What follows is guidance for the body scan,
Which is part of the mindfulness course you are taking.
Remember each time you take the time to do the body scan,
You're taking an active part in your own health and wellbeing.
It will be helpful to choose a time and a place when you can be warm and comfortable and will not be disturbed.
Wearing loose clothing that allows you to breathe freely and especially making sure you will be warm enough.
Coming to see this as a time for you,
A time for being with yourself,
For yourself,
Just as you are right now.
Not especially trying to relax,
Simply being aware in each moment,
Experiencing your experience right now,
This moment.
And,
As best you can,
Letting things be as they are,
Letting you be as you are.
Letting go of judgement or trying to achieve a particular result or even any special way of doing the practice.
There is no right way to do the practice.
All that you need to do is experience your experience as it happens,
Moment by moment.
Focusing on each part of the body in turn,
Remembering that your intention is the most important quality that you bring to this practice.
Bringing a sense of curiosity to each moment and having an intention to be kind to yourself throughout.
As best you can,
Remaining alert in each moment,
Remembering the intention is to fall awake and not fall asleep.
Whilst following this guidance,
It's important to do what feels right for you and to let your own wisdom override my guidance if necessary.
Doing what feels right for you.
So now,
Taking a few moments to choose a place for your body scan practice.
The body scan is usually done lying down.
In this way,
You can let go and be supported by the floor or the bed.
But it's also fine if you prefer to do the body scan sitting in a chair.
So lying on your back with your legs outstretched or if that is not comfortable,
Having the knees bent and the feet flat on the floor.
If you're sitting,
You may want to experiment with finding a way to have the head supported,
Perhaps by having the chair against a wall.
As you settle into your chosen position,
Allowing the eyes to close if that feels right for you.
Or having a soft focus if you prefer to have the eyes open.
Bringing your attention to the parts of your body that are in contact with the floor,
Chair,
Bed.
And allowing yourself to be fully supported by whatever you're in contact with.
Bringing your attention to the sensations of contact.
That's the whole of the back of the body if you're lying down.
Heels.
Legs.
Buttocks.
Arms and hands.
And the back of the head.
And if you're sitting,
The feet,
Buttocks,
Back and maybe head.
Taking this time to simply settle.
Feeling yourself supported and letting go into the support.
Feeling held.
Allowing yourself to sink further into the floor or chair with each out-breath.
Letting go.
Now bringing your attention to your breathing.
To the movement and flow of the breath as it comes into and out of the body.
Not changing the breath in any way,
Simply allowing the breath to make its own way in and out of your body.
The breath breathing itself.
Recognizing the movements in your chest and belly as you allow each breath.
And throughout this practice,
Whenever you notice that your mind has wandered off onto other things.
As it surely will do from time to time.
Remembering that you can always come back to the breath to steady yourself.
The breath can act as an anchor.
If at any time you feel unsettled.
Coming back to the breath.
Once settled,
You can return your attention to the part of the body we are focusing on.
Sometimes,
Placing a hand on the belly,
Feeling the rhythm of your breath,
Can support your attention if your mind is busy or you are distracted.
So now,
Particularly bringing your attention to the sensations of your breath.
Maybe at the nostrils with the cool in breath and the warm out breath.
Or maybe across the back of the throat as you breathe in and out.
Or it may be that your breath is most easily felt in the rise and fall of the chest or the belly.
So taking a moment or two to simply notice the sensations of the breath coming into and out of the body.
Bringing a sense of curiosity.
What is my experience of my breath in the body right now?
Allowing the mind and the body to settle.
Perhaps noticing sensations of settling in the body.
When you feel ready,
Moving your attention all the way down through the body,
Through the trunk,
Down the left leg to the toes of the left foot.
Placing your attention particularly in the toes of the left foot.
Big toe,
Little toe,
Toes in between.
As best you can bringing all of your attention to this part of your body.
Becoming aware,
Particularly noticing sensations in your left toes.
There may be sensations of throbbing or tingling or perhaps external sensations like the pressure of a sock or maybe of temperature,
Warmth,
Coolness.
It may be that sensations differ from toe to toe.
