{"id":688,"date":"2009-04-10T17:02:24","date_gmt":"2009-04-10T21:02:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cefocusing.com\/wordpress\/?p=688"},"modified":"2009-04-10T17:02:25","modified_gmt":"2009-04-10T21:02:25","slug":"intuitive-focusing-the-one-minute-pause-reflecting-not-reacting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cefocusing.com\/wordpress\/intuitive-focusing-the-one-minute-pause-reflecting-not-reacting\/","title":{"rendered":"INTUITIVE FOCUSING: THE ONE MINUTE PAUSE — REFLECTING, NOT REACTING"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Self-Reflection\"<\/a>

Self-Reflection<\/p><\/div>\n

We like to think of ourselves as free. But, most of the time, we are actually simply reacting to the stimuli around us. Something happens, and we REACT. We do not usually STOP, even for a moment, to REFLECT upon what is happening. We are not “free” but quite controlled by the situations around us. And, most importantly, we are also controlled\u00a0by the residue left by our past experiences in similar situations.<\/p>\n

Human beings have the special capacity to be self-reflective. We are able to take a step back and look at what we are doing, ponder, “Why am I acting like this in this situation?”, and change our future actions. But too seldom do we take this “one minute pause”\u00a0 before reacting.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The capacity for self-reflection becomes urgently important when our “reactions” are not serving us well. It is then that we seek psychotherapy or other help — to figure out why we act as we do and how we might act differently.<\/p>\n

True change\u00a0comes from INSIDE and cannot be given as advice by another. Change from advice is short-term. Through self-reflection, change becomes lasting.\u00a0\u00a0Internal patterns change, like a kaleidoscope turning. THEN new thoughts, emotions, and action steps become possible.<\/p>\n

Before a crisis leads to therapy, self-reflection can be learned as the simple self-help skill, Intuitive Focusing<\/a>. Based upon Eugene Gendlin’s six-step Focusing process (Focusing<\/em>, Bantam, 1981, 1984), Intuitive Focusing is the disciplined “practice” of self-reflection. Intuitive Focusing\u00a0makes productive use of\u00a0the PAUSE for self-reflection.<\/p>\n

During the pause, the Focuser turns inward and pays attention to the “intuitive feel,” the “something-more-than-words”\u00a0 which underlies\u00a0thoughts, behaviors, actions.\u00a0During this quiet inner attention, the Focuser looks for words or images that are “just right” in capturing the “intuitive feel.” When “just right” symbolizations are found, the “bodily-felt sense” opens and shifts, is carried forward to new understandings. The kaleidoscope turns, and a whole new pattern of possibilities arises.<\/p>\n

The PRISMS\/S PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS<\/a> begins with the PAUSE and goes through the Intuitive Focusing steps needed for paradigm shifts, for the kaleidoscope to turn.<\/p>\n

While Intuitive Focusing can be practiced alone, the quiet time for self-reflection can be greatly facilitated by the company of a Focused Listener<\/a>. The Focused Listener says back the Focusers words, with special attention to the “feeling tone,” the “something more than words.” In a Focusing Community<\/a>, people take turns as the Focuser and Listener, helping each other with problem solving.<\/p>\n

Experiential Focusing Therapy<\/a> also places emphasis upon teaching this self-help\u00a0skill of productive self-reflection, so that clients can continue to solve their own problems throughout their life.<\/p>\n

For application in business settings, see my article, \u201cCreative Edge Organizations: Businesses and Organizations As A \u2018Kind\u2019 Of Focusing Community\u201d<\/span><\/a>\u00a0from The Folio: Thirtieth Anniversity Tribute edition at The Focusing Institute, www.focusing.org<\/span><\/a> .<\/p>\n

You can learn all about Intuitive Focusing and Focused Listening with the many resources listed below:<\/p>\n

CREATIVE EDGE FOCUSING(tm): \u00a0SELF-HELP SKILLS FOR HOME AND WORK<\/strong><\/p>\n

Free Downloads:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Instant \u201cAhah!\u201d Mini-Manual<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n

Complete Focusing Instructions Manual (17 pages)<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cAjas\u201d Instantaneos Mini-Manual<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Creative Edge Focusing (<\/strong>www.cefocusing.com<\/strong><\/span><\/a> )<\/strong> teaches two basic self-help skills, Intuitive Focusing<\/span><\/a> and Focused Listening<\/span><\/a>, which can be applied at home and at work through The Creative Edge Focusing Pyramid<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Based upon Gendlin\u2019s Experiential Focusing (<\/strong>www.focusing.org<\/strong><\/span><\/a> )\u00a0and Rogers\u2019 Empathic Listening,<\/strong> our website is packed with Free Resources and instructions in these basic self-help skills. Learn\u00a0how to build Support Groups<\/span><\/a>, Conscious Relationships<\/span><\/a>, and Creative Edge Organizations <\/span><\/a>based upon these basic skills of emotional intelligence.<\/p>\n

You can try out\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong>\u201cFocusing: Find Out What Is Bothering You.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Click here to subscribe to\u00a0Creative Edge Focusing(TM)\u2019s \u00a0Instant \u201cAhah!\u201d e-newsletter and get the latest exercises first!!!<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Click here for a free Intuitive Focusing Mini-Course<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Click here for a free Focused Listening Mini-Course<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0See \u00a0Core Concept: Conflict Resolution<\/span><\/a><\/strong>\u00a0to find a complete mini-course on Interpersonal Focusing and Conflict Resolution, including Rosenberg\u2019s Non-Violent Communication, Blanchard\u2019s \u201cOne Minute Apology,\u201d Patricia Evan\u2019s books on Verbally Abuse and Controlling Relationships, McMahon\u2019s Beyond The Myth Of Dominance, <\/em>and much more.<\/strong><\/p>\n

See\u00a0 Core Concept: Intimate Relationship<\/span><\/a> to find a complete mini-course on increasing intimacy and sexuality, including the \u201cSharing Your Day\u201d exercise, Listening\/Focusing Partnerships for The Way of Relationship, untangling and equalizing desire, tantric sexuality, and much more.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Download complete Instant \u201cAhah!\u201d Mini-Manual, in <\/strong>English<\/strong><\/span><\/a> and <\/strong>Spanish<\/strong><\/span><\/a>, from CEF Website, or download from links at top of this blog.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Find links to <\/strong>free articles, personality tests, multi-media\u00a0Self-Help training, Classes and workshops<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Dr. Kathy McGuire<\/span><\/a>, Director<\/p>\n

Creative Edge Focusing (TM)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

www.cefocusing.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Self-reflection, the “pause” before acting or reacting, is a learnable skill. Based upon Gendlin’s Focusing (Bantam, 1981, 1984), the PRISMS\/S Problem Solving Process, including Intuitive Focusing and Focused Listening, teaches basic self-help skills for self-reflection. The kaleidoscope turns, and new ideas and action steps become possible.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32,10,13,11],"tags":[103,655,482,754,57,93,160,221,744,54,745,572],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cefocusing.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/688"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cefocusing.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cefocusing.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cefocusing.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cefocusing.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=688"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.cefocusing.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/688\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":699,"href":"https:\/\/www.cefocusing.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/688\/revisions\/699"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cefocusing.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=688"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cefocusing.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=688"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cefocusing.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=688"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}