Body Scan Guided 43 Min

This is an approximately 40-45 minute Body Scan. The purpose of a Body Scan is to present the mind to the sensations of the body. It also, through use of visualisation helps to reinforce our ability to bring a neutral awareness to something and then release it… without another thought.

Transcript

Hi,

My name is Karen and welcome to a 40 or maybe 45 minute body scan.

The purpose of a body scan is to presence the mind to the sensations that are present in the body in the moment,

The right now.

It also,

Through the use of visualization,

Helps to reinforce our ability to bring a neutral awareness to something and then release it without giving it another thought.

If you'd like to join me,

Find a place that's warm and safe and free from any interruption.

Arrange yourself to be comfortable,

Whether sitting in a chair or lying on your back,

And wear comfortable,

Loose-fitting clothing.

And don't try to relax too hard.

This is just going to create tension.

Be aware of whatever's happening around you and accepting of it.

There's no need to change anything.

Just allow things to be exactly as they are,

Letting go the need to judge,

Letting go any expectation of how things ought to go.

There's no one right way or wrong way to feel when you're doing this.

Just remember to breathe fully.

And if you're comfortable,

Allow your eyes to close gently.

Let's begin.

Place the arms alongside the body with the palms open to the ceiling.

Uncross the ankles.

Arrange your legs to be long and outstretched.

Take a moment to feel the body as a whole right now.

Sense the support,

Whether it's in a chair or on the floor or a bed.

There's no need to hold the body right now.

Allow the body to be held by whatever it's resting on.

Now bring awareness to your breath,

To the fact that you are breathing.

No need to change the breath in any way,

But rather by simply experiencing the air as it comes in and out of the body.

Becoming aware of the belly rising as the air comes into the body and the belly falling as the air moves out of the body,

Not controlling the breath in any way or altering it,

Rather just becoming aware of the rhythm and flow of the breath,

Noticing that as the breath flows naturally,

The belly rises with each in-breath and falls with each out-breath.

Paying attention to the breath moving in and the breath moving out.

Filling the lungs with each breath and on each breath letting your body rest more deeply into your mat,

Just letting go.

If your mind wanders or you become distracted at any time during this exercise,

Just bring yourself back to the breath.

The breath is the exercise that you're going to do.

You're going to do it in your own way.

You're going to do it in your own way.

Just bring yourself back to the breath.

The breath is the anchor of your awareness.

Now on the next out-breath,

Shift your attention from the breath downward all the way down through your body,

Setting your attention on the left foot and all the way into your big toe of the left foot.

Notice any sensations here.

A sense of coolness or warmth.

Perhaps a sensation of the air or a sock or blanket touching the toe.

Perhaps there's no noticeable sensation here.

Simply notice then the lack of sensation without judging it,

Without narrating the experience.

Simply experience any sensation or lack of sensation from the inside out,

Being with whatever is happening in this part of your body.

Draw your attention now from the big toe to the other toes on the left foot,

Aware of the skin and the nails.

Perhaps even the space between the toes.

Any sensations.

Temperature.

Pulsing,

Tingling.

Move your awareness now to the ball of the left foot.

The arch of the foot.

The entire sole of the left foot.

The heel.

Notice where the heel contacts the mat.

Moving to the top of the left foot.

Become aware of the skin,

The muscles,

Expanding your awareness now to include the entire left foot.

Include bones and skin.

All sensations.

Breathing in,

Breathing in and out.

Sensations.

Breathing in,

Breathing in as if you could breathe directly into the entire left foot.

Then exhaling from the foot.

Breathing in,

Bring newness and freshness.

Breathing out,

Release any tension,

Any tightness.

Just let it go.

Bring awareness now to the top of the left ankle.

Aware of the bones.

Tendons.

Skin.

Breathing into the ankle.

Breathing out of the ankle.

Breathing in.

Breathing out.

Shifting now your attention to the lower left leg.

If lying down,

Possibly you can feel the lower leg contacting with the mat.

Become aware of the skin,

The calf muscle,

The shin bone.

Noticing any sensations in this part of the lower leg.

Breathing into the lower leg and breathing out.

Moving now to the left knee,

Circling around the knee joint with curiosity.

Exploring the kneecap,

Cartilage,

The hinge joint,

The front of the knee,

The back,

In step and out step.

In step and out step.

Aware of any sensations here.

When we listen deeply to any part of the body,

We may experience strong sensations.

If we can just be with it exactly as it is,

Without judging it,

But instead being fully present to each sensation.

