Focusing And Surrender For Internal Family Integration

This Focusing practice, inspired by Eugene Gendlin and John Welwood, involves intense and focused attention on sensations in the abdomen. Through this intensified attention, as well as body relaxation, self-acceptance, and surrender, this practice is meant to free up blockages in communication within the internal family system. This practice may possibly bring up difficult sensations and feelings, so please go at your own pace, pause, take breaks, or soothe yourself in whatever way is needed. The result is hopefully a greater integration among parts of the self, more allowance of one's thought stream, and a reduction in toxic shame and maladaptive self-judgment.

Transcript

Welcome. Begin by finding a very comfortable spot to sit or lie down and just simply let your shoulders hang. If you're holding any tension in your abdomen or your pelvic floor, Just experiment with releasing that tension. Perhaps telling yourself it's safe to relax. Give yourself that space and gentleness. Become aware of any sensations at the points of contact with whatever you're sitting or lying on and just take three deep breaths and we'll do that together. So breathe in 1 2 3 and out 2 3 4. Again breathe in 1 2 3 and breathe out 1 2 3 4. One more time. Breathe in 1 2 3 4 and hold it for just a moment and breathe out 1 2 3 4 5. And as you do this, Breathing naturally now, Put your attention on what it feels like to take these breaths. With your natural normal breath, Become aware of the sensations in your throat, Your abdomen, As it rises and falls. Perhaps sensations at your nostrils or in your nose. Temperature, Pressure, Tingling. And as you breathe, Notice what's the impact on the state of your body. See if you can lean into releasing tension as you let the breath out. More deeply relaxing you each time you take a breath. If there are thoughts that arise in this process, See if you can just greet those thoughts and say, I'm listening. I can hear you. And put your attention on your sensations in your shoulders, In your abdomen, In the chest, As you breathe naturally. So the idea here is to welcome your thoughts instead of trying to suppress them or be in a conflict with your thoughts. And now turn your attention in words to sensations you can notice in your abdomen. So specifically there might be sensations in your solar plexus, Right beneath your ribcage in the center of your abdomen, Or perhaps a bit further down where your belly button is or below. Turn your attention as much as possible to this area and again just greet whatever sensations that come up. See if you can do this without judgment but with the attention you might give a child, Someone you love. If there are thoughts that are coming that's completely natural and okay. See if you can just repeat the thought to yourself as a way of noting that thought. And again you could tell yourself I'm listening and return your attention to the sensations in your abdomen. If there's something uncomfortable, Painful, Emotionally difficult, Again that's perfectly okay and see if you can convey that to yourself. Allow these sensations to be there as they are. See if you can tell yourself that what you're experiencing is okay. Almost like talking to these sensations in your abdomen. If thoughts come up again see if you can tell yourself, Yeah that's okay I hear what you're saying. I'm getting the message. And again return to the sensations in your abdomen and this time see if you can intensify your focus so the scope of your attention can be as much as possible this small area in your abdomen where the sensations are the strongest. You can imagine these sensations using whatever visualization makes the most sense to you. It could be colors, It could be shapes, It could be a specific object. Whatever helps you make sense of this set of sensations in your abdomen the best. See if you can use your mind's eye to visualize what these sensations look, Sound, And feel like. Don't forget to breathe, Drop your shoulders, Release your abdomen, Muscles, Pelvic floor, Perhaps tension in your jaw or your tongue. What would happen if you focused even more on these sensations and as they intensify with your focus that you just allow what happens. If at any point this becomes too much for you feel free to just take a break or stop and breathe. There's absolutely no rush or pressure. One way to think about this sensational experience enhancement is to imagine that there's a door to your abdomen at the front of your body and you're opening this door and fitting your entire awareness and consciousness into that small space in your abdomen. And as you do that it's as if the whole world now is the sensations that are in your abdomen. I invite you to welcome these sensations, Maybe say words of endearment to yourself. Ah, This is what it's like to have this experience. This is what you feel like. I can see that I'm here. I'm here and I'm willing to give the time to find out how it is to have this experience. Take a deep breath, Release. I invite you to expand your awareness now to the rest of your body. Notice your toes, Your legs, Your arms and hands, Your face, Scalp, Neck, Shoulders, The back of your body, And the front of your body. Take a moment to note if there's any changes in your physiological state, In your feelings, Since you started this experience. I invite you to thank yourself, Offering gratitude for giving yourself this loving attention, For being willing to spend this much time just witnessing and holding space for your experience. And become aware of any noises in the space you're in. If you haven't already, You can blink open your eyes with a soft gaze, Orienting yourself to the space you're in. And with that, Feel free to begin to move, Stretch, Maybe even yawn, And prepare yourself for the rest of your day or evening and whatever else you hope to do going forward. Thank you.