Welcome to this body scan.
My name is Camilla and I'll be guiding you through this practice,
Which is a part of the MBSR Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program.
So just start to take some time and really welcome yourself.
And also take some time to find your position that feels workable for you right now.
You may choose to lay down on your back,
Perhaps with your arms resting alongside the body.
Or in any other position that supports both wakefulness and ease.
And if laying down is not comfortable or appropriate for you,
You're welcome to sit or find another position that works better for your body.
Allowing the eyes to close,
If that feels comfortable,
Or keeping them softly open.
And perhaps beginning simply to notice that you are here.
Feeling the contact between you,
The body and the surface beneath you.
Feel the places where the body is supported.
The weight of your own body.
There is no need to make anything happen.
No particular state that you need to achieve.
Just simply allowing this time to be a time of paying attention.
You might begin by noticing the movement of the breathing.
You don't need to change the breath.
Just simply notice where the sensation of the breathing are most available to you right now.
Perhaps the abdomen,
The chest,
The nostrils.
Or somewhere else.
Feeling the breath just like it is right now.
And when you feel ready.
Bring the attention now down through the body.
Towards the left foot.
First just becoming aware of the toes of the left foot.
And we're going to let our attention move around to different parts of the body.
And you don't need to try to feel something.
Just let yourself feel what you're actually feeling and sometimes you're not feeling anything at all.
And that's also okay.
Now feel your big toe.
The second toe.
The third toe.
The fourth,
And the little toe.
You don't need to move them.
Just sensing whatever sensations are present right now.
Perhaps there is some warmth.
Or maybe some coolness.
Maybe some tingling,
Pressure,
Pulsing or perhaps very little sensation at all.
Simply notice what is here right now.
And expanding the awareness to the whole left foot.
The soul.
The heel.
The top of the foot.
The sides.
The ankle.
Perhaps sensing the foot from the inside.
Not thinking about the foot so much,
But feeling it more directly.
Moment by moment.
And now allowing the attention to move upwards to the lower leg.
The cough.
The skin and the muscles and the bones within.
Including the left knee.
The kneecap.
The back of the knee.
And the sides of the knee.
Moving up through the thigh,
The front of the thigh.
The inner and outer thigh.
And now feeling the whole left leg.
From the hip all the way down to the toes,
The whole left leg.
One field of sensations.
And now gently letting go of the left leg and bringing the attention over to the right.
To the right leg and all the way down to the right foot,
To the toes.
Starting with the right big toe.
Right second toe.
Third toe.
And the little toe.
A soul.
The right heel the top of the foot.
The ankle.
And again simply noticing There may be clear sensation.
There may be sensations that change.
Or perhaps places where there is very little or no sensation.
All of this is OK.
Moving up through the right leg to the lower right leg,
The calf and the chin.
Right knee.
Feeling the outer part of the knee,
The skin.
The bone.
And also the inner part in the joint.
Moving up through right thigh.
The front of the thigh.
Back of the thigh.
Inner and outer parts of the thigh.
Sensing the whole right leg now.
From the hip all the way down to the toes,
The whole right leg.
And now feeling both your legs together,
From the hips down,
Through the thighs,
Knees,
Lower legs,
Ankles.
Feet and toes.
The whole legs.
And now we're going to bring the attention further up.
To the pelvis.
Feeling the hips,
Right and left.
The buttocks.
The points of contact with the surface beneath you.
Maybe your buttock and hip is resting heavy down into the surface.
Feeling the whole pelvic region.
Noticing sensation just as they are.
Maybe there's pressure.
Maybe there's warmth.
Coolness.
Perhaps some tensions.
Or ease.
Now moving the awareness to the lower abdomen.
Noticing how the breath gently move in this region.
The abdomen is rising and falling.
Expanding and releasing.
Perhaps allowing yourself simply to feel the movement of breathing here.
No need to breathe more deeply.
No need to relax.
Just sensing.
Bringing the awareness to the lower part of the back.
To the middle back.
And the upper back.
Feeling where the back meets the floor.
Or the other support that is beneath you.
Sensing the areas of contact here.
