Most of us have heard of the benefits of meditation and even with all of the evidence supporting the practice, many of us just don’t do it. Perhaps this is because there is something confronting about being alone with one’s self, or maybe some of us believe that we need to have some sort of special talent or be of a particular character to meditate. Here are 3 simple steps to starting a guided meditation practice.

3 Simple Steps To Starting A Guided Meditation Practice

“To understand the immeasurable, the mind must be extraordinarily quiet, still.” Jiddu Krishnamurti

Guided meditations are so important and beneficial because they can greatly assist us in overcoming our resistance to ‘sitting still’. Guided meditation uses visualisation techniques to help you focus and relax into the process of meditation and in a way gives your brain something to ‘do’ while you practice.

The fact is that by choosing to start a consistent meditation practice, you are giving yourself an incredible gift. Meditation costs nothing, you can do it anywhere, and through consistency it has been shown to benefit our brain in multiple amazing ways. Some of these benefits include improving your memory, your problem solving abilities and even decreasing depression or anxiety. Meditation is good for our physical bodies too, with science showing that through regular meditation we can lower our blood pressure, increase our immunity and even reduce our pain.

So how do you start a guided meditation practice?

1- Decide and commit.

A meditation practice is called a practice for a reason, because it takes practice! Don’t expect to turn into an enlightened being overnight, just make a start and don’t let your brain talk you out of it!

2- Choose a type of guided meditation that works for you.

There are many free guided meditations available online to help get you started in your practice. Find what you like, whether its gentle music or something more focused, and keep experimenting until you find what works best for you.

3-Don’t give up!

Whenever we make a decision to do something new in life we come up against resistance. This is our fearful brain trying to keep us in the same old boring patterns that perhaps we know don’t serve us. If you feel like giving up, just remember why you wanted to start. Focus your energy on your intention and love yourself enough to keep at it.

Do you have a favourite guided meditation that you listen to? Share it with us in the comments below!