Installing Linux Mint 20.2 Cinnamon on Acer Chromebook 14 CB3-431 (Edgar)

Posted on 10/09/2021 by n2n

Important update!!! (4/25/2023)

Thanks to Steve, a capable visitor of this post (see comments for our conversation), he has the updated instructions for the installation (make sure to first read point 1 in his notes about the change).

Is This a Good Idea for You? (10/9/2021)

That is for you to decide after you’ve read through what I encountered during installation and initial uses on this model as PURE Linux Mint 20.2 machine. (Take me straight to the instructions.)

What I Went Through

I have some experiences with computers (very little with Linux). It took me more than 7 dedicated days to get Linux Mint installed. The main issue was not having any one particular source to explain the entire process dedicated to the Acer Chromebook 14 CB3-431 (Edgar).

The biggest hurdles for the installation

Verify the Linux Mint ISO image*: This step was difficult unless you already have a Linux system running somewhere. The first time I downloaded the ISO, I was so frustrated I skipped the verification. It was only after I’ve installed Mint was I able to run the Authenticity Check from the Linux Mint terminal window**.

If you want to make sure the downloaded ISO file is safe and error-free, you can verify the ISO as instructed by Linux Mint or search for the solution online for your operating system.

*ISO image is like a digital version of the installation CD.

**Terminal Window is a window that simulates an old physical terminal that only takes text input and displays only text on the screen. And those lines the text input are called Line Commands.

Making a bootable USB for installation: The most popular tool, Etcher, did not work with my Chromebook and the other computer (the OS is too old). After checking other tools, the best solution for me was the Chromebook Recovery Utility extension.

Making the Chromebook boot from USB: Many of the installation instructions online did not mention the need to modify BIOS to allow Chromebook to boot from a non-Chromebook recovery USB. And you have 2 hardware related options for BIOS modification:

A full BIOS rewrite: this option requires opening up the unit and remove the write protection screw but boots up faster.
Only changes the crossystem flag BIOS to allow booting from USB, you don’t need to open your laptop but you will need to press ctrl-l after each power-up and reboot with a much longer boot time.

The instructions here is only for people like me who don’t want to open their laptops. Please read Firmware Utility Script on MrChromebox.tech before choosing an option.

Notable Items During Initial Normal Use

The internal speakers and headphone did not work though I did find a solution.

The top row of the keyboard did not work, I did not find a working solution. And I had to assign them as hotkeys in the end and was not able to get all of them working.

Microphone doesn’t work, no solution so far. On the upside, no one can listen in without you knowing.

Timeshift (like Time Machine in Mac) eats up a lot of drive space which is very limited on this Chromebook. Though Linux Mint asks you to enable in the “Welcome” box, I suggest to only use it with an large external drive if you find Timeshift necessary.

Before You Start

The entire process is long and complicated, I found it useful to print out the instructions I’ve collected, read through them at least once, if not to understand what I am told to do, at least I know what to expect. When I had questions during the process I used the printouts for problem finding and solving.

It’s might also be helpful to have another working computer nearby to follow these instructions during the process or to search for a solution when something unexpected happens.

Phase 1: Preparations

Back up all the data on your Acer Chromebook
Fully charge your laptop
Be patient because it might take many tries to get it just right for you
Note the post date is Oct. 9, 2021 so always check if there are up-to-date instructions out there

Phase 2: Make TWO Bootable USBs

You will be using the “Chromebook Recovery Utility Extension” on your Chromebook to make both USBs. Make sure you don’t need anything on these USBs, they will be wiped out.

USB #1: Chromebook Recovery USB

This USB let’s you revert to the Chromebook factory settings if you run into trouble during installation and want to start over.

Have a USB ready (8 GB or larger, note that everything on it will be wiped)
Read the instructions from Chromeready first
Run the “Chromebook Recovery Utility Extension” as instructed
In the “Identify your Chromebook” step, record your model name in case you ever need to make a recovery USB from a Chrome browser on other computers
When the recovery USB is made, click on “Create another” instead of Done.

USB #2: Bootable Linux Mint Installation USB

Download the ISO for Linux Mint Cinnamon by picking a server listed. The file most likely would be in your “Downloads” folders. (Read my note above if you want to verify the ISO image.)
Rename .iso to .bin
Have another USB ready (8 GB or larger, note that everything on it will be wiped)
Make the installation USB by following instructions from Chromeready.

