But you don’t need to figure this out to find out what your Mars means. Just ask an
astrologer.

Let’s say I looked at your horoscope and found out that your Mars is in the sign of
Cancer. Here’s an easy way to understand this:

Mars= passion and desire to take action

Cancer= a sign that relates to food, baking, bread, real estate, home,
family, stomach, mothering and nurturing

Now, put some of these meanings together with Mars and you will come up with
some things you really have a passion for. Then you simply ask “Which one of these
things, that relate to my passion, do I feel the strongest about?”

You might say that you have a strong passion for cabinetmaking, which relates to
building homes. Or you could have a strong passion for real estate or running a
bakery. In any case, your Mars in Cancer shows that your passion is strongly related
to the areas of life that relate to that sign.

Here’s another example:

Your Mercury is in Aquarius. Mercury= thinking and communications.
Aquarius= relates to advanced technology, computers, aircraft, space
travel, astrology, engineering, musical composition and friendships.

If you have your Mercury in Aquarius, you will always approach information from a
technical or advanced level of awareness. The Aquarian signs imparts a keen ability
to look beyond the obvious and seek out radical forms of expression. Some of our
greatest pioneers, inventors, and composers had Mercury in Aquarius.

If your Mercury is in Aquarius, all of this will make sense to you.

Don’t you find it quite remarkable that the heavens can reveal so much information
about you?

Let’s take one more example.

Your Venus is in Leo. Venus= appreciation, attraction, what you like.
Leo= sign of the arts, creativity in all forms, love, romance, sports,
theater, painting music, the heart, and children.

If your Venus is in Leo, you are truly a romantic. You love the game of love, playing
the field, and expressing yourself creatively. You have a loving heart and you want
to impart that feeling to others.

When you combine the planets with the signs, think of the planet as desire and the
sign as an attitude. Then your horoscope will begin to make sense to you.

Obviously, your horoscope is far more complex than this, but I have shown you in a
very simple way how the planets and signs reveal who you are.

© 2006 Randall Curtis

Randall Curtis is a professional astrologer with world-wide
clients. Click on this link to
gain quick and valuable insights into your horoscope and get free lessons in
astrology.

Flying Stars or Fei Xing is a powerful form of Feng Shui derived from the famous Xuan Kong Fengshui. It is an Analysis of the Five Elements and Star Combinations (representing certain energy patterns) that occupy every building. Each new year these annual stars change, Qi (energy) shifts happen, bringing good and bad energy with them - thereby producing different effects.

In February 2004 all the Feng Shui Energy Patterns underwent huge transformations to the NewAge of Land Luck called Period 8 Energy Cycles. It means that a large scale evolution of the human race with completely new energy dynamics has started. The significance is that the new, vibrant energies of Period 8 impacts on the buildings differently than before and energies that were previously activated now need to be remedied, in order to reduce any bad effects from the past influences.

The Flying Stars Chart or the 9-Grid Meteor Plan for the Bing-Xu, Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog has been plotted and the effects of their energy patterns are analyzed. The analysis also contains suggested remedies/cures for reducing the impact of negative energy and recommended enhancers for increasing and improving upon the beneficial energy.

For the remedies/enhancers to be effective, they should be cleansed, energised, blessed and programmed not only for the particular individual/family but also for the specific purpose/problem. They should also be placed in the indicated location.

The direction in which your main door lies is very important to any form of Geomancy, including Fengshui & Vaastu. The primary reason for this is that the air currents and energy flow in and flow out through the mouth of the main door. Thus you receive positive energy for the year, if the main door faces a direction of auspicious stars or meteors (powerful energy bodies) and receive negative energy for the year, if the main door faces a direction of evil stars or meteors. In case negative impacts are forecast, you can simply offset the negative energy by installing the recommended remedies there. Any or all of these remedies can be reused for the coming years, the only thing is that they should be repositioned according to the new year.

Please note that the effects may be felt in varying degrees depending upon the exact compass degree of the main door.

ANNUAL FORECAST & REMEDIES FOR FLATS/HOMES/OFFICES/FACTORIES WITH MAIN DOOR FACING WEST :

A disastrous year with the Sickness Star 5 Yellows becoming the resident evil here, sowing seeds of obstacles, delays, disputes, accidents, thefts, injuries, law and health related problems. Arguments and interpersonal disputes at office will affect career prospects. Even to achieve normal results, you may have to work doubly hard. Some of you may even face demotions and retrenchment. Businessmen will face adverse conditions and low profits. Quotes will be rejected and approved orders canceled. Frauds and pilferage could happen. Concentrate on consolidating the existing setup and do not attempt expansion or diversification.

