This meditation aims to help you release tension in your body while you gently scan.
Bringing awareness to areas of tension enables us to begin to intentionally relax.
It's as if we're giving ourselves a mental massage.
Make any adjustments that you need to,
To be comfortable,
And let's begin.
Taking a deep breath in,
And longer breath out.
Deep breath in,
And longer breath out.
Noticing as you breathe in that your body rises and lifts.
Noticing as you breathe out that your body softens and settles.
Begin to notice all the points of contact with the surface that you rest upon.
If you haven't already,
Allow your eyes to close.
And allow your breathing to fall into its own natural rhythm.
Shifting your awareness now back to your body.
Noticing how you feel.
Are you warm?
Comfortable?
Are you feeling heavier?
Lighter?
Softer?
And now,
As if shining a spotlight on each part of the body,
Begin to scan from top to toe.
Commencing at the very crown of your head,
Notice any sensations that you may feel here.
Perhaps tingling,
Prickling,
Whether pleasant or unpleasant,
Just notice.
Moving downwards,
Stage by stage.
Become aware of any tension in your forehead.
Is there a frown or a furrow that could be softened?
Gently move the eyebrows up and down.
And when the movement stops,
Feel any tension,
Just wash away.
Allow your cheeks to become slack.
Gently move the jaw from side to side.
Allow it to be loose and free.
Feeling any tension just melt away as though it was butter that you'd left in the sun.
At the base of your skull are two large muscles running down the neck,
Fanning out across your shoulders.
Begin to scan these muscles,
Looking for any knots or niggles.
And when you find one,
Gently breathe into the area of tension.
Allowing the breath to expand and dilute it.
As you breathe out,
Release the tension,
As you release the breath.
It's as if you're giving yourself a mental massage.
When you clear an area of tension,
Search for another.
Breathing into the tension,
Expanding,
Diluting and releasing.
Feel the rise and fall of the chest.
Noticing as you breathe in,
Chest rises and lifts.
And as you breathe out,
Chest softens,
Settles.
Contact with the surface that you rest increases.
Just follow the movement of the breath.
On your next breath out,
Allow your abdomen to become completely soft.
Notice how this changes your position.
Feeling the weight of the buttocks against the surface that you rest.
Feel the back of your legs,
The soles of your feet.
Check out your body as a whole.
How does it feel?
Don't be surprised if thoughts still come.
If there's anything really persistent,
Label it,
Acknowledge it and let it go.
You'll deal with it later,
After you've had this time,
This precious time to yourself.
And now,
As if under a large spotlight,
Scan your whole body.
Looking for any remaining tension.
How does your body feel right now?
If you feel an area of tension,
Continue the process.
Breathing in,
Expanding,
Diluting and releasing as the tension leaves with the breath.
Bring awareness to any sensations that you are feeling.
Any tingling on the skin.
Pulsing.
Notice any sensations in your hands and in your feet.
And as we bring this practice to a close,
Bring your awareness back to your breath.
Taking in a big sigh.
Releasing and noticing the surface that you rest upon.
Noticing the space that you're in.
Blinking your eyes open.
And welcoming yourself back to your day.
