Oneness Ministry

How Necessary Is SRS?

by Sequoia Elisabeth

When is surgery for Gender Dysphoria appropriate and necessary? Should a doctor do the sex change just because an individual says they want one? Gender Identity is a person’s own concept of who they are – it cannot be proven by science, so does a person’s word stand as gospel? These are questions care providers specializing in gender must deal with on a daily basis. The rule many are adopting lately is the informed consent rule, while others stick with the WPATH Standards Of Care (SOC).

Let’s look at both to see what works best. The WPATH Standards of Care 7 was just released in 2011. It is put together by specialists in Gender treatment, including physicians, surgeons, psychiatrists, psychologists, and therapists. One of the first things they point out is gender non-conformity is not the same thing as gender dysphoria and should be treated differently depending on the severity of the individual’s condition. It is largely the mental health care provider’s responsibility to guide the individual to a discovery of the extent and intensity of discomfort or dysphoria they are experiencing and if this experience is constant or intermittent. A copy of this publication can be downloaded for free at this link. (http://www.wpath.org/publications_standards.cfm)

“Surgery – particularly genital surgery – is often the last and the most considered step in the treatment process for gender dysphoria. While many transsexual, transgender, and gender nonconforming individuals find comfort with their gender identity, role, and expression without surgery, for many others surgery is essential and medically necessary to alleviate their gender dysphoria (Hage & Karim, 2000).” (SOC 2011) (Italics and Bold added)

Informed consent as I refer to it here is not the traditional form used in all medical procedures for legal reasons, it is simply the verbal understanding between patient and provider of how the individual identifies and then treatment ensues based on the individuals testament. It is used because as stated before no one can prove a person’s gender identity. Even the individual may have doubts about it which are to be taken in consideration by the provider. This is why counseling therapy is so important in my opinion; because if the person has other psychological conditions they may get the idea they are transgender when it is simply a masking by this overlying condition. It is also good to get several different opinions to confirm the person’s gender dysphoria before prescribing hormones or doing any surgery. The big difference is the SOC method recommends a letter from a licensed practitioner and the informed consent method does not. The provider just takes their word for it.

Obviously the question of which works best is still being worked out, so I will leave it to you to decide while sharing my opinion from experience. The SOC have been in use since 1979 and takes a conservative approach to treatment. The informed consent method is more cavalier and puts the responsibility squarely in the hands of the individual which may be the appeal for both the practitioner and the patient; however I question if it is really in their best interest.

To wrap this up it is every individual’s responsibility to ask questions, do research and know as much as possible before reaching any conclusions or taking any actions. Make sure you know which method your provider uses and what is required of the individual in the treatment path. Trust your gut! Or to say that another way, listen to your soul. It knows the path you need take and get a second opinion before making any life changing decisions like living full time, taking hormones, or having surgery. It is my opinion that surgery is a last resort used in the most severe cases of dysphoria. I also believe that everyone, yes even cisgender individuals experience gender dysphoria although it is often a brief experience precipitated by an external event perhaps through someone else’s dysphoria. There are other types of dysphoria also, like the feeling you are from another world or are really a non-human being, but that is another story all together! Those individuals are referred to as Wanderers if you would like to do further research. Till next time readers, Blessings on your Journey of Love ♥

Sequoia Elisabeth 🙂

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Redefining Masculine and Feminine Continued

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Let us continue the discussion of Masculine and Feminine, how we define them and use them. As I mentioned before the Universal Laws play a pivotal role as to how we view and use Masculinity and Femininity. All the laws are applicable and important, however we are concerned here and now with the Law of Polarity without which relationships would have no passion.

“The Law of Polarity (Mutable): The fourth of the seven Universal Laws tells us that “Everything is dual, everything has poles; everything has its pair of opposites; opposites are identical in nature, but different in degree”. It is also the first of the mutable or transcendable Universal Laws. It means that there are two sides to everything. Things that appear as opposites are in fact only two extremes of the same thing. For instance, heat and cold may appear to be opposites at first glance, but in truth they are simply varying degrees of the same thing. The same applies to love and hate, peace and war, positive and negative, good and evil, yes and no, light and darkness, energy and matter, (man and woman). You can transform your thoughts from hate to love, from fear to courage, (from masculine to feminine) by consciously raising your vibrations. This is what in the ancient Hermetic Teachings is called the Art of Polarization.

Rising Above the Law of Polarity: This Principle of Duality may appear to be very real in your life but it operates only in the physical and mental realms, not in the spiritual realm where All is One. As it says in the Bhagavad-Gita, “God is Above the Opposites”. By always placing the all-powerful, all-knowing Great Spirit of which you are a part behind your every thought, statement and action, and by always focusing on the “good”, even when things appear to be going “bad”, then in time you will rise above the Law of Polarity.” (Tania Kotsos 2013)

Remember that all Love is Self Love, because we are One. In reality there is no one else, ony Infinite Intelligence, Prime Creator, Divine Source or God (different names for the One). Individuation is how God experiences Self!

Till such time as you have transcended Polarity, it is useful to understand it better in regards to the relationship between man and woman; male and female. It is also important to realize the distinction between them which most never think of. Since I identify as a male woman (transgender) it has been of utmost importance to me. I think it can also be of great help to you no matter how you identify.

“A man may have a feminine core and a female may have a masculine core, or they could both be more balanced in their masculine and feminine aspects, but as long as one partner is willing to play the masculine polarity while the other plays the feminine polarity, they can enjoy sexual interaction with each other in a satisfying manner.” (Luminessa Enjara, Sep. 14 2011)

“The feminine is pure, boundless and infinite energy moving freely without any particular direction. It is directionless but immense, ever changing, beautiful and destructive. The feminine is the force of life and source of inspiration. The feminine moves in all directions, the masculine moves in one direction. The feminine needs the masculine to give it direction, focus and purpose. The masculine needs the energy of the feminine to give it drive and passion. The masculine and the feminine need each other. The masculine directs while the feminine projects. This is the relationship of yin and yang.” (Blog, Evolution of the Male Part I)

“The secret (to use sexual polarity) is that you don’t actually use it, you just live it. Once you start living deep inside your energy it encourages your partner to live deep inside hers (theirs). When both of you are there the electricity just happens. There is no active working on it, no trying to prove yourself, no performance. You just relax into yourself and let the natural male (or female) inside you live. You trust that your presence and certainty will come out, naturally.” (Graham Phoenix 2013)

Now it is up to you to search deep within and discover your polarity which is some percentage of maleness and femaleness, regardless of your physical sex and gender identity. Think of it as a spectrum with he curve looking like two mountains with most people being in the neighborhood of a 75/25 split one way or the other. (See graphic) I wish you Blessings on your Journey of Love!

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Redefining Masculine and Feminine

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Redefining Masculine and Feminine and how they fit into society & culture. As the human race evolves our gender roles and sexual definitions are changing. It is fascinating to look back at things as simple as the bathing suit to see how it has changed over time, just Google the history of the bathing suit/swim suit. Or look at women in the military and the roles they play there. How about men’s fashion? In some cultures the clothes are becoming more androgynous and the boundaries are breaking down. Examples would be Europe, Japan and the more cosmopolitan cities around the world.

The purpose of this blog is to open your mind to the changes that are happening all around you right now. I am sure this depends on the environment in which you live, but it is not restricted to just cities. For hundreds if not thousands of years women would work around the farm performing work most men these days would balk at. So this is not necessarily a new trend, but one which has been building over the past several hundred years. Men are staying at home to raise the children and women are running board rooms and companies. The business look is becoming more androgynous with women wearing pant suits and dark colors to compete with the men.

