Whoo Gives a Hoot? How We Are Like the Wise Old Owl – An Uncharacteristic Comparison

Posted on October 17, 2012 by savi0043

“Whoo” gives a hoot? The wise old owl does! Come take a journey of comparison and find out how we, like the owl, have traits of adaptation, which allow us a full measure of wisdom in our daily lives. Comparing seven distinct characteristics of survival, we journey through life…keen sight and hearing, power and precision, and more. We truly are wise old owls, ultimately.

WHOO Gives a Hoot? How We Are Like the Wise Old Owl – An Uncharacteristic Comparison!
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Saijin_Kurash]Saijin Kurash

This is the first article of a 10-part series. Over the next 10 articles, you will learn:

1. Synchronicity: How You are like the Wise Old Owl with his Unique and often Unpredictable and Inscrutable Ways

2. The Ways of Wisdom: Learning how to Learn and Leaving a Legacy

3. The Timing and Power of Now: Making the Invisible Visible

4. Gift Giving by Telling: Your Expertise and Wisdom

5. Casting off and Setting Sail-Taking off the Mask—Moving Ahead-Making a Difference–Serving

6. Standing in your Power-Guardian Angels and Inner Wisdom

7. Challenges-Removing Blocks and Inhibitions

8. Mentors and Resources to Guide You in Your Journey of Life and Living

9. Focused Action and Taking Hold of the Reins in Your Own Way

10. Long-term Potential and Goals Worth Pursuing in this Experience of Living with Purpose

Let the Journey Begin!

Again, Whoo gives a hoot? I’ll take a gander it’s the wise old owl! Let me explain. The owl asks us a question. It asks us, Who. Who are you? Who do you want to become? I say that makes him quite wise. Consider his competitors: The parrot? He only repeats. The hyena? He only laughs. But the owl? He asks. The first tell-tale sign of wisdom.

It is not the answers a man has that makes him wise. It’s the questions he asks. Confucius

So, let us now draw a comparison, not between the owl and his competitors, but between the owl and ourselves. I think you’ll like what I’ve found. Come, now, let us take flight together for a bird’s eye view of wisdom as we consider the seven most distinctive characteristics and adaptations of survival between the Owl and Ourselves!

First, let us consider their keen eyesight. The owl has the best night vision of any creature on earth. Their eyes are in the front of their heads, giving them good depth perception, in fact, so much so that they can snatch prey while in flight. Not unlike the owl, we all have learned to adapt to whatever environment we find ourselves in. We do this by looking beneath the surface of things. Seeing things as they really are and not as they might appear to be. We have developed this keen ability to see not just with our physical eyes but from a larger, grander perspective. We spiritually refer to this as VISION. It is this ability of vision, to truly see, that allows us to adapt to the extreme circumstances and events of our lives. It is our vision that carries us through the imperfections of our lives.

Some men see the world as it is and ask why; other see the world as it might be and ask why not. George Bernard Shaw.

The owl has a keen sense of hearing. It has a disk-like pattern of feathers on its face, which funnels sound to its ears. By illustration, an owl can hear the snap of a twig over 82 feet away! This keen sense of hearing allows the owl to hunt for prey in virtually total darkness. Comparably, the human ear can respond to minute variations of air pressure when in the audible range. The ear is capable of responding to the greatest range of stimuli than any of our other senses! This, however, is not the most significant characteristic. We are able to discern and differentiate sound. We call it selective hearing. We have the ability to listen with our hearts and minds as well as our ears. We can turn this ability to hear into perception and understanding.

Speak softly, for those who can not hear an angry shout, may strain to hear a whisper. -Will Odon ‘The Host’

Owls are nocturnal. The owl has the honorary title of Lord of the Night, deservingly so because of this distinction of its ability to hunt after dark when its prey is active. Ah! The dreams that come in the night! That which weighs on our hearts and minds in the brightness of the noon-day sun oftentimes is clarified through symbolic messages of the night. We know the old adage, Why don’t you just sleep on it! The morning often dawns with new understanding and direction. The night! The stars and moon, the planets and the universe-They all speak to us. We have birth charts, numerology, astrology, tarot and other forms of divination. We have the mystery and wonder of holy writ in many forms, preserved treasures of hidden knowledge for those who seek to enter its portals.

