Mindfulness and the body

[Moksha76]

Can mindfulness be applied to the material body as well as the mind? In meditation you are taught to observe the noisy, hectic mind, to 'step back' from it and watch it twisting and turning. But can you do the same with the body? A week ago I was stuck in traffic and so decided to sort of 'glide' though the experience. I became aware of how tense and rigid my body was, crouched forward, hands gripped to the wheel. And so I 'let go', stepped back and switched to autopilot, allowing my body to go through the motions without 'me' even 'being there' if that makes sense?? I kept mumbling things like "graceful" and "lightness of touch" to myself. The traffic seemed to disperse and all the misery fell away from me. It was as if I wasn't there!!

[Matt Y]

Yes, you can be mindful of pretty much anything: sounds, sights, actions, behaviors, habits, thoughts, emotions, physical sensations (the body) etc.

In fact, traditionally, one starts with mindfulness of the body before 'graduating' to mindfulness of thoughts, emotions, moods, mental states and so on.

And as you've discovered, by paying attention to muscular tension it tends to soften, or even dissolve. Furthermore, when your body is relaxed, your thoughts and emotions tend to be less troublesome.

[Moksha76]

traditionally, one starts with mindfulness of the body before 'graduating' to mindfulness of thoughts, emotions, moods, mental states and so on.

Hmm, that's interesting Matt. Isn't there also a connection to martial arts? I believe karate was traditionally associated with zen, or am I mistaken? I don't know how that would work....

[Matt Y]

I'm not sure about the connection between martial arts and meditation, but there are certainly many parallels and commonalities, and it does seem apparent that meditative disciplines were brought into the martial arts (or vice versa), particularly in China and Japan.

It would work in the same way that the military use mindfulness today. A calm, considered, detached soldier is a more efficient one.