Guided meditation for anxiety relief
I just believed that I always had anxiety as my default operating system. My brain scurried, my heart was jumping and serene seemed like a foreign land. Then I found out about guided meditation to help overcome anxiety. It was not like a magic pill, yet it turned out to be my best anchor. The practice taught me that I can leave the storm of thoughts I am in and create a still point inside myself. In case you are overwhelmed, I can demonstrate to you what worked in my case.
Guided meditation is just listening to the voice of some narrator which takes you through a calming psychological tour. To a troubled mind, this is a gift of outside attention. It provides my busy brain with a soft activity to pursue it and thus it can finally leave its hamster wheel.
The Reason Why Guided Meditation Relaxes Anxiety.
Anxiety is usually in a loop of what-ifs in future and regrets in the past. Anxiety relieving guided meditation is effective as it puts you squarely in the present. The following are the things I observed in my practice:
It Stops the Voice of the Spiral: The voice provides one point of focus to my mind, interrupting the progression of anxious thoughts.
It Triggers Relaxation: The concentration on body cues and breath triggers my nervous system to change mode to fighting-flight to rest-and-digest.
It Teaches Observance: I have learned to view my anxious thoughts as clouds, and not facts that make me who I am.
It Journalists a New Habit: The habit of practicing made a neural way to relax that can now be reached more easily.
Introduction to Your Practice.
It does not require special equipment and free hours. I began with only five minutes in my parked car. Here’s how you can begin:
Find Your Space: Select an area or place where you do not get bothered. I use a corner of my bedroom.
Breathe Easy: Sit or lie down. Use a cushion for support. The intention is not sleep but wakefulness.
Wear Headphones: Helps to immerse more and block the noise.
Start Short: Start with 5-10 minutes session. Regularity is much more significant than time.
Release Judgment: Other days, my mind is eternally wandering. I have also trained to softly go back to the voice of the guide without criticizing myself.
A Script to Simple Guided Meditation to Trial.
You may read it out slowly, take notes or just go by the guidelines. I apply the variations of this in everyday life.
(Find a comfortable position. Keep your eyes closed, when you want to.)
Starting with the physical experiences of your body. Get the experience of having the weight of yourself supported by the chair or floor. Notice the points of contact.
At this point, just bring your mind to your breath. Don’t force it. You need only watch the natural beat of your breathing… and your breathing out. I am just staring, and I do not have to make any difference.
On your next breath, imagine that you are attracting a feeling of calm. When you breathe out, visualize getting rid of any form of tension that you may be having. Inhale calm. Exhale release.
In case anxious thoughts come up, accept them. Think to yourself, there is a thought. And then, as of a wandering puppy you put back to his bed again, so bring yourself tenderly to the sound of my voice and the breathing of your breath.
Now, examine your body head to toe. Where do you feel holding? In your jaw? Your shoulders? Your stomach? When one exhales envision the softening of that very space. Let it be loose and heavy.
Just a moment, and get your breath here. I am safe in this moment. I am here, not in my worries. In… and out.
When you are ready deepen your breathing gradually. Wiggle your fingers and toes. Delicate, dear, open your eyes, and carry this sense of now, with you.
Turning it into a Life Long Relaxation Aid.
I found out that the real force of guided meditation to relieve anxiety manifested in the course of time. It was not about reaching a blank mind but transforming my connection to what was going on inside me. I started to bring a small fragment of that calmness within stressful circumstances.
I maintain a short meditation favorite that I have saved in my phone whenever I feel anxious in a moment. It’s my instant reset button. This practice belongs to you. Make it a good, non judgmental place where you can just be with yourself, just the way you are. Your serenity is awaiting to be discovered.
Guided Meditation Anxiety- FAQ: Short.
Q: When would I see results?
A: I experienced a slight change right after the first session there was a slight pause in the anxiety. The cumulative benefits such as reduced baseline stress required approximately two weeks of daily and regular practice.
Q: Meditation is not able to stop my thoughts. Am I doing it wrong?
A: No! This is the experience that occurs most frequently. It is not about preventing thoughts, but it is just about becoming aware of them without becoming won over them and having to bring your mind back to the present. Every time you get back it is a rep to your calm mind muscle.
Q: How do you think an app or a free recording online is better?
A: I’ve used both. There are guided tours with apps, and there are free YouTube or podcasts to change things. Begin by using free resources to decide on what kind of voice and guidance is most attractive to you.