Body Scan

This is a body scan meditation.

The aim of this exercise is not to feel anything in particular,

To make yourself feel relaxed.

The aim is not to clear the mind,

Get rid of thoughts.

The aim is simply to become more aware of sensations in the body and to respond to those sensations non-judgmentally.

You can do this practice lying down,

Sitting in a chair,

Sitting on the floor,

However you feel comfortable.

Seeing this is time to prioritize your own well-being,

To look after your body and your mind.

You may find it helpful to have your eyes closed so that you're not distracted by what you can see around you.

Noticing sounds Noticing how sound arises and passes away,

Moment by moment.

Noticing any judgment about the sound,

Are there sounds you like,

Sounds you don't like?

Is it possible to just hear sound as sound without adding a layer of analysis,

Commentary or judgment?

In this meditation your mind will wander many times.

As I said,

The aim is not to stop the mind from wandering or clear the mind.

Instead,

The aim is to notice that the mind has wandered and without judgment,

Patiently and kindly bringing the attention back to the body in the present moment.

Bringing the attention now into the hands,

The hands.

Noticing the physical sensations you can feel in the hands.

Noticing what physical sensations you can feel in the hands.

Do they feel warm?

Do they feel cold?

Do they feel warm?

Do they feel cold?

Do you feel any texture with what your hand is making contact with?

Is it possible to feel the shape of the hands?

Bringing the attention now into the forearms,

The areas between the wrists and the elbows.

It might be harder to feel sensations in this area of the body.

It doesn't matter even if you can't feel anything.

Just noticing,

Registering a blank.

If you can feel something,

Noticing what you can feel.

Is it temperature?

Is it shape?

Is there any movement in the forearms?

Moving up now into the upper arms between the elbows and the shoulders.

Feeling how the shoulders connect to the elbows.

Seeing if it's possible to feel the muscle,

The bone.

Shifting the attention now as if you're moving the spotlight of a torch,

Shining it on the shoulder blades.

The area between the shoulder blades,

The tops of the shoulders.

It's very common to feel tension in this area of the body if you do find tension or discomfort.

Seeing if it's possible just to notice it without judging it,

Without wishing it was different.

Is it possible just to allow these sensations to be exactly as they are?

Moving the attention up to the neck,

Throat,

Does this area feel relaxed?

Does it feel tense?

Can you feel the shape of the neck?

Can you feel the shape of the neck?

As soon as you notice you've become distracted,

That is a moment of mindfulness.

You're already back in the present moment.

You can celebrate that as a victory.

Seeing if it's possible to feel the chin,

The jaw.

Feeling the lips,

The teeth,

The tongue.

It's very common to clench the jaw in moments of emotional discomfort,

Noticing if there's any gripping or clenching in the jaw right now.

Investigating if there is tension,

Is it more on one side or the other?

Is it changing or is it staying the same?

Feeling the cheeks,

The ears,

The sides of the head,

The area around the nose,

And feeling the nose,

Including the air travelling in and out.

Is it possible to notice that the air is a different temperature on the way out than the way in?

Feeling the eyes,

Do the eyes feel tight,

Do they feel relaxed?

Do they feel soft or hard?

Feeling the forehead,

Is there pressure around or behind the forehead?

Does it feel relaxed?

Maybe it's difficult to feel anything here.

That's okay too.

Feeling the back of the head,

And the top of the head.

Noticing if it's possible to feel anything inside the head.

During this meditation you may start to feel restless,

Agitated,

Impatient.

Seeing if you do,

If you can just allow yourself to feel that without acting on it.

Being curious,

What does it feel like to be impatient in my body?

Coming down now to the chest area.

Seeing if it's possible to feel the rib cage,

The heart beating,

The lungs expanding and contracting,

Movement in the chest.

Maybe it feels tight and closed,

Maybe it feels open and expansive.

Maybe there's some tension in the chest area.

Seeing if you can be okay with whatever you find.

Feeling the chest.

The chest can be a very sensitive emotional centre.

Noticing if any emotion can be felt in the chest area.

It's okay if there's nothing much present.

And shifting the focus now to the abdomen,

The belly area.

Noticing if you can feel the belly rising as you breathe in,

And falling as you breathe out.

Noticing if there's any holding,

Tensing in the belly area.

And if there is,

Investigating it with curiosity.

The size,

The shape.

Is it still?

Is it pulsating?

Does it have a colour?

Moving down into the buttocks,

The hips,

The groin.

Into the left thigh.

The large expanse of muscle,

Bone.

Noticing any judgement about your left thigh.

Can you just let it be exactly as it is?

Feeling the left knee,

The area behind the knee.

The calf muscle and the left shin.

Maybe a difficult area to feel very much sensation.

If there's nothing much then just registering a blank.

Noticing what it feels like to not be able to feel anything.

Feeling the ankle,

The contact with the floor.

The sole of the foot.

The top of the foot.

Seeing if it's possible to feel each toe one after the other.

Bringing the attention now into the right thigh.

The right knee and the back of the knee.

Feeling the calf muscle and right shin.

The ankle,

The heel.

The top of the foot,

The sole of the foot.

And each individual toe.

Noticing if this right foot feels warm or cold.

Feeling the shape of the foot.

And now expanding the awareness into the whole of the body from head to toe.

And seeing if you can allow the entire body to be exactly as it is in this moment.

Letting all the physical sensations be exactly as they are.

Allowing whatever mood or emotion is present or lack of emotion.

Allowing sounds.

And allowing the mind to be exactly as it is.

Is it possible to contact the peace and contentment that comes with letting everything be as it is?

And now as we draw this meditation to a close.

Congratulating yourself.

Forgiving yourself this time to look after your mind and your body.

Knowing that that will have positive effects for everyone around you as well.

Perhaps starting to wiggle the toes,

The fingers.

Becoming more aware of sound.

Slowly opening the eyes and setting an intention to continue this state of awareness for the rest of the day.