2/29/08 Inaugural Meeting Notes
Greetings Fellow Focusers, Our first meeting was held onFriday, February 29, 2008from6:30 to 9:00PMat 1 West 29thStreet (off Fifth Avenue), room 600, New York, NY. After registration, casual networking, and enjoying a few comestible edibles the meeting began. 27 people attended. Cynthia Callsen,who initiated and developed this project, welcomed everyone and began the meeting with thanks to all who have helped her along the way: her husband, and Robert Lee, Mary and Gene Gendlin, Larry Hurst (who especially gave lots of time, energy, advice, and counsel), Jude Cobb (the same), Naomi Glicken, Katya Salkinder, and all of the evening’s presenters. Cynthia said that her original felt sensing led her to want to create something new in focusing: a “living focusing body” with enough life and energy to attract others, including newcomers, to join our meetings. There was then a guided lead-in to the meeting byJanet Pfunder,helping us attune ourselves to our individual inner experiences so as to help remain in focusing attention throughout our time together. It was very helpful. Larry Hurst then introduced Anne Shollar & Jenny Ross who would present Focusing in Everyday Life. But first he told us that two post-certification projects had materialized serendipitously at the same time:
Cynthia’s local community of focusers, a project from Robert Lee’s training & Lynn Preston’s group developing special projects…. Larry said that Anne and Jenny, members of Lynn’s group, were going to present a topic not yet covered by the Focusing Institute’s “Focusing and…” listing of special applications,“but then again there was once a Focusing with No-Special-Interest Group”at a focusing international.“And now…Anne and Jenny will give the ‘Everything Bagel’ of Focusing. Anne has a wealth of experience in focusing and will be presenting this evening’s topic in Montreal with Jenny, who also has an extensive background in focusing, and is on the faculty of the Relational Focusing-Oriented Psychotherapy group (RFOP).) And so onto………. ****************************************************************** Focusing in Everyday Life:(a brief summary) Both Jenny and Anne agreed that focusing had changed their lives. This led them to an interest in using focusingeveryday. They elaborated on this: throughout the day we have the ability to focus – to sense into the moment. It can deepen our everyday living, and our understanding of each day. Moment to moment there can be awareness and insight. We understand unformulated experience viscerally. The felt sense (FS) is the messenger of the unsaid: the bodily felt wholistic sense of the complexity of any situation. Examples were given:
Responses from the group: “This feels like a coming home to me.” “We will change if we listen and focus everyday.” “This takes Carl Rogers’ work a revolutionary step further.” “Over the past 40 years focusing has been associated mainly with psychological professionals. But it’s for anyone, everywhere.” “This is wonderful.” (End of presentation -and thank you both) ************************************************** Susan Rudnickthen presented a briefcommercialfor the conference with Gene Gendlin on March 29th. It will be “plain talk about intricate matters” inunderstanding Gene’s philosophy.”Check out www.focusing.org for details.
We had a short break for more nibbling, conviviality, fun, and relaxation. If you were not there you should have been, and we missed you.
Katya Salkinder,with all her experience in Tantra and movement, then led us through a few movement exercises. It was movement with a focusing attitude, and with sound. That loosened many of us up. Maybe all.
Jude Cobb introduced Susan Rudnick: Susan is a seasoned psychotherapist who is also a sleep specialist and Zen practitioner. She has been focusing for several years. Susan moderated our
Discussion of the Development of this Local Focusing Organization Susan said that when Cynthia had called about developing this group, “I had a felt-sense light bulb turn on….she had articulated an implicit urge to help this group move foreward.” Susan said that there are many focusing conferences and meetings, yet there is a need for more sense of continuity in the community. She then asked us to focus on “Why am I here? And what do I want?” After a few minutes she asked us to contribute a word or two that resonated with what had come up for each of us. As individuals spoke,Robin Kappyrecorded word responses on a flip chart for us, which can be viewed on our new discussion list blog by joining at http://www.groups.google.com/group/ny-metro-focusing/
Some of the thoughts expressed were: New Living Focusing Body- Belonging; Community; Grounded respect; Need for a regular meeting for focusers in this geographic area, esp. after trainings have ended; Opportunity to interact in an everyday way with one another different from other focusing settings; A dynamic, linking, unique tapestry interweaving art and movement with focusing; Sharing the intricacy of the implicit and explicit; Partaking of the variety and richness of focusing together; Welcoming new people; Inviting new opportunities; Listening and teaching listening; “Knitting together”; Moving in an “unprepackaged” way; and a hub for processing in a focusing way.
