10 Minute Body Scan Meditation for Anxiety | Warm Light Visualization

Anxiety can often bring us outside of our bodies, stuck in our minds, and leave tightness and tension in our shoulders and chest. This quick guided body scan meditation was made to help release some of that tension in your chest with deep breathing, and bring your awareness back to your body and the present moment. If you'd like to support the work that I do, please follow, like, comment, or visit my page below:BuyMeACoffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/meditatewithlilyWebsite: www.meditatewithlily.comInstagram: @meditatewithlily Inquiries: Please contact me via the "contact" page on my website.Thank you for meditating with me 🤍Disclaimer: Meditate With Lily is a podcast about meditation, aimed at enhancing overall well-being. It is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare or mental health professional for specific concerns.

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
You're listening to Meditate with Lily.
Let's start by finding a comfortable position, either in
bed, on the couch, or even on the floor, and try to let your
body settle in. Since a lot of anxiety can be

(00:24):
held in our chests and abdomen, we want to make sure these areas
get a good stretch, So we're going to start out by taking a
few deep, grounding breaths. When you're ready, inhale
through the nose, letting your belly rise and expand, and
holding this breath for just a few moments.

(00:46):
Inhale just a little more if youcan, before exhaling fully and
consistently until all of the stale air in your lungs is gone.
Let's do this two more times. Inhale all of the new fresh
oxygen holding that stretch briefly, and exhale.

(01:11):
Let in your lungs empty fully one last time.
Inhale through the nose. Hold it here, inhale a little
more, and exhale. Now that we've got some fresh

(01:36):
air in our lungs, I'd like you to bring your attention to the
top of your scalp and start to notice any sensations here.
Maybe a slight tingling, maybe just the pressure of the surface
that's supporting your head, maybe nothing at all.
Start to relax the muscles around your head.

(01:59):
If it helps, you can imagine your awareness as a warm yellow
light surrounding the body partsthat we'll be moving through.
Right now. It is enveloping and cradling
your head, telling you you're safe here.
This moment is all for you to return to your body, to regulate

(02:23):
your body, and to finally feel at ease.
Let this warmth move down into your forehead, softening your
brows. Let your eyes gently close if
they haven't already. Try to soften the muscles around

(02:47):
your eyes. Let this light move outward
towards your ears and down to your jaw.
Try to let it drop as far as it can.

(03:10):
As you release your jaw, feel your tongue making contact with
your teeth or the roof of your mouth, and again, let this light
move throughout the rest of yourface, as if it's melting and
cleansing your entire head of any tension.

(03:41):
Let this light move down into your neck and shoulders, warming
and melting the muscles throughout.
Feel free to roll your shouldersbackwards and forwards.
Sometimes a little movement can help loosen things up too.

(04:09):
Now moving down to the chest, like I said, our bodies tend to
hold anxiety a lot more in the chest, so we're going to take a
little more time here to really focus on releasing the tension
here. Really try to imagine that light
enveloping your chest, holding you safely, warming up the

(04:30):
muscles throughout your chest, melting any tension as it passes
through your ribs, your heart, your lungs, your upper back.

(04:50):
And take just a few moments here.

(05:23):
If you're having a hard time relaxing your muscles, just
remember that it's OK to still feel a little on edge.
Right now. You're making an effort to
change the way you feel, and that's worth something.
Regulating your body takes practice.
Let's now imagine that light moving down into your abdomen.

(05:46):
You can place your hand on your belly if you'd like, and notice
each breath coming in as you letthe muscles in your belly
soften. Let each inhale fill you up with
more of this warm light. Let the light move down

(06:15):
throughout your hips, lifting the weight of a long day.
Feel free to shift your weight around to better let your hips
relax. Now moving down throughout your

(06:40):
legs, feel your thighs getting heavier and heavier and down to
your calves. Let this warm light wash over
your legs like a weighted blanket.

(07:11):
And let this light move down to your ankles and feet and through
the very tips of your toes. I'd like you to now bring your
attention to your entire body. Did that relaxation stick in

(07:35):
your shoulders or your face? If not, it's OK.
Let's just take a few moments tonote any areas that still feel a
little tense and practice relaxing them for just a few
moments. Let that warm yellow light wash
over your entire body. You can go ahead and gently open

(08:23):
your eyes and take one last deep, full breath in as you look
around the room and start to take in your surroundings again.
This is your reminder that you're here in the present
moment, and that this is the only place you need to be right

(08:44):
now. Now, I'd like to ask you to
notice how you're feeling now compared to the start of this
meditation. Does your body feel a bit
softer? Do you feel like your breathing

(09:07):
has slowed? Maybe you need more time
meditating or need to listen to another one?
Whatever feels right for you, I encourage you to take that step.
As we come to the end of this meditation, I'd like to take a
moment to thank my recent supporters.

(09:27):
Your support truly means the world to me.
If you'd like to support the work that I do and to help keep
the podcast going, you can visitthe links in my description.
And if you're not in a place to give monetarily, just know that
following and commenting are just as helpful.
Thank you so much for meditatingwith me.

(09:47):
Once again, you're listening to Meditate with Lily.