immortality and will instantly heal any terminal disease. It’s said to be the "laughter of God" which shatters the ridiculousness of hopelessness.

Laughter Is the Best Medicine

A laugh a day keeps the doctor away! Having a good laugh has long been known to be very therapeutic. As we let laughter wash over and through us, its energy cleanses, purges, and rights imbalances and disharmonies in our mind and body. Hundreds of medical studies have shown the remarkable benefits of laughter.

DEEP LAUGHTER:

• Frees Breathing

A good belly laugh opens up your lungs, stretches your diaphragm, eases chest tension, and has an overall healing effect on your well-being. Laughter aids ventilation and clears mucus, improving respiratory functions for those suffering from conditions like emphysema and asthma.

• Aids Circulation

Laughter improves blood vessel function, reducing blood pressure and heart rate, enhancing blood oxygen levels and boosting overall circulation.

• Boosts Immune Defences

Laughter increases the immune system’s T-cells, which kill invading bacteria that are harmful to the body. Laughing increases the number of antibodies in saliva, which combat upper respiratory infections. Laughter increases immunity to infections by instantly flooding the system with immune cells and cancer fighting proteins.

• Reduces Stress

Cortisol is a chemical produced in your body when you feel stressed, upset or frustrated. Elevated levels of cortisol in your bloodstream have the effect of suppressing your immune system function. Laughter lowers the cortisol levels in the body, thereby protecting your immune system from the negative effects of stress.

A good laugh increases endorphins, which make a person feel happy and have a brighter outlook on life. Laughter also causes secretion of an enzyme that protects the stomach from forming ulcers.

• Cures Cancer

Since cancer thrives in an oxygen-depleted body, laughter is helpful in combating cancer. Norman Cousins, in his book “Anatomy Of An Illness,” explains how he laughed himself back from the death sentence of a terminal illness just by watching funny movies, laughing hard, and taking vitamin C. There are hundreds of cases of laughter healing patients described as “terminally ill” with cancer and other ailments.

• Relieves Pain

Laughter releases endorphins, providing natural pain relief.

• Reduces Weight

Laughter reduces food cravings. Laughing 10 minutes a day burns 40 calories.

• Is Enjoyable Exercise

Laughing can be considered an exercise since it conditions the abdominal muscles and relaxes muscles throughout the body. Twenty seconds of laughing gives the heart the same workout as 3 minutes of hard rowing.

• Makes You Look and Feel Younger

Laughter reduces the rate of cellular decay, which slows aging. Also, the effects of laughter include better mental function, improved mental alertness, memory and social responsiveness.

• Saves 30% on Medical Expenses
  

In western Japan the government provided elderly people with a complete medical care program combining physical training and laughter therapy. "It’s the nation’s first attempt to launch a medicare business with laughter," commented university official Mitsutoshi Nishikawa. 92 participants reported their annual medical costs fell some 30 percent after they joined the program.

• Helps Diabetics

A Japanese scientist is unlocking the secrets of the funny bone by cheering up people’s genes. Geneticist Kazuo Murakami teamed up with an unlikely research partner: stand-up comedians—who turn their one-liners into efficient, low-cost medical treatment. Murakami’s approach is to use laughter to trigger energy inside a person’s DNA, potentially helping cure disease.

Murakami had diabetics laugh at a comedy show performed by top stand-up comedians after listening to a monotonous college lecture. The two-day experiment showed that the diabetics’ blood glucose levels (a key gauge for development of diabetes) became lower after they laughed— as compared with their levels listening to the boring lecture. He identified 23 genes that are activated with laughter. 18 of these genes control immune response and cell signal transmission.

“A laughing therapy has no side-effects, meaning it’s an epoch-making treatment for clinical medicine," Murakami said. "One day it won’t be a joke to see patients receive a prescription for a comedy video at a pharmacy for medical treatment."

