MBSR Body Scan

This is a 40-minute version of the MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) body scan. Supporting you in developing awareness of the body whilst also providing a warm and nourishing present moment pause.

Transcript

This is a guided body scan meditation and we'll be practicing together for around 45 minutes.

So just taking a moment to find a comfortable position,

Wearing loose and comfortable clothes.

Just bringing yourself to a lying down position now,

Maybe on a mat,

On the floor or on a bed.

Just taking a moment now to gather yourself and to find a space where you can lie down,

Your arms resting by your sides,

Your legs out flat in front of you on the floor,

Feet falling apart.

Or if you have any lower back difficulties or discomfort,

Then perhaps investigating with bringing your feet flat on the floor underneath your knees.

Taking a support here.

You may like to use a blanket to cover yourself with or a cushion underneath your head.

Just bringing yourself now to a comfortable stillness.

Being aware of the shape of your body lying here and just allowing yourself just to sink into the floor,

Into the mat.

Feeling these points of contact,

The weight of your body supported and allowing yourself just to let go.

Aware of the soothing rhythm of your breathing,

The gentle movement of air in and out of your body.

Feeling the rise and fall in your stomach,

Your chest and your abdomen as you lie here.

These subtle movements,

Breathing in and breathing out and allowing,

If you can,

Your attention just to rest here with your breathing and the movement of your stomach or your chest.

Not trying to change it in any way,

Not needing it to be anything other than what it is.

Rising,

Falling,

Moving in and moving out.

Noticing perhaps the movement of the air at the tip of your nose,

Your nostrils.

The cool air as you breathe in and the slightly warmer air as you breathe out.

And gently begin to direct your attention away from your breathing now.

Moving the focus of your attention down through your body,

From your chest,

Your abdomen down all the way to your left foot and in particular to your left big toe.

Just taking a moment now to rest your sensation awareness here.

Becoming curious of how this left big toe is feeling.

Is it warm or cold?

Can you notice a tingling maybe or it's like fizzing sensation here?

As best as you can,

Just tuning in to whatever is here for you in this moment.

Aware of each individual sensation or perhaps aware that there is nothing here for you in this moment.

But seeing if it's possible just to bring your attention to the shape of your toe.

Maybe now bringing into focus your little toe,

The toes in between,

The space they take up,

The gaps between them.

Observing if you can how it is your toes in your left foot are feeling in this moment.

Seeing the feelings in the top of your foot now come into focus,

Drawing them into your mind's eye.

The skin at the top of your foot,

Sensations of air against your skin or maybe fabric from your socks or the blanket.

Is there a warmth here or a coolness?

Becoming curious as well about the soul of your foot,

The arch,

The space that it takes up,

Noticing whatever is here for you in this moment.

Becoming aware now,

If possible,

The feeling of your heel maybe resting on the floor or the mat.

The weight of your foot resting here,

This slightly more bony part of your foot.

How does this feel?

What's here for you now,

Tuning your attention in simply to the heel of your left foot and whatever is here for you now.

Gently moving your attention now away from the heel and bringing into your mind's eye the ankle,

This joint connecting your foot to your leg,

Just seeing if it's possible now to become aware of any sensations in your left ankle without moving it,

Without needing it to be anything other than what it is.

Seeing if it's possible perhaps to breathe into the whole of your left foot now,

Breathing in and allowing the air to flow down throughout your body all the way to the left foot.

Breathing in and breathing out,

Releasing the air from your left foot and letting go.

Moving your attention now to the lower half of your left leg,

From the ankle all the way up to the knee joint,

Including the front of your leg,

Your shin,

The back of your leg,

The muscles there,

Just noticing if there's any tension,

A tightness perhaps in your muscles or sensation of release,

Of letting go,

Aware of the points of connection between your leg and the floor or perhaps aware of the space.

If your feet are flat on the mat,

Aware maybe of the sensation as your leg rests here,

Your calf just hanging gently.

