At times we say to ourselves ‘I must concentrate to finish this job’, we know there are many times and situations within our daily life where it is necessary to concentrate to complete the job in hand. But how many of us really know how to concentrate, how to shutout all the distractions around us, how to be consciously aware of the task in front of us. The psychologists suggest that a man thinks of sex once every 30 seconds, which means of course he can concentrate on little else. And it is also a fact that when we do concentrate it is quite often on a subject that is no good for us and has no lasting benefits.
Yet we all instinctively know that if we are able to concentrate completely upon a subject it would be achieved quickly and with a minimum of distraction. In fact in those rare moments when we do completely concentrate time itself seems to contract, there is also an inner sense of joy and accomplishment whenever the task is completed.
Some call concentration an Art and being so it can be learnt and practiced, although the lessons and methods are fairly easy they do require a sense of discipline, but if mastered the benefits will be apparent throughout your life. Concentration also has an aspect about which most people are unaware, that is, when in deep concentration we are also connected more closely with our subconscious. This in itself can bring much understanding into our life. Many religious and philosophical practices are designed in order to stop our conscious mind being aware of the many distractions around us while contemplating, their procedures all have the one purpose of creating a deep connection initially to the subconscious and then to the higher spiritual realms. When we can fully concentrate upon a subject or a moment in time this connection opens and becomes available to us.
Closely associated with concentration is willpower, the relationship is totally dependent without one you cannot have the other. Think of an athlete in an Olympic running final, his willpower has sustained him in his goal of reaching the final and eventually winning. But it is at that moment just before the whistle blows where he needs his full concentration, if he allows distractions then all will be lost, the other competitors and all the spectators must be blocked from his mind. There are many other situations with which I’m sure you can imagine where both willpower and concentration are needed in equal parts.
We all have abilities and talents that we rarely use to the fullest potential, we often think if I could just concentrate that little bit more I might make a success of this particular project, although this article can barely do the subject of concentration justice, the following exercises may be a starting point from which you begin a journey of self-discovery.
We could apply concentration to each task that we performed during the day, this in itself would be beneficial, we would begin to experience an inner calm in the increasing chaotic world around us. Yet where the power of concentration can really help is when we apply it to a particular project or aspect in our life, a goal or desire that we wish to manifest. Thoughts have power, we know that when people experience fear, anxiety or worry, the body can react, hair can turn gray, hearts can stop. In equal measure thoughts of happiness and joy can light up our life. So the power of concentration can best be used on goals and desires that enhance our lives, using concentration in such a way allows us to create our own reality we take control of our life.
There are many ways in which you can use of the power of concentration here are but a few:-
The breaking of bad habits
Business projects especially if you are self employed
Moral characteristics you may wish to strengthen or create
The acquisition of wealth
A new Romantic partner or strengthening your existing relationship.
While performing the following exercises you should have steady, deep breathing, but do not exert yourself. During meditation deep breathing helps the mind to remain still and calm. In fact a good exercise is simply to concentrate on your inhale and exhaling, while doing so you let any thoughts that arise from your mind just drift on by, do not think about them just let them go.
Exercise One.
Take a simple thought for example health, think of yourself in full health, think of that warm glow, the relaxed feeling you have when you’re feeling healthy. Try to maintain this thought for as long as possible, don’t let other thoughts intrude, concentrate completely upon yourself. This is a good exercise to start with as it is not to specific, as it will allow only thoughts and images about yourself to intrude upon your mental process.
Exercise Two.
Hold your arm out in front of you at shoulder height. Raise your hand slightly so you can see your fingernails, concentrate upon your fingernails trying to keep your arms steady for at least one minute. Each time you perform this exercise try to extend the concentration time a little longer until performing the exercise for up to five minutes. Do this exercise with both arms.
Exercise Three.
Take a glass of water and hold it in front of you, fix your attention upon the top of the glass. Try to keep your arm as steady as possible concentrate upon the ripples your aim is to see no ripples, no movement within the water at all.
Exercise Four.
This exercise can be performed by either standing or sitting. Take a piece of plain paper and draw a visible dot in the center, place the paper on the wall in front of you and concentrate upon the dot. When you are relaxed imagine the air that you are breathing in is coming from the dot and the air you are exhaling is going into the dot. Start performing this exercise for at least five minutes and increase up to at least 20 minutes.
Exercise Five.
There is no time limit set upon this particular exercise, but if practiced on a regular basis can open your mind to its inner potential. Take a clock, one you can hear the ticking, your aim is not to concentrate upon the ticks, but upon the spaces between the ticks. As you gain experience with this exercise you may well notice that the ticks begin to dissolve in your mind and the time between the ticks becomes extended. But the longer you can perform this exercise and the deeper you can concentrate while doing it, your perception of time begins to disappear, the exercise is completed in no time at all.
