Transitions | Oneness Ministry | Page 16

6 Senses of the Mind

by Sequoia Elisabeth

We all know about the 5 senses of our physical body, but what about the 6 senses of the mind? I talked a little about them last time and will go a bit further this time. The six consist of Intuition, Imagination, Memory, Perception, Reason, and Will. My plan is to cover each of these tools for transition one by one, last time I covered Imagination. When used consciously these tools are your best friend and the funny part is we all use these senses every day without even realizing it. Let’s take intuition for instance. It is often referred to as the sixth sense and is attributed to women as women’s intuition. Are you in touch with yours? We all have this sense, even men! In fact the most successful people in the world, such as Bill Gates, Steven Jobs, and Oprah Winfrey attribute much of their success to using their intuition! The way that I use this sense is to get in touch with my feelings, which takes a few minutes of being quiet and some practice. After a while you will just know when an opportunity is advantageous or the direction you are headed in beneficial. Is that girl you just met the “one”? By using your intuition you will know! You can just feel it! Teenagers are usually very good at this when they are young, but sometimes if they get too much criticism they shut down this faculty, so if you are one who did this maybe it is time to get in touch with your intuition. For illustrative purposes let me tell you of one of the fun ways I use my intuition.

I had just gotten out of a seminar at a local hotel and it was about 3pm in the afternoon. We had been going at it all day and I was hungry, so I asked myself as I was getting into my car, what am I in the mood for? Mexican came to my mind and I could feel, smell and taste a delicious Mexican Burrito with hot salsa dripping down, yum! I started driving toward home, but since I was not from this city I had no idea where to find a good Taqueria. I was driving down the interstate when the overwhelming sensation to turn came over me, so I got off at that exit. I then focused on my feelings and it felt like I should turn left, so I did. I drove for about a mile, all the time keeping my eyes open and my mind on that delicious burrito. As I came around a corner I saw on the left side of the road the Mexican Taqueria that was to fulfill my appetite! It was one of the best burritos I have ever had! 🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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Creative Tools of the Mind

by Sequoia Elisabeth

In developing a Spiritual practice there are several tools that are instrumental in creating an open space for growth. The one I use most is creative visualization and I recommend Shakti Gwain’s book with the same title. I will summarize here so that you can get an idea of how to use this tool.

We are taping in to the power of the imagination by creating a vision of that which we desire. Say you need a new car and so you are visualizing the new car you are desiring, make the vision as real as you can by seeing the shiny gold paint and sleek styling, feeling the soft leather seats and firm steering wheel, and smelling the new car smell and the fresh air blowing in the window as you are driving down a deserted country road. The more real you make the experience the stronger your emotion of joy becomes and the greater the probability of the experience manifesting. Put no limits on the manifestation of this experience, simply hold the feeling of knowing that it is true.

The technique can be used for anything and for instance I used this method to assist my transition from male to female. I still use it often by visualizing my body as I know it is, I can feel my womb and I hold a vision of the rams horns which make up my internal sex organs of the coiled ovaries (the horns), and the head of the ram (my uterus), sits behind the mouth of the ram (my vagina)! I visualize this as often as I remember and it helps to set up a schedule for meditation at least once a day. Use this technique with every aspect of transition, voice, breasts, hair, face, etc.

To energize the visualization place yourself in society interacting with others and if you are so inclined creative visualization works very well in loving relationships and sexual encounters. How many times have you been making love and think of someone else? What happens to this relationship down the road? Be careful how you use visualization and intend that it be in the Highest and Best good of yourself, your partner and everyone everywhere.

