Begin by finding a comfortable position.
I recommend lying down on your back,
But do whatever's comfortable for you.
So just settling in,
Getting comfortable,
Softening the gaze,
Or gently closing your eyes,
Whatever feels best for you.
Just settling into this position,
Allowing your body to find its natural alignment,
Just noticing the points of contact where your body touches the surface beneath you.
Feel yourself being supported by the surface beneath you,
That feeling of being held,
Grounding you in this moment,
Taking a few deep breaths as we begin this practice,
Inhaling through the nose,
And exhaling and releasing,
Letting go,
Just noticing the sensations of breathing,
Noticing the rise and fall of the chest,
The rhythm of the breath.
Now we'll gently scan our bodies from head to toe for this relaxing and refreshing practice,
And I'll guide you through this.
So while we're doing this body scan,
If you encounter any pain or tension or emotional discomfort,
Just do your best to bring kind and loving attention to that part of the body,
And just soften it with each breath.
So starting with the head and the forehead,
Releasing any tension in the forehead and the eyes,
Relaxing all the little muscles around the eyes,
Softening through the cheeks,
Loosening through the jaw,
Moving your awareness down into the neck and the throat,
Releasing any tension,
Just feeling a sense of comfort spreading through these areas,
Just spreading that kind and loving attention as we move down the body,
Down into the shoulders,
Releasing,
Letting go,
And into the chest,
Inviting the chest to soften and relax,
Letting the belly be loose and soft,
Bringing your attention to your arms,
Moving from the upper arms down to the fingertips,
Letting any tension melt out of the fingertips,
Releasing,
Letting go.
And if you'd like some extra comfort today,
Try placing your hand or both hands on your heart if you're able,
And feel the reassuring touch of the hands on the heart,
Bringing your awareness to the back,
Loosening,
Releasing,
Letting go,
And the pelvis,
Just noticing the sensations,
Traveling down to the legs,
Moving through the thighs and the knees,
The ankles and the feet,
Letting any tension just melt out of the bottom of the feet,
Releasing,
Letting go.
Great job here.
Now notice the body as a whole,
Appreciate the strength and resilience of your body,
Acknowledging all that it does for you each day,
Thanking your body for all it does to keep you alive and well.
And if you encounter any resistance towards being kind to your body,
Maybe say,
May I be willing to love and accept my body just as it is.
May I be willing to love and accept my body just as it is.
May I start to bring kindness and compassion to this body.
May I start to bring kindness and compassion to this body.
And just notice how that feels,
Inviting that kindness into your being.
Holding your whole self with a sense of appreciation and love,
Honoring your body just as it is in this moment,
Whether it's healthy or tired or sick,
Just being kind to your body or being just as it is.
Thank you,
Body.
Thank you,
Heart.
Thank you,
Mind.
And then thanking yourself for honoring your wellbeing with this gentle body skin today.
You can bring a gentle smile to your face.
You can wiggle your fingers and toes if you're able,
And then you can slowly open your eyes.
As you transition back into your day,
Carry with you this attitude of self-kindness and know that you can return to this practice whenever you need to nourish yourself and cultivate a sense of inner wellbeing.
Thank you for being here with me today.
