Oneness Ministry

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Role Models

by Sequoia Elisabeth

5 Qualities of Positive Role Models

The top five qualities of role models described by students in my study are listed below. These qualities were woven through hundreds of stories and life experiences that helped children form a vision for their own futures. By far, the greatest attribute of a positive role model is the ability to inspire others.

1. Passion and Ability to Inspire

Role models show passion for their work and have the capacity to infect others with their passion. Speaking of several of his teachers, one student said, “They’re so dedicated to teaching students and helping students and empowering students. That is such a meaningful gesture. They are always trying to give back to the next generation. That really inspires me.”

2. Clear Set of Values

Role models live their values in the world. Children admire people who act in ways that support their beliefs. It helps them understand how their own values are part of who they are and how they might seek fulfilling roles as adults. For example, students spoke of many people who supported causes from education to poverty to the environment. Role models helped these students understand the underlying values that motivated people to become advocates for social change and innovation.

3. Commitment to Community

A role model is other-focused as opposed to self-focused. Role models are usually active in their communities, freely giving of their time and talents to benefit people. Students admired people who served on local boards, reached out to neighbors in need, voted, and were active members of community organizations.

4. Selflessness and Acceptance of Others

Related to the idea that role models show a commitment to their communities, students also admired people for their selflessness and acceptance of others who were different from them. One student spoke of her father, saying “He never saw social barriers. He saw people’s needs and acted on them, no matter what their background or circumstances. He was never afraid to get his hands dirty. His lifestyle was a type of service. My father taught me to serve.”

5. Ability to Overcome Obstacles

As Booker T. Washington once said, “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which one has overcome.” Young people echoed this sentiment, showing how they developed the skills and abilities of initiative when they learned to overcome obstacles. Not surprisingly, they admire people who show them that success is possible.

Seven Traits of Role Models

1. Demonstrate confidence and leadership. A good role model is someone who is always positive, calm, and confident in themselves. You don’t want someone who is down or tries to bring you down. Everyone likes a person who is happy with their achievements but continues to strive for bigger and better objectives.

2. Don’t be afraid to be unique. Whatever you choose to do with your life, be proud of the person you’ve become, even if that means accepting some ridicule. You want role models who won’t pretend to be someone they are not, and won’t be fake just to suit other people.

3. Communicate and interact with everyone. Good communication means listening as well as talking. People are energized by leaders who explain why and where they are going. Great role models know they have to have a consistent message and business plan, and repeat it over and over again until everyone understands.

4. Show respect and concern for others. You may be driven, successful, and smart, but whether you choose to show respect or not speaks volumes about how other people see you. Everyone notices if you are taking people for granted, not showing gratitude, or stepping on others to get ahead.

5. Be knowledgeable and well rounded. Great role models aren’t just “teachers.” They are constant learners, challenge themselves to get out of their comfort zones, and surround themselves with smarter people. When team members see that their role model can be many things, they will learn to stretch themselves in order to be successful.

6. Have humility and willingness to admit mistakes. Nobody is perfect. When you make a bad decision, let those who are watching and learning from you know that you made a mistake and how you plan to correct it. By apologizing, accepting accountability, and correcting course, you will be demonstrating an often overlooked part of being a role model.

7. Do good things outside the job. People who do the work, yet find time for good causes outside of work, such as raising money for charity, saving lives, and helping people in need get extra credit. Commitment to a good cause implies a strong commitment to the business.

True role models are those who possess the qualities that we would like to have, and those who have affected us in a way that makes us want to be better people. They help us to advocate for ourselves and take a leadership position on the issues that we believe in. (The Seven Traits of a Role Model (caycon.com) )

Here’s what I look for in a good role model:

1. Honesty is the best policy. If a character is not honest with themselves and others they do not deserve respect. I can understand a coming of age story where the character learns the value of honesty by at first lying, then suffering the consequences and ultimately choosing the path of sincerity and Truth.

2. Faithful and Trustworthy are traits I honor the most. It is my goal and the goal I expect in characters I follow (people I know). The road for Role Models is a two-way street. This is their purpose. As I do, so do you. As above, so below. The world is my mirror.

3. Wholesome and Sense of Humor go well together because they are complimentary. Being whole requires a healthy sense of humor. The ability to laugh at difficulty and anything which makes no logical sense defines resilience in my view, though the role model does not laugh at people in a derogatory way. Good humor is a trait we can all respect.

4. Selflessness almost goes without saying. A good person is selfless! However, selflessness has its limits because one must take care of themselves if they are to go on caring for others. Which leads us to the next trait of a good role model, NOT being broken.

5. Most story telling these days requires the main character to be “broken”, because this makes the character more “interesting”. By broken, I mean major personality flaws or mental illness. While this tactic can be effective in an opposites attract sort of way, I believe this undermines the whole story by removing the character as a role model.

6. A good role model does the right thing when that can be determined. By “right thing” I mean the character has a strong moral code and sticks to it. Good stories often contain an ethical dilemma or moral issue the main character must deal with. If the story has characters who play both sides of things, as in good/evil, hero/villian, or simply a two-face character it weakens the impact of the story by maintaining confusion in the audience. A good role model is clear to the viewer.

So there you have it, 3 perspectives on Role Models. It is easy to see the overlap and by this you can come up with your own view on what makes a good role model. For clarity, I made my list before finding the others which were basically the top picks on a google search. I find that with a clear mind and intention internet searches will take you right where you need to be, giving you the answers you seek.

Obviously, not all characters in a story are role models, though I believe the main characters should be. For instance, in a romance story the love birds need to complement each other by both being role models or not. In stories with a clear villain the character will be an obvious opposite to the hero, though there may be a few traits in common to bring the characters into conflict.

The purpose of this blog is mainly for my own research into writing for the new millennium. It is creating a story for our evolution to 4^th density or simply providing a story to aspire to. Evolution happens regardless of our desire for it. One’s desire and focus quicken the pace for it though. We should all have role models in our lives. For me it was my mother and to some degree my father. I can think of no other person besides my grandmother who really inspired me. I have had lots of good teachers and coaches over the years, though they were so temporary I can hardly call them role models.

My writing project in process can be found here if you are interested. I suppose I should clarify that role models have a very important place in story telling because without them, the story has no teeth, no purpose, no message in my view. Since our lives are our story, this applies to us as individuals as well. We are the authors of our life, after all.

Sequoia Elisabeth

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Grace and Gratitude

by Sequoia Elisabeth

It’s that time of year again, not that every day is not a day of grace and gratitude. We each have a choice as to how we celebrate. Go with the flow or rebel. What you resist persists, so give this some thought. Consider leading by example, “play” nice with your family and friends, even if they do not reciprocate.

The secret to powerful gratitude and prayer is both intention and emotion. So the object is to feel your gratitude as deeply as you can, to contemplate its meaning and purpose, and to imagine connecting to Source, (gratitude comes thru you not from you, so we are simply owning it).

Grace and Gratitude are two traits I have been developing all my life and I suspect you have also been developing these muscles maybe without even noticing! Without Gratitude life simply stops working. It is the grease that keeps the engine running. Grace is the way in which we do this. I invite you to test this right now! Not only does what you focus on grow, but that which you are grateful for is attracted to you. “Whatever we are waiting for – peace of mind, contentment, grace, the inner awareness of simple abundance – it will surely come to us, but only when we are ready to receive it with an open and grateful heart.” Sarah Ban Breathnach

Thanksgiving is one of the most important holidays and the Native American’s taught us one important thing about this holiday so please consider the following. The food you eat is a gift from Great Spirit (even if you paid for it). Life is being transformed to a Higher form by us eating it and giving our grace to the animal or plant that is offering it up. We always thank the animal or plant for giving its life so that we may live. It is a thought and a feeling that becomes a habit every time you consume something. “Grace isn’t a little prayer you chant before receiving a meal. It’s a way to live.” Attributed to Jacqueline Winspear.

