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Bathroom Designs – Idea for Starting Your Bathroom Remodeling Project the “Right” Way! (Part One)

In developing bathroom designs, an idea that will certainly raise its head is to jump right into your design without a lot of research.

This is the worst thing that you could do. Bathroom remodelling takes a large amount of careful planning. But it can be reduced to 5 distinct steps.

Start with the Bathroom Design – Imagine in your mind, as clearly as possible exactly what it is in your bathroom designs – idea after idea will start to surface. Write down some details as you think of them.

Imagine how it will feel to sit at a dressing table in your bathroom designs – an idea that is quite feasible, if you have the space. Feel the dressing table, sit comfortably in the chair. Smell the cosmetics or after shaves collected on your dressing table.

You should be able to visualize every little detail of your bathroom designs – ideas for everything should be addressed before leaving this critical stage of the planning procedure.

Get it right in your mind and your bathroom designs idea will come together in “reality” just that much easier!

If you find yourself having trouble visualizing what you want, go somewhere that you usually do not frequent. Someplace quiet and peaceful. Then, sit back comfortably (or lie down) and close your eyes. Breath in through your nose and exhale through your mouth.

This very basic technique from meditation will help clear your mind to make it easier to view your bathroom designs idea.

Now, slowly begin to explore your newly remodelled bathroom in your mind’s eye. What do you see that you like? Write it down. What do you see that you would like to change? Write that down as well.

With some practice you should be able to completely design your new bathroom in your mind before any design drawings are even thought about.

Just ask yourself “What kind of bathroom will I have when I’m finished?” Answer this and your bathroom designs idea becomes an easier project to bring to life.

Stay Tuned for Part Two!

Read more: Bathroom Designs – Idea for Starting Your Bathroom Remodeling Project the “Right” Way! (Part One)

Balterio Laminate Flooring Resiliently Debuts Again at Surfaces 2007. Style. Quality. Simplicity

Each year in Las Vegas, which took place Feb. 7-9, 2007 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, there is a huge flooring trade show called Surfaces. To many, Surfaces is considered home to all of the manufacturers of laminate flooring and a place to meet and test out each others product. Each year those in attendance at Surfaces may pass the Balterio Laminate Flooring booth and each year Balta challenges professionals and consumers alike to find fault with their product. Close examination of the Balterio Laminate Flooring, one can hardly find fault to it primarily due to its isometric locking mechanism which limits the stress on the joints and the wide range of styles and colors.

Each year Balta spends several million dollars perfecting their own new locking system. Balta uses the latest technology in isometric double locking. This mechanism locks easier and more tightly than the other laminates on the market.

The ultimate in installation ease begins with the Click Xpress system. Balterio laminate floors are incredibly easy to install. And that is good news for both the professional and the consumer. The revolutionary Click Xpress system ensures an attractive and fast installation. This rotation system makes it easy to click the panels together with a sturdy, seamless floor as a result. Say good buy to glue.

Moving the laminate during the installation process is also snap. When moving or renovation you can take the laminate planks out and click them back together easily. Sturdy, reliable and 25% faster installation time.

Different Tastes, Styles, Choice.
Balterio Laminate Flooring cares about different tastes and different styles, and choice. Your home is the reflection of your character and personality. With a Balterio laminate floor, you can show who you are and simply be yourself. In a style that is entirely yours. Choosing one thing means loosing another… But not with Balterio. Their collection includes the perfect floor for every room, in the styles and finishes that you always wanted.

Looks and Feels Like Hardwood.
The surface texture, embossed in the Balta flooring, appears as real wood. Are you tired of looking at laminate flooring that has no texture and looks more like a Kmart peel apart or a warped record?

The Enjoyable Sound of Solid Wood.
Balterio laminate is the floor covering for the 21st Century with a great many benefits in regards to installation and maintenance, but also with the sound and touch of solid wood.

Quality and Value.
High quality materials plus unsurpassed craftsmanship ensure you of a level of quality that is often hard to find elsewhere. The Hydro safe-HDF boards are the pinnacle of stability, density and moisture-resistance.

A Long-term Investment.
A new floor is an important purchase and has to last for years without losing its beauty or quality… At Balterio, they believe strongly in their product that they aren’t at all reluctant to offer a lifetime warranty on some of their products.

Easy Installation & Maintenance.
The Balterio laminate floors are extremely easy to install because of their handy click system that has been praised around the world by both professionals and consumers. It is so easy to snap and click together that a child could install it. Maintenance required to install is at a minimum.

Balterio laminate floors are extremely durable. The wear-resistant surface together with the strong core ensures a remarkable resistance to scratches, moisture and stains. They are as moisture resistant as traditional wooden floors. Even after years of intensive use, your floor will be in outstanding condition.

1) Wear resistant: The wear resistance is guarante3ed by the surface together with the hard core.
2) Impact resistant: The high quality HDF (High Density Fiber) core boards can resist sudden impacts from high heels, falling objects and the pressure marks caused by furniture legs.
3) Scratch resistant: Your Balterio laminate floor can also withstand scratches from office chairs with soft rubber wheels. To keep sand out, though, a doormat is best.
4) Stain resistant: Sauces, spaghetti, jam, coffee have ruined many times a carpet or solid wooden floor. With Balterio floor, stains need not be a disaster. Magic markers, lipstick or nail varnish can be easily removed with a drop of acetone on a clean cloth.
5) Swelling: Balterio produces the HDF core boards itself and applies the highest standards in respect of selling and expansion.
6) Dimensional stability: The high-quality core boards limit the effect of relative humidity on your Balterio laminate floor, in comparison with solid wood or chipboard. Any small degree of swelling of .04 inch per walking meter is dealt with an expansion joint.
7) Cigarette proof: A fallen burning cigarette that is for a few seconds on your Balterio laminate floor won’t leave the slightest trace.
The adherence of the laminate floor specifications to the European standards is reported and confirmed in the CE label that is placed on every pack. That is your ultimate assurance of a quality product without compromise.

Introducing Balta Laminate Floor Styles and Colors – Discover a new world…

TRADITION EXOTIC – AC4 25-yr & 12-yr Commercial Warranty
9mm thick 17.8487 sq/ft per box. Exotic Wood, true to nature touch > Narrow planks (4-sided micro V-groove 5.16 inch).

Tradition Exotic – TRENDTIP – Use foreign articles in your home to add a fresh, exotic touch to a country western interior. A Natural Phenomenon… Exotic, beautiful and mysterious…

One of the things so characteristic of a wooden floor is the beveled edges (V-groove) of the planks. This effect is realistically reproduced throughout the exotic range by the fine micro V-groove on all four sides of the plank. This, in combination with the narrow planks gives the wood a totally realistic feeling.

A Hint of the Exotic – Names like Tigerwood, Kambala, Maple, Sucupira, Asha and Teak evoke the atmosphere of faraway continents. This is the essence of our Exotic Wood Collection. There look and feel is totally life-like and the planks have a micro V-groove on all four sides.

Testimonial Tradition Exotic: “Balterio laminate floors are ideal for the baby room or the children’s room. They are exceptionally hygienic because bacteria can be easily removed. That gives enormous benefits in the fight against allergies. And it’s so easy to clean you have more time to spend with your kids.”

TRADITION ELITE – AC4 25-yr & 12-yr Commercial Warranty
9mm thick 17.8487 sq/ft per box. Handscraped, true to nature touch and > Narrow planks (4-sided micro V-groove 5.16 inch).

Tradition Elite – TRENDTIP – An elegant, slender touch at home… The slender planks make your room look bigger than it really is. That allows the room to stand out better.
Feel like a totally new space-experience? Then Tradition Elite is the right choice. With its elegant, slender boards – just 131 mm wide – this floor pulls the space wide open. With Tradition Elite, you get a greater sense of freedom from every square meter.

Testimonial Tradition Elite: “The search for a perfect floor for our new home ended when we saw Tradition Elite. Its airy and timeless appearance fitted perfectly with the design and the style that we had in mind. I was really enchanted by its chic appearance.”

