Body Scan Meditation

What the Body Scan is

The Body Scan is typically practiced lying down, though sitting works too if lying down isn't comfortable or available. A guide walks your attention through the body, region by region — usually starting at the feet and moving upward — inviting you to simply notice whatever sensation is present (or the absence of sensation) in each area, without trying to change it. It's less about relaxing on cue and more about practicing sustained, non-judgmental attention.

Why it anchors MBSR

Jon Kabat-Zinn built the Body Scan into the first weeks of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course he founded in 1979, and it remains one of the three core formal practices taught in MBSR programs today, alongside sitting meditation and mindful yoga. See the MBSR guide for the fuller history and structure of the course.

Body Scan in the JKZ Meditations app

The app's Coping with Stress series (Series 1) includes two recordings of the practice: a 45-minute Body Scan Meditation — Original and a 46-minute Body Scan Meditation — Contemporary. The 45-minute Body Scan is one of the app's four free meditations, so you can try it without a subscription.

How to practice it

1. Find a position you can hold. Lying on your back is traditional; a chair or reclined seat works if that's more comfortable.
2. Set aside the full length. The formal practice runs about 45 minutes — treat that time as protected, not squeezed between other tasks.
3. Follow the guide's pacing. Let the recording move your attention through the body rather than rushing ahead on your own.
4. Expect your mind to wander. Noticing that it has and returning to the guide's voice is the practice, not a sign you're doing it wrong.

Sources and further reading

• Jon Kabat-Zinn — official biography
• Jon Kabat-Zinn — guided practice downloads
• UMass Chan Center for Mindfulness — the academic home of MBSR
• JKZ Meditations on the App Store
• JKZ Meditations on Google Play