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guided meditation

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Acceptance – Let Go Of That Which You Cannot Control Guided Meditation

written by improvegal71

Welcome to acceptance – let go of that which you cannot control guided meditation.

You can listen to the audio of this guided meditation and read the script to the audio underneath

Audio

Script

Find a quiet place and settle into a comfortable position. Prepare yourself for surrender.

Take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Again, take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

One more time, take a deep breath in through your nose. 1. 2. 3. Now push that breath out through your mouth. Deep breath in, hold it for 1. 2. 3. Slowly exhale.

Take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Again, take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Exhale.

One more time, take a deep breath in through your nose. 1. 2. 3. Exhale out through your mouth.

Deep breath in, hold it. Slowly exhale.

There are many experiences and events in life that you do not control and cannot change. Choose something that is going on in your life right now that you cannot control or change. If you don’t want to focus on current hardship you can draw from your past as well.

Take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Hold it. Again, take a deep breath in through your nose.

Hold it. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Hold it. One more time, take a deep breath in through your nose.

Hold it. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Now focus on the issue you cannot control or change. See all of the different parts it holds. See your frustration, sadness, anger, and fear.

For now, we will focus on the fear.

Allow yourself to feel the fear connected to this situation you can’t control or change. Allow all of those fearful emotions and thoughts to pass through your mind.

Imagine yourself standing in a storm, now reach your arms toward the sky with your palms facing upward.

Repeat after me…

I am releasing all of the fears I feel about this situation.

I am letting go of all of these fears once and for all.

I surrender. I accept it as it is.

Imagine yourself shaking all of your fear from your fingertips, fear flying from them as though they are raindrops.

Now allow your arms to drop back to your lap, let them rest there for now.

Take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Hold it. Again, take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it. Now push that breath out through your mouth. Hold it. One more time, take a deep breath in through your nose.

Let’s focus now on your frustration.

Allow yourself to feel the frustration connected with this situation you can’t control or change. Feel that frustration at your very core.

Now lift your arms above your head, with your palms facing up reach for the sky and repeat after me.

I am releasing all of the frustrations I feel about this situation.

I am letting go of all of these frustrations once and for all.

I surrender. I accept it as it is.

Imagine yourself shaking all of your frustrations from your fingertips, frustration flying from them as though they are raindrops.

Now allow your arms to drop back to your lap, let them rest there for now. Relax for a moment.

Take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Hold it. Again, take a deep breath in through your nose.

Hold it. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Hold it. One more time, take a deep breath in through your nose.

Hold it. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Let’s focus now on your frustration. Allow yourself to feel the frustration connected with this situation you can’t control or change. Feel that frustration at the core of your being. Now lift your arms above your head, with your palms facing up reach for the sky and repeat after me. I am releasing all of the frustration I feel about this situation. I am letting go of all of this frustration once and for all.

I surrender. I accept it as it is. Imagine yourself shaking all of that anger from your fingertips, anger flying from them as though it is raindrops. Now allow your arms to drop back to your lap, let them rest there for now. Repeat after me. I am free from worry.

I release the negative emotions surrounding this situation and I fully accept that I cannot control it. I let go of expectations and choose to live my life as I wish. I know that trying to control everything is a waste of my energy and resources. I cannot control everything, I accept that I cannot control everything and I am letting go. You may now resume your day when you are ready to do so.

14 May 2023 0 comment

Articles

How A Guided Meditation Can Reduce Your Stress

written by improvegal71

What Is A Stress Response?

Stress is an emergency response system that evolved to allow our ancestors to thwart attacks on their life, like attacks from a wild animal or other situations encountered when living in the wild unknown. The stress system response evolved in order to allow the body excess adrenaline and cortisol, which are hormones that are initiated during the fight or flight response.

When this state is activated, blood and other nutrients are diverted from the organs and the immune system is lowered in order to conserve energy for the fight or flight.

This means, either fighting a wild animal or running from it to try to reach safety. Yet, in modern times, we are typically not chased by wild animals in our everyday lives. Instead, we are attacked by modern pressures of work and life and other responsibilities.

