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Spiritual health is the ultimate goal to achieve total wellness, and leads to a heightened awareness of the Divine Spirit referred to, but seldom fostered by religions. It doesn’t matter how you achieve Spiritual health. What matters is that you come to know and attune yourself to spiritual guidance in all areas of your daily life. Doing so reduces fear, anxiety, worrying and provides a greater capacity for loving oneself and others unconditionally. Spirituality helps you reconnect to your special talents and gifts so that you can fulfill your life’s purpose.

An intimate emotional connection to one’s spouse, partner, family, friends, and community provides the greatest opportunity for spiritual growth and for learning how to receive and impart unconditional love.
The four most important practices to achieve spiritual health are: Prayer, Meditation, Gratitude, Spending time in nature, including near fire and water.

Prayer: Harvard researcher and mind/body medicine expert Herbert Benson, M.D., author of The Relaxation Response, has found that regular prayer or the repetition of spiritual phrases”Shalom,” “Hail Mary,” “Amen” triggers relaxation and reduces stress.

Prayer is the most common spiritual practice. Some engage in personal conversations with God, stating their need/concern and asking for divine intervention. Others find acknowledging all one is grateful for and giving thanks for what one desires highly effective. Giving thanks for what one desires is more effective than asking for what one desires, because God knows what is needed before one needs ittherefore giving thanks acknowledges what one hasn’t experienced yet, thus drawing it toward oneself. Others walk silently in nature as prayerfulness.
Meditation: Meditation has been scientifically researched and proven to have physiological benefits. Besides its physical benefits, which include stress-relief, improved immune and cardiovascular function, relaxation, and decreased pain, the regular practice of meditation can lead to new insights about life issues (often healing past emotional trauma), heightened creativity, inspiration, greater compassion for others, and a greater connection to one’s own inner guidance.

Meditation can be done while sitting, lying, walking or jogging. Some people include singing, chanting a word or phrase that has spiritual significance. Meditation has one commonalityconscious breathing and focusing on what is transpiring in each moment, until the mind becomes empty of thoughts, judgments, and past/future concerns.

Gratitude: Dr. Robert Anderson describes gratitude as the Great Attitude. “Gratitude produces feelings of joy and self-acceptance, and is an attitude that anyone can choose, just as we can choose to see the glass half full or half empty. Being grateful for what you have, instead of worrying about what you lack, enables you to let go of negative thoughts and attitudes more easily.”

One method of cultivating feelings of gratitude is keeping a gratitude journal. Another technique is closing your eyes before bed, and recognizing everything you experiencedgive thanks for them. Every experience is an opportunity to learn. “By making gratitude a regular part of your daily experience, you set the stage for living connected to spirit. In the process, your life will be transformed into an increasingly joyous adventure,” Dr. Anderson stated.
Spend time in nature: The most visible manifestation of spirit is nature, where one fully encounters and interacts with life’s primal energiesearth, water, fire, and air.

Walking barefoot in the back yard, gardening, walking in a park, hiking, biking in the country, camping and boating are excellent ways of reconnecting with nature. Spending regular time in nature enables one to understand the rhythms of life, including ones own. Staying connected with nature wherever you live is important.

Spend time near/in water: Water’s higher concentration of negative ions contributes to feelings of well-being. Being in the ocean, lakes, rivers, or soaking in a mineral hot springs is a great way to benefit from nature’s life-enhancing energy.

Exposure to fire: A campfire or a fireplace has health benefits. Leonard Orr discovered fire cleanses the bio-energy field of negative energies, and can be a powerful aid in curing physical disease. Native Americans connect with the Great Spirit and discover their life purpose through sweat lodges heated by wood fires.

Of all nature’s elements, the closest expression of Spirit is the air. Clean, fresh air is essential to health on all levels, and practicing conscious breathing is a potent self-care method for restoring energy and creating awareness of the power of Spirit as it flows through you.

Regular exposure to these four elements helps you become more conscious how Spirit’s loving intelligence sustains the world, while more deeply recognizing your place within it.

Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD, an inspirational leader who empowers people to meet life’s challenges as an opportunity for Personal/Professional Growth and Spiritual Awakening. Author of If I’d Only KnownSexual Abuse in or out of the Family: A Guide to Prevention, speaker and seminar leader she has over twenty years experience. http://www.drdorothy.net

[tags]prayer, religion, spirit, spiritual, self-help, pray, self-esteem, meditation, stress relief, nature[/tags]

Price : $74.99

Features

• Durable 2-burner cooking stove with 20,000 total BTUs of cooking power
• Pair of 10,000 BTU burners with matchless InstaStart pushbutton ignition
• PerfectHeat technology delivers high burner efficiency and optimal product life
• PerfectFlow propane pressure control ensures consistent cooking performance
• WindBlock side panels shield burners from wind and double as trays

Product Description

Cook up a wind storm, or in one, using the Coleman Fold N Go PerfectFlow InstaStart 2-Burner Stove. The lid and two side panels offer three-way wind protection, and the PerfectFlow system controls the gas pressure, giving a consistently smooth flow. Forget about trying to light a match when the wind is blowingColeman outfitted this double-burner stove with their InstaStart push-button ignition, saving your kids from otherwise hearing you cuss like a sailor when the matches keep blowing out. The whole thing folds up into a convenient carry case when your family has had enough camp cooking and wants to head into town for the closest Denny’s.

Product Features

• Material: Aluminized steel
• Fuel Type: Propane
• Burn Time:
• Boil Time:
• Simmer: Yes
• Auto Ignition: Yes
• Windscreen: Yes
• Heat Reflector: No
• Parts Kit:
• Cleaning Tool:
• Stuff Sack: No
• Hard Case: Yes, integrated
• Size: 5.5 x 13.25 x 13.0in (14 x 33.6 x 33cm)
• Weight: 4.5lb (2041g)
• Manufacturer Warranty: 5 Years
•  

Customer Reviews

Review date : 2009-01-09
The gas camping grill/stove is very nice. The only drawback is that the wire rack tines are spaced a little too far apart. Will have to be careful if using a small pot.

Review date : 2008-12-22
I’m really happy with this stove. Sometimes you have to click the insta start a few times to get it to start but it always does. It’s nice that it runs off the small bottles of compressed gas. They last pretty well. Though if you’re going to use it a lot or if you also have a lantern that uses them, invest the 20-25 dollars in one of the couplers to refill the small bottles from a big bottle.

Review date : 2008-08-08
Coleman got it right this time. The carrying handle is substantial and stays cool. The handle also facilitates pressing the lighter button without bracing against hot metal. The curved, sealed design eliminates sharp edges, and makes cleaning easier. Spacious burners allowed us to use our 9" fry pan on a single burner, with the side wind shields up, and still have room around it (we could have used a slightly larger fry pan).

Water boiled reasonably quickly.

The piezoelectric igniter worked well. Just keep clicking it until you either see the flame (hard to do in bright light) or hear the flame.

This is our first experience with propane. PROs: Hot and clean. Unlike gasoline stoves, the propane will not dirty the bottom of your pots and pans. And you don’t have the smell and mess of gasoline stoves. CONs: Invisible flame in bright light. I cannot tell if the flame is overshooting or undershooting the bottom of the pot or pan. The flame can actually be too hot. Boil water with a full flame (I think that the right burner is a little hotter than the left). But fry pancakes on the lowest flame possible, and keep an eye on it. A higher flame can be so hot that it can discolor the metal, or reduce oil to a baked-on gum.

This stove made our recent camping trip a real pleasure.

Review date : 2008-06-02
This stove is perfect for campers. The burners are plenty hot and it is very easy to clean. Make sure you shop around, can be found MUCH cheaper in your local retail WalMart.

Review date : 2008-01-07
This is the best brand for any camping equipment and this stove is great! One touch of a button and your burner is lit. No more windy days keeping you from lighting your burner! I give it an AAA . On top of everything else, the price was great. I had been pricing these for awhile and Amazon was $20 cheaper than anyone else with free shipping on top. Great deal!! My husband had picked out an off brand at a local sporting goods store that was only $9 less than this one. The choice was simple. Buy this one, it’s worth it!

The main idea of a dating is to have a great time. Soare your dates starting to feels like an old hat? Then you definitely need some great singles dating ideas!

If that old routine of dinner & movie dates starting to be an obligation instead of fun then you need to do something different. The best part is that being different doesn’t correlate to being expensive.

