#Principles of Accreditation

[advisedskills]

Open Agile Architecture Explained: 10 Principles for Enterprise Agility [2025]

Build architecture that moves as fast as your business. In this video we break down the 10 core principles of the Open Agile Architecture™ (O-AA) standard from The Open Group and show how they create real-world agility at enterprise scale.

What you’ll learn

00:00 – Welcome & why O-AA matters

00:13 – Principle 1 • Continuous Adaptation

00:39 – Principle 2 • Agile Mindsets & Behaviours

01:02 – Principle 3 • Modularity & Loose Coupling

01:24 – Principle 4 • Customer Centricity

01:45 – Principle 5 • Open Standards & Interoperability

02:08 – Principle 6 • Outcome-Oriented Approach

02:29 – Principle 7 • Holistic Enterprise Architecture

02:48 – Principle 8 • Sustainability & Scalability

03:09 – Principle 9 • Transparency & Visibility

03:30 – Principle 10 • Security & Compliance

03:57 – Next steps

04:09 – Advised Skills

Join the next cohort of the Open Agile Architecture Practitioner course → https://www.advisedskills.com/enterprise-architecture/open-agile-architecture-practitioner

[literaryvein-reblogs]

words for your dystopian novel

Bad situation

abend, accident, adversity, anarchy, apocalypse, backwash, bad scene, bane, bedlam, bind, blooper, bottleneck, bug, bummer, can of worms, cataclysm, catch, chaos, clog, cobweb, collision, commotion, conflict, contempt, crisis, crunch, damage, deadlock, debacle, decline, deficiency, detriment, difficulty, disadvantage(s), disaster, discomfiture, disorganization, disservice, disturbance, downfall, drag, drawback, duress, emergency, error, exigency/exigence, failing, famine, fiasco, fix, flash point, flip-flop, flotsam, friction, gadfly, hang-up, harm, havoc, hell, histrionics, holdup, hurdle, impasse, impropriety, inconvenience, infirmity, jalopy, jump, lapse, limitation, lose, madhouse, malfunction, maze, mire, misery, misfortune/mishap, mix-up, neglect, nightmare, obstacle, onus, ordeal, pall, pass, pell-mell, pickle, pitfall, plague, poison, press, problem, quagmire, question, restraint, reverse, ruin, scandal, scrape, shambles, showdown, smash, snare, spot, storm, strife, syndrome, tiff, to-do, trap, trouble, turmoil, undoing, uprising, upset, weight, wreck

Danger

act of God, bad trip, calamity, cataclysm, crapshoot, curse, dilemma, emergency, hardship, ill, mayhem, peril, risk, seriousness, threat, trouble, violence

Fate

accident, break, bummer, chaff, contingency, damnation, destiny, doom, downfall, duty, flip-flop, fortune, future, good, judgment, limbo, lot, misfortune/mishap, outlook, penalty, plague, predestination, setback, suspense, undoing, windfall

Morality

abandon, affirmative action, blasphemy, conscience, craft, decadence, delinquency, dirt, enormity, equality, ethics/ethic, excess, faithfulness, falsity, favoritism, good, good will/goodwill, guile, guise, honesty, ideals, imposture, infamy, infraction, iniquity, innocence, liability, loyalty, misbehavior, misconduct, misdeed/ misdemeanor, morals, obscenity, outrage, principle/principles, profanity, responsibility, sacrilege, scandal, score, sin, treachery, trespass, trickery, turpitude, validity, veracity, virtue, wrong

Assert

accredit, adduce, advocate, affirmation, allege, announcement, attest, bemoan, bluster, brag, bring out, come clean, crow, declaim, declare, deny, drum into, emphasize, exclaim, exult, gloat, gloss, gush, impute, insist, justify, level, maintain, mockery, overrate, play down, plead, point out, proclaim, promote, pronounce, punctuate, push, rave, retract, rumor, speak out/speak up, state, stress, support, swear, testify, testimony, underscore, vindicate, vouch, whitewash, witness

Authorize

accede, accredit, acknowledgment, affirm, appoint, approve, assign, back, bar, bless, certify, chicken out, concession, constitute, countenance, crown, dedicate, delegation, disown, enable, endorse, enjoin, entrust, exempt, forgive, induct, invest, lay, let off, make, negate, nominate, notarize, okay, order, overrule, permission, place, prohibit, recall, release, repeal, revoke, spare, subscribe, validate, veto, warrant, witness

Criticize

abuse, admonition, aspersion, assault, bad-mouth, baste, beef, berate, browbeat, castigate, chasten, chew out, come down on, complaint, condemnation, correct, criticism, critique, cut, damn, debase, denigrate, denunciation, deprecate, deride, detract, diatribe, disparage, dress down, flak, fulminate, gainsay, gird, gripe, grouch, hiss, humiliate, impugn, invective, jaw, knock, lament, lay into, malign, mortify, mug, nag, offense, pick at/pick on, protest, rail, rap, reflection, reprimand, reprove, revile, row, sarcasm, scorn, sit-in, sneer, storm, swear, tell off, upbraid, vituperate

Demand

adjure, beckon, behest, bidding, call, charge, command, crave, cross-examine, debrief, demand, direct, enjoin, exact, extortion, grease, importune, inflict, instruct, necessitate, order, petition, query, request, requisition, solicit, squeeze, supplicate, take on

Government action

abdicate, abolition, administer, amnesty, cease-fire, command, depose, dethrone, dominate, enforce, exile, filibuster, override/overrule, reign, run in, second, tax, veto

Government organization

administration, cabinet, capitol, confederacy, cop, court, democracy, dictatorship, empire, government, jury, police/police officer, regime, sovereignty, tyranny

Political action

amnesty, arbitration, campaign, crusade, demonstration, drive, elect, endorse, mutiny, nomination, picket, poll, reaction, revolt, riot, sedition, vote

Restrict

bar, bind, bound, brake, circumscribe, cocoon, constrain, constrict, control, curb, dam, defer, deferment/deferral, desensitize, embargo, enjoin, expatriate, expulsion, fetters, forbear, gag, grind, hamper, handicap, hem/hem in, hobble, hold back/hold off, impair, imposition, inhibit, keep one’s cool, localize, moderate, obligate, ostracism, prohibit, rein, restrain, retard, shackle, slowdown, squelch, strangle, subdue, suspend, tie/tie up

Symbol

arms, autograph, beep, capital, charm, code, cue, device, emblem, ensign, flag, flourish, graffiti, handwriting, herald, imprint, indication, John Hancock, landmark, letter, logo, notation, numeral, script, sign, spot, stripe, tag, tick, trademark, type, writing

NOTE

Excerpted from Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Updated and Expanded 3rd Edition, in Dictionary Form, edited by The Princeton Language Institute.

The above are concepts classified according to subject and usage. It not only helps writers and thinkers to organize their ideas but leads them from those very ideas to the words that can best express them.

It was, in part, created to turn an idea into a specific word. By linking together the main entries that share similar concepts, the index makes possible creative semantic connections between words in our language, stimulating thought and broadening vocabulary. Writing Resources PDFs

Source ⚜ Writing Basics & Refreshers ⚜ On Vocabulary Dystopia ⚜ Dystopian World ⚜ Pain & Violence ⚜ Hate

[crazy-pages]

First step to being a rationalist.

Acknowledge it might not work.

Let me take a step back for a moment. The single most important principle of science, in my opinion, is acknowledging the possibility of failure, that something might be beyond you. People often think of science as how you discover the truth, but I think it is more accurately and importantly described by how it lets us determine what we do not know.

For most of human history, we not only did not know what the sun was made out of, the question was fundamentally beyond our grasp. There was nothing any amount of scientific principle could do that would let you know what the sun was for most of human history. To be a scientist about it, to apply the scientific method to understanding the sun, is not just being able to know nuclear physics. You have to teach yourself to know when to say 'I don't know'.

