Meditations on Gender

Meditations on Gender

Disclaimer: I am an advanced technical meditation practitioner. These instructions can reveal a lot about yourself. I don’t know of a similar set of instructions, I used these to help understand if I should transition.

cw: body dysphoria

This work is based on two articles by Zinnia Jones.

That was Dysphoria? 8 signs and symptoms of indirect gender dysphoria.

Depersonalization in gender dysphoria - widespread and widely unrecognized.

You will be trying to sense gender dysphoria and gender euphoria respectively:

Targets

  • More ease vs less ease.

  • Easier vs harder.

  • More emotions vs fewer emotions.

  • More agency vs less agency.

  • More presence vs less presence.

  • More connection vs less connection.

There are actually a few kinds of meditations possible here two kinds: mental and physical.

Alternative Life

Calm your mind using any method you are familiar with. Let yourself enter fantasy. Be non-judgmental … it’s your mind you have complete privacy.

  • What would it be like to be a different gender?

  • Can you see yourself doing gendered activities? (Example: Makeup?)

  • Can you see yourself doing non-gendered activities? (Example: Eating?)

  • Who are you socializing with? (What is their gender?)

  • Notice your level of engagement (Are you into this? Distracted?)

  • If you change genders (yourself) does the imagery change?

Do you feel gender dysphoria?
Do you feel gender euphoria?

Somatic Awareness - Body Exploration

This meditation is about body awareness. It may be uncomfortable for some.

Calm your mind using any method you are familiar with. Be non-judgmental … it’s your body and you have complete privacy.

  1. Find a dark quiet place you will not be disturbed.

  2. Get naked.

  3. Touch yourself on a non-erogenous zone, notice the feeling tone (pleasant, unpleasant, neutral)

  4. Touch your genitals – what is the feeling tone? Can you do this without any fabrication?

You are trying to notice the difference between different spots on the body, with as little between you and the sensations as possible. Some spots may be pleasant, some may be unpleasant, some may be neutral. Again look for signs of euphoria vs dysphoria.

(v1.0 - May 20 2020)