Welcome to this body scan practice.
I invite you to find a position that allows you to be alert and relaxed at the same time.
If you wish,
You may close your eyes now or keep them open and soften your gaze without focusing on anything in particular.
Bringing the attention to the breath now.
Feeling the inhale and the exhale and the pauses in between.
Stay with your attention of the breath.
Staying with your attention for a few moments as best you can.
Now bring your attention to your feet.
Feeling in to each foot.
Feeling the toes of both feet.
The soles of the feet and the contact with the ground beneath you.
The top of the feet and moving to your ankles.
Noticing the sensations or lack of sensations.
Whatever you feel,
There is no need to change your experience.
Being with whatever sensations arise for you.
Now moving attention to the shins and the calves.
Moving upward to your knees and onto your thighs and your hips.
Feeling into the 360 degrees of your hips.
And moving your attention now to the lower back.
Traveling up the spine to the middle back and then the upper back.
Continue now to the front of your body.
Notice your chest.
Maybe noticing your heart beating.
Be open to any sensations that arise.
Move attention to your belly.
Can you notice how the belly rises with each inhale and drops slightly with each exhale?
You may notice that your attention wanders from time to time.
Just as the heart beats,
The mind will think.
And this is okay.
This is normal.
This is part of the practice.
So when you notice your attention has taken you too far away,
Just kindly and patiently come back to the present moment.
Moving attention now to your hands.
Both hands at once.
What sensations do you feel?
Perhaps a tingling or a throbbing.
Warmth or coolness.
Dampness or dryness.
And even if you don't feel anything at all,
That is perfectly fine.
Feel your fingers,
Each and every one.
The palms of your hands,
Backs of your hands,
Your wrists.
These hands that do so much for us.
Moving now to your forearms.
Traveling up the elbows and the upper arms.
Bringing attention now to your shoulders.
And be open to any bodily sensations that show up here.
Try to accept sensations as they are.
Simply as part of your awareness in this moment.
Whether they are pleasant,
Unpleasant or neutral.
Feeling into your throat,
Your neck.
And now focusing attention on your face.
Notice the chin and your jaw.
Notice your mouth and your lips.
Where the top and bottom lip meet.
And into the mouth,
The tongue.
The teeth even.
The gums.
Noticing the insides of your cheeks.
Moving out of the mouth.
Bringing attention to your nose.
And you notice your nostrils and how the air you breathe flows in and out.
Cool air on the in breath.
Warmer air on the out breath.
Feel the eyes,
The globe of the eyes.
All the tiny muscles around the eyes.
Your eyelashes.
Continuing to your forehead.
Your temples.
Bringing attention to your ears.
The back of your head.
And then to the highest point of your body.
Your scalp.
And feel the body as a whole in all its entirety.
From the top of your head to the soles of your feet.
Notice the breath.
Feel your whole body and your breath.
This body breathing.
Remaining in this state of presence and awareness for just a few moments.
And as this practice is coming to an end I invite you to take a deep breath in.
And a slow breath out.
Bringing your attention back to the room you're in,
Your surroundings.
Noticing any sounds inside and outside.
Gently opening your eyes.
Sensing into your body.
Maybe your body needs to move and stretch.
Whatever is good for you right now.
Feel free to take an impulse from this meditation into the rest of your day.
And thank yourself for the time you took for this practice.
