Meet Lynne Goldberg: Founder of OMG. I Can Meditate! iPhone App

While many of us have been told about the various health benefits of meditation, we know that not all of us actually put this knowledge into practice on a regular basis (before this article, I most definitely did not). But don’t worry, that’s all about to change! Allow me to introduce Lynne Goldberg, meditation coach and founder of OMG. I Can Meditate! app.

Upon first glance, the app offers simple meditations to start and finish the day with intention, and as you explore further, there are specialty exercises for stress and anxiety, relationships, relaxation, performance and success, happiness, and more. Depending on their needs, users can take advantage of the free exercises or unlock a full series of daily meditation challenges. Curious to learn more, we caught up with Lynne.

Smart Girls: What does meditation mean to you?

Lynne: Meditation has been life changing for me. It not only affects how I feel and my relationship to stress, but meditation also affects my relationships with other people. It has been such a useful tool in my own life, which is why I feel passionately about sharing it with others.

SG: What are the health and wellness benefits of regular meditation?

Lynne: Meditation is a cure all. When we are stressed, our bodies release cortisol and adrenaline. Our heart rate and our blood pressure also increase, while our digestion slows down and our immune response weakens. When we meditate, we release oxytocin, or the love hormone, as well as serotonin, the feel good hormone. Our blood pressure and heart rate normalize, as does our digestion. Therefore, we actually heal faster with meditation.

SG: One of the most basic features of the app are the relaxing ‘Good Morning’ and ‘Good Night’ tracks. What is the benefit of waking up to this over a traditional alarm?

Lynne: One of the common complaints of new meditators is that they don’t have enough time. To help people overcome this problem, we decided to build meditations right into the alarm itself. We also know that one of the key parts of feeling happy is being grateful, so we like to start the day with our gratitude meditation. This method of waking up is much more beneficial than hearing a jarring buzzer and helps you start the day with intention.

SG: How can meditation affect ones relationships with their family or significant other?

Lynne: Meditation has a positive affect on one’s personal relationships — with families, their partners and even strangers. When we are stressed, we tend to be reactive. For instance, have you ever come home after a long day and snapped at your kids or your husband for no apparent reason? Our meditation practice helps us to observe our behavior so that we can pause and choose our response rather than behave reflexively.

SG: In order to experience the positive effects of meditation, what schedule (for a beginner) do you recommend?

Lynne: It is more important to practice everyday for ten minutes than once a week for an hour. Set the alarm for 10 minutes earlier and make the time to make this a regular routine.

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If you’re feeling inspired to give meditation a go, OMG. I Can Meditate! is available here to download onto your iPhone or iPad for free. Got a story about how meditation positively affected your life? Reach out to us on Twitter and tell us about it, or leave a comment below.

Image courtesy of Laura Finkelstein/London Misher Public Relations