Finding St. Anthony

St. Anthony of Padua was actually born in Lisbon, Portugal; but he died in Padua and is interred there at his basilica.  He was born Fernando Martins de Bulhoes, and came from a wealthy noble family in Lisbon.  Young Fernando was educated at fine parochial schools, and decided to become a priest.

Around 1219, Fernando befriended some Franciscan priests who eventually became killed for their Christian beliefs.  He was so touched by the heroic sacrifice of these men, that Fernando requested permission to join their order.  He then became known as Anthony, in honor of St. Anthony the Great, after whom his order's chapel was named.  Anthony had planned a pilgrimage to Morocco, but because of illness, he stayed in Italy and continued his work there.  He travelled all over Italy -- Sicily, Tuscany, and Romagna where he stayed for awhile, unable to travel because of his poor health.  It was there in the San Paolo hospice that he worked in the kitchen, learning, praying, and helping the other priests and comforting the patients.

His preaching abilities became known around the time when the Franciscans had hosted some Dominican priests as guests.  The Franciscans had expected the Dominicans to preside over their religious services, however they had come unprepared.  Anthony stepped up to deliver the sermon -- everyone was simply blown away by his powerful voice, charismatic presence, and the depth of feeling that his sermon contained.  His superior then assigned Anthony to preach in northern Italy, where he met the founder of the Franciscan order, St. Francis of Assisi.  He continued teaching and preaching in northern Italy and the south of France, until his passing in 1231.  He was 36 years old.  St. Anthony was canonized a year later, in 1232.

Saints are often exhumed after some time passes, and St. Anthony was no exception.  Although most of his body showed typical signs of decomposition, his tongue seemed to be in perfect shape as if it were still alive.  St. Anthony's tongue, jawbone, and vocal cords -- which many say represent the divine gift of his preaching abilities, are all still displayed in the basilica which was named after him.

Today, we associate St. Anthony with lost people, spirits, and objects.  He is known as the Patron Saint of the Lost, and can help us find things that we're having trouble finding.  The simplest prayer to St. Anthony that I know, which was used regularly in my childhood home, is: "Dear St. Anthony, please come around; something is lost and needs to be found."  Some people are even more informal with this saint, using this rhyme:  "Tony, Tony, come around; something's lost and can't be found."  Some may consider using a nickname for a saint to be rather disrespectful, but others have maintained that using such a casual form of address is a form of friendly affection.

Here's another prayer to restore lost objects; it's longer than the simple one-liners.
O blessed St. Anthony, the grace of God has made you a powerful advocate in all our needs and the patron for the restoring of things lost or stolen. I turn to you today with childlike love and deep confidence. You have helped countless children of God to find the things they have lost, material things, and, more importantly, the things of the spirit: faith, hope, and love. I come to you with confidence; help me in my present need. I recommend what I have lost to your care, in the hope that God will restore it to me, if it is His holy Will.


Photo credit: The second picture (statue) was taken by Violette79 of Flickr.  Thank you SO much for sharing under the Creative Commons license! :)

The Beauty & Power of Crystals

Crystals are a paradox of strength and fragility. From the earth, these amazing stones possess an ethereal beauty and power. Crystals are lovely decorations, but they also serve practical functions as well. Crystals are relatively soft minerals, often categorized by their lead content. Because of their malleability, they can be shaped in an infinite number of ways to capture and reflect light.

Not only are these brilliant minerals awe-inspiring in their natural states or when cut into lovely shapes, they can also be used to make goods for the home, such as vases, serving utensils, candelabras, and wine glasses. Crystal is versatile and goes with everything, so it's often a "go to" style when choosing gifts for someone special. They make wonderful pieces for the household, as they can mix well with a casual and informal style, as well as the most elegant!

Many people use crystals for healing and to aid in their meditations. They can be used this way for a multitude of holistic practices. Since the dawn of civilization, people have been using crystals to aid in their mental, spiritual, and even physical health. Some people will acquire collections of them to arrange in various ways throughout their home, believing crystals will promote their health, peace of mind, and abundance. Some wear crystals or keep them nearby during meditation to help them focus. When worn, they can not only be powerful conductors of positive energy as they lie close to the body, but they can also enhance any outfit and express your own personal sense of style.

Crystals, and crystal items, can be found everywhere from high-end shops to jewelry stores, from specialty new-age shops to the corner drug store. The best part is that crystals and crystal items can range in price from only a couple of dollars or less, such as Swarovski crystals, all the way up to famous gems like painite or jeremejevite, which are considered priceless. You needn't spend a fortune to enjoy the beauty of crystals, however. Not only are they versatile and widely available, but crystals can enrich anyone's life with their brilliance.

