Body Scan Meditation (MBSR) | 30 Minutes

This is an official meditation of the MBSR course (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction). The aim of this meditation is to establish a conscious connection with the body by systematically scanning through the body while remaining attentive and alert. To do this, we take a comfortable position lying down and focus our attention on the breath and the different areas of the body. This helps us to develop a deeper body awareness.

In addition, body scan meditation can help to reduce stress and tension in the body and promote general relaxation and inner peace. Free introductory MBSR videos are available on my website, along with a complete MBSR online video course.

Transcript

Welcome to this 30-minute body scan meditation.

Let's begin by finding a comfortable position for you.

Typically we are laying down onto a mat or the floor,

But if you prefer you can also do it sitting maybe on a chair or meditation cushion.

If you decided to lay down onto the back then simply stretching the arms and legs out to a distance which feels comfortable to you.

If you have chosen to sit,

As good as you can,

Sit straight,

The shoulders back,

The head balanced on top of the spine and the hands can be placed on the knees or on the laps,

Palms facing up or down.

Once settled in you might want to gently close your eyes.

The intention of this practice is to become more aware of the body.

The attitude we bring to this meditation is acceptance,

Kindness and curiosity.

The attention we bring into the body.

We are turning towards,

Inhabiting and checking in with each area of the body.

Staying a while and then letting go and moving on to the next body part.

Now let's start with this 30-minute body scan meditation.

I invite you to take a deep breath in and slowly letting the air out.

Perhaps we are repeating this one more time to really just arrive here,

Taking a deep breath in and slowly letting the air out.

Breathing in and out.

Bringing the attention to the entire body,

Lying or sitting here,

From the soles of the feet to the top of the head.

Simply breathing,

Sensing and letting go.

Drop in into this meditation and this moment.

Feeling the movement of the breath,

The rhythm as the breath rolls in and out.

Nothing to do or change with the breath,

Simply letting it be as it is and riding the waves from moment to moment.

When you're ready,

Bringing your attention into your left foot.

Becoming aware of the toes on your left foot.

What does the big toe feel like?

Is there any contact with the socks,

The air,

The floor?

Anything here that you can notice,

Maybe nothing at all and that's fine too.

Simply becoming aware of the sensations right now in the big toe on your left foot.

Then moving on to the other toes.

Can you sense how they are touching each other?

Or is there a sensation of temperature such as cold or warm or neutral?

Simply sensing what's here.

Then letting go of the toes and coming now into the foot,

The left foot.

So simply feeling it,

The top of the foot,

The soles of the foot,

The back of the foot.

How does the left foot feel like right now?

And in case your mind has wandered,

Simply noticing this and then bringing it back when it feels right to this moment,

To my voice and into your body.

Bringing your attention now into the right foot.

Bringing your attention now into the right foot.

Focusing onto the big toe on the right foot right now.

What is there?

Can you feel how it makes contact with the air,

A sock,

The ground or maybe with the neighboring toe?

Then letting go of the big toe of the right foot and becoming aware of the other toes.

And now moving down the foot,

Becoming aware of the sole of the right foot,

The top,

The back.

And then just becoming aware of the entire right foot.

And now becoming aware of both feet right now.

What can you notice in your feet right now?

Maybe the points where they make contact with the ground.

Maybe the points where they make contact with the ground.

Maybe the points where they make contact with the ground.

And then letting go of the feet,

Moving up now through the ankles,

Into the lower legs.

Maybe noticing how the calves make contact with the floor.

Or maybe they make contact with part of the chair.

Or maybe they make contact with air or fabrics.

Then moving on,

Coming into the knees.

So sensing into the knees,

Becoming aware of what's inside in the center of the knees.

And then radiating our awareness out to the outer parts of the knees.

Letting go of the knees and becoming aware of the upper legs.

Maybe simply sensing into the bone and the muscles that surround the bone.

These are big,

Heavy muscles and they can let go now.

Maybe sensing the temperature in this area.

Is it rather cold or warm?

Neutral?

And when our mind has drifted off into the past or the future,

Simply becoming aware of this and bringing our focus back onto our body,

Onto our upper legs right now.

And then moving on into the pelvis.

So becoming aware that this area really connects the lower and the upper body.

And if possible,

We can see if we can let go with the next out-breath.

Just become a little bit heavier.

Loosening up.

Making space.

Sensing inside the pelvis.

Becoming aware how there are many muscles and ligaments connected to this area.

Maybe there's also some pain or discomfort and that's okay.

As good as we can,

Simply being with it a lot.

Then letting go of the pelvis and now moving up into the belly.

Can we notice how the belly expands with each breath?

And how the belly expands with each breath?

And how the belly expands with each breath?

Can we notice how the belly expands with every in-breath?

And deflates with every out-breath?

Maybe noticing how the diaphragm is moving while we are breathing.

