After being married 25 years, one day I took a look at my wife and said,
'Honey, do you realize 25 years ago, I had a cheap apartment,
a cheap car, slept on a sofa bed and watched a 10 inch black and white TV,but I got to sleep every night with a hot 25 year old blonde.
'Now, we have a nice house, A nice car, big bed and plasma screen TV, but I'm sleeping with a 50 year old woman. It seems to me that you are not holding up your side of things.' Now my wife is a very reasonable woman.
She told me to go out and find a hot 25 year old blonde, and she would make sure that I would once again be living in a cheap apartment, driving a cheap car, and sleeping on a sofa bed... I shut up and took out the trash... Aren't women great? They really know how to solve your mid-life crisis!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Incredible India
India, the country, where culture echoes, traditions speak and diversity delights is a land of magnificent monuments and where Taj Mahal, is only one of the historical wonders. India, the land of culture and heritage.
NORTH INDIA
:: Rajasthan Tourism:: Himachal Pradesh Tourism:: Punjab Tourism:: Delhi Tourism:: Jammu & Kashmir Tourism:: Haryana Tourism :: Uttar Pradesh Tourism:: Uttaranchal Tourism
SOUTH INDIA
:: Karnataka Tourism
:: Andhra Pradesh Tourism:: Kerala Tourism:: Lakshadweep Tourism:: Tamil Nadu Tourism
WEST INDIA
:: Goa Tourism:: Gujarat Tourism:: Maharashtra Tourism
EAST INDIA
India, the country, where culture echoes, traditions speak and diversity delights is a land of magnificent monuments and where Taj Mahal, is only one of the historical wonders. India, the land of culture and heritage. Your tour to India will enable you to explore its vast dimension. Tourism in India has shown a phenomenal growth from its distant past. Today, Indian tourism offer array of tourist destination that attracts travelers from all over the world.
Golden Triangle Tours
:: Cultural Rajasthan Tour:: Golden Triangle Tour:: Classical Golden Triangle
More About Tours
India Tours
:: Wildlife Safari Tour:: Khajuraho Temple Tour
:: Assam Tourism:: Arunanchal Pradesh Tourism:: Orissa Tourism:: Jharkhand Tourism:: Tripura Tourism:: West Bengal Tourism:: Sikkim Tourism:: Bihar Tourism
CENTRAL INDIA
:: Madhya Pradesh Tourism:: Chhattisgarh Tourism
:: Rajasthan Forts Tour
More About India Tours
Rajasthan Tours
:: Forts & Palaces Tour:: Rajasthan Imperial Tour:: Discover Rajasthan
More Rajasthan Tours
North India Tours
:: North India Cultural Tour:: Golden Triangle Tour:: Extensive North India
More North India Tours
Kerala Tours
:: Kerala Vacation Tour:: Kerala Ayurveda Tour:: Keala Honeymoon Tour
More Kerala Tours
Goa Tours
:: Goa Beach Tour :: Goa With Hampi Tour
More Goa Tours
South India Tours
:: South India Cultural Tour :: South India Heritage Tour
More South India Tours
Wildlife Tours
:: Bandhavgarh Tiger Tour:: Bharatpur Bird Tour
More Wildlife Tours
RAJASTHAN TOURISM
:: Information About Rajasthan :: Rajasthan Cities :: Rajasthan Festivals :: Dances in Rajasthan :: Precious Stones in Rajasthan :: Religious Places of Rajasthan :: Handicrafts in Rajasthan
KERALA TOURISM
:: Kerala Information :: History of Kerala :: Cities of Kerala :: Monuments in Kerala :: Backwaters of Kerala :: Beaches of Kerala :: Kerala Ayurveda Vacations
GOA TOURISM
:: Goa Beaches :: Goa Cultural Heritage :: Goa Museums :: Goa Adventure :: Goa Wildlife :: Goa Places of Worship :: Churches in Goa
DELHI TOURISM
:: Delhi Information :: History of Delhi:: Delhi Attractions:: Must See in Delhi:: Monuments in Delhi :: Delhi Excursions:: Delhi Arts & Crafts
Tour Packages
India Tours
Rajasthan Tours
Golden Triangle Tours
Goa Tours
North India Tours
:: Wildlife Safari Tour :: Rajasthan Forts Tour
:: Forts & Palaces Tour :: Rajasthan Imperial Tour
:: Cultural Rajasthan Tour:: Golden Triangle Tiger Tour
:: Goa Beach Tour :: Goa Tour
:: North India Cultural Tour:: Golden Triangle Tour
Kerala Tours
South India Tours
Wildlife Tours
Norht India
South India
:: Kerala Vacations :: Kerala Ayurveda
:: Cultural Tour :: Heritage Tour
:: Corbett Jungle Tour :: Bharatpur Bird Tour
:: Rajasthan Tourism:: Punjab Tourism
:: Karnataka Tourism:: Kerala Tourism
West India
East India
Central India
:: Goa Tourism:: Gujarat Tourism
:: Assam Tourism:: Orissa Tourism
:: Madhya Pradesh Tourism:: Chhattisgarh Tourism
More About North India
More About South India
More About West India
More About East India
More About Central India
Rajasthan Tourism
Goa Tourism
Taj Mahal, Agra
Kerala Backwaters
Wildlife in India
NORTH INDIA
:: Rajasthan Tourism:: Himachal Pradesh Tourism:: Punjab Tourism:: Delhi Tourism:: Jammu & Kashmir Tourism:: Haryana Tourism :: Uttar Pradesh Tourism:: Uttaranchal Tourism
SOUTH INDIA
:: Karnataka Tourism
:: Andhra Pradesh Tourism:: Kerala Tourism:: Lakshadweep Tourism:: Tamil Nadu Tourism
WEST INDIA
:: Goa Tourism:: Gujarat Tourism:: Maharashtra Tourism
EAST INDIA
India, the country, where culture echoes, traditions speak and diversity delights is a land of magnificent monuments and where Taj Mahal, is only one of the historical wonders. India, the land of culture and heritage. Your tour to India will enable you to explore its vast dimension. Tourism in India has shown a phenomenal growth from its distant past. Today, Indian tourism offer array of tourist destination that attracts travelers from all over the world.
Golden Triangle Tours
:: Cultural Rajasthan Tour:: Golden Triangle Tour:: Classical Golden Triangle
More About Tours
India Tours
:: Wildlife Safari Tour:: Khajuraho Temple Tour
:: Assam Tourism:: Arunanchal Pradesh Tourism:: Orissa Tourism:: Jharkhand Tourism:: Tripura Tourism:: West Bengal Tourism:: Sikkim Tourism:: Bihar Tourism
CENTRAL INDIA
:: Madhya Pradesh Tourism:: Chhattisgarh Tourism
:: Rajasthan Forts Tour
More About India Tours
Rajasthan Tours
:: Forts & Palaces Tour:: Rajasthan Imperial Tour:: Discover Rajasthan
More Rajasthan Tours
North India Tours
:: North India Cultural Tour:: Golden Triangle Tour:: Extensive North India
More North India Tours
Kerala Tours
:: Kerala Vacation Tour:: Kerala Ayurveda Tour:: Keala Honeymoon Tour
More Kerala Tours
Goa Tours
:: Goa Beach Tour :: Goa With Hampi Tour
More Goa Tours
South India Tours
:: South India Cultural Tour :: South India Heritage Tour
More South India Tours
Wildlife Tours
:: Bandhavgarh Tiger Tour:: Bharatpur Bird Tour
More Wildlife Tours
RAJASTHAN TOURISM
:: Information About Rajasthan :: Rajasthan Cities :: Rajasthan Festivals :: Dances in Rajasthan :: Precious Stones in Rajasthan :: Religious Places of Rajasthan :: Handicrafts in Rajasthan
KERALA TOURISM
:: Kerala Information :: History of Kerala :: Cities of Kerala :: Monuments in Kerala :: Backwaters of Kerala :: Beaches of Kerala :: Kerala Ayurveda Vacations
GOA TOURISM
:: Goa Beaches :: Goa Cultural Heritage :: Goa Museums :: Goa Adventure :: Goa Wildlife :: Goa Places of Worship :: Churches in Goa
DELHI TOURISM
:: Delhi Information :: History of Delhi:: Delhi Attractions:: Must See in Delhi:: Monuments in Delhi :: Delhi Excursions:: Delhi Arts & Crafts
Tour Packages
India Tours
Rajasthan Tours
Golden Triangle Tours
Goa Tours
North India Tours
:: Wildlife Safari Tour :: Rajasthan Forts Tour
:: Forts & Palaces Tour :: Rajasthan Imperial Tour
:: Cultural Rajasthan Tour:: Golden Triangle Tiger Tour
:: Goa Beach Tour :: Goa Tour
:: North India Cultural Tour:: Golden Triangle Tour
Kerala Tours
South India Tours
Wildlife Tours
Norht India
South India
:: Kerala Vacations :: Kerala Ayurveda
:: Cultural Tour :: Heritage Tour
:: Corbett Jungle Tour :: Bharatpur Bird Tour
:: Rajasthan Tourism:: Punjab Tourism
:: Karnataka Tourism:: Kerala Tourism
West India
East India
Central India
:: Goa Tourism:: Gujarat Tourism
:: Assam Tourism:: Orissa Tourism
:: Madhya Pradesh Tourism:: Chhattisgarh Tourism
More About North India
More About South India
More About West India
More About East India
More About Central India
Rajasthan Tourism
Goa Tourism
Taj Mahal, Agra
Kerala Backwaters
Wildlife in India
Holiday Places
Tourist Destinations in Kerala
Kerala known as 'God's Own Country' is probably one of the greenest places you will ever see. Kerala is located on the south western tip of India with the Arabian Sea on the west and the Western Ghats towering 500 - 2700 m on the east. Kerala enjoys unique geographic features that have made it one of the most preferred tourist destinations in the world. Realizing this, the National Geographic Society declared Kerala as a Paradise destination and one of the 'must see destinations' for a complete traveler.
Why Kerala a Paradise?
Kerala has got a lot of unique reasons to be called a paradise. An equable climate, sun kissed beaches, emerald backwaters, idyllic hill stations, exotic wildlife, breathtaking waterfalls, Ayurvedic health holidays, enchanting art forms, magical festivals, historical monuments, a mouthwatering cuisine and lot more...... All this gives you a unique experience
Important Tourist Places in KeralaClick the links below to read more about the destination
• Munnar • Cochin • Kovalam • Trivandrum • Varkala
• Aleppey • Thekkady • Kumarakom • Silent Valley • Wayanad
Contact us
Click Here to Contact us for More Details on Our Tour Programs
Ebenezer Holiday Pvt. Ltd.(formerly known as Dream Holidays - Cochin)
Ground floor, Mohd.Haji Bldg, NH - 17, Near Sai Services, Edappally, Ernakulam, Kerala, India - 682024
Ph: +91 484 - 2802808, 2802809Mob: +91 9447750301, 9846057535 (24 hrs)E-Mail: dreamholidays@sify.com, royalhdy@hotmail.com
About Dream Holidays
Tourist Places in Kerala
Houseboats Kerala
Tree house Holidays
Lakshadweep Tourism
Package Tours Kerala
Hotels Kerala
What our Client Says
Contact Us
Other Great Resources
Site Map
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Our Service Highlights
• Tailor made packages• Cultural tours• Adventure tours• Religious Tours• Safaris• Rejuvenation & Ayurveda Tours• Conference and incentives• Honeymoon packages• Tree House stay• Home Stays• Houseboat Stay• All travel and Tours related services
Kerala known as 'God's Own Country' is probably one of the greenest places you will ever see. Kerala is located on the south western tip of India with the Arabian Sea on the west and the Western Ghats towering 500 - 2700 m on the east. Kerala enjoys unique geographic features that have made it one of the most preferred tourist destinations in the world. Realizing this, the National Geographic Society declared Kerala as a Paradise destination and one of the 'must see destinations' for a complete traveler.