So here are some great dating ideas:

Go bowling, roller blading, miniature golf, amusement parks, or free music concerts

Go hiking at the local parks, ride your bikes, snow skiing trip, water skiing, or jogging together

Go to museums, see the animals at the zoo, take the candy factory tour, or take a walk around the public gardens when the flowers and trees are blooming

Have a small party at your place and invite your close friends

Can plan onshort day trips in nearby cities, shopping together at the mall, picnic at a nice clean park, go to a sporting event (doesn’t have to be major league sports. The best games I have been to are the minor league games.)

One great singles dating idea is to seek the highest point in your city, go up the elevator and gaze at the city. (Great tip guys, if you want to make her laugh, tell her “One day, this will all be yours).

How about learning how to give a great massage and surprise your date? Learn how to make a good dinner (but first make sure you know what kinds of food the other person doesn’t like, likeduh!).

To tell you the truth, being creative and not spending a lot of money does several things. It makes the whole dating game fun and more specifically, makes you more fun to be with. It takes money out of the equation. It no longer becomes an obligation to the woman that she has to put out because you spent all this money. Or it intrigues the man and he will wonder what else do you have up your sleeves?

One of the cheapest and most fun dates I have ever had was when I had to wash my comforter at a laundry mat. The girl I was with accused me of being a ‘cheap date.’ We were just cracking up and laughing the whole time. We got a frosty cone from next door and watched the comforter go round and round in the dryer. Best date I ever had for less than ten dollars!

I am sure you can come up with something but the real deal is that the date must be interesting and different.

The last great singles dating idea is listeningreally listening. I am being absolutely serious here. When you realize that most people want what they get the least of. And what most people want is appreciation. When you are an extraordinarily good listener to someone craving for recognition, the world becomes your oyster. The other person will be so captivated by your nonverbal flattery.

Don’t believe me? Next time, try focusing on just listening what your date is talking about. Ask questions to expand what he/she is talking about. Make eye contact. Nod. Don’t cross your arms, use an open posture. It says to the other person, “Tell me more!”

You will be surprised

Have some fun.

John Garret believes that a successful man or woman gets validation from his/her life, not from relationships with other singles. And you should seek confidant people that are not needy.

http://www.moderndatingsite.com

[tags]flirting, flirting advice, flirting tips, romance, single, dating[/tags]

Price : $7.19

Features

• Fool-proof way to make sure you always have fire
• Durable Firesteel with stainless striker
• Non-slip molded handle assists in the fire hold and stability
• Can be used thousands of times
• Weighs 1.8 ounces for easy packing

Product Description

Ignition steel is a fool-proof way to make sure you always have fire. Keep it handy, you never know

Customer Reviews

Review date : 2008-11-08
The unit I received is a used one. It’s has a fairly visible dent on the rod. The package looks like openned before, and then re-sealed.

Review date : 2008-11-06
The product works great assuming you have dry tinder. There is a protective coating on the shank which prevents fires during shipping. It is easily scratched off.

Review date : 2008-10-24
I used this product to start a dozen or so campfires while the hunting season was on and it worked fine. You have to spend a little effort in getting the tinder right but after that strike it and enjoy the fire. Good choice!!!!!

Review date : 2008-10-18
In 10 years a Scout Leader (OA & Woodbadge) and as a frequent backpacker, I’ve used most strikers and find this one is a good product for the price. Size & weight are good. Spark output is adequate. Other strikers can cost twice as much but don’t produce twice the sparks.
Obviously, this product is only for emergencies, so don’t expect to light your Peak stove on a cold day or start every cooking fire with it. It’s only for when you forgot to pack enough waterproof matches. And as with all emergency equipment, practice with it at home before you need it on the trail.
Drier lint is a good tender. Hold the tip of the striker touching the tender when striking. Have coarse tender ready to add to the flame. Alcohol-soaked cotton balls (denatured alcohol, not rubbing alcohol) can also be used, but be careful.
If you keep your tender sealed in a Zip-Lock bag, you’ll never have a problem starting a fire in the wilderness with a small striker like this one.

