Taking a moment to settle into a comfortable position for this body scan you may choose to lie on your back,
Sit in a chair,
Or even stand.
Having a sense now of the whole body in whatever position you have established,
Head to toe,
Front to back,
The sides,
Feeling the sensations of breathing or gentle expansion and contraction of the chest.
The rise and fall of the belly,
Air moving in and out of the nostrils,
Easing into the shift from doing and the busyness of the day to simply being.
Offering kind,
Gentle,
And friendly attentiveness to the body from moment to moment.
Allowing the body to just be,
Not needing to change anything,
Noting sensations that arise and can be known.
Now gathering attention and guiding it down the body and bringing it to rest at both feet,
Staying open to the sensations that can be felt here.
Temperature,
Tingling of sock against skin,
Or no sensation at all.
Moving attention now to the ankles,
Muscles,
And tendons here,
Bones.
And bringing attention now to the area of the shins and the calves.
Perhaps aware of sensations of pressure where the shin and the surface meet,
An occasional twitch of a muscle.
Moving attention to the knees,
Exploring both knees with a kind and curious attentiveness.
Fronts,
Sides,
The kneecaps.
Noticing if the mind has wandered,
Becoming aware if your mind has gotten caught up with thinking.
Gently guiding attention back to the knees,
Staying open and receptive to what might be felt here.
Bringing attention now to the thighs,
Sensing muscles and bones,
Sensing any sensations,
Including the absence of sensation.
Joining attention now to the hips,
Allowing yourself to investigate the whole area.
Joints,
Muscles,
Sides,
Fronts and back.
Being aware of any tension or tightness or any other sensation.
And bringing attention to the area of the pelvis,
Organs of elimination,
Digestion,
Sexuality reside here.
Moving attention to your buttocks,
Sensing the feeling of where your buttocks and the surface that you're sitting are lying on meet.
Releasing attending to this area with an exhalation and with the next inhalation,
Allowing for a more broad awareness.
Wearing the body from the hips to the toes,
Feeling and detecting the various sensations of the lower body.
Borrowing the attention,
Gathering it to rest in the torso.
Directing attention now to the torso and bringing it around to the back body,
Investigating and allowing attention to move up the spine,
Muscles of the back.
Perhaps feeling tightness,
Tingling.
Or some sensations of the muscles,
Sensations or movements of breathing in the back of your body.
Exploring the whole back,
Open and receptive from the tailbone up to the shoulder blades.
What is here to be known in this moment?
Noticing if your attention has shifted.
The mind is caught up in thinking.
Guiding attention back to the body.
Moving attention now to the front of the torso.
Investigating with mindful curiosity,
The front of the torso.
From the lower abdomen to the upper chest.
Noticing any sensations from the systems of the body.
Perhaps digestion,
Respiration,
Or the cardiovascular system.
Bringing attention to the area of the throat and the neck.
Moving attention now to the area of the face,
From chin to forehead and ear to ear.
Inviting attention to linger with each organ of sense perception.
Experiencing different sensations that may be here.
Mouth,
Nose,
Eyes,
Ears.
Bringing attention to the back of the head.
Perhaps aware of the weight of the head,
Of what you're lying on or rests if you're sitting upright or standing.
Guiding attention to the crown of the head and allowing attention to gently flow down the entire body.
Expanding your awareness to include the entirety of the body.
And resting in this awareness.
Present to the unfolding of each moment through attending to the various sensations of the body.
Allowing yourself just to rest here for a moment in the awareness of being.
Allowing yourself to feel the rhythm and flow of breathing from moment to moment.
And slowly starting to open the eyes.
Bringing gentle movement to the body.
Wiggling fingers and toes.
Stretching arms and legs.
Taking a moment to offer appreciation to yourself for engaging in practice and allowing yourself to bring this embodied presence to the next moment of your day.
