Awakening Through The Body

This guided body scan allows listeners to re-inhabit their bodies and ground their attention through sensations. After directing attention systematically to various parts of the body, moving from head to toe, the practice moves into an open attention than enables some freedom from the everyday, limited sense of the body.

Transcript

Allow yourself to settle into the body. Sensing the contact of the body with a chair or a cushion. The contact with the feet or legs with the floor. Noticing the movement of breath into the body, Out of the body. Setting aside all other tasks in the mind, Any need for a particular result or outcome. Putting all energy into noticing. And as a way to check in with the body more distinctly and ground the attention in what's here. We'll mentally trace through the parts of the body. Bringing attention first to the very crown of the head. So placing your attention at the top of the head. Seeing if it's possible to have a felt sense of sensations that arise on the surface. Such as the touch of cool air or feeling of warmth, Coolness or sensations beneath the surface like pulsing, Pressure. Placing the attention there at the top of the head. Not worried if the sensation is strong or subtle or even absent. And then beginning to move the attention down next to the forehead. You might notice if the muscles of the forehead are tight or tense. If there is any held tension at the forehead, We also notice surface sensations. Heat, Perspiration, A touch of air. Or sensations beneath the surface. Not forcing a change or analyzing simply. Bringing the attention and noticing what's here. From there, We'll move the attention down. Over the eyes, Getting a sense of the muscles around the eyes. Noticing if the eyelids are shut more tightly than necessary. Noticing any type of sensation felt around the eyes. Continuing down over the cheekbones. To get a sense of the position of the teeth and tongue. Notice the way the jaw is held. If it is tight or raised. Noticing if there is any tension in the mouth. You may notice that when attention is brought to tension, That it naturally relaxes to some degree or completely. Continue sweeping the attention down through the neck. Sensing the surface and beneath the surface. Onto the chest area. And sweeping downward, Noticing sensations on the surface. Contact with skin. Sensations beneath the surface of muscles and bone structure. Circulation and other internal movements. Perhaps sensing the heartbeat. Continuing down. To bring attention into the belly. And noticing if there is any tightening or tension in the belly that prevents a full, Relaxed in-breath. Or if there is any holding that prevents a gradual, Relaxed out-breath. And then noticing whatever sensations arise when you place attention at the belly. Sensations beneath the surface, On the surface. And now bringing the attention back up to the shoulders. Tracing out from the base of the neck. Noticing a touch of clothing or cool air against the skin. Noticing any muscle tension. Perhaps if the shoulders are raised or held in a certain way. And noticing how it is for the shoulders to be without tension. And then we can move the attention from the shoulders. Mentally tracing into the upper arms. Sensing the muscles, The structure, The feelings at the surface. Bringing the mind into the upper arms. Sweeping downward, Through the elbows, And into the lower arms. Not worrying about creating a particular type or strength of sensation, But simply noticing what's there when the mind is brought to the arms. So traveling down the lower arm, Through the wrists and into the palms. So sensing the feelings in the palms, Tracing through the hand out to the knuckles, Fingertips. And then perhaps sensing the whole hand or both hands. Aware of all of the arising and changing sensations within the hands. Returning again to the belly. Sensing the movement in the belly that occurs as the breath comes in and out of the body. And moving the attention down from the belly into the upper legs. Noticing sensations on the surface. Touch of the air, The feeling of clothing. Warmth, Coolness, Tingling. And sensations beneath the surface. The sense of the muscles, Perhaps any soreness or looseness. Whether the muscles are tense or relaxed or if sensations are changing. Remaining the same, Intensifying, Fading. Sweeping the attention down through the knees, Sensing the structure and noticing any sensations present as you move the attention down into the lower legs. You might notice any pressure of contact with the floor or chair. Sweeping the attention down, Moving through the ankles and into the heels. Getting a sense of the parts of the feet from the heels through the arch out to the toes. And perhaps getting a sense of the whole foot or both feet together and all of the arising and passing sensations in that area. And now broadening the attention, Zooming out to get a sense of the play of sensations occurring throughout the body. So from the feet to the legs to the belly, The arms, Shoulders, Jaw, Eyes, Head. Without directing the attention to a particular area. Noticing the arising and passing of sensations, Some simultaneous, Some in sequence, Subtle, Obvious, Intensifying, Fading. Without any need to label or analyze or direct, Simply noticing the field of ongoing sensation that we refer to as the body. Maintaining a non-differentiated awareness of the flow of experience. Including the breath, The field of sensation, And including sensation beyond the body and the form of sound. Thank you. Resting in the living, Breathing, Sense field of the body. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Reviews

Like other reviewers I found this meditation very well paced. I loved the silence and the clarity of instructions. I also loved to start at the top of the head and move down.

Pace is great. Voice is soothing. Verbal cues are excellent! This is an amazing body scan guide.