AN INTRODUCTION TO

FOCUSING AND ITS USE IN SPIRITUAL

DIRECTION

by

LYNNE BROWN

A Research Project submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Spiritual

Directors’ Formation Programme of Spiritual Growth Ministries.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would first of all like to acknowledge Sister Aileen Martin, who has been absolutely
tremendous in her love, support, knowledge, teaching, practical assistance both in
helping me to experience focusing personally in Spiritual Direction, and feeding me
with a constant supply of material (books, videos, spiritual directors who use
focusing, handouts, seminars, time etc).

Thankyou also, to those ‘real’ directors and directees who provided me with
examples from their experience.

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INTRODUCTION

While pursuing another topic for my research project, I came across the book by Ann
Weiser Cornell PH.D - “The Power of Focusing” . I was drawn to it ‘like a magnet’.
It seemed to me, that God was leading me down another path. Thus started an
adventurous journey into the unknown - a fascinating, exciting, sometimes scary, but
liberating journey. I hope it will inspire you and call you too, into the unknown, into
change, into more of the mystery of God. As in Ephesians 3:16-19. “That He would
grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through
His Spirit in the inner man (that hidden unknown self, your own spirit discovered and
nurtured1); so that Christ may dwell in your hearts (inward eyes, awareness of Christ
in your body2) through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be
able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and
depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be
filled up to all the fullness of God.”

Some questions I hope to answer, at least in part are –

 What is focusing?
 How did focusing develop?
 What are the basic steps leading to focusing and the meanings of phrases like
clearing a space, taking inventories, felt sense/meaning, and felt shifts?
 What is bio-spirituality?
 How does focusing relate to spiritual direction?

In answering these questions, I trust you will see the many benefits of the method of
focusing. I also include comments from spiritual directors, on the use of focusing as a
tool in aiding them as they journey with their directees, and also from directees who
have experienced focusing, and how that has helped them in their discovery of
themselves and their relationship with God.

In order to answer these questions I have read extensively (see the bibliography),
viewed many video tapes, and written to those spiritual directors/directees known to
me, who have used focusing as a tool in spiritual direction.

WHAT IS FOCUSING?

Focusing is a natural skill, that many of us have to learn to access. It’s a way of being
in touch with how we carry important issues inside ourselves, of listening to our body
with compassion, of noticing how we feel and then conversing with those feelings,
and listening to what they have to say to us, accepting their story and befriending
what’s going on inside. Instead of relying only on our ability to think things through,
analyse and control what’s happening, we listen to what’s happening within.
“Most of us resist this letting go....we are reluctant to try anything
beyond the minds logical reasoned approach to problem solving. We

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Bodies Search for Spirit – Session 7. Video Tape produced by Nada Lou
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ibid

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 avoid this alternative path, finding any excuse to distract ourselves
from growing quiet and attending to what our whole being, especially
our bodies, can tell us about how things are right now.....its frightening
to let go of the reins...yet there is wisdom in our bodies! A sure footed
sense for deeper meaning, purpose and direction.”3

Focusing teaches us step by step how to be in touch with our ‘felt sense’. The ‘felt
sense’ is an inner bodily knowing for the precise next step to take, a clear creative
answer to the problems and issues in life where we can become stuck - unable to
move forward. If our intellect could solve all our problems, we would not experience
feeling intense frustration and/or helplessness, or be exhausted from daily problems at
work and in relationships. Through the process called focusing, we can learn to
become totally conscious - combining our memories, unconscious mind, feelings,
‘felt senses’ and dreams with our intellect, resulting in what we may call a gut
reaction, intuition or a sense of what is right - continually. In spiritual direction, this
can greatly aid the directee in areas of discernment in decision making, and in finding
a way out of a ‘stuck place’, where an issue or reaction to an issue, continually
emerges, with little progress forward.

Have you ever felt jumpy, sweaty or even nauseous in your stomach about having to
make a public speech, or a heaviness in your chest or even headachy over having to
make a crucial call to someone? Most of us react negatively in some way to this, put
ourselves down for reacting so foolishly, curse the feeling, or have some other
reactive/addictive type behaviour, (like a drink or cigarette, or even eat, read a book,
watch TV, exercise etc ) to try and rid ourselves of the feeling .

” What is the pattern you have learned to push away the feeling, rather
than embrace it...You become addicted to whatever takes you away
from facing issues and understanding yourself.....Some even practise
religion and do good things to feel good and escape guilt.”4

With focusing, we listen out for those bodily felt senses, accept them and let them tell
their story. Pete Campbell says “There is always a story waiting to be told in my body
whenever I notice feelings, sensations, felt senses. My body has its own language
through which it wants to talk to me.”5

HOW DID FOCUSING COME INTO BEING?

