Body Scan Meditation

In this practice, we will settle into the body, giving each space of the body our full awareness for a few moments before we move our attention to another space in the body. We learn to be in the body as it is, without the need to change it. Just being with whatever is present, as it unfolds moment by moment in a practice that is deeply grounding and relaxing.

Transcript

I'll take a few moments just to settle in. You can begin in whatever position feels the most supportive to you. That could be seated or lying down or anything at all. Feeling so that the body can be really at ease. As you settle in, You might take this time just to bring your awareness into your body. You might feel whatever points of contact where the body meets the earth or the chair or the floor. As much as you can, Let there be a sense of just relaxing into those points of contact, That feeling of connection. Letting the muscles of the face soften, The shoulders can relax away from the ears, The belly can release. You might notice the feeling of gravity, The body supported and held here. You might notice the feeling of the body breathing, Just that easy natural rhythm of the breath, That automatic process. There's nothing you need to do, No way that you need to change or control the breath, But just for a moment, Feeling the way the body breathes itself. Letting your awareness come as fully as it can in this moment into the body. You might notice sensation. Some sensations feel pleasant, Some sensations are a little more difficult. It's just sensation. This is how the body feels right now. You might notice that just as you become aware of how the body feels, It changes. Letting your awareness sort of move freely, Noticing whatever surfaces, Whatever feeling or sensation you notice, It's fine. No judgment or expectation, Just being with the sensations that are present here as they unfold moment by moment. You might intentionally bring awareness for a moment into the feet, However the feet are positioned, However they're resting. Just feel into the feet. What do you notice? What do you feel? Drawing awareness up a little higher into the ankles and just being present with whatever you feel in the ankles. Feeling into the lower legs, Feeling into the knees. Letting your awareness move into the upper legs. What's here? What do you sense? You feel into the low back, The inner and outer hips, The belly. Letting your awareness move slowly, Easily up the length of the torso. You might feel for a few moments into the space around the heart, The center of the chest. Whatever sensations, However you feel is fine. Taking space for your experience just as it is. Feeling that awareness draw up into the shoulders and upper back. Letting it flow down the length of the arms, Wrists, Hands and resting in the hands for a few moments. Feeling the hands as if from the inside out. From the hands back up the length of the arms into the shoulders, The neck. Feeling into the muscles of the face, The jaw, The brow. Feeling the awareness rest in the space around the eyes. Sensing into the back of the head. Feeling some awareness to the crown of the head. And seeing if for a few moments you can feel the body as a whole. As if from the inside out, Feeling the vibratory quality, Sensations, Energy, Whatever you notice. Feeling the gift of the body, The fact of the body. As much as you can letting go of any judgment or expectation about what you feel. This is how the body feels and it's fine, It belongs. Noticing how it changes, It's not fixed. Just sensing what it's like to be with the body in this way. There might be thoughts that come and go, Things that sort of pull you out of that awareness, That groundedness, That feeling of being embodied. That's completely normal. When you notice that your awareness has sort of moved to something else, Bring it back. Feeling into the body. And you can stay with this as long as you like. And you're ready to make that transition back toward the rest of your day, Back toward that outer expression of awareness. You might begin by feeling the movement of breath once again, That easy, Natural rhythm of the body breathing. And feel the points of contact with whatever you're sitting on or lying on, That groundedness. You might sense the shape of the body in the space. And for a moment, See if you can bring your awareness into the space around the body. Seeing the eyes open whenever they feel ready to open, Taking in light, Feeling that outer orientation of awareness. See if you can, As you transition to that outer experience, Still see the outer world through this feeling of presence that you've cultivated through tuning in. You might see if as you move through the rest of your day, You can take a few moments here and there just to feel into the body, To arrive in the body, Using the body sort of as your anchor, Coming back to presence, Coming back to this moment. Letting that practice, That ability to tune in, Make you more present in your daily life. Letting the practice really support you and enrich your moments as you move back into the rest of your day, Whatever it holds for you. Thank you for practicing with me this morning or this evening, Whatever time of day you've decided to engage the practice might serve you. Namaste.