Body scan.
Allow yourself to be as comfortable as you can,
Either lying face up or sitting in a very comfortable chair or on a cushion.
Make the intention that for the next 15 or so minutes you'll try not to fidget or move unnecessarily,
Or be too worried about anything other than being here now and bringing your attention to the sensations in your body.
When thoughts,
Emotions,
Sounds or other things pull your attention away from the way your body feels,
Don't struggle with that.
Just let these experiences come and go,
But have them on the edge of your awareness and at physical sensations and the way your body feels.
Be central in your focus.
At first bring attention to your body as a whole,
Sitting or lying there,
And with the out-breath let go of any tension you may feel.
Breathe in,
Breathe out,
Let go of tension.
You can let go of tension in your feet,
Breathing in,
Breathing out,
Letting go.
You can let go of tension in your legs,
Breathing in,
Breathing out,
Let go.
You can let go of tension in your arms and shoulders,
Breathing in,
Breathing out,
Letting go.
You can let go of tension in your chest and your back and your tummy,
Breathing in,
Breathing out,
Let it all go.
You can let go of tension in your face,
Your head.
Make your face go floppy and relax,
Breathing in,
Breathing out,
Relaxing and letting go.
So now bring curious and focused and open-minded awareness to the top of your head,
To the very,
Very top of your head.
Notice the way it feels.
Notice what we call sensations in the top of your head.
That thinking that they should be other than the way they are,
Just notice them with lots of curiosity and interest,
Kind of like what's really happening here.
And then begin to scan with your awareness so that eventually we'll move from the top of the head right down to the tips of the toes.
Right now just scan with your awareness so that awareness falls onto your forehead.
And notice your forehead smooth out.
Let attention and awareness move around your scalp,
To your eyes,
To your jaw,
To your mouth,
Feeling the sensations in your body,
Noticing them.
And it's like as if whatever tension and tightness is there,
Relaxes automatically when you bring awareness to it.
Just like getting a massage from the top of your head downwards,
Let awareness touch the parts of your body and relax them.
It is as if when you bring awareness and attention to the various parts of your body without trying,
Whatever tension was there or whatever tightness was there seems to dissolve and melt away.
Now bring awareness to the physical sensations at the back of your head and the top of your neck.
Bring awareness to your neck and your throat and the top of your chest and the top of your shoulders.
Move awareness around every corner and every curve of your shoulders,
Letting your awareness touch on every sensation.
Bring awareness to your arms,
The inside of your arms and the outside of your arms,
Moving down your biceps,
Moving down your arms to your elbows and your forearms,
Moving down to your wrists and your hands.
Know and be aware of physical sensations with an interested,
Relaxed and calm mind.
Be really curious,
How does this feel?
It may be feeling kind of bubbly or it may be feeling like vibration.
It may feel like it is far,
Far away or it may feel up close.
Just let it be,
Whatever way it feels,
Let it be.
Now bring awareness to the top of your chest and upper back and the whole of your chest.
If there is any pain or discomfort,
Try to be gentle,
Kind and compassionate.
Let any discomfort or aches and pains be soothed and healed with your awareness.
Move your attention down,
Down to your belly and let your belly move with your breath and be aware of that.
Let your breath move freely up and down in your belly and on every out-breath it is as if your whole body becomes deeply relaxed,
Breathing in,
Breathing out,
Relaxing.
Feel the sensations in your belly as you breathe,
Breathing in,
Breathing out,
Relaxing.
Slowly let awareness scan down your legs into your thighs,
Around your buttocks and down into your thighs,
Slowly and progressively,
Like it is touching every part,
Both on the inside and the outside of your skin,
Feeling the sensations.
Let your awareness move down to your knees,
Following every curve and bend and the shape of your knees,
Feeling inside of your knees and the outside of your knees.
Move your awareness down,
Down to the calves of your legs,
Down to the top of your feet,
Your heels,
Your ankles and the very,
Very base of your feet.
Feel the base of your feet,
The soles of your feet and they might feel tingly or buzzy.
Just let them be.
Then bring attention to the whole of your body,
Sitting or lying there very comfortably.
It might feel like it's very relaxed and calming and it's humming with energy and good vibrations.
Let the humming vibrations of your body soothe you.
If they're enjoyable,
Enjoy them.
If you're feeling relaxed and it feels good,
Sit or lie back and enjoy these feelings.
And when your mind wanders off somewhere,
Simply remember to bring it back to the good feelings.
Breathing in,
You can be aware of your whole body.
Breathing out,
You can be aware of your whole body.
Breathing in,
Being aware of the way your body feels.
Breathing out,
You're aware of the way your body feels.
Breathing in,
You're aware.
Breathing out,
You relax and let go.
And it feels very nice.
Enjoy these nice feelings.
In a few moments we'll end this exercise.
If you found it interesting or you found that it relaxed your body or increased your awareness somehow,
Remember what you did.
And remember that you can be aware of your body as you choose a need throughout your daily life.
In this way you can feel peaceful and relaxed.
So as we come to the end of this exercise,
If you choose to move,
You can slowly move your fingers and toes.
Slowly open your eyes and become aware of seeing and mindfully and peacefully go about your daily activities.
