Spirituality | Oneness Ministry | Page 26

Painful

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Transitions take on many forms and serve many purposes. Right now we are witnessing a great deal of change in the world all around us. It may even be touching your life personally. This is where we each must embrace the change and let go of what we think “should be” happening.

Pain is inevitable so attempting to avoid it is pointless. Pain is essentially our attachment to an outcome or end result. It is resistance to what is! Let pain be your friend and guide you. If you are feeling pain then this is a sign that something needs to changed or be released. For instance if you are standing on a tack it is likely that you are feeling pain and the pain is telling you to get off the tack! If the cold wind is chapping your face and causing pain on your cheeks, then get out of the cold wind. If the person you think you Love is causing you pain in anyway, then it is not Love. Take a good look at what is causing your pain and make the appropriate steps to relieve that pain.

Pain is a distraction used by the ego mind to control your life and avert you from Divine Truth. Sometimes we know we are on the right path and pain is simply a byproduct of the actions we know are necessary for our healing. Elective surgery is one example of this. Pain accompanies the changes we are making to our bodies and to our lives. Our responsibility is to reduce this pain as much as possible by following the doctor’s orders, and talking about our pain with a compassionate person thereby releasing our attachment to it. In your own mind accept the pain and instead of focusing on the pain, focus on the results or something that pleases you. Occupy your mind with a task like planning on what you will do upon your recovery. Focus on your desires! What you focus on grows so will it be the pain or Joy filled moments of Peace and Love. Don’t feel bad if you cannot get past the pain. I have been there before and another technique is to face the pain head on. Explore the pain fully, ask its purpose, feel it totally, show it you are not afraid!

Transition may be painful, but it does not have to be beyond your control. We have so many tools to assist us on the path! Pain can be your friend on this journey of transition. Know that you are Loved, beyond anything you can conceive, feel it and know it! Blessings on your journey of Love. 😉 Sequoia Elisabeth

Gender Related Spirituality Transitions

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Know Who Guides You

by Sequoia Elisabeth

This is a continuation from yesterday.

There are several aspects to this voice we hear in our heads that will tell you if you are listening to God or ego. Some of the aspects of the ego are that it wants to be heard, so this voice is loud often taking front stage. The other thing is that our minds never stop, even when we are sleeping, the ego does not sleep! One reason people do not sleep well is they are listening to their ego. Learning how to shut down your ego is what Buddhist monks work on all their lives, so do not expect to do this over night. Once you understand what your ego mind is and how to detect it, making the conscious choice to not listen is much easier. Resistance is Futile so do not oppose the ego, simply choose not to listen and instead focus on listening to the God Mind.

The God Mind is quiet, consistent, and loving. It never asks you to do anything that might harm you. If it hurts or if pain is involved then God is not speaking. God only speaks to you in your Highest and Best interest. God does not yell or demand. God will answer your questions a million times if necessary and never complain that you do not remember. Any criticism you may hear is coming from ego mind since God never complains, criticizes, or demeans. God speaks only inspiring, helpful, and loving thoughts. Abundance is Gods nature so if you have any thoughts of lack you are listening to ego. When our lives are given to Holy Spirit, which is the voice for God, Abundance becomes easy and second nature for us because we are allowing this energy to express through us.

Crisis will occur in your life because this is an ego world, so just accept it and look instead for the gift hidden within the crisis. Be grateful for all that presents itself to you whether you think you want it or not. Gratitude has the power to heal and set things back into harmony. It is time for me to share a prayer with you. Look at these words as if it was the first time you have ever seen them, how do they apply in your life?

Christian Prayer for Peace

Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shall be known as the Children of God.
But I say to you that hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
To those who strike you on the cheek offer the other also, and from those who take away your cloak, do not withhold your coat as well.
Give to everyone who begs from you, and of those who take away your goods, do not ask them again. And as you wish that others would to do you, do so to them.

Blessings on your Journey of Love 🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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Voices In My Head

by Sequoia Elisabeth

One of the most important things you can do in your lifetime is learn how to listen to your Inner Voice. Why is this important? We have all heard the story of the person who had an angel speaking in one ear and the devil speaking in the other while this person decided which one to listen to. The devil is not real, but there is a part of your mind that functions like the devil and we call this your egoic mind. This part of your mind has nothing to do with Higher powers and only wants to control your life. This part of the mind speaks loudly and is quick to be heard. This part of your mind wants to be your best friend and will do anything to get there whether it is in your best interest or not. The ego mind is very powerful and can create some amazing things. While I caution you to always question reality, I also ask that you stay open to infinite possibilities.

I think it is important to understand at this point that your mind is a tool, it is not who you are. So think about this, when I first heard this I got very excited and well, experienced an epiphany. My first question to follow was “who am I” and I heard you are the soul. This concept is not new either and getting a full grasp on this can be very enlightening. In fact once you understand “who you are” you realize that you are enlightened! You are a Spiritual being having a Human experience.

