Hello,
My name is Louise Anne and I welcome you to this gentle breath work and body scan meditation.
This is a moment just for you,
With complete permission to relax.
Begin by sitting up or lying comfortably in whatever position feels most relaxing to you.
Close down your eyes and take a deep breath in,
Not forced,
Just a slow full inhale and exhale gently,
Softening the jaw,
The shoulders and the belly.
Let your body melt into the place where you sit or lie.
Allow your body to be held.
Now bringing your awareness to your breath,
There's no need to change it,
Just observe.
Notice the coolness of the air as it enters the nose,
The gentle warmth as it leaves.
Allow your breath to anchor you here,
In this moment,
With nowhere to go and nothing to do.
If the mind wanders,
That's okay,
Just gently bring it back,
Back to the breath and the quiet rhythm within you.
Now gently shifting your attention inward into the body,
We'll begin a gentle body scan,
Allowing every part of you to soften and to rest.
We'll start by bringing the attention to the top of your head.
Notice any sensations,
Any tingling or warmth or heaviness.
Allow the muscles of the forehead to relax.
Let your eyes become heavy and let the space around your eyes soften.
Feel your cheeks,
Your jaw and your tongue and release any tightness or any tension.
Let your whole face be soft and peaceful.
Now bringing your awareness to your neck and your throat and with each breath out,
Allow any tension to melt away.
Moving down into the shoulders and letting them drop.
With each exhale,
See if they can soften and drop any more.
Now moving down to the arms,
Feel the upper arms growing heavy.
The elbows,
The forearms,
Wrists and palms and all the way to the tips of your fingers.
Letting them be soft and relaxed.
Moving your attention to your chest,
Notice how the breath gently moves around this space.
Feel the rise and the fall.
Moving down into your belly,
Let it be soft and free from tension.
Becoming more and more relaxed.
Bringing your awareness to your back,
The upper back,
The middle and the lower back.
And notice where it connects with the chair or the bed.
You are fully supported,
Each muscle unwinding.
Now moving into the hips,
Breathing in softness.
Feel the thighs,
The knees,
Let them grow heavy and warm.
Moving to the lower legs,
The shins and calves,
Allowing gravity to soften them.
Feel your ankles and your feet.
Notice any sensations.
Notice the arches and the balls of the feet,
Each toe relaxed.
Take a moment to feel your whole body,
Heavy and supported.
You are completely at ease.
Nothing to hold,
Nothing to do.
Just feeling completely relaxed.
Begin to return to your breath.
Inhale deeply through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth.
Gently start to bring movement back into your fingers and your toes.
Maybe stretch softly or sway from side to side.
Let your body move however it needs.
And when you are ready,
Open your eyes.
