Mindfulness Body Scan

MBSR Body Scan recorded by Gena Bean for her students at the Mindful Boston Meditative Arts Institute. This version does not have an ending bell.

Transcript

Welcome. This is a guided body scan meditation designed to support your development of mindfulness. This meditation will assist you to enter a state of deep physical and mental relaxation. By giving yourself the gift of daily mindfulness practices, You are making a commitment to your health and happiness. It's helpful to view the time you spend practicing mindfulness as a time that is totally dedicated to you. An opportunity to focus on yourself fully. See if you can allow this time to be about giving yourself the nourishment and care that you deserve. Opening to your own inner strength. As the body scan meditation progresses, Letting go of any ideas of how it should be. Refraining from trying too hard to relax. The effort of trying can sometimes inhibit actually relaxing. Simply being with things as they are. Practicing acceptance. Even if you come across something that is not usually considered acceptable, Like pain or restlessness. Or in some cases, Even pleasant sensations that had not been accepted in the past. During this body scan, Simply be with whatever you come across as it is. And that does include having no feelings too. Being gentle with yourself as you start this new process. Staying with the truth of your experience. Letting go of any judgments of good or bad as much as possible. These instructions are suggestions to follow as much as you can. Yet always giving yourself permission to do what you need for your own health and safety. Even if that differs from the instructions. Always take care of yourself. Remember that there is no right way or wrong way. This is just a practice. A daily practice in becoming more intimate with the reality of your experience. In order to get the most benefit from this meditation, It's best to set yourself up in a safe, Warm place. Away from ringing phones or any other interruptions. Setting a specific time each day may help to remove distractions and help you to feel more settled. Your clothing should be comfortable and especially loose at the waist so that you can breathe freely. The standard position for the body scan is lying down on your back with some sort of padding underneath you. Like a yoga mat, A comfortable rug, Or maybe your bed. But of course, If some other position is more healthy for you, Make sure to take care of your needs. If you do choose to be seated, An elongated spine supports mindfulness. During the meditation, Do your best to stay awake in order to strengthen your ability to be aware. But if you do happen to drift off, As soon as you are aware again, Simply continue to follow along wherever we are in the scan. Now coming into your position for meditation. The eyes can be closed if that supports you in bringing your focus inside. Relaxing the arms by your sides. Allowing the feet to be loosely splayed away from each other if that's comfortable. And bringing your awareness to the fact that you are breathing. Without changing the breath in any way, Simply noticing how it is naturally right now. Experience the in-breath and the out-breath. Perhaps you notice the belly. As the abdomen rises with each inhale and falls with each exhale. But it's fine if you notice the breath in some other area. Noticing what's true for you as you breathe. At any point during the body scan, Feel free to return to the breath. The breath is a safe place. Allowing the awareness to travel to the left toes. Noticing the big toe. The little toe. And the toes in between. Not so much thinking about the toes as being here with them. Experiencing whatever's occurring. And then letting the awareness travel to the bottom of the foot. The heel, The arch. There may be sensations of heat or coolness. You may notice the pressure of the floor against the heel. Accepting what's ever present in this part of the body. Expanding the awareness to notice the top of the foot and the ankle. And letting the awareness move up to the left calf. Perhaps noticing the sensation of the skin against your pant leg. Perhaps noticing deeper feelings inside the leg or the bone. Being present with the sensations here. And bringing the awareness to the left knee. The kneecap. The back of the knee. Many people do have previous experiences with the knee. Perhaps painful. Perhaps pleasant. So if any emotions came up for you as you brought your awareness to the knee. Noticing that as well. And if emotion becomes too intense, You of course have the ability to travel to the breath. But if you're continuing with the knee, Staying with your awareness here. Breathing into it. And then letting the awareness travel to the left thigh. Just noticing the sensations here without judging what it should be. And as your awareness is here, Noticing if there's any shift or change. Allowing the awareness of the thigh to fade into the background as you move the focus to the left hip. Noticing any sensations here. Lightness, Heaviness, Warmth, Coolness. Whatever is present. And allowing the awareness to travel all the way over to the right toes. The big toe. The little toe. The toes in between. You may notice pressure of a sock or stocking. You might notice nothing, No feelings at all. That's fine. Coolness, Moisture. Whatever is present. And expanding the awareness to notice the bottom of the right foot. The ball of the foot. The arch. The heel. Perhaps some pressure. The heel against the ground or the mat. The top of the foot. And moving through the ankle and up to the right calf. Letting the feeling in the calf predominate in your field of awareness. Perhaps you notice the feeling of the bone inside. Perhaps not. And then directing the focus up to the right knee. The kneecap. Back of the knee. Being content to let the knee be just as it is. Moving the focus up to the right thigh. And then noticing the right hip. The outside of the hip. Perhaps feelings inside the hip joint, The socket. And moving the sense of awareness into the pelvis. From one hip to the other and everything in between. Again, Many people have emotion in this area of the body. Taking care of yourself. Perhaps shifting focus to some other area if that supports you. If you're continuing with