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Today our Yoga Web Directory is one of the most popular tools and resources for both yoga students, teachers and studios in the UK and the Republic of Ireland and is one of the largest independent Yoga Directories available. You can search and access our database of over 12,100+ Yoga and Pilates classes and 5900+ qualified yoga teachers and studios in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

Local Yoga Classes Directory is owned and run by Ruth White Yoga Products which sells Yoga & Pilates Mats (Adults, Kids & Extra Long and Extra Wide Yoga Mats), Yoga Props, Accessories, Yoga Mat Bag, Back Arches and Equipment and Relaxation & Meditation Aids. The main aim of the Directory is to support all Yoga Teachers and Yoga Studios regardless of whether they purchase Yoga products from us or not. We list yoga classes for all abilities and age groups as well as most types and styles of Yoga.

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Local Yoga Classes

In each new age, the previous age persists, and within the previous age impulses from the ages preceding it. The series may reach back a very long way, but at a certain point continuity with the past is lost. Our memory as a species, our sense of vision and of guiding purpose, is weak, and indeed, grows weaker with each decade. In the nineteenth century, the memory of the medieval world was present in a way that it is not today. In the twentieth century the memory of the Renaissance still persists in our habits and our way of life, but the memory of the classical world and ofclassicism has nearly faded.

In the mid nineteenth century there were, in Asia Minor, strands of memory running back deep into the history of our family of civilisations, to Babylon and Chaldea. They were preserved over such vast spans of time because they were of value, and they were preserved by the work of school. George Gurdjieff connected with this thread, and with the knowledge he found, he opened up the fourth way. Not the centripetal force of ever increasing knowledge and ever more sophisticated technique, but a knowledge of basic things. The knowledge of the conditions of mans connection to a higher level of creation. What could be of greater significance for us, and what has been more clearly disregarded in the politics and polity of our age? Out of this knowledge, out of this connection to historical memory came the vision of The Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man.

Man, as he is, does not have the wherewithal to bridge this interval; his collective memory is little more than the prime years of his life. The politics, policies, and programmes of the various national governments are reactive, in the sense that they represent responses to short-term issues. Ideologies, such as Liberalism, Socialism, Fascism, and Communism, have a longer life because they develop out of the fundamental social issues of a period, and are driven by those issues until the opposition or polarity is exhausted. They are not an expression of mans cumulative best understanding of what is possible for him, individually or collectively. Religion is not innocent of this charge. The meaning of direction of a religion changes from one generation to the next. Christianity today would be almost unrecognisable to a Christian in the first century AD. What continuity there is, is given by problems and issues that are continuous. The organisations which serve as the carriers of religious beliefs are driven by rivalry, by the struggle for power and position, by material interests of one kind or another.

No one would have seen this more clearly than Gurdjieff. The Caucasus was a collection of populations displaced and relocated by war. It was a place of hardship, emotional and instinctive. It was also a place that offered a view of some of the greatest traditions in human civilisation and culture (beginning with the very bardic songs of Gurdjieffs father). The contrast was extreme.

Gurdjieffs epic literary workBeelzebubs Talesgives the background, the atmosphere, the fundamental orientation and the picture of the universe that informs the Fourth Way in our time. It is the world view which supports the efforts required to awaken.The implications of Beelzebubs Tales is that humanity needs individuals to awaken, and, as a medium of life, it needs to be maintained at a level that can generate such individuals. Civilisation can do this. Society cannot. This outlines the relation between schools and civilisations in the course of history. Higher influences are responsible for civilisation. Without civilisationwith society onlythey cannot replicate themselves, and since they have an interest in replicating themselves, they sustain civilization.

Homo Sapiens is unaware of this process. It was Mr. Gurdjieffs teaching that homo sapiens itself is a part of organic life. This relationship to organic life involves contradiction, the contradiction of higher and lower levels coexisting. For the higher level can only exist through sustained effort and in an atmosphere of tension, while the lower level exists naturally and of itself.

Mankind, in this respect, has two histories: the evolution of its body and the evolution of its soul. The former is recorded and imparted in great detail: the development of religions, the lineages of rulers and monarchs, the successions and revolutions of governments and so forth. But the history of mankinds soul, the long body of its wisdom, never goes into the books. And yet, that history has existed just like the other, side by side with the other, and at critical moments, has overlapped with the other.

