Oneness Ministry

We are One

Mar 16

Love and the art of Divorce

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Relationships can be easy, difficult, painful, joyful, and essential.  The one thing they cannot be is avoided.  It is in our nature to love and care for others.  If you will remember we talked before about the nature of all relationships being with the One, Holy Spirit, God.  The ego mind tries to create the illusion of separation and thus comes the pain and difficulty we have with relationships.

Marriage is basically an acknowledgement of the oneness that exists always.  Two people who are attracted decide to share in the journey of love.  They make a commitment to stand beside each other no matter what and to share all that each has to offer.  This is done in the presence of God, because God is all there is!  So whether the ceremony is conducted in a church, court house or park Spirit is present and witnesses this bond. 

The nature of the world we live in is ego mind.  Separation is being thrown at us at every turn, so it is little wonder that not all marriages last.  The rules we impose on each other are contrary to our nature as animals and as Spirits.  Monogamous, Heterosexual, relationships with biological family must be our lifestyle! 

I am here to remind you that the rules are simply made up and can be changed.  There is no right or wrong in life, only what feels joyful or not.  When we surrender to the flow of Spirit we are guided on the path we intended before we embarked on this human adventure.  Love is the way!

Sometimes marriages do not last and that is OK.  There is no rule that says we must take only one partner per lifetime.  You decide what is right for you!  Divorce does not have to be ugly. 

Marriage is two people looking in the same direction, sharing common goals.  If that changes then divorce can be the best choice.  While this needs to be considered deeply once the decision is made mutually, moving on can be as easy as walking away.  Love does not have to be abandoned!  Just because two people divorce does not mean they stop loving each other.  It means their paths are heading in different directions. 

I encourage you to take your time and keep love by your side always and all ways.  This means that you love everyone in your life whether you know them or not.   Do not leave your partner in anger or frustration and instead stay long enough to work through your feelings.  What you give, you receive.  Keep this in mind as you decide how you will approach divorce.  Marriage is a 50/50 arrangement so when it comes to dividing that, keep it as equal as possible.  Attachment is the root to all pain and suffering and the more you insist (resist) the worse it will be. 

When the right (for you) decision is being made things will flow and fall into place without struggle.  Pain is natural (because you are releasing an attachment) so do not focus on this, but instead focus on the possibilities to fulfill your purpose here on earth.  Love is our nature, so just be yourself and love will flow whether you are divorcing or marrying!  🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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Mar 15

Time is of the Essence

by Sequoia Elisabeth

There is no time like the present!  In fact there is no time but the present.  Are you listening?  The present time is the only time that exists, so are you making use of your time?  Transition is one of those things that takes time.  The physical transition alone will take at least three years.  Hormones take that long to reach the peak effects even though changes will be occurring during the whole process. 

Planning your transition in advance has many advantages and can actually save you time in the long run.  The biggest mistake that people make when transitioning genders is to get into a hurry.  Don’t take my word for it, talk to others who have transitioned.  Relax, take a deep breath and let go for a minute.  Do an evaluation of where you are right now.  If you are still questioning whether transitioning is right for you then I would highly recommend talking to a gender specialist.  Therapy can help you go deeper into who you are and the path that you have chosen. 

Notice I said chosen, because your life’s journey was chosen before you were born!  It is your job now to discover that path and follow it to the best of your ability.  This often takes on the appearance of you making a string of good decisions or possibly bad ones that lead you to where you are today.  Whether they are good or bad does not matter.  If you are a woman in a male body then it is best you do something about it.  The same goes for men in female bodies.  The sooner the better!  Let me stress that once more, THE SOONER THE BETTER.  Ask for help if you are having difficulty facing this. 

We now have children facing these issues at an ever increasing rate.  This is great because the transition can be made complete when puberty is guided in the appropriate direction.  The right way to do this does not exist as an absolute.  The path I recommend is to have the child evaluated and after they insist they are transgender for two years solid the next step is hormone suppression.  Put puberty on hold till they are sixteen or a legal adult and then they can make the proper decisions from there.  Allow gender expression that suits the individual, not that meets the expectation of society. 

