Mindfulness of the Body
Practices: STOP Technique
Body Scan
Learning Objectives
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Body Awareness: Preoccupation vs. Mindfulness of the Body
Preoccupation with the Body
Most of us are preoccupied with our bodies, and much of what preoccupies us is judgement about our bodies:
This judging can cut us off from simply living in our bodies and tuning in to basic sensations in our bodies. We only notice the BIG dramatic stuff such as pain, sexual arousal, and extremes of tension and excitement.
- appearance and attractiveness
- abilities
- athleticism, strength
- quality how we move, etc. etc.
This judging can cut us off from simply living in our bodies and tuning in to basic sensations in our bodies. We only notice the BIG dramatic stuff such as pain, sexual arousal, and extremes of tension and excitement.
Mindfulness of the Body
Mindfulness of the body opens up the simple experience of what is happening inside, without judgement or trying to "make" something happen. With practice, good things happen! We can:
- "reconnect" the head to the body holding it up
- promote relaxation and reduced tension overall
- increase awareness of how your body feels . There are immense benefits to this awareness: it allows us to attend to tension before it becomes pain, and gives us the ability to hold ourselves in the way we want to feel
- befriend our bodies
Body practice #1: the STOP technique
The purpose of the STOP technique is to allow you to, at any time, take about a minute to reconnect with the body and get out of the "autopilot" state. There are simple steps to take, easy to remember using the acronym STOP:
Stop whatever activity you are doing, whether pleasant or unpleasant
Take a breath, then another
Observe, in that friendly, interested fashion, without judgement "I notice that..."
Stop whatever activity you are doing, whether pleasant or unpleasant
Take a breath, then another
Observe, in that friendly, interested fashion, without judgement "I notice that..."
- your thoughts are coming and going, but they aren't facts, are they?
- your emotions. Name them, notice where you feel them
- your physical feelings - the position of your body, your posture, sensations inside and outside of your body - pleasant/neutral/unpleasant
- no need to change anything (unless you need to), simple notice and name
Now, let's practice the STOP technique.
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To learn the STOP technique as a guided practice, watch and practice along with the YouTube video below. Note: This video by Elisha Goldstein is about 5 minutes long--much longer than the STOP technique will usually take you to do. He explains it and then helps you through the guided practice. |
Body practice #2: Body Scan
The body scan is the mindfulness exercise in which you move your awareness around inside your body for an extended time, checking in with each area of the body, section by section, attending to both strong and subtle sensations. This practice cultivates the capacity for sustained attention, and can be very relaxing. Some reactions people experience when they do the body scan:
- falling asleep or zoning out
- being aware of unfamiliar sensations, which can feel weird
Now you give it a try...
Below are three guided meditation audio files of different lengths. The first lasts for 3 minutes; the second for 15 minutes. The body scan is usually done while lying down on the back. If you have back pain, consider lying down with the knees bent and/or supported by pillows or up on the seat of a chair. If you are unable to lie down, you could sit in a comfortable chair with your legs supported if possible. The goal is to have your body as comfortably supported as possible.
The first time you practice the body scan, consider doing the 3-minute one. It may take a time or two before you feel comfortable with it. Stick with the short practice for as long as you need or like. When you are ready, try the longer one. It's most helpful to try one of these guided practices on most or all days during the next week.
The first time you practice the body scan, consider doing the 3-minute one. It may take a time or two before you feel comfortable with it. Stick with the short practice for as long as you need or like. When you are ready, try the longer one. It's most helpful to try one of these guided practices on most or all days during the next week.
3-minute MARC UCLA Body Scan
15-minutes The Body Scan - Williams and Penman
Want to learn more? Check out this TED Talk by social psychologist, Amy Cuddy.
Extra Bonus Good Stuff: Posture
Posture is not just walking around with a book balanced on your head! The body and brain actually form a feedback loop, each influencing the other. Most of us are aware that how we feel is reflected in our posture--when we're happy our steps are light, we smile, make eye contact, and so on. But did you know that how you carry yourself influences your thoughts and feelings without our conscious awareness of the process.
In traditional meditation (and MT), posture is one more tool to create our desired state of calm alertness (ideal when in class and studying). We describe this posture as sitting in a "dignified fashion":
- back is comfortably straight
- shoulders are back
- arms and hands are relaxed
- feet are supported by the floor
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More on the benefits of improving posture (no nagging, we promise!)
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Want to understand how to improve your alignment? Check out movement therapist Kathleen Porter on "Mindful Alignment".
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If you are doing MT as a class assignment, download this form to complete and return to your instructor:
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