Scan your body from head to toe to release stress and cultivate a kind, non-judgmental awareness of the present.

Science

Body Scan

Stress & Anxiety

Psychology

Stress

Concentration

English

This is a 15-minute MBSR Body Scan. The body scan can help us relate differently to stress and intense feelings in the body and in life. As always, care for yourself and follow my guidance if that is right for you. If you need to shift from my guidance because a sensation is too intense, please feel free to do so. You can always come back to the breath as a focus. It is suggested to do this meditation lying down, but it can also be done sitting or standing.

MBSR Body Scan For Managing Stress

 Body scan meditation. Make yourself as comfortable as possible lying on your back in a place in a time where you can feel safe and relaxed, where you're not likely to be disturbed by anyone or by the telephone. You can lie on the floor on a thick mat or pad or on a bed. If lying down is not convenient at this time you can also do this meditation sitting down in a chair or on a cushion. Cover yourself with a blanket for warmth if necessary. As we go along use my voice and my suggestions to guide you as best as you can, all the while zeroing in on your own experience as you lie here. Use the stretches of silence to carry on the practice on your own, remembering that we're working on maintaining wakefulness from moment to moment rather than getting so comfortable that we just go off into sleep. And so when you're ready gently bring your mind to focus in on your belly and on your breathing. Feel the belly rising with each in-breath and falling back with each out-breath. Give yourself permission to be exactly where you are right now and exactly as you find yourself without the need to change anything. Be aware of what's on your mind and what's in your body and how you're feeling, remembering that there's no right way to feel when you're practicing mindfulness. Everything is absolutely fine just the way it is. Whatever you encounter in each moment is simply whatever you're encountering and what you feel is simply what you're feeling. Above all it's your awareness and your openness to the present moment that counts. We practice mindfulness simply by letting go of the past and of the future over and over again if necessary and opening up to this very moment. Right now focusing in on the breath moving in and out of your body. There's no need to try to control the breath in any way, just simply experience it as the air moves in and out of your body. Feeling the gentle rising and falling of your body as you breathe. If you find that your mind has wandered off this is normal and just release it, let it go and return to the breath with kindness and very gently. Notice the gentle letting go of those thoughts or whatever the distraction might be and returning to your breath. Clarity and insight reside right here in these moments and seeing the mind go off and bringing it back as well in moments of deep unwavering concentration. The keys to cultivate a willingness to be present with whatever appears in any moment including feelings of pain, discomfort, or even boredom or anxiety, sadness, grief. Anything that comes up is fine. We just notice it and let it go and go back to the anchor and the focus of our breath. And if you care to, you can open your awareness to your whole body noticing sensations of the weight of your body on the floor or on your seat. Perhaps you might notice the sensation of the clothing you're wearing on your skin or the temperature or the air outside touching your skin. Perhaps feeling yourself softening as you become aware of your whole body. And if you can, bring your awareness all the way down to your feet and notice whatever sensations are present at this time in your feet, in the toes, the bottoms of your feet, the top of your feet, your ankles. Without trying to change anything, just noticing what's there. Perhaps you notice sensations or tingling, temperature. And you can keep going up your legs from your ankle to your knees noticing the different sensations that are appearing there. Perhaps you notice the skin, how it's connected to your muscles or the muscles to the bone. And then moving upward towards the knee and just noticing all of the little connections in your knee. And moving up the legs to the thighs, the top of the thigh and the bottom, noticing the weight of your body on the floor, the pressure points, and again the muscles and the bones inside your thighs. And if it's comfortable for you, you can take a deep breath and bring it into your legs or just notice the breathing going into your legs, directing your breathing towards your legs all the way down to your feet as you breathe in and emptying it out and it going all the way back out through your nose as you breathe out. If this is not possible right now, that's okay too. So tuning in now to the pelvic region, the hips and the lower back, noticing any sensations that might be there present at this moment. Perhaps you notice vibration or even the blood flowing through your veins in that area, maybe some discomfort. Whatever's there, we just notice it and move on. Allow it to be. Again, going back to the breath and seeing if you can breathe into the pelvic area and your hips and your lower back and your belly. And as you breathe in, you're filling that whole area with your breath and as you breathe out, letting it go and emptying it out. Again, doing this very gently without striving or trying to do anything. We're just putting the intention there. And focusing your attention back to the body. We're going to move from the belly to the solar plexus and right below the rib cage and the upper back and the rib cage itself and the chest all the way up to your shoulder blades. Notice the sensations in this area as you naturally breathe in this area. Perhaps there's some movement or energy flow or perhaps you notice a change in temperature. Whatever's there is fine. Again, if your mind has wandered off in another direction, that's okay. We just simply notice it and come back, letting go whatever thoughts were there. Coming back to our body and we're in the chest area. Perhaps you can notice the sensation of your ribs inside and how they come in contact with your skin, with your lungs. Tuning in now to the area of the heart, noticing any sensations there. Moving up to the tops of your shoulders. Now you can bring your attention all the way down to the tips of your fingers and your hands. Perhaps noticing more sensation in your hands or the palms of your hands. What's happening there? And your wrists and your forearm. Noticing the connection with your elbow, how your forearm and your upper arm connects. Perhaps you can feel your biceps or your triceps. And again, let's go back to our breath and if you can, fill up your arms and your chest with air. As you breathe in, you just imagine the air going all the way down to your fingertips and as you breathe out, emptying all the way back out your nose. We're not trying to achieve anything. Just bringing awareness to all of these parts of our body using the breath. And letting the breath go and moving back to your neck and your throat. And up the back of your head, you might notice even the hair on your head. Perhaps you notice some tension in your neck. We're just noticing it. We don't have to do anything right now. And noticing your eyebrows, your forehead and your cheeks and the jaw area, which is often an area of tension. Just noticing what's there and allowing it to be. And going back to your breath and now bringing it into your whole body. As you breathe in, filling your whole body with your breath and as you breathe out, emptying, letting go. Notice the sensations of life, of your blood circulating as you're breathing in and out of your body. And now finally, letting go of your body altogether. And just allowing your awareness to reside without any location, simply wakeful as the breath moves freely in and out. Just being. Being at home right here, in stillness, in wholeness, belonging right here right now, and at peace right now. And as we bring this meditation to a close, you just want to perhaps reestablish some contact with your body and coming back to the place where you are right now. Maybe wiggling your toes or fingers or stretching or moving a little bit. Whatever you feel comfortable or whatever your body needs to do. And take a moment to thank yourself for taking the time to give yourself this gift and thereby nourishing your life and nourishing your day today and your wellness.