For most of human history the sun has been fundamentally beyond our capacity to understand. And yet it is one of the most enduring and common subjects of false explanations. To internalize the scientific method, truly in a way that changes your thinking relative to what it was before you learned it, you have to become someone who, if you were living in those times, would be able to say "I don't know" even when everyone around you has an answer.

So let's talk about rationalism.

Rationalism is not just the idea that we can understand human biases. It's not just the idea that we can be more thoughtful or knowledgeable people by understanding these biases. No, rationalism is specifically the idea that by learning enough about human biases and by leaning on hard enough on data, we can reliably make correct and optimal moral choices. It is the belief that by performing enough rationalist study and training, and applying enough information science to a problem, one can proceed on the assumption they have come to the correct conclusion.

And those are very different things. It is the difference between saying "by understanding wood better, we can construct better foot bridges" and "by understanding wood better, we can span the San Francisco Bay with it".

Because here's the thing, better is not the same thing as reliable. Even if we grant the assumption that learning about biases makes one less likely to fall prey to them, and that is an assumption, an 80% chance of making mistake is also less than a 90% chance of making a mistake. It's valuable, that's a good thing, but it is not sufficient to say "hey so I used this method to come to my conclusions, therefore I'm sure I didn't make a mistake".

If you want to be a rationalist, the first rational principle you need to apply is that of the scientific principle looking at the sun. You need to be able to say "There may be nothing I can do, with the resources I have access to, to be sure I am actually free of bias and mistakes in logic. This may be fully beyond me, for the entire span of my life." And not just in the sense that nobody is perfect, but in the very real sense that you cannot depend on the train of logic in your own head to lead you to a correct place.

And the reason this is important is for the same reason it's important in science. The moment that you presume something is in fact knowable in science, it just becomes a tool of accrediting whatever conclusion you come to. It stops being an actual tool of discovery and becomes a rubber stamp of validation. It becomes something which makes you feel better about the conclusion you came to, not something which actually helps you in any way.

The moment you say to yourself, "because I am a rationalist, I am confident enough in A, B, and C to take actions X, Y, and Z" you've failed to be a rationalist. (Unless you provide a double blind study of a large well-controlled population, one of which was given rationalist training and the other which wasn't, upon the end of which it was determined that the rationalist trained population did indeed perform to an improved standard meeting a high minimum on certain metrics (upon which you must limit your assumption of rationalist improvement to those specific metrics). And then this study has been in the corpus of literature long enough to be peer-reviewed and criticized and had duplicate research and further investigation and a good long while for the scientific community to dissect it. A thing which has definitely not happened yet.)

The most important thing you can learn from rationalism is not an understanding of a specific set of biases. It's not the particular ways human cognition is messed up and it's not any type of information science. It is the fact that humans are flawed.

The most important thing you can learn from rationalism is humility, not hubris.

To do otherwise is for rationalism to just become another tool of confirmation bias, something making you think you are more correct than you actually are.

The humility you have to learn from rationalism is that you must plan and behave on the assumption that no matter how rationalist you think you are, you might still be behaving in biased ways. That there might be no way to fix this. And so all you can do try to behave in ways where even if you're wrong, you're going to minimize the harm you do to others.

This is where futurist philosophies derived from rationalism, the idea that the unimaginable number of humans in the future are so much more than the ones now that it justifies worker exploitation and present harms to make the far future better, falls apart. This is where AI doomerism/utopianism, the idea that general AI is definitely the biggest threat and potential boon facing humanity so we have to put all of our resources into safe AI research at the expense of everything else, falls apart. This is where effective altruism, the idea that we can quantify the outcomes of charity thoroughly enough that it makes sense to hand over direction of all charity to a small group of experts, falls apart.

Because the answer to "what if you're wrong about these philosophies?" is that a lot of people get very hurt. We are flawed. Fundamentally so, and I don't know that anyone has ever proved a way we can get around this. The only thing I know that we can do about this, is to try to behave in ways that minimize harms while trying to make the world better, rather than trying to maximize a hail mary to find the holy grail.

To which I can already hear the rationalists saying that this might not be enough to save the world, that anything but convulsive directed effort focused on is already doomed, so we have to pick one of them.

To which I say. First off, how are you sure of that? How is this a thing that you know for certain?

But more importantly. Yeah. You're right. There's no way of knowing for sure what course of action will make the world a better place. There's no way of knowing that anything short of futurists sacrificing the workers of the present to build a brighter future will be enough.

But if you are actually a rationalist, well. That is what you have to live with. You've got to be the scientist looking up at the sun and saying, "I don't know."

And then you should go and do things to make the world better without being sure of your prognostication of the future.

[local-hellhound-steals-spaghetti]

hello! I've been binge reading your posts on Moo Deng and just generally following the discussion around zoos and handling wild life. I showed the posts to a friend and she mentioned she was more worried about Pesto (the huge king penguin at Sea Life Melbourne), given what looks like a small enclosure packed with penguins. I'd imagine the concerns are different from Moo Deng as Sea Life Melbourne seems much more careful about keepers' contact with the penguins, but I was curious what the attitude towards penguins in Australian zoos/aquariums are in general?

Admittedly before this I'd been following the principle of "as long as a zoo/aquarium is WAZA accredited they're fine" but the discussion around Khao Kheow Open Zoo has made me much more wary now...

Good question! I have ... mixed feelings about Sea Life for personal reasons but there doesn't appear to be any welfare concerns with Pesto. He's just big! Just a healthy mix of good genetics, good parenting and a lot of food.

Sea Life Melbourne is accredited by Zoos and Aquariums Australia - I don't think they have WAZA certification though. While the penguin enclosure looks small and crowded in certain angles, penguins do tend to cluster together as a social behaviour and I know they definitely have access to back areas away from public view and water to swim in.

They also have a great enrichment program for their penguins and a very successful breeding program of Gentoo and King Penguins.

The reason why I find Pesto to be not the same as Moo Deng is the reason he became famous. It's literally just because he's big and fluffy and hasn't had his moult yet. They're not harassing him, he's just getting very well fed by initially his parents and then the keepers.

Even though the public do bang on the acrylic, the penguins aren't getting flooded by the sight of guests because the glass is opaque on their side.

That significantly reduces the chance of stress caused by guests and the keepers follow correct handling protocols around the penguins.

Penguins have pretty high standards of care here in Australia. The main species of penguins you'll see in zoological facilities would be the Gentoo and King Penguins for sub Antarctic, but we also have breeding colonies of Australian Little Penguins in a few zoos and aquariums too.

[sincerely-aaliyah]

All accredited professional therapists have no issues with people writing dark taboo topics in fiction. Just because you're thin-skinned doesn't mean you know more than real therapists. Grow up.

a therapist encouraging someone to write about illegal or dangerous behaviors is not only unprofessional, but it's also irresponsible.

it's not about being thin skinned it's about understanding basic moral principles.

a therapist should be guiding their patients towards healthier behaviors, not giving them the green light to engage in harmful fantasies.

[catboybiologist]

How good at swimming do I need to be to free dive?

With all honesty, pretty fucking good, but not in the sport sense.

I don't like organized competitive athletics on principle, partially because I physically can't participate in the overwhelming majority of land-based ones. I had a real shot at competitive swimming though, but never did it because of that mentality.

You don't need to be fast, or have good times, or know a million strokes, or be elegant and not splash.

You do need to be really, REALLY comfortable in the water. Like, it needs to be second nature to you. You need to slip under the surface without thinking about it. You need to not be worrying about whether you're floating. You need to be able to never worry about getting back to shore. You need to accept that there's gonna be waves and chop.

