Altria Group Inc. (MO) and Philip Morris International, Inc. (PM) Essay

Altria Group Inc. (MO) and Philip Morris International, Inc. (PM) - Essay Example Over the years, the company has introduced different product lines with different brand names in order to attract different types of customers. This aspect has played a significant role in reducing the risks and uncertainties associated with concentrating on a single product. Beside tobacco it has focused on wine production. Some of the wine brands include; Chateau Ste Michelle, Snoqualmie, Erath. The company has a definite structure led by the board of directors. In addition, the company is divided into different departments depending on the area of specialization. This is to ensure that each sector specializes on a specific task. For instance, marketing and financial sectors operate differently. This has enabled the subordinates to work independently and maximize on their areas of specialization. This aspect has been critical in the overall success of the company. Philip Morris International, Inc. (PM) is a global multinational firms based in United States that deal with cigarette and tobacco production. The company’s products are sold in over 200 countries across the world. The company is mainly known for its best selling product of Malboro (Luo 352). With over 15% of its products being sold outside the United States, the firm has been able to penetrate and segment the global market. This is despite the increasing levels of competition which has emanated from the entry of multinational companies which have a huge financial base to position their products strategically in the market and create a barrier of entry for other interested investors. Before, 2008, Philip Morris International, Inc. (PM) was an operating company under the Altria Group. The idea behind the formation of the company was to provide the firm with an opportunity to pursue the emerging markets. This was aimed at increasing sales and revenues of the firm and enabling the company to avoid the challenges faced by companies in relation to US corporate ownership. The firm’s

The Code of Hammurabi Essay Example for Free

The Code of Hammurabi Essay The Code of Hammurabi is remembered more for the punishments set for each crime, and not for the crimes themselves. The â€Å"eye for an eye† rule and the plentiful crimes that may result to a death penalty may seem harsh for us nowadays, but the Code has been the basis of other subsequent laws used to govern a society. â€Å"By far the most remarkable of the Hammurabi records is his code of laws, the earliest-known example of a ruler proclaiming publicly to his people an entire body of laws, arranged in orderly groups, so that all men might read and know what was required of them. † (Fordham University ) The Code is also considered Hammurabi’s best legacy not only to his people, but to other societies as well. This is understandable because Hammurabi has ruled over the world’s oldest metropolis, Babylon. During those times, the code of law is considered â€Å"a subject for prayer†, although the dominant view is contempt for the violators of the law. (Yale Law School) The Code of Hammurabi is basically a list of rules for a community. There are negative and positive results that can be expected with the implementation of the set rules. Hammurabi, Babylon’s ruler, has formulated the laws in order to make sure that his kingdom maintains peace, order and justice. He is presented as a king who is also a wise law-giver. However, as said earlier, there are advantages and disadvantages in implementing the Code of Hammurabi. Due to the strictness and gravity of the punishments, the Code may actually create a peaceful community. Fear is instilled in the people of Babylon. The Code also aims to promote balance and over-all justice in the community: â€Å"†¦Hammurabi, the exalted prince, who feared God, to bring about the rule of righteousness in the land, to destroy the wicked and the evil-doers; so that the strong should not harm the weak; so that I should rule over the black-headed people like Shamash, and enlighten the land, to further the well-being of mankind. † (Yale Law School) I believe that the Code is well-intended. It must also have been a success because there are other set of rules that seem to follow the Code of Hammurabi. If one should peruse the Ten Commandments, some similarities can be discovered. Basically, what is considered a sin in Hammurabi’s time is still considered a sin or a violation of the law. However, the Commandments have reduced the violations that should be punishable by death. In fact, the emphasis is on what should not be done, not on what punishments should be implemented. This negative way of setting rules, like â€Å"Thou shall not kill† is its similarity to the Code of Hammurabi, except that the Code attaches the punishments to what must not be done. (Bible. Org) There are many points in the Code which talks about punishment for things that are prohibited or for things that are not proved. â€Å"If anyone brings an accusation of any crime before the elders, and does not prove what he has charged, he shall, if it be a capital offense charged, be put to death, (Yale Law School) † is an example of the laws enumerated in the Code of Hammurabi. This can be compared to the Ten Commandments’ law against bearing false witness against a neighbor. â€Å"If anyone is committing a robbery and is caught, then he shall be put to death† is an example of a punishment attached to the crime which is prohibited. In this case, the rule states that robbers should be put to death. (Yale Law School) Like the other rules, the intention is to discourage people from committing the crime. Other rules with punishments of a less serious degree attached seem to be more reminiscent of state laws rather than religious laws. Surprisingly, even within a Code which can be often harsh and unforgiving, there are also some provisions in some laws that will provide options to the one who has been wronged. For example, if the wife is caught committing adultery, the husband is given an option to forgive her. It also gives importance to fairness in trade and contracts. Persons who own properties, including slaves, must make sure that they have the proper documentation ready for cases that will question the validity of ownership. This will gauge if stealing or cheating has occurred. This is a common sense rule which prevails today. The above mentioned statements support the positive effect of the Code of Hammurabi. Nevertheless, the Code is not without its flaws. Although the fear that is instilled in the people by giving harsh penalties may reduce the crime rate in any given society, the very fear may be detrimental to the psyche of the people ruled by the law. I believe that it is not fully satisfying to command people with the weapon of fear. The Code cannot ensure the goodness of the people, only their outward behavior. Although I think that the Code of Hammurabi is well-intended, as it aims for a just and peaceful community, there are laws within it that actually violates my sense of justice. There are punishments that are too harsh for the crime that it is meant to castigate. For example, a woman who is to set up a tavern or even just to enter a tavern to have a drink will be burned to death. The Code is also not without its share of superstition. In the absence of other means to prove guilt, measures like making people swim in the river and then judging them to be guilty if they drown, seem to be superstitious and ignorant. Obviously, this manner of investigation cannot work during modern times when people train to become stronger swimmers. In life, we like to believe that we are given several chances to change our ways. Even modern prisons allow for some conversion, religious or secular they may be. Death penalties are only implemented whenever heinous crimes are encountered. However, the Code of Hammurabi seems to pride itself in preventing a person to commit the same mistake. â€Å"If a judge tries a case, reach a decision, and present his judgment in writing; if later error shall appear in his decision, and it be through his own fault, then he shall pay twelve times the fine set by him in the case, and he shall be publicly removed from the judges bench, and never again shall he sit there to render judgment†. (Yale Law School) The above example shows the finality of the Code’s decision on a person’s fate. Of course this will have its advantages as well. If the error committed has affected many lives in a serious way, like in medical malpractices of today, licenses are revoked. As a conclusion, I believe that the Code of Hammurabi is an effective set of rules formulated by a just ruler. Nevertheless, there is a need to adjust some of the penalties in order to fit today’s sense of justice. The Ten Commandments, and other religious laws, have already condensed the Code’s contents while state or government laws have versions of its secular pointers. Works Cited: Bible. Org. 20 October 2007 http://www. bible. org/page. php? page_id=146. Fordham University . 20 October 2007 http://www. fordham. edu/halsall/ancient/hamcode. html. Yale Law School. The Avalon Project at Yale Law School. 17 October 2007 http://www. yale. edu/lawweb/avalon/medieval/hamframe. htm.