Speak Up & Save the Internet!

Millions of Americans oppose SOPA and PIPA because these bills would censor the Internet and slow economic growth in the U.S.

Two bills before Congress, known as the Protect IP Act (PIPA) in the Senate and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the House, would censor the Web and impose harmful regulations on American business. Millions of Internet users and entrepreneurs already oppose SOPA and PIPA.

The Senate will begin voting on January 24th. Please let them know how you feel. Sign this petition urging Congress to vote NO on PIPA and SOPA before it is too late.

Sign the petition here.  And be sure to use the widget below to call your representatives to urge them NOT to censor the internet!


To help even more, please share this blog entry (or the links) with anyone and everyone that you can -- repost in your blog!  Forward to your friends and family via email!  Share via Twitter and Facebook.  Do it now, before the internet is changed (for the worse) forever!

Thank you!!!

Dalai Lama's Personality Test

A note: I didn't write this, it's just one of those things that has been circulating around the internet for years. You don't have to make a wish or send it to anyone, but if you haven't seen it yet, feel free to take the test. It is actually kind of fun! 

The Dalai Lama is said to have put forward this personality test.

See if it works for you.

Just 4 questions and the answers could surprise you.

Do not cheat by looking up the answers first. There are no right or wrongs.

The mind is like a parachute, it works best when it is opened.
This is fun to do, but you have to follow the instructions very closely.

Do not cheat.

MAKE A WISH BEFORE BEGINNING THE TEST


A Warning!

Answer the questions as you go along.

There are only four questions and if you see them all before finishing, you
will not have honest results.

Go down slowly and do each exercise as you scroll down.

Don't look ahead.

Get pencil and paper to write your answers as you go along. You will need it at the end.

This is an honest questionnaire which could tell you a lot about your true
self.

QUESTION 1
Put the following 5 animals in the order of your preference.
Cow
Tiger
Sheep
Horse
Pig


QUESTION 2
Write one word that describes each one of the following:
Dog
Cat
Rat
Coffee
Sea



QUESTION 3
Think of someone (who also knows you and is important to you) that you can
relate to the following colours.  Do not repeat your answer twice.  Name just one person for each colour.

Yellow
Orange
Red
White
Green



QUESTION 4
Write down your favorite number and your favorite day of the week.

NOW, Wish for something you REALLY WANT.



Look at the interpretations below: (but first before continuing, repeat
your wish.)


Answers to Question 1 (This will define your priorities in your life.)
Cow -- CAREER
Tiger -- PRIDE
Sheep -- LOVE
Horse -- FAMILY
Pig -- MONEY


Answers to Question 2 (Your answer describes how you see the following.)
Dog -- yourself
Cat -- your partner
Rat -- your enemies
Coffee -- your opinions on sex
Sea -- your own life
  

Answers to Question 3
Yellow -- Someone you will never forget
Orange -- Someone you consider your true friend
Red -- Someone that you really love
White --  Your twin soul
Green -- Someone that you will remember for the rest of your life



Answers to Question 4
You are asked to do a good turn to the same number of people as is your favourite number, and your wish will come true on the day that you wrote down.

The Healing Art of Reflexology

Reflexology is an ancient healing technique involving massage, usually of the feet, but sometimes of the hands. It has been used in Egypt as well as in Asian countries such as China for over three thousand years. Reflexology can have wonderful benefits on one's emotional and mental well-being, which can in turn improve physical health as well.

Western medicine's view of the human foot is that it is merely another part of the body. It is composed of muscles, joints, and bones; but the premise of reflexology shows that within the foot is the power to heal other parts of the body. The main premise is that all of the organs and cells in the body are connected by a network of nerves that are concentrated in the feet, through specific reflex points. A reflexologist knows how to apply pressure to each of these reflex points upon the sole of the feet, or on the sides of each foot, in order to stimulate these spots to promote healing throughout the body.

Foot massage as a general practice has become much more prevalent in Western society as a remedy for stress-related ailments, and also as a holistic method of treatment because it can help to treat conditions as a whole, rather than just to address the symptoms of one specific illness. Using reflexology is a gradual and gentle treatment, so patience and a big-picture outlook will be needed. Multiple visits to a reflexologist are often suggested in order to get the most out of this practice.

Please note: While reflexology is fun and enjoyable, and is largely non-invasive, please check with your doctor before doing this.  Some massage techniques may not be advisable for people with certain health issues.  Be safe and enjoy!

