Group Guided Meditation Practice
There are some excellent guided meditations around. I was thinking we could listen to them once a day for a week, and record what we find. What feelings, benefits and learning they might give us. I'm proposing we start one this Monday, Dec 25th, and listen to the recording here preferably each day for a week and write down our observations.
For the first one I present Barry Long, a mystic, perhaps best known as a major influence behind Eckhardt Tolle. Long has a soothing voice, with straight forward methods of removing thoughts. This meditation is from a youtube video Start Meditating Now by Barry Long, originally 36.51 minutes, after listening once or twice, feel free to fast forward to 6:24 minutes (or 10:24) depending on how much pre-instruction you want. You can listen at your computer or transfer it to an MP3 player to listen to in bed or during meditation.
I encourage people to give this a try. This is a great experiential meditation, with imo important lessons. Like many mystics, Long sees thoughts as addictions, once we get away from habitual 'junk' thoughts, we get more instep with reality. Generally a good thing.
Meditation_guided_Barry_Long_1.mp3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iB_S4jLJ3KI&list=PLmOtSswGcXa4bmB2BiYbZMsO0CM9w_OsY
Some of the best guided meditations are from the Indian tradition called Yoga Nidra. There are dozens if not hundreds of them available and they are wonderful for putting you into a deep state of openness and relaxation. They tend to be less visual then most western scripts, so work well with people who don't visualize as well.
Here is a link to a short simple 16 minute one- http://www.yoganidranetwork.org/mp3/bridget-reader-yn-1
Here's a nice one for sleep- http://www.yoganidranetwork.org/mp3/yoga-nidra-good-night-sleep
Here's a long one with nice tibetan bells http://www.yoganidranetwork.org/mp3/colour-ling-mann
I encourage people to go to http://www.yoganidranetwork.org and try out a few, find one they like, download it and work with it. Often there are bits we miss the first few listenings that have experiential teachings.
For those with Amazon Alexa units, you can Open up the skill Yoga Nidra, then anytime you want to hear a nice one you simply say Play Yoga Nidra and it plays.
I notice the Yoga Nidra network changes there selection. One of favorite longer ones Beach and Stars is no longer available. So if you like one, download and why not throw them the organization a pound or two for it.
Google or search youtube for Yoga nidra and you can find many other sources for them.
