How to Order from the Universe

I ran across this article and thought it  did a good job of addressing a fundamental issue with regards to manifesting the kind of life you want. Read on...

The universe you live in works very much like a popular restaurant. You go in, you decide what you want, you order it, you receive it, and you digest it.

Unfortunately, a lot of people don't seem to know how to order. Some are downright inept at it. They walk into this restaurant, behave like complete idiots, and they end up hungry and disappointed. Then they complain about the restaurant and post negative reviews online, despite the fact that the restaurant has received rave reviews from the most experienced food critics.

The Universal Restaurant

I can't tell you how many times I encounter people who set goals like, "I want a romantic partner," or "I want a stable job that pays more money," or "I want to lose weight." I've heard enough of this drivel to last a lifetime. It's reached the point where I may start carrying around a squirt gun and shoot people in the eye when they say stuff like this.

Those are crap goals. Don't waste your time on them. And definitely don't say them within earshot of me.

Setting such goals is the equivalent of walking into a restaurant and proclaiming, "I'm hungry. I want some food."

First, people will look at you like you're an idiot. They're only doing that because you are.

Second, you won't get fed.

If you're lucky, someone might hand you a menu and ask you what you'd like to order. You can order off the menu, or you can concoct something creative, but either way you have to be specific. If you stand there asking for food, you'll remain hungry.

Is this happening in your life right now? Are you standing at the Universal Restaurant, waiting for your desires to manifest, and receiving only static in response? Might the reason be that the wait staff can't figure out what the heck you're actually trying to order?

The Universe is extremely adept at fulfilling your desires — but only if you have the wherewithal to decide and order what you want. If you can't do that — and it matters not what excuses you have — you will remain hungry.

Sometimes the universe will take a stab at bringing your what you ask for. Then you reject it because, although it's what you asked for (such as a generic "romantic partner"), it isn't what you actually want. Then maybe the universe tries a few more times, and you continue to send back whatever it brings you. So eventually it gives up, concluding that you're an unreasonable customer and that it's better off spending its time and energy serving the patrons who know how to place an order properly. It says, "Ok, we're done for now. Call me back to your table when you've figured out what you actually want."

How to Order

When you set goals and intentions, place an order. Don't ask, "Please can I…?" Simply order, much like you would in a restaurant. Say, "I'll have the …" Then expect to receive what you order.

Don't be timid or cowardly or uncertain. Just state your order, and expect to get it. If you screw this up, no soup for you.

Take as much time as you want to decide what to order, but when you place your order, accept what you ordered, and know that you're going to receive it. You may have some buyer's remorse if it's not as good as you hoped, but that's okay. Receive it anyway. There will always be other meals, other orders. Not everything you receive will taste like ambrosia.

Be specific in asking for what you want.

Don't ask for more money. If you want $50K cash, then order $50K cash. Don't ask for it. Order it.

Don't ask for a better job. If you want to be a fashion blogger who travels around the world and gets free invites to major fashion shows and has 500,000 monthly readers, then order that.

Don't ask for a romantic partner. If you want a geeky, vegan, bisexual, happily jobless girlfriend who loves to travel, then order that. Order it loudly enough so your waiter can hear you, and people at nearby tables will say, "I didn't know that was on the menu. I'll have one of those too… with a twist of lemon."

One of the best ways to get what you actually want is to take your best guess, and order it. When you get what you ask for, it may not turn out quite right. That contrast between what you received and how you feel about it will give you a better sense of what you actually do want. Then you can make a better guess and take another stab at placing an order.

As you repeat this process, you'll gradually hone in on what you actually desire most at a very deep level. And then you'll get a chance to receive and experience it fully.

Realize that this is an iterative process. Don't be a perfectionist. That's like sitting in a restaurant for hours, trying to decide what you want, while impatient waiters periodically refill your water glass and pressure you to order something. It's just a meal, so make a decision, get fed, and get out. Even if it turns out to be less than you hoped for, there will be plenty of other meals. The occasional bad meal is inevitable.

How to Be an Idiot Who Can't Order at a Restaurant

What happens if you change your order before you receive it? Same thing that happens in a real restaurant. What would happen if you grabbed the waiter and changed your order before it arrived? No problem, but you'll have to wait even longer because the waiter has to cancel the original order and then submit the new one. And if you keep doing that over and over, you'll piss off the waiter and will never receive a meal. Have you been doing something like that in real life? Blue… no red… no blue! Ahhhh!

What happens if you order something, and then when you get it, you don't like it? You can eat it anyway, or you can send it back. Either way, there will be other meals. You can always order again. Learn from the experience, and do your best to make a more intelligent choice next time. You may need to sample a few items from the menu to figure out what you like and don't like. Your first order at any new restaurant may very well be your worst experience there.

