##### 🔑 Blending a spectrum "Am I [[🕯️ Unblending|unblended]]?" isn't *really* a yes or no question because [[💡 Blending|blending]] occurs along a continuum. [[🔑 Presence is effortless and always here]], though there may also be some [[💡 Blending|blending]] going on or [[💡 Presence|Presence]] can be obscured completely with full blending.[^1] Without something like a high dose of a [[🛠 Psychedelics|Psychedelic]] or a deep [[🕯️ Meditation 🧘|Meditation]] practice, [[💡 Parts|Parts]] are pretty much always around. And that’s okay — [[🔑 We only need a critical mass of Self-energy|🔑 we only need a critical mass of Presence to help our Parts]]. ###### Full Blending When we're fully blended with a [[💡 Parts|Part]]: - The part is leading our entire [[🔑 Our inner family is an ecosystem|inner-ecosystem]] — they're “driving the bus.” - We lose access to [[Qualities of Presence ☀️]] and other capacities and intelligences from other parts because [[🔑 The mind can only hold so much]]. - We see the world through a part's eyes, think their thoughts, say their words, and feel their [[⭐️ Emotions|feelings]]. We are essentially [[💡 Enmeshment|enmeshed]] with a part.[^1] ###### Starting to Unblend As [[💡 Parts|Parts]] begin to [[🕯️ Unblending|unblend]], we’ll notice one or more [[Qualities of Presence ☀️]] start to emerge. We become increasingly [[🕯️ Mindfulness|🕯️ mindful]]. We see ourselves, other people, and the universe more complexly, are more open to what we don’t or can’t know or fully understand, and find it easier to be in relationship with others. ###### Further Unblending The more our [[💡 Parts|Parts]] [[🕯️ Unblending|unblend]], the more we're able to experience ourselves as [[💡 Presence#Qualities of Presence|Presence]], and the larger our spectrum becomes. As Parts unblend, [[💡 Presence|Presence]] blooms. Something might begin as [[☀️ Curiosity]] and then blossom into wonder, fascination, or [[💡 Awe|Awe]] as [[💡 Parts|Parts]] continue to [[🕯️ Unblending|unblend]]. What begins as [[☀️ Compassion]] might blossom into a kind of divine [[☀️ Loving-Kindness (Metta)]]. We may start to notice feeling more [[🕯️ Embodiment|embodied]], changes in our voice, temperament, or composure. We may even notice a pleasant tingling or other [[⭐️ Body|somatic]] sensations that we intuitively recognize as some kind of life energy. [^1]: [[📖 Internal Family Systems Therapy, Second Edition]]