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Andrew Shader Explains Why Waiting to Buy Your New Home Could Cost You

If you’ve been thinking of buying a home, real estate developer Andrew Shader explains that you shouldn’t wait to make your move. Whether you’ll be a first-time homeowner or you’re considering selling your current home and making a new purchase, the decision to move on from your current housing situation brings a lot of opportunities.

It can be easy to get caught in the trap of the waiting game, thinking that holding out for market conditions to improve will open up better deals for you. However, that may not be the best approach.

One of many decisions you’ll need to make during your house-buying journey will be exactly when to make your purchase. To decide whether you should buy now or wait, there are two crucial questions you need to answer thoroughly to make a solid, educated decision:

  • What will house values be like in 2022?
  • By the end of 2022, what will mortgage rates be?

Predictions are never guaranteed, of course. However, you can (and should) do your due diligence and really dig into how the real estate market is shaping up for the upcoming year to help you decide when to buy.

What Will the House Values Be Like in 2022?

Overall, the value of homes has been increasing steadily. There are three main housing industry entities that predict that housing value appreciation will continue through 2022.

Freddie Mac projects that home values will increase 5.3%, while Mortgage Bankers Association predicts an increase of 8.4%, and Fannie Mae projects an increase of 5.1%. Together, the average appreciation rate is 6.27%.

This means that a home that sells for $250,000 today could be valued at $265,675 by the end of 2022. If you wait another year to buy a home, and appreciation does continue to increase (and it very likely will), you’ll pay an extra $15,675 for the house in this example.

By the End of 2022, What Will Mortgage Rates Be?

The historic lows that 30-year mortgage rates are currently hovering at will not last. As the economy continues to recover, Andrew Shader, along with many other experts, believes that mortgage rates will rise.

The three main housing industry entities (Freddie Mac, Mortgage Bankers Association, and Fannie Mae) predict that mortgage interest rates will rise to 3.8%, 4.2%, and 3.2%, respectively.

The average of those three percentages is 3.7%, which is almost a full percentage point higher than current averages. That 1% increase means an increase of tens of thousands of dollars that you’ll pay over the life of your loan.

The time to buy is now, not only because of rising interest rates and home values. If you wait, you might just miss out on a full year of building equity in the home, too.

Who is Andrew Shader?

Andrew Shader is an entrepreneur and a successful real estate developer and investor in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He got his Business Management and Marketing degree from Florida State University. After spending years in the insurance industry, Mr. Shader decided to shift his focus to real estate. Andrew specializes in value-added properties and boosting property value through investment.

 

Buying a Business? Mike Eisenga Clarifies Why You Need a Business Appraisal First

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You’ve been eyeballing a business for a while, and now you are finally ready to buy. That’s great news! However, before purchasing, you should get the company appraised first. In this article, Mike Eisenga – a successful business and real estate investor – explains why you need to appraise the business you are buying.

Mike Eisenga, an accomplished entrepreneur with a background in banking and finance, says that there are multiple benefits of a business appraisal. Below, he explains how appraisers determine a business’s value and how potential buyers can negotiate a deal using what they learned through an appraisal.

What is a business appraisal?

The definition for a business appraisal is an economic analysis or professional engagement directed by an appraiser to determine what a business is worth. The appraiser is essentially the professional who assesses the value of the business being sold to generate a sale price that is fair. Someone who specifically appraises business properties should be an expert in pricing tangible and intangible property to establish a business’s value.

What is the process of a business appraisal?

There is more than one way an appraiser can value a business. Estimates might be determined based on the fair market value method, a liquidation value, a capitalization of earnings valuation, or another type of valuation method.

The fair market value method includes in its value vehicles, equipment, furniture and fixtures, and assets that are intangible. The price a property would sale for on the open market to a willing buyer from a willing seller is what is considered a fair market value.

A liquidation value is deemed the most extreme valuation due to the nature of a business owner only getting a minimum value return while addressing a halted business and quick sell of all assets.

A capitalization of earnings valuation has the future in mind when finding a business’s value. This valuation bases the present value of a company on projected earnings or cash flows for the future.

What are the benefits of an appraisal?

Obtaining a business appraisal will pay back in more ways than one. For anyone who is about to own a business, it is critical to understand company assets better or determine the value of the business through a business appraisal.