So what are these trends all about? Why now? Where is all this going? I have done much research on the new Age of Aquarius and feel this is largely responsible for the changes you are presently experiencing. There are also a few Universal Laws to consider as well. Both of which I have blogged about before. Focusing on the Zodiac cycles for now, it is well known that we just passed the 2012 end date for the end of an era. We know there are 12 signs in the zodiac and the total period of the cycle is equal to 25,920 years so this makes each era 2160 years. There is also a cusp period of transition between eras, making the period of change about 200-600 years. From all the data I have reviewed the end of this transition period is between 1860 and 2600. “The Age of Aquarius is an astrological age, which shifts roughly every 2,150 years. It’s defined by the sun’s position at the time of the March, or vernal, equinox. The Age of Aquarius begins when the March equinox point moves out of the constellation Pisces and into the constellation Aquarius. But there’s no definitive answer as to when that will be.” (EarthSky.org) What this means is the influence of Pisces has been waning since about 1860 and the Age of Aquarius has been waxing. When you look closely at the traits of each it is easy to see this phenomenon in action.

“The Age of Aquarius is the Age of Freedom, Technology (especially electricity), and the Water Bearer.” (Weaver, Sandra 2012) While ‘The Age of Pisces has been a very spiritual age. It is a time of gentleness, materialism and artistry, but also it is about impracticality.’ (Weaver, Sandra 2012) War has been the theme of Pisces and Peace is the theme of Aquarius. Duality has ruled the Age of Pisces with the male and female being polar but this is changing as the Age of Aquarius slowly takes over. The Age of Aquarius is denoted by androgyny and bi-sexuality. This makes perfect sense when you take into count the cosmology of each age. Aquarius is all about Oneness and connection, peace, love and sharing. Pisces on the other hand was about separation, duality, materialism, and conflict. The lessons learned from Pisces are profound and offer a divine contrast to the world we are moving into. Understand neither is the “right way” to experience life, but instead are simply a way to experience life. Variety is what makes life interesting and we are moving into very interesting times indeed!

Sequoia Elisabeth 🙂

Mindedness

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Mindedness as described in A Course In Miracles contains valuable clues to our path and to deciphering which path to choose. Navigating life is often complex and confusing, so let this be your guide. The following is a simplified version from ACIM Ireland and the more complex but thorough explanation is from Kenneth Wapnick, PhD. whom I feel does a splendid job of laying it all out. Blessings in your Journey of Love!

“Knowledge : the activating agent of spirit, to which it is roughly equivalent, supplying its creative energy.

Perception: the agent of choice; we are free to believe that our minds can be separated or split off from the Mind of God (wrong-mindedness), or that they can be returned to it (right-mindedness);

The split mind; can be understood as having three parts: the wrong mind, the right mind, and the part of the mind (decision maker) that chooses between them; not to be confused with the brain, which is a physical organ and thus an aspect of our bodily self.

Wrong-mindedness ;

The part of our separated and split minds that contains the ego — the voice of sin, guilt, fear, and attack; we are repeatedly asked to choose right-mindedness instead of wrong-mindedness, which imprisons us still further in the world of separation.

Right-mindedness ;

The part of our separated minds that contains the Holy Spirit — the Voice of forgiveness and reason; we are repeatedly asked to choose it instead of wrong-mindedness, to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance rather than the ego’s, and thus return to the One-mindedness of Christ.
One-mindedness ;

The Mind of God or Christ; the extension of God which is the unified Mind of the Sonship; transcending both right- and wrong-mindedness, it exists only at the level of knowledge and Heaven.”

(A Course in Miracles – Ireland, 2013)

Please read all the way through before zipping off to explore the many links included. I suggest reading first then doing a thoughtful review. If you have questions, I am happy to share my knowledge.

(adapted from the Glossary-Index for A Course in Miracles, Fourth Edition)

Kenneth Wapnick, Ph.D.

A Course in Miracles distinguishes two worlds: God and the ego, knowledge and perception, truth and illusion. Strictly speaking, every aspect of the post-separation world of perception reflects the ego. However, the Course further subdivides the world of perception into wrong- and right-mindedness. Within this framework the Course almost always uses the word “ego” to denote wrong-mindedness, while right-mindedness is the domain of the Holy Spirit, Who teaches forgiveness as the correction for the ego. Thus, we can speak of three thought systems:One-mindedness, which belongs to knowledge, and wrong- and right-mindedness which reflect the world of perception. Our discussion will follow this tripartite view of mind.

The accompanying chart summarizes the Course’s description of the mind. It should be examined in conjunction with the following references from the Course which deal with the relationship of spirit to mind, spirit to ego, and the three levels of mind:

T-1.V.5
T-3.IV.2-6
T-4.I.2-3
T-7.IX.1-4
W-pI.96.3-5
C-1

A Course in Miracles, therefore, is written on two levels, reflecting two basic divisions. The first level presents the difference between the One Mind and the separated mind, while the second contrasts wrong- and right-mindedness within the separated mind. On this first level, for example, the world and body are illusions made by the ego, and thus symbolize the separation. The second level relates to this world where we believe we are. Here, the world and the body are neutral and can serve one of two purposes. To the wrong-minded ego they are instruments to reinforce separation; to the right mind they are the Holy Spirit’s teaching devices through which we learn His lessons of forgiveness. On this level, illusions refer to the misperceptions of the ego; e.g., seeing attack instead of a call for love, sin instead of error.

Thus, the Course focuses on our thoughts, not their external manifestations which are really projections of these thoughts. As it says: “This is a course in cause and not effect” (T-21.VII.7:8). We are urged not to seek to change the world (effect), but to change our mind (cause) about the world (T-21.In.1:7). When lesson 193 states: “I will forgive, and this will disappear” (W-pI.193.13:3), what is meant is that our perception of the problem and any pain that comes to us from this perception disappear, not necessarily the physical expression of the problem. For example, if rain threatens proposed plans and brings upset or disappointment, we should not pray for sunshine, but rather for help in looking at the inclement weather as an opportunity we have chosen to learn a lesson in forgiveness the Holy Spirit can teach us. This is not to deny that the ego can make or affect a physical world. However, as this physical world is inherently illusory, a result of our thoughts, the Course’s emphasis is on correcting these mistaken or miscreative thoughts, which are always the true source of any problem. This correction then allows the Holy Spirit’s Love to direct our behavior in the world.

One-mindedness

The One-mindedness of Christ is the world of Heaven or knowledge: the pre-separation world of spirit, love, truth, eternity, infinity, and reality, where the oneness of God’s creation-the sum of all His Thoughts-is unbroken. It is the natural state of direct communication with God and His creation that existed before the mind of God’s Son thought of separation. In this state the perfect unity of the Trinity is maintained.

The Trinity consists of: 1) God, the Father; 2) His Son, Christ, our true Self; and 3) the Holy Spirit, the Voice for God. Included in the Second Person of the Trinity are our creations, the extensions of our Self or spirit. The Second Person of the Trinity is not exclusively identified with Jesus, who is part of Christ, as we all are.

Wrong-mindedness

The ego consists of three fundamental concepts: sin: the belief that we have separated ourselves from God; guilt: the experience of having sinned, of having done something wrong which emanates from our belief that we have attacked God by usurping His role as First Cause, making ourselves our own first cause; and fear: the emotion that inevitably follows guilt, coming from our belief in sin and based on our thought that we deserve to be punished by the ego’s made-up god of vengeance.

To ensure its survival, the ego continually attracts guilt to itself, since guilt proves sin’s reality and it is sin that gave the ego birth. Once it has established guilt as real the ego teaches us never to approach or even look at it, for it says we would either be destroyed by an angry, vengeful god-a god that the ego made, in fact, to suit its purpose-intent on punishing us for our sin against him, or else annihilated in the oblivion of our own nothingness. This fear keeps the guilt and sin intact, for without seeing them as decisions of our minds we can never change our belief in them.

Left with the anxiety and terror brought on by the fear of God, our only recourse is to turn to the ego for help, since God has become our enemy. The ego’s plan of salvation from guilt has two parts: the first is denial, wherein we push our guilt out of awareness, hoping that by not seeing the problem it will not be there. Second, after the guilt is denied, we project it out from us onto another, magically hoping to be free from the guilt by unconsciously placing it outside ourselves.

