Creative Edge Focusing E-Newsletter

Relaxation #4: Counting Meditation

Are You Counting For Calming?            

Dr. Kathy McGuire, Director                      Week Two

From Creative Edge Focusing: This month's Relaxation Exercise :  COUNTING MEDITATION
 
Week Two ---"Ahhhhh....pause with me for ten minutes....and just relax!!!
 I will send a relaxation exercise each week as a reminder to pause... 
 
Learning to "clear a space inside" through Relaxation, Guided Imagery, Meditation, and the formal Clearing A Space exercise (also in your Instant "Ahah!" Mini-Manual) is the first step of the longer problem-solving process, Intuitive Focusing.
 
Some people find it easy to drop all their stress and enter into an interior Focusing space.  But, many people need easy first steps of practice for "going quietly inside." And even experienced Focusers get caught up in stress and business and welcome a reminder to take a moment to....pause.....(sigh!)...pay attention to their breathing.......(ahhhhhh!)......and...relax.
Kathy's Experience With Counting This Week
 
Ahhhh! I looked and found the Counting e-reminder waiting, and I actually felt a "leap" inside of relief, of the relief I would find from just counting---and breathing---counting---and breathing.
 
So, I did the exercise. I noticed here it says "Count to 7," where elsewhere I have said, "Count to 9." Ahhh!!!  Breath it out. A mistake that means nothing---
 
Some people believe that, in the moments of relaxation brought by meditation, your body might just re-organize itself, self-healing.
 
Others believe that, with repetition, the meditative state of relaxation carries over in your everyday living.
 
Me, I welcome any moments of relaxation, I can feel their healing power, and I welcome these e-reminders, because I really might not ever "pause" without them.
 
But I still turn to the additional steps of Focusing when I need to sort through something and look for deep change at the level of paradigm shifts.

  COUNTING MEDITATION

 

  Our first Relaxation exercise #1 was Noticing. Then, in exercise #2 we did Guided Imagery At The Beach, then exercise #3, Guided Imagery in The Forest. Now, with Exercise #4 (p. 6 in the Free Download Complete Focusing Instructions), we go back to a meditation more like Noticing:

 

                             Counting Meditation-Allow 10-15 minutes

 

     Here is a simple form of meditation, a way of quieting your mind from its continuous racing---You will learn to discipline yourself to pay attention to counting and breathing, setting aside any thoughts that distract you.

 

      This is not as simple as it sounds! Time and again, you will find that you have forgotten about counting and breathing and allowed your mind to return to its habitual ways of worrying. But the learning is in the trying. If you drift away, simply notice this and return to counting and breathing.

 

---Lie down or sit down and make yourself comfortable---loosen any clothing that is too tight---

1 minute

---Stretch---and relax---stretch---and relax---stretch---and relax---10 seconds

 

---Begin by simply notice your breathing---do not try to force it---just notice the breath going in---and out---in---and out---in---and out---10 seconds

 

---Now, you are going to count from one to seven along with your breathing. Count each time you exhale. So, inhale, then, as you exhale, count "1" to yourself---inhale, and, as you exhale, count "2"---inhale, and, as you exhale, count "3"---and so on, until you reach "7".

30 seconds

---When you reach "7," just start over again, with inhale, then count "1" on the exhale--- and continue up to "7."

30 seconds

---You will find again and again that you have lost track of your counting and drifted off into random thoughts. Don't punish yourself or get upset with yourself. Just notice and return to watching your breathing, and counting.

1 minute

--- Continue repeating as long as you wish, noticing when your thoughts stray and just bringing yourself gently back to counting, from "1" to "7", over and again---

5-10 minutes

---And, when you are, ready, slowly come back into the room.

 

Print and Practice!!!!! Counting Meditation
 
Here is your relaxation exercise for this month. Print it out, keep it handy, and take those few moments to relax every day, if you can, or as often as possible. Or, you can just open this weekly reminder and walk through the exercise online. Relaxing is one way to "clear a space" inside for a longer-term Focusing Problem Solving session.
 
You will also find this in the Complete Focusing Instructions download at Creative Edge Focusing, p.6: Pre-Focusing Practice A. Relaxation Suggestions #4: Counting Meditation. You get it by joining our e-support group for further support in practicing Listening and Focusing. OR YOU CAN DOWNLOAD IT FREE FROM THE LINK AT THE TOP OF RECENT BLOGS.
 
And, if you order our Self-Help Package, also in the sidebar icons of our website, you can listen on audio CD Intuitive Focusing: Disk one, Track 5, with Dr, McGuire's peaceful voice to keep you company -- and help you stay on track!! You will also get a DVD where you can watch Intuitive Focusing with a Focused Listening partner, a great way to learn the Focused Listening skill as well.
Use Creative Edge Practice E-Group for Support of Practicing!
 
Clicking on the name will go to full description of the group on Yahoo homepage. You can join there or by emailing as below. In both cases, you can choose between "Email Only" membership, which does not require creating a Yahoo ID (free account) or "Join" which uses your Yahoo ID to give you access to the full benefits of membership through the yahoo website, including access to the archives, photo and article uploading, listing of members, etc.:
 
Creative Edge Practice, a "closed" group (you simply have to be admitted by the moderator to join) in order to offer more safety and security for the vulnerability of sharing Focusing experiences and practicing offering Listening response. Only requirement: a willingness to introduce yourself upon entry into the group. Other than that, you can jump in or learn by observing, whatever works for you. In this e-group, people take an actual Focusing Turn, then receive one or more Listening Responses by email. Surprising, the e-group holds all the warmth, intimacy, connection, and support of a face-to-face Changes Focusing Support Group.
 
You can join from the homepage or by sending an email and putting Subscribe in the Subject Heading.
 
Creative Edge Collaborators is a separate, open group specifically for discussion and networking around projects involving spreading listening/focusing to audiences throughout the world. We brainstorm ideas and give each other tips on our individual projects and on marketing.All you do is join from the homepage or send an email with Subscribe in the Subject Heading.
 
Are You Pausing to Actually Do the Exercise? Are You Counting for Calming?
 
After thirty years working with Relaxation and Focusing, I am still delighted to be given a reminder to actually pause and practice what I preach! I hope you can welcome yourself to take the ten-twenty minutes to just relax, reducing stress, "clearing a space inside," increasing mental clarity and probably prolonging your life as well!
 

The quiet time between instructions is an important time for just breathing---and relaxing.

 

You can lie on the floor or, for most exercises, sit in a chair. If you fall asleep, it's okay! Means you need more rest! But you may also want to practice sitting up to avoid sleeping.

 
Especially at the beginning, time those "1 minute" pauses and enjoy relaxing in the imagery. You will be amazed at how long a minute is, how seldom we ever pause for a whole minute!!!
 
Any of the Relaxation Exercises can be used at the beginning of a longer Focusing session, as a way of "clearing a space" inside, so notice which are your favorites you could call upon.

Disclaimer:Creative Edge e-newsletters are offered purely as self-help skills. In providing them, Dr. McGuire is not engaged in rendering psychological, financial, legal, or other professional services. If expert assistance or counseling is needed, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

About Creative Edge Focusing
Located by Beaver Lake in Rogers, AR, our goal is to support people in the practice of listening/focusing skills, throughout the world, and for personal growth, interpersonal conflict resolution, and creative individual and group problem solving.
 
Creative Edge Focusing (TM)
Dr. Kathy McGuire
Director