What happens if you complain about the way the system works? It's not fair! I can't figure out what I want! I keep going back and forth between two possibilities! Stop pressuring me! You're free to do that, but the system will process you like an idiot. Again, that's only because you are.

If you rail against the system, it's not going to work for you. If you can't follow the simple rules, the system will process you like an idiot customer till you figure it out.

Here are the rules: Decide what you want, order it, receive it, and digest it. It's not rocket science. Don't make it complicated. It's easier to follow the rules than it is to break them. Even a child can do it.

Your Choice

Despite the obvious drawbacks, you're still free to behave like an idiot customer whenever you choose. You're free to make a vague request. You're free to change your mind every 5 minutes. You're free to reject your order after it arrives. But of course all of those actions have consequences. If you behave stupidly, you'll get stupid results.

Technically speaking, this isn't a problem. The Universal Restaurant is robust enough to handle people like you. It will process you without prejudice. However, you won't have a very good experience, and in the end you'll be disappointed with the food and/or service. Other members of your party will also be disappointed, either with the restaurant or with you personally. No one at your table will seem to be having a good time unless you order properly. If you screw it up, you'll ruin everyone's evening.

This restaurant, however, is perfectly capable of preparing the most amazing gourmet meals you could ever fancy. You just have to order properly. Be specific. Be clear, direct, and confident. Be audible. And don't keep changing your mind after you've placed your order.

When you receive your order, accept it with gratitude. Smell it. Taste it. Savor each delicious bite. Share it with others at your table if they'd like a taste, and taste some of their food too. It won't be perfect, but it's better than going hungry. Learn from the experience, and allow it to inform your future ordering decisions. Eventually you'll become a master connoisseur of the Universal Restaurant.

Work with the rules of the Universal Restaurant to enjoy the best meals of your life. Don't rail against the system. Don't be a clueless customer. And don't post negative reviews about it online.

Note: The Universal Restaurant is not to be confused with The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. I know that's what you were thinking. :)

By Steve Pavlina / Source: StevePavlina.com


 

This $3 Idea Could Be Your Secret to Success

What a difference an idea makes!

In his book, Brainstorming: How to Create Successful Ideas, Professor Charles Clark writes:

"You will see the difference an idea makes in the men and women who move ahead. You will see it in the products which make sales records. You will see it in the business which prospers. You will see it in the profit and loss statements, on the stock exchange, in the delicatessen which closes, in the headlines. You will see it in your home and other homes, in the family which does things, in your church and lodge, in your political party, in your government. The one quality which turns the ordinary into the extraordinary is ideas."

And here is the great news…

Whatever challenges you currently face …money, marital, spiritual, occupational, business, personal… the solution — in the form of an idea — already exists.

You simply aren’t aware of it yet.

The question is not, "Is there a way out of my predicament?", but rather…

"When my solution comes, will I be prepared to receive it?"

I believe — as do many others — that all possible outcomes exist right now, simultaneously, in the present moment.

Quantum physics even has a mind-blowing theory about it called the 'many-worlds interpretation'.

This concept, by the way, is hardly new.

For centuries, wise men and sages, have been teaching this very same notion.

But even more important than knowing your solution already exists, is recognizing that when it does indeed come, it will most likely come…and go…like a thief in the night.

And unless you’re prepared to capture your solution before it gets away, you may be needlessly prolonging a difficult situation.

For many people, their success arrives nearly every day in what appears to be a series of random thoughts and ideas.

I like to call them idea bursts.

The good news is that we all have them.

The bad news is that most of us let them get away.

Why?

Because when these ideas and thoughts arrive, they tend to come at a time when we are NOT in a position to capture them. As a result, we inadvertently allow them to take wings and fly away.

For example, it’s no accident that people get their best ideas and solutions while they are on vacation, in the shower, or while driving in their cars.

Early morning before fully awake and just before drifting off to sleep are also times when ideas seem to abundantly flow …and easily escape.

Ideas, solutions, inspiration –and even great insight– are free to flow during these times because our conscious mind is relaxed and free of resistance.

Unfortunately, only a small number of people actually do what it takes to capture ideas from this endless stream of immense wisdom and opportunity.

If you've been reading my blog posts over the past month or so, you’ll know that I’ve been referring to a success factor called the 1% difference.

Here it is again: The difference between success and mediocrity, between winners and losers, is oftentimes just a 1% difference.

As Andrew Carniege once said:

"You don’t need to know many things to succeed and get rich, IF you know the few things that are important."

After it is all said and done, success is just a series of simple things most people won’t do, don’t like to do, or can’t find the time to do.

And by not doing these things, success won’t happen …period.

It really IS that simple.

You don’t need to be a genius to become wealthy or successful, you just have to commit to doing a few, simple things on a consistent basis.

It’s the 1% difference. And it’s the difference between a life of GREATNESS and one of constant struggle and mediocrity.