The interpretation of dreams is the royal road to a knowledge of the unconscious activities of the mind. Sigmund Freud

The owl is further adapted to survival by its ability to move its head 270 degrees. This adaptation allows it to stay virtually still, and yet be able to rotate its head to see in virtually all directions. Oh, that we could be more like the owl in this regard! Yes, it’s true, I wonder, if mothers do have eyes in the back of their heads. And speculate in agreement that there is the “third eye” that we may open on the road to enlightenment. That the eye is the window to the soul, I believe whole-heartedly. It’s the being still part that we have a problem with. And yet, it is in our stillness that we best see, best hear, best learn, best know. We are instructed by wise ones to pray, to meditate, to “Be still and know that I am God.” Yet, this is perhaps our most unpracticed and yet-to-be-accomplished potential. Self-discipline here is required.

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Owls are predators. The owl is nearly silent in flight. It can swoop down upon its prey because the design of its wingtips is such that the sound of its very flight is muffled. The owl has a stealth-like quality in flight. We can be silent, too! Or we can roar. We have the ability to discern when to do each. We sit quietly in class, in church, when an authority figure is speaking or out of respect. We know when we need to take a stand and speak up. When to whisper, “I love you.” and when to shout, “Call 911!” We know, but we need to practice to be stealth-like and accurate and win/win in our communications. The art of a lifetime. In the meantime, friends and loved ones filter through our words and accusations-our temper-tantrums, our immaturities and our voiced confusions, finding our true intentions and love us still. Within each of us is recognition of truth and we are on the path to reconciling ourselves to it. We will all be stealth-like someday.

It’s not: “What can life bring to me?” It’s: “Who am I? And how can I bring it to life?’ Debra Lindegren

Owls have talons. The owl’s talons are strong and powerful, designed in such a way that they can enclose and pierce its prey to ensure it does not get away. Now this is where we truly excel. We will grab hold of something and never let it go! The message of our times seems to be “Let it go! Let it go!” Still, we hold on to whatever it may be. We pierce it, obsess over it, cling to it, get stuck in it-with the viciousness of a dog on a bone! But I believe it is because we are learning from it. We can’t let go until we’ve learned everything we can from whatever “it” is. We’ve needed the experience and we will ruthlessly devour it until every thread of meaning has been unloosed from it. Then, and only then, can we let go because it will then no longer serve us.

I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble. Hellen Keller

This brings us to a very interesting characteristic of owls. They regurgitate pellets. Because the owl does not have teeth, it swallows its prey whole. What cannot be digested, after about 12 hours, is regurgitated in what is known as a pellet. Owl pellets are densely packed and lightweight when dry. The study and dissection of owl pellets as compared to those of other birds, produces the most information for scientists to analyze. As mentioned above, we hold onto things, usually much longer than 12 hours. But eventually we, too, like the owl, regurgitate our “pellets”. When we have consumed full meaning from our experiences, then, and only then, can the remainder be discarded without looking back. Ultimately, we are great pellet-makers! It’s the getting-stuck part that we often find ourselves in, knowing it’s time to let go, but hoarding and clinging instead. This, too, though is instructional and we will eventually move on. It is our wisdom that insists that we do so.

Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do. John Wooden

This brings our comparison of ourselves with owls to a close. Owls are perfectly adapted for survival. So are we. We can all be like the wise old owl. Emerson said, “Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.” And so, let us answer the question with the question itself. Who gives a hoot? Whoo! Gives a hoot!

Ultimately, when we live the journey of life from our heart of hearts, we are all wise old owls.

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye. Antoine de Saint-Exupery.

Come back again for the second article of the series: The Ways of Wisdom: Learning how to Learn and Leaving a Legacy A Journey Home in Unity, Saijin

Join us at [http://www.tellingtouch.com] where you will be able to sign up for updates during our site construction phase in preparation for launch date: November 20, 2006.

Also, visit us at our blog at http://tellingtouch.blogspot.com and get to know Saijin better. We look forward to your joining us for your TellingTouch! See you there!

TellingTouch is a dynamic force for good, inviting and challenging the expression of your soul’s unique journey through writing, journaling, storytelling, poetry, lyrics and autobiographical works, participating collectively in a synergistic community bearing the gifts of expression, expansion and appreciation, energizing and empowering the celebration of our lives NOW.

TellingTouch would like to thank Mr. Jim Cornish, Gander, Newfoundland, Canada for his information on owls.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?WHOO-Gives-a-Hoot?-How-We-Are-Like-the-Wise-Old-Owl—An-Uncharacteristic-Comparison!&id=298415] WHOO Gives a Hoot? How We Are Like the Wise Old Owl – An Uncharacteristic Comparison!

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Hoo Hoo – Owls and Superstitions, That’s Who

Posted on October 17, 2012 by savi0043

Superstitions surrounding owls have a long and ancient history. These nocturnal creatures often appear in horror mystery films, have been associated with dark, haunting night themes, and grace our Halloween d�cor each fall. Learn more about supertitions, legends and interesting facts about the wise old owl.