We may feel like we are under immense pressure all the time and therefore cannot get out of the fight or flight mode. When this happens, we often refer to the issue vaguely as “stress.” Stress means that rather than the body being in a mode to rest and digest, it is pumped up and ready to run.

Because the situation of stress is chronic for most people in modern times, this can begin to cause negative effects on the mind and body.

Chronic exposure to stress can weaken the immune system and can even change the DNA and may cause early aging and health decline. Long-term stress can also lead to inflammation and other symptoms like depression, anxiety, autoimmune disease, hypertension, headaches, and other issues.

Sometimes it is obvious that chronic stress is the culprit, and other times, when someone has been living with high stress levels for a long time, they may begin to see this as their normal functioning and not even notice how affected they are or which symptoms are related.

Mindfulness and attention to our health and wellness through guided meditation can allow us to make new connections about our health and can introduce a framework for making new and healthier choices in everyday life, leading to lower stress levels and greater fulfillment.

How to Manage Stress Levels with Guided Meditation

Guided meditation is a listening meditation that involves a short, guided session that takes us through a series of imaginative scenarios to help us see clearly the past and create a new vision for the future.

Topics vary for guided mediation and can involve self-confidence, health and reducing stress levels and reducing anxiety. Stress is not something that is out of control, but rather it is something that with attention and patience can become a motivating factor for change in our lives.

When we experience high stress or even extreme mental breakdown, we are experiencing a mirror for our actions and our lifestyle. These high stress times allow us to see where we are pushing our limits and how we can best reel back out energies and actions to something that is more manageable and makes us happy.

Instead of always striving to do more and be better, we can see where we have gone too far and pushed ourselves too hard. We can see where we made compromises and didn’t stay true to our values. Guided meditation allows us to recognize these instances and take note of them without condemning ourselves or wishing for a different outcome.

Instead we can reflect through guided meditation and create a new understanding of our story and how we came to be in our current situation. Only when we see this clearly can we take insightful action towards a new reality. Practicing guided meditation daily allows for the consistency of change to manifest in our lives throughout the seasons.

2 April 2023 0 comment

Articles

The Guided Meditation: Perfect For Beginners To Meditating

written by improvegal71

According to the Chopra Center, “Navigating the depths of consciousness on your own can be tough, especially for beginners. Guided meditations provide the assistance of a teacher or guide to walk you through the process and help you find a calm and peaceful state – one step at a time.”

Many people have heard of meditation and the benefits of the practice and wonder how to get started meditating. Engaging in meditation is a great way to lower stress levels and relax the mind and body. People who experience chronic stress, anxiety, depression, and other symptoms can benefit from the practice of meditation.

What Is Guided Meditation

Guided meditation is a meditation practice led by an experienced teacher, either in person, via a live broadcast, or by means of pre-recorded audio or video. Though guided meditation can be used by anyone, it is more frequently used by those new to meditation, as the added assistance and support of a teacher can be helpful when first embarking upon the practice.

Guided meditations generally teach participants the basics of meditation techniques as well as offering instruction and insight into how the mind and thoughts work, how to better understand and relate to your thoughts and emotions, how to use meditation techniques in daily life, and how to settle the mind and body for meditation.

In modern times, meditation is a great practice that should be on everyone’s mind. Engaging in meditation each day can retrain the mind at the conscious and subconscious levels and can begin to shift the outlook. Starting a meditation practice is easy, and only requires setting aside a few minutes each day to sit in silence and notice one’s thoughts. Some people have a lot of trouble sitting still and therefore need a more engaging practice of meditation.

Guided meditations are recorded meditations that lead the listener through a series of visualizations to create a new reality. Listening to guided meditations each day can be an easy way to get started with meditation.

How To Start Meditating

When beginning a meditation practice, many people prefer to begin with a short sequence around 5 minutes. Adding a 5-minute meditation once or twice per day can be completely transformative. After five minutes of meditation becomes easy to accomplish, add five minutes to your meditation time.

