What Makes Japanese Buddhist Art Special

By Takamitsu Hairi

Buddhist art actually originated in the Indian subcontinent. With the passage of years and communication with other cultures throughout Asia the religion and the art form expanded to other places including Japan.

The growth of the Buddhist religion and art was very fast in Asia. It entered all corners of the continent including northern, central, eastern and south-east Asia.

Before the arrival of Buddhism in Japan, various other cultures and movements had influenced the Japanese art. Especially the Kofun and Yoyoi times had a great impact on the culture and art style of Japan.

It was in the 6th century that Buddhism made its way to Japan. Missionary people made their way to the country with their scriptures and art work hoping to attract the uneducated masses. Today Japan stands as the largest Buddhist nation in the world. When Buddhism was vanishing in India it was picking up in Japan.

Following the arrival of the religion into the country Buddhist art began to flourish in various ways. The landscape was dotted with numerous monasteries and temples. Some of the most eminent buildings inspired by Buddhism are the Golden Hall of the Horyuki, the five story pagoda and the Kofuku-ji temple in the city of Nara.

Buddhist art also improved in the form of paintings and statues. The government was engaged in sponsoring a lot of artists in order to create numerous paintings and sculptures. The art of the time concentrated on realism and had a very graceful attraction. This was the result of Korean, Chinese and Hellenistic impacts that had come together to form a unique style.

The period ranging from the 8th century through to the 13th century witnessed Buddhist art develop to a great extent. The Nara period as well as the Heian and Kamakura period is known for their Buddhist art. The Japanese artists developed rich figurative art that was used in order to depict their deities. Hindu and Shinto influence were also apparent in such works. In general Buddhist art appeared to be extremely varied but at the same time very innovative and bold.

The time period after the thirteenth century saw a transition from the orthodox Buddhist art towards Zen art. This was the philosophy introduced into Japan through the Eisai and Dogen on their return trip from China. A host of original pottery and paintings reflecting their desire to reveal the true meaning of life can be found belonging to this time period. Other art forms like Ikebana and martial arts also sprung up during these times.

An overwhelming number of Buddhist temples, reaching up to 80,000, can be found in Japan today. Most of these temples had been repaired a lot in order to preserve them.

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There are a number of distinct fileds within Traditional Japanese art. For more information on Traditional Japanese tattoo art please follow the links.

The Enchantment Inside Power Jewelry

By Christopher Caramelli

Spiritual jewelry are pieces of wisdom that have been intertwined with stones and other materials appreciated for their energy. The pieces are worn by those who are inspired by its messaging and healing agents. Messages that convey endearment, love and motivation are intended to inspire its recipient to a new forum of existence.

'Be the change you'd like to see in the world' is a universal theme sought withing different pockets of the world. People from various age groups, cultural backgrounds and religious practices have been inspired by this quote. The jewelry invites in depth and uplifting conversations that brings people to commune together. Just like the music that keeps breaking down barriers.

The items are becoming a house hold name and simplifying the gift giving trend. Every reason imaginable can be matched with this line of jewelry. Extending words of kindness has always been the most authentic gift a person could give. Now the recipient can access it over and over again. Friendships, family and other important life values are celebrating with inspirational gifting.

Crystal and gemstones created by the natural aging of the earth have always had medicinal properties for many cultures. They are thought to have healing properties for addiction, health and variety of others conditions. They are are seen as magnetic force fields to attract prosperity, career success and the stabilizing factor for peace.

Jewelry is normally used to accentuate an outfit for a show stopping affect. This line of jewelry has sentimental value and speaks to a particular experience someone has overcome. The display of items with spiritual meaning is an invitation to appreciate and learn about its properties. The jewelry is manufactured in a variety of ways like rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

The individuals who wear motivational ornaments are those who usually have a strong belief system. The pieces are both a display of a love and appreciation for life as it invites observers into understanding and appreciating its properties. Spiritual people love inspiring others; a conversation about the importance of humanity makes everyday exciting.

The people who are inspired to create jewelry that promote healing are in fact healers themselves. They learned their craft through the art of experience. They were able to receive encouragement, nourishment and community through challenges that created the need. The wisdom is authentic and is usually presented without the signature of its author. Wisdom is free, you only pay for design concept and labor.

