Dr. Linda J. Ferguson is an author, speaker, coach, and seminar leader to support people leading a joyful and awakened spiritual life. Linda's website contains videos, meditations, affirmations, and other useful resources for spiritual growth and personal development. Readers can also find inspiring and informative ideas at Linda's blog to enrich their spirituality for everyday living .

Dr. Ferguson is author of two books The Path for Greatness: Work as Spiritual Service and Staying Grounded in Shifting Sand: Awakening Soul Consciousness for the New Millennium. Readers often find the exercises at the end of every chapter very valuable and practical. They can apply the ideas immediately in their life and see results.

Linda has conducted three national book tours, presented at national conferences, and conducted worship services to inspired and appreciative audiences. Linda also leads Shamanic Journeys, spiritual study groups, and retreats for people who want to dive deeper into the insights and ideas offered in her books on spiritual growth and transformation.

Dr. Ferguson has developed a seven step process of Transformational EmpowermentTM, for personal mastery. She developed this powerful process of manifesting and creating positive life changes from her own life experiences, her work with her coaching clients, and her study of mysticism.

She uses the spiritual principles found in her Transformational EmpowermentTM process in her coaching practice so that her clients are able to more effectively move through their important life changes. Her coaching provides a structured and consistent venue so that people can make positive changes in their life easily and confidently.

Linda has been on radio interviews and has featured articles in Interbeing, a journal of personal and professional mastery. She also writes a weekly blog to support people's desire to integrate their spiritual life with their professional life.

Dr. Ferguson earned her Ph.D. from Indiana University (I.U.-Bloomington) in Organizational Behavior with a Masters also from I.U. studying Social Psychology. She has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in psychology and management. Linda did her coach training in 2004 from Coach Training Alliance, completed her certification in Team Coaching, and has CCE credits from International Coach Federation (ICF).

In 1994 she traveled abroad for six months to Asia, Australia, Israel, and Europe before moving to Virginia where she currently lives. Her personal spiritual practice includes daily prayer and meditation, Sufi Dances of Universal Peace, Integral Yoga, Native American Sweat Lodges and other Earth-based ceremonies.

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Interview: Dr. Linda J. Ferguson, Ph.D, Author of Staying Grounded in Shifting Sand: Awakening Soul Consciousness for ...

IT has been a hectic two months for SME Corp Malaysia and at a personal level, I feel like I have just ended a roller-coaster ride, with quadruple loops!

We finally closed off the seven series of Jom Niaga, followed by SMIDEX, Asean-India SME Conference and SME Week at end of last month. After these roadshows, consumer fairs and trade exhibitions, we were pleasantly honoured with a visit from our new Chief Secretary to the Government, Datuk Seri Dr Ali Hamsa, to our new premises at Platinum Sentral, barely 10 days after he took office. It gives me great pleasure to announce that we were his first "Turun Padang" destination.

Going down memory lane, as the pioneer group, consisting of eleven employees, to start the Small and Medium Industries Development Corporation (SMIDEC), SME Corp Malaysia has indeed come long way since its inception in 1996. SMIDEC was then tasked to spur the development of small and medium industries (SMIs) through the provision of financial assistance, advisory services, market access and other support programmes, very much skewed towards the manufacturing sector.

A new chapter unfolded when the National SME Development Council (NSDC), the highest policy-making body on SME development chaired by the prime minister, was set up in 2004. Our mandate was heightened to spearhead the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia, formulating policies and coordinating implementation of development programmes across the 15 ministries and more than 60 agencies in all economic sectors.

It was only in 2009 that SMIDEC was rebranded to SME Corp Malaysia.

Looking back, before the National SME Development Council (NSDC) was set up in 2004, there was no specific policy or framework for the overall development of SMEs in our nation. However, in the recent years, we have made progress in that the growth from our SMEs has consistently outperformed the average economic growth of the overall gross national products (GDP). While our GDP is growing at an average of 4.9 per cent per annum, the SMEs were growing at a rate of 6.8 per cent per annum.