Or it may be that there is no sensation in this part of your body.
And that's fine too.
That is simply your experience right now in this part of your body.
And now expanding your awareness to include the top of the left foot,
The fine bones,
The tendons,
The skin at the surface.
Checking out any sensations.
Anything to be noticed here.
Then once again letting awareness of the left foot expand to include the bottom of the left foot.
The ball of the toes,
The instep,
The outside of the foot,
The heel against the floor.
Becoming curious about your experience,
Whether that is sensations or no sensation.
Simply noticing.
And then letting go of attention in the left foot and placing your attention in the left ankle.
The ankle bones either side of the leg.
The tendon at the back of the leg.
Skin stretched over the front of the ankle.
Exploring sensations to be noticed here in this part of your body.
And now letting go of the attention to the left ankle and placing attention to the left lower leg all the way up to the knee.
So including the shin bone and the calf muscle.
The pressure against the floor if that is present for you.
The skin stretched across the shin bone.
Whatever is there to be noticed in this part of your body.
Maybe tingling or throbbing.
Warmth,
Coolness.
Perhaps the sensation of clothing against your skin.
Allowing yourself to become curious about this part of your body.
Whatever is there to be noticed.
Even if that is no sensation.
Whatever is your experience right now.
Not seeking to change the experience in any way.
Simply noticing.
Ah,
This is how it is right now.
Now letting go of attention to the left lower leg and placing your attention in the left knee.
Exploring all the different parts of this complex joint.
At the surface and deeper into the knee.
What sensations are to be found from here right now.
Allowing yourself to become curious about this part of your body.
No need to change anything.
Simply noticing this is my experience of my left knee right now.
And from time to time as we move through exploring our body.
Placing attention on particular parts of the body.
We may notice that the mind has wandered.
That our attention is no longer on the sensations of the body.
As soon as you notice that this has happened.
Simply noting where the mind went to and coming back to the part of the body that we're exploring.
Doing this in a kindly fashion.
No need to judge.
No need to become impatient with yourself.
This is the practice.
Shifting attention now to the top of the left leg,
The thigh.
The part of the body that is between the left knee and the left hip.
Bringing your attention to this part of the body.
Exploring with curiosity.
Getting interested in all the sensations present in this part of the leg.
Noting also areas where there is no sensation.
Sometimes it takes a few repetitions of this practice.
Before sensations become apparent to us.
You may have come to notice that we can have a narrow focus of attention.
Or we can choose to have a wider awareness.
Much like the beam of a torch and the lens is twisted to make a narrow or wide beam of light.
So now widening your awareness to include the whole of the left leg.
From the toes all the way up to the hips.
And if this is okay for you,
Playing with the idea that the breath can move all the way down the left leg to the toes on the in breath.
And then all the way back up the leg from the toes as you breathe out.
Experimenting with this for a few breaths and noticing any sensations that arise from doing this.
Now continuing to breathe normally and moving your attention across the pelvis and all the way down the right leg.
Coming to rest on the toes of the right foot.
The big toe.
The little toe.
Toes in between.
Noticing sensations here.
Perhaps tingling.
Throbbing.
The feel of a sock against your toes.
Or the weight of a blanket against your feet.
Or maybe no sensation.
Letting yourself simply notice as best you can keeping your attention on the toes of the right foot.
Now letting go of the attention to the toes of the right foot.
And placing your attention on the sole of the right foot.
Exploring your experience here.
In the instep.
In the heel as you feel the pressure of the heel against the ground.
The outside of the foot.
Sensations perhaps deep inside the foot.
And sensations at the surface.
Bringing a sense of exploration and curiosity to this part of your body.
And then expanding the awareness to include the top of the right foot.
Exploring sensations here.
What is here to be noticed?
So letting go of the right foot and now bringing your attention particularly to the ankle.
The ankle bones.
The tendon at the back of the heel.
And now expanding your awareness to include the right lower leg.
The shin bone.
The calf muscles.
Perhaps feeling sensations of the clothing or the weight of a blanket.
Taking your attention up close to any sensations present.
Bringing a sense of kindly curiosity to your body right now.
And now expanding your awareness to include the knee.
