Focusing Tip #794 – Getting sleepy while going deep with Focusing
-Focusing Tip #794 – Getting sleepy while going deep with Focusing What can you do when you suddenly become very sleepy while doing Focusing? Read on… Rebecca writes: I do weekly Focusing with a partner who routinely comes up against a heavy blanket of sleepiness that threatens to derail the process by lulling her to sleep. I would love some advice on ways to support a Focuser in acknowledging and engaging with this part without falling under its spell. Dear Rebecca: I remember the…
Focusing Tip #793 – Why change the way we talk about our feelings?
-Focusing Tip #793 – Why change the way we talk about our feelings? Is there a way of speaking about your feelings that makes them easier to feel and get to know better? Read on… Elizabeth writes: I listened to a webinar by you, and you recommended saying “I sense the presence of anger within.” That seems awkward; is it really necessary? I wanted to say, about myself, “She’s angry.” But that seems like dissociation. Dear Elizabeth: Allow me to gently suggest that you…
Focusing Tip #792 – Felt sensing versus intuition
-Focusing Tip #792 – Felt sensing versus intuition Do you wonder if Focusing is a kind of intuition? Read on… Jenna writes: What’s the difference between a felt sense and intuition? Or are they the same thing? Dear Jenna: What is intuition? Let’s say we define it as a kind of knowing that comes to us by non-logical means. “How did you know your friend needed a phone call?” we might ask. “I don’t know, I just did.” Often “intuition” refers to what we…
Focusing Tip #791 – “What does Focusing add to meditation?”
-Focusing Tip #791 – “What does Focusing add to meditation?” Do you wonder how Focusing compares to meditation? Read on… Penny writes: I’ve heard something about Focusing and I’m wondering: how is Focusing different from meditation practice or other similar mind exploration techniques? Dear Penny: So many people have been helped by meditation! Let’s describe meditation as a kind of open, spacious awareness where feelings and thoughts can arise and pass away without you becoming attached to them. In Focusing, you still have an…
Focusing Tip #790 – “So much stress, so many blocks, so much overwhelming feeling…”
-Focusing Tip #790 – “So much stress, so many blocks, so much overwhelming feeling…” How can you track your feelings when there are just too many of them, and all overwhelming? Read on… Camilla writes: I get that Focusing starts with simply sensing how we feel. But is there any “clue” we can look for when there is so much stress, so many blocks, so much overwhelming feeling, that we cannot even track one feeling or emotion or sensation? Dear Camilla: I like to…
Focusing Tip #789 – “I’m getting more distant from non-Focusing friends”
-Focusing Tip #789 – “I’m getting more distant from non-Focusing friends” Do you avoid telling your problems to your friends—for good reason? Read on… Sarah writes: I’ve been doing Focusing for several years now and I’ve noticed that it’s changed the kinds of things I feel like talking about with many of my non-Focusing friends. I especially steer clear of talking to them about my tough issues because I know that it will not be helpful. It never really was helpful, but I didn’t…
Focusing Tip #788 – “My negative thoughts about others are beyond my control”
-Focusing Tip #788 – “My negative thoughts about others are beyond my control” If you judge others negatively and you don’t want to, what can you do? Read on… Jannes writes: I’ve realized that when I’m outside and my eyes fall on another person, my inner judge jumps at them with negative thoughts about what kind of person this is. I try to push these thoughts away but not very successfully. I don’t want to think about people this way, but the thoughts seem…
Focusing Tip #787 – Stepping into feelings of strength and capability
-Focusing Tip #787 – Stepping into feelings of strength and capability Are all our feelings really parts of us, even the positive ones? Read on… A Reader writes: As I was Focusing, I contacted a part of me that felt calm, strong, and capable. Later I was Focusing with some difficult feelings, and I decided to call back that strong, capable part of me at the end of the session. Was that OK to do? Dear Reader: It’s a great idea to begin and…
Focusing Tip #786 – “What’s the best way to find a Focusing partner?”
-Focusing Tip #786 – “What’s the best way to find a Focusing partner?” Do you want to know how to find a Focusing partner and what to do when you’ve got one? Read on… Min writes: After reading your Tip from last week on the value of a Focusing partner, I want to ask you: Can you give me some pointers as to how to find a good Focusing partner? And what do you do with a Focusing partner? Dear Min: The first place…
Focusing Tip #785 – “Why does everyone say I have to have a Focusing partner?”
-Focusing Tip #785 – “Why does everyone say I have to have a Focusing partner?” Do you wonder if you have to have a Focusing partner to do Focusing? Read on… A Reader writes: I’ve been looking for a Focusing program and they all say I have to be a Focusing partner. Why is there such an emphasis on Focusing partnership? I just want to learn and do Focusing myself. Dear Reader: Focusing is for everyone. As Mary Hendricks Gendlin says, “Focusing belongs to…
