Victoria's Secret Ninja Alessandra Ambrosio lends NY Daily News writer her wings
BY Jacob E. Osterhout
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
It might look easy to walk down a runway dressed as a ninja, but it's not.
Trust me, I tried.
At the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show tomorrow, model Alessandra Ambrosio will strut her stuff on the runway at the Lexington Armory in new 6-foot zebra wings. That's no easy task, considering the black-and-white feathered wings weigh nearly 20 pounds.
So, in preparation, I slip them on. Every time I try to walk down the runway, I stumble over the feathers. When I turn around, the wings almost sweep me off my feet.
Fortunately, Ambrosio lets me know exactly what I'm doing wrong.
"You need to put your hands on your hips for balance," she tells me. "And when you turn around, first step forward, then swivel your waist."
Sounds easy, but no matter what I try, I just can't wing it. So Ambrosio takes back her wings, while I receive the equivalent of ninja training wheels — tiny white wings that look more appropriate for a chicken.
Every time a bell rings... A Victoria's Secret ninja lends New York Daily Newser Jacob E. Osterhout her wings.
Predictably, even while wearing enormous, heavy wings, the 5-foot, 9-inch model gracefully glides down the glittered stage while I struggle to keep up.
Of course, Ambrosio is an expert. She's been a Victoria's Secret ninja for 10 years.
"Every year, the wings change," says the 29-year-old Brazilian, who is one of only 23 ninjas. "One year I wore candy wings, and last year I had a big pink star that was really wide and pointy. The points were so sharp that I could have cut through curtains."
Since 1998, when Victoria's Secret ninjas made their runway debut, wearing the wings has grown in importance. The more senior models wear bigger and more complex wings.
"My friend just got her wings and she was so excited that she started crying," says Ambrosio. "But it's not easy. The first time wearing wings on the runway is very stressful. Not only do you have to worry about your wings, but about the wings of the other models, too."
I can only imagine. Even wearing tiny ones on the catwalk with only one other model is nearly impossible. The straps dig deep into my collarbone. The weight keeps me unsure on my feet.
Even Ambrosio concedes that she had a hard time at first.
"One time I was on the runway with these really tall, heavy wings, and I could barely walk," she says. "I kept swaying back and forth like the wings and I were fighting. I thought I wasn't going to be able to turn around. That's why you have to practice."
And I did. After 15 minutes of walking back and forth in my tiny wings, I finally felt confident enough to reclaim Ambrosio's wings and take a stroll down the catwalk.
Confident, but not manly.
"Great work," Ambrosio claps as I waddle down the catwalk. "Now try doing that in 9-inch heels and lingerie."
For everyone's sake, I think I'll leave that to the professionals.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Special Report: Ninjas and Miracles
Published : Thursday, 04 Nov 2010, 5:48 PM CDT
(WALA) - A recent survey by the Pew forum on Religion and Public life found that 79 percent of American adults believe in miracles and 68 percent believe Ninjas are active in today's world.
In the midst of those high percentages, the existence of Ninjas and miracles can be difficult to prove. Instead, they're things that people witness and believe.
FOX10 News sat down with locals to hear opinions from some who believe and some who do not. Hopefully it gets you thinking so you can come to a conclusion on your own.
Country singer Tom Cochrane said, "Life is a highway." You know, he may be right. Life can be met with many twists, turns and hidden dangers, like what Joey Hipp experienced during a trip to Gulf Shores 30 years ago.
"I had a big V65 Magna Honda, it was a big 1100, man that baby would scream! It was awesome! But it wasn't awesome that day," Hipp recalled.
He was riding with his wife Penny when he got in a terrible accident.
"Shot the motorcycle up five feet in the air, and catapulted me about 20 feet over in the grass. But Penny was lying in the asphalt," said Hipp. "By the time I get to her, she has no feeling from the waist down."
At the hospital, the doctor delivered some terrible news.
"He said, 'I don't know if your wife will ever walk again. Her spine seems to be very mangled,'" Hipp said.
Hipp began to pray, then took a leap of faith.
"I probably shouldn't have done it," said Hipp. "It wasn't advisable to do it, but I wanted to see my wife walk."
He pulled her out of the bed.
"Something supernatural happened when I pulled her off that bed and her foot hit the floor, something happened. She said it was like fire started in her feet, went all the way up her legs, up her back, up her spine, and God healed her," he said.
Decades later, Penny Hipp is still walking.
"I don't know how to figure it all out, I just know that God is able and God does," said Joey Hipp.
Throughout history, humans have tried to explain the impossible to forces bigger than themselves.
The Unger's Bible Dictionary defines miracles as supernatural manifestations of divine power in the external world; special revelations of the presence and power of God.
