Welcome to this guided body awareness check-in practice.
You are welcome to approach this as a regular guided meditation,
Or you're welcome to use it just as a pause in your day,
A conscious body scan.
The purpose of this practice is to just build awareness,
To observe sensations in your body without judgement,
And to strengthen your connection to the present moment.
So now just take a seat or lie down,
Whatever you choose,
Close your eyes or just soften your gaze,
Whatever feels more comfortable.
Whatever you decide,
Allow your body now to just settle into the surface beneath you,
Bringing your focus to the point between your eyes.
There's nowhere for you to go,
Nothing for you to do,
Just focus now on your breathing.
Take a slow deep breath in through your nose,
And exhale through your mouth.
Another big deep breath in,
Filling your lungs with oxygen,
Hold it at the top,
And let it all go on the exhale.
Bring your awareness now to your feet.
Notice where they make contact with the ground or the surface beneath you.
Notice where they make contact with the surface beneath them.
Feel the weight of your feet,
The pressure,
The temperature,
No judgement,
No analysis,
Just noticing.
Feel the surface beneath them steady and unmoving.
Just let your attention rest here for a few breaths.
If your mind wanders,
Bring your awareness back to the point of contact that your feet have with the surface beneath them.
Now slowly move your awareness up to your ankles.
Notice any sensation present.
You may feel warmth,
Coolness,
Nothing at all.
There's no right or wrong here.
Continue now moving your awareness up into your calves.
Feel the muscles here,
Don't try to relax them or tense them,
Just notice.
Allowing your breath to move naturally as your attention rests in your lower legs.
If you notice any tightness,
Just observe.
The body often holds effort without us even realising.
This doesn't mean you need to fix it.
Bringing your awareness up now to your knees.
Feel the structure of the joint,
Sense of support or vulnerability,
Allowing your breath to move slowly in and out,
Remaining present.
Gently moving your awareness into your upper legs,
Your thighs.
Feeling the muscles,
The weight,
Their contact with the chair,
Floor,
Bed beneath you.
Feel the gravity holding you in place.
Now take a slow breath in through your nose.
And allow the exhale to be longer than the inhale.
Bringing your attention now to your hips and pelvis.
It's very common for people to hold unconscious tension in this part of their body.
Just notice what you find here in this area,
Any pressure,
Warmth,
Discomfort,
Stillness.
Just observing,
Allowing the breath to move into the lower belly as you breathe now in and out.
Now place one hand gently on your belly.
Just observe the natural rise and fall as you breathe in and out.
Let the breath remain natural,
Your body knows how to breathe.
Just observing the movement beneath your hand,
The sign of life,
Of regulation,
Of continuity.
Silently in your mind,
Just feel these words,
I live in this body.
I honour this body.
I return to this body.
Just notice any response you might have to these words,
Physical or emotional,
No judgement,
Just observing,
Breathing slowly in and out.
If thoughts arise,
Just allow them to pass in the background,
Always returning to your breath.
Bringing your awareness now,
Expanding your awareness upward into your lower back.
Notice how the breath moves in the back body as well as the front.
Feel your spine as it supports you,
Bringing your awareness to your chest.
Feeling the ribs expanding and softening with each breath in and out.
Just noticing,
Bringing that attention up through the upper back and into your shoulders.
Many people carry effort here.
Without forcing any relaxation,
Just allow the shoulders to drop on the exhale.
Letting gravity assist you.
Bringing that awareness now down through your arms,
Your upper arms,
Elbows,
Forearms,
Into your hands.
Notice the temperature of your hands,
Any tingling or pulsing,
Nothing at all.
Anything that you do feel is just information from your body.
Bringing the awareness back now up to your neck and throat.
Just notice if there is any holding or tightness there.
See if you can allow your jaw to just soften slightly.
Feel your tongue resting gently in your mouth.
Becoming aware of your face,
Your cheeks,
Eyes,
Forehead.
Just softly relaxing the muscles between your eyes.
Bring the awareness up around your whole head to the crown of your head.
Just feel any sensations through your scalp.
Remember always just observing.
Now take a slow deep breath in through your nose.
And gently exhale all of it out.
Become aware now of your whole body from feet to head.
One connected ecosystem rather than separate parts.
Notice the outline of your body within space.
The areas of contact that are supporting your body,
Holding it up.
The rhythm of your breath moving through your whole body.
In and out.
In and out.
Like the waves on a beach.
Again if your attention drifts away,
Just return to the breath.
The movement of your belly beneath your hand.
Again in your mind feel these words.
I live in this body.
I honour this body.
I return to this body.
Feel these words.
You do not need to feel anything.
Just being present now is enough.
Present in your body.
Gradually just begin to notice the sounds around you.
Feeling the temperature of the air on your skin.
Deepening your breath now.
Big inhales and exhales.
Bring some movement now to your body,
To your hands,
Your feet.
Maybe have a nice big stretch.
Bring yourself really back into your body.
When you're ready,
Either slowly open your eyes.
Or if they are already open,
Just kind of blink them a few times.
Take this sense of grounded physical presence with you.
As you continue on your day.
Take care my friend,
And I look forward to working with you again soon.