Those overlapping moments are times of exceptional opportunity. They represent an interval in the sequence of civilization. They call for a return to the original spark, a connection to the level from which the greater project was initiateda dialogue with the cosmos above the cosmos of man. Those individuals who find themselves caught in such big events are given to experience glimpses beyond the normal spectrum of human experience. They are invited to dedicate their lifes labors to a cause much larger than themselves; they are invited to board and support the Great Ark ofAncient Wisdom.

There are periods in the life of humanity, which generally coincide with the beginning of the fall of cultures and civilizations, when the masses irretrievably lose their reason and begin to destroy everything that has been created by centuries and millenniums of culture. Such periods of mass madness, often coinciding with geological cataclysms, climatic changes, and similar phenomena of a planetary character, release a very great quantity of the matter of knowledge. This, in its turn, necessitates the work of collecting this matter of knowledge which would otherwise be lost. Thus the work of collecting scattered matter of knowledge frequently coincides with the beginning of the destruction and fall of cultures and civilizations. From In Search of the Miraculous (p.45)

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Ancient Wisdom | Gurdjieff Becoming Conscious

Find the Best Yoga Retreats in New York

Oh, New York. The place that has inspired many movies, songs, artists, and businesses. There is a certain vibrating body energy about the state thats a bit hard to put your finger on.

The city is a world of its own and the country is equally transformative with its rolling hills and colorful leaves.

Its the perfect place to shed yourself of your old layers and grow into a new season of your life.

There is a whole lot more to New York than just New York City. Escape to the countryside or explore the boundless mountains. Attend workshops led by wellness giants such as the Integrative Wellness Group over in New Jersey, or escape to a Sivananda Ashram yoga retreat in the Catskill mountains. You will find exactly what you are looking forsomewherein New York.

The countryside of New York is absolutely gorgeous and mostly untouched for vast expanses of land. Head out of the noise of the city and deepen your meditation practise. Enjoy a nice, restorative yoga practice during your meditation retreat.

New York has become a little hub for acro yoga, with studios all over Manhattan and Brooklyn equipping themselves with trained instructors to help make the practice more approachable. Whether youre a beginner or an expert, you will find a yoga studio or retreat that will stretch your limits.

New York is a hub for wellness (believe it or not) so you will easily find programs that support as much. Jump into a full-blown wellness retreat or attend daily yoga classes and workshops with one of the many stunning wellness centers in the area. There is ample opportunity to improve your health and well-being in New York.

Yoga in New York is serious business. You can find yoga classes for virtually any yoga style and join like-minded people for a quick yoga session in the park. That is one of the best perks of being in New York! But if you're looking for a yoga vacation program of sorts, one where you can fully immerse yourself in the yoga center, practice daily yoga, get some fresh air, and totally improve your overall wellness, then look no further.

In and around New York, you will find a wide variety of options to choose from. Search for a spiritual retreat that strengthens the body and mind or reward yourself with a luxury retreat complete with spa treatments and down comforters. Search for the perfect wellness center for your perfect wellness retreat, or escape to a silent meditation retreat at a nearby ashram. The possibilities are endless.

Since there are just so many excellent possibilities, why don't we help you out a bit? Here are the top retreat centers and yoga studios in the greater New York area:

The Dharma Yoga Center,led by the venerable Dharma Mittra, is like an educational center for all things yoga. They hold a Dharma Yoga conference each year with workshops and panel discussions to discuss the merits of yoga and how to improve upon the existing foundation. Guests can enjoy yoga classes with their most respected yoga teachers or get their own yoga certification with Dharma Yoga.

This yoga retreat and spiritual centreis about an hour outside of the city, leading you to the perfect setting for absolute peace. They offer daily yoga meditation sessions, as well as lessons on Sanskrit, chantings, dance, and music. It is a beautiful setting for you to embark on your life-changing experience.

If you need an escape or weekend getaway to a beautiful setting that just feels like home, then this is the place to be. Guests can relax into a warm family vibe and completely immerse themselves into their yoga practice without all the buzz that usually comes with resorts and spas.

Yogis from all over the world head to this retreat center to bask in the undisturbed beauty of New York. They teach yoga as a lifestyle so that their students learn to incorporate yoga into their everyday lives. A yogic lifestyle includes healthy eating habits, proper breathing, positive thinking, relaxation, and, of course, the exercise that yoga provides. If you'd like to immerse yourself into the yogic lifestyle, then this is a great option for you.

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3 Best Yoga Retreats in New York 2018 | BookRetreats

In a mothers womb were two babies. One asked the other: Do you believe in life after delivery? The other replied, Why, of course. There has to be something after delivery. Maybe we are here to prepare ourselves for what we will be later.

