This is a body scan meditation,
A means for cultivating mindfulness and also for befriending sensations.
The practice will take about 15 minutes.
So I'd like to encourage you to experience this practice by setting aside anything that you think you need to do and allowing yourself to fully engage and be present.
You can be lying down here or sitting up,
Whatever works for you and feels most comfortable.
As we enter into the practice,
If you feel like moving your body during the scan or opening your eyes or taking a break,
This is always welcome.
And to begin,
Take a few deep breaths,
Bringing your attention purposefully to sensations that are present.
Noticing the longer inhale and exhale,
Just letting your attention drop into the body,
Feeling the expansion of the chest and the belly on the inhale,
A sense of letting go and releasing on the exhale.
And now relaxing into the natural rhythm of the breath,
Notice the subtle movements of the body breathing,
The soft rise and fall of the chest or belly.
And bring your attention to the general position of your body wherever you are.
Noticing places here that your body is making contact,
If sitting or standing,
The feet making contact with the floor or ground,
If sitting the contact of the back of the legs and buttocks supported by the chair,
If lying down feeling the legs,
The back and the head resting on the floor or bed,
Just noticing those places that your body is making contact.
And now bring your attention back to the breath.
See if you can notice where you feel it most in your body,
It might be at the nose or in your chest or belly.
Maybe even bring a hand to where you feel the breath the most,
Placing it gently on the chest or belly and feeling the body breathing more deeply.
And now leaving the hand there or just placing it back to your side or resting in your lap,
Shift your attention to the head.
Feeling the forehead,
The eyes,
The cheeks,
Include your ears,
The back of the head,
Your mouth and jaw.
Notice what is there.
Maybe some tension,
Maybe a sense of ease and relaxation.
The experience might be comfortable,
Uncomfortable or neutral.
Just notice and make room for what you experience,
Noticing what is present,
Allowing it to be and without any judgment.
And now moving from the head,
Go ahead and bring your attention to your neck and include your spine.
See if you can notice how it feels in this moment and also the way that it's connected.
Maybe even sensing the strength and support of the spine.
Also notice if different areas of the body feels over-activated or you feel uncomfortable or you feel like you're being taken out of your window of tolerance,
You can shift your attention elsewhere or take a break from the practice at any time.
Returning back to the neck and shifting here to the shoulder blades.
Just letting your attention scan the shoulders,
Noticing what's present and include your upper arms,
Forearms and hands.
Can you notice sensations that are present?
Maybe at the surface of the skin,
Maybe there are deeper sensations,
Tingling,
Maybe nothing.
That's okay too.
And bring your attention to the torso,
The chest,
The abdomen,
The lower back.
With a gentle attention,
Noticing what is happening in the body in this area.
Any sensations that are present,
Allowing them and just noticing without judgment or analysis.
Maybe there are no sensations,
Just the subtle movement of the body breathing.
And now bring your attention to your hips.
What is there?
Maybe you could notice the weight of the body.
Taking your attention to the upper legs,
Noticing sensations and to your lower legs.
Having some awareness that you are doing a body scan,
Checking in with your body,
Being aware in this moment,
In this time and space.
And now bring your attention to the feet,
Both the soles of the feet and also the top of the feet,
Including your toes.
Bringing awareness to any sensations that are present.
And now become aware of the whole body in this moment,
Feeling the sense of the whole body,
All the different parts of the body working together in different ways inside of the whole.
And rest here for a moment.
And now notice if the body wants to move in any particular way,
If you'd like to shift your posture or if there's any part of the body that wants attention.
You might even stretch your arms or legs any way that you like or roll to your side if you're lying down or place your hand on your belly or over your heart.
Maybe placing the hands behind the neck to feel stabilized and supported.
Sense into your physical wholeness here,
The way your body is connected and bring your attention back to resting with the natural rhythm of the breath.
With each inhale and exhale,
Feeling the expansion and contraction of the body in a natural rhythm.
And notice if there's anything else that would feel resourceful for you here in this body scan practice and go ahead and do that.
Whether it's focusing on one area of the body or maybe taking a few deep breaths,
Maybe even opening your eyes.
Just taking your time to slowly shift out of practice.
Maybe wiggling your toes and fingers.
Gently start moving the body.
Taking your time here to transition out of practice.
Thank you for practicing and thank you for practicing with me.