The way most of us experience life at this point is that we hear two voices in our heads, the ego mind or human mind and the Spiritual mind, God mind, Christ mind, Buddha mind, or True self. There are many names for these aspects of the mind and it serves you very well to understand them both so you can make informed decisions.

Many books have been written on this subject and I will recommend two here now. Eckhart Tolle’s book “A New Earth” is excellent and I think fun to read. Oprah agrees with me as she endorses this book too. Now is a good time to buy this book at the link provided, the lowest price listed is one penny. The other book is one that has helped me tremendously, and one you may not have heard of “A Voice for Love” by DavidPaul and Candace Doyle. The website link provided has the book and free tips for hearing the Voice of God which is just another name for the names listed above, Spiritual mind, True Self, Inner Voice, etc. Many of us know this as the voice of God and thus their choice to use that title.

Next time I will go further into this discussion of listening to your inner voice, and steering around the egoic mind. Blessings on your Journey of Love 🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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Safety Cont.

by Sequoia Elisabeth

The secret to safety is to focus on your desires to be healthy, happy and have fun! Simply tell yourself, I am safe, I am happy, I am “whatever you desire”(fill in the blank). The more you do this the more it is true, just think of the number of times you have fearful thoughts vs. the number of times you have safe thoughts, which is greater? You are attracting what you think about the most.

Many things contribute to your feeling safe and are in your direct control, like if your big brother/sister, boyfriend or girlfriend is with you, then you will feel more safe. If you know that police officers who you trust patrol your neighborhood then you will feel more safe. If you have a security system in your home you will feel more safe. If you stay out of areas that are prone to violence, like back alleys at 2am, then you will feel more safe, if you avoid groups of men who look board, or are rowdy, then you will feel more safe, if you are awake and alert when you move around, esp. at night, then you will feel more safe. If you feel safe then you ARE safe!

Additional suggestions to enhance your feeling of safety is to travel in a group or at least with one friend, do research on where you are going and know where you are at all times, have a cell phone with you to call for help, a whistle to blow attracts attention and can boost your feeling of being safe, tell someone where you are going and when you will return, stay in areas that are populated, and please do not carry a weapon. Weapons say to the universe “I am vulnerable and scared for my safety”! They actually attract danger to you, so please trust that you will be fine. Remember feelings of safety attract safety, and if you have a weapon they often work against you either by accident or by the perpetrator.

Other things that contribute to your safety like well lighted streets, and police patrols are not directly in our control, but can be helpful in enhancing our safety when you are aware of them. Ultimately it is each of us who are responsible for our own safety. Let me repeat that for emphasis, I am responsible for my own safety, just as you are responsible for yours. The saying goes, “Protect and Serve”, and police officers are responsible for upholding the law and preventing crime when possible, but they are not responsible for your personal safety. The point I would like to close with is that by our thoughts, words and actions we create our experiences! We are Masters of our destiny and when we stay focused on our dreams and desires miracles are created. 🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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Safety and the Law of Attraction

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Safety is a feeling we have when we know that our bodies are not in danger. A few key points here are that safety is a perception accompanied with a feeling and it concerns our physical bodies. Whether you feel safe or not has nothing to do with reality and everything to do with how you perceive reality! This is very important because if we look at the physical evidence such as stats and figures in a logical way the chance of actually being harmed are quite low when compared to actual occurrences. Out of 7,621 incidents reported in 2007 only 16.6% or 1,265 were sexually oriented. Let’s look deeper at those numbers, The USA population is an estimated 308, 751, 584 now we will assume the GLBT population to be approx. 20% of that or 61,750,316.8. Now that is 1,265 out of 61,750,316 or 2 millionths of a % chance of being a statistic!! Our minds play all sorts of tricks on us and frankly are not to be trusted.

The Law of Attraction states that “like attracts like” and to fully understand this we need to think of like energies, not necessarily things that appear similar. Everything is energy and each person has an energy field that surrounds them. The point is that if we feel safe then we exude that energy and attract that reality to us, thus we experience being safe. One the other hand if we are scared for any reason, founded or unfounded, we are attracting the very danger we wish to avoid. So what makes us feel scared or threatened?

Usually it involves the actions of another human being and can take forms, such as verbal abuse, aggressive physical behavior and actual attack. However it can also be our imaginations, a scary movie, or a story from a well meaning friend. A few things to keep in mind are, if you react with fear then you are feeding the flame, what you resist persists, and resistance is futile and while these may be cliché they are true. The question now rests on what can we do to feel safe at all times and if fear creeps in how can we release it?

There are several things we can do to avoid this feeling of fear. First and foremost is to focus on Peace. The more we focus on peace the more we attract it, since what you focus on grows. Notice how often you feel safe. Do you feel safe right now? How about this morning? Or last night? Peace is always present! Only our awareness shifts! More tomorrow…. 😉 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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What is Love?

by Sequoia Elisabeth

This is a continuation from yesterday.

