Cruelty To Animals

Cows

Cows are gentle giants, large in size but sweet in nature. They are curious, clever animals who have been known to go to amazing lengths to escape from slaughterhouses. These very social animals prefer to spend their time together, and they form complex relationships, very much like dogs form packs. Learn more about the intelligence of cattle.

Like all animals, cows form strong maternal bonds with their children, and on dairy farms and cattle ranches, mother cows can be heard crying out for their calves for days after they are separated.

In the U.S., more than 41 million of these sensitive animals suffer and die for the meat and dairy industries every year.1 When they are still very young, cows are burned with hot irons (branding), their testicles are ripped out of their scrotums (castration), and their horns are cut or burned off all without painkillers. Once they have grown big enough, they are sent to massive, muddy feedlots to be fattened for slaughter or to dairy farms, where they will be repeatedly impregnated and separated from their calves until their bodies give out and they are sent to die.

Cattle raised for beef are usually born in one state, fattened in another, and slaughtered in yet another. They are transported hundreds of miles in all weather extremes to the slaughterhouse. Many cows die on the way to slaughter, and those who survive are shot in the head with a bolt gun, hung up by their legs, and taken onto the killing floor, where their throats are cut and they are skinned. Some cows remain fully conscious throughout the entire process according to one slaughterhouse worker, in an interview with the Washington Post, they die piece by piece. Calves raised for veal are kept in stalls so small that they can’t even turn around.


Chickens

Chickens are inquisitive, interesting animals who are as intelligent as mammals like cats, dogs, and even primates.1 They are very social and like to spend their days together, scratching for food, cleaning themselves in dust baths, roosting in trees, and lying in the sun. Dr. Chris Evans, administrator of the animal behavior lab at Australia’s Macquarie University, says, As a trick at conferences, I sometimes list [chickens’] attributes, without mentioning chickens, and people think I’m talking about monkeys.

Chickens are precocious birds. Mother hens actually cluck to their unborn chicks, who chirp back to their mothers and to one another from within their shells!3 The intelligence and adaptability of chickens actually make them particularly vulnerable to factory farming because, unlike most birds, baby chickens can survive without their mothers and without the comfort of a nest they come out of the shell raring to explore and ready to experience life. Learn more about the intelligence of chickens.

But the more than 9 billion chickens raised on factory farms each year in the U.S. never have the chance to do anything that is natural to them.4 They will never even meet their parents, let alone be raised by them. They will never take dust baths, feel the sun on their backs, breathe fresh air, roost in trees, or build nests.

Chickens raised for their flesh, called broilers by the chicken industry, spend their entire lives in filthy sheds with tens of thousands of other birds, where intense crowding and confinement lead to outbreaks of disease. They are bred and drugged to grow so large so quickly that their legs and organs can’t keep up, making heart attacks, organ failure, and crippling leg deformities common. Many become crippled under their own weight and eventually die because they can’t reach the water nozzles. When they are only 6 or 7 weeks old, they are crammed into cages and trucked to slaughter.

Birds exploited for their eggs, called laying hens by the industry, are crammed together in wire cages where they don’t even have enough room to spread a single wing. The cages are stacked on top of each other, and the excrement from chickens in the higher cages constantly falls on those below. The birds have part of their sensitive beaks cut off so that they won’t peck each other as a result of the frustration created by the unnatural confinement. After their bodies are exhausted and their production drops, they are shipped to slaughter, generally to be turned into chicken soup or cat or dog food because their flesh is too bruised and battered to be used for much else.

Eating Chickens Is Bad for Your Health

According to a major 2006 Harvard study of 135,000 people, people who frequently ate grilled skinless chicken had a 52 percent higher chance of developing bladder cancer compared to people who didn’t.

Because the male chicks of egg-laying breeder hens are unable to lay eggs and are not bred to produce excessive flesh for the meat industry, they are killed. Every year, more than 100 million of these young birds are ground up alive or tossed into bags to suffocate.

Chickens are slammed into small crates and trucked to the slaughterhouse through all weather extremes. Hundreds of millions suffer from broken wings and legs from rough handling, and millions die from the stress of the journey.5

At the slaughterhouse, their legs are snapped into shackles, their throats are cut, and they are immersed in scalding hot water to remove their feathers. Because they have no federal legal protection (birds are exempt from the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act), most are still conscious when their throats are cut open, and many are literally scalded to death in the feather-removal tanks after missing the throat cutter.

Fish

Fish Farms: Underwater Factories

"Conditions on aquafarms are so horrendous that on some farms, 40 percent of the fish may die before farmers can kill and package them for food."
Fish farming, or aquaculture, has become a billion-dollar industry, and more than 30 percent of all the sea animals consumed each year are now raised on these farms. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization reports that the aquaculture industry is growing three times faster than land-based animal agriculture, and fish farms will surely become even more prevalent as our natural fisheries become exhausted.

Aquafarms can be based on land or in the ocean. Land-based farms raise thousands of fish in ponds, pools, or concrete tanks. Ocean-based aquafarms are situated close to shorelines, and fish in these farms are packed into net or mesh cages. All fish farms are rife with pollution, disease, and suffering, regardless of their location.

Aquafarms squander resources it can take 5 pounds of wild-caught fish to produce just 1 pound of farmed fish and pollute the environment with tons of fish feces, antibiotic-laden fish feed, and diseased fish carcasses.

Fish on aquafarms spend their entire lives in cramped, filthy enclosures, and many suffer from parasitic infections, diseases, and debilitating injuries. Conditions on some farms are so horrendous that 40 percent of the fish may die before farmers can kill and package them for food. In short, fish farms bring suffering and ecological devastation everywhere they go.

Many land-based aquafarms are indoors, so farmers even control the amount of light that fish get.

These farmed fish will spend their entire lives crammed together, constantly bumping against each other and the sides of their grossly overcrowded cage.


Pigs

Many people who know pigs compare them to dogs because they are friendly, loyal, and intelligent. Pigs are naturally very clean and avoid, if at all possible, soiling their living areas. When given the chance to live away from factory farms, pigs will spend hours playing, lying in the sun, and exploring their surroundings with their powerful sense of smell. Considered smarter than 3-year-old human children, pigs are very clever animals.1 Learn more about the intelligence of pigs.