the scan, Paying close attention to the pelvis. The genitals, The anus, Maybe the pressure of the buttocks against the floor. Any sensations that are associated with this part of the body. Being with them as they are. Moving the focus up into the lower belly. And the lower back. Many people hold tension in the lower back, Noticing if that's true for you right now. Or not. As your awareness encompasses the entire lower part of the torso. The sides of the torso, The lower back, And the belly. Perhaps there's a sense of the organs inside. Allowing the awareness of that part of the body to fade into the background. And bringing the upper part of the torso into the foreground. The chest, The back, The scapulas, The rib cage. Noticing the entire upper torso, The sides, Back, Front, And perhaps inside as well. The spine. There may be a sense of the heart beating. You may be aware of the breath again as the lungs expand and contract here. Noticing the sternum. And then bringing the awareness to the left hand and fingers. Noticing the thumb, The pinky, And the fingers in between. The palm of the hand and the back of the hand, Including the wrist. Becoming aware of any sensations in the left hand. Bringing the focus to the left forearm. The left elbow and the bend in the elbow. Registering the sensations here. Shifting the focus to the upper arm. And then allowing the awareness to travel all the way over to the right hand and the fingers there. The right thumb, The pinky, And the fingers in between. Expanding the focus to include the rest of the hand, The palm, The back of the hand, The wrist. Just being with your right hand. Moving on to the right forearm. Sensing this area of the body and then the right elbow. The inside of the elbow. And the upper arm. Bringing the focus to both shoulders. Again, Many people hold tension in this area of the body. Noticing if there's any tension there for you today. Without thinking too much. Being with what's true. So if there does happen to be tension, Be with the tension. If there's relaxation, Be with the relaxation. Breathing into this area perhaps. Noticing if there's any movement in the shoulders as you breathe. Or noticing if there's no movement. Whatever is true. And bringing the focus to the neck. The front of the neck. The back of the neck. And the sides. Perhaps the vertebrae of the neck. Noticing if there's a desire to swallow. And if you do swallow, Noticing that feeling. Bringing the awareness to the face. Noticing if there are any emotions associated with the face. Some people experience a desire to project. Some people feel neutral in the face. Some people feel receptive since organs of reception are here. Noticing the ears. The outside of the ears. The inside of the ears. Exactly as you're experiencing them. Bringing the focus to the jaw. The hinge of the jaw. Down to the chin. The lips. Perhaps there's moisture or dryness. Accepting what's here. Noticing inside the mouth. The teeth. The tongue. The roof of the mouth. Letting the awareness move on to the nose. Noticing if you feel the breath coming in and leaving through the nostrils. Noticing if the breath is predominant in one nostril or the other. Expanding the awareness to include the bridge of the nose. And moving to the cheeks. Letting the focus move to the eyes. Noticing if you can feel the eyeballs themselves. The backs of the eyes. The eyelids. Being aware of any tension or relaxation here in this part of the body. Noticing the eyebrows. The space between the eyebrows. Noticing the sensations here without judgment. Exactly as you're experiencing it. Feeling the forehead. And any sensations around the temples. The scalp. Noticing if there's any tingling or lightness. Bringing the awareness to the head as a whole. Perhaps noticing the pressure of the back of the head against the floor. Noticing if you have any sense of the inside of the head, The brain. Then allowing the focus to expand, Including the entire body. Feeling a sense of the entire body from the head all the way down to the bottoms of the feet. Noticing if you happen to have a loose awareness of the entire body. Or if certain parts predominate. Noticing if there's any parts of the body that have pressure or pain or relaxation. Tingling, Lightness, Coolness. Being in touch with the body, Just as it is. Feeling the body as a whole. Perhaps feeling peaceful or relaxed. But accepting other states as well. Being open to all things just as they are. Seeing that an attitude of open acceptance is in itself healing. Returning the awareness to the breath. Noticing the inhale and the exhale. Seeing if there's any difference between the rhythm of the breath now and the rhythm of the breath when you started this body scan. And then consciously deepen your breath. Taking a couple of deep, Full breaths. And coming to a sense of completion with the body scan. Beginning to gently wake up the body with some small movements. Or perhaps stretching. Maybe moving the feet or the hands. Whatever movements feel good for you to help wake up the body. You may want to congratulate yourself on having taken the time and energy to nourish yourself in this way. Remembering that this state is accessible to you at any time by bringing your focus to the in-breath and the out-breath. Letting this be a source of strength for you beyond the tendencies of the mind to race around trying to change things. Having mindfulness as a support in living a more integrated and satisfying life. The poet Rumi once said, Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, There is a field. I'll meet you there.

Reviews

Very relaxing and helps me wind down at the end of the day.

Beautiful. Thank you

After working vigorously to get sap off of our trampoline my body spoke and said “ darlin , you need something.” I too teach MBSR and knew I was in need of guidance. I found your mediation. I set up outside in the September late afternoon sun out on our deck. Perfection even with my husband mowing
the lawn. I was with it all - even all the those resistances, tumbling/ trampoline type thoughts. I forgot the …. The word for me is Splendor…. In being guided. Your guidance was wise, with quiet clear direction that was also imbued with the tone of acceptance of it all. Thank you 🙏💕

Wonderful, thank you

Lovely, thank you