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What to do with holiday gifts you dont want

What to do with holiday gifts you don’t want

Holidays are meant to be occasions when you trade gifts with each other, and try to show your love and affection to your near and dear ones. Holidays are one of those times that makes you relax and make you think about those who are closer to you, you do things that brings you more close to them. Trading holiday gifts is one of those steps that people indulge in making relationships work.

Still you come across circumstances, when you do not want holiday gifts accumulating inside your homes. You may not find enough space in your store house to keep those holiday gifts, or you simply don’t need them. You probably had received an identical gift which is already there at your place. Some of your holiday gifts are stuff that has no value for you, and you would be happy getting rid of it.

It is advised to keep holiday gifts, even though you may not want it. Holiday gifts are given out of great love and affection, there’s a certain sentimental value attached to each gifts bestowed. Why then would you want to throw it away? You can keep in your store cupboard and let it be there. Still if you look to get rid of those unwanted holiday gifts, there are places where your holiday gifts can find shelter.

Collect those unwanted holiday gifts and put it safely somewhere inside your homes and use it to gift others. For instance, you can change the wrap of the holiday gifts and give those gifts to someone else, perhaps, on another occasion. You save hassles of finding another gift, and you save money. You don’t need to buy gifts for somebody’s birthday, you can simply pass on the gifts that you received, to somebody else on his birthday.If you still feel you are not completely satisfied with the idea of passing your gifts to someone else, then find an orphanage that needs people like you to support their cause. Pick one of many social organizations that does work for deprived people, and tell them you want to lend a hand by supporting their organization in whatever little way they can. Pass your holiday gifts to those organizations, and they in turn will distribute your gifts among the poor.You can also join hands with a daycare centre and distribute your gifts among children, who gather for a mid-day meal.And finally, if you look to send gifts to children, who reside in underdeveloped countries, then you might well pass on your holiday gifts to “Samaritan Purse, an organization that works for the welfare of children in African and south Asian countries.

Problems Some Have with the Law of Attraction

The Law of Attraction seems so easy for some. Others try and try and have no success. They wonder why this should be true. There are some very good reasons why people have problems using the Law of Attraction.

The most obvious answer to the question of why it isn’t working is that you might be expecting to instantaneously have what you ask for. You have to realize that you are simply sending out positive energy surrounding a subject. You must trust Law of
Attraction to send it back to you in its time.

When trying to use the Law of Attraction, you may find that you are always tapping your foot and asking when it’s going to happen for you. If you do, it may mean that you are not really coming into it believing in anything. You are just testing the waters and not willing to commit to anything.

You might also be expecting the answer to your demands to come by a certain method. For example, you might ask for money. You are hoping someone will just give it to you. This may be your idea of the Law of Attraction. However, if you are alert to the universe around you, you may come across another means.

An idea might come to you that would bring you the money you desire. It might involve some work, but the end result would be the same. If your energy is positive, you will look upon this circumstance with gratitude and joy. By the Law of Attraction, this can only multiply the good in your life.

Another mistake people make in using the Law of Attraction is to put too much emphasis on the evidence they see. When they see things that seem to prove that the Law of Attraction is not working, they quit believing. They get frustrated and become a mass of negative vibrations. This will bring more of the same.

The truth is that if they really understand the Law of Attraction and the science behind it, external evidence will have little effect on them. This is because they will have total belief and trust that the Law of Attraction has been working all along. What is happening in the beginning is only a manifestation of earlier bad energy.

Their new positive, focused thoughts, without doubt, will come to fruition in the future. This is the outlook of a person who has mastered the use of the Law of Attraction. That person will believe in the outcome because he/she believes in the process.

A person might also have problems fully using the Law of Attraction because their past outlook has been so limited. They have strong emotions about things they consider too hard to conquer or too much or too big to have.

When these emotions come up, it changes the energy you are sending out. Lecturers and writers of the Law of Attraction have developed ways to release such emotions. These methods allow the person to fully use the Law of Attraction.

If you properly use the Law of Attraction, you will have what you want. It is and isn’t easy. You only need to change the way you think and feel about things. If you can come to understand the Law of Attraction fully, you can make it work for you.

How to Arrange Family Ski Vacations Like a Pro

One of the popular winter holiday vacation ideas is family ski vacations. If you love winter activities these vacations can be a lot of fun.

