Mindful Body Scan

This is a mindful body scan recorded for a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. This practice shines the spotlight of awareness on the different parts of the body and allows the opportunity to experience sensations in the present moment.

Transcript

Welcome to the practice of the body scan.

This is an opportunity for you to take some time for yourself.

A time of self-care to be by yourself and with yourself fully.

Before we begin,

Finding a place to practice that is warm and protected.

A place where you feel comfortable and secure.

Choosing a time where you won't be interrupted and making sure to put your phone on do not disturb.

Wearing loose-fitting clothing might help with your comfort,

Especially wearing clothing that isn't restrictive at the waist.

Taking some time to get comfortable.

You may practice the body scan on the floor,

On a rug,

Or a mat,

Or sitting in a chair.

You could also try astronaut pose,

Lying on your back on the floor with your knees bent and your lower legs on the seat of a chair.

Wherever you choose to practice,

Making sure that you are comfortable and allow the mat,

The rug,

Or chair support you completely.

This practice shines the spotlight of attention to physical sensations in different parts of the body.

If at any time sensations become too intense or you are experiencing discomfort,

Feel free to mindfully shift your position.

Or you may stop following my guidance and allow your attention to rest on your anchor point,

Returning to the guidance as you would see fit.

Do your best to treat yourself with kindness.

So now allowing your eyes to gently close if you feel comfortable,

Or lowering your gaze.

If you are feeling particularly sleepy,

It's totally fine to keep your eyes open.

Take a moment to feel the body as a whole right now.

Allowing your arms to be alongside the body if that's comfortable for you.

Maybe taking a deep breath in,

And as you exhale inviting a softening of the muscles of your abdomen,

Your shoulders,

And jaw.

Getting a sense of the entire body as you lie or sit here.

Feeling the support of being held by the floor,

The mat,

The chair,

Or whatever is supporting you right now.

Perhaps noticing different touch points.

The places where your body meets the surface that supports you.

And moving from awareness of the body as a whole,

And finding an anchor for your attention.

A place that you can come back to whenever you need to throughout this body scan.

It might be attention to breath.

Allowing your attention to rest on wherever you feel your breath the most vividly.

Maybe in your nostrils.

Maybe in the rise and fall of the lungs,

Or the expansion and contraction of the belly.

Experiencing the sensations of breathing.

Allowing the breath to flow freely in into and out of the body.

You might choose a different place to anchor your attention.

I recommend choosing a neutral place.

Your hands,

Feet,

Elbows,

Knees,

And exploring the sensations there.

Sound is also a possible anchor.

Allowing the sounds to come into your awareness and then go away.

And if you become distracted or agitated at any time,

You can bring yourself back to this anchor of your attention.

Whatever anchor you have chosen.

I'm just sitting here with the anchor point for another moment.

And then moving attention from this anchor,

Wherever it may be,

All the way down your left leg to the big toe of your left foot.

Noticing any sensations here.

Perhaps the temperature,

Sensations of air,

Maybe the feeling of your sock,

Or perhaps feeling nothing.

Being with whatever is happening in your left big toe.

Letting go of the left big toe and moving awareness to the other toes on your left foot.

Noticing perhaps any sensations of tingling,

Pulsing,

Temperature.

Noticing the spaces between the toes.

Letting go of the left toes and moving attention to the ball of the left foot to explore sensations there.

Moving awareness to the arch of the left foot.

Possibly noticing how the arch curves or doesn't have much curve.

And now moving attention to the heel.

Possibly feeling where the heel is in contact with the mat or the floor.

And then moving next to the top of the left foot.

Aware of the skin and the many bones that make up the left foot.

And now moving from the left foot,

From the top of the left foot to the entire foot.

What sensations are here to know about the entire left foot?

Softness,

Bony parts,

And any sensation or lack of sensation that you notice.

The entire foot.

And now letting go of your awareness of the entire left foot and moving to the left ankle.

Circling your attention around the ankle.

Noticing the bones,

The tendons,

The skin.

Moving from here to the lower left leg.

The bony shin.

The soft muscle on the back of the calf.

And moving up to the left knee.

Circling the knee joint with your attention.

Exploring the kneecap,

Cartilage,

Soft underside,

The bend in the knee.

Becoming aware of sensations here.

And as we listen deeply to different parts of the body,

Sometimes we may experience strong sensations.

See if it's possible to just be with the sensation exactly as it is.

