Showing posts with label Art of life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Art of life. Show all posts

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Amazing refinement



In the diffused blue light of the early morning sky, when the birds are still asleep in their nests and the whole globe is at remainder, a small figure stands near the damp, flustered border wall of a roofing system, her elbows resting carefully on the wall still damp from the night's rain.
There is pure silence. Pure- free from the attributes of awkwardness, convenience, pain.
There's a peace in this moment. Free from the feverishness, the sense of seriousness to 'do' something which is intrinsic at every other time of the day. Aware of the intrinsic defect that hinges on believing we're in control.
It is still. Perfectly still. The sort of stillness one links with space. Not a leave and debris flutters. No indication of the faintest wind. Yet there is something dynamic concerning this stillness. A rising power, a rolling illumination, that stimulates every little thing it drops on, if simply we take our focus towards it.
As it turns somewhat sky blue and black, shapes of trees in the woodland covertly uncover themselves, to those which get up to see them.
'Yesterday' she was advised to keep away from this forest. 'Yesterday', which like a dream has passed and where nothing additional can be obtained, equally in a desire.

And there is Today. Today, with its endless opportunities in each second. Today, providing to us, nothing less than infinity itself.
You should empty your hands to get exactly what is being supplied, or it might merely doff.
She gradually opens her eyes now that she has sufficient space to approve what today has to offer.
The mind-calming exercise has just started.

Friday, January 24, 2014

Ayurveda



Ayurveda is the ancient Indian device of organic and alternative medicine. When translated from Sanskrit, Ayurveda means "the science of life" (the Sanskrit root Ayur implies "long life" or "live" and Veda indicates "logic").

While allopathic medicine often focuses on the administration of disease, Ayurveda provides us with the understanding of the best ways to prevent disease and ways to eliminate its origin if it does occur.

Core Ideas

The expertise of Ayurveda was passed on by mouth through a family tree of sages in India until it was looked at into content more than five many thousand years ago. The earliest understood contents on Ayurveda are the Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, and the Ashtanga Hrudaya. These contents detail the influence that the 5 components located in the cosmic system - earth, water, air, fire, space-- have on our individual system, and expound on the value of keeping these elements stabilized for a healthy and satisfied life.
According to Ayurveda, everyone will certainly be affected by certain elements more than others. This is due to their Prakriti, or organic constitution. Ayurveda classifies the various constitutions into 3 different dishes:.
1.       Vata dosha, where the air and room components control.

2.       Pitta dosha, where the fire aspect dominates.

3.        Kapha dosha, where the planet and water elements dominate.
The dose impacts not merely the form of one's body, but likewise bodily possibilities (like food inclinations and digestion), and the personality of one's thoughts and feelings. For example, the planet's component in individuals with Kapha dose appears in their solid, durable physique, their tendency for slower digestion, their strongest memory, and their psychological steadiness. Many people's Prakriti is comprised of a combo of two dishes. As an example, individuals who are "Pitta, Kapha" will certainly have the possibilities of both Pitta dosha and Kapha dosha, with Pitta controlling. By understanding the high qualities of our natural constitution, we are better able to do exactly what is should keep ourselves in harmony.

Ayurvedic Way of living.

Ayurveda positions wonderful relevance of one's party, or lifestyle (eating practices and daily regimen). Ayurveda additionally offers guidance on how to adjust our way of life based on the modification of seasons.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

The Art of Living: Vipassana Meditation



Everybody finds calmness and consistency, considering that this is exactly what we do not have in our lives. Periodically, all of us encounter agitation, irritability, dishar ¬ mony. And when we suffer from these anguishes, we do not keep them to ourselves; we commonly distribute them to others as well. Unhappiness permeates the atmosphere around a person which is unpleasant, and those who come to call with such a person likewise ended up being afflicted. Absolutely this is not a seasoned method to live.

We should live serenely with ourselves, and at peace with others. It goes without saying, people are social beings, needing to reside in society and manage each various other. But just how are we to live peacefully? Exactly how are we to remain harmonious within, and keep peace and consistency around us, to ensure that others can additionally live peacefully and harmoniously?

