Mindfulness Body Scan for Stress Relief

Lie down in a comfortable, quiet place where you can be free from distractions
If you’re supporting your head or chest, maintain a neutral neck and spine
Close your eyes, to help turn your attention inward
Breathe gently and quietly in and out through your nose

Count out 5 slow cycles of breath
Let your whole body rest back
Drop into the awareness that this is your time to be at ease, and to be still
Let yourself be present here
There’s nowhere else you need to be,
And nothing else you need to do
That’s more important than resting, right here, and right now

We’ll begin with awareness of the head and face
Without moving too much,
Shut your eyes tight, scrunch up your nose, and pucker your lips
Squeeze tight every muscle of your face, your brow, your entire head
Hold this tension as tightly as you can for a long patient inhale breath
Then with exhale, let go

Pay particular attention to the sensation of this release
Notice sensation in the muscles of the face
Notice the process of movement from tight, to soft
Notice the feeling, of the face and head expanding into relaxation

Be present with this feeling of letting go for as long as you’d like to
As we move through this meditation,
You can pause at any time

When you’re ready, drop your awareness to your shoulders
The sides of your rib cage
Your chest and your back
Your belly and low back
Aware of your entire torso

And then as you lie here,
With inhale breath, squeeze and flex this torso
Squeeze the sides of your body, 

Tighten your belly
Activate your back, your shoulders, your chest
Hold tight as you seek out activation in every last little corner of the torso
Hold tight as you take a long inhale

And then with exhale breath, let go
As you let go, stay present with this process
The physical sensation of the muscles releasing
And a felt sensation of softening
Not only in the body, but also in the mind

Notice, how as space slowly unfolds in the body
More space is available in the breath, and in the mind

Let this process of relaxing continue
As you watch, listen, sense, feel, notice

And then as you’re ready, bring awareness to your arms
Upper and lower arms, wrists, hands and fingers
Notice what’s present right now

With an inhale breath, make fists with your hands
Squeeze in your fingers
Activate your forearms
Maybe bend your elbows and curl your wrists toward your shoulders
Recruit every muscle of the arms and the hands
Every single one
Hold tight as you take one more patient inhale

And with exhale breath, release
Let your arms lay flat by your side
Face your palms up
And feel each one of your fingers slowly letting go
Notice where in the arms you feel this opening
And invite awareness of opening into your whole being

Bring your awareness now to your hips, your buttocks, your thighs
Notice the presence of sensation in this area, or perhaps none
And then with inhale breath, activate the thighs, the buttocks, perhaps the low belly
Squeeze, tighten, engage every single muscle of this area
Hold and squeeze for that long inhale breath

And then with exhale, soften

Watch the process of softening
Stay present with the sensation of letting go
Notice the softening in your upper legs, your backside, your low belly
Notice also, the softening in your mind

Grateful for the sensation of tension
That helps us better recognize the sensation of letting go

Now bring your awareness to your knees, your lower legs, your ankles, feet and toes
With an inhale breath, curl your toes in, flex or scrunch your feet,
squeeze your knees, your calf and shin muscles
Hold this tension intentionally for another inhale breath

Then with your exhale, let go
Feel the tension exiting
Is it exiting the body, or exiting the mind?
Both?

Watch and follow this process until there’s no longer any resistance to notice
Watch and follow the process until the body is completely at ease

Stay present with ease in the body
Notice how this ease lives also in the breath, and in the mind

Enjoy resting here in this state, for as long as you’d like to

When you’re ready to carry along with your day, carry too, this awareness of peace