Most people rarely have the opportunity to interact with these outgoing, sensitive animals because 97 percent of pigs in United States today are raised on factory farms.2 These pigs spend their entire lives in cramped, filthy warehouses, under constant stress from the intense confinement and denied everything that is natural to them.
Piglets' tails are cut off and their teeth are pulled out without the use of painkillers.

Piglets' tails are cut off and their teeth are pulled out without the use of painkillers.

As piglets, they are taken away from their mothers when they are less than 1 month old; their tails are cut off, some of their teeth are cut off, and the males have their testicles ripped out of their scrotums (castration), all without any pain relief. They spend their entire lives in overcrowded pens on a tiny slab of filthy concrete.

Breeding sows spend their entire miserable lives in tiny metal crates where they can't even turn around. Shortly after giving birth, they are once again forcibly impregnated. This cycle continues for years until their bodies finally give out and they are sent to be killed. When the time comes for slaughter, these smart and sensitive animals are forced onto transport trucks that travel for many miles through all weather extremes many die of heat exhaustion in the summer and arrive frozen to the inside of the truck in the winter.

According to industry reports, more than 1 million pigs die in transport each year, and an additional 420,000 are crippled by the time they arrive at the slaughterhouse.3, 4 Many are still fully conscious when they are immersed in scalding water for hair removal.


Turkeys

Ben Franklin called turkeys "true American originals." He had tremendous respect for their resourcefulness, agility, and beauty. Turkeys are intelligent animals who enjoy having their feathers stroked and listening to music, with which they will often sing quite loudly. In nature, turkeys can fly 55 miles an hour, run 25 miles an hour, and live up to four years.

But the story’s very different for turkeys on factory farms: They will be killed when they are only 5 or 6 months old, and during their short lives, they will be denied even the simplest pleasures, like running, building nests, and raising their young.

Like chickens, the 300 million turkeys raised and killed for their flesh every year in the United States have no federal legal protection. Thousands of turkeys are crammed into filthy sheds after their beaks and toes are burned off with a hot blade. Many suffer heart failure or debilitating leg pain, often becoming crippled under the weight of their genetically manipulated and drugged bodies. When the time comes for slaughter, they are thrown into transport trucks, and when they arrive at the slaughterhouse, their throats are cut and their feathers burned off often while they are still fully conscious.

Ducks And Geese

Admired by parkgoers nationwide, ducks and geese are some of America’s best known and most beloved animals. Adept in water, land, and air, these birds fly hundreds of miles each year to migrate. Both ducks and geese fly and swim in formations that reduce air and water resistance for the birds in the rear. Ducks live in couples or groups, while pairs of geese mate for life, mourning for a significant amount of time when their partners die.

While most people don’t think of ducks and geese when discussing cruelty to farmed animals, these birds are severely abused by the meat and foie gras industries. Ducks and geese raised for their flesh spend their entire lives crammed in dirty, dark sheds where they suffer from injury and disease and are deprived of everything that is natural to them.

Ducks and geese raised for foie gras endure the pain of having a pipe shoved down their throats three times daily so that two pounds of grain can be pumped into their stomachs to produce the diseased fatty liver that some diners consider a delicacy. Foie gras production has been deemed cruel and inhumane by experts worldwide, including the European Union’s Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare. The state of California recently passed a law banning foie gras because the production methods are so cruel.

If you want to help these birds, feeding the wild ones in the park isn’t the best thing that you can do for them, refusing to eat the flesh and livers of their tortured cousins is. Be sure to ask your friends to boycott foie gras and duck meat as well.


While the suffering of all animals on factory farms is similar, each type of farmed animal faces different types of cruelty.

* Chickens killed for their flesh in the United States are bred and drugged to grow so quickly that their hearts, lungs, and limbs often can't keep up.

* Hens used for eggs live six or seven to a battery cage the size of a file drawer, thousands of which are stacked tier upon tier in huge, filthy warehouses.

* Cattle are castrated, their horns are ripped out of their heads, and third-degree burns (branding) are inflicted on them, all without any pain relief.

* Cows used for their milk are drugged and bred to produce unnatural amounts of milk; they have their babies stolen from them shortly after birth and sent to notoriously cruel veal farms so that humans can drink the calves' milk.

* Mother pigs on factory farms are confined to crates so small that they are unable to turn around or even lie down comfortably.

* Fish on aquafarms spend their entire lives in cramped, filthy enclosures, and many suffer from parasitic infections, diseases, and debilitating injuries. Conditions on some farms are so horrendous that 40 percent of the fish may die before farmers can kill and package them for food.

* Turkeys' beaks and toes are burned off with a hot blade. Many suffer heart failure or debilitating leg pain, often becoming crippled under the weight of their genetically manipulated and drugged bodies.


The following info was provided by Go Veg, which is owned by Peta. You should go check out their site for loads of great info on the benefits of going veg.

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Love to All

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Follow Your Bliss....

A beautiful image and quotation -Provided By Our Friend -
Dream Weaver @ My Space.

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The Anger Habit...Grrrrrrr

The 'anger habit' includes the tendency to experience temper tantrums, feelings on on-going frustration, resentment, irritability, etc.


We call it a habit because it is a habitual way of behaving and responding to circumstances of which we disapprove. It is not 'how I am' - it is 'how I react'.

The habit of feeling angry a lot of the time can control your life. It can damage your health, ruin peace of mind, spoil your relationships, jeopardise your career - and even cost you your liberty......

Anger makes you the victim!

After an angry exchange you can be affected you for hours or even days as you endlessly go over the event in your mind, churning up the anger feelings and adding to them. And during this period your mood is being ruled by the memory of the person you are angry with and not by you. You are a victim of the event.

When you allow someone else's behaviour to make you angry you are indeed the victim. They are likely to go off and forget about it. You are being controlled by them without their even knowing about it - as you fume and fret and relive the event for days or months afterwards - while trying to enjoy yourself with friends or family, while relaxing on the beach, or while trying to sleep at night.

Strategies To Keep Anger At Bay

Relaxation

Simple relaxation tools, such as deep breathing and relaxing imagery, can help calm down angry feelings. There are books and courses that can teach you relaxation techniques, and once you learn the techniques, you can call upon them in any situation. If you are involved in a relationship where both partners are hot-tempered, it might be a good idea for both of you to learn these techniques.

Some simple steps you can try:

* Breathe deeply, from your diaphragm; breathing from your chest won't relax you. Picture your breath coming up from your "gut."

