What is guided meditation?

Guided meditation offers a structured approach to meditation. It can be done sitting, standing, walking around, or even lying down. There are hundreds of exercises and thousands of teachers readily available online.

Many people enjoy the direction given during guided meditation, as it can be difficult to maintain focus during unguided meditation. However, the calming impact of guided meditation might be less powerful compared to other categories.

What are the benefits of guided meditation? How can you decide if it’s the right option for you? And how does it compare to the Transcendental Meditation technique?

Benefits of guided meditation

There are many benefits that come with regular practice of guided meditation, and the body of scientific research to support these benefits is continually growing. The impact of guided meditation spans physical health, mental health, and cognitive benefits.

Here are a few of the key reasons to try guided meditation:

• Less anxiety

Practising guided meditation for anxiety is perhaps the main reason for its popularity. An external influence on your thought processes can make a big difference to increasing feelings of calm, and reducing racing thoughts.

• Better sleep

All types of guided meditation can help to calm the mind before sleep. But there are also guided meditations that specifically aim to encourage sleep, with soothing narratives that help you to drift off.

• Improved focus

Mindfulness exercises help train the brain to concentrate for longer periods of time. In the age of endless notifications and distractions, this can have a positive impact on your professional life.

• Greater self-awareness

Many guided meditations incorporate an element of self-reflection. A better understanding of your emotions and how your body feels can help to improve relationships. It can also give you a better idea of your purpose in life.

Types of guided meditation

Guided meditation is a broad category of meditation that encompasses many different exercises and techniques. Here are a few of the most popular types of guided meditation:

• Jason Stephenson guided meditation

Jason is one of the most popular meditation teachers, offering a range of guided meditations on YouTube. He offers sleep meditations, positive affirmations, and mindfulness meditations.

• Guided imagery meditation

Also known as visualization meditation, the teacher will encourage you to picture a calming scene. This could be a candle burning or waves crashing on the beach, for example.

• Sleep stories

For people who have difficulty falling asleep, there are specific guided meditation recordings that encourage a quietening of the mind, and eventually sleep.

• Breath awareness meditation

With prompts for when to inhale, hold, and exhale, breathing meditations can be helpful during panic attacks or during intense periods of anxiety.

• Guided mindfulness meditation

The purpose of mindfulness is to be aware of yourself and your surroundings in the present moment. Often, guided mindfulness meditations will direct your attention to different areas of the body, known as a body scan meditation.

Advantages of guided meditation

There are many reasons to try guided meditation. Here are some of the key advantages when compared to unguided meditation:

• Easy to follow along

Many people find their thoughts are less likely to wander during meditation when they listen to someone giving instructions.

• Enjoy relaxing voices

Having an external calming influence can be very helpful for people experiencing panic attacks or intrusive thoughts.

• Some free guided meditations

Meditation apps often offer limited content for free, or a free trial before payment is needed. Free guided meditations can also be found online and on YouTube.

• Good for beginners

If you’re new to meditation, guided meditation can be a great introduction. Some people find they can meditate without a guide after trying guided meditation for some time.

• Lots of choice

There is no shortage of guided meditations available. From different types of exercises, to different voices, there is plenty of content to explore

Disadvantages of guided meditation

On the other hand, there are several drawbacks of guided meditation to be aware of. While it works for many people, here are some of the most frequent complaints:

• A phone or computer is required

It can be inconvenient to rely on an electronic device for your meditation. If you don’t have a signal or you share a sleeping space and want to listen as you fall asleep, this may be challenging. 

• In-person classes can be expensive

Meanwhile, in-person guided meditation classes are also available, but the costs can add up over time (around £20 per session). 

• The mind stays on the surface level

During guided meditation, the mind cannot reach the same depths as some other types of meditation, as an element of focus remains throughout.

• They might get repetitive

If you find the right type of guided meditation and the perfect teacher for you, they may get repetitive over time. You might find it harder to retain focus over time.

• It can take time to find the right one

The quantity of guided meditation available online is a huge advantage, yet it might take a period of trial and error before finding the right guided meditation for you.

Guided meditation vs Transcendental Meditation

The Transcendental Meditation technique is distinct from all forms of guided meditation. So, what are the differences between guided meditation and Transcendental Meditation?

Independent meditation

While the TM technique is taught by a certified teacher as part of the multi-session TM course, after your initial instruction you are set up for independent meditation practice for life. 

That being said, free online and in-person group meditations are widely available, and continued support is included in the TM

Peer-reviewed research

The TM technique has a long history of scientific research, dating back to the 1960s. There are now more than 380 studies published in peer-reviewed journals.

One such study comes from the American Heart Association, which states that the TM technique is the only meditation practice that has been proven to

There is also some research that explores the effects of guided meditation and mindfulness. However, there are

A further caution is that there are variations between different types of guided meditation. So studies might apply to some specific visualization or breathing techniques, but not all.

The TM technique, on the other hand, is taught exclusively by certified teachers in a standardised course, so results from research on the TM technique are broadly applicable, and you can expect the same quality of TM instruction from TM teachers all over the world.

By Chloe Bonfield, August 22 2024 References:

1. Orme-Johnson DW. Creating coherence in collective consciousness for universal flourishing: automatic self-transcending for reducing conflicts and improving the quality of life in society. In AK Maheshwari (ed), Consciousness-Based Leadership and Management, Volume 1, Chapter 6 (pp 121-149), 2023. Palgrave Studies in Workplace Spirituality and Fulfillment.
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2. Yamamoto S, Kitamura Y, Yamada N, Nakashima Y, Kuroda S. Medial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex in the generation of alpha activity induced by Transcendental Meditation: a magnetoencephalographic study. Acta Medica Okayama 2006 60(1):51-58
3. Beyond Medications and Diet: Alternative Approaches to Lowering Blood Pressure, Robert D. Brook, MD, et al, and on behalf of the American Heart Association Professional Education Committee and others, 22 Apr 2013, Hypertension. 2013;61:1360–1383