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The greedy dragon of ambition is a very special dragon; he will
always help you taking advantage of any new situation which
offers a good opportunity. This dragon would never let an
opportunity to be lost or waste, he is always attentive to them
and ready to do what it takes.

Dragons are one of the most powerful and symbolic creatures for
feng shui and oriental cultures, and there are several different
myths built around them. There is, for example, the dragon of
golden opportunities who takes care of helping business people
achieving their goals; and there is the dragon of abundance who
specializes in attracting prosperity and wealth to those who own
it.

The greedy dragon is a very special one since it helps us paying
attention to any opportunity which might appear and which we
might have left pass if it wasn’t for his help. Very often we
don’t realize of the chances which an opportunity offers until
we have actually lost it, and this is what the greedy dragon of
ambition would help us avoiding. By keeping a greedy dragon of
ambition within our home or our office, we would become much
more attentive to every new opportunity which might come to us.

Most of the times, opportunities are given only once and
randomly, and very often we don’t notice them and actually let
them pass and lose them. Therefore, it is highly important that
we are ready to spot them and take advantage of what they can
offer at the exact moment they appear and before they run away.
According to feng shui and Chinese traditions, by having a
greedy dragon of ambition we would be always attentive and ready
to spot the opportunities which might cross our way.

The greedy dragon of ambition believes he is better than
everybody else, which makes him feel self secure enough as not
to let anyone move him away from his outstanding place.
Therefore, he is always where he wishes and ready to hold every
new opportunity which might appear and which shows a potential
benefit for his owner.

Matches is now a high ended boutique with a ton of accomplishment. Nearly eighteen years and Matches Fashion have watched themselves inflate from a single designer fashion outlet to a string of clothes boutiques in gorgeous Notting Hill, lovely Richmond and Wimbledon, along with their glossy looking website now as well. Each fashion outlet has a diverse look and creativity. This has resulted in clothes boutiques which are also as contrasting and famous as their clients. The company’s philosophy places large importance on feel and creativeness.

So like various other designer fashion stores, Matches Fashion is regularly altering and introducing new fashion labels. The owners are experts at finding out the current essential items in the particular time of year and regularly hone in around the key fashion pieces from prominent fashion labels such as Freda, Alexander McQueen and the Italian Dolce & Gabbana, along with further successful designers and new up and coming ones. If you need help picking the perfect Chloe Dress let Matches Fashion help you.

Both the fashion outlets and the website have enjoyed a ton of achievement; the website is like jumping into an outstanding high end designer clothes magazine, it supplies folks the ideas they need to see the best designer clothes that might often look fabulous and feel really fantastic in. Matches Fashion is consistently covered in women’s magazines such as Glamour and The Times Magazine.

The firm’s fashion focused website offers a ton of tips to help you out. Should people cannot possibly settle on which Clu dress to wear folk should simply give Matches Talk Fashion a bell and the company will often give you all the advice you need. The boutique additionally offer a facility where people should sign up to a designer fashion advisor and the designer clothes company will send you daily advice on what the hot trends are and the the latest designer arrivals. Folk should create your own shopping wish list which means you yourself might often glimpse through next season’s catalogue and choose one’s ideal skirts, when they arrive in the clothes shop someone should contact you to let you know they have arrived.

It’s that time of year again. The Holiday Season is upon us. Which means most of us, for better or for worse, will be with our families. Being with family-though familiar-can inspire a sense of dread. As we approach Grandma’s house (or Aunt Jude’s, Dad and Mom’s, our Brother Ted’s, etc.) we roll our eyes and prepare to be treated the same way we were treated when we were the adorable 5 year old or the rebellious 16 year old. Rarely do we experience a full and welcoming embrace of our present day selves; instead, we are constantly shadowed by the memory, stories and expectations of who we once were, sometimes in stark contrast to who we’ve become or would have liked to become.

And then, as if stepping into a time warp, we regress. Every “button” and annoyance that we have had since we were born is suddenly activated and pressed. And pressed. And pressed. And pressed. Suddenly we feel powerless, angry, frustrated and even hopeless. Will this EVER change? Will “they” ever see us as we truly are? Can we possibly find a way to take our power back during the Holiday Season?