* Slowly repeat a calm word or phrase such as "relax," "take it easy." Repeat it to yourself while breathing deeply.

* Use imagery; visualize a relaxing experience, from either your memory or your imagination.

* Non strenuous, slow yoga-like exercises can relax your muscles and make you feel much calmer.

Practice these techniques daily. Learn to use them automatically when you're in a tense situation.

Cognitive Restructuring

Simply put, this means changing the way you think. Angry people tend to curse, swear, or speak in highly colorful terms that reflect their inner thoughts. When you're angry, your thinking can get very exaggerated and overly dramatic. Try replacing these thoughts with more rational ones. For instance, instead of telling yourself, "oh, it's awful, it's terrible, every thing's ruined," tell yourself, "it's frustrating, and it's understandable that I'm upset about it, but it's not the end of the world and getting angry is not going to fix it anyhow."

Be careful of words like "never" or "always" when talking about yourself or someone else. "This !&*%@ machine never works," or "you're always forgetting things" are not just inaccurate, they also serve to make you feel that your anger is justified and that there's no way to solve the problem. They also alienate and humiliate people who might otherwise be willing to work with you on a solution.

Remind yourself that getting angry is not going to fix anything, that it won't make you feel better (and may actually make you feel worse).

Logic defeats anger, because anger, even when it's justified, can quickly become irrational. So use cold hard logic on yourself. Remind yourself that the world is "not out to get you," you're just experiencing some of the rough spots of daily life. Do this each time you feel anger getting the best of you, and it'll help you get a more balanced perspective. Angry people tend to demand things: fairness, appreciation, agreement, willingness to do things their way. Everyone wants these things, and we are all hurt and disappointed when we don't get them, but angry people demand them, and when their demands aren't met, their disappointment becomes anger. As part of their cognitive restructuring, angry people need to become aware of their demanding nature and translate their expectations into desires. In other words, saying, "I would like" something is healthier than saying, "I demand" or "I must have" something. When you're unable to get what you want, you will experience the normal reactions—frustration, disappointment, hurt—but not anger. Some angry people use this anger as a way to avoid feeling hurt, but that doesn't mean the hurt goes away.

Problem Solving

Sometimes, our anger and frustration are caused by very real and inescapable problems in our lives. Not all anger is misplaced, and often it's a healthy, natural response to these difficulties. There is also a cultural belief that every problem has a solution, and it adds to our frustration to find out that this isn't always the case. The best attitude to bring to such a situation, then, is not to focus on finding the solution, but rather on how you handle and face the problem.

Make a plan, and check your progress along the way. Resolve to give it your best, but also not to punish yourself if an answer doesn't come right away. If you can approach it with your best intentions and efforts and make a serious attempt to face it head-on, you will be less likely to lose patience and fall into all-or-nothing thinking, even if the problem does not get solved right away.

Better Communication

Angry people tend to jump to—and act on—conclusions, and some of those conclusions can be very inaccurate. The first thing to do if you're in a heated discussion is slow down and think through your responses. Don't say the first thing that comes into your head, but slow down and think carefully about what you want to say. At the same time, listen carefully to what the other person is saying and take your time before answering.

Listen, too, to what is underlying the anger. For instance, you like a certain amount of freedom and personal space, and your "significant other" wants more connection and closeness. If he or she starts complaining about your activities, don't retaliate by painting your partner as a jailer, a warden, or an albatross around your neck.

It's natural to get defensive when you're criticized, but don't fight back. Instead, listen to what's underlying the words: the message that this person might feel neglected and unloved. It may take a lot of patient questioning on your part, and it may require some breathing space, but don't let your anger—or a partner's—let a discussion spin out of control. Keeping your cool can keep the situation from becoming a disastrous one.

Using Humor

"Silly humor" can help defuse rage in a number of ways. For one thing, it can help you get a more balanced perspective. When you get angry and call someone a name or refer to them in some imaginative phrase, stop and picture what that word would literally look like. If you're at work and you think of a coworker as a "dirtbag" or a "single-cell life form," for example, picture a large bag full of dirt (or an amoeba) sitting at your colleague's desk, talking on the phone, going to meetings. Do this whenever a name comes into your head about another person. If you can, draw a picture of what the actual thing might look like. This will take a lot of the edge off your fury; and humor can always be relied on to help unknot a tense situation.

The underlying message of highly angry people, Dr. Deffenbacher says, is "things oughta go my way!" Angry people tend to feel that they are morally right, that any blocking or changing of their plans is an unbearable indignity and that they should NOT have to suffer this way. Maybe other people do, but not them!

When you feel that urge, he suggests, picture yourself as a god or goddess, a supreme ruler, who owns the streets and stores and office space, striding alone and having your way in all situations while others defer to you. The more detail you can get into your imaginary scenes, the more chances you have to realize that maybe you are being unreasonable; you'll also realize how unimportant the things you're angry about really are. There are two cautions in using humor. First, don't try to just "laugh off" your problems; rather, use humor to help yourself face them more constructively. Second, don't give in to harsh, sarcastic humor; that's just another form of unhealthy anger expression.

What these techniques have in common is a refusal to take yourself too seriously. Anger is a serious emotion, but it's often accompanied by ideas that, if examined, can make you laugh.

Changing Your Environment

Sometimes it's our immediate surroundings that give us cause for irritation and fury. Problems and responsibilities can weigh on you and make you feel angry at the "trap" you seem to have fallen into and all the people and things that form that trap.

Give yourself a break. Make sure you have some "personal time" scheduled for times of the day that you know are particularly stressful. One example is the working mother who has a standing rule that when she comes home from work, for the first 15 minutes "nobody talks to Mom unless the house is on fire." After this brief quiet time, she feels better prepared to handle demands from her kids without blowing up at them.

Some Other Tips for Easing Up on Yourself

Timing: If you and your spouse tend to fight when you discuss things at night—perhaps you're tired, or distracted, or maybe it's just habit—try changing the times when you talk about important matters so these talks don't turn into arguments.

Avoidance: If your child's chaotic room makes you furious every time you walk by it, shut the door. Don't make yourself look at what infuriates you. Don't say, "well, my child should clean up the room so I won't have to be angry!" That's not the point. The point is to keep yourself calm.

Finding alternatives: If your daily commute through traffic leaves you in a state of rage and frustration, give yourself a project—learn or map out a different route, one that's less congested or more scenic. Or find another alternative, such as a bus or commuter train.

