FAQ

The inspiration for our name comes from two Sanskrit words. 'Ma' represents creation while 'Loka' represents world. Together they bring to life our vision for Maloka: a truly immersive world filled with exploration, uplift—and play.

Good news! Maloka is available for every curiosity seeker out there, whether or not you have an Oculus Quest device.

For those that do, download Maloka as a VR app from the Oculus Quest app store. If you prefer to meditate and build your Maloka universe on your mobile, the app is available for both Apple and Android devices.

Scroll down to the bottom of this page to find the download option that works for you.

While there is overlap between meditation and mindfulness, there are also key differences. Meditation is a practice that typically begins with an intention: Are you hoping for greater calmness, concentration, or something else? Meditation's focus on looking inward and breathwork will help you reach that intentional state.

Mindfulness is more holistically a way of living. It asks us to be present, to pay attention to what goes on in every moment, and to notice the world around us. The experiences Maloka offers encompass a range of meditation, sound, and yoga practices. All support a mindful life.

Curious about how to play Maloka? First, you'll need to download the experiential game. Maloka is available for free as a mobile app on iOS and Google Play, and on VR in the Meta Quest store (formerly Oculus).

Starting on a Quest VR device? Once you create an account, you'll be prompted to link it to the Maloka mobile app. Here's a taster of what you can expect in both:

• Play Maloka in VR to meet your spirit companion and explore your personal wellness island. The onboarding tutorial will walk you through your island and controls. Once you're oriented, earn points and other rewards by completing mindfulness sessions or programs. The more consistently you practice, the more your spirit and island will grow.

• Use the mobile app to check on your spirit and breathe with them IRL. You can also earn points by completing mindfulness sessions or programs, and use the points to nourish and care for your spirit. Use the mobile app to monitor your progress. And, if you've captured some beautiful imagery from your island, check it out in the mobile app Gallery.

Wherever you are in the Maloka universe, you can revist instructions:

• On your Quest VR device, head to the Quick Menu using the button with the 3 lines on your left controller. Here you will find a Help section, and a Settings section. Help has instructions on how to interact on your island, and an overview of all controls/buttons. Settings is where you can adjust your meditation vortex settings, island settings, and account settings.

• The mobile app begins with a short onboarding video, and instructions and prompts will continue to show as you navigate your Maloka universe.

Don't hesitate to reach out to our support team at hello@playmaloka.com if you run into any issues.

While the benefits of traditional meditation have been researched and recorded at length—and, if you can believe it, it's already been nearly 40 years since the first VR headsets were sold—VR meditation is still fairly new. Research to date has shown extremely hopeful results for VR's impact on the future of mental health and wellness, and we are at an exciting moment where more data emerges every day.

With the launch of various VR meditation apps, VR is quickly becoming established as a tool to help promote mindfulness and relaxation. Two recent studies allude to its benefits:

‍A 2021 study explored two mindfulness interventions: one VR-based and one guided audio-based. Results found that both induced a greater state of mindfulness compared to the control group. In addition, participants in the VR group reported a greater state of mindfulness than those in the guided audio group. This indicates that the immersive VR intervention was the most robust.

The authors of a 2020 study reported that "the use of VR helped [participants] to focus on the present moment by using visual and auditory elements of VR as attentional anchors. The sense of presence in the virtual environment was identified as being helpful to practicing mindfulness, as interruptions to presence could act as distractors."

They continued, "VR may help address the challenges of practicing mindfulness by creating a sense of presence in a tailored virtual environment; by allowing users to attend to visual and auditory anchors of their choice; and by reducing the scope of the content in users’ mind-wandering."

It's clear that the future of VR meditation is bright. Play Maloka today to start experiencing the benefits for yourself.

If Maloka isn't working for you, we always appreciate hearing about it! Simply email our support team at hello@playmaloka.com with the email address you used to sign up and a description of the issue, and we'll be in touch soon.

This is your Meta Quest going into sleep mode!

You'll need to adjust your Meta Quest device's Sleep Settings. Don't worry, this is easy to do. Head to the Quick Setting (where the clock is shown on your menu bar) and click Settings (the gear icon), followed by Device > Power. The default is 15 seconds; select a longer time setting to allow for your meditations.

When you're inactive in the game over a period of time, your spirit gets younger. Play and explore to watch your spirit grow again.

Use the inner grip buttons to pick up and place items on your island. Pro tip: The trigger buttons allow you to rotate an item to find its perfect place.

If you'd like, you can store your rewards in your abundance chest. Simply pick up the item using the inner grip buttons and place it on top of the glowing blue abundance chest next to the big tree.

The menu button on your left controller (recognizable as the button with the three lines) will bring you to the Quick Menu. If you're looking for Tool Tips, hit the question mark at the bottom of the Quick Menu.

The Maloka universe is a beautiful one, and we love seeing your photos! To take a photo within the Maloka VR app, press the B button. To record a video, press and hold that same B button. Want to view your content? Simply open your Maloka mobile app and click Gallery at the top of the home screen.

Maloka is home to a wide range of experiences led by teachers and practioners based around the world and trained in a variety of wisdom traditions. Many Maloka partners are renowned thought leaders in their fields and we are overjoyed that they share their diversity of background and experience as Maloka partners.

We've chosen to work with our mindfulness practitioners because of their depth of training, skill, and knowledge as well as the authenticity, love, and joy with which they share their practices. We are grateful to have a platform that can help spread their magic.

Interested in speaking to us about a partnership? We would love to hear from you get in touch today.

From meditation to movement, sound healing, breathwork and so much more, we partner with the most inspiring teachers and thought leaders.

If you're an instructor excited about the possibility of helping build a more mindful metaverse—or know someone who might be—we want to hear from you.

‍Reach out to discuss how we can work together to bring even more talent, content, and community to Maloka.