Body Scan

Let's just begin by finding a comfortable position.

And that might be lying on your back,

On the floor,

On a mat.

It might be sitting upright in a chair with your feet firmly on the ground.

Or it might even be lying in your bed.

But just give yourself a few minutes just to settle.

And then start by taking some deep breaths in and out.

Just letting go of what's already gone on for you today.

And just being present right here,

Right now.

Taking the focus to your breath.

Feeling the cool air in your nostrils as you breathe in.

And the warmer air on your top lip as you breathe out.

And just noticing without any judgement at all how you're feeling right now.

And then take your attention down to your right foot.

Down to the toes on your right foot.

Notice your big toe.

And your second toe.

And your third toe.

Fourth toe.

And pinky toe.

Just be aware of the pads on the back of the toes.

And the spaces in between.

And then taking your attention to the front of your foot.

Just noticing if you feel anything at all.

And then taking your attention to the sole of your foot.

To the padded area beneath your toes.

To your instep.

And then into your heel.

The back of your heel.

And then slowly focusing your attention on your ankles.

Just noticing how your right ankle feels.

It might not feel of anything and that's okay too.

And then slowly bring your attention up the front of your shin on your right leg.

And round the back of the calf.

Just being aware of anything that comes up without any judgement at all.

If your mind begins to wander.

And just bring yourself back to your breath and to the sound of my voice.

And then notice your knee,

The front bony part of your knee.

And all it does to support you.

And then the area behind your knee.

Again just noticing without any judgement,

Any feelings or sensations.

And then bring your attention to the front of your thigh.

The biggest bone in your body.

And the one that supports you in standing and walking.

Just be aware of the area around the back of your thigh too.

Again noticing without any judgement.

And then just make yourself aware of the whole of your right leg from your toes up to the top of your thigh.

And then we'll take our attention down to the toes on your left leg.

Again paying attention to the big toe.

And to the second toe.

The third toe.

The fourth toe.

And your pinky toe.

And just exploring in your mind's eye.

Again the spaces between your toes.

The padded area on the bottom of your toes.

And just being aware of what that feels like.

Then bringing your attention to the front of your foot.

Just exploring in your mind's eye.

And then the sole of your left foot.

The padded area.

The instep.

And the heel of your left foot.

Just exploring the back of your heel.

Around your ankle area.

Again just noticing without any judgement.

Any niggles or aches.

And just being present with them without trying to fix anything.

And then taking your attention up your shin of your left leg.

Just exploring that bony area.

Before taking your attention to the calf of your left leg.

Gently following the contours in your mind's eye.

Up towards the back of your knee.

And then around to the front of your knee.

That bony prominence.

And then bringing your attention to the front of your thigh on your left leg.

Just exploring gently.

Taking your time.

And then taking your attention to the back of your thigh.

Noticing what it feels like on the surface that you're on.

Again without any judgement.

Just being present with what's there.

And then focusing your attention on the area around your pelvis.

The lower part of your body.

Just noticing.

Again anything that's there at all without judgement.

Without trying to fix anything.

And then slowly beginning to move in your mind's eye up to the small of your back.

Up your spine vertebra by vertebra.

And again just being present with anything that's there.

You don't need to fix anything.

If you notice anything,

Any aches or pains,

Just direct your breath into it.

Breathe deeply.

Without any expectation.

And just explore each bone as you go up right to the top of your shoulders.

This is an area that we often hold lots of tension.

Just exploring without any expectation.

And then moving down the front of your body.

The area around your chest.

And slowly,

Slowly.

Just exploring what's there for you.

Again if you find yourself distracted.

Bring yourself back to your breath.

Take your attention down towards your stomach area.

Another place that we often hold tension.

And just direct your breath into that area.

Just taking your time.

Exploring gently and kindly.

And then notice your fingers on your right hand.

The tips of your fingers.

Starting with your thumb.

Begin to explore.

The pads of your thumb.

The base of your thumb.

And the space in between your thumb and your first finger.

And then take your attention up to the top of your index finger.

Just exploring gently.

And then down into the space.

And up towards your middle finger.

Just noticing in your mind's eye.

Your knuckles.

Any markings on your finger.

Your nail and your nail beds.

And then taking your attention back down.

And up onto your ring finger.

Just exploring gently.

And then down to your pinky finger.

And then bring your attention to the palm of your hand.

Just being aware of the lines and the shape of your hand.

Exploring the padded flesh underneath your thumb.

And down the other side underneath your little finger.

Your pinky finger.

And then take your attention to the area around your wrist.

Your wrist that's made up of very small bones.

Just notice any discomfort.

Perhaps you don't feel anything at all and that's okay too.

Just exploring what's there without any judgement.

And then taking your attention up your forearm towards your elbow.

The front and underside.

Just exploring gently and kindly what's there.

Notice the joint in your elbow.

And then take your attention up to the top of your arm.

And just gently explore what that feels like.

Just bring yourself back to the breath if you feel distracted.

Bring yourself back to the sound of my voice.

And then focus your attention on your other hand now.

On the very tips of your fingers.

Again starting with your thumb.

And just exploring the contours of your thumb.

The nail bed.

The knuckle.

The padded area.

And the space in between your thumb and your index finger.

Just gently focusing your attention without any expectation.

And then slowly take your attention up to your middle finger.

Again being aware of the nail bed,

Your nail,

Your knuckles.

And gently sliding back down and up to your ring finger and exploring what's there.

Just gently being aware without any expectation of anything.

And then taking your attention to your pinky finger.

And then sliding down to the palm of your hand.

And just being aware of what's there in your mind's eye.

Now moving your attention to your wrist.

Again those tiny bones that make up your wrist that do so much work for us.

Focus your breathing on any area of discomfort.

Again without any expectation of something being fixed.

And then slowly move your attention up your forearm and underneath,

Noticing the difference.

Finding your elbow and the area around there.

Again being aware without any judgement of any aches or pains.

Before exploring the top of your arm,

Both front and back.

And then being aware of both your arms.

Just noticing.

Being present with what's there.

And then taking your attention to the area around the front of your shoulders and the front of your neck.

This is often an area that we hold tension and pressure.

Just be present with what's there.

Explore the area around your jaw and your chin.

And just gently unclench your teeth.

In your mind's eye,

Explore the area around your mouth.

And then moving on to the area underneath your nose.

Noticing as you take a breath in through your nose,

How you can feel the cool air as it goes in.

And the warmer air as it comes out on your top lip.

And then focusing your attention on the top of your nose,

The bridge of your nose and the areas to the side,

Your cheekbones.

And then focus your attention to the areas around your eyes.

Our eyes that do so much for us and often feel tired.

Just be aware of all those little nerves around the sides of your eye.

Your eyelashes.

Your eyelids.

And your eyebrows.

And then focus your attention on the area in between your brows.

Just breathing into that space.

Being aware of what's there.

Again,

Another area that we often hold tension in.

A furrowed brow.

A wrinkled forehead.

And then bringing your attention to the top of your head,

To your scalp.

And just exploring around the top of your head.

Noticing the shape and the contours.

Noticing the very top of your head.

And then the back of your head.

And then your ears.

Just bringing your attention to each ear in turn.

Exploring the shape.

Exploring the lobes of your ears.

And then taking a breath in.

And just being aware of your whole body.

Your whole body being present.

In whatever position you're in.

Just noticing any feelings or sensations.

Just noticing your body as a whole,

Without any judgment at all.

Just being present with what's there.

With what you feel.

Now gently in your own time,

Beginning to make some small movements.

Maybe of your fingers and toes.

Slowly and gently opening your eyes.

Taking your time coming back into the room that you're in.

And to full awareness.