Are you up and running on Windows 7 yet? Want to leverage your touch screens and tablets to create mind maps? We’re getting ready to launch an update to MindManager 8 for Windows to officially support Windows 7 and multi-touch mapping. Our beta is already very stable, in fact, it has already been certified as compatible [...]
Mind Mapping
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The Mindjet Blog
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Calling All Beta Testers! MindManager 8.2 for Windows Beta Release is Now Available
5 Nov 2009 | 4:23 pm -
What’s the Value of Visual Thinking?
4 Nov 2009 | 9:03 amI’m a fan of David Armano’s work. Here’s a great presentation from the recent BlogWorld 2009 conference in Las Vegas. It’s a fast but worthwhile journey, exploring how to Get Visual in 4 M’s and six steps to Getting Visual… Dave starts your journey with The 4 M’s to Get Visual… Metaphor Model Metaphor + Model Mindmap Next, he walks through [...] -
Tao of Productivity with PR & productivity expert Steve Rubel
3 Nov 2009 | 9:48 amFor those of you who follow social media & productivity gurus, you may be familiar with Steve Rubel. He is the senior vice president for Edelman Digital (PR agency) and has often been considered a thought leader on PR, Social media and productivity. Yesterday, I caught this nice interview for the Tao of Productivity series [...] -
MindManager 8 for Mac – Import and Export Document Files
2 Nov 2009 | 8:32 amWith the launch of MindManager 8 for Mac, we’re pleased to introduce a new, integrated service on the web that transforms your maps into other file formats. And, from other file formats back into maps! While it’s always been possible to cut and paste map topics into a document, certain elements weren’t transferred like the hyperlinks [...] -
MindManager 8 for Mac – New Gesture Support
16 Oct 2009 | 12:31 pmThis post continues our preview series of MindManager 8 for Mac which is gearing up to launch in November. We’ve added a new way to quickly navigate your maps using standard Apple gestures on MacBook trackpads. Pinch & Expand: This gesture is generally achieved with the thumb and index finger. Use it to change the zoom [...]
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Mind Mapping Software Blog
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My new Creativity Hacks e-book is now available
5 Nov 2009 | 4:17 pmI’m pleased to report that my new e-book, Creativity Hacks: Shortcuts to Help You to Crush Your Challenges & Live a Kick-Ass Life, is now available. Today, personal innovation is more important than ever. Organizations are desperate for creative people who see things differently, who can quickly size up problems and develop creative solutions to them. Or if you’re trying to start or grow the business you’ve always dreamed of, then you already know that ideas are critical to your survival and growth! Creativity Hacks is a convenient collection of proven tools and… -
Technology preview of NovaMind 5 launched
1 Nov 2009 | 8:38 pmNovaMind Development Pty. recently announced a technology preview of NovaMind version 5. As part of this program, the company is looking for testers who are willing to use this developmental version and give them feedback, which will help them to deliver a superior commercial version later this year. Key improvements include a new map layout engine that makes more efficient use of screen real estate, shapes that give you new options for embellishing your map layout and a new plug-in architecture that will make NovaMind very extensible. For a sneak peek at NovaMind 5, please see my blog post… -
The Idea Mapping Kit: Ideal for creating hand-drawn mind maps
30 Oct 2009 | 6:28 amJamie Nast, who wrote the excellent book Idea Mapping: How to Access Your Hidden Brain Power, Learn Faster, Remember More and Achieve Success in Business and conducts numerous training sessions on visual mapping, offers a highly portable tool that you can use to produce colorful, creative maps just about anywhere. The Idea Mapping Kit comes in a 7-1/16 in. by 9-1/8 in. 3-ring binder with 3/4 in. rings and a Velcro closure. It also includes: 10-color, fine-tip Staedtler Triplus 0.3 mm markers, in a plastic storage box. These are high-quality markers, not some cheap ones! A pad of 3-hole… -
The numerous applications of mind mapping software
30 Oct 2009 | 5:08 amDuring the Social Media Chat earlier this week, one of the topics we talked about was the incredible variety of applications for which mind mapping software can be used. It’s not a panacea, of course, but it is very versatile type of productivity software. During the chat, I jotted a note to myself that I really ought to produce a visual representation of these applications – a mind map of mind mapping software uses – similar to the map I recently produced that listed all of the mind mapping software programs. So here it is! Please click on the image for a larger, more… -
Social media chat session features mind mapping
29 Oct 2009 | 6:09 amSocial Media Chat is an online community that is devoted to discussing social media and how it can be applied to business. The group runs a Ning forum, as well as a weekly 2-hour chat via Twitter. Yesterday, the group focused on “mind mapping 101,” and I was the invited guest expert. The discussion was fast and furious, with many threads of discussion going on simultaneously (there was an agenda, but participants had many questions about mind mapping). Imagine being in a room where 30 people were all talking at the same time, and trying to keep up with all of those conversations…
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The mind-mapping.org Blog
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Help boost mind-mapping.org ! [Update]
25 Oct 2009 | 4:13 amPlease vote for mind-mapping.org at http://eg-search.net/enter.php?user=sun_vivi&desc=Mindmapping%2C+concept+mapping+and+info…&req=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mind-mapping.org%2F It’s at position no. 10 right now. Help take this ads-free site to the top! Much appreciated – thank you. [Updated 31/10/2009: We've reached position #2 in terms of number of voters, so far, but the rating is the highest of all, as 4.8 out of 5. Thank you gain.] Vic -
Creately, CUECards, MindDecider, SpicyNodes and Inflow
19 Oct 2009 | 8:37 amI’ve done separate posts about two recent findings over the last couple of days: Diagramic and the filling in of a historical entry. Time now for the remaining new items in Mind-mapping.org: Creately Creatley is a nice on-line diagram-drawing software with mind mapping as one of the type of diagrams supported. It has a free version, and a Plus version with a rather special subscription scheme: Pay what you think it’s worth, provided you spare at least US$1/month! Creately can make Flowcharts, Network Diagrams, Organizational Charts, UML Diagrams, Sitemaps, SWOT templates,… -
Welcome to the ancient mindmapping-software vaults
18 Oct 2009 | 6:30 amDid you know that unless you dig deep, you’re only seeing part of mind-mapping.org? If you click through to the link above, for now, you’ll see 284 entries. Observant readers will see that the top line adds “from a total of 349″. So what’s with the missing 65? That’s where all the dead mind mapping and similar software packages go to their final rest. If you want to see them, go to the “Refine software list” tab, uncheck “Current software” and check “Historical software.” Then press “Show selected… -
Diagramic – text to diagram
