Have you ever noticed how you look or grab for something to fill the space anytime you have to wait? Have you ever been waiting - for someone else - at home - or in an office - and not reached for something to do? Allowing the space for empty-time, with nothing to do - gives you the opportunity to use waiting time to explore what is - what is happening around you and within you, with gentle, open, curiosity - not judging, not criticizing - just noticing, just breathing. Noticing thought, … [Read more...]

As a professional animal communicator, I am privy to a plethora of information, opinions, complaints, musings and commentaries from a wide variety of animal companions including dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, birds, fish, iguanas, hedgehogs, chinchillas, etc. You get the picture! Interestingly enough I have found the animals themselves to be the best providers of information concerning their needs, both physical and emotional. Therefore, I have chosen to interview some of my animal clients and … [Read more...]

Editor's note: An excerpt from the new book, Mark's Power Peek 2007 (Hay House)With the exception of the luminaries (the Sun and the Moon), all planets go into what's called a "retrograde phase" at some point. Some of them go retrograde every year, while others may only do so every few years. Retrograde means that from the Earth's viewpoint, the planet in question visually appears to pause and then begins to move backward through its normal path across the sky. Of course the planets … [Read more...]

How do you bond with your dog? Unless your answer is "I don't have a dog!" I bet you are thinking of things like playing ball or Frisbee, going for long walks in the park, wrestling, a bike ride together or maybe even something like Agility or Flyball. These are all great activities, but injuries, behavior challenges or simply age can limit them. Sometimes pet owners don't realize there are quiet ways to have quality time with your furry or feathered or finned loved one. Getting … [Read more...]

The Definitive Book of Body Language, by Allan and Barbara Pease (Bantam Dell, New York, NY, 2004) $23.Celebrating a Texas Longhorn football victory while in Italy can get you arrested. Blowing your nose in front of a Japanese client can cost you the deal. Reading a man's feelings is as easy as watching the direction he blows his cigarette smoke. Body language reveals a person's feelings and attitude while conversational words convey mere information. Therefore, learning to read gestures … [Read more...]

Giving and receiving is one of the greatest pleasures in life. It makes us feel good to give to others, knowing that it helped them to grow. It makes one feel wonderful to feel they have given to themselves and have grown and developed inner strength from it. To give to others, we must ask ourselves, "Where is our heart?" Some people give and sacrifice all their energy to others until they have no energy of their own remaining. Many people give totally based on the pleasure they … [Read more...]

U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Rose in 2005U.S. greenhouse gas emissions rose from 2004 to 2005, increasing by 0.8 percent, according to the annual national greenhouse gas inventory issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA.Primary contributors to this increase, the EPA said, were strong economic growth in 2005, leading to increased demand for electricity and an increase in the demand for electricity due to warmer summer conditions. These factors were moderated by decreasing demand … [Read more...]

How to Know God, based on the bestselling book by Deepak Chopra, 67 minutes (Chopra Media and Frank Productions), $19.98, available now at www.chopra.com or Amazon.comIn a visually appealing documentary that blends fascinating images of the cosmos with macro and microscopic reflections on human existence, How to Know God explores humankind's search for answers about the beginning of life and the nature of the divine intelligence that created it all. Such is the breadth and scope of this video. … [Read more...]

To celebrate the start of the International Year of Tibet, the Twin Cities, home to the second-largest Tibetan immigrant population in the United States, will host both Mrs. Jetsun Pema, sister to His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, and author of Tibet: My Story, and the Gyuto Monks of Tibet, Masters of Chant and Ritual Arts for a series of historic public appearances in the Twin Cities throughout the month of May. Mrs. Pema is touring the United States to fundraise for the construction of the first … [Read more...]

Does your dog bounce off the walls when visitors arrive? Or pull your arm out of its socket on walks? Does your cat or dog have dry skin, itching, allergies and a lot of shedding? How about excessive energy, lethargy, panting, digging, chewing, biting, anxiety, hiding, throwing up, upset stomach or housebreaking issues?I used to think that pet health only had something to do with how they fared at their once-a-year vet checkups. As a local animal trainer, I've learned that it's much more than … [Read more...]

Last of a series We arrive in Bangalore, the third-largest city in India, because it is the closest major airport to Puttaparthi, the home of Sai Baba, a present-day saint with followers from every country in the world. Puttaparthi is our destination.Bangalore, in Southern India, is referred to as the Silicon Valley of India. It accounts for 35 percent of India's software exports. It also is home to prestigious colleges and research institutions, and several major industries in aerospace, … [Read more...]

I think my Italian Greyhounds eat better than I do.I had just moved back to Minneapolis in 1999 and saw an ad in the grocery store for two Italian Greyhounds (miniatures) available for adoption. I just knew they were for me! Their owner had to go to live in a hospice. They were an 11-year-old female, Molly, and her half brother, 9-year-old Derrick. They were skittish and very frightened, much like me at the time. Quickly they became my children. Within a few months, Derrick became a bit … [Read more...]