Somatic meditation.
Body scan with gentle movement.
Body acceptance.
Begin this body scan by finding a comfortable position.
This is typically done in Shavasana,
But a seated position is also okay.
Take a moment to really settle in,
Covering yourself with a blanket,
Bringing a bolster under your knees or maybe a folded pillow,
Rolled up towel or blanket.
Use a weighted eye pack if that's comfortable for you.
Get yourself ready.
Do a quick scan from the crown of the head to the tip of the toes.
During this part of the body scan,
There is no need to change anything you notice.
Just bring your awareness to what is present.
Notice if the head is tilted to the left or right or balanced in the middle.
Bring awareness to your face.
Is there tension or softness?
Maybe one side of the jaw is tighter than the other.
Notice the shoulders.
Are they both touching the ground beneath you?
Is one higher than the other?
Notice the left shoulder.
Than the right shoulder.
Become aware of the places where your body,
Your forearms,
Your elbows touch the surface below you.
What's present.
Do you feel pressure where your body and the ground meet?
Observe your back and any sensations present.
Is there warmth where the back meets the ground?
Is the round cool?
Notice the hips.
The right hip.
And the left hip.
Are they balanced?
Is one higher than the other?
Are the hips tight or relaxed?
Bring your attention to the upper thighs and the hip joints.
Notice the orientation of the hip bone and joint.
Is one foot pointed out more than the other.
Notice the thighs,
The knees,
The calves,
The shins,
And the heels.
Taking your mind from thinking to feeling.
Explore what the body feels like in its entirety as it rests on the earth.
When you're ready,
Move from this feeling of expansion into a feeling of stability.
You can stay on your back or you can move yourself into a seated position.
Take a moment to feel stable and supported.
Just notice what that feels like.
What intentional movement.
Can elicit that felt sense of stability in the body.
And then observe what thoughts or emotions what feelings are present when stability is a felt sensation.
As your awareness continues to expand,
You can begin to slowly make gentle adjustments.
On each exhale,
Allow any tension or imbalance to melt away.
Find more balance between the right and the left side of the body.
Sense the shoulders.
Inhale.
.
.
.
Exhale.
Balance and relax the shoulders.
Bring the attention down to the hips.
Inhale.
Exhale,
Balance,
And relax.
Observe how these small movements impact the way you feel in your body and the ability to be embodied.
How does it change the level of comfort,
Acceptance,
And awareness to make these small changes?
Stay here as long as you need.
Take time to let go.
When you're ready to move on and begin exploring shapes.
I invite you to find a shape that represents small.
What feels small?
How would you move your body into a position that feels small?
Take your time.
Intentionally finding movement that helps you reduce the space that you are taking up.
As you do this,
Be aware of how you feel in your body.
Are your hips tight or loose?
Do you feel tension in your shoulders or back?
What happens when you find the shape that helps you identify or connect with the sensation of feeling small?
Then notice if there are thoughts,
Feelings,
Or emotions that might be associated with this feeling of being small.
Continue to move into a small shape,
Taking a few more rounds of breaths.
Maybe just noticing each time you change your movement or shift.
How does that change what arises in your awareness?
Eventually,
Come back through the center and find your way to a shape.
That expresses expansion.
What does expansion look like for you?
Allow your body to move in a way that is intentional and helps you to unfurl physically and energetically.
What would you need?
To help you feel more expansive in your body.
To take up space.
To feel that you can radiate your energy beyond your physical body.
How can you feel expansive in your experience?
Just notice what movements you take and how that impacts the thoughts,
Feelings,
And beliefs that you have about yourself,
About the world.
About your environment.
When you're ready,
Prepare to move from this feeling of expansion.
Into a feeling of stability.
You can decide if you're on your back,
Seated,
Standing.
Take a moment to feel stable and supported.
Just notice what it feels like to have the earth supporting you.
What intentional movement can elicit that felt sense in the body?
And then observe what thoughts,
Emotions,
Or beliefs are coming to awareness when stability is a felt sensation.
When you're ready,
Move into the final shape of the practice.
Our final shape for today will be the shape of self-acceptance,
Self-love,
Self-compassion,
Take a moment to find that space for yourself,
Whatever that looks like for you.
It may be drying in.
Hugging yourself,
Wrapping the arms around the legs.
Or it might be coming to a constructive rest pose,
A comfortable seat,
Or reclined butterfly.
Observe and notice the thoughts,
Emotions,
Or beliefs coming to awareness.
What sensations are present within you when you feel compassionate,
Connected to self-love and self-acceptance?
Just observe what is present and then take all the time you need to find your way back to a neutral position.
A position where you can come back to an objective place.
Observing all that is now in awareness.
Feeling sensations,
Thoughts,
Emotions,
And awareness in which all of these sensations and experience come and go.
Take all the time that you need to come back to a comfortable seat.
Show yourself gratitude for taking this time to ground and connect with your inner experiences.
Come back to this practice and notice any changes.
Support may look different each day.
Remember you have within you a deep well of wisdom and trust that you can tap into at any time.
Carry this sense of inner strength and stability with you,
Knowing that you have the ability to support yourself.
And to listen to your inner wisdom.
