How to Do a 5-Minute Body Scan
You can do a body scan at a red light. You can do a body scan in the shower. You can do a body scan wherever.Yes, you can even do a 10-second body scan.Once you learn the foundations of mindfulness, you can play with it and stretch it to fit your life and needs.While a 5-minute body scan may not give enough time for beginning to really experience things as they are, any amount of time is encouraged. For most of us, beginners and long-time practitioners, having a longer time for a body scan allows us to settle in or find a few moments where we are truly present.
There’s No Strict Script for Doing a Body Scan
No matter where you are – you can follow the below practice for a quick body scan. There is no set script, you can start from your feet and work your way up or start from your head and work your way down. If at any time you feel intense thoughts or sensations, you can move your attention to another part of the body or sensation that is more comfortable. Don’t force yourself to be in an area of the body that may be triggering for you. The purpose of a body scan is to notice sensations just as they are. We may notice sensations are pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. We notice what else is showing up as we are paying attention to the body – thoughts, emotions, and sounds. Then, we get to proceed with our day with a little bit more awareness, connection to our body and to the signals that it is sending us. These signals can be important as you can become more in tune to recognize what our body is telling us. If you are hungry – you eat. If you are full – you stop eating. If you are in pain – you stop pushing yourself. We learn all these things when we pay attention.
A 5-Minute Body Scan Practice
Once you find a comfortable position, sitting or standing or lying down, we can start by bringing attention to our feet. Notice the sensations that are already there – we are not trying to make anything happen, but rather just looking to notice sensations. Then, bring your attention up to your legs, knees and then your upper legs.If you can, bring attention to your chest and back. Moving your attention further up your body, notice your shoulders, upper arms, lower arms, neck and head. Your body can be the indicator for what is going on mentally or emotionally. Paying mind to the sensations our bodies are experiencing and the signals that it is sending us can help alleviate stress and discomfort, all while bringing us back into the present moment.