(Question): I have been following your blog for a while now. I enjoy it and generally like what you have to say. I really appreciate your "spiritual posts." Lately, I've noticed you've been spending alot of time posting things related to sexuality; sexual imagery, transsexual images and other sexual stuff. I still follow your blog. But I prefer the spiritual writings. The sexual stuff--not so much. Why are you spending so much time on this sexual stuff right now?
(Sage): Thank you for your openness and taking the risks you took in making your comments and asking your question. We live in a very defensive world right now. You must know that even some people who have done alot of work on themselves and are even working as spiritual teachers, are not immune to this type of defensiveness. I have sometimes observed spiritual teachers respond to questions in ways that let me know they interpreted the question as a personal attack or affront to them and/or their teaching. So again, thank you for your vulnerability and risk taking.
Your observation and question is a good one. I also view it as very legitimate.
First, I would say that everything I post here is spiritual, I believe. I have a saying. It is this: Trying to find the spiritual part of life is like trying to find the wet part of the ocean. I really believe that.
Second, I would say that one of my underlying reasons for creating this blog is to present my brand of nondual teachings to the world. Because sexuality has played such an important role in my life, primarily because of being labeled by some as a sexual "outlaw" or "rebel" as a result of being an openly same gender loving man now for more than 30 years. Through this experience I have gained some insight into the nature of duality. Again, on a very fundamental level I am also someone who simply celebrates human sexuality and "The Body Electric."
With this blog, one of the principal things I am attempting to do is help overcome is the separation of sexuality and spirituality that is prevalent in many parts of the world and in many various expressions. Again, I view this as a duality and I see it as a duality that has been brought about primarily as a result of fear; a fear that has at its roots, among other things, from a desire to control that which I do not believe needs to be controlled.
One aspect of the nature of duality is a sense of separation. One interpretation of the male/female split that is represented in the different physical forms that we know as the physically male human and the physically female human is that these two forms are inherently separate. Ultimately I do not believe this. I also do not believe there are just two genders on the planet. So the things I post on this blog that deal with multiple sexualities and particularly transgenderism become a prism through which some kind of understanding of the essential nondual nature of humanity may be approached. Sexuality, for me, becomes a pathway to understanding the nondual. And for me, understanding the nondual aspect of life that I believe always coexists in relationship with the dual (the realm of form), is always a spiritual endeavor.
I have also discovered that which offends us (me), makes us (me) uncomfortable, makes us (me) defensive, makes us (me) squirm, so to speak, also has the very strong power to also set us (me) free, spiritually speaking.
I would also say that I have always, as far back as I can remember, had an appreciation for those things in life that have us questioning some of our strongest assumptions. One strong assumption many people make is that there are only two genders on the planet.
I also believe transgender and other sexual minorities and sexual mavericks are highly misunderstood and are also rendered invisible by large segments of the world. I have personally taken it upon myself to bring visibility to many of these people because I see it as part of my life's purpose and because I have so many people whom I love very deeply in this world, who fit into those categories---transgendered, transsexed people and sexual mavericks.
I also understand and fully accept that this blog is not for everyone.
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