Here's the way I think about it: you need to be extremely functional at swimming to freedive. You don't need to be athletic at swimming to freedive.

I've know a lot of swimmers who were extremely athletic about swimming, who weren't functional at all. They could leave me in the dust in terms of speed or form in a pool- of course they could. Throw them in the ocean, and they're a drowning risk. That can't be you.

That said, physically, I think it's an extremely accessible sport. A good freediving class will help you get to that point- any PADI accredited freediving class will have a pool component, and they'll either teach you some swimming, or tell you what exact skills they'll test you on. Will everyone get triple digit feet underwater and have 2 minute bottom times? Of course not. But getting ~30seconds of bottom time, at depths less than 30 feet, is really accessible imo. First off, there's little to no pressure on your joints (the entire reason I swim as my primary exercise in the first place). Good breath holds and times are WAY more about how you regulate your breath, heart rate, proper weighting, and power level of your kicks than they are about your raw cardiovascular health. People say this about a lot of sports, and most of the time, it's bullshit. But both freediving and scuba are far more technical than they are physical.

[dailyanarchistposts]

Conclusion

In this essay, we first discussed Prince Siddhartha’s defiance against his father, Oligarch Śuddhodana and how this defiance broke from hierarchical concepts such as patriarchy and filial piety; secondly we explored the dhamma’s stance on the Hindu caste system in Northern India, in the Buddha’s time and in the 20th century; thirdly we examined specific texts and concepts accredited to the Buddha that oppose dogmatism; fourthly, we saw that the Sangha has functioned as a commune existing beyond the limits of monarchies and oligarchies, and how they often function as sanctuaries beyond political realms; finally we examined abridged tales of the Buddha and his discourses with the Hindu gods where the justifications for oppression, oligarchy, hierarch, patriarchy, and monarchy were deconstructed within the suttas. And the above is just a fraction of the literature available regarding the Buddha’s dhamma.

Siddhatha Gautama, the Buddha of the Shakya tribe, Shakyamuni, was declared by the hermit yogi Asita that he would either be a conqueror or a sage. And despite oligarch Śuddhodana’s wishes, Shakyamuni Buddha determined to become a sage. From the very beginning he rejected the premise of political life in Mahājanapada period India. His early life story warns against information being concealed in order to manipulate others. The Buddha’s dhamma would then live on to be one of the single-most convicting critiques of the caste system. The Buddha himself declared all people are created equal. And later Mahatma Gandhi, Indian independence activists, and anarchist theorists would look to Buddhism for answers regarding how to undo the caste’s hierarchy. Suttas like the Kesamutti Sutta warned specifically against gullibility and acceptance of authority prima facie, which departs from all other belief systems deemed religious in some way and is in accordance with anarchist principles.

What’s more, the Buddha’s Sangha was a refuge from political life for all people, from Kshatriya kings to Brahmins, to Dalit untouchables. the Sangha is an equal-opportunity commune that subsists without the use of money or assets. This was a direct affront to the market system of the time, and even drew the ire of nearby merchants. And the entire basis for hierarchy in ancient Indian society was challenged by the Buddhist dhamma. Their creator gods were subjugated, allegorically dismissed, and so the concept of divine right of rule in the Indian rendition was challenged by the dhamma. I will be first to admit that Buddhism and anarchism part ways at a few very important junctures, but they remain compatible if we remain nondogmatic about either tradition. Both worldviews have indeed come to be synthesized in my own mind in the same way this essay was written, as I have taken the precept of avihiṃsā nonviolence.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Ann Telnaes :: @AnnTelnaes : "Remember, the Trump company is run by the 2 adult sons who are also involved politically with the GOP and using the presidency for financial gain"

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

August 4, 2024

Heather Cox Richardson

Aug 05, 2024

To some fanfare, Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign today launched Republicans for Harris, which will kick off with events this week in the swing states of Arizona, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. Their goal, campaign officials told Zeke Miller of the Associated Press, is to make it easier for Republican voters put off by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump to back Democratic presidential nominee Harris. Curiously, though, in their embrace of the nation��s growing democratic coalition, Republicans crossing the aisle in 2024 are returning to their party’s origins.

The Republican Party itself began as a coalition that came together to stand against an oligarchy whose leaders were explicit about their determination to overthrow democracy. As wealth had accumulated in the hands of a small group of elite southern enslavers, those men had turned against American democracy.  “I repudiate, as ridiculously absurd, that much-lauded but nowhere accredited dogma of Mr. Jefferson, that ‘all men are created equal,’” South Carolina senator James Henry Hammond said. 

Enslaver George Fitzhugh of Virginia rejected the other key principle of the Declaration of Independence: that everyone has a right to a say in the government under which they live. “We do not agree with the authors of the Declaration of Independence, that governments ‘derive their just powers from the consent of the governed,’” he wrote in 1857. “All governments must originate in force, and be continued by force.” There were 18,000 people in his county and only 1,200 could vote, he said, “[b]ut we twelve hundred…never asked and never intend to ask the consent of the sixteen thousand eight hundred whom we govern.”

Enslavers like Hammond and Fitzhugh believed that some people were better than others and had the right—and the duty—to impose their will on everyone else. If they did not, men like Fitzhugh believed, poor men and marginalized people would insist on being equal, receiving the value of their work and living as they wished. 

Under this dangerous system, Fitzhugh wrote, “society is insensibly, and often unconsciously, marching to the utter abandonment of the most essential institutions—religion, family ties, property, and the restraints of justice.” He defended human enslavement as the highest form of society, since paternalistic Christian masters would care for their wards, preventing a world of “No-Government and Free Love.”

The elite enslavers came to control the Democratic Party and, through it, the Senate, the White House, and the Supreme Court. The Whig Party tried for decades to make peace with the increasingly extremist southern Democrats, and as they did so, the party splintered, with those opposed either to human enslavement or the spread of human enslavement to the West—those were actually not the same thing—creating their own upstart parties. 

And then, in 1854, with the help of Democratic president Franklin Pierce, elite enslavers managed to push through the Senate a bill to organize the two giant territories of Kansas and Nebraska in such a way that they would be able to spread their system across the American West. The new slave states that would form there would be able to join forces in the House of Representatives with the southern slave states to outvote the northern states that rejected enslavement. Without a brake on their ambitions, the enslavers would be able to spread their worldview across the nation. From their position at the head of the United States, they expected to spread their slave-based economy around the globe.

But their triumph was not to be. With the bill under debate in the Senate, Democrat Amos Tuck of New Hampshire—the state Pierce hailed from—wrote: “Now let Frank Pierce consummate his treason, if he dare. There is a North, thank God!... We have…rebuked treason, condemned the Nebraska Bill, and discarded the President.” Tuck noted that the Democrats were losing “their best men. I think they (the leaders) can never recover from the consequences of having tried to betray their country.” He looked forward to “bringing out in future the true characteristics of our people, so long belied by the most unworthy demagogues….” 

Tuck was not alone. The day after the House of Representatives began to debate the Kansas-Nebraska bill, Whig representative Israel Washburn of Maine invited about thirty antislavery representatives to meet at the rooms of his friends, Massachusetts representatives Thomas D. Eliot and Edward Dickinson (whose talented daughter Emily was already writing poetry), in Mrs. Crutchett’s select boardinghouse in Washington, D.C. The men who called the meeting were northern Whigs, and the men who came to it entered the elegant room as members of a variety of political parties, but they all left committed to a new northern organization that would stand against the spread of slavery into the West. They called themselves “Republicans,” hoping to invoke Thomas Jefferson—who had called his own political party Republican—and recall the principles of the Declaration of Independence.

