Hello,
And welcome to this body scan.
Please find a comfortable position,
Either lying down on your back or seated in a chair.
Make sure you're in a space in which you will be comfortable and unlikely to be disturbed.
Allow your eyes to gently close.
The purpose of the practice is just to bring awareness to any sensations you feel in your body without judgment.
If your mind wanders,
Just gently bring it back to the awareness of your body.
Thank yourself for taking the effort to be here right now and notice how that feels in your body.
To begin,
We're going to take a series of breaths.
Settle into your space.
Allow yourself to let go of any tension you feel in your body as you breathe in and out.
We're going to breathe in for four counts.
Then we'll hold for four counts,
And then we'll release that breath for six counts.
Take a deep breath in for four counts.
Hold that for four counts.
And release for six counts.
Once again,
In for four.
Hold for four.
And release for six.
Let's take one final breath together.
In for four.
Hold for four.
And exhale for six.
Now I want you to focus your attention on your feet,
Starting with your left foot.
I want you to notice the toes on your left foot.
Start to notice with curiosity.
Are there any sensations there?
You may feel tingling,
Numbness,
Heat.
Whatever is there.
Just be curious about it and just allow the sensations that exist there.
Then move your attention from your big toe all the way down to the small toe.
Do you notice any difference in the sensations between these toes?
Perhaps you feel the urge to wiggle them.
And bring your attention to the space where your toes meet the ball of your foot.
What do you notice there?
Whatever it is,
Just allow it.
Now notice the heel on that foot.
Maybe you sense pressure there,
If there's contact between the surface you're resting on and that heel.
Now bring your attention to the ankle and notice how that feels.
Move your attention up through your calf and into your knee.
What does your knee feel like right now?
Just notice as best you can all the sensations in this area.
If you don't feel any sensations,
That's okay.
Just allow whatever is there to be.
Just notice.
Now focus your attention on your left thigh.
Do you feel any pressure here?
Just notice.
This is pressure.
If your mind is starting to wander off,
Just become aware of this and bring your attention back into your body.
Maybe a sound or a thought got your attention.
This is completely normal.
That's what minds do.
When you notice it,
Acknowledge it and return your attention to your body.
Gently pull your attention away from the left side and settle your attention on the right foot.
Again,
Notice your toes from big to small and all the sensations that might be there.
Perhaps this side feels different compared to the other side.
Notice the ball of the foot and trace your foot with your awareness to your heel.
Now focus on your ankle.
Notice whatever sensations you're feeling here,
Whether that be pulsing,
Tingling,
Numbness,
Even pain.
Bring your awareness into your calf and then into your knee.
What do you notice here?
Whatever it is you notice,
Just let it be as it is.
Don't try to change it or distract yourself from it.
Just be with it and allow it.
Then focus on your thigh and notice any sensations there.
Now move your attention to your hips.
Notice the weight of them against the surface you're on or any other sensations you might feel there.
Now move your awareness slowly into your abdomen.
What do you notice there?
Maybe you're aware of the movement with your breathing.
Maybe you sense the temperature of your skin.
Then move your attention inside,
Into your organs and see what you notice there.
Maybe you notice sounds or sensations of digestion.
Just be curious about what's there and invite your awareness into your chest.
What sensations are present here?
Do you feel the pulsations of your heart or movement in your ribs as you breathe?
Try having a childlike curiosity as if you're feeling all these things for the first time.
If you notice you're thinking or you become distracted by a sound,
Just become aware of it and allow it.
Note these things as thinking or sound and bring your attention back to your body.
Now guide your attention to the fingers on your left hand.
Feel the sensations in each of your fingers against your lap or the chair or the floor.
What happens if you pay attention to your whole hand at once?
Just rest in the awareness of that and then become aware of your wrist and your forearm noticing all the sensations there.
Now up into your elbow,
Into your upper arm,
Into the shoulder.
Just notice the sensations there,
Tightness,
Tension,
Warmth.
Now gently invite your awareness to the fingers of your right hand,
Feeling each finger separately.
Notice if there are any fingers you're unable to feel or if there is an urge to move them and then guide your attention to your wrist,
Then into your forearm,
Then to your elbow.
Now bring your awareness into your upper arm.
What does it feel like right now?
Bring your attention into your shoulders and focus your awareness there.
Now move that attention into your neck.
What do you feel in your neck?
Again maybe there's tightness or tension,
Just note that.
And then bring your attention to the back of your head.
See if you can even feel your hair.
Bring your awareness to your left ear and now into your right ear.
Guide that awareness into your chin and your jaw.
Bring your attention to your teeth.
What do your teeth feel like right now?
What does your tongue feel like?
Just be curious.
What do your cheeks feel like?
Or your nose?
Now pay attention to your eyes and the muscles around your eyes.
Have you ever paid attention to your eyes before?
And feel into your forehead and bring that childlike curiosity into your forehead.
And finally move that awareness to the top of your head.
Now that you've scanned your whole body,
Bring your awareness to all the parts of the body at once.
Just spend a few moments resting in this awareness.
Notice how effortless it is just to rest in awareness.
Now slowly and gently with continued awareness,
Open your eyes and allow your awareness to expand to include the room.
