Meditation Practice Tools

I just recently bought my first iPhone (the 3GS, because they're cheap). Last night, I downloaded a free meditation timer app called Insight Timer Lite . I just finished a sit while using it, and it works really well. You can set it for a variety of session times, and it starts and ends the sessions with either a nice Tibetan bell sound or a woodblock sound.



I know there are a lot of meditation timer apps out there, and this is the only one I've used. But, it's free, easy, and functional.



If anyone wants to recommend any other tools or supplies related to the practice of meditation, feel free to use this thread.



-Jackson

That's the simplest option. I tried it, but I didn't like it as much for some reason. Maybe I just think apps are neat

Cool! Let me know what you think.

One downside I've noticed is that the iPhone does not go into standby mode while the app is running. Thus, the battery will probably run down more quickly than when using the standard alarm function. There are some other cool features to the app that might make it worth it, though.

I like using this timer app called Equanimity . The full version is only a few bucks and it includes a practice log with an optional journal entry for each sit. The app is flexible when setting bells at specific intervals (I like to have a bell 20m into the sit so I know the Metta part is over and I can move on if I choose).

Also, there's an app that includes the entire text from AccessToInsight.org . Very useful for Sutta access on the go see http://www.accesstoinsight.org/devices.html for links.

The Equanimity app looks pretty.



I'm glad you mentioned the ATI app. I just found that one today. I think I'll download that one later today.

That ATI app looks great! I use a meditation timer called Meditate, which is frankly sort of confusing. But I figured it out, and how many features do you really need? The one nice thing about it is that it's really easy to switch among presets.

If you could have any meditation/dharma related app you can imagine, what would it be?

I'd love to be able to run fMRI or EEG scans on myself using an iPhone app Not that it makes a better meditator or anything. It would just be neat... dangerous, though. I don't know if I'd be willing to subject myself to that much radiation on a regular basis :-/

I'm not saying anyone here does this, but I think it has come to this: some people think that as long as one creates an "iphone app" that is somehow related to something by name and content, then it IS that thing.

I mean, one could get a "beer" app on their phone that was all about beer, but it wouldn't be the same as drinking beer.

But -- I bet at some point there could be some kind of tiny computer thing like a phone or part of a phone that was actually connected to one's brain somehow that could create simulations of all kinds of experiences. There could be a vicodin app, an orgasm app, an MMA app., a relaxation app. Stuff that will make contemporary apps look silly and primitive. Creepy, I know.

iBeer app on youtube. I agree, no quite the same as the real thing

I've not had much luck with binaural beats ( wiki , examples ) but I think they're supposed to do exactly what you describe, Mike. Some supposedly relax you, some claim to mimic certain substances.

The other day, after reading the wired article on feedback loops that was posted on the KFD, I thought it might be interesting to create an app that helps people maintain a consistent sitting practice. Form a little group of friends and get notifications every time a person in the group finished their daily practice. The app would include a timer so that every time after you're done, it automatically knows to send the notifications. What you think? Useful or annoying?

Something that would text me a pointing instruction that, upon reading it, I would awaken.


-tomo

Somewhere on Twitter there's a Yoda bot you can follow, and if you tweet something to him, he tweets back Yoda wisdom. One of the geeks could probably build a similar thing that sends back random pointing out instructions.


No guarantees on results though.