By revealing an accurate business valuation assessment, a buyer can factor in proper insurance coverage along with a more precise number on how much the buyer should reinvest back into the business once obtained. A business appraisal can also show today’s resell value of the company and the company’s true value. Buyers should pay attention to the company’s income and growth rate over the past five years. Buying a business to continue it under new management means being smart about what business you buy, and seeing steady, consistent growth over past years is a promising sign.

Potential buyers can also gain insight from a business appraisal that will benefit them while negotiating a deal with the seller. A buyer can see what kind of value they are dealing with and use that to determine an all-in price.

About Mike Eisenga

Mike Eisenga is a successful commercial real estate investor with a banking and finance background and is the former mayor of the City of Columbus. As a President of both American Lending Solutions, a mortgage lending company (he founded and operated from 2000 to 2018), and First American Properties, he has a track record of creating and operating successful businesses. Mr. Eisenga is also devoted to property development and construction, primarily serving smaller local communities. Especially in the senior housing sector.

4 Reasons Why Online Pharmacies Are The Best Option For You

Having access to medication is essential for any human being. With the rise of the Internet, more and more people are relying on technology to replace shopping face-to-face. Of these things, there are an increasing number of online pharmacies giving countless options of medications for every type of individual. There are many reasons to choose web-based shopping over in-person ranging from accessibility, privacy, and variety. With all these reasons, you can see how these stores are making a difference. Let’s take a closer look at the list of reasons why online pharmacies are the best shopping experience for you.

Why Should You Choose Online Pharmacies

1# Convenience

Number one on the list of reasons why online pharmacies are best is the fact that it is highly accessible to everyone. This includes people from remote locations, who do not have access to travel to chemists or who require items that are not found in their local pharmaceutical service. By having a list of medicinal products to choose from, you can guarantee that this will ease your shopping experience. This quickens up the time to buy a product not having to worry about spending a big chunk of your day traveling or physically browsing each aisle for it. Online pharmacies are perfect for busy bees, who do not have the time to fit in a quick shop during their 9-5. You can therefore spend the time focusing on more important things.

2# Privacy

There are some medications that can be embarrassing to shop for. Examples include erectile dysfunction or the morning after pill. This can be a difficult thing to shop for in person. A great way to avoid this situation is through shopping at online pharmacies, allowing you not to give a name to face each time you buy. You can see here that an online pharmacy keeps all your most important information private so that you won’t have to feel embarrassed when purchasing your medication again.

3# Variety

There are a variety of different medications to choose from depending on your particular brand and condition to treat. They can be done in any form ranging from tablets, creams, powders, inhalers, drops, injections, and more. Because of these many forms, you can find the right form that’s designed specifically for you. This is important as some people may have trouble swallowing so therefore prefer a topical solution over an oral one. In comparison to in person chemists, online pharmacies like the Canadian pharmacy will have a variety of different brands to choose from, giving you more options.

4# Affordable

For a cost-effective solution, online pharmacies will offer you deals that you cannot find while browsing through an aisle. You can therefore detect what’s on sale, saving you money that could have been wasted if you had shopped for it in person. You can therefore reduce the cost of your spending on medication, allowing you to save money and time altogether.

Online pharmacies is your best bet for having access to your medication from the comfort of your home. You can relax knowing that you have medicinal solutions that are convenient to shop for, maintains your privacy, and offers a variety of brands to choose from. You can therefore be assured that you’ll have a good shopping experience despite working a 9-5, living in a remote location, or any other issue that impedes you from buying medication in person. In this way, you’ll never have to worry about making your way out into the shops as much because online pharmacies will do it for you.

Embracing Innovations: Bhawna Patkar Discusses How to Adapt to Changing Technology

Innovation is a prerequisite for advancing technology. In this article, entrepreneur and business leader Bhawna Patkar highlights several significant businesses that failed to embrace technological and cultural innovation.

No discussion about businesses that failed to adapt to changing technology is complete without mentioning Polaroid, Blockbuster, and Blackberry. For decades these three have been heralded as the quintessential examples of failing to adapt, but even these companies have not ended up as you may think.

Many people believe that Polaroid’s demise was caused by the company’s refusal to adapt to a growing market for digital cameras, but that’s not quite how it happened. It was the insistence that its movie camera named Polavision, based on the Dufaycolor process, would be more popular than emerging video tape-based systems that ended up being the swan song for Polaroid.

Polaroid was an early provider of digital cameras for the consumer market, but in the end, it was too little too late to save the original company. After complicated legal wranglings, questionable executive bonuses, and changing hands a few times, Polaroid is still around but a mere shadow of the former innovation leader.