I have a planning guide on my website that can be used to plan your transition.  Come up with a plan in advance.  Make sure you have money and maintain a source of income, because this gets expensive.  The electrolysis can be as expensive as the surgery so be aware of that.  The planning guide goes into specifics so I will not do so here. 

Be aware that time can be your friend when it is used as such.  Even if you have postponed this transition for many years, once you make the decision to transition, make a plan, and take one step at a time.  I wish you a blessed journey!

Gender Related Transitions

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Mar 12

No Order of Difficulty in Miracles

by Sequoia Elisabeth

One of the most powerful if not the most powerful concept you can understand is that there is “no order of difficulty in miracles”.  This concept comes from a book called “A Course in Miracles” which I highly recommend picking up.  Do not be in a hurry, because it will take you over a year to read this book.  But then what’s the rush, you have the rest of your life; let’s just hope that lasts longer than the year! 

The main premise of this world we live in comes down to one thing, separation.  Everywhere we look we see separate people, things and places.  This is not a new concept that I am introducing here, I talk about it often because it is so important to the workings of life.  God is all there is and by now I suspect that you are pretty comfortable with that idea, but are you comfortable with that reality?  I would think not since you and I are still here! 

ACIM calls the world illusory and what you think you are seeing is only a product of your thoughts.  Notice I did not say imagination, because this world has rules and structure so that it seems very “real”.  To quote a favorite character of mine Morpheus from the movie The Matrix, “What is real”?  You will remember that he asks further, “Is it something to can touch, taste, see or feel?  If so those can be broken down to electrical signals running through out your body.”  Real suddenly becomes a lot more ephemeral!  ACIM teaches that God is the only “real” there is and we are already there, cradled safely in “all that is”. 

Life takes on a new meaning when we understand that there is “no order of difficulty in miracles”.  So what is the purpose of miracles anyway?  ACIM teaches us that the false belief that we are separate from God is corrected by miracles.  So this means that miracles are simply here to “correct our misperceptions”.  You can think of this as a shift in consciousness.  Miracles join us with Christ mindedness or Buddha consciousness or simply with GOD.  Unity is indeed the goal of all Miracles! 

With this understanding now we can see that miracles join or unify, and it makes no difference whether we think something is hard or easy, big or small.  Moses parting the Red Sea so that Hebrews could re-join their brethren is a wonderful example of miracles having no order of difficulty. 

Looking at miracles this way means that a simple smile can be a miracle when it joins two people.  If you are not experiencing miracles everyday then you are out of synch and need to take another look.  All it takes is a shift in consciousness and that can happen in a instant!  😉  Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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Mar 10

We are Consciousness

by Sequoia Elisabeth

This is a continuation from yesterday.  If you are consciousness and not your body, then can you extend your consciousness to experience more than your personal life? Oh, Yes! It is time for us to understand that there is so much more to life than what you see around you.

We can see through the eyes of a bird, or experience the joy of a dolphin swimming along with a boat. We can feel the pain of a person who we just watched crashing into a wall. We can share thoughts with anyone, plant, animal, human or other. Why haven’t we done this already? Some have, but most are not ready for the intense feelings and emotions that accompany experiences such as these. So if you having difficulty reaching this level, do not be concerned, it takes practice and clear intent. Our consciousness is about to break free from the constraints of this world and this is what 2012 is all about, the end of the Mayan calendar (which is a calendar of consciousness evolution along a timeline).

What lays beyond the end? We will soon see! The one thing I do know is we will have Infinite Possibilities to choose from. I hope you can feel the urgency that I do, because our experience here on Earth is about over!

Does this mean we are all going to die? Of course not, unless you want it too. This means that whatever you desire is possible. We each choose our experiences and I can feel that mine is about to transform totally. I will never end, because I am energy and energy can neither be created nor destroyed!

