Welcome to this IFS daily practice meditation extended version.
This meditation is a blend of both practice and teaching.
Let's begin by finding a comfortable position,
Whether you're sitting or lying down.
Settling in,
Allowing your body to be supported.
Noticing the surface beneath you.
Become aware of the natural rhythm of your breathing.
If it's right,
Taking a gentle breath in and letting it go.
There's nothing you need to fix or change right now.
Just allowing yourself to arrive here in this moment.
And you can pause at any time if this feels uncomfortable or if you'd like to write anything down.
And close your eyes if that helps.
However is right for you to shift your attention inside.
Maybe taking a moment to notice sounds.
Notice your visual field with eyes open or closed.
As you breathe in,
Notice how the body rises and falls as you exhale.
As you become more aware of this inner world,
Sensing what's going on in there,
Without needing to change anything.
Many of us are so used to spending a lot of time in our heads,
So if you don't notice much in the body at first,
It's okay.
Often there's a lot happening just beneath the surface that we're typically not aware of.
But once you do turn your attention inside,
You can usually sense a little more of what's going on.
And maybe for this practice,
We can set a simple intention that we're just here to observe and accept whatever's arising,
Not here to change anything necessarily.
Notice the thoughts,
The self-talk that's been here narrating or commenting this whole time.
Just about everyone has an inner narrator.
So whatever the voice has been saying,
Or any images that are appearing,
Or body sensations,
You've got the space to just notice all of it and see if you can be with whatever is arising in the spirit of welcoming.
And if you're new to internal family systems or IFS,
I'm going to invite you to try something out.
You're the one observing all of this phenomena.
So see if you can begin to treat what's showing up in the body or mind as actual messages coming from different inner beings.
Like that narrator part,
For example.
You might be hearing and sensing what that one is saying right now.
And as you sense their presence,
You might acknowledge them,
That they are a part of your system.
These are parts of you,
And all of them belong.
And with that shift in perspective comes a different experience of compassion and patience for these parts giving you these messages.
And it can help to notice how each of them are naturally different from one another.
See if you can extend this open-hearted presence towards each of them one at a time as they take their turns coming into your awareness.
And it's very helpful to notice how are they reacting to being noticed by you.
Do they relax at all?
By now you'll recognize that some of these parts are familiar.
And if you've done this before,
Maybe these are parts that you've been developing a new relationship with.
But for other parts,
It might be new for them to receive this kind of attention from you.
Some parts need space,
And that's perfectly fine.
Some parts are so used to operating behind the scenes,
That they aren't really comfortable with this direct attention.
And they might not be sure yet about your intentions.
Which is okay.
Just keep noticing them in this mindful and accepting way.
You can always send appreciation from a distance.
And by continuing to offer this gentle kindness,
You're helping them trust that you're there with them.
And just see if you can get curious about what they might want to share,
Or what they might need.
If they're willing to share,
Just listen.
And as you do that,
They might be taking turns sending you messages about what they need right now,
Or maybe what they need later on.
Just notice whatever they show you,
If they have any requests.
And whatever they do share,
See if you can receive it without judgment.
You might simply let them know that you see them.
That you're here,
Present with them.
Not rushing to the next thing on the agenda.
Just being with them.
And notice if there's any shift in your body as you connect with these parts.
Any softening,
Or any tension.
Just observing with curiosity and care.
As they feel more and more reassured by you,
They start to let you stay in the lead.
In the driver's seat,
Instead of taking the wheel.
And you'll notice that things go a lot better when they do let you stay.
In the beginning of this kind of practice,
It's common for some parts to find it hard to trust this is true.
So if your inner skeptic isn't buying any of this,
That's normal.
Many parts are so used to having to step in and run things in your life.
In IFS,
When a part takes over,
We call it blending.
And because they've been blending with you for so long,
Many of them don't realize that you're not a child anymore.
Because they're frozen in time back there.
But once they've gotten the update that you're all grown up,
It's very often a big relief to them to know you can handle a lot more now than you could back then.
It also helps them trust to let them know this isn't your only visit with them.
That some version of this becomes a regular practice.
So they don't have to be alone in the way they had been.
So go ahead and thank them for whatever they've been willing to share today.
And let them know they're welcome to connect with you anytime,
Not just in meditations,
But in daily life.
When you notice their energy in your daily routine,
You can remind them that they're not alone.
That you appreciate their presence in your system,
In your life.
Reminding them that you're here.
And self is here.
And then at some point,
Once they feel witnessed and reassured by you,
Ask them to give you a little more space inside and let you come more into your body.
We're not asking them to leave,
Just asking for some space so that you can be more connected to them rather than be blended with them.
Because when they do blend with you,
It's harder for them to sense your presence.
And when they can't sense you,
It's a lot scarier for them.
But when they do separate,
They tend to feel the comfort that comes with knowing they've got a loving and capable grown-up inside.
And they can do this once they trust it's safe.
And some might not be ready for this,
Which is fine.
They can stay right where they are.
But if others are ready and want to give this a try,
Just let them know all they need to do is pull their energy out of your body a little bit more so that you can enter your body more.
And if they are willing to open space,
The more they do this,
You'll notice a shift in your awareness.
And you may feel drawn toward the crown of your head and beyond.
Toward the source of this vibrating energy that other traditions call prana,
Or chi.
In IFS,
We just call it self-energy.
And you may notice it begins to flow more and more through your body into the earth beneath you.
This is the state that many wisdom traditions help people achieve.
But some meditative practices get you here by pushing away or ignoring your parts.
IFS gets you here by asking for their permission.
They get to say no if they're not ready for this.
And if by now you are feeling a lot of self-energy,
Which can feel like buzzing,
Tingling,
Peaceful sensations.
Many people who practice this regularly find this to be a good time to ask for guidance or to invite any messages from the universe.
This is completely optional.
Just ask and be patient.
And maybe nothing comes,
Which is fine.
And if you're not feeling this shift,
When you don't feel fully in your body,
It just means that there's a part there blocking.
It may not be willing to separate today.
And that makes complete sense.
It just means it's one to follow up with at some point in the future.
What are your parts afraid would happen if they really let you be in your body with them and be in your body in the outside world?
Before we close,
You can invite your parts to begin to come in closer again and see how open they are to sharing this energy with you.
Because if they do,
It helps them to access their own self.
Because self is contagious.
Fear energy is contagious.
And self-energy is contagious.
As we make that shift back outside,
You can remind your dominant parts,
The ones that ordinarily run things when you're done meditating,
That they can trust you to stay,
Even with your eyes open.
That becomes its own practice too.
Because so many parts are used to jumping back to attention when you finish meditating.
When you're ready,
Begin to bring your awareness back to your breath,
To the surface beneath you,
Knowing you can return to connect with your parts whenever you choose.
Gently wiggle your fingers and toes.
And when it feels right,
You can go ahead and open your eyes if they've been closed and just see how much you can stay in this state or how much your parts jump back to attention.
Thanks for meditating with me.
