Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Lunar Eclipse
How a Lunar Eclipse Ignites Cosmic Connection
By Nancy L Ivey
Like many other people, I awoke early on the last day of January 2018 to watch the full lunar eclipse of the Super Blue Moon. The second full moon within the same month is known as a "Blue Moon." The full lunar eclipse occurs when both the moon and earth align with the sun and the earth casts its shadow across the face of the moon. During this eclipse, the moon was orbiting closest to the earth so it appeared larger and brighter than usual. We call this a Super Moon.
Venturing outside at 4am, I saw the curved shadow of the earth shading the top edge of the moon. Sitting on the picnic table in the still darkness, I watched while the earth totally eclipsed the moon by 5:30am. While driving to work half an hour later, my last glimpse of the eclipse showed an ellipse of light just glinting at the top edge of the moon as La Luna began to emerge from the shadow.
At work that day I had the best day ever. Everything was going my way as Santana would say. I was so happy all day long. Upon returning home to my front yard, the picnic table where I sat witnessing the eclipse seemed different. It was shimmering in a numinous halo of blood-blue-super moon, total eclipse energy. We did half-moon pose in our evening yoga class to commemorate the magical morning.
A few days later, while processing the experience, I remembered physicist cosmologist Brian Swimme's notion that we humans are the culmination of a billion year process of the evolving universe. In his book, The Universe is a Green Dragon Swimme forges a cosmology where humans are "a space, an opening, where the universe celebrates its existence."
Swimme knows when he looks at the night sky, that his feelings of awe and wonder for the majesty of life does not rise alone in his being, but are rather the feelings of the universe reflecting upon its own grandeur. He describes the universe as this single energetic event, that is a unified but multiform outpouring of being. We humans embody all the cosmological powers of the universe, such as gravity which we manifest as attraction and love. We are connected to everything.
"To live," he reminds us, "is to enter this beauty, surrounded by enchantment, summoned by magnificence." Great minds think alike and another principled scientist, from a different discipline, confirms Swimme's hypothesis.
Biologist E.O Wilson coined the term, "biophilia," to describe our affinity with life, or as he clarifies, "the innate tendency to focus on life and lifelike processes." Wilson argues that the freedom we humans seek is inextricably linked to the green places of the planet. He exhorts us to "explore and affiliate with life as our existence depends on this propensity, our spirit is woven from it, hope rises on its currents."
While describing how the eclipse had affected me to a nurse friend, she reminded me that the moon was closest to the earth during this event. She remembered that when she worked at the hospital they had to staff extra people in the OB clinic during a super full moon since more babies were born during these times. The moon pulls the earth's waters and we humans are composed of water too. A baby's first environment is amniotic fluid, the watery ocean within the uterine placenta where a baby develops while in the womb.
If I didn't think I was connected to the whole thing by then I was certainly more convinced now. While discussing this transformative phenomena with Dr. John Galaska, my neurofeedback practitioner in Ojai, he suggested that just like a single bad event can create a lasting change in someone, so too can a single good event, which seems to be what has happened to me.
Hindus use the term "darshan" when referring to what we might call "view." This could imply a particular philosophical perspective, but is also popularly considered as a blessing, such as when the mountain looks over the valley, bestowing darshan. Eyes painted on temple roofs are meant to convey the darshan of the temple's resident deity. This must be why I can meditate outside so much easier than indoors. I am really present in the now with no monkey mind. The darshan is flowing between me and the universe.
When I learned that yoga postures may have arisen millennia ago as a metamorphic embrace of the habitat, it changed everything for me. In honor of the recent heavenly spectacle, instead of practicing the series of postures called "suryanamaskar," (sun salutation), I'll be reviving a lesser-known practice: "salute to the moon."
Nancy Lynn Ivey, MA holds graduate degrees in religion and is a freelance journalist focused on holistic health, wellness and spirituality. She teaches yoga at California State University, Bakersfield and at her studio Yogaya in the mountains above the Kern River Valley in Central California's Kern County. As a member of the couchsurfing community she hosts travelers and pilgrims on the path and is building a gesodesic dome to house a retreat center in the beautiful fountain of youth river valley where she teaches and lives. As an Upledger certified craniosacral therapist and certified vegan chef she shares therapeutic protocols both local and online through food, newsletters, articles, classes, bodywork sessions, sound therapy, art, and theater where she invites the greater community to recharge their incarnational vehicle. To read more about her work visit her websites at http://www.nancyivey.com
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Nancy_L_Ivey/1604280
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How many seconds are there in eternity?
Eternity Is Forever
By Keith Henry III
Then the king had one more question of the child: "How many seconds are there in eternity?"
