Aquarian Androgyny September 30, 2011

Many do not realize that there are forces far beyond our little selves that not only influence our direction they often control it.  These times are indeed remarkable and the reason most of us chose to be here.  We are in Transition from the Piscean age to the Aquarian.

What exactly this means will vary depending on the Astrologer you speak to but there are some common threads presented here.  This has been my personal experience as I discover who I am and how this relates to the rest of the world.  Let me share what I have learned of the Aquarian age and you can put the pieces together.

“Aquarians are not “gawky nerdy”, “absent-minded professors” or “mad scientists. The characteristics that better describe them are iconoclasm, emotional “hardness”, bisexual, asexual or androgynous orientation, teambuilding, innovation and perhaps some social anarchy (from behavior that shocks conservative people to a general disregard for rules).  In addition, we may see a gradual replacement of the icon of Jesus with something that is indicative of Aquarian values, such as the computer, the committee, the scientist, the group, the mind or the iconoclast.” (Nancy R. Fenn)

Androgyny and the Aquarian Age

by Lynn Hayes | Wednesday July 13, 2011

I have always found it interesting that the worldly definition of “Uranian” according to Wikipedia is:

Uranian is a nineteenth century term that referred to a person of a third sex — originally, someone with “a female psyche in a male body” who is sexually attracted to men, and later extended to cover homosexual gender variant females, and a number of other sexual types.

Delving a little deeper, I find that the origin of this association with the word Uranian with the “third sex” originated with a German scholar named Karl Heinrich Ulrich who was what we could today call transgender, meaning he identified as a woman in a man’s body.  The term Uranian was picked up by Victorian writers such as Oscar Wilde, who wrote: “”To have altered my life would have been to have admitted that Uranian love is ignoble. I hold it to be noble – more noble than other forms.”  (Ulrich’s chart shows Venus opposite Uranus, and Uranus squares the Moon in Wilde’s chart.)

As we transition into the Aquarian age , it’s not surprising that gender roles are blurring and homosexuality is becoming more openly accepted.  Aquarius is ruled by Uranus, the planet that inspires us to live a life that is as authentically true to us as possible.  Uranus governs radical behavior and rebellion against the status quo, and this includes greater acceptance of lifestyles that don’t fit into the rigid social norms that fall under Saturn’s domain.  With Pluto, lord of destruction and regeneration, traveling through Capricorn, Saturn’s sign, these rigid social structures (Capricorn) are being pummeled and demolished.

As an astrologer I use the term “Uranian” to describe any person or trait that reflects this desire to move past old ways of thinking and manifest an authenticity in one’s thoughts and behavior patterns and this goes far beyond gender issues.  But a strong Uranus in a birth chart does tend to indicate a person whose gender identification is less than rigid although this doesn’t always manifest as homosexuality.

Androgyny is nothing new in the rock world (David Bowie, Marilyn Manson), but a new singer has taken gender neutrality to a new level.  Justin Vivian Bond (Moon square Uranus) is not only transgender, but uses the neutral pronoun of “v” to describe “vself” and says: “I like my penis, and I am keeping it, but I am creating a transbody — a physical record on my body and a medical record that I am a transgendered person.”

IndyWeek.com reviewed a recent performance by Justin Vivian Bond, saying:

The gender-ambiguous voice is unrepentant, a queer mixture of the sexes, “monstrous.” Monster comes from the Latin monstrum, meaning an aberration within the natural order. In other words, the so-called monster defies categories. Not surprisingly, what we call monsters are often only reflections of our most profound terrors and desires. Less obviously, monsters reveal the fact that we each contain something of the other; elements of “you” lurk within “me.”

And with the hermaphroditic, we are reminded that even in our differences, we all possess male and female attributes. Writing about Michael Jackson’s violation of the rules governing racial and gender identity, James Baldwin offered that perhaps what is truly monstrous is not ambiguity but the fight against androgyny in an effort to reinforce conventional gender roles. What is terrible is a restrictive gender regime; a terrorist is someone who polices the borders of gender.

