If you are looking for an app to help you meditate or learn to meditate, Headspace is a great one to check out. I discovered it a few years ago when I first tried meditating. Being in education, too, I got full access to the app for free. I believe that they are also offering it free to any health care provider in public health until the end of the year. If you are in neither of those fields, they have a free 7-day trial for you to try it before purchasing. I think, though, after you try it out, you will be hooked. You can download it on both the App store and Google Play.
On the front page of the app when you first launch it, you will see one of my favorite items called Mindful Moments. These are small quotes or sayings about something to remind you about staying mindful or present. For example, today’s Mindful Moment says “If you just grabbed your phone out of boredom, try looking up and noticing the world around you instead.” I love that! If that doesn’t suggest to you about being present, I don’t know what does. I can connect with that saying. Many times I’m bored and just grab my phone instinctively. Instead, I should get up and maybe step outside or go and have a conversation with a family member. They also share a community story. This is a story from a Headspace user about their success with meditating and how using Headspace has positively impacted their life.
What’s on the App
You will also find five different icons at the bottom of their homepage. The first one is called Today. That is just the homepage which launches when you first open the app. The second icon is called Meditate. This page is all about, well you guessed it, meditation. They have a “Today’s Meditation” to try. The one shown today is called Heart and mind. I might have to check that one out, myself. They have meditation for singles, couples, and even groups. They offer different timers you can set for yourself along with techniques, tips, and support. It’s amazing how many different videos you can try. Everything from work stress to sleep, to anxiety.
Speaking of sleep, the next icon is called Sleep. In this section, they offer stories, meditation, sounds, and music all designed to help you wind down from the day and fall asleep. I like how the page looks, too. It’s a darker purple to keep the screen dark with a cute owl that has his eyes closed. Feels like sleep to me. The next section is called Move. This is all about moving your body. They have quick workouts, mindful cardio, and rest day meditations. The last section is called Focus. I definitely could use a little more of that. My mind has been just scrambled lately and jumping from thought to thought. In Focus it has music to help you focus, nature videos that you can play while relaxing or studying. It also has specific focus exercises to help your mind focus and rest.
They have Facebook groups, too, that you can join and connect with other people who use the app, too. They have a great blog, as well. It has so much useful information on it. All in all, this is a great app! If you already meditate, check it out. Add it to your list of resources. If you’ve never meditated before, still check it out. Try out a few of their videos. This might just end up being your new thing.