Seeking meditation apps and podcasts
November 25, 2013 8:09 PM Subscribe
I'd like to meditate more. I have the Simply Be app and like it, but would like to try others.
MeFites, what do you recommend?
Brainwave uses sound to enhance brain states. I don't always use it when I meditate, but it keeps me quite alert when I do.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 8:36 PM on November 25, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 8:36 PM on November 25, 2013 [2 favorites]
Seconding Insight Timer. I especially like it because you can set up intermediate bells if, for example, you want to alternate your area of focus (for example, between breath, sound, body, and thoughts), or if you want to have an auditory cue for noticing whether you've gotten lost in thought, etc.
These days a lot of college counseling offices have mindfulness meditation resources free to download, so a good way to find guided meditations is to search, e.g., "site:.edu mindfulness mp3" on Google. "MBSR" (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) is another good keyword since this is how I've often seen it referred to in the context of health care.
posted by en forme de poire at 9:10 PM on November 25, 2013 [2 favorites]
These days a lot of college counseling offices have mindfulness meditation resources free to download, so a good way to find guided meditations is to search, e.g., "site:.edu mindfulness mp3" on Google. "MBSR" (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) is another good keyword since this is how I've often seen it referred to in the context of health care.
posted by en forme de poire at 9:10 PM on November 25, 2013 [2 favorites]
I love love love headspace. Helps me relax on flights (I'm a scaredy-cat), fall asleep at night, bike home... pretty much the best. And it has "lessons" that last 10ish minutes for beginners like me!
posted by bellbellbell at 9:37 PM on November 25, 2013 [6 favorites]
posted by bellbellbell at 9:37 PM on November 25, 2013 [6 favorites]
Tara Brach is great! She does weekly dharma talks and guided meditations. You can subscribe free on iTunes or download at her website, tarabrach.com.
posted by mermaidcafe at 9:50 PM on November 25, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by mermaidcafe at 9:50 PM on November 25, 2013 [2 favorites]
Andrew Johnson. His voice is very relaxing. There's tons of his stuff in the App store.
posted by discopolo at 9:54 PM on November 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by discopolo at 9:54 PM on November 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
I have this device and I love it...they're a bit hard to find now, but here's the cheapest one on amazon...
posted by sexyrobot at 10:34 PM on November 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by sexyrobot at 10:34 PM on November 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
Seconding Headspace. The app and the Take 10 series (the first ten 10-minute lessons) are both free. You can subscribe to get the rest of the meditations in the series, but the app will still work without them. You can just play the Take 10 series over and over.
posted by Solomon at 1:56 AM on November 26, 2013
posted by Solomon at 1:56 AM on November 26, 2013
Thirding Headspace. I ponied up for the year and love that it's a natural progression from 10 minutes a day to 15, to 20, and so on.
posted by John Kennedy Toole Box at 5:24 AM on November 26, 2013
posted by John Kennedy Toole Box at 5:24 AM on November 26, 2013
Also, if you're interested in a Buddha Machine, they actually have an iPhone/iPad app.
posted by John Kennedy Toole Box at 5:26 AM on November 26, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by John Kennedy Toole Box at 5:26 AM on November 26, 2013 [1 favorite]
I adore the Meditation Oasis app. Wide variety of topics, and Mary has an incredibly comforting voice.
posted by jbickers at 5:41 AM on November 26, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by jbickers at 5:41 AM on November 26, 2013 [1 favorite]
I am ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL about the Andrew Johnson guided meditation/hypnosis apps/recordings. I own them all and love them. They are great, I listen to them every night while I fall asleep.
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 12:05 PM on November 26, 2013
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 12:05 PM on November 26, 2013
Insight Timer sounds cool but the website keeps crashing on my computer.
I use Equanimity, which tracks your total meditation time, days of meditation streaks, and sends you reminders if you skip a day. Like Insight Timer, you can set various interval bells and a "set up" time (like, prep for 30 seconds before the actual meditation starts). It also runs in the background so you can pair it with guided meditation podcasts or other apps. Looks gorgeous, too.
posted by Brittanie at 1:14 PM on November 26, 2013 [1 favorite]
I use Equanimity, which tracks your total meditation time, days of meditation streaks, and sends you reminders if you skip a day. Like Insight Timer, you can set various interval bells and a "set up" time (like, prep for 30 seconds before the actual meditation starts). It also runs in the background so you can pair it with guided meditation podcasts or other apps. Looks gorgeous, too.
posted by Brittanie at 1:14 PM on November 26, 2013 [1 favorite]
Not exactly meditation, but the Practice Everywhere app will send Cheri Huber's practice reminder tweets to your phone, and the Transform Your Life app gives the full text of Cheri's book Transform Your Life: A Year of Awareness Practice, plus a journaling feature. Both are free.
posted by Lexica at 8:12 PM on November 26, 2013
posted by Lexica at 8:12 PM on November 26, 2013
For android there's a timer without upgrade limitations called Zazen Meditation that is very customizable.
posted by redindiaink at 6:12 AM on November 27, 2013
posted by redindiaink at 6:12 AM on November 27, 2013
Gil Fronsdel has a great class with specific meditation tips and techniques.
posted by tinymegalo at 8:26 AM on November 27, 2013
posted by tinymegalo at 8:26 AM on November 27, 2013
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posted by LeeLanded at 8:32 PM on November 25, 2013 [3 favorites]