Introduction: The Highest Art Auction in History

Recently a Christie's art sale became the highest auction in history. The sale included works by Jackson Pollock, Roy Lichtenstein and Jean-Michel Basquiat, among others and in total generated $495 million. The sale established 16 new world auction records, with nine works selling for more than $10m (£6.6m) and 23 for more than $5m (£3.2m). Christie's said the record breaking sales reflected "a new era in the art market".

The top lot of Wednesday's sale was Pollock's drip painting Number 19, 1948, which fetched $58.4m (£38.3m) - nearly twice its pre-sale estimate.

Lichtenstein's Woman with Flowered Hat sold for $56.1 million, while another Basquiat work, Dustheads (top of article), went for $48.8 million.

All three works set the highest prices ever fetched for the artists at auction. Christie's described the $495,021,500 total - which included commissions - as "staggering". Only four of the 70 lots on offer went unsold.

In addition, a 1968 oil painting by Gerhard Richter has set a new record for the highest auction price achieved by a living artist. Richter's photo-painting Domplatz, Mailand (Cathedral Square, Milan) sold for $37.1 million (£24.4 million). Sotheby's described Domplatz, Mailand, which depicts a cityscape painted in a style that suggests a blurred photograph, as a "masterpiece of 20th Century art" and the "epitome" of the artist's 1960s photo-painting canon. Don Bryant, founder of Napa Valley's Bryant Family Vineyard and the painting's new owner, said the work "just knocks me over".

Brett Gorvy, head of post-war and contemporary art, said "The remarkable bidding and record prices set reflect a new era in the art market," he said. Steven Murphy, CEO of Christie's International, said new collectors were helping drive the boom.

Myths of the Music-Fine Art Price Differential

When I came across this article I was stunned at the prices these artworks were able to obtain. Several of them would hardly evoke a positive emotional response in me, while others might only slightly, but for almost all of them I really don't understand how their prices are reflected in the work, and vice versa. Obviously, these pieces were not intended for people like me, an artist, while wealthy patrons certainly see their intrinsic artistic value clearly.

So why doesn't music attract these kinds of prices? Is it even possible for a piece of recorded music, not music memorabilia or a music artifact (such as a rare record, LP, bootleg, T-shirt, album artwork, etc.), to be worth $1 million or more? Are all musicians and music composers doomed to struggle in the music industry and claw their way up into a career in music? If one painting can be valued at $1 million, why can't a song or piece of music also be valued similarly? Apparently, the $.99 per download price is the highest price a song is able to command at market value, no matter what its quality or content, and the musician or composer must accept this value as such.

The financial equation looks something like this:

1 painting = $37 million

1 song = $.99

Sometimes people say that a song can change the world, but no one ever says that about paintings. So theoretically, if people want change $.99 is the price we must pay for it.

Now here are a few statements that should help us clarify what the monetary or value discrepancy between painting and music is based upon.

(1) There are fewer painters than there are musicians.

(2) Musicians are less talented than painters?

(3) It is easier to create music than it is to paint.

(4) The public values paintings more than music.

(5) Paintings are more beautiful than music.

(6) Paintings are impossible to copy unlike music.

(7) Painters work harder than musicians and composers.

(8) Blah, blah, blah.

Hardly anyone agrees with all of these statements and yet all, or at least some of them, would have to be true in order for the price of paintings to so greatly exceed the cost of music. Moreover, I doubt that art collectors and great painters have to deal with as much legal red tape as do musicians when releasing their work into the public domain, so why aren't the rewards equal, if not greater for musicians who have to work almost as much protecting their work as in producing it. Musicians and composers, however, actually must do more than authenticate their work and obtain accurate appraisals concerning what their work is worth, but they get paid less. The equipment costs alone for musicians is much higher than it is for painters.

Maybe it's fame, and not money, musicians are after? That would explain why most musicians settle for the low pay they receive from record deals and digital downloads. Perhaps, that's also why many of them are touring more often to increase their fame and not their fortunes. But wait a minute, that's where musicians actually make most of their money from live performances and the selling of merchandise, but not the music. I guess this is why many musicians see themselves not as composers, but rather as performers and entertainers.

So what can musicians do, who don't see themselves as entertainers, but instead as composers who create music as a fine art? Because they too have a strong desire to earn a living to support themselves in their chosen profession, thus there must be a specialized approach whereby they present their work to music lovers or art collectors in search of assets and curators for unique pieces to place in their private galleries. Imagine that, a recorded piece of music that few have ever heard which is displayed and played only on a specified music player in a private art gallery or collection.

In thinking about how best background music for presentation can follow the example set by painters in the fine arts, I've isolated 4 principles that should help to make the spectacular financial rewards they've reached possible for the musician. So let's analyze some of the characteristics that govern the market for fine art and see how musicians can apply these concepts to their creative, production, and marketing processes.

