Posted on December 30, 2014 by DGB

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Recently someone wrote me and said that since my last couple of books were full of talk of becoming and unfolding, he was beginning to sense a lurking presence of evolutionary theology. Apparently he thought this was a bad thing.

My interest in the natural sciences predated my interest in the human ones, although both interests have seamlessly intermingled since my undergraduate years at university. At age fourteen I won a provincial public speaking contest with a talk on evolution so it should not be any surprise to say that I have long been strongly influenced by evolutionary thought. However, it is not the details of evolution that are of primary interest to me. That I happily leave to biologists. My interest is in the meaning and significance of the fact that the universe and everything within it is constantly evolving. To fail to noticethisunfolding tendency is simply to fail to be fully in touch with reality.

Theology has not only the right but also the responsibility to engage with the same data as science. But their perspectives are and should be quite different. Science seeks to explain facts while theology seeks or should seek to understand their meaning. Each does one thing well and the other very poorly.

My approach to understanding the theologicaland spiritual implicationsof evolution draws on the work of the Jesuit palaeontologist and cosmologist, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. He viewed evolution as a divine strategy for birthing and growing a world under the non-interfering, yet persuasive influence of the mystery many of us call God. He described evolution as the movement toward increasing wholeness. It is the process of the complexification of energy that results in a rise of consciousness this eventually expressing itself in awareness. It is the growing of smaller wholes into larger wholes. It is a cosmic journey of becoming. And, from a monotheistic religious point of view, all of this happens under the dynamic impulse of Gods creative power and love God being at the heart of the evolutionary process, empowering it from within.

If something like this is the fundamental nature of the universe, what then are the implications for spirituality? Evolution paints a picture of the universe that is deeply congruent with the picture presented by the mystics that is, that reality is One. Humans are an expression of that unity manifest in awesome diversity. We are embodied and personalized expressions of an underlying current of the universe drawing all things toward increased wholeness and consciousness. The goal of this is something much larger than personal growth or fulfilment. The goal is that everything and everyone find its place within the wholeness in which it is already held everything and everyone then participating in the divine promise of greater freedom and fullness of life.

In his book, Darwin, Divinity, and the Dance of the Cosmos, Bruce Sanguin describes evolutionary spirituality as persons on the path of Christ, consciously evolving in community, one with the evolving cosmos, and one with the divine Heart andMind, in loving service to our one Earth community. This is a spirituality that is both personal and transpersonal. It is a spirituality that is grounded in materiality and the body but clearly oriented toward the transcendent horizon within which we exist. And because, in the words of Teilhard de Chardin, humans are the arrow of evolution and the direction of its future, it is a spirituality that will make a difference to not only our personal lives but also the unfolding of the universe and the Divine plan for its wholeness. In all these ways of understanding the term, I easily accept the description of my theology and spirituality as evolutionary. To me its the only way to bring science and religion into a harmonious relationship.

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Evolutionary Spirituality | Dr David G Benner

EckhartTolleTV is an Internet subscription service that uses technology to bring the teachings of Eckhart Tolle and Kim Eng to the world. Each month brings us a new issue (similar to a magazine subscription) containing teachings from both Eckhart and Kim, and released on the first of the month. Each issue features an exclusive new 60-90 minute talk delivered by Eckhart, a live meditation by Eckhart, and Eckhart answering questions from members. Each issue also includes exclusive content from Kim Eng, in the form of answers to questions and guided practices that complement the teachings of Eckhart Tolle.

Among the various forms of content described above, your subscription allows you to access the material in a manner that fits your lifestyle. As Eckhart Tolle TV is delivered via the Internet, you can view the content online at your convenience. You can also download the content, including the talks, live meditations, Q&A videos, and material from Kim. The downloads provide the ultimate in flexibility, as you can use the downloaded files to create your own customized CD or DVD, or take the teachings with you on your smart phone or other mobile device.