The Concept Of Spirituality Sociology Essay

The Concept Of Spirituality Sociology Essay That Religion has both a positive and negative effect on human behaviour is widely accepted (Batson, Scoenrade and Ventis, 1993; Paloutzian and Park, 2005; Zinnbauer and Pargament, 2005). Psychology has an important role in understanding the basis of belief, experience and behaviour, (Emmons and Paloutzian, 2003), which suggests that how it is taught and how power is apportioned should be carefully considered particularly if, as suggested, religions are authoritative spiritual traditions. Despite clear importance and contradictory effect on human behaviour religion remained a fringe research area for the first seventy five years of the 21st Century and furthermore it was nonexistent in the research activity of Psychology between 1930 and 1960 (Emmons and Paloutzian, 2003; Gorsuch, 1988). A suggestion for the non evolution of the study of religion suggests that the emerging new science wanted to distance itself from its philosophical fathers and their occasional radical theories about religion, in all its forms were not necessarily compatible with the modernist scientific paradigm that was emerging (Gorsuch, 1988; Hood, Hill and Spika, 2009). In addition Emmons and Paloutzian, (2003) commented on their tendency to avoid taboo subjects. Despite the fact that religion was ignored by psychologists, societys changing attitude towards religion has been cited as having occurred concurrently with two historical events. Durkheim date claimed that both the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution which also marked the rise of democracy and personal freedom, instigated the breaking down of the social classes which governed religion thus leading to the new society questioning of blind faith, (cited in Pals, 1996). The hippie era which emerged in the 1960s opened up new possibilities to a rebellious youth that initiated a societal turn to new age thoughts. Roberts (2004) suggested this to be a secularisation in the evolution of religion, since the pre-industrial age had been a period when religion was regulated by governing bodies, whilst the industrial era featured a religious comparison with other organisation and finally the post industrial era marked identification as spiritual rather than religious. The post indust rial age also marked the establishment of religion as a personalise system of meaning which suggests this was the beginning of a transformation of religiousness; however, the scientific establishment had not transformed its views of religion and spirituality. McPhillips (2002) considers this return to spirituality in the form of new age and religion as a reaction by society to secularisation and a societal search for re-enchantment which has been lost through individualism. However spirituality is still being viewed from the western perspective and does not explain the transformation of what is practiced. Furthermore it also assumes that eastern religions which are newly practiced in the west retain the same original meaning and are expressed and practiced the same as by the original practitioners. When the study of religion did re-merge in the 1960s with a new group of researchers their prime interest was prejudiced behaviour rather than religious behaviour it marked the rise of th e measurement paradigm which became the main method of study of religion. Problems do exist with the study of religions and spirituality. Gorsuch, (1988) suggested research in religion is at high risk of personal distortion. The lack of development demonstrates that the study of Religion has been socially managed, which indicates that politics are a factor, implying that the study remains in the realm of imperialism despite the general consciousness moving on as suggested by Durkheim (date cited in Pals, 1996). The effect of a personal agenda is again indicated through the resistance to the addition of spirituality within the title of APA division 36 psychology of religion (div 36). Its rejection is not based on empirical evidence but rather a claim that spirituality is fashionable (APA div 36, 2005) and has not amassed the same large body of evidence that its religious counterpart has done and therefore did not duly desire any credit. However, the western concept of religion marginalises spirituality, which includes much older eastern religions but again without empirical evidence (Dubuisson, 2003). The fashionable term new age, which is often the banner under which spirituality is defined has in response to this emerging negative view, moved away from the use of new age according to Lewis, (1992) who further suggests that no new label should be found. A move away from the new age concept however could have both positive and negative effects on the study since it will allow the integration into spirituality of suitable forms of belief and experience however without the label they are difficult to locate . Interestingly Humanist psychology Div 32 puts a far greater emphasis on spirituality and bifurcates it from the supernatural, which it claims is the domain of religion (Elkin, 2001). Another key factor which needs to be considered when studying religion is a participants susceptibility to answer questions according to societal expectations or norms that is not only in relation to practices but also regarding personal experiences, (Batson, Scoenrade and Ventis, 1993). The study of religion became mainstream within psychology by the 1980s which was marked by a plethora of books being published however spirituality didnt emerge in mainstream research or in the title of any published books until the year 2005. Furthermore, Lewis (1992) suggests the overall consciousness of the general public has altered and this change has escaped the attention of psychologists who find it easier to conduct inventories within defined groups rather than addressing the general alteration of spiritual commo nsense ideas. This general change in the consciousness has led to a crossover of the distinction of what is practiced such as following a traditional religion and practicing yoga. Without taking this change into account inventories are flawed. However what one person defines and argues to be rational could be another persons irrationality, (Gorsuch, 1988) which is particularly important when considering these scales since the subjectivity of rationality is particularly true due to the complex nature of religion and spirituality. Furthermore as cited in Gorsuch, (1988) Colins (1986) suggests that a neutral objectivity of religion is difficult particularly since neutrality for some religions is regarded as being anti-religious. A further issue is that experience is also subjective and ill defined, (Hood, Hill and Spika, 2009). For some individuals it is considered to be out there and tangible whilst for others experience includes what actually occurs within the mind, (Reber and Reber, 2001). Gadamer defines being experienced as radically undogmatic The man knows that all foresight is limited and all plans uncertain. In him is realised the true value of experience. Further experience is defined as, openness to new experience and symbolic of a search for new knowledge lack of expectation of having attained ultimate knowledge. (Gadamer, Weinsheimer and Marshall, 1989 p351) In the past twenty five years the study of Religion has flourished (Emmons and Paloutzian, 2003) and is often added as a defining variable in much empirical research, (Gorsuch, 1988). This is true particularly in relations to mental and physical wellbeing as Emmons and Paloutzian, (2003) suggest the applied areas of clinical, counselling and health have taken the lead in the study of links with religion which has instigated a move forward in the understanding of the importance of religious and spiritual behaviour in relation to physical and mental health. However the study of religion in relation to social psychology is relatively new (Emmons and Paloutzian, 2003) since little is known about why or how people are religious or spiritual or about the criteria by which their choices are made and as a result the understanding of experience has not improved per se. The experimental approach assumes that social situations are always objective and concepts such as Religion, and religiousness are out-there waiting to be measured with religion as the umbrella term. Spirituality, which is considered more as an individual quest, is marginalised and considered to be associated in some unknown way to religion but it is far too subjective to be studied scientifically. Critical social psychologists however, suggest social constructs are always subjective even when a person is mindlessly acting according to stereotypical societal norms and heuristics, furthermore it is their claim that social norms have been purposefully created and are evolving throughout history (Stainton-Rodgers, 2003). Formalised religion requires group cohesion and cannot exist without society (Pals, 1996), and it was Freud (1927) who suggested that the individual is the enemy of society since society flourishes when individuals suppress their personal wishes which further indicates why spirituality is marginalised within traditional religions. The individual pursuit of religion is further criticised by the suggestion that the quest for spirituality outside the framework of religion is motivated by narcissism, (Hood, Hill and Spika, 2009) however, the humanist approach considers the innate core of religion to be the spiritual experience which is dressed up in the language and symbols of a culture or belief system (Elkins, 2001). Experimental researchers further claims that personality, attitudes and identities are stable and discourse is a true reflection of them. Even though a database search reveals more than 1000 papers relating to religion, it is rarely the focal point of the studies and often only one item measurement is used, (Gorsuch, 1988) which doesnt take religion seriously and rarely features in a review of the literature thereby suggesting even more un-quantifed research is available. Using ,the method of questionnaires the measurement paradigm created 125 inventories, (Hill and Hood, 1999) to define and classify religious aspects and activities with a view to understanding religion and spirituality more fully, however much