Autism Essay examples -- essays research papers

   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are several reasons why I chose the topic of Autism. First, autism is intriguing because it is very hard to understand. Medical science is at a loss to explain why and how it occurs. Second, I have had occasion to develop a personal relationship with children who are afflicted with autism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At The Children’s Institute, where I volunteer, I sit and play with many kids, two of whom are very hard to play with. Even though they are five and six years old, they avoid making eye contact with others, and often refuse to play with the other kids. Also, once they start watching something, like television, it is very hard to get them to look somewhere else. They are focused, almost mesmerized by the television, especially if there are flashing lights or colors. One child rocks back and forth, sometimes slowly and sometimes faster. An older child makes noises a lot, hums and randomly laughs for no reason. My observations prompted me to do some research into autism and I found that these were traits which others had also observed in patients afflicted with autism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Autism has mystified scientists and doctors for more than a century. So, what do we know about it now? It is a complex developmental disability that usually appears during the first three years of life, and it arises from a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain. The brainstem of a person with autism is shorter than a normal brainstem, lacks a structure known as the superior olive and has a smaller than normal structure known as the facial nucleus. Scientists who have observed the brainstems of autistic patients have reported that it is though a band of tissue is missing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The symptoms of autism vary from one person to another. Some people can be affected greatly by one symptom, while other may be affected more strongly by a different symptom.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This developmental disability impacts normal development of the brain in areas such as social interaction and communication skills. Children with autism cannot interpret the emotional states of others, they don’t recognize anger, sorrow or manipulative intent. Their language skills are limited and they will often fail to initiate and sustain conversations.   Ã‚   ... ...ng.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A child with autism is normal in appearance to the untrained eye. But scientists have identified a few physical anomalies. The corners of the mouth are low compared with the center of the upper lip, and the tops of the ears flop over. Also, the ears are a bit lower than normal and have almost a square shape.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the information I have gathered, we see both how similarly affected the victims of autism are and how much the effects of autism vary from one person to another. New scientific discoveries have served to dispel some of the mystery of this complex developmental disability. Of course, it is frustrating for anyone who has a family member or is a family friend of an autistic person because there is still no explanation for why autism strikes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As a volunteer who works with autistic children, I believe it is important to increase awareness and understanding of this affliction. We can and should reach out to autistic children and help them live lives that are as meaningful and productive as possible. In doing so, I have found that we can enrich not just their lives but our own as well.

Major Life Event Development Through Life

As people live their lives, they usually and often experience various life events that influence their lives. If people suddenly experience a major life change it is likely that they will feel stressed and out of control. For example both Gloria and have experienced life events that have changed their lives forever. These events can either be predicted or unpredicted and these events are explained below. Predictable events Parenthood: As was seen in the case study, Gloria was not married to Ted before she unexpectedly found herself pregnant.Fortunately she had a beautiful baby girl. However, she and her baby daddy Ted have had to cope with being parents. This means that they had to learn new parental skills which involve learning how to take care of their child. For example, Ted, although at first did not assume responsibility, had to changed his old previous lifestyle. That means that both of them have to be able to bond with their daughter, and their free time for going out and â⠂¬Ëœhang out’ with friends are forever reduced, due to the arrival of Sunshine.Both Jason and Jasmine, Gloria’s parents and Lucy have experienced this life event; they had children. Retirement: During old age, usually at sixty five years of age, people are required to retire and leave their job, meaning that they no longer have any role in the society. Well some roles anyway. This also means that people may have more time for them-selves and their family as well as disengaging from work. At this point of people’s life, it may be hard for them to establish a new lifestyle, because they have worked all their lives – for Lucy, she had to join the bingo club.This also means that contacts with friends may be lost. On the