This past November, I had the opportunity to participate in a meditation and relaxation session hosted by Meris Gebhardt on Merck Manuals page through a Facebook Live. This was an extremely interesting event, because prior to this I had never tried this method of meditation. A common problem I have faced is not being able to be fully present in a moment. Having been a pre-med and during medical school, I am faced with never-ending to do lists, massive amounts of information to learn and variety of opportunities to explore. Being the ambitious sole I am, I have tried to seize as much as possible, and this led me to jump from one activity to the next without taking the time to reflect and check-in with myself.
This is exactly what the body scan taught me to do. A body scan as described by Meris is where you sit or lay down and observe the body from a neutral perspective. What is peculiar about this is even though you are told to observe it as an outsider, you are simultaneously able to focus your attention and feel where you carry load in your body.
This entire experience was extremely thought-provoking and relaxing. Since the event, I have tried to incorporate performing the body scan a couple of times a week into my schedule. I have found performing it either at the beginning or end of the day to be ideal, but I hope to bring myself to perform it at a consistent time to make it a habit. The body scan has helped me live in the present moment and be more aware of my thoughts and feelings.
