Outside the glass door, a movement caught my eye. I looked up just in time to see the large red-shouldered hawk lift off the deck onto the railing, and then into the trees.

I have seen this many times before, he is a regular visitor, and he, or other members of his family, have a nest in our trees.

This time he took me with him when he flew.

For a fleeting split second, I felt something, realized something, completely different than I had ever felt or realized before.

I realized that although we try to explain how birds, bees, and butterflies fly, we really can’t explain the how of it. There are apparently rational explanations; their wings fit this way or that, wing size, wing velocity, but the answer truly is, we only have a speculative knowledge of how it works.

In that moment, as the hawk lifted, and took me with him, I knew why we couldn’t truly understand how these beautiful creatures fly. It is because we are trying to find the answer within a flat-line experience.

We don’t see the realm that they live in; the wings are really for us, for them flight is just another means of movement.

The inhabitants of Flatland knew only one dimension. The story revolves around a 3-dimensional object coming into view, which could not be seen by those who only saw 2-dimensions. When one of the characters has a perception shifting moment and sees the 3-dimensional object, he tries to explain to everyone else what he saw. However, in their flatland realm, they couldn’t see it, so assumed he was crazy.

In some ways, it resembles Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. In this story, a group of people have been restrained in such a way that they can only see one blank wall in front of them. On that wall, shadows of people walking behind them are reflected as they walk in front of a fire.

For the people who can only see that wall, that is the whole of reality. When one of them is freed, he sees the people, the sun, and the rest of the world. He returns to tell them what he has seen. They don’t believe him.

In both cases an enlarged and expanded perception revealed what is always present, but not visible in a limited perception of the world.

For that split second, I realized the hawk doesn’t fly in our “realm. ” He doesn’t fly in our experience of how the world works. He flies in another realm altogether where flying doesn’t require wings really, just a different perception of the world.

There have always been prophets, scientists, and spiritual seekers who consistently strive to shift their perception to see what is already present, and then tell us about what they have found. Sometimes we listen. Sometimes we act on what we have learned. Mostly, we ignore the possibilities.

Nature is a living example of the many realms that exists outside of our 4-dimensional world.

Watch any part of nature with the desire to know outside of the five senses and it will open the doors of perception to see the unlimited Reality that is already present. Sometimes this Reality “leaks” into our current life and shifts the outcome into more than is possible within the perception of human.

Imagine what we would live like if we consistently choose to see beyond the very limited abilities of our five senses. This choice could be our intent for our lives – to “know as we are known.” To follow the guidance of those that have told us that the Truth will set us free.

This is what the man in Flatland and The Cave tried to tell their friends and relatives. This is what the hawk helped me shift my perception to see.

Are you with me? Let’s be those that listen and follow, and shift to this spiritual perception of Reality, and then share it with those that are willing to shift with us.

Thank you my hawk friend. It was a perfect gift.

What can someone do when left wondering what to give that person on their gift list that seems to have everything? How can they, after much careful thought and deliberation, seem to still not be any closer to ideas on what to get this individual? Regardless of taste, lifestyle, gender or interests the right gift card can make the perfect gift for nearly every individual who has the option to shop online or in a store. Getting a card can ensure that the recipient get the exact surprise present they want and often for something they may not have purchased for themselves otherwise, making it easily one of the best present available. Some may argue that giving gift cards seems like an impersonal or thoughtless gift but it is actually a practical idea for many reasons.

It is an easy way to give a gift to someone when you just cannot seem to find them the perfect present based off of what you know about their tastes, interests or needs. Lifestyle Gift cards can be combined with any other offers when shopping online or in department stores so recipients of gift cards can save them for upcoming sales or specials and maximize how the amount on the card is spent. You can add further amount onto them, which can make giving further gifts or surprise present in the future an even easier task.

A gift card can be a great alternative to giving cash because be it can be personalized for the individual receiving it. There is such a wide selection of lifestyle gift cards available from most large retailers so that it can be tailored to the recipient of the gift and their interests. This gift giving option is available for anything from dining out to movies, salons and virtually any department store. These presents are not thoughtless gifts if the one giving the card takes the time to find out which one would be the best to get.

As hard as it is for some to admit gift cards are often likely to be more welcome than traditional gifts, nearly fifty billion dollars’ worth of presents are returned or exchanged throughout the holiday season alone. This does not take into account the numerous birthdays and special occasion gifts that most likely face a similar fate. Giving such presents can be less stressful and less of a hassle for both the gift giver as well as the recipient of the gift-card, making the intention for the gift a much nicer occurrence.

It is true that time is precious and too often there is not enough of it. By purchasing gift cards gift givers save themselves a great deal of time and energy that would be used both from shopping as well as thinking about that perfect present. Gift cards are easy to purchase and very often can be purchased at larger retail stores without having to drive further to purchase one. They can be purchased at the last minute for that impromptu party or special occasion and easily sent a long distance in a letter or card.

Abandoning the gift-giving practice altogether is certainly not the way. If an individual out shopping comes across something that they feel would make the perfect gift for a loved one then they should by all means purchase it for the next special occasion. Giving gifts still make the giver and the recipient feel a special bond. However giving out lifestyle gift cards that have been selected especially for an individual’s personal lifestyle, interests and tastes can often be believed to be just as thoughtful and fun as a traditionally wrapped present.

What are the real keys to effective business presentations? Many presenters believe they must be entertaining, witty, and authoritative and use all sorts of technical bells and whistles in Power Point presentations or other medium. However, there is some evidence that contradicts and states that audiences really have five basic requirements for business presentations. And those basic requirements are: a focus on a single relevant message; support of the message with convincing evidence; organized presentation of information in comprehendible amounts; clear and enthusiastic articulation; and a limited number of visuals.

There are many tips for creating and delivering effective business presentations. Here are ten (10) tips your strategic thinking business coach has chosen to share with you.

1. Engage your audience instead of lecturing to them.

2. Present opportunities for the audience to discover something for your presentation instead of telling them directly.

3. Encourage and promote feedback from your audience. Provide opportunities for the audience to interact with the presenter.

4. Be aware that 7% of the presenter’s message will come from words; 38% will come from tone of voice and 55% will come from facial expressions and body language.

5. Avoid information overload.

6. Select 3 or 4 key points and use key phrases about those points throughout the presentation.

7. Minimize the number of slides to ensure that the presentation will not become too long.

8. Select and use a few powerful props to demonstrate points in the presentation.

9. Give the audience the unexpected. This could be something obscure or contradictory that will get them thinking and stimulate discussion.

10. Rehearse! Rehearse! Rehearse!

Your strategic thinking business coach encourages you to use strategic thinking in the development and delivery of business presentations. If you would like to learn more preparing and delivering effective business presentations and how a strategic thinking business coach can facilitate and guide you in that endeavor, please contact Glenn Ebersole through his website at http://www.businesscoach4u.com or by email at [email protected]