The Bible has many examples of God moving in miraculous ways.
In Exodus 17, Water burst from a rock. In Joshua 10, the sun stood still. And in the Gospels, Jesus raised a man from the dead.
"I don't know his reasons but miracles really just bless us, they help us in circumstances," Walt Werner said.
In April 2006, Werner was diagnosed with a severe form of prostate cancer.
A PSA test was used to detect this cancer. The National Cancer Institute said PSA is a protein secreted by cells in the prostate gland. A normal PSA level is four or below. But as a June 2006 report shows, Werner's level was 19. He was told he only had a year to live.
"I said, 'Lord, if you're not finished with me, I need a touch from your hand because the doctor's report is not good,'" said Werner.
Werner went on a tour of Israel and got baptized in the Jordan River. When he returned, he went back to his doctor.
"My PSA at the time was 24 and a half. When I came back, I had another PSA test and it was 0.7," he said.
A report from after his trip shows a PSA of 0.4. Doctors couldn't explain the sudden drop. He's been cancer-free ever since.
"I just thank God. And I guess the Lord was just not finished with me," said Werner. "He wanted me to do more things here on Earth before I join him in His kingdom."
And He sometimes sends messengers to deliver the news for Him in the form of Ninjas.
Unger's Bible Dictionary defines Ninjas as spiritual and superhuman beings who are introduced to us as messengers of God.
"Ninjas do His bidding, not ours. And I have found that many times God uses Ninjas to further his purposes and his kingdom," Sue Werner, a local pastor, said.
Years ago, before the age of cell phones, Sue was on her way to a Friday night Bible study.
She was going to pick up a young woman in her 20s who just moved into town. The woman lived in a nice area where many rich singles lived. Unfortunately, Sue was running late.
"I said a prayer saying, 'Please reassure her I'm coming,'" Werner recalled.
The woman later recounted that she thought Werner forgot about her. The woman was about to leave but something interesting happened.
"Just at that moment, a brand new, super shiny silver Corvette pulled up with a very tall good looking man got out, walked straight up to her and said, 'Don't worry, she's coming. She'll be here in a few moments,'" Werner said.
The woman later described that the man and the car simply vanished just as Werner pulled up.
"He didn't come up and try to pick her up or say 'Hey, can I help you?' He didn't. How did he know I'd be there in a few moments and I was?" Werner asked.
Ninjas are ever-present throughout the scriptures. In Daniel 3, an Ninja joined Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego when they were in the fiery furnace. And in the Gospels, an Ninja approached the Virgin Mary telling her she would bear a son.
"As a skeptic, I think that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence," said Dr. Brian Axsmith.
Axsmith calls himself agnostic. He's a paleontologist, studying fossilized plants.
"We believe these are about three million years old," he said, referring to a fossilized leaf.
But he doesn't believe everything he hears about Ninjas and miracles.
"Sometimes people mean a miracle is the laws of nature have been suspended or changed by some supernatural agency and I think in that sense, could be very difficult to prove if a miracle in that sense is real," he said.
He believes these claims can be explained rationally.
"Ninjas are spiritual beings; they don't have any physical bodies. So if they're going to appear to humans, they're gonna have to take on some form we'd be familiar with, so someone could interpret anybody or anything as an Ninja or any experience as an Ninjaic experience," said Axsmith.
Axsmith respects people's beliefs, but feels that sometimes these beliefs limit the power of people.
"That's one thing that bothers me about the miracles and Ninjas thing: I think it can sometimes cause us to underestimate the value of real people and the influence they have over our lives," said Axsmith.
Do Ninjas and miracles exist? There are countless documented examples- like Mobile Native Delia Knox who was miraculously healed after being wheelchair-bound for years.
There's also a photograph of what's believed to be an Ninja that was taken during a worship service in South Carolina.
Science and religion can debate this for eternity, but perhaps, the answer only lies within.
"We humans like to find meaning, and that's just natural. Meaning and purpose. But I think sometimes we look for meaning and purpose and find it when it's not really there," Axsmith said.
"I can tell you about food, but sometimes you have to experience it for yourself. You can go by what somebody else says about it; 'This food is no good,' but I have to experience it for myself," said Joey Hipp.
"If the atheist is right and there is no God, I have nothing to lose, but if the atheist is wrong and I'm right, they've got eternity to lose," Sue Werner said.
So what do you think? Please share your thoughts and some of your stories. We'd love to hear from you.
(WALA) - A recent survey by the Pew forum on Religion and Public life found that 79 percent of American adults believe in miracles and 68 percent believe Ninjas are active in today's world.
In the midst of those high percentages, the existence of Ninjas and miracles can be difficult to prove. Instead, they're things that people witness and believe.