Metaphysical jewelry is an extension of the sacred place that is held within you. That place inside of you that hold both vulnerabilities and truths for the growth of wisdom. Being inspired by life in its truest form; a constant call to allow it to be precious and held in the highest regard. It's an all inclusive community of people appreciating the existence and the purpose of others.

About the Author:

Commentary on hand made jewelry written by Christopher Caramelli. Christopher is the artist behind the unique jewelry for SpiritWear at Spirit Journeys. You can find out more about psychic jewelry at Spirit Journeys site.

Work With Spiritual Healing To Purge Negativity

By Nicole Lanning

You must be working on negativity issues in your life if you're reading this article. So what can you do about them and how can you work on correcting them through some of these different complementary and alternative therapy techniques?

It really is all about understanding that you are a unique individual going through the specific issue in your life. What's going to work for one person may not always work for another, but I would like to share with you some of the more common and basic techniques that you can work on today.

You may be wondering if each specific healing does not work for every individual on the planet then how do you know what's going to work for you? That is very good question.

It is all about finding what resonates with in you and the work that you feel drawn to. That is a very simple truth that you will find out with this type of work.

But where do you begin if everything is always different and you're not quite sure what you're attracted to? The answer is very simple; it's all about taking the first step and just trying.

The thing is with everyone's issues that are different for their own negativity issues, you have to understand how this relates to you in your own life, finding out where the things are out of balance, and healing them so that they will not return.

But what caused you to have this negativity issue in your life today? Can you pinpoint this issue? Can you see where the imbalance is in your life?

By working with some alternative therapy methods in your life you can work on releasing and purging all of these issues in a short amount of time. You have to understand it is not that we are tackling the symptoms, but rather releasing the issues and the underlying core causes so that they can be healed completely and thoroughly.

There are many different types of methods you can work with for your negativity problems today. You can tap into the power of crystal healing, Reiki healing, releasing techniques, cleansing techniques, clearing techniques, color therapy, and many others.

An interesting way to work with removing the negativity problems that you are facing is by working with Reiki energy healing. Make sure your properly attuned to this energy healing format, and start on working with self-healing issues for the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual level concerns so that they are released and purged with in your life to be reborn into positive universal healing light source.

You have to remember that this is just one type of technique that I have suggested above for you to work with for your negativity concerns. There are many other ones listed in this article that you can do a little bit more research on and find that resonate within your own energetic vibrational frequency that you feel drawn to.

Get started on your healing today so that you can work on releasing these negativity concerns in your life on a more balanced level so that they do not return.

About the Author:

Nicole Lanning, founder of Healing Art Forms, has a passion for helping others with her expert certified spiritual healing abilities. Check out all of her services in spiritual healing, holistic healing, & natural health today!

Have Freedom Today Energy & Holistic Healing

By Nicole Lanning

You can work with freedom issues in your life, and in many different ways, to obtain a release and purge and effect from all the demands the other people put on your life. By tapping into holistic healing and energy healing techniques, you can work through these different areas to be free at last.

How can you tap into having this freedom in your life through holistic healing? There are many different ways to harness these powers. One easy way is to start shifting your mindset today to understand that you have all of this personal power and potential that resides from within. You can control your own life, and in always, to gain this freedom.

We all have our own potential energetic personal power at our soul level. Through this personal power, and by tapping into energy healing techniques, you can have the freedom inner life. By being attuned to Reiki energy healing you can work through this personal power to have access to your own freedom in all areas of your life.

Feeling that we are in debt to others throughout our life is something that holds us all back from our freedom issues and conquering them. We feel that we are here to serve and must do what others say in order to be happy. But the other people do not make us happier in our life, it is up to us to be free and make ourselves happy. We are here to share our capabilities and possibilities to grow and expand, not serve our lives for other people.

Start today by working with your own personal power, energy healing, and holistic healing to purge and release all of the hindered issues in your life and access your own freedom. You will be so much happier, more free, and be more alive than you have ever felt before!

About the Author:

Holistic Healing Minute founder, Nicole Lanning is an expert certified healer. For more info on energy healing and holistic healing contact her today!

Addiction Issues Vanquished

By Nicole Lanning

When you're talking about addiction, it is an issue that can affect anyone in the entire world.

This is something that can affect people no matter what their age is or what their race is. The beauty in this is that you can achieve the results you are seeking by working through some simple steps today.

