Hi,
My name is Beth Burgess and this is a feeling scan meditation.
It's a mindfulness meditation so there's no doing it wrong here.
You basically just have to try and focus on locating your feelings.
So follow the instructions and relax.
So first start by getting yourself comfortable.
A sitting position or a lying position is ideal for this and just close your eyes.
And first take a deep breath in and exhale.
As you're inhaling and exhaling just bring your awareness to the present moment and to your breathing.
So focus on the sensations of your breath entering your nostrils.
Maybe feeling the warmth or the cold of the air.
Maybe feeling tickling as the air hits your throat.
Just notice the rise and fall of your chest and your belly as you breathe in and out.
Now as you follow your breathing you'll notice an area where your breath ends on the inhale and begins on the exhale.
That area is round about the bottom of your ribcage.
Just bring your attention to that area.
Bring your full awareness to it.
This area is the seat of many of our feelings.
This is the area that's responsible for intuition.
Maybe if you have feelings of anxiety or worry those feelings will show up in this area.
So as you're breathing in I'd just like you to become aware of any feelings that manifest themselves at the bottom of your ribcage.
Just that place where the inhale stops and the exhale begins.
Maybe you can find words to describe those sorts of feelings.
Maybe they just appear as textures or even colors.
Just become aware of all that you can notice about those feelings within your gut at this present moment.
And if your attention drifts elsewhere don't worry don't judge it.
This is just something that our minds do.
The human mind likes to wander off and think about tomorrow or yesterday.
We need to focus in the present so just gently bring your mind back and rest it again on your inhalations,
Your exhalations and that seat of your feelings.
If you notice any real discomfort in those feelings is it possible to direct your breath towards that area and just relax your belly a little.
Sending the energy of your breath into those feelings and just relaxing them in a calming way.
Or maybe you have good feelings there.
Maybe you have calm and peace.
Joy or excitement.
Perhaps by bringing your breath to that area you can intensify those feelings if you wish.
Just notice what happens when you breathe into that seat of all the emotions.
Notice any changes.
Sometimes focusing on our feelings can be uncomfortable.
That's okay,
Emotions aren't facts,
They are just feelings.
If you can learn to sit with your feelings it's a really useful skill to learn.
If they are unbearable then gently breathe into them.
Maybe move your awareness to the sides of the feelings.
Rather than dead center.
Maybe just notice the feelings diminish a little as you move your attention away.
Again there's no wrong way to do this exercise.
You're just bringing your awareness and training your brain.
And learning to be in the present with your feelings,
Good or bad.
And learning to be more comfortable with them.
So again,
If you've lost your thread,
That sometimes happens,
Just focus again on the inhale.
Maybe the feelings and sensations of the breath on the back of your windpipe.
The rising and falling of your chest and abdomen.
And just notice the feelings again.
And just focus on the feeling of the breath.
And when you feel like you have learnt everything you need to learn from this exercise.
You can start to just feel ready to come back to the room and go about your day.
And you can just open your eyes and keep that sense of your breath with you.
And that awareness that anytime you need to,
You can tune in to how you feel.
Simply by returning to the bottom of the ribcage,
To the gut.
And sensing where those feelings reside.
And back to the room.