Nonsense said the first. There is no life after delivery. What kind of life would that be?

The second said, I dont know, but there will be more light than here. Maybe we will walk with our legs and eat from our mouths. Maybe we wil...l have other senses that we cant understand now.

The first replied, That is absurd. Walking is impossible. And eating with our mouths? Ridiculous! The umbilical cord supplies nutrition and everything we need. But the umbilical cord is so short. Life after delivery is to be logically excluded.

The second insisted, Well I think there is something and maybe its different than it is here. Maybe we wont need this physical cord anymore.

The first replied, Nonsense. And moreover if there is life, then why has no one has ever come back from there? Delivery is the end of life, and in the after-delivery there is nothing but darkness and silence and oblivion. It takes us nowhere.

Well, I dont know, said the second, but certainly we will meet Mother and she will take care of us.

The first replied Mother? You actually believe in Mother? Thats laughable. If Mother exists then where is She now?

The second said, She is all around us. We are surrounded by her. We are of Her. It is in Her that we live. Without Her this world would not and could not exist.

Said the first: Well I dont see Her, so it is only logical that She doesnt exist.

To which the second replied, Sometimes, when youre in silence and you focus and you really listen, you can perceive Her presence, and you can hear Her loving voice, calling down from above.

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Positive Mental Attitude Quotes - Home | Facebook

Connect with friends or whnauConnecting with people can help you feel better faster and stay well for longer. Try some of these ideas if you haven't been keeping in touch with friends or whnau for a while.

Find one of these occasions to get in touch:

We know that when people are feeling low and anxious, they often withdraw from their whnau and friends. Its a natural response but actually, strong connections can help you get well faster and help you stay well for longer.

Your whnau and your community can be your strength, providing a strong sense of belonging and support (tautoko). Getting involved, spending time with them, and even doing things for them can give you a feeling of purpose and wellbeing.

Its good to get out in public, even if its just down to the shops or to a sports match. If youre getting together with people, keep the visits short if that makes it easier. You dont have to talk about the way youre feeling.

It might help to plan your outings. Decide what youre going to do and write down when youll do it. This makes it easier to ignore those negative feelings that stop you going at the last minute.

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Self-help | Depression and Anxiety

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There are about 6.5 million people in Arizona, of which over 1 million receive SNAP. Over 500,000 of these SNAP recipients are children under 18.

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Why We Choose to Leave MOREBy John Giambalvo and Mike Schirtzer

We became involved with teacher unionism after a few years of working in the schools as a result of our classroom and school-level experiences where we saw public school teachers and students being cheated out of the resources needed to provide them with an adequate education. Sparked by the general lack of response from our union, the United Federation of Teachers, our involvement led us to join the Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE), an organization that we believed would respond to concerns of UFT members by allowing them, as well as members of their school community, a space to voice concerns about our schools within the political structures of our union and the Department of Education of the City of New York.

We joined MORE during a time when few voices within the UFT represented the needs and interests of our colleagues.

We joined under the premise that our union had the potential to be the most powerful vehicle of change for teachers, students and families in New York City and beyond.

We joined MORE to create a more assertive union, where member voice was the greatest priority and, when heard, would lead it to action for the entire education community.

We joined MORE to strengthen the UFT for the betterment of the teachers, students and families we serve. We were aware that the UFT apparatus, under the almost 60 year stewardship of the Unity Caucus, had developed more than a bit of sclerosis, had not been adequately serving the needs of its members, and that that power structure needed to be challenged from the ranks. We believed MORE offered the potential to engage in that challenge.

We joined MORE and were faced with working with people with many different political backgrounds and ideologies, including some differing from our views. We made concerted efforts to function collectively with other members of MORE to improve conditions in our schools. We learned the basics of their ideologies and did our best to find middle ground. We genuinely believed we were learning to struggle together in order to improve conditions, especially for those who were affected by hurtful policies on a daily basis.

We joined MORE to prioritize making connections with teachers throughout all five boroughs; to construct and devote our work towards an agenda that would have wide appeal to a majority of members of our union who have been shut out of influence. In order to be successful MORE would have to, not only offer a way forward by leading in a new direction, but do so by being responsive and interacting with UFT members in our own schools and beyond to transform a union that operated in an absolute top-down manner.

We have been disappointed.

Unfortunately, weve seen that MORE has been increasingly dominated by one group with a definite pre-formed unyielding ideology. Weve come to understand over time that these voices do not represent the needs of most of our members, or even our students or parents. MORE has devolved into an organization that uses anti-democratic and secretive methods to push the agenda of this faction and marginalize, isolate and push vocal opponents out of the caucus.

