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List of Facts and Myths About Psychic Energy

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List of Facts and Myths About Psychic Energy
Author: Jackson Swift
It is a well-known fact for psychics that each and every one of us has Chakras and an Aura that influence our body. This Chakras and Aura is known as psychic energy.

Likened to an energy field of light surrounding us like one is in a bubble, basically, a person’s psychic energy in layman’s term is a person’s “personal space”.

To better understand what psychic energy really is, here’s a list of facts and myths about psychic energy:

Facts:

Psychic Energy is believed to be force of strong, powerful and all pervasive but invisible mental waves, which has the capability to travel across the ‘worlds’ and accomplish Leeds which ordinary human beings can only dream of.

First Law of psychic energy states that Psychic energy waves which are unseen waves like sound, radio, electricity, light and etc. are vibrating energy.

The Second law of psychic energy states that “The mind is an ‘energy station’ which creates transmits and receives energy.” The will (of the mind) is believed to have the capability to change the form of energy. While, thoughts and images, which are waves of energy, has the ability to be transmitted to and from human minds within the earth plane and to human and other entities in the afterlife in a process called telepathy.

The Third law of psychic energy states that each of us possesses a body that is made up of vibrationary energy which is a duplicate of the physical body and will survive physical death. This body of vibrationary energy which is invisible to physical eyes has the ability to change form but can never be destroyed and retains consciousness.

The Fourth law of psychic energy states that the afterlife possesses different levels of energy which produce different spheres according to the speed of vibration. The faster the vibrations of a sphere, the higher and more spiritually evolved the entities which reside there are.

The 5th law of psychic energy states that the more spiritually evolved a being is, the brighter the energy of the aura.

The 6th law of psychic energy states that materialization is a result of the slowing down of the speed of the atomic vortices of the energy. Thus, speeding up the vortices will result in de-materialization.

The Seventh law of psychic energy, also known as the Law of Cause and Effect, which states that for every (energy) action, there is an opposite (an energy) reaction. Psychic energy, like all forms of energy, is a ‘boomerang’ – the energy you give out will inevitably return to you.

Psychic energy are universal life force that flows within and between all things, which is believed to be some form of vitalism, doctrines of subtle bodies or concepts such as qi (In traditional Chinese culture, the life energy), prana (the Sanskrit word for “vital life”), or kundalini (in yoga, a “corporeal energy”).

There is no psychic energy that is used 100% perfectly. This is because, we have free will, so, the choices that our souls make, can affect the outcome. Our choices can have an impact on the time lines completely or even take an event out of someone’s reality.

Psychic energy waves can be used to attack someone.

Psychic energy becomes drained, as well as can become contaminated with other energy. This happens in situations when psychics are open while working with clients.

You can rejuvenate your psychic energy through everyday experiences.

Each one of us has psychic energy to one degree or another and it is very possible to help it grow.

To grow your psychic energy, you have to tune within yourself. You must try to be aware of your thoughts, your emotions and your own energy flow. Doing this will help you to start taking control of what energy you put out as well as what energy you will receive.

Feeling the energy of others and of all living things is a really good step in connecting with your own psychic energy.

Keeping your body healthy and hydrated is extremely important for your psychic energy.

Myths

psychic energy can be used to read your mind

All psychics have the same psychic energy waves in giving psychic readings of the past, present, and future.

Psychic energy waves can be used to curse you or remove curses.

Psychic energy is the halo around the heads of angels.

Psychic energy as mysterious and supernatural.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5781749

Using Horoscopes And Astrology Signs For Career Growth

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Using Horoscopes And Astrology Signs For Career Growth
Author: Rob Swifty
People often approach other people when they encounter problems or issues in their lives, be it in love, relationships, or family. Surely they can be of great help to us as they are the ones who know us really well, but never better than we do ourselves. However, with the continually increasing popularity of horoscopes and astrology, including the Chinese zodiac signs, it cannot be denied that people today are also referring to these concepts in dealing with said issues.

Today, people not only refer to astrological signs when dealing with family and personal issues. They also do it for career-related issues. This is actually a good thing as our work is what eats up a good portion of our time. It is the workplace where we spend much of our time at. From Mondays through Fridays, we spend at least 8 hours at work. Sometimes even, we go beyond this time requirement and render overtime work. Sometimes still, people even work on weekends or holidays to earn more or finish up some long overdue assignment. This much time that people spend in the workplace is more than enough reason to use horoscopes and astrology signs to advance one’s career or simply for career growth.