17 Oct 2009 | 1:24 amUp till now, I’ve known of three text-to-diagram applications: Mappio, Text2mindmap and Diagrammr. Now I’ve come across another: Diagramic. I just added it to mind-mapping.org. It’s a little web-based application, and as it stands it is fun but only useful for very simple cases. Here’s an image with data I took from a paper by Scavarda, Bouzdine-Chameeva and others, about causal maps: I made this with simple text like this: “Cognitive maps” -> “Undirected graphs” “Cognitive maps” -> “Directed graphs”… -
Tweet, tweet, tweet
9 Oct 2009 | 12:48 amFeedburner tells me I have well over 3,000 subscribers to my feed. I was surprised when I saw that. And humbled. My posts are sporadic, and yet still people follow this blog. Thank you folks! Now, please come and follow me on Twitter, and you’ll be more up to date, with between-post happenings. You won’t find out what I had for breakfast, when I got out of bed, or if it’s been a bad day for Vic. Just tweets about mind mapping software news and related topics. If you’re not using Twitter yet, you may be staying away because you think it’s all about…
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The Mindmap Blog
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Defeat Burnout and Stay Motivated: A Mindmap
22 Oct 2009 | 8:19 pmI read a great article today on one of my favorite blogs, ZenHabits. The article talked about avoiding burnout and staying motivated. So often when you are driven to achieve that drive can easily turn into burnout. This article talked about 12 ways to defeat burnout. But more than that it provided some great ways to stay motivated. I created a mindmap to capture the 12 points from the article (click mindmap to enlarge): For a full explanation of the 12 ways to defeat burnout and stay motivated, read the blog post here. Related posts:The Questions MindmapThe Law of Belief MindmapA… -
Mindjet for the iPhone
7 Oct 2009 | 5:28 pmMindjet, the maker of MindManager 8, has recently launched a mindmapping application for the iPhone. I’ve recently purchased it and I can tell you from first hand experience it’s wonderful. Here are some of the key features: Attach notes to topics – with hyperlinks to phone numbers, websites, e-mail addresses and other Mindjet maps Wirelessly upload/download maps from your Mac or Windows computer using your favorite web browser Auto align and arrange topics relative to each other Zoom and scroll in either landscape or portrait mode Cut, copy, paste, move and merge topics… -
The Mindsets: What do you believe about intelligence?
27 Sep 2009 | 8:38 amWhat do you believe about intelligence? Do you believe that intelligence is fixed? That is, either you have it or you don’t? Or do you believe that intelligence can be developed? Dr. Carol Dweck explores these two mindsets about intelligence in her book “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success”. This is not your everyday, run-of-the-mill self-help book. This is a well researched, thought-provoking book that explores how having a certain mindset determines how you feel about challenges, obstacles, effort, criticism, and the success of others. Dr. Dweck’s research… -
Creative Mindmaps for Learning
5 Sep 2009 | 6:39 pmThere is a great website that showcases mindmaps called Mind Map Art. The mindmaps on this site are some of the most creative and artistic mindmaps you’ll ever see. They also cover a wide range of very interesting topics. Here are a few examples of what you’ll find at the Mind Map Art site: 6 Pillars of Health by Adam Sicinski (click mindmap to enlarge): Nature Connections by Jane Genovese(click mindmap to enlarge): Climate Impacts by Jane Genovese (click mindmap to enlarge): How to Mindmap by Paul Foreman (click mindmap to enlarge): Click HERE to preview all the mindmaps at… -
MindMeister Launches New Mindmapping App for iPhone
21 Aug 2009 | 12:51 pmMindMeister, a collaborative web-based mindmapping service, has recently launched a new mindmapping application for the iPhone. Regarding the launch, they recently stated on their blog: “It is done – the new MindMeister application for iPhone and iPod touch has finally arrived in the App Store! Those who’ve followed its progress know that it has been a rather slow birth, but nonetheless we’ve made it there in the end. The new MindMeister iPhone application allows you to take your online mind maps with you wherever you go. Just sign in to your MindMeister account when you first…
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Idea Mapping
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EUROREG – Teaching Idea Mapping in Warsaw, Poland
5 Nov 2009 | 8:38 amLast year I was invited to come to Warsaw, Poland in November of 2008 by Dr. Karol Olejniczak who is a professor at the University of Warsaw. He runs a program called EUROREG — an Academy of Evaluation which is financed and sponsored by Polish Ministry of Regional Development. 2008 was the first year for this program, and each participant had to earn their spot. It ran 9 months and a group of 50 of Poland’s most brilliant civil servants met for 2 days twice a month. As part of this program I taught a 6-hour workshop on Idea Mapping, learning and the MindManager software program. -
Idea Mapping Experiment at Luther College [Part 4] – Idea Map #201
3 Nov 2009 | 12:55 pmThis Idea Map is the eighth example and the fourth posting in this year’s experiment we are following with students at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. The October 23, 2008 posting first introduced this series and the October 28, 2009 post put this experiment in context. Read those postings for background. Today’s idea mapping example comes from student Nicholas Dinkel who provided his reflections on the book Group Genius (by Keith Sawyer) in the form of an Idea Map. -
New Idea Mapping Workshops Scheduled for Vancouver, Jordon, Phoenix, and Palm Beach
1 Nov 2009 | 10:21 am2010 is just around the corner, so it’s time to start planning some public Idea Mapping Workshops for next year. I had specific requests from individuals to bring this workshop to Vancouver B.C., Amman Jordon, and Phoenix, Arizona. (If there is an interest to bring this workshop to your city, contact me and I’ll see if we can get it on the schedule.) Palm Beach, Florida is a standing open course twice a year. Who wouldn’t want to attend a class there?! Here are the dates so far for the 2-day Idea Mapping Workshops: Vancouver B.C., Canada: January 19-20, 2010 Amman, Jordon… -
Idea Maps #199 and #200 – Reflections of College Students Using Idea Mapping for Study Skills [Part 3]
30 Oct 2009 | 10:28 amThis is the third posting and the sixth and seventh Idea Mapping examples in this year’s experiment with students at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. Last week’s posting first introduced this series and Wednesday’s post put this experiment in context. Read those postings for background. Today’s idea mapping examples come from Abby Switzer (top) and Joe Putnam. Both students read the book Free Prize Inside by Seth Godin and then created an idea map of their reflections. I have no further feedback on how they are using this tool in their studies or lives, but will keep you… -
Idea Map #198 – Reflections of College Students Using Idea Mapping for Study Skills
28 Oct 2009 | 1:26 pmThis posting is the second in what is going to be a fascinating experiment this year with students at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. Last week’s posting first introduced this series. Now let’s put it into context. Dr. Tim Schweizer teaches “Principles of Management”. He felt like teaching Idea Mapping to his students was such an important life and study skill that he had them read the first 5 chapters of my Idea Mapping book and then he dedicated an entire class period to practicing. According to Tim, one of the primary learning experiment objectives was to get…