Continuing to move through the body,

Locating,

Acknowledging,

Releasing,

Letting go.

As best you now can,

Bring your attention to the left thigh,

The upper leg.

Becoming aware of the skin,

The muscle.

Perhaps feeling the pulsing of circulation in the upper thigh.

There may be feelings of heaviness or weightlessness.

Allow whatever is to simply be just as it is.

Filling the contact of the thigh with the surface of that which you're lying on.

Aware of the thigh bone as it rests in the hip socket.

Take a deep breath in,

Breathing all the way down through the left leg,

The thigh,

Knee,

The lower left leg,

Foot.

Filling the entire leg and foot with energy and newness.

And as you breathe out,

Release any sense of congestion or tension that might be present.

Bring your attention now to the hip socket,

The place where the thigh bone rests in the hip socket itself.

Then shift your awareness from the left hip all the way across to the right hip,

As though the hips were a bridge.

Draw your focus all the way down the right leg to the right foot.

All the way out to the big toe of the right foot.

Notice any sensations here.

Perhaps sensing coolness,

Moisture or dryness,

Tingling or nothing at all.

Notice what's happening in your big right toe.

All this is happening in the body right now.

Bring your awareness now to the other toes of the right foot.

Notice the side to The space between the toes.

Include all sensations or lack of sensation.

Now notice the ball of the right foot.

The arch.

The heel.

The skin of the heel.

Notice where the right heel connects with the mat.

Now coming to the top of the right foot,

Including the skin and the bones.

Expanding awareness to include the entire foot.

The muscles.

Nerves.

Blood vessels.

All sensations.

Breathing into the right foot and breathing out.

Letting go awareness of the right foot now and bringing focus on the right ankle.

Near of the bones and skin.

Tendons.

Awakening to any sensations present in the ankle.

Breathing in and breathing out.

Coming now to the lower right leg.

Perhaps again there is a sense of circulation,

A sense of the pulsation.

Aware of calf muscles.

The skin.

Or the sharpness of the front shin bone.

And shifting now to the right knee.

Traveling around the knee,

Exploring the right knee.

Placing all your awareness in this one part of the body.

Noticing any sensation in the front,

The back,

The instep or outstep side of the right knee.

The hinge joint.

The kneecap.

And cartilage.

Draw your attention now to the thigh.

Exploring the muscle,

The skin.

Any feelings of circulation or pulse.

Sensing heaviness or weightlessness.

Aware of the thigh bone.

Now taking in a deep breath.

Breathing into the thigh,

The knee,

The lower leg,

Ankle and foot.

Filling the entire leg and foot with energy.

As you breathe out,

Release all congestion,

Any toxins.

Let go completely the right leg and foot.

Simply release it from your awareness.

Bringing awareness now to the right hip bone.

Spanning your awareness now to include the entire pelvic bowl.

Bringing awareness to the organs cradled in this part of the body.

The intestines.

The reproductive organs and bladder.

Notice the buttocks.

The contact of the buttocks.

And the left and right lower back.

The sacrum.

Notice how they rest on whatever it is that you're lying on.

Any sensations here.

If there is a sense of heaviness or perhaps weightlessness.

Bringing your awareness now from the lower back up the spine,

Noticing each vertebrae of the spinal column.

Aware of the intricate and delicate nature of the nerves protected within the spine.

Something where they branch out to all parts of the body.

Aware of the muscles and the skin of the back.

With each breath,

Allow the muscles to relax and release.

Now begin to move up the back to the middle of the back.

Notice there's awareness of the organs here.

The kidneys.

Drawing further up the back,

Expand your awareness to shift to the ribs.

The rib cage.

Aware of the place where the rib cage attaches to the spine.

Notice the rib cage expanding with each breath in.

And become aware of the heart holding space.

The back of the lungs.

The back of the shoulders.

And now drawing awareness,

Traveling up the vertebra of the neck.

And all the way up to where the spine actually meets the skull.

Breathing deeply.

Breathing fully into the entire length of the back.

Breathing into the lower back,

The middle back,

And the upper back.

Breathing energy,

Freshness,

Lightness.

Breathing out,

Releasing tiredness,

Tightness,

Congestion.

Breathing ease and openness into the back.

And breathing out,

Allow the back to soften more deeply into the surface of whatever you're lying or sitting on.

Bringing awareness now down to the belly region of the body.

Aware of the stomach.

Perhaps sensing the movement of digestion.

Try to become aware of the liver,

The pancreas.

Aware of the intestines,

Movement within the intestines.