When people work, we always want to work in a conducive environment where there is harmony and peace. We do not like to work with a colleague that we cannot seem to decipher or someone who is difficult to deal with. However, much as we want this to happen all the time, things do not go this way always. People everywhere, including those at work, have varied personalities. And this variety can cause clashes between and among co-workers. So how can we avoid this and create a more wholesome environment at work?

Here are a few things to remember using astrology.

1. Cardinal signs like Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn are people who are born leaders. They have all the initiative to work and lead a group and are very work and action-oriented. They can be relied upon when making decisions.

2. Fixed signs which include Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius are people who like to stick to doing a particular task. This is even if the said task has already become a routine. However, even if they can be a bit stubborn, they are also reliable people.

3. Mutable signs like Sagittarius, Gemini, Virgo, and Pisces are those that excel when it comes to customer service or treating the consequences of a changeable environment.

4. The sun signs may also be considered. Fire signs like Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius are energetic and optimistic, seeing everything that is good.

5. Earth signs like Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn are practical and are particularly good at balancing the cash flow of the company.

6. Air signs like Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius are great with ideas. They are very much useful especially during brainstorming.

7. Water signs like Scorpio, Cancer, and Pisces are great with responding to customer needs.

Though personalities may clash, astrological signs and astrology in general can help turn these differences into something useful. People just have to learn how to do it.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5781725

Cremation services and their costs

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Cremation services and their costs
Author: web
Sometimes it worries whether to opt burial or funeral. Let it be financially or environmentally, studies choose cremation. Need not choose cemetery plots, caskets, graveyard stones and spend on any other things and this makes cremation costs lower. Also cremation is very environmental friendly. No smoke, no decaying or any other causes of pollution. How much does a cremation cost? There are many societies and organizations in US under federal law implementing these cremation services. Individuals or families can happily look into this without much bothering how much does a cremation cost? Normally along with the environmental uses one would really get around the cost for cremation. People are used to burial and funeral services. Things are moving quickly and good volumes of people are taking cremation services. Cremation costs’ being less is also one of the advantages. Answering how much does a cremation cost is very simple. Apart from different available services for cremation direct cremations services is economical. It is cheap because no other activities are included. Includes of carrying the death body from houses or mortuaries to the cremation services and then handover the after-cremation remains to the relatives. If along with the cremations reception is to be held then it incurs extra cost. Or dipping the ashes after cremation in the sea also incurs extra cost. So without having these services like reception, dipping ashes in sea and other similar ones is called direct cremation services. Normally people opt direct cremation services.  Compared to this direct cremation, funeral or burial services are more costly. People who cannot gather enough funds for burial or funeral services can happily opt for cremation services. With more and more advantages of cremation services over burial and funeral services people are opting more to cremation of their relatives or near by family’s death body. According to the demand the cremation service offering societies or organizations are also sprouting up. One can quickly have a glance of these organizations and check out for other things like cost of cremation and more online itself. Also individuals and families book earlier itself for their cremation services.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5780852

The fertility of mind

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The fertility of mind
Author: Dr. Preeti Batra
The most distinguishing species on earth, the human beings are blessed as they,ve been given mind to think. Though this mind can make choices between right and wrongs, yet we tend to adopt negativities around us faster than the positive things. The reason is how much do we work onthe fertility of our mind. An infertile mind will always be more destructive as its perspective is very limited. A limited perspective accepts religion as a matter of birth.
To broaden the perspective of an individual depends upon the fertility of his mind. As we work on to increase the fertility of our mind we become a constant and continuous learner.Life always gives us choices.We learn by making mistakes, or by listening to persons having broader perspective. Jesus Christ, Rahim , Kabir , Mirabai, Ramakrishna Paramhamsa are some of those great preachers who had highly fertile minds. For them religion is a matter of heart. We get birth according to the past karmas  and we are bound to get a name from the family in which we are born. We follow certain rituals as per the community to which our family belongs. 
It is undoubtediy indispensible to follow certain customs and rituals But at the same time it is also important to define our relationship with god. To understand our relationship with God we must work to increase  the fertility of our mind by:
1.Thinking all humanbeings as children of God and so loving them as our own self.
2. By mortification of our own ego by practicing it in our daily life
3. Surrender in deep love to him with whom our relationship is eternal.
The great thinkers on religion taught LOVE as the biggest religion and so obviously it is the matter of heart. Love each living being on earth as you love yourself as all living beings are made by same ingredients by which God made you……..
No matter where they were born, how they were born the great saints like Sai Baba, Swami Shradhananda, Rehman, Yeeshu Masih, Guru Nanak Dev  always taught us that God is one  and there are endless ways to form relationship with him. To attain communion with God ,it is very important to have doubtless faith on him. This is how a soul establishes its beautiful relationship with GOD. So, what religion to follow to establish an eternal relationship with God depends upto a great extent on the fertility of a person’s mind

