18:55

Body Scan: Softening Into Light

by Thomas Richardson

Rated
4.8
Type
guided
Activity
Meditation
Suitable for
Everyone
Plays
1.7k

Body scan meditations allow us to release unnecessary tension and resistance, which in turn allows us to soften into our true nature of light. In this guided meditation, we begin with a body scan to release tension in the physical body. After the body scan, we soften into the light at the heart center, allowing this light to expand throughout the body and beyond. This meditation is from the class Piercing the Veil: Perceiving Reality As It Is.

Body ScanBreathingRelaxationDantianHeart CenterCentral ChannelLightAbdominal BreathingTension ReleaseBreathing AwarenessGuided MeditationsLight VisualizationsPosturesVisualizations

Transcript

Please find a comfortable posture for meditation.

We will begin with a body scan,

So if you would like to lie down,

I encourage that.

If you prefer to sit or be in a different position,

That's okay as well.

The most important thing is that you find a position,

A posture in which you can consciously let go of as much unnecessary tension as possible.

Once you have arrived in your posture,

Bring awareness to the movement of the breath.

Simply observing the breath as it is.

It might be long or short,

Choppy or smooth,

Shallow or deep.

Simply observe the natural movement of the inhalation and exhalation.

Begin abdominal breathing,

With each inhalation allowing the abdomen to gently expand,

With each exhalation allowing the abdomen to gently contract.

Allow the chest and shoulders to remain relaxed and still.

And with every exhalation,

Try to release any unnecessary tension from the body.

Now,

Continue abdominal breathing as you begin to gently guide the awareness through the body.

Starting at the top of the head,

Feeling any sensations in the scalp,

Sides of the head,

The back of the head,

The forehead,

The eyes,

The jaw,

The eyes,

The jaw.

Simply observe any sensations and allow your awareness to relax into experiencing each moment as it is.

Continuing to observe the front of the neck,

The sides of the neck,

The back of the neck,

The shoulders,

The upper arms,

The elbows,

The forearms,

The wrists,

The back of the hands,

Palms,

Thumbs,

The index finger,

The middle finger,

The ring finger,

And the little finger.

Allowing the awareness to travel from the tips of the fingers,

Back up through the centers of both arms,

Up to the shoulders,

To the upper back,

The mid back,

The lower back,

Bring awareness into the length of the spine as a whole.

Travel from the tailbone up through the spine,

Through the lumbar,

Thoracic,

Sphincter,

And the lumbar spine.

Servical.

Continue up to the top of the head,

The crown,

Forward to the forehead,

Down the center midline,

Crossing the forehead,

The nose,

The lips,

The chin,

The chin,

Down through the throat,

To the front of the body.

Bring awareness to the chest,

The mid abdomen,

The lower abdomen,

And to the right hip,

Right thigh,

Right knee,

Right calf,

Right ankle,

Top of the right foot,

Bottom of the right foot,

Big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

And the little toe.

Travel from the tips of the toes of the right foot,

Up through the center of the right leg,

To the right hip,

To the center of the lower abdomen,

The lower dantian,

And over to the left hip,

Left thigh,

Left knee,

Left calf,

Left ankle,

Top of the left foot,

Bottom of the left foot,

Big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

And the little toe.

Now allow your awareness to travel from the tips of the left toes,

Up through the center of the left leg,

Through the left hip,

And back to the lower dantian,

Rest with your awareness in the lower dantian.

Check in with your breathing.

Notice the movement of the breath.

Notice if the breath has shifted since the beginning of the practice.

Allow the awareness to travel from the lower dantian up through the central channel to the heart,

The heart center,

Located in the middle of the chest.

Relax into the sensations in the heart center.

As you continue softening to the space of the heart center,

Become aware of a point of light within the heart center.

Rest in that light.

Allow the light to flow into the heart center.

Allow the light to begin to expand,

Filling the heart center and expanding beyond to fill the chest,

The torso,

Lower abdomen,

Both legs,

And the chest.

