Take a moment to find a comfortable position, whether sitting or lying down. A position where your breathing is not constricted and it flows freely. For this exercise, we're going to bring our awareness to our breath. As you know, the breath always resides in the present moment. It's never in the past or in the future. And so in this regard, it is a very reliable anchor to bring us back into this moment. So for this meditation exercise, you have nothing to do except to bring your awareness to your breath. So just begin to notice your breath as if you're noticing it for the first time. Notice the slightly cooler air and the inhalation and the slightly warmer air on the exhalation. Notice your abdomen expanding on the inhalation and contracting on the exhalation. There's no need to change your breath in any way. Just to be aware of it. Notice this in-breath. And this out-breath. And this in-breath. And this out breath. Notice the complete cycle of each breath from the beginning to the end. This moment, this breath. Try to give your full attention to each breath. Let's take a few minutes to cultivate awareness of your breath. You've probably noticed by now how difficult it is at times to keep your awareness focused on your breath. That's perfectly normal. Your mind is likely wandering and having various thoughts. That's just what the mind does. When you notice that you're no longer focused on the breath, just gently and compassionately bring your awareness back to the breath. Without judging yourself or criticizing yourself, just return your awareness back to your breath. You can note briefly where your mind wandered to, in a word or two, and then return back to the breath over and over again. It's in that moment that you notice your mind has wandered away from the breath that you can cultivate mindfulness by returning it back to the breath each and every time. Similarly, you may notice your mind wandering to sensations in the body. And when you do, just note the sensation. Cold feet. Tingling in my hands. Pressure. Note the sensation. and once again return to your breath. Notice this in-breath, and this out-breath, and this in-breath, and this out-breath. Each breath is a new opportunity to bring yourself back to this moment. Let's continue to practice bringing awareness to our breath until the end of this meditation exercise.

We're going to practice the brief body scan. So go ahead and find a comfortable position. And while this exercise is often done lying down, you may also choose to sit in a chair. Just find a position that's comfortable for you. Begin to settle in. and bring your awareness to your body as a whole. In this exercise, we're going to just be present with the body and sensations in the body without trying to change them in any way. We're going to experience them with a sense of curiosity and openness and allow whatever is there to be there. If you notice during this exercise you're judging in any way that you like something or don't like something, just be aware of that and bring your awareness back to the body. Now let's bring our awareness to our breath. Just be aware of the fact that you're breathing and how you're breathing. With each breath, allow yourself to sink a little deeper into the earth. Now let's bring our awareness to the left foot. Notice the left foot as if you're noticing it for the first time. Sense where it comes into contact with the floor. the temperature of your foot, sensations of tingling, or feeling the sock on your foot if you have one, or the weight of a blanket if there's one on your feet. Whatever you're experiencing is just fine. It doesn't matter. You may notice that there are at times no sensations at all, and that is okay too. You can say to yourself, no sensation or nothing. Now let's move up from the left foot up into the left leg area, the calf and the shin. And notice what you're experiencing in that region. Perhaps where the calf is coming in contact with the floor. Any sensations of tightness or relaxation in those muscles. And now continuing up into the knee and noticing how it's connected to our lower leg. and to the upper part of our leg, our thigh. And noticing sensations in the thigh region. Notice how your left leg is connected to your left hip and any sensations of pressure. or contact with the floor that you're experiencing there. Moving from the left hip to your lower back and paying attention to whatever is there with a sense of openness. Now from your lower back, moving back down to your right foot. Noticing any sensations in your right foot: temperature, textures against your skin, places where your foot comes into contact with the floor. Moving up from your right foot to your right lower leg. your shin and your calf, and noticing what's there. Sensing the connection of your lower leg to your knee, and your knee to your thigh. And now bringing your awareness to your right hip, and once again noticing if you have any sensations in that region. You can describe the sensation with a word or two, or note that there is no sensation there, and continue to your torso. I want you to experience once again the lower back. Perhaps it's pressing into the floor or pressing against the back of a chair. Notice that pressure. You may even notice the arch in your back. Focusing in on the torso, notice your belly that rises with each in-breath and falls with each out-breath. And if your mind wanders away from your body, just gently and kindly return it to that region. Notice the sensations in the center of your chest. Feel your shoulder blades, perhaps pressing down into the mat or against the back of a chair. Notice that your shoulder blades are connected to your shoulders. And your shoulders are connected to your arms. All the way down to your fingers. Now we're going to bring our awareness to both of our arms at the same time, starting with our hands. Notice any sensations you're experiencing in your hands at this time. Perhaps you notice the texture that your fingertips are touching. the temperature and perhaps differences in temperature in different parts of your hand, the top and the palms of your hand. Notice how your hands are connected to your wrist. And your wrist