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Ask HN: Have you had any real benefits from apps like Headspace, Fabulous, etc?

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Re: Ask HN: Have you had any real benefits from apps like Headspace, Fabulous, etc?

#91

Post by michaelbarton »

taeric wrote: post #27

For those that do find these useful, do you have a mental image? The "close your eyes and focus your attention on something" just falls very flat for me. I did have a decent experience with counting things. Breaths, steps, pedals, stairs, etc. That said, I don't really think I can claim any lasting improvement from anything. (Besides the exercise...)

I found out the book “mindfulness in plain English” quite for learning a bit more.

I say “learning” but the book also describes that there’s no rush to get anywhere in meditation/mindfulness.

Re: Ask HN: Have you had any real benefits from apps like Headspace, Fabulous, etc?

#92

Post by hombre_fatal »

spicymaki wrote: post #86
cscurmudgeon wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The secularization of meditation in the west has completely divorced meditation from it's original purpose (in the Buddhist context). FYI: Meditation originated in Hinduism where the original purpose was connection with God (as part of Yoga, the physical yoga is more recent). The earliest records of meditation can be found in Upanishads. Originally, meditation was highly directed. Buddhism removed the God aspect. A…

Yes, there is a lot of complexity to what you mentioned. That is why I bracketed it: in the Buddhist context. The Buddha came out of the Vedic tradition (ancient Hinduism) so I agree that meditation practice is sourced from there. I cannot speak to what other Gurus were doing at that era. Believe it or not there are deities (devas) in Buddhist Cosmology. The deity Brahma appears in much of early Buddhist scripture. G…

This kinda comes off as criticizing food for not being authentic.

It so happens that there's something useful in the roots of meditation's legacy that can be extracted from the religious—as many of us would consider it—chaff.

Like taking ayahuasca without a shaman to confront problems in your life. Turns out you don't need a shaman's spiritual rituals to benefit from the DMT experience.

Re: Ask HN: Have you had any real benefits from apps like Headspace, Fabulous, etc?

#93

Post by spicymaki »

hombre_fatal wrote: post #92
spicymaki wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, there is a lot of complexity to what you mentioned. That is why I bracketed it: in the Buddhist context. The Buddha came out of the Vedic tradition (ancient Hinduism) so I agree that meditation practice is sourced from there. I cannot speak to what other Gurus were doing at that era. Believe it or not there are deities (devas) in Buddhist Cosmology. The deity Brahma appears in much of early Buddhist scripture. G…

This kinda comes off as criticizing food for not being authentic. It so happens that there's something useful in the roots of meditation's legacy that can be extracted from the religious—as many of us would consider it—chaff. Like taking ayahuasca without a shaman to confront problems in your life. Turns out you don't need a shaman's spiritual rituals to benefit from the DMT experience.

I actually think you can extract the benefits of practice from the religious baggage. That is how I live my life today.

Re: Ask HN: Have you had any real benefits from apps like Headspace, Fabulous, etc?

#94

Post by thewizardofaus »

I use Insight Timer, completely free. I just use the timer mode in the app, so I can see my stats overtime.

Meditation is one of those things that you do not notice immediate benefits. It takes a couple of weeks.

Start with 5 mins a day and aim to build up to 10mins.

Has it transformed my life? Probably not.

Has it helped me stay calmer under high pressure situations? Absolutely.

The biggest change is you start to become self aware of how you are feeling.

"okay, I am feeling anxious and can feel my heartrate accelerating. That's okay, let's just focus on my breathing and stay calm"

Etc

Re: Ask HN: Have you had any real benefits from apps like Headspace, Fabulous, etc?

#95

Post by picardythird »

vorpalhex wrote: post #89
givinguflac wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here is a quote from said article, noting that while there are many techniques, all of them are about fostering awareness: “Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state.”

