Focus
Ever found yourself being overwhelmed?
Living in modern times it would be more unusual to not feel that way sometimes. And when we’re overwhelmed we often become unfocused. And yet focus is important for quality of life. The trick is figuring out how to focus, and what to focus on.
Before talking about that, it might help to think about what happens when we focus. In one sense, focusing is really the process of not paying attention to anything other than the object / task / person we’re focusing on at that moment.
Three Kinds of Focus
Think of something you love to do. You may not have ever noticed before, but when you’re immersed in doing it, you are mostly unaware of anything else. That kind of laser-like focus is very useful since it allows you to get things done.
When we’re engaged in an activity that absorbs all of our attention, for all practical purposes the rest of the world disappears.
When we’re not engaged in that sort of activity, we are usually paying attention to whatever grabs us at the moment. This is also useful because it gives us the ability to become aware of changes in our environment that might affect our health, well-being or even survival. If you can get a glimmer of movement out of the corner of your eye, then you have a better chance at avoiding the car coming at you from a side street. That’s why our eyes have more sensors for movement at the edge of vision.
In qigong there is a third kind of focus called “soft focus,” which is a mixture of laser-like focus and awareness of activity at the edge of our perception. I think of soft focus as taking laser focus and opening it up to encompass a wider area.
Think about the driving analogy. You want to be paying attention when you drive. Yet there are all sorts of other things going on around you, some of which might need your attention. This is good example from daily life of where soft focus is very valuable.
How To Practice “Soft Focus”
Like any skill you’re developing, at first it’s best to practice soft focus in a familiar and comfortable environment. Qigong practice is perfect for this.
Let me give you a quick exercise to get a sense of this.
Stand with your feet apart and your toes pointing forward. Relax your knees so they aren’t locked. Touch the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth and breath through your nose. Do your best to relax your shoulders while you breathe deeply into your abdomen.
Now, raise your hands out in front of you so that your fingers point towards one another and your palms face you. This is a similar position to that shown in the earlier post on The First Secret of Qigong. For convenience, here is the image again:
In this case, rather than shifting your eyes back and forth between your hands, slowly move your hands apart, doing your best to be aware of both of them at the same time. See how far apart you can move them and still be aware of them.
To develop soft focus even more, practice this every day for a few months until you can hold awareness of your hands while they are extended completely to the side.
This seems like a simple exercise, but it is very powerful for training your awareness. Do this for a while and leave a comment here about what you notice.
Be well,
Dr. Bruce
