Steph Powell

Shipston-on-Stour, UK

Mark D60

Cayman Islands

Stephanie

New York City, NY, USA

John Be

Niantic, East Lyme, Connecticut, USA

Cinthia

Sebastian, FL, USA

Begin your mindfulness journey by observing your breath and learning to label thoughts with gentle detachment.

English

Does meditation feel like a chore? I totally get it. I've been there myself. The key to embracing meditation is to reframe how you think about it. Don't be hard on yourself for constantly thinking throughout. It's perfectly normal. The power comes from recognising the thought and going back to the meditation (and this may happen 1000 times- perfectly fine). That's when you grow as a meditator. I hope this meditation succeeds in guiding you through your first and sparking a whole new relationship with meditation.

Guided Meditation For Beginners

 Welcome, beginner. Thank you so much for trying this meditation. I know that stepping into the world of meditation and mindfulness can be a little confronting, and it can seem like a lot of work, but I can assure you that if you understand it a little bit better, with a little bit of help, this can be a very fun and pleasant and rewarding experience. So I appreciate you entrusting me with your time, and let's begin. The most important thing you need to recognize about meditation is that, well, thoughts will arise. It's perfectly normal for your mind to wander and for you to think. As long as you understand this, you will approach this meditation with more ease, and it'll just be a lot easier for you. So as we begin, find yourself seated comfortably, and ensure that your back is upright and your hands are comfortably by their sides. And I want you to just feel your body and notice how you feel right now. And with me, let's take a deep breath in through your nose. Slowly exhale. Relax as you breathe out. Relax your muscles, and gently close your eyes. I'd like you to begin by noticing your breath. Take note of where the breath is felt most distinctly, and maybe from the tip of your nose, your chest, your belly. And you'll notice the thoughts are seeping in by now, and that's normal. That will happen throughout this meditation. When it does, just take note of the thought, and you may label the thought, and then gently go back to your breath. And now I'd like you to notice the pace at which you're breathing. Settle into the breath, and don't try to change it. From now on, everything that you do comes from a place of observation. You're observing the breath. You're observing your thoughts. Notice how deep each breath is naturally. Now let's take a deep breath in through the nose, as deep as you can, and slowly exhale. Relax a little bit more as you breathe out. And notice the air flowing in and out of your nostrils. You don't have to think about it. Just feel the sensations of the breath. Notice the temperature of each inhale, and then notice the temperature of each exhale. Notice how they're a little different. Remember, thoughts will be seeping in, and when that happens, just take note of the thought. Recognize it, and observe it as a bystander. And then label it, and go back to your breath. Again, there's a lot of power in detaching from the thought. In many ways, that is the core of meditation. Take note of your chest now. Notice how your chest moves with each in and out breath. Notice how the skin stretches as you inhale. Notice how it contracts when you exhale. And now take note of your belly. Breathe into your belly, and out of your belly. Notice how your belly inflates like a balloon when you breathe in, and notice how it deflates when you breathe out. Now just go back to your nostrils. Go back to feeling the breath from there. Take note of your jaw. Relax your jaw. Relax your shoulders. Relax your arms. Take note of your chest. Can you feel your own heart beating? Just relax your chest muscles. Relax your shoulder blades. Go back to your chest. Notice any sensations. Now take note of your belly. How does it feel? Are there any sensations coming from there? Relax your belly, your abdomen muscles. Notice any sensations that may be coming from your pelvic region. Notice your legs, how they feel. Notice your ankles. And together, let's take a deep breath in through the nose, as deep as you can. Slowly exhale. Relax a little bit more now. And remember thoughts are a big part of the meditation. Don't try to fight them. You're not gonna win. Just take note of the thoughts, and observe the thought as a bystander. Then you label the thought, and go back to your breath. Notice again your breath, and from where it is felt most prominently. How does your body react to the breath? And again, thoughts are seeping in. That's fine. It's actually normal. Just take note of the thought, label it, and gently go back to feeling your breath. Each time that happens, you grow stronger as a meditator. I want you to now take note of the temperature in the room that you're in. Take note of any sounds that may come from within your vicinity. Take note of the surface on which you are seated. And when you're ready, gently open your eyes and welcome back your physical surroundings. And as you do so, I'd like you to think of something about your life for which you are grateful. What are you grateful for today? It can be anything. Just acknowledge it. And then when you've done that, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for entrusting me with your time. Congratulations, you meditated. I can understand that it may have seemed at times like it was tough, and that thoughts may have been, you know, coming in and out. That's perfectly normal. And just remember that when that happens, you actually grow as a meditator. Each time you notice a thought, you grow better as a meditator. So I encourage you to try this style of meditation in your own time. And with each following day, you will grow better as a meditator. Thank you very much, and I'm sending you lots of love and good energy. Thank you.