You can enjoy different winter activities like skiing, snowboarding, tubing and sledding if you opt for any of the ski vacations this winter during the winter holiday vacation. If you have not been much into winter activities, it is a great time to learn it as well! You can also teach these sports to your kids as they learn faster during their childhood.

Ski vacations with the family are not just limited to sports. This is a great time to enjoy the snow and have fun with your kids.

Why would you want to plan your family ski vacation during the Christmas holidays? Because, with the onset of the winter, many people experience the winter blues. The best antidote for these blues is sitting down and coming up with some great Christmas vacation ideas.

Family ski vacations during your Christmas holidays can be great therapy, and can give you the chance to recharge your batteries for the coming months ahead. Another practical reason for planning family ski trips during the Christmas holidays is that during these vacations, you get enough time off, no matter which walk of life you come from. School-going kids get a long holiday during this period. The more time you get to stay away holidaying, the fresher you will feel. Also, this will give you more time to learn and hone your skiing skills.

Planning the Ideal Family Ski Vacation

While family ski vacations may be great Christmas vacation ideas, the next thing to do after deciding to take one is to plan for it.

The first step in planning such a vacation is to identify a good ski resort in a scenic locality, a place that is child-friendly and has good accommodations. All ski resorts may not be suitable for families and skiers who are at the beginners’ level. While some resorts may have lovely accommodations, the skiing slopes may not be suitable for beginners. However, it will not be difficult for you to find such a resort, as there are plenty of resorts that are great for new skiers.

Once you have identified a few such resorts, you now need to look at which of these offers the best holiday package. Your idea behind a skiing vacation is to pack in skiing with having fun with the rest of the family as well, and the resort you choose should fulfill that objective.

If any of your family members are beginning to learn skiing, opt for a resort with all amenities for beginners. The ski resorts should have beginners slope so that learners can come back to top easily. All skiing gear such as boots, skis, etc should be available at the hotels for the beginners as well as the experts. The winter vacation resort should also be well equipped with poles and training sessions that make learning to ski an easy task for the whole family.

What Makes a Good Ski Resort?

Today, ski resorts are enormously profitable ventures. Now days, there are numerous ski resorts, all of which provide custom or specially-designed slopes and facilities for profit in their business, by providing their customers good facilities. There are numerous ski resorts offering free tickets for kids. There are other incentives as well – some offer free tickets and free lodging while buying a ticket for you.

Again, some of them have childcare facilities, also. They take special care of those children who are raw in this sport and easily get tired on the slopes.

It does not matter if you are a beginner at skiing or have brought your children for first family ski vacations , you can make your Christmas memorable, if you find a perfect ski resorts with the help of some research!

Basic vacation planning tips

Everyone loves a good vacation, whether it be it a week at home without having to think about work for any period of time or a grand trip to another part of the world. Many full-time positions offer their employees a certain number of days each year that they can take a vacation and get paid just as if they were in their office working! Their logic is that a well rested and stress free employee will be much more productive, but for us, it’s paid vacation time, and who doesn’t want that? Well, apparently some people don’t.

The Wall Street Journal recently did a study into vacation time, and they found some rather interesting facts about American’s vacation time usage. The study found that most Americans considered a long vacation to be just a mere two weeks long. To most Americans, this might seem like quite a significant amount of vacation time, but it’s nothing compared to what Europeans get. While most Americans might get two weeks annually of vacation, many Europeans get 8 weeks of vacation a year. Imagine if you could get two months off of work each year!

The survey conducted by the Wall Street Journal also found that many Americans don’t even make use of all of their vacation time. They found that one in three Americans forfeit some of their vacation days! There are a couple of reasons people don’t take all of their vacation time. Some people think that the company simply could not survive without them and that they can’t take the risk of taking a vacation. Meanwhile others believe that the company will realize that the company will go on just fine without them while they are on vacation and decided that they are not needed after their vacation is over.

Recently an executive sent an internal email to Yahoo employees urging them to take all of their vacation time. They even considered making vacation mandatory until several employees became outraged by the situation! The company then decided to make it a voluntary effort!

