Choosing a quality online florist

The first thing to look at when choosing an online florist is whether or not the company is a real florist. There are actually many companies that claim to be but are not. Instead, these companies are resellers or affiliates. This means they just take your flower arrangement order and send it to a florist. As a result, your flower arrangement might not be the best quality. You will also probably spend more to send flower arrangements this way. This is because you are paying the commission for the reseller. Choose Local An online florist can have a flower shop anywhere in the world. For flower arrangements to stay fresh, they cannot travel great distances. Therefore, choose an online florist with a shop in the area where you plan to send flower arrangements. That way, your flower arrangement will be fresh when it gets to the person you are sending it to. It is actually easier to choose a local florist than you might think. First, go to a search engine, such as Google. Then, type in "florist" and the name of the city where you wish to send flower arrangements. This will bring up many different florists for the area. Some will then allow you to complete your order online. If you still aren't sure about the florist, call. Ask the worker if they are a local business. Then, ask for directions to the shop. If the person is unable to give you directions, it's a sure sign it isn't really a local flower shop. You might also want to check with the Better Business Bureau to make sure the florist has a solid reputation. Choose Secure When shopping online for a beautiful flower arrangement, you also want to be sure you are safe. This means you should only order a flower arrangement from a florist with a secure server. A secure server guarantees no one will be able to steal your credit card information. To be sure the web site is secure, look for a small "lock" symbol on the computer screen. It is usually in the bottom left corner of the browser. Sometimes, it can be found in the top right corner instead. If you don't see this symbol, don't shop with that florist. Your personal information will be open for anyone to find and to read if you do. Choose Honest When choosing a florist, you also want to work only with one that is honest with its customers. For example, a florist who claims to offer free flower delivery or to be tax-free is not being honest. The flower delivery driver has to be paid somehow. At the same time, taxes have to be paid. You will pay for the flower delivery and taxes one way or another. Either the flowers will be more expensive or, worse yet, you might get a low quality flower arrangement. A good florist will have all of this information on the website. You should be able to easily find out how much delivery costs and how much tax you will pay.

Casino aquatique bienvenue dans le monde des croisieres

: Retrouvez tout le prestige de votre serie favorite combinant Las Vegas a la Croisiere s'amuse, pour quelques jours ou quelques semaines, en couple ou en famille! Pour les amoureux des Caraibes, montez sur l'un de ces navires: Empress of the Sea, l'un des plus prestigieux. Vous offre pour de bons petits plats le Restaurant Carmen et Windjammer Cafй, puis digestion au sein des salons Pub Caroussel, Pool Bar, Salon High Society, Salon Viking Crown. A Bord, divertissez vous:Centre de remise en forme, Ping pong, Piste de jogging, Mur d'escalade,2 Piscines extйrieures, 4 Jacuzzis dont un intйrieur, Casino et decouvrez ses nombreux jeux tels la Roulette Americaine sans oublier sa Discothиque, Salle de spectacles, Salle de cartes, Cafй internet. Ce navire vous propose une croisiere inegalabe depuis San Juan:Caraпbes - Antilles, pendant 11 jours. Faites une escale a San Juan, Saint Martin, Saint Johns, Basse-Terre, Castries, Bridgetown, en mer, Isla Margarita, Willemstad, Oranjestad, en mer, pour revenir a San Juan. Explorer of the Seas: Decouvrez pendant 7 jours le Mexique, Miami en mer, Belize City, Costa Maya. Services similaires a l'Empress. Pur votre bien etre: Salon de beautй, Complexe thermal complet, Sauna, Spa, Solarium.. Alors faites vous chouchouter. Au niveau des loisirs, profitez donc de la diversite, osez melanger culture a farniente grace aux :3 Piscines, 5 Jacuzzis, Casino, Discothиque, Salle de spectacles, Salle de cartes, Cafй internet, Le thйвtre sur 3 ponts qui propose des productions dans le style de Broadway. Majesty of the Seas: en partance de Miami, profitez d'une croisiere de 4 jours pour vous echapper aux Bahamas , Cocoay, Nassau, Key West et Miami. Adventure of the Seas: en partance de SAn Juan, profitez d'une croisiere de 7 jours pour une escapade a Oranjestad, Oranjestad, Willemstad, en mer, Philippsburg, Charlotte Amalie, San Juan. Sovereign of the Seas: plus riche que les precedants en matieres de loisirs pour enfants: au club Adventure Ocean, les enfants beneficieront des activitйs а la fois йducatives et rйcrйatives (de 3 а 17 ans) Le FantaSeas Teen centre propose