Is Focusing with strong emotions something I can do all day, or just at special times? Read on…
Cathy writes:
If I’m using Focusing with strong emotions, do I need to find quiet and really focus on the emotions — or can I do it in my daily life as I notice feelings come up?
I guess what I mean is, can I chat to my feelings in my mind throughout the day? Or should I set aside time for the process to unfold?
Dear Cathy:
The simple answer is: Both!
Acknowledging your feelings is something you can do throughout your day. It doesn’t take long, and it’s a powerful practice that can bring you back to balance and a measure of calm.
Whenever your body signals that strong feelings are here, you can pause and acknowledge what you feel. Usually, just doing that much makes a positive difference.
Recently I was preparing for my first trip overseas in two and a half years. My stomach got tense often. Each time, I would pause, put a hand on my stomach, and say, “I know. I hear you. Of course you’re tense.” It brought some relief.
But I also set aside a couple of times to do a full Focusing session. Closing the door, getting quiet, bringing awareness to my body. Asking gently, “What wants my awareness now?”
Taking time to sense in the body and describe the feeling. Actually, it was not exactly “tense.” It was more like a “gripping.” Something in me was holding on tight!
By taking time to really listen, I found out some surprising things about what was really bothering that part of me. After a session like that, it really calmed down.
So the answer is: Both. Both acknowledging your feelings whenever they need you to throughout the say, and taking a special time aside to really make contact and deeply listen. Both are practices that can bring the power of Focusing to your strong feelings and anything else that needs attention.