There were many opportunities for the members of MORE to analyze the results of our work in order to determine the course of the groups direction, but it has chosen not to do so. There were meetings with varying topics, causes endorsed, social media/blog data, and the results of the 2016 UFT election which provided data on voter turnout by division and district which clearly showed a much higher turnout in the Queens high schools (36.4% compared to 12.8% in the Bronx and 14.5 in Manhattan, boroughs where key leaders of the current leadership in MORE are based.)

Queens high school voter turnout was clearly the crucial difference in winning the high school seats but admitting that would be counter to the narrative being pushed.

This turnout was mainly due to the organizing efforts of two key MORE members. (Ed Note: Details and analysis of 2016 high school elections at http://iceuftblog.blogspot.com/2016/07/district-by-district-breakdown-shows_3.html?m=1).

This should have been an important lesson for MORE about the kind of activism by some more members that reaches out and resonates with rank and file teachers. Yet, these people are the very people who are being pushed out of MORE. One of these people is the chapter leader of the largest high school in Queens with 300 UFT members and an elected UFT Executive Board member.

The other was a former chapter leader of a closed school who led a valiant battle to keep his school open but who was forced to become an ATR. One of the most respected voices in the UFT for almost 30 years who developed hundreds of contacts in schools all around the city, and served for a decade on the UFT Executive Board. He too is being forced out of MORE.

Along with one of us, two of the four MORE Executive Board elected high school representatives are being pushed out of MORE. What does this mean for MORE as an organization when it feels activists with this history and stature and the overwhelming support of their colleagues dont belong?

Instead of revisiting different petitions we advocated for or addressing the way we have utilized our positions on the UFT Executive Board to create voice for colleagues, the small group taking control of MORE chose to purposely ignore these results, criticized us, and attempted to micro-manage us over issues like class size and the defense of ATRS and rank and file UFT members over abusive principals because this work did not fit their preordained agendas.

Attempts to build a large, robust organization, including the creation of newsletters produced for wide distribution, planning meetings with topics related to school-based issues, like the nuts and bolts of enforcing the contract or running for chapter leader, and attempts to compete in union elections (both at the chapter level and for citywide officers), have been met with obstruction, in-fighting, frustrating layers of bureaucracy and the gradual disappearance of democratic decision making.

All this is a direct result of the groups lack of democracy and failure to connect with members in our schools.

Predictably, instead of growing into a member driven movement, MORE has seen its numbers dwindle to levels rivaling our earliest beginnings in 2012. Instead of examining and discussing the reasons for the shrinking of MORE, such as the inability to develop a newsletter and distribution network or even a regular handout at the UFT Delegate Assembly, the constant excuse has been that all the problems in MORE have been due to some rude emails by a few people.

In fact, dozens of people have abandoned MORE over the years due to the rigid ideological framework imposed in MORE. Their solution to the crisis in MORE has been to actively move to push out even more members who do not go along with their line, many of them older and experienced in union politics, obviously a threat to their ability to win over new and inexperienced teachers who enter MORE to their ideological line. Rather than engage in discussion, including historical reference and analysis, they want to promote their own political positions, positions that are rarely open to debate.

It is especially difficult for us to remain with a group that no longer honors the principles of democracy. There was a glaring lack of due process involved in our recent suspension from the MORE listserves and the caucus steering committee, which just happened to remove our ability to vote on crucial decisions concerning the direction they wanted to steer MORE in. There is no provision in the by-laws from suspension from steering.

This decision began as a disagreement over political process and the tone of some emails. The suspensions were decided without either of us being present. Just four people out of nine on the committee created, ex-post facto, new rules. Since MORE is on record as opposing suspensions and calling for restorative justice for students, calls for the use of restorative justice practices in lieu of suspension in our case were voted down.

As union members, social justice activists, and New York City public school teachers, we cannot compromise the principle of due process. We must expect from ourselves the rights we demand for our co-workers and our students.

The loss of trust in the people who made these decisions will be difficult to repair. The realization that a caucus dedicated to the principles of social and restorative justice but can no longer muster enough respect for basic due process portends a future for the group that is far too troubling for us to be part of.

It is simply not acceptable to be involved with an organization that does not hold itself to the very values of democracy upon which it is premised and for which we have both worked.

