Release effort and scan your body to transform physical sensations into a field of deep, restorative calm.

English

Body-sensing is a tool used to relax the body, reset the nervous system, and work with focus and attention. This meditation is simple and easy to follow, appropriate for everyone of all ages, and is a soothing way to ground and come back to calm, clarity, and connection to the body. It's one of my personal favorites and part of my ongoing mindfulness practice, so I'm so happy I can share it.

Finding Calm With Body Sensing

Welcome to this body-sensing meditation. Take a moment to lie down, find a comfortable spot. If you want to grab pillows or blankets, go ahead. And once you're down, take a moment to move the body, perhaps separating the feet a little bit wider, and then letting the feet fall out to the sides, placing the arms alongside the body, or wherever they're comfortable. And if you are comfortable with the eyes closed, please feel free to close the eyes. If you would prefer to keep them open, by all means, keep them open. Let's take a deep inhale through the nose to inflate the lungs and the ribcage, and then exhale, let it go. Gently start to feel the body sink into the ground with every exhale. Exhale. Every time you breathe out, let the weight of the body just sink into the floor, or whatever surface you are on. Give up all effort and let the body get heavy. We're going to start directing attention throughout the body to various parts of the body. When I name a part of the body, all I want you to do is focus your attention on that part of the body, and notice if any sensation can be found. In some cases, you will notice sensation. In other cases, there will be a total absence of sensation. Nothing. In every case, the practice is going perfectly. There is no wrong way to do this. There is no attachment to a desired result. This is simply about sweeping attention throughout the body so that we can let the body be. Take a deeper inhale through the nose, once again to inflate the lungs and the ribcage, and then exhale, let it go. As the breathing stabilizes, gently draw your attention to the inside of the mouth, sensing the inside of the mouth as one area of awareness and sensation, sensing the roof of the mouth, the palate, and then sensing the floor of the mouth, the space underneath the tongue, sensing the inside of the left cheek, sensing the inside of the right cheek, sensing the tongue, and the back of the throat, and then once again, sensing the entire inside of the mouth as one field of sensation. From here, we're going to rotate attention to the left ear, sensing the left ear inside and out. Now we're going to rotate attention to the right ear, doing the same thing, sensing the right ear inside and out. We're going to redirect attention now to focusing on the left nostril, sensing the left nostril as the inhale flows in and the exhale flows out, sensing. And then we'll do the same thing in the right nostril, sensing the right nostril as air flows in and out. Sensing the left eye, sensing the right eye, sensing the forehead, the top of the head, sensing the back of the head and the back of the neck. And from here, we're going to rotate attention to sensing the inner walls of the throat. Awake and alert and aware that we're just rotating attention throughout the body in this body-sensing meditation. Let's hop attention over now to the left shoulder, sensing the left shoulder, sensing the left upper arm, sensing the left elbow, the left forearm, the wrist, sensing the left palm and fingers, and then sensing the entire left arm. Let's hop attention over now to the right shoulder, sensing the right shoulder, sensing the right upper arm, the right elbow, sensing the right forearm, the left forearm, wrist, the right palm, and fingers. And then from here, sensing the entire right arm. Let's rotate attention now to sensing the upper chest and the upper back, sensing the middle chest and the middle back, sensing the abdomen and the lower back, sensing the pelvis, and from here, just sensing the entire upper body as one field of awareness and sensation. Let's rotate attention now to the left hip, sensing the left hip, the left hip, sensing the left knee, sensing the left shin and calf, the left ankle, and sensing the left foot and toes, sensing the entire left leg. We'll hop attention over now to sense the right hip, sensing the right thigh, sensing the right knee, sensing the right shin and calf, the right ankle, and sensing the right foot and toes, sensing the entire right leg, sensing the entire front of the body, sensing the entire back of the body, sensing the left side of the body, and the right side, sensing the entire body, inside and out, as one field of awareness and sensation. I invite you to stay as you are in this energy for as long as you can, and when it is time to wrap up the meditation, inhale through the nose to inflate the belly and the lungs, and then exhale, let it go. Gently bring movement back to the body in whichever way feels appropriate and intuitive for you. Gradually draw the knees to the chest, roll to the right, and come back up to seated where you can stay for as long as you'd like until it's time to stand up and get on with your day.