Oneness Ministry

We are One

Dec 20

Merry CHRISTmas

by Sequoia Elisabeth

What if life is a gift to support you?  Could you live humbly or would you let ego take you as it does so many.  If God intended for each of us to have all that we need when we need it, then life truly is a gift and we are Blessed.  In the dawn of our conscious mind the Truth is emerging.  All we need to flourish and thrive is provided us right here on this earth, right now and all we need do is accept the gifts.  The ego mind tries to control life through guilt, false belief and manipulation, but this is no longer possible because we are awakening.  We are emerging from the fog to behold the Garden of Eden.  We realize now that Adam and Eve are one person and that no one else even exists, although it seems like they do.  It seems as though the entire world is full of people, when in fact they are each an aspect of the whole.  The one has shattered into slivers of glass each unique and each a part of the whole, complete onto itself. 

Our transition is a journey of awakening to our true self.  Christmas is a time when we can celebrate that oneness by giving gifts to each of those aspects we treasure the most, those people in our lives who share our experience.  I sit here contemplating why, if saving the world is so important, Jesus did not save us from our lot?  Maybe there is no one to save, maybe there is no thing to save, maybe life is perfect just as it is.  Our purpose here is not to do anything but to be who we are and know it.  Yes, not just go through the actions of our life, but to be conscious of reality, knowing we are the Christ and that the birth of Christ is that very realization!  Each year another aspect of the one awakens to this truth.  Are you this aspect of the one that is awakening to the reality of Oneness? Are you the birth of Christ?  Of course you are, awaken dear one and feel the oneness.  One means one, it means that all of life is connected like petals on a flower, leaves on a tree or drops of water in the ocean.  Every aspect of nature that we observe is a reflection of this oneness.  We support our self always and in all ways.   

The next time that someone says that anything can harm you, tells you this is bad for you, or offers you a reason to feel bad, question their motive, see that they are coming from ego mind and that they are not guilty of a crime or anything other than unconsciousness. Your very awareness of this truth lifts you above harm.  See them as a shadow of your own mind and embrace them.  Know the Truth and hold this in the front of your mind and let this comfort you.  As the saying goes, “Live and let Live”.  Simply observe yourself in action and that self is all that you see around you!  Celebrate it, Bless it, Love it!   Merry CHRISTmas everyone!!  😉  Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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Dec 13

Row, Row, Row your Boat…

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Transition is a way of life for many of us.  We get so used to change that without it we are lost.  I challenge you to do nothing today!  The very statement is an oxymoron.  The point is that we cannot live in this world without change.  We are constantly shifting from one state to another like the ebb and flow of the tide.  The waves of thought never cease, ever so gently lapping at the shores of our mind.  How about sitting on the bluff above the shore today and simply observe? (of course I mean this figuratively)  Make no judgments, make no decisions, and make no resistance.  Simply enjoy this moment that feels eternal (It is).  What do you see?  What do you feel?  That is OK.  Everything is OK, no matter what thoughts flow through your psyche today. 

Each event that occurs in our lives simply leads to a better one.  After “doing nothing” for as long as you can, start choosing your thoughts as they float by like yellow rubber ducky’s on a stream….  Pick one up and see if you like it.  Don’t like it simply put it back in the stream!  Life really is that simple.  If it is not, then it can be!  Thoughts are where our lives begin to materialize, but it is the feelings that give them the fuel to manifest.  Choose a thought, talk about it, feel it as if it were so and be patient.  The Law of Attraction states that if this thought synchronizes with your beliefs then you will physically experience it.

If you would like to know where you stand then simply look around.  This is your creation.  Since change is the way of life, just wait a few minutes it will change!  So appreciate it while you can and if you are really happy with a particular creation, then choose it again.  Gratitude is the gravy that makes our lives worth living.  I am so grateful you have chosen to read this far!  Blessings on your journey 😉

Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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Dec 10

Transition is a Loving Action

by Sequoia Elisabeth

All transitions consist of change and change is about going from one state or condition to another.  So just how does this happen?  All change begins with thought, it is expressed through words and manifested with action.  Stated backwards it is Be, Do, Have.  Be that which you desire, such as peaceful, beautiful, smart, or abundant by doing things that reflect our state of being.  Before you know it you have everything you desire. 

