Pocket Practice: Body Scan With Awareness Of Experience

Pocket Practices are a series of short mindfulness practices, each lasting less than five minutes, designed to fit into everyday life.
Whether you have a spare moment or simply need to pause, each practice offers a gentle way to reconnect with the present moment. They may be particularly helpful if you've completed an eight week Mindfulness for Life course and are looking for simple ways to keep your practice alive, while remaining accessible and beneficial for anyone curious about bringing a little more mindfulness into their day.
This short body scan offers a chance to pause and reconnect with the body, moving attention gently from the head down towards the feet.
Along the way, we’ll notice whatever sensations are present with friendly curiosity, perhaps appreciating moments of comfort or ease, while also making space for discomfort if it arises.

Transcript

The body scan with awareness of experience. So just taking some time now to settle into a position that feels supportive and comfortable for you. Perhaps sitting, Lying down or standing. Choosing whether to close the eyes or keep them open. Or perhaps just go for a soft or lowered gaze. So just beginning by noticing the points of contact between the body and whatever is supporting you. Perhaps noticing pressure, Warmth, Coolness. Or the weight of the body being held. And when you're ready, Moving your attention to the top and the back of the head. And then the face. Noticing the forehead and the eyes. The cheeks and nose. The jaw and the mouth. And the years. Just exploring whatever sensations are here with a kind and open curiosity. Maybe noticing warmth, Coolness, Tingling, Pressure. Tightness or softness. Or perhaps noticing very little sensation at all. No, You don't need to change anything. Or seek for anything to be other than it is. Allowing attention now to move down into the neck and the shoulders. Noticing areas of ease. Or perhaps tightness or holding. And if something feels uncomfortable in the mind or the body, Maybe noticing the desire to make it better or to resolve it or fix it. But before doing so, Seeing whether it's okay just to allow it to be here for a moment. No, You don't need to like it. Just being with it as best as you can. And when you're ready. Moving attention down through both arms. Through the elbows and the forearms, Into the wrists and the hands. And perhaps noticing tingling, Pulsing, Warmth, Coolness, Or points of contact. And if there's something pleasant here, Maybe warmth or coolness, Softness or ease. Just seeing how it is to appreciate this for a moment. Knowing it's okay to like it. To savour it even. Bringing the attention now to the chest and the upper back. Feeling the movement of breathing. The chest expanding and releasing. Perhaps even the beating of the heart. And noticing any other sensations as well as perhaps any emotions that are present. Knowing there's no need to chase away the unpleasant or hold on to the pleasant. And as best as you can, Just allowing your experience to be exactly as it is. Allowing attention to move down now into the abdomen. The lower back. Perhaps sensing breathing, Contact. Tightness, Softness or warmth. And then moving into the pelvis and the hips. If it's helpful maybe taking a slightly deeper breath. And on the outgrowth. Allowing attention to continue moving down through the body. Moving through the thighs and the knees. The lower legs and ankles. And down into the feet and the toes. Maybe some sensations are strong, Others are faint. And there may be places where you notice very little. And now allowing your attention to expand to include the whole of the body. From the top of the head all the way down to the tips of the toes. Holding the body as best as you can with a sense of open, Friendly awareness. And as this practice comes to an end, Choosing what feels right now, Maybe beginning to move and opening the eyes. Or perhaps staying here for a little bit longer. And taking this friendly curious awareness into the next moments of your day.