Body Scan Meditation

Body scan meditation is a practice in which you pay attention to sensations happening in your body. During a body scan, you mentally scan over every part of your body from your head down to your toes. Try to connect to all the sensation in your body. By Sensations I mean anything that you feel and notice in the body, like tingling, cramping, tightness, heat, coolness, buzzing, pulsing, itching, throbbing, or numbness. It helps bring your attention to the present moment since you can only feel wh

Transcript

Body scan meditation is a practice in which you pay attention to sensations happening in your body.

During the body scan,

You mentally scan to each body part starting from your head down to your toes.

Try to connect to all the sensations in your body.

By sensations,

I mean anything that you feel,

That you notice in your body like a tingling,

A cramping,

A tightness,

Some heat,

Some coolness,

If you're itching or some pulsing or numbness,

I want you to feel all of that.

Body scan meditation helps you to bring attention to the present moment since you can only feel what is taking place in the here and now.

The body scan meditation has a lot of benefits.

It leads to improved self-awareness.

It has a lot of relaxing effects,

Which leads to a healthier sleep.

It can improve your focus and helps you cope with your pain.

So how do you prepare for a body scan and how does it actually work?

Well,

You start by finding a calm and quiet space.

If you feel you need to set the mood,

You can light out a candle,

You can light an incense like I have here,

You can use a diffuser with essential oils just to get more in the present moment and make a ritual out of it.

Also,

If you have any crystals,

Feel free to grab them.

They're wonderful tools to include in your meditation practice.

You can either lay down flat with your spine straight on your bed or on a mat,

Or you can just find a comfortable sitting position,

But just make sure your spine is straight.

Also make sure that you are in a warm and comfortable environment.

You can cover yourself with a scarf or a blanket because during the meditation,

Your body temperature might drop.

During the meditation,

You will bring awareness into your body by breathing deeply in and out and noticing your sensations in your body.

And we will scan each body part to release the tension when your mind wanders and you get lost in your thoughts,

Just bring attention and awareness back to your breath by exploring all the sensations in your body.

So now I will guide you through a body scan meditation.

Let's begin by taking a moment to settle in and find a comfortable position.

You may close your eyes and just lift up your spine and relax your shoulders.

You want to start rolling your shoulders to fully get present into your body,

Into your sensations,

Fully relax.

Roll it back,

Roll it forward.

You can squeeze your shoulders up to your ears,

Squeeze your entire body and let go of the tension.

Let's do this one more time.

Squeeze your hands,

Lift up your shoulders,

Feel a tightness and release.

You can also slightly move your head just to relax your neck a little.

Good.

Now let's inhale through the nose.

As you breathe,

Notice how your chest and abdomen expands.

Allow the air flowing into your lungs.

What sensations are you aware of?

Suck your stomach back in,

Close your chest and exhale through the mouth.

So do it one more time,

Inhale,

Rise your stomach and exhale.

The air flows out again.

One more time,

Inhale and exhale.

Now begin by bringing the tension to your body.

Let your eyes closed and find a natural breathing pattern.

Just get in tune with your body,

With your sensations.

Start noticing the feeling of the weight of your body on the chair or on the mattress or on the yoga mat.

Wherever you are,

Just feel how your body is in state right now.

As you breathe,

Notice your chest expand,

Your abdomen expand,

Allow the air to flow through your lungs.

And when you exhale,

Try to release it,

Release all the tension.

What sensations are you aware right now?

As you exhale,

Bring awareness to the stillness and notice the sense of relaxing more deeply.

Give yourself the permission to fully relax in the next few minutes.

Now bring attention to the top of your head,

To the crown of your head,

Noticing any sensations there.

Notice any sensations in your scalp,

In your back of your head.

Are there any thoughts that come up?

And still them with your breath.

Exhale out all your thoughts,

All your worries,

All your frustrations,

All your tensions.

Breathe it out deeply.

Now notice your jaw.

If you're holding any tension in your jaw area and you feel like you can start massaging it gently,

Start releasing any tension there.

You can do a circular motion to ease off any tension.

And just continue breathing.

Keep your eyes closed.

Put all your awareness and all your attention into your facial area,

Your facial expressions,

Your jaw,

Your tongue,

Your eyes,

The muscles around the eyes.

Let them fully relax.

Soften them with your breath.

Breathe in and then exhale it out.

Breathe out.

Inhale and exhale.

Now rest your ears.

Give yourself the permission to fully release all the tension that is stored in your body.

Continue to inhale and exhale.

