Thursday, March 3, 2016

Meditation Apps

Buddhify [4.99 iOS, 2.99 Android] The app has 80 custom guided meditations; tracks 14 activities that affect mindfulness; has a meditation timer; a check-in timer allows Think you to reflect on what you are doing; great statistics tools that create charts and graphs. The interface is bright, colorful, and easy to use.

Insight Timer [Free. iOS and Android] - This app provides several guided meditations by Eckhart Tolle and others, there are 600 total but many of them are available as in-app purchases. The app provides a Tibetan singing bowl sound, you can choose from 8 different ones, to end your session, which you can set to desired length. There are 1,000 discussion groups and 2,000 local meet-up groups to discuss meditation and related topics.

Meditation Timer Free [Free. iOS only] Very nice user interface that is easy to use. Users choose the length of time that they want to meditate, set reminders, choose a background image, and access statistics.

Mindfulness [2.99 iOS, 1.99 Android] With a wide array of features such as guided meditation, silent meditation, reminders, statistics, mindfulness notifications, and more the app is highly rated by purchasers. The app has a simple easy to use interface.

Mindfulness Training App [Free. iOS only] A great app for those that are new to meditation it has lessons from some of the most respected names in meditation and mindfulness. Users familiar with the practices and terminology of meditation will enjoy the discussions on the science of mindfulness. The only disappointing part is that the first two lessons are free but users must purchase packs afterward.

Omvana [Free. iOS and  Android] Simple interface with a huge library of guided meditations, many of which require purchase, that cover a large spectrum of mindfulness topics. The app integrates with Apple watch and the iOS Health kit. Users can record their mood and find the meditation that is right for them. Users can also select background music and track progress. One of the most popular and highest rated meditation apps available.

Relax Melodies [Free. iOS Android, Windows, Amazon] The app provides a variety of sounds that users can choose from or even mix; sounds include white noise or zen sounds. Using binaural beats the sounds are supposed to be proven to help users relax and fall asleep in 20 minutes.

Stop, Breathe & Think [Free. iOS and Android] Nice collection of basic meditation exercises with a variety of lengths. The app asks a series of questions to get a comprehensive picture and then suggest a selection of meditation practices to help you. For a small fee users can download a pack of meditations narrated by KD Lang.

Take A Break [Free. iOSAndroid, Amazon] Beautiful backgrounds, calming music, nature sounds and a custom time that allows users to select between 7 and 13 minutes. For the times you just want a short relaxation period instead of focused meditation.

Honorable mentions that you might want to check out: Calm, Headspace, Mindbody Connect, and Smiling Mind