In this article, we will learn all aspects of creating a great guided meditation script, leading, writing and some best-guided meditation courses you can choose.
Introduction
Guided meditation is transitioning from an esoteric practice connected to yoga and traditional Hinduism and Buddhist teachings to one that anyone in need of relaxation or connection with oneself and life can access. Today, we can have guided meditation provided by yoga teachers, meditation teachers, therapists, spiritual guides, or even parents teaching and calming their children at home.
Meditation, or Dhyana – one of the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga, is an effective tool to ease and relax the mind, refresh our perspectives on life situations, listen to our emotions, and take care of our inner selves.
That being said, guiding a meditation class is a very helpful self-reflective practice that, when done well, can greatly benefit the practitioners.
Below we will talk more about guided meditation, how to prepare a great guided meditation script, certification, and leading your first class.
Features of Guided Meditation
Guided meditation is when a meditation teacher or guide prepares and leads a class. The meditation is usually planned and thought through beforehand to create a certain meditative experience and space for the students. Whether it is a short relaxing meditation or a longer and more profound practice. The goal is to create a safe and comfortable space so your students can open up to themselves, let go of intrusive thoughts later and find peace within. This is often achieved by preparing the body to relax and stay awake, using breathwork and pranayama techniques, as well as imaginary work and visualization exercises.
Before preparing for a guided meditation class, it is important to know that there is a difference between ‘guiding’ and ‘teaching’ meditation.
Teaching meditation focuses more on the technical aspects and practices usually done beforehand – such as yoga asana practice, pranayama breathwork and mantra chanting. Teaching meditation is a more practical and insightful class where the techniques are explained, there might be an open conversation, and the students prepare to meditate on their own.
Guided meditation, on the other hand, is focused on providing a meditative space for the audience to relax and follow guidelines through their experience.
Some guided meditation techniques you may incorporate in your classes are:
- Gentle movements or yoga kriyas before entering the meditative pose
- Pranayama breathwork practices
- Body scan and relaxation
- Mudra, or hand gestures
- Mantra chanting
- visualization and imagination work
- Storytelling
- Insightful questions
- Singing bowl sounds
How to write Guided Meditation Scripts
Writing and preparing a great meditation script takes experience and patience from others and yourself. They say time is the best teacher. First, you need to listen, learn and do your best. You need experience before reaching the point where you can guide a meditation class without a previously prepared script.
Genuine and True Energy
When thinking about where to start and how to write a guided meditation script, you need to feel where you are now. Learning and taking from your own experience can be a very helpful and creative way to go about it. How to create a guided meditation that will make people feel safe and relaxed is a basic question new teachers often ask. We recommend you look inwards. Ensure the energy you put into preparing a guided meditation comes from within; do not be afraid of making mistakes. Learning how to teach and guide others is ongoing; Every time you teach a class, you will pick up new and fresh ideas.
Enough Time for Body Relaxation
When guiding others through a meditative experience, creating a space where the physical body can relax and stay calm is very important. This usually takes place at the beginning of the meditation and is a crucial part of the entire experience.
In most of your classes, you will have students of mixed abilities; some students will have more experience, others less, but it is vital to ensure every student takes the body relaxation exercises seriously. You may do this by introducing some gentle stretches at the start. You can use pranayama breathwork techniques and guide them through a body-relaxing visualization.
Use Simple and Calming Words
The words we speak and our thoughts create the reality we live in. When preparing a guided meditation script, keep this thought in mind: Great meditation teachers often use very simple guidelines and phrases to leave room for the students to create a space of their own in the way they wish to.
It is highly recommended to use a gentle and kind voice and choose the words consciously so that the message sounds direct and personal to each student.
How to Lead a Guided Meditation
Sticking to a certain structure when giving guided meditation classes is advisable. After some time and practice, your voice will become more confident and there will be plenty of time later on to incorporate intuitive and improvised guidance.
