10 Minute Full Body Awareness Mindfulness Practice

Calming your mind and noticing the sensations in your body help you to really ‘be’ present in the moment. By bringing awareness to a specific part of our body we are actually practicing mindfulness.

I always look forward to the ten minute guided mediations at the end of my gentle yoga class. It always leaves me feeling more focused and ready to take on the day. 

The great thing about mindfulness is that you can practice it anytime, anywhere. If you don’t like laying on your back you can practice while sitting in your chair, all you have to do is close your eyes, if that feels comfortable for you and start to scan your body, paying close attention to each part of your body from your toes to the top of your head.

As you lay or sit on the surface that’s most comfortable for you notice how it feels to be there.  Notice the sensations you feel. Notice the points of contact between your body and the surface. Notice your breath and the rise and fall of your abdomen as you breathe in and breathe out.

Bring your attention to the toes of your left foot. With the in-breath, notice the sensations you feel, then with an out-breath, let go of the toes and move your attention to the bottom of the left foot and your heel. Notice any sensation you feel here or any lack of sensation. Move on to the top of your left foot and ankle, noticing how this feels. Now move to the lower leg, knee, thigh, and hip on the left side of the body.

Move your awareness, now, to the toes of the right foot, the bottom of the right foot, including the heel. Bring awareness to the sensations you feel here. Now move to the top of your right foot and ankle scanning that area with awareness and notice any sensation or lack of sensation. Now move onto the lower leg, knee, thigh, and hip on the right side of the body.

Now bring awareness to the pelvic region, noticing any sensations or lack of sensation.

Move your awareness to the lower back and abdomen, notice what you feel here.

Now move your awareness to your back, the rib cage, and chest and notice any sensations you feel or don’t feel here.

Moving your awareness to the shoulder blades and shoulders, notice what is present in this area of your body.

From here, move your awareness to the fingers and the hands, on both sides. Pay attention to the fingers, thumbs, palms, back of the hands, wrists, and notice any sensations that are present here. 

Now move awareness to the wrists, forearms, elbows, upper arms, and shoulders, notice the sensations you\re feeling here.

Moving on to the neck and the throat, notice what you feel here.

Finally move on to the head and face, bringing awareness to the jaw, the chin, your lips, your teeth, and gums, the roof of your mouth, tongue and the back of the throat, the cheeks, and then the nose.

Then bring awareness to the ears, the eyes, the eyelids, eyebrows, forehead, temples, and finally the scalp.

Stay here in the present moment and feel the breath flowing in and out of the body. Acknowledge any feelings or thoughts that come into to your mind and then let them go.

Now bring your awareness back into the room. Wiggle your fingers and your toes, circle your wrists, take a full body stretch then bring your right knee to your chest and give it a hug, then bring your left knee to your chest and give both legs a hug and rock from side to side.

Fully awake and fully present roll yourself over to one side and stay here a moment before bringing yourself up to a cross-legged seated position if this is comfortable for you. Put your hands on your knees and breathe knowing, as my yoga teacher would say “that all is well with you and all is well in your world.”