Beliefs about the opposite sex?

[Wren]

Today I went into London for an appointment and afterwards started manifesting/attracting an odd mixture of reactions from men. Usually I am pretty invisible to blokes and can get about without comment.

The appointment was at a hair clinic (I have hair 'challenges') and it went OK. The manager (male) who saw me was helpful, gave me advice, trimmed my hair and put some of it up into grips. The unusual stuff started happening as soon as I hit the shops.

1) I was in a large busy pharmacy, trying to dart around people, and a big man blocked my path, challenging me in a (US?) accent, 'Do you have a problem?' I was so shocked by the suddenness and his rudeness I didn't know how to react. 

2) I went to a coffee shop and sat in the window with my drink as I like to people watch. Traffic was stationary outside and one coach driver saw I was looking out and he started winking and leering at me. 

3) I was in a queue in a shop. The quene snaked around on itself as the shop was crowded. A good-looking man ahead of me (but also opposite, if you see what I mean) started smiling at me. Very confident and flirty he asked 'Who's smiling?' , as if it was a general question. Because he was still staring at me I said 'You are!' 

4) On the train back home I was sitting in a 'Quiet Carriage' when three men, a bit 'laddish' and noisy, sat across the aisle from me. I could tell they had beer with them and as I wanted to read my book in peace, I got up and began to go to the next carriage. 'Was it something I said?' one of them jeered after me, followed by a few other comments. I began to wish I had sat with a family or a group of people. 

After being so invisible, as I've said, having several tiny but unusual (and mostly unpleasant) encounters with men one after another has put me on belief alert! I really would prefer not go through another day like today.

[BethAnne]

I can hear the accent come through.  Love it.  :-)

Sounds like you are straddling two belief systems.  Keep smiling. 

[LenKop]

It seems like a very strong sign.

Have you asked yourself why did you create and accept this experience? Or perhaps its always been happening and now you're noticing. Perhaps you are ready for a new step in your development?
Some fears might be being faced and can't be ignored anymore.

Just some ideas. Thanks for sharing.

LK

[John Sorensen]

Hi Wren,


As a hetero-dude myself I have had unwanted attention from other men / flirting etc. It has never bothered me, and frankly I find attention from either sex quite flattering even though I have no interest in same sex-sex etc.


Sounds like you got a good haircut that people found attractive, and the blokey lot on the train were perhaps a little jealous, or insecure with themselves, as men in packs often are when they suspect someone is gay by a haircut, of you know dressing NOT like a total slob. Which is a very superficial way of thinking someone is gay.


Reminds me of that gag on Seinfeld "I'm not gay, however I am thin, neat and single". For some people not being exactly like them is criteria enough to label someone as a person they can not relate to, or want to make fun of in some way.


I've had interesting looks with both a fair amount of hair on my head, and like a number three buzz cut, which is my favourite hair cut. Women and men I have spoken to both prefer some length to the hair, and most find me less attractive with the extremely short shaved head, in fact I like the LACK of attention with the shorter hair, it also gives that "don't fuck with me look" which is really not me, but I can be quite a rude and abrasive person, which is just me being direct and impatient in dealing with idiots etc.


Anyhow, enjoy the attention and don't beat yourself up about it or feel you are inferior in any way. If anything you are both more attractive, more vibrant and more observant to your inner and outer world, than the boof heads on the train who use group conformity to confirm their own insecurities.


You are a lion among hyenas, and really have nothing to fear from them nor yourself.

[BethAnne]

[Wren]

 

I can hear the accent come through.  Love it.  :-)
 
Sounds like you are straddling two belief systems.  Keep smiling. 

I suspect you're right. It looks as though I have two sets of beliefs about men. My experience with the manager reflected one set and the experiences with the other men reflected the other set.

Having my hair attended to (I'm not very groomed usually!) and talking with the manager about physical appearances and celebrities seems to have triggered the encounters, which have been drawn to the attention of the conscious mind.

BTW, I'm tempted to ask you about how you can hear my accent, but maybe I shouldn't! 

[Wren]

 

Hi Wren,

As a hetero-dude myself I have had unwanted attention from other men / flirting etc. It has never bothered me, and frankly I find attention from either sex quite flattering even though I have no interest in same sex-sex etc.


