Awareness is the ability to perceive, to feel, or to be conscious of events, objects, thoughts, emotions, or sensory patterns.[1] In this level of consciousness, sense data can be confirmed by an observer without necessarily implying understanding. More broadly, it is the state or quality of being aware of something. In biological psychology, awareness is defined as a human's or an animal's perception and cognitive reaction to a condition or event.

Awareness is a relative concept. An animal may be partially aware, may be subconsciously aware, or may be acutely unaware of an event. Awareness may be focused on an internal state, such as a visceral feeling, or on external events by way of sensory perception. Awareness provides the raw material from which animals develop qualia, or subjective ideas about their experience. Insects have awareness that you are trying to swat them or chase after them. But insects do not have consciousness in the usual sense, because they lack the brain capacity for thought and understanding.

Popular ideas about consciousness suggest the phenomenon describes a condition of being aware of one's awareness or, self-awareness.[2] Efforts to describe consciousness in neurological terms have focused on describing networks in the brain that develop awareness of the qualia developed by other networks.[3]

Neural systems that regulate attention serve to attenuate awareness among complex animals whose central and peripheral nervous system provides more information than cognitive areas of the brain can assimilate. Within an attenuated system of awareness, a mind might be aware of much more than is being contemplated in a focused extended consciousness.

Basic awareness of one's internal and external world depends on the brain stem. Bjorn Merker,[4] an independent neuroscientist in Stockholm, Sweden, argues that the brain stem supports an elementary form of conscious thought in infants with hydranencephaly. "Higher" forms of awareness including self-awareness require cortical contributions, but "primary consciousness" or "basic awareness" as an ability to integrate sensations from the environment with one's immediate goals and feelings in order to guide behavior, springs from the brain stem which human beings share with most of the vertebrates. Psychologist Carroll Izard emphasizes that this form of primary consciousness consists of the capacity to generate emotions and an awareness of one's surroundings, but not an ability to talk about what one has experienced. In the same way, people can become conscious of a feeling that they can't label or describe, a phenomenon that's especially common in pre-verbal infants.

Due to this discovery medical definitions of brain death as a lack of cortical activity face a serious challenge.[citation needed]

Down the brain stem lie interconnected regions that regulate the direction of eye gaze and organize decisions about what to do next, such as reaching for a piece of food or pursuing a potential mate.[citation needed]

The ability to consciously detect an image when presented at near-threshold stimulus varies across presentations. One factor is "baseline shifts" due to top down attention that modulates ongoing brain activity in sensory cortex areas that affects the neural processing of subsequent perceptual judgments.[5] Such top down biasing can occur through two distinct processes: an attention driven baseline shift in the alpha waves, and a decision bias reflected in gamma waves.[6]

Outside of neuroscience biologists, Humberto Maturana and Francisco Varela contributed their Santiago theory of cognition in which they wrote:

Living systems are cognitive systems, and living as a process is a process of cognition. This statement is valid for all organisms, with or without a nervous system.[7]

This theory contributes a perspective that cognition is a process present at organic levels that we don't usually consider to be aware. Given the possible relationship between awareness and cognition, and consciousness, this theory contributes an interesting perspective in the philosophical and scientific dialogue of awareness and living systems theory.

In cooperative settings, awareness is a term used to denote knowledge created through the interaction of an agent and its environment in simple terms knowing what is going on.[8] In this setting, awareness is meant to convey how individuals monitor and perceive the information surrounding their colleagues and the environment they are in. This information is incredibly useful and critical to the performance and success of collaborations.[9][10] Awareness can be further defined by breaking it down into a set of characteristics:[11]

Different categories of awareness have been suggested based on the type of information being obtained or maintained:[12]

These categories are not mutually exclusive, as there can be significant overlap in what a particular type of awareness might be considered. Rather, these categories serve to help understand what knowledge might be conveyed by a particular type of awareness or how that knowledge might be conveyed. Workspace awareness is of particular interest to the CSCW community, due to the transition of workspaces from physical to virtual environments.

While the type of awareness above refers to knowledge a person might need in a particular situation, context awareness and location awareness refer to information a computer system might need in a particular situation. These concepts of large importance especially for AAA (authentication, authorization, accounting) applications.

The term of location awareness still is gaining momentum with the growth of ubiquitous computing. First defined with networked work positions (network location awareness), it has been extended to mobile phones and other mobile communicable entities. The term covers a common interest in whereabouts of remote entities, especially individuals and their cohesion in operation. The term of context awareness is a superset including the concept of location awareness. It extends the awareness to context features of an operational target as well as to context of an operational area.

Covert awareness is the knowledge of something without knowing it. Some patients with specific brain damage are for example unable to tell if a pencil is horizontal or vertical.[citation needed] They are however able to grab the pencil, using the correct orientation of the hand and wrist. This condition implies that some of the knowledge the mind possesses is delivered through alternate channels than conscious intent.[original research?]

Awareness forms a basic concept of the theory and practice of Gestalt therapy.

In general, "awareness" may also refer to public or common knowledge or understanding about a social, scientific, or political issue, and hence many movements try to foster "awareness" of a given subject, that is, "raising awareness". Examples include AIDS awareness and Multicultural awareness.

Awareness may refer to anesthesia awareness.

Continued here:
Awareness - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The Joe Niece Team....The Results of Experience Excelsior Minnesota Short Sale Information and Advice. Let us help you now, Call us at 612-305-8487.

E-mail Joe Niece about your situation Calculate your chance of a successful short sale

We can negotiate for your lender to pay your closing costs and Realtor fee's. The agent you choose to help you with your Excelsior Short Sale will determine your success rate. Most agents do not specialize in Excelsior Short Sales. The average agent has less than a 30% chance of completing a successful short sale with you. You have almost a 300% better chance if you use our specialized short sale team.

