TRANS SPIRIT FLOURISHING
  • Home
  • About
    • about this site
    • about the author
    • about transgender
  • Blog
  • Theology
    • Genesis and Creation
    • Freedom and Order
    • Gnosticism and heresy
    • Healing and Hope
    • Resurrection and the Body
    • sharing in New Creation
  • Scriptures
    • Christian love & identity
    • gender variant people in scripture
    • crossdressing
    • marriage and family
    • suffering and transformation
    • all one in Christ Jesus
  • Spirituality
    • Kaleidoscope people
    • trans experiences and reflections
    • spiritual practices
    • seeking justice and shalom
    • trans history
    • pioneer priests & inspirations
  • Resources
    • Trans Awareness Days
    • Celebrating Gender Diversity
    • Australian Trans Christian Stories
    • information & support
    • affirming religious groups
    • prayers & worship
    • trans affirmation in many faiths
    • online video clips
    • further reading
  • Contact

re-membering: a trans pre-surgery ritual

1/14/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Recently I created a 're-membering' blessing ritual for a transgender female who was approaching genital reconstruction surgery.  It was custom-made, reflecting aspects of her character and spirituality, not least her commitment to feminist transformation and Celtic spirituality  Not all of it may therefore suit others.  With her agreement, I offer it however - download a PDF copy here, or see the liturgy below - as a contribution to the development and encouragement of others.  I also warmly invite constructive correspondence on this subject.  For it is right and proper to mark vital thresholds in our lives as times of spiritual transformation - a point beautifully expressed by John O'Donohue in one quotation used in this liturgy.  It is to the great shame of most received institutional spiritual forms that they have been so slow, or actively unwilling, to respond to such needs and joys.  Such spiritual intentionality is a gift and invitation to fuller life, both for the person at the centre and for everyone else involved (as our group of friends who were involved in this liturgy experienced) 

This particular ritual employs Christian themes and language in a contemporary framework, using and adapting other helpful resources.  Such readings are examples and may of course be replaced by others more suitable.   A key element is re-membering: the re-membering involved in the honouring of time and change (past, present and future), relationships, and the body (personal, communal and ecclesial),   As such, as on the particular occasion of its use, an eucharistic celebration is also appropriate.  This ritual also owes considerable inspiration to Jewish transgender ritual, particularly in the use  of water - for whilst the mikveh, as a feature of significant Jewish transgender reflection, cannot be simply adopted by others, it points us towards depths of mystery and meaning.  Other readings, such as those which speak of the transformative powers and thresholds of water within Christian scripture, might also be creatively employed.. A further element to be considered are appropriate colours, fabrics and symbols, including those which reflect the senses,   In this case, reflecting Celtic connections, it was helpful to use candle lights and (en)circling.  The ritual thus took place with friends gathered in a circle, later around a table for the eucharist, and, for the main part, around a deliberately placed rug.  As the photo here shows, this represented a form of mandala, the different layers of a person's past and continuing journey, and ripples or waves of life and love surrounding and enfolding them.  At the centre, as a focal point and for the washing, was an 'imperfect' bowl, deliberated shaped as such, representing the nature of creation and the transgender (and every human) life and body.  For, like the work of creation, salvation and resurrection as a whole, we are sculptured by grace, which seeks not false ideals of perfection but ever new flourishing through love and healing. With my particular thanks to those who shared in this ceremony and every blessing to others on re-membering pathways.  The liturgy follows below (click on Read More below the photo), or is downloadable here...


Picture

Read More
0 Comments

dragonfly spirituality

1/6/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
As we begin a new year, the need for a renewing transforming spirituality is ever more evident, particularly in the face of much 'traditional' religion which continues to choose death over life.  One expressive icon is that of the dragonfly, which, literally and metaphorically, I have personally encountered richly recently.  For dragonflies are extraordinary creatures.  No wonder they have become powerful symbols for transgender people.  The picture above is thus a little creation of mine from a silent retreat I took in December, pointing to some expressive elements for everyone.. For whilst these have particular resonance for transgender people, they can also speak helpfully to others, as and when we open ourselves to more life-giving spiritual pathways for our communities and planet...

