Begin by finding a comfortable position.
You may choose to close your eyes,
As this will minimize distractions,
But it is also possible to meditate with your eyes open.
Begin by taking a slow,
Deep breath,
And as you inhale,
Follow your breath from the nostrils all the way to your abdomen.
Then slowly exhale,
Releasing tension from the body.
Once more,
Inhale,
Pause for just a second,
And then release.
Now,
Allowing your body to regulate the breath in its own way,
Become aware of the movement of your chest or your abdomen as the air comes into your body,
Fills your lungs,
And as it leaves.
Today,
We will practice a short body scan.
Checking in with our bodies helps to settle the mind and to notice what sensations and emotions might be present.
Now,
Bringing awareness to the top of your head,
Ears,
Forehead,
Muscles around your eyes,
And around your mouth.
Noticing any sensations,
Movements,
Tension,
Or any places in your body that seem quiet,
Distant.
Now gently move the focus to your neck,
First to the front of the neck,
And then to the back of the neck.
And then gently move the focus to your shoulders.
If you notice that your mind is wandering,
First congratulate yourself for noticing.
This means you're being mindful.
And then gently go back to your shoulders.
Now,
Moving down to the arms and the hands.
If you can,
Try to feel each finger separately.
Remember,
When you catch your mind wandering,
Gently bring it back to your body.
Now,
Sensing the back of the body.
If you are lying down,
Observe how the back of your body is interacting with the surface on which you're resting.
If you're sitting,
You may want to scan your back downwards,
Starting from the back of your shoulders,
Mapping any places of tension or any other sensations that may arise.
Intentionally moving the focus to the front of your body now.
Sensing your chest first.
Observing the sensations that may arise.
When thoughts arise,
Label them,
For example,
Thinking,
And let them go.
They will disappear,
And if they don't,
Allow them to linger,
But don't hold on to them.
Just gently and kindly redirect your focus to the chest and be with whatever sensations may arise.
Now,
Begin moving the focus to your abdomen.
First,
Sensing the surface of the skin,
Any tingling or numbness.
Just map out the sensations.
Then,
Slowly,
Try directing your focus a little deeper,
Sensing the inside of your abdomen.
Now,
Sensing your pelvis and observing any sensations that may arise.
Now,
Sensing your upper legs,
Your knees,
Lower legs,
And the feet.
Check in with your entire body really quickly and see if there are any particular places that call out for attention,
Where sensations are intense or dynamic.
Focus for a few seconds on each of these regions and try to observe these sensations with curiosity.
See how they change,
How intense they are.
See what their quality is like.
See if they move.
See if any thoughts arise relating to these sensations,
Any attempts to explain them.
Just label them as thinking and go back to the sensations.
Now,
Scanning your body once more,
But this time,
Focus on the quiet areas,
Where sensations don't arise or they seem vague,
Distant,
Unclear,
Foggy.
Keep your focus on each of these regions for a brief time.
Now,
Sensing your body as a whole,
Try to extend your focus to encompass all of it.
As this meditation slowly approaches its end,
You may want to return your focus to the breath,
Which is where we started.
And as you hear the bell ring,
Don't rush.
Take a few additional moments and then gently and slowly move back into the world.
And as you continue your day,
Try to extend this mindfulness into that day.
Thank you.
