A 10-Minute IFS Parts Meditation for Self-Compassion
In this short guided meditation, John Clarke invites you to slow down and gently notice the different parts of yourself that may be active right now. Some parts may want to fix, push, or change things, while others may feel frozen, hopeless, or overwhelmed.
Through the lens of Internal Family Systems (IFS), this meditation offers a simple practice of turning toward your inner experience with curiosity and compassion. Rather than trying to change what you’re feeling, you’re invited to simply be with the parts of you that need attention and care.
What might happen if, at your core, you were made of love—and that love could be offered to the parts of you that need it most?
This brief practice can help you reconnect with yourself in difficult moments and remind you that you can always return to a place of presence, compassion, and inner connection.
Key Takeaways
1. Notice the inner tug-of-war without trying to fix it
This meditation invites you to observe the parts of yourself that want different things—parts that push, parts that freeze, and parts that feel overwhelmed—without needing to resolve them immediately.
2. What if your core Self is made of love?
Instead of forcing change, this practice explores the possibility that compassion and love can naturally emerge from your core and be offered to whatever parts of you need it most.
3. Healing often begins with “being with,” not changing
Rather than trying to fix difficult thoughts or emotions, this meditation practices staying present with them—especially in moments that feel hard or scary.
Resources & Offerings:
➡️ Free IFS Training for Therapists: From Burnout to Balance: https://go.johnclarketherapy.com/ifs-webinar-podcast
➡️ 1-Month Grace Period with Jane – Use code JOHN or visit: https://meet.jane.app/john-clarke-ambassador
➡️ 10% Off at Grounding Well – Use code GWJOHNCLARKE or visit: https://www.groundingwell.com/GWJOHNCLARKE
➡️ 10% Off at Dharma Dr. – Use code JOHN or visit: https://dharmadr.com/JOHN
Transcript:
This week is just a meditation: So just do a little exercise here and then see what happens. I would just invite you to notice any tug of war that's happening inside of you. Parts that wanna do more of something. Parts that would rather do less parts with eager fix it energy. Parts with frozen, hopeless, helpless energy. And again, just notice where you are. In relation to these parts where you are in relation to these feelings, these thoughts, these sensations, these energies, however you experience the parts, however you experience the different aspects of you. What if at my core, I am actually made of love? I can actually offer that to whatever aspect of me most needs it right now in this moment, and I can notice parts that object to that. If they object, I can turn toward them and curiously, compassionately ask them about their fears around letting the love in. Can I just be here now on this day? In this hour, in this minute, this very second, and just notice any parts in your system that are not so sure that may be where the work is. Just about another minute to be with whatever you're with right now. Perhaps practicing more of a being with than a changing energy. Is there a way in which you can keep being with. These thoughts, feelings, sensations, parts. After this meditation and throughout your day, can you practice being with them, especially when things get hard or scary? Slowly, slowly starting to reorient from inside, back to the external, despite maybe some hesitation to do so. Rest assured, you can always come back here whenever you want. You have access to this whenever you want, whenever you need. So you might start by shifting awareness back to the body, if that makes sense. Bringing little movement to the body, some wiggling, stretching, breathing, yawning. Reorienting with the eyes, noticing what it's like to take in your visual space, noticing what it's like to be contained by these four walls, and just taking a mental snapshot of whatever it is you'd like to carry into the rest of your day.