I will offer you a few poems to illustrate LOVE and then I will discuss some important points.

“What is Love?

It is that which is without condition, without limitation, and without need.

Because it is without condition, it requires nothing in order to be expressed. It asks nothing in return. It withdraws nothing in retaliation.

Because it is without limitation, it places no limitation on another. It knows no ending, but goes on forever. It experiences no boundary or barrier.

Because it is without need, it seeks to take nothing not freely given. It seeks to hold nothing not wishing to be held. It seeks to give nothing not joyously welcomed.

And it is free. Love is that which is free, for freedom is the essence of what God is, and love is God, expressed.”

Neale Donald Walsch, Friendship With God, Page 156

“Love Is, a Poem

Love is not exclusive, but Inclusive

Love is not painful, but the Highest JOY

Love is never lost, but exists always

Love is not changing, but constant

Love is not different, but the same at all levels

Love is not wrong, but the answer

Love is Universal!

Love exists regardless of what is happening in your life, in fact

Love exists regardless of your life

Love is something you can share, but cannot prevent another from experiencing, only yourself

Love is the only thing you have more of when you give it away

Love is a feeling, an emotion, an experience, and so much more

Love is life itself

Love is a way of life

Love is an acceptance of all that comes your way

Love is an expression of WHO YOU ARE, who we all are

I AM THAT, I AM

Sequoia Elisabeth Carpenter, Livin’ Large, page 20

Now that we have some idea of what love is and is not, I offer some important points to remember. The first and most important thing for you to realize is that love is not painful, so if you are hurting then that is not love; that is ego. Now that you realize this you can let it go for it serves you not! Infatuation is often painful so no that is not love although so many of us think it is when we first get started. This is a painful lesson to learn, but that is ok, pain is simply a distraction from the Truth, which is you are Loved by All That Is. If you are asking for love from one person and only that person, then this is not love. Love chooses you, not the other way around and if you put limits on your love then it instantly becomes ego. You cannot love one person more than any other, so when I say “I love you” I mean that as if I was speaking to my Beloved, because I am! This is the way Jesus spoke of love and so we can carry on the tradition.

Hopefully you are getting a good feeling of what love is and is not, so now let’s take this one more level to where it all begins; in your heart. I have mentioned doing mirror work before and this is where self acceptance and self love begin. Look into the mirror and go deep within your soul, feel the love, say it out loud, “I Love You”. Practice this over and over every day, every time you see yourself in the mirror! Feel it deep within your soul, for this is who you are speaking with, and your soul is reflecting back to you! At first this may seem difficult or awkward, just stick with it, the payoff is Golden!

Some of you may be thinking this sounds very narcissistic or conceded. I assure you it is not, and why it is not is because “you” are greater than what you see in the mirror. Remember the soul we were speaking of before, this is who you are loving, not the body you see in the mirror or the ego. Ego love is narcissistic and conceded, so that is what we are letting go of and instead we are focused on the Love of God, Universal Love, Soul Love, or Oneness.

Let me know if I left anything out or if you have a question I did not address, I am at your service. :-)Sequoia Elisabeth

“Wisdom is knowing that I am nothing, Love is knowing that I am everything, in between my life moves.”

Spirituality Transitions

I Love You! So now what?

by Sequoia Elisabeth

The fact that love is the way is sort of obvious, but what is not so obvious is a question I have pursued since way back in 7^th grade. I asked my father “what is Love!” His answer was, “you will know it when you see it”, and I stared back at him and said “huh”?

Love is such a dynamic subject that thousands of books have been written about it and we still want more! So what is it about Love that we desire? As I have shared in my previous blogs relationships are what life is all about whether they be relationships that are intimate, casual, family or friends every relationship you have is a relationship with God. Don’t run! God loves you and if this bugs you then maybe you should take a step back and examine why.

It could be the word “God”, there is so much stigma attached that it has almost lost its meaning. Feel free to use whatever word feels best for you since they are equal, Universal Mind, Buddha, Allah, Jesus, Goddess or Great Spirit. The point here is that you are Loved and to accept that Love is not as easy as it would seem. In order to fully accept Great Spirit’s Love we must accept the Love we are offered in every relationship we have. Every time you reject someone, be they friend or foe, you are rejecting Love. Yes, this means that your ex that you hate so much is God and so is that sexy person at the coffee shop that you admire so much. Every person we meet has a gift for us and that is an opportunity to Love. Simple isn’t it? Love and be Loved!

I suppose we need to look at what love is and isn’t. This is where it gets tricky and I suggest trusting only your heart. We have all been hurt at some time or another, that is a given, however what we do with that hurt is the key to our Spiritual growth. The phrase “forgive and forget” rings loud in my mind right now.

