Do you want to improve your guided meditation practice? What techniques can you explore? Find out as you read on.
The types of meditation practices can seem inexhaustible, from mindfulness meditation to focused meditation, mantra meditation, etc.
However, the purpose remains the same—to bring you to a state of calm, balance, and peace to improve your health and well-being.
But different types of meditation come with unique benefits and are best suited for diverse needs and individuals.
For example, although everyone can practice and benefit from guided meditation if you’re a beginner or have a very busy mind, this meditation is particularly helpful.
As the name implies, guided meditation involves reaching a state of relaxed focus with help from another. This can be a religious leader, yoga instructor, self-recorded audio, or a CD.
And like with every other type of meditation, the science of guided meditation is simple.
That is, to reconfigure your brain’s circuits through focused attention, relaxed breathing, awareness, etc., in a way that subdues the negative mind and boosts your overall well-being.
So, do you want to practice guided meditation already? Wait no further, as numerous guided meditation techniques are waiting to be explored. You’ll find out more about them in subsequent paragraphs.
Top 15 Easy Techniques for Guided Meditations
There are as many guided meditation techniques as meditation itself. So if you’re looking to explore the most popular and convenient techniques, check out 15 of our favourite ones:
1. Guided Meditation for Sleep
According to Mental Health UK, about 1 in 5 people in the UK aren’t getting enough sleep.
If you’re one of them, you can learn to let go of anxious thoughts and relax to induce sleep before bed by using guided sleep meditation.
This technique includes shifting your attention from your thoughts to physical sensations, just as in other types of meditation.
During a typical guided meditation for sleep, you’ll perform a body scan to shift your focus from your anxious thoughts to your physical sensations. As you do this, you’ll avoid altering those intrusive thoughts.
This procedure also entails moving through your body’s various regions from head to toe while noticing tension, temperature, heaviness, tightness, tingling, and other sensations.
Your guide will instruct you to breathe into each body part as you move through them to help you relax into sleep.
2. Guided Visualisation Meditation
Guided visualisation is an active type of meditation that helps you to conjure images of the best-case scenarios and serene settings or revisit happy moments in the past.
Furthermore, you can leverage this guided meditation to prepare for high-stakes situations like sporting competitions, negotiations, presentations, etc.
In other words, guided visualisation takes advantage of the power of meditation to help you reach the desired state.
When practising guided visualisation meditation, you can choose to be silent. Otherwise, your trainer may also incorporate words, sounds, music, etc., to enhance the experience.
To practice, start by closing your eyes as you sit/lie down in a comfy position. Then, breathe deeply to help your body relax before imagining yourself in a lake, garden, or other serene environment.
Next, add some details by visualising the sounds of chirping birds, the sun’s warmth, flower scents, etc., as you open up all your senses to explore the setting.
Next, please spend some time taking it all in, appreciating the serenity and sensation of rest. You can remain in the setting for however long you require to recharge.
Finally, stretch gently after opening your eyes to return to the present moment.
3. Guided Meditation for Anxiety
Guided meditation for anxiety helps you feel at home by ensuring you find a place of assurance in your body.
This is crucial because, like many other people, you’ll likely start disassociating or feeling your energy shifting from your body to your mind when you’re anxious.
These manifests commonly include overanalysing a situation, feeling emotionally detached from your body, or feeling numb.
That’s why this meditation is so healing—it helps you reconnect and discover a haven within your body.
Statistics regarding anxiety levels in the UK have always been alarming and increasing. To manage/prevent anxiety with meditation, your meditation teacher will assess your situation and suggest the best techniques.
Usually, however, meditation for anxiety combines body scans, visualisation, and breathing exercises.
4. Guided Meditation for Body Awareness
Body awareness or kinesthesia is one of the ways you can deepen your connection with your body.
The more aware you are of your body, the better you’ll be able to identify and meet your unique needs and attain balance/stability.
Body awareness also improves your mental and emotional well-being while helping you manage weight and pain better.