Do You Need Counseling?

If you feel that your anger is really out of control, if it is having an impact on your relationships and on important parts of your life, you might consider counseling to learn how to handle it better. A psychologist or other licensed mental health professional can work with you in developing a range of techniques for changing your thinking and your behavior.

When you talk to a prospective therapist, tell her or him that you have problems with anger that you want to work on, and ask about his or her approach to anger management. Make sure this isn't only a course of action designed to "put you in touch with your feelings and express them"—that may be precisely what your problem is. With counseling, psychologists say, a highly angry person can move closer to a middle range of anger in about 8 to 10 weeks, depending on the circumstances and the techniques used.

What About Assertiveness Training?

It's true that angry people need to learn to become assertive (rather than aggressive), but most books and courses on developing assertiveness are aimed at people who don't feel enough anger. These people are more passive and acquiescent than the average person; they tend to let others walk all over them. That isn't something that most angry people do. Still, these books can contain some useful tactics to use in frustrating situations.

Remember, you can't eliminate anger—and it wouldn't be a good idea if you could. In spite of all your efforts, things will happen that will cause you anger; and sometimes it will be justifiable anger. Life will be filled with frustration, pain, loss, and the unpredictable actions of others. You can't change that; but you can change the way you let such events affect you. Controlling your angry responses can keep them from making you even more unhappy in the long run.

So the next you feel you are about to have a short fuse, try the following techniques. Count to 10, go look at your self in the mirror and see your expression. Get rid of that frowning mug!!!Then drink a glass of water this will help calm your blood pressure. Meditation always helps. Also try not to aggravate the situation. Remain calm don't loose your cool and walk away from the heat of the situation.
Om Shanti :) Breath deep and be still for a moment.

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MOP Positive Affirmation

"I Have Infinite Potential. I Improve Day By Day."

Repeat these words aloud 10 to 15 times in a row, as many times as you can, thoroughout the day, to impress your subconscious mind. Words have incredible power and can manifest amazing changes in your life.


Affirmation provided by the blessed people of Seicho-No-Ie

Wikipedia info about Seicho-No-Ie can be found here

thank you very much
thank you very much
thank you very much

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Blessings To You All

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Ayurvedic Principle for Healthy Living

Get up early in the morning around 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. to catch the energetic vata cycle.

Go to bed before 11 O Clock to catch the restful Kapha cycle.

Get a Proper Good Lunch between 11 and 2 at noon to catch the best digestive Pita period.

Eat at proper time, proper place and proper quantity.

Exercise For proper digestion, metabolism, and circulation of the doshas and dhatus, exercise in moderation is a must.

Non Suppressible Urges: Never suppress natural urges like Urine, Yawning, Hunger, Thirst, tears, sleep, faecal, Semen, flatus, vomiting, belching, sneezing over exertion, breathing.

Suppressible Urges:Always suppress all Vices relating to mind, speech and physical action. Rashness and evil deeds - mentally, orally, physically. Greed, Grief, Fear, Anger, Vanity, Shamelessness, jealousy, too much of attachment and malice. Speaking harsh words, back biting, lying etc. Violence to others, Adultery, Theft and Persecution.

To Remain Healthy Say "NO" To Indigestion and "BYE' To Constipation.

Sleep: For proper recharging of the system, the body requires about 5 to 8 hours sleep preferably between 10 p.m. to 6 a.m

Brahmachariya: Regulated physical and sexual activity, i.e. No excess abuse or misuse of the senses. Over indulgence in these are condemned as these lead to shorter life span, more susceptible to diseases, and debility.


2) Healthy Food Habits
Timely meals, proper food with right combination of fruits and vegetables are a must. Indigestion and constipation are major reasons for various problems but can be easily rectified. Avoid junk food

3) Time Management.
Stress at the young age should be unheard of. Proper time management can certainly set right most of the problems. The rest that a brain needs can be a change like change of subject, activity etc., Never induce the child to intense stress by arranging classes from morning to evening though they may be different in nature. They should have sufficient time to play and relax.

4) Mental and Physical Exercises
Meditation is one of the best means to enhance memory and ability. There should be a proper balance between mental and physical activity. There should be some free time for the child to play without any worry.This leaves them fresh and sharp for the next activity.

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Embrace Life

For those who choose a path of beauty and simple grace,
open your arms wide for the life that you embrace.
Too often obligations, in your daily life,
interferes with knowing what is wrong or right.

To embrace life and merge, joy together with pain,
is to feel pleasure or fear, without guilt or shame.
It's how to meld your body with your mind and heart,
to cooperate together; this is how you start.

To embrace life is to trust, in who you truly are,
love yourself completely to heal all wounds and scars.
Then release control fully; let your shield fall down,
and accept the powerful force flowing all around.

Embracing life will bring, bliss beyond compare,
but first you must be open, then become aware.
Of nature and the universe far beyond the stars,
with the power of your mind you can travel far.

And material wealth is minor; irrelevant to your soul,
embracing life is important; reaching spiritual goals.
Always remaining true for how you think and act,
being positive in your outlook and how you react.

Enjoying every moment for the little things that count,
basking in the pleasure, which makes your happiness mount.
Embracing life will give you, the strength to clearly see,
that a simple life brings freedom that makes you truly free.

By: Margaret Jang

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Nature

Learn lessons from every living being, everything that you find around you. Learn faithfulness and gratitude from the dog, patience and fortitude from the donkey, perseverance from the spider, farsightedness from the ant, and monogamy from the owl.

The Universe is the best University for man; Nature is his best teacher. With an observant mind he can learn many lessons from rivers and hills, from birds and beasts, from stars and flowers, and from the trees. A tree gives shade to others and takes nothing for itself. It gives fruits to others but does not itself partake them. A plant sprouts beautiful flowers and gives joy to others but does not enjoy the beauty itself. The sun is constantly at work, giving life, light and energy to the world. Does it ask for anything in return? No, it performs Nishkama Karma, that is action without the desire for reward. These are some of the examples of the selflessness of Nature and are perfect lessons to the selfishness of man. If only man watches and studies Nature carefully, he can imbibe a lot of philosophy from it which will make him a better person.

Reference: Sathya Sai Speaks; Vol. XV, P. 79-80.
Sathya Sai Speaks; Vol. XIV, P. 152.