This is something that comes easily for me because I have practiced it so many times. How did I have the opportunity to practice so often you ask? Being so tall (6’11”), it matters little if I am a woman or a man, I got stares and was treated like a freak more times than I care to remember. In the early years I did get angry and rebel with smart remarks and such, but I quickly noticed that it just made me feel worse, so I stopped. Instead I decided to “do onto others as I would have done onto me”, I complimented them. The advice your Mom gave you about, “if you don’t have anything good to say then don’t say anything at all” is great advice.

Con’t next time… 😉 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

Mirrors of Friendship

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Transition is long and sometimes arduous journey so it is very important to treasure each moment of Joy and each success along the path. Doing this alone is certainly possible, but it is when we have someone who cares to share our experiences with, the Joy grows exponentially.

Often when we decide to begin the journey we are in an intimate relationship which becomes our first challenge. Will they accept us? The real question is do we accept ourselves? The only way to know if you accept yourself is how others treat you. I know this may seem backward or strange, but this is just how it works. Understand that you are all there is, all else is a reflection of who you are.

I call this the mirror principle and our lives are often like living in a house of mirrors, it can get pretty confusing. This being said let’s get back to our partner who is having difficulty with our coming out news. Each person in your life has their own vision of you, as a reflection of themselves! Be gentle with your expectations of them and this is where the golden rule comes in. Do on to others as you would have done on to you, because they are you! We are One.

When you think about this it explains a lot about the reactions and treatment you get from others. Those who understand are supportive and loving. Those who believe themselves to be like you are going to be supportive and understanding (and vice versa). Join a support group! The internet is the place to look and if you need help, contact me I am here for you. The time spent with others on a similar journey will help you to better understand yourself and you have the opportunity to grow self love. The Love you give is the Love you will receive! Not only do support groups offer information you will need along the journey such as where to go to get the things you need, what to look out for along the path and who can help you, they show you who you are! I find this to be the greatest gift anyone can offer you! 🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Gender Related Spirituality Transitions

Union of Souls

by Sequoia Elisabeth

I share with you a message today that sings to my Soul and ignites a fire of passion. My article on Sexuality found HERE, speaks to this very subject of which is one of the reasons we are incarnated here on Earth, to experience this union. Let me point out that this is energy we speak of not strickly male and female. Even in same sex relationships one person will embody the Masculine and the other Feminine, this may change or flip-flop depending on the relationship just let go of stereotypes and feel the JOY.

The Masculine and Feminine Union

I often hear that a fundamental feminine practice is to surrender–to the masculine in your life, and to the divine. I believe this is true. A great relationship is not created by trying to control one’s partner. A joy-filled life does not happen in the midst of clinging on to a false sense of security, or trying to control events and people around you. Your feminine practice is to learn to let go and trust. But, trust is not blind faith. Trust does not mean giving yourself to just anyone. Trust requires you to listen deeply. Who is worthy of your trust? In partnership with the loving masculine presence in your life, are you listening to your heart and his heart? Are you open to the gifts he wants to share with you? Are you tuned in to the “masculine” way he wants to connect with you? If you are single, the same questions apply. Listen to whether his heart is really open and if he is ready to share himself with you.

Surrendering to our partner is not just for women. Men who want to experience a great relationship are called to surrender to the feminine’s awesome power. The magical union that occurs when both the masculine and the feminine surrender to the other is beautifully depicted in this piece of writing by Lakota Sioux, Henry Houston

“When a woman is in her center, she is like wild mare taking flight freely through the open plain, her mane whipping in the wind. The strength of her powerfully sculptured legs merges with the earth, majestically creating its own drumbeat in tribute to Source. She is pure and primal expression of creative power.

What is possible for her becomes totally transformed when her beloved is riding her, the masculine strength who knows and honors her power. It is through his surrender to her that he is able to become one with her. His masterful leadership and understanding of her raw power, her desires and her vision guides and directs the powerful energies in a manner that manifests the greatest good for the unified collaboration. He harnesses the energy into a purposeful end for both.

He does not fear or compete with her magnificent power. Through surrender and union, he experiences his True Nature beyond the world of form and this unleashes his own spiritual power. He is free! She gratefully surrenders to his leadership, for it grounds her, stabilizes her energy, and allows for its manifestation on the physical plane. Both are empowered by the union. Still each of them stands sovereign in his and her own power. Out of the balanced unity is created a third force, a natural flow of synergistic energy between them that combines their individual wholeness into an infinitely expanded wholeness together. All of creation joins in the celebration of this Divine Union .”

I invite you to print this out and read it with the masculine presence in your life. What do they feel when reading this? I’d love to know what arose in your conversation if you want to share.

Blessings for a magical union of masculine and feminine.
Written by Rachael Jayne Groover, http://theyinproject.com

Please visit her website,listen to some of her videos and participate in her workshops. The Yin Project is a fantastic message for women!