In order to be soothed of our suffering, we need to understand the basic reason for it, the cause of the suffering. If we investigate the issue, it penetrates that whenever we start creating any sort of negative thoughts or contamination in the mind, we are bound to end up being miserable. A negativeness in the mind, a mental defilement or impurity, cannot exist together with calmness and consistency.

Exactly how do we start producing negativeness? Once again, by investigation, it becomes clear. We come to be unhappy when we discover someone acting in a way that we don't such as, or when we locate something taking place which we don't such as. Unwanted points happen and we make stress within. Desired points do not occur, some challenge comes with the method, and once again we develop a strain within; we start linking knots within. And throughout life, unwanted things continue happening, wished things might or may not occur, and this process of reaction, of linking knots-- Gordian knots-- makes the entire mental and physical structure so tense, so full of negativity, that life becomes unpleasant.

Now, one method to address this problem is to arrange that nothing unwanted takes place in life, that every little thing keeps on taking place exactly as we prefer. Either we must create the energy, or someone else who will come to our help needs to have the power, to see that undesirable points do not occur which everything we wish happens. But this is impossible. There is nobody in the world whose needs are consistently fulfilled, in whose life every little thing occurs according to his or her wishes, without anything undesirable occurring. Things regularly occur that are contrary to our wishes and wishes. So the concern occurs: just how can we quit reacting thoughtlessly when confronted with things that we do not like? Exactly how can we quit developing tension and continue to be calm and harmonious?

In India, in addition to in various other nations, sensible saintly individuals of the past studied this problem-- the issue of human suffering-- and located an option: if something undesirable occurs and you begin to react by creating temper, are afraid or any negativeness, after that, as quickly as possible, you need to divert your attention to something else. For instance, get out of bed, take a glass of water, start drinking-- your anger won't multiply; on the other hand, it'll start to decline. Or start counting: one, two, three, 4. Or begin duplicating a word, or a phrase, or some rule, probably the name of a god or saintly person to whom you have devotion; the consciousness is diverted, and somewhat you'll be free of the negativeness, devoid of the anger.
This remedy was valuable; it functioned. It still functions. Reacting similar to this, the mind does not hesitate from agitation. Nonetheless, the solution functions only at the mindful level. Actually, by diverting the interest you push the negative thoughts deep into the subconscious, and there you continue to generate and increase the exact same defilement. On the surface area there is a layer of tranquility and consistency, yet in the depths of the consciousness there is a resting mountain of restrained negativeness which eventually might emerge in a terrible explosion.

Other explorers of inner reality went still additional in their search and, by experiencing the reality of mind and concern within themselves, recognized that diverting the focus is just escaping from the issue. Retreat is no solution; you have to deal with the trouble. Whenever negative thoughts arise in the mind, merely note it, face it. As soon as you start to note a psychological impurity, it begins to shed its strength and slowly withers away.

A good option; it stays clear of both extremes-- suppression and expression. Hiding the negativeness in the subconscious will not eradicate it, and enabling it to manifest as unwholesome physical or singing actions will only develop more issues. Yet if you merely observe, then the defilement passes away and you are without it.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Art of Living Hong Kong

Happy Janamastami…

Janamashtami celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna. Ashtami is significant as it indicates a perfect balance between the seen and the unseen aspects of reality; the visible material world and the invisible spiritual realm.

Krishna’s birth on Ashtami signifies his mastery of both the spiritual and material worlds. He is a great teacher and a spiritual inspiration as well as the consummate politician. On one hand, he is Yogeshwara (the Lord of Yogas — the state to which every yogi aspires) while on the other, he is a thief.

The unique quality of Krishna is that he is at once more pious than the saints and yet a thorough mischief-monger! His behaviour is a perfect balance of the extremes — perhaps this is why the personality of Krishna is so difficult to fathom. The avdhoot is oblivious to the world outside and a materialistic person, a politician or a king is oblivious to the spiritual world. But Krishna is both Dwarkadheesh and Yogeshwar.