Each month, Eckhart delivers a live meditation. This meditation is streamed to your computer, as it happens, through the Internet. It occurs one Sunday a month, at 1:00pm Pacific Time. The meditation itself lasts between 30 and 45 minutes and is a wonderful way to reconnect with Eckhart's teachings and the peaceful state that is found in the Now.

At the core of Eckhart Tolle TV is Eckhart's "Private Seminar." This talk is a new and original teaching by Eckhart and lasts 60-90 minutes. Some previous issues have been titled "The Manifestation Question," "The Mountain and the Valley," "Living From the Depths of Presence,," "Meditation," "Eckhart on Emerson," and "The Tao Te Ching."

Kim Eng is a regular contributor to Eckhart Tolle TV. Kim has designed her own teaching modality, which is aimed at the transformation of consciousness through the integration of spirit, mind, and body. Kim also answers questions from the Eckhart Tolle TV Community. Through Kims contributions to each issue and through her Presence through Movement teachings, she helps us to connect to presence as we move through the forms of everyday life.

The online community is a peer-based group that connects through the Internet. This community brings together people from all over the world (over 130 countries). In this forum, people have the ability to discuss the teachings and post new and relevant topics for exchange and reflection.

The topics within the forum cover many areas from support for the teachings of Eckhart Tolle and Kim Eng to more light natured discussions about life and experiences. Some say that this forum has helped them evolve from an egoic state of living to a more peaceful and present state of being.

You have an opportunity to see Eckhart at the recording sessions we hold during the year to film the content that is on Eckhart Tolle TV. This is done before an intimate studio audience, and is only open to those that are members of Eckhart Tolle TV. The recording is typically done over two days and takes place in a theatre/studio environment.

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Eckhart Tolle Now | Learn More

Origem: Wikipdia, a enciclopdia livre.

Eckhart Tolle, pseudnimo de Ulrich Leonard Tolle (Lnen, 16 de fevereiro de 1948) um escritor e conferencista alemo, residente atualmente em Vancouver no Canad, conhecido como autor de best sellers sobre iluminao espiritual. Seu livro mais conhecido O Poder do Agora.

Depois de se formar pela Universidade de Londres, tornou-se pesquisador e supervisor da Universidade de Cambridge.[1] Tolle conta que, aos 29 anos, depois de vrios episdios depressivos, passou por uma profunda transformao espiritual, dissolveu sua antiga identidade e mudou o curso de sua vida de forma radical. Os anos seguintes foram dedicados ao entendimento, integrao e aprofundamento desta transformao, que marcou o incio de uma intensa jornada interior.[1] Em seu livro, O Poder do Agora, relata as respostas obtidas atravs dessa busca, explicando que, quando nos alinhamos ao momento presente, uma nova percepo da realidade surge, muito mais pura, profunda, poderosa.

Seu ltimo bestseller foi "A New Earth" conhecido tambem por "O Despertar de uma Nova Conscincia". Eckhart Tolle no est vinculado a qualquer religio mas utiliza-se dos ensinamentos do zen budismo, sufismo (do poeta Rumi), hindusmo (Advaita Vednta), dos escritos de Mestre Eckhart e da Bblia. [2] Alcanou maior notoriedade em 2008, ao participar, durante trs meses, do programa da apresentadora norte-americana Oprah Winfrey, para explicar seus livros.

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Eckhart Tolle Wikipdia, a enciclopdia livre

Eckhart is a spiritual teacher and author who was born in Germany and educated at the Universities of London and Cambridge. At the age of 29, a profound inner transformation radically changed the course of his life. The next few years were devoted to understanding, integrating and deepening that transformation, which marked the beginning of an intense inward journey. Later, he began to work in London with individuals and small groups as a counselor and spiritual teacher. Since 1995 he has lived in Vancouver, Canada. Eckhart Tolle is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Power of Now (translated into 33 languages) and the highly acclaimed follow-up A New Earth, which are widely regarded as two of the most influential spiritual books of our time.

