Body Scan

The Body Scan is a mindfulness practice to cultivate awareness of the different regions of your body and allowing yourself to experience how each part feels, without trying to change anything. Practicing this meditation may help you cope with anxiety, stress, and depression.

This meditation is lead by The Centre for Mindfulness Studies' facilitator: Gwen Morgan

Transcript

Welcome to the body scan meditation.

Finding a comfortable place to lie down where you will not be disturbed for a while.

Allowing your arms to come alongside your body with the palms facing up and your feet to fall away from each other.

And taking time to support your knees or back in a way to make yourself comfortable.

And you may also choose to do this practice sitting up.

Turning off the cell phone.

And bringing to mind your intention for taking this time for yourself.

Making this a time to nourish yourself.

A time for silence and stillness within which to cultivate your capacity for mindful awareness.

Remembering John Kebbetson's definition of mindfulness as the awareness that arises when paying attention on purpose to what is happening right here.

And in the body scan,

The guidance will be inviting you to directly experience sensations in the body rather than think about the body or body sensations.

And as we systematically move attention throughout the body,

We will be focusing and releasing attention.

And at times coming close up,

Narrowing our attention and other times widening it.

And as we do this,

We will bring a particular set of attitudes to our awareness,

Our noticing.

One of non-judgment,

Patience,

Acceptance and kindness to whatever the experience is right now.

Whether it's pleasant,

Unpleasant or perhaps neutral.

Noticing how the sensations in the body are also moving and changing.

Coming up close to bring a gentle sense of investigative curiosity to our experience of the body right now.

Also noticing when our attention is drifted away from body sensations and may be caught up in thinking or planning or worrying.

Noticing the activity of the mind,

Gently acknowledging where the attention has moved and then choosing to firmly,

Patiently and gently bring your attention back to focus on the area the body,

The guidance is directing.

The practice is not about trying to achieve any particular state.

It is not even about trying to relax as striving and wanting things to be particular way tends to just increase tension.

But rather it is an invitation to stay present with however you are feeling right now.

And with what is happening in the body,

Whether it is pleasant or unpleasant.

And especially when sensations are unpleasant or when we are noticing agitated thoughts and emotions or restlessness or sudden urges to move and get up and perhaps even leave the practice.

As best we can,

Simply noticing all this,

Bringing this same quality of gentle,

Kind-hearted,

Patient awareness.

As this is also part of your experience in the moment.

Choosing to stay present as best you can.

Knowing also that you may choose to move your focus of attention to the sensations of breathing,

Steadying the mind here,

The sensations of breathing being like an anchor to the present moment.

And then moving back to the guidance whenever you are ready.

Cultivating a sort of open and accepting relationship to our experience is really key to the being mode of mind we are invited to occupy in this practice.

And to the healing potential of mindful awareness.

We are letting go of the tendency we all have of wanting things to be different and seeing them just as they are because they are here and part of our experience right now for better or for worse.

And in this stillness,

In this awareness,

Discovering our inner resources for strength and resilience.

So when you are ready,

Bringing attention to the physical sensations in the body as you are lying here.

Feeling the weight of the body against the surface it is touching.

Perhaps the air moving in the room against the skin.

Just having a sense of the body lying here.

And when you are ready,

Moving your attention to the breath in the belly.

Seeing if it's possible to notice the rising of the belly on the in breath,

The falling of the belly on the out breath.

And if you would like even placing your hand on the belly to better get in touch with these sensations.

Not changing the breath in any way,

Not manipulating in any way.

Simply bringing your attention to the physical sensations of the breath in the body.

Breathing in and breathing out and in the silence you may be noticing that the attention is moved to thinking.

And when you notice the attention is no longer on the breath or on the physical sensations as we are moving through the body scan.

Simply noting what is on the mind.

Acknowledging this and then gently without added judgment bringing attention back to the physical sensations of the breath as they are presenting in the body.

Over and over so it's not that you are doing something wrong,

It's simply that you are noticing something important about the mind and how attention moves.

And when you are ready on the out breath letting go and along with the in breath shifting your attention all the way down the leg to the toes on your left foot.

Becoming aware of whatever you are feeling here.

You may be feeling tingling,

Coolness,

Warmth,

Dampness,

Numbness or there may be no sensations.

Whatever you are feeling focusing on those sensations.

Noticing the big toe,

The little toe,

The toes in between just as they are right now.

And then when you are ready with the out breath letting go of the awareness of the toes and with the in breath opening your attention to include sensations all along the bottom of the left foot.

To where the heel is touching the surface and then around to the front and also deep inside the foot holding the whole left foot in awareness.

Bringing that sense of investigative curiosity exploring the sensations or lack of sensations as they are coming and going in this area of the body.

And along with the out breath releasing your attention on the left foot and with the in breath shifting the attention up to the left ankle.

