Introduction To Vipassana - Step 3 (Full Body Scan)

This is an introduction to the full Vipassana technique of scanning the body and observing sensations throughout the body. It's more effective to try this after practicing the ananpana meditations initially. This by no means replaces the vipassana meditations learnt in accredited vipassana centres around the world but gives the listener a taste of what to expect.
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Transcript

This meditation introduces the full vipassana technique,

So it's a little bit longer than some of the previous meditations,

In which case it's important to find a comfortable sitting position,

Something that you are relaxed but also with the spine erect.

Let your shoulders drop and feel your body dropping down a level or two.

Take a few deep breaths.

Lengthen your inhale and lengthen your exhale.

Relax your shoulders and feel your legs are heavy.

Stay upright for the whole practice.

Begin to focus on your breath and just your natural breath now,

Your organic breath.

Notice where you feel the breath first coming into the body.

Noticing the sensation of the inhale and noticing where the exhale leaves the body.

So moving into anapana for a few minutes.

Anapana is a simple observation of breath coming in and breath coming out and feeling the sensation of the breath as it comes in and out of the body.

Just notice it.

Just be aware only of the breath.

Notice where you feel the breath entering the body,

Perhaps on one nostril or both.

Keep your awareness just for the next few minutes only on the breath.

Noticing subtle sensations of the breath coming in and then noticing the sensations of the breath coming out.

Notice where you feel your exhale,

Perhaps just brushing the top lip or maybe just inside the nostrils one or both.

So just allow yourself to notice your breath and whatever thoughts or feelings come into your mind.

Don't be concerned with that but also don't try to fight them away.

Just notice.

Just be aware.

Axis,

A shutdown.

Now begin to notice the sensation of the breath just above the top lip below the nostrils and that small triangle of skin.

Notice what sensation you feel there most likely as the breath comes out.

You might just feel a slight tickling sensation of the warm air leaving your body.

Just be aware of that area zone into that small triangle of skin that covers the nostrils and the upper lip.

Focus on that place.

You what do you feel on this area?

Is it heat or is it just a brushing of the air?

Perhaps you feel more of a tingling sensation or tickling.

So without trying to change it just focus on that place just for a little while longer.

Now move your attention to the crown of your head and right on the top of your head notice what sensation you're feeling there.

You might just feel the sensation of the air.

You might even feel your hair on the top of your head.

Just inspect a little deeper.

Once you notice some sensation on the crown of your head begin to move your focus from the crown of the head moving slowly down the back of the head piece by piece and again notice what sensation you're feeling on the back of your head as you move down towards the base of the skull at the back of the head.

Go through each part of the back of the head and you might find areas where you feel sensation and other areas where initially you don't feel anything.

Just keep moving and once you've covered the back of your head move to the front of your head so moving down from the crown of the head down towards the forehead feeling whatever sensations you feel there and remembering that sensation can be any feeling.

It can be a temperature change,

It can be a slight fluttering,

It can feel soft or hard,

It can feel tickling,

Any sensation and then move down from your forehead down towards your nose,

Around your eyes,

Into the cheeks,

Around your ears,

Down the sides of the face,

Around to the mouth,

Above the top lip,

The lips,

The chin,

Just finding any sensation that arises there without staying too long once you find sensation then move on to the next part.

Move down to the throat and then the back of the neck just moving slowly to start with feeling whatever sensations you feel heat or cool soft or hard maybe very dull sensations or very vibrant sensations.

All sensation is relevant.

Move down to the back along the shoulders,

Move down from the shoulders and follow the sensations all the way down the back part of your body.

Inspect each part slowly finding some feeling all the way down towards the tops of the hips and then go down the front part of the body from the base of the throat down to the breastbone and then all the way down the torso and then once you've finished inspecting each part of the front of the body move back towards the top of the right arm begin to move your attention down each part of the arm front and back top of the arm lower arm into the back of the hand the palm of the hand and then finding sensation in the fingers especially in the tips of the fingers and once you find sensation in each part move on to the next part so then we go to the left arm top of the arm front and back lower arm down into the hand the back of the hand the palm of the hand and the fingertips and just notice if perhaps you feel more sensation in the tips of the fingers just focus on those so once you felt sensation in your fingertips move towards the hips the pelvic area buttocks and then down into the right leg moving down each part of the right leg front and back from the top down to the bottom part of the leg into the foot top of the foot the sole of the foot and into the toes and the tips of the toes once you've completed the right leg move to the left leg from the top of the leg front and back into the lower part of the leg top of the foot the sole of the foot and all the way down to the tips of the toes so once you've completed looking for sensation from the crown of your head down to the tips of the toes then move back up from the tips of the toes up to the crown of the head moving through each part slowly methodically starting with the right foot the right leg the left foot and the left leg into the pelvis the front of the pelvis buttocks the front of the body the torso back of the body the right arm from the fingertips up the left arm the fingertips up into the shoulders back of the neck the throat the face the back of the head and then all the way up to the crown of the head and then once you've reached the crown of your head continually move your attention back down again and as you get more practiced with this you can move faster if you want to or slowly so going from the top of the head down to the tips of the toes and then the tips of the toes back up to the top of the head piece by piece part by part feeling all sensation just as it is any sensation you you keep moving your awareness to each piece each part once you find sensation in one part move on to the next step by step no rush you you you you in some parts of the body you might feel very heavy strong sensations but observe that as sensation just as it is without labeling it as pain or discomfort as the mind wants to do just notice that sensation and then move on to the next part and if you find you have very blind sensations meaning you feel nothing inspect it for a little bit longer and if you still feel nothing just move on to the next part with no judgment no criticism and see if you can find sensation in the next part all sensation is relevant you you keep moving from the top of the head to the tips of the toes from the tips of the toes to the top of the head keep moving you every sensation is relevant whatever the sensation just be aware of it without trying to change it without criticizing or judging yourself for having that particular sensation just be aware be aware and then move on you you pure awareness you you you if you get distracted by a thought or a sound or what you might label as discomfort in your body just return back to noticing sensation and if you get a little bit lost return to the crown of your head and start again moving down the body piece by piece part by part all the way down to the tips of the toes and then moving back up from the tips of the toes up to the crown of the head please don't criticize yourself for having very firm sensations in certain parts of the body solid sensations if you keep moving this sensation is sure to change it may last for a while but eventually that sensation will move into something different a nature a nature impermanence everything is impermanent and if conversely you feel no sensation you're really sure you feel no sensation don't develop judgment on feeling no sensation and just move on to the next part and keep moving until you find some sensation on some part of the body perhaps it's just on the top lip or maybe in the tips of the fingers or the palms of the hands you might feel sensation the soles of the feet the tips of the toes just keep moving until you find some sense of sensation somewhere in the body and then eventually everywhere in the body give yourself some time be patient be persistent and you will find success you everything that arises passes every sensation you feel will change a nature a nature you you you you you you you you keep your attention just for a little while longer continually moving from the top to the bottom the bottom to the top you you you you you you you you you you you

Reviews

Thank you so much for this sitting. Recently completed a 10 day course, and this really helps with feeling confident in what I’ve learned. Hope to see more of the days on here.

Great instruction and guidance. Audio is very clear, no hissing or noises.