Every meditative practice involves quieting the mind to bring us back to the present moment. This is because we’re often lost in thought about the future or the past. Taken to the extreme, such rumination means we’re not even aware of our body as we go through life’s daily activities.
A great way to reduce this automatic thinking and ground yourself more in the present moment is to focus your attention on the sensation of your body. One exercise that I recommend learning is “sensing” different parts of the body as an activity to link the mind with the body.
Of our three fundamental energy centers (mind, body, and feeling), the body is the only one that exists in the present moment, though we’re largely unaware of it. And the more we anchor our attention there, the more conscious we can become.
By sensing, I mean to bring your attention to a specific part of the body and notice the sensation of that body part and the fact that it exists. For example, sit comfortably in a chair with your back straight and your hands on your lap, or at your sides. Relax. Close your eyes.
Tighten your right fist and forearm as hard as you can. Hold this tension as you count to yourself for 30 seconds. Then release the tension, relaxing your arm completely.
Notice the sensation of your right arm. Sense the existence of this limb all the way to the bones within your right shoulder, forearm, and hand.
After a few minutes, stop sensing your right arm and shift your attention to your right leg but this time without tensing up. Notice the energy there that’s similar to the energy you just experienced in your right arm.
Again, feel the sensation that your right leg exists and nothing else. Try to feel this sensation from the hip to your foot, sensing its presence all the way through to the bone.
Continue to hold your attention on the sensation of your right leg without tensing up the limb for as long as you can. If your mind begins to wander, bring your attention back to the sensation of your right leg.
Then stop sensing this limb and shift your attention to the sensation of your left leg, holding it there for several minutes. Stay relaxed.
As before, stop sensing this limb and shift your attention to the sensation of your left arm.
Repeat this activity, sensing each limb (right arm, right leg, left leg, left arm three times in rotation) for as long as you can without tensing up. Then sense the whole of yourself sitting in the chair as a simple, breathing creature without any particular worries.
This is a basic sensing exercise that can help you link your mind with your body as you sit quietly.
With practice, you will become more familiar with sensing your body and can add in other body parts to this exercise to bring yourself back to the present moment. Once you develop dexterity with sensing your body while sitting, you can experiment with using this technique while moving about your day.
The body is one of our greatest gifts. It’s designed not only for movement and to protect our vital organs but also to help us grow as spiritual beings.