Allow the light to expand out from the chest through the shoulders,

The arms,

All the way down to the fingertips.

And allow it to expand upwards through the neck and the brain.

Feel your entire body as light.

Allow the light to expand beyond the physical body into all that surrounds you.

Become aware how the boundary of the physical body is an illusion.

As you rest in this light that has no beginning and no end,

Know that this is your true nature.

Unbounded,

Limitless,

Light.

Bring awareness back to the felt sense of the body as a whole.

Know that this body is simply a garment,

A collection of molecules that come together to form an instrument for this divine light to experience the play of life.

Become aware of the solidity beneath you,

Which is also light manifest in form.

Become aware the molecules of air around you,

Which are also light.

Feel the movement of your breath,

The movement of light.

And when you are ready,

Maintain a groundedness in this still presence of the light of all-pervading consciousness.

As you gently and slowly begin to open your eyes,

Taking in all that you see with the knowledge that it is all light manifest in myriad form.

Thank you all for joining me today.

Meet your Teacher

Thomas RichardsonColorado, USA

4.8 (112)

Recent Reviews

Alexa

March 3, 2025

Thank you so much and namaste to this teacher/guide.. One of the best body scans I've come across as scans can feel quite confronting to sensitive systems after emotional trauma and Im in ns recovery at this time.. I found this softening flow to be wonderfully restorative. Incredibly beautiful practice πŸ™

Dorothy

January 17, 2025

Thank you. Loved the light image and the profoundly spiritual dimension.

Judy

January 12, 2025

A mellow, light filled little journey on this bright but overcast morning while on holiday in Devenport. Tasmania. Thank you! Namaste πŸŒΊπŸ™πŸŒΊ

Anne

January 7, 2025

Very relaxing and calming meditation. Thank you. πŸ™πŸ» πŸ’•

Gargi

December 15, 2024

Have been doing this on regular basis as and when I see my mind is at unrest. This meditation as other meditation helps me to inch towards presence. Thank you

Camelot

May 29, 2024

I fell so deeply into this meditation. Thank you for sharing your truth and love. πŸ’•βœ¨

Richard

April 25, 2024

Nice body scan leading into peaceful contemplation. Most calming voice in the business too!

Maureen

April 14, 2024

Dear Thomas, what an exquisite journey into the reminder of our true nature. So grateful. Blessings always. Maureen (& Sukanya)πŸ™

Michele

April 13, 2024

I love many things about this beautiful meditation! Thank you πŸ™πŸΌ Thomas for another incredibly powerful practice! πŸ’–β­οΈβœ¨β­οΈπŸ™πŸΌ

Lucy

April 12, 2024

Thank you, now my go to meditation to settle my mind and body before sleep.

Chea

April 12, 2024

Thank you Thomas, for sharing your meditations and time with us. I appreciated this meditation greatly. With gratitude, β˜€οΈ Chea

Johanna

April 11, 2024

I am deeply grateful for the sense of balance your meditations have brought into my life. Your teachings are a gift I treasureπŸ’–

Gaetan

April 11, 2024

Dear Thomas, thank you for guiding me this morning to a journey into my body, eventually connecting from the tiny light of my heart to all the light around me. It was great to experience that access from my heart chakra as I had become accustomed to reaching the Dao from my crown chakra. My heart led me through the love I experience for what is very close to me, slowly expanding to what (whom) is farther away. Thanks Thomas

Alice

April 11, 2024

it’s wonderful experience a new meditation from you here on IT. thank you. I lived this body scan. incorporating a traditional body scan and sensing my divine being at the same time. and your voice is always calming and reassuring. much love β™₯️🌹🌈β™₯️🌹🌈β™₯οΈπŸŒΉπŸŒˆβœ¨πŸŒΉβ™ˆοΈπŸŒˆ

Gina

April 11, 2024

Wonderful visual guidance- such a centering practice. πŸ™πŸ’«

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Β© 2026 Thomas Richardson. All rights reserved. All copyright in this work remains with the original creator. No part of this material may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

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