Hoo Hoo – Owls and Superstitions, That’s Who
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Rose_Smith]Rose Smith

Superstitions surrounding owls have a long and ancient history. These nocturnal creatures often appear in horror mystery films, have been associated with dark, haunting night themes, and grace our Halloween décor each fall. Their wide staring eyes give them a wise appearance, while the ability to turn their head around makes them fascinating and mysterious creatures. Tuffs of feathers on the top of an owl’s head gives them the appearance of horned devils and their piercing cries add to the spook effect found in the ancient folklore of many countries.

In many cultures owls were symbols of magic. In England, it was believed that if you cooked an owl’s eggs until they were ash, it could be used as a potion to improve eyesight. In India, if you ate an owl’s eyes you would get the same result.

Witches were often linked to owls. One Greek & Roman superstition believed that witches could turn themselves into an owl and then they would swoop down and suck the blood of babies. Other superstitions related to witches and owls were: that the owls were messengers for sorcerer’s and witches, that they danced together on the graves of the dead and that if you hear the hoot of an owl, then a witch approaches.

In today’s world, we have learned that most of these owl superstitions are just stories, born in a time when people were fearful and trying to find answers to their lives and environment. However, many of these legends survived over time. Here are some other interesting and somewhat strange superstitions that are linked to owls.

* An owl hooting or screeching at night could result in the death of a newborn baby, will cause the child to have an unhappy life, or possibly that the baby would become a witch. If the owl was heard screeching during cold weather it signaled that a storm was coming.

* Owls apparently are the only creatures that can live with ghosts, so if an owl is found nesting in an abandoned house, the place must be haunted.

* Death is often associated with owls such as if: an owl perches on the roof of your house or hearing an owl hooting constantly nearby.

* If a traveler dreamed of an owl, then that meant he would be robbed or possibly shipwrecked.

* A silly owl superstitions is that if you see an owl perched in a tree and you walk around and around that tree, the owl will follow you with it’s eyes, turning his head around until he wrings his own neck. (The reality is that an owl cannot turn his head completely around).

* Not all superstitions were bad. Owls were also believed to bring good fortune in some cultures. An Afghanistan legend states that it was the owl that presented humans with flint and iron so they could make fire. In exchange, man gave owls their feathers.

* The Aborigines of Australia believe that owls are the spirits of women and are therefore sacred, while in Brittany is was a good sign to see an owl on the way to the harvest as it meant that it would be a good yield that year.

* The owl is a symbol of guidance and help by the Inuit’s of Greenland, while the people of Indonesia saw them as wise beings using the owl’s different calls to determine whether to travel or not.

There are many, many more legends concerning the owl. The reality is that owls are very helpful to us as they are excellent at pest control, especially Barred Owls. They control the population of mice, voles, moles, rats, skunks, snakes, insects and slugs to name a few. So this Halloween, put together an owl superstition trivia sheet for the guests at your Halloween party and add a friendly wise old owl to your décor. It’s the perfect “night watchman”.

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Author Resource Information:

(c) 2005. Rose Smith is the owner of Halloween Howl, a website filled with Halloween party ideas, costumes, decorations, games, graphics, crafts and more. It’s Halloween fun for all ages! Come visit us at: http://www.halloweenhowl.com

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Hoo-Hoo—Owls-and-Superstitions,-Thats-Who&id=55827] Hoo Hoo – Owls and Superstitions, That’s Who

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Tips To Increase Your Profits – Offer a Guarantee

Posted on October 10, 2012 by savi0043

Want to dramatically increase your sales without impacting on your profits? Be bold and offer a guarantee for your services. It’s quick, easy and can be a game-changer for your profits.

Tips To Increase Your Profits – Offer a Guarantee
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kate_Marsden]Kate Marsden

It is well known in the internet world that offering a money back guarantee dramatically increases the rate of sales. So much so that you rarely see information products on the web that do not have a 30, 60 or even 90 day guarantee. But if you are just starting out with this idea it can be a scary concept. Will people abuse the offer? Will I be inundated with refund requests and have a cashflow problem? Is it too big a risk for me? But there are real advantages to your business if you do take this option.

1. Guarantees remove a sales barrier

Most people can be persuaded to buy if they think they have nothing to lose. Particularly for new customers, the reassurance that if they are not happy they will get their money back can make a huge difference to conversion rates. This works regardless of your product, service or sector.