confusion still remains and the number of different inventories furthers this confusion. Rather than consolidating existing research, researchers have devised new inventories instead of adapting old ones which suggests that each paper is based on a different definition of religion, (Emmons and Paloutzian, 2003) therefore due to a lack of consensus there is an excessive amount of data available but virtually no theories have been formulated. Hill, (2005) suggests that no new scales should be created until greater clarity is understood. This range of scales has increased an understanding of conventional western religious behaviour, however an understanding of spirituality and experience can only have decreased since it is more subjective in natur e and when taking into account it more ancient origins. Zinnbauer and Pargament, (2005) observe that spirituality encompasses not only religiousness but also many other concepts of spirituality both formal and informal. What can be established from this lack of consensus is that an ultimate consensus is necessary or at least as Emmons and Paloutzian, (2003) suggests a minimum consensus however parameters maybe easier to establish. Further criticism that inventories have received is due to their narrow understanding of what religions experience entails, that they do not recognise unconventional practise which have been categorised as new age despite many such as Buddhism and Hinduism including yoga having much more ancient origins, not taking into account cultural differences or supernatural experiences which questionnaires cannot adequately measure. Belzen and Hood, (2006) have suggested a move away from the measurement paradigm. A new framework has been proposed the multilevel inte rdisciplinary paradigm which incorporates all levels of research from all domains, and promotes the acceptance of all data and for non reductive assumptions to be made, (Emmons and Paloutzian, 2003). The theory behind this research stems from critical social psychology which considers concepts such as Religion, Gender and Sexuality as socially situated, which Faucault, (1971) suggested has been constructed by society through the use of regulations and technologies of the self which are used to self regulate. Durkheim (cited in Pals, 1996) in relation to society, called it mechanical Solidarity. This discursive approach was used by Edley and Whetherell, (1997) who explored the socially situated construction of masculinity. Through analysis a repertoire emerged of the new man however a reference point remained of traditional values also in the discourse suggesting them to be the master and slave while constructing their identity. James (cited in Stainton-Rodgers, 2003) suggested the self to be made up of the I self as knower and the Me self as known however another construct of the self, the inter-subjective self (Stainton-Rodgers, 2003) doesnt divide the self quite as simply as Ja mes, but incorporates what Mead (1927) called the reflective self. It considers the self to be subject to inter-subjectivity, made from the following elements; reflectivity (reflective on their own behaviours), connectedness (interrelated to others and society), intentionality (purposeful and strategic), being-in-the-world (constantly influenced socially and contextually) or as James suggested a dynamic flow of consciousness that is constantly being changed moment by moment. This dynamic self was explored in the transcripts of Diana Princess of Wales interview by Abel and Stokoe, (2001) who found she constructed an inner true self and outer royal self which were reconciled as an ambassador for the people however she constructed two selves in very different ways suggesting that the experimental inventory method of questionnaires cannot fully capture the nature of identity. Not only has the identity of self been deconstructed by critical psychologists but also the concepts used for membership categorisation such as religion, sexuality and gender, masculinity and feminism. Many suggest that the study of Religion and Spirituality is incompatible with the scientific method (Bateson, Schonrade and Ventis, 1993) however both incorporate the study of identity which critical psychologists also suggest is incompatible with the experimental method (Stainton-Rodgers, 2003) a first step however is to employ that which has been lacking to date, namely a universal unde rstanding of both religion and spirituality by either definition or set parameters. A discursive discussion of the definition and distinctions between religion and spirituality originated when, Starbuck (1899), defined spirituality as an instinct, whereas James (1902) considered religion in relation to pragmatics and defined religion and spirituality as institutional and personal religion respectively. Maslow (1976) the Humanist introduced similar descriptions, those being organised religion and personal spirituality however his approach suggested an innate human need rather than free will of behaviour. Maslow further considered spirituality to be naturalistic rather than super natural which is in contrast to the psychology of religion that regards spirituality as being focused on the un-measurable supernatural. A major feature of traditional religion is the following of teachings and a moral code however different forms of spirituality also have an intrinsic learning system (Lewis, 1992). Hall, (1904) considered religion more as a moral code and the facilitation of education of the young. Cognitive developmental research has suggested that children in keeping with Piagets stage theory have a concrete understanding of religion but not until the teenage years and more importantly, if ever, do humans develop an abstract symbolic understanding of religion, (Gorsuch, 1988) though there is very little research. In 1912 Leuba found 48 different definitions of religion (cited in Batson, Schoenrade and Ventis, 1993) with the diversity of religion and spirituality therefore it is not surprising that no single definition is in existence. Zinnbauer and Pargament, (2005) reviewed several definitions and call the situation a flux over meaning. In debate over the construction of spirituality Pargaments defines spirituality as Sacred (1999a 1999b) with Emmons and Crumpler, (1999) differentiating sacralisation as both an internal and external sanctification the internal being the transformation of persons to become holy and pure and external sanctification as that of places, people and objects with the emphasis still being placed on god and religion. McPhillips, (2002) considers the sacred to have been created due to a need for enchantment however it is still based on western practices. Furthermore, this taps into the gender debate since religion predominates with sacred masculinity of God, Jesus, Mohamed, Buddha, for example whereas spirituality incorporates that of a feminine energy, sacred goddess, or a divine mother. Lee (2000) who considered spirituality in relation to feminism cited Ferguson, (1995) who claimed women are alienated by a masculine dominated religion which however suggests that all religions and spirituali ty are engendered. However as Lee (2000) suggests when spirituality is considered within the feminine domain there is a susceptibility of merely reiterating the gender division rather than creating a rebalance. Spirituality however generally refers to both genders, Hinduism has both gods and goddesses and Buddhism refers to the un-gendered Buddha within. Stifoss-Hanssen, (1999) considered focusing spirituality on sacred to be more subjective than necessary and related more to an individuals personal definition of their religion rather than a general explanation implying that what is deemed sacred to one person, is not necessarily sacred to another. Stifoss-Hansen, (1999) claimed that Pargament, (1999) uses general terms intentionally to eliminate forms of spirituality which entirely exclude religion. Having disregarded the concept of sacred Stifoss-Hanssen (1999) argued spirituality as existential and related to meaning, placing spirituality as the more global term. Zinnbauer in, Zi nnbauer and Pargament, (2005) agreed with the global difference however defined and differentiated the search for the sacred by religion being within a traditional framework. However Pargament in the same paper remained with religion but considers spirituality as the search for the sacred and religion as a search for the significance in ways to sacred. Batson, Schoenrade and Ventis, (1993) proposed different definitions for function and substance. This split in the definition of function and substance implies that by defining and distinguishing between religion and spirituality an ideological dilemma exists between its use and content. Further examples of possible ideological dilemmas appear in Zinnbauer and Pargament, (2005) which they refer to as the rise of opposite and polarisation. The rise of spirituality (Hill et al, 2000; Zinnbauer and Pargament, 2005) religion is being described as substantive, static, institutional, objective, belief-based and bad and opposed to spirituality which is conceived as functional, dynamic, personal, subjective, experience-based and good. However this viewpoint maintains the imperialist, westernised concept of religion and spirituality as spirituality didnt necessarily rise, rather the scientific study of religion finally recognised spiritualities prior construction. Dubussion (2003) claims reli gion is a western invented concept, which influences the way religion is defined by constructing western religions as true and thus marginalising eastern religions which do not conform to the western ideal. Wulff (1997) suggested that what had occurred was a change of reference to religion from a verb to a noun. Religion has been defined by Reber and Reber, (2001) an institutionalised system of belief or traditional pattern of ritual and ceremony and is considered to have been devised due to the innate need to understand the human condition. This definition draws on the suggestion that religion is a belief based doctrine and implies any doctrine not only traditional western religious but any form of doctrine should be considered a religion, so a distinction between western Religion and Eastern spirituality is not suitable since many forms of spirituality also