Mail-in video services and video vending machines from companies such as Netflix and Red Box, followed by on-demand streaming services from Netflix and a host of other competitors, caused the demise of Blockbuster Video. This one-time leader in videotape rentals had over 9,000 stores and 84,000 employees before a recession and some bad business decisions that could have helped them transition to DVDs and streaming technologies combined to set its course toward bankruptcy.

Of the three oft-cited examples of business failure to adapt to new technology, Blackberry is least deserving of this moniker. In fact, Blackberry is an excellent example of a company that seemingly saved itself from a market share freefall by leveraging technology.

While Blackberry lost the battle for smartphone market share to Apple and the various Android platforms, the company pivoted to become a successful security software and services company. Even as a smartphone company, security was Blackberry’s forte, so it could easily transition to security software and services for government and large enterprises. It hasn’t been easy, but Blackberry has reclaimed at least a portion of its former status as an innovation leader.

These, and other similar examples, serve as a compelling reminder that innovation is king, and companies that hesitate too long can find themselves pushed aside by competitors that were not even on their radar a few years before. Polaroid Cameras, Blockbuster Video, Myspace, and every record store chain are all prime examples of how resting on your laurels can tee a company up for failure.

Finding the right blend of embracing innovation and consistently providing a dependable product or service is an ongoing challenge. It takes a deep understanding of the customers in your business space. Leaders must know what their customers need and constantly strive to find new and better ways to meet those needs.

About Bhawna Patkar

Bhawna Patkar is an entrepreneur and business leader with over a decade of experience launching and developing new business ventures in Silicon Valley. She is the founder, president, and CEO of Ziphawk Inc. — a technology service provider for the rideshare industry. Bhawna’s creativity, drive, and knack for problem solving allow her to solve challenges in both her professional and personal life. Her success aside, Bhawna’s mission has always remained the same: “If businesses believe that doing good can be profitable, then doing good will be sustainable.”

Marketing Professional Julian Narchet Presents 3 Top Digital Marketing Trends for 2023

Digital marketing has become a powerful aspect of any business’s overall marketing and branding plan. New trends in digital marketing pop up every day, says Julian Narchet, a marketing and mass communications professional.

Some of these trends are sure to stay around, while others are bound to be fads that fade away quickly. Below are three digital marketing trends that will be relevant in 2023 and beyond.

  1. Catering SEO to Voice Search

People are using smart home devices such as Google Assistant, Alexa, and Siri at an increasing rate to not just play music or answer questions but to power their homes and perform everyday tasks.

These devices are not only here to stay; they’re likely to attract more and more users in the future as they become cheaper and integrate with various aspects of people’s lives.

Today, people commonly use these digital assistants to perform internet searches for them. Savvy companies understand this and cater their SEO to how people search via voice.

When people pick up a phone or sit down at a computer to search the internet, they type search phrases differently than they speak them to digital assistants.

If you’re searching for the closest pizza shop to your home, you might type a phrase like “pizza shop near me” or “pizza shop Miami.” If you’re asking your digital assistant to search for you, you’ll likely say, “Alexa, where is the closest pizza shop to me?”

When businesses produce content on their websites and social media pages and optimize them for SEO, they do so with these different search phrases in mind.

  1. More Engaging Messaging

Businesses are using AI and automation at an increasing frequency to help them streamline decisions, optimize processes, and make marketing more effective and efficient.

At the same time, consumers today desire marketing that is more personal and more conversational. Brands can integrate targeted messaging by using AI automation so they can engage with consumers while they’re visiting your website, for example.

This can be done through intelligent chatbots fueled by machine learning and natural language processing (NLP). This makes the process more “human-like” and allows consumers to have a real-time conversation with a business as they’re considering making a purchase.

  1. Interactive Content Leads to Data Collection

Building on the last point, consumers today desire to be a part of the process when they’re online. They like to interact with brands, and brands are responding by providing more interactive content.

Julian Narchet says there are innumerable ways businesses can integrate interactivity to improve the user experience and collect a massive amount of data points simultaneously.

Real estate agents, for instance, can add monthly payment calculators to their websites so prospective home buyers can better understand how much of a home they might be able to afford.

Other examples of interactive content include contests, surveys, polls, games, quizzes, and assessments.

About Julian Narchet

Julian Narchet is a marketing and mass communications professional, and a Communications Manager at the University of Miami. He has extensive experience in market research, academic research, research administration, social media, and public relations. He is passionate about making a difference in the lives of others through cooperation with non-profits and healthcare organizations.

