Today we'll be practicing a body scan meditation.
This body scan will help you to relax in both body and mind,
Connect to how you're feeling,
Deepening feelings of relaxation and calm throughout your body.
Start by giving yourself the time to find a comfortable place to practice.
You may choose to lay down or be seated for this meditation.
If you're laying down,
Find a comfortable place,
Perhaps with your limbs extended.
And if you're seated,
Allow your back to be straight but not stiff with your feet on the floor.
Your hands can be resting gently in your lap or by your sides.
Allow your eyes to close or if it feels comfortable to remain open with a soft gaze.
Let's start by taking several long,
Slow,
Deep breaths.
Getting in fully,
Deep into your belly and exhaling slowly.
Breathe in through your nose and out through your nose or your mouth.
Feel your stomach expand on the inhale,
Belly rises.
Feel your stomach relax and let go as you exhale.
Let go of any noises around you,
Any distractions and just shift your attention to inside,
To your breathing.
If at any time you get distracted,
Whether by sounds or thoughts,
Just notice and bring your focus back to your breathing.
Slowly bring your attention first to your feet.
Again,
Observing any sensations in your feet,
Maybe it feels good to wiggle your toes a little.
Imagine as you inhale,
Sending your breath down to your feet as if the breath is traveling through the nose to the lungs,
Through the abdomen,
All the way to the feet.
And as you exhale,
Back up again through your nose and lungs.
When you're ready,
Allow your feet to dissolve in your mind's eye and move your attention upward to your ankles,
Your calves.
Observe any sensations you're experiencing.
Breathe in,
Send your breath to your calves.
Breathe out,
Feel your breath leave and feel relaxation in your calves,
Releasing any tension in your calves.
Observe how the sensations rise and fall with your breath.
Inhale bring your attention to your knees,
Send your breath to your knees.
Exhale,
Feel your knees relax and grow heavy.
Inhale notice and send your breath to your thighs.
Exhale,
Release any tension or tightness in your thighs,
Allow them to grow heavy and relaxed.
Inhale,
Notice your pelvis,
Send your breath to your pelvis.
As you exhale,
Softening and releasing,
Taking your time.
Simply move your attention up to your mid-back and your upper back.
Become curious about the sensations there and aware of any sensations in the muscles of your back and the points of contact against your chair,
Bed,
Floor.
Inhale send your breath to your back.
Exhale,
Feel your back relax,
Releasing any tension that you're carrying.
Gently shift your stomach to your focus to your stomach and your internal organs.
Notice the feeling of your stomach,
Perhaps you notice the belly rising and falling again.
Inhale,
Send your breath to your stomach and abdomen.
Exhale,
Invite in feelings of relaxation here.
Letting your belly go soft and relaxed.
Inhale,
Notice your chest and send your breath to your chest.
Exhale,
Feel your chest relax.
Release tension that you might feel there.
Shift your focus to your hands and fingertips.
Inhale,
Send your breath towards your hands,
Down into the fingertips.
Exhale,
Feel your hands relax and grow heavy.
Inhale shift your focus and awareness to your arms.
Notice the sensations that may be occurring.
Maybe even different sensations between the left and right arm.
No need to judge this.
Exhale,
Feel your arms soften.
Release tension in the forearm,
The upper arm.
Inhale,
Shift your focus to the neck,
Shoulder and throat.
This is often an area where we have tension.
So be mindful and notice any sensations here.
Perhaps tightness,
Holding.
And as you exhale,
Feel your shoulders,
Your neck relax.
Release the tension on the exhale.
You may even feel the tension rolling off your shoulders.
Exhale and shift your focus to your head,
The back of your head and scalp.
Exhale,
Feel your head and scalp relax.
Softening any tension there.
Inhale,
Notice your face and the muscles on your face.
Especially around your brow,
Your mouth,
Your jaw.
Exhale,
Notice the tension leave your face.
Allow your facial muscles to be soft.
Now let your attention expand to include the entire body as a whole.
Bringing into awareness the top of your head,
Down to the bottom of your toes.
Allow the gentle rhythm of the breath as it moves through the body.
Inhale filling up.
Exhale,
Feel your body relax and grow heavy.
Inhale.
Exhale,
Let go of any remaining tension.
As you come to the end of this practice,
Let's take a full deep breath,
Taking in all the energy of this practice.
Exhale fully.
Notice how you feel in body and mind compared to the beginning of this meditation.
Notice if there's anything in particular that stood out or surprised you here about how your mind or your body felt.
When you're ready,
You can open your eyes and return your attention to the present moment,
To the room you're in.
Give yourself time to become slowly alert and awake.
Notice the benefits you receive from this meditation.
Thank yourself for giving yourself this time and bring those benefits into the rest of your day.
