IFS Insight: Exploring The Power Of Collective Unburdening

Here, IFS practitioner Tim Fortescue gives some insight into the power of collective unburdening.

Additionally, if you have questions or suggestions for topics that you'd like to be explored, send Tim a message via private message in Insight Timer.

Transcript

Welcome to another episode of IFS Meditations and Insights,

A podcast exploring personal growth through the lens of internal family systems.

I'm Tim Fortescue,

Your guide on this journey,

An IFS trained practitioner dedicated to nurturing spiritual wholeness and healing.

In this compassionate space,

We delve into self-discovery,

Uncovering inner wisdom.

When we embrace all parts of ourselves with love,

We can better receive divine love and extend it to others.

My hope is that what I discuss here will illuminate your path,

Bringing you inner peace and a deeper connection to the sacred.

Together we'll learn how IFS gently transforms our relationship with ourselves and the world.

So let's settle in,

Open up our heart and mind,

And let's dive into another episode.

Today I'm going to talk just a bit about the fascinating realm of IFS and the concept of collective unburdening.

This past week,

The IFS community and others have been impacted by the passing of Derek Scott,

Who has been instrumental in making IFS accessible to the world and to all.

And I'm so grateful for him and for his influence and leadership.

And in one of the last videos that Derek put out,

He talked about the potential of collective unburdening.

So I wanted to take that on and just ponder on that for a bit today.

I know I've seen in my own work of the power of healing within community,

Whether that be a coaching group or somewhere else,

One-on-one work with a practitioner is what we're used to.

And it definitely has been impactful for me in my life.

I currently am doing my own work one-on-one,

But I don't hear a lot about the idea of collective unburdening and healing in community,

Which is what societies have done for many,

Many,

Many years,

Decades and beyond.

Collective unburdening is a process where individuals are encouraged to explore and express their emotions and experiences with others in a community within a safe container or environment.

And it takes time to build that trust,

Which is why sometimes it's easier to do our work one-on-one.

It can be a lot less complex.

But when we have the courage to join a group and have hard conversations and seek to heal together,

This involves not only allowing each internal part of ourself to be heard,

Understood,

And ultimately unburdened from extreme roles and associated emotions.

But I found that when we share in a group setting,

That often what's going on inside of me on a human level is going on inside of that person across from me or beside me,

Maybe not exactly the same,

But they can relate and my courage can give others courage for their voice to be seen,

Understood,

And to have a voice.

And as those of you who have listened week after week,

You know that our internal system resembles a busy household,

Just like a family with each person representing a different family member.

We may have a protective part that shields us from harm,

A wounded part carrying past traumas,

Or even an exuberant inner child yearning for joy and playfulness.

And in IFS,

These parts are given a voice,

Just like those in my family are given a voice.

And through collective unburdening,

We can all release these burdens,

Heal and integrate harmoniously within our world and our families and our community groups as we integrate our system in our inner psyche.

So this is how collective unburdening can work in practice.

And as I mentioned,

I've heard it said that healing happens in community,

But it can be more challenging than one-on-one work.

But on the other side,

The potential for growth is huge and exponential.

And I've seen others grow faster in a group setting when folks have had the courage to be vulnerable once that trust is established and to share and we grow together.

So just like sitting in a one-on-one session guided by a skilled IFS practitioner in a group setting,

We're encouraged to connect with each internal part,

Listening to the concerns,

Fears,

And desires without judgment,

And then hearing others and how their parts are responding.

And as we speak for our parts,

We realize that there are many,

Many parts in that healing circle,

But we're bound at the core by our belovedness,

Our self,

Our humanity,

And we're all in this together.

And through guided introspection and dialogue in a collective setting,

We began to understand the roles that our parts play,

How they affect others,

And the emotions that they carry and the impact that that has on the system of someone else,

Of our family,

And in the world.

And as the process unfolds and trust is earned and established,

I found that I can become more open,

And when I'm invited,

I can express and release stronger and stronger emotions when I know that I'm not alone,

That others are sharing many,

If not all,

Of those same emotions.

And this allows each part of me to unburden itself from the weight it carries,

And the more that I unburden,

Others begin to unburden,

And the beauty of the collective unburdening can be beautiful.

This might involve acknowledging and processing past traumas,

Challenging or limiting beliefs,

Or simply offering compassion and understanding to wounded parts.

And the beauty of collective unburdening lies in the transformative potential for me,

For the greater world,

And for you.

By embracing and integrating all of ourself,

We can experience profound healing and liberation.

Inner conflicts don't go away,

But they dissipate and become less extreme.

And when I become more self-led in my parts and emotions,

I find that others become more grounded and self-led,

And harmony is restored within the internal system,

Leading to greater self-compassion,

Resilience,

And authenticity.

And there's also a greater self-compassion,

Curiosity,

Resilience,

And authenticity in the community,

In a collective container,

Group setting,

Community group,

And in the broader world.

And it's my hope that we can bring more of this self-energy and the potential for collective unburdening.

Keep doing the work in our own lives,

But extend it to others,

Because the benefits of collective unburdening extend beyond the individual level.

As each person embarks on their journey of self-discovery and healing,

They contribute to the collective shift towards greater empathy,

Understanding,

And interconnectedness within society.

And it's important that we don't listen to one podcast on collective unburdening,

Or just go to one group.

It's important to know that collective unburdening isn't just a one-time event,

But rather an ongoing process of self-exploration and growth within and without.

And it requires patience,

Dedication,

And a willingness to confront discomfort and vulnerability.

And so as I wrap up this episode and this exploration of the potential of collective unburdening in IFS,

I encourage you to reflect on your own internal dynamics.

What parts of yourself are yearning to be heard and understood,

And how can you embark or continue on a journey of self-discovery and healing within yourself,

But also within the greater community and world?

We're in this together,

And there's hope.

There's potential.

There's also hard things and despair.

But if we can unite together,

We can share,

Be vulnerable,

And release some of these burdens together so that we can be more grounded,

And the world can be a more beloved and self-led place.

Reviews

Collective unburdening is a fairly new concept with me although I am experiencing it more and more. I appreciate this talk. It has inspired me to lead an informal group at the small private retreat I will be attending soon. I feel so inspired and uplifted. 😊❣️