It was only a matter of time before we started doing meditation in VR. And today, there are many apps that let you to do precisely that. Virtual reality brings innovation to meditation and can be used to compliment your current practice.
As a meditation teacher, it is always exciting to see new meditation products entering the market. Of course, there are tons of great meditation apps like Calm and Headspace.
And there are some cool new meditation devices and gadgets too.
Virtual Reality takes things up a notch because It makes it oh so easy to relax. You put on a headset like the Oculus, Playstation VR, or HTC Vive and play through a game or watch a relaxing movie in virtual reality. And you just sit back and relax. This takes a lot of the effort out of meditation.
Typically when you meditate you focus your mind on one thing, such as your breath. This can be a challenge for people who struggle to focus because there are always distractions. If that sounds like you, virtual reality will make it easier.
With a VR headset on you don’t even have to focus, because you’re immediately surrounded by a relaxing scene. It’s like stepping into the most relaxing natural environment without leaving your living room.
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Are VR meditation apps a good idea?
I have two opinions about them.
On the one hand, VR meditation stops you from actually trying. You’re not really exercising your mind just by putting on a VR headset. It’s not going to train your brain to be able to relax when you need to.
Then again, it does offer fast and effortless relaxation.
So, if you’re looking for an easy way to relax, the following could be just what the spirit-doctor ordered. However, I definitely still recommend that you try the more traditional tools for meditation.
Top VR Meditation Apps
To play these applications, you will need a VR headset. I recommend the Oculus Quest II because it has many of the best apps.
1: For the Purist
Developer: Cubicle Ninjas, on Window Mixed Reality HMDs, HTC Vive and Oculus.
This is one of the pure-bred VR meditation apps. Unlike some other apps, which were originally designed as traditional apps and then adapted for VR, this one was built for VR from the ground up.
It’s a simple setup. You basically take a tour across twenty-seven relaxing environments. You can also learn about some of the different meditation techniques as you go.
2: Kamea: A Virtual Meditation
Developer: Rocket Science, on HTC Vive
KameaVR is designed to help you clear your chakras.
The chakras are seven energy centres in the body through which prana flows. Sometimes, however, these chakras get blocked, which can cause all manner of health and lifestyle problems. Clearing your chakras purifies your energy flow and restores health and wellbeing. This app helps with that through a series of 20-minute meditations.
3: Flow
Developer: Breach VR, Available on: Oculus Go and Gear VR.
Meditation is all about getting in your flow, so what better app to help you out with that than Flow-VR.
This app offers 4K 360° graphics. I love the music in this app, which was composed mostly by post-rock band Sigur Ros. The app gives you a bunch of different meditations, which are 4 minutes long. There are different types of exercises, including Breathe, Focus, Move, Let Go, Calm, and Restore.
4: ReMind
Developer: Vive Studios Available on: HTC Vive / Vive Pro / Oculus
Did you know that the word mindfulness comes from “Pali” and actually means “Remembering”?
ReMind is designed to help you to remember to relax and be mindful. It teaches you how to let go, how to overcome a bad habit, and how to find “Infinite Lightness”. It does this through some really simple meditations.
There are fun things to do too, like skipping pebbles and throwing paper planes (you know, things we all used to do before we got hooked on technology in the first place!).
5: Provata
Developer: Provata / on iOS
Provata is a beautiful meditation app that lets you journey to different places around the globe and try out different guided meditations and mindfulness exercises.
Environments range from coral reefs to tropical waterfalls. And there are lots of options to customise your experience to make it perfect for you.
What I love most about this one is that it has smart feedback to show you your resting heart rate, your progress, and the various ways meditation is improving your health.
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6: Tai Chi Trainer XR
Developer: Shao Long, on: iOS with VR Headset
Tai Chi is one of the active forms of meditation. And there are many health benefits of tai chi.
When we practice tai chi, we meditate on the various “forms” (movements) of the body. One difficulty I personally experienced when learning tai chi was that it’s hard to know whether you’re moving in quite the right way because the movements are incredibly precise. One way to make it easier is with Tai Chi Trainer XR.
This VR tai-chi app will teach you how to move properly when practising this ancient art.
8: Relax VR
This app features beautiful environments including Wineglass Bay and Northern Lights, all beautifully rendered in 360 with spatial sounds. It’s an incredibly relaxing experience and the ambient beats really help you to unwind after a stressful day.
Conclusion
These are the best apps on the market. They offer a straightforward way to relax if you’re looking for a more simple form of meditation. Another great option is to simply close your eyes and listen to some of the best meditation music.
NEXT: BEST SPIRITUAL APPS –>
Paul Harrison BSc is a qualified meditation teacher who believes in genuine, authentic meditation. He has more than 15 years experience in teaching meditation and mindfulness both to individuals and to corporations and is the author of four books on meditation. He has been featured in Psychology Today, Breathe Magazine, Healthline, Psych Central and Lion’s Roar.
Paul studied meditation in beautiful Oxford, UK, and Hamilton Ontario Canada, and earned his degree at Staffordshire University.
Paul’s biggest inspirations include Thich Nhat Hanh, Jon Kabat Zinn, and Jack Kornfield.
“My goal is to provide the most authentic meditation sessions so you can harness the power of your own mind for personal transformation” – Paul Harrison