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Where does your council meet?

Internal Family Systems begins with a space — a felt sense of where the parts gather. Choose a setting or let your own arise.

⬡
Council Chamber
Stone walls, round table, light from above
◈
The Grove
Ancient trees, moss floor, dappled light
◎
Circle of Stones
Standing stones, open sky, fire at centre
✦
Inner Temple
Columns, silence, altar, a single candle
◇
The Threshold
Between worlds — mist, doorways, edges
◈
My Own Place
A space that belongs only to you
Voices you might recognise

Before you welcome your own parts, here are six voices that sit in most councils.

These are reference — not a menu. Your parts may match one, blend several, or be entirely your own.

⬡
Guardian
Manager · Protector
Keeps things organised and controlled. Holds boundaries, sets direction. Gates 21 · 48 · 14
✦
Firekeeper
Firefighter · Reactor
Reacts when emotions get intense. Passion, impulse, creativity. Gates 30 · 55 · 12
◎
Inner Child
Exile · Wounded Self
Holds the original feeling — wounding, wonder, longing. Gates 46 · 10 · 25
◈
Sentinel
Protector · Hypervigilant
Watches for danger. Reads rooms, tracks patterns, anticipates. Gates 57 · 44 · 33
◇
The Beloved
Anima · Animus
Inner other — the qualities you seek and the ones you exile. Gates 2 · 1 · 59
◈
The Council
Self · Witness
Not a part — the space that holds all parts. Calm, curious, compassionate. Gates 13 · 39 · 52
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Who arrives first?

Sit quietly for a moment in the meeting place you chose. Feel the ground beneath you. Let your awareness soften. Notice who steps forward — a voice, a shape, a felt sense. It may be one of the six, or a part with its own name entirely.

Child Teen Young Adult Adult Ageless
Chest Throat Belly Shoulders Hands Head Heart Feet
◎
One breath for the part that just arrived. Let it know you see it. You do not need to change it — only to stay present with it.
slow breath · hand on heart · "I see you"
continuing in 20s
3 / 4
Who else is here?

The first part is seated. Now let your awareness drift — is there another presence in the room? A different voice, perhaps quieter, perhaps older, perhaps one that the first part was protecting you from feeling.

Child Teen Young Adult Adult Ageless
Chest Throat Belly Shoulders Hands Head Heart Feet
◈
Both parts are here now. Feel the field between them. You do not need to fix anything — only to witness what is true.
natural breath · receive both · no agenda
continuing in 20s
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The dialogue begins

Both parts are present. You are the witness — the space that holds without becoming. Take a breath. Then read each prompt silently and let the answer arise. There is no wrong answer. The dialogue has already begun.

When you are ready, the council portrait will gather what emerged.

COUNCIL ASSEMBLED
The voices have spoken
the portrait is emerging
auto-continues in 30s
Your Internal Council
Two voices in dialogue
receiving your council portrait…