RobinKappy offered to start a blog. EllenKirschner volunteered to help us name ourselves and we came up with the temporary name: ‘New York Metro Focusing’ It was felt by some that ‘Metro’ would invite anyone from the region of New York City, the boroughs, Long Island, upstate New York, western Connecticut, eastern Pennsylvania, and northern New Jersey. (and might I mention also Asia-Africa-Europe- All of North and South America- the Pacific rim- Australia and other islands positioned around the globe- etc)…..truly, everyone is invited if s/he wishes to make the trip every two months. Cynthialed a few minutes of a felt-sense closing, then reminded us to fill out our questionnaires which might more inform the organizers about how to move forward. Convivially, we parted, many of us having made new acquaintances in focusing.
Next meetings are scheduled for Friday evenings: April 25 and June 13 at 6:30 pm. Robin Kappy and Janet Pfunder will present on “Visual Experiencing” at our April meeting, and Robert Lee has agreed to present at the June meeting. We will meet in the same location (1 W. 29th St.) but in a different room. Look for further meeting announcements for additional information.
Cordially, Your note taker, Sharon Doyle
Greetings Fellow Focusers, Our first meeting was held onFriday, February 29, 2008from6:30 to 9:00PMat 1 West 29thStreet (off Fifth Avenue), room 600, New York, NY. After registration, casual networking, and enjoying a few comestible edibles the meeting began. 27 people attended. Cynthia Callsen,who initiated and developed this project, welcomed everyone and began the meeting with thanks to all who have helped her along the way: her husband, and Robert Lee, Mary and Gene Gendlin, Larry Hurst (who especially gave lots of time, energy, advice, and counsel), Jude Cobb (the same), Naomi Glicken, Katya Salkinder, and all of the evening’s presenters. Cynthia said that her original felt sensing led her to want to create something new in focusing: a “living focusing body” with enough life and energy to attract others, including newcomers, to join our meetings. There was then a guided lead-in to the meeting byJanet Pfunder,helping us attune ourselves to our individual inner experiences so as to help remain in focusing attention throughout our time together. It was very helpful. Larry Hurst then introduced Anne Shollar & Jenny Ross who would present Focusing in Everyday Life. But first he told us that two post-certification projects had materialized serendipitously at the same time:
Cynthia’s local community of focusers, a project from Robert Lee’s training & Lynn Preston’s group developing special projects…. Larry said that Anne and Jenny, members of Lynn’s group, were going to present a topic not yet covered by the Focusing Institute’s “Focusing and…” listing of special applications,“but then again there was once a Focusing with No-Special-Interest Group”at a focusing international.“And now…Anne and Jenny will give the ‘Everything Bagel’ of Focusing. Anne has a wealth of experience in focusing and will be presenting this evening’s topic in Montreal with Jenny, who also has an extensive background in focusing, and is on the faculty of the Relational Focusing-Oriented Psychotherapy group (RFOP).) And so onto………. ****************************************************************** Focusing in Everyday Life:(a brief summary) Both Jenny and Anne agreed that focusing had changed their lives. This led them to an interest in using focusingeveryday. They elaborated on this: throughout the day we have the ability to focus – to sense into the moment. It can deepen our everyday living, and our understanding of each day. Moment to moment there can be awareness and insight. We understand unformulated experience viscerally. The felt sense (FS) is the messenger of the unsaid: the bodily felt wholistic sense of the complexity of any situation. Examples were given:
- A person might focus on a disquieting feeling after a contact with someone. The meaning may be tenuous, but always present. Wait for it to come. Resist labeling. Bring compassionate awareness to it. Keep company with it. Check and recheck. Note the evolution of the sensation.