Hang a large sized natural, original Chinese Sacred Kalabash or Hoo-Loo on the innerside of your main door alongwith a golden, metal Wou-Lou, a string of 6 I-Ching Coins and a Wind Chyme. Keep the statue of Kuan Kung alongwith a pair of Chi-Lins straight opposite your main door, facing it. Do not display any moving water features (like Fish Aquariums, Water Fountains, etc.) here, in this year. Avoid redecorating or renovating this part of the house this year. Do not even drive nails or drill in the West walls. It is also not advisable to sit or sleep for extended periods, near your main door. Minimise the colours of red and yellow.

If your bedroom falls in this sector, misunderstandings could even lead to seperation. Display the combined statue of Dragon & Phoenix in the bedroom to minimise the problem.

If your kitchen is located in this sector, food poisoning, digestion, abdomenal problems and grave fire accidents could happen. Tape a set of 3 large sized Trigram Coins onto the bottom of the slab or cupboard seating the stoves. Hang a Wind Chyme just outside your kitchen door.

This is not a good year for getting married or to concieve. If pregnant, be prepared to face complications during the delivery. There could be some threats to children’s safety. Poor academic luck this year. Money and property loss through theft can happen. Install a good security system and invest on insurance for your household articles. Health problems could get serious for some family members. Do not self-diagonise and self-prescribe medications, but seek professional medical help.

Display the “Safety Talisman for 2006″ in the North West sector and carry a miniature version of it always.

Door Mat Colour for the Main Door : Grey (on the outside), with 6 nos. of I-Ching coins taped under it.

COMMON MINIMUM REMEDY FOR ALL BUILDINGS FOR 2006 :

To minimise damage due to gossiping and rumours, arguments and disputes, avoid the colours green and blue in the center of your home. Do not place any moving water features like fish aquarium or water fountains here. Display 8 red roses without thorns and leaves in the center of your home/office/building and light up a small red coloured bulb which will burn continuously, 24/7. This is applicable for all buildings, irrespective of the direction of the main doors.

This is copyrighted work. Permission is granted to republish (both in electronic media as well as print media) the article in it’s entirety only, including the full bio of the author and his links. All links should be “clickable” hyperlinks. An acknowledgement mail from Republishers will be appreciated.

The Author of this article Sri Janarrdhana Guptha is an Energy Consultant, Vaastu & Fengshui Researcher, Crystal Master and a Clairvoyant Karma Reader. His speciality is in permanent, life-time Remedial Solutions, especially Crystal Energy Fields. His wife Srimathi Kalpana Guptha is also a Psychic Reader. The Energy Couple can be reached through crystalvaastu@yahoo.com
or either of their websites:
http://www.newage-kabbalah-numerology.com or
http://www.crystal-vaastu.com/home.htm.

This is the second thing to do. Once you have spread the thoughts of goodwill to the whole universe, just be thankful to the universe. Be thankful to everybody for helping you at any point of time. Be thankful to God for all that he given to you. Have a feeling of gratitude for all that you have gotten. There are so many things in your life for which you should be thankful to God. Thank him for the present day he has given us, thank him for the pleasant wind outside, thank him for trees, for sky, for the breakfast you have in the morning, the lunch in office and dinner at home. Thank him for giving you wonderful friends, a loving spouse, and a lovely child. Thank him for the beautiful music, the sun rise, the baseball, the TV, DVD, the Car, the bus, the fruits, the day free of traffic jams ! Well the list is endless. 95% things in our life are all right. Forget about the rest 5%.

And…..if you find it difficult to find anything good in your life for which you should be thankful to God please read this inspiring verse

Think About this

——————————————————————————-

Should you find it hard to get to sleep tonight;

Just remember the homeless family who has no bed to lie in.

*****

Should you find yourself stuck in traffic; don’t despair.

There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.

*****

Should you have a bad day at work;

Think of the man who has been out of work for the last three months.

*****

Should you despair over a relationship gone bad;

Think of the person who has never known what it’s like to love and be loved in return.

*****

Should you grieve the passing of another weekend;

Think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week, for -15.00 to feed her family.

*****

Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance;

Think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.

*****

Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror;

Think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.

*****

Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking “what is my purpose”;

Be thankful. There are those who didn’t live long enough to get the opportunity.

*****

Should you find yourself the victim of other people’s bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities;

Remember, things could be worse. You could be them!!!

