If you suffer from anxiety, you’re not alone. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting 40 million adults each year. While there are many different treatments available, guided meditations can be a great way to find calm and peace. In this blog post, we will discuss where you can find guided meditations for anxiety and how you can create your own guided meditations for anxiety at home – do-it-yourself!
Why Guided Meditations are Perfect For Meditation Beginners
Guided meditations are a great way for people who are new to meditation to get started. Not only do they provide guidance and structure, but they can also help to create a relaxing and calming environment. One of the most difficult things about meditation for beginners is thinking that you must clear your mind of all thoughts. This is a major misconception about meditation.
You do not have to clear your mind of thoughts. Instead, using the purpose of meditation is to acknowledge the thoughts and let them pass on by. However, I understand the anxiety that comes with trying to meditate, and this is why guided meditations can be so helpful.
With guided meditations, you can focus on the narrator’s voice, so it’s easier to let go of any other thoughts that may be distracting you. Additionally, guided meditations often incorporate breathing exercises and relaxation techniques, which can further help to reduce stress and promote relaxation. If you can enjoy your experience with guided meditation, then you’ll become empowered to start practicing the mindful, embodied skills like deep breathing. These skills can help you overcome mental health challenges and anxiety in your daily life – even when you aren’t meditating!
Where to Find Guided Meditations
With technology, finding guided meditations has never been easier. From apps to meditation programs, there are plenty of different ways to take start meditating. Here are some of the most popular platforms for guided meditations for anxiety:
1. Headspace App
Headspace is a popular meditation app that offers a 10-day trial, after which you can subscribe for $12.99/month or $95.88/year. The app provides a 10-day beginner’s course, as well as a variety of other courses and single-session meditations on topics such as anxiety, stress, sleep, and focus.
2. Calm App
Calm is another popular meditation app that has a free trial with 7 days of full access, after which you can subscribe for $14.99/month or $59.99/year. The app offers a variety of courses and single-session meditations on topics such as anxiety, stress, sleep, and focus. My favorite NBA player, Lebron James, is featured heavily. Cool to see athletes embrace mindfulness too!
3. Insight Timer App
Insight Timer is a free meditation app that offers over 11,000 guided meditations from over 2,500 teachers. The app also provides a variety of features such as the ability to set timers, track your progress, and join groups.
The primary way I’ve used Insight timer is via the meditation timer that is customizable. For example, I can easily set the time to 10 minutes, with a variety of starting and ending bells plus background noises like the ocean waves. However, as a part time yoga teacher I’ve also had plenty of experience with the Insight Timer’s guided meditations in professional settings as well!
Students of all ages have gone through these guided meditations from the app, and everyone almost always seems to enjoy them immensely. My personal favorites are the ones about compassion. I highly recommend trying out the 20 minute Kristin Neff guided compassion meditation. You’ll feel much less anxious and will feel much more accepting and loving of yourself, just the way you are right now.
Regardless, there’s a little bit of something for everyone on Insight Timer, which is great. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, it’s easy to create your own guided meditation (more on that later). Insight Timer also offers some interesting statistics about your usage – I like to see how many days in a row I’ve meditated for, as well as my total hours. For those who are competitive or goal-oriented, this could be a great way to stay motivated!
4. Smiling Mind
Smiling Mind is a free meditation app that is designed for children and adolescents aged 7-17 years old. The app offers a variety of courses and single-session meditations on topics such as anxiety, stress, sleep, and focus.
5. Youtube
Youtube is a great place to find free guided meditations. Simply search for “guided meditation for anxiety” or any other topic you’re interested in, and you’ll be sure to find a variety of options. You can also see the list of searches directly because I’ve actually already done a Youtube search for “guided meditations for anxiety”.
How to Create Your Own Guided Meditation
While there are many pre-recorded meditations available for free on the internet, sometimes it can be helpful to create your own guided meditation. This can be especially useful if you have specific goals or intentions that you would like to focus on. Creating your own guided meditation is a relatively simple process too, and it can be a very powerful tool for managing anxiety and stress.
- Choose a quiet space where you will not be interrupted. Make sure that you will be comfortable and won’t have any distractions.
- Sit in a comfortable position with your spine straight. You can sit in a chair with your feet flat on the ground, or you can sit cross-legged on a cushion on the floor.
- Begin by taking a few deep breaths and allow your body to relax. Release any tension that you may be holding in your muscles and allow yourself to sink into the chair or cushion.
- Once you are feeling relaxed, start to focus on your breath. Listen to the sound of your inhalations and exhalations and simply observe the sensation of your breath moving in and out of your body.
- If your mind begins to wander, gently bring your attention back to your breath. You may want to count each inhale and exhale until you reach 10 and then start again from 1.
- Once you are focusing solely on your breath, begin to add in visualizations or affirmations that support your intention for the meditation. For example, if you are trying to reduce anxiety, you might visualize yourself surrounded by a white light of protection or repeating the affirmation “I am safe” in your mind.
- Spend 5-10 minutes meditating in this way before slowly opening your eyes and coming back to the present moment..
You may want to journal about your experience afterwards if you feel inspired to do so. This can help you further release whatever was brought up during your meditation practice.
Meditation can be a very effective way to manage anxiety and stress. By creating your own guided meditation, you can tailor it specifically to what you hope to achieve. Taking some time out of each day to relax and center yourself can make a world of difference in how you feel.
- Guided Meditations to Help You Find Calm - November 17, 2022
