Friday, March 15, 2013

The Feminine And The Power Of Myth

The feminine element lies dormant in us all, eager to be retrieved from the archives of the world of imagery and myth. Basically, the feminine aspect encompasses the mystical, nurturing, healing aspect engendered through unconditional love and intuition. It is this aspect of our nature, which connects us to spiritual truths and allows us to choose wisely in any given moment. It is our protection, and we have all but had it, dare I say, deliberately educated out of us in a pre-meditated dumbing-down of mankind.

Historically, mankind has developed through various stages of matriarchal and patriarchal societal trends. The pendulum has swung through macro and micro cycles where one gender has played a particular role in cultural dominance and responsibility. These trends are observed through varying developmental stages of our evolution both personal and global as we wander through life and this apparent pattern. Myth portrays archetypal patterns of our multi-dimensional psyche. They are raw symbols of our essentially androgynous human nature.

Although societal trends may change with time and fashion, the fundamental pattern is still contained within the seed of our conception. Today, at last, there is a trend emerging amongst astrologers, psychologists and society in general to resurrect the ancient Pagan gods and the art of Story-telling, which has been buried beneath centuries of patriarchal dominance.

Myth and the universal unifying principles - they contain from the loom on which the fabric of a family, tribe, and nation is woven. Myths and stories have been sung and told since time before time. They form the basic design of our psyche from one generation to the next and from culture to culture with similar trends and varying forms. Mythology is a language invented to speak on the instinctual plane where answers are not known, but felt with a great impact. We cannot effectively describe a mythological tale in precise terms for in so doing we strip it of its loving qualities. It dies in the grasping act of thoughtful consideration.

These symbols trigger images in our mind, which give us an opportunity to understand and gauge our progress along our individual path. Whether we believe these images to be past life memories or emerging from some inherited genetic code is irrelevant. The art of visualization and imagination is an imperative aspect of the healing process. These archetypal codes unlock pathways to deeper symbolic realms or levels of consciousness, which we all share. They allow us to access worlds inhabited by the elemental spirits and devas of Nature; the angels and god-forms of other dimensions, which exist because we believe them to. These patterns are often strong enough to have universal archetypal meanings. Through them, we learn to recognize and acquaint ourselves with our higher-selves. We momentarily step outside of time and space and view our reality from a different perspective enabling self-healing and illumination.

Women of our times have surfaced from a long underground period of suppression and servitude to a social system that imagined they were of secondary importance. The challenges and opportunities for women these days are enormous. The radical political and social changes world-wide, however, have brought about a disintegration of familiar traditional roles for woman. These days, many women have reached the maturity of their post child-bearing years in good health and with the freedom and resources to explore their true nature and to influence the social and political structure around them.

We are all taught to identify with male methods of thoughtful, reasonable and linear concepts. Instead there is so much more to us, buried in the unstoppable power of illogical co-existence of opposing forces. The Feminine is the faceless presence met in ordinary, everyday affairs and in the unbroken paths of the unknown. Woman's responses to the outer world are influenced and to a great extent generated by her hormonal changes within. She is like a breath of fresh air in the fixed patriarchal orientation of life, for she responds with renewed freshness to each event as it is presented to her.

The beauty of the feminine is her potential for many dimensions, embracing in her way of being the nuances of many archetypes at once and perhaps constantly confusing those in the world of a more rational propensity. Any and all archetypes are present within each of us and can be "up" at any stage of growth. Cycles within cycles. This is possible without being in conflict with the multi-dimensionality of her psyche, for each trait is exposed in different moments. It is in this fundamental process that woman gives herself a chance again to be born into the light as a child of moonlight.

Once we honored the tantric union of man and woman, Adam and Eve, Isis and Osiris, Jesus and Mary, Merlin and Morgan; all archetypal reminders of the male and female, which lies within us all. We existed at that time with the perception of the beauty and reality of the earth directly, by existing in the immediate moment in time, in an utterly discontinuous present, ever now. When we existed in the eternal, the timeless consciousness of earth itself was immediately present in our perception.

Every one of us has a birthright to find out who s/he is. To strip culturally imposed roles and to allow us to unveil our own mystery. It is therefore imperative that the archetypes represented in myth should not be adopted as yet another rule to follow. Each archetype limits, points the finger to the core of our own unique nature, which is waiting to sing the chorus of its own song and to freely express the love that we are.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Be Beautiful For Your Wedding

Newly engaged? Have you started planning your wedding? Too nervous? You should start planning for the big day soon. Have you started your beauty preparations yet?

