Body Scan (Long)

Care for your body with awareness and self-compassion. This is a great practice to try at bedtime!

Transcript

Welcome to the body scan meditation.

In this meditation,

You're going to intentionally bring awareness,

Curiosity,

And compassion to your body,

One body part at a time.

To begin this meditation,

Lie down on your back.

You can have your knees bent or straight,

Whichever is more comfortable to you.

You can have your hands by your side or resting gently on your belly.

If you feel comfortable closing your eyes,

Go ahead and close your eyes now.

We'll begin this meditation with one sound of the bell.

As you hear the bell,

Bring your full awareness as best you can to the present moment,

Letting go of thoughts about the past and worries about the future.

There's nowhere to go,

Nothing to do.

You can just be fully here right now.

Listening to the bell fade away,

Connecting with your breathing,

A wonderful gift that brings your body and mind together in the present moment.

Just noticing what it feels like to breathe.

Breathing in,

I know that I'm breathing in.

Breathing out,

I know that I'm breathing out.

In,

Out.

Bringing awareness to the sensation of lying down on your mattress or on the floor,

Noticing what it feels like for your body to be supported.

Breathing in,

Gathering your awareness.

Breathing out,

Bringing your awareness to your left foot.

Imagining that you're breathing in and out through your body to your left foot.

Noticing any sensations in your left foot.

Can you feel your toes?

Can you feel the bottom of your foot?

Can you feel the top of your foot?

Is there any warmth or coolness or tingling or numbness?

Just noticing what sensations are there.

And if there are no sensations present right now,

Simply noticing that as well.

Breathing in,

I'm aware of my left foot.

Breathing out,

I send compassion to my left foot with a smile.

Aware of my left foot,

I send compassion to my left foot with a smile.

Aware of my left foot,

Smiling.

Continuing to stay present in the here and now.

Breathing in,

Gathering your awareness.

Breathing out,

Shifting your awareness to the left leg.

What do you feel in your ankles?

Can you feel your left calf?

Can you feel your left shin?

Are there any sensations in your knee?

Are there any sensations in the back of your left leg and in your left thigh?

Noticing what the muscles feel like.

Noticing if they are tense or relaxed.

Observing any other sensations in the left leg.

Breathing in,

I'm aware of my left leg.

Breathing out,

I smile to my left leg with kindness and compassion.

Noticing if your mind is wandering.

If you're thinking about other things.

If you're feeling stressed.

If that's happening for you,

That's okay.

You don't need to judge yourself or feel like you're doing anything wrong.

That's what the mind does.

As best you can,

When you notice your mind's wandering,

Simply bring it back to the present moment.

Bring it back to the body.

Bring it back to the breath.

Breathing in,

I know that I'm breathing in.

Breathing out,

I know that I'm breathing out.

In,

Out.

And shifting your mindful awareness now to your right foot.

Noticing any sensations in your right foot.

Any warmth or coolness.

Any tension or relaxation.

Noticing if your right foot feels tired from being on your feet all day or if it feels strong and healthy.

As best you can,

Simply being aware with curiosity the sensations in your right foot without needing to fix or change anything.

Just noticing what's happening in the present moment.

Breathing in,

I'm aware of my right foot.

Breathing out,

I smile to my right foot.

Aware of right foot.

Smiling to right foot.

Breathing in,

Gathering your awareness.

Breathing out,

Shifting your awareness to your right leg.

Noticing any sensations in your right ankle.

Carefully examining any sensations in your right calf and your right shin.

Bringing your mindfulness to your right knee.

Noticing any sensations present there.

Noticing any sensations in your right upper leg.

As best you can,

Simply noticing what's there.

Noticing any sensations in your right ankle.

Noticing any sensations in your right shin.

As best you can,

Simply noticing what's there.

Allowing it to be just as it is without needing to change it or judge it.

If there's any discomfort present for you or any pain or tension,

Simply noticing that as well.

Breathing with it and smiling to it with compassion towards your body.

Breathing in,

I'm aware of my right leg.

Breathing out,

I smile to my right leg.

Aware of right leg.

Smiling.

Breathing in,

Gathering your awareness again.

Breathing out,

Shifting your awareness now to your belly,

Your lower abdomen.

Noticing any sensations there.

Perhaps noticing the breath.

Observing your belly rising as you breathe in.

Falling as you breathe out.

Just observing what that feels like.

Checking in to see if there's any other sensations present in your belly right now.

The belly is an area where sometimes our body carries stress or tension.

That may feel like pain or discomfort or nausea.

Just checking in with your own belly right now.

