stress less
While perusing our Sisi Sister community, I can’t help but notice folks are on edge… like really, really on edge. After the riots, 2020 (The year that shall not be named), and the looming fear of more strife leading to tomorrow’s Inauguration Day, my IG friends seem to be thinking, “What next?” The fact is... all this stress isn’t good for any of us, including me.
The American Psychological Association reports that 68% say they are stressed by the current political climate. Honestly, I want to know who those stalwart 32% are because I need to tip my hat to them! For me, It’s like the other shoe keeps dropping, and I’m like, “Come on people, when do we run out of shoes! Yep, the stress just keeps mounting.
I know my experience and emotions are not rare or unique. In fact, it’s probably par for the course. We all know what it’s like to be cruising merrily along then BAM-- crisis. I’ve been trying a few things to regroup and find peace during the chaos, and truth be told, Along with prayer, I found a meditation app called Breathe that I love. I use one of their 20 minute meditations daily, and it really does help me check out for a while and reboot emotionally. FYI…Lynne Goldberg is one of my favorite teachers. However, I do have a disclaimer. it’s a tad pricey at $12.99 a month or a lifetime membership of $149.95. So… I put the Sisi Dira team on a search for less expensive apps. We tried them out and below is our Pro/Con list. Hope this is helpful and wishing you all a peaceful Inauguration Day!
Guided and Beginner
Omvana (free*)
Pros:
Both guided and music only meditations
large library
includes self-hypnosis
Cons:
most tracks cost a few dollars each
self hypnosis not based on neuroscience
Insight Timer (free*)
Pros:
large library
Both guided and music only meditations
timer options
Cons:
Can be overwhelming if you don’t like music or voice guidance
Upgrades require purchase
Stop, Breathe & Think (free*)
Pros:
Guided meditations
Mood tracking
Curates suggested meditations
Goal oriented
Child friendly
Cons:
Full access requires subscription of $4.99 per month
Simply Being ($1.99)
Pros:
voice guided meditations
nature sounds
Simple meditations
Cons:
not much variety in themes or voices
less variety of meditations
Buddhify ($4.99)
Pros:
situation-based meditations
Very personalized
Guided and non-guided
Timer options
Cons:
Uses a lot of storage (300+ MB)
Guide speaks at a pace that may feel fast for beginners
Calm (free*)
Pros:
Large library
Clean interface
Variety of lengths ranging from 3-25 min
Guest celebrity instructors
Child friendly
Cons:
Does not offer as many free resources as competitors
Advanced offerings require subscription of $9.99 per month
Advanced
Equanimity (IOS $4.99) or Bodhi timer (Android free)
Pros:
great for experienced meditators
customized timers
meditation journal
Cons:
Does not have guided meditations, music, or nature sounds
Insight Timer (free*)
Pros:
Guided meditations and non-guided music meditations
Timer options
Cons:
Upgrades require purchase
Science-Based
Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics (free*)
Pros:
Omits spiritual components
Free 7 lesson course
Cons:
$9.99 /month subscription for access to more advanced meditations
Not available for Android
Headspace (free*)
Pros:
science-based techniques
Free beginning and intro course
Cons:
$12.99 per month subscription to gain access to advanced offerings i.e. guided meditations, mood tracking, and downloading for offline use.
Mindfulness (besides meditation):
Gratitude Journal ($3.99)
Write what you’re grateful for
Personalized
Set reminders
My Mood Tracker ($9.99)
Tack mood, learn to identify stressors and how to mitigate them
reminder system asks you how you feel throughout the day
FREE alternative (T2 Mood Tracker)
Simple Mind (free)
mind mapping
helps clear head of “clutter”
Breathe2Relax (free)
Relax & relief stress
Completely free, no subscription required
