11:31

The Relaxing Body Scan

by Shirley McLeod

Rated
4.7
Type
guided
Activity
Meditation
Suitable for
Everyone
Plays
15k

Get prepared for total relaxation from head to toes! This relaxing total body scan will help you release tension and tightness throughout the body, preparing it for complete relaxation mode. Enjoy the stillness and present moment awareness. Suitable for all levels of meditators.

RelaxationBody ScanMuscle RelaxationMindfulnessBreathworkTension ReleaseStillnessAwarenessBeginner FriendlyProgressive Muscle RelaxationGuided RelaxationMindful ObservationBreathing Awareness

Transcript

Take a few moments to adjust your position.

Get your body settled.

And when you are ready,

Let your eyes close gently.

Begin by taking your attention down to the feet.

Really concentrating on the feet.

Perhaps moving them a little.

Really feeling what sensations are right there in the feet,

Right now.

Remember that for this exercise,

There is no right or wrong.

It's simply one of noticing what sensations there might be,

In the feet and around you.

As you notice and hold your attention on the feet,

Feel the muscles softening a little.

Relaxing and releasing.

Softening,

Loosening.

Just simply letting go.

Remember there is nothing else you need to be doing right now.

Having given yourself the time and space for this exercise,

There is nothing else you need to be doing.

Nowhere else you need to be.

No one else you need to be pleasing or satisfying.

It is just a time for relaxing,

Releasing and letting go.

So now,

Moving your attention up to the calves.

It is almost like you are moving your attention up through the calves.

Feeling what sensations might be there at the moment.

Perhaps some parts feel different to others.

And again,

Even if some areas feel tight or tense or uncomfortable.

Just be interested to notice how they feel at this particular time.

Almost like an impartial observer.

Just noticing,

Being interested,

Having a gentle curiosity.

Just notice how your calves are feeling at this particular time.

And as you hold your awareness on the calves,

Feel the muscles softening and loosening.

Relaxing and releasing.

Just simply letting go.

Take your attention up to the thighs and feel them relaxing and releasing.

Feel it deeply,

Completely.

All down through the thighs and the calves and the feet.

Sometimes it might feel almost like the muscles are melting down into the chair or the floor just a little.

Just relaxing and releasing.

Perhaps feeling a little heavier,

Like they could be melting or merging.

Just feeling them letting go.

Deeply,

Completely letting go.

And now feel it all through the buttocks,

The hips and the pelvis.

Sometimes it helps to imagine there is a belt or a band around the hips that has just been loosened a little.

The big muscles around the hips softening and loosening.

Relaxing,

Releasing.

Quite effortlessly,

Effortlessly.

Just going with it.

Bring your attention up into the tummy.

You'll probably notice it rising and falling with each breath.

And then that feeling of letting go again.

All through the tummy.

Calm and relaxed.

Just going with it.

Calm and relaxed.

Move your attention up into the chest.

Again,

Just be aware of the chest rising and falling with each breath.

And feeling the ease of it all.

Allowing your breath to take up whatever rhythm feels comfortable for you at the moment.

Quite effortlessly,

Effortlessly.

Just going with it more and more.

Deeper and deeper.

Letting go.

Now feel a wave of relaxation flowing down through the arms.

First the upper arms softening and loosening.

Down around through the elbows and into the forearms.

Relaxing,

Releasing.

Letting go.

And then down through the wrists,

The hands and the fingers.

Sometimes you might notice almost what feels like tingling flowing into the hands and the fingers.

A feeling of lightness.

Almost like they could be floating.

Just going with it.

Effortlessly,

Effortlessly.

Just going with it.

Now feel it all through the shoulders.

Just raising and lowering the shoulders a little.

Feel the head moving from side to side.

And the muscles up either side of the neck.

Softening and loosening.

Just feeling it all through the shoulders,

The neck and the throat.

Feeling the ease of it all.

Just going with it.

Bring your attention to your face.

With your lips just lightly touching.

Feel the jaw drop a little.

The tongue soft and loose.

Feel it all through the mouth.

Feel it up over the nose and through the cheeks.

Feel the eyelids smoothing out.

Feeling it deeply.

All through the eyes and the temples.

Soft and loose.

And feel it around the ears.

The back of the head.

And all over the top of the head.

And now feel the forehead smoothing out.

Feel it deeply.

Completely.

Feel it all through the body.

More and more.

Deeper and deeper.

Just letting go.

Going with it.

Feel it through the body and the mind.

Going with it.

Going with it.

More and more.

Deeper.

Deeper.

Just simply letting go.

Letting go.

Thank you.

Then when you are ready you might like to take a deeper breath or two.

Perhaps bringing some movement into your fingers and toes.

And when you are ready let your eyes gently open again.

Meet your Teacher

Shirley McLeodWellington, New Zealand

4.7 (598)

Recent Reviews

Ants

February 12, 2025

❀️

Pam

July 18, 2024

Very relaxing, thank you🧘🏾

Jackie

May 15, 2024

Such a calm, relaxing voice. Thank you.

Lisa

May 13, 2024

Oh excellent! I am bookmarking this!

Dan

August 27, 2023

Very nice 😊

Ape

June 12, 2023

Thank you.

Spackmann

September 21, 2022

Very good! Thank god no music !πŸ™bookmark

Mina

August 25, 2022

Thank you! Namaste πŸ™

Michelle

October 2, 2021

Simple. Perfect.

Lisa

July 10, 2019

Thank you for such a wonderful relaxing body scan practice. πŸ™

Steve

July 8, 2019

Very basic guided relaxation that puts one in a hypnotic trance state. 😌

Katie

July 8, 2019

Really beautiful. Thank you! One of my favorites! πŸ™πŸΌ

Amelia

July 7, 2019

So relaxing, thank you! Your voice is lovely. πŸ™β€

Irina

July 7, 2019

This is amazing body scan, I feel so relaxed. Thank you so much! πŸ™πŸ’™πŸ’›β€

Kristine

July 7, 2019

Very nice, thank you!

Nanci

July 7, 2019

Works beautifully, time well spent! Thank you.

Anne

July 7, 2019

Very relaxing thank you

More from Shirley McLeod

Loading...

Related Meditations

Loading...

Related Teachers

Loading...
Β© 2026 Shirley McLeod. All rights reserved. All copyright in this work remains with the original creator. No part of this material may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

How can we help?

Sleep better
Reduce stress or anxiety
Meditation
Spirituality
Something else