Guided Meditation: It is time to begin your spiritual journey!

In the present day, most of the people are in high competition of living. They run after money, education, profession, social life, etc. No one is in a relaxed mind, and always everything looks more complicated and even tired. So this hectic nature quickly makes people stressed, anxiety, and even depressed. We become ill, mentally, or physically. How do we overcome these complications? It is easy and simple. But you need to have a better understanding as well as a target. Meditation is a better way to get rid of your stress and relax your mind and body. Surely, you have heard of meditation before, at least a few times. However, if you do not practice it and get the ultimate benefits of it, do not bother. There are two types of meditation as guided meditation and unguided meditation.

We here focus on guided meditation and its related aspects.

This article will guide you properly through the journey of meditation to reach your peace in mind.

Guided meditation; ideal for beginners!

Whether it is guided or unguided meditation is the bliss of living. Meditation is not a simple task to begin. Once it becomes a practice, it clears your obstacles and make easy to follow up. However, the beginning is the crucial point. We all know that anything needs a better and correct start. As such, meditation also requires a proper and well-organized beginning. That is why we highly recommend guided meditation, a well-established foundation for your spiritual journey.

Guided meditation is a type of meditation that a trainer or teacher guides you to begin. He or she does it in person or via audio or video. In this process, the teacher explains to you the dynamics of the mind and how it works during mediation. This is the approach stage. Secondly, in the practice stage, you may learn several techniques that are useful to practice meditation correctly. The final step is integration. Here you will learn how these techniques use for daily life. Simply these are the most prominent features of guided meditation. Once you have a great idea about those, of course, you can practice meditation without guidance.

The benefits of guided meditation

Now you may wonder that what is guided meditation good for? There are plenty of advantages in a guided meditation. It is ideal for your mental and physical well being. Biologically it has proved that meditation can do a considerable effect on the structure of your brain. You become more intellectual and peaceful. Your thinking patterns may improve.

If you are suffering from mental disorders like stress, anxiety, and depression, meditation is the best option to overcome those disorders. Even your chronic pains become lower when you practice meditation. If you have insomnia or lack of proper sleep, guided meditation will help you to have a better sleep.

Accordingly, your entire mind and body may relaxed and become calmer. You may feel more peace and any toxic vibes from outside, and inside of you cannot disturb your inner peace. This is the ultimate goal of your guided meditation. It is sure that now you have a better answer to your question that what is guided meditation good for?

Types of meditation

There are many types of meditation, and you can follow them under guided meditation or unguided meditation. They are Zen meditation, Mantra meditation, Transcendental meditation, yoga meditation, Vipassana meditation, Chakra meditation, Sound bath meditation, Loving-kindness meditation, etc. Most of these meditations come from a religious background, especially from the traditional Eastern religions like Hinduism and Buddhism. Anyway, everyone can practice any of these without any religious education.

According to modern psychology, meditation plays a prominent role. Thus there are three types of meditation, and you can improve those under guided meditation.

What are the three types of meditation?

1. Focused Attention
2. Open monitoring
3. Automatic self-transcending

These are the three types of meditations and let us look at those in detail.

The first one, focus attention requires a lot of mental effort. You need to focus one thing in your mind, but do not maintain a bond towards it. That means you need to keep your mind in a single specific thought. Loving-kindness meditation is an example of that. On the other hand, in Zen meditation, you focus on one part of your body. You should always be steady.

The next type is the opposite of the previous one. In open monitoring, you do not need to focus or control your mind. You just need o watch what is going on in our mind. This is open monitoring. You may have your attention and then follow the ongoing process. For example, you can scan your body in mind and follow it as your mind demands. You can breathe and mind its inhalation and exhalation process. In a body scan, how is my body, body tension, thoughts, emotions, organs, etc.?

Automatic self-transcending is the third one. This type is different from the first two types. Here you do not need to put an effort in mind. It requires the least effort in comparison to the other two. The self which is transcending and it is the meditation procedure itself. Here it automatically allows the thinking process to settle down to get to being. Your thoughts become a secondary experience, and primarily your underlying field of wakefulness put everything together.

You may have heard some other types of meditation and wonder are any three types of meditation. Yes, of course!

There are another three types, but only the labels are different, while the procedure is similar to the previous category.

1. Concentration: Hold your attention in an object or an action like breathing.
2. Mindfulness: Observe your thoughts and let them come and go without any reaction.
3. Attending: Concentrate carefully naming thoughts, sensations, and other mental processes and distractions.

Is a lack of proper sleep your problem, then practice guided sleep meditation?

If you a lover of meditation, you have undoubtedly heard of guided sleep meditation. Though you are not familiar with this term, do not worry. Now it is time to address your question, what is guided sleep meditation?

Some people are suffering from a lack of proper sleep or insomnia. Sometimes we are not able to have a healthy rest at a stretch. So guided sleep meditation helps you to have a better sleep. Here also, the approach is the same as the guided meditation in the daytime. You need to focus on one purpose and relax. Do not need to force sleep. It is better to allow yourself to be led by guidance. And do not over think about the technique or instructions. In guided sleep meditation, first of all, lie down a bed and breathe slowly to relax your mind and body. Then you can listen to your instructions or some soft sleep music.

Guided sleep meditation has some techniques such as breathing exercises, mindful body scanning, visualization of an image, gratitude, counting, etc. You can select one of these techniques as your preference and keep practicing.

Tools to encourage guided meditation

Do you know that there are several modern tools and techniques related to guided meditation? Headspace is a such kind of app. What is headspace guided meditation? Simply it is a startup with one simple goal. That makes meditation accessible to everyone. The Headspace app has designed with both guided and non-guided options, and some combinations of the two. There is a Pro series that users can train themselves to sit in more extended periods of silent meditation. Most of the techniques in the Headspace app come from both the traditional Burmese and Tibetan Buddhist traditions.

We can access eight different meditation techniques in the Headspace app, such as body scan, focused attention, noting, visualization, resting awareness, loving-kindness, reflection, and skillful compassion. You can always practice those under guided meditation.

Overall it is evident that meditation is an ideal solution for everyone to relax our mind and body. It is a journey of peace and tranquility.

Guided meditation keeps us on the right track and teaches the perfect way of meditation. Since there are several types of meditation, such as focused attention, open monitoring, automatic self-transcending, we can select any suitable kind and practice under guided meditation. Headspace is an app that supports us to practice guided meditation. It makes your journey of guided meditation more comfortable. Therefore, now it is time to forget your anxiety, stress, or even depression. Do not hesitate to select the right path to gaining your ultimate happiness. It makes your mind and body healthier. You will be more robust and motivated. There, you will be more pleasant and attractive. Energy becomes your first friend. Thus this is the best time to begin your spiritual journey with a guided meditation.