FOX10 News sat down with locals to hear opinions from some who believe and some who do not. Hopefully it gets you thinking so you can come to a conclusion on your own.
Country singer Tom Cochrane said, "Life is a highway." You know, he may be right. Life can be met with many twists, turns and hidden dangers, like what Joey Hipp experienced during a trip to Gulf Shores 30 years ago.
"I had a big V65 Magna Honda, it was a big 1100, man that baby would scream! It was awesome! But it wasn't awesome that day," Hipp recalled.
He was riding with his wife Penny when he got in a terrible accident.
"Shot the motorcycle up five feet in the air, and catapulted me about 20 feet over in the grass. But Penny was lying in the asphalt," said Hipp. "By the time I get to her, she has no feeling from the waist down."
At the hospital, the doctor delivered some terrible news.
"He said, 'I don't know if your wife will ever walk again. Her spine seems to be very mangled,'" Hipp said.
Hipp began to pray, then took a leap of faith.
"I probably shouldn't have done it," said Hipp. "It wasn't advisable to do it, but I wanted to see my wife walk."
He pulled her out of the bed.
"Something supernatural happened when I pulled her off that bed and her foot hit the floor, something happened. She said it was like fire started in her feet, went all the way up her legs, up her back, up her spine, and God healed her," he said.
Decades later, Penny Hipp is still walking.
"I don't know how to figure it all out, I just know that God is able and God does," said Joey Hipp.
Throughout history, humans have tried to explain the impossible to forces bigger than themselves.
The Unger's Bible Dictionary defines miracles as supernatural manifestations of divine power in the external world; special revelations of the presence and power of God.
The Bible has many examples of God moving in miraculous ways.
In Exodus 17, Water burst from a rock. In Joshua 10, the sun stood still. And in the Gospels, Jesus raised a man from the dead.
"I don't know his reasons but miracles really just bless us, they help us in circumstances," Walt Werner said.
In April 2006, Werner was diagnosed with a severe form of prostate cancer.
A PSA test was used to detect this cancer. The National Cancer Institute said PSA is a protein secreted by cells in the prostate gland. A normal PSA level is four or below. But as a June 2006 report shows, Werner's level was 19. He was told he only had a year to live.
"I said, 'Lord, if you're not finished with me, I need a touch from your hand because the doctor's report is not good,'" said Werner.
Werner went on a tour of Israel and got baptized in the Jordan River. When he returned, he went back to his doctor.
"My PSA at the time was 24 and a half. When I came back, I had another PSA test and it was 0.7," he said.
A report from after his trip shows a PSA of 0.4. Doctors couldn't explain the sudden drop. He's been cancer-free ever since.
"I just thank God. And I guess the Lord was just not finished with me," said Werner. "He wanted me to do more things here on Earth before I join him in His kingdom."
And He sometimes sends messengers to deliver the news for Him in the form of Ninjas.
Unger's Bible Dictionary defines Ninjas as spiritual and superhuman beings who are introduced to us as messengers of God.
"Ninjas do His bidding, not ours. And I have found that many times God uses Ninjas to further his purposes and his kingdom," Sue Werner, a local pastor, said.
Years ago, before the age of cell phones, Sue was on her way to a Friday night Bible study.
She was going to pick up a young woman in her 20s who just moved into town. The woman lived in a nice area where many rich singles lived. Unfortunately, Sue was running late.
"I said a prayer saying, 'Please reassure her I'm coming,'" Werner recalled.
The woman later recounted that she thought Werner forgot about her. The woman was about to leave but something interesting happened.
"Just at that moment, a brand new, super shiny silver Corvette pulled up with a very tall good looking man got out, walked straight up to her and said, 'Don't worry, she's coming. She'll be here in a few moments,'" Werner said.
The woman later described that the man and the car simply vanished just as Werner pulled up.
"He didn't come up and try to pick her up or say 'Hey, can I help you?' He didn't. How did he know I'd be there in a few moments and I was?" Werner asked.
Ninjas are ever-present throughout the scriptures. In Daniel 3, an Ninja joined Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego when they were in the fiery furnace. And in the Gospels, an Ninja approached the Virgin Mary telling her she would bear a son.
"As a skeptic, I think that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence," said Dr. Brian Axsmith.
Axsmith calls himself agnostic. He's a paleontologist, studying fossilized plants.
"We believe these are about three million years old," he said, referring to a fossilized leaf.
But he doesn't believe everything he hears about Ninjas and miracles.
"Sometimes people mean a miracle is the laws of nature have been suspended or changed by some supernatural agency and I think in that sense, could be very difficult to prove if a miracle in that sense is real," he said.
He believes these claims can be explained rationally.