The secret to making this work is to ignore what appears to be true and know without a doubt that which is true! Reason with yourself if you like and explain to yourself why you know this is true. When you have a deep experience that pleases you greatly, use your memory to revisit this experience over and over. These are each tools of the mind; imagination, perception, will, reason, memory and intuition. Consider how you use these six tools of the mind and be aware of the possibilities! If we only realized just how powerful we are in creating the life we desire, the world would be a much more joyous place. 🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Gender Related Spirituality Transitions

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MtoF Transtion and what to expect

by Sequoia Elisabeth

The usual course of transition for a MtoF transsexual is to first dress as a woman and to socialize with your peers prior to taking the major step of CHT or Contra-Hormone Therapy. This does not need to be on a full time basis, although it can be. Socializing as a woman is very different than as a man so getting used to that aspect is greatly beneficial in both determining if you desire to progress and gaining the skills necessary to be successful. Many things will come naturally for you such as mannerisms, emotional behavior including your needs and desires, and mental processes. What may not be so natural is movement, social expectations and relationships. Transition is basically the process of breaking down our learned “male” persona and allowing our natural female self to emerge. This will be easier for some, but is a big road block for many of us.

It is important to be patient with the transition process and allow these things to occur naturally, although counseling, feminine coaching, and voice therapy do play an important part. A skilled counselor can guide your path and point out aspects that are not natural if they are not obvious and help you get in touch with your authentic self. The feminine coach is valuable in helping you to get in touch with feminine energy and develop its expression. I must say the first time I felt my feminine energy vs. my masculine energy it was a revelation! Being aware of our body’s energy and what we are projecting is very important. For women to truly be feminine for instance we do not project that energy, we simple center ourselves in it and this simple act will attract others to us. I have posted a link on the gender links page of my website to The Yin Project; I highly recommend her.

Voice therapy is very important also and I suggest that you start this process as soon as possible, even before transitioning if you are planning that far ahead, which most of us do not. I also recommend getting electrolysis started as soon as possible and depending on your age, I recommend doing laser first to clear the dark hairs and let the electrologist focus on the light hairs. Don’t let the electrologist tell you that laser is not permanent because I know that it is from experience. I have a page on this website that goes over the whole process of transition planning, so I would like to stay focused here on what to expect. So expect laser to work and with the proper hormone regimen the face is the only area to be concerned with unless you are unusually hairy and I know that some men are, that is OK (it doesn’t mean anything, unless you say it does, lol).

The hormones do a remarkable job of reducing body hair and stopping male pattern hair loss. Find a doctor who specializes in CHT for transgender/transsexual persons, because doing this yourself or using a doctor with little or no experience is setting yourself up for failure. It can be done on your own, but that is contrary to what this whole journey is about in my opinion, which is to fully and completely experience the transition. Many TG/TS’s want to jump straight to the result and if that was the way it was meant to be then don’t you think that you would have been female from birth? I can hear all the opinions flying as I write this which is great, remember this is from my experience and if you desire a different experience then make it so. More on this subject can be found here. 😉 Sequoia Elisabeth

Gender Related Transitions

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Dream within A Dream

by Sequoia Elisabeth

What is your vision? I listened to a great talk last night by Jean Houston and what I learned is that it is our myth that creates our future. Without a creative vision for how life can be more enjoyable for all then nothing changes or more accurately our past becomes our future because without new material the movie just repeats!

This is the power of the movies, they provide us with a visual of a possible future or past. Of course you know the past is no more permanent than the future, right? Let’s save the time discussion for later. All movies started as a written story first even if it was just the director doing a story board. And of course the written story was only an idea to start with. The process of creation is thoughts, words and action and this is how we get movies and our very lives!

We see movies as fiction and our lives as reality which works for now, but someday this could be a way of creating reality. We have seen this in the Sci-Fi movies like “Total Recall”, “The 6^th Day” and “Star Trek”, I just love the holodeck! There is a program online now called SecondLife and basically the user constructs their own version of reality and then lives within this reality chatting with friends all over the world, making things, sharing things, flying, teleporting, and all sorts of awesome and fun things.

Does this reality affect our physical reality? From my experience it most certainly does. I find it amazing how our worlds are interconnected and by using my imagination in SecondLife gives fuel to changes in my “first” life. I hesitate to use the word “real” life here since I am not so sure that one life is any more real than the next.

You may have heard the phrase, a dream within a dream, which is the title for a great Edgar Alan Poe poem, but this does describe life pretty well I think. “The Matrix” movie illustrates this dream within a dream concept nicely too. So how do we create our lives or is the question, “who is driving this bus?” more appropriate? Remember that we each create our lives with thought, words and action, so Yes we are driving our own buses! Another movie that illustrates this nicely is “What Dreams May Come”. Where we get a glimpse of Heaven and what that is all about. What would your Heaven look like? The possibilities are infinite so let go today and dream a little dream within a dream, lol.