> all of them are about fostering awareness It explicitly does not say that. Reread your quote, slowly. > such as mindfulness, *or* focusing the mind on a particular object, and > to train *attention and awareness*, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state.” You will note the intro distinctly does not say this applies to all meditation, and that awareness is one of 7 different goals mentione…

Why is your tone so angry and condescending? In context, the GP is just saying that cardio and reading is not really equivalent to mediation. He's not wrong.

Re: Ask HN: Have you had any real benefits from apps like Headspace, Fabulous, etc?

#96

Post by vorpalhex »

picardythird wrote: post #95
vorpalhex wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> all of them are about fostering awareness It explicitly does not say that. Reread your quote, slowly. > such as mindfulness, *or* focusing the mind on a particular object, and > to train *attention and awareness*, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state.” You will note the intro distinctly does not say this applies to all meditation, and that awareness is one of 7 different goals mentione…

Why is your tone so angry and condescending? In context, the GP is just saying that cardio and reading is not really equivalent to mediation. He's not wrong.

When someone issues a correction and that correction is absolutely wrong, they are actively causing harm. They went out of their way to be wrong.

Even the word "meditation" comes from a phrase that can mean either quiet reflection on a topic, such as reading, or a deep intense self focus (how we tend to use it).

Exercise absolutely can be a form of meditative practice and there are still monks who do this practice today!

Reading a text and meditating on it, especially in a religious context, is thousands of years old and goes back to the earliest books and book like things we have (eg clay tablets).

This idea that meditation is where you sit and listen to an app and have self awareness is a very modern interpretation. It's not wrong - if that is useful for you, then do it - but to pretend anything that isn't vibing in a darkened room isn't meditation is plain wrong.

> GP is just saying that cardio and reading is not really equivalent to mediation

Both you and GP are incorrect on the most basic of levels. If you insist on correcting others at the very least read the rather good wikipedia page on the topic.

Re: Ask HN: Have you had any real benefits from apps like Headspace, Fabulous, etc?

#97

Post by derevaunseraun »

I used headspace for a bit. I think if the workplace'll pay for it it's definitely worth using, but regular yoga and meditation is less expensive. IMO the hard part isn't how you meditate, it's just making time to do it to begin with

Re: Ask HN: Have you had any real benefits from apps like Headspace, Fabulous, etc?

#98

Post by fredoliveira »

vorpalhex wrote: post #79
givinguflac wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Respectfully, I don’t think you understand mediation. It’s not about intense focus, it’s about awareness.

Respectfully, you seem dramatically unaware there are over a dozen different schools of meditation from singing buddhist monks to silent Yogis, all of whom have distinct goals in meditation. Even reading the Wikipedia article on meditation would helpfully orient you in these basic facts.

For someone who seems versed in many of the schools of meditation, you seem bitter and condescending. What's the point of all that snark? And here, of all places. If they are wrong, teach them — but not in that tone.

Re: Ask HN: Have you had any real benefits from apps like Headspace, Fabulous, etc?

#99

Post by vorpalhex »

fredoliveira wrote: post #98
vorpalhex wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Respectfully, you seem dramatically unaware there are over a dozen different schools of meditation from singing buddhist monks to silent Yogis, all of whom have distinct goals in meditation. Even reading the Wikipedia article on meditation would helpfully orient you in these basic facts.

For someone who seems versed in many of the schools of meditation, you seem bitter and condescending. What's the point of all that snark? And here, of all places. If they are wrong, teach them — but not in that tone.

> For someone who seems versed in many of the schools of meditation, you seem bitter and condescending.

The idea that being a practicioner of meditation somehow brings you to be a spaced out peace loving beatnik is a fiction created by Hollywood.

> If they are wrong, teach them — but not in that tone.

You can not add to a full glass.

Re: Ask HN: Have you had any real benefits from apps like Headspace, Fabulous, etc?

#100

Post by masukomi »

I was completely burnt out. Like ACTUALLY burnt out with almost all the symptoms. Headspace definitely helped me on bad days. If i was feeling a panic attack coming on I'd stop what I was doing and use Headspace to recenter myself. I'd use it on stressful days to help calm down.

I'm very thankful for it.

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