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5779519

Paranormal Pictures – How To Photograph Ghosts

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Paranormal Pictures – How To Photograph Ghosts
Author: Jessica T
Paranormal Pictures  – How To Photograph Ghosts
Do you want to do a paranormal investigation and see if you are able to get some true personal proof of the existing of otherworldly entities? If so, there are various ways for you to do so.
One way you can investigate the otherworldly reel is by taking photographs and record videos and see if anything paranormal shows up in the picture.
How to Capture Ghosts on Photos?
Fist of all you should have a good camera to work with on your supernatural investigation.
Now you have to find a place you would like to take pictures or footages. This could for instance be a burial ground, castles, old buildings, famous paranormal places, etc. But as the spirits can be anywhere, you do not have to go to any specific place, but the chances of catching a ghost may be greater at places where people have already experienced ghostly activities.
When you go to that place where you would like to investigate, you might want to have someone with you and take pictures of, as some spirits are attracted to people and so this could increase your probability of getting a ghost footage.
It is very important to remember, to be patient. The chances of catching a ghost on photos are extremely small, and you therefore have to not get frustrated and be really patient. But the likelihood of catching orbs in your pictures are much higher though.
Theories on What Orbs Are
There are many explanations of what orbs are. Some people think that they are spirits and spiritual energies, others say they are angels while some say that they are only lights created by reflection.
The different things that could make orb-like lights in your pictures can be dust and dirt if you for instance are outside, light reflecting in a shiny surface, bugs, fog, etc. so when you get an orb-like light ball in your picture you have to make sure it could not have been created be anything else. If you catch the orb on a video-camera, you can also study the movement of the orb and see if it seems strange and unnatural for any bug or dust particle.
Protection Against Energies
You do not know what type of spiritual energies you are working with, you should protect yourself before and after you go on your ghost hunting investigation. This can be in form of a protection meditation, where you will surround yourself with strong and powerful positive energy and create a fence between you and other energy sources. Some want to connect with angels and ask for their protection when they have to connect with the spiritual world. So if you believe in angelic beings you can contact one, such as the archangel Michael, who can help you remove negative energies that may come close to you.
When You been on your paranormal investigation you may want to do a cleansing exercise, to remove all the different types of energy that may have attach them selves to you. It does not matter No matter what type of energy it is, good or bad, you want to get rid of it and leave it, so that you do not bring anything with you home.
You can learn more about spirituality on my website:
Learn Telepathy 

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5780505

Shinto – A General Summary of the Religion

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Shinto – A General Summary of the Religion
Author: William Bailey
Shinto is an adopted word from the Chinese meaning “Way of the Gods”.  It is the indigenous spirituality of the Japanese.  Shinto’s spirituality was initially recorded in written form of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki in the 8th century.  The Kojiki is the oldest chronicle and a collection of numerous myths of Japan.  The myths concern the origin of the four islands of Japan.  These myths are responsible for the inspiration that sparked the religion of Shinto.  The written documents showed that Shinto was an unorganized folklore and mythology, and not a unified religion.  Shinto currently has between 200 – 300 million followers mainly in Japan consisting of approximately 3% to 5% of the world’s religious population. 
Kami is a concept that the Shinto people utilize within their religion.  Kami are defined in English as “spirits”, “deities”, “souls”, or “principles”.  These terms are at times linked to natural forces such as wind, trees, rocks, ponds, lakes, rivers, seas, land, mountains, and many other abstract items of the world.    Kami is also linked in some situations being human-like and in both material and immaterial cases (animistic). 
The people of Japan abide by both Shintoism’s and Buddhism’s doctrines when using various rituals and practices.  For example the vast majority of Japanese utilize Shinto’s rules for life’s rituals and practices and for the afterlife rituals and practices Buddhism’s rules are generally used. 
Due to the various different practices of the Shinto faith, many Japanese believe it is imperative to separate Shinto into 5 various categories.  These categories are as follows:

Shrine Shinto:  This category happens to be the most popular type of Shinto that has ties dating back into Japan’s history.  Shrine Shinto is associated with making wishes, good luck charms, and a variety of gatherings celebrating various events.

Folk Shinto:  This Shinto deals with folk spirits and deities and various practices including possession, and healing (Shaman) that originate from Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism, and other various older traditions.

Sect Shinto:  This particular type of Shinto is a legal division originating in the late 19th century in an effort to separate God and country.

Imperial Household Shinto:  The Imperial Family performs religious rites at three shrines located on the Imperial grounds.

Koshinto Shinto (old Shinto):  This Shinto is a restoration of a dated Shinto prior to the origination of Buddhism. 