At the University of Chicago, Dr Eugene Gendlin, along with other colleaques, began
a study on the hard questions most psychotherapists don’t like to ask out loud.
“Why doesn’t therapy succeed more often? Why does it so often fail to
make a real difference in people’s lives? In the rarer cases when it
does succeed, what is it that those patients and therapists do? They
taped and analysed thousands of therapist-patient sessions and

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Bio-Spirituality, p21
4
Pete Campbell / Ed McMahon Video Tape Session 10
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ibid
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 discovered that it was not the therapists technique or what the patients
talked about but what the successful patients do inside themselves.”6

Somehow they intuitively connected within themselves, and were able to describe
how it really felt inside. They got a “handle” on their problem, a ‘felt sense’ of what
it was all about.
“They would slow down their talk, become less articulate, and begin to
grope for words to describe something that they were feeling at the
moment. If you listened to their tapes, you would hear something like
this.“Hmmmm. How would I describe this? It’s right here.
It’s....uh....it”s....it’s not exactly anger....hmmmm” Often the clients
would mention that they experienced this feeling in their bodies, saying
things like, “It’s right here in my chest,” or “I have this funny feeling in
my stomach.” In contrast the unsuccessful therapy clients stayed up in
their heads. No matter how much they analysed their problems, or
explained them, or thought about them, or cried about them, their
therapy was ultimately unsuccessful. Eugene Gendlin was determined
to find out how to teach this powerful and effective skill of emotional
healing to others.”7

He did, and he called it Focusing.

In Spiritual Direction we know that at times common “therapy” issues come to the
front. Psychological and emotional problems, traumas like sexual, physical or verbal
abuse, can all affect peoples relationship with, and image of God. Our emotions,
mind, body, and spirit are all interconnected and focusing can be a tremendous tool to
help resolve many of the issues, (without reliving the intensity of the nightmare), thus
leading on to changed images of self and God - bringing further balance and
wholeness to our lives.

SIX BASIC STEPS /MOVEMENTS IN FOCUSING

(Use these steps for yourself or a directee, if you feel the process will help one move
forward from a stuck, confused or scattered place. Select questions that best fit what
is said.)

1. Clearing a space:
Become quiet and relaxed. Come into your body by noticing your breathing - in
and out, sounds and sighs. Become aware of your physical body sitting on the
chair, your feet, chest, neck, head. Imagine a ladder going from your head down
into your chest/stomach area and let yourself climb down. Notice what it feels
like. What comes there, when you ask a question like - “How is my life going? Is
there anything that feels like it especially needs my attention right now?” OR a
statement like “I am really feeling alive right now” - can trigger off reactions or
feelings within. When something comes, stand back from it, acknowledge it with
a “hello” , then allow some space between you and it, and ask if there is anything

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Focusing by Eugene Gendlin pg 3
7
The Power of Focusing by Ann Weiser Cornell
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 else needing attention right now. Usually there are several things. (Encourage
the directee to tell you what's happening, so you know when to move on with
each stage.)

2. Felt Sense:
From among what came in step 1, select one personal problem or issue to focus
on. Ask if it is okay to be with this for a moment, then stand back and take a
moment to get a sense of how all of the problem/issue feels inside. (If the answer
is “no” as in too painful or scary perhaps, stay with the “no” and hold that.)
Let yourself feel the unclear/fuzzy sense of “all of that”. It’s partly a matter of
shutting up for a change to listen and feel.

3. Handle:
What is the quality of this unclear felt sense or a word that might describe it? A
word like tight, heavy, scary, helpless, stuck may come, or an image or phrase
from the felt sense itself, like “have to perform”, “trapped with no way out”. (I
once had a picture of a tightly wound up watch spring, when focusing on a
frustrating issue in my life).

4. Resonating:
Go back and forth between the felt sense and the word, phrase or image, checking
to see that they resonate together or ‘fit/match/connect just right’. Does ........
(what you said) fit/connect right with how you are feeling?

5. Asking:
Use the question that best fits what is said. “What makes the whole problem so
_____________?” or “what is it about that whole thing, that touches or moves
me?” Or ask the feeling, “How do you need me to be with you? Is there anything
you need me to know? What would it take for this to feel okay? Be with the felt
sense until a ‘shift’ takes place, a slight ‘give’ or release. (Perhaps a headache or
tension you were aware of fades, breathing becomes easier or a winding down of
the watch spring releases pressure, as in my case.) If the mind rushes in with
mental answers, go back to the ‘handle’ to ‘feel’ the problem again.

