Article Written and Prepared by: Neoli Marcos

That trading spaces show can be scary.

Imagine a group of strangers flocking to your house one fine day, okay, completely well-meaning they may be, but at the same time blunt too, because, nah, they’ve decided your house just isn’t cool enough and you definitely need an upgrade in your sense of style. Should we say more? Or are you already considering changing that kangaroo print pillowcase in your living room?

Cool. That word. What’s up with cool anyway?! For a concept that supposedly shouldn’t have any boundaries, cool has frighteningly evolved into something we religiously pin on a particular person, activity, place, and gadget. And yes, home.

Okay, we’re not talking about cool homes here, as in energy-efficient homes (it’s a perfectly worthwhile topic of course, but not for now). We’re talking about homes being top-dollar cool in the market here; we’re talking about cool homes palatable enough for choosy and discriminating buyers. Cool translates to good status and good worth—something you would want others to catch you in. We just know what’s cool and what’s not. The scary part, though, is when we insist others to be cool—the right kind of cool—just like us.

Real estates are admittedly a business that heavily depends on projecting the cool image and right surface. Home designers and interior decorators are no wonder sought-after people because they seem to know what cool people want for their homes. Or maybe they just dictate what should be cool.

Can cool be manufactured then? If you’re seriously considering selling your house, then there’s certainly no harm in invoking the cool inside and outside. Nothing wrong with a cool paint of Van Gogh yellow, or cool stainless steel countertops, or cool surround system, or whatever that’s currently cool. (Here, you’ll be reminded that cool sometimes requires money.) Whatever cool stuff you do, just be careful you don’t overwhelm the house with too much cool that it doesn’t leave space for the buyers’ identities anymore. You want the new owners to plot out their own sense of cool too, of course.

So, don’t let anyone tell you what’s cool for your house. After all, cool—for it to be cool—should never be a prescription.

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Neoli write articles and press releases for http://www.ozfreeonline.com. This piece he made served as an article exclusive for http://realestate.ozfreeonline.com - which offers a comprehensive list of office & commercial real estates, homes for rent or sell and an apartment finder to thousands of properties in Australia.

Source: High Quality Article Database - 365articles.com

Wonder what converts joined pieces of wood into an exquisite piece of heirloom quality furniture? A lot goes into finishing a wooden furniture piece after it has been put into shape. The smooth finish with the bright shine is achieved after much effort and lots of procedures.

Here is how a wooden furniture piece is finished to perfection. Here is how the Amish Furniture gets its handcrafted heirloom quality.

Sanding:
All unfinished furniture is sanded as smooth as possible before any finish is applied. This is the most important step and, to a great degree, determines just how perfect the finished project will be. Sanding is done with progressively finer grits of sandpaper, starting with medium or fine grades, and finishing with very fine. Rubbing is done with the grain to avoid scratches that may show through the finish. There are many different types of sandpaper available, but generally, open coat aluminum oxide paper is preferred for furniture, since it cuts faster and lasts longer. After sanding is completed, all dust is thoroughly removed. This is mostly done with a tack rag dipped into varnish that has been diluted with an equal amount of turpentine or mineral spirits and wrung until almost dry.

Bleaching:
This procedure is necessary only if it is desired to lighten the wood’s natural color, or to remove undesirable stains. Commercial wood bleach is used wearing rubber gloves and eye protection. The bleach is applied with a brush or sponge and allowed to dry overnight. Then it is sanded lightly with very fine sandpaper to remove raised grain. All dust is then wiped from the wood.

Staining:
Stains are used to color the wood to emphasize its grain, to make one type of wood look like another, to create uniform color in a piece which is made up of more than one kind of wood, or to tint patched areas to match the rest of the piece. Most stains are used only over bare, smoothly sanded, clean, dry wood. Of the many types of stain available, the two most popular are penetrating resin stain and pigmented oil or wiping stains. Both these types of stains are available in a wide range of colors. Shades of the same type can be mixed to produce even more color variation. When an oil stain is used, a thin sealer coat is applied to the bare wood first. This gives a more uniform color effect.

Paste Wood Fillers:
Open-pore woods, such as walnut, oak and mahogany, require the use of a paste filler if a super-smooth finish is desired. These fillers are available in neutral shades and different colors. The paste filler is brushed onto the clean and dust-free piece with a short, stiff-bristled brush. It is allowed to set until it loses its shine for about 20 to 30 minutes. The excess filler is removed with a rough-textured cloth and the piece is allowed to dry for at least 24 hours before proceeding further.

Finishing:
There are many new, improved varnishes or clear coatings available for furniture finishing. Some are very pale for use on light colored furniture. Others offer resistance to foods and alcohol. Linseed oil finish is time-consuming to apply, but gives the wood a beautiful, mellow lustre. Although it is not highly water-resistant, this finish will withstand hot dishes. Also, it is less likely to show scratches than would a varnish finish. Often, this finish is applied directly to raw wood, but it tends to darken the wood in most cases. Every possible trace of dust is removed before applying the first coat of varnish with a good quality natural-bristle brush. The first coat of varnish is thinned with turpentine, mixing gently with a clean stick so that air bubbles are not formed. Successive coats are then applied as the varnish comes from the can. The varnish is allowed to dry completely for atleast 48 hours. Then it is lightly sanded with the finest grade of sandpaper or steel wool available.

Enameling:
Enamel is also a good finish choice for inexpensive unpainted. Because enamels are available in a wide range of glosses — from elegant eggshell to the dramatic wet look — and in a rainbow of colors, almost any effect you want is possible. There are two types of enamel — oil-based and latex (water-thinned). Usually, the oil-based type produces the best results on furniture. This type is available in both regular brush-on and spray formulas. Spray enamel is especially good for small projects and intricately patterned surfaces.

