Welcome to this guided Zen meditation.
Using a simple body scan technique.
Assuming a comfortable position.
Allowing the body to relax.
The mind to be calm yet focused.
And starting to notice the breath.
Nothing to get involved with.
Nothing to change.
Just allowing the body to naturally breathe itself.
And we're using the breath as a focus for the attention.
Using the breath as an anchor point.
We're allowing everything to come and go.
Allowing thoughts,
Feelings,
Memories,
Plans.
Allowing things to simply arise and pass.
No need to get caught up in anything.
Just resting the awareness on the breath.
And starting to notice now how the breath can move the body.
Chest expanding and contracting.
Rib cage filling and relaxing.
Perhaps a sense of rising and falling down in the belly.
And resting the attention now on the lowest place in the body.
You can feel movement caused by the breath.
Noticing all the sensations.
And being interested and inquisitive.
And now taking that focused attention.
And sweeping it up to the crown of the head.
Just noticing what's here already.
Nothing to change.
No right or wrong.
Just noticing what's already present in the crown of the head.
And sliding now that same focused attention down over the forehead.
The right side of the head.
The back of the head.
The side of the head.
Moving down across the whole of the face.
And down into the whole of the neck.
Sweeping the attention,
The awareness now down across both shoulders.
And into the tops of both arms.
Moving into the chest at the front.
The sides of the rib cage.
The back of the rib cage.
Moving the focus down into both elbows.
And into both lower arms.
Moving into the belly.
Just feeling for what's already here in the belly.
Sliding the awareness round to the waist on both sides.
And the right side of the head.
And the left side of the head.
To the waist on both sides.
And round to the lower back.
Down into both wrists.
And into both hands.
Arms and fingers of both hands.
Moving now into the pelvis.
The front.
The sides.
Moving into both hips.
Down into the top of both legs.
Into the knees at the front and the back.
Down into the lower legs.
The feet.
And into all the toes.
Bringing the awareness now back to the crown of the head.
And just resting here for a moment.
Shortly on an out breath we'll flow the attention all the way down through the body from the crown to the toes in one fluid movement.
And on an in breath we'll bring that attention back to sit at the crown of the head.
So beginning now,
Out breath.
Flowing the attention down from the crown of the head right through the body all the way down to the toes.
And on an in breath resting back at the crown of the head.
Out breath.
Attention flows down right through the body from top to bottom.
In breath.
Attention rests back on the crown.
Last time.
Out breath.
Panning the attention down.
In breath.
Resting at the crown.
And now bringing the whole body together.
In one sphere of awareness.
Gently holding the body together in the attention all at the same time.
Accepting everything as it is.
Just noticing sensations.
And starting to notice again the breath.
Perhaps a sense of calm and relaxation in the natural breath.
Allowing that breath to connect us to the present moment.
Nothing to think about or do.
Just spending a moment of time with the breath.
And then we'll move on to the next step.
Nothing to think about or do.
Just spending a moment to enjoy the feelings that the natural breath causes in the body.
And when you're ready,
Noticing the edges of the body.
Noticing the fingers and toes.
A bit of movement into the fingers and toes.
Stretching the body back awake.
Bringing the body back to life.
Your meditation practice is now complete.
