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Explore a sample system

Walks ยท one sitting, about 6 min

A part that speaks in the body

For a part that speaks in sensation, posture or a picture instead of words. Scan the body, find a tight place, ask what it guards, and let a feeling or a picture be the answer.

9 steps, drawn from 14 books on IFS.

A draft: every passage it quotes is in its book, but its own wording has not yet been checked against them.

Read every step first
  1. A part with no words. Some parts do not speak in words. They show up as a feeling in the body, a posture, a picture. This walk starts in the body. It does not need an answer in words, and a feeling or a picture counts as one.
  2. Settle. Sit or lie however suits you, eyes open or closed. If breathing helps today, breathe slowly into your belly a few times, then let it be. If not, skip it.
  3. Is it okay to look in the body today? For some people, noticing the body is hard. A part may not want you there, and it has its reasons. If looking feels like too much, say so.
  4. Look over the body. Go slowly from head to feet, and notice anywhere tight, dense, heavy, blank or clamped. A hand clenching or a held jaw counts. Do not try to relax it. Just notice it first.
  5. Where, and what is it like? Pick one place. Say where it is, in or around the body, and what it is like: size, weight, temperature, a shape. A picture or a movement may come instead of a feeling. Some people are not good at pictures; use another sense then.
  6. How do you feel toward it? Before you offer it anything, check how you feel toward it. Your breath may give you a clue: easy, or caught. Answer with what is true rather than what sounds right.
  7. What might it be guarding? Tension can be a protector holding something back. Ask it, with no wish for it to let go, what it is guarding. It may answer with a word, a feeling, a picture, or not at all. Any of those is an answer. You do not have to find the words.
  8. Thank it. Thank the part for letting you ask. If it wants to stay as it is, leave it be.
  9. Before you go. Thank any part that came forward or made room, if that feels true. If you mean to come back, tell them so. When you are ready, come back to the room: feel your feet and look around.
  10. Then both can sit up front. Then the one that reacted can come and sit up front as well. Neither has to leave. You will offer the breath to whichever of them wants it.
  11. Just the feet and the breath. Then stay out of the body. Feel your feet on the floor, and your breath coming in and out. That is all of it for today.
  12. Seen, and not today. If a younger part showed itself, let it know you saw it and will not forget it. It can wait for another day. If you want, jot a note so you can find your way back. That is enough for one sitting.
  13. Ask the other part for some room. Turn toward the part that has strong feelings about the first one. Ask if it would give you a little room for a few minutes. It does not have to leave. If it worries the first part will take over, let it know you will keep things steady.