Supplemental manual
two or more parts come
Acknowledging when two or more things come
When the Focuser reports that two or more senses are there, remember that you don’t know yet whether they are related--and maybe the Focuser doesn’t know either. So you don’t know whether it’s right to be with both or with just one. First have the Focuser acknowledge each one. This is important. Saying hello doesn’t take very long, so it’s possible to say hello to a number of things in not much time. (I once guided someone who had five distinct places in the first few minutes--and yes, he could say hello to each one.)
example
Focuser: “I’m feeling two things.”
“I have a tight place in my stomach, and a heaviness in my chest."
or
"I’m feeling stiffness in my face and fluttering in my solar plexus.”
Companion: “Take some time to notice if it feels right to stay with both for a while, or if one of them is calling for your attention more right now.”
I would say it this way, rather than “notice if one of them is stronger.” We don’t want to assume that the criterion of being “stronger” would be the reason to be with one of them first. In fact we don’t want any criterion which is imposed from without (or from the Focuser’s “head”) rather than being sensed from within.
This is a delicate situation, this having two parts and sensing which one needs to be first. Any hint of favoritism or of forcing the choice will reverberate in a loss of safety for the session. I used to say, “Take some time to sense which one needs to be first.” The problem was, this assumed that staying with both was not an option--and enough Focusers objected to set me straight.
Sometime I say it this way: “You might stay with both, and take your time. It might begin to feel right to be with one or the other first. Just notice where your awareness is drawn naturally.”
It’s usually better not to ask if they’re related. Answering that question takes a sophisticated type of awareness. Acknowledgment and acquaintanceship need to come first.
Then, if the Focuser feels complete about one of them before the session is over, you may want to ask about the other one.
example:
Focuser: “I have a tightness in my throat and kind of a heavy feeling in my belly.”
Companion: “So you’re sensing something in your throat like a tightness, and something kind of heavy in your belly. … Maybe you could acknowledge each one of those places, like you’re saying to it, yes, I know you’re there.”
Focuser: [takes time, nods slightly]
Companion: “Notice if it feels right to stay with both for a while, or if one of them feels like it’s ‘first’.”
Focuser: “The tightness in my throat is more prominent.”
Companion: “So that’s the one that’s calling, the tightness in your throat. … And gently notice if the word ‘tightness’ is just the right word for how that feels.”
Focuser: “It’s like a constriction.”
Companion: “You’re sensing it’s like a constriction. … And see if it’s OK to stay with that constriction for a while.”
Focuser: “It wants me to be careful in what I say.”
Companion: “It’s letting you know it wants you to be careful in what you say. … Maybe you could let it know you hear that.”
Focuser: “It released. It’s OK now.”
Companion: “Take some time to just be there, feeling that place where it released.”
Focuser: [after time passes] “Yes. That’s really all that’s there.”
Companion: “OK. So … a while ago you were feeling something kind of heavy in your stomach. See if it would be right to check if that’s still there, or if maybe something else is wanting your attention.”
Focuser: “It’s still there.” etc.