The kami (spirits) date back to at least 100 BCE and are separated from our physical world by a Torii or gate.  It is a red symbol that marks an entrance to shrines.  
The three beliefs that stand out from the various others are the impurity belief, purification and the afterlife beliefs. 

Impurity:  There are various deeds that create ritual purity for a good, positive personal and family future.  Logically, good deeds create good days or good weeks and so on.  Inversely, bad or poor deeds create negative or bad days.  One should choose to follow or select goods deeds because it is the right thing to do, not because of the reward.

Purification:  Purification rites are performed regularly (daily, weekly, monthly, annually, etc…).  Shinto considers the performance of these rites essential and the “lifeblood” of one’s life.  Shinto Priests bless Japanese buildings often to ensure the purification process of the Japanese environment.  Misogi is a purification ritual concerning activities, such as going long periods without sleep (sleep deprivation), breath training, and standing under a waterfall. 

Afterlife:  Yomi is the land of the dead.  It is a desecrating, horrific, putrid location where the deceased end up.  It is the underworld for the dead where horrible creatures guard the exits to keep the dead within Yomi to rot indefinitely.  The myth states that once the deceased has eaten at the hearth of Yomi, they cannot go back to the land of the living.  Yomi is frequently compared to Hates or Hell.

The Shinto shrine is used to house one or multiple kami (Shinto spirits).  It is the most important dwelling for the security and safekeeping of important and sacred items.  The kami is enshrined by a honden.  The honden enshrines the kami and is marked by a mirror or statue at the back of the shrine.  The Inari Shrines is the largest shrine network in Japan with 32,000 shrines.  The following are the general rules when visiting a shrine:

Anyone can visit a shrine (one doesn’t need to be Shinto to visit).
One must bow prior to entering.
Perform the following procedure: Temizu – Wash your left then your right hand, then rinse your mouth without spitting the water back into the supply and don’t drink the water.  Wash your feet if need be, then wash the handle last.
There is a bell located at the shrine.  You may ring the bell as you enter before you begin your prayers.  Leave a modest donation in the donation box, and then begin your prayers.
There may be staff at the shrine to enforce certain rules and to assist the visitors as well.  Be polite and respectful to them at all times. 

Music plays a very essential and important role in Shinto’s tradition.  The Kagura is a traditional dance of Shamanic origin.  The word is said to be derived from the word kami or Kura meaning “seat of kami” or “site where the kami is received”.  A mythical story exists explaining how the dance, the Kagura came about.  The story begins with the sun goddess, Amaterasu getting angry at her brother, so she ran from him and hid in a place where he couldn’t find him, a cave.  Due to the sun goddess hiding in a cave, the world became very dark and cold.  All of the other gods and goddesses became very concerned about Amaterasu’s well-being.  They derived a plan to try and draw Amaterasu out of the cave by playing music, dancing, and being loud (sounding like they were all having a good time).  This made Amaterasu peek her head out a bit, but not come out all of the way, so the kami gods tricked her by telling her that there was a sun goddess outside of the cave that was better then her.  This drew Amaterasu completely out of the cave to see what was going on and then the planet was again bright and warm. 
There isn’t one core sacred source of text for Shinto.  There are various books that hold the history and have stories within them that explain the Shinto beliefs, practices, and rituals.  The books that hold this information are as follows:

The Kojiki – The Record of Ancient Matters – This book holds the history of Shinto.
The Shoku Nihongi and Nihon Shoki – Japan’s chronicles.
The Rikkokushi – 6 National Histories – Shoku Nihongi and Nihon Shoki.
The Jinno Shotoki – Japanese history and politics of Shinto.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5778297

Primal Faith Religions

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Primal Faith Religions
Author: William Bailey
In a nut shell, Primal Faith traditions are religions that have been in existence since the beginning of recorded history.  They are considered to be both pre-historic and pre-literate.  Primal, Indigenous, and traditional religions are terminologies that are used when referring to Primal Faiths.  These religions are the initial sources of human religion.  Primal religion is also referred to as the “mother” of all religions.  An integral part of primal religions are symbols and myths.  Due to the fact that these groups of religions are extremely old in age, most will not be exercised in faith today however, some aspects of the ancient faiths may still exist as rituals or specific beliefs in other practiced religions such as Judaism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, and Chinese folk religion. 
The initial problem with global religious conversion was a lack of planning however, as time progressed selected primal faiths began to transform global politics towards their way of life.  As these selected religions began their domination process, others were simply forgotten.  Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism were among the top three dominating religions.  Today Christianity and Islam are still the two top religions of the world at 33% and 21% respectively.  Christianity denominations are as follows: Catholic, Protestant, Eastern Orthodox, Pentecostal, Anglican, Monophysite, AIC’s, Latter Day Saints, Evangelical, SDA’s, Jehovah’s Witness, Quakers, AOG, Nominal, etc…  Islam denominations are as follows: Shiite, Sunni, etc…  Although “Pagan” and “Idolators” were the titles that were used to refer to as Christians and Islamic faiths respectively, these titles are extremely negative in nature.  As this dissertation is written not to offend any religious beliefs, the negative titles used above are as an academic piece of information.  If in fact any person is offended by these documented reference terms, I sincerely apologize. 
The characteristics of primal Faith are as follows:

Oral canon, a section of oral stories of sacred nature, not written.  Oral stories have a unique way of making a story come to life however text has a way of preserving exact information and descriptive phrases.
A very wavy line between the spiritual and secular dimensions.
A pre-technology world base religious system.
Religions that deal with all aspects of life, nature and spirituality.
Life consists of two divisions, work and social.  Work and social were not considered to be opposite sides, but two items of the same concept, life.  Practicing religion was considered to be a part of life, not a separate part of life.  One practices religion the same as one breathes, every moment and without thinking.
Primal faiths acquired the characteristic of “eternity”, not, “forever”.  Forever deals with the sense of time.  Time carries with it the concept of having to “keep track” of something.  Eternity however doesn’t require a watch or calendar.  It simply is timeless existence. 
Rituals have two characteristics: 1. Play acting or performing concepts of a specific faith or religion.  2. The ritual carries substantial significance for the faith or religion.
Two concepts, harmony and balance are what make up a well achieved life and all items that interfere with this harmony must be dealt with swiftly.
Primal religions both have multiple Gods and believe that God and humans work together to create a well-balanced life.  Christianity however believes that there is only one God and God is above us all.
Magic is utilized in Primal Faiths or religions.

The afterlife of a human of a Primal faith is unique.  The body of a dead individual is thought to have gone limp due to the absence of the spirit.  The spirit has thought to have gone to the invisible world where only spirits may enter.  Due to the method of beliefs and ritual passing (orally), the “story teller” may see to it to add, alter, or delete any information or tell the “story” in a unique flamboyant style. 
Primal Indigenous
The Primal Indigenous religions (also known as Tribal Religionists, Animists, and Ethnic religionists) are a way of life, not only a religion and it includes thousands of various religions as well.  It concerns the lives of approximately 300 million individuals within the locations of Asia and Africa.  Other sources have the religions population at between 100 and 457 million.  These totals include African Primal Indigenous religions, Shamanism and Paganism.  Many data bases and religious category indexes have Asia and India having the majority of Primal Indigenous population.  The Primal Indigenous religions are recorded as to fit into one category due to being documented in the pre-literate and pre-technological era.  They have been discovered to have been in various different countries, continents, and areas however they share similar basic common ways of life and religious concepts.  As previously stated, religion is their way of life. 
Primal Indigenous religions are known as being henotheistic (acknowledging the belief of more than one God however, only worshiping one God).  Everything that exists is thought to be connected, the material world, the immaterial world, the living, and the dead.  As Primal Faith members have no distinction and combine their work and social lives, so do Primal Indigenous religions.  They carry various superficial differences however, they practice mirrored core beliefs.
Again, as Primal Faith dates their beliefs and rituals to pre-literate, so do the Primal Indigenous.  Their beliefs and rituals are passed down through stories told by its members from generations through time.  These stories covered areas such as world views and operations, societal discoveries and workings, and of course their religious workings, having no separation from their daily life. 
Throughout my research I have come across the same messages countless times.  The messages are as follows:

Their social, family and religious lives are all the same to the Primal Indigenous and Faith individuals.
The basic core beliefs are the same regardless of territory, country, continent, or area.
The physical and spiritual worlds are one and the same.
Time is not linear, but timeless and eternal.
Beliefs and traditions are known through myths passed down in an oral fashion as well as all other messages throughout the Primal faiths.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5778088

“Mazal Tov!” … I think: Contemporary Challenges to Torah Observance

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“Mazal Tov!” … I think: Contemporary Challenges to Torah Observance
Author: Alan D. Busch
I dedicate this piece to Jacob Eliezer Nachum Ben Simcha Ha Levi whose name is almost as long as he is. May he always enjoy good health and acquire wisdom at the appropriate time in his life.
Have you met this man?
In all of my fifty-eight years, I have known no other man with as much schtick as Rabbi Pinchas Eisenbach, aka Rabbi Dr. Pinchas Eisenbach or simply, Reb Pinchas.

