Checking Your Building Foundation

The most important thing when building a home is the ability to keep everything as square, plumb and level as possible. Starting with the foundation, if the foundation is not square or level, the rest of the house is going to be out of alignment.

You've probably heard the saying, start with a good foundation. This applies to the building industry as well. There are quite a few ways to build a square foundation, it all depends on what kind of tools you have, to build it with.

Some of these tools can be quite expensive but it used every day can save you a lot of time and of course time is money.

You don't need expensive tools to build a square foundation. You could actually build a square foundation with less than $100 worth of tools. It might take you a little longer but could be done.

Let's start with the 3 - 4 - 5 rule.

Okay lets see if I can explain this in layman's terms. If no West side of the foundation is 3 foot and the north side of the foundation is for foot, then the diagonal measurement from the southwest corner to the northeast corner would be 5 foot. Out of square building can create foundation problems

This can also be done using 30' x 40' should equal 50 foot. You can use this if the building is large and you need to check it for square.

By measuring the foundation diagonally from each corner, the measurement should be exactly the same. If it isn't, the building is out of square and should be adjusted before the concrete is poured. This measurement should always be checked before you get too far along in the form building process.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

If your having problems in your attic, find out more at concrete contractor basics and home building ideas.

DIY Projects For Interesting Weekends

People usually do their do-it-yourself projects during the weekends. While some people enjoy fishing or playing golf, many choose to try their hand at do-it-yourself projects around the house.

Easy home improvement projects and the like are a good choice for enthusiasts of all competences.

How to paint woodworks

The first step is to secure the edges of the woodworks around the work area. Use wide masking tape that easily peels off. Mark all the wooden surfaces to be worked on. Begin the painting process with two coats of primer.

Make sure that the color you choose for the final layer of paint would not clash with the overall design of the area. Make sure that there is harmony between the new paint and the old paint.

First paint all windows, before larger objects such as doors. Skirting boards should be painted last. Use fine brushes that easily absorb paint and use even strokes when painting.

The spreading of paint should be done sideways, to save paint and to achieve an even texture on the surfaces. The size of the brushes you will use should be one inch or two inches wide. Avoid overly large brushes as these absorb far too much paint when used.

If you are painting outside your house, avoid painting during windy or rainy days. Windy days will ruin the new paint with flecks of foreign particles.

How to unclog your toilet

Use an old-fashioned plunger for this task. If you do not have one at home, go to your hardware store and purchase the largest plunger available. Plungers are generally inexpensive, and the larger the plunger the more effective it would be.

After you have acquired the plunger, place the plunger in the blocked toilet and flush. The flushing will flood the toilet bowl. As the toilet bowl slowly fills with water, move the plunger up and down.

Make sure that you are consistent with the up and down movement. If you have done it correctly, the vacuum created will dislodge the blockage from the pipe.

The extra water that had been flooding the toilet bowl will slowly recede and will help carry away the blockage. If it is a hairball, add another wave of water to the receding flow by flushing the toilet again.

Next time, avoid flushing kitchen towels and similar kitchen implements to avoid further blockages. People should also avoid flushing cotton swabs, as these will eventually accumulate.

Wallpapering

Hanging wallpapers is easy, as long as you clean the surfaces well before attaching the wallpaper. With sandpaper, smoothen the wall to level the surface. If the surface of the wall is glossy, use the same sandpaper to roughen a bit. Making it rough will make the wallpaper stick better.

Use a table when applying the adhesive to the wallpaper. From the top of the table, roll down wallpaper and apply the adhesive evenly. A soft brush may be used to make the application easier.

To ensure that the wallpaper would be evenly distributed, use a plumb line. The wallpaper should be as even as the plumb line when the two are placed parallel to each other.

