The Relationship Between Meditation and Mental and...

Rooting back to its’ ancient times, meditation has been around for thousands of years, especially in the Eastern part of the world and has spread to the Western countries in early 1970s. Contrary to what I initially believe meditation is, prior to taking this course, which is the mental concentration on something, meditation is actually a thoughtless awareness of an individual’s surroundings. Dhyana, the generic Sanskrit term for meditation is so much more than being alone with one’s thoughts, it is about the state of mind being calm but alert. Sogyal Rinpoche in The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying said that it is through meditation that you are able to go on a journey to discover yourself, paving the way to enlightenment.1†¦show more content†¦This will lead to a better memory and the ability to recall facts faster. According to studies by Chiesa and Seretti, 2009 and Hassed, 1996, meditation also relieves stress and seems to be an effective way to increase overall general well-being as it reduces the production of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.5,6 Bloomberg also reported a study by John Denninger, a psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School showing that meditation also wards of diseases.7 Meditation boosts the immune system, making people who practice it less susceptible to falling sick. Where when will I meditate? Ideally, the rooftop, by the private pool or the balcony would also be good locations to carry out the meditation, as it is secluded, quiet and tranquil so that I can truly be with myself. I should also draw up a schedule to allocate time to meditate in a comfortable, quiet and safe environment such as my apartment to truly enjoy the meditation. I should also always make it a point to not rush through my meditation as it lowers the effectiveness of it. If I were to be busy, I would not force myself to meditate because it would not be sincere. I will meditate early in the morning, as it is the quietest time ofShow MoreRelatedThe Psychology Of The Geriatric Population864 Words   |  4 Pagesin the world; in fact, the current number of seniors in the U.S. exceeds 40 million. As people live longer, the elderly population is expected to reach 72 million by 2030. Medical professionals receive very little training when it comes to the mental health of seniors, which is concerning since the age group with the highest rate of suicide is the geriatric population. Caregivers and medical professionals know the signs that indicate depression. While medication may be necessary, there are other waysRead MoreThe Effects Of Stress On Health And Mental Health Essay1619 Words   |  7 PagesStress Have you seen a mental health expert about a mental health disorder, or were you diagnosed for such a condition? Most people will answer no even if they had a mental or emotional health issue in the past. Heath includes physical health and mental health, it’s not just physical. A lot of people hate to admit that they have mental disorder, and they might even refuse to seek a professional health care. It’s really important for people to take care of any emotional or mental issue that they areRead MoreBuddhism, The Practical, Theatrical, And Its Social Aspects Of Buddhism1224 Words   |  5 PagesBuddhism practice in many varying ways based off their geographical and social conditions.The real practice of any Buddhist is to concern themselves with their spiritual attitude that affects themselves and their community. Meditation is used to refocus the mind to develop a greater mental state. Buddhism can be defined as:the path, and livelihood to practice the spiritual deve lopment that leads to the true nature of oneself and reality. The basics of Buddhism: there are no fixed symbols in the religionRead MoreThe Effects Of Meditation On Stress Management1581 Words   |  7 Pages The Effects of Meditation in Stress Management Hannah Gray Amberton University Introduction Over the past few years, I have developed more and more stress in my life. I have issues with being overwhelmed and being anxious. Throughout this period of added stress and building anxiety, I have searched for ways to help manage those things. I wanted to be able to relax. I wanted to be able to focus, remain calm, and remain happy. I needed to do all of these things in order to beRead MoreTransform Your Life With Yoga And Meditation1403 Words   |  6 PagesTransform Your Life with Yoga And Meditation! MariaJohnson By MariaJohnson May 2, 2013 Yoga and meditation have been a crucial part of history. If you think yoga is about twisting and bending your body, then it s time to see it in a new light. In simpler form it is a combination of asanas, pranayamas, and meditation. Yoga and meditation are two important aspects that complement each other. Meditation is a crucial part of yoga sessions and one of its five principles; after-all being mentally fitRead MoreMeditation Treatment Modality Provided By University Of Minnesota Center For Spirituality And Healing1357 Words   |  6 Pagesscholarly paper, I will reflect on meditation treatment modality provided by University of Minnesota Center for Spirituality and Healing. (2014) and its benefits and opportunities for the older population