BODY SCAN
We spend a lot of time in our minds, thinking, worrying, planning, fantasizing, and replaying past events. Another way to say this is we live our lives from our minds, often at a great cost- the present moment. Our minds of course are important- a mind without thought is dead. However, our thinking has become out of balance with the other abilities, gifts, and processes that we are capable of. We have forgotten our bodies, our intuition, and our sense perceptions. We have lost access to the fullness, richness, and wholeness of ourselves.
The result of this is stress, anxiety, depression, rage, and low self-esteem, and the irony is no amount of thinking is going to help. We need to put our attention somewhere else- and a good place to start is the body.
When you pay attention to your body, you become able to:
- Take better care of yourself, knowing when to rest, eat, move, stretch, etc… Having this awareness helps you remain healthy and injury free.
- Consciously relax, reducing stress and anxiety
- Know what you are feeling, which improves communication
- Listen to the wisdom of your body, informing you about life decisions and choices
- Feel more confident
What is a Body Scan?
A simple way to reduce stress and anxiety is to return to our bodies. We can do this by practicing a body scan. A body scan is simply the process of bringing one’s awareness to the body. We use the mind like a flashlight, gently shining our attention on different parts of the body, not trying to change or judge what we find, but rather, allowing bodily sensations to be as they are. A body scan be done laying down, sitting in a chair, or standing up, and it is fine to move any part of the body you’d like to as you become aware of it. It is important to be comfortable. Some people find that a guided body scan can be helpful.
The Body Scan Process
STEP 1:
Lie down or sit comfortably in a place where you won’t be interrupted.
STEP 2:
Start by bringing your awareness to your breathing. Take three deep breaths as you mindfully tune into your thoughts and emotions, observing them as they flow freely.
STEP 3:
Start with your head, and slowly work your way down, pausing to feel your forehead, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, jaw, throat, shoulders, chest, stomach, arms, hands, fingers, hips, legs, knees, feet, and toes.
STEP 4:
As you place your awareness on that body part, tune into what you feel there. You may feel pain, aching, itchiness, tingling, firmness, lightness, heaviness, warmth, coldness, or possibly even nothing.
STEP 5:
Once you’re aware of what you physically feel in that area, expand your awareness to see if it also triggers your emotional state (a positive feeling, a negative feeling, or a neutral feeling).
STEP 6:
Now bring your awareness back your breath and feel it reach down through your entire body as you breathe in, then exhale as you let go of any tension in the body part you just focused on.
STEP 7:
As you bring your awareness to each part of the body, don’t judge or try to change what you feel- rather, let the sensations be as they are.
STEP 8:
Move up or down to the next body part. If you started from your toes, you’d move to the soles of your feet. If you started from the top of your head, you’d move to your ears or your forehead.
STEP 9:
Take as little as five minutes or as long as 45 minutes to go through each part of your body.
STEP 10:
When finished, take a minute or so to just be aware and feel your entire body as whole, relaxed, and loved — even if you still feel any discomfort in some areas.
A body scan will serve as a valuable regular practice that can help you discover ways to work through any stress, anxiety, tension or other physical pain in the body. A morning body scan will help you feel more present and in tune with your body throughout the day while a nighttime lying body is especially useful for people that have trouble sleeping or relaxing. A standing body scan is a great practice to do outdoors, after exercising, or when taking a break from work.