Welcome to this guided body scan meditation.
It is of benefit for us to take the time to connect with the mind and body.
So often our minds run on autopilot,
With little awareness of what is happening in the body.
Keeping ourselves attuned to the mind and body will help us better understand what we feel and need.
For example,
Through attending to the body,
We may learn that we hold tension in the throat because we have not been heard,
Or have a heaviness in the chest due to an unattended sorrow,
Or have a chronically clenched jaw due to not having the resources to address unremitting anxiety.
The body is an important map of our experience,
And is calling out to us,
This is what is needed.
And in caring for ourselves in this way,
We may also lay the foundation to better care for others.
To begin,
Take a moment to connect with the breath.
Through the nasal passage,
Through the rise and fall of the abdomen.
As we walk through the body,
Let your awareness be gentle and curious.
Let's start at the top of the body.
Bring your awareness to the crown of the head.
Bring your attention to the forehead and the temples.
Are they relaxed?
Come into the eyes,
The nasal passage,
Across to the ears,
To the back of the head,
Around to the cheeks and jaw.
Is the jaw at ease?
Can you let the jawline soften?
Is the head relaxed?
Come down into the neck,
Circling all the way around.
Let the back of the neck relax.
Is the throat clear?
Is the breath moving right down into the chest,
Into the lungs?
Use this opportunity to connect with the rise and fall of the belly,
The natural ebb and flow of the breath.
Much of our stress can be held in this area of the body,
From our temples,
Jaw,
Neck,
Throat,
Chest,
Belly,
And our shoulders.
The weight of the world can be carried here.
With each inhale,
Let this area be filled with light and warmth,
With each breath bringing in peace and ease,
And with each exhale letting go of any tension being held in the body.
Again,
Let's take a moment to rest our awareness on the breath.
Let the belly soften.
Ensure that you are breathing slow and deeply,
So that the whole body is nurtured and vitalized by the breath.
Now bring your awareness back up to the shoulders and down the arms to the hands.
Let them fully be at ease.
Let them rest.
Let your attention come around to the back,
Connecting with it at the top of the shoulders.
Let your awareness wash down the whole back into the tailbone.
Scan through the back.
Notice any places of tension or pain.
Imagine it is as if you can breathe deeply into the back.
Let light and warmth fill the whole of the back.
Now let light and warmth fill the whole upper body,
From the top of the head down into the arms,
Rolling down the front and back side of the torso.
Let the whole upper body be relaxed.
Place your attention now on the lower half of the body,
Starting in the pelvis.
Allow the pelvis to relax.
Bring your awareness down into the legs,
Through the thigh and around to the hamstring.
Let awareness travel down into both knees,
Down into your calves and shins,
And finally check in with your feet.
Are they resting?
Can you allow your feet and toes to be at ease?
Imagine that as you breathe in,
You breathe in light and warmth,
Down into the whole lower half of the body.
Let light and warmth come down into the legs,
Right down into your toes.
Let the body be at ease.
Let the breath now fill the body as a whole.
Let the entire body be filled with tranquility,
With light and warmth.
Let the whole body be at ease.
See if there are any areas that need further relaxation,
And bring the breath to this area to help it soften and relax.
As we wind down this practice,
Know that you have spent your time wisely,
And that every time you tune into yourself,
Into the mind and body,
You have strengthened the muscle of mindfulness.
You are training the mind to tune into how you are doing,
And it is from here that we can determine what is needed.
And remember that in any given moment you can check in,
How am I doing?
Is the mind aware?
Is the body relaxed?
Is the breath full?
May the efforts of our practice be of benefit to all beings.
May all beings be free from suffering.
May all beings have greater peace and ease of well-being.
And may our efforts make it so.
