yoga class and invite that class’s partic-
ipants to attend complimentary at
first.” Another key element is variety,
both in type and duration. “Start with
classes that meet the guest where they
are,” says Stirewalt. “Make it accessible
and invite guests in.”
Another option is to create a quiet,
soothing meditation space where
guests can relax and utilize a med-
itation app, such as Calm or Headspace
(see this story’s sidebar for more infor-
mation), to participate in a guided
meditation without needing a member
of your spa’s staff.
The key ingredients, then, are basic:
pair a passionate instructor with an
accessible offering. In 2020, when more
and more spa-goers are keen to make
meditation and mindfulness part of
their wellness experience, that’s all
your spa may need to make meditation
a successful, effective and vibrant part
of its offerings. n
MOBILE MEDITATION
Did meditation apps make the practice more popular, or did
meditation’s increasing popularity lead to the creation of the
apps? While this chicken/egg relationship is impossible to sort
out, there’s one thing we do know: millions of people are med-
itating every day using their phones.
As a spa leader, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with
some of the most popular offerings; as a meditation practitioner,
you may be interested in trying one or two out for yourself.
HEADSPACE Headspace is one of the two biggest
meditation and mindfulness apps on the market, with
nearly 40 million downloads as of the end of 2018. It fea-
tures a wide variety of content and structured courses de-
signed to get meditation novices more comfortable before
branching out into more advanced courses. Headspace was
founded by Andy Puddicombe, a former Buddhist monk who has become a
prominent global advocate for mindfulness.
CALM Calm—downloaded more than 40 million times—
is the other giant player in the meditation app market. In
addition to offering guided meditations, Calm offers sleep
guidance and a larger variety of flexible meditations than
Headspace.
INSIGHT TIMER While Headspace and Calm are paid
apps, Insight Timer is free to use. Insight Timer is less
structured and not as well-organized as those apps; ho-
wever, it still features a large number of guided med-
itations and breathing exercises, as well as ambient
meditation music and more.
SIMPLE HABIT If you find yourself pressed for time,
Simple Habit may be a good fit for you. It prioritizes
shorter sessions that can be completed on-the-go and in
almost any location. The New York Time’s Wirecutter com-
pliments its “clean, functional” design.
MAY 2020
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