So, are you ready for today’s simple, MILLION DOLLAR TIP…..a tip which has turned more ‘little shots’ into ‘BIG SHOTS’, than any high-priced motivational seminar or trendy ’secret’ of success?

The Million Dollar Tip

Be prepared at all times to write down passing thoughts, ideas and concepts.

This tip is so deceptively simple, yet so incredibly powerful, that most people mistakenly brush it aside.

Yet this humble little tip is responsible for creating so much more wealth and worldly magnificence than all other success ’secrets’ …combined.

Capturing Ideas - Your Secret Weapon to Unlimited Wealth

In my over 20 years as a business adviser, I never met one successful business owner who did NOT have the habit of carrying around a notepad or notebook with him or her at all times to write down passing ideas, thoughts, concepts and plans.

It’s no accident that many successful people carry around notepads.

Don’t believe me?

Let’s see what a few famous successful and wealthy people think about the idea…

Aristotle Onasis, legendary Greek shipping tycoon, (he at one time owned over 200 companies) said:

"Always carry a notebook. Write everything down. When you have an idea, write it down. When you meet someone new, write down everything you know about them. That way you will know how much time they are worth. When you hear something interesting, write it down. Writing it down will make you act upon it. If you don’t write it down you will forget it. THAT is a million dollar lesson they don’t teach you in business school!"

Sir Richard Branson, English billionaire best known for his Virgin brand, prefers to conduct his business the same way he’s done it since the beginning; by writing all of his ideas in a notebook.

Branson says:

"I can’t believe when I see people not writing things down. You know they’re not going to remember everything."

Branson now has a collection of over 125 black ledger notebooks that he’s written in over the years.

Think about this: Those notebooks probably cost him under $3 each, yet they’ve undoubtedly helped him to create billions.

Do not overlook the fact that the simplest ideas are often the greatest in getting results.

Use What Works Best for YOU

You don’t really need to carry around a notebook or notepad. You simply use what works best for you.

Voice Zone digital recorder. In addition to ‘writing pads’ (which I leave all over the place in my home and office), I also like to use a pocket device called the Voice Zone digital recorder.

It’s nothing fancy really (I’m sure there are much better ones), but it’s convenient — especially while driving — and much quicker than writing.

I take it with me everywhere because you just never know when a profitable idea is going to pop up out of nowhere.


This little device (which cost about $30) has already paid for itself hundreds of times over.


By Alex Goumakos / Creator of The Secret of Wealth Attraction

Also by Alex Goumakos:
The 10 Best Kept Secrets of the Rich

Don't Forget the Basics

Did you watch Obama's acceptance speech last night? I did. And it stirred up something inside me. It always stirs me up when I listen to him speak, not surprising since he is considered on of the great orators of all time. He has a gift for being able to connect to people on an emotional level and for giving people hope. Change for the better is possible - there is HOPE.

Nowadays, many people feel like they are stuck in a rut they just can't get out of. Even those who typically have a good attitude about life have found themselves victims of high gas prices, ridiculous interest rates on their credit card bills, and a mortgage they are unable to pay. So many people in desperate situations, acting out of desperation, learning to be helpless, and feeling hopeless. But there is a way out. There always has been and there always will be, so long as the Universe exists.

You see, we need to go back to the basics. We need to re-examine our lives and the choices we have made to land us in the situations we find ourselves in. We need to accept responsibility for creating many of the problems we currently face on a personal level, as well as on the community level. I mean, who did you vote for eight years ago? If you are taking the time to read this, you probably didn't vote for George Dubya, but if you did, what were you thinking?!!

Here's another question: Did you really need that thing you bought even though you have already maxed out your credit cards? And who was that who made that insensitive comment to their partner? When you saw that dead cat in the road the other day, did you just drive by it? Or did you take it off the road? Did you at least say a little prayer for it? And let me ask you this, when your child came home from school the other day, did you take the time to stop what you were doing, look them straight in the eye, ask how their day went, and actually listen to their response without resuming some other activity?

I find that how we answer the above questions reflects our current spiritual state. We live in a world that is designed to keep us off balance, that makes us forget that we are at the core, spiritual beings who only temporarily reside in these physical bodies. When we get sick, we go to the doctor. At least we go to the corner drugstore and buy some over the counter remedy to alleviate our symptoms. But what do we do when we are spiritually dis-eased? Who do we go to for that?

I would venture to say that many people go through life in a zombie state, doing what their master society tells them they are supposed to do. They don't question our zombie president, his zombie politics, or their zombie lives. They get stuck in that rut, get depressed, and can't move. Or they simply aren't aware of how much control they have over their lives. Or they have forgotten about the law of attraction.

Remember the Law of Attraction (LOA)? That you attract what you put out on a cognitive level (thoughts), behavioral level (actions), and spiritual level (values and intentions)? In essence, every choice you make regarding how you live your life is an order placed to the Universe; a Universe that is more than ready to deliver.