Eckharts profound yet simple teachings have already helped countless people throughout the world find inner peace and greater fulfillment in their lives. At the core of the teachings lies the transformation of consciousness, a spiritual awakening that he sees as the next step in human evolution. An essential aspect of this awakening consists in transcending our ego-based state of consciousness. This is a prerequisite not only for personal happiness but also for the ending of violence on our planet.

Eckhart is a sought-after public speaker and teaches and travels extensively throughout the world. Many of his talks, intensives and retreats are published on CD and DVD. Most of the teachings are given in English, but occasionally Eckhart also gives talks in German and Spanish. Eckhart is also a pioneer in using technology to disseminate his teachings. Through EckhartTolleTV.com, he gives monthly talks, live meditations and answers questions from viewers. In addition to The Power of Now and A New Earth, Eckhart has written a book designed for meditative reading entitled Stillness Speaks. A book consisting of selections from The Power of Now is also available, entitled Practicing the Power of Now.

Read more here:
Eckhart Tolle Now | About - Eckhart

Da Wikipedia, l'enciclopedia libera.

Napoleon Hill (Pound, 26 ottobre 1883 Carolina del Sud, 8 novembre 1970) stato uno scrittore e saggista statunitense, uno dei primi produttori del moderno genere letterario del successo personale.

Il suo lavoro pi famoso stato "Think and Grow Rich", tradotto in italiano "Pensa e arricchisci te stesso", ed uno dei libri pi venduti di tutti i tempi. In uno dei suoi scritti ha dichiarato: "Ci che la mente pu concepire e credere, pu realizzarlo". Hill ha chiamato i suoi insegnamenti "La filosofia del Successo", considerando la libert, la democrazia, il capitalismo e l'armonia come suoi elementi importanti, senza i quali la fede personale non possibile. Paura ed egoismo, che considera la fonte del fallimento e dell'insuccesso della gente, non svolgono alcun ruolo nella sua filosofia. Il segreto del successo stato tangibilmente offerto ai lettori di "Think and Grow Rich". Hill ha presentato l'idea dello "Scopo Maggiore Definito", spingendo i suoi lettori a chiedersi "in cosa credono davvero". Secondo Hill, il 98% della gente non crede fermamente in qualcosa, mettendo cos il successo fuori dalla propria portata. Hill tratta molti temi controversi attraverso i suoi scritti compresi il razzismo, la schiavit, l'oppressione, il fallimento, la rivoluzione, la guerra e la povert.

Secondo il suo biografo ufficiale, Hill nacque in povert, in una casetta con due stanze nel comune di Pound nella Contea di Wise (Virginia). Sua madre mor quando aveva dieci anni. Suo padre si rispos due anni pi tardi. All'et di tredici anni cominci a scrivere per un piccolo giornale locale usando i suoi guadagni come reporter per potersi iscrivere alla scuola di legge, che ben presto abbandon per motivi finanziari. Il punto di svolta nella sua carriera considerato il 1908, quando gli viene affidato il compito di intervistare l'industriale Andrew Carnegie, per una serie di articoli su degli uomini famosi. Hill scopr che Carnegie credeva nel processo del successo e che questo poteva essere duplicato per una persona normale. Questo fece colpo su Hill. Carnegie, allora, gli commission (senza pagarlo e offrendogli solo delle lettere di referenza) di intervistare oltre 500 uomini e donne di successo, molti di loro milionari, al fine di scoprire e pubblicare questa formula del successo. Come parte della sua ricerca, Hill intervist molti degli uomini pi famosi di quel tempo, compreso Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, George Eastman, Henry Ford, Elmer Gates, John D. Rockefeller, Charles M. Schwab, FW Woolworth, William Wrigley Jr, John Wanamaker, William Jennings Bryan, Stalin, Theodore Roosevelt, William H. Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Charles Allen Ward e Jennings Randolph. Il progetto durato pi di venti anni, durante i quali Hill diventato consulente per Carnegie. Come risultato di questi studi, la Filosofia del Successo venne offerta come formula da Hill e Carnegie, pubblicata inizialmente nel 1928, come corso di studio chiamato, La legge del successo. La formula del Successo venne ulteriormente pubblicata pi dettagliatamente, per un corso di studio domestico, includendo la serie di diciassette volumi "Mental Dynamite", fino al 1941. Dal 1919 al 1920 Hill stato direttore ed editore della rivista Hill's Golden Formula, durante il quale ha scritto una lettera a Charles F. Haanel in cui ha elogiato il suo libro The Master Key System . Nella lettera scrive: "... Credo dovrebbe informare che il mio attuale successo e il successo che ha conseguito il mio lavoro, in qualit di Presidente della Napoleone Hill Foundation, dovuto in gran parte ai principi stabiliti nel The Master Key System". Nel 1930 ha pubblicato La Scaletta di successo. Dal 1933 al 1936 Hill stato un consulente non pagato del presidente Franklin Roosevelt.

