Bearded Leonardo DiCaprio starred The Revenant has been much talked about movie in 2015. It's a great combination of Adventure, Revenge and Western genre. 2015 has been a good year for Western lovers, as it has brought us three successful Western movies: The Hateful Eight, Tom Bonahawk and The Revenant. The two are surely better than Tom Bonahawk which unfortunately ends with a weaker impact.

Storyline : A team of trappers and hunters was surrounded and attacked by Native Indians. They somehow escaped, but they were still being followed by the Indians. Meanwhile lone Hugh Glass in jungle stumbles upon a grizzly bear protecting her cubs. Glass somehow manages to kill the bear with his rifle and a knife, but this event leaves him nearly dead. Henry, the leader, was suggested to kill Glass by John (the antagonist), as they thought stretcher ridden Glass was slowing them down. But on the request of Hawk (Glass's half-Indian son) he decides not to kill him and asks for volunteers to take care of Glass till he's dead. The malevolent John, Glass's son Hawk and another boy stay, while others leave. John, in the absence of the boy, kills Hawk in front of helpless Glass. He convinces the boy that the Indians may have killed Hawk and they must leave the place.

The long survival adventure, which is the foreground of the film, begins for Glass. After many days, he was found by a team of searchers. Glass tells them the true story of John. John's already fled to the wilderness fear for his life. Glass finds him out and takes his 'revenge'. The film ends with the quote: Revenge is in god's hands not mine.

Positives : This film is a perfect plate for survival-adventure lovers. The film successfully portrays the long survival efforts made by Glass, which could've been boring. The film quenches audience's thirst for 'revenge'. Leo's fight with grizzly bear was shot skillfully. The haunting wilderness and harness make audience shiver. The film's portrayal of wilderness was praiseworthy. The filmmakers have tried to give a poetic and philosophical touch to the movie which makes us think about life, survival and death. There were many Indian proverbs and philosophy being shown time to time. The film also makes us ponder our racial prejudices, and makes us ponder who was more savage, Whites or the 'savages'. Tom Hardy's performance outshines others. It is good to see that old Western dramas and period movies are doing well even today.

Negatives : The film could be a little lengthy. The events in the film couldn't be verified, so it may not be a 'based on true story' film. Leo's survival adventure story was not completely different from other survival stories. But the blend of the revenge and the history drama did the trick. Though the movie is about the protagonist Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy comes out as a better artist.

Verdict : It's a MUST WATCH for Western movie buffs.

The problem that comes up with hurricane preparedness, tornados, tsunamis and other disasters … is that you don't have anything to carry your stuff in. A survival kit is made to carry just a few items. But in this case you'll want days worth of supplies. You require something to carry communications, clothing, food fire starting gear, lightweight shelter and a few more essentials. How are you going to do it? With a Bug Out Bag.

ENTER … THE BUG OUT BAG

With your bug out bag, you'll have everything to "bug out" of your home or area. The BugOut Bag has become the standard by which all disaster preparedness preppers build their survival plan around.

And once you've read this article … you'll know ..

1. Why a survival kit isn't enough to last for as long as most people think.
2. And what key survival equipment to include in your bug out bag items
3. How to build it and what suppliers to use.

HERE'S WHY A SURVIVAL KIT ISN'T ENOUGH TO LAST FOR 72 HOURS

Survival kits are your primary long-term essentials kit. You would take one of these in the event that your "excursion" was prolonged. A bug out bag is more of an immediate sustenance kit for emergency preparedness. It would include the essentials that would carry you over a 72 hour period for immediate survival. The bug out bag was designed to contain food, medications, water among other things. Consider this scenario: Cindy hears the tornado siren wailing. She knows that she's got to leave quickly, but she is unperturbed because she is prepared. She has her bug out kit to get her through the immediate danger. Will you be prepared?

