Angela Barnes

London, UK

Rachael

Maryland, USA

Riva Jean-Paul

Sacramento, CA, USA

Steve Grace

Whatton-in-the-Vale, Nottingham, UK

Descend into stillness to meet an inner part of yourself with compassion, clarity, and healing presence.

English

The meditative journey is loosely based on Internal Family System parts work.  It is an invitation into the depths of yourself to build trust with a part of you needing and desiring your presence and tender loving care.  Using a bit of visualization, a bit of somatic technique and a lot of love, you will journey with a part of you needing you the most right now. The practice ends in gratitude as gather all parts of you and move forward more unified and whole, only moving as fast as your slowest part.  Enjoy the journey and practice with as many parts as possible.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) Meditative Journey

Welcome to this meditation that's loosely based on internal family systems parts work where you get to journey to the depths of who you are, to be with a part of you that is wanting your attention and your tender loving care, and that you are wanting to build trust with. This is a journey about trust. We will be using a bit of visualization, as well as some somatic techniques in order to clear some space, so that you may be with your part, free of all of life's clutter, free of any stories or restrictions or barriers that may have prevented you from fully connecting with this part of you. So as you begin your practice, begin to slow your breath, allowing the mind to follow the rhythm of your breath into this present moment. Breathing slow and deep. Extending your exhale. Feeling into your belly as you inhale and receive the breath. Feeling your body relax as you let go. Receive. Let go. Many of us busy ourselves with keeping our heads above water that we miss the invitation into the deep. We fear the depths for its darkness, its intensity and the unknown. Yet have you ever noticed the waves at the surface can feel chaotic at times, unpredictable, maybe overwhelming. Continuing to take deep breaths, letting go, softening, relaxing. Allow your body to sink beneath the surface. Awareness. Thoughts. Your presence. As you let go even more, feel your body get lighter and lighter, becoming weightless merging with all around you. Letting go of any resistance and enjoying the free fall of surrender. Feeling the relief of any tension and any effort as you continue to let go. You can see and watch all of the surface level identifiers of you begin to leave you and float up toward the surface as you continue your descent. The boxes, the stories, the habits, the beliefs, the patterns. Chronic contraction of all that pressure, all that weight floating away. You and it in opposite directions. You notice the light moving further away and you find peace in the darkness. And as you let go even more, you enter the silence. Stillness. This silence is different than any silence you've experienced. It's brand new and it has something to say. It's loud, actually. And you open making yourself available to hear what the silence has to say. And you're enveloped into stillness. Into space. Into awareness. And here you are now open, expansive and totally relaxed. And you smile. Enjoying the freedom of space. Freedom of awareness. As you feel into the rhythm of your whole body, welcome all parts of you here to this moment. Notice how it feels in your body as they arrive. As you invite them all closer. Maybe it feels heavy, chaotic, confusing. Maybe it feels like pressure. Maybe it feels like comfort or familiar or safety. It could feel like an awkward family dinner or an estranged family reunion. However it feels is okay. Just notice how your body feels as you gather all parts of you now. As you see all of your parts fully. Making space for them to arrive just as they are. The long forgotten parts. The vulnerable parts. The angry, scared, jealous and envious parts. The defensive, proud and protective parts. Just notice as you create space for all of your parts to arrive. In their own time. Just as they are. Some will take more time than others. Others will remain in hiding. Some will peep around the corner and just observe. You may not be able to fully see your parts. But you can feel their energy. So just feel into the energy of your entire system. All of your parts. Just notice. You are patient and curious. Open and willing. Welcoming them home. Breathe deep and welcome home. Now make a choice to be with one part that is ready and willing to connect with you in this time. One part that your heart is willing to open to. How does this part feel as you welcome and move toward it? Move toward a coming together again. Does this part feel familiar or distant based on who you are now? You may be feeling vulnerable and exposed without all that armor. That stuff that usually keeps you feeling protected, small, fearful or hiding. So notice how this spaciousness feels. This nothingness. The void that you've created so that none of the clutter of life is creating an interference with you connecting with this part of yourself. What sensations in your body are present here as you feel into the space you've created? What truth is here now being illuminated now that you can see a bit clearer? You might ask, what do you need me to know about you? What's present for you right now? Noticing any sensations in your body as you listen and learn lovingly feeling into the sacredness of this moment. This moment of honoring yourself. And of receiving before doing. You might say to your part, this part of you. I hear you. I see you. I get you. I got you. You might ask your part. Is there anything that you want to or need to let go of? Notice as you continue to calm your body. Anchor into the present moment. Both floating and grounded. Notice if you feel any energetic shifts within your part, any softening, any letting go of resistance. If you feel an opening. If they are drawing closer or further away. Does this part feel familiar or distant based on who you are now? The you now is different. So notice how it feels in your body to interact with this part. The calm, patient and fully present you is centered and steady. This energy in you feels different to your part as well. So notice. Anything that they're expressing and any energy that they're emitting. Notice more opportunities for connection. You are able to respond now with wisdom rather than reacting from fear. Remind your part of this fact and update them on this much freer you. You might reintroduce yourself with clarity and compassion. As you do, listen and learn what this part has to share and how it feels about this new version of you. This version of you that's cleared away a lot of clutter so that you may embrace connection and intimacy with this part of you. Maybe it's been a while. You feel like a visitor in your own home system. Without all the clutter of life you communicate with your part and it feels different. Your part feels relieved knowing that it can spend time with you. Maybe even trust you even just a little bit more. That it can rest trusting that you are safe. That it is safe. That it can let go of any roles of any stories of any habits or patterns. That you are now capable of leading with newness, openness, with compassion, clarity, with creativity. So thanking your part, this part of you that's chosen to be with you and you with it. Thanking it in whatever way feels right for you. Thanking it for the time spent for any insights and wisdom, information, guidance. Thanking it for letting go of any weight that it was carrying that it is free from now. Giving thanks to yourself for making time to be with this part of yourself. To integrate. To show up fully. And you return now to the surface. The waves just as tumultuous as when you took your descent. And what is different now is you. Your breath, steady and calm. Your vision clear and your heart full. And you moving only as fast as your slowest part. In unison. In wholeness. And you give thanks. And you give thanks. And you give thanks. And so it is.