I'm Tim Fortescue,
A life coach coming alongside of folks in their personal and spiritual development and I'm going to lead you in a guided meditation and exercise on working with a challenging protector from the IFS perspective.
And if you're new to the IFS model,
This could be a little challenging and so go easy on yourself.
You don't have to make anything happen.
Just notice and be aware of what's coming up.
So as we began,
I invite you to get settled.
It's best to have both feet on the floor if you can and notice where your body comes into contact with where you are.
You can close your eyes if you'd like to,
But if you prefer you can just let your gaze rest softly in front of you and just take a couple deep cleansing breaths and know that you can pause this recording as often as you'd like to give yourself and your system the space that it needs.
And take some time to get comfortable.
Let your attention go inward as you get oriented to your internal world.
Think of a part that really bothers you or gets in your way.
One that you have a lot of shame about or one you might be afraid of.
Take a moment and just see if a part surfaces and comes to mind.
What you're looking for is more of a protective part rather than a real vulnerable one.
Some people immediately focus on their inner critics for this exercise.
So if you're having trouble finding a part,
Focusing on a part that tends to be critical often helps.
And as you focus on the part,
Notice where you sense it in or around your body.
This could be a sensation like a tightness in the chest or a tingling in the fingers.
It could be a color or an image like the part spinning rapidly like a Tasmanian devil.
And as you focus in on a part,
Remember that parts can surface as a thought,
An impulse,
Feeling,
Action,
And that's just to name a few.
They can surface in many other ways.
Notice how you feel toward this part.
And because of what you're trying to be aware of,
It's normal that you're going to have some strained feelings toward this part like an inner critic.
And see if you can place this part in a contained room.
That's going to help other parts of you to drop their defenses so that they can feel a little safer.
Make it a comfortable room,
But one that it can't get out of.
And make sure there's a window that you can see into the room from the outside front.
And let all your other parts that may have issues with this challenging protector know that for the duration of this exercise,
It'll be contained.
So ask them if they can relax just a little bit so you can get to a point of curiosity toward the one in the room.
Just see if they're willing to do that.
If they're not willing to separate,
Again,
That's okay.
You can spend the rest of the time just getting to know them and their fears,
Their fears of this part that's in the room.
See what issues they have with it and let them voice that.
If you can get to a point of curiosity or any kind of openness toward the part that's in the room,
Let it know that you see it and see what it wants you to know while it stays contained.
See if you can communicate with it through the window.
Maybe ask it what it wants you to know about itself.
What's it afraid would happen if it stepped out of its protective role?
And if it answered that question,
Then see if it's possible to extend some appreciation to it for at least trying to protect you.
Let it know if you can that you know it's trying to do the best that it knows how and see how old it thinks you are.
If it thinks you're a different age than you actually are,
Then go ahead and update it.
See how it reacts.
And now ask the part something like if you could change or heal what you're protecting so that it wasn't really an issue anymore and you were freed from this responsibility of protection and could do something else,
What would you like to do?
Another way to phrase that is if the part were totally liberated from its role,
What else would it choose to do?
After it answers that question,
Ask what it needs from you in the future.
And then check in with your other parts as we begin to close for now.
See how they're reacting as they witness this conversation you had with the protector part.
Thank your parts for anything they let happen.
Thank them for their courage and let them know this isn't your last visit.
Let them know that you'd like to spend more time with them if they'd like it,
Maybe later today,
Next couple of days.
When it feels right,
You can bring your attention back to the present moment where you are.
Take a couple final deep cleansing breaths.
You can open your eyes if they were closed and continue about your day.
Thanks for joining me for this meditation and exercise.
Take care.