and persons with chronic diseases (Chan Larson, 2015). Moreover, I will analyze it in terms of Barrett’s Theory of Power (Barrett, 2010) and CAREE Process (O’Brien Lewis, 2016). In addition, throughout the paper, I will describe my thoughts and feelings regarding meditation and meditative practices forRead More Yoga and its Relation to Health Essay1178 Words   |  5 Pagesestimated 11 million Americans enjoying the health benefits of yoga. Though few people even know why. Most people think it’s just â€Å"Stretching†, But very few ever really stops to think about the health benefits of yoga. So let’s look at a few of these shall we? Some of the most commonly talked about benefits of yoga are the all-around fitness, weight loss, Stress relief, inner peace, improved immunity, living with greater awareness, better relationships, increased energy, better flexibility andRead MoreStress And Stress Essay1005 Words   |  5 PagesStress is physically and psychologically debilitating for humans. When an individual’s response to stress, their physical body discharges a substance of epinephrine and norepinephrine into the erythrocyte. These hormones instantly initiate the brain to flight-or-fight in response to threat or danger, which can positively or negatively influence a person’s behavior. For instance, a recently expelled college sophomore student got dismissed from a job, become a homeless person and owe an outstandingRead MoreThe Benefits Of A Lifestyle Essay1714 Words   |  7 PagesThe Benefits of a Mindful Lifestyle in Multiple Populations According to Roger Walsh, a psychologist at the University of California, mental health professionals are relying more and more on medication to treat mental disorders. Walsh argues, however, that most mental disorders can be effectively treated by having a client make simple changes to their lifestyle. Lifestyle medicine, the branch of medicine dealing with the treatment of disorders by having a person change their way of living, focusesRead MoreLife Modification For Community Leaders1342 Words   |  6 Pagesacupuncture to help lessen some side effects of cancer treatment. Moreover, Alternative medicine is the treatments that are used instead of standard medical treatments. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) and the National Center for Health Statistics (part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) approximately 38 percent of adults (about 4 in 10) and approximately 12 percent of children (about 1 in 9) are using some form of CAM in United States. I was

Effects Of Obesity On Aging And Cognitive Health - 900 Words

Introduction While aging appears to be an inevitable part of life, recent research would suggest otherwise. Many factors contribute to the rate at which we age and the severity at which our bodies begin to break down. Such factors include genetics, lifestyle, and environmental factors. All of these factors can have differing and ranging effects on health. Genetic predisposition is good to know but it doesn’t give an individual a lot of control. Environmental factors can only be controlled to a certain extent. It is lifestyle that an individual has the greatest control over and thus can overcome what was once considered the natural process of aging. Lifestyle itself includes diet, exercise and water intake. It also consists of whether or not an individual smokes, how many and how often they take prescription drugs, and alcohol consumption. This paper will focus on diet as it pertains to aging. Discussions will include the effect of specific diets on aging and cognitive health, whic h vitamins or minerals are necessary for â€Å"graceful aging†, and what happens when diet is poor and mismanaged. Essential Nutrients The list is likely long and laborious of all the essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients an individual needs throughout their lifetime in order to remain a functional and healthy lifeform. When an individual reaches old age, certain key nutrients stand out from amongst the rest. According to research, the effects of vitamin E and C were gaged againstShow MoreRelatedEating A Proper Diet For The Elderly Essay951 Words   |  4 Pagesoverweight and obesity in children has negative consequences for self-esteem, social behavior and cognitive development (2012). Prolonged unhealthy eating continues to effect the body long after childhood. As an adult there are numerous reasons why eating right is the most important factor in being healthy and some of the most important ones are food effects attitude, importance of choosing healthy eating habits, and negative effects of dehydration. Common knowledge dictates that food effects the bodiesRead MoreObesity: An American Epidemic Essay1194 Words   |  5 PagesThe last decade has welcomed, with open arms, a new epidemic: obesity. Currently in the United States, more than one-third of adults, 35.7%, and approximately 17% of children and adolescents are obese. Obesity is not only a problem in the US but also worldwide with its prevalence doubling in high income and economically advanced countries and is also growing in under-developed areas. Its incidence rate is continually increasing with each successive generation and in each age group, including theRead MoreAge Related Declines Are Not Constant Across Brain