BUTTERFLIES

There are some who believe that butterlies are a symbol of the soul. They believe that through the release of butterflies, families who are suffering loss of a loved one can begin their healing process.

Other butterfly beliefs:

• The butterfly also symbolizes metamorphosis (change) and rebirth (exiting the chrysalis).
• To the Japanese, the butterfly is the emblem of womanhood because of its grace and lightness.
• Fairies are often portrayed with the wings of butterflies, as well as some medieval angels.
• The Greek goddess Psyche had the wings of a butterfly, her name meaning both soul and butterfly.
• The Aztecs believed that the butterfly was the breath of life exhaled by a dying person.
• In Europe, North America, and the Pacific it was also believed that the butterfly was the physical form of the soul.
• In Ireland it was believed that if a butterfly was seen near a corpse it meant eternal happiness for the deceased.
• To see a white butterfly brings good luck.
• In Europe it is a warning of death to see a butterfly fluttering at night.

Sources:

http://www.butterfliesandprayers.com/

http://www.sacredspiral.com/articles/ab/bttrfly.htm

EXERCISING TO KEEP FIT

This morning there was a launching ceremony for the Physical and Health Education Week for my school. Immediately after the launch, everyone took part in an aerobics session. We were led by a group of very fit lady instructors who took us through the exercise drill.

Besides eating a balanced diet and healthy food, we should also make sure that we should exercise to keep ourselves fit and healthy.

RELIEVING TENSION

I think God must be testing me these past few weeks. Like the rest of my colleagues in school, I have been very, very busy with work as there are many, many activities taking place or will be taking place soon. To top it all, my aunt's condition has become worse. Her cancer is the fourth stage and last night she went into a seizure. She is now hospitalised at the Ipoh Specialist Centre.

I am really very tensed and worried but feel very useless. At the same time, my colleagues and I are in the midst of preparing our resource centre for the judging on Monday. This is the culmination of 2 and a half years of work and means a lot to me.

Each time I am feeling like this, I would make funny faces to help ease the tension. Again my friend, Cikgu Ishak Salasa was the one who took the photographs.

When your home has a poor arrangement or certain architectural characteristics, you could find that your financial situation is a constant struggle. Particular homes lend themselves to wonderful abundance and material prosperity and yet others offer only financial trial and tribulation for their owners.
Some houses are more likely to help the occupants acquire the wealth they desire and those are the homes that have few, if any, feng shui challenges. Of course, every house has challenges, but some are more significant than others. When you look at homes that have more serious obstacles to wealth accumulation, they fall along a number of lines. If your house isn’t one of the homes listed below, then count yourself lucky! If you do have a house that has one of the following challenges then you'll be relieved to know there is a reason that money has been such a problem for you.
Houses that prevent prosperity are many, but some are more common than others. Below are several house types that stop material advancement and wealth and opportunities for their residents.The L-shaped house.This house is shaped in such a way that there will be a serious case of missing sectors. When there are missing sectors, this can severely limit the opportunities that a house receives – and consequently the money that the residents make. This is also called the “cleaver” house because the shape is that of a cleaver – which cuts off opportunities wherever the missing corners fall. Correcting the missing sectors is important. An addition to the house or completing the house symbolically with a garden, a roof, etc., will help.Emptiness house.An emptiness house falls along the lines of the cardinal directions (N,S,E,W) and subdirections (SE,NW,NE,SW). This creates a very yin house that causes health complications, money is extremely difficult to generate, growth is futile and there is an overall lack of accomplishment. In short, nothing can succeed in an emptiness house. Correcting this is important because nothing can happen in a vacuum – and that is the best definition of a yin line. Big mouth house.Unfortunately, many architects have stressed the importance of automobiles versus people. These houses have giant, oversized garages that gobble up the energy that should be going into the house. You’ll notice the garage before the front door and this limits the opportunity for energy to enter the house. A picture of this type of house is above.
When homes, which are already yin to begin with, are cut off from the flow of energy, the residents cannot create financial traction. Acquiring wealth and growing financially is a struggle. Correcting this involves creating more energy at the front door and taking the emphasis away from the garage through the use of color or other design techniques.Door and house facing differences.When the door to a house faces a different direction than the house, this can create problems generating energy and bringing chi into the house. Growth slows and the financial picture becomes a question of just trying to retain what you have. To stimulate growth and prosperity, the door should be moved. At the least, more emphasis should be placed at the door with lighting, color, and décor. If there are any large windows, these should be emphasized to allow energy to enter the house.No support house.The house that has ground that slopes away from the back of the house is in a constant state of trying to hold up financial appearances. The money seems to slip away and there is no accumulation of wealth. Lighting at the rear of the house will help to shore up the energy drain from the house.Locked or imprisoned house.The locked house is severely restricted in the ability to generate income. This is called an imprisoned house because the occupants simply have no choices in life – similar to being imprisoned. The locked house occurs at various time intervals and creates problems with conceiving children, businesses going bankrupt and an inability to maintain relationships. If you live in a house that has not been updated since the last period (1984-2003), and have had severe difficulties, you might have a P’o chun (“breaker of armies”) house. Renovation, updating or redecorating is the key to unlocking your home.
If you have a house like one of these above, take heart. If you have a house that has one -- or more -- of these problems, get to work! Most can be corrected in some manner and that's the good news. The wonderful part about feng shui is that it helps you to both diagnose the problem and helps you find the solution.
© K Weber Communications LLC 2002-2009