There are many good people in and around MORE and we are proud of our past work with them. But too many priorities have changed over time, both for the group and for ourselves. We seek out the serious work of helping to build a more robust union, one that can affect policy as it improves the conditions under which we teach and our students learn. We have concluded MORE as a caucus is not capable or willing to build this movement. In order to work with rank and file UFT members and other stakeholders, we feel its better we separate ourselves now. We are leaving the organization and disassociate our names from it.

We still intend to spend time learning from our from past successes and failures in future endeavors we pursue.

There is a Janus decision on the horizon, a well financed effort by corporations and interest groups to undermine unions, and a relentless effort to privatize our schools by forcing out veteran UFT members and closing schools in our poorest neighborhoods, which harms our children of color and immigrant children. It is imperative that our union fights harder than ever against these forces.

We are dedicated to defending members unfairly under attack, ensuring our children are provided a great public education in well resourced schools, fighting for racial integration of schools, defending immigrant, African-American, Latino, Muslim, and LGBTQ union members and students. We will continue our work in our chapters, Delegate Assemblies and Executive Board meetings to educate and activate union members, defend public education, demand due process for our students and colleagues, and advance the cause of labor unions for all workers.

In Solidarity,

Mike Schirtzer: UFT Executive Board, UFT Delegate, Social Studies Teacher

John Giambalvo: Social Studies teacher, Coordinator of Student Activities

=======John Giambalvo will is completing 18 years of service teaching social studies. He teaches in a Queens high school.

Mike Schirtzer, is a member of the UFT Executive Board and a delegate from his school. He has been teaching social studies at Leon Goldstein HS in Brooklyn for 11 years

*========= District 71 Manhattan High Schools: 683 votes= 14.5% of total HS turnoutDistrict 72 Bronx High Schools: 594 votes=12.6%District 73 Brooklyn High Schools: 729 votes=15.5%District 76 Brooklyn-Staten Island High Schools: 984 votes=20.9%District 77 Queens High Schools: 1712 votes=36.4%

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Ed Notes Online

Andr, January 24 (The month of January was devoted to improving productivity)

It was 9am and I was walking up the familiar staircase for my final day of the Landmark forum. Coach B. turned to look at us: If you really want to change your life, you need to recruit.

On Tuesday we were going to have our graduation, and we had been asked to bring along friends and family and encourage them to sign up.

Now lets handle this marketing thing, Coach B. said. Its just about sharing something important with the people you love. Its not sales.

But what if they think its a cult, a skeptic in the audience asked.

Well, they are the ones who need it the most, Coach B. responded.

But what if they say no, someone else asked.

Tuesdays graduation is an opportunity to move forward and share your transformation. Its not about marketing, Coach B. said firmly.

Having dealt with the marketing thing, Coach B. turned to the audience once again. People immediately started to volunteer their stories.

I was a stripper and hid it from my family, a young woman yelled out.

My parents dont know Im gay, a middle-aged man admitted.

The tragic stories piled up. Coach B. turned to the last member of the audience who had shared their story. Youve wasted your life on meaningless kaka, he said firmly. You go around trying to convince other people of your story just so you can feel right. And its screwing up your life.

Was that my problem? Was it my bullshit story?

Throughout the rest of the morning Coach B. kept returning to this theme. You are addicted to your stories, he said. If they disappeared, youd think you would die. The reality is that if your stories disappeared, youd discover yourself.

After another hurried break, Coach B. asked when we were really able to be ourselves.

Painting, one person yelled out.

When Im sewing, another person added.

Skiing, said a third.

How long do you spend skiing? Coach B. snapped back.

A week or two a year, the skier replied.

And how much of that time is actually spent on the ski runs? A few minutes? Youre living for a few minutes every year? Your life has been a complete joke. He was grinning now as he turned to the audience. So, youre wondering what you got from this course. What you got was this: Youre a joke. Your life is empty and meaningless. Youre not going to get anywhere. And theres no hope.

Amazing! 480, three days, and it could all be summed up in the message that my life was a complete joke.

Coach B. started practicing jazz drumming on his chair. He turned to the audience. Were chasing It through the whole world. This is It, he said gesturing around the room. And It doesnt mean anything.

The dozen assistants who had been lurking at the back started handing out small sheets of glossy paper with quotes printed on one side including Shakespeare and Kurt Vonnegut. Coach B. riffed on Macbeth: Your life has been full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

I still cant believe that this is it, an audience member called out in a sad voice. This is shit!

That is It, Coach B responded, smiling as he circled in on her.

Baby, this is It, he added.

She sobbed.

Theres nothing now. Nothing to do. Nothing to say. If you can get that all right now, youre home baby. Youre whole. Complete, perfect.

