Physique Scan: Mindfulness of the Physique

Some time again, I wrote a submit on mindfulness of the physique, centering the observe on breath consciousness. Within the Theravada custom, breath consciousness is the place to begin, the inspiration of starting to stabilize the thoughts. Breath consciousness offers us a steady course of on which to relaxation the thoughts. After all, that doesn’t imply that the thoughts gained’t get lost into its personal worries, recollections and reveries whilst we intend to stabilize our minds on the respiration course of. However it’s within the means of frequently recognizing that the thoughts has wandered off, and redirecting it again to the breath, that we start to domesticate a brand new behavior of thoughts. In in the present day’s submit, I’d like to ask you to play with increasing consciousness into the remainder of the physique, using a physique scan.

How Does a Physique Scan Work?

Physique scans are foundational in Mindfulness-Primarily based Stress Discount (MBSR) and Goenka-style Vipassana meditation. Shifting consciousness systematically by way of the physique is integral to Yoga Nidra observe. I’m certain there are different methodologies that use a type of physique scanning as a approach to stabilize consciousness as effectively. Training a physique scan may also help us join with the physique internally, and as a complete.

In physique scan observe, we systematically transfer consciousness by way of the physique. This could embody deliberately enjoyable areas as we acknowledge them. It may be merely visiting these areas and not using a specific agenda.

In some types of the observe, we begin with the toes and transfer up the physique. In others, we begin with the top and work our approach all the way down to the toes. It’s merely a matter of choice. Within the observe I’ll introduce beneath, I begin with the top. That’s as a result of, a minimum of for me, visiting the anatomy of the top appears to have a softening impact on the whole lot beneath.

Breath Consciousness vs. Open Consciousness

Since breath consciousness is often the place mindfulness observe begins, we could are likely to assume that it’s an “elementary” observe, and that open consciousness of the physique as a complete is extra “superior.” Joseph Goldstein addressed this at an Perception Meditation retreat I attended a number of years in the past. When requested which type of physique mindfulness observe was preferable—breath consciousness or open consciousness—he paused for a second, after which stated “no matter works.”

Which observe you select on a given day is dependent upon the state of your physique/thoughts. In case your thoughts appears scattered and unfocused—aka “monkey thoughts”—breath consciousness may also help you stabilize it. In the event you’re working towards breath consciousness and discover that your physique and thoughts are feeling tense and caught, you would possibly need to invite the remainder of your physique into consciousness. The observe that’s finest for you on a given day would be the one which permits you to be most conscious.

There’s Greater than One Solution to Follow a Physique Scan

Earlier than I recommend the observe beneath, I need to reiterate that this isn’t the one approach to observe a physique scan. That is merely what I’ve used that has appeared to work with my mindfulness college students. The observe beneath makes an attempt to tune us into a few of our inside anatomy, in addition to basic classes corresponding to arms, legs, torso, and so forth.

You would possibly need to document a voice memo in your telephone so that you simply don’t have to have a look at the textual content. Or, in case you’re like me, and listening to your individual recorded voice is distracting, you may have a good friend document the physique scan as an alternative.

Head-to-Toe Physique Scan

You possibly can observe this physique scan sitting on a Meditation Cushion, mendacity down or in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). In the event you’re feeling drained, sitting or standing could assist you keep extra alert. In the event you’re feeling tense or harassed, mendacity down would possibly work finest.

Right here’s tips on how to observe. Bear in mind that you could deliberately calm down these areas, or just concentrate on the sensations you’re feeling as you contact into them:

• Pay attention to your facial muscle mass and scalp.
• Your cranium
• Your mind contained in the cranium
• Eyes
• Cheeks
• Internal ears
• Outer ears
• Jaw
• Higher palate
• Higher row of tooth
• Internal cheeks
• Decrease row of tooth
• Throat
• Tops of the shoulders
• Higher arms
• Forearms
• Fingers
• Fingers
• Ribcage
• Muscle tissues between and across the ribs
• Contents of the ribcage: coronary heart and lungs
• The diaphragm: Really feel the diaphragmatic motion because the muscle flattens downward on the inhalation, making room for the lungs to develop, and urgent on the stomach organs, inflicting the stomach to develop. Then as you exhale, really feel the diaphragm doming upward to assist push air out of your lungs, permitting the stomach organs to settle again into place. (You possibly can observe this consciousness for a number of breaths in case you like.)
• Stomach muscle mass
• Low again
• Pelvis
• Stomach organs
• Perineum
• Thighs
• Knees
• Ft
• Toes

Be at liberty to reverse the method and make your approach again up, from the toes to the top, or proceed to the following instruction.

Open Consciousness of the Physique

When you’ve completed your physique scan, you may settle again and invite your complete physique into consciousness. Right here, you may merely really feel all of the sensations arising—sensations of contact, temperature, rigidity, hardness, softness, pulsing, vibration—no matter is arising. If a specific sensation turns into predominant, you may relaxation your consideration there, feeling its course of. Does it intensify after which wane? Does it come and go? If nothing specifically feels predominant, relaxation your consciousness in the entire physique, feeling the breath arising inside this bigger body.

As Joseph stated, there’s no hierarchy between breath consciousness and open consciousness. Use your individual meditation observe as a information to which observe works higher for you at a given second.

About Charlotte Bell

Charlotte Bell found yoga in 1982 and commenced educating in 1986. Charlotte is the writer of Aware Yoga, Aware Life: A Information for On a regular basis Follow and Yoga for Meditators, each revealed by Rodmell Press. Her third guide is titled Hip-Wholesome Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Information to Defending the Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Ache (Shambhala Publications). She writes a month-to-month column for CATALYST Journal and serves as editor for Yoga U On-line. Charlotte is a founding board member for GreenTREE Yoga, a non-profit that brings yoga to underserved populations. A lifelong musician, Charlotte performs oboe and English horn within the Salt Lake Symphony and people sextet Pink Rock Rondo, whose DVD gained two Emmy awards in 2010.