Summary

Unguided meditations are those which do not require any assistance from a person, or any video or audio recordings. Unguided meditations are also known as ‘silent meditations’ as they occur without any directions such as from an instructor. This form of meditation is believed to have originated in India thousands of years ago, and has migrated into neighbouring countries and religions including Buddhism. A popular association of silent meditation is Buddhist monks practicing them. A common form of Buddhist meditation is called “mindful meditation”. This is a form mental concentration which achieves mindfulness. These types of meditation are considered difficult and it is best to have some experience with guided meditations before attempting.

Unguided Breath Awareness

This form of meditation is one type of breathing meditation and it is very popular due to its effectiveness. The object is to draw our focus to our breathing only, whilst having a quiet and relaxed mind. This focus can be either our regular breathing, or a slower pattern that may be easier to concentrate on. It is important to maintain attention upon the breathing cycle, starting with inhaling, and ending with exhaling. This repetitive action will help maintain mindfulness. As with other meditations, if there are any thoughts that come across your mind, slowly discard these and return focus upon the breathing cycle. Many people practice breathing meditations as it is often easier than other forms of silent meditations. Breathing meditations are also used in combination with other meditations, especially movement meditations including Yoga and Qigong. See below for an example of an unguided breathing exercise to learn, so it can be practiced again without any help. A 5 or 10 minute length is recommended for beginners to start with. If you may find these activities below uncomfortable it is best to consult with your doctor to see if they might be ok for you.

Step 1: Find a comfortable position, such as sitting down, or lying down if that is easier. If you are sitting, make sure that your back is upright, but not too tight. Keep your hands wherever they are comfortable.

Step 2: Allow your body and your thoughts to relax. Do your best to try to relieve any tension and start breathing regularly.

Step 3: Focus upon the rhythm of your breath, do not make any changes, allow it to be a regular flow. Take notice of where you may feel the breath in your body, such as in your abdomen or your chest. Notice if you can feel the sensation of one breath after another.

Step 4: Try to keep a calm mind during this, if you notice any thoughts coming up, allow them to pass and do not judge them. Try to refocus upon your breath when this happens. This is a skill and it will become easier over time.

Step 5: If your timer expires, or you feel like finishing the activity, bring your thoughts back to your body and your surroundings, before gently sitting or standing up again.

This is a simple exercise that can be practiced for 5 or more minutes each day. It will provide results including a calmer mind along with other benefits such as better focus and concentration.

Unguided Mindful Meditation

The aim of mindful meditation is to achieve a calm state of mind and to not experience any thoughts. Keep in mind that meditation is not daydreaming, the objective is to not have any distractions that may come up during this meditation. This can be difficult at first, but it is a skill that becomes easier over time. By doing so, we are less distracted by our thoughts in our everyday lives.
One of the most popular postures to complete this meditation is sitting down with crossed legs. This originated in Buddhist culture, and has been proven to be the most effective position for conducting this form of mindfulness.

However, other arrangements such as sitting in a chair or lying down are also effective. If these may be more comfortable for you it would be best to try these first.
Keep in mind that this example below is an unguided routine, it does not have any help or guidance. If you are a beginner, it would be better to try guided meditations first before completing these.

Example:
Step 1: Find a comfortable position for this activity. Sitting down with your legs crossed is recommended, but if this is too difficult it can also be completed by lying down or sitting in a chair. You may also want to set a timer.

Step 2: Start to relax and bring your attention to your breath. Try to calm your mind.

Step 3: Notice any thoughts that come into your mind, and then accept those thoughts and allow them to pass. Do not give any judgement to the thoughts, such as thinking why did they occur, but try to bring your focus back to clearing your mind.

Step 4: Sometimes a metaphor can be used to help quieten thoughts as they pass through your mind. Many people visualise thoughts as ‘leaves on a stream’ or ‘pages written on water’. By doing so it can help achieve better mindfulness.

Step 5: Gradually bring your attention back to the environment around you to finish.

