New Age Spirituality

Upon reflection, I came to the realization that I should clarify a few things. As explained in my Venus Transit post, I come from a background of eclectic spirituality. Having recently come into the transgender community, I am making linkages between my previous spiritual learning and human gender. I am beginning to write about these connections. Each step I take along this line of pondering has lead to the revelation of avenues not previously considered.

Our keynote at GenderEvolve is "improvement of societal perception of transgenderism". In order to make progress toward this goal, it will be necessary to find support from groups outside the TG community. The starting point was GLBT. Gaining the attention and acceptance of a wider scope of people is the only evolution from this point. The New Age community holds promise in this regard.

The New Age community is based on a movement which began in the 1970’s. Included here are people of all walks of life, heritage, religion, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The community embraces the notion that there are many possible ways to be spiritually centered, there is no "one true way". Any type of love-based spirituality is welcomed by the New Age community.

Hence, there are a myriad of philosophies, theories, interpretations of spiritual information, both ancient and new. The New Age community does not include cults or heirarchical systems of righteous command. There are no "chosen ones", no human guru to kneel before, no need to send in your money. New Agers believe that spirituality is a personal choice, and it is up to each indivual to discern for themselves what feels right. The community is built on the premise of many possible paths to enlightenment. The one and only "rule" is love... the only step required for salvation of a human soul in the New Age is to live life from a loving perspective. Be kind, forgiving, accepting... listen to your heart, and strive to do what your heart tells you is "for the good of all and to harm none". How each person chooses to connect with God or their spirituality is a personal choice, subject only to the rule of love.

A huge number of free thinking open-minded people exist in the New Age community; people who are seeking a greater understanding and a more meaningful existence. Inherant to this genre are the type of people who would be most likely to accept, perhaps even embrace, transgenderism. We can apply the very same information the New Agers are already embracing, and applying it to transgenderism, thereby supporting a case that transgenderism is evolutionary.

If we can influence hundreds of thousands of New Agers outside the TG community to feel positively about transgenderism, the domino effect may follow. If transgendered people knew they would be welcomed en femme at New Age venues, greater social mobility would be enjoyed by the TG community. Transgendered people need not embrace New Age spirituality in order to benefit from greater acceptance, yet new horizons would open up on both sides.

The New Age community has global reach, is very diverse, and has a rapidlly growing presence which has been gaining momentum at an astonishing rate in the past 10-14 years. With influential support for gender self-expression now arising within the New Age community, yet still indirectly, the time to make this New Age / TG connection is NOW.

Continued pondering about my sudden involvement with the TG community (see my previous article "The Calling") has drawn me to the revelation that I have been called to write a book. I am to use the understanding brought by my life-long training in New Age spirituality to open a new door of acceptance for the Transgender community.

In this process, you at GenderEvolve will be the first to see my new writings as they arise. Some of the ideas presented may picque your interest, others may not. My intention is not to "convert" anyone in any way, as I completely honour your spiritual belief systems as a personal choice. If, on the other hand, this New Age information is something you would like to explore with me, your questions, comments, insights will be valued greatly. Never expected, yet always appreciated.

In addition to New Age sources, I will be actively seeking information from any established religious doctrines that can be interpreted to support a case for gender balance or self-expression (either within a person or within society at large). I am not too familiar with most of the traditional religions, so any suggestions in this area would be most welcome.

I just wanted to clarify my motivation for presenting New Age information in relation to transgenderism, in case any of you were wondering. Please don’t think I am trying to convince you of anything, or enforce a certain belief on anyone. Your beliefs are every bit as valid as mine or the next person’s... spirituality is a very personal choice which I fully respect.

Originally posted at: http://genderevolve.blogspot.com/2005/11/1111-on-1111-of-11.html