Nel 1937, Hill distilla la Filosofia del Successo, producendo quello che sar il suo lavoro pi famoso, Think and Grow Rich, che vender pi di trenta milioni di copie. Nel 1960, Hill ha pubblicato una versione ridotta del libro, che per anni stato l'unico disponibile. Nel 1939 Hill ha pubblicato How to Sell Your Way through Life, e nel 1953 How to Rise Your Own Salary. Dal 1952 al 1962 ha lavorato con Clemente Stone per Combined Insurance Company of America insegnando "La Filosofia del Successo Personale", e alla conferenza sul tema "Scienza di successo". Come risultato parziale del suo lavoro con Stone, nel 1960 ha pubblicato il "Successo Attraverso un Atteggiamento Mentale Positivo". Mor nel 1970 nella Carolina del Sud, e nel 1971 il suo ultimo lavoro, "You Can Work Your Own Miracles", stato pubblicato postumo.

Hill ha speso la maggior parte dei suoi sforzi descrivendo ai suoi lettori e studenti il paradosso che "i pensieri sono cose". Infatti il sottotitolo del capitolo introduttivo di "Think and Grow Rich" "L'uomo che Pensa la sua Via". La capacit della gente di scambiarsi idee, rafforza il successo. La maggior parte degli esempi di Think and Grow Rich riguardano la grande difficolt di creare e mantenere, come mentalit, questo concetto che Hill ha denominato "The Master Mind". Razzismo, pregiudizio, guerra, povert, scoraggiamento e paura, Hill li illustra come barriere significative che esistevano al suo tempo (e ancora oggi esistono), lungo la strada del successo.

Hill ha dichiarato pi volte, nei suoi scritti, che la formula di successo richiede una completa e totale comprensione dello spirito di dare. Egli ha chiamato questo concetto "The Golden Rule" (La Regola d'Oro). Hill stato un devoto cristiano e non vede alcun conflitto tra il successo della sua filosofia e la fede religiosa. Acquisendo il Segreto del Successo di Carnegie, Hill disse, dopo che i suoi libri ebbero una vasta diffusione, che avrebbero dovuto essere esclusivamente per chi fosse "pronto" per loro; questo significa capire l'intera Filosofia, come La Regola d'Oro, la Fede e il Desiderio. Una volta pronto, chiunque potr ottenere una grande ricchezza solo applicando la formula.

La Regola d'Oro riguarda il potere del dare e del fare agli altri ci che vorresti ricevere. Hill mette alla prova il lettore facendogli chiedere: "Cosa posso veramente dare agli altri?". Mentre nella Fase Due dei Sei Gradini della "strada per la ricchezza", descritta in Think and Grow Rich, questo un gradino critico nella creazione della ricchezza, che esclude il 98% di quelli che ci provano.

