Over the last several years, we have studied many examples of cost reduction initiatives to improve productivity and create economies of scale. In simplest terms, there are four actions that improve productivity and economies of scale. First, reduce the rate of cost you pay for an input. Second, reduce the inputs that do not produce output. Third, reduce unique activities or components in products and processes by redesigning the products and processes. Fourth, spread fixed cost activities over new product output. The cellular telephone carriers are introducing measures to reduce their costs by redesigning the product.

The wireless carriers use cellular towers to broadcast their signals. The cellular product design offers signals traveling long distances, primarily for voice and for relatively low data speeds. A cellular tower is expensive but capable of sending a signal for several miles.

This cellular technology worked well until the evolution of the smart phone. The growth of the smart phone has put very high demands on the cellular tower infrastructure because of the heavy data usage it brings to the market. Since 2010, data has taken over the majority of network traffic from voice communications. Now the carriers and, in particular, AT&T with its Apple iPhones, is having difficulty keeping up with the growth in demand.

AT&T today and, likely a few others in the future, has found a potential innovative solution, adding Wi Fi access points. These Wi Fi access points are ideal for heavy data traffic sent at high speeds over relatively short distances. Wi Fi access points transmit signals over a few hundred feet. The Wi Fi access points are smaller, easier and cheaper to install than are cellular towers. This low-cost approach appears to make sense in areas with high density of users. AT&T has placed them in New York’s Time Square and Rockefeller Center, in downtown Charlotte, North Carolina, in neighborhoods surrounding Chicago’s Wrigley Field and in San Francisco’s Embarcadero Center.

But there are some drawbacks to Wi Fi access points. Sometimes, a user has to take several steps to connect to a Wi Fi access point. Signals from the Wi Fi access points may interfere with one another, if signals come from multiple networks. Some smart phones do not have Wi Fi capability. These disadvantages have, so far, held back Verizon Wireless’s adoption of this apparently low-cost approach to providing service.

AT&T is leading this cost-saving innovation experiment. Their network strains force it to be creative and experimental. AT&T saves costs by redesigning the product itself using a less expensive technology with some shortcomings. If the AT&T experiment proves both cost effective and acceptable to cellular customers, every other wireless carrier will be forced to adopt it. And since a Wi Fi access point is largely a fixed cost, the wireless carriers with the highest density of membership within the Wi Fi area will have the lowest cost per unit. In most areas of the country that is likely to be either Verizon or AT&T. They will end up getting a unit cost advantage over their smaller competitors…if this works.

If there is one nutrient that you need to support your training and recovery, protein would be it! All the exercise in the world won’t help you build muscle or get lean if it is not supported with proper nutrition, which should always include a good dose of some high-quality protein or high quality protein powder.
Read the full article here==>How Much Protein?

 As we've seen, the Mayan Calendar is a chart of the evolution of consciousness in the universe.

Each Cycle or Age has its own dominant paradigm or point of view. As you move up through the 9 Cycles, new perspectives and new ways of being arise.

This new perspective starts to show up in the world, but it isn't an immediate switch from the old way of doing things to the new way.

It takes time, and a process of transition, for a new understanding to gain prominence.

The quantum physics revolution is a perfect example. We've known since the 1950's that matter isn't solid, and reality is nothing like we've imagined. Yet for the most part, our world continues to go along believing in the old materialistic ways... "Reality" is what can be proven with the senses. Medicine sees the body as a machine with unconnected parts. The Earth is dead, and humans are the pinnacle of evolution. And so on...

Yet, as we progress, the old perspective becomes more and more marginalised. People begin to talk about things in a new way. Then people begin to act in a new way. Finally (we're not there yet), the tipping point is reached -- the old way is as disregarded as the once unshakeable "knowledge" that the Earth was flat.

And that process is what the 13 days and nights of the Mayan Calendar describe.

The "Days" are times when consciousness expands, new perspectives arise -- times of fresh beginnings.

The "Nights" are times when the new consciousness is applied, new procedures initiated, and old ways (usually forcefully) overthrown.

And each of these 13 periods is characterised by specific circumstances.

Here's a breakdown of each of the 13 Days And Nights of the Mayan Calendar, and the specific transformation that occurs in each.

A period of illumination -- new perspectives arise. Beginnings. Seeds are planted; energy begins to flow in a new pattern or paradigm.

A period of darkness, rest. Integration. The new pattern begins to germinate within the dark subconscious of mind.

The second period of illumination. Dual paradigms, the old and the new, overlap -- both can be seen. In history, a time of turmoil, as the old ways (status quo) try to repress the new.

(This is where we are as of April 20, 2011.)

The second period of darkness. Followers of the two different paradigms battle for supremacy. Historically, very violent eras.

The third period of illumination. The new paradigm begins to spread deep and wide, beginning to show up in the world as new methods of doing things, new ways of perception. The new pattern begins to overtake the old, as fables, falsehoods, and failures expose the weakness of the past system.

The third period of darkness. The fledgling perspective of the new paradigm is refined, and the earlier, simplistic aspects fall away. The old system is thrown over, usually by force.

The fourth period of illumination. The new pattern becomes stronger and goes deeper into consciousness. A period of expansion, as the new paradigm takes form in the world. New corollaries emerge, as the new perspective takes precedence.

The fourth period of darkness. Healing the pain of the transition and the death of the old ways. Rebuilding after the destruction of the old status quo systems. The new, more healthy paradigm is truly established now.

The fifth period of illumination, and point of greatest radiance in the Cycle. The new paradigm flourishes, sending information about wonderful new knowledge out into the world. The highest possibilities for this Cycle are attainable.

The fifth period of darkness, and the nadir of darkness. This is a time of major hardships, cultural collapse, horrific violence. However, it is also a little like gestation: within the dark, something new awaits. From the death, new life will arise.

The sixth period of illumination, a time of Enlightenment. The flowering of the paradigm into stunning new insights and newer perspectives... in fact, sowing the seeds for the new Cycle of evolution to follow.

The sixth period of darkness. The paradigm has reached its peak and begins to dry and wither, like wheat in autumn. Typically a time of war and violent conflict.

The seventh period of illumination. There is a sense of openness, of being ready for something new. The best of the paradigm has been harvested, and it's time for a new level of consciousness to arise.

From the Seventh Day of the Mayan Calendar, we proceed directly to the First Day... from Light to Light. This demonstrates that whole process, even though it contains much dismantling and death, is finally and entirely a process of Creation.

The Mayan Calendar is an illustration of this process.

That's what makes it so fascinating... How did the Mayans ascertain such detailed information, that accurately predicts the ancient past (of which they could have known nothing) to the far future (which they are scarcely more likely to know)?

We may never know the answer to this question. But at least we finally know enough to appreciate their wisdom at last.

And just in time!

With Bright Blessings,

The Hopi prophecy for the year 2012 is the most important one, in my opinion. Whereas many prophecies speak of this "end of the world," the Hopi are the ones who've given us the most specific instructions for what to do.

According to most ancient prophecies, the Shift of Ages in 2012 is not necessarily the end of the world. It could be the end of an era of darkness on the Earth.

But according to the Hopi prophecy, WE are the ones who get to choose.

The future, or lack of it, is up to us!

While the Hopi had an oral rather than written tradition, they also created images that helped to tell the story, as reminders.

The one that is of most interest here is called the Hopi Prophecy Stone.

Although the stone has been much damaged and even altered, we will be addressing it as the Elders say it was, before its discovery by the white people.

The Hopi Prophecy Stone depicts the Creator of the world (far left), and beside him, the Circle of the World, which it was the Hopi's task to protect.

In the Creator's hand is held the two destinies humanity can choose -- one that leads to a good resolution and one that leads to a dead end.

The box represents all the people.

The diverging point of the Creator's path shows a time when some people would break away from the true path, and go the way of falseness and wickedness.

The path at the bottom represents the true path, the path of goodness.

It shows 3 calamities, as circles representing "shaken gourds" or world-shaking events, which some have interpreted as world wars. A third world war would therefore be indicated. (Could it be the unremitting war that the USA has conjured up against the Middle East? We can hope that nothing worse is predicted.)

In between and beyond the calamities, the sign of growing corn (life) combined with the sign of a cane (long life) reasserts humanity's continuity.

The last circle is said to be the final calamity, the purification of evil from the face of the Earth.

At the end of the righteous path, we find the Creator waiting for us again: the beginning and the end, the alpha and the omega.

This is the spiritual path, the path of goodness and kindness.

Reunion with the Divine is the goal and destination of this path.

I would add to this interpretation that the true path is the humble path, the one closest to the Earth and nature, grounded. In this image, it is the path that is closest to the Creator.

I believe the upper path being the false trail, shows that the path of domination, of power/control, of seeking to be superior over others, is definitely a wrong turn.

And that a way of living in balance and respect with nature is part of the good path. Something Native Americans have warned Europeans from the beginning. (This may be another reason Wicca and Paganism are increasing in popularity, as more people leave the wicked path behind.)