The author of this article is Benedict Yossarian. Benedict recommends Roof Bond Foam Roof Insulation and Dekorbeton Concrete Stamping for your DIY needs

Good Exterior Home Improvement Tips

If your home has suffered from a fire or a flood, you can do some remodeling on it. All you need to do is go to the home There are many ways to fix up your house on the outside. You can put things on your house or you can fix something to make it look better. If you have a porch on your house or not, you can build one that wraps around the whole house. All you need is the lumber, nails, and all you need to know is how the lumber needs to be. You have to make sure it is level and if your yard has hills or goes downward, you need to make the boards longer than some of them. If there is a tree close to your house, cut the wood so that it will go around the tree. You don't have to knock it down. You can fix up the roof if it is getting old or if it needs it.

You can even change the roof by putting something over it like metal that will not make your house hot and so it protects it. It will not leak, rust, or bend, and it is a very good investment to put on your home. You can put shutters on your windows to match your roof, and this will also help keep your house cool or warm. When you put on shutters, it makes your house look better. You can make them or you can buy them at a store. You can build a screen porch in front of your front or back door so you can sit outside whether it is raining or to stay cool under it when it is hot outside.

If you have someone in your house that has to use a walker or a wheelchair, you can put a flat stairway for them to get in the house so it will be easier for them. You can put a fence around your yard so you can have some privacy. You can put up a small fence or a tall fence, whichever fits your style. You can also add a sidewalk that goes up to your porch or house, or you can have flowers lined up next to it to make it better. They can be any way or shape that you want to make your house look the way you want it to look and to make it stand out.

You can get any of these things at a home improvement store, and it may cost you a lot depending on what you are doing but it will be worth the money. You can also look around other home improvement store to see which ones are cheaper in price. Another thing you can do is put up new siding around the house to replace the old ones or to cover the wood and make your house look better. This also protects your house as well so the wood will not get damaged.

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Butler Flood Damage Cleanup and Calera Flood Damage Cleanup sites for fast help.

"666" Whats Up

666! Quote;So, 666 is the culmination or
best/worst effort of the three primary areas of humanity and will
initiate the "worst times the earth has ever seen or will ever see
again"=Total Deception. Unquote.

This was a nice effort on your part to try to Identify the meaning of 666, but this is not what the Bible states is the meaning or purpose. Rev 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

This is indicating that the number is not a conglomeration of mankind's faults or attributes, but of a charismatic man, of uncommon speaking ability, that will turn the world to him, one way or another. Here we see A religion or copy of a religion, brokered by the Beast (Anti-Christ.) that will seduce many, this will be his trade mark. To be anti-Christ is to denigh the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, for all three are one. Mankind's faults or attributes, are all based on one thing and one thing only, Sin. So the, so called, three primary areas of humanity have no connection to the identity of the Anti-Christ but will only add to his power.

The number 666 is an attribute of the Anti-Christ. This is his way of controlling all religions, until he can eliminate all but his. His religion may be a form of Christianity and Judaism combined together to deceive the very elect of God.

Could Mohammedanism or another form of Judaism be the religion that takes over the world, or could a man of peace call for a combination of the three major religions to bring about peace. We see that Mohammedanism (aka; Islam.)is the major religion in the middle east, this being a major player in the instability of the region.

The number, 666, could be a numerical value of an Islamic Individual with Jewish ties of the past, making Him acceptable to both the Islamic world and the Jews. This man must be able to broker a pact between the Jews and the Islamic factions.

Islam will never give up Jerusalem nor the Dome of the Rock, where the Third Temple must be built, The site of the Temple of Solomon.

The Anti-Christ and His number,666, must be an individual and not just human attributes, for Israel is looking for a Messiah, this must be fulfilled according to prophecy. There fore the Anti-Christ being a man will give good reason to the Muslims, why Israel should be given this area to rebuild their temple.

Is there proof of this in Scripture? Yes, We see this in the statement of Luke 18:7; And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? For the Apostle Paul stated that we are Jews inwardly, so we become the elect of God by adoption thru Christ and into the House of Israel thru belief, Gods Chosen.

Continuing with Mark 13:19-20;

For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.

ELECT', n. One chosen or set apart; applied to Christ.
Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth. Isa 42.

