Finding “the right way” to meditate can be challenging. Though these ancient practices have become more or less mainstream, practicing mindfulness is a lot easier said than done, even with a mindfulness app. At the same time that mindfulness techniques are becoming more familiar, so too is the number of distractions in this fast-paced world. Meditation can be a helpful counterweight to the chaos that many of us experience, either inside or out, but it tends to work best when we find the blend of techniques that lines up with our own make-up. Like anything else, meditation is not a one-size-fits-all solution.
The Balance: Meditation App by Elevate Labs is a meditation app that might help to fill the gap between our meditation aspirations and our actions. While there is no shortage of meditation apps to consider, Balance may come closer than most to the feeling of having a teacher check in with us as we progress. According to Elevate Labs, the app offers a personalized meditation program that adapts to each student’s answers.
How this Mindfulness App Works & What it’s Designed For
The details below are as Elevate Labs describes the app and as we saw it when we reviewed it in 2019; features may have changed since. Once you register for the free 10-day introductory program, the app asks a series of questions to gain a better understanding of your present familiarity with these practices and your goals for the program. Ranking four outcomes in order of what matters most to you helps the app suggest a program that fits. The goals this program sets out to address are:
- To reduce stress
- To improve sleep
- To increase focus
- To improve mood
The app teaches nine meditation techniques. Depending on your goals, comfort level, and experience, the techniques you explore will be some combination of breath focus, body scan, labeling, loving-kindness, visualization, awareness, spotlighting, breath control, and innovation. As you move through the program, the meditations build on what you covered in previous days. Based on the questions you answer at the beginning of and throughout the course, the app adjusts what it offers next. The customization is ongoing, as the app keeps checking in with you throughout the program.
Why I Like the Balance Mindfulness App
A handful of features stood out to me in the Balance mindfulness app. Unlike some meditation apps that offer little interaction with users, Balance asks for input along the way.
Custom Feedback and Personalization
As mentioned, one of the things that makes this app really unique is that it checks in with you prior to each meditation to find out more about what you’re familiar and comfortable with. By getting to know how comfortable you are with particular techniques and which skills you find most difficult, the app tailors your experience to your goals.
Data collected about your goals will also help this mindfulness app to deliver the meditations that make the most sense for you. For instance, a program for someone whose top goal is to improve sleep will look different than one designed for someone aiming primarily to increase focus.
Structure and Momentum
The free 10-day program provides routine and structure, helping to create momentum around your budding meditation practice. Many teachers find that consistency matters more than the length of any single sitting, and a 10-day program supports that kind of regular practice. In terms of length of practice, the duration of each meditation will vary according to your level of experience and can be adjusted each day as needed.
Situational Meditations
In addition to the structured program, the Balance mindfulness app also offers one-off meditations for all sorts of situations. The ‘Singles’ section includes both guided and unguided meditations in 14 different categories: Anxiety, Commute, Energize, Relax, Sleep, Wake Up, Wind Down, Breaking Habits, Breathe, Concentrate, Couples, Motivation, SOS, and Unguided. These meditations are short and sweet, running just five or ten minutes in length, offering a chance to rest and reset while on the go or if pressed for time. So, even if your primary goal is to improve sleep, for instance, the app recognizes that we can all use support from time to time in a variety of areas. Committing to a 10-day plan geared toward your overarching goals does not stop you from exploring other areas of your life.
Additional Resources with Subscription
The free Foundations or Advanced Plan gives users the fundamental tools they need to build their practice – whether one’s current standing is beginner, intermediate, or advanced. With a subscription, the app opens the full library of 10-day plans, as well as the full collection of ‘Single’ meditations. These additional guided meditations and plans let users explore different skills and approaches.
Is this Mindfulness App Worth Exploring?
The Balance: Meditation app is worth a look for anyone who wants to deepen their practice and receive customized support as they do so. Since many of us do not have an in-person meditation instructor, an app like this can offer some of that personal check-in. By asking about our needs and experience, it aims to help us find what works for where we are at present.
The 10-day program is a good introduction to what the Balance app offers, and it’s free to explore. From there, if the program feels like the right fit, you can sign up for a subscription to access the full library of resources. When we reviewed the app, the auto-renewing subscription options for customers in the United States were $11.99/month or $49.99/year, and a lifetime subscription was available for a one-time payment of $199.99. Pricing varies in other countries and changes over time, so check the current options in the app store listing before subscribing. So is it worth trying? With a free 10-day course to explore, Balance is a reasonable option for anyone who has yet to find the right technique or guide to make meditation stick. As with any app, it’s one tool among many, and it doesn’t replace a teacher or professional care.