Coach B. paused, rocking on his heels. Tears rolled down the womans cheeks.

How do you feel, the Coach asked.

She breathed out, Quite relaxed.

Just be with me, Coach B. said, taking her hands. They looked into each others eyes like two long separated family members standing on the abyss.

He clapped her on the shoulder and looked to the audience. You can only create from nothing. With your words. But the most important thing is this: you make promises to yourself that you know how to keep.

When we walked out of the room, people were overawed. Many seemed euphoric, as though they had finally found meaning in their life. From what I understood the basic message was that: all is nothingness, there is no meaning, so we can create anything by just saying it.

When the show finally drew to a close, the participants milled around, hugging each other. I headed for the door. As I sat on the train on the way home, I read through the quotes on the glossy white handout again. They included part of a poem by e e cummings: Everything (dreamed & hoped & prayed for months & weeks & days & years & forever) is Less Than Nothing (which would have been something) what got him was nothing.

Carl, February 21 (The month of February was devoted to improving the body)

It was early Sunday morning when we climbed over a young man sleeping outside the train station. The streets were empty and desolate. The sky was grey. Snow lay thinly on the ground.

We found the door, a small sign outside reading Athletic Club and walked down a steep flight of stairs. I placed my polished Blundstones next to a mountain of sneakers and walked into a room, lined with benches and lockers. A couple of sturdy weightlifters in grey hoodies looked my way. I changed into my singlet and warmed up. My name came over the speakers. I marched through a long corridor and down a couple of stairs into the main hall. My coaches were following me.

One minute, the speaker said.

I walked down, into the big gymnasium, stopped by the bowl and covered my hands in magnesium, stepped out, onto the podium, my back against the Swedish flag, looking out at the three referees, sitting a few meters away from me, and, behind them, the audience.

Beeeeee. 30 seconds.

I gripped the barbell, back straight, chest up. I pulled the barbell vertically, and, as it reached the level of my knees, I jumped, making the weights fly up into the air. Meanwhile, I threw myself underneath the barbell, knees bent and arms stretched, catching the barbell above my head.

Beeeeeee.

I dropped the barbell onto the ground, looked at the judges, then the scoreboard. I had passed. My two personal trainers cheered from the side. I had made my first correct lift, and it felt great.

After a two-minute break, I returned to the podium, now attempting 40kg. Same procedurebarbell over the knees, stretched arms, jumpanother correct lift.

Then 45kg. Attempting a personal best. I pulled the barbell with all my power, got it flying up into the air, above my head, but, as I was going to catch it with my straight arms, something went wrong. It was too heavy. My arms folded and the barbell, with all its weight, fell down, with menacing force, straight onto my head.

Bang!

Then onto the floor.

Boom!

I turned around and stumbled out, feeling dizzy. One of the functionaries ran up, asking how I was doing.

Fine I said, my voice breaking a little. I touched my head. No blood.

Attempt failed. The barbell fell on his head, I heard over the speakers, as I disappeared into the corridor, back into the small gym.

I was disappointed, humiliated. My coaches tried to cheer me up.

No time for weeping. I had to get ready for my next set of lifts. Clean-and-jerk.

My name came over the speakers. I passed 40kg without a problem, asking for 50kg, my existing personal record. Easy. I felt strong, my self-confidence returning.

Put on 60, I heard myself say to the functionaries. This wasnt the plan. The plan was to make 45kg in snatch (which I had just failed), and 55kg in clean-and-jerk (hence reaching a total of 100kg).

Take it easy now, relax, the agile coach said.

No Carl, dont relax. Use that adrenaline and go out and kick ass the beefy coach intervened. You can do this!

I was feeling strong. My adrenaline pumping. Yeah, lets kick ass.

I walked out, straight onto the podium, with more than a minute to go.

Cmon Carl, you can do it, I heard people shouting from the audience, clapping their hands. I grabbed the barbell, staring straight ahead. All sounds disappeared. Nothing was there; nothing except the weights, and my body, which felt strong, stronger than ever.

I got myself into position. Chest up. Straight arms. Shoulders over the barbell. And then, with all of my strength, I pulled the weights, gave it a perfect hit with my hips, and then jumped, as high as I could. The timing was good. I could feel how the barbell was flying high up into the air, landing on my chest. More shouts from the audience. Some applause. Cmon you can do it. I squatted and jumped, once more, as high as I could, pushing the barbell up, throwing myself underneath, with straight arms. Adrenaline still pumping. The barbell was there, I could feel it, above my head. I could feel my face turning red. My hands were tightly wrapped around the steel.