other hand, Lucy, although is retired, still keeps active and has contact with people at her bingo as well as having a positive relationship with her family. Unpredictable events Illness or serious injury: It has been noted in the case study t hat Ted, as very young as he is at the age of twenty two, has been involved in motor bike accident, resulting to injury, leading to him lose his job.Due to this injury, it is obvious that Ted has to learn to cope, adapt and live with this physical change – changes may have included broken body parts, leading to disability, although the case didn’t mention that much. This may lead to Ted being depressed and feeling angry and wishing he was his old self. Many people who suffered serious injury – that leads to disability – may find it very hard to adapt to their situation. Bereavement: Due to the loss of their loved ones, people’s, both children and adult, physical, social and emotional lifestyle may change dramatically.People usually feel angry and depressed and are unable to cope with their losses. People who experience bereavement may lose dramatic weight due loss of apetite, they may not be able to concentrate, and their sleep may be disturbed. Re search shows that children who experience bereavement are likely to develop psychiatric disorder in later childhood and are also likely to develop difficult behaviour. References: http://www. pearsonschoolsandfecolleges. co. uk ( accessed on the 31/10/12)

Omnivore Definition and Examples

An omnivore is an organism that eats both animals and plants. An animal with such a diet is said to be omnivorous. An omnivore that youre probably pretty familiar with are humans—most humans (other than those who dont get any nutrition from animal products because of medical or ethical reasons) are omnivores. The Term Omnivore The word omnivore comes from the Latin words omni—meaning all—and vorare—meaning devour, or swallow. Therefore, omnivore means devours all in Latin. This is pretty accurate, as omnivores can get their food from a variety of sources. Food sources can include algae, plants, fungi, and animals.  Animals may be omnivorous their entire lives or just at specific stages of life. Advantages and Disadvantages of Being an Omnivore Omnivores have the advantage of being able to find food in a variety of places. Therefore, if one prey source diminishes, they can fairly easily switch to another one.  Some omnivores are also scavengers, meaning they feed on dead animals or plants, which further increases their food options. They do have to find their food—omnivores either wait for their food to pass by them or need to actively seek it out.  Since they have such a general diet, their means of getting food is not as specialized as carnivores or herbivores. For example, carnivores have sharp teeth for ripping and gripping prey and herbivores have flatter teeth adapted for grinding.  Omnivores may have a mix of both kinds of teeth—think of our molars and incisors as an example. A disadvantage for other marine life is that marine omnivores may be more likely to invade non-native habitats. This has cascading effects on native species, which may be preyed-upon or displaced by the invading omnivore. An example of this is the Asian shore crab which is native to countries in the Northwest Pacific Ocean but was transported to Europe and the U.S. where it is out-competing native species for food and habitat. Examples of Marine Omnivores Below are some examples of marine omnivores: Many crab species (including blue, ghost and Asian shore crabs)Horseshoe crabsLobsters (e.g. American lobster, spiny lobster)Some sea turtles—like Olive ridley and flatback turtles—are omnivores. Green turtles are herbivores as adults, but omnivores as hatchlings. Loggerhead turtles are carnivores as adults but omnivores as hatchlingsCommon perwinkle: These small snails feed mostly on algae but may also eat small animals (like barnacle larvae)Some types of zooplanktonSharks are generally carnivores, although the whale shark and basking shark may be considered omnivores, as they are filter feeders that eat plankton. As they mow through the ocean with their enormous mouths open, the plankton they consume may include both plants and animals. Using that line of reasoning, mussels and barnacles may be considered omnivores, since they filter small organisms (which may contain both phytoplankton and zooplankton) from the water Omnivores and Trophic Levels In the marine (and terrestrial) world, there are producers and consumers. Producers (or autotrophs) are organisms that make their own food. These organisms include plants, algae, and some types of bacteria. Producers are at the base of a food chain.  Consumers (heterotrophs) are organisms that need to consume other organisms to survive. All animals, including omnivores, are consumers.   In a food chain, there are trophic levels, which are the feeding levels of animals and plants. The first trophic level includes the producers, because they produce the food that fuels the rest of the food chain. The second trophic level includes the herbivores, which eat producers.  The third trophic level includes omnivores and carnivores. References and Further Information: Chiras, D.D. 1993. Biology: The Web of Life. West Publishing Company.Harper, D. Omnivorous. Online Etymology Dictionary. Accessed September 29, 2015.National Geographic. Autotroph.  Accessed September 29, 2015.The Oceanic Society. What Do Sea Turtles Eat? SEETurtles.org. Accessed September 29, 2015.