It is only after an extensive use of these exercises that we begin to appreciate the benefits of concentration, like learning to ride a bike once we have mastered the Art it is something that never leaves us.
Gerard Bulger is an IT Consultant who has been studying the work at home Internet business market for several years, he also writes on self-help and the esoteric sciences. He is a sponsor for the Internet Mentoring system Empowerism and can be found at http://www.empowerism101.com and http://www.ok101.com
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Dominoes are a simple method for telling fortunes, although they are associated with children’s games they are a lesser-known form of ‘Sortilege’ system known as Cleromancy. The practice of using dominoes as a way of casting the future dates back to twelve-century China. The game appears to have reached western civilisation when it first became popular in the courts of Mediterranean Europe trading nations in the 1700’s. By the end of the eighteenth century they were in popular use as a game in England, France and Italy and it is most likely that they reached the USA via Chinese immigrant labourers. The word “Dominoe ” originated from the French word referring to a black and white hood called a “Domino” which was worn by catholic priests in cold weather,
Dominoes are still widely used in provinces of China, Korea and India for both gambling and fortune telling. In a similar way to runes, dice and tarot dominoes are a way of enhancing ones psychic power and are still used by some psychics in the west. It has also been claimed that gypsies used to tell fortunes using dominoes printed on cards in a similar way to tarot or playing cards. Psychics say that you should not use dominoes for divinational purposes more than once a week or the results may lose there effect.
Modern dominoes are usually made of wood, plastic or metal but in earlier sets ivory was commonly used. Standard sets in the West consist of twenty-eight rectangular tiles called bones, cards, tiles, stones or spinners. .Each tile has two halves the sides that are not blank bear dots or pips numbering one to six. The dots represent all the possible number combinations, from double blank to double six.
There are various ways of laying down the dominoes; one such method is similar to that used in tarot card spreads. And a domino is selected for past, present and future. To answer a question or respond to a persons need for guidance or direction, the dominoes are placed face down upon a flat surface and shuffled well. The question should be asked by the person requiring guidance and meditated upon for a period of time. Three dominoes are usually turned over and are interpreted as follows :
Six/six - Prosperity and unexpected good fortune.
Six/five - An act of kindness will bring good luck, be patient.
Six/four - Unfavourable aspect, possibly legal related.
Six/three - Unexpected enjoyable travel or gift related to travel.
Six/two - Improved finance and good health.
Six/one - Wedding or positive joint venture.
Six/blank - Careful of false friendships.
Five/five - Good financial changes.
Five/two - Birth or new creative ideas.
Five/one - New love but possible unhappy ending.
Five/blank - A friend may need comforting.
Four/four - Happiness and celebration on its way.
Four/three - Success but problems in relationships or domestic scene.
Four/two - Unhappy change of events or relationship going off course.
Four/one - Financial obstacles to overcome.
Four/blank - Temporary setback in relationships but room for reconciliation.
Three/three - Work or love related obstacles, but outcome positive.
Three/two - Happy changes , career, money, home.
Three/one - The answer is No.
Three/blank - A challenging invitation.
Two/two - Celebrations in career and relationships.
Two/one - Career, friendhip, love change due to loss of something of value.
Two/blank -Stressful time, check false advice, good for friendships/business.
One/one - Harmony in all aspects. Caution needed if making fast decision.
One/blank - Be especially careful all is not as it seems.
Blank/blank - Short term Obstacles may effect predictions of other dominoes.
Paula is a gifted psychic and the owner of www.email-a-psychic.co.uk and www.psychic-trudy.co.uk where your personal questions will be answered professionally and compassionately by Email.
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The ancient art of reading tea leaves in a cup is quite simple, and can be learned in a very short time. Although psychics throughout the ages have used it as a system of divination, any one can learn to master the techniques involved. Before long you will be making predictions about the future for friends and family. You don’t need to posses any psychic ability; all that’s really required is patience to understand the various symbols and their meanings. However, as with all divinatory systems constant use can have the effect of developing and stimulating your natural intuitive ability.
Adding clairvoyancy to the skill will give you a deeper insight into the metaphysical energy surrounding the process. Reading tealeaves is a fun way of stimulating the imagination and tapping into the unconscious mind and listening to your inner self for answers to problems or dilemmas that you may have. The process also links in with Carl Jung’s theory of the ‘Collective uconsciousness’, where by ones intuition isn’t limited by the constraints of space or time. It’s through this that tealeaf readers can look into a persons past, present or future.