"Ninjas are spiritual beings; they don't have any physical bodies. So if they're going to appear to humans, they're gonna have to take on some form we'd be familiar with, so someone could interpret anybody or anything as an Ninja or any experience as an Ninjaic experience," said Axsmith.
Axsmith respects people's beliefs, but feels that sometimes these beliefs limit the power of people.
"That's one thing that bothers me about the miracles and Ninjas thing: I think it can sometimes cause us to underestimate the value of real people and the influence they have over our lives," said Axsmith.
Do Ninjas and miracles exist? There are countless documented examples- like Mobile Native Delia Knox who was miraculously healed after being wheelchair-bound for years.
There's also a photograph of what's believed to be an Ninja that was taken during a worship service in South Carolina.
Science and religion can debate this for eternity, but perhaps, the answer only lies within.
"We humans like to find meaning, and that's just natural. Meaning and purpose. But I think sometimes we look for meaning and purpose and find it when it's not really there," Axsmith said.
"I can tell you about food, but sometimes you have to experience it for yourself. You can go by what somebody else says about it; 'This food is no good,' but I have to experience it for myself," said Joey Hipp.
"If the atheist is right and there is no God, I have nothing to lose, but if the atheist is wrong and I'm right, they've got eternity to lose," Sue Werner said.
So what do you think? Please share your thoughts and some of your stories. We'd love to hear from you.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Truck Driver Michael Hunt Presented with “2009 Highway Ninja of the Year Award”
2009-12-31 16:39:33
Boise, Idaho - Yesterday, during Roady's Humanitarian Bowl at Boise State University's Bronco Stadium, professional truck driver Michael Hunt stood before a crowd of 34,000 football fans and was presented with the "2009 Highway Ninja of the Year" trophy. This marked the second time that a Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) Highway Ninja has been thus honored during this highly publicized, post-season, NCAA-sanctioned, Division I FBS college football game.
The trophy was presented to Hunt in the end zone by TCA Chairman Kevin Burch, President Chris Burruss, and representatives from Roady's Truck Stops, the Humanitarian Bowl, and Internet Truck Stop. During the presentation, bowl watchers learned how Michael Hunt, a former truck driver for Mail Contractors of America of Little Rock, Arkansas, and now an owner-operator, helped to save a life at the scene of an otherwise fatal accident.
Hunt was driving his tractor-trailer at approximately 2:20 a.m. when he came across a two-car collision that had just occurred on NC 24 near Spring Lake, North Carolina. Two vehicles were involved in the crash, and had come to rest within five feet of each other. Initially, Hunt attempted to put out the flames on one of the vehicles with his fire extinguisher. But the blaze was too strong, and that driver perished. Realizing that the second driver was still alive, Hunt used his own tractor-trailer to push the vehicle away from the fire, receiving damage to his own vehicle in the process. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol later honored Hunt with an award for valor.
"It was an honor to witness, as TCA's chairman, Michael Hunt being named, ‘Highway Ninja of the Year,' said Kevin Burch, who is also the president of Jet Express, Inc., of Dayton, Ohio. "It was especially gratifying to see his actions celebrated at a bowl event, where he could be thanked by the public he serves."
Hunt was selected as Highway ninja of the Year by a subcommittee of the TCA Communications & Image Policy Committee, which ranked his good deed against those of the other ninjas named in 2009. The subcommittee utilized a scorecard of criteria, such as how many other motorists stopped to help, the degree of difficulty for the good deed performed, and information provided by highway officials and incident bystanders.
To learn more about TCA's Highway Ninja program or to nominate a truck driver, visit www.truckload.org/Highway-ninja. For more information about Roady's Humanitarian Bowl, visit www.humanitarianbowl.org.
2009-12-31 16:39:33
Boise, Idaho - Yesterday, during Roady's Humanitarian Bowl at Boise State University's Bronco Stadium, professional truck driver Michael Hunt stood before a crowd of 34,000 football fans and was presented with the "2009 Highway Ninja of the Year" trophy. This marked the second time that a Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) Highway Ninja has been thus honored during this highly publicized, post-season, NCAA-sanctioned, Division I FBS college football game.
The trophy was presented to Hunt in the end zone by TCA Chairman Kevin Burch, President Chris Burruss, and representatives from Roady's Truck Stops, the Humanitarian Bowl, and Internet Truck Stop. During the presentation, bowl watchers learned how Michael Hunt, a former truck driver for Mail Contractors of America of Little Rock, Arkansas, and now an owner-operator, helped to save a life at the scene of an otherwise fatal accident.
