Body-Breath Meditation
Ground and settle into present-moment awareness
Quick Start
Brings you into present-moment awareness through body scanning and breath focus. Simple and effective grounding.
A quiet place to sit or lie down. 5-15 minutes without interruption. Nothing else.
Before sleep. When waking up scattered. Before important tasks. As a daily practice for baseline stability.
The Exercise
Body Scan (3-5 minutes)
- 1 Get comfortable. Sit or lie down. Eyes closed or softened.
- 2 Place attention on the top of your head. Don't try to relax it - just notice it. Is there tension? Warmth? Nothing in particular? Just observe.
- 3 Move attention slowly downward:
- Forehead
- Eyes (often holding tension)
- Jaw (often holding tension)
- Throat → Shoulders → Arms and hands
- Chest → Stomach/belly
- Lower back → Hips → Legs → Feet
- 4 At each location, spend 5-10 seconds. Just notice. Don't force relaxation - awareness itself does the work.
- 5 Complete the scan at your feet. Take a moment to sense the whole body at once.
Breath Focus (5-10 minutes)
- 1 Allow breathing to happen naturally. Don't control it.
- 2 Notice where you feel the breath most clearly:
- Nostrils (cool air in, warm air out)?
- Chest rising and falling?
- Belly expanding and contracting?
- 3 Pick one location and rest your attention there.
- 4 Stay with the sensation of breathing at that spot. When your mind wanders (it will), notice it wandered, and return to the breath.
- 5 Continue for 5-10 minutes.
Quick Ground (1 minute)
When you don't have time for a full session:
- 1 Three deep breaths (slow exhale)
- 2 Feel your feet on the floor
- 3 Look at something in the room as if seeing it for the first time
- 4 Continue with your day
Signs It's Working
- Body feels heavier, more settled
- Thoughts slow down
- Environment sounds might become more vivid
- Time sense shifts (session feels shorter or longer than expected)
- After the practice, you feel more "here"
Common Challenges
"I can't stop thinking."
You're not supposed to. Thoughts will arise. The practice is noticing they arose and returning to body/breath. Each return is a repetition. Reps build strength.
"I don't feel anything in my body."
Start with the obvious - hands, feet. Spend more time there. Body awareness develops with practice. Numbness is also information.
"This is boring."
Good. Boredom is the mind complaining that it's not being entertained. Stay with it. What's on the other side of boredom is interesting.
Why This Works
The body is always in the present moment. It can't be anywhere else. When your attention is in your body, you're here.
Most mental suffering comes from attention being in the past (regret, rumination) or future (anxiety, worry). The body anchors you to now.
Over time, this practice:
- Reduces background anxiety (less time in future)
- Reduces rumination loops (less time in past)
- Increases response time before reacting
- Creates a baseline of calm you can access
It's not about achieving a special state. It's about training the skill of being where you are.
Want guided practice?
Get In Touch