• Maintains a Healthy Heart
  

University of Maryland Medical School discovered that laughter helps keep your heart healthy. The scientists found that laughter-provoking movies cause the tissue that forms the inner lining of blood vessels to expand, resulting in an increase of blood flow.

For their experiment, the team recruited 20 healthy volunteers to watch two segments of movies at the extreme ends of the emotional spectrum: the comedy "King Pin" and the war drama "Saving Private Ryan." They found that when the study subjects watched a movie that caused laughter, beneficial blood vessel relaxation increased in 19 of the 20 volunteers. In contrast, blood flow was reduced in 14 of the 20 volunteers following the movie clips that caused mental stress. Overall, blood flow increased by 22 percent during laughter—and decreased by 35 percent after watching a clip that caused mental stress.

Lead researcher Dr. Michael Miller suggests people should combine regular exercise with 15 minutes of laughter a day for good cardiovascular health. "It’s conceivable that laughing may be important to maintain healthy blood vessels and reduce the risk of heart disease," said Miller.

• Laughter Inspires Clowning
  

Doctors, nurses and attendants now use "clowning" in hospitals to enhance the healing process with patients. They’ve discovered that when people are laughing and having fun, they experience less physical and psychological pain—and recover faster.

So … laugh more, heal quicker, live longer, and enjoy life as a kid again!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/motivational-articles/the-power-of-laughter-220394.html
Images from Keith Varnum’s Facebook page and  http://uci.edu/

The Universe

Interestingly, according to modern astronomers, space is finite. This is a very comforting thought-- particularly for people who can never remember where they have left things.

~ Woody Allen.  US movie actor, comedian, & director

Taken from http://www.quotationspage.com
Image http://www.collider.com

 

If I Had Unlimited Resources, I Would...

DO IT ALL!

What would you do?

Evelyn Glennie shows how to listen

This article is taken from the TED (ideas worth spreading) website at: http://www.ted.com/talks/evelyn_glennie_shows_how_to_listen.html

Personally, I get from it just how unstoppable Human Beings really are.

Once a human being becomes creative very little will hinder their desire ……..…. Enjoy!

Evelyn Glennie: Musician

Scottish percussionist and composer Evelyn Glennie lost nearly all of her hearing by age 12. Rather than isolating her, it has given her a unique connection to her music.

Why you should listen to her

Evelyn Glennie's music challenges the listener to ask where music comes from: Is it more than simply a translation from score to instrument to audience? How can a musician who has almost no hearing play with such sensitivity and compassion?

The Grammy-winning percussionist and composer became almost completely deaf by the age of 12, but her hearing loss brought her a deeper understanding of and connection to the music she loves. She's the subject of the documentary Touch the Sound, which explores this unconventional and intriguing approach to percussion.

Along with her vibrant solo career, Glennie has collaborated with musicians ranging from classical orchestras to Björk. Her career has taken her to hundreds of concert stages around the world, and she's recorded a dozen albums, winning a Grammy for her recording of Bartók's Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, and another for her 2002 collaboration with Bela Fleck.

Her passion for music and musical literacy brought her to establish, in collaboration with fellow musicians Julian Lloyd Weber and Sir James Galway, the Music Education Consortium, which successfully lobbied for an investment of 332 million pounds in music education and musical resources in Britain. 

"Evelyn Glennie is simply a phenomenon of a performer."
New York Times

 

In this soaring demonstration, deaf percussionist Evelyn Glennie illustrates how listening to music involves much more than simply letting sound waves hit your eardrums. Click here to see the video

My Wife

I tended to place my wife under a pedestal.

~ Woody Allen.  US movie actor, comedian, & director

Taken from http://www.quotationspage.com
Image http://www.collider.com

Success

 
Success is not a destination, it's a journey ~

Zig Ziglar  
U.S. Motivational speaker and 
author. 
Born November 6, 1926

 

Image: Hilary Hinton Ziglar in March 2009 is  from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zig_Ziglar