Relaxation Body Scan

This is an easy, guided relaxation meditation designed to help you become more aware of your body and the tension you may be holding. We'll practice some deep breathing, gentle movements, and releasing tension throughout the body, particularly in areas that commonly hold stress, like the shoulders and neck.

As the meditation progresses, you will be guided to observe your physical state and notice any changes in your focus, presence, or sense of peace. The session concludes with setting an intention for the rest of your day.

Transcript

Welcome,

Welcome.

Thank you for being here.

And I don't know about you guys,

But it has been an interesting beginning of the year for me.

It's been very hectic,

A couple of family emergencies,

And it's just been stressful.

So I today felt like doing just a relaxation meditation.

So hope that sounds good to you guys too.

So what I thought we would do is a body scan.

And we've done kind of parts of a body scan before.

Last week we did kind of a body scan to be grateful for our bodies.

And this week I thought we would do a body scan that's focused more on relaxing and really,

Really tuning in and noticing our own bodies as well as noticing our own awareness or lack of awareness of our own bodies and realizing that you can at any point,

Any time,

Tune yourself back in and find that center by simply doing a quick body scan.

So this was one of the introductory meditation classes that I did back in November that was just basic.

You know,

Here's a quick way to get yourself into a meditative state anytime that you need to.

So I find that when you're in a situation that is stressful and you are thinking about everything that's going on and you're thinking about what you have to do and you're thinking about who you have to take care of and you're thinking about,

You know,

Getting your work done and getting your everything else done,

It's real easy to find yourself literally out of your body.

You're out there somewhere doing other things.

And when you take that few minutes,

Even if it's just five minutes,

A couple times a day to come back,

Sit down and call yourself back,

Then you will find that the peace comes with the centering of getting back in your own body.

So that's what we'll do.

So let's begin today with just getting comfortable,

Find your center,

Get yourself situated and remember that comfort is queen.

If you feel that you need to move mid meditation because your foot is falling asleep or your shoulder hurts or something,

Just go ahead and do that.

Just move,

Stretch out,

Do whatever you need to do.

So we'll start today with counting breaths and we'll count backwards from 10,

Counting our breaths and just getting ourselves to a place of stillness.

So when you're ready,

Go ahead and close your eyes down.

Let's count backwards our breaths from 10,

Breathing in,

Hold at the top and breathing out.

10 and breathing in,

Hold at the top and breathing out,

Nine and if you can,

Let's deepen it a little,

Breathing in,

Breathing out smooth and slow,

Eight,

Breathing in and breathing out,

Seven,

Start to draw your breath in up your shoulders,

Breathing in,

Breathing out long and slow,

Six,

Breathing in and release,

Five,

Breathing in and out or do the next couple on your own,

Last one,

One and release the counting,

Allow your breath to return to normal.

Notice your breath as it flows in the tip of your nose,

Coolness in your throat and the warmth as you breathe in.

As you exhale,

Just notice.

Now I ask you to bring your attention to the very tip of your toes,

Maybe wiggle them just a little bit.

Notice they're cold or warm.

Can you allow your toes to relax just to be soft?

Now notice the instep of your foot,

Right inside middle bottom of your foot where your arch is,

Do you know you have chakras there,

Can you notice if there's any feeling of energy buzzing there,

Just allow them to soften.

Now notice your ankles,

Maybe flex your feet up a little and let your ankles bend and tense up a bit and then relax them,

Maybe do that once more,

Flex your ankles,

Relax them,

Then let your attention drift up to your calves,

The backs of your calves,

The front of your shins.

Notice how those muscles feel,

Are they soft?

And relaxed or is there a holding there?

And if there is,

Can you send a message to your calves to let go,

To relax?

You've nowhere to go right now,

Let your calves relax.

Now notice your knees,

Your hardworking knees that carry you around,

That bend to allow you to sit,

Stand up again,

Let go.

And that kneel to pick up or hug a child,

Just work hard,

Can you send your knees the message that they can just relax and rest?

Drift your attention on up to your thighs,

The fronts of your thighs,

The tops where your hands are resting,

The backs of your thighs,

Where they meet the floor or the cushion.

You notice any holding,

Maybe flex them a little and release to see if there's any holding or tension.