Also, feel free to have a look at the reflexology chart that I just made!

Gandhi's Seven Deadly Sins

1.  Wealth without work.


2.  Pleasure without conscience.

3.  Science without humanity.

4.  Knowledge without character.

5.  Politics without principle.

6.  Commerce without morality.

7.  Worship without sacrifice.

The Ten Traits of an Assassin

Jenna Elfman plays Ellena Roberts in
the 2002 Lifetime movie, Obsessed.

In one of my favorite Lifetime movies, Obsessed, from 2002, Jenna Elfman plays a character by the name of Ellena Roberts who is infatuated with a well-known surgeon.  When her infatuation crosses the line from fantasy into reality -- in the form of Ellena harrassing Dr. David Stillman and his family -- her behavior becomes criminal.  One of the reasons that I love this movie so much is because so much of the plot is ambiguous, leaving the viewer to wonder just what the initial nature of their relationship was, and exactly what the hell was going on in Ellena's head?  The way that Ellena views the world is also very different than reality: colors are a bit more vivid while the "focus" is more fluid and romantic, as opposed to the hard matter-of-fact point of view as voiced by her victim, Dr. Stillman.  While a lot of the dialogue may be overdramatic and lacking credibility (such as Vlasta Vrana's psychiatrist character declaring that Ellena Roberts has "seven of the ten traits of an assassin"), the story's interesting twists and various plot devices makes this movie a guilty pleasure that you can really sink your teeth into. 

Like many people, I couldn't help but search the internet to find out the real traits of an assassin.  Unfortunately, it would seem that the writers of this classic have invented such criteria.  What might they look like?  Here's my list:

1.  Lack of conscience.  This has got to be the number-one requirement in traits of an assassin.  If the subject feels the least amount of remorse, it will be difficult to carry out destructive tasks.  Regret should rarely occur, and when it does, can be easily replaced with delusions and rationalizations.

2.  Cunning.  An assassin must be able to "think outside the box" and determine as many methods as possible toward achieving the final outcome.  Unconventional or unusual ways of looking at the world -- or clever ways of acquiring and applying knowledge -- is an advantage to the assassin.

3.  Versatility.  The ability to use many tools in order to get the job done is vital, so the subject should be able to learn quickly and adapt to new surroundings.  Assassins will also treat other people as useful tools in order to complete their work.

4.  Charm and glibness.  Because assassins often need to infiltrate their prey's surroundings in order to get the job done, the assassin must have extra-special powers of persuasion.  Knowing how to manipulate other people will go a long way toward completing their malicious goals.

5.  Pathological tendencies.  It's a lot easier to be a mercenary of any sort if you're more able to justify your nefarious actions.  Assassins never feel remorse, and in fact, may have an "avenging angel" complex.

6.  Risk taking.  Someone with assassin tendencies will naturally be duplicitous and have no problems with treacherous or tricky scenarios.  He or she can easily adapt to treacherous conditions, and may even enjoy the thrill of dangerous situations.

7.  Restlessness.  An assassin doesn't like to sit still for long.  Someone who is truly cold-blooded or devious very likely craves drama and excitement.  Any adrenaline junkie will tell you that once you've experienced a rush like this, it's hard to stop looking for thrills.

8.  Untrustworthy.  An assassin will do or say anything to gain access to their prey's demise.  Lies come easily.  Cheating, stealing, and lying -- all destructive acts -- come easy to the assassin, especially if there is something to be gained from them.

9.  Chaotic life.  Problems may abound for an assassin, who has difficulty understanding and respecting the boundaries of others.  This type of poor judgement often manifests in chaos and drama of his or her own making.

10.  Nothing to lose.  While this trait may appear to contradict the previous one, you must get inside the mind of an assassin to truly understand. A person like this may have fragile (if any) real connections to anyone or anything, and can easily abandon those connections if it's advantageous of him or her to do so.

Because Ellena didn't actually perform any violent acts in the movie, it would seem that her crimes (at least the ones that she committed) were more of the emotional variety.  I would classify her as more of an emotional vampire than an assassin.  However, many of the traits above do seem to describe her character.

This movie was based on a true story, about a woman named Diane Schaefer who stalked an oncologist in New York for many years.  She was eventually sentenced to 2 years in prison during the 1990s.

Photo Credit:  Thanks to Greg Hernandez who made this photo available under a Creative Commons license.  (It has been altered, the original can be found here.)  I appreciate it, and I'm sure so do those who have come here searching for the 10 traits of an assassin! :)