Archive for April 3rd, 2008

April 3, 2008: 4:00 pm: adminThe Occult

The physical body of Man would be spoiled sooner or later. If one does not die now, one would die later. If one is alive now, it is not sure that he can live later. Don’t take the exterior (physical things) too seriously, the most important is that he must make good use of his vitality, time and the splendour of his youth in the right manner. During this span of time, do something that you consider to be the best, do it really well, soon you will have abundant treasures in Heaven.

Think carefully about this human world, nothing really matters. All vexations are seeked by oneself. Have them cleared up, removed, dissolved and digested slowly. People have sufferings and vexations. We all have worries and sadness which must be transformed and dissolved by ourselves. Calm down and look around how this world is busy for living. In a glance, life vanishes. How sad! We must grasp this life. Don’t hinder oneself, but do cultivate well, says Heaven.

Talking about reflection of life, it is like a passing thing, passes like the mist and clouds to the eyes, so fast, and without one realizing it. Therefore, life is only a short span and it is only one part of our long journeys. Know that birth is the beginning of sufferings. Recognize it, then one may not feel much hurt and one will not ask for the impossible.

The prime of life may be great, but there is up and there is also down. One may reach the summit but where else can one move on except for descending again. How many of us really know who we are? How many of us understand ourselves? The above always ask this question! For the journey of life we must think of doing good deeds until the day we are gone.

Talking of virtue, what is virtue? Virtuous deeds alone are classified in different ways. The basic nature of mankind possesses the right virtues. Thinking that virtuous deeds produce good fruits, man practises with virtues. But Heaven said, these will not produce fruits. Acting in the manner showing others that one is indeed virtuous, is not going to prove that one is virtuous. For deeds done with a purpose to gain, one will definitely not gain. Virtuous deeds are practices put into action. It begins from the depth of the heart. Feeling the necessity to practise for the benefits of all, it extends from internal. The feeling is a feeling of joy as one performs the task, but not a feeling of personal gain. Then, this is indeed a virtuous deed and the person who practises this is indeed a virtuous person.

In the journey of life, if one is given jewel, gold, the whole world, but one does not know the meaning of life, then layers and layers of dust will cover his true nature. Sow good seeds and reap good fruits and not sow bad seeds and reap bad fruits. To build a castle, one must not build it in the air. Be aware of the necessity required to build a strong and everlasting castle. Do not think of our own suffering as a great thing. There are many who suffer without a word.

In the teachings of Tao of Heaven, if a person knows how to walk the journey of life in the right path and be enlightened to Tao, he can save seven generations of his ancestors and nine generations of his descendants. All will be reborn in the Blissful Land in “Li Tien” or The Void or Heavenly World.

Author: T.A Chew

T.A Chew, in early year 2002 lost a very good and virtuous Tao co-cultivator. At the end of the same year, the soul of his beloved cultivator returned from Heaven and visited the temple for three hours telling about his life in Heaven and the reason why he had to return to Heaven that early. His journey on Earth was the last and he had built a “castle” on Earth and abundant treasures in Heaven during his lifetime. Website: http://www.white-sun.com

: 1:31 pm: adminKiddie Stuff

Here are some of the signs to look for:

  • Your teen works extra hard on homework, but still gets D’s and F’s. A temporary dip in grades can be normal and due to some fleeting problem, but a habitual disconnect between earnest work habits and good grades are a warning sign that your teen might have an undetected learning disability.
  • You find that your teen is constantly distracted while doing their homework. Sometimes homework problems are just a matter of needing a snack or a little break. Occasionally, a change in venue helps-some kids concentrate better. Some like to be tucked away in their rooms and far away from any possible distraction; others have an easier time buckling down if they sit at the dining room or kitchen table.

    When these measures don’t help, think about Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD), a learning disability, or one of the conditions that mimics ADHD.

  • Your teen usually does their work, but often can’t find it when it’s time to turn it in. Try some common-sense approaches to getting organized, however, if these don’t work, note that disorganization that severely undercuts a child’s performance is a possible sign of ADHD.
  • Your teen works hard and usually gets A’s and B’s. The problem is, they seem overly upset at the prospect of getting anything less than a B+. Teens who are perfectionists sometimes suffer from stress-related symptoms (such as chronic stomachaches or headaches). They also may miss out on some of the fun of being in high school because they are overly focused on academic success.

    Self-acceptance, an acceptance of one’s imperfections and weaknesses, is very difficult for perfectionists. By itself, the desire for perfection is not bad; however when the desire becomes unmanageable and results in rage and depression it becomes counter-productive.

    When a desire consumes one and makes one lose focus of reality it becomes worrisome; a quirk deepens and transforms into a destructive character-flaw. Perfectionists are unhappy both with themselves and with the environment. It’s important for these teens to hear, early and often, that you love them for who they are, not for their accomplishments.

