Customer Reviews

Mindfulness Meditation and Body Scan

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have reviewed a lot of Carolyn McManus's work and I have found it all to be of high quality. My favorite audio by her is Relax into Restful Sleep, which I have rated a 5. However, this is almost as good and certainly better than most similar material out there.

What I like best about Carolyn's approach is that each meditation is carefully planned, timed, organized and delivered in a way that truly facilitates the process of mindfulness, relaxation, etc. It is clear from her work that she has her own deep practice and is aware of the needs of her audience.

This CD is a particularly worthwhile addition to the meditation material out there because it combines mindfulness with a body scan. This is a great place for people to start since it grounds them in their body, induces deep relaxation and helps the mind to access deeper feeling levels.

A value-add of this particular flavor of mindfulness is the Western-oriented approach. If you have been reluctant to try meditation because you associate it with esoteric traditions, then this audio is for you. If you have already done a lot of meditation in any tradition, you will also find this is a nice relaxing practice.

My experience is that different people respond differently to various types of relaxation techniques e.g. progressive relaxation vs. autogenic training. If you find that one method doesn't work well for you, you might want to try something else. Carolyn McManus also has resources on these techniques, e.g. Progressive Relaxation & Autogenic Training. I really like this CD because it fits two important techniques on one CD in sessions that are long enough to get the benefits of each practice.

I have a lot of other meditation resources listed on my listmania lists on my profile. If you are a serious practioner, you may want to check these lists out. With respect to my background, I teach meditation, have a graduate education in psychology and biochemistry. In addition, I am a student of comparative religion and have studied meditation under various teachers. When I recommend Carol's materials, I do not do so lightly or from a place of ignorance.

No resource can be all things to all people and this audio is no exception. If you have a deep practice or are advanced in various techniques, these may not be for you. However, I use them myself with sustained benefit. However, if you are looking to a establish a serious, systematic and deeper practice, you may also enjoy Insight Meditation: A Step-By-Step Course on How to Meditate. This gives you a number of techniques to try at a low price point. I would consider this CD set to be a compliment to Carolyn's work and a good next step. Also, Meditation for Beginners is a lighter, but very piognant introduction to Vipassana (Buddhist) meditation by a Western clinical psychologist. Unlike Carolyn's CD, however, this one just gives you a flavor and sense of the tradition and reasoning behind a meditation practice, its benefits, etc.

I highly recommend this album for those who are new to meditation and those who have practiced for years. Carolyn has a wonderful soothing voice which helps release my busy mind. I am partial to the body scan as I find it extremely relaxing. I use this album several times a week and have given it to friends who have found it very helpful for pain control following surgery.

I've been practicing mindfulness, off and on, for many years. I find this C.D. to be a wonderful addition to my toolbox for helping me to stop a chattering mind and ease into a place of spaciousness and grace.

I had done autogenic relaxation but never tried mindfulness meditations or body scans. I find both relaxing but difficult to truly focus. The recordings address those issues and guide you to continue to focus.

Carolyn's CD's have been a huge help to me in learning how to calm my central nervous system and relax. Whether I'm trying to fall asleep at night, go back to sleep after waking up in the night or need to get centered and calm during the day she helps alot.

This CD is a great introduction to Mindfulness meditation. I'm at the begining of learning the concepts of Mindfulness meditaion and have found this CD very helpful. I also have purchased Carloyn's Relax into Restful Sleep CD and her Relaxation Body Scan CD. The sleep cd has been a huge help for trouble going to sleep and staying asleep. Her soothing voice really does help me relax and fall asleep. The Relaxation Body Scan CD helps me to relax and it also includes a guided imagery exercise which is wonderfully helpful as well.

Carolyn is a talented healer, I'm so glad I found her!