It's just a general malaise, dissatisfaction, with the status quo. Unfulfilled, not connected, not doing something that really lights that spark. I'm sure you know what I mean.
I had a myriad of ideas when my employer laid me off. I've failed led canopy light manufacturers at one business already a couple of summers ago. Then I retreated; I retreated from work, from life, into my home, away from responsibility, away from my ideas and placed more importance on me. I felt selfish, irresponsible, guilty, lazy, et al. Again, anyone who has been out of work you know what I mean!
My computer died, along with it, so did much material for many of my ideas. Whoa! What's this I noticed, I feel lighter, more able to focus. It may be short-lived but I'll take it while I can. Rebuilding the computer I discovered I can finally play games; I did that. I forgot about a lot of what has been (key word here) DRIVING me. I learned to relax again. I learned a bit more about my self. Still not where I think I should be, but certainly more aware again.
Read a lot of books!!! Now this leads to where I'm going with this post. In light of all this striving, driving, achieving, dissatisfaction with life, work, meaning, etc. I really wonder the reason why. There was a time when the work wasn't so important, that we could enjoy just going to work and the rewards of work: Time off, money to enjoy it, family, friends, hobbies, volunteers, special interests etc.
Now, what's been happening to our world of work? Are we working harder, striving to do more with less? Are we feeling this malaise because we're not taking our time for our own creative pursuits, for our own Rest & Relaxation? Are we searching for some meaning? Is this lack of meaning because we're not feeding our spirit? Isn't our spirit a creative being? How do we feed that with this go, go, go, attitude in society today? How can we take time to relax and enjoy being ourselves when society is continually pushing us to do more, more, more; what?
I've been doing some interesting reading lately and some interesting re-reading. One that really raised a number of these questions is Aldous Huxley, Island, and then the Brave New World Revisited.
Now I'm working on the Vein of Gold, the sequel to the Artists Way. I'm no artist in the literal sense of our culture, drawing, painting and such, but I do think we're all artists of a sort. Now working with this book, getting back to some basics, which is what this book reinforces, I find myself slowing down and getting back in touch with myself. In light of the other reading, the cause and effect of our culture on my own particular situation, the similarities with others I've seen asking the BIG questions, I can't help but wonder if this questing, searching that we're all on, has more to do with our spiritual evolution than it does with our career?
I feel there is something here for us all to discover that may just alleviate our sense of despair. As a contact in my network said to me, "Our whole life is our career, not just what we've come to label our paid work." What he means is a more holistic approach to career. Your career is your life; it is your kids, your hobbies, your reading, your sports, your volunteering, your work, your relationships, and so on.
If our lives are so one dimensional, it's no wonder we're all eager to look elsewhere and it's no wonder we're so at a loss as to where to look.
Best wishes, Lee
What's in a light bulb? For most people, an incandescent light bulb comes to led garden light wholesale mind when discussing "light". The incandescent light bulb has traditionally provided homes with light into the wee hours of the night. Most incandescent bulbs produce life for 750 hours. Not bad for some filament and a glass dome.
As times have changed so too have consumers needs for different types of light. Fortunately researchers have kept up with the demand, creating many different types of bulb to suit almost anyone's needs. Think you need only a traditional light bulb? Think again. Once you discover the endless possibilities, you may change your mind.
New Discoveries in Incandescence
Today consumers can choose from many specialized forms of light bulb. Depending on your needs you will find one that suits you. Here are some of the more common light bulbs available today:
Full spectrum light bulbs - These light bulbs produce specialized light called "white light". They may help relieve disorders resulting from inadequate exposure the sunlight. Most produce light at an intensity equal to outdoor daylight.
Automotive LED bulbs - Automotive bulbs are specialized bulbs often used in automobiles. These light are the small lights you might see when you turn your signal on in your car.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs - Compact bulbs produce a softer light than incandescent bulbs. They also use less electricity and last much longer than standard light bulbs.
Halogen light bulbs - Halogen bulbs are expensive but provide more light than traditional bulbs and last much longer. They are good for household lighting needs.
Projector light bulbs - Wouldn't you know it, there is a specialty light bulb for everything. These bulbs are of course, for use in projectors.
Tanning bed bulbs - Of course tanning bulbs produce ultraviolet rays to help tan the skin. Most beds need up to 30 tanning bulbs.
Specialty light bulbs - These include all light bulbs in any category not listed above.