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Shiv Shakti

Shiva and Shakti are the twin aspects of Paramashiva - the ultimate Truth.

While Shiva is the static principle, Shakti is the dynamic.

Shiva is the basis and support of Shakti

in Her multitudinous manifestations of the universal phenomena.

One is the invisible, formless, omnipresent and motionless Spirit;

the other is the visible, moving, universal Power revealed in name and form.

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The Law of Compensation

You Get What You Give......

Ralph Waldo Emerson, in his essay,"Compensation ," wrote that each person is compensated in like manner for that which he or she has contributed.
The Law of Compensation is another restatement of the Law of Sowing and Reaping. It says that you will always be compensated for your efforts and for your contribution, whatever it is, however much or however little.

Increase Your Value
This Law of Compensation also says that you can never be compensated in the long term for more than you put in.
The income you earn today is your compensation for what you have done in the past. If you want to increase your compensation, you must increase the value of your contribution.

Fill Your Mind With Success
Your mental attitude, your feelings of happiness and satisfaction, are also the result of the things that you have put into your own mind. If you fill your own mind with thoughts, visions and ideas of success, happiness and optimism, you will be compensated by those positive experiences in your daily activities.

Do More Than You're Paid For
Another corollary of the Law of Sowing and Reaping is what is sometimes called the, "Law of Over-compensation. " This law says that great success comes from those who always make it a habit to put in more than they take out. They do more than they are paid for. They are always looking for opportunities to exceed expectations. And because they are always overcompensating, they are always being over rewarded with the esteem of their employers and customers and with the financial rewards that go along with their
personal success.

Provide the Causes, Enjoy The Effects
One of your main responsibilities in life is to align yourself and your activities with Law of Cause and Effect (and its corollaries) , accepting that it is an inexorable law that always works, whether anyone is looking or not. Your job is to institute the causes that are consistent with the effects that you want to enjoy in your life. When you do, you will realize and enjoy the rewards you desire.

Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.First, remind yourself regularly that your rewards will always be in direct proportion to your service to others. How could you increase the value of your services to your customers today?

Second, look for ways to go the extra mile, to use the Law of Over-compensation in everything you do. This is the great secret of success.

By: Brian Tracy

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Healthy Bodies....

HEADACHE? EAT FISH!
Eat plenty of fish -- fish oil helps prevent headaches.
So does ginger, which reduces inflammation and pain.

HAY FEVER? EAT YOGURT!
Eat lots of yogurt before pollen season.
Also-eat honey from your area (local region) daily.

TO PREVENT STROKE DRINK TEA!
Prevent buildup of fatty deposits on artery walls with regular doses of tea.
(actually, tea suppresses our appetite and keeps the pounds from invading....Green tea is great for our immune systems!

INSOMNIA (CAN'T SLEEP?) HONEY!
Use honey as a tranquilizer and sedative.

ASTHMA? EAT ONIONS!!!!
Eating onions helps ease constriction of bronchial tubes.
(when I was young, my mother would make onion packs to place on our chest, helped the respiratory ailments and actually made us breathe better).

ARTHRITIS? EAT FISH, TOO!!
Salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines actually prevent arthritis.
(fish has omega oils, good for our immune system)

UPSET STOMACH? BANANAS - GINGER!!!!!
Bananas will settle an upset stomach.
Ginger will cure morning sickness and nausea.

BLADDER INFECTION? DRINK CRANBERRY JUICE!!!!
High-acid cranberry juice controls harmful bacteria.

BONE PROBLEMS? EAT PINEAPPLE!!!
Bone fractures and osteoporosis can be prevented by the manganese in pineapple.

MEMORY PROBLEMS? EAT OYSTERS!
Oysters help improve your mental functioning by supplying much-needed zinc.

COLDS? EAT GARLIC!
Clear up that stuffy head with garlic. (remember, garlic lowers cholesterol, too.)

COUGHING? USE RED PEPPERS!!
A substance similar to that found in the cough syrups is found in hot red pepper.
Use red (cayenne) pepper with caution-it can irritate your tummy.

BREAST CANCER?
EAT Wheat, bran and cabbage
Helps to maintain estrogen at healthy levels.

LUNG CANCER? EAT DARK GREEN AND ORANGE VEGGIES!!!
A good antidote is beta carotene, a form of Vitamin A found in dark green and orange vegetables.

ULCERS? EAT CABBAGE ALSO!!!
Cabbage contains chemicals that help heal both gastric and duodenal ulcers.

DIARRHEA? EAT APPLES!
Grate an apple with its skin, let it turn brown and eat it to cure this condition. (Bananas are good for this ailment)

CLOGGED ARTERIES? EAT AVOCADO!
Mono unsaturated fat in avocados lowers cholesterol.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE? EAT CELERY AND OLIVE OIL!!!
Olive oil has been shown to lower blood pressure.
Celery contains a chemical that lowers pressure too.

BLOOD SUGAR IMBALANCE? EAT BROCCOLI AND PEANUTS!!!
The chromium in broccoli and peanuts helps regulate insulin and blood sugar.

Kiwi: Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, Vitamin E &fiber. It's Vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.

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

Strawberry: Protective fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits &protects the body from cancer causing, blood vessels clogging free radicals. (Actually, any berry is good for you..they're high in anti-oxidants and they actually keep us young.........blueberries are the best and very versatile in the health field........they get rid of all the free-radicals that invade our bodies)

Orange: Sweetest medicine. Taking 2 - 4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessen the risk of colon cancer.

Watermelon: Coolest Thirst Quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene - the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are Vitamin C &Potassium. (watermelon also has natural substances [natural SPF sources] that keep our skin healthy, protecting our skin from those darn uv rays)

Guava &Papaya: Top awards for Vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high Vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber which helps prevent constipation.

Papaya is rich in carotene, this is good for your eyes. (also good for gas and indigestion)

Tomatoes are very good as a preventative measure for men, keeps those prostrate problems from invading their bodies.

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There is Nothing to Get from Looking for Happiness

Happiness is not found through great effort. It resides within, very close, in relaxation and abandonment.

If you worry, it can not be found

All that rises in the mind does not have any importance, because it has no reality.

Do not attach to the mind. Do not judge.

Let the play of mind be done alone, rising and ceasing, without anything to change; dissapearing, it starts again unceasingly.

Only searching for happiness prevents you from seeing it.

