Pretty much whatever you want to do there’s an app for that, including meditation. In our last article we talked about the concept of mindfulness, why its’ important and how to practice it. What’s easier than downloading an app? Here are a bunch of really great apps that you will be happy you downloaded. You will be on your way to mastering mindfulness meditation in no time!
Headspace ($6.94-$12.95 monthly) – While focused more on general meditation this is a great app for people brand new to meditating. This app provides ten-minute meditation sessions, with the first ten days available free of charge. If you’ve never tried meditation, the narrator’s easy banter and relatable instruction will make the practice more accessible.
The Mindfulness App by MindApps ($1.99) – This app comes with guided meditation practices of 3, 5, 15, and 30 minutes in length. There’s also a silent meditation option and a brief body-scan practice. You can customize your meditation and track your progress.
Stop, Breathe & Think (free) -This app offers a solid sampling of the basics of meditation, featuring a range of exercises at varying lengths including mindfulness meditation, loving-kindness meditation and a body scan practice. This one is ideal for short practices and longer sessions at home. It involves stopping what you are doing and checking in about your feelings, practicing mindful breathing and thinking about peace and calm.
Calm (free) – This app is very simple, and was designed to help you fall asleep faster with over 25 soothing calming sounds which provide relief from outside stress and anxiety. There are three meditation options:
- a) 7-21 days guided meditation programs which keep track of your progress
- b) Unguided meditation sessions; and
- c) Over 25 guided meditation session that last from just a couple of minutes to up to about 20 minutes.
Mindfulness Meditation from Mental Workout – (Lite version is free, full version is $12.99/year) – This app lets you choose from six different lengths of meditation practice including talks, body-scan practices, relaxation exercises and guided practices. The guided practice may be preferable for those who seek instruction but not a constant stream of it.
Here are some other resources for free guided meditations that you can stream or download:
Free guided meditations from UCLA
Basic mediation with Tara Brach
Did you miss our previous article on mindfulness, what it is and it’s many benefits? Read it here!