Projection has two principal forms: special hate and special love relationships. In special hate relationships our self-hatred or guilt is transferred onto others, making them responsible for the misery we feel. Our anger or attackattempts to justify the projection, reinforcing others’ guilt for the sins we projected from ourselves. Special love relationships have the same goal of projecting guilt, though the form differs greatly. Our guilt teaches we are empty, unfulfilled, incomplete, and needful, all aspects of the scarcity principle. Believing this lack can never be corrected, we seek outside ourselves for those people who can complete us. Special love, thus, takes this form: I have certain special needs that God cannot meet, but you, a special person with special attributes, can meet them for me. When you do, I shall love you. If you do not, my love will turn to hate.

The ego’s world becomes divided into enemies (special hate) or savior-idols (special love), and the true Identity of Christ in others is obscured. Judgment, always based on the past rather than acceptance in the present, is the ego’s guiding principle. Through special relationships the ego sustains its existence by maintaining guilt, since using others to meet our needs constitutes an attack, and attack in any form reinforces guilt. This sets into motion the guilt-attack cycle, wherein the greater our guilt, the greater the need to project it by attacking others through special relationships, which merely adds to the guilt, increasing the need to project it.

The ego’s wrong-mindedness is a dream of separation, most clearly expressed in the physical world which was made as “an attack on God” (W-pII.3.2:1). The body’s existence is one of sickness, suffering, and death, which witness to the seeming reality of the body as opposed to spirit, which can never suffer pain, or die. Crucifixion is the Course’s symbol of the ego, representing the belief in attack and sacrifice, where one’s gain depends on another’s loss. All aspects of the separated world are illusions, since what is of God can never be separate from Him, and therefore what seems separate from God cannot be real. This is expressed by the Course principle“ideas leave not their source”: we are an Idea (or Thought) in the Mind of God that has never left its Source.

Right-mindedness

God’s Answer to the separation is the Holy Spirit, and His plan to undo the ego is called the Atonement. A Course in Miracles employs many terms that reflect the Holy Spirit’s plan, and each is a virtual synonym for the other. They include: miracle, forgiveness, salvation, healing, real world, true perception, vision, face of Christ, reason,justice, holy instant, holy relationship, function, happy dream, Second Coming, Word of God, Last (Final) Judgment, resurrection, redemption, correction, awakening, and undoing.

These terms, belonging to the separated world of perception, refer to the process (the miracle) that corrects our misperceptions, shifting from hearing the ego’s voice of sin, guilt, and fear, to the Holy Spirit’s Voice of forgiveness. In this way, special or unholy relationships become holy. Without these relationships we would have no way of being freed from the guilt the ego has taught us to bury through denial, and retain through projection. The Holy Spirit turns the tables on the ego by changing its purpose for projection into an opportunity to see this denied guilt in another, thereby bringing it back within which allows us finally to change our minds about it.

While the practice of forgiveness, or undoing guilt, is usually experienced as complex and long term, it can be understood essentially as a three-step process (see, e.g., T-5.VII.6; W-pI.23.5; W-pI.70.1-4; W-pI.196.7-11). The first step reverses the projection as we realize that the guilt is not in another but in ourselves. Second, now that the guilt has been brought to our attention and we recognize that its source is in us, we undo this decision by choosing to see ourselves as guiltless Sons of God, rather than guilty sons of the ego. These two steps are our responsibility; the final one is the Holy Spirit’s, Who is able to take the guilt from us now that we have released it to Him, looking at it with His Love beside us, and thus without judgment and guilt. This looking without judgment, in gentle laughter, is the meaning of forgiveness. Using the workbook as our guide, we become trained over time to hear the Holy Spirit’s Voice, learning that all things are opportunities to learn forgiveness (W-pI.193).

Illustrative of this process-aspect of forgiveness are the references under periods of unsettling and bringing darkness (illusions) to the light (truth), as well as workbook lesson 284. These reflect the almost inevitable difficulty that results when one begins to take the Holy Spirit’s lessons seriously, and allows the deeply denied guilt to begin to surface in one’s consciousness.

When our guilt is finally undone, right-mindedness having corrected wrong-mindedness, the bridge to the real world is complete. The memory of God dawns within our minds, as all interferences to it have been removed and we see the face of Christ in all people. This world of illusion and separation ends as God takes the last step, reaching down and lifting us unto Himself. Restored to the One-mindedness of Christ, “we are home, where … [God] would have us be” (T-31.VIII.12:8).” (FACIM, 2013)

Sequoia Elisabeth 🙂

Unity in Gender Diversity Free eBook “a Love Based Society”

Ownership = Responsibility

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Ownership is purely a man-made concept which has existed for thousands of years in some form or another. The question I ask here is simply this, “How does ownership serve you”? Is it in the Highest and Best Good of the Human Race & Earth?

Ownership as defined by the Encyclopedia Britannica is, “the legal relation between a person (individual, group, corporation, or government) and an object. The object may be corporeal, such as furniture, or completely the creature of law, such as a patent, copyright, or annuity; it may be movable, such as an animal, or immovable, such as land. Because the objects of property and the protected relations are different in every culture and vary according to law, custom and economic system and the relative social status of those who enjoy its privileges, it is difficult to find a least common denominator of “ownership.” Ownership of property probably means at a minimum that one’s government or society will help to exclude others from the use or enjoyment of one’s possession without one’s consent, which may be withheld except at a price.”

What do you own? Think carefully here. Are you sure? Is it because you paid for it? Or is it simply that you claimed possession? Can you do with it as you please? Does it bring you joy? Is it time to re-assess your viewpoint on ownership?

Ownership can be reduced to a one word definition, responsibility. Do you own the house you live in or do you simply have responsibility for it while you live there? You make payments on the mortgage till you either move or pay it off, then you still pay taxes and maintenance fees. If you decide to dig for diamonds or drill for oil can you? Doubtful! Most homes do not include mineral rights. Even if they did, do you have the right to lay claim to something which belongs to Mother Earth (everyone)?

Pets are a living thing we claim ownership over, so what is up with this? Aren’t you really just offering to provide care and food for the returned love they provide? Is this ownership? They see it as you have joined their pack or pride! And in reality, this is true also. By owning a pet you have a responsibility to care for this animal plain and simple. It is a joint venture for the betterment of both, no ownership involved!

Marriage can be viewed from the ownership perspective depending on the society you are living in. Families used to give their daughter up in a financial deal with another family in a transaction which benefited both families, a form of ownership, which the man or ruling family controls. In fact, it still exists today in many minds. The husband owns the wife who must conform to his wishes. He bears the responsibility to care for her in the exchange. This is the business of Marriage! $72 million per year is spent on this in the USA alone.

By owning a car, stereo, computer or any other object you have the responsibility to care for this object till you release this “ownership” by selling, giving, or throwing it away. This is really what ownership means! It does not give you the right to abuse the item, pet, or person in your life.

In regards to Marriage and relationships, the responsibility is implied and exists whether married or not. Ownership has nothing to do with it in reality. It is not possible to own another person (without their permission – which marriage constitutes). This is one reason I am done with marriage in any form. Some things are beyond law!

Ownership of property, living or not denotes responsibility! Of course simply being a member of society bears responsibility. What I speak of here is we all own everything. The idea of privileged use of certain items or land is an affront to civilized behavior! The lesson we need to be teaching is that we are all one big family and to damage, abuse, deface, or otherwise destroy anything is offensive to yourself and your family. Even if you are paying for a service like a car wash or renting a bicycle, caring and respecting the item is a part of the temporary ownership you have of that item. Public space is another good example of community ownership and the responsibility each person has to care for it.

It comes down to simply Loving yourself and everything in your life whether it is “yours” or not, because in reality everything belongs to everyone. Equality is the goal! Share and share alike, a resource based economy has this focus and will meet the coming needs of society best. Maybe we should all be looking carefully at what ownership really means and how it applies to society. Maybe we should all be treating everything as if we own it and with the realization we own nothing!

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Man I Feel Like A Woman

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Do you feel like a man or like a woman? What is a certain gender supposed to feel like? How do you know? I realize that most cisgender people have not considered these questions, but for a transgender or transsexual individual it is of constant concern. Gender incongruency is something ~98% of the population can’t even fathom. Consider the possibility the concept of gender as taught in the schools is inaccurate?

