FACILITATION ACTIONS FOR THE BEING HERE PROCEDURE 
AND THE FOCUSING PROCEDURE

Peter Graham

10 January 1994

The facilitation actions for the Being Here Procedure and the Focusing Procedure are essentially the same. While doing either of these two procedures, what the viewer is experiencing and what his or her attention goes onto is of particular interest and may call for a facilitation action or a handling of some sort.

Facilitation

Facilitation during the Being Here Procedure and the Focusing Procedure consists of helping the viewer to do the exercises correctly, keeping him at it (with education, guidance, reminders, advices, encouragement and sometimes insistence), helping the viewer to become more aware of involuntary responses when or soon after they occur and the handling of certain things that grab or are holding his/her attention.

Educate the viewer in how to do the procedures and how to do them successfully. The article "An Introduction to the Being Here Procedure and the Focusing Procedure " of 7 January 1994 (by the same author) describes some of the initial concepts and definitions that the viewer should understand. However, educating the viewer is an ongoing process and the section "Coaching and Advices " below gives some examples of advices and coaching that a facilitator can and should use (when required).

Have regular discussions with the person, especially in the early stages, and know what is going on. As a general rule, give help when needed and not otherwise. Expand the time periods gradually and build on successes without asking for more than the viewer can do. Help the viewer through any tough patches. Let the viewer go through things that have turned on and don't jump in too quickly to assist, especially after the time periods are starting to stretch out or when a handling (such as with the Remind Questions) has not fully resolved something. There are times when the viewer should be simply allowed to "go though something" without interruption or intervention.

Work with the viewer and be there for him/her. Receive and acknowledge all originations and listen attentively. Sense when the viewer is about to originate and simply wait or ask a question such as "How are you going ? " or "Is there anything you would l ike to say ? "

The facilitator should help the viewer to become more aware of automatic or habitual responses, not-here-ness or elsewhereness, attention grabbers, physical tension, and so on. Help the viewer to become more aware of such unwanted responses by asking questions such as: "Whatdid you experience (while doing the exercise)?" or "What's happening?" or "What was that? " or "What are you experiencing ? " or similar. One can even say "I noticed (something obvious that occurred), what was happening there?"

The use of a biomonitoring device (a meter) while doing the Being Here Procedure or the Focusing Procedure is optional, but can be very useful. It is recommended, but not essential. Through the use of meter guiding, by saying "What's that? " or "Did something happen then ? " or "Did you have a thought then ? " when a fall of the needle occurs, the viewer can be steered towards something that is charged and available for viewing.

Where something has come up or is found to be holding attention, either continue the procedure or do an appropriate handling. Several recommended handlings for certain phenomena that can occur while doing these exercises are covered below in the section "Special Handlings". The standard (routine) action is to do the Remind Questions, however, one (or more) of the other handlings can be done instead, if more appropriate. If in doubt or it is not clear what to do, just continue the exercise.

The bulk of each session should consist of doing the exercise(s), rather than talking about them or having discussions about things that have come up. If it's getting out of hand, gently encourage less talk and more doing of the exercise. For example, the viewer may want to talk at great length about what he is being reminded of each time. If so, explain to the viewer that what is required is that he just spot what he is being reminded of.

Continuity of consciousness is very important as it allows the viewer to observe and experience what is occurring. If the viewer appears to be losing contact with the here and now (while going through something), say "Continue (to be here)" or "Continue (to hold your attention on me)" or "Stay with it, just continue being here" (or similar). Similarly, say "OK Continue " if the viewer originates something but is still doing the exercise or when it is otherwise appropriate to keep the person at it.

If the viewer experiences periods or waves of unconsciousness, encourage the person to step up his intention and to try to stay in contact with the here and now (no matter how tenuous that link may be at times) and "just keep doing the exercise " regardless of what is otherwise being experienced. If the viewer goes completely unconscious or goes to sleep, gently query what is happening and, if necessary, make physical contact to re-establish communication.

If the viewer has a tendency to go unconscious for extended periods or has great difficulty "being here" and it is not resolving, some Objective Procedures' may need to be done first. Note that the phenomena of going unconscious may also signify an inadequate preparation for sessions generally, such as inadequate food, sleep, fitness and/or poor health. This may be a chronic situation (even though the person may consider it quite normal), and if so, may require a comprehensive handling, including things like medical attention, pain management, nutritional changes, regular exercise, improved sleep and so on.

Special Handlings

The term handling, in this context, means to do some work with a particular thing or item that has come up or manifested itself during a procedure. The item or thing may be something that has grabbed the viewer's attention or an unwanted response that the viewer has become aware of. A handling may be anything from a brief discussion to a thorough resolution of something (where this appears important and worthwhile enough).

