Are you ready to try guided meditation, but don’t know where to start? Below is a number of tips from the Mayo Clinic on the best ways to start, and keep up with, your guided meditation goals.
Find A Quiet Setting
It will be very difficult for you to meditate if you try to do it somewhere where there are endless distractions. One of the best things you can do for yourself is find a location where it is calm, quiet, and comfortable for you and do your best to always try and complete your guided meditation practice there.
You can even make this fun and design a special relaxation corner which you can use not only for your guided meditation but also just to decompress, read, or relax after a busy and stressful day.
Try Different Positions
Maybe you tried meditating laying down and you didn’t like it. Maybe you tried it sitting cross legged and it wasn’t for you. Whatever positions you’ve tried, if you didn’t like them, try another.
Although some people will try and tell you that you have to meditate a certain way, remember, this isn’t true. If you find a position which is comfortable for you, you will be much more likely to keep up with your guided meditation goals, so do it.
Have An Open Attitude
If you go into your guided meditation with the attitude that it is stupid and won’t work, then that is exactly what is going to happen. The whole point of guided meditation is to change the way you think and calm your thought process, so you need to go into it with the same attitude that you wish to achieve. Just be open to change and the change will come with time.
Breathe Deeply
Even if you aren’t sure what you are doing when it comes to guided meditation, just remember to breathe deeply through the entire process, and this will help you stay engaged and relax your body whether you know what you are doing when it comes to guided meditation or not.
And if you have trouble keeping up with a guided meditation practice (such as in a group setting) it’s okay to just focus on your breathing for a while as this is beneficial in and of itself.
Scan Your Body
In guided meditation, whatever guide you are working with should walk you through this step. But if you are unable to attend a class or stuck in a location without the time to guided meditate, this can be a good practice to get into, simply checking in with all the parts of your body.
And if you combine this with deep breathing, this will give you almost the same effect of guided meditation from just these two activities.
Repeat A Mantra
Create your own mantra and repeat it in your mind while you meditate to help keep your mind clear. Then when you find yourself facing a difficult situation in your life, repeat the same mantra in your mind to remind you of the calm you achieved during guided meditation. If you are having trouble thinking of a mantra, your guide can help you or religious words can be used if you would like.
Walk And Meditate
If you’ve tried every seated and lying down guided meditation position, and still can’t seem to enjoy guided meditation, you can try guided meditating while you walk. For this you would definitely need to download a guided meditating app. Put in your earphones and head to a quiet place where you can walk, preferably a park where you won’t be interrupted by cars.
Focus on your breathing, and on each step as you take it rather than where, or how fast you are going. Still follow what the guide says, checking in with your body systems as you move. You may find this type of meditating is better for you and it relaxes you just as much if you were lying down.
Engage In Prayer
If you are religious, prayer is a bit like guided meditation, so if you are having trouble with guided meditation, you can start by praying instead. When you pray, try to focus on your breathing and keep your mind on the prayer. You might find that after a few prayer sessions, the transition to guided meditation isn’t so difficult after all.
Keep A Journal
Sometimes it will take a while to see results from guided meditation, and they may be so small that you don’t notice them right away. It’s good practice to keep a journal where you can keep all your progress in one place. Journaling can also be used as another type of guided meditation, and if you enjoy writing, you should look into a guided meditation journal as well.
Focus On Love And Gratitude
The most important thing to remember while you are navigating the world of guided meditation is to keep your mind focused on love and gratitude, while letting go of all the negative emotions you may encounter. And if a negative emotion tries to break through, repeat the mantra you created or think of something happy instead.