What is Open Focus?
OPEN FOCUS is a method to reduce stress related symptoms and enhance
well-being, using principles developed in the field of biofeedback. OPEN
FOCUS techniques can be helpful to relieve symptoms that you may not recognize
as being stress related. OPEN FOCUS can be beneficial to relieve physical and
emotional discomfort and pain, anxiety and other performance deficits; providing
you with a greater sense of overall well-being. Best of all you can learn and
practice OPEN FOCUS in the privacy of your own home.
well-being, using principles developed in the field of biofeedback. OPEN
FOCUS techniques can be helpful to relieve symptoms that you may not recognize
as being stress related. OPEN FOCUS can be beneficial to relieve physical and
emotional discomfort and pain, anxiety and other performance deficits; providing
you with a greater sense of overall well-being. Best of all you can learn and
practice OPEN FOCUS in the privacy of your own home.
What is Stress and What Causes It?
Though many of us may not experience ourselves as stressed, we in fact are since
stress is simply our bodies' response to ever present stimulation (stressors) in our
internal and external environment. Some stressors facilitate human growth by
preparing our bodies' physiology for situations that require action. However,
excessive and prolonged stress, or poor ability to cope with stress, can
negatively affect our health, our personal lives and job performance; in ways that
we may not even imagine.
Many people are skeptical that stress is a causative factor in physical and
emotional symptoms; but the research literature supports a different view.
Typically, the impact of stress on our health grows without our awareness. As
stress is cumulative, we are first made aware of our stress through our physical
and emotional symptoms. Our symptoms of stress are our bodies' way of alerting
us of the need for a change. Many people become so used to operating in "high
gear" that they do not even realize that they are always in alert mode and that the
adrenaline is always pumping. Some people fear that if they do not operate in
"high gear" that they will lose their competitive edge and not be able to meet the
demands of their lives. However, unless we give our minds and bodies' time to
rest and restore and "normalize functioning", we wear ourselves down and soon
enough we wear ourselves out! This is where OPEN FOCUS and the principles of
biofeedback can be helpful.
stress is simply our bodies' response to ever present stimulation (stressors) in our
internal and external environment. Some stressors facilitate human growth by
preparing our bodies' physiology for situations that require action. However,
excessive and prolonged stress, or poor ability to cope with stress, can
negatively affect our health, our personal lives and job performance; in ways that
we may not even imagine.
Many people are skeptical that stress is a causative factor in physical and
emotional symptoms; but the research literature supports a different view.
Typically, the impact of stress on our health grows without our awareness. As
stress is cumulative, we are first made aware of our stress through our physical
and emotional symptoms. Our symptoms of stress are our bodies' way of alerting
us of the need for a change. Many people become so used to operating in "high
gear" that they do not even realize that they are always in alert mode and that the
adrenaline is always pumping. Some people fear that if they do not operate in
"high gear" that they will lose their competitive edge and not be able to meet the
demands of their lives. However, unless we give our minds and bodies' time to
rest and restore and "normalize functioning", we wear ourselves down and soon
enough we wear ourselves out! This is where OPEN FOCUS and the principles of
biofeedback can be helpful.
Why Is Open Focus Different?
We first told you that OPEN FOCUS, is a proven method, derived from the field of
biofeedback. But what makes OPEN FOCUS unique and different from other
stress reducing techniques? The answer to that question is attention; how we pay
attention!
Imagine for a moment a soft, furry cat, resting peacefully in a sunlit room. She's
lying there, not really sleeping, although almost motionless, completely relaxed
with a faint purr escaping from her body. When she hears a noise and senses a
movement in the room, her attention shifts. She sits up, her ears come to attention,
her head cocks to one side as she opens her attention to soak up the environment
around her. She is curious, interested and alert; yet relaxed and not intensely
focused on any one thing.
Then she sees a mouse and everything changes. Instantaneously she leaps up and
becomes highly focused and ready for action. Every muscle is taut and ready,
every sense heightened, acutely sensitive to her environment. Adrenaline is
flowing; she is ready to pounce. Straining muscles and tendons are visible, eyes
are intent, she is perfectly still, then she leaps in an explosion of physical and
mental energy. The mouse escapes into a crack in the wall and after several
minutes of attention and vigilance at the escape hatch, our feline friend returns to
her sunlit spot. She stretches several times, paws the carpet, circles once or
twice, then settles back in to her tranquil, peaceful state.
Now think of this story in terms of attention. Before the cat is awakened, her
attention to her surroundings is diffuse. She is aware of her environment,
although not honing in on any one thing to the exclusion of any other. Then the
mouse arrives and all that changes. Her attention becomes very narrow; there is
only her and the mouse. Physiological reactions occur. Through her autonomic
nervous system, every cell of her body is made alert to this stress response. Then
the mouse escapes and after a few stretches and yawns, she returns to her diffuse
state.
