Hello and welcome.
We'll slowly bring awareness to each part of our body,
Cultivating a mind-body connection for a sense of calm and relaxation.
The steps of this body scan meditation are designed to be done while sitting,
But it can be adapted to any position that feels most comfortable for you.
Go ahead to settle in by sitting with a tall spine,
Resting your hands wherever they fall naturally.
Relax your shoulders by rolling them back and down,
And make any subtle adjustments to settle in comfortably.
Gently close your eyes or soften your gaze and begin to bring awareness to your breath and its natural rhythm,
Noticing what it feels like to breathe in,
Noticing what it feels like to breathe out.
And if at any time you feel your mind wandering,
Just bring your focus back to your breath.
You can think of it as your anchor,
Your home base,
And from here you can always begin again.
As you settle into your breath,
Begin to bring awareness to your body.
Notice the sensations in your feet touching the ground,
The weight,
The pressure.
Notice the sensations of your toes and the soles of your feet.
Slowly bring your attention up towards your legs.
Notice any heaviness,
Lightness,
And notice the sensations in the front,
Back,
And sides of your legs.
Bring your awareness now to your bottom and the sits bone,
Supporting you as you sit.
Notice the sensations in your back,
Any tension.
Imagine your next breath flowing through your body to your back and release.
Bring your awareness now to your stomach and notice its rise and fall with each breath.
Notice your chest,
The front,
The back,
And sides of your chest.
Feel the expansion of your chest as you inhale and its contraction when you exhale.
You may even notice the rhythm of your heartbeat that gives you life.
Shift your attention now to your hands resting where they are.
Notice the sensations in your fingers,
Your palms.
Gradually move your attention up your arms and notice any sensations in the front,
The back,
And the sides.
Bring awareness to your shoulders,
Any tension.
Breathe into it and release.
Notice your neck,
The front,
The back,
And sides,
Your throat.
Let it soften.
Relax your jaw,
Your eyelids,
Your forehead.
Soften.
Bring awareness now to your whole body in the present moment,
From the top of your head to the tips of your toes.
The Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh said,
Breathing in,
There is only the present moment.
Breathing out,
It is a wonderful moment.
Take a deep breath in and a deep breath out and notice how you feel.
Thank you for practicing this body scan meditation with me.
