Welcome,
Thank you for being here.
Before we start our practice I would like to share a few key elements.
So we're going to be doing a body scan which is basically mindfulness of the body bringing a curious attention to what is present in the body moment by moment opening to what is there without trying to resist or change anything.
So we pay attention to the sensations or to the lack of experienced sensations in the different areas of the body one by one.
It is like a journey through it and we pay attention to whatever is there not to what we think we should be feeling.
So as best as you can letting go of the tendency we have to want things to be different from how they are in the moment and allowing whatever you're experiencing to be as it is.
And one more thing this practice is a systematic arriving in the different parts of the body as in we're going to follow an order.
And to start I invite you to find your posture.
You might want to try lying down for this practice or be seated however you prefer.
And I'll invite a moment of grounding and softening before we go into the body scan.
So finding that comfort and ease in your posture allowing the eyes to close gently or just lowering the gaze a soft low gaze whatever is most comfortable for you.
And if you do close your eyes just know that it is okay to open them at any point throughout the practice.
Taking a few deep intentional breaths at your own rhythm inhaling deeply exhaling softly slowly deep inhale gentle exhale and if there is any tension or tightness that can be easily released we can invite softness release through the out breath.
So recognizing those points of tension or tightness with the in breath recognizing and through the out breath releasing softening.
Softening.
Inviting relaxation through the out breath.
And now gently let the breath go back to its natural rhythm.
Breathing naturally.
Let's begin now by bringing your attention to a sense of your body as a whole lying or sitting here noticing how your whole body feels in this moment.
Noticing the body breathing.
And in those times when throughout the practice the mind wanders when it is carried away by the thought stream gently bringing your attention back smiling into the fact that you have woken up from thoughts and allowing the attention to return to the body.
Bringing your attention now to both feet.
Notice your toes bringing a gentle interested attention to any sensations that you find there.
Perhaps a sense of contact of the toes touching each other a sense of coolness heat numbness tingling vibration whatever it might be.
The particular sensations are actually not important.
What's important is feeling into the toes as they are which in that moment by might be the lack of sensation.
Now going to the sole of the feet.
Moving into the upper part.
What can you notice there?
Getting curious about what is unfolding in this part of the body in this very moment.
Now the lower legs.
Going up to the knees.
Discovering what sensations are there.
Moving into the region of the upper leg.
Noticing whatever sensations are there to be felt moment by moment.
And if you realize the mind has drifted away from the body gently bringing it back to where attention was and reopen to what is happening there.
Remember that throughout the practice it is natural that the mind wanders and it is not a sign that you are doing anything wrong.
Simply notice and bring the attention back into the body.
Moving up to the pelvis.
Aware of the hips,
The genitals,
The glutes.
Opening to whatever sensations or lack of perceived sensations are there in this region.
Moving into the lower belly.
Moving into the abdomen.
And the sides of the torso.
Perhaps noticing the rib cage expanding and contracting as the air enters and leaves the body.
Up to the chest.
And now shifting to the lower back.
Noticing what is here now in the lower back.
And you can get curious about what happens when you fully attend to sensations.
Do they become more intense or dissipate?
Noticing perhaps how they are moving or changing.
And continue up into the middle and upper back.
Paying attention to your whole back,
Noticing what is happening there.
Including the shoulders in the field of your attention.
Noticing what is there now.
Going down the arms,
Through the upper arms,
Into the elbows.
And the forearms.
Letting attention now arrive at the hands.
Feeling sensations in both hands.
And now going to the region of the neck and the throat.
Opening to whatever is here to be felt.
Moving up towards the head.
Start noticing your face,
The jaw,
The cheeks,
The nose,
The ears,
The eyes.
The space between the eyebrows.
The forehead.
Arriving at the top of the head.
And staying here,
What are the sensations present?
The back of the head.
Holding now the entire head in your attention.
Staying in contact with whatever sensations are unfolding there.
And for this last moment,
Inviting once again the attention to take in the whole body.
From the top of the head to the tip of the toes.
Watching this come and go of sensations in your whole body.
Bringing a kind and interested attention to the changing flow sensations throughout.
Without having to do anything,
Go anywhere.
Just being present to what is unfolding in your body moment by moment.
And as the practice comes to an end,
You might start to move gently noticing the contact.
Opening to the world around you.
And taking a moment to appreciate your body.
Thank you so much for your practice and I wish you well.
