The Jeffrey And Tracey Info Emporium

Everyone likes getting a great deal, but when it comes to motorcycle helmets, saving a few dollars shouldn’t be more important than ensuring the purchase is a sound one. Safety helmets for motorcycle users are the law in many states, optional in others. Discount motorcycle helmets are a good option for those that need to save cash, but it’s important to make sure the purchase is sound.

Motorcycle helmets are meant to protect the head, and in the case of those with visors, the eyes as well. This is particularly important since the head and eyes are very vulnerable on people who ride motorcycles. There are myths that exist that say helmets can break necks, block vision and impair the hearing of the wearer, but these are simply myths. Especially so if the helmet is rated for safety and is properly fit to the wearer.

A good helmet, no matter the price, will protect a rider’s head and in conjunction with educational courses, can save a life, too. Helmets work for a number of reasons with the four standard components coming together to provide maximum protection. The typical helmet has the following parts:

* Outer shell. This is the visible part of the helmet.

* Impact-absorbing liner. This is located inside the shell and offers cushions to absorb shocks instead of your head.

* Comfort padding. This is the visible foam/cloth layer that rests on the head. It helps make the helmet more comfortable and also provides a more snug fit, or should.

* Retention. This is the chin strap. This is important because it keeps the helmet in place in the event of a crash.

Choosing a good helmet, discount or otherwise, should be a careful process. Although the outer appearance will no doubt catch attention, what’s inside is the most important. Protection should be the first consideration.

When looking at helmets, there are a few different options. They include:

* Solid face coverage. This type of helmet has a full-face visor that offers the most protection for the face. The shield is generally moveable and provides good coverage for the eyes as well.

* Three-quarter. This type of helmet is considered an “open face” helmet. It doesn’t offer the chin and face the protection of a total coverage model. Open-face helmets can come with snap-on shields or some riders opt to go with goggles to protect their eyes. Eye protection is not only important for obvious reasons, but also because road hazards such as stones or even bugs can cause visibility issues and even injury and accidents.

* Half-helmets. These protect almost none of the head and have a tendency to come off in a crash.

Helmets that provide the best protection are rated for doing so. The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Snell Memorial Foundation both test helmets and give their seals of approval to those that meet a few test requirements. Look for these endorsements.

Once you’ve checked out helmets and made sure they have DOT or Snell ratings, or both, it’s important to make sure a helmet fits correctly. Make sure what you buy not only offers protection, but is comfortable and doesn’t block vision.

Using a helmet is not only the law in a number of states, it’s a smart way to go. Motorcycling can be fun, but there are a few dangers that go along with it. Helmets can reduce at least a few of the dangers.

#1 Resource

Motorcycle helmets

http://www.motorcyclehelmetsite.com

As I said before the secret to success is having a good plan, a
lot of determination, and especially patience. In our quest for
success, we should always remember our priorities.

Unfortunately, we live in a society where a person’s success is
measured by the size of their billfold, their car and their
home. To some people, belonging to the country club means they
“have arrived”. To others, where there are multiple country
clubs, they can’t join just any club they must belong to THE
Country Club.

I am reminded of a story that I heard years ago while attending
a seminar.

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist
complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish
and asked how long it took him to catch them.

“Not very long - it is a very nice day and the fish are
plentiful,” answered the Mexican.

“But then I don’t understand, why didn’t you stay out longer and
catch more?” asked the American.

The Mexican fisherman explained that his small catch was
sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.

The American asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your
time?”

“I get to sleep as late as I wish, fish a little, play with my
children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go
into the village to be with my friends, have a few drinks, play
the guitar, and sing a few songs…I have a very full life.”

“Hold on a second”, the American interrupted, “I have an MBA
from Harvard and I can really help you! You have to have a good
plan. You need to stay focused on a target - success. You should
start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra
fish you catch.

With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat. With the
extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one
and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of
trawlers.

Instead of selling your fish to a middle-man, you can negotiate
directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own
plant. You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico
City, Los Angeles, or even New York City! From there you can
direct your huge enterprise.”

