  Mindfulness practice has many mental and physical well-being benefits. With
the increased popularity of live stream technologies and the impact of
COVID-19, many people have turned to live stream tools to participate in online
meditation sessions. To better understand the practices, challenges, and
opportunities in live-stream meditation, we conducted a three-month
autoethnographic study, during which two researchers participated in
live-stream meditation sessions as the audience. Then we conducted a follow-up
semi-structured interview study with 10 experienced live meditation teachers
who use different live-stream tools. We found that live meditation, although
having a weaker social presence than in-person meditation, facilitates
attendees in establishing a practice routine and connecting with other
meditators. Teachers use live streams to deliver the meditation practice to the
world which also enhances their practice and brand building. We identified the
challenges of using live-stream tools for meditation from the perspectives of
both audiences and teachers, and provided design recommendations to better
utilize live meditation as a resource for mental wellbeing.