How to Choose the Perfect Phone Case

Your phone is more than just an object. It’s an extension of yourself. You use it to check the time, call your friends, check in with work, browse the web for crucial information, and maybe play a few video games here and there. All in all, it’s a pretty important part of your life.

So, how do you protect it and make it reflect your style?

We’re going to help you figure that out with this quick guide to choosing the perfect phone case.

1: Buy A Case Specifically for Your Phone Model

First, make sure any case you buy is made specifically for your phone. Your phone might fit inside of the wrong case, but that doesn’t mean it will work. Every phone has its camera in a different location, crucial buttons for volume control, power, and other functions are in different spots, etc. The wrong case is likely to cover up your camera or buttons even if it fits around the outside of the phone.

2: Go for Protection

Don’t just buy a phone case because it’s cheap or looks pretty. The entire point is that it will protect your phone if you drop it or spill something on it. Make sure the case you buy is made from a durable, thick, material. Some case manufacturers will cut corners and make cases that are thin, flimsy, and downright easy to break. If you go for an option like that, dropping the phone from a reasonable distance can break the case faster than it would the phone.

ABS plastic with rubberized protection in the most vulnerable spots is usually going to provide the best balance between aesthetic appeal, protection, and cost. Most phone cases in this category don’t cost more than $20 bucks, and they’re extremely reliable for the price.

3: Get a Personalized Option

Like we said, your phone is an extension of you. Shouldn’t it reflect your unique personality and style? We think so.

Sure, you can browse several online stores to find a design that is almost perfect for you, but why do that when you can get something custom-made to 100% to reflect your personality?

With personalized phone cases, you can do that. You can pick base colors, graphics, and even come up with your signature saying or inspirational quote to put over your customized backdrop; all without sacrificing protection or quality.

A personalized phone case doesn’t just make your phone look good. It reflects the deep connection you have with your phone, and it makes your unique personality shine without you ever having to say a word. If you’re going to buy a new phone case, it’s worth spending a few extra bucks for one that you’ll want to keep on your phone until the day you finally upgrade it.

Where to Buy Your New Phone Case

As you can see, you need three things from your phone case:

  • Protection
  • Proper fitting
  • A personal touch

Some sellers offer a couple of these features, but you rarely get all three in one phone case. That is until you shop at Expressiffy. Expressiffy will provide you with a fully custom phone case that offers unmatched protection, the perfect shape for your phone, and the personal touch that will make you stand out. Shop at Expressiffy, today!

How You Are Able To Go About Finding Diamond Rings That Sparkle Like No Other

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There can often be a lot of drama that can pop up when people are looking to propose to the person of their dreams. They will have to figure out how they are going to do it and where, they will have to ask the person’s parents for their blessing, they will have to decide what they are going to say, and they will have to choose what they are going to propose with. As this is the kind of moment that people might only experience once in their life, it is important that they are able to get it right.

But this can sometimes be a tricky task and will take a bit of time, effort, and manoeuvring. But when people are willing to put in effort, the chances are that they will get the moment to as close as right as they possibly can. To best help those who are looking to create the right kind of drama around their purchase, this article will dive into how you are able to go about finding diamond rings in Melbourne that sparkle like no other.

Diamond Ring

You are able to go about finding diamond rings that sparkle like no other by doing some research surrounding which brands are the best to invest in

You are able to go about finding diamond rings in Melbourne that sparkle like no other by doing some research surrounding which brands are the best to invest in. There are so many different brands and companies to choose from when it comes to making this kind of purchase which can make things slightly overwhelming for people. As this can be the case, it can be a good idea for people to try to make the task as simple as it can possible be for themselves.

And one of the ways that people can make it as simple for themselves as possible is by looking into what the best brands are to purchase. And people can do this by searching on the internet or they can chat with professionals who work in this kind of area. Or, people can chat with those who have already have made this kind of purchase and who may have some feedback for people.

You are able to go about finding diamond rings that sparkle like no other by making sure that you find the right cut

You are able to go about finding diamond rings in Melbourne that sparkle like no other by making sure that you find the right cut. As well as making sure that people are selecting the right brand, it can also be a good idea for people to make sure that they are choosing the right cut. This is because there can be a huge difference in how a stone will look depending on the cut.

Upon research people will likely find that round options have the most sparkle, however, an oval cut can also achieve that shine and glow that people are really looking for. Having said this, there are lots of other different styles and cuts to choose from ranging from a princess cut to a radiant cut to a cushion cut. And this is why it can be a good idea for people who are new to this subject to simply find professional support and they will be able to ask relevant questions so that they can figure out what the best option is for the person who is proposing and for the one receiving.