Don't think for a minute however that these choices are the only when it comes to light. There is virtually a light bulb to meet anyone and everyone's needs available on the market today.
Choosing The Right Bulb
If you want a long lasting light for your house, consider the halogen bulb. These bulbs have gained in popularity in recent years. Some people however, prefer fluorescent bulbs. Over time, one can't argue that fluorescent bulbs are more energy efficient than most other bulbs combined. That's why so many offices use them.
Another category mentioned above rapidly gaining popularity are full spectrum light bulbs. These light bulbs are not cheap. However, there are many perks. People often buy these light bulbs to relieve depression, seasonal affective disorder, jet lag and fatigue. Full spectrum light bulbs almost qualify as therapy. In fact, you may even be able to argue with your insurance company to pay for them. (If you can get your doctor to prescribe some full spectrum light for you). These are a good choice if you plan on creating a mini oasis in your home, with light intensity matching that of the sun. Keep in mind however, they are pricey. Many feel the price however, is well worth the investment.
Cheap light bulbs abound however. Cheap light bulbs (the incandescent type) are good for producing an average amount and quality of light. You can buy replacements for these easily and inexpensively. While not durable, they are easy to use and still the most popular choice among consumers today. Let's not forget their many benefits. They are inexpensive, easy to use, run using low voltage, can be battery operated AND come in a variety of shapes, styles and sizes. You really can't beat that when it comes to light bulb value!
So take a moment to review the many bulbs now available on the market. Why not try something new? You may find yourself pleasantly surprised!
Just as an experiment, a friend of mine subscribed to ten different opt-in e-mail marketing lists to fujinglight LED optics lighting see which ones are effective. Many websites and online businesses have resorted to sending promotional materials to people who have subscribed to them in an effort to boost their sales or traffic. Opt-in email marketing sends newsletters, catalogs updates and many more promotional materials to website visitors who have agreed to be updated whether monthly, weekly or semiannually.
Through e-mail, an internet user that is on the list will receive their updates through email. If a promotional material piques their interest they will go to the site to learn more or to purchase outright. For the website operators or owners, this is a chance to remind their list of their existence and parlor their wares. With the numerous sites in the internet that offers the same products or services in one way or the other, the competition can get pretty tight and it is easy to be forgotten.
Back to my experimenting friend, he tried to find out which opt-in marketing strategies grabbed a person into begging for more. Some would send in very simple fashion, some would very outlandish while there are some that would just lie in between. The differences could easily be noticed and some have gotten the idea of an effective opt-in marketing strategy. He dubbed them effective because he felt like he just couldn't wait to go their site and learn more, the more persuasive ones even got him halfway to reaching for his wallet and to his credit card before he realized this was only for an experiment.
Many companies and site present their promotional materials in a wide variety of concepts. Each has their own distinctive style and designs, but more than the outline and the presentation, the content and the articles are what keeps the attention of your potential customer locked on to your opt-in marketing medium. Creativity is the key here.
From talking to many satisfied opt-in list subscribers and forums, I have learned of what is essential in opt-in marketing and what makes the subscribers begging for more instead of lining up to unsubscribe.
Keep your promotional materials light, creative and original. Many people are stressed out as it is. Getting a stuffy business proposal rather than a light hearted e-mail may just agitate them more. A warm friendly smile or banter is always more welcome than a serious business meeting or proposal. While you do want your customers to take you and your products and services seriously, you also want to show them that you know how to have fun.
Splash some color in your emails as well as provide some photos and articles that can be related to you but show good news or good light hearted images as well. Provide a newsletter or promotional materials that will keep them in a light mood. Make your materials eye catching and grabbing that they wont be able to take their eyes of them. Pique their interests.
Have good content and article, even if it means investing in an experienced and professional copy writer to write them for you. An effective copy writer should be able to build trust between you and your customers. They should be able to establish your credibility in what they write. It must be informative but not too stuffy. Let go of the professional jargons and 'talk'to your recipients.
A good article and content should be able to outline the benefits of your product and services and why they need what you are offering. But do not look to be overeager and too persuasive. It should be able to entertain as well as lead them to buying from you.
Your promotional materials should be clear. Don't leave people guessing. You should lead them to you and not vice versa. Explain to them what they need to do in a manner that won't be confusing. Try to anticipate also what your target client needs. Do your research and information gathering, many sites will be able to help you with that.