Thanksgiving is a daily event, not just one day a year! Of course the holidays are about family and friends sharing gratitude for each other by sharing gifts. Remember gifts come in many forms and don’t always include a bow and wrapping paper. In this busy world of diverse business and world travel many families no longer live in close proximity so the holidays are an excuse to come together, even if it is only virtually. As far as gratitude and grace, well these are daily practices which we are reminded of and celebrate at least once a year at Thanksgiving. With practice, grace and gratitude becomes a daily habit and leads to a more joyous life.

Sequoia Elisabeth

Oneness Ministry Free eBooks click here

ps. Remember that Thanksgiving comes before Christmas for a reason. Gratitude and Grace before Giving and Receiving!

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Vicarious Living

by Sequoia Elisabeth

To live vicariously means living life through someone else’s experiences rather than being a part of the events yourself. It requires immersing yourself in someone else’s world and emotionally or mentally making their achievements and setbacks your own. It allows you to experience rewards without having to risk your own failures. If you want to see a great way to do this check out my blog on SecondLife. I have done this throughout my life to good effect! Here I will attempt to explain how it can work for you and not against you.

First of all one needs to get out in the world and create experiences to feed your soul. Sitting at home behind a monitor or TV is fun for a start, but that is all it is. It’s a means of inspiration! You see someone paragliding and say, I can do that! Or you see a character in a show plotting revenge on their enemy and you think, how silly! Love they neighbor as yourself (at least this is what I think). We can learn from the mistakes of others even if they are fictitious. With the advent of the internet and instant video along with endless educational clips there is no excuse not to try it yourself, whatever IT is!

The power of the imagination is a tool for living safely. Rather than engaging in risky behavior, use your imagination instead, knowing and remembering all along it is just make-believe. I just watched a show where the lead character has a psychotic break and his fantasy world of heroes and villains becomes all too real. He kills the “bad” people who he had dreamed up in his graphic art. Actual people who had harmed him and his GF. Another example of how fantasy can be taken too far, my brother got up on the roof of our house to get a Frisbee and when getting down he jumped thinking the judo classes he had been taking taught him how to fall safely. Sadly, he broke his arm.

While there is some truth to the saying, no risk, no reward. I will caution you to take all relevant preparations before doing anything radical. Where this saying falls short I believe is in professional sports and extreme sports. I have seen some fantastic movie documentaries of people scaling frozen cliffs, free diving to extreme depths, and climbing through miles of caves with no harm and much thrill! Even me as a viewer shared in the exhilaration associated with their exploits. So in this case living vicariously works to your advantage!

An example where it works against you is when you watch your associates excel in their jobs and you do the minimum to get by. Continually you get passed over for promotion while you are living vicariously through them! This behavior most likely is rooted in a fear to put yourself in the line of fire so to speak. There is risk in self improvement, at least from the ego’s limited view. What if I am not good enough? And the fear becomes a self fulfilling prophesy.

So to bring this all together, question your motives for doing or not doing things. I totally get it, there is risk involved in life. Yes, you can (appear) to die, ie. loose your body. Which means this lesson begins anew, in a “new” life. This is why when you succeed the effects are profound, even if you don’t feel it. I have pictures of me standing on a finger ledge with a drop off of ~1000ft. Though on the way back a rock I stepped on gave way and I fell several feet till I caught myself. It was fun till it was terrifying! Hearing that rock bounce down the canyon wall was creepy and yet exhilarating. I safely got back and would probably do it again with a bit more caution. Doing it gives me a real sense of satisfaction I would not otherwise have. Some good advice I like to follow is prepare for the worst, expect the best.

Sequoia Elisabeth

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The Simple Truth

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Trans-gender is just that, changing gender identity from one to the other. The concept of a sex change has been promoted from the get go, way back in 1952, though what one really changes is gender, not sex. Our sex is determined by our DNA and as yet, is not changeable by man. The genitalia does not determine sex. Is a female who is post hysterectomy or mastectomy still female? Man or Woman are gender terms and thus determined through self identity with the assistance of social feedback. Eunuch is the term for a castrated male and as far as I can see applies perfectly to males post sexual reassignment surgery. Some have promoted the term Gender Reassignment Surgery and this is simply an attempt to justify their actions. I have met and known many people who identify as Trans* and it simply does not matter what their physical body says, their mind determines who they are. As feminine as I am, I am still male and I cannot run away from it.

Gender dysphoria has plague me since puberty, sometime being quite the burden and others where it did not matter at all. This is the pulse of Life itself. Purging is a natural function of the human mind. On again, off again seems so natural to me and I see it everywhere. Hobbies for instance often go through purging. We go all in with a hobby and 5-10yrs down the road we bore with it and change directions, only so many years later to come back to it. For me, gender identity is like this too. Hormone levels play a much bigger role in how feminine or masculine one feels, speaking purely from experience. Read my eBook if you wish to know more about hormones. I have been researching this topic now for over 40 years including personal experience.

You may believe otherwise from what I am presenting here and it really does not matter what you believe on the surface, it is your core beliefs (subconscious mind) which you experience. If you are Trans* (any identity other than conventional) then your inner self has emerged! Embrace it for what it is. Please do not judge it as either good or bad. It simply is what it is. Of course this depends on perception, so this is my attempt to live authentically, if that is even possible as a human being. I am awakening from the delusion that I can be anything other than what I was born to be.

Sequoia Elisabeth

Gender Related Transitions

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Social Identity

by Sequoia Elisabeth

How far are we to go with allowing self (ego) identity? Who really decides who you are? In reality, it is other self (others) who decides who you are. We all have our own ideas of who we are and the spectrum of sharing this to the world goes full circle. Some shout it out and other totally deny it. My question is does any of this really matter? Do you care how I identify? Probably not, caring only how you identify. If this be true, I ask what part does other self play in identity?

The spiritual teachings I have read, and I have read a great deal over the past 30 years, say other self is critical in our own identity. The world around us is an unconscious projection of who we know ourselves to be. Please understand, 99% of us do this automatically and with no realization of the value we surround ourselves with. Saying “I am that” as you look around can be valuable and it can also be deceiving. We are so much More!

Now let us relate this to society. If I am born XY/male, then can I really change sex later in life? From my experience, No. There is no changing our biological gifts, with surgery or by any other means. Psychological perceptions on the other hand are totally changeable. We can change our appearance and even our experience of the world. I will caution, as my psychologist did me, that only 5% of those who transition, do so completely from one gender to the other. Think of a bell curve. Most will fall in the middle somewhere. No judgment here, there is no right gender. Though, we can conclude here that sex and gender are vastly different things. Most of us are born one sex or the other, given that some are born intersex, and we are stuck with it till death. Intersex presents vast complications so I am not going down that rabbit hole in this discussion. Gender is self identified to a great extent through our interactions with society. How one presents to the world determines their gender. We all have the freedom to choose our presentation, at least after we become an adult. Puberty is where my gender came into question, to me anyway. I presented as my birth sex for 30yrs as I struggled to work out my identity. My presentation slowly went from masculine to androgynous to feminine. Along with this transition, I changed my name and documentation to represent this new gender.

Recently I have been questioning the validity of these document changes. It is too bad society does not make clear the difference between sex and gender, though I certainly do. If the form asks for my gender I say Female and if it asks for sex I say male. (Actually both my DL and Passport say otherwise and I really wish they did not, yet they must to live in this crazy world) This is why all forms should offer a third option and many are doing this very thing now days. I value honesty very highly and it is my opinion official documents should list both sex and gender, leaving “trans*” options out of the equation. Actually, if it is not medical or census related then the question should be skipped all together. Those individuals who were born XX should be required to list their sex as female and XY as male, with intersex being for those who do not fit the other two classifications. Then we should have the option to list our gender as Man, Woman, or Other. I figured out my identity many years ago, before transition as Male Woman. The term Transgender or the many others folks have come up with just do not apply to me, though they are valid as gender identities. My call here is to make this as simple as possible, stating sex/gender identity. I suppose some people will be Intersex/male or other gender. Let’s be honest, I know myself to be male and as a result so does society no matter how I present. If you truly believe yourself to be the opposite sex from your birth sex and present this to the world you can be said to have transitioned, however I don’t think it is really possible to authentically transition from one sex to the other. Sex change is a myth! Gender Identity though is something we discover as we mature. It can be something we play around with, go back and forth with, though ultimately we will land on one that fits and we stick with. Society will play its part in our gender identity, so pay attention to the reception you get over time. Give your other self their due!

