It depends on my surrounding. When I’m at home and it is quiet I prefer silent meditation. When I’m just trying to breathe for a moment during a hectic day, I like the guided meditation, because it is easier to focus on it. When I jump around all day because my schedule sends me all over town, I definitely prefer the guided meditation. After a long day, when I can finally settle down, I prefer the silent meditation. I enjoy having some time of silence. If I don’t have it, I feel like I’m not rested the next day. In short: what is your body/mind asking for? A break from the day or a moment alone with no distraction?
I like guided. I have been using Peloton meditation and it is guided. I find my meditation lasts longer and is better when it is guided. My mind wanders less.
Each person has their preference. I started with guided until I got the hang of it; now I meditate while listening to binaural beats. 🙂
I find that guided meditation keeps my mind from wandering. I like that it takes me places I didn’t know I needed to go. I find comfort in the voice of another person. I find that silent meditation is still a place where my least productive thoughts live.
More recently I have been doing well with guided meditations but in the past I have been successful with even up to 20 minute silent meditations.
I absolutely find guided meditation way more effective because it helps you keep coming back when things are tough or you’re too busy and it also gives you some clarity and takes the pressure off of yourself to come up with a session. If you don’t know where to start, download the headspace app, which is brilliant.
Silent meditation is my preference. I get in touch with my own mind more quickly that way. I use a technique from Ki-Aikido. “Ki-breathing” is very centering. Start with 2-5 minutes daily and work up to half an hour or an hour daily. Continuity is more important than achieving a longer time. This practice effectively creates calmness in one’s life. Here’s a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz_IcnkBfEkextremely centering. Here’s a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz_IcnkBfEk
I personally like guided meditation much better. My concentration is very bad, so when I try to meditate myself, I just lose interest and have a hard time keeping on track. Guided meditation is much better for me. It’s also kind of fun, and there’s so many different meditations to listen to
I prefer guided. I have a very short attention span and thus guided meditation tends to bring my concentration back a lot faster. Guided meditation teaches you many new techniques and thus allows you to find techniques that work for you. Which can work for different circumstances, such as sleep, stress, anxiety, anger and many more.
Silent. My whole point is to try to limit my thoughts, period. Guided, while focused, is still putting thoughts into my mind. That’s how I view it.
Answers reflect the personal experiences of Fabulous community members. They are not medical or professional advice — for guidance about your health, talk to a qualified professional.