My name is Kat.
And welcome to this basic body scan meditation.
A body scan is a wonderful practice for relaxation.
It doesn't require any sort of movement.
Instead,
It invites us to bring our awareness to the different parts of the body that are mentioned.
And just simply noticing.
Where we may be holding on to.
Any sort of stress.
Tension.
Or even discomfort.
Sometimes we may even become aware of emotional sensations within our body.
At other times,
We may not.
We may notice a sense of warmth.
Coolness tingling heaviness.
Or perhaps nothing at all.
There is nothing you need to change or fix during this practice.
This is just simply an opportunity to notice what is present.
And to meet yourself.
With your own gentle sense of a loving curiosity.
So let's begin.
Find a comfortable seated position in a safe and quiet space.
Make sure you are warm enough and that your body feels supported.
And when you feel ready,
Slowly close your eyes.
Now we're going to start by just gently shifting our focus inward.
And just noticing where we feel our breath inside our body.
Just start to notice your own breath rhythm.
Just start to notice your own breath pace.
As it begins its own journey.
Into settling.
Into our meditation practice.
And let's just continue breathing.
Slowly and gently.
Throughout the entirety of our practice.
Just going.
In our own rhythm.
And always at our own pace.
If you get distracted throughout this practice and drift off.
No worries.
Just come back to your breath inside your body.
Wherever you may feel it.
Whenever you are ready.
And just begin again.
So we're going to start by just gently bringing our awareness to the top of our head.
Just notice where the top of your head is.
Now let the muscles in your forehead and your temples begin to relax.
Notice your eyes and gently give them permission to begin to soften.
Notice the area above your eyes.
Notice the area below your eyes.
And notice the corners to each of your eyes.
And gently give all these areas permission.
To just relax.
And soften.
Permission to just be.
Exactly how they are.
In this moment.
No questions asked.
Now gently shift your focus to your cheeks and your jaw.
So when you do this,
You may or may not.
Notice a sort of tightening sensation.
In either your cheeks.
Or your jaw.
Or perhaps both.
If so,
Try repeating the words.
Let go.
Let go.
Let go.
Quietly to yourself.
And just see if by this simple act of just recognizing.
Any sort of sensation.
Or even tension.
Without needing to attach.
Any sort of reason for it.
Or even any sort of blame towards it.
If this sensation or even tension.
Starts to release.
On its own.
Now gently shift your focus to your nose and just notice your breath.
In this space.
If possible.
Feel the sensation of your breath.
As you inhale through your nostrils.
And as you exhale through your nostrils.
Now gently shift your focus to the inside of your mouth.
Try visualizing a slight smile.
As you bring your awareness to the corners of your lips.
And now down to your chin.
So let's try visualizing just a little bit more.
Let's try visualizing.
Our own awareness.
Of our breath.
Start to travel.
Down our neck.
And just continue on until the muscles of our shoulders.
Just imagine.
Breathing in.
To your shoulders.
And breathing out from your shoulders.
On your next inhale,
Bring your awareness to the top of your arms.
And as you exhale.
Try visualizing your breath.
Traveling down your arms.
To meet your elbows.
Your forearms.
Your wrists.
Your palms and your fingers.
Now gently shift your focus to the tips of your fingers.
And just notice.
If any sort of sensation.
Starts to rise when you do this.
So this sensation is what's known as our emotional energy.
And emotional energy exist within each and every one of us.
Sometimes,
Under some circumstances,
We become aware.
Of our own emotional energy.
Other times,
We do not.
And both experiences are okay.
So as your body begins.
Its own process of relaxing.
Your mind will begin to open and to settle.
So just a gentle reminder.
That whatever sensations.
Emotion.
Thoughts.
Or even sounds in the outside environment that come up at this time.
Or throughout the remainder of our practice.
To just simply be.
Notice that.
Just observe them.
If possible.
Let these distractions go.
If not,
Just allow them to be.
Till you're ready to let them go.
And let's just continue on.
Investigating.
With our own gentle and loving curiosity.
Now gently shift your focus to your chest.
And just notice your breath.
In this space.
Your chest rises.
As you inhale,
And it falls when you exhale.
Now let's try visualizing our breath.
Traveling down to our stomach.
As you inhale.
Just notice how your belly likes to relax.
And to soften.
And as you exhale.
Just allow your breath.
To naturally guide you.
In letting go.
Of anything.
That may not serve you.
At this moment.
So maybe.
Let's try.
Visualizing,
Breathing in our own form of courage.
And breathing out.
Our own form of fear.
Breathing in our own form of love.
And breathing out our own form of indifference.
Now gently turn your attention to your back.
And just notice the top of your back.
Try visualizing.
A relaxing sensation.
Start to flow.
All the way down your spine.
Now gently shift your focus to your hips.
The hips are a common area that many of us will store our emotions.
And these emotions may become stuck.
From time to time.
So gently pay attention.
To any sort of sensation.
That may arise at this time.
From the area of your hips.
And just Greet it with acceptance.
Or even.
The intention of acceptance.
By just allowing it to be.
Exactly how it is.
And just continuing on.
Investigating.
With your own gentle and loving curiosity.
Now notice the pressure between your sitting bone and your seat bone.
Bring your awareness to the back of your thighs.
And now the front of your thighs.
Gently shift your focus.
Down to your knees.
Now into your calves.
Your shins.
Just notice where your ankles are.
And lastly,
Your feet.
Now feel if there may be any sort of sensation.
When you lightly place your focus.
On your toes.
Now give your body an internal scan.
Starting at the bottom of your feet and going up.
All the way to the top of your head.
Just notice.
How it feels right now.
Inside your body.
So sometimes.
We may have words that can accurately describe how we're feeling in these moments.
And other times we may not.
And both experiences are okay.
We are just simply here to notice.
Now bring your awareness to the place where you feel your breath the strongest in your body.
And just notice your next inhale.
And notice your next exhale.
And when you feel ready.
You can slowly start to deepen your own awareness back to the physical space.
Maybe begin by wiggling out your fingers.
Or wiggling out your toes.
You could roll your shoulders back.
Or even move your head around.
Whatever small movement speaks to you.
Just simply honor it.
This is your practice.
And this is your body.
And when you feel ready.
If you haven't already.
You can gently start.
To open your eyes.
When you open your eyes,
Just take a moment.
And just name a few objects that are in front of you.
This will help gently shift you back to your own present moment.
Thank you for joining me today for this basic body scan.
And for taking this time for yourself.