*****

Should you decide to tell the above to a friend;

You might brighten someone’s day!

*****

——————————————————————————-

After reading the above inspiring verse, I hope you must be aware of so many things for which you should be thankful to God. So thank him with the core of your heart.

Now you have learn two contemplation exercise prior to meditation which are : (1) Become compassionate & forgiving towards everybody and (2) Be thankful to God.

In my next article I’ll tell you about the third and the final contemplation exercise prior to meditation

Eklavya is a simple student of meditation based in India. He provides knowledge of meditation through his website Meditation is Easy (http://www.meditationiseasy.com). This website provides knowledge of meditation (& various meditation techniques) to general public in a simple and idiot-friendly language ! Along with a collection of 112 Meditation techniques of all times (for all people of all age), you will also find a useful collection of various tips for stress-free life http://www.meditationiseasy.com/tips/index.htm) including workplace tips, health tips and Soul tips ! Have a look..

July the 14th, 1861
Washington DC

My very dear Sarah:

The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days - perhaps tomorrow. Lest I should not be able to write you again, I feel impelled to write lines that may fall under your eye when I shall be no more.

Our movement may be one of a few days duration and full of pleasure - and it may be one of severe conflict and death to me. Not my will, but thine 0 God, be done. If it is necessary that I should fall on the battlefield for my country, I am ready. I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in, the cause in which I am engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter. I know how strongly American Civilization now leans upon the triumph of the Government, and how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood and suffering of the Revolution. And I am willing - perfectly willing - to lay down all my joys in this life, to help maintain this Government, and to pay that debt.

But, my dear wife, when I know that with my own joys I lay down nearly all of yours, and replace them in this life with cares and sorrows - when, after having eaten for long years the bitter fruit of orphanage myself, I must offer it as their only sustenance to my dear little children - is it weak or dishonorable, while the banner of my purpose floats calmly and proudly in the breeze, that my unbounded love for you, my darling wife and children, should struggle in fierce, though useless, contest with my love of country?

I cannot describe to you my feelings on this calm summer night, when two thousand men are sleeping around me, many of them enjoying the last, perhaps, before that of death — and I, suspicious that Death is creeping behind me with his fatal dart, am communing with God, my country, and thee.

I have sought most closely and diligently, and often in my breast, for a wrong motive in thus hazarding the happiness of those I loved and I could not find one. A pure love of my country and of the principles have often advocated before the people and “the name of honor that I love more than I fear death” have called upon me, and I have obeyed.

Sarah, my love for you is deathless, it seems to bind me to you with mighty cables that nothing but Omnipotence could break; and yet my love of Country comes over me like a strong wind and bears me irresistibly on with all these chains to the battlefield.

The memories of the blissful moments I have spent with you come creeping over me, and I feel most gratified to God and to you that I have enjoyed them so long. And hard it is for me to give them up and burn to ashes the hopes of future years, when God willing, we might still have lived and loved together and seen our sons grow up to honorable manhood around us. I have, I know, but few and small claims upon Divine Providence, but something whispers to me - perhaps it is the wafted prayer of my little Edgar — that I shall return to my loved ones unharmed. If I do not, my dear Sarah, never forget how much I love you, and when my last breath escapes me on the battlefield, it will whisper your name.

Forgive my many faults, and the many pains I have caused you. How thoughtless and foolish I have oftentimes been! How gladly would I wash out with my tears every little spot upon your happiness, and struggle with all the misfortune of this world, to shield you and my children from harm. But I cannot. I must watch you from the spirit land and hover near you, while you buffet the storms with your precious little freight, and wait with sad patience till we meet to part no more.

But, O Sarah! If the dead can come back to this earth and flit unseen around those they loved, I shall always be near you; in the garish day and in the darkest night — amidst your happiest scenes and gloomiest hours - always, always; and if there be a soft breeze upon your cheek, it shall be my breath; or the cool air fans your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by.

Sarah, do not mourn me dead; think I am gone and wait for thee, for we shall meet again.

As for my little boys, they will grow as I have done, and never know a father’s love and care. Little Willie is too young to remember me long, and my blue eyed Edgar will keep my frolics with him among the dimmest memories of his childhood. Sarah, I have unlimited confidence in your maternal care and your development of their characters. Tell my two mothers his and hers I call God’s blessing upon them. O Sarah, I wait for you there! Come to me, and lead thither my children.