Provide clear and crisp images of what you are offering. If the people know what you have for them, they are more likely to beg for more. For example, if you are selling a car, provide them photos but only enough to encourage them to go to your site for more.
With new technology comes new opportunity. This statement is particularly true in led canopy light wholesale the case of digital cameras, and more importantly, as the title of this article suggests, in the case of digital camera lenses.
There are so many different lenses with varying specifications available that it can be quite overwhelming to find exactly what it is that you require from a lens, but that is where we step in to help.
This article acts as a guide to explain the jargon and to allow you make a better-informed purchase the next time you are shopping for a new digital camera lens.
Choosing a Suitable Focal Length
Focal length is probably the most important factor that should be considered when choosing a lens, and for good reason: focal lengths determine the field-of-view of the photos you will be able to take successfully with your camera.
The two main types of focal length are telephoto and wide-angle, and while telephoto lenses have a narrow field-of-view and are best suited for close-up shots and portraits, wide-angle lenses have a wider field-of-view which is perfect for indoor photography and landscapes.
Keep in mind that the performance of lenses can differ from camera to camera, with the magnification power behind a lens generally being greater on a digital camera than on a 35mm film-based camera.
The Need For Speed
When you hear about fast and slow lenses, reference is being made to a lens's maximum aperture, which is the maximum amount of light that a lens can let in. A simple rule of thumb is that a fast lens lets in a lot of light, while a slow lens lets in less light, which defines how your photos will look.
Maximum apertures are measured in f/stop numbers, which are actually a ratio of the size of the lens aperture and focal length. The smaller the f/number, the more light is let in. An increment in the f/stop number doubles the amount of light let in, so f/2.0 lets in twice as much light as f/1.4.
This may seem quite confusing at first, so the easiest way to make sense of it is to remember the following: fast lenses are best suited towards successful photography in darker lighting conditions, and slow lenses are targeted towards photography in lighter conditions.
The Ins and Outs of a Zoom Lens
Unlike a fixed-focal-length lens, a zoom lens often gives you the diversity of a range of focal lengths all rolled into a single adjustable lens. This can be great if you often have to switch between various lenses for different shots, but it is important to remember that not all zoom lenses have a constant maximum aperture, and those that do are often larger and more expensive.
Although the maximum aperture may be reduced as you zoom in using a lens with a variable maximum aperture, this may not be as important to some photographers as the reduced cost and size of such lenses. Keep this in mind when purchasing a zoom lens.
Add-on Lenses
Add-on or accessory lenses are targeted towards compact digital cameras, and allow owners of such models to significantly lengthen or reduce the camera's built-in focal length while at the same time being able to automate camera functions including f/stop settings and focusing.
These lenses can be an excellent low-cost add-on to your digital camera, with telephoto add-on lenses being able to increase focal lengths by up to 300%, and wide-angle versions allowing for reduction in focal lengths of up to 30%.
Final Considerations
There are several other terms to take into consideration when buying a digital camera lens to make sure you are making the best purchase. If your lens utilizes aspheric lens elements, then you can rest happily with the knowledge that your lens will help produce sharper photographs and help keep lens weight to a minimum.
Lenses using internal and automatic focusing also keep lens weight down thanks to less moving parts, and of course allow for faster focusing. Low-dispersion glass leaves photos looking less hazy or fuzzy, while stabilization systems help to keep images sharp when taken using slow shutter speeds.
Conclusion
Hopefully this article has helped you to better understand what to look for in a digital camera lens. There are a lot of terms to remember here - so before shopping for your new lens it may be a good idea to take the time to make a list of what you want to do with your camera. Then you can double check your requirements against the features of different lenses. If you are still unsure if a lens will cater for your needs then by all means try to test it so that you can see some results before you buy!
Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, a Tibetan yogi often compared to the great Milarepa, when addressing the issue of Yidam practice within the Vajrayana vehicle of Tibetan Buddhism, has said: It is the blissful body of the yogi or yogini that is the true Deity. So what might this mean? And how, if at all, is it (or could it be) related to the practice of Yoga asana? Let's explore ?
Yidam practice as a whole is based, in large part, upon a productive use of the imagination. It takes that capacity (and strong tendency) most led canopy light wholesale of us have to make mental pictures, and uses this as a tool to align us with, open us to, a reality that is deeper, more profound, and 'truer? than the one we're habitually 'tuned into.? The imagined forms of the deities have the quality of being able, potentially, to act as portals, or gateways into these deeper realities ? to put us in touch, directly, with aspects of awakened mind.