I think it is also not coincidence that the sign of the corn is used. Life could have been signified by the cane alone. But it is a growing plant that indicates the path of goodness, and the fruit of that path.

Nature is the good path.

Although here I have drawn in the heads of the figures, the Elders say that the figures on the Hopi Prophecy Stone originally had no heads. (I've indicated this with the heads not joined to the bodies.)

This could indicate that those following the path of wickedness are not choosing wisely.

That would seem to be evident, as we can now see the inevitable result of small personal wickednesses such as greed, self-interest, insecurity, animosity, etc. Even more visible are the growing results of these: violence, war, domination, sacrificing of others and the future for personal gain, etc.

According to Martineau, however, it signals that death must come of following the wicked path.

Perhaps both meanings would apply.

The zigzag path seems to indicate that the way of wickedness is irresolute and crooked. It reminds me of politicians promising first one thing and then the opposite, depending on whatever people want to hear.

Being guided by greed, control, and fear, the Path must veer hither and yon according to the needs of the moment. By contrast, the path of truth is always aimed at the Divine, and does not waver in momentary crises.

Notice that before the third calamity, the corn symbol touches the top line. This shows that people on the path of wickedness can change direction at that point, and rejoin the path of goodness.

After that point, it is too late, for humanity's careless wickedness brings us to a dead end. The back-curving line shows a point of no return.

The symbol of the corn becomes even more prophetic, as we now seem to have seen the end of natural corn. GMOs have invaded even the purest corn stocks in the world.

Perhaps it is no coincidence that corn is used as a symbol of life, here. Of course, it was a staple crop of the Hopi. But perhaps the corn touching the wicked path is also a symbol that we can choose the wicked way with our food supply, like genetically altering them.

Perhaps the path from goodness to wickedness goes both ways?

The Hopi Prophecy Stone shows us that the parameters of our choice determines the future we will have.

Are we headed toward a Golden Age?

Or extinction?

It is not a matter of what we wish for.

It is a matter of what actions we take.

The Hopi prophesy tells us what we must do to create a positive future for the Earth -- a future in which humanity continues to exist.

This makes it the most important of all the 2012 predictions.

Not just doom and gloom, nor hope and pray, but the concrete actions and mindsets that will see us through!

With Bright Blessings,

What are the Hopi prophecies, and how are they linked to the year 2012?

I'm so glad you asked!  Of all the 2012 predictions, these are the most important and exciting, because they not only foretell the 2012 Transition, they tell us what we can do about it.

This article reveals the signs of the end of the World Age, according to the Hopi prophecies... and what that means, in their point of view.

The Hopi nation, on the Arizona lands, has highly spiritual values. Hopi means peace; their name for themselves is the Peaceful People. The rituals they do are for the benefit not just of themselves but of the whole world. The clans are matrilineal, and with a balance of power between females and males. Life is religion, in Hopi culture.

The Hopi have carried an oral tradition for centuries. The Hopi prophecies come from that tradition, and they tell of the signs that will presage the end of the World Age (ie, Fourth World) and our entry into the Fifth World.

Note: I'd like to be clear that the Hopi's, as far as I know, didn't give a date for the end of the Fourth World. That's the point of all the prophecies: they will give us warning.

But since all of these prophecies have already come true, and since other sources give us a calendar date for the end of a world age, it seems clear that the Hopi prophecies are talking about the 2012 Transition.

Prophecy of the Theft of the Land: There will come a nation of white-skinned men, like Pahana, but not living like Pahana -- men who took the land that was not theirs.

(European conquest of the Americas.)

Prophecy of Thunder Strikers: These white-skinned men will strike and kill their enemies with thunder.

(Firearms.)

Prophecy of Wheels : Our lands will see the coming of spinning wheels filled with voices.

(Wagons moving west.)

Prophecy of Horned Creatures: A strange beast like a buffalo but with great long horns, will overrun the land in large numbers.

(Longhorn cattle.)

Prophecy of Iron Snakes: The land will be crossed by snakes of iron.

(Railroads.)

Prophecy of the Skies: The skies shall be criss-crossed by a giant spider's web, and the white man will put metal wires in the skies.

(Chemical trails deposited by military aircraft, and power and telephone lines.)

Prophecy of Rivers of Stone: The land shall be criss-crossed with rivers of stone that make pictures in the sun.

(Paved roads -- heat mirages.)

Prophecy of Black Seas: The sea will turn black, killing many living creatures.

(Oil spills.)

Prophecy of Seekers: Many youth, wearing their hair long, join the tribal nations to learn their ways and ancient wisdom.

(Hippies and generations of spiritual seekers.)

Prophecy of the House in the Sky: A dwelling-place will be built in the heavens, above the earth, that shall fall with a great crash. It will appear as a blue star.

(Skylab, which according to witnesses seemed to be burning blue as it fell.)

Prophecy of Ashes: The white man will create a Gourd of Ashes that will lay waste to the land and keep it infertile for generations.

(Atomic bombs and radiation.)

Prophecy of Moon Theft: The white man will steal rocks from the moon. Then the balance of universal laws and natural forces will be disrupted, causing earthquakes, severe changes in the weather patterns, and social upheaval. This is a danger sign, that we are in the final days before the purification.

(The Apollo moon landings. As a Wiccan and Pagan, I can only feel this theft from the Temple of the Goddess to be a terrible desecration, but infinitely worse is the massive bomb the USA exploded on the Moon!)

The Hopi prophecies are clear and explicit signs that the end of the Fourth World Age is coming.

They don't see this as a bad thing, even though they foresaw that they would lose their lands, their ways, and many of their people. They also foresaw that it was temporary, and the wheel of life would turn again to their ways.

Although -- according to the Hopi prophecies -- the imminent Fifth World Age will be preceded by an intense cleansing (expressed in some forms as massive and frequent natural disasters), still there is a positive future ahead.

What is even more important than these oracular signs, in my opinion, are the Hopi prophecies that explain how to survive this transition, minimise the harm, and create the best possible future.

That is the subject of the first article on The Hopi Prophecies.

The Hopi are not, by any means, the only aboriginal nation to have prophecied the dark times, and the end of them.

Other nations around the world and throughout history have similar predictions.

Continue to the article on Indian Vedic2012 Predictions to find out more.

With Bright Blessings,

Although often confused with guilt and shame, remorse is actually a much higher calibrating "emotion." It's the 21st Century alternative to feeling bad about yourself, and making others around you feel bad too.

It not only feels better and helps you move forward in your life, but it is healing for the Earth... and as we ride the 2012 Transition, Mother Earth needs all the help we can give her!

This article explains how it works, and why you are worthy of forgiveness.

Remorse is a method to heal yourself, and others, after making a mistake.

After all, anything that brings a feeling of remorse is a mistake -- just a mistake. Did you know that's the origin of the word "sin"? "Sin" was an archery term; it means missing the mark. That leaves a lot more possibility for positive growth, doesn't it!

So you don't need to berate yourself for eternity. There is nothing to berate yourself for if you didn't know any better, or if you did the best you could.

And I believe we always do the best we can, with what we have in the moment.

We're not perfect. Sometimes we do things we're not proud of. But, in the moment, that was undoubtedly the best that we could do.

Maybe you gave in to your meaner impulses. If you could have held yourself to a higher ideal in that moment, you would have done so. What would you have to gain, by not?

Maybe you didn't know how to do better. You can only work with what you know.

God does not expect you to know what you do not yet know!

For whatever reason -- fatigue, stress, anxiety, confusion, distraction, etc -- maybe you didn't do the best you hoped for. Maybe it wasn't as good as you could have done another day.

But you obviously did the best you could in that moment.

Why would anyone do less than that?

God doesn't need you to burn in hell for it, not even the hell of your own harsh thoughts. She only wants you to learn from the process, and to use it to grow. That's what remorse is all about.

There are four parts to the process of remorse.

The first part is a pang in your Heart. There is an energy there, call it an emotion if you like, that signals you are not happy with your actions.

From here, many people get derailed into guilt, instead of continuing the process of remorse.

The second part is the most important, the core of remorse...

You accept that you made a mistake. And you make an unemotional, practical assessment of your actions.

When your actions and choices don't live up to your ideals or ethics... you figure out how you could do better, discover what was moving in you (probably subconsciously) that caused that action, and -- here's the critical bit -- resolve to do better next time.

Remorse is calm and determined. Rather than destroying your self-respect, remorse enhances it. It provides you with the opportunity to grow, to live up to your ideals.

It recognises that within you there is a perfect being, capable of the best.

And that there is always another opportunity to try.

Contrast that with shame, which says that you are worthless and hopeless. There's just nowhere good to go, from there!

Remorse doesn't take the mistake personally. It sees an action as wrong, but not you as a person.

Remorse knows that people can't accurately, honestly be judged in terms of "wrong" and "bad."

The next step is always making amends. You must undo the error, to the best of your ability. And apologise, if it won't make things worse.

We must be clear -- this step has nothing to do with being forgiven by another person. Whether they forgive you or not is about them and their process, and is not about you.

To seek someone's forgiveness when they aren't ready to give it can be a further harm.

