Sitting Body Scan Practice

Crafted for use while sitting in a chair, this practice invites you to notice the arising and passing away of sensations in the body, and of the mind's tendency to wander. It can help cultivate mindful awareness of body and mind.

Transcript

We begin this body scan practice by bringing ourselves into a seated posture that is alert and stable,

But also comfortable,

As this body scan will last for about 20 minutes.

While this is a practice of paying attention and waking up,

It is helpful if we are in a position that we can comfortably hold for the length of the sitting.

And so as we lower or close our eyes,

Whichever is more comfortable,

We bring our attention to the body sitting in the chair as we breathe.

Aware of the body and where it makes contact with the chair,

And if your legs are crossed and it's comfortable to do so,

You may wish to uncross them so that the feet are planted a little bit more firmly on the ground.

Aware of the body from the top of our head to the tips of our toes,

From side to side and belly to back,

Aware of this body in this moment,

Breathing in this chair.

And then with an awareness of doing so,

Moving our attention to our left foot and to the toes in the left foot.

Aware of the sensations in and around this part of the body as you breathe,

Aware of the ways in which the toes may touch each other or make contact with a sock or the ground.

Just noticing.

Aware too of the underside of the foot,

The ankle,

The top of the foot,

Resting attention,

Resting awareness on this part of the body as you breathe,

And then moving awareness to the shin,

To the calf of the left foot,

Aware of the change in direction of the bone and the bones and the skin wrapping around the bones as you breathe.

Aware of the knee,

Of the left knee and any sensations in and around this part of the body,

Perhaps pleasant or unpleasant or neither,

Perhaps a neutral feeling.

Feeling whatever is arising in this moment,

In this part of your body as you breathe and as awareness moves to the left thigh and a sense of the mass,

The muscle,

The bone,

The blood,

In and around your left thigh and the sensations where your thigh may meet the chair or the clothes you're wearing.

Noticing and then in the next breath or two,

A sense of the entire left leg and allowing a sense of the left leg to either recede into the background of your awareness or to dissolve as you move your attention to your right foot,

To the toes of your right foot,

Simply noticing the sensations in and around your toes as you breathe.

And of the right foot itself,

The fullness of the foot from toes to heel,

The top and the bottom,

The fleshy underside,

Aware of any sensations,

The sense of touch,

Perhaps a tingling,

Just noticing as you move attention to your shin and your calf as you breathe.

And should your mind wander,

Should it move off the object to which you're placing your intention in that awareness of being distracted,

Gently bringing your attention back to the body as you breathe.

Aware of the knee,

The curvature of the knee and the kneecap,

Aware of the sensations in and around the knee and the underside of the knee as you breathe.

Noticing any sensations that may be arising in this moment and then moving awareness to the right thigh and of this part of the body where it may make contact with what you're wearing or with the chair.

Noticing these points of contact and the sense of touch and with the next breath or two allowing a sense of the right leg to recede into the background of your awareness or to dissolve as you bring your attention to your buttocks,

To your hips,

To the genitals.

Aware of the sensations arising in this part of the body where your bottom makes contact with the seat of the chair as you breathe and then moving awareness into the torso,

Noticing the sensations in and around the belly moving with the breath,

Perhaps a hunger or fullness or maybe no sensation at all.

Aware and sensing the internal organs,

The kidneys,

The liver,

The intestines within,

Inside this body as you breathe.

Aware of the lungs and of the air that fills them when you're inhaling and flows out as you exhale.

Aware of the heart beating inside your chest,

The sense of the blood moving through the heart pushed out,

Moving through the cells of your body as you breathe.

Aware of the upper back and the muscles of the upper back and perhaps of a tightness or an ease and of the lower back and the muscles of the lower back.

Aware of the sensations in and around and moving in and around your back and of the torso moving with the breath,

Lifting and softening.

And then directing awareness to the left shoulder,

Moving down the upper arm to the elbow of the left arm,

Aware of the sensations in and around this part of your body as you breathe and then moving from elbow to forearm to wrist,

Noticing any sensations,

The momentary,

That which may last a little longer arising as you breathe.

And aware of the left hand,

The palm,

The fingers and of the sensations in and around the left hand,

Where they may be making contact with each other or resting atop something or your other hand.

Aware of any sensations,

Perhaps a tingling or no sensations as you breathe and then moving attention,

Shifting your awareness to the right shoulder,

Moving down the arm to the elbow and aware of this part of your right arm,

Noticing as you breathe,

Aware of the elbow and the forearm and then of the right hand,

The wrist,

The palm,

The fingers,

A sense of the fingernails,

The curvature of the fingers,

Any sensations in or around your right hand as you breathe and then bringing into the field of awareness the right arm and fingers and the shoulder that links to the left arm and fingers and to the torso.

And in the next breath or two,

Allowing an awareness of this part of the body to recede into the background or dissolve as you bring your attention to your neck and the sensations in and around the neck as you breathe,

Aware of the chin and of the lower jaw,

Aware of sensations that may be arising in this part of your body,

The upper jaw,

Noticing any tightness,

Aware of the tongue and the sensations of the fleshy tongue in the mouth and of the lips as you breathe,

Aware of the nose and the nostrils and of the sensations of air flowing into and out of the nostrils or of the mouth as you breathe and of the skin beneath the nostrils and above the upper lip,

Aware of the cheeks,

The left cheek and the right cheek and of the ears,

The left ear and the right ear,

Resting your attention on this part of the body,

Noticing.

And then moving attention to the eyes resting in their sockets of the sensations,

A tightness,

A lightness as you breathe,

Aware of the temples,

Aware of the hair and of your scalp,

As you breathe,

Aware of the entirety of your head and of the sensations in and around and moving through this part of your body as you breathe with an awareness of breathing and then allowing a sense of this part of your body,

Your neck and your head to recede into the background or dissolve as you sense this moment as it is and in the next breath a sense of the body sitting in this chair from head to toes and side to side and belly to back,

Aware of this body sitting in this chair and where it makes contact with the chair as you breathe,

Aware of the body breathing,

Of the body moving with the breath,

Expanding,

Lifting on the in-breath,

Softening,

Falling on the out-breath,

Aware of the entire body sitting in this chair in this moment and when you're ready in the next breath or two to lift your gaze,

Open your eyes with an awareness of doing so and perhaps bringing a little bit of what you've cultivated in this sitting into the moments that follow.

Reviews

Really enjoyed this practice. Thank you. ✨

A good, straightforward body scan

A lovely soothing voice and was so relaxed almost nodded off

Very helpful and relaxing.

Very good body scan that is focused on sitting upright vs laying down and the teacher has a very relaxing voice.

Liked this a lot. Very relaxing.

This guided meditation transports me.

Great mid day scan. Did this with my client. She loved it. Couldn't get her right leg to feeeeeeeeel

Really great for the travel home on public transport. Feel totalling refreshed for the rest of my evening.

Nice! Thank you.

Just lovely and sweet. ☺️

First body scan meditation for me. Strangely relaxing. Not sure what to feel but I found I almost fell asleep. Very unusual for me.

Love the rythym and the breath reminders...

Lovely.... As you breathe...

very good. I like it.

Love his voice. Great for beginners.

Good pacing & excellent imagery.

Comprehensive 20 minute body scan...

Clear, calm voice; helpful, neutral, secular instructions