First understand the difference between sex and gender. Sex is determined by the parts between the legs and gender is determined by the parts between the ears. At least this is the modern or current understanding by science. Consider the possibility that each person is here in this world for a purpose and they have chosen the roles they are to live before they are even born.

What if in fact gender is determined by consciousness, the Source Field which surrounds the body and makes up everything in this world? What if no one has a gender until they acquire one? Much like sexual orientation it must be discovered by the individual. I cannot tell my brother that he is gay or straight or if he is man or woman. These are things he must discover. Life is a discovery! And we are explorers.

The prevalent teaching about God, Great Spirit, Universal Mind, Infinite Intelligence (or whatever you choose to call this energy) is that it has no sex or gender. Eastern philosophies have known this for centuries and slowly the western philosophies are accepting that God is not a man sitting on a throne up in heaven. Our philosophies are merging, especially here in the USA where we are surrounded by both all the time. A new understanding is emerging and I call it Oneness. We are all One.

The idea I present here today is that God is all there is and since God is all, so are we. This means that no one has a gender or a sex in reality! Those things only exist in the reality we call life on earth. We are indeed all androgynous beings of light! You may have seen this image presented before as alien life, for instance in the movie Cocoon (1985) or in episodes of Star Trek and in multiple instances in the media. Everything is energy.

I mention the idea of androgyny here because I feel this is the truth of nature. I believe that hetero, homo, bi, pan, or a sexuality are creations of the human mind or the mind of man. This goes for the concept of man and woman also. How do you know what a man or woman feels like? You do not know any more than anyone else does! Just because you seem to have been born male or female does not mean you know what a man or woman feels like. It is what you say it is.

The core of our being is pansexual androgyny, meaning we are characterized by the potential for aesthetic attraction, romantic love and/or sexual desire for people, regardless of their gender identity or biological sex. And we are neither men nor women, but a combination of both to varying degrees across a spectrum. In some individuals this can shift back and forth as well. You will define it as is comfortable for you.

In the end you feel like YOU. Accept this feeling and get comfortable with it; it is all you will ever have in this lifetime. No matter what you change on the outside, the inner core remains the same. The experience will change as this is the point of the material world. Enjoy the ride, act with authenticity, and live with pride! This is your role in life and it is mine.

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Transgender Suicide

by Sequoia Elisabeth

“Transgender Suicide Report

For the last five years Laura’s Playground has prevented Transgender suicides on line. (Click Here for a link) The estimate of transgender suicides in our community is between 31% to 50% depending on who in the community we talk to. Few outside our Community acknowledge or believe these numbers including Dr Kenneth Zucker and Doctors Blanchard and Baily. Until now it’s all been guesswork. Actual numbers were hard to come by as it is hard enough for families to admit there was a suicide let alone that the victims were transgender. The fact is most medical examiners do not know if a person was gay or transgender due to families too embarrassed to report it. Here we have 5 suicide prevention crisis rooms in chat that are all busy. Our staff both moderators and supervisors are certified in youth suicide prevention. The fact is we have actual numbers not just an estimate. In a 5 year period here this site handled 78,800 suicidal crisis’s online. They were of 3 types. Type 3 being suicide ideation, Type 2 being suicide ideation with a plan and Type 1 being actual suicide attempts.

Type 3 = 46933 Type 2 = 20238 Type 1= 11629

In addition, in a survey here over 50% of Transsexuals had at least one suicide attempt by their 20th birthday some as young as 7. This was also verified by chat transcripts of the crisis’s especially in the early years. Reasons given for suicide in order:

1) Problems coming out to homophobic friends, families and co-workers. Homophobia in general including slurs.

2) Body Image Distress or disgust – puberty

3) Discrimination – Housing – Employment – Church’s

4) Victims of Hate crimes and/or violence

These are actual numbers and reflect what is really going on in the community. Many had more than 1 reason combining 1 and 2 and others. The biggest surprise was the role homophobia played in suicide ideation. If homophobia stopped tomorrow the suicide rate would be significantly reduced which means it is preventable.” (Laura Amato 2012)

The one reason I see lacking here is money. Many transsexuals lack the money to have any treatment at all and most lack the funds to have SRS/GRS. We are talking 50k to 150K depending on surgery, electrolysis, therapy, and hormones. Those who are most severely dysphoric are most likely to end it all due to a lack of funds. It is an option I keep in the back of my mind and review quite often. Fortunately, I understand I am not my body and removing the body will not fix anything. I even hesitate to have surgery at all knowing that ultimately it changes only my appearance. My soul has no gender, but that is another story.

The good news is there are organizations working hard to remedy this predicament many of us face. Advocacy groups are working to change the insurance laws and get transgender care including surgery added to most plans. The AMA has come out and stated that surgery is a medically necessary treatment for Gender Dysphoria, see my website for link to statement. As it stands now, a few carry it as a rider and most of these are because the Corporation or Municipality negotiated/demanded them into the options they offer.

Many larger communities have organizations who offer low cost therapy and Denver has several. The Gender Identity Center, who I volunteer with, offers therapy and hormone letters to those in need on an ability to pay basis. Here is a link to therapists who specialize in gender care. If you can’t afford them, ask for options in your area. I am happy to help if I can, also check my website for other resources.

The Jim Collins Foundation offers a grant for surgery to those meeting their qualifications, click here for info. Some surgeons offer scholarships or grant programs to assist their clients in payment. Check with your surgeon to find out what they offer. I do know Dr. Reed in Miami has a program for the first 13 per year who apply. There are companies like Satori Medical who help clients find low cost surgery in Thailand and other locations. Many creative solutions have been found over the years by many a resourceful individual. Necessity is the Mother of Invention after all!

The best way to deal with a perceived lack is to help someone else fulfill their need. This is one reason I started this website, to give what I need! If you know of a need in the world, reach out and help, you will be helping yourself.

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Unity in Gender Diversity

Celebrating Diversity Revisited

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Transitions Blog is meandering along and in keeping with topics related to Gender and Sex I am re-posting a blog from 2010. It is fairly basic, but I bet many of you have not thought of sexual orientation as I present it here. Thanks for reading and please share your ideas for new topics.

Sexual expression comes in many different flavors, and is possibly as unique as the number of people on our beautiful blue planet. The old school wants us to conform to the old ‘boy meets girl, girl has baby’ scenario and while that does serve its purpose as a race we are moving beyond that. Relationships are so much more than adding one more baby to the rising population, or even the aspect of replacing the self. The world may appear to be a binary system with only men and women, but I can assure you it is not.

Sexual orientation is an aspect of gender that Dr. Carl Bushong describes as “Brain Sex”. “Our love/sex patterns, and how we relate to others on a social and interpersonal as well as sexual level, often referred to as our “Sexual Orientation”.” (1995) This aspect, like gender identity, is hard wired from birth, which means our brains, being much like a computer, are programmed to be attracted to certain physical attributes, genders and personalities.

To restrict every person on the planet, all 6.8 Billion +, to being either heterosexual or homosexual is unrealistic. Instead it is much more feasible that each person on earth has their own unique sexuality which falls into several categories. The categories as they exist today are, heterosexual, homosexual, asexual, bisexual, and pansexual. There are a few other words being used but overlap these so I will stick with this list. Within each category will be a sliding scale so that each person falls somewhere on the scale and is not necessary stuck exactly in that spot, although they will stay within a category.

Just briefly hetero means opposite sex attraction, homo means same sex attraction, The (a) in asexual means no sexual attraction, The (bi) in bisexual means both sexual attraction, and the (pan) in pansexual means all sexual attraction. I do not like the term bisexual because it implies there are only two sexes, male and female. This is the old world paradigm and no longer works (if it ever worked). Pansexual includes everyone and applies to anyone that is sexual but not strictly attracted to the opposite or same sex. This term is far more appropriate in today’s society.