“How long would that take?” asked the Mexican.

“Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years,” replied the American.

“And after that?”

“Afterwards? That’s when it gets really interesting,” answered
the American, laughing. “When your business gets really big, you
can start selling stocks and make millions!”

“Millions? Really? And after that?”

“After that you’ll be able to retire, live in a tiny village
near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few
fish, take a siesta, and spend your evenings drinking and
enjoying your friends!”

That story should be a lesson to all of us. Don’t let the
everyday grind of trying to build a successful business blind
you of what is really important. Don’t be so focused to reaching
a goal that you wear blinders to everything around you.

This is how we treat our business at RightStuffCo. We have a lot
of laughs along the way. Your business should be enjoyable and
not a dredge. Learn a lesson from the smarter man in this story.

1. Not everywhere: If there’s too many people selling the same or a very similar product on ebay you won’t make a good profit margin. You also risk a price war where sellers will bid down the price in order to get more sales, reducing their margins to compete, and ultimately loosing money.

2. Small and light: This works in two ways. It will cost you less to get the product from your wholesaler to you, increasing your margin. It will also cost your buyer less to get the product shipped to them making them more likely to purchase it.

3. Perceived value: If you can convince people that your product is worth more then it actually is your margins can be very high.

4. Expensive: Expensive items tend to have a higher profit margin available. However buying a significant quantity can be difficult, so cheap items with perceived value are also a good option. Remember selling 10 items for $5 profit is harder then selling 1 item for $50 profit. Selling less items will also keep shipping and ebay fees low.

In summery, the best item would be small, light, rare, and expensive, but where its perceived value is much greater then its actual value. Good Luck.

Jules Boven is a professional auction seller and CEO of The Wholesale-Hub, an online resource connecting retailers to wholesalers. If you want to buy wholesale products click here.

My name is Luksi Humma, I am Choctaw or, Chahta, our name in reality. I am a builder of people and log cabins. Although, I live in our present time, I talk to many people who come to Historic Prophetstown, in Battle Ground, Indiana, about the way the Old Ones lived, and died.

Misconceptions, are a part of most Americans ideal in regards to Native American People. It is my job to inform the uninformed, about the Love, Respect, Honor, and Dignity the American Indians had for their Families, Lives and the Land.

How did the People live along the Wabash? They lived well, commerce continued to flow throughout the region as our People
moved forward into an age that would eventually swallow them up, swirling them into the Great Melting Pot of these United States. This motion inexorably changed the Ways of our People, both, in their thought processess, and in their Hearts.

The Europeans who lived with the Indian People would change significantly, daily movements, personal contacts, language, lifestyles and much more. Pressures of being humans, finding a much easier way to cook, kill, stay warm, communicate,
travel and live, ate away at the Traditions of ten thousand generations.

Robust in their spirits, Native People adapted rapidly, and found value in their trapping of Beaver, and other furbearing animals. Trading these hides, for durable goods, gave the Indian People an opportunity to live more comfortably, amidst the French, English, and some Americans, who became their trading partners in this region, for many years.

Log Cabins were abundant in the Village of Kethtipikanuck, about 120 log structures as some writers saw it. Shake roof shingles adorned the cabins, of those lucky folks who knew how to, and, had the man power to build these brutish structures. Forged from the wilderness, these people were powerful and relentless in their will to make life come forth, from a forboding entity, that the wilderness posed. This was, after all, the Northwest Territories. The end of the continent for most people who struck out on their own.

This wonderous village had many Wigwams, smoke filling the air on the flats at the mouth of that river. Trade items coming in, and leaving, in boats of every description, dugouts, birchbark, heavy river tugs. One should try to imagine this commerce, it is pleasing to see it in the mind.

Eleven years of good life came to an end, as the wood of their cabins and wigwams lost their battle with the crucible of fire, which the American Army brought with them, to eradicate their way of life forever.