Maybe you find that your mind is wandering,

Your attention drifting elsewhere,

Just gently note where it is your mind has gone to,

Thoughts,

Plans,

Judgments and kindly drawing your attention back to whichever part of the body we're focusing on.

So in this moment,

Just kindly guiding your attention back to the lower half of your left leg and the sensations here.

Bringing with you a sense of genuine curiosity,

Knowing that all we're doing here is discovering the sensations,

The feelings.

As we breathe in and breathe out,

Letting go now of this part of your body and just drawing your attention up,

Including now the top half of your left leg,

From your knee to your thigh,

All the way up to your hip joint,

Including here two powerful joints in your body and just investigating if you can how this part of your body is feeling.

How is it to rest your attention here,

Just in the muscles of your thigh,

Sensations of your fabric against your skin?

Simply trying as best as you can to draw your attention purposefully but kindly,

Noticing any pulsing,

Tingling,

Noticing any restlessness,

Any judgments that may be creeping in.

And breathing in now,

Allowing the air to travel all the way down the left leg,

From your hip down through the thigh,

Your knee,

Your lower leg,

The ankle,

The top of your foot,

The sole of your foot and each of the toes.

Breathing in,

Filling your left leg with the air as you breathe in and then as we breathe out,

Letting go and bringing your attention now over to the toes in your right foot,

Your big toe,

Your little toe and all of those in between,

Without wiggling them if that's okay.

Simply observing how they are in this moment,

Resting your attention,

Noticing any tingling,

The feeling of the blood as it travels to the tips of your toes.

Breathing in,

Letting go and bringing your attention,

Include now the top of your right foot,

The sole of your right foot and the shape of the arch.

Air as well of your heel,

Resting on the floor,

Holding in your mind's eye now the whole of your right foot,

From your toes to your heel,

Including as well the ankle,

The bone of the ankle,

The feeling of your skin.

Bringing your attention now to the lower half of your right leg,

Seeing if it's possible just to relax that leg a little more,

Seeing if it's possible to gently bring your attention to the feelings here in your shin,

Your calf,

The space around your knee,

Inside your knee,

The back of your knee.

What is here for you now?

And is it possible to bring your attention back whenever you find it wandering?

Gently guiding your attention to the muscles in your right thigh,

To the back of your thigh perhaps supported by the mat underneath you.

The sensations in your right hip,

The joints here and breathing in now to the whole of your right leg.

Breathing in,

Filling this right leg with air and breathing out,

Imagining the air releasing from the sole of your right foot.

Breathing in and breathing out,

Letting go now of your right leg and turning your attention towards the area of your pelvis,

Your bottom on the mat,

The whole of your pelvic region.

Noticing any sensations here.

Perhaps there's a sensation of letting go,

Contact with the floor with the mat underneath you or perhaps there's a tension.

Whatever is here for you in this moment,

Seeing if it's possible just to be with it,

To notice it and allow it to be exactly as it is in this moment.

Drawing your attention now away from this pelvic region towards your lower back,

The bone of your spine coming out of your pelvis and the muscles here in your lower back.

Often an area of pain,

Discomfort for many.

And if this is the case for you,

Just seeing if it's possible just to rest in that discomfort,

To notice it just for how it is in this moment.

If there is pain,

If there is discomfort,

Seeing if it's possible to become curious about it,

To notice if it's sharp or dull,

If it stays in one place or maybe it moves around.

Observing maybe a throbbing sensation,

Seeing if it's possible just to rest your attention.

And if you notice many emotions or thoughts,

Judgments coming in,

Again knowing that that's completely okay.

Just notice them and then bring your attention back to your lower back and the sensations here for you in this moment.

Notice there's a slight gap,

Space between your back and the mat and the floor.

Becoming curious about this arch,

Sensations maybe of stretching or releasing.

Breathing into the whole of your back now.