So after all these finishing procedures you get your Amish handcrafted furniture. All these and more efforts on the part of the artisans give you great looking furniture that lasts for generations.

Source: High Quality Article Database - 365articles.com

Ceiling fans are an important part of creating the perfect home decor. During the last decade ceiling fans have become much more technologically advanced and aesthetically pleasing. They provide cooling during the summer months and warming during the winter months, which saves you a lot of money on your yearly energy bills. In fact, choosing the perfect ceiling fan for your home can reduce your energy bill by 40% in the summer and 10% in the winter. Because of its style and energy efficiency, fans are not only being used in the main rooms in a home but also in patios, verandas, kitchens and bathrooms to add to a rooms decor and minimize dampness.

Choosing the right ceiling fan
Ceiling fans differ in price based on quality, style and size, so you should study the differences before making a purchase. Inexpensive fans may look good when you first buy them, but over time they will begin to warp, become off-balance and wear out. By picking a good, high quality fan for your home, you’ll enjoy years of comfort and beauty. The key details to look for are the quality, motor, durability, performance, design and warranty.

You can really add to your home’s decor by choosing a fan that coordinates with your individual style. You can choose from a multitude of colors, finishes, blade designs, sizes, accessories, lighting and style. When it comes to the look of your fan you can choose from polished brass, antique brass, iron, copper, nickel, pewter, chrome, black, vibrant colors, oak, rosewood and other real wood veneers.

Details to consider before choosing a new fan for your home:

Fan Size:
For maximum efficiency it’s important to choose a fan that fits the size of your room. A general rule of thumb is to choose a 29″-36″ fan for a room up to 75 square feet; 36″-42″ fans for medium sized rooms up to 144 square feet and 50″-54″ fans for larger rooms up to 225 square feet.

Height from the ceiling:
Place the fan higher than 7 feet above the floor in the middle of the room for maximum comfort, circulation, safety and aesthetics. The ideal height would be 8 or 9 feet from the floor.

Blades:
The fan blades determine the amount of air being circulated throughout the room so how they are positioned is very important. The fan blade brackets should be positioned to hold the blade at a 12-15 degree angle for optimal circulation and be weighed and matched as a balanced set to avoid having your fan wobble. Anything less than a 12 degree angle wont work as efficiently and anything greater will circulate more air in your room. Make sure the blades are made of wood or acrylic and have been sealed and treated to resist humidity, otherwise your blades will start to warp after time.

Motor:
The most important element of a ceiling fan is the motor, which is responsible for producing quiet operation while moving the blades. You’ll want to buy a high-quality motor with heavy-duty windings and sealed bearings that are permanently lubricated, because that will ensure the effectiveness of your fan and increase its longevity.

Lights:
Lights can really add to the finishing touches of your fan. You can varieous style from classic to antique to contemporary and can add opal, marble, crystal, glass and hand blown glass to a fitter or fixture shade to enhance the design of your fan and compliment your room’s decor. If you love the fan, but not the light kit, you can purchase light kits separately or have one custom designed. Some kits are available to provide uplighting instead of downlighting, which creates more ambiance in a room like a living room or bedroom.

Finish:
Its important to make sure the blades have a high quality finish to resist blistering, fading, tarnishing, corrosion and tarnishing. Low quality finishes on fan blades will start to peel, bubble and corrode quite quickly, especially in rooms prone to moisture. There are two main finishes to choose from - brass and wood. Brass finishes are long lasting, scratch resistant and never need polishing and painted finishes are thick, rich and durable as long as they have been properly coated.

Warranty:
Look for a good warranty for the life of your fan. Many high quality fan manufacturers offer a lifetime warranty and in-home service.

Installation:
Installation is relatively easy and can be installed yourself. Most fans come with step by step instructions and a support system to assist you by freeing your hands to make wiring connections. Just be sure that the wiring in your home is compatible with the fan you’re planning on installing.

Cost:
Ceiling fans average around $135 to $425 depending on the manufacturer and quality of the fan you are purchasing. The old saying “you get what you pay for” definitely applies to ceiling fans.

About the author:

The House Designers award winning residential house plans, architectural home designs, floor plans, blueprints and floor plans will make your dream home a reality!

Source: High Quality Article Database - 365articles.com

There are so many choices in the floor covering industry that choosing the right floor covering for your home may be a challenge. By looking at all the choices available and weighing the pros and cons of each product, you should be able to pick a covering that works best for each room in your home. Keep in mind that each room in your homes serves a different function, so your floor covering should compliment each room’s function and style.

The first decision you’ll need to make is whether you want to have your room done in a soft surface such as carpeting or a hard surface such as hardwood, laminate or ceramic. Then you’ll need to consider these factors - durability, longevity, cleaning ability and moisture resistance. Here’s a list of today’s most popular surfaces:

Carpeting

Carpet comes in a wide variety of styles and constructions to fit almost any decor from formal to casual, ranging from berbers, saxonies, textures, friezes and patterned cut/uncut styles.

Berbers are made-up of a loop pile construction that are available with a pattern or without, and patterns can range from small graphic designs such as diamonds or squares to larger, more intricate patterns that resemble floral motifs.

Cut pile style carpets range from velvety saxonies, which are very formal and elegant, to more popular textured styles, which are more casual in appearance. A characteristic of a saxony is that it shows a natural shading of light and dark streaks - the kind made by footprints and vacuum cleaners. Some people are fond of this natural shading, because it adds a rich lushness to the overall appearance. There are a lot of casual styles on the market which minimize these characteristics if you’re not fond of seeing these marks.