Take being a famous musician for instance.  First we simply be a musician which means we do what it takes to get good at making music.  The more we do it and the better we get at being it the more we have of that life.  It sounds simple and it really is, but no one said it was easy or quick.  Transition can be simple though.  How do you feel?  Once you realize that you have always been a woman but were born with a male body the process of changing our bodies to match our minds is a step by step process, often completed rather quickly if one has all the resources necessary. 

As hard as many have tried we cannot change who we are.  It works best to change the body and not mess with the mind as that just does not work, which has been proven over the years by many researchers such as Dr. John Money.  I have tried for 30 years to be someone I am not and while I was very successful on the surface, I paid the price on the inside (3 peptic ulcers, 1 suicide attempt).  On my website I have a planning guide that was created to show you the path involved in transition from male to female.  The female to male journey is similar at first and changes drastically when it comes to hormones and surgery. 

We all desire to feel good about ourselves and to feel like we fit our bodies.  Most people never question their gender since it feels right to them.  The journey of transgender transition allows this feeling when we do the inner work of self acceptance as or before we transition physically.  I have been working on my self-worth, acceptance and image for the past 30 years.  Every experience we have contributes to how we see ourselves, behave and present ourselves to the world.  The hardest part of transition for me has been leaving the past in the past and simply being myself.  Habits can be hard to break and one of those is living in the past or the future while we ignore the present.  The transition involves breaking down, in MtoF case the male persona so the natural female can emerge.  This past year of living life my way has been a good feeling for me, but not always so good for others. 

When I look in the mirror now I see the person I feel like and that makes Loving me so much easier.  The transgender community is often accused of being self absorbed or narcissistic but that just is not the case even though it may appear that way.  Let me end today with this thought.  The world happens inside out, so we all must love ourselves first.  Ultimately, Loving ourselves is Loving others, because we are all one!  Oneness for those who are new to this concept is God is all there is – everything is God.  By Loving yourself you are Loving God.  By Loving another you are loving God.  By Loving life you are Loving God!  The same goes for your other emotions.  Please be easy on yourself though as much of our thoughts and actions are learned and can be unlearned which is what transition is all about!

Smile, God is watching you 😉  Sequoia Elisabeth

Gender Related Transitions

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Dec 9

Post-op Regret – Who do you Love?

by Sequoia Elisabeth

The last two posts covered post transition grief and they touched on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  Now I would like to get more specific, post-op grief or regret is sometimes experienced by Post-op Transsexuals.  I have been researching gender issues and transgenderism for about 10 years now and can remember stories from back in my high school days and the warnings my psychiatrist father gave me saying, if you are not happy before surgery then you will not be happy after surgery.

He makes a good point, but his view is skewed because he sees the failures not the successes.  The successes go on with life and never look back!  It is those who are dealing with possibly other issues besides transgenderism that end up at the psychiatrist’s office.  The difference between the successes and the failures is often the same issue that all transgender individuals deal with daily, self-acceptance.  Whether they have surgery or not, being accepted is an issue that everyone goes through with varying levels of success. 

It seems that the transgender community has a larger challenge with this than the general population which is reflected in the 50% suicide attempt rate in our community.  I have attempted it myself and have to talk myself out of it on a regular basis.  Just briefly as this could be a whole blog, suicide is selfish because it hurts everyone you love.  So it simply is not a choice, as my ex would tell her kids in her pre-school class. Which is what it is really all about anyway, choice!  There are always other options. 

So let’s get back to this issue of post op regret.  There have been some very high profile examples of this such as Renee Richards and in the documentary “Almost Myself” by Tom Murray.  It is strange how people love to focus on the failures in life.  In the cases that I have observed, several reasons for post-op grief are not knowing who you are, not accepting who you are, and trying to be something you are not.   Not all transgender individuals are transsexual.  Where we fall on the gender sliding scale is a personal awareness that comes from getting to know yourself.  Is it your desire to be like others so that you can fit into one of the two “accepted” boxes society has created, male or female? Are you comfortable being in the sex role of your birth body?  Only you know if it feels right or not and unless you are honest with yourself surgery could make things worse.   