Other Americans are now taking what are called “working vacations.” The idea that they’ll take a laptop or a Black Berry device and do some work while they are on their trip. Why would anyone take time off of work, just to go somewhere else and work?

If you have vacation time, make the fullest use of it you can. Take a vacation to another part of the country. If you can’t afford traveling, go visit some relatives for a week, or just take a week off, relax at home, and don’t think about work during that time period. Your job will resume as normal when you get back, it’s okay to take a break every now and then.

Rejuvenate yourself With Florida Beach Vacation Rental

You need to plan a vacation at some place, where you can find real fun, frolic and a lot of excitement, where you can charge up all your exhausted spirit. A vacation becomes all the more necessary when the anxiety of work pressure tears you down. The best option can be planning a trip to Florida Beach. One more thing, you need to consider while planning a vacation is your comfort level, which depends a great deal on the type of accommodation, you are going to opt for. Well! An ultimate solution to this problem can be Florida Beach vacation rental. It is preferable because of a large number of benefits it offers.

Florida Beach vacation rental can be a home, villa, condominium or bungalow, or even a luxurious boat. This is a wonderful way to enjoy your time in the Florida Beach vacation rental. A large number of travel agencies and various Florida-based vacation rental companies offer the ease and privacy of a home, along with the option to eat out or in, as it caters a fully furnished kitchen. You can opt to relax or even to enjoy various adventurous places, as you like. There are various notable vacation spots where you can have fun with your family and friends.

Florida Beach vacation rental facilitates you with privacy; you can enjoy a personal pool. Moreover, unlike hotels you can find enough space as per your requirements. Florida Beach vacation rental is relatively cheaper option of accommodation, as compared to hotels, motels or any other accommodations and caters great comfort to you. Some of the basic lineaments of Florida Beach vacation rental are as follows:

•Affordability

•Comfort

•Parking facility

•Fully furnished kitchen

You can also opt for hotels, if you want to stay for a day or two. But, if, you are planning a vacation for a week, then Florida Beach vacation rental is the best way to enjoy the beauty of the place. Residing in hotel or motels may be quite an expensive option. Moreover, the basic problem with hotels is that these are somewhat overcrowded. If you really want to enjoy your vacation to the fullest, you should opt for Florida Beach vacation rental.

Florida Beach vacation rental facilitates you with a parking lot, where you can park your vehicle. To find the best nominal deal, you will have to put in some efforts. You can search various online sources, where you can find a large number of individuals, as well as, travel agents, offering Florida Beach vacation rental home.

Tourist Tours In Mexico

Each year, a large number of individuals, couples, and families make the decision to travel to Mexico. Most have visited Mexico before. If you are planning a Mexico vacation, and you have never been there before, you may have some concerns. You may be wondering what places are safe for you to visit.

Mexico is like all other countries. There are areas that are known as tourists attractions and then there are other areas that tourists are advised to stay away from. You can easily learn about these areas online. Researching every city and town in Mexico is a long and daunting process. To save time and a costly vacation mistake, you are encouraged to examine the benefits of taking a guided Mexico tour.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of booking a guided tour in Mexico is that you will be with a local who is familiar with the area. Guided tours are held in areas that are considered safe. In addition to showing you around certain areas of Mexico, your tour guide may be able to offer you additional travel tips and suggestions. These suggestions may help you with your vacation after your guide has ended.

If you are interested in taking a guided Mexican tour, you will have to find the tour company which you wish to do business with. There are a large nubmer of guided tour companies in the area. If you do not have a preference as to which company you would like to tour with, you may want to first search for a destination. The destination you select will be important in determining what you will learn and see while on a guided tour.

Many guided tours take place in Cooper Canyon, the Oaxaca Mountains, the Yucatan Peninsula and Baja. In Mexico, Baja is most known for its water activities. Many popular guided tours include whale watching and kayaking. Whether you set out to watch the whales or you select a kayaking tour, you are sure to see Gray whales. Many times, they will come right up to your boat, making for great pictures or video footage.

Cooper Canyon and the Oaxaca Mountains are guided tours that are ideal for those that love to hike. To participate in these tours, it is advised that you receive the proper health clearance. You tour will likely follow trails, but much of the terrain can be rough. The Yucatan Peninsula is ideal for travelers who wish to learn more about the ancient history of Mexico.