1. Chosen or designated by God to salvation; predestinated to
glory as the end, and to sanctification as the means; usually with a
plural signification, the elect.

Shall not God avenge his own elect? Luke 18.

If it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Mat 24.

He shall send his angels--and they shall gather his elect from the four winds. Mat 24.

2.Chosen; selected; set apart as a peculiar church and people; applied to the Israelites. Isa 45. Dan 8:12 And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.

Dan 8:13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the
transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?

Mat 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

Lengerke; According to this, the meaning is, that the host, or the Jewish people, were given to him at the same time, or in connection with the daily sacrifice. The conquest over the people, and the command respecting the daily sacrifice, were simultaneous. Both passed into his hands, and he exercised jurisdiction over them both.

Where Jesus is righteousness, Love and Compassion, the Anti-Christ will be Hate, Control and destruction, especially of his enemies and Jews.

Rev 17:10-11; And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. Perdition here meaning the like character and destiny of the individual and his religion.

The number, 666, is a sign or banner of Control and conquest, signifying the power of the anti-Christ. This number will be forced on many, it will not be a computer chip or anything else that is not visible. The mark will be such as can be seen by the eye and be recognized as a property mark showing ownership of that person by the anti-Christ.

Barnes states of the number; The plain meaning is, that the number 666 would be so connected with his name, or with what would properly designate him, that it could be determined who was meant by finding that number in his name or in his proper designation.

Rev 13:16-17; And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Be not deceived by people setting dates, times, or years, the end will not come until all prophecy is fulfilled and no man knows the day nor hour and neither can man figure it out. ars Mar 13:20 -
for: Isa_1:9, Isa_6:13, Isa_65:8, Isa_65:9; Zec_13:8, Zec_13:9; Mat_24:22; Rom_11:5-7, Rom_11:23, Rom_11:24, Rom_11:28-32

Temple of Spirit & Truth Ministries A.R.Smith Ministries http://www.ourchurch.com/member/a/arsmithsermons/

Stair Handrailing Or Guard Rail

Before the 1980s most stairways had a handrail and to this day, most stair handrails are not considered guard rails. Well things have changed and now most stairways require a guard rail and it gripable handrail.

What's the difference between a stair handrailing and a stair guard rail, quite frankly about 6 inches. Your stair guard rails have a minimum requirement of 42 inches where stair handrails built before the 1980s had a handrailing for protection with a minimum requirement of 36 inches.

This does not mean that older stair handrails that are 36 inches tall will need to be removed and replaced, because the new building codes have changed. If you were to rebuild the stair handrail or do any work on the stairway that required a building permit, they could have you change your stair handrailing to meet current building codes.

I was helping another guy frame a new house in 2005 and while I was on the job I would mention to the owner, certain concerns of mine with other parts of the job. After a while he realized, that I knew what I'll was talking about and started to pay attention when ever I mentioned anything related to home building.

He asked me if I would be interested in building the stair handrailing system and at the time I was too busy. I reminded him of the minimum requirements for the stair guard rail, it was no longer referred to as a stair handrail and would need to be at least 42 inches in height and include a gripable handrail.

Well as you guessed it, the next time I walked into the home, I noticed a 36 inch high stair handrail. I reminded him and he wasn't too concerned, because he hired someone that knew all about building stair handrails.

The building inspector made him remove and replace the stair handrail, before he would approve the home for final inspection. Don't make the same mistakes, learn a little more about stair handrail safety and don't become another statistic in the home building industry.

Always check with your local building department, whether you're reading articles like this or asking questions to experienced contractors. Everybody makes mistakes and sometimes their information is out of date, according to new home building practices or building codes.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors

If you're interested in building stairs, whether you're a professional or a do it yourself homeowner, you should make your stair building and other construction projects as simple as possible. Check out the latest stair building tools, some of these tools can make even the average homeowner look like a building professional

Men of God, Arise!

Okay men, where are you?

