Not an Imaginary Body...
Not a Wished-for Body...
Just This Body...
The Body Scan
One of the first techniques learned and practiced in the MBSR program is the body scan. It seems we have a tendency to neglect our body unless there something wrong with it, which is unfortunate because what is called the "felt body sense" -- awareness of body sensations, often quite subtle -- can give us valuable insight into what is going on with our bodies and with our whole being as well.
The body scan is a practice of devoting moment to moment attention to our body just as it is. Typically the body scan is performed lying down but can be practiced in any position. We first direct a broad, expansive attention to the body as a whole, then very focused attention in systematic fashion to various regions of the body and then once again an expansive awareness of the entire body. Through this process we discover a lot about how our body feels, it's sensations, and our mental reactions to paying attention to various parts of our body. As we pay attention in this way, without trying to fix or change anything, we become more inclined to be less critical of our body's perceived imperfections and to cultivate greater acceptance and appreciation for our body as we find it at this very moment.