Why Kerala a Paradise?
Kerala has got a lot of unique reasons to be called a paradise. An equable climate, sun kissed beaches, emerald backwaters, idyllic hill stations, exotic wildlife, breathtaking waterfalls, Ayurvedic health holidays, enchanting art forms, magical festivals, historical monuments, a mouthwatering cuisine and lot more...... All this gives you a unique experience
Important Tourist Places in KeralaClick the links below to read more about the destination
• Munnar • Cochin • Kovalam • Trivandrum • Varkala
• Aleppey • Thekkady • Kumarakom • Silent Valley • Wayanad
Contact us
Click Here to Contact us for More Details on Our Tour Programs
Ebenezer Holiday Pvt. Ltd.(formerly known as Dream Holidays - Cochin)
Ground floor, Mohd.Haji Bldg, NH - 17, Near Sai Services, Edappally, Ernakulam, Kerala, India - 682024
Ph: +91 484 - 2802808, 2802809Mob: +91 9447750301, 9846057535 (24 hrs)E-Mail: dreamholidays@sify.com, royalhdy@hotmail.com
About Dream Holidays
Tourist Places in Kerala
Houseboats Kerala
Tree house Holidays
Lakshadweep Tourism
Package Tours Kerala
Hotels Kerala
What our Client Says
Contact Us
Other Great Resources
Site Map
Home
Our Service Highlights
• Tailor made packages• Cultural tours• Adventure tours• Religious Tours• Safaris• Rejuvenation & Ayurveda Tours• Conference and incentives• Honeymoon packages• Tree House stay• Home Stays• Houseboat Stay• All travel and Tours related services
Self Improvement
I Think I Can. I Think I Can. Can I?
by: Michele Wahlder
I think I can. I think I can. Can I?
Your mental train ticket to self-empowerment We all find ourselves at certain points in our lives holding first class tickets to negative mental trains of thought. Michele Wahlder (MS, LPC, PCC), a two-time cancer survivor and Dallas, Texas-based Certified Life Coach and Psychotherapist, has placed thousands of people on the right track to self-empowerment via a plan she calls the 5 C Process. The journey challenges individuals to: One Clarify Current View – Where are you now- honestly? Conscious awareness of your current view is the first step in becoming the best you can be. Getting clear about how your life aligns with your values, talents and unique gifts is vital to your happiness. You need to know where you are in order to learn where you want to go. You can clarify your current view by completing a review of eight life areas. Be honest with yourself about how happy are you with your profession, finances, health and overall well-being, primary relationships, personal development, spirituality, environment, hobbies, etc. Two Connect with Your Highest Vision – Where do you want to be? Example: A client of mine, a yoga instructor, decided she was happy teaching but wanted to contribute to the world on a larger level. She wasn’t happy with the quality of the yoga clothing that was accessible to her and her fellow yogis. Her vision was to design and create fun, hip and timeless yoga clothes using eco-conscious fabrics. You have to get really clear about what you want. It is crucial that you connect to your highest vision of yourself because you can’t create it unless you are clear about what it looks like. If you don’t have a vision of where you want to go or what you want to be, you will most likely NOT get there. To quote Henrietta Klauser, “If you have a connection to what you want, take the next step and write it down.” If you don’t have any idea about what you want, or how you want to be in life to bring about greater happiness, begin looking through magazines and create a Vision Board/Collage of what attracts you. You may also want to consider getting an outside perspective from a friend or a professional coach. I take my clients through a guided imagery that gives them a glimpse of what their future could look like. There are also books that can help guide you. Just get help assessing your talents, divine gifts and abilities and then determine how you want to use them more fully in the world. We can’t help others as fully, if we are not aware of how we can best serve. So instead of thinking of it as selfish to engage in knowing yourself better, I would suggest you consider it selfish to hold back and not be the best you can be. Only in this way, can we help the world and others. Three Create Inspiring Goals – How will you get there? Example: My client created a tiered plan of what needed to happen step by step – outer goal. All of this was influenced by her inner goal of keeping a measured pace and a balanced life. Her goal was to enjoy the process. You have to create a plan and take specific actions to get you from where you are now to where you want to be. When most people write goals, they just write a list of action steps, usually external actions. I believe it is more powerful to have inner and outer goals. An outer goal is what you want. For instance, you might think, “I want a new house”. An inner goal is more focused on the how. How will a new home benefit me and my family? Will it offer more common gathering areas, a larger kitchen so that we can cook together, etc.? How can I appreciate what I have now until I get this home? How can I make this a joyful experience rather than a stressful one? If you can not be grateful for what you have now, then when you get a new home, it will only create very short-term happiness for you. Then, you will be focused on the next external illusion of happiness. For 2008, I suggest taking at least three of the life areas I mentioned earlier and jot down how you couldbenefit from living your highest vision in each area. Next, add action steps toward your desired achievements along with completion dates. Four Clear Obstacles – How will you remove obstacles in your way? We all have dreams and visions for our life, but frankly, there are many things that can get in the way. The two most common obstacles I see with my clients are: The inability to say NO— In order to bridge the gap from your current view to your highest vision, you have to make room for what “Could Be”. If your life is full and you want to add more of the things that are truly important in your life, you should start the change process by making room first. You must say no to some things in your life, so you can say yes to what is most important. You have to give up the destructive habits, behaviors and activities to make room for new ones. A metaphor would be a water hose watering a flowering plant. The water in the hose is your life force and the flowering plant is what you are trying to grow in your life. If the water hose has leaks, it will not have enough water or life force/energy to reach its desired outcome or vision (to grow the plant into full bloom). Examples of leaks might include toxic friendships, unrealistic expectations, watching too much television, eating sugar, overspending, negative relational patterns with your spouse or working on an outdated job. Example: A client’s obstacle here was that her 8- year-old daughter needed caring for and she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to be a good mother plus jumpstart a successful, new business. We remedied this issue by getting clear on the proper definition of a good mother. Also, practically speaking, she needed help picking up her daughter from school. So she got her husband to assist her in this area so she would have time to create this new business. Negative self-talk—Research shows we have approximately 50,000 internal messages we say to ourselves daily. We are constantly walking around having conversations with ourselves. And it is what we say that makes all the difference in the overall quality of our lives. Example: I was once in Starbucks, and I watched this woman spill her coffee while reaching for a sugar packet and I heard her say out loud, “I’m so stupid. I can’t believe I did that.” Now, I just happen to hear her, but this is an example of something you might say internally as well. You might think, “No big deal. I say things like this to myself all the time.” Well, IT IS A BIG DEAL as our subconscious hears these messages and acts on them as if they were real. Don’t say anything to yourself that you wouldn’t want someone else saying to you. Think of self-talk like mental fuel. Now, imagine filling your car with dirty water. We all know you wouldn’t get very far. Now, take that same car and fill it with high quality gasoline. You’ll most likely reach your destination. It is the same with people and the words we use. If the words are negative and toxic, we will sputter along with low energy and our performance suffers. If our words are positive and tender, we will feel confident, energized, encouraged and will most likely meet our goals faster and easier. Here are some key things to remember if you ever find yourself preparing to board the train of BAD self-talk: B– stands for belittling self-talk. Stop telling yourself, “I am not good enough.” If your dream is to have a healthy self-confidence, which of the following examples is more likely to get your there: A. “I’m so stupid. I can’t believe I did that.” B. “Whoops, mistakes happen.” Can you see how the Answer B is much kinder? A – stands for awfulizing. Stop predicting a future filled with gloom and doom, and dwelling on scary thoughts. If you dream of obtaining a career you love, which of the following will move you closer to your vision: A. “I did terribly on my interview, I’ll never find a job I like.” B. “I will answer that question on past employment differently next time and I will ace it! I know I will one day have the job I love.” Can you see how Answer B places you in the mindset of a successful job search? D – stands for deceiving. This is when you deceive yourself into thinking you are a victim, and that other people are to blame for your circumstances. If we want a happy relationship which will of the below responses will aid in achieving this goal: A. “If my spouse would only do more around the house, then I would be happy.” B. “I can and will choose happiness today, no matter what my spouse does.” Answer B is the right choice, wouldn’t you agree? S – stands for shoulding – This is when you give yourself a lot of shoulds, musts, and ought tos, then beat yourself up for not living up to unrealistic standards. Say your dream is to be in top physical condition, which will further that: A. “I should have eaten a salad for lunch instead of that big ol’ hamburger. I’m such a pig!” B. “I could have eaten a salad, but I chose not to. Tomorrow I will make healthier choices.” The second choice is so much more inspiring, don’t you think? Five Commit to Action – Are you willing to do what it takes? The final step of the 5 C Process is to commit to action. How many times have we all made plans and never carried them out, or started off excited and lost motivation? No one ever does anything great alone. We all need encouragement and support from others including an accountability partner who is willing to help hold the vision of the person you want to be. In the previous example of my client, her biggest negative self-talk was how to be a good mom and a good business woman. Her thoughts were, “If I don’t pick up my child every day from school, I am a bad mother.” Instead, we replaced it with, “Picking up my child from school daily is not what makes me a good mother. I am, indeed, a fabulous mother.” Here are the four action steps that have been proven to help you eliminate your negative self talk: • Become aware of your negative messages –listen to voice in head • Stop! You have to stop immediately if you find yourself dwelling on any negative thoughts • Replace negative thoughts with a kinder alternatives • Practice. It takes a commitment of time in order to turn a pattern of negative thinking into a more positive train of thought. This interview was referenced by http://www.chinika.com. To learn more about Michele’s 5 C Process and her upcoming seminars, please call 214 -823-LIFE ( 5433), or visit her Web site at http://www.michelewahlder.com Once there, you will also be able to download a free workbook containing strategies on how to obtain a positive outlook on life.
About The Author
Michele Wahlder, LPC, CLC, PCC, is a Professional Certified Life Coach and Psychotherapist, specializing in relationship enhancement, career transitions, and overall health & well-being. For more information or a complimentary 40 minute telephone consultation, please contact her at 214-823-LIFE(5433) or visit her website at http://www.michelewahlder.com.
by: Michele Wahlder
I think I can. I think I can. Can I?