Spirituality Transitions

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Man vs Nature

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Let us take a lesson from nature. If it were not for man running around building things do you think that we would have civilizations on this planet? Well it is a possibility but it is also unlikely. I would like to compare our social system of money with nature in hopes to get you thinking about a few things. Have you ever considered the role of money in our society? I mean really broken it down and considered the many functions it plays in society.

Let’s take a closer look and see what money has done for us. First of all the obvious exchange of money for services or objects, and second it makes our lives more convenient and is a definite improvement over barter. It is also a method of control, since the one who has the most money can control the actions of others by either offering money or threatening to withhold it. Money has been used for many evil purposes in man’s pursuit to have more. This is where the old saying “money is the root to all evil” comes from, but it also comes from the church who preached that money is bad because it makes people do bad things. Is this really the truth? Of course not, money is nothing more than a tool and like all tools can be used for mischief or good. The good that money can do is an abundant gift that serves all of mankind through its sharing.

Using nature as a comparison, do animals use money? What about trees and plants? Is a rock going to charge you $5 to stand on it or use it to build your house? Think of all the functions the cells in your body have and then ask yourself if they charge for their services! I know this seems absurd but if you were a sentient animal, say a deer, what would you think of this behavior of those humans? What did we do before money about 4000 years ago? Now that I have you thinking, let’s take this to the next level.

What if everyone continued to do as they do, but money was subtracted from the equation? Stay with me here and put down those flags. I am suggesting that if we as a society agreed that survival was for the betterment of everyone and that suffering was not necessary then money could easily be removed from the equation. How can this occur? It requires that each person understand what oneness really means, that when anyone is harmed it affects us all, this means that we are all connected in ways we are just beginning to understand. The movie “Avatar” nicely demonstrates this relationship to us. This relationship is a synergistic one where life is based on a giving and receiving that is intuitive. We can still have our cities and technology, and when we all work together we can create a heaven that is a culmination of all our dreams.

I realized this morning that it is each of us and our attitudes toward this idea that determines its viability. Let go of your mind, your doubts, your questions and consider the possibilities when you personally say, Yes. As each person says, YES, the power of this agreement builds to a point when a cascading of people saying, Yes comes over the world like a wave of YES. In our agreement comes the manifestation of our dreams.

The problem is that so many of us say No automatically without even thinking of whether we would like this or not. Our minds jump to the task of disproving this! Ask each person if they believe that each human deserves to live a life with food, water and shelter and they will most likely tell you YES. However ask them if they are willing to live so that this is possible and we get hesitation. I am no longer hesitating! I have a vision of Love for our society and over the next few days I will be putting this into words as best I can. Please hear me, anything is possible with Love. 🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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Life that Never Ends

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Death has always been an interesting subject to me. So let’s talk about it some. There are many beliefs about death as well as the after death experience and as far as I know no one alive can tell you what dying feels like, or at least that is the popular belief. I have some not so popular beliefs about death and dying so I will share from my perspective and from my extensive research.

Now I have never had a near death experience or NDE but I do have two close friends who have and from what they tell me it is not all that bad and in fact they tell me it was a pretty interesting experience. The key points of NDE’s are the feeling of floating and separation from the body, but with a thin cord that maintains constant connection to the body. Many will see a light which is very bright and almost magnetic. The other significant thing is that they felt no sensation whatsoever. They had no thought either, only observation without judgment.

The best book I have ever read on this subject of death is “Home with God: In a Life that Never Ends” by Neale Donald Walsch. Since you are probably going to read it I will not go into great detail but I will mention a few points that grabbed me. From the title you may have guessed that life does not end with death of the physical body. Our souls continue right on with the journey and this experience depends on what you believe. What you believe is true! (Ch 7 of my eBook) So let’s say that you believe the bit from church where if you sinned you go to hell, well that is what you will experience until you realize that being there is not necessary.