I suoi principi sono:

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Napoleon Hill - Wikipedia

This page is devoted to the Orisha, yet, as you may have noticed, this page transcends the typical Nigerian-Yoruba presentation of it. Certain practices (ritualistic divination, polygamy, expensive initiations, etc) are regarded on this page as Maafa (Era of Massive Enslavement) derailments that were not initially a part of the Orisha system.

Many believe that the modern Nigerian-Yoruba system is identical to that before the Maafa and so I have no right to restore it. How...ever, there is clear evidence that the modern Nigerian-Yoruba system is a Maafa corruption of the original Orisha system and not identical to it.

I bring this to your attention because more than anyone, it is the African Diaspora who have become the biggest victims in this charade. It is the African Diaspora that deserves to know the True God that was stolen and is now being sold back to them in corrupt form.

Not only are the Nigerian-Yoruba selling "titles" and credibility to Mestizos and Iberian-Americanos but these non-Blacks then use their authority to dominate the Santeria and Candomble community in the Americas. In addition, as the economic controllers of the Orisha society, the images of Orisha are being bleached not only by non-Black artists, but even Black artists who want to appeal to and sell their images to non-Black "orisha" followers. While this is certainly not the case with all Nigerian-Yoruba, it is a rapidly growing practice as African religion becomes a commodity that non-Black tourists consume as they "slum" thru Africa.

Below is a blasphemous Euroasianized faux-shrine for Sango in a 1982 photograph in Benin City, Nigeria (the Edo and Yoruba share much of the same Orisha religion). The race of the beings on the shrine are either Eurasian shades of pink, yellow, beige, or abstract light colors like light blue. They are purposely avoiding showing actual darkskin images of deity because it offends the tourists. The shrine has lost its authenticity (and even racial identity) in an attempt to appeal to culture-vulture tourism by non-Blacks in Nigeria.

It is because of a culture of slave-trading (first selling their own people, then their own land, and now their own spirituality) in West Africa that we cannot rely on them for an uncorrupted presentation of the original spiritual system.

So how do we know the truth about Ifa? We walk pass the Mestizo and Iberian-Americanos, and pass the Nigerian-Yoruba, and go directly to our Egungun. It is they who will expose the true nature of Ifa. They have charged me with the responsibility of this humble blog in order to dispell the useless capitalistic superstition being presented as Ifa, and to expose the true nature of Ifa as a scientific and PRACTICAL system for cultivating the God-Self.

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IFA: Yoruba Scientific Spirituality - Facebook

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Three Parts:Getting Ready to InvestChoosing Good InvestmentsFocusing on the FutureCommunity Q&A

Contrary to popular belief, the stock market is not just for rich people. Investing is one of the best ways for anyone to create wealth and become financially independent. A strategy of investing small amounts continuously can eventually result in what is referred to as the snowball effect, in which small amounts gain in size and momentum and ultimately lead to exponential growth. To accomplish this feat, you must implement a proper strategy and stay patient, disciplined, and diligent. These instructions will help you get started in making small but smart investments.

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Stay informed and look ahead. In this day and age, with technology that can provide you with the information you seek in an instant, it is tough to look several years to the future while monitoring your investment balances. Those that do, however, will slowly build their snowball until it builds up speed and helps them achieve their financial goals.

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Answered Questions

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How do I benefit if I sell stocks at a profit, then transfer those funds to another company's stock?

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How to Invest Small Amounts of Money Wisely: 12 Steps

Investment Clubs

There are many steps involved in getting an investment club up and running, but fret not -- most of them are relatively straightforward. We've summarized many of them below and we've also prepared a short book, "Investment Clubs: How to Start and Run One the Motley Fool Way," which offers a concise coverage of what you need to know. If you're greedy for much more detail, check out the NAIC's "Starting and Running a Profitable Investment Club" by Thomas E. O'Hara and Kenneth S. Janke.