This is but the beginning of their story, I will write more of this facinating historical drama, played out on the banks of the Wabash. Prophetstown, looming in the future awaits the telling of its story in another time, but now I am tired and must rest.

Luksi Humma messenger of the People.

I am a humble teacher of Indian People, travelling to bring the Ways of our Ancestors to those who can least afford it, and desire it the most. My hands and mind belong to the People who came before us, and it is they whom I serve.

As a child I remember sitting through service on Easter Sunday. The longest sermon of the year, although for some reason I was intrigued. Maybe it was because I knew that when I got home a big Easter basket, a few new toys and so much chocolate candy that half of it would see the following Easter was waiting for me at home.

In all of my gluttony on Easter Sunday I never failed to question where my chocolate Jesus was. Where were my chocolate burrow, or palm tree and crucifix? This is what Pastor Bob talked about in his sermon every year. He never mentioned an Easter bunny, or an Easter basket. He never alluded to a biblical Easter egg hunt.

As I would come down from my sugar high and smile proudly at my bounty of found plastic Easter Eggs filled with money and chocolate I no longer cared why, I was just happy it was all mine.

Now I’m thirty years old, with two little boys of my own running around the yard searching for their share of the Easter bounty, and I have to ask myself why all over again.

Have you ever wondered why the celebration of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection is celebrated with an Easter bunny and colored Easter eggs? Well, the answers may surprise you. They surprised me.
Like many holidays, including Christmas, Halloween and Mayday, Easter’s roots lie deep in the pagan religion, dating back centuries before Christianity.

Paganism is the earliest known religion. Although there are many facades of worship encompassed in the pagan religion the most relevant description of pagan belief is the worship of the Goddess, otherwise known as Mother Nature. Despite popular belief pagans do not worship Satan, practice human sacrifice or conjure up black magic.

While most of us know Easter as the celebration of Christ’s resurrection it was first a pagan celebration known as Eastre and celebrated in central and northern Europe. It was, and still is for some, the celebration of the Vernal (Spring) Equinox and the Fertility Goddess, Eastre.

The Christian church converted many pagans by infusing the Christian God and customs with already existing pagan tradition and celebration rituals. Easter is one of many examples. Some may say it was an evil trick while others may say it was genius marketing. In order to convert the pagans, Christians chose to celebrate on or around the dates of pagan celebrations, keeping most of the rituals and traditions intact and only substituting their God, their names and their religion.

It is no coincidence that Easter and Eastre are nearly identical in spelling. Nor is it a coincidence that Easter takes place around the same time as the spring equinox. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Christ while Eastre celebrates the resurrection of spring.

I know what you’re thinking. None of this answers the original question of ‘Why the celebration of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection is celebrated with an Easter bunny and colored Easter eggs?’

It’s easy to believe that the Easter bunny is a creation of commercial America. Well, that’s wrong. At the celebration of the pagan festival of Eastre, pagan’s worshiped a rabbit, the earthly symbol of the Goddess, Eastre. Thus, Peter Cotton Tail. Eastre was also symbolized with an egg. The egg symbolized fertility in nature and the season’s rebirth from the long winter months. Eggs were used in these celebrations as well. The eggs were painted with bright colors and, again they represented the resurrection of spring.

They were then given as gifts to fellow pagans.
Although I now know why my children eat chocolate bunnies and search for colored eggs on Easter Sunday, and I have a pretty good idea why Pastor Bob has never mentioned paganism and the Fertility Goddess, Eastre in his sermon, I have to wonder is my family really better off knowing that the Easter bunny originated from another religion. I don’t think so. The holidays are hectic enough without the thought of ancient religions dueling for our time and allegiance, besides there is something magical about the mystery of the Easter Bunny and his Easter Eggs.
But I am a man of equality so I would like to be the first, maybe ever, to wish you a happy Eastre, and it’s more famous by product, Easter.
Happy Easter.

VoIP offers many advantages to those who are brave enough to pull the plug. First, VoIP offers incredible savings for local, long distance, and international calls. It also offers great calling features for free that usually cost a fee when purchased with PSTN telephone services. Not only are people choosing to pull the plug from their telephones, but they are also embracing wireless technology as a whole.

