Body Scan For Mindfulness

This body scan practice strengthens the 'observering self', which is the ability to notice different elements of experience as they occur (thoughts, feelings, sensations) without getting caught up in the content of the experience.

Transcript

Noticing the sound of the chimes.

As the sound fades,

Noticing the body in whatever position you've chosen for this practice.

So being supported by a chair or by the ground.

Notice any sounds that are around you in this moment.

Sounds arising,

Fading away.

Other sounds arising,

Then two fading away.

Noticing that that's also true for thoughts.

Thoughts arise,

Fade away,

Only to be replaced by other thoughts.

And noticing there's a part of you that can notice.

Thoughts,

Sounds,

Feelings.

Breath moving in and out of the body.

Body in the chair or on the ground.

This part,

This noticing part,

This observing part,

Is almost like a spotlight that can highlight different parts of experience.

And we can train this noticing part by moving this spotlight around the body to highlight different elements of the body.

Any time the mind wanders off from this practice,

Just acknowledging that it's wandered off,

Gently coming back to the sound of my voice,

To wherever we are in the practice.

Beginning by noticing the right big toe.

Maybe moving the toe if it's in a shoe,

Noticing the connection of the toe to the shoe.

If you're wearing a sock,

Noticing the fabric on the big toe rubbing against the sole of the shoe.

Noticing the muscles that are used to flex the toe.

And then notice as the toe relaxes,

The absence of that muscle tension.

Noticing the temperature of the toe,

Warm or cool.

Any other sensations you can pick up,

The sense of curiosity.

As if you'd never noticed your right big toe before.

Moving from the right big toe into the second toe,

Noticing any sensations there,

Perhaps just the connection of the big toe to the second toe.

The third,

Fourth and the fifth toes.

Moving from the toes up through the sole of the foot.

Imagining this spotlight,

Perhaps it's white or yellow.

Perhaps the light is cool or warm.

Just noticing as the light moves through the foot,

Like the sole,

Through the heel,

To the top of the foot.

And up through the Achilles tendon into the calf muscle of the right leg.

Moving from the calf around to the front,

The shin bone.

Noticing any sensations there.

Perhaps even moving the foot up and down,

Flexing to get a sense of the muscles in the calf and the shin.

And allowing the lower leg to come to rest,

Noticing the absence of muscle tension.

Moving up into the right kneecap,

The back of the right kneecap.

Up into the right quadricep of the thigh.

Tensing the quadricep,

Noticing that big muscle tensing the leg.

And releasing,

Tensing and releasing.

And noticing that muscle at rest.

Moving around to the back of the right thigh,

The hamstring muscle,

Doing the same tensing and releasing.

Noticing how that changes your experience.

And noticing that the mind is still providing thoughts,

Maybe even thoughts about this exercise.

And that's no worries.

We can allow the mind to continue as if it's like a radio playing in the background.

When we move our awareness around different parts of the body.

Right now we're at the back of the right thigh,

Noticing tensing and releasing of the hamstring muscle.

How that changes our experience of the right leg.

Allowing that to rest.

Moving up through the right side of the body into the right hip.

Noticing the connection of the leg to the hip.

Moving up through the right side around the back of the lower back.

Up through the right side of the back into the right shoulder.

Moving the spotlight into the back of the right shoulder,

Up through the top of the shoulder.

And around to the front.

Using that spotlight to highlight the right side of the front body.

The right pectoral muscle,

Ribs,

Waist.

Coming back to the right shoulder and moving through to the right bicep and tricep.

Even tensing and releasing those muscles.

Noticing how that changes sensation in the right bicep and tricep.

And letting that go and moving through to the elbow.

Down through into the forearm and the wrist,

The wrist joint.

Perhaps moving and flexing the wrist joint.

Noticing that hinge point connecting the hand to the lower arm.

Moving the spotlight out through the palm of the hand,

Back of the hand.

And through the thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

Fifth finger.

Moving the spotlight right to the edge of the fingertips.

Allowing the spotlight to settle there for a moment.

Picking up whatever sensations you can notice in the fingertips.

Maybe it's pulsing,

Tingling,

Throbbing.

Or maybe it's nothing.

As we rest here for a moment at the fingertips,

Just noticing the mind.

Acknowledging any thoughts that have arisen.

Acknowledging any feelings.

And allowing them to be as they are while we continue scanning through the rest of the body.

Jumping from the right fingertips,

Jumping the spotlight over to the left fingertips of the left hand.

Moving the spotlight through the fingers,

To the palm of the hand,

Back of the hand.

And the left wrist joint.

Flexing the left wrist.

Noticing the hinge on the left side.

Noticing if there's any change from the right.

Any subtle differences.

And allowing the wrist to rest.

Continuing to move through the left forearm.

Up through into the elbow.

And into the left bicep and tricep.

Tensing and releasing those muscles.

If you'd like to add another element to your experience in this moment.

Noticing how that changes things.

And releasing that and moving through to the left shoulder.

Front of the shoulder,

Top,

Back of the shoulder.

If you'd like rolling the shoulder.

Getting a sense of movement of the shoulder for the entire arm.

Moving the spotlight down through the left side of the back.

Starting at the top of the back.

Down the shoulder blade,

Through the middle of the back,

The ribs.

Down through the lower back.

Around to the waist and the hip joint.

And out through the left leg.

Starting with the left thigh.

Big quadricep muscle.

Tensing and releasing.

To add another element to your experience.

Noticing the back of the thigh as you tense and relax.

The hamstring muscle also tensing and releasing.

Moving out through the knee,

The kneecap.

And out down the lower left leg.

To the calf muscle and the shin.

Lifting and flexing the heel and the toes to get a sense of the calf and the muscles around the front of the shin.

Coming to rest.

Moving through the left heel.

Lighting up the sole of the foot.

Top of the foot.

And out through the left big toe.

Middle toe.

The third,

Fourth and fifth toes.

Finishing as we began by moving the left toes.

Noticing the left toes either in a shoe or just free.

And allowing the spotlight to expand and take in the whole lower body at the same time.

Left leg,

Right leg.

Expanding even further.

Taking in the waist,

Lungs,

Chest,

Back,

The left and right arms.

All the way up through the head,

The neck,

Face,

Mouth,

Jaw,

Eyes,

Eyebrows,

Forehead,

Scalp.

Noticing the body as one complete whole.

Noticing the body supported in whatever posture you've chosen.

Noticing any sounds that are around you.

Any thoughts that have arisen.

Passing through.

Noticing the breath in the body.

Seeing if you can extend a sense of appreciation and gratitude to yourself for taking the time to engage in this practice.

Finishing with the sound of the chimes.

Chimes.

Reviews

Nice body scan. I like the spotlight imagery. Namaste.

Gentle body scan. Makes for a good morning meditation. Thank you

Very relaxing really enjoyed it :)

Very calming. Good pace.

Last bell was a bit loud for me and then ended abruptly.