And also if there are smaller areas that don't have contact.
And if you encounter discomfort or pain anywhere in the body.
Seeing if it's possible to approach it with some curiosity.
You do not have to force your attention into discomfort.
You can always move your attention elsewhere.
You can also open your eyes or adjust your position.
Or simply include the whole body in awareness.
And if it feels workable you might notice the sensation themselves.
The intensity.
The location.
Whether they are steady or changing.
And now bringing the awareness to the chest.
The rib cage.
The movement of the breathing.
The heart area.
Maybe it's possible to feel the heartbeats deep in there.
Now feeling the front,
The sides and the back of the torso together.
The whole trunk.
All the way up to the clavicles and to the shoulders.
Moving the attention out through the left shoulder,
Through the left arm.
All the way out to the left hand.
The tongue.
The index finger.
The middle finger.
The ring finger.
And the little finger.
Feeling the palm.
The back of the hand.
The wrist.
You.
Okay.
Moving up through the forearm.
The elbow.
Feeling deep down in the elbow,
Into the joint.
And also the surface,
The skin surrounding the elbow.
The upper arm.
All the way up to the left shoulder.
Sensing the whole left arm now.
From here,
Moving over to the right shoulder and all the way down through right arm to right hand and to the tongue.
Right index finger right middle finger Ring finger.
Little finger.
The palm.
The back of the hand.
A wrist.
The forearm.
The elbow.
Feeling deep down in the elbow here.
Into the join.
The bone.
And the surface,
The skin surrounding the elbow.
The upper arm,
Right upper arm.
And right shoulder.
Now sensing the both arms together,
Right and left arm.
From the fingertips all the way up to the shoulders,
Both arms.
Maybe noticing something.
Bringing the attention now to the shoulders.
Maybe there is some feelings present here.
Maybe some tightness.
Await.
Warmth.
Maybe some movement.
Or ease.
Just be aware of where you have your attention right now.
Maybe you notice that your mind is not here,
Not in your body.
If it is so,
Just gently bring it back,
Kindly,
To this very moment.
To your own body.
And now moving from the shoulders into the neck.
Throat.
And the back of the neck.
Now feeling the back of your head resting heavily into the surface.
Feeling the hair.
Moving to the forehead.
Feeling the whole scalp?
The temples.
The eyes and the area around the eyes.
Maybe you can feel the weight of your own eyes.
The eyebrows.
The cheeks And now the jaw.
See if it's possible to soften the jaw a little bit.
Maybe allowing the mouth to be a little bit open.
Feeling the mouth.
The lips.
And the tongue.
Allow the tongue to come down from the upper palate.
And now feeling the whole face.
The whole soft face.
Sensing the whole head.
And gradually expanding the awareness,
Including the head and the neck.
The shoulders and arms.
The chest and the abdomen.
The back.
The pelvis.
Both legs.
Both feet.
The entire body.
Resting now in an awareness of the body as a whole.
The body as a whole,
Breathing.
Alive.
Changing from moment to moment.
Perhaps sensing the breath moving through the whole body.
Simply allowing the sensation of breathing and the sensations of the body to be held.
With one field of awareness.
And noticing that awareness can include whatever is there.
Pleasant sensations.
Unpleasant sensations.
Neutral sensations.
Thoughts?
Sounds.
Breathing.
Without needing to change any of it.
And when the mind wanders,
As minds do,
Perhaps recognizing that moment of noticing.
And gently returning.
Not as a mistake.
But as a practice of the practice itself.
For the last few moments,
Simply resting here.
Nothing to achieve.
Nothing to fix.
Just this body.
Just this moment.
And now beginning to gently bring some movement into the body.
Perhaps moving the fingers and the toes.
Maybe stretching out all if that feels good.
Taking your time.
Maybe giving yourself two or three deeper breaths.
When you feel ready,
Allow your eyes to open if they are closed.
Taking the room around you.
And just notice how you are right now.
Take a moment here to thank yourself.
Thank yourself for giving yourself this time.
Thank you so much for practicing together with me today.
This practice is now complete.
