by Niamh Pattwell
On a bright late September morning, we found our way to the Dominican Centre in Tallaght for the IFN in-person gathering. Like magic, people materialised in front of us, flesh and blood, no longer pixellated Zoom versions of themselves. For some of us, this was our first time to meet in person. It was good fun: people were bigger, taller, smaller, not exactly the shape one had imagined. Over a welcome cup of tea and coffee, warm greetings were exchanged, connections and reconnections were established.
Capturing the Autumnal inward turn of the year, Caroline Moore led us in an attunement. Then, our first session ‘From Fear to Flow: a Focusing Approach to Speaking in Groups’ was led by Fiona O'Meara. Fiona invited us to imagine a situation where we might give a public talk and, through a series of quiet reflective exercises, led us on a journey to sense what it is that we might want to say. From there, we tried to sense what it is that we want from the experience which, as some of us discovered, might be a deeper need than what it is we have to say. It also invited contact with what it is that holds back or prevents us from speaking freely. During Fiona’s session, we didn’t focus in pairs, but there were opportunities to share on what was emerging for each of us. Not only did I leave this session with some sense of what I might say in my imagined situation, but also with a very real sense of the parts that were alive as I listened for what I wanted to say - the message of the speech was not the only facet wanting to be heard! It was deeply touching, then, to hear a couple of participants, give a short two-minute presentation, arising from the workshop. The sincerity and conviction brought a presence that was fluent and inspiring.
After a tasty lunch and a short stroll in the Autumn sunshine, we returned for a second session in which Marie and Elaine invited us to focus with poetry. Marie, in her introduction, spoke of her first experience of focusing with a poem which came as an unexpected surprise while she attended a Focusing event in Dublin many years ago. When Marie heard someone recite Mary Oliver "Wild Geese” as a part of their presentation she explained how her whole body came alive in some unique way. The words landed inside, stopping time and space, bringing a real felt resonance to something in her that needed to be heard and felt deeply. Elaine on the other hand described her initial hestitation when Marie invited her to focus with a poem as this brought memories of school days and ‘learning off’ poetry and then having to analyse it. Feelings of inadequacy arose in her. Her experience resonated with many in the room. However she described how she was pleasantly surprised at how powerful focusing with a poem could be and she experienced a new freedom and connection with the words and tendeness that only a poem can bring.
Marie offered some gentle guidance, and followed by a demonstration with Elaine, we soon were scoping out quiet corners to focus with our chosen poems and partners. As always, the poetry surprised - parts coming alive in the earlier session took on a new form here in a poem where childish perception bumped against adult experience. Everyone returned to share their encounters, refreshed and excited, I think, by how much easier it is to access these esoteric chunks of rhyme and verse through direct personal engagement. Focusing with poetry brings a reading that is both personal and, somehow, universal.
It was a beautiful day! A gift! Thank you to our Committee who organised it all.
