Body Scan with Gratitude

This body scan allows you to become more aware of the feelings and sensations in your body, while also encouraging increased gratitude for your body.

Transcript

Bell sound Today we're going to do a body scan with gratitude.

Start by taking a few moments to just connect with your breath.

Notice the coolness of the air as you inhale.

And the warmth of it as you exhale.

Perhaps notice the rhythm of your breath today.

The rate at which your body rises and falls with every inhale and exhale.

Or take a moment to notice where your breath is stopping today.

In your chest,

Maybe in your throat.

Or is it getting all the way down into your belly?

Without controlling the breath,

Just take a few moments to just notice it.

I recommend that you do this meditation while seated in a chair.

Feet flat on the floor and in a regular seven-point posture.

Start by focusing on your left big toe.

Without wiggling it,

Tensing it.

Just notice your left big toe.

Any sensation or feeling of it just being there,

Part of your body.

Then expand your awareness a bit.

Just notice the feeling of all of your toes on your left foot.

And the sole of your left foot.

Focus on the arch of your left foot.

Take in near awareness all of your left foot.

Then focus on your right big toe.

Again,

Focus on your right big toe.

Then focus on your right big toe.

Again,

Don't wiggle it or add any tension.

Just notice the fact that it's there.

Put all your awareness in your right big toe.

Then focus on all of the toes on your right foot.

Then the sole of your right foot.

The arch of your right foot.

Hold in your awareness all of your right foot.

And then become aware of both of your feet.

And take a moment to just consider all the work that your feet do day in and day out.

All the various muscles and the work that they must do to help you walk.

Or even stand.

To keep your balance.

To hold you up.

How much weight your feet bear every day.

And send them some gratitude,

A little thanks for all their work.

Now start to focus on your left lower leg.

The shin.

And wrap your attention around to the calf.

Making sure that you notice the sensation of your left lower leg.

All the way from just below the knee down to your ankle.

And then notice your right lower leg.

Again,

Starting with the shin.

And wrapping your awareness around the calf.

And then holding in your attention the whole right lower leg.

From just below the right knee all the way to the ankle.

Then move your attention to your left knee.

Start with the kneecap.

The left side of the left knee.

And then the right knee.

The left side of the left knee.

Then the right side of the left knee.

Then focus on the right knee.

The right kneecap.

The left side of the right knee.

The right side of the right knee.

The right side of the right knee.

Now shift your awareness to your left thigh.

I'm starting with the top of your thigh,

The inside of the thigh,

The outside of the thigh,

And the back of your left thigh before shifting your attention to your right thigh.

Perhaps starting with the top of the right thigh,

The inside of the right thigh,

The inside of the right thigh,

The outside of the right thigh,

Then the back of your right thigh.

Take a moment to actually hold in your awareness both of your legs,

Thigh to knee to lower leg to feet.

Try to just hold your attention on the presence of both of your legs.

Take a moment to consider all the work they do to help you move throughout your day,

To help you run,

Walk,

Sit,

To help you stand.

Consider all the work that your legs do every single day and send them a little gratitude.

Be grateful for your legs and send them thanks.

Send them thanks.

Next,

Focus your attention on your left glute,

Then your right glute,

And shift your attention forward and see if you can notice your pelvis.

See if you can feel its presence in your body.

Move up the front of your body to your stomach and belly.

Try and feel the left side of your lower torso,

The right side of your lower torso.

Move your attention around to your back,

Starting with your lower back,

Traveling up your spine to your mid back and then to the top of your back,

Shifting your attention from the left side of your back,

That left shoulder blade,

To the right side of your back,

Back of that right shoulder blade.

And take into your awareness the entirety of your back.

See if you can really feel it.

Notice its presence there.

Again,

Consider all the work that your back does for you every day,

Helping you to sit up straight,

Helping you to bend over.

It is the structure that holds up most of your torso,

Helping you carry things on it,

Like a backpack or a purse.

From your glutes all the way up to the top of your back,

Just consider all the work that's done with that part of your body every day.

Send it a little thanks.

Grateful for your back.

Come back around to your lower torso,

Back to your belly.

Take a moment to consider all the work that you've done for your back.

To your lower torso,

Back to your belly.

Take a moment to consider all the organs that's in this part of your body,

Your stomach,

Intestines,

Your entire digestive system,

Liver,

Kidneys.

Take a moment to just thank them.

Thank all the organs in your belly for all the work they do for you daily to keep you healthy.

So you can eat the foods that you love.

Send it a little thanks and gratitude for all the work that those organs do every day.

Move your attention up to the top of your body.

