Thank You Black Lotus Team

I have been using the updated Black Lotus application for the past few days. My father has also been inspired by it and now uses it regularly. When Swamiji posted about releasing the new version of the application, he called it the best meditation app in the world. Swamiji never exaggerates, and Black Lotus lived up to his words. A world-class team is a pre-requisite to designing a world-class application, and the Black Lotus team is world-class.

Here are  a few things I love about the application:

• The UI design is phenomenal – I use a lot of fantastic mobile applications, but nothing comes close to the aesthetics of the Black Lotus application. The colors are soothing, the icons perfectly placed, and everything looks smooth. The use of cards to create sections within a tab is inspired. The fact that you don’t need a getting started video for the application is the ultimate testament.
• The Goals-Based Approach is phenomenal – I worked in the technical training domain and also have experience in coaching and motivation. Goal-based designs are a fantastic way to help people attain and achieve outcomes. The fact that you select your own goal means you are even more committed to it. The fact that is goal-based and personalized means users cannot share the same application. They need to create a separate account and subscribe to Black Lotus. It’s a win for both sides.
• The nudges are fantastic: One of the modern principles in designing applications is the use of nudges to point users in the right direction. Black lotus greets me with a reminder in the morning and evening. The rewards we get after completing an activity (a joke, a wisdom nugget, a quote) makes you eager to complete the activity.
• Reward for progress: We can unlock new meditations and breath techniques as we progress against our goals. That is a wonderful motivator. I loved the Deepen Your Practice card, which is both a nudge and a reward at the same time.

I have worked with some extremely talented UI developers and product designers but this is seriously the best application I have seen.

The biggest compliment I can give the Black Lotus team is that they are perfect Pandavs supporting our Gurudev as he drives positive change in the world. I don’t know the name of a single one of you except the late Shelly Singh and yet you have been such a large part of my daily life. I bow my head in reverence to your service.

The tree laden with fruits is always a bit bent. Not because of any burden but because it has something to offer. Humility!! – Om Swami