One is a textured cut pile, which at first glance has a two-tone appearance to the yarns, but what you’re actually seeing is the reflection and absorption of light on the tips of the yarns. The results is you see less tracking and vacuum marks. For even less shading, you might want to check out a frieze style of carpeting. Frieze means “coarse, shaggy, woolen,” and is characterized by tall, thin yarns that are curled. It has a very casual, textured look, which minimizes the tracking marks. This is a great texture for high traffic rooms, because it’s very durable and full of twists (the term used for what makes a carpet resilient). As for style, frieze range from solid colors to jewel tone multi-colors, as well as “cut berbers,” which are generally offered in off whites with earth-toned flecks.

Fiber Facts
Before you make your final decision, you’ll need to understand some fiber facts. The most widely used fiber is nylon because of its durability and resilience. The drawback to fiber is that it can fade if exposed to direct sunlight and it’s not naturally stain resistant. Most nylons are treated with a topical stain to help resist stains, but overtime it will wear off. Brand name fibers such as Anso, Wear-Dated and Dupont have a line of carpets that have added soil protection.

Olefin is very stain and fade resistant and a good choice if you have children or pets. The disadvantage to this yarn is that it’s not a very resilient fiber and will pack down quicker. For longer durability, pick one with a loop construction.

Polyester has a built in, permanent stain and fade resistance. It comes in variety of colors and has a soft feel. However, the drawbacks are it’s not very resilient and it’s the most oil absorbent fiber, which means it’s difficult to clean. If you opt for polyester make sure it’s been treated with Scotchguard or a similar treatment for soil protection - otherwise plan on having your carpet cleaned regularly.

The top fiber is wool because it is the most resilient (not to mention soft to the touch and luxurious) and the only fiber that ages well. Because wool naturally has low absorption, spills generally stay on the top - making cleanup a breeze.

The cost of carpet averages around $18 a square yard, but varies depending on the manufacturer and construction.

Hard Surfaces

There are endless possibilities when it comes to hardwood, ceramic, laminate and vinyl . Since they are generally considered permanent floor coverings - you’ll want to consider durability, maintenance and noise levels.

Hardwood Floors
If you want to give your home the look of natural beauty than wood is definitely something you should consider. With its many species and variety in color and grain, you should easily find a wood that fits your decor. Feeling exotic - then check out the wide range of exotic woods like Brazilian walnut and eucalyptus, Australian cypress or bamboo from China. Then there’s the species native to North America like maple, red and white oak, cherry, birch, beech, ash and pecan. If you’re looking to create a one-of-a-kind floor (and you have the time), you can find reclaimed hardwood flooring from historic warehouses and barns in species that are no longer available like heart pine, yellow pine and chestnut.

Generally all of these solid wood floors can be purchased unfinished or pre-finished and are 3/4 inch thick. Thanks to newer finishing technology (using aluminum oxide) pre-finished hardwood floors are actually more durable and retain its “natural” beauty better than the sand-and-finish variety. It will be hard to find an installer that will be able to apply a better finish on-site than what a manufacturer can put on your pre-finished hardwood floor.

If you really want the look of solid wood, but not the weighty price tag, you should look into engineered wood floors, which consists of two or more layers and a top layer (called the wear layer) which is 1/8 inch thick and generally made of oak, maple or cherry, but can be stained to match your decor.

Other economical alternatives are wood laminates which are plywood based with a layer of veneer on top. Keep in mind that these floor aren’t nearly as thick as the real thing and can only be sanded and refinished several times - after that you’ll need to have it replaced. It’s no wonder manufacturers only warranty the finish for five years. It’s hard to beat the look of wood, but it does have its drawbacks - it requires periodic refinishing, it can be scratched and gouged and it doesn’t resist water well. These floors tend to be noisy, so you might want to consider using area rugs to muff some of the sound.

Finishing Your Floor
After you chosen your wood species, now it’s time to finish it off. There’s no limit to the unique looks you can create using stains, glazes, paints and finishes. You can get really creative by having your floor faux painted, distressed or stenciled. Be sure no matter what finish you choose that it is well protected by a sealer and multiple coats of polyurethane - how much shine is up to you.

The average range for hardwood floors is $6 to $12 (exotic $$$) per square foot.

Laminated Floors
The surface of a laminate floor is actually a plastic composition that is applied to the core using heat and pressure. The core is usually made of high-density fiber or particleboard, and the backing can be paper, or another layer of laminate. Laminate flooring comes in a variety of styles that try to mimic the natural look of wood, stone, and tile. Some types are glued together, while others have a mechanical locking system where you just snap the pieces together. The wear layer is made of zinc oxide, which makes it almost impervious to scratches and very durable, making them an ideal choice for high traffic areas. Picture this: If you look closely at the pattern you’ll notice each pattern is identical - that’s because it’s actually a picture of the real thing. You can’t sand or refinish these floors so when they wear out (ten years or so) you need to replace them.

Ceramic Tile
Ceramic tile is a natural product made of clay, minerals and water that are designed and formed into a multitude of shapes, sizes, colors and textures. They are very durable and easy to clean, but beware the grout lines and scratching. Most ceramic floor tiles have either a glazed, or unglazed surface. The glazed tiles have a special ceramic coating that is applied to the body of the tile and then fired under tremendous heat so that the glazing becomes hard and non-porous. The benefits of glazing is that it creates a floor that is resistant to stains, scratches, slippage and fire. An unglazed tile is simply one that retains the same color on its face as it does its back. The most popular unglazed tiles are red quarry tiles or porcelain. The benefits of not glazing is that dirt and other effects of daily living don’t show up as vibrantly as they do on a glazed tile. The price for a decent tile starts around $6.50 a square foot, but can escalate quickly.

