“A New Earth For Us Too?
Unlike the empty promises of equality and non-discrimination from The Constitution, The "New Earth" spoken of in Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth: Awakening to your life's Purpose, speaks of a heavenly place that is not somewhere far, far away, but that is here and now. In the present moment lay peace for everyone. I think this book is a must read for those of us in the trans-community, as well as any other community that carries with it a strong collective pain.
I have noticed that a lot of other people transgender or not, are already awaken to a more conscious level of living. I feel the consensus of others stepping outside of the box is that we all want more for ourselves, and more for our lives. I sure do. I have been on a reading spree, and there were a series of books that began to help me truly let go of negative thoughts & beliefs I unconsciously accepted about my life, my possibilities, my strength and my will. I have learned through Eckhart's book that to be at peace with life is to not resist, judge or be attached to it. Eckhart describes this peace as "the peace of God". He goes on to describe the very experience of peace that has been unfolding before me,
"Now you can enjoy and honor the things of
this world without giving them an
importance and significance they don't have.
You can participate in the dance of creation
and be active without attachment to outcome
and without placing unreasonable demands
on the world: Fulfill me, make me happy,
make me feel safe, tell me who I am. The
world cannot give you those things, and
when you no longer have such expectations,
all self-created suffering comes to an end" (226).
I started a dating service, and image consulting business for the transgender community a little over a year ago. That is when I was introduced to what Eckhart Tolle refers to as the "collective pain-body". I met the collective pain body of men who wanted to be with transsexuals, as well as the transgender collective pain-body. Seemingly valid arguments were being given on both sides. "I can't find one who isn't a prostitute or looking for a relationship with your wallet." Another person exclaims, "It's hard to find a man who is willing to be open and resolved with his sexual identity." There were many, and I mean many more sound arguments. The worst response however, was when I went into a transgender chat room to survey girls, and get their thoughts on the idea of having such a service. I was called a pimp, and worse, followed by what they said was the "reality" of the situation, that all men are full of shit, etc, etc. Collectively I saw their pain, and their fears in vibrant color, and heard it in surround sound. Eckhart Tolle explains, "It doesn't matter what proportion of your pain-body belongs to [you]… In either case, you can only go beyond it by taking responsibility for your inner state now. Even if blame seems more than justified, as long as you blame others, you keep feeding the pain-body with your thoughts and remain trapped…"(159).
There came a point when I said to myself, "We are not ready." So I moved on. And I include myself when I say "we", because I was just as trapped in my thoughts, my pain, fear and my ego as the next girl. I was just lucky enough to have a man stand in front of me, as a mirror, who showed me the best and the worst of me, in the truest reflection I had ever experienced.
Michael and I have been together for six years now. Without a model for success, we created our own. We went to counseling both together and separately. We also read together, starting with The Voice of Knowledge by Carlos Miguel Ruiz, which started a dialogue that began our spiritual healing collectively and individually. After that we followed up with, The Four Agreements, also by Mr. Ruiz, where we made new contracts with ourselves. We also saw a film called, "What the Bleep do We Know?" A film that taught us what our thoughts were doing to our body and how they help shape our reality. Which gives you the foul tasting medicine, that you are responsible for your own unhappiness or happiness. So when A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose became one of Oprah's book club selections and spread like wildfire, we were ready. The foundation had been laid, and we were were excitedly anticipating our awakening. All the joys of my life have been intensified since, and not taken for granted.
One of the key pointers to peace for me personally that I think will also free the transgender community is that we "give up defining [ourselves] to [ourselves]. You won't die. You will come to life" (109). And that is precisely what has happened to me. I used my looks, like many of us do, to afford me an advantage. I have lived as a model; sold millions of dollars of real estate, successfully interviewed at any job I went after, with a look that was commercial, but not authentically me. I never wanted to be so wrapped up in my appearance, but it worked for me. I didn't feel the looks of disgust, and was treated fairly well by others that I came in contact with. And I found out, like some other women do, that my looks limited me. Commercial appeal is not only defined by the world, but limited by it. Even in our own community we have our own "commercial" look, both on and off the stage. Some of the ways in which we commercialize our community, and read each other are literally acts of spiritual trans on trans violence, and many of us still don't understand that what we do to others, we do to ourselves. Some girls, not all, who vie for the pageant crowns and titles, are doing it for the wrong reasons and their identities are wrapped in the applause and approval of a vicious crowd, Imagine Showtime at the Apollo to the second power. So, after they confirm their thoughts that they are not enough, they come back next year with more. More money, more dancers, and more labels, perhaps a more infamous last name. However, there are an exceptional group of girls who are truly only in competition with themselves. These girls carry with them the knowledge that, "In essence, you are neither inferior nor superior to anyone. True self-esteem and true humility arise out of that realization. In the eyes of the ego, self-esteem and humility are contradictory. In truth, they are one and the same" (109).
Warning: I am about to use a word that normally makes people very defensive, "Ego". The truth is we all have one. Or at least we all start out with one. I feel awakened and enlightened, after reading A New Earth, but have I totally freed myself of the ego? Maybe, maybe not. One thing I can say for sure is that I am now always aware of when my ego is present or taking center stage. A New Earth: Awakening to your Life's Purpose will introduce you to the power in that awareness.
I think people of all religious backgrounds, especially Christianity, should read this book. I held a grudge with Christianity for so long. I grew up Pentacostal. People passin' out, running around the church screaming as if they were possessed by demons. I've had my head shaken with the force that could kill a small child, until I bowed down sobbing before the cross. I never could hate God, but I sure hated his people after leaving the church. My faith, handed down to me from my mother's palms, was the stern whip that broke my spirit. But this book helped me to not only resolve my feelings about the church, but helped me to truly understand the truth in the words of Jesus Christ, reunite with God, how to forgive my family and more importantly how to protect myself from unconscious people, whether they be Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, or Atheist. People who unconsciously accept doctrine as truth without question, people who virtue being right over being true, people who will kill or be killed for ideology they don't completely understand for themselves are dangerous and it's more pervasive than cancer. Some churches stand like large mirrored glass castles, and throw bricks with a message tied to it, whether it has been written or not. So I pose to you, that a lot can get lost in translation. So find out for yourself the purpose for your life and let no one else determine this for you. Find the truth of God's love and experience A New Earth.”
ALR wrote this review Monday, June 9 2008.
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