When I began studying Kabbalah in 1985, very few people knew anything about Kabbalah. Now, thanks to Madonna, the word "kabbalah" has become a hot topic of conversation in the media, on the internet and at cocktail parties.
Along with this fabulous publicity, many people have asked, "Is Kabbalah a cult?", "Is it a religion?" and, "Is it only for Jewish people?" So, the time has come to clarify what Kabbalah is, and what it's not.
Kabbalah is not a cult. There are some Kabbalah organizations that have a cult-like atmosphere, but this is a common abuse of trust that develops in all faith-based movements.
Kabbalah is not a religion. Kabbalah is an ancient, universal, wisdom tradition that's existed since time immemorial.
Kabbalah is not just for Jewish people. All faiths and denominations are welcome to study and learn the beauty of Kabbalistic truths. The first proposition in Kabbalah includes unity, oneness and universal love. Kabbalah is truly for everyone!
Kabbalah holds the key to many mysteries of The Bible. For thousands of years it was known as "The Oral Wisdom Tradition" which was passed down from one generation to the next by word of mouth. Kabbalah offers answers to many of the most profound questions ever asked by the greatest minds that have ever lived
These are just a few of the questions that Kabbalah can explain in detail. When Kabbalah is studied in universities, students are required to read classic books written by the great scholars. Three of these brilliant scholars include: Gershom Scholem, Aryeh Kaplan and Isaiah Tishby. These teachers/authors have made essential contributions to the study of Kabbalah. These intellectuals have made it possible to separate fact from fiction, so Kabbalah can be studied as a serious subject of inquiry.
To many people, Kabbalah seems to be a collection of wild fables, volumes of words and numbers, vague symbolism and inconsistent methods of decoding the secrets of The Bible. This is why it's so important to study the teachings of the great scholars. These critically acclaimed writers spent their lives researching, translating and interpreting the true teachings of Kabbalah. Their explanations are factual, logical and solely based upon the original texts written by the most influential Kabalists throughout history.
Kabbalah is not a haphazard collection of facts. It is based on the fundamental natural laws of the universe, and the unfolding of these laws as they evolve outwardly. These teachings are derived from timeless, universal truths that lead to inner illumination.
Kabbalah is not taught as a speculation. It is a body of knowledge that can split into sections, and then understood as a whole. Some students may be confused after separating the teachings into various categories, but they will eventually understand the full meaning of Kabbalah, when these sections come together and form one unified philosophy.
Halloween costumes are always hard to choose, especially when there are so many models available. One of the most intricate issues for many women is whether they should go for a fairy-tale costume, no matter if it is a sexy or traditional version, or if they should choose to look like their favourite movie or music star this Halloween. This is mainly because both types of costume are rather appealing and can create very sexy and attractive looks.
For example, if you are thinking about dressing up in a fairy-tale costume you can easily go for the sexy Adult Alice costume, an outfit which even though inspired by the innocent Alice, can look pretty provocative and hot. You will certainly get lots of positive comments and nobody will have the same great costume as you. There are plenty of versions of the sexy Alice outfit, so you will have to choose the dress which suits you best. In addition to that, there are also reversible costumes, which will enable you to be the sexy, yet innocent Alice and after only a couple of minutes transform into the mean and dark Queen of Hearts. This way, you will have two costumes which will enable you to change your appearance if another Alice comes into sight.
On the other hand, if Alice-inspired costumes seem too childish for you, a Madonna costume will certainly create a real impression. In her career, the queen of pop music has had numerous gorgeous outfits which have remained present in her fans minds. Yet, the image of the material girl from the '80s is by far one of the most iconic looks of Madonna. Choose one of her disco costumes from that period and create the image of a mean and materialistic girl, in search of fame and money. You will be admired and at the same time envied for your costume.
Making your mind up between one or another type of costumes can be quite an issue, especially when both of them have great potential in attracting many compliments. Yet, choosing your look is an essential step in purchasing this year's Halloween costume. Thus take a look at each of the above mentioned types of outfit and see which one is more suitable for you and for the type of Halloween party you are going to attend. Only this way will you be able to make the correct decision and have an outstanding costume which will go perfectly with your personality and with the event you are going to attend.
Hell! It's a terrifying subject, at least for those who think about it. But most don't. Britney Spears and Madonna garner more attention than the penalty of sin awaiting sinners. The Bible says that someday "anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:15). Surely those who enter that fiery place will wish they had taken the topic more seriously! This article is your opportunity to discover the truth in advance. Hopefully, it will help motivate you to avoid such an unfortunate fate, plus clear up clear massive confusion about a terribly misunderstood subject.
