Notice that you're breathing.
Slow down your inhale.
Way down.
And allow your exhale the same.
Breathe rhythmically.
Even inhale.
With exhale.
With exhale.
You're breathing like waves.
Rolling.
Float on the top of those waves.
Like floating on warm ocean water.
Just allowing your inhale and exhale to move you.
And allow your inhale to roll you in deeply.
Inside.
Notice what that's like.
Just notice what's there.
Is it your protector?
If not,
Ask your protector to please come forward.
So you can be with it.
Notice how you experience it.
Your protector might be showing up somewhere in your body.
Or as a cluster of thoughts.
An image.
Just check it out.
Notice that you are noticing it.
There's a space between the two of you.
Just focus on your protector and see what else you can gather about it.
How it shows up.
How do you feel toward it?
If it's anything other than curious,
Ask that part to please ease back just a bit.
So you can be with your protector.
And if this other part is really asking for your attention,
Really reacting to the presence of the protector,
Then turn toward that part and stay with it.
That may be your inner work right now.
And if it's willing to ease back,
Then turn your attention to your protector and exactly how it's showing up.
Notice how you feel toward it now.
How long has it been there?
Is it familiar?
Let it know you're here to get to know it a little bit.
Not to push past it toward any parts of you holding pain,
Holding wounds,
Holding memories.
That's not what you're here for right now.
Tell your protector you are here to be with it.
To understand it.
This primary part of you.
Working so hard.
Doing its thing in whatever way it does.
Does your protector want to share any fears or concerns it has about your going deeper into the inner world and spending time with wounded parts?
Take a moment to hear these out.
Really get still and stay with your protector and listen.
What is it afraid of about your being with your pain?
What might happen?
If any of its fears make sense to you,
Let it know that.
Let it know,
Oh,
I get it.
Let your protector get a good look at you.
You might feel yourself as a strong light that's present and the protector can see that light.
Ah,
Here you are.
The protector is not you.
It's an important part of you.
Loyal to you.
And it deserves your respect.
See how your protector responds to a few concerns that most protectors have.
Just notice how it responds.
A lot of times,
A protector is scared for you that if you move closer toward and deeply witness a part of you that's really holding pain,
That that pain could overwhelm you.
It could flood you.
See if that resonates.
If it does,
Let your protector know,
Ah,
Yes.
Yeah,
We don't want overwhelm.
And you can tell your protector if that is its fear that you will be overwhelmed that a part of you holding pain can be helped by you and it will agree if you ask it gently.
Please don't give me what you're holding all at once.
Don't share it all at once.
Do it a little bit at a time.
If you flood me,
I can't help you.
You can tell a wounded part that and because they want so much to be seen to finally have your full attention to be witnessed,
To be felt for,
They'll agree to not overwhelm.
See how your protector responds to that knowing.
And you may tell the protector as well,
You can step in at any time.
If it starts to feel like too much,
You can step in and do your thing.
Whether that thing is fuzziness,
A white room,
Distracted thoughts,
Dissociation,
Whatever it is that your protector knows to do for you.
Tell it you can do that if it gets to be too much.
Also,
Your protector might be worried that a more extreme protector,
Like a crisis responder,
Will come rushing to the scene if you're with your pain.
And that more extreme part might be inspired to put out the pain like a fire.
Maybe that more extreme one cuts or drinks or binges.
See if your protector is concerned about another part like that.
If so,
Does that make sense to you?
Let your protector know,
Oh,
I get it.
And also,
Your wounded part,
If it's not allowed to overwhelm and if it agrees to not overwhelm,
The crisis responder won't be called in.
Sometimes a protector believes that,
No,
That pain is too bad.
It's too broken.
You can't heal that part.
See if that's the concern.
If you understand that concern,
Let it know.
And tell your protector,
You're not responsible for healing anything.
It's not your job.
I am here.
Notice how you feel toward the protector.
If you feel any gratitude,
Any recognition of its hard work,
Let that flow directly toward it like a little river of light from your heart flowing directly toward the protector.
Feeling for it.
A lot of times,
Protectors have been in there for years,
Believing that it was all on them,
That they were you,
The full you,
And they had to take care of every wounded part.
Just see if that resonates.
It can be a surprise for a protector to have you there.
Let it see you again,
The you that is not a part,
The you that is vast.
And reassure this protector once again,
You are not responsible for healing the wounded parts.
Let the protector really hear that,
That there is a safe way for you to approach the parts of you holding the worst of the pain,
Holding those experiences,
Those emotional knowings.
There is a you that will take care of them.
And the protector can be present every time you come into the inner world.
It can hang out right there,
Ready to step in at any time.
You might tell it,
You're important.
I want you to be here.
Please ease back so that I can have space to be with other parts.
Take a moment before you leave to really be there with this part of you that has worked so hard to keep you from feeling those wounds.
This part deserves your love as well because it loves you.
And now you've begun a relationship with your protector and you'll know when it shows up for you and why.
You can acknowledge it and you might even let it feel your gratitude and then you can ask it to stay close or ease back,
Whatever you prefer in that moment.
Thank your protector for showing up,
Revealing itself to you.
And you can tell it,
You'll be back.
You can be back as many times as you want.
And then when you're ready,
Say goodbye to it and bring your attention through your inhale into your head.
It's the center of your head.
And to leave the inner world as you feel yourself up in your head,
Orient toward your eye sockets.
And then as you exhale next time,
Open your eyes and come out through your eyes and back to the outer world.
Let your attention just focus softly,
Resting gently on something.
Perceiving it.
Just taking in its suchness without needing to change it.
And when that feels complete,
Shift your attention even more back to your surroundings.
And now you're back in your outer world.