How Does Racial Worldview Affect Our Understanding Of The...

Research Paper Final Draft Name: Abdullah Mohammad Naseer-213152275 Section: UNI 123 (04D) Teacher: Aylin Yurdacan Date: 21.08.2015 Question: The author writes that the modern age has been defined by the â€Å"racial worldview† in what ways does racial worldview affect our understanding of the world? What negative consequences may it lead to in daily life? The idea of race has not been emphasized until our modern time. The term came to common use in the 18th century. Despite multiple technical definitions, they all aim to categorize humans by the physical traits. In the United States for example, a race is a group of people who have common relationship with each other like, colour of skin, hair and texture. Looking at the popular beliefs, social policies and practices in America regarding race between 18th to 20th centuries reveal the emergence and development of racial worldview about human differences. Furthermore racial worldview affects our understanding of the world and it has negative consequences in daily life. A racial worldview is inherently divisive rather than uniting and gives rise to animosity, racial segregation, class domination, stereotyping and discrimination. Firstly, how racial worldview affect our understanding of the world. Worldview a person s or a group s values, goals, concepts of the future, definitions of truth, etc. Naturally, you can see how differing worldviews have caused most conflicts historically. And one of these historical conflicts isShow MoreRelatedRacial Worldview And Its Impact On Our Understanding Of The World917 Words   |  4 Pagesuntil our modern time. The term came to common use in the 18th century. Despite multiple technical definitions, they all aim to categorize humans by the physical traits. In the United States for example, a race is a group of people who have common relationship with each other like, colour of skin, hair and texture. Looking at the popular beliefs, social policies and practices in America regarding race between 18th to 20th centuries reveals the emergence and development of racial worldview about humanRead MoreThe Importance Of Being Family With Cultural Backgrounds Of Different Cultural Groups1438 Words   |  6 Pageslook at my beliefs and values and how I associated them to other cultural groups. I also know the importance of being family with cultural backgrounds of different cultural groups. I am also aware that I need understand any kind prejudice and discrimination that has gone through in the past or is presently experiencing. I did not choose a higher number because there are some areas in myself that I need to work on. I think I need more time to learn about myself and how I view other cultures. I did notRead MoreReflections Of Week 1 : 41399 Words   |  6 Pagesperceive as being embedded within that class. This has reinforced in me the importance of now allowing generalisations to be made between race and class, for example, assuming that because a person does not wear shoes, they are inferior or of a lower class. My earliest memory of any learning about my own racial identity is not one of who I was. I had a discussion with my parents at a young age and they told me to always walk to the other side of the road if I saw an indigenous person walking towards meRead MoreThe Between White And Black1555 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Over centuries now, the white racial frame has kept this strong obsessive focus on black Americans as the dominant issue, problem, or reference point in an array of US institutional areas. Huge amounts of white energy has been expended on preserving systemic racism, including on the written and oral rationalizations of the societal reality† (Feagin 99). The dichotomy between white and black has been happening for centuries, you see it in history books, the mainstream media, and even within mainstreamRead MoreRace And The Color S Lives2163 Words   |  9 Pagessocial status disparity, segregation, discrimination, oppression and hatred. It has been, as an un-detach able part of our society, constructed, developed, and reformed, together with the history of America. Regarding the matter of race, in this article, I would like to find out the differences between academic and practical discourse of race, and how racial categorization affects people’s lives. To support the article, I will incorporate studies from anthropologists with information gathered fromRead MoreExploring the Different Types of Helpers1442 Words   |  6 Pagestheir friends, peers, and colleague succeed. Almost everyone has the capacity to be a helper, but only some can develop the skills needed to help people effectively. Those who choose not to help may have a negative view of the helping role complaining how it is more work and less satisfaction. There is much time and energy spent in dealing with people’s problems and it can be overwhelming trying to balance with a helper’s life, but when someone overcomes their