Guided Meditation

Guided meditation recordings are spoken-word audio programs in which a teacher's voice leads the listener through relaxation, breath awareness, visualization, or mindfulness exercises, usually over quiet ambient music or silence. The format grew from 1970s self-help cassettes into a substantial publishing category led by voices such as *Louise Hay*, *Jon Kabat-Zinn*, and *Glenn Harrold*, whose "Complete Relaxation" became a best-selling self-help title. Sessions are structured as complete practices rather than performances, moving from settling and body scan toward imagery and return, and the market now spans clinical mindfulness programs, sleep aids, and app-based series.