Oneness Ministry

Hormone Balance

by Sequoia Elisabeth

The following is an excerpt from Sex and Sexuality the new eBook from Unity in Gender Diversity. There are a few comments in addition at the end of this blog.

“A hormone (from Greek ὁρμή – “impetus”) is a chemical released by a cell in one part of the body, that sends out messages that affect cells in other parts of the organism. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism. It is essentially a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one cell to another.” (Wikipedia, 2010). The message is imperative for the proper function of the target cells. The area of the body this book is concerned with is the sexual functions and since this is not a medical journal the descriptions are targeted to the layman. The purpose of this chapter is to demonstrate the power and the importance hormones play in our lives. Nowhere is this more evident than in the transsexual.

“In order to function, the body needs healthy endocrine glands that work correctly, a properly functioning blood supply to move hormones through the body to their target points, receptor sites on the target cells for the hormones to do their work, and a feedback system for controlling how and when hormones are produced and used. Any disruption in that system can cause problems that may require medical intervention.” (FtMGuide.org, 2010).

“Hormones have the following effects on the body:

stimulation or inhibition of growth
mood swings
induction or suppression of apoptosis (programmed cell death)
activation or inhibition of the immune system
regulation of metabolism
preparation of the body for mating, fighting, fleeing, and other activity
preparation of the body for a new phase of life, such as puberty, parenting, and menopause
control of the reproductive cycle
hunger cravings

A hormone may also regulate the production and release of other hormones” (Wikipedia, 2010).

“The hormones commonly considered to be “sex hormones” in the body are testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone. Testosterone is often referred to as a “male” hormone, and estrogen and progesterone are often referred to as “female” hormones. However, it is interesting to note that no exclusively “male” or “female” hormones have been identified. All hormones characterized to date are present in all people regardless of sex, as are the receptor mechanisms that respond to those hormones.

In fact, the physical observation of the sexes we call “male” and “female” in nature is the result of differences in the amounts of individual hormones in the body and differences in their patterns of secretion (first in utero and then again during puberty) rather than their presence or absence. In other words, testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone are produced by men and women, but in differing amounts and in different patterns.” FtMGuide.org (2010)

The existence of transsexualism demonstrates the difference between male and female is degree and this also is why males can change to females and vice versa. It is simply a matter of communication with the cells of the body which is done with the use of hormones. Please remember though that it is the individual’s gender identity and brain makeup that determines whether the hormones should be balanced for male or female.

The quote above mentions receptor mechanisms and when the brain is female, it has mostly estrogen receptors and therefore needs estrogen to function properly. The male brain is the opposite. If as in transsexuals a female brain develops in a male body, these mechanisms cannot function properly, thus brain function is reduced. From this author’s perspective, the areas affected are mostly in the emotional department but also other areas, such as ability to think clearly and comprehend at a deep level. Language skills are much improved since supplying the proper hormones.

If a male brain takes estrogen the receptors do not match up and the result is wild emotional outbursts and erratic behavior. This not being my area of expertise, I will say from others I have spoken to that the female to male transsexual would experience similar difficulties before CHT.

It is sort of like putting diesel fuel in a gasoline engine! The human body is a remarkable structure and it adapts to many situations, however when the proper hormones are present they function like messengers and open pathways to proper function depending on brain structure, not sexual organs.

The lesson learned here is that male and female really are fairly superficial aspects of our being and that every human has both, otherwise there would be no way for a male to take female hormones and take on the characteristics of female (or vice versa). The proper balance for gender identity and brain makeup is what is most important.

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Gender Related Transitions

Humility Part Two

by Sequoia Elisabeth

St. Francis teaches that humility is the path to God. Jesus teaches that humility honors your Father. I am passing this message on in my own words. First let us look at the life of St. Francis. He continually put himself in situations that would embarrass most people to tears and he thrived on it. Why?

He used this gift to put his life into perspective and keep his ego mind in check. Humility is a great tool to cope with the demands of ego mind. In this world of bigger, better, and more you are constantly pressured to conform to ego demands. It comes from all directions, every person you know, including yourself, or at least your ego self! If you don’t understand the difference between ego and Spirit, then I suggest you do some research. I have talked much about this myself. A Course in Miracles is the best explanation I have found and many ACIM teachers teach this difference in ego and Spirit. I am not speaking of ego in the Freudian sense of personality. I speak of ego as the man made part of you, and it includes all things in this material world. The Spiritual part of you cannot be seen and this is the part to which Humility directs you.

Examples of how St. Francis used humility are his frequent trips to town to beg for alms. He would stand in town center and sing or dance, sometimes giving speeches, but all the time drawing attention. Many people thought he was crazy, but most saw the innocence that made up his being and gave to him all that he needed. He made profound statements without uttering a word, like the time he denounced his claim to family inheritance. He came from one of the riches families of the day. His father was a textile merchant and well to do business man. He was embarrassed by all the fame and attention that this lifestyle afforded him, because he saw the poor and knew they needed it more than he. In front of the entire congregation at church he removed the wealth his father had bestowed upon him and gave it to his father walking completely naked from the church never to step foot in that world again, at least as one of them. This symbolizes his choice of Spirit over the ego, nothing more. This is what humility does! It is a declaration of Spirit instead of ego.

Jesus taught humility everywhere he went. He would always put himself in the physically lowest position in every situation. He stood below in order to lift up. He allowed himself to be put in the lowest of positions, that of being crucified. He carried his own cross, meaning he chose this path, and he allowed the crucifixion because he knew that to humble himself before God is a demonstration of choice. This was his way of choosing God over ego. He did not fight with ego, represented by the authorities of the day, because he knew what true power is. Ego has no power unless you give it by your actions. Each choice you make is a demonstration of either Spirit or ego. Humility is one path that all faiths teach at some level, so I am not saying it is the only path or the best. That is up to you to Choose!

