Those who staunchly believe, “the more difficult the technique more effective it must be,” tend to disapprove of meditative slogans. Consider, however, the following quote from Thich Nhat Hanh’s The Blooming of a Lotus:

“Guided meditation is NOT some new invention. It was used by practitioners in the time of the Buddha. This is clear if you read the Sut-ta for the sick and the dying (Ek-kot-ta-ra A-ga-ma, chapter 51, Sut-ta 8; Ma-dhya-ma A-ga-ma, Sut-ta 26; or Maj-jhi-ma Ni-ka-ya Sut-ta 143).

This Sut-ta records the guided meditation that Sa-ri-pu-tra used to help the layman A-na-tha-pin-di-ka when he was lying on his sick bed. The Venerable Sa-ri-pu-tra guided A-na-tha-pin-di-ka step by step until he was able to transform his fear of death.

The A-na-pa-na-sa-ti Sut-ta is also a guided meditation teaching. In short, guided meditation has been a part of the Buddhist tradition right from the very beginning.” _/\_