The whole labeling game gets a little absurd after a while because the terms become contradictory and putting people into boxes is both confining and inaccurate. For instance, a transwoman who is attracted to women is lesbian or are they heterosexual since they were born into a male body? And what about the woman who was attracted to this person not realizing they were transgender? Does that make them a lesbian? So what if it does?

The world is coming out! We are becoming more aware of gender identity and sexual orientation, which is leading to more understanding and eventually to more acceptance. I ask only that you stay away from the labels as much as possible and simply love the person. This is why I like the Pansexual label best because it is defined as “A sexual orientation characterized by the potential for aesthetic attraction, romantic love and/or sexual desire for people, regardless of their gender identity or biological sex.” (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pansexuality#English, 2010)

Who you are attracted to should not be grounds for discrimination. (In reality there are no grounds for discrimination) Could you imagine if the world judged you on the grounds of your attraction to hair color? “Oh you like redheads, uggg or ewww”! Actually Blondes often get joked about and while it may be in fun, it is only fun to the person joking. Sexual orientation is just another of many category’s that are used to separate or define humans. Being unique is a gift, and it makes us lovable and desirable. Just think of a rare diamond or rare flower. Uniqueness is a desirable trait in our society, so why not extend that to your relationships. Celebrate differences and LOVE the person – stop separating! We are One – one big family of Human. Love the One your with!

😀 Sequoia Elisabeth

Space/Time and The Five Questions

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Our universe consists of space/time and time/space both of which are mirror images of the other. At the moment you are in space/time because you experience the physical world set in a certain time. Space has 3 dimensions and time only one. The mirror of this time/space has 3 dimensions of time and space only one. In reality both have 3 dimensions. Space is up/down, left/right, forward/backward and time is past, present, future. The space/time physical experience only has the one time element, present, i.e. the time is NOW.

Having explained this very basic law of physics you now know where you are, right? Not really…. This would require you know who you are and what you are. The who, what, when, where and why questions of existence make life worth living in my humble opinion. These are questions which have been intriguing mankind for millennia! This essay will attempt to give an answer to each of them to some degree of practicality.

Of course these are answers I have arrived at and you may well arrive some place else! Take what you read here with a grain of salt and move on with a bit more knowledge than which you arrived. Let us start with the who.

Who are you? In space/time we tend to experience ourselves as bodies, we think we are human beings or the animal human. The flesh and blood human is in fact a vehicle or medium of experiencing this physical reality. It is not ‘who’ you are, but perhaps where you are! The where of our 5 questions can then be extended to the place of the physical body, i.e. sitting in a chair eating breakfast at the dining room table staring out the window at the fluffy white clouds as they float carelessly by.

As one question is answered all the questions are answered because the whole of it is One. Understand our separation of each aspect/question is arbitrary and only used to help deepen the understanding of existence. So we now know where we are. Where the body is, is where you are at least in space/time.

The question of when you are is fairly simple since space/time has only one dimension, here and now. So the where and when are answered rather easily. The who, what, and why of it all are answered in concert because they are intrinsically connected. I offer up only what I have learned from my studies and leave it to you to question further, as I am doing.

What I am, is an individuation of Source, Infinite Intelligence, God, which is also ‘who’ I am. Same answer to both questions! So who is God, Source, Infinite Intelligence? That question is best left to another essay. I will say that what and who I am is consciousness itself, and the when and where are subjective and relative to the physical experience of the physical body I identify with. Why, is an arbitrary question and depends on the individuals interpretation of the other 4 questions. Why for me is to know they self. It is so God, Source, Infinite Intelligence can know itself. Like pieces of a puzzle each person, place, and thing make up the whole and further define God, Source, Infinite Intelligence. The combinations and experiences are infinite so the journey never ends!

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

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Meandering Down The Path

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Transitions Blog is still meandering down the path. The chasm has been traversed and we venture on to the next stage of our never ending journey Home. There is nothing to be done, no place to go, and nothing to see.

Or is there?

This of course is up to you. It is your choice where your journey takes you, and in fact you make this choice in everything you do or don’t do. There is no right or wrong choices, only the choices you make. Whether the choice brings joy or heartache is how you process the information perceived. Choosing neutral ground is not possible although many of us try.

Inevitably and eventually your actions will harm someone in some way and often this is a repeated experience. The waves wash both ways and over time we build up a strong barrier which both protects us and traps us. Courage is required to leap beyond all barriers and venture into unknown territory. Faith is the ingredient which makes the whole experience possible, otherwise fear and doubt drag you back to the abyss.

I wish you both Courage and Faith in your journey! May it lead you to precisely where you need to be. If along the way you have questions or need support you may contact me through this blog or the contract info on the website. I am open to topic suggestions, especially if you are not finding what you need on the website, Unity in Gender Diversity.

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Moving Beyond Addiction

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Moving Beyond Addiction

Define addictions and the perspective you are viewing them from.
Set a clear intention about them – quit, tolerate, or ignore.
In order to quit the intention must be clear and the action consistent.
Develop a plan of action which is no action at all.
How does this addiction serve you?
How is it affecting those you Love?
Get support! From a professional, a friend and/or your life partner.
Find something to replace it with that is both creative and supporting to your life and that of others.
Choose friends, activities and places that support your choice to quit. i.e. If you are going to quit smoking, don’t go to bars that allow smoking.

10. Once you stop identifying with being “xzy” then the rest falls into place and you will develop a new lifestyle that supports your choices.

11. It is important to fill your life with other things and the less you think about “xyz” then the easier it will be to maintain this new lifestyle.

Addiction can be a multifaceted state of being but most often it only involves one behavior that is psychologically or physically habit forming to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma and this persistent compulsive activity is harmful to the user or others. There are two types of addictions: substance addictions (i.e., alcoholism, drug abuse, and smoking); and process addictions (i.e., gambling, spending, shopping, eating, and sexual activity). The question of some behaviors being addictions such as talking too much, collecting memorabilia or habitual crossdressing is debatable as to their harmfulness or severe trauma from quitting. It is important to understand that an addiction is habitual and harmful to the user and/or others by definition. So if what you are doing is harming no one then it is not an addiction. It could be a habit or even a compulsion and not be harmful. We are concerned here with activities that are habitually harmful. What exactly this means can be debated and often is by the person who simply does not want to face their situation. This situation can be obvious to everyone or well hidden, but it is up to the individual to make the choice to change this behavior from harmful to harmless. The simple fact is that the behavior needs to stop, but it will not till the perpetrator decides to change. Let us just pick an addiction for example, say drug abuse. The person abusing drugs by using them to the point of harming themselves or others must choose to change this behavior or it will never really change. Most addicts know that they are harming their bodies and/or others and just are compelled to continue, so they must face what is going on and be willing to take the actions necessary. So what is a person to do?

The first thing which must occur is the person must admit they have an addiction and then they must decide to change. This decision must have conviction, clarity, and follow through. Ask for help! Do not think you can do this alone. Once the decision is made an action plan needs to be written down and shared with someone who is willing to help. When you are accountable to someone else it is harder to cheat, but then we all know there is only one person to cheat, yourself. The action plan should be simple and step by step. Depending on the severity of the addiction, quitting “cold turkey” is not wise. A slow weaning of the use or behavior is advised. It may be worth consulting a professional who has experience in addictions and it is highly recommended to find a support group or at least a friend who is not addicted also. Someone who has previously quit can be of great help.

Once you have a plan of action and some support you need to ask yourself some serious questions. The first and most important being, “How does this addiction serve me?” What do I get out of using drugs, smoking, drinking, eating, compulsive sex, etc. Can I get this without harming anyone? If so how? Find something constructive and supportive to replace your addiction with. Most addictions start from simple boredom. You tell yourself that this one time will not hurt, and then it becomes time and again. Next thing you know you can’t stop. And I am telling you that you can stop if you want to. It may take help and will definitely take support both from yourself and from others. So when you create a hole in your life by ridding yourself of an addiction the hole will fill back up if you don’t replace it with something constructive. Be careful here, you don’t want another addiction. Going from smoking to overeating is not helping anyone. However going from smoking to running or exercising each day is both creative and supportive.