It is a rainbow, which one follows without ever catching up to it. Because it does not exist, it always was there and accompanies you at every moment.

Do not believe in the reality of the good or bad judgements; they are like rainbows.

To want to see that which is imperceptible, one becomes exhausted in vain. When one releases this grasping, space is there, open, hospitable and comfortable.

There is attainment. Happiness is with you, already. Do not seek any more.

Do not seek in the jungle the elephant which is quietly at the house.

Nothing to make.

Nothing to force

Nothing to want.

And all is done all alone.

om mani padme hum

by LAMA Guendune Rinpoché

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10 laws of life by Swami Vivekananda

1. Love Is The Law Of Life:
All love is expansion, all selfishness is contraction. Love is therefore the only law of life. He who loves lives, he who is selfish is dying. Therefore, love for love's sake, because it is law of life, just as you breathe to live.

2. It's Your Outlook That Matters:
It is our own mental attitude, which makes the world what it is for us. Our thoughts make things beautiful, our thoughts make things ugly. The whole world is in our own minds. Learn to see things in the proper light.

3. Life is Beautiful:
First, believe in this world - that there is meaning behind everything. Everything in the world is good, is holyand beautiful. If you see something evil, think that you do not understand it in the right light. Throw the burden on yourselves!

4. It's The Way You Feel:
Feel like Christ and you will be a Christ; feel like Buddha and you will be a Buddha. It is feeling that is the life, the strength, and the vitality, without which no amount of intellectual activity can reach God.

5. Set Yourself Free:
The moment I have realized God sitting in the temple of every human body, the moment I stand in reverence before every human being and see God in him - that moment I am free from bondage, everything that binds vanishes, and I am free.

6. Don't Play The Blame Game:
Condemn none: if you can stretch out a helping hand, do so. If you cannot, fold your hands, bless your brothers, and let them go their own way.

7. Help Others:
If money helps a man to do well to others, it is of some value; but if not, it is simply a mass of evil, and the sooner it is got rid of, the better.

8. Uphold Your Ideals:
Our duty is to encourage every one in his struggle to live up to his own highest idea, and strive at the same time to make the ideal as near as possible to the Truth.

9. Listen To Your Soul:
You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.

10. Be Yourself.

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Water vs. Coke

We all know that water is important but you have never seen it written down like this before.

75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half world population)

In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.

Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.

One glass of water shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a U-Washington study.

Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

Are you drinking the amount of water you should every day?

COKE and it's many uses!

1. In many states (in the USA) the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the truck to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.

2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of coke and it will be gone in two days.

3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and...let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china.

4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a crumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.

5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.

6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.

7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, Remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.

8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, And run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

FYI:

1. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. Its Ph is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about 4 days.

2. To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate) the commercial truck must use the Hazardous material place cards reserved for Highly corrosive materials.

3. The distributors of coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 years!

You still want to drink coke?

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Organic farming can yield up to three times as much food as conventional farming

Organic farming can yield up to three times as much food as conventional farming on the same amount of land, according to researchers at the University of Michigan. Check out this press release from University of Michigan.

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10 Best Foods & 10 Worst Foods to eat

I just found this great list of the 10 Best Foods & 10 Worst Foods to eat.

Top 3 Best Are: Sweet Potatoes, Grape Tomatoes, 1% Milk (or soy milk)

Top 3 Worst Are: Pepperidge Farm Roasted White Meat Chicken Premium Pot Pie, McDonald’s Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips, The Cheesecake Factory’s 6 Carb Cheesecake

Follow this link http://www.cspinet.org/nah/10foods_bad.html to read the rest of the list.


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The Zen Glossary

Attachment - A deluded mental factor that observes a contaminated object, regards it as a cause of happiness, and wishes for it.

Bodhi Mind - Mind in which the aspiration for enlightenment has been awakened; the impulse that moves one towards self-realization.

Bodhisattva - One who practices the Buddha Way and compassionately postpones final enlightenment for the sake of others; the ideal of practice in Mahayana Buddhism.

Bodhi Tree - The fig tree under which the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Guatemala, attained complete enlightenment.

Buddha - The name for an enlightened being, usually used to refer to Sakymuni Buddha, the fifth century B.C. Indian founder of Buddhism.

Buddha-nature - The self experienced without separateness from all that is.

Dharma - Universal Truth or law; the Buddha's teachings; all phenomena that make up reality.

Dharma Combat - Unrehearsed dialogue in which two Zen practitioners test and sharpen their understanding of Zen truths.

Dharma Discourse - A formal talk on a koan or significant aspects of Zen teachings; not an intellectual presentation or a philosophical explanation, but a direct expression of the spirit of Zen by the teacher.

Dharma Name - Name given to a student by the teacher during jukai, the precepts ceremony.

Dogen Kigen Zenji - (1200-1253) Founder of the Japanese Soto School of Zen; Dogen established Eihei-ji, the principal Soto training monastery in Japan; he is the author of the Shobogenzo, an important collection of Dharma essays.

Dokusan / Daisan - Private interviews with the teacher during which students present and clarify their understanding of the Dharma.

Eightfold Path - The content of the Buddha's Fourth Noble Truth, the way out of suffering; it consists of right views, right determination right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration; some translators replace "right" with "perfect" to avoid dualistic connotations.

Eight Gates of Training - Training System used at Zen Mountain Monastery for complete living and realization. It includes zazen, Zen study with the teacher, academic study, liturgy, precepts practice, art practice, body practice, and work practice. It corresponds roughly to the aspects of the Buddha's Eightfold Path.

Enlightenment - The direct experience of one's true nature.

Four Noble Truths - The first teaching of the historical Buddha. It addresses the nature of all suffering and points to the way of overcoming suffering. The Truths are:

1. Life is suffering
2. Suffering has a cause
3. There is an end to the cause of suffering
4. The way to put an end to suffering is the Eightfold Path.

Four Vows - Vows taken by the bodhisattvas, expressing commitment to postpone their own enlightenment until all beings are liberated from delusion. They are chanted at the end of each day at Zen monasteries.

Gassho - Gesture of bringing one's hands together, palm to palm, embodying the identity of all dualities.

Gatha - Short sutra that presents the Dharma teachings in terse, pithy wording; frequently chanted.

Hara - Physical and spiritual center of one's body/mind; area in the lower belly used in centering one's attention in meditation and any activity.

Joriki - Power of concentration, developed through the practice of meditation, that allows a person to place their focus of attention where they choose for extended periods of time.