The ancient practice of interpreting patterns made by tealeaves in the cup is called Tasseography, otherwise known as tasseomancy or tassology. “Tasse” or “tass” is an Arab word, meaning small cup or goblet. The art also includes the reading of coffee grounds and wine sediments. In China and Japan tea drinking had a ceremonial use and an aid to meditation. A reader would watch for omens in the patterns and shapes left after drinking the tea. Although tealeaf reading is associated with Gypsy fortune-tellers and Victorian parlour games it’s roots began in Asia, ancient Greece and the Middle East. In recent history it has close ties with Scottish, and Irish tradition as well as throughout Eastern Europe.
Historically, a psychic often had a special cup that he or she would use for readings. Likewise a special spoon may be used to give it a sense of ritual. The cup, saucer and spoon should be first washed or cleansed by immersing it in hot soap and water and rinsing it with cold. Modern day psychics use cups with astrological markings printed on the inside. This not only gives a reading from the tealeaves but also provides information based on the astrological signs. The cup should have a wide brim and should be plain inside as any pattern would conflict with the interpretation of the leaves
Part of the ritual of reading tea leaves is in the act of sitting down and enjoying the tea in the company of fellow drinkers as this allows you to relax and gather your thoughts. Typically psychics choose not to use small commercially produced tealeaves but opt for the larger type i.e. Jasmin or Erl Grey etc. The person having the reading would be asked to spoon a measure of tea into a heated pot or directly into a china cup. Some psychics ask that the person receiving the reading stir the dried leaves before spooning them into the teacup or pot. This is seen as being similar to shuffling tarot cards before a reading. Boiling water is poured over the tea as the person receiving the reading stirs the pot or cup. At the same time he or she should concentrate on the particular question that they would like an answer to. The teapot is swirled and the tea poured into the cup.
When the tea is cool enough to drink the person receiving the reading sips the liquid whilst continuing to concentrate on the question. The person having his or hers tealeaf read should leave about a quarter of an inch of tea at the bottom of the cup. The cup should then be swirled around with the left hand three times in a clockwise direction so that the tealeaves are in a state of suspension. It is then flipped quickly facedown onto a napkin, which has been placed on the saucer thus leaving the tealeaves on the bottom and sides of the cup.
In order to interpret the images it may help if you slightly squint your eyes as you look at the leaves and allow your imagination to roam. Making a mental note of what you see; begin reading the cup clockwise, the handle representing the day of the teacup reading should be facing the reader The rest of the cup is divided into twelve months with the six month position being directly facing the handle. The leaves near the brim of the cup have more importance than those near the bottom. Some psychics say that images facing anticlockwise represent the significance is departing, whilst images facing clockwise mean the person requesting the reading is moving towards the occurrence.
Iterpretation of the symbols can be either exactly as they appear, for example a house, may mean contentment and home, or symbolically ie combined with a bell may mean good news or an invitation on it’s way. Contradicting images imply indecision in the person’s mind. Sometimes the top of the cup is seen as lucky and the bottom is seen as unlucky, but you should use your intuition and common sense when deciding this. The size of the symbol may give you clue to its importance. The rim represents the present or things that may happen within a few days or weeks. The sides predict the future. The bottom predicts the very distant future.
Like learning most things the more you practice the better you will get. The same applies to the art of tealeaf reading the more proficient you will become at it. The secrete is to trust your instinct, try and not allow your logic to interfere with what you see. At first you may only be able to see vague shapes, but with perseverance your competence and confidence will grow. The list of symbols and meanings below is far from complete but will help you get started. It would also be helpful to purchase a book with a more
comprehensive list of interpretations or alternatively, there are many resources available on the Internet. Ultimately, the interpretation should be left up to the reader, and no two readers are the same. The main thing about interpreting what you see is to learn to trust your intuition and gut feelings. You may find that certain symbols have a particular meaning for you alone and vary from the meanings listed below
Symbols and Interpretations :
Aeroplane :- Travel, going up in the world.
Anchor :- A journey ends.
Angel :- A blessing from your guides.
Bell :- Good news i.e. wedding etc.
Bird :- Good fortune on its way.
Book :- Look for further information.
Bottle :- Allurement, good social life.
Butterfly :- None serious about a relationship.
Clock :- Act now, a meeting soon to happen.
Moon :- Changes.
Cross :- Problems but outcome positive.
Cobweb :- something guarded or secure.
Dagger :- Fallout or plotting ahead.
Dog :- A faithful friend.
Flag :- Stay fast for good fortune.
Fish :- Spiritual progress.
Gate :- Change of circumstance, confidently proceed.
Heart :- Happy emotional things.
Key :- Solutions revealed soon.
Ladder :- promotion, improvement.
Mountain :- Problems, but conquerable.
Ring :- Changes for the better.
Scales :- Decisions need to balance things.
Trees :- A new start.
Teapot :- Warm-loving friends.
Paula is a gifted psychic and the owner of www.email-a-psychic.co.uk
and www.psychic-trudy.co.uk where your personal questions will be answered professionally and compassionately by Email.
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