Welcome to this meditation,
Today we are learning how to listen to the whispers that our bodies constantly convey to us.
Get in a comfortable position and once you are settled,
Take a deep breath in through your nose and exhale out through your mouth.
Do that for 2 or 3 more breaths and on your last exhale,
Imagine you are releasing a heavy breath that you have been carrying all day.
Return to your normal breathing pattern,
Don't try to force your breath,
Just observe it.
Feel the cool air at the tip of your nose as you inhale and the warm,
Soft air as you exhale.
With every breath you take in,
You feel yourself settling into your body.
With every breath out,
You feel yourself sinking deeper into your seat.
Now it's time to skin your body.
If there is any tension,
Do not fight it,
Just let it melt away during the session.
If negative thoughts arise of the past,
Simply acknowledge them and say,
That was then,
This is now.
You could also replace those thoughts with ones of gratitude for your body's resilience.
Such as,
My body is an intricate machine that is always doing its best.
Now,
It's time to relax the body a bit more before we dive deeper into this meditation.
Notice your shoulders and allow them to drop away from your ears with softness.
Let that softness travel down your arms,
Through your elbows,
And out through your fingertips.
Feel your thighs,
Then your knees,
Then your calves,
And lastly your feet as they grow soft and heavy.
Unclench your jaw,
Let your tongue fall away from the roof of your mouth.
Now,
Let's begin the deeper dive into yourself.
One of the quickest ways to listen to your body is to first show it respect.
In your mind,
Or out loud in a soft whisper,
Speak directly to your physical self and repeat after me.
Body,
I am listening now.
Thank you for caring me through every day of my life.
I promise to treat you with the love and care you deserve.
We are a team.
We are one.
After saying that,
Notice if any part of you feels differently than before.
Is it a positive or a negative feeling?
Whatever it may be,
Allow it to be what it is and just take note of it.
Now,
Gently place one hand over your heart and the other one on the belly.
Feel the subtle rise and fall as you breathe in and out.
Tune in and take note of these quiet signals.
Is your heart racing or steady?
Are your breaths shallow and in your chest or deep within your diaphragm?
Is there any tightness in your body or a spaciousness?
What does your body want in this moment?
Are you thirsty for water?
Hungry for nourishment?
Does your body want movement or perhaps just rest?
Don't judge what you find,
Just listen like you would a deer pack.
As we begin to bring this body scan to a close,
Take a moment to feel your body as one,
Single,
Complete organism.
You are not just a collection of parts,
The head,
The heart,
The hands.
You are a unified whole,
Breathing and living in this exact moment.
Feel the space your body occupies.
Notice the boundary where your skin meets the air and where your weight meets the surface beneath you.
Take a deep breath,
Imagining the air traveling from the crown chakra at the top of your head all the way down to your toes.
As you exhale,
Let go of the work of the meditation.
There is nothing left to scan,
Nothing left to fix.
You are exactly as you need to be.
Slowly begin to invite small movements back into your brain.
Wiggle your toes and fingers.
Gently roll your shoulders or softly turn your head from side to side.
Expand your hearing.
Listen for sounds in the ground around you.
Notice the temperature of the air on your face.
When you are ready,
Blink your eyes open.
Take a moment to look around the room,
Reorienting yourself to your surroundings.
Remember,
You are present,
You are grounded and you are safe in your body.
