Principle #1: Minor Parts vs. Major Parts

Two kinds I tell you! Two kinds!So yes, there are firefighter parts, and manager parts, and exile parts. I am not referring to those kinds of roles that the parts have.What I mean is that there are parts that feel more minor and parts that feel more major in the System. Sort of like this picture here.

Smaller, simpler, less resistant part=minor=easier to integrateMore complex, more hidden part=major=harder to integrate

For explanation: If I say "System", capital S, I mean your whole psyche/mind/nervous system/body of ALL the different parts and patterns.If I say "system", I mean that there can be a bundle of parts in a "system", within the ENTIRE large "System." For example, you can have a group of several protective parts and an exile related to a certain trauma in your past. You could also have a totally different group of protective parts around a totally different exile somewhere else in the body related to a different trauma. These "systems" can both be running in the background at the same time, within the GLOBAL "System". Does that make it any clearer? Haha.Minor Parts:Some parts are pretty easy to work with, like the boy on the right. You find it, spend time with it, witness it. Maybe you hear its story, let it share some of its pain and emotions with you. Then it naturally releases its burden, dissolves, finds a new healthier job in the psyche, and integrates. It might not even seem like you have to do much of anything, but that it's almost as if it happens on its own when you bring a little bit of SELF's attention to it. This may only take 1-3 sessions to happen. Also, it's like it doesn't really matter if it is an exile or protector part. You maybe don't even know or ask it, there is no resistance to it, and it still transforms just fine.All the parts are important. It's not that these minor parts do not matter, but they have probably not had a severe impact on you or caused you to learn such deep unhealthy coping skills like the major parts have.These more minor parts might match up with smaller traumas, or even incidents in your life, maybe not even classified as traumas. They could also be fragments of major parts that are safe enough to be explored, while the other more major fragments are tucked away somewhere else, not quite ready for you yet.Major Parts:Some parts are bigger. Older. More complex. More guarded. More hidden. More resistant. Let's say these parts are like the boy on the left.It may take many sessions of working with these parts to get to know them and understand them. They might reveal exiles they are protecting, within hidden doors or hidden worlds. These exiles can be other major parts that you didn't even have a clue existed.With earlier trauma, and more severe trauma, such as C-PTSD, you will probably have many major parts.Difference in Sessions:Minor Part- You may only need to resource and regulate and have some guidance of a somatic practitioner to explore and be with these minor parts. Of course, this could take some time as well, but I would say it is much simpler than with major parts.Major Parts- You will need much time in resourcing and regulating. You will need more skilled guidance from the somatic practitioner. You will have to have a deeper relationship and deeper trust in your practitioner and that they can really hold space for you. There will need to be a good amount of dialogue, getting to know these parts from SELF. You will also need to get to know the many protectors or concerned parts that come up. You cannot just force your way to connecting to your major part that "you think" is the "issue." There are often many other major parts that are worried, angry, judgmental, untrusting, guarded, etc, that all have important things to share with you as well.My Experience:I've had 2 or maybe 3 minor parts in my personal sessions. One of these was most likely connected to falling and scraping my knee, but having to stay proud, act tough, and not cry. I'm not sure if this part has been integrated or not, but it has never come up again. ???One other part was connected to an early accident involving my left cheek. The part was holding some of the physical tension from the accident. We spent one or two sessions with it and it seemed to dissolve much of this away. Then later I went back to this part, and it wanted to go out into the world, not being by itself anymore. It wanted to do whatever job it chose. I believe this part was mostly transformed, and it hasn't come up since.Might they show up later in a different way or have something else to share or another layer underneath? Yes. But overall, I could tell they were less heavy, less intense, and not carrying such a burden as other parts I have come across.Most of my difficulties are rooted in complex trauma. Most of my parts are major parts. I will go more into detail into these in the series of articles on my internal system.It took 4 to 5 years of resourcing and regulating for me to be able to see the first of these parts with clarity. Then it took me about 1.5-2 years to see many of these major parts and their systems and how they are working in my entire System. It's possible that my 4-5 years could have been shortened less, if I had stayed consistently with one somatic practitioner instead of bouncing around so much. Also, if i received better education from some of my practitioners, that would have personally helped me to not feel the need to bounce around so much!.

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