Review date : 2008-08-28
Does what its supoposed to, throws hot sparks to light dry tinder. Good tip: us lint from your dryer as the tinder to start fires quick! I carry some with me in a small ziploc bag. Doesn’t take much per fire plus its cheaper than other "tinder" you can buy.

We typically think of New Year’s as the time to make annual resolutions and start fresh. Unfortunately, we all know that most resolutions are quickly forgotten. The good new is that “now” is always the best time to take charge of your future and create the life you want. Real success is about choosing your priorities, and then following a plan that emphasizes the things that are most important to you. With that in mind, here are 10 suggestions for creating a wonderful, productive and rewarding year for yourself (and your practice)!

1. Take time to decide what you really want this year. What would make it a great year, a fantastic year for you? Dream and scheme, and then dream bigger! And write it down, just for the fun of it.

2. Mark one day each month, just for you. Use ink, not pencil, and schedule an appointment with yourself for one full day each month. Have fun and renew yourself, just for the joy of it. Every single month. No exceptions.

3. Take more vacation that you had planned. Look at the calendar and write in a couple extra weeks off! Relax. Do things you enjoy. Go camping, rent a cabin at the beach, visit old friends, or climb a mountain. Just do it!

4. Commit to a project you’ve dreamed of but haven’t done. This is not a “should” or a “have to”. It’s an “I’ve always wanted to but never did” project. Learn to ski, write a book, visit Niagara Falls, start a business, or run for mayor. This is the time!

5. Buy four books you’ve always wanted to read, and schedule time for them. Put it in your appointment calendar as “continuing education” or “research”, and enjoy!

6. Donate time each week to a cause or group that needs your help. Mentor a child, support the Red Cross, volunteer at your house of worship. Make a difference.

7. Renew relationships with family and friends. Every week, send a note or make a call, and re-connect with the people who have helped you along the way.

8. Make a point every single day to tell someone you appreciate them, that you are grateful for their help. Practice the attitude of gratitude!

9. Raise your sites and increase your goals. Double what you expect of yourself and your world, then commit to making it happen! Expect great things.

10. Be kind to yourself and those around you. Be gentle, practice patience, expect the best and settle for nothing less.

That’s it for this week. Is it Barbra Streisand who says, “Be good to yourself, and to someone else”? Have a wonderful week!

© Copyright 2003 by Philip E. Humbert. All Rights Reserved. This article may be copied and used in your own newsletter or on your website as long as you include the following information: “Written by Dr. Philip E. Humbert, writer, speaker and success coach. Dr. Humbert has over 300 free articles, tools and resources for your success, including a great newsletter! It’s all on his website at: http://www.philiphumbert.com

[tags]goals, goal setting, life coach, life coaching[/tags]

Price : $29.99

Features

• Hard anodization process alters and hardens structure of Cookware surface making it abrasion resistant Twice as hard as stainless steel Combines the best attributes of a hard surface treatment and the even heat transfer of aluminum
• Set nets together containing: 7 fry pan with folding stay cool wire handles, 1 qt. and 1 1/2 qt. cook pots with lids and folding stay cool wire handles
• Combined with triple coat QT Quantanium non-stick interior surface this cookware makes for easy cleaning and healthy cooking

Product Description

Scouter Black Ice 5 -Pc. Cook Set. Tools of the cooking trade! Here are 3 essentials for delicious home-cooked meals. Set includes a 7 fry pan, plus 1-qt. and 1 1/2-qt. cook pots with tight-fitting lids. Each piece has folding stay cool wire handles. Overstock cooks BIG BUCKS OFF discount deal! Black ice hard anodization hardens the cookware surface, making it abrasion resistant; Twice as hard as stainless steel; Transfers heat evenly; Triple-coat QT Quantanium nonstick interior means easy cleaning. Order yours today! Scouter Black Ice 5-Pc. Cook Set

Customer Reviews

Review date : 2009-01-12
Purchased as a Christmas present but ended up keeping it. Have not had the opportunity to use them yet but it appears to be good quality. Handy handles for easy transport to and from. Size of the pots and pan are a bit small for any heavy duty large cooking though. Perfect for one or two people type of cooking at the most. I will use it as additional cookware. Stores neatly together with a mesh bag.

