Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Dr. Robin Dilley, author of In A Moment’s Notice: A Psychologist’s Journey with Breast Cancer and a licensed psychologist in the State of Arizona.
Our bodies do not lie. They always tell the truth. However, in our Western Culture we often use our bodies as if they are machines, neglected machines at that. We find ourselves waking up in the morning and expecting that when our feet hit the floor that our legs will work, our balance with stabilize us, and our bodies will move throughout the day making them do what it is that we think we need. We seldom give our bodies another thought. You are on this website or this blog because you have an interest in the body-mind connection. You have found that it is important to incorporate your body into your healing process. Some of us resonant with Yoga, others of us do not. No problem. Here is a simple exercise that I created for you to check in with your body and this exercise will help you get to your YES, in the previous blog. Our bodies deserve our focus and attention and it can be as simple as stopping our endless activity and taking three minutes to check in. The three minute check is a simple mindful body scan to acknowledge what your body wants and does not want.
How to do a Body Scan Meditation
Learning to scan your body for information is a way of practicing mindfulness. Here are some easy steps.
- Turn your attention to your body. You don’t need any fancy way of sitting, a meditative place to go, or any special equipment. Take a breath and turn your attention toward your body.
- Notice what position it is in. How are you currently sitting? What aches? What is uncomfortable? Take a moment to practice slow breathing. Breathe all the way in and exhale as if you are blowing out a candle. Crunch your body up tightly and gently let it go. Breathe, crunch, and breathe again.
- Bring your goal, wish, or your want to the foreground of your mind’s eye. Allow yourself to sit with it for a few moments. Even allow yourself to say your goal gently out loud, or to yourself. Allow yourself to imagine that goal being accomplished. See the finished accomplishment. Notice what you feel. How does your body respond to that finished accomplishment?
- What is happening to your tension, neck, back, shoulders, stomach? Just notice it. Breathe again, deeply in and gently blow out the candle.
- Notice any negativity, resistance, restraint, and observe. Breathe into it and exhale slowly.
- Notice again your body. Is there a YES? If not, what is there? Sadness, fear, anger. Accept it, smile at it. “Ah yes, there you are. You have been trying to get my attention and I have been running and avoiding you. What do you need me to know?” If you have your YES, make it bigger in size and then smaller in size.
- Just observe what happens to your body when you stop long enough to listen.
- As you listen, allow yourself to experience. Stay close to yourself. Use your breath to regulate your emotion. Move toward the emotion, not away from it. Give yourself a bit of time to just be here now.
- Bring your awareness back to your body. Notice what it is feeling and where. Use your breath to gently raise and lower your abdomen. Let yourself smile and say thank-you.
- Gently allow yourself to come back to the here and now.
Do this exercise as often as you can. By experimenting with this exercise often through-out the day you learn information about yourself that you do not normally take time to pay attention to. This important information will guide you to better and more positive choices for yourself and even for those around you. If you body cringes every time it is around a certain person, what is it that your body wants you to know? If your body feels upbeat and energetic around other people, notice. You get to choose who, how often and under what circumstances people are in your daily life. Your body can become your best radar as to who is good for you or whom you need to place a protective ring around yourself when you have to be around them. Your imaginary ring of protection will help you not to absorb their energy or allow you to be brought down by their negativity. The imaginary ring protects. More about protection, safety, and emotional health in the next blog.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Dr. Robin B. Dilley, author of In A Moment’s Notice: A Psychologist’s Journey with Breast Cancer is a licensed psychologist in the State of Arizona. Her eclectic practice allows her to cross diagnostic barriers and meet clients in their need assisting them to respond to life in healthy and empowering ways rather than react to life’s circumstances.
Filed under: Breast Cancer, Doctor's Advice, Dr. Robin B. Dilley, Featured Articles, Home, Meditation, Psychological Healing, Tips and Tricks Tagged: Breast Cancer, breast cancer healing, Doctor Advice For Breast Cancer, Dr. Robin Dilley, Meditation, mind exercises for breast cancer, pschcological healing Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