Beeeeee.

I dropped the barbell onto the podium. I had broken my personal record with 100kg. As I jogged off stage, I couldnt conceal my joy, and stretched my arms above my head.

I ran up to my coaches. They hugged me. Was this the happiest moment in my life? I came second to last. Well, I was last in my weight group. But that didnt seem to matter. It felt like a great victory. I had done 100kg in total. 40 in snatch, and 60 in clean-and-jerk. I felt a strange impulse to write a letter to my publisher who had rejected my book and tell them I could lift a 100kg in total. Eat that, pricks!

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Desperately Seeking Self-Improvement, by Carl Cederstrm ...

Satay (6 Chicken Skewers)

chicken tender marinated with light herbs and coconut milk. served with our own delicious Peanut sauce, complimented with cucumber salad.

Spring Roll (2 Rolls)

fresh thai crepes filled with cucumbers, bean sprouts, tofu and scrambled eggs, topped with plum sauce and green onions.

Pot Sticker (8) (vegetable)

deep fried combination of cabbage, celery, onion, carrot, black mushroom and garlic wrapped in pastry.

Shu Mai

steamed shrimp dumpling served with a special thai vinegar & soy sauce, it's a very country style stuff.

Roti (asian Pancake)

asian pancake made of dough and egg, served with a side of malaysian chicken curry.

Soup

*hot and spicy upon request

Chicken (for Two)6.95

Shrimp (for Two)7.95

Hot And Sour Soup*

chicken breast (or shrimp), fresh mushrooms, kaffer lime leaves, crushed chili peppers, cilantro and fresh lemon juice in a lemon flavored broth.

Fresh Tofu And Chicken*

fresh tofu with chicken broth, mushroom, napa and green onions. it is a really delicious thai country soup.

Chicken (for Two)6.95

Shrimp (for Two)7.95

Coconut, Hot & Sour Soup*

traditional thai style with chicken breast(or shrimp) and fresh mushrooms in a tart lime broth and lemon grass, hot chili, cilantro, coconut ,milk and fresh lemon juice.

Salads

*hot and spicy upon request

Cucumber Salad*

fresh cucumber with a sweet and sour dressing topped with red onions and jalapeno peppers.

Pla Kong (shrimp Salad)*

shrimp mixed with chili paste, red onions, lemon grass, cilantro and lime juice. served on a bed of lettuce.

Seafood Salad*

boiled shrimp, squid and scallops mixed with chili paste, red onions, lemon grass, cilantro and lime juice served om a bed if lettuce.

Chicken (neem Sand)*

steamed chicken with lemon juice, fresh ginger, green onions and hot peppers, garnished with green leaf lettuce, and tomatoes.

Squid Salad (yum Squid)*

a really unique salad, fresh squid tossed with red onions, green lettuce leaves and cucumbers seasoned with our distinctive sauce.

Noodles - Spicy Basil Noodle

all noodles can be choice of hot, medium or mild

Plain

onion, bell pepper & peapods

Thai Entrees - Basil

served hot, medium or mild. your choice of meat with basil leaves, crushed fresh garlic, sweet pepper, green onion & mushroom in our special sauce.

See the original post here:

Chi-tung Chinese & Thai Restaurant, Evergreen Park - Menu ...

One of the best decisions you can make is to engage in continuous self-development.

We all want to enhance the quality of our lives, become better people, achieve more, and overall be better rounded individuals. Thats why we set personal development goals. Below youll discover 16 personal development goals that will make you happier and sexier.

1. Become More Confident. In his book, The Magic Lamp, Keith Ellis refers to a study conducted in 1921 by Dr. Lewis Terman of Stanford University involving over 1,500 gifted children. The study revealed that IQ is not the most important ingredient for success. Instead, Terman found that there were three factors that were much more important than intelligence in determining success. One of these factors was self-confidence (the other two were setting goals and persevering).

Your self-esteem, or your self-confidence, is basically what you think about yourself: how competent you think you are in dealing with lifes challenges, and how worthy you feel of happiness and success. One of the reasons why bolstering your self-confidence is important is because is theres a strong correlation between confidence and success.

Therefore, one of your self-development goals should be to increase your self-confidence.

2. Improve Your Body Language. Body language is nonverbal communication which involves gestures and movements. Studies have shown that the right body language can help you with all of the following:

You can read about seven ways in which body language can positively influence your life here.

