Try Guided Meditation to Relieve Stress

We live in a fast paced world, there’s no doubt about that. Maybe you’re busy being a parent, a caretaker for a family member or the demands of your job have you feeling a higher level of stress and anxiety. It may be time to turn to meditation and learn to develop inner stillness and peace of mind to help keep you calm when you face stressful situations. Meditation has been typically associated with eastern spiritual practices, but it is fundamentally a practice that anyone can implement in pursuit of a more peaceful life. Regularly practicing meditation is a wonderful way to re-energize and restore the mind and body and relieve stress. Best of all, there is an easy way to incorporate this into your life with guided meditation. This type of meditation will help you through the process, so there’s no need to be an expert. Whether you’re a beginner or even someone who has practiced meditation for years, anyone can benefit from guided meditation.

Guided meditation is a voice-guided step-by-step meditative experience. It can be live with the help of a meditation teacher or done through listening to a recorded voice. You can do this at a day spa, a yoga studio or meditation center even in the comfort of your own home. There are many different approaches to guided meditation and often with different purposes however, all guided meditations tend to follow a general format.

You’re usually asked to sit or lie down comfortably while you listen to your guide lead you through a series of relaxing visualizations. Your guide may describe very detailed, vivid images that produce certain responses in your mind or you may be invited to conjure up your own images. It may be body-focused, for example in progressive relaxation from head-to-toe with more of a concentration on breathing. Then, as you gradually relax and become more still, stress fades away and your mind becomes clearer. While in this deeply relaxed state, your subconscious opens to positive suggestions, and your guide will use this time to take you on an inner journey designed to improve one or more aspects of your life. For example, a guided meditation might be tailored towards personal improvement and positive thinking. Another might focus on emotional healing or spiritual development. You might be taken on a journey to unleash your full potential or simply one for the sheer pleasure of experiencing profound and deep relaxation.

Guided meditation can be an experience that is not only relaxing but one that enhances your sense of self, altering your perspective in positive ways to inspire you to live life to the fullest. It can be an invaluable tool for improving your health and well being, as well as personal and spiritual growth. Some people will learn practices they can use on their own, and gradually move away from guided meditation to practicing on their own. Others may enjoy or need the helping hand of a meditation session with a guide. Even those with a regular meditation practice in their life can benefit from various forms of guided meditation. It’s an effortless and very enjoyable experience that results in deep relaxation, elimination of stress and a heightened appreciation of life.

At the conclusion of your guided meditation, your guide gradually brings you back to a state of awareness, leaving you feeling relaxed, rejuvenated and refreshed. A guided meditation could be as short as five minutes or as long as an hour, depending on your preference. However, a guided meditation of fifteen minutes or longer is generally recommended if you wish to experience a true deep state of relaxation and capitalize on all of its positive benefits.

The benefits of guided meditation are infinite. Continuous practice with guided meditation can help you to go deeper into discovering more meaning in your life. The more you practice, the more clarity you gain of every little aspect going on in your life and help you learn more about you. Here are some of the physical, emotional and spiritual benefits you can gain through guided mediation:

Physical:

•    Quiets the mind

•    Promotes muscle relaxation and decreases stress level

•    Improves the immune system

•    Reduces mood swings, anxiety

•    Helps cultivate healthy habits like stopping smoking or losing weight

Emotional:

•    Improves self-confidence

•    Helps reduce panic attacks

•    Enhances sense of positivity and creativity

•    Become more aware and alert, resulting in better decision making

Spiritual:

•    Helps you adopt a more loving, tolerant and open attitude

•    Gain clarity and spiritual alignment

•    Find a deeper connection to life

If you’re looking for a place to start, guided meditation is easy and can provide some amazing outcomes. You can download many free guided meditations online and there are some excellent ones available from modern-day spiritual gurus like Eckhart Tolle, Dr. Wayne Dyer or Deepak Chopra. Experience positive ways to imagine and achieve your personal wellness goals. With regular use, you can actually change behaviors such as experience weight loss, smoking cessation, free yourself from addictive behaviors, even transformation your attitude from pessimistic to optimistic! Time to release stress and escape with guided meditation. 

Dena DaSilva (Las Vegas, NV/Riviera Maya, Mexico) is a health and wellness, eco-living travel writer, active in sharing her research, experiences and knowledge on a variety of these topics. Born into a very health-conscious and fitness-crazed family, this fun-loving energetic beach lover and world traveler has a natural passion for all things promoting health, wellness, spa, holistic lifestyle and travel. She earned two BA degrees at West Virginia University and an MBA with an emphasis in Marketing and International Business from Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management.