Stress can settle in the body, causing fatigue, discomfort, and even pain. The following guided meditation exercise promotes body awareness and release of stress. The exercise invites the individual to see himself or herself surrounded by a warm light that bathes the entire body, creating feelings of rest and relaxation.
Preparing for the Body Awareness Meditation
One will need a comfortable place to sit or lay, uninterrupted while performing this calming meditation. An eye mask may help block out light if meditating during the daytime.
A journal or paper and pen may also be useful, in case the meditation exercise brings up information about the body and stress retention.
If it’s a warm, sunny day, one may also try the body awareness meditation sitting at a desk, lounging by the pool, or any other warm, light place that is comfortable and private.
Directions for the Body Awareness Meditation
Plan on twenty to thirty minutes for this exercise, perhaps longer if it is especially helpful and healing.
- Sit or lay down in a comfortable position. Close the eyes, and relax the body. Wriggle and move the body until stretched out and relaxed.
- Imagine a warm, bright light surrounding the bottoms of the feet. Feel the light moving up the soles of the feet to include the toes, heels, and tops of the feet. Relax in the warmth encompassing the feet for several minutes. Wriggle the toes and twist the feet gently as they soak in the light surrounding them.
- Now watch the light move up the legs ever so slowly. Feel the warmth as the light reaches the calves and then proceeds up to the knees. Move the lower legs in any way desired. Watch them dancing in the pool of light surrounding them.
- The light now moves up the knees ever so slowly until it is halfway up the thighs. Watch the light as it moves up the thighs towards the torso. Now the light has reached the waist. Soak in the warmth of the light for a little while. Move the legs in any way that feels good as they slosh in the pool of warmth surrounding them.
- Notice the light sloshing against the waistline. Watch ever so carefully as the light creeps above the waist and up the belly.
- Pay special attention to the belly and lower abdomen now wading in the light. Many internal organs are housed there. Imagine the light penetrating into the abdomen and bathing the stomach, intestines, liver, spleen, and reproductive organs with warmth.
- Now the light creeps up the belly past the belly button and reaches the chest. Let the light flow all the way up the chest into the neck. Imagine the light penetrating into the chest cavity and bathing the lungs, heart and arteries with warmth. Feel the light penetrating completely through the body and soaking the back and shoulders, too. Focus on the warmth on the back and shoulders for several minutes.
- The light’s sloshing against the neck. Let the light creep up the neck past the mouth, past the nose, and past the eyes to completely cover the head. See the light curve around like a giant bubble and encompass the entire body like a cocoon. Rest the whole body in the light for several more minutes, like soaking in a total body bathtub.
- When ready, visualize the light disappearing but the body remaining, full and whole. Rest for several minutes before opening the eyes and getting up.
Variation on Body Awareness Meditation for Specific Part of the Body
To heal and relax a particular body part, focus the light specifically on that part of the body. Go very slowly, and visualize an intense light completely absorbing that part of the body.
If one organ, such as the heart, is weak or ill, focus the light inside the body to bathe that organ very slowly and gently.
Relaxing the body and fighting stress is a lifelong journey. With meditation tools such as this body awareness exercise, one is better able to fight stress and be present in her/her own body.
For another relaxation exercise that uses deep breaths to unwind, one might enjoy the Catching Breath Meditation. To take a vacation at work or during the winter, the Nature Scene Meditation may be of interest.
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