is connected to your forearm. The sense of openness. Just notice any sensations in your forearm. Notice that angle of your arm. And notice how your forearm is connected to your elbow. Notice the upper arms, also connected at the elbow, and back up towards the shoulder region again. Now move your awareness gently into the neck area. Notice any sensations here, perhaps associated with swallowing. with the sensation of the passage of air through this region. Noticing how your neck supports your head, and how your head as a whole is coming into contact with the floor, or how it's just being supported upright. Noticing the top of your head and also your face. Perhaps differences in temperature in your face as a whole. Noticing your brow region and sensations there. Your nose and experiencing the sensation of air entering your nose. Noticing your mouth. On the outside, your lips and on the inside, your tongue and teeth. Your jaw. Any feelings of tension you may be experiencing in your jaw. without judgment. Just allowing sensations to be there. Moving towards your ears and noticing any sensations in your ears. And experiencing your head as a whole once again. And now sensing your entire body as a whole. From the top of your head all the way down to your toes. Being fully present with the entire body. As you're experiencing the body as a whole, being aware of the surface of your skin and noting any slight sensations you might be experiencing on your skin and differences in different regions, perhaps in temperature. or sensations of touch, experiencing this wholeness, experiencing being present in this moment with whatever is here in your body. There's no need to change any sensation or experience that you're having. Just allowing it to be here. Now, once more, bringing your attention to your breath and noticing the sensations of breathing in and breathing out. this in-breath and this out-breath. Being fully aware, just as you are in this moment.

This is the body scan meditation. This practice can be done in a position where you're lying down or all seated in a chair. It doesn't matter which you choose. The most important thing is that you're in a comfortable position that you can maintain for the next 40 minutes or so. The purpose of this meditation is not to relax. This may or may not happen as a result of engaging in this practice, but it's to begin to be aware of our bodies systematically. I'll walk you through different parts of the body. bringing awareness to those regions and just noticing what's present without a need to change anything in any way. You may choose to set an intention to stay awake for this exercise, although this exercise can also be used as a way to promote sleep for the purposes of cultivating mindfulness, you may set an intention to stay awake. During this practice, you may experience pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral sensations, or no sensation at all. That's all perfectly okay. The idea is to approach whatever is present in the body, Without judgment, but with a sense of openness and curiosity. You may notice some discomfort in different parts of the body. I'd encourage you to see if you can make some space and explore that discomfort. And if you're able to be present with it, seeing what happens. If you are present with it, making some room for it. Alternatively, if you're not able to be with that discomfort in that particular moment, you can always choose to shift your attention to a place of comfort in the body, such as your hands or your breath, and pick up in the body scan when you're ready. So taking a moment now to settle into a position If you're sitting in a chair, finding a position where you're seated upright but also comfortable. If you're lying down, often this practice is done lying on the back, but if that's not comfortable, finding a position that is comfortable for you. Feeling free to place a pillow under the head. under the knees, allowing your arms to be at your sides. If you're lying down, palms facing up, beginning to just settle into this position, noticing places of contact with the chair or the floor. Noticing your body as a whole in this moment, sitting or lying here, bringing some attention to your breath. And with each breath, allowing yourself to settle into this position a bit more, turning your attention a bit more inward. And when you're ready, bringing your attention down into the left foot, into the left big toe. Allowing everything else in your awareness to fade a little bit into the background and bringing the left toe and the center of your attention, the center of your awareness, noticing sensations in this part of the body, temperature, coolness, or warmth. And noticing the other toes on your left foot, the little toe, and the toes in between. Perhaps even sensing the spaces between these toes and differences in temperature across the toes. Again, we're not trying to change anything or achieve a particular state. We're just noticing what's here. Bringing your attention into the rest of the foot, the top of the foot, the balls of the feet, the foot, the left foot, the arch of the foot, the heel of the foot. Noticing what's present in these regions, perhaps describing to yourself in a couple of words what's here with openness and curiosity. Noticing places your foot may be coming into contact with the surface below. Just noting what that feels like. Allowing the foot now to fade a little bit into the background of your awareness and now bringing your awareness to the ankle. Noticing this part of the body, the left ankle. Noticing if there is any particular sensation here. And if there's nothing here, you can say to yourself none or nothing. That's perfectly fine. And from here, following your attention into the lower left leg, sensing the soft muscle of the calf of your left leg, the top of the left leg, the shin. Also seeing if you can sense the muscles, the bone, the tissue that make up this part of the body. Just noticing what's here. And by now you may have noticed that the mind wanders. Again, this is perfectly normal. Each time you notice the mind has wandered with kindness and compassion, just come back, pick up where we are. No big