You fix the mistake if you can. That is the only purpose of this step.

Inherent in this process is self-forgiveness. You see a mistake, you acknowledge it, you figure out what went wrong, you fix it if you can, and you determine to not make that mistake again.

When you've done all that, forgiveness is a lot easier.

You can forgive yourself, because you know you aren't a bad person who intentionally did wrong... and because you are doing your best not to slip up that way in the future.

No one is perfect. No one is expected, by the Divine, not to make mistakes. On the contrary, that's often how we learn and grow.

That's all the Divine wants of you. Not perfection. But learning and growing from your slip-ups.

So you can accept that you did the best you were able to, at the time. And forgive yourself, for being human and humanly fallible.

If you get stuck in guilt, look for the underlying shame. Shame is like Velcro to guilt. It tells you that you deserve to feel terrible guilt, that you are not worthy of forgiveness or compassion or kindness.

But shame LIES.

You are worthy of forgiveness, because you are not a flawed person.You are Divinity tasting life as a mortal individual -- nothing else.

It doesn't matter what your family or coworkers or boss thinks of you. It doesn't matter how you've been treated by others -- that's nothing to do with YOU, that's all about the (human) blindness of others.

You are infinitely worthy and loveable!

And when others can't see that it's only because they haven't realised that they are infinitely worthy and loveable. When people get tied down, in their minds, into one little frail animal body and one small human life, all kinds of such misconceptions arise!

But it's not the truth.

The truth is that you are eternal -- learning and growing and polishing yourself on challenge after challenge, life after life.

The soul that is truly you is infinitely worthy and Divine. The body and mind you think of as you are only a costume that put on for a while, and then point aside, to go home for dinner and a bath, a good rest, to get up and come play again.

So how do you as a mere mortal forgive yourself?

The same way you forgive anyone... With compassion for your human frailty: you really are doing our best with what you have. With perspective: understanding that this life is a playground and schoolroom, and not the life-or-death struggle it seems. With determination to not make the same mistake again.

With Bright Blessings,

Have you got friends or family wondering what this astral projecting interest of yours is all about?

Do you ?nd it tough to explain in a simple, accessible way?

Well here’s a little site that may work well – especially for your peeps who like to keep a beat.

Are you just getting started?  GO HERE!

Before one approaches seriously the study of metaphysics, magick, the occult, or mysticism, it is appropriate that one prepares oneself on all levels: mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually.

It is of vital importance that the student be psychologically prepared for the reception of Cosmic truths; for without adequate preparation, without the required purity, the right attitude and the right motive, one simply deludes or sidetracks oneself from all that which is essential in occult study to those phenomena and teachings that are unessential, delusive, and misleading; to phenomena that simply strengthen one's hold in a world of illusion, glamour, pride and ego; aside from this, should one attempt occult work without due preparation one exposes oneself to certain dangers which are far-reaching. Without adequate preparation the student would abuse and misuse occult, spiritual teachings and powers.

The karmic consequences of this abuse may stall or cause stagnation in one's
spiritual evolution for countless incarnations. Basically, religion without the theological dogmas, is an appropriate basis for the study of metaphysics. Students of metaphysics are advised to deepen their religious activities by engaging in personal study of their scriptures or holy book without relying on the usual channels or interpreters for clarification. This is to preserve one's bicameral mind from
external influence and dependency on "authority figures" that may be damaging to the psyche in the long run.

Purity, sincerity, humility, and a selfless motive which seeks to serve one's fellow men are qualities to possess or develop when requesting from, or studying the teachings of a spiritual/ metaphysical teacher, or even when embarking on our own by studying books on the occult. These qualities or virtues are our safeguard. They protect us from negative forces which affect our mental and emotional stability.

One of the keys to preparation is to eliminate the false ego from our thinking and centeredness. Think from the Christ level. Think the thoughts of Jesus, Muhammad-the Prophet, Krishna, Lao Tze, or Buddha. What do you think these avatars and prophets of God think constantly of? They think of God, Truth, Beauty, and Goodness. Therefore we advise each student to do likewise. Thinking abstract thoughts, divine thoughts, spiritual thoughts, and holy thoughts raises the vibrations of the physical, etheric, astral and mental bodies. This facilitates metaphysical and spiritual development so needed by the human race. It improves the quality of humanity.

One of the problems which poses as an obstacle to occult and metaphysical study is that of the crystallized mind. As a preparation, the first step that has to be undertaken by the student of metaphysics and the occult is to temporary put away all previous concepts and beliefs regarding them. There are many false beliefs and superstition concerning the occult perpetuated by ignorant individuals, by psychics of a low caliber, by secular education, and even by religion, that we have to cast all of those beliefs aside and prepare our minds to really think and use our reason and intuition.

Even if we had learnt metaphysics or branches of it previously from genuine teachers, it is still required of us to shelve them aside when we begin our apprenticeship under a new tutor.  Our minds should be open and receptive to the teachings of the higher worlds, but if our minds are closed and crystallized, we fail to register the truths concealed in occult and metaphysical teachings regarding the laws of the cosmos, the higher worlds, the principles of mind and one's psychic nature.

If the teachings of any metaphysical system or teacher (including this writer) contradict your personal notions and feelings and you have trouble accepting them, simply shelve them aside for the time being and consider them again at a later date when you have acquired more experiences and knowledge. Realize, however, that most of the time opinions and beliefs do not reflect Truth. We teach what we personally know or what others personally know. We do not proselytize or impose our words upon others against their will. We are happy to give to others the teachings of the Spiritual Masters should they be receptive and just as happy not to give should they be non-receptive. We can lead a horse to a drinking trough but we are unable to make it drink.

Granted, that information concerning the occult the tyro or neophyte often has to regard as hypothesis, or working theories, but in time the student is given methods for investigating and proving to himself the verities of metaphysical truths and the realities of the higher worlds. We seek knowledge, wisdom, and experience--not mere beliefs. For the student of Nature's mysteries, beliefs will not do. Beliefs are blatant expressions of one's ignorance, for if one knows, why is there a need for beliefs? If one should say that one believes in the existence of something, one
implies in that statement that one does not really know if that something exists.

Belief and knowledge are poles apart. In spiritual and occult training one invokes intense energies, powers and forces emanating from the spiritual worlds. These energies flow into the whole microcosm even down to the physical level. Should the physical body and its force-field vibrate at a very low level because of the presence of
impurities, toxins, and negative forces, the nervous and energy systems of the physical and etheric bodies would explode and rupture during the influx of those higher energies. This is one reason why one embarks upon the Path of Purification prior to engaging in advance occult work.

The Master's Advice
In days gone by, when a student approached a spiritual or occult master for instructions, the master would say "empty your cup." The master illustrates the purpose of this by pouring fresh tea into a cup already filled to the brim with the liquid. The tea would naturally overflow. "Likewise," the master would say, "will the teachings I fill your mind be rejected by all of your previous thoughts and false
beliefs. Therefore, empty your cup." Which means, in other words, "empty your mind of previous ideas and conceptions." Most people are disinclined to accepting new ideas. They dislike change, and yet we must change towards a positive direction if we are to progress. There is a senseless fear and laziness in most people in operating their brain faculties such as using their mind to reason. Our
minds must be open and flexible, yet putting all new ideas to the test where possible before accepting them. We must strive to see the logic and rationality in concepts, if any, that are new to us. In other words, we must think! It would not hurt to be critical in a positive and constructive sense of novel ideas or even religious ideas if we believe that our criticism is valid. Although the mind is limited, it
has its purpose and we should not shirk from using it.

It is an important requirement for the occult student not to form any false ideas concerning himself and lower his self-esteem. He should not limit his mind and divine expression by saying "I can't do this," "I can't do that." One never knows what one can do until one tries. This applies to all branches of learning and study. Often we hear people say "nobody's perfect," and they use this as an excuse not to improve their morality, their character, their minds or even their social standing. If one approaches the study of metaphysics and the occult in this manner, one is bound to fail. Metaphysics is hard work, and those who are not interested in work should leave metaphysics alone. Metaphysical truths awaken a person from self-complacency and the slumber of mortal errors. The student of metaphysics
should be prepared for this and not rebel when it occurs. When you come to the point where you can think of nothing but metaphysics in your everyday activities, you shall succeed in being a metaphysician. Metaphysics has to be incorporated into one's life 24 hours a day.

Studying the occult and metaphysics requires great perseverance, endurance, patience, and fortitude. It even requires a certain degree of intelligence. Note that we do not say education or intellect, for the educated mind and intellect at times can be more of a hindrance than an asset. Unless our mind is receptive and open to modify previous findings or concepts expounded by science or religion which
from the point of view of metaphysics are erroneous, one would simply fail in metaphysical study and the probing of Nature's higher laws. The intellect, as the result of education is simply the building blocks that we accumulate, whereas intelligence is the conscious directive power that builds an edifice out of those blocks. Being educated implies gathering data and information that may or may
not be true or even relevant to one's life. We should seek the sort of knowledge that is applicable to our everyday lives with its countless challenges and problems.

