Relaxing CD for a cynical person?

March 20, 2006 9:15 PM

Any suggestions for guided mediation CDs?

I'm looking for a CD (or whatever format) to listen to to help me relax. I'd like it to be guided meditation, but not New Agey or "spiritual". Nothing that will make me think of scented candles or whale songs. Not just music, but somebody talking. Suggestions?

posted by The corpse in the library to Health & Fitness (5 answers total)

Jon Kabat-Zinn's CDs are non-spiritual guided meditation CDs. I find his delivery a little bit annoying, personally, but he's all about the practical benefits of meditation. "He is Professor of Medicine emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where he was founding executive director of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society, and founder (in 1979) and former director of its world-renowned Stress Reduction Clinic."
posted by callmejay at 10:13 PM on March 20, 2006

My girlfriend got me hooked on the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health's Transform, Relax, and Rejuvenate (the first CD on the page). It's a guided meditation with an extra 20 or so minutes of "ram chant". If it doesn't put you to sleep, it'll definitely bring you to an altered state of consciousness... and it's not really all that "new agey" or "spiritual".... it doesn't mention anything I'd consider to be religious or even really connected to Yoga.

If you're looking at getting just music, I'd highly recommend Brian Eno's Music for Airports. It was designed to be unobtrusive background music for airports, but I find it's great for relaxation, since it's melodically sparse.
posted by fvox13 at 10:25 PM on March 20, 2006

"Space Hymn" by Lothar and the Hand People.
posted by barjo at 5:19 AM on March 21, 2006

I'll second "Music for Airports" and suggest any of Eno's collaborations with Robert Fripp, as well.
posted by StrangeTikiGod at 6:33 AM on March 21, 2006

Tools for Wellness seems to have just about every product of this type on the planet (an illusion, I’m sure), and last time I talked to them by phone, I was impressed by how useful the sales-folk were. I bet they can help you narrow down your search.
posted by dpcoffin at 10:17 AM on March 21, 2006