Regions797 Words   |  4 Pages Age-related declines are not constant across brain regions. Moreover, patterns of brain aging differs among individuals. Post mortem (PM) studies cannot help in assessment of brain tissue and its components. Moreover, PM cannot provide information on dynamic process of adult brain development, and its connection with brain structure and function. MRI helps in in-vivo measurements of the brain. It was realized that there is cortical thinning as age progresses. . Some studies of cortical thicknessRead MoreElderly Interview1449 Words   |  6 PagescRunning head: ELDER INTERVIEW Elder Interview Jorge Fernandez Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing NURS 3313 – Care of the Healthy Aging Adult Elder Interview General Appearance Normal Signs of Aging Mrs. L is a 64 year old female Caucasian who lives in West Texas. Her hair is naturally gray, but she dyes it, and appears thin and evenly distributed on her head. There are no signs of baldness but her hair is thinning. Tabloski (2006) states â€Å"the hair of a older personRead MoreObesity and Its Related Issues1510 Words   |  6 PagesObesity and its related issues; diabetes, coronary disease, osteo-disease, and liver and renal failure, is an endemic problem in contemporary American society. So much so, for instance, that First Lady Michelle Obama has announced an initiative fighting obesity. She, too, is calling obesity an epidemic and one of the greatest threats to the future health of the United States. Her approach is multifaceted, concentrating on education, availability of healthy foods, and exercise programs for youth soRead MoreEssay on Late Adulthood1394 Words   |  6 PagesLate Adulthood Late adulthood is known as the period of life after middle adulthood, usually from around 65 years old to death (Santrock, 2013, p. 485). There are many varying stages of development and health in late adulthood, along with steady changing of life expectancy. Aging is a part of life, and with it comes changes in every area of living. Many diseases find late adulthood as an opportune time to affect people. Eventually, whether caused by disease or another reason, every individual diesRead MoreThis Essay Will Discuss The Impacts Of Social And Environmental1638 Words   |  7 Pagessocial and environmental determinants of health on the well-being of an older person named Bill. Per The Ministry of Health (2016), The Healthy Aging Strategy takes a life-course approach that ultimately seeks to improve the health and well-being for all older people. Bill lives in a rest-home, which as an environmental determinant, positively affects his well-being. This helps Bill to manage his health-rel ated issues by surrounding him with adequate health services. The social determinant that negativelyRead MoreHow I Changed Little by Little to a More Healthy Existence871 Words   |  3 Pagesuse improvement for me. It took me some time to decide exactly what I wanted to really concentrate on for the next 12 weeks or so. I decided that by tackling my own health would give me the most benefit for both the short and the long term. I didnt set out with a scale and graph paper to track my weight as I knew that my health encompassed a much broader spectrum and wanted to achieve an all around reward. I began looking at small changes that I could make easily. Changes that came easily toRead MoreThe True Benefits Of Walking1308 Words   |  6 Pagesindustrialize d nation which has led to the rise in health concerns like obesity and Alzheimer’s, but walking is a very good solution to this problem and needs to be re-implemented into our society. The negative effects of mental d iseases like Alzheimer’s can be helped by increasing the amount of walking that is being done by Americans, which when combined with a proper diet will lessen these greatly. Obesity has a become one of the biggest health issues in America due to our lifestyle and how ourRead MoreBrain Derived Neurotrophic Factor ( Bdnf )1720 Words   |  7 Pagesbiomarker for impaired general cognitive function and memory. Studies have bee conducted on mice measuring the concentration of circulating, also called plasma or serum, BDNF in the blood of these animals when they exercise. Exercise has been proven to increase cognitive function and links between a large level of BDNF in the bloodstream and improved results on spatial/ cognitive testing of these rats shows that BDNF correlates to an increase in memory and cognitive abilities. In this research, studies

Social Problem with Abortion - 1087 Words