Noticing if any of those sensations are present for you.

And if those sensations are present for you.

Noticing if there are any emotions associated with that.

If any feelings come up when you notice the sensation.

And noticing if there are any thoughts that come up if a story arises in your mind from that sensation.

And without judgment and with kindness towards yourself,

As best you can,

Bringing your awareness back to the present moment.

Back to the sensation in your belly.

Simply noticing the sensation just as it is.

Letting go of any thoughts or feelings that are arising.

And if there are no sensations in your belly or if your belly feels comfortable and healthy right now,

Simply noticing that for the health and wellness of your body.

And whatever is happening for your belly right now,

Breathing in awareness of the belly breathing out compassion,

Sending kindness to your body in the belly.

Breathing in,

I am aware of my belly.

Breathing out,

I smile to my belly.

Aware of belly.

Smiling.

Bringing your awareness now to your upper body.

To your chest and shoulders.

Noticing your chest rising as you breathe in and falling as you breathe out.

Paying close attention and seeing if you can feel your heart beating in your chest.

Observing any sensations that are present in and around your shoulders.

Any tightness or tension or looseness and relaxation.

And observing if there are any other sensations in your chest,

Upper body and shoulders right now.

Breathing in,

I am aware of my upper body.

Breathing out,

I smile.

Aware of upper body.

Smiling.

Breathing in,

Shifting awareness now to your back.

Noticing any sensations in your upper back.

The back is another area where sometimes the body carries tension and stress and pain.

So noticing if there is any discomfort in your upper back right now and the muscles in your upper back.

Noticing if those muscles are tight and tense or loose and relaxed.

Simply observing with curiosity without needing to change anything or fix anything.

Allowing it to be just as it is.

And bringing awareness to the lower back.

Checking in with the muscles in your lower back.

Are they tight and tense or loose and relaxed?

Feeling the floor or mattress beneath your back,

Your body supported.

Feeling the floor or mattress beneath your back,

Your body supported.

And if there's any discomfort there,

Allowing it to be there and as best you can,

Staying present with it.

With an attitude of friendliness and kindness towards yourself.

Noticing also if any emotions are arising right now for you.

Noticing if any thoughts are coming up right now in your mind.

Bringing awareness to the body.

Letting go of any thoughts or emotions.

And as best you can,

Just staying with the sensations of your body.

With the words of your mind.

Just staying with the sensations of your body.

With awareness,

Curiosity and kindness.

Breathing in,

I'm aware of my back.

Breathing out,

I smile to my back.

Sending kindness and compassion to my back.

Breathing in,

Shifting your awareness to your left hand.

Noticing your fingers,

Aware of any sensations in your fingertips.

Perhaps tingling or numbness or warmth or coolness.

Noticing your fingers,

Aware of any sensations in your fingertips.

Perhaps tingling or numbness or warmth or coolness.

Bringing awareness to your left hand,

The palm in the back of your hand.

Do you notice any sensations there right now in this moment?

Shifting your awareness to your left wrist.

Noticing any sensations in your left forearm.

Noticing how those muscles feel right now.

Bringing awareness to the left elbow and to the left upper arm.

Noticing what's happening with the muscles in your upper arm right now.

Perhaps tired from the pain of the past.

Perhaps relaxed and soft.

Whatever's happening in your left arm,

Simply noticing that and staying present with it as best you can.

Breathing in,

I'm aware of my left arm.

Breathing out,

I smile to my back.

Sending kindness and compassion to my back.

Breathing out,

I smile to my left arm.

Aware of left arm,

Smiling to left arm.

And again,

Bringing awareness to your right hand.

Noticing any sensations in your left forearm.

Noticing how those muscles feel right now.

Perhaps tired from the pain of the past.

Noticing what's happening with the muscles in your left arm.

Perhaps relaxed and soft.

Feeling relaxed and soft.

Noticing what's happening with my right arm.

Being aware of the activity of the mind.

And again,

Bringing it back to the body.

To the present moment and to the breath.

Breathing in,

I'm aware that I'm breathing in.

Breathing out,

I'm aware that I'm breathing out.

In,

Out.

And practicing like this as many times as you need to,

Without judgment and with kindness towards yourself.

Breathing in,

Gathering your awareness and concentration again.

Breathing out,

Shifting the awareness now to your right hand.

Noticing any sensations in your right fingertips.

Observing if there's any sensations in your right fingers.

Warmth or coolness or tingling.

Noticing any sensations in your right palm and in the back of your right hand.

Checking in with your right wrist.

Noticing if there's anything there.