A Excelsior Minnesota short sale is when a bank or mortgage lender agrees to discount a loan balance due to an economic or financial hardship on the part of the mortgagor located in Minnesota. This Short Sale negotiation is all done through communication with a bank's Loss Mitigation Department. The home owner/debtor sells the Minnesota mortgaged property for less than the outstanding balance of the loan, and turns over the proceeds of the sale to the lender in full satisfaction of the debt. In such instances, the lender would have the right to approve or disapprove of a proposed sale.

Extenuating circumstances influence whether or not banks will discount a loan balance. These circumstances are usually related to the current real estate market climate and the individual borrower's financial situation.

2013 SHORT SALE UPDATE !!!!!! 1. Foreclosure inventory down by up to 75%

2. Short Sale inventory down by up to 50%

3. Interest rates up 25-35%

4. Fed indicates that they will soon stop buying bonds. In Nov of 2008 the Fed started buying bonds and interest rates dropped dramatically almost overnight.

5. The impact this will have on the real estate market will be catastrophic. Rates should shoot up to almost 6% and most likely will not level off until they hit 7.0-7.5%.

6. Homes will see a decrease in value ranging from 10-30% depending on a homes specific area

7. My advice is to sell your home now if you plan to sell in the next 2-5 years

8. If you are buying with a loan, make sure and purchase your next home within the next 6-18 months so you can lock in a much lower interest rate over the next 15-30 years

9. If you are planning on doing a short sale, start as soon as possible so that you are stuck in a market where the values are falling dramatically each month

2012 UPDATE !!!!!! March 9th 2012 HAFA Extended to December 31st 2013 Key Points of the new update: 1. No Longer any Occupancy Requirements-You don't have to be living in the home 2. $3,000 Relocation with HAFA now both Owner Occupied and Tenant Occupied at the time of sale. 3. Seller may make full payments to servicers even if the amount is over 31%, keep current and Qualify for HAFA 4. 2nd Lien Holders can get up to 8,500 5. Credit Reporting will now be one of the following: a. Account Status Code 13-Paid or closed account, zero balance b. Account paid in full, a foreclosure was started.

In 2012 I have changed my belief as to what determines if a homeowner will be successful with their short sale. 1. Who you pick to help you with your short sale. 2. Who your lender is. 3. What your hardship is.

I know that seem crazy but almost all of the horror stories I hear were caused by the agents or negotiators not understanding the process or not being experienced enough.

Traditional Short Sale

A short sale occurs when your property is sold at a price lower than the amount you owe on the mortgage, and your lender agrees to the "short" payoff. A short sale becomes an option if you are behind on your mortgage payments, you want or need to leave the property and do not have the funds to pay the difference between the net proceeds from the sale of your home and the mortgage. For delinquent homeowners and lenders, short sales provide a way to avoid many of the costly impacts of foreclosure.

A short sale may make sense if you:

Do not qualify for any options to keep your home, including HAMP, forbearance and reinstatement. Owe more on your loan than the home is worth. Don't think you can sell your home at a price that would cover your loan amount.

Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA)

If you can no longer afford your mortgage and are interested in transitioning out of your home to more affordable housing, you may be eligible for a short sale through the federal Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA) , a component of the federal Making Home Affordable Program. With this option, you will avoid some of the negative effects of foreclosure and may be eligible to receive a payment of $3,000 to help you move to a new home.

A HAFA short sale may make sense if you:

Have a loan that is owned by Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae or a participating investor. Do not qualify for, or did not complete a trial period plan through, HAMP. Took out your mortgage on or before January 1, 2009. Are behind on your mortgage payments. Spend more than 31 percent of your pre-tax income on your mortgage payment (including principal, interest, taxes, insurance and homeowner's association dues). Are unable to afford your mortgage payments because of a documentable financial hardship.

You may be eligible for the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives program if:

the property is your current principal residence, OR the property has been vacant or rented out for less than 12 months, and you have not bought another principal residence during that time.

the amount you owe on your first mortgage for your property is equal to or less than:

$729,750 for 1 unit $934,200 for 2 units $1,129,250 for 3 units $1,403,400 for 4 units

you owe more on your home than its worth

your current mortgage was taken out on or before January 1, 2009

you are experiencing a hardship (such as a job loss, divorce or medical emergency) and are unable to afford your current home loan (For loans not owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac) All servicers that have signed agreements with the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) to participate in the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) must consider eligible borrowers who do not qualify for HAMP for other foreclosure prevention options including the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives program which includes short sale and deed-in-lieu. However, each servicer has some discretion in determining additional eligibility criteria and certain program rules.

2011 UPDATE !!!!!! I am really getting disgusted with all of the get rich quick scams that I am seeing from people trying to make a quick buck off of homeowners that are in trouble. I have decided to add the following list so that you can decide if a person or company that you are thinking of dealing with is looking out for you best interest.

1. Do they advertise their name prominantly as a Excelsior short sale expert on their main website? Why is this important? Many agents think of Excelsior short sales as an additional source of revenue verus being proud of helping people that are in trouble. They do not want to tie themselves as being a Excelsior short sale expert because it might turn off their normal sale clients. If they are not proud of helping people that are in trouble who need to do a Excelsior short sale, then you should not work with them.

2. Do they give you all of the information you need to determine if you should do a Excelsior short sale, or do they tease you with information, ask you to sign up for emailed information, and withhold the information that you need to research your options? If they do not have the information to give you or if they are not willing to take the time and money to put it on their website, are you sure that they are 100% committed to helping you do a short sale?