Your mental train ticket to self-empowerment We all find ourselves at certain points in our lives holding first class tickets to negative mental trains of thought. Michele Wahlder (MS, LPC, PCC), a two-time cancer survivor and Dallas, Texas-based Certified Life Coach and Psychotherapist, has placed thousands of people on the right track to self-empowerment via a plan she calls the 5 C Process. The journey challenges individuals to: One Clarify Current View – Where are you now- honestly? Conscious awareness of your current view is the first step in becoming the best you can be. Getting clear about how your life aligns with your values, talents and unique gifts is vital to your happiness. You need to know where you are in order to learn where you want to go. You can clarify your current view by completing a review of eight life areas. Be honest with yourself about how happy are you with your profession, finances, health and overall well-being, primary relationships, personal development, spirituality, environment, hobbies, etc. Two Connect with Your Highest Vision – Where do you want to be? Example: A client of mine, a yoga instructor, decided she was happy teaching but wanted to contribute to the world on a larger level. She wasn’t happy with the quality of the yoga clothing that was accessible to her and her fellow yogis. Her vision was to design and create fun, hip and timeless yoga clothes using eco-conscious fabrics. You have to get really clear about what you want. It is crucial that you connect to your highest vision of yourself because you can’t create it unless you are clear about what it looks like. If you don’t have a vision of where you want to go or what you want to be, you will most likely NOT get there. To quote Henrietta Klauser, “If you have a connection to what you want, take the next step and write it down.” If you don’t have any idea about what you want, or how you want to be in life to bring about greater happiness, begin looking through magazines and create a Vision Board/Collage of what attracts you. You may also want to consider getting an outside perspective from a friend or a professional coach. I take my clients through a guided imagery that gives them a glimpse of what their future could look like. There are also books that can help guide you. Just get help assessing your talents, divine gifts and abilities and then determine how you want to use them more fully in the world. We can’t help others as fully, if we are not aware of how we can best serve. So instead of thinking of it as selfish to engage in knowing yourself better, I would suggest you consider it selfish to hold back and not be the best you can be. Only in this way, can we help the world and others. Three Create Inspiring Goals – How will you get there? Example: My client created a tiered plan of what needed to happen step by step – outer goal. All of this was influenced by her inner goal of keeping a measured pace and a balanced life. Her goal was to enjoy the process. You have to create a plan and take specific actions to get you from where you are now to where you want to be. When most people write goals, they just write a list of action steps, usually external actions. I believe it is more powerful to have inner and outer goals. An outer goal is what you want. For instance, you might think, “I want a new house”. An inner goal is more focused on the how. How will a new home benefit me and my family? Will it offer more common gathering areas, a larger kitchen so that we can cook together, etc.? How can I appreciate what I have now until I get this home? How can I make this a joyful experience rather than a stressful one? If you can not be grateful for what you have now, then when you get a new home, it will only create very short-term happiness for you. Then, you will be focused on the next external illusion of happiness. For 2008, I suggest taking at least three of the life areas I mentioned earlier and jot down how you couldbenefit from living your highest vision in each area. Next, add action steps toward your desired achievements along with completion dates. Four Clear Obstacles – How will you remove obstacles in your way? We all have dreams and visions for our life, but frankly, there are many things that can get in the way. The two most common obstacles I see with my clients are: The inability to say NO— In order to bridge the gap from your current view to your highest vision, you have to make room for what “Could Be”. If your life is full and you want to add more of the things that are truly important in your life, you should start the change process by making room first. You must say no to some things in your life, so you can say yes to what is most important. You have to give up the destructive habits, behaviors and activities to make room for new ones. A metaphor would be a water hose watering a flowering plant. The water in the hose is your life force and the flowering plant is what you are trying to grow in your life. If the water hose has leaks, it will not have enough water or life force/energy to reach its desired outcome or vision (to grow the plant into full bloom). Examples of leaks might include toxic friendships, unrealistic expectations, watching too much television, eating sugar, overspending, negative relational patterns with your spouse or working on an outdated job. Example: A client’s obstacle here was that her 8- year-old daughter needed caring for and she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to be a good mother plus jumpstart a successful, new business. We remedied this issue by getting clear on the proper definition of a good mother. Also, practically speaking, she needed help picking up her daughter from school. So she got her husband to assist her in this area so she would have time to create this new business. Negative self-talk—Research shows we have approximately 50,000 internal messages we say to ourselves daily. We are constantly walking around having conversations with ourselves. And it is what we say that makes all the difference in the overall quality of our lives. Example: I was once in Starbucks, and I watched this woman spill her coffee while reaching for a sugar packet and I heard her say out loud, “I’m so stupid. I can’t believe I did that.” Now, I just happen to hear her, but this is an example of something you might say internally as well. You might think, “No big deal. I say things like this to myself all the time.” Well, IT IS A BIG DEAL as our subconscious hears these messages and acts on them as if they were real. Don’t say anything to yourself that you wouldn’t want someone else saying to you. Think of self-talk like mental fuel. Now, imagine filling your car with dirty water. We all know you wouldn’t get very far. Now, take that same car and fill it with high quality gasoline. You’ll most likely reach your destination. It is the same with people and the words we use. If the words are negative and toxic, we will sputter along with low energy and our performance suffers. If our words are positive and tender, we will feel confident, energized, encouraged and will most likely meet our goals faster and easier. Here are some key things to remember if you ever find yourself preparing to board the train of BAD self-talk: B– stands for belittling self-talk. Stop telling yourself, “I am not good enough.” If your dream is to have a healthy self-confidence, which of the following examples is more likely to get your there: A. “I’m so stupid. I can’t believe I did that.” B. “Whoops, mistakes happen.” Can you see how the Answer B is much kinder? A – stands for awfulizing. Stop predicting a future filled with gloom and doom, and dwelling on scary thoughts. If you dream of obtaining a career you love, which of the following will move you closer to your vision: A. “I did terribly on my interview, I’ll never find a job I like.” B. “I will answer that question on past employment differently next time and I will ace it! I know I will one day have the job I love.” Can you see how Answer B places you in the mindset of a successful job search? D – stands for deceiving. This is when you deceive yourself into thinking you are a victim, and that other people are to blame for your circumstances. If we want a happy relationship which will of the below responses will aid in achieving this goal: A. “If my spouse would only do more around the house, then I would be happy.” B. “I can and will choose happiness today, no matter what my spouse does.” Answer B is the right choice, wouldn’t you agree? S – stands for shoulding – This is when you give yourself a lot of shoulds, musts, and ought tos, then beat yourself up for not living up to unrealistic standards. Say your dream is to be in top physical condition, which will further that: A. “I should have eaten a salad for lunch instead of that big ol’ hamburger. I’m such a pig!” B. “I could have eaten a salad, but I chose not to. Tomorrow I will make healthier choices.” The second choice is so much more inspiring, don’t you think? Five Commit to Action – Are you willing to do what it takes? The final step of the 5 C Process is to commit to action. How many times have we all made plans and never carried them out, or started off excited and lost motivation? No one ever does anything great alone. We all need encouragement and support from others including an accountability partner who is willing to help hold the vision of the person you want to be. In the previous example of my client, her biggest negative self-talk was how to be a good mom and a good business woman. Her thoughts were, “If I don’t pick up my child every day from school, I am a bad mother.” Instead, we replaced it with, “Picking up my child from school daily is not what makes me a good mother. I am, indeed, a fabulous mother.” Here are the four action steps that have been proven to help you eliminate your negative self talk: • Become aware of your negative messages –listen to voice in head • Stop! You have to stop immediately if you find yourself dwelling on any negative thoughts • Replace negative thoughts with a kinder alternatives • Practice. It takes a commitment of time in order to turn a pattern of negative thinking into a more positive train of thought. This interview was referenced by http://www.chinika.com. To learn more about Michele’s 5 C Process and her upcoming seminars, please call 214 -823-LIFE ( 5433), or visit her Web site at http://www.michelewahlder.com Once there, you will also be able to download a free workbook containing strategies on how to obtain a positive outlook on life.
About The Author
Michele Wahlder, LPC, CLC, PCC, is a Professional Certified Life Coach and Psychotherapist, specializing in relationship enhancement, career transitions, and overall health & well-being. For more information or a complimentary 40 minute telephone consultation, please contact her at 214-823-LIFE(5433) or visit her website at http://www.michelewahlder.com.
Twelve Senses
Encountering Nature Through the Twelve Senses by: Josef Graf
Silence stillness immensity forest stretching endlessly snow covered, quietly breathing its tremendous, wide, conifer expanse And the sough of wind rising and falling Most beings here - plant or animal - are melded into this spacious and soul-purifying landscape As is the human But the human is also, at least in part, separate from the land. And human nature can discern, by way of the 12 senses, aspects and nuances of the natural world through these 12 portals.
The snow sifts down into the forest, falling windless and so light as to seem almost weightless, afloat in place. A deep silence holds sway, an ocean of stillness that invites entry. And there is space enough here for any size contemplation. In the northern, boreal realm, across this endless range of semi-homogenous evergreen forest radiating its steadfast and grounded, robust energy - across the conifer deep - here and there, an accent counters the etheric expanse with an astral focus, an animal being - raven, jay, squirrel-hunting marten, wolf, moose, or chickadee. Tracks in the snow tell the stories. A snowshoe hare nips birch tips from a fallen tree.
A luxuriously furred marten pursues a red squirrel. Unless the squirrel quickly makes it to one of its underground dens it will become the marten's meal. Sometime in the night the wolf came near. It came to investigate who was howling in the evening, howling like, yet unlike, another wolf (it's own sense of language revealing that, although the sound of my howl seemed very similar to a wolf's, there was a subtle difference). It came near enough to discern the scent of human presence, approached as near as it dared, always keeping a periphery of safety as it circuited the area of the cabin. What curiosity was left unquenched? And in the daylight I could feel the wolf watching me from somewhere in the woods, as I went out on the frozen lake to investigate the passage of its own movement, the story told by its tracks. Surely, from the wolf's point of view, it experiences the most challenge of interpretation (in a sense, the wolf's level of conceptual sense) from the human community.
As is well known, the wolf can read, very intimately, the comings and goings, the various aspects of, the moose, and other inhabitants of its immediate neighborhood. But the human being becomes rich in enigma, embodies a broad range of Unknown in the sphere of the wolf's experience. Snow-shoeing through a forest during a snowfall can be an ideal setting to attune to the landscape. Distractions are reduced - sound is muffled and visibility is confined to a radius of a few feet (of course it goes without saying that one has to exercise care, bring a compass and be good at orienteering, or you can end up in oblivion!) Overall, the Spirit of the boreal forest - the heart of the boreal forest landscape, like the heart of one of its trees, one senses, is golden, intricate, warm despite the climate, perhaps because of the climate, to counterpoint the cold. In sharing this encounter with nature through the twelve senses, I will begin with the outermost, least penetrating sense and proceed to the deepest-registering sense (please note that the following presumes a basic understanding of the 12 senses.
If the reader wishes to prime him/herself on this subject, use the links under "Further Resources" at the end of the article. Alternatively, information is readily available by entering an internet search via "12 senses" - and adding "Rudolf Steiner" can be helpful): Touch. The longer I touch the snow and ice here, the number grows this sense. Then, in turns, it is awakened by prickle of conifer needle, rasped by bark, or caressed by the soft feel of usnea moss. Whatever the sensate experience of touch, I have to admit that it defines my separation, the self's bounds, or at least the physical body's self-bounding. I do touch nature with this sense, but only her outermost surface, a Braille of rebuff, no entry past the outermost edge. As we continue down this list, we enter, increasingly, into the inner nature of things. But the sense of touch is the most external. For example, when the wind gusts across my face, my sense of touch feels the impact of that gust, but my sense of temperature registers how cool or warm it is. A manatee, with more brain space dedicated to touch than any other mammal, has a long-distance sense of touch. Whisker like hairs all over its body act as sensors, so that it can, in effect, "touch" from a distance. Life. After a long day of snow-shoeing my sense of life feels drained, very low in energy/chi, even despite practicing energy-enhancing Qi-gong along the way (I'm not by any means a master in the art yet). Overall, as I undertake this trek, my sense of life is both enhanced and exhausted. My constitutional energy is put to the test, the body forces are working at their limit.