contain doctrines. Reber and Rebers, (2001) definition further conceives religion as a function of a meaning system which pla ces religion as a function of essentialism (Paloutzian and Park, 2005). Stifoss-Hanssen, (1999), however considers spirituality a function of a meaning system. Robert (2004) claimed the emerging American return to religion and the emergence of the new age is based on a new search for personal meaning rather than a general, implied and instructed societal meaning system which suggests that not all cultures are at the same evolutionary point with regard to understanding religion and spirituality. James (1902) highlighted the importance of context to meaning and suggested that experience rather than institution should be studied since institutions are a product of experience whereby suggesting a spiritual focus on substance rather than function. Furthermore Zinnbauer and Pargament, (2005) revised the possible distinction to religion as being reduced to its static function and spirituality as dynamic. However a search for meaning (function) does not indicate that the use of religion giv es meaning (substance) or what is eventually accomplished by experience is meaning. It may simply be that meaning is the idea that draws some participants in (function) and their experience (Substance) is something else or vice versa depending on the individual. Furthermore there is no evidence that the sole function of religion or spirituality is for the purpose of meaning or that as the Humanists assume, there is a need for meaning. Following on from the meaning system, Lewis (1992) suggests spirituality as a social and individual transformation however the transformation of both society and the individual may not solely have a spiritual basis since one may be affected by the other. Furthermore no one single model of transcendent reality can be chosen to define spirituality, (Reich, 2000) although transcendent reality can be defined as one concept which explains the experience of spirituality. In the UK the research on eastern spirituality is conducted by (BPS subsection) transpersonal psychology which draws on the humanistic aspects of the debate. Both transformation and transcendence focuses on the individual, which is another factor that often emerges in debate which could be considered as just one aspect of spirituality. Transpersonal psychology does however also incorporate the self help and mind, body and spirit concept which incorporates a how to concept which can still be considered a doctrine that would draw aspects of it closer to religion as opposed to spirituality. Furthermore religious experience could be suggested to also incorporate personal transformation (Lewis, 1992) this adds to the argument that both religion and spirituality have a learning focus. Other concepts emerge however within the debate connectedness (Emmons et al, 2003; Hill and Pargament, 2005; Paloutzian and Park, 2005; Pargament, 1999a; Reich, 2000; Stifoss-Hanssen,1999) is a major concept used to construct spirituality (Keisling et al, 2006; Knight, 2002; Lee, 2000; 2007; Lee and Marshall, 2002; Person, 2002) although what is connected is not so clear cut. Reich, (2000) suggested the connection to be to others, nature and a higher being whereas Lee (2000) found that participants in feminist spirituality constructed connectedness as to the feminine goddess however by connecting to the feminine it doesnt discriminate the possibility of other connectedness or claim that this form of spirituality was for everybody. There is also some use of oneness which is constructed as collective of many different forms. Lee and Marshall (2002) further propose links between spiritual oneness and popular cultures such as the rave scene of the 80s and DIY culture whereby lack of need for personal gain is constructed as spiritual enough however many other popular activities can be linked such as the sporting zone (Douillard, 2001) gifts such as music, writing and art which are often considered to occur with a connection to something else are often called a muse. The concept of religious instinct, that Paloutzian and Park, (2005) constructed as a compulsion, Lee and Marshall, (2002) suggest is the spiritual construction of instinct as a different kind of knowing which uses the vehicular body not just the mind and further as a way of connecting the body and mind and an initiation of transcendence and accessing embodied knowledge and connection to a universal energy (Lee and Marshall, 2002). Hinduism is a particularly good example of this construction together with its incorporation of yoga, as well as meditation within spirituality. Elkin, (2001) also claimed one of the characteristics of spirituality is a mysterious energy, Reich, (2000) called it a higher being and points out that in religion the higher being is god. Dubussion (2003) suggested everything religious to be defined as cosmographic formations which suggests connections through cosmic alignment. Traditional and non-traditional Religions are much better concepts in order to distinguish traditional western religion from spiritual religion such as, new age and eastern religions and spirituality could be defined as experience whether religious, non religious or spiritual. Emerging factors of religion and spirituality rather than a definition are as follows; finding or receiving meaning, religious institution and spiritual self, belief system, doctrine, teaching system and moral code, experience is more closely aligned with being spiritual, and behaviours being distinguished as religious or spiritual. Emerging interpretative repertoires specific to spirituality are as follows; transcendence, transformation, connectedness, instinct, embodied knowledge, higher energy or being rather than specifically a god. There is a dearth of research into spirituality, which is holding back its acceptance as being equal to Religion in research. The discursive debate of interpretative repertoires does not however explain their usage and construction. Engler, (2005) claimed constructionist commentary in the form of discursive discussion of spirituality is weak but plentiful but adds little to the understanding and constructionist research in the form of discursive analysis is strong but in short supply. What is required is strong constructionist work, which considers how spirituality is constructed, however to ignore Religion when considering spirituality is not beneficial. A discursive analysis of the experiences of spirituality is required considering how people construct their spiritual identity and the identity of spirituality. This study has considered the constructive qualities of religion and spirituality, which have emerged from the literature and has found key themes of gender, power and being or doing. Religion is strongly influenced by following a doctrine and by doing religion putting faith in a powerful higher being whereas spirituality is described more by being spiritual and connected and the power coming from within however contradictions in research into mind body and spirit literature also suggests a doing rather than being activity which perhaps is what is confusing the meaning of what spirituality entails. This research will explore what is the nature of spirituality and factors affecting it through discursive analysis of semi-structured interviews with those practicing a particular form of non-institutionalised, non-organised earth based spiritual activities. Research questions/aims: Exploring the meaning of spirituality, and the possible relation to gender and power and how participants construct their identity as a spiritual being. Contrasting peoples experiences of spirituality with psychological research into religious experience and body, mind and spirit. Bring a new perspective to the study of spiritual experience and exploring possible difference between being and doing spirituality.

Plath - A Rebuttal of the Feminist Label :: Biography Biographies Essays

Plath - A Rebuttal of the "Feminist" Label  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚   Sylvia Plath has long been hailed as a feminist writer of great significance. In her 1976 book Literary Women, Ellen Moers writes, "No writer has meant more to the current feminist movement" (qtd. in Wagner 5), and still today, at a time when the idea of equality for women isn't so radically revolutionary as it had been earlier in the century, Plath is a literary symbol of the women's rights movement. Roberta Mazzenti quotes Robert A. Piazza as writing that there is "little feminist consciousness" in Plath's work, and goes on to explain that because "Plath's work [is] being read... by readers searching for political sustenance", feminist sentiment that the author never held can easily be attributed to her writing (201). This kind of misguided attribution is illustrated in the opinions of critics like Sheryl Meyering, who states that Sylvia Plath's intense desire to be accepted by men and to eventually marry and have children was purely a product of the constrictive 1950s soc ial mentality during which the author came to womanhood (xi). A thorough examination of the Plath oeuvre paints a different picture, however. Although Plath's awareness of and distaste for the submissive and insubstantial role a woman in the 1950s was expected to play is apparent from her early journals to the poems completed in the last month of her life, that same body of work also makes plain that she had accepted some of that role for herself on her own terms: a common theme throughout the writing is the author's intense desire to be a beloved and loving wife and, perhaps even more strong, her desire to become a mother--as long as she could still speak from within her "deeper self" through her writing. In 1953, at age 20, Plath wrote in her journal: I must find a strong potential powerful mate who can counter my vibrant dynamic self: sexual and intellectual, and while comradely, I must admire him: respect and admiration must equate with the object of my love (that is where the remnants of paternal, godlike qualities come in). (Journals, 73) Here, the reader finds no hint of misandrist resistance to the idea of a strong attachment to a mate. Indeed, it seems obvious that Plath was searching for an equal to accompany her through all the aspects of a multifaceted life.