3. Do they tell you what banks they have worked with on Excelsior short sales? It might be good to have something in writing that shows they have a history working with short sales in Excelsior. Ninety nine percent of the people you find online had never done a short sale before 2010. Ninety nine percent will have only done a short sale with one or two lenders.

Past Short Sale Experience Here are some of our past short sales that we have had experience with.

As of today, we are actively working about 70-80 short sales. This includes about two dozen Bank of America Short Sales, almost two dozen Wellsfargo Short Sales, and a dozen each of Us Bank Short Sales, Chase Short Sales, Citi Mortgage Short Sales, Credit Union Short Sales and TCF Short Sales. The person you choose will determine almost 100% if you are going to be successful or not with your Excelsior short sale. With the correct short sale agent, you will stay out of foreclosure and, remove or minimize the bank asking you for money or a prom note. If you pick the wrong agent, you very likely will become a Excelsior foreclosure, end up owing much more than you need to pay and possibly have collectors coming after you for six years.

4. Do they have any Excelsior short sale video (see below) that explains the process? Why is this important? It would be nice to hear in person what the person is saying from their own mouth? If not, how do you know if they are telling you one thing to get your business, and doing something else later?

5. Are they willing to point you to information on doing a Excelsior loan modification? If you are looking for all of your options, they should be willing to talk to you about things that will not make them money. Be aware if they are trying to help you and also make a living, or just trying to make money off of your mis-fortune.

6. Do they spend the time to blog about short sales? If they are a Excelsior short sale expert, do they take the time to get information out to others? Joe Niece's Blog Joe Niece's Trulia Blog Joe Niece's HomeGain Blog Joe Niece's Active Rain Blog

7. Do they have a Lawyer available at no cost to consult with about any legal questions that you might have about your Excelsior short Sale? Will he go over your Excelsior Short Sale approval letter with you?

8. Do they have a CPA or Tax expertto explain questions about Excelsior short sale 1099 income. Do they have someone that can talk to you about Insolvency, rental issues and other questions that come up during your short sale?

9. Do they farm out their Excelsior short salesto a third party negotiator, law firm or out of state company. A great Excelsior short sale negotiator is very hard to find, expensive and vital to your short sale success. If your agent is doing it all, they most likely do not have the experience with multiple lenders and all of the different issues that can come up. If they are farming it out, the company they send you to very likely may look at you as a number, versus as a real person that needs help.Don't let a slick sales pitch take you off track. You need to make sure that you are going to be in better shape when you are done than when you started.

10. Will they come out and meet with you and not ask you to sign a contract right away? Make sure they are as willing to help versus make money. If their heart is in the right place, then they most likely will go the extra mile to help you.

11. Have they taken the time to get educated? I continue to educate myself with my Excelsior Certified Distressed Property Expert certification, SFR training and Five Star training. I recently received the e-mail below from Dave Liniger, the Chairman and Co-Founder of REMAX.

Dear Joe,

Congratulations! Because of your Short Sale training and expertise, you have been selected to participate in the CitiMortgage ProActive Short Sale program.

The program is designed to assist families facing foreclosure with a viable alternative, and a more "graceful exit" through a Short Sale. In support of this program, the names of local RE/MAX agents, who have a demonstrated expertise in Short Sales, will be provided to these homeowners. The homeowners may choose to contact those agents.

The primary reason you have been selected to participate in this program is your demonstrated commitment to the Short Sale process. You should have either a CDPE designation, SFR certification or Five Star training, along with a proven high level of experience with Short Sale transactions.

Thank you,

Dave Liniger Chairman and Co-Founder RE/MAX, LLC

12. Are they willing to live chat with you?

End 2011 Update, continue reading below about Excelsior Short Sales

A short sale in Excelsior Minnesotatypically is executed to prevent a home foreclosure. Often a bank will choose to allow Excelsior property to short saleif they believe that it will result in a smaller financial loss than foreclosing. For the home owner, the advantages include avoidance of having a foreclosure on their credit history and the partial control of the monetary deficiency. Additionally, a short sale is typically faster and less expensive in Minnesota than a foreclosure in Minnesota due to the redemption laws. In short, a short sale is nothing more than negotiating with lien holders a payoff for less than what they are owed, or rather a sale of a debt, generally on a piece of real estate, short of the full debt amount.

Minnesota Short Sale Information

Learn More about Short Sales

Excelsior Short Sale versus Excelsior Foreclosure, which is the best option? In almost all cases, a Excelsior Foreclosure is a bad option if you have the choice of doing a Excelsior Short Sale. Why is this? If you think about it, it starts to make more sense.

Let's look at the differences between a Excelsior Short Sale and a Excelsior Foreclosure. A Excelsior Short Sale is when you need to sell but owe more then your home will sell for. The process similar to a normal sale in some ways.

1. You need to sell. (same)

2. Your home is worth less then you can sell it for. (different)

3. You contact a Realtor. If you are looking in Minnesota, you can contact us. Do not use a Realtor that does not have free information and/or Short Sale video on their website about Excelsior Short Sales. The choice you make when picking a Realtor will in most cases determine if you will be successful or not with your short sale. Find someone like us that has helped hundreds of homeowners with their foreclosure or short sale needs versus 99% of the agents that have done less then five short sales. This will increase your chances of being successful from about 30% to about 90%. (similar)

4. You negotiate with the bank if you chose a bad Realtor or we negotiate if you picked us. Most people agree that negotiating for yourself has some very big negatives but you need to do what you are comfortable with. (different)

5. We negotiate for the bank to pay your closing costs and fee's. (different)

6. Your lender pays your Realtor fee's (different)

7. You sign at closing to sell your home. (same)

If you are missing your payments and you do nothing, you will most likely end up as a Foreclosure in Excelsior. The process can take five weeks, it can take nine months, it can take a year depending on your situation. Once your redemption period ends, you must leave your home. Let's talk about the main problems with letting your home become a Excelsior foreclosure versus a Excelsior Short Sale.