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Applications of MindManager
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Analysing the Strengths and Weaknesses of Mind Mapping Software Applications
16 Oct 2009 | 1:53 pmYou can do this as a solo effort with MindManager. You could invite a few people to your Mindjet Catalyst account to add their comments but they would mostly be MindManager users only. With MindMeister you can set up a map which can be edited by anyone as a no cost Wiki Map. If you want to edit the map below, you will need a free (and limited) MindMeister account.There are customers for all the mind mapping applications but not all the potential customers can access all the applications or justify or need all the features of the more sophisticated ones. This is not about deciding which is… -
Using the new Share function in MindManager 8.1 via Mindjet Catalyst
6 Oct 2009 | 8:32 amThe latest version of MindManager 8.1 has a new button which Shares a map and allows you to edit a list of your Shared Content.This afternoon I quickly created a map of the WinACC (Winchester Action on Climate Change) web site because I knew it would be useful to me and hopefully to some of their users. This is a good example of a map that works well in this new process.Last week I published a map of Gordon Brown's speech to the Labour Party Conference. It has some floating topics at the top of the map. Unfortunately these get displaced to the bottom in the shared version. I don't want to… -
Sharing MindManager maps via Mindjet Catalyst
5 Oct 2009 | 10:29 pmMindjet have launched Catalyst today. This is a new collaboration and publishing tool for MindManager users. It builds on the previous Mindjet Connect product. Existing users get a seamless transfer to the new product (I did).A new feature of Catalyst is an easy process for sharing maps with non-users via a browser. A click on the share button creates a copy or snapshot of a map from your workspace. This is made available for anyone to read and download (if you choose). The readers see the map in a full screen window (best to press F11 or View > Full Screen on your browser menu) which has a… -
Gordon Brown's Labour Party Conference Speech in a mind map
29 Sep 2009 | 2:14 pmI thought I would run an experiment today, listen to Gordon Brown's conference speech on the television, map it and publish it. What would it say that the script and the video do not say?My process was as follows:Prepare web export template - minor edits to a clickable imagemap export I have used many timesCreate a folder on my conferenceREACTION web space.Tweet that am I doing it.Start mapping and try to ignore other interruptions e.g. a tweet from Maurice asking if I was there?During the speech I posted the map 3 or 4 times. Also added a bit of fill colour to topics and changed the… -
I am not a Mind Mapping Guru
22 Sep 2009 | 2:56 pmListen!A short interview by Rod Sloane of me using his iPhone and AudioBoo to publish it. The interview took place at the Institution of Engineering and Technology at Savoy Place, London. I am a Chartered Engineer and Member of the IET.A grand building. The BBC used to live here when radios were powered by steam.With a quiet and comfortable members lounge.Which overlooks the Thames by Waterloo BridgeExcellent conference and meeting facilities
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Litemind
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6 Productivity Principles to Live By (My Personal Productivity Manifesto)
27 Oct 2009 | 8:48 am -
How Can I Make Litemind More Useful for You?
8 Oct 2009 | 3:10 amWill you help me make this website better? Today, instead of providing new content, I’d like to ask you to speak your mind and take this quick survey. It shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes, and your feedback will give me invaluable ideas and insights on how I can make the website better for you. Two quick things about the survey: All 5 questions are optional. The more feedback I get the better, but feel free to answer only the questions you want. Also, the more thorough your answers are the better, but feel free to be as brief as you want. Any information you can… -
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
25 Sep 2009 | 6:55 am -
Overcome Fear of Failure, Part II — 6 Powerful Strategies You Can Use
9 Sep 2009 | 5:46 amIn the first part of this series, we focused on building an effective mindset for overcoming fear of failure. Now it’s time to get down to action: here are 6 powerful strategies you can use to conquer fear of failure right off the bat. 1. Acknowledge Your Fear -
Overcome Fear of Failure, Part I — Building the Right Mindset
26 Aug 2009 | 5:18 am
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Visual mapping
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The Digital Leadership of Google
23 Oct 2009 | 2:24 pmA few days ago I attended a very interesting Conference about Web 2.0 in Madrid, Spain. David Weinberger, co-author of the Cluetrain Manifesto and author of Everything is miscellaneous, spoke about Digital Leadership, he used the Google Acquisitions and Investment Map to highlight the elements of the Google's Digital Leadership, showing the map's legend that summarizes the Industries where Google is present and how there are inter-connected. See the image below.I made a simple Mindmap of those industries that are contributing to Google´s Digital Leadership. -
The Benefits of Collaborative Information Visualization for Management
15 Oct 2009 | 5:44 amVery interesting video based on solid Research by the University of St.Gallen -
Video : Google Wave explained
9 Oct 2009 | 2:19 pm -
Systems thinking and the visual mapper
5 Oct 2009 | 1:47 amBy Wallace Tait and Philippe BoukobzaSystems thinking, what is it? Well, a quick web search and you'll be offered all kinds of links to systems and information management sites. Our definition of systems thinking at the core level: “Systems thinking is a consideration of data, information and knowledge as independent yet interdependent processes”. Systems thinking is, in our experience, realized when one starts to use the tools, methods and mindset of Visual mapping to map out processes, and at the same time see the bigger systems picture.Think of systems thinking as you would view our… -
Google Acquisitions and Investments
30 Sep 2009 | 2:44 amReally interesting this map of the Google acquisitions and investments, a mix of a mindmap and a metro map. Via meettheboss.com
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IQ Matrix Blog
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Life Coaching Mistakes
19 Oct 2009 | 6:19 amFree DownloadIQ Matrix GalleryMasterMind MatrixFAQ Introduction Working as a Life Coach for several years I have learned from personal experience and observed the many mistakes that are made within my industry. These mistakes often destroy the Coaching dynamics between the Life Coach and Client and they can literally push people away from Coaching all together. Many of these mistakes are rather obvious and can be avoided rather easily, while others are very subtle in nature, however their impact on the process of Life Coaching cannot be underestimated. This blog post and accompanying Mind Map… -
6 Life Coaching IQ Matrixes