Review date : 2008-10-10
This is a great cook set for one or two people. It was plenty big enough for my wife and me on our campouts. The pots seem strong with a good non-stick finish. I don’t think the set would handle any more than two hungry campers though. I am very pleased with this set.

Review date : 2008-06-26
Worked well over gas grill and stove. Lids are excellent, and clean-up is quite easy. Use wood or non-stick utensils to they don’t scratch!
Certainly recommend.

I remember that summer when my family went on our very first camping trip up at Yellowstone River in Billings, Montana. As a kid, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Back then it seemed like a very big playground for someone as tiny as I was; staying up late each night telling wild life stories to scare the hell out of my sister, devouring as many s’mores as I can fit in my mouth at a time, the campfire sizzling right until the first light of day, and nothing else mattered. The best part of being a kid on a camping trip is that you don’t really have to worry about anything else other than yourself. Fine, that was a lie, I did worry about bears coming to eat me alive and running out of marshmallows. But as adults, it is important to know what the important things are to include in your camping and hiking gear. Most avid campers even consider camping as a sport so it would be considered some sort of irreverence to get yourself out there without the bare necessities.

There is a certain freedom that you can feel when you’re one with nature but once you’re out there, you also have to be prepared for anything. Bringing camping essentials will make sure that you and your family get to enjoy every minute but more importantly, they could just make the great unknown a little more safe. And the first item on the survivor list of a camping neophyte should be a nice sturdy tent. The Pinnacle Pass 3XTA Tent is a free-standing, 2-pole, rectangular dome that has two side openings that bring comfort and ease to first time and seasonal campers. This three-to-four person tent has also other features that may come in handy at some point, including an auxiliary vent on the side, interior storage pockets, with ring and pin/pole pocket assembly. It retails for around $170 but you could buy it at a slightly lower price on www.camping4less.com. If you prefer literally sleeping under the stars, then a sleeping bag ought to do the trick. For only $60.95 you can play connect-the-dots in the sky with your camping companions in a sleek Canyon 32 Sleeping Bag that’s made of durable nylon and climate friendly DuPont Thermolite Micro filling. The same site also provides free shipping within the contiguous United States for total purchases over $75 so you’re not only saving on the items you’re buying but you’re also banking on convenience. You wouldn’t have to do anything much except type on your keyboard and whip that credit card out while you plan your trip in your head.

If you really want it to be a real camping adventure, you have to learn how to get food el natural or at least try to. Fishing is not unusual during camping trips. It actually gives families more time to bond over meals; from catching the fish, to preparing the grill, to the delicious feast itself. Get started with the Guide Gear 6′6″ Baitcasting Rod And Reel which costs only $29.97. Catch this great online offer on www.sportsmansguide.com.

If your ideal camping trip is a far cry from roughing it in the wild and doing it old school, there’s a lot of ways to enjoy the great American outdoors without having to bond with nature too much. You could go car camping, where you pitch tent right beside your car, or go out in style in an RV. Whatever approach you choose to take, you’re sure to have a blast. No matter how you end up having your ultimate camping vacation, never forget to take a first aid survival kit with you. Oral and topical Antihistamines, antibiotic creams, and even an EpiPen can be quite handy for dangerous insect bites and severe allergic reactions to other elements. It should also contain over-the-counter remedies for various common ailments and emergencies like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, immodium, and the like. Forget about your facial atomizer, your favorite blanky, portable DVD player, and designer outdoor wear but whatever you do, don’t leave your compass and bug spray; they might just save your life.

For more valuable information on discount shopping and discount travel, please visit http://www.shoppersdiscount.com

[tags]discount shopping, discount travel[/tags]

Price : $14.31

Features

• Padded shoulder straps, back panel and hipbelt
• External compression straps with buckles
• External daisy chains
• Zippered front compartment
• color: Green Camouflague, Blue, Red, Green

Product Description

This large alpine shoulder backpack is good for hiking, climbing and travel. The Padded shoulder straps, back panel and hipbelt evenly spread the weight of the load on your body and the external compression straps and buckles help keeping the load in shape. For wholesale inquiry, please CALL 1-425-898-9923, or FAX 1-425-871-2233.

