For this appreciation body scan,
Feeling all the points of contact,
The natural movement of breathing.
And as we briefly move through each part of the body,
Just notice,
Is there anything to enjoy or appreciate?
And it could be something simple,
Like thank you feet.
And so feeling the feet here touching down,
Noticing any sensations throughout the feet,
Inside and out.
The feet and the ankle joints resting here.
And letting them be.
And bringing awareness to the lower legs,
Shins,
Calves,
Knee joints.
Any sensations.
A simple note of appreciation.
And even as we move through the body,
And there may be areas of challenge,
Areas that are missing,
Or areas that,
Parts that have been added,
Or that are healing,
Or that are hurting.
Just offering compassion.
And at the same time,
Noticing what's going well.
Sensing and appreciating the lower legs,
And letting them rest.
Just letting them be.
Tuning in now to the thighs,
Front,
Back,
Inner,
Outer.
From skin,
To muscle,
To bone,
All the way up to the hip joint.
Allowing any tension to soften.
Appreciating the thighs.
And when you notice the mind has wandered away from the body,
Perhaps to a sound,
A thought,
Or another sensation elsewhere,
An emotion,
Notice it.
We can even appreciate that,
We can appreciate that the mind is active,
It's healthy.
And that we noticed it.
Appreciating we have this capacity to let it go,
And to come in close,
Beginning again.
Right now at the thighs,
And letting the thighs rest.
Now bringing awareness to the entire pelvic region,
Hips,
Pelvis,
Buttocks,
Genitals,
Anal region.
With appreciation.
Even celebrating what's already going well.
Letting the whole pelvic region rest.
Bringing awareness now to the abdominal region.
Thank you,
Belly,
And all the abdominal organs.
Expanding awareness now to the abdomen.
Bringing awareness up through the rib cage,
The chest.
Sensing into the breasts.
With appreciation.
And into the heart and lungs.
Expanding awareness through the lower back,
Middle,
And upper back.
The entire spinal column.
The shoulder blades,
The back ribs.
All the layers of muscles.
Appreciating the back.
And letting it rest.
Letting the entire torso rest.
Just as it is now.
Now sensing into the shoulders.
Down through the upper arms,
Elbows.
To the forearms,
Wrists,
Hands,
Fingers,
And thumbs.
Thank you,
Thank you for all that's going well here now.
Letting shoulders,
Arms,
Hands rest.
Bringing awareness now and appreciation to the entire neck,
Inside and out.
This place of nourishment and expression.
Expanding awareness to the entire face and head.
Ears,
Jaw.
Mouth.
Cheeks,
Nose.
Sinuses.
Thank you,
Sinuses.
Sensing into the eyes.
Appreciating what we have.
Sensing into the forehead,
The top of the head.
The entire brain.
This amazing brain resting here.
Sensing all parts connected.
Face and head.
Neck and shoulders.
Connected with arms and hands.
Connected with the torso,
Hips,
Pelvis.
Down through the legs to the feet.
Resting here.
Just being.
Remembering that what we give ourselves,
Remembering that what we give ourselves,
We give to each other and to all beings.
Here's one possibility in this poem by William Butler Yeats called Still Water.
We can make our minds so like still water that beings gather about us,
That they may see,
It may be,
Their own images and so live for a moment with a clearer,
Perhaps even with a fiercer life because of our quiet.
