Oneness Ministry

We are One

Mar 29

When did it all begin?

by Sequoia Elisabeth

When does transition begin?  Does it have a beginning? Or an end?  Transition is a process of change, so it never really has a beginning or an end, because change is on-going.  Ever since the big bang the universe has been expanding and changing!  There is no end.

On a more personal level, your transition began the day you were conceived!  What we experience and often think of as a “transition” are cycles or phases of change.  These occur at many levels and often at the same time.  Our bodies are growing all the time no matter how old you are.  Even at the age of 100 your body is growing new cells to replace old ones and this continues till the old ones far outweigh the new ones, then that body dies and the cycle begins again, in a new lifetime.  This is all going on while we experience emotional changes, mental changes, and spiritual changes.  Transition is multi-dimensional.

For those of us on a gender transition journey, the word “transition” holds unique meaning.  For most of us this journey begins when we start on hormones, however I will state that the first stage or cycle is questioning.  On my website I have an eleven step transitioning guide that outlines the steps as I see them based on my research and experiences.  There could be more or less steps; however, each phase is a transition in itself.  Take the hormones for instance; this phase or transition cycle has a specific start and significant steps along the path.  For those who have the surgery, the post op regimen will differ greatly from the pre-op cycle and the end is not the same for everyone.  Some post op transwomen take hormones the rest of their lives and others will stop taking hormones once they reach a certain age. 

The cycles have certain similarities between people, but each person will have specific differences in their transition cycles or phases.  Our experiences define us to an extent, but they are not who we are. Life is made up of one experience after another like the layers of an onion, only far more complex.  So when does transition begin?  It depends on which one you are speaking of and who you are asking!  Blessings on your journey of Love 🙂    Sequoia Elisabeth

Unity in Gender Diversity

Gender Related Spirituality Transitions

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Mar 9

I am not my body

by Sequoia Elisabeth

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

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

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

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

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

Gender Related Spirituality Transitions

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Mar 4

Transgender Perspectives

by Sequoia Elisabeth

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

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

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

Mary 1950s

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

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

🙂 Sequoia Elisabeth 

Mary 1953

Gender Related Transitions

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Feb 28

Voices In My Head

by Sequoia Elisabeth

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

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

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

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

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

Spirituality Transitions

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Dec 15

Blessed Season

by Sequoia Elisabeth

This time of year has us celebrating our achievements of the past year and making plans for our future.  Each of us is preparing for the transition to the Holiday season by celebrating in our own way.  Tradition usually drives our activities and they do help us to maintain a positive glow this time of year by bringing up pleasant memories of times gone by.  If this is not the case for you then I would suggest making new memories this year and looking to the good in all that happens.  Of course, this is always good idea. 

The gifts this year are going to be better than any other year we have experienced.  Why you ask?  Because I am giving my best gift, Love.  It really is all we ever have to give.  Knickknacks and bobbles are nice and so are those new socks, but nothing is more valuable than the feeling of Love.  We do not need material things to feel that!  In fact they often get in the way of our feelings of Love.  We come to expect that new bike or sewing kit we have always wanted and it becomes about what you are getting and not about what you are giving.  Let’s focus on the deeper gifts this year and feel our connection to all that is.  So remember to focus on the Love that we all can put into our gifts this year whether we have material things to give or not.   

More importantly let’s see the Christ in every face we see this year!  Chist-mas is about being more centered in our being, thus Christ = centered (metaphysics) and mas = more (Spanish).  This is how I think of this holiday and whatever way you celebrate this season just remember that you are Loved.

😉 Sequoia Elisabeth

Spirituality Transitions

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