The Social Problem of Abortion The Social Problem of Abortion From my sociological imagination I believe that abortion is a social problem. I was raised Catholic. My mother comes from a strong Catholic Hispanic family and my dad was raised with strong white protestant values. I was brought up to believe that abortion was wrong. For the most part my mother believed that all abortion was wrong while my dad probably believed that it was okay if the mother’s life was in danger or possible in case of a rape situation. By the time I was born the Roe v. Wade decision of 1973 had already been decided. Is abortion a social problem? I believe it is according to the definition found in our text. â€Å"Social problems- aspects of society that a†¦show more content†¦Two were pretty much portraying pro-choice and stressed the importance of women speaking up on their experience with their abortions. The first one, The Abortion Diaries, was a documentary about 12 women who had abortions speaking about their experience. Although they expressed that they had no regrets, I think some of them did based on some of their emotions portrayed (Lane 2014). Another video I watched was, I had an abortion†¦Or maybe I didn’t: Leslie Cannold at TEDxCanberra 2012. One thing that jumped out at me from this video was that in the USA and Britain 1 in 3 women have abortions (Cannold 2012). That seemed like a lot to me. In the video the presenter stressed that there should be no shame in having had an abortion. The third video, Pro-life – The Tide is changing, talked about the st udent pro-life movement in colleges. It talked about how the majority of abortions in America are performed on college aged students and that Gallup polls reveal that today’s college students are more prolife than previous generations (Pro-life 2011). I personally have many issues with abortion. One question I have is how it is funded and the implications that entails. Let’s say the father wants it done and has the money but the mother does not and she has the baby anyway, should the father have to pay child support if he had already given her money to have the abortion? Should the government really be involved in funding? Although I have questions, I really don’t haveShow MoreRelatedAbortion Is Not A Social Problem1924 Words   |  8 PagesAccording to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, abortion is the termination of a pregnancy that results in, is accompanied by, after, or closely followed by the death of a fetus or embryo. Abortion is not a social problem that has developed strictly in America in recent years. In fact, the legality of abortion has been debated as early as 1588 when â€Å"Pope Sixtus V issued a papal bull forbidding abortion as punishment for the sexual sin of intercourse† (Rose, p xiii, 2 008). A little over two hundredRead MoreSocial Perspectives On Abortion And Abortion1291 Words   |  6 Pages Social Perspectives on Abortion Angelica Haro California State University Fullerton Sociology 308, Fall 2015 Social Perspectives on Abortion Introduction The abortion question raises a number of issues that form the core of the abortion debate. Opponents and supporters of abortions have been battling over this particular problem for decades and still cannot come to an agreement. Being one of the most common and most controversial medical procedures, abortion tends to affect peopleRead MoreSocial Problems : A Social Problem1743 Words   |  7 PagesOsterman Abortion Paper Social problems can encompass many things, but they all have two things in common. They are a social state that disturbs society, and they are detrimental to society. There are four stages to a social problem: public outcry, crafting an official response, reaction to official response, and developing alternative strategies to solve problem. These stages run in a cycle and happen over and over again depending upon what the public is upset about. When you have a social problemRead MoreThe Effects Of Illegal Termination Of Pregnancies On The Quality Of Life Among Female1114 Words   |  5 PagesNURSING. APRIL,2016. ABSTRACT Illegal abortion is a general problem in the Society. It is frequently followed by Physical, Social and psychological complications. The study was carried out to find out the effects of illegal abortion among female minors in Ojo Local Government Area. The rational for this Study is to educate the female minors of Ojo Local Government Area on’ sex education, which will help to prevent and control the occurrence of illegal abortion. The need for this study arose becauseRead MoreAbortion And Racism : An Advocate For Men And Women Seeking Post Abortion Healing1336 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"Abortion and racism are evil twins, born of the same lie. Where racism now hides its face in public, abortion is accomplishing goals of which racism only once dreamed. Together abortionists are destroying humanity at large†- Alveda King. In short, abortions are destroying the lives of Canadians one abortion at a time. An abortion leaves the mother in a vulnerable state, even more so when the mother is a teenager. Abortions negatively affect a teenage girl psychologically, physically and sociallyRead MoreAbortion Essay1589 Words   |  7 PagesAbortion, one of the most controversial issues in the United States today, should remain legal because it helps to regulate population levels, keep unwanted children from being born, neglected, beaten or abandoned and in some cases it can also reduce divorce rates. Abortions can be practical for potential parents who do not have the money, time or experience to raise a child at this point in time in their life (especially teenager s). Women who have been raped also may have an abortion because sheRead MoreAbortion and the Symbolic Interaction Paradigm1473 Words   |  6 PagesIn this paper, we needed to discuss whether or not abortion contributes to the corruption of today’s society, using the symbolic interaction paradigm. We have come to the consensus, as a group, that abortion does contribute