Full Body Scan Meditation

This gentle meditation takes you through a full body scan, allowing you to gently get in touch with any area of your body that may be blocked or stuck. In each area we stop and gently communicate with our body, asking the tension we may be feeling in that particular part if it has a purpose or message for us. In this way we can identify the source, and gently release it. Music by Okaya

Transcript

Before we begin,

Take a little bit of time to just make yourself comfortable.

To do the body scan,

You can either sit in a chair,

Or if you prefer,

Lie on your back on a rug or a mat.

Wherever you choose to do this,

Make sure that you're comfortable and are able to let the chair,

The mat or rug support you completely.

It's important that you arrange to do this practice in a warm and protected place,

In which you feel comfortable and secure.

It's also best to do this at a time where you won't be interrupted by family,

Pets or phone calls.

It's important that you see this as a time for you,

A time for nurturing yourself,

A time for self-care,

As an opportunity to be by yourself and with yourself fully.

Allow this to be a nourishing time,

A time to give yourself some positive energy and attention,

A time to open to the sources of strength and healing that are within you.

It's essential not to try to relax too hard,

This will just create tension.

Be aware of each passing moment and accept whatever is happening in yourself,

Looking at it clearly,

Simply because it is there,

Letting go of the tendency which we all have of wanting things to be different from how they are right now,

Allowing things to be exactly as they are right now and allowing yourself to be exactly as you are.

So just use these instructions for guidance,

Noticing your body and activity of the mind as we go along,

Treating yourself with kindness,

Letting go of judgement and critical thoughts.

Just do what it says to do,

Being aware of how you feel and what is happening.

Remember,

There's no one right way to feel while doing this,

The way you're feeling is fine,

It's just the way you're feeling.

Simply accept it,

Giving yourself permission to feel whatever it is that you're feeling,

Seeing that it's okay.

Do the body scan in whatever position is comfortable for you.

If lying on your back is not comfortable,

Then change position.

It is your sincerity and level of attention and not the way that you're lying that is most important.

Remember to breathe fully and to allow the breath to flow freely into and out of your body.

Allow your eyes now to close gently and bringing the arms alongside the body with the palms open to the ceiling.

Legs outstretched,

Ankles uncrossed.

Take a moment to feel the body as a whole right now.

Sensing the support,

There's no need to hold the body right now,

It's being held by the mats or the floor or the bed.

Take a deep cleansing breath and welcome in relaxation.

As we go through the entire body,

Step by step,

Body part by body part,

You might notice a place that does not easily relax.

Notice if there's any discomfort or stuck energy or you might notice a positive feeling in your body.

And are you able to visualize this feeling in your body?

Does it have a color in a certain shape?

Is it a particular size?

You may want to ask your body why it is there and what purpose does it serve?

And does it have a message for you?

If you can't see this part of the body,

Imagine being this part of your body.

Step into it and bring in love and harmony into that part.

Tell your body how much it is loved and cherished.

Take a moment to communicate with your body in whatever way is right for you.

If you are experiencing stuck energy or any discomfort,

Imagine just releasing it.

You may want to bless it and send it off or imagine it turning into energy and leaving your body through an opening,

Whatever is right for you.

So now I want you to bring your attention to the fact that you are breathing,

Not changing the breath in any way,

But simply experiencing the air as it comes into and out of the body.

Becoming aware of the abdomen rising as the air comes into the body,

And falling as the air moves out of the body.

Not controlling the breath in any way,

Rather just becoming aware of the rhythm and flow of the breath.

Noticing that as the breath flows naturally,

The abdomen lifts with each in-breath and falls as the breath moves out.

Just paying attention to the breath moving in and out in this way.

Filling the lungs with each in-breath,

And on each out-breath just letting go.

Letting your body race more deeply into your mat.

If you become distracted or lost at any time during this exercise,

Just bring yourself back to your breath.

The breath is the anchor of your attention.

Now on the next out-breath,

Direct your attention from the breath all the way through the body,

Coming to the feet and directing your attention to your feet.

Noticing any sensations here.

You may feel coolness or warmth.

There may be sensations of air,

The touch of a stocking or a sock.

Perhaps you feel nothing.

Just be with whatever is happening at that part of your body.

Now move your attention to your ankles.

Become aware of the bones,

The tendons,

The skin.

Just breathing into the ankles,

Breathing in and breathing out.

Let's move now to the lower legs.

Possibly feeling the contact of your legs with the mat.

Becoming aware of the skin,

The calf muscles,

The shinbone,

Just noticing any sensations in that part of the body.

Breathing into the calf,

The lower legs and breathing out.

Moving to the knees now,

Circling the knee joint with your attention.

Exploring the knee cap,

The cartilage and the underside of the knee.