6. Receiving / Nuturing Period:

Receive whatever comes in a friendly way. Be gentle with it, and stay with it as
long as you need to. If you need to stop due to time, promise to return to it at a
later time if it needs more of your attention. Thank it for being there with you. A
sure sign of focusing is that it will feel good - even if a felt shift did not take
place. It's being friendly and kind to yourself, accepting both negative and
positive as valued learning experience.

“FOCUSING IS A WAY OF LOVING GOD WITH YOUR WHOLE SELF. IT

PROVIDES NEW MEANING AND FRESH PERSPECTIVE - A BODY
LANGUAGE RICH FOR SPIRITUAL GROWING.”8

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quote from a handout
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WHAT IS BIO-SPIRITUALITY?

Fr. Edwin M McMahon, Ph. D. and Fr. Peter A Campbell, Ph. D. are psychologists of
religion. Through their research, they have explored the link between Focusing and
Spirituality. Our bodies have the ability to experience ‘felt meaning’ as a bridge into
spiritual experience, where we become open to, and encounter the God of surprises.
We stop trying to control our lives, and reason everything logically, and begin to
listen to a greater wisdom within ourselves. Letting go and allowing God to draw us
inside to whatever was real, yet unknown. This can be difficult and scary stuff, but
isn’t that often the way of spiritual growth, wholeness and faith?

“The way we pass the life of the Spirit on is not by information, but by discovering
and finding our way into the ‘updrafts’ of the body. ....”9 (like the hawk in the updraft
- he can not see the column of air, but he can sense/feel it)

“Focusing brings reconciliation, owning ourselves, becoming a more real person,

which is life-giving and life-changing. Conversion is finally surrendering to the truth
of ourselves”10.

“God is as close to us as we can risk being in touch with ourselves.”11

HOW IS FOCUSING USEFUL IN SPIRITUAL DIRECTION?

1. Focusing is particularly useful when a directee gets stuck and has difficulty in
seeing the “woods for the trees” or has become confused or scattered.
Focusing finds a way through the difficult issues of life, enables one to see more
accurately what is important, and more open to the journey ahead. Progress is
made, new growth and healing takes place. A directee12 said -
“it was through an image obtained in focusing that I was able to name
and claim the feelings of emptiness and being on a long lonely journey.
For me to be able to acknowledge and befriend these feelings in a safe
environment and in a non-violent way, that I was able to admit my
stuckness. A felt sense came which shifted the focus and I was able to
gradually move forward”.

Clearing the space (step one), helps directees to get to the issues that are most
prominent. As one spiritual director said –
“Through the process of sitting with the body sense of it all and
allowing the ‘more of the story’ to unfold, the focusing steps have

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Body Search for Spirit - video tape. Session 7
10
Body Search for Spirit - video tape. Session 8
11
Body Search for Spirit - video tape. Session 9
12
No names are given for quotes from material directees and directors sent to me in order to retain
confidentiality.

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 enabled the Directee to find a better space in which to discern what is
really happening for him/her.”

One directee who came to spiritual direction with many mid-life issues, after a
time of silent reflection, named the felt-sense as a “grey sponge in the middle of
her chest”. When asked to allow the grey sponge to dialogue with her, she
eventually smiled and said “the sponge has thanked me for finally taking notice of
it.” She left the session with the desire to care for this image and to unfold more
of the story that this image was offering her.

2. Focusing is useful when one does not seem to have healthy feelings and
attitudes towards themselves, is particularly hard on themselves, and duly
relates this somewhere in their concept or image of God.
Here focusing encourages patience with ourselves, respect, befriending, caring
and understanding. One directee, repeatedly struggled with forgiveness of a
person who had wronged her greatly, several years ago. As she focused, and
stopped “hitting herself over the head”, feeling guilty for what happened and her
inability to forgive, but instead befriended and listened to the feelings over the
issue, she was able to move forward - in kindness and understanding toward
herself and the person, deepening also her relationship with and gratitude towards
God. As one director said “it helps directees to get to befriend difficult issues,
embrace happy thoughts, honour and be grateful for feelings - all of which
encourages non-violence.”

