Girl. Relax. You're Fabulous. (Guided Meditation Apps and Affirmations)

So, I want to talk about something very near and dear to my heart: my iPhone. 

JUST KIDDING. 

Yes, the iPhone is possibly the best idea ever for me since I'm helpless with directions and probably wouldn't make it out my front door let alone into the city without my trusty map app. 

But more importantly, the iPhone has given me access to some of the best resources for relaxation techniques, free guided meditations, and daily affirmations. The photo above is a screen shot of some of my fave apps for living the Glam Zen life. 

Headspace

Oh, buddy. This app is the best. Created by Andy Puddicombe (kick-ass last name if you ask me), a Clinical Meditation Consultant, former Buddhist monk, and incredible TED talk giver , this app teaches you the basics of meditation. With the complimentary TAKE10 program, you have access to ten of Andy's 10 minute guided meditations. 

With a focus on body and mind awareness, Andy's meditations teach you to slow down and appreciate the world around you. Each meditation will start by prompting you to take some deep breaths, continue with some guidance on comfortable meditating posture, and then flow into a relaxing meditation that generally leaves me slightly drool-y, but 100% refreshed, revived, and joyous about this beautiful world we live in. 

BONUS: after you complete TAKE10, you'll get an email offering a special deal on a subscription to further meditations (not necessary to continue using the app, but nifty anyways!). 

                               

Spirit Junkie

Okay, okay, okay, okay. Things you need to know about me: I want a corgi, I love show tunes, and Gabrielle Bernstein has got it going on. This girl is the definition of Glam Zen. After reading her book, Spirit Junkie, I decided to make some major life changes for the better. Her inspiration and miracle working know-how is distilled into this handy little app! I love the daily affirmations it doles out each day and that gorgeous drawing of her meditating reminds me of how much inner beauty we all have and what we can achieve by connecting to that gorgeous soul. 

Sleep Stream 

I am a world class insomniac, and until I started taking melatonin and meditating, this app was one of my favorite ways to calm down and get ready for sleeping. This app uses binaural beats to stimulate the mind in different patterns which can result in relaxation, meditation, focus, or energy. Basically, you choose a bin beat program, plug in your headphones, and relax while this slightly creepy sound plays softly in your ears and you're slowly lulled to sleep (or energized or focused or whatever you choose!). Now, of course this isn't magic, but for me it works extremely well and I highly recommend it. 

In addition to those hip binaural beats, SleepStream also has a great selection of ambient sounds such as  6 kinds of rainfall noises, 8 types of waves, 6 types of white noise, fireplace sounds, and a bunch of other assorted noises (like submarine… uh. Trying that one ASAP!)

Happify

And now, one of my absolute faves! Happify is a website created by specialists in psychology who have put together different "tracks" filled with activities (quizzes, little meditations, challenges, games) that boost your happiness level! Its like a little bit of sunshine in your pocket. 

That's all for today! Let me know if you enjoyed this post and what else you'd like me to blog about in the comments!

Love and light,

The Lipstick Yogi