Now notice your neck and your throat.

Let them be soft.

If you feel like it,

You can start rolling your shoulders a little bit again just to release the rest of the tension that is stored there.

There are so many emotions,

So much weight on our shoulders.

At least that's what I do.

And with this body scan meditation practice,

I really try to get into the tension to release it out with my breath so I can start feeling light again.

Breathe it out.

What kind of emotions come up for you?

Start noticing what's coming up in your mind.

Don't judge it.

Just notice them and focus back on your breath.

Focus back on the body area that you're putting your attention to.

Accept your thoughts.

Once you start entering the thoughts,

Your mind will shift away and you will lose the focus of this practice.

Just breathe.

Breathe in and out softly.

Is it maybe an emotion of stress that is coming up for you?

Is it a recent fight or a misunderstanding with someone?

What weight are you carrying on your shoulders?

And again,

Don't judge it.

Just release it.

Give yourself the permission to release all of that.

All of that that is not serving you to thrive your best life,

To be yourself 100%.

Once you feel ready,

Just follow down to your arms,

To your hands.

What kind of sensations do you feel there?

Is there any tightness?

Is there a tingling?

Are your fingers tense?

Are they sweaty?

Are they cold?

Inhale and exhale.

Maybe you can notice any fabric on your skin.

Are you carrying the weight of the blanket or of the scarf that you're wearing?

How does it feel?

Just continue breathing in and out.

And allow yourself to feel everything fully.

Whenever you're ready,

Put all your awareness and tension to your chest,

Then to your abdomens.

Feel a sensation of lifting your chest whenever you breathe.

Relax and relax.

Bring your tension down to your stomach,

Noticing any sensations there,

Any tightness.

Just let it soften.

Stir most of our emotions in your stomach.

So sense what comes up for you.

Don't judge it.

Accept it.

Acknowledge it.

And then come back to your breath.

Come back to focusing on that area and releasing everything.

It's okay to let go.

It's okay to welcome in positivity.

To welcome in lightness and ease.

Whenever you feel ready,

Put all your attention and focus on your upper and lower back.

Feel any tension there.

Just release it.

Feel lighter and lighter.

Just floating in the cloud.

And if your mind wanders into daydreaming,

Into planning,

Into your daily activities,

Just bring your focus back to this body part.

Release.

Now,

Continue traveling down to your legs,

To your calves,

To your knees,

To your shin,

To your ankle,

Down to your feet and toes.

Do you feel any numbness?

Do you feel any tingling?

Do you feel cold?

Do you feel warm?

Allow yourself to feel.

Get into your body.

Allow any uncomfortable sensations to be released with your breath.

Feel lighter and lighter and softer and softer.

So now you're truly floating in the air.

Just as light as a feather.

Feeling the bliss,

The joy,

The happiness,

The love.

As you continue to breathe,

Just scan your body once more from the crown of your head down to your toes.

Scan where you sense any tension still and try to release it with your breath.

Where do you store the most tension?

Put your awareness and focus there and release it.

Breathe it out deeply and inhale,

Bringing in the light,

The health,

The joy and exhaling out the tension,

The negativity.

And let's inhale three more times,

Deeply in and out.

Inhale.

Feeling the air flowing into your nose,

Your throat,

Lifting up your chest,

Lifting up your abdomen,

Holding it in for a few seconds and then releasing it.

Your stomach goes back in,

Your chest goes back in,

Releasing the air through your mouth.

Inhale once more.

And release.

And again,

Don't be shy to make loud noises.

I know it's uncomfortable at first,

But with time and practice,

We'll become second nature and you will feel the benefits of releasing the tension more intensely.

Inhale.

And exhale.

Inhale.

And exhale.

Let it go.

Inhale.

And exhale.

One last time.

Inhale and exhale.

Let it go.

Inhale.

Just sit there with the awareness of your body,

Of each body part.

Being grateful for it,

Appreciating your body and loving your body.

Loving each part of you.

So whenever you feel ready,

Start moving your fingers slightly,

Gently.

Start moving your toes.

Slowly waking up your body.

Opening up your eyes when you're ready.

And sit again in this awareness,

This lightness.

Feel that energy of life blowing through you.

Rest in and thank yourself again for taking time for yourself,

For committing to the practice,

For releasing all the tension and negativity within you.

Rest in in the awareness of the amazing body that you have.

Know that you can practice this whenever you can.

Know that you can reach the states of lightness.

It's your choice.

Know that this tool is available to you anywhere,

Anytime.

Namaste.