Practice Theme
In this step, you will learn how to do a body scan.
A body scan is a meditation in which the attention is on the body, not just the breath.
You can do a body scan in several ways: Read the directions and do a body scan as best as you can from memory (you will remember more, the more times you re-read and do the meditation again), create your own recording, or use the one provided in this course.
The body scan you will be learning today is a great exercise for coming to experiential awareness of insubstantiality of the body; to recognizing that nothing, including the body, is as solid as we generally take it to be.
The body scan will help you enter and dwell in a state of deep relaxation, but it is not necessary to think of yourself as relaxing, in fact trying to relax will interfere with the process. Instead, just surrender to the experience.
As you are doing the body scan do your best to stay awake. If you find you are having trouble, keep your eyes open looking at the ceiling or straight ahead without really focusing intently on any particular object. If, despite your best intentions, you do fall asleep, you haven’t done anything wrong. Perhaps you really just needed a rest. Next time just begin again. What happens in always interesting – and not predictable.
Before you begin
Dress in comfortable clothing that does not restrict your breathing in any way. As in the sitting meditation, arrange a time and space without distractions. If it is comfortable for you to lie on your back begin with that posture, but you can do body scans really at any time, in any posture. Since the focus of this body scan is relaxation and openness, a reclining posture will be most useful.
How to do a Body Scan
- Begin by allowing your body to sink into the floor (or whatever surface you have chosen). Let your arms rest at your sides, palms open and facing upward. Let the feet fall gently apart.
- Rest in the breath and in the body, particularly noticing the belly. Let yourself enjoy the experience of breath flowing through the body.
- Take a couple deep belly breaths before settling into just being with what is.
- Gradually turn to each part of the body beginning with the left foot.
- As you turn to each body part, be aware of sensations or lack of sensations. There is not something you are supposed to feel, just explore to find out what the experience is!
- Then let your breathing come in through the nostrils, let it go all the way down through the lungs and belly into the particular part of the body you are working with (in this case beginning with the feet and the toes).
- Then let air release from the toes (or body part attending to) and pass up through the belly, lungs and mouth.
- After a few breaths, on an out breath, intentionally let the body part dissolve.
- Move through the entire body. Gradually let each part dissolve, eventually leaving only the experience of points of sensation here and there and the flow of breath.
- Rest in this relaxed open space for a few minutes, letting air enter through the top of the head, flow through the body, and pass out the toes, then breathe air in through the toes and up and out through the top of the head.
- Consider the possibility of remembering this openness throughout your day.
Guided Meditation – Opening to the Possibility of Insubstantiality
An audio version of these instructions is available by clicking here.
This is a 25 minute meditation.
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