Read More
0 Comments

    Author

    The Revd Dr Jo Inkpin:
    an Anglican priest, theologian, justice & peace activist, and trans woman in Australia

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    February 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    August 2022
    May 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017

    Categories

    All
    2 Corinthians
    ABC
    Abuse
    Acts
    Advent
    Affirming
    Agency
    Alex Pittaway
    Amao Leota Lu
    Anglican
    Apology
    Archbishop Of Adelaide
    Art
    Australia
    Authenticity
    Autogynephilia
    Baptism
    Benjamin Oh
    Bible
    Billy Bragg
    Birth
    Blessing
    Body
    Breath
    Brisbane
    Cathedral
    Celtic
    Chalise Van Wyngaardt
    Children
    Chris Dowd
    Christ
    Christa
    Christian
    Christina Beardsley
    Christmas
    Church
    Commandment
    Covenant
    Covid 19
    Covid-19
    Creation
    Crucifixion
    Dangerous Women
    Discrimination
    Dragonfly
    Dress
    Easter
    Eddie Ayres
    Elizabeth 1
    England
    Equality
    Equal Voices
    Eucharist
    Eunuch
    Eve
    Experience
    Faith
    Faithfully Me
    Fall
    Female
    Feminism
    Flourishing
    Forgiveness
    Freedom
    Gender
    Gender Diversity
    Gerard Manley Hopkins
    Gifts
    God
    Gospel
    Grace
    Guardian Australia
    Harry Potter
    Healing
    History
    Holly Zwalf
    Hope
    Hymn
    IDAHOBIT
    Inclusion
    Indecency
    Intersectionality
    Isaiah
    Jacob
    Janet Rice
    Jesus
    J.K.Rowling
    J Mase III
    John 3
    Joke
    Josephine
    Joy
    Julia Serano
    Kaleidoscope
    Leadership
    LGBTI+
    LGBTIQ
    Listen
    Liturgy
    London
    Love
    Love Of God
    Marcella Althaus Reid
    Mardi Gras
    Marriage
    Mary
    Mary Magdalene
    Mary Oliver
    MCC
    Meredith Lake
    Milton
    Muslim
    Name
    Namoli Brenett
    Naomi
    Narcissim
    Neighbour
    New Creation
    Non-binary
    Onlyness
    Ordination
    Pain
    Parents Of Gender Diverse Children
    Paul
    Penny Jones
    Penny Whetton
    Peter Kline
    Peterson Toscano
    PFLAG
    Pitt Street
    Pope Francis
    Prayer
    Pride
    Priest
    Primate
    Prophetic
    Puberty
    Queensland
    Queer
    Queer Theology
    Rachel Lane
    Racism
    Rainbow
    Reconciliation
    Religious
    Religious Discrimination
    Remembering
    Repentance
    Resources
    Resurrection
    Rhett Pearson
    Ricki Coughlan
    Rite
    Rohan Salmond
    Ruth
    Safe Schools
    Same Gender
    Same Sex
    Same-sex
    SBS
    Scripture
    Sexuality
    Shame
    Sibyls
    Silence
    Solidarity
    Sorèl
    Sorel Coward
    Sorèl Coward
    Soul
    Spirit
    Spiritual
    Spirituality
    State Library
    Story
    Struggle
    Suffering
    Surgery
    Sydney
    Theology
    Theroux
    Toowoomba
    Trans
    Trans Day Of Remembrance
    Trans Day Of Visibility
    Transformation
    Transgender
    Trans Ing
    Trans-ing
    Transitioning
    Transphobia
    Uniting Church
    Vacuum
    Visibility
    Voice
    Water
    Women
    World Pride
    Wound

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • About
    • about this site
    • about the author
    • about transgender
  • Blog
  • Theology
    • Genesis and Creation
    • Freedom and Order
    • Gnosticism and heresy
    • Healing and Hope
    • Resurrection and the Body
    • sharing in New Creation
  • Scriptures
    • Christian love & identity
    • gender variant people in scripture
    • crossdressing
    • marriage and family
    • suffering and transformation
    • all one in Christ Jesus
  • Spirituality
    • Kaleidoscope people
    • trans experiences and reflections
    • spiritual practices
    • seeking justice and shalom
    • trans history
    • pioneer priests & inspirations
  • Resources
    • Trans Awareness Days
    • Celebrating Gender Diversity
    • Australian Trans Christian Stories
    • information & support
    • affirming religious groups
    • prayers & worship
    • trans affirmation in many faiths
    • online video clips
    • further reading
  • Contact