The Power Of Focus

Serendipity has ensured that I’m writing this week’s instalment of I Am Fabulous in total serenity and a complete cloud of bliss. Having met a friend for coffee and exquisite French pastries at Maison Blanc, we wandered across the road to the re-aqua Chiswick salon where she’d booked a Thai massage. Whilst having a girlie moment trying out the fabulous beauty products, Fariba, the salon manager, just happened to mention there was a slot available if I could be tempted by some Eastern holistic massage therapy. Never one to pass up an opportunity for pampering, I cranked up the credit card and put myself in the healing hands of the fabulous Wanchai Li, who gave the most exceptional rebalancing massage that left me calm, focused and completely re-energised.

Eastern practitioners have a level of skill in working with the body’s energetic systems that are sadly absent in a lot of Western body work. You get a lot of massage for your money. Not only will the physical stress drop away, but your internal organs will be stimulated and your mind will become clear and calm. The focus in Oriental medicine is on prevention, not just cure, which is why the treatments are so effective in keeping your body, mind and emotions in tune.

There’s definitely an Eastern theme bubbling away, as I’ve just discovered a new BBC3 television series by everyone’s favourite quirky martial artist, Chris Crudelli, called Kick Ass Miracles. Chris is an Italian/Irish Brummie who has trained with masters in Hong Kong, Taiwan and China, and now brings us insights into the minds of those who can do extraordinary feats, shining some light on how we might integrate those skills into everyday life. As he describes, “I was taught by monks in Thailand to transform my fear, then thrown in an enclosure with nine wild tigers. Basically, if you can keep calm, you won't be eaten as you are not seen as a victim. I believe the same principle works on the wild streets of Birmingham.”

Thursday’s programme included footage of a 105-year old Chinese man who practised Tai Chi each morning. That was pretty impressive, but even more so was hearing that he’d only taken it up in his 80s to improve his health after a bout of chronic illness. It’s inspirational to know that it’s never too late to take the steps to bring greater well-being, health and peace into your life.
Even more fascinating was watching Chris preparing to break four slabs of concrete with his bare hand. We’ve all seen it done in martial arts demonstrations, so that’s nothing new, but the lightbulb went on over my head when he explained the process of preparing for the movement. He began by focusing on a point below the concrete, where his hand would end up. Most of us would assume that the focus would be on the point of impact, but with true Eastern wisdom, the focus is on the objective, not the obstacle.

That’s the secret to success in achieving any goal. We all get derailed by focusing on the obstacles in our path, but holding a clear vision of what we want to achieve ensures we will overcome all that stands in our way. Where in your life might you have lost sight of the goal? Have you found yourself so stressed lately that you’ve forgotten why you’re doing what you’re doing and lost your sense of purpose?

The author of 365 Tao, a collection of daily meditations, Deng Ming-Dao, says “The mind, if focused, can become the most powerful force we know. Yet, for most of us, we are lost in the vastness of our own uncharted minds … A life that is spiritual requires focused action. It needs quick reflexes, accurate timing and abundant skill. That is why followers of Tao are always compounding their self-cultivation: they want the ability to do whatever they want.”

When you are focused and attentive to creating an authentic life for yourself, you open the door to grace and synchronicity. Opportunities arise, connections are made and you enter the flow. The metaphysical poet, Henry David Thoreau, wrote of this invisible hand at work, saying “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams and endeavours to live a life which he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours. He will put some things behind, will pass an invisible boundary ... and he will live with the license of a higher order of beings.”

As much as we need to be focused, we also need to be available for inspiration, to let serendipity bring us even greater pleasures or chances than we have imagined for ourselves. Spontaneity is at the heart of a creative life – twinned with focus, it’s an unbeatable combination.

Let a little Eastern inspiration infuse your thoughts this week, through this Taoist aphorism from Deng Ming-Dao:

Make every move count.
Pick your target and hit it.
Perfect concentration means effortless flowing.

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All material © 2006 Alison Porter. No article may be reproduced in full or in part without the express permission of the author. (Originally posted 13 Mar 06)