HOW TO STAY YOUNG

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay 'them'

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever.. Never let the brain idle. 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.' And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, and hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.



Worry about nothing, pray about everything!!!

Raw food has its benefits.

Raw food has its benefits. It contains more nutrients and enzymes than cooked food, and the life that animates each cell of an uncooked vegetable, sprouted grain or legume, nut, or fruit also invigorates your pranic (energetic) body. But according to ayurveda, the heat that’s generated during the cooking process partially digests the food for you, and liberates nutrients so that they are more available for assimilation. Raw food, in turn, requires more agni, or digestive fire, to process than cooked food.

To determine how much raw food is right for your diet, pay attention to the strength of your digestion. If your metabolism is weak and you eat sprouts, they may cause gas, bloating, and constipation. Eating raw food may also throw you off balance when you’re feeling worn out or ungrounded. But when you feel warm and clearheaded—signs of strong agni—eating raw food can have an energizing effect on your body and mind. Make sure to chew it thoroughly, and if you feel nourished by it, go ahead and help yourself to the salad bar.

The Yoga of Simplicity

By Nancy Francis

My daughter was seven years old when my grandmother died. We attended the graveside service on a sunny spring morning. The casket rested on a wheeled frame on one side of the grave, and a blue tarp covered a pile of dirt on the other. My daughter pointed to the bulging tarp and squeezed my hand. “Is that all her stuff?” she asked.

Imagine: that we take all our stuff with us when we die! Rationally I know this isn’t true, but maybe my daughter was on to something: when I look at how I’ve clung to certain belongings or my financial status, I wonder how much of my identity is entangled with my possessions. Wisdom traditions tell us that attachment binds us to a cycle of suffering. One desire breeds another and another. Maybe our attachments to material possessions can bury us.

Two years ago, I was neck-deep in debt from my own law degree and my now-grown daughter’s college education. I lived in North Carolina, where the jobs available couldn’t begin to cover my bills, so I took a series of temporary positions in New York City, leaving family, friends, and a comfortable home. I lived in a studio apartment and worked more than 60 hours a week, including Saturdays. I did yoga and meditation practice, went to work, came home and slept, then did it again the next day. I expended energy only on what I needed to do to remain healthy and meet the demands of my job.

After the initial adjustment, I found that I felt balanced and happy, and needed much less than I was accustomed to having. Owning exactly one pot, one pan, and a couple of glasses and plates felt liberating. I began to view all non-essentials as clutter, not only in terms of the amount of space they occupied, but in terms of the attention and time they required. With my tiny Manhattan apartment, my tight budget, and my demanding schedule, if something was going to be added to my living space, expenses, routine, or attention, it needed a strong justification. As a practitioner of meditation, I began assessing any potential addition to my life in terms of its ultimate value: how will this object or experience contribute to my peace of mind?

Abundance and Desire
Through self-observation and meditation, I was able to witness how desire sneaks up quietly—a piercing, dogged thought that aims directly at some perceived lack in myself. It’s a process of self-deception—a false belief that if I have some desired object or experience, I will feel complete, happy, loved, respected, or safe. The desire may be as mundane as wanting that new pair of designer shoes; as financially sophisticated as wanting shares of stock; or as deep-rooted as the desire for a child, a soul mate, or a spiritual teacher.
We all think that the thing we desire will give us a sense of satisfaction or wholeness. But I have learned that inner peace is a function of how I manage my mind, which points me toward staying healthy and doing spiritual practice. Nothing external, whether it’s a new possession, a stock portfolio, or a child, is going to bring me inner peace.

This shift in perspective has been helpful whenever I’ve found myself on the New York job market between temp positions. By adopting an attitude of abundance—and regarding each experience as a gift—I can replace anxiety with contentment. If I can’t find work, I look for the positive side of being unemployed: I have time to rest, catch up on reading, and enjoy a walk through the city. Because I am living in one room far from family and friends, I cultivate appreciation for the solitude and silence of my apartment, and how it has helped me simplify my needs.

Yoga and Meditation
I was blessed to have been introduced to yoga and meditation in my teens. Despite some choices over the years that led me down many a rabbit hole, yoga and meditation have been a constant in my adult life.

For people who are not familiar with yoga and meditation, the idea that our net material worth is ultimately meaningless can be unsettling. After all, we are subject to a constant barrage of messages from our culture telling us that our possessions, wealth, and status are our very identity. Stepping out of this mind-set can be challenging. But once we experience the deep relaxation of a yoga class, or the de-stressing effects of deep breathing, we gain some insight into the possibilities of being present with ourselves, calmly observing our mind and emotions, instead of being dragged around by constant desires.

