I will admit that I find the whole concept of yoga confusing. For example, recent research into the five layers of yoga nidra led me to a brief discussion on a practice known as body scanning. I understood the principle, but I was confused by one thing: if one of the goals of yoga nidra is sensory withdrawal, why do the body scan?
Do not misunderstand the point here. I am not questioning yoga nidra or anyone’s desire to practice it. I simply don’t understand. That being the case, I did some more research. Below is a brief synopsis of what I learned.
Body Scan: The Basic Practice
International yoga educator and yoga nidra expert Scott Moore explains that the body scan is more or less a transitional practice to help practitioners move from the body layer to the energy layer. These are the first two layers of the yoga nidra experience.
More also says that the body scan is often the longest part of a yoga nidra session. Some practitioners, especially those new to yoga, often find it the most uncomfortable part of a session as well. But with practice, most people eventually lean into the body scan with complete enthusiasm.
The practice itself involves focusing on individual body parts as directed by a yoga nidra guide. Practitioners are encouraged to focus on one body part at a time, like the hands for example. They are encouraged to pay attention to the sensations they are currently feeling in each body part.
The Point of the Body Scan
Knowing the little bit I have learned about the body scan leads me back to the question of doing it in light of the greater goal of sensory withdrawal. If I am understanding my research correctly, here’s the point: by becoming acutely aware of various body parts in succession, a practitioner can ‘forget’ each experienced body part as he moves on to the next. Once the body scan is complete, he is ready to move into that next layer of consciousness: the energy layer.
Note that the body scan is a guided practice. Participants listen to the voice of their instructor, following his or lead as they systematically examine each part of the body. Also note that there are eight components crucial to the body scan:
- Position – Practitioners are encouraged to begin in a comfortable position. The corpse pose (shavasana) is commonly recommended.
- Progression – Instructors guide participants through a systematic progression that follows a predetermined sequence.
- Rotation – Also known as the rotation of consciousness, this component focuses on moving awareness from one body part to the next as the practitioner progresses through the scan.
- Focus – Practitioners are encouraged to draw their focus to specific areas of the body. Examples include fingers and joints.
- Physical Awareness – Instructors guide participant awareness, usually in a bilateral way. In other words, the body scan often alternates from one side of the body to the other.
- Breath Awareness – Instructors also encourage participants to be aware of their own breathing.
- Sensory Experience – As each part of the body is acknowledged, participants are encouraged to feel the sensations present in the moment.
- Duration – The body scan is often the longest part of a yoga nidra session. Participants are encouraged to take as much time as they need to get from the physical layer to the energy layer.
Ultimately, yoga nidra instructors want participants to withdraw from external sensory experiences to focus on the internal. The body scan is designed to acknowledge the external so that it can be set aside in favor of the internal.