WEDDING CRAFT

I accompanied Kamariah to the Craft Shop to look for gift baskets for two VIPs who would be coming to our school for Prize Giving Day this Saturday. While she was busy choosing the fruit basket, I was busy looking at all the wedding craft for a Malay wedding at the shop. They were so pretty and dainty. The Chinese have different types of wedding craft and the main colour is Red for good luck and auspice.

TIRED OUT

After a hard day at work, we will be tired and need to rest. Sometimes, I am so tired that I fall asleep on the computer table. Well I am not alone judging by the photographs above and below.

ONCE UPON A TIME ...

Pierce Brosnan (59 years old now)
Clint Eastwood (79 years old)

Arnold Schwarzenegger (62 years old)

Richard Gere (now 60 years old)

Alec Baldwin (51 years old)

Russell Crowe (45 years old now)

Brendan Fraser (41 years old now)

Mickey Rourke (now 55 years)

Val Kilmer (50 years old now)

I found these pictures in one of my emails today. They show how some very famous actors looked like when they were young and how they look now.

As humans we age with time and this is something that is inevitable. For those in the limelight (especially if they were endowed with good looks and Greek God-like bodies), their appearances would be commented upon. I guess that could be the reason why quite a number of them seek the help of cosmetic surgeons to help them look good.

More importantly, with the passing of years, and with that advent of age, and the fading of good looks, we should really make sure that our souls should look good. After all when we die, that is all we are left with.

ALWAYS EAT FRUIT ON AN EMPTY STOMACH

EATING FRUIT

We all think eating fruits means just buying fruits, cutting it and just popping it into our mouths. It's not as easy as you think It's important to know how and when to eat.. What is the correct way of eating fruits? IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUITS AFTER YOUR MEALS!

FRUITS SHOULD BE EATEN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH.

If you eat fruit on an empty stomach, it will play a major role to detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities.

FRUIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD

Let's say you eat two slices of bread and then a slice of fruit.. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it is prevented from doing so.. In the meantime the whole meal rots and ferments and turns to acid.. The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil. So please eat your fruits on an empty stomach or before your meals!

You have heard people complaining - every time I eat water-melon I burp, when I eat durian (fruit from Asia with a foul smell yet delicious flavor) my stomach bloats up, when I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet etc. - actually all this will not arise if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach. The fruit mixes with the putrefying other food and produces gas and hence you will bloat! Graying hair, balding, nervous outburst, and dark circles under the eyes - all these will not happen if you take fruits on an empty stomach .

There is no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon are acidic, because all fruits become alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter. If you have mastered the correct way of eating fruits, you have the Secret of beauty, longevity, health, energy, happiness and normal weight.

When you need to drink fruit juice - drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT from the cans.. Don't even drink juice that has been heated up. Don't eat cooked fruits because you don't get the nutrients at all. You only get to taste. Cooking destroys all the vitamins .. But eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice If you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it . You can go on a 3-day fruit fast to cleanse your body. Just eat fruits and drink fruit juice throughout the 3 days and you will be surprised when your friends tell you how radiant you look!

KIWI: Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E & fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.

APPLE: An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoid which enhances the activity of vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke.

STRAWBERRY : Protective Fruit.. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals.

ORANGE: Sweetest medicine, eating 2 to 4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessens the risk of colon cancer.

