The Process of Focusing

by Father William Meninger

Focusing is the process that enables us to hear what the body is telling us, through feelings, about our wounds and what to do about them. It can be used for other things involving body knowledege, such as dreams  or spiritual insights in prayer or Scripture reading, but, for our purposes here, we will limit it to the healing of wounds.

Here is a simple explanation of the focusing process. You can actually experience it as you go through the instructions:

1. Sit quietly for a moment; take several deep, slow breaths. Offer this prayer, or a similar one in your own words:   Dear Lord, thank you for gracing me to spend these few moments with your presence. I would like to respond to the innate ability you give me to listen to my body's knowledge. I want to recognize that pain is my body's way of calling my attention to my hurts and that it is also a means to lead me into the healing process. You have never promised me as a Christian, that I would be free from pain (crosses). But you have promised to be with me in my trials and sufferings and to bring me through them in new and grace-filled life. Amen
2. Now feel your body. Perhaps you might give your attention to your solar plexus (guts!), the location of many vague, uncomfortable feelings. Indeed, some people are constantly affected by unfocused, abiding discomfort here. They have never known what these feelings mean or how to deal with them. Go through your whole body - are there any puzzling pains, aches, feelings, anywhere that you cannot account for? Simply let them arise. Don't do anything for a while but just feel! Give your body there or four minutes to speak to you through some feeling or other. Body knowledge takes longer than intellectual knowledge. Don't be concerned with the first thing that comes to mind but wait for something to come to your body feelings. It may be connected to what is in the mind or it may not. Just allow the feeling to be there. Do not do anything else. The feeling may be a physical (e.g., muscle) pain, it may be excitement, fear, heaviness, or depression. What ever it is, it is the body speaking. Don't run from it. This is what we do too often. Drugs, alcohol, medicine, sex and work are the ways we use to get away from body knowledge. Today, you are not going to run. You are going to listen - even through it hurts. If it is very painful just reach out in your heart to God who is present to you and who will accompany you in your search for healing. Allow yourself to weep if this is called for. Weeping is also body language. Realize that whatever you feel is a call for healing. It is not a enemy but a friend or a teacher. Just accept it and be with it for a little while.

excerpt from "The Process of Forgiviness"