Sounds like you got a good haircut that people found attractive, and the blokey lot on the train were perhaps a little jealous, or insecure with themselves, as men in packs often are when they suspect someone is gay by a haircut, of you know dressing NOT like a total slob. Which is a very superficial way of thinking someone is gay.


Reminds me of that gag on Seinfeld "I'm not gay, however I am thin, neat and single". For some people not being exactly like them is criteria enough to label someone as a person they can not relate to, or want to make fun of in some way.


I've had interesting looks with both a fair amount of hair on my head, and like a number three buzz cut, which is my favourite hair cut. Women and men I have spoken to both prefer some length to the hair, and most find me less attractive with the extremely short shaved head, in fact I like the LACK of attention with the shorter hair, it also gives that "don't fuck with me look" which is really not me, but I can be quite a rude and abrasive person, which is just me being direct and impatient in dealing with idiots etc.


Anyhow, enjoy the attention and don't beat yourself up about it or feel you are inferior in any way. If anything you are both more attractive, more vibrant and more observant to your inner and outer world, than the boof heads on the train who use group conformity to confirm their own insecurities.


You are a lion among hyenas, and really have nothing to fear from them nor yourself.

A lion rather than a small bird. Yeahh! 

The coach driver and the men on the train exhibited the same behaviour (leeriness) but while one responded to my gaze by overt leering, the others twisted it around by reacting to my lack of interest in them by a more aggressive approach. As you noted, the 'pack' approach means that aggressive behaviour is heightened. Would one of them have acted like that if he were on his own? Maybe not. But as a female, travelling on her own & unused to male attention for some time, I found it very unsettling.

I'm also very aware of Seth's warnings about 'victimhood' beliefs. I can't say I create my reality and then pick and choose which bits. I 'agreed' to it. It's reconciling the two sets of beliefs that's the tricky part.

[Sena]

Wren,
It is interesting that you have observed this unusual and somewhat hostile behaviour. According to Indian (Vedic) astrology, we are currently in an unusual and unsettling situation from the 20th of February onwards. Below is an extract from an email I received:

2016 would witness the second most important astrological phenomenon of this year when Mars crosses over into the mysterious & aggressive sign of Scorpio. Here Mars joins Saturn from the 20th February till 18th September 2016. The Saturn - Mars conjunction is usually a 45-50 day phenomenon. This time however Mars would retrograde within this sign making this into a very long & challenging 211 days conjunction. With the two toughest planets of the solar system retrograding in the same sign at the same time, we all would need to brace ourselves for some major changes in our lives & the world economies as we know them.

[BethAnne]

I'm also very aware of Seth's warnings about 'victimhood' beliefs. I can't say I create my reality and then pick and choose which bits. I 'agreed' to it. It's reconciling the two sets of beliefs that's the tricky part.

I can relate to this.  I've written elsewhere that I reincarnated (in my subjective opinion)  with Gangsters who I've had many past life encounters and took this time in history to release that Karma, as according to the above astrology, THIS is the Time to release all that "junk".  :-)
Even without that Woo-Woo, I'm a Pisces surrounded by Taurus Mom and Leo siblings.  They just bulldozed me over.  LOL
Thinking I could just get away from all that drama by moving, which I did often, I found that where ever I went I "brought that drama with me".

So I'm back in town to release it all.  Quite the shitstorm.  And the storm has become a gentle rain.

Wren, I have no idea how I know things??  LOL

[BethAnne]

According to Indian (Vedic) astrology, we are currently in an unusual and unsettling situation from the 20th of February onwards.

Thank you for including this.  I couldn't agree more.  I believe that because I've worked so hard on releasing Karma (a loaded concept) that I've turned that negative aspect into a charming positive one.  One of my "assignments" this past year was to balance polarities.  And if anyone has some insight into that concept I would appreciate hearing.  I don't go looking for this stuff, I just keep tripping over it. 

[BethAnne]

[BethAnne]

Senafernando...  This question is a bit of a thread drift but I'm wondering if from your cultural perspective you might have an opinion.
Because of that Toddler near death experience, would it have been possible for a secondary personality to fuse with me to "borrow" the original BethAnne body?  I've been told I'm not a walk in, but neither does my life follow my original family rules.      Or any rules for that matter.

