5 Reasons to Do a Body Scan Meditation By David Adam 05.07.2020. Courtesy of www.knowablemagazine.org
Is meditation just focusing on breathing? Not exactly, considering there are many ways to meditate. One such way is by practicing a “body scan meditation,” which is often recommended for those who are just getting started building a meditation practice. Studies have found that following body scan guided meditations can help people become more self-aware and present, cope with pain, feel more relaxed and less anxious, sleep better, and learn to be less self-critical. How does it work? It’s believed that the practice can help increase awareness of sensations happening in the body, providing insight into deeper emotions without judging or trying to change them.
What Is Body Scan Meditation? Body scan meditation is a practice in which you pay attention to sensations happening in your body. During a body scan, you mentally scan over every part of your body from your head to your toes. Sensations are anything that you feel and notice in the body, like tingling, cramping, tightness, heat, coolness, buzzing, pulsing, itching, throbbing or numbness. Why is noticing sensations in the body beneficial? It helps bring your attention to the present moment, since you can only feel what is taking place in the “here and now.” The idea behind a body scan is that physical sensations are tied to emotional states. You may not even realize that stress and other emotions, such as anger or sadness, cause physical symptoms
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