When the House passed the bill on May 22 and Pierce signed it on May 30, the anti-Nebraska movement took off. Conventions across the North called upon all free men to fight together “for the first principles of Republican Government and against the schemes of aristocracy, the most revolting and oppressive with which the earth was ever cursed or man debased.” There were 142 northern seats in the House of Representatives; in the midterm elections that year, voters put “anti-Nebraska” congressmen in 120 of them. Anti-Nebraska coalitions elected 11 senators and swept Democrats out of state legislatures across the North.

In 1855, Pierce insisted that Americans opposing the spread of human enslavement were trying to overturn American traditions, insisting that the United States was a white man’s republic and that the Founders had intended to create a hierarchy of races. 

But those coming together to oppose enslavement denounced Pierce’s recasting of American history as “False all through!” As for the Founders, Chicago Tribune editor Joseph Medill wrote, “their ‘one guiding thought,’ as they themselves proclaimed it, was the inalienable right of ALL men to Freedom, as a principle.” 

When Democrats tried to call those coming together as Republicans “radicals,” rising politician Abraham Lincoln turned the tables by standing firm on the Declaration of Independence. “[Y]ou say you are conservative—eminently conservative—while we are revolutionary, destructive, or something of the sort,” he said, addressing the Democrats who remained determined to base the United States in enslavement.

“What is conservatism? Is it not adherence to the old and tried, against the new and untried? We stick to, contend for, the identical old policy on the point in controversy which was adopted by ‘our fathers who framed the Government under which we live’; while you with one accord…spit upon that old policy, and insist upon substituting something new…. Not one of all your various plans can show a precedent or an advocate in the century within which our Government originated.”

When voters elected Lincoln president, the fledgling Republican Party turned away from a government that catered to an oligarchy trying to overturn democracy and instead reinvented the American government to create a new, active government that guaranteed to poorer men the right to be treated equally before the law, the right to a say in their government, and access to resources that had previously been monopolized by the wealthy.

The present looks much like that earlier moment when people of all different political backgrounds came together to defend the principles of the United States. In today’s moment, when someone like J.D. Vance backer billionaire Peter Thiel says, “Democracy, whatever that means, is exhausted,” and the Republicans’ Project 2025 calls for replacing democracy with Christian nationalism, it makes sense for all people who care about our history and our democratic heritage to pull together. 

Today, Olivia Troye, who served on national security issues in the Trump White House, said, “[W]hat is happening here with the Republican Party… is dangerous and extreme. And I think we need to get back to the values of…observing the rule of law, of standing with our international allies and actually providing true leadership to the world, which is something that Kamala Harris has exhibited during the Biden Administration.” 

As Lincoln recalled, when people in his era realized that the very nature of America was under attack, they “rose each fighting, grasping whatever he could first reach—a scythe—a pitchfork—a chopping axe, or a butcher's cleaver. We…are rapidly closing in…. “ And, he said, “When the storm shall be past,” opponents “shall find us still Americans; no less devoted to the continued Union and prosperity of the country than heretofore.”

Indeed, when the storm passed in his day, Americans found that the magnitude of the crisis they had weathered and the rise of entirely new issues meant that old party lines had fallen apart and people reorganized along entirely new ones. Famously, Lincoln’s secretary of war, Edwin Stanton, who in 1860 had worked for the election of extremist Democrat John C. Breckinridge, stood heartbroken by Lincoln’s bedside as he breathed his last and blessed him, saying: “Now he belongs to the ages.”

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[wutbju]

This is full-throated historical revisionism. Why does Brian Fuller working so hard to say that Pettit was so great and wonderful? "Dgroups" were still the same-old, same-old prayer group. And Bob 3 is right, Brian. There was "too much camp." Did you even pay attention during these years? Remember this?

I will correct other things in red.

As the University prepared to welcome students for the 2021 fall semester, and with the crippling pandemic mostly in the rearview mirror, in many ways, BJU was experiencing the best of times.

In just a week of years, so little had changed, while at the same time, so much was different.

When Dr. Steve Pettit first became president, he was asked, “What are you going to change?”. To which he answered, “I did not come to change BJU but to keep us on our mission. If we make changes, it will be because it’s necessary to fulfill our mission.”

A glance back to 2013-14 reveals numerous firsts were happening at BJU, and as a result, an equal number of possibilities for failure.

In 2013, due to accreditation, the BJU Board of Trustees transitioned from being a largely ceremonial board of over 30 members to a smaller, governmental board of half that size. Larry Jackson became the first non-Jones chairman of the newly consequential board. In 2014, Dr. Steve Pettit became the fifth president of BJU and, like Chairman Jackson, the first not named “Jones.”

Larry Jackson was a godsend to BJU during this fragile time of transition. Dr. Pettit was familiar with how the previous BJU board had operated, having served on it for eight years before becoming President of BJU. They made a great duo. Dr. Pettit and Larry Jackson worked well together. The two talked weekly and found themselves on the same page on nearly every issue. For instance, the approach Dr. Pettit took regarding churches and religious associations was right of center. Both Chairman Jackson and President Pettit were unified in their thinking on associations.

An Atmosphere Change

In 2014, Dr. Pettit brought to BJU a tested and true philosophy of discipleship that had characterized his ministry for over 42 years. His approach to discipleship went back to his time as a student at BJU, as well as his first five years of ministry (1980-85) as an assistant pastor at First Baptist Church of Bridgeport, MI, and then for 29 years leading the Steve Pettit Evangelistic Campaign. (1985-2014) Dr. Pettit poured his life into 57 former team members, 42 of whom were BJU grads. (When he came to BJU, four former team members were at BJU.) He also put his understanding of discipleship to practice at Northland Camp, where he served for 29 years, nine of those as the camp director. He was the founder and president for three years of Cross Impact Ministries, a ministry that partners with churches to establish campus ministries. The primary focus of Cross Impact is on how to disciple college students. When Pettit came to BJU, there were thriving Cross Impact ministry chapters all over the country.

Dr. Pettit employed the existing structures within the University and infused them with these discipleship principles. The daily chapels were intentionally focused on discipleship and doctrinal themes during the semester. “Dgroups”(“discipleship groups”) led by juniors and seniors were launched and met three times a week, providing peer-on-peer discipleship. All students, faculty, and staff were required to commit to faithfully attend a local gospel-preaching church in the greater Greenville area. In addition, a Biblical Worldview began to be intentionally taught in all of the classes and modeled through the lives of mentoring faculty.

What did this approach to discipleship at BJU look like beginning in 2014 in everyday student life? Most BJU alumni only experienced the military-academy version of BJU student life. Interestingly, most Millennials (1981-1996) were almost all graduated by 2014, and the student body was transitioning into primarily Gen Zers. As a university, BJU was positioned to reach Millennials, but they needed to adjust to reach Gen Zers. Dr. Pettit had always approached ministry from the point of view that he needed to understand the generation to whom he was ministering. Under Dr. Pettit’s leadership, student life began to seek to move the student body into spiritual maturity less from control and additional rules and more by influence through relationships.

This philosophy began to change the discipline approach in the Student Life System. Clarity was given between rules that were intended for character development from those that were focused on moral and spiritual growth. The system of discipline began to separate the two, as well as the correction. BJU started a demerit/fine system for character issues (room jobs, dress, being on time, etc.). Anything in the realm of the moral and spiritual was handled differently. It began to change the BJU culture. A nurturing atmosphere of grace that was conducive to healthy spiritual growth emerged. The atmosphere was neither oppressive nor permissive, but rather a gospel-grace greenhouse was being constructed.

At the time, an 18-year-employed BJU staff member said, “This is the happiest I have seen our student body since I started working here 18 years ago.”

There was an unusual increase in spontaneous prayer meetings and Bible studies among the student body.

It was a different vibe at BJU. The Chancellor, Dr. Bob Jones III, observed, “Put yourself in Pettit’s shoes: 30 years helping young people and running camps.  There’s a little too much camp at BJU to my liking.”  