Krishna’s teachings are most relevant to our times in the sense that they neither let you get lost in material pursuits nor make you completely withdrawn. They rekindle your life, from being a burnt-out and stressed personality to a more centred and dynamic one. Krishna teaches us devotion with skill. To celebrate Gokulashtami is to imbibe extremely opposite yet compatible qualities and manifest them in your own life.

Hence the most authentic way of celebrating Janamashtami is knowing that you have to play a dual role — of being a responsible citizen of the nation and at the same time to realise that you are above all events, the untouched Brahman. Imbibing a bit of avadhoot and a bit of activism in your life is the real significance of
celebrating Janamashtami.

source:http://artoflivinghk.wordpress.com

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Art of Living and You

Hi all. So what if I don't know to blog? I have come on the block. Oh! No, this is not me telling. You know I was pushed into blogging when I just became aware of the word. And the words above are the generous advice of that pusher. He is a friend of long standing. If I have to blame him, I have to blame for reasons that are countless. You know he is such an affable fella and a friendly devil kinda guy that you can't blame him even when you want to. Secretly I confessed to the fact that for many things I am today, he is the person that can take credit.

After all why should he do it to me or is he just kind to me alone? He is a couple of years older than I. he was a form ahead of me in school too. He, as I know was the most bubly and chirpy guy as a school boy. Oh! My...he was talking from anything to every thing though the topics naturally were limited to our age bound world. The games, dresses he had purchased from his pocket money and that blue skirt of our teacher. I did really enjoy the moments he used to narrate all these in his inimitable style, sometimes exaggerating sometiimes in an emotional voice. I don't remember disliking or objecting to anything except for that one day when he described the length of his teacher's legs. I was a bit frieghtened as I protested. He laughed at me first and then just switched over.

He was not like it as I knew. This thing bugged me all night long. I can't express what exactly I should call the thoghts that crawled my mind. But it is also true that appreciation for him surfaced strongly. But it never occured to me that he was growing up. Or was he grown up already?

More than anything else what brought me to adore him was his integrity. For some reason or the other I could not go to school or play without him. With him by my side, I felt safer always. He made fun off me, ragged me. But as always, his pranks showed me I had to grow more.

Now, in retrospect I think of him. He is coming back to our town after 32 years. They moved south after he finished high school. Later he called me to tell he had to give up further schooling for pursuing some job. He married a southerner taller than his own self. He built a home there and grew mango trees all around. This brings an incidence back to memory. In the mango season, while returning from school, we had to pass by a mangrove. And there was a hefty watchman gaurduing it. But my friend was all too clever for him. He used to yell and coo standing infront of the gate as if somebody else was trying to thieve mangoes and he wanted to alert the watchman. My friend was so quick to sense if the watchman wasn't around when he didn't turn up immediately. He would dash in, in big strides and whew.. would pluck a few mangoes. Always more for him and one or two for me. I didn't dare ask why.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Friday, July 16, 2010

The Art Of Happy Living

What do you think about happiness? A philosophical approach to life; an intellectual activity or an academicals pursuit. No, not at all, nothing of the sort.
Happy living is nothing more than living a normal life free from undue pressures, problems and tensions. The Art of Happy Living is not a complicated kind of art difficult to learn rather a simple art of living well, eating well, thinking well and feeling well. Just tune up your mind to enjoy every moment of life and let the happiness follow you.
Happiness is purely an internal matter. It has nothing to do with your external circumstances. Most people do the fatal mistake of looking outwards for happiness rather than looking inwards. Only fools worry about the circumstances on which they have no control. Why worry if you cannot change the weather, rather enjoy it whether its hot, humid, cold, cloudy, foggy or snowy. Keep your internal weather pleasant all the time. Don't allow external matters to take your smiles away.
The feeling of happiness is within you. There is something positive within you which keeps you happy and there is something negative within you which keeps you unhappy. That "something" needs to be looked into thoroughly. If you want to live a happy life then get rid of the negative "something" which makes you unhappy. Negative approach always complicates the problems and increases unhappiness.
Happy living is the reward of positive thinking. Remember, only the positive thinking can bring happiness in your life. If you cannot think positively, you cannot live happily. Be your own coach and adviser. Look everything with a positive angle. Find something good even in most critical moments of your life. Make positive thinking the basis of your happy living.
Happiness is all around. It’s not far away from you. If you do not want to live happy, it’s up to you. It’s your own choice. Don't blame others. Don't blame your fate or external circumstances.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Thursday, June 17, 2010