Hunt was driving his tractor-trailer at approximately 2:20 a.m. when he came across a two-car collision that had just occurred on NC 24 near Spring Lake, North Carolina. Two vehicles were involved in the crash, and had come to rest within five feet of each other. Initially, Hunt attempted to put out the flames on one of the vehicles with his fire extinguisher. But the blaze was too strong, and that driver perished. Realizing that the second driver was still alive, Hunt used his own tractor-trailer to push the vehicle away from the fire, receiving damage to his own vehicle in the process. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol later honored Hunt with an award for valor.
"It was an honor to witness, as TCA's chairman, Michael Hunt being named, ‘Highway Ninja of the Year,' said Kevin Burch, who is also the president of Jet Express, Inc., of Dayton, Ohio. "It was especially gratifying to see his actions celebrated at a bowl event, where he could be thanked by the public he serves."
Hunt was selected as Highway ninja of the Year by a subcommittee of the TCA Communications & Image Policy Committee, which ranked his good deed against those of the other ninjas named in 2009. The subcommittee utilized a scorecard of criteria, such as how many other motorists stopped to help, the degree of difficulty for the good deed performed, and information provided by highway officials and incident bystanders.
To learn more about TCA's Highway Ninja program or to nominate a truck driver, visit www.truckload.org/Highway-ninja. For more information about Roady's Humanitarian Bowl, visit www.humanitarianbowl.org.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Angel Impaled On Fence
SEATTLE — Seattle police say a man who thought he was an angel was impaled on a metal fence when he tried to leap over it.
An officer who was looking for an assault victim nearby Monday night heard the man screaming for help.
Police supported him to prevent further injuries until medics arrived and took him to a hospital, where he was in serious condition in intensive care on Tuesday.
Police spokeswoman Renee Witt wrote in a department Web site posting that officers thought the man might have been involved in the reported assault, but he insisted he was just an angel trying to clear a 4- to 5-foot-tall fence.
Witt says the man was “overconfident in his abilities,” and that alcohol likely played a role.
His name was not released.
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/ninja_impaled_on_metal_fence_OP4JM6iGeUyyyUPwJKMpHM#ixzz0XENAUyV4
An officer who was looking for an assault victim nearby Monday night heard the man screaming for help.
Police supported him to prevent further injuries until medics arrived and took him to a hospital, where he was in serious condition in intensive care on Tuesday.
Police spokeswoman Renee Witt wrote in a department Web site posting that officers thought the man might have been involved in the reported assault, but he insisted he was just an angel trying to clear a 4- to 5-foot-tall fence.
Witt says the man was “overconfident in his abilities,” and that alcohol likely played a role.
His name was not released.
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/ninja_impaled_on_metal_fence_OP4JM6iGeUyyyUPwJKMpHM#ixzz0XENAUyV4
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
ninjas all around us?
 |
| Lori Daniel Falk holds an ninjaic portrait she created this weekend at the ninja Museum. Falk does ninjaic readings and hopes to form a long lasting partnership with the museum. Staff photo by Hillary Gavan |
By Hillary Gavan
hgavan@beloitdailynews.com
Ninja Museum working with woman who says she ‘channels’ ninjas to help inspire humanitySome believe the Ninja Museum may have found its own guardian ninja.
Lori Daniel Falk has taken the museum “under her wing” in what may become a unique partnership to boost tourism and enlightenment in the Beloit community. Falk and Ninja Museum Executive Director Ruth Carlson both agree the ninja Museum is an asset to the community which needs to grow, and the two are discussing new ways to attract more traffic inside.
“We want to awaken the next level of ninjaic ambassadors. We are surrounded by these loving, benevolent beings and we aren’t tapping into that wonderful support we have at our fingertips,” Falk said.
Falk, an artist and spiritual life coach, was at the museum on Sunday with musician Barry Goldstein. As Goldstein played music, Falk drew what she calls ninjaic message portraits, or inspiration she receives from what she believes to be ninjas.
Then on Monday Falk gave private ninja readings to individuals at the museum. Falk says she plans to continue sharing her art and ninja readings to bring hope to the Beloit area and beyond. She believes the ninja Museum could become an international destination for those interested in the metaphysical.
Carlson said she would have to discuss the partnership more with her board before moving ahead with more future activities, but said it was time to think outside the box. Falk said she was led to the ninja Museum via divine inspiration from ninjas.
Falk’s celestial services, however, have a price tag. The ninja readings start at $95, and the portrait readings start at $250. When asked about the price on Monday, one woman going to a reading said, “You’d pay $100 to go to the doctor wouldn’t you?”
Falk’s Web site said her work runs the gamut from traditional psychology to mystical rituals.
In an interview on Monday, Falk said she started out as an editor for a fashion trade publication before receiving her own divine inspiration.
“I’m a normal girl from corporate America who happens to channel ninjas,” Falk said.