Sequoia Elisabeth

Oneness Minister

Gender Related Transitions

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Self Worth

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Below is an interesting article which applies to our lives more than we know. Growing up with the pursuit of the rare and valuable is a metaphor for finding my own self worth. I am sure my family can relate. I laugh now because I can see it so clearly. Nothing wrong with it as it has a very useful message. Here is what I have learned.

Stop looking outside myself or even at my body for self-worth. Life can be amazing, yes, and it can be a wild goose chase too. It doesn’t matter how wonderful (or otherwise) it all is. The message is clear, love is found were we put it. This goes for whatever we seek, by the way. I love my birth family, those I grew up with, no questions asked. I always have. I wish I could say that about everyone I meet. Honestly, I don’t hate anyone and don’t remember ever hating anyone. A negative thought here and there sure. I get frustrated and angry like anyone else does and I have learned to let it go rather quickly. Point is, I am on an inner journey and sometimes I get distracted by “the world”. We all do.

I invite you to assess your life and what fulfills you the most. What brings you joy? The thrill of a chase? A rare find? A pretty object or image? How long does that joy last? Look beyond all the stereotypes we have forced down our throats daily. The American Dream is a myth and I suspect you already know that. Don’t let life distract you. For clarity, distractions are anything or anyone who does not support your spiritual journey. They can be the news, wants, pretty faces, warm cuddlies, hobbies, places, or any number of things.

Now I am asking you to consider letting go the material wealth (collectible stuff) you’ve built up over the years and let it fulfill others. (What you give, you receive.) Do this at a profit of course, wink, wink. Seriously, we don’t have to be poor to be spiritual. In fact, I think our bank account does reflect how we feel about our self-worth.

Things do not define us, unless you say they do. Saying or thinking so limits self considerably. Consider, who is the “I” in who you are? Pronouns are tricky things. Am “I” the observer or the observed, both or neither? I suppose this is the philosopher in me. I have been down this rabbit hole and found some answers, just not all of them… or else I would not be here. Don’t be afraid to find answers, because as we know, the Truth shall set you free!

Love and Light,

Sequoia Elisabeth

ultra-expensive-rare-plant-collectors

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A Metaphysical Perspective

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Though I have spoken of these before here are some metaphysical meanings which have changed the way I see the world. Condensed into one grouping, maybe they can help you too.

Jesus: Literally means “I am”, so when you see the word, Jesus, replace it with, I am, and see how that changes the meaning of what you are reading.

Lord: means “Law”, so replacing the statement, My Lord and Savior, would say My Law and Savior, taking this further, My Law is My Savior. My word is my gospel. It is telling us to be true to our word. I know this is a stretch, so if this does not work for you, then skip it. Still experiment with replacing the word Lord with Law and see how that sounds.

Sin: means “Missing the Mark”. Instead of feeling judgy when you use or hear the word Sin, know that they or you missed the mark. No worries, try again, with no guilt necessary.

Hope: means you can feel good about the situation. It does not mean things will work out. Hope is a false prophet. Think about this carefully and notice how you feel when you use this word. “I sure hope things work out”, really means “I have no idea things will work out, but I wish they would, and if they don’t I will at least feel OK in the mean time.” Hope is a way of avoiding the pain of life. Choosing faith instead will lead eventually to the highest and best good.

God: Everyone has their own understanding of this word and what it means, so find what works for you and stick with it.

Love: Another word for God and like that word must be made personal. Know how those around you understand it before using it. To say, I love you, can mean the world to someone or it can be meaningless. Frankly if I hear that said, I say of course, that is who we are! Other words I equate with God are Joy and Peace.

Christ: means “The Anointed One” or “Centered”. The meaning of ‘Jesus Christ’ then becomes, I am centered or the anointed one. So Jesus Christ is not some other person, it is a description of you! By proclaiming “Jesus Christ” it is a way of centering yourself. It literally brings your thoughts back to you. It centers you in reality!

Much of this is taught in Science of Mind or Centers for Spiritual Living. It is where I first learned it, though my understanding has deepened with the study of ACIM, A Course in Miracles. If you wish to know more I suggest researching further.

Sequoia Elisabeth

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I’m Looking Forward To It

by Sequoia Elisabeth

How do you cope with daily living? I mean the day to day, same o’, same ole routine. It can be a real drag. Humans require variety, some call it spice. For me, I create things to look forward to. Literally using the future to handle my present. We have all done it, planning a big vacation or even a weekend get away. The next big win for our “team” for the sports lovers or the next big project for the hobbyist and the next big job for builders and tinkerers. So what does all this actually get us?

It gets us to the next vaca, win, project, or big job. And actually it just allows us to occupy time. It gets us from one Now to the next. The cycle never ends. Even after you pass, the planning continues! I mean we have to have a funeral or at least a memorial or wake. In my family we call it a Celebration of Life. Our lives are event driven! So what happens if we drop the circumstance and forgo the planning? What if we skip the “looking forward” bit?

No worries, I have tried that too. It is fun at first, but then after a while it all just seems pointless. Probably because it is. We are distracting ourselves from ourselves. We desperately fear looking too deep at who we are. We fear God. It’s that simple. Most people think we fear sin or judgment, but that is just more distraction. Stop for a minute and notice how you feel, deep within. What does it mean to look within? Say you decided it was a good idea to look within and discover your own inner secrets, how would you go about that? Most people try meditation at some point on this road and it too works, for a while, till it doesn’t. This so far for me has been the story of my life. It works, till it doesn’t. Life is a wild goose chase! I have discovered that looking within is very difficult because our ego mind simply will not allow it. It knows there is nothing to see. It is like looking behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz, a big let down.

Stop looking and you will find what you seek. No clicking of heals required. Know there is nothing to find, so just relax and enjoy the ride. Easier said than done, I grant you that, but possible. Stop with the distractions and relax. All is well.

Sequoia Elisabeth

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Life is Black and White

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Life is black and white, if it weren’t, this would not be a duality. We have up/down, hot/cold, here/there, male/female, and dead/alive. These in reality are all the same, just viewed from opposite positions. Like a coin. So if this is all true, then how come we see colors and shades of gray? I have often wondered this myself until I learned the ways of the ego mind. The ego is our separate self. The aspect of life which believes it is separate from everything else. It is our individuality. In reality there is no you and me, here and there, but our mind makes it so.

It is rare person who can see beyond the veil and I do NOT claim to be one of them. I do seem to have a gift of systems or wholeness vision. So while I cannot see pure non-dualism (perfect oneness) I know it as the truth. Maybe I have faith, though to me it is simply a knowing. Love is all there is. Using words like Love, God, or Faith is where we often go off the rails. Our dualistic ego minds just cannot go there. It is a whole other Universe and yet it’s not. Take dreaming as an example.

Our dreams often are of fantastic places which seem familiar but are not real. They are metaphorical, symbols, shapes, places, or happenings which represent our thoughts. Dreams are something we awaken from and then struggle to interpret. This in itself tells us they are of the ego. We have the dream world and the waking world all of which are illusions of the ego mind. Nothing to get upset about, literally nothing.

So where does color and shades of gray come from? The ego mind, simply put. Our separate minds have created our entire world! “All that we see or seem. Is but a dream within a dream.” (Edgar Allan Poe) Where do we go from here? A question I have been asking myself for several decades, LOL. The obvious answer is Forward and yet that is unhelpful. My answer has always been go with the heart. Now what does that mean?

It is not a felt emotion, but a knowing from beyond form. It is the center of things, so let’s get to the heart of the issue. We are constantly making choices in life and it all boils down to are we choosing ego or Spirit (the knowing from beyond). Some call it gut instinct and I have to chuckle at that since our guts are full of bacteria with separate lives all their own. I think what they really mean is listen to Holy Spirit, not the separate self. Pay no attention to that which is caught up in form, shape, and structure. The physical world is not the path to follow. Simply put and I love simple, follow the unspoken, unfelt, loving path! Since Love is all there is, it is not about feeling, being, or doing. It is about letting go of all you thought you knew.