[Deb]

would it have been possible for a secondary personality to fuse with me to "borrow" the original BethAnne body?

Ever hear of the Booth Brothers? They're sort of boutique filmmakers that I ran into during my ghost hunting days. They made a documentary in 2009, The Possessed.

"Based on the True Story, The Watseka Wonder, America's first documented possession in 1870. A chilling story of a 13-year-old girl from the small town of Watseka, Illinois who became possessed by spirits of the insane dead."

Well, she wasn't possessed by the insane dead, but rather another young girl who wanted to tie up loose ends with her own family. It was documented in the papers, which lends more credibility for me. If you'd like to see it, I can burn you a copy and mail it to you. The Brothers are into making Grade B movies and take some liberties, but they did back up the movie with at least newspaper reports. The cover of the movie is misleading, she was perfectly normal and the grieving parents of the dead girl took her into their home.

The spirit finally left the girl one day, and she went on to  live a normal life, just like nothing had happened.

Yeah, try explaining that to the relatives.

[Deb]

According to Indian (Vedic) astrology, we are currently in an unusual and unsettling situation from the 20th of February onwards.

This is very interesting. Although I've never been into astrology, a friend "introduced" me to an astrologer down in Texas. My friend was so bowled over by her reading that I had to give it a try. I was transcribing it (recorded from Skype), finally, the other day and this is one of the things she said:

"Because remember that Saturn, your second Saturn return of Saturn Sagittarius, next in two years, Saturn's going to come into Pluto and lots of people where, I think I talked about this, where Saturn hits Capricorn, with Pluto already here, something's going to crash. Something. I mean there's no way this transit's going to happen without something crashing. Stockmarket crashing, jobs failing, I don't know, something's going to crash. And it's going to be up to people like you who have their shit together and who are wise and know how to appropriately use their own power, that's what you're being shown here, to be able to stand up and say listen, we don't need to pour gasoline on this people, ok? Just stand back and let's be part of the rebuild and not the teardown. And then after that you get into Saturn in the latter part of Capricorn and into Aquarius, that's where it hits all this, your Sun, you Moon, your Mercury, your Chiron, I mean your everything, I mean like you're being prepared, this is going to be huge."

Of course she also dropped this little bombshell on me about my trip to Europe this summer:

"May I point something out? I have a feeling that you have some intuition about this trip. I have a feeling that you know that something's coming with this trip, more than just being on this trip. I think there's something waiting for you there. And so just as an astrologer, I'm not telling you what to do, ok, but I just want to point out again, ok? Look at this, Venus in Saturn, what you truly believe about love, trining Uranus and Aries in 7, holy shit, and then Mars coming up on Scorpio and Juno in the 2nd, I mean I have like pins and needles all over talking about that. And that Mars in Juno and Scorpio, trining Neptune and Pisces, that's like magic, it's got magic poured on it, ok? It has magic poured on it Deb. So. And so let me just back you up about something, ok? Stay open. This is not just about getting the airline ticket booked, I mean you can't imagine what's going to happen when you get there. I'm telling you. There's no way you could imagine it. There's no way."

What am I supposed to do with THAT? I'm already packing... and am wide open to anything.

[Sena]

And it's going to be up to people like you who have their shit together and who are wise and know how to appropriately use their own power, that's what you're being shown here, to be able to stand up and say listen, we don't need to pour gasoline on this people, ok? Just stand back and let's be part of the rebuild and not the teardown.

Deb,
This part of what your astrologer has said makes sense to me. I wouldn't say that I "believe" in astrology, but I take it into consideration. My understanding of this prediction for the 211 days is that it will be a time of change and tension. I have not gathered that there is any particular risk in traveling. My wife and I have booked a trip, and have no intention of canceling.

Senafernando...  This question is a bit of a thread drift but I'm wondering if from your cultural perspective you might have an opinion.

Sorry, BethAnne, I am not able to comment except to wish you well in your spiritual journey.

[BethAnne]

Quite all right.  :-)  I don't think I'm supposed to know.

