The moment of noticing a thought is a very powerful moment. It’s really where the real meditation occurs. That’s because there’s a spark of insight at that point, what in technical terms is called meta-awareness: you’re aware of your thought process, not just caught up in it. Now at that moment, there are lots of possibilities.

You can touch that thought and gently bounce back to attention on the breath and your body. But you might also say “Oh damn, there I go thinking again, I just can’t get away from this thinking and do this meditation.” We call that “entertaining the messenger.” When the messenger comes to the door and says “Hello, here’s the message,” instead of just taking the message—in this case, a cue to bounce back to the breath—we decide to get into a whole argument and keep the messenger around for a while.

Rather than entertaining the messenger or fighting with the messenger, it’s nice if we can just take the message. Thought—breath. And one of the wonderful things about meditation—many people have said this, and Dan Harris for one revel in it—is the fact that it allows for such a monumental amount of failure. Failure is just fine. So, if you’re sitting meditation for 15 minutes and you don’t notice your thought until the bell rings at the end, that’s what that session was about. You learn from it. There will be another one. No big deal.

If you’re trying to get really good at this and be especially good, especially strict, it’s like pushing on a string. As Frank Ostaseski likes to say, it’s about allowing. Being. Yielding. Letting yourself be there—not trying to make yourself meditate.

1. citation takes away the stress of “figuring it all out”

While meditating is a process to help you reduce stress, starting a practice can cause some stress on its own.

If you think you have to sign up for a class, drive to a studio, spend lots of money, then put away one hour a day — every day — hiding from your kids and spouse and other distractions… that process alone can be a cause for unnecessary stress.

Guided meditations are amazing because all you have to do is push “play” or follow the written instructions. The track is there to guide you through every step of the way, helping you relax and visualize a positive and vibrant reality.

2. Guided meditation helps you focus on the task at hand

If you are one of those people who becomes restless when sitting down for a long period of time, or whose thoughts tend to wander right back to problems and worries, guided meditation is an effective way to — from start to finish — stay tuned to what the instructions are saying and getting through the practice, one day at a time.

Think about it as training wheels:

You learn how to sit still and observe your thoughts, relax and visualize what the instructor tells you. If you are consistent, eventually you won’t need the track anymore to attain the same benefits.

3. Guided meditation will immediately make you feel good

Meditating with a track is a thoroughly enjoyable experience. There are thousands of tracks available online for free and the vast majority is recorded by instructors with a soft, pleasant voice, which makes the whole experience energizing.

4. The options for Guided meditations are endless

Technology has made meditation as easy as the push of one button. You can open another window of your browser right now, push play on a Youtube track and you can start your practice.

The benefits are the same, but they can include specific goals to achieve, like being more grateful or dealing with anxiety.

5. Guided meditation doesn’t have to be a lengthy practice

An important misconception to understand when thinking about starting a meditation practice is that in order to meditate, you need to sit still for hours.

Contrary to common belief — that meditation should be a lengthy process — practicing for only 10 minutes a day consistently can considerably improve your focus and help you slow down at stressful times.

In order to start your practice, make sure you set a time of the day (just ten minutes) and do your best to be consistent. You can meditate early in the morning, before starting your day or before bedtime, after a tiring day.

Create a trigger in your mind, like you do with brushing your teeth or showering. Associate meditation with other habits and that will help you stick to it and make sure you keep that 10-minute slot locked for this purpose.

We are here to help you get all the benefits you can from this life-changing practice, so we made the following list to help you choose where to start.

What Meditation Does For The Brain?

Meditation is a very powerful practice.

Here are just a few ways in which meditation can help both the body and mind:

• Slows the aging process
• Reduces activity in the “me” center of the brain
• Lowers anxiety and depression
• Improves attention, concentration, and focus
• Better memory
• Increased creativity
• Increased self-control

How Do You Meditate For 10 Minutes?

Even a short 10-minute meditation has the potential to do a lot for both your body and mind.

So, how do you do these short meditation exercises?

Here are a few things you can do to help facilitate your 10-minute meditation:

• Find a quiet space
• Let others know you don’t want to be disturbed for the next 10 minutes
• Find a comfortable position to sit or lie in
• Take a few deep, cleansing breaths
• Set a timer or follow a guided meditation track

Does Guided Meditation Work For Anxiety?

Meditation can help with many mental health concerns, including anxiety and depression.

Through consistent meditation, you can actually change the chemistry of your brain through a phenomenon called neuroplasticity.

Meditation has been proven to have significant effects on those dealing with anxiety and depression. Just five minutes a day can make a world of difference.

In particular, mindfulness meditation has been shown to be helpful for those suffering from anxiety disorders such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

How do you practice mindfulness meditation?

Mindfulness meditation is a form of meditation that encourages present moment awareness.

One of the best ways to practice mindfulness is to simply pay attention to the breath. Being aware of each breath as it enters and exits the body is mindfulness. It really is that simple.

If you’re new to mindfulness, why not try a guided meditation? It’s the best way to get started with the practice in a gentle, healthy way.