A shared practice
Body Scan, 16 Minutes
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Created bySean Fargo
From Sean's body scan collection — recorded in his own voice.
In Sean Fargo’s own voice16 min
Read along — the full script
Body scan meditation. Congratulations for taking this time for meditation practice. Before we start this body scan, it can be helpful to find a posture that is both relaxed and alert. It can be helpful to relax the muscles in the belly, loosen the shoulders, and soften the muscles around the face.
Begin sensing into your body, simply allowing any waves of thoughts or emotions or physical sensations to just be. Perhaps it's been a busy day, and this is the first time you're stopping. As you begin to enter the world of being rather than doing, you may notice the trajectory of the feelings you've been carrying within you.
There's no need to judge, analyze, or figure things out. Just allow yourself to be in the moment with all that's there. And when you feel ready, gently shift the focus to your breath, becoming aware of breathing. Breathe normally and naturally, and focus on the tip of the nose or the abdomen.
Breathing in and knowing you're breathing in. Breathing out and knowing that you're breathing out. At times, the mind may wander away from awareness of breathing. When you recognize this, acknowledge wherever you went and then come back to the breath, breathing in and out with awareness.
And now gently withdraw awareness from mindful breathing as you shift to the body scan. As you go through the body, you may come across areas that are tight or tense or painful. If you can allow them to soften, let that happen.
If you can't, just let the sensations be, letting them ripple in whatever direction they need to go. This applies not only to physical sensations, but also to any emotions. As you go through the body, be mindful of any physical sensations and any thoughts or emotions that may arise from sensations.
Now bring awareness to the bottom of the left foot, where you feel the contact of your foot on the floor. It could be the back of the heel or the bottom of the left foot, just sensing into what is being felt. And feeling the heel, the ball, and sole of the left foot.
And feel into your toes. And then moving to the top of the left foot. And back into the Achilles tendon. And then up into the left ankle. Now move your awareness up to the lower left leg, feeling into the calf and shin and their connection to the left knee.
Being present. Let your awareness now rise up to the thigh, sensing into the upper leg and its connection above into the left hip. And now shifting your awareness from the left hip down to the right foot. Again, bringing awareness to where you feel the contact of your right foot on the floor.
It could be the back of the heel or the bottom of the right foot. Just sensing into what is being felt. And now feeling the heel and the ball and the sole of the right foot. Feel into the toes and the top of your right foot.
Back into the Achilles tendon and up into the right ankle. Now move your awareness up to the lower right leg, feeling into the calf and shin and their connection to the right knee, being present. And let your awareness now rise up into the thigh, sensing into the upper leg and its connection above into the right hip.
And now scanning your awareness into the pelvic region. Being mindful to any sensations, thoughts, or emotions of the pelvic region. And now lifting your awareness to the abdomen and into the belly, the home of digestion and assimilation, feeling into your guts with awareness.
And then from the belly, moving awareness to the tailbone. Begin to sense into the lower, middle, and upper parts of the back, feeling into the sensations, allowing any tightness to soften, and let be what's not softening. And let the awareness now shift into the chest, into the heart, and the lungs.
Being present, feeling into the ribcage and sternum. Now shifting our attention away from the chest to our fingertips of the left hand, feeling into the fingers and the palm, and then the back of the hand, and up into the left wrist. Proceed up into the forearm, and the elbow, the upper left arm, feeling the sensations in your left arm.
And now shifting awareness from your left arm to the fingertips of your right hand, feeling into the fingers and your right palm, and then the back of the hand, and up into the right wrist. And moving up into the forearm, and through the elbow, and into the upper right arm, feeling the sensations. Now let your awareness move into both shoulders and your armpits.
And then up into the neck and your throat. Being present to any sensations, thoughts, or emotions. Now bring your awareness into the jaw, and then gently into the teeth, and your tongue, your mouth, and your lips. Allowing any resonating sensations to go wherever they need to go and letting be.
And feel into the cheeks and the sinus passages that go deep into the head, and the eyes, and the muscles around the eyes. Feel into the forehead and the temples. Moving into the top and the back of the head. Feeling into the ears and then inside of the head into the brain.
Being present. Now expand the field of awareness to the entire body from the head to your toes to your fingertips. Connect from the head through the neck to the shoulders, arms, hands, chest, back, belly, hips, pelvic region, legs, and feet.
Feel the body as a whole organism with its various physical sensations, thoughts, and emotions. Being present. And now breathing in, feel the whole body rising and expanding on an inhalation and falling and contracting on an exhalation.
Feel the whole body as a whole organism being present for the body. And as you come to the end of this body scan, congratulate yourself for taking this time to be present. Great work!
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