It is indeed a phenomenal progress, considering it was only eight short years that policies and programmes were coordinated among ministries and agencies, with the aim of streamlining efforts, optimising resources, reducing duplication as well as guiding stakeholders to ensure greater effectiveness of the delivery of government programmes. Policy initiatives introduced by NSDC have yielded positive results and were the key factors for the higher growth trajectory of SMEs between 2004 and 2010.

Yet, exciting times have not come to a halt and we are now on the road to another transformational journey that will bring us into a more intense phase. The SME Masterplan 2012-2020 will be the growth accelerator for SMEs to achieve the desired 41 per cent contribution to the GDP, 62 per cent in employment share and 25 per cent of exports by 2020.

Considered as a "living document", the SME Masterplan focuses on creating an enabling business ecosystem to accelerate and expedite the growth of SMEs. The plan lays out policy direction of SMEs across all economic sectors, including specific strategic areas, through the year 2020 in line with the aspirations of becoming a high-income nation.

A total of 32 initiatives comprising six high-impact programmes have been identified under the SME Masterplan. These programmes will be implemented by a lead ministry/agency and coordinated by SME Corp Malaysia to ensure that these programmes, along with the other complementary initiatives, will achieve the intended goals, measured through an outcome-based approach.

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On new journey, guided by the Plan

ARLINGTON --

General registration under way at John Tyler

General registration for classes at John Tyler Community College's fall semester starts today and runs through Aug. 17.

A complete list of fall classes may be found at http://www.jtcc.edu/schedule.

Students already enrolled at the college may register online at http://www.jtcc.edu, using the Student Information System found in myTyler. They also may register in person at the Chester Campus, 13101 Jefferson Davis Highway, or the Midlothian Campus, 800 Charter Colony Parkway.

Hours for in-person registration are as follows:

Chester campus: Mondays, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Tuesdays through Fridays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Midlothian campus: Mondays through Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Fridays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tuition and fees are $124.50 per credit hour for Virginia residents and $316.60 per credit hour for out-of-state residents. All students must pay a comprehensive fee of $25. Tuition and fees must be paid the week a student registers.

Individuals interested in attending John Tyler but not enrolled at the college must first submit an application for admission. The application for admission may be found online at http://www.jtcc.edu, or it may be picked up at the Chester or Midlothian campuses. There is no application fee.

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Education news for Monday, July 9

By Lucy Kite

PUBLISHED: 07:04 EST, 8 July 2012 | UPDATED: 07:41 EST, 8 July 2012

Formentera is a hop and a skip from hedonistic Ibiza and the destination for my week of bliss. There is no airport here the only person with enough land to build one has chosen not to for fear of ruining the island.

So after a 30-minute boat trip from Ibiza Town and a short taxi ride, I find myself at the Gecko Beach Club. It is the island's premiere luxury hotel and home to young, beautiful bar staff, bleached wood rooms, palm-tree-lined gardens and me, for the next four days.

Into the groove: Lucy (front of shot) is put through her paces by instructor Jax

This isn't your typical yoga retreat. Here there is food, fun and as much guilt-free wine as you desire. But you don't come on a break like this unless you need to be nurtured, recharged and feel human again.

The therapy begins at the first class that afternoon, where we are told to stop thinking and start feeling. If that means I'll end up looking like our teacher Jax May Lysycia (supermodel/mermaid), then count me in.

Jax takes her nervous students, who range from yoga virgins to advanced teachers, through a two-hour session and by the end we feel amazing and starving hungry, ready for dinner.

The food here is fairly basic for the yoga group not quite birdseed but certainly vegetarian but it's tasty and we feel better for it, if not a bit smug for being so healthy. I slope off for an early night and the best sleep I've had in weeks.

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Yoga retreats: Feeling better in Formentera, just a hop from Ibiza

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WmXM6A9sV0

07-07-2012 22:52 It takes someone quite ordinary at first to master extraordinary by Jm Liddy Hello ! how are you? I am on here to try to help everyone eat better and exercise If you need any help with that email me or call (607) 483-8445 please do notforget to eat raw organic fruit (focusing on the fruit) vegetables (especially dark leafy greens) nuts and seeds and exercise two hours or two miles (walking) a day everyday huge hugs remember you are loved huge hugs dedicating all my videos to my mom who passed on to Heaven April 24, 2012 She will be enormously missed.

