So, how has the Body Scan been going? My guess is that some of you love it and others of you hate it. When I first started practicing the Body Scan, I pretty much got as far as my left ankle and feel asleep every time. Now, I sometimes practice it sitting in a chair, which helps keep me awake, and I find it is very grounding. It's a good way to settle my mind when I feel flighty or distracted.
The next body-centered meditation is the Walking Meditation. Simple enough, the practice is to gently rest your attention on the sensations of walking. The Real Happiness Audio Files link to the right contains both Salzberg's intro to Walking Meditation and a Guided Walking Meditation. I recommend them both.
The Walking Meditation is done with eyes open (so you don't crash into anything). Since the focus is on an everyday activity, it can serve as a bridge for being mindful of all the movements we make throughout the day. It's a way to incorporate mindfulness into your daily life, rather than having it be only something you do for 20 minutes, once a day.
The basic instructions are to give yourself enough space to be able to walk across a room (if it were warmer weather, you could try it outside). Then, stand in a relaxed posture, and bring your attention to your feet making contact with the floor. As you prepare to take a step, notice the subtle shifting of your weight, the muscles in your legs engaging, the shift in your balance from one leg to the other as you step forward and set your foot down. And then just walk, noticing what it feels like in your body. When you get to the other side of the room, turn around and come back. And repeat. If it helps, make a mental note "touch, touch" as you put each foot down. Or, "lift, place lift place" as each foot lifts up and touches down. If that's not helpful, don't bother. You can experiment with speed as well, walking first at a normal speed, then slowing it down and speeding it up. And as with any other meditation, when you notice you are not paying attention to walking, gently and kindly escort your attention back to the sensations of walking.
During the month of February, challenge yourself to participate in MMC’s 28-day meditation program. It’s simple: Commit to meditating each day and connect online to share experiences – pleasant, difficult or otherwise. We will follow the meditation program outlined in Sharon Salzberg’s book, “Real Happiness.” This blog will be your guide, including links to helpful Web sites and guided meditations. Meditation can help with overall wellness, pain, stress, anxiety, sleep and concentration. This is your opportunity to start a new practice to enhance your wellbeing or to continue your practice in the company of your fellow Griffins.
Sign up with the form below and to the right and check back here often.
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