I have led hundreds of guided meditations. Here are a few tips I’ve learned along the way if you’re wanting to guide others through one yourself.

1.  Let people know ahead of time how long the meditation will be.

This is so that they’re not distracted by worries that it’s going to be super long when really, it’s not. When they have some sense of how long the meditation will be, they will let themselves sink into it more than if they’re guessing when it’s going to end.

2. Relax and trust yourself

You’re allowed to slow down the pace and make the meditation exactly how you want it to be. When you’re getting started it can be helpful to create an outline and then you can add things as you present it. Don’t feel like you need to stick with the words you initially wrote, there’s a lot of creative freedom in it.

3. Inform people either during the meditation or before that there’s no right or wrong way to meditate.

Let them know that if their mind wanders, that’s normal and they can return their awareness to their breath as an anchor or point of focus as many times as they need to. Often times people won’t like to meditate because they think they are doing it wrong. Let them know that there’s no right or wrong so that they feel more comfortable with the process.

4. Encourage curiosity by using words and phrases like “notice,” “tune into,” “sense where,” or “see if you can.”

For example: Notice what your mind is doing as you tune into your breath. Sense where you’re holding tension in your body and see if you can breathe into it and let it go.

5. Have a clear ending to your meditation.

If you’re using a singing bowl, chime or bell, let people know ahead of time how many times you’ll ring it to signal the end of the meditation. If you’re guiding them out with your words, make it a slow transition. It can be jarring to abruptly end a meditation, especially if you go right into talking afterward. I like to encourage people to look around the room and notice objects after they’ve opened their eyes to bring them back. 

If you’d like more support in leading guided meditations, check out my 1:1 mentorship or group coaching program. I would love to teach you all about it!