Focusing (Eugene Gendlin)

In the past I thought I had done Eugene Gendlins focusing correct and I did once after my dad passed. It worked perfect. Although looking back at his steps now after so many years I use Mindfulness with great results now.
I studied Eugenes style of focusing and Mindfulness at the same time and mindfulness just stuck with me.
My question, has anyone here used Gendlins focusing with exceptional results?



1. Clearing a space What I will ask you to do will be silent, just to yourself. Take a moment just to relax. All right—
now, inside you, I would like you to pay attention inwardly, in your body, perhaps in your Stomach or chest. Now see what comesthere when you ask, "How is my life going? What is the main thing for me right now?" Sense within your body. Let the answers come slowly from this sensing. When some concern comes, DO NOT GO INSIDE IT.
Stand back, say "Yes, that's there. I can feel that, there." Let there be a little space between you and that. Then ask what else you feel. Wait again, and sense. Usually there are several things.

2.Felt sense From among what came, select one personal problem to focus on.DO NOT GO INSIDE IT. Stand back from it.
Of course, there are many parts to that one thing you are thinking about—too many to think of each one alone. But
you can feel all of these things together. Pay attention there where you usually feel things, and in there you can get a sense of what all of the problem feels like. Let yourself feel the unclear sense of all of that.

3.HandleWhat is the quality of this unclear felt sense? Let a word, a phrase, or an image come up from the felt sense itself. It might be a quality-word, like tight, sticky, scary, stuck, heavy, jumpy, or a phrase, or an image. Stay with the quality of the felt sense till something fits it just right.

4.Resonating Go back and forth between the felt sense and the word (phrase, or image). Check how they resonate with each other. See if there is a little bodily signal that lets you know there is a fit. To do it, you have to have the felt sense there again, as well as the word.
Let the felt sense change, if it does, and also the word or picture, until they feel just right in capturing the quality of the felt sense.

5. Asking Now ask: What is it, about this whole problem, that makes this quality (which you have just named or pictured)?
Make sure the quality is sensed again, freshly, vividly (not just remembered from before). When it is here again, tap it, touch it, be with it, asking, "What makes the whole problem so ____?" Or you ask, "What is inthis sense?"
If you get a quick answer without a shift in the felt sense, just let that kind of answer go by. Return your attention to your body and freshly find the felt sense again. Then ask it again.
Be with the felt sense till something comes along with a shift, a slight "give" or release.

6. Receiving Receive whatever comes with a shift in a friendly way. Stay with it a while, even if it is only a slight release. Whatever comes, this is only one shift; there will be others. You will probably continue after a little while, but stay here for a few moments.
IF DURING THESE INSTRUCTIONS SOMEWHERE YOU HAVE SPENT A LITTLE WHILE SENSING AND TOUCHING ANUNCLEAR HOLISTIC BODY SENSE OF THIS PROBLEM, THEN YOU HAVE FOCUSED. It doesn't matter whether the body-shift came or not. It comes on its own. We don't control that.

 

Hi Herbie,

I have not used Focusing per se, but the basics of sensing into one's body, exploring the feelings, allowing, and often times having shifts is one of the main supports I have used for 20 years. To me this is so important, and it embodies the experience of coming home to one's self, allowing a natural nervous system unwinding. It can also lead to deep states of "being" without the mind content, the worries. We know we exist; we experience our existence without the usual identifications and self-images.

Andy B