Below is a list of steps to help you along. It's fairly thorough, but isn't set in stone. We're mere Fools, remember, so we may well have left out a step or three. If you have any constructive feedback or suggestions, please share them on our Investment Clubs discussion board.

- Start talking with friends and see who's interested. It's best to gather a variety of people who will bring to the club a variety of interests, experiences, and perspectives. Once you find a few interested friends, let them invite a few of their own friends. Aim to form a club with roughly 10 to 15 members, give or take a few. Anything from 6 to about 20 is probably workable. Too few and you may have trouble accumulating funds to invest. Too many and you'll have trouble having quality discussions and finding a place to meet.

- Don't assume that you're doomed if your group is composed only of utter novices. That can be a very good thing. Sometimes, if you mix in some sophisticated investors with novices, the sophisticates can get bored or frustrated, and the novices can get intimidated. Don't doubt that a bunch of novices can tackle learning everything together. (Remember, you have a lot of resources to help you, such as the online community here at the Fool.)

- Distribute information about investment clubs to anyone who has expressed interest. Perhaps print out the material you've found here. You want people to learn what investment clubs are all about and think about whether they're really interested.

- Gather all interested parties for a preliminary meeting. Meet to discuss (A) whether you have enough in common, (B) how you'll be organized and run, and (C) whether people are still seriously interested in forming a club. The following items are things that you should try to agree on. It might be good to go around the room and get everyone's thoughts on each of these issues.

- Make sure that you all have similar or compatible investing goals. If some people want to double their money in two years and then get out, that's not only unrealistic, but also probably at odds with those who want to learn and slowly grow their savings.

- Agree on the amount of the monthly minimum contribution. You don't have to set this as high as possible. Remember that this is a learning activity, and you can always increase the amount at a later date. Many clubs allow members to contribute more than the monthly minimum level if they so desire. Also, contributions to the club shouldn't necessarily be the only investment you make. You might be contributing $25 per month to your investment club, but putting aside $150 per month for your personal savings and investing.

- To the degree that you can, agree on some common ground regarding a general investing philosophy and approach. As an example, perhaps you agree that Warren Buffett's approach is one you'd like to incorporate or emulate. Maybe many of you believe in Foolish investing tenets. Perhaps some want to find significantly undervalued stocks, while others want to find high-flying stocks. Differences don't necessarily represent a death knell, but it's good to start out knowing how everyone feels. And besides, many investment styles are not diametrically opposed. Fools and Warren Buffett have much common ground.

- Agree on a set of common-ground references, instructions, tools, and/or readings. Dare we be presumptuous enough to suggest that the "Motley Fool Investment Guide" or the "13 Steps to Investing Foolishly" could be such references? (Yes, we dare!) Peter Lynch's "One Up on Wall Street", "Beating the Street", and Learn to Earn are some other fine works. You might even all agree to subscribe to a certain magazine, such as SmartMoney, or to regularly read the Fool's news and commentary.

- Agree on a regular meeting time, place, length, and format. One reason to try and keep a club size to no more than about 15 people is that it permits meetings to be held in living rooms. Another possibility is to seek out some other space, like a local library or church. A coffeehouse or local watering hole might also work. Perhaps a member has an available meeting room at his workplace. Decide when you'll meet, and how often. Most clubs meet once a month. For the format, outline the various items of business you plan to cover at each meeting and allocate an amount of time for each. This will help you keep meetings running efficiently and prevent someone's report from going on for an hour and dragging things out too long. Most meetings will probably last between one and two hours.

- Agree on snacks. Snacks can be a very important part of any meeting. In unfortunate situations, it might even be what meeting attendees look forward to most. Your club can choose to bypass snacks -- or you can decide to take turns bringing donuts or cookies.

