Body Scan For Self Compassion

The intention with this body scan is to cultivate compassion towards the body. A short introduction to set the tone, followed by body scan to promote self compassion in every part of the body. This gentle body scan allows us to focus on each area individually and send it love and compassion. This practice will hopefully help us to find a little compassion for ourselves and something that can be worked on through this journey of compassion through the body.

Transcript

This is a meditation that will guide us through the physical body one area at a time,

While cultivating kindness towards our physical being.

Before we begin,

Please note that even though our intention is to cultivate compassion towards the body,

You may notice that unkind thoughts may arise.

Many of us have a difficult relationship with certain parts of our body,

And so whatever arises is natural.

This is something that we'll try to work on as a part of this practice.

If a thought like this arises,

See if you can simply label it as a thought,

That is not an absolute truth,

And return your attention to the present moment where you are focusing on your feet.

Another experience you might have is to find yourself being self-critical due to any unkindness or judgment that might come up.

So if you do find yourself thinking those unkind thoughts,

And then you say to yourself or you criticize yourself for having those unkind judgments,

Once again notice that this is just a thought as you tune into your experience with gentleness and curiosity.

So now take a moment to settle into a comfortable,

Alert position.

You can be standing,

Sitting,

Or lying down.

Whatever position you're in,

Start by noticing the surface beneath you,

Allowing the ground to support you,

And then you can also let your eyes close if that feels comfortable for you.

Now notice where you might be resisting being supported,

Where you might still be holding yourself up or holding any tension.

See if just for the next few minutes you can gently let go,

Allow yourself to be held by the earth,

And let yourself be fully supported by gravity.

And now bringing your attention to your feet.

Notice any sensation in this area,

Whether it's discomfort,

Or a sense of relaxation and calm,

Or even no sensation at all.

Feeling nothing is still feeling something.

Regardless of what's happening,

See if you can allow some self-compassion to flow down to your feet.

Be mindful of all that they have supported you in.

See if you can offer your feet a sense of acceptance or even forgiveness if that's necessary.

See if you can allow your feet to be as they are,

No matter how they look or feel.

If you are sitting up,

You can try putting one or two hands on your feet.

You can imagine a sense of compassion or kindness flowing from your heart through your hands and into your feet.

And if you aren't sitting up,

You can just imagine this action and imagine that sense of compassion and kindness flowing from your heart and into your feet.

This is all that we're doing,

Just allowing a bit of warmth,

Some kindness,

And a little compassion to flow into the feet.

Next,

Gently shift your focus towards your legs.

Again,

You might notice a sense of resistance,

Especially if any part of your leg have given you problems in the past or if there's something about your legs that you have often critiqued.

If certain thoughts do arise in connection to your legs,

Just notice these thoughts and see if you can gently soften them.

And return your attention gently to your legs,

Your shins,

Your calves,

Your knees,

And your thighs.

See if you can allow a sense of compassion,

Warmth,

And maybe gratitude to flow through these body parts.

They have done the best they can over the years,

And so have you.

See if you can allow a sense of ease,

Of empathy,

To seep into your legs like tea steeping in warm water.

You can even send them love for the knowledge that they will continue to do their job as best they can.

Now,

Shifting your focus once again to the pelvic area,

To the stomach,

The digestive organs,

And the reproductive organs and your seat.

Once again,

Gently noticing anything that might arise when we bring our focus to this area,

Allowing whatever is there to be there.

See if you can tune into a sense of kindness and even perhaps a letting go in this area.

You might place one or two hands on your belly and see if you can imagine a feeling of unconditional love flowing through them from your heart.

Now consider how would you feel towards these body parts if you thought of them as your friends.

What would you say to them?

How would you receive them if they were having a hard time?

See if you could cultivate a feeling of gentleness and warmth towards this space in your body.

You might even want to speak to these areas and say,

Thank you,

I appreciate everything you do.

I wish you ease,

Health,

And well-being.

Notice what it feels like in the rest of your body to demonstrate kindness towards this region.

Now see if you can allow that feeling of warmth and kindness to spread upwards into your chest area.

Notice how it feels in your lungs to invite in compassion and acceptance.

You might try breathing it in,

Allowing your lungs to fill with air.

See if you can bring a sense of gratitude,

Softness,

And kind presence to all the cells that help you breathe in and out.

You might allow your focus to shift gradually to include the heart as well,

The beating heart,

The rib cage that protects it,

And all the muscles around.

Allow this space to fill with a sensation of kindness.

Again,

If you would like and are able to,

You can use your hands to connect with this area of your body,

Putting one hand on your lower chest and one on your upper chest,

Giving thanks for the job that these parts of you do every moment of every day,

Always doing their best.

Noticing again if any self-critical thoughts arise and see if you can gently let them go.

You do not need to force them to leave.

Instead,

Welcome a gentle softening.

If you can feel your heartbeat,

You can allow each beat to bring you into the present,

Into compassion,

And into gratitude.

Thank you,

Thank you,

Thank you.

Now allow some of this compassion to melt outwards into your shoulders,

Down your arms,

And into your hands,

Allowing these parts to soak up the kindness that is spreading and expanding throughout your body,

Allowing them to accept,

As best as they can,

The compassion that's being offered.

Acknowledge that these parts of you,

Like the rest of your body,

Are doing their best too.

Maybe you might have forgotten this in the past,

But right now,

In this present moment,

You are allowing love to flow through.

Experience the sensation of your hands,

Wrists,

Arms,

And shoulders simply being,

Experiencing and receiving compassion just for existing.

And now,

Allowing this sense of self-compassion to rise right up into your neck,

Into your jaw area,

Your cheeks,

Your ears,

Your nose,

Your forehead,

And right into the top of your head,

Letting this compassion permeate every cell,

Every muscle,

Even every tooth.

There is nothing you need to do to earn or be worthy of this compassion.

There is absolutely nothing about you that needs to change to be worthy of love.

This love is available to us at all times.

If we ever think we are not enough,

We can remember that this is simply a thought pattern we've learned,

And in the same way,

We can learn that we are enough,

That we are perfectly imperfect humans worthy of our own compassion and kindness.

We can remember always that we are trying our best.

We can say thank you to our body,

And we can thank ourselves for thanking our body.

We can give ourselves time to come back to this place that is our home,

A place that we try our best to care for physically,

Nourishing it with kindness and gentleness.

Take a few moments here to thank your body exactly as it is right now,

And when you feel ready,

You can slowly open your eyes.

Welcome back.