The Importance of the Country House
Your Guide to Healthy Relationships – Can Tantric Yoga Improve Your Sex Life?
Sexuality is our strongest primal force and a reflection of the great dualities of nature. Working with the universal polarity in order to reach the pure unity of consciousness behind it is the basis of Tantric Yoga. This process and benefits you gain from it are explained by expert practitioner, Dr. David Frawley. I’ve presented highlights of his interview which appeared in Tathaastu Magazine.
What is Tantric Yoga and why should you practice it?
It is a meditative experience that provides many benefits. It consists of unfolding the Divine powers within ourselves, the inner god and goddess, whose natures are the light and energy of consciousness.
What are these two primal powers?
Dr. Frawley says there are two main Tantric symbols – Shiva Linga and Shakti Yoni. On a biological level, they are symbols of sexual energy, male and female, but this is a small portion of their power.
Shiva Linga is a phallic symbol of masculine stability, strength and endurance, which is reflected in the cosmic masculine principle, values and virtue.
In yoga philosophy, the term “linga” refers to the subtle body that is reborn, not the physical body. The linga is a place where energy is held, generated and sustained.
Shakti Yoni refers to the womb or creative center of a woman. It’s greater symbolism is also a cave, a valley, a place of origin and a matrix of time and space. It is a horizontal force.
Whereas the Shiva Linga is a vertical force represented in the mountains, thunderclouds, the tree, the upright human as the ascending energy of consciousness and life in nature. It is often viewed as a pillar of light, an erect spine and Prana life force.
How do the Linga And Yoni relate?
They always go together on the level of opposites, like the valley to mountains, meadows to forests, water to fire, woman to man.
Uniting the linga and the yoni is not just matter of sexuality but of uniting the centrifugal force (linga) with centripetal force (yoni), or uniting the electric force of Shiva with the magnetic (attractive) force of Shakti. It is uniting the center with the periphery, so that the One and the Infinite merge into a single experience.
What is the meditative experience of the Linga and the Yoni?
Shiva linga in yogic meditation is of a pillar of light, energy, peace and eternity, expanding the mind, opening the inner eye and bringing deep tranquility and steadiness to the heart.
Dr. Frawley says that to hold your awareness in the power of the linga is how you develop unwavering concentration and inner peace.
How do these polarized forces affect sexuality?
Human sexuality is one of many manifestations of the cosmic forces of duality, of a greater Divine sexuality as it were. Dr. Frawley recommends that we learn to see the cosmic energy behind human sexuality.
“Unless one can meditate deeply upon the linga and the yoni as the dual Divine powers behind all existence, one has not yet developed a real understanding of yoga.” He concludes, “We must learn to discover the Divine union of the dual great cosmic powers in all that we can see or imagine.”
When you see your intimate partner as a force of great cosmic powers, the chemistry you spark may be simply divine.
And if you’re single and seeking your great love match, I invite you to enjoy a free, 30-day trial membership in the Singles Club of Tribe Of Blondes.
Not a hair color, it’s a resilient optimism that unites us and fuels our adventures. Start meeting our Tribe Of Singles during video chats, book discussions (TelePowWows) and travel vacations.
Click on SINGLES CLUB at the top of this page and sign up for your free month’s membership now. Enjoy!
Dedicated to your dating and relationship happiness,
Hadley Finch
Woohoo! Freedom Awaits!
Hello fellow readers!
Its been a while since I have been able to blog but I wanted to say hello to all you lovely peeps! By the time you finish reading this I will be officially graduated! Yup, as of Saturday August 15, 2009 3pm CST I will be a Master’s degree graduate. *bows to the crowd*
Do you know what this means?
That until I start classes in January I will be able to write! *EVIL LAUGH* Oh the power the joy the glory. I can write my poor characters that have been screaming in my head for a chance to break free. And now they have 4 glorious months all to themselves to make themselves known.
Who here thinks there’s going to be a massive coup? Lol.
Though I would love to write more, I regret to say that right now I’m officially brain exhausted. The only thing that I’m looking forward to is sleep, sleep and more sleep for a bit.
And then with the recuperation, I can get back to my neglected work. Great huh?
Talk to you guys soon!!!!
Mila.
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Love Test – What One Word Causes All the Trouble in Your Life and Relationships?
Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want. Do you want to accept your next experience? Yes or No?
Your one-word answer to this Love Test may reveal the source of trouble in your life and relationships. Learn how to self correct now.
What one word is the source of trouble in your relationships?
That word is NO. That tiny word is one of the most powerful and potentially destructive words we use.
Most of us, except for two year olds, have a hard time saying NO to other people. It triggers guilt and awkward feelings of rejection that we’d rather avoid. So we may let things slide rather than exercise our power to establish priorities or boundaries in our professional or personal relationships.