And noticing when judgment arises.

Seeing if it's possible to let that go as we move through the body.

Releasing awareness of the left knee.

And moving to the left thigh.

Perhaps feeling the heaviness or weightiness.

Sensing the contact of the thigh with the surface you are lying or sitting on.

Aware of the top of the thigh bone as it rests in the hip socket.

And now getting a sense of the entire left leg.

From the top of the thigh all the way to the toes.

And any sensations or lack of sensation that might be here for you to know.

The entire left leg.

Shifting your attention now from your entire left leg to your left hip bone.

And from here moving attention across to your right hip bone.

And all the way down to your right big toe.

And noticing any sensations here in your right big toe.

Again perhaps the temperature,

Sensations of air,

Feeling of your sock,

Or perhaps feeling nothing.

Being with whatever is happening in your right big toe.

And letting go of the right big toe.

Moving awareness to the other toes on your right foot.

Noticing perhaps any sensations of tingling,

Pulsing,

Temperature.

Circling awareness through the spaces between the toes.

Noticing perhaps where they touch each other.

And letting go of the right toes.

And moving attention to the ball of the right foot.

Moving awareness to the arch.

Possibly noticing the curve of the right arch.

And then leaving the arch and exploring the right heel.

Feeling where this heel is in contact with the mat or the floor.

And from here moving next to the top of the right foot.

Aware of the many bones that make up that foot.

And from the top of the right foot moving to the entire right foot.

What sensations are here?

Softness,

Boniness,

Any sensation or lack of sensation that is here in this moment.

And letting go of your awareness of the entire right foot and moving to the right ankle.

Noticing the bones,

The tendons,

The skin.

What does the ankle feel like?

And shifting now to the lower right leg.

The shin bones,

The soft muscle on the back of the calf.

And moving again to the right knee.

Circling the knee joint with your attention.

Exploring the bony kneecap and the soft bend of the knee.

Becoming aware of sensations here.

Releasing awareness of the right knee and moving to the right thigh.

Perhaps feeling the heaviness or weightiness.

Sensing the contact of the thigh with the surface you are lying or sitting on.

Aware of the thigh bone as it rests in the hip socket.

And now getting a sense of the entire right leg.

From the top of the thigh all the way down to the toes.

And any sensations or lack of sensations that might be here to know.

And once more releasing attention of the entire right leg to the hip bones and the entire pelvic bowl.

Possibly aware of the organs held in this part of the body.

The bladder,

Reproductive organs,

Intestines.

And moving the spotlight of attention around to the back of the body.

To the buttocks.

Feeling the contact of the buttocks on the surface you were sitting or lying on.

Noting perhaps feeling of groundedness,

Pressure,

Or boniness.

Getting a sense of the sacrum.

And at any time if you are noticing that your mind has drifted that's totally okay.

Simply bring your attention back to the body.

Back to my guidance or back to your anchor point.

And letting go of awareness of the buttocks,

Your pelvic region.

And moving awareness to the lower back.

Maybe getting a sense of the curve of the lower spine.

Or noticing if there are any sensations of achiness.

Or maybe sensations of ease here.

Moving from the low back around to the front of the body.

To the abdominal region.

Aware of the stomach.

Perhaps feeling sensations of digestion.

Getting a sense of the different organs that are in this part of the body.

Liver,

Pancreas.

Aware of the intestines.

Perhaps sensing the movement of the belly as it rises and falls with each breath.

And as the abdomen expands with every inhale.

Maybe you can sense the diaphragm muscle as it pushes down making more space for the lungs to fill with air.

Also knowing that it's completely fine if no sensations in the inner belly are present.

It's just something to notice.

Something to bring curiosity to.

Can say to yourself,

Ah,

Not sensing.

And releasing attention of the belly region and moving up to the chest.

Feeling the expansion of the ribcage with each inhalation.

Aware of the heart cradled between the two lobes of the lungs.

Getting a sense of the lungs and heart working together.

As the lungs draw in fresh oxygen,

The blood takes it throughout the body and returns what's no longer needed back to the lungs.

And the lungs releasing that.

Every day,

All day long,

The body is constantly being renewed.

Perhaps feeling the heart beating right now and the movement of the lungs.

Aware of the chest muscles,

The breasts,

Collarbones.

And circling to the middle part of the back.

Maybe feeling the ribcage as you inhale and exhale in your back.

If you are lying down,

Maybe sensing pressure against the mat,

The floor.