Phase 3: Enable the Development Mode

Follow step 1 to 7 from the “How to Install Linux on a Chromebook” section.
Be prepared for your Chromebook will be wiped back to Factory Settings.
This will take a while, just let the process run on its own until Chrome OS is back again.
At the “Welcome to Chromebook” page, just follow through like you are setting up a new unit using your Chromebook login name and password.

Phase 4: Install Crouton

Crouton allows you to run the script to modify BIOS.

Open a Chrome browser window
Go to the Crouton Usage section in Crouton’s GitHub page.
Read and follow ONLY the “If you’re just here to use crouton” paragraph to download and install Crouton. (NOTE: Press ctrl-alt-t opens a new Terminal Window tab–“Chrosh”)
You can copy each highlighted text, switch to the Crosh window, then right click to paste it.
Keep the Crosh window open, you’ll need it to Modify BIOS

Phase 5: Modify BIOS

This enables you to boot from your installation USB.

I think it’s the best if you know what you are about to do with the BIOS. Read and understand this step by reading everything from MrChromebox.tech. AGAIN, this method is for people who don’t want to open their units to remove the BIOS write protection screw and can tolerate pressing keys and longer boot time after each boot up.

Open “ChromeOS Firmware Utility Script” page
Below the “IMPORTANT” heading, find “To download and run this script under ChromeOS, from a terminal/shell type:” paragraph
Copy and paste the commands into Chrosh as before.
At the “ChromeOS Device Firmware Utility” screen, enter “1” then “y”
Back at the main menu, press “p” to power off.

Phase 6: Booting from the installation USB

Insert the installation USB if it’s not already
Press the power key
At the “Verification is off” screen, press ctrl-l
Choose “Start Linux Mint” and hit Enter

Phase 7a: Test run Linux Mint

Leave it to let Linux Mint from the USB, so you can try it without a actual installation.

Phase 7b: Install Linux Mint

If you are ready to install click on the Install Linux Mint icon. (ChromeOS will now be wiped out for good.)
Use the Linux Mint installation guide as a reference
Read my note on Timeshift before enabling it as the “welcome” window suggests

Phase 8: Fix sound, keyboard, and microphone issues

“Fixes for Ubuntu-based Distros” provide the fixes to speaker, headphone output problems.

The keyboard fix there didn’t work for me. I did manual hotkey set up for as many top row keys as I could.

I was unable to find solution to make the internal microphone work.

Normal Booting Process

You will always have to press ctrl-l at each power-up and restart
Never press spacebar at the “Varification is off” screen
It seems to take much longer to get to the login screen, that is normal

Problems? Errors?

I reverted the Acer back to factory settings to write this post as I went through the installation, hopefully I didn’t miss anything. If you feel more details is needed when you go through it, please leave a comment and help other people out. Thank you!

Pendulum: Tips for the Frustrated Beginners

Posted on 09/27/2019 by n2n

The most frustrating phase for a pendulum newbie is the “accuracy uncertain” period. It’s worse than getting it wrong all the time. Lucky for me, I received excellent tips from friends skilled in the art of pendulum.

If you are a super fresh newbie, first search online for basic instructions. These tips are more for people who have started trying but just can’t be accurate and consistent.

Carry the Pendulum with You

The first day I did it, though only for 3-4 hours, I started getting better results and it was not a from something like “I live on the Earth”. These answers were for Bengston charged cotton (in %) and other items that required number values.

Tried? Nap and Try Again Later

Writing from experience, using the pendulum while your energy is low results in even more inconsistent and inaccurate outcomes than your actual skill might produce. This can only lead to more frustration.

Ground Yourself Before Practice

You can use any energy grounding method you know, I use the white light meditation from Dougall Fraser.

I happened to have just gotten his 10 Color Meditations as a bonus when I bought Your Life in Color. Now I have the 9-minute version on my mp3 player. The deal is still good as of today, 9/27/2019, not sure when it will end so check here if the book is already on your wish list.

Ask for Divine Help

It could be from any higher power of your choosing. I just go with my spirit guides. So far, I’ve only asked for accuracy and precision since what I need is usually a number. And depending on your purpose, add things like “for the healing of” or “for the highest good of”. Remember to thank your spirit guides and the pendulum for their assistance.