Many people meditate for 20-30 minutes each day, and some people engaged in spiritual practice traditionally meditate for 2 hours each morning. Yet, meditation is a practice that is accessible for everyone who wants to improve their life experience and lower their stress levels.

Many styles of meditation can be done throughout the day, like mantra, affirmation, and loving-kindness. Yet, when engaged in guided meditation, it is important to give attention to the practice by sitting or lying quietly where there is little distraction and noise.

Now, find a guided meditation that is the proper length for your practice.

A guided meditation may be five minutes long and can range in content from positive affirmations to guided imagery to color visualization therapy. There is much variety in the topics and ideas to choose from.

A simple online search should reveal plenty of options for recorded meditations. Try to choose a guided meditation by a teacher or professional you trust and can connect with. Set the intention to heal and for beneficial outcomes for all.

Many guided meditations are available for online streaming for free or can be downloaded to your device for easier access. It is also possible to have a personalized guided meditation made by a teacher or other professional. It is possible to find guided meditations for self-empowerment, health and wellness, manifestation, and other lifestyle improvement topics.

Many guided meditations invoke elements of nature, animals, plants, colors, and other visualizations to engage the mind and body and create a new vibration of energy within the system.

Why Guided Meditation?

In guided meditation, the teacher leads the listener through a series of visualizations or journeys to engage the mind and body and establish relaxation and the space for insight. Listening to a guided meditation each day helps to reprogram the conscious and subconscious mind.

When the audio and visualization is done day after day, it is possible to create a new reality and a new experience of the world. Meditation is a practice in becoming aware of our ideas about life. So, when we meditate, we are reflecting on our experiences and allowing a different understanding of how we choose to let events affect us.

Committing to listening to guided meditation every day creates a regularity of practice that is dependable. This practice can lower stress levels and can also allow space for long-term change in lifestyle.

14 March 2023 0 comment

Audio

Let Go Of Fear Guided Meditation

written by improvegal71

Audio

Script

Welcome to the let go of fear guided meditation. Find a quiet spot and sit in a comfortable position. You can be in any position you like as long as you can maintain it comfortably for the duration of this meditation. Now, close your eyes.
It’s time to ground you in the moment with some deep breathing. Take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Feel the air as it enters your nostril and fills your lungs. Now push that breath out through your mouth. Feel the ground beneath you.

Again, take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Notice how the earth feels against you. Now push that breath out through your mouth. One more time, take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds.

Now push that breath out through your mouth. Just take some time to experience your breathing and as you do, allow your body to soften into relaxation. Allow your focus to remain on the present.

It’s time to scan your body. Start at the tips of your toes and work your way up to the top of your head. If you notice discomfort during your scan, pause on that area and breathe through it. In your mind, imagine that you are channeling your breath directly to that area of pain or tension. With every breath in you soften the area and every breath out pushes the tension out of your body.

Take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Now push that breath out through your mouth. Again, take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Now push that breath out through your mouth. One more time, take a deep breath in through your nose. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Pay attention to any of the emotions that start to surface. It might be a feeling. It could be a situation. An event. Or a story. It could be a current issue, one you are bracing for, or something from your past. If you can, label the feeling or emotion as soon as it arises and you recognize it.

Is it anxiety? Is it betrayal? Is it guilt? Fear? Sadness? Envy? Continue breathing. In. Out. Softly. Slowly. Allow your emotions and feelings to come and go, do not analyze them, do not resist them, do not engage with them beyond labeling them for what they are.

Hold them in place to observe them, allow them to exist without resistance. When you are ready, let them go. Recognize that they are just a part of you, like every other emotion you experience.

Feel your body flood with relief, overwhelmed by the feeling of letting it go. Feel the weight lift from your shoulders, you suddenly feel lighter as though your burdens are finally gone.

Repeat after me. I let go of fear. I let go of anxiety. I let go of anger. I let go of fear. I let go of sadness. I let go of all the chaos in the world. I let go of fear about the future.

