On December 21, an attempt will be made to set a world record for the largest virtual meditation session. This attempt is being made by Habuild, a habit-building wellness and health startup.
Habuild is attempting to bring together 2.5-3 lakh people to meditate together under the watchful eyes of a team from the World Records Union.
December 21 is marked by the United Nations as World Meditation Day. The date also marks the winter solstice. In Indian tradition, it marks the start of uttarayan—a time for inner reflection.
The event will kick off at 6.30am, with a stocktaking of the number of members.
Saurabh Bothra, the CEO of Habuild said that the collective spirit will be ‘thrilling’.
The session will start with asanas (yoga poses) and then move to pranayama (breathing techniques), before going on to meditation. This flow, Bothra believes, will help participants ease into meditation naturally.
This is the fourth attempt being made to create such a record.
The goal of Habuild is to encourage people to start and stick with their wellness journeys.
Those willing to be part of the record can go to the Habuild website to register. They will then receive all the details and links to participate in the event, which is free and open to everyone.
For beginners, the platform offers some tips on how to start meditation. Find a quiet spot, close your eyes, and focus on your breath. Start with just a minute. This can be gradually increased to 20 minutes.
While there is no rule for how long one should meditate, 20 minutes seems to be a sweet spot.
This, Bothra said, is long enough to experience significant benefits without feeling overwhelmed.
The metric for the record is the number of people present. The practice of meditation itself feels different for different people. While some may feel calmness, others experience clarity, while to some, it may bring a sense of being more in control.