Welcome to the Body Scan.
As we begin this practice, let's first congratulate ourselves that we're taking the time to be present in this way,
with our own body and mind, stepping out of doing mode and into being.
Finding a time and a place where you won't be easily disturbed,
and wearing loose and comfortable clothing can support your practice.
This is a time for you to be by yourself and with yourself with alert attention.
Awake and present to your experience as it unfolds.
While the Body Scan is often practiced lying down,
any posture that is comfortable for you and supportive of wakefulness is fine.
It's not the posture you are in, but rather your attention and sincerity to the practice that are most important.
If it's possible, inviting an attitude of friendly curiosity
and a willingness to be open to what's here
as we focus our attention on the sensations arising in the body from moment to moment.
Allowing things to be as they are.
Seeing if it's possible to let go of needing to change anything,
including a desire to achieve any particular state, even relaxation.
Remember that there's no right way to feel.
The way you're feeling is the way you're feeling.
During the Body Scan, we will be putting off problem-solving, analyzing, and other striving states of mind.
We'll begin to turn inward to what is happening in the body from moment to moment.
Thoughts may arise as you do the Body Scan,
and knowing that this is just the nature of the mind.
There's no need to try and turn off thinking.
We simply want to recognize when we've become lost in thought,
and then gently, but firmly, come back to the direct experience of the body.
No need to judge ourselves harshly when this happens,
or to try and make thinking stop.
Knowing also that there are many different kinds of physical sensations that might arise.
Heat or coolness, tightness, tension, pressure, numbness, tingling, lightness, heaviness, pain, itching,
or even a feeling of neutrality or ease.
Or it may be the case that there's no discernible sensation at all,
and letting absence of sensation be perfectly fine, because that's your experience.
So many different sensations.
Pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral.
Just acknowledging whatever arises into the field of awareness.
As we go through the body part by part,
there may be parts that are tight and tense,
and if you're able to allow them to soften, by all means let this happen.
And if you're unable to,
then the practice becomes just letting those sensations ripple and resonate as they will.
In this way, the practice becomes non-striving.
We're simply being present to things as they are, physically.
And at the same time, there may be thoughts and emotions that arise,
since the body and mind are so interconnected.
And whatever arises, physically, mentally, emotionally, as we go through the body,
acknowledge whatever is present, and let it be.
And some of us may not have all of the body parts we were born with,
and some may have parts that have been added.
Just being with each area of the body as it is, as best as we can, from moment to moment.
And now, let's take a moment to settle in.
This could be the first time all day that you've stopped with intention.
If you're lying down, letting the legs be outstretched and uncrossed,
arms at your sides, palms facing up if that's comfortable,
and closing the eyes if you wish.
And before we begin the body scan, noticing the entire body as it is,
with this warm, investigative quality.
And now, turning attention to the fact that breathing is happening.
Noticing the sensations of each in-breath and each out-breath.
Breathing normally and naturally.
And as we breathe in, being aware that we're breathing in.
As we breathe out, being aware that we're breathing out.
There's no need to change the breath in any way.
No need to visualize the breath or count breaths or to analyze in any way.
Just this direct experience of being present for the sensations of breathing.
Simply being present to this rhythmic feel of air entering and leaving the body.
And when you notice that the mind has wandered away from the sensations of breathing,
with gentleness and firmness, coming back to what's actually happening right now with this breath.
Is it a long breath or a short breath?
Thin or full?
Not needing to change anything,
but just coming to know a little bit better exactly how things are for you right now.
And at any time during this practice,
if sensations become too intense,
or emotions arise that feel like too much,
you can return to the breath,
or any other sensation in the body,
as a trustworthy home base for your attention.
And after a few moments,
when you feel ready,
you can come back to wherever the guidance is at that moment
and continue with the body scan.
And so now,
beginning the body scan
by bringing attention
to sensation in the left foot.
And perhaps the best place to begin
is with the point of contact.
There might be an awareness of the left heel
or sole of the foot.
The physical awareness of the part of the foot
making contact with something.
And then moving awareness into the left big toe.
And then into all the other toes of the left foot.
Perhaps even noting the space between the toes.
And then we'll begin to bring our awareness
into the ball of the left foot.
The arch of the left foot.
And the heel.
And then gently bringing the attention around
to the top of the left foot.
Maybe noticing
if there's a difference
between the bottom of the foot and the top.
And then bringing attention
to the entire left foot.
And as you feel ready,
we'll bring our attention
to the left ankle.