However, the etheric energy of the forest is so resplendent that there is a constant influx of vitality. An interesting point to be made here is that in urban areas people have to enhance their life sense due to the lack of nature-borne vitality. In consideration of this, we can say, if asked what is truly the most valuable property in, say, New York, the answer is that Central Park has more worth that all the rest of Manhattan combined! Migrating birds can detect and use magnetic fields of the Earth to navigate by. Is this so-called "magnetic field" actually part of the sense of life of the planet streaming forth? And are the birds, in a way, projecting their own sense of life outward to detect the Earth's energy in this manner? Wolves are known to stare into the eyes of their prey before opting to attack, reading in their potential prey the nature of their sense of life, their overall constitutional strength and condition of health. Movement. This sense of awareness of the body-in-motion enables us to know where any part of our body is even with eyes closed. It is a sense that can be refined and enhanced, as in the case of intricate choreography. When projected outward, we can sense movement in others. One evening, as I was bent over a campfire, cooking a meal, I could sense something passing over above me. As I looked up I saw an owl flying in the trajectory I had been sensing. The owl, as we know is capable of flying quite silently. I did not hear its passage, nor could I see it in any way, until after I looked up. Tracks of a solitary snowshoe hare enter the woods, appearing to have crossed the frozen lake - a distance of about 2 miles. What could have drawn the hare across such an long open distance? Its progress would have been little noticed as its coat matched the snow so well (here again, a developed sense of movement projected outward would have helped to sense the hare's passage.) Does the weasel sense the movement of mice and voles in the sub-nivean chamber beneath the snow, before it dives in? Often have I watched a flock of shorebirds, or snowbirds, as they fly in complete unison, twisting, turning, diving, swooping as one. Here, the sense of movement has been refined and con-joined to each member of the flock, as though a single being is operating every nuance of movement. This particular example can also shed light on how the sense of ego operates within the realm of nature - more on that below. Balance.
The human sense of balance is conveyed through inner ear structures. In animals, "otoliths" serve a similar purpose. In nature, we are often challenged to refine our sense of balance, as the terrain is often rugged and variable. As with movement, deep appreciation of a dance presentation actually requires us to project our sense of balance, as we extend ourselves into the performance. Within the animal kingdom, exceptional acrobatics in the balance arena include the cat and squirrel. Smell. A blossom permeates the air with it's gaseous aroma. Forces of will meet, from outer (e.g., the rose's "will") and inner, as our own will streams out to meet it. Desert animals can smell water vapor over a great distance. A wolf's nose has been estimated to be from a hundred thousand to a million times more sensitive than a human's. The bear has one of the most sensitive olfactory capacities of the animal kingdom, and is able to track through water, or read information from a scent trail several days old. Taste. Just as the sense of smell operates via the airy element, taste depends on the liquid element. A substance must first be partly dissolved before we can taste it. Nature has a way of producing the most flavorful tastes, for example, in fruits that evolve in natural conditions. Despite humankind's most lengthy and deliberate attempts to improve crops in this regard, nature cannot be topped. Notice how the smallest fruits, such as a wild strawberry, have the most incredible taste.
The larger agri-business causes its fruits to grow, the more the taste of its products seems to fall bland. Salmon are famous for their ability to taste their way back up to waters from which they originated. Some fish can detect substances diluted to one part per billion. Bees have taste receptors on their jaws, forelimbs, and antennae. Vision.
One night, as I lie in my sleeping bag, I am enchanted by a pre-sleep show courtesy of Aurora borealis. I look through the window up into the night sky, past willow and spruce to the backdrop of stars and drink in the Aurora ribbons, the northern angel flights, radiating, dancing in striations that breathe in and out in fanning coruscations. Vision is a sense that begins to penetrate further than the foregoing senses.
When our eyes perceive the blue-green color of the spruce tree, compared with the yellow-green color of the pine tree, we begin to discern something about the inner nature of these different trees. Bees, birds, and some animals can see in the ultraviolet range. A hawk has 20/5 vision - it can see from 20 feet what most people can see from 5 feet. A falcon can see a 10 cm object from a distance of 1.5 kilometers. A buzzard can observe small rodents from an altitude of 15,000 feet. Temperature. We can sense outer surfaces via touch, but we actually use another sense when it comes to detecting temperature variations. As stated above, the wind is physically felt on one's skin, but its relative cold or warmth is sensed via our sense of temperature. Because an object is permeated by its warmth or cold, the sense of temperature reaches still deeper than vision, further into the foundation of things. Pit vipers, and some boas, have a heat sensitive organ between their eyes and nostrils, with which they can ascertain body heat in another organism. Hearing. As I journey on, I can hear the rise and fall of the wind through the trees, and the crunch of my snowshoes atop the crusty snow. Resonance, the sound quality that permeates an object, in its vibrational tone reveals much about the nature of the object.
Consider candle ice clinking together. The tone the snow gives forth when walking reveals a lot about snow conditions underfoot. When sawing firewood, the sound of the particular log reveals much about the wood's quality. As we listen to the sounds of both things and living beings, in a certain way hearing begins to tell us something about the soul level of what we are encountering. A pigeon can detect sounds in the infrasound range far below our own limit, as low as 0.1 Hz. Bats can hear through a range from 3,000 to 120,000 Hz (compared with the human range - 20 to 20,000 Hz.). Language. Language is a sense that goes beyond merely hearing something spoken. By the sense of language we are able to perceive meaning behind an expression.
Language in nature is a great challenge to de-code. The language of animals and birds, the language of a landscape. Once some familiarity is attained in this area, the human element of language interpretation (that is, truly understanding another in one's native tongue) becomes more facile. One morning, a ptarmigan singing its dawn poem became a particular challenge to interpret. As the sun began to rise, and the ptarmigan began its song a few meters from the cabin I was waking in, I could sense an intricacy to what it was voicing. But my own sense of language, being not yet sufficiently developed, wasn't up to interpreting its message. However, in my research I have discovered that within the human community there are individuals who are becoming increasingly adept at this level of communication.
Besides the human capacity to interpret language, within the animal kingdom there are some who can use this sense fairly effectively - e.g, the gorilla. However, on a deeper level, all animals have a Spirit of the species aspect that is as egoic as ourselves, and thus capable of fully exercising this faculty. And so, by evoking connection with, say, the Spirit of the Wolf, we can begin to enter into a viable level of communication. Concept. As with language, the sense of concept is an arena in which individual animals reach a limit. "One can be directed by intelligence without possessing it, and that is how if is for animals," according to Rudolf Steiner. Here, he is referring to how the over-lighting being, the Spirit of an animal species, can utilize the higher senses - language, concept, and ego - on a par with human capacities, but not in the case of a single animal. This is not to say animals are not intelligent - only to acknowledge a level of conceptualizing that differs from human. The Spirit of an animal is, indeed, intelligent, and has much to offer in ways that can deepen our understanding about our sojourn upon Earth. Sense of concept can be a potent arena due to the way in which prana/chi has moved from its traditional forum (the breath) to thinking. Once we learn the ropes, through our thinking life we can enhance our energetic levels. Nature causes me to conceptualize in particular ways. One key mode is to reflect on the spiritual ecology of aspects of nature.
How does the spruce tree part of me have its being? The wolf? The squirrel? The forested part of my inner terrain? the spring? The lakeshore part? The starry dome? What does the magic of Aurora borealis evoke in me? Ego. Sense of ego - among ways of getting to know oneself further - that is, using one's sense of ego upon oneself - relating to others is primary. But so, also, is spending time in nature in solitude. Nuances of one's individuality can be explored. How do I experience solitude over a duration? What issues arise? What fears are met and what are my individual "edges" therein? For example, fears related to loneliness, or provision (as one's food stock depletes), of the darkness (what shapes form in the dark out of fear?), or what mid-life issues still prevail? Central to this line of questioning is - how am I in the face of prolonged silence and stillness, the great leveler of humankind and human aspiration.
In what ways does this sabbatical from my life cause me to reflect on my life? What things to strengthen? Or to change? Or to come to terms with? Or seek more understanding about? How do each of the animals, plants, etc I encounter resonate with various parts of my being? Addendum In reference to animals, the world is in a state of spiritual evolution, meaning that while we humans are evolving toward a fifth kingdom level of being, animals are also becoming more egoic - individualized, and more and more capable of abilities that were once attributed only to humans (or to the overall species level of the animal).
Especially those animals who are spending time with humans, pets, are advancing more rapidly in this way. All forms of life are advancing, including the other two realms of life on Earth. as plants develop more astral qualities, and the mineral kingdom becomes increasingly etheric. Hearing and vision - nature automatically creates aesthetically beautiful forms in both aural and visual arenas. Humanity chooses to create beautiful, or not-so-beautiful forms. The more one spends in nature, the more one is immersed in aesthetic beauty. Projecting one's sense of motion onto the snowflakes, and there is a feeling of softly sifting down through one's being. Projecting to high mountain peaks, there is a feeling of excarnation, or moving up out of one's body, in a sense. Similarly, on the West Coast, where the energy is experienced as diffusive - all the rain and sea and growth and abundance of plant life, rainforest exuberance, calls for an extra degree of focusing to counteract the diffusion. The 12 senses referred to here pertain primarily to the physical aspect of humanity. Other senses come into play as we enter into our spiritual nature, including the human astral body. Steiner refers to some of these metaphysical senses as imagination, inspiration and intuition. Earth Vision proposes to delve into this subject, along with a more extensive examination of the 12 senses in relation to the natural world - a book will likely result in the foreseeable future. If you would like to contribute to this project, please contact author Josef Graf through the email on the EV site. Further resources: Mercurius on the 12 senses
http://www.mercurius-international.com/ams_index.php?twelve_senses=1& Bobby Matherne's Review - The Riddle of Humanity http://www.doyletics.com/arj/trhrvw.htm
A 12 Senses Chart http://www.doyletics.com/arj/12sentab.htm The foregoing article is part of the Earth Vision project.
Visit http://www.evsite.net/ for more information and articles that provide in-depth treatments of current environmental issues, as well as E-books on spiritual ecology.
About The Author
Josef Graf presents nature in the light of spiritual ecology through articles and E-books on the Earth Vision site - http://www.evsite.net/
Silence stillness immensity forest stretching endlessly snow covered, quietly breathing its tremendous, wide, conifer expanse And the sough of wind rising and falling Most beings here - plant or animal - are melded into this spacious and soul-purifying landscape As is the human But the human is also, at least in part, separate from the land. And human nature can discern, by way of the 12 senses, aspects and nuances of the natural world through these 12 portals.
The snow sifts down into the forest, falling windless and so light as to seem almost weightless, afloat in place. A deep silence holds sway, an ocean of stillness that invites entry. And there is space enough here for any size contemplation. In the northern, boreal realm, across this endless range of semi-homogenous evergreen forest radiating its steadfast and grounded, robust energy - across the conifer deep - here and there, an accent counters the etheric expanse with an astral focus, an animal being - raven, jay, squirrel-hunting marten, wolf, moose, or chickadee. Tracks in the snow tell the stories. A snowshoe hare nips birch tips from a fallen tree.
A luxuriously furred marten pursues a red squirrel. Unless the squirrel quickly makes it to one of its underground dens it will become the marten's meal. Sometime in the night the wolf came near. It came to investigate who was howling in the evening, howling like, yet unlike, another wolf (it's own sense of language revealing that, although the sound of my howl seemed very similar to a wolf's, there was a subtle difference). It came near enough to discern the scent of human presence, approached as near as it dared, always keeping a periphery of safety as it circuited the area of the cabin. What curiosity was left unquenched? And in the daylight I could feel the wolf watching me from somewhere in the woods, as I went out on the frozen lake to investigate the passage of its own movement, the story told by its tracks. Surely, from the wolf's point of view, it experiences the most challenge of interpretation (in a sense, the wolf's level of conceptual sense) from the human community.