[BethAnne]

13-year-old girl from the small town of Watseka, Illinois who became possessed by spirits of the insane dead

I had heard that story before.  Reminds me of that show that was on about 5 years ago where a college kid became a ghost hunter and ran into these kind of situations. 

Wow!  You must be on edge wondering what is going to happen on your trip. 

There most definitely is a sense that things are going to flip.  Reminds me of that thing about the Chinese character for chaos (or something)  is the same as opportunity.  I've done Tarot for my own amusement for years and it makes you aware that one situation is very close to a totally different interpretation.  I've gotten the Death and Tower card over and over for the last 6 weeks.  And it  contained both meanings as time goes on.

[BethAnne]

Quite all right.  :-)

You strike me as a Wise man from a culture in tune with the Flow of Life.  I've always wanted to experience the Vibe there.

[Wren]

OK, back to the opposite sex! 

'..It is not so much that the male and the female be considered equal as it is that the male and female elements in each person should be released and expressed. Immediately, many of you may be annoyed or alarmed, thinking that of course I mean sexual expression. That is a portion of such expression. But I am speaking of releasing within each individual the great human characteristics and abilities that are often denied expression because they are assigned to the opposite sex'.

The Nature of the  Psyche, 1995, p.78

[BethAnne]

OK, back to the opposite sex!   

You got my attention..:-)
I've always been interested in the changing fashion.  Where now women can wears boys clothes and it is considered sexy.  Or the frilly outfits men would wear in the 1600.  What is each generation trying to say??

[Sena]

a culture in tune with the Flow of Life

BethAnne, if I understand you correctly, you seem to be implying that in India and Sri Lanka you get "a culture in tune with the Flow of Life". I am not sure how far this is true. I was brought up a Roman Catholic, but the majority religion in Sri Lanka is Buddhism. It seems to me that Buddhism in Sri Lanka is stuck with what was written down 2000 to 2500 years ago. So rebirth (reincarnation) is understood strictly in terms of karmic consequences. Many people seem to think that the "personality" keeps returning time after time. The idea of "pre-birth planning" seems to be unheard of among Buddhists here. How I understand Seth's teaching is that there is a clear distinction between the "Entity" which exists in non-physical reality, and the "personalities" which the Entity sends down to Earth from time to time with the purpose of learning from earthly existence. It is a pity that orthodox Buddhists seem unwilling even to consider such ideas.

With reference to the opposite sex, there is the terrible practice in India of selectively aborting female fetuses. One of the good things about Sri Lankan Buddhism is that such a practice would never be tolerated here.

[BethAnne]

It seems to me that Buddhism in Sri Lanka is stuck with what was written down 2000 to 2500 years ago.

So we are all stuck with the same old stuff???  LOL

[LenKop]

Back on topic for a sec....

I think the Seth quote regarding sexual expression is pertinent. Really goes back to our ingrained belief systems about 'sex'.

Just the word 'sex' will spark off thoughts about the physical act in most people. And add the word 'expression' to it and the mind starts racing. How many people who have a strong spiritual leaning crumble once you speak about being born as another sex, in another life? Or can't even get their heads around having both sides of the polarity within them now? Many will agree with the idea, but internally are very uncomfortable with it, as if the identity is fused with the gender.

Beliefs about our everyday roles, and the relationships these have with our particular genders, are even very important. The cliches are endless-

'Be a real man
Its a man's job
Thats a woman's role
Women shouldn't do that...etc'

Much of this stems from worrying too much about what others think about us, and needing to fit into a box accepted by society.

Times are changing, thankfully, and if we can individually break out from what others think of us, then we can focus on how we express our complete selves, we'll pave the way to a society where the next generation can focus on their strengths, regardless of which gender they chose to come into the physical existence with.

LK

[John Sorensen]

I find it quire bizarre that person of one sex will feel so strongly as to get a sex change operation, because they feel they truly are the opposite sex in their mind, or were born the wrong sex.


How strange, I don't know what other purposes this serves, before modern science, there would be no option for a sex change operation. My perspective on it is that we chose our present life, and that we all have lived many lives, in many places as many different races, in different cultures and of course as both male and female many many many times. But we are neither male nor female. We are that which experiences male and female.