18 Oct 2009 | 1:59 amWe would like to announce the release of 6 New Premium IQ Matrix Mind Maps that are developed for Life Coaching or Self-Coaching purposes. Each of these Mind Maps outlines how I go about Coaching a Client over the first 3 to 5 Life Coaching Sessions. They present effective strategies and techniques that lay down the foundations and groundwork for future meetings. Moreover, they provide me with a deep insight into the Client’s psychology and habitual patterns of behavior, which are critical if coaching is to be successful in the long-term. There are 7 IQ Matrix Maps within this series,… -
8 New Premium IQ Matrixes
16 Oct 2009 | 11:50 pmWe would like to announce the release of 8 New Premium IQ Matrix Mind Maps that will help you develop the necessary skills and insights to excel in any field of endeavor. Many of these Mind Maps unlock critical segments and components of the MasterMind Matrix Chart and thusly enable a deeper understanding of the primary psychological forces behind all successful life endeavors. Brain Power Language of Love Lifelong Learning Manifestation Process Reframing Reality Spiritual Consciousness Unstoppable Motivation Visualization & Affirmations Below we present a short description of each IQ… -
The Seasons of Transformation
4 Sep 2009 | 11:19 pmFree DownloadIQ Matrix GalleryMasterMind MatrixFAQ Introduction When we take the time to reflect upon the natural environment around us, we begin to observe a complex yet very beautiful world cycling through patterns, phases and through stages of transition. We also quickly realize that nothing ever stands still, that nothing ever maintains its current state, identity or shape for very long. In fact, all of Nature cycles through Seasons of Change and transformation, effortlessly and naturally – just like we Humans transition through psychological and physical states of transformation… -
3 New Premium IQ Matrixes
31 Aug 2009 | 1:53 amWe would like to announce the release of 3 New Premium IQ Matrix Mind Maps that will help you overcome the emotional roadblocks that may be preventing you from moving forward in your life. The Mind Maps tackle the principles that will enable you to boost your self-esteem, overcome frustration and manage your anger more effectively. Overcoming Frustration Raising Self-Esteem Anger Management Below we present a short description of each IQ Matrix. Detailed posts about each of these topics will be written up at a later time. Each IQ Matrix is available as a Free pdf Download, Premium pdf…
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Peace of Mind
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IAF Certified™ Professional Facilitator
23 Oct 2009 | 1:16 amSteve Rothwell has achieved re-certification by the International Association of Facilitators as a Certified™ Professional Facilitator. Facilitation is a profession rapidly taking its unique place alongside those of consulting and training. This is a specialist skill that can help deliver improved results you need through a mix of leadership, process, coordination and coaching skills. The International Association of Facilitators (IAF) was formed by a group of professionals in January, 1994 to develop and promote these skills. Since then the IAF has grown to over 1500 members in… -
Idea Wall
7 Oct 2009 | 11:47 amA common approach to parking ideas and issues during a meeting or workshop is to write them up on a flip chart set aside for this purpose. A couple of examples below. How about if you want to take this further and actively encourage people to fill a whole wall with their ideas, issues and realisations? The answer is to create an Idea Wall. The Idea Wall should include headings or questions to prompt the participants or to help them better categorise their thoughts. Including something visual such as a diagram, key word or graphic may… -
Mindjet Catalyst is Launched
5 Oct 2009 | 9:21 pmYesterday I had the pleasure of listening and watching Michael Deutch of Mindjet introduce the brand new Mindjet Catalyst - launched today. Catalyst is Mindjet's latest offering in the world of online collaborative working. You will be familiar with many of the problems we face at work today. We tend to work more in silos and less with each other. We receive a lot of information but don't act on it. There is a lot of communication but less collaboration. The challenge is how to help people produce usable things that lead to real action. Enter Mindjet… -
Visual Imagery with PowerPoint
12 Sep 2009 | 3:23 amPrevious posts have highlighted the problems with PowerPoint presentations - or to be fair - the misuse to which PowerPoint is put. For instance see: 25 Years of PowerPoint - A Review by the BBC and How Not To Do PowerPoint. It is possible to create slides that better reinforce the message of the presentation and that are more memorable. Lists of ideas can be presented in a more visual form, such as a mind map. Better yet they may be built into a more dynamic visual where the imagery lends weight to the message by reinforcing tension, progress and achievement… -
25 Years of PowerPoint - A Review by the BBC
20 Aug 2009 | 10:24 am"If you have worked in an office in the Western world in the past 25 years, you will probably have sat through a PowerPoint presentation. But there's a problem. They're often boring", writes presentation expert Max Atkinson for the BBC News Magazine. In a lively article, Max summarises some of the key problems with PowerPoint, including: Presenter's spending more time talking to their slides than the audience Distracting the audience by forcing them to read and listen simultaneously Slides as crutches for the presenter - not visual aids for the audience Death by a thousand bullet points -…
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Eric Blue's Blog
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Total Recall, Personal Informatics and Life Logging
18 Oct 2009 | 10:38 pmIt’s been a little while since my last post and figured it was time to get back into my blogging groove. I recently came across a few interesting links that I thought I would share. The two topics I want to discuss are Personal Informatics and Life Logging. I found it fascinating that both of these topics, complex and mysterious sounding on their own, are very much related to my primary research project: My Personal Memex. For those not familiar with the concept of the Memex: “Consider a future device for individual use, which is a sort of mechanized private file and library. It needs… -
Information Visualization Toolkits for Mind Mapping
4 Jun 2009 | 10:25 pmThe other week, I wrote a blog post The Visual Wiki: A New Metaphor For Knowledge Access and Management. At the time, until I read the paper in depth, I hadn’t realized that this was about a project that I had blogged about last year: Thinkbase - A Visual Semantic Wiki. In a nutshell: “Thinkbase is a new way to navigate and explore information on the web. It is what we call a ‘Visual Wiki’. It is based on Freebase, an open, shared database of the world’s knowledge - in other words a Semantic Wiki. Thinkbase uses a visualization tool (Thinkmap) to create an interactive visual… -
BioFeedback, Mind Machines & Brain Entrainment
24 May 2009 | 5:47 pmI’ve had an interest in Biofeedback, Mind Machines, and Brainwave Entrainment for many years now. Since my collection of links/bookmarks is starting to grow too large I decided to start putting them in a mindmap. This map is by no means complete, but a very good start for people who are interested in this topic. I’ve personally had a lot of experience with brainwave entrainment software, but am eager to try out some mindmachines in the near future. Please check out what I have so far (I plan to update the map periodically as I find new information). Download the MindMap in… -
Freebase Parallax: Set-based Browsing Interface