How to Safely Store and Dispose of Medication

Medications can do a lot of good, if they are used properly and in the right hands. If they are misused or not stored right, they can cause more damage than good. This is not just true for prescription medicines, either, OTC (over the counter) medications can be just as dangerous if misused. Luckily, this article will tell you everything you need to know about storing and disposing of your medication properly.

Let’s start by talking about the types of medicine misuse that there is. Medicine misuse occurs when someone who isn’t the person prescribed the medication takes the medication. When you take too much of a medication or taking a medicine anyway that it wasn’t prescribed to be taken. Doses, side effects, and instructions are different for everyone and are not the same for everyone, making misusing medications very dangerous.

The most common type of misuse is when someone takes someone else’s medication. Specifically people that are under 18 that find prescription drugs in an unguarded place, like behind the bathroom mirror. Make sure to talk to any children and teens about the dangers of taking medicine that isn’t theirs, in order to avoid this.

The safest way to store your medication, that you were prescribed or that you bought over the counter, is somewhere locked away that other people cannot access. If you need to refrigerate the medication, lock it up in a box to keep it safe and away from any food. Also as recommended by Canadian Pharmacy make sure to listen to your doctor or pharmacist if they specify anything about storing a specific medication.

If you have a teen or child that has to take medication, make sure to monitor the entire process. Make sure that they are taking the right amount and taking it at the time that you have planned with your doctor. If they have a prescription medication that they need to take, it is recommended that you only give them the amount that they are supposed to take at that moment and lock away the rest until it is needed again. It may even be a good idea to keep a family log on the refrigerator, so that you and the child know when and how much was taken each time.

There are a few ways that you can safely dispose of medication, whether you don’t need to take it anymore or it is expired (make sure to talk to your doctor before discontinuing use). Sometimes your pharmacy will give you a package with ‘disposeRx’ which is a safe and easy way to dispose of your medicines. If your pharmacy did not give you this you can use a medicine disposal kiosk or a drug mail back. If none of these options work for you, talk to your pharmacist and they will give you a way to dispose of your medications properly. Make sure to never just throw your medications in the trash, as a child or animals may get a hold of it and be at serious risk.

Stimulate Your Senses with a Range of Romantic Products from R$X&Co.

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Creating the perfect ambiance for a sensual night in all begins with stimulating your senses. R$X&Co. is a company that has been built from a love of fragrances and an appreciation for the sensory benefits that they provide. Founder Rickey Colley has been an advocate for fragrances his whole life, receiving his first cologne in only kindergarten. In 2017, he decided to share his love for fragrant products with the world, creating R$X&Co. a luxury brand ideal for those who appreciate the unmatched appeal of a pleasant aroma.

Rickey Colley
Rickey Colley, CEO and Founder of R$X&Co.

Rickey Colley’s appreciation for fragrance has continued throughout his life. In high school, a neighborhood friend encouraged him to experiment with the wide range of aromas out there, and Rickey began to craft an idea to create his own brand. Inspired by brands such as Joe Malone, Clive Christian, Creed, Baccarat, Tom Ford, New York Bond, and more, R$X&Co.’s signature unisex perfume was born.

R$X&Co.

Colley’s expertise mean that he has an acute awareness of how the human sense of smell operates. The perfume was created with the knowledge that our sense of smell is capable of identifying seven sensations. The ingredients that Colley blends in his perfume ensures that each one of these seven sensations is engaged to the fullest extent. Ingredients such as White Woods, Palo Santo, Oud, Sweet Tobacco, Deep Vanilla and Italian Bergamot, create the irresistible scent of the products from R$X&Co.

Aroma is an incredibly powerful way to set the mood for your romantic evening. Aroma therapy has the ability to both relax the mind and awaken the senses, allowing for an optimal experience. The range of products from R$X & Co. includes the unisex perfume, room and body spray, essential oil, candles, condoms, shower gels, massage oils, and more. There are even a range of luxury gift boxes designed so that you and your partner can truly treat yourselves. For a reasonable price, you can splurge on a range of products that your senses will thank you for.

R$X&Co Founder Rickey Colley

With R$X&Co. you are guaranteed to have an unforgettable evening full of endless possibilities. With fast shipping on all products, this brand has quickly become one of the most sought after for a decadent sensory experience. For those who have been searching for a unique and enticing signature scent, look no further than R$X&Co.

