A big hit in the 1980s, the "Blues Brothers," has long been considered as one of the greatest musical films of all time. With a powerhouse cast, a fun but serious plot, lots of energy, and loads of talent, it's not all that surprising. Led by John Belushi as the ex-convict Jake Blues, the story revolves around a blues band who attempts to solve the problem of securing $5000 for a nun-run orphanage by pulling off a big gig. Dan Aykroyd who played Jake's brother, Elwood, together with Reverend Cleophus James (James Brown), work with Jake to re-form their old group and stage the benefit concert. Here's what happened to the "Blues Brothers" after their movie became a phenomenal hit...

The Bonsai Tree The bonsai tree is not 'yet another houseplant' and lovers of Bonsai tradition need to have great patience and perseverance because it might take quite a few years for a bonsai to achieve its full potential. There is no question, though, given the time and attention, the end result is a great joy. History The actual word 'bonsai' is is the joining together of two Japanese words, the first part, the word 'bon', which translates as 'shallow container' or tray, and 'sai' which means 'planting' or 'plant' The art of bonsai was first invented in china, but it is japan that has really devloped the art of bonsai for over a thousand years. Some people believe that planting...

So, the person who is desiring to get a new sports car, beautiful wife, etc. is simply exhausting the fruits of his previous pious activities. If he knew this he would be more careful about his desires! This is the same concept Krishna describes in the Gita when he describes the plight of the souls who go to the heavenly planets because their good karma has bought them a vacation there. When their good Karma runs out they get kicked out of heaven and have to come back here. But, what about the devotee's desires? A devotee has no bad or good karma. All karma bad and good is eradicated even by namabhasa chanting. Krishna reciprocates with devotees' desires, but He will only fulfill those desires that...

Life is filled with prolems and we'll never get rid of them all. So why not face your worries with a positive attitude and a bit of laughter? If Tibetan monks have showed us anything, life is impermanent and if you hope to achieves success or nirvana, you should approach it with a smile. Even the Joker will tell you so! As adults we all have busy lifestyles, but the fact is the busier we get, the more we need laughter and humor. Laughter, we've been told, by more than just Reader's Digest, is the best medicine. After all a grin uses far fewer facial muscles than a frown. So unless you feel a great need to exercise more of your facial muscles than necessary, a smile, a grin, chuckle will make you...

At times the soul undergoing transition is led across rivers with the aid of an escort. In Greek myths, Charon, the boatman, was assigned the task of guiding souls to the Otherside. Hermes, acting as psychopompos, led deserving souls to Olympus. The ushabtis, or statuettes buried with the dead among ancient Egyptians, could conceivably represent escorts or soul-bearers, aside from the usual interpretation of scholars of them being servants in the afterlife. In other religions, the escort of the soul is the Angel of Death, the grim reaper wielding a scythe as depicted in one of the cards of the Major Arcana of the Tarot--although the average Christian sees that being not as an escorter but as an...

Lhasa China isn't everybody's idea of a vacation destination although Lhasa remains one of the most apparently remote mysterious, and even romantic places on earth. Once completely inaccessible it still isn't easy to get to, and then when you do, there is the question of where do you find a decent Lhasa Hotel. The House of Shambhala could well be the perfect answer, and whilst it may not be the perfect example of a luxury boutique hotel it nevertheless by anyone's standards it is a unique small boutique hotel only recently opened in Lhasa Tibet, now of course in China. It is certainly vastly preferable to the faceless Chinese hotels to be found in Lhasa. The House of Shambala is quite unlike...

Several theories exist as to how the Shih Tzu was created. It has been reported that around the year 1650 the Dalai Lama visited China and brought along three holy dogs from Tibet. The Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama was believed to be a reincarnation of Buddha. Tibetan monks were devoted to breeding holy dogs to resemble their perception of lions. Based upon this theory, it is believed the three holy dogs were interbred with Pekingese to create shorter muzzles, broader heads, smaller dogs in general and is quite possibly the foundation of todays Shih Tzu breed. Some people believe the Shih Tzu was created by crossing Lhasa Apsos with Pekingese. Another theory is that the Tibetan Spaniel was bred with...

When people travel to Europe, they normally visit Western Europe countries such as England, France, Spain, etc. and they fail to remember that Europe also has an eastern side. Eastern Europe is often overlooked as a possible travel destination when in fact it should be the focus of the trip. Eastern Europe has much to offer travelers looking to explore the other side of Europe. Although influence for years by Communist influence, Eastern Europe is filled with hidden treasures and beauty that can't be seen anywhere else. Broaden your European horizons and explore the beauty of Eastern Europe. Hot Travel Deals and Destinations Budapest A great place to start your Hungarian journey is on the Western...

Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, is in New Zealand, where he met Tuesday with Foreign Minister Winston Peters and visited the country's parliament. But the 71-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner, who arrived Monday in the capital, Wellington, met with Peters in his capacity as New Zealand First party leader rather than as foreign minister. Prime Minister Helen Clark has ruled out a formal meeting with the Dalai Lama, after meeting him last week at an airport in Australia. Her decision sparked sharp criticism from the opposition, which accused the government of tiptoeing around Chinese opposition. Beijing regards the Buddhist leader as a separatist. The Dalai Lama also met members of the...

It's that time again, spring cleaning time that is. Clearing out wardrobes, cupboards, and the attic, happens now and anything not bolted down is moved, thrown out, donated to charity, cleaned, and dusted. Spring heralds the arrival of warmer weather and with it we become more active. There are so many things to see and do now without the inconvenience of having to rug up before venturing out. Spend some time in your garden and observe its rebirth, with flowers budding, the emergence of butterflies, and other creatures. When you spend a little while in your garden relaxed and open, you might just notice the subtle world of faeries. Spring, I love it! At the beginning of each season spring cleaning...

Buddhism is based on the teachings of Lord Buddha. Though many people consider it a philosophy, it is the fifth most followed religion in the world. Whatever you think it is - a religion or a philosophy - knowing more about Buddhism is always extremely fruitful. The story of Lord Buddha itself is so interesting that it encourages further reading and understanding of Buddhism. Here's the story and info on basic principles of Buddhism, Buddhist countries and sites worth visiting. Lord Buddha And Buddhism An Indian prince born to Sakya chieftain, Suddhodhana, Lord Buddha, found little pleasure in the luxuries of his palace life from the very beginning. His father desired him to be a king and did his...

What Is Goji? There is a lot of talk about goji berries in the market today, which makes one wonder about what this so-called miracle fruit really is. The goji berries come from a vine-like plant that can sometimes reach 15-20 feet in height. This is commonly found in the Ningxia Province in China. Many people describe the goji berry plant as a mix between a grape vine, and a tomato creeper. Legend has it that in about 800 AD, during China's Tang Dynasty, some unidentified berries were found growing on a vine near a well next to a Tibetan Buddhist temple in the Himalayas. As time passed, these goji berries dropped off the vine and into the well. The monks who drank the water were exceptionally long...

In the United States, New York is known as the 'city that never sleeps'. Its counterpart in India is Mumbai. India is among the favorite tourist destinations at present. Despite the small troubles that occur in the streets of India, tourists still love to go to this magnificent and alluring country. Maybe because of its glorious past or perhaps of its scenic tourist spots... India is a place that you shouldn't miss to visit. If you travel to India, visit Mumbai. Mumbai is a very important commercial center in India. So far, it is the largest metropolitan area and is densely populated. The so-called Star Machine of the country is found in Mumbai, Bollywood. This Star Machine is able to come up with...

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." --Seneca, Roman philosopher, mid-1st century AD Whoa! Things seem to be in a state of flux at this moment in history, don't they? Just turn on CNN and you'll see how topsy turvy things are with doomsday and apocalypse on the horizon. It's enough to turn even the most well adjusted, reasonable person into a confused, pissed off obsessive ready to jump off a bridge. I say, keep your rudder in the water and make life work. Many of my students are real estate agents and we've had the chance to discuss the current market at length. Obviously, huge mistakes were made on all sides. The banks were practically giving it away and people who had no...

During the last few years there has been a lot of talk about the need for keeping the work abilities of several breeds of dogs. With that particular goal in mind, the Newfoundland club organizes water trials and draft tests for numerous dog breeds and the Dalmatian club has events on horseback in order to prove the stamina of the breed. For the for the sporting dogs and beagles, the American Kennel Club has hunting tests and trials, herding tests and trials for herding dogs and Samoyeds and many tests for terriers. In order to prove the endurance, intelligence and the guardian ability of their dogs, the people who have German Shepherds or Rottweilers get their dogs into Schutzhund trials. These...

