Hello,
And welcome to day three of Insight Timer's Building Healthy Habits Challenge.
Let's take a moment to get settled.
Close your eyes.
Take a deep breath in and exhale out.
Let's dive into today's healthy habit.
Hello and welcome to the Building Healthy Habits Challenge here on Insight Timer.
My name is Kate James and today I'll be introducing you to a body scan meditation.
Before we begin,
I'll share a little bit about this practice and why it's so beneficial.
A body scan involves bringing mindful awareness to what we sense or feel in the body.
As you tune in,
It's likely you'll discover that there are places you hold tightness or tension and you'll also find that the practice helps you to become more aware of your emotions.
Gently scanning your body and inviting in a sense of relaxation helps to cultivate an internal sense of stillness.
And when we do this,
We often feel a greater sense of peace with our feelings and thoughts.
Now let's begin the meditation.
Move your body into a comfortable position,
Either seated or lying down.
And when you feel ready,
Slowly close your eyes.
Take a moment to be aware of your body,
Simply resting right here as you begin to notice any of the sensations you feel.
Guide your awareness to your breath now and without changing the breath in any way,
Notice how effortlessly your body moves as you breathe.
Deepen the breath into your belly area,
Not forcing the breath in any way,
Just resting your awareness on the rise and the fall of the belly.
With your in-breath,
Become more aware of the whole body.
And with your out-breath,
Allow yourself to sink more deeply into the surface beneath you.
And let yourself feel grounded,
Present and calm.
Bring your attention to your head and your face now.
And notice any of the sensations you're aware of.
Smooth any tightness in your forehead.
Soften the muscles around your eyes.
Release any tension in your jaw.
And allow your lips and your tongue to feel soft.
Bring your awareness to your shoulders and upper back.
And notice all of the sensations you feel.
Breathe some space into any tightness and begin to let go and completely relax.
Provide your attention to your chest and imagine widening the space around your heart,
Making a deeper connection with the heart area.
Notice any of the emotions that are present.
And begin to make peace with what's here.
Provide your awareness to the abdomen,
Allowing for all of the sensations as you let go and deeply relax.
Bring your awareness to your arms and soften your hands and your fingers.
Notice any tightness through your hips.
And bring softness to your thighs and your knees.
Relax through your calves and your ankles.
And rest your awareness on your feet and your toes.
Be aware once again of the whole body,
Feeling grounded,
Present and calm.
Notice the union between your breath and your body as you take in the stillness in this moment.
Provide your awareness back to your heart now and be aware of the peace you've created within.
Set your intention to take this peaceful feeling with you into your day.
As we come to the end of the practice,
Bring some small movements into your fingers and toes.
And when you feel ready,
Slowly open your eyes.
Take a moment now to reflect.
How does your body feel after the practice?
Were you able to detach from your mind's chatter?
Would you allow yourself to simply be here?
