Body Scans, Zafus, and Zabutons

In my last blog post titled “Ommmmmm or ZZZZZZZZZZ”, I vowed to follow the prescribed 6 body scans per week to see if I could develop the mental focus and remain awake in order to experience the purported benefits of this practice.  I have completed the series of 6 body scans and I must be honest, they didn’t work for me.  The exercise takes too long (45 minutes) and it contains distracting visual imagery (see Ommmm-Zzzzzz blog for details).
That being said, the 45 minute body scan isn’t entirely without merit. Two of my classmates who were dealing with significant health issues,reported that the scans were very helpful during medical procedures and to sleep when physcial discomfort was present. Additionally, I was introduced to a similar scan during a recent anxiety seminar that took just 20 minutes. I found this exercise to be similar in spirit to the 45-minute body scan by Jon Kabbit-Zin but without the drawbacks that I personally identified.  The point is, there is no one exercise or meditation practice that will address the needs of all people.  It is important to try different styles and to remain open-minded about the usefulness of one method AND the ineffectiveness of another style.

To that point, I found a meditation exercise that I determined to be just right for me.  It is the 15-minute sitting meditation with the use of a Zafuand Zabuton cushion set.  These cushions ergonomically position the body so that sitting upright is effortless and deep breathing can become the focus of the exercise.  The moment I sat in this position, I felt immediately relaxed and yet energized.  Carolina Morning is a website that offers these cushions and an article that describes their benefits and proper use. There are many other sites where you can buy these cushions but I like this website because it has both products and good information.

Happy meditating. Keep trying to find what works for you! There is benefit to all forms of slowing down and tuning into the present moment but there are several paths to this reward.