Almost every beginner embarks on their meditative journey with guided meditation. And this is often the perfect way to start – with proper guidance. But when is the right time to move on to more silent, self-guided meditations?
Guided meditations are excellent for beginners, when learning new techniques, or as a temporary aid when experiencing difficult emotions. However, gradually incorporating more quiet periods into your practice will help you become more comfortable sitting with yourself in silence.
Let’s explore the pros and cons of both guided and silent meditation, helping you gain insight into which to practice and when.
Guided vs. Unguided Meditation: Understanding the Difference
In guided meditation, an experienced teacher or practitioner leads you through the practice, helping you apply the fundamental principles of a specific technique. In unguided or silent meditation, you learn to remind yourself of these principles and apply them independently.
A well-executed guided meditation provides general direction while allowing space for individual experience and understanding how to apply the practice to your unique mind-body connection. It incorporates moments of silence for exploration, with gentle reminders when needed.
Are Guided Meditations Good? The Benefits for Beginners and Beyond
Guided meditation is essential for beginners. When starting, consider an effective meditation course or guided meditations to learn the basics. Understanding the technique properly – how to practice and why – is crucial.
Reading the right books is also essential to stay motivated and on track. Mastering the fundamentals early ensures you build upon them to develop healthy mental habits. This aligns with the principle of learning any skill; for example, golf lessons are vital to establish a proper swing technique early on, preventing the development of bad habits that can be difficult to unlearn later.
Soothing and Calming Effects
Guided meditations can be beneficial in the initial years of your practice. They offer a soothing and calming effect, particularly when feeling stressed, acting as a comforting presence that helps relax the inner workings of the mind.
Even when venturing into silent meditation, returning to the comfort of a guiding voice can be beneficial. This is normal, and there’s no harm in it.
As your journey progresses, gradually incorporate more silent periods into your meditations. As you solidify your practice, rely less on guided meditations, as the ultimate goal is to relax independently without relying on external aids. The aim is to find peace in any situation.
Signposts and Reminders for Your Practice
Guided meditations can serve as valuable reminders of the core principles of your practice. When engaging in silent meditation for extended periods, challenges may arise, such as frustration with progress or the emergence of difficult emotions. In such instances, revisiting the fundamentals becomes crucial.
Teachers, whether personal or pre-recorded, provide signposts to guide you back on the right path. Even experienced meditators can benefit from occasional guided meditations to reinforce fundamental principles.
Are Guided Meditations As Good As Silent Meditation? The Path to Deeper Practice
Guided meditations can effectively relax and calm the mind and body. However, for deeper exploration and freedom from the root causes of suffering, one must eventually learn to sit comfortably in complete silence.
The Transformative Benefits of Silent Meditation
Self-Realization and Inner Wisdom
Meditating in silence is crucial for making lasting positive shifts in your life. Meditation is a process of self-awareness, self-exploration, and self-realization, often best achieved when facing yourself in solitude. Knowing yourself is true wisdom, the ultimate goal of meditation. Full, complete, liberating self-knowledge empowers you to overcome any obstacle.
In complete silence, we heighten our awareness of our inner world. We calm the surface level of the mind, allowing thoughts and presumptions to settle. We create space between thoughts and objectively observe rather than react.
This creates space for repressed thoughts and feelings to surface. These can be uncomfortable, which is why meditation, especially silent meditation, can be challenging. The temptation to use comforting voices as a distraction arises.
Building Resilience and Self-Reliance in Meditation and Life
The original instructions for meditation involve finding a quiet place in nature, sitting in silence, and directing your attention according to your chosen technique. With a firm understanding of your technique, this should not be a problem – until it is.
Unguided meditation can bring challenging emotions to the surface. Sitting in silence without external support can initially feel difficult and scary, with a surge of thoughts arising.
You must remind yourself of the practice and redirect your attention independently. This is where the true practice of self-reliance begins – becoming an island unto yourself.
“Be islands unto yourselves, be your own refuge, having no other”
The Buddha
This requires practice, diligence, and resilience. It will be challenging at first, but perseverance will train you in these skills, translating to increased resilience in everyday life, allowing you to manage responsibilities and recover from setbacks more easily.
Despite the difficulties, silent unguided meditation offers significant benefits.
When Guidance Is Needed: Recognizing the Signs
The more we meditate in silence, the more suppressed feelings and emotions emerge. These can be overwhelming, particularly when meditating with eyes closed, with nowhere to escape. Panic may set in, causing us to react and forget the purpose of the practice. It’s important to recognize when you’ve lost your way and need to seek guidance.
When overwhelmed, guidance is needed to get back on track, through:
- The guidance of a qualified meditation instructor or a well-structured meditation course.
- A guided meditation that reinforces the fundamental principles of your technique.
- Careful study and research of your meditation technique.
A qualified meditation teacher is often the best option, but may not always be accessible.
A good guided meditation can be helpful, reminding you of the reasons for practicing and the core principles.
Researching your technique and reading meditation books alongside your daily practice provides motivation and helps you understand your challenges. You’ll find you’re never alone in your struggles. Return to silent meditation whenever comfortable.
Building Your Inner Island, Bit by Bit
Avoid consistently relying on guided meditations as a crutch when things get tough. Sometimes, it’s necessary to face the situation rather than avoid it.
Ultimately, you are your own master, and you decide what is best for you. The most important thing is to persevere.
Remember that the goal is to become an island unto yourself. By not giving up, you build your inner island each day. You won’t always have a soothing voice in your ear during difficult times, so develop the skills you learn in meditation to use in the real world.
Technology may fail or internet access may be unavailable, so avoid becoming overly dependent on guided recordings. They don’t compare to the breath, which accompanies us from birth to death.
Conclusion: Balancing Guidance and Silence on Your Meditation Journey
We deepen our practice by observing the workings of our mind and body ourselves – how and why we react. Self-knowledge is true wisdom, best achieved through silent meditation, which allows for important realisations that may be obscured by external guidance.
Occasional guidance is still important. Know when you need it, and when you’ve had enough. Take it easy, be patient, and gradually incorporate more silence. Revert to guided meditations when needed, and never give up.
Key Points to Remember:
- Increase silent meditation time as you gain experience.
- Use guided meditations when needed, especially when facing challenges, but avoid over-reliance.
- Experienced meditators can benefit from occasional guidance to ensure they’re on the right path.
- Seek guidance from a qualified teacher or engage in extensive reading alongside your practice.
Stay aware, equanimous, and remember – everything is fine, be happy!
