Noticing sensations from head to toe

This detailed body scan guides your attention through every part of your body. You'll notice sensations, tightness, and movement from your feet to your head. A grounding practice for connecting with your body and releasing stored tension.

Why this helps? Body awareness helps release frustration, stress, and self criticism and brings you into the present moment.

Transcript

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Settle Posture And Intent

SPEAKER_01 0:02

Welcome to Inner Strength Meditations. Let's take a moment. Bring yourself into your best mindful awareness posture with your feet flat on the floor. If you need to scoot forward in your chair so you can really feel the ground beneath your feet, do so. Notice the chair holding your weight, gravity pulling you down. And just take a quick scan of your whole body. Is it feeling relaxed? Are you hot? Are you cold? Are you feeling blank? Are you feeling excited and full of energy?

Bell And Foot Awareness

SPEAKER_01 0:52

And we'll use the sound of the bell to focus your attention. And then we'll begin the practice of noticing the sensations in our body and becoming connected and aware of how our body is feeling. Is one foot resting more heavily on the ground than the other? Press each toe or all your toes into the soles of your shoes, into the ground. Can you feel the difference between your big toe and your other toes? Do your toes move together as a whole or do they move separately? Feel the sensation of your sock or shoe holding your foot. Notice where parts of your feet press against the outside of your sock or your shoe.

Ankles To Calves Engagement

SPEAKER_01 2:08

Now bring your attention to your ankles. Are they puffy? Are they tight?

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Do they feel loose and flexible?

SPEAKER_01 2:25

Move your awareness into your shins and calves. Maybe you worked out yesterday or this morning. Can you feel the tightness of your calves, the muscles? Lift your heels and see what that does to your calves. Notice how the muscle tenses just by lifting your heels. Clench the muscle and release. Notice all the different sensations. When you clench the muscle and hold it and release, what happens? Do you feel blood flow running into your calf muscles?

Thighs And Torso Breathing

SPEAKER_01 3:14

Move your attention up over your knees into the long muscles of your thighs. Notice where your thighs make contact with the chair. Notice your clothing against your legs, warm or cool, tight or loose, scratchy or smooth.

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See what you notice.

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First, notice the front of your body and the organs that seem to lie in the front of our bodies, our stomach and intestines, our heart and lungs. See if you notice the breath going in and out and how the diaphragm pushes down and up.

Spine And Back Sensations

SPEAKER_01 4:41

Bring your attention across the back of your torso. The muscles, the long muscles that stretch across your back, around your ribs and shoulder blades, your clothing against your torso. And notice your spine. Does it feel tight or loose? Do you want to twist it and give it a little ring? Create some space? Or does it feel supple and flexible? Notice any sensations in your spine. Notice how the sensations move around when you direct your attention there.

Shoulders To Hands Focus

SPEAKER_01 5:44

Bring your attention now into your arms, the shoulders. Are they tight from carrying books or computers? Feel your triceps and biceps. Notice any areas of blankness. And move your attention into your wrists. Our wrists do so much for us. And then, of course, our hands and fingers. Where are your hands resting? Are they on your desk or on your thighs?

SPEAKER_00 6:38

Are they warm or cool?

SPEAKER_01 6:45

Bring your attention to your thumb and gently press your thumb into whatever surface it's resting on. What happens when you press? Notice the different sensations in each muscle. Press your index finger just gently. Then press the next fingers, your middle finger, your ring finger, and your pinky. Notice the different movements in your palm and your wrist.

Throat And Mouth Noticing

SPEAKER_01 7:25

Now bring your awareness into your throat. Is your throat scratchy or dry? Were you singing or laughing or talking? Can you feel that warmth in your throat from using your vocal cords? Or feel the wetness in your throat? Move your attention up your throat into your mouth. Notice your tongue. Is it resting on the bottom of your mouth or on the roof of your mouth? Are you thirsty? Is your mouth wet or dry? Feel your teeth?

SPEAKER_00 8:35

What sensations are you noticing?

Face, Smile, And Head Scan

SPEAKER_00 8:42

Now move your eye of awareness all across your face.

SPEAKER_01 8:49

Your cheeks, nose, and eyes and forehead. Is it cool? Is it warm? Is it tight? Is it loose? And let a smile come to your mouth, lifting up the corners of your lips. Notice your cheeks smile, and even your forehead broadens and changes shape. And now use your attention to scan your whole head. Do you have a hat or a hoodie that you can feel on the outside of your head or your hair pulling down? Notice inside. Is there a tightness or pressure or tingling?

Whole-Body Appreciation

SPEAKER_01 10:07

On your last breaths, take a scan of your whole body, noticing any sensations, becoming aware and connected, feeling present inside your own skin, feeling acceptance, and wonder at the mystery of the human organism. Our bodies are such wondrous things. It's amazing how they work. Appreciate your own body, how it moves and digests and breathes, thinks and feels and sees and hears. Carries us from one place to another, practically without us thinking about anything. Appreciate the totality of how your body works together. And

Return To The Room

SPEAKER_01 11:18

as we begin to bring this exercise to a close, start bringing your awareness to the whole room around you. And when you hear the bell, we can finish.