quant a lui une large variйtй d'activitйs pour les ados telles que les chasses aus trйsors ou repas pizzas. Au niveau de votre detente personnelle, vous retrouverez egalement le Shipshape center avec sauna, bains turcs, massages et salon de beauй centre mйdical а bord. Grandeur of the Sea. Presente les memes services que ses compatriotes. Laissez-vous charmer par la musique du pianiste au Schooner Bar, ou tentez votre chance au Blackjack dans leur casino. Allez voir un show faзon Broadway dans une salle impressionnante sans vous dйplacer Enchantement of the Seas:dispose de 2 restaurants principaux qui sont le My Fair Lady Dining room et le Windjammer Cafй. Les services presentes ci-dessus se retrouve egalement sur ce navire, casino inclus. Pour une croisiere de 4 jours, decouvrez le Mexique au travers des escales suivantes:Fort Lauderdale, Key West, Cozumel, en mer, Fort Lauderdale. A ne pas en croire ses yeux. A moins que le comfort et le charme de ce navire vous eblouisse au point de ne vouloir debarquer...

The metaphysical view of death and life after death part 11

To conclude this section may we just add that Newton's subjects emphasize strongly that God is never once seen in the higher realms, although a strong feeling of a Supreme Power is felt ruling the ongoings of devachan, or "heaven," and the kinetic motion of magnetic streams of energy flowing in the atmosphere and environment. This truth denounces certain religious beliefs that in heaven one would finally see God face to face--for while on earth one may not see God's face and live, one would surely behold God's countenance in heaven. This principle has been vmisunderstood and misinterpreted for the past two thousand years; it should actually be understood in a mystical rather than in a literal manner. It reminds us of Gautama Buddha's silence when questioned about God--the implication of his subtle answer revealing a profound truth to the initiated. Summarizing the scientific viewpoint on death and the afterlife--based on years of careful psychical, parapsychological research--the following conclusions have been reached: 1) That humans are essentially immaterial in nature and that the human essence, or self-awareness, survives physical death. 2) That human soul-units exist at differentiated levels of awareness in dimensions beyond the physical light-spectrum, beyond the reach of physical sensory perception. 3) That contact with departed souls is a possible feat under certain conditions and circumstances. 4) That all human soul-units periodically re-embody or reincarnate to continue their evolution. 5) That all re-embody according to the law of causation, or karma; or soul desire. DISCUSSIONS As we have seen in the previous chapter, death according to the various traditions, metaphysical experiences and modern scientific discoveries, does not annihilate the human soul; and relationships formed on the physical plane do not cease at the termination of one's incarnation, as is normally believed; also, one's aspirations, goals and ambitions, though simply and seemingly cut-short prematurely at a stroke of the scythe by the grim reaper called death, is actually brought over to the Otherside for a further strategic development that would bloom in a later incarnation. We have also seen that the nature of death and the afterlife can be known to those who are willing to develop the necessary sensory faculties of the astral form and its ability of soul-flight. Additionally, we have dealt somewhat of the nature of heaven and hell, including the Judgment, from the various metaphysical, religious and scientific perspectives. We have described and hinted of some of the ways and means of avoiding those undesired experiences, states and conditions to be found in the bardo, and even in the lower astral. Non-attachment to the physical form and earthly life is helpful in the process of a peaceful and easy transition, and in a smooth journey through the bardo--this ought to be kept in mind. And lastly, with the descriptions by subjects of NDEs and communications from the beyond concerning the death process, we can be assured that dying does not have to entail any mental, emotional or physical agony; on the contrary, it may result in one of the most joyful states that average souls may experience at its present evolutionary level. It provides a certain pre-taste of what the nirvanic state is like when once the soul is liberated and fully aware of its divine unity with All That Is. Humans may fear death, but "being dead" is actually the present state of awareness of most people. To be unaware of one's higher microcosmic principles is simply a consciousness of death. What separates the seen from the unseen is the level of one's waking consciousness, and the psychological impurities within one's subconscious mind. There are several components in the microcosm making up what we call the divine, human being. The more components we are aware and conscious of, the more alive we become in the