TRADITION SCULPTURE – AC4 25-yr & 12-yr Commercial Warranty
9mm thick 20.5225 sq/ft per box. Handscraped, true to nature touch (4-sided V-groove).

Tradition Sculpture – TRENDTIP – Beauty has its rough edges… Mix different styles, such as placing an old chair with a minimalist table, and it will take care of adding a finish that is rich in character.

Wood seduces with its charming imperfections, its rugged surface, the marks it bears of traces of the finishing tools, its changing texture… With Tradition Sculpture, all of those desirable qualities are within your grasp. The differences is found in how it catches the light, its crafted wood structure, its beveled sides… reflecting pure craftsmanship and quality.

Testimonial Tradition Sculpture: “We recently bought and renovated this home, which is full of character. The large and high charming rooms demanded a floor that was up to the standard that the rest of the room set. The rugged character of the Tradition Sculpture was up to the challenge. The solid appearance of this beautiful floor returns some of the home’s former grandeur…”

TRADITION QUATTRO – AC4 25-yr & 12-yr Commercial Warranty
9mm thick 20.5225 sq/ft per box. True to nature touch (4-sided V-groove).

Tradition Quattro – TRENDTIP – A true-to-life V-groove… Let your laminate floor resonate like solid wood by using the right Balterio underlayment. The authentic look & feel of Tradition Quattro really catches the eye. The collection comprises eight attractive wood décors. The authentic aspect is emphasized further by the 4-sided V-groove. Indistinguishable from solid parquet floors!

Build style from the floor up. A classy laminate floor in combination with your talents as a decorator, insure a result that will leave friends and family at a loss for words. The unique pattern of a real wood structure and grains of the wood is at most its signature: timeless and quite unique. The true to nature touch ensures this lifelike effect. The natural pattern will be attractive anywhere in your home, from the living room to the study.

Testimonial Tradition Quattro: “My husband and I are perfectionists somewhat, as far as our interior is concerned. With Tradition Quattro, we cleared two hurdles with one jump: a stunning floor and the skirtings to go with it for a finish that just cries out for respect!”

REFLEXIONS PLUS – AC5 Lifetime & 15-yr Commercial Warranty
8mm thick 23.0875 sq/ft per box. Soft sheen finish.

Reflexions Plus – TRENDTIP – Give an extra gloss to your interior… Don’t be afraid to combine different wood tints for a result with remarkable contrasts.
Reflexions Plus gives your interior a chic, silky-soft gloss. The lightly glossed surface is the reflection of its quality: the highest wear- resistance, easy to install, and low in maintenance. Choose from eight timeless decors that are perfectly in harmony with all of the elements of you interior. Clearly head and shoulders above the crowd!

Testimonial Reflexions Plus: “We love style-full, unobtrusive accents in our interior, and we found them in Reflexions Plus. The lightly glossed look contrasts beautifully with the flat walls. The spatial effect is simply stunning.”

AUTHENTIC STYLE – AC4 25-yr & 12-yr Commercial Warranty
8mm thick 23.0875 sq/ft per box. Woodgrain structure.

Authentic Style – Authenticity down to the wood grains… Those who love permanent values without frills will feel at home with Authentic Style. Choose the timeless and rich expression of the wood, with its typical pattern and warm aura. Ten lovely, natural décors exuding cachet. Stylish, unique and easy to maintain. Authentic Style brings the most beautiful wood types together in ten timeless decors. Everything breathes authenticity: the natural tints and exciting structure. Everything you need for a marvelous warm and rich feeling of home.

Testimonial Authentic Style: “Wood has always fascinated me. The warmth that you can bring to an interior truly is unique. I could carry the natural look of my furniture right through to the floor, thanks to Authentic Style.”

AMBASSADOR – AC3 20-yr & 10-yr Commercial Warranty
7mm thick 25.6526 sq/ft per box.

Ambassador – Remain stylish within your budget… Ambassador gives you the best of wood in an exceptionally accessible price class. Ambassador feels at home in every room from the lounge to the bedroom. Choose between twelve décors with character, but always with respect for your budget. The best all-a-rounder is undoubtedly Ambassador. Choose from 12 colors and transform your house into a warm home.

Testimonial Ambassador: “We didn’t want partial or temporary solutions in decorating and finishing our home. Thanks to Ambassador, we didn’t have to make any concessions and we had beautiful floors in every room right away… And entirely within our budget.”

REVOLUTION – AC4 Lifetime & 15-yr Commercial Warranty
8mm thick 20.0682 sq/ft per box. Genuine tile structure.

Revolution – Were you thinking more about stone, slate?
You love a warm floor but the pure look of real natural stone. With its tile-like relief and structure, Revolution provides that unique mix. Combined with all the benefits of contemporary laminate. The warm feeling of a natural stone laminate tile is unique and especially welcome in your hallways or kitchen. The life-like tile and stone structures and are available in 4 colors.

Testimonial Revolution: “The Revolution was a real revelation for us. Walking through the house on bare feet or children playing on the floor… It is a unique experience, thanks to the soft and warm feel of the natural-stone laminate tiles.”

Get more out of life with Balterio. With Balta, you will not become a maintenance slave. The special surface treatment of the laminate means that dirt won’t adhere quite so easily. A light mopping or a cleaning system with moist disposable towels is more than enough to clean your laminate in a minimum of time. And to keep its lovely appearance for years.

The time you save is substantial and will give you more quality time. Enjoy wonderful, free moments that you can spend on yourself, your hobbies, your family and your children. More enjoyment and less scrubbing!

Read more: Balterio Laminate Flooring Resiliently Debuts Again at Surfaces 2007. Style. Quality. Simplicity

Outdoor Stone Fireplaces – The Perfect Gathering Place

If you want to transform the outdoor area of your home into a warm and friendly gathering place, then consider adding an outdoor stone fireplace. The beauty and elegance that this kind of fireplace gives is simply incredible.

Stone fireplaces made from natural stone or a number of other outdoor materials, make for the perfect area to entertain family or friends.

Stone is also the perfect material for an outdoor fireplace. It’s fire retardant, strong, and extremely long lasting.

Other types of stone used with these types of fireplaces include marble, sandstone, granite, stucco, and cast coral. You can even mix several of these materials together and use different sizes in designing your own one of a kind fireplace for your home.

Another aspect of an outdoor stone fireplace is its ability to withstand all types of weather conditions. From summer heat to the freezing winter temperatures these fireplaces stand strong, making them the perfect compliment to a backyard pool or patio area.

You can find these outdoor fireplaces in gas, electric or of course, wood burning. Is there anything better than tossing another log onto the fire while sitting around with friends? While wood burning fireplaces are the least expensive, gas fireplaces also make for good choices.

You can find all types of outdoor fireplaces, from prefabricated to masonry, among many others as well. But nothing can compare to the durability and beauty that comes with an outdoor stone fireplace.

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Read more: Outdoor Stone Fireplaces – The Perfect Gathering Place

Anime Bath – A Very Unique & Individual Approach to Bathroom Décor!

Anime bath can mean a bathroom decorated with one or more anime bath characters from a whole range of character figures. Characters like the Flash or Batman or Superman for folks who like their anime bath characters from a farther back period. Current anime bath characters could include Trigun Vash or Wolfwood from the classic 1998 anime series.

Your bathroom décor can reflect just about any side of your personality, any of your “likes” such as anime bath accessories. Doing a search online for anime bath accessories using the name of your preferred character can result in some interesting results. For instance, I was able to find a set of Trigun Vash or Wolfwood bath towels. Now, what bathroom is complete without a set of these anime bath accessories?

Although one would probably think of children’s bathrooms first when thinking of an anime bath, there are a number of adults whose “Football Team” accessorized bathrooms would qualify as an anime bath. And how about “Wrestling Fan” anime bath or “NASCAR Fan” anime bath?

The range of characterizations that can be represented in your unique anime bath are endless. If you like a popular figure, either “real” or animated, you can probably find accessories in that figure’s image and this certainly qualifies you as having an anime-influenced bath.

Children’s bathrooms are probably more suited as anime baths. Their heros are probably of an animated variety, thus making the concept of children’s bathrooms more likely to be decorated and furnished as anime baths. If you are decorating a bathroom for a child, you will definitely score major points for creating anime baths in their favourite character’s image.

