A structured guided meditation, developed by Schwartz, for the direct experience of the state of the Self. The client imagines a path and asks all their parts to stay behind while the Self walks down the path alone. A diagnostic and resource technique: it shows how accessible the experience of the Self is for the client's system, and how much the parts trust it. Used both in session and as a home practice.
Step-by-step guide
- Invite the client to close their eyes and take a few deep breaths
- Ask them to imagine standing at the start of a path in a beautiful natural place
- "Gather all your parts beside you. Give them time to come close. Which parts do you notice?"
- Ask the parts for permission to walk the path alone: "Tell them you want to walk a little way without them. How do they respond?"
- If the parts agree — walk the path: "What do you notice? What changes in the body?"
- If the parts do not agree — work with those that worry, give them what they need
- At the end — come back to the parts and thank them
When to use
- At the start of an IFS course — diagnostic: how accessible is the Self to the system?
- When loading the client before a session: quick access to the Self
- As a home practice between sessions
- With clients who find it hard to feel the Self conceptually
Key phrases
Imagine you are standing at the start of a beautiful path. Around you — all your parts. Ask them to let you walk a little way along it alone. How do they respond?
Follow-up questions
What do you notice as you walk alone?
What changes in the body when the parts have stepped back a little?
Which parts do not want to let go? What do they need?
Alternative phrasings
Just let yourself be here — without the parts, only you.
Warnings
- ⚠️ If no part gives permission — that is information about a low level of trust in the Self; work with this
- ⚠️ Do not evaluate the client by the outcome of the meditation — everything is useful information
- ⚠️ Clients with severe dissociation can get lost in meditation — use with care
Source: Schwartz R.C. 2021
Materials are informational and educational and summarize publicly available scientific sources. They are not medical or psychological advice, are not intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment, and do not replace consultation with a qualified professional.