spiritual sense. Non-experience of the higher principles and realities do not mean that they do not exist, it is just that the faculty for higher perception has not yet been developed. Fear is what closes the veil to spiritual knowing. When we fear, we circumscribe our consciousness. Fear of the unknown, is the ignorance of the source of our fear. Identification with mortal principles simply perpetuates (or perpetrates?) one's mortal existence as a normal human being--and it also maintains one's fears. We are meant to be perfect--as advised by the Piscean Master--perfect in consciousness, in knowledge, and in awareness. Attaining immortality, or awareness of such, requires the shedding of mortal concepts, beliefs, attitudes and feelings. With such spiritual labour we gradually build the link between the lower and higher principles and ensure the continuity of consciousness, and the awareness of the illusory nature of death. With each extermination of a false concept we become more alive in a spiritual sense. Death, "the last enemy," as declared in scriptures, though inevitable, will be swallowed up in victory when once its maya-nature is understood and the continuity of consciousness acquired. Death will then lose its sting. Death ends when once the multidimensionality of one's being is realized, and when once one's liberation from the wheel of reincarnation is attained. What we call death is an illusion. This is echoed in the words of the Taoist poet, Chuang Tzu: "Birth is not a beginning, death is not an end." Fear simply robs individuals of their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual energies--energies which could be used for more constructive and creative purposes. When enlightened of the nature of death, like Socrates, we will not fear it; and this knowledge, understanding, and enlightenment would greatly help humanity to live an abundant life, as promised by Master Jesus. Like a chain effect, the awareness of the non-existence of death and the truth of man's purpose for being would improve the quality, nature, and service of every governmental department and institution, affecting society's consciousness, development and welfare. But to return to the emotion of fear ingrained in Man, there are several principles that assist one to "die" without fear: 1) Non-attachment to physical form, earthly possessions, and relationships. 2) Understanding that death is natural and that it does not end one's aspirations. 3) Understanding and being aware of one's true nature as divine and immortal. 3) Preparation through spiritual practices such as meditation, purification, and the acquisition of merit through service. 4) The unfoldment of love and compassion. From a higher perspective, death is no enemy. It is a merciful friend that grants us rest at a time when we need it. It provides a moment's respite until we re-engage ourselves in the battle of life through another incarnation with new--or old, unlearned experiences. What is important is the assimilation of experience, for if it does not take place, it will have to be undergone again and again until the lesson inherent in each one is learnt by the soul; this can sometimes prove to be wearisome. Life on earth should not be seen as a chance happening, as a biological occurrence in time and space, or as a chemical formation spawned by chaotic forces. Life is Real, is the only Reality and has a definite purpose. Knowing that life was formed on the earth plane for a purpose encourages the soul to discover that purpose. Soul-objective is known to the awareness-principle at deeper levels of consciousness and at the conscious level prior to incarnation. The purpose or intent of the Spirit, however, is normally forgotten once the "waters of Lethe" is drunk during the process of birthing. Our main task set by evolution is to be aware or more conscious of the "unconscious" levels of the mind; thus transcending the state of mediocrity or mortality. Mortal beings are not courageous enough to think, contemplate or face the conditions of death, they thus miss the true opportunities that life affords. When one fears death, one has not yet begun to live. "Death" to average individuals, is always thought of in connection with other people and never their own. This refusal to be spiritually-aware bind souls to an unproductie life in the cosmic scheme. This is the complaint of all mystics concerning the sons of men. In the Old Testament we read, "Man lies down and never rises. They rouse not from their sleep." (Job 14:12) From what we have said so far, it may be surmised that there are various forms of death, and this is true. St. Paul hints of this when he declared, "I die daily" (I Cor 15:31). We tabulate the forms of death in the following: 1) Death to higher realities and verities 2) Death to a higher awareness of divinity 3) Death of one's slumber in matter 4) Death of the false ego and its carnal, self-centered desires 5) Death of sleep 6) Death of the physical and etheric bodies 