What a marvellous result – a happy child – with something so creative yet so simple as a present of an anime bath!

Read more: Anime Bath – A Very Unique & Individual Approach to Bathroom Décor!

How To Increase The Value Of Your House

First time buyers receive a great deal of attention at the current time due to the increasing difficulty of making that first step on the property ladder. It is rarely documented however of the difficulties facing homeowners looking to move up the property ladder which is too becoming increasingly difficult.

Recent research shows that the average upscale from a two to a three bedroom property now stands at 27,100. Those looking to upscale from a three to a four bedroom house face the biggest hike in price at 64,032.

As a result of these differences in price, coupled with the fees involved in moving home, more and more people are looking to improve & extend their current home to take the effect of upsizing.

When buying a property, many property developers will look at the potential to improve, modify and extend in order to increase the value. This is also a technique now used by many buyers looking at the potential for home improvement.

It can be difficult enough to buy property, with many considerations that must be taken into account. There are many issues that can reduce property value let alone increase it; however the type of property you buy can dictate your ability to improve it or even make any additions at all.

The type of property that best suits improvement will depend on the nature of work you would like to perform. For example, if you are planning to convert a loft in an extra room then it is important that there is enough room to stand up in.

Sometimes the easiest and cheapest way to increase your home’s value is to invest in an improving, up and coming area. Signs that an area’s property market is set to improve can be relatively easy to find.

These signs may include looking at particular areas or streets that are already popular with buyers. It is often the case that as particular streets or areas increase in value, buyers are priced out of their preferred location, so move as near to it as they can afford.

The important thing to remember is that there is no guarantee that any improvements made on your property will result in an increase in value. Buyers in different locations will be after different things.

It is an important consideration to ensure that you are offering potential buyers what they really want. For example a conservatory may be appealing to some but not to others

A good yardstick is often to consult the local estate agents who much a property would be worth subject to improvements being carried out, such as a new kitchen or a conservatory.

Often it’s the smaller, cheaper improvements that can generally offer higher returns than the more expensive ones. The larger and more expensive jobs such as converting your loft or basement may seem appealing to buyers, however they are often unwilling to pay a premium that meets the expense and effort of carrying it out.

The cost of any home improvement and the likely return will vary hugely on the type of property and the area that it’s located. Very few developments come in under budget with the majority coming in over budget. That said there are some very competitive rates available for home improvement loans. Just do an internet search and make sure you get quotes from a number of different lenders.

Quotes received from builders can often be on the optimistic side. It is therefore prudent to over budget for works.

Below is a rough guide of the costs versus the benefits:

Loft conversions:
Cost: 15,000 to 35,000
Potential value increase: 20,000
Difference: – 5,000
A loft conversion must be done properly in order to increase the value of your home. A very important consideration is that it cannot be classed as a loft conversion unless it meets specific building & planning regulations. Your local council will be able to give advice on what those rules are.

Basement conversion:
Cost: 100,000
Potential value increase: 20,000 to 25,000
Difference: – 77,500
A basement conversion is among the most expensive of home improvements. Recouping the initial outlay when selling the property is very difficult let alone making a profit. In some case it can however be very beneficial when selling the property if used as an extra bedroom.

Extension:
Cost: 30,000 to 50,000
Potential value increase: 20,000 to 25,000
Difference: – 17,500
An extension is fast becoming a popular alternative to moving home in order to upsize. You will usually have to sacrifice garden space which can of course have a negative impact on your home’s value. Before commencing with any planned work it is important to consult your local council as there may be restrictions on the height and proximity to boundary lines of any addition.

Off-Road Parking:
Cost: 1,000
Potential value increase: 5,000
Difference: + 4,000
Again, this work requires consultation with the local authority as the job may involve altering the height of the curb. This can prove to be one of the cheapest and most effective improvements that can be carried out.

Conservatory:
Cost: 10,000 to 15,000
Potential value increase: 12,000 to 19,000
Difference: 3,000
Conservatories may not seem quite as attractive in today’s market as they once would have done to the potential buyer. Adding a conservatory is an expensive exercise and would perhaps be best considered for personal use rather than as a tool to increase the value of the property.

Read more: How To Increase The Value Of Your House

What Is The Best LED Flashlight?

The LED flashlight has certainly revolutionized the world of flashlights in recent years. LED, or light emitting diode bulbs, are so much better than the standard filament type bulbs. Electrons inside the bulb move around, thereby creating a more reliable and powerful light source.

LED flashlights are also extremely long lasting. In fact, you can expect to get up to 10,000 hours out of them, which blows away a regular bulb.

The LED flashlight will also require far less power to operate, meaning you’ll save on battery usage. Many of these flashlights run without using batteries at all, or use rechargeable batteries that basically last forever.

You can find every different type of these flashlights available including ones on helmets, key chains and regular hand-held units. They even have kits available to convert an older model standard light into an LED model.

What is the best LED flashlight?

I would tend to go with the no battery flashlights. You can find them in the shake flashlights, winding ones and even the squeeze models.

What I like so much is the fact they have no battery to burn out or leak. How many times have you ever needed your flashlight only to find it has dead batteries? It’s frustrating. Well, the shake type is great because you simply shake it a couple f times and you’re good to go.

You can find LED flashlights at many stores, including your big home improvement stores. Expect to pay a little more money for these flashlights, but the benefits are well worth it. You’ll get longer battery life and a better, more reliable bulb.

All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active and do not edit the article in any way.

Read more: What Is The Best LED Flashlight?

Little Girls Bathroom – Create a Memory for Your Young Daughter(s)!

The opportunity to create a little girls bathroom for your young daughter(s) can be a very interesting experience into the world of little girls bathroom décor and fixture selection.

Experience has taught me that the most important accessories in a little girls bathroom are “frilly” towel bars and light fixtures as well as a very nice artistically inspired faucet set. The little girls bathroom is more about décor and decorating than actual fixture placement although that does not mean for a moment that if you have the opportunity to maximize your floor space and fixture placement.

Your little girls bathroom might be decorated around a theme if you wanted to go that far or it might be more subtle with soft pretty little girls bathroom colors. Any color scheme that is a soft, feminine hue qualifies as long as it meets the approval of the little girl.

Which brings up another point; you want to always keep her involved in the decision making process. Selecting paint colors, wallpaper and trims can be an exciting time for her so make sure to keep her “in the loop”. It will make the little girls bathroom even more her own after she has hand a major role in its development.

One final note. Make certain that the entire bathroom remodeling project is well-documented with pictures as you go along. Whether it’s your little girl tearing old wallpaper off of the wall or Daddy underneath the new sink or Sis with paint all over her face, these memories recorded in all of their digital glory will be the smiles on your little girl’s face long after the little girls bathroom is gone.

Read more: Little Girls Bathroom – Create a Memory for Your Young Daughter(s)!

Bathroom Layout Designs – A Very Strong Way To Make Your Bathroom Really Your Own!

Bathroom layout designs, when they can be done and done with a real feel for design, can turn an otherwise ordinary bathroom remodeling project into a spectacular one. Things like the maximum use of space without overcrowding, the use of one strong central theme for the bathroom layout designs such as a very unusual lavatory faucet and drain set.

While not 100% related to bathroom layout designs another very creative way to add that certain something to your bathroom is to find a central theme based on an unusual picture or design or to even base the whole bathroom layout designs on a wall hanging if it is spectacular enough.

I once transformed a tiny apartment bathroom into a very nice space by basing the bathroom layout designs around a very nice limited edition print of a California vineyards Chardonnay. The color design had been done for me in the print; all I had to do was take them out into the room and it resulted in many an appreciative comment from guests.

Bathroom layout designs are most applicable and easily implemented where a completely new bathroom layout is being created. Perhaps a high tech shower stall (and I have a great high tech shower stall reviewed here) installed in place of an antique claw-foot cast iron tub. Changing the overall space around to its natural best look is what you want to strive for.