- While focusing, childhood experiences often come through a FS. Being with the FS can lead to the ‘moreness’ of being with that childhood experience. The focusing attitude is to acknowledge internal experiences and ‘keep company’ with them without judgment. The movement can be from clear to unclear. In everyday life, dip into the FS of any experience.
Responses from the group: “This feels like a coming home to me.” “We will change if we listen and focus everyday.” “This takes Carl Rogers’ work a revolutionary step further.” “Over the past 40 years focusing has been associated mainly with psychological professionals. But it’s for anyone, everywhere.” “This is wonderful.” (End of presentation -and thank you both) ************************************************** Susan Rudnickthen presented a briefcommercialfor the conference with Gene Gendlin on March 29th. It will be “plain talk about intricate matters” inunderstanding Gene’s philosophy.”Check out www.focusing.org for details.
We had a short break for more nibbling, conviviality, fun, and relaxation. If you were not there you should have been, and we missed you.
Katya Salkinder,with all her experience in Tantra and movement, then led us through a few movement exercises. It was movement with a focusing attitude, and with sound. That loosened many of us up. Maybe all.
Jude Cobb introduced Susan Rudnick: Susan is a seasoned psychotherapist who is also a sleep specialist and Zen practitioner. She has been focusing for several years. Susan moderated our
Discussion of the Development of this Local Focusing Organization Susan said that when Cynthia had called about developing this group, “I had a felt-sense light bulb turn on….she had articulated an implicit urge to help this group move foreward.” Susan said that there are many focusing conferences and meetings, yet there is a need for more sense of continuity in the community. She then asked us to focus on “Why am I here? And what do I want?” After a few minutes she asked us to contribute a word or two that resonated with what had come up for each of us. As individuals spoke,Robin Kappyrecorded word responses on a flip chart for us, which can be viewed on our new discussion list blog by joining at http://www.groups.google.com/group/ny-metro-focusing/
Some of the thoughts expressed were: New Living Focusing Body- Belonging; Community; Grounded respect; Need for a regular meeting for focusers in this geographic area, esp. after trainings have ended; Opportunity to interact in an everyday way with one another different from other focusing settings; A dynamic, linking, unique tapestry interweaving art and movement with focusing; Sharing the intricacy of the implicit and explicit; Partaking of the variety and richness of focusing together; Welcoming new people; Inviting new opportunities; Listening and teaching listening; “Knitting together”; Moving in an “unprepackaged” way; and a hub for processing in a focusing way.
RobinKappy offered to start a blog. EllenKirschner volunteered to help us name ourselves and we came up with the temporary name: ‘New York Metro Focusing’ It was felt by some that ‘Metro’ would invite anyone from the region of New York City, the boroughs, Long Island, upstate New York, western Connecticut, eastern Pennsylvania, and northern New Jersey. (and might I mention also Asia-Africa-Europe- All of North and South America- the Pacific rim- Australia and other islands positioned around the globe- etc)…..truly, everyone is invited if s/he wishes to make the trip every two months. Cynthialed a few minutes of a felt-sense closing, then reminded us to fill out our questionnaires which might more inform the organizers about how to move forward. Convivially, we parted, many of us having made new acquaintances in focusing.
Next meetings are scheduled for Friday evenings: April 25 and June 13 at 6:30 pm. Robin Kappy and Janet Pfunder will present on “Visual Experiencing” at our April meeting, and Robert Lee has agreed to present at the June meeting. We will meet in the same location (1 W. 29th St.) but in a different room. Look for further meeting announcements for additional information.
Cordially, Your note taker, Sharon Doyle