Virtual Worlds and Well-Being

This article describes how a growing recognition and desire exists to leverage technology in new ways to achieve increased well-being. However, designing and evaluating technology for well-being support is complex. Using an exploratory formative approach, this study created and evaluated the meditative virtual world Sanctuarium to gain a richer understanding of engagement and the human experience of technology-supported meditation. Experienced meditators with no previous use of virtual worlds interacted with Sanctuarium to perform meditation. Meditators described a positive experience and rated it as successful and engaging. Phenomenological analysis provided a rich description of the meditation experience. Participants perceived Sanctuarium as a restorative environment and described the experience as unique but also facilitative, similar to guided meditation. Participants also identified Sanctuarium as a good tool for novices. The aim of this article is to promote more well-being through innovative design and use of technology. Virtual world technology is a prime candidate for this purpose.