Anyway, I think it comes down to one thing and that is self-acceptance.  It matters not what others think of you, really!  This is how it works, our thoughts are like a radiant field of energy and they surround us constantly, usually only about 10 feet or so, but in some situations they can be directed as far as we can imagine – around the globe and beyond.  If you are holding the thought “do they know I am transgender” or whatever, those thoughts are going to be picked up eventually by someone.  How you think about yourself determines in a large part how you are treated!  What thoughts are you projecting?  I still have much work to do, but I pass fairly easily and I am 6’11” 265lbs.  I am a woman, I know it, always have been, but I have not always known it.  I am not saying that I pass all the time, just that I usually do.  Most people make a big deal about my size saying something on the order of “you are the biggest woman I have ever seen”.  The other experience that I am thrilled about is that I rarely have anyone treat me rudely which goes for my entire life.  Our thoughts precede us!  When you are frustrated and angry the world knows this because you are radiating it everywhere you go, which is reflected back to us in events that usually frustrate us further.  Our thoughts are a self fulfilling prophecy.  We create our world with our thoughts, words and actions!  More on this next time.

Blessings, 😉 Sequoia Elisabeth

Gender Related Transitions

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Dec 8

Post Transition Grief continued

by Sequoia Elisabeth

In continuing our discussion of transition grief, any situation can create grief, pain or resistance, but actual harm is our perception of what is expected and not from the actual event.  Say you touch the red hot stove, your mind knows that this will burn you and then it produces the burn experience.  This phenomenon has been proven by various groups of researchers and is pretty amazing when you think about it.

Noticing how you feel in each moment of your life is important.  It is a good idea to do a mental inventory of your day before going to bed or at any point in the day so that you can be grateful for that which you enjoyed and for the things you did not enjoy. Even if you did not enjoy an experience you can simply accept it as another experience and release it because it no longer serves you.  It is sort of like choosing apples at the market.  We pick one up, look closely at it, feel it, smell it and simply keep the ones we want putting the others back. 

As I mentioned before there is a simple method of dealing with the issues as they arise in our lives.  It is important to develop this attitude before they arise so that it is automatic.  Some doctors may call this a coping mechanism, I simply know that this works because I have used it many times.  It has become a way of life for me.  Here is what you do each and every time you have an experience, simply say to yourself, YES. 

Yes, I accept this event, experience, situation, because I know that I am meant to be here or I would not be here!  YES, YES, YES!  In the process of having the faith to say yes no matter what, we are released from any harmful effects the event may have otherwise created.  You see it is our attitude and belief about what happens to us that determines the outcome.  All sorts of things are going to happen, that is the nature of transition, just remember that good and bad are up to you to decide and even if you decide that it is bad, painful or a disaster be thankful for the experience and choose to never go through that again.  Let go of the experience in the process of choosing who you are, and stay focused on your desires while forgetting the rest!  Our lives can truly be Heaven on earth if we decide that is what we desire.  So open your eyes and your heart and see the beauty this awesome world has to offer.

   😉 Sequoia Elisabeth

Gender Related Spirituality Transitions

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Dec 7

Post Transition Grief and the working of the mind

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Post transition grief or some call it Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  Whatever you call it, I just know that it is a part of change.  Any transition involves some stress, grief and pain.  Our attitudes and beliefs about the transition process will determine the degree in which we experience trauma. 

The symptoms that result afterwards depend on how deep our experience went and how well we processed the whole event.  One of the characteristics of this condition is an inability to stop thinking about the transition or event.  Basically we get stuck looking in the rear view mirror and forget to look forward.  Driving blind is always dangerous and so is not getting help when we notice that we are having a hard time letting go of the past.

The intensity of our dreams and the nature of our behavior are clues also to needing help.  Usually there is a reason we are not letting go and it is often because the event brought up an old issue that has not been dealt with. If we choose not to address issues as they arise then they are put “on file” to be dealt with later.  It is always best to deal with issues as soon as you can, because it is easier that way. 

Let me explain “dealing with an issue”, I mean facing it, seeing it for what it is and accepting it.  This can be done in a flash or it can take years!  We simply have to be willing to do it.  Later I give you a great method for applying this.  Traumatic events are harder to process because in the heat of the event much of available data goes straight into subconscious because the conscious mind shuts down when it is attacked (or perceives attack).  Then a long process must begin to bring it up out of subconscious so that we can “deal” with it.  I realize that I am speaking in generalities here and I am doing so because it is important to realize that transition grief can occur in many situations that we would not even consider being important. 

To re-emphasis this point, transition grief and PTSD differ in degree only.  Regret for the decisions made is something different and that is another discussion that maybe I will cover at a later date.  I will stop here today because I don’t want these entries to be so long.  Check back tomorrow for the “rest of the story”.

Blessings 😉 Sequoia Elisabeth

Gender Related Spirituality Transitions

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