I have meditated on and off four decades and using an app seemed a bit of a waste, but a friend recommended the Waking Up app created by Sam Harris.
Sam Harris studied philosophy at Stanford, with a hiatus to study in Nepal and India, then earned a doctorate in cognitive neuroscience from UCLA. He also wrote Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion, which appealed to me in its spiritual focus without being stuck in any specific dogma or new age nonsense.
The Waking Up app is free for 7 days. The idea of spending 10-20 minutes a day paying attention to life, felt liberating. Sam has a pleasant voice and expertly guides the meditation, sometimes peppering in some theory. The traditional way of meditation by paying attention to breathing or sounds or feelings resonated from past experience, but to mediate with eyes open surprised me. I also appreciated the thankfulness meditation concentrating on the blessings of the people and things in my life.
After a week, the price for the app is $99.99, definitely a higher price tag than similar apps on the market, though a Sam offers a full money refund. In addition, if you can’t afford the app, but would like to use it, he will give you access. As he states on the website, “While we operate a business, we believe that money should never be the reason why someone can’t gain access to Waking Up.” Altruistic? Good marketing? Perhaps, but I feel that Sam and his team walk the talk.
The application is simple to use. For the daily mediation there is an option 10 minutes or 20 minutes. Personally, I started out with the 10 minute meditations, but expanded to the 20 minute option after a couple of weeks. Some mornings when rushed, however, rather than skip a day, I’ll do the 10 minute option.
The app itself overwhelms in content for both meditation practice and theory. As for meditation practices, there is a variety including the introductory course, the daily meditation, Metta loving kindness, longer guided meditations, then sections from other people, such as “Koan Way” with Henry Shukman, “Contemplative Action” with David Whyte (one of my favorite poets), “The Headless Way” with Richard Lang, “Effortless Mindfulness” with Loch Kelly, and “Mediations for Children” by Sam’s wife, Annaka Harris.
In addition, plenty of theory fills the app for those who are interested in understanding more about mindfulness and meditation. I really enjoy the conversations as well, some of which are on Sam Harris’s podcast, Making Sense. I have enjoyed most the conversation with Laurie Santos, James Clear, Jack Kornfield, though I admit that I’ve still many conversations I’ve not listened to. Each conversation is well over one hour, so there is a strong amount of content. I also like that I can listen to them at speed-and-a-half so I can cruise though while running or doing some other activity.
In short, I have found this app well worth the money and have gone on to splurge for the recently offered Lifetime Membership. I feel that the service and content that Sam Harris provides exceeds that which I’m paying for. If you have an interest in mediation, I would encourage you to try the trial and experience the app for yourself.
I applaud Sam Harris and all that he does to further the conversation and practice of awareness and living with clarity, dignity, and significance.