The Ideal Vehicle for Music as Fine Art

Here are 4 principles and practical suggestions for musicians who want to elevate their music into the realm of fine art by following the example of the painters of the past and present.

1) Strive to make unique music or music collections.

The composer must design experiments with sound or compositional techniques. Some music belongs in the realm of the public, while other music solely belongs in the realm of fine art. It's really not that difficult to tell the difference. The difference is clear when one compares the environment of the nightclub and the music one finds there with the elevated environment of the ballet or opera and its music. The difference is not necessarily one in terms of types of music, but rather in the composer's sonic fingerprint. In other words, not everyone thinks Jackson Pollock was a great painter, but everyone acknowledges that it took him years of development to reach a point where his style could be born. It's the style of the artist or composer that will call out to the attention of wealthy patrons, the respect of peers, and the exclusive admiration of the music appreciator. In music, the style of the composer, regardless of genre, I call 'a signature sound.' It's the signature sound that music and art collectors will want to own and for that they might be willing to pay or bid up the cost of ownership to a higher price.

2) Create a music gallery.

This could be modeled after the art gallery where one or several artist put their work on display. The difference with the music gallery is that you would have a hall filled with listening rooms or stations. These showings would not be live performances, but instead will be in effect sound installations. You could also separate one hall into several compartments for different composers. The music showing would be an exclusive event provided to serious music and art collectors who actively seek out sonic experiences and buy what they like. The purpose of the music gallery would be the same as the art gallery - to give the public a sample of the artist's talent, to give critics something to write about, to have other composers comment on the work of a peer, and to create buzz in the art world. Always remember that it shouldn't be the event that drives the buzz, but the music that makes the event.

3) Turn your music into a tangible asset.

The obvious difference between a painting and music is that one is a tangible artwork and the other is not. In other words, one of the defining characteristics of a painting is that the medium and the art are one. Unlike music, where the music must be transferred onto another object such as a cassette tape, vinyl, CD, or mP3 player before it can be perceived, whereas with a painting (or sculpture) an object has been transformed into art. So how can it be or is it even possible for a cassette, CD, or download to be transformed into art? The cassette and CD are more akin to a photograph of a painting, rather than a true expressions where the medium and the art are one.

So one step a musician can take to elevate their music into fine art is by making your music and its medium one. The best way that I can think of to do this is by looking to the past. Ironically, the vinyl LP very closely achieved this quality with album art, its sizing, and packaging. Let's quickly discuss some of the qualities of the vinyl LP and valuable marketing angles that I think opens up interesting approaches for musicians to turn their music into fine art at price appropriate levels commiserate with earning a livelihood.

Today there are several companies around that let you customize your LP vinyl album and artwork. This is wonderful because it gives you total control over the art direction your packaging takes. This is an expressive way to bring the personality of the artist, band, or project out into physical form. Many colors are available and unique mixtures are also possible to add a dimension to your music that isn't normally possible with cassette tapes, CD's, or digital downloads. Even split colored and glow-in-the-dark vinyl are available for bold composers looking for something with a bit more flair.

Etched Art and Your Album

Another fantastic way to elevate the music via packaging and presentation is to consider etched art in vinyl. Etched vinyl is an image pressed into the unplayable side of your record which has a frosted appearance. The etched side does not contain any grooves or music but adds a real touch of style to your music package. I don't know if etched art can also be a hologramic look, but that would be another dimension that would enhance the visual component of your music package.

Art and LP Sizes

The last aspect I'd like to touch on is the size of the LP. Unlike the cassettes and CD's, which both come in a single universal size determined by the media player, LP's are played on phonographs or turntables whose arms can adjust to the different sizes of LP's. In general, LP's come in 3 sizes: 7", 10", and 12". And because the album covers have to provide a sleeve for a large surface, they correspondingly must also be large. At a minimum the 12" LP will require an album cover that's 1 square foot. That's about 4 times the size of a standard CD and anywhere from 8 - 12 times the size of cassette tape.

Understanding this gives you an additional angle to design artwork for the music package. There might even be a way to design a painter's canvas which can house an LP within its frame to turn it into a cover. For those musicians and composers who possess multiple artistic talents, an original painting to accompany a music release could be another profitable approach to look into. If you think about it even further the size of the 12" LP is actually the size of a small painting. Foldable or dual LP covers are also available which provide a much larger surface with which to more greatly present amazing album art work to dazzle customers. The dual LP album cover would give you exactly a 24" x 12" surface to work with.