There are a number of steps to take. Decide how you want your hair and makeup to look. You may want your bridesmaids' styles all the same. You can hire a beauty consultant or schedule salon appointments for everyone yourself. Make your appointments in advance, especially if you are using a small hair salon, since booking may be limited.

In addition to hair styling, you may want to get your nails manicured and your makeup professionally done. You can have your makeup applied right after your hair is styled. Your manicure can be scheduled the week of the wedding and touch ups can be done on the wedding day as needed.

To make sure everything goes as planned, make some emergency preparations for your wedding day. The unexpected may include a torn dress, a makeup smudge or stain, lots of perspiration, or a hairstyle that goes limp. You should have an emergency beauty bag on hand during your wedding, the maid of honor can come up with such a bag, nonetheless, make sure one is on hand.

Make sure your emergency beauty bag includes makeup, nail color, nail glue, deodorant, hand lotion, hairspray, hairbrush, hair pins, sewing kit, safety pins, crazy glue, stain remover stick, Tums, mints, hair iron, camera, scissors, rubber bands, shoe polish, band aids, tampons/pads, and anything else you can think of. Having an emergency beauty bag will make things run smoother and reduce stress. Hopefully you won't need these things, just be prepared.

There are many plans and arrangements to make. Knowing you're going to be beautiful will make the other arrangements come easier. Don't forget the obvious things such as: making a guest list, finding a place for your reception, hiring a band or disc jockey (DJ) for entertainment, catering or prepping food and drink (will there be an open bar?), photography, and a beautifully over the top magnificently huge cake.

You can hire a wedding planner, or buy a wedding planning guide that will provide a detailed checklist for your wedding plans (this will help in preparing your guest list). The main idea, is to enjoy yourself and try to keep stress levels low. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

Wedding tips.
Beauty preparation is an important part of planning a wedding. You want to look your best, right?

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Through the Garden Gate With the Ambassador of Love

When the florists fell upon the rose - men who could never have enough - they strove for size and got it, a fine specimen of a florist's rose being about as big as a moderate Savoy cabbage. They tried for strong scent and got it till a florist's rose has not unseldom a suspicion of the scent of the aforesaid cabbage - not at its best. They tried for strong colour and got it, strong and bad - like a conqueror.

But all this while they missed the very essence of the rose's being; they thought there was nothing in it but redundance and luxury; they exaggerated these into coarseness, while they threw away the exquisite subtlety of form, delicacy of texture and sweetness of colour. Indeed, the worst of this is that these sham roses are driving the real ones out of existence. If we do not look to it, our descendents will know nothing of the cabbage rose, the lovliest in form of all.

Excerpt from Hopes and Fears for Art, Delivered by William Morris to the London Institution on March 10, 1880.

The powerful aura of romance surrounding the rose eclipses all other words and ideas sitting anywhere near it. Take the word cabbage for instance. Place it before "rose" and romance deepens a hundredfold. Coleslaw and sauerkraut cease to exist.

The result of a chance meeting between an Autumn Damask and an Alba rose somewhere in the sixteenth century, the cabbage rose (Rosa Centifolia) has always been a favorite still-life subject of painters. The Victorians were mad for it, calling it the Ambassador of Love, and used it liberally not only in the garden, but on wallpaper, curtains, china and tapestries.

And today? Well, one simply couldn't pull off a cottage or shabby chic style without it.

You might expect the cabbage rose, a true heirloom in a family of plants known for their fussiness and need for attention, to be a foolhardy choice for today's busy woman. Not so! They need less tending than their modern hybrid sisters, preferring less fertilizing, spraying and pruning.

The truth is you needn't even be a gardener to grow a cabbage rose. You need only be a hopeless romantic. Cabbage roses possess an inherent beauty of form with their long arching canes and large muted pink flower heads that bow to greet the passer-by. Their fragrance, more heady than you might imagine, begs you to step closer and to stay a moment longer.

Perhaps the ultimate antique, cabbage roses have always been best propagated by cuttings. It's a distinct possibility your own cabbage rose descended from one gazed upon by a Chinese emperor, Monet or the Empress Josephine. Its ancestor might just have been the carefully tended treasure of a pioneer woman as she headed west or the flower a Civil War era woman clutched to her breast as she watched her husband ride away.

