This meditation is for folks with aphantasia who maybe don't find a meditation that relies on visualization and seeing images as accessible, or anyone that just prefers to have a more physical, symbolic type of meditation.

Before getting started, make sure you have with you the name or the image, like a photograph or a symbol, physical symbol or representation of either a family ancestor that you know of. Maybe somebody who came before you, who you never met, or a community ancestor, a queer and trans person who came before you.

And as always with this meditation, any invitations are prompts or suggestions. Feel free to take what's aligned and accessible. Disregard the rest and adapt this practice so that it's accessible to your mind and body.

Once you have that physical representation ready and in your space, go ahead and find a comfortable container for your body. And take a couple deep breaths. If it feels accessible to you, feel your feet on the floor. Feel your body held in a container and supported.

If sight is available to you, start to visually take in the name of the queer trans ancestor on a piece of paper. The photograph of them, or any type of symbol that represents their existence. If sight isn't accessible to you, you can hold that symbol in your hands. And feel it.

And as you start to take in the symbolic representation of this person, just start to notice if there's any protector parts that are worried about you connecting with this person or have concerns. And just take a moment and listen to them. Get to know what their worries are. Ask them if they'd be open for just a few moments, stepping aside and letting you do this practice that'll feel supportive, and that you'll come back and check in with them after. If any of these parts still are having concerns or aren't on board, that's okay. Just spend the rest of this practice listening to them and really getting to understand what their worries are.

But if your parts are open to you continuing, go ahead and start to notice how your body responds to taking in this symbol. This representation of a person who came before you. Who lived a life full of Joy and wisdom and existence of life. If feeling in your body isn't accessible in this moment, just maybe take in the quality of your thoughts. See what it's like to think about this person.

See if there is anything you'd like to say to this person right now. Maybe out loud or in your mind. Maybe listening and noticing if there's anything this person wants to say to you. Not forcing it, just listening. Maybe you also just wanted to share some sacred silent space with this person.

As you continue to take in this ancestor, notice. If there's any shifts in your body. If you can feel this person in any way. Maybe it's an energy. Maybe it's a feeling located somewhere in your body. Maybe it's in a posture. Notice if your body wants to move in any way. Letting it be intuitive. It's just starting to notice how the presence of this ancestor might live inside of you.

Maybe noticing if there's an anchor point that helps you remember this space. The feeling in your body. A word. A phrase. If you've been holding the symbol, maybe it's the feeling of the weight and shape of the symbol in your hands.

Before closing this practice, take a moment and think. This ancestor or spending time with you. Ask them if they'd be open to you coming back. Checking in on them.

And if there were any protector parts that stepped aside, thanking them to for giving you a little bit of space to do this practice.

Before continuing on to the rest of your day, letting yourself transition from this practice really gently. Orienting back to the room you're in via sight or sound or scent. Allowing your body to move in any way that it wants. You're stretching. Just waiting. Knowing that you can come back to this practice at any time.