Guided Meditation is a form of meditation in which the listener gets audio prompts that guide them through the meditation. This can be a recorded piece of audio or it can be live. Often, the guided meditation is on a specific topic such as grief or lovingkindness or compassion.
The form of guided meditation that I practice is in a similar vein. When I sit with someone, I guide them in a live session, giving them prompts along the way and taking them on a journey of discovery. Before I even mention settling in or closing one’s eyes, I start by interviewing the listener on what they are going through and I tailor the rest of the experience to fit what they tell me. It is a lot like an improv session in that there is some initial input and then we go where the journey and the moment takes us.
It is in many ways like a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book. I am as surprised as the recipient by what transpires and where we go. All I ask is that the listener be willing to go on this adventure with me. If you have the willingness to trust me, we will go far. Vulnerability is rewarded. Letting go of expectations is rewarded. Being in the moment is rewarded.
I will be the container for our session. I will make sure the outside world does not butt in, that we are in a safe environment, and that our words are for us alone. If there is a need to change our setting, we will work together to make those changes. Furthermore, I do not ascribe to any particular vision of divinity. When the spirit moves us to talk about things science cannot explain, I will take your cues on what resonates. We will discover together what feels right for you. My job is to remain an empty vessel for your experiences.
Which is not to say I do not have things to say. I have lived a long and spicy life and I am prepared to bring all that I have experienced to bear on our time together. In the end, you will know what works for you and I will encourage us to rejoice in the discoveries you make about yourself along the way.
Finally, many people say they have “too many thoughts” and that meditation simply doesn’t work for them. The truth is, without plenty of thoughts we would have nothing to work with! Imagine a sculptor with no clay. Having a lot of thoughts is like having a lot of clay: there’s plenty to work with! You might on the other hand be wondering if you have too FEW thoughts. How can you sculpt something when you have NO clay? The answer is often very simple: you do have thoughts, they are just below the surface. I guide the listener to a safe place where they can discover a wealth of thoughts and feelings. These thoughts are often hiding in plain sight, right behind that supposedly “empty” place of non-thoughts.
If you are curious about what Guided Meditation can feel like, feel free to listen to some of the recorded meditations that my two teachers, Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach have made during their lifetimes. Mine will be something like theirs, but live, and also they are an entirely new creation of mine… because no two lives are alike… and mine is full of experiences I am eager to intertwine into these existing modalities.
Jack Kornfield Guided Meditations
https://jackkornfield.com/category/meditations/
Tara Brach Guided Meditations
https://www.tarabrach.com/guided-meditations/
Thank you for trusting me.
Let’s slow down the world a little more, starting with you.
Slow Down the World 