The body scan is a core practice in mindfulness-based approaches and we know it can be extremely helpful and healing.
It involves systematically sweeping our attention through the body,
Bringing awareness to sensations with affectionate,
Open-hearted and interested attention.
So we usually start at the feet and end at the very top of the head.
We all have this capacity to put our mind anywhere in the body we choose and to be aware of whatever sensations are present in that moment.
So during the body scan sometimes sensations are felt more acutely,
Sometimes more pain or intensity in some areas in the body.
In our mindfulness practice we're learning to meet our experience with less interpretation and judgement,
Reactivity and diversion which often triggers our urge to avoid and move away from pain.
So in the body scan we're learning to become more aware of sensation itself as well as our reactions to sensations.
For many people they find with practice that their relationship with discomfort or even pain changes,
Perhaps feeling less disturbed or learning to be kind with themselves in this difficult experience.
Awareness itself is larger than sensation and we can learn to be with sensations without the reactivity and spiralling of thoughts and storylines.
Jon Kabat-Zinn writes in Coming to Our Senses,
It seems as if awareness itself,
Holding the sensations without judging them or reacting to them,
Is healing our view of the body and allowing it to come to terms,
At least to some degree,
With conditions as they are in the present moment,
In ways that no longer overwhelmingly erode our quality of life,
Even in the fact of pain or disease.
The awareness of pain really is a different realm from being caught up in pain or struggling with it,
And setting foot in that realm we discover some help and respite.
This in itself is an experience of liberation,
A profound freedom in that moment,
At least from a narrower way of holding the experience of pain when it is not seen as bare sensation.
It is not a cure by any means but is a way of learning and opening,
Accepting and navigating the ups and downs of what previously was impenetrable and unworkable.
The body scan isn't for everyone but it's useful to know about and for everyone to include it in their mindfulness practice from time to time.
And you can learn to scan your body quick as ultimately we are learning to be more connected with our body however we can and wherever we are.
So you can practice for long or short periods,
Morning or night,
Sitting or standing.
If lying on your back is causing back pain,
Perhaps try elevating your knees with a cushion under the knee,
Or on the bed instead of the floor,
Or you can try doing it in a sitting position in a chair.
Falling asleep is very common when we are still and quiet and happens to everyone sometimes in meditation practice.
It may simply be that your body is tired and you need to sleep.
But perhaps you could be curious about what sleepiness feels like in the body and notice too if you have a judgement about falling asleep like,
I mustn't be doing it right.
Sleepiness is not actually about changing your experience,
It's about bringing full awareness to it even when what it is you're being aware of is your sleepiness and your judgements about it.
So you can obviously use the body scan to help you sleep but as our intention in the body scan is to fall awake you could try doing it at different times of the day or do the following to help.
Having your eyes open or partly open in a soft gaze,
Doing the body scan sitting rather than lying down,
Or even having your far arm raised at 90 degrees from the floor so you can notice when you've nodded off.
And at any point if you experience too much discomfort or feel too anxious you can come to your breath and sometimes it's helpful to open your eyes to notice where you are in time and space or look at something or feel something soothing.
And sometimes remember that the wisest thing is to end the practice for that session and take a break.