issues because of the helper’s g uidanceRead MoreMulticulturalism Surrounded External And Internal Interactions.1796 Words   |  8 Pagesshaped by their experience and the culture they live in. Their reality of the world is a view that is influenced by collected knowledge and preference of a majority group. We as people understand that generalizations are not representative of everyone but we nevertheless hold people to these generalized standards. Berry (2005) highlights the differences and interactions between group level and individual level processes and how they influence acculturation. He defined acculturation as â€Å"the dual processRead Moremulticultural team Essay4989 Words   |  20 Pagesdifferent countries and have hybrid cultural identities. Globalization and the advances in communication and transportation technology have reduced trade barriers and increased interaction among people. Multicultural teams have become more common in our organizations, and contemporary international management literature has identiï ¬ ed that the management of multicultural teams is an important aspect of human resource management. Recent studies have focussed on the positive eï ¬â‚¬ects of using multiculturalRead MoreEssay about Disparities in Education of Minorities in the United States2745 Words   |  11 Pagesdisparities among various ethno-racial groups that make up the United States has been a long studied topic. Theories have ranged widely in what they consider as the primary factors for these disparities. Biological and individualist perspectives have cited inherent genetic inferiorities as the cause of these disparities. Others have taken into account social forces but have maintained that the cause is due to the creation of a culture of subordination and poverty that does not allow social advancementRead MoreRoles And Mission Of The Counselor2699 Words   |  11 Pagescounseling field, most counselors, although they may not be aware, act as social justice advocates on the behalf of their clients when linking or representing the client in different settings. In the article titled, Relationship Between a Belief in a Just World and Social Justice Advocacy Attitudes of School Counselors, the authors suggests that â€Å"†¦ school counselor trainees and school counselors currently in practice must continually examine their personal belief systems in order to engage in advocacy work

Sexting - 1555 Words

Introduction The sexting trend is gaining popularity with both teens and adults. Haag and Cummings (2010), define sexting as â€Å"the sending of sexually explicit messages and/ or photos, primarily between mobile phones† (p.1). However, sexually explicit messages and photos can be sent through social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and over various electronic devices, such as tablets. Although sexting between consenting adults is considered an acceptable activity, both adults and teenagers are using electronic devices and social media outlets to engage in inappropriate sexual activities (Matte, 2013). Since many teenagers are not legal adults, the legal issues of teen sexting must be considered. In addition, the†¦show more content†¦These sexts are often shown to or forwarded to friends and acquaintances. Sometimes, the explicit photos contained in the texts are uploaded on social media websites such as Facebook and Instagram or sent thr ough email (Stone, 2009). Adults can easily access sexts shared with friends and posted online. Since taking, possessing, and posting sexually explicit photographs of teenagers under the age of 18 is a form of child pornography, teen sexting should be illegal (Matte, 2013). Frequently, teenage girls under the age of 18 date older males. Although teenage boys under the age of 18 sometimes date adult females, this relationship is not as common as the aforementioned relationship. According to Matte (2013), â€Å"51% of teen girls cite pressure from guys as a reason to send explicit messages, while only 18% of boys say so. This is of concern when there is already a power imbalance in a relationship or an issue with self-esteem† (p.1). Young teenage girls may feel obligated to engage in explicit sexual behavior in order to appear more mature to their older boyfriends. Girls in such relationships must be aware of the potential legal risks of sexting with adult males (Matte, 2013). In some relationships, the male and female in the relationship have been less than a year apart in age (Matte, 2013). Regardless of the age difference, any adult male in possession of a sexually explicit photo of a minor can beShow MoreRelatedSexting Essay1294 Words   |  6 PagesPsychological effects of sexting Advances in technology have brought new and challenging consequences which we may not be able to fully understand or handle. Sexting, which involves the sending or receiving of sexually explicit messages or images is an important and sensitive topic which is now becoming a norm. We often focus on sexting in terms of how the law should