Body Scan Meditation Practice

This body scan meditation will allow you to focus on each part of your body, from the tips of your toes to the top of your head. In doing so, you will experience the sensations in your body that are created, just by focusing on a particular part of your body.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to this body scan meditation practice where we will be scanning your whole body from the tips of your toes to the top of your head. Before we begin let's start by getting comfortable. You can either sit on a chair with your back fully supported and your hands loosely on your lap or you can lie on your back with your hands by your side. Once you have found a comfortable space gently close your eyes. We will begin by taking three deep breaths together. We will inhale, Hold our breath for a count of two and deeply exhale and hold our breath for a count of two. Let's begin. A deep inhale, Hold one, Two, A deep exhale, Hold one, Two, Again a deep inhale, Hold one, Two, A deep exhale, Hold one, Two, A deep inhale, Hold one, Two and a deep exhale, Hold one, Two. Now just for a few more moments continue this deep breathing as you focus on each breath in and each breath out. Placing all your attention on your feet. Notice your toes, The soles of your feet, Up over the top of your feet and up into your ankles. Placing all your attention there for a moment. As you do so if you start to notice any sensations that's okay, Just notice, You don't want to engage with them. You may feel a tingle or an itch, It could be a pulse, Whatever it is just notice as you continue to pay attention to your feet. Count each toe individually, Noticing all the sensations. If you've got socks or shoes or slippers on, Notice how they touch your feet. Notice how the material feels as it touches your feet. Just pay attention to your feet for a short while and now we move up from your feet into your calves and all over your shins and up into your knees, Noticing for a short time on all these areas. Scan yourself up over your shins all the way around. Just for a moment, Just notice. Notice any tingles, Any vibrations, Just notice and don't engage with them. Continue to scan these areas just for a moment. Now as we move up from our knees into our thighs, Scan your attention on your thighs around the back of your legs into your hamstrings and up into your bottom and pelvis area. Notice anything that's going on but don't engage. Focus on your thighs and notice any sensation, Any tightness. And again, Not engaging, Just noticing if there's anything here. Notice if there's any pain there. Just notice and see if it starts to subside ever so slightly just by noticing. Now we move up again, Moving up this time into your lower back, Focusing on your lower back at this time. Scan the area just for a few moments, Noticing any sensations in this area. How does it feel as your back presses against the chair or on the ground if you're lying down? How do you feel as your clothes touch your skin on your back? What sensations are you experiencing as your back presses against the chair or the ground? Notice again if there's any pain in this area, Just noticing, Acknowledge it's there but don't engage. Allow the scan to go across and over the whole of your lower back. If you feel any pain, Notice if the pain subsides ever so slightly just by noticing it. Allow the scan to cover around your sides and up your lower back. As you do, Allow the scan to come around to the front into your stomach, Moving from the pelvis area and just below the ribcage. Now for a few moments, Just scanning the entire area, The lower back and stomach. Notice any sensations you are feeling here. It's time to move up again to your back, Moving from the middle of your back all the way up into your shoulders. Noticing the sensations in your shoulder blades and up along your spinal column, Noticing any tension in your shoulders and watching how it drops when you just notice. Around the sides and under your arms on both sides, Just noticing the sensations. Then in front, Into your chest, Moving from the middle of your stomach over the chest and up into your shoulders at the front. Just noticing any sensations, Noticing how you breathe in and how you breathe out. And with each breath, Your chest expands and then contracts and then expands and contracts. Notice how the skin stretches slightly, How the muscles expand and then how it all loosens and contracts again. And for a few moments, Scan all the way around your back, Your upper back, Into your shoulders, Around your sides and into your chest, Into your shoulders at the front. Take the time to notice any sensations or vibrations, But of course, As always, Just notice them, Not engaging. Now we move from the shoulders down into your arms, Scanning down the arms, Starting at the upper arms and moving down across your biceps and on the back of your arms and into your elbows. Noticing every sensation, Just noticing that they're there. Moving down to the lower two forearms, Both on top and underneath. Moving into your wrists, Then your hands, Down your thumbs and then down each finger individually. Getting right to the tips of your fingers and noticing any sensations that may be there. And again, Just for a few moments, Just notice. Finally, For this body scan meditation, We're moving up to the head, Starting in the back of the neck, Slowly moving up. Notice any tension that's there. And again, Just by noticing, It might disappear or at least relax a bit more. As you scan up over the back of your head and around you, Around your ears, Notice any sensation. Notice if your hair's moving or if there's an irritation or just a slight vibration on your skin as you move towards the top of your head. And then we move up to the face, Starting at the lower jaw, Allowing the lower jaw to relax. Notice whether there's any tightness here as you continue scanning your lips, Up into your cheeks and across your nose. Up across your eyes, Noticing how relaxed your eyelids are and how relaxed your eyebrows are and how relaxed your forehead is. As you scan up across the top of your head and meet at the very top with this scan that's coming up from the back. And again, For a few moments, Just allow yourself time to scan all the way around your head. Just noticing any sensations. Just noticing any sensations, Any vibrations. Just for a few moments, As we start to bring this meditation to a close, With your eyes still closed, Gather your thoughts. How does it feel to have focused on your whole body? You can start bringing some gentle movements back into your body. You can wiggle your toes and fingers. You can roll your shoulders up and down and add some gentle movements in your neck. And when you are ready to do so, You can gently open your eyes. Thank you for taking this time today to focus on your body. Namaste.