This entry was posted on Mar 7, 2024 by Charlotte Bell.
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 start line, the muse of starting to stabilize the thoughts. Breath consciousness provides us a steady course of on which to relaxation the thoughts. After all, that doesn’t imply that the thoughts received’t wander away into its personal worries, recollections and reveries at the same time as we intend to stabilize our minds on the respiration course of. But it surely’s within the technique 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-Based mostly Stress Discount (MBSR) and Goenka-style Vipassana meditation. Shifting consciousness systematically by means 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 technique to stabilize consciousness as properly. Working towards a physique scan may help us join with the physique internally, and as a complete.
In physique scan observe, we systematically transfer consciousness by means of the physique. This will embody deliberately stress-free areas as we acknowledge them. It may be merely visiting these areas with out a specific agenda.
In some types of the observe, we begin with the ft and transfer up the physique. In others, we begin with the top and work our approach all the way down to the ft. It’s merely a matter of desire. Within the observe I’ll introduce under, I begin with the top. That’s as a result of, at the least for me, visiting the anatomy of the top appears to have a softening impact on every little thing under.
Breath Consciousness vs. Open Consciousness
Since breath consciousness is often the place mindfulness observe begins, we might are inclined to suppose 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 just a few 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 relies on the state of your physique/thoughts. In case your thoughts appears scattered and unfocused—aka “monkey thoughts”—breath consciousness may help you stabilize it. In case you’re training 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 greatest for you on a given day would be the one which lets you be most aware.
There’s Greater than One Technique to Apply a Physique Scan
Earlier than I counsel the observe under, I need to reiterate that this isn’t the one technique to observe a physique scan. That is merely what I’ve used that has appeared to work with my mindfulness college students. The observe under makes an attempt to tune us into a few of our inside anatomy, in addition to basic classes resembling arms, legs, torso, and so on.
You would possibly need to file a voice memo in your cellphone so that you just don’t have to take a look at the textual content. Or, in the event you’re like me, and listening to your individual recorded voice is distracting, you possibly can have a buddy file 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 case you’re feeling drained, sitting or standing might make it easier to keep extra alert. In case you’re feeling tense or careworn, mendacity down would possibly work greatest.
Right here’s methods to observe. Keep in mind which you could deliberately loosen up these areas, or just pay attention to the sensations you’re feeling as you contact into them:
- Concentrate on your facial muscle tissue and scalp.
- Your cranium
- Your mind contained in the cranium
- Eyes
- Cheeks
- Interior ears
- Outer ears
- Jaw
- Higher palate
- Higher row of tooth
- Interior cheeks
- Decrease row of tooth
- Throat
- Tops of the shoulders
- Higher arms
- Forearms
- Fingers
- Fingers
- Ribcage
- Muscular 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 the event you like.)
- Belly muscle tissue
- Low again
- Pelvis
- Belly organs
- Perineum
- Thighs
- Knees
- Ft
- Toes
Be at liberty to reverse the method and make your approach again up, from the ft to the top, or proceed to the following instruction.
Open Consciousness of the Physique
When you’ve completed your physique scan, you possibly can settle again and invite the complete physique into consciousness. Right here, you possibly can merely really feel all of the sensations arising—sensations of contact, temperature, rigidity, hardness, softness, pulsing, vibration—no matter is arising. If a selected sensation turns into predominant, you possibly can relaxation your consideration there, feeling its course of. Does it intensify after which wane? Does it come and go? If nothing particularly 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 started instructing in 1986. Charlotte is the writer of Aware Yoga, Aware Life: A Information for On a regular basis Apply and Yoga for Meditators, each printed by Rodmell Press. Her third ebook 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 folks sextet Crimson Rock Rondo, whose DVD received two Emmy awards in 2010.