Hello everyone,
Welcome.
This is a body scan practice so if you can begin by finding a comfortable position either sitting or lying down and just starting by closing your eyes and bringing your attention to your breath,
Taking a few slow breaths,
Allowing yourself to relax and settle into your body.
Begin by taking three conscious breaths and see if you can really tune in to the quality of your breath.
Noticing where your breath begins and where it ends and see if you can also place your hands wherever feels soothing and comfortable on your body.
So that might be a hand on your chest or a hand on your belly.
You might have perhaps your hands on your lap.
Just making physical contact with your own body and seeing if you can feel that sense of being held by yourself.
Then if your mind starts to drift as minds tend to do,
Just repeat in your mind,
It's safe for me to be present,
It's safe for me to relax and just continue to breathe.
See if you can shift your focus to the sensations in your body and begin bringing your awareness to your feet.
Noticing any sensations that you may be feeling in your feet such as warmth,
Coolness or tingling.
See if you can just allow your attention to rest there for a few moments,
Fully experiencing the sensations in your feet.
Now gradually move your attention upward to your lower legs and knees.
See if you can notice any sensations in this part of your body.
Is there any tension,
Heaviness or lightness?
Simply observing the sensations without judgment and allowing yourself to become more aware of your body.
Now continue to move your attention upward to your thighs and hips.
Take a moment to tune into any sensation present in this area.
Notice the weight of your body supported by the surface beneath you and see if you can feel the connection between your body and the ground.
Now shift your attention to your lower back and abdomen and start feeling the rise and the fall of your breath in this area.
Just noticing any movements or sensations as you breathe in and out.
Allowing your breath to be natural and effortless and bringing a sense of relaxation and ease to your body as best you can.
Now again if your mind starts to drift,
Come back to the sentences.
It's safe for me to be present.
It's safe for me to relax.
Now bring your awareness to your chest and upper back and see if you can notice the subtle movements that occur with each breath.
Feel the expansion and contraction in this area as you breathe in and breathe out.
Allow any tension or tightness to soften and release with each breath.
Continue to move your attention upward to shoulders and arms.
See if you can notice any sensations in your shoulders,
Upper arms and forearms and hands.
Are there any areas of tension or relaxation?
Just noticing the duality between tension and relaxation,
The polarities that exist within us.
Just reminding ourselves that it's all safe.
It's safe for us to be present.
It's safe for us to relax despite whatever sensations that may be present in the body right now.
See if you can allow your awareness to encompass your entire upper body,
Feeling the sensations as they arise and finally shifting your attention to your neck,
Face and head and noticing any sensations in your jaw,
Your cheeks,
Your facial muscles and your scalp.
Feel the gentle weight of your head supported by your neck and shoulders and see if you can observe any areas of tension or relaxation in this part of your body.
And again reminding yourself in your mind it's safe for me to relax.
It's safe for me to be present.
Just bringing your attention to your entire body as a whole.
Feel the aliveness and the energy moving through you.
Embrace the sensation of being fully present in your body,
Grounded in the present moment.
Now when you're ready you can slowly very gently bring your awareness back to the room.
Gently wiggling your toes and your fingers and slowly opening up your eyes and just taking a note on how that felt and where you were before we did this somatic scan together and where you are now.
What was the quality of your pause and even asking yourself what can I stick to even on my worst days?
What can I stick to even on my worst days and what can I do on my best days?
What can I do on my best days?
Thank you for joining me for this exercise.
Namaste
