Art By Tali Landsman

This week I got my passport back from the Chinese Embassy with the Visa to China. The Land of the red dragon, has opened its iron gates to us... And granted us a year long, multiple entries Visa.... Hurray! In the past few weeks, I have been busy trying to outline and coordinate the details of our cycling itinerary along the ancient Silk Road, in North Western China. We have used this company in the past, and now, we are considering to hire them again, to provide us with a Chinese speaking guide and a support van. It has been a slow process... They have not organized a journey this long before. China is HUGE and the Silk Road used to take years to complete. We are only planning to do a section of it. In order to be able to also visit Tibet, we will have to jump on a train, to shorten the length of the journey, across the Gobi desert. I pull out the itinerary. The names of the towns and Provinces, are impossible to pronounce... You don't believe me? Try saying these towns: "Yi

In Colorado, I live deep in the mountains, surrounded with national forests, and hiking and horse riding trails. The other day I noticed a sign, asking horsemen who ride on these trails, to bring only certified-weed free hay, to feed their horses, so the mountains will not be infested with weeds. I thought is was very cool, and later that day I got this email from a friend, which had some Cowboy Wisdom in it: Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. There's two theories to arguing with a woman.... Neither one works. Letting the cat outta the bag, is a whole lot easier 'n putting it back in. If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there. If you get to thinking you're a person of some influence, try ordering somebody else's dog around. Be cautious in choosing a mate, don't go settlin' for one who can't open the gate. A mountain lion felt so good after eat

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the first and last ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raed it wouthit a porbelm. This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh?

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to talk. They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: "I don't believe that God exists." "Why do you say that?"asked the customer. "Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists,would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine loving a God who would allow all of these things." The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked very dirty and un-kept. The customer turned

One day, while a woodcutter was cutting a branch of a tree above a river, his axe fell into the river. When he cried out, God appeared and asked, "Why are you crying?" The woodcutter replied that his axe has fallen into the water, and he needed the axe to make his living. God went down into the water and reappeared with a golden axe. "Is this your axe?" God asked. The woodcutter replied, "No." God again went down and came up with a silver axe. "Is this your axe?" God asked. Again, the woodcutter replied, "No." God went down again and came up with an iron axe. "Is this your axe?" God asked. The woodcutter replied, "Yes." God was pleased with the man's honesty and since She is infinitely abundant, she gave him all THREE axes to keep, and the woodcutter went home happy. Some time later the woodcutter was walking with his wife along the riverbank, and his wife fell into the river. When he cried out, God again appeare

This is crazy! and there are many MORE crazy laws like these that nobody knows about:  COLORADO Denver - it is against the law to loan your vacuum cleaner to your next-door neighbour. FLORIDA It is illegal for a single, divorced, or widowed woman to parachute on Sunday. ILLINOIS Chicago - it is illegal to eat in a place that is on fire. Arizona Glendale - it is illegal for a car to back up. ARKANSAS It is illegal to mispronounce the name of the state of Arkansas while within the state. CALIFORNIA Malibu - it is against the law to laugh out loud in a movie theatre. Ontario - rooster crowing is outlawed within the city limits. Bonsall - it is against the law to read the Sunday paper while sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch while church services are in session. Santa Ana - it is illegal to swim on dry land. Temecula - it is illegal to play cards with children or pregnant women on the curb of a street. Glendale - the law allows horror films to be shown only on Mondays, Tuesdays

A poem and a prayer that I wrote for the people of Christchurch NZ, on the day of that sad and devastating earthquake: Let the birds sing over the hills of Christchurch A nation's treasure is in its people. We pray for their well being For their safety For their health and healing... That summer day, many passed on or were injured... As that sad day gave way to the silvery moon, May their names be written by the edge of the sky, So we can remember them all for eternity... The Avon river will carry with it our prayers, Full of love and light for our people And when that long day is done, May the river carry with it, all the sorrow....

I know I do not believe in the concept of sin... But today I definitely sinned. I also KNEW getting into it, That I am doing something sinful... But who could resist?... After a lovely lunch out, I picked up my spoon and double dipped into.... The Salted Caramel Butterscotch "Budino" An Italian dessert that is DEFINITELY a divine sin... Well... A sin against my diet....

