Zen Full Body Scan (25 Minutes)

A full length, 25-minute body scan taken from my practical Zen course. The technique is great for beginners and perfect if the mind feels restless, as it trains focus whilst allowing the attention to move. We sweep downwards to encourage grounding, so the body can relax more deeply. Working with the breath and scanning into the mouth and throat also stimulates the vagus nerve, moving the nervous system into parasympathetic 'rest and digest' state.

Transcript

Welcome to this body scan meditation.

Many traditions use an approach such as this.

The Zen tradition continually moves the attention downwards,

Which tends to impart a feeling of being grounded.

The technique can be particularly useful for beginners,

Or in fact if the mind is feeling particularly active,

As we train the focus to rest on an area,

But also allow it to move down through the body.

You can try this meditation in various positions.

It works well seated,

Or kneeling,

Or even standing or walking.

However,

If you're just starting out,

I'd recommend lying down for minimum distraction and maximum relaxation.

It's very simple,

Just follow the instructions.

Don't worry when the attention wanders.

Just bring it back as soon as you notice it's disappeared.

So,

For now,

Just getting comfortable in your chosen position,

Using this opportunity to make any last adjustments.

Try and keep the body still during the scan,

But if you do need to make adjustments,

Try to do so mindfully.

Let's begin by allowing any tension in the body to release.

Check in with the ankles and the feet,

Allow them to relax.

Letting go of any tension in the legs and the hips and the pelvis.

Bring the awareness to the belly and allow it to soften.

If you're lying down,

Have your hands resting gently on the belly if that's comfortable.

If you're seated,

Just have your hands gently resting one on top of the other in the lap.

Check in with the chest,

Allow it to be free and open.

Let go of the shoulders and run the awareness up the spine,

Allowing the spine to feel open and free,

The spine occupying its natural curves.

If it feels uncomfortable lying down,

Try placing a cushion under the knees.

You can also place a cushion under the head,

And if you'd like to you can gently tuck in the chin as if holding a rubber ball in place.

Tongue rests on the roof of the mouth,

Allowing the tongue to be broad.

We're breathing through the nose if comfortable,

Through the mouth if necessary.

Let go of any tension in the jaw,

Soften the temples.

Eyes can be closed or left gently open and gazing down.

Letting go of any tension in the muscles around the eyes.

Letting go of any tension in the forehead.

And starting to notice how the body is resting on the floor or the chair,

Tuning in to any sensations that that causes.

Noticing any other sensations on the surface of the body,

Perhaps the touch of clothing or air on skin.

And beginning to notice any other sensations deeper inside of the body.

Becoming aware now of the natural breath,

The body just allowed to breathe by itself.

Nothing to get involved in,

Nothing to change,

Nothing to do but notice.

Noticing how the air enters the body through the nostrils.

And following the journey down the throat,

Into the chest and back out again.

Noticing the full cycle of breath.

And noticing two natural pauses at the end of each in-breath and at the end of each out-breath.

And starting to notice now how the breath causes movement in the body.

Perhaps noticing that movement in the nostrils or in the throat.

Perhaps the top of the chest.

Noticing movement in the ribcage.

Perhaps a sense of expanding and contracting.

Movement in the front,

In the side and the back of the ribcage.

And perhaps noticing movement further down inside the body.

Perhaps in the solar plexus or sternum,

Below the ribs at the front.

Perhaps picking up on movement down in the belly.

If you have your hands resting on the belly,

Perhaps feeling that rising and falling of the belly using the hands.

Not forcing anything to happen,

Just noticing.

Whatever you feel at this lowest point of movement in the body is fine.

Just resting the awareness down at this lowest point.

Allowing the awareness to rest like a leaf falling on water.

We're allowing thoughts,

Feelings,

Emotions,

Sensations,

All of these things to come and go.

We're not trying to edit,

But we're not being swept up and taken away by them.

Allowing everything just to come and go.

And resting the awareness on this lowest point of movement caused by the breath in the body.

Taking that focused attention now and moving it to the crown of the head.

Just noticing what you can already feel here.

No need to change anything.

You might be able to pick up on lots going on,

Or very little.

Whatever you feel is just fine as it is.

If you're having difficulty tuning into this area,

The crown of the head,

You can take a hand,

Place it on the top of the head.

Notice the sensation caused.

And when you're aware of the area,

Just bring the hand back to resting on the belly or in the lap.

And moving the attention now to the forehead.

Taking the same awareness of sensation and moving to the forehead.

Moving the attention to the right side of the head above the ear.

The back of the head at the same level.

The left side of the head above the ear.

Moving our awareness now to the eyes.

Left eye.

Right eye.

Right ear.

Back of the head in line with the ears.

Left ear.

The left cheek.

Nose.

Right cheek.

Always moving the attention downwards,

Moving now down to the lips.

And bringing the awareness inside the mouth.

To the walls.

And the roof of the mouth.

To the tongue.

To the back of the throat.

Moving the awareness to the jaw.

The right side of the jaw.

Back of the head at the base of the skull.

The left jaw.

And down to the chin.

And moving to the throat,

Not doing or changing.

Transformations can happen just through being present and aware.

The right side of the neck.

The back of the neck.