to the corruption of today’s society simply because it is such a heated issue and therefore people choose sides. When people choose sides, and are unable to look at a situation from another person’s point of view, there tends to be corruption. Symbolic interactionism is a theoreticalRead MoreThe Issue That Faces Women Is Abortion990 Words   |  4 PagesDescription of the Problem An important issue that faces women is abortion. With abortion laws constantly changing, women are finding that they are a continuous target of sexism. Social work is relative to this subject because often times social workers have to assist clients who are seeking or who have had an abortion. It is very important that a social worker is knowledgeable about abortion rights and laws. This is critical as it may become a part of your case. Women’s health is equally as importantRead MoreWomen Has Never Had It Easy929 Words   |  4 PagesWhat if someone doesn’t want to be a mother, but accidentally gets pregnant? What is she to do now? She could choose to terminate the pregnancy by abortion, but sometimes health care plans do not cover abortions and sometimes there aren’t any abortion clinics available in that area. So as a second option, the woman could choose to have an illegal abortion by an unskilled practitioner, in an unsanitary environment, all while putting herself at risk for infections, illness, and even death of herselfRead MoreShould Abortion Be Legalized?1155 Words   |  5 Pageshappier. If not guessed yet the subject that will be discussed in this paper is abortions. This is a non-going debate at whether it is unethical or just plain cruel to have an abortion. Some believe that women should not have an option of â€Å"killing† a unborn baby and others think women should have the right to make their own decisions and what makes them happy, at the end of the day they are the mother. The thing about abortions is everyone is affected in one way or another. It is the difference between

Imports in Agriculture Essay Example For Students

Imports in Agriculture Essay How many of you remember what you ate for lunch How many of you know exactly which country your lunch came from Over one-third of the food we eat is shipped from over seas and nearly another 1/3 comes for Canada, Mexico, and South America. This is the reality; if you dont raise your food yourself, you dont know where it came from, or how it was handled. Chemicals such as DDT and Guthion are still used every day in less developed countries that the US buys food from. Toilets and sinks in the field are not even considered in these countries. It seems that if the USDA prohibited DDT and set up sanitation laws in the United States to protect the food we eat, then counties we buy food from should have the same laws. Friends, the best traditions of our National life are in trouble, the cornerstone of the US is giving way. Agriculture, is suffering. You might think, so what! Ag is down right now, but so is every other major industry in the United States. This is not just a sign of the times. The problem is deeper. An economic issue comes into play with imported foods. Domestic food is more expensive because of labor costs, chemical costs, and laws surrounding agriculture that dont apply in most other countries. It is important to us as Americans have clean food and a clean environment. If we continue to eat contaminated, imported food what good will we be getting out of these laws The bottom line, here in America, is what seems to matter so we buy the cheap food not knowing what may be lurking or how we maybe destroying the American economy. More danger comes to the American population in this time of war. The fact that over one-third of the food consumed in the US is shipped in from over seas makes it easy to cut off part of our food supply or contaminate it. A loss of imported food could cripple America in a grave way, by making us hungry or gravely sick. If terrorist are not afraid to contaminate our mail then what will stop them from contaminating our food What about all the food grown here in Oregon? Where does it all go? Over 80% of the crops grown in Oregon are exported. The sad truth is, commodities such as sweet corn, green beans, and peas are then imported into Oregon cheaper than they can be grown. Now, how do we solve this problem? Several options look as if they have a real potential for solving the problems at hand. The option I have heard from the most growers is only importing food into the United States when it is not in season here. This option will allow American agriculture to produce food to be consumed most of the year while keeping a friendly door open to trade. This would benefit the slumped economy through putting Americans back to work in the canneries; equipment manufacturing industries, the steel industries and the list of positives goes on. Another option maybe government subsidized farming. Though subsidizing farmers now being forced to compete on a global market would have the playing field leveled. This would benefit the farmers, but food containing US banned pesticides would still be allowed to come into the country as regularly. Now that many farms have been set-up in foreign countries production is less likely to move operations back into the United States unless by force. .

