"From the mid-seventeenth to the mid-nineteenth century, millions of Korean men from all walks of life trained in the arts of war to prepare not for actual combat but to sit for the state military examination (mukwa). Despite this widespread interest, only for a small minority did passing the test lead to appointment as a military official. Why, then, did so many men aspire to the mukwa? Eugene Y. Park argues that the mukwa was not only the state’s primary instrument for recruiting aristocrats as new members to the military bureaucracy but also a means by which the ruling elite of Seoul could partially satisfy the status aspirations of marginalized regional elites, secondary status groups, commoners, and manumitted slaves. Unlike the civil examination (munkwa), however, that assured successful examinees posts in the prestigious central bureaucracy, achievement in the mukwa did not enable them to gain political power or membership in the existing aristocracy. A wealth of empirical data and primary sources drives Park’s study: a database of more than 32,000 military examination graduates; a range of new and underutilized documents such as court records, household registers, local gazetteers, private memoirs, examination rosters, and genealogies; and products of popular culture, such as p’ansori storytelling and vernacular fiction. Drawing on this extensive evidence, Park provides a comprehensive sociopolitical history of the mukwa system in late Chosŏn Korea."

Have you ever wondered if you might be living a dream? How do you know what is real and what is illusion? The popular movie "The Matrix" explored this theme a few years ago with great effect. Yet this is a serious question requiring serious thought. The book "Dreams of Reality", written from a scientifi c perspective, takes the reader on an intellectual journey through the various aspects and dimensions of reality, from our current state of understanding to the so-called metaphysical. You may find a number of surprising and thought-provoking vistas along this yellow-brick road. Consider them with an open mind and then let your intuition tell you where the dream ends and reality begins.

DIVDIV“Sleek and suggestive . . . [Reality and Dreams] is so smart and seductive that you fail to notice how completely you’ve accepted a world gone utterly awry.” —Kirkus Reviews /divDIV/divDIVBritish film director Tom Richard won acclaim for his moments of pure creative inspiration. But when Richard is hospitalized after toppling from a crane during a shoot, he awakes not knowing what is real and what is not—and with no idea who to trust. Soon his wife, children, and friends are all undergoing crises of their own, from the breakup of a marriage to the loss of a job. As Richard fights to regain his health and stay centered amid the swirling chaos of his personal life, he must also wrest control of his film—his most prized pursuit—from those who seek to take it away./divDIV /divDIVWitty andengrossing, Reality and Dreams is a whiplash ride through the highs and lows of the creative process./divDIV /divDIVThis ebook features an illustrated biography of Muriel Spark including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author’s archive at the National Library of Scotland./divDIV /divDIV/div/div

This book attempts to demonstrate that only a genuine democratic dispensation can ensure its survival as a viable federation. Sartaj Aziz argues that the vitality of a nation comes primarily from the value system, cultural heritage, and social energy of its people.

Robert Lanza is one of the most respected scientists in the world a US News and World Report cover story called him a genius and a renegade thinker, even likening him to Einstein. Lanza has teamed with Bob Berman, the most widely read astronomer in the world, to produce Biocentrism, a revolutionary new view of the universe. Every now and then a simple yet radical idea shakes the very foundations of knowledge. The startling discovery that the world was not flat challenged and ultimately changed the way people perceived themselves and their relationship with the world. For most humans of the 15th century, the notion of Earth as ball of rock was nonsense. The whole of Western, natural philosophy is undergoing a sea change again, increasingly being forced upon us by the experimental findings of quantum theory, and at the same time, toward doubt and uncertainty in the physical explanations of the universes genesis and structure. Biocentrism completes this shift in worldview, turning the planet upside down again with the revolutionary view that life creates the universe instead of the other way around. In this paradigm, life is not an accidental byproduct of the laws of physics. Biocentrism takes the reader on a seemingly improbable but ultimately inescapable journey through a foreign universe our own from the viewpoints of an acclaimed biologist and a leading astronomer. Switching perspective from physics to biology unlocks the cages in which Western science has unwittingly managed to confine itself. Biocentrism will shatter the readers ideas of life--time and space, and even death. At the same time it will release us from the dull worldview of life being merely the activity of an admixture of carbon and a few other elements; it suggests the exhilarating possibility that life is fundamentally immortal. The 21st century is predicted to be the Century of Biology, a shift from the previous century dominated by physics. It seems fitting, then, to begin the century by turning the universe outside-in and unifying the foundations of science with a simple idea discovered by one of the leading life-scientists of our age. Biocentrism awakens in readers a new sense of possibility, and is full of so many shocking new perspectives that the reader will never see reality the same way again.

