So I'm going to lead you in the meditation which is to bring mindfulness to the body and it should take about 15 minutes.
So can I suggest that we begin by settling into a comfortable position that feels both steady and relaxed.
Sitting upright but not stiff.
And feel your spine gently lengthening with your head on top of your spine.
Let your shoulders drop away from the ears and rest your hands on your lap or on your thighs.
You might let your eyes close or lower your gaze,
Whatever feels most comfortable to you.
Take a few moments to simply arrive here.
Letting your attention come home to your body.
This body sitting here,
Breathing alive.
If it helps,
You might take one or two fuller breaths.
Feeling the rise and fall of your chest or belly.
And then let the breath return to its natural rhythm.
I now invite you to bring your attention to the surface beneath you.
Feel the contact with the seat.
The weight of your body resting,
Supported by the seat beneath you and the earth beneath you.
Allowing yourself to feel held and safe.
I now invite you to gently begin to scan through your body,
Not trying to change or fix anything.
You will just be noticing how we feel with awareness.
So you might begin at the top of your head.
Feeling the skin of your scalp.
Bringing your attention down through the forehead.
Relaxing that space between your eyebrows.
And the little muscles around your eyes.
Relaxing into your face.
Your mouth softening.
Feeling your tongue in your mouth.
Relaxing to your jaw,
Your chin.
Relaxing into your throat.
Now bring your attention to your neck,
Your throat.
The area where your neck becomes your shoulders.
Areas where we often hold tension.
And see if you can release any tension in your neck and shoulders.
Scanning through your arms,
Your elbows and down into your hands.
Feeling your hands resting softly on your lap.
Bring your attention to your chest and your upper back.
Your belly,
Softening into your belly.
And your lower back.
Letting go of any tension held there.
Bring your attention into your hips.
Down into your thighs.
Your knees.
Your feet and your toes.
Noticing any sensations.
Warmth,
Coolness,
Tingling,
Heaviness,
Ease.
Whatever is present,
Just allowing it.
If there are any places that feel tense or tight or maybe restless,
See if you can soften these areas or breathe into them.
Letting go with ease,
If letting go is possible.
Now let go of the scan of the individual parts and see if you can sense the body as a whole.
The aliveness of the whole body right here.
You might notice the body stillness.
With subtle movements.
Maybe you can feel the flow of energy within your body.
Let your attention rest in this living body in whatever state it is at this moment.
If there's an area that calls your attention,
Let your awareness rest there for a while.
Notice the sensations.
Do they move or shift?
Increase or decrease?
If the sensation feels intense,
See if you can gently breathe into it.
Letting the breath help you stay steady and present.
You might label the sensation if that feels health.
Tightness,
Tingling,
Pressure,
Heat.
Just naming the feeling in the background while keeping your attention with the sensation itself.
If the sensation fades or softens,
You can return to a more spacious awareness of the whole body.
Or if another part of the body calls your attention,
Let your attention flow there naturally.
You're allowing your body to guide your mindfulness.
Now once again,
See if you can sense the body as a whole.
Sense the whole body,
The rhythm of stillness and movement,
The flow of life exactly as it is at this moment.
You might notice how the body feels from the inside out.
Noticing the temperature,
The feeling of aliveness.
Just resting here,
Gently alert.
And as we near the end of the practice,
You might bring your attention back to the breath.
And if you like,
Widening your attention to include the sounds around you.
The space you're sitting in.
And the felt presence of this moment.
Take a moment to check in.
How is your body feeling now?
And when you're ready,
You can allow small movements,
Your fingers,
Your toes.
Your shoulders,
Your legs,
Maybe a stretch and letting your eyes open when it feels natural.
