Compassionate Body Scan With A Smile

Please find a position where you're going to feel comfortable for about 35 minutes or a little bit longer.

Letting your hands be empty,

Perhaps taking a moment to stretch.

And beginning to settle in.

If it feels right for you,

Allowing your eyes to close gently,

Or if you prefer,

If what feels better for you is having your eyes open,

Then doing that.

Perhaps with a soft and unfocused gaze.

Beginning by taking a few fuller breaths.

Just taking a moment to consciously breathe.

In a fuller way,

Inhaling,

Letting your lungs expand.

And when you exhale,

Breathing all the way out.

And just feeling your body gently breathing in this full way.

And then releasing any effort that you're making.

And starting to arrive.

Bringing your busy human mind.

So full of judgments and plans,

As all human minds are.

Seeing if you can gently guide it back to this moment.

Perhaps by beginning,

Just from feeling yourself sitting or lying here right now.

Taking a moment to trace with your mind's eye,

The sensations of contact with whatever surface is holding you and supporting you right now.

Taking a moment to feel the solid contact.

The sense of the weight of your own body resting here,

Still and solid.

Taking a moment to appreciate if it feels right,

That this is the feeling of gravity.

This is the feeling of the earth holding you gently and safely right here.

So many things are in motion.

The world is spinning.

Many things are happening.

But right now,

The earth is holding you safely and securely in this spot.

And now,

Taking a moment to offer yourself some soothing or supportive touch.

Inviting one or both of your hands to come up and make contact with your body,

Anywhere that feels connected or comforting to you.

You might give yourself a gentle hug.

You might place a hand over your heart,

Perhaps a hand over your tummy,

Maybe cupping your own cheek,

Clasping your hands in your lap,

Maybe just gently touching your own side.

Just taking a moment to make contact and feel this contact.

Feeling the physical sensations,

Maybe noticing a bit of warmth at the point of contact,

This living warmth radiating from the hand,

From your body.

These sensations of contact are a gentle reminder.

We're not just going to bring attention,

But we're going to bring a kind,

Nourishing attention.

Because the person feeling the contact of this hand is a human being with a human body.

A body with wonderful resources,

But a body that also gets tired and worn out.

A body that's strong and fragile.

A body that needs nourishment and care,

As all human bodies do.

If it feels right,

And if it feels like something you can do without forcing yourself,

Taking a moment to gently curve the corners of your mouth,

Maybe the corners of your eyes too,

Upwards,

Into the smallest possible smile,

A bit of an inner smile.

Just taking a moment to notice what the energy of this expression feels like.

Perhaps directing that energy towards your own body in support and appreciation.

In this practice,

You're going to guide your awareness through your body part by part.

Whenever you encounter any pain,

Physical or emotional,

Or any discomfort,

Any fatigue or stress,

Seeing if you can offer some kindness and compassion to that part of your body as if you were supporting a good friend who's in some pain.

Perhaps with words or perhaps with the energy of this kind smile.

If you notice that a part of your body is feeling okay today,

Perhaps offering just a little bit of appreciation and gratitude for how that part of your body is always working for you as much as it can,

Like a good friend.

And taking a moment to recognize and remember that your body,

Like all human bodies,

Has a history.

So many experiences and we carry them with us because that's part of being human too.

And if any part of your body feels too difficult to be with for any reason,

Please give yourself permission now that you will just skip it and guide your awareness someplace that feels neutral or safe or even enjoyable.

Letting this practice not feel like work or a chore or a responsibility.

Seeing if you could allow this practice to feel like play,

To feel like a walk through a beautiful garden.

Now letting your hands rest any place that feels comfortable to you.

Gathering this gentle light of awareness,

Your awareness,

As if it were a spotlight and guiding it gently down your body,

Down the right side of your body,

Down your right leg,

All the way down to the toes of your right foot.

Take a moment to check in and see how the toes of your right foot are doing.

Feel free to say hello to them with your little smile.

Maybe give them a wiggle.

How are the toes of your right foot today?

Guiding your awareness backwards along the sole of your right foot,

The ball,

The arch and the heel.

What sensations do you notice along the sole of your right foot?

Letting this spotlight of awareness grow a little bit and becoming aware of your whole right foot.

Seeing if you could offer a kind smile,

Tender compassion for any pains,

For any fatigue or difficulty you notice in your right foot.

Perhaps if it feels right for you,

You can offer some kind supportive words or just the energy of a smile.

And if your right foot is feeling okay today,

Perhaps seeing if you could allow a drop,

Just a drop of gratitude and appreciation to arise in your heart for everything your right foot has been doing for you for so many years.

