Find a comfortable position for this short body scan exercise for relaxation.
You might be laying down,
Preparing for rest,
Or you might just need a short pause during your day.
Wherever you are,
Take a moment to make sure you're comfortable.
If you need to pause to get water or do anything else to make yourself more comfortable,
Give yourself the permission to do so.
We'll begin our body scan exercise at the feet.
Begin to notice any sensations at the bottom of the feet,
Slowly steadying the breath and bringing your mental attention to this area.
If you notice any thoughts,
Any distractions,
Gently bring your awareness back to any sensations you notice in the feet,
In the ankles.
As the sensations arise,
We're just noticing them without judgment.
You might find warmth,
Discomfort.
Whatever it may be,
Send yourself some fresh air through the nostrils and allow yourself to exhale and soften into this moment.
We'll slowly shift our awareness up into the calves,
Just below the knees,
Again just noticing any sensations,
Noticing any tension,
And seeing if possible if you can allow yourself just a little bit more comfort and release in this area.
We'll move our attention to the knees and just notice the thoughts that arise.
Again,
We're just witnessing without judgment,
Without the urge to solve any problems.
Just noticing and acknowledging the signals that our body has for us.
Throughout this exercise,
You may also want to send gratitude to your body for all it does for us and give yourself the permission to rest and release.
We'll move our awareness up into the thighs,
Into the hips,
And again,
Just notice where you might be holding tension and see if you might begin to feel the weight of gravity on the body and allow yourself a little bit of release.
Acknowledge any changes in the sensations,
Any changes in your body as you begin to release tension or simply acknowledge that it's there.
If the mind wanders,
Slowly bring it back to the present,
And you can always anchor yourself in the rhythm of your breath as it enters and exits the body at your own pace.
We'll shift up slightly into the abdomen.
See if you notice any sensations in the low back,
And if you might just allow some openness there using the breath,
Releasing any tension,
Allowing any worries,
Any distractions to move through the mind without judgment,
Without the need to understand or fix.
Just letting it pass and giving yourself the permission to relax right now.
See if you can bring some softness into the abdomen,
Some lightness,
Perhaps sending your digestive system gratitude.
We'll shift our awareness up into the heart space,
The chest,
Noticing how the breath expands the lungs on the inhale and contracts them on the exhale,
Softening into each exhale and allowing yourself this moment for rest,
Relaxation,
And release.
Again,
If any thoughts come,
Any worries,
Any stressors,
You can gently remind yourself that anything that you need to work on,
Anything that you need to deal with,
Will be there for you after this short exercise.
Slowly drift your attention back to the present,
Back to the sensations in the chest,
And we'll move up into the throat,
Into the shoulders.
Again,
Beginning with just noticing the sensations and noticing the thoughts that come as we begin to focus on this area.
Gently use the breath to move any tension,
To find more softness,
Find more comfort in the shoulders and in the throat.
Again,
Beginning to feel the sensations of gravity on the body and noticing where we may be resisting relaxation.
We'll shift our awareness up into the head,
Noticing where we might be holding any tension,
Releasing any hold we may have in our jaw,
And our eyebrows.
And again,
Using the breath to bring fresh air into this area and allowing the exhale to release any tension that's willing to move out of the body.
Continuing to take deep breaths into the new sensations after this full body scan.
Notice if you're holding any tension in the hands,
In the wrists.
Begin softening the arms.
And again,
We're noticing any sensations without judging them,
Just noticing,
Acknowledging the signals of the body and giving ourselves this moment for rest,
For relaxation.
Taking another complete inhale and complete exhale.
Send yourself gratitude for this brief body scan exercise.
Noticing any changes that may have occurred.
And giving yourself permission to stay open,
To maintain this softness as you move forward.