Sequoia Elisabeth

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Best Place to Start is at the Beginning

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Welcome to Transitions Blog! December 1, 2009

Filed under: Gender Related, Spirituality, Transitions @ 8:36 am

Tags: changes, first entry, Transitions

In this blog I talk about the transition that all of us are going through in some form or another. My personal transition is from male to female and I will be talking about that often, but more important is the shift the entire world is going through and how this relates to you. Comments are welcomed.

This is my first entry which is about transitions and what they mean to you. The word Transition means movement, passage, or change from one position, state, stage, subject, concept, etc., to another. It is often a very long process involving years and involves physical, mental, and/or spiritual changes. In relation to gender it is the period when a person begins living in the desired gender in gradual stages. In some form or another we all go through transitions, some people may think of them as life stages or phases. Our teenage years are a stage that we go through in our development to be adults. The Mid-life stage which some call a crisis is also a transitional period that involves a lot of change, passage, or movement. At a higher level our entire life is a transition, which can be broken down into smaller transitions and finally to the present moment which is where you are now. This is why I so often refer to life as a journey, because it is a passage from one experience to the next! The happiest time of my childhood is when our family went on a two week vacation in a motorhome all across the west. We went from one exciting experience to the next non-stop for two weeks, I was in heaven! For many of us transitions are a way of life, although some people want to call them “dramas” instead. How we view life is basic to our experiences, so the choice is ours. We can see what we don’t have and be upset about it all the time, fighting with everyone because they have what we want or are preventing us from getting, or we can accept our experiences as gifts and be grateful for them. Focusing instead on what we do have and holding a vision of what we desire. When is the last time you counted your blessings? I am very grateful to be alive to share these thoughts with you and I am even more grateful for you to be reading these words that flow through me like water on a meandering stream. I invite you to “row, row, row your boat gently down the stream” of Transitions and join me on this daily blog. I want this blog to be meaningful and uplifting so if a daily entry seems like it is getting a bit too much I may cut back to weekly. Hopefully I will be getting some feedback and will not have to guess. Let me know how you enjoy the message and feel free to share this with your friends. Blessings to all who read this!

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Meanwhile, it’s been 11 years 7 months 3 weeks and 6 days since posting the very first Transitions Blog shared above. It will be fun to look back and see how much has changed, if anything. My first observation is I have become more cynical. Part of me remains positive and joyful though that part doesn’t show itself much these days. The cost of knowing how things work while also knowing no matter how much they change, they stay the same. I have been empowered, traveled the world, seen wondrous things, had many joyous experiences and yet here we are, right back where we started.

It all comes down to choice in the moment. Not future decisions or the past, but the here and now. I can choose! No matter how bad I feel, I have the choice to smile and be grateful. I have the choice to be with Holy Spirit or with ego. This does not change, I have always had that choice and always will and so do you.

My transition has come full circle. Physically I have changed from hard, strong, masculine to soft, weak, and feminine. I am still me though. I am the person I have always believed myself to be, so does this mean I cannot be hard, strong, or masculine? Of course not. I am both and neither. The big difference is I have stopped apologizing for it. I wear the clothes I like and behave like the woman I am. Inspiration comes to me just as it always has and I am free to act on it or not, taking into account other self. When it comes right down to it, putting others first should be everyone’s priority. When you love another, you love yourself.

Sequoia Elisabeth

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Sticks and Stones…

by Sequoia Elisabeth

How many weak words do you use a day? The old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is simply false. Words can hurt you and even more harmful are the intentions behind the words. There are many weak words which simply do not benefit you or anyone else, not to mention curse words which serve no useful function at all. I know there are those who spout the benefits of cursing and if you wish, go right ahead and curse to your hearts content. I simply ask you to notice how you feel afterwards as well as how those around you feel. Are they supporting you? There is no such thing as a positive curse word. That would be an oxymoron. We did not come here today to discuss cursing. No, what I wish to share is how destructive and deflating our language can be without us even noticing. YES, be aware, not only of your behavior, but mostly your word usage and intention.

Try a fun exercise and say to another “I fucking love you”. Say it like you mean it, with emphasis and heart. Notice how you feel and how they react. Now repeat without the word “fucking”. I Love You. I have tried this many times in my mind and the “F” word feels like a weight pulling me down. I laugh from the absurdity of the word. It is useless.

Now notice other words which hold you back or drag your emotional state down. This is not about using feel good words, it is about actually being happy by being authentic. Here are a few words which I no longer use or only use in specific circumstances, in order of significance: Sorry, Try or Trying, hope, but, just, very, and that. If you need to apologize then use the word. Never say sorry! Every time you say “I am sorry” it drags you down. What you are doing is making it real, like there is a right or wrong, that sin exists, and we are all sinners! TV shows use it all the time and we tend to emulate what we hear from famous people or people we admire. It may take some effort to get out of the habit of using sorry, however the benefits are significant. The other word to absolutely avoid is try. The famous Yoda quote, “No, Try not, Do. Or do not. There is no try.” gets it spot on! American language uses “try” quite frequently and this needs to stop. Try or trying is not doing, it is failing. What you speak is your prayer for the experience. Trying expresses doubt and doubt leads to failure. So what if you say, I am happy, and yet you feel sad? Your mindset leads to actions and to effect. Repeatedly saying I will (a force of mind) do this or that, eventually leads to success.

Hope is related to try or trying. Both are words based in doubt. I hope things work out, but they may not. I hope you feel better, but you probably won’t for any extended period of time. STOP using these words! They set a president for failure, suffering, and pain. Or don’t… your choice. I am pointing out the effect of using such weak language. Hope is a false prophet and we know what the bible says about false prophets.

The other words I listed are simply words which are superfluous and add nothing to what you say. They are empty words. Leave them out of your sentence and notice how that sounds and feels. I have done this and can report a more powerful to the point message and uplifting feeling. Instead of using “but” connecting phrases, choose “and”. Instead of using just, simply leave it out, and the same goes for “very and that”. There are cases where using the word “that” applies, so sound it out. Always read what you write at least once and feel the sound. Does it seem right? This is all easy enough when writing, however when speaking it takes practice to notice the words you use. Relax and if a weak word sneaks out, be forgiving. The ego uses every opportunity to advance its agenda. Your tool to avert this is to simply forgive… do not judge. When we “mess up” it is almost automatic to chastise yourself and what I am saying is to be kind, especially to yourself. The more you use powerful language the more the mind reinforces it. It becomes automatic. Think of it as creating good habits.

Now I leave you with a powerful word, Yes. Be a “Yes” person. Life has a way of knowing what is best for you, trust it, say yes. This will take practice, though the more you trust the easier it gets. Look for what goes right instead of the opposite. What you focus on, grows.

Sequoia Elisabeth

Oneness Ministry https://onenessministry.info/

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Nature’s Trap

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Here is another exercise in reasoning. Logic, wait, …no logic does not work in this world. Go with me here and put your thinking cap on. Have you ever considered the word Nature? What is your nature? Do you love the natural world? Do you revel in nature hikes and other activities in which you spend time in nature? How does it all relate back to your “Journey of Love”? (If you have read my eBook Livin’ Large, you know what I mean by that quote).

Ok, so there are several definitions of the word Nature and while they are different, they are also related. Humans have their own person nature or personality. The natural or non-man made world has its nature and is in fact simply called nature. Nature is full of mineral, plant, and animal life as well as death. See it is the later which gives it away. Death does not exist in heaven. If there is no death in heaven how can we equate the divine with nature?

Lord knows I watched more than my share of nature films growing up and the hardest part was watching the beautiful Cheetah stalk the antelope and eventually end its life. Or watch a wildfire wipe out an entire forest knowing all the plants are unable to run away and even the animals which can run often don’t make it. I love the quote from a heavy metal band call Tool. “Life feeds on Life”… in the song this line is repeated as a chant. It is quite chilling and provocative. It is also very true. Nature has nothing to do with God or the Divine. Remember the first commandment? Thou Shalt Not Kill. What you don’t read in the commandments is, What you do to another you do onto yourself or What you give, you receive.