I let go of fear about the past. I let go of what might happen. I let go of fear. I let go of fear. I let go. I let go.

Visualize all of the negative emotions, all of your burdens, imagine them spiraling down a drain and disappearing into the earth never to be seen again. Visualize a healing light flowing through your body. It’s spreading from your heart outwards. It is surrounding you with calm, kind, and loving energy.

Visualize a future where these feelings have no hold on you and can no longer hold you back. Connect with new feelings. Feelings of freedom, space, positivity, and ease. See this new version of who you are. You are lighter. You are happier. You are finally free.

When you feel negative emotions come your way, repeat the words I let go, and visualize them going down the drain again. Take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Again, take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Now push that breath out through your mouth. One more time, take a deep breath in through your nose. Push that breath out slowly through your mouth.

Repeat after me. I embrace love. I embrace courage. I embrace healing. I am optimistic about the future. The chaos of the world cannot ruin my serenity. I am serene. I embrace light. I embrace self-compassion. I embrace courage.

Though I may feel fear, I know I will act in my best interests regardless.

Though I may feel fear, I know that it cannot hold me back.

Though I may feel fear, I know it is not bigger than me.

Though I may feel fear, I know I will overcome it.

Take a long, slow, deep breath in through your nose. Hold it. Now push that breath out through your mouth and with it, push all fear and negativity out of your body.

Wiggle your fingers and toes. Feel the ground under your feet and allow it to ground you. Stretch your arms and legs. Roll your neck around a few times.

You may resume your day when you are ready.

23 February 2023 0 comment

Audio

Trust Yourself That Whatever Happens, You’ll Handle It Guided Meditation

written by improvegal71

Audio

Script

Welcome to the Trust Yourself That Whatever Happens, You’ll Handle It Guided Meditation.

First, make yourself comfortable in the quietest place that you can find. However, you choose to sit, it should be in a position that you can comfortably maintain for the duration of this meditation.

This meditation is all about paying close attention to your body and the feelings and thoughts within you. This is not a place of judgment. It is not a place to resist. It is a place to embrace.

Take a deep breath in through your nose. Inhale calm. Now push that breath out through your mouth. Exhale tension.

Again, take a deep breath in through your nose. Inhale relaxation. Now push that breath out through your mouth. Breathe out negativity.

One more time, take a deep breath in through your nose. Inhale tranquility. Now push that breath out through your mouth. Exhale turmoil.

You will carry this with you far beyond this meditation, the benefits will follow you and you can return to it at any time you feel in need of a reminder that you are capable of handling anything, no matter what happens.

First, let us set your intention for this meditation. This is a reminder of why you are meditating. It will serve as your anchor throughout the process.

Repeat after me. This is a reminder that whatever happens, I know that I can trust myself, I know I can handle it.

Take a deep breath in through your nose. Inhale calm. Now push that breath out through your mouth. Exhale tension. Again, take a deep breath in through your nose.

Inhale calm. Now push that breath out through your mouth. Exhale tension and negativity. One more time, take a deep breath in through your nose. Inhale tranquility.

Now push that breath out through your mouth. Exhale turmoil.

When you inhale, where do you feel tension in your body? Channel breath to those points of tension and allow it to erase all of the stress. Allow all of those sore spots to dissipate.

Repeat after me. I know exactly what I know and I possess all of the wisdom that I need to deal with this situation.

I am aware, I am grounded, and I know that I can rely on my intuition to guide me. I trust myself to get through this situation and handle this difficult time.

I am on the path I want to be on and the way is clear.

I believe I am capable of handling difficult things.

I know I can trust myself to cope with difficult things.

The person I want to be already lives within me, I simply need to reach in and bring that person to the surface. That person is strong, capable, and confident of tackling anything.

I trust myself that whatever happens, I can handle it.

Take a deep breath in through your nose. Now push that breath out through your mouth.
Again, take a deep breath in through your nose. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

One more time, take a deep breath in through your nose. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Your insights are good.

Your insights are wise.

The path is clear before you, you are capable of walking it to achieve what you want.

