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A 7-day meditation plan for beginners
One short practice a day, a different kind each day, from one minute of breathing to an eight-minute walk. On day 7 you choose your favorite.
All 7 days done
Well done. Want another week, a little longer?
Week 2 repeats the same kinds of practice for 3 to 10 minutes. Or stop here and keep the one you liked.
- Day 1 Slow breathing · 1 min Done Breathe in as the circle grows and out as it shrinks, with no holds. One minute is the whole job today.
- Day 2 5-4-3-2-1 grounding · 2 min Done Name what you can see, feel, hear, smell and taste. Your attention goes to the room, not to your thoughts.
- Day 3 Body scan · 5 min Done A calm voice moves your attention from your feet to your head. Notice each part; there is nothing to fix.
- Day 4 Sound awareness · 5 min Done Sit and let sounds come and go. Your first sit without a rhythm or a list to follow.
- Day 5 Walking meditation · 8 min Done Walk slowly, indoors or out, and feel each step. Keep your eyes open.
- Day 6 Loving-kindness · 7 min Done Offer simple, warm wishes to yourself and to others. It is fine if it feels awkward at first.
- Day 7 Your pick Done Go back to the practice you liked most this week and do it once more. Slow breathing5-4-3-2-1 groundingBody scanSound awarenessWalking meditationLoving-kindness
Get a daily reminder for the days left · optional
Your calendar app sends the reminder, with a link back to this plan. Nothing is sent to us.
How the plan works
- Press Start the plan today. The page remembers your start date in its address, so you can bookmark it.
- Each day, open the practice shown at the top and do it once. When it ends, the day is marked done here.
- Missed a day? The plan waits. It always shows the next practice you have not done.
- On day 7, repeat the practice you liked most. Then, if you like, start a second, slightly longer week.
Why this order
The week starts with the easiest tasks: a rhythm to follow, then things to notice in the room. It moves to practices where you rest your attention with less to hold on to, then to moving, and ends with kindness. Trying several kinds in a short time helps you find the one that suits you; the one you will actually come back to is the right one.
Who should be careful
Use a supported position and do not practice while driving. Stop if you feel dizzy, short of breath, or more distressed, and look around the room. If meditation regularly leaves you feeling worse, or you are working through trauma, talk with a doctor or mental health professional before continuing. These are general wellbeing practices, not medical care.
What the research says
Meditation programs studied in trials usually run for several weeks with guidance, and their effects on anxiety and stress are modest. This plan has not been tested as a program. Each practice links to its own guide, which explains what its research does and does not show. How to read the evidence.
Common questions
What if I miss a day?
Pick up where you left off. The plan shows the next practice you have not done yet, not a date you fell behind on. There is no streak to keep, and doing the days over two weeks is fine.
Do I need an account or an app?
No. Press Start and the plan runs in your browser. Finished days are read from the practice history saved on this device; nothing is sent to us. The start date is in the page address, so a bookmark or the calendar reminder opens the same plan.
Is this an MBSR course?
No. MBSR is an eight-week course taught live by a trained teacher. This plan borrows a few of the same kinds of practice — breathing, body scan, sitting and walking — in short sessions you do on your own. See the MBSR guide for how to find a course.
How long does each day take?
Between 1 and 8 minutes. You can stop any practice at any time; a day is marked done when you finish its practice.