Beginner-Friendly Body Scan

As humans, we have an embodied experience of thoughts, feelings, and emotions, yet some of us become disconnected from subtle body sensations and are surprised to rediscover how much is happening and how much is felt under the radar.

The body scan is an ideal practice for beginners, as the focus shifts frequently, holding the attention more easily than a "fixed focus" practice such as, for example, mindfulness of the breath.

A body scan is also a chance to practice allowing and equanimity.

Transcript

This is a body scan for beginners.

The body scan is an ideal practice for beginners because the attention is moving constantly across the various parts of the body as opposed to,

For example,

A breathing meditation where we pay attention to one single anchor,

In this case the breath.

And so it's easier to keep the attention focused on the practice,

Following the practice.

So with the body scan we're going to put our attention on the different areas of our body one by one starting with the feet and working our way up towards the head.

And what we are doing is we're just staying open to the sensations,

To just observing what is there.

Just observing the experience without judging,

Without trying or wishing to make any changes to it.

Whether it is pleasant or unpleasant we're not judging,

We are just exploring and finding what is there.

Now bear in mind that you might not be able to perceive sensations in every part of your body.

There might be parts of your body where you just draw a blank,

You can't feel anything.

And that is absolutely fine and absolutely normal.

Just observing that you can't feel anything is awareness which means it is mindfulness.

We are just aware of what is there.

This is quite a novel experience for many of us,

Especially beginners to just observe the body as it is because normally we just notice the body when we want something from it or when it is in pain.

So this really is an exercise in just being.

Just being with experience.

So let's give it a go.

You can do this lying down or sitting up,

Whichever you prefer.

And it's also up to you whether you want to close your eyes or not.

If you are sitting up to do this make sure that your spine is nice and straight so that you're going to be more alert and avoid the risk of falling asleep.

And also make sure that it is not rigid so you can let your muscles soften up in your back,

In your shoulders,

Put your hands on your lap wherever they are comfortable and if you don't want to close your eyes you can just lower your gaze and soften it up.

And we're just starting by gaining an awareness of the whole body sitting here or lying down.

The whole outline and shape and weight of the body.

Notice how you know that you have a body even if you're not looking at it.

Notice that you have an awareness of the space that you are occupying and you have an awareness of the contact with the surface that you're lying down on or sitting on.

The areas of contact and what it feels like to be supported without needing to do anything,

Without needing to hold yourself up,

Hold yourself together.

Just being able to relax and almost sink into this support.

And notice that your body is breathing.

The breath is going in and coming out.

And this is something else that we don't need to do anything about.

We don't need to slow it down,

We don't need to make it deeper.

Again,

We're just observing.

We are observing that we are breathing and just noticing what it feels like.

And keep in mind that during this practice you don't need to be still.

You can move whenever you want,

You can readjust,

You can wiggle about,

It's absolutely fine as long as you put your attention on it and you know what you are doing in every moment.

So we're going to start by noticing our feet.

Just noticing what they feel like.

Are you aware of the contact with the floor if you are sitting down?

Can you feel your toes?

Can you feel the top of your feet?

The soles?

The heels?

And if you're wearing socks or shoes are you aware of the contact with the socks or shoes?

Are you aware of that little bit of pressure and what it feels like?

Contact with fabric.

And what's the temperature like in your feet?

Are they warm,

Cold,

Just right?

Are they dry?

Are they a little bit damp?

Are you aware of any other sensations?

For example tingling or tension?

Or do they feel nice and relaxed?

And we're going to do the same with your ankles.

What are you aware of in your ankles?

What do they feel like?

What is the temperature like?

And then your feet?

What can you feel in your calves?

Are they tense?

Are they relaxed?

What's the temperature like?

If you are lying down you will be aware of the contact of your calves with the bed or the couch or the floor.

If you're wearing clothes what does that contact with the fabric feel like?

And then we are going up with our attention to the knees.

What can you feel in your knees?

What do your knees feel like,

If anything?

What about your thighs?

What's the temperature?

Are you aware of any tension?

Are you aware of pressure if you are sitting down?

Or are you aware of maybe nothing at all?

And here's a little gentle reminder that your mind might wander at some point and actually I would be very surprised if it didn't because that is the job of the mind.

It thinks,

It produces thoughts.

So that's absolutely normal and when you notice,

Every time that you notice that you are somewhere else with your mind,

You're thinking about something completely different,

That is mindfulness.

That is being aware of the experience right now as it is.

So be gentle,

Be kind to yourself and actually you can congratulate yourself and just come back to the practice.

Doing this over and over is really valuable.

This is what builds the new habit of being more present more of the time.

So now we're putting our attention on the bottom,

The hips,

The lower back and the belly.

What do you notice here?

The lower back in particular is one of those areas in the body where we tend to store tension.

So are you aware of any tightness here?

And if you are,

You can just let it go on the out-breath.

Allow it to go without pushing it away.

And if it doesn't go,

Remember we're just practicing observing what is there.

So just let it be there and notice what it feels like.

You might be aware of the breath in your belly.

Your belly moving,

Gently expanding on the in-breath and gently relaxing on the out-breath.

Or you might not be aware of the breath at all in your belly area,

Which is also fine.

And then we're moving our attention up again to the chest,

The upper back.

And again,

What are you aware of here?

Are you aware of the breath?

Maybe your ribcage gently moving with the breath.

Or your shoulders.

You might be aware of your back being in contact with the bed or the couch or the floor or the chair.

And just notice the sensations,

Any sensations or any absence of sensations,

Anything.

And then we are moving attention down the shoulders,

Down into the arms,

Down all the way into the wrists and the hands.

All the way into our fingertips.

And again notice how you can feel your hands,

How you are aware that you have hands without looking at them.

You're aware of where they are,

The position.

Can you feel into the fingers?

Can you feel into each single finger?

Your palms,

The tops of the hands,

The temperature of the hands,

Any sensations,

Restlessness,

Relaxation,

Tingling,

Tension.

Maybe nothing at all.

And then we are going back up into the neck and the head,

Feeling into your jaw.

Again,

Another one of those areas where we tend to accumulate tension.

So if it is tense,

Again,

You can let it soften up.

And if it doesn't,

Then it doesn't.

And you can just notice what it feels like.

Feeling into your cheeks,

Your lips,

Inside your mouth as well,

Your tongue.

Feeling your nose,

Your eyes,

All the little muscles around your eyes,

Your forehead.

What does your face feel like altogether right now?

And feeling your scalp.

And now we are going to open up our awareness again to the whole of the body.

The whole of the body sitting here or lying here.

Just feeling it,

Being aware of it.

Being aware of the body breathing.

Being aware of what it feels like to be you,

To be alive right now,

Right here.

Just being alive.

Notice any sensations.

Again,

Any sense of pressure,

Tension,

Lightness or heaviness,

Tingling or maybe nothing much.

Any little movements,

This slight gentle movement that goes with the breath.

And when you are ready to conclude the practice,

You can just start moving gently starting from your toes and your fingers,

Wiggling them around a little bit.

And you can have a nice stretch as well.

And when you are ready,

You can open your eyes.

Enjoy the rest of your day.

May God bless you.

Reviews

Very help full to become aware of the different parts of my body . Your gentle way of leading me through the experience helps me a lot to stay soft - or notice that I can come back to a state of softness.
Thank you for this! 🙏