##### Body Meditation[^1][^2] [[On Tools, Skills, and Practices...]] Type: [[🧘 IFS Meditations]], [[⭐️ Body]] Use: > [!Notice] This meditation has been edited from its original source In [[⭐️ Internal Family Systems|IFS]] we spend a lot of time thinking about our relationship to our [[⭐️ Body]], or our [[Symptoms of Unresolved Trauma|symptoms]], tensions, or [[⭐️ Body#Somatic Sensations|Somatic Sensations]] that come up. They aren't necessarily caused by parts, though it is possible. This is a practice we can try every time a symptom or sensation arises. It can help us discover whether the it is caused by a part and tune-into the message the part is trying to send us. Often the parts who cause them don't understand damage they’re doing to us or the people who love us, and once you we listen them, the symptoms may lessen or stop entirely. Begin by focusing on your body to look for a [[💡 Trailheads|trailhead]]. If you have a medical condition, focus on it or how you experience it. If you don’t, you can do a short [[🧘 Body Scan]] and find a place in your body that doesn't feel feel like you — any [[⭐️ Body#Somatic Sensations|Somatic Sensations]]. You can take your time looking for one. Notice places in the body that feel a bit off. Tension, pressure, congestion, achiness, medical symptoms, memories of a symptom. When you find one, rest your attention on it and notice how you feel toward it. You might notice frustration, feeling defeated, or like you want it to go away. You can let these parts know that their feelings make sense and then ask them to give you some space so you can get know them better. If they're hesitant to, you can let them know you're not giving them more power, but trying to help them. When you at least feel [[☀️ Curiosity|curious]] or [[🕯️ Mindfulness|mindful]] toward them, ask what they want you to know and wait for an answer without thinking about it. Your thinking or analytical parts who want to speculate can relax, because it's okay if you don't get an answer — this might be an issue unrelated to your parts. If you do get an answer, stay with the sensation and ask the same questions you ask parts. You could try, for example, “What are you afraid would happen if you didn’t do this to my body?” If you get an answer, you learn about how they're trying to protect you and can express your gratitude, even if it's hard on you, for their good intentions. But they might not be a protector, this could be a part just trying to get your attention. You could ask, “Why do you feel like you have to use my body to talk to me? Why do you not feel like you could talk to me directly? What do you need from me to not have to do this anymore?” If you understand them better, let them know you're going to try to listen to them directly so they don't have to use your body like this so much. Ask if they'd like that, so there can be more direct communication. Ask if you can go to the other things they're trying to protect and heal or change them so they're free of these responsibilities. What might they like to do instead? You may have noticed a shift in the sensation. You can also ask if they're willing to relax not affect your body this way and see if you notice a shift. If you don't notice a shift, you can ask why they aren't ready yet, maybe they don't trust you enough. When you feel you've heard everything they have to say, thank them for spending time with you and sharing whatever they did, and ask what they might need from you in the future to maintain this shift in your relationship. When you feel ready, [[Transition out of meditation]]. [^1]: [[📖 🟢 No Bad Parts - Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model]] Exercise: Body Meditation [^2]: [[📖 ✅ IFS Online Circle]] Month 6 - The Body & the Automation Nervous System & Putting it All Together - Month 6 with Richard Schwartz