Any feelings the movement might have within the belly as it rises and falls with each breath.

Taking a deep breath in,

Drawing the breath all the way down into the belly.

And expanding out,

Letting the breath leave.

Breathing in,

Allow the belly to expand to create more space for the lungs to hold air.

And breathing out,

Relax the muscles of the belly,

The diaphragm.

Breathing in,

The diaphragm muscle draws down.

The belly seems to swell.

And oxygen fills the body.

Breathing out,

Notice the belly falling.

Notice the belly falling and sinking down once again.

Breathe in deeply.

And draw new energy down to the belly region,

Into the hips,

The pelvic girdle.

Breathe in,

And as you breathe out,

Fully release.

Let go.

Shift your awareness now to the chest.

With each in-breath,

Feel the expansion of the rib cage.

The front,

The sides,

The back.

Become aware of the heart,

Cradled between the right and left lungs.

Feel the heart,

The lungs,

Cradled safely within the rib cage.

Notice the work of the heart and lungs.

The heart moves the blood to all parts of the body.

And whatever is no longer needed by the body is returned to the lungs to be released as a waste.

Breathe in,

Breathe out.

Day in,

Day out.

With each beat of the heart,

With each breath in and out,

The body is renewed.

Take a moment just to rest here,

To appreciate the work of the heart and the lungs.

Feel the beating heart and the movement of the lungs.

Notice the muscles of the chest,

The skin,

The collarbones.

Breathe into the entire chest,

Fully opening the rib cage,

The front,

The sides,

And the back.

Bring new life,

New energy into the chest,

Into the body.

And with open,

Spacious awareness of any emotions that may bubble up in this part of the body,

It may present as a rush of heat or a change in breath pattern.

It would indicate some sort of tension,

Tightness,

Congestion.

We often speak about our most basic instinctual reactions as being heartfelt or having a gut reaction.

Moving through the body,

We may notice different emotions coming up.

Allow whatever feelings are there to come up.

Whatever sensations,

Whatever thoughts,

Just notice what's there.

Breathe into the chest and breathe out.

Completely let go of that part of the body.

Draw your focus now down both arms and out to the fingertips of both hands.

Notice any sensation of air,

Perhaps touching bare skin,

Shifting,

A gentle breeze.

Notice the air as it surrounds the hands,

Fills the space between fingers,

Surrounds the thumbs.

Perhaps there is a sense of the air being dry or heavy with moisture.

Aware of the skin of the fingers,

The fingernails,

The joints of the fingers,

The knuckles,

The plump wrinkled palm of the hands,

And the smooth skin on the back of the hands.

Consider for a moment what these hands are capable of.

The movements,

Both gross and fine,

The work of the hands.

Breathe into the hands and out of the hands.

Now draw your attention to the wrists.

Notice the bones,

The skin,

Perhaps the pulse.

Bring awareness now up to the lower arms.

Aware of the skin,

The muscle,

Bones.

Now shift awareness to the elbows.

Aware of any sensation in the elbows,

The sharp edges of the elbow,

The delicate skin on the inside of the elbows,

The joint itself.

Move your attention now up the arms.

Aware of the skin at the upper arm space,

The bones,

The muscles,

The underarms.

Breathe in now and fill the upper arms,

The elbows,

The lower arms,

Wrists,

And hands.

Let the breath carry in newness,

Fresh energy.

Breathe out and release any tension or tightness,

Any heaviness.

Simply let it go.

Breathe into the arms,

The wrists,

The hands,

And breathe out.

Draw attention now to the shoulders.

Become aware of the top of the shoulders,

The backs,

The front sides of the shoulders.

Notice the muscle there.

Opening to any sensations in the shoulders,

Breathe deeply into the shoulders.

Soften the shoulders.

Release any struggle or concern that may have lodged there.

Breathe into the shoulders and breathe out.

Let the shoulders go and bring attention now to the throat.

Aware of the ability to make sound,

To speak,

To swallow,

To carry breath down into the lungs.

And now bring attention to the neck,

The muscles here,

The bones,

The vertebra connecting to the skull,

The neck,

Balancing the head.

Breathe into the neck and throat.

Breathe out,

Releasing any congestion or tension.

Bringing attention now up the back of the head,

Aware of the skull bones,

The scalp,

The tiny intricate muscles of the scalp,

Aware of the hair follicles,

And coming further up the head to the crown of the head,

The top of the head,

And now the forehead.

And with your attention,

Smoothing out any wrinkles of the forehead,

Traveling from one temple across the forehead to the other,

Exploring sensations of the forehead.