Listen, I know the law of attraction works, because I work it. Here is an example. My son and I play with the principles of the laws of attraction all the time. We make a game of finding "rock star" parking places when we go shopping. It works like this: we are driving into a parking spot and we state to the Universe, I will have a parking place right in front because I am a rock star! And it works without fail, EVERY TIME! May the Gods strike me dead if I am lying about this! (Trust me; I don't want to die right now). Go ahead, try it!

Here's another example. One day, my son, who was nine years old at the time, told one of his little friends about the Secret. So his friend put his order out to the Universe that there would be no school that day. What do you know? There was no school that day due to the weather! Now they could have gone to school...the weather was not that bad compared to other areas in Iowa today. In fact, we got a phone call that same day from the Superintendent of the schools that there was a two hour delay. So, we drove to school thinking it would be a regular day but when we pulled into the parking lot, guess what? That's right, NO SCHOOL! That is when my son told me about his friends order placed to the Universe.

Now you might be saying "That's great and all, but where is the money?" That is a legitimate question. When taking a leap of faith, which in this case is the belief that the Universe will deliver its promise of co-creation, you have to take baby steps. Using the LOA is retraining your way of thinking and your way of being and for some, this means making a complete 180. I like to think of the secret as a skill that requires honing, and with enough practice, we can become experts at living the life we want.

So how does this work in the real world with money? Well, I am no different than most people. I have had my share of financial struggles as a single mom trying to make ends meet while at the same time paying for a PhD at a very expensive private university. At one point I was facing withdrawal because I simply could not come up with the tuition. Then I put my order out to the Universe. I started saying I would be able to pay for my tuition, I would stay in school, I would get my doctorate, I would make $10,000 a month (why not? I have paid my dues and work my ass off...I am ready to live the good life). Did the Universe answer my call? Let me tell you what happened in a matter of three months.

At the time this was going on my father had just died from cancer. I barely had the energy to seek out the resources I needed to turn my situation around. I couldn't think, and I was absolutely exhausted. Well, I had forgotten that I had applied for a Fellowship about a month earlier. Then, one day I checked my mail and in it was a letter from the university. I thought it was a financial suspension letter. Instead, it was a letter of congratulations. I had been chosen to receive the Fellowship, in the amount of $10,00.00!

The following month, I was checking my personal hub page online at the University. I discovered that the University had awarded my account $26,000.00 as a grant to pay for my tuition!

WOW! If everyone only remembered that one universal law, we could all be living the kinds of lives we need and want! Because, contrary to popular thought, there is enough abundance in the Universe to go around. This doesn't mean you just make a wish and it magically comes true. Working the "secret" means you have to work in tandem with universal forces. You have to do your part. I wasn't just chosen to receive $10,000.00 at random. I was chosen because of the quality and importance of my research, which was judged by the quality of the proposal I wrote and submitted, which was the culmination of months of preparation. I did my part.

Admittedly, the LOA is only one of many universal laws and it does not operate in a vacuum. For example, another law is the law of reciprocity. This means that whatever you give, you get in kind. When working this law, I like to add the Buddhist principle of giving without attachment, without expectation for personal gain. This can be quite challenging when you think you have nothing to give, or you are in the throws of "getting ahead." I just think of it as contributing to my karmic bank account. In this spirit, I have a free gift for you at my website. Go here to retrieve it.

The Universe is listening. What order will you place today?

Believe

For quite some time now we have heard about the Law of Attraction and what it can do for us. Everyone is telling us: “You have got to believe”. That’s all very well, but believe in what? There are a trillion things you can believe in, but only one that really matters. Belief in yourself.

What does believing in yourself really mean? Does it mean believe you are sick, believe you are fat, believe you are poor? Well it could, but it actually means you should have faith in yourself, faith to know that you can do anything you want in life. The power of believing in you is second to none in this world and there are books available to guide you. I will direct you to some of them later.

There is great magic in the power of believing, and without it you are lost. When you believe in you, I mean really believe, then things happen in the universe to ensure your belief is not wrongly channeled. Belief in yourself is the only belief you need to have, and from this, every thing else will come to be for you.

Want to read more? Then go here for your no strings attached free ebook, Believe.


Interested in how to attract wealth by Feng Shui principles of placement? Check out the video below:



Go here to see more.

10 Things Your Body Can Do After You Die

By Maggie Koerth-Baker
Source: CNN

From getting hitched to saving the environment, here's proof you can still be a busybody long after you kick the bucket.

1. Get married

Death is no obstacle when it comes to love in China. That's because ghost marriage -- the practice of setting up deceased relatives with suitable spouses, dead or alive -- is still an option.