To practice guided meditation for body awareness, your trainer will instruct you to find a comfortable position and give your body some time to settle in before noticing how it feels in the moment.
Then, observe the parts of your body where you’re feeling tightness, tension, comfort, or relaxation while noticing and allowing what’s happening in the present.
Whether it’s a chair, cushion, bed, etc., feel the connection with what’s supporting you underneath. Bring your wandering thoughts back to your body awareness as you take note of your breathing.
Keep focusing on your breath and paying attention to the inhalation and exhalation. Finally, express gratitude to yourself for investing your time in developing this practice.
5. Guided Meditation for Deep Relaxation
To practice guided deep relaxation meditation, sit upright/relaxed and close your eyes. Inhale deeply, then let out a loud exhale as you relax.
Now, relax your shoulders, jaw, and brows while allowing your mind to wander till it comes to a state of rest. Observe how your thoughts come and go without judging or analysing them.
Make no effort to force your thoughts away. Instead, remind yourself that you’re sitting, breathing, and relaxing as you continue to be passive. Take a moment to breathe slowly and softly.
Finally, breathe in and out like the ocean’s waves while allowing your thoughts to disappear into the distance.
6. Guided Meditation for Interconnectedness
Social connections are important to your well-being for many reasons. First, interconnectedness can improve your chances of living long, make you happy, and strengthen your immune system.
It can also reduce your risk of anxiety/depression while increasing your self-esteem.
Fortunately, guided meditation techniques exist to deepen your sense of interconnectedness. Your teacher will guide you into finding somewhere comfortable to sit and observe how you breathe without judging.
Other aspects of guided meditation for interconnectedness include breathing deeply through your nose, maintaining consciousness of what’s beneath you, and body awareness.
Your guide will also direct you to honour your feet, and soften your calves, ankles, hips, buttocks, spine, fingers, etc.
7. Guided Meditation for Gratitude
Guided gratitude meditation is a special technique to help you reflect on the amazing things happening in your life.
Whether it’s your children, pet, morning coffee, etc., fixating on the positives will reduce your stress and improve your overall well-being.
Start your practice by sitting comfortably and centring yourself for a moment. Now, inhale deeply through your nose and fill your lungs with air.
Next, take a breath and exhale through your mouth. Finally, your gratitude meditation practice should end with repeatedly expressing what you’re grateful for.
8. Mantra-Based Guided Meditations
The goal of mantra-based guided meditations is to help you focus, attain tranquillity, and experience more positive feelings by having you repeat a positive affirmation, sentence, phrase, or even word, aloud or to yourself.
Mantra meditation will also increase your self-awareness and self-compassion.
Choose a phrase, sentence, or word to begin your mantra-based meditation. Ensure that whatever you pick inspires and uplifts you. Next, get comfortable on the floor or in a chair using a cushion or blanket to support your posture.
Next, slowly recite your mantra as you concentrate on the sounds. Do this repeatedly, bringing your focus back to your mantra as intrusive thoughts flood.
Finish by taking a few deep breaths and then sitting quietly to pay attention to your feelings.
9. Guided Meditation to Be Yourself
If you’re feeling more inclined to be as you are nowadays, this guided meditation technique is for you. Start by ensuring you’re in a dignified and upright position and noticing how it feels to be in such a pose.
Then, notice your breath and its sensations as you become aware of what’s going through your mind. Try to be mindful of your thoughts without holding on to, refuting, or disproving anyone.
Next, turn your focus to any feelings that could be present at this time. If your posture has changed as you breathe in and out, pay attention to it and adapt as necessary to stay in touch with your body.
Focus just on your breath right now. If you close your eyes, slowly open them as you finish this exercise.
10. Guided Meditation for Calmness and Composure
From strict deadlines to getting caught in traffic, overtime work, etc., many situations can get on your nerves and make you lose your calm. In those times, this guided meditation technique can help you regain your composure.
First, start by avoiding any unhealthy emotional response, such as anger, when you initially feel triggered.