1. The bank does not want to force you into foreclosure. It is much better for them to allow you to do a Excelsior short sale versus ending up as a Excelsior Foreclosure. They will work with you if you just follow the instructions that they give you.

2. A Excelsior Foreclosure will double or triple the time it will take for you to fix your credit and get another loan on a home. This might be far down on your list now but why ruin your credit for longer then you have to.

3. If you have private mortgage insurance, the private mortgage insurance company may pay part or all of the money that the bank loses. The problem is that they will come after you once you have become a Excelsior Foreclosure. Having a collection agency going after you for ten or more years may not seem like a great option to most people.

4. If you have more then one loan, the junior lien holders are still owned the money they have lost after you Excelsior Home Forecloses. They can and will come after you and file a deficiency judgment which you will have to pay. If you do a Excelsior short sale instead, we can get the second mortgages to settle.

Minnesota Shortsale Hardship Letter Samples

Let a Excelsior Minnesota short saleExpert help you now, Call Joe Niece at 612-305-8487.

E-mail Joe Niece about your situation

Search every listing of every home for sale in Minnesota. Search Minnesota MLS Listings and Home for Sale

All of the information provided is gathered from numerous sources. If you are in need of help, contact us for a private meeting about your particular situation. Some provisions may not be applicable in all states and may change daily based on new laws and interpretations. This infomation is provided as a public service to help troubled borrowers and lenders minimize the economic and emotional damage that foreclosures have had on society. Legal advice should be obtained from an attorney.

I. Lender's Options Upon Borrower's Loan Default

Q 1. What options does a lender have on a debt secured by real Excelsior property if the borrower does not make the payments on the loan?

Answer:

Depending on the situation, a lender may consider one of the following:

A lender may foreclose on the defaulting borrower's real property which secures the loan. There are two types of "foreclosures" available to a lender: a trustee's (sherriff's) sale and a judicial foreclosure. Technically, a sherriff's (trustee's) sale is not a "foreclosure" but the term has been used for both a trustee's sale as well as a judicial foreclosure.

For certain loans, a lender has no choice and must conduct a sherriff's(trustee's) sale. With a sherriff's(trustee's sale), a lender cannot go after a deficiency judgment. A deficiency occurs when the current market value of the property is less than the loan on the property. See Questions 3 and 4 for more details.

Q 2. What other options may the lender consider instead of foreclosure when the borrower is delinquent?

Answer:

Loan Workout or Short Payoff/Short Sale

Basically, a loan workout is any resolution of a problem loan between the lender and borrower that modifies the original loan agreement. Some of these options include forbearance (e.g. forgiving a portion of the debt or late charges); deferment; renegotiating interest rate, monthly payment amount, principal amount, maturity date; or the enforcement of an acceleration clause in the loan.

The lender may also be able to pursue "guarantors" of the debt who have signed written guarantee agreements (not including the borrowers).

*: With a Excelsior short payoff, the lender accepts less than the remaining mortgage amount as full payment of the loan. The property need not be sold.

*Note: Some lenders do not differentiate between a Excelsior short sale and a Excelsior short payoff.

Q 3. What is a deficiency judgment?

Answer:

A deficiency judgment is a judgment obtained by the lender in court against the borrower for the difference between the unpaid balance of the secured debt and the amount produced by sale or the fair market value of the security, whichever is greater, in a judicial foreclosure. A lender may obtain a deficiency judgment only with a judicial foreclosure. With a sherriff's(trustee's) sale foreclosure, the lender cannot go after a deficiency judgment. See Question 4 for more details.

Q 4. Can a real estate lender obtain a deficiency judgment against a defaulting borrower following foreclosure?

Answer:

It depends. Some states have "anti-deficiency statutes" that protect certain borrowers from deficiency judgments. Under those circumstances, a lender would opt for a sherriff's (trustee's) sale foreclosure which is quicker and less expensive than a judicial foreclosure. A sherriff's (trustee's) sale foreclosure does not involve the courts. Generally, there are five situations in which a deficiency judgment is prohibited.:

1) Purchase Money

2) Seller Carryback.

3) Trustees Sale.

4) 3 Month Time Limit.

5) Fair Value Limitations.

See more here:
#1 Minnesota Excelsior Short Sale Negotiator, Free Excelsior ...

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Guide to Fort Lauderdale Vegan Restaurants, Vegetarian Restaurants, Natural Foods, & Health Food Stores.

954-533-7507

Now Open: Mon-Sat 11:00am-9:00pm, Sun 11:00am-3:00pm

Its organic menu features gluten-free options with juices, smoothies, salads, soups, wraps, grain bowls, veggie burgers, and gluten-free baked goods. Has outdoor seating. Wheelchair accessible. Accepts credit cards. Moderate.

954-615-1431

Tue-Sun 5:30pm-10:00pm

Upscale vegan dining restaurant serving spirits from around the globe and creative contemporary vegetarian cuisine. Exotic interior decor with wall fountain. Accepts credit cards. Expensive.

954-668-4034

Vegan food company created by a registered dietician. Offers daily delivery as well as events catering. Its food truck attends area farmer's markets and at pop-up locations. Check webpage for latest locations or to order food. Accepts credit cards. Inexpensive.

954-937-8546

Now Open: Mon-Fri 10:00am-6:00pm, Sat-Sun 9:00am-5:00pm

Smoothie and juice counter at Marando Farms since 2014. Offers sometimes a cooked soup plus lunch food. Accepts credit cards. Moderate.

