Welcome back to IFS Meditations and Insights,
I'm Tim Fortescue,
Your guide on this journey toward wholeness through the lens of internal family systems.
Together we're creating a sacred space to explore,
Accept,
And love all parts of ourselves.
As we do this work,
We open ourselves to experiencing divine love and living more authentically.
Let's begin.
Take a moment to settle into whatever posture feels right for you.
You might let your shoulders soften,
Unclench your jaw,
Or feel the weight of your body being held by the seat beneath you.
When you're ready,
Allow your breath to fall into a natural rhythm.
Nothing forced,
Nothing dramatic,
Just the gentle rise and fall that's been with you since the beginning.
Let yourself arrive.
There's no rush here,
No agenda.
Just this moment,
This breath,
This precious pause in your day.
If your mind is already wandering or planning,
That's okay.
Just gently bring your attention back to the feeling of breathing,
The sensation of being held by whatever is supporting you right now.
Let yourself be exactly as you are.
With your next breath,
Notice one place in your body that feels just a little more open than the rest.
Maybe it's your hands,
Your chest,
Your belly,
Or even the space behind your eyes.
There's no right answer here,
Just a soft noticing.
Let that place be your anchor,
A small doorway into your inner world.
Rest your attention there for a few breaths,
Feeling whatever sensations are present.
Warmth,
Coolness,
Tingling,
Stillness,
Or maybe nothing at all.
Whatever you find is exactly right.
As you settle,
You may notice thoughts,
Emotions,
Or sensations moving through.
If so,
Simply acknowledge them.
You might say inside,
I see you.
Thank you for letting me know that you're here.
There's no need to change anything.
Just let your parts know they're welcome,
And they're not alone.
Some parts might be curious about this time you're taking.
Some might be cautious or protective,
Wondering if it's safe to slow down.
Some might be tired,
Grateful for the rest.
Let each of them be exactly as they are.
You might even sense a part that's skeptical of this whole process.
That's welcome too.
Even your doubts have a place here.
Take another breath,
And notice what it feels like to simply witness your inner world,
Without trying to fix or change it.
Now gently shift your attention to the space around all of this.
The breath,
The body,
The thoughts,
The feelings.
Notice the quiet field that holds it all.
You don't have to go searching for it.
Just sense,
Being aware right now,
Noticing your experience,
Without being swept away by it.
Notice watching without judgment.
Feeling a little more steady.
Even if things feel stirred up.
Let yourself rest in that awareness for a moment.
Press the pause button if you need to.
This is often where self energy begins to show up.
Not with fireworks,
But with a subtle ease.
A softening.
A drop of something that feels a little more like you.
Some people describe it as clarity.
Others as calm.
Some as compassion or curiosity.
You might notice your breath deepening slightly.
Or a gentle warmth in your chest.
Or simply a sense of,
Oh,
Here I am.
Whatever you're experiencing is perfect.
Just rest here for a few more breaths.
Letting this spacious awareness hold you.
With your next breath,
Imagine turning toward this presence inside you.
This deeper,
Wiser,
More spacious you.
You might sense it as warmth.
As a gentle glow.
As calm.
As compassion.
Or simply as a quiet knowing.
Some people experience this as spiritual.
As something that connects them to a larger love or presence.
Others experience it as the truest version of themselves.
Beneath all the roles and responsibilities.
You don't have to name it.
You don't have to understand it.
Just let yourself feel it.
Notice how your body responds.
Notice if anything softens.
If anything expands.
If your breath feels a little freer.
If there's a little more space around your heart.
Maybe there's a sense of coming home.
Of remembering something you've always known.
But sometimes forget.
Stay here for a few breaths.
Letting that sacred presence hold you.
Let it be as simple as resting in kindness toward yourself.
Let it be as profound as touching the divine within.
Breathe it in.
The sense of your own belovedness.
From this spaciousness,
See if a part of you would like to step forward.
Not for fixing.
Not for changing.
Just to be seen.
It might be a protector who's been working hard.
Carrying so much responsibility.
It might be a younger part holding a burden.
Waiting to be noticed.
It might be a part that feels overwhelmed.
Lonely.
Hopeful.
Or unsure.
If a part comes forward,
Greet it the way you would greet someone you care about.
Thank you for being here.
I'm listening.
You matter.
Notice what this part looks like.
And how it feels.
Is it young or old?
Tense or tired?
What does it want you to know?
You don't have to have all the answers right now.
Just let this part know it's not alone anymore.
Let the sacred presence within you flow toward that part.
Offering warmth,
Kindness,
And connection.
You're not trying to solve anything.
You're simply being with whatever arises from a place of gentle curiosity.
If emotions show up,
Tears,
Relief,
Sadness,
Even joy,
Let them move through you.
They're not a problem.
They're part of the healing.
Take a few more breaths here.
Letting the center meeting unfold at its own pace.
Let your parts know you'll return.
That this isn't the last time you'll listen.
That you're learning to stay connected with them.
Even in the midst of your busy life.
Imagine now that this deeper presence,
This self energy,
Is offering a quiet blessing over your entire inner world.
No words needed.
Just the sense that everything inside you is held in kindness.
Your protectors who work so hard to keep you safe.
Your exiles who carry the tender wounds.
Your managers who try to keep everything together.
The parts that strive.
The parts that hide.
The parts that hope.
The parts that grieve.
All of them resting for a moment in this field of compassion.
Let your whole system inhale that warmth.
And exhale anything that's ready to loosen.
Any tension.
Any burden.
Any story that no longer serves you.
You are held.
You are beloved.
You are not alone.
Begin to bring your attention back to your physical body.
Feel your feet on the floor.
Your hands in your lap.
The air on your skin.
Know that the sacred place inside you hasn't gone anywhere.
It's woven into you.
It's who you are beneath the noise.
You can return here any time.
In a moment of stillness.
In a single breath.
In the space between one thing and the next.
Take one final breath of gratitude.
For your courage.
For your presence.
For the parts that trusted you enough to show up today.
And when you're ready,
Gently open your eyes.
Or return to where you are in your own time.
Thank you for taking this time for yourself.
May this inner presence stay close as you move through your day.
You're not alone.
You're beloved.
