Six Mindfulness Apps
3/21/2018
If you are wanting to cultivate presence and compassion in your life, here are 6 apps (out of the 1300+ that are out there these days) that promote mindfulness. According to wildmind.org, mindfulness is the gentle effort to be continuously present with experience. Amy Saltzman writes that mindfulness is paying attention here and now, with kindness and curiosity, so that we can choose our behavior. Jon Kabat-Zinn explains that mindfulness is paying attention on purpose, in the present moment and without judgment. Mindfulness cultivates calm, peace, and relaxation, all of which help us to lead happy lives.
1) Stop, Breathe, Think - offers 5 minute meditations that support mindful breathing and broadening the mind. They give 10% of their profits to Tools for Peace, a non-profit that helps at-risk youth.
2) Insight Timer - offers more than 8000 free guided meditations and provides meditations in 25 languages.
3) Simple Habit - an app for busy people that offers over 1000 meditations that last 5 minutes.
4) Calm on the App Store - provides guided meditations between 3 – 25 minutes in length. In addition, it features
* Daily Calm: a new 10-minute program added daily to help ease you into the day or unwind with before bed
* 60+ Sleep Stories: adult bedtime stories guaranteed to lull you to sleep
* 7 day and 21 programs for both beginner and advanced users
* Breathing exercises to relax
* Exclusive music engineered to help you focus, relax or sleep
* Unguided timed meditation
* Open-ended meditation
* 30+ soothing nature sounds and scenes to use during meditation, yoga or to help you sleep
5) Take a Break! Meditations on the App Store - provides you with step-by-step voice instructions. You can choose a work break relaxation (7 mins.) or a stress relief meditation (13 mins.) and listen with or without music or nature sounds.
6) Mindfulness Daily - is an app for busy people that helps you nourish a practice lasting a few minutes. Mindfulness Daily on Google play.
Whether you use an app or not, we hope that you find mindfulness practices that bring you relaxation, rest, and peace at any time of day, in any context.
Jeanette Banashak, PhD, EdD