Welcome to this meditation.
This is both a gratitude practice and a body scan.
The intention behind this practice is to cultivate a deep sense of gratitude for your body while also dropping into a serene and calm state.
Please take a moment to get comfortable,
Stretch and situate yourself in whatever position feels best.
Slowly breathe in and out,
Perhaps even letting out a deep sigh or a hoarse breath during your exhale.
After you've found the best position for today,
Do you feel more settled?
Is there anything else you could do to feel 10% more comfortable?
Do you need to grab a blanket,
Perhaps turn off a lamp,
Extend your legs?
Find whatever is needed,
Allowing yourself this time to access comfort.
Now,
Let's bring our attention to the body.
Breathe in and out normally as I guide us through a gratitude body scan.
As I name an area of the body,
See what it's like to turn as much of your attention to that area.
Let love and awe wash over that part of the body.
The goal for this time together is to embrace our bodies fully,
Without judgment,
To connect with each part on a deeper level,
Feeling more ease and appreciation for what we have.
If at any point there's a part of the body that is particularly challenging for you to be with,
Because of an emotional or physical injury,
Simply try to hold care for that part of the body,
But just return back to the breath and skip until another time.
Let's begin.
Let's begin with the top of the head down to your neck.
Notice all of the facial features,
Muscles,
The brain,
And nerves that this part of the body contains.
Breathe and relax as you remember all this part of the body does for you.
Notice with love and awe.
Now move your attention to your shoulders.
As you breathe,
Notice any tension present and bring a sense of melting to your shoulders as you exhale.
Notice the skin,
Muscles,
And blood flow under the surface with love and awe.
And move your attention now to your arms,
Elbows,
Wrists,
And hands,
Trying to almost feel them from the inside out.
Holding love and awe for the skin,
Muscles,
Bone,
Blood flow,
And tasks that these parts of the body do for you each and every day.
Breathe easily up and down,
In and out.
Next become aware of your back.
Send gratitude to your back for literally helping hold you up day in and day out.
Bring a sense of relaxation as you bring your awareness to the muscles of the back and the intricacies of the spinal column.
Breathe calmly,
Sending love and awe to this part of the body.
Breathe and bring your awareness to the front of your body,
The chest and the stomach.
Send love and awe as you notice the rise and fall of your breath.
Send gratitude to your heart,
Ribcage,
Stomach,
Intestines,
Kidneys,
Liver,
Lungs.
These areas of the body are often not thought about until we have a complication or at the doctor.
What could shift if we thought of them more?
Send gratitude for this complex system that is always at work,
Creating the life we experience each day.
We move now to the hips and pelvis,
Bringing your awareness to the vast array of muscles,
Fascia,
Organs,
Bones,
And nerves that come together to support your digestion,
Hormones,
Reproduction and more.
Holding love and awe,
Bring a sense of relaxation as you breathe in and out.
Next,
Notice your legs.
Let them become heavy and loose.
Hold them in your awareness with love and awe.
Maybe even say the words,
Thank you,
In your mind.
And continue bringing your attention downward to your ankles and feet,
Holding this part of the body with reverence and gratitude for the ways the bone,
Joints,
Muscles,
Skin all work together to ground you,
Take you places,
Hold you up,
And balance you.
And now,
Hold your awareness softly over your entire body,
Holding all of yourself with love and awe.
Is there any part we did not name that needs attention?
Is there any part that is tense that needs ease?
Can you relax just a bit more?
Can you access more self-love and release any lingering self-judgment?
We will slowly start coming out of this practice.
Notice how your body feels right now in this moment.
Do you feel relaxed,
Heavy,
Maybe you feel tingly or floaty?
How does your body physically feel right now on the couch,
Chair,
Or floor that you're resting on?
What is the fabric like?
How does the air feel against your skin?
Simply notice,
Breathe deeply in,
And sigh your exhale out.
Begin moving your fingers and toes,
Bat your eyes open and begin to slowly immerse yourself back into your room.
Turn,
Stretch,
Gaze above,
Below,
Behind you.
And in closing,
Place a loving hand on whatever part of the body feels right,
Perhaps your heart space,
Your cheek,
The base of your stomach.
Hold that part of the body with tenderness and strength.
Sending love and awe.
Thank yourself for this time and the deep love and care you've offered yourself and your parts today.
Much love.