The Non-Vinyl LP and other Miscellaneous Considerations

Other more sophisticated forms of the approach I'm describing here for the LP would keep the concept of the LP at the center of the music package, while removing the vinyl as material. Ideally, the perfect substance for a fine art music LP would consist of a material that didn't warp, couldn't be shattered, that would prevent grooves from wearing out, and that would be scratch-proof. So that would mean you'd need to do your homework and find out what's possible with all known exotic substances, metal alloys, industrial metals, specialized plastics, and non-scratch surfaces to achieve the perfect substance for a fine art music LP. Moreover, this substance would play CD quality sound on any or a special turntable with a uniquely designed needle made specifically for this material and album type.

If a fine art music LP were to ever come into existence it would have to stand the test of time and survive usage, storage, and travel as it transfers custody from one owner to another over decades and even centuries. These are the main reasons why owners of fine art music LP's will need to get insurance for the asset. A non-vinyl LP could also be manufactured to blow away the art collector, music enthusiast, and investor with something like an LP made of 24-karat gold or some other precious metal like silver or platinum. This one alteration could make such an LP worth a $1 million or more depending on the aggressiveness of the bidders. Overall you'll have to do some research of your own to discover what your options are and can be in order to raise your LP into the class of an investment, a tangible asset (collectible), and fine art. In the absence of the existence of this ideal substance, we must aim for novelty to achieve appeal.

Exclusive Music

Another aspect to explore briefly is the exclusivity factor in regard to the ownership of fine art. Not everyone can afford a Picasso, but those who can, generally, aren't willing to share it with everyone because they want exclusive ownership over the Picasso, that's part of the package of owning fine art.

The way to provide exclusive ownership to interested parties is through contracts, so you'll have to hire legal advice to shape the legal framework governing ownership of a music album or music as fine art. The contract can be shaped in any number of ways according to your wishes, but basically it should state what the owner has permission to do or is prohibited from doing with the work you are selling them. You want your buyers to know that they can transfer ownership of the album to heirs or sell it to other private collectors as you can with any other tangible asset. This is part of the process of owning fine art, which they've come to expect in their dealings with galleries and other collectors, so deal with them as a professional.

In addition, you'll want to legally prohibit the buyers from broadcasting or disseminating the music from your fine art LP or other media. To preserve its value the music must be kept out of the public domain and remain in the hands of those who have the right to hear it. If the owners want to talk about it and even play it for a small gathering of people as a fine art music exhibit then great, but they should not be permitted to make copies or profit from your recordings.

The beauty of a limit supply and contracts is that together they will help you to track all of the owners over your lifetime and preserve the value of your work. If one of them can be found to be responsible for leaking the material out into public, you'll have a lawsuit on your hands which you should easily win. But if a leak was to happen, the value (price) of the LP might drop precipitously and demand could even dry up completely. But really what's the worst that could happen, that the price of your music ends up at the low end of the price scale - $.99 per track?

A Word on Supply and Demand

Similarly, the law of supply and demand must also be part of the equation for pricing your music as fine art. Basically, the law of supply and demand works like this: the greater the supply, the lower the demand and the lower the supply, the greater the demand. In other words, the more of something there is, the less it's worth and the less of something there is, the more it's worth. The law doesn't always work out this perfectly, but as a general rule it works.

The problem with this law is that it only slightly takes into account mass psychology and the way demand is created, which is by advertising, marketing, and PR (public relations). Without these 3 factors working in your favor, there will be little or no demand for your fine art music LP, no matter how small your supply is. It's only when these 3 factors are working in your favor and demand is fairly high that the price of your singular or limited edition fine art music LP, CD, or digital audio files can rise and skyrocket. So become fluent with hope to employ advertising, marketing, and PR and make sure the demand is there among your target audience prior to releasing your work so that you can be certain your album receives a high bidding.

A Digital Point of View

Some of the ideas I've presented here so far can be applied to music in digital formats as well. For example, a limited edition, gorgeously designed iPod or alternative mP3 player with your fine art music programmed into a locked memory is one approach. For example, high-end buyers there's an iPod available that's made from 22k gold and it features an Apple logo made of diamonds, it estimate price is roughly $120,000.

Something like this could work or even just a really cool looking, READ-only thumb drive could work. You just plug it in and enjoy exclusive access to an album that only one collector or a select few have in their possession.

The number one problem with a digital format is that it's too easy to copy files from one device to another, which is why a locked or unhackable memory is crucial. Without the locked memory, the exclusivity factor cannot exist and undermines the creation of a fine art music digital device.

4) Put your music to auction.

Part of the reason why the paintings in the beginning of this article sold for so much money is because competing bids pushed the price upward. After you've designed an amazing fine art music collection and package, you'll need to decide how to sell or auction your product.

Many options for auctioning items are available but probably the most well-known is eBay, but eBay is probably not the best place to sell fine art music this way. To start it might be a good place to test the concept, but you might not reach your target clientele. Another option could be Bandcamp or Amazon, but there's no auctioning available with these companies. However, you could set a high price for downloads, CD's or vinyl LP's and sell few of them.