As is well known, the wolf can read, very intimately, the comings and goings, the various aspects of, the moose, and other inhabitants of its immediate neighborhood. But the human being becomes rich in enigma, embodies a broad range of Unknown in the sphere of the wolf's experience. Snow-shoeing through a forest during a snowfall can be an ideal setting to attune to the landscape. Distractions are reduced - sound is muffled and visibility is confined to a radius of a few feet (of course it goes without saying that one has to exercise care, bring a compass and be good at orienteering, or you can end up in oblivion!) Overall, the Spirit of the boreal forest - the heart of the boreal forest landscape, like the heart of one of its trees, one senses, is golden, intricate, warm despite the climate, perhaps because of the climate, to counterpoint the cold. In sharing this encounter with nature through the twelve senses, I will begin with the outermost, least penetrating sense and proceed to the deepest-registering sense (please note that the following presumes a basic understanding of the 12 senses.
If the reader wishes to prime him/herself on this subject, use the links under "Further Resources" at the end of the article. Alternatively, information is readily available by entering an internet search via "12 senses" - and adding "Rudolf Steiner" can be helpful): Touch. The longer I touch the snow and ice here, the number grows this sense. Then, in turns, it is awakened by prickle of conifer needle, rasped by bark, or caressed by the soft feel of usnea moss. Whatever the sensate experience of touch, I have to admit that it defines my separation, the self's bounds, or at least the physical body's self-bounding. I do touch nature with this sense, but only her outermost surface, a Braille of rebuff, no entry past the outermost edge. As we continue down this list, we enter, increasingly, into the inner nature of things. But the sense of touch is the most external. For example, when the wind gusts across my face, my sense of touch feels the impact of that gust, but my sense of temperature registers how cool or warm it is. A manatee, with more brain space dedicated to touch than any other mammal, has a long-distance sense of touch. Whisker like hairs all over its body act as sensors, so that it can, in effect, "touch" from a distance. Life. After a long day of snow-shoeing my sense of life feels drained, very low in energy/chi, even despite practicing energy-enhancing Qi-gong along the way (I'm not by any means a master in the art yet). Overall, as I undertake this trek, my sense of life is both enhanced and exhausted. My constitutional energy is put to the test, the body forces are working at their limit.
However, the etheric energy of the forest is so resplendent that there is a constant influx of vitality. An interesting point to be made here is that in urban areas people have to enhance their life sense due to the lack of nature-borne vitality. In consideration of this, we can say, if asked what is truly the most valuable property in, say, New York, the answer is that Central Park has more worth that all the rest of Manhattan combined! Migrating birds can detect and use magnetic fields of the Earth to navigate by. Is this so-called "magnetic field" actually part of the sense of life of the planet streaming forth? And are the birds, in a way, projecting their own sense of life outward to detect the Earth's energy in this manner? Wolves are known to stare into the eyes of their prey before opting to attack, reading in their potential prey the nature of their sense of life, their overall constitutional strength and condition of health. Movement. This sense of awareness of the body-in-motion enables us to know where any part of our body is even with eyes closed. It is a sense that can be refined and enhanced, as in the case of intricate choreography. When projected outward, we can sense movement in others. One evening, as I was bent over a campfire, cooking a meal, I could sense something passing over above me. As I looked up I saw an owl flying in the trajectory I had been sensing. The owl, as we know is capable of flying quite silently. I did not hear its passage, nor could I see it in any way, until after I looked up. Tracks of a solitary snowshoe hare enter the woods, appearing to have crossed the frozen lake - a distance of about 2 miles. What could have drawn the hare across such an long open distance? Its progress would have been little noticed as its coat matched the snow so well (here again, a developed sense of movement projected outward would have helped to sense the hare's passage.) Does the weasel sense the movement of mice and voles in the sub-nivean chamber beneath the snow, before it dives in? Often have I watched a flock of shorebirds, or snowbirds, as they fly in complete unison, twisting, turning, diving, swooping as one. Here, the sense of movement has been refined and con-joined to each member of the flock, as though a single being is operating every nuance of movement. This particular example can also shed light on how the sense of ego operates within the realm of nature - more on that below. Balance.
The human sense of balance is conveyed through inner ear structures. In animals, "otoliths" serve a similar purpose. In nature, we are often challenged to refine our sense of balance, as the terrain is often rugged and variable. As with movement, deep appreciation of a dance presentation actually requires us to project our sense of balance, as we extend ourselves into the performance. Within the animal kingdom, exceptional acrobatics in the balance arena include the cat and squirrel. Smell. A blossom permeates the air with it's gaseous aroma. Forces of will meet, from outer (e.g., the rose's "will") and inner, as our own will streams out to meet it. Desert animals can smell water vapor over a great distance. A wolf's nose has been estimated to be from a hundred thousand to a million times more sensitive than a human's. The bear has one of the most sensitive olfactory capacities of the animal kingdom, and is able to track through water, or read information from a scent trail several days old. Taste. Just as the sense of smell operates via the airy element, taste depends on the liquid element. A substance must first be partly dissolved before we can taste it. Nature has a way of producing the most flavorful tastes, for example, in fruits that evolve in natural conditions. Despite humankind's most lengthy and deliberate attempts to improve crops in this regard, nature cannot be topped. Notice how the smallest fruits, such as a wild strawberry, have the most incredible taste.
The larger agri-business causes its fruits to grow, the more the taste of its products seems to fall bland. Salmon are famous for their ability to taste their way back up to waters from which they originated. Some fish can detect substances diluted to one part per billion. Bees have taste receptors on their jaws, forelimbs, and antennae. Vision.
One night, as I lie in my sleeping bag, I am enchanted by a pre-sleep show courtesy of Aurora borealis. I look through the window up into the night sky, past willow and spruce to the backdrop of stars and drink in the Aurora ribbons, the northern angel flights, radiating, dancing in striations that breathe in and out in fanning coruscations. Vision is a sense that begins to penetrate further than the foregoing senses.
When our eyes perceive the blue-green color of the spruce tree, compared with the yellow-green color of the pine tree, we begin to discern something about the inner nature of these different trees. Bees, birds, and some animals can see in the ultraviolet range. A hawk has 20/5 vision - it can see from 20 feet what most people can see from 5 feet. A falcon can see a 10 cm object from a distance of 1.5 kilometers. A buzzard can observe small rodents from an altitude of 15,000 feet. Temperature. We can sense outer surfaces via touch, but we actually use another sense when it comes to detecting temperature variations. As stated above, the wind is physically felt on one's skin, but its relative cold or warmth is sensed via our sense of temperature. Because an object is permeated by its warmth or cold, the sense of temperature reaches still deeper than vision, further into the foundation of things. Pit vipers, and some boas, have a heat sensitive organ between their eyes and nostrils, with which they can ascertain body heat in another organism. Hearing. As I journey on, I can hear the rise and fall of the wind through the trees, and the crunch of my snowshoes atop the crusty snow. Resonance, the sound quality that permeates an object, in its vibrational tone reveals much about the nature of the object.
Consider candle ice clinking together. The tone the snow gives forth when walking reveals a lot about snow conditions underfoot. When sawing firewood, the sound of the particular log reveals much about the wood's quality. As we listen to the sounds of both things and living beings, in a certain way hearing begins to tell us something about the soul level of what we are encountering. A pigeon can detect sounds in the infrasound range far below our own limit, as low as 0.1 Hz. Bats can hear through a range from 3,000 to 120,000 Hz (compared with the human range - 20 to 20,000 Hz.). Language. Language is a sense that goes beyond merely hearing something spoken. By the sense of language we are able to perceive meaning behind an expression.
Language in nature is a great challenge to de-code. The language of animals and birds, the language of a landscape. Once some familiarity is attained in this area, the human element of language interpretation (that is, truly understanding another in one's native tongue) becomes more facile. One morning, a ptarmigan singing its dawn poem became a particular challenge to interpret. As the sun began to rise, and the ptarmigan began its song a few meters from the cabin I was waking in, I could sense an intricacy to what it was voicing. But my own sense of language, being not yet sufficiently developed, wasn't up to interpreting its message. However, in my research I have discovered that within the human community there are individuals who are becoming increasingly adept at this level of communication.
Besides the human capacity to interpret language, within the animal kingdom there are some who can use this sense fairly effectively - e.g, the gorilla. However, on a deeper level, all animals have a Spirit of the species aspect that is as egoic as ourselves, and thus capable of fully exercising this faculty. And so, by evoking connection with, say, the Spirit of the Wolf, we can begin to enter into a viable level of communication. Concept. As with language, the sense of concept is an arena in which individual animals reach a limit. "One can be directed by intelligence without possessing it, and that is how if is for animals," according to Rudolf Steiner. Here, he is referring to how the over-lighting being, the Spirit of an animal species, can utilize the higher senses - language, concept, and ego - on a par with human capacities, but not in the case of a single animal. This is not to say animals are not intelligent - only to acknowledge a level of conceptualizing that differs from human. The Spirit of an animal is, indeed, intelligent, and has much to offer in ways that can deepen our understanding about our sojourn upon Earth. Sense of concept can be a potent arena due to the way in which prana/chi has moved from its traditional forum (the breath) to thinking. Once we learn the ropes, through our thinking life we can enhance our energetic levels. Nature causes me to conceptualize in particular ways. One key mode is to reflect on the spiritual ecology of aspects of nature.
How does the spruce tree part of me have its being? The wolf? The squirrel? The forested part of my inner terrain? the spring? The lakeshore part? The starry dome? What does the magic of Aurora borealis evoke in me? Ego. Sense of ego - among ways of getting to know oneself further - that is, using one's sense of ego upon oneself - relating to others is primary. But so, also, is spending time in nature in solitude. Nuances of one's individuality can be explored. How do I experience solitude over a duration? What issues arise? What fears are met and what are my individual "edges" therein? For example, fears related to loneliness, or provision (as one's food stock depletes), of the darkness (what shapes form in the dark out of fear?), or what mid-life issues still prevail? Central to this line of questioning is - how am I in the face of prolonged silence and stillness, the great leveler of humankind and human aspiration.
In what ways does this sabbatical from my life cause me to reflect on my life? What things to strengthen? Or to change? Or to come to terms with? Or seek more understanding about? How do each of the animals, plants, etc I encounter resonate with various parts of my being? Addendum In reference to animals, the world is in a state of spiritual evolution, meaning that while we humans are evolving toward a fifth kingdom level of being, animals are also becoming more egoic - individualized, and more and more capable of abilities that were once attributed only to humans (or to the overall species level of the animal).
Especially those animals who are spending time with humans, pets, are advancing more rapidly in this way. All forms of life are advancing, including the other two realms of life on Earth. as plants develop more astral qualities, and the mineral kingdom becomes increasingly etheric. Hearing and vision - nature automatically creates aesthetically beautiful forms in both aural and visual arenas. Humanity chooses to create beautiful, or not-so-beautiful forms. The more one spends in nature, the more one is immersed in aesthetic beauty. Projecting one's sense of motion onto the snowflakes, and there is a feeling of softly sifting down through one's being. Projecting to high mountain peaks, there is a feeling of excarnation, or moving up out of one's body, in a sense. Similarly, on the West Coast, where the energy is experienced as diffusive - all the rain and sea and growth and abundance of plant life, rainforest exuberance, calls for an extra degree of focusing to counteract the diffusion. The 12 senses referred to here pertain primarily to the physical aspect of humanity. Other senses come into play as we enter into our spiritual nature, including the human astral body. Steiner refers to some of these metaphysical senses as imagination, inspiration and intuition. Earth Vision proposes to delve into this subject, along with a more extensive examination of the 12 senses in relation to the natural world - a book will likely result in the foreseeable future. If you would like to contribute to this project, please contact author Josef Graf through the email on the EV site. Further resources: Mercurius on the 12 senses
http://www.mercurius-international.com/ams_index.php?twelve_senses=1& Bobby Matherne's Review - The Riddle of Humanity http://www.doyletics.com/arj/trhrvw.htm
A 12 Senses Chart http://www.doyletics.com/arj/12sentab.htm The foregoing article is part of the Earth Vision project.