Vinyl
Vinyl is a very versatile choice for floor covering and is most commonly used in kitchens, bath and laundry rooms. It comes in rolled sheets or one-foot-square tiles and is available as an inlaid vinyl (pattern and color throughout the entire material) or rotogravure vinyl (knobby texture with colors and patterns printed only on the finished surface). There are many designs and patterns to choose from in each category, but they all have the same drawback - they can dent, tear or become unglued. The average price for vinyl is $12 per square yard.

Floor Trends

The trend in flooring these days is high performance - floors that can handle vigorous day-to-day traffic and still look beautiful . Topping the durability list are concrete, cork, bamboo and a limestone and vinyl composite. Concrete slab floors (usually used in basements and garages) are finding their way into other rooms of the house. Not only are they durable, but they come in an array of new colors. Limestone and vinyl composite is available in about 30 different colors and patterns. It has a lifetime wear and stain guarantee.

Another hot trend is cork tiles with a hi-tech finish that comes directly off of the tree bark after the wine industry has harvested its grapes. Cork is installed piece by piece over an adhesive and is said to last forever. The drawback to this soft, quiet and inexpensive covering is that there is limited color and style choices and unless properly treated is susceptible to water damage.

Bamboo is a new flooring option just beginning to grow in popularity because it’s a nice alternative to hardwood floors. Besides its aesthetic value, bamboo is very strong and stable, even more so than many hardwoods because they won’t swell or shrink.

About the author:

The House Designers award winning residential house plans, architectural home designs, floor plans, blueprints and floor plans will make your dream home a reality!

Source: High Quality Article Database - 365articles.com

1. Tell yourself that no matter what, some level of clutter with a child is going to happen.

2. Begin with messes and clutter that you see every day. Get organize your kitchen, garage, and family room before your hallway closet.

3. Use drawer dividers for socks, underwear, lingerie, and tiny items, to keep them separated and organized.

4. Use this same principle to organize your silverware, with clearly defined places for every fork and knife, or drawers for ties and socks or, underwear. Think in this same way for every aspect of your home. This will save many hours of searching for things. It will dramatically cut down on the clutter of items left out “for now” or “until I find a place for it.” Develop a new mantra: everything has its place and a place for everything!

5. Allocate everything in your house a place. This way your family will know exactly where to find it and where to put it away, when they searches for something they need.

6. Keep items that are used frequently in places where you can reach them without stooping or bending, and store them close to the place they will be needed.

7. Establish one defined place in your house for storing library books, and end a house-wide hunt when it is time to read or return them.

8. Hang hooks for your keys and purse at the entry to your home, so each time you walk in, you can hang them up.

9. Get rid of all junk drawers, or allow yourself just one that you clear out once a week or more. When you establish certain items are being used repeatedly, designate a drawer for those.

10. Enlist a new rule: throw out one old thing for every new purchase that enters your home.

11. Make a mental note to observe what things pile up in your house and where they cluster, and then come up with a place nearby that becomes the official home where those things will reside. For this purpose baskets, shelves, and folders will work well. Set aside one basket for you and your partner for incoming mail, bills, and receipts and letters.

12. Never go up or down empty-handed when using stairs. Always grab some items that belong to upstairs rooms and quickly put it away while you are there.

13. Create a number of brightly marked folders for discount coupons, invitations and directions, and other time-sensitive papers that just clutter your counters.

14. Things you don’t need any longer:
· Expired medications.
· Clothes you no longer wear.
· Extra paper or plastic grocery bags.
· Makeup and samples you have never worn.
· Sunscreen that’s expired or more than one year old.
· Organize your coupons and throw out all that have expired.
· Cookbooks you rarely use. Cut out your favorite recipes only.
· Magazines you meant to read but have never taken the time for.
· Stuff your crumpled plastic bags from your grocer inside a cardboard roll like a hand towel roll. Keep under your sink.

You will free your mind to remember your daily chores by getting rid of your clutter and organizing your home top to bottom. Be vigilant about cleaning about once a month and you will find it much easier to keep up, week-by-week.

Summary:

You will free your mind to remember your daily chores by getting rid of your clutter and organizing your home top to bottom. You need these 14 Get organized tips to solve your problem.

Author Bio: Nishanth Reddy is an author and publisher of popular self help blog. Visit his blog for more information on Self help, self-improvement and personal growth. Self Help Blog

Source: High Quality Article Database - 365articles.com

An excerpt from “When Two Souls Connect” by Steve Gunn
eBook available from http://topukpsychic.com/wtsc

‘The human heart feels things the eyes cannot see, and knows what the mind cannot understand.’ -Robert Vallett

If you’ve met someone who’s changed you forever

If you love someone so much you realize you just weren’t alive before them

If you’ve met someone who’s awakened you to the unbelievable beauty of existence

If you’ve met someone who is more you than even you are

If you miss someone so much you can’t even conceive of existing without them

If you’ve lost someone and it feels like your soul left with them then read on…

Typical of many cases I deal with is the story of Fiona and Robert.

I first met Fiona when she booked a telephone reading and I realized she was suffering a great deal of pain and confusion from the recent breakup of her relationship with Robert. I recommended she seek healing and, a week later, she arrived at my door.

I wish I had a cent for every tear that has been shed on that end of my sofa — it’s a wonder it isn’t afloat by now. Seeing people in complete despair is a common occurrence for me but it never gets any easier watching someone fall apart, not least because I’ve been there. Some days, you just wonder what the human race is coming to when people can hurt others in the way this girl was hurting. However, she was here now and I was going to help her.

Her total devastation and confusion was apparent and, as I read both her energies and Robert’s, I realized this was a very strong metaphysical ( soul mate ) connection, hence the level of suffering she was enduring. She told me her story, described what seemed an ideal relationship – until, in the midst of it, Robert had turned tail and run without warning. To add to her grief and despair, within a week he had hooked up with someone else and told her he wasn’t coming back.

