Everything IFS Blog

Internal Family Systems

A serene still life featuring a small bonsai tree growing in a shallow stone bowl, set on a stone slab beside an old book, a rolled parchment, a smooth stone, and wooden prayer beads with a tassel. The scene is softly lit and conveys patience, balance, and quiet growth.

Chapter 54 – Tao Te Ching

An IFS-informed reflection on Tao Te Ching Chapter 54, showing how Self-led inner alignment becomes stable virtue that naturally radiates outward into family, community, and the world.

Tao Te Ching

3 min read

A contemplative still life on a stone surface featuring a vintage globe on a stand, an old book with a rolled parchment on top, a smooth stone, wooden prayer beads with a tassel, and a small sprig of dried leaves. The scene is softly lit and conveys reflection, humility, and a sense of the greater whole.

Chapter 47 – Tao Te Ching

An IFS-informed reading of Tao Te Ching Chapter 47, revealing how true knowing arises from inner stillness, Self-led awareness, and non-striving rather than outward searching.

Tao Te Ching

4 min read

A contemplative still life on a stone surface featuring a small ornate incense burner releasing wisps of smoke, stacked smooth stones, a rolled parchment resting on an old book, dried herbs, and a few scattered stones. The scene is softly lit and evokes stillness, ritual, and quiet presence.

Chapter 50 – Tao Te Ching

An IFS-informed reading of Tao Te Ching Chapter 50, exploring how force, grasping, and overstriving create inner “death,” while Self-led softness, non-clinging, and alignment with the Tao cultivate safety and vitality.

Tao Te Ching

4 min read

Still-life scene with an ancient book and rolled parchment resting on stacked wooden boards, a smooth stone, a small steaming bowl, a wooden brush, and dried herbs arranged on soft linen in warm, earthy light.

Chapter 48 – Tao Te Ching

An IFS-informed reading of Tao Te Ching Chapter 48, revealing why learning accumulates while the Tao liberates, and how Self-led non-action allows life to complete itself without force.

Tao Te Ching

3 min read

Balanced still life featuring a stack of smooth stones on layered wooden slabs, two small lit candles in rustic holders, yin-yang stones, and dried grasses arranged on soft fabric in warm, earthy light.

Chapter 42 – Tao Te Ching

An IFS-informed reading of Tao Te Ching Chapter 42, exploring how all inner experience arises from one Source, how opposites find harmony, and why humility and non-violence preserve life.

Tao Te Ching

5 min read

Serene still life with a stone bowl of water holding a white lotus flower and rising steam, stacked smooth stones, a rolled parchment, incense on a wooden holder, dried herbs, and clear stones arranged on a textured surface in warm, soft light.

Chapter 45 – Tao Te Ching

An IFS-informed reading of Tao Te Ching Chapter 45, revealing why true mastery looks subtle, fullness feels spacious, and calm clarity quietly restores inner order.

Tao Te Ching

4 min read

Rustic still life with a stone bowl filled with grain, a bundle of wheat stalks, scattered seeds, a coiled rope, an earthenware jar, and a metal pitchfork resting on a stone slab in warm, earthy light.

Chapter 46 – Tao Te Ching

An IFS-informed reading of Tao Te Ching Chapter 46, exploring how desire, discontent, and greed fuel inner war, and why deep contentment is the most stabilizing force of all.

Tao Te Ching

4 min read

Minimalist still life with a small bonsai tree in a shallow stone bowl on a stone slab, smooth river stones, dried herbs, and a single lit lotus-shaped candle, set against soft fabric in warm, tranquil light.

Chapter 51 – Tao Te Ching

The Verse (Original) The Tao gives birth to all things. Virtue nourishes them. Matter shapes them. Environment completes them. Therefore all things honor the Tao and respect virtue, not by command, but by their own nature. The Tao gives life, and virtue raises them, nurtures them, cares for them, comforts them, protects them, and shelters them. To give life without possessing, to act without expecting, to guide without controlling, this is the deepest virtue. The Essence — Wh

Tao Te Ching

4 min read

Still life with two heart-shaped stones, one light and one dark, resting on a stone slab beside a small lit bowl candle, with an old book and rolled parchment in soft, warm light.