Ghost marriage first appeared in Chinese legends 2,000 years ago, and it's been a staple of the culture ever since. At times, it was a way for spinsters to gain social acceptance after death. At other times, the ceremony honored dead sons by giving them living brides. In both cases, the marriages served a religious function by making the deceased happier in the afterlife.

While the practice of matchmaking for the dead waned during China's Cultural Revolution in the late 1960s, officials report that ghost marriages are back on the rise. Today, the goal is often to give a deceased bachelor a wife -- preferably one who has recently been laid to rest. But in a nation where men outnumber women in death as well as in life, the shortage of corpse brides has led to murder.

In 2007, there were two widely reported cases of rural men killing prostitutes, housekeepers, and mentally ill women in order to sell their bodies as ghost wives. Worse, these crimes pay. According to The Washington Post and The London Times, one undertaker buys women's bodies for more than $2,000 and sells them to prospective "in-laws" for nearly $5,000.

2. Unwind with a few friends

Today, most of us think of mummies as rare and valuable artifacts, but to the ancient Egyptians, they were as common as iPhones. So, where have all those mummies gone? Basically, they've been used up. Europeans and Middle Easterners spent centuries raiding ancient Egyptian tombs and turning the bandaged bodies into cheap commodities.

For instance, mummy-based panaceas were once popular as quack medicine. In the 16th century, French King Francis I took a daily pinch of mummy to build strength, sort of like a particularly offensive multivitamin. Other mummies, mainly those of animals, became kindling in homes and steam engines.

Meanwhile, human mummies frequently fell victim to Victorian social events. During the late 19th century, it was popular for wealthy families to host mummy-unwrapping parties, where the desecration of the dead was followed by cocktails and hors d'oeuvres.

3. Tour the globe as a scandalous work of art

Beginning in 1996 with the BODY WORLDS show in Japan, exhibits featuring artfully flayed human bodies have rocked the museum circuit. BODY WORLDS is now in its fourth incarnation, and competing shows, such as Bodies Revealed, are pulling in $30 million per year. The problem is, it's not always clear where those bodies are coming from.

Dr. Gunther von Hagens, the man behind BODY WORLDS, has documented that his bodies were donated voluntarily to his organization. However, his largest competitor, Premier Entertainment, doesn't have a well-established donation system. Premier maintains that its cadavers are unclaimed bodies from mainland China. And therein lies the concern. Activists and journalists believe "unclaimed bodies" is a euphemism for "executed political prisoners."

The fear isn't unfounded. In 2006, Canada commissioned a human rights report that found Chinese political prisoners were being killed so that their organs could be "donated" to transplant patients. And in February 2008, ABC News ran an exposé featuring a former employee from one of the Chinese companies that supplied corpses to Premier Entertainment. In the interview, he claimed that one-third of the bodies he processed were political prisoners. Not surprisingly, governments have started to take notice. In January 2008, the California State Assembly passed legislation requiring body exhibits to prove that all their corpses were willfully donated.

4. Fuel a city

Cremating a body uses up a lot of energy -- and a lot of nonrenewable resources. So how do you give Grandma the send-off she wanted and protect the planet at the same time? Multitask.

Some European crematoriums have figured out a way to replace conventional boilers by harnessing the heat produced in their fires, which can reach temperatures in excess of 1,832 degrees Fahrenheit. In fact, starting in 1997, the Swedish city of Helsingborg used local crematoriums to supply 10 percent of the heat for its homes.

5. Get sold, chop shop-style

Selling a stiff has always been a profitable venture. In the Middle Ages, grave robbers scoured cemeteries and sold whatever they could dig up to doctors and scientists. And while the business of selling cadavers and body parts in the United States is certainly cleaner now, it's no less dubious.

Today, the system runs like this: Willed-body donation programs, often run by universities, match cadavers with the researchers who need them. But because dead bodies and body parts can't be sold legally, the middlemen who supply these bodies charge large fees for "shipping and handling."

Shipping a full cadaver can bring in as much as $1,000, but if you divvy up a body into its component parts, you can make a fortune. A head can cost as much as $500; a knee, $650; and a disembodied torso, $5,000.

The truth is, there are never enough of these willed bodies to meet demand. And with that kind of money on the mortician's table, corruption abounds.

In the past few years, coroners have been busted stealing corneas, crematorium technicians have been caught lifting heads off bodies before they're burned, and university employees at body donation programs have been found stealing cadavers.

After UCLA's willed-body program director was arrested for selling body parts in 2004, the State of California recommended outfitting corpses with bar code tattoos or tracking chips, like the kinds injected into dogs and cats. The hope is to make cadavers easier to inventory and track down when they disappear.

6. Become a Soviet tourist attraction

Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin wanted to be buried in his family plot. But when Lenin died in 1924, Joseph Stalin insisted on putting his corpse on public display in Red Square, creating a secular, Communist relic.

