How often do you wake up in the morning and feel a random ache? or have you ever had anyone ask you ” Why do you look so angry?” Not realizing that your furrowed your brow? There are so many unconscious habits we have that we never even realized because we are not in touch with our bodies. Most times we don’t realize what we’re doing until someone points it out or we wonder why we feel so tense. This is why I practice body scan meditation. It gives me a chance to check in with myself and most importantly get better acquainted with myself and be conscious of myself. If you haven’t heard of it let me tell you.
What is Body Scanning?
Body scan meditation is a form of mindfulness meditation where you check in and scan your body for tension, tightness, pain, or anything that might be out of the ordinary. There are many benefits of scanning meditation. You reduce stress and anxiety, decrease any pain, and better focus on self-awareness. Regularly practicing body scan meditation may help you calm down and manage your physical and emotional feelings when you’re overwhelmed, sad or anxious.
How To Perform Body Scan Meditation
1.) Get in a comfortable position whether you’re laying down or sitting up.
2.) Breathe deeply and with intention. Gradually slow your breath down and insure that you’re breathing into your belly. Don’t let your shoulders move up and down.
3.) Bring awareness to your body. Start with your feet, moving up slowly til you reach your head. At each body part notice what you feel there. if you feel pain accept the pain, and your feelings about the pain and breathe through it. Move to the following part when you’re ready.
4.) Continue scanning through your entire body. Pay close attention to where you’re holding tension. While a true body scan meditation often only includes noticing these discomforts and not necessarily changing them. The point of body scanning is to notice discomfort and bring peace to the body.
Recognizing where you hold stress and tension is important in making sure your mind and body are on the same page. You can do this at any time during the day. Like when you’re sitting at your desk check in with your jaw to make sure it’s not clenched, check in with your legs to make sure you’re not tensioning up for no reason. The more you do it the less likely it will occur. It’s best to set aside some time every day to make it a daily habit and keep your mind and body on the same page.