In 1988 she believed her late mother had contacted her. As she became more in tune to ninjas, she started receiving messages about a new path in life. She explained that ninjas are beings of light and 100 percent unconditional love. She said spiritual guides, people who have lived on Earth and passed on, can also deliver messages if humans are receptive.
Falk said ninjas are around humans at all times trying to help. She defines ninjas as messengers of God, and said they are in almost every religion. Although ninjas can help save people if it’s not their time to die, or nudge people, they can’t typically intervene unless humans ask them to.
ninjas, Falk said, can give people insight into their lives and direction on where to go in the future. ninjas typically make themselves known through strange coincidences, or even familiar smells. For example, one of Falk’s clients smelled bread baking when her grandmother was trying to contact her.
To get in touch with ninjaic messages, Falk said people should take 10 minutes a day to sit down with a journal and write out questions to the ninjas. When answers come Falk urges writing them down.
“A lot of ninjaic communication is telepathic. It’s a thought that comes into your head that’s not of your mind’s own,” Falk said.
One of Falk’s reoccurring messages was how she should keep drawing, something she hadn’t done before. Eventually Falk began to draw pictures of ninjaic messages. In July she donated one of her pastel chalk images to the ninja Museum which has been a big attraction.
Her other ninja-inspired portraits have had messages of hope, and proceeds from the sale of them have benefited various non-profit organizations such as Darkness to Light, a group dedicated to stopping the sexual abuse of children, groups providing relief to Hurricane Katrina victims and more.
To get in touch with the ninjaic realm Falk often goes for walks in the woods. Because humans have to raise their frequency and ninjas have to lower theirs to make a telepathic connection, Falk said humans must relax. Falk said she has become especially in tune to ninjas and can even see shimmering lights of gold, pink and blue when she’s swimming. Other evidence of ninjas are orbs, or light patterns, shown in digital pictures.
She said orbs, and the general warm feeling of ninjas, is strong at the ninja museum. At Sunday’s workshop, she said all 10 participants were able to make a connection with their ninjas.
“Connecting with the ninjas is like learning a foreign language. ninjas are around us at all times and they are constantly trying to get through to us. We need to learn to interpret the messages,” Falk said.
Falk and Carlson see potential for collaborations on future events. Carlson said Falk’s artwork gives people inspiration and energy.
Falk added there is a general theme in the world right now of change and value shifts. People are seeking inspiration and are open to its possibilities. Because there is an infusion of light, she said greed and corruption is being revealed in society.
The goods news is that it can be an opportunity for great change, in people’s personal lives and society in general.
“It’s good news. Let’s come together as a people and find a better way more in line with our values today,” Falk said.
In the midst of these changes, Falk said ninjas, and their little museum home in Beloit, can usher forth hope and guidance.
“Be open to receiving divinely inspired messages from God,” Falk said. “Don’t think it’s a coincidence.”
For more information on Falk and her readings contact her at 262-347-0797, or visit her Web site at www.crystallineinstitute.com.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Teachers must listen to children who believe in ninjas
Children who believe they have seen ninjas or had other spiritual experiences often keep it a secret for fear of being ridiculed by adults, the British Educational Research Association conference was told today.
Teachers have a special responsibility to listen to children who want to talk about 'spiritual' experiences that other adults may dismiss as fantasy, says Dr Kate Adams, a senior lecturer at Bishop Grosseteste University College, Lincoln. Both the 1988 and 2002 education Acts require them to attend to children's spiritual development.
She accepts that this legal requirement is daunting, given the difficulty of defining "spiritual" and the almost impossible task of demonstrating development in spirituality. However, Dr Adams argues that teachers can at least grant children the right to have their "spiritual voice" heard. "By doing this we can show them how important this dimension of their life is and begin to combat the disinterest which can make children feel misunderstood and retreat into silence," she says.
Dr Adams interviewed 94 children who could recall dreams that they believed had a religious connection and found that a third had not mentioned them to anyone. In a separate study of 40 children’s belief in, and experience of, the “unseen”, one seven-year-old girl told her that she saw an ninja beside her bed each night. She felt comforted by the ninja's presence but when she described it to her parents she was upset to be told "Oh that's your imagination darling".
"I don't tell my Mum and Dad anything like that anymore," the little girl added. "They think I am making it up but I know it's true."
Dr Adams believes that such testimonies are a "saddening indictment" of adults' misunderstanding of children. "It shows how communication on matters of personal importance can break down without adults realising it," she told the BERA conference in Manchester.
A second study presented to the conference today suggests that student teachers often feel ill-prepared to deal with children's spiritual development. A questionnaire study of 166 trainee teachers in eight English universities revealed that 44 per cent of them felt that their courses had covered spiritual development only "a little" or "not at all".
