# Exploring a Triggered Part Constellation[^1] [[On Tools, Skills, and Practices...]] Type: [[🧘 IFS Meditations]] Use: [[💡 Trigger]], [[🧘 IFS Meditations]], [[🕯️ Unblending|unblending]] > [!Notice] This exercise has been edited from its original source This is a continuation of the [[🛠 Parts Map]] in which you can explore and try to better understand a triggered [[💡 Part Constellation]]. Begin with the [[🛠 Parts Map]] while thinking of a situation that you’d like to explore more and learn about the parts involved. Here in we learn a little about the [[💡 Exiles]] our [[💡 Protector Parts]] are guarding. **We will not be approaching exiles directly**, but for some people just learning about their exiles can be triggering. [[⭐️ Safety Tools and Resources]] ###### The Practice Rest your attention on the part you feel most curious about, find them in or around your body, and notice how you feel toward them. If you feel anything extreme toward this part -- like fear, anger, or disgust -- you know you're blended with another part, so you can move your focus to that one for a while. Notice both protectors and the conflict between them, without interacting with them. You might also notice other protectors jump in to ally with either side or even take a third position. Just watch how they interact for a while, from a distance and without interfering. Eventually you can try learning more about them. If that doesn't feel possible, that’s okay -- you can just observe. If you are able to tap into your [[☀️ Curiosity]], you can ask them about the vulnerability they protect. Ask each protector what they fear would happen if they were to lose the argument. What are they afraid will happen if they didn't do their jobs? The answers you get teach you about the exiles that these protectors defend. Without going directly to those exiles, you can try to get a sense of them. Can you intuit what they’re like? Can you sense or become aware of their vulnerability? As you learn more about these exiles, you may find it easier to have [[☀️ Compassion]] for your protectors, because you can better understand what they’re dealing with and how high the stakes are. Often, our protectors are like parents looking after a vulnerable, highly sensitive child. They argue and [[💡 Polarization|Polarize]] over how best to protect that child because the stakes are so high. But these protectors are too young to be parents -- they're likely children themselves, and are just doing the best they can with what they have. You can take this time to let your protectors know that you understand where they're coming from. You can tell them you’ll keep working with them, that they don't have to do this alone. You can let your exiles know, from a distance, that you know they're there and that at some point -- not today -- you’re going to try to help them too, that help is coming. Now thank each of your parts for spending this time with you, and let them know that you are leaving but will return soon and will not forget what you've learned today. Then we slowly [[Transition out of meditation]]. Remember, [[🔑 Our inner and outer worlds are not separate]]. Even from a distance we can get sometimes feel some of our Exiles' emotions and beliefs. Our protectors may activate, become afraid, or even criticize us and we may feel a little overwhelmed. Our parts are afraid, and we can reassure them. ###### Related - [[🦮 How to Soothe Triggered Parts]] - [[🛠 Journaling Exercise for an Activating Event]] - [[🧘 Dilemma Meditation]] [^1]: [[📖 🟢 No Bad Parts - Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model]] - Exercise: Advanced Parts Mapping