The Art of Living in joy and happiness

We are all livelihood in this planet. But do we all live in good health - or do we just continue living? Living well has little to do with objects things. Of course, we all require the basics of life, such as foodstuff and shelter -- and that's about it. fabric things can only build us "imagine" we live in good health, but, in fact, we may not be living in good health.
So, what is living in good health? Or, more exactly, what is the art of living in good health?
Living in good health is experience a sense of happiness, and embracing a emotion of appreciation and appreciation for that innate satisfaction. This appreciative mindset is akin to what is being felt by an artist who has just completed his work of art, and who is now looking at it with self-elation, and love what he see.
In real livelihood, where does that happiness come from?
The happiness comes from self-attitude. If you think about it, life is all about you -- what happens to you, and what you "imagine" what other people think about what happens to you. It is all on the topic of YOU! Accordingly, to live in good health, you must have helpful self-attitude or self-concept.
The art of living in good health is to focus on the journey rather than the objective. The objective is either unreachable, or comes to a dead-end -- in either case, life would become pointless and unfulfilled. The art of living in good health is to focus on others rather than on self. Focusing on others cherishes and nourishes mindfulness and loving kindness towards others, which make life having an important effect and worth living.

Monday, April 5, 2010

The Art Of Happy Living

What do you think about happiness? A philosophical approach to life; an intellectual activity or an academical pursuit. No, not at all, nothing of the sort.

Happy living is nothing more than living a normal life free from undue pressures, problems and tensions. The Art of Happy Living is not a complicated kind of art difficult to learn rather a simple art of living well, eating well, thinking well and feeling well. Just tune up your mind to enjoy every moment of life and let the happiness follow you.

Happiness is purely an internal matter. It has nothing to do with your external circumstances. Most people do the fatal mistake of looking outwards for happiness rather than looking inwards. Only fools worry about the circumstances on which they have no control. Why worry if you cannot change the weather, rather enjoy it whether its hot, humid, cold, cloudy, foggy or snowy. Keep your internal weather pleasant all the time. Don't allow external matters to take your smiles away.

The feeling of happiness is within you. There is something positive within you which keeps you happy and there is something negative within you which keeps you unhappy. That "something" needs to be looked into thoroughly. If you want to live a happy life then get rid of the negative "something" which makes you unhappy. Negative approach always complicates the problems and increases unhappiness.

Happy living is the reward of positive thinking. Remember, only the positive thinking can bring happiness in your life. If you cannot think positively, you cannot live happily. Be your own coach and adviser. Look everything with a positive angle. Find something good even in most critical moments of your life. Make positive thinking the basis of your happy living.

Happiness is all around. Its not far away from you. If you do not want to live happy, its upto you. Its your own choice. Don't blame others. Don't blame your fate or external circumstances.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hifzur_Rehman

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Anger Management -The Art Of Living From Sherry Karve

