Tips for Focusing Alone
Participants in my current Focusing Alone phone class have been telling me how much easier it is to Focus alone when they start with an issue or a topic. It gives a sense of groundedness. So let’s talk about that.
There are two approaches to a Focusing session. One is to have an issue in mind–maybe a decision you’re making, a relationship issue that’s troubling you, a puzzling block like “Why can’t I make that phone call?”–and the other is to have no issue, just bringing awareness inward and being open to what arises.
If Focusing alone is hard when you have no issue, you might want to try starting with an issue, and find out if that works better.
Two ways to start with an issue:
(1) after bringing awareness into your body, remember the issue you chose, invite it to “sit down with you,” and invite your body to give you a sense of “all that.”
(2) talk out loud about the issue, and speak slowly, checking as you do for a felt sense arising after a minute or two.
Tips for Focusing with a Partner
Focusing with a partner can also be about an issue or not… and it can be helpful to sense ahead of time which way you would like to use your time.
When you’re the Companion, you may want to ask your partner if they want to start with an issue or not. If they’ve asked you to help them start the session with a “Leading In,” you’ll want to tailor the Leading In to an issue if they ask for one