This is just the beginning, and the more radical societal changes become the stronger the backlash of conservatives who fear this kind of extreme alteration to their world view.  This is part of what we will be seeing over the next four years as Uranus squares Pluto and takes us deeper into the Aquarian Age.

http://blog.beliefnet.com/astrologicalmusings/2011/07/androgyny-and-the-aquarian-age.html

The article is very revealing to me and gives me another label to play with,” Uranian”.  Upon further investigation I discovered that Edward Carpenter also identified with this term which is significant to me as my birth name includes Edward Carpenter.  He was a Gay activist, a pioneering socialist and radical prophet of a new age of fellowship in which social relations would be transformed by a new spiritual consciousness.

Conclusions drawn from this on my part are simply that my life is a part of a greater whole influenced not only by my life here on earth, but by the entire Universe and span of time.  The message I wish to convey is that your life too is a part of the Greater Whole, the Cosmos!  The forces guiding us are much larger than most realize and to resist is an act of futility.  GLBT is the wave of the future!  It is a sign of the Aquarian times!  We are in the transitional period now where Piscean traits are giving way to the Aquarian and 2012 is the Tipping Point!  Embrace this destiny and keep an open eye (Third Eye).  Seek with the heart (soul) for it always leads to salvation (Higher Self).  Pain is beside the point, if you can see the purpose in your folly.

Sequoia Elisabeth

Unity in Gender Diversity     Discover Sex and Sexuality click here

 

I AM September 29, 2011

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

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

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

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

Sequoia Elisabeth

Unity in Gender Diversity

 

 

Variety Is The Spice Of Life September 24, 2011

Perspective is as diverse as the observer.  Each individual is unique on to themself.  And with that said consciousness also tends to group with like perspectives attracting like.  Thus we have Tennis Clubs, Christian bookstores, and Alcoholics Anonymous.  Gender and Sexuality are no different.  Those of like mind tend to socialize together with each person adding their own unique perspective.

Gender Identity is one’s own personal, inner perspective of who they are in terms of gender, i.e. man, woman, or other.  Gender is best described as a spectrum or scale.  Just as a rainbow has many colors, shades and grades so does gender.  This also works for sexual orientation, while physical sex is more concrete, however even this is a spectrum too.  Human beings are complex creatures indeed!

When a child is born the doctor looks between the legs and declares male, female or gee I don’t know!  It is not till DNA chromosome and other medical testing is done does the doctor know if the child is truly male, female or intersex.  The external genitalia are sometimes ambiguous, or not fully developed.  The genetic, physical and mental traits this child is born with are the filter through which they see the world – their perspective!  As this child grows into adulthood the filter is constantly being shaped and polished by the world.  The amazing fact is that it is less the world outside this person that shapes them than it is the individual’s responses, reactions, and thoughts.

The important factor to understand and always remember is that each person is individual and offers something unique to every situation.  It is your job as an individual to listen and learn who this person is and then honor them for the uniqueness they represent.  Accept them for their perspective and refrain from pushing yours on them.  This is a free will society so you are certainly free to offer your perspective and in fact you are obligated to do so, however whether and what others do with this perspective is entirely up to them.

Some may see you as a crossdressing gay male, others as transgender woman, all while you identify as a transsexual.  Others may simply think that you are crazy.  Each person will see you as they choose and understand.  This does not change who you are, although it may have you questioning who you are, which is a good thing, because part of the human experience is constantly questioning reality.

One last point here is groups that think alike can sometimes have beliefs that seem opposed to other groups.  If some believe that chromosomes and genitalia determine a person’s gender then it is their right to believe that.  It is other group’s obligation to share their perspective so that each individual can more intelligently determine which group they are aligned with.  This is not about right or wrong, because that does not exist.  It is about expressing individual uniqueness in a way that is constructive to the greater whole of society and life on earth.  We all know that variety is the spice of life!

Sequoia Elisabeth

Unity in Gender Diversity

Enema for the Mind September 20, 2011

When going in for any medical procedure requiring anesthesia you are required to stop eating or consuming anything by mouth and if the procedure involves the abdomen or pelvic area a complete colon cleansing is required as well.  There are both medical and Spiritual reasons for this requirement.

