Trauma-Informed Body Scan

Are you one of many people who have difficulty with body scans? For many, the traditional body scan is too long and overly focused on small areas of the body. Such practices can lead to overwhelm or disconnect as we get flooded with sensation or numb out. I will talk about the challenge of feeling body sensations, especially when there has been a history of trauma and then guide everyone in an open, compassionate, 'full of personal choices' body scan.

Transcript

Welcome everyone to this Insight Timer session on a trauma-informed body scan. I'm so glad you're here. So body scans are very, Very common in meditation practices. It's a core practice in the MBSR training. And it does arise out of the Buddhist practices of attending to the body. And having mindful awareness of the body. And it can be very powerful to do a body scan for embodiment. And it can, For some people, It can be really difficult. It can be. . . Too much slow attention on very minute and small parts of the body. It can go on for too long. Sometimes you don't want to put your attention where the teacher says the body part because maybe there's a charge there. And so we don't want to do a mindful practice like a body scan. Where we get overwhelmed or we disconnect and numb out. Where we dissociate because it's too much. And again, Those responses are protective. It's not that you're a bad meditator. It's that your body has a certain capacity on any given day. For attending to body sensations. And if you have a trauma history or if you're in a lot of stress. That bandwidth for attending to sensation can become smaller. And we have to honor that. In addition, Most of our Western culture, We live in our heads all the time. And so many people are unaware of their bodies. Don't even listen to their body cues for hunger. Or thirst, Or rest, Or getting up away from the screen, Or shifting our eyes to a different. . . Different spatial view which is helpful for the eyes. We just don't pay attention. To that so our bodies can become this uncharted landscape. Which can be a little daunting. To enter with our attention. And so. . . There's often two responses to a body scan. That that come from too much too fast too long you know the overwhelm piece and that is that the body will numb itself out or disconnect so you don't pay attention and notice your body. You kind of go numb. The other response that can happen, Especially if You happen to be someone that struggles with anxiety. Is an over attention to sensations that are uncomfortable. That can make the anxiety grow and build. And become worse. And so, You know, It's very common for people with anxiety. It's like, Oh, My heart's beating. And it's hard not to pay attention to that really intense, Strong heartbeat. But it makes it worse. And so then you don't want to put your attention on your body. If that is your response because you're it's not a helpful experience for you And so. . . To do a body scan with a trauma informed lens. We have to attend to three things. So our nervous system needs three components to feel safe enough. And that is context. Choice. And connection. So doing a body scan, The context would be to, This is an intentional practice of stepping into the body with awareness. To notice sensations within our body. To pay attention to different parts of our body. For the purpose of feeling more at home in our bodies. And. In a trauma-informed lens, Right, You only want to do that just enough, Right, Before it gets overwhelming. And this is where choice comes in, Right? So we have a context. This is what the practice is about. The choice is Can I choose where in my body to place my attention? Can I stop when I need to? Can I not attend to certain body parts? Right. And when we give ourselves choice. Our nervous system feels so much safer. So and the third thing is connection. Many of us have a disturbed connection with our bodies and we don't listen to its signals. The body doesn't always trust that we'll listen to it. And so we can. Increase. Our connection with our own bodies by listening to cues. Of when it's too much. Or when we need to stop the body scan practice for ourselves. Right. Because that. Gives our body the sense of, Oh, I'm being listened to. I was beginning to feel overwhelmed, And I sent signals of overwhelm, And they listened, And they stopped the practice. So over time, Doing a body scan where you pay attention for just enough time. Will grow your sense of embodiment because your body increases its trust of us. So many students will feel like, I can't do a body scan, So I'm not a good meditator. Why is this so hard? What am I doing wrong? And actually, You're not doing anything wrong. And if the whole intention is to be more embodied and connected, Listening to when we have enough is the right medicine. So that's what we're going to go through today. So I wanted to highlight just a few points. Um, Of what makes a body scan trauma-informed and how it's different than a regular body scan. So like I said, You