Welcome to the third session of the Smart Body Green Mindfulness program.
Scanning the body can help you release stress and tension by helping you connect to your emotional state.
A body scan is a great way to release the tension you might not even realize you're experiencing.
Body scanning involves paying attention to different parts of the body and scanning the body in a gradual sequence from head to toe.
By mentally scanning yourself you bring greater awareness to every single part of your body.
This allows you to tune into the body and notice any aches,
Pains,
Tension or general discomfort.
A body scan is a great way to start communicating with your smart body.
The goal of a body scan is to get to know your body and learn from it so you can better manage it,
Which is an important part of the healing and recovery process.
We already know that our emotional state is deeply connected with our ability to heal,
So learning how to tune into the body is extremely beneficial.
There is a direct connection between how you feel and act and how the body responds.
Those who consistently practice feeling thankful and grateful have the advantage when it comes to good health because positivity breeds positivity.
Grateful people are more likely to take better care of their mind and body and more likely to engage in more protective health behaviors.
Tuning into the body through a simple practice like a body scan is also a great way to further understand how stress and anxiety affect you.
The body scan is a deep investigation into the moment-by-moment experiences of the body.
Strong emotions like anger and hate can linger in the body,
Eventually creating illness and disease.
The more techniques you can learn to purge those negative feelings,
The better off you will be.
Your body is a dynamic organism and it's always changing.
You'll discover something different each time you do this practice.
As you continue to practice,
You will start to develop a powerful communication with the body because the body says what words cannot.
In other words,
Practicing this technique can help you learn how to communicate with your smart body in a simple way.
So now that you know a little bit more about how the body scan works,
Let's try it now.
It's best to do this practice in a relaxing environment without any distractions.
You may choose to sit or lie down,
Whatever feels comfortable.
So take a moment to get comfortable and gently close your eyes.
Begin by taking a deep and healing breath.
Thank the breath.
Feel the breath moving through the body,
Cleansing it and healing it.
Just breathe naturally.
Notice how your breath feels as it moves in and out of your body.
Honor your body.
Tell your body you love and appreciate it no matter what your state of health is.
Mentally ask your body if it needs or requires anything from you at this moment.
Ask the body if there is anything in your life that needs attention and wait for a response.
If you don't get a response,
That's okay too.
It's a great way to start.
You might be surprised at what you hear back.
You may simply sense or feel something.
Maybe you push yourself too hard.
Maybe you don't give your body enough downtime.
Just keep noticing what you sense or feel.
Acknowledge this connection you and your body have.
Thank your body right now and tell your body you love and appreciate it.
Take stock of exactly where you are on your journey of life.
Notice how your body responds to praise.
Now begin breathing from the abdomen instead of the chest.
Take long,
Slow,
Deep breaths and feel the body.
Notice any sensations or feelings.
Now start with the top of the head and notice how your scalp feels.
It may even be tingling.
Imagine you feel a wave of energy flowing in from above like the light from the Sun.
Feel the sense of warmth this brings you.
Now begin scanning the head.
Does it feel tight or tense or loose and easy?
Notice any feelings or sensations with each deep breath.
Feel the energy swirling around the head.
Enjoy the sensation.
Now scan your face and neck and notice if it feels tight or drawn or loose and relaxed.
If it feels tight or drawn,
Try and loosen this energy with your next deep breath.
Now scan your shoulders and the upper back.
How does this energy feel?
Does it feel loose or tight?
Breathe into any uncomfortable feelings and allow the breath to loosen up any tightness.
Lift your shoulders up and back down again and notice the feeling of calmness.
Focus on the feelings you feel as you scan the body.
Stay present in the moment.
Keep moving down your body.
Scan your stomach and your abdomen.
Notice what you sense or feel here.
Now scan your arms and hands.
See if you feel anything different here.
Wiggle your fingers and notice how they feel.
Now move your awareness down to the lower body into the hips and legs.
How does the energy feel here?
As humans we put a lot of stress on the lower back and hips so take a moment to thank the body and the back and the hips for the work they do.
Scan the energy in this area and notice what you sense or feel.
If you feel any areas that are uncomfortable,
Sit with the area and breathe into the area and send it love and gratitude.
Nurture this connection you have with your body.
And as you go through this process keep noticing any feelings of stiffness or tightness and breathe into these areas of concern.
Allow your energy to soften and lighten.
Now move down to the ankles and feet.
Wiggle your toes.
Notice how the energy feels here.
Release any tension by moving the feet and toes around in a circle.
Thank the body again for how it supports you every day.
Send it love and appreciation.
Now make a full body scan up one side of the body and down the other.
Identify any areas of pain or tension that remain.
Notice what you sense or feel.
Scan for any feelings of discomfort.
If you identify any that feel damaged or weak,
Send the area love and praise.
Gently tell the body that you love,
Appreciate and respect it.
Make sure and apologize for anything you may have inadvertently done in the past that may have dishonored the body.
Feel the feelings of love and appreciation that come back.
Sit in this powerful energy for a little while longer.
And with one more deep breath bring a big smile to your face and focus on the love you feel.
And open your eyes.
Welcome back.
The more you practice the body scan the more awareness you will have and the easier this exercise will be.
Thanks for joining me and I look forward to seeing you for the next session where we will do an exercise to release any unhelpful energetic cords.
