Chinese calender prediction 2006

According to the Chinese Calendar, the first day of the coming Lunar year, which will be the Year of the Dog, will fall on January 29, 2006. While Western Astrology is based upon the months of the year, Chinese Astrology is based upon a twelve-year lunar cycle. Your sign is determined by the year in which you were born. Each sign and those born under it, are represented by one of twelve animals, and are ascribed a set of attributes the Chinese believe comprise the nature of each particular animal. Legend has it that when Buddha was dying he invited all the animals to visit him. However, only 12 animals came... they are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. So, the Buddha honoured them by making each of them to represent the twelve signs of the Zodiac.

What's in store for each of the twelve animal signs in 2006? 2006 is the Year of the Dog - bringing luck and fortune to all Dogs. However, the animal opposing that of the current year always has some troubles or issues to contend with and resolve. So the Dragon will have a tougher year, caution and not exceeding your limits is advised. The three animals that gain most from the year are the Tiger, the Horse and the Rabbit.

Every sign is different and it’s important to remember that each year the Chinese animal comes up, it can have one of five different elemental makeup— wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Each of these elements mean that you react differently to the year depending on what’s in play in 2006. This year is a ‘Fire Dog’ so if your element clashes with Fire you may have a tougher, more challenging or testing year. And this does not mean you won't succeed — the challenge may be just what you need to make it.


THE RAT:
(1900, 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996)
This is going to be a year when support and assistance come your way. You feel you can compete well with others and do things that you may not have attempted or launched in previous years. Communications with others are very important to make it happen. Keep your attention focused on what you want for the year. Take charge of your finances and be prudent. Otherwise you may incur a significant financial loss. 2006 is not a good year to make major financial investments.

THE OX:
(1901, 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997)
This is a year that you need to be careful about over-extending yourself. Do not spend too much money or you will find yourself outside your limits. Stay away from gambling and keep an eye on all the details in any project you are involved with this year. This is not a good year to make any major changes in your career. Try not to make a job switch or request for a transfer. Avoid any major deals with Dog or Goat people.

THE TIGER:
(1902, 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998)
This is one of your better years with much support from the Dog. Be careful about accidents this year and avoid any dangerous situations. 2006 will be a fruitful year in terms of your career. Things are likely to progress smoothly and you will be presented with many opportunities. However, clarify anything to do with the law in advance of any new projects. Enjoy yourself this year. It will help you to move ahead.

THE DRAGON:
(1904, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 1900)
The yearly fortune for the opposite sign of the zodiac is always tricky. This year can bring clashes and disharmony and it can also bring financial problems. Persevere and you will be okay, but do it all quietly. This is a year of change for you and you may find yourself changing jobs, getting transferred or even relocating. A year when you should proceed with caution in all aspects of your life, including your career.

THE RABBIT:
(1903, 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999)
Another animal that has its luck from the Dog year. Keep an eye on your health as you may suffer from gradual loss of energy. Good time to move ahead financially and to experience good luck or have money fall into your lap. Stay grounded, and this will be a fruitful year for you. If you are thinking of starting your own business, 2006 will be a good year.

THE SNAKE:
(1905, 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 1901)
You are well-favoured by the Dog year, but maybe not in the way you expect. This is a time when you can bring projects you've been on for awhile to some fruition. Take the opportunity when it arises to make some financial investments or go into a business venture.There is also the possibility of an unexpected windfall. You may be called upon to show leadership for others and you need to also look at how far you plan your life ahead. Keep an eye on your legal affairs and watch out for a new romance!

THE HORSE:
(1906, 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 1902)
Another sign that benefits from the Dog year. Teaming up with other Tigers and Dogs will be good for you. You are naturally popular and have a wide social circle. Enjoy yourself this year. This may be a year for romance either new or from a renewed connection with your partner. Good year for getting ahead with finances and for changing your attitudes towards a more positive approach.

THE SHEEP:
(1903, 1907, 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991)
A year when you question yourself about where you are going. There may be issues about the loss of family members or changing family circumstances. Spend some time in contemplation or meditation and you’ll deal with all situations much more clearly and easily. Be wary of every contract, every negotiation and every new person you meet. Career-wise, a very fruitful year whether you are in business or an employee.

THE MONKEY:
(1908, 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 1904)
Opportunities, for you to make something out of this year, are here for you. If you are practical in your approach, things ought to go well for you. Possible ups and downs with losses and gains. Be aware of relationship issues and take time to reassess your priorities. This may be a frustrating year for you in terms of your career. Do not be impatient with your progress or be discontented with your achievements.

THE ROOSTER:
(1909, 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 1905)
Not the best year for Roosters, but you had a swinging time in 2005, which was the year of the Rooster. Be careful of your health and pay attention to any telltale signs of illness. Take it easy if you have problems and make plans for further down the track. Later, you will be able to have a better year. Avoid the need to speak out as strongly as Roosters usually do and you'll fare much better.

THE DOG:
(1910, 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994)
Your year, but it doesn't always go well every moment. You have some great support this year from the cosmos. You may be able to move ahead in your chosen professional field and make it very successful by the end of the year. Be careful with others and deal with them honestly and justly. Stay away from Sheep and Ox people this year in business dealings.

