Body Scan - 30 minutes

This Body Scan Meditation will enhance your concentration and ability to focus. Different from Yoga Nidra, this practice is not intended to specifically invoke a state of relaxation, but simply to cultivate a greater awareness of your body.

Transcript

Welcome.

This body scan meditation is best practiced lying down.

Make sure that you're comfortable.

If you're lying on your bed or on the couch there is a risk that you fall asleep,

Which of course is fine but it's not the intention of this meditation.

Other than yoga nidra,

The intention of the body scan meditation is to find clarity and focus and not to specifically invoke a state or a specific feeling.

So the body scan meditation is not necessarily intended to relax your body,

To fall asleep,

To alter the way you're feeling but really as an tool to be aware of what is there and more specifically what is there in your body.

And so before we begin let's take a moment to pause and dedicate our practice.

Let's dedicate our practice to the benefit of all living beings on the planet.

And as you're lying down take a moment to notice the surface you're lying on.

Notice if the surface is hard or soft.

Notice if you feel supported.

Notice which parts of your body are touching the surface you're lying on.

Notice that there are parts of your legs that are touching the floor if that's what you're lying on and other parts are not.

Notice that parts of your spine are probably touching the floor and that most likely the arch in your lower back is leaving a little space.

Notice the space between the floor and back of your neck and then perhaps a gentle pressure against the back of your head as it resting on the floor.

Take a nice deep breath in and a gentle sigh out through your mouth.

And bring your awareness to your right foot.

See if you can specifically notice the right big toe.

So there's nothing you need to do with your right big toe right now but can you just see if you can feel it if you are aware of it.

And then notice the second toe,

The third toe,

And the fourth toe,

And the little toe.

Notice if you can feel the spots where your toes are touching one another and if you can sense the space between your toes as well.

Draw your attention to the arch of your right foot and around the inner ankle.

And bring your awareness around to the outer right ankle.

And then notice the sole of your right foot.

And then become aware of your whole right foot.

It's the entirety of the toes,

Sole,

The top of the foot,

Ankle,

Heel.

Notice if there's anything in particular that you are aware of.

Perhaps it's simply the thought about your foot that you are aware of.

And then bring your awareness to your left foot and just for a moment notice if there's any difference between your right and your left foot in the way they feel.

And then specifically bring your attention to the left big toe from your left big toe to the left second toe,

The third toe,

And the fourth toe,

Your little toe.

And notice if it's possible to feel each toe individually or if you actually notice them more as a whole.

Can you sense the space between your toes or more the places where they touch?

And bring your attention to the arch of your left foot and around the left inner ankle and to the other side to the left outer ankle.

And notice the sole of your left foot the top of your left foot.

And then notice the left foot in its entirety and just the fullness of your left foot.

And then also bring into your awareness your right foot again and see if you can feel both feet at the same time.

And then bring your awareness to your right calf,

The right shin,

And the right shin.

Bring your attention to the top of your right knee and around the knee to the back of the knee.

It's not as if there are any particular sensations that you are aware of in your right knee.

And then draw your attention up to the back of your right thigh,

Hamstring,

And then to the front of your right thigh,

The front of your right hip.

And notice if you are aware of any pulsation,

Your blood flow,

Or any other sensation.

So notice the back of your left leg,

Your left calf,

Your left shin.

Bring your attention to the top of your left knee.

And circle your awareness a few times around the left kneecap and then to the back of the knee.

And from the back of your knee up to the back of your left thigh,

So you can feel that spot where your thigh meets your buttock.

And then to the top of your left thigh.

And again,

Notice if you are aware there of any specific sensation.

And maybe you could even feel your heart beating there.

And notice the front of the left hip,

Your left hip bone.

And then from the left hip to the center there to your pubic bone,

Lower pelvis,

Into the right hip,

Right hip bone.

And notice the back of your right hip,

Back of the pelvis,

The lower back area,

Both on the right and the left side,

As well as your buttocks that are pressing onto the surface you're lying on.

And just take a few moments here to notice what you are aware of in this area of the lower back and your buttocks,

Hips.

So bring your attention to your belly.

And notice if you can feel sensations on the inside of the belly and also more onto the surface,

Maybe sensation of movement,

The belly up and down as you breathe.

And so notice if you can feel the expansion of your belly as you inhale,

And then the softening of your belly as you exhale.

Or perhaps you don't really feel that but it's more of a mental concept.

And so either way just notice what you are aware of between your belly and your breath.

And take a nice deep breath in,

And breathe out through your mouth,

Sighing it out.

Bring your attention to your chest area.

Notice any sensations there.

You may again even notice the movement there in your chest as you breathe.

And notice your right clavicle,

And how the right clavicle attaches into the shoulder joint,

And makes the right upper arm bone.

And so notice from the right shoulder,

The right upper arm,

And your right elbow,

Back over your elbow and the inside of your elbow.

Notice your right forearm.

Now bring your awareness to the inside of your right wrist,

And notice if it's possible to feel your heart beating there.

Do you feel any pulsation?

And notice the palm of your right hand,

And how the palm extends into your fingers,

Your right thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

And little finger.

And see if it's possible to feel the spot where each finger meets your hand.

See if you can feel this space between your fingers,

And notice the back of your hand.

Can you feel your right hand in its entirety,

Palm the back,

All five fingers,

And bring your attention to your left clavicle,

And how the clavicle runs into your left shoulder,

Shoulder joint there,

And the left upper arm bone,

Now that moves into the left elbow,

The pointy side of the elbow,

And the inside softer spot,

And that is your left forearm,

And as you bring your attention to your left wrist also here,

Notice if you can feel any pulsation of the circulation of your blood,

And notice the palm of your left hand,

And how the palm connects to each finger,

Your left thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

Lower finger,

And notice this space between your fingers,

And the back of your hand,

And then your left hand as a whole,

Bring your attention to your throat,

Notice if there are any particular sensations there,

And move your attention up into your lower jaw,

Your lower lip,

And notice if your lower lip touches your upper lip,

Or if they're separated,

And notice that little spot just above your upper lip underneath your nose,

And even notice the tip of your nose,

And that is your right cheek,

And the circumference of your right eye,

See if it's possible to get a sense of how your eye is sitting in the eye socket in your skull,

And notice your left cheek,

And the skin around your left eye,

And maybe you can even sense that your eye is constantly moving even if it's just a tiny bit,

And notice the crown of your head,

Notice your left ear,

And both the inside and the outer part of your ear,

And notice your right ear,

Both the outside and the inside,

And notice the back of your head and how it's touching the surface you're lying on,

And then draw your attention down the back of your neck to your shoulder blades,

And from your shoulder blades bring your attention back to the front of your body,

Noticing your breath,

See if you can sense the undulation of your belly and or chest as you breathe in and out,

So and as you take a really deep breath in imagine you're filling your body from the tips of your toes through your legs up your torso your arms all the way up to your head as you inhale as you exhale flush your body empty,

And just take two more nice deep breaths like this filling your breath and the body with breath as you exhale completely release,

And as you become aware of your body and it's entirely slowly begin to move your toes and your fingers maybe you'd like to stretch your arms overhead and give yourself a nice full body stretch and then pause for a moment to notice the effects of this practice,

And may we dedicate all our actions our meditation practice and our inspiration to the realization of the true nature of awareness which leads all sentient beings to awakening may all beings everywhere experience complete freedom,

And when you're ready you can slowly open your eyes,

Namaste.

Reviews

Nice body scan meditation

Marijes voice has a special meaning to me. It was such a nice journey through every part of my body, my wonderful home on this planet. Thank you for the dedication if the practice to all beings. Love that!

Well guided. Thank you.