Or if you're sitting against the chair,

Getting a sense of the length of the spine.

And moving upwards to both of the shoulder blades.

Maybe feeling where they press into the floor or the seat.

Aware of any boniness,

Discomfort,

Ease.

And from the upper back,

Moving to both of the shoulders.

And all the way down,

Moving your attention down the arms into the both of the fingers on both of the hands.

Including the thumbs.

Perhaps noticing the temperature of your fingers,

Both your left and right hands.

Maybe any tingling.

Noticing the way the fingers are bent.

Noticing the joints,

Knuckles,

Fingernails.

And releasing awareness of the fingers now.

And moving to the palms.

Possibly noticing moisture or dryness here.

Moving from the palms to the back of the palms,

The back of your hands.

What do you notice here?

And leaving the hands and moving to the wrists.

Circling attention around both wrists.

Noticing bones,

Skin.

Maybe getting a sense of circulation here.

From the wrist,

Shifting attention to the lower arms.

Aware of muscles,

Bones,

Skin,

Or any other sensations that might be present here.

And now moving to the elbows.

The soft inner elbow.

And the bony outer elbow.

Moving up yet again to the upper arms.

Maybe sensing a connection to the way the bones connect with the shoulders.

Noticing any muscles or sensations that are present here in the upper arms.

And then from here,

Broadening your spotlight of awareness to both of the arms in their entirety.

From the shoulders all the way down to the fingertips.

Noticing sensations here of the arms in their entirety.

And now bringing awareness to your shoulders.

Noticing possibly any tightness here.

Noticing the width of the shoulders,

The tops of the shoulders,

The sides,

The front and back.

And from the shoulders,

Moving attention to the neck,

The throat.

Aware of the ability to speak that the throat allows us.

To swallow and to draw breath into the lungs through the throat.

Moving attention to the back of the neck.

Noticing perhaps the way it curves,

Where the vertebrae connect to the skull.

If you are sitting,

Perhaps noticing how the neck holds the head.

Getting a sense.

And then moving attention to the back of the head.

If you are lying down,

Aware of where the head meets the surface you are lying on.

Aware of the scalp.

Maybe the tiny muscles of the scalp,

The hair,

The hair follicles.

Maybe even lack of hair.

Continuing to shift awareness to the crown of the head.

And from here,

Shifting attention once again to the face.

Starting with the forehead.

Getting a sense of the width and height of the forehead from one temple to the other.

And noticing if there is any tension here.

There's nothing to change about it unless you would like to invite a little softening here.

Sensing your eyebrows,

Your eyes,

Eyelids,

Eyelashes,

The eyeballs resting in their sockets.

Moving to the nose.

The bridge of the nose,

The cartilage,

Nostrils.

And maybe feeling the air coming in and out of the nose.

Possibly getting a sense of the difference in the temperature of the in-breath and the out-breath.

Maybe feeling the movement of the tiny hairs inside the nostrils.

Aware of the cheeks,

The cheekbones,

The muscles of the face which allow even the subtlest feelings to show through expression.

Aware of the jaw,

The hinged joint on both sides of the face.

Notice any tightness or softness here.

The ears,

Outer ears,

The inner ears.

The ability to hear at this moment.

Aware of the mouth,

The lips,

Inside the mouth,

The roof of the mouth,

The teeth,

The gums,

The tongue.

Noticing the tongue's placement within the mouth.

Noticing the sensations in your mouth.

Dampness,

Dryness.

And from here expanding your attention to include your entire face.

Not the picture of your face that you have in your mind,

But the feelings and sensations and the area that we call the face.

What is here for you?

And aware of the brain inside the head.

Expanding awareness to include sensations of the entire head including the face.

Expanding the spotlight of attention now to the entire body lying or sitting here.

From the top of the head to the very tips of the toes.

Being present to the totality of the experience of lying or sitting here in this moment.

Getting a sense of yourself lying here in wholeness.

Feeling yourself held by the surface you are lying or sitting on.

Sense of gravity.

Possibly feeling the breath and bringing your attention back to your anchor point.

Whether it's the breath,

Body part,

Sound.

And in the last moments of the body scan,

Congratulating yourself for taking the time and energy to nourish yourself in this way.

And knowing that you can carry this awareness of the body's deep wisdom beyond this practice session and into each moment of the day wherever you may find yourself.

Reviews

Amazing, thank you!