Lessons learned

A guest post from my wise young friend Kyle.  Although he tells me he is 26 I believe he is much older. 

Still fighting for equality

July 23, 2013 

By: Kyle Cecil, July 23, 2013

Most who have known me for the last three years have seen me strongly fighting for equality but for the last couple of months have seen me not posting or sharing as much as I used to in regards to equality and there’s a reason for that, I still fight for equality for all but it’s not the most important thing to me anymore, I have been on a journey of bettering myself such as working to turn my bad habits into good habits, changing the way I think about life, or loving myself more instead of focusing on things that cause negative energies and feelings and I don’t and won’t apologize for focusing on me and making me happy for the fact I have spent a lot of time trying to make everybody else happy first before making myself happy and that’s one bad habit I’m working to get rid of is making everybody else’s happiness come before my own.

Many might view my lack of posting about politics or equality or even talking about the stuff as me turning my back on the fight which is not the case, for me it’s about finding a balance of spending time fighting and spending time on myself; for the last three years I have spent almost every waking moment fighting for equality and doing so I found nothing but a lot of negative energies surrounding me and in that moment I felt I needed a change and I want to better my life and better myself in the process, I wanted to learn to love myself in hopes by doing so ALL the right people will come into my life and my life will get to a place of great enlightenment.

I know I have slacked on fighting for equality greatly but I’m not going to stop fighting but more look for a balance between my personal life and what interest me to live better and spending some but not all of my time fighting for equality, for me right now life is about finding a balance and just trying to enjoy my life the best I can. I have noticed not many will like or comment on anything I post on Facebook unless it’s some sort of drama related and it’s sad because we shouldn’t be that consumed with drama and negative energies we should never let our lives get to the point where drama and negative energies drive us I’m not saying don’t fight for what you believe in or don’t fight for your rights but find a balance between enjoying your life more and give some of your time to fighting for your rights but I know many won’t agree but what can you do but say it’s their life and just focus on me and what I’m doing.

I have slowed down 1000 times from where I was a couple of months ago and with doing so I have discovered I got things I need to work on and the more I have worked on my bad habits and way of thinking I have learned that less worry, less stressing, less negative energy and less drama has helped me to get to a place that I don’t want to leave I am on my way to a state of mind that I can’t help but embrace and love and share with others in hopes that I can inspire someone who also is on a self-discovery kind of mission. With me spending more time on myself and my interest I have rediscovered the love I used to have for my art and I want to do something with my art someday but with spending all my time fighting for equality and dealing with work I haven’t spent any time in the past three years with my art so I have to get my skills back to where they were when I was in High School. I have also gotten back to focusing on my Wiccan path and actually finished remaking my book of shadows which I have been working to do for the last year and a half, for those who don’t know; yes I’m Wiccan and NO I don’t owe anybody an explanation or an apology because I follow a spiritual path, I love working with my craft as much as I love my art and as much as I love music… pretty much I’m enjoying everything I did before equality took over my life and maybe more so since I’m trying to better myself, I tell you I just have this feeling that I’m learning exactly who I am for the first time and I like this Kyle and the more I keep on this journey I’m on this Kyle will just get better and that’s the person I’m excited to meet.

The main purpose for writing this is that even though I don’t fight for equality like I used to doesn’t mean I’m giving up the fight, I’m going to keep fighting but just not spending all my free time fighting like I was before, for some giving their 100% selves to fighting for equality works but for some of us the drama and negative energy that can and many times follows just isn’t what is good for the rest of us because we begin to see us turning into someone we never wanted to be, but too those who wish to keep their ALL 100% selves in the fight for equal rights I will always fight with you and will happily support you every step of the way but know that just because I have slowed down in this fight I’m not out for the count what so ever but I am drawing that line of how much drama and negative energy will be in my life but I’m most certainly not done fighting.

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Here By Divine Appointment

 

A human being is a part of the whole universe; each of us was ‘called’ to play a role for a limited time and space.  Each of us is here for our time in the sun; for a cycle and a season to experience Self, to experience thoughts and feelings that are uniquely our own.  We are here to experience a Self that is different from all the rest of humanity, here to experience our own consciousness.  This is our inheritance, our birthright.

As human beings each of us is part of the whole universe, each of us portray a character in a dramatic play called life; each of us has a limited role in the drama occurring in time and space.

Everyone one of us was called here by some unknown force; everyone one of us was created in flash of blinding light; we are here to experience self; to think our own thoughts and feel our own feelings that are different from the rest of our fellows and here to free ourselves from history that occurred long before we drew breath in this life; a history of bondage and slavery; ultimately we’re here to embrace humanity in its diversity. We are here to grow. 

Each of us can say I am responsible to and for myself; I have free will to think my own thoughts and to express my own feelings. Each of us has residing inside an inner child that is always growing and exploring and knowing all aspects of Self and we are responsible for and to Self.  My only duty is to myself: Everyone has duty to self. 

Some people grow in one direction and feel duty bound to be a loving brother’s keeper while others become self-appointed watch keepers acting as if they here by divine appointment to be a spiritual security force.’  These watch keepers are fanatical religionists who live in a state of delusion; self-made prisons demanding conformity and uniformity. Always they condemn the personal lives of others who are different.