can choose where to put your attention. So I won't be guiding you from a head down or a foot up. You are going to choose where you want to begin to place your attention. You can skip whole body parts if you want to. A lot of people have a difficulty focusing on their organs and in their trunk, The heart and lungs and belly. So you don't have to do any of that if it doesn't feel comfortable. So this is more choice. And if you're one of the people that are more highly sensitized to your body sensations, Right, If there's pain or anxiety, And when you look at that, It gets worse. Or you get overwhelmed. I would invite you to Not go in a detailed way in your body. Maybe just feeling your body in its position. You want your attention broader and maybe more superficial. How does it feel with your body on the mat or in the chair? So that you don't over-focus on uncomfortable sensations. And then you can also do things like touch, Right? In typical, Traditional body scans, You don't touch yourself. But sometimes we need some tending, And you might want to put your hand on your heart. Or your hand on your belly, Or on your face, Right? That's okay in a trauma-informed body scan. And sometimes if you tend to. . . Have a more disconnected experience in your body, A little more dissociation. You can actually do a little gentle squeezing. Or rubbing of your body part. It's like, Oh, This is my arm. This is my arm, And that can. . . Help you feel your edges. If you tend to be kind of foggy and. . . You know, Not very solid in your body. So that can be really helpful. And again, You can just do a bit of this practice. So if you only want to do the first five minutes and then you. Your body tells you that's enough for today. That's great. The most important thing is to remember that You are working with your body, Not anybody else's. This is your body and you have choice about where to put your attention. Okay, So. Let's begin our trauma informed. Body Scan. Come into a posture where you can really relax. But yet have some awareness. You can do the sitting or lying. And make sure that you have a blanket if you run cold. Or that you have pillows for support. Whatever your body needs so that it can be as comfortable as possible. Given the nature of your pain or health challenges. And if you wish, You can take a few deep breaths. And we're arriving together. And. . . Feel our connection as we drop into practice together. Is one of the three components that our nervous system needs to feel safe enough. That's connection. And know that if you like to keep your eyes open, That's okay for this practice. You don't have to close your eyes. Again, Whatever is helpful for you. To settle. And next I'd like you to invite your body into this practice. So you can. . . Language it in your mind in any way. It's like, Ah, Dear body, We're going to do a body scan today. And you have choice. And I am willing to listen to you. And pay attention to your cues. And do what is most helpful to you, Dear body. So this practice, This invitational practice. To kind of set the container. So our body knows that we will be listening. And that we're inviting connection with our body. And just with this invitation to your body, Do you notice anything happening in your body? For some of your bodies, There might be kind of a big yes that your body is saying, Oh, Finally, She's going to listen to me. You know, Your body may be all in. Your body might love body scans. And for others, Your body might feel a bit tentative. And maybe a little wary of your attention. And so you can name that. It's like, Oh. Body, Yeah, You might be a little nervous or. . . You're not quite sure about this. I get that. Thank you for letting me know. You know, We can just listen today if that works best for you. Or we can try a little bit and see what happens. Just let me know. When we've had a history of vacating the premises of our bodies. Due to pain or trauma. Or disconnection. It takes time. To come back in. And so. . . Don't get discouraged. Be so gentle. If you can just put one little bit of connection, That may be just enough for today. And over time, It will grow. And then next. Ask your body. What part would like some of your attention? Right. And then wait and listen. So we're not going to all start this body scan at the same place. You are going to check in of like, What? What area, What limb, What part of my body? Would like my attention right now. And then waiting. And your body will let you know by. . . Maybe giving a little stronger sensation. Or you might have an image come into your mind of a body part. And so just wait. Maybe there's a little lighting up. Of a part that wants attention. And this is a powerful inquiry question. And. . . We need to wait, Right, To listen. And if some of you are nothing is coming, That's okay. One practice that I found helpful. In the days when I was more disconnected from my body was to do this. Imaginary tracing like i would be you know just tracing the outline of my body. You know, In between