2. Guarantees force you to deliver quality

If they were really honest, there are plenty of business owners who hide behind the fear that people will abuse this. What they are really worried about is whether they are up to the task. You think of the customers where there have been issues or you simply haven’t performed at your best. Just remember that everyone has those cases. Offering a guarantee will force a mindset that the customer needs to be satisfied – you just need to believe in your business.

3. Guarantees build trust with your business

By backing your business, you also demonstrate a level of trustworthiness for your customers. People are wary now, whether that is of buying things from the internet, trying new products for the first time or buying services with intangible results. Show them they can trust you and that if there is an issue you will sort it. Don’t make the guarantee complicated to use (or this will build distrust) – be easy and transparent and trust your customers.

4. Guarantees mark you out from the competition

You don’t need to understand much about customers or psychology to work out that given a choice between your competitor, with no guarantee, and you, with a guarantee, customers are likely to pick you. In some sectors this is now the norm (e.g. refunds on faulty clothes, guarantees on electrical goods for a year etc) – but there are still some areas where it is not. Stand out from the crowd. Tell people if they are not happy with your product they can get their money back, or that if your service does not wow them they’ll get a refund or that if they need to call you out again within a certain period you’ll come for free.

So, there are big advantages to guarantees. What about all those concerns you had about it being abused and you losing money? The reality is that it rarely happens. Most people will not deliberately abuse an offer like this unless they are genuinely unhappy. What will happen is that your sales will go up dramatically – you will get a small number of people asking to use the guarantee, but that will be more than covered by the extra sales.

Take action now and develop a compelling guarantee for your business.

Want help improving your business results? Click here for a free report – 52 ways to [http://ignitionkey.co.uk/signup.aspx]Boost your Profits! Kate Marsden is founder of Ignition Key Ltd and has 20 years business experience working at Director level for a number of well-known organisations. Kate provides businesses with advisory, support, coaching and mentoring services to enable them to step change their performance and restuls. For more information visit http://ignitionkey.co.uk/

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Tips-To-Increase-Your-Profits—Offer-a-Guarantee&id=7321715] Tips To Increase Your Profits – Offer a Guarantee

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Recipe: Game-Day Nachos

Posted on October 8, 2012 by savi0043

Makeover a traditionally fattening game day dish with this easy nachos recipe. Now you can have nachos anytime without the guilt.

Recipe: Game-Day Nachos
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Betsy_McGuire]Betsy McGuire

Well, football season is well underway which means fun get togethers while you ‘re cheering on your favorite team. You know how it goes, you’re doing your best to eat healthy until you’re invited to a party and confronted with tables filled with fattening, tempting favorites. So, what’s the best way to protect your healthy eating habits while still enjoying you’re favorite game-day foods? Bring your own “healthified” dish. That is, a dish that’s a favorite food without all the fat, calories, and sodium. If you’re like me, you’re always looking for a fun appetizer to bring to parties that doesn’t bust your healthy eating habits, so I set out to makeover one of my favorites – nachos!! Nachos (the old fashioned way) is a food I consider to be a very rare treat for myself. Considering a serving of beef nachos at restaurants can get you upwards of 1,000 calories, 50 grams of fat, and 3,500 mg of sodium, healthier alternatives seem like a pretty good idea. Check out my version. No more special occasion nachos. My recipe can be munched on much more frequently – guilt free. Why not share it with your friends at your next game-day get together?

Chicken Nachos Grande
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast (using a rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut)
7 cups baked tortilla chips
8 oz reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
4 teaspoons lime juice
� teaspoon garlic powder
� teaspoon onion powder
� teaspoon pepper
� teaspoon cumin

topping ideas
reduced-fat sour cream
sliced black olives
salsa
chopped green onions
chopped tomatoes
sliced jalapenos

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the lime juice, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and cumin in a small bowl. Place the shredded chicken in a large bowl and add the lime juice/seasoning mix. Toss thoroughly. In a greased 9×13 pan, layer half of the tortilla chips, half the seasoned chicken, then half the cheese. Repeat layers. Bake, uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Remove from oven and add toppings of your choice.

Betsy McGuire invites you to visit http://www.chickpeawellness.com/ and sign up to receive her mind, body, and spirit blog the day entries are made. You can also “like” Chickpea Wellness on Facebook and receive new articles on your wall.