Once we learn Universal Spiritual Law no untruths will slip by unnoticed. It will be easier to see the Truth or if you prefer, the Divine. I suppose these lessons are hard learned, at least they were for me. What benefit is there in seeing death all around us? I have learned we have a choice, we can see death or we can see life and not just ego temporary life, I mean Real Life. The world around us is dead, not in the usual sense, but in the sense of dreams are not real and thus dead. There is no guilt, shame, or fault in Reality, only in what I call the Ego world or as ACIM calls it, psycho planet. My message here is simple, Choose Real Life, Choose God, not Nature or all the feel good *&^% this world offers up. Sure we all sample the pie so to speak or we would not be here. Forget all that and forgive.

We all have a choice to see beyond this world to the Divine. Making the choice is simple, seeing the results of this choice not so much. It is my experience ego pulls the wool over our eyes constantly so even when we choose to see the divine our minds will not allow the experience. We are successful, yet we just don’t realize we are. This is where practice and faith come in. Have faith you see not the wonder of the ego, but rather of God. Feelings often betray in this regard, so instead trust in your practiced consistent choice for Love. (a reminder here, I equate Divine Love, Peace, and God) When I say, Love is the way… I mean Love is all there is and there ain’t no more! Except illusions and delusions of course.

Sequoia Elisabeth

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Top Ten Spiritual Blogs

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Here are my top ten spiritual blogs out of well over 500! I will admit that many of these blogs are repeated and reworded as my own spirituality advances. I invite you to come along for the ride! I highlight here the blogs I feel are most important for everyone to read. Not that one blog is more important than the next. Open yourself to Spiritual concepts well beyond the mainstream, while recognizing values you hold dear.

Learn to Love
Value vs Worth
The Highest Law of the Land
The Matrix of Oneness
Law of Agreement
The Seven Universal Laws
Intuition and the Six Senses of Mind
All Death Is Suicide (search the website for this title, I have reposted it in several forms)
Stupidest Question Ever Asked
Top Ten Spiritual Authors

Life is a Journey of Love and so we each get to experience this in our own way. We never truly have anything until we give it away… so I share this wisdom with you and claim it as my own. This is Oneness expressed.

With deep gratitude,

Sequoia Elisabeth OnenessMinistry.info

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Two Sides of the Same Coin

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Life is a duality. The growing trend to accept that life is a rainbow or has ‘shades of gray’ are the mad ravings of the ego mind. Please don’t buy into it’s hysteria. I say this having already made this mistake and now know the consequences. No body wishes to be alone on this journey and while we all die alone, no body needs be alone along the path. Since this probably makes little sense to you, I will do my best to break down a few of the ideas presented here.

Let’s start with duality. Dual obviously means two and duality refers to the two sided nature of life here on earth. For every force there is an equal and opposite force. Basic physics! The idea of multiple forces simply clouds the fact there are only two and any others are an extension of these two. For every rule there are always exceptions. The only force which has no opposite is Love and this is the true nature of the Universe. Love is all there is. Many think Gravity has no opposite and they would be partially correct. Gravity is the physical manifestation of Love. It is the most powerful force in 3D (on earth). In reality there is no gravity, only Love.

Everyone gets excited when they see a rainbow. They are so beautiful and captivating. Artists often use shades of gray as well as colors, tones, and hues, yet all that extends from two states, light and no light. Degrees of reflection or as science calls them wavelengths of light make up all color and shades of gray. The reality is we have black and white, no light and light. I am not going into detail here because I don’t wish to get distracted. The ego often sends us on “fools errands” like trying to explain every little detail of life and to name them. Walking away from this habit after a lifetime of indoctrination can be difficult. I find the best way is to make up your mind to do so and keep moving forward. The concepts and truths I offer here will be resisted by the ego mind and when you feel this resistance, step back, take a deep breath and focus on Love, Light, or pure darkness. Nothing wrong with opposites and since darkness is simply the lack of light it belongs here too. The focus is on purity… complete darkness or total light. Even the Sun is not total light, nor is the darkest cave complete darkness. The light comes from within. I have been in a cave with no outside light and felt the light within me. It has a wonderful calming effect. While the Sun is not total light, it does emit total light, but then, so can you!

There is no way I could possibly explain ego mind in a short blog post and in fact I am still learning about it and have been studying it for decades. For a list of recommended reading see my website. Moving on to no body wishes to be alone I think this is self explanatory… or Not! While we are not our bodies nor our ego mind, we do experience life here through its lens. This is where loneliness comes from. It is the fear we are separate from others and from God. In fact, ACIM teaches this is the single and greatest issue in our lives. Fear arises from this false evidence of being separate from any and all things. Even though the body is made up of millions of bacteria, microbes, and other life and it is inside us, we think it is all separate. It takes time (also an illusion) to reconcile what Oneness is. We are One. Opps, I get ahead of myself. We are still on duality. Forgive me, I often revert to my true nature… that of pure non-duality. Ego mind is our interface with the world around us. It is not our friend! It is also not the enemy, though it can appear so. Tying this all back to loneliness and duality, there are only two sexes, male and female. No shades of gray, no colors, nothing else! I know I wrote an entire book on the topic of transgender and such, but at the end of the day this is the ramblings of an ego mind. Yes, it is true on the level of the ego mind, earth, or 3D, but not on the level of the Spiritual or absolute. Thus we arrive at the motivation for this blog post. When I came out as transgender my father asked me, so you are doing this to be with men? No, I said, I am doing this because I must. While this is totally true, I had to transition or die. I have never been attracted to men and only a few women. Well maybe a few men, but not most. Anyway, I have been working on reconciling this seeming contradiction ever since (over 40 yrs). I see now this is not a contradiction, but simply Ego. Perhaps on this level of form, my mind is fractured… schizo. I have no idea. I don’t care! I know that sex is of the ego mind and brings nothing but pain in the end. Oh it may feel good for a few moments or longer, but ultimately it’s a let down! Let me count the ways… NOT.

Being alone is a state of mind, a fearful mind. Focus on Love, count your blessings, and give thanks for all you have in your life at this moment. Do this every day. Make it a habit! This state of loneliness will vanish and a peace of mind will replace it without any other effort. Originally this blog came from the thought that as a transgender person I will never know close companionship again. I have been married twice and while I cherish those relationships and the love I found (and didn’t find) I now know my true relationship is with my Creator. I remain focused on Source, the love which creates me and all reality. Love is all there is.

Sequoia Elisabeth

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Human Hypocrisy

by Sequoia Elisabeth

There is a growing concern with natural environments and invasive species among scientists and naturalists world wide. The argument goes that if an aggressive species (plant or animal) without predators is introduced into an ecosystem foreign to it that it will take over and force out other native species which have evolved to live in that specific area. However true this may be, the ethical issues which arise in their management become a huge issue for those people responsible for the management of these ecosystems. I say the issue is even bigger than it is presented. This extends to humans and our impact on the world we live in.

Let me share a few examples, If we are going to issue kill orders for all of a certain species in a certain area, bullfrogs in Colorado, lionfish and snakehead fish in Florida, Zebra mussels in the great lakes, etc. the list is extensive! How is this different from racial genocide? Many races of humans are migrating around the globe and forcing out or simply replacing other native races. The USA is the biggest example I can think of, however it occurs everywhere on the planet. Take the U.K for example has shifted majority race several times over its history, going back to before it was the U.K. Is this a bad thing or is this just the nature of things?

I like to see the BIG picture and I can see patterns going all the way back to the Big Bang and beyond. So in the big scheme of things who cares if the house finch in the USA migrated from Europe or Eurasian wild boar are now native in the USA. The list of animals which have become native in new lands in modern history boggles the mind. Often on purpose! Now we need to kill them all because they threaten another species which migrated there before and have become native? A good example here is the Hawaiian Goose which came to the islands as Canadian Geese and evolved into the birds they are today. Over time other animals where brought to the islands as agricultural controls, such as the mongoose intended to control the cats which where brought to control the rats which came with the sailors. Now the mongoose threatens the goose and it must be killed! I know I am abbreviating long stories here and all I wish to do is offer examples of the many ways life evolves and the ethical issues we humans create.

