“This is going to take some time,” I thought, as I was asked to draw my attention to the big toe of my left foot at the start of my first body scan meditation.  I kept going though and was soon aware of tingling sensations in my feet I’d never noticed before.  When I reached my lower back, a surge of warmth spread up my spine.  By the end I was breathing with my entire body, from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.  I felt grounded, calm and peaceful, yet alert and awake.

The body scan is usually the first meditation introduced when learning mindfulness.  You are guided to parts of the body and encouraged to notice any sensations that may or may not be there, with a gentle and curious attitude.  When you notice your attention wandering, that’s okay; you simply acknowledge it and gently draw it back to the body and the breath.

I started to practise the body scan a few years ago as part of my approach to feeling more grounded in my body, as reflected by this visual image I created at the same time.  I’ve continued to practise it each day and constantly experience something new.  Tingling, vibrations, charges of electricity and warmth; my body feels alive as my breath gently rocks and massages it, swelling and subsiding like the waves of the ocean.  Sometimes I feel emotion bubble up through my body before it surfaces as tears, a knotted stomach, a pounding heart, or even laughter.  It comes, and then it goes.  Other times I notice nothing and that’s okay too.  There are times when my thoughts pull me in all sorts of directions, taking me away from my body and the present moment.  I can notice the thoughts and associated emotions, and gently bring my attention back to my body, again and again if necessary.  That is the practice of mindfulness.  Sometimes it’s a challenge – if my body is hurting, why would I want to rest deeply within it? – but I keep returning with a kind, gentle and nourishing breath because I know the benefits I experience.

Regular practise of the body scan helps me fully inhabit my body, rather than living in my head.  It reminds me I have a body alive with shifts of energy and all manner of wonderful, intriguing sensations, even when I am lying still.  I find it empowering to be with my body rather than fight it.  I have become an observer, not a sufferer.  The difference is huge.  Sometimes I find myself shutting my breath off from parts of my body.  I hold it.  It’s a natural response to pain.  It can take courage to allow the breath in, but once I do it’s such a relief.  Simply noticing tension can be enough for it to soften and release.  Whilst I’m resting deep within my body, I also become more familiar with my mind.  I can observe my patterns of thinking and choose how I respond.  At times I can’t help but smile when I find my mind playing its usual tricks.  Practising the body scan feels calming and comforting, and the benefits have rippled into all aspects of my life.  My body and mind feel soothed, whilst gaining renewed clarity and focus.  I feel like I have come home.

Try it for yourself – you can download a free body scan, as well as other meditations, here.