23 May 2009 | 9:02 amI found a very interesting project from David François Huynh, developer of some impressive projects over at Simile. Parallax offers a new way to browse and explore data on Freebase, one of the largest open and shared (structured) databases of knowledge on the web. Freebase Parallax: A new way to browse and explore data from David Huynh on Vimeo. I also discovered a somewhat related research project at Stanford called Vispedia. -
Spiral Dynamics Mind Map
17 May 2009 | 7:21 pmToday I officially started kicking off my research into Spiral Dynamics. I’ve had some superficial knowledge of the subject due to my exposure to a number of books on Integral philosophy. I recently came across the original book on Spiral Dynamics by Beck and Cowan and thought this would be a good place to start. I also remembered seeing a link to a mindmap on Spiral Dynamics a couple years ago and decided to hunt it down before I immersed myself too far into the book. I found the original link via a Google search, but unfortunately discovered that the original site is no longer up…
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MindMapSwitch
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Bring Your Mind Maps Alive With Dimensions
3 Nov 2009 | 2:00 amMind maps are always 2-dimensional affairs. They’re always created on flat surfaces whether it’s on pen and paper or using software. So how can add depth and dimension to your mind maps and give your mind maps an edge? Using simple drawing techniques, you can add extra depth to your mind maps so that they emphasize or highlight a particular branch or idea. Instead of me waffling on about these techniques, check out the mind map below. Right it’s only 4 branches but these four branches represent 4 different techniques that many people don’t use in their own mind maps. -
Mind Mapping Links – October 2009
29 Oct 2009 | 3:00 amThere’s been lots of great articles in the mind mapping community this month. However instead of solely focusing on links in the mind mapping community, I thought it would be a good idea to highlight a few mind mapping articles that highlight the benefits of mind mapping and would serve as good starting points for those new to mind mapping. The My Child website has interesting article about how mind mapping software can be used to help kids with dyslexia. The article points out that dyslexic learners are often conceptual and very creative. As a learning aid, mind mapping software is… -
Monsters in Cupboards: A Mind Mapping Exercise for Parents and Children
28 Oct 2009 | 3:00 amEncouraging your child’s imagination and creativity is something that some parents might overlook because the parents themselves don’t feel they have imagination and creativity. This is a simple exercise that anyone can do with their children and the variations on it are only limited by the imagination of your children. Recently Paul Foreman created a mind map for children that asked “What would you do if there was a monster in the bed?” I said a few weeks ago that I would try this with my own son to see what his reactions would be and to see if how his imagination… -
My Mind Mapping Tools of the Trade
20 Oct 2009 | 3:00 amLast week I wrote a post on my personal blog detailing the tools I use for writing software. It never occurred to me that I also have a set of tools for mind mapping! As a mind mapper I think it’s important to have a good mix of tools for mind mapping using both software and pen and paper. Software I use Mindjet MindManager 7 on OS X almost daily. I run a personal dashboard mind map that links to other projects and ideas that are located in group or individual mind maps. Having come from a Windows environment where I also used MindManager, the OS X version isn’t as feature rich. -
My Climate Change Mind Map
15 Oct 2009 | 1:00 amIt’s Blog Action Day 2009 and this year’s topic is climate change. Today, bloggers all over the world will be highlighting the issue of climate change and what we can do to help. Rather than bog you do with my rants on climate change and what we should be doing, I thought it might be a better idea for me to instead present my mind map on climate change. Enjoy! Related Articles:My Mind Mapping Tools of the Trade Last week I wrote a post on my personal blog...Mind Mapping Links – April 2009 Mind Map Art, a new blog dedicated to the best...Mind Mapping Links – June 2009…
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Mind Map Inspiration
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Silent Watching Meditation
6 Nov 2009 | 1:07 amListening to silence is a simple meditation exercise Silence resides in the gap between your thoughts, in the moments before and after sounds and also beneath sounds if you can hear constant noise. Few noises are permanent; most have gaps, however brief. You can observe silence with your eyes closed or you can try a silent watching meditation. If you focus on your breath passing in and out of your lungs your thoughts begin to slow down and occasionally you will find you stop thinking. At first, this feels weird! Persevere daily and you will develop a quiet place within where you can relax. -
Never see walls
3 Nov 2009 | 11:35 pmLarge Version £2.99 Some of the strongest walls we build are the internal ones we create ourselves. Is there a wall holding you back? Have you created a wall in front of you? Can you develop x-ray vision and see through it, break it down or find a route round? Are your dreams always further than the next horizon or beyond the next wall? Are you waiting for gates to open or building new gates? Ideas need space. Thoughts need space. Dreams need space. Time to think. 100 years from now, what might life be like? Enter imagination: What could you invent now by dreaming of future worlds? I love… -
Be calmly active and actively calm
30 Oct 2009 | 1:03 am“Be calmly active and actively calm” ~ Paramahansa Yogananda Be calmly active Watch how steady a professional snooker player is before moving his cue; silently attentive, concentrating fully on moving only his arm – nothing else – delivering the cue in a dead straight line. Watch how still a professional darts player’s body is – minimal movement; pivoting from an elbow seemingly set in concrete. Quiet accuracy. Being calmly active means having great focus in the present moment; knowing your surroundings and being aware of your movements; both in body and thought. Calmly active is… -
From Impossible to I’m possible
28 Oct 2009 | 2:25 amSubtle shifts have always intrigued me. Sometimes a single letter makes a world of difference. From a can’t to a can. The difference between impossible and possible is two small letters at the start and they happen to be I’m. An interesting difference because possible means taking ownership and impossible releases you of any need to try. Our speech and thoughts shape our lives. Results follow. So, if you say something is impossible it probably will be; in fact you may as well drop the “probably”! Seeing possibilities encourages you to empower yourself. The real power comes when you… -
Why Michelangelo didn’t rush his work
23 Oct 2009 | 12:20 amYou’ve no doubt heard the phrase “Work expands to fill the time allowed” Well, what if that could be seen as positive? Instead of “I want you to paint this wall – it should only take two hours – ready – go” Try: “I want you to paint this wall – take as long as you need and make it as good as you can” Now the focus is on quality not quantity. Slowing down allows greater preparation time, observation time and sourcing of materials like paint that will cover the wall in less than ten coats! Attention to detail, pride in the work. The focus becomes the wall not your watch.
