SCRATCH OR NOT TO SCRATCH DURING MEDITATION

HOW AN ITCH CAN INCREASE MINDFULNESS

All too often, we finally sit for meditation, only to find our serenity disturbed by a persistent desire to scratch an itch. Is it Murphy’s Law? Is it a cosmic plot to prevent inner calm? Whatever the cause, the presence of an itch is actually an opportunity to improve mindfulness.

The practice of mindfulness includes observing thoughts, emotions and sensations.  An itch is a physical sensation. It can stimulate thoughts, “What should I do?” It can trigger emotions, “I want to scratch that itch. I’m annoyed that I want to scratch that itch. I’m irritated that the itch will not go away. I’m frustrated that I’m thinking about an itch.”

Thoughts, feelings and sensations are objects of attention in the mind.  While the itch is a physical sensation, the thoughts and feelings that surround it are in your mind. Noticing everything that comes up in both the mind and body when you experience the sensation of itchiness can heighten awareness of the habitual mental working patterns. For example, a mental habit may be the tendency to replay a question over and over in your mind.

Practice observation rather than immediate action.  Instead of mindlessly giving in to your desire to itch with an immediate scratch, your pause to observe the itching sensation provides you with choices. You may consciously decide to satisfy your desire to scratch. Or, you may choose to observe the desire. By pausing, you may notice that the urge fades over time. By noticing this, you can realize that it is not necessary to respond to every urge with action.

Choose to respond or not. For example, if you see a commercial of a delicious pizza, it may trigger a desire for pizza. But, eating pizza in the moment may not be the best option for you. With your practice of observing desires without immediately reacting, you may notice that your desire for pizza fades after the commercial ends. Transforming automatic responses into active choices, allows you to direct your life from intention rather than from habit.

Strengthen your intention to choose through the power of pausing.  While noticing an itch during meditation and deciding whether or not to scratch it may seem trivial, it’s an opportunity to practice observing desires and potential reactions and exercising your power of intentional choice.

Harnessing your power to choose rather than to react in situations helps you to direct your life with present awareness toward the life you want, rather than being stuck in patterns that may not be giving you the results that you desire.

The freedom to create your life afresh in every moment offers the ultimate opportunity to live fully and happily. So, next time you have an itch during meditation, welcome the chance to strengthen your personal power.

Here, I discuss how that annoying itch can be your TEACHER. You're getting into the zone and there it is—the irresistible urge to SCRATCH! Then, the mental debate—should I scratch or not scratch? After watching this video, you'll know how to deal with an itch and how observing the experience can deepen your understanding of mindfulness. This is part of my playlist on Meditation FAQs. I answer common questions about meditation and mindfulness to make starting your meditation practice easier.

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