So you’re interested in guided meditation? You’re not alone. Many people these days are leaping into the exciting and relaxing world of guided meditation and imagery.
The purpose of this short blog post is to explain to you what guided meditation is and offer some good suggestions that, as a beginner, you should keep in mind.
What is Guided Meditation?
Simply put, a guided meditation is any meditation or visualization practice in which another person’s voice leads you through it. This can be done one-on-one, in a group, in a class, or even through a CD or MP3.
The person leading the meditation typically has a good amount of experience doing so. Additionally, most of the time, the person leading has a voice well suited for helping someone achieve a deeper state of relaxation. A state that usually is more difficult to accomplish on one’s own.
Though, sometimes, it’s simply someone reading a script that was prepared in advance. Even if the person reading the script doesn’t have the most relaxing voice, most people listening can achieve the goal of meditation or visualization.
Something else to keep in mind is that it’s very possible and rewarding doing your own self-recorded meditations. You read a meditation aloud while making an audio recording. You then go back and listen to your own voice lead through the meditation.
How do I find Guided Meditations?
There are many avenues to help you discover the guided visualizations that resonate most with you.
For example, many people use YouTube to discover new guided meditations in this day and age. YouTube has a whole host of guided meditations and visualizations from various guides that are well worth exploring.
In addition to YouTube, many people can discover new guided meditations by visiting their local New Age store. Even browsing your brick-in-mortar book and music stores can provide insight. Most tend to have a section dedicated to various guided visualizations.
Also, don’t forget that if it exists in a physical format, there’s always a good chance it will also be available digitally from amazon.com or the apple store.
We also have to talk about the professionals out there. There are professional coaches, yoga practitioners, spiritual gurus, and so forth that all are creating and often selling their own guided meditations. Some have incredibly hypnotic or soothing voices and thus serve as perfect meditation guides. Some will even charge a nominal fee and create a personalized guided meditation just for you or your group.
But, Why do Guided Meditation?
All guided meditations are intended to help ease you and your mind into the deepest relaxation space needed to get the most out of your meditation experience. Some do this with just the voice. Others also include instrumental music and various binaural beats to help the mind get to that zone more quickly.
Regardless, guided meditations often tend to be less expensive than attending a private one-on-one session or meditation class. Despite being less expensive, they often work just as well, if not better than being involved in a class.
Most help you to more easily understand the basics of performing their version of meditation, and they also help eliminate distractions.
There are many types and purposes for doing guided imagery. This ranges from physical and emotional healing to manifesting and developing more spiritually. It’s important to understand that the person conducting the meditation is not doing anything to you. They simply lead you on a mental exercise to accomplish and do these things for yourself.
Who Should do Guided Meditations?
Anyone can benefit from participating in a guided meditation. It runs the gambit of children to the elderly and beginners to advanced practitioners. If you have a goal you want to accomplish, chances are a guided meditation out there somewhere that is designed to help you better achieve that goal.
Guided inner-work of any type is almost always recommended to those new to these spiritual practices. Of course, the goal should be eventually to learn and do the meditation on your own without the guide, but that comes in due time and with much practice and experience.
Guided meditations are also great for groups. Regardless of whether a person is leading it or a commercial CD plays leading everyone, this is true. Anything you do in a group tends to have a more profound impact on the conscious and subconscious mind than doing something alone.
Closing Words
I hope this information on guided meditation has improved insightful and helpful. You can check out my own YouTube channel if you want to see some examples of guided meditations that I or some of my friends have done.
Many Blessings,