Sullivan

Having the right connections between your DVD recorder and your TV and personal hi-fi can easily make a significant difference to the quality of the sound and picture.

A handful of DVD connections to consider:

S-video connection: This is the next best thing to component video & is an alternative for all Digital Versatile Disc Players that do not have component output and TVs that don’t include component input. You might require a separate cable however the image difference ought to be undeniably worth it.

SCART leads: An ordinary form of DVD connection found in the UK products is the SCART lead. This transmits both sound and image signals. SCART connections are traditionally found on DVD players & also newer tellies. Gold shielded SCART leads provides a significantly improved connection. A SCART connection will give you a significantly better picture than S-Video & is close to component benchmark. SCART cables are not by and large incorporated inside players. You possibly will be expected to pay around twenty five pounds Visit the Sound and Vision website and grab yourself Sony DVD Recorder today!

Audio connectors: DVD recorders, chiefly the more classy items, can have scores of sound outputs. Outputs might include phono, digital coaxial and digital optical. If you are trying to connect to a separate hi-fi system this may be a very much essential attribute to have.

Progressive scan is the most recent phrase in the Digital Versatile Disc recorder industry and even as more costly recorders include it, it can not in fact be used except if you have a digital telly. With it your program can be refreshed at 60 times each second which helps for a better almost flicker free image & is far better to anything that is delivered by the numerous interlaced scanning means.

When the press asked Larry Bird how many practice shots he takes in a day, he responded with “1,000 shots.” The reporter asked, “How is that possible?” Bird simply stated that some shots are physical but most are visually taken (positive visualization). Visualizing successful shots when at a stop sign (seeing your successful goals played out) is an effective means of motivation towards achievement of your goals.

It’s up to you to determine what you wish to achieve in life, but learn from what you’ve accomplished, what factors proved to support you on your journey to achieve goals that are in line with what you desire. But make certain you visualize all your goals for the day, month, year and life and map them individually, enabling you to see how to score your own shots. When you own your goals, they will naturally motivate with empowerment to reach them.

When someone asks me a question I try to avoid giving them a straight answer because I believe an answer can only complicate things, I find that the best way to help them is to pose a better question. You see an answer has a certain finality whereas a question can open new possibilities. I find that people need something certain and finite to grab onto, some believe that this can define their inner being provide happiness and wellbeing for the rest of their life. A great example is science, science is a way of giving answers right? WRONG, no scientist in the world has found an answer, but the greatest scientists have found great questions! Questions that gave us a better understanding about the world around us. Can you remember when you where young and the world seemed so exciting, how every color and every smell had an identity of its own? You didn’t know that “red” was red but it certainly made you feel in a way that no one else could or can possibly understand.

We all evolved to the person we are today due to our keen sense of curiosity. I don’t know about you but every time I asked the same question to different people I got a different answer, the people that gave me the answers didn’t evolve nearly as I did, my guess is that this same thing happened to you too.

As we grow older and older we rarely make any questions and subsequently our evolution rate declines. We become self absorbed and goal oriented, we feed our pompous ego with “achievements” that don’t feel quite right but we do them anyway because they make us seem important and give us comfort and ease. With that stated, I’m not surprised that I rarely see a truly happy man. We have made happiness into achievement, which is tragic. You can’t achieve something that you have always had but you have been trained systematically not to see.

You reach to the top and you realize that it isn’t the status that matters but what brought you there, are you proud about the things you did to get there, did you enjoy the ride? I’m not talking about ethics but about essence, it is really sad to realize you have wasted your life to achieve something that you never longed for just to gain approval or comfort or status or wealth. Everything is right if done for the right reasons but something “right” can be wrong if done for the wrong reasons.

Now I have a question to you, which path is the one that will give you fulfillment satisfaction, will help you evolve and when you look back in time will make you feel proud and good about yourself?

***This article is dedicated to Ioanna a wonderful and charismatic woman that is on the verge of quit asking questions! ***

Being 5, I had no conceptual difference between truth and honesty. What I learned that day was the secret of living free, and very much in line with what I would find in the Neo-Tech Discovery again years later.

Think of Neo-Tech as ‘fully integrated honesty’ and by the time you finish reading this article you will understand it’s power.

That lesson about ‘truth’ touched me, it exhilarated me, I understood at that moment consciously what the power was that I had that I could feel. I remember the lesson clearly.

Honesty is the source of that power.

It was also around this age I snuck down stairs early one morning on the Sabbath to watch TV.