With VoIP you have the option of selecting your phone number. In some cases, you can keep your current phone number. You will have to check with your VoIP provider and see what their options are. However, many service providers do provide the option of selecting your own area code. Some companies even have the choice of selecting area codes worldwide. This is a wonderful option for those who would like to choose an area code located where their family and friends are. For your unlimited calling plan, you can call your friends and family any time. But for those who are not on VoIP, they will thank you for giving them the option of calling you on local rates.

VoIP operates in different forms. For instance, you can use VoIP when you use an Instant Messaging program with voice on your computer. These are very popular and now Yahoo, AOL, MSN, ICQ, and even Google have VoIP Instant Messaging programs. The benefits of these programs are that they are free to download off of the Internet, and by using a microphone and your speakers; you can talk over the Internet with any of your buddies. As long as your friends and family members download the same program, you will be able to talk with them as long as you like, and absolutely free. You can talk to anyone, anywhere in the world with VoIP Instant Messengers.

VoIP has proved that it offers great audio quality and is a perfect choice for meeting both residential and business telephony needs. As technology continues to advance, we can know that as we conduct our transactions over VoIP, that the listener on the receiving end is hearing us with crystal clear audio clarity and that the future of VoIP will only have greater products readily available for its users.

Businesses also appreciate the ability to have integrated services. By combining audio, video, E-Mail, and web-based applications, employees can better meet customer service needs and productivity again increases.

As with the future of all VoIP products and services, the FCC and US government is racing to provide rules and regulations. It truly is a technology that is on the cutting edge of innovation. In the past, all of the nation’s telephony needs were Circuit Switched and based on the PSTN network. Today however, VoIP is rewriting the rules of telecommunications. And just when it seems that cellular phone services have worked out all of their issues, along comes mobile VoIP with a whole new set of problems.

Besides security issues, there are other problems besetting VoWiFi, such as weak batteries, the inability to sustain a connection outside of a hotspot or 90 meter range, and the cost of a VoWiFi phone is still expensive. Yet the idea of integrating video, digital cameras, web cams, Email, web based applications, and mobile phones is exciting consumers world wide. And the onset of VoIP is even more thrilling for the potential benefits and savings.

For more information, news and resources about VoIP, Skype and Internet telephones, please visit http://www.howvoipworks.info.

I recently read a Christian Science Monitor article called
“Google’s Hidden Payroll” which looks at the economic
incentive for tech-savvy third world entrepreneurs to get
into publishing extensive web content and enter the Google
Adsense or Yahoo Publisher Network (YPN) game. What should
be obvious is that clicks on Adsense ads will be worth far
more to site publishers in low-wage countries than they are
to someone in high rent, high wage cities like San Francisco,
Los Angeles, Manhattan or Chicago.

http://snipurl.com/Made_for_adsense (CS Monitor Article)

That article made it appear that the entire Adsense program
was a huge underground economy, when in fact that program
made it truly viable for legitimate publishers of niche
content to do very well for themselves for the first time.
Those legitimate publishers had previously earned money
through participation in affiliate programs selling products
and services related to their site topics - but found that
Adsense brought in far more consistent income than affiliate
programs.

Major, high traffic sites like About.com and even
metropolitan newspapers have adopted Adsense as a viable
advertising vehicle on content sites. Many enthusiastic
hobbyists and other content rich sites learned that their
expertise filled sites could earn substantial income and give
them incentive to continue writing about their passion.
Things went south only when opportunists saw their chance to
sell get-rich-quick-on-Adsense ebooks and software to the
unitiated.