Upon making his acquaintance, he’ll inform you of three things whether you wish to know them or not: 1. that he, Reb Pinchas, although descended from a distinguished Jerusalemite rabbinic family, is a descendent of the kleiner menshen (literally, the little people) and, therefore, 2. he knows nothing (so don’t bother asking) and lastly, 3. his Henglish (a blend of Hungarian and English) is, as he delights in saying, not very good.

I say all of this in good fun because Reb Pinchas, whom I have known for nearly fifteen years, is a kind and gentle man who chanted the Kel Mole Rachamim at my late son Ben’s funeral on November 24, 2000 and, on a happier note, sang at my wedding April 2, 2006.
Well known throughout the Chicago Jewish community for his distinctive vibrato and tenor chazzanut, many have queried Reb Pinchas about the bullet-like velocity at which he prays.
“G-d and I are very busy,” he explains with an impish grin and a chutzpah that are second to none. The astonishing thing is that every one of his words is always clearly enunciated even though uttered at a speed that would have made General Chuck Yaeger take notice. Well, almost every word, most of the time. 
Given his slapstick sense of humor and propensity for the absurd, you may find it incredible that Reb Pinchas is a Jewish hospice chaplain and member of the Jewish Care Services team at the Midwest Palliative & Hospice who, if presented with an opportunity, will regale you with an endless stream of stories of helping terminally ill patients find grace at the edge of life.
In a follow-up story, I’ll feature some of Reb Pinchas’ stories and what I hope will be helpful information about the Midwest Palliative & Hospice CareCenter, 2050 Claire Court, IL 60025-7635, (847) 467-7423.
Don’t Tread On My Tradition!

Several weeks ago, I attended the brit milah of Rabbi Eisenbach’s first grandson on the fourteenth day of Shevat. Together with hundreds of other well-wishers in the main sanctuary of Congregation Kehilath Jacob Beth Samuel, we welcomed Jacob Eliezer Nachum ben Simcha Bunim Ha Levi into the covenantal community of the children of Abraham.
As stoic as I had ever seen him appear, Reb Pinchas sat quietly holding his grandson atop a satin-covered pillow on his lap while the mohel performed the three thousand year old mitzvah of Milah.
I have been to quite a few of these and it never fails. I get all choked up. Now I do understand there will be some non-Jews and even a few Jews for whom this tradition is bizarre, to say the very least, but if you witness it up close and personal, it has the power to transport you back to the tent of Abraham. Make no mistake about it. Brit Milah is integral to the mesorah, the unbroken chain of Jewish tradition. Its impact upon Jewish life is truly astonishing.
Brit Milah is no mere quaint custom from the old country, but an eternal commandment of the Torah especially precious for those Jews whose every day begins and ends with Sh’ma Yisrael, Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad.
Jews have suffered great sacrifice throughout their history, sometimes even risking death, to perform circumcisions on their sons and bring them into the covenant of Abraham.  Knowing that should make you appreciate all of the heart and soul that are infused into the collective MAZAL TOV of the congregation upon completion of the procedure.
Enter Intactivists and Foreskin Man
“You know Arie,” I commented to a friend, “for as long as there have been Jews, there have been the enemies of Jews who have sought to demonize and dehumanize us and our traditions, and that’s on a good day.” 