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Humility Part One

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Each person has their understanding of what humility is and it will depend greatly on the traditions in which you are raised. Let’s face it, we are the culmination of our beliefs and our beliefs are handed down from our forefathers. With Loving care and diligence these beliefs can be shifted and molded to direct your life in the direction of the most high.

The origin of the word humility is “early 14c., from O.Fr. humilité , from L. humilitatem (nom. humilitas) “lowness, insignificance,” in Church L. “meekness,” from humilis “humble.” In the Mercian hymns, L. humilitatem is glossed by O.E. eaðmodnisse” (Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010).

Look now at the dictionary meaning of Hum·ble, which is the root word for Humility.

–adjective

1. not proud or arrogant; modest: to be humble although successful.

2. having a feeling of insignificance, inferiority, subservience, etc.: In the presence of so many world-famous writers I felt very humble.

3. low in rank, importance, status, quality, etc.; lowly: of humble origin; a humble home.

4. courteously respectful: In my humble opinion you are wrong.

5. low in height, level, etc.; small in size: a humble member of the galaxy.

–verb (used with object)

6. to lower in condition, importance, or dignity; abase.

7. to destroy the independence, power, or will of.

8. to make meek: to humble one’s heart.

(humble. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved December 02, 2010, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/humble)

Now that you have a good feel for the word, consider how this feeling serves you in transition. Most people and especially the transgender community are well familiar with the feeling of embarrassment, disgrace and humiliation. These are typically emotions that we avoid like the plague! When you do experience them it is painful and effects you for days if not longer.

What if instead of getting upset about these events you choose to be grateful for them and accepted them as a gift? How is this possible you ask? Quite simply shift your perception and see these events in their true light. The truth, by the way, is always humbling. As an example, assume that you are wearing a wig (because you feel your hair is too thin) and in full view of public your wig falls off. Several people turn and see you, including a cute person behind the counter who you like. The first reaction is to panic, grab the wig and run! This would of course make things worse. Instead consider the possibility of breathing deeply, moving slowly, picking the wig up, and carefully putting it back in place, asking for help if need be. Feel the humility of such an event and do not run from it. Allow that cute person behind the counter to see the real you, the part that God sees, the lovable part in God’s eyes.

So often in life you allow the ego to run your life and this is where the fear and discomfort comes from in the first place. When Spirit is what animates you then Love is behind every action and even if you fall flat on your face in a restaurant full of people, Loving care, and concern is what reflects back because it is Spirit that fills you. You see – whatever you experience is a reflection of what flows through you. If it is ego, then pride fills you and your experience is that of embarrassment, however if it is Great Spirit/God/Universal Intelligence that fills you then Care and Compassion is your experience. This is the gift of humility!

🙂 Sequoia Elisbeth Carpenter

Wisdoms End

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Wisdom never ends and it does not belong to any one person. This is a valuable piece of information that every seeker of knowledge, scholar, and educator need know. You as an individual know nothing and what you think you know is worthless. These are the frivolous floundering of the ego mind, its ongoing task to feel important and be special in the minds of others.

Wisdom is like a stream that meanders down the mountain, across the field and into the ocean. It flows constantly and anyone can come to the stream and drink its waters. Wisdom is like so many things in this world that people attempt to bottle and sell. If you have ever taken a butterfly and put it in a bottle you know that it dies. Sooner or later the magic is gone! Why? Because it belongs to no one and everyone! Beauty, innocence, wisdom, affection, joy and all those things we each desire are free and pertain to the old saying, “the best things in life are free”.

The next time you read a profound statement or a moving story, accept the gift and know that you could have said that too. The author is simply a scribe no less or no more important than you are. They have simply walked to the stream and drank its water! Anyone and everyone has this choice if they so desire. The attributes listed above can easily be substituted for Wisdom, this stream delivers Beauty, Innocence, Affection, Joy, and whatever the heart desires. The only caveat is that you do not own it, you are simply using it, enjoying it, sharing it, but never do you have exclusive rights to it!

The act of learning something is opening yourself up to wisdom and allowing this stream to flow through you. It can also be likened to aligning yourself with the specific vibrational frequency of a particular energy (wisdom). A teacher teaches by raising the vibrational frequency of her students to her level. This is done in a myriad of methods and there really is no limit to the ways this can be accomplished. Andragogy is the best method and involves facilitating the learner in obtaining this desired energy frequency on their own. When the desire is held within the heart (it cannot be placed there by anyone other than the individual) the desire drives the person to the answers they seek, thus in the future teachers will be called facilitators.

Wisdom is simply knowledge that is a part of Universal Consciousness ( the stream) and to think that anyone person is smarter or less knowledgeable than any other is demonstrating a lack of understanding. We each drink from the stream to a different extent. Worship not those who go before you and instead strive to attain their level of wisdom. Drink up my friends. They have simply opened more doors than you have and drank of the stream more often. What they say may sound profound and very well could be exactly what you need to hear in that precise moment, but that is not due to their gifts but to yours! Great Spirit is always aligning you with the wisdom you need when you need it and when you awaken to this fact you will see it, plain as day.

If you read something profound and “wise” while reading this blog, just know that I have opened myself up to “the stream” and so can you!

