A body scan meditation can calm and focus the mind while relaxing the body. It is great to do any time during the day. Personally, I like to do a body scan during my work day, if I start feeling scattered. It’s like hitting a reset button. It’s also great practice for body awareness. Taking time out of your day and focusing on each and every area of your body, part by part, helps to release tension, emotions, stiffness, and shifts the thinking patterns into more positivity. Remember to not make any judgments while scanning your body, just observe.
Here is a body scan meditation from the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center, which offers several free guided meditations.
Begin by bringing your attention into your body
You can close your eyes if that’s comfortable to you
You can notice your body, seated, wherever you’re seated
Feeling the weight of your body, on the chair, on the floor
And take a few deep breaths
And as you take a deep breath
Bring in more oxygen and enlivening the body
And as you exhale
Have a sense of relaxing more deeply
You can notice your feet on the floor
Notice the sensation of your feet touching the floor
The weight and pressure, vibration, heat
You can notice your legs against the chair
Pressure, pulsing, heaviness, lightness
Notice your back against the chair
Bring your attention into your stomach area
If your stomach is tense or tight, let it soften
Take a breath
Notice your hands
Are your hands tense or tight?
See if you can allow them to soften
Notice your arms
Feel any sensation in your arms
Let your shoulders be soft
Notice your neck and throat
Let them be soft, relaxed
Soften your jaw
Let your face and facial muscles be soft
Then notice your whole body present
Take one more breath
Be aware of your whole body, as best you can
Take a breath
And then when you’re ready
You can open your eyes
Jenny R.
Jenny is NYS Licensed Massage Therapist who graduated from Finger Lakes School of Massage in 2003. Her integrative massage style blends deep tissue and connective tissue therapies to restore balance to the body and relax the mind. Jenny specializes in focused massage work based on the client and their particular conditions and especially enjoys working with those who have pain related issues of the hips, back, and neck where she can help bring significant pain relief. She also performs Swedish, pre- and postnatal, and hot stone massages