7) Death of the astral body 8) Death of the mental form We will briefly describe each one: death to higher realities and verities, and the death to higher awareness of divinity are related. This is in fact the involutionary path of the soul as it descends for the first time in a new cycle of manifestation, or "manvantara." In involution the soul loses a certain awareness only to regain it with an enhancement during the Path of Return. Most souls prolong this period of ignorance and awareness of higher multidimensional truths by their own free-will. Death of one's slumber in matter is the awakening of the soul's aspiration to spiritual possibilities--paradoxically, it could also mean being spiritually unconscious; this is followed by the death, or transcendence of the false ego and its expressions in the movement within the evolutionary spiral. The death of sleep occurs every night as the soul takes flight to subtle worlds. Death of the physical and etheric bodies occur when one leaves the present incarnation for the astral world. This is followed by the deaths of the astral and mental forms as the soul rises higher and higher to rest for a period in the causal body before preparing to reincarnate. Knowledge of the nature of death and the other worlds are important subjects for every metaphysician. As said earlier in this paper, in the course of one's metaphysical ministry, one would often encounter individuals in bereavement requiring comfort and solace. Equipped with a higher understanding of the nature of death and the purpose of life, metaphysicians are in a better position to enlighten humanity, and to fulfill one of their functions as ministers. To Catholics, administering the "Extreme Unction," or the last sacrament to the dying may be considered vital. But to the metaphysician, much more is required to guide the soul through the dying process. With the appropriate knowledge and occult ability, the metaphysician may assist souls in making a more meaningful transition. Deathbed-rites of an occult formula and design, taking the bardo into consideration, are needed by those engaged in the metaphysical field. The importance and purpose of life should be appended and stressed in those rites as a lesson not only for the departed, but for those who are left behind. An experience of a loss of a beloved one through the portals of death on the part of grieving and confused individuals should be looked upon by metaphysicians as opportunities for the sowing of the seeds of truth into their receptive consciousness. Metaphysicians as farmers in the vineyard of truth should play their part perfectly. By offering various truths concerning the nature of death-truths that are rational, logical, helpful and spiritually stimulating--we improve the whole image of the metaphysical ministry in the minds of the public. The more metaphysicians have to offer to the public as to occult and esoteric knowledge and as to the expressions of their high psychism, the more will the public's awareness be stirred and lifted to a higher plane of consciousness. Metaphysics as a synthesis of religious, spiritual, philosophical, and scientific truths has the capacity to offer what traditional forms of religion, science and modern philosophies are incapable of offering--that is, real help. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS In the Introduction of this paper we presented the purpose and the need of why this subject had to be written and discussed--of the importance of its place in the metaphysical ministry as well as its influence upon the individual and society as a whole. This purpose was again stressed in the previous chapter. In order to organize our thoughts regarding the subject, we formulated several themes that would be the basis for the structure of our paper. Our fundamental themes consisted of the following: 1) The survival of personal consciousness 2) The process of transition 3) The nature of life after so-called death The structure of our findings and of this paper, was based upon four perspectives: 1) Religion/mythology 2) The occult tradition 3) Tibetan Buddhism 4) Parapsychology From each perspective, we initially dealt with the basic themes from a certain point of view, but ended up with the same findings, the same conclusions, and the same cosmic truths; nevertheless, among the above perspectives, there is still much to be said about religion as a whole that has somewhat misrepresented the spiritual truths as taught by their founders. We are certain, though, that every metaphysician would research into this subject sooner or later as it is mentally and spiritually rewarding. In years to come "death" will be a time of celebration and not a time of mourning as it is now. Finally, in the fifth chapter, we discussed on humanity's basic psychological problem--that of senseless fear. We have seen how this fear robs man of his or her true life as a divine son or daughter of God living an abundant life in the here and now. We have also