Perhaps sending the energy of a grateful smile,

If that feels right.

Guiding your awareness up your right leg part by part in this same way,

Offering tenderness,

Compassion and support for any pains and perhaps just a drop of gratitude and appreciation.

Moving on to your wonderful right ankle.

Your right leg below the knee,

These two big bones and your shin and your calf.

Moving on to your right knee.

Perhaps taking a moment to appreciate what a wonder your right knee is.

So many different parts,

I can't name them all.

All working together like a ballet.

Bending and flexing,

Supporting the weight of your body over and over.

And also fragile,

Remembering to offer a kind smile of compassion for any pains.

And if it feels right,

Perhaps a little bit,

A little smile of gratitude for your right knee.

Moving on to your right thigh.

And your right hip.

Letting this light of awareness grow and taking a moment to embrace your whole right leg from the tips of the toes back up to your right hip.

Enveloping and holding your whole right leg with a smiling awareness.

Offering compassion and kindness for any pains,

Any difficulty.

And maybe just a little bit of gratitude for this hard working right leg.

A really good friend of yours.

Remembering as you move on that if your mind wanders as you do this,

Your mind goes somewhere else and you realize it.

Just smile at that.

All it means is that you're a human being with a human mind.

And whenever you feel ready,

Whenever it feels right,

Very gently gather up your mind and bring it back to nourishing your body.

Guiding the light of awareness over and repeating this process on the left side.

Guiding your awareness down again and starting with the lovely little toes of your left foot.

Saying hello to them with a wiggle and a little smile.

And then the soul of your left foot,

The ball,

The arch and the heel.

Your whole left foot.

How's your left foot doing?

Your left ankle.

Your left lower leg,

Your shin and your calf.

Your remarkable left knee.

Your left thigh.

Your left hip.

Widening the spotlight of awareness and taking a moment to embrace your whole left leg from the tips of the toes back up to your left hip in a kind smiling awareness.

Offering compassion and love and care for any pains,

Any difficulty.

And if it feels right,

Just a few drops of gratitude and appreciation for your loyal left leg.

Really good friend of yours.

Giving yourself permission as you go along to be as you are.

Giving yourself what you need.

Feeling free to reset your smile if you like.

Remembering that if any part of your body feels too difficult to be with,

You've already given yourself permission to skip it and move your awareness somewhere that feels safe and neutral.

And also knowing that you could offer some soothing touch to any part of your body you'd like to support and send good energy to.

Guiding awareness upwards into the soft tissues of the pelvic region.

Being aware of the large bones of your pelvis that connect your legs to your upper body and anchor so many important big muscles.

Taking a moment to be aware of the muscles of your buttocks that work so hard so you can climb stairs and walk or ride a bike.

And yet also enable you to sit softly and comfortably right here,

Right now.

Guiding awareness upwards to your lower back.

An area where so many people start to experience stiffness or pain because this area has done so much work for us.

Allowing your awareness,

This smiling warm light to wrap this area like a warm towel.

Perhaps imagining these muscles,

This area,

Melting just a little bit.

And if it feels right,

Perhaps just a little bit of gratitude and appreciation for this hard working lower back.

Guiding awareness up along your spine,

Vertebra by vertebra.

Taking a moment to be aware of your sturdy spine and noticing how you feel in this position.

Feeling free to shift or move as you practice.

Not needing to be sitting still or frozen or immobile.

Becoming aware of all the muscles of your upper back.

So many sheets and layers of muscles and your shoulder blades.

Now guiding awareness around to the front of your body.

Letting awareness rest gently in your abdomen.

Taking a moment to be aware of all the organs and all the processes hard at work inside your tummy.

Working away in the background all the time.

If you're having any difficulty here,

Seeing if you can offer some kindness and compassion.

And if it feels right,

Perhaps a gentle smile of appreciation for all these good friends working on your behalf.

Knowing that so many of us,

So many people have negative judgments about their tummies.

Perhaps taking a moment to offer yourself a gentle smile of self-acceptance,

Of compassion,

If that feels right.

Guiding awareness now upwards into your chest,

The space behind your ribs,

Your heart's brace,

Your breath space.

Taking a moment to be aware of all these good friends,

Your beating heart,

Beating every moment of your life since before you were born.

Your breathing lungs constantly inhaling the vital oxygen that nourishes every cell of your body and getting rid of the waste product of carbon dioxide.

Your liver that's processing nutrients from your blood.

Perhaps imagining that these are like wonderful friends who have worked so hard for you.

If you're having any difficulty if these friends are not as good as they used to be or perhaps having some pains,

Seeing if you could offer small smile of compassion and love supporting these friends.