One of my very favourite bathroom layout designs is to install a nice two person Jacuzzi hot tub where antique fixtures used to reside. I helped out with a beautiful Jacuzzi installation in Columbus, Ohio where we knocked out a wall to double the size of out bathroom. Then we were able to create a beautiful bathroom layout designs with the new hot tub as the focal point of the room.

Be your own Michelangelo – he just let the David that was in the granite emerge.

Have some fun. Let your inner-most feelings come alive as you help let the maximized bathroom layout designs that is your bathroom emerge.

Read more: Bathroom Layout Designs – A Very Strong Way To Make Your Bathroom Really Your Own!

Bathroom Floor Plans – A Very Good Place to Start Your Bathroom Remodeling Project!

“Bathroom floor plans” – when I use this phrase does it conjure up images of finding the perfect source for bathroom floor plans that will somehow magically put your whole bathroom remodeling project all together? Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you but what the phrase “bathroom floor plans” actually should be providing you with is actually the starting point for your entire bathroom remodeling project.

The place to start your bathroom floor plans is to make a rough drawing of the bathroom you’re remodeling. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect – just capture the overall shape of your bathroom in a rough freehand drawing to start. The drawing should look like the shape of your bathroom floor plans when you’re finished.

Now you want to grab an assistant and a tape measure and take measurements of all of the walls in your bathroom. You want to be able to use these measurements to create what’s called a scaled drawing to actually use in your bathroom floor plans.

Next you can grab some graph paper and layout the drawing to scale. If your bathroom is basically a rectangle 10 ft wide by 8 ft deep, draw a rectangle on the graph paper that is sized to a scale. You could put this floor plan on an 8 ½” x 11″ sheet of graph paper by letting each inch on the drawing represent one foot in your actual floor plan.

Once you’re satisfied that you have the basic shape of the floor plan drawn to scale, you might want to make copies of this basic floor plan. You can sketch different fixtures onto one of the copied drawings and be able to erase the fixtures without erasing the bathroom floor plans.

Now you can start drawing in, to as close to scale as you can, the basic fixtures that your remodelled bathroom will have, The sink/vanity unit, the tub/shower, the toilet and any other fixtures you want. Mark the location of the main drain line just for reference sake.

You can cut out pieces of paper the size of your main fixtures if you want to try “playing around” with the arrangement of the fixtures.

You can get a very nice selection of some basic bathroom floor plans at this website: http://www.us.kohler.com/designkb/designservice/floorplan.jsp You can use the look of these bathroom floor plans to stimulate you to create your own exact floor plan.

I hope this short article has shown you the importance of beginning your project with some time spent creating your basic bathroom floor plans.

Read more: Bathroom Floor Plans – A Very Good Place to Start Your Bathroom Remodeling Project!

Bath Décor – How To Design a Bathroom That Is Truly Yours Through Bath Décor

Bath décor – nothing is more beautiful (to me at least) than a room that is “perfect”. The correct room design, the correct furnishings and let us not omit its décor. A room that is pleasing to the senses – beautiful, luxurious, a pleasure to be in. A room designed to be lived in. Those are beautiful rooms to me and one than can stand out through its bath décor is obviously the remodelled bathroom.

A bathroom has such potential for dramatic bath décor and this is something that can be utilized to increase a home’s selling price or increase the joy experienced in living in it.

Some of my favourite examples of dramatic bath décor are:

1) Skylights – Nothing adds more elegance, more panache to a bathroom than a gorgeous skylight contained in a vaulted two-story ceiling. Accentuated with a low hanging paddle fan perhaps.

2) Lighting – This often overlooked method can be used to obtain the functional lighting levels that are required in a modern remodelled bathroom but please realize the opportunity you have with the bathroom’s bath décor if you incorporate a stunning light fixture of some kind. Decorative generally works best around the mirror(s) with recessed ceiling mount lighting fixtures providing the utilitarian lighting levels needed for general overall illumination.

3) Plumbing Fixtures – These consist of:

a. Your Tub/Shower Unit – is it an antique-looking unit to be accessorized with the same type of faucets and towel bars or modern to be paired with modern accessories?

b. Your Sink Unit – Do you want a common sink & vanity cabinet or will you opt for a stunning free-standing pedestal based unit?

4) Wallpaper and paint – These are two of the old standbys; utilize them in conjunction with your other bath décor opportunities and your remodelled bathroom will be a stunning victory over the mundane!

By integrating these different opportunities to make your bath décor your very own, you can design and create stunning bathrooms for very little money, depending on your exact bath décor.

Read more: Bath Décor – How To Design a Bathroom That Is Truly Yours Through Bath Décor

Pictures of Bathroom Designs – What a Great Way To Get Inspired!

Pictures of other people’s bathroom designs are a very good way to become inspired as to what you want in your own bathroom remodeling project. I know I was inspired to wanting a really high-tech shower/mini-steam room enclosure for my next “full-blown” bathroom remodeling project after seeing pictures of a friend’s new bathroom designs.

He found a very nice unit for sale on eBay. See details of the shower unit and even bid on one yourself if you’re interested at http://www.TheRemodeledBathroom.com/Jasons-Shower.php

Pictures of bathroom designs are really worth the proverbial thousand words! You’ll see fixtures that will excite you just as I did with my friend’s shower enclosure. You will see color schemes that click with you in pictures of different bathroom designs. You will be amazed as to just how much inspiration can be obtained from pictures of bathroom designs that you come across either online or from magazines or through other means.

I have posted a number of pictures of bathroom designs on my website for you to view. These are different bathrooms that I’ve either had a hand in building or that I’ve found here & there. I really love good design in architecture and because of my eye for what works and what doesn’t, I’ve put together quite a portfolio of different pictures of bathroom designs. Check them out for yourself at http://TheRemodeledBathroom.com/pictures-of-bathroom-designs.php

You can also do a search on Google images:

http://images.google.com/imghp?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&tab=wi&q=

for “bathroom pictures” or “pictures of bathroom designs”.

The thing you need to do at this point is to start organizing your pictures of bathroom designs into a system where you will have all of the details about where you found the picture and what interested you about it.

Then you can file it in a manner that will allow you to find it again at a moment’s notice. This way your initial research about pictures of bathroom designs will be as fruitful and efficient as possible.

This truly can be a very fun and inspirational time period – using pictures of bathroom designs.

Read more: Pictures of Bathroom Designs – What a Great Way To Get Inspired!

Marketing Research Article – Some Tips On Writing an Effective Marketing Research Article

When writing a marketing research article I believe that one of the most overlooked areas for doing marketing research is Google AdWords.

For those of us already doing online sales & marketing, our first stop for composing a marketing research article would be to thoroughly discuss using Google AdWords in market research. It is a well known fact that much market research can be done very quickly and inexpensively using AdWords.

Let’s say we’re putting together a marketing research article about the viability of a new product we’re contemplating bringing to market online. I’ll say that the product is a hard print edition of a weekly newsletter full of tips and tricks for real estate appraisers.

In compiling my marketing research article I would suggest a Google AdWords Pay Per Click (PPC) campaign where I would see if there is any interest in a report like this. I can do (and actually often do) put together an AdWords campaign where I offer a free 7-Part mini course designed to (hopefully) interest my target market, in this case real estate appraisers.

I might call the report “How To Avoid the 7 Biggest Mistakes Made by Real Estate Appraisers Today!” with the realization that most people will act to avoid something faster than they will act to implement something positive.

I direct people who click on my ad to a Name Squeeze page (also called an Opt In page) where they can enter their name & email address in order to receive my report.

Now, in addition to gathering data for my marketing research article I am also collecting contact information for possible customers, should I go ahead with my product release. And I am seeing just how much interest might be generated by my product release. If I cannot get a good response giving something away to this market they probably won’t be interested in buying my product.

So, when doing a marketing research article always remember to include the possibility of using Google AdWords in your marketing research article.

Read more: Marketing Research Article – Some Tips On Writing an Effective Marketing Research Article

Thinking About Carpet (Or Is It Carpeting?)

About how old do you think carpet is? (And no, we’re not talking about the carpet in your house!) Believe it or not, wall to wall carpeting is as old as rugs – and rugs have a history dating back to the time of ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks. Of course, the carpeting back then is nothing like what we have today. Still, they were pretty much made similar to how they’re produced in this century.