The above mentioned destinations in Mexico are just a few of the many. Guided tours are found all across Mexico. If there is particular topic or activity that interests you, you are sure to find a guided tour that will offer you excitement. Hikers often select a hiking tour, boats often opt for boat tours, and history lovers often select tours that focus on the history of Mexico.

In addition to selecting where you would like to go on a guided tour, you will also need to determine how long you would like that tour to be. In Mexico, guided tours can last as long as one day or over one week. You should easily be able to determine how long a guided tour is by looking at the price. Weeklong guided tours can cost thousands of dollars, but most of your accommodations are taken care of. Some guided tours can be considered all-inclusive vacations.

Journey Mexico, Siesta Tours, and Ufly Mexico are three of the most well-known guided tour companies in Mexico. You can examine the tours found by these three companies by visiting their online websites or by requesting free travel brochures. If you are interested in finding additional tours, your local travel agent may be able to offer you assistance.

By selecting a guided tour of Mexico, you do not always have to be looking over your shoulder. Vacationing in a safe area with an experienced tour guide is about as carefree as your Mexico vacation can get.

Holiday Business Party Invitations, Corporate Open House Invitations and Business Holiday Thank You Cards

Business Holiday Thank You Cards, Business Christmas Party Invitations & Business Holiday Open House Party Invitations

Whatever you decide, use creatively designed company cards to get your message across to your guests. The unique and custom business announcements invite the extraordinary people in your business world to a Christmas party. Select creative designs or traditional formats to create new memories or to remind people that your business has a heart. Seize the chance. It need not be a chore. Shopping online offers everything you need, quickly and efficiently. You will find service that recognizes the specific requirements of your business while allowing the personal touch of Business Holiday Thank You Cards. If you are planning a business open house, you can find the perfect personalized Corporate Christmas Party Invitations. Prepare a design of your own or let the in-house designers come up with the ideal invitation or card – guaranteed to be attractive and unforgettable.

Please consider these advantages to shopping online:

· Unique and Exclusive Invitations for All business holiday thank you cards, business Christmas party invitations and business holiday open house invitations; A Custom Design just for you with minimum order

· Lots of Sample wording, saying and verses

· Personalization of any card; select your own fonts, typestyle and ink color, and you can add a photo picture to any invitation card

· Instant Preview of your Personalized Card any number of times

· Free Proof will be submitted ONE hour after you complete your order during working hours, within unlimited revisions at no cost to you

· Free Shipping, 10 Free cards with minimum quantity purchased and Same Day Printing and Shipping

What better way to show your appreciation for everyone’s contributions than having a holiday party and sending personalized Business Holiday Christmas Invitations? Imagine the fun and the joy you can create with one simple announcement. It will liven up the office and bring the staff together. You can start your own holiday or follow an older tradition. On a more sedate level, you can mail holiday business thank you cards to everyone for their hard work or patronage. With the patented preview option, you can select just the right design, add your custom text, choose your ink color, and typestyle and then Instantly Preview your business invitations Before you buy! Receive Free shipping, 10 Free cards with a minimum quantity, same day printing and shipping and your proof within 1 hour during the business day.

Holidays are busy times for a business. Whether it is a store or shop, you find yourself preoccupied whenever festive events roll around. Everyday, there are still things you need to do to ensure your business, small or large, is ready to perform at its best. Yet, besides the daily matters and long-term plans, you need to take a time out. You should realize the importance of the holidays, when it is time to do things that not only recognize but also celebrate the many occasions that come your way. Most of all, it is a time to acknowledge the contributions of your customers and your staff. They help make your business a success.

Does your business want a certain amount of holiday thank you cards with the right wording or saying? You can easily access your needs at a competitive price by shopping online. Prepare your copy online matching it with the background, colors, placement and fonts of your choice; click on Preview and within seconds your custom business holiday invitations appear. If you are not satisfied with the unique design you see on your screen, simply go back and change it as many times as you need. You can alter anything – the format, the style, the sequence, or the overall appearance. Again, the new version of the card, announcement or invitation will appear. Still unhappy, repeat the process again and again, until the card you want appears on the screen. The dedicated staff can also provide verses or help you with the fine details that make the printed invitation cards represent your business.

