I always start my yoga classes with a pause. Whether standing, lying down, or seated, we take a moment to do a body scanning.
We live so much of our lives in our minds — thinking, planning, solving problems, or simply trying to keep up with the pace of the day. In all this mental activity, it’s easy to forget that our bodies are quietly carrying the weight of our experiences, moment by moment.
When we stop to truly feel our bodies, something profound happens: we come home to ourselves.
We notice where we are holding tension, where we feel soft or strong, where emotions have settled into muscles or breath. Our bodies hold the stories that our minds sometimes overlook — stories of stress, joy, grief, resilience.
Feeling our bodies helps us recognise what we need, and it helps us respond with care. When we tune in, we might discover we’re holding our breath, clenching our jaw, curling inward — and simply noticing these patterns can bring relief and choice.
In a world that often pulls us outward, feeling our bodies is a way to come home — to ground ourselves in the present moment, to feel more whole, and to restore the quiet connection between body, mind, and heart.
It’s not always easy to slow down and feel, but it’s always worth it.
So how can a simple body scan help you?
✨ Eases Stress and Anxiety
When we bring our attention to the body — to what we feel, right here and now — we create space between ourselves and our racing thoughts. This shift helps calm the mind, soothe the nervous system, and ease the weight of stress or anxiety.
🌿 Increases Self-Awareness
Body scanning invites us to notice the quiet signals of our body — areas of tension, ease, warmth, or fatigue. This awareness helps us understand ourselves more deeply, and makes it easier to respond to what we truly need.
🌸 Releases Tension and Supports Rest
As we scan through the body, we often discover places where we’ve been holding tight without even realizing it. By noticing and softening these areas, the body relaxes, and sleep and rest can come more easily.
🕊️ Builds Mindfulness and Presence
Body scanning gently brings us out of the past and future, and into the present moment — into the only place where we can truly feel and respond.
💫 Supports Emotional Balance
Our emotions live in our bodies as much as in our minds. By noticing how feelings show up physically — a tight chest, a heavy belly, a lifted shoulder — we can meet them with kindness and allow them to move through us, instead of getting stuck.
If you’d like to experience the calming, grounding benefits of connecting with your body, I’d love to welcome you to one of my yoga classes. Together, we’ll create a gentle space to slow down, feel, and reconnect — helping you release tension, quiet your mind, and come home to yourself.
You can learn more about my yoga classes here.
