Appreciation Body Scan

Soak in some appreciation and gratitude for your physical body with this relaxing body scan meditation. It's a guided practice including elements of progressive muscle relaxation - use it to relax your body for a peaceful night of sleep, or, start your day with it. This calming practice can help you develop a deeper connection and appreciation for your body, shifting out of negative critical thinking or judgment, and into the present moment with an open, kind heart.

Transcript

Hi,

Thank you for being here today.

I'm Susan Guttridge.

Today's practice is a body scan,

Focusing on cultivating appreciation for your physical body,

Something most of us aren't really in a habit of doing.

I'll guide you through the body scan,

Starting at the tips of your toes and working towards the top of your head.

And you just follow along,

Being present in your body,

Welcoming appreciation to the best of your ability.

I'm going to include some elements of progressive muscle relaxation,

Which means I'll be inviting you to tense and relax muscles throughout your body as we go.

I trust you know yourself best,

So tighten those muscles in a way that feels right for your body.

I'll make the suggestions,

You make the decisions.

You might find that while you are listening,

Your mind starts to wander.

That's okay,

It happens to everyone.

When our mind wanders or when we get stuck in overthinking or fall prey to scattered thoughts,

We're prevented from being fully engaged with our physical body.

If you catch this happening during our time together today,

If thinking starts to dominate your mind,

Gently notice,

Perhaps within,

There I go again,

And then use your breath to clear out those thoughts,

Shift your body slightly to recenter and create connection to the space around you and this one present moment.

I want to share this practice with you today because we've only got one body to carry us through our lifetime.

When times are good and when they are hard,

It's our body that's constantly with us,

Carrying us through each day.

When we're caught up in the stressors of the day,

We just don't take time to appreciate our body for all it does.

Many of us have learned to be critical of our body,

To speak badly of it,

To not like it,

And in some cases,

Even to not trust it.

Many of us never learn how to be present in our body with a kind spirit of gratitude for all it does every single moment of every single day.

If any of this sounds true to you,

Please use this body scan to cultivate an attitude of appreciation for your body because from that foundation,

You will befriend your physical body and you are so worth that relationship.

Alright,

Let's get comfortable.

Bring your attention to the room you are in,

Hopefully a quiet,

Calm place.

Feel the sensation of your feet on the floor if you are sitting or if you are lying down,

Notice where your body connects with your bed,

Where you feel comfort,

Allowing yourself to fully relax into the space you are in.

Just in this one moment,

Hear with me now.

And if you can,

Go ahead and close your eyes.

Take a deep breath in with me.

And exhale out.

Nice,

Just like that.

And now,

Let's begin.

Beginning with your awareness at your toes.

Tense the muscles in your feet as you inhale in.

And relax the tension,

Exhale out.

Wiggling your toes as you notice the connection of your feet on the floor if you are sitting or that restful sensation of your feet against the bed if you are lying down.

Notice the temperature there,

Warm or cold.

Focusing first on your toes,

Top of feet,

Bottom of feet,

Heel.

Recognize all your feet do for you as they carry you throughout the day,

Stabilizing you,

Keeping your balance,

Grounding you.

Breathing all the way in from your nose,

Through your body to your toes and feet.

And exhaling out.

Thinking again of all your feet have done for you today.

Thank you feet.

Thank you.

Shifting your awareness upwards to your ankles,

Shins,

Calves,

Knees and thighs.

Tense the muscles in your legs as you inhale in.

And release that tension as you exhale out.

As that tension drifts away,

Just noticing the relaxation that sets in in its place.

All along your legs even more than just a moment ago.

Appreciating your legs for all they do for you.

Appreciating the strength they possess as they move you through your day.

Thank you legs.

Thank you.

Shifting your awareness upwards to notice your sit bones,

Pelvic region,

Abdominal area and lower back.

Tense the muscles there in your core as you inhale in.

And release,

Exhale out.

If possible,

Place a hand on your abdomen.

Feel the gentle rise and fall as you breathe in.

And exhale out.

Appreciating all the muscles and vital organs there in your core.

Acknowledging their many functions,

Most of which go on throughout your day without interruption,

Outside of conscious awareness.

So offering a word of thanks.

Thank you.

Thank you.

If you lose concentration or focus just returning to the sound of my voice.

Touching the bed or the chair with your fingertips.

No harsh judgements toward self because it's normal to lose focus from time to time.

Simply bring your attention back to this moment.

You listening here with me.

Focusing your attention on your body.

Your one body that carries you through each and every day.

And let's go on.

Bringing your awareness to your chest.

If your hand is resting on your abdomen,

Move it now just upward so that it rests on your chest.

Noticing the rise and fall as you breathe in.

And exhale out.

Underneath your hand notice the rhythmic beating of your heart.

Taking a moment of appreciation.

Acknowledging that this goes on every moment of every day.

Your breath.

Your heart beating.

Thank you lungs.

Thank you heart.

Breathing in.

And exhaling out.

