Day 11: Guided vs Silent Meditation

 


Which is better, guided or silent meditation? The simple answer is - that depends.

Can we substitute guided meditation for silent meditation? Guided meditation is easier and more enjoyable, will it offer the same benefit?

Excellent question.

The short answer is that it depends on you and what you are searching for. Any meditation is better than no meditation, so do what you can. I knew someone who listened to guided meditations many times a day. He had a very busy mind, so the imagery helped him to focus and offered him a break from his thoughts. I also encouraged him to spend short periods of time in silent meditation because ultimately that would help him at a deeper level. It was frightening for him to even consider being alone with his thoughts so we started very slowly while he continued with the guided imagery.

Guided imagery is perfect for relaxation, stress relief, prep for surgery, lower blood pressure or other healing benefits. It has a goal and is a wonderful way to support wellness. My favorite guided imagery comes from Belleruth Naparstek who has studied and perfected imagery for over 30 years. Her imagery is available at Health Journeys. She has one for PTSD that I think is the best on the planet.

If you are looking for peace, calm and stress relief, guided imagery can't be beat. Good news/bad news? It does not take the place of silent meditation.

If you want more personal growth bang for your buck, so to speak, silent meditation is the way to go. It's harder to do, but because it is more difficult, it is more beneficial. Focusing your attention on the present moment without judgement, and coming back to the present moment again and again, disciplines the mind, and brings clarity, greater awareness and a sense of unity with all things

Guided and silent meditation both have benefits depending on your need and willingness to practice. Willingness is a key factor because unless we sit we gather no benefit. Personally, I use guided imagery as medicine and silent meditation as a daily practice.

Hang in there, we are almost at the halfway point!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Five Minutes in the John. Chapter Five: Why Don't We Do It?

Image
A most useful approach to meditation practice is to consider it the most important activity of  each day. Schedule it as you would an extremely important appointment, and unfailingly keep your appointment with the infinite."                                               – Roy Eugene Davis We know what's good for us, yet human nature takes a rather lackadaisical approach to good practices. We floss and then we don't. We go to the gym and then take a break. Sometimes it is only when we give something up that we discover how much we need it. That is good to know and can tip us over from "I should" to "I want to". When I surveyed clients about meditation there were basically two reasons why they didn't sit. Lack of time and a potpourri of excuses including “I can’t”...
Read more

Five Minutes in the John. Chapter Six. Final Thoughts

Image
 "The act of meditation is being spacious.” – Sogyal Rinpoche Let's review. We are invited to sit in meditation for 15-20 minutes a day for a committed period of time like a month. We are keeping it simple with the 1-2-3 method. Sit. Breathe. Stay. We have reviewed the benefits and the obstacles. All is in order. Maybe I am the only one, but I wonder how meditating started. When did people first sit and why? What were they hoping for? It is speculated that meditation practice may be as old as humanity itself. I imagine early man staring into a fire or up at the stars in the sky. No internet. No TV. No books. So contemplation was basically part of life. You hunted, foraged, ate and sat around the fire until you slept. As life became more organized and less nomadic, spiritual thought and practices developed. India has the oldest written information about meditation, followed by China. No one really knows for sure when it started or why, but we do know this: it offers something ...
Read more

Five Minutes in the John. Chapter Two: Easy as 1-2-3

Image
  Mindfulness is often spoken of as the heart of Buddhist meditation. It is not about Buddhism, but about paying attention. That’s what all meditation is, no matter what tradition or particular technique is used.                                                                                                        - Jon Kabat-Zinn When it comes to meditating I am a purist, keeping it simple and focused. No music. No guided imagery. Just me and my breath. 1. Sit some where... This isn't real estate so location is really what ever works best for you and I have some suggestions. A room, a corner in a room or a chair can be a meditation nest as long as you are comfortable and won’t be disturbed . You want a ...
Read more