That's right, massive confusion. Believe it or not, many popular views about Hell are wrong, even though preached on TV by Christian ministers. Obviously, opinions vary. Some believe the word "Hell" simply means "separation from God," that's it. According to this perspective, Hell has no flames, only loneliness. Others believe that "Life is Hell," and that "Hell" is merely a symbolic term representing the cruel trials we humans often endure on earth. In stark contrast, the traditional view now being taught by most churches is that Hell is a literal, hot, subterranean smoky place somewhere beneath our feet where lost souls instantly soar at the moment of death. According to this view, the damned are sizzling right now, somewhere, consciously, and painfully. Most who espouse this last view believe that Hell never ends.
What is the truth? You are about to find out. But first, let me clarify that this writer strongly believes what the Bible says - literally. Yes, there is a Hell, and yes, it's a fiery Hell. So in case you are wondering, don't worry, I'm not an unbeliever, a liberal, or a heretic. Yet as we plunge into this controversial topic, my conclusions may shock you. Prepare yourself. Above all, I encourage you to pick up a copy of the Bible, look up the texts I am about to show you, and see for yourself. As you are about to see, what many think about Hell isn't always exactly what God's Word really says. Here we go...
To begin with, there are actually three different Greek words that are translated "Hell" in our English New Testaments. It's important to know this, for they each mean something different. They are "Tartarus," "Gehenna," and "Hades." Tartarus is used only once in the New Testament, in 2 Peter 2:4. The Scripture says,
God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell [Tartarus], and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment (2 Peter 2:4, KJV).
This verse says that "the angels that sinned," which would include Lucifer, too, have already been cast down "to hell" by God Himself. Yet they aren't roasting right now, obviously, and they certainly aren't suffering somewhere far beneath Los Angeles or Tokyo. Tartarus means "dark abyss" or "place of restraint." It isn't a place of punishment either. Look carefully. 2 Peter 2:4 says Satan's angels are "reserved unto judgment," which means their punishment is yet future. For Lucifer and his diabolical demons, the fire hasn't started yet. So much for Tartarus.
Hard Candy is a brittle brick of pop sound that wallops you directly onto the club floor. This is the eleventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, and was released first on April 28, 2008 and reached number one in thirty-seven countries. Hard Candy has a hip-hop/urban pop feel, while remaining a dance-pop record. It is dance music with a hip hop take on that genre. This album has hints of her debut album but from another time and space so to speak.
Madonna revealed that she tested the new songs with family and friends and everybody liked different things and had different favourites. The album art is super-cheap looking, but, Madonna has an expert and highly-paid team of publicists and managers who know what they're doing. Madonna certainly looks hot but the way her legs are spread just looks really tacky and wrong for a woman of her age, no matter how good her body is. The cheesy kind of candy effect, even though it is intentional, isn't great either and just looks like its been done on a low budget.
Madonna discussed how she was looking for producers that push the envelope and by working with them she hopes she can push the envelope as well. This time out Madonna eschewed her usual preference for cool producers like William Orbit and Stuart Price, and gone mainstream, with Justin Timberlake, Timbaland and the Neptunes in the producers' chair. In "4 Minutes" Timberlake and Madonna trade verses, and the boy appears on the chorus, doing his best Michael Jackson impression while quickly crooning " We've only got four minutes to save the world". The track ends after a brief breakdown where everything drops out but one Bhangra beats, some stabs of brass and Madonna's tick-tock's. On the video, Timberlake, meanwhile, doesn't dance over the track with his usual graceful style. Instead, he just sort of bleats just underneath it, and his hiccuping ad-libs are self-parody.
But Hard Candy is clearly a great CD by all standards regardless of how one feels about Madonna personally. The tracks are all remarkably well conceived by nearly anyone's standards and nearly all of them ring with an indelible hook or unforgettable chorus. Hard Candy is certainly her most consistent record so far. Her 80s albums (except Like a Virgin which has only okay singles) all have very good singles but are weighed down by album track filler. Hard Candy may seem less appealing and entertaining than "Confessions" was, but still a very enjoyable "kind of unnecessary" record. Madonna is undoubtedly the real pop queen EVER.
Although most lilies can be transplanted in September, it is desirable to plant Madonna lily bulbs in August. Madonna lilies start rooting at once and develop a small rosette of leaves before winter sets in, and these remain green throughout the winter. Unlike other lilies, the Madonna lily should be planted shallow. The bulb can be planted with the top of the bulb placed just underneath the soil, or somewhat deeper, but usually no more than two inches deep.