Night World : Huntress Chapter 17

Morgead's entire body jerked once and then went absolutely still. As if he'd been turned to stone. The only thing alive about him was his eyes, which were staring at Jez with shock and burning disbelief. Well, Jez told herself, with a grim humor that was almost like sobbing grief, I startled him, that's for sure. I finally managed to stun Morgead speechless. It was only then that she realized some part of her had hoped that he already knew this, too. That he would be able to brush it off with exasperation, the way he had the fact that she was a Daybreaker. But that hope was shattered now. It had been a stupid hope anyway. Being a Daybreaker was something that could change, a matter of confused attitude. Being vermin was permanent. â€Å"But that's-that's not-† Morgead seemed to be having trouble getting the words out. His eyes were large with horror and denial. â€Å"That's not possible. You're a vampire.† â€Å"Only half,† Jez said. She felt as if she were killing something-and she was. She was murdering any hope for what was between them. Might as well stomp it good, she thought bitterly. She couldn't understand the wetness that was threatening to spill out of her eyes. â€Å"The other half is human,† she said shortly, almost viciously. â€Å"My mother was human. Claire is my cousin, and she's human. I've been living with my uncle Jim, my mother s brother, and his family. They're all human.† Morgead shut his eyes. A moment of astonishing weakness for him, Jez thought coldly. His voice was still a whisper. â€Å"Vampires and humans can't have kids. You can't be half and half.† â€Å"Oh, yeah, I can. My father broke the laws of the Night World. He fell in love with a human, and they got married, and here I am. And then, when I was three or so, some other vampires came and tried to kill us all.† In her mind Jez was seeing it again, the woman with red hair who looked like a medieval princess, begging for her child's life. The tall man trying to protect her. â€Å"They knew I was half human. They kept yelling ‘Kill the freak.' So that's what I am, you see.† She turned eyes she knew were feverishly bright on him. â€Å"A freak.† He was shaking his head, gulping as if he were about to be sick. It made Jez hate him, and feel sorry for him at the same time. She scarcely noticed that hot tears were spilling down her cheeks. â€Å"I'm vermin, Morgead. One of them. Prey. That's what I realized a year ago, when I left the gang. Up until then I had no idea, but that last night we hunted, I remembered the truth. And I knew that I had to go away and try to make up for all the things I'd done to humans.† He put a hand up to press against his eyes. â€Å"I didn't just become a Daybreaker. I became a vampire hunter. I track down vampires who like to kill, who enjoy making humans suffer, and I stake them. You know why? Because they deserve to die.† He was looking at her again, but as if he could hardly stand to. â€Å"Jez-â€Å" â€Å"It's weird. I don't know about our connection†- she smiled bitterly at him, to let him know she knew all that was over now-â€Å"but I felt bad lying to you. I'm almost glad to finally tell you the truth. I kind of wanted to tell you a year ago when it happened, but I knew you'd kill me, and that made me a little hesitant.† She was laughing now. She realized she was more than a little hysterical. But it didn't seem to matter. Nothing mattered while Morgead was looking at her with that sick disbelief in his eyes. â€Å"So, anyway†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She stretched her muscles, still smiling at him, but ready to defend herself. â€Å"Are you going to try and kill me now? Or is the engagement just off?† He simply looked at her. It was as if his entire spirit had gone out of him. He didn't speak, and all at once Jez couldn't think of anything to say, either. The silence stretched and stretched, like a yawning chasm between them. They were so far away from each other. You knew all along it would come to this, Jez's mind told her mockingly. How can you presume to be upset? He's actually taking it better than you expected. He hasn't tried to tear your throat out yet. At last Morgead said, in a flat and empty voice, â€Å"That's why you wouldn't drink my blood.† â€Å"I haven't had a blood meal for a year,† Jez said, feeling equally empty. â€Å"I don't need to, if I don't use my Powers.† He stared past her at the metal wall. â€Å"Well, maybe you'd better drink some of your human friends',† he said tiredly. â€Å"Because whoever has us- He broke off, suddenly alert. Jez knew what it was. The van was slowing down, and the tires were crunching on gravel. They were pulling into a driveway. A long driveway, and a steep one. We're somewhere out in the country, Jez thought. She didn't have time for any more banter with Morgead. Although she felt drained and numb, she was focused on outside issues now. â€Å"Look,† she said tensely as the van braked. â€Å"I know you hate me now, but whoever has us hates us both. I'm not asking you to help me. I just want to get my cousin away-and I'm asking you not to stop me from doing that. Later, you can fight me or whatever. We can take care of that between the two of us. Just don't stop me from saving Claire.† He just looked at her with dark and hollow eyes. He didn't agree or disagree. He didn't move when she positioned herself to erupt out of the van as soon as the back door was opened. But, as it turned out, she could have saved her breath. Because when the door did open, letting in sunlight that blinded Jez, it was to reveal five vicious-looking thugs, completely blocking the entrance. Three of them had spears with deadly points leveled right at Jez. The other two had guns. â€Å"If anybody tries to fight,† a voice from around the side of the van said, â€Å"shoot the unconscious ones in the kneecaps.† Jez sagged back. She didn't try to fight as they forced her out of the van. Neither, strangely, did Morgead. There were more thugs standing around behind the van, enough to surround both Jez and Morgead with a forest of spears as they were led to the house. It was a nice house, a small sturdy Queen Anne painted barn red. There were trees all around and no other buildings in sight. We're out in the boondocks, Jez thought. Maybe Point Reyes Park. Somewhere remote, anyway, where nobody can hear us scream. They were shepherded into the living room of the house, and Hugh and Claire were dumped unceremoniously on the floor. And then they were all tied up. Jez kept watching for an opportunity to attack. But one never came. All the time she and Morgead were being tied, two of the thugs pointed guns at Claire and Hugh. There was no way Jez could disarm them both before they got off a shot. Worse, she was being rendered helpless by an expert. The cords were made of bast, the inner bark of trees. Equally effective against vampires and humans. When the guy tying her up was through, she had no use of her arms or legs. Hugh woke up, gasping with pain, when they tied his injured arm. Claire woke up when the werewolf thug who'd finished winding cords around her slapped her. Jez looked at that particular ‘wolf carefully. She was too angry to glare at him. But she wanted to remember his face. Then she looked back at Claire, who was staring around her in bewilderment. ‘I-where are we? What's going on, Jez?† Hugh was also looking around, but with much less confusion. His gray eyes were simply sad and full of pain. ‘It's all right, Claire,† Jez said. â€Å"Just keep quiet, okay? We're in a little trouble, but don't tell them anything.† She stared at her cousin, trying to will her to understand. â€Å"A little trouble? I don't think so,† came a voice from the living room doorway. It was the same voice that had given the order about shooting kneecaps. A light, cold voice, like an Arctic wind. The speaker was a girl. A very pretty girl, Jez thought irrelevantly. She had black hair that fell straight down her back like silk, and eyes that gleamed like topaz. Porcelain skin. A cruel smile. Lots of Power that surrounded her like a dark aura. A vampire. She looked perhaps a year older than Jez, but that didn't mean anything. She could be any age. And those eyes, Jez thought. They're vaguely familiar. Like something I've seen in a picture†¦. â€Å"I should probably introduce myself,† the girl said, looking at her with cold mockery. â€Å"I'm Lily Redfern.† Jez felt her stomach plummet. Hunter Redfern's daughter. Well, that explained a lot. She was working for her father, of course. And she was a powerful enemy herself, over four hundred years old. There were rumors that last year she'd been working the human slave trade, and making a lot of money at it. I should laugh, Jez thought. There I was telling Morgead that Hunter wanted to steal a march on the Council-and here he really did. Just not through me, of course. He's sent his only surviving child out to take care of us, to get Morgead to turn over the Wild Power. And that's why so many thugs-he can afford to buy as many as he needs. And the smooth operation-Lily's a born strategist. Not to mention absolutely merciless and cold as ice. She was right. We're not in a little trouble. We're in a whole lot. Somebody, Jez thought with a strange, quiet certainty, is going to die here. Lily was still talking. â€Å"And now let me introduce my associates, who've done so much to make this all possible.† She gestured at someone hidden in the hall to come forward. â€Å"This is Azarius. I think you've met.† It was the vampire Jez had fought on the platform. He was tall, with dark skin and a look of authority. â€Å"And this,† Lily said, smiling, â€Å"is someone you've also met.† She gestured again, and a second figure appeared in the doorway. It was Pierce Holt. He was smiling faintly, his aristocratic face drawn in lines of genteel triumph. He waved one slender hand at them, his eyes as cold as Lily's. Morgead gave an inarticulate roar and tried to lunge at him. He only succeeded in falling on the floor, a struggling body in a cocoon of bast. Lily and Azarius both laughed. Pierce just looked scornful. â€Å"You really didn't guess?