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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Beware What You Wish For

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Are you aware of what you are wishing for? Did you know that every word and thought is a prayer? Once you start paying attention to your words and thoughts it is amazing to see how you are creating all the wonderful and not so wonderful things that occur in your life. Some of these are deep issues that you chose to work on before you were born, so you will experience them whether you wish to or not. Many others though are things you have picked up along the way. We are constantly learning as soon as we have consciousness at some point in the fetal stage and the learning never stops. By learning I mean receiving and processing data from your cognitive centers though both your physical senses and your mental senses.

What role do you play in your life? Only everything. Creating the life of your dreams is one of patience, persistence and faith. On a conscious level, the thoughts you have connect to feelings you have about those thoughts and it is the feelings that are the fuel to manifestation. Our beliefs about the thoughts or dreams are the doorway that either allow them or not. This process can be a crazy seesaw effect of yes – no – maybe, so focus on your desire and let the doubts go. When I say it takes persistence and patience I am not kidding, sometimes it is years before things actually materialize because of many reasons including the seesaw action combined with the feeling of knowing or faith that it is done! Actually see it as done while feeling the effects of it.

This is how fear works so well to create that which we do NOT want. Fear is often accompanied with deep emotions and feelings of dread, and the amount of energy combined with the obsessive nature of fear gives it fuel to manifest. Since you know this now, use this same process in reverse by focusing on your dreams! I cannot stress this more. See only your desires and release all else.

Just by being aware of your thoughts and feelings you can pick and choose the ones we like most. Choose Joy! Because many of us have experiences of let down so often it can become a habit! If you expect the worse then you reinforce this happening. So if a thought crosses your mind that is unpleasant simply ask yourself what you want? What is my desire? “Oh I choose Joy”! Where is the Joy in my life? If I don’t see any then I need to look deeper, anything is possible. Create it if you don’t see it. Talk with a friend, see a movie, listen to music, or whatever you need to and the feelings will change to support your beliefs. I am Joyful! 🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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I am that

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Greetings family! As I sit here thinking of what I would like to say for this segment, I am reminded by the author Neale Donald Walsch that it is our actions that define us. Not only am I who I say I am and think I am it is through my actions that I am defined. This is an interesting fact to consider. Do you like what you see? I mean as you look back over your life at all your accomplishments, are you happy with what you have demonstrated?

How often do you use the words “I am”? These are the words that Moses uses in the bible to describe God, “I Am That, I Am”. Powerful words, because they define us! Now the version that most bibles use does not have the comma and that is a sore oversight by the men who translated the original document. James Tywman pointed out in his book the “Moses Code” that the comma was missing so you can see how much that little detail changes the meaning of the phrase. No longer is it “God is that”, it becomes “I” am that as an individual, I am God. God is no longer outside us but within, through and as us! The way I use this is to point to something and say, “I am that, I am”. It matters not what you are pointing to, God is all there is. The way I look at this is if I am an aspect of God and God is all there is, then I must be all there is. When we say be “all that” we mean it literally.

I am walking down the street pointing to a dog, “I am that, I am”, then to a tree, “I am that, I am”, etc. The feeling I get when I do this is one of inner-connectedness. Try it and see how you feel. It may seem strange at first but when you think about it and let the reality sink in the Truth reveals itself. We are all a part of the whole, and the whole is greater than the sum of its parts!

The ego or “little self” part of your mind is probably screaming at you about now and that is to be expected. So let’s go a little deeper. God is all there is and we are merely instruments! God works in us, through us and as us to express Divinity. While this may seem a tall order, it is something that you have been doing all your life, only now you are aware of it. Going back to the beginning of this blog I said that our actions define us, and so now you know who you are! 🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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Family of One

by Sequoia Elisabeth

The future of our society here in the USA is in question and I feel this is a good thing. This depressionary period we are going through right now is a result of the decisions we have made so far. We are being forced to re-think all the aspects of how we live, so where are we headed? It is up to you. Quite simply our decisions are what determine our outcomes or experiences. Let me ask you a question, How involved are you in your community? Do you know the person living across the street? What is your hair stylists name? How many different doctors have you seen in the past year? How many relationships do you have, including anyone who you know by name and see more than once in your life? These relationships are what make our lives meaningful and give depth to our lives.

Society seems so caught up in “family” and “family values” of which I would like to point out are the vary values that are destroying our county! The mentality that anyone is more important than anyone else makes us weaker and puts us in competition and conflict.

The human race is a family in itself and in order for our family to thrive we must be working in harmony and in the best interest of all. Society today teaches us that the persons that birthed you into the world are the most important people of all and that you owe them your very life! Doesn’t this seem absurd to you? We all play important roles in each other’s lives and that is wonderful, but to owe your life to another person is not how the system works.

Our core family, the ones who we were born with are basically volunteers and members of your soul group who work together to grow Spiritually. I am very grateful for my parents and appreciate the Love, guidance and support they have offered me over the years, but it does not mean that I owe them anything and I also understand that they are volunteers who owe me nothing! They do what they do out of Love, which is a great model for everyone else in our lives. I had a motto when I worked in the hospital industry, “I treat my patients like they are family”, which in all reality they are! We are a family of One, one human race. I even expand that to include all animals and plants, because we are all a part of a whole system, planet earth.

