Guided Meditation Can Kick Start This Practice

Meditation isn’t exactly something a person can read about in a book and then master in a day. It can take on many forms and styles and require years of discipline to truly master. Guided meditation can serve as an excellent starting point for those who wish to explore the self, the unconscious mind and other states of consciousness. It provides a safe way to learn more about this practice and the techniques that can move it forward.

Guided meditation, in fact, is one of the most popular styles in the modern age. In this practice, a person leads an individual or an entire group on a journey through the mind to achieve a number of different goals. The objectives of a guided session of meditation can range from simple relaxation to increasing spiritual awareness and even enlightenment.

Although guided meditation is commonly practiced today, it does have roots that spread deep into the past. The use of a teacher or guide to help people on the path toward spiritual enlightenment and higher consciousness is found in many different cultures and traditions. Shaman, yogi and other spiritual leaders, for example, would help their students explore the benefits of meditation and tap into the powers of the mind.

In the modern world, guided meditation can take place in a variety of settings, including:

Formalized courses – Yoga and other similar practices may hold classes that involve guided meditation to further the study at hand. In this type of setting, a group of people will generally be talked through meditation, which typically focuses heavily on imagery to help students learn the ropes, heal and even gain a better sense of self awareness.

Medical offices – Psychologists and psychiatrists may engage their patients in guided meditation to help them gain a better sense of self awareness. In this type of setting, meditation will generally be highly focused with a specific goal in mind.

Stress relief classes – Guided meditation can also be used to help people learn how to release stress and overcome its effects. On this level, meditation will not generally seek enlightenment as its ultimate goal. Instead, the goal might be teaching people proven and beneficial relaxation techniques.

Home – Thanks to CDs, DVDs and computers, it is possible for people to engage in guided meditation in the comfort of their own homes. In this form of the practice, a leader is not present physically. Instead, he or she prerecords messages that students can use to put themselves on a path to higher states of consciousness. Meditation recordings for at-home use can range in their focus from very basic stress relief tapes to more advanced studies of the chakra and awareness-raising techniques.