Move your attention up to your chest.

You can start at the left side of the chest,

Close to the left shoulder,

And move across to the right side of your chest,

Toward the right shoulder.

Consider the organs that exist here.

Consider the organs that exist here.

Your lungs,

Your heart,

Some of the most vital organs in your body existing here.

Send them thanks.

Thanks for your breath,

For each heartbeat.

Send yourself your lungs,

Your heart,

Your chest,

And gratitude.

Now shift your attention to your left arm.

Start with the left shoulder,

Keep your weight down to the left bicep,

Left tricep,

Your left elbow,

To your left forearm,

All the way to your wrists.

Take a moment to notice that you're not just moving your body,

Take a moment to notice your left hand,

Feeling the palm of the hand,

Top of the hand,

Your fingers from base to tip.

And shift your attention to your right arm,

Starting with your right shoulder,

Moving down your right bicep,

Trying to feel the right tricep,

Your right elbow,

Down to your right forearm,

Your right elbow,

Down to your right forearm,

Your right wrist,

Focusing on your right hand,

The palm of the hand,

The back of the hand,

And your right fingers from base to tip.

And take a moment to hold in your awareness both of your arms and hands,

From shoulder to fingertip,

See if you can hold your attention in the presence of your arms.

Take a moment to consider all the work that they do for you every day.

The work that you're able to do with them,

Whether you're exercising,

Building something new,

Or sitting at a desk.

Consider all that your arms and hands allow you to do every day,

And send a little thanks to your arms and hands.

Next move your attention to the front of your neck,

The back of your neck,

See if you can hold in your awareness the whole of your neck.

Send your neck some thanks for the support it gives your head each day,

For the work it does to help you swallow,

To help move air down into your torso.

Send some thanks to your neck,

To help move air down into your torso,

Send some thanks to your neck.

Move your attention up to your jaw,

Noticing your mouth,

And your left cheek,

Your right cheek.

See if you can notice the sensation of your nose,

Its presence on your body,

From the base all the way to the tip of the nose.

Try to focus on your left eye,

And your right eye,

And your forehead.

Take a moment to consider all that your face does for you every day,

All that your face does for you every day,

It allows you to express,

Whether it's talking with your mouth,

Or showing expression through your features,

Or that your nose allows you to breathe,

Your eyes allow you to see,

You have all the sensation that comes from your face,

And send a thanks.

Move your attention up to your head,

From your forehead to the top of your head,

Sides of your head,

And the back of your head and skull.

Take a moment to send thanks to your brain for all it allows you to do,

The life that it gives,

For all the processing it does every day,

Whether automatic or not,

To give your skull protecting it,

And give thanks to your brain and to your skull and your head.

Take a moment to just hold in your awareness all of your body,

From toes to legs to torso to arms to fingertips,

To shoulders to neck to your head,

And give your body thanks for all that it allows you to do every day.

So we finished the meditation,

Ask yourself the question,

What do I now know?

What have I learned from this experience?

What do I know about this experience?

What do I know about this experience?

What do I know about this experience?

What do I know about this experience?

You can continue to think of the answer to this question as you hear the chime of the meditation bells,

And at the end of the third bell you can open your eyes and come back to the room.

Reviews

Bringing gratitude to the body scan meditation is a powerful practice and Joelle provides a thoughtful and loving experience to thank our bodies for the incredible service they provide for us.

Thanks Joelle, it was amazing , although I did it lying down, I still Loved it. Thanks and Mandate 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

Quite refreshing.

Thank you 🌞

I feel calm and at peace with myself thank you for a great meditation. I will come back to this one again and again 🙏🏻❤️🙏🏻

Very Grateful for my Body and this meditation🙏Namaste

Thank you very much for your good meditation Joelle 🙏🌈Comfortable and strong in every way 🙂

Nice and simple. Thank you!

Graciasgraciasgracias

Thank you for showing me to find time to show total gratitude to my body
Namaste

Thanks feel at peace ☺

A most beautiful way to begin your day. A tearful reminder just how grateful I am for my fully working body and it's love, support, and daily functioning.

Thank you for this! Wherever you are, wishing you the very best ❤️

Very detailed and rich in mindful focus. If you're new to meditation you may also find this level of detail helpful; longtime meditators, such as myself, can rejuvenate their body scan practice using these guided images.

Great scan. Namaste🙏

As far as body scans go, this has to be one of my absolute favourites. Pauses could be a tad longer but I love the detail. 🌿

Lovely meditation

Thank you for the great reminder of how much our body means to us.

A tiny bit fast-paced but still great

Very nice and calm voice!