THINGS TO INCLUDE AND PUTTING IT TOGETHER

First things … sturdy, waterproof bags, to protect your survival supplies. Be thoughtful and conscious not to leave anything out. You don't want to get caught without anything critically essential. Food for you and your family during the crucial first 72 hours. Use non-perishable food in your packs. MRE's are especially easy to transport and prepared. Don't forget an extra set of your vital medications and a method of cleaning your water. An item such as a 'Lifestraw' allows you to drink directly from any water source, while filtering the water for you. Also, plan to have an extra set of your most valued papers, sealed in a zip-lock type bag to protect them. A first aid kit is also a key addition to your bug out bag. Remember to include a sleeping bag or blanket, and a tent for shelter is preferable. Weapons, ammunition and a written copy of your disaster plan should also be included.

DO YOU BUY PREMADE KITS OR MAKE YOUR OWN?

Many survival-based companies offer pre-made bug out bags. This is critical if you aren't aware of all of the things that you will need in a fleeing-type of situation. The bags are composed of different contents, depending on your particular needs. Don't forget, however, to add in your own personal survival gear such as your medications, bag checklist and your important documents. One excellent supplier is http://www.offgridsurvival.com. . Ensure that you are getting everything that you know you will need before you order the bug out bag. These bags will allow you to flee quickly and to survive for the first 72 hours.

YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME

A bug out bag and your bag contents is the closest thing you'll ever have to "home" in the middle of a manmade or natural disaster. As long as you know what to put in it, and who the better suppliers are, you'll be in great shape.

But what if you going lighter is important to you? That's when you want to check out … the Fanny Pack Survival Kit.

Networking is very important in whatever we do. Whether you want to get sales leads, find a new job, have new friends, enhance your career or get referrals, networking is one of your success tools. Diane Darling, the author of this text entitled "The Networking Survival Guide" is the founder and chief executive officer of Effective Networking, Inc., a Boston-based company that educates people on how to network.

Darling says this text is here to help you build your networking skills, gain confidence in your networking abilities and make good things happen in your business, career and life. Darling stresses that whether you are planning a career change, raising funds for a new business venture, adding to your client base, or simply expanding your business and personal contacts, you will learn how to make networking your most direct path to success.

She assures that this text provides answers to all your questions and guides you step-by-step through each phase of the networking process. This author adds that the text also helps you find the style and approach that is right for you. Darling submits that you will also learn in the text, how to set your networking goals; form a strategic plan to reach your goals; identify and develop potential contacts; follow up on leads and turn them into opportunities; make good things happen to your career; and become a resource for fellow networkers.

The text is divided into 18 chapters. Chapter one constitutes the introduction. Here, this author says networking is the art of building and sustaining mutually-beneficial relationships. According to her, from your first conversation in the morning until your last conversation at night, you are networking.

According to Darling, many people do not realize they are networking when that is exactly what they are doing. If you have lunch with someone a few times a year to stay in touch, that is networking, she says.

The author educates that you need other people in your life and they need you too. "It is unrealistic and impractical to do everything by yourself. You need others to help you get things done, both in business and personally … When you know the right person to get a task accomplished, and he or she returns your phone call , you save time, money, energy, "she expatiates.

This author explains that some of the reasons why people network are business development or sales; raising business capital; getting a job, assistance with career management, or a job transition, etc.

According to Darling, this book is written from the business perspective, rather than the social or personal. She says most of the examples will involve business professionals seeking to expand their network. Darling adds that these principles can also be applied to those who are seeking to network for any of the other reasons.

"For example, you want to start a business and need working capital. You want to network to people who can help you. Or if you are job hunting, you want to expand your network to learn about companies and where you can make a contribution .If you are raising funds for a music camp, you want to find out who the alumni are and / or who loves music and would want to make a donation, "educates the author.

Chapter two is based on the subject matter of what networking is and what it is not. Here, Darling says creating a new network in an unfamiliar community can be taxing. According to her, networking is sometimes confused with schmoozing. She explains that schmoozing has the connotation that you are getting something from someone with no benefit to the other person. Griffiths says it is a take situation. Going back to the dictionary, there are several definitions of schmoozing and it is about conversation, educates the author.

