Internal Family System practices – support IFS work with me
Starting the day the IFS way. A great FB group with Karen Locke. Not meditations but short sayings for the day.
Getting to know your parts 11 minutes. Richard Schwartz. When there is no sound, he is allowing you space to connect with yourself. Just relax … he will be back.
Getting to know your parts 8 minutes. No name.
Getting to know a part 12 minutes. Beth Rogerson.
The Path Meditation 36 minutes. Richard Schwartz. Bringing Self forward, parts relax.
Meditation: to welcome and liberate fear. 7 minutes with Loch Kelly.
Colour breathing qualities of Self with Greta Rossi: video 15 minutes and in writing below video.
Bön Tibetian Buddism: to attend to fear. Fits well with the IFS way to take care of parts/emotions. 25 minutes.
Self-Compassion, Loving-kindness meditations – support IFS work with me
Affectionate breathing 21 minutes. Kristin Neff.
Compassionate body scan 24 minutes. Kristin Neff.
Loving-kindness 20 minutes. Kristin Neff.
Self-compassion / loving-kindness 20 minutes. Kristin Neff.
Self-compassion break 5 minutes. Kristin Neff.
Negative emotions and loving kindness 60 minutes. Michael Sealey.
Self-compassion 18 minutes. Tara Brach.
Noticing your emotions 18 minutes. Kristin Neff.
Soften, sooth, allow: Working with emotions in the body 15 minutes. Kristin Neff.
Bön Tibetian Buddism: to attend to fear. Fits well with the IFS way to take care of parts/emotions. 25 minutes.
Tibetan Buddhist Shambhala meditation: 6 minutes. Peaceful Abiding – Mindfulness. Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. They also have free starting courses on their website.
Buddism in daily life – groups that supports IFS work with me
There are many Buddist ways. Those two of the Tibetian tradition support well IFS work with me as they go towards emotions and thoughts but do not attempt to go away from them. I do not know other ways.
Tibetan Buddhist Bön practice: online free of charge course to learn their meditations and way of being. User-friendly course, short bits and simple.
Buddhist Tibetan Shambhala meditation: about, how to do and start and benefits. They also have online courses to help learn their ways.
Breathing exercises
Three different exercises that can reduce anxiety, stress, headache and muscular tension. The text is in Icelandic but the teaching videos are in English. Try it out before sleep or if you suffer from insomnia?
About meditation
Different types of meditations – Massimo.
Study (2008) on loving kindness meditation.
Systematic Review (2013) on effects of meditations.
Systematic Review (2015) on effects of mindful meditation.
Study (2017): Those who meditate seem to have a younger brain.
Is meditation overrated? 2018): Review of studies.
Transcendental meditation (TM) website with studies on its effectiveness.
Buddhist Tibetan Shambhala meditation: about, how to do and start and benefits.
Various types of meditations
Jon Kabat-Zinn Mindfulness meditation various files.
For anxiety 10 minutes. John Davis.
To be with one self 17 minutes. Anne Cornell.
Walking meditation information and sound file. Suitable for those who have difficulties in going inside.
Tibetan Buddhist Shambhala meditation: 6 minutes. Peaceful Abiding. Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche.
Colour breathing qualities of Self with Greta Rossi: video 15 minutes and in writing below video.
Spiritually bypassing emotional wounds
Michael Pasterski explains the concept and his journey in figuring it out.
Before sleep
Falling a sleep 30 minutes. Michael Sealey.
A website with different tracks to help you fall asleep.
Calming distressing emotions 15 minutes. Kristin Neff.
Sleep and dream Yoga with Bön Tibetian Buddism.
Healing power of being in nature 
Nature heals – reseach
An interview with an Icelandic doctor on the healing effects of being in nature. Nature is all around you in Iceland and can be seen as a free of charge health care.
Hiking in nature
Multiple studies support positive impact of walking in nature on psychological distress. A Japanese study showed reduced sadness and stress, and these studies showed personal growth and well-being. Read more about the benefits and check also this study.
Hiking groups in Reykjavik area
“Vesen og Vergangur”group has weekly open short trips on Tuesdays at 18.00 hours, free of charge: probably the easiest ones in the Reykjavik area, good to start with. Additionally there are sub-groups of varied difficulty levels, like “Vesen og brölt group” a committed group on Mondays. Facebook site only in Icelandic. “Fjallavinir” is a similar but more challenging group. Hike on Thursdays plus a Saturday once a month. Commitment needed, fees. Facebook site in Icelandic. For those who are interested in easy hiking but feel they cannot join such groups, please contact me.
Iceland Touring Association (FÍ) and Útivist
These travel association bring together hiking and nature enthusiasts and are a good way to find local friends. There are day-and weekend trips all year and longer summer trips. These are not tourist agencies. The official language in trips is Icelandic. Information about trips on their websites is only in Icelandic.
Being connected to society
Being a part of the community we live in is a part of self-care. Moving alone to a foreign country and perhaps also not knowing anyone here, can be hard. Here you can read about what it was like for foreign nurses to move and work here (2004). My current interactions with foreign nurses indicates that many of these experiences are still similar. Below are suggestions for connecting with people, knowing what is going on in society and links to important public institutions.
Learning Icelandic
Iceland is all about Icelandic. There is no other official language except for sign language. Learning the language is the most effective way in connecting, feeling a part of the society, getting the job you desire and a higher payed one. Study programs are available for different type of learners, in a classroom or online. I particularly recommend the Practical Diploma course at the University of Iceland (1 year, part time) and Mímir school. Links to other schools.
The public sector and news channels
The official gateway to Iceland; country, people, culture.
Pregnancy and after – support for foreign women / families
Iceland´s International Parents Group: Facebook.
W.O.M.E.N: Association of Foreign Women in Iceland: Facebook support group and their website. You could for example send inquiry about pregnancy / parenting groups or suggest they form such groups if none exist.
9 mánuðir (9 months) is a private service for pregnant women. They offer for example courses in English, online now.