Dream Big - Free Guided Meditation by Ashley Hunt

We have a special gift for you that will change your life!

I can say from personal experience that consistent meditation and mindfulness have transformed my mindset, and in turn improved my business and life.  I recommend it to anyone willing to listen, and I am beyond excited to bring you this interview and free guided meditation.

We reached out to meditation teacher, Ashley Hunt, and asked her a few questions about her career in meditation, her inspirations and advice on where to start with meditating...

How did you get into meditation? What inspired you to make it your full time job?

I started meditating as a teenager to help me overcome my sleep issues. Once I started meditating regularly, not only did I fix my sleep issues but so many other unexpected benefits followed. I was happier, less reactive, my memory improved, I was more focused and all of my relationships thrived. All though these were all great, it wasn’t until things were bad that I realised how important my meditation practice was. When I was 26 I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. RA is an autoimmune disease which causes inflammation in the joints. It is very painful and often debilitating. It was a huge adjustment for me to adapt to living life constantly in pain, but even though I had many, many difficult days, thanks to my meditation practice I was able to get through it. I noticed people around me going through similar challenges and not coping at all. I knew right then and there that I had to share the tools I had developed with others, so they could overcome challenges too.

There are lots of different types of meditation. Which type do you teach?

I’ve created my own style which I call “Modern Meditation”. I’ve studied many traditional types of meditation for nearly 15 years, however most are not suitable for our modern lives. These days we are just too busy and our minds are too active to sit still! Most people are put off meditation because they worry they won’t be able to silence their mind but my approach actually encourages thinking. I incorporate breathwork, muscle relaxation exercises and beautiful visualisations so that every meditation is effortless and enjoyable. Plus because it feels so good you are more likely to keep up the practice!

There’s so much information out there right now on meditation, from books to courses and LOADS of YouTube videos. If someone wants to learn to meditate where should they start?

Meditation apps make it super easy to get started. I recommend trying bunch of different styles of meditation to find one that works for you. Simple Habit, Insight Timer and Headspace are a good starting point, however eventually you’ll be ready to take your practice to the next level and you’ll want a teacher to help you do that. My favourite meditation books are Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat Zinn and TheMiracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh.

What does a day in the life of a meditation teacher look like?

Every day is different for me! I often start my day writing about meditation for my own blog or another publication. I might then deliver a corporate stress management workshop mid-morning, followed by a public lunchtime class. In the afternoon I’ll work on my online course or see a private client. I teach most evenings or if I have the night off I’ll spend the evening with my boyfriend. As I’m often working, it’s such a nice treat when we get to spend the evening just the two of us. Even though I work long hours and often on weekends, I absolutely love what I do, so it doesn’t feel like work. I’m so passionate about teaching people to meditate, it absolutely lights me up. This comes through in everything I do and it means I can work a lot without burning out.

What is your best advice for someone looking to go against the grain and follow their dreams?

It is one of my favourite things in the world when I get to encourage someone to make some changes they’ve been wanting to make for a while. I love showing people that they don’t have to be dissatisfied, that they can live a life where every single day is exciting and you’re working from a place of passion! It can be scary at first when you have these dreams but you’re worried what other people think or how you’ll make it work. My advice is to plan carefully, but don’t get too caught up in needing to have absolutely everything figured out before you make the jump. Let yourself figure it out as you go.

We are delighted to share with you a very special 10 minute guided meditation, created by Ashley exclusively for our Lost Lover tribe, to inspire you to dream big.

What to do:

• Fill in your name and email address into the form above and we will send the free 10 minute guided mediation straight to your Inbox. 
• Download the meditation onto your computer or phone.
• Tip - save it to your Dropbox or Google Drive for easy access!
• Listen to the guided meditation each morning to kick start your day with contentment, mindfulness and most importantly, big dreams!

I would love to hear your feedback in the comments after you have downloaded and listened to the guided meditation. I hope you love it!