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Mindmapping everywhere
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Stock markets analysis through Mindmapping techniques
2 Nov 2009 | 6:46 amOne of the hobbies I am suffering is the stock markets observation. I do remember those times when I used statistical parameters in the University. In this case I observe several stocks in different markets to determine tendencies by means of exponential moving average in different periods of time and analyzing crossed among them. I keep track of what it is observed by using a mindmap. -
Business Plan Guidelines
24 Sep 2009 | 1:48 amMy business year tis about to end this month, so this is a very good time to prepare Business Plan for the coming year.I have written down a little map with guidelines worth enought to prepare my own Business Plan to be presented to top management. -
Habits from highly effective people
14 Sep 2009 | 6:00 amSeveral years ago I read some notes about how to increase productivity, beginning from oneself. Based on these lectures and some experiences on my own I did quickly draw a quite simple map. This one is part of the remembrances I usally post.I am sorry cause it is in spanish, I will translate into english later on and perhaps in a colorful version. -
Capturing ideas everywhere
9 Sep 2009 | 3:25 amIn one of the last posts we have been talking a little bit about how to handle the multiple tasks effectively by using mindmapping.Similar concept to GTD (Get the Things Done) but of my own.One of the topics whenever you want to use mindmapping to control your work is how to capture the multiple ideas that are constantly popping up.This issue turns out quite easy when you are at the office, just get another new branch in your map and you write it down. What does it happen when you are outside "on the field"?I am not a proud owner of a mindmapping-inside application portable device, so I… -
Mindmaps usage from a different perspective
3 Sep 2009 | 4:55 amOne of the topics I would like to cover is how other users are taking the most out of Mindmapping techniques, either hand-made or software-made.In this particular case, I show the case from Deepak Ravlani, who is a Business Development Manager at a smartphone software startup, who has also a very interesting blog.Deepak is a newbie working with these issues, although he foresees great potential for him from these techniques.Here it is showed a mindmap coming from him, where he takes advantage of the different mindmapping features (and specifically of the different software tools) to have…
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MindMeister Blog
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Scheduled downtime on Sat Nov 7
2 Nov 2009 | 5:17 amWe’ll be launching some new features and also conduct a major upgrade to our servers this weekend, starting Saturday November 7 at 10pm (UTC) until Sunday morning at about 6am (UTC). MindMeister.com will be unavailable during this period. To figure out when we are offline in your time zone please consult timeanddate.com. Please avoid taking your maps offline with Google Gears before the downtime as we’re also upgrading MindMeister’s offline capabilities. -
Happy Halloween – 20% discount on all account purchases
29 Oct 2009 | 7:58 amYou may have noticed that the front page of MindMeister is wearing it’s very own Halloween costume today (you need to be logged out to see it). While technically Halloween doesn’t get fully underway until tomorrow evening, we’re betting that there’s some trick or treating already going on in your office, classroom, or anywhere else you use MindMeister. And as is customary with events surrounding All Hallows Eve, we’ve got a bit of Trick-or-Treating going on at the MeisterLabs as well. There were a number of ideas bantered around the office (inverting all maps color schemes,… -
New MindMeister team member: Dan Taylor
12 Oct 2009 | 7:00 amHi folks! No new announcements regarding the MindMeister service and/or our iPhone app. Rather, I’d like to take this space to introduce myself. My name is Dan Taylor, I’m an American living in Vienna, Austria, and I’ve recently started working with the team at MindMeister. I must admit, prior to sitting down with Michael and talking through what MindMeister is, and what you can accomplish with it, I hadn’t really used a service like this before. Fast forward just a few days, and I’ve started mapping out a few projects that I’m working on, adding timelines, due dates, priority,… -
Introducing free Geistesblitz app for iPhone / iPod touch
5 Oct 2009 | 6:22 amPost-It notes are great for jotting down ideas, one liners, and reminders to grab some milk on the way home, but they do have limitations. How many times have you dashed down a though or idea on a post it, cocktail napkin, or scrap sheet of paper, only to go searching for it hours or days later? I’m fairly certain we can all relate to this situation. Enter, Geistesblitz. Much more than just a note taking tool, our new free iPhone application, Geistesblitz brings a whole new level to your ‘flashes of genius’ with on the spot submissions and online organization and storage. Users can… -
iPhone app back in the store – limited time price reduction
29 Sep 2009 | 8:12 amAs many of you may have already noticed, there were a few hiccups with the release of our iPhone application update last week. Thankfully, we managed to locate the source of the problem and promptly shut off the application in the app store. While we ran a number of tests here on our end, it seems as though no one in the office thought to check the most basic of features: empty your local account and start with a new map. D’oh! To that we say – our bad. Those of you already using our iPhone application have spoken volumes about what you like, what you don’t like, and everything in…
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Manage Life
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Rummler – Brache and Visual Thinking
6 Nov 2009 | 7:03 pmI am amazed that I missed reading the works on process and performance improvement during the 1980’s and 90’s. During that time I was interested in subjects like Alvin Toffler’s ‘Future Shock’. But I guess the popular phrase at that time is‘re-engineering’ or ‘comparative advantage’ which can be linked to process or performance improvement. I find interesting is the use of visual tools in the methodology. Of course, I was familiar with early visual tools such as flow charting used at that time which eventually evolved into ‘swim lanes’. I think the rise of visual… -
Improving Performance