Adult patients (= or > 18 years)

1. SOLIDS + MILK: stop eating and drinking after MIDNIGHT the night before your surgery.
2. ORANGE/citrus JUICE or OTHER JUICES with PULP: stop drinking after MIDNIGHT the night before your surgery.
3. CLEAR LIQUIDS: stop drinking FOUR (4) HOURS before your scheduled surgery time.
4. ALCOHOL: no alcohol-containing beverages after 8pm the night before your scheduled surgery time. (http://www.anesthesia.wisc.edu/Clinic/providerinfo/npo/npo_main.html)

When sedated or under anesthesia, your body’s normal protective airway reflexes, such as coughing, that prevent the aspiration of any regurgitated stomach contents is impaired. The aspiration of acidic or solid gastric contents can cause serious and even life threatening lung inflammation and infection.  If your stomach is full, the chances or regurgitating are greater, and the amount regurgitated will be greater which increases the likelihood of aspiration. (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_NPO_before_and_after_surgery#ixzz1Gb5GwFDC)

OK, so now we know the physical/medical risks of having food in the GI track during anesthesia, and we are going to move on to the metaphysical reasons to empty the GI track.  Since the mind, body and spirit are intimately connected it is important to understand the Spiritual aspects of surgery or other medical procedures.

The body is a vessel for the Spirit to express in the material world or 3rd dimension and thus the actions taken with the body create ripples in the spirit world much as they do in the physical one.  Eating is the act of fueling the body or literally taking in the materials to build a new body!  You are what you eat after all.  Metaphysically speaking during surgery the goal is to suspend this process as much as possible so that the invasive procedure does not interfere with the process of digestion and assimilation.  The body will then be focused on healing the shock of the surgical procedure, be able to allocate more resources to the immune system and it will be more flexible to changes.

To experience this wonderful and uplifting energy try fasting for three days and cleansing the colon completely.  The body literally has less weighing it down and thus feels lighter as does the Spirit. The ironic thing is that eating is a major source of stress and aging on the body.  So the less you eat the longer you will live.  It is a balancing act between the material world and the Spiritual.

The more dense and complex the food; the more work required to digest it, which is not necessarily a bad thing, because it brings needed nutrients to the system.  The food you eat is metaphorical to the thoughts you think.  You have heard of digesting a thought?  The saying comes from this very fact.  Heavy thoughts take a longer time to process, just as heavier food does.  Your diet reflects your thoughts and vice versa.

Another aspect to this is the natural cleansing the body does before the final transition.  The soul knows when the time is coming and thus directs the body to cleanse itself and to take in less to digest, thus making transition easier.

The body is symbolic or representative of the soul.  As is the body, so is the soul and vice versa.  (As above, so below) Cleansing the body both inside and out is literally cleansing the soul!  (I use the word soul here to indicate the Spiritual aspect of the body that exists in multi-dimensions.  It is not God per se, but like the body and mind, Spirit/God flows through.  The soul then has access to a greater flow than the body or mind can handle.  The soul is still individuated, however God/Spirit is universal energy making all creation and is not individuated.)

I like to think of my body as a sensing organ for experiencing the 3rd dimension.  It also works as a tool for making changes in multiple dimensions.  May your transition be Blessed.

Sequoia Elisabeth

Unity in Gender Diversity     Discover Sex and Sexuality click here

 

Slight of Mind September 17, 2011

The actions you take are necessary as proof to yourself that it is not only possible but reality.  The concept of reality is not as fixed as one would believe and because of this we are constantly testing reality.  If it happens then it must be true is the mentality we use.

Have you ever been to a magic show?  Is that reality?  Does the rabbit really disappear from the hat? Of course it does, the question is where does it go?  If reality was fixed could we even believe a trick like this?  Don’t we have to know there is a possibility of the rabbit actually disappearing to make this trick work?  Deep down we all know that this 3d world is an illusion.

A trigger is required for us to believe a certain event.  Let’s take surgery for instance.  Say a large benign tumor exists, can be seen on x-ray and with a large bulge in the skin.  We wish this tumor to be gone.  How do we make it go away?  We go to a surgeon and he cuts it out.  Why don’t we go to the magician to make it disappear?  Belief, personal experience and precedent!

