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Launch HN: Chorus Meditation (YC W21) – Meditation for Non-Meditators

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Re: Launch HN: Chorus Meditation (YC W21) – Meditation for Non-Meditators

#31

Post by aliabramovitz »

metkfd wrote: post #30

Hey! Cool idea. I'm a total newbie to meditation - any tips for setting up your environment, especially for those of us cramped in a 1BR? ;)

Totally! Here's a couple tips:

>>> WHAT TO BRING >>>

Headphones or external speakers for the music

A cozy blanket!

A journal for some special reflections (only needed for the "Chorus" class - not for "Chorus 30" or "Sleep")

Other options > Eye mask or something to cover your eyes > A pillow under your knees to support your lower back

>>> HOW TO SET UP >>>

Find a quiet, soft place to LIE DOWN, where you won’t be disturbed (bed, couch, or yoga mat are great)

Set up where WiFi is strongest (it helps the audio not cut out during class)

Settle in a few minutes ahead of time so you can make sure your space is comfy and ready for class

>>> Here are a couple videos on what to expect for your first class too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyuh0cQjKSU&t=2s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUJhfjxvNDE&feature=youtu.be

Re: Launch HN: Chorus Meditation (YC W21) – Meditation for Non-Meditators

#32

Post by marc_io »

bambax wrote: post #26
aliabramovitz wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hey! You're so right and we are working on making a demo available on the website - but in the meantime, let me just share one we have in our system -- here ya go: https://docsend.com/view/hxra3rnfevsytg4v

I'm not familiar with meditation; I hear it's all the rage but I don't understand the benefits. It is said to "reduce stress", but stress is mostly the result of external stimuli. It's a symptom, like fever. If you treat the symptom without addressing the cause, what good is it? Meditation sounds like a post-religion religion, but at least there was the promise of silence. Now we have loud meditation? To me this vide…

The issue is the use of the word “meditation”. It's just an “umbrella term”. There are literally dozens of techniques that use the word “meditation” to describe them. The variation is astounding, and some have very little in common from a purely external point of view.

Re: Launch HN: Chorus Meditation (YC W21) – Meditation for Non-Meditators

#33

Post by dragonwriter »

bambax wrote: post #26
aliabramovitz wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hey! You're so right and we are working on making a demo available on the website - but in the meantime, let me just share one we have in our system -- here ya go: https://docsend.com/view/hxra3rnfevsytg4v

I'm not familiar with meditation; I hear it's all the rage but I don't understand the benefits. It is said to "reduce stress", but stress is mostly the result of external stimuli. It's a symptom, like fever. If you treat the symptom without addressing the cause, what good is it? Meditation sounds like a post-religion religion, but at least there was the promise of silence. Now we have loud meditation? To me this vide…

> It's a symptom, like fever. If you treat the symptom without addressing the cause, what good is it?

Quite good when the symptom is harmful in itself, which both fevers that are sufficiently high and stress can very much be.

Re: Launch HN: Chorus Meditation (YC W21) – Meditation for Non-Meditators

#34

Post by aliabramovitz »

carapace wrote: post #29

You folks seem upbeat and sincere, so it pains me to tell you this, but having looked into your site I believe you're being irresponsible (that's the nicest way I can say it.) Yours is not the first crew to do this. It's got a bit of a long history here in the SF Bay Area, going back at least to Leonard Orr in the 1970's, who believed he was on the trail of physical immortality .[1] I was looking up Grof's "Holotropi…

Thank you so much for the honest feedback. There has been some great research around the nervous system health benefits of the kind of breathing we do (the 3 part breath) in this book:https://www.mrjamesnestor.com/breath -- check out the section he calls "breathing plus" - essentially what it does is stimulate the vagus nerve which allows us to more actively control our autonomic nervous system.

We also use other breath techniques like boxed breathing and breathing with longer exhales than inhales which calms the nervous system: https://www.healthline.com/health/box-breathing#tips-for-beg... https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201...

You are completely right that we must take incredibly seriously the space we are holding for our community when we engage in this practice. All of our teachers are trained by professionals, including trauma informed training from professionals at UCSF. We always make sure the customer is empowered to stay in a zone that feels comfortable to them. Additionally, when we breathe in this way we are doing similar things to the body as we do with cardio exercise, so it's generally totally safe and the physical sensations of the breath subside when you stop the pattern. Of course we are not doctors so we recommend, in the same way that any gym or physical exercise solution does, that you should consult your doctor before engaging in cardio vascular work.