Over the years I've had some pretty direct words to address to women who usurp men's leadership roles in the church. So did the apostle Paul. I still am grieved when I must sit in a meeting and listen to the Word of God preached by the opposite gender.

This is a man who otherwise lives in a woman's world, as an educator. I have known nothing but women supervisors since I began work for a major school system in a major city. So when I come to church I expect things to be a little more in line with God's patterns.

It's especially difficult to see this disorder in a "Bible believing" church. One expects liberal groups to play fast and easy with the Scriptures. Justifying. Cutting. Adding. Subtracting. Re-organizing. But in a group pledged to honor the utterances of the Spirit of God... Some time ago I heard a woman who eloquently defended our need to be strong in the Word, never twisting it, and so on. I thought, how ironic.

Well, I've fussed with women enough, I guess. What more can be said? Paul summarized his own feelings, and I'll let him summarize mine: "If someone wants to be ignorant, just let him - or her - be ignorant."

But! Where are the men? I should have fussed more with them! At my school I was intrigued at the 8th grade election procedures. Not one candidate vying for office in that class of 100 or so was a male. Yes, somewhat typical of that time of life, but never have I seen such total male abandonment of leadership as this, even for 8th graders.

These scared 8th grade boys are not alone. It's not easy to lead. Leadership demands rejection and the possibility of exposure. It means extra work and sometimes no extra glory for it all. I speak of course as a man, not as a man of God should speak. Nevertheless the parallels are obvious.

Where are the men nationally? Why did we almost have a woman elected President and Vice President? They could have done the job, sure, but where are the men? Not an important question but a symbolic one, for the church always seems to be dragged in to what the world is doing. And let no one say that female leadership was originally ordained by God in His written Word. Just isn't there, folks. The church is following the trends of the times!

But where are you, men? What's cowering you? We understand why women dominate in China, and we can't criticize a man who does not want to die an early death by being one of the visible leaders of the church. We cannot agree, but we can certainly not criticize until we have had our chance to be brave.

So, China we understand. America, no. There's simply no reason for men to be hiding on or under the pews while women slowly take their jobs. Don't men know the Scriptures and defend them? Don't men protect their women/wives/daughters and keep them from being exposed to the workings of the enemy that sooner or later go after the one in the pulpit? Do men want others gazing at their wives in this public way?

Have I totally mis-understood the Spirit-inspired teachings of the apostle? If so, it's been an expensive mistake, and I'm open to the church's Spirit-guided correction... as long as it is from the same Spirit that spoke to Paul

Look for Bob Faulkner's home page on http://sermonaudio.com There you will find a combination of love for the Scriptures and a desire for North Korean believers to have their needs met. There are nearly 300 blogs , ovber 200 Bible teaching MP3's, lists of resources, NK picture albums, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos3@gmail.com.

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Would love to fellowship with believers who respond .

Truth in Ancient Teachings

Eckhart Tolle is a gifted spiritual teacher. In the opening chapter of his book, A New World, he identifies two common themes shared by mankind's greatest religions and spiritual teachings. The first is the idea than our normal awareness is flawed. In our normal state we are missing the mark, or missing the point of reality. Given our history of war and violence, it is hard to argue with this first theme. We seem to be always on our way somewhere, often unhappy with someone or something over perceived wrongs. So much of our lives are spent looking for the next person or event to make us happy. Seldom do we find what we are looking for and when we do it seldom lasts.

The flaws in our normal awareness are not hard to see. It is not to say we do not have our moments of great joy. It is the point that joy seldom lasts. I love Tolle's example of the unhappy guy who wins the lottery and lives the same unhappy life in more luxurious surroundings. Spiritual wisdom teaches that true joy comes from within.

Eckhart Tolle says that the world's great religions share two common themes. What then is the second? The second is the possibility of transformation. Redemption, salvation, awakening, or enlightenment - all refer to one core idea. The idea that man has the capacity to change his normal state of awareness and to wake up. Waking up is the clear goal of most spiritual seekers and the hidden goal of most of us who just want to be happy.

