Hi everybody. Welcome back. This is the penultimate audio in the Multiplicity of the Mind series. Today we are going to start to bring together some of the learning that we've done already around parts, and how they impact upon us, how they affect us. And we're going to do that by delving deeper and exploring this further. And we're going to do that through a meditation through which I will seek to guide you.

So, please, in order to do this, I'll invite you and ask you to get yourselves really comfy. Maybe you want to lie down or use headphones. That's entirely up to you. Just make sure it's quiet and away from disturbances or noise. Allow your body to sink into the bed or into the chair. If you're sitting down, notice how your feet anchor to the floor beneath you. And I want to invite you to turn your attention inwards. To this internal world of parts that make up who we are. I want to ask you to be mindful. The premise of mindfulness, of course, is the ability to notice thoughts and emotions and physical sensations as they arise. Maybe when they leave.

Now I want you to try and separate these experiences, these internal experiences. And if you're able to do that, step away from it slightly. In IFS we would understand that that's you creating, generating more of a sense of self. To be able to objectify these experiences. Notice any impulses you feel or imagery that flashes. Physical experiences. I want you to pick an emotion, thought, image, or sensation, and then focus on it exclusively. Take a moment to focus on it. Maybe there's one that's calling out to you demanding attention. Locate this in and around your body.

And I invite you to do something that one doesn't tend to normally do, and that's to go towards it. As you notice it, ask yourself how you feel about it, this part. Do you like it? Maybe you have some negative connotations attached to it, feelings or thoughts? Maybe you depend on it somehow? Notice. How you feel about it. We will assume it's coming from a part of you. If you are feeling anything besides mindful curiosity or even compassion, then that might mean these parts are blended with you. We can just ask that part in our mind to give us a little space, to step back so you can get to know this part in a different way. And if they're willing to relax and step back, to give a little space, you might notice some of their energy separating from you. Can you engage with that energy and create some curiosity about that part? If they won't separate, refuse to or can't, don't worry. Maybe instead just spend some time with that part, getting to learn why they won't or can't. Assuming you have been able to, can we just focus on our targeted part, without agenda with curiosity, with as much self as we can find.

If you can find the curiosity about the part, then I invite you to follow that, to follow the curiosity. To see where it leads you. In your head. I want you to ask the part: what does it want you to know about it? Wait for an answer from that part or place in your body. Parts speak in different ways through sensations or emotions or voices. Just notice. Don't think of the answer. If that's what you're doing, ask in your head instead for thinking parts to step back. Be patient. If nothing comes, that's okay. As you get to know it, ask it an important question. I want you to ask it, what is it afraid will happen if it didn't give you this thought or image or sensation or emotion, or whatever it is is it's doing? What is it afraid will happen if it didn't? Is it getting your attention by doing it? Is there something it wants you to know? Or is it in pain somehow? Spend time with that.

If you have some answers now to some of those questions, you might find that you're now in a position to extend some appreciation to it. Maybe you've learned that it's trying to protect you somehow. Or maybe it's letting you know it's scared or feels shame, feels trapped. Maybe you feel some compassion towards it. If so, can you extend that compassion to that part? Be curious about how it reacts to that compassion. The final question for this meditation: ask it what it needs from you in the future? How can you be different with this part? Taking your time, I want you to thank the part and other parts for letting you get to know it. Maybe you'd like to let them know you want to come back again, and revisit, to look within. Maybe it feels right to take some breaths in almost as if you were giving energy to these different parts.

Gently and slowly in your own time, come back into the room.