Consequently, an organization called the Research Institute for Biological Structures was formed to keep Lenin's body from decay. The Institute was no joke, as some of the Soviet Union's most brilliant minds spent more than 25 years working and living on site to perfect the Soviet system of corpse preservation. Scientists today still use their method, which involves a carefully controlled climate, a twice-weekly regimen of dusting and lubrication, and semi-annual dips in a secret blend of 11 herbs and chemicals.

Unlike bodies, however, fame can't last forever. The popularity of the tomb is dwindling, and the Russian government is now considering giving Lenin the burial he always wanted.

7. Snuggle up with your stalker

When a beautiful young woman named Elena Hoyos died of tuberculosis in Florida in 1931, her life as a misused object of desire began. Her admirer, a local X-ray technician who called himself Count Carl von Cosel, paid for Hoyos to be embalmed and buried in a mausoleum above ground.

Then, in 1933, the crafty Count stole Elena's body and hid it in his home. During the next seven years, he worked to preserve her corpse, replacing her flesh as it decayed with hanger wires, molded wax, and plaster of Paris. He even slept beside Elena's body in bed -- that is, until her family discovered her there.

In the ensuing media circus, more than 6,000 people filed through the funeral home to view Elena before she was put to rest. Her family buried her in an unmarked grave so that von Cosel couldn't find her, but that didn't stop his obsession. Von Cosel wrote about Elena for pulp fiction magazines and sold postcards of her likeness until he was found dead in his home in 1952. Near his body was a life-size wax dummy made to look just like Elena.

8. Don't spread an epidemic

In the aftermath of natural disasters such as tsunamis, floods and hurricanes, it's common for the bodies of victims to be buried or burned en masse as soon as possible. Supposedly, this prevents the spread of disease.

But according to the World Health Organization (WHO), dead bodies have been getting a bad rap. It turns out that the victims of natural disasters are no more likely to harbor infectious diseases than the general population. Plus, most pathogens can't survive long in a corpse.

Taken together, the WHO says there's no way that cadavers are to blame for post-disaster outbreaks. So what is? The fault seems to lie with the living or, more specifically, their living conditions. After a disaster, people often end up in crowded refugee camps with poor sanitation. For epidemic diseases, that's akin to an all-you-can-eat buffet.

9. Stand trial

In 897, Pope Stephen VI accused former Pope Formosus of perjury and violation of church canon. The problem was that Pope Formosus had died nine months earlier.

Stephen worked around this little detail by exhuming the dead pope's body, dressing it in full papal regalia, and putting it on trial. He then proceeded to serve as chief prosecutor as he angrily cross-examined the corpse. The spectacle was about as ludicrous as you'd imagine.

In fact, Pope Stephen appeared so thoroughly insane that a group of concerned citizens launched a successful assassination plot against him. The next year, one of Pope Stephen's successors reversed Formosus' conviction, ordering his body reburied with full honors.

10. Stave off freezer burn

At cryonics facilities around the globe, the dead aren't frozen anymore. The reason? Freezer burn. As with steaks and green beans, freezing a human body damages tissues, largely because cells burst as the water in them solidifies and expands. In the early days of cryonics, the theory was that future medical technology would be able to fix this damage, along with curing whatever illness killed the patient in the first place.

Realizing that straight freezing isn't the best option, today's scientists have made significant advances in cryonics. Using a process called vitrification, the water in the body is now replaced with an anti-freezing agent. The body is then stored at cold temperatures, but no ice forms.

In 2005, researchers vitrified a rabbit kidney and successfully brought it back to complete functionality -- a big step in cryonics research. (It may help in organ transplants someday, too.)

But science has yet to prove that an entire body can be revived. Even worse, some vitrified bodies have developed large cracks in places where cracks don't belong. Until those kinks get worked out, the hope of being revived in the future will remain a dream.

Photo of Manman Brigitte and Baron Samedi, Guardians of the Cemeteries. Voodoo dolls available at The Mystic Voodoo.

The Law of Attraction and 'Success' - What Is 'Success' Anyway?!

Everyone seems to strive to be 'successful' in life. We all look to apply the 'Law of Attraction' to gain 'success'.

But what is 'success'? What makes you successful, and what makes you a 'failure'?

To answer this question, let's first take a look at our world. Our societies are completely focused on our five senses of seeing, hearing, tasting, touching and smelling. Our five senses are constantly stimulated. They are enticed and exploited all the time.

It is therefore no surprise that we tend to focus our minds on materialism 24 hours per day. We tend to focus all the time on big cars, big houses, lots of money in the bank, and so on.

There is nothing wrong with that in itself. Neither does this mean that being
'spiritual' equals being poor and living in a dump. That doesn't make sense either. The problem is not with the 'material' objects themselves. I'll get back to this later.

