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August 14 2007 #124
- by Ann Weiser CornellThe Felt Sense is Not the Usual Emotions ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Focusing is a process of being with felt senses, listening to them, getting to know them. Last week I wrote: "The felt sense is not well understood, even in the Focusing community, because it’s not what you would expect. It’s not just the body feeling that is already there. It’s not just ‘how this feels in my body now.’" I said: "Sensing in the body doesn’t mean we are Focusing." Kim wrote: "I found your latest newsletter fascinating. I must admit after reading your explanation that I haven’t understood the felt…
Ann Weiser CornellAugust 7 2007 #123
- by Ann Weiser CornellThe Felt Sense is Always the Difference ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Last week I wrote about the difference between Focusing and some of the techniques used in hypnotherapy. My friend Lucinda Hayden helped me to answer, and we pointed out a number of differences. Then we got an email from Scot, who wrote happily that, when we spoke about Focusing, "You might as well be reading out of the NLP Practitioners’ Handbook!" I found that fascinating… but it also made me realize that we missed something last week, something very important: the felt sense. The felt sense is always the main difference between…
Ann Weiser CornellJuly 31 2007 #122
- by Ann Weiser CornellFocusing and Hypnotherapy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Marlene wrote to ask me to compare Focusing with "some of the techniques used in hypnotherapy." Dear Marlene, Since I know a lot about Focusing but not much about hypnotherapy, I decided to call on a "guest expert" to help me write this Weekly Tip. I called up my good friend Lucinda Hayden who is both a Certified Focusing Professional and a Certified Hypnotherapist. I figured she would know! Lucinda started by telling me that there as many forms and types of hypnotherapy as there are forms of psychotherapy. So what we say here might not…
Ann Weiser CornellJuly 24 2007 #121
- by Ann Weiser CornellFocusing and Falling Asleep ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mary Kay writes: “You have indicated that your practice of Focusing has helped you fall asleep more easily. Since I began Focusing, I have found my overall quality of sleep has improved significantly, but I do still have difficulty falling asleep in a timely fashion. I am wondering if you have some suggestions for ways an insomniac can use Focusing to benefit her sleep.” Dear Mary Kay, I’m going to give my personal answer first, and then I’m going to tell you about a fabulous resource. The first thing I do at bedtime is read…
Ann Weiser CornellJuly 17 2007 #120
- by Ann Weiser CornellParts and Wholeness ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Last week’s tip (#119) on stepping back from parts and getting a fresh felt sense of the whole situation has generated some "buzz," according to my emails. You’ll be happy to know that Carole, who sent the original question, felt good about our answer. She writes: "Dear Ann and Barbara: Thank you for printing my question and answering it with so much care and respect. What a huge relief I feel … like life suddenly got much easier in a very beautiful way. Thank you for your support and care." At the same time, those of…
Ann Weiser CornellJuly 10 2007 #119
- by Ann Weiser Cornell"I seemingly have two distinct experiences with Focusing." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Carol writes: "I seemingly have two distinct experiences with Focusing. When I use the led experiences on the Learning Focusing CD (CD one, tracks 5-9 or 10-15), I usually have a clear and definite image/symbol emerge, (which sometimes flows or changes). I do this practice many days a week, for about 10-20 minutes, and it’s been months now. Very nourishing experience. "When I am doing my day and check in with myself (often being with stressing parts or making decisions), I am very aware of "parts of myself." I do not…
Ann Weiser CornellJuly 3 2007 #118
- by Ann Weiser Cornell"How often should I do Focusing?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In a recent class, Ruth asked "How often is it ideal to do Focusing?" She added, "All day long I’m noticing things coming up I’d like to focus on!" Dear Ruth, What great news, that lots of things are coming up for Focusing! Isn’t it wonderful what treasure troves we are, inside? And you know what? It really isn’t possible to do Focusing too often! The process of sitting down to listen gently within, to our felt senses that come from our life situations, is a natural one. Every now and then, when…
Ann Weiser CornellJune 26 2007 #117
- by Ann Weiser CornellWas that image just distracting me? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Betty asks: "How can I tell if something is just distracting me from dealing with an issue? A few days ago I was focusing with my partner. I had invited in the whole issue of eating. I did get some subtle body sensations but then an image came up. For some reason I knew that it was just a distraction. I acknowledged it as a distraction and went back to sensing into my body. I got a sensation in the chest area and stayed with that. Fairly quickly a very emotional and deep…
Ann Weiser CornellJune 19 2007 #116
- by Ann Weiser Cornell"… a sensation of being detached…" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chris writes: "I’m wondering if you have any experience or advice on how to use Focusing when symptoms of depersonalization are present. I’ve been experiencing this condition on and off for a while now, and there is some fear/anxiety behind it. The trouble seems to be that when I try contacting felt senses about the fear or depression or whatever I’m feeling, then I often end up meeting this depersonalization response, which for me is a sensation of being detached, of something like a vague spaciness separating me from my experience. At this…
Ann Weiser CornellJune 12 2007 #115
- by Ann Weiser CornellFocusing and Yoga ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Shyam writes: My question is – In what way are Focusing and Yoga interrelated? How can/does one help the other? I do a few Yoga moves for a few minutes in the morning – and get my body to feel its physical edges. I find that this helps me get a good start to accessing how my body is feeling or its felt sense. I usually have a great Focusing session following that. Dear Shyam, Sounds like you’ve got a great start on the answer to your own question. By starting with Yoga, you’re awakening your…
Ann Weiser Cornell