The point I would like to leave you with today is that Community is important to the health and well being of our entire planet and we each need to participate for a community to exist. The nuclear family that you are born into plays its role in your development but it is NOT the most important part! The most important part is to realize that we are ALL family and to treat each other as such.

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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A Moral Journey

by Sequoia Elisabeth

The transgender journey is not a moral issue, or is it? Morality is related to doing the right thing based on social norms. These boundaries are determined by societal acceptance and so they are constantly changing. For me this can be a difficult issue since there is no right or wrong, only what you decide to do. When we make things right and wrong we automatically set ourself up for feeling bad, because someone is going to be wrong, this is the way of our dualistic world. So what if I told you that you are always right? You are right in your own mind and from your perspective. When considered like this no one is ever wrong. There is no reason for anyone to feel bad for being wrong.

The morality of being transgender is a mute point really since it only really matters what you think of you, not what anyone else thinks. I concede that knowing you are supported and even loved by others is feedback we all benefit from, but just because someone supports you does this make you moral? I suppose it does if you consider being accepted as being right. So the issue is not about whether being transgender is moral or not it is about whether the way you treat a transgender person is moral. Are you treating this person with the respect you would give your grandparents? Transgender people are no less or more deserving of morality than anyone else and I can speak from my perspective, all we want is to be treated as any other man or woman.

I bring this up because I was discussing moral behavior today and got to thinking about the Transgender journey. Morality is no different for transgender persons than it is for anyone else, we are all human beings and how we treat each other should not include different rules for different groups. It really is quite simple, “Do on to others as you would have done on to you”!

Gender Related Spirituality Transitions

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If it walks like a Duck

by Sequoia Elisabeth

If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck and looks like a duck then it must be a duck! This is the power of reason. Reason is our last sense of the mind to cover in this series of tools for coping with Transition. Most of us know about deductive reasoning from the stories of Sherlock Holmes and we are taught to reason in school by using the logical brain, so let me share a method of using reason for your Spiritual growth.

In Religious Science when they do Spiritual Mind Treatment part of the process involves reasoning with the mind so that the practitioner or one mind is totally convinced of the certainty of what we are praying for. It goes something like this, “Almighty God I know that we are one and that all I see around me is our creation together, I know that you flow through me as I am creating my dreams. And since you work through me, I know we can create anything, I know that I am healthy because I am an expression of your Perfection, I know that we are Abundant, because you create through me, I know that Peace is here now, because Almighty God flows through my life constantly. I am so grateful to be a part of this glorious process as I allow Almighty God to operate in this world through me! I release these words to the Universe in gratitude and grace. And so it is.

It is not necessary to go through all the steps to have reason work for you. Be as specific as you can and give examples of Miracles that you have experienced. Use reason to build a positive life by looking for all the good that is in your life and then reasoning that if good exists then you must be good. Or just because something bad happens does not make you bad, because of all the wonderful things you have to be grateful for such as air to breath, water to drink, food to eat, and friends to share with. We always have what we need!

The power of reason is just another tool we have at our disposal to create the life of our dreams! Each of us have the responsibility to create the life we desire, it is not going to fall into our laps, unless it does and if it does, be grateful you created it! Just remember the process goes like this, thought – word – action. Now that you know the 6 senses of the mind you can use these tools to create a master piece of life. Blessings on your Journey of Love. 🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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Will Power

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Only two more tools of the mind to consider, so let us move on to the will. Yes! Our will is an important piece of the puzzle! As I mention in my book “Livin’ Large – a Journey of Love” whatever you say is true – for you. We are always right at least in our own mind, so the next time you hear otherwise, simply know that both of you can be right at the same time, in fact everyone on earth can be right at the same time! Infinite possibility makes that true, since all possibilities are occurring at all times and as we will it so we experience it!

So how do we use this mind tool of will to our benefit? First we must be aware of the choices available and the power we have to will these choices. Will is something that you set in motion and allow to work, it is not something that you force. When you say “I will be there” what you are doing is creating a path for that to manifest and as long as you allow things to fall into place your words are true. This allowing requires that you be aware, listen and take action. There is an implied knowing involved that carries the power of our words forth and within our minds as we speak the words a path is already being worked out in the milli-second the thought comes to us. When we become aware of this process it is easy to marvel in the beauty of the whole process! The more we practice this and stay aware, the deeper our understanding goes and the more exciting the results.

