A body scan meditation script is a wonderful way to develop attention and a mindfulness practice. They guide the practitioner to focus on specific body parts, which is a great tool for cultivating present-moment awareness.
Body scan meditation scripts are also a great way to learn to focus, and they help us to divert our attention back when becoming distracted.
Mindfulness-based meditation practices have become popular and body scans are no exception. They often feature in yoga nidra practices and MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction) practices.
Body scan meditations can also be stand-alone practices.
In this article, we’ll take a look at:
- What is a body scan meditation?
- How to practice a body scan meditation
- A body scan meditation script
Benefits
Some of the reported benefits of body scan meditations include:
- A reduction in stress
- Reduced anxiety
- Better sleep
- Relaxation
- Body awareness
What is a body scan meditation and MBSR?
Meditation is often associated with the lotus posture and trying to still the mind, but in fact, there are many forms of meditation and many ways to practice – body scans being one of them.
Body scans originated in the 1970s with John Kabat-Zinn’s mindfulness-based stress reduction technique (MBSR).
The eight-week program takes meditation techniques and makes them approachable for anyone. The techniques have been used in healthcare institutions, schools and by therapists.
There has been a significant amount of research on mindfulness-based stress reduction, which has aided its popularity, but mindfulness and meditation have a long history originating with Buddhism.
Body scans and mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques are largely secular which has also contributed to their popularity.
In a body scan meditation, the practitioner is directed to different parts of the body and to sweep their attention over them without moving.
The body scan is about bringing mindfulness to an area of the body rather than to change its state as in relaxation techniques.
Body scan meditations encourage the practitioner to sit with whatever sensations arise.
The meditator is not required to try and change anything about their experience but to let sensations come and go on their own.
Allowing what exists to be present is a prominent tool for working with those who suffer from chronic pain. Learning to sit with sensations can aid practitioners in working with their own pain.
How to practice a body scan meditation
Many people like to sit in a comfortable seat for meditation. This could be sitting cross-legged on the floor or sitting upright in a chair. For a body scan meditation, it can be useful to lie down.
Setting yourself up in a comfortable space is important, and you can even do it in bed as long as you don’t fall asleep.
You want to be as comfortable as possible, but the goal is to stay awake.
Body scan meditation script
In this body scan meditation script, you will be bringing your awareness to the physical sensations within various places within your body.
Sometimes we get caught up in labeling sensations as good or bad, pleasurable or painful. In this body scan meditation script, try not to label the sensations but just perceive them in a neutral way.
Sensations may guide you towards feelings of temperature or tingling. They are neither good nor bad. Try to experience sensations just as they are and welcome in your whole experience.
Find a comfortable position to lie in, such as on your back on a carpeted floor or on a fairly soft surface.
Let the eyes fall closed.
Soften the jaw and the eyes and let the shoulders rest back into the ground… Let yourself rest into the ground… Let the ground come up to meet you.
Let your attention wander to your breath.
Just become aware of the sensation of breathing. There is no need to change or manipulate the breath. Just become aware of the sensation of breathing…
The rise and fall of the chest… The rise and fall of the belly… Notice where in your body you feel your breath… Feel the right lung breathing… Feel the left lung breathing…
There is no need to control the breath… Just notice sensations around the breath…
Breathe in an easy regular rhythm…
Let go of the sensations of breathing and bring your attention to the surface beneath you… Notice which parts of the back of your body touch the ground… Notice which parts of the back of the body do not touch the ground…
Let your whole body rest deeply on the surface beneath you… Imagine every muscle within your body doing a sigh… With every exhale, let your whole body sigh into the surface underneath you.
Bring your attention to your left foot… the heel right through to the toes… simply become aware of the foot… What sensations are in the foot? Become aware of sensation in the foot without judgement.
Scan your awareness up to the calf and shin… What sensations are present?… Notice any sensations in the calf and shin and knee…
Bring your attention to your upper left leg… notice any sensations in the front of the thigh… back of the thigh… the hip…
Now bring your attention to your right foot… the heel right through to the toes… simply become aware of the foot… What sensations are in the foot? Become aware of sensation in the foot without judgement.
Scan your awareness up to the calf and shin… What sensations are present… Notice any sensations in the calf and shin and the knee…
Bring your attention to your upper right leg… notice any sensations in the front of the thigh… back of the thigh… the hip…
Feel both legs… If there are no sensations, let there be no sensations… If there are intense sensations, breathe into the sensations with no judgment…
As the mind wanders, acknowledge that it has wandered and come back to the sensations of the legs and hips…
Now bring your attention to your tummy. Notice any subtle sensations of movement which are the residue of breath… What are the sensations in and around your tummy as your breathe…
What are the sensations within your tummy? Maybe you feel movement or gurgling… Breathe in… exhale and let the body soften… Feel the back of your waist and any sensations around the lower back…
Now feel into the chest… What are the sensations in the front of the chest… Feel the gentle rise and fall of the chest as you breathe in…
Feel the gentle rise and fall of the breath in the chest… Maybe you can feel the ribs move… Keep the awareness on the front of the chest and notice any cessations that may arise…
Bring your awareness to the back of the chest… Feel the rhythm of your breath and any gentle sensations of the breath moving the back of the chest… Can you become curious about the sensations in the back of the chest…
Let yourself feel all of the sensations of the torso… Feel the whole torso…
Let your attention wander to your left shoulder… Feel sensations in the left shoulder…left upper arm…Elbow… Left lower arm…Left wrist… Left hand…All five fingers… Feel all of the sensations that are present in the left arm and shoulder…
Breathe in… Breathe out… Feel the whole left arm and shoulder…
Now let your attention wander to your right shoulder… Feel sensations in the right shoulder…Right upper arm…Elbow… Right lower arm…Right wrist… Right hand…All five fingers… Feel all of the sensations that are present in the right arm and shoulder…
Breathe in… Breathe out… Feel the whole right arm and shoulder…
Bring your attention to the neck and throat… Feel any sensations within the neck and the throat… Notice any sensations of the breath in and around the throat… Notice any changes in temperature… Feel the neck and the throat…
Bring awareness to the face… Nothing to change, bring awareness to the face… The mouth… The jaw… The eyes… The forehead… Feel any sensations that are present in the face…
Notice sensations in the back of the head…Top of the head… Feel the whole head and any sensations that arise…
Feel the whole body…
Come back to the sensation of breath… What sensations are associated with breath… Where in your body do you feel the sensations of breath…
Let your attention stay with the breath for as long as you have time for… Stay with the breath…
To come out of the practice, take a slightly deeper breath and feel that breath as sensation… Let the inhales and exhales roll…
Gently begin to open your eyes… take in a little light and color… form and shape… notice your surroundings…
Stay with the breath for a moment longer before you make some small movements with the body…
Take a roll onto your side… Rest for a moment… Press into your top hand to bring you to sit to close the practice.
What’s next?
Looking for another meditation script? Why not try out this Loving Kindness Meditation Script?
