Spirituality is a word in frequent use in contemporary society. In a broad sense it refers to the 'raison d'etre' of our existence, the meaning and values to which we ascribe. Everyone embodies a spirituality in this wider sense, whether it be nihilistic, materialistic, humanistic or religious. The present study evaluates the phenomenon of the Toronto Blessing in the light of spirituality in general and Christian spirituality in particular. By means of a broadly-based phenomenological methodology, the manifestations accompanying the Toronto Blessing are evaluated firstly, with respect to the Bible; secondly, with respect to the Hindu experience of 'Kundalini awakening'; and thirdly, in terms of neuroscience and certain psychological processes, such as hypnosis, mass hysteria, and the role of body and mind in creating spiritual experiences. Although Charismatics claim that the Toronto Blessing has a sound biblical foundation, no evidence to support this claim has been found. However, striking similarities are found between the manifestations of the Toronto Blessing and the techniques used in the 'Kundalini awakening' for the transference of energy. Finally, the major findings of this study support the conclusion that the Toronto Blessing is largely the result of psychological techniques. The possibility of Godly intervention is not totally excluded, but caution is urged, so as to be aware of extraneous factors that create similar manifestations. While it is agreed that the Toronto Blessing can be seen as an expression of spirituality in a broad sense, nevertheless it cannot be viewed as an expression of Christian spirituality in the Charismatic Movement. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Christian Spirituality)

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The project designs a small family winery near Strachotín, on the bank of Nové Mlýny. The land area is 35,9 hectares and the height difference is about 30 metres. There are a beautiful views of the Pálava Hills. One of the basic ideas was to link the vineyards with the embankment. Therefore, the proposed buildings are divided into two parts - the Wine Center ( including production, presentation and sales) and a restaurant with a pension. The buildings are based on the traditional archetypal shape - a rectangle and a gable roof. The asymmetrical roofs evoke panorama of Palava. Offset the production hall and the visitor centre allows free passage and the building does not act as a barrier.

The topic of the diploma thesis is the design of a wine hotel for a vineyard Nikolsburg in Mikulov. Main idea of this project is to create a new hotel building combined with the production of wine so it would naturally fit the given landscape and so it wouldn’t disturb its natural character. This building was also designed so it has extraordinary views of the whole wine area of Mikulov, the Mikulov Chateau and the Holy Hill. Primary function of the building is accommodation in a 4-star hotel rooms and a clean production of wine, which includes maturing, bottling and labeling. There are other services added, such as a restaurant, a wine bar, tasting salon with immediate a wine cellar designed for wine maturing and also last but not least a wellness center with sauna world to make your stay more pleasant.The architectural concept is mainly based on the view axis and the shape of given landscape. Hinged façade made of timber cladding is inspired by the wine production and regularity of the vineyards.

The city of Brno has always been a center of Moravian wine. The new draft of wine center responds to this reality and represents the grandeur of wineries in its full glory. Respect for nature, love for traditions and love for order/system are the main aspects of the design. The proposal is essentially open to the public, however, the necessary modesty is preserved. Conversely taciturnity of production part of buliding holds the secrets of the deep traditions of Viticulture and Enology. Designed buildings are used for production, wine storage, administration associated with the production, tasting and selling wine, conferences, accommodation and, finally, wellness and other activities. The size of the building is the result of an optimal design that does not interfere with nearby historical buildings. The emphasis is on minimizing costs both during construction and during operation. Flor plan shape resembling the letter L is oriented towards the west courtyard. This raises a unique viticultural area court with a wide staircase. The amphitheater can be used for seasonal exhibitions, pilgrimages or feast of local entertainment. The yard is connected with the street Hlinky, which paraphrases the historic entrance portals into winecellars. The northern part of the building bites into the ground and connects the original winecellars with new facilities. Small narrow windows reflects the desired taciturnity, just as it was with winecellars in South Moravia for centuries.

