SHAMAN—PEOPLE OF TWO SPIRITS.

At our last meeting the Reverend Leigh said several times "we are not alone". In our instance we usually are very much alone and try to find others like us for solace and companionship. At my Daughter Debby’s wedding the Priest said "The two people who are marrying grow together and become as one". This sounds just like a person of two spirits. This is what I envisaged would happen to me, but it is not true! When I changed from Male to Female there was no blending of spirit, other than the amount of knowledge that had been acquired over a lifetime was retained.

However a whole new world of knowledge was now opening up, and new learning patterns had to be assimilated. It just does not happen that you are Male one minute and female the next. Sure over the years when my inner self was screaming at me that something was wrong, as my mind and body did not gel, I began to learn the characteristics of the Female I wanted to be. I lived a lie for many years, and Debby was right when she said " you fooled a lot of people for a very long time" I agree totally, but the person I fooled more than any other was ME.

Eventually I had to admit to myself that I was two people in one body, or if you wish "a person of two spirits". This term I only found out later when on course for change, and the speed of change was fantastic. I really was living a lie, and knew that I had to do something about the situation to salve my sanity. My partners demise only took the brakes off, and my inner need and determination to become who I wanted to be had no boundary. Reverend Leigh said, " You are grieving" I thought she meant for my Partner, but she said "It is for your other self" and I realised how true her words were. I had found my True self, but in doing so had Killed off the other person. My "person of two spirits no longer existed".

To try to explain what is meant by a person of two I have put the rest together so that I hope it gives some insight into what happens, not just to me, but to others like me.

People of two spirits or two essences have been known and revered since Pre Historic times. They were usually known as Healers and or Spiritual Leaders.

A person of 2 spirits was usually Male who adopted the role of a Female and lived in that role. They were perceptive and aware of their Female side that heightened their total awareness.

We are mentioned in Folklore, Mythology and Legend. One example is that of Tiresias of theban, a soothsayer who happened upon 2 snakes. He killed the Female of the pair and as punishment was changed into a woman by the angry Gods. They later found that he enjoyed the pleasures of his new form, so they changed him back to Male.

In Mythology Venus Castina was assigned the task of responding with sympathy and understanding to the yearning of female souls locked in Male bodies. In keeping with this myth, when the Sythians’ rear guard pillaged the Temple of Venus at Ascelon, the Goddess Venus was so enraged that she transformed the plunderers into women.

Finally there is the mythological account of how in the ancient kingdom of Phrygia, the priests of the god Attis were obliged to follow the example of their deity by castrating themselves,and taking to wearing women’s clothes and performing women’s tasks.

Witches were said to possess drugs that were capable of reversing the sex of the taker. As in the current medical practice of administering drugs to change a person’s sex, the witch’s brew was also irreversible.

Transsexualism also existed early in the real world. The Jewish philosopher told of people who employed every device to artificially change their nature as men into women. Nero changed his ex slave Sporum—who most resembled a wife Nero had killed—into a woman. Upon completion of the transition, Nero and the ex slave were formally married.

There are many peoples where cross-gender behaviour was a generally accepted fact of life. North American Indians,since ancient times have had men dressing in the clothes and performing the functions of women. Elxa, Yuman Indians underwent a change of sex as a result of transition-predicting dreams or from messages from plants.

The Mohave Indians noted that boys who were chosen to become Shamans, priest-doctors who not only cured the sick but also ostensibly controlled the events that affected the welfare of the people, adopted a female name and female characteristics in an initiation rite. Called an alyha, the initiate would eventually take a husband, mimic the genetic female menses and even mimic pregnancy that would inevitably lead to a "stillbirth". There are through out history many other accounts of Shaman, people who lived as a woman, or in some instances women who lived as a Man. Some even fought as men in wars.

As you know I am Transsexual and am considered by some to be a person of 2 spirits. However, you have a modern day Shaman in this group, who you know as Maria, she is undoubtedly a healer, and is asked for in that capacity.

My 2 spirits have led me to become Female and I now use what talents I have as an organiser to help others via my support Group, Called "changeling aspects". The idea is to talk to others who are contemplating or about to undergo the OP, in order to answer questions that we as TSs recognise and can answer. This is because the professionals really have no answers, unless they themselves are TS. The service is to settle any fears they may have about the procedure. To give them a roof to stay under with someone who has gone through. To not only support them before during and after the OP, but to help them come to terms with their new self and to take them back for their initial check up. Towards this end I am willing to open my home, transport them, as you are not allowed to drive after the OP for obvious reasons, and visit them in Hospital. All of this is of course entirely up to the person concerned and they make the final decision,one way or the other.

Whether I qualify as a Shaman I will not even contemplate as I feel that is not for me to decide. I only know that the Support I received from my Family and friends all through my change and the OP was fantastic. I therefore determined on finding out that some girls had no visits, no phone calls—to do something about it, and to put something back in, hence my Support Group was born with the backing of my Surgeon, Nurses and the Hospital Board—for which I thank them all.

All I want now is to get on with my chosen path and live as useful a life as I am able for my remaining years.

Kathy Anne Noble