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Practice - Mindfulness of body

When I move attention part by part in the body I don't feel sensations in every part . Is this right ? Or should I feel sensations in all body parts ?

Sometimes I do quick sweep of attention from head to feet . I do this at any moment during the day when I remember to be aware of my body . Would this be helpful for practicing mindfulness of body ? Or is there any better way of doing this ?

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When I move attention part by part in the body I don't feel sensations in every part . Is this right ?

Initially you some times feel in some parts and not the other. Wait for a while to see if you feel something or not.

Or should I feel sensations in all body parts ?

Sometimes you might feel sensation on the whole body and some time not.

If you do not feel any sensations take those parts and look at them part by part, piecing and penetratingly, lingering until you see some sensation.

Sometimes I do quick sweep of attention from head to feet . I do this at any moment during the day when I remember to be aware of my body . Would this be helpful for practicing mindfulness of body ?

Yes. Try to do one down / up sweep in a in / out breath.

Or is there any better way of doing this ?

If you feel your whole body in one instance just keep looking at the body at some occasion without sweeping.

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When I do a body scan, I do a visualization of a "golden nectar" slowly filling my body from the toes all the way to the top of my head. This is a way of helping you keep a focus of attention to the body. For me, sometimes as I am doing this technique, there is a sensation of warmth that I feel or think I feel as my attention to the body scan grows.

I hope this also helps a bit during your meditation practice.

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  • I used to get a spontaneous visualization of a rapidly rotating golden energy ball traversing my body wherever my attention went. When I told my teacher about it at an SN Goenka retreat, I was severely reprimanded. But then it's an SNG retreat, so I kind of expect a dogmatic attitude in any case.
    – Buddho
    May 3, 2015 at 14:30
  • There should be no visualisation or verbalisation. Even things like counting in Anapana is not allowed as the duration of the retreat is short.
    – Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena
    May 4, 2015 at 2:47
  • I should have refrased my answer as you are correct as to no visualization or verbalisation. I was referring to a technique for bringing the distracted mind into a centered focus and once focused, bring the attention back to the breath and let go of the visualization.
    – B Pinsky
    May 7, 2015 at 4:33
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Partial answer:

I was told on a vipassana retreat in the tradition of S.N. Goenka that at first one may not be able to feel sensations in all of one's body, but being able to feel sensation in every part of one's body is a milestone that practitioners should reach as they advance in the practice.

This seems to accord with my experience as well, that after prolonged practice one's sensitivity to the body increases.

Also, in that tradition, one does a body sweep from the top of the head to the feet as you say you do.

Hope that helps somewhat.

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