The overself, or our essential self then in one view is neither male nor female, but an undivided whole that contains all the characteristics and possibilities for any of our lives.

So while I am not here to hold any sort of prejudice on how anybody expresses themselves, identifying ONLY with the body is to me a case of mistaken identity.
But I don't know what else people are learning or demonstrating by having sex change operations, there is of course much criticism and fear and condemnation of that which we do not understand, especially for people who are gay, transsexual, or have sex change operations etc.


So perhaps part of the reason is to give opportunities for people to move beyond judgement, harassment and fear of that which we do not understand.

[LenKop]

The transgender idea is an interesting one. Particularly in children.

Maybe the individual is still relating strongly to another sex, in another life, while on a mass level we are shaking up reality in terms of what we understand as gender experience. Politics, religion and even science is being forced to create in new ways to adapt to the new world views. And the individual is breaking through into their own uniqueness, discarding established patterns, and trailblazing for those to come afterward.

LK

[Sena]

If one becomes aware of a possible past life in which one was a member of the opposite sex, that is one way of overcoming sexual stereotyping. Looking at the "cases of the reincarnation type" from the Indian sub-continent described by Ian Stevenson, it is evident that in the vast majority of cases the current individual is of the same sex as the individual in the previous life. This may be a reflection of the sexual stereotyping prevailing in that culture.

My understanding of Seth's teaching is that an Entity in the non-physical is not restricted to one particular sex. This Entity may "send" personalities of either sex into the Earth realm. An example would be that Jane was a personality derived from the entity Ruburt.

[BethAnne]

I really enjoyed this BBC series "Tribal Wives" where middle class women go to remote tribes for a month and deal with the cultural difference on marriage and sex.  There are two in the series that I most remembered.  One was where the young girls/wives asked the English girl about love and how she was treated.   They just couldn't imagine anyone not being beat.  The other was in the Amazon.  One of the widowed warriors wanted to make the English woman his wife.  You could tell he was an outstanding person who if brought up in the US would have been a CEO.  You got a hint that she saw that in him also.  The series really flips our given values.


. 

[BethAnne]

 
O
One of the best times I ever had was going dancing with my friend Tommy at the Crobar in Chicago where Dennis Rodman would hang out.  Tommy had been a dancer there in the day.  I was maybe one of 5 gals among hundreds of men.  It was very freeing for me because no one was paying me any attention at all.  I could dance like crazy.  Some of the guys were in drag and were more "female" than any woman I knew or know now.
Dennis Rodman himself stretched those gender roles.  Either a man before his time or from another planet.

[Deb]

My guess is alien for Rodman, lol.

Since we're throwing caution to the wind here, and bringing up differing societal customs that define our perceptions for the most part: I remember reading somewhere ions ago the topic of psychological trauma resulting from incest. Incest in our society is a big NO, and I was raised in this society so I buy into it (not to mention the genetic reasons behind it being a big NO). But the thing that stuck in my mind about that discussion was there are some societies where incest is not only permitted, but encouraged. I seem to recall that in these more isolated, primitive societies (African or So. American jungles), there is no trauma resulting from incest because it's commonly accepted.

That has made me look at a lot of things differently since then, always examining my and other's reactions to things and asking myself, "Is that really wrong, is that a truth, or is that a belief based on societal influence?" I have to say that in my view of any experiences over the years, I have switched gears from black and white answers, to nothing but shades of grey. (No, not 50 shades, lol, much more than that.) And no, I haven't read that book.

[Deb]

The transgender idea is an interesting one. Particularly in children.

You know, it seems like in the past few decades things like bi-, homosexuals, transgenders, have become very in-your-face. I wonder if it's another tool for enlightening the collective consciousness, preparing us for the reality of a non-gender destiny. Just one more way for us to drop judgment based on superficial characteristics and paving the way to accepting people by who they are inside. Although throughout history, there have been other upsurgences of non-traditional sexual roles (the Romans come to mind) and the acceptance seems to wax and wane. I actually remember a time in my life where I didn't identify with being female or male or anything, I was just myself. Puberty put an end to that.

[BethAnne]

Puberty put an end to that.