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Everything Is Energy

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Have you ever considered the purpose of your body? If we are energy, then why do we have a body anyway? Why not exist as balls of light or waves of sound or particles of dust? The inspiration I have received today is about the human experience and our bodies.

Yes, the body is how we experience the world. Without it we could not see, feel, taste, smell or hear. And in order for the body to work it must have fuel. The things we eat are our fuel and the body’s job is to convert one physical form (food) to another (energy for the body). Basically the body digests foods, i.e. breaks it down into parts one stage at a time and then processes or converts this to energy which our body uses to function in this world.

The human body is a sensory organ, energy converter, transportation device, and statement of the energy that makes up your being. The body is not who you are, however it is how you express who you are. How you treat your body shows your level of Love because it all comes from within the Heart center.

On this day of thanksgiving, consider the miracle of who you are! The beauty surrounds us and runs through us, as us! Let us be united in this awareness of the grand miracle, Life. Blessings to you and yours this Holiday season♥

Sequoia Elisabeth 🙂

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A Path To Change

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Transition is not only for us as humans; the entire Earth Mother is transitioning and this is connected with the Galaxy and Universe as well. The timing right now is perfect for you to step up and embrace your birth heritage. Many people have been hiding behind personas they believe serve them and for many years they have. The time has come for everyone to let go of the old paradigms of thinking, analyzing, and intellectualizing every little decision.

The time has come for everyone to live from the heart. The heart center is the home of your connection to soul. Your authentic self resides here and is asking to be heard. Many people think that wisdom is of the brain and that the most important organ of the human body is the brain. This has been the bases of life here on earth for the past 2000+ years and our Mother Earth is ready to change. We have accomplished much in the past and technology is an amazing tool. Let us use this tool to connect our hearts! As awareness grows and the shift in Mother Earth occurs we can each play our part in assisting the birth of a New Earth.

Divine Feminine energy is taking control of the situation here on earth. In order to move ahead we must each accept the responsibility to live an authentic life that stems from our Heart center. If this means living your life as a gender variant or sexually diverse being then so be it. If this means unleashing your creative side and following your dreams, now is the time. Deep within you is a well of Love and all you need do is break it open and allow it to flow. Sometimes we need help with this and I offer this quote as explanation.

People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that’s what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life.
A true soul mate is probably the most important person you’ll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then leave.
A soul mates purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life, then introduce you to your spiritual master…
~ Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love)

So where does this spiritual master reside? Within the soul!

The next time you get into place of confusion or where you need to make a major decision get in a quite spot, sit still and allow your heart to speak to you. For more on meditation click here. Imagine a green flame burning brightly in your heart and focus on that. Relax and focus on the flame. With practice you can do this in a moment’s notice and maintain this connection all the time. I believe the urgency for all humans to learn and practice this is great and growing!

Another meditation that works well for transgender individuals is to visualize two flames, one pink and one blue. As you relax allow the images to merge into one purple flame. Feel the energy as you do this and focus on the heart, right in the middle of your chest between the breasts. This is not your physical heart but your spiritual heart and it is dead center in your body. Pay attention, it has a message of Love for you!

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Transgender Day of Remembrance

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Have you ever considered why this day of remembrance is important? How about the advocacy work that so many organizations do? Does it work and why does it work? I mean what makes advocacy work! I remember being distressed by the thought of everyone gathering around and sharing victim stories and it was almost like death was a success. And indeed it is a success for ego mind, but that is another story.

Today I would like to shine the light on why it is important to remember events of the past and to honor those who have gone before you. The obvious answer that I have heard many times, “learn from your past or you are doomed to repeat the mistakes”, falls short. The other answer that these individuals are important as human beings and kindred family is indeed one of the reasons, but to me not the most important.

The real gift here is that injustice is brought to light. Awareness is raised in the minds of all people and they see that violence is destructive and unjust. Transgender Day of Remembrance brings our community to the main stream consciousness in a cry for equal rights. It is a statement that we are people too and deserve to be treated as well any other person. The fact that often gets lost in communities is we are all humans and a part of the whole of life; it is not us against them! Let me emphasis this point. It is never about US vs. THEM in any situation. When this perspective is taken it becomes a losing proposition. One if not both parties loose. The Equal Rights movement is about equal rights for everyone. No one person is better than any other or more deserving or less deserving of common basic human needs such as personal security, love, self esteem, personal fulfillment, cultural security, and participation, plus a right to life, liberty, freedom of thought, expression and identity, and equal treatment before the law. Let us focus on the things we all desire.

In the end what makes advocacy work is the Universal Law of Attraction among other laws. What you focus on grows. Or to say that another way, the energy of attention is a funnel that sends this power where ever it is pointed. If you are focusing on the things that are wrong or broken or painful then you get more of them. However if you are focusing on what is working, how systems are supporting you and what you like about a certain person, place or thing then you will get more of that! This seems simplistic I know and there are details if you wish to know more. This works, I am a living testament to it and actually so are you!

Take advantage of this Day of Remembrance to focus on what you loved about that person who has lost or taken their life. Focus on the laws that have been passed recently which raise awareness to what is acceptable and what is not. Share your dream of the world you wish to live in! It is important to be heard, we all deserve this so listen to others and treat them the way you wish to be treated. There are no victims only volunteers, thus I honor all the beautiful people who have volunteered to be symbols of change and to shine the light on a community’s needs.

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

The Power of Place

by Sequoia Elisabeth

I challenge you to notice how your thinking and interests change as you are in different places. The power of the environment to effect change in your thoughts and behaviors is an important tool for coping in Transition.