And the boy replied: "In the hinterlands of Pommerania, there is a mountain made of the hardest diamond. It's one hour deep into the earth, one hour up toward the sky, one hour long and one hour wide. To this mountain comes a little bird, once every hundred years, to sharpen its beak. And when this bird has worn away the whole mountain, the first second of eternity has passed."
Eternity is one of those words that the dictionary just cannot do justice; infinite time; duration without beginning or end. It is a concept that man has struggled with, pardon the pun, since forever. Eternity is a question that, because of our very real immortality, every man asks? Eternity is the hope that every man clings too, and yet it is not a topic that we give much thought to during our every day, ordinary lives; perhaps we should be. Even the Christians who, prior to their conversion, dealt with the question of eternity on a very intimate level rarely think about eternity. Eternity, the promise of eternal life, is the very hope that fuels the fire in the Christian heart. Many Christians and Fleshians spend their time here on earth, which is a drop in the ocean of eternity, seeking the perceived promise of financial prosperity, in search of the acceptance of this world, or on a quest to conquer some meaningless personal mountain. As the fable insinuates Eternity is Forever, should we not be preparing for eternity?
I struggled with writing this article; I kept getting off point. It was so easy to start discussing the clich� eternity topics, "Where are you spending eternity", and "Why do we waste our time building treasure here", and "You cannot take it with you", but these were not points I was trying to make. Of course the point that I want to make is not something that Christians, or Fleshians for that matter, want to think about. Read the fable above again and really think about just how long eternity is; "Eternity is Forever". As Christians it is not about where we are going to be for eternity after all a promise from God is a promise from God. If you believe and have asked Jesus Christ into your life the Bible says that you are going to Heaven and that is good enough for most Christians. What if there was more to think about? Maybe you have heard the joke about the new arrival to Hell who is asked to make the choice between three rooms; each room is filled with the various sins he committed on earth. The new arrival is asked to make a choice as to which of the three rooms he would like to spend eternity in. Are there these kind of choices in Heaven, obviously much better choices, but can our actions today determine how we spend our eternity in Heaven?
It cannot be just about getting into Heaven; the majority of the New Testament is not focused on how to get into Heaven, but rather how to prepare for Heaven. Why is it that every contributor to the New Testament speaks of a treasure in Heaven, our reward in Heaven, or winning a crown in Heaven if the prize were just about getting into Heaven? Getting into Heaven is the gift, the promise, and how incredibly wonderful that gift is; this is why I made the choice at 15 to give my life to Jesus, so that I would not have to spend a second in Hell. This is not, however, the reward, the prize, or the crown that is spoken of in scripture; I believe that these are the rooms that we will have to chose from. How we live today, how we prepare for our eternity now will determine our reward in Heaven, or, will determine what rooms we have to choose from? The Apostle Paul suggests this in 2 Corinthians 5:10 when he writes, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." Maybe it is not the choice behind door number one or door number three, but we are going to get "what is due" us (our reward) and our reward, "whether good or bad", is dependent on what we do now, "while in the body". Now think about the fable again. If "Eternity is Forever" and our reward is the opportunity to choose how we spend all of eternity; then should we not be concerned about the prize?
If we believe that the gift of eternal life is the "reward in Heaven" that is spoken of and you choose to just be a good little Christian and live a good, moral life then you shall receive your "reward". You will get into Heaven because God's Word is true, but are you really interested with spending all eternity with your hands in your pockets (if they have pockets in Heaven) or do you think you might want more? I want more. I want to be in the front row as we are gathered to worship our Father so that I can feel the warmth and brightness of His Presence on my face. I want to sit next to Jesus at dinner every night and curl up under His wings as I rest. I want to walk in the garden with my Dad every day just as He intended for us to do from the beginning (Genesis 3:8). I have the gift of eternal life, but I want the prize as well. "Eternity is Forever" so how do you want to spend eternity?
Do you understand what your calling is? I believe that my calling is to make Christians think about their Christianity. Like many others I doubted my ability to make Christians think, how could I do that when I did not know what I thought about Christianity, but when you trust in God and His will all things can happen. These articles are short, little teasers, to make you think. I have posted a much deeper, and more thorough study on this topic and others on my website [http://www.disciplemaker1.com]. Look for the heading "My Articles". My website is also my business, an online Christian bookstore, which offers even more information on this topic. Finally we can discuss this topic and others on Facebook and my Hyperspirituality Blog.
