It’s possible to calm your mind even if you’re not able to think of nothing. But, what is important is what you’re thinking about. Thinking about a bill that you must still pay is not calming. Wondering how you’re going to pay the mortgage is not calming. Thinking about how rude your husband was to you last night is not calming. If you’re going to be thinking anything you should keep your thoughts positive!

Here are two meditation techniques that have helped me and that may help you as well. They are only suggestions… You need to find a technique that works the best for you. In fact, it’s a good idea to experiment with different techniques until you have found one or more techniques that really appeal to you. Personalize these meditation techniques until they are just right for you.

Meditation Techniques

1. Visualization

Imagine walking on a lovely beach. There is nobody else on the beach. The sky is blue and there is a nice and gentle breeze blowing. Smell the salt in the air and take deep invigorating breaths. As you exhale, imagine that you are cleansing your body of any and all negativity. Feel and enjoy the warm sunshine on your face and your whole body. Feel the soft but firm sand under your feet. Listen to the soothing breaking of the waves. Feel at peace and in complete harmony with your surroundings and the universe.

You can practice the above technique several times a day for 10 to 15 minutes at a time. Whenever you are experiencing stress or anxiety or feel out of balance know that you can return at any time to your own private beach. This is a powerful technique. Your dreams and what you visualize during meditation is just as real to your mind as your experiences when you’re fully awake.

2. Music

Music often triggers an emotional response. It can make a scary movie seem more real, it can make us laugh, make us cry… And, it can be uplifting or help us to relax.

Soft and soothing music playing in the background while you’re meditating can relax you, give you something nice to think about and put you in a positive state of mind. Personally, I love listening to baroque music but it can be anything really, as long as it’s positive and helps you to relax.

The music can help you to remain focused for longer. You will find that often when you start a new meditation session that you’re very aware of the music but that it fades away after a while. And, if you do get distracted or your thoughts start wondering all over the place you can simply shift your attention to the music again to regain your focus.

There is another type of music that I have found to be highly effective and very beneficial, namely music or sounds with binaural beats. It can help you get into a meditative state much quicker by stimulating your brain waves. If you’re interested in binaural beats I suggest you take a look at the following site: New Dawn Meditation.

I trust you have enjoyed this short article on meditation techniques, especially if you’re a beginner. Please let me know if you have any questions, comments or suggestions.

Wishing you all of the very best on your meditation journey!

Francois du Toit

As mentioned in the section How To Meditate For Beginners, meditation is all about relaxing the body and calming the mind. Relaxing the body is the easy part. What is often not that easy is calming the mind. Beginners often complain that they cannot “switch off”… They cannot stop thinking and are distracted by every little sound they hear in the background. This is where guided meditation can make a difference.

Guided Meditation

By listening to someone’s voice a beginner is often able to remain focused for longer and experience a more fulfilling meditation session. An example of guided meditation is group yoga sessions – Many of these classes end with the instructor talking the class through a short meditation routine.

This type of meditation is obviously different from meditating on your own without any external stimuli but can be just as beneficial.

Although many practitioners of yoga also practise meditation there is no need to get involved with yoga if you don’t feel like it or don’t have the time for it. Yoga and meditation are complimentary but the one is not dependent on the other.

Guided Meditation Audio

If you are new to meditation and are struggling to meditate on your own then you may want to consider guided meditation. You should be able a find a guided meditation mp3 or cd in many esoteric stores and they can often be purchased as a download on the Internet.

Do not just download and use any free guided meditation mp3 that you find online.

Only buy from a reputable and knowledgeable seller and always listen to the mp3 or cd from beginning to end before you start a meditation session. It is very normal to fall asleep while listening to a guided meditation mp3 or cd and although you may not be able to consciously remember what was said on audio your subconscious mind would have registered it.

Trust you have found this short article on guided meditation helpful. If you have enjoyed it or have any questions or comments please let me know by posting them below.

Wishing you all of the very best on your meditation journey!

Francois du Toit