It has long been known that who you hang out with is a reflection of who you are. This is the big reason why your parents worked so hard to get a house in a nice neighborhood with good schools and low crime rates. The question that keeps coming up for me is which came first, who you are or the environment. Does the environment reflect you or do you reflect the environment?

I believe the answer is both. Visualize the neighborhood where you live. Did it look this way before you moved here? How do you know? What has changed since you moved there? Is it to your liking or otherwise? Has your thoughts about the neighborhood changed since you moved in? I suggest that the fabric of space and the appearance of your environment are a reflection of your thoughts, so you are experiencing the same space that others experience but in your own way based on your thoughts about it.

Each place you go has its unique energy and when you experience that energy you combine with it to create your unique experience. So this is what I mean about both came first, the environment and you. You make the environment and the environment makes you! The small changes you observe when you go to a place you visited only a month ago or even a moment ago are reflections of your consciousness changing. These changes validate your thoughts and in doing so they empower the thoughts to become stronger or not depending on what you think about these changes. The environment is a reflection of you and your thoughts combined with other people’s thoughts or the ripple effect.

To better explain this ripple effect, remember that there is but one mind. There is no one else! What you experience as other people’s thoughts is only a ripple of your own thoughts. The other important thing to understand is that the conscious mind is not aware of all thoughts and in fact 90-95% of thoughts in the average person are unconscious thus supporting this effect of other people.

I hope I have not lost you. If you are still reading let me transition into the way this works to your advantage. When you know how a process works you have more control over its operation. You can visualize the process supporting you. Things happen to help you grow and experience what you need.

Often people go to the library to study or relax in a place of silence, or go to the mall for the excitement of shopping and seeing many other people. In this way you cope with your moods and feelings. You are using the power of place to shape your experience! Let’s say you are at a bar late at night and you decide to walk home. Which route you take or if you decide to take a taxi and the thoughts you are having about the trip home will reflect your thoughts and feelings. If you feel safe you will be and if you take a path that supports that safety. They work hand in hand.

I believe the key is to be aware of your feelings and thoughts at all times and this is done not only by being in touch with your heart chakra, but by your surroundings.

In Loving Awareness, Sequoia Elisabeth 🙂

All The World Is A Stage

by Sequoia Elisabeth

We all play roles in our lives all the time and this includes the one you are playing right now. It is important to clarify your roles in each situation of life so that you may more fully experience life. Even more important is to realize that you are not the roles that you play. It is easy to get caught up in role playing and believe this is who you are.

The daily social roles are the easiest to get stuck on, such as mother, daughter, grandmother, spouse, partner, friend, and caregiver. The occupational roles such as Doctor, Lawyer, Mason, or Chef are also something that many identify with and this can be both stifling and liberating depending on how you view them.

“You” is a broad term and as you grow spiritually you realize that there is a lot more to “you” than you realized. There is the individual you, the roles you play as you, the larger you that is connected through community and there is the Universal One you, which is the only “real” you there is.

Knowing this is important because if you get caught up in a role it will rule your life instead of you being in charge. It is like putting the cart before the horse. When you know who you are and come from this core place you always have a strong foundation on which to stand.

You are not this occupation or that social role but a Divine Child of the Creator and an heir to the throne. You are a humble servant of the Most High. How you serve now can take any form and will change often from moment to moment. You may be a beautiful woman, mother, spouse, daughter, and lawyer all at the same time! The trick is to allow yourself to be each fully while in that role. While on the phone with your daughter be the mother that you are fully and completely. As soon as you hang up with her you are back to being the lawyer so you give that your all. A co-worker compliments you on being beautiful and in that moment you experience gratitude and humility. The joy of the moment will stay with you but your role in the next moment will change back to being the top lawyer.

The important aspect of role playing is when you are in a role you allow Divine Spirit to flow through in that role and no other. When in another role you focus only on that role. It is in the moment living that truly empowers you to live your life to the fullest. As we all know, there is only one time and that is now.

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Gaia – Divine Mother

by Sequoia Elisabeth

If God is all there is, then that means there is only one mind the mind of God. Each and every thing, person, plant, animal, and organism is God. Oneness is the order of the day, it is the new philosophy that is changing the face of earth. Just as the realization that the Earth is not the center of the Universe, or that the world is not flat. Oneness will transform the world we live in to the Aquarian Peace that is predicted. Consider a moment that the Earth is one organism, that it is alive and functions much like all organisms. Let us see Gaia as the Divine Mother that she is.

Every creature or complex life form has many working parts. Each of these parts needs to serve its proper function for the creature to be healthy. Let’s compare with humans for a minute. Our body is made up of cells, and those cells create the structure and function of our bodies. Earth is also made up of many living parts like cells, and humans are a part of the system. This is what is called the holographic effect. Everything is made up of parts resembling the larger and the smaller whole. Each cell of our bodies contain worlds unto themselves, just as our world is echoed throughout the Universe.

Each cell in our body has a purpose or function. Skin cells hold the body in, gives us shape and form, protects the inner environment from the outside elements, and allows the body to function in very different conditions. The Bone cells provide structure and strength to the body as well as produce blood cells. Nerve cells are how we communicate. Gaia has these systems also and we are a part of that.

There are plants that act like lymph cells filtering sunlight, converting this to energy and producing oxygen while they filter the air of carbon dioxide. The animals each have a function as does every creature on earth and within. What purpose does the human have? I would like to say that we are like brain cells and provide the intelligence on earth, but I am afraid that is not the case. I would say that human’s role here is to be observers, to be aware of who and what we are. We are witnesses to the Divine Cosmic dance of life. Our bodies are vehicles for doing this and the One mind operates through us to this end. As much as we try to do things, 99.9% of that is busy work. The real service we play here are vehicles of consciousness.