If you're reading this article, you're probably wanting to find a more natural, holistic, and noninvasive way to work on healing this issue in your life. There are many different ways that you can work with alternative means to do so.

When you think about it what really is addiction and how does this relate to you in your own life?

By tapping into the root cause, or trigger point, you will be able to have a successful healing session for your addiction issues today.

Probably one of the biggest pieces of advice I can give you is to understand that working through your own healing process is about finding what resonates with in you for your own energetic fields for your addiction issues.

To really understand how all of this can work and come together for your healing session, you have to understand that we are energetic beings living innate human body, experiencing a spiritual journey, on this physical planet. Once you understand this concept, it is all about balancing these energies through a mind - body - spiritual type of healing.

You can work with many different complementary and alternative types of therapy to work on healing your own addiction issues in your life today through a more holistic approach.

Working with some of the more popular ways for healing purposes in your life can include acupressure, crystal healing, sound healing systems, and even working through energy healing such as Reiki.

For addiction issues, you want to work with a Rhodonite crystal to have a successful session. Probably one of the most important things, or advice that I can give you, is to make sure that you have cleansed, programmed, and charged this before you start your healing session.

You can also incorporate a healing charge onto this Rhodonite if you so choose, as this will increase the vibrational frequency level output for your healing session.

You can also work on incorporating sound vibrational healing for this type of work as well in your life. Tibetan bowls, Tibetan bells, or drumming techniques work best.

You can heal all of your addiction issues today, but you have to understand it is about balancing out the energetic fields in your life for this work to be successful.

Remember each person is can work on their own issues a little differently, as it's all about finding what resonates with in your own energetic fields of life.

Enjoy the new work that I have shared with you for curing the addiction issues that you are facing today. You can do it, you have the tools that are listed now, so get started and work with this healing process today.

About the Author:

Nicole Lanning, author of Practical Crystal Healing and Healing U, is also the founder of Healing Art Forms and Holistic Healing Minute. Visit them for spiritual healing sessions & a variety of spiritual healing services.

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By Tracy Rocelyn

752 BC - Romulus, legendary first king of Rome, celebrates the first Roman triumph after his victory over the Caeninenses, following The Rape of the Sabine Women.

509 BC - Publius Valerius Publicola, Roman consul, celebrates the first triumph of the Roman Republic after his victory over the deposed king Lucius Tarquinius Superbus at the Battle of Silva Arsia.

86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army, enters Athens, removing the tyrant Aristion who was supported by troops of Mithridates VI of Pontus.

293 - Roman Emperors Diocletian and Maximian appoint Constantius Chlorus as Caesar to Maximian.

317 - Crispus and Constantine II, sons of Roman Emperor Constantine I, and Licinius Iunior, son of Emperor Licinius, are made Caesares

1457 - The Unitas Fratrum is established in the village of Kunvald, on the Bohemian-Moravian borderland. It is to date the second oldest Protestant denomination.

1562 - 23 Huguenots are massacred by Catholics in Wassy, France, marking the start of the French Wars of Religion.

1565 - The city of Rio de Janeiro is founded.

1593 - The Uppsala Synod is summoned to confirm the exact forms of the Lutheran Church of Sweden.

1628 - Writs issued in February by Charles I of England mandate that every county in England (not just seaport towns) pay ship tax by this date.

1633 - Samuel de Champlain reclaims his role as commander of New France on behalf of Cardinal Richelieu.

1642 - Georgeana, Massachusetts (now known as York, Maine), becomes the first incorporated city in the United States.

1692 - Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne and Tituba are brought before local magistrates in Salem Village, Massachusetts, beginning what would become known as the Salem witch trials.

1700 - Sweden introduces its own Swedish calendar, in an attempt to gradually merge into the Gregorian calendar, reverts to the Julian calendar on this date in 1712, and introduces the Gregorian Calendar on this date in 1753.

1781 - The Continental Congress adopts the Articles of Confederation.

1790 - The first United States census is authorized.

1803 - Ohio is admitted as the 17th U.S. state.

1805 - Justice Samuel Chase is acquitted at the end of his impeachment trial by the U.S. Senate.

1811 - Leaders of the Mameluke dynasty are killed by Egyptian ruler Muhammad Ali.

1815 - Napoleon returns to France from his banishment on Elba.

1836 - A convention of delegates from 57 Texas communities convenes in Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texas, to deliberate independence from Mexico.