Overcoming human problems is mastership. Intelligence is a necessary attribute to comprehending metaphysical principles. You need not be concerned of any lack of intelligence, however, for metaphysical practices itself raises one's I.Q., E.Q., and S.Q. Some occultists, metaphysicians, and mystics have declared that it is much easier acquiring an academic degree than getting fruitful results from occult study. This is indeed true, for occult study requires unfolding the inner senses to register higher vibrations and the various phenomena of the higher dimensions, and this takes much time and energy for practice and training. The purpose of metaphysical study is to make each and every one torchbearers of Truth. Work for Truth, live in
Truth, promote Truth and it is guaranteed that you will evolve into God's Light.

However, seek no reward. Metaphysical development requires time, patience, perseverance and great concentration--the type of concentration not normally possessed by the average person. This training of psychic and metaphysical faculties may take a whole life time for its perfect functioning and control. We should
not be daunted by this, however. The Master Jesus said, "In patience possess ye your soul," and this each student of metaphysics must be conscientious of. The student must have patience and possess his or her soul and not allow the Dark forces to possess it. In metaphysics we learn to direct our lower self, if we do not do this, negative beings will. It is expedient that the student remove religious and any form of prejudice from his mind and heart.

At times teachers of metaphysics may refer to the text of one religion in preference to another to illustrate or substantiate certain metaphysical concepts. This they do, not because of their personal background and not because of any animosity toward the other religions, but because of convenience sake. We know that the essence of all religions is Truth itself. Metaphysicians, therefore, teach and refer to the Truth in all religions whenever possible.

This brings up another subject to mind:
fanaticism. Fanaticism is not to be tolerated, not in metaphysics, not in religion, not in any human endeavor whatsoever. Fanaticism simply indicates a blind belief in principles and opinions, most of which may be dubious as to their validity. Fanaticism is separatism, narrow-minded and destructive, and should be avoided. It breaks up unity by creating divisions and schisms. It is the very antithesis
of the spiritual precept: "unity in diversity." The motto of the Dark forces will always be "divide and conquer."

Man is a microcosm of the macrocosm. In religious terms, man is a reflection of God, for he/she was made in God's image. Since God is perfect, man likewise, in a spiritual sense, is perfect. Man carries the seeds of perfection within him. He only needs to unfold this divine seed of perfection lying dormant within him. When this is done all things become possible to man. In order to nurture these divine seeds, one must overcome inertia and work with the evolutionary forces of Nature.

The Motive of Study
One of the first few things that a student of metaphysic has to do is to introspect and analyze as to the motive for approaching metaphysical study. Why does one want to study metaphysics, its branches, and its various arts such as magick, mysticism, esotericism, psychometry, dowsing, or telepathy? For what reason? For what motive? Is it simply to gain advantage over another, for power over others? Or
is it simply to acquire name and fame or the riches that it will produce? Approaching metaphysics with such motives would retard one's spiritual growth and is not condoned by any spiritual teacher of worth. A true and noble motive would be to serve God and humanity in spiritualizing this physical world, in manifesting Heaven on Earth, where Truth, Justice, Righteousness, Love, Peace and Goodwill between men prevails. Should your motive be negative, you are advised to transform it
now. Do not deceive yourself as to your motive. Another thing that we must not do, is to steal the secrets of heaven or gain entry into it by force, meaning that we should not force our occult growth by engaging in dubious exercises obtained through sources with no real integrity or authority to transmitting them and hoping for an instant development with their application. Should occult abilities be "instantly" procured, it would not be permanent and would result in adverse effects in most cases. We all know the low quality of plants cultivated in greenhouses as compared to the cultivation done underneath Nature's roof. It is the same with metaphysical growth. Heaven is not willing to release her secrets to the profane, and if by
chance any of us acquire her secrets and apply them without the proper motive and purity, we unknowingly curse ourselves. The scriptures say that God is not mocked. This is a symbolic way of saying that the Law of Karma is operative and no one is able to avoid its influence.

The student should be aware that there are false Gurus in the metaphysical field. Every student should be wary and cautious in accepting what they have to teach, for though what they teach be sweet to the mouth, their effects may be bitter to the stomach. These Gurus have no sense of responsibility, and they control and manipulate the minds of their followers for their own nefarious reasons. They create
a morbid dependency on the part of the student. Without the adequate and correct preparation through the Path of Purification, although one may unfold in a psychic manner, if accepted and trained by a "Guru," one would limit one's psychic
development and stagnate in one's spiritual evolution. The higher occult and mystical abilities requires that one be spiritually developed, and this cannot be attained without the necessary purification of the microcosm.

Spiritual Masters of the occult and metaphysics are wary and watchful of students with impure motives. It is not unusual for Spiritual Masters to reject applicants for study or to put them through certain tests, or to give them some advise and told to return at a later date, perhaps a week, or a year later. Just because a student is anxious to study the occult does not imply that he is ready for it or that he should be accepted by a Spiritual Master or Adept. Acceptance by a Spiritual Master and the
initiations that he has to offer requires sincerity of motive and more besides. The false Guru may perhaps accept such a student for personal reasons--for fame, name, glory or wealth. The true Guru, however, never consider these things as criteria for accepting students, although he may work in  strange ways that sometimes seem amoral or irrational in order to test candidates. An occult axiom
states that, "When the student is ready, the master appears." The advise here is to make oneself ready through proper preparation and not sit and wait and twiddle one's thumbs. The master in this axiom may refer to a spiritual being, one's personal spiritual guide or guardian, or even to a metaphysical school.

It should be known that the metaphysical path is a strenuous one requiring every minute of the day. One does not engage in metaphysics at certain spare moments available. One must make time for the study and practice of metaphysics. Reduce unnecessary socializing and reduce watching TV and movies to a bare minimum; preferable not at all wasting time on them. This may result in some conflict between your friends and relatives as you settle-in to your new metaphysical routine, but
consider this: what is more important, their egoistic and personal gratification and demands or your study of Truth with its eternal worth and its spiritual application in the affairs of men? It is up to you to decide; however, if results are not forthcoming from your practice because of your lack of application, you have no one to blame but yourself. One piece of advice: you may drop-out from metaphysical study but never drop-out from life, for it may be that your real metaphysical teacher and lesson is life itself. Accept whatever life brings and learn from it; otherwise, seek to change it using your God-given creative powers.

The Contemplation of Life and Death
Perhaps one of the things that a novice of metaphysics is told to do at the very outset by a true metaphysical or spiritual teacher is to contemplate the meaning of death and the opportunity that life offers. This dual theme is a healthy, sane, and balanced contemplation that when analyzed individually tends to produce an unhealthy pessimistic or overly hopeful attitude. How does one begin this contemplation? By reflecting on the following: first of all realize that we are all heading toward physical death, This might seem discouraging nevertheless is a true statement that cannot be contradicted. With every second, with every breath that we take we approach closer to our grave. Nature guarantees us nothing in life but our coming demise. This is her promise. We do not know when we will leave the physical body permanently. It may be the next hour, today or tomorrow, but leave it we shall. From these musings questions would arise: "What then is the meaning of life?" What is the purpose of life?" Shall we say as the materialists would say, "let us eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die"? What sort of a philosophy is that when our query remains unanswered? It would be preferable to say "let us study the purpose and meaning of life for we know not when we will pass away and God's purpose for us here may not be carried-out if we spend our time on frivolous matters." Contemplating further, we will realize one major thing, and that life here is an opportunity. Opportunity for what? An opportunity to grow, to become, and to be.

Heraclitus, the philosopher of ancient Greece said that everything is becoming. This is the Law of Change. From our metaphysical point of view, we understand that he was referring to the Law of Evolution. If we think about it we will realize that we are unable to take anything material with us to the higher worlds when we pass on. We are unable to take along with us our house, our money, our possessions, our titles, etc. What we do take along are things that are immaterial--our knowledge, our memories, our karma, our habits, our character, our spiritual and psychic development, our aspirations and desires. We can see from this that our purpose in this world, in this physical plane is in connection with those immaterial things mentioned above, and if--and metaphysics declare it to be so--evolution
is a law of Nature, a Cosmic law, then our true purpose is to evolve, to improve and to purify those immaterial things. Our greatest opportunity in this world is the correct use of time. Use this gift of God searching for Truth and not wasting it on non-essentials.

Perhaps after being a little pessimistic about reflecting death just awhile ago we may now be cheerful and be optimistic about life and to carry-out the main purpose of physical existence instead of wasting our precious time, energy and resources on immoderate and excessive entertainment: too much watching TV, too much sex, the taking of drugs, and indulgence in other material devices invented and designed by the Dark forces to sidetrack and make us forget our divine heritage, purpose of being and our mission here on Earth. This is the nature of evil: it diverts us from
experiencing our true soul-purpose and need. Anything that distracts us from improving our soul nature, our character, our morals, or acquiring metaphysical knowledge of Cosmic laws and truths, is to be considered as an evil mechanism and an intruder to our microcosmic system. These evil intruders sometimes work in such a subtle manner at times that even disciples of metaphysics are sometimes caught off-guard.

