At any given moment, we may feel a complexity of emotions, energies, and sensations. A simple question of, “How are you?” can feel not so simple, as you might have multiple answers, multiple parts of you. There might be many feelings and thoughts inside.

Sometimes it can feel chaotic or overwhelming.

How do we sort out all of what goes on inside?

How do we know what part of us to listen to or what is the truth?

We have subparts of ourselves that interact internally and that may take the lead at different times. There are many systems of healing and exploration around this including: archetypes, Voice Dialogue, Internal Family Systems, Inner Parts Work, etc.

If you have seen the movie Inside Out, you’ve got the basics. I see it as a bit more complex than just the emotions inside of you, but each part of you having a full personality, level of emotional development and maturity, different needs, desires, and agendas.

Here are some steps to exploring, loving, and getting to know the many parts of your inner world, the many parts of you.

Attuning to Your Inner World

If you’re curious, feel free to explore with me now:

• Take a few breaths.
• Draw your attention inward.
• Take inventory of the emotions, thoughts, sensations, movements, and pictures in your mind that you feel or sense.

This may be enough for you to practice and if you want to go further, continue on…

Exploring Parts of Yourself : Who is Talking?

• Notice one emotion, thought, sensation, sensation, or movement at a time.
• Consider that this may be how one part of yourself feels and is experiencing.
• Be open to seeing what this part of you looks like (a color, a shape, an image of yourself or part of yourself, an image of someone else).
• Talk with this part as if you’re getting to know it, like it is a friend.
• Who is it? What is its purpose and agenda? Notice how it is feeling without any judgment, with pure compassionate witness. Is it loud and screaming or quiet and withdrawn, etc?Notice what it wants to do or what it needs. What does it want you to know or what message does it have for you?
• Respect what you feel and experience, as well as what this part feels in your mind’s eye. Notice if it is easy or hard to connect. Imagine what it wants or needs in your mind, if anything. Notice how this feels in your body.
• Thank this part for sharing and showing up. Notice if this is challenging to do.
• Check in with the next part of you that calls your attention and explore, relate, connect.
• Come back to your outer world by noticing your senses and your surroundings. Sense into something in the outer world that grounds you or feels pleasant to look at or smell.

Building a Relationship Over Time

Begin to build a relationship with each part of you over time. You may notice that different parts of you are more prominent at different times or in general, whereas other parts of you are silent, not present or known, or hidden. Parts of you may be running the show all the time and be tired, parts may feel certain ways towards other parts, and some may team up together.

Have you ever noticed when you have an idea or need to make a decision that you argue inside of your head? Perhaps these are two or more parts of you going back and forth, wanting to be fully heard.

Treat your inner world like an entire family inside of you, or a team of players or workers that are at their best when everyone is seen, acknowledged, and collaborating. They may look like human parts or not at all.

You get to name each part or let the name of each part be revealed to you (Inner Critic, Protector, Divine Feminine, Creator, Inner Guide, Child Self, Dreamer, etc.). Some parts may be called upon at different times, when you need different resources, strengths, or energies.

Stepping Into Awareness and Authenticity

Having a relationship with your many evolving parts gives awareness and the capacity to navigate the desires and needs of your many parts. It also allows the freedom and choice of who takes the lead within you at any given time and drawing upon certain parts of at times when you need it.

I love the Inner Young Child in me who brings inspiration, creativity, spontaneity and zest, but I don’t want her to lead the way as she is still healing from past neglect and pain that can be activated now. In those moments, my Inner Lover and Inner Mother are best to step in and nurture so that I feel supported internally.

• Which part of you would you like to take the lead at different times?
• Which parts of you would you like to cultivate?
• Which parts need healing?
• Which parts of you do you feel you can access and which parts are challenging at this time?

Let this be a fun, healing, and deepening exploration of getting to know yourself on many levels.

In my healing work, this can be an incredibly transformative healing tool alongside the embodiment of feeling and sensing. I’m happy to support you if you’d like to explore together.

Featured image by Nicola POWYS on Unsplash