There are many stories and whatever you believe in will manifest. By the way if you believe in nothing you will experience that and living in nothingness can get a bit confusing. LOL Moving on, the next awesome thing about death is that you pick the time, the place, and the method all before you are even born! I will not go into how that is possible because that can take a while.

The other cool part is that no one ever dies in vain. There is a purpose for everything and those who need to know of your death will. There are some more fun things in the book so check it out and know that we are all manifesting our lives in the best and highest good of yourself, your family and everyone everywhere. 😉 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

2012, Infinite Possibility

by Sequoia Elisabeth

2012 is coming, it is only 2 years away. Are you ready to die? The predictions are for an apocalypse to occur during the wondrous alignment of our sun with the galactic thread in the center of our Milky Way. The popular media are jumping at this chance to sensationalize yet another event in our vast history, but do not get discourage by it all. Let me suggest the deeper meaning of this time.

First of all let me clear up something concerning the Mayan calendar. The actual end date of the calendar is on Oct 28^th 2011! What happens on Dec 21^th of 2012 is that the sun moves into alignment with the center of the galaxy, this happens only once every 26,000 years give or take a few days. Is this time significant? That is up to you to decide, literally!

The period between Oct. 28, 2011 and Dec. 21, 2012 is going to be interesting to say the least because this is the period in-between. What George Leonard says about this period which he calls “the plateau” is that this is when we grow the most. It is the resting period or calm before the storm where we prepare for the actual expression of our creation. Yes, I said creation.

We create our own lives though our thought, words and actions. What is so significant about this plateau period between the end of the Mayan calendar and Dec. 21, 2012 is that this period is a time of infinite possibilities. This is the message the Mayan left for us and as deciphered by Ian Lungold. The Mayan Calender is not about time anyway although that is part of it. The calendar is really about tracking consciousness and it comes to an end on Oct. 28^th 2011!

Does this mean we all die? Of course not, it means that the door is opened on this day and we will find that our dreams and desires come to us without effort. Our conscious mind is what is ending and instead we move into full use of the One consciousness of eternal being.

The exact events are not set and as you believe so it will be. What will you create? More accurately, what are you creating at this very moment? This is important because we are accelerating to this point where possibility becomes probability exponentially! 😉 Sequoia Elisabeth

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Divine Feminine

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Divine Feminine is the path to Great Spirit. We are carried by our emotions to the spirit world. Our journey is constantly guided by our soul through coincidences and messages from nature. An open mind and observant eye will do much to lead us home. Learning to trust our visions and feelings is the first step to mastering our lives, but we must also learn patience, how to sit in silence and humility.

According to Karen Berg’s teachings of the Kabbalah women are already corrected from the debacle in the Garden of Eden and here only to guide their man who still needs correction back to their spiritual home. If a person is meek, quiet, unimposing and demure then they have an understanding of Great Spirit that is reached by letting go of the masculine and immersing oneself in the feminine. The masculine is necessary to balance the feminine and provide strength and action, but once we are where we need to be then it is time to let go of all masculine and flow into the feminine.

The last 4000 years for the most part have been an adventure of masculine energy guiding our path and forging our culture. It is time and has been for the past 300 years or more for the pendulum to swing the other direction. Divine Feminine is arising to balance the masculine and to bring peace to our planet once again. Resist it not, for it is a gift that will set you free.

Embrace the Divine Feminine for the gift that it is and wade into its waters like a warm spring. The waterfall is there as source with its masculine energy filling our little pond with vibrancy, so soak in the waters that fulfill us. Let the banks overflow with soft and gentle waters. Move into the realm of emotion and fear it not. Who you are is who you need to be at that time, there are no limits such as physical form or such. I am woman because I need to be. 🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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Connections

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Transitions are really coming into focus for many people these days on many different levels. Even myself who is going through a major transition from Male to Female, is experiencing other transitions also. My Spiritual transition is really peaking now and I feel like my life is totally being re-fashioned. When I sit and what TV, I notice people who are transitioning in many areas of their lives as well. We are changing jobs, careers, going back to school, eating more nutritious foods, changing the way we move around, being more conscious of our consumption, and watching less TV, while spending way more time on the computer or internet to be specific.