handle the consequences that come from sexting while overlooking at the psychological effects which sexting can have on individualsRead MoreSexting : A Deeper Understanding On The Issue Of Sexting1658 Words   |  7 Pagesunderstanding on the issue of sexting among young teens and adults from a social science perspective. Specifically, it will examine the differences and similarities in attitudes, behaviors and consequences of sexting as it relates to gender. Through innovative methods, technology provides an opportunity for people all over the world to connect and explore their sexuality. There is an interesting contemporary interaction between techn ology and sexuality as it relates to sexting. Sexting is the production andRead MoreThe Sexting Phenomenon Essay1198 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"sex-texting† or â€Å"sexting.† Sexting is a dangerous yet contagious phenomenon contaminating the lives of teens and adults all over the country, if not the world. This phenomenon can have serious consequences. Even after surveying 1300 teenagers, one in five say they’ve sexted, although they know that it could be a crime (Feyerick and Steffen). Sexting is a growing epidemic and the only way to prohibit its growth is to develop close relationships with the kids of today’s society. Sexting is an issueRead MoreTeenage Sexting Essay631 Words   |  3 PagesThe act of sexting has many negative consequences. The number of teenagers whom participate in sexting is rapidly increasing. Sexting has become a widespread phenomenon that has destroyed lives and has caused emotional distress to many teenagers and young adults. Sexting gives teenagers the feeling of acceptance and the chance to be popular by gaining attention but what they fail to realize is the attention they are receiving is negative and it affects their reputation. Once a sext message has beenRead MoreThe New Norm : Sexting1784 Words   |  8 PagesPsychology 15 March 2016 The New Norm: Sexting Every generation experiences an event or societal change that influences adolescence. Technology, specifically cellular devices, have revolutionized the culture of dating and relationships. Sexting, by definition is sending someone sexually explicit photographs or messages via cell phone, has become the new normal for adolescents. More importantly, teen girls experience the pressure and repercussions of sexting. Whether a girl choses to do so or notRead MoreThe Problem with Teen Sexting934 Words   |  4 Pagesinstant messaging, and voice calling (Santrock, 425). With this new trend has come a new frenzy: teen â€Å"sexting†. The term â€Å"sexting† is use to describe a wide variety of activities: it can be used for producing and sending images of oneself, receiving images directly from the producer, or forwarding received images to other people. Although, the majority of attention has been directed toward â€Å"sexting† via cell phone, the term can apply to an y digital media, such as e†mail, instant messaging, and socialRead MoreSexting : A Part Of Their Sexual Engagement Essay1702 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction: (200 words) Sexting among teenagers has become a part of their sexual engagement with each other over the last decade. Sexting refers to electronic communication between people in a sexual context via written text, naked pictures or partly naked pictures between participants that send and receive sext messages. It seems that the mainstream perception is that sexting brings about risky behaviour among this young demographic. Research supports that, however, not enough research hasRead MoreSexting As A Teenage Moral Panic1480 Words   |  6 Pages Snapchat Sexting as a Teenage Moral Panic Social media has become an outlet for teenagers to communicate constantly, monitor each other’s lives, and control what they want others to see. As social media is becoming more and more popular, more teenage moral panics are occurring. A moral panic is defined as the â€Å"fear of a new technology’s or cultural form’s negative impact outside of parental control.† (Jackson) Throughout these past few years, there have been an endless amount of teenage moralRead MoreSession Four : Consequences Of Sexting867 Words   |  4 PagesSession Four: Consequences of sexting based on â€Å"Girls Like That† by Evan Placey In the scene from the boys’ viewpoint, I used posture and movement to show the relaxed and bored behaviour by standing with my shoulders slumped, hunched over back as I boringly stared at my phone whilst I noisily chewed gum. Aastha was positioned in the centre middle as a leader whereas I, Leah and Ceri stood around as her followers, to show Aastha had the authority in the group. Suddenly, Aastha shouted, â€Å"Oi, lads getRead MoreCell Phones, Sexting and Teenagers2233 Words   |  9 PagesI. INTRODUCTION A. Cell Phones, Sexting, and Teenagers The personal cell phone unheard of in the beginning of the last century, has forever changed the way people communicate. Some of our nation’s teenagers are being caught in the crossfire between technology and the law. Teenagers are charged with possession and distribution of child pornography when caught using cell phone technology to share with others intimate, provocative, seductive, or sexually explicit photos of themselves. Radley Balko