You are safe, you are strong, you are well.

Your inner-voice is clear. You listen to it. You hear it. You trust that voice to guide you to the right decisions.

I trust myself that whatever happens, I can handle it. I will handle it. I can handle it. I can do this. I can handle this.

Take a deep breath in through your nose. Inhale calm.

Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Exhale tension.

Again, take a deep breath in through your nose.

Inhale relaxation.

Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Exhale negativity.

One more time, take a deep breath in through your nose.

Inhale tranquility.

Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Exhale turmoil.

Repeat after me.

I possess all of the wisdom that I need to deal with this situation.

I am aware, I am grounded, and I know that I can rely on my intuition to guide me.

I am on the path I want to be on and the way is clear.

I believe I am capable of handling difficult things.

I know I can trust myself to cope with difficult things.

I am strong, capable, and confident of tackling anything.

I trust myself that whatever happens, I can handle it.

Take a deep breath in through your nose. Inhale calm.

Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Exhale tension.

Again, take a deep breath in through your nose.

Inhale relaxation.

Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Exhale negativity.

One more time, take a deep breath in through your nose.

Inhale tranquility.

Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Exhale turmoil.

Once again, let’s affirm what you know to be true.

I trust myself that whatever happens, I can handle it.

I am strong.

I am capable.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it guides me towards peace and calm.

I will prevail.

I trust myself that whatever happens, I can handle it.

When you are ready, breathe into small stretches before moving into bigger stretches. You may resume your day when you are ready.

21 February 2023 0 comment

Audio

Stress Management During Tough Times Guided Meditation

written by improvegal71

Audio

Script

Welcome to the stress management during tough times guided meditation. Find a quiet place and settle into a comfortable position. Take a moment to center yourself. Take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Now push that breath out through your mouth. Again, take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Now push that breath out through your mouth.
One more time, take a deep breath in through your nose. Now push that breath out through your mouth. Deep breath in. Hold it for 3 seconds. Slowly exhale.

As you breathe, pay close attention to the thoughts that come to your mind. Don’t get caught up in them, don’t think about them too long, just notice as they enter and keep focusing on your breath.

View these thoughts as though they are a school of fish swimming in a vast ocean. Imagine yourself swimming underwater, surrounded by these fish. Keep breathing.

You have now left the water. You are standing above it and looking down on those fish in the ocean.

Where are they? Are they hovering near the shore or pushing into the middle of the water? What does the water look like? Is it still or are there waves?

Continue deep breathing.

Zoom out in your view. You can see the outline of the ocean now. What shape is your ocean?

What do the surroundings look like? Keep zooming out until your focus is on the planet. Does it look like earth? Or have you allowed your imagination to take you somewhere else?

Zoom out further until you see an entire galaxy that is all your own. What does it look like?

Take a deep breath in through your nose. Now push that breath out through your mouth. Deep breath in. Hold it. Slowly exhale.

Take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Deep breath in, hold it. Slowly exhale. Now, zoom back in to the globe. Keep zooming in until you are back hovering above the ocean.

Now you are back in the water, surrounded by the fish. They are tickling your toes as they swarm around you, but they cannot harm you. Imagine yourself swimming through the water.

The fish follow you, but they cannot harm you. You are floating on the cool water. It supports you. It cradles you.

You feel the sun on your skin as you float in total and complete relaxation. You feel safe. You feel calm, you now understand that you can escape to your galaxy any time.

Repeat after me.

I am strong enough.

I am safe.

I am calm.

Though I may be afraid my fears cannot control me. They do not own me.

Though I feel stress bearing down on me, I know it is temporary and my worries do not define me.

This moment of stress is temporary and it will pass.

I am strong enough.

I will make it through this.

I am calm.

I am safe.

Take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Now push that breath out through your mouth. Every exhale releases tension from your body. Feel the stress melt away.

Again, take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Now push that breath out through your mouth. Release the tension from your shoulders, your neck, and the rest of your body.

Deep breath in through your nose. Now push that breath out through your mouth. Deep breath in. Hold it. Slowly exhale.

