Mindfulness meditation is one of the best-known and most practiced meditation techniques both in eastern and western cultures these days. It has its origins in traditional Buddhist meditation practices. There are many different forms of mindfulness meditation which all serve the same purpose: remaining present and aware in the here and now, not dwelling on past or imagining what will happen in the future. The key is to remain non-judgmental with everything that is arising and to not act upon it. Thoughts and emotions will arise, but they will also pass away. The mindfulness practitioner just acknowledges this without resistance or attachment to a thought or feeling.
Body Scan Meditation
There are many different ways to practice mindfulness meditation, but one of them is through a body scan meditation which promotes greater awareness of the physical body.
This meditation technique uses physical sensations and visualizations as a means to ground us into the present moment and into the awareness of the body. The aim is to become aware of the different areas of the body and to experience how each body part feels with non-judgment and pure curiosity to develop compassion for one’s self and surroundings. The focus of a body scan can be either on the whole body or only smaller and narrower parts of the body.
A body scan meditation is mostly practiced lying down or sitting cross-legged on a pillow or the ground. Attention is then directed to each body part one at a time, typically starting with the lower body and moving to the upper body or vice versa.
Since the primarily focus of a body scan meditation lies on our physical bodies, it draws upon the mind-body connection. Through a body scan, we become aware of tension and pain held in the body and are able to acknowledge and release this discomfort from our bodies without judging it as something bad or negative.
If we take the feeling of stress for example, many feel stress in their minds, thinking about finishing deadlines and long to-do lists. What we are often not so aware of is that we also carry the stress in our body in form of tension and physical discomfort, such as clenching the jaw or tensing the shoulders. With the help of a body scan, we become aware how our emotions are connected with our physical bodies and can let go of them.
Vipassana Meditation
Whereas not every body scan meditation is directly a form of Vipassana and a vital part of Vipassana meditation is founded on a very specific body scan technique.
Vipassana meditation is one of the roots of all mindfulness meditation practices and is as old as Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha. In fact, the Vipassana meditation technique was discovered by Buddha and is the meditation technique through which the Buddha achieved enlightenment. It is taught in the Satipatthana Suta, Buddha’s discourse on mindfulness. It is therefore also the oldest Buddhist meditation technique, however, it can also be practiced by non-Buddhists. Vipassana means “insight“ in Sanskrit, and insight into the true nature of reality is the goal of Vipassana. The meditator uses Vipassana meditation to “see things as they are“, to uncover the hidden truth of all existence.
Vipassana is much more encompassing than just a body scan meditation, it is an ancient and codified system of training your mind, consisting of a set of exercises dedicated to enhancing awareness of one’s life experience. It is traditionally taught in 10-day silent courses which provide an introduction of the depth of the technique.
The object os to learn to see the truth of impermanence, craving and selflessness. If practiced patiently and persistently, a Vipassana meditator can experience life in a totally new way. Vipassana takes often years until mastered and the monkey mind is quiet, but the process of self-discovery and investigating one’s own experiences while still participating in them as they occur can start now. With Vipassana we dig deep to uncover what we really are below the illusion our ego holds up.
To practice Vipassana meditation, you start by beginning to focus the attention on the breathing. You start to become aware of your breath only, of the rising and falling of your chest and how you feel the breath coming out of your nostrils. If this small unit is mastered, you can go further with the Vipassana body scan.
Here, you scan your body bit by bit by completely focusing on the sensations of only the specific area you are addressing at the time. Just notice the physical and mental phenomena that arise during the process with no judgment. The breath is used as a focal point. It serves as a vital reference point from which the mind wanders and is drawn back.
Little by little, bit by bit, you can feel how your mind and body becomes lighter and you transform into a total new reality.
The benefits of Vipassana and Body Scan
Body scan meditations have been found to be effective to improve general well-being, decreasing mental and physical pain and reducing stress levels. As a result you are happier and more balanced in your everyday life.
When practiced right and persistent, Vipassana meditation has the ability to transform your whole life, seeing the truths lying underneath all your thought patterns and limiting beliefs. From this point, you are able to let go of all conditioning and craving and finally live free from the chains of the mind. Next to that, Vipassana also develops compassion and kindness for all living beings.
If you are interested in the ancient practice of Vipassana and Mindfulness Meditation, come and try it out at our Zen Special class. This class combines two disciplines: Yin Yoga and Body Scan meditation. The long-held poses of the restorative Yin Yoga activates your energy channels which increases body awareness.
The Body Scan guides you systematically through various parts of your body. Combined, both practices increase your body awareness and improve your well-being. Reserve your ticket here, and see you soon in class! OM!
Written by Clara Malzer