954-400-5028

Serves meat, veg options available. Fast food chain where you could customize your order (tacos, burritos, bowls) and request no cheese/dairy. Some of its locations offer a soyfrito filling that's made from soy protein. Be sure to ask for plant based protein. Open daily. Accepts credit cards. Inexpensive.

954-541-5443

Now Open: Mon-Fri 9:00am-6:00pm, Sat 9:00am-4:00pm

Serves meat, veg options available. Natural food, juices, and smoothies cafe. Also a market area selling fresh fruit and vegetables, vitamin and protein supplements, baby food, dry goods, and refrigerated items. Wheelchair accessible. Accepts credit cards. Inexpensive.

954-763-3344

Now Open: Tue-Sat 8:00am-5:00pm

Serves meat, veg options available. Fully gluten-free eatery and juicery in the city's yachting district. Offers internationally inspired dishes with a modern healthy spin. Wheelchair accessible. Accepts credit cards. Moderate.

954-338-5651

Now Open: Mon-Sat 8:00am-6:00pm

Serves meat, veg options available. Juicery and kitchen. Vegan items include soup, salads, grain bowls, smoothies and fresh cold pressed juices. Cozy atmosphere with music playing. Free Wi-Fi. Wheelchair accessible. Accepts credit cards. Moderate.

954-630-1351

Now Open: Mon-Sun 7:00am-10:00pm

Serves meat, veg options available. At this beachside Mediterranean kitchen and grill, the owner makes effort to cater to vegans and vegetarians and has created a separate vegan menu which features a veggie burger, veggie platters, and veggie wraps. Choices include house-made hummus, lentil soup, a platter of eggplant, avocado, hummus, olives, and cucumber. Casual with free Wi-Fi. Confirmed open, Oct 2014. Has outdoor seating. Wheelchair accessible. Accepts credit cards. Inexpensive.

954-358-5353

Serves meat, veg options available. Part of chain pizza restaurant franchise. Has vegan pizza using Follow Your Heart brand of vegan cheese, gluten free crust, and multi grain crust. Pizza is shaped long instead of round. Some organic ingredients used. Accepts credit cards. Moderate.

954-771-7111

Serves meat, veg options available. Part of buffet-style salad bar chain restaurant. Features a large salad bar plus soups, breads, pizza, and desserts. Open daily. Inexpensive.

954-463-4900

Serves meat, veg options available. Has vegan options on the lunch and dinner menus which are clearly marked on menu, but not on website. Specializes in craft beer. Has outdoor seating. Accepts credit cards. Moderate.

954-938-4473

Serves meat, veg options available. Mexican food and bar. While menu is primarily meat-based, there is a small vegetarian section of which 3 dishes are labeled vegan. Moderate.

954-565-7423

Now Open: Mon-Sun 8:00am-10:00pm

Large supermarket chain, has deli, vitamins, and health foods.

954-491-4464

Organic bakery located in a pink gingerbread house-like building. A wide variety of breads including sweet and savory items. Some breads contain honey, so check the menu for ingredients. Accepts credit cards.

954-850-2433

Private chef and catering by a vegan chef, Amber Marie.

954-243-7180

Sun 9:00am-2:00pm

Outdoor farmers market with vendors selling fresh fruit and vegetable, culinary herbs, tropical plants, orchids, prepared foods, and more.

954-713-6118

Now Open: Mon-Fri 9:30am-8:00pm, Sat 9:30am-5:00pm, Sun 12:00pm-6:00pm

A unique concept wellness center with a kitchen where gourmet, raw, organic, vegan food is prepared as part of client's treatment - menu changes weekly. Kitchen is called Eat, Heal and Thrive. Also has a retail store with products for clients. Has signature green juices and 21 day life change nutritional detox program. Health coach and holistic physician on site. Treatments include energy psychology, organic facial treatments, nutripuncture and many more holistic offerings. Accepts credit cards.

Once-a-month update on the latest veg related news, global restaurant and travel highlights, plus giveaways!

Voted "Best Vegetarian Restaurant Guide" on the Internet, this is the place to find good vegan restaurants & healthy food! HappyCow was created to assist in making healthy vegetarian food available to all wherever possible. These Fort Lauderdale vegetarian and vegan restaurant listings are primarily from you, the users, and some maybe arbitrary, outdated, or incomplete. If you are a local to Fort Lauderdale, FL and know of any places (vegetarian restaurants Fort Lauderdale) that are not included here please add them. HappyCow and its creators claim no responsibility for any information that might be inaccurate in any way.

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Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants, Healthy, Organic, Fort ...

The tenth anniversary edition of this landmark cookbook, with more than 325,000 copies in print, includes a new introduction from Deborah Madison, Americas leading authority on vegetarian cooking.

What Julia Child is to French cooking, Deborah Madison is to vegetarian cookinga demystifier and definitive guide to the subject. After her many years as a teacher and writer, she realized that there was no comprehensive primer for vegetarian cooking, no single book that taught vegetarians basic cooking techniques, how to combine ingredients, and how to present vegetarian dishes with style. Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone teaches readers how to build flavor into vegetable dishes, how to develop vegetable stocks, and how to choose, care for, and cook the many vegetables available to cooks today. Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone is in every way Deborah Madisons magnum opus, featuring 1,400 recipes suitable for committed vegetarians, vegans (in most cases), and everyone else who loves good food. For nonvegetarians, the recipes can be served alongside meat, fish, or fowl and incorporated into a truly contemporary style of eating that emphasizes vegetables and fruits for health and well-being.

Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone is the most comprehensive vegetarian cookbook ever published. The recipes, which range from appetizers to desserts, are colorful and imaginative as well as familiar and comforting. Madison introduces readers to innovative main course salads; warm and cold soups; vegetable braises and cobblers; golden-crusted gratins; Italian favorites like pasta, polenta, pizza, and risotto; savory tarts and galettes; grilled sandwiches and quesadillas; and creative dishes using grains and heirloom beans. At the heart of the book is the A-to-Z vegetable chapter, which describes the unique personalities of readily available vegetables, the sauces and seasonings that best complement them, and the simplest ways to prepare them. Becoming a Cook teaches cooking basics, from holding a knife to planning a menu, and Foundations of Flavor discusses how to use sauces, herbs, spices, oils, and vinegars to add flavor and character to meatless dishes. In each chapter, the recipes range from those suitable for everyday dining to dishes for special occasions. And through it all, Madison presents a philosophy of cooking that is both practical and inspiring.

Despite its focus on meatless cooking, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone is not just for vegetariansit's for everyone interested in learning how to cook vegetables creatively, healthfully, and passionately. The recipes are remarkably straightforward, using easy-to-find ingredients in inspiring combinations. Some are simple, others more complex, but all are written with an eye toward the seasonality of produce. Madison's joyful and free-spirited approach to cooking will send you into the kitchen with confidence and enthusiasm. Whether you are a kitchen novice or an experienced cook, this wonderful cookbook has something for everyone.

See the article here:
Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone: Deborah Madison ...

Special News! Dalai Lama to visit Birmingham in 2014

Wonderful news! His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be visiting Birmingham in 2014. For the full story, please check the Birmingham News article here:

Dalai Lama set to make pilgrimage to Birmingham in 2014

Book study and practice on Tuesday November 26 is cancelled. Also, the Introduction to Buddhism class on Sunday, December 1 is cancelled (but we will have Sadhana Practice at 2pm).

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

The Sunday Intro to Buddhism Class will be cancelled on November 3rd and 10th. Thanks!

Please join us this Sunday, September 29, at 2pm for tea and cookies instead of our regular Sadhana practice. Please feel free to bring a small dessert or beverage for everyone to enjoy!

The Intro to Buddhism Class will still be held at 1pm. Please come for class and stick around for tea and cookies!

The Introduction to Buddhism Class for this Sunday, September 15 is cancelled. Sadhana practice will still be held at 2pm.

The Introduction to Buddhism Class and Sadhana Practice for this Sunday, September 1 is cancelled. We will resume our regular schedule on Tuesday, September 3rd. Have a good holiday!

Happy 78th Birthday to His Holiness the Dalai Lama!!

Come join us on Saturday, July 6 at 12:30pm for a vegetarian pot luck to celebrate His Holiness's birthday. Please bring any veggie dish, drink or dessert you'd like. Remember to come to our new location, 3224 Green Valley Road.

We are very honored to have Ken McLeod, the author of Wake Up To Your Life, join us this Sunday, May 5th, for a Question and Answer session. We read and discussed this book at length on our Tuesday Book Study, so this is a fantastic opportunity to ask the author any questions you may have.

He will be joining us at 2pm, right after the 1pm Intro to Buddhism class. Please join us for this special occasion!

A couple schedule changes for the next week or so:

Our normal schedule resumes Tuesday February 19.

Please check back for news about the Tibetan New Year!

Here's the Holiday Schedule for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Buddhism for Beginners class on Sundays at 1pm will not meet until January, but we will still have Sadhana Practice at 2pm on Sundays, except where noted below. Tuesday night services and Book Study will meet throughout all of December, with the exception of Christmas and New Years Day.

Our normal schedule resumes Sunday January 6.

We hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season!

A couple schedule changes for the next week or so:

Our normal schedule resumes Sunday November 11.

We will also be posting our holiday schedule soon, so please check back.

The 1pm class and 2pm Sadhana Practice on Sunday August 5 is cancelled. Normal schedule will resume on Tuesday, August 8th.

Please note the following cancellations to our regular schedule.

We will resume our normal schedule on Sunday August 5.

We are starting to study a new book, How Things Exist: Teachings on Emptiness, by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, during our Tuesday night Book Study. We are very excited to read this book, so we hope you will join us!

Come join us on Sunday, June 8th at 1pm to celebrate the 77th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama! Bring your favorite vegetarian dish and a smile!

We will not have Class or practice on Sunday, May 27. Happy Memorial Day!

We will not have Class or practice on Sunday, April 8. Happy Easter!

Our Tuesday Book Study just finished Wake Up To You Life, by Ken McLeod, and will begin studying His Holiness the Dalai Lama's book Answers: Discussions with Western Buddhists, next week. Please join us as we work through this great book.

The Introduction to Buddhism Class that meets on Sunday will begin using Buddhism for Beginners, by Thubten Chodron, on this Sunday January 22nd. We invite everyone to join us!

We will not be meeting on Sunday, December 25th or Sunday, January 1st. We will still meet on Tuesday, December 27th, and the regular schedule will resume on Tuesday, January 3rd.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

The Intro to Buddhism class and Sadhana Practice on Sunday November 13 is cancelled. We will resume regular schedule on Tuesday, November 15. Thanks!

The Intro to Buddhism class and Sadhana practice on Sunday October 23 is cancelled. Also, Book study and Prayer Services on Tuesday, October 25 are cancelled. We will resume our regular schedule on Sunday, October 30.

After a summer of activity, Losel Maitri has resumed the regular schedule of Book Study and Services on Tuesday nights, and the Intro to Buddhism class and Chenresig Sadhana on Sunday afternoons. We wish everyone a great start to the school year, and will see you soon!

Please see our modified schedule below for July 2011. Due to the July 4th holiday weekend and Lama Deshek attending the Kalachakra in Washington DC, a few of our regular meeting dates are cancelled:

Our regular schedule will resume on Tuesday, July 19 with Book study at 6pm and Services starting at 7pm.