The Pure Life
A metaphysical life entails living a life of purity. Even before approaching a Master for
apprenticeship, a pure, spiritual, constructive life should be lived as best as one is able to. The degree of purity within us can be seen and felt by the Spiritual Masters and Adepts of metaphysics and the occult. They know our spiritual state and status by the colors and the luminosity of our aura, by our facial expression, by the quality of the emanations of our eyes, and by the way we think, speak and act.
By the above we do not imply that one has to be a saint in order to be a worthy student of the occult or metaphysics. What we are saying is that purity is a necessary quality to possess and to develop when one becomes a serious student of the occult. It is an indispensable quality for it prepares our psycho-biological system, our nervous systems to withstand intense energies that we invoke from the
higher worlds through our occult and metaphysical studies. We often hear of people going insane because of their involvement with the occult or metaphysics. This is because of their lack of purity. Their nervous systems were not able to sustain the spiritual vibrations coursing through them. When this occurs, as mentioned before, the nervous system ruptures, certain brain cells and nerve centers are destroyed, and the etheric webs protecting the student from overexposure to impressions of higher frequencies coming from the other dimensions, are shattered. One is then unable to shift focus from one reality to another but is opened to both. This causes too much strain. Insanity is the sad result. Spiritual energy invoked through mystical practices also evokes the undesirable elements lying within us. If these elements are not cleared by a process of purification, they would cause us trouble. This is not to say that metaphysics or the occult is an unsafe study. There is danger in  everything. One simply needs the right information and common sense, and take precautionary measures when delving into any study, especially metaphysics and the occult.

Purification is a multi-level process. It should occur on all levels of the microcosm. For instance, our physical body, our blood-stream, our energy-structures, our emotions, our minds, our aura, and chakras, all need to undergo purification. The Path of Purification is a basic step in any system of occult, metaphysical, and spiritual study. To neglect this essential step is to open-up ourselves to spiritual dangers. Any Guru neglecting the Path of Purification in his or her metaphysical system is a false teacher working against the evolutionary tide and spiritual current. It is not beyond the means of any average person to become pure and holy. The difficulty is that people do not see purity or holiness for what it is. They have many erroneous concepts regarding it. For instance, some of us believe that to be holy one has to seclude oneself from society, be celibate, or wear white robes or
even tattered clothing. They believe that to be holy one must dress oneself in some special way or wear a certain hairstyle or do strange things, or act a little mad. These are all fallacies. We should all  strive for holiness by being what we truly are, and not be what we think ourselves to be. In the name of Light, Life and Love, we appeal to all students to be pure and holy.

A Balanced Approach Towards Metaphysics
In metaphysics or in the occult, the student is requested to take a balanced approach. There are three factors that students have to consider:
1) Knowledge of metaphysical laws, principles, and cosmic truths.
2) Unfoldment of spiritual and psychic senses, faculties, and abilities.
3) Acceleration of one's spiritual development, of one's soul evolution.
The pursuit of these three together in a harmonious way is necessary in
developing a well-rounded attainment. When one is over-emphasized and the
others compromised as to their importance, then trouble results for the
metaphysical student. For instance, too much knowledge without spiritual
abilities and a spiritual development results in a poor instrument, one ineffective
in the service of men, and one filled with pride and vanity. Psychic abilities
without knowledge and a degree of spiritual advancement causes similar
symptoms as the above--pride and vanity, together with a poor understanding of
what one registers through the psychic centers. Though one be "spiritual,"
without metaphysical knowledge and understanding one is often deluded and
misled by psychic forces. One falls into the trap of glamour and illusion.
To be spiritually developed without adequate knowledge and psychic ability results in one's ineffectiveness in serving humanity. We can see from this that the problem facing the metaphysical
student is the correct pursuit and development of those three factors simultaneously. The unfoldment of these three factors causes that Divine Spark (Spirit), the Soul-Flame within us to grow in strength and magnitude. This Spark is threefold. There is a will-power aspect (blue), a love-wisdom aspect (pink) and an intelligence-understanding aspect (yellow). This divine flame, metaphysically, has its location within our physical heart and is about 2 cm in size. It is representative of the Higher Soul within the microcosm which is likewise threefold in nature. Esoteric students of Theosophy, for instance, call these components of the threefold Soul, atma, buddhi, and manas.

Too often metaphysical, occult, or so-called spiritual Gurus teach on the basis of a single approach. This does much harm to the student and to society in the long run, or in the very least, it does no lasting good. Advanced teachers, or true Spiritual Masters would synthesize the above three factors. Their approach as a synthesis of those triune factors, would be practical, instructive, and informative. Let us look again at those three factors. What do we mean by occult and metaphysical knowledge?

By such knowledge we mean of the following :
Knowledge concerning, the origin of Spirit-Man; the origin of human beings; the origin of the solar system; civilizations of unrecorded history; the real history of man; man's purpose of being; the progression and the transmission of the ageless teachings throughout the centuries; the origin of religion; the Mystery Schools; the occult anatomy of man; man's latent powers and faculties; the secret teachings and oral tradition of the prophets; the nature and laws governing the higher worlds and man; the application of Cosmic laws; the hidden laws of this three-dimensional world; the principles of counseling and healing; the nature of man, etc.
Now what do we mean by the unfoldment of psychic and spiritual abilities? What are they? Here are just a few: the ability to register spiritual impulses emanating from the Soul, the Spirit, the Spiritual Hierarchy, one's spiritual group, and Master; telepathy; the ability to direct the elements and forces of Nature; spiritual vision; etheric vision; the ability to function consciously in the higher worlds; the
ability to attune with the Divine Cosmic Mind; the ability to know the past, present and future; the ability to heal body, mind and soul; the power to create; etc.
And lastly, what do we mean by spiritual development? We means expanding one's consciousness; opening up the intuitive channels; the transcendence of the false ego; the expression of one's divinity; oneness with Nature, God and one's fellow men; the purification of one's thoughts, words, and actions; the realization and awareness of one's true identity, and the unfoldment of all spiritual virtues
and attitudes such as sacrifice, renunciation, detachment, steadfastness, endurance, strength, self-control, patience, magnanimity, purity, heroism, truthfulness, generosity, compassion, understanding, love, affection, serenity, faithfulness, altruism, tolerance, reason, devotion, adaptability, sincerity,
joy, discernment between the real and the unreal, service, balance, beauty, harmony, creativity, confidence, perception, reverence, sympathy, punctuality, love, tenderness, gratitude, gentleness, harmlessness, inclusiveness, desirelessness, forgiveness, trust, self-discipline, etc. 

So far we have used the words occult, metaphysics, and spirituality interchangeably. At this time this suits our purpose, but we have to realize that these terms are not synonymous and each have a specific definition of their own. To these terms we may include mysticism, magick, parapsychology, parapsychic science, and esotericism as each having a definite meaning and yet still connected with
metaphysics in general. In the course of one's metaphysical study one would gradually come to realize the fundamental difference. Humility and Fearlessness
So far, we have already dealt at some length with the qualities that the candidate of metaphysical studies has to possess, such as purity and an open mind. Other important qualities are those of humility and fearlessness.

Humility is the quality of acknowledging the greatness of God as expressing throughout Nature. It is the realization that no matter what one attains or what one becomes there is always room for further growth. Thus, one never view oneself as representing a final attainment such as being the smartest kid in school, for one knows that there are still others much more smarter than oneself. There is
always room for improvement. We should not just look down before us, look upwards as well and see that there are others far above us. Reaching one peak allows us to see a higher summit. There is pride in thinking of being wise or in being stupid. There is also pride in thinking of being rich or in being poor. The writer has often heard people lamenting on how poor they are, and they enjoy saying this and proving it. They would take quite a lot of trouble to prove that they are poor and
that none are in as much a need as themselves. This is pride expressing itself, for they fail to see that they possess many of God's precious gifts to them, such as their senses to register impressions, their minds to think, their will to act, and their hands and feet to carry-out their desire; in short, all that is required to manifesting prosperity. Such people are ungrateful beings. In this they show their lack of
humility.

When approaching an Occult Master in an egoistic manner, he would most certainly reprimand us verbally . . . or in silence. Such applicants for the teachings are quickly shown the exit. Demanding to be taught indicates one's unreadiness for occultism and metaphysics. Instead of requesting from the Guru the higher teachings, one should come to realize that one still requires the lower teachings and
disciplines from the many challenges that life has to offer and instruct us. All of these challenges are simply for the purpose of taming the human ego. The ego when unbridled, is an unfit vessel for metaphysical and spiritual teachings. Where the ego strives, there humility dies. Fear is one of the obstacles to metaphysical understanding and awareness. Approaching and advancing on the occult path entails facing many enemies and frightening phenomena, the worst of
these is our own lower self with its many subconscious projections which in occult circles is called the Dweller on the Threshold. If we wish to pursue occult studies, fearlessness is a paramount virtue to possess, for in truth nothing can hurt us unless we give it the power to do so. One of the maxims of the Great White Brotherhood is to know, to dare, to do, and to be silent. Make this maxim a part of
yourself.

