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We are still possessed by autonomous psychic contents
as if they were Olympians. Today they are called
phobias, obsessions... neurotic symptoms. The gods
have become diseases.
—C. G. Jung
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He got curious about what was
going on and started interviewing the bulimic daughters. When
he interviewed them, they started talking about parts of them.
“When I get upset, a part of me just wants to eat and eat and
eat so I don’t feel the pain, and then another part of me hates
me for doing this and is disgusted and makes me vomit.”
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I will not commit the fashionable stupidity
of regarding everything I cannot explain as a fraud.
—C. G. Jung
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There is only one portal to knowing; the portal is I do
not know.
—Sadhguru
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It seems you’re asking for bullet-pointed gist quotes (i.e., key takeaways or memorable lines presented as quotes) for The Others Within Us: Internal Family Systems, Porous Mind, and Spirit Possession by Robert Falconer. Unfortunately, chapter-by-chapter quotes or question-specific text excerpts aren't freely available online.
However, I can still offer a concise yet insightful summary capturing its major themes, drawn from reviews and the book's overview. You may also consider purchasing or accessing the book directly for full chapter quotes. Let me know if you’d like that—or help finding specific passages.
Meanwhile, here's a distilled summary of core ideas (not direct quotes but accurate distilled bullet points):
Key Concepts from The Others Within Us
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Exploration of “Unattached Burdens” (UBs)
Falconer delves into UBs—phenomena within the mind that feel separate, almost alien, not integrated into one’s internal parts—through rich case studies and therapeutic approaches steered by Internal Family Systems (IFS) principles. (Robert Falconer, PARTS & SELF) -
Porous Mind & Trans-liminal Spaces
He challenges the Western notion of an impermeable mind ("citadel model"), advocating instead for a porous mind that is deeply open to influences—inner and spiritual—which can be integrated therapeutically. (PARTS & SELF, ACCIDENTAL GODS) -
Step-by-Step Guidance on Working with UBs (Chapters 6 & 7)
Falconer offers clear, methodical guidance on how to identify, approach, and work with unattached burdens using IFS frameworks, making it valuable for therapists and practitioners. (PARTS & SELF) -
Triad of Wise Presence: Discernment in Healing (Chapter 14)
He outlines three markers to identify a benevolent or wise presence during healing work: non-impositional presence, humility, and compassion—key in navigating potential internal or spiritual influences safely. (PARTS & SELF) -
Acknowledgment of Cultural Limitations (Chapter 11)
Falconer actively names the book’s Western, eurocentric frame, inviting readers from other cultural backgrounds to engage, critique, and enrich the conversation. (PARTS & SELF) -
Intellectual and Spiritual Bridge
The text bridges empirical IFS theory and spiritual sensibilities—drawing from global traditions such as Korean shamanism—arguing for a compassionate relational way of healing that embraces inner "others." (Robert Falconer, ACCIDENTAL GODS, PARTS & SELF)
From the IFS Community (Reddit Reflections)
Here are a few paraphrased but accurate reflections from readers on a forum discussion—a rough sense of how the book resonates emotionally and conceptually:
“It’s so refreshing … especially about mudangs (Korean shamans) … so refreshing to read from another POV.”
— ophel1a_ (Reddit)
“There were times when that thought process was a hurdle to doing deep therapeutic work.”
— Skydancer_bee (Reddit)
“I have a theory that legacy parts are the inspiration for concepts like ghosts and exorcisms … It FEELS like an exorcism lol.”
— Devcronz (Reddit)
“I liked the client therapy notes … I had an 'ahh' moment when I read the story of Pat (page 153)… similar experience.”
— Far-Attention-2338 (Reddit)
Summary Table
| Theme / Chapter Highlights | Essence |
|---|---|
| Unattached Burdens (UBs) | Inner phenomena not integrated into self, requiring therapeutic attention |
| Porosity of Mind | Breaking the “citadel” model; the mind is permeable to spiritual or external influences |
| Working with UBs | Practical guidance in Chapters 6–7 |
| Discernment & Wise Presence | Chapter 14 defines what makes certain inner presences safe to engage with: humility, compassion, non-imposition |
| Cultural Reflexivity | Chapter 11 openly acknowledges Western bias and invites diverse perspectives |
| Spiritual-Therapeutic Fusion | Incorporating IFS with shamanic wisdom and global traditions to enrich healing |
If you're specifically looking for direct chapter quotes, your best bet is to access the text through libraries or e-book previews (for example, Amazon’s sample or publisher excerpts). Once you have access, I'd be happy to help condense or clarify any passages you’d like.
Would you like help locating a preview or purchasing links, or perhaps locating quotes around a particular theme—like porosity of mind or UB interventions?
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In India and South Asia in general, there is a sharp divide
between positive possession and disease-producing
possession. The two only rarely converge. Both forms of
possession have a moral basis. Negative possession comes
from pollution, weakness, or contact with evil, while positive
possession comes from virtuous actions, devotional practice,
or divine grace. Possession does not follow a single prototype.
There are many kinds and many different terms to differentiate
them. Possession is always disruptive to some extent. There is
a violence to it. It is out of ordinary human control. There has
always been an acceptance of the reality of spirits in South
Asia, as in almost all non-Western cultures. Just as elsewhere,
the established elites do not much like this.
