Is VR meditation better than the regular kind? How it can help you battle stress, anxiety and insomnia, and focus on the present moment
- VR headsets, used for immersive gaming experiences, allow you to meditate in a location of your choice
- Users describe its benefits, while experts explain why the technology may work better than traditional meditation
To the sound of calming piano music, you are transported to a wooden bench, overlooking the ocean and a deserted beach. You breathe deeply, taking in the surroundings and the calming rhythm of the waves – and focus on the present.
This is an experience of VRM – or virtual reality meditation. Slip on a headset and choose to teleport yourself to a locale of your choice.
Meditation has existed since ancient times to increase mindfulness and bring our focus to the present moment to help manage stress – a global and growing problem.
“Just 10 minutes of daily, mindful meditation can help prevent your mind from wandering, and is particularly effective if you tend to have repetitive, anxious thoughts,” according to a study from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.
The desire for meditation has led to a spate of phone meditation apps and podcasts. Virtual reality has been used as a tool by therapists for decades, but only recently, with the advent of affordable VR headsets, has it become mainstream in mental health treatment.
Supriya Aggarwal, a psychotherapist specialising in inner child healing and childhood trauma resolution in Delhi in India, uses VR in her guided meditation sessions with adult clients.
