Guided meditation is, for many, the best place to start learning meditation. Here you follow a set of simple instructions, delivered by a teacher, that gently guide your attention and awareness.
One of the biggest challenges new meditators face is what to think or do when meditating. They sit, close their eyes and when their minds start to leap all over the place, they try hard to control it.
This often leads to tension, frustration, boredom and the desire to give up.
Guided meditation helps take the guess work out of meditation by directing the practice. Having an experienced teacher walk us through the steps and explain what is happening helps to ground us, improve our skills and build our confidence.
This is invaluable when it comes to training and cultivating the mind.
What is guided meditation?
Guided meditation is a type of meditation that is teacher led, either in person or via pre-recorded media (audio or video).
You follow a set of spoken instructions that direct attention and guide the practice. The voice is typically soft and paced slowly to give your mind enough space to notice any thoughts, feelings and sensations.
Guided meditation can also be accompanied by music or other sounds to stimulate positive feelings and sensations in the body.
The scripts and styles of guided meditation vary based on the teacher and the outcomes they are trying to attain. It’s common to explain the technique of meditation, how your mind behaves during meditation and how to integrate these techniques into everyday life.
The benefits of guided meditation
Unguided and guided meditation both have a place in your practice. There’s no evidence to suggest one is any better than the other so it really is a matter of personal preference. They both have an impact on mental and physical health and bring about a reduction is stress, improved concentration and greater self-awareness.
Guided meditation:
- Is great for beginners
- Takes the guess work out of meditation
- Gives you confidence that you are doing it right
- Makes you feel like you are not alone
- Helps to build the meditation habit
How to experience guided meditation
There are many ways to experience guided meditation. You can learn online in the comfort of your home or you can attend a retreat for a more immersive experience. Enjoying meditation in different ways will help you to build the meditation habit and learn a lot more about yourself in the process.
Free resources
There are hundreds of free guided meditations available online. While the quality can vary greatly there are some gems when you know where to look. Try this 9 Minute Mindfulness Meditation by Sam Harris and these free downloads from UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center.
Instructional apps
Apps like Waking Up, Oak Meditation and Headspace offer a series of high-quality guided meditations. If you like to combine tech, home learning and health, these apps have a structured approach that guide you from beginner to seasoned meditator.
Local classes
Meditation classes and groups are widely available in the majority of cities these days. You can experience guided meditation as part of a Yoga class, Pilates class or in a dedicated meditation class. Taking part in group sessions brings all the benefits of meditation with the added support of a local community. Ask your friends and do a quick Google search to find what’s available near you.
Meditation retreats
If you’d like to get away from it all and enjoy a fully immersive experience then there are meditation centres and retreats all over the world. You can attend local centres for a day or a weekend, or travel far east and stay for a week in a Buddhist temple.
- East Coast: Insight Meditation Society
- West Coast: Spirit Rock
- UK: Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery
- Japan: Kenninji Temple
Meditation is a skill that gets better with practice. Do it daily, build the habit, and you’ll reap the many benefits in every are of your life.