In his words, "There is also a definition, 'to gain an advantage or make a social connection'. That's how most people feel when someone is schmoozing them. It's also why many of us don't like to go to networking events. We don't want to be part of that group. Those people often come across as social climbers. "
In chapters three to nine, Darling discusses concepts such as getting started to create a plan; preparing for networking; networking accessories; body language, voice and words; conversations; places to network and best practices.

Chapter ten is based on the thematic focus of best practices when it is face to face. Here, this author says from walking in the door to walking out, this chapter provides step-by-step guide to successfully navigate a networking event. According to Darling, wear something that makes you feel confident and will make it easier for someone to describe you.

"Men can wear a tie with a nice design, and women can wear a suit in a color other than navy, brown, or black. Before you head to an event, conference, or meeting, you need to pack your Networking Survival Kit. The purpose is to have everything you need for networking in one place, "guides this author.

In chapters 11 to 17, Darling analytically X-rays concepts such as follow-up techniques; best practices when not face to face; how to maintain and grow your network; ethics; what to do if you do not feel like networking; gender, race, culture and other networking factors; and evil network.

Chapter 18, the last chapter of this text, constitutes the summary of the text. This chapter contains resource guide; notes; bibliography and index.

As regards style, this text is outstanding. The language is simple. In terms of presentation, the text is didactic, reflecting a product of high level of research.

Darling makes abundant use of graphical embroidery to visually reinforce the understanding of readers. This author also includes a summary section in every chapter to achieve recapitulation and enhance readers' understanding. He uses classical / literary allusions for conceptual amplification and to broaden readers' mind.

However, in terms of positioning, chapter 12 should have come to chapter 11 for proximity of contrast with chapter ten or to achieve immediate conceptual counterbalance.

Generally, this text is must-read for all those who want to enhance their business, career, etc. through effective networking. It is intellectually illuminating.

Every year fishermen and hunters find themselves in survival situations. Due to the nature of our outdoor hobbies we tend to leave the trail. We venture to find the biggest fish or to shoot a buck. This naturally puts us out in the elements to begin with. The weather changes on us in a heartbeat or it’s the dead of winter or the middle of the summer. Our surroundings don’t have straight sidewalks with corners and street signs.

According to the Custer County Search and Rescue in Colorado, after the first 24 hours of being lost survival chances drop to 50%. Each day thereafter is drops another 25%. Usually after 4 days it turns into a recovery operation instead of a rescue. For well those of us who venture into the outdoors often we need to take steps to increase our chance for survival before even leaving the house.

The first thing sportsmen must do before ever leaving on their trip to an unfamiliar area is a map study. If you spent time in the area before this may not be as crucial depending on how many times you spent in the area. Everyone going on the trip needs to know as well as have a copy of a map for the area.

GPS devices work great, most of the time. Just like any other device they can break, get wet, batteries go bad, or not get a signal. Having a map and compass, even if it’s a little thumb sized compass, can make the difference between staying in the woods for 5 days or getting back to the camp by night fall. As we said in the military all the time, one is none, two is one. At some point your first line of gear breaks, usually at the most in opportune time.

The second thing all sportsmen need to do is inform others of your plans. Make copies of the map you take with you. Give it to someone you trust. Also make plans to communicate with them when you can. Set time windows when you will call them. In today’s day and age everyone carries a cell phone. Make sure to keep it charged. If you hike in and can’t make a daily window, you need to make sure that you have a drop dead time that you will call. If things go south in a hurry, someone will know where to look. This narrows the search radius and ups your survival chances.

As your final line to your survival, carry the necessities to live. Rod Alne, a 27 year veteran with the Air Force Para-Rescue Unit and owner of The PEAK Inc., recommends taking the three Tier System. On your body Tier 1, in a pouch or fanny pack Tier 2, and finally in your back pack Tier 3. Tier 1 consists of the absolutely bare minimum suggested for survival up to Tier 3 which carries your comfort items that increase your odds for survival.

Wilderness survival can be one of the most challenging adventures of a lifetime. Being in the wild and with nature can be a profound experience. There can be a great time to be had when engaging in wilderness adventure. However, things in the wilderness may not be just about sightseeing, exploration and fun. If one desires to venture the wild and to keep alive staying there, he should know wilderness survival skills.

