The Best Free Meditation App to Jump Start Your Practice!

Since the first time I excitedly unwrapped my meticulously packaged iPhone about a decade ago, apps have become a huge part of my life. I use the map on my phone to drive places I go daily just so I have an exact eta, and before Shazam, what did we do if we heard an amazing song over the PA system in the grocery store? I really can’t fathom how we existed without them for so long! I’m kidding but, smartphones and apps are here to stay and though responding to our phones all the time can make it more of a challenge to be mindful, there are some ways in which tech can actually support a mindful life.

In this blog series, Mindful Living Tech Support, I’ll share some of my favorite tech tools that support my mindful life!

After trying every free meditation app available to me and finding them all pretty much the same, I finally found the holy grail of free meditation apps! Here are the main three reasons why Insight Timer stole my heart and became my go-to meditation app.

1. The options are endless...and FREE!

If you are someone who finds yourself getting bored hearing the same voice and guidance daily, Insight Timer is the app for you! As of today, Insight Timer has over 15,000 FREE guided meditations to use! It’s hard to justify the excuse that you don’t have time because there are even lots of options under the one minute mark!

In addition to having thousands of options, it’s easy to find exactly what you are looking for with the filters the app provides.

For example, if you have less than 10-minutes to meditate and want one with no music for pain, the app will give you 10+ to choose from! You can even filter out Religious or Spiritual content which is helpful if you have been avoiding meditation because you feel like the guided content conflicts with your beliefs. It’s easy for me to find a meditation that fits exactly what I need that day in just a few clicks. Often, I meditate with the timer just using a bell at the end. Some days, however, I seek a different kind of support so I might put on a Deva Premal mantra track and sing along with her beautiful voice!

2. If you are anything like me, streak tracking is a must!

Sorry to break it to you but we humans are not all that special. For the most part, we all have the same underlying motivations and one about the human animal is that we love to be told we are doing a good job! This app recognizes that and even if you are on a 2-day streak which many of us might minimize ‘as no big deal’, It’s like the streak tracker in the Insight Timer app is saying to you  “you’re doing a good job sweetie!” And to that, I say, “thank you very much!” That pat on the back is often times all we need to keep up the habit so this function is crucial for an effective meditation app.

3. It makes it easy to support the content creators directly!

Though Insight Timer is a free app it does both encourage and make it accessible for you to directly support the creators of the meditations you enjoy by making a donation! This is a wonderful feature and is honestly my favorite part of this app. I believe everyone should have free access to meditation. This is a tool that should not only be accessible to the wealthy, however, the people who create these mindful pieces of art also deserve positive energy returned to them for what they’ve made! It mindfully encourages you to give but also with no pressure or guilt.

Now that I’ve found my go-to meditation app, my next step is to simplify my life by deleting the others that just didn’t make the cut from my phone!

I’m curious?

Do you have a meditation practice? If so, have you used meditation apps to support your practice and how does role does technology play in your practice?

You can participate in the discussion in the comments section of this post or on Instagram. I’ll share some of my favorite meditations from this app on that platform so make sure you are following me there!

Truth is...We Are All Mentally Ill

And we can all be well. 

I've been depressed. It sucks. 

I've been anxious. No fun either. 

I've had disordered eating and experienced the symptoms of complex trauma at various times in my life and yet, have still managed to help people manage their own struggles during those challenging times. I don't think this is uncommon for those in the healing profession as much as many of us may not like to admit it. We are all humans and as such, we cannot escape pain and suffering in this life. And this life is truly a journey full of ups, downs, and everything in between! 

Working in the mental health field for 14 years with most major diagnoses at some point during those years, I've come to believe mental health and mental illness truly are on a spectrum. Like anything on a spectrum an individuals symptom severity or wellness level varies and some folks have more pervasive issues often due to environmental factors but we are no different in our need to manage our own personal mental health in the most effective way for each of us. The more connected we remember we are, the more healing we can all truly experience. Shifting our collective view of mental health management to a similar lens to physical health would greatly reduce the stigma and allow people the space to heal. 

Approaching my birthday this year I can honestly say I am the most well I have ever been in my life but this wellness I'm is not for lack of effort. I used to think I was at this point it would be easy and I could just coast by and bask in wellness but realize now it is something I have to manage. I'm learning this is universal. I'd actually say I work harder at taking good care of myself than I ever have anything in my life and at times it's exhausting.

My yoga practice, one important component to my healing this past year has helped me move and heal trauma that I have carried in my body for decades and I feel so much lighter in spirit overall. There have been times in class where I simply wept on my mat due to the emotional release I felt and I'm so grateful for it!

My work has not only been on the mat but in all areas of my life. I work hard at protecting my boundaries, speaking my truth, giving space to my emotions, giving space to myself to create, working out my old buried trauma, and surrounding myself with a supportive/trusted high vibrational tribe who encourages me to be ME!

One of the most important things is I don't expect perfection and I am loving with myself when I struggle and don't want to do any of it and that helps. Everything is done with love. What if we all focused more on letting go of judgment of both self and others, improving own personal mental health at whatever point we are on our journey, and just loving ourselves and others more? Let's try and see if we can heal the world! Namaste.