10 Minute Guided Body Scan

A body scan is a mindfulness practice in which you practice bringing nonjudgmental, compassionate, present moment awareness to every body part, one at a time.
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Fun Fact: This practice brings you into the present moment by helping release your awareness from purely your mind and lead to a deeper awareness of mind-body sensations in which your body expresses pain, tension, trauma, and/or stress.
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You can change your relationship with pain! Practicing a body scan can change the way your brain responds to, and regulates, visceral nervous signals (intuition, gut feelings, etc).
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❦ Traditionally practiced in a lying down position, a body scan can be done anywhere from 5min to 45min+ with an intention of letting go of specific goals and expectations. Simply just noticing the sensations and thoughts that arise, both physically and emotionally, without getting carried away by your reactions.
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I was first introduced to the body scan during the summer of 2017 when I participated in a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) 8-Week course through Cambridge Health Alliance in Massachusetts.
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“Your mind will think, that’s what they do. But when you notice it drift, just gently bring it back to your body.” Juan, my instructor, would always remind us of this as we sat on our mats during meditation. “Notice how your thoughts enter, and then notice how they exit. You can always come back to your breath.” I made an effort to follow those words as I tried to be present in my body, not in my thoughts. In that moment I began noticing how my body felt and where all my thoughts were coming from. It was beautiful and empowering.
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Have you ever tried practicing a body as a form of meditation? Do you practice body scans currently? Are you hesitant to try?☟