Body Scan with Mindfulness

The Body Scan developed as an extension of the mindfulness practice of working with the breath.

It is not a relaxation exercise, per se, since its intention is to expand and extend present-moment awareness throughout the body, though becoming more relaxed is one outcome.

 It is designed to help us get back in touch with our bodies. We are usually much less than completely aware of what’s going on with our bodies. But, if we’re thinking about the past, the future, or in some neutral thought zone, where is our awareness?

Usually, we pay just enough awareness to our body so we don’t step into a puddle, or bump into something. If we’re too warm, cold or hungry, the body lets us know and we amble over to the fridge or go to a restaurant so we can continue using this two-legged carriage.

Then when we have downtime, we may overindulge, trying to get the body to provide us with the happiness we’ve misplaced. We may feel insecure or ashamed of our body, or feel impelled to compare our body with others, better than or less than.

Sometimes we overwork and use caffeine to override our fatigue or endure a toothache because we’re too busy. There are many ways in which we ignore our bodies. And when we do, we’re not fully present in our own life. There is a story from the Zen tradition that illustrates this.

 
Huihai Dazhu Huihai (d.788) was asked by a Vinaya master:

"When one seeks to follow the Way, is there a particular manner in which he should behave?"

"There is," Dazhu said.

"Please tell me about it," the Vinaya master requested.

"When one is hungry, one eats; when one is tired, one sleeps."

"But everyone does that," the Vinaya master complained.

"Your behaviour isn't different from that of commoners."

"They're not the same at all," Dazhu said.

"In what way are they different?"

"When most people eat, they don't just eat; their minds are preoccupied with a thousand different fantasies.
When they sleep, they don't just sleep; their minds are filled with any number of idle thoughts."

There is a research study (Killingsworth and Gilbert, 2010) that corroborates this.

In their study, A Wandering Mind Is an Unhappy Mind they found that their subjects were not paying attention to what they were doing 46.9% of the time. And, more importantly, the levels of happiness decreased with mind wandering.

You can get the app and try it yourself at https://go.trackyourhappiness.org

The Body Scan is a means whereby we can learn to be more present with ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally. So maybe that Zen guy knew what he was talking about.