To learn the basic wilderness survival skills, one should enroll in a survival skill program offered by a survival school. Participating in survival training seminar could also be an option. Various schools and institutions may have their own survival programs. Nevertheless, the programs offered may integrate the basic survival skills.

Survival schools may give instructions on aboriginal survival skills. One can check out survival schools or survival programs in local community or schools. It is also possible to learn the wilderness survival skills by reading survival articles on some websites and practicing them in local wilderness areas.

One should know the how to, where to, and what to in when it comes to wilderness survival skills. When staying in the wild, it is all about survival. Tending for the personal needs is of the utmost concern. Self-defense may also have to be learned as the dangers in the wild will likely be numerous and unexpected. Optimism is the best attitude that can be employed in addition to courage, faith and hope. There are various things that should be considered when having a trek or staying in the wilderness.

The importance of wilderness survival training is that individuals will have a greater chance to stay alive in harsh conditions thanks to first hand experience with the necessary techniques. By participating in a wilderness survival course, individuals may realize the importance of life in a more traditional way while learning first hand from an expert. Individuals may also have a better insight on what to do in the event a survival situation may come unexpectedly.

Learning the necessary skills that can be applied in the wilderness is perhaps one of the great academic achievements in life. Although most people tend to avoid dangers as much as possible by living in an environment where they think they are safe, people should also comprehend that things in life, particularly those that are extremely challenging, demand physical and mental competence. Involving oneself in wilderness survival program can help him overcome the various challenges in life.

One can develop or nurture his abilities physically and mentally when his focus is all about survival.

Prepping is a phenomenon that has become so widely spread and popular in the recent years. This has gone to an extent of the making of TV shows that focus on prepping. There are people who are extremely prepped for catastrophe that could possibly hit the world and this is something that has caught the eyes of the public.

Simply defined, prepping is preparing for the uncertain future. This means that we are all technically peppers. This is because everyone is busy preparing for life. However, there are people who prepare more than others and go an extra mile. This is what makes preppers stand out from the rest of us.

The prepping culture

Prepping has really spiked over time. There are things that have been witnessed over the last few years that have actually been rather shocking. Things like terrorist attacks, earthquakes, hurricanes, oil spikes and so on have led to a threat of food supply. Such things have caused collapses in the markets and many people have lost homes and retirement funds. It is because of the unfolding events that most people are so concerned and decide to learn more about prepping.

In other generations, prepping was just life. We have become so dependent on the modern conveniences and technologies that we have invented. This has led to the loss of all those basic skills that were freely learnt before technology came along such as farming, hunting and so on. In the past, one had to be self-reliant. The recent disasters have made people start to reconsider exactly what they would do should natural disasters strike or the economy collapse. This is what has made the prepping culture spike so much today.

What it really is

We all prep just like laid down at the start of the article but it is the level that it is done that shows the true enthusiasts from the rest. Preppers do more than the average people. They acquire skills that would be enough to let them survive even if their area was hit by a catastrophe. Preppers also stick together and they build a relationship with people of a like opinion.

It is all about being able to be a survivalist regardless of what happens in the future. There are those that go ahead to take a course on the same just to remain prepared for the unseen future.

Prepping is a great attitude with great potential to help the community as well as relatives. There are those that take it too far, but that is a personal thing and they shouldn't be judged for it. Learning survival skills can actually be lifesaving in the future as we do not know what lies in wait for us.

Profile of preppers

There are different answers to these questions. Of course it is about preparing for whatever is thrown at us at random times and it may have to do with natural disasters, finances and so on. Preppers are self-reliant and they are not afraid to take care of themselves. They are also conservative on political matters and they don't wait for handouts.

Zombie Apocalypse Survival Kit, do you have one? If in the event that the worst happens, you need to keep yourself and your family safe. If you are not prepared you might not be able to get what you need when the pawpaw hits the fan.

First of all each family member should have their own backpack. If you have a baby and do not breastfeed, you need at least two tins of formula, 5 cloth diapers, make your own out of towels if need be. There are many sites that show you how to make diapers. You need cotton diapers as you will run out of the store bought diapers. Cotton diapers can be washed and reused.

