Inner Space Techniques
What IST is Used for
• Personal development needs
• Limiting life patterns / emotional and energetic blocks
• Stress, anxiety, depression
• The effects of trauma and abuse
• Relationship and separation issues
• Sexual / sexuality issues
• Self-confidence, self-esteem
• Life transitions, spiritual direction, finding understanding and meaning
• Anger
• Death and dying, grief and loss
IST stands for Inner Space Techniques
These are a range of therapeutic processes that take you inside, to look for the causes of what's blocking you. Limited beliefs, attitudes and emotional programming. Tis set of techniques was originally designed by Samuel Sagan MD in the early 1980s for people doing long term meditation practices to remove blockages that stopped them from experiencing deeper states of consciousness. It was also found to have a profound impact on helping people reach emotional freedom in their daily lives. IST was developed into a therapy by a group of psychotherapists, doctors and natural therapists working with Dr Sagan and is now used by therapists around the world. If you have repeating patterns of behaviour that perhaps you can see, but can't find a way out of it, if you suffer from too much stress, if you have inner conflicts you can't seem to resolve, IST will take you beyond the limited views of the 'chatty' or 'monkey' mind. There you will be able to see for yourself the causes of these issues. Once these are made conscious, they can be resolved or let go of.
One of the reasons why we crave love and seek it so desperately is that love is the only cure for loneliness and shame and sorrow. But some feelings sink so deep into the heart that only loneliness can help you find them again. Some truths about yourself are so painful that only shame can help you live with them, and some things are just so sad that only your soul can do the crying for you.Gregory David Roberts (The smuggler's life)
What happens during an IST session?
The client lies down comfortably on a mattress with eyes closed and the therapist sits by his or her side. The therapist guides the client into a meditative state. Once in this meditative state, a state of enhanced ‘vision’ unfolds where the clients feels and sees things in their own consciousness with increased sensitivity and awareness. An example of this may be experiencing emotions as forms or waves in consciousness, re-experiencing past events such as events from childhood or past lives with vivid sensory details, seeing blockages in the body of energy, experiencing spaces of consciousness or feeling an enhanced sense of 'self'. At times there may be release of emotions, allowing openings and deeper realisations to occur. Due to the nature of the inner space, IST experiences flow in a safe and untraumatic way. Whilst in the meditative state, the therapist asks the clients questions about their experiences and an interactive space is engaged in order to help the client move deeper to the source of experiences. IST often involves a somatic component where the therapist presses a spot (depending where it is) on the client's body. This helps the client connect to emotions and sensations in the body related to issues being worked on. At all times the client is conscious and has control over the process. If the client wishes to return to a normal state of consciousness they only have to open their eyes. IST sessions usually last for just over 1 hour.