Exploring the Annamaya Kosha: A Body Scan Meditation

Here is the audio to follow for the pranayama practice - feel free to download and use it whenever you need it.

TRANSCRIPT:

Hello and welcome to Cultivating Chill. 

My name is Vikki Velasquez and today, we will use a body scan meditation to explore the annamaya kosha – the physical layer of the Pancha Kosha system.

For this meditation, we will be laying flat on a yoga mat. We use our breath to bring awareness and attention to different areas of the body, scanning the right side, then the left side and then the whole body together. 

Before we begin – Please note - If you are experiencing a shortness of breath or experience chronic breathing disorders, please do not participate in the practice but feel free to observe. Also, if at any time you feel overwhelmed or short of breath, let go of meditation and let your breath breathe itself. 

So, let’s get ready for our body scan meditation. Meditation will last about 10 minutes or so. 

I invite you to find a comfortable resting position on your yoga mat. We want to lay flat with our arms resting at our sides and our legs long. Feel free to adjust yourself, settling into a comfortable, mindful posture.

During meditation, try to take deep, full inhales and releasing exhales. 

The body scan meditation will begin. 

Let’s take a moment to feel the natural breath…the feel of the inhale as it travels inside and through the body…the feel of the exhale as the breath is released. 

With the inhale, notice how as the lungs fill with air, the belly rises softly, and then the chest. 

With the exhale, the lungs empty, the belly gently sinks, and the chest follows.

Let your next inhale be full and deep.

Exhale to release.

Full, deep inhale. 

Exhale and relax the forehead, your eyebrows, the space between your eyebrows. 

Full, deep inhale. 

Exhale and relax the space around your eyes, the space behind your eyes, your eyes. 

Full, deep inhale. 

Exhale and relax your ears and your jaw, softening your cheekbones, allowing space between the teeth.

Full, deep inhale. 

Exhale and relax your neck, and the back of the head. 

Full, deep inhale.

Exhale and relax your chest, and the back of your shoulders. 

Full, deep inhale.

Exhale and relax your belly, and your whole back. 

Full, deep inhale.

Exhale and relax your right shoulder, right arm, right elbow, right wrist. 

Full, deep inhale.

Exhale and relax your right hand, the center of your palm, the back of your hand.

Full, deep inhale.

Exhale and relax the right thumb, pointer finger, middle finger, ring finger, little finger.

Inhale fully and deeply into the whole length of your right side.

Exhale and relax everything, from the top of your shoulder, your arm, your elbow, your wrist, down to the tips of your fingers. 

Full, deep inhale.

Exhale and relax your left shoulder, left arm, left elbow, left wrist. 

Full, deep inhale.

Exhale and relax your left hand, the center of your palm, the back of your hand.

Full, deep inhale.

Exhale and relax the left thumb, pointer finger, middle finger, ring finger, little finger.

Inhale fully and deeply into the whole length of your left side.

Exhale and relax everything, from the top of your shoulder, your arm, your elbow, your wrist, down to the tips of your fingers. 

Inhale fully and deeply into your whole torso – your chest, your stomach, the right side and left side. 

Exhale and relax into the mat. 

Full, deep inhale.

Exhale and relax the right hip and right buttock.

Full, deep inhale.

Exhale and relax the right thigh, right knee, the right leg.

Full, deep inhale.

Exhale and relax the right ankle, the inside of the right foot, the outside of the right foot. 

Full, deep inhale.

Exhale and relax the top of the right foot, then the bottom of the right foot.

Full, deep inhale.

Exhale and relax the right big toe, the second toe, the third toe, the fourth toe, the fifth toe. 

Inhale fully and deeply into the whole length of your right side.

Exhale and relax everything, from the top of the right hip, down through the buttock, thigh, knee, leg, ankle, foot and toes. 

Full, deep inhale.

Exhale and relax the left hip and left buttock.

Full, deep inhale.

Exhale and relax the left thigh, left knee, the left leg.

Full, deep inhale.

Exhale and relax the left ankle, the inside of the left foot, the outside of the left foot. 

Full, deep inhale.

Exhale and relax the top of the left foot, then the bottom of the left foot.

Full, deep inhale.

Exhale and relax the left big toe, the second toe, the third toe, the fourth toe, the fifth toe. 

Inhale fully and deeply into the whole length of your left side.

Exhale and relax everything, from the top of the left hip, down through the buttock, thigh, knee, leg, ankle, foot and toes. 

Inhale fully and deeply into your whole bottom body, from your hips to your toes.

Exhale and relax into the mat. 

Inhale fully and deeply into your whole body, from the top of your head to the tips of your fingers and toes and all the spaces in between. 

Exhale fully and deeply, letting your whole body relax. 

Let your breath explore your space. 

You are supported, from the back of your heels up the back of your head. 

From the back of your head to the back of your heels. 

Shoulder to shoulder. Hip to hip. 

The whole body is completely relaxed, rooted to the Earth.  

Notice the way the body rests in stillness. 

Notice that when the body is still, the mind is still also. 

Breathe into the stillness of your full body.

(two minutes of quiet breathing)

Our meditation is about to come to an end. 

Gently breathe into your feet, grounding yourself as you awaken.

Wiggle your fingertips, curl your fingers to your palms. 

Wiggle your toes, gently flexing your ankles. 

Roll your wrists. 

Raise your arms over head to stretch, keeping your eyes closed. 

Bend your knees and place your feet on the mat. 

Drop your legs to the right and then drop them to the left. 

Stretch to the left, stretch over to the right. 

When you are ready, gently roll to your side and lift yourself up in a comfortable sitting position. 

Place your palms together in a prayer position at heart center. 

The Light in Me Honors the Light in You. 

Namaste. 

Cultivating Chill hopes you found the information and breathing practices informative and helpful. If you have any questions or want to share anything, please feel free to leave a comment.