What Works For Me When My Mind Is Racing

 I had a fun conversation with my friend Sara following her recent post on Substack about being “Stuck In Go Mode." She asked her readers, “what’s your go-to strategy when your mind won’t turn off?” I told her that I do a 61-point body scan meditation (script below) because a body scan is a wonderful way to not only check in with your body but also, and probably more importantly, a body scan brings you into the present moment. When our mind is racing we are not in the present moment; rather, we are either rueing something that happened in the past or fretting about something we fear will unfold in the future. (fun fact: 80% of the things we worry about do not actually occur).

There are various ways to do a body scan, and we do not have to make this complicated. One simple way is to start with focus on the crown of our head and then just name the parts of our body all the way down to the tips of our toes. For example, “crown of the head, forehead, eyes, jaw, throat, shoulders, hands, chest….”

You can do this any time and anywhere. Other than stopping my mind from racing, a favorite time for me to do this is when I am “just waiting.” For example, sitting in the waiting room at the doctor’s office. Most of us default to scrolling our phones. Next time you are “just waiting,” try this body scan meditation instead!

For those desiring a full script of a practice, see below:

61 point body scan:

Sit or lie in a comfortable position. Begin to connect with your breath. There are two primary ways to do this: following the air coming into and out of your nostrils or focusing on your belly rising and falling. Hands on your belly may help with this focus. Continue to utilize your breath as the anchor of your attention, breathing normally and naturally.

Bring your attention to the crown of the head

Move that attentions to the center of your forehead

And to your eyes, your cheeks, your jaw, and your throat

base of the front of the neck

right shoulder

right elbow

right wrist

 right thumb

right index finger

right middle finger

right ring finger

right little finger

right wrist

right elbow

right shoulder

base of the front of the neck

left shoulder

left elbow

left wrist

left thumb

left index finger

left middle finger

left ring finger

left little finger

left wrist

left elbow

left shoulder

base of the front of the neck

center of chest

 navel

groin

right hip

right knee

right ankle

right big toe

right second toe

right third toe

right fourth toe

right little toe

right ankle

right knee

right hip

groin

left hip

left knee

left ankle

left big toe

left second toe

left third toe

left fourth toe

left little toe

left ankle

 left knee

left hip

groin

navel

center of chest

base of the front of the neck

Throat

Jaw

Cheeks

Forehead

Crown of the head