Body scan for grief: 10 minutes, on the morning of an interview

About this practice

When grief shows up on the morning of an interview, this 10-minute body scan session gives you somewhere to put it down. A guided session of about 10 minutes, suited to all levels. Nothing is recorded and no account is needed.

What this works on: grief

Grief is not a mood that lifts on a schedule. It arrives in waves, often triggered by nothing, and it changes shape over months rather than days.

It tends to show up as:

Waves arriving without warning
Exhaustion that rest does not touch
Difficulty concentrating on ordinary things

This is not a practice for fixing grief. It is a place to sit while it moves through, so you are not alone with it in the middle of the day.

Doing this before an interview

Do it where you will not be interrupted, even if that is a stairwell
Have the first sentence of your answer ready afterwards
Keep it short — there is no time for a long session

Nerves before an interview are normal and not something to eliminate. You need access to what you know, nothing more.

How body scan works

A body scan moves attention systematically through the body, region by region. It does not try to change what it finds — it builds a map of what is actually there, which is often different from what you assumed.

Move slowly, head to feet or feet to head, and do not skip the uncomfortable areas
Meet each region with plain curiosity rather than a verdict
Numbness and absence of sensation are findings too

What happens, minute by minute

0:00Put both feet flat on the floor and let them take some of the weight.
0:14We will travel down through the body, one region at a time, and leave each one softer than we found it.
0:31You can let your eyes close now if they weren't already.
0:43Nothing here needs to be pleasant. Neutral is fine. Dull is fine.
0:56Let each breath out be a small letting go of the muscles around your ribs.
1:10Notice how many breaths you take in a minute. Don't change the number, just check.
1:24Let the whole of your right foot be heavy.
1:35Feel the parts of you that have gone quiet.
1:46Feel your upper back against whatever is behind it.
1:57Notice your ribs on both sides. Wide, not squeezed.
2:08Each time your mind hands you the ache that has no schedule, treat it like a leaf on a stream. Present for a moment, then carried on.
2:28This is not the last time the heaviness where someone used to be will visit. That is not bad news. It means you will get more practice.
2:48Notice if you've been frowning at your own thoughts.
2:59Move at the speed of your attention, not the speed of a checklist. There is no schedule to keep.
3:15A short silence. Let it be empty.
3:25Notice if you're waiting for something to happen. Nothing is scheduled.
3:37If a region feels numb, that is a finding too. Note it and move on.
3:51Nothing to follow for a moment except your own breathing.
4:03Notice the difference between a thought and the space around it.
4:15Your only job is to notice what is there, region by region, without fixing anything.
4:29A few quiet breaths. That's all this is.
4:40If you're thinking about the next thing on your list, that list will still be there.
4:55Let your breathing be boring. Boring is good here.
5:06Let your body keep settling.
5:15Notice your breathing, without changing it.
5:25Feel your breath move down your back, all the way to your lower ribs.
5:39A few seconds more.
5:48Feel your upper arms hanging. They're heavier than you remember.
6:00Let your breathing get quieter rather than deeper.
6:11Let it be this simple.
6:20Notice your wrists. They bend a lot in a day.
6:32Count down from ten, one number per exhale.
6:43Silence for a few breaths. Nothing to do in it.
6:55You have been carrying the wave that arrives without warning for a while. You can set it down for the length of this session and pick it up after.
7:16You are allowed to be unimpressed by the ache that has no schedule. Indifference is a legitimate response.
7:32Let your belly rise first, then your chest, then the tops of your lungs.
7:46If the heaviness where someone used to be shows up, let it be there without arguing with it. You are not trying to remove it, just to sit beside it.
8:07If you're distracted by a sound, let the sound be the object for a moment.
8:21Notice if your attention is in the future. Bring it back to the room.
8:35I'll leave a gap here. Use it however you like.
8:47Visit each area with plain curiosity, not with a verdict. Sensation is information, not a problem.
9:02Stay a moment longer than is comfortable.
9:12Let your breathing be completely ordinary again.
9:22Let your jaw, shoulders and hands be loose as you finish.

Questions people ask

What does this session help with?

Grief is not a mood that lifts on a schedule. It arrives in waves, often triggered by nothing, and it changes shape over months rather than days. This is not a practice for fixing grief. It is a place to sit while it moves through, so you are not alone with it in the middle of the day.

Where and when should I do this one?

Do it where you will not be interrupted, even if that is a stairwell. Nerves before an interview are normal and not something to eliminate. You need access to what you know, nothing more.

What actually happens during the 10 minutes?

Meditation is a practice, not a treatment. If you are dealing with ongoing distress, please also reach out to a professional.