Paths to truth are varied, but there is likely only one absolute truth about our reality. Tolle believes he found it through unbearable pain. Others have found it though near-death experiences. My humble suggestion is not to wait for intense pain or a brush with death. If you agree our normal state leaves something to be desired, look for a way to wake up.

In the end we are together. If a path teaches you to blame or find causes of suffering outside yourself, avoid it. Change the world by changing your own mind.

Spiritual awakening is within anyone's grasp. Visit my website http://www.beapasserby.com where we uncover the insights of the world's greatest spiritual teachers and healers.

Three Simple Steps to Beginning Inner Calm

As one of todays professional women, you face ever-increasing demands on your time. This demand creates stress and fatigue. It not only wears you out and makes you feel badly, but also ages you faster than you might like. Fortunately there are some strategies you can employ to regain the balance that you desperately need to support your complete well-being.

So what can you do? All three of the following strategies have been proven successful and, in combination, are incredibly powerful catalysts towards finding a perfect balance between work, home, and other demands.

One: Create Silence Set aside small windows of time in your day to meditate or enjoy complete silence.

Two: Release Worry Find strategies and tools to release those things that are creating stress.

Three: Build Support Create a support network of people who understand, who you support and who can be depended on when times get tough. Begin by supporting others and you will find that it comes back to you if you allow it.

Beginning your journey towards balance

The strategies listed above are best tackled in the order listed but are beneficial regardless of how many you accomplish or the order in which you try them.

The simple enjoyment of silence, or meditation, is a wonderful first step toward healing your mind. This practice will allow your mind to begin to build new networks of thought and new, stronger, more supportive perspectives. Just as its been proven that an athletes muscles need periods of rest to allow peak performance, our minds also need periods of complete silence (or rest), in order to allow optimal functioning.

Quieting the mind can be quite challenging for anyone who spends the vast majority of her time strategizing, thinking, planning and contemplating. Sometimes complete silence is overwhelming and the mind begins to race, so if you find that this happens, try a 5-minute guided meditation or listening to the sounds of nature (water is always good) as a first step in learning to rest your mind. Choose what feels best, and if you dont know where to begin, then guided meditation, which can be found on tape, CD or even downloaded on the web, can be the perfect solution.

The second phase of beginning a life of balance can be accomplished with a mind that is open to trying out new perspectives. There are lots of ways to make new choices about those things that create stress in our lives. Simple shifts in perspective can be accomplished by simply asking, Am I creating the stress? Might I be adding to the stress? Or can I choose to let this go and release the stress? If the answer to even one of these questions is maybe or yes, then the next step is to dig a bit deeper.

Knowledge is a powerful thing and when you realize that its not you, but rather your repeating patterns of thinking that are causing you additional stress, you are well on your way to finding new perspectives and solutions. I recommend reading books like Wayne Dyers, Theres a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem, while you work with a coach who specializes in empowering and forward movement. Or simply read and do some introspection to begin. Just knowing that you are larger than your worries and separate from them is a giant step towards knowing that you can overcome them.

The third phase has to do with building a network of supportive friends and colleagues. This isnt work or magic or even a chore, this is about giving and receiving. As people, we dont realize how much impact we have on the world around us. You may be a giver and yet argue that you never receive. Or you may be someone who receives but rarely gives. The universal force behind those times when giving and receiving dont match up is our resistance to one or the other. If you feel as though you always give, but never receive, I challenge you to look at all the times you turned down help that was offered. Begin accepting the helping hand and life will balance itself out.

I am a firm believer that we were placed here to help each other and I have found over the years, that when I need a special support person to show up in my life, that person always shows up. Begin to notice who shows up for you, and I bet you will find that a network is ready to form right before your very eyes. You simply need to be watching so that you dont miss it. We all need a little support sometime, and on a day that youve tried everything else and life still feels too demanding, a supportive friend will hold you up while you regain the strength to tackle it.