Dreams Are Reality is a riveting story about a womans journey through her subconscious in order to reprogram negative beliefs that emanated in early childhood. Watch Vanaja unravel the secrets of the universe as she explores the psyche at both a subconscious and conscious level in real time! The secret is revealed with effective neuroscience and spiritual techniques so any person can achieve inner peace and any dream he desires. Dreams Are Reality awakens people to the wonderful transformations occurring in 2012 which will bring our planet back to its utopian roots. Financial independence, health reform, and a new educational paradigm will be the new way of life. Dreams Are Reality is a page turner that has the audience clamoring for more. For the first time in the history of mankind, the truth is uncovered right in front of your eyes!

Lucid: Awake in the World and the Dream is a primer for the evolution of human consciousness. A biconscious writer, Gardner Eeden, lays the groundwork for how to live simultaneously in the world and the dream world, relating his unique experience as well as dissecting the current scientific and spiritual notions of what dreams are. This is a provocative, often irreverent work that blends fiction, science, real experience and metaphysical ideas that will guide readers to new possibilities in their own consciousness and will have readers wondering what they are truly capable of in the world and the dream.

Navigating the space between dreams and reality. The word "Lacuna" is Latin in origin and means "an unfilled space or gap". The Lacuna Effect is the impact that the unfilled spaces and gaps between our dreams and reality have on our lives, and specifically on our identity, purpose and belonging. This book is about hope when our identity, purpose and belonging is being challenged, threatened and questioned. The stories and insights shared in its pages are raw, emotional and real. My aim in sharing the pain, struggles and challenges of others is to inspire hope, encourage dreams and offer up some fresh perspectives on navigating through life's challenges. The truth is, we will all face a Lacuna experience of some description, at some point in our life, if we haven't already.

Dhinchak is a word from Hindi slang thats equivalent of wow, fantastic and awesome. The ideas presented in Dhinchak Life can help you: Become happier, regardless of who you are and what you have Get healthier, fitter and have more energy to enjoy fully Increase your productivity so you always have the time to do what really matters Enhance your relationships with those you love, and even those you dont Motivate yourself to achieve your goals, no matter how small or big they are At a fast but comfortable pace Mush takes you through all the steps to lead a happy and productive life Ive read a number of self-help, inspirational books and this is the best. Thousands, maybe millions, will be helped by this wonderful book to live a more meaningful and fulfilling life. Lewis Edwards, Founder and Chairman of A Better Chance Foundation. Share your own Dhinchak tips, provide feedback, or connect with Mush: www.DhinchakLife.com

It is time to turn your dreams into reality... We would all like to have happier lives, better relationships, that are built on mutual understanding and honestly, a successful career, more money and abundance in all areas of life. Despite common belief, your wishes and hopes can easily come to fruition, if you just apply some simple rules. This book delineates the secrets of the universe and supplies you with tools, which will allow you to achieve your objectives in the most effective way and most importantly, without any sophisticated philosophies. Your lives can be Gardens of Eden; with a high standard of living, infinite love and the achievement of goals you have set for yourself. Turning Dreams into Reality is based on the experiences of the author, his clients' and the people in his life, who have succeeded in making a significant difference in their lives in a variety of areas, by using the tools outlined in this book. Now, you can join the exciting journey and create the life you've always dreamed of - the life you never believed you could have!