3. Learn to Get Along With Others. Yesterday I was watching a TV show called Person of Interest. One of the main charactersReeseis working as a detective and his supervisor tells hims that he has to start meeting with a psychologist. During his first appointment Reese does the following:

The psychologist quickly calls him on it: He was trying to manipulate her by giving her a gift, talking to her about her interests, and simulating trust and closeness.

Im telling you this story as an illustration that there are things that you can do to create rapport with others. Of course, you should be honest and your objective shouldnt be to manipulate other people, but its always a good idea to learn ways in which you can better relate and get along with others.

4. Stop Procrastinating. Procrastination has been called the thief of time, opportunitys assassin, and the grave in which dreams are buried. Fortunately, procrastination is not a character trait, but a habit. And just as you learned the habit of procrastination, you can unlearn it. Make better use of the time that you have by overcoming procrastination.

5. Become an Early Riser. There are many benefits to becoming an early riser, including watching the sun rise, getting some early morning exercise, being able to work on a project just because its important to you before the day officially gets started, and so on. In addition, studies show that early rises are happier, healthier, and more productive than their late rising counterparts.

6. Become More Proactive. In his best-selling book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey explains that the first habit of people who accomplish what they set out to do is that theyre proactive. Proactive people do the following:

If youre going to create the life that you want for yourself, you need to be proactive.

7. Acquire Conflict Resolution Skills. Conflict is a part of life. After all, people cant be expected to agree on everything (I once read that if two people always agree, one of them isnt necessary). The question is whether conflictwhen it ariseswill be resolved effectively or lead to discord.

Having the ability to resolve disagreements rationally and settle disputes amicably will make you happier and more successful.

8. Release the Past. Most of us are haunted by the ghosts of our past: that opportunity that we let slip by; those kids who bullied us in the playground; that love interest who left us for someone else; that professor who graded us unfairly; that parent who was constantly putting us down; and so on. In order to be happy in the present, we each need to release the ghosts of the past.

9. Read More. You may have heard that knowledge is power, and one of the best ways to acquire knowledge is by reading. In addition, researchers have found that gaining new knowledge can satisfy our need for competence, which makes us happier.

Read books that will help you to learn skills that will allow you to do better in life. Here are three examples:

10. Become More Resilient. Resilience is the ability to overcome adversity. Its the difference between facing your problems bravely and confidently, and feeling helpless and like you cant move on. Fortunately, you can learn how to bounce back from any problem or challenge stronger and smarter.

11. Manage Stress Effectively. Stress is the bodys reaction to anything that requires a response. Feeling stress can keep us alert and motivate us to pursue our goals. However, if theres too much stress this can lead to distress. Distress can cause headaches, elevated blood pressure, and chest pain. It can lead you to have problems sleeping and can even make you sick.

Knowing how to manage stress effectivelyusing good stress to learn and grow, and being able to release stress once it starts to reach a negative levelis vital for personal development.

12. Overcome Limiting Beliefs. Limiting beliefs keep us trapped in our comfort zone and prevent us from trying new things and taking risks for fear ofgetting hurt. We can have limiting beliefs about anythingmoney, success, relationships, and so on. You can even have limiting beliefs about yourself and what youre capable of.

Allowing limiting beliefs to hold you back is not sexy, and it certainly will not make you happy. Identify your limiting beliefs, overcome them, and replace them with positive beliefs that will allow you to achieve what you want from life.

13. Increase Your Willpower. Willpower is essential to your ability to accomplish anything worthwhile. It influences your health, your finances, your relationships, your professional success, and all other areas of your life. Whatever goals youve set for yourself, you need willpower in order to achieve them.

14. Become More Mindful. Being mindful helps us to recognize the abundance and the good that is already present in our lives. However, we spend a lot of time thinking about things that arent happening in the present moment: remembering the past or thinking about the future. This is called mind wandering. In addition, psychologists have found that mind wandering makes us unhappy.

An important component of happiness is learning to live in the moment; that is, becoming more mindful.

15. Learn to Make Better Decisions. Ive written several posts on this blog on how to make better decisions. Thats because the choicesor the decisions we makedetermine the quality of our lives and the outcomes that we get. Our decisions shape our lives, so the better you get at making decision, the better your life will be.

16. Work on Your Attitude. Your attitude is your state of mind. Its also the way in which you respond to situations and to other people. One of the best ways to get what you want from life is to constantly adopt the attitude that is most conducive to getting you what you want.

Live your best life by setting personal goals that make you a better person. The 16 personal development goals explained above are a good start.

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16 Personal Development Goals That Will Make You Happier ...