  • Your teen works hard, but does much better in some subjects (say, biology) than in others (say, English). While it is completely normal for teens to have academic strengths and weaknesses, if one or more subjects are proving to be an intense struggle, it may be a tip off to a learning disability.
  • Your teen simply doesn’t care about school work. It would be great if all teens found schoolwork endlessly fascinating, but that simply isn’t the case. For better or worse, part of what teens learn in school is the ability to work on things that don’t interest them very much.

    A teen who doesn’t care about school ought to be able to do passable work and still have plenty of time to do the things that really interest them (computers, music, sports, etc.). When a teen says that they “don’t care” and the also don’t do any work, the poor attitude may be covering up Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD), a learning disability, or perhaps even teen depression. Teens under stress, who experience loss, or who have attention, learning, conduct or anxiety disorders are at a higher risk for depression. Teenage girls are at especially high risk.

    Depressed youth often have problems at home. In many cases, the parents are depressed, as depression tends to run in families.

    Teen depression is a reality. Approximately 4 out of 100 teenagers get seriously depressed each year.

  • Your teen is bored a lot of the time in school. Some teachers are more exciting than others, however, persistent boredom in several different classrooms suggests something other than just lackluster instructors. Other potential causes to consider include giftedness , ADD/ADHD or a learning disability. Teens that pick up information and skills quickly often face both academic and social challenges.
  • Your teen complains that they have “no friends at school.” When you only hear this every once in a while, chances are your teen is just reacting to the normal social disappointments and strains that come with high school life. When you hear it consistently, however, take note: Having friends and getting along is a tremendously important part of the high school experience. A teen who is struggling in this arena needs help. They could have a chemical imbalance that is causing these feelings. I have found that a teen that is struggling with peer group issues, are really struggling on where they belong. With this, parents need to support their teen into the right direction.
  • Your teen does their homework, but only after you nag, threaten and yell at them. This is a very common trap that parents fall into: The more responsibility they take for insuring that their teen’s homework gets done, the more irresponsible their teen becomes. As a remedy, consider allowing your teen to experience the consequences of their own actions (or lack of action) on the homework front. Turn the responsibility back over to them. Parents are often surprised to see their “irresponsible” teen begin to take charge of their homework once the adults let go.
  • Your teen never seems to have enough time to do their homework. Sometimes the problem is a learning disability as discussed above. However, many teens these days are simply overscheduled. They may have baseball two nights a week, art class one a week, dancing and music lessons, Sunday school, and perhaps a school play. These teens may need help setting priorities and saying “no.” In the end, teens who take on too much are not necessarily more successful. Although it may seem frivolous to leave a teen with what an adult might dismiss as “nothing to do,” some of the most important learning takes place when teens are left to their own devices to daydream, explore and wonder.

    Dore E. Frances, Educational Consultant
    http://www.guidingteens.com

    Email: Dore@DoreFrances.com

    Copyright July 2004 - Horizon Family Solutions, LLC

  • : 1:17 pm: adminEducation Resources

    A little girl came up to her mom in the store and she asked, Mom do we celebrate Hanukah? The little girl had obviously seen a sign in the store that said Celebrate Hanukah next to some merchandise. The mom said no we do not celebrate hanakah, but pointed to a lady sitting in the bookstore in the middle of the café and said that lady over there does. The girl asked her mom, what does Hanukah do? The mom said; ask the lady with the gold circle necklace over there.

    So the little girl went over to the lady with the Mr. “T” size golden circle with the Star of David emblem in the middle. The girl said. My mom says you celebrate Hanukah, but we don’t, why don’t we celebrate Hanukah too. The lady said probably because you celebrate Christmas, the girl said ‘OH’, yes we do celebrate Christmas every year. But why can’t we celebrate both? The lady said that the bible is in two parts and we believe in the first part and not so much all of the second part. We believe that Jesus was a very very important person, but we believe there is another important person coming one day. The little girl said OH. The lady said you are Christian and I am Jewish. The little girl said oh. The lady said Merry Christmas and the girl said thank you. And the older lady told the girl if she had any Jewish friends that she should wish them Happy Hannaka.

    The girl said okay then. “Happy Hanukah” the little girl said. The girl went back to her mom and said, that the lady was very nice and that she now understands the difference and why they did not celebrate Hanukah. Her mom smiled across the café at the older Jewish Lady with the huge golden circle containing the Star of David on it and mouthed the words; ‘thank you so much’. The older Jewish lady just blinked and smiled back. This is a true story, I witnessed in a Barnes and Noble Book Store in Ft Myers FL.

    It makes me so glad to be an American with Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Atheist, Hindu, Catholic, LDS, Scientologist, and Christian friends; what a great nation. What a great country to live in. We should be thankful for what we have built and fight hard to protect it. It was so interesting to here the café come to a silence listening to how the wise Jewish lady was going to explain this to an innocent little girl. I felt a sigh of relief come over the entire room as the Older Jewish lady fielded the question perfectly. I think everyone in the room learned something that afternoon. I do not know who that lady was, but it is so good to see the patience and understanding she had. What if the whole world was like that?

    EzineArticles Expert Author Lance Winslow

    “Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/