Muse: Technology to Help You Achieve Meditation Bliss

Disclosure: Influence Central received a complimentary Muse device in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed here are our own.

Whether you’re a seasoned meditator or looking to begin a meditation practice to achieve a renewed sense of calm, the idea of setting aside “quiet time” to clear the mind of noise and distractions proves no easy task. Even when we seemingly feel relaxed, our minds wander leaving us potentially unfocused during a meditation practice. Wouldn’t it be great to have a meditation guide to understand the state of your brain activity and to keep you truly focused?

Muse, a new “brain sensing headband,” acts as a meditation partner and helps you achieve a new state of relaxation based on the current state of your brain’s activity while meditating. The device sits comfortably on your forehead to read brain wave activity and connects to a downloadable app that helps guide you through a meditation practice. Even new meditators will find Muse so simple and easy-to-use – I tried it for the first time and loved it!

Through a brief instruction and demo, Muse lets you know when you are properly focused on your breathing and not distracted, by the sounds of calm waters and serene sounds it plays you. And, should you achieve a heightened sense of this relaxed state, you’ll even hear birds chirping!

However, as soon as your mind begins to lose focus and the brain activity changes, the calm sounds you heard previously immediately shift to rough seas and winds – similar to an approaching storm. These sounds become an immediate reminder that you need to regain focus through your breathing patterns to change what you experience and hear through your headset. When I heard the sounds of the rough storm, I immediately thought, “I want to hear those birds chirping again,” and it prompted me to change my breathing to get them back.

After your meditation session, you receive an image that breaks down the time spent in each of the states of relaxation or disruption throughout the practice.

Muse’s compact device and app allow you to take your mediation practice anywhere – from your couch at home, to a hotel during a business trip, to the office. The app also allows you to set goals and reminders to get the mediation practice in, so you can view your progression over time. Achieving focus and clarity becomes much more attainable with Muse’s technology that feels like having your own personal meditation coach – backed up by post-practice data.

I’ve never meditated before but by trying this device and app, I’m immediately convinced of its benefits to help me achieve a more balanced and focused mind. And by teaching us to stay focused and avoid distractions, it can also pave the way to help us reach our desired goals in all facets of our lives.

The Muse retails for $249, and for more details, visit http://www.choosemuse.com

Maryellen Cronin