First, I'd like to know this... So many people want to 'attract a new car'. But what is it with cars anyway? Somehow the car has become a symbol of status, of 'success'. I know a number of people (even some well-known ones) who are so obsessed with their cars, they even give names to their car.

A friend of mine had a car and was really proud of it. He called this car 'Infinity'. Another friend of mine doesn't care the least bit about what kind of car he drives. Still, he needed to buy a car the other day to be able drive to work. But because he didn't really care about it, he simply bought the first set of wheels that he liked even just a bit and of which he thought the price was right for him. "If I can drive to work and back with it, then that's a great car for me", he thought.

He bought himself a pretty old car to be honest. It certainly didn't look that fancy. The other friend would have dubbed it a piece of junk. But this guy couldn't care less. In fact, he could see the fun of it. In response to my other friend who called his car 'Infinity', this guy decided to give his car a name too. He called it 'Finity'.

I kid you not, this is a true story. What it illustrates is the relativity of 'status' and 'success'. What one person would consider being dignified, could be considered by the next person as pathetic.

Like I said, the trap is not with material objects themselves. These are just frequency patterns anyway. The problem comes when we see those objects as the ultimate goals and the very symbols of success that confirm whether we 'made it' in life or not.

It is for this reason that many people look to others to confirm to themselves if they are 'doing well' or if they are 'successful'. When you don't succeed in terms of big houses, big cars, big money, you are often considered as a 'failure', and often consider yourself as such.

The whole system thrives on consumption and the constant expansion of consumption, and the more we consume, the more we are considered to be 'successful'. This even leads to many people borrowing more of what they don't have and getting in even deeper trouble, simply to provide themselves the very things that should testify to others of their alleged 'success'.

So is this the kind of 'success' you are looking for?

What if I told you that the real success you are looking for is not having all kinds of material stuff, but is actually called 'happiness'?

After all, why would you want a lot of money, or a big house, or a big car? Why would
you want others to approve of you? In the end it all comes down to a desire for sense of security and happiness, and being able to live life on your own terms. The quest ends when you're happy and fulfilled.

But when are you happy and fulfilled?

Here's a hint from what a wise man once said:

"Money and fame do not happiness make."

Don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with having a lot of money, or being well-known, or having big cars and big houses. These are all thought fields and are just experience. The problem is that so many people get absorbed in pursuing the material 'dream' that they forget about why they are doing that in the first place.

I believe it was John Harricharan who said this:

"Most people are so busy trying to make a living, they forget to make a life."

He's right. Most people are 'human doings' instead of 'human beings'.

The funny thing is that the greatest payoff from trying to get what you want through working with the 'Law of Attraction' comes from a state of being. It is a state of happiness, contentment and love and gratitude for what IS that gets you what you truly want.

At any rate, the greatest payoff from your attraction efforts does certainly not come from an obsession with ever more material stuff in the merry-go-round that gets faster by the day, for the sole reason to seek approval and confirmation of your 'success' from others, in order to compensate for a lack of self-esteem that is the cause of this obsession to begin with.

A sense of security, self-esteem and 'success' is found within yourself, not outside.

And the funny thing is that once you give up the obsession with possession and finally acknowledge your true self, the person who you really are deep inside, you seem to manifest what you want much more easily. When that happens, you can enjoy all kinds of material stuff as much as you like, if that's what you choose. You can choose to have a big car if you like. You can choose to live in a big house if that's what you want.

The difference is that you won't be controlled by the never-ending pursuit of these things. You won't be 'on the path to happiness and success' anymore. You would just BE happy instead, and from there you will allow things to manifest instead of chasing them forever. It's a small difference in perception, but with profound effects.

It is then that you will start to live life, instead of life living you.

So what is 'success'?

Success, my friend, is what you define it to be.

Now go manifest your success, whatever that is for you!

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Nicholas P. Kidd and Henk J.M. Schram are the instigators of the alleged
'Great Revolution', which provides the members with truthful instructions regarding the universal principles of life.

The Revolution is receiving increasingly widespread attention for its straightforward explanations and instructions with regard to complex issues, which are made understandable for people from all walks of life. In essence, the true secrets of the 'Law of Attraction' and the other 'Universal Laws' are explained in much clearer and practical ways than the 'enigmas wrapped in riddles' that usually characterize the descriptions of the Law of Attraction and its application.

More information on the Great Revolution, on joining and on the 'universal principles of life' (the true 'Universal Laws') can be found at Revolutioniz.com.

The Secret to Success

Have you heard of the DVD called "the Secret"? Well it isn't such a secret anymore. The DVD was released in March 2006 and according to Time Magazine, the DVD has sold 500,000 units within the first 6 months. Today it sells well over 5,000 copies a day! It ranked in Amazon's Top-5 sellers during Christmas week; and a tie-in hardcover book just entered the Top 10 on the New York times bestseller list.