Just as each cell has it purpose and function, Humans have theirs and if a cell deviates from that purpose and function they become cancerous. In order for humans to rid themselves of cancer they must first stop being a cancer! Each person on earth need ask themselves, what is my purpose here? Am I fulfilling that purpose? And if not, how can I re-align with that purpose? Consider that each person is born into a family and that family has a history of doing a certain type of work. Everything happens for a reason, so consider your place in life and allow yourself to thrive in that place. This is what being yourself is all about.

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Unity in Gender Diversity

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The Other Side of the Coin

by Sequoia Elisabeth

For every person who is suffering, there is someone who is living in Joy. For every person who is bullying others, there is someone who is Loving all who they meet. Often the bully’s are hurting as much or more than their victims. High school is a right of passage that all Americans experience. How you handle it is not only a reflection of who you are, but of how you were raised!

Puberty is a time when so many aspects of life are changing and it is when those who are gender incongruent smack head on with a wall of confusion. Not to mention figuring out sexual orientation. If you have ever looked at the questions on sites like yahoo answers the number of questioning teenagers is amazing. They are discovering sexuality and gender identity from different perspectives and finding what works best for them and this goes for all teenagers. The environment in which they are raised will have much to do with whether they feel safe to be themselves.

Are you providing an open, loving and accepting environment for your children to grow up? Do you set an example for them by treating everyone you meet as an equal? In order to create a world of equality, one must embody it first! As we do this then those who follow will do the same, it is human nature.

There can be no better role model than Jesus Christ. When you fully understand his personal teachings you will have the skills to be a role model. I recommend A Course in Miracles (ACIM), A Spiritual Sex Manual, and The Art of Spiritual Peacemaking for starters. There are literally hundreds of books and teachings that are based on these teachings. One of my favorites that applies to the discussion of bullying in our schools is posted below. The before mentioned books teach how to do what this prayer suggests. May your journey be a peaceful and prosperous one.

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.

If anyone needs this explained to them please contact me, I am more than happy to get into the details and meaning of this prayer. To me it is self evident what it means, however from the state of affairs worldwide many do not understand this prayer, much less read such things. May we all be Blessed in our Journey of Love!

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Unity in Gender Diversity

Bullying?

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Bullying is getting blamed for a string of suicides in the LGBT community. Since I am not responsible for my own life, it must be the other guy’s fault, especially those mean kids who call me names and disrespect me. Right? This is portentous ground we travel on here!

Here is a video from the “It Gets Better” project started by Dan Savage. They offer some compelling statistics and a convincing argument against bullying. Is this not a “no brainer?” Harming anyone in any way, verbally, physically, or mentally is simply wrong, not because there is a right way and a wrong way, but because what you do onto another, you have done to yourself! The Oneness concept is so important to understand in this regard.

Suicide is hard to explain because the individual committing the act is not around to explain. However, since there is but one mind, the reasons can be ascertained by simply looking at the individual’s life. Being a transgender woman who has attempted suicide I can tell you from personal experience it is not about blaming anyone. All suicide is a cry for help on some level. The reason anyone commits suicide is because they have no other options they are aware of. The key is “aware of”. Let’s give our children options! Anyone who has felt different or for some reason stands out must learn to deal with their situation.

Once again I am very familiar with this as a 6’11” transwomen! The best gifts I have received along my path have been coping skills combined with Loving support. There is often at least one person in your life that cares enough to show you that you are Loved. For me it was my Grandmother, along with others in my family who taught me that I am a worthy individual and a valuable person in this world.

Is this not what we all desire? A gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender person is no different than anyone else in this regard. We are human beings and we need to treat all members as equals! Just because someone is different is no excuse for abuse!

This Transition Blog’s main purpose is to teach coping techniques and Spiritual concepts. I am telling you now that when you have something to believe in, something larger than yourself, getting through the difficult situations that we all face is so much easier. You are never alone.

The other thing that helps get you through the rough spots is having friends; a community that supports you and loves you for YOU. I know that sometimes you feel like you cannot trust anyone, not even yourself! As the world closes in on you all goes dark, there is no way out! So Hara Kari wins… It does not have to!! There is always another choice, all ways and always!

The one thing that has helped me lately is to help others. When you help others you are helping yourself, it is an awesome principle. “It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Unity in Gender Diversity NEW eBook on Sex and Sexuality available now

The Transgender Journey

by Sequoia Elisabeth

The transgender journey is a personal experience. Even though this is true, this journey has certain patterns or characteristics. Let’s look at some of the things that are similar with all transgender individuals.

First of all, we have all realized at some level when we were very young that our bodies somehow seemed “not right”. Whether we actually understood that our brains are one gender and our physical bodies are another is different for each person.

There comes a time when we need to experiment with crossdressing, this may last a lifetime or it may be very brief depending on the amount of guilt associated with this action. I remember my first time crossdressing only lasted a few minutes. I could feel this was right for me, that I am a woman but the fear and guilt almost killed me!

Going public with your “secret” is another phase of the journey. Once again this phase is characterized by fear; it grips you like no horror movie ever could. Hours are spent getting ready and you go out late at night to lessen the likely hood that you will be seen by someone you know, or that you will be discovered. Passing is everything! Once this has been done successfully, and excitement is felt and we get braver and braver.

Not all transgender realize that there are other transgender people so when they realize this meeting them becomes a high priority. It is a like attracting like, or Law of Attraction thing. This phase can occur before or after the coming out phase and will often motivate the individual to come out at least to their friends.