Be very aware of your small talk when you are going through this! It is easy to talk yourself out of making a change and if you can be supportive of yourself you may just succeed. Think about it, if you are constantly telling yourself and others that you have to have a smoke and a cup of coffee each morning that is exactly what you will do! If on the other hand you say to yourself that you enjoy orange juice in the morning (and you really do) then that is what you will do. Create a story which supports you and your choices and then stick to it.

Choose something that you enjoy but is not harmful. If you don’t enjoy it then it will not last. Be kind to yourself. Praise yourself and find a constructive way to reward your efforts. If and when you slip, just say that is ok and continue on without beating yourself up. Just let it go and stay positive. Consistency is the road to success. The other question you need to ask yourself is, “How is this addiction affecting those I love?” Really look deep inside and be not afraid. When we really Love ourselves and accept who we are then all else is easy. Be careful not to judge yourself on your past and just take what you have and move forward. It is like a board game in which you look at where you are and roll the dice moving forward one space at a time.

The other thing you must understand is that addictions are usually started to cover up some emotion you did not want to deal with. This is why it is helpful to find a professional. There is a reason for everything and so there is a reason you got stuck on whatever it is that you are stuck on. Look for this answer because the things we think will kill us probably won’t and usually make us stronger. It is funny but did you know that you are more likely to succeed than fail? What we so often do is get afraid of failing and then do things to make it true, thus making us a success at failing. The point is whatever you set your mind to, and not allow doubt or persuasion to distract you, you can do.

In the department of support it is imperative that you choose friends, activities, and places that support you. If you are quitting alcohol and your friends all drink it may be difficult. If you are no longer a smoker but go to bars that allow smoking it will not last. If you are getting past an eating addiction, then going out to eat 5 nights a week may be counterproductive. The point is moving past an addiction is a lifestyle change. Your activities will reflect your spiritual, emotional, and physical development, which in turn are reflected in your habits and addictions. Not to say just because you work out 5 nights a week you are healthy. It is more about your state of mind and attitude. In creating this new lifestyle your self-image will change and this is where you want to be. When you can get to the point where you no longer identify with our addiction, i.e. “I am drinker, smoker, etc.” and instead see yourself as a success it will all be downhill from there! Simply be happy with who you are and accept that you are getting better and better each day. As your daily choices support your decision to change your lifestyle will change and so will how you feel. By keeping busy with daily activities it will take your mind away from your addiction and toward a more creative and supportive life.

Remember to fill the void with something creative and productive. And by productive it doesn’t have to be a big project, it could simply be reading a book or washing the laundry. Keep yourself busy and focus on things you enjoy, but not the addiction or anything that reminds you of it. If you always smoke on your walks then do something besides walking. If you always drink when you watch the game with the guys, then don’t watch the game with the guys or find a group that does not drink. It is about breaking habits that no longer serve you. Long walks in nature are a good thing as long as you stay focused on the beauty surrounding you or the good things that are happening in your life.

Now let’s review the major points so we can get a clear picture of what must be done to move beyond addictions. First define addictions, see what perspective you are viewing them from in order to understand what they are and to accept your addiction. Then set a clear intention about them – quit, tolerate, or ignore. In order to quit the intention must be clear and the action consistent. Develop a plan of action which is no action at all (meaning stop doing the addicting habit). How does this addiction serve you? How is it affecting those you Love? Get support from a professional, a friend and/or your life partner. Find something to replace it with that is both creative and supporting to your life and that of others. Choose friends, activities, and places that support your choice to quit. (i.e. If you are going to quit smoking, don’t go to bars that allow smoking.) Once you stop identifying with being “xzy addicted” then the rest falls into place and you will develop a new lifestyle that supports your choices. It is important to fill your life with other things and the less you think about “xyz” then the easier it will be to maintain this new lifestyle. Now simply know that as you think, say, and do, so will be your results. Enjoy life it is a gift!

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

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Everything Has A Reason

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Everything has a reason and purpose in life including pain, suffering, discrimination, bullying, inequality, and any negative you can imagine. Besides just balancing the positive, negative experiences serve Spiritual growth and collective learning. As the saying goes, it takes two to tango and you cannot experience loss without someone else volunteering to take it from you, or how about prejudice? Most of us have been on both ends of this, how else can we muster the compassion to forgive?

Who are we to deny these experiences our fellow man? Would you prevent another from learning their lessons? There is no way to stay neutral. I already tried that. The only thing you can do is go with the flow by listening to your inner voice without judgment and do what you must. It is not about being right or wrong, because once again we are all going to experience both and the more you focus on one the more out of balance you become and the more drastic the experience gets. Instead focus on the message the experience offers. Like a message in a bottle, every experience carries a gift!

We live in a Free Will zone (earth) so this means we all have free will and make our own decisions. Imposing your will on others is a violation of the Law of One thus polarizing your energy in the negative. There are two types of people on earth, those who live to serve others and those who live to serve the self. The first is positive polarity and the other is negative. Neither is right or wrong, however each has a path. The service to self path is the scenic route to God, while the service to others path leads straight home. The choice is yours, and mine…each person gets to make this choice.

There are certain paradigms for learning and growth. Earth is a 3^rd Density zone or Dualistic Paradigm. For every up there is down, hot leads to cold, pain to pleasure, and sweet to sour. Once our lessons are learned we move on to another. Eventually our growth reaches a point of completion for that paradigm, so we jump to the next. We grow out of these things on a personal level, like a passenger on a bus riding through town. This also works on a collective basis, so this is what planet earth just experienced. A shift to a higher consciousness or the next paradigm, 4^th Density or Unity!

The next time you think about protesting or advocating against something like slavery, discrimination, crime, or other inequality remember the Law of One. There are no victims, only volunteers! Be grateful for ALL the gifts you receive, even the ones which most consider “bad or undesirable”. Forgive and forget! Be the observer and witness your life while you are living it. It takes a little practice, and it works like this, allow yourself to do what you will and at the same time move your conscious awareness beyond your body. The tools used for this practice are will power and imagination. Try it while you are resting or sitting still as this is a good place to start. Let go of any expectations or judgments and accept that it is all GOOD.

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Self-Image

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Self-image is very simply who you think you are. It is based on feelings, past behaviors, and feedback from others. While this seems simple it really is not because life is interwoven beyond comprehension. Our minds cannot wrap around who we really are so it does the best it can to extrapolate meaning and identity. The mind uses the physical universe for the basis of this identity and employs many techniques of deception and subterfuge. At a young age we simply accept what we are told as to who we are. For instance, if you are born into a middle class white family with male genitalia and dark hair it is just assumed that you are a Caucasian boy from an average family who has dark hair and pale blue eyes. Identity is based on appearance. The reality of this identity is only as real as the material world.

Mixing in feelings and behavior, identity can be further clarified. First of all behavior is often driven by feelings which in turn feeds more behavior leading to self-image. If you feel average, act average, look average then one would assume you are average. I would say the ego mind sells this version of reality to most everyone whether it is true or not, and most of the time it is not true. What is normal after all and what/who is used as a baseline or model?

Feelings come from within and can vary depending on many factors both external and internal. Hormones for instance can determine how a person feels, as well as many other brain and body chemicals. From the exterior things as simple as the weather can have an effect on feelings, is it raining, sunny, windy, etc.? Other people can affect feelings if we let them by reacting to their actions or words. So the bottom line is we often base our self-image on false data!

How does one figure out who they are then? From experience self-image is learned and can be changed with some concerted effort. Identity is a personal thing and evolves over time in sync with the environment and personal choices. The more I delve into this subject and it has been an important factor all my adult life, the less I am inclined to believe the standard teaching on self-identity being hardwired into the brain. I believe the brain to be far more malleable than we realize. In fact, I view the brain as a computer processing center and without input it has no output.

So who are we? First we need to know who we are NOT! We are not our body or any part of it. We are not who others think we are even though this does have an effect on who they are. We are not our feelings or behaviors although they do have an effect on our appearance to others. …We are who we think we are!

