This is a Compassionate Body Scan meditation and it's an excellent practice to do at the end of the day either seated or lying on your bed.
The Compassionate Body Scan allows you to come closer to your body.
This body that is doing its own thing at times as we go through the menopause and to go into the nature of our experiences with kindness,
Curiosity and non-judgment.
In so doing we can explore the areas of the body which feel uncomfortable and use our breath to bring soothing,
Calming warmth to those areas.
We can embrace our whole body just as it is.
We can seek out areas where our body feels really quite pleasant and as we rest in a Compassionate Body Scan we can also look into the flow of our experiences and maybe see that some of the pain and the discomfort that we go through during the menopause is not as fixed or as solid as we might think it is.
So let's begin.
Find a comfortable position and then take a few moments just to settle and centre yourself.
You could listen to sounds around you.
You could notice places where your body touches the chair,
The floor or the bed.
Or just notice the breath coming in and out of the body.
Just coming into the present moment and letting go of regrets about the past or thoughts about the future.
Now bring your attention to your whole head,
Your eyes and your jaw and allow them to soften.
Rest here for a few moments,
Just taking it all in.
If you notice pain or discomfort bring a kind and loving attention to that part of your body.
Now move your attention into your neck and throat,
Allowing them to soften.
Bring soothing attention to any tightness or discomfort you might find here.
Continue down into the shoulders and chest,
All the while filling your body with kindness and gentleness.
If you notice tension or discomfort in these areas just invite them to soften.
Bring a kind and gentle attention to any pain or emotion you may be experiencing.
Try not to fight or resist it,
Just let it be.
Bring attention to both of your arms simultaneously.
Scan from the top of your arm down through the elbow,
Forearm,
Wrist,
Hand,
Fingers and thumbs.
Let your hand rest on your heart and feel the soothing comforting touch.
Now scan down through the belly and the back and the pelvis.
Bring a gentle compassionate awareness to every part of your body.
If difficult feelings arise then you can return to your breath for a few moments or try repeating some phrases.
May I be safe.
May I be healthy.
May I be at peace.
May I live with ease.
May I love myself completely just as I am.
If you like you can simplify these words.
Just say safe,
Healthy,
Peaceful,
Calm.
And if you like you can simplify this and let the words land.
Receive them.
Let them nourish you.
If you come up with a strong dislike of any part of your body try saying kind words,
The kindest you know.
May I love and accept my body just as it is.
May I bring kindness and compassion to this body.
Now bring kind attention to your thighs,
Knees,
Ankles,
Feet and toes.
Appreciating all that your body does for you and how hard it works for you.
If you feel overwhelmed by a feeling associated with a particular area of your body you can just skip over that.
And if your mind starts to wander just return to the breath.
It's your anchor.
End with compassion for your entire body.
With all its imperfections,
Discomforts or pain.
See if you can appreciate this body,
Loving it just as it is right now.
And when you're ready you can stretch,
Wiggle your feet,
Wiggle your toes,
Your fingers and gently open your eyes and come back to the present moment.
Knowing that at any time you can practice your compassionate body scan.
That every time you do you're learning to bring awareness to your discomfort and you're learning to love your body through the menopause change more and more.