Use a Statement Instead of a Question

It’s easier for the pendulum to react to a statement. Try asking yourself “Am I feeling well?” and then say to youself “I am feeling well.” see how different they feel. The statement leave less leeway in your reponse which reflects the same effect in the pendulum’s movement.

Feel the Swing

Tune into the pendulum‘s movements as you practice. Eventually, you will be able to sense the energy in the movements and the knowing that it’s not directed by your conscious intent but by the shared universal intelligence.

Still Stuck?

Get more help from David and Erina Cowan!

In their video, Dowsing with David and Erina Cowan, they explain the background and basics of dowsing then they go through and debug many issues that might be preventing you from getting quality results.

In their book, Dowsing Beyond Duality: Access Your Power to Create Positive Change, you can get more details about clearing using a pendulum. The book also show you how to use your pendulums to solve many problems.

I also use the 0-10 chart in the book vs. narrowing the range statements to see if the numbers from both are the same. And the results are at most 1 point off when they are not way off from each other. So the chart is also a helpful validation tool.

Trust You Can + Practice, Practice, Practice!

Confidence and training are the two things both of my friends mentioned. I am definitely doing better as I practice a little everyday. So, stop saying you are bad at this and keep trying!

Day Dreaming: Don’t Do What I Did

Posted on 09/10/2019 by n2n

Visualizing a desired future with all senses and emotions is a key element for manifesting and I have never been good at it. One day when I was chatting with a friend. The awkward pauses in the conversation gave me pause.

A Typical Example

Friend:	I want to have my wedding at the Grand Floridian in Disney World.
Me:	Why? It’s so muggy there, you’re going to be miserable in your wedding dress. Can’t even imagine how the guys are going to survive in their tuxes.
[ — 1 micro pause — ]
Friend:	I will just have the wedding in the winter. Their holiday decorations are legendary, even a life-size gingerbread house.
Me:	Well, you better start saving your money now. I’m pretty sure Grand Floridian is the most expensive resort there. You and your guests will end up spending 10x more than other destination weddings.
[ — 2 micro pauses — ]
Friend:	By that time, my future husband and I will be very successful, each doing what we love. We’d have enough to take everyone with us on a vacation!
Me:	How are you going to find that husband? You just started this job, you don’t even have time to date.
[ — a very long pause — ]

This is the point the friend would change subject. Mind you, I would know 100% that she was not really wedding planning but I just had to inject real world considerations. In the process, I destroyed the excitement and dampened the potentiality of her having an amazing husband, a great career, and a wonderful nuptial celebration.

The Troubles of a Realist

Though I was never that bad, I did take the fun out of day dreaming for everyone, myself included. After some contemplation, I think I might have found the first two bugs in my visualization process.

Being practical = attachment to the outcome

Attachement and control hurt the manifesting process — Letting go = vision to reality

This is a big no-no for manifesting as you may already know. Being a realist ties your vision firmly into the known world in which your vision can only ever stay a vision.

The act of surrendering detaches your vision to the existing energy configuration, allowing your vision to first take shape in the energy field, arranges “coincidences” that eventually lead you to your manifested vision.

Being practical = being a control freak

Most of us tries to control how things go in our lives and while it’s crucial for a functional life, it prevents your dreams from manifesting.

To me, this control smells more like the fear of loss and failure. We want so much for the vision to come true, we can’t help but confine ourselves with “reality”. That backfires because we don’t yet know how the Universe works, this control builds the impenetrable walls that box in what is and keep out what is possible.

I am so grateful that my enlightened friends for not dumping this dream crusher and I am happy to report that there are no more pauses while we day dream together.

…I am visualizing myself day dreaming away, soaring free, and the sky is no limit.

Bengston Workshop Experience + Tips

Posted on 06/30/2019 by n2n

Bengston Energy Healing Method® is the most interesting healing method I’ve experienced so far. I learned it from a practitioner who has been treating me for allergic skin reaction to household detergents and chronic respiratory congestion.

My skin has been clear for a long while now except for the occasional encounters with allergens. And the congestion is so mild now it doesn’t bother me much anymore.

Workshop Experience

Dr. Bill Bengston is a serious scientist with a serious sense of humor. As tired was I was through the entire 4 days of workshop, I only dozed off in the last 15 minutes of the last day and it wasn’t because I was bored.