ABSOLUTELY! We can take our power back at any time. Electric Kites asserts that holiday stress is a decision - usually made by default - NOT a FACT! You have the POWER to create what you want this holiday season. A few moments of calm visualization and some decisive actions are all it takes. Doing so is a 2 Step process: Step 1: Acknowledge when and how we give our power away, and Step 2: Decide on and commit to a plan for taking it back! You can try it on now:.

Step 1 - Begin by imagining your typical holiday at this time of year (Thanksgiving, Channuka, Christmas, New Year’s Eve). Imagine who is usually around you. What are the smells? What music or noise do you hear? Really be there.

Great. Now write down your answers to the following questions:

1. What really works for you about your typical holiday?

2. What does NOT work for you about this holiday?

3. Where or HOW do you notice you give your power away?

Now imagine that this holiday season is your LAST holiday season. Consider that you have the gift of knowing that this is your last Holiday Season. In the light of the new importance of this Holiday Season, consider the questions below, and write down your answers:

1. What would you do differently? (Really look: if this was your last holiday…what would you do differently?

2. What would you say,”YES” to? (self-care, patience, more time with your grandmother, etc.)

3. Who would you say, “YES” to? (your partner, yourself, your nieces and nephews?)

4. What would you say NO to? Who would you say NO to? (Overtime? An old grudge? Your ever-negative Aunt? TV?)

5. Where would you celebrate your holiday? (At home? At Mom’s house? In Paris? In the jungle?) What place really speaks to your heart and soul?

6. What would you make certain you’d create? (Family connection? reconcilation? Moments of solitude to honor and appreciate life?)

7. What would you risk? (Would you FINALLY have that long delayed conversation with your sister? Would you risk making your friends angry by spending the holidays abroad or alone?)

8. What is the most prominent feeling you’d choose to feel? (Joy? Peace? Excitement? Solitude? Adventure?)

Great. Now imagine this NEW version of your holiday. Really feel it. What are the sounds? Smells? Tastes?

Step 2 - Given your answers to the questions in Step 1, determine what actions you might need to take to create this new holiday. Perhaps a long look at your calendar whilst sipping tea would be in order? What are you planning to do already that might jeopardize the good feeling of your NEW holiday? What is a BOLD action that would be guaranteed to shake up your holiday status quo and pull a more alive, joyful and true-to-you holiday towards you?

Good. Now, the only thing left for you to do is DECIDE and COMMIT to creating this new Holiday. Perhaps that means canceling plans, changing plans, creating plans. Maybe you’ll have to let go of some previously nursed opinions or beliefs?

Here’s to you holding on to your power, and to your Holiday Season being filled with authentic joy and surprising ease!

Amy is an International Certified Life Coach with clients in both the US and abroad and is Co-Founder of Electric Kites, Life Coaching for Companies and Individuals. She has over nine years combined professional experience as a life coach, sales executive, and teacher. She holds a BA from the University of California and earned the CPCC (Certified Professional Co-Active Coach) designation from The Coaches Training Institute.

Amy not only has a private coaching practice, but co-hosts the Electric Kites LIVE! radio show on http://www.HealthyLife.net, leads on-going Coaching Groups, creates and leads life coaching events for corporations and co-leads The ReCHARGE Workshop through-out the year in Los Angeles, the SF Bay Area and Europe. Please contact her at amy@electrickites.com or by calling 323.276.1864 and visit the Electric Kites website at http://www.ElectricKites.com

An essential oil is an aromatic liquid that is distilled from various parts of the plant. Containing the true essence of the plant, they are very concentrated and 75 to 100 times more powerful than herbs.

The purpose of the essential oil is to keep the plant healthy. They do this by protecting the plant from insects and other herbivores, from bacteria, molds, fungi, and microorganisms. They also help the plant heal inflicted wounds. These unique characteristics make them highly beneficial to mankind.