If the apocalypse happens and your baby no longer needs the things you have stored, you could always keep it to barter with. Some formulas can be eaten for extra protein and calcium if need be.

You will need 50 feet of paracord, and lots of it. Make a belt you can wear, paracord bracelet, and a paracord lanyard, all of this ensures extra rope if you need it. These ideas can be found on the web.

Fill a small container with matches, flint and a lighter. Make one for each bag incase one bag gets lost you will always have another set. I recommend matches and a lighter, if the lighters gas is finished, you have matches. This is one of the things you can never have enough of.

Each bag should have first aid kit. The very basic and if you are on chronic medication, try to get extra meds to put it in the kit. You should also have activated charcoal tablets for poisoning emergencies, rubbing alcohol, sterile pads and gauze, cotton and medical tape. For blisters on your feet use Blister Medic, make sure you have some burn gel and instant cold packs for sprains.

The first aid kit should also contain a small sterile scissors, tweezers, Quick Clot and Steri-strips. If you happen to know how to use sutures and scalpel pack that in too. For pain and fever have Ibuprofen and something for children under the age of 12.

Have a container for fishing tools such as weights or sinkers, hooks and fishing line. You can also add some sun screen and insect repellent. You should have a breacher bar incase you need to split some wood.

Have maps of your area in a plastic bag that will keep water out like a Ziploc bag. You could keep them in a pencil bag to keep them safe and together. You could also put a small compass in the bag with the maps.

Have pens or pencils with a note pad, you might have to make notes of no go zones. Binoculars are big so if you can get a mincular it will be much better. A small fixed blade knife, multitool, duct tape and some glow sticks.

These are the very basic things you will need, you can get dry food packs on amazon that are great for survival. You can read my Zombie Survival Gear on more survival gear that you will need.

Thank you for reading my article.

Simply having a survival kit will not ensure or guarantee your survival. Once understood, your risk of making unnecessary mistakes will go way down. The result will be fewer negative surprises. With that in mind, you'll put more efforts into your skills and knowledge. The benefit? If you caught without your kit, your survival kit will be in your head.

Here are the 8 survival kit myths.

Myth 1 – My kit will always be with me

This thinking is unrealistic. For instance, imagine being at work and your kit is at home. An earthquake hits and your gear is out of reach. The highways are clogged, and the bag is out of reach and of no use to you.

Your Plan: EDC kit, keychain, carbag. The idea is to pack a smaller bag in your car. It doesn't have everything your normal bag has, but its good enough. An EDC is also know as an Every Day Carry bag. Its small enough to carry with you every day, in the trunk of your car.

Myth 2 – My survival kit will get me through the disaster

The problem with this: but what if the disaster is 7 days? Its good to have a kit. But how long is your survival kit supposed to support you? 1 day? 3 days? 4 days? Or maybe just a few hours? How do you even figure out how long it will last? And how long is the aftermath of the disaster going to last?

Your Plan: plan for 72 hours, and have a cache kit ready to take you beyond that first 3 days. The idea here is to pack something that's light and that will get you through the first hours. Then from there, it will get you to a second / backup kit. In a way, you could chain a bunch of these together. Of course, this all assumes that you are not able to get home.

Myth 3 – The gear in my kit is appropriate for my expected disasters

The problem with this: something off the wall might come up. The problem here, is that most kits that are premade have generic contents in them. Let me give you an example. The other day I was looking at Ebola survival kits. I found one online. It had a mylar tent, a survival whistle and some gloves. I can assure you, that this wouldn't save anyone in an Ebola outbreak. This comes at the price of lives that depend on the gear.

Your Plan: Don't rely on someone else's kit. If you are expecting a specific kind of disaster in your area, then plan things out. Do your research and learn what's necessary to come out alive on the other side. Then slowly start acquiring the items and gear that you determine is necessary. Naturally, you'll choose higher quality gear, and the payoff will be when the disaster hits. Your gear will stand up to any disaster.