Plan and Create a Structure Beforehand
As we mentioned before, guided meditation requires a center of focus. While preparing a class, ensure you have a specific outcome or insight in mind. This will help you to direct the whole practice in a comfortable and organized manner.
Breathe and Speak Naturally
While guiding a meditation practice, you might feel nervous initially. This is fine, as it is all part of your learning journey. Remember to guide the meditation for yourself as well. Even though you will not be able to participate in it as your students, you can still calm yourself and take deep breaths to join the group energy of the practice.
When speaking, please ensure you are not tensing or straining your voice. Try to speak calmly and naturally without changing your voice too much. It is important to project the genuine color and tone of your voice.
Guide through Body Relaxation
Preparing the physical body to enter a meditative and reflective space is crucial when guiding a meditation class – especially when working with students with little experience. Make sure you devote some time in the beginning, to help your students relax and leave any tensions behind. You can do so by using a body scan practice, mantra chanting, gentle kriyas, and movements or jattis.
Lead through Energy Visualisations and Breathing
Guided meditation often uses visualization and conscious breathing techniques to create a space within. This is when you allow your creative and nourishing energy to lead and light the practice space. You may guide your students with a story, images, energy flow and breathwork, and a mantra or the sound Om.
Make Space for Silence
Getting caught up in constantly speaking and passing on instructions is easy when teaching and guiding others. Preparing the script and creating a comfortable space with visualizations and imagery work is also vital to the practice.
Remember to leave your students in silence and self-reflection now and then. This is when they can dive deeper into their undisturbed meditation experience.
Bring the Focus Back to the Body
After some self-reflection, you may slowly and gently take back the reins and invite the guided meditation group to return to the present moment. You may also bring their awareness to the space by using the sound of singing bowls or gently chanting the previously introduced mantra.
After this, it is good to lead the practice by doing some gentle movements. This is the space in which the students will slowly reconnect to their material body and be able to reconnect to their thoughts, emotions, and sensations.
End the Class with a Uniting Message
When your guided meditation comes to a close, you may invite the group to join their hands in the heart center or any place they wish to send and receive gratitude. Chanting the mantra Om, or finishing with a uniting message of gratitude, is a beautiful space in which all become one.
Certification for Guided Meditation
You should get your certification when going to a guided meditation class or thinking about teaching others. A certified meditation teacher has finished meditation training, either online or in person and has all the necessary credentials to teach and thorough preparation to guide others through the practice.
How to Run Your First Guided Meditation Class
Remember to find your point of focus when preparing and running your first guided meditation class – just as you would when meditating. This will help you concentrate on what you wish to provide with your practice and will help you create a well-structured meditation script.
Leading your first class may be a bit stressful, and this is completely fine – experiencing beginner’s nerves is a part of your learning process; it means that you care about doing it right.
To feel more relaxed and calm, we recommend you guide your class out loud, even just for yourself, or invite some close friends or family to join the experience. A helpful tip is to record your meditation guidance and listen to it as if you were participating in class. With the benefit of experiencing the class from the perspective of both the teacher and the student, you will know what you need to change, whether in the pace, the words, or the structure.
Remember to breathe deeply and stay calm while leading a meditation practice. Focus on the energy you wish to transfer to others. On love, compassion, support, and gratitude. These sensations will always give you a hand in moments of doubt or stress.
Best Guided Meditation Courses for you
If you wish to enroll in an online guided meditation course, review some of the offers below.
- MyVinyasa Practice 200-Hour Yoga & Meditation Teacher Training
- School Of Positive Transformation Meditation and Mindfulness Teacher Certificate
- Arhanta Yoga Meditation Teacher Training Online
- Soulversity Meditation Teacher Training
The Bottomline
Becoming a good guided meditation teacher takes time, discipline, and an open-hearted attitude. By practicing meditation, preparing meditation scripts, and learning from other meditators, you will create a unique meditation class where your students can enter a space of security and openness. We invite you to join our online meditation course, Calm Your Spirit, Soothe Your Mind followed by our Online Mindfulness TTC Course for more insight into your meditation practice and future guided meditation classes.
