"Meditation for Busy People" is a professionally produced guided meditation CD for busy Fathers and people who need to relax and recharge their energy in a short period of time. The voice is calming, the music soothing and the exercises are easily done in as little as 12 – 16 minutes.
Benefits of Meditation
- Meditation counteracts the stress-induced fight-or-flight response and helps the practitioner achieve a calmer and more relaxed state.
- This holds numerous well-documented health benefits, including alleviation of hypertension, asthma and anxiety, reduced serum cholesterol levels, pain relief and quicker recovery from stress.
- Being calm and centred enhances energy levels and vitality for top performance in presentations, interviews, exams and other daily challenges.
- Deep Relaxation (e.g. Track 3) helps to quieten a racing mind and restless body, which promotes falling asleep easily and resting deeply without medication.
- A calm and centred state of mind provides optimal conditions to accelerate healing after an illness, surgery or accident.
- Concentration ability and memory improves as one learns through regular meditation to be fully present in each moment. It also promotes the integration of brain function which enhances creativity. You may surprise yourself with your sharpened problem solving abilities!
- People who meditate regularly often experience spiritual growth and enlightening realisations about the meaning and purpose of life. Another benefit is an experience of more joy and love in daily life, rather than tension and anxiety.
- Clearer thinking and less emotional turmoil develops as you learn to be aware of the coming and going of your thoughts and feelings.
- Meditation is a valuable support tool in kicking addictions and other self-defeating behaviours
The difference between Guided Meditation and Solo Meditation
All forms and methods of meditation work on the same principle:
Guided meditation provides a focus point, a voice that gives instructions and time to carry out those instructions. The benefit of guided meditation is that it's much easier to keep your attention focused with the aid of a voice that reminds you to return to the focus point when your attention has drifted.
Solo-meditation is when you choose your own focus point, instruct yourself to keep your attention on the focus point, and return to the focus point whenever you realise that your mind has wandered. The advantage of solo meditation is the freedom to choose your own focus point and the length of time you want to spend attending to it.
Guided meditation is of great value when you are new to the discipline of meditation as it allows you to experience success in the process of aiming-and-sustaining your attention. As you progress and your ability to focus improves, you might find a voice giving instructions starts to become intrusive and irritating. When this happens the time is probably right for you to start practising solo-meditation. However, even seasoned meditators find their mental stability deteriorating markedly under certain stressful circumstances! Then it is comforting to have a favourite guided meditation to fall back on, so that your meditation practice does not come to a standstill at the time you need it most.
What does Meditation for Busy People entail?
The CD consists of 4 exercises that each range from 12 – 16 minutes in duration, and one of 7 minutes. One has to do only one of these exercises at a time to enjoy the benefits. Some people prefer to do the same exercise each time, while others prefer to choose an exercise that suits their mood or circumstances each time they meditate.
Track 1: Introduction
An explanation of the value of quietness, how meditation works and the benefits of regular meditation.
Track 2: Loosen up
Unwind the tension in your neck and shoulders. This exercise takes about 7 minutes and can be done before any of the other tracks.
Track 3: Relax
A classic progressive relaxation exercise that facilitates a deep state of calmness and total release of muscle tension.
Track 4: Let It Be
Gain control over your mind by learning to focus your attention. Train your mind to accept the things you cannot change, rather than being perpetually engaged in battle with yourself or your circumstances.
Track 5: Recharge
By drawing your attention to your own heart beat, this exercise guides you to tune into the energy inside and around your body.
Track 6: Dream
This exercise offers a constructive alternative to worrying. By dreaming up a "happy ending" for a worrisome issue and by accessing the accompanying positive mind-body state, you greatly influence your ability to generate new options and deal with the situation in a positive way.
Be sure to choose a Guided Meditation product that suits your style
Guided meditation can make it considerably easier to calm your mind… or it can irritate you so much that you are worse off afterwards compared to your state when you started!
Here are a few criteria to consider when you want to buy a guided meditation product:
- The voice and pace of the exercises: pitch, articulation, tempo, style – does the person's voice calm you or make you tense? Do you have enough time to carry out the instructions?
- Length of the exercises: How much time can you spend on quietening your mind? Consider the format of the CD and see whether it offers you a choice to meditate for shorter or longer periods, depending on your circumstances.
- Music: What kind of music lets you relax most: classical or esoteric? How well is the voice and music mixed – is either dominated by the other? Be sure that you like the music when you make your selection.
- Professionalism of the production: How important is it for you NOT to hear traffic or barking dogs or turning pages in the background? It is very difficult to have a completely quiet background when making sound recordings. If you are fussy about sound quality, it is important to consider this aspect thoroughly before buying.
Meditation for Busy People:
- A well-grounded alto voice – calming without being singing.
- Exercises that take 12 – 16 minutes to complete. One exercise at a time is sufficient, but nothing prevents you to continue with more than.
- Originally composed music for each track, except for "Let It Be". The music is classical rather than esoteric. Birdsong and water sounds in the background.
- A highly professional production – no distracting background sounds; lots of attention to details like the mixing of the voice and the music
This CD is available in English and in Afrikaans.
