Body Scan To Raise Awareness

This body scan provides an opportunity to practice curious, non-judgmental awareness of the way things are in each moment, without having to change them. There is no goal to be achieved other than bringing awareness to observations and sensations.

Transcript

Begin by making yourself comfortable either seated in a chair or lying down allowing your back to be straight but not stiff or rigid placing your feet on the ground and allowing your hands to either rest gently in your lap or by your side if you're comfortable then closing your eyes or dropping your gaze downward taking several long slow deep breaths breathing in fully and exhaling slowly breathing in through your nose pausing and slowly exhaling either through your mouth or your nose feeling your stomach expand as you inhale and relaxing it as you exhale beginning to let go of noises and sounds around you shifting your attention from the outside to inside yourself if you become distracted by sounds in the room or sounds in this recording simply notice this and bring your focus back to your breathing now slowly bringing your attention down to your feet using your breath imagining that you're sending your breath down to your feet and as it travels down through your nose lungs abdomen all the way down to your feet then beginning to let go of your breath down through your nose lungs abdomen all the way down to your feet then beginning to notice any sensations in the feet or toes it might help to wiggle your toes a little feeling gravity pressing down your feet to the ground the floor the floor pressing back seeing if you can observe both feet at once noticing if one foot feels heavier lighter if there's more sensations in one than the other just curiously observing any sensations anything that may arise and with an exhale breath releasing your attention from your feet your toes and as you breathe in bringing your attention to your ankles your shins your calves observing the sensations in this area perhaps you notice your clothing pressed against you or in an area where there's no sensation at all just allowing yourself to feel this feeling the absence of any sensation and when you're ready drawing your attention up to your knees your thighs your upper legs observing these sensations as if you've been noticing your legs for the first time if your mind begins to wander during this practice just gently bringing you back using the next inhalation to redirect you back to observing your sensations observing how sensations may rise or fall they may shift or change in intensity perhaps you may notice some tension or pain as you're observing if you do just trying to objectively describe it noticing it observing how no sensation is permanent perhaps there's another area in your body where you're not feeling pain or tension seeing what it's like to hold that area in your attention and trying to pay attention to both areas at once if this becomes overwhelming just redirecting yourself using your breath to ground yourself and bringing your attention back to an area perhaps noticing your body pressed against the furniture noticing if there's any warmth or coolness on your skin and with the next out breath allowing your legs to dissolve in your mind and bringing your attention up your pelvis your lower back your abdomen becoming curious about the sensations here perhaps you notice the feeling of clothing something moving in your stomach or the belly rising and falling with each breath with each out breath you may let go of any tension you're carrying and very gently just observing any sensation perhaps it may be the rising and falling of the outer body perhaps it may be the rising and falling of the abdomen with each breath or maybe your clothing against your skin if you notice you have any judgments or opinions forming just observing them and allowing them to pass don't become too caught up with anyone's story or any judgment just redirecting your attention back to observing your sensations and with the next exhalation just gently releasing this area drawing your attention up to your chest your heart your upper back noticing perhaps how the chest rises and falls as you breathe letting go of any judgments you may have the shoulders are often an area of tension for many people if one particular area just really catches your attention again by just noticing what that sensation is like describing it observing it and gently just breathing into it allowing the tension to melt away with each exhalation and redirecting your attention then upward to your shoulders and down to your hands noticing observing your fingertips your palms do you feel where your hands are resting the texture of the surface are you able to observe all 10 fingers at once just practicing this curious observation and with the next out breath redirecting your attention and drawing it up to your arms observe sensations or lack of sensations that may be occurring there you might notice differences between your left and your right arm without judging this just curiously observing which arm is feeling more or less or if there's one area that's drawing your attention drawing your attention then with the next out breath and bringing it up as you breathe in to your upper shoulders your neck your throat being aware of the sensations here seeing if you can observe when you swallow the muscles involved continuing to breathe and being with these sensations and on the next out breath shift your focus and redirect your attention up to your jaw your mouth noticing your lips pressing against each other perhaps you're carrying some tension or tightness in your mouth or your jaw without judging just observing expanding your awareness to your face your eyes and your head observing all the sensations occurring there and noticing the movement of air as you breathe in and out observing if you can notice differences in temperature from your in breath and your out breath expanding now your attention to take in multiple parts of the body at once beginning by expanding your attention to your body beginning by expanding from your head your face down to your neck your shoulders your upper back observing this entire area noticing if there's been any shifts or any changes from sensations you noticed before perhaps there's a new area that's catching your attention or there's another area that's drawing you back if you notice your mind's wandering just gently practice redirecting it back you can always use your breath as a tool a guide to redirect your attention so with the next in breath bringing it back to sensations observing your body expanding your awareness now taking in not only your head your throat your shoulders neck your chest your abdomen your back becoming aware of these parts of the body notice the gentle rising and falling of any sensation expanding now to your legs your knees your feet taking in the whole body at once if there are too many sensations and you find yourself jumping around from one to the next quickly perhaps pausing noticing one area of your body staying with that area for a few moments describing it and then carrying on letting your attention go to another area of the body you might choose to stay in one area for a while or shift your attention to the next area you might choose to stay in one area for a while or shift your attention to another side of the body trying to withhold any judgments just noticing them as they arise and redirecting yourself back to focusing on the sensations spending a few more moments just scanning your body noticing sensations as they arise practicing this non-judgmental awareness when you're ready you may open your eyes and return your attention to the present moment trying to maintain this non-judgmental awareness as you continue with your breath as you continue with your day

Reviews

One of the best body scan meditations I’ve ever listened to. Wonderful way to connect and start my day. Thank you.

Lovely and calm. Thank you 🙏

Wonderful thank you 🙏🏻💜

Soothing and relaxing. Thank you

I love this body scan, your voice is smooth and delightful, thank you!