In the maxim above the student is advised to be silent. It is disrespectful to the teacher and to the Cosmic to reveal secret and esoteric matters to those unprepared for it. Be ever watchful of your mouth, for as the Master Jesus said: "Do not cast pearls before swines." Silence is a protective quality. It protects the person who keeps silent on sacred matters as well as others who may be inclined to misuse the information. Assume silence when you should be silent and only speak when others are not courageous enough to defend Truth. Silence is golden at the right place and at the right time, and on sacred matters. Students will progress more rapidly should silence be a part of their being. Do not draw attention to yourself. Do not speak of your occult experiences to those unsympathetic to metaphysics, for this would simply provide them with offensive weapons.
In metaphysics too often than not, one may encounter contradictions. These contradictions may just be apparent and not real. Truth is like a cut diamond with its many facets. Keep in mind that what is relatively true is synonymous to being relatively false. However, in cases of contradictions, adopt that which seems more logical to you.

This is an important article and the student is advised to consider it wisely. It is hoped that the student be sincere and apply these teachings that he or she may acquire the virtues that we have referred to. In the days of Atlantis, men misused and abused occult and metaphysical teachings. This was one of the direct reasons why the continent submerged and leaving very few traces as to its geographical
location, its place in the memory of men, or in our history books. Many civilizations ended drastically because of the misuse and exploitation of knowledge for selfish ends. People mistakenly believe that the ends justify the means. This is false. The means determines the end. Let us not repeat our ancient mistakes, as it interrupts the evolutionary process and cause the holy ones to weep.

Learn Astral Projection Easily-CLICK HERE!

1. What is Astral Projection?

Astral Projection or Out-of-body experience is a process through which our consciousness leaves our physical body and is free to travel anywhere, unrestricted by  our normal physical boundaries. We all unconsciously travel outside our bodies every night when we are asleep. But with the right guidance and practice, we can train ourselves to achieve this with 100% consciousness and awareness.

2. Is everyone able to do Astral Projection?

As I mentioned, everyone does Astral Traveling at night when they sleep. But since they are asleep, they are doing it unconsciously. And when they wake-up, their astral experiences get distorted and they feel they have just had a dream. But with training and guidance, almost anyone can have a conscious Astral Projection.

3. When one does Astral Traveling, what is it that "projects" out of his body?

We are made up of several bodies. The grossest and the densest body is our physical body. The next one is the etheric body or the astral body. This is much less dense compared to the physical body. So during Astral Traveling, it is the astral body that gets “projected”.   I should also mention that for each these bodies, there is a corresponding “plane”. So there is a physical plane, astral plane and so on. So during Astral Projection, the astral body is projected into the astral plane.

4. Should we be really doing Astral Projection?

When we are born on this physical plane, we all come with a specific purpose. That purpose may be different for different people. But as we grow older, we forget why we are here. So we wander aimlessly and often end up wasting our lives.
Astral Projection is one way to help us know why we are here in the first place. So I sincerely feel we all should learn this amazing art and give a positive direction to our lives.

5. How much does Astral Projection cost?

You would be surprised, but there were actually 4 people who asked me this question!
The answer is - Astral Projection doesn’t cost you anything in terms of money. It is not something that you purchase. It is an art that you learn. The only real cost  involved is your time, effort and dedication.

6. What is the best, easiest, infallible and fastest method that works for  everyone?

Everyone is different, with different personalities and beliefs. So unfortunately, there is no best and easiest method that works for everyone. There are hundreds of Astral Projection techniques available. You need to see which one suits you best.

7. What are the best visualization techniques for reaching the vibration stage quickly?

As I said earlier, there is no best technique that will help everyone to achieve the vibration stage. However, Robert Monroe’s vibration technique is the most popular since many people have reported great success with it.

8. How can I learn to project quickly without having to take herbs such as  Salvia
Divinorum?

I never recommend taking herbs or drugs to achieve Astral Projection. It is safest to practice without any external aids. Also, unfortunately, there is no “quick” way to achieve Astral Projection. You will require patience and dedication. But if you follow the right guidance, you can drastically cut down on your learning curve, and often see success in a few weeks instead of years. Also, I would recommend staying away from anyone who claims to teach you “techniques” that can help you  project “instantly”

9. How to get into a trance easily for intentional OBEs

A good way to get into a trance is to comfortably lie down at night, and watch yourself going to sleep. Try to relax your physical body, but at the same time, try not to  go to sleep. For the first few nights, you might end up sleeping. But with practice, you will learn how to control your mind and stay awake during the entire process.

10. Can Astral Projection actually be done?

Yes, Astral Projection is definitely possible, and can actually be done consciously. There are thousands and thousands of people who can do it at will.                  

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REVIEW – 3D printing is fun and challenging. You can download countless free files from sites like Thingiverse and Printables, Cults 3D, and Thangs, or create your own using Fusion 360 TinkerCAD. It takes time, patience, and a love of tinkering, but it can be great fun. Many 3D printing enthusiasts will agree that incessant […]

REVIEW – There seems to be a number of different form factors popping up with projectors recently. Very slim projectors, portable cubes, and today’s variation which looks more like a spotlight than a projector at first glance. The XGODY Gimbal 3 projector looked like a fun projector to try out and looked very portable. Read […]

In the latest episode of their dark and stormy podcast, Ken and Robin talk Gothic F20, Elon Musk's pig brain implants, and a contactless edition of Ken's Bookshelf.

National Geographic’s Maps Division and Center for Sustainable Destinations teamed up to produce the first NG-developed Online Geotourism MapGuide to support sustainable tourism across the Greater Yellowstone region of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.

The site, http://www.yellowstonegeotourism.org/, which launched on March 31st, is open to anyone to discover and share information about unique features, tours, and businesses that best represent and sustain the natural and cultural character of the region. Visitors can also request a free print MapGuide.

Geotourism is the kind of travel that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place — its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents. Online Geotourism MapGuides are web versions of the print maps that National Geographic has developed for a number of regions around the world, including Crown of the Continent, Baja California, and Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom to name a few.

In addition to producing print and/or web maps, these projects bring together diverse representatives from the local communities to collectively define what makes their region special and how best to communicate it to the rest of the world. NG Maps is excited to participate in these projects that help travelers and local communities discover and preserve special places around the world. Anyone interested in developing a Geotourism MapGuide for their region, or simply becoming a “Geotraveler” should visit http://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/sustainable/.

1. New program will see pregnant mothers and babies protected from life-threatening virus  SBS
2. World-leading approach to protect babies from RSV  Department of Health
3. Government-funded RSV vaccines to protect infants from severe disease  Australian Pharmacist
4. 'Very scary': Wagga mum's plea for parents to protect babies through RSV jab  The Daily Advertiser
5. Guild backs free RSV vaccinations  Australian Journal of Pharmacy

1. Beijing and Washington stops provide clues for Indonesia's direction under Prabowo Subianto  ABC News
2. Prabowo pledges co-operation with Trump  The Australian Financial Review
3. Indonesian president meets Biden and speaks with Trump  The Canberra Times
4. At White House, Indonesia's new leader straddles US-China rivalry  VOA Asia
5. Will Prabowo Subianto cosy up to Donald Trump or to China?  The Economist

When asking for a pledge, the fundraiser has many informational advantages over the donor. Simply asking for the proper amount ensures that a donor will consider giving at the level you request. Starting out with a sufficiently high donation request amount allows you to find your donors preferred level of giving as rather than targeting the amount which is the lowest possible amount that a donor can possibly give to your campaign.


If a donor could give more to their charity, they probably would. When donors who maintain a strict charitable budget and give a fixed amount annually hear requests for support that are above the amount which they are willing to give, they let fundraisers know just how much they are willing to give and when they intend to give it. In the rare event that a donor is offended by large or additional requests, a skilled fundraiser can apologize for the offense and leave the donor feeling good about the level of support which they do give.


There is no downside to “asking high”.




Becoming a better fundraiser is a continuing process. There is always more to learn and more skills to master.

The conclusion to this article will be posted here in the coming days.

 An increasing number of charities and nonprofit groups are electing to solicit donations through Telefundraising campaigns. Despite having different goals and needs, disparate organizations find that Telefundraising is an effective use of resources . For many groups, the option of telefundraisng makes sense.
For large groups with vast amounts of members, telephone fundraising provides an effective means of outreach.  Charities withsignificant fundraising budgets see impressive returns from telephone fundraising efforts. Large organizations are results oriented, this is why they continue to support Telefundraising campaigns.

Small non-profits use telephone fundraising efforts as ameans to gain support for little upfront investment.While wide-scale print and media campaigns are often beyond the reach of small organizations, phonecampaigns can be executed in an extremely cost effective manner. Adjustments to telephone campaigns are virtually instantaneous, while other types of fundraising efforts need much more planning to alter.
Organizations of any size can quickly realize significant benefits from telephone campaigns. The relative low cost of phone fundraising campaigns is an attractive feature, regardless of organizational size. Paired with simple initial equipment requirements, this makes raising money by phone an easy choice for most non-profits.