Do not worry about hidden fees. The costs for your invitations are clearly shown, and there are no hidden fees. Furthermore, the price you pay is highly competitive with other online stores. You can receive 10 cards free and free shipping with a minimum quantity purchase. When you add these features to the same day printing and shipping policy, you have to admit that this is an excellent way to help you realize your next business event.

Holidays that are loved by Russian women

Russian holidays are usually divided on national, state, professional and other holidays. The national celebrations, as a rule, have some special historical meaning. State holidays are dedicated to the events that have a social-political significance, and are held traditionally. Professional and other holidays usually are celebrated by separate categories of people.

There are about nine official holidays in Russian Federation, but only three of them are really popular, widely celebrated and absolutely loved by the population. They are: the New Year, 8 March, and the holy Easter. Russian women wait and thoroughly prepare for each of these holidays, when they can give presents and receive gifts from all of the close people and friends.

The New Year is the biggest and greatest holiday for the whole post-Soviet region.
It’s considered to be one of the most bright and festive holidays of the year. People start getting ready for the celebrations at the beginning of December, while in cities bright lights and fur-trees begin to appear, creating the Christmas atmosphere and good mood. It is a time for great joy for family and friends and for discounts in shops, but yet hardly anyone thinks about its history.

The New Year holiday appeared in the ancient period. Originally, it wasn’t celebrated in December, and in different countries New Year was held in different times. But one thing all the states had in common was that almost everywhere the New Year began in spring, symbolizing the rebirth of nature. In Russia, from 10th to 15th century the New Year began on the 1st of March. Only later, in 1699, Peter the First has proclaimed that the New Year would start on 1st of January. During this time, the Russian tradition of decorating fur-trees and wishing happiness and well-being began. Nevertheless, Peter the First said that the celebrations should be without alcohol and totally dedicated to children.

The main reason for starting the new year in March was because that was how things have been done since creation. At the end of 15th century, the Orthodox Church designated the 1st of September as the new year and the last time when it was celebrated on this date was in 1698, although there still exist some places, where according to the Orthodox Church, the 1st of September is the beginning of the new year, and the 1st of January is just a civil holiday.

Peter the First’s goal in changing the date of the new year to the 1st of January was to align the Russian calendar with those of the countries in Europe. Right after the original New Year there comes another celebration for the CIS people, called the Old New Year, which takes place on night from 13th to 14th of January. Even here, in CIS, many people don’t know the real reason why they still celebrate the Old New Year. They just do it because of the tradition and because there is a common belief that on this day you’ve got to say good bye to the year that has passed, and try to remember your lucks in unlucks, preparing to live the new year that you already welcomed in the best way you can. However, the real reason why people celebrate it is because very long ago, the Orthodox Church has refused to accept the new style calendar based on Julian calendar.

Another holiday celebrated in Russia, Ukraine and all the neighbouring CIS countries is March 8th. It’s an important holiday because it is dedicated to ladies! On the Former Soviet Union territory the 8th of March is considered to be an International Women’s Day. Here, people devote this holiday to the whole female population of the world. Annually, this bright date involves everyone and keeps everybody busy in the country of Russia! On this day the Russian brides feel themselves as the queens, accepting greetings and gifts from their fathers, brothers, nephews, boyfriends and husbands. And all the men are also very happy on this day, because it’s a real chance for them to show all their care and love to ladies.

Historically, this holiday is a day of women’s solidarity in the battle for economic, social and political equal rights. The decision on annual celebration of International Women’s day in every country of the world was accepted in 1910 on the International conference of female socialists in Copenhagen. First of all, it was provided in the row of European countries in 1911 and then, in 1913 in Russia. Nevertheless, the tradition of celebrating this event was only kept in the Soviet Union and still is widely celebrated in this area.

On the 8th of March guys give flowers to all the women they know. What kind of presents they usually make depends on how much close the woman is for them. Traditionally, they give tulips for ladies, so as it symbolizes the beginning of spring, something new and vivid. When talking about their sweethearts, men try to be as much generous as possible, because every lady wants to feel herself very special on this day that is especially dedicated to her.

Another warm, bright and joyful holiday celebrated here is the Easter. This lovely and delightful holiday of the ancient religious tradition is usually held in April or May. Everybody colour eggs, bake Easter cakes and congratulate each other at this time, saying: “Christ has arisen!”. On Easter people usually visit their relatives, friends, neighbours and treat one another with beautifully painted eggs, lush baking and pastry.