Re: Launch HN: Chorus Meditation (YC W21) – Meditation for Non-Meditators

#35

Post by aliabramovitz »

carapace wrote: post #18

Don't charge money. Put your expenses in a public spreadsheet, accept donations. I tell you if you do that you will achieve 1000x positive effect and you'll become immeasurably wealthy for the rest of your life as well, natch.

That's actually an amazing idea hahah!!

Re: Launch HN: Chorus Meditation (YC W21) – Meditation for Non-Meditators

#36

Post by aliabramovitz »

marc_io wrote: post #32
bambax wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not familiar with meditation; I hear it's all the rage but I don't understand the benefits. It is said to "reduce stress", but stress is mostly the result of external stimuli. It's a symptom, like fever. If you treat the symptom without addressing the cause, what good is it? Meditation sounds like a post-religion religion, but at least there was the promise of silence. Now we have loud meditation? To me this vide…

The issue is the use of the word “meditation”. It's just an “umbrella term”. There are literally dozens of techniques that use the word “meditation” to describe them. The variation is astounding, and some have very little in common from a purely external point of view.

Absolutely true! We actually have waived a bit on if we call ourself meditation or not. Ultimately we are currently using it since it helps "context set" for people - but would love to hear any other idea if you have them!

Re: Launch HN: Chorus Meditation (YC W21) – Meditation for Non-Meditators

#38

Post by aliabramovitz »

schience wrote: post #16

I love Chorus! I encountered it in the workplace and it blew my mind. The holotropic breathing thing makes me slightly hallucinate. Which is perfect for a work day. I think it was a good fit with the move to remote world, having a community of people to mediate with - think they have grown a ton. I have friends who like that better. Personally I find myself a little lazy to show up - giving myself some space for that…

Hahah thank you so much! Honestly - we love the discourse too.

We are by no means trying to replace traditional meditation and Chorus certainly isnt for everyone. But for people it IS for we are frickin thrilled to help them unlock a mindfulness practice of their own!

So great to hear about your experience with us back when we were in person. We too hope that some day we can have both a digital and in-person presence because human connection is so important.

I can also relate to the challenge of prioritizing time to do it when you dont have somewhere physical to "GO". That ease of use is exactly what we are working on in our new app, so would love to see if we can help you with our new experience. But totally get if you are just an in-person person :) And we send you big Chorus hugs and thanks again for the support!!

Re: Launch HN: Chorus Meditation (YC W21) – Meditation for Non-Meditators

#39

Post by mwetzler »

aliabramovitz wrote: post #21
mwetzler wrote: post #19

I started doing Chorus meditation at Twilio prior to the pandemic and let me tell you it was WILD. My first session, I experienced a full body high and I was hooked. My mood after these sessions was fantastic. I was relaxed, confident, and my perspective felt so clear. I let go of all those meetings and tasks that were cluttering my day but didn't matter, and thought about the big picture. In some sessions, I found m…

Wow oh my gosh! Michelle is that you? Thank you SO much for sharing your experience using Chorus. Being a former fellow Twillion myself it means so much to me to get to share it with the Twilio community.

It is :)

I have recruited several folks to Chorus this year and they are finding it quite helpful! My husband in particular has had some really intense (in a good way) experiences. A friend just reached out to me today to tell me how much he is enjoying it, and mentioned he noticed your launch on HN, so I wanted to come put in a good word :)

Interesting pattern, the people I've referred who have gotten the most out of chorus are/were startup CEOs. I wonder if this format is particularly good for people who are comfortable in intense environments? Or maybe those who have already learned the benefits of an introspection practice? I know it helps me show up better as a leader.

Re: Launch HN: Chorus Meditation (YC W21) – Meditation for Non-Meditators

#40

Post by dang »

carapace wrote: post #29

You folks seem upbeat and sincere, so it pains me to tell you this, but having looked into your site I believe you're being irresponsible (that's the nicest way I can say it.) Yours is not the first crew to do this. It's got a bit of a long history here in the SF Bay Area, going back at least to Leonard Orr in the 1970's, who believed he was on the trail of physical immortality .[1] I was looking up Grof's "Holotropi…

Come now, I love that you know about all this stuff and as someone who used to order Esalen catalogs as a teenager, I share your fascinations—but this is an extreme stretch. These guys aren't doing orgone therapy, rebirthings, or (heaven help us) immortality. Also, it's a category error to conflate Wilhelm Reich, Leonard Orr, and Stan Grof—three completely different figures. Totally agree about the fascination of Reich, though—he is unsummarizable.
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