Quick Body Scan: A Simple Path to Calm

The concept of ‘body scan’ is a simple but effective tool that can help you to connect with the present and calm your mind.  When used effectively it can amount to a form of meditation, but it is so convenient and easy to do that we can use it in many situations where we might not normally think that meditation will work.

When your mind is in overdrive, overwhelm, or over-anything, having a simple technique to reconnect yourself with the present and move past your feeling of ‘stuckness’ is useful.  This is often referred to as ‘grounding’, and can help to calm and clear your mind.  The body scan technique may help you to do this.

The simple goal of scanning your body in this exercise is to focus on the physical sensations throughout the body, bringing awareness to the present moment. The purpose of body scanning is not to change or improve any feeling, but instead to simply notice the sensations.  It is a technique that doesn’t require any additional tools as it uses your most accessible tool, your own body.

What is body scan?
You might think of a body scan as a mental X-ray slowly traveling up or down your body, observing each part of your body as you go.  Some people include the concept of isometric exercises, which involves imagining tensing and releasing each muscle group as you scan it.  This can add another dimension to the exercise and help to shift it into a truly meditative state.

I have included two different versions here – the first is the ‘quick, on-the-go’ version that you can use anywhere, anytime to bring yourself back to a grounded state.  The second is the more detailed version for meditation and relaxing.  Let me know if you use either or both and how you find them!

Quick on-the-go version

When to use:
– When you need to calm your mind, distract yourself from unhelpful thoughts, or break a thought pattern and create room for a new one.

Where to use:
– anywhere you can take a few moments to focus on yourself and your body safely

How to use:

1. Be aware of your surroundings. Take note of where you are and what is in your surroundings.  If you can move to a place to sit or stand safely out of the way, then this is ideal.
2. Breathe.  Take a deep cleansing breath, to centre yourself.  If you can do a round or two of box breathing, do this.  Whether you close your eyes or not is up to you.
3. Choose where to start. I recommend beginning at the feet and moving up through your body, but you might like to start at your head and move down – it is your choice where you begin.  Focus on the first spot as you continue breathing slowly and deeply.
4. Be aware. Open your awareness to the sensations attached to that part of your body, and notice how it feels. You might imagine the sensation of tensing and releasing that part of your body and notice how that feels. You could spend 10 seconds or 60 seconds focused on that part of your body – it is up to you.
5. Release. Release your awareness of that part of your body and move it to your next area of focus.
6. Moving through the exercise. Continue the exercise along, up or down your body in a way that makes sense to you, whether you move from bottom to top, top to bottom or up one side and down the other.
7. Breathe.  When you reach the point that you are feeling calm and able to move to the next strategy, activity or part of your day, repeat a deep, cleansing breath (or another round of box breathing) to help continue to the calm.
   
   

Body scan as meditation.

Where to use:
– anywhere you can safely sit or lie calmly for 10 minutes or more, uninterrupted and comfortably, with your eyes closed.

How to use:

1. Get comfortable. Lie down or sit in a position that allows you to stretch your limbs easily.
2. Focus. Close your eyes and begin focusing on your breath. Notice the sensation of your breath filling and leaving your lungs as you inhale and exhale.  You could do a few rounds of box breathing to start the process.
3. Choose where to start. I recommend beginning at the feet and moving up through your body, but you might like to start at your head and move down – it is your choice where you begin.  Focus on the first spot as you continue breathing slowly and deeply.  In choosing the part of your body to focus on you might choose to be as detailed or as general as suits you.  For example, you might choose to think of your toes as a whole, or to focus on each toe individually.
4. Be aware. Open your awareness to the sensations attached to that part of your body, and notice how it feels. You might imagine the sensation of tensing and releasing that part of your body and notice how that feels. You might choose to actually tense and release that part of your body.  You could spend 10 seconds or 60 seconds focused on that part of your body – it is up to you.
5. Release. Slowly release your mental awareness of that specific part of your body and redirect it to your next area of focus. Some people find it helpful to imagine releasing one body part as they breathe out and moving on to the next as they breathe in.
6. Move along. Continue the exercise along, up or down your body in a way that makes sense to you, whether you move from top to bottom or up one side and down the other.
7. Note drifting thoughts. As you continue to scan your body, note when your thoughts drift. This will probably happen more than once, so don’t worry. You haven’t failed and can easily get your thoughts back on track. Just gently return your awareness to where you left off scanning.
8. Return. When you have completed the scan of your body, allow yourself to slowly release your focus and bring your attention back to your surroundings.

Final Thoughts
Body scanning is a simple yet powerful technique that helps bring awareness to the present moment, offering a sense of calm and clarity. Whether you use it as a quick reset during the day or as part of a longer meditation practice, it can be a valuable tool for breaking unhelpful thought patterns and creating space for a more relaxed and focused mind. Try incorporating it into your routine and see how it helps you feel more grounded and at ease. If you want to watch a video explaining how it works, you will find one here.