If you want to learn the Art of Living just observe the way animals live and react to situations.
For me, my pet Doberman girl Sherry is my best teacher in the Art of Living.
Please see her picture with me alongside and above, fetching the morning newspaper from the compound gate for me. As you can see Sherry is DobermanX – the “X” factor is probably a Rampur or Caravan (Mudhol) Hound.
Sherry behaves spontaneously, joyfully, based on her inner instinct.
She plays, she barks, she chases, she eats and she sleeps in accordance with her natural instinct.
Sherry doesn’t need to go to gym [for physical fitness] or a therapist [for mental fitness]. Sherry is not a Goal Oriented person. She is an Inner Resource Oriented person – in short, a Source Oriented person.
Conventional wisdom teaches us to become goal-oriented. From childhood there are goals set for us to achieve, and when we achieve one goal there is always another goal waiting for us – it is an endless pursuit, a chase which never culminates.
We are taught that a goal oriented person is a person who always succeeds in life. But is there a final destination of success? Do you ever reach your final goal?
Goals are always outside you, goals are in the future, far away from you. Your goals are not in your control. If you design your lifestyle in such a way that your happiness depends on things outside you, things in the future and not in your control, then you may find happiness elusive and you may never be truly content and happy. If you are too result-oriented – you’ll always be chasing horizons.
Remember, if you run after something it runs away from you, and, conversely, if you run away from something it runs after you – so stop running and live a more Source-Oriented life.
Look inwards, discover and harness your inner resources, act instinctively and you will realize your full creative potential.
Like Sherry, you will live spontaneously, unpredictably, act on the spur of the moment and experience the joy of the glorious uncertainties of life rather than get frustrated by them.
You will live a more stress free life too. Have you seen wild animals suffering from stress?
Maybe some domesticated pet animals are stressed-out because we humans put stress on them by imposing our “goals” and demands on the poor hapless pets...!
We have become so preoccupied with achieving success that our lives are always heading towards something in the future. In the process, we lose touch with the aliveness and delight of the present. Sherry does not worry about the future, about achieving future goals, but live in the present.
Sherry does not live in the past either. She is very forgiving – even if I scold her, which I never need to do, she is back to her cheerful self in a jiffy and doesn’t hold any grudges either.
Anger is a reality. It happens inside us. Goal Oriented behaviour may result in us suppressing our anger creating stress within us.
Here is a lesson I got one morning from Sherry in Anger Management by Source Oriented living.
Our spacious bungalow, located high up on a hill slope, affords a beautiful panoramic view of the verdant wide green expanse of Girinagar all around.
This morning while we strolled on our lawn sipping rejuvenating cups of piping hot amruttulya tea in the lovely mist and slight drizzle, I noticed Sherry standing alert at the bungalow gate looking intently, focussing on something outside, and gradually getting angry, as evident from her focussed eyes, slow growls, heightened breathing, stiff upright tail and vivid line of hair standing taut on the centre of her neck and back, hackles raised.
I walked towards the gate and looked outside – the object of her attention was a huge white cat that was walking nonchalantly towards the gate, almost defiantly.
The moment the cat came close, Sherry suddenly lost her temper, started barking, violently jumping, infuriated with anger, desperately pleading with me to open the gate.
The cat stopped dead in her tracks and crouched, and I knew that if I let Sherry out, she would desperately, frenziedly chase the cat down the hill, and if she caught the cat, there would ensue a violent fight to the finish, and most likely it would be the cat who would be finished.
So I just walked away and Sherry realized that I wasn’t going to open the gate, went so wild with rage, that she ran amok, running wildly all round the spacious compound, taking high speed runs, jumping over hedges, barking, chasing, leaping at birds, running fast at top speed round and round the bungalow, till she was totally exhausted, after which she went to her water bowl, lapped up cold soothing water, and lay down on her rug in a cosy manner, calm, tranquil, totally relaxed, her anger totally dissipated and dissolved into peaceful serenity.
That’s what one must do when angry, isn’t it? Let me tell you it works - the moment you sense anger rising within you start exercising, run, jog, take a brisk walk, dance, move your limbs, sway, do something. Spontaneously do some physical activity till your anger dissipates and exhausts itself into a state of calm.
So, Dear Reader, the next time you start getting angry, do what Sherry does – just start running till your anger disappears and you collapse into a cosy state of peaceful calm and tranquillity.
There is a lot to learn about the “Art of Living” from our animal friends, isn’t it?
So just behave naturally, spontaneously, doing you’re your inner voice and instinct tells you, observe fauna and flora around you, and most importantly, get a pet dog and make him or her your friend, philosopher and guide.
I’ll end with a quote on dogs from Sigmund Freud:
Dogs love their friends and bite their enemies, quite unlike people, who are incapable of pure love and always have to mix love and hate in their object-relations - Sigmund Freud
Artical source:-http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Art Deco Movement - The Foundation Stone of Modern Art