Customer Reviews

Review date : 2009-01-08
I was planning to go camping in Yosemite for the weekend and needed to shop for a backpack after I found out my old mainstay had a big hole in the rough-hide leather bottom. Many thanks to Fluffy for that… Anyway, I wanted something quick and cheap when I came across these bags. Holy cow, this camping backpack is a bargain. It is HUGE and has got all the trappings of a fully spec-ed out camping backpack. There are more than enough compartments, straps, and buckles to hold just about any standard gear you’d care to take and it looks I could have catered a New year’s bash in this bag. The shoulder, hip, and belt straps are all nicely padded and adjustable. I don’t know much about the material and stuff but it came back from my trip in one piece and now I have a real backpack for my next trip. Definitely recommend it for its price.

I cut my teeth on a spincast reel. The spincast reel is closed face, resulting in trouble free casting. They are so trouble free, in fact, that I’ve often wondered why anyone would use anything else.

Then I got my first baitcasting reel.

I did not do this not knowing the consequences. I knew they were difficult to master, but I had a hunch they were worth learning. After all, how many pros do you see using closed face reels?

The great thing about a baitcasting reel is the ability to cast a country mile. Additionally, when you get that heavy weight fish on the line, this reel gives you plenty of confidence to ‘play’ the fish. No need to muscle it in, just set the drag so that the fish can pull some line out when it runs, and you will have the time of your life…

I knew that the quality of the rod was an important factor in ‘feeling’ the fish and the terrain, but I never imagined that a reel could be just as sensitive and just as important in feeling what’s going on in the invisible underworld of the prey.

Even more so, when you get the fish on, you can feel its every play. I guess one reason why I notice this, and why I like the baitcasting reel so much, is because I like to cup my hand over the reel and even dangle my finger on the outgoing line a bit to feel what’s going on.

There is more than one type of baitcasting reel; round and flat. The one I am going to discuss is flat. I’m sure you can apply any of these tips to the round one. I’m not prejudice against round, but like I said, I like to cup the reel so that I can feel every detail.

The problem with baitcasting reels is backlash, or, bird’s nest. This is a nightmare when you are first learning to use a baitcasting reel. I repeat, it’s a nightmare. It can easily resemble Phyllis Diller’s hair-do.

This is because of what makes the reel so great; virtually nothing stopping the line from coming off of the reel. The down side is, when it comes off, it comes off like nobody’s business.

The secret, or rather one of the many secrets, is thumb control. You control the output of the line with your thumb. Don’t worry, if you are determined to use this fine piece of equipment, you will eventually get a feel for it. That is, providing you don’t throw it in the garbage first.

In fact, if you are used to using another reel, don’t go fishing without it until you have the baitcaster mastered. Take it even when you do have it mastered because even the pros backlash, and if it happens when the shad are jumping and the bass are swirling, well, again, your new baitcasting reel will probably end up in the garbage. Or the lake. Broken. Into pieces. Very small pieces. And on fire. And still in a bird’s nest. An eternal bird’s nest. Just remember, I warned you. Which brings up another thought, don’t mortgage the house to buy your first baitcasting reel.

One more thing, you may not want to use a baitcasting reel when casting into heavy wind. It will backlash for even the most experienced angler. There are brakes and other features to help alleviate this, but I would recommend a spinning reel in these conditions (or closed face).

Baitcasting reels are good for most, if not all, types of fishing. I use mine with crankbaits, spinners, plastics, top waters, or whatever. I use it for bass and I love it for catfish because it is so strong.

I say, it is the ultimate reel and worth learning how to use. For more information and tips on how to use this wonderful reel, see Baitcasting Reels - Worth Learning, Pt. 2

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By >Bobby Ivie

Bobby Ivie is an avid fishman and owner of Fishing-Hunting-Camping.com. He makes the biggest part of his living on the Internet, NetBizWorkshop.net

This article may be reprinted as long as this source box is added and the source box hyperlinks are kept intact.
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[tags]baitcasting reels, bait casting reels, bass fishing, bass fishing tips[/tags]

Price : $49.97

Features

• Seven-feet by seven-feet, one-room tent sleeps three
• 52 inches of vertical space at center
• Rainfly covers door and windows, mesh vent provides increased ventilation
• Access gear or adjust ventilation with CoolAir port
• Easy-to-follow set-up instructions are sewn into the carry bag