MBSR Body Scan

This is a guided body scan meditation for the Penn State Health Mindfulness based stress reduction program.

Finding a space where you can remain undisturbed for a period of time,

Where you can be safe,

And where you feel comfortable.

And finding a position that feels comfortable to you.

Perhaps lying down flat on your back,

On the floor,

Or a mat,

Or a bed.

Feet falling away from each other,

Palms turned up,

Arms lying beside the body.

Or perhaps sitting in a chair.

Whatever position works best for you and will allow you to remain comfortable.

And beginning by acknowledging the time that you're taking for yourself right now.

Making this a time and space to nourish yourself.

And as we do this practice,

Maintaining a sense of kindly presence toward yourself.

Spending time with yourself now like you would with a good friend,

Or someone you care deeply about.

And so approaching yourself with that same degree of kindness,

Respect,

Gentleness,

As you would with a loved one.

Following the guidance as best you can in each moment.

And knowing that if your attention wanders,

That's normal.

And just gently redirecting your attention back to the guidance and doing what it says to do.

Recognizing that as soon as you notice the wandering mind,

You're already back.

And staying still to the extent that you can,

Focusing on the instructions.

But always first and foremost taking care of yourself.

And so if the need arises to move,

To change position,

Even to stop the recording,

Doing what's best for you.

And so with that in mind,

Noticing perhaps thoughts and feelings that are present for you now as we begin this practice.

And just acknowledging what's here.

Perhaps there are thoughts or emotions regarding the day that has passed or is to come.

Perhaps you have thoughts or feelings about doing this practice.

And just acknowledging whatever is present.

And letting it be or letting it go and directing the attention to how your body feels right now.

Your whole body,

The position of your body.

The shape.

Perhaps noticing points of contact with the floor or chair.

Perhaps feeling the weight of gravity.

And the surface you're on supporting you.

And the way that you're feeling the weight of gravity.

And the surface you're on supporting you.

Curiously noticing how your body feels at this moment.

The outside of the body,

The inside.

Temperature.

And then beginning to cone in the focus of your attention on your breathing.

Wherever you feel your breath the most right now.

It might be in the belly,

Perhaps in the chest,

Perhaps of the nostrils,

The back of the throat.

There's no need to change the breath.

Simply observing each breath as it begins to change.

Each breath as it begins,

As it changes and as it fades away.

So just riding the natural waves of the breath in and out,

In and out.

And when you're ready and if you'd like,

Directing your attention to the toes of the left foot.

Sensing into what is present in these toes at this time.

Approaching them with curiosity and just checking in what's here now.

And from the big toe all the way down to the little toe.

There's no need to move the toes.

But just exploring the sensations that are present right now in this part of your body.

Might feel cool.

I feel some numbness or tingling.

I feel nothing at all.

Some of us may have had surgery in this part of the body.

Your body may have had some surgery in the back of your head.

In this part of the body,

Your body may have been changed.

Part of your body removed.

And so opening up to how that feels right now.

Curiously opening to whatever we find in this part of the body to the extent that you're able right now.

Just acknowledging whatever we find.

And when you're ready,

Moving your spotlight of attention up to the foot,

The left foot.

And sensing into what's here now.

Perhaps points of pressure from the chair or the ground.

Sensation of clothing.

Sensation of clothing.

Temperature.

Feeling both the outside of the foot and the inside.

Perhaps noticing pulsations.

Noticing perhaps if we find the sensations present in the left foot right now to be pleasant or unpleasant or neither.

And just acknowledging whatever's here.

Of course,

Recognizing that the attention wandering is normal.

And so redirecting the attention now up to the ankle,

The left ankle.

Sensing into the joint space,

Skin.

Pull of gravity in this area.

With a magnifying glass inspecting whatever is present in the left ankle right now.

Allowing it to be without judgment.

This is what's here.

Then continuing to move the attention to the left lower leg now.

Perhaps again feeling pressure on the ground or the bed.

And opening up to what that feels like now.

Muscles and tendons in this part of the body,

Bones.

Opening,

Acknowledging,

Letting be.

Turning the attention now to the left knee.

Noticing the structures and sensations in this part of the body.

And it's normal for unpleasant sensations to arise,

Whether it's physical discomfort or unpleasant thoughts or emotions.

And if they do,

Perhaps allowing them to be to the extent that you're able.

Softening,

Creating space around the discomfort to the extent that you can.

And that you're ready to do that now.

But always treating yourself with kindness.

Being gentle with yourself.

Just an invitation to explore the unpleasant when it arises.

Perhaps even being curious about that.

And just allowing it to be.

To ripple and resonate in its own way.

Or if that's overwhelming,

Returning the attention to a safe space.

Perhaps you're breathing or a different part of the body that doesn't feel involved in the discomfort.

But as you're able,

Maintaining a focus now on the left knee.

Just as it is right now.

And when you're ready,

Moving the attention up then to the left thigh.

Perhaps if you notice any tension in this area,

Allowing it to release or allowing it to stay if that is what it wants to do now.

Acknowledging what's present in this part of the body now.

Opening and allowing.

