CURIOSITY

An dynamic element of Self-Energy

(a) a strong desire to know or learn something new about a topic, situation or person 

(b) to have a sense of wonder about the world and how things work 

(c) genuinely interested in non-judgmentally understanding something or someone.

"In addition to containing many possibilities, the beginner's mind is also full of wonder about the world. If we don't prejudge things, we are perpetually curious. Like an inquisitive child, we are full of innocent interest in people and their reactions. If people are angry at us and our view of them isn't clouded by feelings connected with others who have been angry at us in the past, we become curious about their anger. When we ask them about it, they will sense no fear or judgment in our question -- just innocent interest.

This kind of curiosity is at the heart of the IFS approach. It is how the Self relates not oly to people but also to inner voice. When we are able to become non-judgmentally interested in even our most despised inner demons (such as contempt, racism, and self-hate), we find those internal dialogues to be enlightening and transformative. The Buddhists call this kind of non-striving, open curiousity toward our inner thoughts and emotions mindfulness. Many of their practices are designed to help people become more mindful.

That kind of pure, guileless curiosity is disarming. People and parts of us sense that they no longer must protect themselves becauase they see that we intend only to try to understand them. Since all they usually want is to be understood, they have no reason to remain angry or defensive. Instead, they are often glad to tell their story and feel heard by a person who is not trying to change them. In this book (Internal Family Systems Model), this is what is meant by the term witnessing -- asking about and listening to a person or part with genuine curiosity and with the intent to archive the next quality: compassion."

From Dick Schwartz, Internal Family Systems Model,  pp. 37-38

With great appreciation for Level One Training and IFSinstitute.com

CLICK BELOW TO EXPLORE The 8c’s of Self-Energy

CALMNESS

CURIOSITY

CLARITY

COMPASSION

CONFIDENCE

COURAGE

CREATIVITY

CONNECTEDNESS

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