What can you notice as you include another part of your body in your awareness?
The softness behind the knee.
The sides of the knee.
The bony front of the knee.
What are the sensations here right now?
Sensations at the surface or deeper into the knee.
Now letting go of the right lower leg and bringing your attention to the right thigh.
Perhaps becoming aware of the weight of the leg against the floor or chair.
Exploring sensations at the surface of the right leg.
And deep inside the leg.
Tingling.
Throbbing.
Weight.
Pressure.
Whatever is there to be noticed.
Allowing yourself to fully explore this part of your body with your attention.
And then expanding your awareness to include the whole of the right leg.
And again if this feels okay.
Imagining the breath moving into and out of the right leg.
Sensations of breath moving down to the toes and back out again.
So that your attention travels down the leg and back up in time with your breathing.
Now letting go of your attention to the right leg.
And shifting attention into the pelvis.
This bony structure which supports us and protects delicate internal organs.
Including in your awareness perhaps the buttocks.
The sacrum.
The hip bones at the front of the body.
The genital areas.
Allowing your attention to explore this part of the body.
Noticing sensations here.
Bringing a gentle curiosity to this part of the body.
Allowing it to be just as it is.
No need to change anything.
Then letting go of the pelvis and bringing attention particularly to the small of the back.
An area where we sometimes carry tension which can be painful or uncomfortable for us.
From time to time as we move through the body scan.
We may become aware of strong or intense sensations that are uncomfortable or maybe just demanding like an itch.
These intense sensations may be in the part of the body we're focusing on.
Or maybe in another part of the body entirely.
So whenever you notice anything like this that pulls your attention.
You have some choices about how to approach this experience.
Having fully acknowledged the presence of the sensation.
You can gently move your body to relieve any discomfort.
Making this part of your practice.
Noticing the desire to move.
Then the sensations of movement.
And then the experience of settling back into the body scan.
In this way moving simply becomes another experience within the practice.
Seamless.
Another choice is to stay with the intensity as best you can.
Maybe moving your attention even closer.
Exploring it in a kindly way.
Becoming curious about the intensity.
Perhaps taking your breath to this part of the body.
And allowing the breath to soften the intensity.
Remembering if necessary you can always return your attention to the breath to hold and steady you.
Placing your attention back with the intensity if that feels okay for you.
The third option is to simply move attention away from the area of intensity.
Coming to the breath and letting the breath hold your attention until you are ready.
Then coming back to the body scan to the area of focus.
So exploring now the small of the back with your attention.
Noticing how this part of the back is.
Becoming aware of sensations in this part of the lower back.
Noticing the sensations whatever is there to be noticed.
Then expanding your field of attention to include the middle of the back,
The ribs,
The spine,
Up the centre of the back.
Perhaps becoming aware of sensations of breathing.
Bringing some attention to the delicate organs protected by the rib cage.
Knowing the intention of the body scan is to remain alert and awake.
Being interested in your experience of your body by bringing a gentle curiosity.
Allowing your awareness to continue to expand to include the whole of the back.
From the small of the back of the waist all the way up to the shoulders.
Allowing awareness of any sensations.
Sensations of breathing.
Of pressure.
Warmth.
Or maybe your experience is that there is no sensation in this part of your body.
And if that's the case,
Then simply paying attention to that.
Breathing.
Noticing.
Maybe softening to your experience.
Now letting go of your attention to the back.
And letting your attention slide over the tops of the shoulders.
Coming to the front of the body.
The area at the top of the chest,
The collarbones.
And exploring your experience of this part of your body.
You may notice sensations of breathing here.
Or maybe this is an area with very little sensation for you.
So allowing your attention to this top part of the chest to expand now down the front of the chest.
To include the area of the breasts or the chest muscles.
And if you choose taking the attention inside this part of your body.
To explore the area of the lungs.
Noting the flow and movement of the breath.
Bringing attention to the heart.
Perhaps you can notice the heart beating.
Allowing yourself to gently explore.
What can you notice in this part of your body right now?
Ease?
Tension?
What is going on with your heart right now?
Noticing perhaps that sensations can change moment by moment.
