People who are health-conscious are now turning their attention to meditation. It has become a new form of activity to promote healthy living and mental peace. Yoga, along with meditation, has become a combination that people have incorporated into their lifestyles, benefiting them in the long run.
However, meditation is not a topic you can quickly explore in a single chapter, despite its growing interest. Nevertheless, we have provided all the details in this blog, explaining meditation for complete beginners who wish to establish a daily practice.
Meditation is a simple activity to perform but can be challenging to maintain. However, there are certain tips and tricks to help you integrate it into your lifestyle if you seek a healthier mind. Beginners can start with guided meditation programs that can assist them in adjusting to this new practice initially and then continue with their daily routine.
Understanding the Benefits of Guided Meditation for Beginners
For beginners, there are several reasons to explore why participating in Guided Meditation is a superior choice. Let’s examine them one by one:
- A teacher will assist you in the practice and dedicate their time to explain, practice, and synthesize it with you.
- You can reap the benefits of practicing during a retreat, attending a session in a physical location, or participating online.
- You can download or purchase video cassettes, or access audio files for free to support your daily practice. Potentials Unlimited is famous for delivering cassettes and audio files in their meditation program.
- Joining a community that practices meditation together, led by a teacher who assists you in your practice.
- Attend doubt-clearing sessions with your teacher to receive a proper explanation of the method you are practicing or address any hindrances to your progress.
- The cost of participating in an online session is lower compared to offline or retreat options.
- In guided meditation, the teacher can provide specific assistance tailored to your issues, whether it’s anxiety, depression, or low feelings.
Why Guided Meditation Is Often Recommended For Novices?
If you understand why guided meditation is preferable, then the reasons for novices or beginners should be quite clear to you. The benefits are greater when compared to practicing on your own, as a teacher with experience in the subject can better address your questions. While you may have read books about meditation and practiced accordingly, human guidance is much more practical, efficient, and conducive to faster progress in your learning.
A beginner must not forget and should embrace the guidance of a teacher as the only way to spiritual progress. When you open yourself to the master, sharing all the details about your problems in your practice, he or she will take note of them and guide you along your path to progress.
In meditation, your practice is like a journey on a road, where you wander your attention through the subjects that go in your mind. Along this path of meditation, you may tend to get confused or be overwhelmed by thoughts that suppress your progress. Your master will be there to guide you, assist you in finding the right direction, and lead you toward the next stage of advancement in your meditation.
For any beginner, let us understand why guided meditation is recommended, along with the reasons
The Use of Meditation for Self-Development
Engaging in self-development activities helps enhance your cognitive functions. You become more aware of your surroundings, which assists in your thinking process and enables you to make decisions swiftly in your life.
Through the practice of meditation, you can easily delve into your mental activities and make choices that contribute to your self-development.
When pursuing self-development, we typically set goals for ourselves. These goals represent activities or achievements we aspire to accomplish. They can also be a series of objectives, such as reading 10 pages from the Bhagavad Gita, waking up at 6 a.m. every morning, regularly attending the gym, or making financial preparations for starting your business.
Self-development goals enable us to achieve more than what we currently are. We strive for these achievements to become better versions of ourselves compared to our current state.
In meditation practice, you gain the necessary clarity on how to attain your self-development goals. During meditation, your mind becomes absorbed in a repetitive activity, like observing your breath or listening to a deep voice or tone. By anchoring your mind to these meditative activities, you learn the process of focusing your mind on a single action.
With a mind enriched by meditation practice, you have acquired the tools to overcome the challenges that may arise on your path in achieving your goals.
Guided Meditation for Goal Setting
A. Setting Intentions through Meditation
Meditation is a valuable tool for gaining clarity. Setting goals means establishing standards in your life that may seem impossible to achieve in your current situation, as we discussed in the previous section on self-development.
These goals can contribute to your progress in various aspects of life, whether it’s wealth, peace, or relationships. They can transform you into a better person when you imagine yourself achieving them. Consider the cases of a person named Rob, who is a daily alcohol consumer and shows no concern for his financial situation, and Phil, who works tirelessly for a meager salary even though he knows he could achieve more by dedicating time to his reading activities.
Considering the situation of Rob and Phil they can discern the problems they are facing. Therefore, Rob could set a goal of gradually abstaining from alcohol and dedicating his time to other activities, such as meditation. Meanwhile, Phil could establish a dedicated reading schedule for his finance courses to potentially earn a higher salary or seek better job opportunities.
These goals demand a clear mind and the removal of the obstacles that have accumulated due to Rob’s daily alcohol consumption or Phil’s toxic work environment. Through daily meditation practice, one can think clearly about questions such as, “Why am I addicted to alcohol?” “Why does it drive me to lose control when consumed?” “How much time should I allocate to my studies?” “What are reliable sources for learning about finance and money management?”
These introspective questions arise when you deeply contemplate your current situation and take proactive steps forward without thinking about the consequences. This is how meditation can aid you in setting and achieving your goals.
B. Guided Meditation Techniques for Goal Achievement
Guided meditation is a progressive practice. When you engage in meditation, your mind delves into the depths of your thoughts and actions simultaneously. Today, especially among youngsters, including teenagers and young adults, there is a prevalent habit of procrastination. They often identify with the issue but take no action to address it.
During meditation, you are guided by your teacher to perform a single task repeatedly for 30 minutes to an hour. In these moments, your mind may start to develop aversions to the meditative state and generate distracting thoughts.
In our everyday lives, we also tend to lose track of our goals. We get involved in activities that do not contribute to or support our goal achievement. Similarly, this can happen when you are in a meditative state. Your own mind and actions can become obstacles to your goals, leading you in the wrong direction.
The power of thought is so intense that it can make you lose sight of both your life goals and your meditation practice. This is where guided meditation teaches you how to deal with unnecessary distractions that offer little benefit to your life goals.
Cultivating Meditation as a Hobby
Incorporating meditation as a hobby is a positive addition to your lifestyle. Both doctors and meditation teachers recommend daily meditation, typically advising to allocate 30 minutes to 1 hour each day for this practice.
By adopting meditation as a hobby, you gain several advantages:
- You receive a daily dose of calmness through regular meditation.
- You experience inner peace and tranquility throughout the day, allowing you to relax during moments of stress.
- You allocate time to be with yourself in a peaceful state.
- Your mind becomes sharper, enabling you to delve deeper into topics of interest.
- You cultivate love and compassion towards the people around you. Couples who may have had difficulties in their relationships are finding that meditation together strengthens their connection.
- You shift your focus from planning, lethargy, and procrastination towards taking action in your life.
Starting Your Guided Meditation Journey as a Beginner
Finding the Right Guided Meditation Program
Beginners can embark on their meditation journey hassle-free and gain a comprehensive understanding of meditation by enrolling in a guided meditation program.
These programs come in various formats, each designed by teachers to suit your specific needs. Generally, there are three formats available: retreat programs, offline groups, and online groups for guided meditation. While all formats have their benefits, beginners are often advised to start with online guided meditation programs.
Benefits of Short-Guided Meditation Sessions
A short guided meditation program is another viable option for beginners. You can enroll in a guided meditation course where they will provide instruction. These programs can be as brief as 30 minutes, and they often allow you time to engage in discussions with the teacher regarding your meditation practice.
There are numerous options available for short guided meditation practices that you can explore. These programs will also assist you in seamlessly integrating meditation into your busy lifestyle and schedule.