Land management and species control falls to the government of each country on a large scale and on a small scale it falls to the land owner. What I am sharing here is the similarity with immigration and human behavior. Why are we ordered to kill certain species when those giving the order are doing the very thing those certain species are doing? The hypocrisy humbles even the greatest activist. From the perspective of the authority advocating this killing they claim to be completely justified. My question here is are they justified? Spiritual Law states thou shalt not kill. Yet we do it every day on some level. Are their exceptions to Spiritual Law? I say not, yet there are definition distinctions which need to be understood. Killing an animal for food and with gratitude for its service does not violate thou shalt not kill. The other exception as I understand it are soldiers or police who kill to protect the higher good. As far as I am concerned this one is a very fine line which is easily crossed over. Both of these laws are vulnerable to abuse, esp. when it comes to killing for profit. I know we are entering the black hole of linguistics and so I am simply sharing my understanding or misunderstanding of this complex topic. It is important for each of us to discern their own grasp of this principle and act accordingly. In this process guilt becomes a trap not to fall into. By participating in society we become hypocrites! It is a catch 22. My advice is to forgive and forget, both yourself and others whom you see violating Spiritual Law. It is not our place to judge others, for then we have no time to love them! (paraphrasing Mother Teresa) We are each doing our best in each moment working with the knowledge and understanding we have at the time. Be Kind.

Sequoia Elisabeth

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Learning Tips and Tricks

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Most students these days know these tips and tricks I am going to share with you here. Read on though because there may be one you didn’t know and can use. As I covered in my previous blog on learning, link here, we learn in different ways. I listed 7 learning types. What I did not cover was actual hands on learning tools.

Let me start with one that has served me and many other students well over the years. When taking notes use pen and paper or stylus and pad. Writing is different than typing and turns out to force the mind to think about what is being recorded. Typing is mostly just recording the material without the conceptual process. If you do type your notes, go back after class and hand write the notes over, organizing and expanding as you remember. Do this also even if you hand wrote originally. Do it as soon as you can after the class so you can remember more of what was presented. I know this is twice the work, but it will result in more than twice the recall. You may actually learn the concepts presented rather than memorize them. It takes a lot of self discipline to make yourself do this after every class, though the results make it easy to justify. The technique can be used for any type of learning whether formal class or personal project.

The next tool or technique is in reading. Understanding how standard writing is composed helps to read faster and retain more. Paragraphs are constructed with a introductory topic sentence first, the body, and then a summary or declarative sentence last. Of course writing can and does get more complicated than this, but just know to skim read or get the gist of what is said, only read the first sentence of each paragraph. For a long paragraph, perhaps read the last sentence too. Leave as much of the paragraph viewable as possible since the subconscious will see the whole page and absorb what is written as you go. This is a type of speed reading or summary reading. It is surprising the amount of information one can gain from reading this way. It is especially helpful when researching a topic and all you need to do is get the gist or find specific information. Once you find what you are searching for then slow down and read in detail.

When taking Multiple Choice tests know a few important facts, (https://www.educationcorner.com/multiple-choice-tests.html) Taking tests gets easier as you grow older and become more confident. One way to get more confident is to understand how the system you are in is constructed. The US uses standardized tests, so taking practice tests can be helpful as is going over the results of the test afterward. Any good teacher will provide the correct answer to each question after the test so the student can learn from their mistakes. A test that tries to trick the test taker is not teaching it is annoying. The point of any test is to assess the students knowledge of a subject as presented by the teacher. That last part is KEY. Many subjects are diverse and subjective, so testing may be difficult to pin down. In this case, essay questions offer the best evaluation of knowledge.

Essay questions are a way for the student to demonstrate a understanding of the concepts presented in the class. Be clear, concise, and constructive in your answers. Rambling vague circular answers will be seen for what they are, B.S. Here again, practice helps tremendously. Use the study material you have and write short essays about what you know will be on the test. Have a friend go over your answers and/or share in a study group.

Study groups are invaluable to learning! Though you only get out of them what you put in. (as goes all learning and life itself) Participation is required. Help those who need it and ask for help when You need it. Study groups can be with two people but can also include up to six, though four is an ideal number from my experience. Bigger study groups are classrooms, so do not apply to what we are discussing here. Learning occurs in the process of engagement with others in a give and take manner. It is rarely conscious or purposeful, it takes place in the background. This is the power of study groups.

“The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn …and change.” Carl Rogers

Sequoia Elisabeth

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Do Aliens Exist?

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Yes, of course, but not like you think. Aliens are beings foreign to us. This can mean a tribe in the Amazon or “Greys” from another galaxy. Consider that the Universe or what you imagine it as, does not exist outside you. Our planet and the people on it, is the Universe. Consider the many races on earth. Everything you have ever seen in Sci-fi is based on what exists here on earth. We are holistic. The Many contains the Whole as does the whole contain many. Seek not outside yourself, but look within. The ‘out there’ has been projected there by Mind (just like a movie). Look around you and this is your Universe. I imagine the Universe as a bubble, it can be limited to the distance of your sight or it can be as large as your imagination. What you see is Who you are. We are not our bodies, we are Spirit, perfect, whole, and complete. So yes, aliens exist if your mind says so.

We love to escape our own perceived reality by using stories. Star Trek, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, etc. These are escapes, yet they are created from your world. It is not possible to leave your bubble! This means the author of that story is within your Universe, his imagination is yours! This explains fandom! We can fill our bubbles as we like, but it is still our bubble and will be for the entirety of our “lifetime”.

Aliens as we are sold them, creatures or beings from ‘other’ worlds simply do not exist unless you create them. Yes, we are this powerful. Our mind projects the world we experience. The distinction here between the individual ego mind and the greater Spiritual mind is important. Ego creates our 3D experience here on this plane, currently called Earth. With the power of the Mind specifically the imagination we can create anything! Beware what you wish for! Most of us attempt to bring our imagination into this world in the form of art or some artistic endeavor. Movies are popular as are books, magazines, and graphic art.

If someone sees an ‘alien’ craft or experiences abduction or sees ‘aliens’ then it is their own mind projecting. Nothing wrong with this, it just does not align with mass consciousness at this point. At some point it may. Mass hallucinations are more common than most realize. “Just under half of Americans believe UFOs exist and have visited the Earth, according to a recent Ipsos poll.” (https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/americans-believe-in-ufos-aliens)

The point I make here is life does not happen to you, it happens thru you. There is a give and take that drives your experience which operates within parameters chosen before time. Could this be called Fate? I believe so. We are each living a script chosen by us before birth and with certain leeway’s. Whether you walk to the left or right is totally up to you, though what you experience as a result is scripted. If you get abducted by aliens this is also your choice and it serves a purpose unique to you. The experience is still scripted though. It is not about “them”, it is only for you! This goes for every experience you have, be it seeing ghosts, aliens, or a new species of animal. It serves a purpose and this purpose is just for you. Look within to find the answer. As the saying goes, ‘sometimes a cigar is just a cigar’ remains completely true, so do not obsess about answers or purpose. Folks who get caught up in the unexplainable often get lost and never find their way home. The unexplainable serves as a fun distraction – nothing more. Aliens are not coming to Earth to save us or to destroy us, this is up to us. We have demonstrated the ability to do either many times.

This graphic misses the point. The answer is, there are no “other planets”! There is no “out there, out there”! Physics has now proven this. So have fun with your distractions, while remembering they are just distractions. Bottom line, if you see it out there, you put it out there! It is important to know the Universe supports you. As ACIM points out from the get go, nothing unreal can harm you. Love is all there is!

So, InJoy!

