Body Scan to Receive Messages from Your Body

Hello my dear friends,

This is Melissa Bennett at the Watershed Farm and welcome to this body scan meditation.

The purpose of this meditation is to receive information from our bodies as it is being relayed to us.

It is not intended to relax you,

Although it may feel relaxing to be in this state of deep listening.

It is a practice in listening and that means we're checking in with whatever our bodies are telling us in this moment.

We don't want to automatically adjust out of sensations or release tension.

In fact,

During this meditation,

We want all sensations to show up as they are so that we may notice and work with what is.

So please try not to change anything and to not place any judgments on what it is you're noticing.

Go into this thinking of it like you're talking to your best friend who has some really important things to share with you.

You wouldn't stop them and tell them to change their story,

Tell them they must be wrong about what they're sharing or judge everything that's coming out of their mouth.

So don't do that to yourself.

Be your best friend.

Listen.

You'll hear me ask questions throughout this meditation.

These are meant to inspire inward curiosity and there is no need to answer them aloud or to answer each one at all.

They are offered to you simply as an invitation to spark that inward curiosity.

So let's begin.

Sit or stand comfortably in whatever way feels natural to you.

You may now either close your eyes or gaze softly at the ground.

Whatever feels most natural to you in this moment.

Notice your breath as it enters your body.

What is the natural pace and quality of your breath?

Is it short and shallow or long and deep?

Continue to follow your breath into your body and imagine it curling up and around the top of your head.

Bring all of your attention and awareness to the top of your head.

Notice any sensations you have in the space at the top of your head.

It might feel busy or quiet,

Buzzing or throbbing,

Clear or fuzzy.

Simply notice what is in this moment.

Now drop your awareness down to your eyes.

Are your eyelids shut tight or relaxed?

Do your eyes feel wet or dry?

Are they heavy with exhaustion or do they feel bright and alert?

What about the space behind your eyes?

Is there a texture associated with the energy there?

Does it feel rough,

Fuzzy,

Bumpy?

What is it you're seeing in your mind's eye?

Is it total darkness?

Flashes of light?

A glow or an image?

Simply notice with curiosity and without judgment.

Bring your attention down further to your nose and mouth.

Notice the air as you breathe in.

Notice how your tongue sits in your mouth.

Is it resting softly or pressed into your teeth or palate?

Notice your teeth.

Can you feel them against the sides of your cheeks?

Are the top and bottom jaw touching?

Simply notice what is without changing anything.

Your jaw might be clenched or relaxed.

However your body is resting in this moment is perfect.

Say hello to whatever energy is there without judgment or any need to change.

Allow your awareness to flow back behind and around your ears.

Notice the space between your ears.

Does it feel warm,

Expansive,

Dull,

Thick,

Crowded?

Does this area feel open and hollow or do you notice any blockages or obstacles?

And now bring your awareness into your neck and throat.

Follow your breath in and down your throat.

How deeply are you able to track this breath?

At what point does it seem to vanish or dissolve into your body?

Notice how your head sits on your neck.

Is it tipped forward or back?

Does it feel in perfect balance?

Do you notice any wobble or do you feel quite steady here?

Notice any sensations you have in your neck and throat.

Bring your awareness to both the skin outside your neck and your throat area within.

Does this area feel rested or overused?

Is there any movement of energy here?

A buzzing,

Throbbing,

Or pulsing energy?

Or does it feel unmoving and still?

What sensations are occurring here?

Do they have a texture like smooth,

Rough,

Or rubbery?

Is there a temperature associated with the sensations you are feeling here?

Notice any sensations of tightness,

Movement,

Flow,

Or constriction.

Say hello to whatever energy or sensations you notice here in this moment without judgment and without making any changes to what is.

Now bring your attention down further to your shoulders.

Notice both the left and right shoulders.

Are there any differences from one side to the next?

Are they even and level or tipped to one side?

Do you notice any tension or resistance here?

Only notice,

Without changing anything,

How your shoulders feel within your body.

Are they rolled forward or tipped back?

Are they hunched or drooped?

Do you feel any sensations of movement here?

Bring your awareness now to your chest.

Notice your breath,

Your heartbeat.

See if you can tune in to the rhythm of your heart beating.

Listen.

Feel.

What are the sensations you notice in this area of your chest?

Is there a fluttering?

Does this space feel open or closed?

Is there a color that is radiating in this area?

Is there a texture associated with this area?

Does it feel hard,

Soft,

Spongy,

Fluid?

Simply notice what is in this moment.

Now bring your attention back up to your shoulders and down your arms.

Notice the muscles in your upper arms and forearms.

Notice any temperature sensations there.

What's the consistency of the muscle quality here?

Does it feel thick,

Thin,

Sticky,

Smooth?

And notice your elbows and wrists.

Notice the quality of these joints.

Are they locked,

Loose?

Do you notice a different quality in the right side versus the left side?

Allow your awareness to flow down your forearms,

Past your wrists,

And into your hands.

Does your awareness flow smoothly down your arm or is it blocked somewhere?

Notice your hands.

Are they warm,

Cool,

Sweaty,

Dry?

Do they feel tingling or numb?

Take your attention into each of your fingers and notice any sensations there.

