Welcome,
This is a gentle body awareness practice to support calm and stability.
There is no need to control the breath or change how you feel.
We'll simply notice sensations as they are,
Allowing the body to settle at its own pace.
You're welcome to adjust your posture,
Keep your eyes open or pause at any time.
Listening to your body is part of the practice.
Take a moment to settle into this practice.
There is nothing you need to do or achieve here.
Just allowing yourself to arrive.
You might be sitting,
Lying down or resting in whatever way feels most supportive right now.
If it feels comfortable,
Allow your eyes to gently close or keep them softly open,
Letting your gaze rest somewhere neutral.
Hands resting wherever they naturally fall or are comfortable.
Begin by noticing the natural rhythm of your breath,
Without needing to change it.
Just simply noticing the inhale as it arrives and the exhale as it leaves.
Take a few moments here,
Letting the breath move in its own way.
Noticing what it's like to let go of effort,
Even just a little.
Now gently bring your attention to the points of contact between your body and what's supporting you.
Noticing where your body is held by the chair,
The floor or the surface beneath you.
You might notice the weight of your body,
The steadiness of support,
The sense of being held.
There's nothing to analyze,
Just noticing.
If it feels okay,
Begin to gently scan your attention through the body,
Starting at your feet.
Noticing any sensations in the feet.
Warmth,
Coolness,
Pressure or perhaps very little at all.
Allow your awareness to move slowly up through the legs,
The calves,
The knees,
The thighs.
You're not trying to relax anything,
Just simply noticing what's already here.
As attention moves through the pelvis and the hips,
You might become aware of subtle sensations or areas that feel more neutral or quiet.
Whatever you notice is welcome.
Now bringing awareness to the abdomen and lower back.
You might notice the gentle movement of breath here or a sense of softness or holding.
If it feels supportive,
Allow the belly to soften slightly without forcing or pushing,
Simply allowing space.
Let your awareness move up into the chest and upper back,
Noticing the rise and fall of the breath,
The rhythm of breathing as it moves through the body.
If you notice any areas of tension or tightness,
There's no need to change them,
Just acknowledging their presence with kindness.
Now bringing attention to the shoulders and arms,
The weight of the arms resting,
The hands perhaps noticing the palms or fingertips.
Now gently bringing your awareness to the neck,
Jaw and face,
Noticing if the jaw is clenched or soft,
The forehead,
The space around the eyes.
If it feels okay,
Allowing the face to soften just a little.
Take a few moments now to sense your body as a whole,
Noticing the steady presence of your body,
The support beneath you,
The rhythm of breathing.
There may be sensations,
Thoughts or emotions present,
There is no need to push them away or engage with them,
Just simply letting them come and go.
If at any point your attention wanders,
Gently and kindly bringing it back to the body,
To the breath or to the sense of support beneath you.
As we come towards the end of this practice,
Take a moment to notice how your body feels now,
Without needing it to feel any particular way.
When you feel ready,
Gently bring some movement back into the body,
Perhaps wiggling the fingers or toes,
Stretching if that feels good.
And when it feels right,
Slowly opening your eyes and carrying this sense of steadiness with you into the rest of your day.
