Body Scan Meditation: What it is and how to Practice
A body scan meditation is a technique in mindfulness meditation where you focus your attention on various parts of your body, one by one. The goal is to increase body awareness and mind-body connection and to reduce stress. During a body scan you focus on the physical sensation throughout your body. These sensations might be tension within your muscles, relaxation, tingling, the temperature of the air, the feeling of your clothes on your skin, or anything else you may feel. Your job is to simply observe these sensations.
How to complete a body scan:
Preparation:
Find a comfortable position: You can either lie down on your back or sit upright in a chair. If sitting, make sure your back is straight and your feet are flat on the floor. Choose a quiet and distraction-free environment.
Set a timer (optional): For beginners, a guided meditation of 10-15 minutes might be helpful. You can find many free resources online or in meditation apps. If you prefer silence, set a timer for 5-10 minutes so you don't worry about keeping track of time.
The Body Scan:
Focus on your breath: Close your eyes and take a few slow, deep breaths. Notice your belly rising and falling with each inhalation and exhalation.
Begin your scan: Decide whether you'll start at the top of your head and scan downwards or your toes and scan upwards.
Notice sensations, not judgments: As you bring your awareness to a particular body part, simply observe any sensations you feel. Is there tension, relaxation, warmth, coolness, tingling, or anything else? Don't analyze or judge these sensations, just acknowledge them.
Scan methodically: Spend 20-30 seconds focusing on each body part. If your mind wanders, gently guide your attention back to the area you were scanning.
Continue scanning: Move slowly through your body, section by section. Include your head, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, chest, back, abdomen, hips, legs, and feet.
Whole body awareness: After scanning your entire body, take a moment to be aware of your whole body as a whole. Imagine a gentle wave of awareness washing over your entire form.
End the meditation: When you're ready, slowly bring your attention back to the room. Take a few more deep breaths and wiggle your fingers and toes if you'd like. Open your eyes gently.
Tips:
Don't force anything: If you find your mind wandering a lot, don't get discouraged. This is normal. Simply bring your attention back to your breath or the body part you were scanning.
Be kind to yourself: This is a practice of self-compassion. Notice any discomfort without judgment and simply observe it with a gentle curiosity.
Practice regularly: The more you practice body scan meditation, the better you'll become at focusing your attention and cultivating body awareness.
Click here for a body scan meditation video.