Keep Calm: Meditation in review

From standardized tests to college application deadlines, high school can be stressful. It’s important that we set aside a little time each day to live in the moment. When there’s a lot on my plate, meditation brings me peace in stressful situations. But even if you don’t feel the end-of-the-year stress creeping up on you, it’s still beneficial to practice meditation on a daily basis so you can learn to enjoy life’s moments to the fullest. So, in search of new ways to meditate, here are some of the things I tested out.

APPS:

The premium packages for full-app access seem a little overpriced, but that could just be me and my empty wallet. I understand that the sessions are from trained professionals, and I did find them to be highly relaxing, but they shouldn’t be putting a price on someone’s mental health. Nonetheless, for someone looking for a meditation app, these are definitely options to consider.

Simple Habit

The best thing about Simple Habit? It’s very specific and lets you search through over 2,000 sessions for what you’re stressed about. Whether I’m procrastinating an English project, practicing my driving or even just waking up, Simple Habit has me covered with their vast array of meditation sessions to help me feel more at peace. My least favorite part about this app is that each session opens up with a lively, five-second jingle, which seems a little too “lively” for what’s supposed to be a relaxing time. But this shouldn’t distract from the app’s other great features, like the daily meditation series that helps you build upon a specific topic for a week. 

Calm

Everything about the Calm app screams “relaxation” — from the waterfall sounds that play as the app opens, to the simplistic, bubbly look of the app’s design. Calm offers exercises, music, stories and mindfulness lessons, some of which are narrated by celebrities like Matthew McConaughey and Sam Smith. The app’s speakers, celebrity or not, have the perfect energy-to-inflection ratio in their voices offering optimal relaxation. Also, the app sends daily reminders to take a break and breathe — which is great when it’s scheduled two minutes before my chemistry test. The one flaw I found with this app is that it can be hard to find the exact meditation practice you are looking for — like I need one more thing to be stressed about.

Headspace

The second after I signed up for the Headspace app, a happy, orange sun greeted me with a “Hello, Campbell” — which was surprisingly comforting. The app tries to learn your preferences on meditation to offer you the best experience — but this wasn’t the case for me. Its design is flawed, its cartoon characters make it seem targeted towards a preschool class attempting meditation. The best part about this app is that when I have three minutes to spare before school starts, Headspace has me covered with different time lengths for each session. Three minutes later and I’m ready to conjugate some Spanish verbs. Overall, the options this app offers are minimal when compared to the other two apps. 

Restore Class at Power Life

The Restore class at Power Life is centered around the idea of meditation, allowing time to be “more present” and relax. The second you step into the studio, you’re hit by a wave of zen full of lavender smells, dimmed lights and soft music. This is the perfect way to bring tensions to ease — physically and mentally.

Tips from Power Life teacher Mike Owens on how to incorporate meditation into your life:

1. Set aside time each day to practice meditating.
2. Find what brings you peace and build on that. Meditation is different for everyone.
3. Start meditation with no expectations

PRODUCTS:

Tea

One of the best beverages after a stressful day is chamomile tea. Tazo’s chamomile tea is my go-to, delivering the full relaxation experience through the blissful packaging and natural ingredients such as lemongrass and rose petals. Smelling the steam that rises off the tea bag when it’s first submerged into the water immediately transports me to a stress-free state of mind.

Oils

Clinical-grade essential oils are my favorite thing during finals week. I’m not saying they helped me earn an A on my 100-question test in World Regional studies last year, but they definitely contributed. They truly help release tension and clear my mind, whether that be aromatic or topical. My favorite oils for meditation include Frankincense, Vetiver and Ylang Ylang. The aroma of lemongrass while I’m studying helps me remain focused and productive.

Bath Salts

For more direct meditation, Dr. Teal’s bath salts are the perfect solution after a stressful day. Even as someone who prefers showers over baths any day, I can confer that they are a great solution when it comes to meditation. It releases tension in your muscles making you feel physically more relaxed. Dr. Teal’s bath salts also feature a lavender scent to enhance the meditation experience.