Something in us might be short of choice when it comes to being hostage to the Cartesian ‘I think therefore I am’ mind, hostage to anxiety, worry, beliefs, convictions, depression and more.  Focusing Training Winter 2025 https://www.tickettailor.com/events/focusing There is another way, through Embodied Relational Presence for deeper healing and forward movement.

Healing Connection, Creativity, Community, Wellbeing through Relational Presence

# Working with Difficult Patterns: A Focusing-Based Meditation

## Introduction: Relationship and Safety with Patterns

Let's explore the theme of relationship and safety when coming into relationship with patterns which have not served us so well—anxiety patterns, or anger patterns.

They are serving us at a certain level, meeting needs. Something in us has learned that pattern, and it has been meaningful. However, years later, the same pattern is out of context, seemingly running the show. The more we try to stop it or change it, the more persistent it seems to be.

Anxiety patterns, depression, things like that can be included in this.

## Noticing the Mental Content

We can notice the mental content—the story: it's never going to change, I can't get out of this, I'm never going to learn focusing, whatever.

We just pause, and then very gently start resting in the sensing.

## Beginning to Sense

You'll notice the feeling in the body. I'm not asking you to go there, but it's probably already apparent, already sending out messages. That's okay. We notice that.

### Grounding

We begin to sense the Earth. Quite literally, sensing the ground under your feet. Really taking time to notice that. What's that like? Contact.

Yes, it's neutral, and it's even a relief compared to what's going on inside. Feeling that relief. Feeling this contact.

Contact with the chair, the settee. You're not denying the feeling, you're just including the sensing.

### Subtle Sensations and Space

Noticing any other nuanced or subtle sensation in the body or on the body now. Maybe the breathing.

Really importantly, noticing sounds—the sound of silence, your laptop, technology, cars, neighbors, friends. There's always something.

What that sound offers is also a sense of space. You're already in the space. That space extends out beyond the four walls. Really sensing the space—quite subtle, but quite distinct.

Space is breathing you. The universe is breathing you. That space extends into the chest and out again. Noticing this activity in space.

## Building the Container

You've got feet on the ground, spaciousness, lots of subtle sensations. You also have feeling tones in the chest, tummy, or throat. It could be quite intense, or mild.

You can now tell the difference between feet on the ground, body on the chair, space. Now it is more contextual.

## Saying Hello to the Part

I invite you to say: Is it okay to say hello to you, that part of me in there? Wait to hear back.

If you don't get an obvious objection, just say, "Oh, hello, it's like that in me right now. It's a bit like anxiety, hurt, or..." whatever.

## Sensing in Relation

Keep noticing the ground. Rest with the ground under your feet briefly. Rest with the chair, or seat underneath you. Sense these sensations in relation to where it is in the body, the feeling tone. Sensing both together.

Now sensing a sound somewhere in the distance, or space. As your body senses space, sense whatever's alive in you inside. Space AND what's that something inside of you?

Notice another part of the body which is neutral—maybe your hands or arms. Notice the neutrality of those sensations. Clothing on the skin there.

Again, noticing the feeling tone inside the body at the same time. Noticing the breathing and the feeling tone.

## Offering Care and Compassion

Just pausing with it all. Having a sense of the whole body sensing as best the body can, and that feeling tone.

Inviting in an attitude of care and compassion. Place your hand on your chest or tummy with this more warm, kindly attitude.

From the whole sensing, we're saying hello to that part: "Hello, it's like that for you. It's not very easy right now."

I'm thanking you for being here. I'm offering you love and support from the whole sensing universe.

## Closing

Rest in the space around the body. Grounded and spacious. Let this open awareness of space rest in itself. You can really use your ears for this, listening outwards.

Working with Difficult Patterns: A Focusing-Based Meditation for Soothing and Safety

Playcise 6 Noticing and Connecting Feeling to Variety of Sensations


Welcome to this focusing experience on intuition and creativity.
Yeah, something in us knows all about that, I guess. Those qualities.
Arriving into Presence
So, just pausing… I'm becoming available to a quality of presence, and even… qualities of intuition and creativity.
Inviting the freshness of experience to make itself known, to flow, to emerge.
The Source of Creativity
Perhaps creativity and intuition are harbored in the soul, in the heart, in the depths. Not so much, perhaps, in the head – although maybe it too has its creative flair.
Just landing… Sensing… Mother Earth under our feet, under the body.
There's something about that connection with Earth. Connection with something deeper. The source of creativity.
After all, you plant the seed in the earth, and you might end up with a mighty redwood, a rose, or some other beautiful expression.
Spacious Awareness
Just pausing in the sensing, in the breathing, in the spaciousness, in the trillions of stars.
Making room for what's here. What wants to be known? Something new, perhaps. Something experiential. A new experience. A new quality of flow.
The Old as Compost
Classically, in focusing, it comes from the old paradigms. The old is the compost for the new growth.
So just pausing with whatever's present there. Something buried.
And maybe receiving it in a way that's tender and warm and caring.
Transformation and Emergence
Making room for the treasure beneath. The pearls in the oyster, buried below.
Like a bud beginning to emerge into a new leaf, a new shoot.
Like the clouds demystifying as the sun comes through. As the constellations appear, bright and starry, very gently.
Inviting Qualities
Inviting qualities of awe, wonder, amazement, curiosity, beauty, play, spontaneity, freedom.
And staying true at the same time to whatever's here.
The Golden Eagle
And an image of a nest high up is coming to me. Maybe a baby golden eagle for the first time, the fledgling, testing out its wings.
Learning to drop into the sky, trusting the wings as they just take over, supporting a magical, soaring sense of elevation.
Effortlessly moving, cutting across the sky, drifting in the blue, rising up in the thermals with a panoramic view of all things.
Hovering and resting in the spaciousness.