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Got it 👍 — here’s a clear, structured breakdown of Internal Family Systems (IFS):
🌿 What is Internal Family Systems (IFS)?
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IFS is a therapeutic model developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz in the 1980s.
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It’s based on the idea that the mind is naturally multiple, made up of different “parts” (subpersonalities), and that everyone also has a central, healing “Self.”
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Instead of trying to get rid of troubling thoughts, emotions, or behaviors, IFS helps us befriend and heal the inner parts that carry wounds.
🔑 Core Principles
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Everyone has a Self – a calm, compassionate, curious presence that can lead healing.
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All parts are valuable – even if they cause trouble, they’re trying to protect or help us.
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No bad parts – pain comes from the burdens parts carry, not from the parts themselves.
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The goal is integration – unburdening parts so they can return to their natural roles.
🧩 Types of Parts
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Exiles – wounded, vulnerable parts carrying pain from trauma or neglect.
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Managers – protective parts that try to keep us safe by controlling life (e.g., perfectionism, people-pleasing).
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Firefighters – reactive protectors that try to numb pain quickly (e.g., bingeing, anger, addiction).
💫 The Self
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The Self is our core essence.
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Characterized by the 8 C’s:
Calm, Curiosity, Clarity, Compassion, Confidence, Courage, Creativity, Connectedness. -
Healing happens when the Self takes the lead in relating to parts with care.
🛠️ Healing Process
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Identify parts – notice inner voices, emotions, or sensations.
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Listen with curiosity – understand what the part is trying to do for you.
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Build trust – show the part that Self is present and compassionate.
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Unburden – help the part release its painful beliefs or trauma.
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Integrate – part takes on a healthier role, aligned with the Self.
🌍 Applications
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Trauma recovery
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Anxiety, depression, addictions
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Relationship struggles
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Spiritual growth (including Falconer’s The Others Within Us, which extends IFS to spirit possession & porous mind models)
✨ In short:
IFS teaches us that healing isn’t about silencing inner voices but listening to them—transforming inner conflict into inner harmony.
Would you like me to also create a visual diagram (like a chart of Self + Parts) to make IFS easier to grasp at a glance?
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A classic image of this is Indra’s Net. It dates back to the
Vedas and is also found in Buddhism and Hinduism. In the
heavenly abode of Indra is a great net that is infinite in all
directions. At each knot of the net, there are jewels, infinite in
number. Each of these jewels reflects on its polished surfaces
all the other jewels in the net, infinite in number. Also, each of
these reflected jewels reflects the infinite number of other
jewels. An infinity of infinities, interpenetrating and inter-
being in infinite ways. This is the idea of interbeing. Charles
Eisenstein (2007, xvii) wrote, “We are not just a skin-
encapsulated ego, a soul encased in flesh. We are each other
and we are the world.” We inter-are. In a YouTube interview
with Deepak Chopra, neuroscientist Chris Neibauer said,
“Perhaps the reason we can’t find the self in the human brain
is because it is not there.” The poet e e cummings wrote in one
of his poems, “I am, through you, so I.”
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Great question 🙌 — the “porous mind” is one of the central ideas Robert Falconer explores in The Others Within Us, and it also shows up in wider psychology, anthropology, and spirituality. Here’s a clear breakdown:
🌀 Porous Mind: Definition
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The porous mind is the view that the mind is not sealed off or self-contained but open and permeable to influences from outside itself.
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These influences could be:
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Other people’s energies or emotions
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Spiritual beings or forces (as in shamanism or possession traditions)
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Collective cultural patterns, ancestral legacies, or transpersonal experiences
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🏰 Porous Mind vs. Citadel Mind
Falconer contrasts two models of the mind:
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Citadel Model (Western modern view):
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The mind = a fortress.
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Thoughts and emotions are generated only inside the individual brain.
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Strong boundaries: nothing comes in unless we “let it in.”
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Emphasis on autonomy and rational control.
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Porous Model (traditional & IFS-compatible view):
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The mind = open, like a house with many doors and windows.
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Experiences can come from beyond the self—ancestral memory, collective consciousness, spiritual presences.
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Healing means discernment, relationship, and integration, not just suppression.
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🌍 Where the Idea Comes From
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Charles Taylor (A Secular Age) described how pre-modern people often saw themselves as “porous selves,” open to spirits and cosmic forces.
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Many indigenous and shamanic traditions hold this view: the mind is naturally relational, connected to ancestors, nature, and unseen entities.
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Falconer brings this into the IFS therapy context, saying that clients sometimes experience “others within” that can’t be explained only as personal parts—they feel more like external or transpersonal presences.
💡 Why It Matters in Therapy
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Accepting the mind as porous allows clients to safely explore experiences of possession, haunting, ancestral burden, or spiritual encounters without pathologizing them.
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Therapists can use IFS tools (curiosity, Self-leadership, compassion) to relate to these “others within us” rather than deny them.
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It widens the scope of healing beyond the purely psychological to include cultural, ancestral, and spiritual dimensions.
✨ In short:
A porous mind is an open system, influenced by and connected with others—human, ancestral, or spiritual. It challenges the Western “citadel” idea of the mind as an isolated fortress, instead seeing the psyche as deeply relational and permeable.
Would you like me to also make a visual diagram (Citadel vs. Porous Mind) so you can quickly show the difference at a glance?
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