Body Scan

A body scan meditation used as part of the Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention and Mindfulness for Anxiety classes.

Transcript

Take a moment to settle in,

Finding a comfortable posture,

Either sitting on a cushion or chair or perhaps laying down on your back.

Closing your eyes,

Or if that's not comfortable,

Leaving them open,

Softening your gaze and looking either up at the ceiling or down at the floor in front of you depending on your posture.

Take a few moments to get in touch with the movement of your breath.

When you are ready,

Bringing your attention to the physical sensations in your body,

Especially to the sensations of touch or pressure where your body makes contact with the chair or the floor.

On each out-breath,

Allowing yourself to let go,

To sink a little deeper into the floor or your chair or cushion.

The intention of this practice is not to change anything or to feel different,

Relaxed or calm.

This may happen or it may not.

Instead,

The intention of the practice is,

As best you can,

To bring awareness to any sensations you feel as you focus your attention on each part of your body.

If you find your mind wandering,

Gently just bringing it back to awareness of the body.

Starting by bringing your awareness to the breath,

To the physical sensations of breathing.

Noticing what the breath feels like as it enters your nose,

Perhaps noting the movement of air at the tip of your nostrils or over your upper lip.

Perhaps noting the movement of air down your windpipe.

Noting the expansion and contraction of your lungs with each in-breath and out-breath and the rise and fall of your belly.

Bringing the breath in through the nose,

To the chest and down to the belly and then back out again.

Feeling these physical sensations as you take three deep breaths in and out.

Now having connected with the feelings of the breath,

Bringing your awareness as if you were shining a flashlight onto whatever you want to focus your attention on.

And directing that light of awareness down your body,

Down your left leg,

Focusing your awareness on whatever sensations are present for you right now in your left big toe.

Perhaps noticing pressure from where your big toe is resting.

Perhaps the temperature of air or clothing.

Or perhaps noticing nothing at all.

Just focusing your awareness and attention on whatever might or might not be present for you right now in the left big toe.

And moving now to the other toes of the left foot.

Noticing any sensations that may or may not be present in the toes of the left foot.

Perhaps noticing again pressure from clothing or the floor.

Perhaps temperature.

Perhaps a tingling or maybe nothing at all.

And bringing your awareness now to the sensations on the top of the left foot.

And any sensations present on the bottom of the left foot.

Making room for allowing and accepting whatever is present right now.

Noticing that there may be no sensations present and that's okay too.

And bringing your attention to the left ankle.

Noticing any sensation on the skin around the ankle or perhaps deeper inside the joint itself.

And now bringing your attention to the left calf and shin.

Noticing again any sensations on the skin.

Perhaps pressure or touch from clothing or the floor.

Or perhaps a sensation deeper in the muscle.

And any time that you notice that your mind has wandered.

Just gently but firmly bringing it back right now to the left calf.

Without judgment and without story.

Bringing your attention now to the left knee.

Noticing whatever is present for you right now on the left knee.

On the skin around the knee or inside the joint itself.

And moving now into the left upper leg.

Into the muscles of the thigh and the hamstrings and the skin around that area.

Noticing any sensations big or small that might be present.

Allowing and accepting them all.

And gently but firmly bringing your focus back to the upper leg whenever the mind wanders.

Bringing your attention now up to the left hip.

And now when you are ready feeling or imagining the breath entering the lungs and then going all the way down through the body,

Through the left hip,

Left leg and into the left foot.

And on the exhale releasing that breath starting from the left foot.

Moving up the leg to the left hip,

The belly and the lungs.

Taking another deep breath in and out.

Into and out of the left leg once again.

And noticing what sensations are present when you do this.

It may be difficult to get the hang of it but just practice as best you can.

Approaching it even with a sense of playful curiosity.

And now bringing your attention across the hips to the right hip,

Down the right leg and focusing your attention again like the light of a flashlight onto whatever sensations are present in the right big toe.

Noticing now moving your awareness to the other toes of the right foot.

Then perhaps noticing no sensations at all.

And moving now to notice whatever is present for you right now on the top of the right foot.

And now to the bottom of the right foot.

Bringing your mind back and redirecting the attention whenever the mind has wandered.

Back to the sensations right now on the bottom of the right foot.

And moving now to the ankle.

Noticing perhaps sensations around the skin of the ankle or maybe deeper in the joint itself.

And now to the right lower leg,

To the calf and the shin.

Perhaps the temperature,

Movement of air across skin or pressure from clothing or the floor or perhaps tension or relaxation in the calf muscle.

And now to the right knee.

And now directing your attention to the right upper leg.

And to the right hip.

And if you feel any pain or discomfort in any of the areas,

Just be aware of it.

You may practice sending the breath there and as best you can,

Letting the sensations just be as they are.

Now gently once again bringing your attention to the breath.

Taking a breath in and allowing the breath to extend down from your lungs into your right hip,

Down the leg and into the right toes.

And on the exhale releasing the breath from the right toes up the leg to the belly,

Lungs and your nose.

Practicing a few more times.

