How to Get Started With Guided Meditation

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsOverviewHow to Find a GuideMaking TimeTipsThe ProcessA Word From Verywell

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Overview

How to Find a Guide

Making Time

Tips

The Process

A Word From Verywell

Despite the benefits ofmeditation, many people feel overwhelmed at the thought of learning how to meditate. Guided meditation makes it easier to get started because it takes a lot of the mental legwork away from the novice.

Although the digital world makes it difficult to disconnect, it does have its perks—it’s easier than ever to find a guided meditation on demand. To find the right meditation guide for you, browse through some of these options:

It’s easy to fall into the trap of doing it “later”—but “later” never actually comes. If you’re interested in making guided meditation a regular part of your routine, rather than a one-time thing to de-stress, it’s important toset aside time to meditate.

Many people find that either first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening are viable times to engage in a guided meditation. These are often the quietest times of the day when the kids are asleep, dinner and dishes are both complete, and work is still put away.

One perk to doing it in the morning is that it starts the day off on the right foot and means you don’t have to try to find time to fit it in between errands, meetings, and chores. On the other hand, meditating right before bed can get you into astate of relaxationthat’s ideal for sound sleep.

Even taking a few minutes whenever you can during the day to engage in meditation can be beneficial.

When you get started, consider a shorter session to get the hang of the process. People often spend between five and 30 minutes on meditation. While the ultimate goal would be to spend an hour or more engaged in meditation, the reality is that most people do not have time for this in today’s busy world. However, even shorter sessions can provide benefits.

Relaxation Response for Reversing Stress

From there, simply sit or lie down somewhere comfortable. It could be on your bed (if you’re not at risk of falling asleep), in a cushy chair, or on a cushion that’s been set up in the corner of your favorite room of the house. Close your eyes, breathe naturally, and let the guide take it from there.

In order to make meditation a regular practice, you might find you need to put meditation time into your schedule. Make it a regular habit to meditate at a certain time of day and you’ll likely find that you’ll commit to it more regularly.

Remember that meditation takes practice. No one is necessarily good at it at first. It takes practice and dedication to really reap the benefits.

How to Sit When Learning to Meditate

Meditation novices often find the process of meditating to be almost mentally uncomfortable at first. Your mind is bound to wander at the beginning, even when you have a guide.

It’s natural to get lost in your thoughts, and it’s not necessarily the goal of meditation to stop thinking entirely or to fully empty the mind. It’s about paying closer attention to your body

When this happens, acknowledge the thought and then return to the breath as soon as possible. Post-meditation is a great time to observe what thoughts were most present and why.

As you continue your practice, keeping your mind centered will become easier. Remember, there’s no “wrong” way to practice meditation, even when it’s guided. It’s supposed to be about what feels good to you.

When the guided portion of your meditation ends, don’t jump back into the hectic pace of your daily life. Allow yourself to end the meditation slowly and remain present in the moment. Gradually become reawakened to the world around you and slowly open your eyes. Return to daily life with renewed invigoration and a clear mind.

5 Meditation Techniques to Get You Started

SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lumma A-L, Kok BE, Singer T.Corrigendum to Is meditation always relaxing? Investigating heart rate, heart rate variability, experienced effort and likeability during training of three types of meditation.International Journal of Psychophysiology. 2015;117:126-130. doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2015.04.017Neary M, Schueller SM.State of the field of mental health apps.Cognitive and Behavioral Practice. March 2018. doi:10.1016/j.cbpra.2018.01.002

Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lumma A-L, Kok BE, Singer T.Corrigendum to Is meditation always relaxing? Investigating heart rate, heart rate variability, experienced effort and likeability during training of three types of meditation.International Journal of Psychophysiology. 2015;117:126-130. doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2015.04.017Neary M, Schueller SM.State of the field of mental health apps.Cognitive and Behavioral Practice. March 2018. doi:10.1016/j.cbpra.2018.01.002

Lumma A-L, Kok BE, Singer T.Corrigendum to Is meditation always relaxing? Investigating heart rate, heart rate variability, experienced effort and likeability during training of three types of meditation.International Journal of Psychophysiology. 2015;117:126-130. doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2015.04.017Neary M, Schueller SM.State of the field of mental health apps.Cognitive and Behavioral Practice. March 2018. doi:10.1016/j.cbpra.2018.01.002

Neary M, Schueller SM.State of the field of mental health apps.Cognitive and Behavioral Practice. March 2018. doi:10.1016/j.cbpra.2018.01.002

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