The body scan

Here’s the second in our series of blog posts about key mindfulness practices, designed to help you get started with mindfulness or refresh your existing practice. In this post, you’ll find:

Information on the benefits of practising the body scan
A guided audio
Hints and tips on how to get the best out of the exercise.

Enjoy your practice!

About this practice

In this exercise, you practise focusing your attention on different parts of your body, starting with your toes and moving up your body to your face and head or vice versa. As you focus on each part of your body, you notice how each one feels, without trying to change what you find.

The body scan isn’t the same as relaxation, although relaxation can sometimes happen as a kind of side-effect of the practice. Rather, it’s about observing and acknowledging what’s going on in your body.

When you first start doing this practice, it’s easier to follow a guided meditation, to get a feel for how you shift your attention around your body. Read the hints and tips in this post and then try the practice with the audio below. When you’re familiar with the exercise, you can begin practising on your own.

Why this practice?

Paying attention to your body helps you counteract your natural human tendency to ‘live in your head,’ bringing you back to the world around you instead. It helps you anchor yourself in the present moment instead of being swept away by concerns about the future or regrets about the past.

The body scan helps you develop your ability to pay attention—a skill that’s essential to mindfulness. As Ed Halliwell, writing on mindful.org, says:

Training attention in a body scan is a bit like doing resistance work in the gym—it takes some effort, but it cultivates strength and flexibility.”

The body scan also introduces you to the different qualities of awareness that are possible, from focusing on a small part of your body to being aware of your body as a whole.

Before you practice

If this practice is new to you, here are some tips to help you get the most out of the guided audio:

Treat yourself to a quiet time and space in which to do this practice—as best you can, choose a time when you won’t be disturbed.
You can either lie down or sit in a chair for this exercise. Make sure you are comfortable and that you’ll be warm enough to be still for 20 minutes or so while you listen.
When your mind wanders during this practice, as it naturally will, gently bring your attention back to your body, re-focusing your attention.
Remind yourself there’s no such thing as a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ mindfulness practice—and there’s no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to experience the body scan. There is simply your experience, from one moment to the next. Be curious about what will happen and simply try the exercise.

Listen now

Top tips:

Be gentle with yourself as you try to stay with the experiences of your body in the present moment, allowing sensations to flow in and out of your awareness. Simply notice what comes up, with a curious, welcoming and accepting attitude.
If you notice discomfort in any part of your body, see if you can acknowledge that sensation—and any emotions that come with it—without trying to push it away or ignore it. This may take some practice; as you become more experienced with the body scan, though, it will become easier. In the meantime, be kind to and patient with yourself; allow yourself to shift your position to ease your discomfort if necessary.
You can use a shorter version of the body scan, lasting around 10 minutes, any time you need to ‘get out of your head’ and bring yourself back to the present moment. Find a quiet place to sit and try this short body scan mediation from Tara Brach to get you started.