Light-Filled Body Scan - Working With Discomfort

This meditation invites you to use positive imagery and kind awareness of body and breath. There is also support for when you're experiencing discomfort of any kind -- in body, mind, heart, or circumstances. May this practice benefit you and all beings!

Transcript

So the few moments before the bell are moments to settle in so getting comfortable in your seat relaxed and uplifted a posture of dignity and Ease and now let's listen to the bell all the way through Let's take a few moments just to welcome ourselves right here just as we are Beginning with the physical body simply knowing and feeling the physical body is here now in this position Let's feel the points of contact the feet touching down parts of the legs Really letting the body release into your supports Feeling the buttocks touching down parts of the back The hands and arms resting here and Now briefly scanning awareness through the body noticing any prominent sensations Whatever is easy to feel there may be tingling pulsing temperature and Inviting any tension to soften Checking in with the eyes the jaw the belly Any other possible areas of tension Just noticing what's here allowing it to soften Or simply letting it be just being aware of what's here is enough.

There's no need to do anything about it We're bringing non judging awareness or loving awareness curiosity a caring quality Let's bring these qualities now to emotions Noticing asking yourself.

Are there any emotions present at this moment?

There may be one or more emotions there may be an absence of emotions Just notice whatever's here and notice if you feel any emotions In your physical body in some way as a as a constriction or an expansion for example I'm not thinking about emotions,

But feeling what's here Allowing space for it And now let's bring awareness to the mind state Noticing the activity level of the mind If the mind is active reactive Settling quiet if there are any particular thoughts Just noticing this is how the mind is right now Having checked in with the body the emotions the mind state Notice if this mindful check-in Helped you arrive a little more fully in this moment.

Just noticing any effects and If there's no change,

That's fine.

Just noticing that Now I'm going to guide us in a body scan Meditation where we're going to move the awareness through the body part by part And I'm going to offer a visualization If it resonates with you,

Then you may use it if not,

It's enough just to notice body sensations The visualization is of light So let's envision that there's a light shining on the top of the head Let it be a comforting healing light It could be sunlight or some other pleasing light something nourishing nurturing And it may you may envision it having a particular color So let's envision this light Nourishing comforting light shining on the top of the head and Through the inside of the head so slowly filling the face and head With this light and along the way noticing any sensations Just acknowledging Sensations along the way Allowing any tension to soften Now if at any point your mind is pulled your awareness is pulled to pain or discomfort elsewhere in the body Just notice that and then come back to where we're focusing which right now is the face and head noticing any sensations In the eyes the cheeks the jaw the ears Sensing the whole head filled with this nourishing light inside and out No matter how many times the mind may wander just bringing it back To the body right now to the face and head In visioning this light continuing now to spread slowly through the body pouring down through the neck and shoulders This body slowly filling with this nourishing light This light pouring down the neck and shoulders noticing any sensations here And this light continuing to pour down through the upper arms elbows forearms Wrists hands Fingers and thumbs Noticing any prominent sensations along the way Allowing shoulders arms and hands to rest If there's pain or discomfort elsewhere in the body That continues that persists and pulls your attention at some point you may find it useful to let go of where we're focusing which right now is shoulders arms and hands and Just tune in to that area of pain or discomfort Noticing exactly getting curious about it exactly.

Where is the discomfort?

The quality of sensations or is it sharp or dull?

Larger area or smaller is it moving around is it changing in intensity?

Is there tension around it?

So just bringing this Curiosity this non judging awareness just noticing some part of you almost like taking inventory,

But it's a benevolent inventory What what am I actually feeling?

And notice There's a difference notice if there's a difference between the sensations and any thoughts about them or reactions to them or emotions about them and Even for just one moment feeling the actual sensations of discomfort or pain And know that you can do this anytime and when you're ready coming back to where we're focusing so now envisioning this nourishing light That has filled the face head neck shoulders arms and hands envision it pouring down through the chest the upper back Down through the entire chest area including the heart and lungs Noticing any sensations here in the chest the upper back and continuing down through the ribcage front back sides Envisioning this nourishing light This pleasing comforting light continuing to pour down through the abdominal area The mid-back down to the lower back and the pelvic region Now noticing any sensations throughout the whole pelvic region envisioning This nourishing nurturing light filling the pelvic region including the hips pelvis buttocks if at any point it feels appropriate you may envision breathing directly into and out from any area of discomfort pain tension Not to fix it or change it or make it to go away,

But just to give it some love And you can even say silently to yourself,

I'm sorry you're hurting if that feels useful With each exhalation allowing any tension to soften to melt Now envisioning this comforting healing nourishing light continuing To fill the body pouring down through the hips hip joints Down through the thighs All sides of the thighs front back sides inside And if you notice any thoughts memories pictures along the way that's part of the meditation to just notice it Acknowledge and come back to the physical experience Now sensing into the thighs This envisioning this healing light pouring down through the knee joints This whole body slowly filling with this nourishing comforting light Now down through the knee joints and the lower legs shins and calves Noticing any sensations along the way Envisioning this light continuing down through the ankle joints and The feet the tops of the feet the soles of the feet The big toes little toes toes in between Inside the feet Sometimes just being aware of the part of a part of the body lights it up in some way Now sensing this whole body all at once this light-filled body Just letting the body rest here breathing by itself And you may even imagine the light going beyond the edges of the body Out an inch or two or more in all directions this light-filled body held in Light as well And we'll rest Quietly Feeling this body simply resting here breathing naturally For a few quiet moments Just being now listening to the bell Notice how you're feeling from this practice may this practice of being present Benefit each of us and all beings may we all be at peace

Reviews

Direct, gentle guidance; subtly profound impact. Thank you.