Guided meditations can be really helpful to your nervous system and keeping your mind healthy. If you feel like someone that struggles with meditation, you are not alone!
That’s where guided meditations come in. All you need to do is press play and relax.
The reason guided meditations are so helpful when starting out is that there is a beginning and an end. While you lay down with your eyes closed, it’s easier to let go and relax when you know that you will end it at a specific time. It also keeps your brain occupied if you struggle with your mind wandering.
How Long Should You Meditate For?
You can meditate as long as you like! I prefer recordings that are about 20-25 minutes. Maybe 30 minutes if I’m really letting go. It usually takes me about 5-10 minutes before I fully relax. So that extra 10-20 minutes afterward is the sweet spot for feeling super relaxed!
Good Resources For Meditations
One great app to find free guided meditations anytime you want is Insight Timer. I highly recommend it! I’ll include a few of my favorites from that app on this list.
Other apps include Headspace and Calm.
Different Kinds of Meditation
You will notice that I’ve listed several different types of recordings you can listen to. Some are called guided meditations, relaxation recordings, Yoga Nidra, or hypnosis. I use them all the same. There may be some slight differences, but the overall goal is to relax.
A note about the hypnosis recordings that I’ve listed: I find these as essentially meditations with a goal. I’ve used Grace’s hypnosis recordings off and on for years and her voice helps me to relax very quickly. If the term hypnosis scares you, you can read more about it on her website or just skip it and find something that works better for you. There are a lot of options out there so you can still practice relaxation or meditation without these.
How To Choose A Meditation
When starting out with meditation, it’s helpful to get into a routine. Every time you practice, it gets easier and you will begin to experience increased benefits. When you find someone’s voice or style that you like, see what else they have to offer! Try choosing meditations that help you reach a goal like forgiveness, self-love, healing, anxiety relief, etc. These benefits may or may not be instant, but I can say that with regular practice, your mind will open up more to these possibilities.
7 of the Best Guided Meditations (so you can chill out!)
Photo by Victoria Tronina on Unsplash
1. Chakra Waterfall – Indigo Mind via Insight Timer
This is a very relaxing 10-minute session. Her voice is so soothing! I’m also partial to any sort of meditation with the term “waterfall” in it 🙂
2. Guided Relaxation for the Body & Mind – Heidi Minnick, Ph.D.
This 20-minute guided relaxation is my favorite and I’ve used it for many years. You can read more about why I love it here. It’s incredibly powerful for anxiety and a perfect way to end a busy day. It’s about $3 on Amazon and well worth the price!
3. Yoga Nidra: Melatonin Magic – Jennifer Piercy via Insight Timer
This is another 20-minute session that is perfect for nighttime. Yoga Nidra is a form of relaxing yoga that I find really similar to meditation.
4. Inner Body Healer – Grace Space Hypnosis
This is technically described as a hypnosis, but I find that I use it the same as a guided meditation. I’ve been using Grace Smith’s recordings for years. I think because I had a regular routine of listening to her hypnosis, I easily relax to her voice. She’s also extremely talented at what she does! These individual recordings are currently $19 each and I find them well worth the price, because I use them regularly. These recordings are a little over 20 minutes long.
5. Self Love and Acceptance – Grace Space Hypnosis
Another winner from Grace Smith. Having self-love and acceptance is really important for dealing with chronic illness, which is why I selected this recording in particular. This is also currently $19 each and a little over 20 minutes long.
6. Relieving Anxiety, Feeling Grounded – Bethany Auriel-Hagan via Insight Timer
I really love her voice and I love this type of guided meditation. She takes you on a relaxing journey so you feel very peaceful during this 10-minute guided session.
7. Healing Begins in the Mind – Bethany Auriel-Hagan via Insight Timer
I love guided healing meditations. I think it’s really helpful in programming your subconscious to be open to accepting that healing is possible. This short 10-minute session is very relaxing and soothing. It’s easy to listen to any time of the day!
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