Total Wellness Body Scan

GONG Take a few deep calming breaths.

Allow your deep breathing to continue if that is what is most comfortable right now.

Or you can allow your breathing to return to whatever feels best for this moment.

Begin to notice where the breathing is felt in your body.

For the moment,

Be as specific as possible about where you notice it most.

It could be the nose,

The throat,

Somewhere in the abdomen.

Just narrow your focus to one spot and allow your attention to settle on your breath for a few moments.

A variety of thoughts and sensations may make themselves known to you as you concentrate on your breathing.

You can briefly take note of them and then gently return your attention to your breathing again.

Notice how the sensation of your breathing and your attention to where it is experienced in the body begins to shift even as we gain focus.

The sensation can expand and contract and subtly shift in location and intensity.

Begin to notice how,

To some degree,

These shifts seem to happen on their own.

And at the same time,

You can cause shifts in your awareness by your own will.

With this in mind,

Begin to direct your attention to an ever-expanding perception of the influence of your breathing.

Gradually,

Allow the one small spot of focus to expand in an ever-widening sphere of influence.

Intentionally,

Without hurrying,

Begin to become aware of your entire body as a unified whole.

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Now we will begin a body scan.

For each part of the body you observe,

Generate an image,

An idea of this part of your body as healthy and at ease.

No matter how you felt about that area of your body before this meditation,

Experience it now through the power of your mind and an optimal state of wellness.

You can continue to use your breath as a vehicle of awareness by imagining that the breath itself is moving into each area of your body.

Begin by bringing your attention to the top of your head.

Whether or not there is any strong sensation here,

Use your imagination to perceive a sense of ease and well-being.

If it's helpful,

You can use an image like mist or a color like white or gold to characterize your attention to this area and its radiant well-being.

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Allow your attention to slowly move down from the top of your head on all sides.

Your sinuses,

Eyes,

Nose,

And ears come into focus.

Create a state of perfect wellness in which you can abide for at least the duration of your intentional focus on this area.

Consider the conditions which contribute to this well-being as your attention continues down into the jaw and mouth,

Your teeth and tongue.

Allow your soothing awareness to glide down into the top of your spine and down your neck.

A feeling of pure ease and calm pervades your throat and into your clavicle.

For a moment,

Silently appreciate the perfect harmony of your entire head and neck.

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Now,

Sliding out from your clavicle and the top of your shoulder blades,

Move outward over the muscles of the shoulders.

Breathe down through your upper arms,

Your elbow,

All the way into the tips of your fingers.

Imagine your entire arm full of your awareness,

Content and at ease.

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Returning to the base of your neck,

Continue down the spine,

Allowing your attention to radiate throughout your upper chest and back,

And gently throughout your heart.

Breathe in a refreshing,

Peaceful way.

Imagine that the harmony of perfect wellness is increased with each breath.

Allow your attention to continue to extend down through your solar plexus,

Into your abdomen.

Bring your breath full of health and ease,

All the way to fill your entire spine,

And extend around and through your body,

Radiating wellness throughout all of the organs and muscles of your torso.

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Sinking down now into your pelvis with perfect ease,

Breathe fully and effortlessly.

A feeling of fullness and radiance,

Which you have cultivated throughout the rest of the body,

Continues to expand throughout your whole pelvis,

Into your upper legs.

All of the joints of the body are now bathed in the caring light of your attention,

Into your knees,

Your ankles,

Your toes.

Any part of your body or mind which you can imagine can be thought of as whole,

Perfect,

And at ease.

For the next few moments,

Explore this power to experience total wellness through the power of your breath and mind.

Relax further into a state of complete tranquility and well-being.

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You Remember,

This technique is completely customizable by you.

You can create a much longer meditation in which you give very careful attention to ever more subtle aspects of your body and mind.

Or you can do much quicker scans,

Just to make sure you're in touch with what is happening with your body at any given time.

Set the intention to maintain a mindful and caring relationship with your body and mind as you go forth into the next step.

Be well.

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