Welcome to the Golden Thread body scan.
When you're ready to begin,
Find a comfortable position,
Maybe leaning back in a chair or laying down on the floor.
Begin by connecting to the space around you.
Notice the surface beneath you.
Is it cold or warm?
Is it rough or perhaps smooth?
As you become more aware of this new position,
Allow yourself to turn your thoughts inward.
Feel the weight of gravity drawing you gently downward.
Your body meets the earth.
The earth responds by drawing you more deeply into her embrace.
Now slowly bring your attention to your breath.
Breathe in through your nose,
Smooth and steady.
Breathe slowly out,
Feeling the warm breath of life relaxing outward,
Drawing you downward ever deeper into yourself.
And again,
Inhale,
Receiving and embracing the flow of air moving inward,
And exhale,
Releasing the tension and sinking ever deeper into your awareness of self.
Let your breath become the golden thread you return to again and again.
Now bring your awareness to the crown of your head.
Notice any sensations.
Do you feel the air flow across your skin?
Is it warm or cool?
Notice the subtle currents moving beneath the surface of your skin.
If there is tightness on your scalp,
Simply notice where it gathers.
Bring your breath there.
Inhale into your crown and exhale and allow the surface to soften.
Awareness now spreads across your forehead.
Notice where your brow holds effort.
Feel the space between your eyes.
On your next exhale,
Allow that space to widen.
And as it does,
Notice how your jaw naturally softens and your tongue rests easily now at the top of your mouth.
Feel how clarity arises through ease,
Through presence,
Through being present in the moment,
Present in your body,
Present with the energy inside you.
And return to your breath,
To the gold thread flowing in and out.
Now allow your attention to gently flow down to your throat.
Notice the front of your neck,
The sides,
The back.
Sense any temperature changes,
Any pressure.
Notice the subtle pulsing of your heartbeat against your skin.
If tension gathers here,
Breathe directly into it.
Breathe in that golden thread of light into your beautiful being.
Exhale and allow your throat to open slightly more.
Moving down with that golden thread of breath to your shoulders,
Notice where weight accumulates.
Notice the difference between your left and right.
Inhale gently that golden thread and exhale.
Let the shoulders descend and soften.
Feel your chest open and your back widen with the ebb and flow of your breath.
Feel your collarbones broaden and return to your breath as you move ever onward,
Deeper into your body,
Deeper into the earth.
Feel that golden thread now as it travels down your upper arms.
Notice it flow through your elbows,
Your forearms.
Notice any heaviness or tension in the muscles.
Notice warmth.
Notice coolness.
Perhaps you even notice the hairs standing up on your arm.
Take note of these things and then let it go and bring your attention gently to an awareness of your wrists.
Gently begin to move your wrists in small circles,
Slow gentle circles,
Smooth and unhurried.
Feel how the movement starts from within you.
Notice where stiffness lives.
Notice how the flow of movement feels easy.
Continue circling in one direction.
Allow your breath to maintain a steady flow in and out as your wrists slowly move and then slowly allow your wrists to reverse direction.
Feel the tension dissolving with the movement.
Feel energy circulating through your hands.
When the circles feel complete,
Allow your hands to rest again at your sides or in your lap.
Notice how they settle more deeply now.
Notice the subtle sinking,
The weight releasing into the surface beneath you.
Bring awareness now into your palms.
Notice if they feel warmer now.
Perhaps there is even a tingling sensation,
A quiet hum of life.
And now return to your breath,
To that golden thread filling you up.
Let's bring our attention back to your chest.
Feel your breath rise and your breath fall.
Place one hand gently on your chest and the other on your belly.
Notice where your breath expands and where your belly rises.
Notice where movement feels restrained.
Inhale to a gentle count of four and exhale to a count of six.
Inhale,
Widening through the ribs and exhale.
Settling deeper into your center.
Feel,
Feel,
Feel the rhythm of your heart.
If there is tightness,
Just gently hold that awareness and inhale again.
And exhale and allow space to grow around.
Now bring your attention to the space between your shoulder blades.
Notice any tension there.
Notice any temperature changes.
And again,
Breathe into that space.
Inhale into the back of the body and exhale and feel your back broaden.
Now move to the space between ribs and navel,
Your solar center.
Notice any sensation here.
Does your hand rise and fall with your breath?
Do you feel heat or tension under your fingers?
Or perhaps you notice strength,
A subtle contraction.
Inhale into this center,
Into your being.
And exhale and allow the abdomen to soften slightly as you deepen your breath.
Feel a sense of steadiness emerging from within.
And return to your breath.
And as our awareness now shifts lower into your belly,
Notice where it feels firm,
Where it feels fluid.
Inhale and allow your belly to expand naturally.
Exhale and feel it settle.
Now moving downward to your pelvis,
Your hips,
Your sacrum.
Notice how your sacrum comes into contact with the surface beneath you.
Notice if there is any tension in your hips.
And breathe that golden thread into that space.
Exhale and allow the weight of your body to pour downward.
Feel how the earth receives you fully.
And return to your breath.
Now bring your awareness to your thighs,
The front,
The back,
The inner and outer sides.
Notice again any tension patterns and any temperature differences.
Inhale your breath.
Exhale and allow the muscles to lengthen.
Move down to your knees,
Your calves,
Your shins.
Feel if one side feels denser.
And if it does,
Just give it a longer breath.
Allow your breath to travel down the length of both your legs to your feet.
Bring your awareness now into your ankles,
Into the soles of your feet.
Notice any pressure,
Any warmth or coolness.
Perhaps you notice a subtle vibration.
Imagine your soles gently widening and softening.
Exhale.
Exhale and allow them to soften against the floor.
Allow that connection with the earth to deepen.
And return to your breath.
Now sense your entire body at once,
From the crown to the soles of your feet.
A single field of living sensation,
Of presence,
Of ease.
Notice the areas of your body that still hold tension.
Bring your breath to those places.
Inhale and allow your awareness to expand.
And exhale and release all that flows through you.
And again,
Inhale,
Increasing presence.
And exhale,
Settling deeper into yourself as you inhabit your body fully.
Remain here for several quiet breaths.
When you feel ready,
Allow movement to return.
Gently wiggling your fingers and toes,
Allowing your eyes to open softly.
Allow your breath to continue,
A gentle rise and fall.
Allow your presence to remain.