To immediately lessen the stress in your life:

meditate or enjoy silence just quiet your mind

release those things that are creating stress

build a support network (be a support partner for others and accept their help in return)

Youll find yourself in a better place almost immediately and you will soon start noticing the balance returning. Expect that life will show up perfectly balanced in the not too distant future, but dont forget to follow this plan for more than a few days. You may even want to keep it as a permanent part of your newly balanced life. It works!

Julie Fisher, complete well-being coach and owner of Sol Journe, LLC, as well as President of Advertising by Design, Inc. provides coaching and mentoring for professional women all over the world. Register for her free e-course and e-coaching at http://womenbalanceworkandhome.abundanceforwomen.com or visit http://www.abundanceforwomen.com for more information.

Add Value to Your Home - Home Tips

Basement bathrooms are possible, but be prepared for a sizable project.

Basement bathrooms can be installed in the same manner as any other bathroom with a few wrinkles. Since there are no windows, although an exhaust fan is usually a good idea to handle the moisture and special arrangement may be needed if your basement bathroom is below the level of the utility lines.

Basement bathrooms can be a real pain in the neck without the proper insulation. Let's just say that the toilets can get really cold! Basement bathrooms are possible, but be prepared for a sizable project. Basement bathrooms tend to be large, busy places with a dozen or more stalls and no place for your partner to hide. Bathrooms on upper floors tend to have less traffic. Basement bathrooms can be a real source of mold and mildew buildup. Clean the bathroom regularly and properly ventilate the room so the moisture doesn't have a chance to collect.

Suspended tile basement ceilings are easier to install, surprisingly cost-effective, and their removable tiles allow continued access to HVAC ducts, plumbing and wiring. Easy access to these important systems in your basement ceiling will be important over the years. A suspended ceiling is another option, especially if you need access to shut offs such as gas and water valves and if you can install this under pipes and have your 763 finish height.

A bathroom wall that won't encourage mold and mildew, or be damaged by condensation, is hard. Because concrete in contact with the ground is always cool, it can become a condensing surface for water vapor in the warm air escaping from a finished basement bathroom.

Installing tiles is a long, tedious, and involved project. After installation, they will need to sit for at least two days without being used in order to seal correctly on to the floor. Installing a basement bathroom is a great idea, and it pays back for itself by 80% or more when the home is sold.

DiCicco Building Company has been a Macomb Township Home Remodeling Contractor for over 20 years. We are also leaders in Bathroom Remodeling along with being an award winning custom residential home builder. We also specialize in Finished Basements and home additions.

Third Eye Meditation

Many people, in particular teenagers and college students, are interested in third eye meditation. What is third eye meditation? How do you practice it?

The practice of third eye meditation is very easy to understand. On your forehead, above your nose and in between your eyebrows, is a spot which is often called the "third eye." In third eye meditation, you concentrate on that spot with concentrated visualization. The purpose is to bring chi or prana to a dormant chakra, or energy center, which is located right at that spot. When it opens we say that you have tentatively succeeded at third eye meditation.

The visualization that you perform on this spot is usually a picture of a little diamond, silver flame, white moon, a Sanskrit letter, a Hebrew letter, a Buddha, or some other auspicious silverish or bright white figure. The principle is that when you concentrate on a region inside or outside of your body, the chi energies of your body will tend to go to that point. Because the chi or natal energy of your body goes to a particular point, it will mass in that region and when it masses, it will open up the chi channels and chakras in that area because of the friction.

Let's take another example that you can easily understand. You can visualize any of the bones in your body by imagining the shape of the bone and that its color is bright white. In time, with continued practice you will send the chi or energy of your body to the bone. This will often cause the bone to seem to glow inside your mind. By sending energy to a bone in this way, you can also banish sickness and pain. If you suffer from arthritis, this often improves the pain in a bad area. All you have to do in your visualization practice is concentrate on a region inside the body and thereby send the body physical energy to a mass at that point.

