This body awareness meditation should be done in a position that is comfortable for you,
Whether lying down on a mat,
On the floor,
Or in a sitting position,
In a quiet,
Warm place,
At a time when you will not be disturbed,
Allowing this to be a time to reconnect with your body and the wisdom it holds for you.
We are often so disconnected from our bodies that we do not hear its messages that are needed to help us heal.
This is a time to nourish yourself,
To renew your energy and vitality,
A time to remember the source of your strength and wholeness.
During this time,
Know that you are not trying to get anywhere or feel anything special,
Letting go of judgments and allowing yourself to just be,
To be in the present moment with whatever comes up,
Letting go of the tendency to want things to be different,
Giving yourself permission to honor your feelings.
If difficult emotions arise,
Allow your attention to gently shift back to the breath,
Creating a safe haven for yourself.
This is a time of staying awake and present to it all,
To whatever is with non-judgment.
If your eyes are open,
Allowing your eyes to now close,
Taking several long,
Deep breaths,
And allowing the attention to come into the body,
Settling to the level of feelings,
Inviting yourself now to rest in the natural flow of your breath,
Noticing perhaps the gentle expansion of the abdomen on the in-breath and the abdomen receding on the out-breath,
Following the rhythm of your breath without controlling it in any way.
Breath flowing in and breath flowing out as you settle in.
With relaxed awareness,
You can begin a gradual scan of your body,
Placing your attention at the top of your head,
And noticing the body's movement.
Noticing any sensations that may be present now,
Feeling the scalp,
Your forehead.
Is it relaxed,
Tight,
Any tension here?
Without looking for anything in particular,
Moving awareness to your face,
Noticing the eyes,
Softening them,
Letting go of any tension that may be here,
Allowing the temples to relax as you exhale,
Allowing the tension to soften and melt away like snow melting as the sun shines down on it.
Noticing the ears and the sensations or absence of sensation,
Not forcing any feeling to be present.
Know if there is an absence of sensation or numbness in any part of the body,
Then just remain with these areas for several moments and allow your attention to deepen in a relaxed way.
Feeling the area of the cheeks,
Noticing the jaw,
Feeling the sensations arising here.
Is there clenching or holding?
Noticing how the tongue lies within the mouth,
The lips,
Breathing in and allowing the breath to move out,
Bringing with it any tensions that may be present,
Receiving life within the body as sensations,
Feelings,
That come into your awareness.
Becoming aware of the nose and feeling the breath as it flows in and out of the nostrils.
Perhaps you notice coolness of the air as it flows in and the warmth of the air as it flows out.
Focusing on the entire area of the head,
Letting it be as it is,
Paying attention to it in this moment.
Bringing gentle attention now into the upper shoulders,
An area where many of us hold responsibilities and burdens,
Experiencing the sensations that are in your shoulders,
Noticing the muscles here,
Exploring with your gentle awareness,
Allowing this area to soften,
Open.
Then become aware of the back of your neck,
The muscles that run up the neck,
The sides of the neck,
Noticing sensations.
And moving the attention into the throat area.
How does it feel now?
Softening to receive any tension present here,
Allowing your breath to move into the throat,
Allowing your breath to move into the throat,
Letting tensions be released on the out-breath.
Letting go of this area in your mind's eye and simply receiving the experience as it unfolds.
Now moving the attention to the back,
The mid-back,
The lower back,
Noticing sensations in this region,
Noticing what is here in this moment.
Then moving into the spine itself,
The long muscles along the spine that support and hold us upright.
Moving the attention around to the chest,
To the rib cage,
The ribs that protect the heart and the lungs,
Feeling the expansion of the ribs as you inhale,
The sensations arising and dissolving.
So noticing now whether your chest region feels tight,
Or open,
And joyful,
Or somewhere in between.
Not judging,
Just noticing sensations that are present in this moment.
Just a gentle allowing of sensations to arise.
Awareness of the sensations that are present in this moment.
Sensations that are present in this moment.
Aware of allowing the chest to open and soften.
Possibly becoming aware of the heart beating,
Nourishing the body with blood and nutrients.