This joint part of the body
that allows for the possibility of movement.
Noticing if there's any sensation
in the Achilles tendon
and the back of the left ankle.
And keeping in mind
that for so many people
there may be no sensation at all
or a sensation of neutrality.
Whatever arises,
there's no reason for things
to be any particular way.
And from here,
we'll bring attention
to the lower left leg
between the ankle and the knee.
Noticing the back
of the left leg.
You may feel
the contact
of the floor beneath you.
Or the clothing
against the skin.
And then bringing attention
to the sides
of the lower left leg.
And then around
to the top.
And perhaps noting
is there a difference
between the back
of the lower left leg
and the top.
Bringing curiosity
to this part of the body.
And then bringing awareness
up to the left knee.
Curious about
whatever sensations
are present here.
Noticing
the little hollow
in the back
of the left knee.
The knee cap
in the front.
And noticing
if there's any
sensation
on the inside
of the left knee.
And as we continue
with this practice,
knowing that
if there's a particular
part of the body
that's calling out
for your attention,
an area of pain
or discomfort perhaps,
knowing that it's
just fine
to bring the focus
there
until you're ready
to come back
into the guided
sequence
of the body scan.
And from here
the invitation
is to move
awareness
to the top
of the left leg
between the knee
and the hip.
You may notice
the contact
of the ground
or the chair
beneath you.
Noticing the front
of the upper
left leg
and the large
muscle groups
and the inside
of this part
of the body.
Curious about
any sensations
that might be
present now.
Letting your
awareness rest
here moment
by moment
in the left
upper leg.
And perhaps
now is a good
point to just
check in
and notice
if the mind
is still
in the body
scan
or if it's
drifting off
someplace else.
And there's
no reason
to give ourselves
a hard time
when this happens.
This is just
the nature
of the mind.
And each
time you notice
that you're gone
you're already
back.
So bringing
your awareness
back to the
direct experience
of the body
and now
noticing
the sensation
of the left
buttocks
and hip
joint.
And then
bringing our
awareness
from the top
of the left
hip
and extending
all the way
down the left
leg into the
ankle
and the foot
and the toes
and having
an awareness
of the
entire
left leg.
And as you
feel ready
letting go
of awareness
of the left
leg
and moving
awareness
to the right
foot.
And again
you might
start by
noticing
the connection
points
where the
foot is
making contact
with something.
And then
narrowing
awareness
to just
the right
big toe
and possibly
the right
little toe
and possibly
even noticing
the toes
in between
or maybe
the spaces
in between
the right
toes.
Exploring
the range
of sensations
that might
be available
in the right
toes
in this
moment.
And then
bringing
awareness
to the
ball
of the
right
foot
and the
arch
and the
heel
on the
right.
And
notice
the
entire
right
foot
and
any
sensations
that might
be present,
moisture,
dryness,
coolness,
warmth,
pulsations,
numbness,
tingling,
whatever
is here.
And then
bringing
awareness
up into
the
right
ankle
noticing
sensations
here
allowing
the right
ankle
to come
into the
foreground
of your
awareness.
You might
notice if
there's any
sensation
in the
Achilles
tendon
in the
back
of the
right
ankle.
And then
letting go
of the
ankle
and moving
to the
right
lower
leg
between
the
ankle
and
the
knee.
Curious
about
whatever
sensations
are
present
now
in the
right
lower
leg,
noticing
with this
warm
friendly
curiosity,
noticing
the
calf
muscles
in the
back
and the
shin
in the
front,
fully
present
here,
with whatever
sensations
are
present
now
in the
right
lower
leg.
And in
this
moment
moving
awareness
to the
right
knee,
curious
about
any
sensations
in the
back
of the
right
knee
in that
little
hollow
area,
or the
knee
cap
in the
front
or any
sensations
on the
inside
of the
right
knee.
All of
the
ligaments
in there
that allow
for
movement,
curious
and present
to
whatever
is here,
and knowing
that as we
move through
this body
scan
different
thoughts
or emotions
might come
up around
different
parts
of the
body
and
working
with
whatever
comes
up
with as
much
gentleness
and
curiosity
as we
can,
not
needing
to push
anything
away.
Just
having
an
awareness
that
the
emotion
is
present
and
as best
as we
can
simply
allowing
that
to
be.
And
now
bringing
attention
into
the
upper
right
leg
between
the
knee
and
the
hip.
There
might
be a
sensation
of
contact
in the
back
of the
right
upper
leg.
