Welcome to the body scan meditation.
This is a shorter version than the meditation that is traditionally used within the MBSR program.
So this practice will last about 10 or 15 minutes.
So finding a comfortable position,
Either lying on the floor or sitting in a chair.
And taking a few moments just to settle in.
Closing the eyes or softening the gaze.
And allowing the body to be supported by the floor or the chair.
Noticing sensations in the body or maybe sensations that appear on the skin.
In some areas of the body,
There may be no awareness of sensation.
And that's okay too.
Whatever arises,
Even if that is the absence of a sensation.
Staying with this moment to moment.
You may also notice a preference for some sensations.
Wanting them to remain or stay and equally wanting others to go or to lessen.
Again,
Notice this.
In the same way that you would notice the sensation itself.
Knowing that there is no right or wrong way to be with these different sensations.
This is about discovering a way to accept whatever is arising.
So bringing attention to the breath,
Flowing in and out of the body.
I invite you now to bring your awareness to the feet.
Both feet.
And in your mind's eye,
See if you can wiggle your toes without actually physically doing so.
Generating awareness of the toes on each foot.
Bringing attention to the soles of the feet.
Across the ball of the foot,
Along the arch,
Down to the heel.
See what's here for you now.
Any pressure of the heel may be pressing down into the ground.
Maybe a sensation of temperature across the sole of the foot or across the toes.
Now draw the attention up into the ankle.
Notice where the ankle connects to the foot.
See if you can draw attention to this connection.
Now like we do with the toes,
In the mind's eye but without physically making a movement.
In your mind's eye,
Swirl the ankles.
Notice any sensations that arise as you do this.
Bringing the attention to the tops of the feet.
See if you can notice in your mind's eye how the foot arches from the ankle as it sweeps up to the toes.
Remember that during this practice if your mind wanders at any time,
It's just perfectly normal.
Just notice where the mind has gone and gently guide the attention back to the body.
So now I invite you to bring awareness to the calves.
And if you're lying down you may have a sensation of the calves pressing against the ground.
Maybe a sensation of weight.
Let's explore whatever comes up for you right now.
Bringing the attention across the shins.
And then slowly bringing the awareness to the knees,
An area that often creates a lot of problems for people.
Notice the top of the knee,
The sides of the knee.
Notice at the back where there's a dip that doesn't touch the ground.
And then noticing where the knee connects to the shin bone.
And on the top connects to the thigh bone.
And allow this awareness to guide you,
Bringing your attention to the thighs.
These strong muscles that support us so much in our daily lives.
Notice how the thighs press down onto the surface beneath you.
Seeing what arises for you here as we explore this area.
Bringing awareness into the side of the thighs.
And into the upper thigh,
Travelling upwards to the area where the thigh meets the groin.
Bringing awareness into the hips and the pelvis.
Into the areas where the genitals are.
And just notice anything that comes up for you right now.
How does this area feel?
The hips are also an area where we can often feel pain,
Tension.
Just explore,
See if you're holding on or gripping in any way.
See if you can just let that go.
And then from the hips,
Going to bring the attention up the spine,
Vertebra by vertebra.
Using your breath as if they were fingertips walking up the length of your spine.
Feel the pressure of the back pressing down.
Or if you're sat up,
Maybe you have a sensation of the strength of the back supporting you.
As you reach towards the top of the spine,
Bring awareness into the ribs at the back.
And they move and expand with each breath.
From the ribs,
Bring the attention across the chest and into the lungs.
Feel the sensation of the breath,
Breathing breath.
You don't have to do anything,
It knows what to do.
And from this area now,
Just slowly bringing the attention down into the abdomen,
The gut,
The belly.
You notice what arises for you here,
There could be some digestive processes going on.
Maybe you can also sense the breath in the belly,
The abdomen rising and falling in response to each wave of breath.
And on the next inhale,
Guiding your attention from the belly,
Across the chest and over into the shoulders.
Again,
This is an area where we can often carry so much attention.
So acknowledge what's present for you now.
See if you can allow the shoulders to ease into the posture.
And from the shoulders,
Guiding the attention down both arms,
Moving from the shoulders across the upper arm into the elbow,
Sensing the slight bend,
Even as we lie here or sit here,
The arms out to the side.
And then allow the attention to go down into the lower arms,
Finally settling on the hands.
If you're lying down,
Maybe the backs of the hands pressing against the ground.
Maybe you can feel the weight of the hands,
Sense of gravity pulling them down.
Bring your awareness into your fingers and your fingertips.
Notice maybe any sensation of temperature,
Maybe tingling,
Maybe numbness.
What arises for you now,
Just notice.
And then from the very tips of the fingers,
Sweeping the attention up the arms,
Back across the shoulders and into the neck,
Allowing the neck to relax.
Now bring awareness into the face and explore if you're holding on in any way.
Maybe there's a sense of tension in the jaw.
See if you can let that go.
Bringing the awareness up across the eyes and again,
Maybe you might notice a frown,
Maybe some squinting around the eyes.
Allow that to release if you can.
Just taking in the face.
This face that has seen us through this life.
This face that looks back on us every time we look in the mirror.
Now bringing the attention across the head,
The top of the head,
The scalp.
Sensing maybe the hair or maybe a sensation of temperature across the head.
And then moving across the back of the head.
If you're lying down,
Maybe you can feel the weight of the head pressing down into the surface beneath you.
Now just bringing awareness to the body as a whole,
Lying here.
In the perfection of the imperfection that is to be a human being.
Now with the next inhale,
Sweeping the attention from the toes up the legs,
Across the belly,
Up the chest,
Into the head.
And exhaling all the way back down again,
All the way down through the body,
Down the leg.
And inhaling sweeping up from the tips of the toes all the way up the legs,
The body,
Through the face and head.
And back down again,
Across the chest,
Down the legs,
And through the toes.
And just gather a sense of awareness of your body lying here in this moment.
And offer yourself some gratitude for taking this time to practice today.
And in your own time,
Slowly wiggling fingers and toes.
And gently open the eyes.