- You'll need a name for the club. You can be straightforward and name the club after something like your geographical region, or you can be creative. Names that some clubs have used include: The Money Makers, The Small Wonder Investment Group, Blue Chips and Salsa, The Common Bond Investment Club, Common Cents, The Fortune Seekers, The Steady Plodders, The Live and Learn Investors, The Silk STOCKings Investment Club, Stocks and Bonding, Blooming Assets, Lady Investigators, The Hounds of Xemba, The Stockettes, Fortune Hunters, Dynavestors, and so on. One group of women named their club the Stroke of Luck because they all met at a doctor's office. Their husbands had had strokes, leaving the women suddenly needing to take control of the family finances.

- We've covered a lot of ground so far. If this has taken a long while, you could close the first meeting and resume organizational discussions at the next. There's no rush. Below are more (yes, more) things to settle as you set up your club.

- Agree on how you'll be organized legally and operationally. The NAIC guide noted above and the Fool investment club book both include sample legal language for contracts and agreements. Some Fools online have also shared their agreements. This might sound scary, but you should realize that your $20 or $50 initial contributions will be growing into a significant pile of wealth. You'll need to have formal agreements in place to protect yourselves in case one member turns out to be a dastardly demon. Don't neglect this paperwork issue. For your club to be recognized as a legal entity, there are forms to fill out.

- As part of the previous discussion, you'll have determined how your club will be organized -- or at least will have begun talking about it. Finish that now. Agree on what responsibilities there are, and what kinds of officers you'll need to elect to take on these responsibilities. Clarify what the responsibilities of the officers, as well as club members, will be. (Remember that even regular, non-officer members have responsibilities.) Elect your officers in one of the first meetings. Typical clubs have:

- Since you're likely to be a Foolish club, though, you might come up with some more inspired names for offices. Some examples are below:

- Assign someone to look into choosing a broker. Some clubs have traditionally favored full-service brokers, who'll provide some advice and guidance and perhaps even attend meetings on occasion. Contrary to this, Fools generally opt for discount brokers. Discount brokers may offer some research, but they won't tell you what to buy or sell. Since in a club your group should be calling its own shots, you don't need to pay hefty commissions to full-service brokerages. Discuss the differences between full-service and discount brokers and decide which you prefer. Consider taking advantage of the incredibly low commissions offered for online trading by discount brokers. Several are in the neighborhood of $8 or less per trade. Visit the Fool's Brokerage Center for more information about how to evaluate and choose a broker. You can actually sign up for an account there, too! (Do so and you'll help support the sponsors who keep Fool.com free.)

- Decide on an educational agenda. This will naturally change a bit over time, as you become more sophisticated investors. But it's important to start out with some kind of plan. Perhaps you want to take the first few months to learn how to read annual reports. If you're already comfortable with that, you might delve into various valuation methods. Discuss topics of interest and set up a plan for learning. A good way to start this discussion might be to go around the room and ask members to say what big questions they have about investing that they'd like answers to. If members think this would be too embarrassing, you could all write down lists of these questions anonymously and then collect and discuss them. (No one should be embarrassed, though -- your club should foster an open and unintimidating atmosphere.)

- Make a list of member interests and expertise. Here's why. As you begin hunting for companies in which to invest, you'll want to choose industries to study. As both Peter Lynch and the Brothers Gardner like to point out, it's a great strategy to "buy what you know." (Actually, it's probably best restated as "research what you know.") If you're in the chemical business, you might volunteer to look into companies in that industry, choosing a few for a close look. If a member is an avid golfer, she might look into golf-related companies. It's a good idea to make a list of the industries with which your club members are familiar. Even if someone's only hobby is hitting the malls every weekend, that's a great boon -- he'll be familiar with many retailers.

- Finally, agree to have fun and to keep your meetings friendly and cooperative. And please consider dropping us a note now and then with any experiences, suggestions, or even funny stories that you'd care to share. (Perhaps your group came up with some clever officer titles? Let's hear 'em!)

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investment - The Motley Fool

When it comes to choosing what investment to go for, a one-size-fits-all approach just doesnt work there isnt a single investment product that will work for everyone.