Visit http://www.evsite.net/ for more information and articles that provide in-depth treatments of current environmental issues, as well as E-books on spiritual ecology.
About The Author
Josef Graf presents nature in the light of spiritual ecology through articles and E-books on the Earth Vision site - http://www.evsite.net/
World's top 10 Falls
The World's Best Waterfalls
It's a given that each of the locales is stunning -- there aren't many ugly waterfalls around. Those that made the final cut did so by being pleasing to the senses and unique, whether by virtue of some naturally occurring aspect or because they struck me as a reflection of an equally unique surrounding region. In spite of their ranking, each of these ten waterfalls could rival one another in terms of the adventure and atmosphere they afford their visitors.
10. Gullfoss - IcelandGullfoss is the largest waterfall in Europe, and widely acknowledged as the most beautiful in Iceland. In contrast to many North American cascades, Gullfoss remains to this day untouched by man, and allowing visitors to actually walk right up to the edge and run one's hand in the water. The falls evoke a mythical aura, and the locale is steeped in folklore; one legend maintains that an ancient treasure lies hidden in a cave behind the wall of water, prompting more than a few explorations over the years.
9. Nachi Falls - Japan48 separate waterfalls are scattered across Japan's Mount Nachi, but the one referred to as Nachi Falls is clearly distinguishable, standing at more than 400 feet tall (making it the country's largest) and cutting a swath through a forest thick with cypress trees and cedars. Sets of stone steps descend on either side of the cascade, and from its summit the Pacific Ocean is visible in the distance. As was the case with a host of natural elements, waterfalls enjoyed sacred status in ancient Japan, and this particular one was considered a divine entity.
8. Giessbach Waterfalls - SwitzerlandThe Giessbach Falls lie in the midst of a landscape filled with Swiss postcard clichés -- crystal-clear lakes, snow-capped peaks, cable cars, and cuckoo clocks (well, there's bound to be at least one cuckoo clock in one of the local farmhouses). The name of the locale might ring a bell as it was in the news in the summer of 1999, when some canyoning tourists were killed in a flash flood. The tragedy hasn't affected tourism in the region, and people continue to flock to Giessbach to indulge in river rafting and paragliding, or to simply soak up the Swiss atmosphere.
7. Upside Down Falls - Oahu, HawaiiThe name says it all. Stemming from the summit of Mount Konahuanui, the water of the Upside Down Falls doesn't fall for more than a few feet before prevailing trade winds blows it back upwards. This unique sight alone merits the voyage, but upon arrival, one will discover why Oahu, boasting the renowned Waikiki Beach and world famous scuba diving, is the most visited of the Hawaiian islands. For history buffs, nearby Pearl Harbor is an added attraction.
6. Angel Falls - VenezuelaAt nearly 2700 feet, Angel Falls is the world's tallest and, located in the midst of the Venezuela's wild Gran Sabana region, perhaps the most remote. Getting to the falls alone is an experience in itself: inaccessible by road, visitors are left to choose between a multiple day hiking/boating trip through the tepid jungle or hiring a pilot to maneuver an old DC3 plane through the mountains. Upon arrival, you may find yourself in an adventurous mood and decide to take advantage of the fact that BASE jumping (skydiving) off of the falls' summit was recently legalized.
5. Niagara Falls - Canada/USASpanning the Canadian/American border, Niagara Falls is neither the world's tallest nor broadest cascade, but it is among the most impressive and certainly the single most powerful. Every minute, 35 million gallons of water rush over the edge of the falls, half of which is diverted towards the power plants that make Niagara Falls the largest source of hydroelectric power on the globe. Not only is Niagara Falls one of the hottest tourist spots on Earth, but the notion of tourism in itself practically originated here. People have been flocking to the "Honeymoon Capital of the World" since the mid-19th century, and the end result is a surrounding region filled with wax museums, amusement parks, and a host of other one-day attractions. Some find this aspect of the area tacky, others entertaining; either way, it provides a stark contrast that accentuates the majesty of the falls themselves.
4. Ahuii Waterfall - Nuku Hiva, French PolynesiaNuku Hiva is the largest island on the Marquesas archipelago, a region so unblemished by human hands that it once attracted the studious eye of Charles Darwin. Well, ever since the suits at CBS made the area the setting for another Survivor series, this natural oasis has become progressively less natural, so there's no time like the present to visit before it changes irreparably. And there's no better excuse to make the trip than to check out the Ahuii waterfall. At just over 1,000 feet, it is one of the world's tallest, and the refreshing base pool and lush tropical surroundings make it the island's top tourist stop.
3. Apsat River - RussiaNot far from the river Apsat lie the remains of one of Stalin's prison camps, and while those on their way to the GULAG probably had other things on their mind besides the beauty of the surrounding region, today's traveler will find the Alpine relief of the Kodar region breathtaking. The falls themselves are located in the Marble Ravine, dropping roughly 32 feet into a deep canyon and within seeing distance of ancient glaciers. Be sure to bundle up and brace yourself for some rugged terrain on the way -- after all, there's a reason why this site was chosen for a prison camp.
2. Victoria Falls - Zimbabwe/ZambiaIts mile-long breadth makes Victoria Falls is Africa's biggest tourist attraction. Towering over spray-soaked rainforests that conceal all manners of African wildlife, Victoria Falls is truly an awe-inspiring sight, and with whitewater rafting, bungee jumping, safari tours, and scenic flights to choose from, it's difficult to find time to sleep when visiting.
1. Iguazu Falls - ArgentinaIguazu Falls is comprised of not one, but an array of 275 separate cascades and waterfalls, spanning a total of 2.5 miles and plunging up to 269 feet into the Iguazu river. Surrounded by bamboo, palm and fern trees, populated by parrots and macaws, and decorated with the ruins of an 18th century Jesuit mission, Iguazu Falls seems suspended from time, making it an ideal location for the filming of the 1986 period movie, The Mission.
It's a given that each of the locales is stunning -- there aren't many ugly waterfalls around. Those that made the final cut did so by being pleasing to the senses and unique, whether by virtue of some naturally occurring aspect or because they struck me as a reflection of an equally unique surrounding region. In spite of their ranking, each of these ten waterfalls could rival one another in terms of the adventure and atmosphere they afford their visitors.
10. Gullfoss - IcelandGullfoss is the largest waterfall in Europe, and widely acknowledged as the most beautiful in Iceland. In contrast to many North American cascades, Gullfoss remains to this day untouched by man, and allowing visitors to actually walk right up to the edge and run one's hand in the water. The falls evoke a mythical aura, and the locale is steeped in folklore; one legend maintains that an ancient treasure lies hidden in a cave behind the wall of water, prompting more than a few explorations over the years.
9. Nachi Falls - Japan48 separate waterfalls are scattered across Japan's Mount Nachi, but the one referred to as Nachi Falls is clearly distinguishable, standing at more than 400 feet tall (making it the country's largest) and cutting a swath through a forest thick with cypress trees and cedars. Sets of stone steps descend on either side of the cascade, and from its summit the Pacific Ocean is visible in the distance. As was the case with a host of natural elements, waterfalls enjoyed sacred status in ancient Japan, and this particular one was considered a divine entity.
8. Giessbach Waterfalls - SwitzerlandThe Giessbach Falls lie in the midst of a landscape filled with Swiss postcard clichés -- crystal-clear lakes, snow-capped peaks, cable cars, and cuckoo clocks (well, there's bound to be at least one cuckoo clock in one of the local farmhouses). The name of the locale might ring a bell as it was in the news in the summer of 1999, when some canyoning tourists were killed in a flash flood. The tragedy hasn't affected tourism in the region, and people continue to flock to Giessbach to indulge in river rafting and paragliding, or to simply soak up the Swiss atmosphere.
7. Upside Down Falls - Oahu, HawaiiThe name says it all. Stemming from the summit of Mount Konahuanui, the water of the Upside Down Falls doesn't fall for more than a few feet before prevailing trade winds blows it back upwards. This unique sight alone merits the voyage, but upon arrival, one will discover why Oahu, boasting the renowned Waikiki Beach and world famous scuba diving, is the most visited of the Hawaiian islands. For history buffs, nearby Pearl Harbor is an added attraction.
6. Angel Falls - VenezuelaAt nearly 2700 feet, Angel Falls is the world's tallest and, located in the midst of the Venezuela's wild Gran Sabana region, perhaps the most remote. Getting to the falls alone is an experience in itself: inaccessible by road, visitors are left to choose between a multiple day hiking/boating trip through the tepid jungle or hiring a pilot to maneuver an old DC3 plane through the mountains. Upon arrival, you may find yourself in an adventurous mood and decide to take advantage of the fact that BASE jumping (skydiving) off of the falls' summit was recently legalized.
5. Niagara Falls - Canada/USASpanning the Canadian/American border, Niagara Falls is neither the world's tallest nor broadest cascade, but it is among the most impressive and certainly the single most powerful. Every minute, 35 million gallons of water rush over the edge of the falls, half of which is diverted towards the power plants that make Niagara Falls the largest source of hydroelectric power on the globe. Not only is Niagara Falls one of the hottest tourist spots on Earth, but the notion of tourism in itself practically originated here. People have been flocking to the "Honeymoon Capital of the World" since the mid-19th century, and the end result is a surrounding region filled with wax museums, amusement parks, and a host of other one-day attractions. Some find this aspect of the area tacky, others entertaining; either way, it provides a stark contrast that accentuates the majesty of the falls themselves.
4. Ahuii Waterfall - Nuku Hiva, French PolynesiaNuku Hiva is the largest island on the Marquesas archipelago, a region so unblemished by human hands that it once attracted the studious eye of Charles Darwin. Well, ever since the suits at CBS made the area the setting for another Survivor series, this natural oasis has become progressively less natural, so there's no time like the present to visit before it changes irreparably. And there's no better excuse to make the trip than to check out the Ahuii waterfall. At just over 1,000 feet, it is one of the world's tallest, and the refreshing base pool and lush tropical surroundings make it the island's top tourist stop.
3. Apsat River - RussiaNot far from the river Apsat lie the remains of one of Stalin's prison camps, and while those on their way to the GULAG probably had other things on their mind besides the beauty of the surrounding region, today's traveler will find the Alpine relief of the Kodar region breathtaking. The falls themselves are located in the Marble Ravine, dropping roughly 32 feet into a deep canyon and within seeing distance of ancient glaciers. Be sure to bundle up and brace yourself for some rugged terrain on the way -- after all, there's a reason why this site was chosen for a prison camp.
2. Victoria Falls - Zimbabwe/ZambiaIts mile-long breadth makes Victoria Falls is Africa's biggest tourist attraction. Towering over spray-soaked rainforests that conceal all manners of African wildlife, Victoria Falls is truly an awe-inspiring sight, and with whitewater rafting, bungee jumping, safari tours, and scenic flights to choose from, it's difficult to find time to sleep when visiting.