The Definition of Carpet

By definition, a carpet is a floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile). That pretty much describes a lot of what history has labeled as carpet – even if the material was used to cover tables or walls (such as in pre-eighteenth century Europe).

You would think that by now we would have come to a consensus and named carpet for what it is. However even today, we insist on distinguishing carpet from carpeting and carpeting from rugs. What’s the difference? Well the term ‘carpeting’ is generally used to describe wall-to-wall covering, while ‘carpet’ is used to describe a fabric covering that’s adhered to a floor. And of course a rug isn’t adhered to anything but it certainly makes a beautiful Floor protection.

How Carpets Are Differentiate From One Another

More important is what differentiates the different kinds of carpet or carpeting from one another. Each type of carpet is named according to the type of weave it owns. For example, you might hear of Venetian carpet or Dutch carpet. These carpets are made with a flat weave whereas others are named for the amount of nap (the yarn that stands up) from the weave. Variations of these weaves – including some naps – lend to even more kinds of carpet… especially when the invention of new and improved looms entered the scene.

Technological Contributions

New looms and the technology that powered them enable us to create not only new types of carpet, but also carpets that are more intricately designed than ever before. Not only that, these looms facilitate the production of carpet rolls, panels, and squares – making them easier, cheaper, and faster to install than in the past.

As a result, almost every home in this country has carpeting in one room (or more) and the materials that it’s made of varies from cotton to wool or a synthetic based material. Adhered to the floor with nails or glue, your carpet becomes’carpeting’ and it’s essentially installed to quiet the echo of a new home and help to insulate it.

Things to Take Into Consideration

Your contractor can work with you to help you make good decisions regarding the kind of Flooring that you install in your home, but your final choice should take into consideration things like cleaning requirements, costs, allergies, and of course, durability and your overall decor.

When choosing your carpet (or carpeting), be sure to take note of its warranty. The warranty of a carpet just may be the determining factor in how you clean, when you clean, and what you ultimately choose to place into your home.

Read more: Thinking About Carpet (Or Is It Carpeting?)

Landscaping Is So Much More Than Lawn Care!

One of the first things that people notice about your home is its front lawn. So naturally you’ll want this view to be as beautiful and welcoming as it can be. The problem for some of us is that we just don’t know where to begin. Isn’t a well-maintained lawn enough to make an impression? Would a flower garden do justice? A rock garden? How about a nice assortment of perennial bushes? While these are some really good ideas, your contractor can help you landscape both a front and back yard that not only looks nice, but that will also be easy to maintain.

Make It Easier On Yourself

Landscaping doesn’t have to be as difficult as it sounds. Nor does it require a full-time gardener (unless you want one). All you need to do is make some smart choices and your landscape design can be almost maintenance free.

For example, you could chose specific plants and flowers that nature has specifically engineered to resist disease or insect attacks. You could select greenery that is naturally resistant to temperature changes. And to cut down on pruning or cutting, you could fill your private garden with slow growing plants. In addition, you can literally plan what will grow and when it will grow. In doing so, you’re basically ‘timing’ the production of your landscape design to work on a schedule that you can physically afford to take care of.

Planning Is Key

Planning is key when it comes to landscape design and by looking at your property with an open mind, you can create a unique and special personal place for you and your family. Like golf? How about incorporating a landscape design that resembles a miniature golf course in your back yard? Maybe you would prefer a woodsier look or a view that offers a romantic portrait of floral designs?

Determine What’s Appropriate

These ideas may be a little on the extreme side, but you’re really only limited by your imagination. If you’re worried about that, your contractor can bring you back to reality by assessing your individual lifestyle and then making appropriate suggestions from there. For example, if you’re part of a family that travels a lot, you’ll certainly want a landscape that requires minimal care. A family with young children on the other hand would be well-suited for a landscape design that provides a feeling of open space and freedom. And these ideas (as practical as they may be) begin with a sketch that might require repositioning trees, removing hills, making hills, and all sorts of other things.

Build On What Already Exists

One thing that you and your contractor should remember is that the layout of your existing landscape could offer some great ideas to build on. Low-ground areas may be well-suited for a pebble walkway. Small slopes can serve as the support for small stone fences. A big and tall tree would look beautiful over a brick ground cover bed. Even big rocks can look nice if they’re accompanied by rock plans or surrounded with decorative gravel.

Work together with both your contractor and with nature!

Read more: Landscaping Is So Much More Than Lawn Care!

Decorating Your Christmas Tree

As the Christmas holiday season starts to approach, a large number of individuals and families start decorating for Christmas. While just about anything in the home can be decorated, a large amount of focus is placed on the Christmas tree. Since there is a good chance that you may want to purchase a Christmas tree this year, you may be wondering about your decorating options.

Perhaps, the most common Christmas decoration used on a Christmas tree is lights. Christmas lights are a small set of lights that tend to be multicolored or white, although different color combinations can be purchased. A large number of Christmas tree owners use Christmas lights to decorate their Christmas trees. What is nice about Christmas lights is that you have options when using them. Depending on the type of Christmas lights you use, if you choose to use them at all, you may be able to set your lights to sing a Christmas tune or flash in a certain pattern.

Aside from Christmas lights, Christmas ornaments are another one of the most commonly used Christmas decorations, for Christmas trees. Christmas ornaments come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and styles. On average, most Christmas ornaments are in the shape of a ball. They are typically colored red, green, silver, or gold; however, many Christmas ball ornaments also come designed with unique messages or Christmas symbols. Christmas ornaments are most commonly hung from Christmas tree branches using ornament hooks, yarn, or thread.

Christmas tree toppers are another item that can regularly be found on a Christmas tree. While Christmas tree toppers, like all other Christmas decorations, come in a wide variety of different sizes, shapes, and styles, they are most commonly sold as angels. Despite the fact that most Christmas tree toppers are in the form on an angel, other popular toppers include stars, crosses, and Santas. In addition to coming in different sizes, you will find that many Christmas tree toppers are designed to light up, with Christmas lights, and some may even play a musical Christmas tune.

In addition to Christmas tree toppers, Christmas lights, and Christmas ornaments, garland is also used on many Christmas trees. In fact, it is sometimes rare to find a decorated Christmas tree that does not have garland on it. Garland, when used to decorate a Christmas tree, is often intertwined with Christmas lights. Christmas garland also comes in a number of different styles. Popular garland styles include floral garland and beaded garland. It is also possible to find pre-light garland. Pre-light garland is garland that has Christmas lights attached to it already. The main purpose of pre-light garland is to reduce the amount of time it takes to decorate a Christmas tree.

If you are interested in decorating your Christmas tree with Christmas lights, Christmas ornaments, Christmas tree toppers, or garland, you may need to purchase these items, unless you are using your decorations from last Christmas. Since all of the previously mentioned Christmas decorations are widely used on Christmas trees, you should be able to find these items from a large number of retailers, both on and offline. For affordable Christmas decorations, you are urged to check your local dollar stores, discount stores, or department stores. For the largest selection of Christmas tree decorations, you are urged to shop online or at a local specialty Christmas shop.

Read more: Decorating Your Christmas Tree

Decorating for Christmas: Why You Should Make it a Family Event

Do you plan on decorating your home for Christmas this holiday season? If so, do you plan on doing it by yourself? While decorating for Christmas by yourself makes it easier to get the decorating done in an effective and timely matter, you may want to think about turning your Christmas decorating into a family event. You will find that there are, literally, an unlimited number of benefits to doing so.

Perhaps, the biggest benefit of turning your Christmas decorating into a family event is the time that you and your family will be able to spend together, whether you have children or not. Family bonding is even better with children, but you and your romantic partner could also benefit from the time that you spend together, when decorating your home for Christmas. In addition to getting your home decorated for Christmas, your relationship, whether it be with your children or your spouse, may greatly benefit from the experience.