Repeat after me.

I am relaxed.

I am calm.

I am refreshed.

Breathe in deeply.

I can escape to my galaxy anytime I need to feel calm and at peace.

Continue breathing, take deep long breaths and release slowly. Breathe in relaxation. Breathe in peace.

Repeat after me.

I am calm. I am relaxed.

Everything is okay.

My mind is calm and clear.

I feel the warmth of the sun soothing my mind and body.

The sun makes me feel relaxed.

I feel serene and at peace.

I can escape to my galaxy anytime I need to feel calm and at peace.

Deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

When you are ready to resume your day, bring your focus back to your body. Feel your body waking up from the state of relaxation you entered and feel it from the tips of your toes to the top of your head. Sit and be still until you’re ready to resume your day.
You can access this relaxation anytime you wish, and the breathing exercises can help you ground yourself in any stressful moment.

18 February 2023 0 comment

Audio

Get Through Hard Times: Relax The Body And Mind Guided Meditation

written by improvegal71

Audio

Script

Welcome to the Get Through Hard Times, Relax the Body And Mind guided meditation. Find a quiet place to relax and get comfortable. Sit in a position you can maintain for the duration of this meditation.

First, let’s focus on your breathing.

Take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Again, take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

One more time, take a deep breath in through your nose. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Deep breath in, hold it. Slowly exhale.

Take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Again, take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Exhale.

One more time, take a deep breath in through your nose. Exhale out through your mouth.

Deep breath in, hold it. Slowly exhale.

Now simply focus on breathing and allow yourself to drift deeper into relaxation as you do.

Repeat after me.

Though I may feel anxious right now I know that I am okay and this feeling shall pass.

I am safe and no harm can come to me here.

Soon I will be calm in mind and spirit.

I may feel anxious right now, but I will get through it. In the meantime, I will make myself as comfortable as I can and navigate this feeling. I will help myself by gradually calming my mind and body, relaxing into this feeling until it passes.

Take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Again, take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

One more time, take a deep breath in through your nose. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Deep breath in, Hold it. Slowly exhale.

Take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Again, take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Exhale.

One more time, take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it. Exhale out through your mouth.

Deep breath in, hold it. Slowly exhale.

As you continue to breathe, repeat any calming thoughts that help you.

When you experience difficult times, it is normal for you to slip into a fight or flight mode. You may shake, tremble, or experience body aches as a result of this tension.

Shake your hands out as though there is water on them. Let them go limp as you shake your forearms out. Imagine water flying off of you as though it’s tension literally draining from your body and from your fingertips. Still your body. Feel yourself relaxing. Focus on your breathing again. With every inhale of your breath, your feel more and more calm. With every exhale, your become more and more relaxed.

Inhale calm and exhale tension.

Inhale relaxation and exhale stress.

Now let’s focus on relieving some of the anxiety and tension that has built up in the rest of your body. Difficult times mean heavy stress and that stress settles in your muscles to create a deep aches. If your body feels tired, cramped, and painful, then this will help you get relief.

Allow your jaw to open so that your teeth are no longer touching. Let it go slack, relaxed, and loose.

Lower your shoulders, let them loosen, and relax. Roll your shoulders to relax your arms. Let them go limp, increasing the distance between your ears and shoulders.

Now lift your arms over your head into a big stretch before releasing those muscles gently as your arms return to your sides.

Turn your head left. Turn your head to the center. Turn your head right. Now look down, lift your head to look straight ahead, and then look up. Relax your head into its natural position and sit up straight to correct your posture.

Relax, move, and stretch as much as you need to until your muscles lose their tension and your body is totally relaxed.

Take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Again, take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

One more time, take a deep breath in through your nose. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

Again, take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for 3 seconds. Exhale.

One more time, take a deep breath in through your nose. Exhale out through your mouth.

Deep breath in, hold it. Slowly exhale.

You can easily relax your body and mind in the future with four short steps.

Breathe.

Calm your racing thoughts.

Shake out the tension.

Relax.

