An Invitation to Focus

Most of us I suspect have been told to concentrate at some points in our lives, first by somebody else and then maybe by ourselves, so that concentration becomes a habit, a strategy for coping with certain situations. It is such a common prescription that it is rarely questioned as to whether it is a good remedy and if so for what. In other words two questions are left unasked. The first concerns what situations might we want to concentrate in; the second asks whether concentration is in fact a good thing.

Taking this second question first, is concentration a good thing? Well we cannot answer that until we decide what a good thing might be. So let me offer some preliminary suggestions as to how we might proceed. Firstly, does it tackle the problem in hand and secondly what happens when it becomes a habit that we automatically use throughout our lives. Some of the answers to the second suggestion can be laid hold of quite easily by the following simple experiment. Pick an object somewhere around you and attend to it by concentrating. You should find that you are aware of increasing the amount of muscle tension around your eyes and in your face. You might also be aware of holding your breath. Finally, you might be aware of the narrowing of your perceptual field and the loss of your peripheral vision.

In themselves, as a one off, these are things that happen. Depending how we choose to look at them, will depend on how we value them. If we look at ourselves as organic beings then over time the holding of our breath, interferes with our organic functioning in several ways, including posturally. Over time it can lead to definite physical problems – many of Alexander’s observations here still stand the test of time.  It also effects how we both experience ourselves and the situation. Typically when we narrow attention like this, there is a loss of context and therefore understanding – we think less well. If nothing else because we are getting less oxygen to our brains, so from a functioning and performance level we might conclude that there is a cost both short and long term.

Short term considerations often dominate here, in how we approach the task in hand. In seeking to get things done we ‘end-gain’ in Alexander speak and fail to consider the use of ourselves or the ‘means-whereby’ we do things to continue with Alexander speak. It is in the use of ourselves that Alexander Technique seeks to establish a Conscious Control and the most basic way we approach activity is by sight.

Here the choice is between choosing to concentrate or allowing ourselves to focus. Concentration as noted, has costs, it also brings with it an attitude to life, as does focus. With focus we get to be curious, wonder. We also perform differently as we are able to be released in our breathing, free in our movements, free in our thought and our action. I'll return again to this next week, to look more at individual situations where we might be tempted by concentration and end-gaining - until then have a good week.