And if you can,

Allow your thighs to completely fall and relax.

Now we come on up to your hips where a lot of us carry great deal of tension.

Hips that carry you around all day,

Maybe sit too long during the day,

Feel achy later.

Can you send your hips a message that they can relax,

They can let go.

Maybe send your hips a little love,

Maybe send your hips a little love.

Now come into your lower belly.

And as if you had x-ray vision,

Notice from the front of your belly,

Straight on through to your lower,

Lower back.

To your lower,

Lower back.

Maybe lift and contract those lower,

Lower muscles and then release them,

Allowing your belly to fall,

Allowing your lower back to release and let go.

And now come up and notice your navel.

And again,

Go straight through and notice your waist in the back.

Is there a difference in the tension or holding of muscles front to back?

And what about from side to side?

Can you scan from your right side waist straight across to your left side waist and back again,

Inside,

Side to side?

Can you allow it all to just release?

Take a big breath into your belly there and release.

Now come up,

Bring your attention up to your solar plexus.

Bring your attention up to your solar plexus,

Just where your ribs part in the front.

Take a big breath here into that spot and blow it out through your back,

Straight back.

Let's do that one more time.

Breathing in the front,

Right below where your ribs meet and blow it out through the back and let those muscles go.

Now come up to your chest and you notice if there's any tension or holding right to left at your chest level or from front to back.

How do your back muscles feel when you're doing this exercise?

Right between your shoulder blades.

Can you let them go?

And if it helps,

You can press your shoulder blades back together and push them down and release.

Don't forget to breathe.

Maybe do that one more time.

Squeeze your shoulder blades together.

Push them down and release.

Take a big breath in from the back between your shoulder blades.

Let your chest rise.

And blow it out the front of your chest.

Maybe one more of those.

Breathing in from the back between your shoulder blades.

Let your chest rise and blow it out the front of your chest.

Now notice your shoulders.

Shoulders are notorious for carrying stress.

We often carry the weight of the world,

They say,

Around on our shoulders.

Just for now,

Just for this moment,

Can you let whatever you're carrying just gently fall off?

Thoughts and worries,

Duties,

Responsibilities,

Just let them fall off just for now.

Can you notice how that lets your shoulders relax a little?

Let's them drop down lets your neck release.

Let's take a big breath into our shoulders.

Send them a little love and release.

Now notice your neck.

Your hard-working neck.

Holds your head up.

Allows you to look left and right,

Up and down.

Maybe notice that there's a place in your neck that feels tight.

And if you want to,

Go ahead and drop your head to the right.

Gently,

Gently.

Allow it to roll forward slowly to the center.

Slowly off to the left.

Back up straight.

Maybe if it feels good,

Raise your right shoulder up to your ear and drop it down.

Let it fall.

Let's do the same with the left shoulder and the left ear.

And let it fall.

Let your head drop back just a little.

Stretch your chin up.

Back to centered.

Now notice your face.

Maybe squinch your face up.

Maybe and release it.

Maybe squeeze together on the right and release.

Squeeze together on the left and release.

Take a breath and let your face just release.

Relax.

Notice that little space between your eyebrows.

Let it relax.

Your eyebrows themselves.

Let them relax.

Let go.

Now notice your scalp.

Top of your head.

Flowing down to your ears on either side.

Back of your head.

Can you allow your scalp to relax?

Let's take a very smooth,

Easy deep inhalation.

Filling up your lungs.

Filling up your belly.

And a smooth,

Easy exhalation.

Completely emptying out.

Breathing in.

Breathing out.

Now can you take a observer's perspective?

Can you take a observer's perspective?

Looking at your own physical body.

Sitting on your cushion.

Just breathing.

Just being.

Calm.

Peaceful.

Relaxed.

And aware.

How does this feel different than when you first sat?

Are you more focused?

More present?

More peaceful?

Bring your attention back into your center line.

Back into your own body,

Your own heart.

If you can,

Ask yourself a simple question.

Who am I when I'm at my best?

Allow your answer,

One word or a phrase,

To come to the surface.

Let's turn that into a mantra for today.

I am.

What is your word?

As we bring this meditation to a close,

Please bring your hands to prayer position in front of your heart.

I send you a blessing.

May you be May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you know peace.

Namaste.