Intuition and Creativity Golden Eagle Soaring in the Sky Attunement

How do come alongside parts that are raw vulnerable or insecure in a way that is supportive, healing and going to allow you to move forward in your life, in a more integrated and happer way?

Compassionate Welcoming and Accompaniment of Tender  Vulnerable Parts


Perhaps you've had a busy day, or a quiet day, or… Sensing the quality of the day.
And…
Yeah, just making some time here for you. It's time out.
So, pausing… And settling.
Grounding with the Earth
I'm just dropping down to where perhaps your body meets the earth. On a chair, settee, on the floor.
Feeling contact, grounding, earthing… Feeling the resonance with the earth.
Supporting us.
Always available at all times.
Opening to Sensation
And just being available and sensitive to your senses.
Maybe sensing the shape of your whole body.
And maybe sensing the space around you in your room.
And that space, of course, extending outside…
Stretching out goodly, infinitely, into that sea of diamonds.
A-glittering away, keeping us company.
So, grounded and spacious.
Breath and Inner Universe
As if being breathed by this… universe.
And sensing inwardly to the universe within.
What's there? What kind of mood, or sensations, or… What kind of experience is there? Some feeling tone. Some mood…
Just settling alongside all that.
Inviting Care and Safety
Maybe inviting some care, some warmth. Some gentleness. Some safety.
Connecting with Intention
Just checking in with your intention. Something around… Wanting to… Explore.
A richer life. More peace. More connection. More safety.
More freedom. More ease. More healing and wholeness.
More fun and play. Learning and growth.
More community and friendship. Closeness. Love.
Cool.
Heart's Longing
Just sensing what brings you here. What's important to you? What would make your life more wonderful?
What's the heart's longing?
Yeah, giving those… Questions some space to land more deeply.

Safe Inner Space Landing Attunement

Settling and Landing: A Winter Focusing Meditation
Welcome and Arrival
Welcome here to this focusing experience at the beginning of winter. Right now, it's kind of dark, and the stars are out, offering their magic, sharing their starlight. And if we're lucky, we're somewhere warm and cozy.
Landing into Presence
As we are invited to settle and land. Land. Landing. Landing from where? Well, often, busy thinking—the doing, getting, and having mind, of course, propelled into the future. Or lamenting, or fantasizing about the past, maybe.
It's all welcome, all these elements, welcome. They can join the party. I was thinking of the Mad Hatter's party when I said that. Yeah, so... Alice in Wonderland, through the looking glass. It's like that sometimes, isn't it? The realities that present themselves—weird, wonderful, and magical.
Dropping Down
And there's more. So, just pausing... and maybe just dropping down. Not down the rabbit hole—down to where the feet meet the ground.
And sensing the chair, the earth, bringing us into stability, safety, groundedness—through which the weird, wonderful, and magical can, as it were, visit, and we can sit with them. Maybe with a touch of humor, love, care, compassion.
Sensing the Space
Settling in. Sensing the space around the body, maybe, and the companionship of all those stars and sentience we share the planet with.
And something within us is here. Something down there. Something subtle, something more obvious, something less than happy, something expansive and happy enough. Maybe a mixture around that table.
Offering Hello
Yeah. And if it feels right, a little hello, through a side glance, at a distance.
All these parts, wanting, ultimately, love, appreciation, care, space—to melt into their treasure, to flow like a sea of emeralds, or like a river of emeralds into that sea of jewels.
Resting Here
Resting here, with it all, in your own unique way. Or being with it in a way that works for you right now.

A river and  sea of Jewels Focusing Attunement

Presence Deep Rest Meditations and Reflections inspired by Focusing, Mindfulness and Nonviolent communication Embodied Relational Presence training and personal coaching.  https://www.living-presence.co.uk/

Playcise 6 Noticing and Connecting Feeling to Variety of Sensations

Simon McKibbin Presence Meditations & Reflections