Repeat these actions until your anxiety dissipates and your body and mind feel calm.

Repeat after me…

I can find relaxation even in the most difficult times.

No matter what I am going through, I know I will come out the other side safe and sound.

I am capable of finding relaxation for my body and mind no matter what chaos is going on around me.

Take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it. Now push that breath out through your mouth.

When you are ready to return to your day, take a few deep cleansing breaths, shake off any residual tension, and bring yourself back to focus on the room around you.

Ground yourself by identifying five things you can see, four things you can hear, three things you can touch or feel, two things you can smell, and something you can touch. Take this calm and carry it with you.

18 February 2023 0 comment

Articles

10 Tips For Using Guided Meditation

written by improvegal71

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.

18 February 2023 0 comment

Articles

Guided meditations : Myths and facts

written by improvegal71

Now, like anything in this universe, there is a lot of false information circulating about guided meditation.

It’s time to sort the myths from the facts.

Myths

1. Guided Meditation Is Part Of Religion

This is completely false, although meditation is associated with some religions, it is not a religious practice and anyone can engage in it, whether or not you are religious.

2. It Takes Years To Master Meditation

Although the quality and length of your periods of meditation may change over time, anyone can master meditation and it doesn’t take years. This is because meditation is the simple act of clearing your mind, and anyone can do it. This doesn’t mean you can go out and start leading guided meditation sessions however, because this does take some training to be able to execute. But most people generally learn how to meditate after a few guided sessions.

3. Some People Just Can’t Meditate

Some people will claim their mind is simply too busy to meditate. And this isn’t true at all, once again, anyone can meditate, it is a choice, and you just need to put your mind to it in order to make it happen.

4. Guided Meditation Includes Chanting

While some forms of guided meditation can include chants or affirmations, this is not required to experience successful guided meditation. If you don’t want to chant, that’s okay, simply find a class, or app, that doesn’t have you engage in this practice.

5. In Order To Meditate You Have To Sit In A Yoga Position

You’ve seen it in all the movies, the really flexible individual sitting in an uncomfortable yoga pose and meditating. This is completely false. For guided meditation, you should be comfortable, and if a yoga position is comfortable for you, this is fine. But if you aren’t very flexible, that is fine as well! Meditate however you feel comfortable, even if it means you do so lying down.

6. If Your Mind Wanders During Meditation This Is Bad

Some people think that if your mind starts to wander during guided meditation that you aren’t doing it right or aren’t getting the full benefits. This simply isn’t true. Guided meditation is about self-discovery and spending time with yourself. These thoughts you may be having may mean something.

7. Guided Meditation Makes You Weak

This myth is more commonly mentioned by men, but women can think it too. Certain people have been told, incorrectly, that meditation makes them lose their edge and makes them become weak. This is, again, simply not true. Meditation simply hones you in on yourself and the skills which are already there. It also helps you to strengthen your bond with yourself and become stronger—the complete opposite of this myth.

8. Guided Meditation Takes Hours

This isn’t true at all. Guided meditation can be as long or as short as you want it to be. This is especially easy with guided meditation as you can select a program which meets your exact time limits for guided meditating, even if it’s just for ten minutes each day.

Facts

Now that all the myths have been debunked, it’s time to talk about some of the facts of guided meditation.

1. Guided Meditation Will Improve Your Cognitive Abilities

Guided meditation is simply, well, amazing. Not only does it help you relax, but during the process it helps to better your focus, concentration, and it even helps you develop skills more quickly. And if you struggle with memory problems, guided meditation can actually help with this too.

2. Guided Meditation Lowers Blood Pressure

This is 100% true. People often have high blood pressure because of a number of external stressors in their life. When you spend time relaxing and ridding yourself of these pressures and stresses, your blood pressure will lower as a result. This is a no brainer.

3. Guided Meditation Improves Your Visual Skills

You’ve probably been told that visualization is the secret to success, which it definitely is. If you are struggling with visualization, guided meditation can actually help improve this by teaching you how your mind works and allowing you to practice visualization more often. This is why meditation is often a huge part of success.