Essential oils are able to affect both the mind and body. Their ability to affect people on so many different levels is an element unmatched by other healing arts.

The healing benefits of essential oils can be received in three ways. They may be used topically by applying them directly to the skin. Some oils have a caustic effect and dilution may be necessary. They may be used internally or diffused. Essential oils should never be used in the eyes or ears as these membranes are very delicate. Whether the oil is absorbed through the skin, inhaled, or ingested, once it is in the bloodstream, it works therapeutically, regardless of how low the dose.

Here are ways to put essential oils to work for you and your family for everyday health benefits:

Increase memory and stamina: Drink a glass of water with 2-3 drops of lemon, orange, or peppermint essential oil.

Boost immune system: Apply frankincense, oregano, or thyme to the bottom of the feet (3 to 4 drops) after a shower.

Protect against fungus, bacteria, and microbes: Turn on a diffuser in your home or office, using a blend that is protective against microbes.

Eliminate stomach upset: Take a drop or two of cinnamon bark oil in warm water and drink as a tea.

Stop headaches: Rub lavender oil on the temples, top of the head, and forehead; lie down 10 minutes and inhale deeply from the oil left on your hands.

Prevent motion sickness: Sprinkle a few drops of ginger or peppermint oil on a tissue and let your sick prone child inhale it during the car ride.

Study aid: To increase concentration and focus, experiment with diffusing one of these essential oils near the study area: lemon, grapefruit, peppermint, bergamot, or pine.

Insomnia: Place two drops of lavender oil on a tissue and tuck it underneath your pillow.

Cure canker sores: Place myrrh on the canker sore for quick healing.

Colds and cough: Rub an immune system blend on the chest, back and apply to the bottom of the feet.

Essential oils are non-greasy, yet, soft and soothing. They are nature’s perfect solution for the problems that chemicals, poor nutrition, and stress have added to our lives.

The safety and life changing effects of essential oils are dependent entirely on their purity and their quality. Generally speaking, essential oils that you find in department stores, and even health food stores, are of uncertain quality and are not appropriate for ingestion or healing. For best results, only pure and natural essential oils should be used.

Experiment and find your essential oils, the ones that make a real difference in your life. The whole idea behind aromatherapy is that it should be a pleasurable experience. There should be more than one oil that you can use for a particular condition, so you should be able to find one that you like.

Faye Durham is a former chemist and clinical research associate in the pharmaceutical industry. In her current career, she is a consultant and independent distributor, specializing in nutrition and aromatherapy. She can be reached through the website: http://www.youngliving.org/fdurham

Resource: Essential Oils Integrative Medical Guide by D. Gary Young, ND, compiled by Essential Science Publishing, http://www.essentialscience.net or 1-800-336-6308.

At age 47, Martina Navratilova returned to Wimbledon and represented the United States at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

In September, seventy-three year old Ed Whitlock shattered his own world age class marathon record by completing a marathon in under 3 hours. Ed is the first 70+ human in history to attain this goal and he has done it twice!

September 26th was Jack LaLanne’s birthday. The Godfather of Fitness turned 90! Still sporting his trademark jumpsuit, LaLanne is trim and strong. He’s living proof that diet and exercise are the keys to a long, healthy life.

Why is exercise so important as we age? After 50, we begin to loose muscle mass at the rate of 6 percent every decade (about 5 pounds) and we gain 15 pounds of fat every ten years to replace it. Less muscle and more fat stores in the body, combined with inactivity and poor diet, can contribute to a wide array of degenerative conditions and disabilities, among them: osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and osteoarthritis. Researchers speculate that Alzheimer’s disease and certain cancers can also be linked to a lack of activity as we age.

The Stanford University Medical Center has conducted several long-term studies on active individuals over 50, particularly runners. They found that runners had a lower death rate and dramatically less disabilities compared to non-runners. They observed that running regularly was associated with an increase of HDL (good) cholesterol, plus a positive effect on muscle mass, as well as heart and lung health.

Other studies have concluded that regular exercise increases bone strength, controls weight gain, and keeps diabetes in check. Active seniors are better able to take care of themselves, perform common household tasks, and remain mentally sharp.