The Lion in the Arab world is roaring.... A revolution is on its way.... Like fire, the voices of the people  Are being heard across Northern Africa And the Middle East. The people have had enough of dictators Of oppressive rulers and their collaborators They want to vote in new governments That will represent them. They are tired of unemployment and poverty, While the money gets accumulated in Swiss banks They want to get to choose..... They want the freedom  That each human being craves and deserves. The Arab lion is awaken and it roars loudly now. They gather in squares around   Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Algeria, Yemen, Kuwait, some demonstrations in Iran And yesterday in Morocco And where else next?..... They gather to be heard They gather to protest.... The Western world watches with fascination... We cheer them up,  Because we know freedom is the only way. We hold our heart with good wishes, For the end of oppression.  But what will come for them next?... Does that mean tha

SO why did he leave? And where is he now... He who could defy death Walk on water And prove that illness is nothing but an illusion? Where is he now? And why did he leave? "Do you REALLY want to know?" "Yes..... I truly do." He chose to go away, After He saw that the people Were idealizing His personality, Instead of the IDEAL He represented. They thought to make Him their God... They did not recognize that the Holy Spirit In Him, dwell in them also... They were only happy to see, That He could supply them With every one of their outer need, Not recognizing that THEY, Within themselves, Have the power to supply their own every need And....... that they MUST do so, As He Himself has done... He realized that they became dependent on Him And reliant on what He could do FOR them. He said: "I have told them a thousand times, Yet they do not listen..... I have said; we are ONE with one another... We share the Sonship as ONE And we are One with God... Yet they put the

Tali Landsman Please forgive me... in English it may sound crude.... Israeli people are less turned off by words... Translation: A major Institute of Science & Technology, has no more room for new students to enter. A Professor is instructed to make the entrance exam EXTRA difficult, so only the brightest of the brightest will be able to enter. The first student enter. The professor asks him: "you are traveling on a bus on a VERY HOT day.... what do you do?" The student answers....."I guess I will open the window?...." The professor is happy: "YES! very good! now... based on how much you've opened the window... what angle does a wind blowing from North-East will enter?" Student: "I am not sure...." Professor: "You failed! NEXT!" The student goes out and tells EVERYBODY about the trick window question... Next student comes in. Professor: "you are traveling on a bus on a VERY HOT day.... what do you do?" The student answ

There is a saying, that is used often in metaphysical circles, in which the Universe says: "I have sent you nothing but angels" Basically it means that EVERYONE who crosses our path in life, is there for our highest good. It means that not one person we ever encountered, no matter how dark or difficult he may have seemed, was there to hurt us, but that ALL are here to help us. Some people in our life, might help us directly, by offering direct help, like a new way of thinking about our predicament, or by offering love, support and good advice..... But others help us grow, by providing to us, a negative example of what NOT to do......., what we need to notice.........., by provoking our anger, and our hurts.... Their wrong doing, motivates us to examine our own rough points....... Or to find Forgiveness, compassion or greater perspective on life. When we look at what they do wrong and how it makes them unhappy, we are able to see more clearly the pitfalls to avoid, and we ca

"Dear beloved Queen, I stand here before you An impractical dreamer... But I AM thoroughly convinced That the earth is round... And I am prepare to sail forth And prove that it is so!" "How can you tell? And why should I trust you?... Your foolishness might condemn us both... Ships might fall.... Into oblivion, At the edge of the world... The men who will follow you, Will never come home again... Why shall I allow you to sail, The Uncharted seas... With my ships and my flag, My men and my coins, Risk my name And what if ya shall not return...." "Dear Queen of mine, At the risk of my head, I shall tell you the truth... It was NOT a dream That made me utterly convinced But a VISION I saw... With my inner eye... If you'll let me sail forth, I shall give you new lands... I shall call one America, But MORE importantly Mam... I shall discover for you.... Jamaica.... And Mam... I am told...and I swear on my BIRTH, That they grow the BEST smokin' weed, on God&#

Oh ye of little faith, my tears I shed You will protect your God with a sword that bled, You will die in his name, quote his words as you wed, Yet you will..... Not listen to a word he said. He told you there is no death, choose Life instead, And that sickness is not real......he lovingly pled That you need not toil and spin for your daily bread He asked you to cast aside your fears and dread... Yet you choose to adore his form instead You hang images of his body by your bed And you do NOT listen to a word he said.... You pray, and memorize the words that his disciples spread. Oh ye of little faith, who live on mountains or by the seabed You will kill in the name of your GOD'S head You will avenge wars leaving your brothers for dead.... Yet you will not listen to a word he said...

