This is a short body scan practice.
In the yogic tradition,
A body scan would be considered more a relaxation practice than a meditation.
However,
Practicing body scan can help us access greater ease in the body.
It can be a great preparation for deeper states of meditation.
It's a good practice for those who are new to meditation.
And it's also a good practice to do anytime you need a little bit more ease in the body and the mind.
It can help prepare you for rest.
The intention of this practice is not necessarily to rest,
However,
But to simply become more aware of the body.
As one of my teachers said,
The mind is a time traveler,
But the body is always present.
When we connect with the body,
We too become present in the moment.
So let's begin by taking a few moments to allow your body to settle into a comfortable position.
You can do this practice seated or reclining,
However you're most comfortable.
If you're seated,
You may take a moment to sit a little bit taller,
Lengthening your spine so that nothing is compressed.
And finding a sense of relaxed ease softening the shoulders,
The jaws,
Maintaining a sense of ease but also alertness.
If you choose to recline,
Make sure that you your back is supported,
You may want a blanket or a pillow under your head,
A bolster or some pillows under your legs.
Take all the time that you need to get comfortable.
I'll be guiding you on a journey through the body.
As I name each part,
Allow your awareness to flow like water from place to place.
Noticing sensation.
There may be places where you feel nothing.
And other places where you experience pain or discomfort.
Simply notice whatever you feel without judgment.
If you like,
You can close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Begin to notice your breath,
Perhaps taking in a fuller breath and a long breath out.
You might even wish to sigh the breath out.
Breathing in fully,
Begin to feel the breath in the body,
Becoming aware of how your breath moves in the body.
Slowly exhale the breath out.
Breathing in and breathing out.
Become aware of all the places in your body that are touching the surface supporting you,
Whether you're seated or reclining.
Perhaps your feet are touching the floor,
Your sitting bones,
The backs of your legs,
In the chair.
If you're lying down,
It might be your whole back body.
Notice the places that touch the cushions or floor beneath you.
And the places that rise up from that support.
Breathing in fully,
As you exhale,
Let all those places of contact settle a little bit more.
Breathing in and breathing out.
You might notice the current state of your body.
If you feel tight or tense,
Discomfort,
Or completely at ease.
Simply noticing whatever is present without judgment.
Bringing awareness now to the top of your head,
Perhaps sensing the air moving across the top of your head,
Your neck,
Your scalp,
Your forehead.
Noticing the brow,
The space between the eyebrows.
Become aware of your right eye,
Your left eye.
And both eyes together.
Perhaps softening the eyelids.
Letting the eyes rest back and down.
Become aware of the bridge of the nose,
Right nostril,
Left nostril.
Feel the breath flowing through both nostrils.
Perhaps noticing if you feel it more strongly on one side than the other.
Feel your right cheek,
Left cheek,
Jaws.
Notice any tension or tightness in the jaws.
Perhaps releasing the lower jaw if you can.
Creating greater ease.
Notice the right ear,
The left ear,
And both ears together.
Feel the ears receiving sound.
Feel the mouth,
Teeth,
Tongue.
Feel the root of the tongue,
The tip of the tongue,
The space beneath the tongue and the upper palate.
Feel the whole mouth,
A field of sensation.
And notice your chin,
Throat,
The sides of the neck,
Collarbones,
Right shoulder,
Left shoulder,
Upper arms,
Elbows,
Forearms,
Wrists,
The palms of the hands,
The backs of the hands,
And the tips of the fingers.
Feel both arms and hands together.
Bring awareness back to the collarbones and the notch at the base of the throat.
And become aware of the upper chest.
Perhaps noticing the rise and fall of the chest with the breath.
Feel the ribs expanding and releasing.
Abdomen,
Navel center,
Belly.
Perhaps feeling the belly move with the breath.
Softening belly.
Become aware of the pelvis,
The right hip,
Left hip and the pelvic floor.
Feel the tops of the thighs,
Knees,
Lower legs,
Ankles,
And feet.
Feel the tops of the feet,
The soles of the feet,
The tips of the toes,
All 10 toes together.
Become aware of the heels,
Ankles,
Calf muscles,
Backs of the knees,
Backs of the thighs,
Buttocks.
And feel your root,
The base of the spine.
Become aware of the lower back,
Sacrum,
Mid back,
The space between the shoulder blades and the upper back,
The back of the neck,
The back of the head,
And the crown of the head.
Feel the whole body,
The whole body from the top of the head to the soles of the feet.
One complete organism.
Whole body supported by the surface beneath you.
The whole body a field of sensation.
Noticing if there is any place in particular in the body that calls out for attention.
Notice places where you feel sensation most strongly.
Notice places where perhaps there may be a lack of sensation.
Now sensing again,
The whole body,
The top of the head to the soles of the feet and feel the body breathing.
Body being breathed.
Feel how the breath moves through the body.
Breathing in and breathing out.
Whole body connected,
Supported and nourished by the breath.
Perhaps breathing in a little more deeply and exhaling the breath out with a sigh.
Beginning to let go of this practice.
Take a moment to notice how you feel.
If you feel different after the practice than you did before you began.
Begin to slowly turn your awareness outward again.
If your eyes are closed,
You might take a moment,
Rub your hands together,
Create a little bit of heat in the body between the palms of the hands and gently place them over your eyes.
Slowly blinking the eyes open when you're ready into the hands and then gently releasing.
Taking your time,
Letting your eyes adjust to light.
Begin to wiggle and move the body.
As you feel ready.
You may wish to rest longer or slowly stretch and move in any way that feels good.
Thank you for practicing with me today.
I wish you peace.
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.