An interesting “holiday fact” has been recently published by a local organization called “Freedom Foundation”. The most popular holiday in Ukraine is the New Year – 92) as by women (64, then goes Orthodox Christmas (held on the 7th of January ) – 58.

Other holidays that are also really loved here, came from the European culture – they are the Saint Valentine’s Day and Halloween. Those two are considered to be as fashionable and widely spread among the younger generations, so as entered this culture not so long ago.

A Second Home-vacation House Rental

What else can be a better solution than planning a vacation with your near and dear ones, to rejuvenate yourself? This way you can deal with your work pressures in a constructive manner. And while planning for a vacation, you should pay special emphasis to the comfort level and convenience. You may find a large number of options, regarding accommodation such as hotels, motels etc. But the best way to make the most of your vacation is vacation house rental. The vacation house rental is worldwide known for its innumerable benefits. No matter, where you decide to spent your vacations whether you are planning to visit beautiful beaches of Florida or an exquisite vacation at Santa Barbara, you can find the provision of vacation house rental at all places. Now, let us discuss in detail why you should choose for vacation house rental over any other accommodations.

While planning a vacation some of the most important features that need to be considered closely are finances, comfort, etc. And vacation house rental offers you the best deal, both in terms of rates, as well as, convenience. It can be bungalow, apartment, condos or villas. A vacation house rental is relatively cheaper, as compared to hotels, motels, or other accommodations. These are specially conceived to make you feel at home and catering you with a soothing vacation. Some other benefits of the vacation house rental are as follows:

• Inexpensive

• Privacy

• Ample space

• Additional benefits

A vacation house rental is usually situated at a near distance to most of the tourist attractions. You will be entrapped while surrounded by the surreal beauty of the place. Several vacation house rentals are situated at a waterfront location, which adds to the tranquility. It caters you with a fully furnished kitchen, so that you will not have to rush with pangs of hunger in search of a restaurant for breakfast. You can save a big sum of money and relish home made food. A vacation house rental offers you dining rooms, living rooms, terrace where you can rest and enjoy the beautiful sunset.

All in all, a vacation house rental makes you feel as if you are in your very own home. For all these comforts, you need to put in some efforts. To find the best deal and additional amenities you can search online sources. There you can find innumerable individuals, and travel agents, offering vacation house rental at nominal rates.

Beyond the Secret: Spiritual Power and the Law of Attraction

Beyond the Secret:

Spiritual Power & the Law of Attraction

By Dr. Lisa Love

Chapter One: Orient Towards Spirit

If there is one secret truly worth discovering, it is not the secret of the law of attraction. It is the secret of Spirit. True, the law of attraction can bring you whatever you want in life, but as I mentioned before, it won’t necessarily bring you what is good for you. Only Spirit understands what you really need and why you are here.

Seek to understand what Spirit wants for you in this life.

As you will discover the law of attraction can be used in healthy or unhealthy ways. A child can be attracted to a flame, but the best result is not to put her hand into the fire and get burned. Metaphorically, Spirit can be seen as a divine parent, seeking to guide you into greater wisdom and maturity. And what Spirit ultimately wants for you is simple—to be conscious of the universe.

Spirit also wants you to live an abundant life. But, let’s be clear on what spiritual abundance is and what it is not. An abundance of Spirit is an abundance of spiritual wisdom and insight. It includes an abundance of spiritual values like patience, love, compassion, maturity, respect, appreciation, intelligence, harmony, inner peace, joy, and a dedication to what is often called the good, the true, and the beautiful.

Spiritual Lessons Are Everywhere

Yes, your dharma, or spiritual purpose in life, may involve great monetary wealth. But, then again, it may not! While meditating on wealth and spirituality, I remember one particularly powerful experience. I was reflecting on the times when I had money and when I did not. At the time I was near the ocean. It had just rained, and slowly my attention was drawn to the vast expanse of water in front of me and then to a puddle by the side of the road.