† he said. â€Å"You're so stupid, Morgead. Coming out this morning to meet me, so trusting, so naive-I thought you were smarter. I'm disappointed.† â€Å"No, you're dead,† Morgead raged from the floor. He was staring at Pierce, black hair falling over his forehead and into green eyes that were blazing with rage. â€Å"You are dead when this is over! You betrayed the gang. You're complete scum. You're-â€Å" â€Å"Shut him up,† Lily said, and one of the thugs kicked Morgead in the head. He must really be out of power, Jez thought, wincing. Or he'd have blasted Pierce then. â€Å"I'm smart,† Pierce was saying. â€Å"And I'm going to survive. I knew something was fishy when she†- he nodded toward Jez without looking at her- â€Å"said she had a deal with Hunter Redfern. It didn't sound right-and then the way she was so worried about that vermin kid. So I made a few calls, and I found out the truth.† â€Å"You realize that your friend there is working with Circle Daybreak,† Lily interrupted. She was also looking at Morgead and ignoring Jez. â€Å"She lied to you and tricked you. She was trying to get the Wild Power for them.† Morgead snarled something inarticulate. â€Å"And she's not just a Daybreaker,† Pierce said. Finally he looked at Jez, and it was with venomous spite. â€Å"She's a mutant abomination. She's half vermin. She should have been drowned at birth.† ‘You should have been drowned at birth,† Morgead said through locked teeth. Lily had been watching in amusement, but now she waved one hand. â€Å"Okay, enough fun and games. Down to business.† Two of the thugs sat Morgead back up, and Lily walked to the middle of the room. She looked at each of them in turn, Jez last. â€Å"I've only got one question for you,† she said in her cool, quiet voice. â€Å"Which human is the Wild Power?† Jez stared at her. She doesn't know. She knows almost everything else, but not that. And if she can't find out†¦ Jez gave Hugh and Claire one long, intense look, telling them to keep silent. Then she looked back at Lily. â€Å"I have no idea what you're talking about.† Lily hit her. It was a pretty good blow, but nothing to compare with what Jez got when she was in a fight. Jez laughed, a natural laugh of surprise and scorn. Lily's hawklike golden eyes went icy. â€Å"You think this is funny?† she said, still quietly. â€Å"My father sent me to get the Wild Power, and that's just what I'm going to do. Even if it means tearing you and your vampire boyfriend to pieces, mutant.† â€Å"Yeah, well, suppose I don't know? Did you ever think of that? Then I can't tell, no matter what you and your little†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jez glanced at Pierce and Azarius. â€Å"Your little hobgoblins do.† Lily's porcelain skin was flushing with fury. It brought out faint scars on one side of her face that Jez hadn't noticed before, like mostly-healed burn marks. â€Å"Look, you little freak-† Then she turned to the thugs. â€Å"Teach her a lesson.† Things were exciting for a while. Jez could hear Claire and Hugh yelling and Morgead snarling while the hobgoblins beat her up. She hardly felt the blows herself. She was in a place where they didn't matter. When they finally got tired and stopped, Lily walked up to her again. â€Å"Now,† she said sweetly, â€Å"has your memory gotten any better.† Jez looked at her from under a swelling eyelid. â€Å"I can't tell you something I don't know.† Lily opened her mouth, but before she could speak, a new voice cut in. â€Å"She doesn't have to tell you,† Hugh said. â€Å"Ill tell you. It's me.† Lily swiveled slowly to look at him. He was sitting up straight inside his cocoon of bonds, his face calm under the dried blood. His gray eyes were clear and straightforward. He didn't look afraid. Oh, Hugh, Jez thought. Her heart was beating slow and hard and her eyes prickled. Lily glanced at Azarius. He shrugged. â€Å"Sure, it could be. I told you, it could be either of them. They were both at the station when the flash came and the train stopped.† â€Å"Hmm,† Lily said, a sound like a cat purring to dinner. She moved toward Hugh. He didn't look away from her, didn't flinch. But beside him, Claire gave a convulsive wiggle. She had been watching everything with a desperate, dazed expression. Jez was sure she didn't understand a quarter of what was going on. But now she suddenly lost the muddled look. Her dark eyes sparked and she looked like the Claire who'd taunted Jez a hundred times in the hallway back home. ‘I don't know what you're talking about,† she said to Hugh. â€Å"You know perfectly well it's me.† She turned to Lily. Tm the Wild Power.† Lily's mouth tightened. She put her hands on her hips, looking from Hugh to Claire. Then Jez heard the strangest sound of her life. It was laughing-a wild and reckless laughing. There was an edge almost like crying to it, but also something that was exhilarated, daredevil, free. â€Å"If you really want to know who it is,† Morgead said, â€Å"ifs me.† Lily whirled to glare at him. Jez simply stared, dumbfounded. She'd never seen him look so handsome-or so mocking. His smile was brilliant and flashing, his dark hair was falling all over his eyes, and his eyes were blazing green emeralds. He was tied up, but he was sitting with his head thrown back like a prince. Something tore inside Jez. She didn't understand why he would do it. He must know he wasn't saving her. The only people he might possibly save were Hugh and Claire. And why would he care about them? Besides, it was a futile gesture. He didn't realize that he couldn't be the Wild Power, that he hadn't been around when the train stopped. But-it was such a gallant gesture, too. Probably the most gallant thing Jez had ever seen. She stared at him, feeling the wetness spill from her eyes again, wishing she were telepathic and could ask him why in the worlds he had done it. Then his green eyes turned to her, and she heard his mental voice. There's just a chance they'll let one of them go with a beating. Just maybe-as a warning to Circle Daybreak not to mess with Hunter anymore. Especially if I convince Lily I'll work with her. Jez couldn't answer, but she shook her head very faintly, and looked at him in despair. She knew he could read that. Do you know what they'll do to you? Especially when they find out you're a fake? She saw his faint answering smile. He knew. What difference does it make? he said in her mind. You and me-we're lost anyway. And without you, I don't care what happens. Jez couldn't show any reaction to that at all. Her vision was dimming, and her heart felt as if it were trying to claw itself out of her chest. Oh, Morgead †¦ Lily was breathing hard, on the verge of losing control. â€Å"If I have to kill all of you-â€Å" â€Å"Wait,† Pierce said, his cool voice a striking contrast to Lily's strained one. â€Å"There's a simple way to find out.† He pointed at Jez. â€Å"Stake her.† Lily glared at him. â€Å"What?† â€Å"She's never going to tell you anything. She's expendable. And there's something you have to understand about the Wild Power.† He moved smoothly to Lily's side. â€Å"I think Morgead was right about one thing. I think the Wild Power isn't operating consciously at this point. It's only when the danger is greatest, when there's no physical way to escape, that the power comes out.† Lily cast a sideways look at Hugh and Claire, who were sitting tensely, their eyes wide. â€Å"You mean they may not know which it is?† â€Å"Maybe not. Maybe it's completely automatic at this point. But there's one way to find out. They all seem-attached-to the halfbreed. Put her life in danger, and then see which of them can break free and try to save her.† Lily's perfect lips slowly curved in a smile. â€Å"I knew there was a reason I liked you,† she said. Then she gestured at the thugs. â€Å"Go on, do it† Everything was confused for a bit. Not because Jez was struggling. She wasn't. But Claire was screaming and Hugh and Morgead were shouting, and Lily was laughing. When the worst of the noise died down, Jez found herself on her back. Azarius was standing over her, and he was holding a hammer and stake. â€Å"Isn't it interesting,† Lily was saying, â€Å"that a stake through the heart is the one thing that takes care of humans and vampires equally efficiently?† â€Å"And halfbreeds, too,† Pierce said. They were on either side of Azarius, looking down and laughing. â€Å"Lily, listen. Listen,† Morgead said, his voice hoarse and desperate. â€Å"You don't have to do this. I already told you, it's me. Just wait a minute and talk to me-* â€Å"Don't even bother, human-lover,† Lily said without glancing at him. â€Å"If you're the Wild Power, then save her.† â€Å"Don't any of you do anything!† Jez yelled. â€Å"Not anything, do you understand?† She was yelling it mainly at Claire-or was she? Suddenly Jez felt strangely uncertain. Her heart was beating very quickly, and her mind was racing even faster. Fragments of thought were glittering through her consciousness, like bits of melody almost too faint to catch. It was as if all the prophecies she'd heard about the Wild Powers were echoing, ricocheting around her brain at insane speed. And there was something about them, something that was bothering her. Something that made her wonder†¦ Could it be that Claire wasn't the Wild Power? Jez had assumed she was-but was it possible that she'd been wrong? Hugh had been on the platform, too, watching the train approach. Hugh had reason to be upset at having to watch Jez die. He cared about her. Jez knew that now. And Hugh was seventeen. Could Hugh be the Wild Power? He hadn't been in the Marina district-but he lived in the Bay Area; there was no reason he couldn't have been watching the fire just as she and Claire had. But there was still something nagging at her. The prophecies†¦ ‘two eyes are watching'†¦ ‘Four of blue fire, power in their blood†¦.' Lily was speaking. Jez heard her as if from a great distance. â€Å"Do it. Right beside the heart first.† Azarius positioned the stake. He raised the hammer. Morgead screamed, â€Å"Jez!† Jez shouted, â€Å"None of you do anything-â€Å" And then the hammer came down and the universe exploded in red agony.

