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Thursday, July 1, 2010

Focusing - Eugene Gendlin

Listen to your body, it is more truthful than your mind or emotions.

Someone recommended this book to me during a time of great confusion. I was grateful because, even though I didn't have much success with the technique, it helped me focus on my body - something other than my thoughts and emotions (for a change).

It introduces, from a little different perspective than meditation, how to get in touch with your body's sense or knowing. According to the writer, this will help you make better decisions and move through problems faster - after all, who knows better than you about you? Makes sense, but it's not easy to do.

One of the last chapters discusses the importance of listening, really listening, to yourself and others - and this struck a chord with me. How many of use do this?? (I've been practicing ever since).

The fact is: some of the information we use to drive our decisions and lives is outdated and no longer effective at bringing us happiness or down the right path. Not to mention, most of our minds are somewhat unhealthy these days and therefore somewhat useless at helping us along in life. We could benefit from going within, exploring the techniques in this book, and connecting to a new sense.