Hello and welcome to Serenely Elevated by Charlotte Fay.
This is your body scan meditation.
So let's start by taking a deep breath in and letting it go with an audible sigh.
Releasing any tension and negative energy with that exhale.
Now begin by making yourself comfortable either sitting or laying to ensure that you are relaxed and without tension.
You should gently relax your hands in your lap or by your side.
Allow your eyes to close or remain open with a soft gaze whichever is more preferable to you.
Now I want you to take a few long deep breaths.
Breathing in fully to the stomach and exhaling slowly.
Try to breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth.
Feel your body as it expands on the inhale and let go of all that tension on the exhale.
Begin to let go of your surroundings.
Notice noises around you and simply let them pass.
Whenever you feel yourself concentrating on those noises around you just simply bring your focus back to the rhythm of your breath.
Now I'd like you to slowly bring your attention down to your feet.
Start to observe the sensations in your feet.
You may want to give them a wiggle.
Feel the sensations in your socks or shoes.
Then relax your feet and send thanks down to them for carrying you through each day.
You may not feel anything at all and that is completely fine too.
Just allow yourself to simply feel the sensation of nothing at all.
When you are ready allow thoughts of your feet to dissolve as you bring your attention up to your ankles and your calves,
Your knees and your thighs.
Observe the sensations that you are experiencing throughout your legs.
Breathe down into your legs and breathe out again.
If your mind begins to wander,
Recognize that and bring your mind back to your breath and back to your legs.
On your next out breath allow the thoughts of your legs to dissolve into your mind.
We will now move to the sensations in your lower back and pelvis.
Softening this area with each breath in and out.
Then slowly moving your attention to the middle and upper back.
Become aware of the sensations you can feel in this area.
You may notice warmth or tension.
You may notice the points of contact on any furniture.
Then with each out breath let go of any tension or tightness that you can feel and very gently start to move your attention to your stomach and your internal organs.
You may notice a feeling of your clothes against your skin.
You may notice a feeling of hunger or your belly simply rising and falling with each breath.
Remember if your mind gets distracted by thoughts then just notice them without feeling and slowly bring yourself back to your breath and to your belly.
On your next breath in move your thoughts up to your chest area.
If you can notice your heart beat observe your chest as it expands and falls with each breath in and out.
Let go of any thoughts that may rise always remembering to bring your attention back to the flow of your breath.
On your next out breath bring your attention to your hands and your fingertips.
Try to imagine breathing in through the fingertips and then breathing back out through the fingertips.
Always remembering to notice when your mind wanders to just bring your mind gently back to your breath and your fingertips and hands.
Slowly beginning to move your focus up into your arms observing the sensations that you can feel here.
You may not feel anything but you may notice tension.
Do not judge any differences between the left or right arms just allow them to be.
Allowing any tensions to dissolve with any out breaths.
You may notice that your shoulders move with your breath in and out.
Bring your attention to this area.
Let go of any other thoughts and let any rigidness or tension roll off your shoulders with every exhale of breath.
And with the next breath in bring your attention to your head,
Scalp and face.
Observe the sensations here.
The feeling as you breathe in through the nose,
Any warmth on your face,
Perhaps there is a light breeze or perhaps you can hear things around you now.
Now as you exhale bringing your attention to your whole body,
Your whole being.
Run your attention from your scalp all the way down to your toes.
We are now coming to the end of this practice so I'd like you to take a deep breath and when you are ready exhale fully before opening your eyes and becoming aware of your present moment.
Waking to full alertness and allowing yourself to continue on with your day.