Parents Teen Relationship Free Essays

Parent-Teen Relationships Analysis Our survey was about parent teen’s relationship and how close they are with each other. We survey 100 students in our school which fifty of them were male and other fifty were female. We had 9 questions which were about who they living with and how open they are with their parents. We will write a custom essay sample on Parents Teen Relationship or any similar topic only for you Order Now My three survey questioners are ‘are they are closer to their mother or Father’, ‘who they are more comfortable to talk’, and ‘being more open with parents would have positive or negative effects on their relationship. ’ Question #4 The result shows that teenagers are closer to their mothers rather than their fathers. The graph shows that 77 percents of students are closer to their mother which 48 percent of them are Female and 29 percents of them are Male. Most of the teenagers are close to their mother rather than their Father because she is the one who is there and will listen to you and knows your needs, but father is at work most of the time. Mother spend a great deal of time with their children get to know them better and become more sensitive to their need. Fathers and mother interact differently with their children. Father tends to be more physically engaged and less emotional with their children than mothers are. Girls are closer to their mother because they are from same gander and wouldn’t feel comfortable to talk about their physical issues with their father. In this survey 21 percent were closer to their father because they think that they understand each other better and fell comfortable to talk about their issues. Question #5 The results show that teenagers are most comfortable talking to their mothers and friends than their fathers. The graph shows that 47 percent of students are most comfortable talking to their mother which 29 percent of them are Female and 18 percent of them are Male. However, 15 percent of them are most comfortable talking to their father which 11 percent of them are male and 4 percent of them are Female. Other 38 percent are most comfortable talking to their friends which 21 percent of them are Male and 17 percent of them are Female. Communication with their children seems to be the bridge to a good and healthy relationship between moms and their children. The most important part of communication for moms is listening. Most of the students are comfortable talk to their mother because she is the one who is there when they have problem and always listen to them. She tries to understand them and give them good advices not punish them for what they had done. Also, mother will support their children emotionally and girls are more comfortable talking to their mother about their problems and emotional stuff. Some of the boys are comfortable to talk with their father because they think that he will understand them better and knows their need as a man. Furthermore, most of the students are more comfortable talking to their friends because they are at same age and might have or had same issues and problems as they have. Other reason is that they think that their parents wouldn’t understand them and they might not have close relationship or scared of talking about something they did wrong. Question #9 Most of the students think that being more open with their parents would have positive effects on their relationship. 78 percent of the students said yes and only 22 percent of them said no. ttp://fatherhood. about. com/od/dadsandteens/a/teen_friends_2. htm Communication with their children seems to be the bridge to a good and healthy relationship between moms and their children. The most important part of communication for moms is listening. Many times moms are in too big of a hurry to speak and less interested in listening. The way to learn is to listen. Children learn from moms as well as moms learn from children. It is not al ways easy for a mom to listen in a busied life nevertheless listening is sometimes the most important. Take the time to stop and listen to what your child has to say it will be a precious moment that can be turned into a precious memory. Moms need to be consistent with children. Children learn to trust this way. A mom says something it is important to follow through with that statement. Whether it be a boundary for a child (where they can go, curfews) or a special time and day set aside for them. Consistency is an everyday thing that will go on through the life of the child. They trust boundaries that are set for them and look forward to the time they get with mom. As children grow and have ideas of their own, it is important for moms to keep communicating and