Martin Rumenov Soul Retreat Labs has introduced a new VR wellness app, Soul Retreat, set to launch for Meta Quest 3 and 3S in early 2026, promising an immersive meditation experience based on real-world nature environments. The app recreates European beaches, lochs, and glens in stunning detail, using a proprietary GroundedPresence™ technology to match true-to-life scale and grounding beneath your feet. With intuitive hand tracking and voice commands, users can tailor their meditation sessions—controllers remain optional for seamless accessibility.
Personalized Nature Meditation in VR
Soul Retreat aims to provide a restorative escape rather than just another productivity task. Users can experience these photorealistic landscapes by simply wearing their headset, whether standing or sitting. Each location is faithfully reconstructed from real sites, letting you interact naturally: shift the daylight, alter your surroundings, or watch stars appear as you breathe and move. Ambient Background Mode means users can leave nature scenes “behind” their regular work apps, surrounding themselves with calming views while browsing, messaging, or listening to music.
Adaptive Guidance and Breathing Biofeedback
Before each session, Soul Retreat offers an optional relaxation check-in, which adapts guided meditations and exercises to what users need at the moment. Developed with input from mental health experts, its AI-driven system tailors meditations using evidence-backed mindfulness and positive psychology techniques. Biofeedback encourages a resonance breathing rate of about six breaths per minute; each breath is visualized by animated stars, with every inhale and exhale generating musical tones and ambient soundscapes. Gentle stretches can also be incorporated when desired.
Interactive Stories and On-the-Fly Personalization
Story mode provides local legends, wildlife tales, and historical stories linked to the places users “visit.” Mentor stories offer reflective wisdom, and users control the narrative flow with their voice, deciding what happens next for a fully interactive experience. For additional support, the Profile menu lets users set goals, monitor progress, and customize their guidance approach. Spoken commands enable instant adjustments to locations, time of day, and meditation objectives—such as calming anxiety before a big event.
Features Overview
- Photorealistic environments recreated from real locations using GroundedPresence™ tech
- Hand and voice input as the main controls, reducing friction and maximizing immersion
- Adaptive, AI-informed guidance that evolves with each relaxation check-in and session history
- Biofeedback breathing exercises linking slow breaths to visual and musical feedback
- Ambient Background Mode for blending nature into everyday desktop tasks
- Optional subscription (“Soul Retreat Plus”) expands content and deeper customization, with a free tier provided at launch
- Strong privacy protocols: data is kept on-device, only minimal analytics collected, and user voices are not stored
Built with Expertise and Privacy in Mind
Soul Retreat Labs, founded by ex-Apple designer Ben Gillett, developed the app with multidisciplinary input from psychologists and therapists, focusing on evidence-based methods. Data privacy is a priority: user preferences stay on the device, with only basic, non-identifiable usage data gathered. The app is directed at adults as a self-help tool, not a substitute for professional mental health care.
Release Details
Soul Retreat is slated for release on Meta Quest 3 and 3S in early 2026. Users can add it to their wishlist on the Meta Quest Store and sign up for updates via the official website. The free version will include core environments and guided content, while the Plus subscription will unlock the full range of locations and advanced guidance. Final pricing will be announced at launch.