As in most of these cases, by tuning into him I knew he was in love with her. Fiona, however, was in no position to believe this, not based on his actions. It was totally clear to me, however, that the bond between them was strong and had grown ever stronger and stronger whilst they were together, to the point that it scared the hell out of Robert.

How do you tell someone that a person they love has hurt them because they love them too much? How do you explain that the ‘runner’ fears the intensity of the connection? I could tell this other woman meant nothing to Robert and was just a shoulder for him to cry on. But, to Fiona, it seemed he had been a cheater and had callously lied about loving her. That’s a very natural assumption when someone you trust totally turns a one eighty and goes off with someone else without warning.

For those of us who are emotionally and spiritually open to love on any level, the idea of someone running from happiness is bizarre and cruel in the extreme. Fiona was struggling to make sense of it and wasn’t winning at all, which added to her immense grief.

As I began her healing and looked at what had happened to her energies, I realized she was suffering from what I call ‘soul shock.’ When someone you have a deep connection with suddenly pulls away, the dis-connect leaves you feeling as if your soul has left your body, like an empty shell. You just can’t get back to reality and you can feel as if you simply exist.

This experience is similar to grieving the death of a loved one and I know many counselors, at least those who accept and understand connections, who will treat this pain in the same way as a bereavement

. What we’re talking about here is not a conventional emotional relationship. A soul connection is the most powerful soul level connection with someone and when separations like this occur you just can’t “get over it” or “move on” however hard you try. Many people can’t eat sleep or work for a long time, a lot end up on medication and in counseling.

Even after more cases than I can remember, it never fails to amaze me how powerful healing is and what a perfect tool it can be for dealing with soul mate connections. I pulled Robert’s energy away from Fiona’s so that she wasn’t being tugged around like a leaf in a gale by his confusion. This process forced out some of her grief.

Unexpressed emotions are debilitating and dangerous, so I opened up her heart chakra and used a technique I call ‘accelerated bereavement.’ This acceleration brings out the despair and pain in a burst of crying that’s so deep you know it’s from the soul. But, after twenty minutes or so, this incredible pain eases and the subject calms. That’s exactly what happened with Fiona.

What is unique about soul connections is that we feel our partner’s grief and confusion and they feel ours. This creates a tsunami of pain as the energy flows across our spiritual link and bounces each of us around like two corks on a string. Putting a block in a place eases ‘soul shock’ tremendously, so that’s what I did to allow Fiona a chance to get on her feet again.

As the weeks and months went by, I saw her and treated her on a regular basis. Throughout that time, she grew slowly but progressively stronger, even as she continued to ache badly from the pain of separation from Robert. When you are separated from a soul mate, you miss your partner every minute of the day and most days are nothing more than a torture of aching and needing. The soul mate connection is unlike a conventional relationship for, in these cases, the pain of separation doesn’t lessen. Some days it feels as if your heart will burst out of your chest and fly to your true partner.

Fiona experienced all of this and more, although with readings and healing I was able to reduce the worst of the excesses and keep up her hope that the situation would resolve itself and Robert would come back. At times, she would call in total pain and disbelief and ask how anything could hurt so much and why couldn’t she just get over him? As always, I explained that a connection so strong was something we have little control over and, in time, he would return. While we wait, all we can do is stay strong and accept what has happened. Trying to understand why just adds to the torture.

In time, Robert did contact her. Fiona, however, found it very difficult to talk to him. He frequently contradicted himself and didn’t seem to have a clue what he was doing, how he felt or what he wanted. This, of course, made it much harder for her to be in contact with the man she loved so much, as she still struggled to make sense of why he had run in the first place.

This is a very common albeit totally bizarre and bewildering phase that nearly always occurs in these relationships. While the more aware soul feels the immense sense of pain and loss, the ‘runner,’ who mostly has a ton of issues, is absolutely confused by the power of the connection and will seem to contradict themselves and not know quite what’s going on. It’s common to hear ‘I love you,’ then a week later, ‘I don’t love you,’ and a host of other seemingly weird behaviors.

Understand, however, that this is your soul partner struggling to understand what’s going on within them, as they are also totally overwhelmed by the feelings and confusion that the connection brings.

At this point, I asked Fiona to trust me and to follow some simple rules for communication. She agreed when she realized the present interaction was confusing her even more. I asked Fiona to set out what she wanted from Robert, make it clear to him, then to back away. To insist that, if and when he called, she didn’t want to hear how bad his life was, especially after she had offered everything to make him happy. And that if he could not be there for her, then to put the phone down.

Staying strong in this phase takes an awful lot of guts and faith when your runner seems so close to returning. To push them away unless certain criteria are met is scary when you so fear losing them again. But Fiona did it… And, as in most cases, after a while it worked. It’s said that runners return properly when the pain of separation is greater than the fear of commitment.

And by refusing to negotiate on anything other than coming together properly, Fiona made Robert realize he had to face this once and for all or lose her.

They met, they talked, she called me. Robert had accepted he couldn’t go on as he had and he was prepared to face his fears and give it a go. Many more meetings occurred before Fiona was sure he was ready and knew that he would face his fear of commitment.

When finally they both came together again, and had put the past behind them, Fiona asked Robert to come to me for a reading and consultation. Seeing a runner is a rare opportunity for me, because when most reconciliations occur, my work is done.

Robert arrived and it was apparent he had no idea what to expect. I gave him a psychic reading and saw what was going on within him and how he had struggled to make sense of the past couple of years. What he said was a real eye opener for me, a rare chance to see how the incredible intensity of a soul connection can scare the daylights out of someone seemingly so strong and together.

