Focusing: The Process
The Focusing process shows us how to pause within a situation we are living through and create an inner “space” for new possibilities of growth to emerge.
Developed from the philosophy of the Implicit, this practice teaches us how to bring our attention to something that is directly experienced, yet not easily put into words.
This practice, developed from the philosophy of the Implicit, teaches us how to bring our attention to something that is directly experienced, yet not easily put into words.
Our body knows far more than what we consciously express about the situations we are living through. Focusing helps us enter a different kind of awareness — distinct from our everyday consciousness.
It is an open awareness, turned inward and centered in the present moment, attuned to the body’s inner sensations.
This bodily sense, known as the “felt sense,” lies beneath our thoughts and emotions. It is meaningful and carries significance.
It is a message from the body — one that begins to speak when we take the time to listen.
Coming into contact with the “felt sense” is an important first step in Focusing.
Focusing is the capacity to welcome whatever arises and to maintain a friendly attitude toward what is present within us.
It is the ability to listen to the part that is trying to say something — a part that simply asks us to sit with it in a friendly way, to accompany it, and to listen, without needing to do anything more.
Focusing allows us to:
- Understand what we truly feel and want
- Overcome obstacles, make decisions, and solve problems creatively
- Become more attentive and kind toward ourselves and others
- Bring body, mind, and spirit into cooperation
- Find relief from tension and chronic pain
- Become less dependent on external beliefs and expectations
- Engage more deeply and effectively in our psychotherapeutic process