There
might
be
a
sensation
of
clothing
against
the
skin
or
a
sense
of
these
big
muscle
groups
in
the
thigh.
And
then
moving
awareness
to
the
right
hip
and
buttocks.
You
may
be
aware
of
the
sensations
of
sitting
or
lying
on
the
right
hip
and
buttocks
and
then
bringing
awareness
from
the
top
of
the
right
hip
all
the
way
down
the
leg
to
the
feet
and
the
toes
and
holding
in
awareness
the
entire
right
leg.
And
now
shifting
our
awareness
away
from
the
lower
body
into
the
pelvic
bowl.
This
part
of the
body
that
holds
our
systems
of
reproduction
and
elimination.
Bringing
our
awareness
to this
part
of the
body
and
perhaps
here
again,
checking
in
noticing
if
the
mind
is
still
with
the
body
scan
or
if
you've
gone
into
future
thinking
or
past
thoughts.
No
need
to
give
yourself
a
hard
time
but
just
gently
firmly
coming
right
back
to
the
body
scan
and
the
direct
experience
of
the
body
in
this
moment.
And
we
will
now
bring
our
awareness
up
into
the
lower
back,
noticing
the
sacrum
the
lumbar
spine
the
muscles
here.
And
if
there's
some
tension
or
tightness
can we
allow that
to be
known
in
our
awareness
without
resisting
or
needing
it to
be
any
different
than
it
is?
Moving
awareness
up
now
to
include
the
mid
back.
You
might
notice
some
gentle
movement
of the
ribcage
in the
back
as the
breath
comes
in and
out.
The
connection
point
where
the
skin
here
might
be
resting
on
something.
Noticing
the
spinal
cord
down
the
middle
as we
now
include
the
upper
back
in
our
awareness,
and holding
the
entire
back
now
in
curious
awareness.
Muscles
the bones
of the
ribcage
and the
spine
the
skin
letting
the
entirety
of the
back
be known
in
awareness
in this
moment.
And then
moving
awareness
to the
front
of the
body
and
resting
on the
abdomen
noticing
whatever
sensations
are most
prominent
here
now.
his part
of the
body that
holds so
many vital
organs,
is there
a sense
of
emptiness
or
fullness?
Movement
or
stillness?
And when
you're ready,
letting go
of awareness
of the
abdomen,
moving
awareness
up to
the
rest
of the
torso
in the
front,
noticing
the
breasts,
and
then
underneath
that
the
ribcage.
And
underneath
that
noticing
the
lungs
and
deeper
still
noticing
the
heart,
the
heart
space,
if
there's
any
sensations
here.
And
then
moving
awareness
when you're
ready
into
the
left
shoulder
down
the
left
arm
until
you reach
the
hand
and the
fingers
and then
resting
awareness
here
in the
left
hand.
You may
notice the
feel of
air against
the skin
of the
left
hand
and the
contact
point
where the
hand is
resting
on
something.
You might
notice the
feel of
the
muscles
and the
fingers
and the
joints
might be
bent a
tiny
bit.
Noticing
how that
feels.
There
may be
a
sense
of
pulsation
as the
blood
moves
through
the
left
hand.
Being
curious
and
present
to
whatever
is
here
now
in
the
left
hand
and
fingers.
And
then
letting
go
of
awareness
of
the
left
hand
moving
into
the
left
wrist.
You
may
feel
blood
coursing
through
this
part
of
the
body.
There
may
be
a
sense
of
the
little
bones
in
the
left
wrist.
And
then
moving
into
the
left
forearm
in
between
the
wrist
and
the
elbow,
noticing
the
muscles
here,
the
skin,
and
then
bringing
awareness
into
the
left
elbow.
Curious
about
what's
present
here
for
this
left
elbow
joint,
and
then
noticing
the
left
upper
arm
between
the
elbow
and
the
shoulder.
Noticing
if
there's
any
sensation
in
the
bicep
muscles,
in
the
triceps,
and
perhaps
here
again
checking
in
and
noticing
where
the
mind
is.
And
if
you
need
to,
choosing
to
come
right
back
to
the
body
scan
if
the
mind
is
somewhere
else
and
remembering
that
this
is a
practice
of a
thousand
new
beginnings.
And
as
many
times
as
we
bring
the
mind
back
it's
just
fine.
Each
time
we
know
we're
gone
we're
back.
And
so
choosing
now
to
bring
awareness
into
the
left
shoulder,
curious
about
whatever
is
present
here
not
a
thought
about
the
shoulder
but
the
direct
physical
feel
in
this
moment.
