Guided Meditations · 6 min read
Guided Body Scan: Coming Home to Yourself
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A twelve-minute practice to release held tension from crown to feet — read it slowly, or record it in your own voice.
A body scan is the gentlest way back into a body you have been living above rather than inside. There is nothing to achieve here. You are simply visiting each part of yourself with attention instead of judgement.
Settle
Sit or lie somewhere supported. Let the weight of your body be held. Close your eyes or soften your gaze toward the floor.
Take three breaths where the exhale is longer than the inhale. Each time you breathe out, let your shoulders drop a little further from your ears.
The scan
Move slowly. Spend around a minute in each area, and breathe into anywhere that feels tight rather than trying to force it open.
- ✦Crown and forehead — let the space between your eyebrows widen.
- ✦Jaw and throat — part your teeth slightly, let your tongue rest.
- ✦Shoulders, arms, hands — imagine them heavy and warm.
- ✦Chest and belly — feel the rise and fall without changing it.
- ✦Hips, legs, feet — let them sink toward the floor.
Return
Before you open your eyes, notice one place in your body that feels a little easier than when you started. That is your evidence.
Wiggle your fingers and toes, take a fuller breath, and come back slowly.
You cannot think your way into calm. You feel your way there, one body part at a time.
This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult your physician before making changes to your health routine.