Bringing your awareness from your chest into your shoulders,

Your arms,

Hands and fingers.

Tense the muscles in your biceps,

Forearms and hands.

Clenching your fingers into a fist as you inhale in.

And releasing all those muscles as you exhale out.

From your shoulders all the way down to the tips of your fingers.

Feeling the relaxation.

Appreciating every part of your arms.

Each muscle,

Bone,

Cell.

From your shoulders that sometimes feel as though they are carrying the weight of the world.

To your biceps,

Elbow joints and forearms.

Your hands,

The thumbs,

Each of your little fingers that give you a sense of touch as they provide you with the capacity to write,

To create.

Thank you hands.

Thank you arms.

Thank you.

Shifting your attention from your arms back up to your shoulders,

To your neck.

Tense the muscles in your shoulders and upper arms as you inhale in.

And relaxing them,

Exhale out.

Noticing all the bits of relaxation there spreading from your neck and your shoulders.

And along your spine to your lower back.

Slouch your body forward to release all those muscles.

Gently sitting back up or straightening up.

With awareness in your back,

Shoulders,

Neck,

And back of head.

No tension there now,

Just feeling at ease.

Appreciating each part,

Each muscle,

Bone.

Appreciating it for its incredible strength and ability.

Thank you neck.

Thank you shoulders.

Thank you spine.

Thank you for all you do.

Taking a big breath in with me and exhaling out.

Bringing your attention now from your back to the top of your head.

Slowly shifting your awareness from the top of your head to your forehead,

Your face,

And ears.

Tensing all the muscles in your face as you inhale in.

And relaxing those muscles exhale out.

Enjoy the sensation of all those tiny muscles relaxing.

Releasing tension in your forehead,

Between your eyebrows,

Offering a word of appreciation to your mouth,

Your jaw.

Appreciating the role of your mouth,

Lips,

And tongue for the role they play in taking in nourishment and enabling you to communicate with others,

To speak your truth,

To express kindness.

Bringing awareness to your nose as you inhale in and exhale out.

With awareness now at your eyes,

Connecting with appreciation for all your eyes taken in forming you on the world around you.

And awareness now at your ears,

Appreciating their capacity to take in sound,

To listen.

Appreciating that connection point from you to the world around you.

Connecting with gratitude,

Thank you mouth,

Thank you nose,

Thank you eyes,

Thank you ears,

Thank you.

Bringing awareness now to your whole head,

Connecting with gratitude for your mind.

Appreciating its ability to think and feel and focus,

To garner insights,

To grow,

To persist for the amazing control center that your brain is.

Thank you mind,

Thank you brain.

Sometimes when we connect with our physical body,

Our thoughts take a turn towards criticism.

As I led you through this body scan,

Did you notice your mind drifting into judgment?

Were there certain body areas where maybe appreciation was more challenging for you?

If that's a yes,

Please return to this practice daily.

Listen before you start your day or use it as you end your day as part of your winding down for sleep routine.

And each time,

Notice if you feel challenged.

Linger longer at those body parts and areas until it feels safe.

Safe to connect with gratitude,

Allowing your wise self to gently invite in all the appreciations.

After all,

Your body has held up to so much and it's still here with you today and that in itself is a place to start from.

Listen to this body scan appreciation often,

Allowing yourself to practice it until you embody it.

Take a deep breath in with me now.

Slowly and fully exhale out.

This time as you breathe in,

On your exhale,

Let's release criticism and judgment for body.

Inhale in appreciation.

Exhale out criticism and judgment.

Let's do that again.

Inhale in appreciation.

Exhaling out criticism and judgment.

Just like that.

By releasing criticism and judgment,

We create a blank slate.

We clear away the dark thoughts,

The doubts,

The negative self-talk and we make room just for appreciation.

Because then you can see your body for what it is.

Such a remarkable vehicle carrying you through each and every day and night.

Breathing in.

Exhaling out.

Linger a moment longer with appreciation for your entire physical body.

Float your awareness upwards to the very top of your head.

Place a hand there if it helps.

Feel the connection of your hand to the top of your head.

Give your scalp a gentle massage to release any tension locked there in the cranial stress receptors.

And then let your kind and genuine appreciation flow from that very top of your head.

Down your neck.

Shoulders.

Spine.

Flowing down your arms.

Hands.

Fingers.

Just letting that appreciation flow from your chest downwards towards your abdomen.

Past your sit bones.

Into your legs.

Ankles.

Feet.

And toes.

Just like that.

Draw in a full breath with me one more time.

And exhale out.

Feeling your whole body aglow with gratitude.

Thank you for listening here with me today.

I am so glad you joined me for this.

If you have the rest of the day ahead of you,

Just let your eyes open now.

Wiggle your fingers and toes and return to your day with a renewed appreciation for your amazing,

Strong and unique body.

Or if you are using this as part of your winding down for sleep routine,

Then snuggle in deeper to the cozy comfort of your bed.

And good night.