We all have a unique set of personal circumstances and individual savings goals, and its only when you take a closer look at these that you can begin to answer the question what is the best investment for me?

Are you looking to invest a lump sum, or to set aside a regular monthly amount? Maybe a short term investment or longer? And how much money do you have available?

Certain assets require a lump sum investment, such ascorporate bondsor when youre putting down a deposit to purchase aproperty, and others offer the flexibility of either lump sum or regular contributions, such as acash ISAorstocks and shares ISA.

Some investments also have a minimum financial commitment, so knowing what you can afford and whether you plan to make a one-off or an ongoing saving is a good starting point.

Or, put another way when will you need access to your money? Certain investment products run for a fixed period of time, so if you have a specific date in mind as to when you need access to yourcapital, then some product types wont be right for you. In addition, certain investments, such asshares, are much longer lasting and shouldnt be considered as short term investments.

Thats because although shares have historically increased in value over the long term, they can fluctuate in value in the short term. Its recommended that you invest money at least five years to be in a good position to ride out these fluctuations.

We all have different reasons for saving, and the purpose of your investment can affect how muchrisk youre prepared to take with your money. If your investment is to pay for your childrens education, then you may be investing over a long period of time, and looking for a higher return, as a result you may be inclined to choose a higher-risk investment option.

Conversely, if youre investing money to pay for an overseas trip, or a new car, you may be investing for a short period of time and want certainty about the outcome of your investment, and you may feel more comfortable with lower risk short term investments.

If youre looking for a regular income from your investment then this will influence your choice of product. A pension is probably the best-known investment vehicle for providing an income in retirement.

There are other investment products available that can also provide a regular income such asannuities, or corporate bond funds, alternatively you could choose to invest in a buy-to-let property to provide you with a rental income.

Consumers may wish to seek professional advice first before taking out such products as they often require a huge commitment.

Attitude to risk can change with age. Longer term, higher risk investment options may be more attractive to someone in their thirties than to someone who is getting close to retirement.

People tend to invest money in lower-risk products as their retirement approaches.

If youre a parent with financially dependent children, then youre probably going to be more cautious with your savings than someone whos single and doesnt have any dependants, and therefore more likely to choose a low to medium risk and possibly short term investment. For someone whos self-employed the priority may be finding a product that allows flexible contributions to suit a more erratic income pattern.

Its important that you to take a close look at your circumstances and how they affect whatinvestment you opt for beforeyou make a commitment.

If you already have a number of investments and feel that your future financial requirements are well taken care of, then you may be willing to take a higher risk with your next investment. However, if this is your first and only investment then you may be more conservative in your choice.

Its important that you feel comfortable with where your money is going, so if you have strong beliefs then its worth seeking out an investment that fits with these. There are a number of green andethical investmentsavailable as well as investments that are designed for specific cultural groups.

How do you feel aboutinvestment risk? Not everyone is happy riding out the ups and downs of the stock market, and if the thought of a particular investment makes you lie awake at night, then its probably too risky for you.

When you invest money, it gets tied up and is no longer easily accessible. But, if you have a sudden need for cash how quickly and easily can you liquidate your asset? And whats the penalty for doing this?

If you think this may be an important factor for you then its worth knowing up front what the implication of getting out of an investment early is if indeed its possible.

Once youve answered these questions youll have a better idea of the type of investments that would suit you. Financial advisers tend to recommend having aportfolioof investments, that way if one investment performs badly, you have others to fall back on. It also means you can plan so you have short term investments as well as long-term ones.

Your tax status is another important consideration. You need to factor in the tax implications of each investment option based on your personal circumstances that way youll get a true picture of the return youre likely to make. Find out more aboutinvestment and tax.

You may need to consult an appropriate professional financial adviser, accountant or tax specialist about the tax implications of any particular investment in relation to your own circumstances.

Its also a good idea to review your portfolio on an annual basis after youve invested money. Circumstances change, so it makes sense to check that it still represents the best investment for you.

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