Welcome to Mind With Heart's Body Scan exercise.
The Body Scan can be done seated or lying down,
Choosing whichever posture you find most comfortable and that allows you to be both relaxed and alert.
If you are sitting,
Then with the back straight,
Body relaxed and at ease,
Stable like a mountain,
Feet parallel and resting flat on the floor,
Hands resting lightly on the knees.
And the shoulders wide with a sense of openness and strength in the upper body.
Or if you are lying down,
Then lying flat on your back,
Letting the arms and legs relax out to the sides,
Releasing all the muscles and giving the whole body to gravity.
Eyes open,
Looking downwards with a soft focus or gently closing the eyes if that feels more comfortable.
Holding the whole body in your awareness.
Feeling the weight of the body pressing down on whatever is supporting you.
Now taking a few deep breaths,
Especially extending the out-breath.
Feeling more and more relaxed with each out-breath,
But without your awareness sinking into drowsiness.
And then breathing naturally,
Mouth very slightly open,
Relaxing the jaw.
Now tuning into your mind and its mood.
Checking how you are feeling right now.
There is no right way to feel,
No wrong way to feel.
However we are is just fine.
Simply being aware of it.
Now taking a moment to set an intention for this exercise.
Remembering why we want to practice today and how we hope this practice might benefit ourselves and others.
For the next few minutes we will be cultivating relaxation,
Presence and awareness by bringing attention to sensations in the body in the present moment with an attitude of kindness and curiosity.
And we start by bringing attention to the crown of the head.
Noticing any physical sensations there,
Any tingling or numbness,
Heaviness or lightness,
Sensations of pressure,
Heat or coolness.
Or simply noticing the absence of sensations.
Allowing sensations to be just as they are without trying to change or fix them and without wanting more or less of them.
Simply descending the spotlight of awareness down through the body.
Observing sensations in the forehead,
In the eyes,
The ears,
Cheeks,
The eyes,
The mouth,
Nose,
Mouth,
With the tongue and lips,
Jaw,
Chin,
Throat,
Mouth,
Mouth,
Mouth,
Mouth,
Throat,
Neck and shoulders.
Not thinking about sensations in the body but directly sensing them.
Now directing the attention to each arm in turn.
Starting with the right arm and moving awareness down through the right shoulder.
Upper arm,
Elbow,
Lower arm,
Wrist,
Hand and fingertips.
Not trying to experience anything or trying to arrive at some special state.
Just allowing things to be however you find them.
And now directing attention down through the left arm.
Starting with the left shoulder,
Upper arm,
Elbow,
Lower arm,
Wrist,
Hand and fingertips.
The mind may wander again and again.
That's completely normal.
It's just what our minds do.
And each time we notice the mind is distracted without judgement or criticism,
Gently bringing the attention back to physical sensations in the body right here,
Right now.
Moving on the chest and upper back.
And moving awareness down through the torso.
Drawing attention closely on what you perceive.
And for a few moments now holding the whole of the upper body in awareness.
Shifting attention to the abdomen.
Feeling the rise and fall with each in-breath and each out-breath.
And noticing any sensations in the lower back.
And the pelvis.
Moving the attention down through each leg in turn.
Starting with the right leg and directing awareness down through the right hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Lower leg,
Ankle,
Foot.
And toes.
Remembering if the mind wanders,
Gently inviting it back to sensations in the leg without criticising yourself or being hard on yourself,
Nothing is wrong.
This is just what our minds do.
And then moving attention down through the left leg.
Starting with the left hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Lower leg,
Ankle,
Foot.
And toes.
Now opening awareness up to the whole body and any sensations arising throughout the body.
Gently opening the eyes if they were closed and allowing the gaze to be relaxed and natural.
Then releasing any effort of trying to do anything and allowing the mind and body to be just as they are.
Simply being.
Now releasing.
And then working towards the end.
Taking a moment to appreciate this time we have spent taking care of ourselves,
That this might benefit us and others.
As you gently start to move again,
Bringing the relaxation,
The presence and awareness of this exercise into your day.
And remembering that we can come back to sensations in the body whenever we like to help us return to the present moment and to a sense of ease,
Of stability and of clarity.