Feeling sensations on the surface of the ankle all around one side to the other and deeper into the bones.

Noticing what sensations are here or lack of sensations.

Staying present as best you can.

And when you are ready releasing attention here and along with an in breath shifting your attention up to the lower left leg.

To the shin in front and the calf in back.

Not an area we usually pay attention to but now bringing your full attention to this area.

All the way from the ankle up to just under the knee.

Noticing any sensations that are present and also of course noticing the activity of your mind if it's moved away into thinking.

Just gently noting thinking thinking and shifting your attention back to exploring this particular area of the body.

Holding your attention here as best you can.

And when you are ready with the exhale letting go and along with an inhale shifting your awareness up to the left knee.

The knee cap in front all the way around to the soft tissue and back deep into the ligaments the tendons.

Noticing what is present now.

It's a joint that works very hard for you.

Bringing this sense of investigative curiosity staying present here as best you can.

And when you are ready letting go and moving the attention up to the upper part of the left leg.

The left thigh all the way up to the hip joint and over to the groin.

Feeling the weight of this thigh against the surface it is touching.

It's a big muscle group and also deep into the thigh.

Scenery that may collect more tension.

Seeing what's present right now.

Being curious.

And then expanding your awareness out to include the whole left leg.

Seeing how you can do this.

Noticing sensations coming and going.

And then moving your attention down the left leg all the way to the left toes and then over to the toes on the right foot.

Seeing in your minds eyes the big toe,

The little toe,

The toes in between.

Allowing yourself to become aware of whatever sensations are here right now just as they are.

With the exhale letting go.

Releasing and with the inhale expanding the awareness to include the whole right foot.

Noticing sensations along the bottom of the foot.

Where the heel is touching the surface over the top of the foot.

Sensations coming from the surface and deep inside.

Holding your attention here.

And again if attention is moved into thinking,

Worrying,

Remembering,

Acknowledging where attention moves and shifting it back.

This is all part of the practice.

It's not doing anything wrong.

It's all part of the experience.

Staying present.

And now on the out breath letting go of the right foot and moving up to the right ankle.

Feeling the ankle just as it is right now in your awareness.

Letting go of thinking about the body.

Moving in with this sense of curiosity to what the sensations are or lack of sensation.

And now expanding your awareness to include the whole lower right leg.

From the ankle all the way to the knee.

Feeling every sensation as they are coming and going and experiencing it as if for the first time.

And with an exhale letting go.

And along with the in breath shifting your awareness into the right knee.

Attending to sensations that are arising here.

Noticing again the knee cap.

Ligaments along the side.

The soft tissue in back.

To joint that can present with difficulty being curious to what is present.

And with the exhale letting go.

And along with the in breath moving your attention up to the right thigh.

All the way along the back of the thigh into the hip joint along the front.

Again a large muscle group.

Seeing what is present right now.

Seeing if you can accept the experience however it is.

Holding your attention here as best you can.

And as we are bringing this gentle curiosity to exploring the body.

You may find that certain parts of the body are more difficult to focus on.

And if this happens for you knowing that you have a choice.

You may choose to shift your attention to sensations of the breath and the belly.

The breath is always available.

Like an anchor to the present moment.

And knowing that you are trusting your inner wisdom.

Knowing that you are taking care of yourself.

And then returning your attention to where the guidance is pointing in the body when you are ready.

You may also choose to move your attention to the area of the body where there is this intense sensation.

And bringing this sense of investigative curiosity to what is present.

And perhaps also noticing where you might be bracing or tensing in the body automatically with these difficult sensations.

Or with the accompanying difficult thoughts and emotions.

Seeing if this is the case.

And if you would like experimenting with in your imagination breathing into the sensations.

Not trying to change them but to connect with them more.

And then having a sense of them releasing on the out breath.

Seeing if you can be open and accepting.

Staying with them.

Breathing with them with a non judging awareness.

So now when you are ready letting go of this right thigh with the out breath.

And shifting your awareness up into the right hip along the buttocks at the back and over into the left hip.

And around to the front to the pelvic girdle.

Cradling the great organs of reproduction and elimination.

Allowing your attention to rest here.

Becoming aware of whatever is arising.

Staying present.

And when you are ready releasing with the out breath and along with the in breath.

Moving your attention around to the lower back.

For many the lower back is an area where tension collects.

And there may be discomfort.

Becoming aware of any sensations that are present now.

Noticing the sensation as sensation.

Burning,

Needles,

Heat,

Tingling.

Whatever you are feeling.

Bringing this sense of investigative curiosity to the physical sensations.

Noticing how they are.

How they may change in intensity.

Rising and falling.

How they might be coming and going.

Dissolving.

Being curious.

And when you are ready letting go along with the out breath.

And shifting your attention up along the spine and back.

And out to the ribs on each side and back.

Perhaps feeling the sensations of the ribs expanding as the air is coming into the lungs.