Dad caught me…

Following that I strongly took on the belief that god literally requested certain disciplines of me, as it was this dishonest (secretive disobedience) that I had the experience of relating ‘going against god’ with dishonesty, where I felt my actions as wrong, and so this was now strongly linked to ‘obeying God’.

That is, being honest literally to me meant obeying god’s will.

Being dishonest meant going against god’s will.

What happened to me in-between 5 and 16 will someday make a bibliography helpful to many people.

In brief: My father being Jewish, he raised me as such, I read many stories of great men, kind, knowledgeable, godly men. I moved on to reading Jewish ethics and philosophy… two books that come to mind are ‘Crossing the Narrow Bridge’, and ‘Strive for Truth’.

But by 12 years old, they no longer were satisfying. I had held questions in my mind, some I had asked, but satisfying answers often did not come.

This splinter in my mind, the distinction between trying to figure out reality, and the inadequacies of the only philosophical ideas that I had, pushed me away from Judaism, and I started to read other philosophy books, at 12 years old! using my own curious judgment of whether something made sense or not.

It was at 12 years old that I believe I made the Neo-Tech Discovery for my self.

I remember my first conscious act of blatant dishonesty, my first conscious lie; my first conscious rationalization. I was about 8 or 9. I had stolen a pack of sweets from a shop that I had been in with my father. He found them when we were home later that day, and he asked where had I got them…

It was a little while prior to this, that I learned the difference between truth and honesty. I had read in one of the Jewish works, that a righteous man was permitted to lie, because they understood the realm of god, thus were allowed to cover up and bend the truth.

That didn’t sit right; my view of man became tainted, and the wedge was formed at that moment between my honest free self, possessing the secret of honest open living, and me falling into the anticivilisation milieu of rationalization, ‘truth’, and ‘lying to survive’, which somehow I think led to me justifying to myself taking the sweets.

…Standing before my father, I weighed the options, I introspected with thoughts of, ‘am I righteous enough to lie’ and, ‘honesty is what I know makes me feel good all over’.

I was going to say ‘yes, I had stolen the sweets’, but I remembered that I had read that the righteous man, knowing the realm of god, his lies were really truthful.

‘I always tell the truth… even when I lie’. - Al Pacino, Scarface.

So I said, ‘no, I had not stolen the sweets, I had been given them at school’.

I lied very few times during my childhood experience, yet the wedge separating my experience in reality with my mental thoughts of self-protection and thus my insight between honesty / dishonesty was obviously there.

I stopped fitting in with my peers after age 10. My peers seemed to become thoroughly dishonest, narrow minded, concerned with football and the like; I wasn’t interested, I had started to lose my belief in God, and I had started to lose my honest and free mind, being sucked into the anticivilisation.

I was isolated even from myself, I didn’t feel good anymore, I lost my simple feeling of inner warmth (and a constant presence of satisfying vibration).

With age 15 being the most painful and soul-searching year of my life, at age 16 I was able to reject Judaism, the religion of my father’s side of the family, and even the God Concept (which also included Christianity and Transcendental Meditation from my mothers side).

I was removed from the security of belief in God, and I was removed from the very close, unique relationship I had had with my father.

I was alone, yet unafraid, for the first time since I could remember from that early childhood state.

But this was to lead to my Neo-Tech Discovery some time later.

As a young man, sitting in my cold bedroom, alone, isolated. I turned the front cover of a new book for me to absorb; a huge dusty old manuscript, which began the rediscovery of keys that I had lost.

What I learned that day would serve me for years right up until today in supplying magic codes for unlocking that childhood secret of living free in honesty. I felt exhilarated again, unlike I had since being 10 years old. I remember that day of ‘Discovery’ clearly.

“The Child of the past exists in every adult. Lost within faded memories, that child keeps searching for a life of adventure, discovery, value and happiness. The Neo-Tech concepts let the reader turn inward to discover that child…” - Neo-Tech Advantage #2, from that dusty old manuscript.

I think that I held onto the free and honest mind until much much later in life than most and then to a greater degree than most, as was my conscious observation at the time, which itself created a lot of pain; baring witness to the superficial non-reality of my peers and surrounding adults words.

I retained strong compulsion to honesty, pursuit of reality, and a deep motivational drive to achieve and learn. I felt that I had kept certain characteristics from my childhood: the connection with honesty and the resultant beautiful experience, and also the power that a free and honest mind has in the playground.

But I had lost a lot, in particular, my care-free and larger-than-life experiences.

As I said above, I was sitting in my cold bedroom, alone, isolated. I turned the front cover of this large manuscript.

