Name: UCLA Mindful
Guide: Most meditations are recorded by UCLA MARC’s (Mindful Awareness Research Center) Director of Mindfulness Education, Diana Winston
Price: Free
Features: Includes basic meditations, wellness meditations, podcasts (these are from UCLA’s Hammer Museum which hosts free weekly 30-minute guided meditations every Thursday at 12:30pm PST), customizable timer (which begins and ends with the ring of a bell). The app has a “getting started” tab which introduces users to a few introductory videos explaining what mindfulness is, how to go about choosing a suitable meditation and posture, as well as the major evidence in favor of taking up a mindfulness practice (stress relief, increasing self-awareness, decreasing negative emotions and reactivity, etc.). Meditations are offered in English and Spanish and are between 3 and 13 minutes.
User-friendliness: This app is very much for beginners who have an interest in mindfulness and meditation. Simple interface without in-app purchases or advertisements, with short introductory videos. There is no search function however.
Mindfulness topics: Meditations for healing (hospitalized patients), sleep, loving and kindness, body scan, and overcoming difficulties.
Narration quality: Sound quality is good however the narration is somewhat loud/harsh so may be best to listen on a low volume setting.
This is a good app for newcomers to mindfulness but may be limited for people who already practice mindfulness regularly. The podcast section is suitable for all levels however since it is a more organic and open-ended discussion rather than being an educational platform used to introduce concepts of mindfulness. While I really appreciated the introductory nature of the app, it is limited by the small selection of guided meditations (especially compared to other apps) so I don’t foresee using it as much! – Madison
The Mindful Medical Learner 