1845 - President John Tyler signs a bill authorizing the United States to annex the Republic of Texas.

1847 - The state of Michigan formally abolishes capital punishment.

1852 - Archibald William Montgomerie, 13th Earl of Eglinton is appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

1854 - German psychologist Friedrich Eduard Beneke disappears; two years later his remains are found in a canal near Charlottenburg.

1867 - Nebraska becomes the 37th U.S. state; Lancaster, Nebraska is renamed Lincoln and becomes the state capital.

1870 - Marshal F.S. Lpez dies during the Battle of Cerro Cor thus marking the end of the War of the Triple Alliance.

1872 - Yellowstone National Park is established as the world's first national park.

1873 - E. Remington and Sons in Ilion, New York begins production of the first practical typewriter.

1886 - The Anglo-Chinese School, Singapore is founded by Bishop William Oldham.

1893 - Nikola Tesla gives the first public demonstration of radio in St. Louis, Missouri.

1896 - Battle of Adowa: an Ethiopian army defeats an outnumbered Italian force, ending the First Italo-Ethiopian War.

1896 - Henri Becquerel discovers radioactivity.

1910 - The worst avalanche in United States history buries a Great Northern Railway train in northeastern King County, Washington, killing 96 people.

1912 - Albert Berry makes the first parachute jump from a moving airplane.

1914 - The Republic of China joins the Universal Postal Union.

1917 - The U.S. government releases the unencrypted text of the Zimmermann Telegram to the public.

1919 - March 1st Movement begins in Korea.

1921 - The Australian cricket team captained by Warwick Armstrong becomes the first team to complete a whitewash of The Ashes, something that would not be repeated for 86 years.

1932 - The son of Charles Lindbergh, Charles Augustus Lindbergh III, is kidnapped.

1936 - The Hoover Dam is completed.

1936 - A strike occurs aboard the S.S. California, leading to the demise of the International Seamen's Union and the creation of the National Maritime Union.

1939 - A Japanese Imperial Army ammunition dump explodes at Hirakata, Osaka, Japan, killing 94.

1941 - World War II: Bulgaria signs the Tripartite Pact, allying itself with the Axis powers.

1941 - W47NV (now known as WSM-FM) begins operations in Nashville, Tennessee becoming the first FM radio station in the U.S..

1946 - The Bank of England is nationalised.

1947 - The International Monetary Fund begins financial operations.

1950 - Cold War: Klaus Fuchs is convicted of spying for the Soviet Union by disclosing top secret atomic bomb data.

1953 - Joseph Stalin suffers a stroke and collapses. He dies four days later.

1954 - Nuclear testing: The Castle Bravo, a 15-megaton hydrogen bomb, is detonated on Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, resulting in the worst radioactive contamination ever caused by the United States.

1954 - Puerto Rican nationalists attack the United States Capitol building, injuring five Representatives.

1956 - The International Air Transport Association finalizes a draft of the Radiotelephony spelling alphabet for the International Civil Aviation Organization.

1956 - Formation of the National People's Army

1958 - Samuel Alphonsus Stritch is appointed Pro-Prefect of the Propagation of Faith and thus becomes the first American member of the Roman Curia.

1961 - President of the United States John F. Kennedy establishes the Peace Corps.

1961 - Uganda becomes self-governing and holds its first elections.

1962 - American Airlines Flight 1 crashes on take off in New York.

1964 - Villarrica Volcano begins a strombolian eruption causing lahars that destroy half of the town of Coaripe.

1966 - Venera 3 Soviet space probe crashes on Venus becoming the first spacecraft to land on another planet's surface.

1966 - The Ba'ath Party takes power in Syria.

1971 - A bomb explodes in a men's room in the United States Capitol: the Weather Underground claims responsibility.

1971 - President of Pakistan Yahya Khan indefinitely postpones the pending national assembly session, precipitating massive civil disobedience in East Pakistan.

1972 - The Thai province of Yasothon is created after being split off from the Ubon Ratchathani province.

1973 - Black September storms the Saudi embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, resulting in the assassination of three Western hostages.

1974 - Watergate scandal: Seven are indicted for their role in the Watergate break-in and charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice.

1981 - Provisional Irish Republican Army member Bobby Sands begins his hunger strike in HM Prison Maze.

1989 - The United States becomes a member of the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works.

