8 C's of Self - calm, clarity, curiosity, compassion, confidence, creativity, courage, connectedness 5 P's of Self: - presence, persistence, perspective, playfulness, patience The Self: > It’s who you are when you aren’t anxious or worked up about something. The Self isn’t a part; it’s a vast resource, always available and impossible to damage. The Self is compatible with spiritual traditions, which might use language like soul, God, or natural awareness. But it’s also no big deal; you’re in Self multiple times a day when you are speaking honestly or when you’re just there with someone, open and listening. --[[Nick Barr]] # [[Loch Kelly]]’s 5 Most Common Self-Like Parts ## 1. Smart Caretaker Part This Self-like part is the most common one, and it can have many of the 8 “c” qualities. This is often a positive polarized part to the original target part we have unblended from. Self-like parts can have what Loch calls the “8 small c’s,” which are positive personal qualities of parts. And many therapies can do good work from Self-like parts.  However, Self is what distinguishes IFS. When you start with Self essence, then people immediately notice the “big C” essential qualities that make a huge difference. You'll develop a felt sense of the difference between big C compassion and little c compassion as a trail head. And we can only tell the difference by discovering what the feeling of Self actually is.  ## 2. Mindful Witness Part This part is unblended but is a neutral and detached observer part. This part is free of being hurt or judgmental, but it lacks essential Compassion and is not connected to parts. The mindful witness part has a specific location as a meditative point of view. In contrast, Self is aware from all around and within, and it has essential qualities that arise as Self energy. ## 3. Spiritual Ego This is a “know it all” part. This is the part of You that has done meditative practices, workshops, and read spiritual books. It goes through mental lists and imitates Self from a smart, intellectual, or spiritual protective stance.  ## 4. Enmeshed Empathetic Part This is the part that gets mistaken for Self energy, as it feels subtle energy within your body. It tries to feel the feelings of parts and others, but from here we are merged and so it gets overwhelmed or has empathetic overload. Many highly sensitive people take on the energy of other people or parts. Compassion from Self, on the other hand, can resonate without merging or taking on others’ emotions. ## 5. The Ego Manager Part That Is Reading This This is the everyday feeling of “me”. This is the primary Self-like manager and protective part that can learn to trust enough to let go and move from leader to follower. When appreciated, this manager part becomes important to our inner family. This “mini-me” manager can semi-retire from over-working, and enjoy more vacation time while helping out as needed.