5 Parts of a Healthy-Aging Workout:

1. Endurance Exercise: running, brisk walking, biking, aerobics, tennis, (a minimum recommendation of 25-30 minutes a day)
2. Strength Training Exercise: weight lifting, uphill training (walking, running, hiking up an incline).
3. Stretching Exercise: pre- and after workout stretches retain flexibility. Try yoga and pilates.
4. Balance Exercise: use a balance ball for core exercises or stand on one foot without support.
5. Meditative Exercise: reduce stress with yoga and tai chi.

5 Keys to Exercise Success:

1. Dream big and set realistic goals. If you’re not use to exercise don’t try to run a marathon right away. Create a step-by-step plan to increase your stamina, strength and stability. Too much, too soon can end up causing injuries. Gradually work up to your dream achievement, such as participating in the Senior Olympics or climbing Pikes Peak.
2. Exercise daily. Create your own special time for exercise every day. Whether it’s a morning jog through the neighborhood, a mid-day walk with the dog or an afternoon swim at your local gym, daily exercise is much more effective at reaping healthy benefits than the “weekend warrior” approach. Exports recommend 25-30 minutes of moderate to strenuous exercise every day just to maintain your current weight. If you are trying to loose weight, extend your workout time to 60 minutes.
3. Be aware of your body. If you feel soreness or a slight achy feeling in your muscles, that’s OK. Your body is responding to a good workout. Use ice therapy to ease small aches and pains, and to reduce inflammation. A few 20-minute sessions with a cold pack and you should be ready for your next daily workout. Never use heat on stressed or strained muscles, as it will increase pain and swelling, slowing recovery time. Heat is appropriate to relax tight muscles. If you experience serious problems such as extreme pain, fainting, numbness in arms or legs, or chest pain, seek medical attention immediately.
4. Stay well hydrated. Always a consideration for any athlete, dehydration can pose a serious problem in older athletes as aging bodies contain less body water. Sweating and exposure to heat can easily deplete the body of fluids. Drink plenty of liquids before, during and after your workout.
5. Be a health leader! Encourage others through example and participation. Be positive and motivated. An enthusiastic attitude is contagious! It will also keep you going running through puddles on a rainy day; surviving aching legs on a downhill descent; or arriving at the finish line of your first race!

Keep in mind the words of 90-year old Jack LaLanne, “I work at living, not dying”.

Disclaimer: This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical treatment or consultation. Always consult with your physician in the event of a serious injury.

Louise Roach is the editor of on-line health and fitness newsletter, NewsFlash*SnowPack, http://home.netcom.com/~newsflash/. She has been instrumental in the development of SnowPack, a patented cold therapy that exhibits the same qualities as ice. Her injury prevention and treatment articles have been published on numerous health and fitness websites. Louise is 47 years old, an avid hiker, exercise enthusiast and recent running convert. For more information visit: http://www.snowpackusa.com.

snowpack@ix.netcom.com

Are you a ballet dancer, thinking about taking ballet dancing to the next level?

First, let me say that I truly believe that whatever you put your mind to, and become completely focussed on that goal, you can achieve…

This article is just highlighting some of the centuries-old beliefs as to what constitutes an ideal physique for a ballet dancer…

It is well recognized that a ballet dancer MUST possess a physique that can be trained to the finest degree of coordination, combined with complete flexibility, endurance, and great strength from head to toes. In spite of this all important fact, some students train till well on into their teens before being defeated by some physical characteristic which undoubtedly existed at ten years old, but overlooked or ignored by their trainers at that time…

So what is the ideal physique, you ask?

