I left my tech job to build a meditation app • Hacker News Board

Re: I left my tech job to build a meditation app

#61

Post by bizzleDawg » Wed, Jul 07, 2021, 9:30 AM UTC

gabereiser wrote: post #42

Ignore the naysayers in this thread. They have never experienced assisted meditation before. The biggest impact in my life (outside of having kids) was when I discovered Qi-gong and the power of assisted meditation. The thing that clicked the most for me was having calm soothing meditation music to help enter the trance state of consciousness. My mind tends to wander and focusing on the sound helped deliver clear tho…

Also, choosing to build a meditation app is only a small part of this post really - making the leap of faith to leave behind (apparent) security is a much bigger part of this in my view. Hats off to you Troy!

Re: I left my tech job to build a meditation app

#62

Post by libertine » Wed, Jul 07, 2021, 9:35 AM UTC

gabereiser wrote: post #42

Ignore the naysayers in this thread. They have never experienced assisted meditation before. The biggest impact in my life (outside of having kids) was when I discovered Qi-gong and the power of assisted meditation. The thing that clicked the most for me was having calm soothing meditation music to help enter the trance state of consciousness. My mind tends to wander and focusing on the sound helped deliver clear tho…

I've been helping an organization that hosts retreats (yoga, qi-gong, and other types) and I still think a lot of these practices still suffer from the New Age era, and it still ripples to these days because some people read those funny names and bind it to "oh that's just some crazy people/cult/weird/hippies non-sense".

So I'm beginning to wonder if we shouldn't drop the names completely and call them for what it is: like you said, assisted meditation. Or just rebrand them into something more contemporary.

Don't take me wrong, a lot of people still seek these events, but the masses will always frown upon them.

Re: I left my tech job to build a meditation app

#63

Post by markthien » Wed, Jul 07, 2021, 9:51 AM UTC

you didn't leave tech. you just left your desk in the company

Re: I left my tech job to build a meditation app

#64

Post by nprateem » Wed, Jul 07, 2021, 9:51 AM UTC

chewz wrote: post #55

throwaway4good wrote: post #51

I personally think that the meditation app space is under explored. Or rather the dominant players have their business model (a hefty monthly subscription) dictating their app design. So rather than a coaching model, think of a simple tool like a gong or a timer. Much like the original "Sleep Cycle" app, only for mediation (combing a timer with the feedback you can collect via the sensors of a phone).

Making a good meditation timer is not an easy task. I have tried many on both iOS and Android and can recommend only one that suits me - Meditation Timer by Telesense... It is really difficult to filter out all obstructions and notifications. And it takes carefull design to make flexible timer that suits meditator needs. As for meditation coaching app I think there are so many approaches to teaching meditation that t…

I like Medativo as a timer and Prana Breath for pranayama/breathing exercises.

Re: I left my tech job to build a meditation app

#65

Post by arthur_sav » Wed, Jul 07, 2021, 9:55 AM UTC

_hao wrote: post #37

If I want to meditate I don't want to have my phone or a computer anywhere near me. Having an app "guide" you is essentially another distraction you'll have to eliminate.

I've been meditation in silence for years. Never found something more annoying than a "guiding voice".

Re: I left my tech job to build a meditation app

#66

Post by codethief » Wed, Jul 07, 2021, 10:30 AM UTC

libertine wrote: post #62

gabereiser wrote: post #42

Ignore the naysayers in this thread. They have never experienced assisted meditation before. The biggest impact in my life (outside of having kids) was when I discovered Qi-gong and the power of assisted meditation. The thing that clicked the most for me was having calm soothing meditation music to help enter the trance state of consciousness. My mind tends to wander and focusing on the sound helped deliver clear tho…

I've been helping an organization that hosts retreats (yoga, qi-gong, and other types) and I still think a lot of these practices still suffer from the New Age era, and it still ripples to these days because some people read those funny names and bind it to "oh that's just some crazy people/cult/weird/hippies non-sense". So I'm beginning to wonder if we shouldn't drop the names completely and call them for what it is…

I agree, meditation would benefit a lot from a no-nonsense approach and wording.

Then again in my experience a lot of practitioners of meditation and related techniques use those New Age terms not for a lack of better terminology but because they actually intend to convey the New Age meaning (whatever that is exactly). So I'm not sure they would agree with you to drop those names.

Re: I left my tech job to build a meditation app

#67

Post by criddell » Wed, Jul 07, 2021, 10:58 AM UTC

arthur_sav wrote: post #65

_hao wrote: post #37

If I want to meditate I don't want to have my phone or a computer anywhere near me. Having an app "guide" you is essentially another distraction you'll have to eliminate.

I've been meditation in silence for years. Never found something more annoying than a "guiding voice".

You didn't use any kind of a guide for your first few sessions? You sat in silence on day 1?

Re: I left my tech job to build a meditation app

#68

Post by tmshu1 » Wed, Jul 07, 2021, 10:58 AM UTC

bizzleDawg wrote: post #61

gabereiser wrote: post #42

Ignore the naysayers in this thread. They have never experienced assisted meditation before. The biggest impact in my life (outside of having kids) was when I discovered Qi-gong and the power of assisted meditation. The thing that clicked the most for me was having calm soothing meditation music to help enter the trance state of consciousness. My mind tends to wander and focusing on the sound helped deliver clear tho…

Also, choosing to build a meditation app is only a small part of this post really - making the leap of faith to leave behind (apparent) security is a much bigger part of this in my view. Hats off to you Troy!

Thank you kind stranger!

Re: I left my tech job to build a meditation app

#69

Post by Tenoke » Wed, Jul 07, 2021, 11:01 AM UTC

simonebrunozzi wrote: post #56

Perhaps we don't need an app to meditate? Does everything need to have a tie to tech and the latest gizmo?

While I am not a fan of meditation, there is a large variety and some of them can definitely benefit from an app - e.g. guided meditation, meditation for specific time intervals etc.

Re: I left my tech job to build a meditation app

#70

Post by criddell » Wed, Jul 07, 2021, 11:01 AM UTC

chewz wrote: post #55

throwaway4good wrote: post #51

I personally think that the meditation app space is under explored. Or rather the dominant players have their business model (a hefty monthly subscription) dictating their app design. So rather than a coaching model, think of a simple tool like a gong or a timer. Much like the original "Sleep Cycle" app, only for mediation (combing a timer with the feedback you can collect via the sensors of a phone).

Making a good meditation timer is not an easy task. I have tried many on both iOS and Android and can recommend only one that suits me - Meditation Timer by Telesense... It is really difficult to filter out all obstructions and notifications. And it takes carefull design to make flexible timer that suits meditator needs. As for meditation coaching app I think there are so many approaches to teaching meditation that t…

Would a dedicated timer be better than an app?

There are a few things that I started with the app version and eventually upgraded to a dedicated device - a metronome, guitar tuner, and ereader are ones that I have near me right now.