Really sensing inside the belly,

Stomach.

Making some space here and simply noticing what's here right now for us.

No need to change or do anything.

Simply being with this moment of awareness.

Now letting go of the belly and moving our awareness to the chest.

Now letting go of the belly and moving our awareness to the chest.

Can we notice how there's movement here as well?

Maybe some expansion when we inhale and some contraction when we exhale.

Bringing to mind how the ribs are protecting our lungs.

And how the air flows into our lungs and out of our lungs.

Also becoming aware that our heart is here.

And this is a muscle that has been working all of our lives,

Non-stop.

And simply making some space for it.

Taking some time maybe to be grateful for our hearts.

And when ready we are moving now our attention onto the back.

So becoming aware of our back as we are laying here or maybe sitting here.

But simply noticing what's here right now.

So maybe there are parts of our back that are touching the ground.

Or in case we're sitting maybe they're touching some fabric.

And how does that feel?

Bringing our attention to the back.

And how does that feel?

Bringing our attention now to the lowest point of our back.

And then moving up vertebra by vertebra.

So first becoming aware of the lowest third of our back.

Moving up now vertebra by vertebra.

Coming into the middle of the back.

This is also where the ribcage connects to the spine.

And going further up into the upper part of our back.

So becoming aware of the shoulder blades.

The muscles in this area.

And how maybe with the next out breath we let go.

And sinking a little deeper on the mat in case we are lying.

And in case we are sitting simply becoming aware of that area.

How it stabilizes us.

How the spine is supporting us.

When it feels right letting go now of the awareness of the back and the spine.

And bringing our focus into our hands.

Are our hands open or curled up?

Are they flat on the ground or in the air?

Are they touching our bodies or simply fabric?

So really becoming aware of the positioning and the form of our hands right now.

Bringing our focus into the left hand now.

What does the thumb feel like?

Is it cold,

Warm?

Does it touch anything?

What's the pressure like?

Or is there nothing at all?

Then bringing awareness into the index finger.

The middle finger.

The ring finger.

And the little finger.

So moving on with the awareness in the left hand.

So becoming aware of the back of the hand.

The left palm.

And the wrist.

And in case your mind has taken you somewhere else.

You're in autopilot or you're close to fall asleep.

Then simply becoming aware of this.

And gently but firmly.

Becoming aware of this.

And gently but firmly.

Coming back to my words and bringing our focus back onto our body.

And this time into the right hand.

Becoming aware of the thumb of the right hand right now.

What does it touch?

How does it feel?

Letting go now of the thumb of the right hand and moving into the index finger.

The middle finger.

The ring finger.

And the little finger.

Then moving down.

Becoming aware of the back of the hand.

And now bringing to mind and sensing into the right palm.

Then also becoming aware of the right wrist.

And now becoming aware of both hands right now.

Simply observing what's here.

Then moving on.

Coming into the lower arms.

Inch by inch.

Moving up.

And then letting go of the lower arms.

Sensing into the elbows,

Left and right.

Moving further up.

Into the upper arms.

Becoming aware of the bone in the middle and how there is muscle around it.

Letting go.

Simply allowing this moment to really put our focus into the upper arms.

When it feels right,

Letting go of the upper arms and inhabiting our shoulders.

So becoming aware of the shoulders and this is an area where pain or discomfort is typical.

So if possible,

Maybe just letting go.

Breathing into the shoulders,

Out of them.

And becoming more heavy.

Relaxing.

Moving on from the shoulders through the neck.

Into the head.

Into the head and simply becoming aware of how our head feels like right now.

Is it heavy or light?

Silent or too many thoughts?

Simply observing what's here without judging as good as we can.

Then bringing our awareness to the face.

Becoming aware of the different parts of our face and starting to let go.

Softening.

So we start to let go of our forehead.

The eyes and eyebrows become heavier.

The cheeks let go,

The nose gets soft.

The lips let loose.

The jaw and the ears.

Everything seems to melt a little bit.

Become heavier.

And we let go.

Really allowing ourselves to just lie or sit here and simply observe our face as it lets go all the resistance.

And then when it feels right,

Letting go of all the thoughts.

And then when it feels right,

Letting go of the awareness of the face.

Allowing the awareness to open,

To include once again the entire body laying or sitting here.

From the soles of the feet to the top of the head.

Investigating this feeling of being alive.

Simply inhaling and exhaling.

As we draw this practice to a close,

Become aware of your physical position in the room.

So where in the room are you and what are you doing?

So where in the room are you and what shape is your body making?

Noticing sounds in the room and outside the room.

And then when it feels right,

Starting to wiggle maybe the hands and toes.

Turning the head from side to side or just starting to move or stretch in whatever way feels right to you right now.

And when you are ready,

Gently opening the eyes and fully coming back to the room.

This body scan meditation is now complete.