And if you’re single and seeking your great love, I invite you to claim a free, one-month trial membership in the Singles Club of Tribe Of Blondes. Not a hair color, it’s a resilient optimism that unites us and fuels our passionate choices and personal triumphs.
Start meeting savvy singles through video chats, book discussions, social events and travel vacations. Claim your free, 30-day membership now. Click on SINGLES CLUB at the top of this page. Enjoy!
Dedicated to your dating and relationship happiness,
Hadley Finch
There are ways to say NO to people in which you balance standing firm and getting what you want right now with keeping people happily functioning in relationship with you long term.
It’s not a defiant, unreasonable NO that shuts the door of communication. Think of it as the power of a positive NO that moves you back into a YES in your relationships. If you’d like to learn more, check out the book, The Power Of A Positive No: How to Say NO and Still Get to Yes, written by William Ury, a negotiation expert at Harvard.
“To say yes to the right things”–and not be overwhelmed, overworked and generally stressed out–”you have to say no to a lot of other things,” Ury says. The payoff, he notes, can be twofold, since delivering a respectful, decisive no can paradoxically strengthen your relationship with the person on the receiving end.
What if you say NO to an “experience”, as defined in our opening Love Test?
This means you are rejecting the life or love lessons that can be found within every experience, like the pearl inside the oyster shell. While it’s not wise to seek out experiences that cause you pain or trouble, we inevitably face challenging issues in life and love.
When you say NO or WHY ME?, you are resisting the experience which often increases your discomfort, much like a mother fighting the delivery of her baby instead of easing the birth with breathing, etc.
The positive choice is to accept this challenging experience as you think, “YES. Here’s the lesson I’m supposed to learn today. I will learn it now, so I don’t have to repeat it.”
“What part of NO don’t you understand?” a country song inquires. It’s a popular song because of its universal Love Test.
Nobody wants to experience a NO that slams the door in a relationship or personal growth that we gain in relationships.
With the correct attitude, you can accept a NO and seek love lessons established in this boundary. And you can say a positive NO that leads to a YES, when it opens the door to personal growth and greater understanding in your life and relationships.
Hollywood Love Guide – Would Any Man Wait 53 Years to Make Love to His Soulmate?
When I first read Love In The Time Of Cholera, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, I was skeptical that a man could carry a torch for his soulmate for 53 years until their love was fulfilled. When I saw Javier Bardem carry that torch in the film inspired by the Marquez novel, he seduced me to believe in his devotion to the power of true love.
Much like Romeo and Juliet, Bardem’s teenage character falls deeply in love with his beloved, but her father sends her away because they are too young and he is not suitable marriage material.
When Javier Bardem makes a personal vow to love her forever, he infuses his commitment with tender,tangible soul that made me understand his yearning and to root for his reunion with his beloved decades later.
Throughout her long marriage to the town doctor, Bardem’s character has meaningless affairs, never holding any woman dear in his heart except for his beloved. This is why he says he is a virgin who waited for her 53 years. No other woman penetrated his defenses.
Bardem’s soul power makes us believe in romantic dialogue that you rarely hear in a Hollywood film:
“There is no greater glory than to die for love.”
“Think of love as a state of grace. Not a means to an end, but the alpha and omega. An end in itself.”
Javier goes to the home of his beloved, now a grieving widow, on the day of her husband’s funeral. He confesses his undying love for her. She throws him out, but his unwavering devotion eventually wins her heart.
As their love is consummated, you see her traces of age dissolve into the timeless, radiant spirit of love as she is beheld in the eyes of the man who loves her. Javier leaves us with his parting poetry about their enduring love:
“After 53 years, 7 months, 11 days, my heart is at last fulfilled. I discovered to my joy, that it is life, not death, that has no limits.”
In my Santa Fe hot performance rating, Javier Bardem deserves 4 chili peppers for his sizzling, soulful portrayal of a man devoted to love and to his beloved.
And if you’re single and seeking your great love, I invite you to meet soulful singles in video chats, social events and travel vacations with the Singles Club of Tribe Of Blondes. Not a hair color, it’s a resilient optimism that unites us and fuels our passionate choices and personal triumphs.
Claim your free, one-month trial membership now. Click on SINGLES CLUB at the top of this page. Enjoy!
Dedicated to your dating and relationship happiness,
Hadley Finch
Hollywood Love Guide – Would Any Man Wait 53 Years to Make Love to His Soulmate?
When I first read Love In The Time Of Cholera, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, I was skeptical that a man could carry a torch for his soulmate for 53 years until their love was fulfilled. When I saw Javier Bardem carry that torch in the film inspired by the Marquez novel, he seduced me to believe in his devotion to the power of true love.
