Let’s begin by lying down in a comfortable position on the floor, with your arms resting gently on the ground, and your eyes closed. Feel the weight of your body as it rests on the earth. Feel the earth supporting you. Feel your feet resting firmly on the ground. Pretend that you are an ice cream cone on a hot summer day and simply melt into the ground. Rest your attention only on the sound of my voice. Let all of the other sounds in the room fade away.
I am going to lead you on a scan of your body as a way of getting centered and relaxed - a reminder that you can be at home and at peace in your own body.
Start by settling your attention on your feet. Feel the weight of your feet as they rest on the earth. Notice the position of your feet, the sensations inside the feet, travel along the bottom and tops of your feet to your toes. Just notice what you feel there. . . . Notice each toe and move your attention from toe to toe noticing how they feel. Notice the space between the toes.
Now bring your attention to the tops of your feet and then to your ankles. Bring your attention up your shins and around to your calves. Notice how the backs of your legs feel. Now, bring your attention to your knees, the front of your knees and the back of your knees. Notice how they feel.
Bring your attention to your thighs, the front of your thighs and the back of your thighs. Now move your attention up to your hips and see what sensations you feel there. Notice how your lower back is resting on the earth.
Move your attention to the back body, to the lower back, to the mid back, to your shoulder blades. You may feel stiffness or tension, whatever you encounter, simply notice it.
Keep moving your attention around to the front of your body, to your abdomen and rib cage. Notice how that feels as you inhale and exhale. Slowly move your awareness to your chest, noticing any sensations you find there. Notice the lungs themselves, as you breathe . . . Does the breath reach into all areas of the lungs? Notice the heart itself, and the sensations and movements within the heart. Notice how it feels. . .
Move your attention back to the tops of your shoulders. Slowly move your awareness down the upper arms, feeling your elbows, your forearms. Let your attention rest for a moment on your hands - the palms of your hands . . . the backs of your hands. See if you can feel each separate finger, each fingertip. . . .
Slowly move your attention back up to the top of the hands, back up the arms to your shoulders and neck. Notice your neck and your throat. Notice any tension or tightness . . . notice the feeling of breath as it passes in and out with ease.
Bring your awareness slowly up to the front of your face. Be aware of what you encounter. Tightness, relaxation, pressure. Turn your attention to your eyes as they gaze inward, and feel the weight of your eyelids as they rest over your eyes . . . Move your attention to your nose. Notice the feeling of air as it passes through your nostrils. Is it warm or cool? Feel your cheeks and your jaw. Is your jaw clenched or loose? Just notice what you are feeling and continue to breath through these sensations. . . .Feel your mouth, your teeth, your lips, the light pressure of skin on skin, softness, coolness.
Bring your attention to the back of the head, over the curve of your skull, notice your ears as they buffer the sounds of the room. Now, bring your attention to the top of your head and simply feel whatever sensations are there—tingling, pulsing or the absence of sensation.
Now bring your body as a whole into your awareness, and take a moment to scan through your entire body. Allow your breath to become more full, taking a few deep breaths. . .
As you end the meditation see if you can continue to feel the world of sensations and all of its changes, moment by moment, as you move into the activities of your day.
Gently and gradually regain awareness of your surroundings. When you feel ready, open your eyes.