Raising money is not the only goal of telephone solicitation campaigns. Contacts that end without a donation can still prove to be useful. Basing success on donations alone, overlooks other possible benefits to an organization.
Receiving a call from an organization helps to personalize the charity to its donors. Phone calls keep organizations on the minds of their supporters. These calls provide donors with the latest information on the cause they support. Well informed donors provide more frequent support.
Donation calls properly made, can be an important source of feedback for an organization as well. Donors use telefundraisng contacts as an opportunity to sound-off about their feelings about an organization.  Organizations can take these valuable insights, and use them to tweak their efforts.
Solicitation calls can provide much more than donations alone. Fully grasping this truth greatly improves campaign results.Positive campaign results are limited only by the imaginations of the organizations which run them.


Calling campaigns are always an effective solicitation method. For the best possible outcomes, additional factors should be considered as well. Holidays represent an excellent time for telephone fundraising efforts. This time of year is when many donors are most receptive to giving.Wise non-profits leverage the holidays to increase their rate of success.
Topical campaigns have increase significance to givers. These campaigns can be combined with additional media efforts. By closely monitoring the news cycle, it is possible to create campaigns that take advantage of current news, and require no additional effort to spark media interest.
Close attention to relevant news is useful, but not essential to telephone fundraising. Calling campaigns that are well structured can drive their own press coverage.  Press coverage is useful in some cases, but not an absolute requirement for all calling campaigns.


Implementing a successful telephone campaign is not substantially different than other types of solicitation methods. Good Telefundraising applys traditional fundraising methods to the phone. The benefits of applying telephone fundraising are obvious.
Telephone campaigns are an excellent way to overcome the problem of donor fatigue. Combined with other strategies, Telefundraising can strengthen listing campaigns. Fundraising by phone can produce results in and of itself.
Carried out properly, there is no application where telephone fundraising campaigns cannot be attempted with positive outcome.Effective fundraising campaigns require detailed planning. Phone fundraising and other solicitation efforts should be designed to work in harmony.
Fundraising by telephone requires serious preparation. Calling efforts should be well managed and adequately staffed. The results of telephone campaigns are based largely on the dedication of the organizations which run them.


Pound for pound, telephone fundraising delivers better results than other fundraising techniques. The advantages of telephone fundraising fluctuate across organizations, but remain significant. While income is an important factor, it is not the only way to evaluate the performance of a fundraising effort.
Phone campaigns can be implemented with minimal staff requirements. Well managed small teams can out performs much larger groups . Small teams are capable of delivering large gains.
Changes to phone fundraising campaigns can be implemented without halting the camapaign. Important updates can be quickly integrated. News and current events can be incorporated into the campaigns virtually instantly.Comparable fundraising methods need significant time to alter.
Speaking directly with prospects ensures valid contact. Direct  contact with donors is assured with calling campaigns.

Excellent fundraisers, as well as average ones often find themselves reaching a plateau when it comes to their fundraising abilities and the dollar amounts that they raise.  On a plateau, it is just as easy to move upward as it is to slip backwards; losing progress. Fundraisers are only interested in moving in one direction; upward.

pla•teau (plæˈtoʊ; esp. Brit. ˈplæt oʊ) 
n., pl. -teaus, -teaux (-ˈtoʊz, -toʊz) 
v. -teaued, -teau•ing. n.1. a land area having a relatively level surface considerably raised above adjoining land on at least one side.
2. a period or state of little or no growth or decline, esp. one in which increase or progress ceases: to reach a plateau in one's career.v.i.3. to reach a state or level of little or no growth or decline; stabilize

1. Go back to basics. Find something in your fundraising routine that can be improved and work on it. Can your greeting be made more friendly? Can your donation requests be tightened up? What ever it is, work on it. Working on any one issue has the added benefit of providing new perspectives on other issues.
2. Ask the donor. Ask donors, whether, they give or not, what they thought of your performance. Most will provide at least one useful bit of information. Some donors will provide so much valuable criticism that you may find yourself reexamining your entire fundraising strategy.
3. Ask another fundraiser. Sometimes we let shyness, pride or professional competition get in the way of improving our skills. Every fundraiser, at every stage, goes through the plateau problem. Reach out to your fellow fundraisers and get their advice.
4. Become an expert. Often after fundraising for a certain cause for a long time, fundraisers began to feel like experts on the issue. There is always more to learn. Find books magazine articles and any other materials that you can. The more you know about your issue, the better you can fund raise for it.
5. Remember, Plateaus aren't permanent. Keep slugging away, doing the best job that you possibly can. Eventually, you will begin to see some progress.

The deadline to propose a presentation for National O.T.O. Conference XIV in Denver, CO, is May 10, 2023.

Jupiter has often been thought to protect the inner Solar System from asteroids and comets, but new research has shown that the giant planet may actually increase the risk of an impact.

An analysis of the U.S. Senate's FY 2025 budget request for NASA.

NASA is underfunding planetary exploration relative to recommendations made by the National Academies Decadal Survey report, resulting in mission delays and cancelations.

A Planetary Society-funded project to understand asteroids achieved its main goals and scientific objectives this year.

Sneak peek — Christmas jewelry in progress.

Christmas serving board in progress.

Last week I finished a new service written in Common Lisp. It now runs in production© every mornings, and it expands the set of services I offer to clients.

It’s the 4th service of this kind that I developed: - they are not big - but have to be done nonetheless, and the quicker the better (they each amount to 1k to 2k lines of Lisp code), - they are not part of a super advanced domain that requires Common Lisp superpowers - I am the one who benefits from CL during development, - I could have written them in Python - and conversely nothing prevented me from writing them in Common Lisp.

So here lies the goal of this post: illustrate that you don’t need to need a super difficult problem to use Common Lisp. This has been asked many times, directly to me or on social media :)

At the same time, I want to encourage you to write a little something about how you use Common Lisp in the real world. Sharing creates emulation. Do it! If you don’t have a blog you can simply write in a new GitHub repository or in a Gist and come share on /r/lisp. We don’t care. Thanks <3

We’ll briefly see what my scripts do, what libraries I use, how I deploy them, what I did along the way.

Needless to say that I dogfooded my CIEL (beta) meta-library and scripting tool for all those projects.

Table of Contents

• Scripts n°4 and 2 - shaping and sending data - when you can write Lisp on the side
  • SFTP
  • Deploying
  • Script n°2 and simple FTP
• Scripts n°3 and 1 - complementary web apps
• Lasting words
• Links

Scripts n°4 and 2 - shaping and sending data - when you can write Lisp on the side

My latest script needs to read data from a DB, format what’s necessary according to specifications, and send the result by SFTP.

In this case I read a DB that I own, created by a software that I develop and host. So I could have developed this script in the software itself, right? I could have, but I would have been tied to the main project’s versioning scheme, quirks, and deployment. I rather had to write this script on the side. And since it can be done on the side, it can be done in Common Lisp.

I have to extract products and their data (price, VAT...), aggregate the numbers for each day, write this to a file, according to a specification.

To read the DB, I used cl-dbi. I didn’t format the SQL with SxQL this time like in my web apps (where I use the Mito light ORM), but I wrote SQL directly. I’m spoiled by the Django ORM (which has its idiosyncrasies and shortcomings), so I double checked the different kinds of JOINs and all went well.

I had to group rows by some properties, so it was a great time to use serapeum:assort. I left you an example here: https://dev.to/vindarel/common-lisps-group-by-is-serapeumassort-32ma

Dates have to be handled in different formats. I used local-time of course, and I still greatly appreciate its lispy formatter syntax:

(defun date-yymmddhhnnss (&optional date stream)
  (local-time:format-timestring stream
                                (or date (local-time:now))
                                :format
                                '((:year 4)
                                  (:month 2)
                                  (:day 2)
                                  (:hour 2)
                                  (:min 2)
                                  (:sec 2)
                                  )))

the 2 in (:month 2) is to ensure the month is written with 2 digits.

Once the file is written, I have to send it to a SFTP server, with the client’s codes.

I wrote a profile class to encapsulate the client’s data as well as some functions to read the credentials from either environment variables, the file system, or a lisp variable. I had a top-level profile object for ease of testing, but I made sure that my functions formatting or sending data required a profile parameter.

(defun send-stock (profile &key date) ...)
(defun write-stock (profile filename) ...)

Still nothing surprising, but it’s tempting to only use global parameters for a one-off script. Except the program grows and you pay the mess later.

SFTP

To send the result through SFTP, I had to make a choice. The SFTP command line doesn’t make it possible to give a password as argument (or via an environment variable, etc). So I use lftp (in Debian repositories) that allows to do that. In the end, we format a command like this:

lftp sftp://user:****@host  -e "CD I/; put local-file.name; bye"

You can format the command string and run it with uiop:run-program: no problem, but I took the opportunity to release another utility:

• https://github.com/vindarel/lftp-wrapper

First, you create a profile object. This one-liner reads the credentials from a lispy file:

(defvar profile (make-profile-from-plist (uiop:read-file-form "CREDS.lisp-expr"))

then you define the commands you’ll want to run:

(defvar command (put :cd "I/" :local-filename "data.csv"))
;; #<PUT cd: "I/", filename: "data.csv" {1007153883}>

and finally you call the run method on a profile and a command. Tada.