This wondrous body touched by loving awareness of a clear mind,
Of a softening heart.
Awareness heals as it enters subtle levels of our holding.
Noticing the lungs expanding and deflating as they gently open to receive life with each breath.
Allowing the breath to move fully into the chest area.
Imagining this area opening and softening to the flow of the breath,
Moving in and out as the flower opens to the sunlight.
On the next out breath,
Allowing your attention to flow away from the heart region,
Allowing your attention to flow away from the heart region,
Down into both arms.
Focusing now on sensations in the fingers and palms of the hands.
Noticing any tingling,
Coolness,
Warmth in this area.
Or possibly no sensations at all.
Not judging,
Just noting what is here in this very moment.
Moving into the upper arms,
The forearms.
Note sensations here.
And on the next inhalation,
Imagine breathing in openness to both arms,
And exhaling any tension and toxins.
Bringing awareness now to the abdomen and riding the waves of the breath as you notice the muscles rising and falling.
On your out breath,
Letting go of any areas of tension here.
Now letting the breath fade into the background and focusing your attention on the pelvic girdle,
Becoming aware of the pelvis itself.
Moving your attention across the pelvis,
From hip to hip,
Noticing this area of the body.
Gently focus your attention here and notice feelings or absence of feelings.
Letting this area be met with gentle awareness,
Any tightness,
Holding.
Breathing into this area,
Allowing the breath to flow out and with it the tensions that may be held.
And moving on to notice the legs,
The thighs,
Knee,
The lower legs,
The shins,
Calf muscles.
Noticing any sensations that may be present here,
Being present and awake in this moment.
And shifting your attention now to focus on your ankles,
Your feet,
Your feet.
Becoming aware of whatever feelings are here.
There may be sensations of warmth or tingling or no sensations at all.
Simply observing how your feet carry you through life.
And shifting your attention to the breath.
And as the next breath comes into the body,
Be aware of guiding it down through the entire legs.
The breath may be a little bit more intense than the breath itself.
But you're not going to feel it.
And shifting your attention to the breath.
And as the next breath comes into the body,
Be aware of guiding it down through the entire legs.
The breath moving into the thighs,
The knees,
The feet,
And the toes.
Allowing the next in-breath to bring with it openness and spaciousness.
Breathing out through the legs,
Allowing the breath to take with it any congestion and all toxins.
And now letting go of any control of the breath.
And allowing yourself to lie here in the center of the body.
Allowing yourself to lie here in the stillness.
The breath flowing freely into and out of the body.
Becoming aware as you lie here.
Basking in this moment to moment to moment experience of the body and the breath.
Experiencing the fullness of life and your ability to be fully awake right now.
Connecting with your complete wholeness.
Opening to it all right in this moment.
Becoming aware that this acceptance and this stillness is in itself healing.
Lying here,
Allowing the universe and yourself to be as it is.
Beyond personal fears.
Beyond a mind that wants things to be a certain way.
Knowing that you are complete right now.
Looking deeply into the limitlessness of life.
Into the fullness of your capacity to live in this moment.
Into the fullness of your capacity to care.
Experiencing being fully awake.
Right now,
Right here.
Complete whole in this moment.
And experiencing being part of the whole as you lie here in stillness.
Now returning your awareness to this room and beginning to move your fingers and toes.
Moving,
Stretching in any way that feels right to you.
Bringing yourself back into this room where you are right now.
Slowly,
Not rushing.
Moving,
Stretching.
And as you do,
Not rushing.
Moving,
Stretching.
And as you feel ready,
Opening your eyes.
Noticing how you now feel.
Any shifts that may have taken place.
Allowing the calm and the centeredness to stay with you as you resume all the activities of your daily life.
You may want to congratulate yourself for taking this time to nurture yourself in this way.
Remembering that the state of clarity and peace is accessible to you simply by attending to the breath in any moment throughout the day.
Allow the breath to be a source of constant energy and strength for yourself and for all others with whom you share your world.
Allowing it to provide a source of balance and well-being from which you make all decisions and take right action in your life.
