Andy Puddicombe Basic Mindful Breathing

This Andy Puddicombe meditation routine teaches basic mindful breathing through body scanning, breath counting, and effortless mental rest in 11 minutes.

6 time blocks, 11 minutes in total.

Time blocks

Settle and Find Comfort: 1 min
Sit comfortably with upright posture, hands resting on your lap
Deep Breathing Exhale Transition: 2 min
Inhale deeply through nose and exhale through mouth, closing eyes
Body Scan and Physical Sensory Check: 2 min
Scan down through your head, shoulders, and seat against the chair
Breath Counting Sequence: 4 min
Count each breath from 1 to 10 silently, restarting when mind wanders
Open Awareness Mind Release: 1 min
Let go of all breath focus and allow the mind to do whatever it wants
Grounding and Soft Eye Opening: 1 min
Bring attention back to your physical body, touch, and open eyes

About this routine

Andy Puddicombe, a former Buddhist monk and cofounder of Headspace, popularised short daily practice through a structured ten to eleven minute technique. The Andy Puddicombe meditation routine strips away complex jargon and focuses on building awareness, steady attention, and emotional quiet.

The exercise begins with physical grounding and deep breaths. You transition from soft visual focus to closing your eyes on a long exhale. From there, a brief body scan builds awareness of physical contact points before you transition to counting breaths. When thoughts pull your attention away, you acknowledge the distraction neutrally and return to count one.

Toward the end, you drop all technique entirely. Allowing your mind to think or wander freely for one minute prevents forced concentration. You finish by bringing awareness back to physical sensations in the room before opening your eyes. This simple framework offers a practical entry point for anyone using a daily routine timer to build consistency.

Why this routine works

Develops steady focus through gentle breath counting
Reduces physical tension with an initial body scan
Teaches neutral observation of wandering thoughts
Provides an accessible daily meditation habit

FAQ

How long does Andy Puddicombe's basic practice take?

The basic practice takes 11 minutes, following his classic ten to eleven minute foundational framework.

What do you do when your mind wanders during breath counting?

You gently acknowledge the distraction without judgment and silently restart your breath count at one.

Why does the routine allow the mind to wander at the end?

Releasing control for one minute eases mental strain and prevents force or effort from lingering after practice.

Sources

All It Takes Is 10 Mindful Minutes, Andy Puddicombe (TED)
The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness, Andy Puddicombe