21 - worlds
ending-beginnings; journey; envisioning
José Esteban Muñoz theory ancestor ritual
tools: something from the air (incense, a feather, a sigil); imagination; paper and something with which to write.
part 1: invocation of the element of air
incantation: "We must strive, in the face of the here and now’s totalizing rendering of reality, to think and feel a then and there. Some will say that all we have are the pleasures of this moment, but we must never settle for that minimal transport; we must dream and enact new and better pleasures, other ways of being in the world, and ultimately new worlds. Queerness is a longing that propels us onward, beyond romances of the negative and toiling in the present. Queerness is that thing that lets us feel that this world is not enough, that indeed something is missing." -- from Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity
take a few deep breaths. concentrate on the element of air, perhaps focusing on the tool that you chose for this ritual. let yourself become lighter and lither with every breath.
reflect on what air represents to you. what does it offer that you feel grateful for? speak your gratitudes aloud.
call forth the energy of air to uplift you in this ritual.
part 2: ritual for daydreaming utopia a guided meditation toward queer horizons
with teachings from elinor fuchs & maria irene fornez
1. if you have access, begin by reading “feeling utopia,” the introduction to muñoz' cruising utopia: the then and there of queer futurity; you may also want to read maria irene fornez' "you have to learn how to daydream" and elinor fuch's "visit to a small planet.
2. what is utopia? jot down your working definition/image/aspiration/poem. if you do not have a personal relationship with this word, maybe do some research: read more muñoz; visit the sun card; browse queer/world-creating artwork on instagram or tumblr. or, simply let these words guide you: desire; longing; hope; liberation; emancipation; openings; future… if you have a working relationship with utopia, check in with that word: today, for you, what is utopia?
3. close your eyes and meditate on the following:
first, think about a time when you experienced utopia. it probably did not last long, this feeling, but consider that too-brief memory with as much detail as possible. what were the circumstances? where did utopia sit in your body? what emotions can you associate with the moment? where were you in time, space, and proximity to others?
conjure that feeling of utopia in yourself now. let the sensation build and grow, from wherever it begins in your body, outward to the tips of your fingers and toes and to the crown of your head and everywhere in between.
expand utopia outside of yourself. it spins and snowballs and morphs and shimmers into something so much bigger than you. keep pushing utopia outward until you are standing on the ground of a new world. or maybe you're floating or flying or swimming or flickering in and out of existence. regardless, you are here.
filled with utopia, squint your eyes. look around you. as i say the next series of words, let them conjure images and sensations; beings and nonbeings; smells and cravings -- anything that keeps the flame of utopia alive.
shape
danger
color
between
temperature
distance
brightness
need
knowledge
sides
proximity
shadow
spirit
outside
present
height
cold
earth
horizon
darkness
rotate
with
center
music
love
language
touch
joy
height
change
bone
above
landscape
past
edge
heartbeat
width
mass
warmth
want
voice
full
opening
boundary
breath
water
sound
within
below
death
desire
smell
body
belong
now that your world has solidified, lift up your hand and touch this world. feel how it changes you.
4. come out of your world and into the “real world” – slowly, carefully, quietly. notice any changes in your body. as you open your eyes, notice if anything looks different.
5. before your utopia fades from memory, get it on paper. drawing is great; writing is a solid runner-up option. be as detailed and colorful as possible.
6. what kind of world would allow you to feel like this all the time? how can you live your daily life as a resident of this world? how can you embody the world, move in its direction, bring others along?