Now it's important to notice the distinction between ~ on the one hand ~ this Yidam-practice way of using our imagination (as a very specific form of mental training, which ultimately can liberate us), and ~ on the other hand ~ a use of the imagination which amounts to no more than (habitual, and often largely unconscious) fantasizing. To engage in fantasy is ~ from the perspective of Buddha Dharma ~ a non-productive use of the imagination: one that takes us further into the territory of conceptualization, mental elaboration, and as such further and further away from a reality which has the potential to liberate us.
So how does any of this relate to the practice of Yoga asana? We could, first of all, consider each specific asana as a deity-form: something we construct/project (a la the Creation Stage) and then dissolve (a la the Completion Stage). And certainly asana practice is based largely upon a distinction between productive and non-productive alignments/uses of the body. The productive alignments (a la the productive uses of mental imagination) are those which have the potential to open us into a reality deeper than the mere physical, e.g. to the level of the Central Channel/Shushumna Nadi, and the subsequent conscious flow of that awakened energy outward, into the whole network of nadis within the subtle body of the yogi or yogini. The non-productive alignments (a la fantasies), on the other hand, simply keep the energy of our subtle bodies circulating unconsciously (divorced from the 'truth? of the Shushumna Nadi) in old samskaric patterns, i.e. keep us circling on the wheel of bith-and-death which in Buddhism is called Samsara.
And in the same way that in deity practice there is an evolution from the deity as a mere conceptual projection (though a potentially productive one!) to the non-conceptual appearance of the ?natural deity?; just so in our asana practice we often begin with a rather ?outside-in? approach, in which the asana is actually a form of conceptual projection, i.e. it's an ?idea? we have (from our teacher, or books, or whatever) that we put forth in the form of an arrangement of (the appearance of) bones, muscles, etc. ? but it's not yet 'real? or ?natural.? As our asana practice matures, more and more we're able to work from the ?inside-out,? in which the asanas emerge spontaneously, non-conceptually, as aspects of our natural intelligence/radiance. Our movements in and out of the asanas are infused with the spirit of what in Taoism is called Wu Wei: an effortless effort which quite naturally produces the ?correct? alignments (as opposed to ?imposing? those alignments based upon some external 'moral code? of asana practice).
So how then do we progress from a conceptual to a natural way of expressing our asana practice? From the poses as mere conceptual projections to expressions of an awakened bodymind? A practitioner of the Generation Stage of Yidam practice might move in this direction by finding the Completion Stage within the Creation Stage, by finding the dissolution of the form as an inherent aspect of the form itself (much as ~ in Taoist theory/practice ~ Yang is an inherent aspect of Yin: they inter-are). In this same way, our asana practice might re-member the dissolution of form within every form/asana taken. And might ~ to extend the principle ~ put into conscious and ever-evolving relationship all opposing movements ? So little by little our ?ideas? about the ?right way? to do the pose are replaced by an ever-more-subtle tremoring which spontaneously aligns us in a way that allows our conceptually projected ?body? to dissolve into the blissful body of the deity: an aspect of our own radiance, pouring forth, shedding itself continuously, for the benefit of all living beings.
One of the initial trainings in Dream Yoga ~ once the practitioner is able to be lucid (i.e. awake) within the dream ~ is to transform the body: to change the shape of ones body into the body of a bird; into an airplane (and fly to Paris!); or ~ relevant to our current exploration ~ into the shape of a deity, which ~ in the context of dreaming ~ is quite easy to experience and understand as being an ?empty form,? i.e. a form made only of color, light & energy (much like a rainbow). In this same way, our vinyasa ~ our movement in and out of asanas, upon the thread of our awakened breath ~ might become, with practice, a kind of ?Rainbow Painting? (I've borrowed the phrase from a book with this same title written by Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche): merely a ?play? in color, light and energy, a toggling back and forth between the display of empty forms (the specific asanas), and the bliss which is the residue of their dissolution.
And this, perhaps, represents ~ simultaneously ~ the ?waking up? of the dream of our asana practice, and the ?waking up? of the dream of our Yidam practice; represents the ?waking up? from the dream/fantasy of religious practice into the blissful radiance of the Present Moment ? Amen and Sobeit.