What I Love About The Bengston Method

Bill developed and tested the method in the lab and he has the photos and data to back it up. Watch Bill explain what he does.
Bill always thank the receivers (even animals) because by them accepting the healing, they are giving him what he wants–healing of themselves.
We (anyone using the Bengston method) do not heal, our job is to deliver the healing energy from the Universe to the recipients. Healing while keeping your ego in check, I LOVE it!
He thinks our body is smart, it takes what it needs from the healing energy, and it knows what needs to be fixed first, so the symptom you want to heal might not happen for a while. If there is nothing in the way of clearing the symptom, it will go away sooner than later.
Once you mastered the method, it’s almost effortless.

Signing up

If you only want to get an idea of the method and what it can do, go for the first evening research lecture at a very reasonable price. If you want to learn the method, sign up for the Two Day Workshop.

And if it’s possible, attend the Advanced Practice Day, too. On the Advanced Practice Day, you get more time to ask all types of questions, learn more ways to apply healing, and practice some more.

You can see Bill’s video on the workshop for more information.

Advanced Practice Day is Special

When I arrived at the workshop that last day, I noticed a very clear mood shift from the two previous days. People were excited to start the day. It was like someone had turned on an energy motor that morning, not only there was a smooth flow of energy in the room, there were happy vibes.

Before and During the Workshop

If you are a total newbie to the Bengston Energy Healing Method®, I suggest reading his book, The Energy Cure, and/or start practicing “cycling” from his Hands On Healing training cd set before the workshop.

Because all newbies struggle at the beginning, it’s better to have something to build on before you get to the workshop. This way, you’d know better what to listen for and what to ask. You would also benefit from practicing with a large group and chatting with other participants. Often there are experienced practitioners in attendance to help you out as well.

And no worries about getting bored. Dr. Bengston is always sharing new ideas and findings.

Tips

Leave your ego, expectation, experiences at the door. Trying to impose these onto the Bengston Method might become an obstacle in mastering it.

Channel your inner mad scientist! “Can I do such and such?” Many participants would ask. Dr. Bengston would always answer “I don’t know, try it!”

Have fun with cycling. It could be having silly things on your cycling list that make you happy, or doing experiments on charging water or cotton, or testing things out on a plant, or just coming up with new ways to do any Bengston related activities all the time.

In the case of cycling, routine is the enemy.

Everyone is unique, so what and where you feel the cycling might be different than others. No need to compare or worry, just trust yourself.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

Cycling on your own can be very lonely, especially when you have tons of questions and no where to ask. So, ask about the practice groups to join after the workshop. It’s a great way to find answers and all the ways people are using the Bengston Energy Healing Method®.

Cycling with a group also seem to create a resonance that amplifies the combine strength of the energy, as some might be able to feel during the workshop.

Liberated!

During a hands-on healing practice, my friend who is relatively new to the Bengston Method, felt the resistance on the top of my head and kept her hand there for a good while. Then I discovered the sensation in my front right skull whenever I cycle was gone.

“How am I to know if I am cycling???” I thought about it for a while. Instead of letting it stop me, I decided to be like an electron–take the path of least resistance. I let go!

Not having the sense of control it’s like:

Letting the rocket go free in the outer space at the top speed.
Taking the training wheels off and leaving no attachment to the process and the outcome. This is very important for the manifesting process as you may already know.

As you can see, it’s even possible for a newbie to deliver healing. So, to all who are attending the workshop, say “YES” to your Jedi Power!

Qi and Torsion Field (氣與撓場)

Posted on 06/05/2019 by n2n

While learning The Bengston Energy Healing Method®, I found out how this healing energy can be stored in water (i.e. by charging water), and when tested with a pendulum the direction of spin can be detected. It sounded very much like what I’ve learned about Qi in Dr. Si-Chen Lee‘s book, Scientific Qi Gong (科學氣功).

In the book, he concluded that Qi is also a Torsion Field force. And in order to benefit from the special characteristics of the Torsion Field in charging water and other chargeable organic medium, I watched Dr. Lee’s talk about Qi and Torsion Field (氣與撓場 in Mandarin Chinese). This is my best attempt to share what I’ve learned with non-Chinese speakers.

What is Qi?

