Find a comfortable position to sit in.
Make sure you remain awake and aware.
If you're comfortable in doing so,
Allow your eyes to gently close.
Start by tuning into the posture of the body.
It is helpful to keep the spine straight and energized while relaxing the muscles around the skeleton.
You can use the breath to aid in this process.
As you breathe in,
Breathe energy and awareness into the spine,
Reaching the spine gently upward.
As you exhale,
Let go and allow the shoulders to drop.
Let there be some slack in the jaw and soften the belly.
We'll start the body scan by tuning into the crown of the head.
Simply bring your awareness to the top of the head.
Tuning into whatever is present for you now.
Can you feel the skin of the scalp?
The temperature of the air on the skin?
Your hair blowing in the wind?
There's no right or wrong,
Just tune into whatever is physically present.
Drop down into the forehead and your eyebrows,
Again tuning into whatever is present.
You may notice the temperature of the air,
Some slight scrunching of the eyebrow,
Or some relaxation.
Whatever it is,
Simply be with it.
Drop down into the eyes and cheekbones.
Even with your eyes closed,
You may notice some movement in them.
Continue down to the tip of the nose and the upper lip.
Here you can feel the body breathing gently and naturally.
You may notice the air tickling on its way in and coming out a little bit warmer.
Move on to the mouth,
The lips,
The jaw,
The tongue.
You may notice the moisture,
How your tongue is resting.
Tension in your jaw,
Or whatever else is present.
Drop down into the neck and throat,
Noticing any tension or any movement of the body.
Remember,
There is nothing you should be experiencing,
There's no right or wrong.
Just tune into the direct physical experience.
Let go of the judgements and thoughts and just return to that actual physical body.
Move down to the tops of the shoulders and into the shoulder blades.
Perhaps noticing any movement with the breath or the sensation of the clothes on your body.
Dropping down into the upper arms and elbows.
Continue down into the forearms and wrists.
Perhaps noticing any points of contact.
Maybe your arms are resting in your lap or on the arms of the chair.
Just notice how that feels.
Moving into the hands.
Go over the palms,
The fingers,
The back of the hand.
Again,
Noticing any points of contact where the hands may be touching each other or resting.
You may notice that the temperature of the air feels different on the back of the hands than it does on the palms.
Come back up your arms to the chest and just rest here for a moment.
Tuning into the body breathing.
You can notice the rising and falling,
The expansion and contraction.
The natural movement of the body breathing itself.
As you drop down into the stomach,
Again you may notice the sensations of the body breathing.
Drop down into the hips,
The pelvis,
Your bum.
You can probably feel the point of contact where your body meets the chair or cushion or bed.
Take a moment to feel these sensations.
Move down to the thighs and knees.
Noticing any tension,
Clothes on the body,
Points of contact and anything else present in your direct experience.
Drop into the calves,
Shins and ankles,
Seeing what's present for you.
Perhaps there is some ease or some jittery or anxious feeling in the legs.
Whatever is present,
Be with it.
Finally move into the feet,
Going over the heel,
The arch,
The ball of the foot,
The toes and the top of the foot.
Take a moment here at the end to tune into the whole body together from head to toe.
You may be able to feel the breath energy as it moves through the body.
You can get a sense of the entire outline or posture of the body as it rests here right now.
You may like to stay for another few moments and that's okay.
When you feel this process is complete,
Simply take a deep breath and open your eyes.