He started talking about a time before Christmas when he realized just how deeply he felt for Fiona and, although he had always shunned commitment of any sort, he had decided to ask her to marry him. On his way to buy a ring, he talked to a friend about marriage and said he suddenly became very scared and unsure. He never did tell me what the friend said but whatever it was plugged deep into his fears. After that, instead of asking her to marry him, Robert told Fiona it was over and that he had found someone else.

If you’re astounded reading this, so was I when I heard it. His thinking was that he couldn’t go through with it and maybe he wasn’t good enough for her.

What if he wasn’t ready, what if it didn’t work? All the other fear and insecurity-based questions rose up in him. His thinking was if she thought he had someone else, she could move on and not follow him.

When runners run, they really do run. Robert had demonstrated absolute mastery of the runner 180-degree speed turn. It was obvious that this man was unsure about himself - never mind what he could offer in a relationship. He made all his decisions from the head, not the heart. He mistakenly assumed Fiona could ‘get over it.’ It’s one of the most frustrating things when runners make assumptions and don’t give the other partner a chance. That’s just what this one did.

However, now Robert was back and he was talking to me and that meant he wanted to understand what this was about and how he could deal with it. This was a terrific omen for the couple’s future.

The outcome was that Robert did start to deal with his demons. His karmic lesson was to realize that he couldn’t live life by purely mental decisions. He learnt that his heart wouldn’t stay away and that fighting the connection only hurt them both and, ultimately, didn’t work.

I now have an invitation to their wedding on my desk

Fiona and Robert’s case is very typical and, to my mind, reinforces the same
message - the heart always wins in the end.

Steve Gunn - Master Psychic
http://stevegunn.net
http://www.keen.com/uk+psychic
http://www.topukpsychic.com

email: steve@stevegunn.net

Source: High Quality Article Database - 365articles.com

Becoming a full time psychic and healer is something that was chosen for me rather than a conscious choice I made. Talk to psychics and many times you’ll find the same story; one of the innate ability being awoken within us at some point in our lives that pushes us to do this work

One of the first things I noticed was that suddenly to many people I’d become some sort of alien. A lot were sure I’d totally “lost it”, giving up the big salaries and high profile of my previous occupation to become something they saw as ‘flaky’ and ‘weird’…

What undoubtedly influenced them, was the word ‘psychic’ conjuring up a vision of the archetypal end-of-the-pier’ fortuneteller sitting aloft a crystal ball professing that ‘you’ll meet a tall man driving a sports car and have 3 children’.

This stereotype is far from the truth of most psychics’ daily work, which is being someone who can commune with the universe and spirit to offer guidance, reason, direction and foresight beyond the conventional; being there for people who need to find their way onto their destined life path. I use the term ‘calling’ because when it happens, the drive to use the ability is profound and transcends other concerns such as what other people are going to think.

Even with the chuckling and comments received from others when I changed my situation I’ve rarely come across anyone who isn’t fascinated by psychics and psychic ability – both skeptics and believers alike. Somewhere within all of us we’re intrigued, we have an underlying human quest to know what life is all about and that makes most of us express at least some interest in anyone who could possibly see beyond the physical world.

It’s this fascination that seems to be a part of everyone that makes those of us working in metaphysics the subject of endless conjecture. Many want to believe but can’t see past their own boundaries that if it hasn’t happened to them then its hard to believe and they need what they call ‘proof’.

You won’t ever meet a psychic who hasn’t been asked to ‘prove it’ and yet despite proving it every day in our work, many individuals need to personally experience a psychic reading to start to accept on any level that there is something ‘out there’ beyond what we can see and touch and taste and smell and hear. This is because we live in a world of 3 dimensions, looking to our five senses for our sense of reality, which actually blinds us to the other dimension, that of energy. Our ‘proof’ that something is real is if we can see, touch, taste smell or hear it.

To question that 3 dimensional reality for a moment in order to illustrate the point…Very few people understand the theories of electromagnetic propagation, yet we all experience turning on a TV set and watching the pictures sent through the air…We can’t see, feel, smell or touch these magical waves and most don’t understand them; yet radio transmission has become an accepted norm and so we don’t see the need to question it, we just turn on the TV. It’s being trapped in this physical version of truth and reality and only accepting what can be manifested in 3 dimensions i.e. the TV set, the radio, the microwave etc, that has conditioned us away from our natural psychic ability to read energy.

Energy is at the core of our being. It’s emotions, senses, intuition, sensation, spirit, vibrancy, courage, love, passion and pain - all of those things that aren’t thoughts. In other words it’s primal to our existence…and yet we often only credit what we think is real because it has some sort of 3 dimensional form.

A classic I often hear when telling someone another does actually love them is “my friends say if he loved me he would be with me”…Well ok but these friends just discounted the entire range of negative human emotions like fear, insecurity, doubt, guilt, worry etc. In being slaves to their ‘reality’ they are being utterly blinded to what’s actually happening.. The client will often then ask how I ‘know’ this person loves them. That’s an easy answer, I can feel it…

When we can allow ourselves the freedom to open our minds and more importantly our instincts to a world beyond the physical, that we open a doorway to accessing our own spiritual / psychic potential and then things that previously seemed supernatural begin to make a new sense and reason.

Unlocking ones own psychic potential isn’t an add-on to our conventional way of living - it’s living life in a totally new awareness. Once we can do that our natural abilities can be accessed up to each individuals maximum potential. Remember I said that many of us find ourselves on this path whether we chose it or not. That’s because as part of our destiny we had to go through some personal transformation that brought about this awareness, and with it, our ability to use our psychic connection to the universe in order to help others.

