Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a therapy modality that can be profoundly effective, especially in resolving disorder from long-standing traumas.
In the field of IFS, practitioners often talk of “the eight Cs” that are qualities of the core Self: calmness, clarity, compassion, confidence, courage, curiosity, creativity, and connectedness. These are the characteristics one displays when one is “in Self” as opposed to when one is “in a part.”
Little work seems to have been done on categorizing these traits, nor understanding why they are the core traits of anyone’s Self. Using the shamanic wheel model of mind, body, heart, and spirit provides a way to categorize these traits and to understand where they are coming from.
The below graphic maps the eight Cs to the four quadrants of the soul. For each quadrant, there is a trait that is an internal feeling and another trait that is an outward, active quality.
When one is “in Self,” one has a sense of clarity in the mind, a feeling of calm in the body; feelings of compassion in the heart, and feelings of connection in spirit. These are all internal states of being.
When in Self, one also deals with situations with curiosity coming from the mind, confidence emanating from the body, courage from the heart, and creativity from spirit. These are all outward, active qualities.
In IFS practice, one can tell if one is not in Self when one feels that one of these traits is lacking. As examples, “I’m confused about” indicates a lack of clarity; while “I’m afraid to” implies a dearth of courage. (Note that fear generally comes from the mind, but the mind and heart balance each other. Fear is a lacking in the heart, meaning that the mind is over-weighted in the person.)
By noting which Cs are missing in a part, one can gain insight into which element of the soul is wounded in that part. And from there, one can approach healing in that part.
Further reading: What Is Healing?
Further reading: Psychedelic Integration in a Healthy Setting