For example, downloads might go for anywhere from $15 to $200 per track and for the album maybe the price of a mid-range painting, perhaps $800 to $2,000+.

You could also set up a simple website where you present and sell your fine art music like painters, sculptors, sketch artists, wood workers, and artisans sell their work. On your site you can talk about your album on video, with a music blog, on internet radio, through interviews, on music or artists-oriented podcasts, and through articles, so that you can send all the traffic to your eBay page or personal website where all you're selling are copies of your limited edition collection of fine art music.

The simplicity of this plan is that you, along with eBay as your broker, control the entire process. The idea here is as with most auctions which is to watch the bidders compete with one another as everyone watches the price go higher and higher.

Name Your Price: The Radiohead Experiment

The band Radiohead did something like this but differently. Instead of auctioning a one of a kind or limited edition exclusive digital album, they allowed their fans to pay what they wanted for their new release at the time. The experiment brought in mixed results but overall was a success for the band members who made more money personally than on any previous album. However, it's been reported that 38% of buyers spent an average of $6, while the other 62% downloaded the album without paying anything at all - $0. Globally, the average price paid was around $2.26 and $3.23 in the U.S. Of those who did pay something, 17% paid below $4, but 12% paid between $8 and $12.

This approach is unlikely to work for lesser known artists who want to present their music as fine art. The main reason why it wouldn't is because it fails to fulfill the factor of exclusive ownership. Everyone and anyone could get a copy of the Radiohead album, therefore it's value is reduced because the quantity available was infinite instead of limited or rare, since the demand was high.

NIN and a Tiered Approach

Likewise, tiered fine art music packages whose prices range from a few dollars up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars is a much better way to entice collectors to buy music as fine art or music as an investment.

Here's how Nine Inch Nail's Trent Reznor made a small fortune with his "Ghosts I - IV" album release. In total 5 tiers are available.

The first tier offers a free download of the first 9 tracks from the album.

The 2nd tier offers a $5 digital download with a 40 page PDF.

The 3rd tier offers a 2 CD's with a 16 page booklet for $10.

The 4th tier is a $75 deluxe edition which includes 2 audio CD's, a data DVD with all 36 tracks in multi-track format, a 48 page book of photographs by Phillip Graybill and Rob Sheridan, a 40 page PDF book, and an accompanying slideshow on a Blu-Ray disc.

And on the 5th tier you get pretty much everything else on the lower tiers except you also get a 3rd book with art prints of imagery from Ghosts I - IV and each limited edition copy is numbered and personally signed by Trent Reznor. This limited edition was restricted to 2500 copies with a limit of one per customer for a grand total of $300. The $300 tier was known as the Ultra-Deluxe Limited Edition Package and is currently sold out.

The financials on the 5th tier look pretty good. With the Ultra-Deluxe Limited Edition Package, we know there were only 2500 copies and that each sold for $300. So, 2500 x 300 = $750,000. Imagine what prices could have been reached if Reznor had allowed the buyers to bid on the Ultra-Deluxe Limited Edition Package. He could have started the bidding at or just below $300 and watched the prices go up from there. Interestingly, as fewer of them were available the prices might have started to get astronomical. He probably still would've sold every copy and his income might well have been closer to $1 million, but either he did a great job structuring his price scale as demonstrated by his results. And let's not forget that our equation excluded the income he generated from tiers 2 - 4, which most certainly brought his total revenues far passed $1 million.

Review

As we end off let's briefly review the factors that will lead to fine art music success.

1) Strive to make unique music or music collections. To do this you'll need to experiment with unique methods, techniques, or styles that offer a signature sound. In the art world, this will be known as your sonic fingerprint. This is what art collectors will want to purchase and appreciate.

2) Create a music gallery. Come up with ideas for how to present your new compositions at a music exhibit. It should look and feel much like an art exhibit, but be adapted for music. This might include setting up private listening stations for individual art collectors or small rooms for a limited listening audience and where auctions can occur.

3) Turn your music into a tangible asset. Painting elevates the canvas and paint into art, whereas music can never elevate a cassette tape or CD into art. For music, the medium must be turned into art as part of the package for presenting music as fine art. Painting also elevates and transforms its medium, while music is usually transported by its medium, unless its digital, then it's all about the music. Remember what we discussed about digital formats and the vinyl LP as ideal vehicles for selling music as fine art.

4) Above all, offer exclusivity as an essential part of the package of fine art music ownership, so find ways to guarantee this for your buyers. Art ownership is strongly based on its exclusivity, which for the collector means they are part of a very select group of individuals who have the right or privilege to receive exposure to your fine art music. If you can exclude the masses and create demand amongst a select few, then the prices you can attract will rise as few buyers try to outbid one another for exclusive ownership of your music.

