Breathing is a major part of yoga and meditation. The seemingly simple act of inhaling and exhaling is broken down into four steps which take a little time to get used to. If you’re trying out meditation or learning the basics of breathing for yoga then Exhale VR is a web app that can help you. There are quite a few apps available to help people learn how to meditate and regulate their breathing and Exhale VR gives you a visual way to do it. You can use the app with Google Cardboard or, if you don’t have VR headset, from just your desktop browser. Here’s how it works.
Visit Exhale VR on your phone. If you already know the four steps involved in breathing, go ahead and tap the ‘Begin the Exercise’ button. If you don’t know the four steps, scroll down a bit and the app will explain them.
Once you’re ready, tap the ‘Begin the Exercise’ button.
If you’re on your desktop, simply follow the circle on the screen. When the circle holds its size, it means you have to hold your breath. When it shrinks, you need to exhale, and when it expands, you have to inhale.
If you want to use the app in Google Cardboard or any other VR headset, insert your phone into the headset. Tap the Cardboard button at the bottom right and put the headset on.
The app’s circle guide works the same way in VR as it does on the desktop. Simply follow it to know when to inhale, exhale, and hold a breath.
Exhale VR is only useful if you’re going to meditate. You obviously cannot wear a VR headset while doing yoga. It’s going to be exceptionally uncomfortable if not impossible to do so. If we had to critique the app for something, it would be the lack of relaxing music to accompany the breathing exercise.