Again noticing any thoughts that come up around this practice and approaching it with a sense of playful curiosity.

Accepting your attention now to bring the light of awareness to your lower back.

Noticing any sensations present for you,

Perhaps pressure from the chair or floor,

A waistband,

Any sensations on the skin or perhaps tension or relaxation in the muscles below.

Again allowing and accepting whatever sensations are present right now without needing to change them or to feel anything in particular.

And moving your attention up to the upper back.

Again noticing sensations that might be present on the surface of the skin and deeper in the muscles or even around the bones underneath.

And noting again that throughout this practice the mind will inevitably wander away from the breath and the body from time to time.

This is entirely normal,

It's what minds do.

When you notice it,

Just acknowledge it.

Noticing where the mind has gone off to and then gently but firmly bringing the attention back to the body or the breath in this moment.

Bringing your attention now from the upper back around the belly.

Noticing any sensations in the skin around the belly,

Perhaps deeper inside in the muscles or organs.

Noticing any stories that arise,

Any judgments that are present and then bringing your attention back to the belly.

Moving now to the chest,

Noticing sensations again on the skin,

Perhaps deeper underneath.

Noting if you could feel your heartbeat or noting the movement of your chest with each in-breath and out-breath.

Allowing and accepting whatever is present for you right now without needing to change anything or feel differently.

Moving your attention now from the chest into your left shoulder,

Down your left arm and into the fingers of your left hand.

Noticing whatever sensations are present for you right now in the fingers of your left hand.

Moving now into the back of your left hand and the palm of your left hand.

And now moving into the left wrist and the left forearm.

And if you notice your mind wandering with stories or thoughts or distracted by other sensations in different parts of the body,

Just noticing that the mind is wandered and bringing it back gently but firmly to the left forearm.

No need for stories or judgment.

Moving now into the left elbow.

To the upper arm,

Noticing any tension or tightness,

Perhaps pressure from clothing or the movement of air across bare skin.

And now into the left shoulder.

And if you become aware of tension or any other intense sensations in a particular part of the body,

You might try breathing into them,

Using the breath to gently bring awareness right into the sensations and as best you can on the out breath,

Letting go without trying to or needing to change anything in particular.

And moving now from the left shoulder across to the right shoulder,

Down the right arm and into the right fingers.

Noticing any sensations present in the right fingers,

Perhaps pressure from where they are resting,

Perhaps the temperature of the air around them.

And now moving your attention,

Like that flashlight of awareness,

To any sensations present on the back of your right hand.

Moving now to the palm of the right hand and the right wrist.

And moving now to the right forearm,

Allowing and accepting whatever is present in this moment.

Moving now directing your attention to the right elbow and the right upper arm.

Moving now to the right shoulder.

And now bringing your attention to the area between your shoulders and your neck on both sides.

Noticing any sensations in the skin,

Or perhaps tension or relaxation in the muscles between your shoulders and your neck.

Moving your attention now into the neck itself.

Noticing whatever sensations are present on the skin,

Around the neck,

Or perhaps deeper inside.

Now bringing your focus up the back of your head.

See if you can feel the hair on your head.

Directing awareness to the skin of the scalp.

Now directing your awareness and attention to the left ear,

And to the right ear.

Now bringing attention to the jaw,

To the muscles of the jaw,

And the skin over the chin and the jaw.

Noticing any sensations present for you over your lips.

Now directing your awareness to any sensations inside your mouth in this moment.

Bringing your attention to the skin over your cheeks and your nose.

To the area around your eyes.

And to your forehead.

Now after you have scanned the whole body in this way,

Spend a few minutes being aware of the body as a whole,

And of the breath flowing freely in and out of the nose.

Noticing the physical sensations that are present throughout your body,

Or choosing to focus on one or two sensations in particular.

If this is still challenging,

You might choose to focus your attention on the sensations of breathing.

Once again on the sensation of the breath as it moves in through your nose,

Down your windpipe.

Noticing the expansion and contraction of your chest,

Or the rise and fall of your belly.

Noticing when your mind wanders,

And then bringing your attention back to the body or to the breath.

Doing so in a deliberate and mindful manner.

Breathing now very slowly and gently,

While still maintaining an awareness of your body.

When you are ready,

Maybe moving the body a little.

Wiggling the fingers or toes.

Starting to gently stretch.

Using your eyes to open,

And your awareness to expand,

To include the room and anything else around you.

Reviews

Very detailed body scan and relaxing.

Beautiful body scan meditation. Very soothing and peaceful. Thank you so much 🙏❤️

Nice!

I enjoy this for one of my shorter body scan practices. Not many quiet points as she guides attention through the breadth and body most moments. A relaxed practice.

Thank you 🙏🏾, this was very helpful!

Loved it! What a sweet, calming and soothing voice...I truly enjoyed it 😊

Sensations were minimal but I managed to remain in the present moment and found the process relaxing. Thank you.

Excellent body scan thank you

Nicely done Katie

Thank you. This is just the meditation I was looking for to keep myself focused simply on my body.

Very nice body scan.
Thanks.

First time doing a body scan. I really enjoyed this!