Body scan
A slow pass through the body from feet to head, bringing attention back from thought to sensation.
The body scan is a slow walk of attention from your feet to the crown of your head. At each area you pause for a few breaths and simply notice what is there: warm, cold, tense, tingling, nothing. »Nothing« is a perfectly valid answer, and in areas we do not usually feel, it is even expected. This is not a competition in concentration; your mind will wander ten times and ten times you will bring it back. That returning is the exercise, not the stillness. If you fall asleep, you probably needed sleep more than the exercise.
When to use it
Before sleep, after a demanding day, or when you don’t know what you’re feeling. It isn’t a relaxation technique — the aim isn’t to relax, but to notice.
How it goes
- Lie down or sit. You can close your eyes.
- Place your attention on your feet. Stay there for a few breaths. What do you notice — warmth, tingling, nothing?
- Move slowly upwards: calves, thighs, pelvis, belly, chest, arms, shoulders, neck, face.
- Where you meet tension, don’t try to remove it. Just stay a few breaths longer.
- When your thoughts drift off — and they will — return without reproach to where you left off.
Why it works
Tension you don’t notice doesn’t release. Regular scanning gives you a map by which you notice sooner when the body is bracing for distress.
