Discrimination | Oneness Ministry

Racism

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Racism is a structural issue and not an individual issue. How many people do you personally know who are racist? I mean those whom you hang out with often. Certainly none of my friends are. I remember my Grandfather was to a small degree, but I see him as a product of a culture. You see we are like those whom we spend the most time with. It is in our nature to be copy cats so to speak. So it is a gift when someone mirrors the opposite of who we are. This helps us define the person we wish to be.

So what do I mean by structural? I mean our race/cultural mind is racist. I mean it is built into the system on a foundational level. We live in a duality so for every yes, there is a no. For every white there is a black. Society of course softens and manipulates this to be less than obvious, though if you look for the duality it stares you in the face. What Spirituality does is ask you to see beyond the surface into the soul of the other. It asks you to be color blind. This is difficult because the ego mind or mankind is asking you to do just the opposite. Cognitive dissonance results from the conflict which arises. Thus all the unrest surrounding racism. To be perfectly clear though, most of the rioting we have observed of late is connected to economic inequality and not racism. Certain groups use the news and manipulate it for their purpose. Which has been going on since the beginning of civilization I might add. Racism is just the excuse. Everyone has an agenda so don’t knock them for expressing theirs. As the saying goes, we all get what is coming to us! As I like to say, what you give – you receive. At the foundation, folks are re-acting to their fears. We all have the choice to act or re-act. Acting comes from Love, compassion, and a concern for others. Re-acting is always fear and comes from outside the self. Thus the “re”acting. Get it? Action comes from your core as a choice and expresses who you chose to be. Reacting comes from the fear that surrounds us all. It is reflected back from other self. Fear, False – Evidence – Appearing – Real. The ego offers it up as reality… it is not. Fear is like a riptide that pulls you down and unless you let go, it will finish you. Go with the flow means to center into yourself and let F.E.A.R. dissolve into the nothingness which it is.

The dictionary version of racism states it is about differences perceived in others. From where I sit, we are all different, so discrimination(seeing differences) is natural. Of course people are attracted to those they perceive to be like them. It is a process of identity. It is a process of belonging to something greater than the self. It is a perception of loving. “Projection makes perception.” (ACIM) So Racism is a form of self love.

Our social structure of the haves and have nots is also once again, not racism but economic inequality founded in duality and the need for polarity. Mankind’s incipient need to label and mislabel leads to disharmony and anarchy! Society will never reflect equality, because it cannot by its very nature! The landscape may change, People of Color may someday be the majority and controlling “race” but the beast will be the same. So our take away here is to love and judge not. There will always be a gradient of social structure based on differences, at least here at this level of the journey. I think what folks sense is the next stage or density of existence, 4^th density. (see LawofOne.info) For now we need to work on learning our lessons and accepting our roles in this density of self awareness (3^rd density). We are One means simply there is no other. There is no out there, out there! There is no one to discriminate against but the self.

‘Hate/Resentment/Anger is like drinking poison and waiting for the other guy to die’

Sequoia Elisabeth

https://onenessministry.info/

Spirituality Transitions

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Identity Addiction

by Sequoia Elisabeth

We are addicted to our identities, whatever they may be, and not just our identities, but the identity of all that surrounds us. How do you identify? Does this change when you are with certain people? I know mine certainly does. I remember my days working at the Gender Identity Center and meeting folks who identify as gender fluid. Perhaps this fits me. Perhaps it goes further to include not just identity, but the environment itself. Consider how you feel when you hike in nature alone. Do you feel a connection to the animals and plants? How about if you attend a large group event, say a ball game or concert? Why do we even hike in the woods or go to a big event? Could it be for the identity we borrow there? Don’t you ever tire of your identity? Isn’t it nice to try on someone else’s? Perhaps this is why hero’s are so adored! Or someone famous. Or the celebrated artist we wish we could be like.

Perhaps my initial phrase is exactly the opposite of true and we are actually afraid of our identity. We naturally fear our essence, our natural selves so we hide it by being what we are not. We project this unwanted identity on others. “Oh, that person was so mean” or “what a jerk that person was to me.” Choose an identity and vilify it! These identities fall into the list of individual rights as well. The right to not be discriminated against on the grounds the “other” is not like me. Everyone deserves respect, unless they violate my identity!!

The point here is as we grow Spiritually the phrase, “we are one” takes on new meaning. A literal meaning and it becomes difficult to identify with any one at all. I identify with everyone these days. An exercise I learned from the Conversations with God series by Neale Donald Walsch comes to mind. Go for a walk and randomly point at whatever you encounter and say, “I am that”. Do this regularly and observe how you relate to the world. If I am that trash on the sidewalk, perhaps it is not trash at all or perhaps it just reflects how I feel about myself. The bird has an entirely different view of the world than say a mouse or wildflower. With Oneness we realize how connected life is and how separated we can feel at times. This separation is false. It is Fear, false-evidence-appearing-real.

So in your everyday dealings with the world, ask yourself, who am I, really? If I have a job as a doctor or custodian is this who I really am? Are you the teacher or the student? The child or the parent? Couldn’t you be both? I am a Spiritual being having a human experience, but isn’t even that limiting? God is all there is and I am this, I am. No judgment required! Its all good, for its all God. No identity necessary!

Sequoia Elisabeth

https://onenessministry.info/

Gender Related Spirituality Transitions

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Discrimination and American Values

by Sequoia Elisabeth

The United States of America has traditionally been mostly Christian or some variant. Though the beauty of our country is we respect all beliefs and our constitution protects our right to believe what we Will (as in power, not action). These rights go both ways though. While we have the right to our beliefs we do not have the right to force them on others. Discrimination is a sticky pickle for a very simple reason. A very basic spiritual principle that every religion teaches says “Do onto others as you would have them do on to you”. Another way to say this is “What you do to another, you do to yourself” or “What you give you receive”.

Let’s apply this to discrimination. If a person tells another don’t judge me, then they have to practice this as well if they expect the other person to comply. If someone refuses to socialize with what they perceive to be the “other” or “those who are not like them” then they are giving this “other” the right to do so also. In effect this person is creating separation, not only from the “other” but from themselves as well! By being afraid to socialize with this “other” they perpetuate the very thing they are afraid of.

In a Course in Miracles Jesus teaches us to see beyond appearances, to find the divine in everyone and in everything, not because it is really there, not because there is a separate objective reality, but because there is NOT. Everything we experience is a projection from our own mind and is intended to awaken us from our dreams of dying, from being separate. This is Unity, Oneness, Truth. So when confronted with hateful, discriminating, mean other self, know that it is your own self reflected back and forgive. Just knowing how all this works makes it so much easier to be kind, thoughtful, and loving. Everything/everyone you encounter is either a statement of Love or a cry for Love. You get to choose where you look and what you see. It’s easy if you allow it to be. Resistance is Futile, LOL. Persistence pays.

Jesus teaches that a Miracle is simply choosing Love over fear. Every day we experience miracles without even knowing it. Now you know what a Miracle life is. This is what our founding fathers intended to protect. If we take an other’s right to discriminate away then we are trapping ourselves. (Not to mention violating free will!) Let them hate you, this gives you the opportunity to forgive them and in doing so forgive yourself. It may seem counter intuitive, but it works. I have tested it. Another thing Jesus teaches us is to turn the other cheek. If someone strikes you, offer the other cheek also. I tested this and was amazed by the result. Fear disappeared and Love is all that remained.

Sequoia Elisabeth