Jukai - Acknowledgement of and the reception of the Buddhist precepts; the ceremony of becoming a Buddhist.

Karma - The universal law of cause and effect, linking an action's underlying intention to that action's consequences. It equates the actions of body, speech, and thought as potential sources of karmic consequences.

Kensho - "Seeing into one's own nature"; first experience of realization.

Kesa - Monk's outer robe, worn across one shoulder.

Ki - Vital life-force present in and permeating all things; the energy which is the source of all creative activity.

Kinhin - Walking meditation; it provides a transitional stage for shifting the concentration developed in zazen into activity.

Koan - An apparently paradoxical statement or question used in Zen training to induce in the student an intense level of doubt, allowing them to cut through conventional and conditioned descriptions of reality and see directly into their true nature.

Mu - One of the first koans used in koan training. The first case in Master Wu-men's Gateless Gate collection of koans.

Nirvana - Union with the absolute. In Zen it is essential to realize that samsara is nirvana, form is emptiness, that all beings are innately perfect from the outset.

Oryoki - "Containing just enough"; set of bowls and the ceremonial meal eaten in silence in Buddhist monasteries.

Paramitas - Perfections; virtues of attitude and behavior cultivated by bodhisattvas in the course of their development, necessary on the path of transcendence or realization. "Reaching the other shore", the six (6) paramitas are:

1. generosity
2. discipline
3. patience
4. exertion
5. meditation
6. wisdom

Patriarch - A term meaning "father" applied to the founders and early influential contributors to Buddhism.

Prajna - Wisdom; not that which is possessed but that which is directly and thoroughly experienced.

Samsara - The world of appearances adn ever-changing flux. The illusion of separateness. Teh wheel of reincarnation that leads a soul through many births in its search of enlightenment.

Sanskrit - The sacred language of ancient India.

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100 Ways You Can Improve The Environment

In Your Home - Conserve Energy

1. Clean or replace air filters on your air conditioning unit at least once a month.
2. If you have central air conditioning, do not close vents in unused rooms.
3. Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120.
4. Wrap your water heater in an insulated blanket.
5. Turn down or shut off your water heater when you will be away for extended periods.
6. Turn off unneeded lights even when leaving a room for a short time.
7. Set your refrigerator temperature at 36 to 38 and your freezer at 0 to 5 .
8. When using an oven, minimize door opening while it is in use; it reduces oven temperature by 25 to 30 every time you open the door.
9. Clean the lint filter in your dryer after every load so that it uses less energy.
10. Unplug seldom used appliances.
11. Use a microwave when- ever you can instead of a conventional oven or stove.
12. Wash clothes with warm or cold water instead of hot.
13. Reverse your indoor ceiling fans for summer and winter operations as recommended.
14. Turn off lights, computers and other appliances when not in use.
15. Purchase appliances and office equipment with the Energy Star Label; old refridgerators, for example, use up to 50 more electricity than newer models.
16. Only use electric appliances when you need them.
17. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs to save money and energy.
18. Keep your thermostat at 68 in winter and 78 in summer.
19. Keep your thermostat higher in summer and lower in winter when you are away
20. Insulate your home as best as you can.
21. Install weather stripping around all doors and windows.
22. Shut off electrical equipment in the evening when you leave work.
23. Plant trees to shade your home.
24. Shade outside air conditioning units by trees or other means.
25. Replace old windows with energy efficient ones.
26. Use cold water instead of warm or hot water when possible.
27. Connect your outdoor lights to a timer.
28. Buy green electricity - electricity produced by low - or even zero-pollution facilities (NC Greenpower for North Carolina - www.ncgreenpower.org). In your home-reduce toxicity.

In Your Home - Reduce Toxicity

29. Eliminate mercury from your home by purchasing items without mercury, and dispose of items containing mercury at an appropriate drop-off facility when necessary (e.g. old thermometers).
30. Learn about alternatives to household cleaning items that do not use hazardous chemicals.
31. Buy the right amount of paint for the job.
32. Review labels of household cleaners you use. Consider alternatives like baking soda, scouring pads, water or a little more elbow grease.
33. When no good alternatives exist to a toxic item, find the least amount required for an effective, sanitary result.
34. If you have an older home, have paint in your home tested for lead. If you have lead-based paint, cover it with wall paper or other material instead of sanding it or burning it off.
35. Use traps instead of rat and mouse poisons and insect killers.
36. Have your home tested for radon.
37. Use cedar chips or aromatic herbs instead of mothballs.

In Your Yard

38. Avoid using leaf blowers and other dust-producing equipment.
39. Use an electric lawn- mower instead of a gas-powered one.
40. Leave grass clippings on the yard-they decompose and return nutrients to the soil.
41. Use recycled wood chips as mulch to keep weeds down, retain moisture and prevent erosion.
42. Use only the required amount of fertilizer.
43. Minimize pesticide use.
44. Create a wildlife habitat in your yard.
45. Water grass early in the morning.
46. Rent or borrow items like ladders, chain saws, party decorations and others that are seldom used.
47. Take actions that use non hazardous components (e.g., to ward off pests, plant marigolds in a garden instead of using pesticide).
48. Put leaves in a compost heap instead of burning them or throwing them away. Yard debris too large for your compost bin should be taken to a yard-debris recycler.

In Your Office

49. Copy and print on both sides of paper.
50. Reuse items like envelopes, folders and paper clips.
51. Use mailer sheets for interoffice mail instead of an envelope.Use mailer sheets for interoffice mail instead of an envelope.
52. Set up a bulletin board for memos instead of sending a copy to each employee.
53. Use e-mail instead of paper correspondence.
54. Use recycled paper.
55. Use discarded paper for scrap paper.
56. Encourage your school and/or company to print documents with soy-based inks, which are less toxic.
57. Use a ceramic coffee mug instead of a disposable cup.

