Today,
I invite you to join me in a relaxing body scan meditation.
To start with,
Find a comfortable position,
Either sitting or laying.
If you're sitting,
Sitting upright,
Erect,
But relaxed.
And if you're laying,
Laying with your arms by your sides,
Palms up or down.
You might like to put something under your head or your knees.
Just simply finding firstly the most comfortable position you can.
And then,
Take a few long slow breaths.
Closing your eyes and simply noticing the space in front of your closed eyes.
Simply noticing whatever movement or colour is there.
Just noticing.
Take another.
Just another.
Few long slow breaths.
And noticing on the out breath how your body just naturally relaxes.
You might feel your muscles soften a little.
Just simply noticing that whole body relaxation feeling when you breathe out.
No need to force the breath.
Just simply allow your natural breath.
Just noticing on the out breath how all your muscles just naturally soften a little and relax.
You might notice some sounds around you.
That's okay.
Just relax.
Just simply listening without any commentary or judgement.
Allowing the sounds to wash around you.
The same you might notice thoughts.
Simply let those thoughts come and go.
Just allowing yourself to notice them and then let them go.
The thoughts will continue to just come and go.
Bring your attention back to your breath.
To the screen of darkness in front of your eyes.
The sounds around you.
And now take your awareness to your head,
The top of your head.
Notice any sensations in your head.
Top of your head.
Back of your ears.
Simply notice any muscular skin sensations.
And then think to yourself that those muscles relax.
Let any tension fall away.
And then just noticing that relaxation feel on the out breath.
Now bring your awareness to your face.
Feeling it across your forehead.
And your eyebrows.
Feel it smooth out softly relaxing.
Feel your eyelids smooth and soft.
Your eyes gently closed.
Feel a wave of relaxation moving down through your face.
Your forehead.
Your eyes.
Your cheeks.
Your mouth.
Your jaw.
You might like to let your jaw just drop a little.
Softly.
Gently.
Now feel down your neck.
The base of your neck.
Again just noticing on the out breath that everything just relaxes and softens a little.
Take your attention to your shoulders.
Just consciously drop them a little.
Feel those muscles loosening,
Relaxing.
Again take another few long slow breaths.
And accompanying each out breath.
Consciously relaxing those muscles in your shoulders.
Now feel into your upper arms.
Now feel into your upper arms.
And imagine the muscles in your arms,
Your upper arms,
Your elbows relaxing.
Encouraging your body to release the tension.
By relaxing these muscles let them go.
Let them relax.
Feel them drop a little.
Softly.
Loosely.
Relaxing.
And into your forearms and wrists.
Feel them soften.
Relax.
Into your hands and your fingers.
Take another few slow breaths.
And on the out breath feel your whole body relax.
Feel that wave of relaxation moving down through your head,
Your face,
Your neck,
Your shoulders,
Your arms,
Your shoulders.
Now feel into your chest,
Your ribs.
Notice the movement with each breath.
Gently relaxing on the in breath.
Gently falling back in on the out breath.
And simply taking a moment to follow each breath.
Following that movement.
That natural movement in the body with each breath.
Noticing the movement in the body with each breath.
Be aware of the space before your eyes.
Noticing any sounds around you.
Let them wash around you.
And also just letting those thoughts come and go.
If you find yourself thinking about a thought just simply bring your attention back to your breath.
Feeling of the breath as your chest moves up and down.
The sound of your breath as it moves up into your nose.
The fullness of the breath as you breathe in.
The warmth of the breath as you breathe out.
Feeling all the muscles in your upper body relaxing and releasing.
Again just dropping your shoulders a little.
And bring your attention to your belly.
And again just simply noticing that with each breath your belly just gently expands on the in breath.
And gently falls back in on the out breath.
And just noticing the natural flow of each breath.
No need to force a breath.
Just allowing the body to take up whatever breath rhythm feels comfortable for you in this moment.
Just noticing each breath.
And that feeling of relaxation on the out breath.
And move your awareness down through your pelvis,
Buttocks,
Thighs.
And feel all those muscles relaxing,
Softening.
Feeling at ease.
Consciously allowing those muscles to relax and let go.
Just simply letting go.
And then feeling to your knees,
Your calves and ankles.
And allow those muscles to relax completely.
Feel your legs and feet against the floor.
That gentle pressure.
Bring your awareness again to your breath.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
Feeling that whole wave of relaxation move from the top of your head down through your head,
Your face,
Your neck,
Your shoulders,
Your back,
Your chest,
Your stomach,
Your buttocks,
Your thighs.
Your knees,
Calves,
Your toes.
Your whole body feeling relaxed.
The rhythm of your breath easy,
Flowing,
Soft,
Relaxed,
Calming.
Just noticing for a moment.
And just feeling your breath.
And just feeling for a moment.
This whole body relaxation.
And so now as we come towards the end of this meditation,
You might like to move your body a little.
Have a stretch.
And when you're ready,
Simply open your eyes.
