Gaia: Gaia Lounge

Re: hello

http://jodi.gaia.com — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:43:20 GMT

Hello Billie,
Welcome to our community. I work for Gaia so if you ever have any questions about the site, please feel free to ask.
Here are some great tips from Terrill: Tips for New and Seasoned Gaia Members.
And you may be interested in joining in on our Question of the Day.
“Think of Gaia's Questions and Reflections as an invitation and guide into your highest self.”
It is a great way to get into blogging here.
Have fun exploring!

Re: hello

http://Bhatta.gaia.com — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:17:10 GMT

Hi Billie, welcome to Gaia. Ladybear has given you a very useful link which would help you learn to move around and discover Gaia. You can click HERE to have a list of currently active groups on Gaia. Click on the name of any group to go to the group.

If you need any help, feel free to post here, or email me personally.
Wishing you a joyful journey
Bhatta

Re: hello

http://ladybear.gaia.com — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:26:08 GMT

Welcome to Gaia, Billie !

If you need any help here, just shout.
There is always someone around to lend a hand.
There is a great resource for helping
to find your way around.
Give it a try by CLICKING HERE

Be Bold and Have FUN!

Peace ON….

Ladybear

hello

http://sycobuni.gaia.com — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:00:48 GMT

hi. im new here & dont really know how to make friends yet. or how to do anything for that matter. lol

Re: nice to meet you all :)!!!!!

http://jodi.gaia.com — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:43:31 GMT

Hello soul2man!

Welcome to our community. So nice to meet you. :)
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. I work for Gaia and am very happy to help with any issues around the site.
Have a wonderful week!

Re: Social Action Training - Do Something - Live Streaming Saturd

http://lal386.gaia.com — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:37:24 GMT

Thanks. This is really wonderful. As much as I love exploring ideologies, this is really practical. It really helps initiate action, not just reflection!

Re: Hey! Any old Gaians out there?

http://Healinghands.gaia.com — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:21:02 GMT

Yes just got back on myself. It used to be just called zaadz.com. Looks likes things have changed some but still very inspirational. Welcome back and continue to spread the light and Love.

Re: Money, huh, what is it good for?

http://rickybarnes1960.gaia.com — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:38:14 GMT

Like language, fast cars, alcohol, food, drugs, cigarettes, etc., money is simply a human tool and specifically intended for the communication of material value from one person to another. It can't genuinely be the source of a problem but can certainly be the tool for a human being to create ... or to solve one.

Having given a lot of thought to the source of "immorality" myself, if one is looking for THE sin of all sins, it's envy. Of course, more basic than that, the source of all human problems in coping with what the natural world throws at us or coping with what other human beings throw at us is 1. irrationality and 2. lack of or deficiency in one's ability or willingness to feel empathy for other life.

"Envy" arises when we have too little appreciation for the here and now, too little appreciation for what IS and too much appreciation for what was or what could be. In my considered opinion, unlike those who claim "pride" as the source of all sin, I believe human beings suffer from too little pride rather than too much. We do not believe in and love ourselves enough, we do not believe in and love our own here and now enough. These are largely the result of poor thinking and an inability and/or unwillingness to value life - our own or other.

Certainly, money is the focus of many but, money, like so much else, can be used as a tool for good or for ill. What will make the difference in how an individual views and uses money is their ability to value life and to think correctly. If they can fully appreciate what IS rather than what is not, they will experience very little envy for something else and, in general, money will have little actual value to them. If they spend too much time feeling envy, too much time valuing what was or what could be, they will either acquire money honestly or dishonestly to get what they covet. The problem isn't the money, the problem is what they envy, the problem is their inability or unwillingness to fully appreciate what they already are or already have, where and when they already are. The problem is their poor thinking, the poor value of their own life here and now which then makes it difficult to value other life correctly.

Re: nice to meet you all :)!!!!!

http://druidcircle.gaia.com — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:04:13 GMT

Hi soul2man - I love reading poetry on Gaia and love looking at everyone's photos..
There are many groups to join and so many wonderful creative people here. Kindness and caring in abundance...
Love and light
Tai

Re: just joined....

http://druidcircle.gaia.com — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:01:38 GMT

Hi Caroline

I live in England and Wales is one of my favourite places - been there so many times in childhood and quite a few times for holidays! Hope you're still enjoying Gaia
Love Tai

Re: yes, people like me.

http://eccentric.gaia.com — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:48:47 GMT

G'day Mesa

I'm guessing you have your profile set to private because when I tried to look at your profile I got a message saying it is only accessable to people on your friends list.

Unless you have blocked me individually anyone that tries to access your profile will get the same message until you reset your profile for public viewing.

