Have you considered adding an Amazon affiliate link to the website for purchasing a Bluetooth heart rate monitor?
Thanks for the suggestion! Added it to the site in a very basic way for now, will improve on that later.
Show HN: I Built An App to Teach Mind Control
31–40 of 47 posts
Re: Show HN: I Built An App to Teach Mind Control
#32Thanks for doing this. I really have enjoyed your blog and your commitment to being mindful about the impact of technology on our attention and more broadly our lives.
Re: Show HN: I Built An App to Teach Mind Control
#33I really feel like the idea for this App is sincere, but it seems to be yet another technological 'tether' to our gadgets and material world.
Meditation should not be 'gamefied' or at least not quantified in such a way... What next, you can post your results on FB?
So wrong ...
Re: Show HN: I Built An App to Teach Mind Control
#34I really feel like the idea for this App is sincere, but it seems to be yet another technological 'tether' to our gadgets and material world. Meditation should not be 'gamefied' or at least not quantified in such a way... What next, you can post your results on FB? So wrong ...
I've thought a lot about this very problem. In fact, I've spent the past 8 months or so thinking about that very issue.
Here's the problem as I see it, and feel free to debate with me:
Our digital worlds are a much more seductive reality than what we've got in the real world. Our minds simply weren't built to handle notifications everywhere, games which exploit our psychology, etc.
We need new tools to help manage our minds in this new frontier. Because we simply don't get these addictive notifications in reality. And for evidence that this digital world is more seductive, just look at how many people have their faces in their phones.
So what is the first step in helping us manage our minds more effectively? I researched all the data I could find, and it turned out meditation had the most potential.
So I turned to meditation and said how could I improve the experience? This is my first iteration at giving us tools to improve control of our minds. Its a very basic tool, and I'm very aware of the potential downfalls.
I'm willing to hear any advice you or anyone else has on the future of mind analysis with tracking devices.
Re: Show HN: I Built An App to Teach Mind Control
#35I really feel like the idea for this App is sincere, but it seems to be yet another technological 'tether' to our gadgets and material world. Meditation should not be 'gamefied' or at least not quantified in such a way... What next, you can post your results on FB? So wrong ...
While relying on something like this for you meditation may not be ideal, what harm does this do? If this helps some number of people begin to regularly meditate isn't that a net gain?
Re: Show HN: I Built An App to Teach Mind Control
#36Pretty cool that you launched iOS and Android together. Did you use a cross platform toolkit to do so?
Re: Show HN: I Built An App to Teach Mind Control
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
Looking at the heart rate charts on the front page, it seems that the rates during meditation are actually much higher on average (eyeballed at 92 bpm) than the rates while surfing the internet (eyeballed average of 75 bpm) (and while the meditation rates have a lower variance, their mean seems to be in about the same range as the absolute highest heart rates while surfing the web). As someone who knows nothing about…
Yes, sorry, that part was a bit weird. I'd taken that meditation from after I'd gone running. My normal meditations have heart rate variance between 66 and 96 BPM. Very good eye in observing the higher rate. And I'm not trying to judge or interpret anything from the data, I'm just giving to users to explore the ways in which meditation changes things for themselves.
Great answer, the app / front page both look good, and congrats on the HN front page publicity =). (I don't have an iPhone or a HR monitor myself, sadly, or I'd give it a spin.)
Re: Show HN: I Built An App to Teach Mind Control
#38I really feel like the idea for this App is sincere, but it seems to be yet another technological 'tether' to our gadgets and material world. Meditation should not be 'gamefied' or at least not quantified in such a way... What next, you can post your results on FB? So wrong ...
I've thought a lot about this very problem. In fact, I've spent the past 8 months or so thinking about that very issue. Here's the problem as I see it, and feel free to debate with me: Our digital worlds are a much more seductive reality than what we've got in the real world. Our minds simply weren't built to handle notifications everywhere, games which exploit our psychology, etc. We need new tools to help manage ou…
I think some comments mention how this could be useful to track the heart rate (Athletes?Babies?Elderly people?) and surely that seems like a great idea.
And of course I don't think any harm can come to someone using your app. It's certainly 'something' on a wishy washy path to some enlightenment through external means ...
The mindset that a person must acquire in order to meditate and truly benefit from it, cannot be attained with an App, as the very 'thing' is yet another obstacle to detachment.
In any event I wish you all the luck in the world on your own path ...
Re: Show HN: I Built An App to Teach Mind Control
#39I clicked on the link really excited about learning how to control the minds of my friends and family so I could finally get them to do my bidding but was slightly disappointed to learn it only helped me control my own mind. But seriously, I'm glad someone took the time to take something as beneficial as meditation and make its impact quantifiable. I'm excited to try it out.
If an app designed to help you meditate is getting you really excited, is it a success or a failure?
Re: Show HN: I Built An App to Teach Mind Control
#40Earlier quoted context omitted.
I've thought a lot about this very problem. In fact, I've spent the past 8 months or so thinking about that very issue. Here's the problem as I see it, and feel free to debate with me: Our digital worlds are a much more seductive reality than what we've got in the real world. Our minds simply weren't built to handle notifications everywhere, games which exploit our psychology, etc. We need new tools to help manage ou…
I think some comments mention how this could be useful to track the heart rate (Athletes?Babies?Elderly people?) and surely that seems like a great idea. And of course I don't think any harm can come to someone using your app. It's certainly 'something' on a wishy washy path to some enlightenment through external means ... The mindset that a person must acquire in order to meditate and truly benefit from it, cannot b…
Yes, sorry, I'm not trying to step on any spiritual toes.
I'm just trying to build a platform for people who are already completely lost in the distractedness of our digital culture.
For instance, I initially purchased a heart rate monitor to track my running, to make sure I was getting to 60-80% maximum heart rate for 20 minutes.
After my initial 30 runs or so, I didn't need the monitor anymore, and I no longer run with it.
In the same way, I just view this as a tool, not a path to enlightenment or anything else. Just a tool for people to become more conscious of the way their body and mind works.
And thanks for the wishes of luck. The same to you.