Dharma Ocean Explains Karma and the Body

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This article is adapted from Dharma Ocean Podcast 227: Karma and the Body – Part I, a talk by Dr. Reggie Ray given at the Blazing Mountain Retreat Center in Crestone, Colorado. Dr. Reginald “Reggie” Ray is the Director of the Dharma Ocean Foundation, dedicated to the evolution and flowering of the somatic teachings of the Practicing Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.

In order to fully understand the purpose and the process of the Somatic Meditation with the body, we need to understand the principle of karma with some sophistication. Karma is the second noble truth, or if you like, the structures and processes by which we create suffering for ourselves and others.

According to Buddhism, there are two types of karma. There’s the karma of result, which describes the arising of experiences and situations in the inner and the outer world. These are called the karma of result because they arise based on causes and conditions that we have established in previous lifetimes or at earlier times in the present life.

And the other kind of karma is called the karma of cause. This points to the way in which whenever we act in a self-serving or ego-directed fashion, whenever we do not meet our life directly but seek to slide off to the side or manipulate or ignore, we create more karma toward the future that is later going to ripen and arise as the karma of result.

What do these have to do with Somatic Meditation? According to the yoga traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, the basis of the second noble truth, the cause of our suffering, is that we approach our experience with a kind of thirst—what’s called “tanha” in Pali, which is one of the ancient languages of Buddhism.

By thirsting, or longing, we create karma. What is this thirst? It is really a thirst for a solid concept of ourselves. It is a kind of thirst that is in-grown, self-absorbed, and solipsistic. We thirst. We yearn to be something definite and continuous, something safe, secure, protected. We have a concept of ourselves that we have built up, and we thirst to perpetuate and aggrandize and defend and augment that idea we have of ourselves, that self that we think we are or want to think we are.

So our ego-mind is one-pointed in its desire, and it accepts and rejects experience in accordance with the idea of ourselves that we’re trying to defend and maintain. It actually blocks unwanted information completely from our awareness so that we can maintain our ego version of ourselves. However, our body is a much more neutral and, frankly, wise experiencer. When things arise for us as humans, they are known initially by the body, which knows in all kinds of ways and without judgment. Sometimes people think the body is defined only by the five senses, the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and the body. Those certainly are gateways for the experience of the body, but the body knows in many other ways. The body has an intuitive sense of things. It knows directly and in an unmediated, unfiltered way. As recent book titles declare, “the Body Knows the Answer,” “the Body Knows the Truth.”

There are now machines, computers, and sensitive electromagnetic sensors that can measure the response of the body to anything that comes within its field of perception.

If we present an apple to a person who is allergic to apples, even if that person has no idea of their allergy, the body will tense up in a very subtle manner. On a more gross level, if someone is talking to us and we’re wanting to believe them, our body reads the situation in a very objective and unsentimental fashion and perhaps knows they’re lying. And at night, we may have a dream where that person is exposed as a liar. And when we think back, we notice that, in fact, we did have some kind of subliminal sense of that person’s non-truth but didn’t want to acknowledge it.

We could go through thousands of phenomena in the world of all kinds. And when the body meets those phenomena, there’s a kind of direct experience that arises, whether or not we are consciously aware or admit that knowledge into our consciousness. We may find out later what the body knows through dreams, through a sudden flash of insight, through a “gut feeling,” through our heart’s pain, through becoming ill, through becoming tense.

You could say that it’s only because the body knows first in a complete and objective sway that we can then react with ego attitudes of passion, aggression, or ignorance toward the experience that has arisen in the body. The natural state, the unborn mind, the unborn awareness, is actually the ultimate essence of what our body is. Within that open and empty realm, there’s all kinds of energy that circulates—it is the energy of the experience. When we strip down to the primordial body, that is what our awareness is like. That is what our experience is like, and the ego-mind is constantly reacting to that openness and energy with reactions to try to domesticate that primordial experience in such a way that it does not compromise or disconfirm our ego. So the body knows in a direct and unobstructed manner, and the ego is always trying to ignore, filter, and block out that knowledge.

About Dharma Ocean Foundation

Dharma Ocean is a non-profit global educational foundation that focuses on somatic meditation as the way to help students – of any secular or religious discipline, by teaching them the importance of embodiment in both meditation and their daily lives as taught in the “practicing lineage” of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. The foundation was established in 2005 by scholar, author, and teacher Dr. Reggie Ray, and is located in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Southern Colorado.