THE PIG:
(1911, 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1983, 1995)
The Dog year is not your best and you may have financial or health problems. Look at how you can set up a discipline this year for yourself. You may feel the need to get away at times, so if you need to, take a good vacation and relax and enjoy yourself with plenty of time out. Make good plans for next year, as it Is going to be “your” year. Keep your directions clear and keep your focus.

Calvin is Calvin!!

The Man who walked like an Incarnation of God

I happened to read an article about Swami Vivekananda in 'Wisdom'. The article was about the first couple of meetings betw Naren and Sri Ramakrishna. A classic of an article. I had thought that the first time they met was in Dakshineswar. But its not so, it was actually in Calcutta. A relation of Narendra used to advise him to visit Ramakrishna at Dakshineswar, who, he said, would be able to remove all his doubts about religion. In the year 1881 at the age of eighteen for the first time Narendra happened to meet Ramakrishna at the house of a neighbour. Sri Ramakrishna had gone to Calcutta to the house of a devotee which was near Narendra's. Devotional songs were to be sung during Sri Ramakrishna's visit, but the singer failed to show up. The devotees invited Narendra, their neighbor, to fill the gap, knowing he excelled in both singing and playing musical instruments.

Thus came Narendra to the house of the devotee and sang one of the most touching songs in Bengali. This was their first meeting and Sri Ramakrishna was visibly moved by the sincerity and quality of Narendra's voice. He invited Naren to visit Dakshineswar at his earliest convenience.

As the days passed, Naren began to grow restless about the various riddles that religion presented to him. He particularly wanted to meet a person who could talk about God with the authority of personal experience. In November of 1881 Narendra went to Dakshineswar with some classmates. The second meeting betw the Guru and the disciple was even more eventful. Sri Ramakrishna treated Narendra not as a stranger but as as old friend. Commenting on this first visit Narendra said, "It was most unusual kind of meeting. I could not understand the peculiar behaviour of that 'mad, monomaniac Brahmin'. I was reluctant to visit him again, but his simplicity, genuine renunciation, and love for God pulled me again and again, despite protests of logic and reason." His skepticism and logical mind was not ready to accept the 'powers' manifested in Sri Ramakrishna. He thought that this 'simple insane' Brahmin might be playing tricks with others in the form of hypnotism or mesmerism. In fact Swami Vivekananda postponed his next visit to Dakshineswar for about six months, although he had promised Sri Ramakrishna to visit him soon.

Swami Vivekananda's inspiring personality was well known both in India and in America during the last decade of the nineteenth century and the first decade of the twentieth. The unknown monk of India suddenly leapt into fame at the Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893, at which he represented Hinduism. His vast knowledge of Eastern and Western culture as well as his deep spiritual insight, fervid eloquence, brilliant conversation, broad human sympathy, colourful personality, and handsome figure made an irresistible appeal to the many types of Americans who came in contact with him. People who saw or heard Vivekananda even once cherished his memory even after a lapse of more than half a century.

Lets salute the giant today, on his birthday, who is regarded as the "Man who walked like an Incarnation of God".

One of his preachings....

"Wherever there are many, there is fear, there is danger, there is conflict, there is strife. When it is all One, who is there to hate, who is there to struggle with? When it is all He, with whom can you fight? This explains the true nature of life; this explains the true nature of being. This is perfection, and this is God. As long as you see the many, you are under delusion."

Swami Vivekananda
(January 12, 1863 - July 4, 1902)

Have a wonderful new year 2006!

phew!!! webservices, components, transaction, transformation, orchestration, end points, mapping, workflow..... last three days i hv been listening to all these terms (and many more) for more than 5 hrs per day. Day 3 i.e. today was more of discussing and suggesting solutions to some of the project scenarios which we will be implementing over the next few weeks. yes it has been quite a bit of learning. the sessions got over by mid day and we had been out for lunch to a nearby restaurent. well, as of now nothing more to work on... and think i wil scoot as early as possible. and am not too keen on coming to office tomorrow :) Its just just 3 days to brand new year. btw any new year resolutions??!! i have quite a few.... Anyway, Wish you all a very happy and a wonderful new year filled with joy, success, and peace.

Speaking Tree - Every Day is a Celebration For the God-conscious - Dec 28, 2005

We awake each morning not knowing what to expect from the day ahead. Will it bring good fortune or pain? This uncertainty creates feelings of fear and instability. How is one to deal with daily life when one is filled with uncertainty? Mystics and saints view life from a higher angle. They recommend that we live each moment with full trust in the Lord.

Trust in the Lord requires a conviction that there is an unseen power who created this world and who created us. It means having knowledge that our soul has been created by God, and its journey is under God’s will. It requires conviction that God has sent us into the world for a purpose and our destiny is to fulfil that purpose. This means that we cannot leave this earth before our destined time comes. It means that certain events that happen to us are also preordained by God, and that what happens is already laid out for us. It also means that we have been given some free will in which we can make some choices.

