Body scan

- Let's just start this lesson by looking at that image together. What do you see? Most likely your answer was a triangle or even two triangles or three circles, but if you clearly pay attention there are no triangles neither circles. But your mind is so paired with similar things that you just fill in the blank. That is exactly what happens in your mind all the time. We have a small sensation in the finger and we fill in the blank, pain. You have a little of sensation in your chest and you fill in the blank, I'm sad. In this lesson, you are going to learn how to move from your head to your body in order to create some space between perceptions and sensations so you can live better. Most of us live in our heads. You probably move from stimulus to response very fast without even being aware of the process. But what would happen if you took the chance to pause and create some space before you respond? If there is a stimulus, stay with a stimulus without jumping to judging. We normally identify ourselves with our thoughts. This is called a category mistake. You are not your thoughts. Your thoughts are just as expressions of your perceptions and your perceptions are heavily impacted by your sensations and evolution. Recognizes the difference between your thoughts and your body sensations will allow you to create the space and this space will decrease one terrible mental habit. Rumination. Think about the last time you were criticized or that you received negative feedback. What did that feel like? Maybe you felt a tightness in your chest, or even you find yourself clenching your hands. Either way, I would guess that you may still be holding that negative feeling toward that person and that is not healthy. That feeling you had when you were criticized may have become a thought. Why did he tell me that? Am I a failure? Am I this or that? That simple bodily sensation that lasted for a few seconds can become a rumination in your head that lasts for minutes, hours or even days. To prevent this next time you have that feeling try to create some space between the feeling in your body and the judgment process which gets going in your head. If you can do that you will be less reactive. You will be able to choose the direction you're going next with more freedom. Now, if that sounds easier, said than done, I get it. It's really hard to do that when you are in moments of being hurt. But what you can start doing today, is practicing this even when you are not upset. So during the next week, give yourself 12 minutes of focused attention. Once a day, find a time and place and be with yourself. Be with your body. Move from your head, judging, to your body, sensing. These really create a space in your life. It might feel strange, at first, but in time, taking this time to respond will be second nature.