Welcome to this guided body scan meditation.
Find a quiet place where you will be uninterrupted for the next little while.
If you are able to,
Lie down in a comfortable position.
Again,
If you're able,
Let your hands go to your sides with your palms up.
Take a deep breath in through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
Take another deep breath in and out.
Feel your body begin to relax with each breath.
As you allow your breath to become slow and steady,
Let your mind begin to calm.
Take three more deep breaths.
As you continue to breathe deeply,
Bring your attention to your feet.
Notice any sensations in your toes.
Wiggle your toes and relax.
Scrunch them up and relax them.
Move your attention to your arches and then to your heels.
Are there any areas that feel tense or tight?
Just observe these sensations without judgment or expectation.
Now bring your attention to your ankles.
See if you can fully relax your ankles.
Move along to your lower legs.
The front where your shins are and the back where your calves are.
Move along to your knees.
See if you can fully relax your knees.
Then bring your attention to your thighs.
Feel your front quadricep muscles and your back hamstring muscles.
Now bring your attention to your hips.
Take a moment to sit with your hips.
Notice any sensations you may be feeling.
As you scan your body,
You may notice that your mind starts to wander.
That's okay.
Just acknowledge any stray thoughts that come up and visualize tying them to a string on a balloon.
Watch the balloon begin to float away,
Taking your stray thought with it.
Return to your breath.
Inhale,
Exhale.
Again,
Our attention is still at our hips and moving in to glute muscles in our bums.
You may want to squeeze and relax these muscles if you're able to.
Notice where they connect to the surface you're lying on and return to the breath.
Inhale through the nose,
Exhale through the mouth.
As you continue to breathe deeply,
Bring your attention to your stomach.
Notice the rise and fall of your breath through your stomach as you breathe in and out.
Allow your breath to fill your stomach and then empty with each exhale.
Let's stay with your stomach for three more breaths.
If your mind has begun to wander,
Send another thought up to the sky with a balloon.
Let's move to your chest and back.
Notice any sensations in your ribcage and spine.
Are there any areas that feel tight,
Uncomfortable?
Observe these sensations without judgment or expectation.
Can you fully relax your back?
Bring your attention to your shoulders.
Are they relaxed?
Move them away from your ears.
Notice the parts that connect to the surface you are lying on.
Notice the parts that don't connect.
Notice if your shoulders move with your breath.
Now bring your attention to your arms.
Notice any sensations in your upper arms.
Can you fully relax them?
What's going on with your elbows?
Are they connecting with the surface you are lying on?
Just pay attention to what your elbows are doing.
Move along to your forearms and then to your hands.
Wiggle your fingers and relax them with your palms up.
Pay attention to where the back of your hands connect with the surface you're lying on.
Are your hands fully relaxed?
Are there any areas that feel tense?
Observe without judgment or expectation.
Return to your breath.
Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth.
Finally,
Bring your attention to your neck.
Are you able to fully relax your neck?
Bring your attention to your face.
Check in to see that all your facial muscles are relaxed.
Are your teeth unclenched?
Is your tongue resting comfortably in your mouth?
Now make your mouth smile.
Inhale through the smile and exhale through the smile.
How does that feel?
What sensations are you experiencing as you smile?
And now relax those smiling muscles too.
Try to make your face fully relaxed.
Now notice where your head makes contact with the surface where you are lying.
And take some more time with three more breaths.
If your mind continues to wander,
That's okay.
Simply acknowledge those thoughts and tie them to another balloon.
Visualize the balloon floating away.
Now we'll take a moment to scan our internal organs.
Let's begin with your heart.
Visualize it beating steady and rhythmically.
You may wish to place a hand on your heart.
Feel the rhythm through your hand.
Take a moment with that sensation in your heart,
In your hand.
Place your hand back at your side with the palm toward the sky.
Move on to your lungs.
Visualize them expanding and contracting with each breath.
Take a deep inhale to fill your lungs and exhale through your mouth.
Move along to your stomach.
We're revisiting the stomach.
Again,
Deeply inhaling to breathe into your belly and out.
Stay here for another three breaths.
And if you're thinking thoughts again,
Just let them pass through.
Say to yourself,
These thoughts are passing through.
Then tie them to another balloon and visualize the balloon floating away.
Continue to deeply breathe,
Allowing yourself to relax more deeply into each breath.
Imagine a wave of relaxation spreading throughout your body.
Washing away any tension or stress.
Allow yourself to fully surrender to this moment and feel the peace and tranquility that comes with it.
Now smile as big as you can as you inhale and exhale.
Send that smile from your head all the way down to your toes.
Take one more deep breath in and as you exhale,
Slowly bring your attention back to your surroundings.
Wiggle your fingers and your toes and slowly open your eyes.
If you are able to,
Make a big long stretch like a cat.
Take a moment to adjust to the world around you.
And when you're ready,
Slowly sit up.
May you carry this state of relaxation,
Resetting and peace as you go about your day or throughout the rest of your evening.