Coming out takes on all sorts of appearances, so it is hard to explain, the one thing that this phase encompasses is relief. Once the fear of your secret has been released, life gets much easier! The coming out usually starts with those closest to the individual and fans out from there. The relief can be so exciting that the individual comes out to everyone they know in one big blast. The results of which can be a mixed bag and depend on where the individual is on the journey. If they have done the inner work to make it all OK within them, then those in their life will be OK with it. If the guilt still rules their life then, well it can get ugly.

Once the transgender individual begins the life experience of living full time as the opposite sex, appropriate gender for them, life often takes major turns. Some loose it all, including jobs, relationships, pushing to the edge of losing their very life. Others are able to transition on the job, maintain their relationships and thrive! Once again it comes down to how mature the individual is and if they prepared for the changes. With proper preparation the journey is deeply Joyous and rewarding.

The next phase is one of empowerment were advocacy work becomes important. Helping others is almost a right of passage. We all do it to some degree. Some will do it the rest of their lives, although most reach a point where they are happy with their bodies and wish to live an average life. They have other concerns.

Some have surgery and some do not, but the point comes when you are just living your new life and all is well just as it is. The surgery is a high priority to some and to others it is not, I would say all transgender individuals consider it at some point. There are health concerns, cost and personal reasons to consider, not to mention sexual orientation. The surgery can occur at any point after the crossdressing stage, although the later, the better in my opinion. I say this because this journey is intense and can be very demanding. The individual’s maturity and inner healing is best done in advance, because surgery is not a cure, but just a part of the process. Yes, it does help to live the life of the chosen gender, but it is not required. Sex is a very personal thing and I will say that for the transsexual or transgender individual that intimacy can be a challenge, it has been for me. I expect surgery to help, but it may in fact make sex less enjoyable. This is why getting to know yourself is so important. How do you desire to experience intimacy? I am a “have your cake and eat it too kinda girl. 😉

Sequoia Elisabeth

Gender Related Transitions

Thought Power

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Have you ever considered the power your thoughts have? You may have heard of The Secret or Law of Attraction which states that like attracts like. Today’s blog is about the power of positive thinking and the safety valve that is built in.

In the movie The Secret they show an elephant sitting on the couch next to an actor who has just wished for an elephant and poof there it is. Our wishes do not manifest this quickly for a reason! You may not want everything you wish for! “Success is getting what you want. Happiness is in wanting what you get.” Dale Carnegie

The trick to this process is being aware of what you wish for! Make note of it, and when you get it, Celebrate it! Now this can be as simple as wishing for a scoop of vanilla ice cream with chocolate sprinkles. When you get it – Celebrate it! Feel the joy that comes with success, even if you went to the freezer and served it yourself (sure way of getting things). Once you get this down, move on to bigger and better things.

This techniques works on any aspect of your life, take your health for instance. You imagine that a low fat, non-dairy Yogurt is good for you and you even imagine yourself smiling and happy after eating it. Take a mental inventory here, you can remember wishing for this and when you do enjoy it, feel this success deep within your soul!

It matters not what you choose to do this with, because every thought is a prayer. Also, as stated in the A Course in Miracles, there is no order of difficulty in miracles. This means that if you see yourself happy, healthy and free of any dis-ease, then that is what you will experience, eventually, even if you have just been given a terminal prognosis with 3 months to live by your doctor. It does take time in this ego world, however for those who have moved beyond the ego like Jesus, the window of time is almost immediate. (STOP – Yes, you are like Jesus)

Think about this for a minute. How does Jesus do the things he did such as walk on water, turn water into wine, raise the dead, etc.? He wishes it so and knows in his mind that it is so. He has no doubts, he feels the Truth and it is so. I know this is how it works because I have experienced it! Not that I have walked on water or such as that, but I am working within my beliefs and making great strides!

I am healthy, happy, and whole, because this is my wish. I choose it! I have also chosen to express my feminine nature as this feels more natural to me, and it is so! There are pictures on the website below if you need proof. I also had the experience of imagining myself taking a medicine, without actually taking it, and it works!

I encourage you to experiment with this and take small steps while remaining aware and awake. Throwing away all your medicinces is not a good choice, but you can be free of them all when you take small steps. Get professional assistance if you desire, just know that anyone can do this. Notice your successes and ReJoice!!!

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Bullying Is Nothing New

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Bullying happens at all ages, but during the teenage years it is especially difficult to handle because this is too young to have developed good coping skills. So in keeping with the theme of this blog, I would like to share my perspective on bullying. When President Obama makes a public plea to the American people to put a stop to bullying, you know the issue has grown to a level that needs attention.

The recent suicides that have made the news are nothing new, although they are tragic. The reality is that teens are susceptible to suicide whether they are LBGT or not, but it is actually the elderly that have the highest rate of suicide. While it is good to look at this issue and yes all children should be able to grow up in an environment free of bullying. The core issue here is not bullying, but respect for Life itself! Our children need to be taught to respect all life and to understand that everything they do, even little “jokes” are harmful when taken the wrong way or when they are allowed to get out of hand. For every action there is an equal and opposite re-action! The simple laws of physics can be applied.