Also, please wish His Holiness the Dalai Lama a happy birthday on July 6. He will be turning 76 years young!

Happy Tibetan New Year 2138!

We are going to celebrate the Tibetan New Year on Sunday, March 6th with a Potluck meal! Please come to the center at 1pm and bring your favorite vegetarian dish. We want to celebrate the New Year of the Rabbit with you, so we hope everyone is able to come.

Due to hazardous weather conditions, we will not meet tonight for Book Study or Services. We will continue our regular schedule on Sunday, January 16.

Please note that Lama Deshek will continue working on the Chenresig Sand Mandala at Birmingham Southern starting tomorrow (Wed, Jan 12) through Friday, and will continue through next week. Please come visit if you can!

We are pleased to announce that the Venerable Lama Tenzin Deshek will be constructing the Chenresig Sand Mandala during the month of January at Birmingham Southern College's Durbin Art Gallery.

Over the course of three weeks, Lama Deshek will use multi-colored sand to create a painting depicting the Mandala of Chenresig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Each day, Lama Deshek will spend a few hours working on the painting, and the gallery will be open to the public to watch him construct the mandala as well as view it in progress. Also on display will be a collection of Tibetan Buddhist Thangkas, tapestries depicting Buddhist figures.

On Wednesday, January 5th at 11am, there will be a ceremony to bless the gallery and prepare it for the mandala. Everyone is welcome to attend! After the ceremony, Lama Deshek will begin working on the mandala, which will take approximately 10 days to complete.

After the mandala is completed, it will remain on display until January 27th, when it will be dismantled. More details about the dismantling ceremony will be posted as they become available.

We encourage everyone to visit the Durbin Gallery as much as possible, and we would like to thank Birmingham Southern College for graciously hosting this event.

INFORMATION:

Please check back here often, as we will post more details as they become available.

On Tuesday, December 21st, after our book study, Lama Deshek will offer Refuge, Lay Precepts and Bodhicitta Vows for anyone who wants to make these commitments.

Please see the holiday schedule listed below. We will continue to meet on Tuesdays, but our Sunday schedule will be different. Thank you all for a wonderful year, and many good wishes to you and your families through the holiday season.

Also note that today, December 10th, is the day that His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace prize.

Finally, we have a major event coming up soon, so please check the website often, as we will be posting details shortly.

Please note that we will not meet on Sunday October 17th or Tuesday October 19th due to events with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Atlanta. We will resume the regular schedule on Sunday, October 24. Thanks!

We had a wonderful birthday party for His Holiness the Dalai Lama last Tuesday, July 6. We were honored to have a delegation of spiritual and religious persons from Sri Lanka join us, and we hope they continue to have a wonderful visit to the United States. Many thanks to everyone who came and brought delicious treats!!

On Tuesday, July 6 at 6:30pm, we will be celebrating the birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama by hosting a Party Potluck. Please bring appetizers such as chips, dip, dessert, snacks, sweets, etc., and we look forward to seeing you there!

Our Tuesday book study is now reading Wake Up to Your Life, by Ken McLeod. As always, we will read sections of the book in class and discuss, and we invite everyone to attend!

Happy Tibetan New Year 2137!

We are going to celebrate the Tibetan New Year on Sunday, February 14th with a Potluck meal! Please come to the center at 1pm and bring your favorite vegetarian dish. This is a particularly auspicious occasion this year, as the Tibetan, Mongolian and Chinese New Year all fall on the same day. We want to celebrate the New Year with you, so we hope everyone is able to come.

This past week, our Director the Venerable Lama Tenzin Deshek travelled to Atlanta to take his US Citizenship Test. He passed with flying colors, and is now an official Citizen of the United States of America! This is wonderful news, and we hope that everyone will take a moment to congratulate him on his accomplishment!

In other news, we are planning on holding our regular schedule throughout the holidays. We hope that everyone has a safe and enjoyable season, and look forward to seeing you all at the center.

After finishing up The Joy of Living last week, the Tuesday Book Study will read through the Sadhana of Chenresig, which is the prayer we recite every Sunday at 2pm. The text is available at the center, so we encourage you to come and study this important practice with us!

Our Tuesday book study is now reading What Makes You Not a Buddhist, by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse. As always, we will read sections of the book in class and discuss, and we invite everyone to attend!

Read the original here:
Welcome to Losel Maitri Tibetan Buddhist Center

Introduction to Meditation and Buddhism Courses

Want to learn to meditate and find out about Buddhism and how you can incorporate Buddhist ethics and practices into your life?

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Opportunites to learn more and meet others practising this path in their lives.

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Download or stream free talks on Buddhism and meditation here >>

Interested in learning to meditate? We have regular sessions with full instruction in the two meditation practices we teach.

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Specifically for 18-35s: a group that meets regularly for meditation, discussion and socialising.

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The Buddhist Centre runs on generosity. If you would like to help cover the cost of our work you can pay by credit or debit card if you click here.

Want to feel healthier, fitter, more supple? Come along to our yoga classes all levels of ability welcome.

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We have festivals, concerts and other events at the Buddhist Centre. Click on the link below to see whats coming up.

more >>

Come on a weekend or week-long retreat led by members of the Triratna Buddhist Order.

more >>

Link:
Birmingham Buddhist Centre | meditation and buddhism classes ...

College Station, TX Buddhist Temples - The most mellow and peaceful temples you can find. Check out the Buddhist temples in College Station, TX. Buddhism in College Station, TX

If you are trying to reach nirvana and peace, then College Station, TX's Buddhist temples can help you attain your tranquility. College Station, TX Buddhist temples also can help you to find a way of enlightenment, so shrug off the confusion and uncertainty in life and find inner peace.