Much like Romeo and Juliet, Bardem’s teenage character falls deeply in love with his beloved, but her father sends her away because they are too young and he is not suitable marriage material.
When Javier Bardem makes a personal vow to love her forever, he infuses his commitment with tender,tangible soul that made me understand his yearning and to root for his reunion with his beloved decades later.
Throughout her long marriage to the town doctor, Bardem’s character has meaningless affairs, never holding any woman dear in his heart except for his beloved. This is why he says he is a virgin who waited for her 53 years. No other woman penetrated his defenses.
Bardem’s soul power makes us believe in romantic dialogue that you rarely hear in a Hollywood film:
“There is no greater glory than to die for love.”
“Think of love as a state of grace. Not a means to an end, but the alpha and omega. An end in itself.”
Javier goes to the home of his beloved, now a grieving widow, on the day of her husband’s funeral. He confesses his undying love for her. She throws him out, but his unwavering devotion eventually wins her heart.
As their love is consummated, you see her traces of age dissolve into the timeless, radiant spirit of love as she is beheld in the eyes of the man who loves her. Javier leaves us with his parting poetry about their enduring love:
“After 53 years, 7 months, 11 days, my heart is at last fulfilled. I discovered to my joy, that it is life, not death, that has no limits.”
In my Santa Fe hot performance rating, Javier Bardem deserves 4 chili peppers for his sizzling, soulful portrayal of a man devoted to love and to his beloved.
And if you’re single and seeking your great love, I invite you to meet soulful singles in video chats, social events and travel vacations with the Singles Club of Tribe Of Blondes. Not a hair color, it’s a resilient optimism that unites us and fuels our passionate choices and personal triumphs.
Claim your free, one-month trial membership now. Click on SINGLES CLUB at the top of this page. Enjoy!
Dedicated to your dating and relationship happiness,
Hadley Finch
Guest Blog with Roxanne Rhoads and a Chance to Win a Free Ebook
My name is Roxanne Rhoads and I am happy to be here today at the Romance Junkies Blog. I am making the rounds on a mini blog tour to celebrate the release of my newest e-book Torrid Teasers Volume 59 released through WhiskeyCreekPressTorrid.com.
Torrid Teasers #59 is a double shot of paranormal sexiness. It contains two of my paranormal erotic romance stories, The Questioning Concubine and Renata.
Here are the mini blurbs for the stories in Torrid Teasers Volume 59.
Renata:
The residents of the sleepy little town of Flushing, Michigan had no idea a vampire lived among them seducing and drinking from all the men in town. Renata walked among them, blending in, taking only what she needed. One night Renata was on the prowl for fresh blood at a carnival when a handsome carnie caught her eyes. She had no way of knowing he was there for her.
The Questioning Concubine:
Elita, a pure blood witch has come home to find who or what killed her parents and to take her place as the head of the coven. After 5 years of investigating and exhausting all conventional methods at her disposal she decides to do the one thing a good witch should never do, summon a demon. The demon is not what she expected. Elita is soon swept up in his power… and her own.
Both stories take place in the quaint town of Flushing, Michigan. A very real place though I have fictionalized the paranormal creatures that live in what I call Storybookville. Maybe.
I live right outside Flushing, just outside enough to be an outsider but close enough that most of the businesses and stores that I frequent are in Flushing. Main street consists of old Victorian style homes and the brick building store fronts that can be found in old small towns around the country.
I fell in love with the place as a child but always felt like an outsider. It has such great qualities that it makes a fantastic setting for stories of any nature but I love the little perversion of turning such story book perfection into a setting for erotic paranormal creatures to cavort shamelessly.
That gives you a peak into my personality doesn’t it? Perverting the perfect. But there is always something hidden under any layer of perfection. I am sure my fictional perversions can’t even compare to what really lies behind closed doors.
Truth is often stranger than fiction, believe me I know. My truths have often been so unbelievable I question my own life. And others…well they just flat out don’t believe me. So I keep things to myself or insert them into my fiction. Then people don’t question anything and it often makes for a good story. You never know what small snippets or strange little elements in my stories may actually hold a grain of truth.
In addtion to my newest release from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid, I have a short story, Tasty Christmas Treats, available in ebook and print through EternalPress.ca as well as two short paranormal pieces in the Paranormal Bedtime Stories collection also available at EternalPress.ca.
My short story “The First Brick” appears in the ebook Lasting Lust: Kinky Couples in Love available at RavenousRomance.com. And I have two novellas being released later this year through Eternal Press, Eternal Desire will be out in October and Insatiable in December.
You can find my articles and poetry around the web and keep track of me at my sites Roxanne’s Realm and Fang-tastic Books.
Would you like to receive a free e-book download of Torrid Teasers Volume 59? Just leave a comment with your email contact info so I can send the book to you if you are chosen as a winner.
