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Samadhi: speculative designing for space
[Sum-suma-dhi] noun
total concentration on the internal working of our body and mind
Prelude
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In recent years, there has been a significant rise in the number of people attracted towards meditation, mainly due to the spreading awareness of its numerous benefits.
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Identifying a market gap lacking in this particular type of Buddhist meditation and developing a product to address this gap is a good start to an entrepreneurial thinking.
Who are our target users?
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Samadhi chair along with its simple mobile application is specially built to practice Vipassana meditation for home practitioners well versed with this method of meditation but ofcourse, novices are also welcome to adapt.
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This product can be helpful to monks looking to attain total focus in an indoor cell encompassed with visionary, auditory and sensorial experience.
What is Vipassana Meditation?
Vipassana is a specific form of meditation associated with self confinement, typically in a small cell within four walls at arms length. This practice restores the vital energy when one sits formally and meditates within an enclosed space and hence achieving a complete state of nirvana with no external commotion.
To describe the true essence of Vipassana technique, one needs to attend a 10 days diligent retreat hence this product primarily targets to cater a particular niche of users which are growing in thousands per day.
What is the value proposition at glance?
In a world of turmoil, creating a product that combines technology and meditation can be a valuable contribution to those seeking mindfulness and inner peace. Samadhi represents the harmonious fusion of modern technology and ancient meditation techniques using a dedicated enclosing seating space powered by electricity which can be monitored through a mobile application connected via bluetooth, making it the ideal companion for one's Vipassana practice.
3.5' x 3.5 ' x 4'
This enclosed pod has a wiring system which provides air circulation inside so the user doesn’t feel suffocated and can breathe freely since the meditation is based on controlling one's breathwork.The meditation pod also has a dim light inside so that when the structure is closed the user can see the surroundings. However, user discretion is advised for individuals with health conditions such as claustrophobia or vertigo to use this system.
I created a special stupa like structure for the Samadhi chair inspired by famous buddhist architecture. This cellular pod serves as an advance system for one to experience a full immersive state of consciousness as the embedded speaker and LCD screen extend heightened tactile, auditory and visual sensorial experience making the user feel submerged in a complete state of trance or mental immersion.
How does Samadhi work?
The pod/chair gets connected to a mobile via bluetooth. Attached to Samadhi mobile application which is synched to the pod/chair in order to practice Vipassana meditation in its totality for achieving a state of total concentration. Aided by keeping user comforts at the forefront.
There are three main courses of Vipassana meditation which one can practice using the app.
Users can meditate with a timer and then track their record through a simple automated dashboard. Basic settings is also available such as change of language or adding a new device.
Users get access to Buddhist practicing books offline and online. They can hear them in audio format too when resting in the Samadhi pod. This assortment of buddhist books under a singular platform is one of its first kind in the world. It contributes to ease of accessibility for users across the globe.
What are my design decisions in adherence to Vipassana meditation principles?
Catering to a narrowed niche, the meditation type is such that it requires a combination of an enclosed space, strict tracking record for 10, 21, 60 day meditation streaks respectively, along with its guided discourse. Just like to operate cars, one needs to learn driving. Similarly, one needs an understanding of this meditation system to operate it and utilise to its fullest, but once familiar, its an easy walkthrough.
What are my reflections in this journey?
Our monkey mind naturally repels mindfulness practice and hence I hope to change the narrative about meditation being a difficult task and spread awareness of its million benefits. This product is an attempt to raise the collective consciousness.
What is the end goal of this product?
Samadhi chair can be connected via bluetooth to any smart phone where one can access whichever app of one's choice and thus, empowering mindfulness through sharing a holistic approach where other meditation apps are not competitors but allies to spread the ultimate goal of love and tranquility hence, recognising the interconnectivity of a global community.
If you are interested in seeing more,
*Please note:
Samadhi chair is still under the first stage of exploration in conjunction with ''Vipassana Research Institute" at Mumbai, India.
This is a self initiated project as Dhamma (Vipassana) is a part of Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 hence, creators are welcomed and encouraged to bring innovations that would help people in their mindfulness practices.
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