Welcome,
Welcome to this self-love body scan where we are going to direct loving attention and gratitude to all areas of your body.
Let's begin by settling into a comfortable position,
Perhaps lying down with a blanket or sitting upright with some support.
Take a few breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth,
Letting your exhalations lengthen just a little more than your inhalations,
Which signals to your body that it's safe to soften and rest.
Now allowing your awareness to gently arrive in your body,
Noticing the points of contact between your body and the surface beneath,
Feeling the earth holding you,
Feeling the earth receiving your weight.
And this is an opportunity to let go and receive.
So we'll begin by gently directing your loving awareness to your feet,
Your toes,
Your arches,
Your heels,
The top of your feet,
Feeling the connection of your feet to the earth beneath you.
Maybe you visualize it if you're lying down.
Taking a moment to express gratitude to your feet for all the support they offer you in every step you take.
And slowly,
Gently moving your awareness from your feet up to your ankles,
Moving up into your calves and your knees,
Feeling this lower part of your leg and how your legs hold you steady,
Helping you to move with grace.
And as you scan your awareness from your feet to your lower legs,
Notice any sensations that arise within,
Any points of tension,
Tingling,
Maybe pain or tightness,
And accepting it all with loving awareness.
Now bringing your attention up your legs,
Into your thighs,
Top of your thighs,
And the back of your thighs,
Moving into your hips,
Buttocks,
And pelvis.
Feeling into this space,
Which is the foundation of your body,
Your center.
It supports you in everything you do.
And this space,
Particularly the pelvis and the hips,
Is also one of deep emotions.
We store many emotions,
Stories,
Our own histories in our hips and our pelvis.
So just noticing whatever arises here with gentleness,
Without judgment,
Maybe it's emotions,
Maybe it's sensations,
Welcoming it all and allowing your body to relax more and more deeply,
Maybe bringing your attention and your breath deeply into your lower belly.
And we'll scan our awareness now more intentionally into the lower belly.
This is your center of creation,
Of feeling and intuition.
So just notice whatever arises here,
Maybe there's a sense of warmth,
Of softness,
Or tension,
Maybe you notice the subtle rise and fall of your belly.
Whatever is present,
Greeting it with gratitude and kindness.
And moving now to your lower back and spine.
Your awareness slowly scanning up your spine,
And as you do so,
Feeling the strength and support of your back,
The gentle curves of your spine,
And this back that allows you to move upright and with confidence through the world.
Allow yourself to rest deeply into the support of your back.
Now,
Bringing awareness to your chest and your heart space,
Allowing your breath to gently expand here,
Softening your heart and opening your chest,
Again a seat of deep emotions in our body.
So noticing what is present in your heart space today,
And sending yourself love with every breath,
With every beat of your heart.
Next,
Shifting your awareness into your shoulders,
Your upper arms,
Your elbows,
Your forearms,
And your hands.
Bringing your awareness into your fingers and your fingertips,
And feeling the weight of your arms,
Can you let them relax even more fully,
And again,
Taking a moment to express gratitude and love to your hands and arms for all they help you achieve and to do in the world.
And then scanning from your arms and shoulders into your neck,
Your throat,
And up into your jaw,
Really softening these hard-working muscles where we carry so much tension,
Relaxing and softening the muscles in your neck and jaw.
Let your breath deepen and flow in and out with ease,
And as you rest your attention on your neck and throat,
Remembering that you are allowed to speak your truth and be heard.
Finally,
Bringing your awareness to your head,
Your face,
Your cheeks,
Allowing your eyes to soften and relax into the sockets,
Relaxing the muscles of your temples and your forehead,
Softening any wrinkles,
Any points of tension,
And bringing your awareness finally into your crown.
Do you notice any tingling,
Opening,
Or sensations at the top of your head?
And can you open this space a little more,
Establishing a connection between the earth,
Your body,
And spirit?
Now,
Taking a moment to feel your whole body as one,
Your physical being supported by the earth,
Held,
Loved,
Connected,
Grounded,
And at ease,
Each part of your body in service of you and your path in this world,
And remembering that it doesn't matter how you look,
It's about how you feel on the inside,
Remembering that you are enough just as you are,
And you are worthy of deep,
Profound love,
Especially your own.
And now,
Taking a few final breaths into your whole body,
Just breathing and soaking in this sense of connection and gratitude for your physical being,
And when you're ready,
Beginning to bring some gentle movement back into your body,
Wiggling fingers and toes,
Maybe giving yourself a gentle stretch,
Moving in whatever ways support you to come back into the space,
And then slowly,
In your own time,
Gently blinking your eyes open and taking a final breath.
Thank you so very much for practicing with me.
My name is Emma,
And this meditation is part of my women's mentoring practice,
Ebb and Flow,
Where I support women in connecting with their bodies,
Their cycles,
And their inherent wisdom.
You can find more practices like this on Insight Timer,
Where I hope you'll join me again soon.
And for today,
I'm sending you much love and softness on your journey.
Thank you.