One directee had been struggling with intense frustration at work, and feeling
trapped and unable to make any significant changes to the causes of stress she was
feeling. Losing her voice physically, she was encouraged to listen to what her
body was saying to her (I have no voice), and while focusing on the frustration’s
later, the words came - “You deserve to be heard”. As a result, she not only felt
better, but was more courageous in sharing her feelings. This relieved the stress
and tension significantly within herself, bringing more settledness in her work.

3. It can be very helpful in grounding an extrovert, who may be talking all

around issues.
As another spiritual director has found –
“I have found focusing works well with an extrovert who is doing a lot
of talking around events etc and where I sense through the use of a
certain word or attitude that there is more to the story. It is a very
grounding process for a person in this situation and the images,
symbols, and awarenesses are able to be worked with during the
direction session and beyond if desired.”

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CONCLUSION

Finally, with experiencing focusing practically myself, and having introduced

focusing to one directee, who is also an extrovert, I have found that most of the above
quotes and statements from other directors have matched my own experience. Also,
as a directee, I found focusing wonderfully freeing for me. It made me far more
aware of my ‘felt senses’ on a daily basis, meaning that issues are looked at before
they become major or more confusing. I now pay more attention to both positive and
negative feeling, and my body reactions - allowing my body wisdom to speak to me.
Being kinder and listening to myself, instead of pushing away negative feelings, has
helped me to embrace God as He exists within me – I realise afresh that God is
indeed in the unknowing, in any pain, emptiness or confusion, as well as the joys of
my life. I have become more aware of who I am, paying more attention to the small
inner voice, to intuition, to gut feeling, my inner child, my whole being.

As I direct, focusing has helped me become more aware of my ‘felt senses’ - in what
is being said, both verbally and physically, within myself and my directee.

I personally feel, along with other directors using focusing, that the benefits are
limitless. Even when one says upon clearing a space, that ‘nothing’ is there, one
discovers that nothing is something. “What does that ‘nothing feel like?” And often
more of the story unfolds.

One thing I have not pursued is the question - Do T’s (Thinkers on the Myers Briggs
Type Indicator) find it harder to tune into a ‘felt sense’ than F’s - (feeling types)? -
and on the Enneagram - Do Head-centred persons find it harder than Heart or Gut-
centred persons? So I send out a challenge to all you Myer-Briggs and Enneagram
personality types. Give focusing a go and let me know.

For those interested in learning more about Focusing, I would recommend you attend
a Focusing Work Shop by Nada Lou (see below under Mercy Life in Bibliography).
Also read any of the books below or view the tapes to further your understanding.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books
CAMPBELL. Peter A. Ph.D. & MCMAHON Edwin M., Ph.D. Bio-Spirituality -
Focusing As A Way To Grow, Loyola University Press, Chicago: 1985

CORNELL. Ann Weiser, Ph.D. The Power Of Focusing - A Practical Guide To

Emotional Self-Healing, New Harbinger Publications: 1996

GENDLIN. Eugene T. Ph.D. Focusing, Bantam Books. First printing 1978 Revised
version 1982

Video Tapes
COMING HOME THROUGH FOCUSING WITH EUGENE T. GENDLIN PH.D.
Part 1 & 2. Focusing and Listening
Produced By Nada Lou 1998

THE BODY’S SEARCH FOR SPIRIT WITH EDWIN M McMAHON & PETER A.
CAMPBELL
Excerpts from a Six Day Programme
Videos 1,2,3 & 4. Sessions 1-12
Produced by Nada Lou

BIO-SPIRITUAL FOCUSING: The Next Generation - Young Adults who grew up

with focusing
The Institute for Bio-Spiritual Research Millineum Gathering 2000

FOCUSING TEACHERS - INDIVIDUAL STYLES AND APPROACHES.

Produced by Nada Lou

THE POWER OF LISTENING with ANN WEISER CORNELL

Addresses for the above resource materials

The Focusing Institute,

34 East Lane, Spring Valley
NY 10977
914-362-5222
[email protected]
www.focusing.org

NADA LOU PRODUCTIONS

CANADA
www.nadalou.com

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Additional Resources

MERCY SPIRITUALITY CENTRE

Sisters of Mercy
104 The Drive
Epsom
AUCKLAND
Ph 09 638 6238

… run BIO-SPIRITUAL FOCUSING INTEREST GROUP evenings, for those who

have completed at least level one workshop and wish to deepen their knowledge and
skills of focusing.

They also bring Nada Lou to New Zealand periodically, to run the workshops on
Focusing which are very clear and worthwhile to attend if you would like to pursue
Focusing further.

Lynne Brown
PO Box 7
PUKEKOHE

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