1990 - Steve Jackson Games is raided by the United States Secret Service, prompting the later formation of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

1992 - Bosnia and Herzegovina declares its independence from Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

1995 - Prime Minister of Poland Waldemar Pawlak resigns from parliament and is replaced by ex-communist Jzef Oleksy.

1995 - Yahoo! is incorporated.

2000 - The Constitution of Finland is rewritten.

2000 - Hans Blix assumes the position of Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC.

2002 - U.S. invasion of Afghanistan: Operation Anaconda begins in eastern Afghanistan.

2002 - The Envisat environmental satellite successfully reaches an orbit 800 kilometers (500 miles) above the Earth on its 11th launch, carrying the heaviest payload to date at 8500 kilograms (9.5 tons).

2002 - The peseta is discontinued as official currency of Spain and is replaced by the euro ().

2003 - Management of the United States Customs Service and the United States Secret Service move to the United States Department of Homeland Security.

2003 - The International Criminal Court holds its inaugural session in The Hague.

2004 - Mohammed Bahr al-Uloum becomes President of Iraq.

2006 - English-language Wikipedia reaches its one millionth article, Jordanhill railway station.

2007 - Tornadoes break out across the southern United States, killing at least 20; eight of the deaths are at a high school in Enterprise, Alabama.

2007 - "Squatters" are evicted from Ungdomshuset in Copenhagen, Denmark, provoking the March 2007 Denmark Riots.

2008 - The Armenian police clashed with peaceful opposition rally protesting against allegedly fraudulent presidential elections 2008 killing at least 10 people.

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Popular Born On 4 February - Check Out February 4 astrology and February 4 horoscope

The Next Human: Self Transcendence

By Jason Lincoln Jeffers

As we approach the end of the Mayan Calendar on December 21, 2012, a small percentage of humanity is evolving from an egoic, mind-centered, self-destructive state of suffering into a heart-centered, selfless and creative state of being. Intricately connected to Gaia--our Mother Earth--this burgeoning New Species of humanity will actualize the protective and balancing nature of the sacred feminine.

There is no way out of the problems that we currently face as a species, only a way through. Non-conflict, non-violence, and non-resistance both individually and collectively is what is needed now if we're going to move beyond the incessant wars that pervade our planet and evolve into the Next Human.

As Albert Einstein said, "We cannot solve problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." It is true that the problems that we're facing today cannot be solved by the egoic mind because this is the same frequency from whence they came. The time has come for us to look to solutions from higher levels of consciousness, higher levels of intelligence. When we allow the heart to lead the mind, we will naturally manifest cooperation, compassion, and peace for all mankind.

We are currently living in difficult times. World peace is no longer an option, a luxury. It is now a necessity if we're going to survive as a species. Global warming, whether man made or not, is upon us. Man continues to spew deadly toxins into the environment, killing the fish, polluting the air, soil, and water, and upsetting the delicate ecosystem of the earth. Natural disasters, domestic violence, disease, famine, poverty, and war continue to plague our beloved planet.

The next stage of human evolution is upon us. The current human species is ready to evolve. The current human species is ready to evolve. More and more people are becoming Self Realized and knowing that they are Divine. This is what is called "Source Consciousness."

Self Realization is the coming to consciousness that you are the epicenter of all creation, a divine being. When you awaken to this truth, you realize that every One else is also at the center of their own universe. Therefore, this is not an egocentric perspective, but one that is egoless. It is the attunement of your Self with Source Consciousness and is the difference between knowing the path and walking the path to spiritual enlightenment. Anxiety, depression, and stress are replaced with inner peace and tranquility. A passion for helping others becomes a new focus in life.

As you begin to shift our "little me who means nothing to the universe" perspective to the "I am the center of all creation" perspective, your whole life transforms overnight. You begin to understand your relevance, your significance, and your duty to Life. You realize that the universe cannot grow without your input.

The time has come for us to become united as One People of One Planet, and to once again, as a human race, inwardly and outwardly, realize that at our core, we are all One.

About the Author:

In 2007, Online Life Coach, Jason Lincoln Jeffers founded The Art of Transformation, a company focused on teaching Spiritual Enlightenment to the world. His Online Life Coaching program uniquely combines metaphysical wisdom with ego transcendence, holistic health, life path astrology, shadow & pain-body work, heart-brain intention, the power of presence, and the law of attraction.