Sequoia Elisabeth

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Learning to Learn

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Let me start this blog by sharing a bit of my journey and warn you this is a long one, but worth the read as this is the culmination of my learning. I will be 60 later this year and have been learning all my life! As have you, most likely. Starting school out in a special needs school, coping with dyslexia, visual issues, and unknown at the time, borderline autism, let’s just say I have come a long way. With much help I managed to graduate High School, 50^th in my class of about 500. Traditional higher education did not work for me and I failed at several Universities along the way. I found the University of Phoenix style of condensed learning, one class in 5wks, worked well for me as a working professional. My Masters in Adult Education has not really served me per se (never have I ever made money from this degree), though I do have the satisfaction of knowing I have come a long way. The purpose of this extended blog post is to share what I have learned along the way. It is my belief we are at a crossroads. Traditional education is breaking down as the USA has a crisis on its hands. We are each responsible for our own learning and growth, which at our younger ages falls to our parents to a great degree, though not totally. A child learns constantly from the day they are born. Don’t buy the total innocence of a child. We choose our parents and the path we travel, even before birth. A child is not powerless! As an individual we do have a say, though at young ages this say is through our parents or guardians. The older you get the greater your responsibility for your learning. Accept this as the gift which it is. Pedagogy has served its purpose and now must be relegated to the younger years of development. Andragogy is the way forward now for most of us. Be inspired to chart your path consciously! Live and Learn.

Learning to learn

What is Learning
- Learning and Intelligence
- Andragogy vs Pedagogy
- Learning Styles
- Learning opportunities
Start with what you know – right where you are – using what you have
- What do you know?
- Where are you?
- What do you have?
I don’t know what I don’t know
- Where can I find out what I don’t know?
- What tools do I need for my learning style?
- How can I put what I have learned to use?
What am I going to do with this new knowledge?
- Practical applications
- Fun uses
- Helping others learn.

Learning, simply stated, is becoming aware of knowledge, information, or the acquisition of a skill previously unavailable to an individual. Intelligence often relates to learning. “Although there is no single clinical or common definition of the word, intelligence can be thought of as an ability to find solutions to problems, often via a knowledge base or skill set. As the combination of genetic and environmental factors, the source or route to intelligence is often hotly disputed, especially given that conceptions of intelligence change over time and context.

Today, intelligence is often described in terms of analytical and reasoning skills, which are an essential component to the success of many learners. However, there is no fundamental reason why other intelligences, such as language abilities or emotional awareness, shouldn’t be seen as an equally valid sign of intellectual prowess.

Learning, on the other hand, can be thought of as a kind of mental or behavioural journey, with successful learning resulting in a reliable change or development of behaviour at the end of that journey.” (Lambda Solutions, 8/14/19) So intelligence is not innate, it is learned. I am a perfect example, in first grade I was put into a special needs school and my IQ was 105 throughout grade school. Now, after years of study, a Masters in Adult Education, and half a century, my IQ rates over 140. While we each have our gifts and our limitations, anyone can learn anything they will put the effort into. Often it is a simple case of practice makes perfect, though the effort required for some skills takes more than one lifetime.

To explore this further one needs an appreciation of the difference between Andragogy and Pedagogy. Basically Andragogy is adult learning and Pedagogy is child learning. We start with pedagogy from the point at which we individualize, the age of 3-6 years old. It consists of repetitive, method oriented approaches to learning, is usually very structured and requires memorization. The modern educational system follows this approach to at least 12 years old and often all the way through higher education. I posit that Andragogy should begin at the age of 13 and remain for the rest of ones life instead.

Malcolm Knowles and his theory of Andragogy goes like this. The following principles are the corner stone of all learning above the age of 12-16 and include the following; adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction, experience (including mistakes) provides the basis for learning activities, adults are most interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance to their job or personal life, and adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented. (http://tip.psychology.org/knowles.html)

Each individual has their own learning style and getting to know your own will greatly assist learning. Learning style consists of how one learns. For example,

The Seven Learning Styles:

Visual (spatial):You prefer using pictures, images, and spatial understanding.

Aural (auditory-musical): You prefer using sound and music.

Verbal (linguistic): You prefer using words, both in speech and writing.

Physical (kinesthetic): You prefer using your body, hands and sense of touch.

Logical (mathematical): You prefer using logic, reasoning and systems.

Social (interpersonal): You prefer to learn in groups or with other people.

Solitary (intrapersonal): You prefer to work alone and use self-study.

Often learning style consists of a combination of the above listed styles. Getting to know yourself then will require exploring each of these styles and observing the results. This most often happens during pedagogy, not all schools expose students to all of these styles though, so I encourage exploration! I recommend rating the styles from 1-7 in the order of your preference. If one or more of these styles seems foreign to you, then give it a go. Read a book by listening instead of using the eyes. Audio files are readily available these days. I took a class in logic in college and failed, so I quickly learned that I am not a logical person. Failure is how we grow! Perhaps music inspires you or being in a group does. Get out there and explore! By the way age is no excuse, we are learning our entire lives. Temet Nosce.

The opportunity to learn occurs constantly and if you look for it you will see it. Being sent to your room and grounded for a week is a wonderful opportunity to learn! Bullying is an opportunity to learn. Pretty much any situation offers an opportunity to learn. However lets say you are looking for more formal opportunities, then just ask! With the internet now days this is so simple. Learning starts with asking questions. Start with those closest to you, usually your parents and then branch out to those who are most likely to have the answer. Also understand that each person you ask will have their own perspective answer. Meaning there is rarely only one answer to any question. When it comes to answers I like taking the smorgasbord approach, combining the answers I get to form what works for me. My own personal Theory of the Universe! Learning takes emotion, desire, intent, and practice. The choice to learn is not up to anyone else. Most of all though it is driven by need, even if it is just an ego desire to learn a skill or knowledge for the fun of it. If you have no desire or need to learn something the actions you take will be futile. Learning occurs on a need to know basis, so get out there and learn! Life will present the lessons and will continue to do so until that particular lesson is learned or fully assimilated.

So what do you know now? It is good to establish a baseline and establish what is needed. Set a goal and take action to achieve the goal. Pretty straight forward. As an example say you know you’d like to have fresh veggies and you’d like to grow them yourself to save money and for the experience. It can be fun to know the food you eat came from your own backyard! Oh, so you don’t have a backyard. Then establish what you do have. Do you have a balcony or porch where you could put a few containers with soil? Will they get light and rain. Will they be exposed to pests, like squirrels or birds. What kind of plants would you like to grow?

Where are you in your learning? Meaning do you have the resources to find out about the topic you wish to learn? Just because a person has a doctorate in one subject, they may know nothing about another. I will stress here that learning takes curiosity, passion, and a will to learn. Necessity is the mother of invention… and learning.

What do you have? Okay, so you have established a baseline and a need. Discovered what resources are available for learning and are ready to get started. What do you know about this topic or goal? Taking the gardening example, you may know you wish to grow tomatoes, but not how they grow and what their requirements are to thrive. There are also tens if not hundreds of varieties of tomatoes, so you will need to determine which varieties grow best where you are. It is often best to adjust your needs to the environment rather than the other way around, however it is possible to grow tomatoes anywhere with the proper elements, light, water, and soil nutrients. We can even grow them on the Moon if need be. I have personally seen a greenhouse in Alaska growing huge prolific tomato plants year around, even at 40 below zero temps and very little daylight. Of course they were using advanced techniques, but nothing anyone with the desire can’t learn.

I don’t know what I don’t know

What is it that you need to know to achieve the goal you established? Do you even know what you don’t know? Some topics are really huge like space travel or learning about the Ocean. Maybe you discovered that you need an advanced degree to achieve your goal. There are some topics that take a lifetime to learn. Not to get started, but to learn fully. If you wish to be a doctor for instance, start by learning the sciences, language skills, math, and critical thinking. What some would call a basic education. Learning can be a step by step process. Sometimes we can only go so far and no matter how hard we try, we fail. Accept defeat and work with what you have. As an example, I was going to be a doctor, but failed so I became a Radiology Technologist and had a great career, a happy career. I was on track to be a professional athlete, but eventually failed at that too. The physical demands were just more than I could handle. So I focused on what I had, a dream for a career in medicine. There are always failures along the road. Accept them and reassess how to keep moving forward. The real question when it comes to career is “How can I serve?”. What do I have to offer? Nothing else matters in the end. (This blog is what I have to offer)

Where can I find out what I don’t know? So to be a doctor you must go to medical school or a lawyer goes to legal school, engineer to engineering school, etc. There are schools for just about anything. Going to a specific school though is not required and is often not even worth the hassle. In 2 yrs. I had an associates degree in Radiology Technology and was working in a hospital making good money! Being a doctor takes 8 years!! (after high school) So achieving your goals does not depend on going to school. In fact I recommend apprenticeship or learning on the job in most cases. Experience is the greatest teacher! Find someone who knows what you wish to know and work with them. Often this is done for little or no money, but the skills learned can then be translated into a wonderful living. Begin by researching in books or on the internet. Professional journals are a good place to get a feel for the career. Depending on the career, internships are the next level of getting started. Career programs with tours of facilities where what you want to do takes place could also be a start. I recently toured a fish farming facility the state uses to stock ponds and rivers and found it wonderfully interesting and something an aspiring aquarist might pursue.