The Being Here Procedure and the Focusing Procedure can be done with no additional handlings whatsoever (other than observing things that are occurring or grabbing attention and continuing to do the exercise) and great successes can be achieved by doing so.

1.	Objective Procedures are a class of procedures that direct attention to objects and things in the environment in order to bring the person more into contact with the here and now.

However, by "doing a handling" with certain things that are found to be holding or dispersing attention, there is the added benefit of more "units of awareness" becoming available to the being plus the realizations than sometimes come from such handlings.

Most of the handlings given below are fairly light, don't usually take long to do and deal with what is occurring (or has occurred very recently) in the session.

(a) 	Simple Discussion (a light, general-purpose handling):

"Tell me about that" or "Tell me more about that" and/or "Is there anything (else) you would like to say about that?"

and (if appropriate)

"How does that seem (to you) now ? " or "How do you feel about that (now) ? "

Then, continue the procedure - use another handling if needed.

(b) 	The Remind Questions (the usual, standard handling):

"Does that remind you of something ? " "Does that remind you of something else ? "

Accept and acknowledge each answer. When there are no more readily available answers, continue the procedure. If appropriate, also ask:

"Is there anything (else) you would like to say about that?" and/or "How does that seem (to you) now?"

In asking these questions, the viewer should simply spot or recognize things or events that it does remind him of from the view point of the here and now. The viewer should understand this and not try to delve into past experiences. If the viewer experiences heavy charge or strong feelings as a result of this, use the Describing approach below to reduce it or ask the Meaning Questions and then continue the procedure.

(c) 	The Meaning Questions (for emotional responses):

Ask these questions if the viewer is experiencing an emotional response or is upset about something, or when there is some other unwanted response or an additional handling is required. A viewer's responses are directly related to the meaning(s) he/she has assigned to or is assigning to what is being observed or experienced. Ask:

"What does that mean to you ? " and "What else does that mean to you ? "

The Meaning Questions are closely related to the Remind Questions. Sometimes, a viewer will give some meanings when asked what something reminds him of or will tell you what he is reminded of when asked for meanings. If the Remind Questions do not resolve something adequately, ask the Meaning Questions - and vice versa.

Note that these are present tense questions and that one is not asking what something used to mean to the person, although he/she may originate along this line. Just accept each answer until he/she has no more or there is a success or a good discharge occurs.

(d) 	Describing (a right-now feeling or sensation):

Describing a right now feeling or sensation helps a viewer to experience it more fully in the present time and to view it exactly as it is. Describing can be useful for reducing a heavy or persisting emotional response, feeling or sensation.

"Describe whatyou are experiencing/feeling (rightnow)" and/or "Tell me what it feels like (right now) " and/or "What are your perceptions of that?" and/or "Describe that (the sensation orfeeling) exactly" (or similar).

The above questions are examples. The aim is to get the actual sensation or feeling described "exactly as it is right now " by the viewer, not the person' s thoughts and ideas about it. Get the viewer to describe what is there now, rather than putting something there to observe or trying to analyze it. If it changes (and it often will), get it described as it now is. This is a totally present time exercise. Stay with a feeling or sensation while it continues to change, then continue the procedure.

If needed, one can assist the viewer by asking questions about what it feels like (right now), how it is manifesting, exactly where it is, its size and shape, its intensity, its consistency, does it have a colour, whether it has shifted or changed at all, and so on until it vanishes or reduces.

For a heavy or persisting feeling or sensation, keep the viewer describing it by getting him to describe it all over again (each time as if never described before) and requesting that he describe it "in as much detail as possible " and/or "exactly as it is (rightnow)". At appropriate points (now and then), one can ask "How does that seem to you now? " or "How are you going with this ? " It may help to advise the viewer to "totally experience it (without resistance)" while he is describing it.

When it has been resolved or has reduced as much as it is going to (without pushing too hard), continue the procedure.

(e) 	Other Handling:

There are a number of other possible handlings that could be done instead of or in addition to the above. The above have been found to be particularly effective over a period of several years and will adequately handle just about anything that may occur.

Under particular conditions, there are certain case phenomena (uncovered and identified while doing one of these procedures) that can be taken up and handled more thoroughly. This can include things like a charged belief, a negativefeeling, an assumed identity, a fixed attitude or an old decision (or similar). Such an "item" can be individually handled using an appropriate procedure (such as doing TIR on a negative feeling) providing that the item concerned has been clearly identified (and articulated) and it exists now, is unresolved and is readily available for handling (as evidenced by a relatively LARGE meter discharge and/or emotional response and/or energy shift). When the handling is complete, the Being Here Procedure or the Focusing Procedure is then continued.