5) Lastly, use an auction system to create massive profits. Keep the law of supply and demand in mind when building your music into a tangible asset and don't forget the vital role advertising, marketing, and PR play in creating demand. There's no purpose in creating a limited supply of anything for which there is no demand.

Conclusion

These are by no means all of the ways in which these ideas can be applied to your situation or in these formats, but whatever you choose to do you'll need to formulate the right balance of factors that make the price of your fine art music rise. Many of you may be stunned by the extent of initial investment capital you'll require to elevate your music into a fine art collectible, which is why you'll have to amplify your people skills and take courses in sales training, marketing, investing and business. Several of the approaches I mentioned will require you to raise capital from a bank, institution such as a private equity firm, or venture capitalists to get you started, otherwise you'll need to get access to personal or small business credit at low interest rates. This will give you more time to implement your program and generate your first wave of sales.

If your business plan for turning your music into fine art is solid and your sales presentation is thorough, then the money will find you as more investors see profit in the opportunity. Additionally, wealthy patrons may see your work as an important contribution to art history or your presentation may just resonate with an investor or group of investors that they may just give you money to finish your project. In either case, be business-like, get all of your agreements in writing and have them reviewed by a competent legal representative expert at intellectual property issues and financial transactions in particular.

The term "psychic" has been taken so far out of context, and has become so blemished, it is nearly impossible to believe we will ever have a spiritual "homecoming" when looking to the English language for the meaning of this term. A psychic is one who uses God-given gifts of the Spirit to receive and give messages from God to bless others. This may be done in an altered state at a very high level of spiritual vibration. However, a mystic or prophet is usually also endowed with a purely intuitive gift that is facilitated in a more "normal" state of being. Either way, the psychic receives information on a dynamic spiritual level.

There are many varieties of psychic or spiritual gifts available to us. A spiritually receptive person may acquire and utilize any number of these gifts. Jesus used all of them in His ministry. You may already have them and not realize it. Since the gifts are perceived aside from or a heightened use of the five known senses, sight, sound, taste, touch, or smell, they are sometimes referred to as the sixth sense or extra sensory perception (ESP). When a person begins to awaken to their true self and divine potential, spiritual or psychic gifts will begin to emerge and develop. Having some point of reference for these gifts will assist in the enlightenment process. With such stigma and fear associated with the paranormal these days, I feel it is important to dispel any fear you may have of such phenomenon. A fear of a spiritual gift will certainly be a hindrance to your using it. In order to be equipped to do the same works that Jesus did, we need to utilize these wonderful tools. Daddy doesn't mind if you use His tools, so let's take a brief look at some of these gifts.

Clairvoyance

Clair means "clear." Clairvoyance, or clear vision, allows you to see with your mind's eye. This gift allows you to pick up on information about a person by seeing images or symbols that pertain to something going on in another person's life. A clairvoyant person may see with their physical or spiritual eyes, angels, spirits and other images in the spiritual world. This gift manifests whenever the third eye (or 6th chakra) is open and clear and may manifest in dreams or visions. God gives us inner vision today, just as He did with the prophets of old.

Clairaudience

Another psychic gift is the gift of clairaudience, in which messages are received from etheric realms through hearing. People having this gift may hear spirit messages audibly or within their mind. This is the gift Joan of Arc used.

Clairsentience

Some people are blessed with the gift of psychometry, or clairsentience, which is the ability to touch an object and receive accurate information about the owner, whether living or passed on. This gift brings the gut feeling or "knowing" of something about another person without having human knowledge of it beforehand.

Clairempathy

Clairempathy allows a person to feel (within their body or emotions) the feelings, pain or needs of another person. Whenever there is a world catastrophe or an instance where someone nearby is suffering, people with this gift may begin to pick up on this energy and become a surrogate. If you find you are having unexplained pain or emotions that surface without cause, you may be picking up on another person's energy. It is important for the person with this gift to know how to set spiritual boundaries or else clear the energy from their field.

Clairgustance

Clairgustance has to do with receiving a message from spiritual realm through the sense of taste. You may be able to taste something that you have not eaten or even been near. Ask your internal guidance for clarification about why you are "tasting" this message. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!

Clairscent

Clairscent allows a person to smell a fragrance or odor from another realm. It is akin to the gift of clear taste or clairgustance. I have smelled roses and other heavenly scents while praying. The kingdom of Heaven is near you, even in your nose!

Prophetic or Revelatory Gifts

Any of the aforementioned gifts may be considered prophetic in nature due to their ability to foretell the future or transmit a message from the heavenly realms. The Bible speaks of nine gifts of the Spirit and divide them into three categories: speaking, knowing and doing. Under the category of speaking gifts come the gifts of prophecy, tongues and interpretation of tongues. The knowing gifts are words of wisdom, words of knowledge and discerning of spirits. The doing gifts are faith, healing and working of miracles. These gifts are still operational today. God has not changed His mind about communicating with us and through us!

