Rianna, a yoga instructor in her 30s, often finds herself in a whole new different experience when she leads yoga classes. Several students are interested to attend her classes, usually held nighttime or during weekend afternoons. The room is usually filled with interested practitioners, both beginners and advanced, and she would often lend her yoga mat to a student if the room is left with no spaces. Oftentimes, she would choose to stand up and see the movements from her class.
Meditation is part of her yoga instruction. With series of breathing exercises, Vinyasa flows and stretches comes meditative routines designed to find the perfect balance between the mind and the body of the students. As the class ends, she asks her students to bow their heads down in prayer and leaves nuggets of wisdom before the leave – refreshed and rejuvenated.
What Is Guided Meditation?
Her class uses guided meditation as part of the techniques for the entire routine. What is a guided meditation and how does it work? This is otherwise known as imagery meditation and is simply defined as meditation with the help of a teacher or a guide. It is an easy way to enter into a relaxed state because most individuals would prefer to meditate on their own.
When a teacher guides the process, the student is brought to a deep relaxed state and while on that moment, he or she will receive feedback and hear sounds that will take them to a journey deep within their souls. For instance, meditation teachers would usually ask students to think about a person they want to dedicate their practice with, may it be a person that they love or a person that they need to make amends with. It is rooted with faith, especially in the Oriental region of the world.
How To Lead The Class
Teaching meditation is different from doing it on your own. It involves connection and relationship with the people learning the routines. Instructors should learn how to lead a meditation in the right way and establish a mental rapport with the learners.
Make sure that the eyes are closed and no distraction takes place. Perfect venues include enclosed rooms and spaces with sufficient ventilation. Mind the regular rhythms of breathing and focus on allowing the body to become still toward the state of peacefulness. Instructors may use up to ten minutes for the meditation as a minimum but those who want to increase their level of mastery might want to take it up to a class that extends to an hour. Teachers can also use helpful tools such as Tibetan bowls or background music with instrumental beats.
Benefits
Meditation has a lot of benefits for the mind and body. For one, it reduces stress and improves concentration. It is also one of the most natural ways to keep a healthy lifestyle. It increases self-awareness, acceptance and promotes happiness. Others have noted that it also slows down aging.
Conclusion
Meditation is a skill that is learned through time. Before deciding on do it on your own and in your own personal time and space, it will do you good if you try guided meditation classes with the help of a teacher. For teachers who want to learn how to lead a meditation, it is important to always keep an open mind.