Now days my life is centered around my computer which I feel is a good thing and has to do with a sense of connection or oneness I get while online. Five years ago I spent maybe an hour or two online a day and now I spend about eight hours a day online, sometimes more sometimes less. For me to not be online the whole day is really a big deal and means that I am either traveling or doing something major. So what are we really after?

What the internet provides besides the obvious services is a sense of connection as that is what we all crave, a feeling of oneness. The more I evolve the more I enjoy spending time with others and it does not have to be in person, but it does require a two way communication. That has become so easy these days with the computer. I thank you for reading my blog and I truly hope you get something meaningful from all my musings. That is my main purpose to give of myself and my knowledge, to enlighten and bless others!

So think about all the transitions you are going through these days and honor them. Yes, be grateful we have so much opportunity these days. Our lives are changing in a big way right now, and they will probably get more chaotic before they get peaceful, but that is the way of complex systems. We must break the old system down in order to build a new system. We have many more breakdowns to look forward to, so just be aware and know that all is well! The only reason we ever lose anything is so something better can replace it! 😉 Sequoia Elisabeth

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Who are you?

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Who are you? Are you sure about that? How you see yourself and feel about yourself is very important, however it is our actions that truly define us. Our thoughts and prayers are simply one step on the path to discovering who you are. The creation process works like this, thoughts, words, and action. Each cycle of this process further defines who we are. Being true to our word and staying focused on our desire is one way to hasten the process. When we send out consistent messages combined with actions to back them up then the Universe has no choice but to manifest our dreams!

Consistency is the problem that most people face and this simply comes from discipline and focus. Always do what you say you will do, be honest with yourself first and then others, and make no promises you cannot keep.

Be easy on yourself too. We all slip up from time to time, so try not to beat yourself up. It is very true that we are our own worst enemies, so make peace now. Begin by looking yourself in the eye (mirrors make this very easy) and saying “I love you”, feel it deep within. Do this every day and see how you feel in a week. I do this on a regular basis, as often as I remember to. This may seem egotistical but it is not, because you are not speaking to the image in the mirror, but the Spirit that makes up the image. “To thine own self be true”.

So this brings us full circle to, who are you? For me there is no set answer, only the feeling at the moment. Sometimes I am Peace, sometimes Love, sometimes Divine Feminine, and sometimes I am simply me with no identity at all.

While I am not my body, my body is an expression of who I am in physical form. Yet when I look in the mirror I feel that I am more than this. I feel so limited in this body; like a prisoner of flesh. The Journey of Love that leads to discovery of our inner self can be a long and lonesome road, but it can also be fulfilling and joyful. What do you expect to find at the core of your being? The same thing that I find at the core of mine? Could be, we are one!

😉 Sequoia Elisabeth

Gender Related Spirituality Transitions

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Beyond Courage

by Sequoia Elisabeth

What is courage and is it necessary when confronting a transition. A transition is a change from one state, stage or condition to another, so as a person observes nature this process is constantly occurring at all levels of life. Nature does not struggle, nor does it resist. What is, is and that is OK. When viewed through human eyes however all sorts of dramas emerge as we project ourselves into the “grand scheme of things”. Are the caribou that traverse thousands of miles in the longest land migration on earth using courage to make their journey? How about the tiny hummingbird that migrates from North America to South America and back again every year, do they use courage? What about the largest living thing on earth the Sequoia tree, does it need courage to survive for up to 3 millennia?

Courage as defined by Dictionary.com is “the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.” The very definition is restricted to humans! We are the Kings and Queens of fear for we seem to worship fear. We make movies about it, write books to experience it, share it with each other through our stories and teach it through our actions. It would seem that we are propagating fear in search of Courage, since courage is necessary to overcome fear. To me this seems like a vicious cycle and is ultimately unnecessary. Courage is not a trait that animals use, they simply respond to the urge to survive through stimulus/response.

Transition is usually coupled with difficulty, danger and pain so we automatically assign courage as the trait that we use to face this challenge. As conscious beings we make the choice to face transition without fear so thus we are being courageous. If we let go of our human nature and approach things with animalistic responses our survival is assured, but without the egoic self satisfaction we gain from doing it consciously.