'Art Deco' was a mainstream international design movement, spreading over a span of fourteen years, from 1925 to 1939. It played a crucial role in the development and the progression of Modern Art. The Deco Movement embodied a blend of the different modern decorative art styles, largely from 1920s and 1930s. These styles were the derivatives of several state-of-the-art painting philosophies of the twentieth century, including 'Neoclassical,' 'Constructivism,' 'Cubism,' 'Modernism,' 'Art Nouveau,' and 'Futurism.' The Deco movement influenced various decorative arts, such as architecture, interior designing, industrial designing, and visual art forms like fashion, painting, graphic arts, and cinema.

The term 'Art Deco' was coined in an exhibition, 'Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes,' held in Paris, in the year 1925. The exhibition was organized by some French artists to promote the creation of a new genre of art, adapted to the contemporary lifestyle, a distinct sense of individuality, and fine workmanship. The organizers of this exhibition were the members of the society, 'La Societe des artistes decorateurs,' including, Hector Guinmard, Eugene Grasset, Raoul Lachenal, Paul Follot, Maurice Dufrene, and Emily Decour. The term 'Art Deco' however, gained widespread recognition only in the year 1968, when art historian Bevis Hiller, came out with his popular book, 'Art Deco of the 20s and 30s,' and organized an exhibition, 'Art Deco,' at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

This movement was distinguished for its abstraction, manipulation, and simplification of defined geometric shapes, and a vivid use of colors. The bold color schemes and blending curves were the focal points of the true 'Deco' creations. The so-called 'ancient arts' of Africa, Ancient Egypt, and Aztec Mexico, prominently inspired this movement. In the age of machines and streamline technology, the use of materials, such as plastics, enamels, harden concrete, and an unusual type of glass, 'vita-glass,' greatly affected the movement. There is sufficient evidence to indicate the employment of materials, like aluminum, stainless steel, lacquer, inlaid wood, along with exotic materials, like zebra and sharkskin.

The Empire State Building, famous for its pyramid-like structure, and the Chrysler Building, known for its multi-arched dome, are the living examples of the 'Deco' style. The movement even outlined the fashion industry of Paris in the 1920s. The dresses sported large chromium buttons, head-hugging cloche hats worn with huge fur collars, dangling earrings, and so called 'bobbed hairstyles,' all amounting to completely new and revolutionary look. The BBC Building in Portland Place and the basement of the Strand Palace Hotel, London are the examples of the pure 'Art Deco' style. The popularity of this movement took a beating during late 30s and 40s, but regained its lost sheen with the surge in the following of 'graphic designing' in the 1980s.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Annette_Labedzki

Monday, March 8, 2010

The Secret of Happiness and Living the Life of Your Dreams

To achieve happiness and succeed in life is a most welcome happy thought, but appears elusive to many of us. With significant research studies to back it up, science can finally show us how to get there.

True or False, would you be happier if you made more money, found the perfect mate, lost ten pounds, moved to a new house, bought that cool iPhone or got yourself any of those nice little happy things you've been dreaming about? Surprise, surprise. The answer is plain and simple: False!

Happiness is genetic. Dreaming about happy things, having these feelings and working towards attaining them will eventually chart the way for achieving success in life. You can't change how happy you are any more than you can change how tall you are. Success and happiness go hand in hand. To find true happiness will lead to success. Recent scientific research on happiness has proved that happiness is not a goal. It's a process. Our tendency to be happy or not is partly inborn. The way to happiness is within our control. What's even more surprising is that happiness brings success, not the other way around. Though many people think happiness is elusive, scientific research can now unravel the mystery to always being happy.

Many have amassed a certain measure of material possessions and also met their basic needs. There is nothing wrong with materialism. It only gets bad when it's used to replace the other things that really matter, such as family, friends, marriage and meaningful work. It's a proven fact, that those who choose to make money over building meaningful relationships have lower levels of satisfaction in life. Life is short. The way to happiness is through nurturing useful relationships and these eventually lead one to succeed in life.