Copyright 2012 Chickpea Wellness, LLC

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Recipe:-Game-Day-Nachos&id=7308019] Recipe: Game-Day Nachos

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Astrology Forecast for October 2012 – General Tendencies For All Sun Signs

Posted on October 8, 2012 by savi0043

October could bring a return to normalcy. That nasty Uranus-Pluto square that we have been under all Summer will finally lighten up this month, and Saturn and Neptune will be singing in harmony through the first half of October. We may even want to kick back and enjoy the fruits of our labors during this month of harvest. Early this month Jupiter will turn retrograde, and Mars will be fighting with Neptune, which could bring a little bad luck and stupidity. Also as we approach the end of October, Mars will hit a conflict with Jupiter, which could bring a few more problems, but probably only minor ones. All in all, the month of October may bring a few tough days, and a few very fortunate days, but mostly many uneventful days encouraging us to relax and enjoy.

Astrology Forecast for October 2012 – General Tendencies for All Sun Signs
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Janet_Moon]Janet Moon

October could bring a return to normalcy. That nasty Uranus-Pluto square that we have been under all Summer will finally lighten up this month, and Saturn and Neptune will be singing in harmony through the first half of October. We may even want to kick back and enjoy the fruits of our labors during this month of harvest. Early this month Jupiter will turn retrograde, and Mars will be fighting with Neptune, which could bring a little bad luck and stupidity. Also as we approach the end of October, Mars will hit a conflict with Jupiter, which could bring a few more problems, but probably only minor ones. All in all, the month of October may bring a few tough days, and a few very fortunate days, but mostly many uneventful days encouraging us to relax and enjoy.

Venus will be joining the Saturn-Neptune melody as this month begins. This could bring career opportunities through Wednesday, October 3rd, but there is a danger that we may not see those opportunities from a practical eye. Jupiter will be at retrograde station on Thursday, October 4th, and this could bring some bad luck and pessimism. But, Mercury will join Saturn’s song of praise to Neptune on Friday, October 5th, as Mercury and Saturn enter the sign of Scorpio together. We may realize that we have more (money, love, respect, accomplishments, etc.) than we thought we did. Our energy level may drop for the weekend of October 6th with Mars and Neptune battling. It would be best to keep schedules and commitments light through Monday, October 8th.

Our energy should return rather quickly as the week begins on Monday, October 8th. Opportunities and happiness should abound through Wednesday, October 10th, but some may also notice an underlying tension or restlessness. Job interviews, romantic relationships, and even situations with authority figures should go well during this time. That return to normalcy, I mentioned above, should enter our lives on Thursday, October 11th, and life through the rest of the week will probably only have a few minor ups and downs. We may find our hopes and our ideas looking towards the future through the weekend of October 13th. It would be an excellent weekend to write down our “wish list,” with the Libra New Moon early Monday morning.

There will be no “blue Mondays” on Monday, October, 15th. We should awaken energized and optimistic, with a feeling of calm and even happiness. There could be a few personal upsets and our judgement may be off through Tuesday night, so take time to think. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. The Moon will enter bright and shiny Sagittarius on Wednesday, and the rest of the week will be a time for adventure and maybe even some nobility. The weekend of October 20th could turn out to be very productive with the Moon in hard working Capricorn approaching its balanced 2nd quarter.

The Sun will enter Scorpio on Monday, October 22nd, and spend the rest of the week catching up to Saturn. The Sun will be echoing compliments from Neptune on Monday and Tuesday, October 22nd and 23rd, and this could bring friendship, romance, and new ideals into our lives. The Sun will then spend Wednesday and Thursday, October 24th and 25th crossing in front of Saturn. This may encourage us to think seriously about our lives and our goals. Mercury and Venus will also be holding hands on Thursday giving us an overall feeling of well being. Think twice before spending around the weekend of October 27th with Mars and Jupiter at a stand-off. Mars is energy, and Jupiter is the amplifier. Some of us may go to extremes, also business investments and gambling could show a loss. By all means, practice moderation.

Mercury and Neptune will be causing misunderstandings and possibly even a little stupidity as we approach the Taurus Full Moon on Monday, October 29th. There could be bull-headed attitudes to deal with, so be sure to practice diplomacy. There could also be some possibilities for creative changes in the air, if we just pay attention. People may get impulsive and moody for Halloween, Tuesday, October 31st. Watch out for the pranksters.

Next month is going to be a November to remember. We will have two eclipses and a Mercury retrograde to endure before the month ends. Check back next month to find out more.

Janet (Sparrow) Moon is a professional psychic and astrologer. You can visit her web site for more articles about upcoming events in astrology, and to read her daily astrology general tendencies forecast. (This article can be reprinted freely online, as long as the entire article and this bio are included.) http://www.sparrowmoon.com/

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Astrology-Forecast-for-October-2012—General-Tendencies-for-All-Sun-Signs&id=7301066] Astrology Forecast for October 2012 – General Tendencies for All Sun Signs

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