Our bodies are changing constantly; no more permanent than a good TV show! Being born, dying, reborn, dying again, and in fact we die every night when we go to sleep and are reborn in the morning, it is only the experience of it all that changes. If someone has “died” in your life it just means that you will see them later, after you are done with your journey here. We create these experiences to feel separation, or I should the ego mind creates these experiences, because then the ego is proving itself correct. The ego mind is the window with which we view this world and experience it. Through conscious choice we can see through the “eyes” of God and leave the ego world behind.

So yes, my friends this is the ultimate answer to the question yesterday, I am conscious energy or to put that in terms we are familiar with, I am God, Infinite Intellegence, Great Spirit, (choose your deity). The answer is the same for all of us. You are God, I am God, all is God expressing in a fashion that reflects our energy at the time. So what is the ego? It is the false belief that you (we) are separate from God.  Blessings on your Journey.

 😉 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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Mar 9

I am not my body

by Sequoia Elisabeth

What do I mean by this? You may not fully understand what I mean when I say “I am not my body”. So let me clarify for you. My body is what has shape and form, it is typing this message and it is the image I see when I look in the mirror or I look down to see these hands.

If I or someone else were to thrust a knife into my heart there would be bleeding and most likely the heart would stop functioning along with the rest of my body. My body would start decaying immediately even though it would take years for the process to complete. What happens to me when my body stops functioning? I exist as I always have and always will! Our bodies do not end till our journey is over. “Here is the test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished: if you’re alive, it isn’t.” -Richard Bach This quote says it all. It is sort of like saying how do you know when your vacation is over? If your still laying on the beach then it is not. We talked in a previous blog about the car(our bodies) taking us where we need to go and providing us with the experiences we need.

So if I am not my body, then who am I? The question must be answered in your own mind. I can tell you, but before you will know, you must experience it. You can think of who you are, but that does not mean you are that, until you experience it! Let me give an example for clarity. I can think I am a woman and until I experience “being” a woman I am not that. It is our experiences that define us, but we are still not all the way to who we are. Look out and see the world around you. This is how you experience the world, with the five senses. We still need to figure out who we are.

Who is reading this message? Is it your body or the consciousness that fills the body? The “I” of “I am that” is who you are. You are the consciousness behind the individual considered to be “me”. This consciousness is individual, but it is also connected to all others, like hairs on a dog we are separate but connected. If you trim a hair, does that change the dog? Yes, but only in appearance and is hardly noticeable. If you pull the hair, then the dog is changed also, and in a more profound way, but still hardly noticeable. The dog continues to live, regardless of what we do to the hair. Our bodies are the same.

We can change our bodies and do so in order to experience life differently be it in a more or less congruent fashion. Does this change who we are? No, it does not. It matters not what you do to your body, only what you do with it! One way to know who you are is to remove all that is not you! What is left over is you. Even when your body is dead and gone, you will still remain. How is this powerful? No longer do you need to worry about your body, death or anything in this material world. What you do need to consider is your mission in this life. We are all here for a purpose, so the sooner we discover that and focus on it, the sooner our “ride” will be complete and we can move on! Just remember to enjoy the ride!   🙂   Sequoia Elisabeth

Gender Related Spirituality Transitions

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Mar 7

Painful

by Sequoia Elisabeth

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

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

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

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

Gender Related Spirituality Transitions

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Mar 4

Transgender Perspectives

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Today we are going to focus on Transition from the perspective of a Transsexual.  Most of the people I talk to have difficulty understanding what it is like being transgender or transsexual.  First of all the terminology can be a little tricky because there is no set standard.  I have a list on my website that will provide more insight to the terminology.  Just click here to see the list of terms. 

