Meditation: There's an App for That

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By Taylor Steinbeck

In Small Mouth Sounds—now playing at The Strand Theater—six people longing to reconnect with themselves and their surroundings embark on a five-day silent retreat. While there, they practice mindfulness under the guidance of an unseen teacher, who encourages them to embrace stillness. There are many benefits of taking a moment to breathe and recharge, but you don’t have to leave on a retreat to experience this peaceful state. What if we told you that you can have access to your very own meditation guru right from your smart phone? In anticipation of A.C.T.'s Tech Night next week, we put together a list of our top three favorite meditation apps.

Headspace's interface. Art by Chris Markland.
Headspace: This user-friendly guided meditation app offers a 10-day beginner’s course that guides its users through the basics of meditation and mindfulness using charming, colorful animations. Small Mouth Sounds actors Orville Mendoza (Teacher), Connor Barrett (Jan), and Ben Beckley (Ned) have all used this app throughout their time with the production and highly recommend it.

Simple Habit: Based here in San Francisco, Simple Habit’s meditation app is designed for busy people, offering audio-guided meditations as short as five minutes. The app hosts sessions led by multiple teachers, so if you prefer one teaching style to another, there are options available. There are also specific meditations designed for your particular mood or situation that day, exploring topics like stress, self-esteem, and relationships.

Simple Habit's interface. Courtesy of Simple Habit.
Insight Timer: For the more experienced meditator, Insight Timer times your self-guided meditation session and provides a customizable library of chimes and bells to use throughout it. Once you’ve finished your daily session, the app logs it, so you can track your progress.

Interested in learning more about the intersection between tech and mindfulness? A.C.T. is hosting a Tech Night that will begin with a happy hour at The Strand Theater's bar before the November 28 performance of Small Mouth Sounds. Following the show, there will be a panel discussion exploring how technological innovation has impacted the mindfulness industry. Click here to find out more information about this InterACT event.

Small Mouth Sounds runs until December 10 at A.C.T.’s Strand Theater, 1127 Market Street. Click here to purchase tickets through our website. Want to learn more about mindfulness and the production? Order a copy of Words on Plays, A.C.T.'s in-depth performance guide series.

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