Oceans and puddles. My attention went back and forth between the two. Should I damn the puddle for being so small? Wasn’t it serving a purpose? Wasn’t it helping to collect a pool of water until the sun could evaporate it? Didn’t I have multiple childhood memories of splashing about in puddles? Didn’t I remember the delight, the laughter, the squealing in joy at seeing water splash all around me as my boot stomped down into the water? Yes, puddles had brought a lot of joy into my life.

As for oceans, having grown up in the Midwest, I always found it a magical experience to head down to Florida to see the vast expanse of water before me: the waves rolling in and out, surfers riding the waves, sea creatures of all kind inhabiting a whole new universe below. Oceans were always mysterious and magical to me, not to mention healing and soothing, which was why I was standing in front of the ocean at that time.

Of course, lakes had always brought a lot of joy to me as well. There were lots of lakes in the Midwest. I loved the water. I liked both sailing and water-skiing, and swimming was always one of my favorite things. Picnics on the grass. Family outings. Those early teenage romantic rendezvous. Except for the jiggers, which could bite you, I never had a memory of a lake I didn’t thoroughly adore.

Even water in a glass has a purpose. I don’t know about you, but when I am thirsty, it is water in a glass and not water from a lake, ocean, or puddle I most want to drink. I realized that no matter what form or shape water tookit wasn’t how much water any person did or did not have. It was the function of the water and how well it was put to good use.

And, in that moment I realized that money and all of the “stuff” people acquired with it was exactly like water in this world. I came to understand that it wasn’t how much any person had or didn’t have that mattered. It was the spiritual lessons they were learning from what they possessed and how well they consciously, lovingly, and intelligently managed their possessions, and how capable they were of sticking to spiritual principles no matter how much wealth, or what kind of circumstances they faced in their lives. Perhaps this is why so many spiritual people go through both prosperous and adverse situations. Like the double dorje, they are learning to stand poised at the center of the circle, staying spiritually balanced no matter the outer circumstances of their world.

Spirit Overcomes Fear and Selfish Desire

As you’ve probably figured out by now, when I talk about using the law of attraction, I am not talking about getting a lot of stuff. Stuff may or may not make you happy, and I will go into that later in this book. It’s just that people acquire stuff as a way to avoid their ultimate fear—that stuff may really be all there is in this universe. Just like the stuff of our bodies, one day all other stuff will disappear. The only thing that will remain is Spirit, and even that is difficult for some stuff-driven people to accept and comprehend. Though I have personalized Spirit metaphorically as a divine parent, it really is the vast, all-encompassing force that pervades the universe. As my own mystical experiences have revealed to me, Spirit lives within everything. Nothing can escape it and everyone is “it” in a very fundamental way.

Understand that Spirit is infinite; forms are finite. Spirit is abundant; forms are not.

Thus, those who know Spirit intimately understand beyond a shadow of a doubt that nothing in this universe can be destroyed. Death is an illusion. Whenever anything appears to die, it simply changes shape and form. As Albert Einstein said, “Energy, cannot be created or destroyed. ” This realization radically shifts your experience of death and desire. Though The Secret also mentions this Einstein quote, the book fails to illuminate or appreciate how, when you remove the fear of death, you don’t desire things in quite the same way.

For starters, you no longer act as a human being who wants to consume everything in sight, leaving nothing of real value for your children and grandchildren in the future. You begin to understand that humans who are only focused on consumption are really like a cancer on this Earth. Just as cancer cells in your body could use the law of attraction to get what they want despite your ultimate demise; humans need to understand that if they are not careful they will use the law of attraction in a destructive manner reaping devastation on the larger world around.

Of course, even if the law of attraction is used in a selfish way, Spirit will ultimately turn it toward the good. But why make those mistakes? Why set yourself back and misuse the law of attraction instead of using it in a spiritual way?

The difficulty with the law of attraction is that it is entirely neutral. Just as The Secret shares, the law of attraction is like a genie in a bottle here to grant your every wish. Often, what you are wishing for is not what Spirit is wishing for you! Just as a child can wish to eat nothing but cookies all day long, what you wish for as an adult may or may not be good for you in the long run. And, since the law of attraction is neutral, it doesn’t care. It will give you want you want regardless.

Remember the law of attraction is neutral. Though you can use it to get whatever you wish for, it doesn’t always give you what Spirit wishes for you!

