Body Scan MBSR

The body scan is one of the most effective ways to begin a mindfulness meditation practice. The purpose is to tune in to your body — to reconnect to your physical self — and notice any sensations you're feeling without judgment. While many people find the body scan relaxing, relaxation is not the primary goal.

Transcript

Allow your eyes to close gently if you feel comfortable in doing so and begin to bring the arms beside the body with the palms facing up to the ceiling,

The fingertips lightly curled.

Allow the legs to be outstretched,

Ankles uncrossed and neck in a nice straight position.

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

Sensing the support.

There's no need to hold the body right now,

It's being held by the mat or the floor.

Now bring attention to the fact that you are breathing,

Not changing the breath in any way but simply experiencing the air as it comes into and out of the body.

Becoming aware of the belly arising as the air comes into the body and falling as the air moves out of the body,

Not controlling the breath in any way,

Not pushing or pulling.

Rather just becoming aware of the rhythm and the flow of the breath,

Noticing that as the breath flows naturally the abdomen lifts with each in-breath and falls with each out-breath.

Paying attention to the breath moving in and out in this way.

Filling the lungs in with each in-breath and on each out-breath just letting go.

Letting your whole body rest more deeply into your mat.

If you become distracted or lost at any time during this exercise bring yourself back to the breath.

Allow the breath to be the anchor of your attention.

Now on the next out-breath directing your attention from the breath all the way through the body,

Coming to the left foot and directing your attention to the big toe of the left foot.

Begin to notice any sensations here,

Perhaps feeling coolness or warmth.

Any sensation of air,

The touch of a sock,

Perhaps feeling nothing.

Being with whatever is happening at this part of your body and moving attention from the big toe to the other toes of the foot.

Aware of the skin and the nails,

The space between the toes,

Any sensations of temperature,

Tingling,

Pulsing,

Itching.

Now moving to the sole of the left foot.

Feeling the ball,

The arch,

The heel.

Maybe feeling the heel in contact with the mat.

Coming to the top of the left foot,

Aware of the skin,

The muscles and expanding your attention now to include the entire left foot.

To include bones and skin and all the sensations occurring in the left foot.

And breathing in as if you could breathe right into the foot and then breathing out from the foot.

Breathing in,

Bringing in newness and freshness and breathing out,

Releasing any tension,

Any tightness,

Just letting it go.

Coming now to the top of the left ankle,

Aware of the bones,

The tendons,

The skin and breathing into the ankle.

Breathing in and breathing out and moving to the lower left leg,

Possibly feeling the contact of the leg with the mat.

Aware of the skin and the calf muscle,

The shin bone,

Any sensations in that area of the body.

Breathing into the calf,

The lower leg and breathing out.

Slowly moving to the left knee,

Beginning to circle the knee joint with your attention,

Exploring the kneecap,

The cartilage,

The hinge and the underside of the knee.

Again aware of any sensations here,

Any moisture,

Heat,

Coolness.

As we listen deeply to any part of the body we may experience strong sensations.

If we can just be with it exactly as it is,

Trying not to judge but being fully present to each sensation.

And as we move through the body releasing and letting go to the best of our ability.

Coming now towards the left thigh,

Becoming aware of the skin and muscle,

Perhaps feeling the pulsation of circulation here.

There may be a feeling of heaviness or weightiness,

Feeling the contact of the thigh with the surface that you're lying on.

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

And taking a breath in,

Breathing all the way through the left leg,

The thigh,

Knee,

The lower leg,

Foot.

Filling the entire leg and foot with freshness,

Newness.

And as you breathe out,

Releasing any congestion,

Any stress,

Any tiredness.

Bringing attention now to the place where the thigh bone rests in the hip.

And spanning your attention across the hips and all the way down the right leg to the right foot and now to the big toe of the right foot.

Noting any sensations here.

Perhaps there's the sensing of coolness,

Dryness,

Moisture,

Tingling or perhaps nothing at all.

Noticing what is happening in your body right now.

And moving attention now to the other toes of the right foot,

The skin and nails,

The spaces in between the toes,

Including all sensations.

Coming now to the sole of the right foot,

The ball of the foot and the arch of the foot,

The heel.

Aware of the skin of the heel.

Now coming to the top of the right foot,

Including the skin and the bones and expanding the attention to include the entire foot,

The muscles,

The nerves,

The blood vessels,

All sensations.

Breathing into the right foot and breathing out.

Letting the foot go and focus now on the right ankle.

Aware of the bones and the skin,

The tendons,

The feelings of contact the ankle makes with the surface that you're lying on.

Breathing in and breathing out.

Coming now to the lower right leg,

Possibly feeling the pulsation of circulation.

Aware of the calf muscle and the skin,

The shinbone and moving now to the right knee,

Exploring the right knee,

Taking all of your attention and placing it right in this one part of the body.

Noticing sensations on the underside of the knee,

The hinge joint,

The kneecap and the cartilage.

Moving up towards the thigh,

Exploring the muscle and the skin,

Perhaps feeling the pulsation of circulation here.

Aware of the thigh bone and taking a deep breath in,

Breathe into the thigh,

The knee,

The lower leg,

The ankle and the foot.