In the Chinese culture, Qi is the most basic element in the Universe, and everything is the result of the changes in Qi. When applied to the physical body, Qi’s movement is the source of our living energy.

In Chinese language, Qi is used with plethora of words to describe the quality of nature, physical/mental states, personalities, even cultural characteristics.

The ancient Chinese somehow knew about the special qualities of Qi. Water absorbs Qi and Wind/Air scatters Qi. And they applied them as the basic principles of Feng Shui (Wind Water).

Qi Gong is the practice of adjusting breathing and mindful movements to achieve a smooth flow through all meridians every 24 hours, delivering healing instructions (from the genes’ innate intelligence) to help your body heal itself.

What is a Torsion Field?

Torsion Fields were discovered by the Russian professor N.P. Myshkin in the late 1800s and detected by Russian scientist Dr. N.A. Kozyrev. Since it is not gravity, electromagnetic force, strong force, nor weak force, a Torsion Field is also called the “fifth force”.

A graphic representation of the Torsion Field (From Dr. Lee’s paper)

Gravity is the effect of the curve of space-time caused by the presence of a mass in motion, not an actual force. Due to the complexity in the math and the near zero influence, rotation is ignored in Einstein’s theory of general relativity. In 2011, NASA proved the existence of this rotation in space-time (frame-dragging).

Anything that spins and/or rotates has a Torsion Field. Every self-spinning particle has its Torsion Field. When atoms combine into molecules, the smaller Torsion Fields form a larger Torsion Field, and that is represented in what we actually see though a microscope.

Explaining spin in quantum physics (The Science Asylum)

The same principle applies to everything. But we can’t see the Torsion Field in everyday objects because their atoms are usually in a state of disorder in which their Torsion Fields cancel each other out.

The combination of self-spinning and rotation can create a dynamic Torsion Field that can propagate and can produce a wave in time. When a self-spinning object is in a frame-dragging space-time, and its Torsion Field is at a certain non-zero value, the object may behave like a particle in the quantum state, with a self-spin that switches between up and down.

The Special Qualities of Torsion Field

Torsion Field is everywhere like gravity. It doesn’t lose energy in propagation, it only changes the self-spin state of materials.
Torsion Field is not constricted in the Light Cone, so it can reach back into the past. It can also reach into the future.
The Torsion Field’s self-spinning structure remains for a while even after the source has been removed. It needs time to return to a neutral state.

Proving Qi is a Torsion Field

Dr. Lee first used the Torsion Field Generator to project the energy into water. He measured the changes in the size of the water molecule cluster before and after receiving the Torsion force. The results showed that the energy breaks up the clusters into smaller ones. He also noticed smaller changes in cleaner water.

From previous experiences, Dr. Lee knew that crystal energy and Qi share the same characteristics. So, he projected crystal energy though different filters and detected the changes with the help of an energy-sensitive person.

In the end, Dr. Lee proved both energies were not affected by aluminum. They were intercepted by water, as described in the Feng Shui principle.

Other Interesting Observations

Certain holy words (when written in the appropriate languages)/symbols attracts a Torsion Field and can be used to contain the Torsion Field.
Any 2D/3D spiral and geometric structure can change its Torsion Field in the space it occupies, much like how locations and environments matter in Feng Shui. For example, the energy projected onto any side of a pyramid-shaped object would come out from the bottom or from the top point of the pyramid.
An energy-sensitive person can feel the residual Torsion Field after the source has been removed.
Water can store a Torsion Field’s message/structure. (as in how the The Bengston Energy Healing Method® charges water with healing information).

(Note: I am sure there are mistakes both in my understanding and my translation, so please do more research on your own).

Past Life Healing: Brutal Force Style

Posted on 04/12/2019 by n2n

Sadness welled up, triggered by simple lyrics, a song about life after the passing of his love. Only this sadness didn’t feel like mine. I am living a blessed life. After several weeks, when this sadness still surfaced with the song during random plays, determined to release this emotion, I decided to face it head-on, brutal force style.

Bringing Past Life Pain to the Surface

The morning of a day with nothing scheduled, I put on my headphone, set to loop just this one song, took a deep breath, and braced for what’s coming.

I want to watch you leave, follow behind you wondering the streets.
I’m waiting for you to turn and look at me then decide to stay eventually.