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Keith_Henry_III/442893
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The Miami Heat
The Miami Heat Turn Up the Heat to Win Another NBA Championship
By Rick Grantham
The Heat is on! The Miami Heat, that is. Though relatively new to the NBA, the Heat has already made its mark. In just two decades, the team has played in three Eastern Conference Finals, and taken home on NBA Finals trophy. The Heat has even produced one basketball Hall of Fame member, in Pat Riley. How did it all begin, and how did the Heat climb to the pinnacle of the NBA totem pole?
Once upon a time, Miami had hosted an ABA team, the Miami Floridians. In 1988, the Heat was one of four new NBA expansion teams, within two years. How did they become the Heat? Fans participated in a "name the team" contest, defeating the other finalist names, including the "Flamingo" and the "Waves." Here are some interesting facts about Miami, the city that the Heat represents:
o average annual days of sunshine: 250
o average winter temperature: 60-75° F, or 15-24° C
o average annual rainfall: 1.07 inches per week
o number of golf courses: over 1,200
o major industries: international trade, software, tourism
Though the Miami Heat finished at 15-67 during their first season (1988-1989), they earned an outstanding 61-21 record by the 1996-1997 campaign. After defeating the Orlando Magic (3-2), and the New York Knicks (4-2), they fell to the mighty Chicago Bulls in the Conference Finals (4-1).
Then in 2005 and 2006, the Miami Heat made back-to-back trips to the Eastern Conference Finals. In the 2004-2005 season, the Heat's addition of Shaquille O'Neal complemented Dwyane Wade and made them immediate contenders for an NBA championship. After racking up an impressive 59-23 regular season record, the Heat eliminated the New Jersey Nets (4-0), and the Washington Wizards (4-0). However, they lost the Conference Finals to the Detroit Pistons (4-3), in part to Wade's injury.
During the next season, the Miami Heat was on a mission. They added Gary Payton, Antoine Walkers, and Jason Williams, adding further depth to their squad. Though the team was not consistent, they ended the regular season with a 52-30 record. In the playoffs, they disposed of the Chicago Bulls (4-2), the New Jersey Nets (4-1), and the Detroit Pistons (4-2). In the NBA Finals, the Heat battled it out against the Dallas Mavericks, ultimately winning their first NBA Championship (4-2).
Throughout its history, the Miami Heat has had several key players, including:
Tim Hardaway: All-time assist leader for the Heat (1,947), and contributed to some of the Heats' greatest seasons.
Alonzo Mourning: All-time leading scorer for the Heat, and Defensive Player of the Year twice (1999, 2000)
Shaquille O'Neal: Certainly a future Hall-of-Famer, and a key player in the Heat's first NBA championship.
Glen Rice: Averaged 20 points-per-game during his last five seasons with the Heat.
Dwyane Wade: A member of NBA's All-Rookie team and Finals MVP during the 2006 series.
Though the Miami Heat is just two decades old, it has already earned an NBA Championship. Use Miami Heat merchandise to cheer on the team as it turns up the heat!
Rick Grantham is an avid sports fan. Most of Rick's articles focus on miami heat merchandise [http://www.booyahvillage.com/nba-miami-heat.html]. Many articles are related to nba fan gear [http://www.booyahvillage.com/nba.html] and other sports related topics. Rick is a contributing author to BooYah Village.
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Rick_Grantham/202034
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Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild - Time to Get Wild About Winning!
By Robert Melkonyan
The 2008-2009 Minnesota Wild forwards are Eric Belanger, Derek Boogaard, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Andrew Brunette, Cal Clutterbuck, Marian Gaborik, Colton Gillies, Mikko Koivu, Krystofer Kolanos, Antti Miettinen, Owen Nolan, Benoit Pouliot, James Shappard, Stephane Veilleux and Craig Weller. Wild defensemen players include Marc-Andre Bergeron, Brent Burns, Kurtis Foster, Kim Johnsson, Erik Reitz, Nick Schultz, John Scott, Martin Skoula and Marek Zildilicky. Goalies include Niklas Backstrom and Josh Harding. Gaborik is the only team member currently on injured reserves. So far, so good.
With the last game before break going down in the records as a loss against the Maple Leafs, the Wild will finish out January with two more games against the Oilers and the Canucks. Then it's on to February, when the Wild will host games against the Ducks, Predators, Oilers, Avalanche, Senators, Flames, Red Wings and Kings. Games on the road for the month of February will be occasions for the Wild to hit the ice as visitors against the Red Wings, Blackhawks, Flames and Oilers.
In March, the Wild will continue their away games with scheduled games against the Canucks, Sharks, Kings, Ducks, Avalanche, Stars, blues, Devils, Rangers, Islanders, Flames and Oilers. The balance of the games held in March will be at home for the Wild and against the Sharks, Avalanche, Oilers and the Canucks.