Recent years have seen a big buzz word around the healthy food market: Tibetan or Himalayan Goji Berries. One can easily see a red berry tree with snow mountain background in the goji berry website or in the packaging label. The author has done a lot of research in this area, and would like to unveil the "Emperor's New Clothes" for Tibetan Goji Berries. Let's first look at what goji berries are, then we combine "Tibetan" or "Himalayan" word with it. Goji berries are also known as Lycium barbarum, or wolfberries. There is also a misspelling "gogi berries". It is a dark-red coloured sweet-taste dried fruit, and has similar size of raisin. It is even hailed by some newspapers as super fruit just...

Tibetan Goji Juice is finally gaining in popularity and it is about time. Thanks to the clinical trials being done in China, Japan, Mongolia and Switzerland, we are getting the much needed information (that the ancients knew) on this wonderful berry. The most famous story in regards to Goji Juice (also known as Lycium Barbarum) and its benefits, come from China where according to their records, Li Chung Yun, a renowned Chinese scholar and herbalist, was born in 1677. According to the London Times, May 8th 1933, reported that professor Yun had died at the age of 256. We may never have known about this remarkable man except for the fact that he became a professor to teach people about herbs and...

Wood carving can be a great idea if you want to choose what will be your hobby. There are some steps which we need to know before we start the wood carving. The following guidelines will help us in starting our hobby. Procuring wood With a little enterprise a small stock of wood suitable for carving can soon be acquired. Aim at collecting sound, dry timber. Visit large carpentry shops in your district where you may find that you can buy off-cuts for a few cents. Not all timber yards deal in seasoned woods, so inquire about this before buying. Large mahogany table legs from Victorian pieces may sometimes be found, also newel posts and thick wardrobe panels that can be utilized for carving in relief...

So says top blogger and Microsoft people's hero, Robert Scoble recently. "One of my most memorable conversations...was with Buzz Bruggeman, CEO of ActiveWords and a good friend. He told me to hang around people who are happy. And I realized I had been listening to too many people who were deeply unhappy and not bringing any value into my life." Ask yourself: Is that happening to you? Do you remember a time when you were feeling fine, and then you talked to someone, and you ended up less happy? Life is short, too short to hang out with people who are unhappy and make you unhappy, too. Let them find others who are unhappy and they can all hang out together in unhappyville. The Buddha recognized...

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." --Seneca, Roman philosopher, mid-1st century AD Whoa! Things seem to be in a state of flux at this moment in history, don't they? Just turn on CNN and you'll see how topsy turvy things are with doomsday and apocalypse on the horizon. It's enough to turn even the most well adjusted, reasonable person into a confused, pissed off obsessive ready to jump off a bridge. I say, keep your rudder in the water and make life work. Many of my students are real estate agents and we've had the chance to discuss the current market at length. Obviously, huge mistakes were made on all sides. The banks were practically giving it away and people who had no...

Buddhism is the fourth largest religion in the world, being exceeded in numbers only by Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. It was founded in Northern India by the first known Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. In 535 BCE, he attained enlightenment and assumed the title Lord Buddha (one who has awakened). Siddhartha Gautama was born in Lumbini, now part of Nepal. Top 10 countries with the highest percent of Buddhists. Rank Country % Buddhist Population 1 Thailand 94% 61,517,708 2 Cambodia 93% 12,654,574 3 Mongolia 93% 2,595,882 4 Myanmar 90% 38,618,517 5 Bhutan 74% 1,651,895 6 Japan 71% 90,466,243 7 Sri Lanka...

While most people have heard of the Dalai Lama, who is an important Tibetan Buddhist figure, it is also important to learn about the succession of reborn Dalai Lamas to understand the office. The Dalai Lama is considered to be the supreme head of Tibetan Buddhism, and he is also known as the "Galwa Rinpoche" (Precious Victor) of the Gelug Buddhist sect. All four sects of Buddhism in Tibet honor the Dalai Lama as the head of the Buddhist religion in their country, and he is often addressed as "His Holiness" (or HH) when he is in residence in Tibet. The Dalai Lama is believed to be one of many reincarnations of the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteśvara. This line of reborn magistrates traces...

The various options associated with sound therapy come courtesy of the many different kinds of sound that exist in the world. To explore some of the best options, I have listed a few below: DVDs, CDs, and Tapes for Stress Reduction One of the most well known categories of sound therapy includes audio products that contain refreshing sounds. This approach may come in the form of music; exploring natural wonder; chanting; words spoken softly; or primitive sounds, such as the echoes of the outside world that a fetus encounters while in the womb. All of these sounds possess the power to send you into a dreamlike state of mind. To get the most out of this process - I suggest lying down or sitting still...