briefly discussed how the elimination of the fear of death would transform the individual and society as a whole. To sublimate and transcend this fear condition that overwhelms society we suggest that additional research be conducted into along the lines of soul-investigation, and into the many other principles of the bardo process not discussed or discovered by Tibetan Lamas. Ways of researching into this should be conducted in a scientific and intuitive manner, though this may not always be through conventional methods. Researchers should not fear probing into the invisible, into the immaterial, or into the abstract. Through research within a single avenue, other possibilities will present themselves. An answer to a single question begets many more questions, ad infinity; thus humanity progresses. Bibliography Agrippa, Henry Cornelius 1995 Three Books of Occult Philosophy. Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, MN. Bailey, Alice 1972 A Treatise on White Magic. Lucis Publishing Company, London. Barrie, Donald C. 1991 You Need Not Age Nor Die! Finbarr International, Folkestone, England. Budge, E. A. Wallis (Trans) 1953 Book of the Dead, The. Routledge & Kegan Paul, Ltd. London. Chaney, Earlyne 1989 Mystery of Death and Dying, The. Samuel Weiser, York Beach, Maine. Currie, Ian 1995 You Cannot Die. Element Books Ltd, Dorset, England. Drolma, Delog Dawa 1995 Delog: Journey to Realms Beyond Death. Padma Publishing, Junction City, CA. Evans-Wentz, W. Y. (ed) 1975 Tibetan Book of the Dead, The. Oxford University Press, England. Lauf, Detlief Ingo 1989Secret Doctrines of the Tibetan Books of the Dead. Shambhala Publications, Inc., Dorset, England. Liverziani, Filipo 1991 Life, Death & Consciousness. Prism Press, Dorset, England. Lodo, Lama 1987Bardo Teachings: The Way of Death and Rebirth, Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca, New York. Ma`sumian, Farnaz 1995 Life After Death. Oneworld Publications, Oxford, England. Newton, Michael 1995 Journey of Souls. Llewellyn Publications, Minnesota. Poe. Lori M. 1995 Journeys to Worlds Beyond. The Place of Light Publisher, Cincinatti, Ohio. Ramacharaka, Yogi (Year not given) Life Beyond Death, The. Yogi Publication Society, Chicago, ILL. Rinpoche, Bokar 1993 Death and the Art of Dying, Clearpoint Press, San Francisco, CA. Rinpoche, Chokyi Nyima 1991 Bardo Guidebook, The. Ranjung Yeshe Publications, Hong Kong. Saraydarian, Torkom 1993 Science of Meditation, The. Aquarian Educational Group, Sedona, Arizona. -- 1983 Cosmos in Man. Aquarian Educational Group, Sedona, Arizona Swedenborg, Emanuel 1958 Heaven and its Wonders and Hell. The Swedenborg Society, London. Copyright © 2006 Luxamore

Maybe we need an occasional disaster

The suffering and trauma left in the wake of last year's tsunami in Southeast Asia, our own hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, the earthquake in Kashmir, and the mud slides of Central America, cannot be ignored. But none of these were man-made acts that we can attempt to eradicate, like terrorism or the brutality of tyrants. These were natural events -- cataclysmic to be sure, but an expected by-product of life on an ever-changing and unstable planet. We can certainly improve on our ability to prepare for them, and the speed and intensity of our response to the victims, but for all our brainpower and technological sophistication, we cannot prevent their occurrence. To emotionally cope with their aftermath, we can reframe the tragedy of events by a focus on how disasters can bring out the best in our often flawed human race. We can look to conservative, white-only Texas towns that opened their arms, and their hearts, to poverty-stricken African Americans fleeing the floods of New Orleans. We can stand astonished but proud at the gifts of food and shelter and support that the semi-hippies of the Rainbow Coalition brought to stricken right-wing citizens in small Mississippi towns. We can look around a football stadium where donors stood in line to give whatever they could. We can bow our heads in awe before the families who opened up their homes to those who had nothing left. We can salute the volunteers who took food, water, blankets and generators to devastated areas, moving faster and with more commitment than the reluctant minions of the Federal Government. We all lead lives rife with potentialities. It takes certain conditions, combined with inner decisions, to convert them into realities. The best of us, staring destruction, anguish, and utter desolation in the face, rise to the occasion. From banal, self-centered, unremarkable lives, we seize the chance to become more than we have been, to harness our own promise, to dare the heroic. Disasters provide us with unique opportunities. It is not that we wish anyone pain but suffering is part of life. When it happens, it brings darkness to its victims but also the chance for fellow men to kindle a new and brighter light that enriches our species, our spirits, and our future.