As previously mentioned, if you are a parent, you and your children could benefit from decorating your home for Christmas together. What is nice about decorating your home with your children is that they will likely enjoy the experience, especially if they are younger. Younger children tend to be more proud of their work or their accomplishments; therefore, they will likely be proud of the fact that you asked them for assistance, as well as how their decorations turned out. If you are really looking to make Christmas decorating a family fun event, you and your family could also make some of your own Christmas decorations. Since most children love crafts, it may add extra excitement to the whole decorating experience.

While the majority of the benefits, to having your whole family help you decorate your home for Christmas is centered on family, there is another benefit that isn’t really. By having your whole family assist you with decorating your home for Christmas, you could save yourself a fairly large amount of time. The time saved will all depend on how much decorating you plan on doing. Having your family assist you means that Christmas decorating could take a lot less time. This is a great way to get your Christmas decorating done, especially if you find yourself pressed for time. The more people you have helping you decorate for Christmas, the shorter the whole process will take.

As previously mentioned, you can add extra excitement to this family fun event by having your children or other family members help you make homemade Christmas decorations. Even if you do not wish to make your own Christmas decorations, it may be a good idea to let the rest of your family help you pick out the Christmas decorations. This would really turn Christmas decorating into a family fun event. Even if you are low on cash, you could still allow your children to pick out a few low-cost Christmas decorations. You will find that many dollars stores carry a fairly large selection of Christmas decorations; decorations that many kids find attractive.

The above mentioned reasons and benefits, to why you should turn your Christmas decorating into a fun filled family event, are just a few of the many benefits that exist. Since Christmas is all about family, you should let your family help you prepare for and celebrate the upcoming holiday.

Read more: Decorating for Christmas: Why You Should Make it a Family Event

Decorating Your Bathroom for Christmas

Are you one of the many individuals who loves the Christmas holiday season? If so, there is a good chance that you may be interested in filling your home with Christmas decorations. Although you might not have given it any thought, did you know that you can also decorate your bathroom for Christmas? If you have yet to think about it, you might want to give it some serious thought. There are a number of Christmas decorations that would look great in your bathroom.

If you are looking for a simple, easy, but traditional way to decorate your bathroom for Christmas, you may want to try hanging a Christmas picture in the room. Whether that picture is an elegant framed picture or just one made of cardboard, such as a cardboard cutout of Santa or a Christmas tree, you could easily transform your bathroom with one simple Christmas picture. If you already have pictures in your bathroom, you could leave the pictures up or take them down until Christmas is over. For the ultimate Christmas feel, it may be better to only focus on one bathroom theme at a time.

You can also decorate your bathroom for Christmas with the purchase of Christmas towels and washcloths. Depending on where you shop, you should be able to purchase a Christmas bathroom set, compete with matching towels and washcloths. In your search for Christmas towels or washcloths, you will find that many are designed as if they were for children, with cartoon-like characters. If you are looking for a more elegant Christmas style, you should also be able to find that as well. It is possible to find solid colored towels and washcloths that only have a small amount of Christmas on them, such as a simple snowflake or a small picture of a Santa. Allowing these towels to hang in your bathroom, whether you use them or not, is a great way to bring the Christmas spirit into one of the most used rooms in your home.

In addition to Christmas towels, you can also find a number of other Christmas decorations that are designed for the bathroom. Those items may include soap dishes or soap pumps. It is not uncommon to find a soap dish that has a Christmas design to it. The same can be said for soap or lotion pump containers. It is not uncommon to find some of these containers in the shape of Santa or a Christmas tree. What is nice about these types of Christmas decorations for the bathroom is that they can usually be purchased for a low price. You can usually find a collection of Christmas soap dishes or pumps in your local dollar store or discount store.

If you are really interested in brining the Christmas spirit into your bathroom, you could even go a step further. It was mentioned above that some bathroom sets come with matching towels and washcloths. It is also possible to purchase bathroom sets that include window curtains, shower curtains, as well as floor mats. Depending on where you are shopping, you may be able to find Christmas bathroom sets. These sets tend to include a shower curtain, floor matt, as well as wall curtains that, in one way or another, relates to Christmas. While it may seem as if a Christmas shower curtain is over the top, it might not necessarily be, especially if you love the holiday or have children in your home.

The above mentioned items are just a few of the many that you can use to decorate your bathroom for the Christmas holiday season. If you would like more decorating tips, you are advised to perform a standard internet search. It may be best to use the phrase Christmas bathroom decorating tips. Your search will likely return a fairly large number of results; results that may give you the perfect idea as to how you should go about decorating your bathroom for Christmas.

Read more: Decorating Your Bathroom for Christmas

Mystery of the Soul Part 3

In general, the various branches of parapsychological study related to the soul are Near-Death Experience (NDE); Out-of-the-Body Experience (OBE); Biomagnetic Radiation/Field (aura); Hauntings; Posessions; Bilocation; Past-Life Regression, and ESP.

Many instruments and methods are used in the investigation of psychic phenomena. Hypnosis is often used to uncover subconscious knowledge on a subject. Such a method has been successful in regressing a person to a past life and even between lifetimes. Much knowledge related to the after-life and the soul’s continued existence have thus been acquired.

Unorthodox methods that purports to contact disembodied intelligence might include séances, the Ouija board, the planchette, automatic writing, and the pendulum; some of these methods are similar to the Indonesian Jailangkung and Nini Towok.

One of the former presidents of the Society of Psychical Research, C.D. Broad (1887-1971), believed that paranormal research might eventually prove that psychological events can survive bodily death. He theorized that man had an invisible constituent; this he called the psi-component, or “psychogenic factor.” Ever since the days of Broad, parapsychology has indeed made much progress.

METAPHYSICAL VIEWPOINTS

When we speak of the viewpoints of metaphysics questions might arise inquiring of the source of these teachings. Generally speaking, the tenets of metaphysics are derived from the esoteric transmissions of lofty beings to select members of the human family. These beings have already evolved far beyond the human kingdom and its pinnacle–the perfect human being as portrayed by the archetype Adam Kadmon. These teachings are based on their personal experiences and awareness of the Truth of all things. Some of the students of these lofty beings were able to verify, again by personal experience, part of the teachings that was conveyed by these Spiritual Masters. This would leave aspects of metaphysical teachings as theoretical or hypothetical from the student’s perspective.

There are also metaphysical teachings that have been formulated by students intellectually without knowing its truth experientially before-hand and may consequently be without a foundation in reality. This is the reason why certain metaphysical doctrines are ever-evolving. May the reader ever keep this in mind.

From the superficial investigation of metaphysical conceptions one comes to the conclusion that they are as diverse as the many theories developed by science or theology; however, in essence they all share a common thread in that the soul, the spirit intelligence, is regarded as being a distinctive part of the human organism and has a divine origin. One of the most basic fundamentals in contemporary metaphysics is that there is only One Substance, One Power, One Life, One Mind, One Law in the whole Universe, and each being in its innermost “I AM” core, is part of that One. The other laws and principles of metaphysics stems from this basis. The above statement is not entirely accurate, however. We referred to the One as being in the Universe, when in fact, it is entirely opposite. The Universe is in the One, or is a partial manifestation of the One. To the metaphysician, everything has a divine origin and is essentially eternal. We emphasize the word “essentially,” for there is a difference between form and expression, and its divine essence. For instance we may liken the essence with electricity, the form-the electric bulb, the clarity and power (wattage) of the bulb its expression. Electricity is indestructible, so is the Spirit, the divine intelligence in man. The bulb, the form of man, is ephemeral in nature. The clarity and the wattage, the power that it gives off, is the evolving aspect of man called the soul. The clarity is dependent upon the purity of the bulb, or the soul. It is often tainted by dust and dirt–or the negative emotions, thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes. This illustration would indicate that the Spirit is immortal, the form transient, and the soul that aspect of the microcosm that seeks to ever grow spiritually until it is aware of its essential nature. By being aware it becomes immortal, meaning that it is continually conscious of its essential nature. The soul, therefore, is only potentially immortal.