Some of what happens to us each day is God’s will. We also have free will to choose, and we can make choices that are going to be beneficial to us and those around us. Our journey in life is a process of evolution of the soul. Sooner or later the soul is destined to return to God. The end goal that God has for us is that we attain this freedom. At the right moment, we get a helping hand when we think all is lost.

Ernest Shackleford dreamed of crossing Antarctica by dog sled, a 2,100-mile journey. Shackleford and his team began the journey. Unfortunately, the boat taking them to Antarctica hit an ice pack and sank. Luckily, the men survived, but they found themselves in waters with drifting ice floes. The nearest land was 200 miles away. The nearest human outpost was 1,200 miles away.

They salvaged a one-ton lifeboat which they pulled with them, crossing from one ice floe to another. When they reached an area that did not have anymore ice floes, they got into the lifeboat, but the waves were often 90 feet high. Somehow, they made it to an island of ice, which had never been crossed before. It took them seven months to reach civilisation. When they finally arrived, they told their friends that they felt the presence of an unseen power guiding them on.

The beauty of God’s unseen hand is that sometimes we actively pray for help and receive it, but there are many times when we do not even ask for help, and help comes anyway. These times are reminders to us that we are not alone. One way to feel God’s presence is to meditate. The energy emanating from God is a principle that manifests as light and sound. The light is greater than any light one experiences on earth. The sound is a divine melody that reverberates without instruments or vocal chords.

The more consciousness there is, the more ethereal the sound. Let us make everyday a celebration. The next time we feel helpless and alone, let us remember that God’s arms are around us. Let us offer thanks for the myriad ways in which God’s love surrounds and protects us.

Day one complete.. two more days to go. Actually it wasnt as tiring as i had presumed. more bcos it was more of hands on than just listening. also the trainer is my former collegue. we both were project mates at netkraft. so was nice talking and sharing the past with him. he is a tech consultant now and will be travelling to Ireland in another week or so. well looking forward for day2 as he has said it will be more complex and challenging. me going for home.. probably will meet a frend on the way. bye.. keep cool ;)

Cast Iron training..

me off to a training session in the academy block... will b back sometime late evening. shall catch u later guys... enjoy!! what is Cast Iron?.. well, click on - Cast Iron Systems

Speaking Tree - The Lotus of Consciousness Is Thousand-petalled - Dec 27, 2005

The journey from loneliness to aloneness is a long and arduous one — from the seemingly playful ripples on the surface of our being at the outset to deep shadows of conflict and contradictions — as we move on to discover ourselves.

To reach the innermost depth of understanding and tranquillity, each one of us, as a free thinker, has to walk the lonely path to self-discovery through the noisy mind. Life in its essence does not change; it hasn't for thousands of years. Life flows, as ever, with all its ups and downs.

The question is: Can we flow along with it in a naturally abundant, joyous, balanced state of being? From the chaotic state of mind, we first travel the difficult distance to the state of loneliness, which for some, may even be an anxiety-ridden experience. But in itself, it is the first and most promising milestone towards self-realisation. From there begins the journey towards aloneness.

Loneliness is the mirror carved out of our introspection — it reflects where we are in our journey towards the ultimate. At the take-off stage we are nothing more than lost particles in the vast universe and yet not quite so... for we are determined to find out who we are.

Aloneness is that next step towards self-realisation and then with consistent, aware evolution comes the finer state of aloneness; it keeps getting better till finally one arrives! There is no conflict left...problems get resolved. We had perceived challenges as problems because of our deep-rooted conditioning.

Rarely are we brought up to think that every challenge carries a huge potential, a juicy seed for our inner growth. Evolution, like pregnancy with its labour pains, is a process that carries the amazing promise of a whole new life.

In aloneness, we begin to cherish our own company and in the same measure as that of the stars, the trees and the breeze. We become one with the universe, in tune with life. Then you want nothing, crave for nothing, desire nothing because you have everything. You have you with you and that you is life in totality itself: the ultimate. Your journey to the higher self has to begin and end with you and only you.

The moment of self-realisation can happen anytime. It depends upon your readiness to receive it, upon the purity of your being in everything you do. Open your being to life and magical things would begin to happen to you. Your own life energy will flow through you, surprising you with the infinite joyous energy you carry within yourself.

You would no longer be lonely. Instead, you would be the ecstatic self which is total in being alone and in tune with nature. For the first time there would be no conflict between existence and you. As Osho said, "You will be able to sing the song that you have brought into your heart which has remained unsung for so long.

You will be able to bloom into thousands of flowers. Or as we say it in the East: You will bloom into a thousand-petalled lotus of consciousness, of awareness. That is, God, or still better, godliness".

The Speaking Tree!!

Starting today i will be posting some great articles.. which takes me, you, us .. everybody one step closer to God and self-realization. These are articles from the editorials of the times of india newspaper and is called "The Speaking Tree".

some techie sites...

http://www.techtree.com/
http://www.extremetech.com/
http://www.pcmag.com/
http://www.computerworld.com/
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/
http://www.eweek.com/