Myth 4 – my survival kit gear is rugged enough to withstand tough use

The problem with this: if you have a premade kit, you might be surprised. A number of people have reported that pieces of gear have broken in their hands after light use. The survival kit manufacturers source out the cheapest gear just to fill the bag.

Your Plan: Just like the previous myth, research for your own gear and check out product reviews. If its a piece of gear that's expensive, then save up a little each week until you get the full amount. Good quality reliable gear is more assuring in a disaster than something that fall apart in your hands.

Myth 5 – I don't need any clothing in my kit. I'll just wear what I've got.

The problem with this: what if you get wet and its cold? Wearing wet clothing in the cold is a recipe for hypothermia. Without question.

Your Plan: Bring very light clothing in your Bug-Out Bag. One brand that I'm impressed with is Frogg Toggz. Although they primarily make rain gear, some of the shells are worth wearing as light pants or a jacket / shell. They pack very tight because they are similar to Tyvek or Kevlar.

Myth 6 – I'll just use my phone, so I don't need alternative communications gear

The problem with this: what if the cell towers go down? If you are relying solely on your phone and the network goes down, then you have no backup. Now its true. If the lines go down, there's a chance that SMS will still be working. But even that can go down.

Your Plan: signalling mirror; ham radio. A mirror can signal for 10's and even 100 miles away. If you are in an urban area, then a radio like a CB or a ham radio would be much more effective.

Myth 7 – A survival kit is a survival kit. I don't need to practice with it.

The problem with this: The problem is that you are assuming that your survival depends on your gear. You are thinking that if you have the right gear, then you'll be in good shape. But there's a crack in this kind of logic. The crack is this. What if the gear breaks down? Then what?

Your Plan: To get around this, you will want backup plans. Back up plans for all of your critical gear. For instance, if you have battery operated items, do you have chargers? Do you have solar chargers? Or what if there's no sun? Do you have alternatives to generating power?

Myth 8 – I need a bug out bag, because I'm planning on bugging out.

The problem with this: most people think that they will be bugging out. But the reality is that there's a high chance that you will be bugging in.

Your Plan: it's good to have a bug out bag, but don't ignore the supports that you have at home.

Survival shows and gear can be deceiving. They lull you into believing you can survive anything. But its not true. Read through these 8 myths one more time and learn what not to do the next time a disaster hits.

Physical Phenomena and Survival Evidence
There is a great deal of controversy surrounding the value of evidence in certain types of mediumship. Of course, we can argue until the cows come home about what constitutes good evidence, and evidence that is so general, it's farcical to include it. As far as mental mediumship is concerned, there does seem to be indelible lines drawn that recognizes the division. However, when it comes down to physical mediumship and trance mediumship, the swords are drawn and fortresses manned. You can almost hear the clash of cold steel between the believers, skeptics and the mediums themselves, and those lines I spoke off are so far, in the distance, that you cannot see them.

The evidence, I believe, can be segregated into two fields within mediumship, and perhaps should be regarded as stages of development or a work in progress. We all agree that evidence of the survival of consciousness is of paramount importance, but how does that fit in with human perception? What one individual may consider evidence, another may consider it as a lack of evidence. You see, even this is governed by perception, belief and understanding. So if we look at the perceptible evidence in two ways, perhaps if you pardon the pun, we arrive at a happy medium. The two divisions have elements of each other within them but perhaps provided in a different way. So first we have physical evidence, and secondly, we have survival evidence. Ultimately, the elements of both must conjoin to elicit irrefutable evidence under scientific conditions.

Physical Evidence
Physical evidence is perhaps where one will start, because this phenomena is what will begin to develop within the sà © ance room at first. I do not think there is a case of an individual being able to materialize as a spirit without some form of development. Even the most famous physical mediums of the time had to develop at some point in their lives. Often, this development included the manifestation of physical phenomena. Each medium will find their own way, and guided by their own spirit team will begin to develop. The physical evidence that is normally found within the sà © ance room is wide and varied, and a great deal of conjecture surrounds it.