Beauty Therapy Stone Therapy Assignment Brief Essay

Research the history and origins of stone therapy massage and how it may be incorporated with other therapy related treatments. Massage is one of the oldest forms of hands-on-healing known, people from virtually every culture have used a combination of touch, heat or thermotherapy and stones as therapeutic tools. The three main cultures, which have heavily influenced how modern-day hot stone massage has evolved, the Chinese, the Native Americans and the Hawaiians although Egyptian, Ayurvedic and many other traditional healing arts are also said to have used stones and heat. One of the first recorded uses of stones for healing was by Ancient Chinese a medical practitioner who regularly used various shaped stones known as Bian Stones to treat disease. The use of Moxabustion burning of the herb mugwort helped to add heat to these treatments. Native Americans are well known for their Sweat Lodges, which are similar to modern-day Saunas. The use of heated stones on the lower abdomen to relieve cramps was another common Native American practice. Most therapists who incorporate hot stones into their massage routine agree that the Hawaiians had a major part to play in how this form of massage is applied today. This is particularly true for Hahana Stone Massage. Customary uses included wrapping hot stones in leaves with certain therapeutic properties ti leaves and placing on sore muscles to reduce pain, like using a heat pack. . Modern-day hot stone massage therapy is a truly unique style of massage, has been gaining popularity through-out the world after being re-discovered in the United States in 1993. The story is that a massage therapist named Mary Nelson, who was suffering from repetitive use injuries in the shoulders and wrists, was having a sauna with her niece and which had stones in. Mary picked up some of the hot stones and started massaging her niece with them, she felt great. The first style of modern-day hot stone massages therapy was called ‘LaStone Therapy’. Almost every Spa in Europe, America and Australia  offers hot stone massage therapy on their treatment plans. There are a verity number of different styles of stone massage, hot stone massage and cold stone massage these can be incorporated into different treatments like body massage as a pre heat treatment to warm up the muscle to aid muscle manipulation, manicures placed in between the fingers, pedicures placed in between the toes, facials during the massage to aid lymph drainage over the face, sports or remedial massage to relieve muscle pain or tension in the muscle and Indian head massage to aid in relaxation. 2. Explain how you would prepare the treatment area for stone therapy massage taking into account the following aspects: heating, lighting, privacy, noise level, hygiene and finishing touches. When you enter the treatment room you should check the floor is clean and there is no oil spillages on the floor, if there is wipe up with warm soapy water and dry with paper towels, you should place clean bed sheet on the treatment bed, cover with clean towels and bed roll with modesty towels and a flannel available for wiping over the client feet at the beginning and end of the massage. The sides should be wiped down with surgical spirit, sink should be clean with hand soap available. You need to place an hand towel down or tissue to place the stone heater on, the machine should be clean and pat tested, a quick check of the wires and that the machine is in working order shouldn’t take more then a minute, all stones in the machine should be clean and oil free, you should have a bowl to fill the heater with water, the water should be level with the stones. You should turn the machine to pre heat for them to be at working temperature 55ï‚ °C for the treatment. You should pla ce a towel next to the machine for when you take the stones out of the heater, a bowl of cool water should be next to the towel ready incase the stone need cooling down before applying heat to the client, you should check the thermometer in the machine to see the temperature of the water, if the water is at working temperature change the machine to operating range to keep the stone at the correct heat. You would have a small bowl with tissue and a cotton bud in to patch test the oil the client has chosen. Tissue should be placed on the floor by the bed for when the client gets off the bed to stop then from slipping from any oil still on their feet. Heating: making sure the room isn’t to hot or cold for the client as to much heat can make client feel faint or even collapse, if the room in to cold the client may not receive the most of the benefits from the treatment and they may not fell comfortable. Lighting: there should be mood lighting or a dimmer switch to aid in relaxation during the treatment, as a bright light may cause the client to tense up and not relax which can ruin the experience for them. Privacy: the treatment should take place in a private treatment room so other client or therapist doesn’t disturb the client during the treatment so the client can relax and receive all the benefits of the massage. Some client can feel self-conscious about their body and a private room can make them feel comfortable and not exposed. Noise Level: there sound be no loud noises in or near the treatment room, relaxing music should be playing in the back ground to aid in relaxation but not to loud that it disturbs the client or any other client receiving treatments. Hygiene: all treatment room should be cleaned before and after client enter, the bed cover should be replaced with clean one, dirty towels should be placed into the wash with clean ones to replaced them, fresh bed roll placed on the floor and bed, sinks should be wiped down after every treatment, any oil spillages should be cleaned up with warm soapy water, bins emptied with fresh bin liners in, fresh clean dressing gowns in the room for client use, all side be wiped down with surgical spirit, all stone washed and dried after every treatment and stone heater cleaned after every treatment, therapists should wash hands before and after treatment, therapists should have excellent personal hygiene, sort nails free of nail polish, hair tided up, plain day make up, clean fresh uniform. Finishing Touches: to make yourself stand out you could place battery candles around the room, bath rose soap petals on the bed that the can take home  after the treatment, have an oil burner in the corner to have a relaxing and welcoming smell in the room, offer rose quartz water after treatment or herbal teas to complement the treatment. This will set you apart from other therapist as it is these things that clients remember about the treatment and what will bring them back in future and they will recommend you to friends and family 3. Describe how you would adapt a massage routine to suit the individual client’s physical characteristics to include each of the following: weight, muscle tone, age, health and skin condition. Every stone therapy massage is different as you would adapt the massage to suit the clients needs as everyone is an individual and have different problem areas needing more concentrating on or just having the massage to aid in relaxation, what ever the reason you would always be changing and adapting the massage in order to achieve the client outcome of the massage. There are many factors that could change the routine of the massage: Weight: weight of the client is a factor as this will determine the size of the stones, amount of oil needed and the area the therapist will be working on, you may find that people with endomorph body types maybe sensitive to heat and pressure but have good muscle tone as with someone with ectomorph body type maybe able to stand a lot of heat and deeper pressure. Muscle Tone: clients with good muscle tone will feel the heat off the stones in the muscle in which this will help eliminate any tension in the muscle fibres, younger clients tend to have better muscle tone than older clients as with age the elasticity in the skin and muscle tend to weaken in which when lying down you may not see a lot of muscle areas but more boney areas in which you have to be careful not to cause the client any discomfort as the massage is meant to be both relaxing and enjoyable. Age: age is a big factor in determining the pressure of the massage and the heat of the stones, younger client will have more elasticity and