What is happiness? How does one go about to achieve happiness? The feeling of happiness is not just about feeling good inside. A happy person is more successful, has better relationships, is healthier and lives longer. In addition to this, a happy person is more productive at work, learns more in school, is more likely to get promoted, more creative and undoubtedly more popular.

Happiness cannot be sustained for long by life's circumstances due to our inherent nature to adapt. For instance, getting a new job, a promotion or even moving to a new house feels great at first. The feeling of happiness fizzles out almost in the wink of an eye once we get used to them. A classic example is the fact that one year down the road after striking it rich, lottery winners were found to be less happy than those in control groups. Sustaining that "feel-good" experience of success is determined by how you choose to act and think. Researchers recommend a few strategies to have a positive mind in search of happiness. They are simple yet little known steps that will almost guarantee a lifetime of happiness. Some of these simple strategies include showing gratitude, practicing forgiveness, savoring positive moments and getting more involved in social activities. Not every strategy will work. You need to try a few to find out which ones work best for you.

So what is the definition of happiness? It is a combination of frequent positive emotions and the sense that life is good. Happiness is not about getting everything right. "If I get the right job, the right car, the perfect mate, then I'll be happy". That is far from the truth. The moment your basic needs are met, the effects of income on happiness get smaller. This is because the long way to happy living is all about how you view the world. If your only goal in life is dreaming about nothing but personal happiness, then you'll never achieve it. If you want to be happy, pursue something else. Success and happiness will soon catch up with you. Happiness is largely up to the individual. However, what's going on around you, particularly your personal freedom plays a major role.

We all want to be happy. Happiness is not a skill taught in school. There are many things to remember about happiness, as well as learning the art of being happy. Hopefully, as more people get to understand happiness and its process, the more they will strive to sustain a lifetime of happiness. Stumbling on happiness and success is a long journey that begins with a change of attitude in your mind. That's the true secret of happiness.

Ted Charles is an IT and Marketing professional with vast experience spanning over 8 years. He is also an avid writer in the field of Self-Improvement, particularly on achieving Happiness and Succeeding in Life.

"The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes. If Success is a Game, here are the rules.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ted_Charles

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

A Living Form of Art

A Brief History of art living
Like body piercings, tattoos are created by the constant application of ink just under the subcutaneous layer of the skin with a needle. At first, many tribes, sailors, and other groups used to apply the ink by hand. This was a long, painful process and the marked people were usually of high status. The tattoos were often a sign of respect, rank, and social status. Since the tattoos are permanent, the owners were guaranteed respect for life.

The interest of tattooing for the general public spread throughout the world in fads. A sailor would bring over a fully tattooed indigenous person and interest would spread like wildfire. In London, a sailor brought over a tattooed Polynesian from the South Pacific, and many of the people of London began to acquire their own small tattoos in secret places. However, interest in tattooing waxed and waned due to its long, arduous process of applying every dot of ink by hand.

The electric tattoo machine is a relatively recent invention, created in 1891 by Samuel O'Reily, and has revolutionized tattoos into an art form. Tattooing can still be long and painful but now the many punctures in the skin are done automatically at thousands of punctures per minute and can allow for better detail and shading. Skin is the most unique canvas and a tattoo that is placed onto the skin is permanent, requiring extra consideration for the right tattoo, the right artist, and the right placement. That piece of art will follow throughout one's lifetime.

In New York City, Samuel O'Reily trained a partner named Charley Wagner, who continued teaching after O'Reily's death. For a brief while, Chatham Square flourished with tattoo artists while the rest of the world remained unimpressed with tattooing. For a long time tattooing was generally stigmatized and most people with tattoos were stereotyped to be scary, dangerous, or freaks. During the 1920s tattoos began to be recognized for where a person has been in their travels, as tattoo artists set up shops in Coney Island. An outbreak of hepatitis, blood poisoning and other disease even worsened the prospects for tattooing in American culture.