Well, most experts agree that your body’s proportions are critical to having an ideal physique. Apart from aesthetic considerations, a well proportioned body will weather the stresses and strains of the exciting work required of it with greater ease than one in which there is some disparity in the relative length for instance, of limbs to torso, of width to length of the body, or of the relative size of shoulders to hips and so on…

Unlike the musician, the ballet dancer cannot tune their instrument by lengthening or shortening their strings, increasing or decreasing the tension until the exact pitch is achieved. In the world of ballet dancing, your body is your instrument, infinitely complicated and it becomes your servant only after many years of desperately hard training…

At best it becomes an instrument of great beauty, but it will fall short of this if it is endowed with that extra inch here or too short a length there to fall into that perfection of line and form that the art demands. In the well-informed, well-proportioned physique there is less likelihood of muscles thickening in unwanted places, and less proneness to the minor and sometimes major mishaps caused by the effort to overcome obstacles which are inherent in the build of the body…

The neck line is important, rather more on aesthetic grounds than from anatomical point of view. To conform to the ideal physique the neck should not be too square, and above all not too short; the head should not be disproportionately large nor too small…

The ideal ballet physique embodies a perfect balance between the upper and lower halves of the body. A good guide for the best proportions may be taken from ancient Greece where the length from the crown of the head to the pubic arch or fork is equal to that from the fork to the ground. Following the same pattern, the length from the fork to the lower border of the knee cap should be equal to that from the lower border of the knee cap to the ground…

According to the classical tradition, the shoulders of the man are broader than the hips, in the woman they are somewhat narrower. Here we diverge somewhat, for it has been found by experience that the ideal ballet figure is the better for some slight extra width across the shoulders, whether male or female…

Limbs are next on the list. Pretty arms and hands are naturally an asset; extra arm length or lack of it is not a really a problem, but for the lower limbs the standard of beauty is set high. The ideal leg will of course be straight and shapely, showing little or not muscular development when standing, with smooth line from the back view, and knees which do not protrude too much from the front…

There will be a straight line down the center of the thigh, through the center of the knee, down the front of the leg to about the middle of the foot. The foot will be flexible, showing at least a potential arch. With toes of medium length only and preferably with the first two or three approximating the same length…

Finally the perfect candidate will have an upright carriage and well-poised head.

Hopefully this gives you a little insight into some age-old views on the physique of ballet dancers and the art of ballet dancing.

Janet Jones writes for www.pureballet.com A comprehensive site dedicated to ballet dancers and the art of ballet. Visit www.pureballet.com today!

Add Sparkle To Space - Use Glass Railings

Glass railings with some transparency and a lot reflection from glass can create a different kind of atmosphere to a place that has been lit up brightly. If you see a Dubai gold mart for example, you will be able to see lot of glass railing in market. The well-lit mart becomes alive with reflection from gold and the use of glass everywhere, including the railings, accentuates the feeling of fun of shopping.The complete reflection from all surfaces adds to the glitter of gold there. If you use wood or any other railings there, the effect will not be as electric.

Customized Solutions - Glass Railings

Glass railings are never available as ready made material that can be cut and fitted as required. When you wish to use glass railings, the idea is to accentuate the atmosphere of the whole place and hence you may have to consider the all the factors including the lighting. The holistic approach has to be applied to the whole place rather than just fitting the glass railings.

Advantage Glass Railings - No Maintenance Absolutely

The main advantage of the glass railings is that it requires no maintenance at all. There is no requirement of polishing or the possibility of mildew formation or and degradation of quality of the installed railings. Apart from the general cleaning, the glass railing continues to look as good as new all the time. Replacements unless the glass breaks are not necessary.

Advantage 2 - Tender Handling By Customers

Because of the perception of glass as breakable material, everyone handles it carefully even when tender handling is not required. Therefore, when children try riding the railings, immediately the parents come in and prevent the children from doing so. This happens, as the glass is feared to be breakable even when it is not and this prevents any undesirable incidents in a shopping complex.

Advantage 3 - Inviting Atmosphere

The glass with its openness results in a place where the shoppers feel invited and indulge in more shopping than may be warranted by their capacity and the shop owner gets the advantage of higher turnover.

Adam Peters is a freelance author who contributes adding interesting articles to a deck and porch railings website. Adam publishes ideas for railing plans and designs at http://www.deck-porch-railings.com Reach more articles on modern glass railing designs at http://www.deck-porch-railings.com/glass-deck-railing.html