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June-Marie Raw Food and Fitness Health dancing in orange top

Don't Sweat It is a monthly Health & Fitness feature that gives you quick exercises and fitness tips that make living a healthier lifestyle simple. In this issue: activities to do at the office that are easy to incorporate into your busy schedule.

This week, we traveled to Gibson's Gym in Washington Township, N.J., and spoke to Scott Handley, a personal trainer with a bachelor's degree in exercise science.

"Everybody should bring one of these to work," Handley joked while holding a fitness ball. While that would be a good solution to increase exercise at work, the giant ball might not be easily concealed under your desk.

So, Handley gave us a few tips for what you can do at work for a quick fitness fix.

How to: Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Lift your heels off the floor and hold until you feel a stretch in your calf muscles. Put heels down. Repeat.

Repeat: For 90 seconds to two minutes.

Benefits: This exercise targets the calf muscles. It is a great way to activate muscles while sitting at a desk or typing, Handley says.

Runner's Pose:

How to: Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor, and run in place.

Repeat: At 30-second intervals.

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Don't Sweat It: Exercise tips for the office

Private health clubs have come a long way from their humble beginnings just using dumbbells and medicine balls to build muscles.

Today, a modern health club is filled with high-tech exercise machines, endless rooms with instructor-led workout classes, steam rooms, lap pools, basketball courts and fully-stocked juice bars with healthy snacks.

Now, Summit Health and Fitness in Flagstaff has added new services through a partnership with Mountain Heart Cardiovascular & Sleep Research Institute.

"It was an opportunity to move the fitness club to another level of personal training," said Tony Guistina, the general manager of the Summit Health and Fitness.

The marriage of the existing health club with the medical clinic across the street is expected to give members a more specialized regimen that focuses on the total health of the individual, not just great abs.

The two businesses will share the services of a registered dietitian to help offer free health and fitness assessments to members.

Physicians from Mountain Heart will also serve as an advisory board on developing new exercise classes catering to those with specific medical concerns. An example of a new class might be a yoga class aimed at pre-diabetics.

Guistina said with three exercise rooms available, the health club will not have to cut any existing classes.

"Now we will able to do is to add specialized classes for different lifestyle management techniques," Guistina said.

Guistina, who helps train Olympic athletes, explains the same exercise regimen will work well for some but not others.

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Fitness from the heart: Summit teams with Mountain Heart

The traditional financial-planning prescription for life's financial emergencies is to hold three to six months' worth of living expenses in cash.

But how should retirees handle unplanned expenses? Should they also have an emergency-fund cash cushion on hand, or should they simply increase their withdrawal rates when they need to and then tighten their belts at a later time?

With an eye toward unearthing some best practices on how to handle unplanned expenses during retirement, I turned to the Investing During Retirement forum of Morningstar.com's Discuss boards.

Not surprisingly, our healthy contingent of retired posters had already given this question considerable thought, and many worthwhile strategies poured forth. Some retirees have carried on with the traditional rainy-day fund in retirement, while others have attempted to factor in unplanned expenses into their withdrawal-rate projections. Several advised that with some advance planning--putting a time horizon on new-car purchases, for example--it's possible to circumvent unexpected expenses.

To read the complete thread or share your own in-retirement strategy for managing unplanned expenses, click here (http://socialize.morningstar.com/NewSocialize/forums/p/307666/3267735.aspx#3267735).

'The Old-Fashioned Rainy-Day Fund'Several posters stated that there's no need to reinvent the wheel; unplanned expenses should be anticipated and addressed just as they were during the working years--by maintaining a liquid reserve that can be tapped in a pinch.

For steelpony10, that means "a cash reserve of uninvested money for nonroutine and unpredictable expenses. The old-fashioned rainy-day fund. It's been around for years. The same thing people should have when they weren't retired."

Bobk47 noted that he and his spouse haven't had to tap their emergency reserve to date, but it's there if they need it. "We do have an emergency fund that I pretty much just keep in an FDIC-insured account. It isn't earning anything but I know it will be there in an emergency."

