November/December 2017 AsiaSpa 93to make the world happier and healthier
through the superpower of Calm. We have
over 11 million app downloads to date.
While meditation is the foundation we want
to provide a variety of relaxing options,
which is why we include a meditation
library of stories, music, nature scenes and
other features.”
Smith believes that mindful practices are
growing as “people are increasingly stressed
and anxious, and turning to methods they
might not have considered previously to
help them relax, such as mindfulness.”
There is the debate about whether we
technology should be used for a mindfulness
practice, along the lines of – we are already
too connected to the digital world without
relying on it for present-moment calmness.SLOW SWIPE
A third tech mindful sector is Apps, perhaps
the first partnering of technology and
mindfulness. Headspace was one of the
first apps to establish themselves in the
wellness sector and continue to be a leader
meditation offerings, but there is now
much more competition, with new apps
released frequently. Also making waves is
free app Calm. Like Headspace, it offers an
assortment of guided meditations, which
range from three- to 25-minute sessions,
Daily Calm, a 10-minute meditation, plus
sleep stories and soothing sounds, breathing
exercises as well as the unguided variety.
Layna Smith, head of customer
experience at Calm, says, “Our mission is
Smith sums up the pro-technology argument
by saying: “Technology increasingly plays a
role in all aspects of our lives. We’ve found
that it makes mindfulness more accessible
and easier to learn. It’s a new route to
learning a meditation practice that wouldn’t
have been possible before smartphones.”
“We see the connection and accessibility
that technology provides as a major asset,”
says Smith. “Calm provides an oasis of
relaxation on mobile devices that people are
already hooked into, and can actually help
decrease smartphone usage, if that is a habit
the listener is interested in working on.”
Whether you are tech pro or tech no –
with increasing options and understanding,
experiencing mindfulness has never been
easier.