The Gift of Healing the Sick

As you ascend in your spiritual progress, you may notice that you have the ability to heal others. My wife's father was very ill from an accident and slipped into a coma. Doctors at the hospital in Burbank, California indicated he had "lost brain mass" and would not be the same in terms of cognitive abilities. He would in fact, they said, be more akin to "a vegetable" if he lived. They believed his death was imminent. I immediately thought about a Bible scripture, Ecclesiastes 2:12-14, "I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness." Light is in the Universe and individualized in your own spirit. I called on the "Light" of the healing angel Raphael, to surround and protect Mr. Morris. I saw these incredible circles of light in my mind's eye. I "felt" he was perfect, just as God made him. The Light penetrated my very being and I "knew" he was healed. Period. I appealed to the Doctor who created all doctors. Our bodies are miraculous works of art. They are constantly being pulled back to the original and perfect blueprint of its spiritual DNA. I believe that the greatest surgeon on earth can perform a healing act on the body, but it is ultimately the Highest Doctor of the Universe who sends the energy to cause the actual healing.
The doctors at the hospital called our house very excited looking for my wife, Cynthia, saying they had witnessed "a miracle." Push your mind to the edge and think outside the box. Those invisible photons of light which travel at 186,000 miles per second entered that hospital room, touched my father-in-law's body and in that light, the dying man was healed.

God reveals things to us in many ways, including dreams, visions, thoughts, ideas or images popping into our heads, a knowing felt in our spirit or body, and so on. In the Bible Paul said, "Yet when I am among mature Christians, I do speak with words of great wisdom, but not the kind that comes from here on earth, and not the kind that appeals to great men of this world, who are doomed to fall." (I Corinthians 2:6). Even though the message may be from God, it comes through the filters of the psychic's human mind and personality and is open for interpretation. Any message you receive from a prophet or psychic should be considered in such light. I've had many a message that I had to "sit with" for a while. After considering its validity, I may put it in the back of my mind for later. Some messages that didn't seem relevant at the time, have come to have an appreciative meaning later on.
"Tele" Gifts

Telepathy allows for mind to mind or spirit to spirit communication without the use of verbal or physical signs, language or symbols. Telepathy between people and animals is a proven fact. A mother knows instinctively when her children are in danger, and we all "tap in" to this type of energy. But what is it? Telepathy is communication from mind to mind or soul to soul without any visible means of physical contact. Contact on a higher plane, however, is very real. When you pray, you contact your Higher Self, or the part that God placed in you.

The Bible calls the inner God-self the "I AM." The Energy of God is very personal. mystical mind body and spirit cannot be created or destroyed--it just is! When we lose our sense of fear, and yield to the inner God-urge to form us to our full potential, it is the most liberating sensation on the planet. This God consciousness is living "as you" in this incarnation. Everything you think will cause the mind of God in you to respond accordingly.

The Skeptics

What human nature does not understand, it seeks to resist or destroy. Who are we to judge the fresh, new messages coming from the heart of God to His children who have open minds and are willing to hear that voice today? What would we do with a modern Noah who purportedly "heard" the voice of God? What would we do with a Moses who parted oceans with a walking stick?

Jesus used intuition and not mere hunches. He embodied His higher spiritual self, directed by the Christ mind. In other words, he was living in an ascended state while in a human body. He knew when healing had occurred because he felt virtue leave his body. He materialized coins, walked through a wall, called the dead back to life, levitated before eye-witnesses, and defied the laws of gravity with his body by walking on water. The vibratory frequency of his body was much higher than the typical human living in third dimension reality. There were also many prophets, saints and holy men thousands of years before Jesus who demonstrated similar powers of mind and spirit. Why, then, condemn the psychics and mystics of our modern day?

Any gift or action that brings health, love, healing, soundness of mind, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, faith, honesty or any other virtue is of God no matter what label the "doer" may wear or what spiritual camp they hang out with.

Your bio-energy is always present in your physical body, as is your spirit. It is your "magnetism" or body electricity that enables the communication between the brain and the other parts of the body. Psychic energy connects you with your own body, other people and their spirits, as well as to the Universe or God. When your spiritual energy is depleted, it negatively influences your physical body and its strength, making it more susceptible to disease and other ailments. If your body needs nutrients for normal functioning, think how much more your spirit needs the nurturing of prayer, reflection, meditation and ritual to keep it alive!