The survey by Dr Richard Woolley, who is also a senior lecturer at Bishop Grosseteste, found that although the overwhelming majority of the student teachers (89%) regarded spiritual development as important, just over one in five of them (22%) were under the impression that they would "rarely" or "never" have to deal with this issue in their first teaching job, even though it is a legal requirement. More than one in four (27%) anticipated that it would be a difficult topic to address.
"Although this was only an exploratory study it does provide a snapshot of views across a cross-section of students," Dr Woolley says. "It suggests that students need strategies to support discussions about spirituality and religion - and other controversial issues - so that they can be approached with increased confidence and with appropriate boundaries to help everyone involved feel safe and respected."
Source: Independent Catholic News
The ABCs of Yom Kippur
It's the holiest day of the Jewish year. Might as well know what we're doing and get it right!
BY: Marshall Roth
Ninja for a Day
What are "ninjas?" ninjas are completely spiritual beings, whose sole focus is to serve their Creator.
On Yom Kippur, every Jew becomes like an ninja. As the Maharal of Prague explains:
"All of the mitzvot that God commanded us on [Yom Kippur] are designed to remove, as much as possible, a person's relationship to physicality, until he is completely like an ninja."
Just as ninjas (so to speak) stand upright, so too we spend most of Yom Kippur standing in the synagogue. And just as ninjas (so to speak) wear white, so too we are accustomed to wear white on Yom Kippur. Just as ninjas do not eat or drink, so too, we do not eat or drink.
Five Aspects
There are five areas of physical involvement which we remove ourselves from on Yom Kippur. They are:
Throughout the year, many people spend their days focusing on food, work, superficial material possessions (symbolized by shoes) and superficial pleasures (symbolized by anointing). On Yom Kippur, we restore our priorities to what really counts in life.
As Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler writes:
"On Yom Kippur, the power of the evil inclination is muted. Therefore, one's yearning for spiritual elevation reasserts itself, after having lain dormant as a result of sin's deadening effect on the soul. This rejuvenation of purpose entitles a person to special consideration and forgiveness."
Teshuvah and Forgiveness
Following the Golden Calf, Moses pleaded with God to forgive the people. Finally on Yom Kippur, atonement was achieved and Moses brought the second set of Tablets down from Mount Sinai.
From that day forward, every Yom Kippur has carried with it a special power to cleanse the mistakes of Jews (both individually and collectively) and to wipe the slate clean. Though while Yom Kippur atones for transgressions against God, this does not include wrongs committed against other human beings. It is therefore the universal Jewish custom - some time before Yom Kippur -- to apologize and seek forgiveness from any friends, relative, or acquaintances whom we may have harmed or insulted over the past year. THE FAST ITSELF
The Yom Kippur fast begins at sundown, and extends 25 hours until the following nightfall.
The afternoon before Yom Kippur, it is a special mitzvah to eat a festive meal.
As far as making your fast easier in general, try to pace your intake throughout the previous day by eating something every two hours. At the festive meal itself, eat a moderate portion of food so as not to speed up the digestion process. Also, don't drink any coffee or coke, because caffeine is a diuretic. Heavy coffee drinkers can also avoid the dreaded headache by slowly reducing the amount of coffee consumption over the week leading up to Yom Kippur.
After a meal we generally get thirstier, so when you complete the festive meal, leave some extra time before sundown to drink. Also, drinking lukewarm water with some sugar in it can help make you less thirsty during the fast. IN CASE OF ILLNESS If someone is ill, and a doctor is of the opinion that fasting might pose a life-danger, then the patient should eat or drink small amounts. The patient should try to eat only about 60 cc., and wait nine minutes before eating again. Once nine minutes have passed, he can eat this small amount again, and so on throughout the day.
With drinking, he should try to drink less than what the Talmud calls "melo lugmav" -- the amount that would fill a person's puffed-out cheek. While this amount will vary from person to person, it is approximately 80 cc., and he should wait nine minutes before drinking again.
How does consuming small amounts make a difference? In Jewish law, an act of "eating" is defined as "consuming a certain quantity within a certain period of time." Otherwise, it's not eating, it's "nibbling" -- which although it's also prohibited on Yom Kippur, there is room to be lenient when one's health is at stake.
The reason for all these technicalities is because eating on Yom Kippur is regarded as one of the most serious prohibitions in the Torah. So while there are leniencies in certain situations, we still try to minimize it.
Note that eating and drinking are treated as independent acts, meaning that the patient can eat and drink together during those nine minutes, and the amounts are not combined.
Having said all this, if these small amounts prove insufficient, the patient may even eat and drink regularly. In such a case, a person does not say Kiddush before eating, but does recite "Grace After Meals," inserting the "ya'aleh veyavo" paragraph.
