Homework Exercise

from the MBSR Workbook

Identifying Emotions in the Body
This exercise helps develop a broader emotional vocabulary and bring more awareness around you emotions.

As you read through the list below, write down the emotions that seem most familiar to you. Then write about where in your body you feel these emotions, how they manifest, and what thoughts or images come to mind as you read these emotion words.

• FEAR
  apprehension, anxiety, distress, edginess, jumpiness, nervousness, panic, tenseness, uneasiness, worry, fright, overwhelmed
• CONFUSION
  bewildered, uncertain, puzzled, mystified, perplexed, chaotic, foggy, or unaware
• ANGER
  aggravation, agitation, annoyance, destructiveness, disgust, envy, frustration, irritation, grouchiness, grumpiness, rage
• SADNESS
  alienation, anguish, despair, disappointment, gloom, grief, hopelessness, insecurity, loneliness, misery, unhappiness, rejection
• SHAME
  guilt, embarrassment, humiliation, invalidation, regret, remorse, mortification
• LOVE
  affection, arousal, attraction, caring, compassion, desire, fondness, infatuation, kindness, liking, longing, warmth, sympathy, sentimentality
• JOY
  amusement, bliss, contentment, eagerness, elation, enjoyment, enthusiasm, excitement, exhilaration, hope, optimism, pleasure, satisfaction

Noticing where emotions reside in the body may not come naturally. Know that as you continue to practice the body scam, you’ll become more sensitive to physical sensations and how they relate to your emotions. From time to time, reread the lists in this exercise and watch for all of these different shades of emotion as you go about your daily life. When a strong emotion arises, try to take a moment to mindfully tune in to your body to discover any physical sensations associated with that emotion.

Before you move on, take a moment to connect with your breath and mindfully reflect on what you just wrote, compassionately acknowledging, validating, and integrating what you learned from this exploration.

Meditations

Body Scans

The body scan meditation is a deep investigation into the moment-to-moment experiences of the body that can be very helpful in working with stress, anxiety, and physical pain.

10 minute – Top down

45 minute – Bottom up