This is a body odyssey or bodyssey scan which is designed to invite curious,
Compassionate,
And loving connected presence through your brief journey of noticing the emotional and sensational landscape of your body here and now.
Posture yourself in a way that allows you to feel comfortable yet alert whether it's lying down on a mat or your bed or sitting upright comfortably with your feet flat on the floor and perhaps a pillow cushioning your back if that feels right.
If at any time discomfort or adversity arises please take care of yourself and move your attention to a neutral body part or anchor such as your breath or hands to re-establish feelings of safety and containment.
This body scan is an opportunity to enhance your spacious awareness of your dedicated body and provide appreciation where you feel there is ease and compassion where you notice discomfort.
So begin with three very gentle breaths coming in and going out.
And as Nariah Waheed,
A young feminist American poet,
Quoted,
And I said to my body softly,
I want to be your friend.
It took a long breath and replied,
I have been waiting my whole life for this.
So the invitation is to load your breath with any associations that you easily blend with compassion,
Loving-kindness,
And curiosity using your senses.
There may be some colors that easily arise in your awareness or textures,
Words,
Prayers,
Sounds,
Or songs that you can easily include in your breath as we begin with our feet and toes so that the breath laden with compassion,
Loving-kindness,
And curiosity comes in through all the toes,
Filling the spaces between your toes,
The soles of your feet,
The tops of your feet,
And allows you an opportunity to notice what you notice with tenderness and care.
Any emotions that live in this region right now,
Such as anxiety or excitement,
Our feet are wonderful agents for grounding us as we move step by step,
Leap,
Or dance,
Or climb.
Notice if you've lost your footing or perhaps put your foot in your mouth as we are known to do from time to time.
Just being with this region of your body,
With appreciation,
With tenderness,
Offering whatever you need to offer or nothing as you gently move your kind,
Compassionate awareness and breath up through the ankles into the lower part of your legs,
Into the small muscle groups where the tibia bone lives and the calf muscles inhabit this region,
Breathing in carefully and noticing the sensations or emotions that may or may not be in this region of your body,
And gently into the knees.
Many of us have been brought to our knees recently with the pandemic or often in prayer,
Noticing if there are places that are pleasant,
Unpleasant,
Or neutral,
And providing what you need in color,
Kind,
Loving words,
Song,
Or prayer,
As you move gently when you're ready into the upper part of the legs and the large muscle groups of the hamstring and quadricep muscle,
Along with the skin,
Bones,
And blood flow,
Noticing the entirety of the lower part of your magnificent,
Dedicated body,
Breathing into your awareness of this region and the emotions that may or may not be available for you to discover with kindness and care,
Holding with connected,
Loving presence.
And then as you feel ready,
Moving into the pelvic region of the body,
All that inhabits the inside the pelvic cage,
As well as the hips and the buttocks,
Which support us as we sit for long hours or climb stairs as we need to,
Noticing heaviness,
Lightness,
Spaciousness,
Crowdedness,
Whatever,
Breathing into this region as you wish,
With whatever you need right now,
An area that could often be wrought with shame,
Rumination,
Fear,
Anxiety,
Or contentment.
Just be with whatever you notice in your kind awareness,
And then moving as you're ready,
Gently your attention and breath into the abdomen that spans all the way across our entire torso,
Connected to the pelvic cage and the rib cage,
All that you're stomaching,
Digesting,
Belly aching,
Belly laughing,
Taking in what you notice,
Pleasant,
Unpleasant,
Or neutral.
Many emotions tend to inhabit this region that can be deep and challenging at times,
Such as anger,
Anxiety,
Even easier emotions,
Such as surprise and delight.
Notice what you notice.
Offer what you need,
An inner smile,
A kind word,
And embrace lovingly in your way.
And when you're ready,
Moving gently to your treasure chest,
The thoracic region of your body,
All that you notice as your heart is beating,
Beautifully choreographed with your lungs,
Breathing in and breathing out,
Heart breaking,
Heart warming,
Breathtaking,
Breath giving,
Whatever.
You might even have a lot to get off your chest at this moment.
Noticing what you notice with kindness,
With care,
With tenderness,
In sensation,
In emotion,
And then moving gently to your spine and back,
Letting your breath and kind connected awareness move all the way down the spine,
Extending outward to encompass your entire back,
Even if you feel backed into a corner at this moment.
Or engaged in backbreaking tasks.
Perhaps you have many,
Many others backs,
Just noticing this region that holds together the spine,
The backbone of your one wild and precious body.
And then when you feel ready,
Letting your kind,
Curious attention move gently to the shoulders,
You may be holding the weight of the world here,
Or shouldering tremendous responsibilities day in and day out,
Noticing the experience of your shoulders,
Breathing into this region as you wish,
Perhaps moving the shoulders gently if you like.
And then moving down the arms into the elbows and forearms,
Hands and fingers and the spaces between the fingers,
All that you're holding,
Grasping,
Releasing,
Handling,
Noticing the emotions that may reside in this region of your body.
In all that you're aware of,
With care,
With human acceptance of what is as best you can.
And then as you feel ready,
Shifting your attention to the neck,
Which is the avenue of expression between the head and the heart.
Sometimes we stick our neck out and put it on the line.
This is a region that may benefit from a warm hand,
If you like,
Noticing tightness,
Looseness,
Chaos,
Space,
Whatever.
With a caring,
Hospitable awareness,
Moving gently into the face,
The eyes and eye sockets,
Nose and sinuses,
Oral cavity,
Jaw,
Which can be locked without us realizing it,
Mouth,
Tongue,
Teeth,
Ears,
Skin,
Hair,
Skull,
And of course the brain,
The incredible,
Resilient computer,
Constantly working on our behalf as we breathe in to link all the incredibly amazing regions of the head and neck,
Shoulders,
Arms and hands,
Back and spine,
Chest and belly,
Pelvis,
Legs and feet into one incredibly magnificent,
Dedicated whole that is you.
Thanking yourself for taking the time to nourish and nurture all that you are here and now in body awareness,
In positivity,
In strength and empowerment.
Enjoy.
