Mindfulness and meditation have long been practiced as a means to cultivate peace and clarity in one’s daily life. However, these practices can be challenging to begin and maintain. With the rise of extended reality technology, there is a new opportunity to bring mindfulness and meditation to the forefront of our modern world.
The Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro headsets offer full immersion into a virtual world, making them the perfect tools for kickstarting a meditation and mindfulness practice. That’s where the partnership between Headspace, a leading meditation app, and Quest-maker Meta comes in. This morning, the companies announced a collaboration with multimedia design firm Nexus Studios to customize the experience for extended reality headsets.
The result? Headspace XR, an app featuring guided practices led by mindfulness and meditation instructors Dora Kamau and Kessonga Giscombe. For those familiar with meditation apps like Headspace or Calm, these practices may sound familiar, including breathing exercises, body scans, and mood tracking. These techniques are designed to help users refocus and center their minds.
But Headspace XR goes beyond just meditation. The app also offers a community element, where users can connect and participate in social activities to maintain a consistent practice. These activities take place in colorful, metaverse-style environments, providing an engaging and unique experience that is not typically associated with meditation apps. While it remains to be seen if this approach will lead to an effective and regular meditation practice, the app certainly offers something beyond the traditional methods.
“Research shows that when humans play, our brains are activated in a way that can impact overall life satisfaction and emotional well-being. Unfortunately, our day-to-day lives are often stripped of this opportunity,” says Sara Cohen, Vice President of Headspace.
Headspace XR aims to use gaming as a gateway to mindfulness, recognizing the positive impact that gaming and social activities can have on our well-being. And to access this unique experience, users will pay an upfront fee of $30, rather than the typical subscription fee used in the industry. The app is currently available for Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 2, and Meta Quest Pro.