Be aware of any sensations here.

As we listen deeply to any part of the body,

We may experience strong sensations.

If we can just be with it,

Exactly as it is.

Trying not to judge,

But just being fully present to each sensation.

And as we move through the body,

Just releasing and letting go to the best of our ability.

Let's move to the thighs now.

Becoming aware of the skin and the muscle.

Perhaps feeling the pulsation of circulation here.

There may be feelings of heaviness or weightiness.

Feeling the contact of the thigh with the surface that you're lying on.

Aware of the thigh bone as it rests in the hip sockets.

Take a moment now to communicate with your body in whatever way is right for you.

Is there an area that we have scanned that is feeling stuck?

Does it have a color and a certain shape?

Is it a particular size?

You may want to ask your body why it is there and what purpose does it serve?

Does it have a message for you?

And taking a breath in,

Breathing all the way through the legs,

The thighs,

Knees,

The lower legs,

Feet.

Filling your entire lower body with freshness,

Newness.

And as you breathe out,

Releasing any congestion,

Any tiredness,

Any stuck energy.

Bring your attention now to the hip bones,

The entire pelvic bowl.

Possibly aware of the organs held in this part of the body,

The intestines and the reproductive organs,

The bladder.

Feeling the contact of the buttocks and the lower back on the surface that you're lying on.

Noticing any sensations here.

Perhaps feelings of weightiness or feelings of lightness.

Move your attention now from the lower back up the spine.

Just becoming aware of each vertebra of the spine.

Aware of the intricate nerves protected and encased in the spine as they branch out to all parts of the body.

Become aware of the muscles and the skin of the back.

Allowing the muscles to ease and release with each breath.

Let's move further up now to the middle of the back.

Become aware of the kidneys.

And moving further up,

Be aware of the ribcage.

Maybe feeling the ribcage expanding with each breath.

Aware of the place where the ribcage attaches to the spine.

Become aware of the back of the heart,

The back of the lungs,

The shoulder blades.

Drawing attention all the way up to the place where the spine meets the skull.

Take a moment now to once again communicate with your body in whatever way is right for you.

Is there an area that feels stuck?

Does it have a color and a certain shape?

Is it a particular size?

You may want to ask your body why it is there.

What purpose does it serve?

And does it have a message for you?

And now breathing in deeply once again.

Breathing fully into the entire back.

Breathing into the lower back,

The middle back,

And the upper back.

Breathing newness,

Freshness,

Lightness.

And as you breathe out,

Releasing tiredness,

Tightness,

And congestion.

Breathing in openness,

Ease into the back.

And breathing out,

Allowing the back to rest more deeply into the surface on which you're lying.

Moving your attention now to the abdominal region.

Becoming aware of the stomach.

Perhaps feeling sensations of digestion.

Possibly becoming aware of the liver,

The pancreas.

Aware of the intestines.

Feeling the movement of the abdomen as it rises and falls with each breath.

Taking a deep breath in.

Noticing how the abdomen rises as the body is filled with fresh oxygen.

And then releasing.

Breathing out.

Noticing the abdomen deflating,

Flattening.

Breathing in new energy to the abdominal region,

To the pelvic region,

And the hip region.

Breathing in.

And as you breathe out,

Fully releasing.

Move your attention now to your chest.

Feeling the expansion of the ribcage with each in-breath.

Feeling the ribcage expand in the front,

And the sides,

And the back.

Become aware of the heart cradled between the two lobes of the lungs.

Be aware of the muscles of the chest,

The breasts,

The skin.

Noticing the skin,

The collarbones.

Is there an area that feels stuck?

Does it have a color and a certain shape?

Is it a particular size?

Ask your body why it is there,

And what purpose does it serve?

Does it have a message for you?

And breathing into the entire chest.

Allowing the ribcage to expand fully on the front,

And the sides,

And the back.

Really drawing in fresh energy.

Filling the lungs,

Bringing new life,

New energy into the body,

Into the chest.

And releasing any congestion,

Any tightness in the chest region.

Be aware of any emotions that may come up in this part of the body.

So often we talk about something being heartfelt,

Or having a gut reaction.

As we go through the body,

We may notice different feelings come up.

And just being with whatever feelings come up,

Whatever sensations,

Whatever thoughts.

Just noticing.

Breathing into the chest,

And breathing out.

Just completely letting that part of the body go.

As we draw the attention now,

Down both arms,

And to the fingertips of both hands.

Become aware of the sensation of air touching the fingertips.

You may possibly feel moisture,

Or dryness.

Just become aware of the skin on the fingertips.

The fingernails,

The joints of the fingers,

The knuckles,

The palms of the hands,

The tops of the hands.

Breathing into the hands,

And breathing out.