We have simply forgotten. There are stories afte stories of young children with the confession of remembering a part life and I'm not talking about reincarnation- but the life of the Spirit with the Creator before entering this third dimensional realm. This life is basically a journey back to the Creator's house. It's sad that few take that journey seriously. We have this knower that dwells within us- the light , the spark, the pilot light of divinity. Christians call it the Spirit. The writer of I John (2:21) reaffirms this principle by reminding us that we KNOW becaused we have this "inner knower". We've not lost contact with our Source of being, we've just busied ourselves with other things. We...

While most people have heard of the Dalai Lama, who is an important Tibetan Buddhist figure, it is also important to learn about the succession of reborn Dalai Lamas to understand the office. The Dalai Lama is considered to be the supreme head of Tibetan Buddhism, and he is also known as the "Galwa Rinpoche" (Precious Victor) of the Gelug Buddhist sect. All four sects of Buddhism in Tibet honor the Dalai Lama as the head of the Buddhist religion in their country, and he is often addressed as "His Holiness" (or HH) when he is in residence in Tibet. The Dalai Lama is believed to be one of many reincarnations of the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteśvara. This line of reborn magistrates traces...

The country of Austria consists of nine states; one of them being Vienna. In addition to being one of the nine states Vienna is also the capital of Austria. So when it comes to this country, Vienna is the place to be. It is easily the biggest city in the entire country, and also has the highest population. The city of Vienna is the home to nearly 1.6 million people. And with all of these people comes a variety of cultures, beliefs, and religions. This makes Vienna one of the most fully diverse cities in the area. Before you can travel to Austria you will need to know where it is located. Believe it or not some people have no clue where Austria is, or how to get there. But generally speaking...

Skipped over by many trekkers in Nepal are the cultural gems of the Khatmandu valley. The cultures and religions of Nepal have molded the philosophical outlook of numerous civilizations for over a thousand years. While many travelers arrive in Khatmandu staying just a single overnight before leaving on their trek, anyone who loves culture and history will want to spend several days exploring these surrounds. An ancient city, Khatmandu was first settled in the eighth century. The valley of Kathmandu is actually composed of three royal cities, Kathmandu (the capital), Patan & Bhaktapur. Each of them have their own unique qualities. The ancient city of Patan is just three miles southeast of Khatmandu...

There are many items that are sacred within the dharmic religion of Buddhism, but the Three Jewels of Buddhism are the very cornerstones of this religion and its beliefs. Several parts of Buddhism make up the core of this religion. They include the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, both of which are beliefs that were developed by the Buddha when he was enlightened by meditation. The Three Jewels of Buddhism are similar, but they can also be seen as the three things that Buddhists actually "give" themselves to in order to belong to this religion. The Three Jewels are Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. The Three Jewels are also known as the "Gachchamis". The first of these, Buddha, is stated as...

Every religion has their most sacred teachings - for example, the Ten Commandments in Judaism and Christianity - and one of these is the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism. The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism are perhaps the most important teachings within the religion. They are seen multiple times in the sacred texts of Buddhism, known as the Pali Canon - and they are among the truths that Buddha discovered during his journey of enlightenment. These truths are not supposed to be seen as being theoretical or just as ideas to go by, in fact, the Buddha states that the Four Noble Truths are actual, which is why they are called noble. Most Buddhists see the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism as the way to Nirvana...

Breath We live in an amazing time - a time of deep awakening and transformation, profound remembering and rich experiencing. As we move through this time we get to face fears, feelings, and thought forms that have been denied or pushed aside. It is a great blessing to meet and accept ourselves on all levels, to embrace ourselves as a whole, look deeper then we are used to, and open to immense growth, increased awareness, and heart-opening expansion. It is a great time to be alive. We have been given many useful tools to aid us in healing, awakening, and embracing our transition to a new way of being. The Universe has blessed us with many incredible teachers and messengers, poets and dancers, leaders...

Padmasambhava had established Buddhism in Tibet very firmly but not that Buddhism which was intended to be established. It was Dipanker-Srijanan (popularly known as Atisa in Tibet and believed to be an incarnation of bodhisattva Manjusri) who in real sense of the word propagated Buddhism in its true form. Being a disciple of Dharmakirti (who belonged to broad active tradition of Maitreya, Asanga and Vasuvandhu) was naturally not in the favor of Tantrika path as a religious mode of life which was prevailing in Tibet. He started teaching tantra and Vinaya path together; far he believed that without practicing Vinaya minds of the travelers on the path of tantra would not achieve fruitful results...