Hi everyone, I'm back again for the final audio in the Multiplicity of the Mind series. I hope you enjoyed the last audio which was a meditation by Dick Schwartz. I'm going to finish this series with a second, but different meditation. This one designed to intentionally evoke some different feelings, or get you thinking, or getting to meet some different parts. I hope you like it.

So get yourself comfortable. Relax. Let your body sink into the chair or into the bed, feel the weight of your body sink down your feet or your back anchoring you, somehow. Turning that attention inwards towards this internal world. Different parts that make up who we are. Now take some deep breaths. Almost as if you're giving energy to these different parts that make up who you are.

This time, I want you to think of a person in your life who really pushes your buttons. Someone who seems to trigger strong negative feelings in you, when you're around them. Maybe it's a family member, or somebody that you work with. Maybe it's just someone famous in the media, in the spotlight. Someone that evokes something strong in you. Now in your mind's eye, I want you to put that person in a room by yourself. And you are outside that room, watching through a window. And as you watch that person, have them do the thing that seems to get to you. Have them do the thing that triggers you.

Paying close attention to how you feel. To what you feel. What you think. What you see. Just notice now the parts that are outside that room with you. Wanting to protect you somehow, or reacting in a vulnerable way, due to that person in that room. More deep breaths. Maybe you just notice one part reacting strongly, or perhaps many parts reacting with you. Now, you don't have to go into that room with that person at all. Just spend some time getting to know this part that's triggered, that's activated. See if you can get curious about them. Notice them. Observe them. Feel them.

Let's start with the parts who might want to protect you. Spend a little time getting to know, just what it is they think would happen if they weren't activated around this person in this way. If they didn't defend you, or be the ones to deal with this person. What are they afraid will happen? See if, in that conversation, you can learn enough, to show some appreciation, compassion, or even gratitude for how hard that part must work to keep you safe. How hard they might have worked in the past. If we really pay attention, we can also learn about the parts they protect from this person. The parts that the protectors are protecting. Try to notice that. It may be enough just to learn about this protector, or the part it's protecting. And you can just spend some time with that.

Or, if it feels safe, you can also ask if they would be willing for you to enter the room while they stayed outside. They can watch through the window if they want. If you have that permission to enter, maybe go near to this person, not with the expectation that they will change or that you can change them. But to see how it feels or goes for you to handle this person, without the parts present. What would that be like? There is no pressure for this. They don't have to allow it if it doesn't feel right, don't do that. But, if they do give permission, go ahead and enter the room. Noticing how you're feeling with this person, without the other parts present. Interact with him or her in whatever way feels natural to you. During this interaction, if you sense one of the parts coming inside, see if it's possible to trust you and to go back out again. Reassure the part that you can handle this. You've got this.

Whenever the time feels right, you can leave the room, and go back to your parts standing outside. See how they react. See how they think you did. You might also want to know how they'd feel about you doing this again in the outside world. See if they're open to you interacting with difficult or challenging people, without them being with you in that way. When all that feels complete, you can begin to shift your focus back to where you are. Take some more deep breaths. And gently, and slowly, come back into the room.