When we say “yes” to something we are using the power of our wills to agree and make manifest our desires. Yes, I am happy today! This is a simple act of will power. 😉 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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Perceptions

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Perception is a tool of the mind that can bring profound changes to your life. First I believe it will help to clarify the difference between point of view and perception. Standing on a hill high above a battle scene or actually swinging a sword on the battle field are points of view. So is being a afro-american person who is required to sit in the back of the bus. Perception on the other hand is how this person experiences the situation. Is the person standing on the hill judging the battle below as good or bad, are they perceiving a win or loss? Is the afro-american person grateful to simply be on the bus or are they angry they have to sit in the back? Do you understand what perception is now?

Take a hard look at your life and see if you can find a different way to perceive it. Can you be grateful for something that maybe you were upset about before? How about seeing an enemy as someone who is simply acting through compulsion and not necessarily targeting you? Your choice to take things personally is a perception that you control! Have you heard of no-fault law? Where when an incident occurs each person takes responsibility for their own actions and no one is at fault. It is a common law concerning auto accidents in some states. Why can’t we simply use that principle in relation to everyone we meet whether they are in a car or not? Someone bumps you walking out of a store, you say “pardon me” and go on like nothing happened, thinking “I hope they make it where they are going safely.” This is the power of perception. You have created peace, harmony, and good-will in a simple choice of perception. Forgiveness can be a way of life!

Our minds are so powerful that they are the tools we use to create the life we desire to live. If you do not make choices consciously then they are made for you by your unconscious mind based on habitual decisions you made in the past. We are even affected by other people’s choices which in some cases can be a good thing, like when someone drags you out of a burning building after you where knocked unconscious, unless it is not. You decide everything, because it is your life! Just remember that your life is connected to everyone else’s life to the point everything you think, say and do affects someone. Now this can seem like a big responsibility, but it is not. Why? Because all is interconnected and what you put out you get back. Change your life for the better by shifting your perception of events to the Highest Good. Look for the good things in life, expect opportunities to present themselves, and be grateful for everything that happens in your life no matter what it looks like on the surface. 😉 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

Memories

by Sequoia Elisabeth

The next tool our mind offers up is memory. This can be a double-edged sword, but then so can just about everything in our lives. One of the main premises to my ministry is “what you focus on grows”. The power of this can be enhanced though the use of memory.

Do all your memories need to be happy ones to benefit you? Absolutely not and here is why, gifts are present in every experience we have and if we suppress those feelings or refuse to process those gifts then they turn into obstacles, so even a horrible thing like getting raped or attacked can be a learning opportunity. The lesson most often learned in this situation is forgiveness and love. I will let you work out the how’s, because that is the process of learning!

Memory can be used in so many beneficial ways and the simplest is the experience of Joy. We can feel Joy any time we choose simply by remembering the most Joy filled moment in our lives! The double-edge here is that it is possible to get caught up in these memories and no longer be living our life, but a past life. Re-member the feelings of Joy, happiness, contentment and once you have that feeling in heart then go about your business, knowing that any time you need a boost all you have to do is re-member! Once experienced an event becomes memory and the process of joining with that memory/experience is called remembering or joining again.

Did you know that often times the things we remember never actually happened? Or at least they did not happen the way we think they did, or did they? This can get very serious since sometimes people are accused of doing things and in fact did not, even though a witness remembers them doing it. Our memory can play tricks on us so just be aware of this and use this to everyone’s advantage. Let go of any memories of anyone being harmed, what was done was done and once you have faced your feelings and processed your emotions, let the whole thing go and move on. If you are in a difficult situation simply create a memory that will comfort you. Use the imagination to create an event and then file that in your memory so that the situation is transformed into a pleasant one. It is perfectly OK to create your life to your liking and in fact I would expect you to. My motto is to remember that which we desire and forget the rest.

Memories that are very old often change over time and get “weeded out” leaving only the pleasant aspects and this is fine, because the purpose of memory is to experience an emotion on demand. Memories can also be used to navigate and to share knowledge, however it is my belief that memories greatest gift is in the feeling of it. Can you remember your greatest Joy? How about your greatest adventure? What about your best gift received? Or your best gift given! Knowing where you left your socks is only part of the reason we have memories, so go out and use memory to fill your life with Great Feelings and Pleasant Remembrances. 😉 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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6 Senses of the Mind

by Sequoia Elisabeth

We all know about the 5 senses of our physical body, but what about the 6 senses of the mind? I talked a little about them last time and will go a bit further this time. The six consist of Intuition, Imagination, Memory, Perception, Reason, and Will. My plan is to cover each of these tools for transition one by one, last time I covered Imagination. When used consciously these tools are your best friend and the funny part is we all use these senses every day without even realizing it. Let’s take intuition for instance. It is often referred to as the sixth sense and is attributed to women as women’s intuition. Are you in touch with yours? We all have this sense, even men! In fact the most successful people in the world, such as Bill Gates, Steven Jobs, and Oprah Winfrey attribute much of their success to using their intuition! The way that I use this sense is to get in touch with my feelings, which takes a few minutes of being quiet and some practice. After a while you will just know when an opportunity is advantageous or the direction you are headed in beneficial. Is that girl you just met the “one”? By using your intuition you will know! You can just feel it! Teenagers are usually very good at this when they are young, but sometimes if they get too much criticism they shut down this faculty, so if you are one who did this maybe it is time to get in touch with your intuition. For illustrative purposes let me tell you of one of the fun ways I use my intuition.