WATERMELON: Coolest thirst quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene - the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are vitamin C & Potassium .

GUAVA & PAPAYA: Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene; this is good for your eyes .

Drinking Cold water after a meal = Cancer!

Can you believe this ?? For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion.. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal .

MONEY = ENERGY

Money is a form of energy. According to Feng Shui, money needs to flow through our lives and not just into it. Hoarding and scrimping would work against more money coming in. On the other hand, giving generously within ones means makes space for even greater abundance. If you don't have a lot of money to spare, then you can give generously of your time, energy, compassion and appreciation.

Source: www.fengshui3883.com

DURIAN FEST

There was a durian eating session at my school today. It was jointly organised by the Teacher's and Staff Association and also the Co-curriculum Unit. The teachers had an enjoyable time tucking into the King of Malaysian fruit. A total of 120 durians were bought at a cost of RM600.00.

Well, it is happy events like this which makes life enjoyable and worth living. For your information, I only ate one seed of durian as I have a tendency to get headaches after eating the fruit. The Chinese say this fruit is very heaty.

WAYS TO ATTRACT THE FLOW OF MONEY INTO YOUR HOME

First you need to find the financial position of the house. One method on how to locate this position is to stand at the front door facing into the house. The wealth area is located at the back of the house on the left-hand side. There is also a wealth area in each room. Locating it is similar to that of the house. One needs to stand facing in from the doorway. The corner area at the back of the room on the left-hand side is the one that you are looking for.

Now that you have identified the power position, here are some quick and easy ways to feng shui these places.

1. Clear out any rubbish from these important places - Rubbish is a sign of stagnant energy, and rubbish in your money position can clog up your cash flow. Getting rid of rubbish is one of the most powerful ways to shift the energy of your power spots into high gear.
2. Fix broken things - Anything that doesn't work as it should is a sign of something wrong in the area of your life that corresponds to that part of your space. Examine each of your money position to look for anything that needs repair. Remove broken or spoilt items from the position or fix them so that they work properly.
3. Enhance your power spots with symbols of prosperity - A bowl of coins, a lucky bamboo plant or anything that symbolises success and prosperity to you.
4. Accent your money areas with the colours green and purple - Green symbolises vitality and growth and purple is the colour of wealth.

Source: www.fengshui3883.com

CEMPEDAK

My Aunt Linda's friend gave her a cempedak fruit last Friday and she gave it to me that the fruit was a bit too strong for her. We Malaysians believe that the cempedak will give one a lot of 'wind' or gas after we eat it and hence would try to shy away from it if possible. Usually people would fry the fruit in batter before eating. However, I found out that the people from Universiti Sains Malaysia found out that this fruit has medicinal purposes.

Here is more information about the fruit.

LOCAL NAME OF FRUIT: Cempedak

Scientific name: Artocarpus champedan

Medicinal purposes:

Scientists from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) discovered that the humble cempedak (artocarpus champedan) can cure diabetes and can also control activation of cancer cells.
USM’s Technology Industry Department lecturer Dr Noor Aziah Abdul Aziz said cempedak flour contains a starch that produces propionic acid, adding that the acid causes the starch to remain indigestible, thus fermenting bacteria and weakening cancer cells. It also changes the oxidation process. She also said that the fruit also has high fibre content, contains vitamin A and minerals and is an anti-oxidant.

LUCKY CLOVERS

Just like the Wu Lou is auspicious to the orientals, the clover is seen in the same light by westerners. A long, long time ago in England, it was really rare to find a clover with four leaves. Most clovers have only three leaves. Hence if a person should accidentally find a four leaf clover, he/she would come into good fortune.

According to legend, each leaflet represents something: the first is for hope, the second is for faith, the third is for love, and the fourth is for luck.

Nowadays companies are producibng four-leaf clovers using different scientific means. I read that there are farms in the US which specialize in four-leaf clovers, producing as many as 10,000 a day (to be sealed in plastic as "lucky charms") by feeding a secret, genetically-engineered ingredient to the plants to encourage the aberration.

And do you know that people believe that a five-leaved clover is even luckier than a four-leaved one as they are less commonly found naturally than four-leaf clovers. Finding such a clover would mean extra good luck and it is supposed to be a money magnet as well. However, they, too, have been successfully cultivated. For the record, there are clovers with 21 leaves. I would really love to have a look at that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-leaf_clover