The left side of the neck.

The top of the chest.

The right shoulder.

The top of the back.

The left shoulder.

Moving the awareness to the chest around the level of the heart.

Just seeing what we can feel without getting involved.

Right side of the chest.

The right armpit.

Upper right arm.

The right shoulder blade.

The space between the shoulder blades.

The left shoulder blade.

Upper left arm.

Left armpit.

And the left side of the chest.

Moving down to the solar plexus.

The right lower ribs.

Right elbow.

Middle of the back.

Left elbow.

The left lower ribs.

Down to the belly.

The right side of the belly.

The right waist.

Right lower arm.

The lower back.

The left lower arm.

Left waist.

The left side of the belly.

Moving down to the navel and the lower belly.

Not getting caught up in thoughts.

Just being aware of sensations in the lower belly.

Moving to the right wrist.

Base of the spine.

The left wrist.

The right hand.

The back of the hand.

The palm.

Thumb.

Index finger.

Middle finger.

Ring finger.

And the little finger.

Moving across to the left hand,

The back of the left hand.

The palm.

The thumb.

Index finger.

Middle finger.

Ring finger.

And the little finger.

Gently moving the awareness across to the pelvis.

The front of the pelvis.

The pubic bone.

The right hip.

The back of the pelvis.

Right buttock.

Tailbone.

Left buttock.

Left hip.

Moving the awareness now down into the legs.

As before,

Just noticing,

Just being present.

Not trying to change anything.

The right thigh at the front.

The right side of that thigh.

Back of the thigh.

And the left side of the thigh.

The left thigh at the front.

Right side of that thigh.

Back of the thigh.

The left side of the thigh.

The right knee at the front.

And the back of that knee.

The left knee at the front.

And the back of that knee.

Moving the attention down again to the right shin.

And the right calf.

The left shin.

And left calf.

Moving into the right ankle.

And the left ankle.

Moving to the right foot.

The top of the foot.

The heel.

The sole.

Big toe.

Second toe.

Third toe.

Fourth toe.

And the fifth toe.

The left foot.

Top of the foot.

Heel.

Sole.

The big toe.

Second toe.

Third toe.

Fourth toe.

And the fifth toe.

And now gently moving the awareness,

The attention back to the crown of the head.

Just resting the awareness here.

And in a moment we'll move the attention back through the body.

Sweeping down a little more quickly.

Allowing the movement to become a little more fluid.

As before,

Just feeling,

Not changing.

So moving the attention from sensations at the top of the head.

Coming down through the forehead and the face.

The sides of the head.

Back of the head.

Down through the neck.

Over the shoulders.

Over the chest and the upper back.

Down through both upper arms.

And into both elbows.

Down through the chest and the trunk of the body.

And into the belly.

And the lower back.

Down through the lower arms.

Into the wrists.

Into the hands.

And the fingers and thumbs.

Down through the lower belly.

Into the pelvis.

And the hips.

Down through the upper legs.

Into the knees.

Down through the lower legs.

Through the ankles.

Into the feet.

Into the toes.

And resting back at the top of the head.

In a moment you'll move through the body at your own pace.

As you become aware of the different parts of the body you may feel you can move your attention even more smoothly.

So starting again at the top of the head.

Allowing your attention to wash through the body in one fluid movement.

In your own time washing down from tip to toe right through the body.

In one fluid movement of the awareness.

Not trying to change anything.

Just being present and aware of the sensations you encounter.

If your attention wanders just bringing it back to where it was last.

And continuing on downwards sweeping through the body.

Down towards the feet and toes.

And when you're ready bringing the whole body together in one sphere of attention.

Being aware of the whole body together.

Noticing any tight or tense places.

Noticing where you might feel stuck or uncomfortable.

And just allowing these places to be held in awareness.

Awareness of the whole body.

Allowing these places to be held within a sense of gentle curiosity.

Within this presence of your awareness.

We're not trying to change anything.

We're allowing changes to come if they want to.

Just resting.

Not doing.

Just being.

And returning now to the breath.

Noticing the body breathing naturally by itself.

Noticing how it feels just to be aware of the breath.

Noticing how the breath makes the body feel.

Noticing any other sensations inside the body.

Moving that awareness to sensations on the surface of the body.

Starting to notice the fingers and toes.

Gently wiggling fingers and toes.

Perhaps allowing the body to stretch or yawn however feels good.

Gently waking the body up.

And whenever you're ready,

Opening the eyes.

Your meditation practice is now complete.

Reviews

Helpful and clearly drawn. Thank you. 🙏🏻

Very nice! Soothing voice a sweet body scan in just a short time. Centered and energized for the day. Thank you. ☮️💖🙏🖖🪷🕉

Feel very grounded after this practice. Guided from head to toes and then an opportunitie to scan at your own pace. Thank you.

Lovely body scan. 🙏🙏🙏

Awesome. Body scans really put the whole body into a relaxed state more than anything else I’ve ever done. This was a great meditation.

Didn't feel like I had enough time to do my own body scan before I was instructed to become aware of the full body. I just paused it though and it worked out well :) thanks for the Zen meditations!

A simple but effective body scan, thanks ☯️

Amazing, thank you!