4. Guided Meditation Can Help Cure Illnesses

Although this sounds far-fetched, it is 100% true! According to Mayo Clinic, meditation has been shown to cure a number of long-term pain and anxiety related illnesses.

So, if no other treatment option seems to control your symptoms, it may be time to try guided meditation in addition to your other treatments! You may just be surprised at the results.

5. Guided Meditation Helps You Sleep Better

If you are having issues sleeping at night, it’s highly likely you will benefit from guided meditation! All the practiced relaxation will help you sleep more deeply and without waking up. It also helps you breathe more deeply and could help with breathing issues which you may not even realize are keeping you awake at night.

18 February 2023 0 comment

Articles

6 Key Reasons To Use Guided Meditation

written by improvegal71

Guided Meditation is led by the voice of another—either in-person or through a video or audio recording. Typically, guided meditation is best for individuals who are new to meditation because an instructor is able to lead them through the basic steps of meditation practice.

Instructors often walk participants through breathing exercises, mantras, and visual images while also helping them to understand how the mind is operating. Sessions can last from minutes to hours.

Guided meditation can offer a host of benefits including the six outlined below.

1. Decreased Stress:

Guided meditation is shown to halt and reverse the stress response the body goes into when introduced to a trigger. Rather than inducing a stress response, guided meditation initiates a relaxation response in the body.

Research shows that just 25 minutes of guided meditation practiced three days consecutively can reduce stress significantly and prevent the release of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol which can create a damaging effect in the body.

2. Improved Sleep:

Studies have shown that guided meditation, including mindfulness meditation, has been linked to improved sleep among individuals suffering from insomnia and other sleep conditions.

Research shows that consistent meditation practice can aid in falling asleep sooner and staying asleep for a longer period of time, as well as helping to ease racing thoughts that may keep someone from falling asleep.

3. Pain Reduction:

Evidence shows that guided meditation reduces pain sensations in the boy and helps improve the body’s ability to cope with pain.

Research by Leeds Beckett University found that just 10 minutes of guided mindfulness meditation could be used as an alternative to painkillers. Other studies have shown how meditation was useful in the comfort of the terminally ill by helping to mitigate chronic pain towards the end of life.

4. Better Management of Depression:

Guided meditation can be beneficial in the management of depression symptoms. One way it helps is by promoting awareness of and separation from negative feelings. This helps people recognize negative thought patterns and interrupt them so as not to get caught in a negative thought loop. Guided meditation can also help change brain chemistry for the better by teaching it to promote positive thinking and optimism.

This can ease depression symptoms such as sadness, low self-esteem, and poor mood.

5. Better Self-Image:

Guided meditation can also improve emotional health by increasing self-confidence and self-esteem. One study looked at brain activity using an MRI scanner prior to and following participation in a two-month meditation course.

Results showed increased self-esteem, increased activity in the brain network related to regulating attention, increased positive and decreased negative self-endorsement, and reduced activity in brain systems related to self-image.

6. Improved Memory:

Guided meditation can also influence brain networks responsible for many cognitive tasks such as working memory which allows the brain to hold onto information for the short-term. Meditation can also work to prevent or slow age-related memory loss.

A scientific review of 12 studies looked at the impacts of meditation on age-related memory loss and cognitive decline and found that the practice improved attention and mental quickness. One study found that just ten minutes of guided meditation practice each day can improve working memory by 9%.

It is evident to see that guided meditation can be an asset for many reasons. From improving mental health to aiding in physical outcomes, guided meditation should certainly be considered as an option for people looking to improve overall health and wellness. Via regular practice one is sure to see benefits that will improve quality of life for the better.

References:

Blink. (2020). BlinkBlog. BlinkBlog. https://www.blog.blinkfitness.com/8-reasons-to-try-guided-meditation

Hayes, A. (2020, July 31). 13 proven benefits of meditation. Netdoctor. https://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/mental-health/a33441611/benefits-meditation/

17 February 2023 0 comment

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