Many will claim that elements of fraud exist within the room, and in some cases this may be true. However, with the right protocols in place, it is difficult to refute some phenomena that go above and beyond the realms of science. Direct voice phenomena is one of the main types of phenomena that exist within the sà © ance room. This can be quite startling – especially when being gagged silences the medium, and the voices speak with such clarity and different intonation. It is difficult to refute. With this type of evidence, it can often miss the survival evidence from discarnate loved ones, though this is perhaps still in the developmental phase, and I will get to that later. There are of course other phenomena that are just as exciting, such as levitation of various items around the room, disembodied parts such as a hand or head. For most, the partial materializations or indeed full materialization must be the most convincing as well as receiving gifts known as apports from the world of spirit. Furthermore, atmospheric changes and distinct odors can often be experienced. Now, if the medium has been securely tethered to a chair and every possible option covered that negates that possibility of fraud. One would have to accept that something beyond science is happening. Of course, there are phenomena that exists that you would question but spirit lights that will light up the room and move within their own consciousness can leave you dumbfounded. I understand this is not empirical evidence, but if you read on you will see what can develop over time.

Survival Evidence
Now let me move onto survival evidence within the seance room. I am aware that survival evidence is often easier when it comes through the mental process of mediumship. However, this type of evidence can often be limited to the way the medium perceives the information. What the spirit may wish to convey can often be misconstrued. conversely, when the medium has developed to such an extent where a spirit can fully anaesthetize the medium, the spirit team can often then allow loved ones through to communicate through the direct voice. The evidence that can be given under these conditions is quite amazing and can include only information that is known to the sitter. Full names, addresses and other evidence that is not the norm of mental mediumship is often given.

Sometimes the spirits will often bring gifts to the sitters, which we understand as apports and the whole process can be a life-changing experience. Obviously, the survival evidence that is given through the direct voice can often be transmitted in different dialect and languages, which of course is difficult to dismiss if the medium has no knowledge of this language.

Empirical Evidence
The combination of both facets should lead to empirical evidence because, on the one hand, you have the physical phenomena that can be attributed to the spirit team within the room, and for the evidence that loved ones are able to receive through the mediumship process. This of course takes a great deal of development and perhaps this is the reason that in the modern day, too many individuals rush the development. This impatience can actually be more of a hindrance than anything, which could also be a reason for weak phenomena in the seance room.

Conclusion

In conclusion, evidence within the seance room is of paramount importance for two main reasons.

1. There is evidence of the afterlife
2. The evidence from loved ones that can help to heal.

It must be noted that to get to this point will take a great deal of development and even though development is an on-going process, one must ensure that it is not rushed. Perhaps in this manner we can ensure that our evidence is irrefutable, and that we may begin to have further success in lighted conditions. We may then be able to silence those of a pseudo skeptical nature and continue into the foray of the power of our spirit and the interacted of the worlds between worlds.

Decades ago,when I was a young man in the Army infantry, I sometimes marched 25-30 miles a day with a heavy (65 lb) rucksack attached to my back. Sometimes we had to march through sticky, muddy fields and ended up with around 10 lbs of mud attached to each leg. Those are not fond memories.

Today when I hike, it is for a much shorter distance, and it’s with my bug out bag. I now stay away from the thick clingy mud as much as possible and I also keep my survival gear as lightweight as possible. There is no way that this body will do now what it did when it was 20 something!

Unless you are an avid hiker, you probably don’t know how much difference a few pounds can make when you are on the trail. In a survival situation it can mean the difference between getting away quickly and getting caught by an angry mob.

There are several steps already put in place by lightweight hikers that will help all survivalist get their bug out bag to weigh less. The goal of these steps is to lighten your gear as much as possible without sacrificing your preparedness level, your safety, or your comfort.

Step One:

Lighten your heaviest items first: your shelter, your sleeping bag, and your backpack.