After making our statements above, it should be understood that the soul-concept is ever-evolving, whether from the scientific, theological, philosophical, or metaphysical point of view. One could argue that truth is changeless and that what was true in the past is likewise true for the present and the future. We concur with this, but the problem here is man’s understanding of truth, and the presentation of truth, and not truth itself. Metaphysics may be understood intellectually–this has its limitations; or it may be understood mystically–this provides real knowledge that the intellect has trouble analyzing, formulating into ideas, and putting into words.

One school of metaphysical thought believes the soul to be a function or development arising out of the vital life force that animates all living forms. This vital life force permeates the whole universe. Matter is evolving to the point where it may support life while living organisms evolve to the point where they may eventually support the development of self-consciousness, and this we call “the soul.” However, this does not signify that souls are dependent upon matter for their existence. They are associated with the vital principle of the universe. Some scientists regard the universe as a living organism, or a living thought rather than something lifeless or mechanical. The soul or self-consciousness may be regarded as a higher expression of the life-force that permeates the universe. This signifies that the soul is a dynamic potential inherent within energy. As energy is indestructible, so is the soul in its essence indestructible. As energy is kinetic, forever in movement, so is the soul never the same in its expression–it continually evolves.

Esoteric teachings classify the microcosm into, three, five, or even seven aspects. In the threefold division we have Personality, Soul, and Spirit; or in Indonesian we may say Jiwa, Roh, and Sukma–but keep in mind what we have said before that there is no standard agreement as to the terms used. Sukma may be called “Ingsun,” “Atma,” “the Self,” whatever. Terms are not important in this context, principles are. In the Judaic Qaballa, the threefold microcosm is designated as Nephesh, Neshamah/Ruah, and Yechidah. In Buddhism as Nirmanakaya, Sambogakaya, and Dharmakaya. In Theosophy as Personality, Ego, and Monad. In Hinduism as Rupa, Jiwa, and Atma. In ancient Egypt as Khat, Ka , and Ba.
These threefold divisions have subdivisions. In certain Hindu teachings they are subdivided into five. Theosophical and Rosicrucian teachings divides the microcosm into seven:

[Please visit this page for table: http://www.indotalisman.com/mystsoul.html]

In the Rosicrucian system, the Divine, Life and Human Spirit may be considered as the Soul. The Monad as the Spirit, and the other lower components as the Personality. Each of these components of the microcosm reside in their own plane or dimension, and they are composed of the substances of their respective realm. Each has its own particular function in the operation of the microcosm. Each component vibrates at a certain frequency. Vibrations may be perceived as sound, light, or hue. The seven components of the microcosm, therefore, collectively produces a musical chord, or as a certain color–the conglomeration of all the colors of the components. This collective sound or color may be said to be our “soul” name. This sound may be dissonant or harmonious depending upon one’s soul-development. Each microcosm vibrates at a different frequency; there are no two microcosms quite alike, just as there are no two snowflakes of the exact same pattern. Each component of the microcosm has its primary faculty. The intellect is the faculty of the Lower Mental, the imagination of the Higher Mental, the Intuition of Buddhi, and Inspiration of Atma.

Since this is not a thesis on the occult anatomy of man we will not delve too deeply into the subject, suffice to say that there are many more components in the microcosm than what we have referred to above that are vibrating at a frequency undetectable as yet by our modern technological instruments. However, we will discuss a little so as to give a brief picture of man’s hidden composition.

Aside from the seven major components in man, the microcosm, there is also the thread that connects them all. This is called the sutratma. Forces and impulses from the highest aspect of the microcosm flows to the lower aspects via this connecting bridge. Our reaching up towards our divine Source builds another bridge called the antahkarana. This antahkarana grows from the lowest aspect of the microcosm and eventually anchors itself to the Monad.

The etheric body of man is constructed out of “lines of force.” These are the counterpart of the physical nervous system. Where they criss-cross a power-spot is formed. These are the acupuncture points, the minor and major chakras, and the tan-tiens. Certain energies from external sources accumulate in the etheric body of man. Kundalini is one of them. Kundalini is the cosmic fire, the force that has the power to purify and awaken the lower energy structures of the microcosm. When it awakens it flows through certain pathways of the etheric body. There are various main channels associated with kundalini awakening.

Another vital aspect of the microcosm are the seed atoms. These atoms are records of the evolutionary development of the soul, physically, emotionally, and mentally. They also store our karmic tendencies, expressions, and records. Though each of the seven components of the microcosm has its seed, only three are normally considered in esoteric writings. These are the Physical Seed-Atom, the Emotional Seed-Atom, and the Mental Seed-Atom. Each of these seed atoms has its position in the physical body. The mental seed atom lies in the pineal gland, and this is where our consciousness is seemingly focused. As can be seen from this, Descartes was not entirely wrong in presuming the pineal gland to be the seat of the soul.

As we said before, the seeds are records. They may be thought of as our recording angels. They record our every thought, feeling, and action. Our karma are stored in these seeds as well, and from time to time, when the time is ripe, they release the effects of the karma that we put into motion in our past. The timing of this is determined by a higher aspect of the microcosm, the Ego and our Solar Angel in conjunction with the advice and decree of the Lords of Karma–those beings that assists humanity in balancing and harmonizing all karmic actions.

The pineal gland is also the host of other spiritual components, and this is what makes it the most important gland of the endocrine system. The pineal and pituitary glands are psychic complementaries and their harmonized functioning results in a more perfect human expression. They are there not merely to secrete the known hormones but they play an important role in occult physiology. We regret that very little can be said in this paper.

Within the physical heart lies a spark of the Ego, the Soul, or the Higher Self. The Upanishads refer to this as the “Supreme Person, the size of the thumb.” This spark is threefold in nature, in has three aspects-power/will, love/wisdom, intelligence/activity. They are represented by three colours-blue, pink, and yellow, respectively.

According to mystical thought the physical body is the temple of the soul, and although religion is in agreement, many religious persons have turned their temple into a tomb, with its occupant dead asleep in the darkness of ignorance. Outward ceremonies, forms, and rituals are actually devoid of any true spiritual benefit when mechanically conducted. They may please the emotions but they deceive devotees into believing in their piousness. The outward forms are merely signs of spiritual realities within. It is by understanding and living these realities that one progresses in a true religious sense. For instance, formal religion may ask us to pray once a day, or five times a day; but in true religion we have to be in a constant state of prayer, “25 hours a day, 8 days a week.” Prayer is a certain mental attitude and awareness. It is not in requesting something but accepting that all that we could ever ask for is ours and is being done to us right now. Succinctly, Religion is Mysticism poorly understood as Science is its child that is undergoing a maturing process. More could be said of this but we would stray too far from our main subject.

Origin of the Soul

Man’s innermost being is the Monad. This is the SELF, the God within Man. Its nature is Sat-Chit-Ananda–Existence, Consciousness, and Bliss. The Monad is a spark of the Divine Flame which is the One Existence. The Monad is not a creation, it is an emanation. It is God individualized within the microcosm. The Ego, or the Soul, is in turn an emanation of the Monad, and the Personality an emanation of the Soul. It is the Soul that “creates” the physical body.

All things are manifestations of the One. IT manifests as energy. Energy is omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient. It is indestructible and eternal. Man, like everything else is made up of energy. He has certain magnetic fields and structures all composed of energy. The Monad within man qualitatively speaking is of God, is God. Quantitatively, the Monad is but a miniscule fragment of the infinite whole. When man is aware of his divine SELF-nature, he experiences the inner essence, the God within and thus declares “unification” with his Source. He realizes that essentially he is “God”–however, keep in mind that this refers to the God nature within and not to God’s totality, to the essence of man and not to his physical form or false ego. Like Jesus Christ he affirms: “I and my Father are one.” This is not blasphemy as theology might teach us. It is the recognition of the love of our Source who has bestowed ITs very being upon us. IT has given us ITs identity. This whole notion might be incomprehensible to some, nevertheless, it is a Truth experienced by mystics of all generations and cultures. There is no separation between God and Man, between God and the Universe. God is immanent within all, and also transcends all. The forgetfulness of this divine union is Man’s fall from divine grace. Man ate the forbidden fruit of intellectual knowledge and has forgotten his essential nature. This densified his being and he was made to wear “animal skins,” that is, the physical body. Man’s innermost being is Light, but because of ignorance he fell into the lower dimensions. Each dimensional descent enshrouded his light with a thicker and thicker vestment until finally he wore animal skins in the three-dimensional world and entrapped himself in matter–the most stupid part of the Mind as Leibnitz said. Man’s original sin is the sin of ignorance and forgetfulness. He who will hear let him hear!