Filling the entire leg and foot with fresh energy and newness and as you breathe out,

Releasing all congestions and toxins,

Completely letting the right leg and foot release.

Bringing attention now to the hip bones and the entire pelvic bowl,

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

The intestines and the reproductive organs,

The bladder,

The buttocks,

Feeling the contact of the buttocks and the lower back on the surface that you're lying on.

Noticing any sensations here,

Perhaps feelings of weightiness,

Perhaps feelings of lightness.

Moving attention from the lower back up along the spine,

Aware of each vertebra of the spine,

Aware of the intricate nerves protected and encased in the spine as they branch out to all parts of the body,

Aware of the muscles and the skin of the back,

Allowing the muscles to ease and relax,

To release with each breath.

Moving further up along the back to the middle of the back,

Possibly you're aware of the kidneys and then further along the back,

Aware of the rib cage,

Maybe feeling the rib cage expanding with each breath,

Aware of the place where the rib cage attaches to the spine,

The back of the heart,

The back of the lungs,

The shoulder blades.

Drawing attention all the way up to the place where the spine meets the skull,

Breathing in deeply,

Breathing fully into the entire back,

Breathing into the lower back,

The middle back and the upper back,

Breathing newness,

Freshness,

Lightness,

And as you breathe out,

Releasing tiredness,

Tightness and congestion,

Breathing openness and ease into the back.

As you breathe out,

Just allowing the back to rest more deeply into the surface upon which you are lying.

Moving the attention now to the abdominal region,

Aware of the stomach,

Perhaps feeling sensations of digestion,

Possibly aware of the liver,

The pancreas,

Aware of the intestines,

Feeling the movement of the abdomen as it rises and falls with each breath,

Taking a deep breath in,

Allowing the abdomen to really expand on the in-breath as the diaphragm muscles pushes down,

Creating more space for the lungs to hold air,

Noticing how the abdomen rises as the body is filled with fresh oxygen,

And then releasing,

Breathing out,

Noticing the abdomen deflating,

Flattening,

Breathing in new energy to the abdominal region,

To the pelvic region and the hip region,

Breathing in and as you breathe out,

Fully releasing,

Moving your attention to the chest,

Feeling the expansion of the rib cage with each breath,

Feeling the rib cage expand in the front and the sides and the back,

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

Noticing the close work of the heart and the lungs as the lungs draw in fresh oxygen,

The blood takes it to all parts of the body and then returns what's no longer needed to the lungs and the lungs release that all day long,

With each beating of the heart,

With each in-breath and each out-breath,

The body is continually renewed,

Perhaps feeling right now the beating of the heart,

The movement of the lungs.

Bring your awareness to the muscles of the chest,

The breasts,

The skin,

Noticing the skin and the collarbones and breathing into the entire chest,

Allowing the rib cage to expand fully on the front and the sides and the back,

Really drawing in fresh energy,

Filling the lungs,

Bringing new life,

New energy into the body,

Into the chest and releasing any congestion,

Any tightness in the chest region,

Aware of any emotions that may come up in this part of the body.

As we go through the body we may notice different feelings come up and being whatever feelings come up,

Whatever sensations,

Whatever thoughts,

Just noticing,

Breathing into the chest and breathing out completely,

Letting go of that part of the body.

As we draw the attention now down both arms to the fingertips of both hands,

Aware of the sensation of air touching the fingertips,

Possibly feeling moisture or dryness,

Aware of the skin of the fingers,

The fingernails,

The joints,

The knuckles,

The palms of the hands,

The tops of the hands,

Aware of the movement that is capable with the hands,

The work of the hands,

Breathing into the hands and breathing out and moving to the wrists,

Aware of the bones and the skin,

Possibly feeling the pulsation of circulation here as the blood vessels interlace at the wrists,

Moving up to the lower arms,

Aware of the skin and the muscles,

The bones.

Coming now to the elbows and noticing any sensations in the elbows,

The rougher outer skin and the delicate skin on the inside of the elbows or this hinged joint,

Moving further up the arms,

Aware of the skin at the upper arms,

The muscles,

The armpits,

Noticing if you can sense any sensations here,

Perhaps moisture or warmth,

Dryness.

Become aware of the upper arm,

The way the bones come together at the shoulder joint and taking in a breath,

Filling the upper arms,

The elbows,

The lower arms,

The wrists and hands,

Breathing in newness and fresh energy and breathing out any tightness,

Any heaviness,

Just letting it go,

Breathing into the arms,

The wrists and the hands and breathing out.

Bringing attention now to the shoulders,

Aware of the tops of the shoulders and the sides,

The backs of the shoulders,

Noticing the muscles here,

Really exploring any sensations in the shoulders and breathing deeply into the shoulders,

Easing the shoulders,

Releasing any concern that has lodged in this part of the body,

Breathing into the shoulders and breathing out,

Just letting the shoulders go.

Moving our attention now to the throat,

Aware of the ability to swallow and speak,

To draw breath into the lungs and bringing attention now to the neck and the muscles there,

The vertebra connecting to the skull,

The neck holding the head,

Taking a breath into the neck and throat region and breathing out and releasing.