When it comes to the region of the third eye you are performing the very same function. But why should you do this at the region of the third eye? That's because the third eye is the location of a chakra in the body called the two-petalled "Ajna" charka. This is a major upper termination point of the chi channels (acupuncture meridians) in the body that stretch all the way from the perineum up your back and to the front of your head. When you concentrate on that point because of the visualization, you will tend to send the chi to that area which will in turn help to open up the chakra in that region.

It is very easy for people to develop slight psychic abilities from doing the technique. In Anthroposophy, for instance, people often visualize the stages of germination of seeds at this point in order to help open up the chakra. In Tibetan Buddhism, many people are advised to visualize a bright image at this point, within their throat, behind the breastbone and in their bellies. Many spiritual schools have similar visualization teachings to open up chakras.

However some people who do this visualization never experience any psychic effects whatsoever. The reason is because in order to power the Ajna chakra of the third eye, the chi energy (known as prana in Indian yoga) from the lower regions of the body has to ascend upward. If all the chi channels stretching from below to above are blocked or obstructed, which is normally the case, then very little energy will ever reach the third eye no matter how much visualization practice you do. You have to practice a long time to first open up these other channels as well. That's why only advanced meditators who have practiced meditation for years, and whose chi channels or acupuncture meridians are thereby somewhat cleansed because of the prior practices, experience any of the psychic abilities that are often reported to occur from this practice.

The reason that you practice this method, however, is not to develop psychic abilities. The main reason you want to practice it so that your chi from down below will enter the region of the head and help quiet your mind so that you can enter an advanced meditative state called samadhi. That's why this technique is often practiced in Taoism and in yoga. But it's also practice in Esoteric Buddhism, western alchemy, and Sufism. The purpose is not so that you develop psychic abilities so that you can see spirits and ghosts and other beings made of Chi, but so that you can learn one-pointed concentration and let go of your view of being a body. Concentrating on the Third eye through meditation is just another way of trying to bring about this spiritual result and enter the real spiritual path.

You'll find a wealth of free information on how to meditate, measuring your spiritual progress and on third eye meditation when you visit MeditationExpert.com's vault of rare lessons on spiritual cultivation and meditation techniques.

Dual Pane Window Glass Repair

For the past few weeks, I have been explaining how to repair a broken window pane in your home. But, what if you have dual pane windows? Is the process the same? Well, pretty much, except for a couple of variations. So, let's review the single pane repair process, and I will point out the differences regarding dual pane windows.

When we start talking about dual pane windows, one of the first things that comes to mind is vinyl window frames instead of aluminum. When dealing with dual pane windows, you can have either aluminum or vinyl frames, depending on the year the house was built. Dual pane glass got popular in the 1980's, but vinyl frames didn't really catch on until the 1990's. So, if your house is less than 10 years old, chances are you have vinyl framed windows. In either case, I will discuss the differences. Let's say you have a sliding aluminum frame window with dual pane glass. The procedure for removing the frame from the opening and the glass from the sash is the same as with the single pane windows.

The differences are, first, the glass goes into the frame about twice as far as the single pane window. The single pane window glass went 1/4" into the surrounding rubber. The dual pane usually goes 1/2" into the rubber. So, if both pieces of glass have been broken, you are going to have to order a new IGU (Insulated Glass Unit) from the local glass shop. They are going to want to know the width, height, overall thickness, and possibly the individual glass thickness. The best way to get the dimensions is to measure the width and height from rubber to rubber, write those numbers down. Then, remove the panel from the opening and place it on a table like we did with the single pane window. Remove the screws from opposite corners and pull of the frame. You will be able to see how far the glass goes into the surrounding rubber. If it's 1/2", then you want to add 1" to the width and height that you measured previously (1/2" times two sides= 1"). Then, measure the overall thickness of the unit by removing the rubber from the glass edge.