What I learned that day was the key to regaining that childhood secret of living free. I felt exhilarated again, like we all do in early childhood. I remember that day of re-discovery clearly.”

Once again, I had been presented only the second time ever, with The Key Choice of honesty or dishonesty.

Currently touring Thailand whilst writing and coaching, Nathan Shaw has a 12 page Life’s Missing Principles Handbook available free.

Spring Time! It makes me think of opening up and clearing out. If reminds me of “Spring Cleaning” when I was a child. All the windows were open, curtains washed, rugs hung out on the line to air, (remember clotheslines?), mattresses were turned and everything in the house was scrubbed from top to bottom. It was a fresh new start and the feeling of lightness and renewal was wonderful!

This same concept can be applied to our lives. What needs clearing or cleaned out in your life right now? What’s draining your energy every time you think about it? Where do you need some lightness in your life? Maybe your energy drains revolve around clutter and unwanted items in your home or office, or incomplete tasks or unrepaired items. Or maybe your energy drains revolve around more emotional issues such as someone you’ve been meaning to call, something you’ve been avoiding, a commitment you now regret, or a project or goal that no longer inspires you.

Take a moment right now. Stop and reflect on what’s going on in your life. Is there something “hanging over you” that is sapping your power? Next, look around your physical environment. Is there an area or item that needs attention - something you’ve been meaning to do for a long-time? Notice what happens physically and mentally when you think about these unresolved items. It’s the combination of our negative self talk about what needs to be done and the thing itself that depletes our energy.

Pick one significant item today that you want to clean out for Spring and commit to totally resolving it this week. You can do it yourself, ask for help, hire someone to do it, or just release it. Once you’ve eliminated this energy drain, you will instantly feel lighter as power flows back to you.

Reward your accomplishment by relaxing and savoring a beautiful Spring Day before moving onto your next item!

Happy Spring Time!!

Vicki Miller / Copyright April 2006

As a Life Transition Coach I work with clients to identify what’s most important to them and to prioritize around these values. I help my clients identify and remove obstacles in the way and bring clarity and focus to their dreams. Are you undergoing a major transition and not clear where to turn? What’s the most important thing you would ask a coach if given the opportunity? Call (972-306-4489) or email me, (coach.v.miller@verizon.net), to set up a complimentary, no obligation 30 minute telephone coaching session. Download my FREE e-Book, 12 Fun Ways to Change Your Life, or sign up for my FREE monthly newsletter at http://www.thrivingthroughchange.com or http://www.directsellingleadershipcenter.com.

World War I had started. British and German troops had been locked in a terrible conflict and were fighting from the trenches. But as Christmas approached the guns fell silent.

The Germans started singing Silent Night and lit lanterns. And shouts of “Merry Christmas!” went across no man’s land into the darkness.

The peace continued into Christmas Day. And at dawn troops from both sides cautiously climbed out of the trenches. They met in no man’s land where they chatted, shook hands and exchanged small gifts.

It started with the lower ranks first. But the truce quickly spread upwards from privates to sergeants to corporals.

When faced by an enemy who doesn’t behave like one, the normal rules of engagement don’t apply. For many, this was the first time that they had ever met the enemy.

A joint carol concert was held. And a senior officer joined the scene with two bottles of Fortnum and Mason’s rum.

One of the German officers suggested a one-day truce to finish at 8:30 a.m. on Boxing Day. The offer was accepted by the British. And by midday nearly half the British front line was involved in fraternising - an offence of treason that is punishable by a firing squad.

Later in the day a soldier from a Lancashire Regiment produced a football and a game was started. Further along the trenches other troops used anything suitable as a ball in order that they could play football too.

At 8:30 a.m. on Boxing Day, the truce officially comes to an end but no shots were fired in anger that day, or the next.

Some of the Germans went on strike but then realised that their protest was futile. Both sides opened fire but without causing any injury. It was probably a sniper’s bullet that brought peace to an end and war was resumed.

This had been the greatest act of spontaneous peace of any war.

One year later and with another million casualties, nothing had moved. And the same again the following year. But changes in the way that war was conducted, including the introduction of gas, stopped any truce reoccurring.

If those troops had known what was to come, would they have gone back to war?

Derek Williams is creator of The WOW! Awards an International Professional Speaker and Chief Executive for the Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals in Europe.

For more information about Derek Williams visit http://www.MrWow.co.uk

For The WOW! Awards (including access to a FREE customer service newsletter) visit http://www.TheWowAwards.com