When a person starts meditating, then the very first comes to one’s mind is whether you should do it by yourself (unguided), or guided by someone. The preference and choice of meditation practice vary from person to person. A person should check out various options before choosing any option. Today, we’ll discuss what is guided meditation and unguided meditation; where to experience it, its benefits, and FAQs.
What is Guided Meditation?
Guided meditation is the process of practicing meditation under the supervision of a teacher or a guide. It’s better if you practice mindfulness and learn basic steps in the presence of an expert teacher. However, it doesn’t matter whatever skill you’re learning in life, it’s significant to do in the presence of a trusted teacher that you can relate to. In fact, it’s essential to discover the intricacies and subtleties of mind guided by someone.
Before starting the journey of meditation, it’s important to know what you’re planning to achieve through it. The meditation teachers first ask you to know the content of your mind, approach various practices, and learn the best use of those practices. After that, they teach you how to practice meditation and achieve proficiency in it. Finally, integration is the last step where you implement the calmness and clarity of mind into your life that you have learned through meditation.
The teacher explains to you the dynamic of the mind and how it behaves in guided meditation. He/she would teach you various meditation techniques, and how to apply them in your life.
How & Where to Experience Guided Meditation?
Now, the question is how and where to experience and learn guided meditation. You can experience it in two ways, and they’re as follows;
Local Meditation Classes
You should search on Google and social media platforms about the local meditation practicing groups in your area. When you connect with like-minded people, then it would build your meditation practicing habit. Often, expert and experienced teachers create such groups where they provide deep insight, guidance, and silence. The meditation style depends on a number of factors like the teacher, where he has studied it, local group, and the student level.
Instructional Applications
Digital applications offer you an audio/video tutorial instructional step-by-step guide. The digital app would be your guide and tell you to perform various techniques and practices. It makes sure that you’re developing compassion for others and becoming aware of yourself.
What is Unguided Meditation?
Unguided meditation also goes by the name of guided meditation. It’s the process of practicing meditation by customizing everything however you like setting up silence time, space, and duration. Here, you don’t utilize any external tool in this process.
You should find a quiet and peaceful space where there’s no interruption, sit comfortably either on the floor, chair, or sofa; select the good posture of your body where you’re feeling good, and start inhaling and exhaling through your nose and mouth.
When you’re practicing solo meditation by yourself, then you can use any of the meditation techniques that you’ve learned from anywhere like body scanning, mantra, or visualization. If you don’t have any meditation background, then you should get some guide. However, some people just sit quietly, focus on their thought and body, and sit for some period of time.
Guided Meditation vs. Unguided Meditation
Now, the question is what type of meditation practice you should choose. It completely depends on your choice and preference. Anyways, some people want to practice under the guidance of the teacher, and other people don’t want the guidance. The teacher or guide isn’t just there to guide you and teach you how to drive; he would also offer you support and motivation.
It is better that you should start with someone experienced guide. Once, you have sufficient experience, proficiency, and confidence, then you can do it by yourself unguided.
Benefits of Unguided/guided meditation
Some of the main benefits of guided and unguided meditation practices are as follows;
- It alternates the structure of your brain
- Lowers the chronic pain level, depression, and stress and anxiety level
- Better sleep if you’re going through disturbed sleep
- Improvement in the immunity system of your body
- Allows you to focus on your work
FAQs
Which Meditation technique is Effective? Guided or unguided?
Studies have found no evidence that any of the meditation practicings has got an edge over the other. The researchers at Yale University analyzed different types of meditation practices and techniques, and they have found that experienced people can help you to focus your mind and amplify calmness.
The other studies have shown that you can achieve a high stable emotional control and attention when you sit silently by practicing any type of meditation.
It’s significant to keep in mind that all types of meditation practices are good. Various meditation techniques may differ in terms of practice, but they all lead you toward the same destination of peace of mind and awareness.
Why Do People Meditate?
People practice meditation both guided and unguided for various reasons. Some of them are as follows;
- Better quality sleep
- Improved mental and physical health
- Managing stress and anxiety
- Achieving the feelings of content, no matter wherever life takes you
- Improved relationships with yourself and other people
Misconception relevant to the meditation
Some of the misconceptions relevant to meditation are that it requires you to empty and clear your mental space so that you could get away from the problematic thoughts. Truth is that there is no escape from your thoughts. However, the key is to sit back and relax your mind, so that you could analyze your thoughts clearly without engaging in the metal commentary. Instead of changing our thoughts, we change our experience to it.
Conclusion: What is Guided Meditation? Where to Experience it – Benefits
After an in-depth study of what is guided meditation; unguided meditation, where to experience it, its benefits, and FAQs, we’ve realized that meditation is very important for our mental health. If you don’t have any background knowledge about meditation practices and techniques, then you should have some guidance. If you think that you can do it by yourself, then you should practice it by yourself.
Ahsan is an accomplished researcher and has a deep insight in worldly life affairs. He goes Live 3 days a week on various social media platforms. Other than research writing, he’s a very interesting person.
