Hey,
This is Guy Ferdman,
And today we're gonna be doing the body scan practice.
And so the point of the body scan is to rebuild interceptive awareness.
Interception is your body's ability to sense its own internal state.
Trauma and chronic stress disconnect us from this signal.
And when people cannot feel their body,
They simply cannot regulate.
They also cannot feel when they are safe.
Because safety is a felt sense,
It's not a thought.
This practice guides people to move attention slowly through the body,
Noticing sensation without interpretation or judgment.
Over time,
This rebuilds the neural pathways between the body and the prefrontal cortex.
It is the foundation of emotional regulation and the prerequisite for a genuine connection.
So go ahead and find a comfortable position.
Lying down is ideal for this one if you can.
And then go ahead and let your eyes close gently.
Or you can soften your gaze downward if you prefer to keep them open.
Now take three slow breaths,
Nothing special.
Just three breaths that let you know you're here right now.
So we're going to move attention slowly through your body.
The only job you have is to notice,
Not to fix,
Not to change.
Not to interpret.
Just to notice what's there.
Whatever you find is the right thing to find.
We begin with the top of the head.
Just resting your attention at the top of your head,
Right there.
Is there any sensation?
Tingling,
Pressure,
Warmth.
Or nothing at all.
Just notice.
Go check out your jaw.
Your teeth.
Back of the throat.
Many of us carry the weight of unsaid things here.
Whatever is there is perfectly fine.
You Now become aware of your neck and shoulders.
Just letting your attention rest here.
Noticing if there's any bracing,
Any holding up.
Any effort to keep things together.
You don't have to change it,
Just let your attention be a kind of a warmth on the area.
Let's slide down and move to your chest now,
Your heart space.
Noticing the rise and fall of your breath here.
Sometimes this area feels open,
And sometimes it feels protected,
Closed,
Or heavy.
There's no wrong answer.
Whatever is here has a reason.
Remember that your system is very intelligent.
It'll bring awareness to your belly.
This is where so much of our nervous system lives.
The enteric nervous system,
Sometimes called our second brain,
Lives right here.
Is it tight?
Soft?
Settled?
Unsettled?
Just breathe into it gently.
Not trying to change it.
Now move your attention into your hips and your lower back.
This is where unprocessed activation often lives.
Old stress,
Old stories held in the tissue.
Just let your attention rest here with curiosity.
No agenda.
Now down through your legs.
Your thighs,
Your knees.
Your calves.
Your feet.
The soles of your feet.
Coats.
Feel the weight of your whole body right now.
Now expand your awareness to your whole body at once.
The whole of it.
Every part present at the same time.
This is you,
Right now,
Exactly as you are.
Is there any part of your body right now that feels more settled than when we started?
Even slightly.
Just notice that.
You don't have to announce it to anyone.
It's just information.
So take a slow breath in.
And a long purposeful exhale.
When you're ready,
Gently begin to return.
Wiggling your fingers and toes,
Taking your time.
So welcome back.
That was real work,
Even if it felt like doing nothing.
I'll see you next time.
You
