M E D I TA T I O N
Mindfulness &
MOBILE DEVICES
Can an app really help
us be more mindful?
O
ften what comes to mind when I think of my
iPhone is how mindful it really isn't. I think of the
many times the person with whom I am sharing a
meal has picked up their phone to make a call or
look something up on the internet or to return a TEXT. Sadly, I
also must consider the times I have done it to others.
As our minds are being sucked ever more deeply into the
electronic never world, is it possible that these same little
mobile instigators could possibly help us recover some of the
precious mindfulness that is lost to them? A slew of mobile
app developers think so.
Here are some suggestions. If we are going to spend some
time, and potentially some money, on mindfulness apps, you
might consider these.
Headspace and Calm: (https://www.headspace.com),
(https://www.calm.com/)
We are lumping them together because they are both wonderful
apps that offer very similar things. While there are subtle
differences between what they offer, both are lovely. Many
32 www.yogicherald.com Dec. 2018
reviewers say that it comes down to
the meditation guide's voice that
one prefers. Headspace uses the
Buddhist trained, proper English
voice of Andy Puddicombe while
Calm uses the well-regarded female
voice of Tamara Lovett. Both have
free/trial versions of the app, so it
may be great to try them both for a
week at a time. Both apps are
beautifully designed, yet very far
apart in graphical taste. If you are
visually driven person, you might
find your preference of aesthetics to
be your main decision driver.