We need matching action of a believable nature to create the result we seek.  The movies use this technique all the time.  Two scenes are shot at different times and spliced together to give the appearance they happened in sequence.  It is a trick for the mind!  In fact movies are all about tricks, they are actually a series of images shown very quickly ~16 frames per second and appear to be moving…appearing real.

Surgery is the matching action, like in the movies, which allows the mind to perceive a miracle cure!  When in reality it is done at a level beyond the mind.  Reality exists beyond the mind and the mind is our lens to this world.  Without the ego mind this world does not exist!  This is why the mind needs proof, i.e. surgery to experience the healing.  The Spirit does not need this trick, because it operates at the level of reality and knows there is no tumor at all.  There never was, because in reality we are perfect beings of light/energy made in the image of God/Universal Intelligence/Great Spirit.

The magic trick diverts the attention while the appearance is manipulated, but in reality the rabbit does not even exist so anything that is done is perfectly believable.  Now that we have this information, do we still need surgery to remove a tumor?  Or make a rabbit disappear?  This depends on your level of belief, and faith in reality!

Sequoia Elisabeth

Unity in Gender Diversity

 

 

Labels, Good or Bad? September 13, 2011

The labels we speak of today are the ones we put on our identity and the identity of others.  We are not discussing if it is a good idea to label our food with contents and source, although that is always a good idea in my humble opinion.  Upon further reflection though maybe we are talking about all the labels we use whether they are for food, pets, neighbors, or house plants.

This world is obsessed with labeling everything!!  Even “Good” or “Bad” are labels, so let’s begin by considering what label means.  The meaning we discuss here is “to put in a certain class; classify.” (Dictionary.com)  Consider the role labels play in Gender Identity and any identity really.  What about roles and role playing?

Everyone plays roles and sometimes more than one at a time.  Mother, Father, Child, Engineer, Doctor, Maid, Saint, Sinner, Biscuit eater!  Roles and thus labels provide definition in life.  Imagine an actor being asked to act without a script or a director.  How would that movie turn out?  It could be good, but most likely it would be confusing and you would not even watch.  Life is a one person show!

You are the writer, director and actor!  This means the labels you choose are personal.  If you choose labels others can relate to then you will find popularity and acceptance, however if you choose labels others see as absurd then your experience will be very different.  Have you ever seen a cat that acts like a dog?  Following you around, fetching a ball, and chewing on shoes?  I have and it is funny, although it also sends a message that labels always fall short on accuracy.  Why?  Because life is personal, and of your creation so each person will experience life differently.

Labels do serve to provide a point of reference and provide a suggested experience, but they do not determine the outcome, that is up to the individual.  Try this exercise, go for a walk in the woods or anywhere really, and let go of your definitions of the world around you.  Label nothing and instead find an object and become it by saying “I am that, I am”.  The maple tree becomes you, and you become a maple tree.  Feel the energy and imagine the processes going on inside you (just as you probably do with your human body).  Feel the sap flowing, the sun energizing your leaves and the wind moving your branches!  Labels suddenly lose their importance, and Spiritual essence takes over.

Yes, labels serve the purpose of defining life, but do you really want to have everything boxed up and neat?  What about the joy of discovery?  The surprise in finding a treasure you never knew existed!  As my mom always told me, there is a time and place for everything.  Be careful how you use labels.

Sequoia Elisabeth

Unity in Gender Diversity

 

Caring For Others September 10, 2011

Living is a dynamic process and it is easy to get caught up in daily dramas and just staying busy.  Transitions Blog is here to offer coping techniques in turbulent times.  Attitude and your personal cosmology largely attribute to your experiences in life.

A “Polly Anna” does not necessarily have fewer problems than everyone else they just enjoy them more!  Since life is about Joy and not struggle this seems like a good approach.  Often though it is our family that teaches an approach which we adopt without even thinking about it.  Once we realize that life is a choice we can begin choosing differently if we so choose.

Another aspect to life is that it has no meaning.  Many people search their whole life trying to find something that does not exist!  I tell you this not to depress you but to offer an alternative.  By the way, it is the ego mind’s purpose to control your life by sending you on wild goose chases, so now that you know better, choose again!