“I think therefore I am” Descartes

Going back to the previous example, if you believe (think) or agree with what others think of you then this is who you will be, a white middle class boy with dark hair and pale blue eyes. If however you think yourself to be a rich white upper class girl with blonde hair and hazel eyes, then this is who you will be! I can speak from experience here as this has precisely been my experience. Ultimately, I know I am neither!

Just because a person has certain DNA and gene structure when born it does not mean they will or have to follow this path. Choice plays a far greater role than given credit for, however I also know that fate or destiny also plays a role. Now, please understand that I do not suggest that a person chooses to be gay, straight, transgender, or black consciously, but we do choose a destiny before birth so as to have certain experiences for spiritual growth. Fulfilling this destiny is the only way to move on. So it is best to embrace this path by looking deep within and with all the courage you can muster, step onto this path fully, with open eyes and open heart knowing all is well. We are Spiritual beings having a human experience after all. The Spiritual Principle, “As above, so below” applies perfectly here. As we evolve spiritually, our physical expression changes.

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Unity in Gender Diversity

All Death Is Suicide 2012

by Sequoia Elisabeth

The end of the year is upon us and so this is my last and final blog of 2012, the year of Prophecy! Everyone I know is still here and looking forward to a new and prosperous year. There is something about endings that we love to romanticize and I am no different. Knowing there is an end to the pain and suffering observed around the world gives me comfort. Knowing there is a higher purpose to all that manifests on this plane is what keeps me going. For me the ideal world is one which operates on a NL/RBE (natural law/resource based economy). I feel it manifesting as I write this and know it has been in the works for quite some time now. The world is indeed evolving and I am glad to have been a part of it. The subject for today’s blog is not new but it is also near and dear to my heart. Remember to remain open to new ideas and never judge others for the path they choose.

I find it strange that to die by “accident” is unavoidable but to die by suicide is sinful and unacceptable. These beliefs serve a purpose of course, because they help us to make it through tough times when it is so easy to just end it. Love is the answer, everything else are just excuses. Consider the following quotes and make up your own mind.

“There is no such thing as an accident; everything that happens to you in every moment of every day is an exact vibrational match (thanks to the Law of Attraction) to the dominant thoughts you are thinking.

No exceptions, ever.

And, just to really throw the cat among the pigeons (as the saying goes), here’s one of Abraham’s most controversial (but completely true) sayings…

All death is suicide.

…which is a natural conclusion anyway if there is no such thing as an accident.” Stingray

It seems that everything is a choice, even death! This goes right down to the color of your eyes and your genetic structure. Not that all choice is conscious. These choices were made before you were born and through thoughts, words, and actions taken by you along the path.

“However, the fear of death is unnecessary. The truth is that all death is suicide. At its core, everything is a choice. There is an awakening occurring on the planet for those who are paying attention in which we are realizing how much choice we actually have in the creation of our reality. As we accept our power we must let go of the desire to be accepted or understood by those who are stuck in mainstream thought. This willingness to transcend the fears of others and become a pioneer is crucial to personal evolution.

In life, a central challenge is to let go of the idea that your body is decaying with time. It is not. It is actually recreating itself constantly.” Unification.com

“In the Conversations with God Series by Neale Donald Walsh, God says that all death is suicide, and it is just a matter of whether we want to do it quickly, or over time with eating bad food, breathing polluted air, smoking, drinking etc. If someone is in pain, God does not want one to suffer, and does not blame someone for leaving their body quickly. If someone was to love you so much they would understand that, to keep you is selfish, everyone is sad when someone dies, not because so much they think something bad happened to them, but they cry for themselves, that what they want is no longer with them. Take this story for instance I was so in love with this guy, we lived together for a year, but I noticed he would go in the bedroom all sad and close the door sometimes. I found out he was looking at pictures of his kids he loved so much and his wife he was still in love with. I planned it out and talked him into moving to the city where his children and ex lived, and when we got there I said this is where I drop you off, I am moving on. I loved him enough to let him go and try to work things out with his wife and to be there for his children. Now, that is love.” Kathy Miller

Remember that every thought, word, and action leads to your experience in this world and ultimately to your fate. We are guided by higher powers, no matter how you think of them, Divine Being, God, or Higher Self. Listen to this guidance and you will make it through the maze of life to the Promised Land. There is no right or wrong way home.

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

ps. Thanks for reading Transitions Blog, 417 posts and going strong – I wish you a Joyous New Year 2013

Mirrors of Friendship II

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Transition is a 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 the Joy grows exponentially when there is someone who cares to share the experiences with.

Often the decision to begin the transition journey i.e. come out to your partner or parent(s) is the biggest challenge. Will they accept you? The real question is do you accept yourself? The only way to know if you accept yourself is to observe how others treat you. I know this may seem backward or strange, but this is just how it works. Understand this… you are all there is, all else is a reflection of who you are. This may seem odd and self-centered, but it is the Truth and it is both good and bad news.

I call this the mirror principle. Life is often like living in a house of mirrors, and it can get pretty confusing. This being said let’s get back to your partner who is having difficulty with your coming out news. Each person in your life has their own vision of you… as a reflection of themselves, because from their perspective they are the only person there is! So, be gentle with your expectations of them just as you are gentle with your expectations of yourself. Do on to others as you would have done on to you, because they are you! We are One. Each person is an individuation of the whole; the One; all there is. All those who are close to you will transition with you or they will fall out of your life. Transition/change is like walking into a new room, if they do not come with you,… well you get the idea.

When you think about this it explains a lot about the reactions and treatment you get from others. You may or may not be treated well, however the longer and deeper your understanding of this reality the better life gets. Those who see themselves to be like you or see something in common are going to be supportive and understanding (and vice versa). This is a great reason to join a support group! The internet is a great place to look for one, or you could ask around, network with friends and if you still 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 give you the opportunity to grow self love. The Love you give is the Love you receive! Not only do support groups offer much needed information 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 and I find this to be the greatest gift anyone can offer!

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

2012 ChristMas!

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Our favorite time of year is upon us again, especially if you are a youngster or still feel so. It is a time of giving, sharing, and togetherness. This does not require family, but it does require a willing to give of self. It is easy to find those who need love through simple acknowledgement and/or attention. A small gift of time or material substance is all it takes to let them know they are important. To move beyond this point let us look deeper to the heart of the holiday.

This is the time of year when we are reminded of Christ consciousness and its relationship to our lives. The very word itself is an indication of what this season is all about. Christ in metaphysical terms means centered or anointed one. The word “mas” in Spanish means “more”. So thus we have it in simple terms. This season is about getting more centered or literally, centered more and the word “anoint” means to dedicate to the service of God or in other words, to make sacred and whole.

The ceremony (Christmas eve/Christmas morning) is a way of connecting to Spirit and setting intentions. It is an acknowledgment of Oneness with God (Great Spirit, Universal Oneness, Goddess, etc). The symbology is important this season because when you share gifts it is a way of saying to the recipient, “you are sacred to me”. On Christmas morning you are anointing those you love with gifts. The actual item is far less important than the Loving intention (Christ consciousness) that goes into the gift. The gift is in the giving!

When thought of in this manner the Spirit of Christ Mas is brought to life! This year when you are sitting around the tree (yule log, menorah, or whatever) and sharing gifts, share also the Christ Consciousness. In short, move outside yourself (ego mind) and connect with the One (God) which is present in each person in your life.

This is how Santa delivers millions of presents all in one night! Through Christ Consciousness the Spirit works through each of us!! May you be Blessed this season 😉

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Practice Makes Perfect

by Sequoia Elisabeth

The animal human is like any other animal, very habitual. We do the same things over and over, especially when they feel good or get us what we want. Once learned, actions are often repeated even when they no longer satisfy us. At this point one must unlearn the learned and change behaviors.

Learning begins with need and desire. Once something to learn is identified going about the tedious process of learning begins. Depending on past experiences and current skills the learning will come easy and quick or long and difficult. Either way practice is key. Practice, practice, practice!