Is courage necessary to transition, no it is not, however it is necessary to be our human selves operating from self awareness. This self awareness is what puts us beyond all other creatures and to be aware that you are aware is even more satisfying.

What if you were to take it to the next level and move beyond courage and face your transition with calm certainty and inner knowing? Life then becomes as easy and enjoyable as watching a good movie.

😉 Sequoia Elisabeth

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Contrasts

by Sequoia Elisabeth

The same ole boring temperature every day, can you imagine living in a world where the temperature is 72 degrees all the time? What about a place that has temperatures down to 40 below 0 in the winter and summers where the temperatures top 100 degrees Fahrenheit? Which appeals to you the most? Really? How many places on earth do you know of where the temperature does not vary? Even our homes temperatures vary some and since we create the environment we desire to live in the answer is fairly obvious. We desire contrast!

How many people do you know that have exactly the same skin color as people around them? Even in the same family each member will have slightly different skin color. How much variation is there? I would suppose that if we did a very sensitive test of skin tones that every person on earth would vary some, heck our skin varies color even on our own bodies. So do we desire similar skin tones or various? The evidence shows that we desire contrast. In a world where we have people of every shade of brown imaginable from no pigment, white skin to completely pigmented, black appearing skin. The contrast is impressive when we consider that we are all the same on the inside basically.

The point here is that we desire contrast in our lives, and that is why we have so much diversity in the world. For those of us who try to create a world of sameness they are simply fooling themselves and once we become honest with ourselves, we realize that diversity and variety truly are the spice of life. Our minds are constantly telling us that we need to find someone like us in a world where they do not exist (this is insanity). No one is exactly like you and that is our gift! To honor diversity in life is to honor yourself.

The next time you are doing something that displeases you, remember that you created it and can simply choose again till you find something that suits your desires. It is the contrasts in life that seem to bring us joy, because we more fully experience it this way. What is Joy without sadness? Can we know light without knowing darkness? Think back and remember what Love feels like. How do you know that is Love? Yes, Contrast is how you know! I am so grateful for all my experiences in life, because I know that they serve an important function in my Journey of Love (life). 🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

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We Never Do Die

by Sequoia Elisabeth

The grandest Transition of all is one we have all experienced before but since no one remembers exactly how it goes, there is much debate about it. No one alive today is an expert on death and yet we all are. From the many books I have read on the subject of what happens after death, we can surmise certain truths. I recommend Neale Donald Walsh’s book on this subject, “Home with God: In a Life That Never Ends”. Death has been a subject that has fascinated me since a very young age, and I can say with certainty that I am not afraid to die.

The many movies, books and stories about death, transition and after life have certain consistencies that are either the truth or widely held misconceptions. On this I think we must trust our inner feelings since our soul communicates through feelings. The first profound truth is “we never do die!” This is truthful in that we are not our bodies and our souls are eternal. To the extent we are attached to our bodies is the level of pain we experience when we die. For those who are new to this experience it can be upsetting, however there is nothing to fear.

Guidance is available along the entire path and we can prepare for this transition just as we do for any other. For instance it is a good idea to release any resentment, blame or grudges you may have before the transition as this will affect the journey and the destination. If there is something you wish to do in this life, a feeling you wish to express, or a place you desire to visit, I suggest completing that as soon as possible. A bucket list is a fun thing, but only if you complete it. A last will and testament is a good idea if you have any assets whatsoever and include a letter explaining how you desire things distributed. Most importantly tell those who you Love how you feel, often. You cannot say “I Love you” too many times, but if you fail to say it that is another opportunity lost. Of course no harm comes from it, although in this Universe of energy checks and balances it is always a good idea to “store up your house in heaven”.

Love and forgiveness are tools that we use to bless others and in so doing bless ourselves. This life is a gift so make the most of it. Using the awareness that this life will end as motivation for living a good clean life has been the path to righteousness for centuries. Just as every video game comes to an end, we can start that game again and play till be are happy with the result, then we move on to the next. The more we understand death the fuller our lives will be.