Festus is also a believer in setting aside extra for the inevitable unexpected expense, writing, "In retirement it really is all about having enough money and being able to stay ahead financially, regardless of what comes along the way. I have a savings bucket to cover the unexpected surprises that seem to appear from time to time, no matter how prepared you think you are, they arise from nowhere."

Richendric and his spouse maintain two liquidity pools. "We have owned a home for 40 years and always had a 'maintenance accrual' account for large unplanned expenses on the home. For real emergency expenditures not covered by insurance, such as acts of God, personal accidents/health related issues, and emergency cash for children (already had one of these), we would use our cash reserve."

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How to Manage Unplanned Expenses During Retirement

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- See if you can relate to an email I received: "Practically every time I commit to exercise, I fall off the wagon because I don't have the energy to make myself go."

This is a very common reason many find it impossible to remain dedicated to an active lifestyle. Talk about a power outage!

Several things need to happen to feel like exercising before or after work hours. After all, few of us have the luxury of exercising in the middle of the day when energy levels may be higher. These four keys to energy will make or break us:

1. Exercise recovery

2. Sleep

3. Pre-workout fuel

4. Hydration

Exercise recovery

This involves diet and the amount of time between workouts.

Diet: Your body gives you a golden opportunity for about an hour after a workout. During that time, you need to replace the carbs and protein you've expended. If you don't, your muscles won't build as effectively, and you won't replenish your energy stores.

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CindySays: How to prevent a personal power outage

Heusden-Zolder, Belgium There were three Kenyan highlights at the 33rd KBC Night of Athletics at Heusden-Zolder on Saturday (7). Olympic 800m champion Pamela Jelimo improved her world leading performance by 0.15 to 1:56.76. Abraham Kipchirchir Rotich set an astonishing 1:43.15 in the 800m, while Albert Kiprop won the 5000m in a personal best of 13:01.91.

A time trial for Jelimo

The target for Jelimo was to try and improve her seasonal best performance in her last competition before the Olympics. Marilyn Okoro from Great Britain paced Jelimo through the first lap in 55.3 and then the Kenyan continued her solo effort to finish in 1:56.76, shaving 0.15 seconds off her world leading best seasonal performance.

"Im happy with this race. It boosts my confidence that I am getting better all the time, just ahead of the Olympics," Jelimo said. "This was a time trial today and it is very difficult to race alone like this, without being challenged by other athletes. In London I have to be competitive at a 1:55 level and that is what I will working on in the next weeks. There every athlete will be at her best and I want be ready."

Rotich issues a challenge to Rudisha

At the age of 19 Rotich is an amazing athlete, full of confidence and ambition. When he set a personal best last Thursday in Lige (1:43.62), he promised that he would go faster still in Heusden-Zolder. And that is what he did. Ideally paced again by the American Matt Scherer in sub-50 at the bell Rotich hardly seemed to slow down and even relaxed coming in to the finish. But his time of 1:43.15 said it all. He now becomes the third fastest man in the world this year.

"Im not so happy, because I didnt feel well today," said Rotich surprisingly after he crossed the finish line. "I found it hard to focus and to concentrate today and I didnt feel comfortable in the race. After racing in Lige I expected to run 1:42 today. I saw Rudisha running 1:41 yesterday in Paris and one day I want to challenge him. I want to become the best in the world."

Hellebaut and Jonathan Borle delight the local fans

The local fans turned out massively to support their heroes for London. Defending Olympic High Jump champion Tia Hellebaut won her competition with 1.94m. Hellebaut will now compete in the London Diamond League before leaving on a training camp in France for her ultimate preparations.

Jonathan Borle looked impressive in the 400m. American Manteo Mitchell had no reply left when Borle stormed away with 150m to go. The Belgian clocked 44.93 against 45.75 for Mitchell. He also won another battle: his twin brother Kvin won the 400m in Madrid in 45.09.

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World leading 1:56.76 for Jelimo, Rotich improves to 1:43.15 in Heusden-Zolder