Helping a relative use resources in their language
Your parent would try something calm, if only it were in the language they think in.
Start with the language they think in, and let them decide how much to try. Your role is to set things up gently, then step back.
A parent or grandparent may be curious about something calm but feel shut out by an English screen. A little help can change that.
What does helping well look like?
It means making the resource easy to reach, then leaving the choices to them. People keep doing what they feel they chose.
Ask what they would like to try. Offer, do not insist. If they say not now, that is a complete answer.
Which language should I choose for them?
Choose the one they read most comfortably, even if you prefer another. On this site, switch language from the menu and check the page reads naturally to them.
If your relative reads Chinese, our guide on choosing the site’s language and Chinese edition explains the options. A website being translated does not mean a separate app is, so see how a translated website differs from a translated app.
Try this: set it up together in ten minutes
You can do this at the kopitiam, or after a family dinner.
- Sit beside them, with their phone or yours, and open the page in their language.
- Make the text bigger if they want it, using the large-text and print options.
- Read the first paragraph aloud together, and ask if it makes sense.
- Print one page if they prefer paper. A phone guide on copying and printing a plan shows how.
- Leave it with them and ask if they would like you to check in next week.
What about shared phones and the family WhatsApp group?
If you share a phone, be aware that notes saved in a browser can be seen by the next person. A personal page is better kept off the shared screen.
Sending a link to the group can feel like a hint. A private message to one person usually feels kinder.
What if they do not like it?
Then let it go kindly. Some people prefer a walk, a prayer or a quiet cup of kopi, and those are good ways to rest too.
If your relative seems more worried or low than ordinary stress, a calm pointer to our support page is the right next step, not another resource.
What if the person reads more than one language?
Someone may read more than one language, so ask which one feels easiest for this kind of reading, not which one they speak at home. A grandmother may chat in Hokkien and read Chinese, and a student may joke in Manglish and read Malay best.
Offer to open the same page in two languages and let them pick. The choice is theirs, and it works the same for a friend or a colleague. If they prefer to stay with their first pick, leave it there.
Where to go next
If a sentence in their language reads oddly, you can help us by reporting it with an example. All of these guides sit in our accessibility and digital confidence guides.
If your relative is curious, Sadhguru’s free 7-minute guided meditation in the Miracle of Mind app is one optional thing the two of you could try together, whenever you both feel like it.
Common questions
Should I translate things for my parent myself?
You can, but start by checking whether the site already has their language. Reading in their own words helps them trust and remember the steps. If you do explain, keep it short and let them ask questions, so the practice stays theirs and not yours.
What if my relative is not comfortable with phones?
Start with print. You can print a short page and let them read it at the table, with no phone at all. Our print options make the text larger. Add a phone only if they want one, and go at their speed.
Is it fine to share a page in the family WhatsApp group?
Yes, a link to a public page is fine. Ask the person first if the page is about something private. Send it to one person rather than the whole group when the topic is personal, and say why you thought of them.
What if they say meditation is against their religion?
Listen first and do not argue. A plain attention exercise asks nobody to believe anything, but their view matters. Suggest they speak with their own religious teacher if they wish, and let the matter rest if they decline.
Read next
If your relative is curious, you could sit beside them for Sadhguru's free 7-minute guided meditation, as a shared quiet moment they can stop whenever they like.