Finally, a tattoo artist named Lyle Tuttle changed America's perception of tattooing by introducing celebrities to the art form. He tattooed them, mostly women, and used the media to change their stereotypes about the types of people who got tattoos. Together with the heightened awareness of the importance of sterilization and the improvement of training, tattoo popularity began to surge in the last few decades.

Artical source:-http://ezinearticles.com

Saturday, February 27, 2010

The Key to Self-Acceptance-art of living


Life is a lot easier when you aren't beating yourself up all the time. If you like yourself, trust yourself, and have confidence in yourself, then others will like you, trust you, and have confidence in you too.
Most people's feelings towards themselves vary throughout the day. We all make mistakes, and we all let ourselves down from time to time. But some people are harsher on themselves than others. Some people hate themselves even when there doesn't seem to be a good reason on a particular day. Did you ever wonder why?

We often look at the people around us in our lives and compare ourselves to them. Some of them earn more money, or have a more attractive partner or are more proud of their children. You might think that we develop negative feeling towards ourselves as a result of these judgements. This is true, to a certain extent.

Consider for a moment though, that sometimes the feeling comes first. What if we already had the feeling, and it guided our thoughts? Maybe the feeling comes almost out of nowhere, and we backwards rationalise that feeling by literally making up reasons to fit it.

If that were the case, no matter how much we try to think differently, the feeling will still be there, forcing our thoughts into a particular corner. That would make it very slow or almost impossible to change. If you have persistent negative feelings about yourself, this might be your experience.

The key is to understand where the feeling really comes from.

The truth is we simply learned how to feel that way about ourselves one day, from one time, one event - and it got stuck in our system. We had an intense emotional experience, where other people, or the situation, or just our own thoughts at the time, led us to feel a certain way. So we associated that feeling with a part of us, and began to identify with it.

Knowing about the memory is one thing, but often that isn't enough to allow you to grow beyond it. Tapping is one way to successfully let go of past memories and integrate the experiences into your rational mind.
Artical Source:-http://www.tapping.com/articles

Friday, February 26, 2010

Hanging Wall Art - 4 Simple Rules of art

Deciding on how to display art in a way that is appealing and draws attention can be a daunting challenge for some. Read on as this article provides a few simple tips on displaying art effectively in your home.

1. Art Grouping for an Interesting Touch

Group the pictures into clusters of two or three. Odd numbered groups suggest a focal point while even numbered groups exude a calming and organized effect. You can transform an even numbered grouping into an odd numbered one, simply throw in a unique but different element - something which complements the rest of the group, but doesn't necessarily belong to the same family. A mirror or a wall carving would be a good idea. This brings the grouping out of balance, yet makes it interesting.

2. Art and Furniture

As a rule of thumb, it is always a good idea to first position the furniture in the room before you hang the art pieces. This way you can use the furniture as a guide to the picture hanging height and positioning. Typically, avoid using a picture or a group of pictures that is wider than the furniture piece below it. If they are narrower than the furniture, they should at least be half the length of the furniture. The picture or the group of pictures should not be placed too low on the wall such that it is too close to the furniture, neither should it be placed too high such as to leave an unsightly gap between the furniture and the picture. Ideally, you should leave about an 8 to 10 inch gap between the bottom of the picture and the piece of furniture below it.

3. Hang Art at the Right Height

Don't hang pictures too high on the wall. You don't want your guests craning their necks to look at the art. The standard practice is to hang the picture at eye level. Some experts believe that you should hang pictures 3 to 4 inches lower than where you think it is. When hanging pictures you should also consider the purpose of the room. If it is a dining room or living room that you're decorating, where guests will be seated most of the time, your eye level should be about 5 to 6 inches above the backs of chairs. In the hallway or stairway, you should place your pictures higher as people are standing in upright positions in these places.

4. Avoid Cluttering

Finally, when grouping pictures, take note not to position the pictures too close to each other. If the pictures are placed too close, they lose their individuality, and if they're placed too far apart, they will lack unity.

That's it! A few simple steps to get you starting along in you home decorating adventure! Enjoy your art!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com