Crucible Essays (210 words) - Salem Witch Trials, The Crucible

Crucible The Crucible is a play about witchcraft. It all begins with a group of young women playing with witchcraft taught by Tituba and Abigail William's. Reverend Parris found them and most of the girls scattered but the smallest girls stayed, frozen with fear. The people of Salem, where the setting is, hold a church meeting and call Reverend Hale to decide if it is witchcraft. Hale comes to Salem and gets the girls to confess and blame Tituba, the slave that taught them witchcraft. Tituba confesses and blames the devil. The city of Salem called in deputies to try people for witchcraft and the girls start their acts of vengeance on the entire town. Abigail William's who lusts for John Proctor tries to bring Elizabeth Proctor, Johns wife, to trial. Abigail went to the council and pulled a needle out of her stomach and claimed Elizabeth was responsible. Hale visited Elizabeth again and found a needle stuck in the abdomen of a doll. Abigail had planted it. The chaos continued and the girls continue to pretend to see the devil during the trials, but to find out what happens you'll have to read the play. There are many themes that you can explore in this play; marital relationships, the effects of mass hysteria, but the most important is, understanding the concept of dignity and honor.

6 Strategies to Successfully Pass a School Bond

6 Strategies to Successfully Pass a School Bond A school bond provides a financial avenue for school districts to meet an immediate specified need. These specified needs can range from a new school, classroom building, gymnasium, or cafeteria to repairing an existing building, new buses, upgrades in classroom technology or security, etc. A school bond issue must be voted on by the members of the community in which the school is located. Most states require a three-fifths (60%) super-majority vote to pass a bond. If the school bond passes, property owners in the community will foot the bill for the bond issue through increased property taxes. This can create a dilemma for voters in the community and is why many proposed bond issues do not receive enough â€Å"yes† votes to pass. It takes a lot of dedication, time, and hard work to pass a bond issue. When it passes it was well worth it, but when it fails it can be extremely disappointing. There is no exact science for passing a bond issue. However, there are strategies that when implemented can help improve the chances that the bond issue will pass. Build a Foundation The district superintendent and the school board are often the driving forces behind a school bond issue. They are also responsible for getting out into the community, building relationships, and keeping people informed about what is happening with the district. It is vital to have good standing relationships with powerful civic groups and key business owners within a community if you want your bond to be passed. This process should be continuous and ongoing over time. It should not happen just because you’re trying to pass a bond. A strong superintendent will make their school the focal point of the community. They will work hard to forge those relationships that will pay off in times of need. They will make community involvement a priority inviting members into the school not only see what is going on but to become a part of the process themselves. Potentially passing a bond issue is just one of the many rewards that come with this holistic approach to community involvement. Organize and Plan Perhaps the most crucial aspect of passing a school bond is to be well organized and to have a solid plan in place. This begins with forming a committee that is as dedicated to seeing the bond passed as you are. It is necessary to note that most states prohibit schools from using their own resources or time to lobby on behalf of a bond issue. If teachers or administrators are to participate on the committee, it must be on their own time. A strong committee will consist of school board members, administrators, teachers, advisory councils, business leaders, parents, and students. The committee should be kept as small as possible so that a consensus can be reached easier. The committee should discuss and create a detailed plan on all aspects of the bond including timing, finances, and campaigning. A specific task should be given to each committee member to carry out according to their individual strengths. A school bond campaign should start approximately two months before the vote is scheduled to occur. Everything occurring in those two months should be well thought out and planned in advance. No two bond campaigns are the same. It is likely that parts of the plan will have to be abandoned or changed after realizing that the approach is not working. Establish a Need It is essential to establish a real need in your bond campaign. Most districts have a list of projects that they believe need to be completed. When deciding what you are going to put in the bond it is vital to look at two factors: immediate need and investment in your student body. In other words, put projects on the ballot that will resonate with voters who understand the value of education and show them there is a need. Make those connections apart of your campaign and bundle things where appropriate. If you are trying to build a new gymnasium, package it as a multipurpose facility that will not only serve as a gymnasium but as a community center and auditorium so that it can be used by all students and not just a select few. If you are trying to pass a bond for new buses, be prepared to explain how much money you are currently spending to maintain your bus fleet that is outdated and run down. You can even use a deteriorated bus in your campaign by parking it in front of the school with information about the bond. Be Honest It is essential to be honest with the constituents in your district. Property owners want to know how much their taxes are going to go up if the