Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Body Scan

Discover deep relaxation and connection with my guided body scan meditation. This practice helps you release tension, calm your mind, and fully tune into your body from head to toe. Perfect for unwinding after a long day or enhancing your mindfulness journey, it’s designed to leave you feeling refreshed, grounded, and at ease. Take a moment for yourself and let go of stress—your body and mind deserve it.

Transcript

This meditation is the 30-minute body scan.

To begin this practice,

Taking a moment to get settled into your posture,

Whatever that may be for you today,

Whether you've chosen to lie flat on the floor,

On your back,

Or maybe sitting up in a chair.

If you're feeling tired,

The option of standing is there for you as well.

Just allowing the body to relax and sink into whatever surface is supporting it.

And if it's available to you,

You can go ahead and close your eyes.

If not,

A downward gaze is appropriate as well.

Allowing everything here to just be as it is,

Not trying to change anything.

And now bringing your awareness to the breath.

There's three places where people normally feel the breath the strongest.

Either the nostrils,

The cold air moving in,

And the warm air moving out,

Or it may be the rise and fall of the chest,

Or the movement in the abdomen.

Wherever the breath is most apparent to you,

Just taking a moment to bring your awareness here.

Just allowing it to be how it is,

Not trying to change it,

Direct it,

Control it.

Just being aware.

And releasing the awareness off of the breath.

And bringing it to the left foot.

Just trying to see if you can be aware of any sensations you feel in the entirety of the foot.

Being curious about the toes,

The sole of the foot,

The top of the foot.

Just noticing maybe if there's any numbness or tingling,

Temperature changes such as warmth or cool.

If you're wearing socks,

Maybe being able to feel the fabric against your feet.

Or you may find that there's no sensations at all,

And that's okay too.

And shifting the awareness away from the left foot,

And bringing it into the left lower leg area.

The ankle,

The shin,

And the calf.

And again just being curious about what you find here.

Noticing whether you feel any sensations,

Or again maybe nothing at all.

If you notice that your attention has been pulled by maybe a sound,

Or a thought,

Or a sensation somewhere else in the body.

Just gently acknowledging this without judgment.

Bringing the awareness back to the left lower leg.

Now letting go of the lower leg and the ankle.

Bringing the awareness to the left upper leg.

The entirety of the upper leg.

The knee,

The front of the thigh,

The back of the thigh.

Just investigating here in this moment,

And being curious about what you might find.

Just allowing your experience to be as it is.

Not trying to change or control anything.

And now releasing the awareness from the left leg entirely,

And bringing it to the right foot.

Maybe taking a moment to be grateful for your feet.

All the effort they put in every day,

And we seldom take the moment to appreciate that and be grateful for that.

And then just keeping the awareness on the right foot.

Top,

Bottom,

The toes.

Just seeing if there's anything here to notice.

And if you notice no sensations,

Just be aware of that.

And taking a moment to release the awareness from the foot.

Bringing it to the right ankle and lower leg.

Entirety of the right lower leg into your awareness now.

The shin,

The calf.

Maybe feeling the sensation of clothes resting against the skin,

Or warmth,

Or cool.

Just being curious here.

And if you find that your awareness has shifted somewhere else,

Just gently bringing it back.

Leaving no judgment.

Remembering that this is part of the practice.

Now releasing the awareness from the lower leg on the right side,

And shifting it to the upper portion of the leg.

Noticing the entire circumference of the knee and the thigh on the right side.

Keeping the awareness on the upper right leg.

Being curious about what you notice there.

Maybe different sensations,

Temperature.

And now when you're ready,

Releasing the awareness from the upper right leg.

Just bringing the attention to the pelvis.

This will include both hips,

The buttocks,

And the reproductive organs.

Taking a moment here to notice any sensations in this area of the body.

Not trying to change them or control them.

Just being aware of your experience in this moment.

Releasing the awareness from the pelvis and shifting up to the abdomen.

Maybe taking a moment to recognize that there's so many organs in our abdominal area that are working hard for us throughout the day.

And not often do we take the time to pay attention here unless something that arises that captures our attention.

So now taking this time to purposely pay attention to this area.

Noticing any sensations that may arise.

Maybe indications of hunger.

Or anything else that you just notice naturally arising.

And if you do notice sensations,

Maybe not trying to label them as good or bad.

Reserving judgment here and just noting it as a sensation.

Now releasing the awareness from the abdominal area and bringing it up into the chest.

Just remembering that the chest houses the lungs and heart.

These vital organs that we rely on for life.

And just being aware of any sensations that you notice in the chest in this moment.

Coming with the beginner's mind.

Recognizing that anything you're feeling,

You've never actually felt before.

And again,

If you found that your awareness has shifted at all,

Just recognizing that.

And bringing it back to the chest with compassion,

Without judgment.

Knowing that this is part of the practice.

Releasing the awareness from the chest now.

And taking a moment to bring the attention to the lower back.

This is a area that a lot of people tend to feel chronic pain in.

Just noticing any sensations that may arise here.

And if anything does arise for you in these moments,

Again maybe just noting them as sensations rather than good or bad.

Comforting or pain.

And on your next out breath,

Releasing the awareness from the lower back.

And only bringing in a short distance up to the middle of the back.

Just being curious about what you find here.

Just noting what there is to notice,

Not trying to change it.

And on your next out breath,

Releasing the awareness from the middle back.

And shifting to the upper back and the shoulders.

This is a common area for individuals to hold stress in their body.

Just being curious about what you find here.

Slowly releasing the awareness from the upper back and the shoulders.

Bringing the attention to the entirety of your left arm and hand.

Just investigating whether there's any sensations or temperature changes.

Anything at all to notice.

All the way from the top of the left arm,

Through the elbow,

The forearm,

Wrist,

Right to the tips of the fingers.

Releasing the awareness from the left arm and whatever you found there to investigate.

And shifting to the right side.

Right upper arm,

Elbow,

Lower arm,

Wrist and fingers.

And again just being curious here.

Seeing if there's anything to notice.

And on your next out breath,

Bringing the awareness away from the right arm.

Shifting up into your face.

Encompassing the neck,

The jaw,

Cheekbones,

Around your eyes,

And your forehead.

And just scanning this area to see what you can notice.

Maybe there will be no sensations at all and that's okay too.

And now staying in the present moment.

Shifting the awareness to the top of the head,

The back of the head,

And the sides of the head.

And just being curious about what you discover.

Acting as if this is the first time you've paid such attention to this area of your body.

And now releasing the awareness from the head.

And at this point the suggestion will be to just bring the awareness to the entirety of the front of the body.

Not trying to focus on one particular spot,

Just allowing whatever arises to come into your awareness without judgment or without trying to control it.

And now bringing the awareness to the back of the body.

Again not one particular spot,

Just holding the entirety of the back of the body into your awareness.

Noticing what arises.

Now releasing the back of the body and shifting the awareness to the breath.

Wherever you notice the breath the easiest,

In one of the three spots.

And just being aware of it,

Not trying to change it.

A few more moments.

As this practice comes to a close,

Maybe just starting to move the body in ways that feel comfortable.

Maybe wiggling the toes or the fingers.

Shifting any areas that feel stiff.

When you're ready,

Slowly opening your eyes.

Just taking a moment to be grateful to yourself that you've provided yourself with this time of self-care and compassion.

And taking this forward with you through the rest of your day or evening.

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