Analytic Changes

Stopped the Enrollment Decline: Before Dr. Pettit came in 2014, there was a 1100 enrollment drop between 2008 and 2014, from 3800 [3650] to 2700 [2913]. The enrollment bleeding was halted, and enrollment leveled off at around 2500 [Average was 2626], averaging 720 freshmen each year between 2014 and 2022 [Heck no. 587]. In 2019, there were 785 [648] freshmen in the class, marking the largest freshmen class during the Pettit administration [true]. The smallest freshmen class during Dr. Pettit’s administration was 680 freshmen during COVID [No. It was 518 in 2022-23].

Where are you getting these numbers? Here are the actual numbers:

Response to the GRACE Report: Seven months into the Pettit administration, the GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment) report on BJU was released to the public on December 11, 2014. The 300-page report was the culmination of an independent investigation that included over 900 surveys, 20 written statements, hundreds of documents provided by individuals, 50 of whom identified as victims of sexual abuse. The conclusion of the GRACE report was to provide 26 recommendations that “will assist BJU in continuing the journey of repentance that demonstrates Godward sorrow, invites God to transform the institution, and brings healing to the hurting.” The BJU administration reviewed the GRACE report for 90 days and adopted 20 of the 26 recommendations. As a result of the report, the University established the Center for Student Care and overhauled its Counseling program.

This statement is tone-deaf and grossly uninformed. I'm going to have to tackle this slowly.

Opened relationship and communication with BJU alumni: By 2014, BJU alumni had en masse become disengaged. Many felt disapproval, unwelcome, and frankly, forgotten. News of a culture change at BJU of gospel-centered discipleship spread quickly. In addition, many graduates had enjoyed and been stirred [Stirred? Really?] by the ministry of Evangelist Steve Pettit through evangelistic campaigns, camp ministry, and musical teams, so many knew what to expect, and they were beginning to re-engage with their alma mater.

He removed the dreaded “coding system.” Dr. Pettit hadn’t been on the job for very long when he noticed a common denominator in the far right corner of correspondence written to the President. President Pettit was the first of five BJU Presidents to prefer email communication over letters dictated to an administrative assistant. He noticed that there were letters at the top of many of the correspondence he was going to be answering. Letters like U. He asked one of the secretaries what the meaning of the letters were, and he learned that there was a coding system for all the alumni that dated back to the 1950s. For instance, the “U” meant “unfriendly.” Graduates were coded, primarily based upon their ecclesiastical position towards New Evangelicals and “all things Billy Graham.” President Steve Pettit swiftly ended it.

I hope this is true. I have records of the coding here. I have a "U" by the way.

Led BJU to regain its tax-exempt status: Bob Jones University lost its tax-exempt status on January 19, 1976, because of its ban on interracial dating and marriage. This decision was a result of the IRS’s stance that institutions that practice racial discrimination did not qualify for tax-exempt status. The Supreme Court ultimately upheld the IRS’s decision in 1983. Following that decision, all the finances at BJU went into one “accounting bucket” (University, Press, Academy, etc.) as they were all for profit. This 40+ year loss of tax exemption had crippled the development department. In 2017, the University bifurcated by using Bob Jones Elementary School’s tax exemption into the Bob Jones University Education Group (BJU EG) as the for-profit side of BJU, and BJU Non-Profit (or BJU Inc.) as the tax-exempt portion of BJU.

Provided the leadership and follow-through for regional accreditation: On June 15, 2017, the Board of Trustees of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) granted BJU membership as an accredited institution. This was a process initiated under Dr. Stephen Jones in 2011.

Dr. Pettit oversaw the launch of new Academic Programs: Under the Pettit administration, the School of Health Professions was founded, and the School of Continuing, Online and Professional Education. (SCOPE) In addition, the Pettit administration emphasized the integration of a Biblical worldview into all academic disciplines and student life, seeking to align with BJU’s mission.

New centers to benefit the Student Body were started: The Student Care Center, Global Opportunities Center, and the Center for Biblical Worldview were all established to enhance the students and provide resources.

Bruins Athletics Continued to Advance: Eight new intercollegiate sports were added under Pettit, and the University gained provisional membership in NCAA Division III.

Partnerships with other Universities: Pettit led the University to collaborate with schools like Furman University and Clemson University so that BJU students could participate in ROTC programs.

The University’s race relations improved: BJU began observing Martin Luther King Jr. days at the University by canceling classes and closing the offices.

Fundraising and the Financial Health of the University Improved: Pettit’s tenure saw increased fundraising and alumni financial support, faculty and staff salary increases, and an improved overall financial position.

Uh ... don't forget the huge accounting snafu!

It was, in so many ways, the best of times at BJU. But, hardly anyone could have predicted that the worst of times were just around the corner.

[eternal-echoes]

“The third word is truth. Truly peaceful relationships cannot be built, also within the international community, apart from truth. Where words take on ambiguous and ambivalent connotations, and the virtual world, with its altered perception of reality, takes over unchecked, it is difficult to build authentic relationships, since the objective and real premises of communication are lacking.

“For her part, the Church can never be exempted from speaking the truth about humanity and the world, resorting whenever necessary to blunt language that may initially create misunderstanding. Yet truth can never be separated from charity, which always has at its root a concern for the life and well-being of every man and woman. Furthermore, from the Christian perspective, truth is not the affirmation of abstract and disembodied principles, but an encounter with the person of Christ himself, alive in the midst of the community of believers. Truth, then, does not create division, but rather enables us to confront all the more resolutely the challenges of our time, such as migration, the ethical use of artificial intelligence and the protection of our beloved planet Earth. These are challenges that require commitment and cooperation on the part of all, since no one can think of facing them alone.”

-Pope Leo XIV, Audience to Members of the Diplomatic Corps Accredited to the Holy See, May 16, 2025 

[thailandlawyerss]

Child Adoption in Thailand

1.1 Primary Legislation

Adoption Act B.E. 2522 (1979): Core legal framework

Child Protection Act B.E. 2546 (2003): Safeguards for adopted children

International Private Law Act B.E. 2541 (1998): Cross-border adoptions

1.2 Regulatory Bodies

Department of Children and Youth (DCY): Central oversight

Child Adoption Center of Thailand: Primary processing agency

Juvenile and Family Courts: Legal approval authority

Ministry of Social Development and Human Security: Policy formulation

2. Eligibility Criteria for Prospective Parents

2.1 Basic Qualifications

Age Requirements:

Minimum 25 years old

At least 15 years older than child

Maximum 45-year age gap (exceptions possible)

Marital Status:

Married couples (heterosexual only)

Single applicants (gender-specific restrictions apply)

Financial Capacity:

Minimum THB 150,000/month income

Stable employment history (3+ years)

2.2 Health and Background Checks

Medical Examination:

Complete physical including HIV test

Psychological evaluation

Criminal Clearance:

Thai police records

Home country Interpol check

Child abuse registry verification

3. Adoption Categories and Processes

3.2 International Adoption Protocol

Hague Convention Compliance:

Thailand is not signatory but follows principles

Requires home study by accredited agency

Document Legalization:

Notarization

Ministry of Foreign Affairs authentication

Thai embassy legalization

4. Child Eligibility and Matching

4.1 Adoptable Children Profile

Age Distribution:

70% under 5 years

25% 6-12 years

5% teenagers

Special Needs Considerations:

Medical conditions (30% of cases)

Sibling groups (15%)

4.2 Matching Criteria

Cultural Compatibility: Religion, language

Family Environment: Urban/rural preferences

Child's Background: Trauma history assessment

5. Legal Procedures and Timelines

5.1 Pre-Adoption Process

Application Submission (DCY Form 1)

Home Study (3-6 months)