In this study, buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) and alyssum (Lobularia maritima (L.)) flowers were used to examine the effect of floral resources on the efficacy of the leafroller parasitoid Dolichogenidea tasmanica (Cameron) in vineyards. This was done by assessing the influence of these flowers on parasitoid abundance and parasitism rate, and by investigating the consequences of this for leafroller abundance. In laboratory experiments, alyssum flowers were used to investigate the effect of floral food on the longevity, fecundity and sex ratio of D. tasmanica. Dolichogenidea tasmanica comprised more than 95 % of parasitoids reared from field collected leafrollers in this study. The abundance of D. tasmanica during the 1999-2000 growing season was very low compared with previous studies, possibly due to the very low abundance of its leafroller hosts during the experiment. The number of males of this species on yellow sticky traps was increased (although not significantly) when buckwheat flowers were planted in a Marlborough vineyard; however, the number of female D. tasmanica on traps was no greater with flowers than without. The abundance of another leafroller parasitoid, Glyptapanteles demeter (Wilkinson)(Hymenoptera: Braconidae), on traps was also not significantly affected by the presence of buckwheat flowers, although females of this species were caught in greater numbers in the control than in buckwheat plots. Naturally-occurring leafrollers were collected from three vineyard sites in Marlborough, and one in Canterbury during the 2000-2001 season to assess the effect of buckwheat and alyssum flowers on parasitism rate. Parasitism rate more than doubled in the presence of buckwheat at one of the Marlborough vineyards, but alyssum had no effect on parasitism rate in Canterbury. A leafroller release/recover method, used when naturally-occurring leafrollers were too scarce to collect, was unable to detect any effect of buckwheat or alyssum on parasitism rate. Mean parasitism rates of approximately 20 % were common in Marlborough, although rates ranged from 0 % to 45 % across the three vineyard sites in that region. In Canterbury in April, mean parasitism rates were approximately 40 % (Chapter 4). Rates were higher on upper canopy leaves (40-60 %) compared with lower canopy leaves and bunches (0-25 %). Leafroller abundance was apparently not affected by the presence of buckwheat in Marlborough, or alyssum in Canterbury. Buckwheat did, however, significantly reduce the amount of leafroller evidence (webbed leafroller feeding sites on leaves or in bunches) in Marlborough, suggesting that the presence of these flowers may reduce leafroller populations. Leafrollers infested less than 0.1 % of Cabernet Sauvignon leaves throughout the 1999-2000 growing season, but increased in abundance in bunches to infest a maximum of 0.5 % of bunches in late March in Marlborough. In Pinot Noir vines in the 2000-2001 season, leafroller abundance was also low, although sampling was not conducted late in the season when abundance reaches a peak. In Riesling vines in Canterbury, between 1.5 % and 2.5 % of bunches were infested with leafrollers in April. In the laboratory, alyssum flowers significantly increased the longevity and lifetime fecundity of D. tasmanica compared with a no-flower treatment. However, daily fecundity was not increased by the availability of food, suggesting that the greater lifetime fecundity was related to increases in longevity. Parasitoids were also able to obtain nutrients from whitefly honeydew, which resulted in similar longevity and daily fecundity to those when alyssum flowers were present. The availability of food had a significant effect on the offspring sex ratio of D. tasmanica. Parasitoids reared from naturally-occurring leafrollers produced an equal sex ratio, assumed to be the evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS) for this species. In the laboratory, this ESS was observed only when parasitoids had access to alyssum flowers. Without food, or with honeydew only, sex ratios were strongly male-biased. In the field, floral resources affected the sex ratio of D. tasmanica only when this species was reared from leafrollers released and recovered in Marlborough. In that experiment, buckwheat shifted the sex ratio in favour of female production from the equal sex ratio found in control plots. No firm explanations can be given to account for these results, due to a lack of research in this area. Possible mechanisms for the changes in sex ratio with flowers are discussed. This study demonstrated that flowers are an important source of nutrients for D. tasmanica, influencing the longevity, fecundity and offspring sex ratio of this species. However, only some of the field experiments were able to show any positive effect of the provision of floral resources on parasitoid abundance or parasitism rate. More information is needed on the role these parasitoids, and other natural enemies, play in regulating leafroller populations in New Zealand vineyards, and on how they use floral resources in the field, before recommendations can be made regarding the adoption of this technology by growers.

This diploma thesis gives a proposal for a new Moravian wine center in the city center of Brno. Wine center is situated on the street Hlinka, where grapevines were planted in the Middle Ages. Demarcated land is narrow and elongated sloping towards to the south and connects the Yellow hills and the Brno Exhibition Centre. The main idea of this thesis is connect these two significant locations and offer the visitor a free passage along the entire length of the complex. Also main building Moravian Wine Centre reflects this fact and it expands the space of the street stalls and forms it into overgrown "arcade". The house is opened into this space - with glazed facade of the first two floors or with transmission into the rear wing. The main building consist of the cellar, where it is located wellness, winehouse, rentable wine boxes and tasting room connected with wine production. The rest of floors are designed for wine gallery, information center, reception, shop, restaurant, conference center and hotel. There is a café with roof terrace in the last floor. It offers a magnificent view into cityscape of Brno, Brno Exhibition Centre and the Yellow slope of the hill. There is designed a pond for relaxation in the courtyard. Nearby is situated Wine Institute building with facilities for making wine. In the second half of the land are located three blocks of luxury apartments in the middle of a vineyard. A leading construction is the most striking feature of the facade that reminds bougainvillea vines with vaulted arches wine cellars and attracts at first sight.