Welcome to this brief body scan exercise.
Over the next several minutes,
We will focus on body sensations.
Sometimes you may feel a variety of sensations,
Or you may feel nothing at all.
And that's okay.
Your goal with this exercise is simply to observe,
Just notice without judgment or trying to change anything.
To begin,
Find a comfortable position,
Whether that's in a chair with your feet flat on the floor,
Laying down with your head supported,
Or even standing.
I invite you to close your eyes or take a softened gaze,
Whichever you prefer.
Now let's take some deep breaths together.
Start by breathing in through your nose,
Following your breath down your throat and into your lungs,
Filling your lungs with air.
And slowly and with control,
Let your breath out.
And again,
Take a deep inhale,
Following your breath through your nose,
Down your throat,
Into your lungs,
Expanding your chest and your rib cage.
And slowly and with control,
Breathing out and letting it all go.
Now let's bring our awareness down to our feet.
Let's start by noticing the soles of our feet,
Our arches,
Our toes.
Maybe wiggle your toes.
Notice the tops of your feet.
Bring your awareness up into your ankles.
Continue bringing your awareness into your calves,
Into your shins.
And now bringing your awareness into your knees,
The fronts of your knees,
The backs of your knees.
Bring your awareness to your thighs,
The tops of your thighs,
Your hamstrings.
Notice your muscles and your skin.
Notice if you feel contact with a chair or whatever surface is supporting you.
Maybe you're noticing the sensation of your clothing or a blanket against your skin.
Continue moving your awareness up into your hips,
Your glutes,
And your pelvis.
And just notice.
Maybe you feel a tightness or heaviness or other sensations.
Just simply notice and observe with curiosity,
Without judgment.
Notice how sensations come and go.
They rise and fall.
Sensations are not permanent.
Move your awareness up into your abdomen.
Maybe notice the rise and fall of your belly with each breath.
Maybe trace the length of your spine,
Vertebra by vertebra.
Breathe deeply in and expand your abdomen.
Continue bringing your awareness up into your chest,
Your ribcage.
Notice your heart beating.
Bring your awareness up into your shoulders,
Down into your arms.
Notice your muscles and your skin.
Bring your awareness to your elbows.
Maybe they're bent,
Maybe they're straight.
Bring your awareness into your forearms,
The tops of your arms,
The underside of your arms.
Move your awareness down into your wrists.
Notice your wrists.
Move into your hands.
Notice your thumbs and fingers,
The backs of your hands and your palms.
Maybe notice warmth or coolness or a tingling sensation or no sensation in your palms.
Move your awareness through your arms,
Up through your shoulders and chest and into your neck and throat.
Maybe you feel the coolness of your inhaled breath.
Maybe you notice tightness or tension in the muscles of your neck and shoulders.
Breathe into this tension and see if you can invite it to soften,
Even slightly.
Continue to move your awareness up through your neck and into your head,
Into your jaw and face,
Noticing your features one by one.
Your chin,
Your lips,
Your nose,
Your eyes and forehead.
Move down to your ears.
Go into your scalp and move to the top of your head and simply notice,
Observing without trying to change.
Begin to allow your awareness to spread out from the top of your head down into your toes throughout your body.
Allow your awareness to just circle and flow and move from top to bottom,
Side to side,
Front to back.
Take a deep breath in and fill your whole body with air,
Expanding all parts of you,
Allowing all parts to just be.
If you feel calmness or relaxation,
Allow yourself to enjoy it.
Maybe begin to bring your awareness back to the present moment by wiggling your toes,
Wiggling your fingers,
Maybe shifting gently side to side,
And taking another deep breath in,
And on your exhale,
Letting it all go.
And whenever you feel ready,
You can blink your eyes open to the present moment.
