What would you say if I asked you how your left ankle was? Or your right shoulder? Or any other body part?

Our bodies are our homes and, in many ways, are the only things we can truly say are "ours." And yet it's rare that we actually put our focus on our bodies. We normally spend our time in our heads, thinking, reasoning, and logic-ing. In many cases, we only focus on bodily sensations when they are loud and painful!

Body scan meditation and connecting to your body

Learning how to bring your attention and awareness to your body is a great practice. It can help to reduce stress, increase health and mindfulness, and even help you to sleep.

Just like how you would look around your home and know what is going on there, taking some time to scan your body and notice the physical sensations present is a highly beneficial practice too. Body scan meditations are very simple to do and have great benefits. To start with it's often helpful to follow a guided meditation, but once you become more experienced you can do them yourself too.

It is a different approach to the more traditional way of meditating. If you want to find out more about how to meditate you may enjoy this article. 

Yoga Nidra

Yoga Nidra is another great body-focused meditation that encourages you to slowly move your awareness around your body.

Yoga Nidra is a guided meditation, done lying down, where you will move your attention to different points in your body. You will travel through your entire body, covering every part of it, from your feet to the top of your head.

It is a great way to relax, release tension, and notice the sensations in your body.

Yoga Nidra is also very beneficial if you're struggling with your energy levels. If you're feeling tired or stressed, a Yoga Nidra body scan is a great way to not only relax but also recharge. If you struggle to sleep, or just need to recharge during the day, Yoga Nidra can be very helpful!

Here is a guided Yoga Nidra meditation with Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

What are the benefits of body scan meditation?

Research has found that there are many benefits of practicing body scan meditation. It can help you to feel more relaxed, connected, and helps to calm emotions. If you find you often feel tense, experience mental pressure that is difficult to manage, or are struggling with anxiety you may benefit from practicing a body scan meditation.

The benefits of these practices include:

• Reducing physical pain and tension

• Easing anxiety, depression, stress, and PTSD

• Helping you to relax and recharge

• Flushing toxins from the body

How can I start a simple body scan practice?

It can be as simple as lying on the floor and noticing how different parts of your body feel. Starting at your feet, and working your way up through your legs, hips, chest, and arms, all the way up to the top of your head. While it's most common to practice lying down if you prefer you can also practice while sitting upright (find your best meditation posture here).

People often worry that they're doing it wrong. That if they feel discomfort (be it physical or mental) that they have made a mistake. Or they have a lot of thoughts buzzing around their heads and worry that they’ve failed. Allow it to be. All you're doing is noticing and being mindful of the discomfort, not trying to change it.

We spend so much time in our heads that we often ignore our bodies, so you might find some pain that you didn't even realize was there! Just remain gently present to whatever you encounter.

If you feel overwhelmed, just exhale the stress and stay in the present moment. With regular practice, you will start to feel the benefits.

How can I develop a meditation practice?

If you're looking to take the next step in your meditation journey, you will love SKY Breath Meditation. SKY is an evidence-based meditation that uses your breath to bring about deep and effortless experiences of relaxation. It has so many benefits, from reducing anxiety, helping with insomnia and sleep quality, and even boosting your immune system. SKY is a daily practice and is simple and quick. In fact, a regular SKY practice with regular body scan meditations is a great way to boost your mood, health, and quality of life!

Getting started

To get started you can join us for a free workshop where an expert instructor will take you through a breathing technique, a guided meditation, and answer any questions you have about SKY Breath Meditation. Click below to save your seat!