3 Nov 2009 | 4:12 pmI am again bored at work with nothing to do but procrastinate. I attended a training session this morning on wireless communication. It was informative. The speaker is an interesting geek who uses Latin phrases as his password and watches ‘Dr. Who’ – the quirky science fiction television show from England. He was an interesting speaker who I often see around the hallways looking at me. I realized he seems to be a good technical guru who could speak well in front of audiences. Earlier in the morning I listened to the meeting on the project though I did not participate too much. I am… -
Process Improvement
2 Nov 2009 | 6:52 pmI have been pondering about the many changes happening in the company in recent years. I had always thought that the changes were influenced by recent trends in information technology. For example, the transformation of IBM from hardware company to a services company, outsourcing trend to India and so on. But after reading Rummler and Brache’s book ‘Improving Performance’, I understood what was going on (but proves their point also that the company is an adaptive organism). In fact, Rummler and Brache, I believed provided the intellectual foundation or framework to go about transforming… -
Writing like Speaking
28 Oct 2009 | 6:58 pmLast night I continued reading Nick Daws CD writing course. There where some interesting ideas. I think that I will not enroll in a formal writing course because there are a lot of low cost alternatives like this one. Beside there’s already a lot of free materials available in the Internet. I am astounded by the wealth of information out there. It’s getting to be a ‘silent’ and ethereal tower of Babel with all sorts of people writing and giving there 5 cents worth. One should distinguish the writings of quality from those that are just writing to earn a buck. In the latter, one could… -
Poet’s Home
26 Oct 2009 | 8:25 pmLast weekend we went to Flat Rock, North Carolina. We visited Connemara – Carl Sandburg’s home in the last phase of his life. It’s a great place and looks like a poor man’s version of Vanderbilt’s Biltmore house. The essential design is the same – a house in a hill, with a lake or stream below, surrounded by hills and mountains and great views in the porch. The house leave no doubt that it belonged to a writer with the many books and magazines and shelves all strewn about. It looks like a wonderful place to write with a writer’s studio at the 2nd floor. The whole property is…
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Assistive Technology
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Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic - Individual Membership is now Free
1 Nov 2009 | 5:53 pmThanks to major funding from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, Grant #H327D090001 and support of private donors, Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic ® (RFB&D®) Individual Membership is now free to individuals with proper certification*. Member benefits include: FREE access to the nation's largest audiobook library of textbooks and literature titlesHuman-narrated audiobooks with descriptions of images, tables and graphsEasy-to-use online catalog24/7 online member services and phone supportVarious audiobook downloadable formats, including DAISY and… -
Recording of Technology Supports for Writing Webinar is Now Available
30 Oct 2009 | 8:10 amThis past Wednesday, Joan Green and I held a webinar on technology supports for writing which was based on our new eBook, "Technology Supports for Writing" which we recently released. The 51 page eBook which is accessible with Adobe Acrobat Reader includes a great compilation of resources for anyone who needs to support students in the area of writing. Included in the ebook iare over 12 videos that are embedded that let you actually see how the software works. You can view the videos in full screen and get a sense first hand if you think that the program may have application for the students… -
MindGenius 3 Released!
24 Oct 2009 | 1:38 pmNo sooner then I do a review of MindGenius 2.5, I find out that MindGenius Ldt., has just released MindGenius 3. When you first open MindGenius 3 you will see an who new look, complete with the adoption of the Fluid Ribbon Interface. MindGenius 3.0 is much more visually appealing to use but you should feel right at home with the common interface structure. MindGenius 3 kept many of the same conventions as in their previous version such as the Map Explorer and the Picture Gallery Viewer. MindGenius 3 has a clean and inviting look summoning you to jump in and use the program. If you are… -
Today's Webspiration Training
23 Oct 2009 | 12:03 pmToday I was called into a Middle School to do some training with teachers on Inspiration to help support a student with writing and reading comprehension difficulties. Last year I had done a comprehensive assistive technology evaluation and had made the recommendation to the Child Study Team that the student would benefit greatly from using Inspiration on a computer as a pre-writing strategy and to help him to better understand and retain information. When I went into the school today I decided to take a little different tact and worked with the teachers on getting them comfortable with… -
Glance to the Rescue
22 Oct 2009 | 6:43 pmWhile I have used Glance in the past to do webinars and to do screen sharing, I have never had the opportunity until yesterday to use it to remotely control someone's computer. One of my students called me on my cell phone and shared with me that she was having trouble doing APA formatting in Microsoft Word. I suggested that we do a session using Glance and that I would take control of her computer. I quickly shot off an email with the log-on link to her colelege email address and within seconds we were up and running. I was able to take control of her PC and show her how to use the Reference…
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Reforming Project Management
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Friction-Free Collaboration
10 Oct 2009 | 1:34 pmImage via CrunchBase I've just arrived at the PMI Global Congress 2009 in Orlando, FL. Tomorrow AM a number of us who are members of the PMI New Media Council will be speaking in a panel on social media and its impacts on the discipline of project management. Among other things, I'll be talking about my company's experience using Yammer. Our experience has been good. More on that later. It's great seeing a smiling colleague's faceOur company works with architects, engineers and construction firms along with the clients of those firms. We're a small consultancy…just 12 people all working… -
Lean Projects Are Defined by Lean Behaviors
18 Aug 2009 | 7:19 pmImage via Wikipedia Ifollow numerous blogs, news groups and twitter posts on lean. I've noticed a change in the last few months from talking about lean tools to talking about lean behaviors. It's a refreshing change. Toyota made a shift early this century in the way they spoke about their approach. In essence, they started speaking about the Toyota Way vs. the Toyota Production System. Under the TPS, the two pillars were Just-in-Time production and Jidoka (autonomation). Now they speak about the two pillars of continuous improvement and respect for people. It's a shift from tools to tool… -
