Body Scan Meditation

What are the benefits of a body scan meditation?

• Helps lessen anxiety. You may not even be aware of the anxiety-based tension you're holding in your body until you do a quick body scan. ...
• Decreases stress levels. ...
• Improves sleep quality. ...
• Reduces chronic pain. ...
• Improves self-awareness. ...
• Helps you relax. ...
• Improves focus.

How to do it- This is a great practice for when you are getting ready to fall asleep or when you just need to relax. You can do this meditation in a seated or laying down position, whatever you prefer. After you're comfortable, 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. As you slowly scan through the body, open your awareness to sensations of pain, tension, discomfort, or anything out of the ordinary. Breathe, and spend anywhere from 20 seconds to 1 minute observing these sensations. Continue the exercise along 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. As you continue to scan across your body, note when your thoughts begin to drift. This will happen probably more than once, so don’t worry. You haven’t failed, and you can easily get your thoughts back on track. Just gently return your awareness to where you left off scanning. Once you finish scanning parts of your body, let your awareness travel across your body. Visualize this as liquid filling a mold. Continue inhaling and exhaling slowly as you sit with this awareness of your whole body for several seconds. Slowly release your focus and bring your attention back to your surroundings. Enjoy this guided body scan meditation practice for today! Namaste, Erin Joy Lets be friends on Instagram <3 https://www.instagram.com/yoga_with_erinjoy/