5+ visits by social worker

Family environment assessment

Approval Committee Review (2-3 months)

5.2 Court Procedures

Filing Petition: Juvenile Court jurisdiction

Hearings:

Initial review (30 days post-filing)

Child interview (closed session)

Final ruling (typically 60-90 days)

Post-Adoption Reports:

Quarterly for first year

Biannually until child is 18

6. Post-Adoption Legal Framework

6.1 Parental Rights and Obligations

Full Legal Parentage: Birth certificate amendment

Inheritance Rights: Equal to biological children

Revocation Conditions: Extreme neglect/abuse

6.2 Citizenship Issues

Thai Children:

Retain citizenship if adopted internationally

Dual citizenship permitted

Foreign Adopters:

No automatic Thai citizenship for child

Visa sponsorship requirements

7. Special Case Adoptions

7.1 Special Needs Children

Expedited Process: 6-9 months

Additional Support:

Medical subsidy (THB 50,000/year)

Therapy access

7.2 Older Child Adoption

Consent Requirement: Child's agreement (age 12+)

Transition Programs: 3-month integration period

8. Emerging Trends and Challenges

89.1 Digital Transformation

e-Adoption Portal: Pilot phase for document submission

Blockchain Verification: For international documents

8.2 Policy Developments

Proposed Amendments:

Single male adopter restrictions

Extended post-adoption monitoring

COVID-19 Impact:

40% reduction in international adoptions

Virtual home study trials

9. Strategic Considerations

9.1 Document Preparation

Timeline Optimization:

Medical exams (6-month validity)

Police clearance (3-month validity)

Translation Requirements:

Certified Thai translations

MFA authentication

9.2 Legal Representation

Court Procedures:

Required for international cases

Recommended for contested adoptions

Appeal Process:

30-day window

Supreme Court jurisdiction

[runicelixirinquisitor]

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[mypiratestudent]

** Finding the Perfect Fit: Tips for Picking the very best Landscapers Near You **.

When it concerns improving your outside area, a proficient landscaper can make all Landscaping companies near me the distinction. Whether you're imagining a custom patio, a classy garden, or a total landscape design overhaul, finding the best landscaping business is vital. With many choices readily available, how do you sift through the options to discover the very best landscapers near you? In this thorough guide, we'll explore whatever you need to understand about selecting the ideal fit for your landscaping needs.

Understanding Your Landscaping Needs What Is Landscaping?

Landscaping involves more than just mowing turf and planting flowers. It incorporates different aspects like landscape design, installation, and upkeep of custom outdoor living spaces. From developing serene gardens to constructing custom decks, landscaping is an art that requires know-how and creativity.

Why Hire an Expert Landscaper?

You may wonder if hiring an expert landscaper deserves it. The response is yes! A specialist can offer:

Expertise: Knowledge of plants, materials, and style principles. Time-Saving: They deal with all elements of your project. Quality Workmanship: Specialists deliver premium results that boost property value. Finding the Perfect Fit: Tips for Selecting the Best Landscapers Near You

Choosing the best landscaper can feel overwhelming. Here are some key suggestions to assist you navigate this process efficiently:

1. Define Your Vision

Before connecting to any landscaping companies near you, require time to define what you desire. Think about factors like:

Desired functions (e.g., custom patios, lighting) Budget constraints Maintenance preferences 2. Research Study Resident Landscapers

Start by looking for "landscapers near me." Look at their websites and social media pages to gather preliminary impressions. Take note of:

Project portfolios Customer reviews Services offered 3. Request for Recommendations

Word-of-mouth can be exceptionally important when searching for credible landscapers. Ask pals, family, or next-door neighbors about their experiences with local landscaping companies.

4. Examine Credentials

It's important to validate that possible landscapers are accredited and guaranteed. This safeguards you from liability in case of mishaps during the job.

5. Take a look at Portfolios

A well-established landscaper will have a portfolio showcasing previous jobs. Evaluation these examples to see if their style aligns with your vision.

6. Read Reviews and Testimonials

Online evaluations provide insight into consumer complete satisfaction levels. Websites like Yelp or Google Reviews can offer you a broader understanding of a company's reputation.

Key Qualities of Terrific Landscapers Experience Matters

When trying to find "landscaping companies near me," focus on those with considerable experience in landscape design and installation.

Questions to Ask: How long have you been in business? Can you supply referrals from past clients? Creative Design Skills

A good landscaper must possess strong design abilities-- someone wh

[rametarin]

Sex negative Progressivism

While conservatism is the go-to for sex-negativity, and it is a problem and a general pain in the ass, we really need to remember the language of how we speak about these detrimental problems.

Sex negativity is bad, whether their reasons are due to squeamishness, or their own ideological bend interpreting it in a certain way. This of course includes conventionally irritating, restricting ideas about it borne from the expectation that their religious ideology should dominate the wills and expectations and normative standards of society as a religious culture sees it, but it also encompasses the bullshit of more Progressive, Left learning inhibitions.

For example, typically racism and prejudice against mixed-race or ethnic or regional marriage, or cross-caste love, are considered "wrong" among traditionalists and more hardline conservatives. Not just including the, by comparison, liberal judeo-christian forms of conservativism, but the Islamic and Hindu conservatism, as well.

But the less conversed about would be objecting to mixed race relationships because, "the power disparity between whites + anyone."

Now, this sort of thing slips passed the radar of people that:

A.) Don't want to acknowledge such a thing exists. To them, racism isn't simply defined dogmatically something only whites can do, it's just something only whites seem to do. It's not ideological malice, just a lack of critical thinking skills and taking at face value what other ideologues have told them is the way things are. They literally cannot imagine prejudice could be directed at whites, because the discourse only seems to mention examples of white supremacists oppressing other groups through organized malevolence. If they stopped to think about the term racism, they'd understand discrimination on the basis of background and heritage and prejudice on basis of kine and kin is universal, and wrong. But, it's presented to them as discrimination by whites against everybody else, and they don't question it- assuming since the word isn't in itself explicity directed at European, it must not just mean "something Europeans inflict on everybody else." They simply cannot imagine people that are conscientious about racism would be bigoted against another group, it's not logically in the name. The distinction is indolence of thought.

B.) Don't want to acknowledge such a thing exists, because they have explored the question of if racism means, "Bigotry and prejudice against people on the basis of their biological background and heritage and region of origin," or, "when white person interacts with THE PEOPLE OPPRESSED BY THEIR EXISTENCE" and determined racism is a one-way street by definition. So sex-negativity, similarly, must exclusively be conservative- even if it comes from and is maintained by people that argue to establish such "conservatism" on Leftist principles. Leftist views can thus never be wrong without being conservative, and conservative can never be right without not really being conservative. So to them, racism and sexism can only be conservative, because they refuse to acknowledge minorities being xenophobic, insular and bigoted as that. The distinction is ideological dogma.

A sex-negative progressivism could therefore be described as anything TERF from before the 2010 era, when Radical Feminists existed in this Schroedinger's state, where Feminism was Absolutely Good and Could Do No Wrong without the wrongness being attributed to lone wolves, or conservatives that weren't really feminist- even if what they were quoting were "not real Feminists" that were accredited and in-culture radical feminists authors that "real feminists" draw their literature from.

Where they embrace the "right philosophy" but interpret it against further Progressive views; stopping at biological sex and not conforming their views to a view of gender that 100% divorces their perceptions of gender from sex.

Before the question or discourse about transgenderism mattered too awful much, you could not contradict a TERF. They were indistinguishable from any other feminist, and other, more liberal feminists that fancied themselves egalitarians would hide them in their wool like wolves hiding amongst sheeps. These ones were the ones screaming about, "moids," how men didn't deserve to see their children, how females should all be subsidized by society, how men should be stuck with the cheque of their college educations, how all businesses and social structure should appoint women automatically to eventhing to always have at minimum 51% control of everything.

