Body scan meditation for the inner critic (7 min), late at night

About this practice

7 minutes to meet the inner critic with less of a fight. A body scan practice, late at night. A guided session of about 7 minutes, suited to all levels. Nothing is recorded and no account is needed.

What this works on: the inner critic

The inner critic often formed as a protective strategy, keeping you small to keep you safe. It is loudest where you feel most exposed.

It tends to show up as:

• A judge commenting on everything
• Anticipating criticism before it comes
• Difficulty accepting praise

You can notice the voice without obeying it. Distance between the voice and the response is the whole gain.

Doing this at night

• Skip the clock — knowing the time rarely helps at night
• Keep the room dark, and use headphones rather than a speaker
• Expect to be awake for a while without treating that as a problem

Any practice at night works better with the display off. Looking at a screen resets the whole thing.

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

1. 0:00If you're tired, you can let that be true. Tired is allowed here.
2. 0:13We'll keep it quiet and unhurried.
3. 0:23We're going to move through the body in order, roughly from top to bottom.
4. 0:37Nothing here is a test of concentration. Drifting off is part of it.
5. 0:50Breathe in through your nose and out through your nose, if that's comfortable.
6. 1:03Notice if your breathing is faster than you expected. Don't correct it. Just note it.
7. 1:17Notice your ribs on both sides. Wide, not squeezed.
8. 1:28Feel the tops of your thighs.
9. 1:38Notice your pelvis resting on the surface below you.
10. 1:49You do not have to win against the judge in your head. You only have to breathe until the next moment arrives.
11. 2:07Think of the running commentary on your flaws as a guest that arrived without knocking. You can let it stand in the hallway.
12. 2:25Feel your calves, front and back.
13. 2:35Let the quiet do its work.
14. 2:45Notice how many breaths you take in a minute. Don't change the number, just check.
15. 2:59Notice the weight of your thighs, all the way down.
16. 3:11You can be as unimpressive as you like for the next few minutes.
17. 3:24If your mind has wandered, that's not a mistake. Noticing is the practice.
18. 3:37Let's pause. Just the breathing for a while.
19. 3:48If you only manage half of it, that's half more than nothing.
20. 4:01Notice any urge to check something. You can wait two more minutes.
21. 4:14Notice the small pause before your body decides to breathe in again.
22. 4:27Let me stop talking. Follow the breath instead.
23. 4:38Imagine softening the edges of the voice that grades everything. Not erasing it, just letting the sharp parts go a degree softer.
24. 4:56Say to yourself: this is uncomfortable, and I can stay with it for one more breath. Then take that breath.
25. 5:13Follow three breaths and let the fourth one go unobserved.
26. 5:25Notice any part of you that wants this to be over.
27. 5:37If you've lost track of where we were, you haven't lost anything important.
28. 5:50A short silence. Let it be empty.
29. 6:00We'll take this slowly, and there's no version of this where you get it wrong.
30. 6:14Notice the room again: the sounds, the temperature, the light.
31. 6:26Give your hands a stretch before you go back to using them.

Questions people ask

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