Are your fingers open or clenched tight?

Do you notice any movement of energy in this area or any temperature?

Are you able to easily feel the connection from the tips of your fingers back up to the top of your neck or do you notice any areas of disconnection here?

Drawing your attention up your arms,

Notice once again your shoulders and neck.

And now draw your awareness down your back.

Simply notice what is in this moment.

Notice your posture.

Without changing anything,

Simply notice what is.

Drawing focused attention to each of your vertebrae,

Beginning first at the top and moving slowly down your spine.

Are you able to tune in to even the spaces between each vertebrae?

Are there any spaces here which are more difficult for you to tune into?

Simply notice.

Imagine the quality of the muscles in your back.

Do they feel stretched thin or thick and bulky?

Are they holding tension?

Is there a particular area of your back that holds more tension than other areas?

Is there pain anywhere?

What other sensations do you notice in this area of your back?

Wrap your attention around your midsection and focus now on your stomach.

What sensations do you notice here?

Does it feel full and satisfied?

Full and discontent?

Empty?

Or something in between?

What is the quality of space in this area of your body?

What energy do you notice here?

And how would you describe the physical aspects of that energy?

Is it heavy,

Radiating,

Bouncing,

Dry,

Fluid,

Stiff,

Hot,

Spongy?

Simply notice all the sensations that are here for you to notice.

Now take your awareness down into your hips and pelvis.

Does your awareness flow easily or does it feel a bit sticky or stuck?

What do you notice here in your hips and pelvis?

Is there a great deal of activity and sensations in this area?

Or does it feel like a blank wall?

Do you feel any urges here,

Perhaps a desire to move forward and be active?

Or fold inward and rest?

What is the quality of energy in this area of your body?

Is it stagnant or flowing,

Bright or dull,

Flat or round?

Simply notice the information that comes to you when you focus on this area of your body.

Allow your awareness to swirl down and around your thighs.

What do you notice here?

Are they hot,

Cold,

Strong or weak,

Buzzing or pulsing?

Are the sensations you feel here easy to identify or difficult to tune into?

Do they seem to speak loudly or is it more of a whisper?

What about your knee joints?

Without changing anything,

What do you notice here?

Do these joints feel crunchy or fluid?

Do they feel weak or steady?

Is there a difference from one knee to the other?

Is one holding more weight than the other?

Does one feel more sturdy than the other?

What sensations do you notice in your knees?

Drop your awareness down into your calves and ankles.

Do these areas feel connected as one or do they feel like two separate parts of you?

Describe the sensations here.

Are they like wood,

Metal,

Ice or air?

What is the quality of energy in your calves and ankles?

Focus fully now on only your right calf and ankle.

What sensations are here?

How does the energy move or sit in this area of your body?

Focus fully now on only your left calf and ankle.

What sensations are here?

How does the energy move or sit in this area of your body?

Are there any differences from one side of your body to the next?

Now bring your attention all the way to your feet and toes.

Notice where your feet contact the ground.

Are they resting equally on the ground or is more weight being held in one foot over the other?

Perhaps there is a part of your foot that is carrying more weight.

What sensations do you notice in your heels?

What do you notice in the arch of each foot?

What is the energetic quality of your toes?

Are they clenched up or spread out?

Do they feel hot or warm or cold?

Can you notice the very tip of each toe?

Bring awareness to the big toes,

Second toes,

Third toes,

Fourth toes,

And finally the pinky toes.

Now bring your awareness to your entire body.

Allow your attention to focus on your entire body as a whole.

As you do this,

You may notice there is a specific part of your body that stands out more.

There is a certain part of your body which is speaking to you loudest and drawing your attention.

Bring all of your awareness to that one area.

Describe the sensations you are noticing here.

If you had to draw those sensations,

What would it look like on paper?

Would you use color?

Would it be animated?

And if you had to hold that sensation in your hand,

What would it feel like?

Continue to focus on the sensations you feel in this one area.

Imagine leaning in deeper to these sensations and expanding your consciousness into them.

As you expand into this area,

Ask if there is a color,

A word,

A symbol,

Or an image that wants to come forward.

Simply notice what comes up without judgment or force.

Trust that everything you feel,

Everything you notice,

Everything that is coming up for you right now is perfect.

Again,

Expand further into this area and all the sensations you are feeling here.

As you are expanding into all of the sensations there,

Ask if this part of your body had a message for you right now,

What would it be?

Notice the first thing that bubbles up,

Even if it doesn't make sense to you right now in this moment.

Don't judge or dismiss anything.

Simply receive with curiosity and gratitude what message you need to receive in this moment.

Extending your attention once again throughout your entire body.

Extend gratitude to your body for this experience.

Extend gratitude to yourself for taking this time to be still and listen deeply.

And gratitude to your higher power for giving you this extraordinary instrument and channel through which to receive.

Take a deep breath in and notice how your body is resting on the floor or chair.

Bring awareness to any sounds you may hear beyond my voice in the room or space around you.

Notice the temperature of the room and if there is any breeze or stillness of the air.

Take another deep breath in,

Filling your body with life-giving air.

And when you are ready,

Slowly open your eyes and bring your attention back to the room.

Thank you.