The tears came. I was watching a little boy and I was the little boy. He was peeking through a slit in a shabby wooden door as his father walked away from the lens maker’s work shed.

I want to take your little hand and say let’s go home.

I was crying now. The sorrow was deep yet without a solid root in me.

The boy was almost sure his father would change his mind the very next moment and take him home. A father who marked his anger all over his little boy’s body and heart. A father who hated his son for taking his wife’s life during the childbirth.

Talking with my Past Life Self

The boy knew that was only wishful thinking. His silent cry rang inside me, “Don’t leave me here, take me with you!”

I stepped forward and wrapped him in my arms. He looked up and said “Why doesn’t anyone love me?”

“I love you. Whenever you need a hug, think of me, you will feel me here with you.” I let him cried a little longer.

“You have to forgive the grown ups, they don’t know what you are doing to themselves and to you. You are strong, don’t ever give up. I am always here for you.”

Shifting to The End of His Life

He was dying and I was keeping him company. He was forced into the army, now wounded and bleeding to death on the battle field.

I held him and said “You can let go now, you’ve done your best.” After he left his body, I sent my gratitude along.

“Thank you. Your strength to survive this long allowed our soul to go forward in your lifetime. I will work to release the pain and always be grateful for what you have contributed to the growth of our soul.”

More Notes

The scenes I described did not appeared to me visually. I only sensed the events happening. I’ve made peace with not being able to “see” as many intuitive people can.

I only knew about this past life from a session with Ainslie MacLeod. Though this felt like real-time, I was not “reliving” that life as many people experience in the past life regressions.

As I was writing the drafts of this post, the sadness still returned when I read the lyrics. A friend then offered to use ETF (Emotional Freedom Techniques or tapping) to release this past life trauma.

When she was done, she mentioned it was easier than expected and that I must have processed a lot of it already. I guess my Brutal Force Style healing did work, just not as fast as ETF.

Later, I tested it again on my own by reading the lyrics and listening to the song and the same emotion did not return.

Simple Ingredients Rice Flour Baking

Posted on 03/27/2019 by n2n

Rice for Wheat

Medical Medium Life-Changing Foods by Anthony William

Once I understood that “Small Annoyances Must Die!“, I cut wheat, dairy, and eggs (was already off corn for the Round-Up gene contamination) as suggested by Anthony William in Life-Changing Foods to stop many little health issues along with other healing methods I will be writing about in the future. That left me with rice being the main option to replace wheat.

In my search for options, I was surprise how hard it is to find vegan + gluten-free + organic options in my local natural food market.

Stop Faking My Food

Besides that, many gluten-free breads and gluten-free mixes contains ingredients that I want to avoid (corn based additives, xanthan gum, sugar, modified cellulose, certain oils, etc.), some because of the health implications, some because I just want simple, basic ingredients.

Let’s face it, rice will never taste like wheat. Just get over it and stop judging rice bake goods as the wheat ones. We have already done so much harm to our bodies faking sugar, meat, butter, and many more.

Cook or Die… A Little

To have a say in what’s in my food, I ended up spending much more time in the kitchen. Stir-fry, curry, and many Asian dishes are perfect to go with rice. But I still need some bake goods for when I am short on time. By luck, I caught Medical Frontiers Special – Search for Superfoods in Niigata on NHK World.

In the last segment, rice flour baking expert, Sakumi Tamori showed us 3 rice based baking recipes. I’ve only baked the cookies and the scones so far.

My Baking Experiments

I first tried to make my own rice flour but my little Vitamix S50 wasn’t powerful enough, and my cookies turned out a bit grainy. So I switched to Bob’s Red Mill Organic White Rice Flour.

The cookies also were too hard for me, I swapped out some potato starch with tapioca flour and added some baking powder. And to save time, I scooped my dough into little domes, rolling and cutting was too messy as well.

For the scones, my savory version uses sweet potato in place of the banana and added my grounded herb mix (also per Anthony‘s suggestions), chopped onion, garlic, green onion, and jalapeño. I then freeze them for when I don’t have time to cook.

I also use ~~local~~ ~~raw honey~~* organic brown coconut sugar instead of sugar in both recipes. As for the rice oil suggested in the video, I use refined sesame oil (445°F smoking point) since I am not sure if what we can get in the States are the same thing as the Japanese ones.