Holding this entire region of the body in awareness.

Being curious about sensations.

Letting go of thinking.

Noticing emotion.

Letting it go.

And also letting go of any impulse to move.

And bringing your attention fully into the present moment sensations.

All along the back.

And when you are ready with the exhale letting go.

And with the inhale shifting your awareness around to the abdomen.

Back in front of the body.

Bringing awareness to the sensations arising in the abdomen.

Perhaps as the tummy is rising and falling.

As air is moving in and out of the body with the breath.

And perhaps directing your attention deeper into the belly.

Noticing any rumblings or gurglings.

Discomfort or lack of sensation.

Opening fully to experiencing the abdomen as it is right now.

In English we often speak of this as an area where we have gut feelings.

Emotions get expressed.

Registering each and every sensation.

Allowing it to be just as it is.

And when you are ready letting go.

Allowing this area to dissolve in your awareness and moving your attention up to the chest.

The home of the heart and lungs.

The organs that nourish your body.

Taking in oxygen.

Excreting carbon dioxide.

Noticing the lungs filling with the in-breath.

The chest rising.

The lungs deflating.

The chest falling with the out-breath.

Noticing any physical sensations as they are coming and going.

Perhaps even noticing the heart beating.

Bringing your full awareness to this area of the body.

This sense of investigative curiosity staying present as best you can.

And when you are ready with the out-breath letting go and along with the in-breath.

Shifting your awareness down the arms all the way to the hands.

And we can do both hands together.

Noticing any sensations coming from the hands.

What your experience is.

Warmth,

Coolness,

Dryness,

Dampness or maybe no sensation.

Staying present with however it is right now.

Noticing thoughts or impulses as they arise.

Noticing what is arising and letting it be.

And shifting your attention back to the present moment sensations.

Just as they are.

As best you can.

And when you are ready allowing the hands to dissolve in awareness as you move your attention along the wrists.

The lower arms over the elbows to the upper arm to where the arm hinges at the shoulders.

The armpits.

Exploring with a more expanded awareness all the sensations in the arms coming and going.

Noticing how it is.

Staying present.

And then when you are ready with the out-breath letting go,

Releasing and along with the in-breath.

Moving your attention along the shoulders and back.

From the right shoulder over to the left shoulder.

This is another area that collects tension throughout the day.

Becoming curious as to what is present now.

Breathing with the sensations.

Noticing a releasing on the out-breath.

Not changing the sensations.

Just noticing the effect of the breathing.

Letting the sensations go.

Letting the body go and sink into the med.

Noticing.

Being present.

And then when you are ready shifting your attention back to the front.

To the upper chest.

The collarbone into the throat.

Noticing any sensations of swallowing.

Perhaps sensations of breath.

And then moving your attention up the neck along to the jaw.

To where the jaw hinges under the ears.

Noticing any sensations in the mouth.

The tongue.

And if you would like experimenting with just releasing the jaw.

And then moving your attention over the face.

The cheekbones,

The nose,

The eyes,

The eyebrows.

Bringing a gentle curiosity to the sensations present in your face.

Over the forehead.

Your face presenting to the world.

Allowing it to release with the out-breath.

Nothing to do here.

Staying present with sensations.

Being curious.

And letting go of any thinking.

Letting go of emotions.

Noticing what arises.

And choosing to shift your attention back to the present moment sensations.

Moving your attention up over the scalp and around to the back of the head.

Perhaps feeling the weight of the head against the mat.

And perhaps feeling deep into the brain.

Noticing sensations,

Pleasant or unpleasant or neutral.

Noticing sensations coming and going on their own.

And when you are ready,

Letting go and along with the in-breath,

Expanding your awareness to include the whole body lying here.

Becoming aware of all the surfaces the body is touching.

How it feels now.

From the back of the head down the spine,

The legs,

The sides of the body,

To the feet.

The surface of the body and deep inside the body.

Just allowing yourself to be aware of any sensations that are arising and passing in the body.

Feeling the aliveness of the body.

Allowing your attention to move to whatever sensations are presenting.

Letting go of thinking.

Abiding here in stillness.

Allowing the mind to rest in present moment sensations.

Knowing that you are nurturing your body,

Your heart and your mind in doing this practice.

Allowing things to be just as they are.

Nothing to do,

Nowhere to go.

Choosing to be here,

Now,

Present.

So resting here in awareness of the body until you hear the sounds of the bell,

Which will bring this body scan practice to a close.

Thank you for watching.

Please subscribe to our channel.

Reviews

A good body scan for beginners with lots of explanations and some good reminders for me

Lovely body scan. Great pace moving from part to part. Thank you

Excellent, thank you 🙏🏼

Wonderful body scan. Thank you🙇

This felt good. Very helpful. At the end, as soon as I moved my body, I felt a wave of good feeling