1. Iguazu Falls - ArgentinaIguazu Falls is comprised of not one, but an array of 275 separate cascades and waterfalls, spanning a total of 2.5 miles and plunging up to 269 feet into the Iguazu river. Surrounded by bamboo, palm and fern trees, populated by parrots and macaws, and decorated with the ruins of an 18th century Jesuit mission, Iguazu Falls seems suspended from time, making it an ideal location for the filming of the 1986 period movie, The Mission.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Top 25 Vacation Places in 08
1 LAOSVietnam and Cambodia are so 2007. Now, Laos is shaping up to be Indochina's next hot spot. Ancient sites like the Wat Phou temple complex and the capital city of Vientiane are drawing culture seekers. Luxury teak houseboats are cruising down the Mekong. And global nomads are heading to Luang Prabang to sample the Laotian tasting menu at 3 Nagas (http://www.3nagas.com) or hang out by the infinity pool at the seriously upscale Résidence Phou Vao (http://www.residencephouvao.com).
2 LISBONBargain-seeking tourists have long flocked to Lisbon, typically among the most affordable of European cities. But now the Portuguese capital is also emerging as a cultural force. The new Berardo Collection Museum (http://www.berardocollection.com), in the historic Belem district, boasts a major trove of modern and contemporary art. Designer hotels like Fontana Park (http://www.fontanaparkhotel.com) and Jerónimos 8 (http://www.almeidahotels.com) are attracting style-savvy travelers. And the Design and Fashion Museum, scheduled to open in late 2008, will go a long way toward cementing the city's avant-garde status.
3 TUNISIATunisia is undergoing a Morocco-like luxury makeover. A new wave of stylish boutique hotels, often in historic town houses, has cropped up alongside this North African country's white-sand beaches and age-old medinas, drawing increasing numbers of well-heeled travelers. The Villa Didon (http://www.villadidon.com) in Carthage, for one, has a restaurant originally run by Alain Ducasse. Indeed, TripAdvisor ranks Jerba, a resort island off Tunisia's southern coast, as the No. 1 emerging spot in 2008.
4. MAURITIUSFlying to the sugar-white shores of Mauritius is about to get easier. Virgin Atlantic just began nonstop flights from London to this tiny coral-ringed island off the coast of Madagascar, and it also recently became a hub port for Indian Ocean excursions by the Italy-based Costa Cruises. Meanwhile, new hotels are opening up, including a Four Seasons resort, Anahita Mauritius (http://www.anahitamauritius.com), that features four restaurants, three beaches and an ayurveda spa.
5. MID-BEACH, MIAMIMove over South Beach. The iconic Eden Roc Resort (http://www.edenrocresort.com) and Fontainebleau Miami Beach (http://www.fontainebleau.com) — faded glitterati hangouts designed by Morris Lapidus — will reopen in 2008 after multimillion-dollar renovations, returning Mid-Beach to its former glory. Future neighbors include Gansevoort South, a W Hotel and a Mid-Beach outpost of the members-only Soho House.
6. SOUTH BEACH, MIAMINot to be outdone, South Beach will also welcome a red carpet of designer hotels: the Angler's Boutique Resort (http://www.theanglersresort.com) by Gianni Versace's former decorator Wallace Tutt; the Tides South Beach (http://www.tidessouthbeach.com), revamped by the design star Kelly Wearstler; and the Mondrian South Beach (http://www.mondriansouthbeach.com) by the Dutch design superstar Marcel Wanders. Meanwhile, Nicky Hilton's much-hyped dreams of running a hotel has ended up in bankruptcy court — and the auction block.
7. MALDIVESThe 2004 tsunami, a fragile ecology and a recent bombing have done little to dampen a hotel boom in this island-nation of about 1,192 coral islets in the Indian Ocean. Among the high-end hotels expected to open next year is a Regent Hotels & Resorts (http://www.regenthotels.com) with 50 villas, many set over the water, allowing guests to observe the rich marine life while still lying in bed.
8. DEATH VALLEYIt's too early to predict, but recent heavy rains have some flower bloggers already speculating about a dazzling spring bloom in Death Valley next year. Death Valley is home to more than 1,000 species of wildflower, and in that special spring after a wet fall and winter, the brown desert landscape is carpeted with Technicolor fields of blossoms.
9. COURCHEVELThe ultra-exclusive French skiing village of Courchevel may be overrun by Russian billionaires these days, but that has only fueled the resort's consumption of Cristal jeroboams and high-ticket hotels. The sumptuous Hotel de Charme Les Airelles (http://www.airelles.fr) reopens this month following a $31 million renovation, and, late next year, Le Padisha ups the ante with rustic-chic apartments starting at 1.3 million euros, or $1.95 million at $1.50 to the euro.
10. LIBYAIt's on and off (and on again) for Libya. Four years after the United States government lifted a ban on American travel, this socialist North African nation is going green. The eldest son of Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi, the leader of Libya, is developing a carbon-neutral resort along the country's pristine Mediterranean coastline, home to stellar Greek and Roman ruins and endangered seals. Luxury hotels and golf courses are planned, as well as a new airport in Tripoli. But red tape remains. Tour operators have canceled trips because of visa holdups, and last month planeloads of European tourists were turned away under an odd rule that requires foreign passports to be translated into Arabic.
11. HVARAs Croatia's Dalmatian Coast has become a new Riviera, Hvar has become its St.-Tropez: a tiny village that fills with yachts and international partyers over the summer. While the waterfront Carpe Diem (http://www.carpe-diem-hvar.com) remains the island's night-life center, narrow stone alleys are lined with chic cocktail lounges and hotel terraces, including the rooftop pool at the new Adriana hotel, Croatia's first Leading Small Hotels of the World member (http://www.suncanihvar.com/adriana).
12. PUERTO VALLARTAMaybe it is the lasting memory of the gay icon ElizaLiv Taylor's scandalous affair with Richard Burton during his filming of "Night of the Iguana" in the early 60's, but Puerto Vallarta is becoming gayer by the year and is now poised to overtake Acapulco as Mexico's leading gay beach. There are now some dozen gay-friendly hotels (http://www.gayguidevallarta.com/Lodging/gay.html) and a glut of bars and clubs clustered along the aptly named Zona Romantica.
13. SYLTWith a nickname like the "Hamptons of Germany," it's only a matter of time before jet-setters discover the North Sea island of Sylt. Known for its nudist beaches, reed-thatched houses and designer stores, the T-shaped island has long been popular with German celebrities, particularly television stars and sports figures. But now getting there is a simple hop from London and a dozen other European cities, thanks to the low-cost carrier Air Berlin.
14. PRAGUEThe verdict is in. The Next Prague is ... Prague. Stag parties have moved on, bohemians have left for cheaper rents, and youth hostels are being squeezed by luxe hotels. Joining a new Mandarin Oriental next year is the Augustine, converted from a monastery and other buildings into a Rocco Forte hotel (prague.roccofortecollection.com), and the just-refurbished Hilton Prague Old Town (http://www.prague-oldtown.hilton.com), with a buzzing restaurant opened by Gordon Ramsay.
15. QUITOIf you've been to Quito, Ecuador, there's a good chance you were heading to the Galápagos. But Quito, the colonial capital perched 9,200 feet up in the Andes, is no longer just a whistle stop. The city's crumbling historic center, one of Latin America's least altered, has been reborn after a seven-year, $200 million renovation. And a crop of upscale hotels has arrived, including a JW Marriott (http://www.marriott.com), making Quito a glorious new center in the so-called Middle of the World.
16. LIVERPOOLThere's more to Liverpool than just the Beatles. Next year, this industrial city celebrates its 800th birthday (and its designation as European Capital of Culture), as it trots out everything and everyone, from Turner Prize artists to young emerging bands like the Zutons. But make no mistake: The headliner is Paul McCartney, who is returning to play the "Liverpool Sound" concert at Anfield Stadium on June 1 (http://www.liverpool08.com).
17. MUNICHWi-Fi beer gardens, lederhosen-wearing hipsters, hybrid Mercedes-Benz taxis. No wonder Monocle magazine recently named Munich the world's most livable city. The Bavarian capital might get shortchanged when compared with Berlin in terms of liberalism and creativity, but Munich has a robust economy that stimulates high fashion, cutting-edge cuisine and cushy living — not to mention a new Jewish Museum (http://www.juedisches-museum.muenchen.de), 79 years in the making, and a posh new hotel in the heart of the city, the Charles, from hotelier Rocco Forte (http://www.charleshotel.de).
18. IRANWhat Axis of Evil? Upscale tour operators are tiptoeing into Iran next year, offering trips that explore the ancient country's Persian treasures and olive-green desert plains. Next spring, the luxury cruise liner Silversea will make stops in the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas on its Dubai to Dubai cruise. And California-based Distant Horizons (http://www.distant-horizons.com) is organizing two 18-day trips that start in Tehran and then weave through the once-forbidden countryside, including stops in Shiraz and Isfahan. Prices start at $5,390 per person.
19. TUSCANYAll those rolling fields of green. The cypress-lined fairways. It's surprising that there aren't more golf links in Tuscany. For better or worse, a new course has just opened for guests at the Terme di Saturnia resort (http://www.termedisaturnia.it ) in southern Tuscany. The nine-hole course covers 247 acres surrounded by wheat, sunflowers, oats and olive groves — that is, until the next nine holes go in.
20. ANGUILLAJust when you thought the Caribbean island of Anguilla couldn't get any fancier, the Kor Hotel Group is opening the Viceroy Anguilla — the latest offshoot of its Viceroy brand (http://www.viceroyanguilla.com) — in the spring. The hotel will have 172 luxury accommodations, a 15,000-square-foot spa and beach clubs set along 3,200 feet of private waterfront.
21. BOGOTÁBogotá might be remembered for its death squads and gang violence, but this Colombian megalopolis — the fourth-largest city in South America — is cleaning up its act and drawing tourists with its cultural diversity and colonial charms. A new Hilton hotel is being built, and three U.S.-based airlines — JetBlue, US Airways and Spirit Airlines — recently applied for the chance to offer direct flights into Bogotá.
22. PLAYA BLANCA, PANAMAPlaya Blanca is about to hit the tabloids. Nikki Beach, the très chic beach club in South Beach and St.-Tropez, is opening a gated resort in the once-quiet fishing village on the Pacific coast of Panama (http://www.nikkibeachpanama.com). The developers are already calling it the "sexiest project in Panama." Less fabulous families need not worry. Superclubs (http://www.superclubs.com), the all-inclusive resort, is also dipping its toes into Playa Blanca with the 300-room Breezes Panama, scheduled to open in 2009.
23. ALEXANDRIAThe former home of Cleopatra is rising. Alexandria was among the ancient world's greatest cities, but it had fallen into oblivion. Now a string of new monuments is bringing the so-called Pearl of the Mediterranean back. A gleaming $200 million library, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (http://www.bibalex.org), resurrects the ancient library in steel and glass. A new Four Seasons (http://www.fourseasons.com/alexandria) stands in the stately Stan Stefano plaza. And throughout town, the city pulses with new shops and upscale cafes.
24. MAZATLÁNA faded spring-break haven on Mexico's Pacific coast, Mazatlán has been drawing American retirees and second-home buyers to its less-crowded beaches and cheap real estate. Few tourists show up, partly because there are few hotels. That's changing. A half-dozen resorts are now in the works, including Diamond Beach, a $1.2 billion development with high-rise hotels, a golf course and condominiums.