Unguided Mantra and Other Sound Meditations

Mantra meditation is where we focus upon repetitive sounds to gain mindfulness. This can be one sound, a word or a phrase that we project. The most popular type of mantra meditation is focusing upon the sound “Om” which has its origin within Buddhist culture. It is effective as it allows us to listen to the mantra, but also focus on the action of making the sound. This is popular with many people who struggle with other unguided meditations and therefore find repetitive sounds more effective. Another form of mantra meditation is ‘loving-kindness’, which includes repeated phrases that are a form of positive reinforcement. These can be phrases such as ‘May I Be Happy’ ‘May I Be Well’ or ‘May I Be Safe’ and other similar statements. There are many other phrases that can be chosen. Unguided mantra should be practiced without any audio guidance, however to find out what phrases you prefer and how they are pronounced, please see the links below.

Meditative Mind Mantra Playlist
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsuCfYXzi5DLQmw5DbidL4xfFk2bNHXuq

Mantra Chant
https://www.youtube.com/@mantrachant9310/videos

Apps:
Insight timer
Sattva Meditations & Mantras
Mantra Meditation App
Mantra Repeater

Unguided Focussed Meditation

Focussed meditation is where we draw our attention to a particular part of our surroundings, and try to keep it there. We can use our five senses to focus upon any item in our surroundings. Popular examples of this include looking at the flame of a candle, counting your breaths or counting small items such as beads. The objective of all of these activities is to remain focussed on the present moment, and not upon any thoughts. If we do lose track of the activity, all it requires us is to regain our focus and keep going. This may also be a difficult form of meditation to start with, and it may be best to try other guided meditations first.

Unguided Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Progressive relaxation is a type of meditation which aims to relieve tension in the body, whilst also experiencing mindfulness. It is also known as ‘body scan meditation’ or ‘progressive muscle relaxation’. A popular form of this meditation involves tightening one part of the body, and then gradually releasing it. A breathing pattern is also recommended, the most common used is to inhale during tension and then exhale upon relaxation. This process creates a feeling of relaxation, and also a better sense of mindfulness. There are many different types of tension we can create in the body, and this activity can be taken place either lying down or sitting in a chair. For this meditation it is best to take caution if you have any injuries, and it may be best to consult a doctor first before trying this activity. See an example of a progressive muscle relaxation below.

Step 1: For this exercise it is best to sit in a chair that is comfortable. Try to reduce the amount of noise such as closing a window or silencing any devices.

Step 2: When you are ready, start to tense the particular muscle group listed below. Allow yourself to feel tension when this happens, but do not cause any pain. Keep that muscle tensed for about 5 seconds, you may find it easier to count to five.

Step 3: Relax that particular muscle and leave it for 10 seconds.

Step 4: See the list of muscles and their actions below that can be included in the activity.

Right hand and forearm: Make a fist with your right hand.
Right upper arm: Bring your right forearm up to your shoulder.
Left hand and forearm: Make a fist with your left hand.
Left upper arm: Bring your left forearm up to your shoulder.
Forehead: Raise your eyebrows has high as they will go.
Eyes and cheeks: Squeeze your eyes tight shut.
Mouth and jaw: Open your mouth as wide as you can.
Neck: Take caution with this one, face forward and pull your head back slowly.
Shoulders: Tense the muscles in your shoulders as you bring your shoulders up towards your ears.
Shoulder blades/ back: Push your shoulder blades back, trying to almost touch them together.
Chest and stomach: Breathe in deeply, feeling your lungs and chest with air.
Right upper leg: Tighten your right thigh.
Right lower leg: Take caution with this one by slowly completing it, to avoid cramps. Pull your toes towards you to stretch your calf muscle.
Right foot: Curl your right toes downwards.
Left upper leg: Tighten your left thigh.
Left lower leg: Take caution with this one by slowly completing it, to avoid cramps. Pull your left toes towards you to stretch your calf muscle.
Left foot: Curl your left toes downwards.