In this guided internal family systems meditation,
You're going to be invited to get to know your anxiety a little bit better.
And it's through this understanding that we can offer support and healing.
So let's begin by just getting into a comfortable position.
You can be laying down or seated,
Whatever feels right.
And then we're going to begin by just taking a couple nice deep breaths just to help us land in this moment.
Taking a nice deep inhale through the nose into the belly,
Feeling the belly expand.
And then slowly letting it fall.
Breathing all the air out,
Maybe bringing the belly button in towards the spine.
Then another nice deep inhale.
And slow exhale.
We're just going to continue taking a couple of these nice slow breaths.
On your next inhale,
You might want to bring your shoulders up.
And then as you exhale,
Rolling them down your back.
Then from this place,
Let's invite in your anxiety.
So just taking a moment and inviting your anxiety to blend with you so you can understand it a little bit better.
As you do that,
Just becoming aware of any shifts in the body or in the mind.
Just noticing without judgment where it's showing up the most.
Maybe it's in your stomach or your hands,
Your knees,
Your neck.
There's no right or wrong,
Just noticing.
Sometimes you can start to feel it,
Just really focusing on where it's showing up on the body.
Just focusing your attention on it.
And as you do,
You might notice some other thoughts or images or sensations or memories start to pop up.
Just making note of what you're noticing.
You can do this all completely in your mind or if you'd like,
You can always have a piece of paper or your computer open and write what you're finding.
You can write it down after.
And then I want you to notice and just ask yourself,
How do you feel towards your anxiety?
This question might activate some other parts that might be polarized.
They might be frustrated or upset or want to get rid of it.
And if it's anything but curiosity,
Just see if these parts would be willing to give you just a little bit of space so you can try and understand and help your anxiety.
You can reassure them that by going towards this part of you,
We're not going to let it take over or that we're saying that it's okay.
We're just really here to help and to understand.
So maybe these other parts wouldn't have to work so hard against it.
Just see if they'd be willing to unblend from you a little bit.
Sometimes I like to visualize them just taking a seat beside me or behind me or just leaving my space.
Again there's no right or wrong here.
You might just feel a shift and they are welcome to say no.
If they say no,
Then you're going to stay here and just spend a little time with them understanding what their fears are around giving you some space and what else they would like you to know about them.
They can give you some space for some curiosity to come through.
Just notice also how open your heart is to understanding your anxiety.
That might just come back as like a percentage.
Does it feel like it's 5% open,
30%,
50%,
70%?
No right or wrong,
Just noticing.
If there are parts that are still kind of protecting your heart,
Just see if they can also give you just a bit of space so your heart can be more open to understanding your anxiety.
Yes or no is fine.
Now if you have some curiosity towards your anxiety,
A bit of open heartedness,
I want you to extend this energy out towards your anxiety and just see if this part can notice that you're there.
And if it can,
How is it responding to you?
Is it excited?
Standoffish?
Does it ensure is it hiding?
Is it welcoming?
Just notice.
If you're really far away from the part and it feels okay,
You might want to just come closer,
Sit beside your anxiety.
Just really letting it feel this curiosity and open heartedness that's coming from you.
And I want you to open the invitation for your anxiety to share anything it would like to share with you so you can understand it better or show you.
And this part can communicate through words,
Images,
Sensations,
Feelings,
Memories,
Telepathically.
Just send the invitation out and just sit in this open curiosity.
And if you feel like you understand what the part is saying,
Just check.
And if it makes sense to you,
Let it know that that makes sense.
I'm going to try asking your anxiety,
How old is it?
See what number pops back.
It might be when you were quite younger.
And I want you to ask your anxiety,
How old it believes you are now.
And if it believes that you're younger than you are now,
I want you to invite it to notice you in the present moment at your current age.
Maybe showing this part some of the things that you've accomplished,
That you've done.
And then with this update,
You can invite the anxiety.
Is there anything else that it wants you to know about it and its role in your system?
One important question is,
What is your anxiety?
Afraid or worried what happened to you?
If it didn't make you so anxious,
What is it protecting you from?
What is this part worried would happen if it didn't do what it does?
Whatever it says,
Just let this part know you want to know more about that.
And really just listen.
You can also ask just to know if your anxiety is protecting a younger part of you.
And if so,
Make note of that.
And over time,
You can build trust with your anxiety till it feels safe enough for you to be able to go and work with the part that it's protecting.
And see if your anxiety wants to share anything else with you.
Is there anything that would help it?
That you could do in your everyday life?
Just ask the part.
Might have some suggestions for things that might help it.
Just make sure you get really clear on what that looks like,
How often,
When.
And then see if you can commit to those things.
Before we leave this space,
Just thanking your anxiety for the work that it does,
For sharing what it has shared.
Maybe there's a way that you guys could work together.
Before leaving this space,
Just bringing your attention back and seeing if there was any parts you had asked to step back so you could be with this part.
And see if they were okay with that.
Maybe they have a better understanding of what your anxiety is trying to do in your system.
And then when you're ready,
You can slowly bring your attention back to your breath.
Bringing a nice deep inhale through the nose into the belly.
And slow exhale.
Another nice deep inhale through the nose into the belly.
And slow exhale.
And slowly bringing your attention from the inside world back to the outside.
You may want to take some time to journal what you noticed,
What you found.
Thanks for joining me.