The Madonna lily is one of the few that grow well even in hot, dry weather. It is one of the few lilies that can stand a short period of warm, dry storage. Bulbs of other lily species must be treated as living things and must not be permitted to dry out at any time during the transplanting process. The shorter the time between digging and replanting, the better. That is why it is good to buy lilies from a reliable sources or lily specialist. They will ensure that the bulbs are carefully wrapped, so they do not dry out in transit, and will reach you in the quickest time possible.
August is a good time for transplanting the Oriental poppy. Roots are fully dormant at this time and may be mistaken for dead. Divisions or root cuttings may be used in propagating the plant. Plant the division or cutting up right so that the crown or top of the cutting is about three inches below the ground surface.
Secure good root cuttings from mature roots of tough indoor plants. A cutting from six to eight inches in length should grow sufficiently to produce blooms the following year. In transplanting, firm the soil well around the roots. A light mulching with clean straw or marsh hay will protect the young plants from frost heaving during the winter. Water just enough to settle the soil. Overwatering these roots or crowns can cause rot. Sometimes a plant may fail to send up shoots during one season. Do not give up this plant for dead, for a rot may have started at the crown level, and the plant will often renew itself by sending up new shoots from healthy root tissue at a lower level.
A large number of horticultural varieties are available in colors ranging from deep red, medium red through salmon pink, medium pink, light pink to common orange color. Unusual shades of burgundy and mahogany are also available. The Oriental poppies are hardy throughout the west region.
I want to turn the world into one big dance floor Madonna exclaimed before she kicked off her amazing 2006 Confessions tour.
And with the electric, 25-show, highest-ever grossing tour for a female artist Madonna was true to her word. Lucky for Madonna fans everywhere, The Material Girl had the foresight to record the show at Wembley Arena. The result - a 34-song extravaganza that spans the entire career of the 49-year-old star, who is still going strong. The Confessions DVD Madonna Tour is due out January 30, 2007, certain to be very incredible at least according to the overwhelmingly positive response to the jam-packed shows that played North America, Europe and ended with a few dates in Japan.
Reported the Orange County Register: " The pop spectacle of the year - a politically charged combination of Cirque du Soleil performance-art commentary and dance party explosion that more or less sums up everything she has been striving to say and show this decade... it's quite possibly the best production she's ever concocted.".jpg "madonna hotel santa barbara")
The buzz certainly hasn't died down since the end of the tour, as rabid fans can't wait to get their hands on the Madonna Confessions DVD - the next best thing to being there.
Madonna Louise Ciccone was born in Bay City, Michigan, in 1958. One of six children, Madonna learned, at an early age, about responsibility and being strong, when her mother died of breast cancer at the age of 30 in 1963.
Madonna attended the University of Michigan on a dance scholarship. In 1977, Madonna dropped out of college and, with only thirty-five dollars in her pocket, she headed for New York City. She worked as a waitress at a Dunkin' Donuts and with some dance troupes.
In 1979, she founded her first rock band, The Breakfast Club, where she sang, played drums and guitar. In 1980, Madonna founded the band, Emmy, with drummer Stephen Bray. The music of Emmy came to attention of Sire Records founder, Seymour Stein, who signed Madonna to a contract and released her first single, "Everybody" in 1982 which didn't crack Billboard's Top 100 chart. Neither did her second single, "Burning Up." But her third single, "Holiday" went Top 20 and there was no looking back.
On the charts, as of this date, Madonna has made it to Billboard's Weekly Top 40 Charts 48 times and she's topped the charts 13 times, placing her third behind The Beatles (20) and Elvis Presley (18) with the most number one singles.
Madonna has set the hearts of many millions on fire. Set the beat on your mobile phone with the help of innovative Madonna ringtones. Regardless of the ringtones supported by your phone (monophonic, polyphonic or mp3 tones), Madonna ringtones catering to the styles and tastes of many millions are available these days. These ringtones can be downloaded (freely or for a price) from the internet as well as from the value added service portal of your mobile phone provider. Madonna has sung and danced to certain classics - these are still topping the charts
If you own a new generation phone, it will be compatible with almost all the ringtone formats that are available. Do not shun away if you are still using that first phone presented to you for your 16th birthday - Madonna ringtones are available in varied formats! Some of the popular ringtones that are still raking large sums for value added service providers are "Vogue", "Deeper and Deeper", "La Isla Bonita". The latest trend in the niche is the widespread use of video tones. When someone calls you, the video of a song will be played on the screen of the mobile.