I had just gotten out of a seminar at a local hotel and it was about 3pm in the afternoon. We had been going at it all day and I was hungry, so I asked myself as I was getting into my car, what am I in the mood for? Mexican came to my mind and I could feel, smell and taste a delicious Mexican Burrito with hot salsa dripping down, yum! I started driving toward home, but since I was not from this city I had no idea where to find a good Taqueria. I was driving down the interstate when the overwhelming sensation to turn came over me, so I got off at that exit. I then focused on my feelings and it felt like I should turn left, so I did. I drove for about a mile, all the time keeping my eyes open and my mind on that delicious burrito. As I came around a corner I saw on the left side of the road the Mexican Taqueria that was to fulfill my appetite! It was one of the best burritos I have ever had! 🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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Creative Tools of the Mind

by Sequoia Elisabeth

In developing a Spiritual practice there are several tools that are instrumental in creating an open space for growth. The one I use most is creative visualization and I recommend Shakti Gwain’s book with the same title. I will summarize here so that you can get an idea of how to use this tool.

We are taping in to the power of the imagination by creating a vision of that which we desire. Say you need a new car and so you are visualizing the new car you are desiring, make the vision as real as you can by seeing the shiny gold paint and sleek styling, feeling the soft leather seats and firm steering wheel, and smelling the new car smell and the fresh air blowing in the window as you are driving down a deserted country road. The more real you make the experience the stronger your emotion of joy becomes and the greater the probability of the experience manifesting. Put no limits on the manifestation of this experience, simply hold the feeling of knowing that it is true.

The technique can be used for anything and for instance I used this method to assist my transition from male to female. I still use it often by visualizing my body as I know it is, I can feel my womb and I hold a vision of the rams horns which make up my internal sex organs of the coiled ovaries (the horns), and the head of the ram (my uterus), sits behind the mouth of the ram (my vagina)! I visualize this as often as I remember and it helps to set up a schedule for meditation at least once a day. Use this technique with every aspect of transition, voice, breasts, hair, face, etc.

To energize the visualization place yourself in society interacting with others and if you are so inclined creative visualization works very well in loving relationships and sexual encounters. How many times have you been making love and think of someone else? What happens to this relationship down the road? Be careful how you use visualization and intend that it be in the Highest and Best good of yourself, your partner and everyone everywhere.

The secret to making this work is to ignore what appears to be true and know without a doubt that which is true! Reason with yourself if you like and explain to yourself why you know this is true. When you have a deep experience that pleases you greatly, use your memory to revisit this experience over and over. These are each tools of the mind; imagination, perception, will, reason, memory and intuition. Consider how you use these six tools of the mind and be aware of the possibilities! If we only realized just how powerful we are in creating the life we desire, the world would be a much more joyous place. 🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Gender Related Spirituality Transitions

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Dream within A Dream

by Sequoia Elisabeth

What is your vision? I listened to a great talk last night by Jean Houston and what I learned is that it is our myth that creates our future. Without a creative vision for how life can be more enjoyable for all then nothing changes or more accurately our past becomes our future because without new material the movie just repeats!

This is the power of the movies, they provide us with a visual of a possible future or past. Of course you know the past is no more permanent than the future, right? Let’s save the time discussion for later. All movies started as a written story first even if it was just the director doing a story board. And of course the written story was only an idea to start with. The process of creation is thoughts, words and action and this is how we get movies and our very lives!

We see movies as fiction and our lives as reality which works for now, but someday this could be a way of creating reality. We have seen this in the Sci-Fi movies like “Total Recall”, “The 6^th Day” and “Star Trek”, I just love the holodeck! There is a program online now called SecondLife and basically the user constructs their own version of reality and then lives within this reality chatting with friends all over the world, making things, sharing things, flying, teleporting, and all sorts of awesome and fun things.

Does this reality affect our physical reality? From my experience it most certainly does. I find it amazing how our worlds are interconnected and by using my imagination in SecondLife gives fuel to changes in my “first” life. I hesitate to use the word “real” life here since I am not so sure that one life is any more real than the next.

You may have heard the phrase, a dream within a dream, which is the title for a great Edgar Alan Poe poem, but this does describe life pretty well I think. “The Matrix” movie illustrates this dream within a dream concept nicely too. So how do we create our lives or is the question, “who is driving this bus?” more appropriate? Remember that we each create our lives with thought, words and action, so Yes we are driving our own buses! Another movie that illustrates this nicely is “What Dreams May Come”. Where we get a glimpse of Heaven and what that is all about. What would your Heaven look like? The possibilities are infinite so let go today and dream a little dream within a dream, lol.

Spirituality Transitions

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