When statistics are consulted the evidence shows that the middle age (45-54) and elderly years (75+) are the most likely time for suicide per the World Health Organization in a 2005 survey. The LGBT suicide rate is reported to be 2-3 times higher than average for teens from a study reported in 1999, although to me that seems a little out of date being at least 11 years old. The point of the statistics here is to point out the issue is not new, but is just getting well deserved press and exposure. The rules have not changed and our reactions should be the same regardless of what the world throws at you. Do onto others what you would have done onto you! Children do not always think about such things, so it is up to adults to model this for them, to remind them in a loving manner that everyone has feelings and to make them accountable so the lessons stick. Compassion can be used in all means of discipline! It is important to keep the wounding to a minimum when facing these issues.

Suicide attempts are a cry for help and it is help we need to be offering, not drugs or punishment. These kids need our Love and Compassion! They need support and someone to show them there is nothing wrong with them. Being Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transgender is not abnormal, weird or anything of such. It is a normal biological variant in the mammalian species and other species as well. The law of probability shows that anything that is possible will eventually occur. Certain conditions occur more than others. Our differences are not to be condemned but celebrated! We are each special in our own way, this is our gift to the world! See this in another, like in the movie Avatar, “I SEE YOU”! See the value that each person possess and celebrate it, acknowledge it, accept it.

The answers always lay within, so to help another help yourself first by Loving yourself for who you are, no matter what that may be. Then you have the basis to share from. Everything you do is setting an example for someone else, so teach with your actions by accepting and loving everyone you meet just as they are! It is only as hard as you say it is. Life is Simple, easy is up to you!

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Communities in Common

by Sequoia Elisabeth

First of all allow me to apologize for leaving this blog unattended for so long. I recently relocated to a new state and a new life, so please forgive me for being occupied for this past week. Recently I read an article about communities in common and I would like to share my perspective on this topic.

The article was about Amanda Keating who works at Out & Equal and covered her perspective on what it is to be Straight in a Gay workplace. This is the opposite of the usual workplace so her perspective was reversed and in the process she gained some very valuable insights into sexual orientation. On a larger scale she realized that all of our communities are connected in ways she had not comprehended previously.

“Realizing that I was a minority, I suddenly recognized how my daily actions had enforced gender stereotypes, and therefore I deliberately altered my mannerisms. For the first time, I made the conscious decision not to put a photo of my boyfriend on my desk. I reasoned that, “I don’t need to brag about how much easier my life has been as a straight person,” when in reality I was afraid of being silently judged for not being a member of the dominant community in my workplace. I often referred to my boyfriend as “my roommate” when telling stories about my personal life and didn’t correct co-workers who joked about setting me up with people. In essence, I spent only a few months doing what LGBT employees around the world are forced to do for their entire lives: I denied my whole self at work.” (Amanda Keating, 2010)

If you want to get to know someone, walk a mile in their shoes, or put another way “see through the eyes of your opponent to know the Truth”. This wisdom is not new and in fact has been in use for many millennia. So why not apply this wisdom to the work place and allow your perspective to broaden. This is what is accomplished here. Our minds are expanded and so are our hearts for to have compassion for another person’s journey you must first understand what they are going through. It is not possible for you to fully experience their journey but you can understand their perspective. The compassion you show is a gift not only to them but yourself since we are all connected in Oneness.

“Creating a safe place for your LGBT co-workers to be out does not equate to creating a forum to discuss the taboo subject of sex. It equates to creating a safe place for your co-workers to develop closer relationships with you by including every aspect of their selves. It creates a safe place for everyone to present diverse experiences and points of view. Most importantly, being honest about one’s whole self allows one to shine and excel without fear of judgment….If anything needs to be communicated to the straight community, it is this: take a step back one day and realize how easy it is to be straight, and then start making it just as easy to be gay.” (Amanda Keating, 2010)

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Thoughts Are Things

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Have you ever taken an inventory of your life? You know, sat back and went over each event, how you feel or felt about that event and then filed it away or released it if it no longer serves you? Your mind is like a filing cabinet for your life with each memory put in a file such as fun, educational, nostalgic, scary, painful, etc. and each one has a label such as good, bad, desirable, undesirable, forbidden, brag about it. Does this really serve you? How can I know that I do this?

Look around you right now, what do you see? Is your desk cluttered, organized, dirty, clean, etc.? The items you surround yourself with are metaphorical for your thoughts. The mind actually exists in the space around our bodies, not in the brain as previously thought. How can this be? It is quite simple, just consider brain injury. How can a person function with only half a brain or with a physical brain injury? ( I have met a person with only half their brain, so I know this is possible) They can do so because the mind is not in the brain but around the brain like a field. Yes, the brain injury will distort the field, but the mind functions anyway and through the most amazing trauma. Now that you have a vision of your mind being a field that surrounds you (not just your brain, but the entire body) consider the metaphorical aspect of the objects in your life.

How you live, the level of cleanliness and order is a mirror or metaphor for the thoughts in your mind. A cluttered desk, house, car, or body reflects the state of your mind! The level of cleanliness does too. If you want to know how you are doing just look at your life. All that you see is a reflection of your thoughts! This is YOUR life, and it comes from YOUR thoughts. There is no separation from your thoughts and those thoughts become things in your life! How else could you experience your thoughts?

The beauty of this is that you have a choice about what you do with these thoughts and/or things. Cleaning is a way of removing unwanted thoughts. Organizing and filing is a method of putting your thoughts where they will serve you best. So when you are going through your car, house, garden, closet, etc., ask yourself, Is this serving me? If so, How? What do I want to do with it? It is sort of like weeding the garden, you pick out the ones you do not want and toss them away. When you clean anything, you are focusing on the object (thought) at hand and making it shiny and attractive (giving it energy). You are actually giving that object permission to exist in your life and in some cases forgiving yourself for creating it in the first place. I speak here of cleaning up after your loved ones, children, pets, spouse, or even yourself.

