Wherever and however you find yourself in this moment,
I invite you to join me in slowing down,
Pausing,
And coming back to yourself.
Welcome to the art of the body scan.
Your body is always living in the present moment.
Whether we're aware of it or not,
Every experience is fueled by physical sensations.
Love,
Hurt,
Anger,
Fear.
We might feel burning,
Tightening,
Heaviness,
Maybe even a swell of restlessness.
All are invitations to be held and honored so as to avoid a further buildup of unwitnessed stress,
Pain,
Anger,
Or distraction.
Seeing and feeling these sensations allows us to understand them,
To move or shift them,
And to ultimately feel more connected to ourselves.
So let's begin.
I invite you to find a posture that allows you to feel comfortably at rest,
Sitting upright if you have the ability to do so,
Staying alert but relaxed.
Perhaps you're seated on a chair,
On the floor,
Or in bed.
As you come in this position,
You might notice the points of contact beneath or around you,
Your feet touching the floor,
The way the surface you're sitting on holds you up,
Arriving in presence.
Take a full,
Deep breath,
And release it slowly,
Slowly enough that you can feel the sensations of the breath as it moves through your chest,
Your throat,
Your nostrils.
Let's do one more of those,
Taking a full,
Deep breath,
And releasing it slowly,
Feeling the sensations of the exhale.
As you continue to breathe naturally at your own pace,
Imagine a soft,
Warm light resting at the top of your head,
A light of awareness,
A tool sort of like your own internal monitor to use for scanning the body and melting away any unnecessary tension,
Confusion,
Or pain.
Bringing a soft awareness to the crown of your head,
You might notice subtle sensations,
Warmth,
Tingling,
Pressure,
Or stillness.
There's nothing to change or fix,
Just notice.
Let this awareness move to your forehead,
Feeling the space behind your eyes,
Muscles around them.
If you can,
Allow that space to soften,
Even if just a little,
As though the light itself could smooth and open it.
Notice your jaw,
Your ears,
Perhaps there's tightness,
Or maybe it feels relaxed.
Notice your tongue,
Allowing it to rest gently in your mouth.
The awareness move through the back of your head,
Down to the neck and the throat.
The throat is like a bridge between the mind and the body,
Where unspoken words or held back emotions sometimes gather.
Breathe gently here,
Being kind to yourself as you allow for more openness and flow.
Allow that same awareness to widen and move across your shoulders,
Feel their weight,
The way they move with your breath.
If you notice effort or tension,
Imagine the exhale melting through it.
Bring your awareness now to your chest and the space around your heart.
Again,
Notice the movement of your breath here,
How your ribs expand and settle,
How your heart has its own rhythm,
Just for you.
You might sense warmth,
Fullness,
Or gentle pulsing.
If emotion comes to,
You can make room for it,
Trusting that whatever you feel belongs and makes sense.
Allow your attention to move through your upper back,
The space between your shoulder blades and down the spine.
This is a place that often holds what we carry.
With each exhale,
Imagine setting down even just a little bit of that weight.
Bring awareness to your belly and abdomen.
Notice any movement,
Any holding,
Any sensations of tightness or ease.
See if you can let the breath reach here fully,
Softening the belly,
Allowing it to move naturally with each inhale and exhale.
Continue downward into the hips and pelvis,
The body's center of grounding and stability.
This area can hold stories of safety and vulnerability.
Notice what's present here,
Perhaps a sense of pressure,
Heaviness,
Tightness,
Or openness.
You might imagine the breath or the soft light flowing here,
Offering support and steadiness.
From here,
Move your attention down the thighs,
Feeling the strength and structure they provide.
Again,
Notice the contact they make with the surface beneath you,
The way the ground or chair continues to hold you.
Bring awareness to your knees,
Those trusted joints that help you bend and move.
Say hello and offer them kindness.
Let your attention flow through the lower legs and into the ankles and feet.
Feel their connection to the earth,
The solidness beneath you.
Notice the texture of your socks,
The temperature of the air,
The grounding presence of gravity itself.
Sense your whole body now,
From the top of your head to the soles of your feet.
This one connected field of awareness.
Breathing here through this whole form,
Noticing any shifts in energy,
Ease,
Or stillness.
Allow yourself to stay here in this completeness,
Supported by your own presence.
Take a moment to acknowledge this pausing,
For choosing to listen inwardly.
Every time we return to our bodies this way,
We strengthen our relationship with ourselves.
Begin to bring a little more depth to your breath,
Perhaps wiggling your fingers and your toes,
Taking as much time as you need to come back to movement.
When you're ready,
Allow your eyes to open slowly and softly,
Slowly and slowly.
Carrying this new awareness with you as you move into the rest of your day or night.
Thank you for being here and for meeting with yourself.
You so deserve it.
Namaste.