Chapter 49 – Tao Te Ching

An IFS-informed reading of Tao Te Ching Chapter 49, revealing how the sage’s unfixed mind mirrors Self-energy, offering unconditional goodness and sincerity that naturally creates trust and harmony.

Tao Te Ching

4 min read

Still life with a rough stone block topped by a simple crown, surrounded by stacked stones, a bonsai tree, a lit candle, a bowl, and old books, arranged in warm, earthy light to evoke humility, balance, and quiet authority.

Chapter 39 – Tao Te Ching

An IFS-informed exploration of Tao Te Ching Chapter 39, revealing how inner unity, humility, and Self-energy create true stability, leadership, and quiet strength without the need for glory.

Tao Te Ching

7 min read

Still life with a shallow stream flowing over stones, a stone bowl holding a white lotus flower, a small crown resting nearby, a lit candle, old books, and rolled parchment, arranged in soft, earthy light to suggest natural order and quiet restraint.

Chapter 32 – Tao Te Ching

An IFS-informed reading of Tao Te Ching Chapter 32, exploring the nameless nature of Self, the danger of rigid identity, and how true leadership arises through humility, presence, and natural flow.

Tao Te Ching

4 min read

Serene still life with a stone bowl of water holding a white lotus flower, stacked smooth stones, a spiral shell, scattered grains, old books, a lit candle, and an incense burner releasing smoke, arranged in warm, gentle light.

Chapter 40 – Tao Te Ching

An IFS-informed reading of Tao Te Ching Chapter 40, revealing how returning and yielding restore inner harmony, and how Self emerges from the fertile emptiness beneath all experience.

Tao Te Ching

4 min read

Still life with a stone engraved with a yin-yang symbol, a small globe, bowls of rice and fruit, a lit candle, incense, beads, old books, and a rolled scroll, arranged on a textured surface in warm, balanced light.

Chapter 35 – Tao Te Ching

An IFS-informed reading of Tao Te Ching Chapter 35, exploring the quiet magnetism of Self-energy and why simplicity, presence, and steadiness nourish more deeply than intensity.

Tao Te Ching

4 min read

Still life with a small bonsai tree in a shallow bowl, a sheathed sword resting beside it, bowls of grain, old books, a rolled scroll, incense smoke, and a lit candle, arranged in warm, restrained light.

Chapter 36 – Tao Te Ching

An IFS-informed exploration of Tao Te Ching Chapter 36, revealing why true change happens through allowance, softness, and letting inner patterns complete their natural arc.

Tao Te Ching

4 min read

Still life with a flowering bonsai tree, a lotus-shaped ornament on stacked books, bowls of fruit, an apple, smooth stones, and a rolled scroll arranged on stone slabs in warm, balanced light.

Chapter 38 – Tao Te Ching

An IFS-informed reading of Tao Te Ching Chapter 38, revealing why true goodness is effortless, why forced morality creates inner disorder, and how Self-energy restores natural virtue.

Tao Te Ching

5 min read

Still life with a serene stone Buddha statue resting on stacked books, a glowing lotus-shaped candle, rolled scrolls, prayer beads, an armillary sphere, a smooth stone, and reading glasses arranged on draped fabric in warm, contemplative light.

Chapter 41 – Tao Te Ching

An IFS-informed interpretation of Tao Te Ching Chapter 41, exploring why true wisdom looks ordinary, why Self-energy appears weak to protectors, and how quiet clarity becomes real inner leadership.

Tao Te Ching

5 min read

Still life with an overflowing treasure chest of gold coins, a tipped goblet spilling liquid, scattered coins, a ceremonial dagger, and a piece of fruit arranged on draped fabric in warm, dramatic light.

Chapter 9 —Tao Te Ching

An IFS-informed reading of Tao Te Ching Chapter 9, exploring excess, perfectionism, graceful retreat, and the wisdom of stopping before harm arises.

Tao Te Ching

4 min read

Still life with an antique bellows resting on draped fabric, an incense burner releasing smoke, bundled straw, coiled rope, scattered coins, rolled scrolls, and small stones arranged in warm, earthy light.

Chapter 5 – Tao Te Ching

An IFS-informed reading of Tao Te Ching Chapter 5, exploring non-attachment, straw dogs, and the Self as steady presence rather than rescuer or fixer.