😉 Sequoia Elisabeth

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New Years Creation

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Now that we have glanced back over our year of 2009 it is time to gaze lovingly to 2010. Again this is something that should occupy a few hours at most and when we record our thoughts on paper, in audio or video these prayers (all thoughts, words, actions are prayers) are given form. Visualize your life and how you would like to experience it. Think of the relationships that are important to you now and also imagine your ideal personal relationship. Feel yourself in this relationship and imagine yourself engaged in whatever activity you desire. Keep things ideal and at the same time honor thoughts that may arise which are undesirable by releasing them. I thank unwanted thoughts for visiting and then shoo them out.

This process of creative visualization is so powerful and if you would like to know more about it I recommend Shakti Gwain’s book “Creative Visualization” and although it is an older book the technique is centuries old. Of course this process does not end after the New Year, but extends the year around. This works with whatever you are creating, be it a job, love affair, happiness, prosperity, etc.

When I came out 10 years ago I used this technique to manifest my dream. I was in a period of my life where I was doing a lot of introspection and getting in tune with my inner feelings and desires. What I realized was, I am a woman, why else would I be compelled to wear woman’s clothing and makeup? The activities I enjoyed the most are associated with women in our society and I could see that my nature was feminine, even though I had learned to be masculine as so many woman have done to cope with a masculine world. The thoughts and desires I had as a teenager proved to be right on and it was high time for me to start honoring them after 30 years of denial.

New Year’s is a great time to begin anew and that is one of its purposes. We can begin anew any day of the year and we do, but let’s seize this opportunity this year to think thoughts that support us, to plan for manifesting our desires and pay attention to what brings us joy. Let joy (deep inner satisfaction) be our guide on this Journey of Love 2010. Remember also to live in the moment and not get caught up in the past or future, yes they exist but only to provide perspective for our Now. Have a Blessed NOW, always and all ways. 😉 Sequoia Blessed

Gender Related Spirituality Transitions

2009 Blessings

by Sequoia Elisabeth

With only two days left in 2009 you may be tempted to look back over your year and judge it as good or bad, abundant or poor, easy or hard. Instead let us look back only briefly to see what worked, what was successful, what brought us Joy. Can you think of one thing that you did this year that brought Joy to your heart? How about a project that worked out just like you thought it would? Did any of your decisions of this year prove to be all you wished them to be?

We don’t have to get too big with the event either, something as simple as a new hair style that made you feel wonderful is a big success. Putting a garden in for the first time in years and enjoying the “fruits” of your labors is another great success. Helping a friend or neighbor with a project or really in any way is another Joy to be thankful for. New friends who brought Joy into your life are a wonderful gift to be grateful for. It is not hard to find these little treasures when we take a few minutes, relax, and reflect.

If you are so moved, write them down or journal about these wonderful successes so that any time you may be feeling down you can read over all the wonderful successes you have enjoyed over the years. Maybe you could create a victory book to record your progress. I mean that is the point of transition. To record our milestones and appreciate each and every success we have on the Journey of Love. It is so joyful to look back and see where you were and now look around at where you have come. After all as the Taoist saying goes, “The journey is the reward”. 😉 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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New Beginnings

by Sequoia Elisabeth

Today is a new day so start fresh. Leave any thoughts that no longer serve you and move on to new pastures. Animals realize this and we can learn from them. If an area is over grazed and the food (thought) is not fresh and nourishing then they move to another area until they find what is nourishing and uplifting.

We are constantly given the choice to think and act from habit or transition to a new more satisfying pattern. I was thinking about this the other day. Our lives are like a movie with each moment a frame on the movie film. As we go from moment to moment in our life the movie comes to life! The movie can be spliced and edited too. Take for instance a memory. Each time you have a memory what happens is your movie is re-edited, the past is brought into the present and becomes “real” again. No, not reel, real! Oh, I know that nothing is “real” unless we make it so. If we only knew how powerful we actually are.

