Ten Minute Body Scan

This ten minute practice is a perfect opportunity for busy practitioners to connect with the now through the doorway of the body. When Thoughts arise or we are hijacked by difficult emotions, the intention in the Body Scan is to return to feelings and sensations in the body as a way of coming home to ourselves.

Transcript

Welcome to the 10 minute body scan. In the body scan we use awareness of felt sensations in the body as our home base in the present moment. When thoughts arise or we are hijacked by difficult emotions, The intention in the body scan is to return to feelings and sensations in the body as a way of coming home to ourselves. This practice is an opportunity to create deeper connection with the body by moving sequentially from body part to body part, Perhaps exploring areas we haven't connected with for a while. The more we practice, The more intimate our experience with the body becomes, Allowing us easier access to the body in our daily lives, Practicing embodiment as we move through our day with grace and presence. Let's begin this 10 minute body scan by finding a comfortable position. We can sit or lie down, Depending on how we are and where we are, Remembering that a mindful posture is awake, Alert, And dignified. Showing up for ourselves with kindness, Non-judgment, And compassion. Taking a moment now to find our refuge or anchor in the present moment, The easiest and most available place to land in the now. It may be the feeling of our breath flowing in and swimming out. It may be the feeling of our feet on the earth in whatever position we've chosen, Or a soft focus with the eyes cast downward. It could be the sounds around us or the sound of my voice. Establishing a safe and available place we can return to at any time during the meditation, Through the doorway of the senses. Let's begin this body scan at the top of the body, Tuning into sensations and vibrations in and around the head. We may notice the heaviness of the skull, Or the feeling of the scalp, The air, Our hair. What sensations are already present as we tune in and listen to this area of the body? And when we notice that the mind has drifted away into worrying or hurrying, What would it be like to bring our awareness back to the head or back to our refuge? Flexing our muscle of concentration and focus, And returning to the present moment with patience and non-judgment. Moving awareness now to the delicate skin and bones of the face. Noticing sensations here, Perhaps tuning into the mouth, Noticing our sense of taste, Moistness, Dryness, The flavor of the moment. Moving to the ears when we feel ready, Noticing the weight of glasses or earrings, The feeling of the inner ears, Noticing sounds around us and within us. What does it feel like to allow sounds to be received as vibrations arising and falling away? Directing awareness to the eyes now. What sensations are already present in and around the eyes? Lightness, Darkness, Shapes, Textures, Patterns. Eyes open or closed. How do the eyes feel? What are we noticing as we tune into the eyes with curiosity and beginner's mind? Allowing awareness to rest at the nostrils, Perhaps observing the feeling of the breath entering the body cool and exiting warmed by the heat of the body, Aware of the vibrations of air and aroma at the level of the nostrils. Moving to the shoulders now, Feeling both shoulders from the inside, Tension, Balance, Imbalance. And when the mind wanders away into remembering or daydreaming, Nothing's gone wrong. It's what minds do. Noticing the pull of distraction and redirecting awareness back to the body scan at the level of the shoulders or back to our refuge, Creating connection with the present moment through the doorway of sensation, Practicing embodiment. Moving down through both arms now, Upper arms, Elbows, Lower arms, Wrists, All the way down to both hands, Feeling into the palms of the hands and all 10 fingers. Lingering here for a while, Perhaps noticing how sensations change, Feeling into the shape of the hands, Their heaviness or lightness. How do the hands feel today? Then releasing the hands and directing awareness to the area of the ribcage, Perhaps feeling into the shoulder blades on the back body. Do the shoulder blades move with the feeling of breathing? Maybe feeling into our lungs and our respiration. How does breathing feel today? Can we notice the beating of our heart? What other sensations are present? Spending a little time here, Allowing awareness to deepen and broaden. Dropping down into the pelvic bowl now, Feeling into the hips, Low back and belly, Tension, Soreness, Spaciousness, The heat of digestion or the coolness of the gentle rhythm of breathing. Not needing to create sensation, Simply showing up to notice what's already present today as we tune in with patience and trust in the power of open awareness. Then releasing the torso as we move down into the legs, Thighs, Knees and lower legs. What sensations do we notice in this part of the body? Heaviness, Groundedness, Achiness, Nothingness. As best we can not judging what we feel, Allowing it all to be. Finding our way down to the feet now and tuning into this energy rich area of awareness. How did the feet feel today? Soles of the feet, Feeling into the toes, The space between the toes, The warmth of socks, The hardness of earth. Can we feel into the bones of the feet, The skin? Noticing if we're thinking and returning to the feet in the body scan or hanging out in our refuge for a while. Remembering that each time we practice the body scan, It will be unique and different. That's how incredibly vast awareness is when we tune in and listen. And when we feel ready, Zooming into our refuge and spending a few moments here, Getting grounded as we bring our body scan to a close. Feeling safe in the moment, Safe in our refuge. Releasing the body scan now, Opening the eyes if they were closed. Bringing awareness into the room in which we are practicing. Aware of where we are and how we are. Bringing in any movement that feels nourishing and nurturing. The 10 minute body scan is now complete.