Cheating A Little Is Not A Sin

I understand that majority of people don’t have the luxury to cook all the time. Anthony mentioned just do your best to cut down on the ingredients that are not good for you.

I cheat when I am super hungry/busy/lazy but I do try to pick the best options from the deli of my local natural food store. After all, we do die sooner from hunger than from a little unhelpful food.

[ * Honey turns toxic when heated over 40°C (104°F) ]

Small Annoyances Must Die!

Posted on 02/02/2019 by n2n

Fine, it may sound over the top but they were slowly killing my spirit and taking my health with it.

One day some years ago, I snapped at a family member, it was the wake-up call telling me that I was no longer my happy self. The stress of dealing with details from work and from taking care of people and things had got to me.

Fixing Big Things Is Not Enough

Luckly, even though I was struggling, I had enough energy left to fight back hard. I changed how I work, Konmari-cleaned my room, and did my best not to push myself too hard. Still, I was tired, irritable, extremely indecisive, plus, feeling stuck, alone, and helpless. All signs pointed to depression.

Hunting Down My Inner Energy Vampire

If fixing big things didn’t finished the job, what else was draining my energy and joy?

Then I remembered why Konmari method works. The process helped me remove the noises in my environment and inefficiency in my everyday tasks. When I was done, not only I ended up with a space I want, I am saving time, energy, and grief every time I reach for something I need.

Small Annoyances = Noises of Life

Once I realized this, I observed how I move through the day, a major pattern emerged. I was constantly stopping to clear my nose and throat, an issue I had lived with for a long time. Though the respiratory congestion was never severe enough to see a doctor, once I noticed that I could not un-see how it consumed my life.

Since then I have been working to cure it and I will be sharing my experiences in future posts. In the process, I am also solving other little things that annoy me, something simple like replacing heavy pans with lighter ones for easy cleaning and handling.

Must Small Annoyances Die?

Living with small annoyances is like being in the stop-and-go traffic.

It demands your constant attention (induces fatigue).
It is a danger to your life (brings on road rage, increases chance of accidents).
If you do it everyday then it turns into a chronic, sometimes permanent, mental and physical illnesses.

So yes, be like the Dalek with tiny irritations,

EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!

Lynne McTaggart’s Intention Masterclass: Experiences + Advice

Posted on 01/08/2019 by n2n

This Post Is for…

I am assuming you are here because you have read the course description for the latest “The Power of Eight Intention Masterclass” and want to know what it would be like before you sign up.

Hear from a past Intention Masterclass participant

If you have not, Lynne teaches this online course every year and she updates the contents with her growing knowledge and experiences. So instead of linking you to the class page, visit Lynne’s site, signup for the newsletter or watch for early-bird discount near the end of the year.

Before you go on, please keep in mind these are my own experiences and opinions, know that you might have a very different experience.

First, Learn The Basics with Lynne

Every week of the 6 weeks when Lynne teaches live, you will learn the science and the basics of intending and practice with randomly assigned classmates.

[Advice] Don’t get frustrated or discourage if you can’t get the results like some. Just keep practicing, you need time to learn the skills and to accept and recognize that you, too, have those amazing abilities. I thought I didn’t learn much the first time through but now that I have done it a second time, I see I was building on my efforts back then.

[Advice] If you are paired with someone you click with be sure to find a way to contact each other so you’d have a practice partner before the yearlong groups are assigned. Lynne creates a FB group for each year, usually that would be the place to search if you didn’t get a chance to exchange info during the class.

The Best Starts After The Masterclass Ends

For me, the yearlong group experiment is why the tuition is worth every penny.

The Power of Eight: Harnessing the Miraculous Energies of a Small Group to Heal Others, Your Life, and the World — Learn more about intending in small group

After the 6 lectures, Lynne and her team will do their best to assign 10-12 people into a group so there is a better chance of having 8 members making it to each meeting.

Lynne will ask for a monthly report to check your progress until about 12 months after the first lecture. So if your group starts meeting quickly, you would get about 10 months.

From Lynne’s experience, 8 works the best, you can learn more from her book The Power of Eight: Harnessing the Miraculous Energies of a Small Group to Heal Others, Your Life, and the World.

My first time through the class, we were left with 3 people at the end, though we still saw some results, this group did not meet again after the year ended.

