I have included a script of BLSL for any practitioners who would like to use it with their clients, or if you would like to record it for yourself or use it with a friend or family member.
Getting settled.
First, come in to the body. Bring the awareness to the breathing and see if you can breathe in for a count of 5 for several breaths, whilst also bring the awareness to the weight of the body where it is standing, sitting or lying. Let yourself settle into presence.
Bring the awareness to the heart and take a moment to appreciate your intention and capacity to do this work: appreciate your willingness to care for yourself and your nervous system and heal. If you have a spiritual belief, ask that your higher power or tradition support you in this work.
You can hold in your awareness all the millions of human beings and animals across the word with a nervous system just like yours, with weaknesses and strengths just like yours….Know that you are connected and that what you are learning benefits not only you, but your earth community…Feel your belonging as part of that, and feel your love and connection for others and yourself in this moment.
Brief Body Scan.
We will come in to the head, feeling the scalp, letting it relax, the muscles of facial expression, the tongue, the cheeks, the jaw, sensing into the body, if possible sensing also into the space around the body, the wider field that supports you. Allowing the eyes to settle back into the head, sensing the throat, the back of the neck, the spinal column, chest, lungs, heart, diaphragm, belly and lower belly and intestines. Bringing the awareness through the trunk of the body: the back, the organs, and the chest and belly. then coming in to the legs and the arms, feeling the hands and the feet.
Body Low Sloop Practice.
Now we are ready to practice the body low slow loop. Scanning the body and seeing if there is an area of sensation that is particularly loud, uncomfortable, interesting, or in some way attracts your attention. If you are working with a situation or an emotion, sense where that is located within the body and how it feels.
Where is the sensation?
Just stay with that, be with that.
Can you feel deeper into it?
Is it more to the left or the right?
Is it shallow or deep?
Moving or still?
Sharp or dull?
Does it come and go, or is it solid?
Is it heavy or light?
Where are the outer most edges of the sensation cluster? The lower, left and right and top periphery?
Good, well done. Really get a full experience of the sensation.
If thoughts or feelings come, try noticing them but coming back to sensation.
Now shift the awareness to the peripheries, or more neutral areas; choosing the hands or the feet, or if you need to, an external location for the gaze. I will guide for feet for the first loop, hands for the second and gaze for the third.
Bringing the awareness down in to the feet. Feeling the density of the feet, the weight, the contact with surfaces or clothing they may be touching; Feel the temperature. Really immerse yourself in the experience and sensations here. Wiggle the toes a little if you want to. Bring your awareness into one foot. Sense into the sole of the foot, feeling the arch and the heel and the toes. Feel the top side of the foot. Imagine being able to trace the outer edge of the foot. Feel the little toes, and the outer edge of the foot, the heel, the arch; the big toes, and all the little toes. Again feel the weight and surface area of the foot. That’s great.
Then shift the awareness back into the original area of sensation.
Has it changed, moved or is it the same?
Where is the sensation?
Juts stay with that, be with that.
Can you feel deeper into it?
Is it more to the left or the right?
Is it shallow or deep?
Moving or still?
Sharp or dull?
Does it come and go, or is it solid?
Is it heavy or light?
Where are the outer most edges of the sensation cluster? The lower, left and right and top periphery?
Really get a full experience of the sensation.
Again, if thoughts or feelings come, gently notice them and come back to sensation.
Now bringing the awareness down in to the hands. Feeling the density of the hands, the weight, the contact with surfaces or clothing they may be touching or resting upon; Feel the temperature. Really immerse yourself in the experience and sensations here in the hands. Wiggle the fingers a little if you want to. Bring your awareness into either the left or Right hand. Sense into the wrist; the palm of the hand. What is the temperature? How does the skin feel? the deeper layers of ligaments, muscles and bones? Sense into the fingers, the thumb. Feel the top side of the hand. Again feel the weight and surface area of the hand. That’s great. Now imagine being able to trace the outer edge of the hand. Feel the little finger, the outer edge of the hand, the wrist, the thumb, the other four fingers. Great.
Now once again, shift the awareness back up to the original area of sensation. Again, sensing if it is the same, or if it has moved. is it sharper or softer? Deeper or more to the surface? Has it unwound or become more compressed?
Again, directing and focusing the awareness and attention with inquiry into sensation.
Where is the sensation?
Juts stay with that, be with that.
Can you feel deeper into it?
Is it more to the left or the right?
Is it shallow or deep?
Moving or still?
Sharp or dull?
Does it come and go, or is it solid?
Is it heavy or light?
Where are the outer most edges of the sensation cluster? The lower, left and right and top periphery?
Really get a full experience of the sensation.
Again, if thoughts or feelings come, gently notice them and come back to sensation.
Third Version only for those who can’t shift to hands/feet; if you can do third loop with hands or feet.
Great now open the eyes if they are closed and look around the room or space that you are within. See if you can slowly pick out five things of a certain colour and name them, either out loud or in your head. Look around the space again and see if you can see five things that have a rectangular or circular shape or pattern that you like. Again name them silently or out loud. Maybe shift the awareness to auditory channel if you would like. Pick out three sounds that are from varying distance: for instance my breathing (close), the sound of the washing machine (next door) the sound of the lawn mower and birds (further_ outside)
Great, now return to the body, and scan through the body, feeling into the breath and the whole of the body. If you have a spiritual practice, thank your higher power or tradition for being with you. Breathe into the heart and once again sense a feeling of love, appreciation and acceptance of yourself, and for others and the world as they are.
Well done!!!
You may notice the sensation shift, move, decrease in intensity or disperse. You may notice a decrease in pain or tightness whether emotional or physical, and a relaxation in fixation upon the sensation or emotion and more availability for energy flow, choice, possibility and connection. I find it a useful practice for decreasing back pain and anxiety, helping me feel safer and more present, coming in to balance emotionally and for general nervous system health and addiction recovery.