Date: 08/31/2024 09/01/2024
Location: Star River Meditation Center
Teacher: Yunquan Huang
Sitting Meditation
Body Scan Meditation: Feeling Your True Presence
The body scan is a meditation method that brings awareness back to the body and anchors the mind in the present moment. Rather than seeking special sensations, it invites us to observe the body as it is, reconnecting us with our authentic experience of being alive.
1.What Is the Body Scan Method?
It is a practice of moving awareness gradually through the body—either from head to feet or feet to head.
It includes noticing:
Temperature
Weight
Tingling
Pulsation
Tightness
Relaxation
Contact points
Energy flow
The goal is not to change the body but to feel the body exactly as it is.
2.Why Does the Body Scan Bring Calmness?
1.The body is always in the present
Thoughts move in time, but the body remains here.
2.Bodily sensations are easier to observe than thoughts
They give the mind a stable anchor.
3.The body reflects emotional states
Stress, fear, and tension all show up physically.
Scanning the body means scanning the emotional landscape.
4.Awareness reduces mental noise
As awareness roots in the body, thoughts naturally soften.
3.Steps for Practicing the Body Scan
1.Prepare a relaxed posture
Lying down, sitting cross-legged, or sitting on a chair
Relax the body
Close the eyes gently
Allow the body to be naturally perceived.
2.Begin from a chosen starting point
(1) Head-to-feet scan
Head → Face → Neck → Shoulders → Arms → Chest → Abdomen → Legs → Feet
(2) Feet-to-head scan
Feet → Legs → Abdomen → Chest → Arms → Shoulders → Face → Head
Any direction works—consistency and thoroughness matter.
3.Pause at each region and observe
Ask:
Is it tight or relaxed?
Heavy or light?
Warm or cool?
Tingling, pulsing, or neutral?
Nothing needs to be changed—just observed.
4.Handling discomfort
If discomfort appears:
Do not run
Do not fight
Simply acknowledge it
Seen clearly, discomfort often softens naturally.
5.Integrate the whole body
At the end, expand awareness to the entire body:
Feel the whole body breathing and existing as one.
This brings deep stability and ease.
4.Common Experiences During the Body Scan
1.Warmth or relaxation
Signs of releasing tension.
2.Tingling or energy movement
Natural reactions to increased awareness.
3.Sharper or subtler sensations
Awareness refines perception.
4.No special sensation
Completely normal—presence, not experience, is the goal.
5.Mistakes to Avoid
1.Trying to relax the body
The purpose is awareness; relaxation follows naturally.
2.Concentrating too tightly
Force creates numbness instead of clarity.
3.Chasing special sensations
Experiences come and go; awareness remains.
4.Skipping uncomfortable areas
Avoidance prevents complete awareness.
Conclusion
The body scan does not change the body—it reveals it.It does not seek extraordinary sensations—it restores presence.By feeling the body with clarity and gentleness,the mind settles, thoughts loosen,and the truth of experience emerges in the present moment.The body is a bridge to awareness;awareness is the doorway to truth.
