Focussing for Relief – A Releasing Technique
- Dr Erica Brown
- Apr 9
- 5 min read
I would hazard that most of the readers of this magazine are on a path of self-discovery , awakening and growth. We are all at different places on that journey, finding different techniques at different times to facilitate the process, and re-visiting some of them with a renewed perspective from time to time.
One of the steps to self-development I discovered fairly early on my personal journey is reflected in the Hermetic Principle of ‘As Within, So Without’, and in the Focussing Technique, a body-centred problem-solving method written about by Eugene Ghendlin in 1978, with more information, events and courses available via the International Focusing Institute. The process I now use is as follows:
Before beginning any new process, I like to calibrate how I am feeling on a scale of one to ten, one being calm and ten being agitated. The initial step is then to relax, clearing mental space, paying inward attention to the body and where it is holding on to any tension/s. Be aware of your breathing, letting yourself breathe easily and rhythmically, deeply and slowly. You may feel yourself ‘cocooned’ in your energy-field during this process, or it may feel like a gentle trance-like state as your brain wavelengths slow from Beta through to Alpha. That is perfectly ok and, if need be, you can tell yourself you are perfectly safe, it’s ok to relax for a few minutes.
Once you have made yourself comfortable, and slowed the breathing, with eyes closed imagine yourself going down some steps to your preferred safe indoor space, with shelves on either side (you may never have constructed this in your mind’s eye before, but when you’ve done it once, you can go back there whenever you choose).
As thoughts arise in your mind, or you become aware of a tension being held somewhere in the body, do not focus on them but mentally acknowledge them; ask them to assume the shape of an object or a symbol, in an appropriate colour, weight and texture, and for that object or symbol to place itself on one of the shelves, letting it know you will return your attention to it once you have completed your present process.
You may have a particular problem or situation you want to solve that is uppermost in your mind. To prevent dwelling on it, pay attention to where you are feeling it, its effect in your body. Take your time, let yourself get acquainted with it. The sense of it may be nebulous, or it may come up as an image in your mind’s eye, or a felt-word (or phrase) such as heavy, crushing, scary, stuck, jittery, loud …. If there is a jumble of words or feelings that come up, you came ask the situation to present you with the main description or feeling you can focus on today, to resonate with an object or symbol.
You can ask yourself if there is anything in particular you’d like to let go of (for now) and, as its object or symbol is on placed on a shelf, you may notice a ‘shift’ in the body, a change in your energy-level.
As the numbers of objects increases, you may find (as I did) that the objects or symbols may re-order themselves on their respective shelves, jockeying for priority of relevance or importance to be dealt with. Several of them may actually join together to form one new object or symbol.
Register how it feels as you let go of an object or symbol for any given feeling. Feel that ‘now’ quality of being. Enjoy the breathing-space, the mental peace and quiet for ten, fifteen minutes, or longer if you have the time.
You may imagine the items on the shelf getting restless or starting to get noisy, like unruly children. You can tell them, in your mind’s eye, that you are Captain of this ship, in charge of the whole process, and will return to each of them in their appropriate turn, for them to stay quiet until then!
When you are feeling more prepared, you can invite the first (most urgent or important) item on the shelf to present itself and let you know how it best wants to be dealt with. Keep breathing gently and rhythmically, deeply and easily …. What one question would you want to ask it? Note the ideas that come to mind. You may be able to use an NLP technique of putting those ideas into each hand and bringing the hands together to form a surprising and innovative solution or answer. You can ask that what first steps you can take to implement it, or what needs to be done with it for the highest and best good of all. And when you feel ready, you can bring your hands towards your body to integrate that new answer.
At this point, focus on your breathing again for a few moments, before taking up pen and paper to note what came to the fore for you, registering how you now feel.
Focussing in this way, with a slower brain wavelength, allows for greater clarity of thinking, with the relaxation being a form of mindfulness. Each time you repeat the exercise, it allows your Reticular Activating System to latch onto the solution or answer you come to, for your RAS to help you see it and whatever may support it more easily.
There are questions you can usefully now ask :
What if I could now know how best to move forward? What could be the first step for me to make? Who could I talk with, call or visit today to facilitate that?
I wonder what or who the infinite has in store for me today to brighten/ lighten this aspect of my life?
How does it get any better than this? (Works to open up and enhance both positive and apparently negative situations)? What else is possible? How lucky am I?
Knowing the Infinite is the core of everything and everyone, I gratefully open myself to new and better possibilities, opportunities and ideas that enhance me, my experience, and that of those I engage with. I know it is safe for me to leave the old ways behind that no longer serve me, taking forward only the knowledge and lessons that enhance me and my world to a deeper understanding, awareness of and connection with Infinite Abundant Love.
Dr Erica is based in Christchurch, UK. She is devoted to guiding you to living in alignment with the true you. Do you really know who you are behind the conditioning of family and society? Join Erica in one to one coaching or her masterclasses to make previously unimagined strides both personally and professionally.
Comments