This week’s meditation has been a body scan. In a snapshot, for the past five days, I’ve lay down, monitoring the sensations in my body, being mindful of any thoughts that may pop in and simply letting them go. As I’m totally committed on training my body and mind to become stronger, this technique goes a long way in supporting my goal to develop more focussed attention.

But of all the weeks to have to focus on the body, it had to be this one. I arrived back from Queensland just prior to the commencement of Mindful in May, and was covered in sandfly bites. The itch drives me insane. Why this week did I have to focus on the insanity?

Direct your attention to the feet. The toes, the spaces between the toes, noticing any sensations that are present to the feet.

Aagh! Could I not sign a waiver to opt out? 14 bites on my left foot alone forced me to miss the rest of the meditation. Scratching bites took over from scratching thoughts. All of my attention went to the itch and I couldn’t seem to move on to the rest of the leg, let alone making it all the way to the head. The first couple of days were tough.

Now at day 5, I’ve finally managed to get through the ten minute meditation… mindfully. The shift came when I mindfully pushed my attention away from the itch. Rather than being in auto mode and instantly scratching, making the sensation stronger, I carefully followed Elise’s voice as she took me from the foot to the ankle, lower leg and taking me on a weaving journey across my body.

By the end of the meditation, I was not even aware of the itching. I’d let it go.

As I write this, I wonder how many other negative, annoying and frustrating people and areas of our life we focus on which only causes unnecessary aggravation. What if we shifted our mindful approach to all of these and let them go rather than dwelling? Would they too go away if we simply shifted our focus to the present?

All day, I’ve had a frustrating issue that’s been bothering me, act a little like a bite. I’ve scratched it so much with self-talk that it’s certainly been blown way out of proportion. I’m going to opt for the body scan approach, letting it go and placing it in the diary to resolve on Wednesday. My attention has now shifted back to the present moment and after a big day, I’m ready to pop into bed and continue on my mindfulness challenge.

Already, the focus on the itching has been let go. After a full day workshop and a hard gym workout, let’s see how my body has held up and try and release that tension sitting in the right shoulder.

And let it go…

you bloody ripper!