My name is Jennifer Norton and this is a body acceptance practice.
We will do a brief body scan that is helpful for anxiety,
Depression,
Insomnia and pain.
The body scan is a mindful practice that will allow you some time to be in your body fully and to get to know how it's feeling right now with your attention and awareness.
It offers a time to learn to effectively sit with body sensations like discomfort and tension.
The focus of this practice is not to try to change anything about our experience.
Remember,
There is no right way to feel in this moment.
The key to this practice is actually to simply notice and accept whatever is present in the current moment.
As we go through this practice,
I'm going to guide you to focus on various areas of the body,
Noticing whatever arises.
If you realize you've become distracted or your mind wanders off,
Which is totally normal,
Simply tune back into the sound of my voice and pick up with the practice.
You can begin this practice by finding a comfortable position,
Either sitting or lying down.
You might find that if you lie down while doing this practice that you become tired and sleepy.
The goal of this practice is to try to stay present and awake in your experience.
So if you do find that you become drowsy,
It might be best to find a comfortable sitting position.
But what's most important is that you feel comfortable.
So take a moment right now and find a comfortable position and allow your body to come to stillness.
When you're ready,
Gently close your eyes.
Take a moment to feel your body as a whole.
Bring attention to the fact that you're breathing in this body.
Allow yourself to experience your breath in and out.
Not trying to change or deepen it in any way.
Simply notice it.
Try following the full cycle of your breath,
The in-breath and the out-breath as one movement.
Relax into this natural rhythm and flow of your breath.
And allow it to bring you more deeply into this moment.
On your next exhalation,
I'd like you to direct your attention and the breath down through your body,
Through your left leg to the toes of your left foot.
Be noticing any sensations that might arise.
Noticing the space between your toes.
Noticing any feelings of tension or tingling.
Perhaps noticing the temperature.
Expand your awareness through your foot and to your ankle.
Noticing the point of contact at the bottom of your foot,
The surface and the structure of your foot and ankle.
And now rest your complete attention on your lower leg.
Again,
Simply becoming aware of all of these sensations.
Just noticing.
No need to change anything about what you experience.
Now lifting your awareness through your knee and the underside of your knee.
Expand your attention to include your thigh and up through your hip.
Again,
Gently noticing any sensations.
Perhaps tingling,
Achiness,
Tension.
Perhaps you're noticing a sensation of relaxation.
Whatever sensation you experience in this moment,
Attend deeply to it and allow it to be as it is.
Breathing with ease.
Now breathe into the toes of your right foot.
Again,
Allowing your attention to rest gently.
Simply noticing the point of contact.
Perhaps the muscles,
The tendons,
The bones.
Bring your attention to your right shin and calf.
Now the whole lower leg.
Up through your right knee,
Right thigh and up through your hip.
Perhaps noticing any achiness or tension,
Tingling,
Numbness.
Perhaps paying attention to the temperature.
As you attend deeply to your body,
You may notice sensations that feel strong or uncomfortable.
Allow yourself to be open with this experience and to breathe into the feeling of discomfort.
Simply noticing and allowing whatever you experience in this moment.
Now,
Notice through your waist and your abdomen any tension,
Tightness or holding.
Simply bringing your awareness to this area.
And now move up your body to focus on your lower back.
Gently noticing the posture of your spine,
The muscles along your spine.
Noticing the sensation of your rib cage as it rises and falls as you breathe with ease.
And now bring your attention to your chest.
Are you aware of the sensation of your lungs expanding and contracting?
Or perhaps the beating of your heart?
Bringing your awareness,
Focus your attention now on your collarbones and your shoulders.
Continue down your right arm through the elbow,
The wrist,
Your fingertips,
The spaces between your fingers.
Now come to the left side of your body from your shoulder down through your left arm,
Elbow,
Wrist,
Fingertips.
Bring attention and gentle awareness to whatever sensations you're experiencing in this moment.
And now focus your attention on your neck,
Your jaw,
Your face,
The crown of your head.
Continue breathing with ease.
Take this moment now to feel the body as a whole.
From the crown of your head down to the tips of your toes,
Scanning for any sensation that might pull your attention.
Staying open to that sensation.
Simply observing.
And now as you sit with the experience of your body as a whole,
Bring your attention to your breathing.
Simply noticing your breathing body.
Awake,
Aware,
Tuned in,
Available.
Relaxing into this rhythm and flow of your breath as it allows you to sit deeply in this moment.
And now as this practice comes to a close,
Take a moment to acknowledge the time you spent intentionally nourishing your body by resting in this awareness.
Congratulate yourself for the energy and the effort it took to stay aware and to form an intention to continue to practice this in your everyday life.
And a wish that the benefits of this practice can flow into your experience of your everyday life.
And whenever you're ready,
You can take a nice,
Sweet,
Deep breath and gently butterfly your eyes open.
