Compassionate Body Scan - 20 Minute Guided Meditation

So we're going to start a compassionate body scan. So first make your way onto your back. You can also do this seated as well, but if you do have space to lay down on something comfortable, go ahead and lay down and take up space. Let your whole body start to soften and relax into being right where you are. So unknowingly we hold an incredible amount of tension in our bodies. The body is working so hard for us all day long, always ready, prepared for what's around the corner. So today's practice, which will be about 20 minutes, is to start to soften and incline the mind and the nervous system towards relaxation. And it's alright if you don't actually feel relaxed. We're just practicing. And so what will happen over this 20 minutes is your mind is going to wander away. It will start to make plans, wander into worries, think about what should happen. And this is very natural. This is the nature of our mind. In Buddhist philosophy we call this the monkey mind. And so during our time together when your mind wanders away, which it will, give the thought a very gentle label. Ah, thinking. Or if it's a strong emotion that arises, here comes sorrow. This is anxiety. Very natural. Keep labeling and invite yourself back to my words or back to your body. And so if you first start just by imagining the whole outline of your body spreading wider. As if you were laying on a beach. The whole outline of your body spreading wide. And so now I invite you to move your attention through your body as if you were shining a flashlight. Flashlight of your attention. And we'll first begin by bringing our attention to the muscles around your eyes and around your jaw. And as you feel your breath in your body, exhalation, bring a quality of compassion and tenderness to your breath. And it's alright if you don't feel it. We're simply inclining the mind towards kindness and compassion. And so as you breathe this way, noticing sensations around your eyes and your jaw, invite this kindness, this tenderness carried in your breath to soothe any gripping, any holding in your facial muscles. I like the image of warm sunlight bathing down. And now traveling from your facial muscles, the muscles behind your head and your neck. The muscles that work very hard to keep our heavy head up all day long. And as you breathe and feel your breath in your body, offering kindness, soothing to these muscles. Now traveling deep between your shoulder blades. An area that we often rip in self-protection. Protecting ourselves from physical discomfort or emotional pain. As you breathe and feel your breath in your body, offering soothing and kindness to these muscles. Bringing attention to the muscles across your chest. One of your heart muscles. And just noticing the sensations. Whatever is here is allowed to be here. It's welcome. As you bring it offering kindness, offering soothing to the muscles across your chest. And moving your attention to your left arm. Warmth to your left shoulder. Move your attention down to your left hand. Feeling your breath, infusing your breath. Bring your whole left arm. Soothing. And now moving your attention to your right shoulder area. The muscles on top of your shoulder and your shoulder blade. Gentle awareness. Infuse your kindness. And traveling down the bicep and the tricep. Into your elbow. Right hand. Right finger. Breathing into your whole right arm. And your attention now. Flashlight of your attention to your heart area. Whatever sensations are arising to arise. It's alright. Offering whatever is here. Intention of kindness. Compassion. So now traveling down your spine. If you could see each notch in your spine. Muscles along the left side and the right side of your spine. Intention to soften. All the way down to the very bottom of your spine. Your tailbone. It's a pear-shaped bone that enters into your pelvis. And bringing your attention to your whole pelvic structure. Beautifully fused bone. Heavy. In your pelvic area and in your belly. As you feel your breath. Offering all your organs. Digestive organs. Reproductive organs. Organs that are working so hard for you. Offering them kindness. Soothing. And it's only natural that strong emotions will arise. That thoughts and fears and worries will arise. Only natural. Noticing them. And then coming back to this intention. And climbing the mind towards compassion. Towards kindness. Into your belly and into your bum. Taking really good care of it. Now continuing our scan. To your left leg. See your left hip. The upper left leg. If there's any soreness. Or pulsing. Just noticing. Offering kindness. Into your left knee. Lower left leg. Your shin. Your left ankle. Offering your whole left leg. Soothing. Now moving to your right leg. In the head of your right thigh bone. Noticing sensation. Inclining your mind towards kindness. As you breathe down the upper hamstring. Back. The shin. Expanding your awareness just to have a sense of Right here. Right now. In your physical body. Buddhist tradition. We might explore what is called feeling tone. Present moment may feel pleasant. May feel unpleasant. To just notice what is here. Feeling tone. What to be. It's all right. It doesn't need to be anything other than it is. Curiosity. It's what's here. In this moment. And whatever is here. Whatever is unfolding. Deserves kindness. Deserves compassion. So as we breathe here for the next few moments. Infusing your breath. Each breath. With tenderness. Again, it's all right if you don't feel it. Simply the intention. Offer soothing. Whatever is unfolding in our lived experience. Intention. Offer your body soothing. Care and comfort. Through your breath. Refresh the intention. You need to be. I invite you to exhale just a little bit more air out of your body than you normally would. You might feel your belly button draw back into your spine just a little bit. Really relax. And watch your inhalation happen all on its own. Watch your belly lift and your ribs expand and curl. Try that two more times. Exhaling all the air out of your body. Pausing for a moment. Relax and watch your body breathe for you. After this last breath. Consciously starting to wiggle your fingers and your toes. Feel your body. Embodied awareness. And if it feels nice to take a big stretch overhead. You might reach your legs away from you. Stretch your arms like a big yawn. And congratulate yourself for taking this time. To reset your nervous system. Take care of your endocrine system. All kinds of good things happening.