Moving attention now up the back of the head,

Aware of the skull bones,

The scalp,

The tiny muscles of the scalp,

Aware of the follicles of the hair and coming further up the head to the crown of the head,

The top of the head,

The hairline and now the forehead and with your attention,

Smoothing the forehead from one temple across the forehead to the other temple,

Exploring the sensations of the forehead and moving into the entire face,

Beginning to be aware of the eyes resting in the eye sockets,

The eyebrows,

The eyebrow centre,

The eyelids and eyelashes,

Aware of the nose and the bridge of the nose,

The nose bone,

The nostrils,

Taking a breath in through the nose,

Sensing the feeling of air coming in,

Perhaps cool and then leaving,

Perhaps warm,

Possibly feeling the movement of tiny hairs inside of the nostrils,

Aware of the cheeks,

The cheek bones,

The sinuses,

The skin of the cheeks and the many muscles of the face,

Muscles which give expressions to even the subtlest of feelings,

Aware of the ears,

The ability to hear,

The outer ears,

The inner ears,

The process of hearing in this very moment,

Aware of the jaw,

The hinge joint on either side of the face,

The muscles,

The jawbone and the chin,

Coming now to the mouth and to the lips,

The inside of the mouth,

The teeth,

The gums,

The roof of the mouth,

The tongue resting on the floor of the mouth and breathing in to the entire face,

Breathing in freshness and easiness,

Breathing out any tightness,

Any tension,

Just allowing the face to be,

To relax,

To simply be in this moment,

Aware of the brain inside of the head,

Breathing into the entire head,

Breathing in freshness and breathing out tiredness and congestion,

Fatigue and worry.

Bringing attention now to the crown of the head and imagining that the energy can be drawn in from the crown of the head,

Filling the entire body,

Breathing in from the crown of the head,

Breathing into the head,

The neck,

The shoulders,

The arms,

The hands,

Breathing into the torso,

The upper torso and the lower torso,

The legs and the feet and breathing out at the soles of the feet,

Allowing the body to breathe as a whole right now,

Breathing in from the soles of the feet,

Filling the feet and the ankles,

The lower legs,

The knees,

The thighs,

The hip region,

Lower back,

The abdominal region,

The middle back,

The chest region,

The upper back,

Filling the hands and the wrists,

The lower arms,

Elbows and upper arms,

The shoulders,

Neck,

Throat and face and head and breathing out again at the crown of the head,

Breathing in newness and freshness,

Well-being,

Bringing in the ability to be present in this moment,

To be with the body as it is,

To be with the feelings as they are in this very moment,

Breathing in newness,

Life,

Energy,

Breathing out tiredness and any energy that's no longer needed,

Any stuckness,

Anything that's held that's not necessary any longer,

Breathing in at the crown of the head,

Filling the entire body,

Breathing out at the soles of the feet,

Now breathing in at the soles of the feet,

Filling the entire body,

Breathing out at the crown of the head,

Breathing in at the crown of the head,

Filling the entire body,

Breathing out at the soles of the feet,

Now breathing in at the soles of the feet,

Filling the entire body,

Breathing out at the crown of the head.

Taking a few moments in your own time to breathe fully through the entire body.

Allowing fresh energy to wash through the body and on each out breath releasing.

Letting go of what's no longer needed.

Allowing it to be like waves of the ocean coming into the body and releasing out from the body with each in breath and each out breath.

As you breathe in this way being aware of the body as a whole,

As complete,

As beyond its parts.

Allowing yourself to simply exist in the stillness,

The silence,

The wholeness.

And now letting go of any control of the breath,

Allowing yourself to lay here in complete stillness.

Breath flowing freely into and out of the body.

Breath,

Breathing,

Not controlling in any way,

Just allowing the free flow,

The natural cycle of the breath as it moves into,

Through and out of the body.

Becoming aware as you lay here fully experiencing the body and the breath as it moves into and throughout the body.

Becoming aware as you lay here fully experiencing the body and the breath as it moves into and throughout and out of the body.

That this acceptance and stillness is itself healing.

Allowing the universe to be as it is beyond personal fears and concerns,

Beyond a mind that wants things a certain way.

Seeing yourself as complete right now,

Just as you are and looking deeply into the limitlessness of life.

Into the fullness of our capacity to live.

Into the fullness of our capacity to care and to love.

Experiencing being totally awake,

Complete,

Whole.

Right now being a part of the whole as we lay here in stillness.

Awake,

Relaxed and complete.

Slowly beginning to bring the sensations back to the body.

Perhaps beginning to just run the fingers over each of the fingertips and then beginning to wriggle the fingers and the toes.

Starting to move and stretch in a way that feels right to you.

Maybe reaching the hands above the head,

Pointing the fingers and the toes and taking a beautiful morning stretch.

Bringing yourself back to the room where you are right now.

Not rushing,

Not hurrying,

Just moving and stretching as you see fit.

And as you feel ready just opening your eyes and allowing the calm and centeredness to stay with you as you resume all of the activities of your day.

Reviews

Enjoyable combination of body awareness, breathe awareness, and paying attention to wholeness