Deploying

Build a binary the classic way (it’s all on the Cookbook), send it to your server, run it.

(during a testing phase I have deployed “as a script”, from sources, which is a bit quicker to pull changes and try again on the server)

Set up a CRON job.

No Python virtual env to activate in the CRON environment...

Add command line arguments the easy way or with the library of your choice (I like Clingon).

Script n°2 and simple FTP

My script #2 at the time was similar and simpler. I extract the same products but only take their quantities, and I assemble lines like

EXTRACTION STOCK DU 11/04/2008
....978202019116600010000001387
....978270730656200040000000991

For this service, we have to send the file to a simple FTP server.

We have a pure Lisp library for FTP (and not SFTP) which works very well, cl-ftp.

It’s a typical example of an old library that didn’t receive any update in years and so that looks abandoned, that has seldom documentation but whose usage is easy to infer, and that does its job as requested.

For example we do this to send a file:

(ftp:with-ftp-connection (conn :hostname hostname
                                   :username username
                                   :password password
                                   :passive-ftp-p t)
      (ftp:store-file conn local-filename filename))

I left you notes about cl-ftp and my SFTP wrapper here:

• https://dev.to/vindarel/ftp-and-sftp-clients-for-common-lisp-1c3b

Scripts n°3 and n°1 - specialized web apps

A recent web app that I’m testing with a couple clients extends an existing stock management system.

This one also was done in order to avoid a Python monolith. I still needed additions in the Python main software, but this little app can be independent and grow on its own. The app maintains its state and communicates it with a REST API.

It gives a web interface to their clients (so my clients’ clients, but not all of them, only the institutional) so that they can:

• search for products
• add them in shopping carts
• validate the cart, which sends the data to the main software and notifies the owner, who will work on them.

The peculiarities of this app are that:

• there is no user login, we use unique URLs with UUIDs in the form: http://command.client.com/admin-E9DFOO82-R2D2-007/list?id=1
• I need a bit of file persistence but I didn’t want the rigidity of a database so I am using the clache library. Here also, not a great activity, but it works©. I persist lists and hash-tables. Now that the needs grow and the original scope doesn’t cut it any more, I wonder how long I’ll survive without a DB. Only for its short SQL queries VS lisp code to filter data.

I deploy a self-contained binary: code + html templates in the same binary (+ the implementation, the web server, the debugger...), with Systemd.

I wrote more on how to ship a standalone binary with templates and static assets with Djula templates here:

• https://lisp-journey.gitlab.io/blog/lisp-for-the-web-build-standalone-binaries-foreign-libraries-templates-static-assets/

I can connect to the running app with a Swank server to check and set parameters, which is super helpful and harmless.

It is possible to reload the whole app from within itself and I did it with no hiccups for a couple years, but it isn’t necessary the most reliable, easiest to set up and fastest method. You can do it, but nobody forces you to do this because you are running CL in production. You can use the industry’s boring and best practices too. Common Lisp doesn’t inforce a “big ball of mud” approach. Develop locally, use Git, use a CI, deploy a binary...

Every thing that I learned I documented it along the way in the Cookbook ;)

Another app that I’ll mention but about which I also wrote earlier is my first web app. This one is open-source. It still runs :)

In this project I had my friend and colleague contribute five lines of Lisp code to add a theme switcher in the backend that would help him do the frontend. He had never written a line of Lisp before. Of course, he did so by looking at my existing code to learn the existing functions at hand, and he could do it because the project was easy to install and run.

(defun get-template(template &optional (theme *theme*))
  "Loads template from the base templates directory or from the given theme templates directory if it exists."
  (if (and (str:non-blank-string-p theme)
           (probe-file (asdf:system-relative-pathname "abstock" (str:concat "src/templates/themes/" theme "/" template))))
      ;; then
      (str:concat "themes/" theme "/" template)
      ;; else :D
      template))

He had to annotate the if branches :] This passed the code review.

Lasting words

The 5th script/app is already on the way, and the next ones are awaiting that I open their .docx specification files. This one was a bit harder but the Lisp side was done sucessfully with the efficient collaboration of another freelance lisper (Kevin to not name him).

All those tasks (read a DB, transform data...) are very mundane.

They are everywhere. They don’t always need supercharged web framework or integrations.

You have plenty of opportunities to make yourself a favor, and use Common Lisp in the wild. Not counting the super-advanced domains where Lisp excels at ;)

Links

• https://lispcookbook.github.io/cl-cookbook/
• awesome-cl
• companies using Common Lisp in production (at least the ones we know)
• Common Lisp course in videos – it helps me, and you ;) I added 9 videos about CLOS last month, and more are coming. It’s 86 minutes of an efficient code-first approach, out of 7+ hours of total content in the course. After this chapter you know enough to read the sources of the Hunchentoot web server or of the Kandria game.

I have done some preliminary Common Lisp exploration prior to this course but had a lot of questions regarding practical use and development workflows. This course was amazing for this! I learned a lot of useful techniques for actually writing the code in Emacs, as well as conversational explanations of concepts that had previously confused me in text-heavy resources. Please keep up the good work and continue with this line of topics, it is well worth the price! [Preston, October of 2024]

A comment on my previous post said,

The most difficult thing when coming to a different language is to leave the other language behind. The kind of friction experienced here is common when transliterating ideas from one language to another. Go (in this case) is telling you it just doesn't like to work like this.

Try writing simple Go, instead of reaching for Lisp idioms. Then find the ways that work for Go to express the concepts you find.

That's not at all how I approach programming.

A friend of mine once paid me a high compliment. He said, “Even your C code looks like Lisp.”

When I write code, I don't think in terms of the language I'm using, I think in terms of the problem I'm solving. I'm a mostly functional programmer, so I like to think in terms of functions and abstractions. I mostly reason about my code informally, but I draw upon the formal framework of Lambda Calculus. Lambda Calculus is a simple, but powerful (and universal) model of computation.

Programming therefore becomes a matter of expressing the solution to a problem with the syntax and idioms of the language I'm using. Lisp was inspired by Lambda Calculus, so there is little friction in expressing computations in Lisp. Lisp is extensible and customizable, so I can add new syntax and idioms as desired.

Other languages are less accommodating. Some computations are not easily expressable in the syntax of the language, or the semantics of the language are quirky and inconsistent. Essentially, every general purpose fourth generation programming language can be viewed as a poorly-specified, half-assed, incomplete, bug-ridden implementation of half of Common Lisp. The friction comes from working around the limitations of the language.

Een maand niet klaarkomen, is dat écht gezond: uroloog over de ‘No Nut November’-challenge  Provinciale Zeeuwse CourantHele verhaal bekijken via Google Nieuws

Hét Product: Genks supplement jaagt suiker schrik aan  Made in

1. ‘Sexiest man alive’ is... alweer niet zo sexy: John Krasinski pronkt op cover van ‘People’  Het Laatste Nieuws
2. Acteur John Krasinski is volgens People meest sexy man ter wereld  NU.nl
3. John Krasinski uitgeroepen tot meest sexy man op aarde  Het Nieuwsblad

“Absurde toestanden” bij verplichting zonnepanelen voor grote verbruikers: “Zelfs bedrijf dat niets meer produceert, moet er leggen”  Het Laatste Nieuws

He'll just wait this one out. Cacti can't survive without water, right? ~NSHA

Or at least switch to 12oz cans to delay the inevitable.

~NSHA

Southern California’s football program has been fined $50,000 and placed on probation for one year by the NCAA because of multiple violations of coaching staff rules over two seasons

Providence Friars' Oswin Erhunmwunse threw down a powerful two-handed dunk against the Hampton Pirates.

Providence Friars' Bensley Joseph found Corey Floyd Jr. for a tough alley-oop dunk against the Hampton Pirates.

WELL THERE'S YOUR PROBLEM

These people are not afraid to carry on hilarious protest signs and tell the world what they really think of Donald Trump's Presidency. Via: Sad and useless  

While we would love for election season to be over right about now, we've gotta admit that the resulting political memes have been top-notch. The internet has been loving this particular dank meme, which shows Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ripping up Donald Trump's State of the Union speech.

In the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire in London, where 79 people died or are presumed dead and many more were injured, serious concerns and questions around flammability of exterior cladding, the lack of fire sprinklers and the notion of “shelter in place,” among other subjects, have been brought to the forefront by the news media and the public at large. Jim Pauley, president and CEO of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), addressed these troubling fire safety issues in the upcoming edition of NFPA Journal, the association’s membership publication, which will be officially released next month.

Independence Day and fireworks go hand in hand, but fireworks shouldn’t go in consumers’ hands. That’s the message the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is reinforcing this Fourth of July. Fireworks annually cause devastating burns, injuries, fires, and even death, making them too dangerous to be used safely by consumers.