the fingers with my attention. And just noticing the edges of my body. This can be a very powerful way of noticing your body coming into relationship with it if you can't find a place of attending inside. And when a place wants your attention, You can be more curious. Ah, Dear stomach. Yes, You lit up. I see you. And just get curious, What are you noticing about the sensations? And you don't have to do anything. Nothing needs to be different or fixed or changed. You can just say, I see you, Stomach. Maybe offer some gratitude. I know you struggle sometimes, But thank you for metabolizing my food. If you wish you can stay with this body area. Or you can. . . See if there's another part of your body to tap into. Right. And for some of you, You can control your speed of attention. Some of you might want to go a little quicker. Without going into too much detail about the sensation. So it might be. I feel a beating heart. I notice my stomach. Here's my pelvis. Right, My hips, So you might go quicker. And for some of you, You might find a body part that is really. . . Taking in your kindness and attention, And you might want to linger there. Whatever, You know, Works best. This is a grand experiment, Right? Laboratory and the landscape of your body. So try something out and see what happens. See how your body responds to your attention. And if it says enough, You can always come back and notice your environment where you are. You know, And then check in with yourself. Am I finished today or do I want to keep going? Choice is yours. And for those of you that struggle with chronic pain, It's very, We're wired to pay attention to what's hurting. And so that can. . . Be overwhelming, Right? If you have a lot of pain in your body today, Notice it. Name it. There you are, Knee. Or there's, Yeah, Back. I feel you. Or, Yeah, God, I feel you. And then shift your attention to see if you can find. A place in your body that has a more neutral sensation. Or a more comfortable sensation. If you don't feel up for attending to the painful sensation, You don't have to. See if there's another neutral sensation. You can even come to the body's surface. With this. Noticing your clothes or your your position of your hands on your belly or on your thighs. And just noticing on the skin level. So. . . Be creative. Tend to the parts of your body that are asking for it. Don't go deep if it's too overwhelming. Linger on an area if that's what your body wants. In its essence, This body scan is. . . About. Caring for these beautiful vessels of our life force. And so however you do it, Do it with love, With care. Let your body know. That you are not abandoning it right now. That you're willing to listen and be present. And be connected to your capacity for today. And continue. To move to places in your body that want your attention. You might check in with a place and it says, Nope, Not today. And you go, I hear you. And move along. Having mindful attention that is kind. And curious. And caring. Without judgment, Without the need to fix in this moment. No matter the health state of your body. I know some of you are challenged and have health concerns. For this time. No fighting with the body, Just listening. And doing what it needs. If you need to end your practice or if you already have, That's beautiful. Understanding and listening to your capacity in the moment. Builds body trust. And as we begin to wind this practice down, Have deep gratitude for your body. It's the only one we get, Right, For this life. And this is where we live. And to. . . Bring an intention into your life that you will. . . Try to the best of your capacity on any day to listen to your body. As best you can. To tend to it. And as we finish, Seeing if you can. . . Feel a whole limb or the lower half of your body as a unit, As a whole. Then maybe bringing the upper part of your body on so that you're getting a felt sense of the whole of you. If you can Sometimes that's really hard. That can be feeling like it's too much. Experiment and listen if your body says yes or no. And I will close our practice today with a poem. Entitled, The body remembers how it broke. Open. By Charlotte Nestle. One choice led to indigestion. Another to very sore hips. When you broke open and allowed light to permeate. Released everything, Became everything. You tasted everything. You allowed everything. Felt everything excruciating and impossible. Must I detail each moment? You remember how you broke and how you taught me to mend. To start right away, Clumsily, Earnestly. To break open until light pours out through cracks in every direction. The body remembers how it broke each time it watches how someone breaks. Broke open each morning when there is dawn. Each night that comes to an end. Every dream it wakes up from. Every yes that is unformed as the word leaves my mouth. Every softening when my belly is tight. Every tightness when I need a spine to be upright. The body remembers how it broke open into a smile and a yes. Thank you all for your practice today.