listening to their children. There are different needs in children as they grow and change and it is important for moms to recognize their changes and needs with an open mind and a lot of understanding. Sometimes tough love is a hard thing to for moms but a much-needed thing in children’s lives. And my mum because she’s my emotional support. She’s a female like me, so we talk about anything. She’s there to cry to.. It’s very effective. Children feel closer to parents who treat them like friends and listen to them more than those who rule by fear. When you treat your child like a friend, he/she will confide everything in you and this way can be saved from doing a lot of stuff that could be harmful for them or get them into trouble. Being a friend to your kid makes them feel closer to you, and protect them from outside influences that may be attractive but may get them into trouble. How to cite Parents Teen Relationship, Papers

I, What I Know, Assume or Imagine Essay Example For Students

I, What I Know, Assume or Imagine Essay Just a couple of weeks ago, I was thinking of a topic for this I-Search Paper, but I didnt really know what I want to do except that I want to do something unique, something that will surprise the readers, something that has not been done before. I came up with two possible topics: landscape designing and origami. After couple more days of dilemma, I ended up doing landscape designing because I have always been interested in that field of career. So my research began. I first look up general information about landscape designing on the internet, that was no problem, but when I search in the library for some books, I ran across a problem. I only found one passÃÆ' © book, and I wasnt sure that the informations are current. I looked through it anyway, though, and that was when I came across the word feng shui. I remember hearing about it when I was younger, but I didnt know much about it. From what I knew, feng shui involves certain arrangement of furniture in the house and supposedly good arrangement will increases good lucks for people who live in the house. Since I want to do something unique, and landscape design isnt too unique in my opinion, I decided to change my topic to feng shui. As I mentioned, I heard of feng shui before. Feng shui is quite common in Thailand, where I grew up. Therere a lot of Chinese in Thailand, and they contributed feng shui into Thais cultures. Although Im not Chinese, I was taught by my grandmother of some basic principles of feng shui. I was taught not to buy a home at cul-de-sac, not to place the bed in direct line to the door, and not to place study desk back to the door. To tell you the truth, I believe in these things because it does make a lot of sense. When you come to think of it, if you place your study desk back to the door, you wont be able to see whos coming in which can be very dangerous and can even create paranoid which effects mental health. Since the concept of feng shui is very complicated, and it takes years of study to become an expert in this subject, I decided to research its meaning, how it came about, and basic principles that made up feng shui rather than the whole details which would takes years. II. The Search There are some evidences that lead to believe that feng shui might be as old as six thousands years old. In 1998, the grave that is as old as 4000 BC was found in Henan, China. It is oriented facing south, with rounded head symbolic of tien, Heaven or the sky. The northern end of the grave is square symbolic to ti, Earth. On the eastern side there is an image of a dragon, with an image of a tiger on the west, representing two of the four celestial Animals of feng shui. The constellation the Big Dipper very significant in Chinese astrology and also in feng shui is traced out at the center of the grave. ;50 Although this discovery might not prove that feng shui was as old as the grave, the concept of feng shui was recorded in the famous Trigrams of the I Ching, which date back to 2800 BC. So what exactly is feng shui? Well, feng shui is the study of energy, harmony, balance and placement in building design. The focus is on arranging ones life in accordance with the forces of the universe. 3 Feeling lost? Let try this. Feng shui is basically the art of placements and arrangements of your homes, offices, and even graves. Feng Shui lets you make your own luck. 1 There are three types of luck. Heaven Luck is the horoscope you were born with; Man Luck is your own responsibility; and Earth Luck that involves with feng shui. 6;35 By practicing proper feng shui, you can improve your Earth Luck. Feng shui is about interpreting environments around us, and making sure that everything balanced out. The word feng means wind, and shui means water. This gives us a hint that this subject has something to do with the nature. .uc36d59dcd4e5c2382ef162cd0c3ea72b , .uc36d59dcd4e5c2382ef162cd0c3ea72b .postImageUrl , .uc36d59dcd4e5c2382ef162cd0c3ea72b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc36d59dcd4e5c2382ef162cd0c3ea72b , .uc36d59dcd4e5c2382ef162cd0c3ea72b:hover , .uc36d59dcd4e5c2382ef162cd0c3ea72b:visited , .uc36d59dcd4e5c2382ef162cd0c3ea72b:active { border:0!important; } .uc36d59dcd4e5c2382ef162cd0c3ea72b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc36d59dcd4e5c2382ef162cd0c3ea72b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc36d59dcd4e5c2382ef162cd0c3ea72b:active , .uc36d59dcd4e5c2382ef162cd0c3ea72b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc36d59dcd4e5c2382ef162cd0c3ea72b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc36d59dcd4e5c2382ef162cd0c3ea72b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc36d59dcd4e5c2382ef162cd0c3ea72b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc36d59dcd4e5c2382ef162cd0c3ea72b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc36d59dcd4e5c2382ef162cd0c3ea72b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc36d59dcd4e5c2382ef162cd0c3ea72b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc36d59dcd4e5c2382ef162cd0c3ea72b .uc36d59dcd4e5c2382ef162cd0c3ea72b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc36d59dcd4e5c2382ef162cd0c3ea72b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Boo Radley EssayWe know that both water and air are fluids, so flow is part of the meaning of feng shui. Also, air and water, are absolutely crucial to life which symbolizes the important of feng shui. 6;24 To really understand Feng Shui, there are few concepts that needed to be point out. One is chi. It is the energy or the cosmic breath of life, a force that is stifled when a persons surroundings are out of balance. Its the most important aspect of feng shui, which is a process of improving Chi or curing or improving bad Chi. 5 The Way, or the Tao is the philosophy of which underlies feng shui. It shows how to order our lives to live in harmony with ourselves, each other and the natural world. 4;12 Another concept that is quite well known in the west is Yin and Yang, but just in case you dont know what they mean, Yin and Yang are basically a positive and a negative forces that act together in order to create energy. Think of a battery, one size is positive, another is negative. Yin and Yang are the two dualities in nature that feng shui tries to bring into balance. 2 If one achieves dominance, an imbalance occurs. 4;12 And one more thing to remember is that Ying and Yang are opposing but interdependent concepts meaning that they cannot exist without one another, but too much of one another can create bad environment. Another concept that lies behind feng shui is There are many types of approaches that practitioners use to create feng shui in the place to create a comfortable for those living or working there. The environmental approach is also known as the Form or Landform School. Its the earliest approach to feng shui. These people who approach feng shui this way often considered their basic needs such as food, shelter, and transportation. Rivers are important because they need water for growing plants and transporting their crops. 4;16 The compass approach is a little bit more complicated. This approach needs the aid of Luo pan or compass. The luo pan illustrates direction, and investigates the energy of each direction. By interpreting these energies, the practitioners can determine the suitable sites for human beings. ;10 The intuitive approach is based on ancient texts which show different shapes of mountain and water course. Different names illustrate concepts significant to the Chinese psyche. An example of bad feng shui is Tiger in Waiting which means a negative place where residents will never be able to relax. 4;13 Although all the mentioned concepts are important in the understand feng shui, but the fundamental concept involves the five elements à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" fire, earth, water, wood, and metal à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" and everything consists of one or more elements. In order to create good environment, all of these five elements should be balanced. Just like the concept of Ying and Yang, if ones dominates or is lacking, then difficulties will occur. 4;14 III. What I Discovered This is what I got so far from my research. It was very hard to find any information on feng shui, especially from books. There wasnt any book in the library about feng shui, but the librarian bought two books about it for me, and theyre very helpful. The concept of feng shui is so perplex that I couldnt truly research deep into the subject within couple of weeks. So far, I realized how wrong I was about feng shui. I used to think that feng shui is an easy concept, and all one needs to do to practice feng shui was to move the furniture around. However, through my research, I found out that feng shui is a serious stuff, and if you randomly rearranging your homes furniture, you might changed the flow of your already existed luck. You have to understand feng shui very well before you make any changes.