And now redirecting your attention down to the toes on the right foot.

Sensing this part of the body with curiosity.

How do these toes feel?

Warmth,

Coolness.

Tingling.

Perhaps you don't feel anything at all.

And just allowing that to be.

And then as you're able,

Scanning up to the right foot.

The sole of the foot.

The top of the foot.

The instep.

The heel.

Blood vessels and bones and tendons.

Opening and allowing to whatever you notice here at this time.

You may notice that your attention wanders to other parts of the body or to other objects in your mind,

Thoughts,

Emotions,

Memories.

Then when we notice this,

Again just gently redirecting the attention in a kindly way back to the right foot.

No need to fret if the mind wanders.

As soon as we catch it,

We're already back.

And so moving the attention now to the right ankle and lower leg.

Attending to what's present in the calf and the shin.

Muscles that help us move throughout the day.

And perhaps noticing and releasing any tension that you might notice as you're able.

Attending now to the sensations in the right knee.

Noticing its position.

The kneecap.

Structures within the joint.

Touch of clothing.

Opening to everything that's available in the right knee to be sensed at this time.

And now noticing the right thigh.

What sensations are here now?

Perhaps noticing words or labels or associations that come up as we sense into this part of the body.

And as you're able,

Just letting those go and attending to what it really feels like.

And now moving the attention to both hips.

The hip joints.

The outside of the hips.

Attending to the pelvis.

The bony structures of the pelvis,

The tailbone.

The buttocks.

Organs of reproduction and of elimination inside and outside the pelvis.

And again,

Gently attending to any thoughts or emotions that may arise in connection with particular parts of the body.

And just acknowledging and holding these with an open hand as you're able.

Or letting them go and returning to the felt sense of what's here in this part of the body now,

Right now.

Or if it's better for you,

Moving the attention somewhere else for the moment and then returning as you're able.

Okay.

Moving the attention up now to the low back,

Wrapping around to the belly,

Perhaps noticing movement with the breath,

A touch of clothing,

Perhaps feeling the touch of the ground or of the chair in the low back,

Knowing that this part of the body often harbors tension and discomfort.

And so again,

Approaching it gently,

Kindly,

And when you're ready,

An opening as you're able to,

Whatever is here right now,

Attending to any judgments or stories that may develop around these parts of the body.

And again,

Just letting those be or letting them go and returning to the felt sense of what's here now,

Movement,

Pressure,

A gentle touch of clothing,

Perhaps movement in the intestine.

And attending now to sensations in the chest.

Movement with the breath,

Perhaps becoming aware of the ribs,

Pressure in the upper back against the chair or floor,

Perhaps tuning into sensations of the heart beating all by itself effortlessly,

Air entering the lungs,

Each breath bringing new nourishment to this body.

Good.

Good.

Now,

Gathering the attention and moving it to both hands and attending to how the fingers feel on both hands at this moment,

Whatever is here right now might notice temperature,

Position of the hands,

The fingers,

Skin,

Muscles and bones,

Perhaps nails,

Perhaps sensing pressure from the ground or on your lap.

Moving into what's here right now in the hands.

We use these hands each day.

And so now giving them some attention,

Being with them.

And now bringing the wrists and forearms into awareness.

Seeing the pressure from gravity if you're on the floor.

Perhaps a touch of clothing here.

And noticing the elbows and upper arms.

Curious as to what might be here now.

Perhaps allowing any tension you find to be released or allowing it to stay.

And again and again reorienting the wandering mind.

And now bringing it to focus on the shoulders,

The shoulder joints,

All the way up to the bottom of the neck on both sides.

Becoming aware of any tension in this area and again releasing as you're able.

Or just acknowledging.

Reorienting to thoughts or emotions that may arise as we sense into this part of the body.

And as always letting them go or letting them be.

And reorienting to what can be felt here now,

What can be sensed.

Bringing the attention now to the neck,

The back of the neck and the throat.

Perhaps noticing movement of air on the inside,

Muscles or clothing on the outside.

Breathing or letting go of any tension that you find here.

And as you're able,

Gently approaching discomfort that might arise.

Always returning to a place of safety if overwhelming feelings develop but staying open and putting out the welcome mats for discomfort as you're able.

And inviting the attention now up to the scalp.

Noticing pressure from the ground if you're lying down.

Tension of hair if you have any.

Muscles and tendons and bones.

And sensing now the ears.

Including sounds that can be heard now.

Each sound of vibration moving the eardrum another sensation.

Noticing into what the skin and cartilage of the ear feel like right now.

And attending to sensations in the face.

Muscles.

Behind the eyes,

Around the mouth.

Eyelids.

Perhaps relaxing the muscles behind the eyes.

Using the tongue,

The teeth.

And allowing the attention to rest once more on the breath.

Perhaps at the nostrils.

Wherever you notice it the most.

Definitely following the breath.

Allowing this moment to be just as it is.

And so,

Closing this practice with gratitude for this time and energy that you've offered to care for yourself.

And as you transition into the next thing in your day or your evening,

May this felt sense of the present moment remain with you.

And bring you a sense of peace in each moment.

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