Welcome to the Compassionate Body Scan.
Choosing a position that best suits your needs.
Remembering that what's important here is simply your aspiration to make this a nurturing experience and combining this with your level of attention.
Gently close the eyes and let go to gravity.
Surrendering to being held and allowing excess muscle tension to release with this surrendering to gravity.
Tuning in and experiencing the body.
Opening to seeing what is already here for better or for worse.
Letting go of the tendency we all have of wanting things to be different and instead allowing yourself to be just as you are.
Allowing things to be just as they are.
Accepting not to get involved with any judgements and criticisms.
Remembering there is no right or wrong way to do this body scan.
Accepting however you are feeling and giving yourself permission to simply rest in being here.
So bringing attention to the fact that you're breathing.
Feeling the rise and fall of the abdomen or chest.
And becoming aware of the movement of the breath throughout the body.
Feel the sense of expansion on the in-breath.
And a sense of releasing.
Letting go as each out-breath leaves the body.
Now take a few moments to become aware of the body as a whole.
From the head to the toes.
The envelope of the skin that holds you in.
And the firmness of the weight of the body due to the force of gravity.
Noticing the contact points with the surface that you rest upon.
Now place a hand on your heart as a reminder to be kind to yourself for this practice.
And taking three deep and relaxing breaths.
And then returning your arm to your side.
Imagine that your mindful attention is infused with a warm glow of kindness.
And then narrow this attention to the feet.
Both feet at the same time.
Exploring what sensations can be felt down in the feet.
The toes.
The balls of the feet.
Heels.
The top of each foot and the ankles.
You're not trying to make anything happen.
Just opening up to the flow of sensations.
If nothing is felt,
Simply noticing this also.
Just discovering what is true for you in your body in this moment of time.
Consider bringing a sense of gratitude to your feet.
They work so hard for you.
Have taken you so many places and brought you to this point in time.
Then imagine that you're breathing into both feet.
And then breathing out from this part of your body into the space surrounding it.
And gradually move the warm glow of your attention up your body to your lower legs,
Knees and thighs.
Simply experiencing the sensations as they arrive and softening around them as best you can.
Starting to be tender,
Kind and curious with whatever arises.
Taking the time to saturate each part of your body with gratitude and respect for the work that it does for you.
Allowing the soft glow of your attention to now include the pelvic area.
Checking in with this part of the body also.
Being curious about sensations such as temperature,
Contact points,
Any feelings of tightness.
Or perhaps noticing the subtle ways the breath may move this part of the body.
Then imagining that you are breathing into and out of this part of the body.
As you breathe in,
Imagine that you're holding the entirety of the lower part of your body in your kindly awareness.
And as you breathe out,
Sense a releasing of this part of your body within your awareness.
When you notice the mind has wandered,
Include this in your practice of compassion.
All minds wander.
No judgement or criticism is needed.
Simply notice it and return the awareness back to body sensations.
Gradually move your soft attention now to your abdomen,
Lower and upper back,
Shoulders,
Rib cage and chest.
Taking a moment every now and then to acknowledge whatever part of the body that you're at.
Bringing tender thanks for the role that it plays in your life.
And perhaps reflecting on how often you may take it for granted.
Now considering your spine,
Gently curving through this upper part of your body and considering its connection with the skull.
Getting a sense of the solid skeletal framework of your body and the role that it plays.
In moving this kindly awareness to extend down both arms and into your hands,
Fingers and fingertips.
Coming to be open to all sensations in this part of the body.
Notice the temperature of the hands,
What they feel like at rest.
And now once again imagining that you are breathing into this upper body,
Trunk,
Arms and hands and breathing out of this part of the body into the space surrounding it.
And gently letting go of this part of the body and moving your kindly awareness to the neck,
Head,
Throat and face.
Considering what can be sensed here.
Understanding all the effort and work that occurs in this part of the body and giving thanks,
Paying that tender gratitude to this part of the body.
Realizing if there is tension in the neck or the face.
Being curious about inviting softening.
Perhaps using the in-breath as that invitation for this part of the body to release and soften.
Now sweeping your attention from the crown of your head all the way to the tips of your toes.
Feeling your entire breathing body.
Connected,
Solid,
Complete.
A realm of oneness,
Silence,
Stillness and peace.
Place your hand on your heart again as a final gesture of kindness.
Bringing your heartfelt compassion to the tendency of the mind to want things to be a certain way.
Allowing the body to feel complete right now in this moment as you are.
Feeling nothing out.
Embracing the ability to love and care.
The body being totally present and awake in this moment.
And then slowly moving your hands and feet.
Feeling the body and rolling onto your side if you are lying down.
And inviting this state of compassion,
Clarity and centeredness to stay with you throughout the day.
