Body Scan Awareness-Based Meditation

Start by getting into a comfortable position,

One that works well for you,

Whether that is seated on a cushion or you may choose to lie down.

Whichever position you choose to take,

Ensure that your spine is nice and long,

Shoulders rolled away from your ears and chin slightly tucked in.

Throughout any time during your meditation,

If you'd like to,

Readjust your position to ensure that you feel more comfortable.

Affirming to yourself in your mind three times,

I am here.

Letting go of any to-do lists,

Anything that has already happened to you earlier to arrive to this present moment.

There is nowhere else to be,

No one else to me,

But just to be here in the now.

If you'd like to set an intention for your meditation practice today,

You can do so now and repeat it in your mind three times.

Take three deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth with an extended sigh.

With each in-breath breathing in love and with each out-breath breathing out anything that no longer serves you.

After the third out-breath return back to the natural rhythm of your breathing.

Begin by exploring your inner and outer landscapes.

If your eyes aren't already open,

You may like to gently open them now and begin to look around at your surroundings.

Noticing the space between any objects that you are surrounded by.

The different colors,

Shapes,

Textures,

The different types of furniture.

Letting go of any need to label or analyze anything.

Just simply noticing and witnessing whatever is there for you at this moment without any judgment.

Allow yourself to have fresh eyes and fresh perspective.

Like it was for the first time you were seeing things.

Whenever you are ready,

Gently close your eyes and begin to tune into the sounds that are coming from a distance.

Allowing your ears to open up like a flower opens up to the sunlight and allowing the sounds to come and go without any resistance or without any hesitation.

Allow yourself to tune into any sounds that are nearer to you.

Noticing whether there are any sounds or no sounds at all and allowing yourself to accept whatever comes to you at this present moment.

Moving your awareness to any smells or fragrances that may be lingering within the room that you're in.

Noticing whether there are any smells or no smells at all.

Allowing yourself to be fully present with whatever arises.

Whenever you're ready,

Moving your attention to your sense of taste.

If you'd like to move your tongue around your mouth and swallow your saliva a couple of times,

You can do so now.

Noticing whether there are any tastes or no tastes lingering throughout your mouth.

If there are no tastes,

That's okay as well.

Just simply allow yourself to notice and accept.

Whenever you're ready,

Move your attention to how your clothes feel against your skin.

Noticing how the temperature of the air feels against the bare areas of your body.

Allow yourself to connect with whatever it is that is supporting you at this present moment.

Beneath and at the back of you.

If you'd like to press further against your support.

Sensing into its stability,

Its strength,

How it is holding you at this present moment.

Whenever you're ready,

Mindfully connect to your loving breath.

The life force energy that is within you.

Allow yourself to take up whatever rhythm of breathing feels natural to you at this present moment.

Quite effortlessly,

Without the need to instigate any change.

Allow yourself to meet your breath where it is at this moment.

Allow yourself to bring some gratitude towards your breath for all that it does for you.

Sensing into the abundance of oxygen that is available for you within the air that you breathe.

That allows you to receive the oxygen for your muscles to function,

To work,

To walk,

To feel alive.

Feel the ease in receiving this.

It's already there for you to breathe in.

Allow yourself to sense into the richness of it.

And whenever your mind wanders,

Which tends to do from time to time,

Allow yourself to be present with your breath.

Noticing the sensations of breath where you feel it the most.

Using it as an anchor.

You may notice the breath through your nostrils,

Where you may notice it going through one of your nostrils or through both of your nostrils at the same time.

Or you may feel it cool on the inhale and warm on the exhale.

If you'd like to place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest.

Noticing the feelings of expansion and contraction with each inhalation and with each exhalation.

Continue to explore your inner and outer landscapes.

Explore your home,

Your vessel,

Your loving awareness that resides in your vessel.

The most important relationship that you will ever have is with yourself.

So allow yourself to befriend your home.

Get really curious with an open mind,

Open heart and with childlike wonder.

Without any judgment,

Allow yourself to bring some compassion,

Kindness and gentleness to yourself.

Allow yourself to notice and acknowledge any sensations that may arise as each moment unfolds.

Allowing yourself to welcome all the sensations without any resistance or without any hesitation.

Simply observing them and witnessing them.

Sensations may include throbbing,

Tension,

Pain,

Coolness,

Warmth and tingling sensations.

All sensations are welcome.

They may not be any sensations at all and that's okay as well.

Just allow yourself to experience what arises and what falls and what doesn't arise.

Start by scanning your body at the top of your head.

Noticing how the top of your head,

The sides of your head,

The back of your head and your face feels at this present moment.

Gently bringing awareness to the whole area at once.

Allow your awareness to trickle down through your neck until it reaches your shoulders.

Becoming present with how your shoulders feel at this moment.

Allow your awareness to travel through your upper arms,

Your elbows,

Your forearms,

Your wrists,

The palms of your hands,

The top of your hands,

Your fingers until it reaches your fingertips.

Becoming present with the whole of your left arm,

The whole of your right arm and your hands.

Noticing whatever that arises in this moment.

Becoming completely aware with the flow of sensations.

Moving your attention to the area around your chest and your abdomen.

Noticing the whole of your front torso at once.

Moving your attention to the top of your back,

The middle of your back and your lower back.

Becoming aware of the whole of your back torso.

Noticing any sensations that may arise.

Allowing your awareness to drift down towards your glutes,

Your upper thighs,

Your hamstrings,

The front of your knees,

The back of your knees,

Your chins,

Your calves,

Your ankles,

The soles of your feet,

Your heels,

The top of your feet,

Your toes until it reaches the tips of your toes.

Becoming fully present with the whole of your left leg,

The whole of your right leg and your feet all at once.

Allow yourself to sense into how your body feels all at once.

Noticing the flow of sensations,

The river of sensations flowing throughout your body.

Noticing the aliveness that is coursing through your veins.

Sit or lie for a few moments of stillness and silence.

Surrendering wholeheartedly whilst acknowledging any sensations,

Thoughts or feelings that come and go.

Ever so tenderly,

Ever so gently.

Allow your awareness to remain with you throughout the rest of your evening.

Allow yourself to reconnect to your home,

Your body,

Your breath.

Reconnecting with the sounds in the distance and closer to you.

The smells that may be lingering within the room that you're in.

Any tastes that may be in your mouth.

The clothes against your skin and the temperature of the air.

Whenever you're ready,

Wiggle your fingers and your toes.

Stretching your arms out wide and moving in whichever way you feel comfortable to move.

If you'd like to give yourself a hug.

Thanking yourself for being here today and for taking some time out for your meditation practice.

Whenever you're ready,

Open your eyes.

Noticing and reconnecting with your surroundings.

Now go out into the world and create some magic.

You truly have the power to do so.