Releasing Tension From The Body Through A Focused Body Scan

Welcome to this practice releasing physical tension letting go.

As we prepare for this meditation I invite you to set a personal intention,

A short statement of positive intent that has personal meaning for you of what you would like to attain through practicing meditation at this time.

Thinking of a quality or qualities important for you based on your life at this present time.

What is a personal intention you have for your practice?

And bringing yourself to a comfortably supported position.

Lying down is always a great idea if that's possible for a body scan practice of this nature.

However this practice can also be done sitting in a supported position or even standing.

So taking the position that you will adopt for this practice.

Being aware of the position of your body.

And bringing into your awareness your personal meditation intention mentally repeating it a couple of times.

Now bringing awareness back to the physical body.

Noticing the position that you're in.

Seeing the gentle rise and fall of each breath.

As we continue to follow our breathing.

Let your attention particularly be with the exhale.

Knowing the exhalation throughout the end of the breath out.

Resting in the pause after the exhalation ends.

And in this way we ensure that we are breathing out all the way to the end of each breath out.

And as you're following your breathing and noticing the exhalation.

Have a sense of letting go as you let go of the air that you breathe out.

Have a sense of also letting go of any tension,

Stress,

Discomfort.

So each time you exhale you mentally say to yourself letting go.

And just letting the breath continue in its own natural rate and rhythm.

And I'll guide awareness now through the body and as I name a part of the body and you bring your awareness there.

If you do notice any physical discomfort,

Tension or tightness you might like to mentally repeat that phrase letting go.

So we'll deliberately move through this body scan at a pace that will allow you to one,

Notice the sensations in the area of the body that's named.

And then secondly to say to yourself letting go and to have that intention of letting go of any tightness,

Tension or discomfort that you might be experiencing.

And if there's no specific physical tension or discomfort but you are experiencing mental or emotional stress then simply by repeating that word that prays letting go with each exhalation you're reminding yourself that you can let go.

And you may experience a letting go of what's not serving you in the present moment.

Bringing awareness now to the soles of the feet.

Noticing sensations in the soles of the feet and also the tops of the feet and the ankles and toes.

And as you're aware of your feet if there's any discomfort or tension then mentally saying letting go as you focus on each exhalation as we're aware of both feet.

Now noticing the lower legs,

The calves and shins.

Again if you notice discomfort or tension mentally repeating that phrase letting go.

Aware of the knees,

Letting the knees be soft.

And if there's discomfort in the knees reminding yourself of letting go.

And then take awareness to the upper legs,

The quads and hamstrings.

Aware of the upper legs and consciously letting go of any tension or tightness in this part of the body.

Aware of the pelvis and hips.

Aware of the front of the pelvis and the back,

The sacrum,

The tailbone.

And aware of the sides of the hips.

And inviting a letting go of any tension,

Tightness or discomfort in the area of the pelvis and hips.

And bringing awareness to the abdomen,

The lower abdomen,

The upper abdomen.

Noticing the sensation of breathing,

The rise and fall of the breath.

And if you notice any sensations of discomfort through the abdomen inviting a letting go.

Through bringing that phrase to your awareness.

Taking awareness to the sides of the waist.

Left and right sides.

Noticing sensations.

Letting go of any tension or tightness through this part of the body.

As we take in the rib cage at the sides of the body.

And also into the back of the body.

Noticing the shoulder blades.

And the upper back,

Middle back.

And as you're aware of this part of your back,

The upper back down to the mid back.

Just mentally repeating that phrase,

Letting go.

If you can release any tension,

Tightness from this area.

And then let that flow down to the lower back.

Noticing the left and the right side of the lower back.

Inviting a release and a letting go of any muscle tension in the lower back.

And once again noticing the breath rising and falling at the abdomen.

And then bringing that awareness of the breathing also to the chest and rib cage at the front of the torso.

And each time you exhale,

Reminding yourself of letting go.

And taking awareness to the tops of the shoulders.

An area where we often are holding tightness,

Tension without even being aware of it.

So as you're noticing the left shoulder and the right shoulder,

Just notice the sensations that are arising.

Consciously letting go of any muscle tension.

As you mentally repeat that phrase,

Letting go.

Take the awareness now to the upper arms,

Left and right side.

Noticing sensations.

Inviting a release of any tension.

Taking in the elbows and the lower arms,

The forearms.

As well as the wrists.

And where relevant,

Inviting a letting go.

As we bring awareness to the hands,

The palms of the hands and the backs of the hands,

The fingers and thumbs.

Notice sensations in both hands.

Inviting letting go.

As you're aware of both hands and both arms together.

Take awareness back up along the arms to the tops of the shoulders.

Noticing sensations here at the tops of the shoulders and then aware of the neck.

Noticing sensations in the neck at the front sides and back of the neck.

Inviting a letting go.

Any tension.

As you become aware of the jaw joint.

Noticing the jaw joint at the front and around to the left ear and right ear.

Also aware of the mouth,

The tongue,

The chin.

Inviting a letting go of any held tension in this part of the face.

And aware of the forehead and temples.

The eyes and the area around the eyes.

Inviting a softening.

A letting go of any tension here.

As you notice the breathing through the nostrils.

Notice that sensation of air being breathed in and breathed out.

Exhaling the air.

Letting go of anything that's not serving you in this present moment.

Continue to follow the breathing at the level of the nostrils.

Focusing particularly on that exhalation.

Letting go of the air.

Letting go of any tension.

Aware now of all the muscles of the face.

Softening.

Releasing.

Aware of the top of the head and the back of the head.

As you're aware of the muscles of the scalp.

Can you invite a softening and a letting go of these muscles?

As you're aware of your head and neck.

Shoulders.

Arms and back.

Torso.

Front sides and back.

The legs.

Upper and lower legs.

The ankles and feet.

Aware of the soles of your feet.

Aware of sensations here.

And connecting with the whole body.

Aware of your whole body.

The position that you're in.

And of having a sense of letting go.

Tension.

Tightness.

Discomfort.

Inviting a sense of ease and relaxation into the physical body.

As you gently follow each breath.

So it naturally arises and falls away.

Taking in your experience.

Being with whatever level of ease and relaxation may have arisen in your practice.

Recognising that each time we practice we're bringing mindfulness to the body.

We're developing an important skill of being able to notice sensations.

And to be able to encourage a letting go of tension in the body.

And as we do this we're also inviting a letting go of mental tension.

Emotional unease.

Through bringing ourselves to the present moment.

Accepting a present moment experience.

And bringing a sense of ease and relaxation to our whole being.

We're simply following the rise and fall of each breath.

Feeling being present in the body.

Focused in the mind.

As we bring this practice now to a close.