From your pelvis all the way up your spine,

Becoming aware of the whole of your back,

Supporting you here,

Resting here.

The sensations of your shoulder blades perhaps on the floor,

The top of your shoulders.

Noting any tension that may or may not be here for you now.

Feeling as best as you can,

Just bringing the whole of your back now into your mind's eye.

Breathing into the whole of your back and breathing out we can let go.

And bring our attention once more to our abdomen,

To our torso,

To the feeling of your chest perhaps rising and falling with each new breath in and out.

Allowing your awareness just to rest here and the whole of your torso including your chest,

Your lungs,

Systems of breathing as well as your stomach.

Systems of digestion within.

Just noting for yourself what is here now.

Subtle movements of lifting and releasing but also maybe sensations of hunger or fullness.

There may be many emotions that come with bringing our attention to our body.

So seeing if it's possible just to rest your attention simply in noticing.

Seeing any judgements and bringing your mind's eye back to the simple nurturing rhythm of your breathing.

The movement of your ribs,

Your diaphragm,

The movement perhaps of your top as you breathe in and as you breathe out.

And breathing into the whole of your torso and breathing out we can let go of this area.

And allow our attention to come to the sensations in our hands,

Both hands,

Your left hand,

Your right hand.

Noting the feeling in your fingertips.

Is there coolness there?

The weight of the back of your hand on the floor.

Feel the goodness of the mat or bedding underneath you.

Just allowing yourself now to rest your attention in the sensation in the whole of your hands.

Tingling or fizzing in your fingertips.

The movement of air across your palms.

Whatever is here for you in this moment,

Allowing it to be exactly as it is.

Noting now the lower half of your arms,

From your wrists to your elbows.

Noting the sensations on the outside of your arms but also the muscles and tissue within.

Aware of the points of contact between your body and the floor.

Not needing to change anything,

Just aware of the position of your arms now.

Bringing in the top of your arms and the top of your shoulders.

Drawing now the whole of your attention to the whole of your arms from the tips of your fingers and thumbs to the top of your shoulders.

And seeing if it's possible for you just to rest here.

Guiding your attention to observing the feelings and sensations in your arms now.

Breathing in,

Filling your arms with air.

And breathing out,

Allowing the air to turn around,

Release and let go of your arms.

Noticing now the sensations in your neck,

Your throat.

Perhaps exploring what it feels like to swallow.

The movements involved.

Aware as well of the back of your head,

The weight of your head against the floor.

The muscles of your hair,

Your scalp.

Muscles in your face.

Seeing if it's possible just to release,

To relax the muscles in your face just a little bit more.

Muscles in your forehead,

Around your eyes,

Your cheeks,

Your ears,

Your mouth.

Simply breathing in to these muscles of your face and breathing out.

Ab Breathing in now,

Drawing the breath up to the top of your head,

To the very crown of your head.

Breathing in,

Filling your body from your toes all the way through your ankles,

Your legs,

Your hips,

Your back,

Your stomach.

Breathing in through your chest,

Your throat,

Your face all the way up to the top of your head.

And breathing out,

Letting go from your head down through your shoulders,

Your chest,

To your back,

Your arms,

Down through your legs and out through your toes.

And resting now with the whole of your body.

Allowing your breathing to anchor you,

To anchor the whole of you.

Noticing the shape of your body,

The weight of your body in whatever position you're in.

Noticing as well this feeling of support from the ground beneath you.

Drawing your attention now to the breath as it moves through you,

Through the whole of your body and anchors you here to this moment.

Breathing in and breathing out.

And in your own time now you can begin to maybe just move your hands,

Your toes.

Gently begin to open your eyes and stretch your body in whatever way feels right for you in this moment.

Supporting yourself as best as you can as you transition now from this body scan and back into your daily life.

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Reviews

Pacing and voice led me to deeply restful state. Thank you

Perfect thank you 🙏

Very nice gentle body scan. Soothing voice and calming instruction. Thank you.☮💖🙏