Instead, concentrate on breathing, feeling your body’s expansion and contraction as you inhale and exhale. This allows you to respond to the problem with greater composure.
11. Guided Loving-Kindness/Metta Meditation
To practice Loving-Kindness meditation, find a comfortable sitting or lying position that keeps your spine straight.
Imagine having a heart-to-heart connection with a loved one seated across from you, all thanks to white light. Connect with the warmth and affection you feel for them, and savour the emotions as they fill you up.
As you breathe naturally, slowly bring your attention to the phrase, “may I be joyful, well, and at peace.” After some time, direct it to your friend, “may you be joyful, well, and at peace.”
Now, visualise the white light between you expanding into surrounding the two of you.
You’re now soaked in the warmth and tranquillity of loving-kindness that you give to your surroundings. Finally, bring your awareness to your body and feel the sensations.
12. Guided Meditation for Compassion
Compassion matters for many reasons. The most glaring ones include enhancing problem-solving abilities, fostering meaningful connections, and improving your general health and well-being.
If you wish to enjoy the numerous benefits of practising compassion, you can start a guided meditation for compassion session.
Guided compassion meditation follows similar steps to guided loving-kindness meditation.
However, instead of focusing on the “may I be joyful, well, and at peace” phrase, replace it with “may I (we) live in a world free from pain and its root causes. May the end of pain and all of its causes be upon all beings.”
13. Guided Mindful Movement Meditation
If you’re uncomfortable sitting in one place to meditate, guided mindful movement meditation is one of the best techniques.
While practising this meditation, your coach will emphasize respecting your physical limitations and only performing the recommended motions so long as they’re pain-free.
The rationale behind guided mindful movement meditation is to move your various body regions while breathing in a controlled manner.
This way, you’ll be able to concentrate on the bodily sensations accompanying each type of movement.
14. Guided Zen Meditations
Zen meditation is a centuries-old Buddhist practice that originated in China’s Tang Dynasty in the seventh century.
This type of meditation has several advantages, one of which is that it reveals the workings of the mind.
To practice Zen meditation, you’ll typically have to sit in a lotus or half-lotus pose. Its main focus is to help you remain in the present moment through breath awareness.
There are many Zen meditation techniques. Common ones include observation of the breath, quiet awareness, and intensive group meditation. Your meditation coach can guide you on which works best for you.
15. Guided Meditation to Gather Energy
Guided meditation for energy can give you the boost you need to feel energized and centred in the morning. In addition, it’s one of the best ways to prepare for the tasks ahead.
Start by finding a comfortable sitting or lying down position. When you do, your teacher will lead you to take 30 breaths. Next, breathe out deeply, relax, and focus on total stillness/calm for some time.
Finally, your meditation coach will lead you through one last inhalation and hold before gently bringing you back into your regular breathing rhythm.
Final Thoughts
There are many techniques to employ when choosing to meditate with the help of a trained professional.
Whether you choose guided meditation for sleep, mantra-based guided meditation, etc., the most important thing is that your choice makes you comfortable and aligns with your needs and goals.
Then, with the proper technique, you can focus on your guided meditation practice without wondering whether you’re doing it right.
Fortunately, technology has made it easy to find an appropriate guide for your meditation practice.
For example, you can access experienced trainers via online music services, yoga studios, YouTube, apps, etc.
FAQs
What is guided meditation?
Guided meditation, as its name suggests, allows you to have external guidance as you meditate. This guide or teacher can lead you through various breathing techniques or mantras to enhance your practice.
They also help guide you to conjure specific mental images and ensure that you follow the right step-by-step process to achieve your goal.
Are guided meditations better?
There’s no overall best way to meditate, as the best technique depends on your needs, personality, preferences, expertise, etc. Plus, guided and unguided meditation carries similar benefits.
However, if you’re a beginner, you’ll find guided meditation very helpful, as you may need directions on how to get it right the first few times.
It’s also the preferred choice if you’re overly anxious or want to overcome special challenges.