So what is the secret to "the Secret's" success? It's is a "transformational movie", where a person's view on life and the laws of life will no longer be the same after watching this movie. In a sense, it has created the same kind of effect as "the Da Vinci Code" and the 2004 hit cult movie "What the Bleep Do We Know". The movie has created such waves that it has already been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King Live and the Ellen DeGeneres show.

At the core of the movie is a central philosophy called "the Law of Attraction". In fact, the movie itself was inspired by this very same law when the producer read a book called "the Science of Getting Rich" by Wallace D. Wattles. This book was written in 1910!

This philosophy states that we create our reality, both good and bad! The message is delivered through 24 "teachers" which include prosperity preachers, chiropractic healers, relationship gurus, life coaches and motivational speakers — into one clear, cohesive voice. The movie is a "must watch" for anyone interested in taking charge of their life and in creating the life of their dreams.
Following on the success of the Secret, 3 of the core teachers - namely Bob Proctor and Jack Canfield have collaborated to produce a wealth building program called "the Secret Science of Getting Rich Seminar". This program is based on the book that inspired the movie and is set to make history as the fastest selling personal development program in history.

What is the Science of Getting Rich about? Well in the words of Wallace D. Wattles, "The ownership of money and property comes as a result of doing things in a certain way. Those who do things in this certain way, whether on purpose or accidentally, get rich. Those who do not do things in this certain way, no matter how hard they work or how able they are, remain poor. It is a natural law that like causes always produce like effects. Therefore, any man or woman who learns to do things in this certain way will infallibly get rich." The Science of Getting Rich is all about teaching how to do things in this "certain" way to create wealth.

The success of this program is built on several rock solid foundations. These factors include: the phenomenal success of "the Secret", the timeless concepts from the Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles, the credibility of successful personal improvement teachers and New Thought leaders of our time, and the Internet as the distribution medium.

Discover how riches come to you.

The Secret Aint No Secret!

All we are is the result of what we have thought - Buddha

Surely most people have felt the recent buzz of the Secret, which is basically the law of attraction at work in the lives of successful people. For me, the law of attraction is also the loas, the mysteries of the Voodoo pantheon, the gods and goddesses that are ever ready to serve and protect us.

Let's back up a bit. I'm about to spill the proverbial beans here. How many secrets of the mystics have there been over the years?

The Secret

Astro-Diagnosis, A Guide to Healing
Astro-diagnosis is the science and art of acquiring knowledge regarding the etiology, treatment, and cure of diseases as shown by the planets. Did you know about that one? Well, let me see how much I can learn about what ails me from my planetary sign. I was born on the cusp of Aquarius and Pisces which means I should have characteristics of both signs. Okay, I am supposedly prone to extreme pessimism and sensitiveness, overly emotional and ambitious, and prone to overdoing things. As a result, I should be frequently ill, typically in the nerves department. Well, I admit problems with depression and I am indeed overly ambitious. Perhaps I have been known to be a bit emotional at times. And I have suffered from a stress-related illness. Okay, so maybe this is a pretty good read about me...in the past, that is.

In the past, when I wasn't working with the LOA, when I ignored the Divine entities who have been ready and waiting to help me, and when I chose to see the glass as half empty as opposed to half full, this diagnosis would be quite accurate. Since the LOA have been back into my life, I am no longer depressed, I am off all medications, and I am not anxiety-ridden. Okay, I am still ambitious. But overly ambitious? Why no! To say that would be to put that order out to the Universe which would result in feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and unsuccessful (oh, and according to astro-diagnosis, sick). With the law of attraction and the loas, I can accomplish whatever I want to accomplish! Good health? You bet! Financial success? Woo Hoo! And of course it doesn't hurt to thank my lucky stars I was not born a Capricorn - I could have been prone to syphilis or leprosy!

Hmm, medical astrology, who'd a thunk it?

Astro-Diagnosis, A Guide to Healing

Christian Gems of Truth About the Secret

"Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap". Okay, so here we see the secret in that ever popular book called the Bible. Now I have my own opinions about this book, written and edited by men, and heaven knows I am not a Christian. Yet, this is a gem of truth that warrants attention because it gets to the heart of the secret. If you walk around treating yourself, your family, other people, your pets, or Mother Earth like crap, then crap is the kind of life you will have. We are cocreators of our own existence, not passive receivers. You will attract what you give; it's really quite simple.
Ancient Mysteries and Secret SocietiesWhat is that which we refer to as "the mysteries"? In Voodoo, the mysteries are the pantheon of Spirits that are served by the Voodooists. In ancient times where there were temples and other formal places of worship, the mysteries referred to a group of philosophers and mystics who studied the laws of nature. Indeed, secret philosophic and religious schools were created to protect and preserve the esoteric knowledge and secret sacred wisdom privy only to members of the schools.
The Secret Teachings of All Ages