Mystical Experiences

The transcendent experience has been scientifically recorded for years and is still practiced by humans today. We have many names for these spiritually transforming experiences. It is up to the individual as how to respond to them. We may be confined to the limitation of the physical body, but our powers of mind are not. Attitude, faith and belief make all the difference in how we respond to a situation. A person may be jailed for a crime. He or she has a choice of response. They can allow their heart to harden, or they may use their mind and time to write a bestseller! When you are led by your heart and not your condition, anything is possible. I encourage you to accept the mystical experiences that come to you. They are to teach, enlighten, and awaken you.

I am an Intuitive (or Prophet, or Mystic), choose whatever "title" you want, but I am spirit having a human experience just as you are. Many times my clients, look up to me as someone with incredible magical powers. The only magic I possess is my faith in God as my Ultimate Reality and Power. The mystical experience comes along when you place your trust, without any questions or without vacillating, in that Power. Each of us has the responsibility to go inside our own temple for meditation. We can go into the "silence" of that place and communicate with God. That place is where you behold the reality and mystery of God, and find your spiritual truth. Your religion has nothing to do with "your truth" or the reason that you were born.

Many people who play poker are hooked to this card game. This game provides fun and challenge for every player. This leaves a thrilling experience especially when the stakes are high. If you do not know what this game is about and want to play, learning poker online is also an effective process.

Poker for Beginners

Poker is a card game that involves betting and individual plays. The winner is determined according to rank and combination of the cards. Some cards remain hidden until the end of the game. Poker games also differ based on the number of cards dealt with, number of shared cards, and the number of cards remain hidden. The betting procedures also vary among different poker games and tournaments.

Many card players consider poker as the richest card game that also initiates heated discussions. This is why this form of gambling is popular worldwide. Everyone can learn how to play this game. It only takes skill, attention to details, and concentration to start winning poker games.

The Essentials of the Game

You must understand the basic rules of the game before playing. Magazines, publications, and other reading materials also provide brief lessons for playing poker.

You can start thinking of card strategies once you understand the game more. This can give you an advantage over your opponents.

Try playing with your friends before entering poker tournaments. Try learning poker online as this is similar to the real card game. Many websites today can help you improve your skills without betting real money. Play against opponents throughout the world, or with your friends connected to a single network.

One of the most important things online games can teach you is figuring out the best hands you should play and which ones you should fold. You can learn quick tips such as calling a bluff, and determining if your opponent is faking it.

Playing Online Poker Games

Improve your poker abilities by playing online games. qq online can choose to play in online rooms, or tournaments where you do not have to pay to enter. You can always play for cash, but this is not advisable if you are just starting to learn. There are many good players on the internet today. The chances of losing a lot of money are high when you do not have enough skills.

Be aware of the kind of website you are looking at. Regardless of how skilled you are, choosing the wrong site may not improve your playing. Online poker sites that involve money betting require credit card information. Check if the site is secure. Your personal information is at risk so choose the right website for safe play.

The best way to learn how to play poker is by trial and error. While it may be good to read materials that have a lot of information about poker, the best way to improve your game is to actually go out there and start playing it.

The latest rage by poker aficionados and programmers is to create and use a poker bot that will automatically play online poker with little or no human interaction, with the ultimate goal of winning money. This recent craze has alarmed both online poker sites and players as the fear of a computer program with the capacity to win online poker will essentially be able to outsmart live thinking players of their hard-earned money and eventually rob the poker sites of quality players afraid to play against so many poker bots.

A recent industry study concluded that 12% of online poker players were apprehensive about or had completely stopped playing online poker in light of the recent poker bot craze. That essentially sends players offline rather than risk their money against these new computer-generated poker bots.

However, there are several ways to beat a poker bot in online poker, and knowing these methods will certainly give the human player back the edge against poker bots. One fact that makes a poker bot a better player is that they lack the human emotion or power of reasoning that a human must use when playing online poker. A poker bot is not apt to go on 'tilt' or get angry when they are the victims of a bad beat.

In playing online poker, human players are up against two major advantages. One is the computer generated code created by the poker sites to determine shuffles, deals and outcomes of a hand, while the other disadvantage, just as dangerous to your bankroll, is the poker bot, that is pre-programmed with all the statistics and probabilities of the game.

Nevertheless, bandarqq can use the computer-generated codes of the poker sites and poker bots against them if you understand how they work. A poker bot is confined to making decisions based solely on the play of the game with regard to its statistical analysis of poker. In other words, a poker bot will only make decisions based on known patterns in the game.

Moreover, the online poker sites, which actively attempt to detect and thwart the efforts of poker bot programmers and users, have implemented a counter-measure to the poker bots, using the same known patterns. By implementing a counter measure to the poker bots, a poker site is able to ensure that a poker bot will not win since the poker bots actions are predictable and confined to a skill-set directly related to statistical odds and probability.