deal. Now bringing your attention to the left knee, noticing the kneecap sensations underneath the knee, noticing the position of the knee and any sensations in this region. And from here, bringing your attention into the upper left leg, the thigh region, and noticing the large muscle of the left thigh, the bone that innervates this region, the longest bone in our body, noticing sensations in the top of the thigh, as well as underneath, just being here right now in this moment, in this region of the body. And when you're ready, allowing the left leg to recede a little bit into the background of your awareness. You don't have to push anything away, but bringing your attention now over to the right leg, all the way down into the right foot. Once again, noticing the right big toe. Temperature here. Sensations in the right toe. Sensing the little toe on the right foot. As well as the toes in between. Just noticing what's here in this region of the body. Maybe describing to yourself in a couple of words what's present. Seeing if you can sense the space, the spaces between the toes. And from here, bringing attention to the rest of the foot, the top of the foot, the sole of the foot. Sensing the different parts of the sole, the balls of the right foot, the arch of the right foot, as well as the right heel. Noticing once more places the foot may be coming into contact. with the surface below, and what sensations are present there. Noticing textures, sensing the foot as a whole for a moment, exactly as it is in this moment, and allowing the foot to fade a bit into the background of your awareness and bringing your focus on the right ankle. Sensing this region that we often may not pay much attention to, but just noticing what's here. Are any sensations present? And once more, bringing your attention into the right lower leg, the region from the ankle to the knee, just sensing the soft calf muscle, the shin on the right leg, the bone inside this part of the body. Sensing the internal and external components of this part of your body. From here, following your attention into the right knee. Sensing the right kneecap. and the region beneath the knee on the underside. Noticing any sensations in this region, being open to what's here right now without attaching a story to it, just noting what's here. And from here, following your attention into the right upper leg, noticing the large muscle of the right thigh, the long bone that innervates this region. Becoming aware of sensations, on the top of the thigh, as well as the underside. Perhaps places of contact with the chair or the floor. Just seeing if you can allow whatever is here to be here. And from here, allowing the right leg to recede a little bit into the background of your awareness and bringing your attention now to the pelvic region. Sensing the right hip, sensations here as well as the left hip. Noticing the pelvic area, the region of the genitals. as well as the buttocks. Perhaps again, sensing some pressure in the buttocks where there's contact with the chair or the floor and just noticing what that's like. Describing to yourself what's there. Perhaps pressure, maybe tingling. warmth. And from here, following your attention to your lower back, a place where you may hold some tension, just exploring that, exploring what's in this region for you in this moment, not needing to change anything. Perhaps noticing the slight arch of the back in this region. And now bringing your attention to the abdominal region, the belly. Noticing what's present here, perhaps some movement associated with breathing. Seeing if you can sense the internal organs in this part of the body, the muscles, the tissues. And from here, following your awareness into the chest. Once again, perhaps noticing movement here associated with the breath. Noticing this rhythmic movement. It doesn't matter if your breath is fast or slow in this moment, smooth or jagged. It doesn't matter. Just noticing. We're just cultivating awareness. And when the mind wanders, we gently come back over and over again. In this part of the body, the chest, seeing if you can sense your heart beating. And if not, that's okay. Knowing that it is. Bringing attention now to the upper back. Noticing sensations here. texture on the skin, temperature, places of contact with the chair or the floor, perhaps some tension here, just making space for it all. And from here, bringing your attention to the shoulders. Again, a place where we tend to hold some tension. Exploring if tension is there, what that feels like, and just labeling it tightness. From here, bringing your attention into the left arm all the way down into the left hand. Noticing the position of the left hand in this moment. Temperature in the hand as a whole. Bringing attention to the left thumb, pointer finger, noticing sensations in each finger sequentially, the middle finger, the ring finger, and the pinky. Noticing the top of the hand, as well as the palm of the hand, and the bones and tissues inside this part of the body. Following your attention into the left lower arm, sensing the wrist, the forearm, the muscles in this region, the bones that connect the hand to the elbow here, sensing the elbow, the position of the elbow, Any sensations there or places where it may be coming into contact with the surfaces below. And following your awareness into the left upper arm. Noticing what's here in this moment, just right now. And the muscles, the tissues, and the bone. in this part of the body. Just describing to yourself what's here and being open to what's here if you're able to, without any judgment, without a story. Allowing the left arm to fade a little bit into the background and following your attention across the chest into the right arm, all the way down into the right hand. Noticing again the position of the right hand, sensations of warmth or coolness, textures that your hand may be coming into contact with, noticing each finger individually the thumb, the pointer finger, middle finger, ring finger, and pinky. Noticing the palm of the hand and the back of the hand. Sensing the tissues and bones that make up this part of the body. And from here, following your attention into