Life has become much more stressful now that we’re all stuck inside during the COVID-19 pandemic. You probably can’t help wondering and worrying about the effects this will have on the world, your community, your loved ones, and even yourself. If you need to de-stress, try some meditation, courtesy of your Amazon Echo device or the Alexa app, where you can also listen to guided meditations to help calm your body, mind, and spirit.
Find a Meditation Skill
Helpful skills abound on the Echo. Some will give you certain meditations based on the time of day or a specific need. Others help you unwind before bed, fall asleep easier, try to be happier, or just relax.
Open the Alexa app on your phone or tablet (or on the web). With the mobile app, tap the hamburger icon and then go to Skills > Categories. The categories for Health & Fitness and Lifestyle both contain skills for meditation. You can find even more helpful skills by searching for the word "meditation." Let’s review some individual skills that you can use through your Echo device or the Alexa app.
Headspace
Say "Alexa, open Headspace." Alexa offers you a choice of meditations and asks which one you’d like. You can also request a specific meditation. Say "Alexa, ask Headspace for today's meditation," and the app serves up the meditation of the day. Say "Alexa, tell Headspace I want to wind down" or "Alexa, tell Headspace I'm ready for sleep," and the app provides a meditation designed to help you get ready to rest.
If you’re listening on the go through the Alexa app on your phone, you can even request a running meditation or a mindful walk. You can connect a Headspace account with the Alexa skill to access even more meditations.
Guided Meditation: Meditation of the Day for Calm
Say "Alexa, open Guided Meditation." A gentle voice guides you through meditation for three to eight minutes. The selected meditations are designed to help relieve anxiety, stress, depression, sleep problems, and other issues. If the current meditation doesn't do the trick for you, say "Alexa, play next." Alexa lists other meditations and asks which one you want to hear.
Sweet Dreams: Sounds & Meditations for Sleep
Say "Alexa, launch Sweet Dreams." Alexa asks if you want to hear a sound or mediation. Choose either option or request one by name. If you don't know, say "Alexa, ask Sweet Dreams to list sounds" or "Alexa, ask Sweet Dreams to list meditations."
Sounds include rain, surf, stream, forest, canyon, desert, and brook. Guided meditations include Falling Asleep, Soften and Relax, Breathing in Waves, Review the Day, and Welcoming the Day. Once you know the sound or meditation you want, request it by saying something like "Alexa, ask Sweet Dreams to play Falling Asleep." A soothing voice then guides you through the meditation.
Mindful Meditation
Say “Alexa, open Mindful Meditation.” Alexa asks which meditation you want to hear. You can choose from five different ones, including a three-minute meditation for breath, a four-minute meditation for body scan, a five-minute meditation to release tension, a 10-minute meditation for inner wisdom, and a 20-minute meditation for bodily sensations. You can also go directly to a specific one by saying “Alexa, ask Mindful Meditation to play the four-minute meditation.”
One Minute Meditation
Say "Alexa, open One Minute Meditation." This skill offers you a one-minute guided meditation for times when you need a quick relaxation break. A gentle voice guides you through some deep breathing as a pause from your busy day.
Meditation Apps to Fight Anxiety and Stress
Instead of relying on Alexa, there are mediation apps that can help you fight anxiety and stress right from your phone.