Use Near-Misses to Learn about Construction Safety
18 Jun 2009 | 7:52 pmImage by Elliot Moore via Flickr Ihaven't written about construction safety in awhile. I used to write about it every Thursday. I just read an ENR editorial Analyzing Near-Misses Is Key to An Effective Safety Plan. It reminded me of how far we need to go in construction. Our industry kills about 1300 people in the US every year. Thousands of others are seriously injured. Yet, there are far more dangerous industries where people are not getting hurt at anywheres near the construction rates. Alcoa has made amazing strides to create an injuring-free workplace in their smelters. Dupont's chemical… -
Time to Re-Th!nk Improvement
15 Jun 2009 | 1:10 pmSo much of our attention in the lean community is on continuous improvement. Normally that is interpreted as "process improvement". In the project world processes are often incidental to the work we are doing to fulfill the promise of the project. In other words, the value stream goes through a series of tasks like writing software code, documenting a feature, refactoring, etc., none of which follow a repeatable step-by-step process. Architecture and construction projects are similar. The process stuff is supporting the value stream. When we make so-called improvements to process we are… -
Project Appraisals Are Dead…Long Live Project Appraisals
14 Jun 2009 | 12:52 pmJust read the June 15 issue of Business Week. They reviewed Management Rewired. Not surprising, it was a far better review than I did in my last post. Here are two statements BW chose to emphasize: Feedback, praise, criticism — all useless. Instead, put human psychology to work for you, this book advises. As contrarian as it sounds, Jacobs says employees should set their own objectives and critique their own performance. This is a book every project leader should read.Performance reviews and project 'post mortems' are not just uncomfortable…they don't produce the kind of value…
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Attraction Mind Map
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Make Peace with Time
3 Nov 2009 | 7:33 pmTime has been my enemy for as long as I can remember. I was always in a rush for time. More so after my kids came. There were never-ending chores to do and tasks to run. On top of that, I was at odds with myself often for hoping to work in-between and choosing an arrangement that puts my kids’ needs high in priority. (No time to sit still?) Time was a precious commodity that I longed for but never quite got a fix on. I tried to accomplish as much as I could within my waking hours. Over four months, prior to my blogging break, I became a slave to time with increasing demands from work. -
Abundance Tapestry is Live
28 Oct 2009 | 5:56 amI am back to blogging with the launch of my new site at Abundance Tapestry. Abundance Tapestry came into being as a result of intuitive flashes that I had while meditating. The flashes appeared like a mosaic of pictures but the pictures were hardly separate. I sensed that each related to one another in a complex web of relationships orchestrated by a higher order of intelligence. The images that made up the tapestry were largely drawn from the scenery that had been around me ever since I started my blogging break. Oh yes, for the last six weeks or so, I have been going to the Singapore… -
Break From Blogging
11 Sep 2009 | 7:57 amI will be taking a break from blogging. The break is to allow for more time in meditation, without the distraction of the internet. It will be a period of consolidation and contemplation. The thing is that I have no idea when I will be back. (Picture taken yesterday at a park yesterday. The roots represent groundedness, reminding us the importance of building a strong foundation in everything that we do. It is only in stillness that provides the most solid grounding of all – hence my inspired words “Movement gives Life but Stillness is my Grounding”.) “I trust so much… -
Oracle Card Reading For Divine Guidance
7 Sep 2009 | 7:17 pmDo you use divination cards to receive guided messages sometimes? I have been enjoying the use of my Goddess Guidance Oracle Cards. The cards are from Doreen Virtue and feature beautiful artwork of cross-cultural goddesses from Celtic, Mayan, Egyptian, Greek, Tibetan, Buddhist and others. Some examples include Isis, Athena, Kuan Yin, Green Tara and Mother Mary. I don’t use to take card readings seriously for years but it has been amazing what has come up recently. I usually invite clients for a card reading at the end of their sessions with me. I asked that they approach the reading… -
Angelic Reiki Healing with Angels, Archangels and Ascended Masters
30 Aug 2009 | 10:47 pmThe room was getting pretty crowded. We could sense that we were not alone. However, all of us were quietly going about we were supposed to be doing. We each had a role to play – whether we were the one performing the healing or the one volunteering to be healed upon. (photo by alicepopkorn) Finally, the healing session came to an end. It was time for a discussion and review. Lights flooded the room next. They were brought down to a dim before. This was how I had spent last weekend. I went through a series of practice sessions at an Angelic Reiki workshop. Modules we covered included…
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NovaMind Connect
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Test
5 Nov 2009 | 7:00 pmtest to site Mind Map: Hey How does this -
The Three Major Ingredients to a Winning Screenplay
5 Nov 2009 | 1:44 amThere are a three items that, if included into your screenplay, could yield great success with landing an agent, or even getting your gem turned into an actual movie.Mind Map: Three Ingredients to a Winning Screenplay -
Personal Growth Affirmations
4 Nov 2009 | 11:32 pmYou can never have too much personal growth when it comes to making your life better. What most people don’t realize is that constantly saying positive affirmations will keep your spirits high, and your mental, personal, emotional, and mental health will improve greatly. Mind Map: Personal Growth Affirmations -
Sales Success
4 Nov 2009 | 10:58 pmHave you ever wondered how you can utilize good problem solving skills when it comes to a career in sales? Mind Map: Sales Success -
How to Discipline Your Children
4 Nov 2009 | 5:40 pmUnruly children can really cause a need for problem solving, and quickly. It seems nowadays, parents are finding it more difficult to control kids, let alone raise them properly. Contrary to popular misconceptions, you can change what seems to be unruliness and defiant behavior amongst youth.Mind Map: Discipline Your Children