The great thing about being past all that hormonal stuff is that you get back to that feeling of just being a person.  Certainly does not mean one has to be asexual. 

[BethAnne]

This series is touching.  They put couples across from eachother.....some as a blind date and some who are in a relationship.....and they give them intimate questions to ask each other.

[BethAnne]

If one becomes aware of a possible past life in which one was a member of the opposite sex, that is one way of overcoming sexual stereotyping.

I can remember about a dozen past lives...who really knows.  In many of them I have been a man.  Usually a warrior and all that I remember at this time were involved in social change.  This cluster of "lives" are related to each other by their intent.

Sandra AKA Bear and I have both "remembered" lives as elephant  type creatures who are the advance intelligence of their planet.  She remembers communicating with music as this being.  We both have this "thing" for Ganesh.  It made us wonder if that is where that God came from?

[BethAnne]

"Is that really wrong, is that a truth, or is that a belief based on societal influence?"

This has really stuck in my mind and am not sure how to feel.  Back in the day I was a councilor for a domestic shelter and this issue came up quite a bit.  I really don't know if this is "wrong" on a basic level.  Usually it seems these situations were based on a predatory level.  What if the couple had had a loving past life relationship and there were deep feelings between them?  I do believe we reincarnate with those that we have had other relationships with.
I wonder if the sexual freedom in our society is a reflection of evolving or going too far?  I really don't know.  I have two dateable granddaughters and use them as a gauge.  What do I want for them?

[Deb]

Then there is the situation I'm in with Randy

When you said he was younger than you, I didn't imagine... well good for you! Honestly, more societal influences defining what's acceptable. Right or wrong. How many men your age are dating women half their age or better and no one bats an eye. Or they think silently "he must really be something special." Who's to say what's right or wrong in a relationship other than the people involved? No one else has the right to judge. But they do anyway. Ever see Harold & Maude? One of my favorite movies. Randy is old enough to know what he wants or doesn't want. He's an adult. There are many, many different types of relationships, give and take in many different ways and most people are still stuck on what's traditional.

And yes we learn a lot about ourselves in every relationship we have which is, I think, the point. Honestly, I'm sick up to here with traditional, acceptable anything. There's no growth in that and a life worse than death. At least on the soul level. Buck tradition, follow your heart.

And... wink... you must really be special.

[Deb]

Certainly does not mean one has to be asexual. 

God I hope I never get there. 

[Deb]

I really don't know if this is "wrong" on a basic level.  Usually it seems these situations were based on a predatory level.

Reading Seth's stuff about how we make our own reality and make our own dramas, for our own purposes, has really made me look twice at things like that. I mean, I am living in this reality where some things are acceptable and some things are not, and grew up with those standards. But then you throw in that "making your own reality" idea and that really confuses the issues for me.  It makes me question my own beliefs over and over again. What's real? What's not real? Do we step into situations we've been taught are wrong in order to correct them, prevent damage? Do we have the right to barge into someone else's play? And if we do so, does that mean we were meant to take part in it from the get-go? It makes my head spin sometimes.

More importantly, is it too early for a glass of wine?

[Deb]

I think the main reason I brought up Randy was more to do with how women are viewed.  Why is it ok for Shaun Connery to be paired up with a much younger actress but it's "granny porn" if in reverse?      Why does Hillary Clinton have to deal with her sexuality/fashion mixed up in politics when no one else does?  What is the potential of "older" women?  What has convinced us to let go of our sexuality after 40?

Exactly. What is that all about?
Why women? Why not men?

I understand that nature is all about reproduction and women have limited reproductive lives while men are not so limited, and have read studies where the attractiveness of women is based on their reproductive potential (based on physical charactertistics) ... but surely we've advanced enough that reproduction is not the only valued qualifier? I mean, really, that seems so single-cell, Petri-dish, one-dimensional to me. So backwards. God I hate double standards.

IDK, maybe we're still stuck in the past.

One of my favorite movies lines is from Blade Runner, where Daryl Hannah aka Pris says, "Well then we're stupid and we'll die" which plays often in my head. That was a profound statement. Sadly true.

[BethAnne]

"Well then we're stupid and we'll die"

I would guess that the majority of people live their lives unthinking.  I've become such a hermit to hide away from all of that, but I think that is not the answer either.