Try as they may to ban it has only pushed its practice underground and emboldened the spirits of those whom they would vanquish. As we’ve seen happen before, when Jewish ritual and custom are under siege Jewish lives are at risk. Today, it is Brit Milah. Tomorrow it’ll be another attack on schita, kosher slaughter. If today’s challenge goes unmet, tomorrow’s challenge will be worse. Inaction emboldens the bad guy.
Recently, a group of reformers in San Francisco,  calling themselves intactivists led by Messrs. Lloyd Schofield and Matt Hess, hoped to place a referendum on the ballot which, if passed, would criminalize the practice of circumcision.
Their assertion? It is an act of cruelty perpetrated upon helpless newborns and other males who, in their minority, involuntarily underwent circumcision.
The inactivists are quick to point out their opposition is to all involuntary circumcision with no allowance made for religious traditions. Ban all circumcision without any religious exemptions (Read “Ban Brit Milah”). Damn the Constitution. Full speed ahead!
Never mind the First Amendment rights of parents without forgetting to mention the thousands of years of tradition which reach back as far as the book of Genesis, Parashat Lech Lecha, chapter 17, verse 12. Forget all of that. Let the intactivists do your thinking for you. After all, they champion the fight against genital mutilation which, they contend, is really what circumcision is.
It is simply untrue.
It is interesting to note that the recent electoral efforts in San Francisco failed this time around when a judge ruled against placing the proposed ban on the ballot-not because the proposed ban was a moral abomination costumed as humanitarian concern but rather because it would unconstitutionally empower city government to legislate medical practices. Although not the ideal basis upon which to oppose the proposed ban and which will probably not put an end to efforts by Mr. Lloyd Schofield http://www.facebook.com/LloydSchofieldPage and supporters to see the eventual criminalization of ritual circumcision, it will do for the now.
I would like to take issue with their cavalier use of the phrase genital mutilation. If genital mutilation were the result of brit milah, that would seem to suggest they had been excised or damaged irreparably. Neither of these is at all applicable to the procedure of Brit Milah.
Rather, the phrase is bandied about so as to have everyday folks equate it with female genital mutilation, a procedure carried out under the  most primitive and unhygienic conditions in areas of Africa, the Middle East, the Near East and Southeast Asia.
The contrast is so stark that no one who is not an ignoramus, anti-Semite or misanthrope would dare argue that ritual circumcision, as in Brit Milah and female genital mutilation are, in the least way, related.
The bottom line is this: if one decries the practice of male circumcision (coded language, read: Brit Milah) such an act is, in fact, nothing less than an attack upon Jewish tradition at its very core and further, I would argue, indistinguishable from attacking the Jewish people.
Now, as you might expect, this stellar group of disinterested citizens who seek the criminalization and abolition of circumcision is sensitive to the charge of anti-Semitism or, as I prefer to call it Jew-hatred.
That comes as quite a surprise, doesn’t it? Who could have anticipated such a reaction?
 I am curious to know if these eight-day old babies are the only Jews about whom the intactivists will ever be concerned, if indeed they really are.
Since it is they who characterize circumcision as cruel, why not juxtapose it to the cruelty and utter bestiality of Nazi genocide that resulted in the murders of 1.5 million Jewish children during the Second World War. If they wish to discuss cruelty, fine, let’s compare notes. For a devastating refutation of the claim that Milah is an act of cruelty, click http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2619/jewish/The-Nazi-Accomplice-in-the-Circumcision.htm
I do not suppose the intactivists are at all interested in the weapons training that children of Palestinian parents receive so that they too can grow up to be competent killers of Jews? Perhaps UNICEF would care to feature one of the many photos currently circulating on the internet showing Palestinian mothers proudly showing off their gun toting children. Even better what about a photo  display of the same kids with photographs of the murdered Fogel Family kids?
It’s an old rule of thumb in card playing that one should play one’s hand close to the chest, but supporters of Schofield’s proposed ban have done otherwise.
Matt Hess, described in the June 6, 2011 edition of the Digital Journal, as “a leading figure in the movement” is the creator of Foreskin Man…n account of  an interview with Matt Hess a  http://jewschool.com/2011/06/30/26510/interview-with-the-creator-of-foreskin-man/
A quick perusal leaves no doubt as to the ideological linkage to Der Sturmer, the flagship of Nazi journalism. Portraying Jews as did his Nazi ideological predecessors three generations ago, Matt Hess must know that Julius Streicher: tried, convicted and executed for war crimes by the Nuremburg Court would give him a hearty pat on the back for a job well done.
Streicher’s fiendish caricatures of Jews played an important role in readying the German nation and the world at large for the slaughter of the Jews. First demonize, then dehumanize and, by so doing, convince enough people that the obscene fabrication, an old and tired canard from earlier generations of Jew haters, is the truth, and an entire nation becomes an accessory to genocide.
For good reason the Jewish liturgy includes the two versions of the al ha nissim prayer inserted in the Shemone Esrei during Chanuka and Purim, a reminder that the current assault upon brit milah is nothing we haven’t seen before. It really is true that a new pharaoh arises in every generation.

Although we distinguish between the approach of the Syrian Greeks, whose intent it was to extinguish Judaism by forbidding its practice of religious observances in the Jewish home as opposed to that of the Persians, led by Haman Ha Rasha (Haman The Evil One) who, in the story of Purim recorded in the Megillat Ester, would have gone right for the Jewish jugular had he not died on the gallows on which he had intended to hang Mordechai.

Either way, the intended outcome, a world Judenrein, an objective that drove SS General Jurgen Stroop to so enthusiastically obliterate the Warsaw Ghetto at the price of 56,000 Jewish lives.

Strip Heinrich Himmler of that splendid uniform and what do you find? A chicken farmer. And Haman, a barn attendant, and I mean no disrespect to chicken farmers and barn attendants!

