Sensation & Acceptance Body Scan

Our bodies speak to us; we can learn to listen and in listening, we can find freedom, release, and acceptance. In this body scan meditation, we focus on noticing the language of the body and the sensations it speaks through. We practice leaning in, listening, and meeting the sensations with acceptance. We practice opening to messages they have to share with us and learning to be with all types of sensations in all parts of the body.

Transcript

Welcome. Thank you for joining me today for this sensation and acceptance focused body scan. Our bodies speak to us. They speak to us because they hold everything inside that happens to us in our lives. We can learn to listen to them. And in the listening, We can find freedom, Release, And acceptance. If you've come to this meditation, Be ready to lean in to what you notice and make space for acceptance and release. Please make yourself comfortable in a position in which you can relax and feel fully supported. Closing your eyes. Begin by focusing on where your breath is right now. Noticing the length of the inhale and the exhale. Intentionally beginning to expand, Allowing more air to come in and more air to leave. We're going to begin this body scan at the top and work down. Right now, As you relax, I'd like you to begin to notice your head. The space just around your head, As well as the inside and outside of your head. Noticing sensation looks like observing the movements that we might feel internally. Some areas of the body may be more pronounced than others. So it's okay if you don't notice anything in every part of the body. Continuing to take deep breaths and deep exhales. Focusing on your head, Notice if you can feel any sensations. They could be on the outside. They could be on the inside. It might be something like pressure. It might be something like a moving object inside or outside. For example, We know we're made up of tiny atoms and elements. If there's a sensation, You can describe it by what those tiny elements are doing. For example, I have a small headache right now. And those tiny elements are hovering over my left eye. And they're tight. They're tense. There's not a lot of movement to them besides tension. Notice if you experience any sensation in your own body. Describe it to yourself in terms of a movement. I would like you to intentionally say yes. Yes to this headache. I know you're there. I feel your movement. I accept you as you are. This doesn't mean that I'm enjoying the headache. It simply means that I'm acknowledging that it's happening right now in my body. So as you breathe, Lean in, Say yes to whatever you've noticed in your mind, In your head. Let it know that you see it, That you feel it, And let it be judgment-free. Sit gently with these feelings. And be open to any messages that may come from them, Any intuitive hits. But also know that it's okay if nothing does come. Just saying yes and being present with what is. Now I'd like you to move down to your chest and your upper back. Taking deep inhales and deep exhales, Allowing yourself to be fully supported and resting. Notice any sensations that you have in this part of your body. What do you feel in your muscles? What do you feel internally? What do you feel on your skin? Describe them to yourself in terms of a movement, In terms of an action. The atoms, The elements. Maybe they're squiggly and moving quickly. Maybe they're slow and sliding around. Maybe they're still and peaceful. Maybe they're nervous and moving quite quickly. Just describe them and let them be. Begin to lean in to what you notice. Begin to say, Yes, I accept this. It is the experience I am having. Let your body know that you are listening. We so often try to move away from our experiences, Especially if we don't enjoy them. We teach our body that we're not willing to hear it. We're not willing to listen. In this meditation, We're going to practice just the opposite. An openness, A willingness to be present and say yes, Even to things that might be unpleasant. I'd like you to move down now. Move down into your abdominal cavity, Your low back. The lower portion of your torso in a 365 degree view of it. And begin to notice what's going on in this part of your body. Continuing to take deep, Nourishing breaths and strong, Powerful exhales. Describe what you notice as a movement of the elements and movement of the atoms. This is an area of our body where we might feel those butterflies in our stomach. This is an area of our body where we often can connect with intuition. That gut feeling. Noticing what's happening, Giving it a label in terms of movement, And then leaning into it and saying yes. Yes, I see you. Yes, I feel you. Yes, I accept you. This is the experience that I'm having. Listening for any messages that may come and being open to just being present with what is. Breathing, Allowing, Loving and listening to your body. A true gift to yourself. Moving downward now, Coming into focus with your hips and your pelvis, As well as your upper legs, The fronts, The backs, The sides. Breathing into this area of the body and noticing what's happening. What sensations are present? What are the elements doing? How are they moving? What are they needing? Leaning into this area of the body, Accepting what you've noticed, Letting it be what is currently happening, What you're currently experiencing. Listening for any messages, Noticing any changes. And now moving to the bottom part of the legs and the feet, The last portion of the body will focus on today. Again, Noticing what's happening here. What do you sense? What do you feel? What does the movement look like? What does it sound like? Describing it to yourself. Leaning into any experiences you're having, Allowing the messages of the body to be heard. Even if, And especially if, They're unpleasant. Listening for any messages, Breathing deeply, Allowing, Welcoming, Acknowledging. Bringing your attention now back to your body as a whole. Checking in and noticing as you scan from top to bottom if there's any changes, If anything has shifted, Or if there's a place you'd like to return to and bring your awareness back to again for a second time. Take this time to do so or bask in the awareness of your entire body. Remember that this is a skill, A tool you have available to you at any time. If we make ourselves available to listen to our body's whispers, We don't have to hear them scream. Focusing now on your breath, Extending the inhale and the exhale to their full depth. Remembering that your lungs are a very large organ and they take up a good portion of your torso from your clavicle bones, Almost all the way to your hip bones. And inside that rib cage are the lungs that are almost just as big. So as you breathe, Remember to inflate every nook and cranny, Every crevice of those 360 degree lungs. And as you exhale, Pushing out as much air as possible, Releasing toxins. Bringing your awareness now to just outside the body, As if you had a small bubble around you that extends maybe two or three inches away from the body. Noticing any sensations, Any messages in this extended body. Accepting, Being present, Leaning in, Saying yes. Giving your loving attention to those parts of you that need it most. When you're ready, You can begin to bring your awareness back to the space around you. Thank you so much for joining me.