16/03/2026
A body scan meditation is a form of mindfulness meditation and is one of the simplest ways to meditate and bring about an awareness of your body, releasing tension in areas where you notice sensations such as aches or tightness.
Our daily lives often cause us stress, which we hold onto in our bodies, and a body scan meditation is a great way to check in and identify these areas.
To begin, find a comfortable place where you can sit or lie, close your eyes and take a big deep breath, in through the nose, out of the mouth.
Starting at the top of your head, gently bring your awareness to this area, to the crown of the head and just notice whatever sensations you can feel. Don't try to change anything, just become aware of any stresses or strains, any aches or pains.
Continue scanning down your body, through your eyes, your temples, your ears, your mouth. Depending on how much time you have will determine how long to spend on each area, though ideally try to spend about 30 seconds on each area if you can - doing a quick 5 minute body scan is a great way of quickly checking in with your body, though a 20-30 minute session will mean you get the most benefits from your meditation.
As you work your way down, pausing and scanning the different areas of your body you may find that you become distracted and start thinking about what to have for dinner tonight, or about the friend you've been meaning to message - don't worry if this happens,it is perfectly normal, especially when you first begin meditating. Simply bring your awareness back to the body part, observe and move on. No judgement, no labelling, simply bring yourself back.
When you have scanned your whole body, remembering to breathe at a regular pace - take one final, deep breath and open your eyes.