the right forearm. Sensing this part of the body, temperature here. Perhaps places of contact with the surface below. Sensing the muscles and tissues internally here. Just describing to yourself what's present in this part of the body. Noticing the right elbow A place, again, we may not pay much attention to during the course of the day. Just noticing if anything is present in that region in this moment. If nothing in particular, you can always say none or nothing. No big deal. Following your awareness to the right upper arm. Noticing this region of the body, the muscles here, the tissue, the bone, sensations, textures. Just noticing what's here right now. And when the mind wanders, just coming back to the right upper arm, kindness and friendliness and the light touch, just bring your mind back, allowing the right arm now to fade into the background a bit, bringing attention back across the chest and now into the neck. Noticing sensations in this part of the body, in the front of the neck, perhaps sensations associated with breathing or swallowing, as well as the back of the neck, perhaps. coming into contact with the surface below if you're lying down or against the back of a chair. Following your awareness into the face, into the lower part of the face, the jaw, the mouth, the lips, noticing sensations inside the mouth. Wetness or some dryness. Sensing your tongue, your teeth, your gums. Just noticing what's here. Inside the mouth. Noticing your cheeks and sensations in that region as well as the nose. Perhaps noticing the breath at the tip of the nostrils. Sensing the soft muscles around the eyes. If your eyes are closed, still noticing perhaps colors, lighting behind the eyelids. Bringing attention to the brow. Just noticing if it's tense or relaxed in this moment. Doesn't matter. Sensing your ears on the sides of your head, noticing the back of the head, again, perhaps coming into contact with a surface beneath it or behind it, as well as the top of the head. Now seeing if you can sense your body lying here as a whole. Exactly as it is in this moment without you having to change anything. Exactly as it should be in this moment. Sensing your body here as a whole from the top of your head down to your toes. You've been sensing the skin that envelops your body. Sensing the miracle of the body resting here. Nowhere to go, nothing to change. Just being here in this body, in this moment. resting here for as long as you'd like and if you choose to come out of this meditation you can very slowly wiggle your toes and your fingers and at your own pace you can roll over to one side, slowly pushing yourself up to a seated position if you're lying down, and completing this meditation.

Go ahead and settle into your body. And bring your awareness to the center of your chest. Perhaps place a hand over your heart center, the center of your chest, the center of caring and compassion. Notice any sensations there. And with this exercise, we're going to practice wishing ourselves and others well, connecting with our heart center as we do this. We'll focus on ourselves first. Knowing that we are worthy of kindness and love and compassion despite our flaws. And subsequently we'll direct messages of caring to others. As I repeat the phrases of kindness that we're going to direct to ourselves, you can repeat those in your mind and put them in your own words if you wish. So initially, bring an image of yourself into mind. And with your hand over your heart, repeat these phrases to yourself. May I be surrounded by love and kindness. May I be safe and protected. May I be happy and contented. May I be healthy and strong. May I be at ease. And you can choose one of these statements or one of the words from these statements that most resonated with you and repeat that word to yourself a few more times. Now I'd like you to bring someone to mind for whom your love flows freely, for whom it would be easy to send these well wishes. And bring the image of that person to mind. And I'd like you to, once again, Repeat these phrases to yourself. May you be surrounded by love and kindness. May you be safe and protected. May you be happy and contented. May you be healthy and strong. May you be at ease. And add any other statements for this person that you'd like at this point as well, any other well wishes. Now I'd like you to bring to mind a neutral person, maybe an acquaintance, somebody who doesn't elicit very strong positive or negative feelings for you. Bring an image of that person to mind and repeat these phrases for that individual. May you be surrounded by love and kindness. May you be safe and protected. May you be happy. And contented. May you be healthy and strong. May you be at ease. And now send any other personal wishes or statements that you'd like to this individual. Now I'd like you to bring a person to mind with whom your relationship is a bit more challenging. Not the most difficult relationship that you have, but one that perhaps there's some tension or other challenges maybe a recent argument, but that you're willing to open your heart to this person, even if it's a bit of a stretch for you. And go ahead and bring the image of this person to your mind. And repeat these phrases once again to yourself. May you be surrounded by love and kindness. May you be safe and protected. May you be happy and contented. May you be healthy and strong. May you be at ease. And again, sending any other personal wishes or blessings to this individual. Now continuing to hold your hand over your heart and noticing sensations there and allowing your blessings and well wishes to flow freely. We're going to extend these feelings of compassion and well wishes to everyone, everywhere. May everyone be surrounded by love and kindness. May everyone be safe and protected. May everyone be happy and contented. May everyone be healthy and strong. May everyone be at ease. And once again, adding any personal wishes or statements you have for everyone, everywhere. Now, bringing your awareness back to your heart. Noticing any sensations there. Any feelings, any moods, bringing your awareness back to your breath, resting with a few breath cycles before ending this exercise.