Again this is where habits come to our rescue. The more you do something the easier it gets. The one exception I can think of is lifting weights; this never gets easier for me for reasons I have yet to figure out. Now moving on, generally speaking what you focus on grows. By practicing something you are staying focused on the activity. Wherever you put your attention so goes your energy and it takes energy to get something moving. Once it is moving, an object in motion tends to stay in motion, so if you take too long a break it will be like starting over when you pick it up again.

Certain activities are easier to pick up than others, like riding a bike, paddling a canoe, or walking. An activity which you have never done (in any lifetime) will take longer to learn. For me I will use the example of knife throwing. As a child I tried for a long time to learn to throw knives and never got the hang of it. I have studied Spanish for years, and still cannot speak it, although I do understand some. If perhaps I had lived a past life in Mexico or Spain, it might be easier. The point being if you really desire learning a skill it takes PRACTICE – repetitive action to the point of habit.

The more complex the skill the more practice required, generally speaking, playing a musical instrument for example or sports activities. This applies to anything you do even intellectual pursuits like writing, debating, or planning. The fun part is doing what you are good at! This is very important because if it is not fun, you will probably not do it enough to become good at it, catch 22! Getting started does take some fortitude and the deeper your desire the better your chances at success. Thank you for reading Transitions Blog, now get back to practicing!

😀 Sequoia Elisabeth

The Zeitgeist Movement as a Transition

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Let us consider today the shift in consciousness the Solar System is now undergoing. The earth is aligning with the galactic center and a doorway to transformation is opening. The reality of One has never been more apparent than right now. As we each awaken to reality a feeling of connection pervades consciousness. The relationship each person, place, and thing have binding them together is coming into view. One could say the veil is being lifted.

Stepping back and looking at the big picture the interlocking nature of each and every system is becoming obvious to even the un-awakened individual. Humanity has been in the teenage years these past 50yrs and it is now coming of age. We are growing up and thus needing to take responsibility for our actions while acting as an adult with compassion and caring.

The short video “The Zeitgeist Movement – The Transition” explains this transition quite nicely. Look closely at the evidence they present and consider your own life within the larger community at a whole. We are but Child Gods playing with toys far greater than our demonstrated maturity. So far we have managed not to destroy ourselves and so the prospects are looking very good that we are about to step into a Type I status. We are becoming adults!

The Dec. 21, 2012 date is the ending of our teenage years and the 22^nd is the first day of our Adult life as the Human race on Earth – Terrains. Of all the transitions we have each been experiencing individually this one encompasses all life on Earth! Even Mother Earth (Gaia), the Sun and planets are shifting.

The energy has been intense and it has been difficult to stay positive as these changes are bringing to the surface many issues which must be dealt with before the shift. For those who are facing these challenges the shift will be smooth, and for those who have been ignoring them or actively suppressing them the shift will be sudden and violent.

It is in your best interest to stop and take a look around. What is calling for your attention? Do you understand where you stand and why? Are you holding on by tooth and nail? It is time to let go. Fear not, instead have Faith all is well. This is not a blind Faith, but a knowing loving Faith. The kind God has! You are made in her image and likeness so now is the time to act like it!

What would Love do now? How can you offer compassion and caring in each thing you do? Are you considering how your actions affect those around you including the plants and animals? Consider your actions carefully and proceed with knowledge which harmonizes with your heart and not just your head. If it doesn’t feel right simply don’t do it. Research the Zeitgeist Movement, the Occupy Movement, a resource based economy, and a Love based society. We are all changing, so look ahead with excitement!

Sequoia Elisabeth 🙂

http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/

For more info please explore these links,

http://www.thezeitgeistmovement.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_movement

Life of Pi

by Sequoia Elisabeth

“Life of Pi” the movie just came out and the reviews are very positive. I saw the movie recently and think the story is very applicable to the transition journey. In fact, the main character Piscine Molitor Patel or Pi for short experiences a profound transition in the story and the main gift to the audience is this same transition of discovering God.

Spoiler alert – From this point on the plot and “message” will be discussed so if you have not seen the movie, go see it first and then read this blog.

“Pi is raised a Hindu, but as a fourteen-year-old he is introduced to Christianity and Islam, and starts to follow all three religions as he “just wants to love God.” He tries to understand God through the lens of each religion and comes to recognize benefits in each one.

Eventually, his family decides to sell their animals and move to Canada due to political concerns in India. In the second part of the novel, Pi’s family embarks on a small Japanese boat to Canada carrying some of the animals from their zoo, but a few days out of port, the ship meets a storm and capsizes, resulting in his parents’ death. After the storm, Pi regains consciousness in a small lifeboat with a spotted hyena, an injured zebra, and an orangutan.

As Pi strives to survive among the animals, the hyena kills the zebra, then the orangutan, much to Pi’s distress. At this point, it is discovered that a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker had been hiding under the boat’s tarp; it kills and eats the hyena. Frightened, Pi constructs a small raft out of flotation devices, tethers it to the boat, and retreats to it. He delivers some of the fish and water he harvests to Richard Parker to keep him satisfied, conditioning Richard Parker not to threaten him by rocking the boat and causing seasickness while blowing a whistle. Eventually, Richard Parker learns to tolerate Pi’s presence and they both live in the boat.

Pi recounts various events while adrift, including discovering an island of carnivorous algae inhabited by meerkats. After 227 days, the lifeboat washes up onto the coast of Mexico and Richard Parker immediately escapes into the nearby jungle. The significance of 227 days is from the common approximation of π using the fraction 22/7.

In the third part of the novel, two officials from the Japanese Ministry of Transport speak to Pi to ascertain why the ship sank. When they do not believe his story, he tells an alternate story of human brutality, in which Pi was adrift on a lifeboat with his mother, a sailor with a broken leg, and the ship’s cook, who killed the sailor and Pi’s mother and cut them up to use as bait and food. Parallels to Pi’s first story lead the Japanese officials to believe that the orangutan represents his mother, the zebra represents the sailor, the hyena represents the cook, and Richard Parker is Pi himself.

After giving all the relevant information, Pi asks which of the two stories they prefer. Since the officials cannot prove which story is true and neither is relevant to the reasons behind the shipwreck, they choose the story with the animals. Pi thanks them and says, “and so it goes with God”.” (Wikipedia.org, Nov. 26, 2012)

The two significant messages offered the viewer are as follows, in the movie it is the reporter who makes the observation of the parallels in the two stories, the animals to the humans, so this is a slight plot change. The officials assume the first story about the animals is true because it just sounds better and they have no way to prove one or the other, “and so it goes with God”. We each have the choice of choosing our story and then living it! Your life is a story and how you live your life is your choice. It is your gift to God and vice versa. Since life is a gift why not make it your own!

The second profound message in this movie is the transition Pi makes on this long journey as he discovers God. Following the animal analogy he is the Tiger and the Tiger represents his ego. The other animals are simply characters representing different aspects of the ego world. The hyena represents the cruelty in the world, the zebra is the victim or common man, and the orangutan represents mother earth or the maternal spirit. The hyena is strong and only thinking of itself. It takes what it needs and attacks the weak common man/zebra killing it. It then turns on mother nature and like man it attacks. Even though mother nature/orangutan fights back it too dies, symbolizing what we are doing to mother earth. At this point the Tiger comes to the rescue and kills the hyena. Thus the ego is the hero! …At least so far.

This is where Pi’s journey of Spirit commences and at first he is afraid of his ego/tiger and then he reaches the point of survival and confronts the ego/tiger again loosing. He needs to feed the ego/tiger and God provides by supplying fish in a fantastic show of flying fish and tuna that “accidently” end up in the boat.

Reading the survival manual found in the boat he devises a way to train the ego/tiger using the waves and a whistle. So eventually he and the ego/tiger are able to live in peace and he actually develops a love for the ego/tiger.

When they reach the beach of Mexico though the ego/tiger demonstrates he has no love for Pi and walks into the forest without looking back, even though he does pause. The message here is profound in my view. Pi is left with the only thing he ever really has, God. God is his very nature and cannot be taken or lost. Pi goes on a new man and lives a very rewarding life always remembering who he is as he discovered in these most fantastic 227 days.

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth