IFS AND MINDFULNESS MEDITATION by Paul Ginter Ed.D.

…the more one can be present to what is actually happening in the moment, to be in
touch with what is really real, the more likely he or she will enjoy an experience of
connection which is very rich and fulfilling. This quality of presence resembles that of
being in one’s Self.

Although the IFS model of psychotherapy and the tradition of Mindfulness Meditation
(more traditionally called Vipassana) have strikingly different origins, these two practices
possess several dimensions that are particularly complementary. Whether seen as
separate vehicles for creating many of the same outcomes, or as ways to facilitate the
work of the other, both can serve as powerful tools for healing and self growth. 

Mindfulness meditation is a very effective tool for facilitating what are two important
goals of IFS work – namely, creating balance within the internal system, and promoting
Self leadership. At the same time, IFS work can serve an essential function in the path
toward mindfulness by providing a mechanism for dealing with parts that prevent some
people from being able to be present in the moment.

To fully understand the complementary nature of IFS and Mindfulness, it is first
necessary to identify several key features of each of these methods for growth and
healing. Central to the Internal Family Systems model is the concept that parts, or
subpersonalities, exist within each of us, and that these parts can be worked with in ways
that allow for our core Self to assume a leadership position. Such an arrangement is
assumed to be desirable because the Self is capable of being consistently compassionate
and nonjudging. Without Self Leadership, conflict between our parts often leads to
internal polarizations (e.g. a part of us may be pushing us to take on new challenges,
while another prefers to leave things as they are). By helping such polarized parts to be
less extreme, it is easier for the Self’s qualities of compassion and nonjudging to become
evident, as those parts are not working so hard to protect the system from moving too far
to the other end of the continuum. Additionally, the nature of the Self is such that it
assumes a metaperspective, thus avoiding getting caught up in moment-to-moment
dramas.

While parts of a person can be experiencing extreme thoughts, beliefs, and/or emotions
which distort perceptions and create suffering, the Self provides the capacity to step back
and see a broader context, offering balanced, clear understanding. Interestingly, the IFS
model’s descriptions of being in one’s Self are remarkably similar to descriptions of the
desired state of consciousness pursued in spiritual practices such as Mindfulness
Meditation. However, as opposed to separating subpersonalities, the vehicle of
mindfulness practice involves paying attention in a particular way to what is going on in
the present moment. To understand this practice it is helpful to consider the teachings of
Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, perhaps the world’s foremost Mindfulness teacher. He
suggests the following meditation: “Breathing in, I know that I am breathing
in…Breathing out, I know that I am breathing out.” Simply paying attention to the
experience of inhaling and exhaling brings people to the present (as we can only breathe
in the present). When the mind wanders, the practitioner gently, without judgment, brings
it back to the breath. For example, as I feel the air go into my nostrils and down my
throat, fully experiencing the sensations of the breath, my mind will eventually wander
elsewhere. If I were to begin thinking about getting something done at work, I might then
simply label that experience (e.g. “planning” or “thinking”) and then go back to breathing
in and out. Whatever the experience – thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, etc., the
practice involves noticing it without judgment and then returning to the breath (or other
points of focus). Although this practice appears to be very simple, it can be challenging to
alter habitual patterns of the mind dwelling in the past or future. The more one can live in
the present moment, however, the less likely he or she will experience the suffering
which occurs from worrying about the future or being stuck in the past. Also, the more
one can be present to what is actually happening in the moment, to be in touch with what
is really real, the more likely he or she will enjoy an experience of connection which is
very rich and fulfilling. This quality of presence resembles that of being in one’s Self, or
establishing a state of Self leadership described in the IFS model. Thus, practicing
Mindfulness can be not only healing, but also serve to facilitate IFS work.

Coming back to the present moment is, in essence, elevating the Self to a position of
leadership. This occurs for several reasons. To begin with, unlike parts, which may be
preoccupied with the past and future, the Self resides in the present. This is not to say that
one cannot think about the past or plan for the future while in the Self, but that the very
state of awareness that characterizes the Self is one that is always grounded in the here
and now. Therefore, to bring attention totally to the present, is in many ways synonymous
with bringing one into a state of Self leadership. Also, mindfulness practice typically
develops a greater capacity to respond to whatever is happening (compulsive thoughts,
fear, anger, boredom, joy, etc.), with a quality of mind which is nonjudging. Again, this
description is one which also characterizes qualities of Self leadership.

In the same way that mindfulness practice can cultivate states of mind which allow easier
access to IFS work, “parts work” can facilitate, and may even be a necessary predecessor
to mindfulness practice. If a person has a part which is extreme, he or she may find little
interest in practicing mindfulness because it is too challenging. To illustrate, a man could
have an anxious part which creates racing thoughts. In addition to the mind being so
active that it is difficult to stay focused on one thing such as the breath, he will most
likely have a part which judges him for having the racing thoughts. In this situation, it
would be wise to work with these parts until they are less extreme. Specifically, it would
be helpful to discover how the part maintaining racing thoughts is protective in some
way. For example, racing thoughts may protect the person from experiencing extremely
vulnerable parts which have been pushed away.

The tendency to distance ourselves from aspects of us which are difficult to face presents
another area, although conceptually described differently, in which IFS and mindfulness
share common ground. Mindfulness teaches that it is the nature of the mind to either push
experiences away because they don’t feel good, or grasp too tightly to experiences that
are pleasurable. The mindfulness practitioner works toward neither pushing away nor
grasping experience, but to be present with it. This is not unlike a description of the
relationship between the Self and a harmonious system of parts. Systems function less
effectively when parts tend toward too much blending with the Self, or toward being
pushed away too far (being exiled). In this way, mindfulness meditation and IFS work
both serve to facilitate an awareness which is capable of being present with aspects of
ourselves without becoming overwhelmed by them. We come to know that we have
anger, sadness, and confusion, greed, etc., but at our core, we are not those things.

Another quality of Self which is cultivated by both mindfulness practice and IFS is that
of curiosity. When a person is in a state of Self leadership, there is typically a sense of
curiosity about various aspects of the internal system. Likewise, when practicing
mindfulness, one is advised to notice experience with a sense of openness and
fascination. It is, in essence, to be stepping back and asking questions such as, “Isn’t that
interesting that I’m feeling anger right now. I wonder what that’s all about?” Asking
these questions is not about actually finding answers. It is to be open to possibilities, and
in IFS terms, to be separate from the part. This state of awareness is sometimes referred
to as “beginner’s mind.” In this state, one has the capacity to see things as a child, as if
for the first time, with a sense of awe and wonder. A final similarity of great importance
to both IFS and Mindfulness is that they are each strongly embedded in a systems model.
With IFS, there is the understanding that if one part changes, it will inevitably affect
other parts within the system. Likewise, the concept of interbeing in mindfulness suggests
a profound level of connection between all things. In this way, both IFS and mindfulness
promote an awareness which finds value in cultivating compassion for ourselves and
those around us.