What tools do I need for my learning style? Going back to learning style, certain tools will be used to learn the topic desired. By tools I mean computer, books, instruments, tools of the trade, etc. Not only the things used in practicing or performing a topic, but also the place and opportunities. Maybe you learn best by doing, then these are the opportunities you seek. Maybe you learn by observation, so watching youtube videos or volunteering where what you wish to learn is practiced. Often it will be a combination of tools like, reading about it first, then watching demonstrations and instructional videos, then getting out to help others do it, and then doing it yourself. Like a said, learning is a process.

How can I put what I have learned to use? Teaching is demonstration according to Jesus. Thus the crucifixion and resurrection (teaching us that life is eternal, the body may die but the person does not). Most of us have been taught that learning leads to a career or job and while this may be true in a very limited way. Leaning does lead to achievement. Building a house requires learning. Sailing the high seas requires learning. Any task requires learning and the only way to know what you have learned is through demonstration. The question at hand though goes deeper. Putting what you have learned to use involves more than just simple demonstration. I speak of service here. Whom do you serve with this learned skill? Jesus was serving all of humanity. In effect we each serve humanity with the skills we learn. Learning to use a knife involves many skills, some constructive like in cooking and some destructive like in combat. Each act of demonstration defines who you are, though this is by no means fixed. The choice to be good at what you do comes with varying definitions. Be cautious about comparing your skills with others to define how good you are. The level of skill you have consists of efficiency, competency, and service. Does what you have learned serve others? The more you can serve the more successful you are by my definition. This is why professionals often earn more than others, though this can be difficult to nail down to a formula. Some lawyers make millions and others barely get by. I would not use income to define success! Nikola Tesla is another good example of success not defined by income. To sum up this section, putting what you have learned to use by serving others, motivates.

What am I going to do with this new knowledge?

What you do with the learned knowledge will define the person you wish to be. The choices are endless. My goal here is to inspire, ignite, and enable learning for everyone. Be a dreamer, embrace possibility and catalyst will find you.

The practical applications here are to define your needs and desires. Ask for help if need be. Explore and research their fulfillment. Then take action by observing, assisting, and leading.

Fun uses are up to you. For many of us the simple reward of achievement can make learning fun. For others it may the actual skill which is fun, playing the piano, flying a plane, scuba diving, acting in a play, the options go on and on. A positive attitude will go far in facilitating your learning and the fun you get out of it.

Helping others learn can be a great outcome of learning. They say you don’t have anything till you give it away. Meaning, what you give, you receive. Sharing is caring…. It also enhances what you have learned. We never stop learning, so being a coach to others only deepens your own skills. Of course there is deep wisdom in the saying “Use it or Loose it”.

Sequoia Elisabeth

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The Highest Law

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Free Will is the Highest Law in the Land. The Teachings of Ra tell us this though few fully understand the meaning and implications of this.

“The Confederation of Planets in the Service of the Infinite Creator has only one important statement. That statement, my friends, as you know, is ‘All things, all of life, all of the creation is part of one original thought.’ … Let us for a moment consider thought. What is it, my friends, to take thought? What thoughts did you think today? What thoughts were part of the original thought today? In how many of your thoughts did the creation abide? Was love contained? And was service freely given? You are not part of a material universe. You are part of a thought. You are dancing in a ballroom in which there is no material. You are dancing thoughts. You move your body, your mind, and your spirit in somewhat eccentric patterns for you have not completely grasped the concept that you are part of the original thought.” (Law of One, The Teachings of Ra)

The Manifestation of Creation goes like this: Creator, with Infinite Intelligence, and the One Original Thought. 1^st Distortion (Spiritual Law or focus) – Free Will. Creator exercises Free Will to coalesce its Infinite Intelligence.

2^nd Distortion – Love. Coalescing of Infinite Intelligence created intelligent energy call “Love”.

3^rd Distortion – Light. “Love” called Light into being and established energy, mass, time, space, and Logos. Light is the source of physical illusions (aka. Maya).

“15.21 Questioner: Well, in yesterday’s material you stated “we offer the Law of One, the solving of paradoxes.” You also mentioned earlier that the first paradox, or the first distortion I meant, was the distortion of free will. Could you tell me if there’s a sequence? Is there a first, second, third, fourth distortion of the Law of One?

Ra: I am Ra. Only up to a very short point. After this point, the many-ness of distortions are equal one to another. The first distortion, free will, finds focus. This is the second distortion known to you as Logos, the Creative Principle or Love. This intelligent energy thus creates a distortion known as Light. From these three distortions come many, many hierarchies of distortions, each having its own paradoxes to be synthesized, no one being more important than another.” (Law of One, The Teachings of Ra)

There is much more to this story, however we are focused on Free Will here. To further explain Distortion think of it as focusing a lens, as it narrows each stage comes into focus. The first distortion is Free Will and with this Love, Light, and Maya come to focus.

The first tendency with Free Will is to think I can do anything I want. This is true, although each choice comes with conditions. We know this all too well, though we had to learn through experience. I think this can be fun, though it can also be scary. Much of what we do is testing our boundaries in a effort to maximize comfort. So while I do have Free Will to choose my actions, thoughts will flow and we must discern which to go with and which to avoid. Imagine thought as a river and you sit on the bank with a fishing pole. You can see and even feel these thoughts as they flow by… kill, hate, love, hug, etc. I am sure you have experienced this flow! We do so constantly. Part of meditation is to close yourself off from this flow of thought and experience the beyond.

Okay, so now you are fishing on the banks of the river Thought… you make a choice and catch a thought to eat healthy food. You then do your research to discover healthy foods, get them, and experience the benefits or costs to this choice. So where are we going here? The point I make is Free Will is a gift that is yours. You can give it away or not. Others can violate your Free Will but only with your permission. (This is done at an unconscious level most of the time.) An example would be pier pressure to eat food which others are eating though it does not conform to your idea of healthy food. Are you using Free Will to violate your own idea (you claimed the thought from the river) or are you allowing others to violate your thought? The outcome is the same if you eat unhealthy food just because you are with friends. Violations can be much more severe, such as imprisonment, physical or mental harm, and death. To Kill another is the greatest violation of Free Will. Perhaps why this is the 1^st commandment in the bible. I mention the bible here because wisdom comes from Universal Spiritual Teachings and by this I mean those teachings which stretch across all Spiritual texts. This is one reason why I love The Law of One, it resonates true in almost every aspect. Also because it dives very deep with its teachings. One last point I wish to make here concerning our social conditions right now. The rioting and protesting of these recent months and years serves only to agitate and does nothing to rectify the conditions for which they protest. The answer always lays with Love. There is nothing loving about destroying property or harming other living beings (both a violation of others Free Will). The loving thing to do is to listen and honor others. If you feel your power has been taken away, reclaim it. Do so by giving what you desire away. Say I feel discriminated against for being different in some way (race, age, gender, etc.). The answer is Not to discriminate against others, instead be an example of that which you desire. Embody the principles you treasure! Don’t want to be yelled at? Then don’t yell. We only have control over our own actions and to take offense at someone else’s Free Will is to torture yourself! Live and let Live! Truly understanding Free Will takes time and many lifetimes. Trust you are on the path!

Sequoia Elisabeth