• Shelter: This can be a tent, a tarp, or something as tiny as a poncho. These each give a certain level of shelter and comfort; you have to decide on what level of comfort you are willing to endure. If you decide that you want a tent, the good news is that there are many lightweight 1-3 person tents on the market today. These lightweight tents can weigh between 3 and 6 pounds. Their biggest drawback is price; they can cost more than $200. Tarps make effective lightweight shelters that will protect you from the bad weather while allowing you to enjoy all the sights and sounds of your surroundings. If insects are a nuisance, a few ounces of mosquito netting added to your kit will solve your problem. You can find ultralight tarps that weigh less than a pound and ground covers that weigh under 8 oz. Poncho’s that are used for shelters should be over-sized. They compress into a small area and can weigh under half a pound.
• Sleeping Bags: These are all about the temperature rating (how cold it will get) that you expect to encounter when using them. You might need two, one for the warmer months and one for the colder. Change them out when the weather changes. The colder the rating goes the higher the weight will be (extra down). It is easy to spend hundreds of dollars on an ultralight sleeping bag, but unless you need the very best, don’t. You can then spend the extra money on other survival gear. You can find sleeping bags that are short, regular, and long. A short ultralight sleeping bag rated at 45°F can weigh as little as 1 pound while a long one rated at -20°F can weigh as little as 4 pounds 3 ounces. If you can give up the comfort of the sleeping bag entirely, then a Bivvy Sack is a must have. This compress’ to a 6x6x4 inch size and weighs only 4 ounces.
• Backpacks: There are many ultralight backpacks. They vary in the area that they enclose (from 550 cu. in. to over 4000 cu. in.) and the amount of weight that they can carry (generally not over 30 lbs) and can weigh between 1-4 pounds. This should be the last item that you change so that you know the volume and weight-bearing capacity that your gear will need.
• Step Two:
• Lighten your smaller items:
• Stoves: There are many lightweight camping stoves available. A small personal butane stove can weigh just under 4 ounces yet have a powerful 10,000 BTU burner. Another option is a compact emergency stove that uses solid fuel tablets. The tablets usually burn for about 10 minutes…plenty of time to boil some water for your dehydrated meal. Emergency stoves are sold for around $10 and weigh just 3-4 ounces.
• Mess Kit: Your mess kit can include the pot that you cook in, another to drink from, and your cutlery. There are titanium mess kits that significantly reduce weight. A titanium spork for instance weighs only 17 g. Some of the options leave enough room inside the pot to put a lightweight stove and canister.
• Clothes: There are many lightweight synthetic clothes to choose from. Stay away from natural fibers such as cotton because they absorb too much water.
• Shoes: If you include a pair of shoes why not make them some lightweight hiking shoes? They are not only lightweight, they breath well and dry quickly. Some weigh only 1 pound per shoe. The biggest disadvantage to these is that they don’t support the ankle as well as hiking boots do.
• Sleeping Pad: If you are the kind of person that can’t live without the comfort of a pad underneath your sleeping bag, then of course keep it. ALPS has a lightweight self-inflating series of sleeping pads that comes in 4 different sizes. If you don’t need a pad underneath your legs then the short one that measures 20″ x 48″ x 1.5″ inflated, and is 1 lb. 9 oz., should be a perfect match.
• Multipurpose Items: Any time that you can use one item several different ways then choose that item. Multitools such as a Leatherman New Wave are good examples of this category.

Step Three:

Eliminate and continue to minimize: Get rid of stuff that you don’t need. For instance, if you have a PSP inside your kit to fight boredom, why not exchange it for a simple deck of cards? If you have a bulky flashlight that uses D batteries, exchange it for a smaller LED flashlight. They even make flashlights tiny enough to fit on a keyring! Keep on analyzing your gear and reducing the weight until you are sure that you are starting to get obsessive. That is when you know that your bug out bag is getting down to a reasonable weight.

Final Thoughts:

If you have finally finished minimizing your bug out bag but have never taken it out on a trail hiking to see how it fits and feels, you are doing yourself a great disservice. That means that you haven’t practiced using all your gear either. What good is it to have taken the time to collect all that gear if you don’t even know how to use it all when you need it? As you use your gear you will get ideas; what you can add, replace, or even leave out of the bag. It will be during these times that you realize this; you are finally becoming the prepared person that you want to be.