Thanks so much for dropping by today and good luck, hope you win a copy of my Torrid Teasers Volume 59.
Research
Most historical romances are about the aristocracy, mine included. We love to read about lords and ladies, dukes and duchesses, all young, all good looking and sexually irresistible, finding their way to love.
So what about the other classes of society? Didn’t they fall in love?
I have incorporated other classes sometimes, for instance Rose in the Richard and Rose books is from the landed gentry – a different class to the aristocrats, and Arabella, heroine of “Tantalizing Secrets” is a factory owner’s widow and the daughter of a vicar.
In Georgette Heyer’s books all her heroes and heroines had some connection with the top echelons of society. Her governess heroines had relatives who were generals or barons. And if we were to put all the dukes in all the Regencies end to end, they’d probably circumnavigate the globe. It would be an interesting sight, though, wouldn’t it?
I can think of exceptions, some excellent ones. Maddy, the heroine of Laura Kinsale’s wonderful “Flowers From the Storm” is a quaker miss with not one aristocratic relative, yet she marries her duke. Maddy came alive for me in that book, and her different background made the book more enjoyable and explained her character to a certain extent. She wasn’t the saint she thought she was, neither was she as infallible as she thought. Maddy thought too small, as the hero’s aunt, Lady de Marly, pointed out in one unforgettable scene.
In doing the research for “Tantalizing Secrets” I became engrossed in the history of the cities and towns of England and I came across the phenomenon of the London Cit, the wealthy city merchant or banker. They had their own institutions, their own social circles and their own customs. They would have hated one of their number marrying into the aristocracy, although occasionally that did happen. The Cit’s power base was their often fabulous wealth, the Guilds, ancient institutions that regulated industry in the City of London, and Parliament, particularly the House of Commons. The aristocrats had the Lords, the Cit had the Commons, together with the landed gentry and the untitled members of the aristocracy.
Queen Charlotte’s coronation gown was encrusted with diamonds – all borrowed fro
m City merchants. Her husband, George III, was very aware of the power of the city merchant, and did his best to keep them sweet. Many innovations came from the City or were financed by the merchants there. And women had a lot of freedom, like one of my ancestors, Hester Bateman, who became one of the premier businesswomen in London. Her husband died young, and she had sons to provide for, so she carried on the business for them. It prospered, and although her company never reached the artistic heights of a Paul Storr, she did very well with everyday items, and they are sought after today. Not that she ever made a piece of silver herself.
So I’m doing more research into the city merchants and financiers. A novel in the offing? Maybe, but I’m enjoying the research!
Creative ideas from mysterious places!
The appearance of a crop circle in the shape of a jellyfish in the fields near our house last week might not seem the most obvious inspiration for a Regency author but as you know, we often get our ideas from all kinds of unusual places! When I heard about the “jellyfish” it set me to wondering when the first recorded mention was of crop circles and whether any had appeared in Regency times. I did some research and came up with some fascinating answers!
The earliest recorded mention of a crop circle appears to be in 815AD when the Bishop of Lyons wrote of corn “flattened by magical storms.” A celebrated case in 1678 records the case of the “Mowing Devil” which was shown on a contemporary woodcut. The text that accompanies the woodcut states that when a farmer asked a neighbour to cut his three and a quarter acre oat field, the man ‘endeavour’d to sell the Sweat of his Brows and Marrow of his Bones at as dear a Rate as reasonably he might . . . some sharp Words had passed . . . The irritated farmer with a stern look . . . told the poor man, That the Devil should Mow his Oats before he should have anything to do with them.’ The result was that that very night people saw the oat field in flames and in the morning a perfect round crop circle had been cut in the middle of the field. However, this report was discredited in some circles as being untrue and the woodcut a means of reinforcing the power of the church as a warning not to anger God with intemperate words. Even if this was the case, however, it does suggest that the concept of crop circles was something that men were familiar with at this time.
By the end of the eighteenth century and the beginning of the nineteenth, the emphasis had shifted from religion and superstition to scientific investigation. Several scientific journals record the appearance of crop circles in this time, down to meticulous detail of how the corn was bent and flattened in some cases and cut and placed in others. Theories on crop circle formation suggested that they might have been created by swirling vortices of air or some other type of natural atmospheric process such as lightning. However, one particular account from the Victorian period near Plummer’s Hill, in High Wycombe, Bucks, describes two disc-shaped objects with flashing lights hovering over a site where the very next day a circle of bent, flattened grasses was discovered! Was this the earliest suggestion that crop circles are created by aliens?
There are many ancient sites and historic events in this part of the world that could inspire a book, including the historic scouring of the Uffington White Horse and I’m tempted to include a mystery crop circle into one of my Regencies!
Nicola Cornick
