Overwhelmed By Guided Meditation? Here's How To Ease Into It (For Free)

“For centuries, meditation instruction has been given in person or written down, but now we have easy access to guided meditations through the press of a button," says Jamie Price, meditation and mindfulness expert and co-founder of Stop, Breathe, & Think, a personalized emotional wellness app. And the benefits of consistent meditation will come regardless of whether you're practicing solo or with a guide.

By now, you've probably heard the science:1 Meditation programs can help improve anxiety, sleep, depression, and even pain. And while guided meditations are great for beginners who need help staying present, Tal Rabinowitz, founder of The DEN Meditation, a meditation studio with two locations in Los Angeles, CA, says that all levels of meditators can achieve some benefit through a guided practice. “Throughout your meditation journey, you’re always evolving and changing what you need. Some find that you can achieve a deeper meditation when it’s guided, as your body is more receptive.” Guided meditations can effectively prompt the mind with different mantras and exercises, and having a voice in the background helps some people stay on track.

When starting a guided meditation practice, committing to consistency is half the battle. "Schedule it in and actually put it on your calendar. Twenty minutes a day should be your goal, and start with smaller increments until you get there,” Price says. Once you’ve found a length of time that works for you, make sure to practice every day. “It’s much better to meditate daily for shorter periods of time than occasionally for longer periods," she says. And don’t worry about creating the perfect Instagram-ready meditation spot (though those are cool, too). All you need is a quiet space without distractions, where you can sit in a relaxed position.

"When we think of what it takes to be 'good' at meditation, we usually think of sitting on the floor with our legs crossed, which is the conventional position of monks." However, he cautions that this position isn't natural for many of us who spend a lot of time sitting at desks or in cars, and therefore might prove uncomfortable. "Your body's discomfort would make for a hyperactive mind, which is exactly what we want to avoid with meditation."

Instead, he recommends experimenting with three different body positions to find the one that makes you feel the most comfortable. Sit with cross legs or straight legs, hands-crossed or hands straight, in a chair or on the floor—anything that feels natural. "The right position for you might not be the right position for me," he says.

Try meditating at different times to find which one suits you. “Some people find they are more likely to meditate consistently if they do it first thing in the morning, when they’re more patient and relaxed. Then, there are people who prefer to meditate in the middle of the day, because they can change their whole frame of mind in just a few minutes. Others like to meditate in the evening to help them unwind,” Price says. Moral of the story: Do it at any time you can stick to every day, and that makes sense with your schedule.

Another technique to help you stay present is simply accepting your thoughts. "What most people don't realize is that everyone's mind is technically busy. All meditators have thoughts during practice, including me," Watkins says in his class. In fact, we have an average of one new thought every third of a second! Meditation is the art of non-directive thinking, or allowing the mind to wonder so we should actually expect the mind to wonder. "Whenever you catch yourself drifting through random thoughts, remember this is exactly what is supposed to be happening. In order to go deep into the meditation experience, it's important to build the habit of indifference. The only way to do that is to practice embracing the thoughts."

Here are a few free resources to test out a guided meditation technique you enjoy:

And once you're ready to dive deeper into the world of meditation, Light Watkin's 14-Day Meditation class is a great primer, as is his class specifically geared towards meditation for anxiety.