collagen in the skin which helps with the stone to stretch the skin and a smoother  gliding motion over the surface, they will be able to stand more heat on the skin and tend not to bruise from the pressure of the stones on the muscles, older clients have less elasticity and collagen in which during the massage the skin takes longer to go back during the massage in which the skin may bundle up and cause the client discomfort, the client may bruise a lot more easily and more quickly due to age and clients may be more sensitive to the heat from the rocks. Health: if the client is in good health they will and has a good diet stone therapy Skin Condition: 4. Describe in detail stone therapy massage techniques and how these may be adapted to suit your clients considering general body types, muscle tone and skin conditions. Body Types: Taking into consideration the clients body type, you may find they don’t have much muscle on their back if they have an ectomorph body, if they are mesomorph they will have defined muscles or if they are endomorph they may have a bigger frame but not a lot of muscle, client can fall into more than one of these categories, when starting the massage with effleurage you can manual and visually assess the client body type to get a good a idea of how much pressure you should apply during the massage although some clients with a small build may like a firm massage while others with a bigger build may not be able to handle the pressure. Muscle Tone: Effleurage: Effleurage is used for spreading the oil over the client’s body and warming the muscle and tissues, this technique is used to begin the end the massage. Begin with your hand and stroke with superficial effleurage along the area to be massaged first, this is a good movement to manual check the muscle  tone and skin condition of the client, while still doing effleurage pick up the stones and introduce the texture of the stone to the skin. Take care over bony areas and that you can do more transverse effleurage, down the body, working along the length of the muscle fibres. Stroking: A gliding stroke is often performed with the outer edge of the stone, which reduces the amount of pressure applied, and it is really useful for finishing the movement at a lymph node to aid drainage. Combing/ stripping: This is a deep, intense stroke using the stone on its edge, working the muscle along its entire length from its origin to its insertion. This helps pull the muscle fibres outward and removes tension, and is best performed when the stone has lost some of its heat, so use this after the first round of effleurage to create a deep release and stretch of soft tissue. Petrissage: Pressing and releasing of the tissue that you would achieve with the hands can be achieved with the stones either flat or for deep concentrated work using the edges. Though you do not have as much contact with the body as you do with manual massage and cannot judge the extra depth, which the stones give. These kneading movements can be very deep always be aware they can cause bruising, clients may think that pain is part of the treatment and that they must put up with it, there is a certain painful but relaxing feeling in having tension knots removed, it should not be continuously sore. The client should not feel tender afterwards, if they do this is a sign you are going too deeply into the tissue. Frictions: Frictions can be simulated with stones by using the edge of the stone, to give mild pressure for a soothing feeling or more concentrated pressure to stimulate the nerve endings. This will entirely depend upon the client, whether they just need tension released or deep tissue manipulation. Alternatively you may miss this movement out altogether if the client wants  to fall asleep. Piezoelectric effects or vibrations can be achieved with the stones very successfully. Vibrations can also be achieved by rhythmical tapping of two stones together creating sound – one stays in contact with skin while the other taps it at the top. This causes a transfer of energy to electrical vibration that should gently remind the client of the noise. This method is effective at removing tension knots. Stone placing: The stones are placed on or underneath the body, covered by a towel or sheet to prevent burning. Never place stones directly onto the vertebrae or placements before the massage, placement should be after the massage continuing the good relaxing work of the stones and keeps heat in the muscles. Holding: The heated stones can be held in the hands to keep the client warm during treatment or for any specific problems in any region. It is good to keep checking with the client that the stone isn’t to hot for them or burning their hands and keep referring back to the client to check that they are comfortable. 5. Research and explain two pre-blend aromatherapy oils used in stone therapy massage and the effects each blend will have on your stone therapy massage. Stimulating: is recommended for people who feel sluggish, tired and emotionally drained. The benefits and use of this pre-blend is used for strengthening the immune system, uplifting, relieves bloating and indigestion, helps with high blood pressure and asthma, ect. Essential oils: Lemon, Cedarwood, Juniper, Prunus, Citrus Peal, Peppermint and Juranium. Anti Stress: is recommended for people who feel stressed, used for stimulating the lymphatic system, helps reduces headaches, helps reduces cellulite, relieves aches and pains, helps reduce insomnia, respiratory problems, helps reduce panic attacks and anxiety, helps improve self esteem Essential oils: Sweet Orange, Sweet Almond, Lavender, Mandarin, Avocado, Weedjurm, Grapefruit, Petitgrain, Ylang Ylang and Margarin. The effects that the pre-blended oils have on the body when using with stone therapy massage, they will affect the body much quick and spreads though out the body much faster due to the heat stimulating the muscle fibres and blood circulation, the heat enhances the overall effect of the massage faster then manual massage as one movement with the stone massage is equal to ten movements with manual massage. Other benefits of pre-blended oils are: Dramatic improvement in general health and well being, increase in vitality, improvement in the colour and texture of the skin, positive effect on mood and thought, relieves stress, stimulates or soothes the nervous system, eliminates toxic waste from the skin and muscle system, stimulates blood and lymph supply, relieves muscular tension and warms the muscles. 6. Create a client information/after-care advice sheet, to explain the post-treatment restrictions, after-care advice and use of homecare products for stone therapy treatments. There are many physical and emotional benefits to regular stone massage. Stone massage will soothe away stress and tension, leaving you feeling peaceful, relaxed, revitalized and energized and it is becoming a very popular treatment, perfect for promoting a calm mind, balanced emotions, a stress-free body and for maintaining optimum holistic health. Stone massage feels wonderful and healing, it is relaxing and has a positive effect on the mind, emotions, nervous system, circulation and muscles. After your massage you will usually feel relaxed and be enjoying the benefits of the treatment, however to gain maximum benefit it’s a good idea to follow a few simple guidelines for at least 24 hours and preferably 48 hours after you receive your massage. Try to relax and avoid strenuous activity for the rest of the day Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol, fizzy drinks and those containing caffeine Eat light meals and avoid heavy or spicy foods Avoid heat treatments (hot baths, saunas etc) Avoid smoking or cut down as much as possible Following your massage you may experience some of the following symptoms for up to 48 hours Aches, pains or mild flu like symptoms Stuffy, runny or blocked nose Heightened emotions Tiredness or fatigue Increased visits to the toilet Slight worsening of symptoms Irritable or weepy Increased thirst These symptoms are quite normal and are simply a sign that your body is going through a healing process so try to embrace them as something positive and know they won’t last long. Bibliography http://www.pearsonschoolsandfecolleges.co.uk/FEAndVocational/WorkBasedLearning/BeautyTherapy/Level3(NVQSVQ)DiplomainBeautyTherapy/Samples/Level3CandidateHandbooksamplematerial/Level3BeautyTherapyCandidateHandbookUnitB28.pdf