IRest Practice 15: Focusing & Defocusing Networks

iRest Practice 15: Experiencing Your Focusing & Defocusing Networks from the iRest Program for Healing PTSD: A Proven Effective Approach to Using Yoga Nidra Meditation & Deep Relaxation Techniques to Overcome Trauma.

Your brain is designed to keep you focused on feelings and emotions that need your attention. It does this through something called a Focusing Network. Your Focusing Network gets your attention through various functions, such as your senses, brain, and mental thinking processes.

Sometimes, we can get stuck in this. We can practice getting ourselves out of it by activating our Defocusing Network , which enables us to recognize actions that empower us and reconnect us to our felt sense of wholeness. Here, we can gain insight and healing that was unavailable when we were stuck.

Written by Richard C. Miller, PhD. Recorded by Erin Finck, TCTSY-F, RYT 500, Level 1 iRest Teacher

Guided Meditation

Transcript

In order to feel what it's like to shift between your focusing and defocusing networks. Try the following practice. As you're listening, Be sure to pause when you feel the need to take more time. This will allow you to fully experience each segment of the practice. With your eyes open. Welcome the environment and sounds around you. The touch of air on your skin. The sensations where your body touches the surface that's supporting it. Bring your attention to an object that's out in front of you. Direct your attention to this object alone. Exclude all other objects that are around you and focus only on this one object. Focus on the object's size. Color. Shape. And form. Note particular thoughts you have about it. Now take in all the objects around you. Without focusing on any particular object, Color, Shape, Or form. Allow your attention to relax and defocus. Soften your eyes. Instead of looking with your eyes. Sense from your heart as you take in all of the objects around you. Sense and feel the space all around you. Out in front. To your right and left. Behind you. Sense all these directions at once. Feel like you're looking everywhere. Without focusing on anything specific. Now shift your attention back to the particular object you were first focusing on. Bring it into sharp focus. Then soften your eyes and feel yourself looking everywhere again. Defocus your attention. Don't focus on anything specific. Go back and forth several times. Focusing and defocusing your attention. And experience the effect this has on your body and mind. Now try the same exercise with your eyes closed. Sense an internal object. A sensation. And emotion. Or a thought. Focus your attention on this internal object alone. Then shift your attention so that you feel like you're looking everywhere, Without focusing on anything specific. Then shift your attention back to a particular internal object. Then feel yourself looking everywhere again. Go back and forth several times. Focusing and defocusing your attention with your eyes closed. And experience the effect this has on your body and mind. When you're ready. Allow your eyes to slowly open and close several times, While feeling yourself present to this moment. Aware of your inner resource. And sensations of well-being, Peace, And ease. As you come fully back to your wide-awake state. Of mind and body.