And if you disagreed with this view, especially if you were a cisgendered male, you, "just hated women." There was no room for inquiry or even discussion, especially if you were male. If you were male, you were wrong to disagree with the Radical Feminist position, and at the mercy of however they defined their position, as they got to choose the identity and motivation of any that opposed them diametrically. They defined YOU.

So as a man you'd just have to stand there while they spewed the most vitriolic, gynosupremacist garbage about how all men are biologically designed to be fascist rape machines, how "women need Radical Feminism to even have a chance in the face of white patriarchy!", how men shouldn't get visitation to their kids, how men should still be obligated to pay for kids they're not allowed to see and the house the woman lives in but not be allowed to live in it themselves, and anything they possess should belong to the woman, even after she remarries."

Freely telling children, "the facts," about how women were defacto kind, nurturing, wonderful people, while males were nothing but benefactors of women's beneficence and despoilers of civilization, culture and nature. This is not hyperbolic. I had to hear disgusting bullshit like this by angry TERFs throughout the entirity of feminism's existence. It was its own built in radicalization pipeline that made the supposed "alt-right fascist pipeline" look like a water faucet compared to a sewer line you could drive a dump truck through.

These were the views that were considered acceptably Progressive(tm) and thus, left-wing and good, either to be ignored as vitriolic grumblings that "weren't serious and shouldn't be considered literally," even if you could bring out the literature where the radfems in question, college accredited professors, academic publishers and researchers, and prove they weren't some rando podcaster, but part of the beating pulse of radical feminism.

They only became Conservative when it became impossible to filibust the conversation on whether they exist or not, impossible to gaslight the conversation to keep them obfuscated from discussion or acknowledge in debate, and when given the choice betweens trans-positive Intersectionality vs. saying nothing to let the transphobic TERFs carry on, chose to other the TERFs in the interests of ideological purity.

Then TERFs became stink-bad conservatives and "not really left-wing or Progressive (tm)." Because You Can't Be Wrong And Progressive/Left-Wing. Only conservatives have bad-wrong regressive ideas, therefore all ideas and values and beliefs that their group disavows and doesn't want to associate with become conservative, even retroactively.

They justify this by going, "Yeah! Our values are constantly undergoing a radical revolution! That's the point."

How that actually works, is they never admit they were wrong, and the things they find wrong today, were "right" in the past, to bring them to that point. Even things as disgusting as telling children their dads were evil monsters on the basis of being men, and being silent when overhearing that as the Progressive perspective, while choosing to make noise and ostracize people who dared say similar horrid shit about females and feminists.

Eco-warriors/environmentalists of the 90s that were Radical and violent, chaining themselves to trees and setting fire to animal testing labs? Oh, those aren't Progressive and Leftist, those are Eco-FASCISTS. Those don't count as left-wing or Progressive, because Left Wingers and Progressives Don't Do That(tm). Only Conservatives Do That(tm)

Unironically No True Scotsmanning the Overton window.

So as a result, we got lectures and talks about sex negative conservatism and no talk whatsoever about how Progressive ideologies and culture also could be horrid.

When your ideology argues that to be a man is to be an oppressor synonymously, and to be a woman is to be oppressed, and demand that in order to acknowledge man and women are things you accept this dialectical conflicting nature to be how they work, you demand they acknowledge this is true, inarguable and absolute on its face. It's no different from the way any religious culture or dogma argues the true origin and nature and purpose of man and woman and what that means incorporated into their overall viewpoint of creation, its origin, purpose and destiny.

Marxism is not a conservative position just because it is also dogmatic, harmful and sex-negative when applied to Critical Sex Theory. And thus, Sex Negative Progressivism is a thing, is detrimental, and just as much so as any religiously aligned sexual values. The fact TERFs exist, and are not conservative no matter what Intersectionals think, is proof of that.

[omshantiomyoga]

Top Tips for Aspiring Yoga Teachers: From Training to Teaching

Introduction

Becoming a yoga teacher is a transformative and fulfilling journey that requires dedication, passion, and a deep commitment to personal and professional growth. Whether you’re considering a career in teaching yoga or want to deepen your practice, the path to becoming a successful yoga instructor starts with a solid foundation. It’s not just about mastering poses or memorizing sequences; it’s about connecting with others and guiding them through a journey of self-awareness, strength, and peace.

For those aspiring to teach yoga, the process can seem daunting. However, by following key steps, you can set yourself up for a successful and meaningful career. In this blog, we’ll cover essential tips for new yoga teachers — from choosing the right training program to developing your teaching style. Let’s dive into the steps that will guide you from training to teaching.

1. Start with a Strong Foundation: Choosing the Right Training

A yoga teacher’s journey begins with finding the right training program. This is your opportunity to immerse yourself in the essentials of yoga, learning not only how to teach but also how to live the practice. A solid 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) is crucial for anyone who wants to teach yoga. This program is the cornerstone of a yoga teacher’s education, and choosing a reputable one can make a big difference.

When selecting a training program, it’s important to research various schools and their certifications. Look for Yoga Alliance certification or other recognized accreditations, as these ensure the training meets international standards. Rishikesh, India, known as the yoga capital of the world, is one of the best locations for immersive teacher training, offering a blend of ancient teachings and modern practices. However, there are many great options globally, from urban centers to more serene, secluded locations.

Moreover, consider what style of yoga resonates with you the most. Are you drawn to Vinyasa’s dynamic flow, or do you prefer the introspective nature of Hatha yoga? There are also niche styles like Ashtanga, Iyengar, and Kundalini. A well-rounded teacher explores different aspects of yoga, but it’s essential to choose a style that aligns with your passion.

2. Commit to Personal Practice

As an aspiring yoga teacher, your practice is your most valuable tool. It’s not enough to simply practice to “get better”; your practice is what shapes your teaching. A strong personal practice will help you understand the asanas (yoga poses) in a deeper, more intuitive way, and will give you the tools to guide others.

Dedicate time to practicing regularly, paying attention to your body and your breath. The more deeply you connect with your own body, the more effectively you’ll be able to communicate those insights to students. Explore different styles of yoga and see how they resonate with you. While you may feel a pull towards one style, incorporating others can add richness to your teaching and give you a more holistic understanding of yoga.

Don’t forget the mental and spiritual aspects of yoga. Meditation, mindfulness, and pranayama (breathwork) are just as important as physical practice. A well-rounded yoga teacher understands the interplay between body, mind, and spirit, and embodies these principles both on and off the mat.

3. Deepen Your Knowledge of Anatomy and Philosophy

Yoga is not only about flexibility and strength; it’s also about understanding the body’s mechanics and the deeper philosophy that underpins the practice. As you begin your teacher training, ensure that the program covers anatomy in depth. Understanding how the body moves and functions is key to teaching safely and effectively. A solid grasp of anatomy helps you give students safe and proper alignment cues, preventing injuries.

In addition to physical anatomy, yoga philosophy should be an essential part of your training. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and the Bhagavad Gita are foundational texts in yoga. By studying these ancient writings, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of yoga’s true purpose — connecting the mind, body, and soul. Philosophy also plays a significant role in how you approach teaching, offering tools to help students cultivate mindfulness, compassion, and inner peace.

Yoga is a lifelong study. As you progress in your career, continue deepening your knowledge. Take workshops, attend lectures, and read widely about anatomy, philosophy, and different yoga styles. The more knowledge you accumulate, the more you’ll have to offer your students.

4. Effective Communication and Instruction

One of the most important skills to develop as a yoga teacher is the ability to communicate effectively. Yoga is a practice that involves both physical movements and mental focus, and your role as a teacher is to guide students through each step with clear, easy-to-follow instructions.

