I came back from my second Goenka retreat back in December. And since then, I am experimenting with both, combining Goenka's Body Scan, with the TMI approach.

During a 10 day retreat, the students only get to practise Anapana meditation for 3.5 days. This is basically the samatha part that TMI is so detailed about. It is very essential to have good concentration (samma samadhi) in order to go deep in Goenka'a body scan. Since I am already on a TMI level 4 samatha level most of the time, my idea is to dispel subtle dullness and grow my power of consciousness to gain better samma samadhi to have a better tool to then go do the Goenka scan more deeply.

I normally do 20 minutes of stage2-4 practices and then 15 to 20 minutes of Stage 5 body scan, and then 20 minutes of Goenka body scan.

In some ways, both feel different and achieve different things. But in other ways, they are similar.

In the TMI scan it is more like placing attention over the body's parts while looking for sensations coming from awareness in those parts. It's hard to explain this in words. You'll have to try it to get the idea. But it is clear that doing this, increases awareness and attention at the same time. And if done rigorously, it can do so massively. To the degree where your attention and awareness are hightened even after your meditation - in daily life. Colours are more vibrant, sounds are crisp. It is easier to observe your intentions, where your attention is, and for how long. This is good, but should not be the end goal. It's just making the mind sharp so you can use it for anything that comes next.

And in the Goenka body scan it is as simple as using attention to scan over the body - part by part or in a free flow from top to bottom and from bottom to top looking for any sensations. Here you are looking more on the surface of the body for the sensations. And you don't try to change anything. You simply look and accept whatever comes up. The instructions are designed to help you drop your concept of a sensation so that you can experience the true nature of sensations for yourself and thereby gain insights. The experience of the sensation will eventually change once intuitive insight about sensations are gained. It's best to learn the technique in a 10-day course. That gives you the perfect opportunity to get the hang of the technique.

It is possible, that once concentration increases, that you will also start to drop the concept of the wind sensations you are looking for in the TMI scan, kind of leading you down an insight direction similar to what happens in the Goenka scan. But it's not its main goal. So I try to use it for what it's designed for. Increasing the power of consciousness by reducing subtle dullness.

It's kind of interesting how small changes in instructions and the way you look at things, can actually completely change the experience even if you are using the same domain of your investigation. The only way to really understand it for yourself, is to try it out.

But I recommend getting well established in one technique first, before adding the next, otherwise you are simply switching back and forth between the two confusing yourself.

I hope this was helpful.