Over the years I have tried countless meditation apps, and not been satisfied with any of them. So in the end, I decided that I had to make the app myself.
I wanted to create the ultimate meditation app — an app the user can be happy with and use as a companion to their practice over years. My goal was to create an app that is easy to get started with (you can start your first session right away by tapping one of the pre-defined session templates on the home screen), but which can be configured to adapt to all the special needs that the user might have.
Below is a list of some of the issues my app solves, which most of the apps I have tried failed to address.
Sounds
Sound is one of the most important aspects of a meditation app (or real live sittings for that matter). Most of the apps I tried had a selection of sounds to choose from, but it surprised me that the apps did not allow me to upload and use my own sounds. I found this an important lack, as one over the years perhaps has grown accustomed to and fond of the sound of a particular bell, or some other sound that would fit into the sitting. To upload the sound of one's own bell is important, and was one of the first features implemented in The Sit.
But I went further than that — I wanted to make The Sit highly configurable regarding its sounds. The Sit supports layering sounds on top of each other, clipping them, playing them at various volumes, and playing the sounds repeatedly or singly at specific times during the meditation. This is achieved by combining simple sounds into so-called markers, which can be played at selected intervals during the various phases of a sitting.
Full-length recordings
Because I have been meditating for many years, I have several guided meditations available in my private collection, originally from cassette tapes, and personally ripped to mp3 files. These can be imported into The Sit, and used directly from there, as full-length session templates.
Phases
It always surprised me that almost all apps I tried only considered sessions consisting of a single sitting, while most meditation sessions I have been to (in person) have consisted of several sittings with breaks or instruction talks between them. This is replicable in The Sit by building a session template consisting of several phases (and not all of these need to count as meditation time).
Journalling
Personally, I like to keep track of what I do, and for me it is important to write down my thoughts from time to time… After a meditation session, thoughts and ideas worth keeping might have surfaced, and one of the main ideas I had when I began creating The Sit was to combine the meditation app with a journal. You don't have to write anything after a session, but you are invited to write down your thoughts before you close the app and do other stuff.
Keeping a streak
Many meditation apps will keep a streak for you — but what if you happen to meditate in other situations, where you are not using the app, for example in live sittings at your local sangha? For me, keeping a streak is a motivation in itself, and therefore I have made it possible to retroactively log and journal a session, so that all your recorded meditation sessions can be kept in one place. I have also created the possibility of creating a gentle notification — so that you won't forget your daily sitting.
Visuals
You might ask: "What is the point of visuals when I am sitting with my eyes closed (or defocused and semi-closed)?" Well, sometimes you want to glance at the clock to see how much time is left — I've been meditating for years, and still do this from time to time. During the in-person meditations I participate in, one sitting equals one incense stick burning down, and sometimes I cast a glance at the incense stick to see how long is left. Also, when creating The Sit, I wanted to make something visually nice. The Sit comes with a few pre-made visuals — a sunset and a withering flower — but you are free to create your own visuals.
Privacy
Your sessions, and your thoughts in your journal, might be highly sensitive data. I have therefore created The Sit so that the data only lives on your device — with the option of creating encrypted backups, which you may copy and move to other devices without risking your privacy.
There are many other functions and possibilities with The Sit. I have managed to create an app I personally am very happy with, and which I use daily. My hope is that you will find The Sit just as wonderful as I do.