Shifting awareness to your right forearm.

Aware of what's happening in the muscles in your right forearm.

Noticing your right elbow and your right upper arm.

With your biceps and your triceps.

Noticing how those muscles feel right now.

If there's any tension or discomfort,

Simply noticing that.

Breathing in and breathing out with that.

And if there's no tension or discomfort,

Simply noticing that as well.

Breathing in and breathing out.

Breathing in,

I'm aware of my right arm.

Breathing out,

I send a smile of compassion to my right arm.

Aware of right arm.

Smiling.

Breathing in,

Gathering your awareness.

Breathing out,

Shifting your mindful awareness to your neck.

Noticing any sensations in the neck.

Your neck is another area of your body where you may carry stress or tension from the day and the muscles around your neck.

So checking in with curiosity.

Noticing if there's any tension or stress in the muscles around your neck.

Shifting that awareness to the back of your head.

Noticing if there's any sensations in the back of your head.

Continuing to shift that awareness to the top of your head.

Noticing if you can feel anything on the top of your head.

Perhaps even the hairs on your head.

Noticing your forehead muscles.

Checking in with the muscles around your forehead.

Noticing if they are tight and tense or soft and relaxed right now.

If there's any tension there,

Perhaps even the hairs on your head.

Noticing if there are any tensions there.

Perhaps even the hairs on your forehead.

Noticing if there's any tension there.

Perhaps even the hairs on your forehead.

Noticing if they are tight and tense or soft and relaxed right now.

If there's any tension there,

Perhaps inviting some softening to the muscles in your forehead Checking in with the muscles around your eyes.

Noticing if they are tight and clenched or soft and relaxed.

And again,

Perhaps inviting some softening to the muscles around your eyes if they're tight.

And just observing what happens.

Checking in with the muscles around your jaw.

Sometimes when we're stressed out,

Those muscles can get tight and clenched without us even realizing it.

Simply checking in and noticing if that's true for you right now.

How are the muscles around your jaw in this moment?

Noticing if there's any tension there.

Perhaps even the hairs on your forehead.

Noticing if there's any tension there.

Perhaps even the hairs on your forehead.

And then also checking in with any sensations that feel like they're coming from inside your head such as a headache.

Noticing if a headache is present for you right now.

Simply breathing with that awareness.

Noticing any thoughts and emotions that arise.

Breathing in,

Breathing out,

Letting those go.

As best you can,

Keeping your awareness just on the sensations of the body.

And if you're not experiencing any headache in this moment,

Simply being aware of that as well.

The experience of not having a headache in this moment.

Noticing that.

Breathing in,

I'm aware of my head and neck.

Breathing out,

I smile,

Sending kindness and compassion to my body and my head and neck area.

Breathing in,

Aware of my head and neck.

Breathing out,

Smiling to my head and neck.

As you continue to breathe mindfully,

Staying in the present moment,

Expand your awareness now to your whole body.

Noticing any sensations in the whole body.

Perhaps scanning your body again with mindful awareness.

From your head,

All the way down to your toes.

Noticing any sensations that are present in your body right now.

Are they the same or are they any different from earlier?

Noticing if there are still signs of tension or stress or discomfort in the body.

Simply being aware of that,

Allowing it to be without judgment with an attitude of acceptance and kindness and self-compassion.

Noticing any emotions that are present in your body right now.

Noticing any emotions that are present for you right now.

Sadness or happiness,

Worry,

Relaxation,

Peace,

Calm or joy.

Just noticing any emotions or feelings that are present for you right now.

Noticing where your mind is right now.

Noticing if you're thinking about the future or the past.

Or if your mind is present in the here and now.

Present in the body.

We'll hear one sound of the bell to end this meditation.

Hearing the sound of the bell,

Send yourself some gratitude and thank yourself for taking the time to take care of your body with mindfulness and compassion.

Reviews

Wonderful! The best scan body I have ever experienced. Thank you!

Very enjoyable. Thank you. 🙏🏽🙏🏽

Thank you 🙏🏼 I truly enjoy this every time I need some rest, though I still don't know what it says past the right leg cause I never make it that far! Deep relaxation and deep sleep indeed.

A wonderful relaxing bodyscan with bells helping to keep mindful attention on our body in the present moment.

Great for my recovering body and mind.

good flow, really enjoyed this body scan. thank you

A truly awakening guided meditation. Thank you & namaste 🌼✌🏾️

Wonderful to hear the bell so often as a reminder to be present

Best Body Scan I've encountered so far. The bell keeps me from drifting off into sleep.