GUIDED MEDITATION II: THE BODY Begin your meditation period by developing mindfulness of breath sensations as described in Guided Meditation I (page 37). After the mind has become stabilized on the breath for a period of time, open the awareness to body sensations. When a sensation in the body becomes more prominent in your awareness than the breath, you can intentionally move the awareness from the sensations of breathing to that body sensation. For example, while you are being mindful of the breath, if you noticed a pressure sensation in your knee, you would move your awareness to the sensation in the knee. Investigate the body sensation. Notice such features as location, size, depth, intensity, vibration, temperature, and/or clarity (diffuse vs. precise). As with breath awareness, investigating the qualities of body sensation is optional and should not be analytical or lead to excessive comparison or debate. The main point is to be aware of body sensations as objects of mindfulness. We are training the mind to be present with what is happening in our body in the present moment. Using silent labels helps connect with sensation. Some examples are: “sensation,” “pressure,” “dullness,” “sharp,” “warmth,” etc. In the beginning it is best to avoid labels that are charged or that have hidden judgments such as “pain,” “my injury,” “loneliness,” “frustration,” etc. When the body sensation fades or becomes subtle, let go of it and intentionally return your awareness to the sensations of breathing. Stay with breath sensations for a while until another sensation in the body becomes prominent. In this way we use the breath as an anchor by stabilizing our attention on the breath and then intentionally moving it to prominent body sensations. As before, if you
41
