Focusing

is a gentle, body-centred approach that helps you tune into your inner experiences and uncover what’s truly going on beneath the surface. Developed by psychologist Eugene Gendlin, Focusing is based on the idea that your body holds wisdom about your feelings, even if you’re not consciously aware of it yet. Through Focusing, you can learn to listen to these subtle, often unspoken sensations and emotions to gain insight, relieve stress, and connect with yourself in a deeper, more compassionate way.

How Focusing Can Help You Understand Yourself Better

At the heart of Focusing is the idea that your body “knows” more than your conscious mind does—it holds onto experiences, emotions, and tensions that you might not be fully aware of yet. By bringing your awareness to this “felt sense”—the unclear, often hard-to-describe feeling you have in your body—you can begin to understand and process feelings that might otherwise stay hidden. This approach can be especially helpful if you’re feeling stuck, uncertain, or weighed down by emotions you can’t quite name.

The Six Steps of Focusing

Focusing is usually practised in six steps. Here’s how you can use these steps to explore and understand your inner world:

1. Clearing a Space: Start by setting aside a quiet moment for yourself. Take a few deep breaths and let your attention settle inwards. Gently scan your body, noticing any areas of tension or heaviness. You don’t need to fix or change anything right now—just make a “space” where you can be open to what comes up.
2. Finding a Felt Sense: Once you’ve settled in, bring to mind an issue, emotion, or situation you’d like to explore. Then, notice what you feel in your body when you think about it. This is called the “felt sense”—a vague, often hard-to-pinpoint sensation that holds your body’s response to the issue. It could be a tightness in your chest, a heaviness in your stomach, or a slight pressure somewhere else.
3. Getting a Handle on It: Next, try to find a word, phrase, or image that captures the essence of this feeling. It might be a word like “stuck,” “tense,” or “heavy,” or even a colour, texture, or image that seems to fit. Don’t worry if it doesn’t feel exact—the goal is just to find something that resonates with the sensation you’re feeling.
4. Resonating: Check the word or image against the felt sense. Does it match the feeling in your body? If not, try adjusting it until it feels right. This step is about finding a description that “fits” your experience, creating a bridge between your inner sensation and your conscious awareness.
5. Asking: Once you have a clear sense of the feeling, gently ask questions about it, like “What’s this about?” or “What does this feeling need?” Sit quietly and wait for a response from within. Often, the answer comes as a subtle shift or new insight, as if your body is starting to share more about what it’s holding.
6. Receiving: Finally, welcome whatever arises without judgement. Whether you feel relief, understanding, or even more questions, accept it with kindness. This open, accepting attitude helps the feeling release or shift over time, creating more space for clarity and ease.

Why Focusing Can Be Transformative

Focusing is powerful because it taps into your body’s natural way of processing emotions. By listening to your body’s felt sense, you can gain insights that don’t always come through thinking alone. This practice can help you:

• Resolve Inner Conflicts: If you’re struggling with a decision or mixed feelings, Focusing can help you understand what each part of you really needs, making it easier to find a resolution that feels right.
• Feel More Grounded and Calm: When you connect with your felt sense, you become more grounded and in touch with yourself, which can reduce anxiety and give you a greater sense of inner peace.
• Build a Deeper Relationship with Yourself: Focusing helps you develop a compassionate, non-judgemental relationship with your own inner world, giving you a safe space to explore your feelings without pressure or criticism.

If you’re looking for a gentle, respectful way to explore your inner experiences and listen to what your body has to tell you, Focusing could be a valuable and supportive practice on your journey to greater self-understanding and peace.