Hello,
And welcome to this body scan guided meditation with me,
Dee.
To be within the body and notice what's going on there is a powerful tool for healing trauma.
This is just one practice you can do to help be in the body.
In yoga,
The sensations in the body become allies to help aid our healing and growth.
To begin,
I welcome you to find a comfortable seated position,
Whether that is on a chair,
On the edge of the couch,
Or on the floor.
If you're seated in a chair,
I invite you to ensure the feet are flat on the earth to help ground you.
If being seated is not comfortable,
You may lay down for this practice.
Do what feels right for you in this moment.
Once you are in a cozy position,
I invite you to close the eyes down or keep a soft gaze at a point on the floor a few inches in front of you.
Bring your attention now to the breath.
Notice how it feels moving through the nostrils,
How the belly moves up and down.
Today's meditation is all about witnessing the sensations within the body.
If at any point it becomes too intense,
I invite you to breathe into it and release it on the exhale.
If you find this is too much to handle,
You're welcome to move onto another part of the body or to gently bring yourself back to your environment and try this meditation at another time.
Honor yourself and your body.
As you continue focusing on your breath,
For the next few minutes,
I'll guide you through a body scan.
Once we cover the whole body,
I'll guide you back to your environment by inviting you to take some deep breaths.
Please note it is natural for the mind to wander.
The point is not to completely empty the mind,
But to gently and kindly bring your mind back to your focus.
Also,
The object is to be comfortable and not in pain.
If you need to shift or move,
Do so mindfully,
Quietly,
And with awareness,
Coming back to your silent focus.
Let's now shift the focus from the breath to the sensations in the body.
Be curious about what's going on in each area.
There's no judgment or calculation here.
We're just noticing.
Moving the attention now down to the feet.
Allow yourself to feel any sensations happening in this space.
Maybe you notice heat or coldness.
You may feel some tingles or even nothing at all.
Just witness.
Working up to the legs now.
Bringing into your awareness the calves and knees.
What is going on in this part of the body?
If you become aware of tension or another unpleasant sensation,
I invite you to breathe into it.
Have the sense of letting it go,
And on your next exhale,
Release it.
Moving further up the legs,
Notice the thighs.
Are there any sensations happening here?
If not,
No need to worry.
Just witness this space and allow.
If at any point the mind begins to wander,
Gently bring it back to the breath.
Now let's move on to the hips and pelvic area.
Be curious of any sensations going on here.
Remember,
If at any point you feel uncomfortable or need to shift positions,
Do so mindfully.
Next,
Let's scan the attention up to the torso,
The belly,
Lower back,
Ribs,
And chest.
Witness the sensations.
There's no room for judgment or labeling here.
Just allow the body and mind to relax.
A gentle reminder here that if you notice any unpleasant sensations,
Attempt to breathe into them.
Acknowledge their existence.
Allow its space to be witnessed.
And when you're ready,
Release it on the exhale.
If it feels good,
You can always sigh it out.
Shifting the attention now to the arms,
Shoulders,
Upper arm,
Elbows,
Forearms,
Hands,
And fingers.
Be curious on what it feels like in these areas of the body in this moment.
If the mind wanders,
That's all right.
Gently bring it back to the breath and then the body.
Moving up the body now into the neck and the jaw.
Without judgment,
Witness any sensations here.
Staying curious.
Scanning now the whole head,
The nose,
Eyes,
Ears,
And crown.
Staying open to anything that arises with curiosity.
Allow the mind and body to relax.
Know that if you are feeling very restful and might fall asleep,
That is absolutely okay.
That just means your body needs it.
I'll leave you to continue breathing and noticing on your own for about two minutes and bring you back with the sound of my voice.
If the mind wanders,
Gently bring it back to the breath and the body.
As you are ready,
I welcome you to take in three deep belly breaths.
Inhaling through the nostrils.
Exhaling out the mouth with a sigh.
Leaving the eyes closed or in the soft gaze.
Gently bring yourself back to your environment by maybe wiggling the fingers and toes.
Raising the arms above your head for a good morning stretch.
Moving any way that feels good.
When you're ready,
Gently flicker the eyes open and take a few moments to take in your surroundings.
Look in front of you,
To the sides,
And behind you.
This allows your nervous system a chance to relax,
Knowing it's in a safe space.
I thank you for joining me in this body scan guided meditation practice.
Blessed Be.
