A Pod to Ponder

INDULGENCES a pod to ponder

THE TOUCH OF A FEW BUTTONS INSIDE THIS MULTI-SENSORY MEDITATION CHAMBER TRANSPORTS YOU TO YOUR HAPPY PLACE.

Stressing out about going back to the office and—gasp!—interacting with other humans? See if your company or employer can shell out $25,000 for a relaxation pod to help ease the transition. That’s the going rate for OpenSeed’s new SpaceTime meditation pod, an egg-shaped chamber intended to relax people in high-stress situations—the office, airports and the like. Just step in, get cozy and let the calming begin.

The irony is that meditation pods such as OpenSeed use hightech features to help clear us of mental noise, much of which is brought on by—you guessed it—technology: the constant pinging of texts, urgent work emails, Instagram DMs that just can’t wait. But why not put tech on your side instead of letting it drive you nuts? A Japanese study conducted this year by neurosurgeon Michihito Sugawara found that meditating in OpenSeed pods significantly increases the effectiveness of meditation and amplifies its benefits, both emotional and physical. These controlled, isolated environments have great potential to effectively quiet the mind, reduce stress and enhance peak performance, the study says. Essentially, meditation pods increase our overall well-being.

Life inside this futuristic egg of tranquility features immersive audio, guided meditation, lighting and aromatherapy. The user (or users, as the ergonomic bench can seat up to three adults comfortably for a very different kind of team meeting) first steps into the womb-like vessel. Then he or she or they put on the noise-cancelling headphones, get situated in the lotus position and choose an adventure on the 15-inch built-in touchscreen, which offers a menu of relaxing, science-backed sounds and guided meditations from which to choose. LED lights synchronize with the audio emanating from concealed speakers (available with the premium version), and complementary aromatherapy soothes the senses. The result is a fully immersive and isolated experience that turns off the stressors and distractions of the outside world.

The SpaceTime version also features sanitizing UV lights and time-travel-inspired soundscapes and light therapy. (And no, despite BACHENDORF’S its name and appearance, OpenSeed’s SpaceTime won’t actually transport you to another era, though it did serve as a time-traveling mechanism in the 2020 sci-fi comedy Bill & Ted Face the Music, the most recent installment in the Keanu Reeves trilogy.) This Miami-based start-up is working to produce more affordable in-home versions of OpenSeed. These will likely be smaller than the original model too—SpaceTime is about 50 square feet, weighs 1,000 pounds and requires a 12-hour professional installation.

When the outside world is driving you mad, slip inside OpenSeed’s SpaceTime and let the meditation pod—filled with immersive audio, lighting and aromatherapy—take you to your happy place.