The bad news is that Google Adsense and YPN programs incent
those who know how to post web content, to put up massive
numbers of web pages, with maximum numbers of “ad units” per
page in hundreds of thousands of web pages in the hope that
visitors will find those pages and click on those Adsense or
YPN ad units and earn the site publisher money for each
click. The Adsense and YPN teams must somehow beef up their
site review teams to filter out the abusers. Below is a
WebmasterWorld discussion forum on the topic:

http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum89/13071.htm

The ad clicks earn the same money no matter what country
hosts the pages they appear on. Computer literate and tech
savvy programmers in Delhi or even Jalamabad for that matter,
who can afford to buy a $7.95 domain name, host it at $9.95
monthly and get internet access for another $9.95 monthly can
be in the made for Adsense content business for as little as
$30 monthly.

If talented programmers in India have even a basic
understanding of search engine ranking and can dynamically
insert a bit of javascript provided by Google to thousands of
pages of content, they can earn substantial additional income
by third world standards. Even one third of what a US
publisher might find attractive extra income becomes very
attractive to an overworked and underpaid tech worker in many
parts of the world.

Because the clicks on those ads earn the same money for the
New York publisher as for the New Delhi publisher, the
potential income to the New Delhi webmaster is worth far more
in time spent to get well ranked content pages full of
Adsense ads seen. They also have higher incentive for fraud -
having others click on ads which appear on their sites or
having friends and relatives in different locations do the
same - potentially doubling or trebling income for a
programmer in India.

Again from the CS Monitor story:

“Google is actively looking for those kinds of sites,” and
removes ads from them, explains Eric Giguère, author of “Make
Money with Google: Using the AdSense Advertising Program.”

Google created this scene by offering substantial incentive
to post web content, often repeated web content and even
garbage web content in order to display contextual ads. A
new term has even been coined for web sites put up solely to
display contextual ads - Made for Adsense or MFA sites. It
has been discussed in some forums that Yahoo Publisher
Network is filtering ads from appearing on sites outside the
US.

There are now software programs available to create article sites (I
won’t link to them here and contribute to their popularity),
which encourages webmasters to establish article submission
and archiving sites. There are dozens of software packages
available that make it easy to set up domains full of
templated article pages that come with a database file full
of tens of thousands of articles for about $100. The reason?
Posting thousands of pages of articles in the hopes of
attracting visitors who will click on Adsense or YPN ads.

The easy money leeches are lured out of their slime to suck
the blood of passersby when something as useful as Adsense
comes along. Forget that it now takes almost a year for a
new content domain to rank well - even if that webmaster
creates a niche site full of truly worthwhile and useful
content. Forget that most existing recognized article sites
display terms of use that restrict use of articles per domain
to under 50 per year. Forget that these templated domains are
using thousands of articles against author copyright and
article archive terms of use.

Gullible and lazy webmasters buy templated and IDENTICAL site
creation packages. They are lured by visions of riches, only
to be disappointed with no traffic to their Made For Adsense
sites full of content already posted widely across the web.
Usually, the well established article archives, like
EzineArticles.com and GoArticles.com will post articles first
and will rank best for that content because those sites are
already highly ranked and well known as article archives.

In a wildly convoluted spin of logic, a new Adsense blacklist
site has been launched which purports to help Adsense site
owners filter out advertising from other Made for Adsense
sites from their own Adsense sites, thus somehow increasing
their own income. That is difficult to comprehend, but some
Adsense publishers claim it helps increase the click value of
ads if they block Adwords ads from competing Made for Adsense
sites from appearing on their own sites.

Judging by all the online ebooks about getting rich with
Adsense, all the templated and prepackaged sites being sold
to webmasters to put up domains full of identical content
with Adsense, and all the buzz in the forums about made for
Adsense content sites - you’d think that Google would be busy
looking for ways to limit the inevitable content pollution.

The made for Adsense sites are easy to spot, they usually
sport logos or hypertext links back to the software site in
the form of “Powered by Article Monster” or “Plug-in-Riches”
kind of links (these are not real names).

Hopefully Google and YPN will begin filtering those and any
other membership or “Private Label Rights” content abusive
sites to keep web content pollution levels lower in Google
search engine results pages.