And move on to the wrists now.

Become aware of the bones,

The skin.

You may possibly feel the pulsation of circulation here,

As the blood vessels interlace at the wrists.

Moving up to the lower arms,

Aware of the skin and the muscle.

The bones.

And coming now to the elbows.

Noticing any sensation in the elbows,

The rougher outer skin,

And the delicate skin on the inside of the elbows.

Moving further up the arms,

Aware of the skin at the upper arms,

The muscles,

The armpits.

Aware of the upper arm,

The way the bones come together at the shoulder joint.

And taking a deep breath in,

Filling the upper arms,

The elbows,

The lower arms,

The wrists.

And the hands.

Breathing in newness and fresh energy.

And breathing out any tightness,

Any heaviness.

Just letting it go.

Breathing into the arms,

The wrists,

And the hands.

And breathing out.

And bringing your attention now to the shoulders.

Become aware of the tops of the shoulders,

And the sides,

The back of the shoulders.

Noticing the muscles here,

And really exploring any sensation in the shoulders.

Is there an area that feels stuck?

Does it have a color and a certain shape?

Is it a particular size?

Ask your body why it is there,

And does it have a purpose?

Does it have a message for you?

And now we're going to breathe deeply into the shoulders,

Easing the shoulders,

Releasing any concern that is lodged in this part of the body.

This part of the body where we carry so much tension.

So breathing into the shoulders,

And breathing out.

Letting the shoulders go.

Now we're going to take our attention to the throat.

Becoming aware of the ability to swallow,

And to speak.

To draw breath into the lungs.

Bring your attention to the neck,

And the muscles there.

The vertebrae connecting to the skull.

The neck holding the head.

Taking a deep breath into the neck and the throat.

And breathing out,

Releasing.

Moving up now,

The back of the head.

Aware of the skull bones.

The scalp.

The tiny muscles of the scalp.

Become aware of the follicles of the hair.

And coming further up the head,

To the crown,

The very top of the head.

And now the forehead.

And then moving into the entire face.

Becoming aware of the eyes.

The eyebrows.

The eyelids and lashes.

The eyeballs resting in their sockets.

Become aware of the eyes.

The nose.

The bridge of the nose.

The nostrils.

Taking a breath in through the nose.

Becoming aware of the cheeks.

The cheekbones.

The sinuses.

The skin of the cheeks.

And the many muscles of the face.

These muscles which give expressions to even the subtlest of feelings.

Becoming aware of the ears.

The ability to hear.

The outer ears.

The inner ears.

The process of hearing in this very moment.

Become aware of the jaw.

The hinge joint on either side of the face.

The muscles.

The jawbone.

And the chin.

Coming now to the mouth.

Feel the lips.

The inside of the mouth.

The teeth and the gums.

The mouth.

The roof of the mouth.

And your tongue resting on the floor of the mouth.

Is there an area that feels stuck?

Does it have a colour and a certain shape?

Is it a particular size?

Ask your body why it is there and does it have a purpose to serve?

Does it have a message for you?

And breathing into the entire face.

Breathing in freshness.

Easiness.

Breathing out any tightness.

Any tension.

Allowing the face to be.

To relax.

To simply be in this moment.

Become aware of the brain inside the head.

Breathing into the entire head.

Breathing in freshness.

And breathing out tiredness and congestion.

Fatigue or worry.

Bringing attention now to the crown of the head.

And imagining that energy can be drawn in from the crown.

Filling the entire body.

Breathing in from the crown.

Breathing into the head.

The neck.

The shoulders.

The arms and the hands.

As you breathe this way.

Being aware of the body as a whole.

As complete.

As beyond its parts.

Allowing yourself to simply exist in the stillness.

The silence.

The wholeness.

Now bring light into and all around your body.

Bringing in healing,

Loving and nurturing energy.

Bringing healing energy into and all around your body.

You may want to imagine a healing bubble all around your body.

In whatever way is right for you.

Bring healing energy into and all around your body.

Coming back now to the body.

Begin to move your fingers and toes.

Moving and stretching in any way that feels right to you.

Slowly start to bring yourself back to the room.

Where you are right now.

Not rushing.

Not hurrying.

Just moving and stretching easily.

And as you feel ready.

Opening your eyes.

Allowing the calm and centeredness to stay with you.

As you resume all the activities of your day.

You might want to congratulate yourself.

Remembering that this state of clarity and relaxation.

Is accessible to you.

By simply attending to the in-breath.

And then the out-breath.

At any moment in the day.

It is a source of balance and well-being.

Allow it to be a source of constant energy and strength for yourself.

And others with whom you share your world.

Reviews

Perfect meditation to do after a busy week. I feel super balanced and at peace 🙏🏽