Blooming long and heavily once each year, their bloom will help mark the days of your summer - the days when you, like so many others before you, have no choice but to... dare I say it?

... No choice but to stop and smell the roses.

Thursday, March 7, 2013

The Benefits of Wearing a Mid Heel Shoe

Are you wearing fashion shoes that constantly make you feel like you are stumbling around while walking? If so, you probably aren't looking very stylish while doing so. It is time for you to find a fashion shoe that suits your foot and is comfortable, such as a stylish mid heel shoe.

Your choice of foot wear should reflect your personality but be comfortable and fashionable at the same time. After all, by wearing really high heeled shoes you might be sacrificing posture which in turn can create back problems and other health issues. Do you really want to sacrifice health for the sake of being in vogue? The steep angle at which the ultra-high heels force women to walk causes the knee to be thrust forward and walking can be very awkward and unattractive. Wearing heels that are too tall may be causing you to be ridiculed behind your back rather than being admired.

Be honest, you seldom see a woman wearing very tall high heel shoes walking comfortably. A nice mid heel fashionable shoe will work wonders for most women by allowing for better posture, a greater ease of walking and yet add to the look of greater height that many shorter ladies are trying to achieve. Shorter ladies especially can look disproportionate if wearing tall fashion shoes that add to the appearance of clumsiness while walking. If you are of short stature, consider a low heel. This will allow you the additional height you are looking for as well as better posturing. It is more comfortable for walking and is much more attractive than trying to clumsily navigate in footwear that is too tall.

There is a wide selection of ladies fashion shoes available in online shoe stores. You can check out up to date fashionable selections where you can make your online purchase of shoes and accessories. From the comfort of your home, you can view, shop and make your selection and have it delivered directly to your home. You don't want to look like a victim to the world of fashion. You want to be chic and trending. Thus the mid heel shoe can help you to achieve that look as well as being comfortable wearing those shoes. You will be making a fashion statement that people will notice.

Be sure to choose a pair of fashion shoes that will help you to walk comfortably and in a way that people will admire. Then you will appreciate the comfort and ease that fashion shoes will bring to you.

Better Fitting Footwear is your online shoe shopping site. Making it easier more convenient and faster to purchase your best friend, we all know women can't get enough shoes, it's her best friend forever.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Valentines Day and What People Buy

Most popular valentines gifts

Valentines day is a day for lovers across the globe. Unlike Mothers Day, Valentines Day is celebrated on the same day in every country, each year. 14th February is the day millions is spent on telling how much you love your partner!

How it all began...

Also known as the Feast of Saint Valentine and is observed on 14th February each year. This day started as a celebration of a Christian saint named Valentinus. History has it that he was imprisoned for marrying soldiers who were forbidden from getting married and also for ministering to Christians. However, during his time in prison he apparently healed his jailers daughter and before his execution he wrote a letter to his jailers daughter as "a farewell from your valentine"

Problems around the world... Love is NOT all around!

Its not all love and romance! In Saudi Arabia for example in 2002 and 2011 their religious police banned the sale of Valentines Day cards and gifts. Shopkeepers were basically told to remove any red items! The reason for this was it was considered a Christian holiday. This created a black market for cards and gifts!

In Iran Valentines Day is seen in a poor light as many say it is opposed to Islamic culture.

In Pakistan The Jamaat-e-Islami tried to ban Valentines Day, although it is a widely celebrated day across this country.

Most popular gifts:

According to recent research the most popular Valentines gifts are:

1. Jewelry - The most popular is jewelry on our list. Not surprising when you think the number of people getting engaged on this day. However, it is not just engagement rings, which are popular. Also other jewelry such as pearls are popular jewelry to give on Valentines Day.

2. Chocolate - How many times have you seen chocolate hearts and teddy bears? Chocolate is a very close second to jewelry. Many see chocolate as an aphrodisiac and so goes hand in hand on Valentines Day.

3. Evening out - Not a gift in tangible terms but is still third on our list. We assume that people spending money on an evening out will do this as opposed to buying other gifts, but not including a Valentines Day card.

4. Clothing - We assume this will include underwear, which tends to be a popular gift from men to women - especially younger lovers!

5. Gift Cards - A bit of a random surprise. However, gift cards are fifth on our list and are clearly popular. Gift cards are often safe purchases, as people can select what to buy, whether it is jewelry, clothes or something totally different.

The top five list was from US News.com who conducted a pole to find out the most popular valentines gifts.