A lot of this distortion about women goes directly to the early Catholic Church.  How powerful are women that "they" have to create a whole religion to stop us?  LOL 
Not that life is better without men.  Being single all this time....35 years...it's been like a cart with only one wheel going around in circles.

[BethAnne]

Speaking of Hillary...it's about time someone brought some "womanly  values" to politics.  My girlfriend Margo will always vote for her as they were friends in High School and was impressed with Hillary always working on projects that helped people in need.

[Wren]

My understanding of Seth's teaching is that an Entity in the non-physical is not restricted to one particular sex. This Entity may "send" personalities of either sex into the Earth realm. An example would be that Jane was a personality derived from the entity Ruburt.

That's my understanding too, I've always assumed that the Entity is neutral, without gender. I know of two other lives of my Entity, one male and one female. I know various details about their lives, including how one died.

All this reminds me of something that happened about 20 years ago. I used to have short hair, not shaven, but very short and layered at the back of the head. I was doing a workshop, on crystals I think it was, and one woman started to question my sense of femininity - simply because I had short hair and wore trousers! She knew nothing about me, she had never seen me before. Maybe these days I would take issue with her probing. Was she trying to see if I was gay? Or sexually confused? What did my appearance have to do with my experiences with the crystals?!

[BethAnne]

I think most people are Lazy Thinkers and try to put new people/experiences in a familiar box so they feel comfortable dealing with something they think they "know".
Were you ok with that??

[John Sorensen]

I think most people are Lazy Thinkers and try to put new people/experiences in a familiar box so they feel comfortable dealing with something they think they "know".
Were you ok with that??

Our education systems pretty much all but guarantee lazy thinking.

[Sena]

That's my understanding too, I've always assumed that the Entity is neutral, without gender. I know of two other lives of my Entity, one male and one female. I know various details about their lives, including how one died.

All this reminds me of something that happened about 20 years ago. I used to have short hair, not shaven, but very short and layered at the back of the head. I was doing a workshop, on crystals I think it was, and one woman started to question my sense of femininity - simply because I had short hair and wore trousers! She knew nothing about me, she had never seen me before. Maybe these days I would take issue with her probing. Was she trying to see if I was gay? Or sexually confused? What did my appearance have to do with my experiences with the crystals?!

It seems to me that one of the "lessons" for which we are sent to the earthly realm to learn is that the domination of one sex over the other is inconsistent with spiritual development. Learning this lesson usually involves rejecting organized religion, in which male domination is a fundamental principle.
As Jane wrote: "Where my poetry goes, I follow - so as I've written elsewhere, it was goodbye to the Catholic Church and as far as I was concerned to conventional Christianity as well." As quoted in this article:
http://realtalkworld.com/2007/09/26/healing-meditation-surprise/

[BethAnne]

[Wren]

Astute young lady there. Thanks for posting it BethAnne!

This issue has also been popping up in the UK:

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/apr/22/gendered-toys-stereotypes-boy-girl-segregation-equality

[BethAnne]

It amazes me that issues that I thought were settled back when my kids were little are popping up again.  And the hate on the net for feminists?? 
The term Rule of Thumb comes from the rule that you could beat your wife if the rod was smaller than your thumb.
And then there is this....

[BethAnne]

[Deb]

And then there is this....

My. Little. Pony.
Wow. I'll match your bet and raise you one. It's kind of hard to judge ANYONE while there are so many shades of "normal" in this world. Some people incarnate to grow spiritually. Some just come to play.

[Deb]

This issue has also been popping up in the UK:

What a great, thorough article. It's something that's been coming up in the US lately. Jeez no wonder we all have to work on our beliefs, the stuff that gets drummed into kids' heads since birth is disturbing.

I thought this was pretty astute:

"One obvious reason for the triumph of pink and blue is that segmenting the toy market brings greater profits by making it harder for parents to pass down items between siblings of a different sex. If your daughter has a pink bike with streamers on the handlebars, and those elements are understood as distinctly feminine, then you're far less likely to hand it on to your son. Instead, you'll probably buy another."

Capitalism at it's finest!