And moving focus now to the entire face,

Aware of the eyes,

The eyebrows,

The eyelids,

Lashes,

The eyeball,

The eyeballs resting in their sockets.

Begin to notice the nose,

The bridge of the nose,

The bone of the bridge of the nose,

The nostrils.

Breathe in deeply through the nose,

Sense the feeling of the air coming in,

Perhaps cool and exiting through the nostril warm,

Perhaps feeling the movement of tiny hairs inside the nostrils,

Aware of the cheeks and cheekbones,

The sinuses,

The skin of the cheeks,

And the many muscles of the face,

The muscles which give expression to even the subtlest of feelings,

Aware of the ears,

The ability to hear.

Notice the outer ears,

The inner ears,

The process of hearing these words in this very moment,

Aware of the jaw,

The hinge joint on either side of the face,

The jawbone,

The muscles,

The chin.

Bringing focus now to the mouth,

The lips,

Inside the mouth,

The teeth,

Gums,

The roof of the mouth,

The tongue,

And breathing in to the entire face,

Breathing in freshness and ease,

Breathing out any tightness,

Any tension,

Allowing the face to be,

To relax,

To simply be in this moment,

Aware of the brain inside the head,

Breathing in to the entire head,

Drawing in freshness,

And breathing out tiredness,

Fatigue,

Congestion,

Worry.

Bring attention now to the crown of the head.

Imagine that energy can be drawn in from the crown of the head,

Filling the entire body,

Breathing in to the crown of the head.

Draw the breath down the head,

The neck,

The shoulders,

The arms and hands.

Breathe down,

Moving into the torso,

The upper torso,

The lower torso,

Into the hips and legs and feet.

And breathing out now through the soles of the feet,

Allowing the body to breathe as a whole right now.

Breathing in now from the soles of the feet,

Filling the feet,

The ankles,

The lower legs,

The knees,

The thighs,

The hip and pelvic region,

Lower back,

The abdominal region,

The middle back,

The chest region and upper back,

Filling the hands and wrists,

The lower arms,

Elbows,

Upper arms,

Shoulders,

Neck,

Throat,

Face and head.

Breathing out again at the crown of the head,

Breathing in newness,

Freshness and well-being,

Bringing in the ability to be present in this moment,

To be with this body as it is,

To be with the feelings as they are in this very moment,

Bringing in newness with each breath,

Life affirming energy,

Releasing with each breath out any tiredness,

Any energy that's no longer needed,

Any stuckness.

Breathing in at the crown of the head,

Filling the entire body,

Breathing out at the soles of the feet.

Now breathing in at the soles of the feet and filling the entire body,

Breathing up and breathing out through the crown of the head.

Take a few moments now in your own time to breathe fully through the entire body,

Allowing fresh energy to wash through the body and on each breath out,

Release,

Let go of what is no longer needed,

Allowing it to move like waves of the ocean,

Coming into the body and releasing away from the body with each in-breath and each out-breath.

And now letting go of any control of the breath,

Allowing yourself to lay here in complete stillness.

Breathe freely into and out of the body,

Simply breathing,

Not controlling in any way,

Allowing the free and natural flow of the breath cycle as it moves into,

Through and out of the body.

Allow yourself to become fully aware,

Fully experiencing the body and the breath as it moves into and throughout the body,

That this acceptance and stillness is healing itself,

Allowing the universe to be as it is beyond personal fears and concerns,

Beyond a mind that might want to control things or view them in a certain way,

Seeing yourself as complete right now,

Just as you are,

And looking into the limitlessness of life,

Into the fullness of our capacity to live,

Into the capacity to love,

Into the fullness of our capacity to care.

Take a moment to experience being totally awake,

Complete and whole right now,

Being a part of the experience as a whole,

Complete and totally awake,

In stillness,

Awake,

Relaxed,

And complete.

And now,

Coming back to the body,

Drawing your breath down,

Begin to move with the breath.

Allow the fingers and toes to wiggle,

Perhaps stretching your arms and legs out in a way that feels comfortable for you,

Bringing yourself gently back to the room where you are right now,

Not rushing,

Not hurrying,

Just with ease,

Stretching.

And as you begin to feel more ready,

Allow your eyes to slowly open,

Bringing with you a sense of calm and centeredness,

And inviting that sense of calm and stillness to stay with you as you continue on in any of the activities of your day.

Namaste.

Reviews

Thank you Karen

Another meditation gem 💎 from Karen. Thank you so much 💓