COME TOGETHER


sit back, get comfy

let the parts come together

in a tasty soup


have you heard the phrase, "trust the soup"? meaning trust the process, that it will all come together organically in the end, given enough time, effort, and patience...Family system's theory (see books by Richard Schwartz, and Internal Family System's website: https://ifs-institute.com/resources/articles/internal-family-systems-model-outline) suggests that we have many "parts" of ourselves that have needs/desires, and that we need to integrate these parts into our life, into a tasty soup that nourishes and sustains us for the journey.


the practice...sit back, get comfy and spend some time getting to know the different parts of yourself via meditation, journaling, artwork, music (take your pick)...you can think of these parts as roles in life, personalities, desires, inclinations, and/or needs...the important part of this process is to identify, acknowledge, and name the parts so that you initiate a living relationship with them...next, for each part, explore what that part NEEDS...give the part some time and space to speak, you may need to coax it if you've neglected its needs for some time, or it may want to yell and scream...your job is to listening with attention...the parts may need love, care, time, attention, activity, acknowledgement, understanding...as best you can, see if you can meet those needs...you may have to do some negotiating for the meeting needs part of the process (e.g., a sexual part may want to make love with everyone and everything, and this impulse/desire needs to be negotiated into socially appropriate behavior given your current relational commitments, living situation, local community, and larger cultural context)...finally, create an image of the various parts (draw, paint, color, diagram...) and see how the parts relate together, aim for a holistic image, an integration of the parts into a "tasty soup."




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