Extra notes about Chapter 6: In Search of the Quadrants – in the book,
The Art of Receiving and Giving: The Wheel of Consent.
Other notes are found here.

About growing, searching and finding

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.
– Anais Nin

At that very moment he heard a sharp crack behind him…Suddenly Bilbo understood. Forgetting all danger he stood on the ledge and hailed the dwarves, shouting and waving…The sun sank lower and lower and their hopes fell. The little moon was dipping to the horizon. Evening was coming on. Then suddenly when their hope was lowest a red ray of the sun escaped like a finger through a rent in the cloud. A gleam of light came straight through the opening into the bay and fell on the smooth rock-wall. The old thrush, who had been watching from a high perch with beady eyes and head cocked on one side, gave a sudden trill. There was a loud crack. A flake of rock split from the wall and fell. A hole appeared suddenly about 3 feet from the ground…

“The key!” Shouted Bilbo. “The key that went with the map! Try it now while there is still time!”

Then Thorin stepped up and drew the key on its chain from round his neck. He put it to the hole. It fitted and it turned! Snap! The gleam went out, the sun sank, the moon was gone, and evening sprang into the sky.
– J. R. R. Tolkien (The Hobbit)

Sensations and Feelings

Here’s a great free downloadable zine about feelings, from Meg-John Barker.

Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

– Rumi

Gender

I am not at all an expert on gender. But some of my friends are!

Websites:

Lola Houston, counselor, listener, guide

Barbara Carrellas and Kate Bornstein, both writers and educators

Meg-John Barker, writer, educator

A blog post and video and a great place to start, Meg-John Barker.

Another one by Meg-John: Words Matter

Scarleteen.com: A Gender Primer

Dylan Wilder Quinn: My White Non-binary Life

The bi-modal model, by Cade Hildreth

Trans Awareness Week 2020, by Tanya Glyde, an article with some great resources

Books:

The Gender Book, by Hunter Rook, Jay Mays, and Robin Mack

Whipping Girl, by Julia Serano

Gender Outlaws, by Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Bergman

Gender, a Graphic Guide, by Meg-John Barker, or Life Isn’t Binary, and How to Understand Your Gender, by Meg-John Barker and Ales Iantaffi. Or anything by Meg-John!

Intersectionality

Kimberlé Crenshaw tells us. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DW4HLgYPlA