Typically, this dimension is 1/2", but not always. There is a metal spacer that divides the two panes of glass. Make a note of the color so you can request the same color in the new IGU. It's either going to be silver or bronze. If you want to get the same size spacer you need to give the glass shop the thickness of each piece of glass in the IGU. If the old unit has 1/8" glass on both sides, and the overall thickness of the unit is 1/2", then they will use a 1/4" spacer. If the glass is 3/32" on both sides, they will use a 5/16" spacer. If you don't care about matching the spacer thickness, you can request the thicker 1/8" glass, and they will automatically use a 1/4" spacer.

When you get the new IGU home, the installation is the same as the single pane window. Now, what if only one side of the IGU has been broken? Many times the outer pane will break, but the inside pane is fine. You can order a whole new IGU Like we just did, or, if you're the adventurous type, you can order only the single pane of glass that was broken and replace it. I'm going to explain how to do it, then i'm going to tell you the things that can go wrong. After you have the window pane on the table with the surrounding frame removed, you will see a black rubber type substance around the edge where the spacer is applied. This is a butyl sealant, and you have to separate the broken glass from this butyl. The best way to do it is to take a utility knife with a new blade and break through the butyl where it meets the broken glass. Then, take a new hacksaw blade, and push it into the area where you sparated the butyl from the glass. You don't want the hacksaw blade to be attached to a hacksaw. Using your hand, saw back and forth as you work your way around the edge of the glass. This should allow you to remove the glass.

Once that's done, lay rags on top of the good piece of glass to catch any debris, and scrape the surface of the spacer that will be contacting the new glass. Use a putty knife. Then, remove the rags and debris. When you are ready to put the new glass on, clean the inside of the good piece of glass that you didn't remove. Remember, once you install the new glass, any debris or finger marks on the inside will be permanently sealed. So, clean it real good and check it from all angles. Do the same to the side of the new glass that will be going to the inside of the IGU. Then, run a thin bead of clear silicone around the entire perimeter of the spacer. Set your new glass on the spacer and use finger pressure to adhere the glass to the silicone all the way around.Then, come in from the side, and run silicone around the side where the glass and spacer meet. Cover the window opening with something for 24 hours. You do not want to touch the IGU for 24 hours. The silicone needs to cure. After 24 hours, you can assemble the unit and install it back into the opening.

There are a couple of things that can go wrong. The first one is leaving marks on the inside portion of the glass. Once you seal the glass, you cannot clean what's between the panes. The other thing involves condensation between the panes. If you have even the slightest break in the silicone seal around the glass, chances are you will beging to see moisture form as soon as the nights get cold and the days get warm. You are going to have to decide if you are confident enough in your ability to do the job right, or if it's better to pay the extra money to have it done for you. Just because you pay someone to do it, doesn't mean you still won't encounter the same problems. The difference is, they have to guarantee their IGU for a minimum of 1 year. I have received many units over the years that had marks in between the glass. The beauty of it is the manufacturer can't dispute it, because there's no way anyone else could have done it except them.

OK, what if the window frames are vinyl instead of aluminum? Well, the main difference is the glass in a vinyl window no longer has the rubber gasket around the edge. You dont remove the opposite corner screws and separate the frame from the glass. What they do is put either silicone or a two sided tape on the lip of the frame where the glass rests. That's what holds the glass in the frame, then they apply a snap in stop on all four sides of the glass. So, you have to remove the stops first, then turn over the panel and break the seal holding the glass to the frame using a utility knife. Wear gloves during this procedure. If only one side of the IGU is broken, don't even think about repairing just the one side. You will never get that IGU out of the frame without breaking the other piece of glass in the process. But, on the positive side, you can remove the stops without taking the panel out if it's a slider. You can then measure the dimensions of the glass, and order the new IGU. That way you eliminate any need to temporarily cover up your window. The same is true for the stationary portion of a slider, or a picture window. Before you install the new IGU, be sure and clean the lip that had the tape or silicone, and apply either silicone or tape. Either will work.

You will discover that replacing an IGU in an aluminum frame window is a whole lot easier than a vinyl window. But, in either case, you can do it yourself and save a few bucks.

John Rocco has been installing replacement windows since 1978. To learn more, visit How To Install Windows