Purpose of the Soul: Evolution

Change is one of the laws of the universe, it results in the cycles of creation/destruction; involution/evolution, etc. The Monad, a spark of the One, is in essence divine. It possesses a divine collective consciousness without any particular awareness of individuality and separation from its Source. However, it was emanated by its Progenitor for a purpose. As a focus point of the One Being it was manifested so that the One could experience various aspects of Itself, to grow in awareness of ITs inner potentiality, nature and power. In order to do that it had to further densify ITs being to the lowest possible dimensional reality. This is the act of involution. Thus, the Monad issued from itself a threefold-Soul which in turned manifested the four-lower bodies: the physical, etheric, astral, and lower mental. Having undergone the involutionary cycle, man is now on the upward path. Humanity is presently on the path of evolution as a continuance of its soul-journey and purpose. Along the path of evolution humanity’s consciousness grew through various lower consciousness levels typified by the consciousness of the minerals, plants, and animals, until finally it attained human-consciousness. What is the end of the soul’s journey? It probably has none. There is no end to evolution in the school of life, or spiritual and cosmic growth. We could say that the end is to merge with God but that is only half the truth. Words cannot express what goes on beyond that, neither can the intellect conceive. Absolute Inertia does not exist in the universe. Galaxies are born, and galaxies die, this goes on eternally. By attaining God-Consciousness, or a higher consciousness level, one goes on to even more lofty spiritual heights that are beyond human understanding. The human kingdom is not the ultimate achievement, infinite possibilities lies before the evolving soul. With God all things are possible–and God partly lies within our being experiencing all things through us. We concede that what we have said above is not easily assimilable and is controversial; however, realize that we do not force ideas upon anyone. It is rather difficult for us to convey abstract ideas with words, therefore, a debate upon this is needless. What we have explained above is simply the main points regarding the soul’s purpose and its cosmic trek, and is not to be considered as the whole-truth. It is merely a partial revelation. The whole subject of the soul’s purpose would take us deep into the study of cycles, rhythms, spiritual races, etc.

There are two aspects of evolution: the evolution of form and the evolution of consciousness; and also two factors regarding the soul to consider: soul essence and soul expressions. When we speak of evolution we refer to the consciousness aspect, and the expression of the soul of its innate divinity.

It takes a complex nervous system and brain to support a higher expression of the Soul, or the sense of Self; and an even greater unfoldment is required for the sustenance of a higher form of consciousness called “Christ Consciousness” or “Cosmic Consciousness.” This is, however, related to organic development.

The evolution of Darwinism refers to the form aspect of life and need not be considered further in this paper except to say that what Darwinism refer to as evolution might simply be a case of adaptation or genetic mutation.

Above we mentioned “soul-essence” and “soul-expression.” The soul’s inner essence is God-essence. It has all the powers, virtues, potentialities of God inherent within it. All of God’s attributes are encoded within the fundamental nature of the soul, just as the human blue-print is encoded in the DNA of every cell of the physical body. Though the soul’s inner nature is divine, its expression or personality is ever-evolving. While incarnated in physical form the soul has a dual task of removing the stains accumulated upon its personality, and of awakening its inner divine being that its expression would reflect the perfection of its essence.

Copyright © 2006 Luxamore

Read more: Mystery of the Soul Part 3

Sharing Feelings: Information or Attack?

“I’m angry with you.”
“I’m feeling really hurt by what you said to me.”
“I’m so disappointed in you.”
“I’m feeling really irritated with you.”

How often have you said these things to others? And how do they generally respond?

Do they get defensive?
Do they get angry?
Do they withdraw?
Do they lecture or explain things to you, trying to talk you out of your feelings?
Do they become people pleasers, trying to fix your feelings?
Are they open and curious?

Most likely, they will respond with some form of protective, defensive behavior, because they probably feel attacked.

Why would they feel attacked by your expression of feelings?

When someone has done something that is upsetting to you, the question to ask yourself when you are sharing your feelings with that person is, “What is my intent in sharing my feelings with this person?”

There are two possible answers to this question:

1. I am sharing my feelings to give information.
2. I am sharing my feelings to blame the person for causing my feelings.

If you were sharing your feelings to give information, you might say, “I’m feeling angry with you, so I’m going out for a walk and try to deal with it.”

If you were taking responsibility for your own feelings, you may not say anything about your feelings to the other person. You would go inside and explore what you are telling yourself that is causing you to feel angry, hurt, disappointed, or irritated. You might share information, such as, “I’m feeling stressed, so I’m going to take a bath.”

But if you just say, “I’m angry with you,” or “You hurt my feelings,” then you are not taking responsibility for your feelings – you are dumping your feelings on the other person, and he or she will feel blamed.

“But he did make me angry!” you might be thinking. “She did hurt my feelings.” “He did disappoint me.” Behind these statements lies a major false belief – the belief that others cause your feelings.

It is not what another person says or does that causes your upsets, but your expectations and what you tell yourself about another’s behavior that causes your painful feelings. If you expected a birthday gift and didn’t get one, you will feel disappointed, but it is your expectation that caused the disappointment. If someone ignores you or rejects you, what do you tell yourself? Do you tell yourself that you are not good enough, not lovable enough? This is what will hurt you or make you feel angry. You will feel hurt and angry when you allow yourself to take others’ behavior personally. If you then blame them for your feelings, you are being a victim rather than taking responsibility for having taken their behavior personally.

Others will likely feel manipulated, blamed and controlled when you make a statement such as “I’m angry with you,” or “I’m feeling hurt by what you said.” If the other person says “That’s your problem,” or responds with anger, defensiveness, or withdrawal, and then you respond with “I’m just sharing my feelings,” the interaction can get really convoluted.

Next time you share your feelings and the other person gets angry, defensive, or withdrawn, take a moment to investigate your own intention. The chances are you are covertly blaming the other person for your feelings. Once you discover that this is what you are doing, disengage from the interaction and explore how you might be causing your own feelings. What are you telling yourself and how are you treating yourself that is causing your upsetting feelings?

You will discover that your interactions with others greatly improve when you stop being a victim by blaming others for your feelings and start to take responsibility for your own feelings.

Read more: Sharing Feelings: Information or Attack?

Another way to Soundproof You Home: Green Glue

Most people believe that batt insulation is a good soundproofing agent. Some of the good batt insulations that are out there are Roxul AFB and Bonded logic’s bonded cotton insulation. They serve the purpose of soundproofing and thermal protection. But don’t expect batt to be strong enough to stand alone as the only soundproofing material in a wall ceiling or floor assembly.

If you are soundproofing a ceiling and you are not too concerned about the thermal aspects of the ceiling then adding drywall pieces to fit into the joint cavities might be a better way to go. Once these pieces are screwed to the sub floor above it is much more effective than any batt insulation can offer.

So just exactly what is green glue? It is a visco elastic damping compound that is becoming very popular in the soundproofing industry. You will find them in a caulk tube that can be used in a large quart size caulk gun. First, you cut the pieces of drywall to fit right into the joist cavities. You then take the green glue and apply it to the backside of the cut drywall. You then screw it to the bottom of the sub floor. In between the drywall and the bottom of the sub floor will be the green glue. Now if you want better soundproofing try to tighten the screws on the drywall. The pieces of drywall that has the green glue in the backside will be the most effective sound system. If you want better soundproofing, then apply more layers of the green glue to the drywall piece before you screw it up.

After all of the green glue has been place, then you can install your sound or thermal batt insulation. Now that your drywall is finished you should spend the money for two layers of 5/8 drywall. Screw in the first layer of drywall directly to the ceiling joists. Be sure to install the second layer directly over the first layer. Be sure to use 3 tubes of green glue to each sheet of drywall that you put up for maximum soundproofing effects.

Read more: Another way to Soundproof You Home: Green Glue