The daily practice of meditation connects me with a deeper layer of being that is free from the ups and downs of news reports and bank statements. It brings me a sense of serenity and connection with something larger than myself that carries over into the rest of my daily life, providing a sense of balance and abundance—no matter how much or how little I have.

Time and again, my grandmother’s grave comes to mind: a solitary casket and a pile of dirt—the only material remains of what a person has been or accumulated. When I feel stressed about money or drawn to acquire something non-essential, I remember my daughter’s graveside question, and focus on connecting with the quiet that I find in meditation—an inner wealth that is undisturbed by material gains and losses.

Attorney and translator Nancy Francis has a master’s degree in Eastern studies and comparative psychology. She splits her time between New York City and North Carolina.

For all those ladies over 40 (or those very close to it) THIS IS PRICELESS! In case you missed it on '60 Minutes', this is what Andy Rooney thinks about women over 40: 60 Minutes Correspondent Andy Rooney (CBS) As I grow in age, I value women over 40 most of all. Here are just a few reasons why: A woman over 40 will never wake you in the middle of the night and ask, 'What are you thinking?' She doesn't care what you think. If a woman over 40 doesn't want to watch the game, she doesn't sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do, and it's usually more interesting. Women over 40 are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course, if you deserve it, they won't hesitate to shoot you if they think they can get away with it. Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what it's like to be unappreciated. Women get psychic as they age. You never have to confess your sins to a woman over 40. Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over 40 is far sexier than her younger counterpart. Older women are forthright and honest. They'll tell you right off you are a jerk if you are acting like one. You don't ever have to wonder where you stand with her. Yes, we praise women over 40 for a multitude of reasons. Unfortunately, it's not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed, hot woman over 40, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some 22-year old waitress. Ladies, I apologize. For all those men who say, 'Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?', here's an update for you. Nowadays 80% of women are against marriage. Why? Because women realize it's not worth buying an entire pig just to get a little sausage! Andy Rooney is a really smart guy! Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning to dance in the rain.

Judging Character

Judging Character Posted: 04 Nov 2009 06:22 PM PST “Lord Krishna has made a firm promise for all time. If one renders service unto Him, Krishna correspondingly gives him an equal amount of success in devotional service to the Lord.” (Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya 8.90) A person’s character can be ascertained based on their behavior and personal characteristics. By analyzing how a person acts towards us and towards others in all types of situations, we can get a better handle on their true nature. Sometimes it’s difficult to get a read on someone else’s nature. The stereotypical used car salesman presents the biggest challenge. Selling cars is a cut-throat business, with profit margins hinging on the final sale price of the automobiles. The selling price is usually determined through negotiations between the dealership and the customer. Used cars are even harder to sell than new ones. They usually don’t come with any factor warranty, so caveat emptor is the motto that customers go by. “Let the buyer beware for this car may not be all it’s cracked up to be.” Since used cars are tougher to sell, a highly skilled salesperson is required to get them off the lots. Because of this, people that sell used cars tend to be expert at duplicity, deceit, and outright lying. This type of personality is good for selling cars, but not so good when it comes to making friends or maintaining long term relationships. Similar types of people also exist outside the realm of selling cars. This makes it tougher for us to judge someone’s character, since anyone can be nice to our face, but words alone don’t convey sincerity. The most effective way to judge someone’s character and also at the same time judge how they feel about us, is to use comparison. If we compare how someone treats us versus how they treat others, we will have a pretty good idea as to what kind of person they are. If someone seems overly friendly to us, but then is mean and rude towards others, we can understand that their kindness towards us probably isn’t sincere. The opposite holds true as well. One who is kind towards all is recognized as a saintly and learned person, pandita sama-darshinah. This comparison technique can also be applied in relationships, and in fact it is already employed by many wives towards their husbands. In any close relationship, especially of the romantic variety, each party is always wondering whether the other person loves them or not. The best way to gauge someone’s love for us is to see how they behave towards others. For example, many wives get upset because their husbands show preferential treatment towards their other friends or towards hobbies such as golf and video games. Husbands also get upset if they see their wives talking or laughing with other friends, especially if those friends happen to be male. A wife wants to feel like she is the most special person in her husband’s life and the same holds true for the husband. A person wants and expects preferential treatment from their spouse since they give all of their love to their significant other.

'What goes around comes around. '

He almost did n 't see the old lady, stranded on the side
of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could
see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her.

Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No
one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was
he going to hurt her? He did n 't look safe; he looked
poor and hungry.

He could see that she was frightened, standing out
there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that
chill which only fear can put in you.

