This is a short and simple version of a body scan,
A practice designed to draw you in to focus on how your body feels at any point,
Without imposition,
Expectation or judgement.
This is to cultivate simply feeling and being with yourself as a way to help still your mind root into the present moment and integrate mind and body,
To help quiet any agitations or ruminations that might feel that they're taking over your experience in the present moment.
This is a short body scan so it can be used as an interception when you're feeling stressed and you need to calm and come into your body,
When you need to move away from inner voices and chattering to find some space.
It can also be used at the beginning of a meditation as a bridge from doing mode into simply being,
Here and now in your body.
So feel free to continue after the session and move towards being with silence.
Lying or sitting comfortably,
Find a position that feels that you can sustain a sense of comfort and ease in the body for the length of the practice.
Start to breathe and feel into the whole of your body.
Every single cell and all of the spaces in between cells involved in the breathing process.
Feeling how the exhalation makes space for the inhalation to easily and gently flow in.
Feel yourself lying or sitting on the ground,
Occupying the space that you're in and feeling gravity holding you to the earth.
Inhale deeply and exhale into your whole body at once.
Feeling that your mind is occupying all parts of you in your entirety at once.
Every breath moving through every part of you.
Feeling the beginning,
The middle,
The end of each breath through all parts of your body.
You can say to yourself,
My whole body is still.
I am occupying my whole body.
Now inhale into your whole body and exhale into your hands.
Just noticing how your hands are now passive,
Not needing to reach for anything to give or receive,
To express anything to others.
No need to indicate to people to come near or to stay away.
Not to tighten if you're stressed,
Not to feel they have anything to do at all.
Simply receiving the breath and feeling the air around.
My hands are still.
There is nothing to do.
Inhale into your hands and exhale into your feet.
Noticing your feet are now still.
Feeling this end part of you,
Furthest away from your head.
Even though you're not standing on your feet at the moment,
Placing your attention there,
Still having a grounding effect.
The residue of connection to the earth.
Simply breathing into your feet and letting them be passive.
Soft skin on the bottom of your feet,
Not needing to be pressed into the ground or have the weight of your body pushing onto it.
My feet are still.
There is nowhere to go.
Inhale into your feet and exhale into your jaw.
Simply noticing what is into this place.
We can so often express the tension,
The self-defensiveness we might feel as we move through the world.
Notice habits that you're holding onto in your jaw.
Not looking to change them,
Just noticing them as they are.
Breathing a sense of acceptance to where you find yourself right now.
My jaw is relaxing.
There is nothing to tense against.
Breathe into your jaw and exhale into your face.
Being behind your face,
Noticing all feelings around your eye sockets,
Backs of your cheeks and deep into your palate.
Noticing your tongue can be soft and noticing you don't need to be showing any communications to the world right now.
You can simply be passive in your face.
Be soft.
My face is softening.
There is nothing to express.
Inhale into your face and exhale into your throat.
Feeling your breath gently moving your throat as you breathe in and you breathe out.
Feeling the flow of your breath up and down your body,
Creating rhythm through your throat.
You are able to soften as your neck extends,
As stresses in your shoulders drop away.
My throat is soft.
There is nothing to say.
Inhale into your throat and exhale into your spine.
Feeling your breath move up the length of your spine,
Breathing in from the tip of your tailbone to the crown of your head and breathing all the way back down.
Inhaling up your spine and exhaling down.
Feeling the natural rhythm of your breath,
An ancient pulse,
A tidal rhythm.
Breathing into your central column.
My spine is moving with my breath.
I am fluid.
Breathe out to feel your mind.
Observe when your mind is placed.
Breathe to feel around your jaw,
Temples and forehead.
Notice how any ruminations,
Chattering that may be a habit of your mind,
Your brain can let go.
Notice there's no need to grasp towards thoughts.
My brain is still.
There is no reaction needed.
Take a deep inhalation and exhale back into the whole of your body.
Let your breath roll as you need.
It may feel right to take a few deeper inhalations now and sigh out with the out-breath.
You can draw into a sense of gathering that really allows your exhalation to flow out and feeling letting go of anything that's risen to the surface and is ready to leave.
Even sighing out with an ah sound,
If that simply feels right for you today.
Letting your breath ripple out to come to a soft place.
My breath is softening.
I feel peace.
Feel that softening of the breath moving through the whole of your body.
My body is still.
My whole body is still.
I can let go.
Now imprinting the inherent knowledge that this sense of stillness,
Absorption and focus is anchored on the breath.
Remember it is always there to draw you back to the present whenever you need.
You can either stay and continue your practice or gently gather yourself in and kindly guide yourself back into the world.
Namaste.