Would you still make the choices you make if you knew how powerful you are? Is there something in your life that you would like to change? OK, so choose again and again and again, until it is just the way you want. What? Oh you have been doing that already, lol. Well then, now you know the nature of life. Events happen based on all energies and actions, and sometimes it is difficult to predict things. What I do when life is not going my way is stop making choices myself and instead ask Holy Spirit to help me. Holy Spirit can see what I cannot and does not have the limitations I have created for myself so things improve rapidly this way. Please don’t get tripped up on the word Holy Spirit, use a word that suits you, like maybe God, Yaweh, Allah, Buddha, Baha’u’llah, Great Spirit, or Universal Mind. I will continue to use Holy Spirit since I follow The Course in Miracles.

In a way when Holy Spirit is guiding our path we are simply actors in a movie, the movie of our life. Getting back to editing the movie, let’s take a look and what happens when we splice the future into the present. Oh yes this works too and in fact is a powerful tool that requires the use of our imagination. Can you imagine the perfect life? Have you ever seen a movie and wish it was you up there on the screen? Then make it so, by dreaming a little dream, holding the desire close to your heart and putting it all in the hands of the Master Editor, Holy Spirit. Blessed Be 🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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Unity in Diversity and the One Mind

by Sequoia Elisabeth

“There is but one mind, the mind of God and that mind is my mind now!” Ernest Holmes. The concept of Oneness is a growing movement in the world today and my ministry is all about expanding that awareness. There is no greater feeling than the feeling of knowing we are all connected as one living organism. Planet earth is one cell in the Universal Body of God!

We are made up of planets, solar systems and galaxies! Whether you are looking through a microscope or telescope all system are a reflection of the whole. We are holograms; which means that we each contain the whole within, and no matter how much we are divided we still contain the whole. This is a principle that makes up the entire Universe! No matter how big or small we expand our view we are looking at the One – system within system, body within body, cell within cell. As Dr. Bruce Lipton says, our bodies are living systems of organisms made up of billions of cells, which are each living organisms. So each Human is a community onto themselves! A healthy human body is a community in harmony that works together for the greater whole. So maybe now you can see the larger hologram of Gaia which is made up of communities within communities within communities and in order for the communities to be in harmony, each of the communities which make up the larger community must be in harmony.

So when we say that Peace starts at home or Love comes from within, maybe now you will have a deeper awareness of this Truth. For those of you who know what homeostasis in the human body is you will know that this state is reached naturally when the body is left alone. So using this model, there is nothing we need do but live and let live or as I like to say, Let go and Let God! 🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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We are ONE

by Sequoia Elisabeth

My message is simple. We are all One and are growing closer each day. Have you felt that connection lately that just made you smile and feel all warm inside? It can be as simple as a familiar smell or taste that just makes you say, ”ahhhh, I love this”. Often it happens when we are talking to a friend or loved one, but it can also happen when you least expect it. I met a man a few weeks ago at a memorial service for the first time and the way he looked me in the eye and the feeling I got struck me straight to my soul, pass the heart and collect 2 million dollars! It is not likely I will ever forget that look and the feeling I felt, names on the other hand are a different matter, lol. I know Love when I feel it and this was the Love of Great Spirit or Holy Spirit without any doubt. Once you understand this feeling it is unmistakable and incredibly enjoyable.

As the course in miracles says, miracles are a daily event when you are connected to Holy Spirit and this is one way to know if you are connected. We are constantly getting feedback from Spirit letting us know if we are on the path or not. If it feels good, then yes you are on the right path. If it feels bad or makes you sick, or tired then no you are not on the right path. Life really is simple.

One of the concepts I have been playing with lately is Unity in Diversity, so let me share what I have come up with. The experience of oneness is at the core of this Unity and it is experienced through each person in their own unique perspective. For example, if there are 100,000 people at a concert all enjoy this awesome musical event, each person will have a different experience of the same event at the same time. This is Unity in Diversity to me. Or take a common procedure that many people experience in their lifetime like getting your teeth cleaned at the dentist, we all are experiencing the same event in different ways and while we can each relate to this experience we are each having slightly different experiences with it. Why else would there be 7+billion people in the world, if not to have 7+billion different experiences? Now I am speaking of the One mind, let me explain that even though we are each individuals we are all using the One mind, the mind of God. I can see this is getting a bit long, so we will continue with this concept of oneness on the next blog.  Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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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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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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