It is staggering to think about the sheer number of ancestors who came before us. When my students or clients struggle with the concept that anyone in their family line looks out for them, I always suggest they do some math. Two parents means four grandparents, eight great-grandparents, sixteen great-great-grandparents, and so on. This gives us a sense of how big our families are on the other side. With that many ancestors, you better believe you have supporters in your corner about whom you couldn't possibly know. Exercises in later chapters of Talking to Spirits cover how to communicate with specific spirits, but this meditation is designed to help you connect with ancestors who are unknown to you but available to support and protect you as you develop your mediumship skills. We will start with some journaling, so please have your mediumship grimoire available.

Ensure you can be undisturbed for at least thirty minutes. Sit in a comfortable position close to your ancestral altar. Close your eyes and take four deep breaths, releasing any excess energy you are carrying. The goal is to get to a neutral state with no expectations or attachments to what may or may not happen.

When you feel ready, please journal on the following:

• What kind of person would be most supportive as you grow your mediumship skills? You may focus on personality traits such as loving, protective, inquisitive, or funny. You may focus on skills or professions such as someone who worked with the dead or someone who served their community as the village witch. You may wish to speak with a scientist or psychologist, which are professions that have a lot to offer our collective understanding of the paranormal. If your mind becomes resistant because you are not aware of anyone in your family who possesses these skills, reconnect with the vastness of your ancestry. Anything you need, you likely have an ancestor who has something to offer.
  
  
• Write one sentence that encompasses the kind of ancestor you are looking for and what you want their help with. Condensing your wish list to a simple statement will assist you in clarifying what you want. This could be as simple as, "I want to speak with an ancestor who believed in spirits and ghosts while alive and who can help me learn to safely connect with deceased loved ones." Read your statement out loud several times. Make any adjustments that feel right. You will direct your intention by stating this out loud while in meditation. When you are done writing, take three or four slow, deep breaths to reestablish your neutral state of mind.

Envision you are surrounded by a protective circle of light. Any color that comes to your mind is perfect. State out loud, "I am protected. Only that which is for my highest good is welcome."

Set the intention that you want to meet an ancestor who can help you in your mediumship journey. Focus your energy on your intention as you repeat your written statement four times.

Envision a door in front of you. State out loud, "Behind this door is the ancestor I seek."

Go through the door and observe. Does anyone come to greet you? What is the space like? Spirits, particularly those who have not held a human form in a long time, sometimes present as bodies of light or take human appearances they couldn't have possibly held in life. Keep an open mind. If needed, state your intention out loud again.

If someone or something appears, ask them if they are the ancestor you asked to speak with. If they are not, tell them to leave. If they respond affirmatively, ask their name. Then introduce yourself. Have a conversation and ask anything you want. Please remember this can take practice. It may take a few tries before you make contact. If anything makes you feel uncomfortable, tell the source of the discomfort to leave and end your meditation. Always remember, you are encased in that beautiful, protective circle of light. Be strong in your conviction that you are safe.

Enjoy this time with your ancestor. Ask them any questions you have. Tell them about your life, including why you are learning to speak with the spirit realm. Ask them how you can recognize their presence in your everyday life. Do they show you a symbol or color or give you a snippet of a song?

When you are ready, bring things to a close. Thank your ancestor for making the journey to be with you and ask if you can call on them again as you develop your mediumship practice. Ask them to go back to where they were before you called them in. Wait until they are gone, then leave through the door you entered from. Take a few deep breaths as you wiggle your fingers and toes. Check back in with the circle of light you cast at the beginning of your meditation.

Allow yourself to come back to your body fully and allow the circle to gently fall away.

Freewrite on the experience. When you first come out of a deep meditation or journeying experience such as this, your conscious and subconscious mind are working in tandem. Allowing yourself to write without worrying about the mechanics of what you are putting on paper often yields interesting results.

This is meant to be the first step of an ongoing relationship. I encourage you to visit your ancestor using this meditation regularly. How often is up to you, but you may find this is a helpful practice to do weekly until the connection is strong.

Excerpted from Talking to Spirits, by Sterling Moon.