He said, 'I 'm here to help you, ma 'am. Why do n 't you wait in the car where it 's warm? By the way, my name
is Bryan Anderson. '

Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking
for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt.

As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through. She could n 't thank him enough for coming to her aid.

Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady
asked how much she owed him. Any amount would
have been all right with her. She already imagined all
the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone
in need, and God knows there were plenty, who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole
life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way.

He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back,
the next time she saw someone who needed help,
she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, 'And think of me. '

He waited until she started her car and drove off. It
had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good
as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight.

A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe.
She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was
a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even
being on her feet for the whole day could n 't erase.

The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight
months pregnant, but she never let the strain and
aches change her attitude. The old lady wondered
how someone who had so little could be so giving
to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan .

After the lady finished her meal, she paid with a
hundred dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, but the old lady
had slipped right out the door. She was gone by the
time the waitress came back. The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she noticed something written on the napkin.

There were tears in her eyes when she read what the
lady wrote: 'You do n 't owe me anything. I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I 'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you. '

Under the napkin were four more $100 bills.

Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill,
and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day. That night when she got home from
work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about
the money and what the lady had written. How could
the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was
going to be hard....

She knew how worried her husband was, and as he
lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, 'Everything 's going to be all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson. '

There is an old saying 'What goes around comes around. '

QUOTES FOR LIFETIME

This life is yours. Take the power to choose what you want to do and

do it well. Take the power to love what you want in life and love it

honestly. Take the power to control your own life. No one else can do

it for you. Take the power to make your life HAPPY.

BRAIN DAMAGING HABITS

BRAIN DAMAGING HABITS 1. No Breakfast People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level. This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration. 2 . Overheating It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power. 3. Smoking It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer disease. 4. High Sugar consumption Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development. 5. Air Pollution The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body. Inhaling polluted air decreases the supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency. 6 . Sleep Deprivation Sleep allows our brain to rest.. Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells.. 7. Head covered while sleeping Sleeping with the head covered increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging effects. 8. Working your brain during illness Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in effectiveness of the brain as well as damage the brain. 9. Lacking in stimulating thoughts Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lacking in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain shrinkage. 10. Talking Rarely Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain The main causes of liver damage are: 1. Sleeping too late and waking up too late are main cause. 2. Not urinating in the morning. 3 . Too much eating. 4. Skipping breakfast. 5. Consuming too much medication & alcohol. 6. Consuming too much preservatives, additives, food coloring, and artificial sweetener. 7. Consuming unhealthy cooking oil. As much as possible reduce cooking oil use when frying, which includes even the best cooking oils like olive oil. Do not consume fried foods when you are tired, except if the body is very fit. 8. Consuming raw (overly done) foods also add to the burden of liver. Veggies should be eaten raw or cooked 3-5 parts. Fried veggies should be finished in one sitting, do not store. We should prevent this without necessarily spending more. We just have to adopt a good daily lifestyle and eating habits. Maintaining good eating habits and time condition are very important for our bodies to absorb and get rid of unnecessary chemicals according to 'schedule.' The top five cancer-causing foods are: 1.. Hot Dogs Because they are high in nitrates, the Cancer Prevention Coalition advises that children eat no more than 12 hot dogs a month. If you can't live without hot dogs, buy those made without sodium nitrate. 2. Processed meats and Bacon Also high in the same sodium nitrates found in hot dogs, bacon, and other processed meats raise the risk of heart disease. The saturated fat in bacon also contributes to cancer. 3. Doughnuts Doughnuts are cancer-causing double trouble. First, they are made with white flour, sugar, and hydrogenated oils, then fried at high temperatures. Doughnuts, says Adams , may be the worst food you can possibly eat to raise your risk of cancer. 4. French fries Like doughnuts, French fries are made with hydrogenated oils and then fried at high temperatures. They also contain cancer- causing acryl amides which occur during the frying process. They should be called cancer fries, not French fries, said Adams . 5. Chips, crackers, and cookies All are usually made with white flour and sugar. Even the ones whose labels claim to be free of trans-fats generally contain small amounts of trans-fats. PASS THIS TO ALL WHOM YOU LOVE & CARE FOR. ............ .. ... "Life is too short and friends are too few"

Five Finger Prayer

Five Finger Prayer This is so neat.. I had never heard this before. This is beautiful - and it is surely worth making the 5 finger prayer a part of our lives. 1. Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a 'sweet duty.' 2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers. 3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance. 4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them. 5. And lastly comes our little finger - the smallest finger of all, which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, 'The least shall be the greatest among you.' Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively. Don't tell God how big your storm is, Tell the storm how big your God is!!!!!