One of the few constants in life is change.
Many of you who read this blog have downloaded the Allevi8 meditation app I have been involved in developing, so thank you for the support.
This is to advise of significant changes we plan around Allevi8’s content, the opportunities it will provide to meet online with experienced meditation teachers, and how the pricing will change, but first
Happiness is your nature.
It is not wrong to desire it.
What is wrong is seeking it outside
When it is inside
Sri Ramana Maharshi
Our Allevi8 app has been developed to help people with a serious intention to meditate, to do so regularly and well. We are particularly focussed upon sharing techniques well proven to assist those affected by physical or mental illness; including stress and anxiety. Two years on since our launch, we have received a good deal of positive feedback, whilst the evidence-base provided by published research grows stronger and stronger. However, we realise there is more we need to do to best meet our aims.
Maybe you can relate to the big issue…
We all know, and the research makes it very clear; the more we meditate, the more we benefit.
No surprise there.
However, over decades now, I have asked 2 important questions of literally thousands of people during meditation workshops, conferences and retreats, with disconcerting results.
A. Only a very small percentage say Yes
Second question: Over the last few weeks, who feels well satisfied with the quality of their meditation practice?
A. Again, only very small percentage say Yes; the rest, an often forlorn NO.
So Allevi8 was actually born out of this knowledge.
We knew many people would like to practice more, and many feel their experience of meditation could be better.
We had hoped the accessibility of the app, the targeted techniques for specific issues such as anxiety and sleep disorders, along with our innovations of the weekly group meditation and the more recently introduced online mentoring would make a difference.
And while the feedback has been good, and the numbers of people using Allevi8 builds steadily, our own research makes one thing very clear.
Those who do engage with our online mentors are practicing significantly more often than those who do not. Also, they are feeling better about their experiences in meditation, and perhaps of greatest significance, they are reporting significantly better health and wellbeing outcomes.
So we can make a common observation… We each take up meditation with good intentions, but then all too often life gets in the way, and the resolve to practice daily slides into the reality of occasional practice. Worse, it is when we are stressed or unwell we need to meditate more, and often at these times we put off our practice even more.
How then to turn this around?
Because all of us at Allevi8 are passionate about meditation, we want to provide the best service through the app that we feel is possible. We envision Allevi8 as a high quality, innovate app committed to providing the best outcomes for its users. We are not so interested in just having more people use the app, we are committed to providing a meditation app with related services that provide the best possible support to build regular and satisfying practice.
With this in mind, we plan to continue to provide access to all the tracks on Allevi8 for free. However, for those who want the full benefits, for those keen to practice regularly and well, we are introducing a new 'Group Mentoring' offering. This will provide access to the weekly group meditation sessions: Allevi8@8, along with access to a small group mentoring session once each month. It seems clear from our feedback and internal research, that providing access to online support from our trained meditation teacher/mentors makes a significant difference.
To be transparent, we also need a system that will enable Allevi8 to become financially sustainable. For example, over the past 2 years, all our mentors have donated their time to contribute to Allevi8@8. We hope you will appreciate and understand the need to change the cost structure at the same time that we are increasing what we are offering through the app.
Along with the option of the free Allevi8 app, we feel this new paying model is an ideal, cost-effective combination to provide ongoing support that in turn leads to sustained and effective practice. Priced at AU$30 per month (inc GST), the new offering will include the weekly Allevi8@8 sessions (which will no longer be free as of November 2022), and a further practice session each month in a smaller group of up to 6 participants, also led by one of our Meditation mentors.
The Allevi8@8 sessions will continue as they are now - in that they will focus on a particular practice within the Allevi8 app and feature one of our meditation teachers sharing some interesting background, theory and tips before leading us through the practice.
For the new monthly teaching and practice sessions in small groups, we will make available multiple sessions through the month at different times, with each session geared to focus upon one of the seven issues featured on the Allevi8 app. Each of these groups could contain anything from one person up to six as a maximum. You will receive an e-mail at the beginning of each month, showing you the available sessions for the month. You can simply choose which issue you wish to work on that month and book yourself into a corresponding session.
Also, we will continue to provide mentoring on a one to one basis for those who would like even more personalised attention and support.
I do hope this new offering is of interest, and invite you to go to allevi8.net where you can sign up for Group Mentoring.
With sincere thanks for your continued support and best wishes; may your daily practice flourish...
