Body Scan Meditation

June 28, 2021

Information

Dr. Gary Soffer walks through a body scan meditation, a way to release tension and anxiety.

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00:04So oftentimes. In the
00:07survivorship period of cancer.
00:12Feeling stay with us. Emotions stay with us.
00:17And their bodily sensations
00:20tend to start a narrative.
00:22That we can't control.
00:28Remind allows itself.
00:31To go far into deep dark direction.
00:36Makes us question each feeling
00:38each tingle in our body.
00:43So we're going to do a
00:45meditation called the body scan.
00:48Where we intentionally focus.
00:50On each part of our body.
00:54In order to become aware of the sensations.
00:58But also to be able to let them go.
01:04So begin by making yourself comfortable.
01:09If you're sitting in a chair.
01:12Don't rest your back along.
01:15The back of the chair.
01:18But allow it to be straight up.
01:21Not stiff, but not slouched.
01:25Not too loose and not too tight.
01:30Place your feet on the ground.
01:34Wiggle your toes just for a few seconds.
01:38In order to feel the ground below you.
01:46If you prefer to do this lying down.
01:53Shift your body back and forth.
01:58Again, just so that you
02:00feel the ground below you.
02:05Your hands can be resting on
02:08your lap if you're sitting.
02:10Arresting by your side.
02:11If you're lying down.
02:16And slowly allow your eyes to close shot.
02:26Begin by taking several long,
02:30deep and slow breaths.
02:36Breathing in fully.
02:39Expanding your rib cage.
02:44In through your nose.
02:50And out through your nose.
02:56As we begin to focus on her bodily
03:01sensations. The first sensation to
03:04begin to focus on. The cold air.
03:08In your nostrils, as you breathe in.
03:15In the warm air along your
03:17nostrils as you breathe out.
03:27And as you bring your focus to
03:30this sensation. Begin to let
03:32go of the noises around you.
03:43And bring your focus.
03:45Back to your breathing.
03:52Now slowly. Bring your
03:54attention down to your feet.
03:58Begin by observing the
04:01sensations. In your feet.
04:11Just notice any feelings
04:14without any judgement.
04:16You might imagine sending your
04:18breath down to your feet.
04:20As if the breath was traveling
04:23through your nose to the lungs.
04:26Through the abdomen, down your legs.
04:29And all the way down into your feet.
04:38Perhaps you don't feel anything
04:40at all, and that's fine too.
04:45But just allow yourself
04:46to feel the sensation.
05:00When you're ready.
05:01Allow your feet to dissolve
05:04into your mind's eye.
05:06And move your attention.
05:08Up to your ankles.
05:11Calves. Knees and thighs.
05:20Then observe the sensations you're
05:22experiencing throughout your legs.
05:30Present two and breathe out of the legs.
05:40If your mind begins to
05:43wander during this exercise.
05:45Just notice this without judgment.
05:50And bring your mind back.
05:52To noticing the sensations in your legs.
06:04Observe how all sensations rise and
06:08fall shift and change moment to moment.
06:14Notice how no sensation is permanent.
06:19Just observe and allow the
06:21sensations in your legs to be
06:24in the moment just as they are.
06:34Then on the next breath. Allow
06:38your legs to dissolve in your mind.
06:43Remove the sensations.
06:46In your lower back. And pelvis.
06:52Softening and releasing as
06:54you breathe in and out.
07:05Slowly move your attention up to
07:08your mid back. And upper back.
07:16You may notice sensations of tension.
07:22In your muscles. Just begin to
07:26release them and let them go.
07:36Let gravity. Take the muscles.
07:42As though you're sinking into the ground.
07:51With each in breath. Breathing
07:53to the muscles of your back.
07:58And with each out breath.
08:01But the tension release.
08:16As you continue to breathe.
08:21Bring your awareness to the
08:24chest and the heart. And just
08:28begin to notice your heartbeat.
08:32Observe how your chest rises. In the in hell.
08:40And how it falls in the exhale.
08:58And on the next breath.
09:02Allow your torso to dissolve.
09:07Then bring your focus to
09:10your hands and fingertips.
09:20Notice any sensations of your hands.
09:27Become aware of what they may be touching.
09:34If you like, you can
09:36give them a short wiggle.
09:43Begin to breathe. Into your
09:45hands and out of your hands.
09:54If your mind begins to wander.
09:58Simply just bring it back to
10:00the sensations in your hands.
10:09The next breath.
10:11Allow your hands to dissolve.
10:15And bring your focus and your
10:19awareness. Up into your arms.
10:26Serve any sensations you
10:28may be feeling in your arms.
10:32You may notice a difference between
10:34the left arm and the right arm.
10:45And then the next breath
10:47allow your arms to dissolve.
10:55Continue to breathe.
10:57And shift the focus. For the neck,
11:01the shoulder and the throat region.
11:08This is an area where we often have tension.
11:14With the space where we
11:16often carry our stress.
11:20And be with the sensations here.
11:26It could be tight or rigid.
11:32You may notice your shoulders
11:34rising and falling with each breath.
11:43If you begin to feel those
11:46sensations of tightness or rigidity.
11:49You may begin to tell yourself stories.
11:54As you breathe, forget about
11:57those thoughts and those stories.
11:59And return your attention to the
12:03shoulders and throat. And the neck.
12:11And on the next breath.
12:14Allow this area to dissolve and
12:16direct your attention to the scalp,
12:19the head and the face.
12:26Relax the jaw. No cheeks.
12:34And like gravity, take your eyebrows
12:48Begin to return your focus.
12:51To the cold air. Only in breath.
12:59And the warm air along your nostrils
13:01on the warm breath. On the out breath.
13:18Cool in.
13:22And warm out.
13:30Now bring your attention. To expand out.
13:36To include the entire body as a whole.
13:45Bring your attention from the top of
13:48your head to the bottom of your toes.
13:53And simply feel the gentle rhythm of breath.
13:57As it moves through your body.
14:09As you come to the end of this practice.
14:14Take a full deep breath. Taking in
14:17all the energy of this practice.
14:24Exhale fully. When you are
14:29prepared. When you are ready.
14:33Open your eyes. And return your
14:36attention to this present moment.