In this simple story, our cat is employing a simple wisdom that many of us seem
to have lost. That is attentional flexibility. Unlike the cat, many of us get stuck in
that alert state and no matter what the task or experience we are facing; we
approach the task in that hypersensitive, narrow focused alert state. Due to the
fact that our autonomic nervous systems alert every cell of every organ of our
bodies to be in this state, our bodies and minds begin to suffer the effects of
accumulated stress and physical and emotional symptoms begin to appear.
Whether you are suffering symptoms due to a period of intense emotional or
physical stress, past or present, or have a limited ability to cope with stress in
general, OPEN FOCUS can help. OPEN FOCUS can give you a tool to dissipate,
alleviate and prevent stress in your daily life and help you to feel your best more
often. OPEN FOCUS is an attentional training technique, that actually helps you to
bring about physiological changes and expands your ability to "attend" to your
experience more openly and with more flexibility; and so less stressfully.
biofeedback. But what makes OPEN FOCUS unique and different from other
stress reducing techniques? The answer to that question is attention; how we pay
attention!
Imagine for a moment a soft, furry cat, resting peacefully in a sunlit room. She's
lying there, not really sleeping, although almost motionless, completely relaxed
with a faint purr escaping from her body. When she hears a noise and senses a
movement in the room, her attention shifts. She sits up, her ears come to attention,
her head cocks to one side as she opens her attention to soak up the environment
around her. She is curious, interested and alert; yet relaxed and not intensely
focused on any one thing.
Then she sees a mouse and everything changes. Instantaneously she leaps up and
becomes highly focused and ready for action. Every muscle is taut and ready,
every sense heightened, acutely sensitive to her environment. Adrenaline is
flowing; she is ready to pounce. Straining muscles and tendons are visible, eyes
are intent, she is perfectly still, then she leaps in an explosion of physical and
mental energy. The mouse escapes into a crack in the wall and after several
minutes of attention and vigilance at the escape hatch, our feline friend returns to
her sunlit spot. She stretches several times, paws the carpet, circles once or
twice, then settles back in to her tranquil, peaceful state.
Now think of this story in terms of attention. Before the cat is awakened, her
attention to her surroundings is diffuse. She is aware of her environment,
although not honing in on any one thing to the exclusion of any other. Then the
mouse arrives and all that changes. Her attention becomes very narrow; there is
only her and the mouse. Physiological reactions occur. Through her autonomic
nervous system, every cell of her body is made alert to this stress response. Then
the mouse escapes and after a few stretches and yawns, she returns to her diffuse
state.
In this simple story, our cat is employing a simple wisdom that many of us seem
to have lost. That is attentional flexibility. Unlike the cat, many of us get stuck in
that alert state and no matter what the task or experience we are facing; we
approach the task in that hypersensitive, narrow focused alert state. Due to the
fact that our autonomic nervous systems alert every cell of every organ of our
bodies to be in this state, our bodies and minds begin to suffer the effects of
accumulated stress and physical and emotional symptoms begin to appear.
Whether you are suffering symptoms due to a period of intense emotional or
physical stress, past or present, or have a limited ability to cope with stress in
general, OPEN FOCUS can help. OPEN FOCUS can give you a tool to dissipate,
alleviate and prevent stress in your daily life and help you to feel your best more
often. OPEN FOCUS is an attentional training technique, that actually helps you to
bring about physiological changes and expands your ability to "attend" to your
experience more openly and with more flexibility; and so less stressfully.
OPEN FOCUS is no magic pill, but practiced regularly it can bring
dramatic positive changes to your life. Like most things of value, you will get
out of it what you put into it and the benefits are many. The OPEN
FOCUS method was developed during 30 years of hands on experience
and research using biofeedback instruments. The method is practical and
can be learned by anyone , including children. It is a drug free alternative, it is
inexpensive and it is easily integrated into daily life. In fact, learning to
integrate attentional skills into daily life is an important aspect of the OPEN
FOCUS program. Within 3 to six months of practicing OPEN
FOCUS you will begin to experience qualitative differences in your life.
Further ahead you can read about people with severe symptoms, both
emotional and physical, who experienced relief much more quickly.
dramatic positive changes to your life. Like most things of value, you will get
out of it what you put into it and the benefits are many. The OPEN
FOCUS method was developed during 30 years of hands on experience
and research using biofeedback instruments. The method is practical and
can be learned by anyone , including children. It is a drug free alternative, it is
inexpensive and it is easily integrated into daily life. In fact, learning to
integrate attentional skills into daily life is an important aspect of the OPEN
FOCUS program. Within 3 to six months of practicing OPEN
FOCUS you will begin to experience qualitative differences in your life.
Further ahead you can read about people with severe symptoms, both
emotional and physical, who experienced relief much more quickly.