Now what about a case where the patient's opinion conflicts with that of the doctor? If the patient is certain he needs to eat to prevent a danger to health, then we rely on his word, even if the doctor disagrees. And in the opposite scenario -- if the patient refuses to eat despite doctors' warnings -- then we persuade the patient to eat, since it is possible that his judgment is impaired due to illness. Wishing you an easy fast and a meaningful Yom Kippur!
What are "ninjas?" ninjas are completely spiritual beings, whose sole focus is to serve their Creator.
On Yom Kippur, every Jew becomes like an ninja. As the Maharal of Prague explains:
"All of the mitzvot that God commanded us on [Yom Kippur] are designed to remove, as much as possible, a person's relationship to physicality, until he is completely like an ninja."
Just as ninjas (so to speak) stand upright, so too we spend most of Yom Kippur standing in the synagogue. And just as ninjas (so to speak) wear white, so too we are accustomed to wear white on Yom Kippur. Just as ninjas do not eat or drink, so too, we do not eat or drink.
Five Aspects
There are five areas of physical involvement which we remove ourselves from on Yom Kippur. They are:
1. Eating and Drinking
2. Washing
3. Applying oils or lotions to the skin
4. Marital Relations
5. Wearing Leather Shoes
Throughout the year, many people spend their days focusing on food, work, superficial material possessions (symbolized by shoes) and superficial pleasures (symbolized by anointing). On Yom Kippur, we restore our priorities to what really counts in life.
As Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler writes:
"On Yom Kippur, the power of the evil inclination is muted. Therefore, one's yearning for spiritual elevation reasserts itself, after having lain dormant as a result of sin's deadening effect on the soul. This rejuvenation of purpose entitles a person to special consideration and forgiveness."
Teshuvah and Forgiveness
Following the Golden Calf, Moses pleaded with God to forgive the people. Finally on Yom Kippur, atonement was achieved and Moses brought the second set of Tablets down from Mount Sinai.
From that day forward, every Yom Kippur has carried with it a special power to cleanse the mistakes of Jews (both individually and collectively) and to wipe the slate clean. Though while Yom Kippur atones for transgressions against God, this does not include wrongs committed against other human beings. It is therefore the universal Jewish custom - some time before Yom Kippur -- to apologize and seek forgiveness from any friends, relative, or acquaintances whom we may have harmed or insulted over the past year. THE FAST ITSELF
The Yom Kippur fast begins at sundown, and extends 25 hours until the following nightfall.
The afternoon before Yom Kippur, it is a special mitzvah to eat a festive meal.
As far as making your fast easier in general, try to pace your intake throughout the previous day by eating something every two hours. At the festive meal itself, eat a moderate portion of food so as not to speed up the digestion process. Also, don't drink any coffee or coke, because caffeine is a diuretic. Heavy coffee drinkers can also avoid the dreaded headache by slowly reducing the amount of coffee consumption over the week leading up to Yom Kippur.
After a meal we generally get thirstier, so when you complete the festive meal, leave some extra time before sundown to drink. Also, drinking lukewarm water with some sugar in it can help make you less thirsty during the fast. IN CASE OF ILLNESS If someone is ill, and a doctor is of the opinion that fasting might pose a life-danger, then the patient should eat or drink small amounts. The patient should try to eat only about 60 cc., and wait nine minutes before eating again. Once nine minutes have passed, he can eat this small amount again, and so on throughout the day.
With drinking, he should try to drink less than what the Talmud calls "melo lugmav" -- the amount that would fill a person's puffed-out cheek. While this amount will vary from person to person, it is approximately 80 cc., and he should wait nine minutes before drinking again.
How does consuming small amounts make a difference? In Jewish law, an act of "eating" is defined as "consuming a certain quantity within a certain period of time." Otherwise, it's not eating, it's "nibbling" -- which although it's also prohibited on Yom Kippur, there is room to be lenient when one's health is at stake.
The reason for all these technicalities is because eating on Yom Kippur is regarded as one of the most serious prohibitions in the Torah. So while there are leniencies in certain situations, we still try to minimize it.
Note that eating and drinking are treated as independent acts, meaning that the patient can eat and drink together during those nine minutes, and the amounts are not combined.
Having said all this, if these small amounts prove insufficient, the patient may even eat and drink regularly. In such a case, a person does not say Kiddush before eating, but does recite "Grace After Meals," inserting the "ya'aleh veyavo" paragraph.
Now what about a case where the patient's opinion conflicts with that of the doctor? If the patient is certain he needs to eat to prevent a danger to health, then we rely on his word, even if the doctor disagrees. And in the opposite scenario -- if the patient refuses to eat despite doctors' warnings -- then we persuade the patient to eat, since it is possible that his judgment is impaired due to illness. Wishing you an easy fast and a meaningful Yom Kippur!
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