Mike Banks Valentine blogs on Search Engine developments
from http://RealitySEO.com and can be contacted for SEO work
at: http://www.seoptimism.com/SEO_Contact.htm He operates
a free web content distribution site at: http://Publish101.com

What Is AS/NZ 3760?

A document written by Standards Australia that specifies the procedures and criteria for the in-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment which is designed for connection by a flexible cord. It also applies to cord extension sets, portable outlet devices, portable residual current devices and portable isolation transformers. Appendices include detailed test methods.

Why Should I Test and Tag My Electrical Equipment?

As individuals and the broader community alike become more aware and concerned with adhering to Occupational Health and Safety laws, great care has to be taken to avoid accidents in the workplace. The presence of regulations protecting employees against company negligence means that the prosecution of the employer in cases of negligence is much more likely and harsher penalties are faced, than were in the past.

A well planned program of preventive maintenance, with regular electrical safety checks, is the ideal way to avoid unnecessary and unfortunate accidents, and the legal ramifications that follow.

How Often Do I Have To Get My Equipment Tested?

Every work situation is different and the frequency of testing depends on the harshness of the environment in question. There may be multiple environments in the one workplace, which means that some appliances may need to be retested in as little as 3 months if the surroundings are harsh. However, if the surrounding environment is less detrimental to the appliance itself, retest dates may extend to a period of anywhere up to 5 years.

What Does Test And Tagging Involve?

The process of testing appliance involves the following:

Visual Inspection: The most important test is a Visual Inspection of the device, especially leads. Cords should be firmly anchored in plugs, connections made solidly with no frayed ends. Copper terminals should be clean and not pitted.

Electrical Testing: The appliance will be tested with a Portable Appliance Tester (PAT) to test for any unseen electrical faults. These tests include; an insulation resistance test; earth bond test; a polarity test; and an earth leakage test.

Record Keeping: Upon completion of any test, all information will be stored in a comprehensive database, and a safety tag will be applied to the appliance verifying its safe approval.

What Equipment Needs to be Tested?

Any appliance within a business that has a flexible cord that plugs into either a 240 v power outlet, or 3 phase power outlet needs to tested regularly to ensure that the appliance is electrically safe to use within the workplace. These appliances include anything from computers to toasters, from drills and other tools to large factory machinery. ALL APPLIANCES within the workplace need to be tested, and and continue to be tested in order to adhere to Occupational Health and Safety regulations, and comply with Australian Standards AS/NZ 3760.

What Does Microwave Oven Leakage Testing Involve?

The process of testing Microwave ovens involves the following:

Visual Inspection: The microwave oven will be inspected to ensure the surface of the door is not damaged, the door fits squarely and securely and opens and closes smoothly, the door hinges are in good condition and no corrosion is evident on the door, the door hinges or the oven interior.

Microwave Leakage Test: A test will be conducted with a microwave leakage tester to ensure that no harmful radiation will leaking out of the microwave oven.

Mark Grech
All Safe Workplace Inspections Technical Director
http://www.allsafett.com.au

All Safe are Melbourne based electrical testing and tagging specialists, servicing Victoria wide, with a range of Occupational Health and Safety services in accordance with Australian Standards AS3760.

As any report on the subject will reveal, million of UK consumer are staggering through life under the weight of poor credit scores as a result of County Court Judgements being issued against them.

Of even greater concern is the fact that many don’t even realise they’re in a bad credit spiral until they have their application for a standard mortgage turned down.

In many cases, individuals with CCJs received their black mark because they moved house without notifying credit or store card companies, and subsequently missed a few payments. More and more mortgage lenders are coming to realise that this oversight often sits at the heart of the problem and that it often doesn’t mean that individuals with poor credit can’t afford to make mortgage payments.

Since CCJs remain on a permanent credit file for six years, a person can be forced to suffer the repercussions of making small mistakes years ago. Mortgage lenders are beginning to realize that this isn’t fair and are extending UK CCJ mortgages to individuals at reasonable rates. More lenient credit requirements by lenders, coupled with an environment of historically low interest rates, makes applying for a mortgage more affordable than ever before.

