10 minute body scan.
Start by sitting comfortably with a straight back and a relaxed posture or lie down if you prefer,
Leaving your arms at your sides and your legs straight with your ankles falling naturally to the sides.
Close your eyes.
Now,
As you begin to settle into this comfortable position,
Begin to take a few deep breaths in and out.
Breathing in and breathing out in your time at your own pace.
In your time at your own pace,
Breathing in all the way in and breathing out all the way out.
Feel your breath as it comes into your body and as it leaves again.
And breathing out all the way out.
Feel your breath as it comes into your body and as it leaves again.
Draw in long,
Deep,
Refreshing breaths to take you from where you were only a few short moments ago,
Leaving behind what you were doing and leaving behind what you will be doing or thinking later on.
Nothing else matters as you take this time to be where you are right now,
Right here,
Listening to this body scan.
Relaxing the body the whole way through by breathing in and out,
I want you to notice how you feel as you breathe in and out.
I want you to notice how you feel as you breathe in and out.
Inhale.
Exhale.
As the breath flows in,
Follow it all the way in with your focus.
Follow it in and as the breath flows in,
Follow it all the way out.
With each out breath,
Let the body become heavier,
Sinking your mind and body deeper into relaxation,
Softening against the ground or the chair underneath you.
Allowing what's beneath you to take your full weight and support you fully.
Letting go.
When you're ready,
Bring your attention to your feet.
Breathe into your feet and your toes,
Loosening any tension there.
Just let it go.
Move your focus to your ankles.
Notice what the sensations are here and letting them relax and become soft.
Now raise your awareness to your calves and to your shins.
Release any tension here and allow that release to move up to your knees.
Direct your breath into these areas,
Relaxing into stillness.
Observe your upper legs as you soften your thighs,
Consciously circling with your attention for areas of discomfort or of tension.
Breathing deeply and letting go.
Move your attention to your pelvis and hips.
Notice where you make contact with your chair or with the ground beneath you.
See if you can soften and relax further.
Allow your weight to be supported as you go deeper and deeper into relaxation.
Move your focus around to your abdomen.
Notice it expanding,
Filling up with air and on the exhale,
Slowly emptying.
This is often a place of tension,
So do all you can to gently relax and soften.
Now move your attention to your back.
What sensations are there?
Use your breath to let everything soften.
Now come to the chest and torso.
Notice how the lungs expand and contract,
How they rise and how they fall.
Notice what happens in this area as you breathe in and out.
Move your attention towards your arms,
Moving your awareness down the arms towards the wrists,
The palms and the fingers.
See if you can let go.
Are there any sensations that arise on the surface of the skin or deeper within these areas?
Move your attention to the shoulders and see what's here.
Whatever it is you observe is just right.
You don't need to change anything.
You don't need to concern yourself with levels of tension.
Just observe and let go.
Now lift your focus to the neck,
Letting the throat and sides and back of the neck soften.
If you notice any tension,
See if you can allow it to gently relax.
Take your attention to your head,
Feeling into your scalp,
Into your forehead and temple.
What happens when you focus the breath into this area?
Observe your eyes,
Your cheeks,
Your ears.
Observe your jaw and your chin,
Areas where sometimes you may carry tension.
See if you can soften and relax.
Do you notice any tingling,
Tension or vibration in the muscles beneath your skin?
Breathe in,
Softening the muscles in your head and your face.
Expand your awareness so that you are now paying attention to the whole length of your body.
Observe how this feels.
What happens to your whole body as you breathe in and out?
And when you are ready,
Gently beginning to move your fingers and toes,
Bring your attention back to the room.
Bring with you this relaxed,
Calm state and take it with you into your day.
When you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes.
