Hello and welcome to After Bath.
My name is Matt Creedon.
This is a space to slow down,
To soften the body and to return gently to yourself.
In this episode we're exploring the inner body.
That quiet timeless part of you that exists beneath thoughts,
Emotions and stories.
The part of you that has never aged,
Never rushed and has always been right here.
You don't need to believe anything.
You don't need to fix anything.
Just listen and notice.
If you're somewhere safe I invite you to get comfortable.
Lying down,
Sitting or resting in whatever way feels right for you.
Entering the inner body.
There are many ways to become present.
Many doorways into awareness.
One of the most direct is through the inner body.
The inner body is that part of you that feels timeless.
It never feels older or younger.
No matter the day,
The year or the decade,
It always feels like now.
You might notice this when you realize that in some quiet way you still feel young inside.
Even as the physical body changes,
Even as emotions rise and fall.
What changes are sensations,
Feelings and thoughts.
You may feel excitement when good news arrives,
Sadness when something ends,
Anger,
Joy,
Lethargy,
Motivation,
The full spectrum of human emotion.
But the inner body exists beneath all of that.
It's beyond opinions,
Beyond ideas of right and wrong,
Good or bad,
Beyond labels altogether.
You can call it the soul,
The energy body,
Awareness itself.
The name doesn't matter.
What matters is feeling it.
How can we access it?
Many people connect to the inner body through meditation,
But it can also appear spontaneously.
Standing in line at the bank,
Watching the world pass by through a cafe window,
Playing an instrument and observing the movement of your hands,
Walking,
Swimming,
Cycling,
Any repetitive activity where attention softens and becomes observant.
You may even notice it just before sleep,
That gentle lightness as the day dissolves.
For me,
One of the simplest gateways is through the physical body itself.
Entering the inner body.
We'll begin with a gentle body scan.
You can do this lying down,
Sitting in a chair or standing,
As long as you feel safe and supported.
Let's begin at the feet and legs.
Bring your attention to your feet,
The soles of your feet.
Notice any contact with the floor,
The texture and the temperature.
If it's difficult to feel them,
Gently wiggle your toes or tense the muscles briefly,
Then release.
Now,
Move to your ankles,
Then to your calves,
Gently squeezing if it helps.
Move up to your knees,
And now your thighs,
And finally your hips.
Let's now move on to the torso.
Bring your awareness to your lower belly,
Now to your stomach,
And up to your chest.
Notice the natural rise and fall of your breath.
Nothing forced,
Just breathing.
Now,
Moving up to arms and hands.
Move to your shoulders.
If there's tension,
Allow it to soften.
Moving down the arms to the biceps,
Now to the elbows,
To the forearms.
Now,
Moving up to the shoulders,
Wrists,
Palms,
And the tips of the fingers.
Then,
Gently trace the awareness back up the arms to the shoulders again.
Now,
Moving on to neck and head.
Bring attention to your neck.
If needed,
Gently stretch side to side or forward and back.
Rest awareness in the throat.
Swallow if you need to.
Move to the jaw,
Now to the tongue,
And to the cheeks.
Soften the muscles around the eyes.
If they feel tight,
Gently tense them,
Then release.
Notice the forehead,
And finally the crown of the head.
Now,
Let's move our attention to the expansion of our heart.
Bringing your awareness back to your chest,
Feel the breath moving in and out.
The gentle rise and fall of your chest.
Think about someone you love.
It could be a person,
An animal,
Or even a place.
Recall a moment of warmth or connection.
Let that feeling gently expand about six feet around your body in all directions.
As if you're resting inside a soft bubble of love and ease.
Now,
We're ready to experience the inner body.
Return your attention to the center of your chest.
You may begin to notice a lightness of being,
A subtle floaty sensation.
As if your body were gently buoyant,
Like floating in water.
While still being held and supported by the ground.
This is the inner body.
A feeling of safety,
One that is familiar,
And of a returning to home.
You may feel as though you're gently bobbing,
Held,
Anchored,
Yet spacious.
Stay here for as long as you like.
In a moment,
We'll transition into a 15-minute gong and rain sound bath,
Designed to deepen this sense of inner awareness.
Allow the sounds to carry you inward.
And slowly returning as the sounds begin to fade.
Allow your awareness to return slowly.
Notice the body again,
The room around you,
The simple fact of being here.
There's no need to rush.
You can return to this inner body at any time,
In moments of stillness or in the middle of everyday life.
Thank you for spending this time with me.
Until next time,
Be gentle with yourself.