Do not speak to us about these OLD truths...." He said to her. "How do we USE these ancient Wisdoms, to make our lives BETTER HERE TODAY?" He added... And he has a good point..... Yes, there is wisdom in all religions, but most do not practice them, but instead worship form, leaders and icons. I am here today, to talk to you about some OLD truths, you probably have not even heard about.... Yet if you LISTEN to them,........ they will change your life. We all want to be healthy, young, to have abundance and to know ease, and love, yet we practice the opposite most of the time..... By believing in sickness, limitation and death. We embrace illness, and death,.... As well as decay and old age..... Without even questioning it.... Or even knowing how we do it. We do it in the same way we push away abundance from our lives..... We push away good health and HEALING, which is a natural process... By not believing in the reality of PERFECT health and not believing in the t

Why would you not be happy and joyous, To find that you are not a mortal man? That all your fears are nothing... But misperceptions of your mind  Which focused on the struggle and the temporal... Why would you not be overjoyed, To find that your body is a portal  For supreme power... That your Superconsciousness is Omnipotent  And can do all things in the name of Love... That if you let the Love of God,  The God that is within YOU... The Omnipotent ONE,  Who is working through YOU,  To pour through you to ALL things,  Nothing, and no animal will fear you,  And no harm can befall you.... Yes, in the material world,  It is believed that it is impossible  To derive your daily needs,  Such as food, clothes and money,  Directly from the universal. Yet you do not dwell in a material world, But in a world of limitless possibilities.... It is considered man's fate  To live in a frail body, And ultimately to meet death... Listen.... Beloved Child of LIFE... Learn about your own God given po

Psychological projection, is a process in which we project onto others, or onto the world around us, what we think and feel inside.   We do it almost all of the time........and the process is a cumulative one.   To illustrate it, imagine a person feeling fear when he watches the current affairs on TV. He sees the pain, crime and devastation and his mind remembers all the pain and crime he saw in the PAST...... Before reaching for the remote control to change the channel, he sighs..... and concludes that the world indeed is a very dangerous place.....   That same person, may decide NOT to go on a trip to Europe, or to America, because he just saw all this crime on TV.... After all... His mind just concluded that the world is a very dangerous place...     We often do not recognize that the world we see with our physical eyes, and even experience as our reality daily, is actually a full projection of our ideas, concepts and beliefs. In other words, NOT all of us live the same reality. Som

He was standing in the pouring rain, wearing only a light hooded sweatshirt. It was cold and rainy, and it was already very dark, as we drove of the 'Kohu Ra Tuarua,' which is the vehicle ferry servicing the Hokianga harbor. We were heading to the RIGHT, towards Kohukohu, he was hitchhiking to the LEFT, towards Pangaru. I knew when I suggested giving him a ride, that we would be possibly taking a LONG detour.......but I just could not let him stand there...... on that empty wet road. I knew that this was the last ferry for the night, and that he may have to stand there in the pouring cold New Zealand rain..... Possibly for HOURS, before anyone would pass by...let alone would pick him up..... So I put my hand on my husband's arm and said that we MUST go back... Without a word, he turned the car around, and we met the teenage boy on the side of the road. He was happy that we stopped, and he jumped into our back seat. We asked him where is he heading to........ he said he woul

My studio is a very restful place. A sanctuary for creativity and for reflections. Sometimes, when I take a break from painting, I sit down on my studio's sofa and gaze at the wall........It gives my mind rest, to roam freely. Sometimes, my mind dive deep into the past, when I was a wild and young woman, with so much courage and so little common sense... At times, if I do not hurry back to the easel, but sit with this vacancy in my mind, It feels as if the walls of my studio whisper to me,..... about what to write..... Today, the walls are silent... So my gaze wander to the table to the right of my big easel, on which I place all the junk that I use for painting. It has a tray filled with half squeezed paint tubes, another with an assortment of pencils, erasers and sharpeners. It has permanent markets, chalk and disposable gloves. A variety of pallet knifes of all shapes, buckets of gesso, containers with water or turpentine, plates to mix paint, oil sticks, and of course a large a

It is funny sometimes how synchronicity works on Facebook. I have just read a comment in which a friend said: "Many people misquote the Bible and say money is the root of all evil.... I can't agree with this, however... I am inclined to agree with what it does say. That the "love" of money is ..... " This was funny to read, because I started writing a new piece which started with a dialog in my mind: Mind: "Are you gonna write about money AGAIN?" Me: "Yes......I do plan to...." Mind: "But you KNOW that this subject is a terrible taboo.... People would rather talk about their aunt Millie's hemorrhoids, than talk about money... Don't you have enough to do, without annoying people with these kind of subjects?...." Me: "I just think that we need to be able to talk honestly about it... And that poverty is over glorified by almost everyone..... By spiritual seekers, poets and artists.... and that it is a misconception that le