Posted on Wednesday, May 15th, 2019 by Will Hagle
Journey
claims that meditation is better with others.
Meditation can seem like a solitary act. The point, of course, is to redirect your attention to your own breath. To turn down the noise of the distractions that constantly surround us. To remove ourselves from other people. As anyone who has ever participated in a joint or group meditation knows, however, meditation can be improved by the presence of others who are doing the same thing. Once you get over any associated fears of looking weird in front of others—which is clearly what I use meditation for!—then you realize that everyone is working towards the same goals of health and wellness together. That’s the aim of Journey, a company that connects meditation students with real, live teachers.
Journey appears to be attempting to differentiate itself from Headspace and the seemingly myriad other startups clamoring to find a way to monetize an ancient practice. Journey, too, charges for their services (although they do offer a free 7 day trial). The app, however, aims to grow a community of people who benefit from the routine schedule of having to show up to a group class. The meditations are guided by teachers in real time, as anyone with access to the class looks on. It’s an innovative concept that could have an HQ-like appeal to those accustomed to watching routine “shows” on their phones. If it helps more people learn to meditate, Journey could be worth supporting. Or at least trying out.