Ways To Protect Our Air

58. Ask your employer to consider flexible work schedules or telecommuting.
59. Recycle printer cartridges.
60. Shut off electrical equipment in the evening when you leave work.
61. Report smoking vehicles to your local air agency.
62. Don't use your wood stove or fireplace when air quality is poor.
63. Avoid slow-burning, smoldering fires. They produce the largest amount of pollution.
64. Burn seasoned wood - it burns cleaner than green wood.
65. Use solar power for home and water heating.
66. Use low-VOC or water-based paints, stains, finishes and paint strippers.
67. Purchase radial tires and keep them properly inflated for your vehicle.
68. Paint with brushes or rollers instead of using spray paints to minimize harmful emissions.
69. Ignite charcoal barbecues with an electric probe or other alternative to lighter fluid.
70. If you use a wood stove, use one sold after 1990. They are required to meet federal emissions standards and are more efficient and cleaner burning.
71. Walk or ride your bike instead of driving, whenever possible.
72. Join a carpool or vanpool to get to work.

Ways to Use Less Water

73. Check and fix any water leaks.
74. Install water-saving devices on your faucets and toilets.
75. Don't wash dishes with the water running continuously.
76. Wash and dry only full loads of laundry and dishes.
77. Follow your community's water use restrictions or guidelines.
78. Install a low-flow shower head.
79. Replace old toilets with new ones that use a lot less water.
80. Turn off washing machine's water supply to prevent leaks.

Ways to Protect Our Water

81. Revegetate or mulch disturbed soil as soon as possible.
82. Never dump anything down a storm drain.
83. Have your septic tank pumped and system inspected regularly.
84. Check your car for oil or other leaks, and recycle motor oil.
85. Take your car to a car wash instead of washing it in the driveway.
86. Learn about your watershed.

Create Less Trash

87. Buy items in bulk from loose bins when possible to reduce the packaging wasted.
88. Avoid products with several layers of packaging when only one is sufficient. About 33 of what we throw away is packaging.
89. Buy products that you can reuse.
90. Maintain and repair durable products instead of buying new ones.
91. Check reports for products that are easily repaired and have low breakdown rates.
92. Reuse items like bags and containers when possible.
93. Use cloth napkins instead of paper ones.
94. Use reusable plates and utensils instead of disposable ones.
95. Use reusable containers to store food instead of aluminum foil and cling wrap.
96. Shop with a canvas bag instead of using paper and plastic bags.
97. Buy rechargeable batteries for devices used frequently.
98. Reuse packaging cartons and shipping materials. Old newspapers make great packaging material.
99. Compost your vegetable scraps.
100. Buy used furniture - there is a surplus of it, and it is much cheaper than new furniture.

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Six Simple Steps to Going Green

(ARA) - You don't have to compost your kitchen waste or pick bugs off plants by hand to help the environment. From the red carpet to your favorite garden shop, new "green" products are making it easy to have a beautiful yard while being good stewards of the earth in your own back yard.

Outdoor living trend-spotter and garden guru Susan McCoy has gathered six savvy, yet surprisingly simple solutions for going "green" this summer.

1. Plant, Plant, Plant!

One of the simplest ways to give back to the planet without breaking your budget is to plant anything. "Just plant something, anything. A single tree, shrub, bush or container will help the environment," says McCoy, "It's one of the easiest ways you can make a difference. Imagine if we all planted jut one new plant every year!" Trees and other plants remove carbon dioxide from the air during photosynthesis. This improves the quality of the environment by cleaning and oxygenating the air and removing CO2. Plants also help prevent soil erosion, control water cycles, and moderate temperatures. It's the balance of nature at the most basic level.

2. Start with Healthy Soil

Pesticides and fungicides aren't safe for people, pets or even the planet. Eliminate the need for harmful garden chemicals by pampering your plants with healthy, nutrient-rich soil from the get go. "Healthy soil, rich in minerals, nutrients and 'good bugs,' maximizes a plant's own healthy immune system to let it naturally resist pests and diseases," says McCoy. Compost your own or look for organic potting soils like Organic Mechanics (www.organicmechanicsoil.com) available at Whole Foods stores this spring.

3. Reduce Fertilizer Use

Overfeeding is not only unhealthy for plants; it also causes excess nutrient runoff that pollutes our streams, bays, rivers and other watersheds. "Plants can only absorb so much fertilizer before the excess nutrients run off into the groundwater," says McCoy. Fertilizer runoff contaminates drinking water, kills fish and other sea creatures and causes problems like Red Tide. Reduce overfeeding by using environmentally responsible feeding practices, like the new slow-release fertilizer Dynamite (www.dynamiteplantfood.com). This nine-month plant food releases nutrients to the plant when the plant needs it most, never over or under feeding so there is minimal waste and runoff. Plus, it's low in phosphate making it a nutritious yet earth-friendly plant food option.

4. Water Responsibly

If you don't need to water your plants as often, you'll save gallons of time and money. But more importantly, you conserve water and protect the environment. "Substitute older cultivars with new and improved varieties bred 'to drink responsibly,' " says McCoy. "Updated versions of classic plants like Knock Out shrub roses (www.theknockoutrose.com) require much less water than older cultivars while still offering the same great look gardeners love." Other solutions: use ZEBA (www.zeba.com) in your window boxes or containers. "ZEBA's all natural, starch-based technology repeatedly absorbs and releases water as needed by plants' roots," says McCoy. It is biodegradable, nontoxic and odorless.

5. Be Grass Green

According to Ethne Clarke, garden editor of "Traditional Home," "Most gardens have lawns, and in some cases the lawn is the garden." She suggests mowing less frequently and cutting the grass longer so the top growth protects the roots. And water less frequently to force the roots to go deeper, which keeps them cooler and less susceptible to dry spell damage. She recommends using cornmeal or diatomaceous earth as an insecticide and pulling weeds before they set seed. For tough lawns, use a soil conditioner with good micro-organisms and aerate to encourage soil health. Try LazyMan Liquid Soil Aerator or Soil Conditioner for an easy spray on solution without back breaking work, available at outsidepride.com.

6. Be Kind to Flora and Fauna

After pouring hours of time, effort and in most cases their hearts into the garden, no one wants to wake up one morning to find that their begonia bed served as a late night snack for the neighborhood wildlife. "Keeping my hydrangea from becoming deer food was a big problem as we live in the woods in southeastern Pennsylvania," says McCoy. That was until she started using DeerStopper, a 100 percent organic deer repellant.

"All-natural products of today work just as effectively as or better than their synthetic counterparts," she says. "These products give me all the benefits with minimum health risks and harm to the environment. To safeguard our water supply and our pets and children who play outdoors, McCoy suggests trying organic and all natural animal repellants as an alternative. Learn more at www.messinawildlife.com.

For more information about going green outside your home, please visit www.gardenmediagroup.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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