The moral of the story, then, is that however bleak the consequence at first appear, be sure to shop around for a mortgage even if you have poor credit. The best way to see if you qualify for a loan is to apply through an independent mortgage broker online via a web site such as this. Once your information has been taken, work can begin on finding a deal which suits your special circumstances.

However unusual you think your situation is, it’s worth bearing mind that you may be able to afford that new home after all.

Tony Shipley

http://www.re-mortgage247.co.uk

What if I told you that there is one thing you can do that would make more of a difference in changing your life than anything else I know of? What if I told you that this thing can be done almost anywhere, can be performed by anyone, is free, takes no special equipment, is stress reducing, and even relaxing? What if I told you that this thing, more than anything else you’ve tried, can truly change the way you live, the way you relate to people, the way you perceive the world and most importantly, the way you think and feel? Would you do it?

Well, many of you have already tried it and given up. Some of you are doing it and some have never tried it. What is it? It is meditation. Now before you groan and sigh, hear me out.

In my own journey for personal growth, I’ve tried many, many techniques and methods. I’ve studied with many therapists, coaches, teachers and masters. I’ve attended workshops, seminars, and teleclasses. All of the strategies that have helped me grow are in my own personal tool box. I use many of these techniques in my workshops and my coaching. But the one that I depend on in my personal life the most is meditation.

Meditation is like a foundation for the house (self) I’m building. It is like preparation of the field for planting by clearing and tilling. Many of the tools and methods I’ve learning worked well because of the foundation (meditation) on which they were built. Meditation’s effects are cumulative and can be very subtle. You may not even notice on a day to day basis that changes are occurring. Then one day you look around and notice that you are clearer, less stressed, calmer and have a feeling of being “more” you. One of the more profound effects of meditating is the strengthening of the “witness” or “observer” part of myself, that is, the part of me that observes how I am acting or reacting and notices the emotions I feel, but is not “hooked” by them. This witness function is vital to personal evolution.

fter all, it is what gives you the observation or insight in the first place. If you cannot observe what you are doing, you cannot gain understanding and/or change it. This is where real growth occurs. When you have a strong witness within, you have distance from what you are feeling and reacting to. This keeps you from being totally at the mercy of your thoughts, feelings, sensations and reactions. What an incredible relief!

The obstacles to meditating are the same obstacles we have to doing anything that is new or may actually be good for us. Our ego gets involved and tells us we don’t have time or the space or can’t figure out how to do it or we don’t feel like it today, etc.

I find that daily practice works best for me. You cannot have a bad meditation. Every meditation, even one where you are wiggling or have whirling thoughts or fall asleep
are good meditations, because one of the main purposes of meditation is to learn about yourself. You can build a meditation habit just like you build a habit for anything. Do it every day whether you want to or not. Set aside the time, say 15 to 30 minutes to start and begin.

There are many books on how to meditate (see below for recommendations), but in brief:

· Sit up straight on the floor on cushions or on a chair.

· Your head is held balanced on your neck with chin slightly tucked to your chest.

· Feet flat on the floor or crossed with right leg in front of left if on floor.

· Hands in your lap, right hand palm up on left palm.

· Do not lean your back against a wall or chair, unless you have a medical reason to do so.

· You should be in an alert but relaxed position.

· You may close your eyes or keep them partially open in soft focus looking down to a point about six feet in front of you.

· You may have to build up your stamina to remain in this position for the full time.

· If you fall asleep, sit up very straight, and no leaning.

And of course, never meditate while driving or doing something that requires your concentration. This is by no means intended to be a complete discussion of meditation, just enough to get your started.

Mary Anne Fields is a Life Coach and Trainer dedicated to helping mid-lifers change their lives. Sign up for her free monthly newsletter at http://www.LifeUnfolds.com and receive a free report “85 Ways To Be Happier Now”. To help you get started with your meditation practice, she has a fr*ee gift for you. The 5 Minute Meditation MP3 audio download is available for the readers of this article at http://www.LifeUnfolds.com/5minutemeditation.htm