Meaning is assigned by you!  It is your duty to decide what has meaning in your life and act appropriately.  Many Spiritual leaders have gone before us and offered their answer to this dilemma which I am sharing here today.  Mother Teresa is famous for her work with the poor and infirm, Gandhi for his contributions of Peace to his people, and Martin Luther King for his demands for Equal Rights.  Each of these leaders chose what was important to them and shared this with others.  The binding theme here is caring for someone besides yourself.  It does not have to be a whole country or even a whole community.  It can be a family or even one person.

The greatest gift of being in a loving relationship is the opportunity to care for someone other than yourself.  When you have children this purpose grows.  Life no longer is about you, it becomes about them and you have a reason to live!

Having a family or even a partner is not required.  Loving another human being is a gift that anyone can give. (This does not mean the other person must accept your love, by the way, so give to everyone.)  It does not require money, health, or good looks.  All that is required is making the choice and following through.  There is no limit on how many people you can love as Gandhi, et al showed us.  Do what feels right to you!

You will discover that depression, anxiety, and many other ailments disappear when you have a purpose greater than you to focus on.  Of course you know that in order to be most effective you must face your personal issues along the way.  Take care of you and then take care of others.  This is not an excuse but it is an important consideration.  Give what you need!  If you are having health issues, help others in the process of healing yourself.  If you have money problems then help others with their issues by volunteering with a charity.  What you give you receive!!

Sequoia Elisabeth

Unity in Gender Diversity

 

Time and The Use of Calendars September 7, 2011

Many people do not know that the Mayan Calendar is a chart that tracks consciousness and not necessarily time.  So calendars are not just for keeping track of what day it is.  They serve a very valuable function in society and in fact are the core of every society.

Even our Gregorian calendar serves the function of coordinating societies events.  Christmas is on Dec. 25th and society shifts around this time to celebrate giving, and honor the Christ.  July 4th is Independence Day here in the USA but means nothing to the other societies around the world.  They celebrate their independence days on their appropriate days.  If a country is majorly one religion or another the whole country will celebrate these holy days on certain days of the year which are tracked by their calendar.

The Hebrew calendar tracks Jewish holidays, and the Chinese calendar or Yin calendar tracks Asian holidays.  It is interesting to note that the Chinese refer to the Gregorian calendar as the Yang calendar, which simply tracks days and allows them to be in tune with the rest of the world.  2011 is the year of the rabbit which began on Feb. 3rd and ends on Jan. 22, 2012.  The year has certain traits and/or energies that are inherit to that time period.  This has been the way of almost all cultures for the past 5,000 years.  Time is a cycle and can be used to forecast the future.

“Numerology is any study of the purported mystical relationship between a count or measurement and life.”  It has been used in various forms for thousands of years and has validity when it is fully understood and believed.  A website that I use is http://numerology.findyourfate.com.  Just remember that nothing has meaning till you give it meaning.  This is profound in its implications, so think about that a minute.  Then follow numerology or not.  As an example, Christmas has no meaning till you give it meaning.  Someone from a tribe in the Amazon who has never heard of Christ does not have the slightest idea what Christmas is.

We have been hearing much about the date Dec. 21, 2012 and other dates because they are significant to someone’s calendar, namely ours and the Mayan calendar.  The Dec. 21st date is the equinox and the alignment of the Galactic Convergence.  (Some claim it to be the end of the Mayan Calendar)  It is also supposed to be the end of the Piscean age and the beginning of Aquarius, although I have discovered these changes are not a daily event, meaning they occur over many years.  Starting sometime around 1987 and ending sometime around 2060.

The more significant date is the end of the Mayan Calendar on Oct. 28th, 2011.  Dr. Carl Calleman has done significant research into the Mayan calendar and provides empirical proof that this date is the one we should be focusing on.  He explains why, “The understanding of Mayan time as quantized also provides a meaningful way of looking at the so-called end date where it is not even potentially a preset end of the world. (This is why no one embracing the October 28, 2011 date has fallen to claim that it is a preset end of the world). The end date simply reflects the point in time when the Cosmic Tree of Life attains its highest quantum state. This also implies that it is not the beginning of a new cycle and it is only on this basis that it is rationally understandable that this state would serve to create a millennium of peace in the “New Jerusalem” as the new world is called in the Book of Revelation. To instead use a Hindu metaphor it becomes logical that the attainment of this highest state means liberation from the wheels (cycles) of Karma. As the student of the evidence-based Mayan calendar will know almost all conflicts and warfare in the history of mankind actually originate in quantum shifts between cosmic energies and only as those come to an end is there any serious reason to hope for the emergence of a world in harmony. Hence, in this interpretation of the Mayan calendar there is absolutely no reason to think that the end date means the end of life or a “doomsday” when the world is predetermined to come to an end.