I speak from my heart and from my own perspective.  I chose this journey for the experience of transitioning from male to female, to experience Truth, and as an expression of infinite possibilities. (Your soul chooses its path before you are born, you choose every aspect of your life including your parents, siblings and friends, through agreement)  There is a quote that I just love by W. Clement Stone, “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”  I have always been a woman, although I did not always realize it.  I originally believed as most of you, because I am in a male body, I must be a man.  It does not work that way!  We are not our bodies!!  I like to think of it in terms of cars.  You were given a car at birth and spent years getting used to using it, caring for it and identifying with it.  Can you imagine having a mismatched car all your life?  What if you alter this car to match your inner self?  When you “die”, you are simply given a new car!  For those who think they can cheat the system, think again, suicides go back to the very beginning and start all over, so embrace your gifts because you have many. 

The fact that my first car was a convertible ’69 Pontiac Firebird is not a coincidence!  I loved being able to put my top down, be free and show off my sexy body.  When I was in my car I forgot my physical body and could just be me.  I used to curse my human body and hate the fact that I am so different than everybody else.  Not only am I a woman in a male body, but this body has been supersized!  I stand 6’11” now and in college I stood an easy 7’.  At one time I weighed 310 lbs.  A petite woman I am not!  It took many years to realize that this difference is my greatest gift.  I sit here and laugh at the absurdity of the whole affair, and yet I can sense larger forces at work. 

Mary 1950s

I am told that I pass well now, and I certainly feel totally feminine.  My Mom was tall too so I use her as a role model.  She worked as a model for a short while and I must say she is one of the most beautiful women I have seen.  The pictures here of my mother are when she was a young adult.  To be like her is indeed the ultimate honor!  May you rest in Peace Mom.

Life is full of gifts and when we look at it from this perspective a whole life of Joy opens up.  Driving against traffic is suicide, so stop!  Let go and Flow with life, be yourself and know that as you Love yourself, so will others. 

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth 

Mary 1953

Gender Related Transitions

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Mar 1

Know Who Guides You

by Sequoia Elisabeth

This is a continuation from yesterday. 

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

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

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

Christian Prayer for Peace

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

Blessings on your Journey of Love  🙂   Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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Feb 28

Voices In My Head

by Sequoia Elisabeth

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

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

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

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

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

Spirituality Transitions

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Feb 27

Safety Cont.

by Sequoia Elisabeth

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

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

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

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

Spirituality Transitions

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Feb 26

Safety and the Law of Attraction

by Sequoia Elisabeth

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

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

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

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

Spirituality Transitions

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Feb 23

What is Love?

by Sequoia Elisabeth

This is a continuation from yesterday.

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

“What is Love?

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

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

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

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

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

Neale Donald Walsch, Friendship With God, Page 156

“Love Is, a Poem

Love is not exclusive, but Inclusive

Love is not painful, but the Highest JOY

Love is never lost, but exists always

Love is not changing, but constant

Love is not different, but the same at all levels

Love is not wrong, but the answer

Love is Universal!

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

Love exists regardless of your life

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

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

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

Love is life itself

Love is a way of life

Love is an acceptance of all that comes your way

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

I AM THAT, I AM

Sequoia Elisabeth Carpenter, Livin’ Large, page 20

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

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

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

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

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

Spirituality Transitions

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Feb 22

I Love You! So now what?

by Sequoia Elisabeth

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

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

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

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

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

Con’t next time…  😉 Sequoia Elisabeth

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Feb 20

Mirrors of Friendship

by Sequoia Elisabeth

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

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

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

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

Gender Related Spirituality Transitions

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Feb 18

Union of Souls

by Sequoia Elisabeth

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

The Masculine and Feminine Union

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

🙂  Sequoia Elisabeth

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Feb 16

Beware What You Wish For

by Sequoia Elisabeth

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

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

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

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

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Feb 14

I am that

by Sequoia Elisabeth

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

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

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

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

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Feb 12

Family of One

by Sequoia Elisabeth

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

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

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

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

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

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

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Feb 11

A Moral Journey

by Sequoia Elisabeth

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

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

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

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Feb 9

If it walks like a Duck

by Sequoia Elisabeth

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

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

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

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

Spirituality Transitions

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