May 21, 2020
The Good Egg: AnyBODY SCAN Do It!
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It’s Thursday. Because of this newsletter, Thursday is my favorite day of the week. Why? Because we discuss mindfulness! All week we work on making ourselves better, and if anything, mindfulness is the key to self improvement.
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
We need to learn and focus on what is happening within ourselves. Last week we talked about mindful (deep and slow) breathing.
Breathing with Anchor Words
When you inhale, say in your mind, “breathe in”
When you exhale, say “breathe out”
When a thought enters, label it “thought”, and re-focus on your breathing
We’re going to start today’s newsletter with a 5 and a half minute meditation by UCLA’s Diana Winston. Let’s start today off on a good note!
Today’s Challenge
Try a Body Scan! A Body Scan is not what you think — we are not looking at our naked bodies — instead we are checking the different parts of our bodies with our minds.
Our minds are constantly racing and thinking about the outside world. We need to engage with our bodies to recognize our feelings and emotions. If we are constantly worrying about outside interactions, we’ll never know what’s happening within.
So, what exactly do you need to do?
Body Scan
1. Pick a moment in the day to lay down for 10 minutes
2. Notice the sensations at different parts of the body. Start at the top and work your way down
What’s happening at the top of your head?
What’s happening at your shoulders, your arms, and fingertips?
Are they tense or relaxed?
How about your feet, what sensations do you feel there?
Is there pain, tightness, or relaxed, calmness?
3. When asking these questions, notice how your mind reacts to those sensations. This keeps us in tune to the emotions that arise due to certain feelings.
Listen to the guided Body Scan Meditation.
It is recommended that people get at least 15 minutes of mindfulness practice each day. With the initial meditation and the Body Scan, you’ve completed your 15 minutes for today!
Each day you use mindfulness, you are becoming more aware of yourself, your body, and your mind.
I hope you enjoyed today’s mindfulness lesson and you continue to use mindfulness practices in your everyday life!
-The Good Egg 🐣
