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Try more practices · Lesson 7 of 11

The Body Scan: A Short Guided Practice for Beginners

Learn to move your attention slowly from your feet to your face, notice what is there without forcing it, and follow a short guided scan.

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Cover picture for lesson 7: The Body Scan: A Short Guided Practice for BeginnersVideo coming soon
The video is not out yet. The written lesson below has the same content.
THE WRITTEN LESSONFollow along at your pace

A body scan is a meditation where you move your attention slowly through your body and notice what you find. It suits beginners because it gives your attention a clear route to follow. The steps here follow the Greater Good in Action body scan from UC Berkeley, which takes about 5 minutes.

Settle first

Sit or lie down, whichever is more comfortable. Notice that you are safe in this moment, and feel the support beneath you: the chair, the floor or the bed. Then take a few slow breaths. Settling first gives the scan a calm start.

Under the heading Settle first, a seated person on a chair and a person lying on a floor mat each have yellow arrows pointing up beneath them. The labels read Chair and Floor or bed, with a chip that says A few slow breaths.(opens the full-size picture)
Chair or floor, the support beneath you is already there.

The route from feet to face

Now move your attention slowly through your body. Start with your feet on the floor, then your legs, your back and your stomach. Then your hands, your arms and shoulders, your neck and throat, and finally your jaw and face, softening where you can. Finish by noticing your whole body at once.

Take your time with each part. You are not trying to change anything. You are simply noticing what is there, and it is fine if you cannot feel some areas.

A glowing amber body outline with dots joined by a dashed line from the feet up to the face. The labelled points are Feet, Legs, Hands, Back, Stomach, Arms and shoulders, Neck and throat, and Jaw and face.(opens the full-size picture)
The route runs from the feet upward, one part at a time.

It’s fine if you can’t feel something

It is fine if you can’t feel some areas. You are noticing, not fixing. If your mind wanders, which it will, come back to the part of your body you were on. That return is the practice, just as it is with the breath.

A body outline with an amber dot on the stomach and a dashed line leading to a thought bubble that says lunch. Two chips read Can't feel it? Fine and Notice, don't fix.(opens the full-size picture)
A wandering thought is a cue to return, not a mistake.

If there is pain

A body scan can draw your attention to pain. If it does, notice it without trying to force it to change. If it is too much, open your eyes, or stop. You are in charge of the practice, and stopping is always allowed.

A body outline with an amber dot on one knee, labelled A sore knee. Two chips read Notice, don't force and, in amber, Too much? Open your eyes, or stop.(opens the full-size picture)
Notice pain without forcing it, and stop if it is too much.

A short scan you can follow

The video has a guided version with real silences, so you can close your eyes and listen. Without the video, follow these steps and pause for a few slow breaths at each one:

  1. Sit or lie down. Let your eyes close, or rest your gaze softly.
  2. Feel the support beneath you, and take a slow breath.
  3. Bring your attention to your feet on the floor.
  4. Now your legs.
  5. Your back, and your stomach.
  6. Your hands, your arms and your shoulders.
  7. Your neck and throat.
  8. Your jaw and face. Let them soften, if they can.
  9. Now notice your whole body, all at once.
  10. When you are ready, slowly open your eyes.

YOUR TURN

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Read the full lesson script

In this lesson, you'll learn the body scan: moving your attention slowly through your body, and noticing what's there. Then we'll do a short one together.

Sit or lie down. Notice that you're safe in this moment, and feel the support beneath you: the chair, the floor or the bed. Take a few slow breaths.

Then move your attention slowly through your body. Start with your feet on the floor, then your legs, your back and your stomach. Then your hands, your arms and shoulders, your neck and throat, and finally your jaw and face, softening where you can. Finish by noticing your whole body at once.

It's fine if you can't feel some areas. You're noticing, not fixing. When your mind wanders, come back to the part of your body you were on.

A body scan can draw your attention to pain. If it does, notice it without trying to force it to change. If it's too much, open your eyes, or stop.

Let's try a short body scan together. Sit or lie down, and let your eyes close, or rest your gaze softly. Feel the support beneath you, and take a slow breath. Bring your attention to your feet on the floor. Now your legs. Your back, and your stomach. Now your hands, your arms and your shoulders. Your neck and throat. And your jaw and face. Let them soften, if they can. Now notice your whole body, all at once. When you're ready, slowly open your eyes.

So remember: feel the support beneath you, move slowly from your feet to your face, and notice without forcing. Before the next lesson, do a five-minute body scan on your own. Next, you'll try loving-kindness.