25. ST. LUCIASt. Lucia's upscale progress marches on. After the arrival of eco-hedonistic resorts like Jade Mountain and Discovery at Marigot Bay (which just launched a solar-powered ferry), big-name resorts with $1,000 rooms are on the way. Scheduled to open next year are the Residences at Ritz-Carlton (http://www.theresidencesstlucia.com), the Westin's Le Paradis (http://www.leparadisstlucia.com) and the RockResorts' the Landings St. Lucia (http://www.thelandingsstlucia.com). There's even a private jet terminal in the works.
2 LISBONBargain-seeking tourists have long flocked to Lisbon, typically among the most affordable of European cities. But now the Portuguese capital is also emerging as a cultural force. The new Berardo Collection Museum (http://www.berardocollection.com), in the historic Belem district, boasts a major trove of modern and contemporary art. Designer hotels like Fontana Park (http://www.fontanaparkhotel.com) and Jerónimos 8 (http://www.almeidahotels.com) are attracting style-savvy travelers. And the Design and Fashion Museum, scheduled to open in late 2008, will go a long way toward cementing the city's avant-garde status.
3 TUNISIATunisia is undergoing a Morocco-like luxury makeover. A new wave of stylish boutique hotels, often in historic town houses, has cropped up alongside this North African country's white-sand beaches and age-old medinas, drawing increasing numbers of well-heeled travelers. The Villa Didon (http://www.villadidon.com) in Carthage, for one, has a restaurant originally run by Alain Ducasse. Indeed, TripAdvisor ranks Jerba, a resort island off Tunisia's southern coast, as the No. 1 emerging spot in 2008.
4. MAURITIUSFlying to the sugar-white shores of Mauritius is about to get easier. Virgin Atlantic just began nonstop flights from London to this tiny coral-ringed island off the coast of Madagascar, and it also recently became a hub port for Indian Ocean excursions by the Italy-based Costa Cruises. Meanwhile, new hotels are opening up, including a Four Seasons resort, Anahita Mauritius (http://www.anahitamauritius.com), that features four restaurants, three beaches and an ayurveda spa.
5. MID-BEACH, MIAMIMove over South Beach. The iconic Eden Roc Resort (http://www.edenrocresort.com) and Fontainebleau Miami Beach (http://www.fontainebleau.com) — faded glitterati hangouts designed by Morris Lapidus — will reopen in 2008 after multimillion-dollar renovations, returning Mid-Beach to its former glory. Future neighbors include Gansevoort South, a W Hotel and a Mid-Beach outpost of the members-only Soho House.
6. SOUTH BEACH, MIAMINot to be outdone, South Beach will also welcome a red carpet of designer hotels: the Angler's Boutique Resort (http://www.theanglersresort.com) by Gianni Versace's former decorator Wallace Tutt; the Tides South Beach (http://www.tidessouthbeach.com), revamped by the design star Kelly Wearstler; and the Mondrian South Beach (http://www.mondriansouthbeach.com) by the Dutch design superstar Marcel Wanders. Meanwhile, Nicky Hilton's much-hyped dreams of running a hotel has ended up in bankruptcy court — and the auction block.
7. MALDIVESThe 2004 tsunami, a fragile ecology and a recent bombing have done little to dampen a hotel boom in this island-nation of about 1,192 coral islets in the Indian Ocean. Among the high-end hotels expected to open next year is a Regent Hotels & Resorts (http://www.regenthotels.com) with 50 villas, many set over the water, allowing guests to observe the rich marine life while still lying in bed.
8. DEATH VALLEYIt's too early to predict, but recent heavy rains have some flower bloggers already speculating about a dazzling spring bloom in Death Valley next year. Death Valley is home to more than 1,000 species of wildflower, and in that special spring after a wet fall and winter, the brown desert landscape is carpeted with Technicolor fields of blossoms.
9. COURCHEVELThe ultra-exclusive French skiing village of Courchevel may be overrun by Russian billionaires these days, but that has only fueled the resort's consumption of Cristal jeroboams and high-ticket hotels. The sumptuous Hotel de Charme Les Airelles (http://www.airelles.fr) reopens this month following a $31 million renovation, and, late next year, Le Padisha ups the ante with rustic-chic apartments starting at 1.3 million euros, or $1.95 million at $1.50 to the euro.
10. LIBYAIt's on and off (and on again) for Libya. Four years after the United States government lifted a ban on American travel, this socialist North African nation is going green. The eldest son of Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi, the leader of Libya, is developing a carbon-neutral resort along the country's pristine Mediterranean coastline, home to stellar Greek and Roman ruins and endangered seals. Luxury hotels and golf courses are planned, as well as a new airport in Tripoli. But red tape remains. Tour operators have canceled trips because of visa holdups, and last month planeloads of European tourists were turned away under an odd rule that requires foreign passports to be translated into Arabic.
11. HVARAs Croatia's Dalmatian Coast has become a new Riviera, Hvar has become its St.-Tropez: a tiny village that fills with yachts and international partyers over the summer. While the waterfront Carpe Diem (http://www.carpe-diem-hvar.com) remains the island's night-life center, narrow stone alleys are lined with chic cocktail lounges and hotel terraces, including the rooftop pool at the new Adriana hotel, Croatia's first Leading Small Hotels of the World member (http://www.suncanihvar.com/adriana).
12. PUERTO VALLARTAMaybe it is the lasting memory of the gay icon ElizaLiv Taylor's scandalous affair with Richard Burton during his filming of "Night of the Iguana" in the early 60's, but Puerto Vallarta is becoming gayer by the year and is now poised to overtake Acapulco as Mexico's leading gay beach. There are now some dozen gay-friendly hotels (http://www.gayguidevallarta.com/Lodging/gay.html) and a glut of bars and clubs clustered along the aptly named Zona Romantica.
13. SYLTWith a nickname like the "Hamptons of Germany," it's only a matter of time before jet-setters discover the North Sea island of Sylt. Known for its nudist beaches, reed-thatched houses and designer stores, the T-shaped island has long been popular with German celebrities, particularly television stars and sports figures. But now getting there is a simple hop from London and a dozen other European cities, thanks to the low-cost carrier Air Berlin.
14. PRAGUEThe verdict is in. The Next Prague is ... Prague. Stag parties have moved on, bohemians have left for cheaper rents, and youth hostels are being squeezed by luxe hotels. Joining a new Mandarin Oriental next year is the Augustine, converted from a monastery and other buildings into a Rocco Forte hotel (prague.roccofortecollection.com), and the just-refurbished Hilton Prague Old Town (http://www.prague-oldtown.hilton.com), with a buzzing restaurant opened by Gordon Ramsay.
15. QUITOIf you've been to Quito, Ecuador, there's a good chance you were heading to the Galápagos. But Quito, the colonial capital perched 9,200 feet up in the Andes, is no longer just a whistle stop. The city's crumbling historic center, one of Latin America's least altered, has been reborn after a seven-year, $200 million renovation. And a crop of upscale hotels has arrived, including a JW Marriott (http://www.marriott.com), making Quito a glorious new center in the so-called Middle of the World.
16. LIVERPOOLThere's more to Liverpool than just the Beatles. Next year, this industrial city celebrates its 800th birthday (and its designation as European Capital of Culture), as it trots out everything and everyone, from Turner Prize artists to young emerging bands like the Zutons. But make no mistake: The headliner is Paul McCartney, who is returning to play the "Liverpool Sound" concert at Anfield Stadium on June 1 (http://www.liverpool08.com).
17. MUNICHWi-Fi beer gardens, lederhosen-wearing hipsters, hybrid Mercedes-Benz taxis. No wonder Monocle magazine recently named Munich the world's most livable city. The Bavarian capital might get shortchanged when compared with Berlin in terms of liberalism and creativity, but Munich has a robust economy that stimulates high fashion, cutting-edge cuisine and cushy living — not to mention a new Jewish Museum (http://www.juedisches-museum.muenchen.de), 79 years in the making, and a posh new hotel in the heart of the city, the Charles, from hotelier Rocco Forte (http://www.charleshotel.de).
18. IRANWhat Axis of Evil? Upscale tour operators are tiptoeing into Iran next year, offering trips that explore the ancient country's Persian treasures and olive-green desert plains. Next spring, the luxury cruise liner Silversea will make stops in the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas on its Dubai to Dubai cruise. And California-based Distant Horizons (http://www.distant-horizons.com) is organizing two 18-day trips that start in Tehran and then weave through the once-forbidden countryside, including stops in Shiraz and Isfahan. Prices start at $5,390 per person.
19. TUSCANYAll those rolling fields of green. The cypress-lined fairways. It's surprising that there aren't more golf links in Tuscany. For better or worse, a new course has just opened for guests at the Terme di Saturnia resort (http://www.termedisaturnia.it ) in southern Tuscany. The nine-hole course covers 247 acres surrounded by wheat, sunflowers, oats and olive groves — that is, until the next nine holes go in.
20. ANGUILLAJust when you thought the Caribbean island of Anguilla couldn't get any fancier, the Kor Hotel Group is opening the Viceroy Anguilla — the latest offshoot of its Viceroy brand (http://www.viceroyanguilla.com) — in the spring. The hotel will have 172 luxury accommodations, a 15,000-square-foot spa and beach clubs set along 3,200 feet of private waterfront.
21. BOGOTÁBogotá might be remembered for its death squads and gang violence, but this Colombian megalopolis — the fourth-largest city in South America — is cleaning up its act and drawing tourists with its cultural diversity and colonial charms. A new Hilton hotel is being built, and three U.S.-based airlines — JetBlue, US Airways and Spirit Airlines — recently applied for the chance to offer direct flights into Bogotá.
22. PLAYA BLANCA, PANAMAPlaya Blanca is about to hit the tabloids. Nikki Beach, the très chic beach club in South Beach and St.-Tropez, is opening a gated resort in the once-quiet fishing village on the Pacific coast of Panama (http://www.nikkibeachpanama.com). The developers are already calling it the "sexiest project in Panama." Less fabulous families need not worry. Superclubs (http://www.superclubs.com), the all-inclusive resort, is also dipping its toes into Playa Blanca with the 300-room Breezes Panama, scheduled to open in 2009.
23. ALEXANDRIAThe former home of Cleopatra is rising. Alexandria was among the ancient world's greatest cities, but it had fallen into oblivion. Now a string of new monuments is bringing the so-called Pearl of the Mediterranean back. A gleaming $200 million library, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (http://www.bibalex.org), resurrects the ancient library in steel and glass. A new Four Seasons (http://www.fourseasons.com/alexandria) stands in the stately Stan Stefano plaza. And throughout town, the city pulses with new shops and upscale cafes.
24. MAZATLÁNA faded spring-break haven on Mexico's Pacific coast, Mazatlán has been drawing American retirees and second-home buyers to its less-crowded beaches and cheap real estate. Few tourists show up, partly because there are few hotels. That's changing. A half-dozen resorts are now in the works, including Diamond Beach, a $1.2 billion development with high-rise hotels, a golf course and condominiums.
25. ST. LUCIASt. Lucia's upscale progress marches on. After the arrival of eco-hedonistic resorts like Jade Mountain and Discovery at Marigot Bay (which just launched a solar-powered ferry), big-name resorts with $1,000 rooms are on the way. Scheduled to open next year are the Residences at Ritz-Carlton (http://www.theresidencesstlucia.com), the Westin's Le Paradis (http://www.leparadisstlucia.com) and the RockResorts' the Landings St. Lucia (http://www.thelandingsstlucia.com). There's even a private jet terminal in the works.
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