What the end date does mean however is that on October 28, 2011 the shifts between energies will come to an end and it is thus no wonder that many intuitively sense that the year that follow upon this, 2012, is very special. The processes that have been driving cosmic evolution until now will no longer be operating and after some time for things to settle the human beings will be left to create evolution themselves. What this means is in my view that the end date is not just another shift. Instead it constitutes the end of the shifts that have been caused by alternations in the quantum states of the Tree of Life up until that point,…” (Calleman, 2009)

Be sure to read the entire article for the full explanation.  To further this discussion on Mayan calendar, the Mayan people used the calendar to determine what kind of day they would have.  If the calendar said it was to be a day of compassion then they would live with compassion that day and if it said they were to be hateful, get married, to fight, etc., then they would.  The calendar made choices for them and each person followed it like the letter of the law.  This is the process that is ending, which we have been feeling the effects of in the liberation movements of the recent past.

It is important to be in tune with your deepest inner desires in this time of liberation, because the door is being flung open and literally anything is possible.  I invite you to take a tour of your inner self (through the power of imagination and introspection) and really get clear on your desires.  Those who do not decide are allowing others that privilege.  Blessings on your Journey of Love!!

Sequoia Elisabeth

Unity in Gender Diversity

Appearances Can Be Deceiving September 1, 2011

Transition from male to female or vice versa is a drastic physical change and is often difficult not only for the person transitioning but for the entire family and if the person is famous then the entire community.  The further removed this person is the easier it is to accept, however when it is a person you admire or even idolize it becomes a whole different story.

Why are things so difficult you may ask?  Because each person has a concept of whom they think that person is.  You know your brother, right?  Or whatever role that person plays in your life, you think that is who this person is, but is that reality?  If your brother becomes your sister or your father becomes your second mom does this lessen the relationship?  How does this reflect on you?

The pride cometh before the fall!  Maybe the biggest issue is that your ego is bruised from the whole affair.  Someone in your family is different and this embarrasses you.  You did not even know this person whom you were so close to and oh my goodness this could rub off on me!  Does this mean I am queer too?  A member of your “team” has fallen in your eyes… or have they?

Maybe what is amiss is the mistaken notion that families know each other better than the rest of the world knows them.  Maybe everything happens for a reason and contains a gift for all involved.  Maybe each person need be on the lookout for gifts and when drastic events such as one family member transitioning occur this is the greatest gift of all.

The lessons are many and are different for each person involved, however a few themes are “we are not our bodies, we are Spiritual Beings having a human experience, do not judge a book by its cover, and Love has no limits.”  The human race is in a pivotal stage of evolution.  The physical body is being surpassed by the mental and Spirit.  It is a case of the jar no longer containing all the juice.  The body no longer defines who we are (if it ever did).

Appearances can be deceiving!  Just because someone looks big and strong, does this mean they are?  Or maybe they are beautiful to the eye; does this mean they have depth of character and compassion?  The saying, “do not judge a book by its cover” applies here.  However just because you have read the book (think you know your brother) does not mean that someone else could not interpret the story differently.

Love has no limits!  Unconditional Love is the only true Love!  This means that no matter what this person does that you still Love them and accept them for who they believe themselves to be!  It means you do not judge them for doing something you disagree with or goes against your moral values.  It does not mean that you must join them!  Pain comes from resistance and is often connected to ego; it is not Love!

So what is a person to do when it comes to family, friends or enemies?  The spiritual teachings tell us to Love thy neighbor as thyself.  See beyond the “cover” or physical body and perceive the soul, because when you see each person as a brilliant soul, child of God.  The world changes… it becomes Heaven.

Sequoia Elisabeth

Unity in Gender Diversity