Welcome friends to this body scan meditation.
In this practice,
We'll gently bring awareness to different parts of the body,
One at a time.
Unlike yoga nidra or deep body relaxation meditations,
The intention here is not to fall into deep rest,
But to stay present,
To simply observe what is happening within the body,
Moment by moment,
With openness and curiosity.
Let's begin by finding a comfortable position.
You might choose to sit comfortably in a posture that feels both relaxed and alert,
Or you can lie down if that feels better for your body.
If you're seated,
Rest your hands gently in your lap or on your thighs.
Allow your eyes to close if you feel safe doing so,
Or soften your gaze.
Take a deep breath in and exhale.
Now begin to notice the natural rhythm of your breath.
Let this rhythm calm the body and settle the mind.
Let the feeling of breath moving in and out be your steady anchor.
If your mind starts to wander,
As minds often do,
Just notice where it went and gently bring your attention back to the breath.
Now,
Allow your breath to fade softly into the background as you bring awareness to the body.
Notice the temperature of air against your skin.
Notice where your body touches the chair,
The floor,
Or the bed beneath you.
Feel your hands resting in your lap.
We'll now move through the body slowly,
Bringing awareness to each part,
Noticing sensations such as warmth or coolness,
Tingling or vibration,
Lightness or heaviness,
And even the absence of sensation.
Whatever you notice,
Just observe it without judgment,
Without needing to change anything.
Bring your awareness to the crown of your head,
To your hair and your scalp.
Bring awareness to the back of the head and the forehead.
Bring awareness to the eyes,
To the nose,
Noticing the feeling of air going in the nostrils,
And the warm air leaving the body.
Notice the ears.
Bring your awareness to your mouth and your jaw,
And if you find any tension there,
See if you can let it go.
Bring your awareness to the top of your shoulders,
To your upper arms,
To your elbows,
To your lower arms,
To your wrists.
Notice the thumbs,
And the first finger,
The middle finger,
The fourth finger.
And the pinky finger.
Notice the upper back,
Across the back of the shoulders.
Notice the chest,
And the ribs that encircle the chest.
Notice your belly,
And noticing the chest and belly rise and fall as you inhale and exhale.
Notice the hips,
The front of the pelvis,
And the back of the pelvis,
The lower back.
Bring your awareness to the length of your spine,
That energy highway.
Bring your awareness to the tops of your legs,
To the knees,
To the bottom part of the legs.
Notice your hips,
Notice your ankles,
And your heels.
Notice the sensations along the bottom of your feet,
And the top.
Notice your big toes,
Your second toes,
Your third toes,
The fourth toes,
And the pinky toes.
Now,
Allow your awareness to rest on the entire body,
As a unified whole,
As sensations ebb and flow.
Be a witness to the experience,
A witness without judgment.
When you're ready,
Take a deep breath in,
And exhale.
Gently open your eyes,
And take a moment to sit quietly and reflect on your experience.
This practice of simply watching,
Of allowing things to be as they are,
Helps us reconnect with the ever-changing nature of life.
Remember,
You can return to this practice anytime,
Whenever you want to pause,
To listen,
And to come home to your body.
Namaste.