Spirit Reveals Your Ultimate Destiny

So, here’s the rub: The next time you are busy polishing that lamp so all of your wishes can come true, think twice about what you are doing because the most powerful use of the law of attraction is ultimately to attract to yourself a clear understanding of how to wish! And, one of the best wishes you can make is to gain insight into yourself and your spiritual purpose, mission, or ultimate destiny in this world.

Now, I cannot tell you what your ultimate destiny is. Though I can attempt to guide you, only Spirit knows what it is for certain. But, I believe Spirit has a fundamental purpose—to wake you up so you can realize that ultimately you are Spirit, and so is everything else around you. Call it enlightenment, self-realization, unity consciousness, oneness, or being filled with the Holy Spirit. It all leads to a quest where you understand that you are here not to consume but to contribute. You are not here simply to acquire but to give! All that you receive in life is ultimately a gift from Spirit that teaches you to be more loving and aware on this Earth. And, you might as well face it: No matter how much you use the law of attraction to wish it would not be true, your time on this Earth is finite! How you spend your time here is important. So, what on this Earth will you do?

Will you spend your time and energy only trying to obtain your material desires? Especially in the world today, it is possible to attract to yourself a lot of material goods! And, quite frankly, attracting stuff is easy. Just think of all the people you know who have knowingly or unknowingly used the law of attraction to get what they have wanted in life. They may have cars, money, a dream home, the best-looking partner or spouse, good health, and even well-dressed and educated children. On the exterior, their lives look like a dream. Yet, despite all of this, they may also remain lackluster and walk through life half-consciously. To cope, they often medicate themselves with alcohol, Prozac, illegal drugs, adrenaline-rush activities, sexual conquests, and much, much more. Sadly, despite all of their prosperity, too many people in our present society act like empty zombies. Maybe that is why our culture is so increasingly obsessed with horror movies. As a whole, we are trying to wake up to the horror of the empty lives too many people are currently living.

Attract More Spirit into Your Life

This is why it is so important to attract the things of Spirit no matter what the outer circumstances of your life. Then you will know that if you can stay connectioned with Spirit, grow in wisdom, and have a heart capable of love, you will remain in a very good mood, just like Job in the Bible who was stripped of everything and everyone he loved for a while; you will discover it ispossible to stay in touch with Spirit for better or worse, in sickness and health, till death do you part, no matter what.You will learn to remain in a state of inner joy and peace whether you take on the role of a Bill Gates or Mother Teresa. My research and life experiences have shown that me that people can accomplish this. But, I have worked hard and long to know the secret of Spirit in my life. I know this secret of Spirit really has the power to free you.

So, get busy trying to attract an understanding of the purpose Spirit has for you. But, remember that you cannot write that purpose yourself, especially if it is selfish in nature, without paying a price in the end. What does Spirit want most from you? To become conscious and to love. How do you love? By experiencing yourself as connected to everything around you, and as everything and everyone, to learn how to take better care of yourself. Despite the illusion that you are separate from other people, we are all interconnected. Similar to a hand, even though you may believe you are only a finger, you are part of a hand nevertheless. As you wake up to this fact, you realize how important it is to care about what happens to the people and the overall planet around you. This is not an easy task. To truly love, you have to understand what everything around you needs to grow and prosper. Try attracting that information to you!

Of course, learning to love everyone and everything around you may seem like an impossible task. That is why it is important to begin in small ways. If you can just learn to love and care for yourself, that alone is a huge accomplishment. If you can also learn to love, care for, and respect your family, neighbors, co-workers, and community—wow! What a wonderful world it would be if we could all do that!

So, why not begin right now to use the law of attraction to help you live a loving and spiritual life? And, don’t forget to attract to yourself an understanding of just how much you have to offer. That way you will seek to make your life more about contribution, instead of acquisition, as you live from day to day.

Therefore, use the law of attraction to benefit not only yourself, but everyone around you.

Orient toward Spirit—Key Insights

1. Seek to understand what Spirit wants for you in this life.

2. Understand that Spirit is infinite; forms are finite. Spirit is abundant; forms are not.

3. Remember the law of attraction is neutral. Though you can use it to get whatever you wish for, it doesn’t always give you what Spirit wishes for you!

4. Use the law of attraction to benefit not only yourself, but everyone around you.