What did I buy?

I bought my wife a set of pearl earring last valentines day... She loves pearls and I am not very good at buying jewelry so I thought it would be a safe option. It is amazing, as I did not know how many colours of pearls there are available, although my wife assures me I made the right choice on colour, which is always good!

Monday, March 4, 2013

Anti Wrinkle Creams, What To Choose And Why

Humankind has always embarked upon improving the existing living conditions. Be it survival, search for food and shelter or even the quest for the riches that world has to offer, we have always been trying to understand and find solutions for the obstacles posed by nature. And this tendency did not change much, when it comes to the subject of beauty. Humans are blessed with one of the most interesting and graceful physical appearances on earth and the preservation of it as is has been somewhat of a daunting and ever continuing pursuit of ours.

Aging is a natural process, the logical way that things are designed according to evolution and other designs of nature. Every living organism is prone to aging and the resultant processes as are humans. While aging brings upon the person a certain kind of wisdom and contentment through experience that is only gained by living through various stages of life it also brings with it - the dreaded wrinkles. While natural aging process and resultant wrinkles and other skin changes are inevitable, our current living conditions and lifestyle have accelerated these processes, necessitating the need for preventive measures to be taken before the problem hits such as the use of Anti wrinkle creams.

Aging of skin has taken up a pace of its own. As recent studies have been indicating, skin mishaps such as dark circles and wrinkles around eyes, hyper pigmentation and blemishes such as age spots and other markings are a direct result of various stress factors in our immediate living environment. The reasons range from exposure to the plethora of pollutants in our modern day world and reduced protection from the UV rays in the sun and extended exposure as such, to the sun, not to mention mental stress and habits such as smoking.

Wrinkles appear in the skin due to the fact that after a certain age, we do not produce enough amounts of collagen, which is the protein that attributes elasticity to our skin. The variations in collagen production and changes in moisture retention capacities of the skin (moisture is a very important factor in retaining both temporary and long term suppleness and beauty of skin) and other damaging effects on skin are starting very early now, as early as mid to late twenties. The reasons range from birth control medication, hormones and even genetics. How do we prevent these unwanted blemishes on our skin and keep it healthy and young looking longer?

Studies are showing that anti wrinkle creams are rather effective in preserving the suppleness of skin, preventing the formation of new wrinkles, while smoothing down the old ones. However, the anti wrinkle creams that are all natural and preservative free are obviously a better bet, since chemical based anti wrinkle creams might offer great temporary solutions, but what can they do in the long term, not to mention various possible side effects? Hence while choosing an aging treatment it is good to go for natural, preservative free options. In doing so, you can protect your skin without worrying about future side effects, not to mention preventing any new problems that might be caused by the chemical aging treatment itself!

Ageless Derma was inspired by nature. Its products contain many botanical ingredients, enhanced by the knowledge and innovation of its expert researchers. At the heart of this anti aging range are high concentration stem cells, peptides and antioxidants that have been drawn from nature to provide flawless skin without resorting to invasive or painful delivery techniques.

Ageless Derma mineral makeup is free from all oils and parabens, this soft makeup provides natural protection to skin, keeping it looking and feeling great, day or night. It contains Vitamin A, E and green tea extract.

Ageless Derma Stem Cell and Peptide Anti Wrinkle Cream is the company's premier product, using unique technologies and revolutionize anti aging skin care, Ageless Derma Stem Cell and Peptide Anti Wrinkle Cream eliminates the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improves the firmness and elasticity of skin, removes crow's feet and re-energizes skin for a smoother, firmer and younger look.

Ageless Derma Skin brightening Cream scientifically formulated to lighten discolorations in the skin, such as freckles, age and sun spots, It contains effective ingredients in high concentration such as Alpha arbutin, Niacinamide, BioWhite, Belides, Liposome and licorice.

Ageless Derma Eye Cream is a powerful new anti aging treatment that helps to prevent and reverse the signs of aging. Its unique formula combines Retinol, the purest form of Vitamin A, with Vitamins C, E and K to soften the appearance of dark circles, smooth fine lines and wrinkles and improve skin texture around the delicate eye area.

As natural Anti wrinkle creams contain sensitive ingredients that can be damaged by contact with air and sunlight, Ageless Derma has developed an airless pump to package its products. This process ensures that all of these innovative ingredients remain potent and active, without resorting to the use of harmful preservatives found in other anti aging ranges.