Effective communication goes beyond just giving verbal cues. It involves learning to use your voice, your body, and your energy to create an atmosphere where students feel supported. The tone of your voice should be calming and encouraging, providing clarity without rushing. Being concise with your instructions helps prevent confusion, while also encouraging students to tune in and focus on their own experience.

Using imagery and metaphors can be a powerful tool in teaching. For example, you might describe a posture as “standing tall like a tree” to help students understand proper alignment. The more you refine your ability to communicate clearly and creatively, the more your students will benefit from your classes.

Additionally, developing non-verbal communication skills is just as important. Your body language can offer cues about posture, energy, and alignment. Be mindful of how you present yourself in front of your students — confidence, warmth, and openness will create an inviting atmosphere that encourages learning.

5. Cultivate Empathy and Mindfulness

Yoga is a deeply personal practice, and as a teacher, one of your primary roles is to be compassionate and empathetic towards your students. Every individual comes to the mat with unique challenges, both physical and emotional. As a teacher, you must develop the sensitivity to understand and address the needs of each student.

Creating a safe and welcoming space is crucial for your students to feel comfortable, regardless of their experience level. Encourage students to listen to their bodies and honor their limits, especially for beginners. Acknowledge their progress, no matter how small, and avoid making comparisons between students.

Mindfulness should be at the core of your teaching approach. Each class should be an opportunity for students to tune into their bodies and connect with their breath. Help them stay present during practice by encouraging mindful breathing and guiding them through each movement with intention. A mindful practice fosters not only physical well-being but also emotional and mental health.

6. Gain Practical Experience: Start Teaching

The best way to learn how to teach yoga is to, well, start teaching! Once you’ve completed your teacher training, seek out opportunities to gain hands-on experience. Don’t wait for the “perfect” moment to begin teaching — start as soon as you feel comfortable. Teaching is a skill that improves with practice, and every class you teach will help you grow.

Start small by teaching friends, family, or a small group of willing students. This will give you the chance to gain confidence and get feedback. As you become more comfortable, you can gradually take on larger classes. It’s also helpful to assist more experienced teachers in their classes, as this will allow you to observe and learn firsthand how to manage a class effectively.

In the early days of your teaching career, be patient with yourself. It’s normal to make mistakes and feel unsure at times. Focus on continuous improvement, listening to your students, and refining your teaching techniques.

7. Build Your Brand and Presence

In today’s digital age, building a personal brand and online presence is vital for attracting students. Create a professional website where potential clients can learn more about you, your classes, and your teaching philosophy. Ensure that your site is user-friendly, visually appealing, and easy to navigate.

Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube are also excellent tools for showcasing your teaching style and connecting with your community. Share tips, practice videos, and inspirational messages to engage your audience. Consistency is key — posting regularly will help you stay top-of-mind for those interested in yoga.

Networking with other yoga teachers and professionals is equally important. Attend yoga events, collaborate on workshops, and engage with local yoga communities. Building relationships with others in the field can open up new teaching opportunities and help you grow as a teacher.

8. Never Stop Learning: Continuing Education

Yoga is a lifelong journey, and as a teacher, your education doesn’t stop after your initial training. Continuing education is crucial for staying inspired and enhancing your teaching skills. Pursue advanced pieces of training, workshops, and retreats to deepen your knowledge in specialized areas such as prenatal yoga, restorative yoga, or yoga therapy.

Stay open to feedback from your students, mentors, and peers. Constructive criticism can help you grow as a teacher, and keeping an open mind will allow you to refine your practice and teaching techniques.

Remember, yoga is an ever-evolving practice. Keep learning, stay curious, and embrace the opportunities to evolve as a teacher and as a person.

Conclusion

Becoming a yoga teacher is a deeply rewarding journey, but it requires dedication, continuous growth, and a love for the practice. Start with a solid foundation in your training, commit to regular personal practice, and deepen your knowledge of yoga’s anatomy and philosophy. Cultivate clear communication, empathy, and mindfulness in your teaching approach, and never stop learning. With these principles, you will not only become a successful yoga teacher but also a guide for others on their path to wellness.

Take the first step today — the world is waiting for your wisdom, compassion, and energy.

Are you looking for the best yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, India? Om Shanti Om Yoga Ashram is one of the best yoga schools in Rishikesh offers yoga alliance registered traditional Hatha Yoga Ashtanga Vinyasa flow Yoga Teacher Training courses for beginners, intermediate, and advanced level programs in Rishikesh. Be a certified yoga teacher by enrolling in Our upcoming authentic and affordable yoga teacher training courses in Rishikesh India. Explore 100-hour yoga TTC in Rishikesh, 200-hour yoga TTC in Rishikesh, 300-hour yoga TTC in Rishikesh, and 500-hour yoga TTC in Rishikesh. The quest to learn yoga in India often ends up in Rishikesh, India. Surrounded by the mighty Himalayas and a serene environment in the lap of Ganga. Join Om Shanti Om Yoga Ashram Family and experience the memorable joy of discovering your true self and this life-transformative journey!

[latestinteriors]

How You Can Become The Top Interior Designer In India?

Interior design is a creative, technical, and business-oriented field. So if you aim to becoming the top-notch interior designer in India, here are some important steps that you need to take for making a career in this field.

1.      Get a Recognized Degree

Get Your Degree: To be recognized as a professional, you should obtain a degree in interior design from an accredited institution. Formal education teaches students the fundamentals of design, which include principles of architecture, space planning, and material selection. You can create a base in the modern interior design as well as in luxury interior design which will help you to achieve in the competitive market.

2.      Gain Practical Experience

Internships and hands-on projects are essential for skill development. Exposed to the real world while you assist professional interior designers in India. Work with them on a range of residential interior design and commercial interior design projects to diversify your knowledge.

3.      Build a Strong Portfolio

A portfolio presenting your best work is fundamental to attracting clients. Incorporate modern home interiors, minimalist interior design, smart home interiors; as this showcases versatility. Explore your ideas through 3D interior design rendering.

4.      Beyond the latest college tips: incorporating recent trends

Interior design is an ever changing industry. Stay tuned with the global trends for sustainable interior design, home renovation services and also the upcoming technologies. Stay up to date by going to workshops, expos, and networking events.

5.      Master Design Software

Must have technical skills in software such as AutoCAD, SketchUp and 3D rendering tools. Hands-on experience with Autocad? All of these skills help you in developing exacting designs that meet the needs of your clients.

6.      Network with Professionals 

Forming solid relationships with architects, contractors and vendors can lead to new business. Participate in industry events and join professional associations to get connected.

7.      You are performance-based with data 

Client relationships are the most important thing. Unique, experienced, and always ahead of the curve, offering tailored Interior Design Consultation suited to you and tailored solutions for office interior design and home decor and decor services in various cities.

8.      Be a part of a Top Interior Design company

So it may be better if you are working with a reputed firm like Latest Interiors & Constructions to have a industry exposure. Best Interior Design Companies in Gurgaon–Latest Interiors With 12+ years of experience in 900+ successful projects.

Innovative Indian Interior Design Expertise

One of the most established names amongst interior designers in India, Mr. Shivam Manchanda has over 20 years of experience in interiors and construction. It makes him top of the game for; he hones in on creating spaces that are functional and luxurious.

9.      Provide Reasonably Priced and Competitive Services

Offer Affordable interior design services without compromising on quality to attract all kinds of clients. Another example is to continue providing affordable solutions such as simple home interior design ideas.

Final Thoughts

It is not a cakewalk to become one of the top interior designers in India but it is not impossible too. Because of that, if you follow these steps and learn from the industry best, you can create a successful career as an interior designer.

For those in need of expert guidance or turning to professionals, Latest Interiors & Constructions should be on your list, combining innovation with interior design excellence.