It was a good thing though, I was not at a very good place mentally and physically. I needed a break after a year of not missing a single meeting.

Second Time Is The Charm

After making some life changes, I was slowly getting better. When Lynne’s early-bird offer came, I decided to try again. This time, I connected with a member soon after the group assignment. And before the first group meeting, two of us intended for a group with wonderful members to grow and learn with. And it worked!

We were one of the groups that started regular meeting quickly. Even with privacy and technical concerns, everyone was gamed and did what one could to learn the secured social media and online meeting platforms.

Our Group of Love And Light

Our members are supportive, forward moving, kind, easy to work with, highly enlightened, intelligent, and humorous, I can go on for a while here. Every week, together, by intending and problem solving (adjusting the intention statements to be more effective), we bonded as a circle of love and light. I am proud to say we have pretty good results in helping ourselves and others this year.

Thanks to my group mates, I am happier, more confident, and has regained most of the energy and health I used to have. And after years of asking for an answer, I figured out a firm new direction to go as a writer but without the stress and pressure I felt. Not all the results came directly from specific intentions but 100% brought to me by my group mates!

With them, I can speak freely and not worry about sounding crazy or silly. It’s a great feeling to find this many like minded people and be with them every week. At the end of the year and there were still 7-8 participants every week. There were people who dropped off or switched earlier on but new members just fit right in. It is not a coincident who came to be in our group.

[Advice] To get most out of the class, prepare to commit to attend the group meetings for the whole year. If you can’t do that and still want to try, perhaps Lynne’s live, in-person Intention Workshops would be a better choice.

Have Goals, Not Expectations

Having solid reasons for taking this class would keep you on track as you intend during the year. They are also a good way to track your progress.

Not having any expectation about the class might bring you many unexpected gifts by not setting limits to what may come your way.

Be Kind & Have Patience

You may experience technical/admin issues during the year, remember that Lynne and her team are dealing with a large group of people, know that they always try to provide us as best as they are able.

Giving by Receiving

Like me, most people find it hard to receive, through both of my groups, I leaned that receiving is also an important part of intending.

Being a good receiver in general, it could be as simple as accepting a compliment with grace, allows you to sync up better with the receivers of your intentions which helps you deliver your gifts with better results. At the same time, there is a better chance for your own intention to manifest since you are better prepared to receive.

My Intention for You

Whether you end up taking the course or not, be like a Jedi, as I feel sometimes when practicing the art of intending, May The Force Be with You!

Scientific Qi Gong (科學氣功)

Posted on 10/15/2017 by n2n

Qi, even to most Chinese is a mysterious force that only kung-fu masters possess, much like the powers comic book superheroes have.

In 2016, Prof. Si-Chen Lee (李嗣涔), published Scientific Qi Gong (科學氣功), explaining the science behind Qi Gong through his experiments, research, and personal journey.

Is Qi Real?

In kung-fu novels, Qi is often used to heal or to hurt people. With the help of Qi Gong Master Lee (李鳳山), showed that healing Qi increased DNA replication, harmful Qi slowed replication and even damaged some DNA chains in chromosomes.

From his experiments, Prof. Lee thought that since Qi can affect other objects, Qi must be a fundamental force that exists everywhere like the gravity.

What Is Qi?

By chance, Prof. Lee learned about the Torsion Field, the twisting of space-time.

After comparing Torsion Field’s properties with a passage from an ancient document, “Qi can be interrupted by water and scattered by wind” (氣，界水則止，遇風則散。)

He also proved this statment from his experiment by projecting a massy source energy through a crystal.

He then concluded Qi is a torsion field.

How Does Qi Gong Work?

Prof. Lee suggests that Qi Gong activates Qi to adjust the body’s muscular system, smoothing out the body’s communication networks to allow the collagen protein to pass on the repair commands from the master gene to every cell before the next round of regeneration.

Qi Gong ensures the commands are delivered without blockage thus promotes the body’s own self-healing ability.

Prof. Si-Chen Lee’s Scientific Qi Gong

In his book, he showed us some simple Qi Gong exercises to keep us healthy. (If you like to try them out, be sure to find a Chinese speaking friend to translate the details of the video for you.)

We don’t all have to become Qi Gong masters to benefit from Qi Gong. If you read Chinese and are interested in science and alternative healing, you would love this book.