VR Meditation Apps: Is It Worth it?

Guided meditation can be an out of body experience that many people love to follow. VR meditation takes this into a whole new level where you’re scenery can completely alter base on the way you feel.

Virtual Reality has given the power of immersion and never before was possible to be so immersed with surround sound and 360-degree vision of anywhere in the world.

VR meditation has been said to change people’s lives more than regular meditation. Some people even said regular meditation doesn’t even compare to VR meditation when they tried it for the first time.

Virtual reality is so new, though, is it really worth it? And as someone who does meditation, should you try it?

Accessibility

If you’re worried that you’re not going to be able to do mediation wherever or don’t want to be strangled by a cord when you lay down, these aren’t problems.

With the Oculus Go or Oculus Quest, these do not have wires tangling from them. They are stand-alone headsets where you don’t need anything but the headset themselves. This makes meditation perfect since they are lightweight and you won’t realize they are even there.

The Google Daydream and Gear VR both require phones to use but are also great options since there are no cords either and very comfortable headsets.

With these options, you will be able to walk around, lay down and choose whatever position is the most comfortable for you to enjoy your experience the most.

For Oculus Rift and HTC Vive users, this isn’t to say meditation isn’t possible. Meditation still works very well and you will even feel more immersed with better graphics. The only problem will be the cord that follows that will prevent you from lying down.

This isn’t much of a problem since the most common form of meditation is on a chair and will still be able to enjoy a guided meditation.

Cost

Headsets are expensive depending on which way you will choose. We have a great guide comparing all the modern headsets that might help your decision.

But let’s say you went with the Oculus Go or the Oculus Quest. This would upfront cost you $200 to $400 dollars just to get an entry into this meditation. Of course, you’ll be able to do more in VR than just meditation but say meditation is your main focus.

Meditation apps, depending on your platform, are paid while others are free. Some even start as free but changing scenery or more mediation packs. In the end, we have our recommendations for the best meditation apps we have found.

Comparing this to the typical meditation videos that you can find for free on Youtube or pay a couple of dollars a month for services like Headspace, VR meditation is much more expensive and may not be possible for all.

Health

Looking into a screen for an extended period of time has a common perception that it will ruin your eyesight and cause eye strain. This was a common belief people had when growing up and spending too much time in front of the TV. However,  the American Academy of Ophthalmology says there is no evidence that long exposure to screens can cause permanent damage.

A lot of people in meditation also like to generally keep their eyes closed when following the guided meditation. This alongside the episodes not being that long will not have any harm onto your eyes and you will be fine.

You can adjust the headset to fit your eye type and your head size to be as comfortable as possible. In the Oculus Health & Saftey section, it is clear to point that children under 12 years of age should not be using VR.

Quality/Immersion

So is this VR worth it?

For meditation, I’ve tried Headspace myself and it doesn’t compare to the feeling you get on a VR headset.

You feel so much more in the VR headset that you can’t feel with just headphones. Depending on your platform, you can see the beautiful environment without leaving your bed.

If you are someone who constantly does meditation and loves doing so, I encourage you to try this out. As it becomes more popular, more content will be created and more immersive the experience will be.

Recommendations

Guided Meditation VR (Free)

Meditation made simple & visual.

Bring peace, joy, and calm back into your daily life with the virtual relaxation app Guided Meditation VR. Transform your home into an exotic, relaxing escape.

ReMind VR: Daily Meditation ($4.99)

Repose and unwind with proven meditation techniques from three foremost experts in the field of relaxation therapy. Tranquilize your stressful day with simple, short exercises of requiescence.

FlowVR Meditation ($3.99)

Meditate whenever, wherever you are by being transported to a world of wonder. Tap into meditation’s infinite benefits through a virtual reality experience of unparalleled quality with 4K 360°video, amazing music and quality guided meditation.

Conclusion

If you currently have a VR headset then mediation is a great path to take and you’ll see first hand the beauty of VR and the wonders it can do.

By being transported into whatever is most relaxing to you and following the guided meditation can be an experience that could make you feel more relaxed than you ever thought possible.

VR is the future and until it becomes mainstream, most people won’t be able to experience it. As the industry grows and it becomes more widely available, we urge you to try to experience it because it doesn’t compare to regular meditation.