Peace

yes, people like me.

http://mesa.gaia.com — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:59:19 GMT

its nice to know that theres fellow spirits out there, check out my profile, i think you might be a kindred spirits, lord knows i never find them in my hometown, befriend me :)

Re: How to avoid pain in daily life?

http://mamamissy.gaia.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:20:08 GMT

I tried very hard to avoid pain in my daily life for years, and years, and years....basically anesthetized myself to ALL of it! I was so deep in to my addictions due to the fact that life was painful, and, I was going to avoid living it at all cost due to that simple fact!

I know now that I was partly wrong...partly correct. Life is life, plain and simple. it is full of twists and turns that simply can not be avoided unless we were to hide in a cave, or, in my case, stay obliviated day in, day out. i have come to accept that growth is painful, but, it is well worth the pain...there are rewards on the other side of that pain. That is not to say that I enjoy the pain...no way , no how...I have just come to a realization that it is not going to kill me, it will pass, and, it is worth the effort.

Now, physical pain is an entirely different issue! I deal with that as well, but, not very gracefully...I am still learning, ever changing, ever evolving. I have learned through 12 step programs that I only have to make it through each day, one day at a time...sometimes a minute at a time...I CAN do this. Life is a total trip...well worth any of the "pain" that may get in the way! ;-)

Social Action Training - Do Something - Live Streaming Saturday

http://jayne.gaia.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:17:38 GMT

Social Action Boot Camps bring together a diverse group of young community leaders, activists and social entrepreneurs for a day of networking and training dedicated to giving each attendee the tools to grow and sustain their community action ideas, projects and organizations.

This is happening right now - Saturday, Nov. 7 from 9 - 5:30 pm EST - and is live streaming. Check it out!!

Sessions and workshops offered on:

Path to Change: Turning your Ideas in Action
Measuring Your Impact
Building a Website
Foundations and Grant writing
Branding and Marketing: How to find your voice and tell your story
Individual Donors: How to pitch your program and manage donor relationships
Online Communications
Starting your Own Not-for-Profit
Corporate Sponsors: How to pitch your program and manage donor relationships
Public Relations: How to get press for your project
501c3 and Fiscal Sponsors: Benefits and Pitfalls
Succession Planning: How to keep your project going without you
Political Activism: How to get your local officials to listen
Recruiting and Managing Volunteers
Public Relations
Partnerships
Applying for a Do Something Grant

http://www.dosomething.org/training

Re: Money, huh, what is it good for?

http://eccentric.gaia.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:00:37 GMT

Janos I believe we are at crossed purposes.

You are referring to the monetary system as it has evolved under a corrupt global banking system hell bent on bringing the worlds economy's to their knees, predicated on the principle that the poorer people are the easier they are to control.

What it actually proves is that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely

I am talking about money in it's original form as representative of actual value transferred from one individual to another whether physically or electronically as a simplified form of bartering.

The Judeo-Christian scriptures do not say money is the root of all evil but the love of money is the root of all evil. There is a difference.

The value of anything is reliant on what someone is prepared to give in exchange for it. Money represents the value we give it at any particular point in time.

Re: Money, huh, what is it good for?

http://goodworld.gaia.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:18:35 GMT

The reason the system has become so corrupt is because of the individuals willingness to spend money they have yet to earn, borrowed to be paid back with interest.

That is simply not so. There is no money in the usual sense of the word, that is a pool og money that circulates indefinitely. The duty to create a sufficient amount of circulating money supply (notes and coins) has been abandoned by governments.
Pseudo money issued by banks (lyingly called credit) replaced government issued legal tender. Now "money" is created by banks when people borrow. If workers earn their money, the employer has to borrow it first from the banks.

There is no need to remain in the dark about these things

Re: Money, huh, what is it good for?

http://goodworld.gaia.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:03:44 GMT

You mean go back to bartering?
Money was invented to overcome the limitations of barter based economies.

Re: Money, huh, what is it good for?

http://eccentric.gaia.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:44:02 GMT

Mita I agree the monetary system is corrupt beyond belief, but money, in its basic form is representative of the value put on it by the person that works to earn it and by its buying power.

The reason the system has become so corrupt is because of the individuals willingness to spend money they have yet to earn, borrowed to be paid back with interest.

If everyone exercised self control and only spent money they had earned ie only spent their own money without borrowing, there wouldn't be a monetary system to be corrupted.

It all comes down to personal greed. Anyone that has ever bought on credit has contributed to the problem

Re: Money, huh, what is it good for?

http://seek2know.gaia.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:39:05 GMT

There is much more going on through the 'monetary financial system' than trading and sophisticated bartering! Have you watched 'money as debt'? See my profile or group here.

Re: How to avoid pain in daily life?

http://eccentric.gaia.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:47:00 GMT

Peacehunter I am trying to understand your point. Pain is a gift that has been given to help us recognise change. It is not a master but a messenger.