Welcome to the Female Body Scan.
This meditation is intended to be a mindful and relaxing body scan,
Similar to many others.
The only difference is that in defiance of cultural traditions of sexualizing or shaming female body parts and meditative traditions of just ignoring them completely,
In this meditation we will treat your vagina,
Uterus,
Ovaries and breasts just like any other part of your body.
So we will be holding them for a moment in awareness,
Breathing into them and then passing on.
Although this is a very simple addition to the body scan,
You may find that with regular practice you find yourself becoming more confident with the ownership of your own body and more loving in the kinds of things that you say to yourself.
Let's start.
Make yourself comfortable in the place where you're going to be doing this body scan.
I recommend doing this body scan lying down,
But you can also be seated,
Spine straight or in any other position that's comfortable and right for you.
During this meditation you may notice sounds inside and outside the room and thoughts going through your head.
That's okay and I would encourage you to just allow them to pass without really taking much notice of them at all.
Start by taking a deep breath in and out of your body.
Start by taking three deep breaths.
All the way in and all the way out.
All the way in and all the way out.
All the way in and all the way out.
All the way in and all the way out.
All the way in and all the way out.
Taking your attention now to the top of your head.
Just noticing what is there.
And if you want to,
You can imagine that you're breathing in and out through the top of your head.
Bringing your attention down now to the centre of your head.
Extending it outwards to your face,
The back of your head,
Your ears.
Just imagining now that you're breathing in and out through the centre of your head.
Moving your focus now to your neck,
The back of your neck,
Your throat.
You may notice your breathing flowing naturally in and out through your throat.
Bringing your attention now to your shoulders.
The shoulders are a place that is not always relaxed.
So if that's the case for you,
Just allow that and breathe into your shoulders.
And if they need to relax,
Just let them relax.
Breathe into your shoulders.
And if they need to relax a little more,
Just allow that to happen now.
Bringing your attention across now to your left shoulder.
And all the way down your left arm,
All the way to your left fingertips.
Imagining your breath going all the way down to your fingertips.
And then rising again to reach your hand,
The palm and back of your hand.
Your wrist,
Your forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm.
And back up now to your left shoulder.
And across now to your right shoulder and once again all the way down to your right fingertips.
Letting your breath flow down your arm if that's something which seems right to you.
Bringing your breath and your awareness back up to the palm of your hand,
The back of your hand.
Your right wrist and forearm,
Your elbow,
Upper arm.
And then your right shoulder and focusing once again on both shoulders.
Breathing into your shoulders,
Allowing them to relax a little bit more.
And bringing your attention now to the centre of your upper back,
To your spine.
Imagining the breath going all the way down your spine,
All the way to your tailbone.
And seeing if you can sense now into your lungs.
And just feel them filling with air,
Emptying again,
Releasing anything which is not helpful.
All the time breathing,
Breathing in air,
The stuff of life.
Sending your attention down to your lower back now.
Sensing into your kidneys and your adrenal glands.
Breathing deeply all the way down your back.
And just imagining all that oxygen going to your kidneys,
To your adrenal glands.
Bringing your attention up once again back to your shoulders.
Breathing deeply into your shoulders.
Allowing that relaxation to just take place naturally.
Before bringing your attention down your front to your breasts.
Noticing how they feel.
Noticing any thoughts or reactions which are arising in yourself.
And imagine now your breath going all the way into and through both breasts.
Filling them with oxygen.
Bringing your attention inside once again now to your heart.
Noticing your heartbeat.
Breathing into your heart.
Below your heart on the left hand side of your abdomen is your stomach.
Focusing your attention now on your stomach.
Breathing into your stomach.
Moving your attention across now to the other side to your liver.
This organ which removes from your body anything which is not safe.
And anything which is no longer needed.
Imagining now as you breathe,
You're breathing into your liver.
Supporting its function.
Bringing your attention down now to your abdomen.
Breathing deep into your abdomen.
Sending oxygen to your intestines.
To your ovaries.
And to your uterus.
Noticing how you feel at hips and pelvis.
Your buttocks supported by whatever you're resting on.
Your vulva and vagina.
Breathing now all the way down your body.
Shifting your attention across now to the top of your left leg.
Sending it down,
Down your left thigh.
Noticing your left knee.
Cuff,
Shin,
Ankle,
Heel and foot all the way down to your left toes.
Imagining sending your breath down your left leg all the way down to the toes.
Coming back up through your left leg to your left hip.
Across your pelvis to your right hip.
And into your right thigh.
Your right knee.
Your right calf and shin.
Your right ankle.
The top of your right foot.
The heel of your right foot.
The sole of your right foot.
Imagining now that you can send your breath all the way down to the toes.
All the way down that right leg to the toes.
I now wonder if it's possible now to just expand your attention.
So that you're holding the whole of your body in your awareness.
Continuing to breathe and be relaxed.
Just aware now of the whole of your body from head to toe.
And just take a moment now internally to thank your body for all that it does for you.
To send it some feelings of love and care.
This ends the body scan.
Thank you.