bond issue is passed. You should not skirt around this issue. Be direct and honest with them and always use the opportunity to explain to them what their investment will do for students in the district. If you are not honest with them, you may pass the first bond issue, but it will be more difficult when you try to pass the next one. Campaign! Campaign! Campaign! When campaigning begins it is beneficial to keep the message simple. Be specific with your message including the voting date, how much the bond is for, and some simple highlights of what it will be used for. If a voter asks for more information, then be prepared with more details. Campaigning efforts should be holistic with a goal of getting the word out to every registered voter in the district. Campaigning occurs in many different forms, and each form may reach a different subset of constituents. Some of the most popular forms of campaigning include: Build a Website – Create a website that gives voters detailed information about the bond issue.Campaign Signs/Posters – Put campaign signs in supporters’ yards and posters in high traffic locations such as the post office.Speaking Engagements – Schedule speaking engagements with civic groups in the community such as the Senior Citizen Center, Masonic Lodge, etc.Organize a Voter Registration Drive – A voter registration drive allows you to recruit newcomers and potential supporters who might not vote otherwise.Door to Door Canvassing – Simple word of mouth campaigning may make the difference especially in reminding voters to get to the polls.Telephone Committee – A simple way to poll voters in the community as well as to inform them about the bond issue and to remind them to vote.Direct Mail – Send flyers highlighting the bond issue out a few days before the vote.Media – Use the media to get the message out when possible. Focus on Uncertainty There are some constituents that have their minds made up on a bond issue before you even decide to do it. Some people always vote yes, and some people always vote no. Do not waste time on trying to convince the â€Å"no† votes that they should vote â€Å"yes†. Instead, focus on getting those â€Å"yes† votes to the polls. However, it is most valuable to invest your time and effort on those in the community that have not decided. Visit with those on the fence 3-4 times throughout the campaign to try and sway them to vote â€Å"yes†. They are the people who will ultimately decide whether the bond passes or fails.

Peter Berger's heretical imperative Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Peter Berger's heretical imperative - Essay Example According to Berger, pluralism presents the crisis into which modernity has exposed religion (Woodhead Heelas & Martin, 2001). Berger focuses on modernity and its implications on religion. The contemporary society is characterized by plurality of institutions, consciousness and choices, which yield uncertainty. According to Berger, pluralism is â€Å"a situation in which there is competition in the institutional ordering of comprehensive meanings of everyday life† (Oldmeadow, 2010, p.33). Because of uncertainty, there are unsteady, inconsistent and erratic plausibility structures, particularly those of religion. Berger argues that religion becomes a matter of choice, which he best refers to as a â€Å"heretical imperative† (heresy). According to Peter Berger, there are three contemporary responses to the crisis that modernity thrusts religion into, which include deduction, reduction as well as induction. Berger denounces deduction, which entails the reaffirmation of inf luence of a sacred ritual against secular authority (Esposito, Fasching & Lewis, 2011). He also rejects reductionism, which reinterprets a sacred ritual on the basis of secular authority. In rejecting the two responses, Berger supports the third approach, which is induction. His belief is that the crisis facing religion is a product of the sterile antithesis of neo-orthodoxy and secularism (Woodhead Heelas & Martin, 2001). He believes that by shunning both deductive and reductive approaches and adopting inductive approach, the crisis can be triumphed. Berger explores the relationship between human religion and world-building. The society is presented as dialectic because it is considered as a human invention. Man cannot exist without society and without man, society cannot exist. This exhibits the dialectic nature of the society. Berger argues that pluralism undermines stable belief (Berger, 1979). Pluralism is the cause of secularisation. According to Berger, the basic dialectic pr ocess of society entails three steps. These include externalisation, objectivation as well as internalisation. The three moments are crucial for effective comprehension of empirical dimension society. Externalisation refers to â€Å"the ongoing outpouring of human being into the world, both in the physical and the mental activity of men† (Berger, 1979, p. 4). Objectivation refers to the achievement by the products of man’s activity of an authenticity that faces its initial makers. Internalisation on the other hand, refers to men’s manipulation of reality, in which they change the reality into structures of objective and subjective consciousness. Externalisation is a prerequisite for anthropology. It deals with the biological development of man, where he interacts with extra-organic surrounding of both physical human worlds. Human being must create his own world. As such, the world-building activity does not qualify as a biological superfluous occurrence, but a d irect product of man’s biological composure. Man creates his own world through biological means. This human world is characterized by uncertainty unlike animals’ world. Because humanly established structures tend to be unstable, man creates culture to ensure stable structure that cannot be attained biologically. However, culture needs to be progressively changed by man. The instability of cultural structures posses a significant challenge to man’