May Your Name be blessed by the mouth of all the living…

Several weeks ago, I was reminded of the fact that though it has never been easy to be Jewish, it is very joyous and where there is joy, there is sure to be an abundance of good food. The Jews call it a seudat ha brit-a meal (in honor) of the covenant between G-d and the Jewish people through Abraham.

After more than three thousand years, think about it. How marvelous are His many great works, and we praise and thank G-d for the opportunity to fulfill this particular commandment of The Torah with joy and thanksgiving.
As for the Lloyd Schofield(s) and Matt Hess(es) of the world, I suppose there will always be such people who obsess about other people’s alleged moral failings than  their own shortcomings.
I thank my friend Reb Pinchas Eisenbach-not only for his patience and many good works but the smiles and laughter he brings to a world sorely in need of happiness and shalom.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5777834

Astrology- How precribed Mantras can help to clear blockages created by your karmic planets

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Astrology- How precribed Mantras can help to clear blockages created by your karmic planets
Author: Sheela Gandhi
If your Karmic planet is Shani then reciting or even listening to this mantra for 24000 times will help you and your family overcome issues faced because of malefic Shani.
The mantra is  ”Om Prang Preeng Prong se Shaneye Nama”
If a betel nut is used and the mantras and pooja done with the blue flowers and chandan then this nut can be kept in your purse or wallet in a small plastic bag and this will help you overcome the effects of Karmic Shani  and if done properly you will see a great difference in how things progress in your life. if you need guidance on how to recite this mantra or any of the ones below please contact us through details given on our website at www.astrologer-gandhi.com .
If your Karmic planet is Mangal( Mars) then the following mantra is very useful if recited 10000 times and then pooja done using Red Chandan and Red flowers.
The mangal mantra is : “Om Karang Kareeng Karoong Se Boumaye Nama”. Malefic Mangal manifests into various types of diseases, blood related issues and it can make one accident prone or more likely to get injured through travel or by hands of others. Once again this mantra can be recited on a betel nut and this can be kept on the person for reducing the effects of malefic mangal. Also if Mahamritanje mantra is recited 108 times daily then it is beneficial  and it should help one with health, wealth, happiness and good fortune. This can be done in conjunction with mangal mantra. Mangal mantra is also useful for people where they are manglik and this malefic mangal delays the marriage and also cause issues in the relationships which will eventually break up the marriage.  
Mahamritanje Mantra is given as follows: “Om Hoong Joong Om Bhoorbhava Swah Om Tryamakam Yajamaha Saugandhim Pushtivardhanam diyayona Parchdoyat. Urvarukmev Bandhananmrityomu mamritamat Swaha Bhoova Bhooh om Sah joon Houng Om”.
There are mantras for other karmic planets such as Rahu and Ketu which will be given in part 2. You can also contact us through details given on our website at www.astrologer-palmist.com

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5779457

Hindrances

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Hindrances
Author: Chimaobi
Hindrances are the oppositions to one’s goals, dreams and anticipations. Hindrances are the forces which compel the weak minds to stop what they earnestly embarked upon. But at the same time, are the forces which also determines who is an achiever or a determined heart. A determined soul will never quit notwithstanding the amount of opposition which poses as obstacles to bar his or her way from achieving what one commences in faith. Hindrances are the tools which shapes people’s destiny either for good or for bad. The amount of hindrance coming your way or trying to hinder you from achieving a particular goal, objective or target, determines the relevance of that issue or goal.
Anything that is of less importance only required few obstacles, opposing or hindering it from coming into reality. A man, who is building a down stair say, a room apartment, will spend less effort, energy, finance and time compared with another fellow who is erecting a massive structure. Biblically, Nehemiah while trying to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, encountered a lot of obstacles, critics and oppositions which acts as hindrances worthy of distracting and aborting his goal, objective and purpose, showing that the work in which he embarked upon is a crucial and critical one unlike at the time when the returned exiles from Babylonia were erecting their individual structure.
Once you embarked upon an issue, and realized that there are no hindrances prevailing against your quest, then, definitely, that ambition or mission of yours is of little or no importance, relevant or benefit because everything great here on earth attracts hindrance on its own before any of them comes into limelight. The oppositions and challenges which you encounter in life are only a pointer which indicates that you are here on earth for greatness. Hindrances and oppositions accompany only those who are not only born to be great, but those who have made up their mind to be great here on earth and never to die as a mediocre.
Greatness does not occur by chance but as a result of a person’s total commitment and dogged determination to be great. Have you made such decision before now, or are you waiting to be compelled to do so? All that you will ever be starts from you and also ends with you. Truly, despite the fact that external forces and one’s destiny plays a lot of roles in our daily lives and practices, you are still held responsible for whatever you do and become in life not withstanding if you believe it or not.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5773763