Now guiding awareness up and over to your right shoulder.

Another incredible joint that works so hard and so fragile and can get injured or wear out.

How is your right shoulder doing today?

Guiding awareness to your right upper arm,

Your bicep and your tricep.

Your right elbow.

Your right forearm.

Taking a moment to be with your incredible right wrist,

All these little bones let you move your hands fluidly.

Becoming aware of your right hand.

Taking a moment to fill the palm and fingers with your awareness.

Gently moving the fingers.

Just a little bit,

Maybe rubbing,

Rubbing them together a little bit and taking a moment to savor how exquisitely sensitive your sense of touches.

Human beings do remarkable things with their hands using this sense of touch.

And of course if there's any pain or any ache in your right hand,

Seeing if you could offer a kind,

Tender smile,

Sending the energy of care and compassion to your right hand.

And now taking a moment to embrace your whole right arm from your hand back up to your right shoulder in this smiling awareness.

Sending the energy of care,

Sending your compassion for any pains and if it feels right.

A small smile of gratitude and appreciation for this hard working right arm.

A really good friend.

Now gently guiding your awareness across your collarbone and repeating this process on the left side.

Beginning with your left shoulder.

How's your left shoulder doing today?

Your left upper arm,

The bicep and tricep.

Your marvelous left elbow.

Your left forearm.

Your left wrist.

Your left hand.

Filling the palm and fingers of your left hand.

Filling the palm and fingers of your left hand with this kind,

Smiling awareness.

And taking a moment to savor the sense of touch of your left hand.

Taking a moment now to hold,

Tenderly cradle your whole left arm from the hand back up to the shoulders.

Loving,

Smiling awareness.

Taking a few moments to care for your left arm.

A really good friend of yours.

Now guiding awareness back to the center.

Filling your own neck with your awareness.

Becoming aware of all these very small muscles,

Little strands of muscles,

Dozens of them,

But all working together all the time to support and move your head.

Perhaps taking a moment to touch your neck with your hand.

Sending energy of love and tender care for this wonderful,

Hard-working neck.

Perhaps sending the energy of your kind smile to soothe any pains.

And if it feels right,

Perhaps just a little bit,

A single drop of gratitude and appreciation for this neck.

Guiding awareness upwards now to your head and beginning with the back of your head.

Taking a moment to appreciate this hard surface that protects your delicate brain.

Guiding awareness forward along the sides of your head.

Taking a moment to be aware of your ears and your wonderful sense of hearing.

If you're having any difficulty with your hearing.

Seeing if you could offer some compassion to yourself for that difficulty.

And if it feels right,

If it feels like something you can do without forcing yourself.

Taking a moment to appreciate and thank your ears for helping you to hear all the sounds that you love.

Sounds of nature,

Music,

The voices of those you love.

Again,

If it feels like you can do it without forcing yourself.

Guiding awareness forward to your face and taking a moment to check in with all these other organs of perception.

Starting with your eyes.

Taking compassion for any difficulty and perhaps taking a moment to appreciate your eyes for all the sights you enjoy seeing.

The colors and forms.

Taking a moment to be aware of your nose and your sense of smell.

Offering your nose a kind smile of appreciation for all the aromas that you love.

The smell of lavender.

The smell of freshly baked bread.

Whatever that smell is for you.

Taking a moment to be aware of your mouth and your sense of smell.

Being aware now of all the muscles of your face.

Your jaw,

Your cheeks,

Your brow.

Perhaps imagining these muscles softening and relaxing just a little bit.

Guiding awareness upwards now to the top of your head,

The crown of your body.

Taking a moment to be aware of your remarkable,

Precious brain.

Your brain is nothing less than a miracle.

Billions of cells with trillions of connections that somehow all work together like an unimaginably large symphony.

Each player playing their own instrument but creating incredibly beautiful music.

The music that is you.

Taking a moment to offer compassion for any difficulties this brain is having and if it feels right,

Kind smile of gratitude and appreciation.

Taking a moment now to be aware of your whole body.

Letting this light of awareness grow and embrace your whole body resting here right now from your feet and your hands back up to the tip of your head.

Imagining the energy of your kind smile.

Filling your whole body.

Seeing if you could shower your body with tender compassion.

Kindness and understanding for all the difficulties and pains and if it feels right.

Some gratitude for all these good,

Hard working,

Loyal friends.

Working hard for you every day as much as they can.

And then letting go of the practice and even before opening your eyes,

Taking a few moments to begin to move and stretch your body.

Maybe starting with your fingers or your feet.

Moving on to your arms and your legs.

And whenever you feel ready,

Gently opening your eyes.

Thank you.