3 Meditation Apps to Keep You Zen

NEWS | October 13, 2020

Meditation improves concentration and well-being, reduces tension and stress, and some believe it can even lead us to enlightenment. These are just a few of the practice's long list of benefits. In light of the ancient tradition's rising popularity, a number of dedicated applications have been launched. Here, Printemps.com shares our top three.

The Mindfulness App: the most customizable

Known in France as "Pleine Conscience," The Mindfulness App guides users through their journey towards heightened serenity and relaxation. Indeed, it's designed for both new and experienced meditators. Easy to personalize, it can be adapted to your needs and offers a wealth of content that explores the grounding principles of meditation. Already used by 130 million people, it echoes the work of Professor Emeritus Jon Kabat-Zinn, a pioneer in mindfulness and MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction), whose research also helped introduce meditation into Western medicine. Inspired by Buddhist teachings, the application offers courses and specialized methods to respond to each user's individual needs.

Calm: the most therapeutic

Calm is the leading meditation application on the other side of the Atlantic. Created in 2012 by Michael Acton Smith and Alex Tew, it became available in French in 2019. It can also contribute to improving self-esteem, reducing anxiety, and enhancing our access to contentedness. Plus, it also includes a sleep-improvement program. Relaxing content like "bedtime stories" (some of which are even read by actress Eva Green), playlists signed by Moby, and peaceful nature sounds are available with unlimited access for Premium members.

Headspace: the most Californian

This app was created by Rich Pierson and Andy Puddicombe, a former Buddhist monk who had the idea of promoting meditation in Silicon Valley in hopes of rendering it widely accessible. Headspace has already introduced over 60 million users to meditation practices, thanks to over 1,000 hours of content that combines audio, video, and animations created in collaboration with artists. Dreamed up by experts and supported by scientific research, Headspace places its focus on four main themes: meditation, sleep, concentration, and stress management.