The Wild will bring the 2008-09 season to a close with home games in April against the Flames, Stars and the Predators. Away games for April will be against the Red Wings and the Blue Jackets; the latter of which will be the final game on Saturday, April 11.
Wild coaches include head coach Jaques Lemaire, assistant coach Mike Ramsey, assistant coach Mario Tremblay, assistant coach Matt Shaw, goaltending coach Bob Mason and strength and conditioning coach Kirl Olson. The training and equipment staff include head athletic therapist Don Fuller, assistant athletic trainer Travis Green, assistant athletic trainer Tom Kiff, head equipment manager Tony DaCosta, assistant equipment manager Brent Proulx and assistant equipment manager Matt Benz.
The medical staff for the Wild are lead by medical director Sheldon Burns, orthopedic surgeon Joel Boyd, oral surgeon David Hamlar, sports psychology consultant Charles Maher, nutritionist Carrie Peterson, team dentist Kyle Edlund, team dentist Mike Nanne, and team dentist Mike Pelke.
Wild players in the system include forwards Cody Almond, Robert earl, Eero Elo, Chris Hickey, Danny Irmen, Petr Kalus, Matt Kassian, Corey Locke, Bryan Lundbohm, Morten Madsen, Carson Mcmillan, Peter Olvecky, Jesse Schultz and Roman Voloshenko; defensemen Anthony Aiello, Paul Albers, Tyler Cuma, Riley Emmerson, Justin Falk, Harri Ilvonen, Sean Lorenz, Kyle Medvec, Tomas Mojzis, Maxim Noreau, Brandon Rogers, Marco Scandella and Clayton Stoner and goalies Niko Hovinen, Anton Khudobin and Nolan Schaefer.
The Wilds are currently sitting, perhaps a bit too comfortably, in ninth place in the NHL Western Conference standings with 23 wins, 20 losses and 3 OT. With a total of 49 points, the score's a far cry from the top of the Western Conference standings where San Jose is with 73 points.
If you want to enjoy and witness all the Minnesota Wild games and successes make sure to visit our site at AwesomeSeating.com where you can always find Minnesota Wild Tickets and get a piece of the action!
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Robert_Melkonyan/229925
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Risk Factors for Covid-19 Infection
Risk Factors for Covid-19 Infection
By Dr. Pran Rangan
Covid-19 is an acronym of coronavirus disease 2019. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common throughout the world. They can cause respiratory illness in people and animals. This particular one originated in China at the end of 2019 in the city of Wuhan. In the past two decades, coronavirus outbreaks have caused global concern, including one in 2003 with the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and more recently in 2012 with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).
Covid-19 is a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 that can trigger what doctors call a respiratory tract infection. It can affect the upper respiratory tract, viz. sinuses, nose, and throat or lower respiratory tract, viz. windpipe, and lungs. Severe cases can lead to serious respiratory disease, and even pneumonia.
On January 30, 2020, the WHO declared the Covid-19 outbreak a global health emergency. On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared it a global pandemic.
Risk factors -
The following are the risk factors that are likely to predispose the people to Covid-19 infection -
Age 65 years and older -
People, who are 65 years and older, are at a higher risk of Covid-19 infection due to their decreased immunity. They are more likely to have some associated co-morbidities like diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Also, the course of disease tends to be more severe in them resulting in higher mortality. However, its transmission among the elderly population can be reduced by taking appropriate preventive measures.
Chronic lung disease and asthma -
People with asthma are more likely to catch Covid-19. The hospital data shows that respiratory patients are more likely to experience severe complications. As there is still no cure for it, the best action that people can take is to protect themselves from infection. The same is the case with other chronic lung diseases.
Serious heart conditions -
Covid-19 causes direct damage to the lungs and triggers an inflammatory response, which places stress on the cardiovascular system in two ways, viz. by infecting the lungs the blood oxygen levels drop and the inflammatory effects of the virus itself cause the blood pressure to drop as well. In such cases, the heart must beat faster and harder to supply oxygen to major organs.
According to the European Society of Cardiology, individuals with heart conditions such as heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, advanced forms of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, and patients with congenital cyanotic heart disease are at the highest risk.
Severe obesity -
There are increasing number of reports that have linked obesity to more severe Covid-19 infection and death. Obesity reduces the protective cardio-respiratory reserves and weakens the immune regulation that appears likely to help the progression to critical stage of the disease.
Researchers found that among individuals with Covid-19 aged less than 60 years in New York City, those with a BMI between 30-34 Kg/m2 and greater than 35 Kg/m2 were 1.8 times and 3.6 times more likely to be admitted to critical care respectively than individuals with a BMI lesser than 30 Kg/m2.