This, as confusing as it may seem, actually works to the advantage of the human player. While the poker site's software is actively seeking the poker bot patterns and attempting to detect who is a human and who is a computer generated bot script, they also inadvertently implemented a flaw which allows a human player to take advantage of the online poker sites weakness.

In reality, this has resulted in a human player having the ability to not only beat the poker bot, but beat human opponents as well. By following a set pattern that the online poker sites are using, an advantage is created for anyone who is aware of that pattern. This pattern is known as a sequential algorithm and that algorithm dramatically has changed the poker game online to force wins and losses in a set, specific and predictable pattern.

It is not only plausible to beat a poker bot; it is easily accomplished by recognizing the patterns used by online poker sites. These patterns are simple to learn and require little skill by a human player. So the next time you think about playing poker online, consider using the codes and algorithms created by the poker site to your advantage. They are there to prevent the poker bots from winning, but not you!

WHAT IS A SMART HOME?

When you hear people talk about "smart homes," they are merely referring to the way that you can control and monitor your home's systems remotely. You can check the temperature, turn down the cooling, make sure the doors are locked, and much more. If you want a smart home, you don't have to go out and buy a new home. You can make changes to your current home, adding and installing features that you can control with a computer, a tablet, or a mobile phone. Smart home products are popular for several reasons:

They are convenient.
They save you money.
They keep your home more comfortable.
They make your home safer.
Smart Home Offers 2020 are easy and fun to manage.
HOW TO CHOOSE SMART PRODUCTS

Smart products can be a little more expensive than your typical home fixtures. For that reason, most people choose not to upgrade their entire home all at once with smart products. That is one of the benefits of transforming your abode into a smart home. You can choose to do it all at once or in steps. If you want to start with a few essentials, select smart home systems that will have the greatest impact. We recommend asking yourself a few questions to help you decide:

What home systems are costing me the most money to run? Or, which monthly bills related to my home do I most want to reduce?
What home systems do I most frequently forget to monitor?
Which home features do I wish would monitor themselves?
Where do I feel like my home is lacking in safety?
This list should help you narrow down your list to things like self-locking doors and windows, a fireplace or stove with an automatic shut-off, faucets that use more water, an inefficient heating or cooling system, or house lights that are frequently left on when not needed. Smart home products can solve any and all of these problems.

HOW THEY WORK

Smart home products are quick and easy for a professional to install. Just talk to your home builder, plumber, or electrician about smart products you are interested in. Once installed, they are easy for the entire family to use. You can have your smart products up and running in as little as one day.

First, have the specialist walk you through set up or follow the owner's manual to set up the smart home system initially.
Download any apps you need or set up your account on websites that monitor the smart feature in your home.
Access the app or website at work, at the gym, or anywhere on your phone.
Finally, get a good night's sleep knowing all is well with your home.
You can customize your smart home system to exactly how you want it to work. This is what makes smart homes so convenient. Every family has different needs, such as when they eat, sleep, shower, clean dishes, and turn the lights on. Your smart home systems will work with your family's schedule, minimizing energy usage and saving you time and money.

HOW THEY SAVE MONEY

How exactly do smart homes save you money? Several ways. Have you ever looked at your water bill and wished you could lower it permanently? Have you ever wondered what was causing your heating bill to skyrocket? Everyday life and every season has fluctuations, but smart products help to minimize those fluctuations while still meeting the family's needs. For example, a smart thermostat can be programmed to keep the house cooler at a certain time of day and then warmer during other times. When the house is always comfortable, there is no need for you to constantly be going back to the thermostat to turn it up. And if you never have to turn up the temperature, then you'll never forget to turn it back down again. An added benefit of smart heating and cooling systems is that they usually include more energy-efficient heaters and air conditioners.

WHAT'S TRENDING WITH SMART HOMES

Manufacturers are constantly coming up with new and amazing products for smart homes. For example, not only can you program your thermostat from your phone, but now you can even install a smart thermostat that can remember your heating and cooling preferences and automatically set your home's temperature without you touching a button. Talk about staying comfortable without shooting your utility bill through the roof! Here are a few other popular smart products on the market:

Water leak sensors
Water shutoff valves to stop leaks
Automated, electronic water softeners/conditioners
Water heater shutoff
Water-conserving faucet attachments
Automatic irrigation sprinkler systems
Energy-saving, programmable thermostats
Automated air conditioning systems
Motion detectors
Automatic, timed lights
Light dimmers
Digital security system
Automated home locks
GETTING STARTED

Make sure you get high-quality smart home systems by talking to neighbors about products they have used and asking the experts about the highest-quality products they offer. You can also tell quality products by whether they come with a warranty. If you prefer to start slow, choose one or two smart changes to your house. You can experience the convenience and the monthly savings before making further upgrades to your home. Every upgrade will make a difference and save energy and money. The more smart products you invest in, the more you'll enjoy the benefits!