Reserve this type of handling for key case elements uncovered while doing these procedures and do not overdo it to the point where the procedure itself hardly gets done. If in any doubt or not technically confident in doing so, don't do any additional handlings of this nature, just use the lighter handlings as given above and continue the procedure that is incomplete.

Coaching and Advices

While doing these exercises, there can be times when the viewer may benefit from advice and encouragement. This is part of the coaching role of the facilitator to help the viewer do the procedures correctly, to keep at it and to work through things that are encountered. The viewer often needs to be educated in or reminded of certain things to help him/her to do the exercises successfully or get though something.

The following examples are a guide to the types of things that may be needed as advices, reminders or encouragements at appropriate moments. The facilitator should be thoroughly familiar with them.

(1) 	The Being Here Procedure and the Focusing Procedure are both concerned with the here and now (rather than the past or future). Do not go looking for possible reasons for things or become concerned about where they might have come from. Just observe them and continue to do the exercise and they will "run out" (discharge and resolve) sooner or later.

(2) 	The basic exercise that turns something on, will it turn off if continued long enough. Things turning on is actually a positive indicator. The process of things turning on and off can be facilitated (speeded up) by being willing to experience whatever turns on. Try to fully experience things in the here and now, without resistance.

(3) 	Try to stay in contact with the here and now regardless of what is occurring or what is being experienced, no matter how boring, overwhelming or submerging it may be at times. Continuity of consciousness is very important in doing these procedures. Work on increasing and maintaining your intention if necessary to accomplish this and just "hang in there" and you will come through it.

(4) 	Be an observer as well as a participant. Be in the here and now and simply observe what you are experiencing and doing. This includes observing any unwanted responses that are occurring. Perceive the experience exactly as it is, without altering it, resisting it or analyzing it. Do not try to do anything about it. Just be aware of it, observe it, experience it and (above all else) continue doing the procedure.

(5) 	Doing nothing else (other than just doing the exercise) includes not consciously or intentionally doing other things such as: moving, scratching, fidgeting, fiddling, thinking, analyzing, computing, wondering, judging, labeling, excluding, resisting, ignoring, protesting, being interesting, looking interested, playing games, and so on. Natural actions such as breathing and blinking are not included under this heading, although excessive blinking or breathing irregularities may be a type of involuntary response. If you observe that you are "doing something else", just drop it or cease doing it and continue the exercise. However, if it's "on automatic" at this point in time, just observe it, experience it and continue the exercise being done.

(6) 	A number of different types of automatic responses can occur while doing the Being Here Procedure or the Focusing Procedure. These may include automatic thoughts, meanings, attitudes, images or impressions, sensations or feelings, impulses, intentions, actions, games, reduction of consciousness, and perception distortions. The resolution of an involuntary response can often be accelerated by recognizing as being automatic (ie. something that occurred automatically). Handle automatic responses by observing them, experiencing them (without resistance) and continuing to do the exercise.

(7) 	Doing these exercises requires intention, that is, a willing of oneself to be in the here and now or to direct one' s attention. Before one can knowingly be in the here and now or focus attention on something, one needs to consciously intend to do so. Before one can continue to be here or hold one' s attention on something, one needs to continue to intend to be here or direct attention. Pure intention (at its highest level) does not necessarily involve force or effort. Note that if one intends something and something else happens, then an automatic response has probably occurred.

(8) 	An experience has no meaning or significance other than the meanings given to it by the person experiencing or observing it or participating in it. The basic observation is "what is happening" or simply "what is". A person may have thoughts about it, analyze it, reach conclusions, make judgements about it, and so on, but these "meanings" are actually additions to the base experience. In doing these procedures, seek to observe what is being viewed or experienced without adding further meanings to it. Be aware when an "automatic meaning" is assigned to something being observed or experienced (such as a judgement, label or criticism). Learn to observe something in the here and now without thinking, computing, judging, labelling or deciding. It is a high skill.

Acknowledgments:

The Focusing Procedure is directly based on "Procedure Attention Zero" developed by Eddie Mace (1987-89). This included using a meter and helping the person to become aware of what happened just prior to a reaction occurring. After studying and using Eddie Mace's procedure, Colin Macdonald developed the "Just Being Exercise", which is essentially the same as the Being Here Procedure. He developed "the Remind Questions" as an additional handling. Colin has also written up his own rendition of both of these procedures (April 1992).