A new study published in 2020 in Diabetes Care concluded that patients with Covid-19 are two and a half times more likely to have severe pneumonia if they are obese than if they are not. Obesity brings with itself a chronic inflammatory state. Whether obesity is an independent risk factor for susceptibility to infection requires further research.
Diabetes -
Diabetes is a risk factor for hospitalization and mortality of the Covid-19 infection. Diabetics have impaired immune response to infection concerning cytokine profile and changes in immune-responses including T-cell and macrophage activation. Poor glycemic control impairs several aspects of the immune response to viral infection and also to the potential bacterial secondary infection in the lungs. Poor glycemic control is a risk factor for Covid-19 infection and its adverse outcomes. Hence the importance of tight glycemic control in diabetics cannot be overlooked.
Chronic kidney disease -
People with chronic kidney disease are at an increased risk of the infection. People on dialysis can have weaker immune systems, making it harder to fight infections. Nonetheless, the kidney patients need to continue with their regularly scheduled dialysis treatments and to take necessary precautions as recommended by their healthcare provider.
People with a kidney transplant need to take anti-rejection medicines, also known as immunosuppressive medicines, which keep the immune system less active.
Liver disease -
All patients with liver disease are at risk of adverse outcomes from the virus. Also, some people with certain liver conditions are extremely vulnerable. They include people on immune-suppression for a liver transplant or for autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and people with liver cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy.
Immune-compromised people -
A person of any age group can become immune-compromised. The conditions that can cause a person to be immune-compromised include cancer treatment, smoking, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies, poorly controlled AIDS, and prolonged use of corticosteroids and other immune weakening medications.
There are reports that, in some Covid-19 patients, death has occurred probably due to a cytokine storm, when the immune system goes into overdrive, thereby damaging even healthy tissue that may lead to multiple organ failure, sepsis, and even death.
Conclusion -
Certain people are at high risk for a severe infection if they catch Covid-19. Everyone needs to take steps to protect themselves and others from catching or spreading it. But people belonging to a high risk category must take all the necessary precautions to protect themselves.
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Dr._Pran_Rangan/2322082
http://EzineArticles.com/?Risk-Factors-for-Covid-19-Infection&id=10315270
Coronavirus ??????
Coronavirus: All You Need to Know About Its Symptoms and Risk
By Shalini M
There is a spread of a novel coronavirus which is wreaking havoc on the city of Wuhan located in the Hubei province of China. The outbreak of the virus began early in December of 2019 and has continued to spread. The people who were the first ones to become infected were all linked to the South China Seafood Wholesale Market which has been closed ever since.
Thousands of cases have been reported by the health officials in China. There are also cases that have been identified in other countries, mostly spread by the people traveling out of China, including Chinese people or the people returning from China to their respective countries. The virus can spread from one person to another through contact or even just being in the proximity of the infected person.
Over 20 countries have reported cases, including Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, Germany, Vietnam, Australia, France, the United States, India, the UK, etc. and many other countries have set up screening centers for the people coming from China.
This is a large family of viruses that are collectively known as the coronavirus. Most of the known coronavirus symptoms only have simple effects on the people such as giving them a mild respiratory disease like the common cold, but there have been two such cases of the coronavirus that have shown massive effects on the infected which are Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) coronavirus and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus.
Symptoms:
Fever, coughing, and difficulty breathing are some of the signs and symptoms which have been observed in the people infected. Some of the patients have also reported having a sore throat. There's been some speculation about the severe disease-causing potential of the novel coronavirus although these claims are not supported with proper proof. People with chronic illnesses and aged patients might pose greater chances of having a severe disease as a result of this virus.
Risk
The people who are living or traveling around the area where the virus is prevalent are at a high risk of infection according to the WHO. Currently, the virus is only present in China and all of the non-residents of China who have been infected have traveled to China recently and have been in contact with the infected people who are from China.
So, according to WHO, the risk to the people who are not living in China is very low as long as you don't come into contact with one of the non-resident Chinese people who are infected. Also, the WHO states that simple disinfectants can easily dispose of the virus if it is present on a surface and also the survival time of the virus on any surface is pretty low.
Conclusion:
This article shares all of the symptoms to look out for if you think that you might be affected by the virus, but if you're a non-resident and have not been in contact with anyone traveling from China, you have no chance of catching the virus.
To know more about what coronavirus is, its symptoms, risk factors, how it spreads, prevention and treatment visit our site.
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Shalini_M/2609777
http://EzineArticles.com/?Coronavirus:-All-You-Need-to-Know-About-Its-Symptoms-and-Risk&id=10251941