Buddhism is a very accepting path in life. We accept people with religious and atheist backgrounds. We can teach you the path to true inner peace and enlightenment -- and no one ever accused a Buddhist of forcing his or her views down someone's throat! If you're looking for a new philosophy, consider Buddhism. Our teachers will calm your raging spirit and show you the way.

College Station, TX Buddhist temples offer a different insight into life and mankind's inner spirit. Find your own path at College Station, TXs Buddhist temples. With over 360 million Buddhism followers in the world, there are bound to be different forms of Buddhism. Local College Station, TX Buddhist temples offer several schools of Buddhism including Mahayana Buddhism, Tantric Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Theravada Buddhism, Western Buddhism, and Zen Buddhism. Although there are several schools of Buddhism, Buddhist ideology does maintain a sense of commonality. There are also Buddhist seminaries and studies that you can join. If this is of interest to you contact a local College Station, TX Buddhist temple to learn more.

Quite often Buddhism is not viewed as a religion because it does not practice the worshiping of a single god, or a god in a physical form. The basic tenets of Buddhist teaching is quite simple, in that nothing is fixed or permanent, change is always possible, and that actions have consequences. If you really think about it, meditation is one way to a peaceful world. Sit, close your eyes, and relax your mind. See? Now if only we could make certain individuals do that...

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College Station TX Buddhist Temples Page 1

Rinzai Zen monks of Nanzenji Temple, Kyoto. MShades/Flickr.com, Creative Commons License

You've heard of Zen. You may have had moments of Zen. But what the bleep is Zen?

The popular idea of Zen is that it's, like, Japanese Dada, with kung fu monks. I regret that the popular idea is a tad romanticized.

The nerdy answer to the question What is Zen? is that Zen is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that emerged in China about 15 centuries ago. In China it is called "Ch'an" Buddhism. Ch'an is the Chinese rendering of the Sanskrit word dhyana, which refers to a mind absorbed in meditation.

"Zen" is the Japanese rendering of Ch'an. Zen is called "Thien" in Vietnam and "Seon" in Korea. In any language, the name could be translated "Meditation Buddhism."

Here I want to provide a bare-bones introduction to Zen. Note that what follows is barely a handshake. I will use the word "Zen" for all schools, just to keep it simple.

This article also assumes you know what Buddhism is. If you aren't sure, read the Introduction to Buddhism.

Zen began to emerge as a distinctive school of Mahayana Buddhism when the Indian sage Bodhidharma (ca. 470-543) taught at the Shaolin Monastery of China. (Yes, it's a real place, and yes, there is a historic connection between kung fu and Zen.) To this day Bodhidharma is called the First Patriarch of Zen.

Bodhidharma's teachings tapped into some developments already in progress, such as the confluence of philosophical Taoism with Buddhism. Taoism so profoundly impacted early Zen that some philosophers and texts are claimed by both religions. The early Mahayana philosophies of Madhyamika (ca.

2nd century CE) and Yogacara (ca. 3rd century CE) also played huge roles in the development of Zen.

Under the Sixth Patriarch, Huineng (638-713), Zen shed most of its vestigial Indian trappings, becoming more Chinese and more, well, Zennish. Some consider Huineng, not Bodhidharma, to be the true father of Zen.

His personality and influence are felt in Zen to this day.

Huineng's tenure was at the beginning of what is still called the Golden Age of Zen. This Golden Age flourished during the same period as China's Tang Dynasty, 618-907. The masters of this Golden Age still speak to us through koans and stories.

During these years Zen organized itself into five "houses," or five schools. Two of these, called in Japanese the Rinzai and the Soto schools, still exist and remain distinctive from each other.

Zen was transmitted to Vietnam very early, possibly as early as the 7th century. A series of teachers transmitted Zen to Korea during the Golden Age. Eihei Dogen (1200-1253), was not the first Zen teacher in Japan, but he was the first to establish a lineage that lives to this day. The West took an interest in Zen after World War II, and now Zen is establishing itself in North America, Europe, and elsewhere.

Bodhidharma's definition:

A special transmission outside the scriptures; No dependence on words and letters; Direct pointing to the mind of man; Seeing into one's nature and attaining Buddhahood.

Zen is sometimes called "the face-to-face transmission of the dharma outside the sutras." Throughout the history of Zen, teachers have transmitted their realization of dharma to students by working with them face-to-face. This makes the lineage of teachers critical. A genuine Zen teacher can trace his or her lineage of teachers back to Bodhidharma, and before that to the historical Buddha, and to those Buddhas before the historical Buddha.

Certainly, large parts of the lineage charts have to be taken on faith. But if anything is treated as sacred in Zen, it's the teachers' lineages. With very few exceptions, calling oneself a "Zen teacher" without having received transmission from another teacher is considered a serious defilement of Zen.

While we're talking about teachers, I should mention Zen masters. In my experience, the phrase "Zen master" is hardly ever heard inside Zen. Popular notions of "Zen master," however smarmy, roughly correspond to what a Zen teacher is. The title "Zen master" in Japanese, "zenji," is only given posthumously. In Zen, living Zen teachers are called "Zen teachers." An especially venerable and beloved teacher is called "roshi," which means "old man." I'm not sure how that works when the teacher is a woman, however. In any event, if you ever run into someone who advertises himself as a "Zen master," be skeptical.

Bodhidharma's definition also says that Zen is not an intellectual discipline you can learn from books. Instead, it's a practice of studying mind and seeing into one's nature. The main tool of this practice is zazen.

Excerpt from:
Zen 101: An Introduction to Zen Buddhism