Once you've found a comfortable and quiet spot where you can relax without distractions for just a few minutes,
Begin to take a few unusually deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Then allow your breath to come back to a natural rhythm as I guide you down your body.
Starting with the crown of the head,
Begin to feel it melt and relax.
Feel the weight of your head as it holds itself up while at the same time giving it permission to relax.
Bring your attention to your forehead and then your eyes,
Nose,
Cheeks,
Lips and jaw.
Allow them to melt and relax.
Now move your awareness into your neck and shoulders,
Noticing the strong muscles in this part of the body and inviting them to relax and soften as you continue down into your arms,
Elbows,
Wrists,
Hands and fingers,
Aware of what is here in this moment.
Now gently shift your focus to your chest area,
Noticing the subtle rise and fall of the chest with the in and out breath.
Track your rib cage,
Front and back of the ribs,
Sides of the ribs,
The upper back.
Notice any aches and pains in this upper torso area and see if you can bring a sense of gentleness and kindness here.
Begin to turn your awareness now to your abdomen and stomach,
The place where we feel our gut feelings and just give this space permission to relax.
Then stretch your awareness to your lower back and the lumbar spine before moving your awareness to the pelvis area,
The hip bones and sitting bones,
Genitals and groin,
Noticing any sensations or lack of sensations that are here,
Perhaps being aware of the breath in this part of the body.
Noticing kindness and love here.
Now move your attention into the thighs of both legs,
Feeling their weight,
Gently noticing what other sensations there are in this space,
Tuning into the skin,
Bone and muscle of the legs here and then down through your knees,
Calves,
Both feet,
The heels and toes,
Allowing any tension to soften as you bring a gentle awareness to them.
Now take one or two deeper breaths and widen your focus,
Sweeping the whole body with your awareness from top to bottom.
Really noticing,
Accepting and loving what you feel physically in this moment and resting in awareness of this amazing body that you have,
Compassion for its pains and appreciation for its capacities and the wonder of it all.