And letting go of attention to the chest and moving your attention to the abdomen.
To the skin and muscles of the abdomen.
Feeling the rise and fall as you breathe.
And exploring other sensations in this part of your body.
Maybe sensations of food digesting.
Perhaps your tummy is rumbling.
Or maybe there is no sensation here in this part of your body just now.
And then if you wish expanding your awareness to include the whole of the front of the torso.
So from the hips up to the shoulders.
Allowing yourself to feel the breath moving into and out of this part of the body.
Breath breathing itself.
Easy.
Soft.
However it is right now.
And now letting go of your attention to the torso.
To the front of the body.
And dividing your attention.
Bringing attention down both arms at the same time.
And coming to rest in the fingers and thumbs of both hands.
Exploring sensations here.
Fingers and hands are particularly sensitive parts of the body.
So what is there to be noticed here?
Perhaps sensations of the texture or whatever the hands are touching.
Maybe temperature.
Moisture.
Dryness.
Simply being with anything that is here to be noticed in the fingers and thumbs.
Then letting go of your attention to your hands.
And bringing attention to the lower arms.
From the wrists up to the elbows in both arms.
Perhaps becoming aware of the sense of the weight of the arms as they rest on the floor or on your body.
Noticing internal sensations like tingling or throbbing.
Or again perhaps no sensation.
Exploring with your curiosity sensations perhaps at the surface of the arms in the skin.
And then letting go of attention to the lower arms.
And bringing attention in particular to the elbows.
Only outside of the elbow.
The soft inside of the elbows.
And then expanding that awareness to include an exploration of the upper arms.
All the way up to the shoulders and the armpits.
Including the muscles in this part of the arms.
The skin.
Exploring your experience in this moment.
Then only if this feels comfortable for you.
Imagining that the breath could come right down the arms to the fingers of both hands and back out again.
Taking a couple of slow breaths in this manner.
Only if this feels right for you.
Then letting go of attention to the arms and placing your attention now in the shoulders and neck.
Becoming aware of any sensations here.
This is often a place of tension.
So exploring with your awareness now any sensations present in the neck and shoulders.
Including in your awareness the front of the neck,
The throat.
You may notice sensations of swallowing.
Feeling now releasing awareness of the neck and throat.
And allowing your attention to move into the head.
Feeling the back of the head against the floor if you're lying down.
Exploring any sensations in the sides of the head.
In the scalp and the skull.
Not forgetting your ears.
Perhaps even moving your attention inside the head.
Becoming aware of sensations here.
Exploring with gentle curiosity.
So allowing your awareness to encompass the whole of the head,
Back and sides.
Allowing your experience to be just as it is.
And now letting go of attention to the head and narrowing your field of attention.
Coming particularly to the forehead.
And then allowing your attention to expand slowly down the face.
Including the brow and the temples.
Coming to the eyebrows.
The eye sockets.
The eyes themselves.
Very gently exploring this area with your attention.
There may be tingling or pressure.
Maybe some intensity in this area of your body.
Expanding the awareness down the face to include the cheekbones and the cheeks.
Also the nostrils as you notice the cool in-breath and the warm out-breath.
The lips and the mouth.
Exploring sensations in the jaw and the chin.
Now letting go of attention to the face.
Widening your field of attention.
Wide beam to include the whole body.
The very top of your head.
All the way down the torso.
Pelvis.
Legs.
To the tips of your toes and fingers.
Playing with the idea that it might be possible to breathe in and take the breath all the way from the very top of the head.
And to sweep down the body visiting every cell of the body as you breathe in.
And sweep back up out of the body from the toes.
All the way back up to the top of the head and out through the nose or mouth.
In this way imagining that the breath could move through the whole body as you breathe in.
And then back out.
If it suits you experimenting with this idea of taking a breath through the body in this way for the next two or three breaths.
Noticing any sensations that may be present.
Imagining oxygen enriching every cell of your body.
Nourishing your whole body with your awareness.
As we come to the end of the body scan practice reminding yourself that each time you do this having an intention to be alert,
Awake.
You are nourishing and nurturing yourself.
Taking an active part in your own health and well-being.
Thank you for watching.