Fanatical religionists choose to close their eyes and ears to other viewpoints and choose to not understand the needs and affections of others who walk a different path. Millions of fanaticals choose to convene and connive to destroy the lives of others by creating a hostile climate and then promote myths/lies; such as ‘gays are diseased and gays demand special rights and gays are child molesters. They play the pseudo victim by saying gays are the enemies of faith and marriage and family. The ultra-fanatical religionist demands the death penalty for homosexuality. Where is their humanity: This is Christianity? 

We are not here to live out someone else’s religious doctrine  – their sense of reality or their frightening fantasies. 

People who care about each other do not convene and connive to demean and destroy the lives of others. People who care about each other do not approve or promote dehumanizing propaganda that demonizes others.  People who care about each other do not practice bigotry.

People who care about each other do not harass, persecute or torment others because they love someone of their same gender – someone who simply wishes to marry the person who fits best in their arms and heart and raise a family.

Intolerant bigots are like common thieves, they put out that spark of life in the eyes of the person we are supposed to call brother, sister; son, daughter: mother-father; … forgetting that we are one heartbeat in the universe, one family of humanity, that we are always a child.

Why is this so hard to understand?  You let a child, a woman – a man cry… deny their heart and want to die, live a life of dishonesty and despair just to please you and your oh so Christian Rules.

This is the Common Era, no one is owned. no one is another persons property. Why must another bend a knee and be humbled just to please you? Why should others strive to meet another person’s standards?  The beauty is of course … we don’t. Remembering our inheritance, we don’t need someone outside to define our wellbeing, our own happiness not at all, our happiness is a part of our own inner journey. we simply need to give ourselves permission to experience it and the joy of Spirit which is part of our heart and soul. We do not have to wait for or rely on another to define our life and the way we are to live it. We are already whole and complete.

As you go peacefully forward into your day please be gentle and kind and bear love with one another.

Rachel

Dreams Denied: ‘Woman’s degradation is in man’s idea of his sexual rights’

Around the world young girl’s dream of kissing and breaking rules disregarding

Dignity and fantasize about losing their virginity. It seems this has been so since

Early time. But eons ago the devoutly religious found a way to keep their

Wives and young daughters ‘chaste and pure’

 My blog today regards Female Circumcision, an odd topic but a troubling one. I admit my research was brief and limited and my opinion is biased. Earlier this week I read a news article; a religious leader in another country stated that all young girls of his faith would undergo female circumcision when his faith ruled the country he was speaking from.

The practice of female genital mutilation/circumcision – FMG/C dates back possibly as far back as to the year 20 BC and involves the cutting of the clitoris; the practice in some cultures can also involve the surgical removal of the clitoris or the sewing up of the vaginal opening. This is a barbaric practice and I must speak against it since it involves violence against children and gender inequality which are topics that I always address. There is never a reason to harm a child, ever. A child between the ages of four to eight has no concept of chastity or fidelity. FMG/C is a painful procedure that insures that a female will never know the pleasure of an orgasm. In my mind this is morally wrong to rob young females from ever knowing the pleasure of sexual expression; to ensure that as a wife she is only as a receptacle; she cannot give all of herself because part of her ‘self’ was severed. 

Lofty ideals: All children should enjoy special protection; they should never be traded or sold like personal property. A female child should have the right to freely express her thoughts and feelings and she should have the right to the security of her person and should never be subjected to torture and her marriage should be by her free will and consent.

Facts

1. There is no justification for causing harm to a child, period.
2. FGM/C is a violation of the human rights of girls and women.
3. Female genital mutilation is a violation of the fundamental rights of girls that threatens their health and future opportunities, including giving birth later in life,”
4. This practice needs to be stopped not promoted.
5. Female genital mutilation contributes to HIV/AIDS infections and complications with childbirth as well as bleeding, infections, and trauma.
6. Girls between the ages of 14 and 18 years and in rural areas are often subjected to the risky operations. 
7. Girls are also often given in marriage before the legal age of 18 years. Often as early as 12 and younger. 
8. Workers have been warned about the spread of HIV/Aids and other diseases during the procedure as a result of the use of unsterilized medical tools by traditional surgeons.
9. Traditional surgeons often use the same tools on several girls without sterilizing them.

10. Despite the enactment of laws against this the practice continues – underground. 

 In 1970 FGM/C was seen as a form of violence against children and women and this year [2013] a United Nations program sees this as a priority to be addressed and is working to prevent and eliminate this and of all forms of violence against women and young girls.  

In her country suppression is bondage in its highest form. FMG/C is a conscious forceful action that prevents her from knowing pleasure during intimacy. As a female she will always be controlled by a suppressing culture. Please remember that children are not property and to harm a child through female circumcision should be seen as criminally offensive; to deny a child the ability to feel sexual pleasure by her own hand or with her partner is should be viewed as outrageous and shameful.

While she was a child someone obeyed the laws of an ancient religious law and made a decision for her and now as muscles tighten around her genital area she will never experience the wave of pleasure, never feel the tingling thrill run through her body. She will never join him crying out her thrill in release. No, while his hungry eyes undressed her; his lips explored her body; breasts, her throat… Yes, he was free to enjoy his own sexual excitement but his wife never will.

God is pleased with this?

“Woman’s degradation is in man’s idea of his sexual rights.

Our religion, laws, customs, are all founded on the belief that woman was made for man.” 
Elizabeth Cady Stanton