Whatever you focus your energy on grows. This is the Law of Attraction. The thoughts you have about anything actually take form when given enough energy! This will work in your favor if you apply it with conscious effort, but when left to the Universe your life will become cluttered with unwanted things that will actually weigh you down and create difficulties for you. The purpose behind Spring Cleaning and Fall Cleaning is just that, to clear these unwanted thoughts out of your life, to organize the ones you would like to keep and to focus on what you wish to create more of in your life.

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

What You Say Is True

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Transition Blog will be sharing some of the eBook Livin’ Large in the next few installments. Please enjoy this Journey of Love and if you are interested in more info the book is available on Unity in Gender Diversity. This book is a synopsis of this author’s metaphysical outlook and philosophy.

Why would you say something that is not true? More importantly your beliefs make it true! In order to say something the thought must come to you, if it came to you it was attracted by your beliefs and actions, which make it TRUE to you. This is a personal experience, so mind your own business (another chapter of the eBook) and observe the Truth all around you. There is your truth that most of us live by every day and then there is Ultimate Truth or God’s Truth. Just understand that they are not the same and that you can choose either at any time. It takes a little observation to realize that what you think of as Truth is really “your” truth, ego truth or man’s truth. Remember that you are the creator of your life, and as you say, so it will be, but only if it is in the highest good for all concerned.

God’s Truth or Ultimate Truth or Universal Truth or Universal Law is a choice available to you in each and every moment. As you say “yes” to Truth, your mind is open to goodness, and Truth will be self-evident. God’s Truth is eternal, constant, loving, inspiring, and beyond explanation. My point here is that your words do have power and you should use them consciously to create what you desire.

It is far too easy to fling words around and create chaos in your life and in other’s lives. Be careful what you say, because if you say that you are fat and ugly, is this really what you desire? Or if you say your partner, or anyone else is fat and ugly is this what you would desire? How does this serve you? And beware of discounting your word also (this means, saying to yourself or out loud that you are this or that which is demeaning), because then you are taking the power away from your word which makes it harder to create that which you do desire. Use positive self-talk to build up yourself and others. Use sayings like, “It is all good” or “Just gotta love ‘em” or “I love you anyway”. If you find yourself saying something less than flattering about someone, yourself included, stop and change the subject. Oh, haven’t we had Lovely weather this week!

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Oneness Reiterated

by Sequoia Elisabeth

The concept of Oneness is so important to our daily lives that I would like to revisit this concept, understanding, philosophy, life style, and/or way of being. Oneness once fully understood and integrated totally shifts your experience of life itself. It could be said that this is enlightenment, although once you understand Oneness you see that you already are enlightened. This is the beauty of Oneness!

Oneness is all inclusive and very simple in concept, but the reality in this ego world is that separation is struggling to maintain a hold on our lives. This shows up in turmoil, conflict and loneliness. The only way to move beyond the illusion of separation is to embrace it and see it for what it is; an illusion. When something comes up that you recognize as separation, simply acknowledge it, see beyond it and then just leave separation behind as a concept. Ignore it, it has no power. Instead focus on the Truth. The Truth is that we are One, unified and whole being. We are Gaia! Oneness is Unity expressed, it is ‘love thy neighbor as thy loves oneself’, it is making decisions with the consideration of seven generations to come, it is knowing we are all made of ‘Starstuff’, and it is so much more. Oneness is the realization that everyone you meet is a part of Great Spirit, Universal Intelligence, or God, just like you are, and that you have that in common with everything as well as everyone you meet. Each person is individual and connected at the same time. What you give, you give to yourself, since we are all one. What you deny for another, you deny yourself. When you heal yourself, you heal the world! You are using the same mind as Albert Einstein, or Mother Theresa. You are ONE with GOD, in a word you are GOD, expressing as the individual that you are. Each form or “thing” you see is unique onto itself. This means that no two snowflakes are the same and yet a snowflake is like all other snowflakes, but not identical. This goes for all other forms as well. This is why when you meet someone new they are unique and yet they are YOU.

The only constant in this universe is change, so embrace change and honor each form you meet. When life is lived from a place of Oneness we become aware of the bond that connects all of life.

“What is arising now is not a new belief system, a new religion, spiritual ideology, or mythology. We are coming to the end not only of mythologies but also of ideologies and belief systems. The change goes deeper than the content of your mind, deeper than your thoughts. In fact, at the heart of the new consciousness lies the transcendence of thought, a newfound ability of rising above thought, of realizing a dimension within yourself that is infinitely more vast than thought.” Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth, Page 21-22

This dimension is the Oneness I speak of. It is something that must be experienced to truly know what it is, but once that connection is made it is a part of you and cannot be lost. In fact it is constantly growing. This is so much larger than “you”! Can you feel it? After reading A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle it all became so clear to me and that feeling has continued to grow. We are witnessing our own evolution! Like the Renaissance Age of the 14th to 17th centuries this last 300 years or so could be remembered as the Age of Awakening! This age is culminating Dec 21, 2012, and is a doorway to the beginning of a new age, the age of Infinite Possibilities. This is according to Ian Xel Lungold in his Mayan 2012 Secrets Reveled. We need not rely on one person’s interpretation here however, because we know this already. As we become more aware of this dimension beyond thought it is easy to see that Ian is right on the mark! Ian speaks of the mind as a tool that we use to experience our world. This tool can shape our future or it can trap us. By simply being aware of this we are shining light on the shadows and allowing ourselves to move beyond thought.

😀 Sequoia Elisabeth