"Secular" mindfulness apps?

General discussion, particularly exploring the Dharma in the modern world.
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KiwiNFLFan
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"Secular" mindfulness apps?

Post by KiwiNFLFan »

What do you as Buddhists think about using a secular mindfulness app/recording (in addition to your regular meditation practice, of course)? I was put on to one called Headspace by a psychology student I was seeing last year (before I became interested in Buddhism). I am currently practicing breath meditation as recommended by the lama of the Buddhist centre that I currently attend, but I was wondering about trying this as well. What do you think?
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PuerAzaelis
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Re: "Secular" mindfulness apps?

Post by PuerAzaelis »

As long as you become more irritated you are probably on the right track whatever you're doing.

Maybe it would be more useful to rest attention in the desire to subscribe to this app.

Generally, enjoyment of speech is the gateway to poor [results]. So it becomes the foundation for generating all negative emotional states. Jampel Pawo, The Certainty of the Diamond Mind

For posts from this user, see Karma Dondrup Tashi account.
Bum
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Re: "Secular" mindfulness apps?

Post by Bum »

I was really never a fan of guided meditations. They are not allowing me to focus my attention to breath. I know you can choose your meditation object, but I prefer it to be my breath, not some other person's voice.

Also, in my own opinion, Headspace is overpriced for what it's offering and I find that most of the users are basically in need of a 'quick meditation fix' - 10 minutes a day is better than no minutes at all, but there are days when 10 minutes are enough for me just to calm down, additional 10 is winding down my monkey mind, and few minutes more are the bliss :twothumbsup:

(so someone saying 10 minutes is all you need, nah, you need as much as you need...)

As for using tech to help you with meditation, I am all fine with that. I am Insight Timer user (hundreds of free guided meditations tracks, you should check that out first), but since my phone broke and I'm back to primordial Android version :rolling: , I am now using Meditation Helper which is really bare, stripped down meditation timer that does its job perfectly.
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tomschwarz
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Re: "Secular" mindfulness apps?

Post by tomschwarz »

PuerAzaelis wrote: Fri Nov 24, 2017 7:54 pm As long as you become more irritated you are probably on the right track whatever you're doing.
So true... ...so i am sitting in this two day idiot Training in connection with my work. ...then they start talking about something like the mind or the body, total bs. ...so i think about my realization from last night reading a Sutra, sit up straight, shoulders back, mind empty, and imagine my heart morph out and surround my body, as red-caring-flesh-cubes/chunks emminate caring consideration for all those around....
i dedicate this post to your happiness, the causes of your happiness, the absence of your suffering the causes of the absence of your suffering that we may not have too much attachment nor aversion. SAMAYAMANUPALAYA
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SunWuKong
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Re: "Secular" mindfulness apps?

Post by SunWuKong »

Headspace sells download beyond a certain level. For guided meditation i suggest finding a friend who can read them to you. Then you can spend the money on food or rent
"We are magical animals that roam" ~ Roam
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SunWuKong
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Re: "Secular" mindfulness apps?

Post by SunWuKong »

tomschwarz wrote: Fri Dec 01, 2017 12:58 pm
PuerAzaelis wrote: Fri Nov 24, 2017 7:54 pm As long as you become more irritated you are probably on the right track whatever you're doing.
So true... ...so i am sitting in this two day idiot Training in connection with my work. ...then they start talking about something like the mind or the body, total bs. ...so i think about my realization from last night reading a Sutra, sit up straight, shoulders back, mind empty, and imagine my heart morph out and surround my body, as red-caring-flesh-cubes/chunks emminate caring consideration for all those around....
Over here we have clown meetings, everyone is encouraged to fill the shoes of the departing giants of industry... wear as many hats as possible ... find the rubber nose that fits your career...
"We are magical animals that roam" ~ Roam
DGA
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Re: "Secular" mindfulness apps?

Post by DGA »

SunWuKong wrote: Thu Jan 18, 2018 4:51 pm
tomschwarz wrote: Fri Dec 01, 2017 12:58 pm
PuerAzaelis wrote: Fri Nov 24, 2017 7:54 pm As long as you become more irritated you are probably on the right track whatever you're doing.
So true... ...so i am sitting in this two day idiot Training in connection with my work. ...then they start talking about something like the mind or the body, total bs. ...so i think about my realization from last night reading a Sutra, sit up straight, shoulders back, mind empty, and imagine my heart morph out and surround my body, as red-caring-flesh-cubes/chunks emminate caring consideration for all those around....
Over here we have clown meetings, everyone is encouraged to fill the shoes of the departing giants of industry... wear as many hats as possible ... find the rubber nose that fits your career...
I found this post to be deeply meaningful. It resonated with me in a profound manner.

<takes a slurp of kombucha>

Will you take me on a vision quest?
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SunWuKong
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Re: "Secular" mindfulness apps?

Post by SunWuKong »

DGA wrote: Sat Jan 20, 2018 8:20 pm
SunWuKong wrote: Thu Jan 18, 2018 4:51 pm
tomschwarz wrote: Fri Dec 01, 2017 12:58 pm

So true... ...so i am sitting in this two day idiot Training in connection with my work. ...then they start talking about something like the mind or the body, total bs. ...so i think about my realization from last night reading a Sutra, sit up straight, shoulders back, mind empty, and imagine my heart morph out and surround my body, as red-caring-flesh-cubes/chunks emminate caring consideration for all those around....
Over here we have clown meetings, everyone is encouraged to fill the shoes of the departing giants of industry... wear as many hats as possible ... find the rubber nose that fits your career...
I found this post to be deeply meaningful. It resonated with me in a profound manner.

<takes a slurp of kombucha>

Will you take me on a vision quest?
Ahh what? Look there’s so many enlightened souls now theres a huge surplus of abandoned rafts on the Thus Gone Over side of the river. Since there’s a huge market for them on the Original Mind Side, I’m thinking of starting a new flavor of the day movement to - you guessed it - take the rafts back over, sort of a reverse enlightenment- sell them for a substantial mark-up. Sure let’s sell it as a Vision Quest, you know crow feathers, sweat lodges, special rituals from the 1909 Cub Scout Manual by Baden Powell - maybe Shambhala Books will publish it - I think it’s got “buzz” - and of course the app will need to go viral - I’m all in I only want the royalty from the Pez dispensers
"We are magical animals that roam" ~ Roam
DGA
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Re: "Secular" mindfulness apps?

Post by DGA »

:lol: :lol: :lol:
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