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What Is Guided Mindfulness Meditation?
The guide maybe a person in a room speaking to a group of meditators, or reading a guided meditation, alternatively the guide maybe a CD, DVD or MP3. The focus of a guided mindfulness meditation is to draw the meditator's attention towards a mindful perspective. This could be to focus on the breath - which is always an excellent place to start - or to reflections on various insights and teachings on mindfulness. The meditator's mind is more open when in the deeply relaxed state of meditation, and because the thinking mind is quiet(er) the unconscious mind is more receptive to the focus of the meditation guide can operate more freely and honestly.
I practise in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh and in my practise group we use his classic book "The Blooming of a Lotus: Guided Mindfulness Meditation" These guided mindfulness meditations by Thich Nhat Hanh are exercises that are designed by him to bring you (the meditator) into closer touch with your body, your inner self, your family, and the world. The over-arching objective of these (and similar exercises) is to show meditators how mindful consumption and mindful actions can help prevent suffering and develop compassion and how to connect with our highest selves. If you are new to all this and would like to try it out for yourself, I have included several videos below - each with a slightly different approach, for example some use music and some don't, there are male and female voices, and on one video there is no voice.
Breath awareness guided mindfulness meditationIn this video, Julie Dittmar (an internationally renowned hypnotherapist and meditation guide, sound healer, and life-long practitioner of yoga) leads this live guided meditation at a recent satsang in the Seattle, area.
As an experience of presence and relaxing energies, it serves as an exploration of your true nature.
Mindfulness meditation with a focus on breath awareness
A guided meditation by Jim Malloy of the World Wide Online Meditation Center
Mindfulness meditation - "Acceptance of Thoughts and Feelings"
The mindfulness bellThe mindfulness bell is a very powerful tool in mindfulness meditation. In this video, Sister Dang Nhiem, (a nun at Deer Park Monastery in Escondido, California, US and who practices in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh) explains the use of the mindfulness bell.
The sister shows us the proper way to invite the sound of the bell and teaches us how to use the sound of the bell to cultivate inner peacefulness...
Mindfulness bell - a 5 minute mindfulness meditation This recording from The Guide Meditation Site contains nothing but the pure sound of a Tibetan singing bowl being repeatedly struck with a soft mallet. Your mind will become clearer and more calm with each and every bell strike, and as the bells fade into silence, your mind is given the opportunity to experience a very natural state of stillness.
A high bell sound rings out at the conclusion of the meditation.
Further resources
Mindfulness meditation technique - the basics Practising mindfulness in daily life Zen enlightenment - the end of delusion?
Supporting Articles
The following articles develop and support the main themes and should be read in conjunction with the main pages under the relevant theme. Please see:
Experiences, Reflections and Practical Tips
Return from "Guided mindfulness meditation" to "How to practise mindfulness"
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What is guided mindfulness meditation? Quite simply, any form of guided meditation is a meditation with the assistance of a guide.
which is a companion volume to the best-selling "
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