Dearest Friends,

Thank you for your presences and your participation in our most recent gathering!

In our last session, we continued our explorations of how the body can be a support for meeting stress and anxiety, focusing specifically on interoception or the ability to detect and interpret internal physical and physiological signals such as hunger, thirst, temperature changes, muscle tension, etc. Interoceptive awareness aligns with what’s referred to in the dharma as kāyānupassanā—mindfulness of the body. It’s a visceral reminder that the body itself is a field of presence and awareness isn’t a faculty confined to the mind. When it comes to helping us meet stress and anxiety, interoceptive awareness can offer the following benefits:

• It Diverts Our Attention away from Mental Proliferations (Papañca): When we’re stressed or anxious, our thoughts often proliferate in ways that exacerbate our distress (this is what’s referred to in the dharma as the proverbial second arrow). Interoceptive awareness interrupts this cycle by shifting our attention from thoughts to sensations. Deprived of the fuel of our attention, our thoughts begin to settle and we become less prone to shooting ourselves the second arrow.

• It Reminds Us of the Truth of Impermanence (Anicca): When we focusing our attention on bodily sensations in a sustained way, we’re reminded—in a very direct way—of the truth of impermanence. Sensations arise…and they pass away. Observing this directly can allay our stress and anxiety by reminding us that even difficult circumstances arise and pass away.

• It Allows Us to Respond Preemptively and Wisely: When our interoceptive awareness is well-developed, we catch the subtle signs of impending anxiety and stress before these states have us fully in their grip. This preemptive attunement allows us to intervene early enough and to avert greater suffering.

In short, interoception helps us interrupt downward spirals of rumination, reminds us of the truth of impermanence and supports us in responding early enough to subtle signs of distress and unease.

SUGGESTED PRACTICE:

Sit quietly and attend to your breath with your gaze lowered or your eyes closed. Then gently scan the body, shifting the attention from the top of the head to the bottom of the feet. Notice sensations as they arise and pass away in the different regions of the body. Whether the sensation is pleasant, neutral or unpleasant, hold it with interest and kindness. Silently remind yourself: “This sensation that has arisen, it will eventually pass away.” Before you end, rest in a felt sense of gratitude for this body that’s a field of loving awareness—a field of compassionate presence.

REFLECTION PROMPTS: 

• How might interoception shift your response to stress and anxiety compared to thought-based strategies?
• How does attending to the body deepen your understanding of impermanence?
• How does attuning and listening to your body support mindfulness and compassion?