Some time again, I wrote a put up on mindfulness of the physique, centering the apply on breath consciousness. Within the Theravada custom, breath consciousness is the start line, the inspiration of starting to stabilize the thoughts. Breath consciousness provides us a steady course of on which to relaxation the thoughts. In fact, that doesn’t imply that the thoughts gained’t get lost into its personal worries, reminiscences and reveries at the same time as we intend to stabilize our minds on the respiration course of. Nevertheless 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 right now’s put up, 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 means of the physique is integral to Yoga Nidra apply. I’m certain there are different methodologies that use a type of physique scanning as a technique to stabilize consciousness as properly. Training a physique scan might help us join with the physique internally, and as an entire.

In physique scan apply, we systematically transfer consciousness by means of the physique. This will embrace deliberately enjoyable areas as we acknowledge them. It is also merely visiting these areas with out a explicit agenda.

In some types of the apply, we begin with the toes and transfer up the physique. In others, we begin with the top and work our method right down to the toes. It’s merely a matter of desire. Within the apply 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 every part beneath.

Breath Consciousness vs. Open Consciousness

Since breath consciousness is often the place mindfulness apply begins, we could are inclined to suppose that it’s an “elementary” apply, and that open consciousness of the physique as an entire 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 apply was preferable—breath consciousness or open consciousness—he paused for a second, after which mentioned “no matter works.”

Which apply 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 might help you stabilize it. For those who’re practising 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 apply that’s greatest for you on a given day would be the one which lets you be most aware.

There’s Greater than One Strategy to Observe a Physique Scan

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

You would possibly need to file a voice memo in your telephone so that you simply don’t have to have a look at the textual content. Or, should you’re like me, and listening to your personal recorded voice is distracting, you’ll be able to have a pal file the physique scan as a substitute.

Head-to-Toe Physique Scan

You may apply this physique scan sitting on a Meditation Cushion, mendacity down or in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). For those who’re feeling drained, sitting or standing could allow you to keep extra alert. For those who’re feeling tense or confused, mendacity down would possibly work greatest.

Right here’s tips on how to apply. Keep in mind you can deliberately chill out these areas, or just pay attention to the sensations you’re feeling as you contact into them:

• Pay attention to your facial muscle groups and scalp.
• Your cranium
• Your mind contained in the cranium
• Eyes
• Cheeks
• Internal ears
• Outer ears
• Jaw
• Higher palate
• Higher row of enamel
• Internal cheeks
• Decrease row of enamel
• Throat
• Tops of the shoulders
• Higher arms
• Forearms
• Arms
• Fingers
• Ribcage
• Muscle tissue 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 increase, and urgent on the stomach organs, inflicting the stomach to increase. 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 may apply this consciousness for a number of breaths should you like.)
• Stomach muscle groups
• Low again
• Pelvis
• Stomach organs
• Perineum
• Thighs
• Knees
• Ft
• Toes

Be at liberty to reverse the method and make your method 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’ll be able to settle again and invite the complete physique into consciousness. Right here, you’ll be able to 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’ll be able to 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 mentioned, there’s no hierarchy between breath consciousness and open consciousness. Use your personal meditation apply as a information to which apply works higher for you at a given second.

About Charlotte Bell

Charlotte Bell found yoga in 1982 and commenced instructing in 1986. Charlotte is the writer of Conscious Yoga, Conscious Life: A Information for On a regular basis Observe and Yoga for Meditators, each revealed 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 Pink Rock Rondo, whose DVD gained two Emmy awards in 2010.