Tao Te Ching

5 min read

Still life with three stacked smooth stones on a stone base, surrounded by rolled scrolls, old books, prayer beads, scattered coins, dried herbs, and an incense burner releasing smoke, arranged on draped fabric in warm, contemplative light.

Chapter 19 – Tao Te Ching

An IFS-informed reading of Tao Te Ching Chapter 19, exploring performative virtue, forced morality, and the return to Self-led simplicity and natural compassion.

Tao Te Ching

4 min read

Still life with a shallow stone bowl of water on a stone slab, rolled scrolls, dried herbs, smooth stones, a lotus ornament, stacked old books, reading glasses, and a single incense stick releasing smoke, arranged in warm, quiet light.

Chapter 20 – Tao Te Ching

An IFS-informed reading of Tao Te Ching Chapter 20, exploring intellectual exhaustion, social alienation, Self-energy, and being nourished by the Tao beyond performance and certainty.

Tao Te Ching

7 min read

A solitary woman walks along a winding dirt path through a barren landscape beneath a dramatic sky filled with dark clouds and filtered sunlight. Along the path stand a series of weathered wooden signposts labeled Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance, marking different stages of the emotional journey. The path gradually climbs a hill toward a distant cemetery, where numerous headstones and a prominent monument are clearly visible on the horizon. A leafless tree stands near the graveyard, adding to the contemplative atmosphere. The woman is seen from behind, continuing forward despite the uncertainty ahead. The image serves as a visual metaphor for the Five Stages of Dying, portraying death not as a single moment but as a journey through a range of emotional experiences.

The Five Stages of Dying Course

A free IFS Academy course on the five stages of dying from the Death and Dying Series: the framework Elisabeth Kübler-Ross drew from her interviews with dying patients, each stage taught in its own full lesson, a bonus lesson on anxiety, the stage she never named, and a closing lesson on the stages in motion. Every lesson ends with an IFS and parts work exercise so you can begin working with what you learn.

Everything IFS

A very thin, physically frail man sits on the edge of an unmade bed in a dark bedroom during the early hours of the morning. His elbows rest on his knees while both hands grip the sides of his head, fingers buried in his hair. His eyes are wide open and fixed on the floor, conveying exhaustion, fear, and relentless racing thoughts. Prominent cheekbones, a gaunt face, and visible weight loss suggest serious illness. Beside him on a nightstand, a glowing digital alarm clock clearly reads 3:00 AM, emphasizing another sleepless night. Medication bottles and a glass of water sit nearby, while soft moonlight and a bedside lamp cast gentle shadows across the room. The image captures the restless, consuming anxiety that can accompany a life-limiting illness, when worries about death make it impossible to sleep or find peace.

Bonus Module — Anxiety, the Missing Stage | The Five Stages of Dying Course

A free IFS Academy course on anxiety, the missing stage of dying, from the Death and Dying Series: why anxiety never made the list of five, the distinct fears that only look like one, fear of dying versus fear of death, the waves and the 3 a.m. shift, the proximity finding, and what genuinely settles each fear. Every lesson ends with an IFS and parts work exercise so you can begin working with what you learn.

Everything IFS

A woman wearing a headscarf sits comfortably in a cushioned armchair beside a bright window, wrapped in a soft blanket and holding a warm mug in both hands. Gentle daylight illuminates her face as she gazes quietly out the window with a calm, reflective expression. Family photographs, a candle, and cozy home furnishings surround her, creating a peaceful and familiar atmosphere. There is no visible distress, struggle, or urgency in her posture. Instead, the image conveys a sense of stillness, acceptance, and emotional peace. The scene represents the acceptance stage of the Five Stages of Dying, where a person acknowledges the reality of death and rests in the present moment with a sense of quiet understanding.

Module 7 — Acceptance | The Five Stages of Dying Course

A free IFS Academy course on acceptance, the final stage of dying, from the Death and Dying Series: her actual description of the stage as nearly void of feeling, the line between acceptance and resignation, the lengthening sleep and shrinking circle, decathexis and the held hand, why families arrive later than the dying, and fighting to the end as a valid way to die. Every lesson ends with an IFS and parts work exercise so you can begin working with what you learn.

Everything IFS