Body Scan Meditation
The body scan is a foundational mindfulness practice rooted in both Buddhist Vipassana tradition and Jon Kabat-Zinn's MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction). It trains interoception — your ability to sense what's happening inside your body. Research shows that people with higher interoceptive awareness have better emotional regulation, clearer decision-making, and a stronger sense of self.
When to use
Before sleep, at the start of a practice session, or when you feel disconnected from your body. Especially valuable after long periods of mental work.
Step by step
Lie down or sit comfortably. Close your eyes. Take 3 deep breaths to settle.
Bring attention to your feet. Notice any sensations — warmth, pressure, tingling, numbness. Don't try to change anything.
Slowly move attention upward: ankles, calves, knees, thighs.
Notice the pelvis, lower back, belly. Observe without judgment.
Continue through the chest, upper back, shoulders.
Move through each arm: upper arms, elbows, forearms, wrists, hands, fingers.
Bring attention to the neck, jaw, face, forehead, crown of the head.
Finally, expand awareness to the body as a whole. Rest here for a minute.
Tips
If you notice nothing in a body part, that's data too — numbness is a sensation.
If strong emotions arise, stay with the physical sensation rather than the story about it.
Regular practice (daily for 2 weeks) significantly improves body awareness.
Pair with journaling: after the scan, write down what you noticed.
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