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Japanese Good Luck Darumas

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never_give_up

From the time I was a child I was fascinated with the slightly scary Daruma dolls that I would see in the Japanese stores my mom would take me to. I knew that they were good luck and that if you added the right pupil while concentrating on your wish that it would lead to the fulfillment of that wish, after which you could paint in the left pupil. I did not have a daruma until I was an adult and wanted to remind myself of specific goals which I had set for myself.

The Daruma doll is modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen sect of Buddhism. Bodhidharma was a Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th/6th century CE. He is traditionally credited as the transmitter of Ch’an (Zen) to China. One legend claims that he sat facing a wall in meditation for a period of nine years without moving, which caused his legs to fall off from atrophy. Another popular legend is that after falling asleep during his nine-year meditation, he became angry with himself and cut off his eyelids to avoid ever falling asleep again.

It is quite powerful to see a Daruma with one pupil colored in, because it causes you to recall your goal. The custom is partially explained through a promise to Daruma-san to give him full sight once your goal is attained, thus motivating him to grant your wish. I believe in the power of these dolls because they serve as a constant reminder of whatever goal or dream you have chosen and keep you on track so that it comes to fruition. I had a Daruma when I was in medical school which helped me to maintain focus during the most arduous times during my education and training. The day that I was able to paint in the other pupil was a very powerful one indeed. Now I have a Daruma sitting on my desk with the right pupil painted in which is a representation of my goal to attain IFBB Pro Status. I see this Daruma daily and am more fixated on this goal than I have been in the entire five years that I have been competing. Painting in that left pupil will be a delicious reward indeed.

Clarisonic Brushes For Clean Skin

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clarisonic-brush

I am very skeptical of any gadgets which emerge in the world of skincare and do quite a bit of research before applying my stamp of approval to them. However, I have used a medical-grade Clarisonic Pro brush for over two years on my own skin and wholeheartedly stand by this device. The Clarisonic uses sonic energy to loosen oil, dirt and makeup and only takes 60 seconds to use. When skin is well cleansed, moisturizers and serums which are applied afterwards are absorbed much more efficiently, and the texture and tone of the skin will improve with continued use. In fact, I recently visited with a friend who had begun using the Clarisonic brush system at the beginning of the year, and her skin was glowing from regular usage. She looked younger and more rested than I had ever seen her.

There is no question that the Clarisonic brush cleanses the skin much more thoroughly than when you just use your hands, and since the brush heads are very gentle, there is little to no risk of stripping or overcleansing the skin. Each time you use the Clarisonic brush you will be rewarded with glowing, clean skin. I say this without any vested interest in the company and do not have anything to gain financially or otherwise by encouraging the use of the Clarisonic brush.

Here is a Google link which will lead you to several sites where you can purchase the Clarisonic Pro. The investment is well worth it!

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/11311579382169748493?q=buy%20clarisonic%20pro&hl=en&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&biw=1366&bih=667&sa=X&ei=LK6SUeanCqXxigLZpIGgBA&ved=0CFQQ8wIwAA

Tossing And Turning? Cures For Insomnia

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man-sleepingIt can be incredibly frustrating to toss and turn in bed when the thing you want the most is to slip into blessed slumber. Insomnia is often aggravated by the chronic use of medications and an erratic schedule. Here are some tips which should help people with insomnia.

1. Establish a regular sleep schedule. Try to go to sleep at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning.
2. Create a relaxing bedroom environment. Your bedroom should be quiet and relaxing.
3. Remove electronics from the bedroom. TVs and computers should not be in your bedroom.
4. Use your bed only for sleep. Do not read or watch TV while you are in bed.
5. Avoid eating a large meal before bedtime.
6. If you can’t fall asleep after ten minutes, get out of bed and do something in another room until you feel sleepy again.
7. Use relaxation techniques when you lie down to sleep. Here is a great technique which promotes deep relaxation:

Lie on your back in bed. In this exercise you will imagine that parts of your body feel warm and heavy. Once that body part feels warm and heavy, you will move onto the next body part.

“My head feels warm and heavy.”
“My shoulders feel warm and heavy.”
“My chest feels warm and heavy.”
“My arms feel warm and heavy.”
“My hands feel warm and heavy.”
“My belly feels warm and heavy.”
“My hips feel warm and heavy.”
“My legs feel warm and heavy.”
“My feet feel warm and heavy.”

All American

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Mixed RaceSince I am of mixed ethnicity I am accustomed to having people ask me what my blend is. The question which is usually asked is, “What is your nationality?”, when I know that the person is actually asking about my ethnicity. My nationality is American since I was born in the United States and am an American citizen. But my ethnicity is a blend of Asian and Caucasian. It REALLY irks me when people assume that the Caucasian portion is “American”. This is a gross generalization, inaccurate and incorrect. There are “Americans” who have no Caucasian blood whatsoever, and there are Caucasians who are not American, so why make such an assumption?

Allow my to clarify my background. My mother is full-blooded Japanese and was born and raised in Hawaii when it was a territory of the United States and not yet accepted as a state. My father was full-blooded Hungarian, from Hungary, and thus was NOT an American. Nevertheless, I will hear people say, “Oh, your mom is Japanese and your dad is American.” WRONG. I am a true Eurasian.