I tend to operate on a high level of nervous energy. I've always been like this and when not kept in check, I am prone to things like anxiety attacks and an overall feeling of internal racing. I've discovered guided meditations on CD or tape, to be extremely helpful in calming my mind, body and spirit. I am lifted to a higher place spiritually, while my body is brought down to a calmer, more relaxed state. My mind is cleared of internal "clutter" when I used guided meditations, and my thinking becomes clearer.
Being a visual person, I find it quite easy to 'see' what is being described during a guided meditation. For example, if I'm told to see myself in a meadow with lush, green grass and wild flowers of all colors everywhere, I'm able to do so. Some may find this difficult and are able to 'sense' rather than 'see'. Either way, the results are the same.
When using guided meditation, I am transformed into another place- a place where the problems of the day melt away and I am floating happily in a loving place. Physically, my heart rate slows, my breathing calms and when I am brought gently out of my guided meditation, I feel like a new person: refreshed, restored and rejuvenated.
I don't recommend any one type of guided meditation with a specific spiritual belief to be used. Everyone has their own beliefs, and knows what works best for them. Often, this is discovered through a process of trial and error. There are some guided meditations I prefer over others. The only way I came to know this was by doing them. If, for example, a meditation is focused around a belief system I know isn't right for me, I don't buy it. These CD's, although wonderful, aren't inexpensive. I try to buy what I think will work for me, always hoping for the best.
Stress is so prominent in our society, and so many of us end our days feeling as we did when we awoke-wound up like a knot. It's not easy for most of us to pack up and take a vacation from it all. We simply don't have the time or the money, and have too many responsibilities at home. I view guided meditations as "mini-vacations". They truly elevate me to a place of peace, bliss, and calm. They also help get me in touch with my spirituality.
In the end, after a long day or just a day full of ordinary events-if you want to feel extraordinary please try a guided meditation. Working within a budget of twenty dollars and ten to twenty minutes of time, guided meditations may be your ticket to a more relaxed, de-stressed, decompressed, more balanced life.
Put those headphones on and enjoy!
Some of my favorite guided meditations:
www.MediHeaven.com Download the critically acclaimed "Secret Garden" guided meditation for free.
Anxiety Relief: Guided Imagery Exercises to soothe, Relax and Restore Balance (Guided Self-Healing Practices) by Martin, M.D. Rossman
Self-Healing With Guided Imagery: How to Use the Power of Your Mind to Heal Your Body by Andrew Weil and Martin L., M.D. Rossman
Preparing for Surgery: Guided Imagery Exercises for Relaxation and Accelerated Healing by Martin L., M.D. Rossman
Chakra Clearing by Doreen Virtue
The Healing Waterfall by Jilllhighstein Max Andre
Angels & Guides Healing Meditations by Sylvia Browne
The Andrew Weil Audio Collection: Breathing: The Masterkey to Self Healing/Meditation for Optimum Health (Self Healing) by Andrew Weil and Jon Kabat-Zinn
Theta Meditation System: Let Go of Stress, Renew Your Spirit, Gain Insight, and Intuition by Thompson, Dr. Jeffrey
Healing: Music, Meditation and Prayer by Marianne Williamson
Getting in the Gap: Making Conscious Contact with God Through Meditation (Book with CD) - Hardcover, by Wayne W. Dyer
Healing with the Angels by Doreen Virtue
