We may have missed the point in the flurry of dropped jaws, jokes and awe after Lady Gaga arrived at the 2011 Grammy Awards inside a giant milky egg designed by Hussein Chalayan:
Truly growing up is a constant process of rebirthing yourself.
We all protect ourselves with a shell - a story about who we are, how others see us, what we are capable of, and how the world works.
We start creating these stories about ourselves early, based on what we learn from our parents and early childhood experiences. Our stories develop themes from our conclusions about the events of our lives, and these shadow beliefs constantly whisper that we are not worthy of love, happiness and success.
With Born This Way, Lady Gaga encourages us to break out of our shells and claim a new story that serves our highest good.
"Our stories have a purpose," explains Debbie Ford in The Secret of the Shadow. "Even though they set our limitations, they also help us define who we are so we don't feel completely lost in the world. Living inside them is like being inside a clear capsule. The thin transparent walls act like a shell that traps us inside. Even though we have the ability to gaze outside and view the world around us, we stay safely trapped inside, comfortable with the familiar terrain, bound by an inner knowing that no matter what we do, think, or say, we can go no further... In a desperate attempt to give our lives meaning, we create and then repeat our stories; and as we cling to who we think we are, we perpetuate our dramas."
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning people are as addicted to our stories as anyone else.
Because of the homophobic, heterosexist culture we grow up in, most LGBTQ people have victimhood, shame, and rejection in our stories. Screw that.
We can burst out of our mental shells just like Gaga did at the Grammys.
We can CHOOSE what story we believe. We can choose to believe that we are fully empowered, worthy, blessed and "born this way."
We don't have to be anybody's victim. We can be SHAMELESS. We don't have to conform to anyone else's idea of who we should be; we don't have to conform to gay stereotypes any more than we have to conform to heteronormative culture and relationships.
Once you wake up and recognize your story, you can choose to break out of your shell.
When she was the spiritual leader at my church, Marianne Williamson told us that when it's time for a chick to be born, their egg's internal environment turns toxic - it fills up with gas and the chick has to break out or die. Being trapped inside your bad story feels the same way. Will you lead a life of quiet desperation and keep listening to your toxic internal dialogue, or break out - even though it's scary -and claim the life you want?
"No matter what the problem is, our experiences are just outer effects of inner thoughts," Louse Hay explains in You Can Heal Your Life. "Even self-hatred is only hating a thought you have about yourself. You have a thought that says, 'I'm a bad person.' This thought produces a feeling, and you buy into the feeling. However, if you don't have the thought, you won't have the feeling. And thoughts can be changed. Change the thought, and the feeling must go."
Lady Gaga burst out her shell wearing Thierry Mugler and armed to the teeth with fierce. She's our queer ATHENA, born full-grown and carrying weapons - the new pop goddess of justice, warfare and wisdom.
She's ready to help you change your story, but you have to listen. Enjoy the dazzle, but don't be distracted by the sensationalism. Pay attention.
This is big.
Love,
Clayton Gibson
Founder, MyOutSpirit.com
Do you know that Lady Gaga covers the latest issue of VMagazine. Its also available for iPads with an exclusive 2.5 minutes of video from her upcoming second studio album – Born This Way, (which is due for release on 23 May). Check it out at Other Edition Newsstand.
Posted by: Other Edition-VMagazine | May 18, 2011 at 12:44 AM
I would add that we also shouldn't hide our true selves behind what we think we "should and must be" and what we think others want us to be. In that way, everyone stays in the closet and in generally don't accept who they are and the beauty that they have to give to the world.
Posted by: ClinicallyClueless | May 26, 2011 at 04:25 AM