And
then
moving
awareness
across
to
the
right
shoulder
and
down
the
right
arm
into
the
right
hand,
curious
about
what
is
present
here
now
in
the
right
hand
and
fingers.
Again
you
might
notice
the
connection
point
where
the
hand
is
resting
on
something.
You
might
notice
how
the
air
feels
touching
the
skin
of
the
right
hand,
curious
about
the
muscles
in
the
fingers
on
the
right
and
the
joints
and
how
they
might
be
bent
a
tiny
bit.
And
that's
the
body
finding
its
own
position
of
maximal
comfort,
feeling
into
whatever
is
present
in
the
right
hand
and
fingers,
moment
to
moment.
And
whatever
you're
noticing,
letting
it
be
exactly
as
it
is.
Moving
awareness
now
into
the
right
wrist.
And
then
the
right
forearm
in
between
the
wrist
and
the
elbow,
curious
about
any
sensations
that
might
be
present
here
now
in
the
right
forearm.
And
now
moving
to
the
right
elbow,
fully
present
here
with
whatever
sensations
are
arising
moment
to
moment
in
the
right
elbow.
And
now
moving
to
the
right
upper
arm,
curious
about
any
sensation
present
here
in the
bicep
muscles
and the
triceps,
and then
moving
awareness
into
the
right
shoulder.
Curious about whatever is here in this right shoulder joint.
And then moving awareness up into the neck
and resting on the back of the neck.
Curious about any sensations here in these muscles.
Breathing and noticing.
And sometimes this is an area of tension or tightness.
Meeting whatever is present with curious awareness, letting it be.
Moving awareness to the front of the neck.
And the inside of the neck.
Is there a sense of moisture or dryness?
Maybe movement of air moving through or possibly swallowing.
Feeling fully present to what sensations are here now in the neck.
And when you're ready, moving awareness once again up to the face.
Noticing the face at rest.
Noticing how the face feels, the facial expression in this moment from the inside out.
Noticing if there's any holding on.
Maybe specifically in those muscles around the jaw.
Noticing the mouth.
The lips.
Are the lips touching each other?
The feel of the inside of the mouth.
Is there moisture or dryness?
Noticing the cheeks.
The feel of air touching the skin of the face.
Noticing the nose.
And the feel of air as it enters the body here through the face.
And then leaves the body.
Also through the nostrils.
Noticing the sensation in the eyes.
The feel of the eyeballs.
The eyelids.
And that perfect connection between the two.
And now in this moment, noticing sensation in the forehead.
And the temples.
Noticing the ears.
There's any sensation in the outer ear.
Or the ear canals.
Noticing the eardrums.
And sound waves as they bounce off the eardrum.
Noticing the head.
The scalp.
And the skull.
The feel of the weight of the head.
Being supported.
Always being supported.
Noticing if there's any sense of the brain inside of the head.
Generating thoughts.
Now we've scanned all the individual parts of the body.
But remembering that the body is complete and whole and interconnected.
So feeling into this.
As we feel the head.
The back of the head.
The top.
And the sides of the head.
Connected to the face.
And feeling down into the connection into the neck.
And the throat.
And the shoulders.
And the upper arms.
The elbows.
The lower arms.
And the wrists.
And the hands.
And the fingers.
Feeling into the upper back.
The mid-back.
And the low back.
And coming around to the front.
To the chest.
The abdomen.
Connecting down into the pelvic bowl.
The buttocks.
The hips.
The upper legs.
The knees.
The lower legs.
The ankles.
The feet.
And the toes.
Now bringing attention to the body in its entirety.
The body complete.
Exactly.
As it is in this moment.
Complete exactly.
As you are.
In this moment.
The body.
and perhaps now taking a moment
to congratulate yourself
for taking the time
to see yourself clearly
without judgment
and acknowledging
your essential wholeness.
The fact that you're already
complete in this moment.
And maybe taking a moment
to reflect
that you're always capable
of tapping into this state
now that you're aware
it exists inside of you
and it always will.
It's simply a matter of awareness
and turning inward.
As we come to the end
of this practice
may we come to a place
of self-compassion,
congratulating ourselves
for the time
that we've taken
to be present,
an act of love
rare in our lives
that we take the time
to feel into our own
bodies and minds.
Taking this time
to be present
is a wonderful contribution
to our own health
and well-being.
May we be at peace,
may all beings
be at peace.