As a community, we journey together through the transformative landscape of healing and self-discovery, and with that we support one another in a variety of exquisite and astonishing ways. So, last year, when our community was invited to have a presence at a wonderful national festival celebrating peer support – called PEERFEST – we recently took the opportunity to showcase how we hold-space for one another as peers – by simply being our wonderful selves! We invited many of you to come and hold a short workshop or be around as a space-holder to engage with festival-goers and speak to them about self-care.
We also took this opportunity to gather insights from participants on what “holding-space” means to them. The responses were both enlightening and deeply touching, revealing common themes that resonate with the essence of our work. Let’s explore some of these themes and how they guide us toward a new era of inner awareness, healing and being in service.
Holding Space: A Witnessing
Our participants described holding-space as an act of profound presence, a sacred container where one can be truly seen, heard, and supported – or simply put – witnessed. It is a place of non-judgment, compassion, and unconditional love. Holding space is about creating a safe environment where people’s parts’ emotions can flow freely, and can explore their inner landscapes without fear of judgment. And for that safe space to be created – we must be aware of our own internal systems as space-holders and the ways that our protectors are getting in the way of us being fully present.
Inner Awareness: The Essential Foundation of Effective Space-Holding
Central to holding space is the foundation of cultivating intimate inner awareness with our internal system. This involves being conscious of our own parts and energy systems and being able to be present to witness and work with it. Understanding and acknowledging our internal parts—the manager parts, the protector parts, and the vulnerable parts—enables us to stay grounded and present – rather than in a reactive, or parts-led role. Often – our “therapist” or “practitioner” parts are getting in the way and jumping into our holding-space and are trying to fix, or do the work themselves. This is what we want to get aware of and close to. When we are aware of our inner dynamics, we can not just be fully present, but also prevent our own unresolved issues from interfering with the healing process of those we support.
A New Age of Healing: Efficiency and Effectiveness
We are in a new age where outdated techniques no longer serve us. The rapid pace of modern life and the increasing complexity of personal and collective challenges including more people aware that they have trauma, demand more effective and efficient methods. For our clients, this means utilising tools that facilitate quantum leaps in healing—tools that get to the root cause swiftly and precisely. Techniques such as Internal Family Systems (IFS), energy work, and integrative practices are proving invaluable in this regard – giving us ways of leveraging benefits for our clients and having a greater impact with amplified effects.
Self-Care for Practitioners: The Key to Sustained Effectiveness
As healing facilitators and space-holders, our own self-care is paramount. We cannot pour from an empty cup, nor can we hold-space effectively if we are not tending to our own inner worlds. Our manager parts, which often strive to keep everything in order, can also keep us working hard and be productive even when there’s no need – and it would be useful for those to learn to relax back. When these parts can trust us to lead and so release their grip, the infinite power of our true self can be embodied – and so we are less likely to be exhausted. This self-energy is the core of our being—the source of compassion, wisdom, and healing. By nurturing this inner, innate power, we enhance our ability to hold space with greater authenticity, power and presence.
Moving Forward Together
As we embrace this new paradigm of holding-space, we commit to continuous inner work and self-awareness. You are not alone! You are in a community of like-minded and hearted people that want to be balanced, healthy, and resilient. And even more abundantly connected to the infinite source of Self-energy that sustains an epic life in service! This really is a very attuned and advanced approach that many of us take for granted.
Being this intimately aware of how to be in service for the highest and greatest good, in the clearest karma-free way, create profound levels of safety and reduce harm and co-dependancy in the therapeutic space is an enlightened and progressive way to be – one that is slowly being recognised as imperative in an era of crisis and emergency. If we can model this – we hold a collective space for practitioners and people who work with people – to help transform the burdens we face as humanity and evolve into a new dimension of reality.
In this ever-evolving journey, we are honoured to walk alongside you, holding space with integrity, compassion, and a deep commitment to transformative healing.
With love & blessings, Natasha Anand xox
