10 Minute Meditation Timer
Use ten minutes to notice body sensations in a simple sequence. This page pairs the timer with a body scan, a practice where you travel through the body with your attention instead of watching the breath.
Ready
Your screen may lock automatically, but the timer will keep running.
How the body scan works
There is nothing to achieve and no feeling you are supposed to have. You simply visit each part of the body in turn, notice whatever is there (warmth, tightness, contact with the chair, or nothing at all) and move on. Read the steps before starting; the timer does not speak or signal each section. The timings below add up to ten minutes, but approximate transitions are fine. Keep the page open and your device audible for the closing bell.
Settling in (about 1 minute)
Sit with your back upright and your feet flat, or lie on your back with your arms by your sides. Take a few unhurried breaths and let your weight be fully held by whatever is underneath you.
Head and face (about 2 minutes)
Bring your attention to the top of your head. Notice the scalp, then the forehead. Let the small muscles around the eyes soften. Unclench the jaw and let the tongue rest. Spend a few breaths just feeling the whole face.
Shoulders, arms, and hands (about 2 minutes)
Move to the shoulders and notice contact with clothing or support. You don't have to fix anything, just notice. Then let attention travel down both arms to the hands, all the way to the fingertips.
Chest and belly (about 2 minutes)
Feel the chest and belly moving with the breath. There is no need to change the breathing. Notice the back of the body too, where it presses against the chair or the floor.
Legs and feet (about 2 minutes)
Continue down through the hips and legs to the feet. Feel the soles, the toes, the points of contact. If an area feels numb or blank, that is fine. Notice that and keep going.
The whole body at once (final minute)
Now hold the entire body in awareness at once, from head to feet, breathing. Rest here until the bell rings. Then move a little, fingers and toes, before getting up.
Frequently asked questions
What is a body scan meditation?
A body scan is a practice where you move your attention slowly through the body, part by part, simply noticing what each area feels like. Instead of watching the breath the whole time, you visit the head, shoulders, arms, and so on down to the feet.
Should I lie down or sit for this 10 minute practice?
Either works. Sitting makes it easier to stay awake; lying down is fine if that is more comfortable, especially before sleep. If you lie down and notice yourself drifting off, try sitting next time.
What if I feel nothing in some parts of my body?
That is common, especially at first. You are not trying to create a sensation, only checking in. Noticing 'nothing much here' is a perfectly good observation. Move on to the next part.
For words to read aloud or print, open the fifteen-minute body scan script. For choices about skipping areas and changing position, use the body scan method guide.