Ok so if you’ve managed to stick with me this far, then I guess you may want to know how you can access your own abilities…Well like most powerful things the concept is ridiculously easy, but the implementation takes work. Today you are reading this and thinking; thinking that’s driving your actions, for example you may throw the article away and not read any further or on the other hand you may decide to read on. You may also be worried that you’re late for work, feeling too hot, too cold, too tired or haven’t paid the latest telephone bill etc

So we think, that’s how we convene with our daily reality…. but while we’re doing this thinking what do we feel and sense… Feeling and sensing are the tools used to commune with the dimension of energy but thinking diverts us from attuning to these other senses..

Cosmic energy is the energy that our souls are made of, the energy that the universe is made of, the energy that links us all together and as one humankind links us to the universe. It links our destinies as individuals and the connections between us, plots our pasts, present and futures. As an example; all of my readings are via telephone and people will often ask how I can read them over a phone line. Well the answer is simple, I’m not. I don’t even need the phone line because I’m accessing their energy via the universal pool of energy from which we all came, to which we return, and within which we all live. Just like the TV transmissions mentioned earlier, spiritual energy is all around us, and all we need to do is know how to tune in to it.

From this energy psychics sense and feel thoughts and emotions and situations and often-physical descriptions. Any attuned psychic can read someone on the other side of the planet as easily as someone in the next room because we access them through the universal energy – the energy dimension which doesn’t have a distance or time, it’s omnipresent…

Do we all have this ability…yes, although some can develop to a higher level than others dependant on each individual’s maximum potential. Having worked with many people to develop their abilities; without doubt the largest hurdle is not their natural ability - it’s suspending disbelief. Some of the most natural psychics I’ve met have the problem that for a long time they don’t believe it.

The classic scenario is someone going through a development session and being asked to read a person, most usually I ask students to read someone I know well but whom they haven’t ever met. And even after they’ve described that person, their personality, situation, relationships, work, emotions and even foreseen events in their lives I often watch the face as they say ”yeah but I could be wrong” or “are you sure I’ve described them properly?”

It’s that suspension of disbelief that sometimes takes years to overcome. And the more intelligent and more practical the person training the harder it usually is.. Back again to that 3 dimensional “proof”…And here we touch briefly on an even more interesting point of what is reality.. To illustrate that point, let’s say we’re in a development training session and we read a subject who the reader has never met. During the session we both feel that the subject is unhappy and not having a good time in their life. Then suppose that subject turned up and we asked them if they felt miserable and life wasn’t too good. Ok so how many people would admit that they really weren’t happy…

The point here is that we couldn’t even necessarily trust the subjects own account of his/her situation because of ego, that brain again, wanting to give an impression that “I’m fine” or “no not me I’m so damn happy”… So which is the reality ? Well here’s the punch line and it’s an important one in the context of talking about psychic abilities. There is only one reality. Probably one look at this subjects face as they walked into the room would tell us they weren’t happy even if they denied it as a form of defense mechanism. But the reality is something else. And we tuned into that reality…. So the cosmic reality is one reality, it’s not subjective, it’s not open to different interpretations, it just is

This is a vitally important point about psychic reading and it goes a lot deeper into the way the universe works but for now we’ve illustrated the point… In psychic reading, we are generally looking for answers, reasons, explanations and forecast for people. When we can tune into the person , their energy, connections, friends, worries fear etc we are sensing the true reality of what they are experiencing. but they may either not like to admit it, or be in some way confused or even delusional about what’s happening. In that case they may not accept the answers we give them too willingly.

Remember earlier in the article I commented that becoming spiritually developed – more psychically aware isn’t an add-on to an existing reality, it’s about a new reality and seeing and knowing things in a different way. The above example is typical of how often we can know a truth yet people around us may not want to accept that truth or even want us to know it. Yet it’s being totally true to what we are receiving from spirit even when the tangible evidence seems to point the opposite way, that assures our psychic development..

The actual process of psychic reading is a natural one, the real key issues to address using that ability successfully are the one’s we’ve talked about here…. Summing up, what we’re saying here is that to access one’s own psychic ability it’s necessary to take several vitally important steps to …

Accept that we are all linked via cosmic energy and suspend disbelief while you explore your abilities.

Don’t think; - sense and feel for the answers. Learning to meditate is an essential to help quiet the brain in order to tune-in.

Understand that there is only one truth to any situation. Stick to that truth and don’t waver even if others disagree or people don’t like the answer.

Know. True psychic ability gives us an inner knowing about things, a total surety without the need for any other evidence. It’s never doubting this knowing and encouraging it at all times that keeps us close to the cosmic truths…..

These things are the hardest part of the path.. Reading itself comes naturally although it is necessary to learn techniques to hone our skills and to understand how to interpret messages and to protect against negative energy.

The secrets of the universe are all there staring us in the face. It’s just that we are never going to fully understand them just by thinking…we have to access them using all of our senses and intuition, and once we can we see the real truth, the real magic behind things and it changes our understanding forever….

Have fun on your spiritual journey

Steve Gunn – Master Psychic

http://stevegunn.net
http://www.keen.com/uk+psychic
http://www.topukpsychic.com
steve@stevegunn.net

Source: High Quality Article Database - 365articles.com

Destiny and Free Will – the hidden secrets

Working as a psychic medium and healer I meet many people from all walks of life- from pop stars and pa’s, princes and paupers, the wise and the not so wise.

As well as the usual “what’s going to happen” advise, I specialize in reading, guiding and teaching people who are undergoing the most major traumas – people who feel like they’ve wandered off their life path. From losing a loved one or a soul mate, to people who just think their life is somehow cursed with bad luck from years of trying to push forward and repeatedly meeting opposition, lack or opportunity or suffering at the hands of others.

In these extreme cases destiny’s fingerprints are usually to be found everywhere and “WHY” is always the question.

In order to understand why the individuals have to experience such life traumas we need to look at the big picture; their destiny, life purpose and Karma.

The secret is that the universe has purpose – rules and challenges. Nobody is here by accident; we are all here to live out our life’s purpose, to learn from experience and to walk the path. No life is pointless, it’s all about progression, learning and succession to a higher level - something that even transcends one physical lifetime because our soul returns to continue the progression.

This is our KARMA, the grand plan for our lives – the credits and debits, the good and the bad – the path we must tread.

When we can instinctively ‘tune in’ to that karma, we find the purpose and the reasons for our lessons and can finally find our true path, to understand what’s happening and why - and to walk the path in peace and happiness. In other words we can free ourselves.

It never fails to amuze me when people call up and ask when they will meet their soulmate; but of course he or she has to be no older than 27, tall, rich and good looking. And of course if they could me them before the holidays that would be great. These are the same people who will most likely call me again in a few years in misery, married to the wrong person and unable to move on because of commitments.

Another type of reading are the ones who expect the universe to deliver everything at their door and take care of everything without making any effort. The “I know he’s not good for me but I’ll stay until something happens or I meet someone else”

But we and destiny both have a part to play in order to move along the path. She will present the opportunities and challenges but we must continue to walk the path.

The secret is understanding how WHAT WE WANT and what’s MEANT TO BE sometimes coincide, and frequently contradict. Sounds simple but as always, in the simplest of things is to be found the greatest wisdom.

Consider our destined path as a route through a maze. The maze represents all of the possible challenges and rewards, all of the ups and downs, and all the people who we will meet who are destined to come into our lives to bring happiness or conflict.

Within that framework of the maze we have free will. At any point we can turn left or right, go straight ahead or go back. As humans we frequently have the illusion that life is totally free will. After all we can choose what to wear, where to go, who to marry and what color we want our décor. But ( didn’t you just know there was a but ! ) in some things we ultimately don’t.

Our ‘free will’ and our destiny are ultimately intertwined by the fact of our existence within the predefined framework of the karma – the maze – the framework of the path from birth to death and ultimately rebirth.

What I mean is that if we are meant to pass a certain point, a certain key destined event, then we will. We can temporarily attempt to avoid these events and make a sharp left turn because we have our free will – but we will just eventually again arrive at the same junction having gone around in a big circle but having learned something very valuable on the way – a karmic lesson. Fear, doubt, needing to control and other people’s influence can all make us take these choices in our lives but ultimately we can not avoid destiny, and that’s why the maze is such a good analogy.

This is why with these karmic events psychics often tell you that we cannot predict time with any great accuracy – especially where it involves another person learning a karmic lesson . . Having said that many will offer you 97% accuracy and a whole lot of other promises but realize that it’s only the timing that is in the domain of the free will of the person, the outcome is pre destined. Let’s just make this clear, it’s not the better the psychic the better they can read time, it just doesn’t work that way so beware..

Yes of course most psychics will see that new job opportunity arriving within the month and most will be right on that timing because its not a lesson, not your free will and not dependant on another person fulfilling karma.– it’s a pre destined gift from the universe that was always meant to occur at that time and therefore it can be easily seen within a time frame. In other words it’s an approaching junction in your maze.

But will you take the job…and when..that’s the free will element….

The universe really doesn’t care what you wear or what color you choose to dye your hair, however in these key life lessons we are talking here, where our free will and what we’ve learned is driving which route we take, timing is in the hands of the individual What is destined is the ultimate outcome.

Take for example soul mates, a classic “when will s/he return” question. Well the answer is when they have circled within their own maze long enough to realize that resistance is futile and that they have to come in your direction. How long will that take ? – well that’s something they have a choice of. It’s their karmic lesson…… What can be easily seen is that they will come your way, they have to. And it’s that nagging undoubtable voice within you that knows that. Your guides are telling you all the time that this is something that HAS to happen and its unavoidable.

People say to me “oh well my lesson is patience” – no. It’s FAITH. Understand that things that have to happen will happen. Don’t be a slave to the timing, you have your own path to walk and many other things that need to be encountered on the way. Ultimately free will cannot overcome destiny it can only delay things but each person needs to learn their lesson before they can move forward. And they will - the universe has much more control than we realize. What will be will be……….

The ultimate goal is to transcend our fears and doubts, to relinquish control, to be open to opportunity and to be prepared to follow the path to wherever it leads. Frequently we as humans ‘want’ our path to be a straight line from where we are now to what we want and set off in that straight line assuming it’s going to work. Understand that it may well be that there are twists and turns, unexpected events, challenges and also unexpected rewards.

Use those instincts, intuition, senses and emotions. We all have them and through them we are guided in the right direction…Psychics will help you because we are gifted to see so much more and can point the way and tell you what’s meant to happen.

If you make a decision based upon your best instincts and it felt right but it all went wrong then realize that although its been a challenge and a lesson, its just something you had to go through to get to an even better place and without having transcended that challenge, that experience, you couldn’t get to where you are going. Somewhere much better !

Wanting and deciding are mental functions that can create an alternate mental reality that what we decide to do is what really IS. That’s not the case, it can and will just keep us going around in circles.

Information is coming to you from your instincts and senses all the time and it isn’t wrong……..Listen to those instincts – be prepared to take what life deals with faith and hope. Be brave, walk the path and above all, as I say to everyone….

DON’T THINK - SENSE ! You wont be led in the wrong direction

Love light and luck on your journey

Steve Gunn

http://stevegunn.net/
http://www.keen.com/uk+psychic
http://www.topukpsychic.com
email: steve@stevegunn.net

Source: High Quality Article Database - 365articles.com